Be sure to pick up the latest issue of Out Front Colorado. The first of two official PrideFest issues for this year, the May 38 edition of OFC features articles on the new Sex in the City movie, Trans 101, an interview with Aubrey Sarvis, El Futuro Community Center, Naughty Pierre, fabulous Las Vegas, and all of the rest of the regular OFC features and columns you've come to know and love over the years.
Yours truly has a piece on Bisexual Pride in the paper proper and one on Blogging for Pride in the PrideFest pullout. Read them after the jump.
Friday, May 30, 2008
PrideFest issue of Out Front Colorado (including the Official PrideFest Pullout Guide) is on stands now!
Madonna: Express Yourself
One of the all-time great epic videos. They just don't make 'em like this anymore.
ONE FM will be giving away a pair of Madonna concert tickets to the November 11th show at Pepsi Center in Denver. The prize will be awarded on the Main Stage at Pridefest.
ONE FM will be taking pre-registration entries at multiple locations leading up to Pride with a huge focus on their live broadcasts on Saturdays at Wilde Dancebar and Lounge.
Additionally, ONE FM will be taking entries/registration at their booth at Pridefest! Entering is as simple as filling out an entry form and dropping it in the box. Winner must be present at Pridefest to win. Keep tuned to ONE FM for more details.
Meet Calpernia
Calpernia Addams, author, activist and recent star of Transamerican Love Story on LOGO is coming to PrideFest. Is she still looking for love? Will she find it in the Mile High City? You'll have to ask her on Sunday, June 22.
Demented Divas: From The Tonight Show to PrideFest
Wow, from The Tonight Show (the freakin' Tonight Show!!!) to Denver PrideFest, those Demented Divas really get around.
Gov. Ritter signs SB 200
As initially reported on MileHighGayGuy , on Thursday, May 29, and confirmed by the the Governor's office today, May 30, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter has signed one of the most important and progressive pieces of legislation in the state’s GLBT history into law.
SB 200, the “Expansion of Discrimination Prohibitions” bill, will expand language prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, including transgender status, in housing practices, public accommodation, eligibility for jury service, availability of family planning services, and in many other areas. The bill, introduced by Sen. Jennifer Veiga and Rep. Joel Judd, will also add sex, marital status, disability, age, national origin, ancestry, and religion as needed.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
The Origins of The Center - How and Why it Came About
Here's a great first-person account of the early days of The Center and the GLBT rights movement in Colorado from Jerry Gerash.
*Thanks to OFC's Matt Kailey for the link
Memories of Pride 2007
PrideFest 2007 was the first PrideFest I've missed in the last 15 years. I can't say I regret it too much, because Atlanta PrideFest was pretty rockin' (those Atlanta boys really like to show off that Southern hospitality), but from all these amazing pictures, it's pretty obvious that Denver's PrideFest 2007 was off the charts!
Lots more pics after the jump.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Blooming at Denver PrideFest: Matt Kailey interviews Grand Marshal Donna Rose
She’s a nationally recognized speaker, author and activist, not to mention a computer whiz and a knockout in an evening gown. As well spoken as she is outspoken, trans activist Donna Rose has served on several national boards, presented on trans issues all over the country and authored a popular book, Wrapped in Blue, about her gender transition from male to female. Now Donna Rose will be appearing at Denver PrideFest 2008 as the Grand Marshal. I caught up with her before her appearance here to ask her about the T in GLBT, the importance of community and her resignation from the HRC board of directors amid the controversy of ENDA.
Matt Kailey: Some people see the focus of a Pride celebration as gay and lesbian pride and rights. What part does the trans community play in a Pride celebration?
Donna Rose: GLB and T are not as different or separate from one another as some seem to believe. We all challenge society’s stereotypical expectations of what it means to be a man or a woman in this culture. We all struggle with lifetimes of shame and guilt and fear at discovery. We all share the difficult process of coming out to ourselves, to family, to friends and the devastating loss that these things sometimes involve. We all deal with varying degrees of harassment at school, at work and in our daily lives. The fact that there are opportunities to set that all aside, to leave our dark closets and to come together as a community to celebrate the pride we feel in being who and what we are should not and cannot be limited to specific kinds of people in the broader GLBT spectrum. Pride is a celebration of authenticity, and in that way, Pride is for everyone.
MK: What does it mean to you to be Grand Marshal of Denver PrideFest?
DR: I am tremendously honored and proud to be the Grand Marshal of Denver PrideFest this year. I think it’s indicative of the realization that GLB and T are not necessarily separate from one another, but that we overlap in some significant and important ways. The fact that I have always been attracted to women and that hasn’t changed means that the rest of society perceives me as a lesbian, so any number of the letters of our alphabet-soup can apply. I hope my participation will help others realize that we’re all in this together, and that Pride is for everyone.
MK: What will you be speaking about at PrideFest?
DR: When I speak at PrideFest I will be stressing the concept of “community.” We all face similar challenges in schools, in workplaces, at places of worship and out in society. If the recent murder of 14-year-old Lawrence King in Oxnard highlights anything, it’s that these outdated labels really don’t apply. Was he killed because he acknowledged that he was gay, or because he acted and dressed in ways that are traditionally feminine? Others apply letters to label us. We need to recognize that we’re all in this together and, as such, are all one community.
A community isn’t something that you’re part of simply because of shared traits or characteristics. Community is something you’re part of because you actually choose to belong. It’s a spirit, a sense of common purpose. For those of us who faced our fears alone, who always felt isolated and alone, the realization that there is a community of people united by courage, by authenticity and by the freedom to be who and what they are is tremendously empowering. Community is a foundational concept of Pride, and I think it’s important to stress this now more than ever.
All my work on local and national levels has been about “community.” I find myself as a bridge builder simply by being at the table as a board member: at HRC, at GLAAD, at the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. I don’t perceive myself simply as a transgender outsider looking in. I perceive myself as part of the broader GLBT community, with a unique perspective to share.
MK: How do you think trans people are misunderstood by the GLB community?
DR: I think trans people, in general, are as misunderstood by the GLB community as they are by the rest of the broader society. When I joined our Employee Resource Group at Dell I had someone approach me after about a year to thank me for helping her to learn about “transgender.” She acknowledged that the entire concept of it had made her uncomfortable, but that by knowing me and learning, it had helped her to understand. I think that’s typical of many in the GLB community, and the only way for us to learn about one another is by sharing, by working together and by helping each other overcome our own phobias we often don’t realize we have.
MK: How can the trans community help and support the GLB community and vice versa?
DR: There are lots of things trans people can do to support the GLB community. They can join GLBT organizations that align with their passions (PFLAG, the Task Force, GLAAD or HRC) or simply for the social aspects that being involved can provide. They can actively support legislation to support the GLB community: Marriage Equality and the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” to name just a couple. If the trans community wants the broader GLB community to stand up for them, they need to be able to do the same in return.
I’m a big believer that there are no “levels” of equality. There is equality, and there is something less. None of us can afford to accept something less. The only way for us all to get there is for us to hold true to our ideals of fairness, of community, of protecting those of us who need it most, and to demand nothing less. The more of us who speak in a unified voice, the better the chance it will happen.
MK: You resigned from the HRC national board over their stance on ENDA. What is your relationship to HRC now?
DR: I did resign from HRC over ENDA. It was a very painful and difficult decision for me because I strongly believed in the ideals of equality and justice for all that I felt the organization stood for. I had invested quite a bit of my time, my energy, my reputation, my money and my passion in it. However, based on their decision, and more specifically how I felt I was handled during that process, I could not in good conscience align myself with an organization that did not have the same commitment to “community” as I did. I believed then, and continue to believe, that one of the most important things that any of us has is our credibility. Political “realities” or expediency aside, my continuing disappointment with their political strategy isn’t specifically what happened, it’s how it happened.
I don’t know that I have a relationship with HRC at the moment, or at least a formal one that I can define. I’m doing what I can to find common ground so that some sort of healing can take place. I’m not willing to debate what happened over ENDA (or why) at this point because what’s done is done. We need to find a way to move past it. I’m supportive of their continuing Foundation efforts – Workplace, Coming Out, Faith. I hold out hope that I will find a way to establish a relationship with them again someday, but that depends on them as much as it does on me.
MK: Does a non-inclusive ENDA hurt the gay and lesbian community? If so, how?
DR: I think it would be inaccurate to say that a non-inclusive ENDA somehow “hurts” the gay and lesbian community. I do believe, and analysis by Lambda Legal has backed this up, that a non-inclusive ENDA has several significant flaws in it that significantly weaken it when compared to the fully inclusive version. But to think that passing Federal Legislation that protects gays and lesbians from being fired in the workplace somehow “hurts” them would be misguided.
It’s important to recognize that the concept of “transgender” involves how people are perceived as being “manly” or “womanly” enough by others. People’s expression of their gender doesn’t need to have anything to do with self-identifying as part of the transgender community – gender non-conformity is simply an expression of personal freedoms. However, it puts them at risk when compared to the expectations that others have for men and women.
MK: The whole situation around ENDA appears to have caused a rift within the GLBT community. How can we heal that rift – or is it necessary to heal it? Can it be good for the community to have various factions working in various ways, even if everyone is not in agreement?
DR: Actually, I would disagree with that statement. I don’t know that ENDA exposed a rift so much as it actually united the broader community. The entire concept of United ENDA, where over 400 local, state and national GLBT organizations stood up for a fully inclusive ENDA, indicates unity and solidarity like never before. I think the notion of a “rift” happened because the most significant player in the GLBT political world, the Human Rights Campaign, chose to stand alone in supporting the non-inclusive version of ENDA that eventually got passed.
I’d go a step further to say that what happened over ENDA last fall had far more bright spots than blemishes and bodes well for the future. I truly believe that once we’ve had an opportunity to see what happened in the context of time, we’ll see it as a unifying time, a time of increased awareness and a time of broader community acceptance. It has opened doors for broader education. It will lead to Congressional Hearings in Washington, D.C. on transgender workplace challenges later this spring. It has highlighted who our friends truly are, as well as those who need further education. As far as I’m concerned, these are all good things.
One of the fallacies of ENDA is the notion that it will change workplace conditions for GLBT people overnight. The fact of the matter is that we need to do the deeper-dive education to ensure that workplaces are accepting and aware of what this legislation means. Corporate America is far ahead of the rest of our culture in GLBT acceptance, so we’ve got strong allies there. If we continue the work we’ve been doing, we can ensure that the ENDA that gets passed is more than simply symbolic, and that it truly ensures that GLBT employees can go to work each day assured that they will not lose their job simply because someone chooses to discriminate against them.
How can the damage be healed? That’s simple. By working together to pass a fully inclusive ENDA in 2009. We had the “luxury” last year of battling over legislation that faced an all-but-certain presidential veto if it passed both houses of Congress. In 2009, when this battle begins again, there will be a more accepting president in place so the prospects of actually making it law become much more real. It’s critical that we work together between now and then to do the education to secure the votes, that we learn from what happened last autumn and that we work together so we don’t come to that same fork in the road that we did last time, only to have key players flinch.
I don’t think there’s anyone advocating for a non-inclusive ENDA. The difference is that some will accept something less, while others won’t.
MK: What would you like the Colorado GLBT community to know about you?
DR: Although I am no longer involved with HRC, I remain active nationally in GLBT efforts. I am still on the board of GLAAD and of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. I am on the Board of Advisors for the National Center for Transgender Equality, and on the Transgender Advisory Committee for Out and Equal Workplace Advocates. I am involved in national Transgender Education through TransEducate, and I continue to speak at workplaces, conferences and schools around the country on transgender and broader GLBT issues. I will be returning to Denver in August to participate in the Stonewall Democrats convention there, and will be a co-chair at the Out and Equal Workplace Summit in Austin, Texas in September.
At the moment, I live outside of Phoenix, Arizona, with my brand new puppy, Maggie, a 9-week-old Australian Shepherd. My son, who is 22, lives here, too.
In my “professional” life, I am an Information Technology Consultant to Fortune 500 companies, where I lead large IT projects and programs.
MK: What else would you like to say?
DR: There fewer than a half-dozen cities in this country that come to mind when I think about moving somewhere new to live. Denver is on that list.
I look forward to being able to meet as many people as I can during PrideFest. The reason I do the things I do is largely because I have the honor of meeting the most amazing people, and it’s a privilege to be in a position to help.
Thanks to everyone who helped to make this possible. I look forward to thanking you all in person.
For more information about Donna Rose, go to www.donnarose.com.
Meet Nuclia Waste & The Demented Divas
Nuclia Waste is the triple-nippled radioactive queen of dragtastic comedy. As a member of the Demented Divas, she and the girls will be making the Main Stage at PrideFest a much more fabulous place.
Drew: Congratulations on landing a spot on the Main Stage!
Nuclia: Thank you! We are very excited to be performing on the Main Stage on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. and we will be doing 20 minutes of highlights of the best of the best of our shows, the stuff that makes the audience scream and laugh the loudest.
So who, exactly, are the Demented Divas?
We are a camp comedy dragtastic revue and we sing and perform and make fun of famous divas. We just do anything that makes people laugh.
Why do you think PrideFest is important to the GLBT community?
I think it's a chance to celebrate ourselves and be who we are outside and in broad daylight!
It used to be that some people in our community would get unhappy with all the media coverage you flamboyant types would garner. Is that still an issue?
You know, there is a segment of the population that is a little uptight and probably doesn't like to focus on how fabulous and how creative we are but, face it, it's part of who we are. We bring creativity and fabulousness to the table worldwide and to deny that part of us is just silly.
There's such a great line-up of talent this year for PrideFest with Sophie B. Hawkins, Martha Wash, and Calpernia Addams, who are you most interested in seeing?
Oh, Martha Wash. She's a classic. An icon.
You usually do some stilt-walking at PrideFest. Will you be doing that again this year?
Of course. I started working on my stilt costume for this year at the end of last year's PrideFest.
You're a multi-faceted performer. You stilt walk, you do trick roping ...
I've ridden bulls, I wrangle bees ...
You wrangle bees? How are the bees doing this year? I know they've had it rough recently.
Not good. There's still high colony hive collapse. I think insects are a barometer of the changes going on in the world.
Bummer. What message do you have for readers of PrideFest Blog?
Well, my motto in life is, "It's never too late to have a happy childhood." If you apply that to your PrideFest weekend you're sure to have a good time!
Nuclia Waste and the Demented Divas will also be performing during PrideFest weekend at Lannie's Clocktower Cabaret on June 20 and 21. Get your tickets now at www.lannies.com.
That's Entertainment: Girl Named Kyle
Girl Named Kyle is a fresh, local five-piece band who will be tearing up the stage at Denver PrideFest.
The music is sometimes soft, sometimes loud, but never weak. It is a collaboration of rock, folk, and indie influences, all topped off with mesmerizing vocals. Electric and acoustic guitars and an upright piano intertwine in creative and emotional ways. Rock drums and bass bring these instruments together to form an addictive sound.
This makes for an exciting, unpredictable, and engaging performance that won the accolade "Best New Band in Denver" (Herman's Hideaway, 2008). Girl Named Kyle has opened for national acts Pat McGee and Steven Kellogg & the Sixers and has headlined shows at the Bluebird and Gothic theaters in Denver.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Calpernia on myspace
Befriend Calpernia on myspace. Her new song 'Stunning' is available on iTunes but she says that if you are young/broke/don't have a credit card for the .99, you can email her and she'll send you a copy free.
Very sweet.
But if you are established/wealthy/have plenty of credit cards, well then, help a sister out! You can also nab episodes of her TV show 'Transamerican Love Story' on iTunes.
Stunning news: Calpernia is coming to PrideFest
I have just gotten the news that Calpernia Addams in the main stage line up on Sunday for PrideFest. In honor of this stunning news, I present Calpernia's latest music video, 'Stunning':
Madonna: American Life
Listen to PrideFest sponsor ONE FM for a chance to win tickets to Madonna's upcoming Denver show.
Memories of Pride 1997
It's hard to believe that these were taken more than ten years ago. We've come so far in terms of GLBT rights, picture-taking technology and fashion.
DJ Pride at PrideFest's Stoli Danceworld
Every time she steps behind the turntables, Dj Pride brings her own indelible style to the mix. From funky grooves to dark tribal beats, this club chameleon commands the room, while still maintaining a musical landscape and journey throughout her sets. An intimate lounge, after-hours, or poolside on a Sunday afternoon…Pride saturates any venue with her energy, unique style, and technical prowess. Gay, straight, or mixed; they all surrender to the dynamic fusion of her sound. Don't miss DJ Pride's set on Saturday at Stoli Danceworld.
Monday, May 26, 2008
What is your favorite part of PrideFest?
"The best thing about PrideFest is being who you are and what you are with no limitations." - John
Friday, May 23, 2008
Madonna: Nothing Really Matters
PrideFest sponsor ONE FM is giving away free tickets to Madonna in Denver. Stay tuned for more details.
Meet the people behind PrideFest: Ryan Judge, PrideFest Elf
How long have you worked with PrideFest?
This is my second year working with PrideFest.
What exactly do you do with PrideFest?
Make sure people are happy, troubleshoot and staff liaison for designated areas. I tend to be all over the place as any good Elf is.
How did you come to be involved with PrideFest?
I started out last year as the PrideFest intern.
What is your favorite part of PrideFest?
THE FOOD!!! A fatty at heart… I love the variety.
What is your most memorable PrideFest moment?
From afar – watching a few thousand people be mesmerized by DeMarcio, his costume, and charm at the Main Stage. It is amazing to see that many people come together for a common cause. With so much going on, the attention of the crowd amazed me.
Why is an event like PrideFest important to the GLBT community?
PrideFest is important to the community as it unites people from all around under one common cause. It celebrates our community, history, allies, struggles, and victories. It is also an opportunity to educate, bring families together, and have fun.
Martha Wash: Carry On
Denver PrideFest Headliner Martha Wash performs 'Carry On' at the legendary Paradise Garage.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Meet Court Clark
Boulder singer/songwriter Court Clark has been a mainstay of PrideFest's Community Stage for the last five years but this year he has hit the big time and landed a coveted slot on the Main Stage.
Drew: Congratulations on making it to the Main Stage!
Court: Thanks. I've tried to get on the main stage for years and years and this year I was singing karaoke at Club M one night, which I frequently do, and DeMarcio (Slaughter, Main Stage Entertainment Coordinator) came up to me one night after I was done and offered me the Main Stage.
What was the song?
It was 'You Can't Stop the Beat' from Hairspray.
The music industry is really in the middle of a lot of changes. What's it like as a young person in the business?
Well, as far as the music business, I'm not exactly in it, but I'm trying to be! You just have to get yourself out there and it's not easy. I haven't had a lot of time yet to really focus on it but I'm trying to remedy that now.
Do you think being openly gay might hurt your chances for success?
Well, it might but I am comfortable with who I am and I'm not about to go back in the closet for the sake of a career. What you see is what you get with me. And the music industry is progressing, I think Columbia is actually starting a gay label, so it's something that I don't really worry about.
For people who haven't heard your music, how would you describe your sound and style?
It's hard to pin it down to one style of music. I have very eclectic taste, anything from showtunes to opera to rock and pop but what I mostly try to record is more of a rock sound and I try to put my own little spin on things.
What's your favorite part of PrideFest?
I don't know if I can name one single part. I love the whole thing! I love the street fair and the parade and the performances on the stages. I think it's good for the community because it gives us more visibility and gives people a chance to see who we are.
What message do you have for readers of PrideFest Blog?
Come listen to me on the Main Stage at 1 p.m. on Sunday!
Madonna: Deeper and Deeper
Here's one of my favorite Madonna videos (mostly because of the Joe Dallesandro lookalike in the tighty-whiteys at 3:50). Be sure to listen to ONE FM for your chance to win free tickets to see Madonna in Denver.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Madonna: Sorry
Tickets go on sale next week for Madonna's first-ever Denver appearance. And don't forget to listen to ONE FM for your chance to win free tickets to the show!
Hawkin' Sophie B.
Did you know that PrideFest 2008 Headliner Sophie B. Hawkins is a diehard Hillary Clinton supporter who has been campaigning and attending rallies for Clinton all over the country? Did you know the 'B.' in Sophie B. Hawkins stands for Ballantine? You learn something new everyday on the Denver PrideFest Blog!
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