First nationally syndicated LGBT columnist dies

Deb Price from a June 1995 issue of Dallas Voice promoting her visit to Crossroads Market.


Deb Price, 62, who wrote for the Detroit News and became the first nationally syndicated columnist writing on LGBT issues, has died. Her column began in 1992 and ran for 18 years.

In her first column, she asked readers for help in how to refer to her partner, Joyce Murdoch. At the time, it was something the LGBT community was struggling with. “Lover” was the dated term, “partner” had not yet been adopted, and it was more than 10 years before the first state would legalize same-sex marriage.

Price’s writing introduced everyday gay and lesbian life to mainstream America and was more about how LGBT people’s lives are like straight people’s lives rather than how we’re different.

Her popularity crossed political lines. In 2003, Price was the keynote speaker at Log Cabin Republicans Dallas Seventh Annual Grand Ol’ Party.

Read more: https://dallasvoice.com/first-nationally-syndicated-lgbt-columnist-dies/