Curve Publisher Franco Stevens looks back on a banner year for all things Curve!
As I look back on 2024, I’m filled with a deep sense of gratitude and pride. This year has been such a meaningful journey—not just for The Curve Foundation, but for all of us who care about lifting up the voices, stories, and culture of lesbian and queer women. It’s been a year of incredible growth, of breaking barriers, and of deepening our connections within our community. We’ve hosted over 100 events, engaged in countless conversations, and put our mission into action in ways that have truly made a difference.
Our work this year was driven by three major goals: Advancing LGBTQ+ women’s journalism; sparking community engagement; and celebrating the legacy of Curve magazine. Each of these programs is more than just an initiative; they’re pieces of a larger vision to create a world where queer women’s voices are seen, heard, and valued.
Celebrating Emerging Voices in Journalism
One of the things that filled my heart this year was seeing the response to the Curve Award for Emerging Journalists. When we first launched this program, our goal was to find and support new voices that would carry forward the legacy of Curve magazine by telling the stories that matter most to us. We weren’t prepared for the flood of applications that came in—each one from a passionate, determined journalist ready to make their mark.
Reading some of their stories, I was reminded of why we started this award in the first place. These journalists are asking tough questions, breaking down barriers, and challenging stereotypes. They are the future of queer women’s media and I’m so excited to see where they take us next.
Building a Coalition for Change
This year, we launched the Queer Women’s Media Coalition to bring together the publishers and editors of the few remaining queer women’s media outlets, those who are dedicated to telling authentic, powerful stories about queer women. This coalition isn’t just a network; it’s a community supporting each other, sharing resources, and creating content that reflects our lived experiences. Seeing its growth and working with the incredible people who have joined this effort has been one of the most inspiring parts of my year.
For so long, queer women’s stories have been sidelined or erased. But with this coalition, we’re amplifying those voices and making sure that our stories are told-accurately, honestly, and proudly.
The Power of Community: Lesbian Visibility Week
This year, we set out to make Lesbian Visibility Week bigger than ever before, and wow, did our community show up! We helped create and amplify over 60 events across the U.S. in just one week-each one a testament to the strength, diversity, and resilience of queer women everywhere. From intimate storytelling sessions in Provincetown, MA to a Sapphic music festival in Indianapolis, IN to panel discussions at London Stock Exchange’s US headquarters in New York City, we made sure that lesbian visibility wasn’t just a buzzword, but a reality felt by everyone.
Seeing people come together, share their stories, and celebrate who they are was a reminder of why this work matters so much. Lesbian Visibility Week is about more than events; it’s about creating spaces where every lesbian, queer woman and nonbinary person can feel seen, celebrated, and connected.
Highlights From an Incredible Year
As I think about the year’s milestones, a few moments really stand out for me:
JANUARY: We wrapped up our “Curve Magazine Cartoons: Dyke Strippers’ Retrospective,” a live exhibit of lesbian comics printed in DENEUVE and Curve through the ’90s. It was a joyful, hilarious, and moving tribute to the artists who dared to laugh in the face of discrimination.
APRIL: The documentary Ahead of the Curve started streaming on Netflix, bringing the story of Curve magazine to a whole new audience. We also launched our first-ever Curve Power List, spotlighting some truly incredible women leading the charge in their fields.
MAY: The Curve Photo Contest gave us a glimpse into how our community sees itself. Those photos-full of love, pride, and authenticity-reminded us why visibility is so powerful.
AUGUST: We celebrated the new recipients of the 2024 Curve Award for Emerging Journalists. Watching these talented individuals step into their roles as storytellers and advocates for our community was a true highlight.
OCTOBER: I loved our “Collect and Connect” event in Houston, where we made new friends, bonded over favorite Curve stories, and were treated to the best BBQ in Texas (thanks to lesbian pit master Sloan Rinaldi). We were all inspired to meet out politicians who continue to blaze a new path for our community. It was one of those days that made me excited about what’s possible when we come together. Read more about it here.
Honoring the Legacy of Curve Magazine
Every step we’ve taken this year has been guided by the incredible history of Curve magazine. This isn’t just about looking back; it’s about using that rich 30-year archive as a springboard for what’s to come. The stories that filled those pages, the voices that demanded to be heard, and the courage it took to tell those truths-all of that is at the heart of The Curve Foundation.
Honoring that legacy means not only preserving the history, but also pushing it forward,
making sure that the next generation of queer women’s voices has the space to thrive and th platform to reach the world.
What’s Coming in 2025?
As we close out 2024, I’m looking ahead with so much hope and excitement. We have big dreams for The Curve Foundation and we’re ready to make them happen. We’ll be expanding our support for emerging journalists, growing the Queer Women’s Media Coalition, and creating even more spaces for community engagement. We’re committed to continuing the work that started with Curve magazine all those years ago.
Thank you to everyone who’s been part of this journey. Your support, your stories, and your belief in what we’re building mean everything. Together, we’re creating a future where queer women’s stories aren’t just told-they’re celebrated.
Here’s to all we’ve accomplished in 2024 and all the incredible things to come in 2025. I can’t wait to see where we go next.
If you’d like to be a part of this transformative work, please consider making a donation to The Curve Foundation. Every gift, no matter the size, helps us sustain our programs and expand our reach. Visit our website to learn more about how you can make a difference.
With gratitude and love,
Franco