PGN participated in the annual LGBT Media Convening last weekend in the nation’s capital, a gathering of more than 70 journalists, editors and bloggers working in LGBT media. While the participants hailed from all corners of the country and cover different issues and communities, in varying mediums, one common theme emerged from the meeting: LGBT media remains stronger than ever.
As LGBT acceptance becomes more and more mainstream, there have been questions about whether certain LGBT-centric staples still remain relevant — Pride events, same-sex wedding expos and even LGBT media. While remarkable strides have been made for the community, these institutions have been far from worked out of business by societal evolution on LGBT issues. Community-driven initiatives, like LGBT media, remain vital tools in not just securing and protecting rights, but in ensuring our community retains an active and valued voice in all sectors of society.
The LGBT media world is rife with writers and editors who straddle the fine line between journalist and activist — and, as was clear last weekend, that fusion of passion and talent has the capacity to move myriad issues forward. Whether it’s getting an LGBT-centric topic into mainstream focus or encouraging discussion about and investment in a certain issue within our own community, LGBT media professionals have a unique platform to engender continued evolution.
One of the primary themes of the Convening was that the LGBT media field needs to continue to tell stories of marginalized communities — including of those who are marginalized within our own LGBT community. In one panel focused on the reasons why some media outlets elect not to touch touchy subjects, participants had a fruitful and spirited conversation about the necessity of exploring under-represented issues. The consensus of the conversation was that, while each writer brings his or her own frame of reference to a particular topic, it’s vital to look outside that frame in order to fully represent the interests and needs of our community.
To that end, community participation is key. Hearing from all sectors of the community about the issues important to them helps LGBT media outlets shape their own coverage. And opening up our pages for readers to include their own voices is a tool PGN is increasingly employing so that all community members can be active participants in their community news.
While the media environment is ever-changing, the LGBT media field continues to be built upon a decades-long foundation of commitment to social-justice advocacy — a building block that will allow this industry, and our community, to flourish into the future.