Who We Are

First thing's first. Yes, there is such a thing as a National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association. In fact, we're 1,300 members and 25 chapters big.

We're an organization of journalists, media professionals, educators and students that works within the news industry to foster fair and accurate coverage of LGBT issues.

Why is that important? Because journalism is a powerful force that informs and educates. Think about it. When you read the paper or watch the news, you're not just getting up to speed on current events. You're learning about people, cultures and ideas that aren't necessarily part of your everyday life.

While you might know the LGBT community through and through, others don't. And the headlines they see about same-sex marriage, gays in the military and even Pride celebrations form the basis of their knowledge about you, your friends and your life.

See why it's important now?

How We Do It

	We didn't write the book on "gay," but we did write the dictionary. NLGJA's Stylebook Supplement on LGBT Terminology clears the air on some tricky terms.
	From the outside looking in, our community isn't the easiest to understand. Some folks need Gay 101, which is why we offer a Journalists Toolbox with articles about everything from outing someone to covering a Pride parade.
	Nothing beats a face-to-face meeting. Our Newsroom Outreach Project takes NLGJA-ers inside journalists' natural habitat to discuss LGBT coverage issues and best practices.
	What happens when you put nearly 700 LGBT journalists in the same room? No, not the most intense game of hangman you've ever seen. Our annual National Convention leads the dialogue on coverage of our community.
	Meet the eyes and ears of NLGJA. The Rapid Response Task Force is a panel of journalists that answers complaints about reporting seen as inaccurate by readers, viewers, listeners and our peer journalists around the country.
	Ensuring fair and accurate coverage goes beyond talking to the folks who already report the news. What about the next generation of journos? In addition to many unique student opportunities, NLGJA offers an Educators Toolbox designed to bring LGBT coverage issues into the nation's college classrooms.

Meet Our Local Chapter

NLGJA-DC is NLGJA's second largest chapter with more than 100 members, including representatives from some of the largest media owners in Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia. Joining us are representatives from major public relations firms and advocacy groups, congressional press secretaries, journalism educators and students.

Click here to learn more about the chapter, and click here for information on NLGJA-DC's numerous chapter events, including our monthly happy hour mixer.

Interested in knowing more about NLGJA and its local chapter? NLGJA-DC Chapter President Michael Triplett is standing by to answer your questions.

Also, click here to visit the organization's national Web site. You'll learn even more about who we are and what we do.