A new national report paints a mixed picture for LGBTQ+ workers: more employees feel seen and supported on the job, but nearly half still report experiencing discrimination. The 2025 Shine the Light Report, sponsored by the nonprofit Be The Transformational Change Fund, surveyed 1,386 LGBTQ+ people across the United States. The study tracks workplace conditions, […]
Category: Business
Posted inTop Stories
Queer perfumers behind Domestica turn everyday memories into scent
It’s happened to all of us: you’re out and about and suddenly you catch a whiff of something that brings a memory flooding back and the emotions connected to it. Not only does scent travel from our noses to the olfactory bulb in our forebrains that is directly connected to memory and emotion, but scent […]
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The Map of Us podcast puts real voices behind the LGBTQ+ Media Mapping Project
What happens when you take a national research project and hand the microphone to the people living it? “The Map of Us,” a new seven-episode podcast from News is Out, brings the findings of the LGBTQ+ Media Mapping Project to life through candid conversations with the journalists and publishers doing the work. All episodes are […]
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5 things queer people notice immediately in a “welcoming” space
Queer people read a space quickly. Before a word is spoken, certain signals tell us whether we belong or should stay guarded. Here are five things LGBTQ+ people notice when determining if a space is truly welcoming. 1. Pride messaging outside, not just inside Are there any Pride flags flying outside or in the window? […]
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Entrepreneurs find support via SF LGBTQ center program
This article originally appeared in the Bay Area Reporter. Madison Eker, founder and CEO of Altogether Agency, sought to refresh and rebrand her firm, which works with companies to enhance their workplace culture. She had launched it under a different name five years ago and felt at a loss for how to reimagine it for […]
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Thoughtful gifts from LGBTQ+ makers for everyone on your list
The holidays are coming fast, and it’s a great time to show some love to the LGBTQ owned businesses that keep our community vibrant all year. These makers pour real heart into what they do, often while juggling tight budgets and a tough market. (All gifts listed below are under $150, with most coming in […]
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Undead Voice founder Nicole Gress is rewriting the rules of trans voice training
When Nicole Gress left traditional medical settings, she wasn’t walking away from her profession: she was walking toward a new model of care. A trained speech-language pathologist, Gress, who uses she/they pronouns, saw too many transgender people hit a wall with conventional voice therapy. That frustration, combined with inspiration from the DIY innovations happening in […]
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Lesbian bars in the U.S. you may not know about – but should
Over the last few decades, the number of lesbian bars dropped significantly, from roughly 200 in the 1980s, to a low of 21 in 2021. Since then, we’ve seen a resurgence of lesbian and sapphic-focused spaces: according to The Lesbian Bar Project, we’re now up to 38. You may know the classics like Cubbyhole, Gossip […]
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Local Media Association and Comcast launch Economic Opportunity Lab to spotlight local stories of mobility and change
Support expands for local journalism in five major cities through funding for 48 outlets, including four News is Out publishers and affiliates. PHILADELPHIA (August 20, 2025) – Today, the Local Media Association (LMA) and Comcast NBCUniversal announced the launch of the 2025–2026 Economic Opportunity Lab, a groundbreaking initiative supporting local journalism covering stories of economic mobility and opportunity in cities […]
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After 46 years, Portland’s Scandals gay bar to shutter Harvey Milk Street space
Portland, Oregon, is about to lose one of its most famous LGBTQ+ third spaces. The owners of Scandals, which has been open since 1978 in downtown Portland, took to social media on Sunday to announce that its iconic Harvey Milk Street location will close Sept. 21. The social post informed customers of the shuttering of […]
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Your queer foodie guide: LGBTQ+ chefs, books, tours and events to know
Looking to taste your way through queer culture? From guided food tours to groundbreaking cookbooks and can’t-miss culinary events, queer food spaces are thriving across the U.S. and beyond. Whether you’re craving bourbon and bites in Louisville, exploring food justice, or bookmarking your next favorite cookbook, there’s a world of queer food experiences waiting to […]
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DEI isn’t dead: See the companies standing behind inclusion
At a time when companies are abandoning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, WinMark Concepts President Andrew Isen said DEI was never meant to be a political statement – it’s a smart move for business and company culture. “It fosters an environment and a camaraderie of teamwork that will lead to a company’s positive bottom […]
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Tariffs hit hard, but queer-owned brands push back with transparency and community
At the start of President Donald Trump’s second term in January, his administration quickly followed through on his promise to increase tariffs on U.S. trading partners. It began in February with a 10% tariff increase on all Chinese imports and a 25% increase on steel and aluminum products. Since then, tariffs have been escalating between […]
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GLAAD Report: Major social platforms fall short on LGBTQ+ safety in 2025
GLAAD has released its “2025 Social Media Safety Index” evaluating seven of the country’s largest social media platforms on how well they protect LGBTQ+ users. The platforms assessed—Facebook, Instagram, Threads (Meta), TikTok, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), and Snapchat—were scored based on their LGBTQ+ user safety, policy transparency, enforcement and protections against harassment and disinformation. No platform […]
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How tech companies can lead in building inclusive remote workspaces for LGBTQ+ employees
The 2025 U.S. Presidential election has made things harder for many within the LGBTQ+ community. With so much of our daily lives dedicated to our careers, remote work offers a unique opportunity to alleviate and manage some of the overall stress LGBTQ+ folks face. Benefits of Remote Work Working from home (WFH) can provide employees with a […]
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Pride without partners: 2025 celebrations hit by funding cuts
Pride season officially kicks off in a month–but this year’s celebrations are already looking very different from what we’ve grown accustomed to. At many Pride celebrations—including those in New York City, San Francisco, and St. Louis—corporate sponsors, once ubiquitous, have begun pulling their support. In response to conservative backlash against DEI efforts and rising hostility […]
Posted inDigital Equity Lab
LGBTQ+ Business Bootcamp aims to uplift and guide queer entrepreneurs
With the Trump administration’s harsh rhetoric and policies coming into effect, it’s a difficult year to be queer or a business owner. Kristina Wynne hopes to alleviate some of that. Now entering its sixth year, the Illinois LGBT Chamber of Commerce LGBTQ+ Biz Bootcamp aims to lift up and prepare LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs for a successful […]
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News is Out expands: Welcoming 6 new affiliates to our groundbreaking LGBTQ+ media collaborative
News is Out, the groundbreaking LGBTQ+ media collaborative, is proud to welcome six new affiliate members. This expansion strengthens the collaborative’s mission to amplify LGBTQ+ voices and ensure equitable, community-centered journalism across the country. The six new affiliate members are: The Buckeye Flame (Ohio) Between the Lines/Pridesource (Michigan) Lookout (Arizona) OutSFL (Southern Florida) QNotesCarolinas (Carolinas) Watermark Out News (Central Florida) “The […]
Posted inDigital Equity Lab
Lived experience guides Tate Smith’s trans and DEI consulting firm
Five years ago, Tate Smith, then a legal secretary, decided it was time to share something about himself at his workplace, Clifford Chance, a major law firm in London. “I was like, ‘OK, I haven’t spoken publicly since I was in high school, and I don’t know if I can do it.’ But then I […]
Posted inDigital Equity Lab
The queer couple fighting for DEI — with math
When faced with questions of diversity, equity, and inclusion, detractors often respond with demands for evidence or complaints about cost. Husbands Chad Topaz and Jude Higdon spend their time trying to find answers to those questions — on top of their other jobs as math professor, university administrator, and parents to a son and two dogs. It started when Topaz, […]