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Seasons of Love: Unplugged

 

The cast of Fox’s upcoming live production of RENT sing “Seasons Of Love” unplugged. The live musical production of the groundbreaking, Tony Award-, Grammy Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical RENT will air Sunday, Jan. 27 on FOX.

Ride the Rockies Announces 2019 Route

The annual Denver Post Ride the Rockies Cycling Tour, Presented by Flexential, is celebrating its 34th year as the beloved Colorado institution and one of the Denver Post Community Foundation’s signature events. 

The 2019 route is a seven day loop, beginning and ending in one of the Centennial State’s most famous mountain towns, Crested Butte. The ride will take place from Sunday, June 9th to Saturday, June 15th, and is prefaced with a opening day prologue, which starts on Mt. Crested Butte on Saturday, June 8th. From there, day one of the 2019 Ride the Rockies promises to pack a punch as riders will roll west out of town, straight up Kebler Pass. The daily mileage varies between 40 miles and 83 miles, with total of 445 mi., and approximately 28,230 feet in total elevation gain.

“The 2019 Ride The Rockies showcases some our Colorado's most iconic passes and it is an epic climbing Tour. They will ride over beautiful passes as well as have vistas and views of the surrounding mountain ranges and valleys. Not only will the participants in this year's Tour want to come back and visit but some will never want to leave,” said Ride the Rockies Tour Director, Deirdre Moynihan.

Each day will bring its own highlights and challenges for the advenventous, citizen cyclists. Certain days will consist of higher mileage endurance rides, offset with lower mileage days, including the final 31.2 mile celebratory stage on Day 8 from Gunnison to Mount Crested Butte. These last 31.2 miles will serve as both a home stretch and recovery ride from the previous Day 6. On Day 6, riders will complete the climax of the race in terms of elevation gain, gaining almost 7,000 feet from Hotchkiss to Gunnison. Other tour highlights include the Collegiate Peaks, Monarch Pass, Independence Pass, Black Canyon and Gunnison National Park. Day 2 will serve as the longest day of the 2019 Ride the Rockies tour, and while the first 32 miles on this day are mostly flat, the climbing is set to begin as riders will grind their way up towards their second encounter with the Continental Divide.

“We are proud to put our name behind this iconic Colorado event for the sixth consecutive year," said Jason Carolan, chief innovation officer of Flexential. "The event continues to gain notoriety, attracting cycling enthusiasts from all over the world to the Rocky Mountains, and most importantly supporting a great philanthropic cause.”

The epic ride encompasses sublime scenery and showcases some of Colorado’s most spectacular mountain towns, including; Buena Vista, Snowmass, Carbondale, Hotchkiss, Gunnison, and of course, Crested Butte. The accessibility of a once bustling mining hub, downtown Crested Butte, gives riders traveling from farther distances an added convenience by allowing them to have a home base to park automobiles and leave essentials where the ride will begin and end. Additionally, for the second year in a row, RTR will open up the ride to outside participants for “Ride The Rockies’ 1-Day Loop,” on Sunday, June 9th. The loop-day ride, open to riders and locals alike, will be a 63 mile loop starting and ending in Crested Butte.

Ride The Rockies is a non-competitive event that is no longer held as a lottery event. The ride is currently open to cyclists of all ages, and participants are encouraged to ride at their own pace. All registrations are on a first come, first serve basis, until the ride is sold out. Proceeds from the event benefit The Denver Post Community Foundation and all the funds raised are returned directly to Colorado nonprofits. Open Registration to the public begins on January 18th, and a list of everything that the tour fee includes can be found on the website at www.ridetherockies.com/registration/.

Calling All Denver Drag Performers!

On Valentine’s Day (February 14), the LGBTQ Student Resource Center at Auraria will be hosting their annual Love Is A Drag event. The theme this year is Throwback Thursdays and they are still accepting applications for performers. Information on signing up can be found here: https://goo.gl/forms/G2XDJMWbbbe9U2zS2.

IGLTA to Honor Miami Tourism Pioneer

The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA) will present the Hanns Ebensten Hall of Fame Award to George Neary, a longtime advocate for LGBTQ+ tourism, during its 36th Annual Global Convention in New York City (24-27 April). For 20 years, Neary focused on developing cultural, heritage and LGBTQ+ tourism through his role as Associate Vice President of Cultural Tourism for the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The award recognizes a tourism professional from the association’s membership in more than 80 countries who has shown a longstanding commitment to making the world a more welcoming place for LGBTQ+ travelers. Hanns Ebensten, the award’s namesake, is largely considered the father of LGBTQ+ travel, having organized the first gay group tour in 1973.
 

“We are very proud to honor George, who has not only been a great champion for tourism in Miami, but also has been such a great friend and supporter to those of us working in tourism around the world,” said IGLTA Board Chair Juan Julià, founder and president of Barcelona-based Axel Hotels. “Even in ‘retirement,’ he continues to share his expertise with visitors to Miami through customized tours that reflect the city’s diversity, history and colorful LGBTQ+ community. Our industry is fortunate to have him.”

After retiring from the GMCVB last year, Neary launched Tours ‘R’ Us, using his extensive knowledge of Miami to lead LGBTQ+, arts and culture group tours in his home city. He also currently serves on The Miami Beach Cultural Arts Council and the Miami Beach Pride Committee and is a founding board member of the Greater Miami Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.

“I am honored and humbled to be chosen for this Hall of Fame award!” Neary said. “I remember Hanns Ebensten and how he advertised in After Dark magazine for his travel programs and dreamt of going on his trips to Egypt and other exotic locations. He was the pioneer in gay travel and am thrilled to be receiving this award named in his honor!”

Loren Gray - Queen

 

Loren Gray released the video for her new single, “Queen,” today via Virgin Records. The video was shot in Los Angeles by director Ariel Lofaro. The empowering track – produced by Captain Cuts (Walk the Moon, Halsey, The Chainsmokers) – underscores the importance of knowing your worth in all the different types of relationships you have in life, including your relationship with yourself.

The song’s message dovetails with Loren’s desire to empower her fans to accomplish their own epic dreams. The 16-year-old, who has more than 50 million followers across her social media channels, says, “It’s so important to me that they know we’re in this together, and that if I can do all this, then they can do it, too.”

“Queen” follows the single “Kick You Out,” which has earned more than one million streams globally since its release in November. Idolator praised the track as a “feisty bop.” Billboard noted, “The song's contrasting vibe effortlessly shows the true highs and lows that come from being in love.” Loren wrote the treatment for the official video, which was directed by Jake Wilson.

Supreme Court Declines Transgender Military Ban Cases but Permits Enforcement of Ban for Now

The U.S. Supreme Court today denied petitions from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) asking that the Court review preliminary federal district court rulings that have kept the Trump-Pence administration from implementing its discriminatory plan to prevent transgender people from serving openly in the U.S. Armed Services. 

However, the Supreme Court granted the DOJ’s request for a stay on the preliminary rulings, allowing the administration to begin kicking openly transgender troops out of the armed services and to deny transgender people the opportunity to enlist. The preliminary rulings include one out of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington in the lawsuit brought by OutServe-SLDN and Lambda Legal and joined by the State of Washington challenging the constitutionality of the proposed ban.

"For the past two-and-a-half years, thousands of qualified, transgender individuals have made our nation's armed forces better, in every measurable quality, with their authentic service," OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Andy Blevins said. "The Court's decision to allow the Trump-Pence Administration to institute their wanting and discriminatory practices while the litigation proceeds is disappointing -- our siblings-in-arms deserve better. We look forward to continuing our representation of these proud and selfless patriots, and reminding this Administration that military policy cannot be defined by baseless and discriminatory rationalizations."  

OutServe-SLDN and Lambda Legal filed the lawsuit, Karnoski v. Trump, in August 2017, on behalf of nine individual plaintiffs and three organizational plaintiffs – the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), Seattle-based Gender Justice League, and the American Military Partner Association (AMPA). The State of Washington later joined the lawsuit. The district court in, December 2017, granted the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction preventing implementation of the ban, which DOJ chose not to challenge on appeal, and the court reaffirmed that preliminary ruling in April 2018 after the Trump administration released an implementation plan. The administration appealed that latter ruling to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which heard oral argument on October 10, 2018.

“The Supreme Court’s decisions today are perplexing to say the least: on the one hand denying the Trump administration’s premature request for review of lower court rulings before appellate courts have ruled and rebuffing the administration’s attempt to skirt established rules; and yet on the other allowing the administration to begin to discriminate, at least for now, as the litigation plays out,” Lambda Legal Counsel Peter Renn said. “For more than 30 months, transgender troops have been serving our country openly with valor and distinction, but now the rug has been ripped out from under them, once again. We will redouble our efforts to send this discriminatory ban to the trash heap where it belongs.”

In addition to Karnoski v. Trump, the administration also asked the Supreme Court to review the preliminary rulings in Stockman v. Trump and Doe v. Trump, lawsuits also challenging the ban filed by the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD). Doe v. Trump was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that DOJ appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Stockman v. Trump was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and is also on appeal to the Ninth Circuit. Last week, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals dissolved the preliminary injunction in Doe v. Trump, but the preliminary injunctions in Karnoski v. Trump and Stockman v. Trump, as well as in a fourth case out of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, remain in effect.

Read more about Karnoski v. Trump here: https://www.lambdalegal.org/in-court/cases/karnoski-v-trump. The Lambda Legal attorneys working on the case are: Peter Renn, Diana Flynn, Camilla B. Taylor, Tara Borelli, Paul Castillo, Sasha Buchert, and Kara Ingelhart. They are joined by co-counsel Peter Perkowski of OutServe-SLDN. Also on the legal team are pro-bono co-counsel at Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Newman Du Wors LLP.

DNC on Supreme Court Allowing Transgender Troop Ban to Take Effect

DNC Chair Tom Perez released the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court announced it would allow the Trump administration to move forward with its ban on most transgender troops serving in the U.S. armed forces:

“Prejudice is not patriotism. Discrimination is not a national security strategy. This ban is nothing more than bigotry codified into law and an insult to all who have worn our nation’s uniform. Not only does it go against our values as Americans, it also makes us less safe.

“Democrats believe diversity is our nation’s strength. We believe everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, no matter who you love or how you identify. The brave service members who defend our freedoms should be able live freely. And we will keep fighting for the transgender community and all those who put themselves in harm’s way to protect our country.”

Bearracuda Denver is Back!

MileHighGayGuy is proud to once again partner up with Bearracuda Denver for their upcoming Winter Party at Ophelia's. Don't miss DJ Matt Consola, the sexiest go-go bears in all the land, and much, much more! Now in 61 cities across the world, Bearracuda is the largest attended bear dance party in the U.S.!

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.

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!

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.

It's a Lip Synch Smackdown, This Friday on RPDR!

This Friday, for the first time in Drag Race Herstory, all of the eliminated queens get a chance to return to the competition. 

But first they have to send home a competing All Star in a shocking midseason lip sync smackdown.

UndocuQueer: Celebrating Intersectional Identities Through Art

On February 5, in collaboration with MSU Immigrant Services, the MSU Center for Multicultural Excellence & Inclusion, the MSU Gender Institute for Teaching & Advocacy, MSU Department of Social Work, Building Allies of Diversity, UCD Undocumented Student Services, and UCD Office of Inclusion & Outreach will be hosting an UndocuQueer event, celebrating the intersections of Undocumented and Queer Identities.

DNC on Karen Pence's New Anti-LGBTQ Workplace

Second Lady Karen Pence began teaching art at Immanuel Christian School, which refuses admission to LGBTQ students and allies and forces prospective employees to sign a pledge not to engage in “homosexual or lesbian activity or transgender identity.” In response, DNC LGBTQ Media Director Lucas Acosta issued the following statement:

“Mike Pence has repeatedly supported anti-LGBTQ groups and treated us like second-class citizens. It is no surprise that the Second Lady holds the same values.

“School should be a place where every child feels welcome, free to identify, and empowered to learn without fear or distraction. No child should fear expulsion, discrimination or any other retribution by school officials for coming out or allying with LGBTQ people. By teaching at a school that bans LGBTQ parents, teachers, students and allies, Karen Pence is actively supporting and promoting an institution that endorses discrimination. And this is just the latest example of this administration using its power and platform to discriminate against the LGBTQ community.

“As leaders of this country, the Pences should promote values of acceptance, inclusivity and diversity rather than divisiveness and exclusion.”