Judy and Dennis Shepard: The Eugene Ebner Interview

Eugene Ebner recently sat down with Judy and Dennis Shepard, founders of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, at the Denver Four Seasons. They discuss the importance of acceptance and compassion, what their journey has been the last 17 years and how we all can embrace diversity and spread a message of love.

NCLR Applauds Obama Administration’s Groundbreaking Report on Conversion Therapy

Today the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), released “Ending Conversion Therapy: Supporting And Affirming LGBTQ Youth,” a groundbreaking new report that provides accurate information about how conversion therapy harms lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. The report was released this morning and will be discussed in depth by several of the authors this afternoon at a panel moderated by National Lesbian Rights (NCLR) #BornPerfect Campaign Coordinator and Staff Attorney Samantha Ames at at the Utah LGBT Summit, part of the National LGBT Rural Summit Series, hosted by the White House and the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Ogden.

The report confirms that conversion therapy is an inappropriate practice that should not be utilized by mental health practitioners, puts to rest once and for all any remaining claims that sexual orientation or gender identity can or should be changed, and finds that any attempt to do so “perpetuates outdated views of gender roles and identities as well as the negative stereotype that being a sexual and gender minority or identifying as LGBTQ is an abnormal aspect of human development.”

Among the report’s key findings:
Conversion therapy is a practice that is not supported by credible evidence and has been disavowed by behavioral health experts and associations.
Same-gender sexual orientation—including identity, behavior, and attraction—and variations in gender identity and gender expression are a part of the normal spectrum of human diversity and do not constitute a mental disorder.
None of the existing research supports the premise that mental or behavioral health interventions can alter gender identity or sexual orientation.
Interventions aimed at a fixed outcome, such as gender conformity or heterosexual orientation, including those aimed at changing gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, are coercive, can be harmful, and should not be a part of behavioral health treatment.
Informed consent cannot be provided for an intervention that does not have a benefit to the client.
Conversion therapy may put young people at risk of serious harm.
Given that conversion therapy is not an appropriate therapeutic intervention, efforts should be taken to end the practice.

“We could not be more grateful to SAMHSA, HHS, and the entire Obama Administration for producing such an in-depth and lifesaving report, and to the APA for inviting us to the table with such high caliber experts to observe the process. From representing LGBTQ youth institutionalized for their identity to advocating for laws protecting them from physical and psychological abuse, NCLR has been leading the fight to end these dangerous and discredited practices for decades. For the first time in history, advocates are seeing our national leaders prioritize what is too often an issue of life and death for LGBTQ youth. But, more importantly, young people are seeing their heroes stand up for them. We thank President Obama for his strong leadership on this issue and look forward to using the groundbreaking findings of this report to bring about a day when every child knows they were #BornPerfect.” said Ames.

In addition to including recommendations for eliminating the use of conversion therapy through battling discrimination, legislation, and training, the SAMHSA report also includes guidance for families, communities, providers, and educators. Read the full report here.

NCLR has been at the forefront of the fight to end conversion therapy and works closely with legislators and state leaders across the country to introduce bills protecting youth from these dangerous practices, which are associated with extreme depression, substance abuse, and even suicide.

Five jurisdictions—California, New Jersey, Washington D.C., Oregon, and Illinois—now protect LGBTQ youth from the practices, with leaders from several other states planning introduction of similar legislation in the 2016 legislative session.

Last year, NCLR launched its #BornPerfect campaign to stop conversion therapy across the country 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.

Want To Reach Gay Denver? 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.

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.

Stonewall Fitness: By, For, and About Denver’s Gay Community!

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.

Aspen Gay Ski Week Announces 2016 Events

Aspen Gay Ski Week (AGSW), the nation’s largest and oldest gay ski event, returns for its 39th year—from January 17 to 24, 2016. Presented by LOGO, Aspen Gay Ski Week will again benefit AspenOUT, which has promoted tolerance, understanding and diversity through education, community action and service since 1996.

“We welcomed nearly 5,000 guests in 2015 and look forward to surpassing that number in 2016,” remarked AspenOUT President, Kevin McManamon. “Aspen Gay Ski Week injects over $1.5 million into the local economy in one week, selling 2,500 hotel room nights and thousands of ski lift tickets.”
 
For its 39th year, AGSW guarantees another forgettable year with a wide array of events—from dance parties to the popular après-ski events, perfect for unwinding after a vigorous day on the slopes. Each afternoon during Aspen Gay Ski Week, Limelight Hotel is the site for après-ski parties from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Attracting up to 1,000 daily, these events feature DJ entertainment, free gifts from sponsors, a hospitality suite, heated pool and two hot-tubs.

New York Attorney General Answers HRC’s Call, Launches Antitrust Inquiry Into Turing Pharmaceuticals’ Distribution Practices

Today, at the urging of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the New York attorney general has begun investigating whether Turing Pharmaceuticals, which recently imposed an unconscionable 5000 percent price hike on the life-saving drug Daraprim, may have violated antitrust laws by limiting its distribution. Chad Griffin, President of HRC, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, released the following statement:

“We are thrilled that Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is answering HRC’s call to get to the bottom of whether Turing and CEO Martin Shkreli violated antitrust laws by limiting distribution of a drug that is essential to the lives of medically vulnerable people, including those living with HIV, and women who are pregnant. This is a promising first step to holding Shkreli accountable for greedy price gouging, as well as his failure to live up to a recent promise to roll back the egregious price hike. We will continue to call on Turing to restore fair pricing for Darapirm, and urge our nation’s elected officials to tackle with vigor the deep problems in our nation’s drug pricing system.”

HRC has also sent letters to Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Chair of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), Chair of the Committee on Energy and Commerce; and Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), Chair of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, seeking an investigation into the actions of Turing Pharmaceuticals, which increased the price of Daraprim overnight from $13.50 to $750 per tablet. The letters also called for an inquiry into Turing’s acquisition of Daraprim, the pricing strategy for the drug, investments made to bring the drug to market, the impact of that strategy on patient access, and the increased cost to federally-funded health programs. And they requested a hearing on formulary and tiering structure for prescription medications offered through health exchanges.

Additionally, using the hashtag #rollitback, HRC is asking its more than 1.5 million members and supporters to keep the pressure on Turing Pharmaceuticals, and Shkreli, to roll back the price of the drug immediately.

Experts and Advocates Gather to Release Groundbreaking Guide to Assisting LGBT Asylum Seekers

On Thursday October 15th, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, will host a panel discussion and presentation with the LGBT Freedom and Asylum Network (LGBT-FAN), and National LGBTQ Task Force, partners in a new publication, Stronger Together: A Guide to Supporting LGBT Asylum Seekers.

Log Cabin Republicans Thank GOP Superfriends

Last week at the Log Cabin Republicans Spirit of Lincoln Event, LCR debuted a video salute to the "Superfriends" -- GOP champions of LGBT equality who have gone on record with more than rhetoric in support of equal rights for all: they've all voted in favor of pro-gay legislation.

Pet Portraits By Maurice Becnel

Immortalize your furry friends with a pet portrait by Maurice Becnel. Clients admire Becnel's ability to capture the essence of a pet's personality in his work.

Says Becnel, "Painting animal portraits, for me, is more fun than it is work. I began painting them several years ago. The first one I did was for a friend on her birthday. Because it was a gift it never dawned on me that other people would commission me to do more. Word got out and before I knew it more and more of the emails I was receiving from my website were going to the dogs! And cats!"

Nice To See StevieB: War Is Hell

By StevieB

I have been putting off writing a declaration of peace. Like a peace accord with a bitter enemy, that is now humble in defeat. I guess it would be more like The Japanese Instrument of Surrender, the written agreement that formalized the surrender of the Empire of Japan, marking the end of World War II. This symbolic act of writing has been weighting on my mind for several years now. I begin to think about it, how I would express my love and admiration, toward my fellow warriors, then for some reason, maybe due to Post-traumatic stress disorder, I had not.

After two years, it is time.

It was about two years ago when I fell into the deepest and darkest of depressions. I pulled away from everyone and everything. I turned completely introverted. I had a struggle, no. A war on my hands to stay standing. To not give into the dark. During this time, I did not explain my war to anyone. It was a fight of one. A secret battle that sparked up again daily. How would anyone help in this fight? How could I even explain the tactics that the enemy was using? The enemy could not be identified. They wore no uniforms. They had no insignia. How do you plan an attack on a sneaky enemy that was invisible? My only defense was to quote Trinity’s line from the Matrix, “Get up, Trinity, get up!” I kept moving. I just kept getting up, every day. During this time of introversion, I do remember one detail. Some friends that I ghosted upon, instead of being alerted, simply left the battle field. I had not raised the alarm, but they avoided the sound of cannon fire.

Two people grabbed whatever defenses they had, and joined the fight.

Upon de-friending Mike, on Facebook, he immediately called my phone until I picked up. He refused to buy any line I threw at him. He would not step away from my side. He had no ammunition, he was unarmed. His very presence began to scare away the enemy.

The constant connection of Patrick, not letting me withdraw, was a constant reminder that I have the strength to tackle and defeat any dark army that wanted to steal me away.

With an army of three, the defenses were built. The stone walls of the stronghold were secured. There were only three men atop the wall. But, victory came slowly and precisely. They are warriors; and should be honored and decorated as so. Their dedication should be known. I can proudly say that I am a stronger solider because of what I saw in the battles that encompassed the war. Now, the cannons have fallen silent. There is a field of beautiful wild flowers where the battlefield once raged…Just a simple, peaceful valley. 

"Without heroes, we are all plain people, and don't know how far we can go." --- Bernard Malamud

This post originally appeared on Steven Bennet's website Nice to See StevieB. Republished with permission.

 

The Feline Fix, Colorado's Leading Spay/Neuter Source for Community Cats

Divine Feline is Colorado’s leading spay/neuter source for free roaming (“community”) cats and a significant provider of spay/neuter services for pet cats, all through their in-house clinic, The Feline Fix. 

To date The Feline Fix has performed more than 27,000 spay/neuter surgeries, preventing the births of hundreds of thousands of unwanted cats in Denver and surrounding communities. 

For more information about the clinic, or to request a reservation for your tame, stray or feral cats, please click here. 

Divine Feline is a Colorado nonprofit corporation and a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. All contributions are tax deductible. To make a donation please click here.

The Arvada Center hosts one-night engagement "The Mitzvah Project"

The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities will host a special engagement, The Mitzvah Project, a one-person performance and lecture in the Main Stage Theatre on Thursday, October 29, 2015 from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. The Mitzvah Project is a combination of theatre, history lesson and conversation in which actor and child of a survivor, Roger Grunwald, explores one of the most shocking aspects of the Jewish experience during the Second World War. Through the story of Christoph Rosenberg, a German half-Jew, the one-person drama — created with director and co-author Annie McGreevey — reveals the surprising history of tens of thousands of German men known as “mischlinge” — the derogatory term the Nazis used to characterize those descended from one or two Jewish grandparents — who served in Hitler’s army. After the lecture, Mr. Grunwald leads a discussion with the audience. 

Reserved tickets range from $25 - $35 and can be purchased by calling the Arvada Center Box Office at 720-898-7200, online at http://arvadacenter.org/the-mitzvah-project-2015 or in person at the Arvada Center Box Office.

Plus Magazine - Mykki Blanco Talks Coming Out as HIV Positive

For its November/December 2015 cover story, Plus magazine talks with rapper and artist Mykki Blanco, who made history earlier this year when he came out as HIV-positive, becoming the only living rapper who acknowledges having the virus. 

Mykki tells Plus how contracting the virus has changed not only his career but also who he is as an artist.  

HIV & PrEP: Denver Brings It Up

Let's talk. No, let's really talk. About HIV. While we have come far, gay and bisexual men continue to bear the greatest burden of this disease in Colorado. Nearly four of out of every five individuals newly diagnosed with HIV identifies as a gay or bisexual man. We still have more work to do to get that number to zero. Let's work together to change the future of HIV/AIDS by talking about testing, PrEP and staying in care.

Since talking about HIV in the heat of the moment can be a buzz kill, why not bring it up before you get it up? By bringing it up, everyone wins.