OutServe Magazine
 | |
| Editor-in-Chief | David Small |
|---|---|
| Staff writers |
Edward A. Sweeney, Chief columnist |
| Frequency | Bi-monthly |
| Circulation | 150,000 |
| Publisher | Jonathan Mills |
| Year founded | March 2011 |
| Company | OutServe |
| Country | United States |
| Based in | Washington, D.C. |
| Language | English |
| Website |
www |
| ISSN | 2161-3370 |
| OCLC number | 722418968 |
OutServe Magazine is a bi-monthly periodical digital and print publication of OutServe, a non-profit, non-governmental organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender service members in the United States Armed Forces. It was first published in March 2011, while OutServe was still operating clandestinely prior to the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy that banned open gays from service. It was featured by MSNBC, CNN,[1] ABC,[2]Der Spiegel, Stars and Stripes, and Military Times.[3] The publication is distributed free of charge and is available for downloading and redistribution.
History
In February 2011, OutServe, Inc. decided to launch a newsletter that would inform LGBT service members of the fast-growing support network that was available to them, as well as inform readers on the status of DADT and other LGBT-related policies. Air Force Staff Sgt Jonathan Mills and Air Force Capt Eddy Sweeney expanded on this idea and created a bi-monthly magazine which sought to publish relevant information in a pre-DADT repeal environment, inform LGBT service members of various resources available to them, and begin to normalize open service by introducing the Armed Services to the gay military professional.
The first electronic-only issue of the Magazine, distributed in March 2011 to OutServe network members, as well as released to the press, had over 10,000 impressions within the first 48 hours, and was met with an overwhelming show of support from the public, the Department of Defense, and the Obama administration. News organizations such as MSNBC, CNN,[1] ABC,[2] Der Spiegel, Stars and Stripes, and Military Times reached out to cover the launch.[3] In the month after, the bi-monthly publication shifted its focus from a pre-repeal environment to a post-repeal one, and the September 2011 Repeal Edition had a quarter of a million views.[4] This issue featured, for the first time in any publication, the faces of 101 actively serving LGBT military professionals.
Over the past year, the Magazine has featured LGBT multimedia essays by artists like JoAnn Santangelo and Jeff Sheng, has added a new travel and fitness sections, has been cited regularly by major news outlets, and has partnered with over 15 advertisers. From its launch in 2011 to its one-year anniversary in March 2012, OutServe Magazine expanded its staff from 3 to over 30 volunteers, adding a new OutServe Blog and expanding print and web distribution from 10,000 readers in the first month to over a quarter of a million views today.
Repeal Edition
In September 2011, its third edition, the "Repeal Edition", OutServe Co-director JD Smith revealed his identity as a U.S. Air Force active-duty lieutenant. The "Repeal Edition" featured 101 service members coming out for the first time. It was also the first edition distributed in print to Army and Air Force installations, which occurred on September 23.[5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Wire Staff (March 28, 2011). "Magazine launch for gay military members announced". CNN. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bradley Blackburn (March 28, 2011). "OutServe Magazine Launched for Active-Duty Gay and Lesbian Troops". ABC News. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Brian Witte, The Associated Press (28 March 2011). "Military gay support group launches magazine". Military Times. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
- ↑ "OutServe Magazine: About Us". OutServe Magazine. January 1, 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
- ↑ Ed O'Keefe (30 August 2011). "Gay military magazine to be distributed at Army, Air Force bases". The Washington Post. Retrieved 17 September 2012.