QueerAF

What QueerAF does

QueerAF is a UK-based not-for-profit publisher (community interest company, regulated by IMPRESS) that produces LGBTQIA+-focused journalism through a free weekly email newsletter, an award-winning podcast, and a paid membership programme. Founded in 2018 by Jamie Wareham, it serves LGBTQIA+ community readers seeking queer-informed coverage of mainstream news as well as emerging queer creatives who gain mentorship and first published work through initiatives such as Trans+ History Week and the LGBTQIA+ Content Fund. The publication maintains an editorial roster that includes lead investigative journalist Ludovic Parsons and produces recurring franchises including the Milestones legal-history series, the Under Pressure investigative series, and the Queer Gaze column.

The platform is built on the Ghost publishing/content management system and distributed via email, major podcast platforms, and social channels (Blue Sky, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn), with live recordings at National Student Pride events. Revenue is generated almost entirely from individual reader support — recurring memberships (78% on annual plans) and one-off donations via platforms such as Ko-fi — supplemented by micro-grants (e.g., Public Interest News Foundation, 2024) and corporate sponsorship (Publicis Groupe UK for Trans+ History Week 2026). The operation is intentionally ad-free and advertiser-independent, with a 7-person team and a stated readership of 10,000+ newsletter subscribers.

Name

QueerAF

Legal name

QueerAF CIC

Website

https://wearequeeraf.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

QueerAF is a UK not-for-profit publisher producing LGBTQIA+ journalism via a 10,000+ reader weekly newsletter, an award-winning podcast, and a paid membership programme, while mentoring emerging queer creatives through initiatives like Trans+ History Week.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent LGBTQIA+ Media Publishing

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Educational Support Services (611710)

akta.pro primary industry

LGBTQ+ Rights & Advocacy Organizations (BPAGAFAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Podcast Hosting & Enterprise Solutions (Private/Branded Podcasts) (MPACADAF)

Keywords

• LGBTQIA+ journalism
• Queer newsletter publishing
• Independent podcast production
• Community-interest media
• Creator mentoring programmes

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Recurring memberships provide the primary revenue stream. Members receive early access to content, ability to directly commission articles, and their name listed next to funded content. 78% of members choose annual plans.
2. Donations: One-time donations accepted through platforms like Ko-fi. Supports queer creatives and enables the organization to maintain independence from advertisers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

QueerAF is an ad-free, not-for-profit publisher producing original LGBTQIA+ journalism distributed through a free weekly email newsletter (10,000+ readers), an award-winning podcast, and a paid reader-membership programme. It also operates a mentoring programme that develops emerging queer writers and creatives whose work is published across the platform.

Product overview

QueerAF is a not-for-profit independent media publisher offering a portfolio of products focused on LGBTQIA+ journalism and supporting queer creatives. The core offerings include a free weekly newsletter (QueerAF Newsletter), an award-winning podcast (QueerAF Podcast), and a paid membership programme (QueerAF Membership). Additional products include the Queer Gaze feature providing underrepresented perspectives, Trans+ History Week initiative, the Milestones educational series on trans rights history, and the LGBTQIA+ Content Fund for funding creatives. The platform is ad-free and investor-free, with members critical to sustainability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Trans+ History Week: Annual initiative to document and celebrate trans history, including a workbook and mentoring programme for trans creatives
• Queer Gaze
• The Other Blue Pill
• Milestones
• Under Pressure
• LGBTQIA+ Content Fund

Products and services

• QueerAF Newsletter Free weekly email newsletter that delivers TL;DR explainers of LGBTQIA+ news, queer perspectives from mentored writers, and coverage of the latest queer content, published every Saturday morning.
• QueerAF Podcast Award-winning podcast featuring interviews, explainers, and queer perspectives, including the British Podcast Award-winning Ian McKellen interview and episodes from the mentoring programme. Available ad-free for members.
• QueerAF Membership Paid reader membership programme offering early access to content, the ability to directly commission articles, and name recognition next to funded content; 78% of members choose annual plans.
• Trans+ History Week

Quantifiable outcome

• Average rating 4.8/5 from reader reviews

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• National Student PridecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026QueerAF has collaborated with National Student Pride for 21 years as media partner. The organization worked with budding students building audio production careers and giving them their first published work. QueerAF records podcast episodes live at the event, including the award-winning Ian McKellen interview.
• Trans+ History WeekcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026QueerAF produces content and mentoring programs for Trans+ History Week, including the annual workbook. The organization mentored five Trans+ researchers and writers through over 80 hours of research for the 2026 program.
• GhostcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2020Ghost is the content management system (CMS) used by QueerAF for publishing. QueerAF promotes Ghost as a publishing platform partner while using it for their newsletter and content platform.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Queerty: US-based LGBTQIA+ digital news and culture site. Overlaps with QueerAF in queer news explainers and pop-culture commentary, though Queerty serves a primarily North American audience and operates at significantly larger scale.
• Attitude Magazine: UK LGBTQIA+ magazine and digital publisher covering news, culture, and lifestyle. Comparable to QueerAF in audience and editorial scope, though Attitude operates at higher scale with established commercial partnerships and a print heritage.
• PinkNews: UK-based LGBTQIA+ digital news publisher covering politics, culture, and lifestyle. Directly comparable to QueerAF in target audience (LGBTQIA+ news consumers) and editorial category, though PinkNews operates at significantly larger scale and accepts advertising.
• DIVA Magazine: UK-based LGBTQIA+ publication (notably for lesbian and queer women audiences) covering news, culture, and community stories. Similar independent media positioning to QueerAF, with comparable size and an advertising-supported business model.
• Gay Times: Long-running UK LGBTQIA+ media brand spanning digital, print, and events. Overlaps with QueerAF on queer culture coverage and audience, but Gay Times has substantially larger resources, a broader lifestyle remit, and commercial sponsorship model.

Broad incumbents

• Them: Condé Nast-owned LGBTQIA+ digital publication covering culture, identity, and politics. Comparable to QueerAF in editorial category and queer audience focus, but Them operates as part of a major media conglomerate with vastly greater resources.
• Out Magazine: Established US LGBTQIA+ magazine covering news, culture, and lifestyle. Comparable to QueerAF in audience and category, though Out operates at much larger scale as part of a major media group.
• The Advocate: Long-established US LGBTQIA+ news and culture publication. Overlaps with QueerAF on news and political coverage for queer audiences, but The Advocate has decades of institutional scale and a broader editorial remit.

Others

• Stonewall UK: UK-based LGBTQIA+ rights charity conducting advocacy, research, and campaigning. Not a direct media competitor but highly comparable to QueerAF's advocacy mission and serves overlapping UK LGBTQIA+ audiences and stakeholders.
• GLAAD: US-based LGBTQIA+ media advocacy organization monitoring representation and providing journalist resources. Comparable to QueerAF's mission of changing queer media representation, though GLAAD operates as a non-profit media watchdog rather than a publisher.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/wearequeeraf.com
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/queeraf
• Instagraminstagram.com/wearequeeraf_
• TikToktiktok.com/@wearequeeraf

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about QueerAF