Type of site Blog, News Owner The Excitant Group LLC Alexa rank 11,829 (July 2014) | Available in English Website Autostraddle.com | |
Created by Marie Lyn Bernard
(Editor-in-Chief)
Alexandra Vega
(Design Director) | ||
Autostraddle.com is an independently owned online magazine and social network for lesbian, bisexual, and queer women (cis and trans) as well as non-binary people. The website is a "politically progressive queer feminist media source" that features content covering LGBT and feminist news, politics, opinion, culture, arts and entertainment as well as lifestyle content such as DIY crafting, sex, relationships, fashion, food and technology. Autostraddle was founded by CEO, CFO and Editor-in-Chief Marie "Riese" Bernard and Design Director Alexandra Vega in March 2009. The senior editorial team consists of Riese Bernard, Laneia Jones, Rachel Kincaid, Yvonne Marquez, and Heather Hogan. Feminist Collections has highlighted Autostraddle's successful balance between serious, political and light-hearted articles.
Contents
- Revenue and Funding
- Offline Community Building
- A Camp
- Queer Girl City Guides
- List of Queer Girl City Guides United States
- List of Queer Girl City Guides Canada
- List of Queer Girl City Guides Mexico
- List of Queer Girl City Guides South America
- List of Queer Girl City Guides Europe the United Kingdom
- List of Queer Girl City Guides Asia
- List of Queer Girl City Guides Australia
- References
In the 2012 Weblog Awards, Autostraddle was awarded Best Weblog of The Year, Best Group/Community Weblog and Best Entertainment Weblog. Autostraddle was nominated for GLAAD's Outstanding Blog Award in 2013 and 2014, and won in 2015.
On 25 July 2012, Autostraddle launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds for better tech support and a complete overhaul of the website. The initial goal of $40,000 was surpassed in less than 21 hours. The campaign ended on September 8, 2012, with $116,645 raised. The new site was relaunched on December 1, 2013.
On 11 July 2014, Autostraddle launched Autostraddle Plus, a subscription program that gives members "a peek behind the curtain of Autostraddle."
Autostraddle receives over 1.5 million unique monthly visitors and 3.9 million total page views a month.
Revenue and Funding
In an article for Nylon Magazine, founder and Editor-in-Chief Riese Bernard discussed Autostraddle’s alternative revenue strategies in the context of the rapid disintegration of queer women-oriented publications and online spaces; In addition to advertising, the site sells merchandise independently and through affiliate networks such as Etsy and Wildfang, gains funds from A-Camp, as well as a paid subscription program/premium membership, Autostraddle Plus. Autostraddle Plus, or A+, was launched in July 2014, and offers special content, merchandise discounts, a customized site layout, among other perks. The cost ranges from $4 to $25 per month. Autostraddle also receives donations from its readers via PayPal.
Autostraddle offers a variety of advertising options, including traditional banner graphics, editorial content and custom campaigns promoting the brand or specific products, and A-Camp partnerships. These partnerships include sponsoring “camperships” (scholarships for potential campers who cannot afford to attend without financial assistance) and associated sponsorship articles, advertisements in camp programs, promotional materials in camp gift bags, and mentions and photos of the brand on social media.
Offline Community Building
Autostraddle is invested in creating community both on and offline. Autostraddle facilitates offline community development through A-Camp (see below), local gatherings such as annual “Holigay Meet-Ups” and its Pride Meet-Up Month, which are organized by users with Autostraddle’s support and promotion, and Queer Girl City Guides (see below). Autostraddle also offers ideas, tips, and resources for hosting a meet-up.
A-Camp
In April 2012, the first A-Camp was held as a pilot at Alpine Meadows Retreat Center in Angelus Oaks, California, where 163 queer campers and 35 staff members gathered to enjoy a weekend full of various panels, workshops, discussion groups, classes, entertainment and other activities.
Ensuing A-Camps have been larger, with a total of 300 in attendance per camp, including staff, and have taken place in the same location in California in September 2012, May 2013, October 2013, May 2014, May 2015 and June 2016. Special guests at A-Camp have included Cameron Esposito, Rhea Butcher, Julie Goldman, Brandy Howard, DeAnne Smith, Hannah Hart, Somer Bingham, Lex Kennedy, Megan Benton, Mal Blum, Dannielle Owens-Reid, Kristin Russo, Jasika Nicole, Jenny Owen Youngs, Julia Nunes, Brittani Nichols, Mollie Thomas, Haviland Stillwell, Ashley Reed and Sarah Croce.
Queer Girl City Guides
As part of their travel section, Autostraddle began publishing Queer Girl City Guides in 2012. Queer Girl City Guides are user-created, Autostraddle-approved guides to cities in the United States and abroad for queer women moving to or traveling to a new city. Through conversation-like copy and photos, the guides discuss places to dance, eat, drink, be entertained, party, play sports, get a “lifestyle haircut” or tattoo, celebrate pride, purchase LGBTQ books and publications, participate in activism, and more. The guides also provide insight on local colleges, gayborhoods and neighborhoods or places to avoid. Some guides also include sections on trans culture.