Renee Raketty (she/her) is the owner/publisher of the Seattle Gay News (SGN), the third-oldest LGBTQIA+ publication in the US, founded in 1974. As an out-and-proud Latina Transgender woman, she's been active for decades in both journalism and Seattle's Queer community spaces ever since working at her high school newspaper in the 1990s. She joined the SGN as a writer in October 2001 and rose to managing editor in August 2005, and has also written for others publications, such as the Seattle Gay Standard, Capitol Hill Seattle Blog, and Tacoma Weekly.


She was essential in modernizing the SGN's production process from physical cut-and-paste to digital technology in the early 2000s, led a successful lawsuit against the Seattle Police Department over sustaining injuries while following the BLM protests of 2020, and is now collaborating with younger voices in the LGBTQIA+ community to lead the SGN into a multimedia, platform-driven future, for 2026 and beyond.

Madison Jones (she/her): Hello everyone! I am a Seattle-based journalist, writer, and proud Transgender woman. With 50+ articles published in the United States and abroad, I cover a plethora of topics, including LGBTQIA+ issues, travel, entertainment, and politics. I obtained my MA in political science from the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, Canada) in 2021. These days, I keep myself primarily occupied as managing editor of the third-oldest LGBTQIA+ newspaper in the United States, the Seattle Gay News (SGN). 

My writing portfolio can be found at: madisonapril.carrd.co

Richard Isaac (he/him) is a freelance copy editor with a background in linguistics, foreign languages, and Queer activism. He was active in Queer Nation and Bigot Busters (1990–95) and has served on the boards of SEAMEC (1997–2007) and Lambert House (2004–12). He earned his certificate in editing from the University of Washington in 2008, served on the board of the Northwest Editors Guild, and has been editing for the SGN since 2015. He has studied ten languages and lived abroad; his other interests include travel, film, and Eurovision, which he has attended twice. His website can be found at: richtextediting.com.

Maggie Bloodstone (she/her) has been the SGN's advertising manager for over two decades. A lifelong Washingtonian, born in 1957, she majored in drama at Green River Community College from 1975 to 1978 (her favorite role being Gollum in original musical version of The Hobbit.)

Active in Seattle's LGBTQIA+ community since 1980, she worked at The Lusty Lady before it was The Lusty Lady, was possibly the first local drag king performing in local lip sync contests (as David Byrne of The Talking Heads) from 1984 to 1988, was a local actress in the ’80s and ’90s, and is a sister of the Abbey of St. Joan of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence as Sister Castrata Stigmata BananaFana Fo-Fata aka Brother Otto Erotik, but she is best known for playing Bitchy Bitch in the live version of Roberta Gregory's comic Naughty Bits.

Turn-ons: Music (industrial, heavy metal, punk, psychedelia, experimental, anything from the ’70s), weird movies, non-superhero comics, vintage clothes.

Turnoffs: Fascism.

Emory Liu (he/him) is a Seattle native who has previously worked at the local companies Seattle Theatre Group and Fantagraphics Books Inc. His start began as a designer and screen printer of music show posters and album art as a music fan, later focusing on print design and production. He currently works as the SGN's production manager.

Lindsey Anderson (she/her): Hello! I am a Seattle-based writer (and SGN staff writer) and comedian. I graduated from Gonzaga University with a BA in English writing and political science. When not writing or performing on stage, I can usually be found hanging out with my partner, Izy, and adorable dog, Benji, and my oversized cat, Oliver.

Sara Michelle Fetters (she/her) is a Seattle journalist, film critic, local Hall of Fame amateur softball player and coach, and LGBTQIA+ community activist. She wrote a ten-part "1,001 Great Films" series for the Seattle Gay News in 2021, on a dare during the COVID pandemic, that quickly transformed into her personal coming out story as a Trans woman and a journey through over a century of cinema. She is now a staff writer for the SGN, and is also hopelessly addicted to Diet Coke.

Arin Waller (she/her): Sup! I'm a contributing writer for the Seattle Gay News. I'm a self-taught writer with a passion for filmmaking. I love writing about political issues, human interest pieces, and community involvement. When I'm not typing away at my keyboard, I usually like to hang out at the bars on Capitol Hill, The Wildrose being a favorite.

Frank Gaimari (he/him): Emerging from the Pacific Northwest, Gaimari is a renowned writer and painter who has captivated an international audience with his ability to craft intricate and engaging narratives, film reviews, and celebrity interviews, earning him widespread acclaim. His website can be found at: www.FrankGaimari.com.