South Florida website launches print publication
by Joe Siegel
OutClique, a glossy monthly LGBT publication based in Miami, began life as a website three years ago.
Steven Evans, the CEO and editor in chief, along with Darren Loll, chief information officer, came up with the concept for the magazine.
Evans said there wasn’t a publication which was covering the large variety of LGBT events in South Florida.
“There were so many things to do but they were scattered all over the Internet,” Evans explained. “We started the website to get all the gay and gay-friendly events in one place.”
OutClique was designed to allow readers to network with each other at the events, Evans noted.
In fact, while the publication has gone into print, the magazine is holding onto its online platforms and features. “The magazine will complement our current suite of digital resources,” Evans wrote in the premiere issue, dated December 2016. “Our website (www.OutClique.org) currently lists all the gay and gay-friendly events and businesses. You can also chat with other users, comment on articles, and view photos of past events. The OutClique mobile app for iPhone and Android functions much like the website, but for your phone on the go.”
The first issue also included a welcome message from Wilton Manors Mayor Gary Resnick.
Although South Florida has several LGBT publications, Evans said all the other magazines were weekly, so there was an opening for a monthly magazine in the marketplace.
Evans had never worked in publishing before. He holds a Ph.D. in higher education administration with an emphasis on medical education.
As for the process of coming up with a name for the publication, Evans said that was a challenge.
“We spent three months trying to find something that was unique,” Evans said. “We’re putting a new spin on the word ‘clique’ — it’s a group of people who like to do things together. We do a lot of photography so a ‘click’ is the sound a camera makes and it’s also the sound a ‘mouse’ makes so it’s a triple entendre.”
OutClique features stories on health and fitness, travel, and celebrity interviews. “All of our content is original,” Evans said. “It’s a good blend of lifestyle and entertainment.”
As far as the plethora of other LGBT publications in the region, Evans said OutClique has a good relationship with the other publications. “We see ourselves as complimentary and not competitive.”
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