POLISH Magazine is an independent media publication centering Black and brown trans and queer people through journalism, commentary, and social-forward storytelling that doesn't ask permission to exist. We cover news, culture, politics, health, and joy, all through a lens that treats our communities as the authorities on our own lives.

POLISH is a publication of POLISH Media, Inc., a Black trans-led independent media company.

POLISH is built for Black and brown trans and queer people: first, last, and always. If you've ever opened a publication and felt like the story about your community was written for someone else's understanding, POLISH was made with you in mind.

We don't write for the mainstream gaze. We don't translate our communities for outsiders. We write to each other, and we do it with the full complexity our lives deserve.

Black and brown trans and queer lives are our editorial center, and intersectionality is our methodology.

That means our coverage doesn't exist in a silo. Race, gender identity, sexuality, class, disability, immigration status—these are never separate conversations in the lives of the people we cover, and they're never separate in our journalism either.

A story about Black trans healthcare is also a story about systemic racism, economic disparity, and policy. A cultural profile is also a story about survival, artistry, and community.

POLISH approaches every story with the understanding that identity is layered, and that the most honest, rigorous journalism reflects that complexity rather than flattening it.

A few things. POLISH Media, Inc., our parent company, is independently owned and wholly Black trans-led. That's not a brand position. It's the actual ownership and leadership structure, and it shapes every editorial decision we make.

We also don't chase traffic. We build community. That means slower, deeper journalism; it means opinion and commentary that takes a real position; and it means centering joy as seriously as we center crisis. We're not here to pathologize our communities for clicks. We're here to tell the full story.

POLISH covers the full range of Black and brown trans and queer life. Our confirmed verticals include: News, Trans + Queer Joy, Politics, Culture + Lifestyle, Opinion, Health, and Technology.

We also publish POLISH Your Heart, a column by POLISH’s Global Cultural Ambassador Indya Moore, centered on aspects of life and love.

Our verticals are part of the nine editorial pillars of POLISH Media: POLISH Your Heart, POLISH Your Spirit, POLISH Your Mind, POLISH Your Politic, POLISH Your Body, POLISH Your Plate, POLISH Your Coin, POLISH Your Place, and POLISH Your Story.

We practice journalism with authority and without apology. Our news reporting is rigorous and straight-sourced; facts attributed, claims verified, and no editorializing where it doesn't belong. Our features and commentary are personal, intimate, and unapologetically embodied, the kind of writing that trusts readers to hold complexity.

We don't conflate the two. Opinion is labeled opinion. Reporting is reporting. And the voice we bring to each is calibrated to what the story needs, not what the algorithm prefers.

Yes! We're actively building out our contributor framework. We're in an early stage of growth, so compensation structures are evolving. However, we're committed to building a sustainable model that values the labor of our writers.

For editorial and press inquiries, reach us at contact@polish.media.

POLISH is building toward a revenue where the platform's sustainability comes from its community and mission-aligned partners, not from advertisers who have historically marginalized the audiences we serve.

Independent funding means independent journalism. It means we answer to our readers, not to a brand safety algorithm. To learn more about supporting POLISH or exploring a partnership, reach out directly.

Reader and community support are foundational to what we're building. You can contribute directly!

POLISH also has a fiscal sponsorship arrangement that enables tax-deductible giving for one-time and ongoing donations. If you have questions about how you can support, please get in touch with us.