Since it was launched in 2018, The Dumfries and Galloway Queerier has produced five issues with the help of many volunteers, three editors and two fundraisers.
And it has been read far and wide across the region and outwith.
The Queerier (D&GQ) originally started life as a newsletter in 2009 but was developed into a colourful magazine by a group of creatives.
They launched their idea at The Stove in Dumfries in April 2018 with local drag, comedy, and music performers, art, cake and glitter.
Reflecting on the journey so far, writer Matthew L Byers said: “Volunteering for D&GQ was an amazing opportunity. It allowed me to express myself through my writing in a way that was incredibly liberating.
“I hope the magazine continues to grow and reach more people. It is a very important way to show LGBT+ folk that they are supported and loved.”
The magazine team appeared at Dumfries Pride in 2019 and all 300 copies were snapped up in a few hours, ending up in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Carlisle, as well as all the corners of Dumfries and Galloway.
Former editor Jimmy Russell said: “So many exciting things have happened in Dumfries over the past decade, but the founding and continuation of D&GQ is among my most personally significant.”
“I hope the increased visibility and sense of community we’re all creating together means that Doonhamers who feel like they ‘don’t fit in’ are able to find themselves sooner than a lot of us could before now.”
Artist Ayla Fudala has been a contributor and said: “This special magazine helped me feel like part of a community and allowed me to share my art and opinions with others. I feel so lucky to have participated in the beginning days of the D&GQ, and I look forward to seeing how it will grow and evolve in the years to come.”
The third year anniversary issue will be published online in May, with print copies available on request.
