On a campus of almost 14,000 students, it’s easy to get lost in the crowd. However, the writers and editors of Binghamton University’s Q Magazine are certainly making their voices heard. Making its debut a little over two years ago, Q Mag features a collection of articles and stories that represent the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. As an innovative publication, Q Mag tries to go further than other magazines and push boundaries. Release had the opportunity to chat with Matthew Unhjem, editor in chief of Q Magazine, about its history and style.
Release: How was Q Magazine started and when?
Matthew Unhjem: Erica Friedman and Justin Rivera (both Binghamton Alumni, class of 2008) got together in the spring of 2006 and began Q Magazine with no budget and a handful of writers. Binghamton needed a publication on campus that represented queer and LGBT voices, so they gathered some articles and photocopied and stapled the first few issues together. It was a very “zine-style” magazine and had an indie, do-it-yourself feel to it. We’ve come a long way since then, and this past fall, with a better budget and more ad revenue, we were able to get color issues from a professional printer. We still represent queer voices on campus, but we also feature stories on art, culture and college life at BU.
Release: What do you feel Q Magazine represents in contrast to other publications on Binghamton’s campus?
MU: LGBT stories get minimal coverage in Pipe Dream and the Prospect, and comically unfavorable coverage from some other publications. So, we’re able to expose issues and educate students on topics that aren’t featured elsewhere. For instance, our November issue extensively covered the news surrounding the passage of Proposition 8 in California.
I think other magazines aren’t really taking any risks. The articles are well written but it’s all tired opinions and dry subjects. I haven’t seen any controversial or noteworthy articles in a long time. With Q Mag, we’re trying to get people talking and get people into campus journalism. Even what used to be controversial on campus — specifically the conservative magazine [title omitted purposefully by Unhjem] — hasn’t produced anything clever in a long time. We’re bringing an edge that’s been lacking at Binghamton.
We’re also trying to have more events on and off campus, which other magazines really haven’t pursued. Finally, we’re working on a new blog at qbinghamton.com, which will supplement our content between issues.
Release: What do you think the magazine has accomplished and what do you hope it will accomplish?
MU: I think Q Mag has opened student eyes to various gay/lesbian/bi/trans topics that get marginalized in mainstream media and journalism. I hope we can expand even more and produce larger issues in the years to come. Q Mag is a great medium for LGBT stories and articles, but we also have a style and relevance that appeal to many college kids.
We’ve also been interested in hosting events this semester, including this issue’s launch party at Merlin’s on Feb 13. I think Q Mag can become not just a publication but a name for events in music and art.
Release: In what ways do you think Q Magazine has helped the gay community? Do you feel it has helped create a voice that may not have always been heard on campus?
MU: I think the fact that Binghamton University has a LGBT magazine on campus sends a positive message to prospective and current students about openness and visibility of queer and queer-friendly students. I think it’s also provided an outlet for voices that didn’t necessarily feel comfortable at other publications. We’ve tried to educate and eliminate ignorance and intolerance on Binghamton’s campus and throughout the area.
Release: What types of stories and articles do you focus on in the magazine?
MU: We usually feature national and local LGBT news. We’ve covered everything from “coming out” to the nature-versus-nurture debate. We featured a lot of satire and lighthearted commentary, too (i.e. we had a satire called “So You Think You’re a Lesbian,” enumerating lesbian cliches and how you ought to act to “fit in”).
The newest issue of Q Mag can be found around campus now.