Steve Sovacki ................ steve@bizburstmobile.com
DREAM TEAM
Mark Porcher - Executive Assistant
Rosendo Brown - Fabulance
Dr. Carmen Mora, NMD, Innova Medspa
Joshua J Preston - Eat Well, Live Well
Peter Michelsen - ExploratION
Rich Serrano - Drag Editor
PHOTOGRAPHERS
LeakedGlass Production
Rafalogie Studio
AMBASSADORS
Anthony Quinn Solis | Logan Smith
All original artwork and photography for ION Arizona Magazine remain property of JMT Designs, Inc, and cannot be reproduced, altered or sold without authorization and compensation.
NOTE: The views expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect the views of ION Arizona, its staff, or that of its parent company.
Publication of the name or photograph of any person or organization within ION Arizona is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual orientation of such persons or organization. To our knowledge, all people photographed and published in ION Arizona are over the age of 18. Some photos were submitted by our readers. To our knowledge, they own the copyrights, and they have given us permission to reproduce them. If you see a picture that you own, please call us immediately and we will remove it from future publications. All copy, text, display, photos, and illustrations in the ads are published with the understanding that the advertisers are fully authorized, have secured proper written consent for the use of names, pictures, and testimonials of any living person, and that ION Arizona is not responsible for unlawful use of such content.
25 Years of Fabulous!
This month, we celebrate our country’s 250th birthday. But more importantly, we are ready to celebrate ION Arizona Magazine’s 25th anniversary. For 10% of our country’s existence, we’ve had ION.
Before ION Arizona, I started an ad agency in Detroit in 1995 that specialized in corporate aviation marketing for Fortune 50 companies. Everything we did was top-of-the-line. Money was no object.
When I moved to Arizona, there were 28 gay bars throughout the Valley. There were two publications, both of which looked like they were created by a high school yearbook club, and most of those bars didn’t advertise in them. So when I was looking for my first gay bar, I fired up an AOL 56K modem and opened AltaVista to search for them.
ION JUST JACK
In 2001, I lost all my aviation clients due to the recession and decided to start ION Arizona Magazine. But I wanted to create a magazine unlike anything that had come before it. A local magazine that looked like a national publication, using only local models, artists, photographers, and writers.
Our first customers were many of those bars. The first issues were challenging, to say the least: 48 pages, black and white, with a color wrap. Low ad sales. Fast forward 25 years, and we’re now 80 pages, full color, and having our best year ever.
Also since 2001, ION has hosted 25 Splash Bash pool parties, 5 car shows, and 1 awesome Sausage Fest. We hosted the Sexiest Bartender Contest and the Phoenix Pride VIP Experience for years. We’ve had 5 ION VIP discount promos. We built a website, jumped into social media, and after 5 years of development, the ION Arizona App is ready for prime time!
Twenty-five years ago, we didn’t have marriage equality. Gays couldn’t openly serve in the military. HIV/AIDS was on the rise. Look how far we have come. But there’s more work to be done. If we want a strong community, we need to work together. No infighting. Support our local events. Donate. Volunteer. Because without you, there is no community. We need you to keep your eye on Arizona! Will you join me for another 25 years?
Jack M. Tesorero American Trailblazer
PHX ATTRACTIONS
ONLY Circuit Phoenix Red, White & Pool Party
Keep the holiday weekend sizzling at ONLY Circuit Phoenix’s Red, White & Pool Party! Sunday, July 5, 2026 from 5 PM–10 PM. The Pemberton (1121 N 2nd St, Phoenix, AZ) transforms into a high-energy oasis with poolside beats, dancing, cocktails, and a crowd ready to celebrate summer. DJs spin everything from house and Latin to throwbacks and party anthems while Phoenix’s LGBTQ+ community comes together for one unforgettable sunset session. Bring your swimsuit, your crew, and your best poolside attitude.
Miss Gay Arizona America 2026
Who will wear the crown? Miss Gay Arizona America 2026 brings the state’s top entertainers together for an afternoon of dazzling gowns, jaw-dropping talent, fierce interviews, and enough sequins to blind the front row. Sunday, July 12, 2026 at Tempe Center for the Arts Celebrate the artistry, passion, and legacy of one of Arizona’s premier drag competitions while cheering on the next ambassador for our LGBTQ+ community. Whether you’re a pageant superfan or a first-timer, expect glamour, heart, and unforgettable performances.
Wiener Wednesday Party
Grab your buns and bring your appetite Wiener Wednesday is serving up laughs, hot dogs, and a whole lot of camp on Wednesday, July 15, from 6–9 PM at Stacy’s @ Melrose (4343 N 7th Ave, Phoenix). Presented by RoRo Hot Dogs and hosted by the fabulous CeCe TV, this deliciously ridiculous evening features a wiener eating contest, pup relay race, Best Buns & Wiener contest, and a 50/50 raffle benefiting charity. Come hungry, come competitive, and come ready for one of the silliest nights of the summer. 21+ and all are welcome!
Drag Bingo with Felicia Minor
Drag Bingo with Felicia Minor is serving numbers, nonsense, and nonstop laughs at Drink Me! Tea Room (1730 E Warner Rd, Suite 5, Tempe, AZ) on Thursday, July 16, from 7–9 PM Hosted by the one and only Felicia Minor, this fabulous night of bingo comes with outrageous comedy, fierce prizes, and enough sass to keep the whole room howling. Whether you’re playing to win or just there for the cocktails and kiki, one thing’s for sure—bingo has never been this fabulous. Grab your friends and let the games begin!
Xmas in July
Who says you have to wait until December to get on Santa’s nice… or naughty… list? Xmas in July lands at Stacy’s @ Melrose (4343 N 7th Ave, Phoenix) on Saturday, July 25 at 9 PM for a festive summer blowout. DJ NV and Honeybuns bring the beats, mischief, and merry mayhem while the dance floor heats up faster than an Arizona sidewalk. Throw on your favorite holiday gear (or a tropical twist on it), grab your chosen family, and celebrate the most wonderfully unseasonal party of the year. 21+.
Cats
Don’t Let the Cat Out of the Bag! If you haven’t experienced Cats at Arizona Broadway Theatre (7701 W Paradise Ln, Peoria), consider this your final curtain call! Andrew Lloyd Webber’s legendary musical wraps up this month, so now’s your chance to witness the dazzling costumes, unforgettable choreography, and iconic songs—including the show-stopping Memory. Pair the performance with Arizona Broadway Theatre’s signature dinner-and-show experience for the purrfect night out. Trust us, darling… you’ll be feline fabulous long after the curtain falls. Tickets at azbroadway.org.
ION STREAMING
HEARTSTOPPER FOREVER
Bang My Box:
(HBO Max – Streaming Now)
Before social media influencers and late-night podcasts, there was Robin Byrd, serving sex positivity, queer visibility, and safe-sex education when America desperately needed all three. Bang My Box: The Robin Byrd Story explores how her legendary cable access show became a lifeline during the AIDS crisis while sparking a censorship battle that reached the U.S. Supreme Court. Now nearing 70, Robin reflects on her groundbreaking legacy, the husband she kept out of the spotlight, and the lasting impact of a career that boldly challenged taboos. It’s heartfelt, fascinating, and a fabulous slice of LGBTQ+ history every queer should know.
Elle (Prime Video – Bends and snaps July 1)
Did we need an Elle Woods origin story? Maybe not. Are we watching anyway? Obviously, babes. Elle takes us back before Harvard, before the courtroom slays, and before pink became a legal strategy, exploring how our favorite sparkly optimist became that girl. With Prime Video serving prequel realness, this series leans into Elle’s fishout-of-water charm as she brings bright, bubbly Angeleno energy to Seattle. Expect ambition, sisterhood, niche West Coast jokes, and enough perky confidence to power a blow dryer. Objection? Overruled.
Heartstopper Forever
(Netflix – Streams July 17)
Nick and Charlie are back to destroy us emotionally, in the cutest possible way. Heartstopper Forever wraps up their beloved love story as Nick prepares for university and Charlie steps into new independence, forcing the couple to face the dreaded gay final boss: long distance. Rude! As doubts creep in, their relationship gets its biggest test yet, while Elle, Tao, Tara, Darcy, Isaac, Tori, Imogen, Sahar, and the whole crew navigate love, friendship, and growing up. Expect butterflies, tears, and premium queer wholesomeness.
Twenty-five years ago, a new magazine showed up in Arizona’s gay bars with a mission, a promise, and an invitation to create something together.
It was 2001. There were no smartphones, no apps, no swiping to find your people. If you wanted community, you got in the your car and drove to it. You found it in dim rooms with pool tables and jukeboxes, on 7th Avenue and along McDowell Road, where a bartender knew your name and a stranger could become family before last call.
Phoenix was a different city then. There was no light rail. Downtown went quiet after dark. The gayborhood hummed along the Melrose curve, and print was still how you knew where the night was headed. That summer, a new magazine turned up on those bar tops with a map of every local spot, an AOL email address, and a letter from the editor that said, “We bring you this new magazine in hopes to unite, entertain and grow our community. We want to bring the gay community closer together, mentally and physically, and to promote Arizona as the place to live, work and play.”
For ION’s Founder, Jack Tesorero, ION was launched “to make Phoenix’s gay community seem less spread out and disorganized.” He said, “We want everyone to help make this your magazine. We want you to e-mail us your thoughts, articles and photos.” He was asking the community to join him in his mission of uniting the community - before there were group chats, social feeds full of people sharing experiences, or photos and videos taken inside of our venues.
There was just the drive to the bar, the first nervous walk through the door, and the flood of relief when you realized you were with people, like you. This magazine was part of that ritual. We were the thing you tucked under your arm on the way out, the map to a world that did not always advertise itself.
The world outside those rooms was harder than the one inside them. In 2001, you could still be fired in most of the country simply for being who you are. You could not legally marry anywhere in America. The laws that criminalized us were still on the books. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was the rule of the land. Visibility was a risk, not a right. So the bars were never just bars. They were the town square, the sanctuary, the one place you could be fully, unapologetically yourself – and ION was your guide to them.
Remember?
Remember Ain’t Nobody’s Biz? Amsterdam? BOOM, Crowbar, Incognito, Padlock, Pookie’s, Pumphouse, Wink’s, and so many other places that made us feel welcome and gave us fond memories in 2001. Those particular doors are closed now – but the people we met behind them are not. That is the truth about this community: the rooms change, the faces move, and still we remain. We find the next place. We pull up another chair. We keep the light on for whoever walks in next.
What we’ve carried, together
A lot has happened in 25 years, and we lived every bit of it side by side. In 2003, the Supreme Court finally struck down the laws that branded us criminals. We felt the sting of setbacks too, including the 2008 vote that wrote a narrow definition of marriage into Arizona’s own constitution. Then the tide began to turn. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” fell in 2011. The Defense of Marriage Act cracked in 2013. In 2014, marriage came to Arizona, and in 2015, to the entire country, and many of us wept in the same bars where we once had to watch the door. Workplace protections reached us in 2020. In 2022, marriage equality was written into federal law.
Behind every one of those dates is a life. We danced at weddings we were promised would never come. We buried friends we did not get enough time with. We lit candles for Pulse and for Club Q, held each other through the grief, and then showed up the very next night, because that is what we have always done. We have watched
hard-won rights celebrated and challenged, sometimes in the same year. Through every headline, in the good times and the frightening ones, we kept marching, kept dancing, kept showing up for one another. That is the throughline of these 25 years. Not the wins. Not the losses. Us.
What never changed
Here is what a quarter-century taught us. Advertisers come and go. Events come and go. Causes rise and fade. Writers, photographers and staff move on to new chapters. Even some of those beloved bars have gone dark. But you never left. The reader who picked us up in a bar in 2001 and the one who downloaded the app last week are the same heartbeat, 25 years apart.
You are not one kind of person, and you never were. You are the couple married 40 years and the kid who just moved here from a small town with no one to call. You are the drag legend and the first-timer too shy to tip. You are the leather crowd and the brunch crowd and the folks who only come out for Pride. Somehow, for 25 years, this magazine has been the one table big enough to seat all of you.
That is the only reason we get to say this: ION is the only monthly LGBTQ+ magazine in Arizona to make it this far. Not because of the ad pages. Not because of the awards. Because of you, the readers, the app users, the regulars at every event, the stars who still light up the party cam. You carried us here. You are who carries us into the next 25.
This year is yours
So this anniversary year is not about us. It is about you. All year long, we are turning these pages into a scrapbook of your 25 years: your first Pride, your first bar, your first love, the photo you still keep in a drawer, the memory you have never told anyone. Each month brings a new theme to jog a different memory, and you will find this month’s prompt in the box beside this letter. Send us your then and your now. Show us how you have changed. Remind us what never will.
If you were here in 2001, we especially want to hear from you. Some things have changed beyond recognition, and some have not changed one bit, and both are worth celebrating. If you found us only last year, you belong in this story just as much. The party cam still runs. The app keeps growing. The community keeps making room.
Because it is all right there in our name this year. We are still here. We are still hot. And honey, we are still happening, not something that happened to you, but something still happening with you. Here is to 25 years. Here is to you. Let’s go get the next 25.
Gratefully,
ION Arizona Team
The Investment That Never Loses Value
By Rafael, Founder of Rafalogie Fit and Life Coach
hen people think about investing, they usually think about stocks, retirement accounts, or real estate. We spend hours researching where to put our money to achieve But what if the best investment you could ever make is one you already own?
YOURSELF
Your body, your mindset, your health, and your habits are investments that compound over time. Just like money, the returns are rarely immediate. They grow through small, consistent deposits.
One workout will not transform your body.
One healthy meal will not change your health.
One good night of sleep will not suddenly give you endless energy. But hundreds of those decisions, made over weeks, months, and years can completely change your life. That is the power of compound interest.
As both a fitness coach and life coach, I encourage my clients to stop chasing overnight results and start making daily deposits into themselves.
Three strength workouts each week.
A daily walk.
Protein with every meal.
Seven to eight hours of sleep.
Five minutes of reflection before the day begins.
Individually, these habits may seem small. Together, they become life changing.
The same principle applies outside the
gym. Every difficult conversation you choose to have. Every book you read. Every promise you keep to yourself. Every time you choose growth instead of comfort, you are making another deposit into the person you are becoming.
Ask yourself this question:
If your future self could thank you for one investment you make today, what would it be?
Maybe it is finally joining a gym. Maybe it is taking the first walk around your neighborhood. Maybe it is asking for help instead of trying to do everything alone.
The greatest transformations rarely happen because of one big decision. They happen because of hundreds of small ones.
At Rafalogie Fit, we combine fitness with life coaching because true health is more than building muscle. It is building confidence, resilience, discipline, and purpose. The body you want is simply the byproduct of becoming the person you were always capable of being.
The investment that never loses value is you.
Ready to start investing in yourself? Visit rafalogiefit.com and schedule your free discovery call. Your future self will thank you.
DEON BROWN Everyone has a story
For 15 years, Deon Brown turned ION interviews into friendships - and built one of the magazine’s most beloved (and most feared) columns. As ION turns 25, he looks back on Kathy Griffin, John Waters, Charo and the art of getting people to talk.
Deon Brown never set out to be a journalist. He started at ION as a proof-reader, and across roughly 15 years the job kept growing as the magazine did. The famous names came with the territory, and there were plenty of them. But the thing that stuck was something he figured out early and never let go of.
“Everybody has a story,” Brown says. “The people you least expect to have something to tell you are some of the most touching.”
That belief shaped how he worked. His goal in every interview, he says, was simple: make a friend. “I did feel like I made friends with many of them. A couple I still keep in
touch with.” Not the A-listers, mostly. The ones he genuinely clicked with.
The ones he’d never turn down Most notable of all, no contest: Kathy Griffin. Brown interviewed her four times and would happily have made it five. “I would never say no to a Kathy Griffin interview. Ever.” He was always promised 15 minutes and always got 35 or 40. She is also, he admits, his all-time favorite.
John Waters belonged to a rarer category: the subject who actually knows how to be interviewed. “He gives a perfect answer. Next question,” Brown says. At the end of their conversation, Waters told him he was very well prepared, which Brown still counts as a high compliment.
Charo surprised him. “She is the real deal,” he says. “She is not just this kooky coochie-coochie blonde you remember from talk shows. She was real.” He’s still convinced of it. Lynda Carter, he adds, was one of the kindest people he ever spoke with.
Then there was Leslie Jordan, who was, in Brown’s words, simply Leslie Jordan. “The ultimate fan of everybody. Nothing snooty about him.” Mid-interview, Jordan spotted Margot Robbie across a park and had to go say hello. “Genuinely funny, sweet. He was absolutely adorable.”
The heart-pounding one
If there was a subject Brown fan-girled over, it was Tab Hunter. The documentary about Hunter’s life had just come out, and Brown’s heart was pounding. What he found was a shy, genuine man who was, by then, entirely over Hollywood and not eager to talk about it, or about being gay.
Brown asked what Hunter would most want to be remembered for. Hunter thought about it a moment. “I hope they remember that I said thank you,” he answered. “It was really touching,” Brown says.
He also asked Hunter who the best kisser in Holly wood was. Hunter named Dorothy Malone. Asked about the best male kisser, he refused to answer. “He was very, very private,” Brown says.
The
tough room
Not every interview was a friendship in the making. Stand-up comedi ans, as a group, were Brown’s hardest assignment. He’d try to hand them a platform to be funny and found them, again and again, “stingy with sharing.” Eventually he started declining them outright.
There were exceptions. He broke his own rule for Joe Dombrowski, who wasn’t a household name, and fell for him completely. “Charming,
sweet, funny and thoughtful. Everything good.”
RuPaul, Brown says, gives a good interview, but a carefully managed one. “Everything is very scripted. A lot of pregnant pauses.” His read was of a performer working from “a Rolodex of answers”: pleasant, professional and not especially forthcoming.
The one that stayed with him
The most surprising interview wasn’t a celebrity at all. Brown sat down with an adult-film performer expecting swagger and persona, and instead met a young man who, by his own account, had been robbed of an ordinary young adulthood. When Brown mentioned something offhand about dorm life and college, the performer told him he’d never had any of those experiences. “I felt so bad,” Brown says. “That’s where I really felt like everybody has a story.” More than any famous name, that conversation crystallized the idea that carried him through 15 years of interviews.
The ones that got away Cyndi Lauper made the list of frustrations: she would only answer by email, through an assistant, and Brown later recognized the exact same answers in publication after publication. On his wish list of subjects he never landed are Cher, Lady Gaga and Madonna.
One subject who did become a lasting friend was Glenn Douglas Packard, a dancer and choreographer who appeared on a VH1 reality series, grew up on a Michigan dairy farm and once hosted a Splash Bash. Packard taught Brown how the genre actually works. “Reality shows aren’t real,” Brown says. “There’s a loose script.”
Slings & Arrows
No part of Brown’s ION legacy is more beloved, or more debated, than Slings & Arrows. He had written the format for another local publication and, once it folded, Brown agreed to take it on for ION. “I did it because I enjoyed writing,” he says.
The column let him build a character. He wrote under a persona he describes as “petty, vicious, insecure, needy, hyper-intellectual and snooty,” inspired by Addison DeWitt from “All About Eve.”
Once, a reader poll asked for the magazine’s mostloved and least-loved features. Slings & Arrows topped both lists.
His authorship became, as he puts it, the worst-kept secret in town. But Brown insists the column was never truly cruel. Being mentioned, he found, made people feel like part of the community. “I had people begging me to put them in.”
MID-CENTURY SUMMER:
Lemon Pepper & Dill
Poached Salmon
July in the Melrose District is all about slowing down, finding shade, and embracing an effortless lifestyle. When the desert summer heat peaks, this sophisticated, heatfriendly plate keeps your kitchen cool and your dinner elevated. By gently poaching tender salmon in a bright broth of fresh lemon, cracked black pepper, and fragrant dill, the fish stays velvety and rich without warming up the house. Balanced with an earthy wild rice pilaf, sweet buttered French carrots, and crisp asparagus, it is the ultimate refreshing twilight dinner for a relaxed neighborhood evening.
INGREDIENTS
2 center-cut salmon filets (6-8 oz each)
1 large lemon, thinly sliced
1 bunch fresh dill
1 cup wild rice blend (cooked in 2 cups broth)
1 bunch French baby carrots
1 bunch fresh asparagus
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Fresh arugula, for plating
Coarse sea salt & black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Cook the Rice: Simmer the wild rice blend in broth for 40–45 minutes until tender. Fluff with a fork.
Prep the Veggies: Blanch the carrots for 3 minutes, then toss in melted butter with salt and pepper. Saute the asparagus in olive oil for 5 minutes until tendercrisp.
Poach the Salmon: Bring a shallow pan of water or stock, lemon slices, fresh dill, and black pepper to a bare simmer. Submerge the salmon, cover, and poach gently for 8–10 minutes until opaque.
Plate: Arrange a bed of fresh arugula, top with the poached salmon, and garnish with a sprig of dill. Serve alongside the wild rice pilaf, buttered carrots, and asparagus with a fresh lemon twist.
TRAVELS WITH PETER
Reach for skies at Piestewa Peak
If you’re looking for one of the best hikes in Phoenix that delivers both a serious workout and unforgettable desert views, Piestewa Peak should be at the top of your list. Located in the Phoenix Mountains Preserve, this popular summit hike is known for its steep climb, rewarding scenery, and central location in the city.
The main trail gains about 1,200 feet in elevation, making it a strong cardio challenge despite its relatively short distance. From the moment you start climbing, the trail heads upward over rocky terrain, keeping your heart rate up the entire way. Most hikers can reach the summit in about 30 - 40 minutes, depending on pace and fitness level. Thankfully, there are plenty of places along the trail to stop, rest, and take in the surrounding desert landscape
Timing your hike is key. Early morning hikes are ideal for cooler temperatures and peaceful trail conditions. Evening hikes are also popular, especially for those hoping to experience one of Phoenix’s beautiful sunsets. Watching the sun drop behind the mountains while the Valley lights begin to glow is a truly memorable experience.
Beyond the summit trail, the park offers more than seven additional trails, providing options for hikers of all levels. Amenities such as restrooms and drinking fountains near the trailhead make the hike more accessible and comfortable.
At the top, sweeping panoramic views of Phoenix remind you why this hike is a local favorite. Whether you’re new to the area or a longtime resident, Piestewa Peak offers a perfect blend of challenge, beauty, and convenience.
HYDRAT ION
LEMON COOKIE DROP
INGREDIENTS:
2 oz Western Son Lemon Vodka
1 oz elderflower liqueur
1 oz fresh lemon juice
Cookie crumbles for rim
Lemon slice for garnish
METHOD:
Rim martini glass with cookie crumbs
Add all ingredients into shaker with ice
Shake & strain into martini glass
Garnish with lemon slice
NAVIGATION
Use the ION ARIZONA APP for Google Maps turn-by-turn directions with links to UBER & LYFT! DON’T DRINK & DRIVE!
Welcome to reflectION where we search the ION Archives to look back at how far we have all come and relive happy memories. While ION Arizona is celebrating it’s 25th year of publishing, it’s a good time to reflect on how far we have come....
28 Gay & Lesbian Bars
Last month, we listed all the
LGBTQ+ bars and clubs throughout the decades. In 2001, 28 of them survived. We had bars all across the valley. Melrose District was in it’s infancy.
Adult Shoppe
The Adult Shoppe is our longest runing advertiser. For over 25 years, The Adult Shoppe has offered a great store with clothes, toys and a safe place to play.
Unique
on Central
Unique on Central was the premier LGBTQ gift store featuring candles, apparral, personal toys, cards, magazines, movies and more. For decades is was the center of our community.
Pookie’s Cafe
The first all LGBTQ restauant was a multi use venue with great food, videos, drag shows and contests.. Who can forget the Poo Poo Platter. Hamburger Mary’s opened in 2001.
Phoenix Pride
Phoenix Pride was a small one day event with one stage and no dance area. There were 100 vendors. ION’s first Phx Pride was 2002.
BS West
Movies on Central Phoenix had its own LGBTQ Blockbuster video store but with a huge library of LGBTQ movies and adult films in the back room Take that Blockbuster.
.
For decades, BS West was Scottsdale’s only LGBTQ bar. Epic Halloween parties, infamous 2-4-1 Wednesdays and dancing all night. BS West was the place to be..
Rainbow Room
The Rainbow Room was a one night a week LGBTQ dance party. Attendance was 300-1000 people every week. ION Arizona was proud to host the night for a year.
25 YEARS OF PUBLISHING
How the LGBTQ+ Media Has Changed
BLASTfrom thePAST
Welcome to reflectION where we search the ION Archives to look back at how far we have all come and relive happy memories. While ION Arizona is celebrating it’s 25th year publishing, it’s a good time to reflect on the LGBTQ+ print media over the decades.
Western Express
Western Express was an LGBT newspaper active from June 1982 to March 1992. It featured community news, culture, activism, events, arts and community resource guide.
Echo Magazine
movie reviews, stories and more. Was availalbe only in 18+ adult businesses.
Spectrum Weekly
Spectrum Weekly was a short lived news, politics, opinion and lifestyle newspaper closing it’s doors in 2000. ION Arizona aquired their assets in 2002.
Heatstroke
Echo Magazine, launched in Phoenix in 1989 was the longest running LGBTQ publication in the state. It delivered local and national news, events, arts, community reviews, features and lifestyle content. Originally bi-weekly, then monthly. It sold in 2020 and closed soon after.
X Factor
X Factor was a monthly publication owned by Echo Magazine (ACE Publishing) and featured adult content,
Heatstroke News was a newspaper owned by sold to Pat O’s Bunkhouse and run by Bill Knoop, both now deceased. It covered politics, sports, film and queer community issues. It was puchased by ION Arizona and closed in 2005.
ION Arizona
ION Arizona Magazine, originally named IONAZ, is the state’s only remaining monthly publication. Premiering in July 2001, It features exclusive interviews, vibrant event coverage, photoshoots, party cams, horoscopes, contests, cartoon across the magazine’s print and digital platforms.
‘N
‘N Touch News was started in 2004 by ION Arizona Magazine and sold to Gina Read, the editor and closed several years later. It highlighted queer news, politics, culture, business, opinion and community events.
Red Nightlife
Outlook
Outlook Magazine was a full sized slick, elegant coffee table lifestyle publication that elevated the local magazine culture. It featured great photography and articles along with upscale advertisers.
Fetish Knight News
Red Nightlife, later Red Magazine, was the brainchild of a former ION Arizona employee, Chris Smith. This beautifully designed digest sized glossy magazine featured bars, reviews, guides with a sexy cover and photo feature every month. It lasted 3 years. ION Arizona purchased their assets.
Pride Guide
Founded in 2006, Pride Guide is an annual resource connecting LGBTQ+ businesses, travel, wedding, relocation and community services utilizing web, social and mobile platforms. It is owned by Michael McFall, former employee of Echo Magazine and President of the GPGLCC and is still in production. ION and Pride Guide are the only publications left in the state.
GPGLCC Directory
Desert Knight News, renamed to Fetish Knight News, was an adult leather/bearfocus newspaper with reviews, stories and guides for several years co-publishing with ‘N Touch News out of Off Chute Too.
Jaberwockey
Jaberwockey was a short lived bar and entertainment newsprint guide with a glossy cover. Featured photos from around the bar scene.
Genesis
Genesis was a Latino themed digest sized entertainment publication. It only lasted a couple of months.
The gay chamber had it’s own directory for several years highllighting gay and gay-friendly businesses, organizations and non profits. Later renamed to Equality Chamber of Commerce who is still in operating connecting businesses and customers.
The Bar Rag
After an attempt to acquire ION Arizona failed, the then GM of Amsterdam Bar created a digest publication highlighting bars, restaurants and businesses with party cam photos. For about 6 months.
Compete
(formerly Sports Out Loud) Compete Magazine was the first full size all sports publication. It featured health, fitness and sports and sporting events. While the magazine is out of print, they still operate to this day. Now called Compete Sports Network, they help sports organizers, travel and tourism organizations, corporate partners, and community groups to expand their reach, enhance engagement, and drive growth. www.competenetwork.com/
Check out reflectION every month as we walk down memory lane.
ION FABULANCE
July arrives with sunscreen in one hand and emotional baggage in the other. Cancer season keeps everyone swimming in their feelings before Leo season bursts through the door demanding applause, better lighting, and at least three outfit changes. Summer is officially in full swing, bringing rooftop parties, spontaneous road trips, and flirtations that escalate faster than your air conditioning bill. This month is all about balancing heart and hype—embrace the fun, trust your instincts, and don’t forget to hydrate between all the drama.
♈ ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 19)
July has your confidence running on premium fuel. You’re ready to conquer everything, including karaoke night. Just remember: winning every conversation isn’t actually an Olympic sport, no matter how hard you compete.
♉ TAURUS (Apr 20 – May 20)
You’re fully embracing vacation mode, even if you’re technically working. July encourages relaxation, delicious food, and saying yes to summer adventures. Just don’t let your wallet melt in the heat.
♊ GEMINI (May 21 – Jun 20)
Your social calendar is booked solid, and somehow you’ve agreed to three plans at the same time. July rewards flexibility—but maybe learn the magical phrase, “I’m already busy.”
♋ CANCER (Jun 21 – Jul 22)
Happy birthday, Cancer! Your season has everyone appreciating your warmth, humor, and emotional wisdom. Celebrate unapologetically, but stop apologizing every five minutes. You’re allowed to take up space.
♌ LEO (Jul 23 – Aug 22)
Leo season arrives fashionably late, just like you planned. The spotlight finds you effortlessly, so wear the bold outfit, strike the pose, and graciously accept every well-deserved compliment. It’s practically tradition.
♍ VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22)
You’re noticing everyone’s questionable summer decisions and resisting the urge to intervene. Barely. July reminds you that sometimes memories are made from glorious, harmless chaos—not perfectly organized itineraries.
♎ LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 22)
Love is looking extra photogenic this month, Libra. Whether you’re coupled up or flying solo, July encourages confidence, connection, and remembering that confidence is always your hottest accessory.
♏ SCORPIO (Oct 23 – Nov 21)
You’re serving mysterious beach-read protagonist energy all month. People are intrigued, as usual. Let someone surprise you for once instead of assuming you’ve already figured out the ending.
♐ SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21)
July practically begs you to chase adventure, and you’re already halfway out the door. Explore boldly, laugh loudly, and maybe double-check hotel reservations before celebrating your spontaneous genius.
♑ CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19)
Even you deserve a summer break, Capricorn. Step away from your endless to-do list and embrace some fun. Success will still be waiting after you’ve enjoyed the sunshine.
♒ AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18)
Your uniqueness is your superpower this month. Pride energy amplifies your authenticity, making it impossible to blend in. Good. The world needs your weird, wonderful perspective.
♓ PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20)
Your brilliant ideas are attracting attention this month, and people actually understand them. Miracles happen. Share your vision, stay authentic, and don’t be afraid to stand out even more.
