equalpride's maga board member lasted exactly one day after the editors signed their names

via the Advocate and the Washington Blade.

He lasted a day.

Jay Katari, brought into equalpride as strategic advisor for growth and innovation and seated on its board of directors, resigned Tuesday afternoon. That is roughly twenty-four hours after the queer and trans editorial staff of The Advocate, Out and Them put their objection in writing and published it in their own magazines.

"I have decided to step down from the Board of Directors of equalpride," Katari said. "My intention was simply to volunteer my time and experience to support the incredible team and the important work they do for the LGBTQ+ community." He added that he never meant for his involvement "to cause disruption within a community I hold dear and deeply respect."

The editors' answer, printed in the Advocate, is a small masterpiece of professional restraint: "We sincerely appreciate that CEO Mark Berryhill and the Board of Directors swiftly held the necessary conversations that resulted in the resignation of that board member, Jay Katari."

Swiftly. Two weeks after Berryhill told staff he had full confidence in the man and asked them to prioritize meetings with him.

The genuinely useful thing here is buried in how Berryhill explained the appointment. Katari did not get the seat because anyone in the building chose him. He came in under a provision of an investment agreement that lets lead investors name two directors without the CEO or management signing off. Which means the people who own the money that keeps the largest LGBTQ+ publisher in the country running can seat whoever they want, and the people who write the magazines find out when a Substack does the reporting.

Berryhill's closing line was that the focus now is on "strengthening our brands, and continuing to support the stories of our LGBTQ community." The brands will be fine. The open question is the other seat.