Watermark has been telling the stories of Central Florida and Tampa Bay’s LGBTQ+ communities for 30 years now. That adds up to nearly 800 issues of the newspaper. Along with that, we have brought you about 100 different specialty magazines over the years such as Pride schedules, event programs, destination guides and arts listings as well as publications that focus on weddings, the holidays and queer families, just to name a few.
Watermark has also hosted events like Watermark Wednesdays, Third Thursdays and Movies Out Loud, joined our community at Pride parades, festivals, marches and rallies, and in recent years made a documentary and introduced a podcast.
Watermark got its start in 1994, first in Orlando and then expanded into Tampa Bay in 1995. We now cover more than a dozen counties in the state and can be found in many Florida cities including Daytona Beach, Orlando, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Sarasota; and thanks to WatermarkOnline.com, we have seen an international audience come to Watermark for their LGBTQ+ news, politics, sports, arts and entertainment.
Over the last three decades, we have been able to cover an array of stories — from big, national headlines to local, more focused features — but you will find what we excel at is telling the personal stories of our own community and how those big issues impact us here at home, which is something you will see below. We have devoted a page to each year Watermark has been in publication to highlight just some of the LGBTQ+ stories we have covered over the last 30 years.
Watermark as been there to report the events that shaped this community, but as we are also a part of this community. We have been there to celebrate, mourn and fight with you. We have been here to let you know what is happening to the community in the U.S. and around the world, but most importantly we have been in your neighborhoods, your community organizations and your LGBTQ+ safe spaces sharing your stories.
Thank you for bringing us into your homes for the last 30 years. We strive to bring you a variety of stories, your stories. We hope you enjoy this look back at 30 years of Watermark.
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