The future of the queer press

OUR TERRIBLE TWO'S: This Sunday marks our second birthday.

On Dec. 22, 2022, LOOKOUT came into the world. At first, we were just a Substack focused on telling a story or two a month that local outlets hadn't yet (or wanted to) cover. You can read that very first letter of the reason we started here.

That Substack only had about 80 people subscribed at the beginning, and still our first story on a couple being threatened out of their Queen Creek home caused such commotion that the mayor's office told us they would get involved.

We've gone on to expand our coverage outside of the Greater Phoenix area to seven counties across the state, with plans in the next two years to try and be in the remainder, including Tribal Nations and border-specific issues.

But more than just growing our coverage area, we've started to prove our mission: LGBTQ+ stories need to be more than just what happens after bills are passed and which Pride parades exist; and nuanced stories that explain what's happening in our communities deserve the same rigorous journalism that every other major news beat gets.

We have a long way to go, but our plans next year are exciting! We're aiming to expand our national partnerships, hire our first staff reporters, and build on the impacts we've already made.

Read about what we've done in the past year:

LOOKOUT Marks Two Years of Impactful Local Queer Journalism

This year we did 37 events, published more than 60 stories, and reached hundreds of thousands of people through our journalism.

LOOKOUTJake Hylton (he/him)

LOOKOUT'S TAKE: Throughout the year, we've been asking you various questions on what you'd like from us in terms of coverage and events. And we've taken all of your notes to heart.

That's why next year, we've built out an events calendar that will include coffee shop meet-ups, happy hours, art-focused community events, and a revamp of our Summer of Solutions series that we launched this past June.

Over the next week we'll be be rolling out the full calendar on our website so you can learn about those upcoming events and schedule them for yourself.

As a reminder, we'll be off for the rest of the year. We'll be back with our newsletters and programs on Jan. 7.

🌵 LOCAL NEWS

• WE'RE HIRING!: We are looking for a part-time politics reporter for the year. It's the perfect gig for a reporter looking to cut their teeth in the politics beat. Deadline to apply is Jan. 3. LOOKOUT
• KAVANAGH BILLS: Another slate of anti-trans bills have been filed by Sen. John Kavanagh. He says he's willing to propose them as ballot measures to bypass the governor's vetoes. AZ Mirror
• RAINBOW ROTARY: Tucson is now home to the nation's sixth LGBTQ+ rotary club. Inside Tucson Business
• QUEER-MAS: The All Queer Shakespeare group is putting on their rendition of A Christmas Carol. Arizona Foothills Magazine

🇺🇸 NATIONAL NEWS

• BANNING FLAGS: In Florida, a local representative filed a bill that would ban Pride, Black Lives Matter, and Palestinian flags from any publicly owned space. Orlando Sentinel
• GAY ICON: Academics ponder Luigi Mangione's status as an "underdog,", and why the LGBTQ+ community is rallying around him. Newsweek
• HEGSETH STATEMENTS: Donald Trump's nominee to run the Department of Defense railed against LGBTQ+ service members in his latest book. The Guardian
• HATE CRIMES IN LA: Crimes against gay men and trans people have hit record numbers in Los Angeles. Q Voice News
• MISTRIAL: The murder trial of a gay Mississippi student was declared a mistrial after a jury couldn't decide on a conviction. Associated Press

Last week's question: What is the name of the popular poetry night that attracts hundreds of people to Thems. every month?

Last week's answer: Fruity Poetry Night