“i love everybody! today is the day i understand the internet! i feel like that girl in mean girls who just wants to bake a cake with rainbows for everybody, but she doesn’t go to their school, but i actually do go to this school.”
-Carlytron, August 5th, 2009
HELLO
Hi weirdos! Happy New Year! Welcome to a letter from the m*therf*cking CEO of Ideas. So many things have changed since the beginning (March 9th 2009); right? I mean … we’ve come a long way, babies! The world around us has exhausted itself into apocalyptic catastrophe (punctuated by occasional bursts of brilliance from Lady Gaga), which blows. BUT meanwhile Autostraddle has been spinning madly on as best we can. Perhaps I’ve even been too busy to remind myself what a surprise every minute’s been– while also being unmistakably familiar, like deja vù on purpose. Since excitement & emotion (rather than financial gain) is what’s still running this train right now, sometimes it’s easy to take excitement for granted. So let’s take a moment to say: WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE EXCITED — to thank you for reading & supporting us, and to tell you what to expect in that future we speak so highly of.
See, we’re GIANT DORKS and we’re totally genuine when we say that if you’re reading this, even if you’re someone who never comments or you’re only reading it to go bitch about it, we like the fact that you exist out there in the internet. We feel privileged to witness your existence.
Firstly: we’re so honored to tell you that SistersTalk Radio has named us the “Best Lesbian Website of the Year!” Here’s what they said about us:
“We don’t just pull this stuff out of our asses. We really try to gauge what our fans and our listeners and what other website readers are talking about. The websites that were MOST VALUABLE to us as far as providing us with great information and resources. Sisters Talk Best Lesbian Website of 2009 was Autostraddle.com.”
The Ladies of the Lesbian Lounge also gifted Autostraddle.com with a Golden Kitty Award for Best Lesbian Website along with our fly web-friends at SheWired, who have a list of all the winners here.
Annnd our future vlogstar Nat Garcia won for best LGBT Youth Awareness Advocate.
And although we didn’t win the Mashable Contest for Best Online Magazine, it honestly was an honor just to be nominated — we were up against four well-established magazines with literally MILLIONS of readers — it was like Baby David vs. Goliath Google Plex. So thank you for the nomination.
Also, we have a serious chance to win the shorty awards. So go nominate @autostraddle for #lgbt in the Shorty Awards please, now, tomorrow every day this month.
Secondly: You know what’s awesome? We got 120,000 unique visitors in the month of December and nearly half a million page views. The growth rate over the past few months has been OOC and getting moreso every day … in the first ten days of January we have already garnered more unique visitors than we did during the entire month of September!
This is 350% growth since August, 450% since May — and this is without any advertising, PR, marketing department, understanding of how the internet works, background in SEO, or any kind of press-savvy promotional techniques or major press plugs. In other words — this growth is thanks to YOU!, us (obvs), and the support of others in the community. And also, magic we learned from The Craft and The Indian in the Cupboard.
Pride Parade June 2009
It’s also very special to us ’cause we’re still running mostly on blood, sweat, tears, reader support & personal debt. It’s flattering to be compared to professional websites with support staffs, marketing experts, years of experience, corporate funding and usability experts, but we’re still just a bunch of punks trying to build something sweet during the worst economic recession of our lifetime, literally learning as we go along. Remember when we had really long titles that were actually song lyrics? That’s not good for SEO. The more you know! Ding-ding-ding!
National Equality March - October 2009
On the upside; so many of us have lost our jobs this year so we’ve had lots more time to devote to poverty/web-building. Sometimes we just click our shoes together and chant “a recession is a perfect time to build a start-up” over and over. Then we eat our Macaroni Con Queso. The longer this goes on the more our story of strife will make a good Logo docudrama, like Pirates of Silicon Valley. ‘Cause seriously we’ve got some major smoke & mirrors going on.
We had no idea it would grow this fast or that so many people would get involved — initially I just thought I’d make autostraddle (my l word recap blog which was on the l word online) a little more dynamic and see what happened. But omg; now we have me, two lead editors, five sub-editors, two assistant editors, six regular contributing writers, six more blog-specific writers, a Photoblogger, a Web Developer, Chief Operating Officer, Design Director, Vlogstar, a video assistant and 12 regular interns. Despite this incredible support staff I just keep getting busier, but I guess that’s ’cause we keep adding more and more special things to the site.
Old School Autostraddle
Since launching on March 9th, 2009, we have …
…done interviews AND photoshoots with Julie Goldman, Kim Stolz, Kate McKinnon, Nicole Pacent & Rachael Hip-Flores, The Cliks, the Candy Slice girls and rugby star Phaidra Knight.
…and interviewed Tegan Quin of Tegan & Sara, Tila Tequila, Kate Clinton, Sandra Bernhard, Jill Bennett & Cathy DuBuono, Nicol Paone, Erin Foley, Dan Choi, Cynthia Nixon, the girls of Sister Spit, Haviland Stillwell, Susan Miller, DeAnne Smith, An Horse, the makers of Fish out of Water, Kaki King, Girl in a Coma, Hunter Valentine, DADT discharge Lissa Young, stellastarr*, Charlene from Gimme Sugar, Meghan O’Malley, Emma Dean, Sick of Sarah, Carissa Halston, Hesta Prynn from Northern State, Skyler James and Rachel Cantu. Also we have like five interviews in wordpress drafts right now.
We’ve written 405 Daily Fixes, 37 Televisionaries, and 15 Autostraddle Roundtables on topics including What Does a Lesbian Look Like?, What We Talk About When We Talk About Healthcare, “When I Knew” I Was a Gaymo in Parts One, Two & Three and Is There a Lesbian Generation Gap?.
We’ve constructed 22 Girl Galleries and brought you the Autostraddle Hot 100, 55 Reasons Recapping The L Word Episode 608 Was Driving Riese Crazy, The Top 15 L Word Sex Scenes, 7 Hot Openly Lesbian Actresses, 19 Holiday Gift Ideas for Geeks, 14 Lesbian & GenderQueer Tumblrs to Watch, 5 Etsy Shops for Unique Letterpress Cards and 20 Autostraddle Icons as well as Top Tens including Queer Movies That Don’t Suck (in two parts), Lesbian Fashion Icons, Feats of Lesbian TV Storyline Endurance, Awesome ’00s Books by Queer Women, Reasons Crystal is in Love With Bi Musician Sia, Reasons Vashti Wants Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance, Best & Worst Gay Happenings of the Decade and Best & Worst Gay Happenings of 2009.
Robin has posted 27 Autofocus blogs including photo-shoots with Adam Lambert, Peaches & Fischerspooner, The Sounds, Tegan & Sara, Fanny Pak & La Roux; trips to Ithaca, Palm Springs, Provincetown and Buenos Aires. and a really awesome Halloween party.
Our music writers have recapped concerts including Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Pink, The Vivian Girls, Brody Dale, Metric (in Berlin AND in Australia), Hunter Valentine, the START, Amanda Palmer, and constructed a cartoon retrospective on the greatest moments in tAtU history. They’ve reviewed El Perro Del Mar, Tori Amos, Gossip’s Music for Men, Rachel Cantu, Lady Gaga’s Fame Monster, Twilight: New Moon (the soundtrack), Jay-Z’s Empire State of Mind (the single), Tegan & Sara’s Sainthood track-by-track & overall,
You’ve learned how to make a f*cking look book, snow globes, clay refrigerator magnets, and a sleeve for your Mix CD. Guest writers have pitched in with stories on the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival and The Lesbian Avengers, to name a few.
We’ve had a lot of feelings about Gay Marriage Passing in Maine, Bluehost, Google Wave, The Lawless Netherworlds of Gay Relationships, #uknowhowiknowurgay, Yahoo! Finance, The American Music Awards, The Death of Print, Jean Gray, Why Evangelicals Commit Sins While Judging Gays, Obama’s Speech at the HRC Dinner, people who think lesbians can’t have actual sex, Brittany Murphy, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, Adam Lambert’s “For Your Entertainment” Album Cover, the Dockers MAN-ifesto, the Ex-Gays, the gynecologist, Avatar, Alison Bechdel’s influence on The L Word and Two and a Half Men.
We’ve marched in two parades (NYC Pride and the National Equality March), taken one Sweet Sweet Cruise, and provided first-person reporting from the NYC GLAAD Awards, Logo’s NewNowNext Awards, the Ilene Chaiken/Jennifer Beals Times Talks Panel, the Anti-Equality Protest in NYC, Dinah Shore Weekend ’09, and South by Southwest in Austin Texas.
We’ve live-blogged the Los Angeles GLAAD Awards, the GLEE premiere, election day for Maine’s Question 1 and Washington’s Referendum 17, New Jersey’s same-sex marriage bill at the committee level and later at the state senate and New York State’s same-sex marriage bill. We’ve open-threaded Family Tech Fails, Nerd Nostalgia, Thanksgiving and Christmakwanza.
We’ve rounded up the best Music of 2009, Best Albums of 2009, Lesbian Sexy Moments, the Hottest Girls on TV, Fall 2009′s Terrible/Awesome Events, Fall Music 2009, Fall Style of 2009, Best Boyshorts for Successful Lesbian Underpants and The Hottest Geeks.
And that’s only like 50% of what we’ve done!
So what’s next?
1. More Redesign! As we grow & learn together like the special snowflakes we are, we’ll also be redesigning a lot of things and tweaking the layout and fixing usability issues. If there’s anything in particular you’d like our Design Director to keep in mind, hit up alex [at] autostraddle dot com. Also if you’re an amazing ridiculously spectacular designer and want to work with the best & the brightest, hit her up!
2. Staff Shuffle: Many of our people are shifting from one unpaid thankless position to another unpaid thankless position. Let’s share:
Laneia (formerly known as Green & formerly not known as well as we do now!) is gonna be our Executive Editor, my second-in-command. She has promised not to leave me ever. In all caps!
Intern Sarah Palmer is now Associate Editor Sarah Palmer which will last until I drive her crazy.
Australia-based Crystal stepped in as a temp Music Editor ’cause Stef had to go follow her rock n’ roll dreams (but is still a contributing writer!) in July, while we planned to find a U.S-based replacement. But then Crystal did such a good job that we decided it doesn’t matter that she literally thinks it’s Tuesday right now and that Ohio is a city. So she is our permanent Music Editor from all the way across the world.
Internicane Katrina was a terrible intern, so we promoted her to being a real-live writer/editor, which has enabled Katrina to share wisdom on topics including How to Pick Up Chicks, Lesbian Bromance, and Lesbian Life in the Philippines.
Actually a lot of our interns have moved up in the world, like “assistant editor” Jess, new TV Editor Lola and regular columnists like Lily with her College Lesbianage.
The core intern army remains strong and fierce and will kick your ass and I love them more than words can say. Honestly, we are blessed because our interns are really Good People with some of the kindest hearts on earth.
And also, almost all of the interns have at least one article wholly their own and many are now writing on the reg – because you know, I never get tired of emails like this one:
3. New People!
We’ve got some new blood: we’ll be bringing you a teaser for Nat’s new vlog series later this month. We’re also bringing on an NYC-based video assistant, Kelsey, and HAI we’re still looking for an L.A. video intern who can help Nat & potentially one other video series project out there on the West Coast. More details to come, but you know, just throwin’ that out there.
We have a new Style Editor, Becky, who will be writing about fashion & style for grrrls on the reg.
We launched a Tech Blog called Technostraddle with our new Editor Taylor. She has also rounded up a few good women (and maybe even one man, one day…) to participate who we will mention when they have paid their dues.
Crystal launched our music blog Audiostraddle and brought on Corey and Isabelle, as well as our L.A based Karmen, , and several other ladies-in-waiting who we will not publicly mention until they have proven their dedication via many articles written.
Our FIERCE INTERN ARMY of Lex, Emily, Laura, Vashti, Lily, Rachel, Elizabeth, Jen, Daphne, Tirna & Nicole will be joined by new Intern Zahra and perhaps some more interns soon!
4. How Did We Get Here? How the Hell?
We launched Autostraddle in March 2009 in my room with me nagging Alex that it was really important she finish that website thingie before The L Word finale b/c that way we could maximize our first day’s traffic. We were drunk and laughing and hopeful: basically it was the four of us, then — me, Alex, Carly and Robin — and Tess via interweb, who I’d asked for advice when I was trying to program the website myself and who then took over b/c I was doing a bad job. I solicited my roommate Natalie, my NYC Met-in-Cyberspace-But-Know in 3-D Friends Stef & Crystal, and my internet friend “Green” to write too.
The idea was to somehow re-invent the community spirit we’d admired in Sassy Magazine and the ‘zine movement of the 90′s and infuse some positive energy into women-targeted web-spaces as it has been done successfully by Jezebel & Feministing. Other influences/inspirations range from Andy Warhol’s Factory to Spy Magazine to the Lesbian Avengers. I took what I’d learned from my own blog and also from interning at nerve.com and working in publishing for several years, and being a passionate magazine junkie my whole life. This is the only thing I ever wanted to do.
Intern Laura & Intern Katrina during August Intern Invasion
We brought Brooke on when I met her at a bar in March and told her I ran a lesbian website ’cause I was testing out that information on strangers and she expressed interest in “monetizing” Autostraddle. Now we have a business plan and know what “added value” & “due diligence” means, and all of us met our very first Business Person (we only know Artsy People).
We added interns in May because I needed to get some sleep. Then I stayed up late explaining what a high-res photo was. Some of our interns vanished, and most of them came to Pride, which was one of the best weekends ever and gave us the idea for Web 3D.0 which is when everyone gets off their butts and meets each other and makes change in 3-D too. That’s why we have a show-yr-face policy here — all of our writers have to be people, not graphics.
Most of us have significantly less money & time than we used to. More anger sometimes, but MUCH more hope sometimes, and also there is a sense of moving forward, which is convenient, ’cause that’s where we’re going to go either way.
–
Also, I wanna quickly thank all the other lesbian webbernauts & celesbians who’ve been nice to us. Seriously ’cause sometimes people aren’t so nice, and we just wanna all be friends. It’s not actually that complicated, this isn’t a contest, it’s a community! We are not here to compete with anyone, we want to do something totally different than what anyone else is doing! Okay thxxx.
SO thanks to Lemondrop, EurOut, The Lesbian Lifestyle, Tracy at SheWired, Susan Miller & everyone involved with Anyone But Me, Project Reveal, Grace Chu, Jonny McGovern & The Gay Pimp Podcast, 410 BC, Jill Bennett & Cathy DeBuono, Up Popped a Fox, Shannon Wentworth & Sweet Lesbian Travel, Courtney Jackson, Wingspan Pictures, Julie Goldman, Haviland Stillwell, Dan Choi, Uh Huh Her, Babeland, Cleis Press, Phaidra Knight, DJ Lady Starlight, DJ Boom Boom, The Lesbian Lounge, UNITE in Fashion, Lipstick & Wildflowers, Sun Kissed Productions, Defamer Australia, Blake from Warner Australia, Sisters Talk, Eurout, Showtime, Time Out Chicago, Logo, Early 2 Bed, Buttonhead, Craftster, RelaxU, Arlan at yourdailylesbianmoment, JoeMyGod, Mason Dixon bar (NYC), anyone who dated Stef as a direct result of Autostraddle, and everyone who has ever donated to Autostraddle.com. WE LOVE YOU!
Thank you for being you. Yup that’s right just the way you are!
[just in case you wanna: amanda palmer will tell you why]
157 responses to “State of the Autostraddle Union: A Letter from the Editor”
WOW. When I tried to look into the archives and couldn’t find older stuff, I figured the internet was broken. SURELY it must have taken years to develop a site this awesome. I was genuinely confused. Now I’m just impressed.
Part of the confusion was because I honestly don’t understand the internet (it’s 90% magic, right?), but the basis of my assumption was certainly the quality and passion of the staff.
And with all these interns moving up in the Autostraddle world, does this mean you’ll be interested in adding new ones? Say, ESL teachers whose quantity of comments must indicate that a 12hr work week – while AWESOME – leaves a dangerous amount of free time?
But SRSLY, I’m floored that this site has only been at it since last year. I absolutely LOVE the attitude you guys bring to everything. You do a fantastic job of balancing fun and wit with tackling the serious subjects as well. I can read about things like the NJ vote here and take them as seriously as they deserve to be taken but still leave feeling like being gay is great fun and no legislature can stop me from loving or loving life. Or I can just look at girls in boyshorts and listen to Bad Romance on repeat. You’ve really got it all covered.
Can’t wait to see what 2010 brings! Thank you for doin’ what you do.
I second that about the website and its attitude. You’re my fav and I get all excited when you post something new!
One thing I would love to see would be a bit more of European news as well, that would be great, and then it would be world domination COMPLETE!
I love you girlz, you’re awesome and make my day every time! Can’t wait to see what’s next for the website, have been there since day one, lurking, watching, will comment more from now on, that’s my new year resolution!
Yup, just one little year! Almost! I’d been blogging personally and making connections with a lot of readers who are now writers/interns for AS, but this whole venture started casually the day that Jenny died.Well I don’t think she died exactly, I think she is immortal but that’s another story. We began in the proverbial garage, obvs
Thank you so much ! Really I am so energized by this kind of feedback, I wish I could just post animated gifs of myself smiling, but I don’t want to look at my face that often so.
And yes @MarieMJS (that’s my name tooooo! Riese is my nickname, maybe people call you Ree or Riese tooo) we’re definitely looking to expand our scope of coverage over time, we’ll get there!
Haa Some of my students here got into a heated debate on whether or not Jenny was truly dead. I spent 11 weeks trying to plan lessons and games to get them to dive in and discuss things in English, and on week 12 we went to a cafe and I said “Speak English” and they got more passionate about the L-Word than anything I’d put work into.
We never did reach an agreement- about half the students very much wanted Jenny dead.
“If I’m talking about the end of the series, can I say it was bullshit? Does that work?”
Then I got to teach them “power suit” and “hot mess”.
that old school autostraddle graphic just gave me SO MANY FEELINGS!!!
i love you all each and every one of you right down to your bones! even you, Misinformed Asshole Commenter [seldom seen]! I LOVE YOU, TOO!
the future is so gorgeous. i’d like to bite it.
I love how it is already old school
I actually kind of like it when asshole trolls come on here – the subsequent comments are always measured, thoughtful and funny repudiations of their nonsense.
boo-yah haters!
riese i love you with every fiber of my being and would follow you anywhere (and have – like since gawker linked to autowin in 2006). and i love YOU, rest of Autostraddle staff and commenters! this website is magical and all i want is for you to make tons of money and sleep as much as you want all the time. HELLO BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE OF THE INTERNET i am FEELING THE LOVE!
OLD SCHOOL AUTOWIN FOREVER. In it to win it, bcw. IN IT TO WIN IT
I feel so proud to be part of the Autostraddle community and cannot wait to see what 2010 brings! I hear the future is bright!
Speaking of that old school Auto graphic, whatever happened to the maviland vloggetry from LA?
ME TOOO THANK YOU JESSICA ohhhh i know. ACK! It is so close to being done. LIKE THISSCLOSE. I don’t know what my problem is Jess. I don’t know! I will get back to it. Really soon. I have a plan for a grand finale that involves mudwrestling but Havi lives far away!
The only words that come to mind are THANK YOU, so much. Many years ago, in my questioning days, I youtube-ed “the l word vlog” and stumbled upon Haviland & Riese’s shenanigans. Then I started reading autowin. Now I frequent autostraddle. It’s the wonderful world called the interwebs, home slice. I don’t think I would be able to accept my tremendously gay self without you all. Wow, I’m a dork. Party on.
I didn’t know Autostraddle was launched on March 9th! That’s my birthday. Obviously that date is the reason for all the success. Obviously.
Seriously though,I love Autostraddle. It reminds a girl living in the deeeeep south that there is hope. I’m pretty sure Autostraddle is changing the world. Y’all already know that though.
Wow. I’ve been following you guys for a while now–like since this summer I think–and I had no idea Autostraddle was this young. Damn. I’m twenty-four times older than you Autostraddle and I don’t have a single celesbian interview or girls in boyshorts gallery to show for it. (Well… I do now, but only because I click-and-saved most of yours.)
Also can I take a moment to say how much I love that you actually own that muppet? I’ve seen him (her?) in the pictures before, but I never realized she was an actual member of the AS family before now. You guys are awesome. Thanks for all the amazing work you’ve done building such a great community and resource.
Her name is Esmerelda Fitzmonster (tm 30 Rock) and I made her at FAO Schwartz in my own image. Robin got her for me. Ezzy (that’s the nickname I just gave her) is as passionate about Auto as Tinkerbell and hopefully will have her own vlog someday (a lesbian muppet can dream!). Additionally she loves all of you very very much!
<3. that's all i have to say.
I’ve read everything since day one, and I’ll read everything until there’s nothing left to read. (hopefullythatdaywillneverhappen) And then I’ll go back to the beginning and start all over again!
The future is bright!
Awwwe. The coffee rings! <3
Firstly, Harriet the Spy *yay*
Autostraddle, you’re like that really cool chick in biological anthropology I always wanted to talk to but always got too distracted. Until one day I noticed you were reading “Franny & Zooey” and knew we were meant to be.
Congrats! My eyes shimmer with anticipation on your shiny new tomorrow and many tomorrows after that.
I love Franny & Zooey and I used to wear glitter on my eyelids every day!!!
I used to wear glitter on my eyelids (and cheeks, sometimes) every day in high school/frosh year of college until I got my eyebrow pierced and was informed glitter was a bad idea with an extra hole in my face…
I found you searching up top lesbian films and didn’t get porn!! Instead I stumbled on this treasure trove of girl on girl culture.
Just so you know up here in beautiful British Columbia you now have a major fan base
Keep it comin’ ladies
That is one of the most magical ways to find this site that I could ever imagine
This made me cry as much as much it made me laugh, and I laughed a lot.
You at Autostraddle.com are all so funny and smart and wonderful.
It took me 1.5 years to come out to everyone that mattered to me, between the time I told a friend for the first time and the time I told my parents (which was last week, holy shit), and I swear to god if I had tried to go through this last 1.5 years without the incredible LGBT community that is on the internet I would have drank a lot more and smoked a lot more and I already drink and smoke more than any one person ever should in their whole entire life and so I might have ended up in rehab or not alive. And Autostraddle is the BEST online magazine and the queer online community to beat all queer online communities. Because you are all so funny and smart and wonderful. And because Tegan Quin mentioned Bruce Springsteen in an interview once on Autostraddle and that made my whole entire life better, right there.
Thank you Riese for the awesomeness that is Autostraddle. You’re getting my money as soon as I have some and that is a promise because I’ve said it here on the internet.
And it totally is Tuesday right now. The future is now.
yay for telling your parents! [internet high-five]
Congrats on telling your parents! That’s wonderful.
Was Tuesday here too already. Reminds me of when I made my best friend’s BF comfortable by telling her in front of him “Ya know, you could cheat on Ste in Greece and and call and break up with him before it ever happened. You could spend five hours in bed and still have three to make the call- timezones are MAGIC.” (Which I never would have said if I thought there was a chance she’d do it)
Thanks! They were like “right on,” so I cannot complain.
Timezones are magic. And the best part of the timezone magic is when you fly TO North American from wherever you are and you get to do over an entire day. I will take all of the days lost completely to flights from North America just for the do over days. They are worth it.
Haa… I spent New Years Eve ’08 in Arkansas (CST) and New Years Eve ’09 in France. So I got to skip a full 7 hours of 2009 and will likely get them back in ’10. Which, if 2010 lives up to the first few days of it, is a damn good trade!
“if I had tried to go through this last 1.5 years without the incredible LGBT community that is on the internet I would have drank a lot more and smoked a lot more and I already drink and smoke more than any one person ever should in their whole entire life and so I might have ended up in rehab or not alive.”
I oddly feel exactly the same way?
My 6th grade teacher used to read us The Indian in the Cupboard everyday after recess. She’s quite possibly the first woman I ever loved.
i love this comment.
I love this comment too.
Hi! I love everyone and everything! Autostraddle makes me happy. You gals do a fantastic job and work sososo hard and deserve everything you’ve ever wanted from life. Keep it up!
Seriously? Only a year? Holy crap. My girlfriend has been laughing at how much I cite you guys as a source for various gems of lesbionic wisdom; now, I can’t believe I’ve been citing a <1 year old! lol…
You guys have seriously been an amazing source for me this past year. I guess I jumped on board pretty early on–at least within a couple months–and I've never looked back. This site is what I check first thing every morning in my RSS feed & I'm never disappointed. You do an amazing job scouring the web for information & creating original stuff.
I can't wait to see what will happen in the next year, considering how much you've already accomplished!
I wish I could give autostraddle a big hug.
You guys are all so awesome!
I feel like Autostraddle has been around a lot longer than it has. I can’t really remember the time before Autostraddle. I think you are doing an amazing thing for so many people. Your site provides an insightful, keen, and often times amusing look into lesbian politics, culture, relationships, sex, music, etc. etc. I am really grateful to have found you guys.
Congrats to all of you! In celebration, I became a member. Finally.
About time!
Yeah, I know. It was the picture thing that kept me away. I finally settled on the burro lovin’ picture. ha.
hey vikki you’re so fine you’re so fine you blow my mind hey vikki!
how do you become a member?!
top right corner of the screen — there’s an option to register or login !
thanks!! I am now Roxy #2!
I have to admit, autostraddle was the best part of my 2009. This was the year I officially came out to everyone who matters to me and autostraddle gave me the courage to stand by who I am without buckling down to society’s standards of me. Thank you, every one of you, for doing the work you do. For the times it may seem insignificant, the work you do truly matters.
That is SUPER FUCKING AWESOME. Seriously, it matters to know that we matter. Autostraddle was also the best part of my 2009, coincidentally.
srsly, my little Muppet Riesling, I CONTINUE TO BE SO PROUD OF YOU MORE AND MORE ALL THE TIME ALLL CAPPSSSSSSSS!!!
I am so happy for you and everyone who now gets to see what a fantastic idea-haver you are. ::Squeeze::
I remember first stumbling upon the site while reading another website. Clicked the link and voila a whole new attitude on culture. Though I am still a newby(to the site) I love writing for a site where there is an audience and team of people who are just supportive. Oh and the music editor does an “ace” job. Best of luck in the next year.
First, the fact that it is called State of the Autostraddle Union is awesome, as I am a big political nerd. Secondly, for the sake of confession I need to say that I started reading maybe a month or two before Pride last year and went to the Rodeo Disco, was very socially awkward and wanted to say hi and meet you guys but my demons beat me. That night I promised myself that one day I would write for autostraddle. I bid my time time and when technostraddle started I said wow this is it, this is my shot. Now that I actually had something posted I feel soo lucky and proud and a little scared but very thankful that this is here.
This is a community and it feels awesome instead of feeling alone in the big nothingness we have autostraddle to make us laugh and cry (NY, NJ & CA i am talking to you) together.
Big ups to to everyone.
aw, that’s great! i’m glad you found a technostraddle home!
i was at the rodeo disco too…but i doubt we met because brooke (who i didn’t know) got me pretty trashed, as i recall! amazing! at the rodeo disco i remember drunkenly pitching to one of the autofolk that they needed an original webcomic, also. amazing.
I think I was the only one at the Rodeo Disco not completely trashed at the end of the night, and that’s because I was manning the door! (I was still drinking, but I still had to be able to read names and count money, so…)
I wasn’t completely trashed!! Only slightly drunk
I was also not trashed because I was playing the musics!
I wasn’t completely trashed because I was sitting outside being little!
I didn’t think I was drunk either… until I got on the subway and got ze spins!
brooke’s official autostraddle job is getting people drunk.
I do not believe in alcohol.
You pitched the webcomic to me, haha. I remember thinking it was a brilliant idea and had no idea who it was that suggested it until just now!
omg it was meeee. and i still plan on implementing that into my schemes! muaha
aww jeez. I cannot wait to IRL meet you guys.
I’m in nyc toooo
oh man can we have a nyc autostraddle meetup? (that is not supposed to come off creepy for the record)
Oh, and Autostraddle is #1 on my internet speed dial. I check it multiple times a day.
amaaazing! autostraddle is magical! because of this site i came out my friends and family, i tweet, i get dates (this one is really great) I learn and feel many many feelings!
i feel complete and its pretty freakin awesome
oh and ps… im on a dating site and I quote people should only message me if “you love love loveee autostraddle.com and if you haven’t checked it out you should just scoot right on over and check it out before you talk to me.”
I am proud to say that women are bookmarking this site and thanking me and then proceeding to ask me on dates….. see everybody wins!
we should add an amendment to “how to pick up chicks”!
This is brilliant edene! Thanks for the shout out on your online dating profile. What a perfect place to put one.
i want to fb-like all of these comments. every last one of them.
<3
#feelingsfest
I’m kinda excited I’ve stuck around to see so many wonderful & positive changes to the auto-verse. I can’t quit you! Yay 2010!!
Oh man, I love this site and everyone on it (even the trolls, because they cause the Auto Rangers to join together and form Megastraddle! OMG Riese is totally Zordon, and Tinkerbell is Alpha…)
epic metaphor award
this.
I exist. I am a passionate magazine junkie too. I’m I like the token straight guy reader?
Dude.
I didn’t even know autostraddle had straight guy readers!
Radness wrapped in a rainbow!
You win points for this; unless of course your one of those dudes who ONLY like lesbionic things for their total spankability, in which case you still win points, but not as many!
HI JOHN! omg you exist and I love it. Also, Foist is our other proud straight male reader… I imagine you guys having an amazing bromance. It’s good to see your face on here.
you and he could write a rad bromance.
Stef beat me to this.
represent!
john you are not a token you are wonderful! achtung baby is my [second only to autostraddle] favorite site.
oi! Thanks. I’ve always liked the hand motion in your icon.
this all makes me feel very happy feelings. that is all.
I started reading on this site a little bit before the redesign and I can honestly say Autostraddle has changed my life for the better. It’s educated me and made me feel connected in a way that I didn’t even know I needed.
So thanks. Keep on being awesome!
I love Autostraddle so much. I’ve been out for a few years, but have really come in my full lesbian flower this year, and I think Autostraddle was a big part of that bold, boisterous, lesbian fabulousness. Even when I don’t agree with you fine ladies (BECAUSE I AM A LESBIAN, AND IF YOU ASKED ME TO CHOOSE BETWEEN DEBATE AND BOOBS IT WOULD BE A ROUGH 30 SECONDS)I have always felt like you guys phrase your ideas in such a smart and playful way, and also that the leaders of this glorious revolution really allow for that exchange of ideas.
Also, you guys have entire articles on underwear and Lady Gaga. How is anyone supposed to compete with that?
On Facebook, my religious views are listed as Autostraddle. I believe that means Autostraddle is my Bible and you all are my Lesbian Goddesses. Thank you for everything.
Mine currently says “compassion” as my religion… but surely Autostraddle encompasses that and more?
Mine is “Springsteen is my Jesus” which is pretty much the same because the boss loves the gays.
AWESOME.
I horrified one of my dude friends by listing Bruce as one of the guys I’d go straight for (just after Jon Stewart). You know you’re gay when the reason you’d do a guy is “BUT… his music, man. He’s the BOSS.”
YAY! LOVE YOU AUTOSTRADDLE
also, autowin + riese & haviland (and a;ex, lozo, etc!) vlogs= even more love!
I loved you since the L word recaps. I hope only the most amazingest things happen for Autostraddle for indefinitely! Yay! <3
I am sorry that I never commment. I have no words. Should I feel bad for never saying anything? Because I kind of do.
I’ve been visiting nearly every day for what feels like a very long time. I just remember that Riese and Haviland popped up in Alexi’s Closet and then after a while this place seemed to come out of nowhere.
I am so glad this place is here. Autostraddle is probably the best part of my day. I wish that said more about you than me.
i second this. you are the one spot i consistently check + read every day…much to the chagrin of my other rss feeds.
you guys are fantastical…keep doing it!!
In that link to the old daily fix in the meeting brooke at a bar part… it is funny to me because you thank , “reader nicole” who is me and oh how I’ve grown
I wish that I’d had something like autostraddle in high school. I always felt like the only one who thought about the stuff you guys discuss so articulately! And freely! And proudly! I’ve had so many “OMG, FINALLY an article about feelings I’ve had my whole life!” moments while on this site – too many to count.
Not to mention the stuff I never would have known had it not been for this site (Lesbian generation gap, anyone?). This has been a huge learning experience for me, and I’m effin thrilled about the fact that I’ve been a fan since the old days! And that I went to Rodeo Disco and met some of you awesome individuals in person!
It has been such an inspiration seeing autostraddle grow and grow like it has no boundaries. It’s like, every time I think you’re at your peak, you introduce something even more amazing. WTF? Seriously, though, F#$% boundaries! YOU’RE ALL AMAZING.
Thank you, thank you, thankkkk youuu to every single person who makes this ass-kicking website possible. I sincerely love you all and the work you do. And if I ever become rich I’m giving you a million dollars!
I feel like I wrote a lot. But I really can’t resist adding this last thing:
I have a “Life’s Little Joys” list (I’m kind of a loser), and I just added this:
When finals week is over at last and you can snuggle up in bed with a mug of hot chocolate and spend hours catching up on all the autostraddle you’ve missed.
YAY. Okay, seriously, I g2g.
This has been a huge learning experience for me too. I kinda feel like I’ve been in gay school all year making my own coursepack and syllabus, which might be my all time dream. These words you say are fantastic so thank you
HOLY CRAP I DIDN’T REALIZE HOW MUCH I’D WRITTEN UNTIL I SUBMITTED MY COMMENT I HAVE A LIFE I SWEAR
No ones judging, Cathy! Thanks for all the love. And here’s to more Rodeo Discos!
moar!
These are some of the best comments ever. I was about to respond to some but seriously that would be every single one
Dear Autostraddle,
I love you more than rainbows and kitties and unicorns. I still have the whole site linked in my RSS feed even though that’s not really how it works anymore. I didn’t even notice that that graphic was “old school” because even though you’re all big and grown up now you will always be that cute little journal to me, with LOTS OF FEELINGS and “long titles that are actually songs.”
In 2009 you brought me lots of things that I already loved. But you also pulled me along to read about Adam Lambert and Lady Gaga, who I really didn’t care about at all before. That’s probably why I have this weird confusion in my head between Riese and Lady Gaga. My brain thinks they are like the same person. It also confuses Tiger Woods and Barack Obama so I wouldn’t be too concerned…
I have no idea where this comment is going anymore.
potatoes
I love you guys, and I want to be friendsies for real with all of you. I check Autostraddle at least once during every internet session. Usually more than once. Typically an unhealthy, stalker-like amount, actually. If you ever need an article on wilderness survival, dogs, delivering babies, or general uncomfortable over-sharing, I’m your lady. I also do a mean google image search. I’m just sayin’. Love, love, love, love, love, and continued success!
I read your comment as “dogs delivering babies” and I was thinking you were some sort of magical doggie doula which was really crazy and impressive. I also wanted to see a video of that but alas I’m just tired and can’t read.
I could probably make this happen if you really wanted.
This got me to thinking why a straight guy like me spends on average a couple of hours everyday religiously reading Autostraddle (and maybe just as much time Googling stuff that goes over my head, which is surprisingly a lot or more than I expected at least). When I got to really thinking about it, the answer is pretty simple. I just like it. It’s kind of silly even pondering it – like asking why is blue my favorite color? It’s not one definitive thing but rather everything about AS I like. Ok, maybe that wasn’t the best analogy. In any event, I can’t emphasize enough my unconditional love and often irrational fanaticism of AS.
If 2009 was revolutionary, 2010 can only be extraordinary! Here’s to another great and prosperous year ahead.
I’m sorta anxious to see how the 1 year anniversary in March will be celebrated but I’m sure you’ll keep us posted.
These comments are making me explode with #feelings and I already have more than enough of those to deal with! Oh well. Love.
Demi never noticed the Google Wave article.
I need freakin’ contacts.
Yay for all the awards! I didn’t realize this site was that young, you guys are ah-mazing.
You know how I found Autostraddle? I was in love with Riese’s L Word recaps because they were completely detailed and always hilarious and I was like flipping a shit when I couldn’t find them anymore so I googled straight away and tada!
The amount of love on this site keeps blowing me away. I feel so lucky and proud to be a part of this team and this community and Riese’s vision, regardless of being the future and believing Philadelphia could be one of the 42 US states. 2009 came up aces and I’m so excited to see what 2010 will bring, guitar hero showdowns and all.
BRING IT
guitar hero competition. lets go!
I stumbled upon AS when watching season 6 of the L Word and being confused by how dreadful it was. so I googled some reviews et voila! I’ve been hooked ever since and AS is permanently open on my browser.
I also credit you with my total transformation of feelings re Lady Gaga – I remember seeing a video at the beginning of 2008 as the next big thing and HATING it and not getting the love at all… Now I’m preaching the message to all who will listen. although it was it a link to her performance of Poker Face on Ellen that really, er, turned me.
I’m English but live in Spain and it’s awesome to get such a fresh, intelligent and thoughtful perspective on current affairs, culture etc in the US (and beyond). plus pictures of hot girls for my desktop wallpaper.
Can’t wait to see what the new year brings.
amor y besos desde Barcelona!
You’re in Spain, I’m in France, Crystal is in Australia, someone (Julie?) mentioned New Zealand, Emily surely isn’t the only Canadian, there’s an Irish Jess on here posting pretty girls for us, and I’m sure someone else mentioned Belgium… we should create a map of Autostraddle’s world takeover!
eastern European reporting for duty
i love this website and the people who help create it and the people who read it. it was a review of Sainthood that brought me here a few months ago, i looked around and here i am reading Autostraddle on a daily basis. you guys rock, best of luck in 2010.
Gay map. It’s going to happen.
http://www.zeemaps.com/autostraddle_world_domination
Updated as more areas check-in.
South Mississippi here, and I know we have some Alabama readers too.
yay for gay southerners! Added and added.
yup – east alabama (home) / west georgia (work) representing
South Africa representing – you’ve got some readers here too and WE LOVE YOU ALL IN CAPS!
Riese: good job. Be proud.
And can I nominate Intern Katrina for Awesomest Articles 2009?
OH MY GOD. there’s another mississippian here?! SHUT UP.
HOW DOES THIS MAP WORK? I DON’T UNDERSTAND
hi there! an Autostraddle World Domination map is a great idea! unfortunately, this one isn’t very user friendly and when i saw that font / color-scheme my heart fell out onto the floor. before we add too many names and locations, let us find a map that better suits our style, yeah?
thanks!! we love you guyssss!! xxx
I don’t really understand the setup of it either, but it is easy enough to get it to give you a list of what has been added to be put onto whatevs else is out there (someone who better knows their way around the intertubes step in? : P ).
Camp Hill, Pennsylvania!
It lets you get really specific w/in the US and I’m a map dork, so there is now a tiny little pink outline around Camp Hill w/in the larger blue of Pennsylvania
Lub you!
LET’S SPEAK FRENCH OKAY!?!
I’m not a native speaker (I’m currently teaching in France as part of an exchange with the French Lit MA program I just quit…).
But since you can’t hear my accent in typing anyway, pourquoi pas?
o hai, camarade! i rarely comment because i’m afraid my French accent will be heard from accross the atlantic
tu es à paris?
n’avez pas peur! on aime l’accent français
je suis au Mans et mon accent est affreux, mais je dois parler plus. j’adore la ville et mon travail, mais mes amis sont tous anglais et américains ou ils parlent très bien l’anglais allors…
and if your comment below is any indication, you have nothing to worry about! don’t hold back.
ORiginally Malaysian, Bangladeshi parents, now residing in Australia
DEAR AUTOSTRADDLE, LOVE YOU GUYS. LOVE. YOU.
I don’t know how I lived without this site before. On March 9th we’re celebrating, yeah?
I’m so glad I get to talk about my love for Autostraddle today. Autostraddle and TGCAW changed my life. I’ve been reading since the days of Autowin and I’ll stick around as long as you do.
I can’t even begin to tell you how much Autostraddle has helped me through the past year. The Future is Bright is now the motto I live by.
Thank you Riese and everybody else who is involved because what you are doing is literally saving the world to some of us.
I feel there are a lot of readers who don’t comment much because they get too busy reading all the other fab comments. That said: Thank you!!
Tis True
So, I’m six hours further into the future than the ASHQ, and I’m telling you, it’s fucking bright here.
I remember last year, on March 9th, that I kept checking this URL, waiting for my life to change.
Thank you.
Thank you for letting me be a part of it, thank you for letting me feel like this is a place I can belong, even though you don’t know me at all. You’ll never know how much you helped me hold on to the little that’s left of my sanity, just please realize that you saved me.
Thank you.
Congrats from the Netherlands! But the Dutch online gay girls community seems a bit lame since I met you people..
Keep up the good work, you’re love flows overseas.
this is an almost #belgianwin. jk.
Hey anna, van waar ergens in Nederland ben jij, als ik vragen mag?
Feelings! I came out because of Autostraddle and the awesome people behind it. You guys inspired me to finally be myself, and it’s been pretty great so far. Cheers to you and a bright, bright future.
I came out because of Autostraddle too!
Cheers to you coming out Brit! I am so glad for that! You too, Emily!
Hi Daphne,
Amsterdam! You’re from Belgium? Didn’t understand the #thing I guess.. Greetings!
autostraddle makes me heart sing. so do all the commenters.
I am excited that Riese used my awesome Mean Girls-inspired comment for this. I remember thinking “why did no one comment on that? that was so funny!” so thanks Riese for making me feel better about myself, you’re good at that.
i am honored to be involved in such a totally awesome site. so proud of how far we’ve come in less than a year. so excitant to see where we go from here. so moved by our commenters. heart is happy.
LESS THAN A YEAR?! What the hell, you all have done amazingly well, you’ve become pros very quickly! Well done (and I’m sending a donation!!)
i’m so glad i met katrina casino on the internet (and then in 3D) two and a half years ago, if only to be have been introduced to “some website ran by hot lesbians” that she was going to intern for.
(jk i could make a long list of reasons why i love ktrain)
to celebrate, i registered!
For all the hard work and time Riese and the team put into this wonderful online adventure that I enjoy and love reading. Thank you!!!!!!
all these comments make my heart so warm it could light on fire. I can’t believe no one knew how young we are! i felt like it was obvi. watch out it’ll be so much better this time next year assuming we are all still sane. well; either way really.
i have other feelings too which i will share soon! but thank you really all of you, you special special snowflakes.
Been on a business trip for a few days, I came back home at around 9pm and I’m really tired; but it’s 2:37am and I’m still up because I NEED TO CATCH UP ON AUTOSTRADDLE and all that I haven’t read.
I’ve been a big fan since the L Word recaps, and when I say big fan, I mean CRAZY IN LOVE.
My lifetime dream is becoming rich and INVEST in autostraddle.
Super late to comment on this, posso because I accidentally dropped my laptop and it stopped working for a few days to get back at me,and can only echo what so many other people have already said.
Autostraddle gave (/gives) me a lot of confidence about myself and coming out to people, seriously don’t know how i would have managed without it, also the L Word recaps made the pain of series 6 slightly less! It the website I check first every day and come back a couple times each day to see whats going on, and to check whats going on in the comments! The articles and reviews and photos and feelings and kickass design are just brilliant, and you guys always seem to write about the things I think about, only much more eloquently. I’m also pretty convinced that reading Autostraddle only makes people exponentially cooler. From all the comments its obv that I’m not the only one whos emotionally invested in the Auto-universe, what you guys have done is really incredible, and thank you. Hope this year is the first of the rest of forever or something. Also like Barbara I totally wish I could win the lottery and give Riese lots of money!
i had no idea that autostraddle was not even that old. now you guys have made me feel super trendy. autostraddle is totes in my fav tabs.
ps. thanks for making me trendy and up to the minute with all the lesbo gossip to my mates.
goodluck in 2010.
i feel incredibly lucky/proud to have stumbled upon this website at its very beginning and witnesed all the work/dedication/fun that is Autostraddle. I rarely comment, blame it on my French approximation of the English grammar, but this site has BY FAR become my favorite read of all the interwebs, and it is literally my job to spend 12 hours a day online…beyond the rainbows, this site is a window on US pop-culture, politics and so much more.
also, not only am i really appreciative of the quality/laughs/discoveries, but for a 25 year old with friends starting businesses around me and a deep desire to do that myself, i find your “example” really inspirational, and i hope you find a way to make millions quicker than mark zuckerberg figures out facebook’s business model…
THANK YOU and bonne année
It’s crazy that you guys are only like 1 years old because you are like my gay mommy. You have incredible spelling/all other skills for being an infant. Also, you guys have been like my lesbionic lightsaber this year, helping me fight off all of the evil conservative meanies/whateverkindofcreaturesyoufightwithalightsaber. Thank you. I love you. I would kiss you on the mouth with lots of tongue if you were here/consented.