Pride in Print: A Thematic Analysis of Queer Zines and Print Media from the Twin Cities

Abstract

Queer culture outside of the community’s coastal meccas of New York City and San Francisco has been largely unexplored. This study zooms in on the Middle U.S., specifically the Twin Cities, to paint a picture of queer culture in the northern metropolis that is paradoxically considered “flyover.” Using journalism as a function of culture, this study thematically analyzes five independent queer print publications, also known as zines, created between 1977 and 2023, and connects their artistic elements with cultural values identified across the artifacts. This study also examined how the artifacts portrayed these cultural values across time. The results show a thriving, multifaceted queer community that refutes long-held misconceptions of the Middle U.S. as a conservative hell bent on queer erasure. Throughout history, Twin Cities queer publications have sought to expand their communities as much as possible, aiming to reach people outside of the cities, the state, and even the country. Contemporary publications recognize how special their predecessors were and how fragile their history is, which has sparked a revival of queer print media. This study uniquely approaches media studies by uplifting alternative forms of journalism, emphasizing the artistry involved in journalism, and addressing a crucial gap in queer studies.