Press Release from The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists:
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists announced that reporter and editor Jeffrey Schmalz, film critic Kevin Thomas, and editor and songwriter Judy Wieder are the 2024 inductees into the LGBTQ+ Journalists Hall of Fame.
“Today, we celebrate the remarkable contributions of three courageous individuals who helped to change the trajectory of journalism, and set a standard of thoughtfulness, sensitivity and inclusivity,” said NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists Executive Director Adam Pawlus. “As we welcome them into the LGBTQ+ Journalists Hall of Fame, we honor their unwavering commitment to their craft, truth and equality.”
The LGBTQ+ Journalists Hall of Fame was launched to honor outstanding LGBTQ+ journalists who have exemplified the association’s mission to advance fair and accurate coverage of LGBTQ+ communities and issues. To date, the LGBTQ+ Journalists Hall of Fame has honored 56 individuals, living and deceased, who have left a lasting mark on their profession through their own courage and mastery of the practice of journalism.
Judy Wieder’s career has spanned roles as a folk singer, gold-record winning songwriter, journalist, and the first female editor-in-chief of The Advocate. She wrote Grammy-winning songs for artists like the 5th Dimension and Ben Vereen. In 1992, Wieder became the editor of Genre magazine before joining The Advocate and rising to Editor in Chief. During her time at The Advocate, she oversaw the issue covering Matthew Shepard’s murder and conducted an in-depth interview with Ellen DeGeneres. Wieder has been honored by a number organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign and the National LGBTQ Task Force. In 2018, she received Excellence in Book Writing honors from NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists for her memoir, “Random Events Tend to Cluster.”