Charlene Cothran

Charlene E. Cothran is an American journalist, publisher of the magazines Venus and Kitchen Table News, and a former Lesbian and List of [LGBTQ rights activists|Gay rights activist].

Career

Cothran launched the first edition of Venus in January 1995. The magazine was based in Atlanta, Georgia, and distributed to seventy-two locations across the United States and Europe.
Venus was tailored to the interests of LGBT people of African descent. The magazine was credited with breaking ground in several editorial areas, such as educational resources for HIV and AIDS prevention and care, dialogue between closeted and open LGBT populations, politics concerning homophobia, and the relationship between Christianity and homosexuality, among others.
Venus featured a roster of significant writers, contributors, and interview subjects, including Cheryl Dunye,
Jewelle Gomez, James Earl Hardy, Shirlene Holmes, Patrik-Ian Polk, and Shay Youngblood.
Following a religious conversion in 2006, Cothran changed the editorial policy of Venus, and began to promote what is popularly called the Ex-gay movement through the magazine. Cothran's abrupt renunciation of her historical views in favor of evangelical proclamations led to a decline in advertising revenue. Following these events, Venus Magazine ceased operations in 2007.

Personal life

Charlene Cothran is a former lesbian.
Cothran established The Evidence Ministry, Inc., an evangelical mission that encourages people to renounce homosexuality.