It’s Alex’s Mindblowing “Call Your Girlfriend” Dance Video! Also, More Fundraising Updates!
by riese & laneia
Remember when Alex Vega promised to make a dance video after we surpassed $40,000 on our indiegogo campaign? Well it takes time to make dance videos, as I’m sure you’ve surmised, and since then we’ve raised an additional $20,000+, which is AMAZING! Like we’re seriously amazed. So! Now it’s your turn to be amazed , as Alex uses her special dancing skills to persuade you to call your girlfriend. With special guest, Arthur the dog!
I know it seems like we could never top this video, but when we get all the way to $100,000, we’ll have no choice but to top it (that’s what she said) because that’s when Alex will get a tattoo of Tinkerbell on her backside, Haviland Stillwell will sing a song, queer girls will dance and hand jive, and we’ll make the most amazing video ever. But first! Let’s look back at all the other awesome stuff you’ve secured by donating $65,000+.
$40,000
Alex Vega Dance Video + a brand new Autostraddle
Now can make Autostraddle as slick and user-friendly as you’ve always wanted, and we’ll be able to do all the things we’ve held in our hearts for the past eleventy years! We could weep, we’re so excited.
$50,000
You Do You boyshorts + cookie extravaganza
These sexy beast boyshorts are being sent to the printer this week and will be available for your generous little asses very soon. More on the cookies below. Wanna see the boyshorts? Stay tuned to Twitter and Facebook, where we’ll be posting it tomorrow. (The website, on the other hand, will take some time!)
$60,000
Autostraddle This boxer briefs + International Meet-Up Week
Probably our most requested and dreamed of piece of merchandise, “Autostraddle This” boxer briefs are currently being designed by Alex. International Meet-Up Week is scheduled for September 22-30, so save the date. That’s over a week of Autostraddle fun for you and your friends/friends you haven’t met yet! There’ll be an official post about meet-ups super soon.
$65,000
This was a special incentive put together by Brianna: straddlegifs.tumblr.com, which is super special and awesome.
Now here we are, just under $70k (there was an accidental and possibly sangria-related donation last night of $5k but the donator contacted us this morning to say she didn’t mean to donate that much, so we’re trying to sort that out with indiegogo and the total you’re probably seeing now is actually $5k more than we really have), and only a couple thousand dollars away from making Alex a full-time employ of the site she co-founded over three years ago. And! A little over $10k away from giving Rachel the best birthday present a girl could get: a fair salary. So we’ve decided to make this week really count.
+ Today and tomorrow are officially Make Alex Full-Time Days. We need her here like we need sunshine and water, you guys. I know you know this. And I really truly believe we can make it happen TODAY. In addition to making Alex a full-time employ, you’ll be getting a NSFW Coloring Book and two livestream chats with a variety of team members.
+ Wednesday we’re having a Bake Sale, when cookie orders will be unlimited for one day only. You can have any food allergy on the planet, and I promise we will still be able to make you some cookies.
+ Friday is Make Rachel Full-Time Day. It’s Rachel’s birthday on 8/17, so the whole day will be dedicated to Rachel and how much we love her/want to give her a paycheck . She already has been working full-time for two years, she’s just not getting paid for it. In addition to making Rachel’s dreams come true, $80k will also mean a larger fund set aside for paying writers, which is everyone’s dream. Everyone who’s donated will be getting the chance to win one of Two A-Camp Camperships, plus people who bought the Limited Edition ‘Zine perk will also snag a bonus: You Do You t-shirt, cookies or a handmade card. Neat!
We’re gonna smash our heads together this week and come at you with some dates so you can anticipate when we’ll be in touch and fulfill things like ‘zines, advertising, meet-ups, t-shirts, etc., and when other various incentives will actually happen and website progress will be made. Nothing gets sent out ’til after the campaign ends, which is the first week of September, and we’re all heading up to camp the second week. We’ll have better dates for you soon!