them (website)

{{Infobox website

| name = Them

| logo = File:Them wordmark.svg

| logo_caption = Logo since 2022

| type = Online magazine

| language = English

| founded = October 2017

| owner = Condé Nast

| editor = Sarah Burke

| url = {{Official URL}}

| commercial = Yes

| current_status = Active

}}

Them is an American online LGBTQ magazine launched in October 2017 by Phillip Picardi and owned by Condé Nast.{{Cite news|last=Morrison|first=Cassidy|date=October 9, 2017|title=Condé Nast Launches LGBTQ Publication "Them"|work=V Magazine|url=https://vmagazine.com/article/conde-nast-launches-lgbtq-publication/|access-date=October 18, 2021}}{{Cite web|last=Wiedeman|first=Reeves|date=2020-01-17|title=Hit by the changing media landscape, Condé Nast scrambles to stay in vogue|url=https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/hit-by-the-changing-media-landscape-conde-nast-scrambles-to-stay-in-vogue-20191128-p53f08.html|access-date=2021-10-18|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en|quote=...Them aspires to be a stylish destination for queer young people.}} Its coverage includes LGBTQ culture, fashion, and politics.{{Cite news|last=II|first=Louis Lucero|date=2020-06-13|title=Celebrate Pride With Town Halls and Club Beats|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/12/at-home/celebrate-pride-at-home-coronavirus.html|access-date=2021-10-18|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web|last=|date=2017-10-27|title=コンデナストがLGBTQプラットフォーム「them」立ち上げ|url=https://www.fashionsnap.com/article/2017-10-27/condenast-them-magazine/|access-date=2021-10-18|website=FashionSnap.com|language=ja}}

History

In 2017 Picardi, then the director of Teen Vogue, proposed to Anna Wintour, Condé Nast's artistic director, that the company create an online, LGBTQ-focused media platform.{{Cite web|last=Smith|first=Raven|date=2018-06-29|title='What makes it Them is us.'|url=http://system-magazine.com/them-conde-nast-video/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191205053049/http://system-magazine.com/them-conde-nast-video/|archive-date=2019-12-05|access-date=2019-12-05|website=System Magazine|language=en-GB}} Founding editors included Meredith Talusan, Tyler Ford, and James Clarizio,{{Cite web|url=https://www.manrepeller.com/2017/12/meet-staff-of-them-lgbtq-publication-conde-nast.html|title=Them: the New, LGBTQ Publication at Condé Nast|last=Diamond|first=Amelia|date=2017-12-15|website=Man Repeller|language=en-US|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-12-05}}{{Cite news|last=Brannigan|first=Maura|title=Condé Nast to Launch New LGBTQ-Focused Media Platform, 'Them'|url=https://fashionista.com/2017/10/conde-nast-lgbtq-media-brand-them|access-date=2019-12-05|website=Fashionista|language=en}} and launch partners included Burberry, Google, Lyft, and GLAAD.{{Cite web|url=https://fortune.com/2017/10/10/conde-nast-them-lgbtq/|title=Name of Conde Nast's New LGBTQ Publication Falls Flat|last=Morris|first=Chris|date=2017-10-10|website=Fortune|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-12-05}}{{Cite news|last=Ember|first=Sydney|date=2018-03-03|title=Condé Nast's 26-Year-Old Man of the Moment|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/03/business/media/conde-nast-phillip-picardi.html|access-date=2021-10-18|issn=0362-4331}}

Upon the website's launch, there was some controversy over its naming, which some considered to be "othering".{{Cite web|last=Finkelstein|first=Elaina|date=2017-11-01|title=New Condé Nast 'Them.' website sparks controversy after launch|url=https://wjla.com/news/offbeat/new-cond-nast-them-website-sparks-controversy-after-launch|access-date=2021-03-08|website=WJLA}} The name is derived from the singular them pronoun,{{Cite news|last=Silva|first=Emma|date=October 26, 2017|title=Condé Nast Launches them, New LGBTQ Media Platform|work=Folio: Magazine|url=https://archive.foliomag.com/conde-nast-officially-launches-new-lgbtq-media-platform/}} emphasizing a gender neutral approach including in its fashion coverage.{{Cite news|last=Anderson|first=Tre’vell|date=November 14, 2017|title=#GayMediaSoWhite no more? Two new digital magazines signal a more diverse LGBTQ media|work=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-mn-lgbtq-media-into-them-magazine-20171114-story.html|access-date=October 18, 2021}}{{Cite web|date=2017-10-05|title=Are you one of us? Condé Nast lança Them, publicação multiplataforma voltada para o público LGBTQ|url=https://ffw.uol.com.br/noticias/revistas/are-you-one-of-us-conde-nast-lanca-them-publicacao-multiplataforma-voltada-para-o-publico-lgbtq/|access-date=2021-10-18|website=Universo Online|language=pt-BR}}

Picardi left Them and Condé Nast in the fall of 2018 to begin working as editor-in-chief of Out magazine.{{Cite news|last=Yar|first=Sanam|date=2019-12-13|title=Out Magazine Sheds Top Editor and Staff|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/12/style/phillip-picardi-out-magazine.html|access-date=2021-10-18|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web|last=Jerde|first=Sara|date=2019-01-08|title=Condé Nast Names New Executive Editor for LGBTQ+ Brand, Them|url=https://www.adweek.com/digital/conde-nast-names-new-executive-editor-for-lgbtq-brand-them/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-12-05|website=Adweek|language=en-US}} Whembley Sewell was named the new executive editor in 2019.{{Cite news|last=Drohan|first=Freya|date=October 4, 2021|title=Daily News: Meet Condé Nast's Newest EIC...|work=Daily Front Row|url=https://fashionweekdaily.com/daily-news-meet-conde-nasts-newest-eic-a-schiaparelli-boutique-is-coming-to-nyc-thanks-to-bergdorfs-messika-x-kate-moss-show-and-more/|access-date=October 18, 2021}} In October 2021, Sarah Burke became the new editor-in-chief of Them.{{Cite news|last=Hopkins|first=Kathryn|date=October 11, 2021|title=2021 Media Moves: Layoffs at Genius Media and More|work=Women's Wear Daily|url=https://wwd.com/business-news/media/media-moves-from-march-29-1234788745/|access-date=October 18, 2021}}

In 2020, Them hosted two virtual Pride Month events, Themfest and Out Now Live.{{Cite news|last=Salam|first=Maya|date=2020-06-24|title=Your 2020 Virtual Pride Guide|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/article/gay-pride-2020-events-online.html|access-date=2021-10-18|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite news|last=Shadel|first=JD|date=June 3, 2020|title=10 Pride events you can attend from home, from underground Zoom parties to a virtual Pridemobile|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/tips/pride-events-you-can-attend-home-underground-zoom-parties-virtual-pridemobile/|access-date=October 18, 2021}} Out Now Live, its June 2020 virtual gay pride event, included speeches, LGBTQ history and musical performances.{{Cite web|last=Assunção|first=Muri|date=Jun 13, 2020|title=Pride must go on: A virtual guide to celebrate LGBTQ Pride month|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-lgbtq-pride-guide-online-celebrations-virtual-guide-20200613-adq7jnz4rfci3c5tnogsgnriwi-story.html|access-date=2021-10-18|website=New York Daily News}} It was produced in collaboration with Pitchfork.