OUTSpoken Talks to Mark Willett, co-founder and CEO, is an entrepreneur seeking a fundamental shift in the script of LGBTQ culture. He has traveled the world and paid witness to the incredible diversity of our global LGBTQ community and believes the time has come for us to reconnect with our roots and work toward a more perfect future.
VISIT – HTTP://WWW.BOUT.LGBT TO LEARN MORE AND SIGN UP.HOW WE STARTED
Mark’s brainchild. Dearth of digital platforms for LGBTQs. Essentially none that welcome the entire breadth of our diverse community. None that offer a safe place to express ourselves authentically.
Currently, most content by and for LGBTQs exists within the straight paradigm as a sidebar. Huffpo gay voices for example. B · OUT is the first purely LGBTQ paradigm.
Research told us that 85% OF LGBTQs use social media on average 4 times/day, but only 15% of them said they ever talk about LGBTQ issues in social media. Why? Because there is no safe place to do so. Enter B · OUT.
CONTENTWe’ve assembled a best-in-class editorial team on everything from PrEP to exercise to mental health to nachos. We have trans writers, lesbians, gay men, queers, and are continually hearing from writers and artists within the LGBTQ community who are interested in working with us.
DESIGN/UXFeedback on the B · OUT platform has been uniformly enthusiastically positive. Words like “extraordinary,” “elegant,” “innovative,” even “beautiful.” This aspect, as all things with B · OUT is based on extensive research. Daniel has looked at literally every app in the app store, and is a very experienced designer and UX expert. He takes complex concepts and requirements and turns them into beautiful, elegant platforms.
FEATURESOur feature set is designed to give LGBTQs a platform to communicate in a wide variety of useful ways. From finding a local expert on Thai restaurants, to finding a date, to making plans with friends, to finding someone for right now. We have one-to-one communication features as well as one-to-many features.
We have included discussions as a feature too. Every one of our content contributors will also be leading discussions on the topics they cover. And members can start their own discussions as well. B · OUT is the only platform where LGBTQs can feel safe to express themselves authentically and honestly, without fear of reprisal or hate-speech infiltrating the discussion.
B · OUT requires authentic registration, and all profiles must have a face pic. We use cutting edge technology to verify that our members are real people, so you know whoyou’re talking with.
SUBSCRIPTION MODELWe prefer to call this membership. Those who use only the free area are called visitors, to distinguish them from members.
A profound distinguishing factor between free communities and member-based communities with authentic profiles is the tenor of the discussions. [Thomas: in my 20 years of building brand and consumer communities, every instance where discussions were open to all experienced a level of vitriol and trolling that was entirely unacceptable, and often vile. But communities that require membership through a subscription are uniformly safe, well-lit platforms that encourage authenticity and forthright debate.
At $6.99/month, we are more than half what other apps, primarily for gay men, cost, which is around $15/month, which gets you one primary feature, which is one-to-one communication, for one purpose, hookups. $6.99 is about what it costs for one large cold brew at a good coffee shop. But with B · OUT, our members get so much more; an essential platform for your life.
There is a very wide “front porch” of free features and content for visitors to use. We are certain that, after using the front porch for a while, visitors will convert to members. The value is palpable and real.
ISSUES WITHIN THE LGBTQ COMMUNITYHistorically, when we look at Stonewall, the first Pride parades, and those parades even now, and when we look at the community’s response to the AIDS crisis, the LGBTQ community has banded together to powerful results. Marriage equality is a more recent example of this, and the fight against Prop 8 in California. What is unsettling to us is that our diverse and disparate communities are not as unified as they were — and are –under crisis. That needs to change. While respecting our differences, and acknowledging them, we also have commonalities that, by joining together, can create profound change.
Violence against trans people, recent legislative actions to allow discrimination against our entire community, continued homophobic acts and hate crimes, even here in new york city, need swift and unified action. B · OUT is a platform for those organizational efforts.
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DJ/Producer P0RNSTAR has been pumping out ridiculous beats since 2004. P0RNSTAR is the one and only, holding a licensed trademark and servicemark, so not to be confused with the many P*rnstar DJ’s out there … there is only one, and this is him! His abilities on the decks have garnered him gigs at some of the largest Parties and with some of the most well-known Promoters in North America. He has played amazing sets at over 30 Pride Events over the years, and donated his talents to many Charitable Organizations; giving back to the community whenever he can. P0RNSTAR was rated in the “TOP 5 Sexiest American DJ’s” in 2011 by Noize Magazine, and in the “TOP 10 Coolest DJ’s” in 2012 by Queerty.com. His tracks have not once, but twice hit the charts on GayDar UK Radio. P0RNSTAR was signed with Swishcraft Artists in 2011, and works in association with Sobel Promotions. His tracks can be found on many websites, but mainly on soundcloud.com and those for sale on beatport.com.
P0RNSTAR found his music roots in the clubs of San Francisco where he learned the ropes under some of the biggest names in the trance scene around the Bay Area. His well-known and award-winning career in the Adult Industry was the elephant in the room whenever he took to the turntables, so instead of running from it, he completely embraced it and changed his deejay name in 2004 to DJ P0RNSTAR.
Since 2010, P0RNSTAR has relocated from San Francisco into the open arms of Los Angeles, where he holds a Promoter Residency with Jeffrey Sanker. He holds a Club Residency in Las Vegas at Share Nightclub where he throws his wildly successful “P*rnstars in Vegas” party every 3rd Saturday. Consistently traveling, P0RNSTAR popped his International cherry with a three city tour of Australia during New Years 2012. He has since been invited to London, Vancouver, Panama, Colombia and back to Australia for upcoming gigs. From Palm Springs WHITE PARTY and ELEVATION Ski Week to HUSTLABALL’s in NYC and LONDON, and DAYWASH Sydney, P0RNSTAR continues to build on his well-earned career, always striding forward with the hottest beats, at the best venues. P0RNSTAR is a talent that puts forward sets that are the epitome of what real DJ-ing is all about – passion, amazing tunes, and a pair of hands capable of the most nimble mixing. Consistently wowing crowds with his technically brilliant, distinctly unique mixing style, and energy behind the decks. His sets are always fresh, original, well thought out; combining a plethora of house tracks, yet to be released MP3′s, white labels, club classics and Acapella. P0RNSTAR stands out and surpasses the rest.
