Readers across Minnesota are getting a new LGBTQ+ magazine after Lavender ended its three-decade run. Q Minnesota will combine a monthly print edition with online events, resources and community-led coverage, giving queer people a fresh place to find local stories, practical connections and a sense of belonging.

Essential Takeaways

  • A new beginning: Q Minnesota is being created by former Lavender staff and aims to fill the gap left by the magazine's closure.
  • Print and digital together: The project will offer a monthly magazine alongside an online community hub.
  • Broader representation: Its founders want coverage that reflects Minnesota's full LGBTQ+ community and its varied experiences.
  • A strong debut theme: The first issue is planned around the "state of the rainbow" ahead of the midterm elections.
  • Community at the centre: Readers and contributors are expected to help shape the publication's stories and priorities.

A familiar magazine tradition gets a new chapter

The end of Lavender left more than an empty space on a newsstand. For many LGBTQ+ Minnesotans, the magazine offered recognition, connection and a chance to see local life reflected back at them.

Q Minnesota is stepping into that moment with a team that knows the territory. Former Lavender staff members Andy Lien, Barry Leavitt and Nell Gelhaus are behind the new publication, bringing experience in editing, sales, reporting and digital media.

The timing matters, too. Lavender's closure came after 31 years covering Minnesota's LGBTQ+ community, a long run that made its disappearance especially noticeable. The Star Tribune and FOX 9 both reported on the publication's ending in 2025, underlining the significance of the loss for local readers.

Why Q Minnesota wants to reach more people

The founders aren't simply trying to recreate Lavender with a fresh logo. Their stated ambition is to make Q Minnesota more representative of the community's different identities, locations and lived experiences.

That means moving beyond a single editorial viewpoint. The team wants readers to recognise themselves in the magazine, whether they're looking for politics, culture, family stories, community news or a practical way into local queer life.

This wider focus reflects how LGBTQ+ communities have changed. Queer families, trans-led businesses, rural networks and mutual-aid efforts all form part of the modern picture, and the new publication says those stories deserve space alongside larger national debates.

A digital hub with a proper magazine feel

Online, Q Minnesota plans to act as a kind of virtual community centre. Its website is expected to connect readers with local events, useful resources and organisations, which could be particularly valuable for people outside the Twin Cities or anyone newly seeking community.

But the founders are also committed to the tactile pleasure of print. The monthly edition is intended to feel like something worth keeping, with quality paper, considered design and stories that invite a slower read.

That combination is smart. Digital platforms are better for changing event listings and quick updates, while a print magazine can offer atmosphere, depth and the simple satisfaction of putting something down on the coffee table. In an age of endless scrolling, that physical pause feels quietly radical.

The first issue will look at LGBTQ+ life before the elections

The debut edition is planned for October, with a focus on the "state of the rainbow" ahead of the midterm elections. Coverage is expected to include Minnesota's LGBTQIA+2S Council survey and wider questions around gender-affirming care.

Q Minnesota also plans to work with other media organisations, including Racket, The Gaily Show, The 19th and The Conversation. That approach could give the publication a broader reporting network without losing its local identity.

For readers, the appeal is clear: national issues matter, but they land differently in a neighbourhood, a school, a family or a rural town. Good community journalism makes that connection visible.

How readers can help shape the new publication

Q Minnesota's founders have stressed that the magazine should belong to the community rather than to three individuals. They want people to read it, contribute to it and help identify stories that have been overlooked.

That invitation is important because representation isn't a finished checklist. A publication can include more voices and still miss people unless it keeps listening, especially to communities that don't always appear in mainstream coverage.

The project is also attracting interest from advertisers, suggesting that local businesses see value in supporting a dedicated LGBTQ+ audience. Its three founders say decisions will be shared, which may offer reassurance after the sudden closure of Lavender.

No magazine will satisfy everyone, and the team knows it. Still, a publication willing to keep asking who isn't being heard has a much better chance of becoming a lasting part of Minnesota's queer landscape.

Q Minnesota could make local LGBTQ+ stories feel visible, useful and genuinely shared.

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