Fire Island: A Force in the World of Philanthropy and Advocacy
Spencer Macnaughton | Uncloseted Media Weekly Newsletter
In 2015, when I got off the ferry to share a mattress with three friends in a small Fire Island Pines (FIP) share house, I was excited for all the things you’d imagine a 20-something New York gay would have on his mind: parties, hot guys, my first tea dance and the idea of being voluntarily trapped on an island with no cars and hundreds of gay men.
At the time, what I didn’t realize was that I was stepping onto an island that is marked by an undeniably rich LGBTQ history; an island that represents queer advocacy, philanthropy and standing up to fight whenever the community faces adversity.
As years passed, I didn’t know much about it. But as we got closer to Uncloseted Media’s first-ever FIP fundraiser—which took place on Saturday—I wanted to understand the symbolism of having an event like this on such historic land. So we dug in and found a swath of rich history, which inspired my team and me as we prepared for the event. Here is a very non-exhaustive list of facts I learned:
FIP has been known as a safe haven for gay people since the 1920s. It has hosted iconic gay historical figures like author Truman Capote, who wrote Breakfast at Tiffany’s while staying there in 1957; and theater director Frank Carrington, who lived there from 1927 until his death in 1975.
Lambda Legal, one of the leading LGBTQ advocacy groups in the U.S., was born out of a poolside chat on FIP in 1973.
And last month, James Dale and David Lam hosted the nonprofit’s 48th (!) fundraiser on the island.
In 1985, an FIP event raised over $200,000 for HIV/AIDS research during one of the worst periods of the epidemic.
Since 2023, FIP has been the destination of the annual Doll Invasion, an event that gives trans people, who are underrepresented on the island, a chance to visit and celebrate for free while raising money for trans advocacy organizations.
At our event, which was generously hosted by our founding sponsors and friends Paul and Dalip, I felt intense gratitude for the people around me.
Dale, who famously sued the Boy Scouts of America in 1992 after he was kicked out for being gay, introduced me and spoke about the importance of truth in an era where there is so much misinformation. And Andy Tobias, another friend and mentor as well as the former treasurer for the Democratic National Committee, led a call to action where he encouraged folks to support our work at a time when the freedom of the press and the queer community are under unprecedented attack.
We raised awareness about our journalism and wound up bringing in $45,000—inching us closer to our $50,000 goal. But what was most memorable were the rich conversations I had with folks like Dale, Tobias and other community leaders like Jim Pepper and Ward Auerbach, who have worked for decades to set the stage so folks in my generation can continue to fight for queer rights in all spheres. I am filled with gratitude and inspired to continue working with my team to pursue the truth and to produce investigative journalism that uncovers the systems of injustice that are working to undermine our rights.
Thank you to all who showed up to support us! Uncloseted Media is proud to become a new piece in the island’s storied history.
See photos of the event here:
And if you’d still like to donate, you can do so here:
Special thanks to:
Paul, Dalip and their entire team, who helped make the event such a success
Our host committee:
Andy Tobias, James Dale, Todd Sears, Bill Kapfer, Eric Baker, Gabriel Bedoya, Andrew Kirtzman, Timothy Warmath, Michael Fernandez and Gaby Neves
Our entire advisory board, including Mike Burke, Niall Keane and Angela Earl, who attended the event.
The entire Uncloseted Media staff
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As mentioned, we are $5,000 away from our $50K goal for our Fire Island fundraiser and are auctioning off a 5-night stay at Fontainebleau Miami Beach ($5,000 value) — donated to us by Spencer Jenkins, a friend of Uncloseted and the former Editor-In-Chief of Queer Kentucky.
Enjoy a 19th-floor room in Trésor Tower with partial ocean and downtown skyline views, steps away from LIV and Soho House. Your stay is fully comped; housekeeping or a checkout cleaning fee is extra. There are some blackout dates (shown above) and use is preferred by EOY 2026. Reach out if interested!
I was on Freedom From Religion Foundation’s Secular Spotlight Podcast to talk about my recent interview with Doug Wilson, Pete Hegseth’s pastor who believes homosexuality should be illegal.
Trans couple ‘beaten by mob for using bathroom’ arrested instead of their alleged attackers (PinkNews)
The couple said they were brutally assaulted by a mob outside a public restroom.
30-year-old Lev Goldberg is raising funds and speaking up for 2SLGBTQ+ youth, one front crawl stroke at a time.
Violent homophobic attack in Manhattan leaves two men injured (Gay City News)
The NYPD is searching for two men who allegedly voiced anti-LGBTQ slurs and violently attacked two other men — one of whom needed hospitalization — in Manhattan late last month.
Lauren Boebert calls LGBTQ+ people “groomers.” Her son was just arrested for child sex abuse. (LGBTQ Nation)
“I love my son,” she said after learning of the shocking criminal charges against him.
Enes Kanter Freedom declares for 2027 WNBA Draft (The Hill)
His desire to play in the league follows controversy amongst some players, several of whom have welcomed transgender women to be part of a WNBA team.
Over the next week, be on the lookout for new Uncloseted reporting:
🆕 SATURDAY: In an exclusive investigation, Sam Donndelinger and Hope Pisoni pull back the curtain on Strength In Weakness, an international ministry that claims to counsel Christians who experience “same-sex attractions.” While it has distanced itself from conversion therapy, Sam and Hope spoke with over 20 people close to the ministry, and found that former members were pushed into behaviors and ideologies that led many to suicidal ideation and in one case, completed suicide.
🆕 TUESDAY: Over time, gay hookups have shifted from cruising and chance encounters in public spaces to become centered around online platforms like Grindr and Sniffies. But how did that change happen? Rebecca from Hankycode documents the full history.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to email me with questions, complaints and story ideas!
Spencer Macnaughton, Editor-In-Chief — spencer@unclosetedmedia.com
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