Annual Survey on Gay & Bisexual Men's Health and Entertainment

Take ten minutes to make your voice heard in this annual survey about how media and entertainment interact with gay and bisexual men’s health and entertainment. Your answers are completely confidential and participation will help provide health services to our community.

Those who complete the survey may enter for a chance to win one of twenty prizes: Either $50 cash, or a $50 donation to a charity of your choice.

Books: Fire Island Photographs

As summer crashes ashore with full abandon, New York’s most titillating island gets its time in the sun in FIRE ISLAND: PHOTOGRAPHS (Glitterati) by Alex Geana, who spent four years capturing its most intimate and indomitable moments. Ripe with seductive images of luminous locations and luscious lords, the 224-page book shows Fire Island in all its unrepressed glory. “Alex focuses his lens on the tribal spirit involved in poolside romping, … and is there to clock the ritualized exhibitionism, glamor and inclusion,” crows Michael Musto, the LGBT community’s most ubiquitous scribe.

FIRE ISLAND: PHOTOGRAPHS is a provocative, unabashed journey into the island’s psyche, filled with unexpected moments, famous and infamous figures and the celebration of youth, sex and beauty. Inspired by the works of legends like Slim Aarons and Herb Ritts, Geana’s images are at once supple and serene, bathed in carnal sunlight that is both impeccably simple and deeply complex. It’s that contradiction that makes every image its own story … left to the reader to imagine.

“Fire Island is not just a place, it’s a memory, escape, dream, haven. It represents so much to so many people, and capturing its essence was a labor of love,” said Geana. “The setting is unmistakable, but it’s the scenery that tells the story – the people, the places, the time of year, the friends you make, the connections you forge and the beauty of love, spontaneity and free -spirited recklessness. I was so awed by the trust, honesty and excitement I encountered when making this book. The final result is a photographic diary of the Fire Island experience through a sun-lit lens."

FIRE ISLAND: PHOTOGRAPHS is available in two versions: the 9x12” hardback retailing for $50.00, and a special 11x14” hardback version with a slipcase. The Collectors Edition, of which there are only 20 copies available, retail for $2,500. The book can be ordered on Amazon (NSFW) as well as purchased at the General Store in The Pines by calling 631-597-6500.

Tyler James Bellinger - Save Me

Singer/songwriter, Tyler James Bellinger, who is best known for churning out hits behind the scenes, continues to put his unique stamp on the music industry with his powerful solo releases.

Produced by Michael MacAllister, his newest single, “Save Me” is out everywhere today.

“I wrote ‘Save Me’ with my friend Lena Leon in 2017” shares Bellinger. “The song was a prayer for me. At the time I was going through some relationship troubles and I was struggling with the idea that my relationship wasn't going to work out.”

“Save Me” is part of Bellinger’s forthcoming project. He will continue to drop new music this summer coinciding with his upcoming appearance on the NBC television show Songland. On the show, undiscovered songwriters pitch their original songs to superstar recording artists and a panel of music producers.

Third single “Find a Way” will follow next month.

Earlier this year, Bellinger released his lead single, “Feel Like Home,” and its accompanying video. “Feel Like Home” celebrates belonging and acceptance for LGBTQ+ homeless youth. The song is based on true events from lives of two trans women of color who shared their unique stories with Bellinger. For the release of the video, Bellinger partnered with The Ali Forney Center, the nation’s largest and most comprehensive agency dedicated to LGBTQ homeless youth.

“’Feel Like Home’ is incredibly personal to me, as I wrote it for my partner,” explains Bellinger. “My hope is that the video will continue to draw light upon LGBTQ+ homelessness and the adversity that trans women, particularly trans women of color, face daily.”

In addition to his songwriting and solo career, Bellinger is one half of the band KNGDAVD. The act has amassed nearly 5 million plays on Spotify. KNGDAVD’s single “Blood On Our Hands” has been featured in Guinness’ 200th anniversary commercials and the trailer for the new movie The Public. Their single “You Never Know” was featured in the Marvel TV show Cloak and Dagger, and their song “Say My Name” will be featured in the upcoming season of Netflix’s Lucifer.

On August 24th, celebrate with One Colorado at the 2019 Ally Awards!

 
By Garrett Royer, Development Manager, One Colorado Education Fund

Happy Pride! With Pride month winding down, we're not far off from One Colorado's signature event — the Ally Awards! On August 24th, we'll be honoring some truly incredible awardees and we can't wait to celebrate with you.

Ticket prices will increase on July 16th so make sure you save your spot today!

Starting at 6:30 PM, we'll kick off with a cocktail reception on the pool terrace with a hosted bar and heavy passed and stationed hors d’oeuvres. Guests will then move to the Four Seasons ballroom and attendees will enjoy an awards ceremony with special guest speakers, delectable desserts, and champagne.

And the Ally Awards go to…
• UCHealth Integrated Transgender Program
• former Colorado Attorney General, Cynthia H. Coffman
• former Colorado Speaker of the House, Crisanta Duran

And the Lifetime Achievement Award goes to…
Lockheed Martin engineer and transgender activist, Christine Bland

Grab your tickets today — we can't wait to see you there!

PS — Do you have an item, experience, or venue that you'd like to donate to be featured in this year's silent auction? Please email me at garrettr@one-colorado.org for more information.

WalletHub: 2019’s Best & Worst Places to Celebrate 4th of July

Source: WalletHub

With the Fourth of July just days away, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2019's Best & Worst Places for 4th of July Celebrations as well as accompanying videos to go along with interesting stats about the holiday in its 4th of July Facts & Figures infographic. 

To determine the best places to celebrate the most star-spangled occasion, WalletHub compared the 100 largest U.S. cities based on how well they balance holiday cost and fun. The data set of 20 key metrics ranges from average beer and wine prices to duration of fireworks shows to Fourth of July weather forecast.
 

Best Cities to Celebrate Fourth of July
1	New York, NY		11	New Orleans, LA
2	Los Angeles, CA		12	Scottsdale, AZ
3	San Diego, CA		13	Milwaukee, WI
4	Washington, DC		14	Baltimore, MD
5	Las Vegas, NV		15	Philadelphia, PA
6	Dallas, TX		16	Seattle, WA
7	Atlanta, GA		17	Denver, CO
8	Chicago, IL		18	Miami, FL
9	San Francisco, CA		19	Orlando, FL
10	St. Louis, MO		20	Pittsburgh, PA

MTV transforms dads into queens in new heartwarming makeover series, “Drag My Dad”

Bob the Drag Queen is hosting the ultimate makeover show that presents a whole new approach to family bonding, MTV’s “Drag My Dad.” Each episode centers on a young adult who is at a crucial point in their life and struggling to connect with their dad. From bold contours to runway walks, Bob and his team of experts jump in to offer families a hilarious and tear-jerking experience, teaching these dads what it’s like to take a walk in someone else’s size 14 heels! The new digital original series airs every Monday on MTV Facebook.

In yesterday’s premiere episode on Facebook, Amanda gave her dad Bret the makeover of a lifetime. After Amanda’s mother and father divorced, her relationship with her dad has never been the same. Amanda hopes glamming up her dad will help bring out the happy-go-lucky, fun guy he once was, and remind him that it is okay to laugh even if life doesn’t turn out as you expect.

DDFL: Keep pets safe and calm during July 4 festivities

The Fourth of July is coming up. The holiday and the days leading up to it are sure to be full of picnics, fun and fireworks! While many of us find the sights and sounds exciting, fireworks and other elements of our celebrations may frighten cats and dogs, causing them to panic and escape the confines of a yard or even the house.

To help protect pets during the festivities, here are some tips for pet owners: 

• Keep your pet indoors during fireworks celebrations in a quiet, isolated room with covered windows, such as a bathroom, or a basement where there are no windows. Turn on a fan, radio or TV to muffle the sound of fireworks. These devices provide familiar indoor sounds and may help soothe your pet if he must be alone on this noisy holiday.
• Don’t bring your pet to a fireworks display.
• If you know from experience that your pet will suffer from severe anxiety caused by the loud noise of fireworks, consider talking with your veterinarian in advance about giving your pet a mild tranquilizer.
• If your pet behaves nervously by pacing, whining or crying, try playing with her as a distraction or doing something she enjoys.
• Make sure your pet always wears an appropriately fitted collar and an I.D. tag with your current phone number and address. Your pet should also be wearing a current license/rabies tag.
• You may want to talk with your veterinarian about providing your pet with a microchip identification implant in case your pet loses his collar and tags. And if your pet already has a microchip, make sure the contact information is up to date.
• More tips for helping your pets cope with fireworks can be found by clicking here.
• If you find a lost pet, take it to your nearest animal shelter. You can also place a “found” ad in your local paper, on websites like Finding Rover, Next Door, Facebook or Craigslist and post notices around your neighborhood.
• If your pet does go missing, check the website of the shelter closest to you, then check our Lost & Found page to look for your lost pet. Additionally, follow these tips to give your pet the best chance of returning home quickly and safely.

LGBTQ Elected Officials Increased by 24.9% in Past Year; New Report Shows 698 LGBTQ Elected Officials Serve Nationwide

There are 698 known openly LGBTQ elected officials in the United States – a 24.9 percent increase in the past year – according to LGBTQ Victory Institute’s 2019 Out for America report, which was released today. The increase is attributable to the growing number of LGBTQ people running for office, an increase in those willing to run openly, and incumbent elected officials who are deciding to come out. The report also shows LGBTQ elected officials continue to become more diverse – with LGBTQ people of color, bisexual and transgender people, and cisgender women elected officials increasing at a faster rate than white people and gay men.

While the growth in LGBTQ elected officials was strong, America must elect 22,688 more LGBTQ people to public office to achieve equitable representation in government.

Among the report’s key findings:

• 698 known LGBTQ elected officials are currently serving in the U.S., just 0.13 percent of all elected officials nationwide;
• LGBTQ elected officials of color increased by 36 percent compared to 21.1 percent among white LGBTQ elected officials; and
• Bisexual elected officials increased by 126 percent and transgender elected officials by 53.8 percent.

The report also found a 22.5 percent increase in LGBTQ state legislators over the past year and a 34.9 percent increase over the past two years.

“While LGBTQ elected officials are increasing in number and becoming more diverse, LGBTQ people – and especially LGBTQ people of color, bisexual and transgender people – remain severely underrepresented at every level of government,” said Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Institute. “This must be a call-to-action for our community. LGBTQ candidates face obstacles and inequities that many who run for office do not face, yet voters are ready to elect us if we run. It is our responsibility to encourage leaders in our community to run for office and be our voice in the halls of power.”

The Out for America report is an annual analysis of LGBTQ elected representation in government based on Victory Institute’s LGBTQ elected officials database – the largest and most comprehensive listing available. The interactive Out for America map displays all known LGBTQ elected officials and is available at outforamerica.org.

GQ Celebrates Pride: Rapper Kevin Abstract Kicks Off a Week of LGBTQ+ Coverage 50 Years to the Date of the Stonewall Riots

GQ today begins its Pride Week coverage, with its first ever Pride digital cover, starring rapper Kevin Abstract of music group Brockhampton. The week culminates on June 29, World Pride Day, and leads straight into NYC Pride, on June 30. Coming off the brand’s second consecutive GLAAD nomination, this year’s hub is part of an ongoing effort to amplify marginalized voices.

Highlights of the Upcoming Pride Coverage:

Kevin Abstract

The rapper and Brockhampton frontman stars in the first ever GQ Pride digital cover with a Q&A by critically acclaimed playwright Jeremy O. Harris. Highlights include informal therapy sessions led by Shia LaBeouf, and addressing the Brockhampton #MeToo moment that led to losing a member.

Allyship Roundtable

Thoughtful interviews with LGBTQ leaders, activists, and celebrities on what allyship means in 2019. Participants include Adam Rippon, Wilson Cruz, Margaret Cho, Nina West, Nico Santos, Alaska Thunderfuck, Hayley Kiyoko, Chella Man, Jenna Wortham, Daya, Jacob Tobia, Ali Krieger, and Billy Porter

The Commodification of Pride Style

GQ unpacks who Pride is really for this year: the LGBTQ community, or the big brands trying to make it about them.

Sasha Velour

The winner of season 9 of RuPaul’s Drag Race explores drag kings, an oft-overlooked group in the drag community..

Steven Canals Profile

The creator of Pose discusses what the show means to the LGBTQ community.

Sam Ratelle Q&A

Billy Porter’s stylist breaks down the star’s iconic looks.

Ocean Vuong Q&A

The poet and TS Eliot Prize-winner speaks in depth about his new novel, writing gay sex scenes, and being basic.

MUNA Profile

The queer-identifying musical trio talk about addressing sexuality and gender in music, and touring with Harry Styles.

FIRE: University's censorship of a Lady Gaga sign a 'Shallow' move

By Daniel Burnett

The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, a national civil liberties and free speech organization, intervened on behalf of University of Central Arkansas librarians who were censored by their university for displaying a pro-LGBTQ library sign featuring a quote from Lady Gaga. FIRE's letter to President Houston Davis explains how the First Amendment doesn't allow such censorship at a public university, and calls on him to rescind his censorship of the Lady Gaga library sign. 

"We see President Houston Davis' poker face and are calling his bluff," said Adam Steinbaugh, author of FIRE's letter. "Librarians at UCA are entitled to expressive rights — and FIRE will defend them." 

Censoring the librarians’ sign amounts to viewpoint discrimination prohibited by the First Amendment and principles of academic freedom in several ways: 

• As a public institution, the University of Central Arkansas is bound by the First Amendment.
• The expression is by librarians or the library, not the university as an institution.
• The expression takes place in a designated public forum.
 
Librarians at UCA are faculty members entitled to the full spectrum of expressive and academic freedom. That’s especially true in Arkansas, where the legislature recently passed — and the governor signed — a law discouraging its public universities from censoring campus expression, including by faculty members, that others might find inappropriate. 

The Arkansas Times reported last week that President Davis communicated with Republican Sen. Jason Rapert and university trustees before ordering the sign's removal.
FIRE urges President Davis to quickly restore the sign as Pride Month draws to a close. I am happy to connect you with a FIRE representative to speak on this further.

P.S. FIRE has set up a form where you and your readers can write directly to President Davis to tell him to respect expressive rights. Help FIRE fight back against censorship.

Hot Chip - Spell

 

Last Friday, Hot Chip released A Bath Full Of Ecstasy, their brilliant seventh album and the group’s definitive release, crystallizing the sound they’ve become celebrated for – bridging euphoria and melancholy with colorful melodies, idiosyncratic vocalizations and pounding electronic pop rhythms.

Ahead of their show at Glastonbury this weekend – where they headline the Park Stage on Saturday – the band have shared a video for album track “Spell."

Having originally started life as a track for Katy Perry (Alexis Taylor and Joe Goddard contributed to her 2017 album Witness), “Spell” showcases some of the more experimental vocal production found on A Bath Full of Ecstasy. Taylor’s vocals are manipulated to be playful and free, without obfuscating the words; harking to Prince’s gender-bending infectious lust.

Nice To See StevieB: Tasty Tasty Murder

By StevieB

I was always that guy who brought that green box to the BBQ. There is always one; you host a cookout and spend a lot of time shaping and flavoring burgers to grill, and someone shows up with a Garden Burger box and asks you to place the frozen, grey pucks on the corner of the grill. Yep. I was the guy who smeared his sense of personal superiority on the plant-based food item like mustard. Side eyeing the cow murderers. All while clouds of dust came from my mouth as I chewed on the cardboardish facsimile of a real burger patty.

I was thinking about this as I was line at Brother’s BBQ Sunday afternoon. I was deciding whether I had to start the charade that I was buying a full rack of ribs for my large, and hungry family. Instead I made a stand; I ordered my full rack, proud to be free from the meat-binge closet. Oh, how time changes you.

That being said, I still have the "Meat is Murder" bumper sticker boy living inside of me. He will always be there. I have to say, I am happy eating at my local vegan restaurant and maintaining a plant based diet. My freezer is filled those green boxes of Garden Burgers frosting away. And yet, there are a few times when the carnivorous cow or pig hating murderer comes out. I guess the saying of "Everything in Moderation" is true.

Editors note: full rack eaten in record time.

Take the 2019 LGBTQ Military & Veteran Community Survey

By Jennifer L. Dane, M.A. (she/her), Director, Education & Programs, Modern Military Association of America

We’re excited to announce that our ground-breaking 2019 Modern Military Annual Survey is now live.

Your voice matters, and we want to hear from you!

Our Modern Military Annual Survey will be a crucially important tool in ensuring your voice is heard as we advocate for our community in the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. As a member of the LGBTQ military and veteran community, your insight will ensure that we’re able to better serve our modern military families through education, advocacy and support.

Not only will sharing your experiences make a real difference, but as a thank you for taking the time to participate, your name will also be entered into a drawing for a brand new Facebook Portal.

So get started now.

World of Wonder Premieres New Documentary ‘Stonewall Outloud’

Last night, Emmy-winning media company World of Wonder, the creative minds behind RuPaul’s Drag Race, Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, and Out of Iraq, premiered their newest documentary Stonewall Outloud at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood. The event was attended by project producers and directors Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato (World of Wonder co-founders); stars featured in the documentary including Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, Daniel Franzese, Amber Whittington, Isis King, Alexis G. Zall and Laith Ashley, plus special guests Alec Mapa, Billie Lee, Rebecca Black, Chester Lockhart and more. After the star-studded reception and screening, producers and directors spoke to a crowd of 300.

Narrated by RuPaul, Stonewall Outloud is directed and produced by World of Wonder in association with YouTube Originals and Storycorps. In the powerful documentary, contemporary voices in the LGBTQ community lip-synch over recordings of individuals who were actually present at the Stonewall riots, bringing their voices to life for the next generation. Stonewall Outloud premieres to the public June 28th on the World of Wonder YouTube Channel, WOWPresents, and has a one-week theatrical run June 21 – 27, 2019 in Santa Monica.

World Pride and the State of Human Rights of LGBTIQ People Around the World

On Sunday, 30 June 2019, 50 years after the spontaneous riots in protest against police raids and shaming of LGBTIQ people at the Stonewall Inn gave rise to the contemporary LGBTIQ and Pride movement, New York will host the World Pride. World Pride is designed to shine a spotlight on LGBTIQ issues globally, including in countries where Pride events cannot take place for security, legislation or capacity reasons. 

OutRight will take part in the World Pride march celebrating progress in the recognition of LGBTIQ equality globally, while also drawing attention to the horrific conditions LGBTIQ people around the world continue to face:

• 68 countries, and several territories, still criminalize same-sex relations, in a handful of which the death penalty can be applied;
• In 55 countries LGBTIQ organizations cannot legally register;
• In 30 countries no LGBTIQ organizations exist at all, whether registered or unregistered;
• LGBTIQ people are subjected to harmful and ineffective “conversion therapies”, recognized to be tantamount to torture by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, around the world;
• Only 9 countries have explicit anti-discrimination protection on grounds of sex characteristics, and only 3 ban non-consensual normalizing surgeries on intersex children;
• Over the last year alone persecutions of perceived LGBTIQ people, predominantly gay and bisexual men, continued with impunity in Chechnya; Brunei passed a final phase of Sharia law envisaging death by stoning for honor crimes including same-sex relations; the US administration announced plans to challenge the existence of trans people by defining gender as a binary, immutable condition based in biology; Kenya's High Court Refused to decriminalize same-sex relations claiming it may, indirectly, open the door to same-sex marriage, to name a few.

In addition to existing conditions which make LGBTIQ people not only second class citizens, but even criminals in a large part of the world, a backlash against gender and LGBTIQ people’s equality has been growing even in countries which have previously been champions of human rights. The so-called anti-gender movement has grown in strength and number, spanning across hateful civil society, religious groups and, increasingly, state actors, aiming to challenge the existence of and exclude LGBTIQ people from human rights protections, halt gender equality efforts, restrict sexual and reproductive health and rights, and preserve a social order based on outdated, harmful gender roles.
Jessica Stern, Executive Director of OutRight Action International commented:

“50 years after the symbolic first Pride at the Stonewall riots, Pride continues to serve as a symbol of the global movement for LGBTIQ equality. In New York, the anger and determination which sparked the first riots have been replaced by celebration. Yet, in far too many places around the world, where violence and murder of LGBTIQ people remains a daily reality, Pride, in the vast variety of forms it takes, continues to be an expression of protest and defiance, an affirmation of our existence, and a message to authorities that they can not get away with denying us our basic rights.

Amid deserved celebration for progress in New York, the recent decriminalization of same-sex relations in Bhutan and Botswana, or legalization of same-sex marriage in Ecuador and Taiwan, to name a few, let us also march in the same spirit of protest that the first marches embodied. For even in countries with long histories of Pride, in countries which have been heralded as champions of LGBTIQ equality, a backlash has been growing. Although trans women were at the forefront of the Stonewall Riots, trans rights have lagged behind, and now, 50 years later, are coming under even more attack. Evidently, we have quite the battle ahead before LGBTIQ people everywhere can live free to be who they are, love whom they choose, free from fear of violence, hate and persecution.”