Aimee Mann Interviewed By Mad Men Creator Matthew Weiner

Matthew Weiner, creator of the series Mad Men, has been friends with Aimee Mann for what feels like a lifetime. So it’s no surprise he happily agreed to sit down with her to discuss Mental Illness, her ninth studio album. Spoiler alert: There will be Trump.

Nation's Largest LGBTQ Advocacy Conference Names 2018 Co-Chairs

The National LGBTQ Task Force has announced that Alexa Elizabeth Rodriguez, Ben de Guzman, Eliot Sutler, Rodney McKenzie, Jr., and Terrance Laney will be serving as host committee co-chairs for the 2018 Creating Change Conference. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the organizing and skills building conference is the nation's largest gathering of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) and allied advocates. The conference is set to take place January 24-28, 2018 at the Marriott Wardman Park, 2660 Woodley Road N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008.

"We’re thrilled to have Alexa, Ben, Eliot, Rodney, and Terrance join us as host committee co-chairs for the 2018 Creating Change Conference," said Russell Roybal, Deputy Executive Director, National LGBTQ Task Force. "The annual conference would not succeed without the help of the passionate and tireless work of the host committee and volunteers. Creating Change will be celebrating 30 years of training LGBTQ advocates from across the nation and beyond. We invite LGBTQ and allied advocates in the DMV area to join the host committee and help us make the 2018 Creating Change Conference a huge success!"

Alexa Elizabeth Rodriguez is the Executive Director of Trans-Latina DMV. Born and raised in Usulután, El Salvador, she has worked with numerous health and advocacy organizations including Identity Inc., Mariposas Group, Empoderáte Youth Center, Casa de Maryland's HIV Program, La Clinica del Pueblo, Miss Maryland Latin@, Miss Translatina, the Latino GLBT History Project, and the National Trans-Latina Coalition.

Ben de Guzman has been a leading voice on issues of racial equity, immigrant rights, veteran affairs, and LGBTQ justice for more than 15 years. He's worked with organization such as the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project and the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA). A proud son of Filipino immigrants, de Guzman was born and raised in New Jersey and has called D.C. home for over 20 years.

Eliot Sutler is a civil rights and employment attorney and Black bisexual activist. Sutler founded the Bisexual Women of Color Collaborative (BiWoCC), co-led the 2016 Bisexual Institute at Creating Change, moderated the 2016 White House Bisexual Briefing, and sat on the 2016 Capitol Hill Bi Week panel. Currently, Sutler serves on the board of BiNet USA.

Rodney McKenzie, Jr. is the Director of Partnerships at Demos. With over 15 years of experience fighting for grassroots political power in marginalized communities, McKenzie previously directed the Academy for Leadership and Action at the National LGBTQ Task Force. He holds a Master of Divinity from the Union Theological Seminary.

Terrance Laney is the Deputy Director of the D.C. Mayor's Office of LGBTQ Affairs. Previously, he worked with Congresswoman Maxine Waters, the National Black Justice Coalition, BYP100, Rhode Islanders United for Marriage Equality, the 2012 Obama campaign, and the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club. Laney is an active member of the DC Gay Flag Football league and Unity of Washington DC Church.

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.

Stonewall Fitness: How Do You Know If You're Making Progress?

By David Smith

There is no secret that the focus of most people’s fitness is weight loss. In talking with clients, class participants, gym members and friends, especially in the LGBTQ community the first goal people tell me is that they want to lose weight, get lean/tone up or become more “defined”. However more often then not I see people who are discouraged and mad at themselves because they don’t see the progress that they expect and they numbers they want, especially in regards to weight loss. To not consistently be dropping pounds seems to be a sign of failure in the midst of all the sweat and exhaustion that has come from the countless hours at the gym. Are you not losing the weight or making the gains you expected? Let me tell you, it’s perfectly okay and it certainly doesn’t mean you should stop.

When I started my journey toward better physical fitness and on my quest to earn a spot on the Olympic Team, I was 50lbs heavier and very much motivated. However in the 5.5 years since I started, initially I used weight to measure my progress but after the first 4 months my weight had plateaued and I wasn’t seeing the kind of changes on the scale that I was. I didn’t even look very defined either. Now there are no “weight” standards per se to be on the Olympic Team since you are judged on your performance and abilities rather than you’re size and looks but that’s not to say that most Olympians don’t look really good and hot. It’s important to remember that their looks, body types and muscles, especially on swimmers (hence the sports popularity!) are a side effect of all the hard training and discipline that they put in to push themselves to compete at that level.

If you’re feeling discouraged because you are not seeing the weight loss or the definition or the progress you were expecting, think about it in different terms. Compare yourself now to where you were when you started, think about an exercise you really struggled with, pushups for example. How many pushups were you able to do the first time? How many can you do now? Do you take fitness classes? Zumba is a great example of a fitness class that many people have a hard time with at first. My first Zumba class I was so uncoordinated and felt like an idiot, I struggled to get the moves down and felt like a spider trying to dance. In addition it was a challenge just to keep up, thinking that my heart was going to rip out of my chest like a scene from Alien. When I went back again and took another class I found not only was I more coordinated and knew the moves a bit better but I could keep up better and found that I was actually getting into the dance. That is the definition of progress!

Being able to do even one more pushup than last time, that’s progress! Not having to stop and rest so many times, or even not having to rest as long as you did last time? Progress. Being able to maintain your balance for longer? PROGRESS! Your body is capable of so much more that limiting your definition of progress solely to weight loss only limits the capabilities of your body and mind.

Looking thin and hot won’t get you as far as the you’d like to think because at some point you’ll be expected to do more right? Not to say weight loss doesn’t have dozens of benefits but better overall physical fitness has been shown to improve people’s life in all other aspects. It’s important to see your fitness from a broader perspective and how your weight loss can tie into other aspects of your life. From helping a singer expand his vocal range to lifting people out of depression, being able to function more in daily life and get through the day with more energy. I’ve seen people go from not being able to run a mile without stopping to running a full marathon in less than a year and they did not lose a single pound nor do they look like a Greek god. What’s more interesting and motivating than how you look? How about those little things you can easily do now that was a struggle before. Think about how far you’ve come since you’ve started, all those little things that were outside your comfort zone and now people look at you in awe, impressed and wondering what your secret is. Most importantly it’s about accomplishing more than you ever thought possible.

Next time your feeling discouraged, don’t be mad because you only lost one pound or seemed to plateau and aren’t making progress because you are. It’s the little things that count right? :-)

David Smith is an exercise professional, athlete, blogger and owner of Stonewall Fitness. 

Statement from Actors’ Equity President Kate Shindle on New Proposal to Close the National Endowment for the Arts

Kate Shindle, President of Actors' Equity Association, the national labor union representing professional actors and stage managers, released the following statement in reaction to President Trump’s proposed budget for 2018. The new budget plan again proposes to close the National Endowment for the Arts. The new budget includes just enough funding for “necessary expenses to carry out the closure of the National Endowment for the Arts.”

“The NEA supports middle-class arts jobs in every congressional district in the country. The last thing we need to do is slash a program that creates and sustains jobs in small and regional theaters all over America. Thousands of our members have already spoken up about how the NEA is an economic lifeline in so many places. Members of Congress heard us loud and clear when they decided to maintain the NEA’s funding for the rest of 2017. As Congress takes up the new budget, Actors’ Equity will continue our fight to protect the NEA’s critical seed funding that helps productions get off the ground in small and regional theaters.”

Equity has historically fought for increased funding and recognition of the NEA. Over the last few months, Equity launched an aggressive campaign to preserve the NEA after media reports emerged that President Trump might slash funding for the program. Shindle passionately demanded that Congress fund the NEA in a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., the very same day President Trump announced his proposed budget. The following week, Equity councilors and rank and file members lobbied on the hill during National Arts Advocacy Day. Equity members across the country gathered to support the NEA, from rallies in New York to community discussions in Minneapolis. Equity gathered thousands of petitions from members and supporters of the arts asking Congress to fund the NEA. Equity also joined with a coalition that included 11 other national unions representing 4 million workers demanding that Congress fund the NEA.

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.

The Gay Vegans: Going Vegan (Part 1)

By Dan Hanley

Note: This is Part I of a three part post.

Twenty one years ago I decided to go vegan. I had been vegetarian for about a month, with my last hold out being Ben and Jerry’s Cherry Garcia ice cream. After a few months of thinking about it, knowing it was what I really wanted to do, I had one day of being vegan. Soon, six days later, I had a full week! (This was kind of a joke.)

As I have written many times, I decided to go vegan, and stay vegan, because of the animals. I wanted to live my truth and honor the person I knew I was, one who abhors violence and doesn’t want to have any part of it. For me, I wanted to do the least harm possible while on this earth. And so it began.

Pepsi and potato chips are vegan. So are Oreos. I learned right away that the way I looked at food had to change, that I had to make sure that whatever I ate had to be good for me, or at least that I ate more of the stuff that was good for me and less of the stuff that wasn’t good for me.

The idea of fruits and vegetables and whole foods was never at the top of my thinking. B-12? No clue. Kale? Never. I was so completely ignorant about food and how what I ate affected me, that now being vegan not only made me feel better about not being part of cruelty towards animals but also introduced me to an entire new world of food.

The biggest thing that I like to share about those first few days and weeks is that it was easy. Super easy. Even in the south in 1996. It was also cheap. The huge amount of vegan processed foods that we see today was not the case then. There also were few choices with vegan desserts. So meals with vegetables and organic fresh fruit for dessert was the deal. Oh, and portobello mushroom burgers. Those were so popular as the only vegetarian choice that I soon got over them. Even these days I shudder when offered one.

I am writing this series of posts because I get a lot of notes from readers who have decided it is time for them to go vegan. All they have heard is that it is difficult and expensive. Although it can be both, it certainly doesn’t have to be. In the next two posts of this series I will share some ideas.

To those just beginning the vegan journey, welcome, and congratulations! Your life (as well as those of the animals) is about to change immensely and you are going to love it!

Nice To See StevieB: RLF (Rabbit Liberation Front)

By StevieB

Outside of the grand metropolis of Denver, Colorado is God's country. Well, I am unsure if it was God himself who declared this statement upon a massive billboard next to the interstate just out of where civilization ends and farms begin.  Yet, I passed this billboard in my unyielding quest to do what I've done non-stop since school let out; shop for a new car. This visit to the countryside brought me to a dealership that specialized in over sized Dodge farm trucks.
I was; however, not there for the farm trucks. I was there for the Jeeps. This particular dealership had Wranglers in spades. So many that they were not on the dealers lot, but on a grass knoll next to the sprawling complex.  I climbed the grass knoll to look for a Wrangler with my tight, and unquenching list of "needs" like, the correct radio, automatic climate control, the best color.  Sometimes I feel I should do what BMW owners have done for decades. Fly to the factory, pick their new car up straight from the assembly line, drive around Germany, and have it shipped home. Although, instead of zipping around Munich, I'd be touring around Toledo, Ohio.  No difference, really.

As I peered into window after window I noticed something strange under every Jeep. Cages? Those humane trap cages used to capture feral cats. Since this was God's country and there was noting but fields around the dealership, I was intrigued as to what they were capturing. Then, I saw a cage with a huge rock in it. Wait? A furry rock?  A huge furry rock with ears? Bunny!!!!!!!!

The dealership had a line of fuzzy bunnies in cages. All looking scared as they pretended to be rocks. As the facility was closed, those bunnies  would be there a long time. This is when I snapped. I grabbed the cage with a terrified rabbit inside and began to dislodged the bunny. Shaking the cage like a ketchup bottle.  Upon freeing three bunnies,  I had trouble with the fourth cage. As I struggled with the door, the bunny inside and I locked eyes. This is when I said out loud, "I'm going to get you out of here" in my best Indiana Jones voice. After shaking the cage like a cereal box the bunny went bouncing to the ground. I'm sure he thanked me as he ran for the safety of the fields.
I ran too. To my car. I'm quite sure there was video of a crazy man manifesting bunnies like a magician. They would of told me everything that everyone else has said upon hearing of my idiotic act.  That rabbits harbor disease, I could easily of picked up something. It is not like I licked them. I didn't even touch them. I was raised on a farm with pet rabbits, I do know all the precautions. Like to not mess with strange rabbits under Jeeps. As for buying a Jeep out in God's Country? No thank you. All their Jeeps have damn rabbits chewing up the wiring. They really should do something about that.
Stevie B. Bunny Wrangler.

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.

Amir Higher - I Am Ready

 

Amir Higher has always been drawn to music from a very early age. Inspired by MTV, mainstream radio and his childhood piano teacher, Amir has been writing and composing original music for a large percentage of his life. "I Am Ready" is his infectious new single.

Books: F'd Wide Open

From a humanistic and secular perspective, Marja West’s “F’d Wide Open” is a book that inspires people to take command of their lives, especially after experiencing trauma.

The book is a reality-based self-help resource that does not focus on religion or new age concepts. Regarding personal trauma and feelings of lacking control, readers are asked whether they will continue to be victimized or if they will present their past traumas as badges of strength.

“I encourage everyone to learn to care about how they truly feel, think critically, take personal responsibility for their lives and happiness, and to be their own gurus,” said West. “I shine light on our individual and collective darkness to spark our individual and collective creative natures so that inspired change can begin.”

Additional aspects include relationships between family, friends, and romantic partners. Whether pleasant or difficult, interaction between people is a constant factor in life and the book serves as a resource for those who wish to evaluate their various relationships and what they can learn from past traumas and difficulties.

“F’d Wide Open” takes an honest and unfiltered approach to life and relationships that are often shocking, but nevertheless crucial for individuals to be happier and more fulfilled.

141 Men Arrested in Gay Sauna in Indonesia

On 21 May 2017 at 8PM, 141 men were arrested by Indonesian authorities claiming they were engaging in a “gay sex party” at Atlantis Gym & Sauna in Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta. Those arrested were detained by the North Jakarta District Police. Indonesia does not have laws criminalizing homosexuality, except in the Aceh province, however the country does have severe anti-pornography laws which have been used to target LGBTIQ websites and activities.

Jessica Stern, Executive Director of OutRight Action International, commented on the arrests and the wider environment facing LGBTIQ people in Indonesia saying:

OutRight’s research, Creeping Criminalization, shows that regional regulations are departing from national laws and are heavily influenced by fundamentalist interpretations of Islam. These laws are targeting women’s dress codes, any women having relationships outside of marriage, and LGBTIQ people, criminalizing them on grounds of breaching public morality.

What is happening in Indonesia is dangerous and scary. Officials are using their own personal biases on morality to oppress different groups and especially LGBTIQ people. In the past, the LGBTIQ community has experienced more tolerance in Indonesian society, but particularly over the past 18 months crackdowns have increased and the situation has become much worse for LGBTIQ people. LGBTIQ Indonesians are equal citizens and must not be singled out and oppressed simply for who they love or who they are.

Lisa Vanderpump, Lance Bass, Daniel Franzese, Michelle Visage & more at GMCLA Voice Awards

The star-studded Voice Awards gala took place on Saturday, May 20, 2017, at the J.W. Marriot at L.A. Live in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. This year’s honorees include Logo TV, lyricist and composer Stephen Schwartz and Human Rights Campaign board member and community activist Gwen Baba. 

Attendees included Lisa Vanderpump (Real Housewives of Beverly Hills), Lance Bass (Finding Prince Charming, singer), Michael Turchin (actor), Amin El Gamal (Prison Break), Daniel Franzese (Mean Girls, Looking), Alexandra Grey (Transparent), Zeke Smith (Survivor), Hayden Byerly (The Fosters), Kalama Epstein (The Fosters), Michelle Visage (RuPaul’s Drag Race), Isabella Gomez (One Day at a Time), Craig Ramsay (2 Broke Girls, The Newly Weds), Lawrence Zarian (actor, model), Gregory Zarian (actor, model), Rain Valdez (Lopez), Michelle Clunie (Queer as Folk), Stephen Guarino (Dr. Ken, I’m Dying Up Here), Jeff Zarrillo & Paul Katami (Plaintiffs in California’s Prop 8 case), Stephen Schwartz (lyricist and composer, Vanguard Voice Award honoree), Gwen Baba (HRC board member, Community Voice Award honoree), Jonathan Weedman (GMCLA Executive Director) and more to be announced.

Victory Fund Endorses 9 LGBTQ Candidates; Including Seattle Mayoral Candidate Jenny Durkan

Today Victory Fund, the only national organization dedicated to electing LGBTQ leaders to public office, endorsed nine candidates in state and local races. Jenny Durkan, running to be mayor of Seattle, received a spotlight endorsement, and if elected would become the first lesbian mayor of Seattle and just the second woman. Spotlight Endorsements are given to candidates especially well-positioned to breakdown barriers and drive equality forward.

“We have a historic opportunity to elect Jenny Durkan the first lesbian mayor of Seattle – and just the second lesbian mayor currently representing a major U.S. city,” said Aisha C. Moodie-Mills, President & CEO of Victory Fund. “LGBTQ mayors are leading the resistance by welcoming immigrants and refugees, standing with Muslim communities and implementing protections for trans students in schools. Those are Seattle values, and those are Jenny’s values. As mayor she will fight tirelessly to implement policies that mitigate the effects of Trump administration extremism for the people of Seattle.”

Among the other endorsees are five LGBTQ candidates running for New York City Council, including incumbent Corey Johnson, that could nearly double its LGBTQ representation. Elvin Garcia is running against an anti-LGBTQ incumbent and a victory would be a powerful statement that intolerance is inexcusable in New York City. Mel Wymore would become the first openly trans person to sit on the city council if elected. Victories for either Mel Wymore or Kristen Browde, a trans woman running for New Castle Town Supervisor, would make them the first trans people ever elected in New York State.

In Atlanta, city council candidate Kirk Rich joins an already impressive slate of LGBTQ Atlantans – including mayoral candidate Cathy Woolard and city council president candidate Alex Wan. Victories for these LGBTQ leaders would make Atlanta a model of progress the entire South can aspire to.

Spotlight Candidate

Jenny Durkan, Mayor of Seattle

Endorsed Candidates

Kristen Browde, New Castle Town Supervisor (NY)

Kevin Carroll, New York City Council, District 43 (NY)

Elvin Garcia, New York City Council, District 18 (NY)

Dylan Schwartz, New York City Council, District 51 (NY)

Mel Wymore, New York City Council, District 6 (NY)

Kirk Rich, Atlanta City Council, District 6 (GA)

Jim McClurken, Lansing City Council, Ward 4 (MI)

Endorsed Incumbents

Corey Johnson, New York City Council, District 3 (NY)

Books: The Mezcal Rush

Mezcal may be the oldest distilled spirit in the Americas, but it has recently exploded in popularity. In The Mezcal Rush: Explorations in Agave Country, Granville Greene vividly describes his quest through the Mexican highlands to learn more about the varied cultures, plants, and traditions surrounding the drink, which has become a craft cocktail darling.

He soon finds that, unlike most high-end spirits, small-batch mezcals are typically produced by and for subsistence farming communities, where maestros mezcaleros distill their signature drinks using local agaves and artisanal production methods honed through generations of mezcal-making families. Greene visits remote indigenous villages in Oaxaca and Guerrero states, where the spirit is never mixed into cocktails and is reserved instead for consuming puro on special occasions—a liquid language celebrating community identity along with the diverse characters of numerous agave species.