Straight-owned OUT Magazine deputy editor Nico Lang quit New Year’s Eve, leaving the magazine without an editor, reports the Los Angeles Blade. Editor-In-Chief Phillip Picardi resigned earlier in December.
In his resignation letter, Lang spoke of “straight men who do not have our best interests at heart, who profit off us until they can no longer exploit us to their satisfaction.”
Adam Levin of pro-cannabis High Times Magazine bought both OUT Magazine and the Advocate just under two years ago. (The editor of the Advocate also resigned in December.)
Back in 2018, when Levin bought the publications, Women’s Wear Daily described the purchase as opportunistic.
The publication characterised Levin as a “new owner that not only is perceived as relatively disinterested in the community it serves, but has given money to politicians who worked against that community.”
Lang also mentioned in his resignation letter his previous employment with another straight-owned LGBTIQ publication.
“It does not escape notice that this is the second time in less than a year that I’ve been part of a team which raised the bar for queer excellence in media just to end up unemployed.”
Lang previously worked for Grindr-owned INTO magazine. That publication ceased publication six weeks after an article on straight Grindr president Scott Chen’s criticism of same-sex marriage.
Payment Problems
Women’s Wear Daily noted that before Levin’s purchase of OUT, both staff and contributors experienced payment problems. The magazine wrote of staff “paid via PayPal, and often late at that.”
Early last year, the New York Times reported that OUT owed freelancers more than $100,000.
Australian LGBTIQ media
In Australia, LGBTIQ media remains predominantly LGBTIQ owned. Traditionally, other than the ill-fated Satellite Media and Evo Media, most LGBTIQ publishers regarded the business as more a labour of love than a route to riches.
For the latest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) news in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
