GDASA: Denver's LGBTQ Sports Association

Looking for a safe and positive atmosphere for the LGBTQA community through engaging social and competitive sports within Colorado?

Greater Denver Area Sports Association welcomes and encourages everybody to join and participate. And more leagues are coming soon!

LGBTQ Victory Fund: Sharice Davids' Race Is Key to Winning a Pro-Equality Majority in November

Congressional candidate Sharice Davids won a crowded primary in Kansas Tuesday night and will now face anti-LGBTQ incumbent Kevin Yoder in a race considered pivotal to winning a pro-equality majority in the U.S. Congress come November. Hillary Clinton won her district in 2016 and Democrats consider it one of the key pickup opportunities this cycle. If elected, Sharice will be the first openly LGBTQ member of Congress from Kansas and the first Native American woman to serve in Congress.

“This victory shows the fighting spirit Sharice brings to her campaign and the progressive issues she cares about – so Kevin Yoder should be worried,” said Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund. “While Sharice speaks about inclusion and representing all her constituents, Kevin is chumming it up with Mike Pence, embracing the divisive and unproductive agenda that dominates the White House and so much of Capitol Hill. Sharice will break down barriers with a win in November and add a desperately needed perspective to the halls of Congress. She will become a historic first, but more importantly, she is determined to push forward positive solutions for Kansans and all Americans.”

One Colorado: Just 3 Months ...

By Daniel Ramos, Executive Director, One Colorado

Today marks just three months, 92 days to be exact, until Election Day on November 6th. 92 days to get the word out that 2018 will be one of the most important elections for LGBTQ Coloradans in recent memory, because there’s a lot at stake. Just 896 voters decided the majority in the State Senate in 2014 – and we have seen pro-LGBTQ bills blocked for the past four years as a result. It’s time for a change.

Will you pitch in today to win back the State Senate?

I know how much folks are asking of you this year and there’s a lot of stories in the news that are trying to grab your attention. From Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court to federal attacks on LGBTQ parents’ ability to adopt, the news is getting scarier every day. That’s why it is so important we not only elect a pro-equality majority in Senate, but elect a pro-equality Governor and protect our pro-equality majority in the State House so we can ensure Colorado continues to be a nationwide leader in LGBTQ equality.

Just like last time, this election will be decided by a few hundred votes. Your contribution could make the difference whether or not we win this November. Will you help us reach out to pro-LGBTQ voters and turn out the vote?

Our team is confident that we can make the calls, knock the doors and do the work to flip the State Senate, but we need your help. And there’s only three months left. Can we count on you to donate $92, $50, or $25 today?

Colorado's LGBTQ Community Shows Their Power

Mark your calendars for the 20th Annual Power Gala - recognizing the people, organizations, and nonprofits that have stood up and stood out for Colorado's LGBTQ and Business Communities.

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.

OutRight Action International: Governments Around the World Are Using Laws to Silence LGBTIQ Civil Society

Today, OutRight Action International launches their latest report, The Global State of LGBTI Organizing: The Right to Register. The report highlights a phenomenon in which governments are trying to silence a growing movement for equality by preventing formation and registration of LGBTIQ civil society organizations. This has been happening amidst an intense crackdown and large-scale arrests of LGBTQ people around the globe over the last year in places like Russia, Egypt, Indonesia, Tanzania and more.

The report finds that LGBTIQ organizations are unable to register or cannot be found in 85 of 194 countries.

Maria Sjodin, Deputy Executive Director, OutRight Action International, comments on the report, “History shows that progress on LGBTIQ rights have come through activism and visibility. When states suppress LGBTIQ organizations, they are really trying to stop LGBTIQ people from gaining basic human rights and equality.”

Without a registration status many funders are unable to support LGBTIQ organizations and sometimes even opening an organizational bank account is impossible. Non registered LGBTIQ organizations may not be able to meet with government officials, and sometimes not even hold their own meetings without breaking the law. Without legal recognition groups can be forced to go underground, avoid public activism, be relegated to a hidden social network or group, or to even work illegally. In the worst cases, they experience state surveillance, indiscriminate arrests, and state sanctioned violence.

Dr Felicity Daly, Global Research Coordinator and author of the report, remarks,
“The data we have collected for this study shows that in many countries LGBTIQ organizations are unable to register in the same ways that organizations serving any other population can. We found that currently there are 55 countries where LGBTIQ organizations cannot register and 30 countries in the world that have no organizations openly serving LGBTIQ people. Hopefully when this analysis is revised in years to come these statistics will have decreased and we will be able to measure even greater growth of strong and sustainable organizations serving LGBTIQ people.”

The study finds that many organizations globally cannot register if they explicitly state their aim to serve LGBTIQ people or address their concerns. Governments often deny registration on religious and moral grounds, to limit the fundamental freedom of assembly, and have gone so far as to call LGBTIQ organizations a threat to national security.

In-depth case studies from Belize, China, Lebanon, Germany, Nigeria, Russia, St Lucia, Singapore, Tanzania and Tunisia present the experiences of 22 LGBTIQ civil society leaders seeking or maintaining their registration status.

Avengers: Infinity War - Out on Digital Today and Blu-ray Aug. 14

 

Box office history was made when Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Infinity War” shattered all opening records, surpassed the $2 billion mark at the global box office in just 48 days, and remains the fourth highest-grossing film of all time. Now, the cinematic event ten-years in the making comes home Digitally on July 31 and Blu-ray on Aug. 14 with over two hours of bonus.

“Marvels’ Avengers: Infinity War” is a must-own addition to every in-home film collection and is packaged several ways so that fans get the most out of their viewing experience. Consumers who experience the ultimate showdown Digitally will join a 30-minute roundtable with Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) directors Anthony and Joe Russo, Jon Favreau, Joss Whedon, James Gunn, Ryan Coogler, Peyton Reed and Taika Waititi who reflect on how their movies contribute to the MCU’s larger storytelling adventure.

The 4K Cinematic Universe Edition’s never-before-seen bonus material grants behind-the-scenes access to MCU members and features the memorable moments when characters first meet, the rationale behind some unexpected on-screen pair-ups, and a funny Super Hero gag reel. Featurettes explore the frighteningly powerful Thanos and two action-packed attempts to prevent his collection of all six Infinity Stones: the struggle on Titan and the massive battle in Wakanda. Deleted scenes and filmmaker commentary reveal even more on-set secrets from Marvel Studios’ monumental undertaking.

The Multi-Screen Edition includes a Blu-ray and a Digital Copy of the film, giving viewers the flexibility to watch the film on different devices. Those with 4K Ultra HD capability may opt for a 4K Cinematic Universe Edition, which includes a 4K Ultra HD disc, a Blu-ray, and a Digital Copy.

And for those who wish to catch up on their MCU history, select retailers are also offering bundled packaging as well as individual Digital and Physical releases of “Marvel’s The Avengers” and “Avengers: Age of Ultron.”

It's Finally Happening! Robyn Releases 'Missing U' Today!

Today, Robyn releases her new single “Missing U,” her first new music as a solo artist since Body Talk in 2010, via Konichiwa/Interscope Records.  One of the most highly-anticipated songs of 2018, “Missing U” was recorded and written in Paris and Stockholm, and sees Robyn teaming up Joseph Mount (Metronomy) and long-time collaborator Klas Åhlund (Robyn, Charli XCX, Madonna) to write and produce the track.

Download/Stream ‘Missing U”

“‘Missing U’ is a song about this trippy thing that happens when people disappear, it’s like they become even more clear and you see them everywhere,” says Robyn.

Accompanying “Missing U” is a short film Robyn created with director Danilo Parra on a recent trip to New York, reconnecting with fans at a long standing Robyn club night. She confesses “Missing U” is “also a little bit of a message to my fans, that I’ve missed them”.

“Missing U” was premiered today by Annie Mac on BBC Radio 1. Listen to the full interview here.

The Gay Vegans: Mike's Famous Cinnamon Roll Recipe

By Dan Hanley

I just posted a photo of these on Instagram last night and got requests for the recipe. So here you go!

I have to say that these cinnamon rolls are so amazingly delish! I love them! They will blow your mind, and many people will not be able to believe that they are vegan. They are a great way to show people how awesome veganism is! Once you’ve baked them let me know what you think!

I would also like to add that I love to bake! I didn’t used to, but I do now. And you don’t have to be an awesome baker to make these cinnamon rolls. Try it!

Vegan Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

• 2 packages active dry yeast

• ¼ cup warm water (110 degrees F)

• 1 ½ cups soy milk (hemp milk and oat milk work just as well)

• 1 ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 2 tbsp earth balance nondairy butter, melted

• ½ cup vegetable oil

• 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour (you can replace 2 cups with whole wheat pastry flour for a “healthier” result

• 1 tsp salt

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ½ cup earth balance nondairy butter

• 1 ¼ cups packed brown sugar

• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon (try to find fresh ground. I use Vietnamese Saigon Cassia Cinnamon)

• 1 ½ tsp vanilla bean paste (optional)

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan combine the soy milk and apple cider vinegar and let sit for 10 min. This is your nondairy buttermilk

2. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 min.

3. Heat the nondairy buttermilk till warm to the touch. Add the 2 tbsp of melted nondairy butter and oil to this mixture.

4. Pour the nondairy buttermilk mixture into the yeast mixture; mix well. In a separate bowl combine the flour, salt and baking soda. Stir the flour mixture into the liquid 1 cup at a time, until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 20 times (do not over knead the dough). Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.

5. In a small saucepan melt the ½ cup of nondairy butter. After melted remove from the heat and add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla bean paste.

6. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out into a large rectangle. Spread the brown sugar mixture over the dough, roll up into a log and pinch the seam to seal. Slice into 1 inch pieces and place cut side up in a lightly greased 10X15 baking pan. Cover and let rise 30 minutes or cover and refrigerate overnight (note you can also divide up the rolls into smaller pans and freeze. When you are ready to use these frozen rolls pull out the night before and let sit on the counter overnight to thaw and rise). If baking immediately, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

7. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Let stand for 2 to 3 minutes before frosting.

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces softened nondairy cream cheese (tofutti cream cheese works best)

• ¼ cup softened nondairy butter

• 1 ½ cups confectioners’s sugar

• ½ tsp vanilla

• 1 ½ tsp soy milk

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer till smooth and creamy.

Hike With Your Pup, Help Homeless Pets

Dogs, hiking and craft beer—they are all quintessentially Colorado. And so is the Dumb Friends League Wag `n TrailTM, an event that combines all three to help homeless pets at its Buddy Center location in Castle Rock, Colo.

The dog-friendly hike takes place Saturday, Sept. 22, from 8 a.m. to noon at Glendale Farm Open Space in Douglas County. Hikers can enjoy the 1.6-mile hike with their pups, a beer garden, silent auction, dozens of pet-related vendors, food trucks, music, adoptable dogs and access to a five-acre, off-leash dog park before or after the festivities.

“It’s one of our favorite events of the year,” said Matt Levien, Dumb Friends League Buddy Center director. “It’s fun seeing Coloradans come together to enjoy a beautiful hike with their pups while supporting the Buddy Center and the services we provide to the pets and people of Douglas County.”

Registration is $50 and includes a downloadable event photo of you and your dog, a photo frame, a bag of Hill’s Science Diet® treats, craft beer or root beer and delicious ice cream for both you and your pup. Participants who contribute an additional $25 above the registration fee will receive a Wag `n Trail event shirt and dog bandana. Children 12 years old and younger can participate for free with a paid adult registration and will receive complimentary ice cream and root beer. Hikers can register today at wagntrail.org.

If you already have plans on Sept. 22, or want to hike a different trail and still raise money for homeless pets, register as a “Virtual Hiker”. You can dedicate a hike of your choice to homeless pets any time before October 22. Registration is $25 and includes a Wag `n Trail dog bandana. Participants can enter the virtual hiker photo contest by submitting a picture from their hike for a chance to win a doggie gift basket and a $100 gift card from PetSmart.

The Dumb Friends League Buddy Center is the only full-service animal shelter serving Douglas County and plays a vital role in reuniting owners with lost pets and finding loving homes for adoptable cats, dogs and small mammals. Proceeds from Wag `n Trail help provide shelter, medical care, behavior training, foster care and other services to homeless pets at the Buddy Center.

LGBTQ People Deserve to be Counted!

The Task Force worked with Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) to introduce legislation to make the Census see the LGBTQ community. The bill, called the Census Equality Act, would add sexual orientation and gender identity questions to the Census and American Community Survey.
 

“We are proud to work with national leaders to introduce legislation to ensure the LGBTQ community is included in the Census,” stated Meghan Maury, policy director at the Task Force Action Fund.

Maury explained that the bill is especially important now, after the Trump administration demanded that a citizenship question be added to the Census. Including a question on citizenship, experts and advocates say, would only serve to lower Census participation. Maury explained, “This administration is trying to depress the count of Black and Brown people in the Census through the addition of a citizenship question. This will result in a less accurate Census.  Our Constitution requires a complete and accurate count of the population — that means a Census that includes people of color and the LGBTQ community.”

The Census Bureau was moving forward with testing questions for the “long-form” Census – the American Community Survey – on sexual orientation and gender identity, but the administration stopped it. Rea Carey, executive director of the National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund, explained that “The Census Equality Act will put the Census Bureau back on the path it initiated two years ago to count LGBTQ people.” She added the Task Force was in full support of the bill. “We call on members of Congress to support a full, fair, and accurate Census by becoming co-sponsors of the Census Equality Act and opposing efforts to add an untested citizenship question to the Census.”

Census results determine how billions in federal funding are spent and how we are represented in Congress. Advocates use Census data to press decision-makers for change and to enforce critical civil rights protections. Service providers use these data to make sure resources meet community needs.

LGBTQ people need to be counted –– our voices matter. The Census impacts our access to public benefits, democratic representation, and the enforcement of our civil rights. The Census is used to:

• Direct more than $800 billion in federal funding for programs like SNAP, Medicaid, Section 8 housing vouchers, and foster care. LGBTQ people are more likely to live in poverty: it is critical that these dollars are directed to the communities where we live.
• Draw the boundaries of our legislative districts and determine our representation in Congress. In an age when LGBTQ rights are on the ballot and being debated in the halls of Congress, it is more important than ever that LGBTQ people are represented and are able to wield political power.
• Enforce civil rights protections. Census data can be used to show the impacts of systemic oppression, which attorneys cite when attempting to enforce laws like the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Organizations expressing support for this legislation include: A Better Balance, All-Options, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), American Psychological Association, Asian Americans Advancing Justice|AAJC, Bend the Arc Jewish Action, Bisexual Organizing Project – BOP, Center for American Progress, Center for HIV Law & Policy, CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers, Equality California, Equality North Carolina, Family Equality Council, FORGE, Inc, Human Rights Campaign, Indivisible, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Los Angeles LGBT Center, Movement Advancement Project, NALEO Educational Fund, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF), National Black Justice Coalition, National Center for Lesbian Rights, People for the American Way, SAGE,The Trevor Project, UnidosUS, Union of Concerned Scientists, Whitman-Walker Health, and Witness to Mass Incarceration. Contact us for a full list of organizational supporters.

In addition to Senators Harris and Carper, the bill is sponsored by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Patty Murray (D-WA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tina Smith (D-MN), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI).

Volunteers Wanted at Aurora Pride!

Aurora Pride is this Saturday and One Colorado needs volunteers at their booth! Sign up to volunteer.

This year, staff and volunteers will be asking attendees to sign a petition to ban the harmful practice of conversion therapy in our state. It's important that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Coloradans, their families, and allies come together to make sure young people are no longer subjected to this discredited practice.

The Comedy Lineup Returns to Netflix on August 31

'The Comedy Lineup' is back with a new batch of comedians ready to impress you in only 15 minutes. The Netflix stand-up comedy series returns on Friday, August 31. Quick wit takes on a whole new meaning when this group of fiercely funny, emerging comics take the mic live in front of an intimate crowd at Atlanta's historic Terminal West. 

The diverse mix of comedians bring a fresh take on life's issues, big and small, in a series of solo sets and includes up-and-coming comedians Matteo Lane, and Emma Willman.

CRUSH WALLS brings world-renowned artists to RiNo

CRUSH WALLS, Denver’s foremost urban art festival that has for the last eight years brought significant large-scale mural and street art installations and thousands of art lovers to the streets of RiNo Art District, today announces its ambitious 9th edition, happening September 3 to 9.

This year, CRUSH WALLS will stretch across 30 blocks of the standout open-air gallery that is RiNo Art District – a landmark increase from last year’s 10-block event, and for the first time reaching across the river to connect with RiNo West. The mural performances program will also include a host of interdisciplinary components; festivalgoers can expect urban sculpture, photography, film screenings, live artist battles, workshops, art talks, print launches and guided tours of the art appearing across RiNo.

As testament to the impression CRUSH WALLS has made on the world, the vibrant community of Colorado artists welcomes this year a roster of fellow artists such as globally-acclaimed pioneer Shepard Fairey, who will bring his iconic style to the walls of Larimer Street; the UK’s Nomad Clan, muralists pegged as being in the top-five women street artists in the world by The Guardian newspaper; and Spain’s PichiAvo, who will create large-scale work on RiNo’s walls wielding their unique juxtaposition of Greek-sculpture-meets-graffiti. Meanwhile, renowned artist Laurence Vallières brings her sometimes-playful, sometimes-poignant animal sculptures – each large-scale and made entirely from recycled material – to roam the streets of RiNo, adding Denver to a tour of work that has already taken her to Berlin, Madrid, London and Miami.

Carlo De Luca, Executive director of the festival: “CRUSH has evolved into a huge social event that has not only resulted in Denver’s residents taking a strong local pride in the city’s streets, but has caught the eye of international artists joining this prolific creativity center, and the reputation for investment in the arts that Colorado creatives have nurtured, evolved and championed for years.”

Colorado LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce Monthly Breakfast Series: Access to Capital

Join the Colorado LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce and Hunter Railey from the Small Business Majority to discuss access to capital - navigating the funding landscape and connecting with local resources to help members obtain the capital needed to start and grow your business.