If you look through our archives, you will find over a decade of stories, political breakthroughs, and cultural milestones. What you won’t find is a “Best Of” list.
Every year, as the “Best Of” season sweeps through other publications, we are asked why we don’t participate. Why don’t we crown the “Best Local Celebrity” or rank the “Top 3 Gay Bars”? The answer is simple: We believe our community is a sanctuary, not a scoreboard.
From our very first issue, we made a conscious choice to avoid the “Best Of” format. Here is why we have never – and will never – run a popularity contest.
The “Best Of” model treats the LGBTQ+ community like a shopping mall. It reduces local businesses – many of which are the lifeblood of our safe spaces – to a set of rankings.
When a magazine crowns a “Best Bar,” it often ignores the smaller, niche spaces that serve the most vulnerable among us: our trans sisters, our sober community, and our elders.
We refuse to participate in a system that suggests one queer space is “better” than another simply because it has a larger marketing budget or a louder social media following.
It is an open secret in media that “Best Of” contests are often more about advertising revenue than community excellence.
Businesses are frequently pressured to buy “Thank You” ads to celebrate a win they campaigned for. We have always prioritized editorial integrity over easy ad dollars.
Our readers trust us to cover the news that matters, and that trust is compromised the moment we turn our coverage into a transactional trophy ceremony.
We celebrate the incredible talent within our community – from the activists on the front lines to the actors whose work brings our stories to the world. But we believe these individuals are more than just names on a list.
By refusing to rank our “Local Celebs,” we allow their work to speak for itself. A “Top 3” list is a snapshot; a feature story is a legacy. We choose to build legacies.
We don’t need a gold sticker in a window to tell us who is doing good work. We see it every day in the resilience of our neighbors and the courage of our business owners.
Instead of a once-a-year ranking, we offer 365 days of authentic coverage. We will continue to tell your stories, celebrate your victories, and defend your rights – without ever asking you to “vote” for the privilege.
Our community is too diverse and too vital to be ranked.
We’re glad you’re here with us, exactly as you are.
-Mark Ariel, Editor-In-Chief, THE FIGHT
