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  The GayCities team--David, Matt, Oscar, Scott, Chris and Dan--in their SF office. Remember a couple weeks ago when I told you about one of my favorite national queer blogs, Queerty, shutting down admist other LGBT media struggles? Well, that’s ok if you didn’t. I don’t expect you to be as interested in inner media workings as this guy but you’ll probably be more excited to here that Queerty is back!
Once owned by Jossip creator David Hauslib, Queerty was shut down several weeks ago after a disagreement in strategy with the site’s contracted operators, who decided to change their business focus. So when Hauslib appraoched GayCities to operate the site they were excited to take on the challenge saying,
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  I've always loved their tagline I just heard yesterday that one of my favorite sources for national/international LGBT news, Queerty, ceased to exist with only the vaguest of explanations. This is what they say on their site:
After more than five years of serving the LGBT community with news and entertainment, Queerty has come to a close. The decision to shutter the site was not an easy one to make, and it is with great pain that we say goodbye to our loyal readership. From all of Queerty’s writers and contributors, from our first unto our last day, thank you for spending some time with us.
Today I found some explanation from 365’s Jennifer Vanasco, who reblogs from Queerty (and Jossip) founder David Hauslaib:
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  Basic Rights Oregon recently produced a great ad campaign called “Marriage matters to me” featuring several Oregon couples both gay and straight. Four of these couples will get coverage on CNN this Valentines Day as part of Freedom to Marry‘s newest national campaign.
Via press release, BRO executive director Jeana Frazzini lauded the decision to show the ads on Valentine’s Day of all days.
“Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate love and commitment, and that’s true for all couples, gay or straight,” said Frazzini. “We’re reaching out to Oregonians to talk about the reasons we all want to get married: we want to publicly affirm the commitment we’ve made to the person we love.”
You can see the video below and more at a statewide themed website Marriage Matters Oregon.
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  2007 "People" category winner Lee Kyle's “Kajanne Pepper in Stripes” Even though it is still may and the rain continues to dampen our spirits as we head into the official beginning of summer, Memorial Day, and Pride Season, I’m starting not to be able to control my upcoming seasonal excitement.
qPDX has plans to march, of course, cover the hell out of our local festivities, and tweet all the cool stuff the whole time (my apologies if the tweets start to get messy by the end of each evening). But even better? We’re going to be doing it all again the next weekend from San Francisco!
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. QDoc will kick off the season shortly, and we’ll have some stellar review coverage this year. But you can get just ask excited as me RIGHT NOW by entering Just Out’s 2010 Amateur Pride Photo Contest. It’s bound to be an interesting competition this year with all kinds of new staff at the JO as well as…drumroll…celebrity guest judging from yours truly. (You’re calling me a local celebrity? Well of course I’ll [fill in the blank]. Flattery will get you everywhere…) Here’s some of my judgemental comrades:
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  Every now and again qPDX must stand behind a public service announcement. This April 1, and no, it’s not a joke, we refuse to be invisible any longer and should stand up and be counted for the 2010 Census. And though the government survey woefully only counts gay couplings rather than the numerous among us who are queer enough of our own, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force has also started a grassroots pink sticker campaign called Queering the Census wherein you can seal your envelope with your out and proud status.
On March 18, a kickoff event at Q Center will officially unveil two PSAs targeting Portland’s gay, lesbian, bi and trans community to spread the word about the changes to the Census. You can check out one of the two below featuring locals Basic Rights Oregon’s Jeana Frazzini, Q Center’s Kendall Clawson, and Cascade AID’s Project Michael Kaplan and City Hall worker and former Portland Mercury Journalist Amy Ruiz.
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 Beau Breedlove in a shoot he did for Unzipped magazine If you thought you heard enough about the mayor’s sex scandal with hottie Beau Breedlove, then you were wrong. Not only is Mr. Scandal back in Portland, after so unceremoniously leaving us for the east coast, but he also has a forthcoming book. The as-yet-untitled tome will be a
…reflection on the events of my life before, during and after the ‘scandal’ surrounding my relationship with Sam Adams…
In addition, the book will cover a broader look at people who have been in similar situations to mine, and how stereotypes both play into the media attention as well as are used as tools against victims. This book is a memoir, and an insight into the change that the GLBTQ community needs to see in the way we are portrayed and represented.
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 Sam Adams Here at qPDX we really do like to have fun. That often means that our coverage is entertainment and event heavy. But 2009 saw plenty of news headlines as well. I’m sure it will come as no surprise to anyone what scandal fills the top spot, but let’s run down 4 more items as well before we repeat the obvious.
5 – Media drama, deaths and rebirths
In the beginning of 2009 the implosion of Oregon’s first and only LGBT print publication, Just Out seemed imminent. They had just made an unpopular recommendation to oust the sex scandal embattled Mayor Adams followed by the departure of several important art and editorial staffers over pay disputes. But the publication survived, albeit with a much tinier staff. Despite a so-called dying journalism industry several new local queer publications started up around this time. Indeed, though qPDX has was created in 2005, we, too, had to reinvent ourselves following my layoff from OregonLive.com. And I think independence suits us.
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 Phil Busse In March, the Northwest Institute for Social Change is hosting a 10-week long program that will teach LGBTQ teens how to produce short, professional-quality films. They are looking for interested students.
Participating teens will attend media literacy and media production seminars, and then take those skills to the streets to produce a professional-quality short film that address stereotypes—whether that is a serious-minded documentary about a local civic leader or a funny narrative about a gay superhero. You can see some of these past projects and hear about teen experiences in NWISC blog.
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 Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (L) aka Lady Gaga with Barbara Walters I know that probably too much space is devoted in this blog to Lady Gaga but she is my favorite artist and musician right now (she’s so hot right now), she’s incredibly talented and envelope-pushing and she’s absolutely forthright in her interview with Barbara Walters. Sot it’s worth showing here.
Highlights include openly admitting bisexuality, feeling like a freak as a child, and wanting to be an inspiration to fans and young people, even if she doesn’t fit the role model mold.
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 Editors Amos Mac (L) and Rocco Kayiatos pose with the first issue or 'Original Plumbing' Lesbians used to have On Our Backs and gay men have Butt. Now, Original Plumbing, a “quarterly photo and interview-saturated magazine dedicated to the culture and sexuality of FTM transsexuals” is the new Playboy for the genderqueer generation. Sure, there’s all kinds of hot naked spreads, but you actually can genuinely say you read it for the articles with a “straight” face.
Just a warning, the website (linked above) features many NSFW photos.
The inaugural “bedroom issue” has just been released, and is already on independent bookstore shelves. Release parties continue to soldier on, including stops in Brooklyn, San Francisco and Seattle.
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