Welcome to the Georgia Straight's new LGBT webpage

The name of the Georgia Straight has often been confusing. Some people think it means it's for straight people. (And no, we're not located in Georgia.)

To make that even more clear (in case you missed the memo, as in Tweet), the Georgia Straight launched an LGBT webpage earlier this week.

It's still in its early stages at the moment, and more features will be added as it develops over time.

It's a way of consolidating all the LGBT coverage that is spread through the paper, in sections as varied as news, arts, movies, and more. It's one-stop shopping for LGBT readers and allies.

In conjunction with the launch of the page, the Straight's first LGBT columnist, Kevin Dale McKeown blessed us with a retrospective of his coverage that began in 1970, with a little history lesson about Vancouver's queer community to boot.

Over the course of its history, the Straight has had numerous LGBT contributors. Among them are:

Guy Babineau, Mannequin columnist
Romi Chandra
Jessica Cooper
Ivan E. Coyote
Rob Easton
Jeremy Hainsworth
Jamie Lee Hamilton
Vanessa Kwan
Sarah Leavitt
Shana Myara
Kathleen Oliver, theatre reviewer
Bill Richardson
Alex Sangha
Dan Savage, Savage Love columnist
Randall Shirley
Bill Siksay
Michael V. Smith
Victoria Stuart
Craig Takeuchi
Colin Thomas, theatre reviewer
Karen X. Tulchinsky
Alan Woo

Meanwhile, numerous other allies, including staff like Carolyn Ali, Matthew Burrows, Ian Caddell, Yolande Cole, Shadi Elien, Stephen Hui, Gail Johnson, Travis Lupick, Carlito Pablo, Charlie Smith, Stephen Thomson, Jessica Werb, and Pieta Woolley, have all covered LGBT issues.

With the need to counter homophobia ever-present in spite of progress, this webpage and Twitter account will help to provide visible presence on this site.

As LGBT communities become more integrated into the mainstream, less ghettoized, and as newer communities pop up in various areas, the internet has increasingly become an important means for maintaining connections. Hopefully the Straight can play a role in helping to foster those connections. And as a publication that isn't LGBT–specific, the Straight can also help to build bridges between the queer community and others.

Just because we're called the Straight doesn't necessarily mean we all are.

On that note, I will leave you with a slice of Cancon classic comedy: Kids in the Hall. Why? Straight alum Guy Babineau had a bit part playing the "Shooters!" guy in the Buddy Cole skits. (Aren't you jealous?)

You can follow the Straight's LGBT coverage on Twitter at twitter.com/StraightLGBT.

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