New Gay Youth Magazine, Qr, Fills Void In The LGBT Magazine Market

[TalonRider]

New Gay Youth Magazine, Qr, Fills Void In The LGBT Magazine Market

American Chronicle

Newswire Services

January 9, 2007

Qr Magazine is a new monthly magazine by and for young gay men.

Qr Magazine is the new national monthly magazine founded and operated by a dedicated staff of twenty-somethings for the post-high-school, pre-portfolio young gay guy.

From college parties to first relationships, big city life to forging friendships, Qr Magazine celebrates the wild lives of teens, students and young gay professionals living in post-civil rights/pre-gay marriage America, while also providing a unique avenue for advertisers to speak directly to a trendsetting audience.

"The current top U.S. gay publications [Out, Advocate, Genre, Instinct] are mostly aimed towards an older gay and lesbian readership, and lack the authenticity and punch that Qr delivers," explains Eric Bogs, 29, publisher of Qr Magazine.

Delivered by the former staff of XY Magazine, Qr looks to dominate the 18-28 gay audience with fresh content month after month, featuring:

- Reader stories of dating disasters and wild nights out with friends

- Opinionated views on current events, pushing the limits of political correctness

- Sexy one-of-a-kind photo spreads, showing boys you won't see elsewhere

- First-hand reviews of gay life on college campuses across America

- Support info on dealing with debt, parents, and hangovers

- Tons of content that makes most magazines blush

"We started Qr after being frustrated by 'the norm'," says Bogs. "How the media represents us, how our generation feels left out, how we're not quite 'Generation X,' and we’re so different from the pioneering gays that came before us. Young gays aren't defined by their sexuality, and Qr is a magazine that doesn't tell them who to be, what to buy or what to wear. Instead, Qr is a soapbox to shout from and a community to share."

Each issue of Qr is collectible, printed on thick stock with few advertisements, and specially themed around concepts such as "outsider," "discotech," "lust," "cheater," "superstar" - hip topics that resonate with readers' lives and sets Qr apart from competitor's noisy covers.

"Qr is our readers' magazine," says Kevin Joffre, 24, editor. "We feature reader stories, poems, photos and opinions alongside our columnists, editorials, and interviews. It's a user-generated product for a user-focused era. The boys who read Qr also drive MySpace and YouTube - they know the value of producing content and enjoy seeing themselves in print. Qr is a magazine for gay youth because we're the only magazine that won't talk down to you."

"Featuring the most inventive photo spreads with the cutest boys helps our explain our popularity," adds Greg Frederick, 24, the art director/photographer for Qr, referring in part to the monthly "Boys Kissing" section, filled with sexy, life-affirming photos of boys kissing, which has already proven to be a fan favorite. "We speak to the pierced, the punks, the skaters, the geeks and clubaholics who feel ignored by gay media."

Qr Magazine provides resources for teens in need and young men struggling to make sense of post-college life. "We take a hard look at the political issues that affect us," says Joffre. "We're not just a resource, and we're certainly not a fluffy fashion mag - Qr is the nerve center for all things young and gay. Qr belongs to everyone who feels left out by the mainstream LGBT press."

With an already strong presence on Myspace [myspace.com/qrmagazine] and on the blogosphere, this might very well be the year of Qr.

To read the first issue of Qr, or to learn more, visit qrmag.com.