Two years ago, a bold voice emerged in South Florida’s queer landscape — and it hasn’t stopped speaking truth to power.
Last week, OutSFL celebrated its second anniversary, marking not just a milestone in local, community-based journalism, but a defiant declaration of presence, pride, and purpose in a time when LGBTQ voices especially are under siege.
In an era where authoritarianism lurks behind carefully coded language and bigotry is framed as “parental rights,” queer media isn’t just relevant — it’s critical to our survival. OutSFL has proven that local journalism can be both fiercely independent and deeply rooted in the community. When Florida Atlantic University’s queer student newspaper was silenced under pressure from Tallahassee, OutSFL didn’t flinch. Instead, it stepped up and filled a DeSantis-sized chasm: publishing the students' work, providing a platform when the state tried to erase them. That act wasn’t just brave — for one of our most vulnerable populations, it was a lifeline.
It’s easy to forget how necessary these lifelines are. For decades, publications like The Washington Blade, Express Gay News, and Florida Agenda were often the only sources of information for LGBTQ people seeking community, clarity, and representation. These weren’t just newspapers — they were candles in the dark. They told us where to gather, whom to trust, and how to survive. They chronicled our wins, mourned our losses, and refused to let the world look away.
OutSFL carries that legacy forward, and in some ways, it faces even more complex terrain. Social media algorithms distort visibility. Hostile Red State governments, like the DeSantis atrocity, actively dismantle queer rights under the banner of “freedom.” Libraries ban books. Schools silence students. And yet, OutSFL continues to report, uplift, and organize. Its commitment to covering local LGBTQ stories ensures that our community is seen — not as a monolith, but as a vibrant, diverse, and evolving force.
We must not underestimate the power of principled, independent locally based queer journalistic media. And we must support it. It keeps us informed. It keeps us connected. It reminds us that our existence is not up for debate, and our stories are worth telling. As democracy frays and disinformation thrives, we need platforms like OutSFL more than ever.
To the editors, writers, creatives, and allies who make OutSFL possible: thank you. Your work is not “merely” journalism — it’s resistance. It’s remembrance. It’s heritage in print and in action.
Happy anniversary. We see you. We need you. And we are with you.
A writer and media strategist, and lifelong resident of South Florida, Cliff Dunn is the former Executive Editor of the Florida Agenda newspaper, Mark magazine, and Guy Magazine.
