Goodbye, from Ali Davis

During the run-up to the 2008 election, I started phone banking to try to stop Prop 8. I?m an introvert, and phone banking involved plunging into a room full of strangers to call more strangers to talk about one hell of a touchy political issue.

Also there was occasional motivational chanting.

I called my friend Jenny Hagel and ran out her voicemail wondering why I do these things to myself. After she was done laughing at me, Jenny suggested I get in touch with the wonderful Jennifer Vanasco and send her a piece about what it was like.

Jay said my article needed to be at least 350 words long. I believe I sent her five pages. And thus one of my favorite freelancing relationships ever was born.

In addition to working with one of my favorite editors ever, I?ve really enjoyed being a part of the site.

365Gay is the first place I turned when Prop 8 passed to try to make sense of things. It was a place to get real information, to see the story covered by the people it affected most, and to see the huge spectrums of reaction across the LGBT community.

Reading 365Gay helped me sort out the difference between productive and unproductive anger and decide what I was going to do about it.

I also got an education on how broad the LGBT political spectrum can be. Checking out the responses to articles ? or simply discovering that a substantial portion of our audience hated, hated, hated ?RachelWatch? ? was interesting, funny, and infuriating. And it was a level of diversity in the community that I needed to know about.

365Gay is why I went to Washington for the Equality March and met so many cool readers? And then went back again to compete with the hilarious James Withers for Most Conspicuous Reporter at the Glenn Beck rally. It has tested my ability to research, explain, and make jokes on tight deadlines. And it has cemented my belief that making fun of bigots is good for the soul.

365Gay been a haven, a touchstone, and a place where I am schooled just when I think I have a handle on things.

Thanks for the warm welcome, 365Gay staff, contributors, and readers. I will miss this place.

Stay strong, smart, funny, and fabulous. I hope I see you on the outside.

lesbian gossip lesbian life lesbian interest