Sad news for gays of DC...

I was sad to read tonight that the local gay newspaper the "Washington Blade" along with others, has folded. Read on from this article found on Towleroad: Window Media, the former publisher of Genre magazine, which also publishes the Washington Blade, Southern Voice, Houston Voice, South Florida Blade, David Atlanta and The 411 Magazine, reportedly closed up shop over the weekend. Its parent fund, Avalon Equity, run by David Unger, had been forced into receivership by the federal Small Business Administration in February. A notice was posted on the company's door over the weekend: "It is with GREAT regret that we must inform you that effective immediately, the operations of Window Media, LLC and Unite Media, LLC have closed down. Please return to this office on WEDNESDAY, November 18th, 2009 at 11:00 AM to collect personal belongings and to receive information on your separation stipulations. Please bring boxes and/or containers that will allow you to collect all your personal belongings at one time." A message from the editor (to whom the closing came as a complete shock) of the Southern Voice was left on the publication's Facebook page: "With deepest regret, as editor of SoVo, I have to tell you that we arrived at the office to learn that our parent company, Window Media, has shut down. While the 20 years of SoVo have come to an end, our civil rights movement is only beginning. I am personally grateful to all of the staff, and to all of you who have had the courage to share your stories. It has been the honor of my life to help you tell them." Some of the company's websites are offline. This is sad news. The publications will be missed.

I can only say for myself how important this paper was to me, when I was still closeted, living at home with the parents and had not dated or had many gay friends. In many ways the Blade was my only link to gay culture, gay issues, politics, events and the gay community. I would pick it up from the local Tower Records each week (another company that no longer exists) and I would read it in the parking lot in my car or read it in secret at home. It kept me in touch with a "world" that I was not yet living in but wanted to be in, and needed. And it helped in many ways to find information and support, and helped me to come out and live my life openly. I still would read it each week (no longer having to do so in secret) and looked forward to the world news, local news and events, book reviews and the catty "Bitch Session" which was full of local gripes about the ups and downs of life in the gay-borhood. Sigh...it served the community for 40 years, it will be missed.