So, you PROBABLY already noticed this, but queer women and non-binary people are really special, aren’t we? Here we all are, hours away from closing this fundraiser, and while media companies around the world are struggling to survive, you’re busy quietly working a miracle, preserving our safe gay space on the internet.

Right now, we’re at $118,806 of our $150,000 stretch goal. We know there are many worthy causes, and we hope you’re supporting direct relief and mutual aid if you are able. We also recognize that we are only here because of you, and so, to keep offering you community and information and coverage of current events from Covid-19 to politics (as if they’re not inextricable) to issues relevant to our community — we’re hoping you’ll help us reach our goal. Autostraddle has always been a reader-supported space. In 2019, 81% of the money we used to pay the gay-as-heck writers typing away for you came FROM you. We are able to provide you with community and brainstorm new ways to be here for you in this uncertain time because you support us in doing this work! YOU! You, personally do this! We see you!

So, if you help us close this last $31,200 gap, we won’t have to fundraise again until August. Buying us this time lets us look for additional sources of revenue, and allows us to get our queer ship in shape and plan out some cool perks for the next fundraiser, all while making A+ even better. Most importantly, meeting this goal will let us concentrate on what you, our community, need from us right now — whether that’s political and Covid coverage, connection and togetherness, or just a good laugh.

And, because we all need some queer joy in our lives, we’re going to throw you a (pay-what-you-want) variety show if we meet this goal! Think comedy, think music, think some serious names you know and love from past performances. We cannot disclose them, but we so desperately want to! Think of all of us pretending we’re bumping into each other in front of a stage and showing off haircuts maybe done by a professional (or a friend who was able to come over) and laughing (well, you can still laugh from where you are) all together. That’s what it will be like in spirit. I want this so much for us!

You all give us hope. It’s a ridiculous achievement that this far into this global effing pandemic we have not had to make a single lay-off or cut our rates, that we’ve been able to keep providing queer people with work, and that we have been able to offer you consistency and community as best we are able. Over the course of this fundraiser, you’ve given directly, you’ve bought merch, you joined A+ or upgraded your membership, you shared on social media you-angel-you. Thank you for believing this little-queer-website-that-could should keep on doing this work, making the internet gay-er, keeping your money gay, and making plans to execute the Gay Agenda now and in the future.

I’ll leave you with two final thoughts. 1) So far, OVER HALF of contributions to the fundraiser are less than $50. You all just each chipped in and blew us past $100k, bit by bit, person by marvelous person. 2) If the 3,400+ people who clicked away the pop-up today gave $9.35 USD each, we’d ZOOM right to our stretch goal and would be sustained through August — and we would all get an effing show, too!!! So, THANK YOU in advance for anything you can do. You matter. That’s why we’re here, isn’t it?

***CONTRIBUTE TO THE FUNDRAISER***

What else can you do to support? Go to our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and re-tweet or what-have-you our posts about the fundraiser! We need to get the word out! Tell your straight friends to stop posing with toilet paper for just a sec and contribute to Autostraddle! You’re the best <3

Before you go! Autostraddle runs on the reader support of our AF+ Members. If this article meant something to you today — if it informed you or made you smile or feel seen, will you consider joining AF and supporting the people who make this queer media site possible?

Join AF+!