Obama addresses LGBT rights in Jamaica visit

President Barack Obama on Thursday evoked LGBT rights as he commended the work of LGBT advocate Angeline Jackson at a meeting with activists and young leaders in Jamaica, where consensual same-sex acts are a crime. 

Obama noted in his speech that Jackson, a lesbian, is a remarkable leader because "instead of remaining silent, she chose to speak out and started her own organization to advocate for women like her, get them treatment and get them justice and push back against stereotypes and give them some sense of their own power."

Bearracuda Returns for Denver Pride 2015!

Bearracuda is back at for Gay Pride in Denver and they are returning to City Hall (303 Magazine Award for Best Events Venue)!

The party is bringing back DJ WAYNE G from London and a passel of new Denver go-go bears and nearly 1500 men at Bearracuda.

And if you're the type who can never get enough bearish fun, don't miss the Bearracuda Heretic Cruise 2016!

Announcing RuPaul's DragCon - the first drag convention in HERstory!

What do you get when you mashup Comic-Con, BeautyCon and Hello Kitty Con? RuPaul’s DragCon, of course. It’s the first ever convention that celebrates “the art of drag, queer culture and self-expression for all” and will launch May 16-17 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

RuPaul’s DragCon will kick off the Gay Pride season with a fierce new twist. DragCon creators expect several thousand attendees to experience a glittering weekend with the largest ever gathering of drag queens and gay icons. The convention will feature over 100 vendors and exhibitors, panel discussions, screenings, autographs, and photo opportunities.

Spearheaded by RuPaul and World of Wonder, RuPaul’s DragCon will give a platform for fans – gay and straight - to meet and interact with world famous drag queens and other celebrity guests in a fan friendly environment. DragCon will include a wide range of programming:

· “SECRETS OF A PAGEANT QUEEN”

· “REAL WOMEN LOVE DRAG”

· “EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT TUCKING BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK”

· “MONEY! SUCCESS! FAME! GLAMOR! “

There will also be Q&A sessions with the queens themselves, as well as fashion, make-up and styling workshops (“She-crets of a Drag Queen”) for men and women.

Attendees can expect to shop the floor for shoes, apparel, art and many other fabulous products.

“I am thrilled to bring this one-of-a-kind event to Los Angeles,” said RuPaul. “DragCon is not just a showcase for the most talented drag queens in the world. It’s a chance for all lovers of drag culture – young and old, gay and straight - to come together, to inspire each other, and to let their freak flags fly high.”

“The arrival of DragCon is inevitable! The passion and momentum that surrounds the art of drag is truly unstoppable,” said World of Wonder co-founders, Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey.

Scheduled to appear are RuPaul, Lady Bunny, Michelle Visage, Martha Wash, Linda Clifford, Peter Paige, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Teri Nunn, Coco Peru, James St. James, Peaches Christ, Chi Chi LaRue, G.LO.W., Hot Chocolate, and Courtney Stodden, as well as the crowned queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race, Bianca del Rio, Jinkx Monsoon, Chad Michaels, Sharon Needles, Raja, Tyra Sanchez, and Bebe Zahara Benet. Plus, more Drag Race royalty including Jujubee, Alyssa Edwards, Latrice Royale, Delta Work, Detox, Willam, Ivy Winters, Katya, Morgan McMichaels, Kandy Ho, Manila Luzon, Jade Sotomayor, Victoria "Porkchop" Parker, Darienne Lake, Tatiana, Laganja Estranja, Mariah Balenciaga, Jasmine Masters, Sasha Belle, Jiggly Caliente, Yara Sofia, Kelly Mantle, Mystique Summers Madison, Jessica Wild, Mimi Imfurst, Honey Mahogany, Venus D Lite, Pearl, Tempest Du Jour, Gia Gunn, Joslyn Fox, Mrs. Kasha Davis, Tammie Brown, Jade Jolie, and Ongina. Many more names will be announced in the coming weeks.

Tickets are currently on sale at www.rupaulsdragcon.com starting at $30. VIP Experience tickets are also on sale. Fans can purchase photos and autographs at the show. For more info follow DragCon @RuPaulsDragCon, or Facebook /RuPaulsDragCon.

NCLR Welcomes Congresswoman Speier’s Resolution Calling on States to Protect LGBT Youth from Conversion Therapy

Today, U.S. Congresswoman Jackie Speier (CA-14th) introduced the “Stop Harming Our Kids” (SHOK) Resolution of 2015, calling on states to pass laws protecting LGBT youth from conversion therapy, a set of dangerous and discredited practices that falsely claim to be able to change sexual orientation and gender identity. Congresswoman Speier has been a longtime advocate for efforts to end conversion therapy, having introduced a similar resolution in 2012. Her move comes one week after the White House, Surgeon General, and other national leaders joined the call to support LGBT youth by ending these ineffective and harmful practices for good.

“We applaud Congresswoman Speier for her genuine leadership and commitment to protecting young people and their families from the dangers of these widely discredited practices,” said National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) Executive Director Kate Kendell. “We are proud to stand with the Congresswoman in urging every state to adopt legislation to ensure that no young person or vulnerable family is exploited by mental health professionals peddling devastatingly harmful psychological practices to fix something in our children that was not broken in the first place.”

NCLR #BornPerfect Campaign Coordinator Samantha Ames added: “We are honored to fight shoulder to shoulder with Congresswoman Speier, as we have for years, to finally put an end to conversion therapy for good. While the events of the last week have been historic, the introduction of the SHOK Resolution marks the next step in a much longer journey. Today is not a day to declare victory, but a day to recommit ourselves to the vision of a world where no child contemplates taking their own life just because they are LGBTQ.”

NCLR started its Youth Project more than two decades ago to ensure the safety and well-being of LGBT youth at home, in school, and in public systems of care through litigation, policy advocacy, and systemic reform. The project prioritizes full integration and affirmation of transgender youth, fair and equal treatment of LGBT youth in out-of-home care, and ending conversion therapy through NCLR’s #BornPerfect™ campaign.

NCLR has been at the forefront of efforts to protect youth and their families from conversion therapy for more than two decades and, alongside the Human Rights Campaign and state equality groups, has helped pass legislation in California, New Jersey, and the District of Columbia. NCLR launched its #BornPerfect™ campaign last year to stop conversion therapy across the country by 2019 by passing laws, fighting in courtrooms, and raising awareness about the serious harms caused by attempts to change a young person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Learn more about the #BornPerfect™ campaign.

Jeffrey Tambor, Jonathan Groff and Other Stars Come Out in New York to Support LGBTQ Students

Actors Jeffrey Tambor and Jonathan Groff  (Photo by D Dipasupil/Getty Images for Point Foundation)

More than 400 guests attended the annual Point Honors gala in New York last night to support higher education opportunities for LGBTQ students. Golden Globe Award-winning actor Jeffrey Tambor, Tony Award Nominee Jonathan Groff, and Tim Hanlon, President of the Wells Fargo Foundation and an Executive Vice President at the Wells Fargo company, were honored at the event. 

The evening celebrated the accomplishments of Point Foundation (Point) scholarship recipients. The event, held at the landmark New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue, raised over half a million dollars for Point, the nation’s largest scholarship-granting organization for LGBTQ students of merit.

The program opened with remarks from former Grey’s Anatomy star T.R. Knight, acknowledging that “although the path to LGBTQ equality is a long one: with setback and obstacles, we take every step forward together,” he said, setting the tone for an incredible evening. Actress and Point Honors co-chair, Judith Light presented the first award of the night to Tim Hanlon. The Point Impact Award was given to the long time Wells Fargo executive for his leadership supporting charitable employee initiatives that have resulted in over a billion dollars donated in the past four years, including Point Foundation. Wells Fargo currently supports 10 Point Foundation Scholarships.

Spring Awakening Director Michael Mayer presented Jonathan Groff with the Point Horizon Award. During Groff’s acceptance remarks, he spoke to the audience of what organization’s like Point Foundation mean to the LGBTQ community, thinking back to his time playing the character of Melchior in Spring Awakening. Groff described Melchior as a brave rebellious free independent thinker who wouldn't let the world define him. "This to me is a description of the Point Foundation Scholars and Alumni," Groff said. "These scholars are breaking ground and inspire all of us with their bravery and vision, at perhaps the moment in life when it is the hardest to say who you are. I wish that I had an ounce of their courage at that time of my life. I worship your ability to speak your truth,” he directed toward the scholars in the audience. “I wish that I could have been as brave as you are right now.”

Gaby Hoffmann presented her Transparent co-star Jeffrey Tambor with the final award of the evening alongside Transparent Director Rhys Ernst. Tambor was recognized with the Point Courage Award for his outspoken support for the transgender community. The actor dedicated his award to the Point Scholars saying “you are the courageous ones in the room. You are the hope of the future and I am so proud to stand here tonight as your ally.” The Point Courage Award recognizes an individual who advocates for the future of the lesbian gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community. “We salute you, and we beg you,” Tambor finished, “change the world.”

Celebrity appearances at Point Honors included Jeffrey Tambor; Jonathan Groff; T.R. Knight; Judith Light; Michael Mayer; Gaby Hoffmann; Brunson Green; Conrad Ricaomora; Miriam Shor; Herb Hamsher; Frankie J. Alvarez; Murray Bartlett; Sara Chase; Stephen Wallem; Jason Collins; Laura Gomez; Brad Goreski; Yael Stone; Lisa Kron; Daphne Rubin-Vega; Kevin Chase; Camryn; and more.

Surveying the sold-out room, Jorge Valencia, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Point Foundation said, “This capacity crowd reflects the ongoing generosity and commitment to LGBTQ students by supporters and sponsors we are grateful to count as partners. Plus our honorees tonight are three magnanimous individuals who are steadfast champions of the LGBTQ community. This is an exciting evening of empowerment and hope.”

A number of Point’s 80 current scholars and some of the Foundation’s 187 alumni joined celebrities onstage and shared with the audience their inspiring stories about the challenges overcome in pursuit of a higher education degree. Point Foundation will announce the recipients of its 2015–2016 scholarships in June 2015.

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.

Aiden Leslie - I Just Go

Gay singer-songwriter Aiden Leslie has debuted the music video for his brand new single "I Just Go," which is available on iTunes today.

HRC to Reeling Governor Pence: Don’t Pay for PR Advice, We’ll Give It to You for Free

Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) reacted to news that the state of Indiana’s Economic Development Corporation has retained a public relations firm to help repair the damage caused by the recent passage of anti-LGBT legislation that led to a national outcry. The news emerged the same day that new polling commissioned by HRC revealed that 75 percent of Hoosiers believe the legislation damaged the state’s economy—and that Governor Mike Pence’s approval rating has dropped by nearly 20 points since February.

“’Hoosier hospitality’ is on life support, and Governor Mike Pence has only himself to blame, but now he’s passing the bill on to Indiana’s taxpayers by forcing them to pay for high-dollar public relations advice to fix the damage,” said HRC’s Vice President for Communications Fred Sainz. “But I’ve got good news for the governor—this twenty-year PR flack is happy to pass along some tips for free. Pledge to support and sign non-discrimination legislation early next legislative session that protects all Hoosiers—it’s quick, cheap, easy, and a sure-fire way to end up on the right side of history.”

Countless Hoosiers called on Governor Pence to take precisely this action—including a front-page editorial in the Indianapolis Star, a coalition of dozens of Indiana-based and national corporations, and the Freedom Indiana coalition. With all this good advice being offered to Governor Pence pro bono, Hoosiers could be forgiven for wondering why he isn’t listening. Indiana’s current legislative session ends tomorrow.

Magic Mike XXL - New Channing Tatum character poster revealed

Warner Bros. Pictures has revealed Channing Tatum's character poster for the hotly anticipated sequel Magic Mike XXL, in theaters nationwide on July 1.

ACLU of Colorado: Stop criminalization of homelessness in Colorado

From Nathan Woodliff-Stanley, Executive Director, ACLU of Colorado:

Sleep, food, water, and shelter: the basic requirements for human survival. But what happens when you can’t afford a home or food for your family and the shelters don’t have any beds? Where would you sleep? How would you eat?

For many Coloradans, it has meant turning to the streets, asking for help, and catching a few hours of sleep when and where they can.

Rather than providing assistance and helping people get back on their feet, cities across Colorado have responded by passing and enforcing cruel and inhumane laws that make homelessness a criminal condition.

A new law, which will be heard in the state legislature this Wednesday, will ensure that all people, regardless of their economic circumstances or social status, have the right to rest and move about in public places without fear of being ticketed, harassed, or arrested.

Please tell legislators to vote YES on HB 1264 and support the Right to Rest Act.

In many Colorado cities, sitting or lying down is illegal. Police have arrested and charged people for using a backpack as a pillow or for covering themselves with a blanket on a cold night. Some cities have made sharing food a crime. According to a recent report, 90% of people who are homeless report being ticketed, arrested, or harassed by police over basic acts of survival, like sleeping or going to the bathroom.

These measures go far beyond valid restrictions on aggressive or genuinely criminal behavior, and they fill our jails and courts with people who don’t deserve to be there — all on the taxpayers’ dime. They do nothing to address the actual causes of homelessness, just criminalize it, hide it from sight, or drive it somewhere else.

Marriage Equality: On the Verge of Making History

On April 28, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the groundbreaking marriage–equality case, Obergefell v. Hodges. So, HRC created this video for all of us — to show how far we've come together!

Case Study in Political Malpractice: Poll Shows Gov. Mike Pence is Deeply Damaged Following Destructive “Religious Liberty” Fight

Governor Mike Pence finds himself deeply damaged following the fight over Indiana’s “religious refusal” bill that put LGBT Hoosiers at risk for discrimination, according to a brand new poll of Hoosiers by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). And in a warning sign to governors in other states where similar anti-LGBT bills are pending, a stunning 75 percent of Hoosiers report that Pence’s push for the “religious refusal” bill has damaged Indiana’s business climate.

In a state that President Obama lost to Mitt Romney by 10 points in 2012, HRC’s new poll, conducted by Greenberg, Quinlan Rosner Research, finds Pence tied 47-47 in a potential matchup with Democrat John Gregg. The findings show a stunning fall for Pence, who showed high public approval ratings as recently as January and February. A survey of Indiana by Republican pollster Public Opinion Strategies in January and February found Pence had a 66 percent approval rating in January and a 62 percent approval rating in February. HRC’s April poll finds Pence’s personal approval rating essentially tied at 39 percent favorable to 38 percent unfavorable. Separately, 53 percent of voters said the RFRA fight gave them a less favorable impression of Pence.

The poll also found strong opposition to allowing businesses to discriminate against LGBT customers. Read GQR’s polling memo on this HERE.

Maliibu N Helene - Figure 8

On the surface, South Bronx rapper Maliibu Miitch and classically-trained singer & dancer Helene are complete opposites but when they record and perform together, they mesh so perfectly.

But put these two together making music and something clicks. You can hear it on the duo’s songs “Starin’ At It” (produced by Dem Jointz) and current single “Figure 8” (produced by DJ Mustard).

Colorado native, Ace Young, starring in 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'

Colorado native, Ace Young, comes home in the new 2014 national tour of JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT. Directed and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Andy Blankenbuehler, JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT plays The Buell Theatre April 22- 26 only. Tickets are on sale now at Denvercenter.org or by calling 303.893.4100.

Denver Limo – The Hottest Limousines in Denver!

Denver Limousine offers the hottest stretch limousines in Denver Colorado! Whatever the occasion, Denver Limousine’s team of professional drivers and top-of-the-line fleet of vehicles is waiting to serve you.