Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Registration for the 27th National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change Is Now Open!

Registration for Creating Change 2015 is now open. The event will take place in Denver on February 4-8. For more information about rates visit the registration page. The Early Bird rate of $300 is available until Oct. 31, 2014.

There are also applications for scholarships and subsidized registration rates.

When you register, you can sign up for the Creating Change Day Long Institutes, happening on Wednesday, February 4 and Thursday, February 5. The Institute menu is chock full of exciting learning opportunities, including the Racial Justice Institute on Wednesday, February 4.

100 Youth Activists Hit Denver Streets Asking Colorado Voters to Vote No on Amendment 67

This weekend 100 Planned Parenthood youth activists for reproductive rights and justice hit the streets of east Denver to talk to voters about the dangers of Amendment 67, the proposal on November’s ballot which would ban all abortion in Colorado, including in cases of rape and incest and when the pregnant woman’s life or health is in danger. The measure would also restrict access to common types of birth control, including the IUD and emergency contraception, as well as in vitro services.

The young activists knocked on over 2000 doors and spoke to over 400 voters. “The best moment for me was canvassing for something I am passionate about with my best friend,” said one young activist. Another stated she “gained confidence in having important conversations with strangers who did not know about what Amendment 67 would really do, ban all abortion and lots of types of birth control in Colorado.”


“Today was amazing. These youth activists were so energized and motivated to get out there to talk to people about why access to reproductive health is important to them and their communities,” said Mary Bogus, Field Organizing Manager of Planned Parenthood Votes Colorado.

The youth provided voters information about Amendment 67 and its language, which is confusing. “It seems like it says help women, but it actually could make them criminals,” said one young man participating in the canvass. “As a young guy, I want everyone to know how bad it is.”

OUT on DVD: Corpus Christi: Playing with Redemption

What if Jesus was gay? Breaking Glass Pictures will be releasing Corpus Christi: Playing with Redemption, a feature documentary focusing on Terrence McNally's controversial Broadway play "Corpus Christi," which imagines Jesus as a gay man living in Corpus Christi, Texas. The documentary follows the troupe, playwright, and audience around the world on a 5-year journey, where voices of protest and support collide on one of the central issues facing the LGBT community: religion.

The play originally opened at the Manhattan Theatre Club in 1998 to intense protest and bomb threats. Terrence McNally is a four-time Tony Award winning playwright, famous for Broadway hits Ragtime, Master Class, and Love! Valour! Compassion!

Opera Colorado Announces Chorus Auditions for 2014-2015 Season

Opera Colorado announced today that it will hold chorus auditions for its 2014-2015 season productions of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly and Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Chorus auditions will take place on Saturday, September 20, 2014 from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m. in the Chorus Rehearsal Room at St. John’s Cathedral, located at 1350 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80203.

Preference will be given to tenors, baritones and basses. Singers should prepare two selections from the arts song, opera or musical theatre repertoire to perform at the audition. Preferably, one selection should be in a foreign language. Repertoire should be memorized.
 

For more information or to schedule an audition, please send an email to auditions@operacolorado.org. Requests for auditions are on a first-come, first-served basis, and are based on the musical requirements for Opera Colorado’s 2014-2015 repertoire and productions.

Monday, August 18, 2014

Gay man sues doctor for diagnosis of "homosexual behavior" as a "chronic condition"

Matthew Moore, a 46-year-old man from Los Angeles, is suing the Torrance Health Association and his doctor Elaine Jones (pictured) for listing "homosexual behavior" on his medical record as a "chronic condition," a diagnosis which was discredited by the American Psychiatric Association in 1973. 

"My jaw was on the floor. At first, I kind of laughed, I thought, 'Here's another way that gay people are lessened and made to feel less-than,' and then as I thought about it and as I dealt with it, it angered me," Moore said.

Billings, Mont., council rejects LGBT nondiscrimination ban

The Billings (Mont.) City Council last Tuesday voted 6-5 against a nondiscrimination ordinance that would have protected people from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. 

Billings Mayor Tom Hanel was the deciding vote in the long-debated matter, and he cited issues he had with a portion of the bill dealing with public accommodations -- including restrooms and locker rooms -- as well as a section that allowed for monetary damages to those discriminated against.

4th Circuit refuses to stay marriage equality ruling in Va.

The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va. last Wednesday refused a Prince William County clerk's request to stay a July federal District Court ruling striking down the state's ban on same-sex marriage

Unless the U.S. Supreme Court intervenes, same-sex couples in Virginia will be able to marry as soon as next Wednesday. In addition, the 4th Circuit ruling could upend similar state bans in its jurisdiction -- including North Carolina, South Carolina and West Virginia -- as long as the Supreme Court does not issue a temporary stay on the decision.

Deals and Discounts on Andrew Christian With MileHighGayGuy!

New June 2014 Andrew Christian is one of the largest retailer and manufacturers of men’s underwear on the web. They carry hundreds of styles from cutting edge basics to performance fabrics, to body enhancing designs and everything is made in sunny Los Angeles, California.

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Andrew Christian is one of the largest retailer and manufacturers of men’s underwear on the web. They carry hundreds of styles from cutting edge basics to performance fabrics, to body enhancing designs and everything is made in sunny Los Angeles, California.


Friday, August 15, 2014

Are You Gay With Something To Say? Bloggers Wanted For Denver's Best Gay Blog!



Are you a new or experienced writer or blogger? Do you want to be? Or maybe you're just some gay guy with something to say? Well, what better forum for you than MileHighGayGuy?

MileHighGayGuy is looking for regular and guest bloggers to write about local news and events, do music and movie reviews, or write opinion or feature pieces from a gay perspective.

These are unpaid positions but offer the opportunity to be published in Colorado's Best Gay Blog (2010, 2011, 2012 OUTstanding Awards, Denver 2012 #WebAwards), expand your audience and gain valuable experience. There's also swag available in the form of free movie and concert tickets, music, books and other cool stuff.

If interested, shoot an email over to Drew Wilson at drew@milehighgayguy.com. And if you've got column or story ideas to pitch, this is the place to do it.

Reach Gay Denver: Advertise With Denver's Best Gay Blog!

Advertise on MileHighGayGuy.com - Colorado's Best Gay Blog - to reach Colorado's gay community, one of the largest gay communities in the United States.

"Bearracuda has placed ads on MileHighGayGuy.com for all of our Denver events and they've provided a huge exposure to our party! Between that and the shout-outs we get from MileHighGayGuy, we've seen our numbers grow and grow. Highly recommended!!" - Matt Mikesell, founder of Bearracuda.

Just click the Advertising page for more information and to get started right away.
And don't forget to 'Like' MileHighGayGuy on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

Thursday, August 14, 2014

One Colorado Presents The Ally Awards This Saturday

This Saturday, One Colorado is hosting the 2014 Ally Awards and there are only 37 tickets left!

If you get your ticket today by clicking here, these are just a few of the ways that One Colorado Education Fund can use the proceeds to help advance equality statewide:

 
• Expand scholarships for students outside of Denver to travel to workshops and summits
• Provide trainings for doctors and other medical professionals to help them care for LGBT patients
• Deepen One Colorado's reach to underserved communities to register more Coloradans to vote, so everyone can have a voice in the election this November
• And so much more! Thanks to the generosity of the event sponsors, your ticket will also include amazing food, signature cocktails, a truly spectacular silent auction, and admission to an all-night afterparty at Tracks! Click here now to make sure you get one of the LAST tickets.

Frontiers Media Moves Into Online Television With 'The Horizon'

New Frontiers Media Holdings LLC announced today an international co-production deal with Australian company Cobbstar Productions, the makers of the most watched gay online series in the world, The Horizon.

The move marks the beginning of a push by the publisher of the leading LGBT magazine Frontiers into online television, and a shift in focus for the Australian-based dramedy to its massive U.S. audience. It is also the first web series to take the leap into importing its format internationally. The Sydney, Australia based series starring Patrick James, Indigo Felton and Paul Layton is the top gay web series online today, having amassed over 23 million viewers. The Horizon launched its fourth season in June.

Frontiers Media and Cobbstar Productions will co-produce the fifth and sixth seasons, currently shooting in Sydney. As part of the arrangement Frontiers will be interwoven into the storyline in episodes featuring the newly announced casting of Emmy-winner Jai Rodriguez. The Queer Eye for the Straight Guy star will play a promiscuous American pop singer visiting Australia, where the series is based. Jai’s character will then return to the US and be the focus of the first installment of The Horizon: L.A. The series will be available on Frontiersmedia.com as well as YouTube and Season 5 will debut in December 2014.

“With its wholly original story line, and huge American audience, The Horizon was a natural fit for Frontiers Media’s first move into online television,” says Michael Turner, CEO and Founder of New Frontiers Media. “Patrick James is clearly a rising star who will no doubt be called on by Hollywood soon and Frontiers has enjoyed a long friendship with Jai Rodriguez. The creators of The Horizon have consistently raised the bar for the genre from season to season and it fits with Frontiers Media’s investment in quality gay content across many platforms.”

“With our international success I always liked the idea of formatting the series in different countries,” says Brian Cobb, Series Producer. “And with our huge American audience base, why not start in the U.S.? No other web series in the world has walked the format path and we are doing it. We’ll develop American storylines and characters, and pepper these with our key Australian cast, as we explore the explosive gay scene around West Hollywood. Frontiers is the perfect partner to expand our American audience”

Cobb continues: “We are part funded by our state Aids council, ACON (Aids council of NSW), and we will stick to our original vision remaining a vehicle for safe sex and HIV awareness. Our talented Creator Boaz Stark has found the perfect balance in writing engaging, edgy, true to life stories, while still being insightful and raising awareness on gay issues. That won’t change no matter where we make the series.”

The Horizon has won praise from critics and fans alike, with Inside Film labeling the series as ‘The Australian Screen Industry’s best kept secret’, while fans continually bombard social media sites demanding more episodes.

Gay Help Wanted: Work In the Gay Community as Part of Denver's Best Gay Blog!

Do you like working in and for the gay community? 

Are you friendly and outgoing?
 

Award-winning MileHighGayGuy.com is seeking advertising sales reps. The position requires someone who is self-motivated, detail-oriented and who, preferably, is familiar with the GLBT community. This is a contract position and pay will be commission-based.
 

To apply, email resume and references to Drew Wilson at Drew@milehighgayguy.com.

Anthony Bourdain Stars in Web Video for HRC’s Americans for Marriage Equality Campaign

Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) released a video ad featuring Emmy Award-winning chef, author and TV host Anthony Bourdain for the group’s Americans for Marriage Equality campaign. In the video, Bourdain states, “A common thread of the people I admire – whoever they are, wherever they are – are people who are proud and do things with love, and feel a sense of responsibility to others. What sensible person could be against that?”

“Anthony Bourdain has spent a lifetime traveling the world in search of the perfect meal,” said HRC spokesperson Charles Joughin. “And while some foods and customs are unique to certain cultures and countries, one theme transcends all borders – love. We are incredibly grateful to Anthony for his commitment to equality and for speaking out in favor of marriage rights for loving gay and lesbian couples nationwide.”

Bourdain is a renowned chef, bestselling author and Emmy winning TV host, as well as a trailblazer and outspoken commentator who provides unique insights into food, current events, and cultures around the world. He is known for his 2000 book Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, and in 2005 he began hosting the culinary and cultural adventure program Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations on the Travel Channel. In 2013, he joined CNN to host Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, which has won both an Emmy Award and a Peabody Award.

This is the fifth video released for the re-launch of HRC’s Americans for Marriage Equality Video campaign. Previous releases include videos from Colbie Caillat, Tony Hawk, Susan Sarandon and Demi Lovato.

Same-sex couples can legally marry in nineteen states and the District of Columbia, while 31 states have a law or constitutional amendment restricting marriage to the union of one man and one woman. However, polling continues to show Americans moving inexorably in the direction of supporting equality for same-sex couples, and there are over 70 court cases across the country challenging bans on marriage equality.

Nationally, Gallup puts support for marriage equality at 55 percent – an astonishing 15 points increase from just 5 years ago – with other polls showing support at even higher margins. And support for same-sex marriage rights continues to grow in virtually every demographic group. According to ABC News / Washington Post, 77 percent of adults under age 30 favor marriage equality. 40 percent of Republicans – an all-time high and jump of 16 points in under two years – now support marriage for gay and lesbian couples, while the number of Catholics supporting marriage has grown to 62 percent, according to the New York Times. These numbers continue to grow, with no indication that support will slow down.

Matthias Schoenaerts: Sexy. True. Out.

Matthias Schoenaerts wants you to know he’s bigger than his body. There’s a lot behind this notion, especially as it applies to the Belgian actor’s work, which, for American film buffs who’ve seen it, is likely defined by Schoenaerts’s brute physicality. And this isn’t something that Schoenaerts is necessarily thrilled about.

There is, however, a reason Schoenaerts has become known for his stature. In 2011’s Bullhead, his Oscar-nominated breakthrough vehicle, Schoenaerts enters scenes bobbing his massive shoulders as if channeling the beast of the title, flaunting the hulking physique required to play a man dependent on testosterone supplements. In 2012’s Rust and Bone, co-starring Marion Cotillard, he plays a bouncer-cum-kickboxer who brutalizes opponents for money, and breaks his hands when punching a frozen pond to save a drowning boy. As Schoenaerts pervades the American market, with a trove of stateside films slated for this fall and beyond, these are the popular images that accompany his rising star: shirt-busting muscles, feral movements, bloody knuckles.

Another reason Schoenaerts is greater than his frame is that he portrays characters whose insides dwarf their outsides completely. It’s no wonder the actor is often compared to Tom Hardy, another sensitive soul who’s sporting pounds of toned muscle, and who happens to be Schoenaerts’s co-star in September’s Brooklyn-set mob drama The Drop. For its September 2014 cover story, Schoenaerts talks to OUT’s R. Kurt Osenlund about his build his craft and all things skin-deep.