Print Magazine Project — Funded Assignment
Cincinnati Trans Youth Magazine: Tell Your Own Story
Trans/nonbinary writers only
Ages 18 – 24
Cincinnati residents only
It is time for Cincinnati trans youth to tell their own story.
The City of Cincinnati has retained Queer Kentucky to create a print magazine completely written and designed by Cincinnati trans youth. We are looking for trans and nonbinary writers between the ages of 18 and 24 who live in Cincinnati to help make it happen.
If you have a story you have been wanting to tell, a community you think deserves coverage, or an angle nobody else is taking, we want to hear from you.
Who can apply — both criteria are required with no exceptions:
- Trans or nonbinary writers between the ages of 18 and 24
- Current residents of Cincinnati
If you are unsure whether you qualify, email [email protected] before you pitch.
You do not need a journalism degree. You do not need clips. You need a story worth telling and the drive to report it.
What We’re Looking For
This magazine is about trans and nonbinary life, experience, community, and survival, told by the people living it. We are looking for reported stories, not essays or personal reflections, though your own experience can absolutely be part of how you find and tell a story.
Think about the trans and nonbinary people in your community whose stories are not being told. The organizations doing quiet, essential work. The joy that exists alongside the hard stuff. The policies and decisions that are shaping trans life right now. What campus life is like. The people who have been here for years, holding things together.
We are open to unexpected angles. If you have an idea that does not fit neatly into any category but feels true and important, pitch it.
For a sense of the storytelling we value, take a look at our Death Before Detransition issue. That is the spirit we are going for.
What You Get
| Published in print
Every writer whose story is selected will have their piece in the final print magazine. |
Published online
Your story will also be published on Queer Kentucky’s website, which reaches over 8 million people a year. |
| Paid
$150 to $250 per published story. |
Editorial support
You will have support from Queer Kentucky’s team throughout the reporting and writing process. |
Story Format
| Length 500 to 800 words |
Format Reported stories. We do not publish creative writing or poetry. First-person narratives are very limited. |
On AI: We do not accept pitches, outlines, drafts, or stories where AI was used at any stage, including research, writing, outlining, or fact-checking. The idea, reporting, structure, and argument must be entirely your own.
Ready to Pitch?
Deadline: May 1, 2026
Tell us your story idea, who you’d talk to, and a little about yourself.
Questions? Email [email protected].
