read: blogs

The Bilerico Project -“The Bilerico Project is the web's largest LGBTQ group blog with 50 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and genderqueer contributors. The Project is the coming out and together of LGBTQ activists, politicos, journalists, novelists, advice columnists, and video bloggers. You'll find news and opinion on the Project from 50 different perspectives and backgrounds. You'll agree with some, disagree with others, and be somewhere in the middle with most. But wherever we're all coming from, we can bridge the geographic divides and have creative and productive conversations about issues important to the LGBT community.”

Canadian Hope – “We are a binational gay couple living in Toronto formerly in NJ, USA. We struggled for 6 years just to remain together. In early 2006 we were inspired to apply for residency in Canada because we yearned to be free, equal and safe from the tyranny of the right. This blog will be a mix of our immigration process, our daily lives and topics of interest like politics and religion.

Card Carrying Lesbian – “What’s in your wallet?” 

Gays Without Borders – “An informal network of international GLBT grassroots activists working to make the world a safer place for GLBT people, and for full GLBT equality in all aspects of legal and social life.” 

Iraqi LGBT – “Blog from Human Rights group Supporting Iraqi lesbians, gay, bisexuals and transgender people.” 

jb in dc – “A personal and whip smart blog on that strange time of graduating from teenager to adulthood. Check out Jennie's sarcastic barbs on celebrating International Women's Day in Safeway and dissecting transphobia in American advertising." 

Kids of Queers - "Kids of Queers is an eclectic blog which takes in everything from interviews with lesbian moms, gay dads, gay marriage and adoption updates and random trains of thought. This blog is excellent at raising awareness of LGBT families and the issues that effect them. Many of the bloggers deserve extra kudos for their frank discussions of very personal issues and their life growing up with LGBT parents." 

Lesbian Life on About.Com – “Kathy Belge has been the About.com Guide to Lesbian Life since 2003. She came out as a lesbian as a teenager, and enjoys helping other lesbians with coming out and living happy, healthy lives. Kathy has been a lesbian activist for more than 20 years. She has been an advocate and counselor for LGBT youth for more than 10 years. Kathy writes a lesbian advice column, "Lipstick & Dipstick" for Curve magazine, and is a co-author of the book, Lipstick & Dipstick's Essential Guide to Lesbian Relationships (Alyson Books). Kathy earned a B.A. from Syracuse University with a dual major in journalism and history. Her senior research project was a look into the culture of American lesbian bars and pulp novels of the 1950s and 60s.” 

Lily Tomlin on wowOwow.com - Lily Tomlin really doesn't need an introduction. A beloved icon of the lesbian community Ms. Tomlin is a regular contributor to wowOwow.

My Out Spirit – “Pro-Gay inspiration and cultural commentary.” 

Pam’s House Blend – “Pam Spaulding is the editor and publisher of Pam's House Blend honored as "Best LGBT Blog" in the 2005 and 2006 Weblog Awards. The Blend, which averages 120,000 visitors a month, was launched in July 2004 as a personal response to the anti-gay state of the political landscape.” 

Queer Justice League – “As members of every race, class, faith, and community, we see the struggle for LGBT equality as part of a larger movement for peace and social justice.” 

Susie Bright’s Journal – “Bright co-founded and edited the first women's sex-magazine, On Our Backs, "entertainment for the adventurous lesbian," from 1984 to 1991. From 1992 to 1994 she was a columnist for San Francisco Review of Books. She founded the first women's erotica book-series, Herotica, and edited the first three volumes. She started The Best American Erotica series in 1993, which she publishes to this day.” 

TLL, The Lesbian Lifestyle – “This blogsite was created to collect real life stories written by lesbians from around the world. The TLL authors share stories from their lives in the name of allowing our readers to see just how alike, and sometimes different we all are. Many of our stories have a great deal to do with sexual orientation, but the topics that are covered span several genres. At TLL you will find a vast collection of stories to read, relate to, and enjoy.” TLL had over 100 bloggers at last count. 

The Lesbian Question – “The Lesbian Question is an open platform for anyone (but mostly lesbians) who wants to Ask, Answer, Write or Contribute anything about (or to) The Lesbian Community.” If you enjoy Dear Abby you’ll like this. 

TransGroupBlog – “The Trans Group Blog is where you'll find a working group of writers who have written about trans topics, and is intended to give voice to a diversity of voices within the trans community.” 

surf: news | culture

365gay – Lgbtq news, entertainment, politics, current events and information. A Logo company.

AfterEllen.Com - AfterEllen bills itself as News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media. The site is vast with dozens of columns, a huge assortment of original streaming media programming in the form of webisodes, up to date news feeds and a community section for social networking and discussion. AfterEllen is a subsidiary of Logo, an MTV company. 

Cherry Girl - "Cherry Grrl is an online magazine and lifestyle site that is dedicated to bringing fresh news and juicy bits of entertainment to the lesbian community. Since launching in August of 2008, Cherry Grrl has been featuring articles, interviews, editorials, and informational pieces about the topics that the lesbian community – and our allies – care about the most. With a focus on providing frequently updated content in the areas of Music, Television and Film, News, Comedy, Books, Events, Life & Style, Sports, and Travel Cherry Grrl has established itself as a go-to source for lesbians. Additionally, with Cherry Grrl TV (CGTV) we are highlighting the best of lesbian web series and film and with our Real Grrls section we are drawing attention to the countless ladies out there doing amazing things with their talents and determination."

GLBTQ - An encyclopedia of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer culture. 

(The) June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives – This site is beautiful. “You are standing on the steps of 626 North Robertson Boulevard. You ring the bell and a woman opens the door and leads you upstairs. The building seems ordinary enough -- these stairs could lead anywhere. But then you turn a corner and are at once stunned by the sheer volume of books, letters and memorabilia enfolding you: a hundred years of lesbians' lives. You have just stepped inside the doors of the June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives. The room you are imagining houses almost a century of lesbian and feminist artwork, manuscripts, books, records, newspapers, magazines, photographs, games, organizational papers, tapes, letters, scrapbooks, clothing, and flyers. You are sharing with other lesbians the excitement of rediscovering the lives and struggles of the women who have come before us and perhaps even catching glimpses of pieces of your own past within these walls, too. The Mazer Archives is the largest major archive on the West Coast dedicated to preserving and promoting lesbian and feminist history and culture. By creating a safe place for women to explore the richness of lesbian history, perhaps adding to it themselves, we are paving the way for future generations to understand more fully their own identity and history and help maintain this vital link to their own past.

Lesbian Gamers – “Because sometimes we use our hands for other things.” Need we say more?

Lesbian Pulp Fiction Collection at the Sallie Bingham Center for Women’s History and Culture at Duke University - Awesome site. “Lesbian pulps were titled and pictured in "codes" that helped lesbians pick them out from amongst a drugstore rack filled with similar, often lurid, titles: a cover with a brunette towering over a reclining blonde, often with a man in the far background; titles with "strange", "odd" or "shadows" in them. The pulps gave some women a glimpse into a world that wasn't easy to access outside of large cities. The popularity of the pulps made them available to women across the country, providing some sense of comfort and inclusion. However, lesbian characters rarely fared well in these novels, their potential for happiness ruined by censure typical of the period: a woman engaged in illicit pleasures of one kind or another had to suffer a downfall to balance out the licentiousness of her actions. This "moral lesson" redeemed lesbian pulps from the ranks of mere pornography under the pretense of providing a public service. In addition, these stories sent a not-so-subtle message to lesbians about their place in society. "Frank" (code for "sexually explicit") stories warned readers about: the predatory older lesbian; the dangers of a poor father-daughter relationship; the susceptibility of orphans; the perils of the big city; the "immaturity" of lesbian sex; and the general misery of a lesbian existence.” 

Lesbian Sex Mafia - "Founded in 1981, the Lesbian Sex Mafia (LSM) is one of the oldest women’s BDSM support and education groups in the country. We are located in New York City, with a membership primarily in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. However, we also have members along the East Coast, across the country and even in Europe! LSM is a support and information group for all women 18 years of age or older, including transexual and intersexed women who live their daily lives as women and all female-born transgender people who feel they have a connection with and respect for the women’s community. And, who are interested in fantasy and role playing, bondage, discipline, S/M, fetishes, costumes, alternate gender identities and uninhibited sexual expression in a safe, sane, consensual and confidential way."

ONE, National Gay and Lesbian Archives – “The ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives houses the world's largest research library on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual,and Transgendered heritage and concerns.” 

SheWired.Com at Lesbian Nation – News, entertainment, lifestyle, travel, sports, health, blogs and social networking rolled into one. 

Velvet Park Magazine - "A content-rich community portal for lesbians, queers, our friends and allies. Velvetpark is the word on queer thought, art and culture. It is a destination for discussion, debate and understanding critical issues that affect the LGBTQ community. Velvetpark was founded in 2002 as an arts and culture print magazine by Grace Moon. Founding editors include Kelly McCartney and Kent Martin. Velvetpark stopped printing and became an on-line magazine in 2007, while 2009 saw the addition of a community network.."

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of lesbian or lgtbq websites, directories and blogs available. The ones we've listed were chosen because they were somewhat unique, they've had some longevity (the link was there last month and will likely be there next month) or they're new and stand out. We review links sent to us for consideration at up-date time. Click here to send us a link you think should be included here..