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Nice to See StevieB: Summer

By StevieB

Can you believe that it is almost the end of July? What happened to the future plans of summer? I started to ponder this the other day as I daydreamed; looking upon clouds in the middle of Cheesman Park. Reclining on a blanket with my face looking upon the clouds. The clouds and I shared a lazy agenda, to waste an afternoon. Their plan was to slowly creep across the huge blue sky. My plan was to watch their paced path.
It is funny how, upon the first breath of Spring, the plans for “everything you want to do this summer” become laid. The long path of warm weather. A chance to enjoy. The scheme of being able to look back in September and recite to the class, “How I Spent my Summer.” 

Here we sit at the end of July. How has your plans come along so far? This is fair warning to the end of fair warming. So, maybe the roadtrip to Mount Rushmore isn’t going to materialize for this summer. But, a road trip somewhere will. Get out there! There isn’t much time.

There isn't time, there isn't time
To do the things I want to do,
With all the mountain-tops to climb,
And all the woods to wander through,
And all the seas to sail upon,
And everywhere there is to go,
And all the people, everyone
Who lives upon the earth , to know.
To know a few, and do a few,
And then sit down and make a rhyme
About the rest I want to do.
-Eleanor Farjeon

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

Trump’s Republican presidential nomination acceptance speech shows he “doesn’t get it about LGBTQ people”

The National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund is issuing the following statement regarding GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump’s acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

“Donald Trump’s speech shows that he doesn’t get it about the LGBTQ community. To be sure he admitted that we exist by mentioning us; this will not be a revelation to the American public. But he then went on to demonize undocumented immigrants, over a quarter of a million of whom are LGBTQ people; he gave our broken policing system a free pass on their apparent assault against Black people; doesn’t he realize that there are Black people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer? And he devalued one of the world’s great faiths in his outrageous attack on Muslims; doesn’t he know that there are LGBTQ Muslims and LGBTQ people of all faiths? He doesn’t get the fact that we are everywhere, we belong to every group, we all deserve respect and we all deserve policies that advance freedom, justice and equality. You can’t mention us and demonize us at the same time,” said Russell Roybal, Deputy Executive Director, National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund.

"Trump’s LGBTQ mention does nothing whatsoever to counter or diminish the vehemently anti-LGBTQ views of his running mate Mike Pence and the recently ratified GOP platform which has been described as the most anti-LGBTQ in history. The platform endorses so-called conversion therapy, calls for the banning same sex marriage, rejects LGBTQ families and bans transgender and gender non-conforming people from using restrooms that match their gender identity."

Calling All Drag Queens!

Denver County Fair is calling all Denver drag queens who want to compete for the Miss Denver County Fair title. Naughty Pierre, world famous Burlesque MC, will be the host for the evening and MileHighGayGuy's own Drew Wilson will be one of the judges. Each contestant will receive $100 for participating for the evening and the winner will receive $100 prize, Sash and Crown and a gift basket! 


Each contestant will be judged on the following:
Best County Fair Attire - Urban, Campy or Traditional
Talent - Please prepare a 2-3 minute song, show, act, etc.
Q&A - You will be asked a question by our MC to answer as well
 
Email tracy@denvercountyfair.org by Wednesday, July 27 to register.

Film Review: Lights Out

By Grant Mayotte

© Warner Brothers / New Line Cinema

New Line Cinema’s latest summer offering for horror fans, ‘Lights Out’ will get your heart rate pulsing at moments, but don’t expect much more.

The opening scene of ‘Lights Out’ borrows some of it originality from Wes Craven’s ‘Scream’. There is even a mobile phone involved although we have evolved from the 1996 model. Unfortunately for ‘Lights Out’, ‘Scream’ is still more terrifying 20 years later. What makes ‘Scream’ a superior film is the uncertainty of who will be claimed as the next victim whereas ‘Lights Out’ has very specific targets. ‘Lights Out’ is more about unresolved drama than it is about unexpected terror.

The film follows young Martin (Gabriel Bateman), a boy lives at home with his parents Sophie (Maria Bello) and Paul (Billy Burke). Martin notices that his mom, Sophie, continues to display strange behavior, conversing with an invisible person. When Martin alerts his father, Paul, of his mom’s mental state, the warning comes too late for him to act. Martin comes face to face with his mother’s conversation partner, a shadowed demon named Diana. This encounter forces Martin into a state of insomnia prompting his sister, Rebecca (Teresa Palmer), to retrieve him at school when he can no longer stay awake in class. Rebecca has unresolved drama with her mother who suffers from depression and mental illness. Rebecca maintains her distance from the family, claiming her independence and keeps her friend with benefits, Brett (Alexander DiPersia), at arm’s length. Brett, would very much like to be more significant in Rebecca’s life and is willing to go to the distance to prove his commitment to her even if it means standing in harm's way. Martin mentions to his sister that their mom talks to this friend Diana, which causes Rebecca to flashback to a traumatic childhood memory. Rebecca slowly begins piecing the whole story together and resigns herself to investigating the threat that Diana causes her family. Diana obviously has something to say about that.

The film works best in the scenes where the darkness creates discomfort and the outcome is unpredictable. Diana can only terrorize in the dark so the threat that the characters will lose lighting looms large throughout the whole film. The jump scares, although they are few, are effective and certainly elicited vocal reactions en masse from the audience. Watching ‘Lights Out’ with an audience is perhaps the only way to watch this movie. In my screening, the cries, shrieks, applause and laughter made the viewing experience worthwhile. Without an audience, this could be a tedious watch even with a short 81 minute runtime. The final scene takes a mildly disturbing turn, which is not the least bit satisfying turn in order to wrap things up. Even still, ‘Lights Out’ has enough thrill to it to satisfy those who seek it out.

Looking: The Movie Roundtable Discussion with OUT

In 2013, the HBO original series Looking, a show about a close group of gay men living in San Francisco, began filming. Marriage equality was not yet legal in California, let alone nationwide.  Fast forward two seasons and one movie later and Looking will close its final chapter this summer as marriage equality is the law of the land. In anticipation of the premiere of Looking: The Movie this Saturday, July 23, OUT held a roundtable with the Looking cast and crew.  Actors Jonathan Groff, Murray Bartlett, Frankie J. Alvarez, Daniel Franzese, and Raúl Castillo and creator Michael Lannan all sat down to discuss the HBO show that changed their lives.

A select portion of the Q&A from OUT’s exclusive discussion with the Looking team follows. Find the full roundtable discussion on OUT.com.

OUT: How did you get involved in Looking?

Daniel Franzese (Eddie): During Season 1, my friend asked me if I was watching Looking. I told her there weren’t really guys like me on a show like that. But she said, Why don’t you be the guy? I said, It doesn’t really work like that. Then we had this whole conversation about manifest destiny. I found out that the casting director for Looking was Carmen Cuba who had discovered me for my first movie, Larry Clark’s Bully. I sent her some photos of me and said, Hey, if you ever want to put a bear on the show... I don’t even know what made me do that. I’ve never done that to anybody before. They were already looking for a bear character and Carmen brought me up to Michael and Andrew. They said, Yeah, he’s perfect. It was unusual that it happened like that, but no one in the writer’s room thought of anyone else. I got breakfast with Andrew and he pitched me the role. I did a screen test and got the part. I was meant to play Eddie. It changed my life.

OUT: Was there any hesitation being an openly gay man taking on a gay role?

Jonathan Groff (Patrick): At the audition I broke into a sweat. The first scene I did was the Richie-Patrick scene on the train. I started blushing and sweating. In that moment, I realized that the show would be about very personal things, about being gay. I felt a little nervous because it was vulnerable. The sex, the relationships, the friendships—it all felt real to me. I was excited, but a little sweaty about it. It was so real to life.

Franzese: I look for scripts that are non-discriminating and forward-moving in the genre. I was scared to take Damian in Mean Girls, but then when I read it and saw how he wasn’t being made fun of and was himself and wasn’t ridiculed for his size. That’s why I wanted to play him. Regardless of coming out or not, it took a long time to find a gay role that was going to be just as forward-moving as Damian.

OUT: And was there any hesitation being an openly straight man taking on a gay role?

Frankie J. Alvarez (Agustín): A lot of masculinity on screen is the Ray Donovan type, the strong silent guys who hold everything in. What was really attractive about this project is that these characters weren’t like that. They needed each other. There was a vulnerability and an openness. I had a lot in common with that way of operating. The fact that Agustín was gay was inconsequential. It’s not the first gay character I’ve played and probably won’t be the last. If people found out I was straight after watching the show and were surprised then that meant I did a good job. That was the benchmark for me.

OUT: Were you satisfied with the series ending after Season 2 or was Looking: The Movie a necessary conclusion?

Groff: I didn’t realize how unfinished the story was until I read the screenplay of the movie. When they told us we were going to do a film, I was excited we got to go back and say goodbye. But another part of me was like, What? How are they going to take what we did over a large stretch of time in a season and condense it to 90 minutes? But then, when I read the screenplay, I remembered that the people writing this show are filmmakers and they know how to tell the story in film format, that’s actually their wheelhouse. When I read the screenplay, it sort of dawned on me how unfinished the show was.

OUT: Being 10 or so years apart in age can lead to a vastly different experience growing up gay. How did Looking illuminate the generation gap in the gay community?

Franzese: I came out in 2014, 10 years from when Mean Girls came out. The difference in the climate, politics, equality, is drastic. It’s interesting the movie is about a wedding because when I was asked to do Looking marriage wasn't legal in California. Now here we are making a movie where it is. All the different decades have different accomplishments within queer history. It definitely affects people’s attitudes and relationships, and the way they behave.

UltraViolet Praises NBA for Moving 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte, NC Over Anti-LGBT Law

Recently, the NBA announced that they would be pulling the 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte over North Carolina’s controversial law - HB2 - that prevents transgender individuals from using the bathroom that corresponds with their gender, and nullifies existing LGBT protections passed by North Carolina’s cities.

In reaction to the NBA’s decision, Nita Chaudhary, co-founder of UltraViolet, a national women’s advocacy organization, issued the following statement:

“We applaud Commissioner Silver for finally listening to the thousands of NBA fans who have spoken out against HB2 and for taking a strong stand against discrimination by moving the 2017 NBA All-Star Game to a state where people in the LGBTQ community are not subject to overt harassment and hate.

“The NBA’s decision sends a clear signal to lawmakers around the country that enshrining hate and discrimination into law will never be tolerated or rewarded by professional athletics or the business community.”

“The ball is now in the court of North Carolina state legislators, and the nation is watching.”

Since the passage of HB2 earlier this year, UltraViolet:

• Organized 45,000 members to sign a petition calling on the NBA to move the 2017 All-Star Game.

• Directed hundreds of member calls to the NBA urging on them to move the 2017 All-Star Game.

• Sent a letter to the owners of NBA teams playing in the 2016 playoffs urging them to speak out against North Carolina’s anti-LGBTQ law and call for the 2017 All-Star Game to be moved.

• Launched an online ad campaign on ESPN.com and other sports websites that coincided with the NBA play-offs that asked PepsiCo, one of the All-Star Game’s chief sponsors, to use their influence to urge the NBA to move the game.

Denver Achieves First Major Milestone in Global Effort to End HIV/AIDS Epidemic

Less than a year after becoming only the fourth U.S. city to sign on to a global effort to end the AIDS Epidemic by 2030, Denver has become among the first cities in North America to attain the first major milestone of the United Nations 90-90-90 targets of having 90 percent of people living with HIV know their HIV status.

The announcement was made at a satellite meeting co-hosted by the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) at the 21st International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2016) taking place this week in Durban, South Africa.

Denver joins San Francisco, Amsterdam, Paris, and Kyiv in publishing 90-90-90 data documenting attainment of the first target. Data is available on the Fast-Track Cities website, http://fast-trackcities.org/denver.html.

“Denver has one of the most comprehensive and progressive programs that supports those living with HIV, “said Mayor Michael B. Hancock. “This achievement demonstrates how the collaborative work of all of our partners has contributed to achieving this important milestone.”

The Paris Declaration Agreement was launched in Paris on World AIDS Day in 2014 by the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), as part of an effort to dramatically reduce new HIV infections and future AIDS-related deaths through increasing testing, treatment and education.

In signing the Paris Declaration, Denver agreed to meet the following targets: 

·         90% of people living with HIV know their HIV status.

·         90% of people who are HIV-positive are in care.

·         90% of people who are in care have suppressed viral loads.

·         Zero discrimination, including stigma. 

Denver anticipates attaining the third 90 target, complete viral suppression among those in care, by 2017. To complete achievement of the 90-90-90 targets, a major focus for Metro Denver will now be on addressing the second target: supporting engagement in care for those living with HIV.

The 8th Annual Cherry Creek North Food & Wine: The Flavor of Cherry Creek North

The 8th Annual Cherry Creek North Food & Wine event celebrates the diverse and sophisticated tastes of Cherry Creek North dining paired with wine, beer, spirits, live music and more. The event, which sells out annually, takes place on Saturday, August 13 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Fillmore Plaza (Fillmore Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues).

Twenty-four restaurants will represent the best of Cherry Creek North dining, including four participants that are new to the district this year. The restaurants, all located in Cherry Creek North and renowned for their service, culinary options and quality, will compete for the titles of Best of Show, Best Dessert and People’s Choice.

“Cherry Creek North Food & Wine is the only event that features solely Cherry Creek North restaurants,” said Jenny Starkey, Cherry Creek North BID director of marketing and community relations. “Food & Wine provides the public the opportunity to sample a variety of high quality cuisines from top tier restaurants in Cherry Creek North’s premier event location, Fillmore Plaza.”

Attendees can try several of the area’s restaurants they’ve been meaning to try or have already been to all in one magnificent space. VIP ticket holders, who have early entry to the event at 5 p.m., will get the chance to experience intimate conversations with top chefs, have access to the first tastes from all 24 restaurants, and enjoy presentations by Stranahan’s master distiller and Stella Artois’ brewers.

General admission tickets are $60, and VIP early-entry tickets are $80. Click here to purchase tickets.

Nice To See StevieB: Four-Eyes

By StevieB
 
After what seemed an insane amount of shopping, I have finally bought new glasses. This is my first pair of bi-focal lenses. And, it's the problem I'm having. I spend most of my day unable to see anything. I am constantly looking through the top part of my lens, designed for distance vision, to read and text. Then using the bottom section to drive. The optometrist did warn me, but really. At this point I would see better without glasses at all.

I will; however, keeping trying. But, if you see me without my glasses upon my face, you know not to inquire to their whereabouts. If you see me with my glasses on, I won't see you anyway. So I'll probably step on your foot. I'll apologize now.

My Teenage Angst Goes Gay

My Teenage Angst has created a special edition of their infamous show to feature the teenage tales of people in the queer community. The Queer Edition will be hosted by drag queen superstar Nuclia Waste (aka David Westman) who will share his own “Journal to Jesus,” written while in seminary school 36 years ago.

My Teenage Angst has hosted sold-out events since 2011. Each show features dozens of readers sharing personal teenage tales tucked away in little locked diaries to a room full of strangers. Why would someone want to read their most embarrassing adolescent moments in front of a crowd? Megan Nyce, the host and creator, believes it is therapeutic. “Sharing something from our past that was challenging transforms the memory into a positive experience. The angst is released!” She noticed over the last year the need for a queer edition. “More than half of the people asking to read say their diaries have hidden gay undertones or a ‘I kissed a girl and I liked it’ story.” Readers are rewarded for their bravery with free entry into the show plus a guest ticket for their BFF.

Adults sharing their journals to an audience is an international phenomenon. What makes My Teenage Angst unique from others is that there is no reader pre-screening or curating of the material. Anyone can get behind the microphone and read whatever they want. “That’s what makes the show so exciting. Anything could happen!” says Megan. Each reader is limited to five minutes.

My Teenage Angst – The Queer Edition is July 22nd at 8pm at Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret. Tickets are $20. My Teenage Angst has additional shows open to all readers August 3rd, October 5th, and December 7th. For show details and to learn how to participate by reading, visit www.myteenageangst.com.

U.S. Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) to Take Part in LGBT Civil Rights Summit during Democratic National Convention

United States Representative Jared Polis (D-CO) will appear alongside other LGBT leaders on Tuesday, July 26th from 2:30 – 4:00 pm (ET) at the National Museum of American Jewish History located in Philadelphia, PA.

The Equality Forum’s National Politics Panel will explore issues of importance to the state and future of the LGBT movement, including enacting state and federal workplace protections, eliminating reparative therapy, thwarting bullying, advancing transgender equality, promoting elder quality of life and providing the LGBT community’s place at the table.

“The LGBT civil rights movement is at a pivotal moment having achieved marriage equality with the monumental Supreme Court case Obergefell v. Hodges,” said Malcolm Lazin, Equality Forum’s Founder and Executive Director. “However, the LGBT community continues to face mounting challenges threatening to roll back advancements we’ve made in achieving equality. U.S. Representative Polis will join other top-minds, leading experts and elected officials to discuss what the road ahead will look like for LGBT equality in the shadows of perhaps the most consequential presidential election in a lifetime.”

People Exclusive: Mormon Couple's Marriage Stronger than Ever After Transgender Transition: 'Love Is Bigger than Gender'

For more than five decades, Art Rice lived with a secret unknown to parents, schoolmates, Air Force comrades or family – she's transgender.

But after years of struggling with her identity, the 54-year-old special needs schoolteacher from the conservative small town of Mountain Green, Utah, decided to transition.

After summoning the courage to tell her family, Art, now Angie, was surprised by the love and acceptance she received from her wife, her five children and her extended family. They inspired her to share her story – in the hope that others who feel conflicted about being transgender can find the same confidence to "accept who they are and be happy with their lives."

"For years, I was completely ashamed and scared of what I thought I was, and I was terrified that anybody would find out," Angie, a former Air Force helicopter pilot, tells PEOPLE. "I became an expert at hiding my feelings, even through 27 years of marriage. For the first time, I now feel alive. I now awake each morning, excited for the day. It's an entirely different life for me."

Angie's wife, Sandi Rice, 53, a schoolteacher for visually-impaired children, says that although learning about Angie's secret was difficult, she can't imagine the outcome being different.

"At first, it really shook my identity," Sandi tells PEOPLE. "I thought, 'What does that make me?' But I came to realize that it doesn't change who you are at all. Love is bigger than gender. I learned just how much I can love a person, and how insignificant gender can be."

Born and raised in a small Vermont town within minutes of artist Norman Rockwell's studio, Angie was 8 when she first began to identify with being female.

"My mom had cut my little sister's long hair off before she started preschool," Angie tells PEOPLE, "and she braided it and put it in a special container in her bedroom. When nobody was home, I would go into my parents' room and get that braid. I'd hold it to the back of my head, pin it with my baseball cap and stand there in front of the mirror. I was very afraid that anyone would find out."

In high school, she says, she signed up to play almost every sport and was president of her church's youth group, believing that if she didn't keep busy, "People would be able to see inside of me and discover who I was. I became an expert at hiding my feelings."

After graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1984, she flew as a helicopter pilot for 20 years, meeting Sandi while assigned to Hill Air Force Base in Clearfield, Utah.

"She was running a beauty college and I came in one night to learn how to cut hair," Angie recalls. "I was a macho rescue helicopter pilot, so going to that beauty school was my way of acknowledging what I was trying to hide."

Married in 1988, the Rices raised five children and settled into a comfortable life in Mountain Green, pop. 2,300, with the primary focus of their lives revolving around their Mormon faith. After retiring from the military, Angie became a schoolteacher, and her fear of people discovering her hidden feelings intensified.

"I was afraid that if people found out, I'd be fired from my job," she says. "I wore baggy man pants and shoes that were too big, thinking that would help hide who I was."

Meanwhile, Sandi had her suspicions about the man she had married.

"I knew that there were gender issues even before our first son was born," she tells PEOPLE. "Angie was playing with my makeup one day and asked if I'd put it on her just for fun. The next day when she asked to do it again, I wondered if it was my fault. Ultimately, I decided it wasn't that big of a deal. It wasn't hurting anybody."

It wasn't until Utah's LGBT anti-discrimination bill went into effect in May 2015, that Angie finally felt comfortable revealing that she was transgender to Sandi, their children and her coworkers.

Everybody wept after hearing about the pain she had kept to herself for years, afraid of losing everyone and everything that she loved.

"I'd be proud to still grow up like you," one of their sons, Jacob, told Angie. "Although it was hard, they realized that we're all still a family," Sandi tells PEOPLE. "We all decided to put our fears aside and live for today."

Although parents and teachers at her school have been supportive, says Angie, some members of her Mormon congregation now shun her and Sandi, so they are now looking for new churches to attend.

"I honor their freedom of religion, even though it hurts," Angie tells PEOPLE, "but I ask them please not to act hateful toward me when they see me on the street or when I'm out with my family. Everybody's dignity is worth the same. I don't want any more than anybody else has."

"I felt betrayed by our church," adds Sandi, "but I did not feel betrayed by Angie. Our future looks a lot different now than when we got married, but we'll figure it out. I can't imagine living my life without her."

Now undergoing hormone therapy, "I no longer feel trapped – I've broken out of that prison that held me captive my entire life," Angie says. "I know it won't be easy, but through love, we'll find a way."

Angie brushes away tears as she recalls the morning after she gathered her family around to deliver her life-changing news. "Sandi," she told her wife, "this is the first time in my life when I put my head on my pillow and went to sleep peacefully. I think I experienced what it feels like to die."

Sandi paused, then replied, "That's not true, Angie. You've experienced what it feels like to be alive."

National LGBTQ Task Force mourns the death of visionary leader Jeff Montgomery

LGBTQ leader Jeff Montgomery died yesterday in Detroit aged 63.

“Jeff’s work leaves a lasting legacy and imprint on the LGBTQ movement in the United States and beyond. We are deeply saddened by the loss of this most precious friend,” said Sue Hyde, director of the Creating Change Conference.

“Jeff attended many Creating Change Conferences, including the two held in Detroit in 1995 and 2008. He presented innumerable workshop sessions — training and educating our movement about anti-violence tactics and strategies, one of his great missions in life. Jeff lent his skills and wisdom to many in our movement, young and old, people of all races and classes, all folk who shared his abiding passions for LGBTQ freedom, justice and equity. He will be so missed by so many for so long. Rest in Peace and Power, Jeff.”

Jeff’s partner, Michael, was murdered in anti-gay hate crime in Detroit in the mid-1980s. Jeff coped with this devastating personal tragedy and turned his anger and frustration at the lack of police investigation of the murder into a strong and durable LGBTQ movement in his home state of Michigan. Jeff, with others, founded the Triangle Foundation in 1991, which focused its efforts on supporting victims of hate crimes. Jeff served as its executive director from the founding until 2007.

In 2010, the Triangle Foundation evolved into Equality Michigan, following a merger with Michigan Equality. Jeff being Jeff, he and Triangle expanded the work to include advocating for nondiscrimination laws and policies, taking Triangle’s energies and people to Lansing, the state capital, and then, to Washington DC. Jeff attended and participated in and organized his beloved Michiganders to march in Marches on Washington for LGBTQ people and their civil rights and dignity. Jeff also devoted his time and energy to ending police stings in cruising areas around Michigan. He staunchly advocated for sexual freedom for all.

To preserve and highlight the legacy of Jeff's incredible work, consider a donation to fund the documentary of his life, "America, You Kill Me" at http://www.jeffreymontgomery.org/.