Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner
“Growing up in the early 2000s, I rarely saw queer people in the media and long wanted to change that,” recalls Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner. And she has. The Brooklyn-based journalist has bylines in top publications like The New York Times, Travel & Leisure, Forbes, and Marie Claire. Many are about lesbian culture—an opportunity she relishes, even when it’s challenging. “As a freelancer, it was and can still be tough to sell LGBTQ+ [stories] to mainstream magazines and news- papers,” Hoeffner tells GO. “But I continue to pitch ideas and share my passion and expertise for queer culture as much as I can.” After studying creative writing and leading an on-campus publication at Columbia University, Hoeffner jumped right into the journalistic trenches, always with an eye on LGBTQ+ representation. Even in the rejection-filled world of writing, Hoeffner finds the rewards are plentiful. “I’ve found that publishing queer stories in mainstream publications is a great way to educate folks outside of the community on queer issues and culture, and open up discussions we may not otherwise have,” she says. “I love when someone tells me that my writing has helped them understand what a friend or family member is going through, or that they them- selves felt less alone because of a piece I wrote—that’s the whole point.” When she’s not hanging out with her wife and friends, Hoeffner is going back to her creative writing roots. “I wrote a manuscript during quarantine and as I slowly edit that, I’m currently working on a new novel about lesbians in the Hamptons,” she says. “I’ve always wanted to write queer beach reads!” –LE
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