GAYLETTER

News broke in the last week of January that LGBTQ+ acceptance was down in the United States. Part of me thinks: groundbreaking, while another part of me is clearly delusional and feels surprised. (They don’t call New York a bubble for nothing!) For his birthday this year, GAYLETTER’s old friend Ariel Foxman has opened up a fundraiser for GLAAD in his name. “GLAAD amplifies the voice of the LGBT community by empowering real people to share their stories, holding the media accountable for the words and images they present, and helping grassroots organizations communicate effectively.” At GAYLETTER, we prioritize the community over everything. We do our best not to book straight talent, whether it’s models, photographers, retouchers, or artists. For us, it’s all about  pursuing the creativity and value in producing a product that tells the stories we are attached to, or interested in, within the community. “A majority of Americans now report being uncomfortable around LGBTQ people most notably when they learn a family member, doctor, or their child’s teacher is LGBTQ.” What does that mean? We need to be more queer and more brilliant than ever so we can continue to secure our necessary place in society. I shouldn’t have to tell you how important it is to have our voices and narratives shared, heard, seen, and absorbed by the masses. Ariel’s almost reached the $5,000 goal. Let’s help him crush it.  —Chris Stewart