Our stories are written by queer Kentuckians, for queer Kentuckians. Full stop. We do not use generative AI at any stage of the reporting or editorial process, including:

• Pitching stories or developing story ideas
• Outlining or structuring a piece
• Writing, drafting, or rewriting any portion of a story
• Fact-checking or verifying information
• Sourcing, identifying, or vetting sources

Our work is done by real people with real names, living in the communities we cover. When you read Queer Kentucky, you are reading human reporting. We think our readers deserve nothing less.

Queer Kentucky retains full authority over our editorial content to protect the best journalistic and business interests of our organization. We maintain a firewall between news coverage decisions and every source of revenue we accept. Support from a donor, sponsor, or grant-maker is never an endorsement of that donor, and it never influences what we cover or how.

We accept gifts, grants, and sponsorships from individuals and organizations for the general support of our work. Our news judgments are made independently, not on the basis of donor support.

Queer Kentucky may consider donations that support coverage of specific topics, but we maintain editorial control over that coverage. We do not cede any right of review, influence, or unauthorized distribution of editorial content.

We make public all donors who give a total of $5,000 or more per year. We only accept anonymous donations for general support when sufficient safeguards are in place so that the donation is spent independently and in compliance with the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) Membership Standards.

Queer Kentucky follows the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) Code of Ethics. It guides how we gather, verify, and present the news, and it shapes the policies below.

We take errors seriously. If you spot one, please email our Editorial Manager, Divya Karthikeyan, at [email protected].

We correct stories as quickly as we can. When a correction is made, we mark it with an asterisk and note exactly what was corrected at the bottom of the story, so our readers always know what changed and why.

Anonymity of sources deprives our audience of important, relevant information. Staging, dramatization, and other alterations, even when labeled as such, can confuse or mislead readers. These tactics are justified only when a story of great significance cannot be adequately told without them, and any creative liberties we take are clearly explained in the piece.

Editorial independence is a more ambitious goal today than ever before. Every media company, even a nonprofit one, has commercial, competitive, and other interests from which its journalists cannot be entirely shielded. Independence from influences that conflict with the public interest remains an essential ideal of journalism. Transparency gives the public the means to assess our credibility and decide who deserves their trust.

Acknowledging sponsor-provided content, commercial concerns, or political relationships is essential. It is not, on its own, enough. Disclosure never entitles a journalist to lower their standards of fairness or truth, and it does not justify excluding perspectives and information that readers need to understand an issue.

Journalism’s tradition of holding the powerful accountable provides no exception for powerful journalists or the organizations that employ them. Profiting from reporting on others while operating in secrecy is hypocrisy. When we get something wrong, we own it, correct it promptly, and give the correction as much prominence as the error had.

Commercial endorsements are incompatible with journalism because they compromise credibility. In journalism, content is gathered, selected, and produced in the best interests of readers, not in the interests of someone who paid to have a product or position associated with a familiar face, voice, or name.

Political activity and active advocacy can undercut the real or perceived independence of those who practice journalism. Journalists do not give up the rights of citizenship, but the public exercise of those rights can call their impartiality into question.

Accepting gifts or special treatment not available to the general public creates conflicts of interest and erodes independence. This does not include access to events or areas traditionally granted to working journalists so they can do their jobs. It does include “professional courtesy” admission, discounts, and freebies offered by people who might someday become the subject of coverage. These rules apply whether a journalist is on duty, off duty, or on their own time.

Attribution is essential. It adds information that helps readers evaluate our work and it acknowledges those who contribute to coverage. Using someone else’s work without attribution or permission is plagiarism.

Queer Kentucky is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Our annual IRS Form 990 is public, and so is our Candid (formerly GuideStar) profile.