Autostraddle

Autostraddle is an independently owned online magazine and social network for lesbian, bisexual, and queer women (cis and trans), as well as non-binary people. The website is a "politically progressive queer feminist media source" that features content covering LGBT and feminist news, politics, opinion, culture, arts and entertainment as well as lifestyle content such as DIY crafting, sex, relationships, fashion, food and technology.

Autostraddle
Type of site
Blog, news
Available inEnglish
OwnerThe Excitant Group LLC
Founder(s)Riese Bernard
Alexandra Vega
EditorKamala Puligandla
URLwww.autostraddle.com
RegistrationOptional
LaunchedMarch 2009
Current statusActive

Autostraddle was founded in 2009 by Riese Bernard, the current CEO and CFO, and former Design Director Alexandra Vega. In June 2020, Kamala Puligandla succeeded Bernard as editor-in-chief.[1]

The site receives one million unique visitors per month. The website received GLAAD's Outstanding Blog Award in 2015, and was nominated in 2013, 2014, and 2018.[2][3][4]

History

Riese Bernard founded Autostraddle in March 2009 with Alexandra Vega, the website's former Design Director. She wanted to create a website for queer women that was unlike other sites that existed at the time.[4] The senior editorial team consists of Riese Bernard, Sarah Sarwar, Laneia Jones, Carmen Philips, Kamala Puligandla, Rachel Kincaid, and Heather Hogan.[5] Feminist Collections has highlighted Autostraddle's successful balance between serious, political and light-hearted articles.

Revenue and funding

In an article for Nylon Magazine, founder Riese Bernard discussed Autostraddle's alternative revenue strategies in the context of the rapid disintegration of queer women-oriented publications and online spaces.[6] She has noted that advertisers have largely failed to buy ad space on the website.[6] Autostraddle's funding model relies heavily on memberships, merchandise, and community fundraising.[4]

Content


Autostraddle publishes content on relationship dynamics, radical queer politics, economic injustice, among other things.[7] In 2019, Riese Bernard and Buffering the Vampire Slayer's Kristin Russo started To L and Back, a podcast recapping every single episode of The L Word in order, one by one.[8] Filmmaker Carly Usdin took over for Russo as co-host starting in season 2, and the show began featuring regular special guests.[9]

Queer Girl City Guides

As part of their travel section, Autostraddle began publishing Queer Girl City Guides in 2012.[10] Queer Girl City Guides are user-created, Autostraddle-approved guides to cities in the United States and abroad for queer women moving to or traveling to a new city. The guides discuss places to dance, eat, drink, be entertained, party, play sports, get a “lifestyle haircut” or tattoo, celebrate pride, purchase LGBTQ books and publications, participate in activism, and more. The guides also provide insight on local colleges, gayborhoods and neighborhoods or places to avoid. Some guides also include sections on trans culture.

Events

Autostraddle hosts in-person events such as “Holigay Meet-Ups”[11] and its Pride Meet-Up Month,[12] which are organized by users with Autostraddle's support and promotion. Autostraddle also offers ideas, tips, and resources for hosting a meet-up.[13]

A-Camp

In April 2012, the first A-Camp[14] was held as a pilot at Alpine Meadows Retreat Center in Angelus Oaks, California, where 163 queer campers and 35 staff members attended. A-Camps include various panels, workshops, discussion groups, classes, entertainment and other activities.[15] Ensuing A-Camps have been larger, with between 300–400 campers in attendance per camp, including staff, and have taken place in the same location in California in September 2012,[16] May 2013,[17] October 2013,[18] May 2014,[19] May 2015[20] and June 2016. A-Camp took place in Wisconsin in October 2016 and May 2017,[21] and the event moved to Ojai, California in May 2018.[22]

Special guests at A-Camp have included Mary Lambert, Cameron Esposito, Rhea Butcher, Julie Goldman, Brandy Howard, Be Steadwell, Mara Wilson, Gaby Dunn, DeAnne Smith, Hannah Hart, Somer Bingham, Lex Kennedy, Megan Benton, Mal Blum, Dannielle Owens-Reid, Kristin Russo, Jasika Nicole, Jenny Owen Youngs, Julia Nunes, Brittani Nichols, Mollie Thomas, Haviland Stillwell, Ashley Reed, and Sarah Croce. WNYC's podcast Nancy featured A-Camp in the episode "Kathy Goes to Camp".[23]

Accolades

In the 2012 Weblog Awards, Autostraddle was awarded Best Weblog of The Year, Best Group/Community Weblog and Best Entertainment Weblog.[24] Autostraddle was nominated for GLAAD's Outstanding Blog Award in 2013,[25] 2014,[25] and 2018,[26] and won in 2015.[27] One of their articles,"105 Trans Women On American TV: A History and Analysis" by Riese Bernard, was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award in the category of Outstanding Digital Journalism in 2017.[28]

See also

References
  1. Bernard, Riese (June 24, 2020). "One Last Letter From This Editor". Autostraddle. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
  2. Autostraddle About Page Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  3. Autostraddle About Page Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  4. them. "How Autostraddle's Riese Bernard Forever Changed the Queer Media Landscape". them. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
  5. "Meet the Team". Autostraddle.com. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  6. "After AfterEllen: On The Future Of The Queer Community On The Internet". NYLON. Retrieved 2016-12-01.
  7. "Clicking the Bean: The History of the Internet's Most Popular Lesbian Blog". Vice. 2015-09-11. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
  8. "12 LGBTQ Podcasts You Should Be Listening To". www.advocate.com. 2019-05-17. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
  9. {{Cite web|url=https://www.autostraddle.com/to-l-and-back-l-word-podcast-episode-201-life-loss-leaving/%7C“To L and Back” L Word Podcast Episode 201: “Life, Loss, Leaving” with Vico Ortiz|language=en|access-date=2020-09-10]]
  10. "Call For Submissions: More Queer Girl City Guides!". Autostraddle. 2012-10-15. Retrieved 2016-12-02.
  11. "Come Gather, All Ye Gentlequeers: It's Autostraddle Holigay Meet-Up Season!". Autostraddle. 2016-11-30. Retrieved 2016-12-02.
  12. "Let's Get Proud: It's Almost Autostraddle Pride Meet-Up Month!". Autostraddle. 2016-05-25. Retrieved 2016-12-02.
  13. "Meet-Up Resources & FAQs". Autostraddle. 2016-03-01. Retrieved 2016-12-02.
  14. "A-Camp". "A-Camp". Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  15. Bernard, Riese: "Introducing Camp Autostraddle" (14 February 2012). Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  16. "Introducing Camp Autostraddle 2.0" (21 May 2012). Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  17. "Introducing Camp Autostraddle 3.0". Autostraddle.com. 12 November 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
  18. "Queer Camping With Autostraddle". Curvemag.com. 24 June 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
  19. "Introducing Camp Autostraddle 5.0". Autostraddle.com. 17 January 2014. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  20. "Introducing Camp Autostraddle 6.0". Autostraddle.com. 27 January 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  21. Block, Jenny (2017-06-11). "Here's What Happened When I Went To Queer Summer Camp". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2018-04-21.
  22. "Introducing Camp Autostraddle X". Autostraddle. 2018-01-30. Retrieved 2018-04-21.
  23. #14: Kathy Goes to Camp – Nancy – WNYC Studios, retrieved 2018-04-21
  24. Twelfth Annual Weblog Awards Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  25. "Media Awards Nominees #glaadawards". GLAAD. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
  26. "GLAAD Media Awards Nominees #glaadawards". GLAAD. Archived from the original on 2018-01-24. Retrieved 2018-01-28.
  27. "Kerry Washington, Roland Emmerich honored at 26th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles". GLAAD. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  28. "GLAAD Media Awards 2017: Complete List of Nominations". ENews. 2017-01-31. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
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