Steve Dow was born in Melbourne and survived a childhood in south-suburban Frankston. His pieces currently appear in The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald and he is the author of GAY, a collection of journalism on contemporary gay and lesbian issues. His work also includes pop culture, arts, books and profile pieces.

In 1997, Dow was shortlisted for Australia's highest journalism award, the Walkley, for an essay published in The Sydney Morning Herald magazine Good Weekend, about a courageous single mother and her battle against the cancer that threatened the life of her infant son.