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.
"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.
Have you had a dating relationship with someone from another city? The typical long distance relationship. I wonder how this style of relationship works, the actual mechanics of attempting to establish closeness when the other person lives in another town. I have, of late, attempted to pursue this style of relationship. Trust me, it is harder than it looks.
As I have grown older my tough-guy, no hugging, "I need my space" policy has worn away. The idea of having a boyfriend whom lived a plane ride, or even a car ride away seemed perfect for my younger self. To see and date on a regular, yet infrequent timetable. I am finding lately that I have unknowingly changed this demeanor. The ginger-swimmer from last fall lived almost two hours away, the Spaniard before him lived in San Francisco. Now, I am finding that a relationship is the little things. The stupid stuff we do together when there is not a time crunch. Dating is not the hot sex. It is the hot sex followed by wandering around the supermarket together, afterward in search of food. Maybe grabbing coffee and just wasting away a morning. Together.
I would never shoot down a hot boy that actually wanted to take on the bag of neurotic strangeness that is me, just because he lives an hour north of my town, it is not a deal breaker. It just seems I am scratching my head at the extra time it takes to build that level of closeness when time is so limited.
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.
David Smith, the owner of Stonewall Fitness,
holds a degree in exercise science from Metropolitan State University
of Denver, several fitness certifications including ACSM Personal
Trainer and Group Fitness. Smith specializes in
exercise, nutrition and wellness programs for the GLBT community and
leads a variety of different programs, including group fitness classes,
personal training, athletic conditioning programs, educational seminars
and workshops. His passion lies in promoting the physical, mental and
social benefits of exercise and healthy diet to the community by
breaking down the barriers often associated with a healthy lifestyle to
make it accessible for everybody.
Yesterday, Hillary Rodham Clinton made the long-expected announcement of her candidacy for the Democratic nomination of President of the United States.
"With her candidacy formally declared, Mrs. Clinton now has the duty of providing answers to numerous questions that should give LGBT voters and allies pause, regardless of party affiliation," Log Cabin Republicans National Executive Director Gregory T. Angelo stated.
Questions LCR have for Clinton include:
• Does Mrs. Clinton still hold the belief that "marriage had always been a matter left to the states," as she stated to Terry Gross on NPR, less than a year ago?
• If Mrs. Clinton's position has changed, when did it change? And what is the reason for that flip-flop?
• Did Mrs. Clinton support the Federal Defense of Marriage Act, signed into law by her husband President Bill Clinton while she was First Lady?
• Did Mrs. Clinton support the military's discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, signed by her husband while she was First Lady?
• Does Mrs. Clinton support open service for all LGBT Americans seeking to defend our freedoms?
• Given the surge of broad discriminatory so-called "religious freedom" bills emerging across the country, did Mrs. Clinton support the original Religious Freedom Restoration Act signed into law by her husband while she was First Lady upon which this new crop of RFRA legislation is based?
• Although she was a leader on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act while she was a United States Senator, does Mrs. Clinton support more comprehensive civil rights legislation for LGBT Americans?
• Does Mrs. Clinton support full repeal of the Death Tax, the discriminatory tax that prompted the Supreme Court's historic 2013 Windsor ruling overturning Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act that was signed into law by her husband?
• Will Mrs. Clinton be as willing to engage with foreign nations guilty of gross human rights abuses against the gay community as she has been with her foundation?
"Now that her candidacy is official, we hope Mrs. Clinton answers these questions expeditiously," Angelo concluded. "The gay left may be willing to make assumptions about Mrs. Clinton's support for the LGBT community, but Log Cabin Republicans will not."
A national Mississippi-based finance company fired a transgender man after he refused to agree to dress and be treated as female, according to a federal employment discrimination lawsuit filed today by civil rights advocates.
Tristan Broussard, 21, was hired by Tower Loan as a manager trainee in the company’s Lake Charles, Louisiana branch in February 2014. After he started the job, company officials learned that he is transgender and asked him to sign a document stating that his “preference to act and dress as male” was not “in compliance with Tower Loan’s personnel policies,” according to the complaint. He refused and was fired.
Tower Loan is a privately owned company with 180 locations in five states. Broussard is represented by the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), Altshuler Berzon LLP, and Delaney & Robb Attorneys at Law LLC.
“I was well qualified to do my job but was fired solely because of my gender,” Broussard said. “Rather than being treated like any other male employee, my employer told me I would be fired unless I dressed and acted as if I were female. The treatment I went through was inexcusable. It was wrong to be fired for who I am.”
The suit alleges that Tower Loan’s termination of Broussard violated Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the federal law that protects employees from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin. Courts across the country have repeatedly recognized that Title VII’s prohibition on sex discrimination protects transgender workers.
'Exploitation' is the debut single from Hairless Toys, Róisín Murphy's first album since 2007's Overpowered. As she explains, "As a grown up in this industry and someone who has always had a huge involvement in the visual side, it felt like it was time I took complete control of my image. I had a crystal clear vision for this video, after all I've had 8 years of collecting references and inspiration building up to it. It's the story of an actress and a love affair. It's about selling out, manipulation and exploitation within creative work and in a relationship. It's ironic because as my own director I'm exploiting myself (if that's possible) but I am manipulating you."
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.
"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.
"I was lucky to have such a talented individual on my team, and I am equally lucky to have made a lifelong friend in Jeremy," said first lady Michelle Obama, who commended Bernard for his work at the White House in the last four years. Bernard, who is openly gay, was the first man ever named to the position.
"This is a civil rights victory consistent with our founding principles," said Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez in a post on the Department of Labor's blog. "It will mean a more dynamic and inclusive workforce that captures the talents of more of our people."
The White House this week indicated that it supports efforts to ban the practice of "conversion therapy," which aims to change the sexual orientation of LGBT minors. The White House expressed its stance in a statement that was posted alongside an online petition stemming from the suicide of a transgender teen in December. The statement did not explicitly call for a federal ban on the practice but encouraged states to take action on the issue.
Today, Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy, M.D., the United States Surgeon General, joined a growing chorus of high-profile advocates looking to support LGBT youth and put an end to the dangerous and discredited practice of conversion therapy. His statement comes two days after the White House released a statement in response to a petition prompted by the death of Leelah Alcorn, a transgender teenager from Kings Mills, Ohio, who took her own life in December 2014 after facing years of rejection and enduring conversion therapy.
In a statement presented by White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett on April 8, the White House called for state and federal action to protect minors from conversion therapy. Today, on a call with petition signatories, the Surgeon General weighed in as well: “Being gay is not a disorder. Being transgender is not a malady that requires a cure. Had I been Leelah Alcorn’s physician, I would have told her exactly that. And that’s the message I want other doctors, nurses, health professionals, and public health leaders to help get out to parents and children who may be confronting these issues.”
National Center for Lesbian Right’s (NCLR) #BornPerfect Campaign Coordinator and Staff Attorney Samantha Ames said: “Yesterday, the President of the United States send a clear message to LGBT youth all across the country: You matter. Today, the Surgeon General sent them another message: You are not broken. Tonight, an LGBTQ child who has been trapped in the closet for as long as they can remember will draw on the courage of our nation’s highest leaders and experts to declare who they are, with the full support of their President, their Surgeon General, and their country behind them. And it will be clearer than ever that what that child needs, what all children need, is to be accepted, supported, and loved for exactly who they are.”
The Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board has partnered with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), America’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, as the organization’s first national travel partner.
During the partnership, Puerto Vallarta will promote its adventure, gastronomy, cultural, nightlife, romance and family offerings in HRC conferences, dinners and events in 20 cities, including San Francisco, Los Angles, Minneapolis, New York and Chicago.
Participants of the events will have a chance to win stays in Puerto Vallarta with hotel accommodations provided by Casa Cupula, Costa Sur Resort and Spa, Luna Liquida, Marriott CasaMagna and Villa Mercedes. Winners will also have the opportunity to have special dinners at Café des Artists or Sapphire Ocean Club and take Vallarta’s Gay Bar Hopping Tour. Puerto Vallarta’s Vallarta Adventures will provide access to its various activities, including the longest zipline in Mexico and the magical beach destinations of Vallarta’s South.
Puerto Vallarta offers visitors a friendly and supportive environment and has been Mexico’s leading destination for LGBT visitors for decades. Named Gaycities’ 2014 Top Beach Destination, Puerto Vallarta boasts a gayborhood home to an array of gay bars and nightclubs, gay-owned restaurants, hotels, stores, services, and entertainment that put the destination in a league of its own.
Its Vallarta Pride is a 10-day celebration of LGBT culture that starts the international Pride season in May. This year Orange is the New Black’s Lea DeLaria will be its Grand Marshall and appearances have also been confirmed by famed underwear designer by Andrew Christian and Spanish transgender pop-star, La Prohibida.
In recent years, the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board, the entity responsible for promoting the destination in the US and Canada has partnered with the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), GMHC and the International Gay Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) to promote the destination’s diverse tourism offerings. In 2014, Puerto Vallarta became the first Mexican destination to participate in a World Pride with its Noche Alegre event during the World Pride celebrations in Toronto.
Many of #gayvallarta main attractions can be found in the Zona Romantica, a delightfully walk-able and compact area where tourists of all stripes mix and mingle at the beach, in cafes, in restaurants and bars, as well as on the newly widened and covered sidewalks of the neighborhood.
Fans of singer-songwriter Steve Grand, acclaimed for his "All-American Boy" single and music video, now can enter his "Flyaway" vacation giveaway to win a five-day sojourn for two to Key West.
Grand, an openly gay independent artist, is celebrating his debut album's unveiling by teaming with Orbitz, Key West and gay.net to offer the Key West vacation package. It includes round-trip airfare for two, a four-night hotel stay, a wine-tasting sunset sail, stand-up paddleboarding, a gourmet dinner on a secluded resort island and more.
Grand's "All-American Boy" music video debuted on You Tube and has garnered nearly 4 million views.
His album, titled "Steve Grand: All American Boy," was supported by donations from nearly 5,000 of his fans through a Kickstarter project. It is the fifth-most-funded music project in Kickstarter history.
Contest entries will be accepted through April 29, 2015, at www.stevegrand.com/sweeps/, with the Key West vacation giveaway winner to be selected in a random drawing and notified by email. In addition, 10 runner-up winners are to receive an autographed copy of the CD "Steve Grand: All American Boy."
In the wake of the controversy over religious freedom laws in Indiana and Arkansas, most Americans say that a business owner should treat gays and lesbians as they would other customers, even if homosexuality violates that business owner’s religious beliefs. The latest NBC News Online Survey conducted by SurveyMonkey also showed why so many large retailers and corporations spoke out against these laws: 48% of Americans said they would likely boycott a business that refuses to provide services to gays or lesbians.
The poll found that 63% of Americans say business owners should be required to provide products or services to individuals who are gay or lesbian, while 37% say the business owner should be allowed to refuse if homosexuality is against their religious beliefs. But Americans were divided on the issue if the business provides some kind of wedding services.
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence and Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, both Republicans, came under intense criticism over Religious Freedom Restoration Acts in their states, which critics warned could sanction discrimination against gays and lesbians. Politicians, celebrities and business leaders spoke out against the legislation. In Indiana, the Indianapolis-based NCAA expressed concern over the legislation. In Arkansas, the state’s largest employer, Wal-Mart, put pressure on Gov. Asa Hutchinson. In both Indiana and Arkansas, the laws were scaled back.
Half of the poll’s respondents were given slightly different question wording, and the results showed that opinions of some Americans vary regarding the type of business. When asked if a wedding-related business, such as a caterer or photographer, should be required to provide products or services to same-sex couples, 52% said they should provide services, while 48% said they should be allowed to refuse.
Republicans come down in favor of business owners’ religious freedom, with nearly two-thirds saying the owners can refuse to serve gays. This is in stark contrast to the 82% of Democrats and 63% of independents who support equal service for all.
Across all ages and races, Americans say a business must serve gays and lesbians no matter the owner’s religious beliefs. But older Americans and whites have somewhat more conservative views on the issue when it came to wedding businesses.
Among those under 45, a majority say wedding businesses should be required to provide services, but those over 45 say these operations should be allowed to refuse based on the owner’s religious beliefs. Whites are nearly evenly divided on wedding businesses, but not blacks and Hispanics – nearly two-thirds of these groups want businesses to provide services to gays and lesbians.
And among white Americans who identified as being born-again Christians or evangelicals, support for religious freedom for business owners was very strong, with 62% supporting the right of generic business owners to refuse service and 80% saying wedding businesses should be allowed to not provide services.
Forty-eight percent of Americans said they would likely boycott a company that refuses service to gays and lesbians because of the owner’s religious views, while 14% said that would make them more likely to support the business. A large number, 37%, said it wouldn’t make a difference to them. Support for a boycott ran strongest among Democrats and those under 45 years old.
The issues of religious freedom and same-sex marriage are likely to have an impact on the 2016 election. Slightly more Americans say they would vote for a candidate who supports legal gay marriage than one who focuses on conservative social and religious values.
Perhaps most important to the slate of 2016 contenders are a few key groups that can make a difference in an election: young voters, women and independents. A majority of those under 30 say they are more likely to vote for a candidate who supports gay marriage, and a similar number say they are less likely to vote for one who focuses on conservative social and religious values. Twice as many in the 30-44 age group say they would more likely cast a vote for a gay marriage supporter over a conservative values candidate. Nearly half of women said they are less likely to vote for a socially conservative candidate. And among independents, support is 15 points higher for a candidate open to gay marriage than for a socially conservative one.
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. 
