URGENT: Vote on anti-LGBTQ bill happening in less than 24 hours

By Sheena Kadi, Deputy Director, One Colorado

By Take action NOW and tell the committee to VOTE NO on House Bill 1140 and make sure discrimination against LGBTQ Coloradans doesn't become legal in Colorado.

You may have seen that Representative Stephen Humphrey, R-Greeley has introduced one of the most mean-spirited, blatantly anti-LGBTQ bills we've seen in the Colorado State Legislature in years.

Whether it's in the areas of adoption and foster care, health care, housing, marriage, employment, or public spaces, House Bill 1140 is designed to roll back protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Coloradans and their families in nearly every facet of our lives.

Send an email and tweet to tell the House State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Committee how dangerous House Bill 1140 is.

This proposal goes as far, if not farther, than the infamous Amendment 2, which resulted in Colorado getting a reputation as the "Hate State." We don't need to turn back the clock on all the progress we've made. Whether it's obtaining a marriage license, adopting or fostering a child, working at a job, or accessing healthcare, House Bill 1140 will create a license to discriminate against LGBTQ Coloradans for practically any reason.

Make your voice heard TODAY and tell the committee to VOTE NO.

OUT on DVD/VOD: Devil's Path

 

Opening in Los Angeles on March 1 and out on DVD & VOD on March 5, Devil's Path follows two men who meet up in a popular wilderness park for a casual hookup. What seems like an innocent and random meeting quickly descends into a horrific nightmare as the two men soon find themselves in the terrifying position of being the next victims in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

Key National LGBTQ Military Organizations Applaud Congressional Referendum in Support of Open Trans Military Service

Today, Congressman Joe Kennedy III (D-MA,4) lead efforts for a resolution opposing President Trump’s ban on openly transgender servicemembers from serving in our nation’s military and urging the Department of Defense to not reinstate this discriminatory policy as litigation against the Administration’s proposed ban continues.

OutServe-SLDN, the American Military Partner Association (AMPA), and SPARTA, the nation’s three key advocacy and support organizations for our LGBTQ military, veteran, and military family communities, issued the following responses:

“We applaud Congressman Kennedy and the co-sponsors of this referendum for the unwavering and visible support of our nation’s patriots, no matter their gender identity,” said OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Andy Blevins. “As the litigation surrounding this unnecessary and unwarranted ban continues, our brave, transgender service members remain steadfast in their selfless service and commitment to our nation. We applaud the efforts of our Congressional leaders as they work to eclipse the hostility coming from the Trump-Pence Administration and remind our service members that we see them, we are proud of them, and they will not be left behind.”

“At this very moment, thousands of patriots who happen to be transgender are willing to risk their very lives for our nation — from active duty military members to qualified recruits who want to serve,” said American Military Partner Association President Ashley Broadway-Mack. “While the Trump-Pence administration unconscionably singles out these brave transgender Americans for discrimination, it’s crucial that Members of Congress make clear they stand behind them and are grateful for their service and sacrifice. We are thankful for Representative Joe Kennedy’s leadership on this important resolution.”

“We thank our leaders for their support of transgender service members who contribute every day to the increased readiness and lethality of our military as their authentic selves,” said SPARTA President Blake Dremann.

Do You Want To Reach Denver's Gay Community? Advertise With Denver's Best Gay Blog!

Do you want to advertise to Denver’s gay community? Of course you do, it’s the 7th largest in the United States! And the best way to reach them is with MileHighGayGuy – Colorado’s Best Gay Blog.
 
Just click the Advertising page or email sales@milehighgayguy.com to get started today.

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.

Do You Want To Reach Denver's Gay Community? Advertise With Denver's Best Gay Blog!

Do you want to advertise to Denver’s gay community? Of course you do, it’s the 7th largest in the United States! And the best way to reach them is with MileHighGayGuy – Colorado’s Best Gay Blog.
 
Just click the Advertising page or email sales@milehighgayguy.com to get started today.

OUT in Theaters: Giant Little Ones

Opening in select theaters in March, Giant Little Ones is a heartfelt and intimate coming-of-age story about friendship, self-discovery and the power of love without labels. 

Franky Winter (Josh Wiggins) and Ballas Kohl (Darren Mann) have been best friends since childhood. They are high school royalty: handsome, stars of the swim team and popular with girls. They live a perfect teenage life – until the night of Franky's epic 17th birthday party, when Franky and Ballas are involved in an unexpected incident that changes their lives forever.

Denver Makes WalletHub's List of 2019's Best Places for Valentine's Day

Source: WalletHub

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner and America’s sweethearts planning to spend billions of dollars on the occasion, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2019's Best Places for Valentine’s Day as well as accompanying videos, along with its nationally representative 2019 Valentine’s Day Spending Survey.  
To determine the most romantic yet affordable cities for celebrating the Day of Hearts, WalletHub compared 100 of the largest U.S. cities across 25 key metrics, ranging from florists per capita to forecasted precipitation to cost of a three-course meal for two.
 

Top 20 Places for Valentine’s Day
1	San Francisco, CA		11	Washington, DC
2	New York, NY		12	Denver, CO
3	Las Vegas, NV		13	Atlanta, GA
4	San Diego, CA		14	Chicago, IL
5	Honolulu, HI		15	Austin, TX
6	Seattle, WA		16	San Jose, CA
7	Scottsdale, AZ		17	Virginia Beach, VA
8	Portland, OR		18	Sacramento, CA
9	Orlando, FL		19	Houston, TX
10	Los Angeles, CA		20	Boston, MA

Valentine’s Day Spending Survey – Key Stats

• 46% of people would break up with their significant other if he or she spent irresponsibly.
   
• Women are 33% more likely than men to spend $0 on a Valentine’s Day gift. Men are two times more likely than women to spend over $100.
   
• Men are over three times more likely than women to think a Valentine’s Day gift is worth going into credit card debt for.
   
• 4 in 10 people say irresponsible spending is a bigger turnoff than bad breath.
   
• 53% of people would not marry someone with bad credit.

Valentine’s Day Facts

• $20.7B: Total Valentine’s Day spending projected for 2019 ($161.96 per person celebrating).
   
• $196 vs. $100: Men spent nearly twice as much as women, on average, for Valentine’s Day 2018.
   
• $7.6 Billion: Amount Americans will spend on jewelry ($3.9B), flowers ($1.9B) and candy ($1.8B).
   
• 9 Million: Number of marriage proposals made each Valentine’s Day.

IGLTA Signs ASTA as its Official Partner for Convention Buyer/Supplier Marketplace

The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA) announced today that the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) will serve as the official partner for its Buyer/Supplier Marketplace during its 36th Annual Global Convention in New York City. The new agreement strengthens the existing organizational partnership between IGLTA and ASTA, which includes reciprocal membership discounts, and underscores the importance of the growing LGBTQ+ tourism sector.

Both organizations have a long history that spans the globe, with IGLTA members located in more than 80 countries and conducting business in over 100, and ASTA with members in 125 countries. IGLTA’s Buyer/Supplier Marketplace, which opens its 2019 Annual Global Convention on April 24 at the New York Hilton Midtown, offers a full day of appointments to directly connect travel advisors and suppliers who are committed to providing safe and welcoming experiences for LGBTQ+ travelers.

“ASTA is respected industry leader for education and advocacy on behalf of the travel advisor community,” said John Tanzella, IGLTA President/CEO. “We look forward to elevating our Buyer/Supplier Marketplace by engaging ASTA’s diverse global network of tourism advisors and suppliers in our appointment-driven forum. Through strong partnerships, we can continue to enhance the experience of our association members and convention attendees.”

Zane Kerby, ASTA President/CEO, who will attend the Buyer/Supplier Marketplace and deliver remarks to the participants said, "Travel unites us in so many ways. Through our partnership with IGLTA and in conjunction with our diverse network of travel advisor members, we’ll be helping to unite the world through travel. We are excited about our participation in the Buyer/Supplier Marketplace, which aligns with our mission to serve as a trusted resource to the travel community from advisors to suppliers and, most importantly, the traveling public.”

Key National LGBTQ Military Organizations Respond to Trump’s State of the Union Address

Yesterday, President Trump delivered a State of the Union Address in which he failed to recognize the more than 15,000 transgender individuals currently serving in our nation’s armed forces. Several of those transgender service members were in the room with him, as honored guests of many Members of Congress. The Trump-Pence Administration is currently fighting to institute a ban which would prevent transgender individuals from being able to openly serve in our nation’s armed services. The President also alluded to his Administration's plans to stopping the spread of HIV throughout the nation.

OutServe-SLDN, the American Military Partner Association (AMPA), and SPARTA, the nation’s three key advocacy and support organizations for our LGBTQ military, veteran, and military family communities, issued the following responses:

"For the past two-and-a-half years, thousands of qualified, transgender individuals have been serving openly and our nation’s military services are better not in spite of their authentic service, but because of it," said OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Andy Blevins. "The Trump-Pence Administration’s indefensible desire to institute their wanting and discriminatory practices is disappointing -- our siblings-in-arms deserve better. We look forward to continuing our representation of these proud and selfless patriots and to ensuring that baseless and discriminatory rationalizations not be allowed to define military policy."

"Stopping the spread of HIV is a worthy and achievable goal, but it requires more than just words. It requires a true commitment to the humanity of people living with HIV and those at risk for contracting it," said OutServe-SLDN Legal & Policy Director Peter Perkowski. "We have not seen that commitment from the Trump-Pence Administration. Service members, veterans, and their families instead have faced policies that have placed them more at risk: involuntary discharges based on HIV status, restrictions on access to PrEP, and regulations that criminalize their status and behavior, all of which interfere with health access and run contrary to ending the epidemic. If the Trump-Pence Administration were truly committed to the health and lives of people living with and at risk for HIV, it would entirely revamp DoD and VA policies related to HIV, in addition re re-committing to federal dollars to HIV prevention and treatment."

“Right now, thousands of highly trained, patriotic transgender Americans are bravely and honorably serving our nation around the world in every branch of the military,” said American Military Partner Association (AMPA) President Ashley Broadway-Mack. “The shameful steps Donald Trump and Mike Pence have undertaken in order to erase them and ban them from military service are truly unconscionable. Like the far majority of Americans, we believe any qualified American should be able to serve, and AMPA is proud to be an organizational plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging Trump’s trans military ban in court.”

“Given the tremendous capability trans service members have shown since the implementation of open service, and the overwhelming medical and scientific evidence that shows no reasons why transgender people should be unable to serve, we remain steadfast that transgender people will continue to contribute to our military long into the future,” said SPARTA Communications Director Bryan Bree Fram.

OutServe-SLDN and Lambda Legal filed the lawsuit, Karnoski v. Trump, in August 2017, on behalf of nine individual plaintiffs and three organizational plaintiffs – the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the American Military Partner Association (AMPA), and the Seattle-based Gender Justice League. The State of Washington later joined the lawsuit. In addition to Karnoski v. Trump, Stockman v. Trump, Doe v. Trump, and Stone v. Trump, filed by the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) respectively, are also challenging the proposed ban.

Gus Dapperton - My Favorite Fish

 
Gus Dapperton recently announced his debut album, Where Polly People Go to Read along with his new single, the slow tempo love song "My Favorite Fish." Today, Dapperton shares a self-directed video for the track, following Gus on an aquatic and terrestrial serenade in his signature offbeat style.

Check out V Magazine's conversation with Gus about the video here, who said "He breathes life back into the the gender ambiguity of 60's rock stars and the colorful punk of the 80's new wave. His music is a slow and synth breath of fresh, nostalgic air."

Madonna to Receive Advocate for Change Award at 30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards

GLAAD will be honoring Madonna with the Advocate for Change Award at the 30th Annual GLAADMedia Awards in New York on May 4.

GLAAD’s Advocate for Change Award is presented to a person who, through their work, changed the game for LGBTQ people around the world. Madonna is the second person, and the first woman, to receive this award. President Bill Clinton was the first recipient of this award in 2013.

Madonna’s support for the LGBTQ community started at the beginning of her career during the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 1980s. She performed at AIDS benefit concerts, created a benefit dance marathon, and spoke out and demanded action at a time when AIDS was too often invisible in the media. Madonna also included a leaflet in her album Like a Prayer entitled “The Facts about AIDS” in which she gave fans crucial information about AIDS.

More recently, Madonna has continued to use her platform to support the LGBTQ community, speaking out against anti-LGBTQ laws, policies, and practices. Madonna has spoken out for LGBTQ equality in Romania, Malawi, Russia and more and she continues to advocate for equality in the United States. She has also spoken against bullying of LGBTQ youth and related LGBTQ youth suicide. In 2013, when presenting Anderson Cooper with the Vito Russo Award at the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards, she dressed as a Boy Scout in protest of the Boy Scouts of America’s ban on gay members. Madonna has also participated in intersectional advocacy, speaking at the first Women’s March on Washington for women’s equality, and speaking out against Trump’s child detention policy.

When responding to the imprisonment of two men who had been jailed in Malawi for marrying, Madonna released a statement that completely summarizes her commitment and support of the LGBTQ community, writing: "As a matter of principle, I believe in equal rights for all people, no matter what their gender, race, color, religion, or sexual orientation. This week, Malawi took a giant step backward. The world is filled with pain and suffering; therefore, we must support our basic human right to love and be loved.”

MAP: Advancing Acceptance for Transgender Youth

Many people don’t understand what it means to be transgender or gender diverse, so some parents and friends may have questions or struggle at first. It’s critical for families to know that their words and actions can have a profound impact on their children.

Today the Movement Advancement Project (MAP), the Biden Foundation, and Gender Spectrum launched a new campaign called “Advancing Acceptance” to raise awareness of the importance of family and community acceptance in the lives of transgender and gender diverse youth. The campaign provides crucial resources for friends and family who may have questions, be struggling with acceptance, or who are looking for ways to support transgender or gender diverse youth.

Click here to read the exclusive story from NBC News.

For transgender youth, sometimes a supportive family can make the difference between a happy, healthy, thriving child—or one at greatly elevated risk of depression, suicidal behavior and other harmful outcomes. Research shows that trans youth with families that support and affirm their gender are at significantly lower risk of experiencing suicidal thoughts or risk, depression, anxiety, or self-harming behaviors. Transgender youth with supportive families are also much more likely to have higher self-esteem and overall health, compared to transgender youth with unsupportive families. Community support matters too; for example, transgender and gender diverse youth with supportive schools, such as those with gender and sexuality alliances (GSAs) or supportive staff and administration, have better health and higher school attendance.

The “Advancing Acceptance” campaign includes the debut of a new ad called “Journeys: The Berman-Ruth & Wylie Families,” which showcases the Berman-Ruth family and their close family friends, the Wylie family, discussing how they have supported their son, Xander, a transgender boy, through his transition.

Watch "Journeys: The Berman-Ruth & Wylie Families" and share it on social media using #advancingacceptance

In addition the campaign includes a new infographic, a clearinghouse of helpful links, tips for advancing the conversation, and policy recommendations geared toward promoting acceptance within families and communities of transgender and gender diverse youth. Learn more at www.advancingacceptance.org.

The Advancing Acceptance campaign encourages supporters of trans and gender diverse youth—including LGBTQ youth, parents, siblings, educators, social service providers, coaches, and others—to share their stories, which will be included as part of the Biden Foundation’s “As You Are” campaign. These stories will help highlight the critical importance of affirming, accepting, and supporting transgender and gender diverse young people.

Tanukichan - Natural

 

Tanukichan, the shoegaze project of Bay Area's Hannah Van Loon released her acclaimed debut album Sundays last summer and spent the rest of 2018 playing shows with Toro y Moi, Kero Kero Bonito, and Frankie Cosmos. Next week, Tanukichan will embark on a run of European dates, which will be followed by a North American spring tour opening for The Drums. Ahead of those dates, she's shared a new music video for "Natural," premiering today on Gorilla Vs. Bear, who call the song "effervescently buzzing."

Ad Guru Aaron Walton and Film/TV Director Cheryl Dunye join Revry’s Rock Star Board

LGBTQ streaming network, Revry announces the expansion of what CEO, Damian Pelliccione, calls his 'Rock Star Advisory Board' - world class leaders in the fields of technology and entertainment. “An Advisory Board is crucial for any startup,” says Pelliccione. “Our rock stars not only bring years of expertise and experience to help with navigating obstacles, but they’ve given us access to their networks and colleagues, helping us better strategize and realize Revry’s incredible opportunity for growth and contributions to our LGBTQ+ community.”

Revry is the first queer global streaming network, available in 35 million homes in over 100 countries, with a uniquely curated selection of LGBTQ+ film, series, and originals along with the world’s largest queer libraries of groundbreaking podcasts, albums and music videos. Revry is available worldwide on seven OTT, mobile, and online platforms, and hosts the exclusive LGBTQ+ channels on Pluto TV and XUMO.

Newest advisor Aaron Walton, the black gay award-winning founding partner of full service ad agency Walton Isaacson, understands the next generation of queer media and how diversity leads to dynamic innovation. "As the LGBTQ community continues to redefine what it means to be ‘out and prideful’ in the modern era, this audience has longed for media outlets reflective of the digital age to connect culturally,” says Walton. “The simple brilliance of creating Revry fills that gap. Revry's orientation within the digital distribution environment means that global reach is without boundaries, with possibilities that have yet to be defined.”

Pelliccione is honored to include Walton onto the board as well as groundbreaking and award-winning filmmaker Cheryl Dunye, whose focus on queer storytelling will help Revry craft diverse content and develop creators who speak for current and future generations.

Dunya currently directs for a slate of incredible shows such as Ava DuVernay's QUEEN SUGAR for OWNTV, Lena Waithe’s THE CHI and DEAR WHITE PEOPLE. Dunye explains “Revry is doing exactly what my 30-year career as a filmmaker has been founded on — putting stories from the margins at the center where they belong. Full stop. Revry is also committed to fostering the development of young and emerging LGBTQ talents from all backgrounds, all while giving us a powerful sense of agency as a community and as storytellers. We have great things to do together on this front in the coming few years, and I look forward to working with the team at Revry to advance their dynamic content and business goals on every level.” 

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Revry's Pelliccione and his three founding partners (Alia J. Daniels, Christopher Rodriguez and LaShawn McGhee) also count among their advisors entertainment powerhouse Rod Perth, the former president of USA Networks, Reelz Channel, Jim Henson Productions and President & CEO of the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE). Revry’s first advisor Timothy Mohn is a five time entrepreneur, venture investor, scientist, and engineer who was recently CTO at Fullscreen (acquired by AT&T) and creator of the HBO GO App. Other advisors include Jessica Casano-Antonellis, VP of Communications of Disney Streaming Services as well as Grindr's sales guru Steve Levine, Conde Naste's Them founder Jenna Trabulus and social media strategist and community builder Matt Skallerud.

Currently, Revry is making investing in the queer community a family affair by launching an equity crowdfunding campaign on SeedInvest. Revry's streaming network brings the queer experience to the world through its diverse mix of films, series, music, podcasts and originals. Revry is committed to inclusion and creating a space for all voices in the LGBTQ+ community to be seen and heard.