A Very Merry & Gay Festive Message, From The Team At Star Observer

I just wanted to share a quick message to say happy holidays, and very gay and joyful festive season to you all, from myself and from the entire team here at Star Observer. 💖

As the year winds down and many of us finally pause — even if only for a minute between those end-of-year moments of chaos — we wanted to say a heartfelt thank you. Thank you for clicking on our stories, sharing them, debating them, feeling seen by them, laughing along with them — even arguing over them in our Facebook comment section. Thank you for picking up our magazines, spotting them in cafés, bookshops, bars, doctors’ waiting rooms, and community spaces, and tucking them under your arm to read later. None of this happens without you, and we appreciate it all.

We know this year hasn’t been easy — for our community, or for the world more broadly — but what continues to ground us is the same thing it always has: our readers. You’re not an audience to us. You’re friends, neighbours, chosen family. You’re the community we belong to and care deeply about, and the reason we keep showing up, even when things feel heavy.

Throughout the year, readers have emailed me, called me, chatted to me at LGBTQIA+ events, even stopped me in the street to give me story tips about what’s affecting them, or even just to say hi after recognising me from my Editor Notes in our magazines. Every time, I feel so humbled and privileged to be in this role, and it brings me such joy witnessing the inherent love, care and passion our community has for one another.

Every day, we work to serve you to the best of our ability — whether that’s by entertaining and distracting you with a bit of fun pop culture, queer chaos, and joy, or by keeping you informed about the serious issues that affect our people’s health, happiness, and human rights. We know how much information matters, especially when it feels like our lives and identities are constantly up for debate. That responsibility isn’t something we take lightly, and it’s one we feel deeply proud to carry.

So whether you’re ready to ~don we now our gay apparel~ or you’re just trying to get through December in one piece, please know how grateful we are to share this space with you.

Star Observer exists because queer community exists — loud, tender, resilient, complicated, and full of heart. It’s been an honour to help tell your stories this year, and to keep building this space and helping it evolve, together.

We hope all our readers have a stunning holiday season filled with love, chosen rainbow family, rest where you can find it, and plenty of queer joy. 🌈

— CHLOE SARGEANT

Managing Editor