Come Out. Get Fit With Stonewall Fitness.

Looking for more guidance and direction at the gym? Someone who can help you design a workout to maximize each workout at the gym so you can accomplish more than you ever thought possible? Check out Stonewall Fitness. Whether you're just starting out or looking to mix up your current routine, no matter if your gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer or straight, you can be a part of it.

FERLA - In The Night

 

Giuliano Ferla — known by his surname, FERLA, like the New Hollywood auteurs — makes smooth, solitary sad-bangers. Cinematic yet small-scale, FERLA could just as easily soundtrack a solo walk home as he could a slow-dance.

With an EP and two singles to his name, and a former gig fronting Melbourne band Twin Beasts, FERLA continues to introduce us to his sultry brand of slow-burn, after-dark pop, one song and one heartbreak at a time.

Today, FERLA returns with a new video for his sultry power-ballad, 'In The Night'.

AFT Stands with Transgender Student Gavin Grimm

Today, the American Federation of Teachers joined the National Education Association, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the Service Employees International Union and the School Social Work Association of America in submitting an amicus brief on behalf of Gavin Grimm, the transgender student whose case is coming before the Supreme Court.

The amicus brief argues that: discrimination harms transgender students by stigmatizing them and denying them equal educational opportunities; school policies that respect trans students create a positive climate for all students; Title IX protects trans students, because discrimination against them is gender-based; and the court must make a ruling to avoid confusion. The brief also argues that compelling educators to harm trans students will harm educators and that forcing them to discriminate against or harm their students runs counter to the teaching profession.

In submitting the amicus brief, AFT President Randi Weingarten said, “As educators, we believe every child deserves to feel safe at school. Gavin Grimm is just a kid who wants to be treated like any other. He deserves nothing less, and educators stand with Gavin and every other child seeking the right to live their lives free from bullying, harassment and bigotry. When any of our children feel threatened or unsafe, we will protect them. That is who we are. The need for the Supreme Court to act is only magnified by the Trump administration’s decision to side with bigotry and roll back protections for transgender students. The court now has an opportunity to right an egregious wrong and stand for freedom and equality.”

Debt Free Guys: Why We Must Change from Spenders to Savers

By John R. Schneider, III

If you’re queer, there’s a good chance you’re a spender. Per Prudential’s 2016-2017 LGBT Financial Experience research report, more than 48 percent of the queer community identify as “spenders,” compared to 32 percent of the general population.

Consider these statistics:

· The purchasing power of the queer community is close to $1 trillion.
· Same-sex couples on average earn at least $7,200 more than our straight peers.
· Only 20 percent of same-sex couples have children.
· The cost to raise a child to 18, not including college, is $245,000.

Despite our higher incomes, stronger purchasing power, and fewer responsibilities, we only have $6,000 more in savings compared to our straight peers and our median household consumer debt is $28,000.

Equality Rights

Many in the queer community are concerned about how the Trump Administration. We don’t yet know the full effects of the new administration. This is why queer spenders need to become queer savers.

A pillar of a strong queer community is financially strong queer individuals. Financial strength gives us both the money and time to continue to fight for equality. We must fund the organizations and causes fighting for equality. We must donate our time and presence to these causes.

We can’t be distracted by student loans or mortgages for the sake of our financial independence and civil rights. The financially stronger we are as individuals, the stronger we are as a community and the better equipped we are to fight for equality.  

State-Level Risks

Many state-level still have outdated language and rely on old precedence. Many still discriminate against queer people, such as preventing trans people from officially using the gender with which they identify.   

28 states lack non-discrimination employment protections for gays and lesbians. Only 14 of those states include trans protections. While we can legally marry in all 50 states, we can be fired in 28 without recourse for putting pictures of our spouses on our desks.

Because of these risks, we must become savers and adequately fund emergency savings accounts. Traditionally we should save between three to six months’ worth of living expenses in this account. Queer people who live in states with fewer protections should save at least three months’ worth.

Long-Term Care Concerns

Long-term care (LTC) includes professional help at home with basic needs, retirement villages for more enhanced care, and assisted living for physical assistance.

Many facilities don’t offer training on caring for LGBT people. With the average annual cost for a basic nursing home being $80,000, we may lose our autonomy as we lose our health. Consequently, many queer people go back in the closet to avoid discrimination and abuse.

Therefore, we need adequate retirement savings. We need long-term care and life insurance. We need durable power of attorneys and living wills.

It’s imperative that the queer community not spend all our higher than average annual incomes. We must use our disposable incomes to fight for equality and to protect ourselves.

Are You Gay With Something To Say? Bloggers Wanted For 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.
 
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OUT in Theaters: Contemporary Color

David Byrne's Contemporary Color documentary will be released theatrically this Friday, March 3rd. 

In the summer of 2015, David Byrne staged an event at Brooklyn's Barclays Center to celebrate the creativity of Color Guard: synchronized dance routines involving flags, rifles, and sabers, colloquially known as "the sport of the arts."

Register for Transformative Justice's Spring Training

Transformative Justice is for People of Color who also identify as trans*, Two Spirit, queer, LGB, and same gender loving and addresses interpersonal violence using community-based interventions. 

Denver Transformative Justice Collective are a queer collective supporting community-centered solutions to violence within our queer/trans* communities, families, and organizations and are a resource for people experiencing violence in relationships and community spaces who seek support in identifying and pursuing empowering solutions that do not rely on police.

Washington DC Named Finalist to Host Gay Games XI in 2022

Washington, DC’s bid to host Gay Games XI has been named one of three finalists for the games to be held in July of 2022. Washington was chosen from among eight bidding cities and will join Guadalajara (MX) and Hong Kong (CN) in the final round to determine which city will be chosen.

“We are thrilled and honored to have reached the final round of this bid process,” said Brent Minor, Chair of the Gay Games Washington DC 2022 (GGDC2022) Bid Committee. “Now, we will intensify our efforts to bring the Games here in 2022. We know that Washington will be a fantastic host for LGBTQ athletes from around the globe and we can’t wait to put our city on display for the world.”

As a finalist, DC will receive a visit from the Federation of Gay Games (FGG) for a site visit in early May. The delegation will visit and inspect all proposed sites for Games events, evaluate the logistics for the Games, and appraise the level of community support for the bid.

“We will host a large community rally to show the FGG how deep the support for this bid is in DC,” said Minor. “It’s vital to the bid’s success to show how much DC wants to host these Games. We want everyone in DC, not just the LGBT community, to join us to support this event.”

Following the site visit, the bid committee will be invited to make a formal presentation at the FGG Annual Meeting in Paris this fall.

GGDC2022 is looking for volunteers to help plan and execute the site visit, community rally, and, ultimately if DC is chosen as the host, the Gay Games. For more information on volunteering or the bid, visit www.ggdc2022.org or the bid’s Facebook page, facebook.com/ggdc2022.

The Gay Games is held every four years to celebrate the LGBT community through sports and culture. The next Gay Games will be held in Paris, France in 2018. It is anticipated that Gay Games XI would draw 12,000-15,000 competitors and upwards of 80,000-100,000 spectators to the metropolitan Washington region with an economic impact greater than $100 million.

This Baby Giraffe is Smiling at You

Denver Zoo quietly welcomed the birth of Dobby, a male, reticulated giraffe, on the morning of Tuesday, February 28, as millions of people waited for a giraffe to be born in New York to viral sensation April. Dobby was born to mother Kipele (kih-PAY-lay) at 3 a.m., measuring 5-feet-tall and weighing 73 pounds, both small figures for a newborn giraffe.

“Staff was monitoring Kipele overnight when she went into labor. Although the birth went well, the calf was not initially nursing. Staff fed the infant and provided critical care in his first hours of life to get him back on track. Now he’s nursing and we are feeling good about his health,” said Brian Aucone, Denver Zoo Senior Vice President for Animal Care & Conservation.

Kathy Griffin to Be Honored by the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus at 11th Annual Crescendo Gala

The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus (SFGMC) today announced a stellar lineup of honorees and VIP guests for the 11^th annual Crescendo Gala presented by Foresters Financial. Being held on March 12, 2017, this year’s star-studded event will honor two-time Emmy and Grammy award-winning comedian Kathy Griffin with the Vanguard Award for her achievements in LGBTQ equality and for using her voice as an agent of change in the movement.

The evening will also honor Rev. Dr. Susan Hrostowski, Kathy Garner and their son, Hudson, with the Human Rights Champion Award. Additionally, Lexus will be recognized with the Corporate Champion Award. Other special guests include actor and activist Wilson Cruz, The Fosters’ Hayden Byerly and the Plaintiffs in California’s Prop. 8 case and activists Jeff Zarrillo and Paul Katami. Guests will be entertained with performances by RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 5 winner Jinkx Monsoon and country music star Chely Wright.

With a rapidly shifting political climate in the United States, marked by an increase in dangerous and divisive rhetoric against the LGBTQ and other marginalized communities, SFGMC recently announced the launch of its “Lavender Pen Tour.” This October, over the course of nine days, SFGMC will visit seven cities and numerous small towns in six states including Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. While in each of these states, SFGMC will host performances and begin a dialogue with community leaders in an effort to support local LGBTQ communities.

“We couldn’t be happier to honor this extraordinary group of game-changers at this year’s Crescendo Gala for using their voices to amplify the message of equality and acceptance,” said Chris Verdugo, executive director of SFGMC. “Proceeds raised throughout the evening will support our ‘Lavender Pen Tour.’ This tour will give the chorus a chance to use our voices to affect change in lives of young people struggling to live their authentic lives and communities throughout the south.”

SFGMC 2017 Crescendo Gala honorees include:

Vanguard Award: Kathy Griffin

Griffin, a two-time Emmy and Grammy award-winning comedian, is a towering figure on television, on tour and in publishing. She breaks through the entertainment clutter with her universally recognized brand of pull-no-punches comedy. Through humor and laughter Griffin shines a spotlight on equality and has been a vocal advocate against California’s Prop. 8 and a staunch supporter of marriage equality. She continues to use her platform to recognize how personal experiences can lead to change and is unafraid to keep the conversation going during these contentious times.

Human Rights Champion Award: The Hrostowski/Garner Family

The family from Hattiesburg, MS, will be honored for their role as one of the plaintiff families in the Campaign for Southern Equality v. Bryant (CSE III) case. The case overturned Mississippi’s ban on allowing same-sex couples to adopt. In addition, working with the Campaign for Southern Equality, the Rev. Dr. Susan Hrostowski filed a lawsuit against several state officials arguing House Bill 1523 violated the First and 14th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. On March 31, 2016, a federal judge ruled in favor of Hrostowski and struck down the law. Governor Bryant has appealed the ruling on House Bill 1523. On April 3, 2017, the Hrostowski/Garner family will go before the 5th District Court of Appeals represented by Roberta Kaplan.

Corporate Champion: Lexus

By creating custom brand content films and producing and airing commercials developed specifically for the LGBTQ audience, Lexus continues to show their commitment to the LGBTQ community. Over the past few years, Lexus has partnered with LGBTQ media brands OUT and Four Two Nine to celebrate LGBTQ innovators and influencers. Their content showcases these inspiring journeys and how their experiences help influence innovative thinking and bold moves keeping them ahead of the curve. Additionally, in 2015, Lexus released two commercials, “Make Some Noise” and “Ahead of the Curve,” geared specifically towards the LGBTQ community.

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.

National LGBTQ Task Force: Statement on Trump’s first address to Congress

The National LGBTQ Task Force is making the following statement in response to President Donald Trump’s first address to Congress.

“Donald Trump’s address to Congress vividly illustrates just how out of touch he is with the reality of people’s lives. In his world, everything he does is ‘great’, when the reality is that his policies are causing pain, suffering, and uncertainty for millions, and most often for the most vulnerable. In just 40 days, he has aggressively used his executive powers to demonize and dehumanize immigrants, Muslims, and trans youth — and he’s just getting started. One thing that is certain though is that every time he opens his mouth, more people want to join the resistance movement against his extremism,” said Rea Carey, Executive Director, National LGBTQ Task Force.

Koelbel Urban Homes: The New Modern in Denver

Koelbel Urban Homes (KUH) has quickly emerged as a leader in creating urban neighborhoods that promote community and synergy by integrating life, work and play.

As the newest division of legendary developer Koelbel and Company, KUH is focused on in-fill properties, designing and building innovative homes tailored to each unique site.

Offered homes run the gamut of detached single-family homes to svelte modern attached designs featuring today's popular spaces, such as rooftop decks and open-plan concepts. All KUH homes, of course, are designed for optimum living and with respect for the surroundings.

Gay Cuban Film "Verde Verde" Screens Thursday at Su Teatro

A Latino Gay-themed film will be screened on Thursday, March 2, 6:30 p.m., at the nonprofit Su Teatro Performing Arts Center located at 721 Santa Fe Drive in Denver. Titled Verde Verde, the Cuban film is about a sailor and computer technician whose gay flirtation begins in a bar and continues on subsequent occasions at the sailor’s living space and in a maze of corridors linked by an elevator. 

Immediately following the film, Su Teatro’s XicanIndie Film Festival Director Daniel Salazar will facilitate a panel discussion with David Atekpatzin Young (a longtime activist of Apache Indian and Chicano ancestry), David Carrasco (a longtime Chicano actor at Su Teatro), and community elder Donaciano Martinez (a longtime Chicano gay activist). Event organizers are working on having one of the film’s stars, Cuban actor Carlos Miguel Caballero, to join the discussion via Skype. 

“It is a dark and difficult film, not a ‘feel good’ film but still telling a story that can help us as a society (in Cuba and the U.S.) to fight against external and internalized homophobia,” says Debra Gallegos, a longtime Denver-based Chicana actress and a longtime ally of La Gente Unida. She notes that the film premiered in 2012 soon after a rash of gay-related murders in Cuba, which has a long history of being an anti-gay country.

“Verde Verde” was directed by Enrique Pineda Barnet, who obtained the first-ever Oscar nomination for a Cuban film in the category of “Best Foreign Film” in 1991 for his film “Bella del Alhambra.” Although “Verde Verde” has a gay theme, it was not the first Cuban film to deal with the topic. Made in 1994, “Fresa y Chocolate” (Strawberry and Chocolate) was the first Cuban film that had a gay theme -- a friendship between a flamboyant gay artist and a straight man working for Cuba’s communist government.

With a running time of one hour and 15 minutes, the film is in Spanish with English subtitles. Tickets to the film and panel discussion are $5.00 per person. 

Peter Hook (Joy Division/New Order) chats with Andy Rourke (The Smiths) About Legal Battles, New Memoir

To celebrate Peter Hook's (Joy Division, New Order, Peter Hook and the Light) new band memoir Substance: Inside New Order, he and old friend and bandmate Andy Rourke (the Smiths, D.A.R.K.), sat down to talk old times. Their amazing chat takes in Johnny Marr and Andy's (literally) looking up to Joy Division, Hook's ongoing legal battle against New Order, Morrissey and Johnny Marr's autobiographies, Hook's longstanding personal issues with Bernard Sumner (a.k.a. Barney) and so much more.

You can listen to the full episode HERE.