THING magazine was founded in 1989 in Chicago, Illinois, as a platform for Black LGBTQ+ life.
THING‘s original ten issues are full of art, Black and LGBTQ+ culture, camp, commentary, drag, HIV/Aids activism, House music, poetry, recurring columns, short and long feature interviews, and more.
THING #1
Published in November 1989. Cover features a mezzotint of a painting, My Husband the Thing, by Simone Bouyer of Ken Hare. Black & white, 5.5 x 8.5 inches
THING #2
Published in April 1990. Cover features Little Richard. Black & white, 5.5 x 8.5 inches
THING #3
Published in August 1990. Cover features Kevin Hoover, summer camp.
THING #4
Published in spring 1991. Cover features model Pam Johnson photographed by Stephen Winter.
THING #5
Published in 1991. Cover features Jeff Britton photographed by Stephen Winter, Realness!
THING #6
Published in summer 1992. Cover features a bubble image of RuPaul by artist Lee Kay.
THING #7
Published in fall 1992. Cover features Lemuel Cabrera photographed by Trent Adkins. Servin’ it!
THING #8
Published in winter 1992/1993. Cover features Joey Arias photographed by Len Prince.
THING #9
Published in summer 1993. Cover features Martha Wash photographed by Dan DuVerney.
THING #10
Published in summer 1993. Cover features Jazzmun, the living Black Barbie, photographed by Hollywood models and styled by Johanna.
THING Anthology
Every issue of THING has been released as a book by Primary Information.
Individuals highlighted and interviewed in the magazines include notables such as Marlon Riggs, Essex Hemphill, RuPaul, Vaginal Davis, and Willie Ninja.
Joan Jett Blakkâs revolutionary presidential campaign is contained in these pages, as are some of the most underground, influential literary voices of the time, such as Dennis Cooper, Vaginal Davis, Gary Indiana, David Wojnarowicz, and even David Sedaris.