s Slam Magazine kicks off its new look, I
thought I’d reminisce about the first column I wrote for Slam. It was about where to
start looking for queer points of interest on the so-called "information
superhighway" (check it out at fqm1.html). Some of the
links are still good, while others have gone the way of Bob and Rod Jackson-Paris. Since
that first column the number of gay sites on the web has exploded exponentially. We now
have huge professionally made sites like PlanetOut and major companies are advertising
their wares on our pages. Plus if I had a dollar for each new gay adult pay site
that’s sprung up, I could actually afford to visit one of them. However even with all
our supposed "visibility," it’s still hard to find queer links on most of
the "portals" like Infoseek, MSN, Yahoo, Netscape, and Snap without digging
through some levels. That’s why us sisters are doing it for ourselves and making our
own link lists, search engines, and Internet guides. So let’s take a look at some new
beginnings…
Let’s face it: if I’d bought stock in Yahoo when
they first started, I’d have more shoes than Imelda Marcos. Its popularity has kicked
off tons of imitators, most looking almost exactly the same like twinks at a circuit
party. But there are some LGBT ones that are great places to start your quest. If you want
a simple, easy-to-use, and really cute Yahoo clone, then browse over to GayZoo at www.gayzoo.com.
Their links are broken down into handy categories, plus they also have message boards for
men seeking men, women seeking women, and other seeking other. With over 8,000 links to
choose from, Pridelinks is another good search
engine/link list. Some nice touches on this site at www.pridelinks.com
are the mini-blurbs about each link, the random link feature, and the Top 3% list. Of
course the Data Lounge couldn’t stand not to having a link list, so they created HomoRama. This festive site at www.homorama.com not only has tons of links to peruse
by topic, they also have regional and national events, a quick and dirty search engine,
and a bizarre yet fabulously rambling review of an interesting web site by none other than
Trudy herself! So while based on Yahoo, these sites definitely have their own tangy
flavor.
There are some other queer web
guides out there besides me who can help you discover what you’re seeking, even if
you don’t know what you’re looking for (like a cyberYenta or something). The Mining Company has over 500 expert guides mining the
Internet so you don’t have to at www.miningco.com.
Two of the guides deal exclusively with LGBT topics. Your Mining Company guru Deborah
Levinson will guide you to links about the latest news and issues affecting us, from
adpotion resources to youth suicide. Also at gaylesissues.miningco.com
you can chat with other issue-conscious queers, post a message on the bulletin boards, or
sign up for the Gaylesissues e-mail
newsletter. Not to be outdone, Therese Jansen is your guide to Lesbian
Life at lesbianlife.miningco.com.
A complete cornucopia of lesbianality, here you’ll find lots of links, tons of
topics, a bevy of bulletin boards, and community chat. What more do you need? These guides
will save you hours and hours of time, so what are you waiting for?
Like going out to the bars, sometimes you just can’t find what you’re looking for. So instead of lowering your standards, expand your search! Several Friends of Dorothys have created their own queer search engines, weeding out all that straight schlock we’re not interested in (no offense, heteros!). Instead of making a query, make a Queery at www.queery.com. As they say, "If it’s not in here, maybe it’s not queer." If you still haven’t found the 411, try looking at www.gay411.com. No fancy topics or link lists here; just type in the keywords and click the search button and Gay411.com will show you the way. Check out their bulletin board and Site of the Week too. GayPlanet gives you a chance to be a bit more selective at www.gayplanet.com/soangbis.html. Make your selections, execute your search, and hope for the best!
Now ladies, haven’t you
ever wanted to search the Internet, yet somehow block out anything that has to do with the
male gender? Well, now’s your chance at Femina!
You’ll find sites for, by, and about women at femina.cybergrrl.com
either through their handy link topics or search engine. Now for the men, head on over to www.gayseek.com for lots of links for guys (most of
them adult). The search engine at GaySeek kept bombing
out when I tried it, but I’m sure their Top 25 Gold Sites, Top 15 Platinum Sites, and
the Man of the Day links will keep you satisfied. Why is it that women’s sites tend
to be more intellectual, while men’s sites tend to be more carnal? Hmmm? Finally, if
all that’s not enough for you, then you obviously need a search engine fit for a
diva! Among other things, Divanet is a comprehensive
collection of Internet search tools. So hop over to www.divanet.com/search/ to let Diva’s
fingers do the walking for you. My, that sounds so naughty!
Finally if you haven’t found it yet, try the fast and easy Gayscape at www.gayscape.com. If you can’t find something you’re interested in here, then that explains why you’re sitting at home alone on a Saturday night browsing the Internet (hey, wait a minute!). Maybe you’ll have to lower your standards after all!
