This
WikiProject LGBT studies project page is
archived and is no longer actively maintained. It was last substantively updated March 2, 2011. Visit the main project page to find current content. |
Welcome to Wikiproject LGBT studies (WP:LGBT)! We are a project to create, maintain and improve LGBT coverage in Wikipedia, the largest encyclopaedia ever assembled! Here, people interested in LGBT issues, be they gay, straight, transgender, black, white, 13 or 74, work together to make Wikipedia the most comprehensive encyclopedia on LGBT-related issues worldwide. You're welcome to as well!
Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia that anyone can edit! It is run by a non-commercial, nonprofit organization called the Wikimedia Foundation, which also hosts other projects, such as Wikiquote and Wikibooks. See this page for our successes so far.
Type a subject in the "search box" to the left of this screen and see what appears: Try " Same-sex marriage in Spain," for instance, and read our excellent article on the topic. The "edit this page" tab at the top of the page means you can, if you so wish, edit any page in Wikipedia and have your changes appear immediately. If you would like to try it out, you can experiment on Wikipedia:Sandbox. Enter anything you want, and see what appears! Remember: No constructive edit is too small!
Wherever you see a word or phrase underlined in blue, that means you can click it to read an article. If you can spot a mistake or notice you can add something, you can just make it there and then using the edit button. Where a word or phrase is underlined in red, that means that article has not yet been written—which means you can click on that word or phrase and create that article yourself!
Anyone can edit Wikipedia, regardless of whether they have a user account; however, if you find yourself contributing regularly, it's a good idea to create a user account. Edits by registered users tend to be taken a little more seriously. Some users will even revert IP edits without looking at the edits themselves. And of course, then you can join our project and enjoy all the benefits membership brings. You don't have to use your real name if you don't want to, and having an account helps when others want to contact you to discuss the work you're doing or even to thank you for your contributions. It's also a good idea to supply an email address by which people can contact you offline, particularly if you edit irregularly.
Wikipedia:WikiProject LGBT studies (WP:LGBT) is a group of Wikipedia editors interested in editing LGBT articles, in whatever area, from LGBT people to gay marriage to transgender topics to Homosexual necrophilia in the mallard duck. WP:LGBT brings all these people together to discuss what we're doing, ask for help, announce new articles and pinpoint areas that especially need fixing. Wikipedia can become a bit wearing at times, and several of our editors have been helped by our project when they have been feeling discouraged. WP:LGBT also acts a centre for LGBT related developments, such as LGBT Articles for Deletion, or to highlight any disputes going on regarding articles within the scope of the project.
Any Wikipedian (someone with a user account)—regardless of sexual orientation—is free to join us. Check out Portal:LGBT and our main page to see what we've accomplished so far. WP:LGBT is focussed on improving and expanding LGBT coverage across Wikipedia, and we would be delighted to welcome you!
Many articles need to be edited, updated, or even created. These include articles about notable LGBT people, LGBT-related media, events, and country-specific topics (such as LGBT rights and same sex marriage laws). Because Wikipedia's editorial staff is made up of volunteers, everything should be cited with reliable sources. You can usually find sources such as newspaper articles through a simple Google search; for older articles, you may have to do a little research. If there is a specific book or source you need, you can ask at the talkpage to see if anyone can help. If you don't have a specific area in mind, we maintain a list of requested articles on LGBT topics, which anyone can create.
A look at the our resources page may help you in your editing. We also have useful Templates.
While Wikipedia is all about the articles, there's a lot of "behind-the-scenes" stuff that needs doing. If you feel like you don't want to edit articles right now, we can help us out with these menial but vital tasks:
You can also distribute our promotional poster outside of Wikipedia to promote the project: http://wplgbt.tripod.com/Wikipedianeedsyou.doc (you have to cut and paste the URL). Please distribute anywhere and everywhere you desire, such as LGBT libraries, cybercafes, community centres and so on. Also, please let Dev920 know where you have put it up, so she can keep track of our coverage.
The mainproject page gives you a short overview of the resources available to you as part of the project. Among them are:
Welcome to WikiProject LGBT studies! We look forward to your edits, wherever and whatever they may be. Never before has there been such an opportunity to provide neutral, factual coverage of LGBT people and issues to such a wide audience. The WikiProject seeks to make the most of that. We are delighted you can join us in this effort.
If you need anything or are having problems, just ask.