In response to the alarming rise of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and actions across the political landscape, a groundbreaking coalition of 11 independent LGBTQ+ newsrooms has come together to form the Queer News Network (QNN). This initiative aims to provide in-depth and nuanced coverage of the 2024 General Election through an LGBTQ+ lens, ensuring that the voices and experiences of the community are at the forefront of political discourse. 

While past discussions on LGBTQ+ issues often revolved around same-sex marriage, contemporary issues that encompass fundamental rights related to healthcare, child-rearing, and personal expression have been reduced to mere footnotes, or altogether ignored by larger news organizations in their beat coverage.  

At the same time, those issues have become core pillars of far-right candidates running this upcoming November.

QNN aims to emphasize the importance of insightful coverage that speaks to the exploitation of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and violence in the upcoming election. This commitment to fair reporting is essential not only for the queer community but also for advocates of democracy and human rights. 

From October 1 to November 12, participating newsrooms will identify candidates and contribute content to a comprehensive news site, which will serve as a central hub for queer voters across the U.S.  

Additionally, QNN student reporters will monitor campaigns leading up to and during election week.  

QNN is recruiting students from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, which will help establish a student newsroom for the election. Eight students will be chosen to work with editors of the network to monitor campaigns leading up to and during the election week.  

“We are thrilled to be a part of the Queer News Network,” said Phillip Zonkel, editor and co-founder of Q Voice News in California. “The mission of QNN is to center LGBTQ+ experiences in political narratives, offering fact-based reporting that highlights the profound impact of anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments on queer lives. By raising the standard of LGBTQ+ news coverage, this ground-breaking project will empower the community with vital information and hold those in power accountable through truth and visibility.” 

QNN is governed by three newsrooms: LOOKOUT in Arizona, QVegas in Nevada, and Q Voice News in California and has a coalition of four different regions: 

• West: Q Voice News (Los Angeles, CA), LOOKOUT (Arizona), QVegas (Las Vegas, NV), Seattle Lesbian (Seattle, WA) 
• Central: Illinois Eagle (Illinois), The Gayly (Oklahoma), Queerency (National) 
• South: Queer Kentucky (Kentucky), OUT South Florida (Fort Lauderdale, FL) 
• Northeast: QBurgh (Pittsburgh, PA), Buckeye Flame (Ohio) 

“This is something that is long overdue in LGBTQ+ media, but hasn’t happened because of corporate buyouts, lack of resources, or simply many of our queer newsrooms shuttering their doors,” said Joseph Darius Jaafari, editor in chief and founder of LOOKOUT in Arizona. “We’re excited to help spearhead this and elevate the election reporting being done by our partner newsrooms to show that queer journalism isn’t just niche — it’s imperative to local democracy.”