Why Queer Kittens Need A Better Autostraddle

So if you’ve been around longer than a couple of days, you’re familiar with the fact that Autostraddle has a tendency to break. This is because we have more readers and dreams than we have space and capabilities on this website, which is an interesting/frustrating predicament to be in. It’s stressful also, for all of us.

Earlier today we told you about our fundraising campaign to raise at least $40,000 so we could make our website a new website! We were really nervous about the launch.

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And even though we know that you believe in us, and that you need us as much as we need you, we were still sorta shocked/awed when we surpassed $10k. And then $20k. (!!!) We promised you a post full of kittens when we reached $10k, and here is that post.

For anyone who’s still on the fence — should you donate to Autostraddle or should you buy a new pair of jeans? — I present to you:

Who Needs Autostraddle? Everyone Needs Autostraddle!

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Also even you — you need Autostraddle! And we need you. Donate now!

Before you go! Autostraddle runs on the reader support of our AF+ Members. If this article meant something to you today — if it informed you or made you smile or feel seen, will you consider joining AF and supporting the people who make this queer media site possible?

Join AF+!
Related:

Laneia

Laneia has written 311 articles for us.

81 Comments

  1. anything for you AS! Also, I feel like we can be friends now Laneia, because now I can finally say your name.

  7. My life would suck without you, Autostraddle. This is a completely original statement.

  8. I will donate if you agree to never mention Kristen Stewarts name on this lesbian website ever again.

  9. I’ve spent the part hour playing solitaire, eating string cheese, drinking red wine, and refreshing the indiegogo page every ten minutes or so. SO MUCH PERSONAL INVESTMENT.

  11. I donated already and then I got to the bread-kitty. Whoever came up with kittens as a marketing plan should be patting themselves on the back pretty hard right now.

  12. question: have the queer elite been notified? the celesbians?

    i feel like if someone or multiple someones tweeted a link to rachel maddow or jane lynch or ellen/portia, accurately pitching AS as an independently-owned queer website that needs mentorship/monetary boosting, they could at the very least retweet the shit out of it and/or possibly make large healthy contributions of their own????

  13. The next milestone is $25,000 and clearly that is going to be passed within the next couple of hours at the most.

    • i’m not sleeping before 25k, AND I HAVE WORK IN THE MORNING YOU GUYS.

      so what i’m saying is donate, so i can go dream about better faster stronger wetter autostraddle.

      ooh. this just got a little PG.

      • You can go to bed now! Um, I should have realized it would shoot up by like $900 in ten minutes…

  16. Right at about the cuddliest queers kitten photo, I decided I needed to donate. Autostraddle win.

  17. Best of luck! Id donate if I had money. Unless you guys take mixtapes as donations. Can you donate in mixtapes?

  20. Luffin da kittehs!!! >3< xoxo I managed to spread autostraddles plight throughout a gay group on deviantart and to every queer girl i know on facebook, and every queer girl they know, and again and again, so hopefully I'm helping.

    • Wanted to tell you, since you mentioned having no credit card you could use: Have you tried setting up a Pay Pal account and linking it to a debit card and paying online that way?

      It works for me !

  21. I had already started crying when I last checked the IGG page and saw that it was past $26k.

    Then I read this post, and at first I was grinning and it was cute and lovely. But then partway through (specifically, the D/s kittens, relevant for this sub), it all the sudden just really hit home in a whole other way, and I started sobbing. The kind of good sobbing where you just have a lot of emotion and that’s the only way to deal with it that feels honest and true and real.

    Because Autostraddle really is all of those things, and its existence means so much to me. Everything that happens on/around/because of this site, including this fundraising, reminds me that there are good people and good things in the world, and that community—however you experience it—fucking MATTERS.

    I needed to share that. Thank you, all of you. Every member of this community.

  23. Okay Autostraddle. You win. You’ve twisted my arm and now I’ve donated! Yay!
    (but really, my arm doesn’t need to be twisted at all! I would throw all of my pretty pennies at you all day ‘err day if I had enough pennies to do such a thing)

    • WAIT. MY MIDDLE NAME STARTS WITH A C AND ONE OF MY MANY NICKNAMES IS DINASAUR

      WHO ARE YOU

      • What?? How weird!!
        It’s always a happy surprise whenever I run into another Dina! I think there are only like, 12 of us out there so to see another Autostraddler Dina is like finding a Siamese unicorn to me! For realsies. haha! :D

  28. Well, I’m not eating anything I can’t get for free at work for the next month now, but it was ALL TOTALLY WORTH IT.
    Only for Autostraddle. <3

  29. I’m broke as hell and without any income right now but still donated 10$, it feels ridiculous compared to the other donations but can’t give much more (holy shit someone donated 5000, generous anon I love you).

    I’ve been wanting to quit smoking too so I decided to turn a bad habit into a good action! Starting today I’ll donate 1$ for every cig I smoke, ’cause if I can give money to evil tobacco companies I sure can give even more money to you guys.

    • I’ve spotted a conflict of interest here… you should donate $1 for every cigarette you *don’t* smoke :)

  30. This whole website/community/movement/kittenfest is so amazing. Never have I ever been so invested in the success of a website, but maybe that’s because never have I ever felt like a website was so invested in ME!

    Love love LOVE you guys.

  31. holy shit 2k bump at 7:45am est!

    i have to go to work all day which means i’ll miss the 40k moment…
    THIS IS SO EXCITING

  32. It is so close to $40k. This is very exciting. I gave $10 but will totally give more once I’m sure I can pay my rent and stuff.

  33. This made my heart ache and my eyes tear and my wallet lighter and I love you guys for it :)

  34. This is one of the few reasons I love this website and everyone associated with it. Riese kitty, piano kitty, and shy kitty are freaking adorable. I might have to donate again because of all the cuteness…

  35. Well. I just donated my last $25. Maybe I should get a job. But, anyways. At least I can feel like I helped Autostraddle! Also, queer kitties. Yes. Also also, I am no longer just an Autolurker!

    • You not only helped Autostraddle, you just invested into the lives of thousands of queer individuals.

  37. Is the cat “inbred” a reference to the incestuousness of the lesbian community…
    or do I read to much into these things?

  39. We really need a better Autostraddle.
    I had no idea what “bread hat” people were talking about in the comments because some of the pictures didn’t load on my iPad but now I saw it on my desktop, where the website takes 2 minutes (yes, I counted) to load…

  41. This has been mentioned a number of times already, but: BREAD HATS.
    Also, $44k!!!! Champions!!

  42. I have to fix my paypal account,but ince it’s done I am donating whatever I can (I also promised a donation to a animal rescuer org) because AS is so many kinds of awesome!

  43. Just had a read through the funders list, because I’m in awe of this community.
    I have promptly burst into tears.
    I’m proud of all of us. I’m proud that we are all so grateful of what AS gives us.

  44. AS would make more money if they got a dollar every time someone here bursts into tears.

    Bread hat for the win!

  45. I don’t know if I’ll be able to make that video after all, seeing as Bread Hat Kitty killed me with it’s cuteness. I mean I fell out my window.

Comments are closed.