The Buckeye Flame amplifies the voices of LGBTQ+ Ohioans to support community and civic empowerment through the creation of engaging content that chronicles our triumphs, struggles and lived experiences.
Our History
The Buckeye Flame launched in June of 2020 as a 501c3 nonprofit to meet Ohio’s critical need for a statewide LGBTQ+ newsroom. In a state where LGBTQ+ Ohioans do not have any statewide protections in the areas of housing, employment, and public accommodations and where the Ohio Legislature is working overtime to restrict the lived experience of LGBTQ+ Ohioans, the Buckeye Flame serves a vital and indispensable purpose: to amplify LGBTQ+ Ohio individuals and issues.
Since our 2020 launch, The Buckeye Flame has become the go-to source for original LGBTQ+ stories covering everything from politics to policy to community celebrations.
Right on our homepage (and from our first day in existence!), we openly encourage other media outlets to “Steal Our Stories” at no cost. We believe so deeply in the education, depth, and sensitivity of our content that we do everything we can to make our stories as widely accessible as possible and never behind a paywall.
Our work has been honored by myriad organizations including The New York Times, GLAAD, the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists, and The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists.
Awards & Accolades
Recognition for our work has included:
🔥 New York Times: “Local Journalism Worth Reading”
🔥 GLAAD Media Awards
- Outstanding Independent Journalism (2026 nomination)
- Outstanding Independent Journalism (2025 nomination)
- Outstanding Online Journalism Article (2025 nomination)
🔥 NLGJA: Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists Sarah Pettit Memorial Award for the LGBTQ Journalist of the Year (2021 and 2024)
🔥 Ohio Society of Professional Journalists:
- First Place, “Best Medical/Science/Health Care Reporting” (2024)
- First Place “Specialized Journalism Site” (2021)
- First Place “Best Criticism/Editorial” (2020)
- Second Place in “Best Explanatory Journalism” (2021)
- Second Place in the “Best Social Issues Reporting” (2021)
🔥 Ohio Press Club Awards
- First, Second and Third Place – “Best Headline Writing” (2023)
- Third Place All of Ohio – “Best Headline Writing” (2024)
🔥 Kenyon College Outstanding Community Partner Award (2022)
🔥 City of Cleveland & LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland Heritage Award for Advocacy and Activism (2021)
🔥 Local Media Association Digital Innovation Award (2025)
Our Partnerships
The Buckeye Flame is a proud member of:
