A hard-core Democrat, Alisa Weldon has nevertheless been careful to keep her magazine creation, L Style G Style, out of partisan politics. But a new feature in the magazine that will discuss political issues is on the drawing board for a September debut.

Weldon and her partner Lynn Yeldell share a passion for the magazine they launched in 2007, along with their relationship. Sleek and sophisticated, L Style G Style profiles interesting people in a format that is inclusive and welcoming to all readers.

After moving to Austin from the Houston area in 1993, Weldon worked her way through Austin Community College and began a successful career in marketing and advertising. She was a shining star at Central Market, Dell, T3 and VoxGroup before giving birth to L Style G Style, a publication designed to shine a positive light on the gay and lesbian community.

Weldon has served on many non-profits boards, including a stint as board president of the Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival from 2005 until 2008. But the magazine is her baby, and it is quickly morphing into an issue-smart adult.

QUESTION: How did you come up with the concept for an Austin magazine geared to gay and lesbian readers?

WELDON: Half of it was living my life as a creative person and the other half of it was wanting to do right and make a positive impression. I wanted to put a face on the greater gay community, and that concept generated removing stereotypes and judgments.

The core mission of the magazine was to give educational information relative to the lesbian and gay market, which is not generally recognized as a consumer base.  The second goal of the magazine was to make everyone feel welcome, and that in turn helps build a loyal client base for businesses.

QUESTION: L Style G Style is an unusual upside-downside format, with half of the magazine for gays and the flip side for lesbians. How did that come about?

WELDON: We wanted to take two audiences that don’t naturally go together and create a split format. The idea for the split came from the old Sears Roebuck catalog I used as a kid to fill out my Christmas list.

QUESTION: The magazine’s content is more lifestyle than political, isn’t it? Do you see that changing as it becomes more established in its fifth year?

WELDON: We are marketers to the greater LGBT community, so we tend to stay away from opinion. But we are planning to expand with a political discussion feature called “Purpose” in our online and print editions in September. We’ve just begun figuring out the list of topics to cover.

The relevance recently has come up because of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, anti-bullying legislation and hate crimes. We’ve determined that things need to be known and discussed, but we don’t need to share our own opinions. The political editorial section will be for discussion, and the goal is to be informed and educated on topics in order to create community involvement.

QUESTION: Political involvement and activism are very much a part of some segments of the gay and lesbian community. Have you been involved in Democratic politics?

WELDON: It’s natural to think lesbian and gay people are more liberal across the board on topics and issues that we put our time, energy and dollars behind. We do tend to align with the Democratic platform, which is natural.  And we’ve put personal dollars behind candidates.

The magazine hasn’t done anything with the Democratic Party. I personally am a hard-core Democrat and completely support the Democratic Party. But I have to wear a couple of hats. As a small business owner, I’m fiscally conservative but socially liberal.

We try to remain on the outside of endorsements and opinion — except for the Human Rights Campaign. That’s the primary lobbying group for us, so there’s a huge purpose behind us supporting that. We’ve also promoted Equality Texas, OutYouth, the Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival and other non-profits with our core mission.

QUESTION: Some politicos have speculated that if gays and lesbians turned out for Democrats in Texas, the state party would be noticeably more competitive. What do you think?

WELDON: Participating is a personal responsibility, and it’s part of having your voice heard. We helped out with the census efforts, and we urge everyone to vote. What’s not being done has made me realize how important it is to have political topics on our pages, even if we don’t form an opinion. That was one of the reasons we came up with “Purpose.”

QUESTION: Austin seems to be an especially welcoming place for gays and lesbians. In terms of civil rights, what is your perception of Austin?

WELDON: I’ve been here since 1993, and Austin has been so open and so comfortable and made me feel at home. I came out in high school, so I never really had to hide who I am. I want to be confident in how I live my life, and I can do that here.