washington blade lesbian gay bisexual lgbt newspaper washington metropolitan area blade oldest lgbt newspaper united_states largest circulation gay city news new_york_city blade referred america gay newspaper record chronicled lgbt news locally nationally internationally new_york_times said blade considered influential publications written gay audience paper originally launched group volunteers independent publication october focus bringing community blade purchased group gay oriented newspapers circulated united_states staff composed professional journalists leading source news readers washington nation paper publishes weekly celebrated anniversary october november blade related publications including shut announced closing business blade staff members told longer jobs plans new gay publication entitled trademark washington blade held defunct window media announced april ownership group agenda consisted staff members blade purchased trademark paper archives bankruptcy court issue newly independent blade debuted april history origins originally called gay blade published issue october taking roots washington newsletter late 1950s early 1960s blade conceived way fill perceived gap organization social communications gay community washington originally published single page distributed hand hand variety gay bars city afraid backlash publication initial authors writings blade pen names early years publishing initial publications entirely created volunteers community editors leading helm stated initial goals publication sense community important acquainted published monthly newspaper evolved original size shape single letter sized paper sheet june published multi page edition consisted pages april paper expanded pages printed legal sized paper sheets middle folded looks paper evolved news coverage began focus newsletter organize community newspaper community july edition published signaled evolution history gay blade fifth anniversary edition paper published october lack revenue interest marking time paper failed publish edition history new focus newspaper allowed publication circulation grow copies distributed dozen sites copies available thirty locations city june edition blade dropped word gay title publication discovered newspaper new_york held rights new publication blade continued published paper additional format changes near end decade incorporating non profit corporation title blade communications inc november paper continued growth important voice pages publication named editor paper january michaels began strict enforcement policy prohibited pen names november blade regularly featuring color printing pages beginning blade changed weekly publication starting october publication changed corporation incorporated profit employee owned business july blade ran page story entitled rare fatal pneumonia hits gay men making paper gay newspapers country write disease come known aids november got promoted position publisher position hold decades blade started publishing weekly january coverage shifted aids crisis news newly emerging disease breaking news caused paper remain heightened state coverage nearly exhausted papers resources members community having step support work blade reporting aids crisis allowed newspaper come age mature professionally driven publication seen today june editors paper computer layout paper time 1990s saw increases readership circulation april gay march washington paper published largest edition date consisting pages paper expanded new markets launch online version blade followed years later launching sister publication new_york called later century coverage expanded include local national news international news interest lgbt community present print edition announced sale group gay publications new ownership came changes paper publications return editorials publication missing decades shortly sale paper staff blade sought vote help guild staff blade brought complaint weeks issue resulting vote july beginning ran free news service called service collected news stories interest lgbt community variety local state regional national selected international media sources service generated blades editors published internet feature allowed syndicated websites presidential election senator john_mccain decision participate written interview blade marked time republican presidential nominee agreed interviewed gay publication november paper abruptly shut financial status parent company majority employees blade aware financial troubles timing total closure publication came shock entire staff editor blade said employees found corporate officers waiting got work morning blade profitable newspaper debt ridden window media longer draining publication finances day blade shut told remaining meeting new venture tomorrow morning delegate eleanor holmes said blade weekly read pledged support new publication serve washington lgbt community november new venture supported entirely staff consisted majority blade editorial staff time closing launched issue called relation non profit organization new venture released week closing blade website save certainly save essence spirit newspaper record staff paper remains united mission inform remains launch new publication bring worked deliver gay news information critical metro community issues handed washington train stations online copy available unclear profitable publication february acquired assets included archives website fixtures washington blade offices month later april publisher announced return paper arts entertainment section circulation demographics published weekly circulation printed copies edition news coverage focuses mainly global regional political issues concerning lgbt persons additional coverage entertainment washington area printed paper includes slogan gay lesbian weekly national capital area online news life style distribution blade includes locations washington area additional distribution points located maryland virginia far away delaware newspaper primarily distributed free standing newspaper boxes street corners newspaper racks metro stations shops restaurants main competition washington weekly nationally san_francisco brief period starting blade competition city african american gay monthly periodical archives maintained washington offices reading room library congress called michigan newspaper member associated_press according survey conducted april median age readership readers ages years old readership employed readers professional managerial jobs median income readers year readers median household income overall blade readership holds college degree readers holding degrees awards series articles march continuing months entitled pretending stops written won local acclaim awards coverage slow death local lawyer series articles chronicled impact aids gay community ground breaking coverage washington won award series articles entitled legal challenges anti gay initiatives explored legal consequences anti gay ballot initiatives constitutional challenges paper won awards excellence local journalism washington criticism controversy publication paper controversy years news coverage early years mid-1980s perceived white washed lack coverage gay african american population located washington city percent residents african american led creation short lived publication city african american gay monthly periodical august attempted compete blade coverage city_council special election april garnered intensive criticism biased coverage led calls reforming paper editorial board blade publishing company threatened sue county library potential ban distribution blade branches sale led intense criticism employees editors media consolidation gay newspapers editorial boards company leading fears content editorial control staff writer accused paper playing politics mandated use capitalized version word gay order political statement newspaper accused time time forcing public figures closet policy outing individuals surfaced debate blade advocate going publication politician publications later denied intending recent years accusations resurfaced current editor blade accused washington_post straight washing stories lgbt individuals wrote described flamboyant eccentric lifelong bachelor know implied readers washington_post better skills story story ignores questions sexual orientation employs endless convey better spelled asked identifying outing individuals publications like blade staff writer wrote insist mentioning sexual orientation paper reported washington_post editor summarized blade editorial reasoning stating sexual orientation longer private fact pale inquiry blade wrote investigate report influential hill aides gay facts sexual orientation raise highly questions stands taken anti gay members congress work staff writer noted objections perceived campaign label individuals sexual blog register objections july began writing editorials paper pieces included criticism gay blogger helped uncover pornographic ads editor attracted criticism gay community decision history anti gay reporting refusal disclose sexual orientation said personal life private matter despite fact public person defended decision september editorial claimed steady stream feedback declined little new article
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