During the 20th century, queer magazines such as On Our Backs, BUTCH/Femme, Lesbian Tide, and Bad Attitude provided a space for LGBTQ+ people to discuss topics that were often considered taboo or misunderstood. They also played an important role in the fight for social justice, serving as platforms for political activism, advocacy, and community building.
In the early years of their existence, queer magazines focused primarily on issues related to identity formation, self-expression, and representation.
On Our Backs was created as a response to the lack of explicit lesbian pornography available at the time, while BUTCH/Femme explored the intersectionality of gender and sexuality through its writing. These publications helped to create a sense of community among readers who felt isolated due to their identities, and allowed them to connect with others like themselves.
Queer magazines began to evolve into more than just places for personal expression. They became vehicles for political change, offering opportunities for readers to engage in activism and advocacy around issues such as HIV/AIDS, violence against transgender women of color, and homophobic discrimination. The magazine Bad Attitude, for instance, published articles about these issues along with interviews with prominent activists and scholars, such as Audre Lorde and Adrienne Rich.
Queer magazines were also used by some as tools for organizing and mobilizing communities.
Lesbian Tide was instrumental in creating networks between feminist organizations across the United States, helping to foster relationships and build solidarity between different groups. This work continued into the 1980s and 1990s, when many LGBTQ+ people were still facing legal discrimination and societal hostility.
Despite their importance, queer magazines are often overlooked in histories of social movements. Their impact on the development of queer culture and politics has been largely ignored, despite the fact that they played a vital role in shaping our understanding of sexuality and identity. By providing spaces for intellectual work, political action, and community formation, queer magazines have had a lasting effect on the struggle for equality and acceptance.