May 16, 2018 :: Summer and Bodies

CO LO R A D O'S LG B TQ M AGA ZINE FREE

Sizzlin' Summer Rush Rugby • Punk Rock Burlesque

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CONTENTS MAY 16, 2018 VOL42 NO4

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6 A TRUE REFLECTION: A HOUSE FULL OF MIRRORS 7 BODY POSITIVITY MEANS SELF-LOVE 12 CALLING ALL CATS, DADDIES, & SWINGERS! FIVE POINTS JAZZ FESTIVAL RETURNS 16 SUMMER SHAPES: WORKING ON YOUR FITNESS 20

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PUNK ROCK BURLESQUE MAKES GETTING NAKED POLITICAL 32 RUSHING TO THE SCRUMS IN AMSTERDAM 38 A FEW QUEER FLICKS TO CHECK OUT THIS SUMMER 54 DUELING WITH DEPRESSION: TREES FALLING IN A FOREST

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SERVING THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS SINCE 1976 PHONE 303-477-4000 FAX 303-325-2642 WEB OutFrontMagazine.com FACEBOOK /OutFrontColorado TWITTER @OutFrontCO INSTAGRAM /OutFrontColorado FOUNDER PHIL PRICE 1954-1993 ADMINISTRATION info@outfrontmagazine.com JERRY CUNNINGHAM Publisher J.C. MCDONALD Vice President MAGGIE PHILLIPS Operations Manager JEFF JACKSON SWAIM Chief Strategist EDITORIAL editorial@outfrontmagazine.com RYAN HOWE Editor ADDISON HERRON-WHEELER Associate Editor BRENT HEINZE Senior Columnist INTERNS: Arianna Balderamma, Kate Dooley, Madeline Espinoza WRITERS: Sarah Farbman, Louisa Silvernman, Ezra Kronfeld, Mike Yost ART art@outfrontmagazine.com DESIGN2PRO Graphic Designer COVER: Photography by Jeremiah Corder Model Christian Vasquez CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS Charles Brohous, Jeremiah Corder MARKETING + SALES marketing@outfrontmagazine.com HARRISON SCHAFFER Director of Sales & Marketing BRENNAN GALLAGHER Marketing Executive QUINCEY ROISUM Marketing Executive National Advertising Rivendell Media 212-242-6863 | sales@rivendellmedia.com

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A True

Reflection: A House Full Of Mirrors

By Ryan Howe

I

love mirrors. Most of my home is decorated with an eccentric array of mirrors that I’ve collected during my time in Denver.

Each mirror serves a purpose, and sees a different version of myself.

In my room hangs an eight-foot-tall mirror that allows me to check my complete outfit before marching out the door each morning, and provides the perfect angles to examine how flat and unassuming my butt is.

My living room holds two of my mirrors. The long, white mirror that hangs in the entrance is used mostly as a hat rack and for final facial checks before leaving the house. Directly across from that mirror is a large, antique mirror that hangs high enough to only reflect my upper torso. This mirror is often ignored by my gaze.

My dining room also houses two mirrors—my two favorite mirrors. The large rectangle mirror that hangs above an ouija board and covers most of the exposed white wall on the east side of the house gets the best light in the morning. This is where I apply medicine to my psoriasis and examine the blemishes on my face.

The second mirror, a small circular mirror that hangs in the corner, is my most-used mirror for photos—and I take a lot of selfies.

In the kitchen, an oval mirror with a turquoise frame hangs above the stove. Not only does this mirror watch me cook (which rarely happens), but it gets to watch me chug milk, pace for hours, talk to my mom, and butcher beautiful songs as I smoke weed.

A medium-sized mirror hangs in my small hallway. There is no natural light, nor light fixture, in this hallway. This mirror is only used when the bathroom mirror is left useless thanks to hot showers. A few small polaroids line the edge of the mirror, acting as a surprise each time I glance in this often-overlooked decoration.

The bathroom mirror, which covers nearly a quarter of our wall space, sees me at my most vulnerable. The well-lit bathroom gives me the perfect opportunity to examine every part of my body. That’s what I do.

I stare, and occasionally pick, at my patches of dry skin that litter my torso, thighs, head, elbows, and neck. It watches me floss and overly-examine my crooked, discolored teeth. It watches me dig wax out of my ears. It’s there when I clip my toenails, trim my mustache, drunkenly pee in the sink, prepare for sex, lotion up, pop my pimples, paint my nails, and even pick my nose.

All of these mirrors still hang around every day, no matter what they see. I face them every day. And every day I feel better about the person staring back at me.

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Body

Positivity Means Self-Love

By Addison Herron-Wheeler

W

e’ve heard the same corny mantras a thousand times: you have to love yourself; all bodies are beautiful; selfacceptance is a process. After a while, they start to sound empty and meaningless. But it really is true that self-love begins within, not by making outer physical changes.

Losing or gaining weight as desired can be a great ego booster, but then what about the wrinkles around your eyes, the shape of your nose, the fact that your hair never looks quite right unless you spend hours on it? Sure, you’re making more money now and feel like you dress better, but no matter what your style seems a little behind, and you never look as hip as the cool kids who work on South Broadway, or as polished as the executives who dash around the 16th Street Mall.

These are normal thoughts, and believe it or not, everyone has them.

Even those who exude confidence, who are that perfect weight, or have that symmetrical face, or dress better than you, they think the same way. And this isn’t just pillow talk for those with low self-esteem.

Body dysmorphia and dissatisfaction are way more common than you would think, and impact folks of all shapes, sizes, gender identities, races, and aesthetics.

So what can we do to love ourselves? I really struggle with this and have all my life. My weight has fluctuated, my hair and glasses change weekly, I pull different vintage looks, but no matter what, I’m never quite satisfied. Some days I feel great; other days I feel totally discouraged. But there are a few things I try to keep in mind no matter if it’s a good or a bad day.

Everyone has negative self-talk, no matter what they look like. We all deserve to treat our bodies like temples with exercise and health food and yoga, but every once in a while our bodies need a treat, or a break, or a nap. We are all different shapes and sizes, and every single body is different. It’s not just weight that determines this, but height, genetics, body type, family history. We are all beautiful, and we all deserve love.

And lastly, beauty as a gender construct is completely fabricated. I’m very cis-female, but some days a metal shirt and boots make me feel a thousand times more beautiful than a sequined dress or makeup.

Other days I decide to dress up for no reason at all. No matter what, a person living their truth is beautiful, and there are no rights and wrongs. This goes for fashion trends too.

At the end of the day, and at the beginning of it, it’s probably never going to be possible to be completely happy with your physical appearance.

You can reach milestones when it comes to how you dress, what you weigh, how you look, but the only thing that can really get you close to inner peace when it comes to your look is taking care of yourself and trying to appreciate yourself the way others see you.

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BRANDON

TAYLOR The sun doesn't care who you are... Just have fun!

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MICHAEL CONNOR STRAYER WEAVER Summer is a time of warmth and welcoming activity and health. Never miss this opportunity to lighten up and enjoy the sun. It's not going to judge you.

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Jazz

Calling All Cats, Daddies, & Swingers!

Five Points

Festival Returns

By Louisa Silverman

T

he Five Points neighborhood is going to have way more than five points of interest on Saturday, May 19, when the Five Points Jazz Festival travels back to its musical roots. If you’ve never been, this is the year to check it out.

from 25th Street to 28th Street between California and Glenarm are transformed. The streets are closed to traffic, and ten stages are set up, surrounded by vendors and hordes of dancers. Last year, there were nearly 50,000 people in attendance.

Practically overnight, the blocks

Basically, it’s a party.

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You get off the bus mid-morning, and you follow your ears toward the stuttering of the snares coming from a few blocks away. As you get closer, you hear the cheering get louder. You arrive at 26th and Welton to find the parade underway. As you approach, a saxophone player struts by and you join

in the crowd singing along to the jazz standard “So what!... So what!”

Later, you find yourself moving back with the rest of the crowd to make room for a swing dancing flash mob performing a choreographed routine.

When they’re done, the crowd enthusiastically (if not quite as skillfully) follows suit, stealing some moves from the dancers and making some up as they go along.

Then you wind your way through, a giant cup of lemonade in your hand. You find yourself in a dimly-lit restaurantmade-jazz-club just feet away from a septet of musicians who look so at home with their instruments that just watching them makes you feel comfortable and safe. You wonder how long these same seven people have been playing together. How many times has he picked up those drum sticks, that guitar?

Well, Miguel Espinoza started playing his guitar when he was four years old and found role models in his mother’s flamenco dancer friends. Espinoza— dubbed “El Maestro” in honor of his hard-earned expertise by the Spanish gypsy community—is the leading man in one of the acts scheduled to perform at Coffee at the Point on the 19th.

His flamenco jazz ensemble, featuring Andy Skellenger on tabla and Randy Hoepker on fretless jazz bass, is marked explicitly by their Gypsy jazz influences, but that only grazes the surface of their musical influences and roots.

Espinoza recorded one of his recent albums, Curandero, with banjo player Bela Fleck, and it exhibits an extension of both Espinoza’s flamenco roots as well as Fleck’s bluegrass roots to convene at the jazzy crossroads. Curandero was also recorded with Ty Burhoe on the tabla, an Indian drum, melding yet another ancient style of music into the mix so smoothly that you could make pancakes with it. Espinoza has a deep respect for Indian music.

“I keep Indian styles of music close to me. It’s one of the most advanced musics we have—melodically, rhythmically, and spiritually,” he said

Spirituality plays an important role in Espinoza’s music, and it’s this universal view of music, so void of possession, that enables him to seamlessly combine musical styles.

“Music is an expression of the heart and the soul, and it doesn’t matter what culture [it comes from]. When I play guitar, I pray, and it’s not about me. I’m a servant to the music; the music is not a servant to me. I learned early on to take my ego out of it.”

Espinoza’s spiritual connection to music is tied to his original home in the Five Points neighborhood, where he grew up around gospel music. He was raised going to Southern Baptist church services and still returns to the Potter’s House Church sometimes “just to cry listening to the choir.” He is deeply moved by the spiritual and emotional heft of gospel music and all the historic weight it carries.

Another of Espinoza’s childhood influences from the Five Points neighborhood is funk music. Espinoza said most of his friends growing up were into the musical style and that there were always students jamming away to funk music in his middle school music room. It formed the basis of his social life, and it still affects his compositional style today.

Music has been a fundamental part of the Five Points neighborhood, and Espinoza is only one of the many people who was instilled with the value of music through growing up there. In fact, Five Points’ music culture took off back in the 1920s, and since then, the neighborhood has hosted such jazz greats as Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, and Thelonious Monk.

It makes sense that there is a reverence to the Five Points music scene that can’t be ignored. The attendees and performers alike are honored to be there, experiencing the confluence of artists sharing their love of music.

On May 19, 2018, you’ll have the chance to see swing, Latin, and New Orleans styles of jazz, along with Espinoza’s and many more styles, all sharing the four blocks dedicated to celebrating the great Five Points jazz culture.

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JEREMIAH

CORDER

People spend too much time giving themselves anxiety and stress about finding a perfect body— thinking that is how they are going to find happiness. But really, at the end of the day, you need to love yourself, love the skin that you’re in, and love your body no matter its shape.

And if you feel that you need to change it, then that is your decision to make. Your worth is not determined by your size or shape or any other superficial feature.

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Summer Shapes: WORKING ON YOUR FITNESS

By Sarah Farbman

S

ummer is on its way, and with it comes plenty of fun and fresh opportunities for getting out and getting active. Denver’s beautiful backyard of foothills, mountains, lakes, and rivers offer so many opportunities for outdoor exercise that it’s easy to overlook some of the ways to have fun and get fit right here in the Denver Metro area. No matter your fitness level, exercise preference, or budget, the milehigh city has something for you.

Races Every summer, you can witnesses numerous running and walking events in Colorado, and this year is no different. Whether you want to walk five kilometers or run 50, a quick Google search will guide you to the perfect event. Here a couple that caught my eye.

The Big Gay 5k This annual event has moved to a new weekend. This year it will be on June 3 at Cheesman Park in Denver. The website stresses that this is an event for everyone: walkers and runners, kids and adults, gay and straight... just bring your smile and your sunscreen. The $30 registration fee includes a moisturewicking t-shirt, a drawstring bag, and sunglasses. For more information, check out Denver.BigGay5k.com.

Skirt Sports 13er (13.1 miles), 10k, and 5k Also June 3, this woman-only race in Louisville, CO, is filled with awesome athletes and a supportive crowd. The 1 6 \\ M A Y 1 6 , 2 0 1 8

courses take you up, down, over, and around some of the best views in Boulder county. The registration fee varies depending on your distance. But act fast—registration prices go up on May 14. Check out SkirtSports13er.com for more info.

Classes Big events can be fun, but it takes consistency to reach your goals and feel proud of yourself. These communityoriented classes offered every week are a great way to build a routine and a group of friends.

The Civic Center MOVES Series This is a free series of classes offered outdoors in Civic Center Park from April to October. Monday evenings, Tuesdays at lunch, and Thursday lunch and evening times offer varying styles of yoga, while Wednesday mornings feature the November Project, a fun and fast bootcamp-style workout.

For more specific information on times and yoga styles, head over to CivicCenterConservancy.org

It Burns Joe Fitness Every Sunday at 8:00 a.m., Joe and his loyal band of 200 odd, sweaty followers head up to the Red Rocks Amphitheatre for a free, greuling, three-hour bootcamp led by none other than Joe himself. But who is this Joe guy? “Jumping” Joe Hendrix was a well-known BMX biker in the 80s. He later became a DJ, something he does to this day, but he never lost his passion for (somewhat extreme) fitness.

Head up to Red Rocks any Sunday at 8:00 a.m. to get a taste of this workout, or check out ItBurnsJoeFitness.com to see what you’re getting yourself into.

Yoga For a more holistic mind-body experience, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better practice than yoga. The Denver Metro area boasts a variety of yoga studios to choose from, such as the Kindness Collective, with eight locations in Denver and Golden. Kindness offers more than 300 classes per week, all year round. The classes vary in style, length, and difficulty, but they are all donation-based and taught with openhearted compassion. In preparation for the summer season, Kindness is offering a one-time Summer Solstice Workshop.

Their website puts it best: “Join us for a special yoga class to celebrate the longest and most radiant day of the year! Yoga instructor Buffy Barfoot will move you through a juicy, supportive, all-levels flow to mark the first official day of summer. We will work together on setting the foundation of hope and light for months to come.

A big group of yogis practicing and breathing together in one space has so much potential to heal and raise the collective vibration. Don't miss this gorgeous evening of light!”

The event will take place (when else?) on the summer solstice, Thursday, June 21, from 7:30-9:00 p.m., at the Hilltop location, 455 S. Hudson Street in Denver.

To learn more about this event and about the Kindness Collective generally, head to KindnessCollective.com

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QUINCEY

ROISUM In the morning, before you start your day, give yourself a compliment in the mirror. Over time, you'll fall in love with yourself.

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Pu SQUEAKY

SPRINGS There is a message we are sent in our culture, especially as marginalized groups, women, queer folks, people of color, to not have power in our bodies and to not take up space. I want our stage to be a place where people can take up space and put all of their size and color and body hair and sexuality and everything out there and be accepted.�

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unkBurlesque Rock

Makes Getting Naked Political

By Addison Herron-Wheeler

I

f you walk into Streets of London on a Sunday night, you’ll see people getting naked. That may be enough to get you in the door, but you’ll want to stay for the music, the vibe, and the attitudes of the people who make it possible.

On any given Sunday, you will see people of all shapes and sizes, cis women, nonbinary individuals, trans folks, and men in drag, stripping down and collecting tips. Everyone who wants to partake in Punk Rock Burlesque is welcome; the only requirements are that acts should involve stripping in some way, and everyone needs to be body-positive, affirming, and inclusive.

“I honestly think that everyone is sexy, sexual, and deserves a platform to own that,” explained founder and MC Squeaky Springs. “That doesn’t mean that I want to have sex with everyone, but I hold the belief that everyone is sexy and there is power in our sexuality. There is a message we are sent in our culture, especially as marginalized groups, women, queer folks, people of color, to not have power in our bodies and to not take up space. I want our stage to be a place where people can take up space and put all of their size and color and body hair and sexuality and everything out there and be accepted.”

While this type of rhetoric is embraced by a lot of organizations, a quick survey of the people actually performing and being included reveals that PRB is actually living by what they preach.

While they make it a point not to tokenize or specifically look for queer folks or minorities to join their cast, those looking for a place to fit in seem to be drawn to PRB. “I just really make it well-known that this is an open-door policy,” Springs added. “I identify as queer, and so it’s really important to have a safe space that grows. I want people to be able to say to their friends that they are able to be here and be who they are and be accepted. I think it’s empowering, not just for the performers but for the audience, to have a safe space where they are not going to feel judged, and feel like they can express this side of sexuality.”

The troupe posing together, with fearless leader Squeaky Springs center stage.

Photo by Danielle Cadwallader from DC Photography Denver

Originally formed as a punk rock bingo night in the Highlands, PRB slowly but surely added burlesque to the mix, eventually growing to be a burlesque show with punk rock or sex trivia at the end, after the performances. The show has also moved from Tennyson Tap to Streets of London on East Colfax, and the low lights and cheap drink specials in the punk bar make it the perfect setting for ethical sleaze.

As for the punk rock angle, music is a big part of burlesque and Springs identifies as punk, but the music isn’t always punk rock. They perform everything from punk to metal to Lana Del Rey and other beloved pop stars. She feels that the real importance of the word is the political connotation and not the music.

“Inclusivity is a very important part to me of how it all fits together, so not having this dogmatic idea that everyone has to be punk or listen to punk rock, but that it is the spirit of revolt, of counterculture, that you belong with us, is what it’s really about,” she explained. “Honestly if I had to do it over OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

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“I’m a strong proponent of art as a form of protest, and my particular medium happens to be burlesque,” explained Parker Go Peep, one of the occasional performers and MCs. “Whereas some other gigs may have more structure around what types of acts they are looking for, PRB gives us the chance to exist in that space and moment, without any limitations on what we can do. It allows me to be my angriest, queerest, most Nasty Women self without any restrictions. This is a space that allows us to be whatever unconventional brand of sexy we are, and we’re allowed to be fucking proud of it. In this culture of self-loathing, that’s basically the punkest thing I’ve ever heard.”

In addition to seasoned burlesquers, those who are newer to the artform are welcomed into the fold. While it is helpful to newcomers that the group doesn’t hold auditions or weed anyone out, it is also important that those just starting out in a stripping profession feel safe to be themselves.

Lilith Lestrange of Punk Rock Burlesque.

Photo by All Things Boudoir

I may not call it Punk Rock Burlesque, but that’s still really important to me.”

“I came to Punk Rock Burlesque and stayed because I felt included,” said Shel Silverslice, one of the newest troupe members who just started kittening for PRB. “The fact that they are really inclusive and want to make sure everyone feels welcome is something I want to be a part of, and something I felt really good about joining.”

The group embraces the punk ethos of standing up against society by advocating for and affirming nudity and sex work, while also speaking out about topical issues. It’s not unusual to find Springs or the fill-in MC making political references or statements, and pre-performance topics are often things like sex work awareness or gender deconstruction. And while they keep it bawdy, the MCs also make it a point to censor themselves, backpedaling with they accidentally use a slur, like “lame” in reference to something uncool.

“I initially was drawn by the values of PRB, especially the inclusivity,” added frequent performer Clitter Bell. “I truly respect and appreciate Squeaky and the other members for being outspoken about their values, and they back up their words with their actions. The threat of repercussions, especially for marginalized people, of being outspoken is difficult, and even dangerous, to overcome. I am proud to stand with a group that stands together against such harassment and cares so much for each other. I have found family in PRB; everyone is genuinely supportive. In the short time I’ve known them, I have been able to call on my new friends for help more than once.”

Those involved with PRB don’t just stick around for the tips or drink discounts. They believe that being part of a troupe with a strong message is important.

PRB takes place at 8 p.m. every Sunday at Streets of London.

The show wraps up around 10 p.m., and trivia and games follow the performances.

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CALENDAR MAY 19

35TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL AIDS CANDLELIGHT MEMORIAL Boulder County AIDS Project, 2118 14th St., Boulder Boulder County AIDS Project (BCAP) and the Interfaith AIDS Coalition (IAC) of Boulder County are once again coming together to host this very special campaign for AIDS awareness. The theme this year is “reflecting on our past, preparing for our future,” and those affected will gather together to light candles, raise awareness, and honor those who have fallen. The ceremony begins at 6:45 p.m.

FLEETMAC WOOD PRESENTS SISTERS OF THE MOON DISCO Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St., Denver Fleetmac Wood is calling all sisters and brothers of the moon to come out and dance in robes and spooky jewelry to some cool Fleetwood Mac edits and remixes. DJs Roxanne Roll and Smooth Sailing will help you get trippy and lose yourself in yet another rendition of “Landslide.” Fun starts at 9:30 p.m.

MARCH 25

MARCH 20

SLEAZE: HANKY CODE Trade, 475 Santa Fe Dr., Denver Fetish Friday is a staple at Trade, and every fourth Friday of the month they get back to the basics with hanky code.

Bring a hanky to represent your fetishes and preferences. You may have to do some research on the colors! The sleaze starts at 9 p.m.

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For more events, visit OutFrontMagazine.com/Events MAY 26

THE DISCO BISCUITS The Ogden Theatre, 935 E. Colfax Ave., Denver You either love ‘em or you hate ‘em: the iconic dance and jam group is playing at the Ogden, and then the next night at Red Rocks. There will be plenty of weirdness to go around, and then those who don’t get enough can buy a bundle and go both nights! Doors are at 9 p.m.

JUNE 1

MAY 29

BIG GAY TRIVIA WITH PHIL! Mile High Hamburger Mary’s, 1336 E. 17th Ave., Denver Come scarf down some cheap tacos and play some trivia!

Questions range from the super queer to the odd and obscure.

There are also lots of margs to be sipped, and plenty of prizes!

The fun starts at 8 p.m.

PRICE AND MJ EXPERIENCE The Black Box, 314 E. 13th Ave. If you’re a huge Michael Jackson and Prince fan, you won’t want to miss this special event at The Black Box. Featuring special remixes and dance numbers, audience participation competitions, and an awesome sound system, this is sure to please fans of the pop classics. Doors are at 9:00 p.m.

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JUSTUS

MESTAS I love summer because I can finally break out my shorts and tank tops! It’s so beautiful in Colorado and I like soaking up as much sun as possible.

MADDY

TRUJILLO Summertime means no classes and relaxing. This time of year is perfect to be comfortable and confident and celebrate yourself.

MADELINE

ESPINOZA I’ve grown to love summer not just for the ending of classes, but because I have learned to love my body enough to break out those short shorts and own it. Summer is for everybody, no matter the size.

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NICK

MARTINEZ

I have always struggled with the way that I see myself in the mirror each day. As I was looking through old photos I was realizing that even when I was working out each day, in the best shape of my life, I still saw myself as a giant blob that was never going to look the way I am “supposed� to look. It hit me like a ton of bricks that I was letting my mind bully my body. My goal this year has to been to love myself and the way I look. I have changed my wardrobe to feel more confident in my own skin and it is starting to work its way into the way I see myself as a whole.

I have never felt better.

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Left to right: Nicholas Werner, Christian Vasquez, Brandon Barich

Rushing to the Scrums

in Amst

Colorado Rush Heads Overseas to Compete in International LGBTQ Rugby Tournament 3 2 \\ M A Y 1 6 , 2 0 1 8

By Ryan Howe

W

hen Christian Vasquez first stepped onto the rugby pitch, he didn’t know that he was stepping into a whole new subculture that he had never been exposed to. He also didn’t know that he would fall in love with that culture, get in tune with his aggressive side, and start a fitness journey that was, as he said, “long overdue.”

Although Vasquez didn’t play sports growing up and considers himself an introvert, his dedication to making a lifestyle change pushed him to attend last fall’s sign-up for Colorado Rush, the queer-inclusive rugby team in Denver. He didn’t quite know what to expect, but enjoyed enough to regularly attend practices until his first game, which was—for lack of a better word—rough. When he failed to tackle an opponent low enough, he was swatted away and he injured his shoulder, benching him for a few weeks.

He didn’t quit, and now he’s less than a month away from boarding an international flight, travelling more than 4,500 miles to Amsterdam, and competing against more than 70 rugby teams in the ninth Bingham Cup, a rugby tournament that brings together queer-inclusive rugby teams from all over the world for a weekend of intense competition.

terdam “I almost didn’t go back after that first game,” Vasquez said. “But, I was still trying to find my

own in Denver and I wanted to push myself. I didn’t know what else would be so physically and mentally challenging at the same time.

This is now my second season, and although no one understands my Drag Race references, I’ve fallen in love with Rush.”

He’s not the only one. Whether on the field tackling opponents or squeezing their faces between each others' thighs, at Charlie’s selling Jello shots or taking the main stage in heels and wigs for dollars, or at beer bust sporting their navy and pink uniforms as they refill cups for some of Denver’s thirstiest men, Colorado Rush is unified through individuality.

“Everyone on that field is different,” Vasquez explained. “Some of us are really good at sports, and some of us aren’t. Some of us are queer; some are straight. Some are big and some are small. Everyone is welcome, and we have a lot of fun.”

Inclusive Rugby With Altitude The club was formed in 2010 to provide an outlet for ametuer athletes in the Denver area to competitively play rugby. From its birth, Colorado Rush has accepted any player that wants to join regardless of the their age, race, sexual orientation, or athletic experience.

Colorado Rush is Colorado’s only inclusive rugby team in the Rocky Mountain Rugby Union, a mainstream rugby association centered in Denver. They play two seasons a year, with an average of six games per season. Every game is played against a majority straight team, which hasn’t raised any concerns yet.

“We are welcomed with open arms by the other teams,” player Aaron Friedrichsen said.

“During the game some harsh words are said, but we always go out for a drink after each game and all the aggression is left on the field.”

Friedrichsen joined the team two years and five seaons ago, when he moved to Denver from Little Rock, Arkansas. As someone who works from home, he didn’t have much of a social outlet in Little Rock, but that all changed when he moved to Denver.

Looking to hang out with more people than just his boyfriend, Friedrichsen found his way to the rugby field by way of a flyer left on the OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

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CHRISTOPHER

FRY

Not everyone has body of a magazine model, but you have to work with what you have.

Love your body, and work it out!

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floor at the Wrangler. He hadn’t played very many sports growing up, and those that he did were solo sports.

“It’s been life-changing,” he said. “I love the sport, of course. But this is one of the most intimate games you’ll play.

Yeah, we shove our faces in each other’s crotches, but we form real bonds off the field as well. This is a brotherhood, and these men feel like my brothers.”

It’s not only a team-specific bond. The culture of rugby runs deep, and opposing teams form friendships off the pitch.

After every game, the host teams throws the "third half," where both teams drink, eat, and sing rugby songs. There are a lot of rugby songs.

The Game The goal of the game is very simple—use the ball to score more points than the opposing team. You can run with the ball, kick it, or pass it backwards. Passing the ball forwards is prohibited and will land the player a penalty.

There are several ways to score points.

If a player touches the ball down in the opponent’s goal area, this is called a “try” and the team receives five points. After a try, the team can attempt to kick the ball through the opponent’s goal posts, which is called a conversion and is worth two points. A “goal kick” is played after a penalty or a drop goal, where a player can attempt to kick the ball through the opponent’s goal post. If he succeeds, the team gets three points.

Rugby is a contact sport, allowing players to tackle an opponent in order to get the ball, as long as it is within the rules of contact.

Each team must have 15 players on the field for the entirety of both 40-minute periods. There are seven backs—players with a smaller build and quick feet who are responsible for moving the ball toward the goal line. There are eight forwards, like Friedrichsen and Vasquez, who have a bigger build and can often be seen in the pile-ups that surround the loose ball, aka a scrum.

Mike Fuller, or Mimi on the field, has been piling into the scrums since Colorado Rush began—pressing his shoulders to the buttcheeks of hundreds

of men that have shown up to practices over the years. With two seasons a year, and many practices between games, commitment to the volunteer team is sometimes hard to come by. But those that stay find a home on an eager team, ready to have fun and smash a few opponents.

“We’ve come a long way from where we began,” he said. “The team is always changing from season to season, but we are leaps and bounds from where we started. I’ve seen a lot of faces come through here, but I wouldn’t take anyone else to the Bingham Cup.”

The Bingham Cup Every two years, inclusive rugby teams from around the world flock to the mostattended LGBTQ rugby tournament to fight it out and secure that number-one spot. This year, they’ll be taking over Amsterdam.

First held in 2002, Bingham Cup is the premier global event promoting rugby union as an inclusive, nondiscriminatory sport. It is named in memory of 9/11 hero and rugby player Mark Bingham, who was instrumental in establishing two of our leading gay rugby clubs: the San Francisco Fog and Gotham Knights.

At the time of Mark Bingham’s death, only six gay and inclusive rugby clubs existed anywhere in the world. Today, there are more than 60. Our current world champions are the Melbourne Chargers, who lifted the trophy for the first time in Nashville in 2016.

For many of Colorado Rush’s players this will be their first Bingham Cup. “It’s unlike any other tournament I’ve ever been to,” Mimi said. “Most of the time we play against straight men, but at the Bingham Cup we aren’t the minority.

We are with our people—and we have a damn good time.”

For Vasquez, it’s an important step in his personal growth, and a place to find more than two rugby players to catch his Drag Race references.

“I’m not sure what to expect,” he said.

“But, if it’s anything like I’ve heard, it might be pretty life-changing.”

OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

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HELP COLORADO RUSH

GET TO THE BINGHAM CUP Colorado Rush needs your help raising money to go to the Bingham Cup in Amsterdam! This is a great opportunity for the LGBTQ-inclusive team to play rugby at an international level.

It's their Super Bowl. The team has been working hard, and is ready to show the world what Colorado inclusive rugby is all about.

To donate visit Fundly.com/rush-to-bingham-2018.

CHRISTIAN

VASQUEZ Everyone on the field is so different. Some of us are good at sports and some of us aren't. Some of us are queer; some of us are straight.

Some are big and some are small.

Everyone is welcome, and we have a lot of fun.

3 6 \\ M A Y 1 6 , 2 0 1 8

OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

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A Few Queer Flicks TO CHECK OUT THIS SUMMER

By Ezra Kronfeld

I

n the first few months of the year, we’ve had quite a few excellent LGBTQ-themed films in theatres and on varied streaming services, most notably March’s hit romantic-comedy Love Simon starring Nick Robinson.

But now the summer movie season is upon us, and riding off the high of recent acclaimed motion pictures, here are some intriguing, queer-related flicks coming your way this summer.

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The Miseducation of Cameron Post–8/3/18 (FilmRise) Based on the 2012 novel of the same name, this Sundance-premiered adaptation by filmmaker Desiree Akhavan has already received praise from some critics. The story, as in the novel, follows the titular protagonist as she tries to make friends and stand defiant despite having been placed in a gay conversion camp by her religious guardians. Emily Danforth wrote this coming-of-age story after 16-yearold Zach Stark was placed in a Love In Action-run conversion camp by his parents, and the novel is set entirely in the author’s hometown.

This is one of many films, such as April’s Disobedience, which tackles religion and queerness, an issue which will likely never die. But the exciting cast, including star Chloë Grace Moretz and the Tony-nominated Emily Skeggs, as well as the youth-driven narrative, are certainly exciting, and incredibly unique.

McQueen–7/13/18 (Bleecker Street) The life of the innovative gay fashion designer Alexander McQueen was plentiful, but all-too-short.

Ian Bonhôte’s documentary McQueen, to be released this July, attempts to capture and spread the magical art which this man was able to create before his suicide in 2010.

In the compelling and exciting teaser trailer which dropped in April, flashes of footage from the runway played, and the video ended with narration which powerfully proclaimed “No one discovered Alexander McQueen; McQueen discovered himself.”

Queer folks have always had a major presence in the fashion world, and with drag culture reaching pique mainstream appeal, an objective look at the life of one of the industry’s most ingenious creators of vibrant aesthetics of all time sounds pretty exciting, and super relevant.

A Kid Like Jake–6/1/18 (IFC) Based on the play by Daniel Pearle, A Kid Like Jake premiered at Sundance in January, and received generally positive reviews.

In this adaptation, written by the original playwright, the title character is a four-yearold, with traits which his bustling New York parents (played by producer Jim Parsons of Normal Heart and Claire Danes from My So-Called Life) interpret as rather feminine.

It seems to be an attempt to present the experiences of parents with gendernonconforming children, given all the recent hullabaloo around the subject, in both the LGBTQ and “traditionalist” communities. Parenting is hard, and intensely worrying about your kids and their wellbeing is basically always par for the course, but in a society where gender roles are instilled in us fresh from the womb, raising and protecting a boy with a love for fashion, or a girl with a love for sports, can bring about certain obstacles.

If this film, paired with its killer cast, can display this respectfully, kudos.

Boy Erased–9/28/18 (Riverhead Books) Also adapted from a book, and also regarding conversion therapy, Joel Edgerton’s film, based on the popularly acclaimed Garrard Conley memoir Boy Erased, is scheduled to be released

by Focus Pictures, after a fierce bidding war between multiple distributors.

The 2016 memoir recalls experiences of shame, confliction, and pain when the author was thrown into gay conversion therapy by his conservative Arkansas parents. Given the political climate at the time, and now, it’s a damn important book, with what looks to be a damn important (and well-done) film adaptation.

Lizzie–9/14/18 (Roadside Attractions) Alright, this one, admittedly, seems pretty damn weird. Not weird in a bad way even, just bizarrely Lynchian, with a plot that looks intriguingly ominous.

Lizzie is a biopic based on Lizzie Borden, a Massachusetts woman whom was infamously acquitted in the 1890s for the axe murders of her father and stepmom.

The film pairs Golden Globe-winning actress Chloë Sevigny with Twilight’s Kristen Stewart, whose relationship with model Stella Maxwell and mostly-one-sided

feud with our president has made her quite the queer role model.

While this seemingly-psychological romantic drama will surely be intense, the themes at play are interesting. The title character faces hardship for being a spinster, and her father’s hostility leads her down the road of homicide.

It seems to be in the vein of Kill Your Darlings, in that it will aim to display queer affection, angst, and bloodshed. Let’s hope director Craig Macneill can pull of this twisted narrative, and create some nice black art.

Oscar winners Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe portray Conley’s parents, with Lady Bird’s Lucas Hedges playing Garrard himself.

Furthermore, internationally acclaimed Australian Joel Edgerton is at the helm of the project, writing, directing, and producing the film, along with portraying conversion therapist Victor Sykes.

Also, Troye Sivan is in it.

Need I say more?

OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

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LEXI

HOLTZER All bodies are beautiful, regardless of the shape or size. Summer is a time to celebrate body positivity!

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OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

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Thursday, June 7

Friday, June 8

Saturday, June 9 CHECK OUT OUR ONLINE EVENTS CALENDAR FOR MORE DETAILS @ OUTFRONTmagazine. com/EVENTS

Monday, June 11

Tuesday, June 12

Wednesday, June 13

Friday, June 15

Saturday, June 16

Sunday, June 17

WELCOME IN PRIDE SEASON!

Featured Pride 4 2 \\ M A Y 1 6 , 2 0 1 8

Sunday, June 10

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The Triangle Bar OUT FRONT Night @ 8 PM 2036 N Broadway 303-658-0913 triangledenver.com

Pride Kick-Off Lunch 1336 E 17th 303-993-5812 hamburgermarys.com/denver Gladys: The Nosy Neighbor

THURSDAY JUNE 14

Weirdo Pride Kick-Off 10:30

hamburgermarys.com/denver

Pride & Swagger Drag Race Viewing Party 4PM 450 E 17th Ave #110 720-476-6360 prideandswaggerco.com Tracks Denver College Pride Nite 9PM 3500 Walnut St 303-863-7326 tracksdenver.com

Art Hotel

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500 Santa Fe Drive 303-893-6112

Thursday, June 14

FRIDAY JUNE 8 Mile High Hamburger Mary’s Pride Lunch 1336 E 17th 303-993-5812

Social Hour on the Balcony 5 PM 1201 Broadway 303-572-8000 thearthotel.com

Monday, June 18

SUNDAY JUNE 10 Wrangler Beer Bust 4-8 3090 Downing St 303-837-1075 denverwrangler.com

MONDAY JUNE 11 Mile High Hamburger Mary’s Charity Bingo 8 PM 1336 E 17th Ave 303-993-5812 hamburgermarys.com/denver

TUESDAY JUNE 12 Mile High Hamburger Mary’s Big Gay Trivia @ 8 PM 1336 E 17th Ave

Parties!

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Pride & Swagger Swagger Night 4PM 450 E 17th Ave #110 prideandswaggerco.com Charlie’s Denver Pride Neon 9 PM 900 E Colfax charliesdenver.com

SATURDAY JUNE 16 TRADE Pride Beer Bust 3:30 – 8:30 475 Santa Fe Drive 720-627-5905 Tracks Denver Pride Circuit Saturday 9 PM 3500 Walnut St 303-863-7326 tracksdenver.com

SUNDAY JUNE 17 Wrangler Pride Beer Bust 4-8 PM 3090 Downing St 303-837-1075 Charlie’s Denver Pride KiKI 2.0 10 PM 900 E Colfax charliesdenver.com

MONDAY JUNE 18 Elitch Garden’s Gay Day 10:30-9 PM 2000 Elitch Circle elitchgardens.com OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

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CHERRI CHOLA AKA

MITCHELL No matter your body shape, get out there and enjoy the summertime with loved ones.

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OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

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OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

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MARCUS

MILLS Don't value your body over yourself!

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OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

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REED

LECROY B*tch, wear what you want!

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Photos by Charles Broshous

Out Front @ Tracks Adoring fans grabbed magazines hot off the press and flirted with local queens at our Travel Issue release party at Tracks on May 3, alongside the RuPaul Season 10 Viewing Party and the Ultimate Queen 2018 Competition.

OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

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OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

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Dueling with Depression:

Trees Falling in a Forest Oh, no.

Oh what?

I already know where this is going.

How do you—

The tree falls and slams to the ground.

This causes vibrations in the air.

Regardless if anyone is standing in the forest or not, those vibrations are still traveling through the atmosphere.

You’re going to ask that asinine question about a tree falling in the woods, aren’t you?

You are not wrong.

It’s not an asinine question.

That would be a short article.

If a tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound?

Not my problem. Maybe you can slap down a few words about self care or something.

Not such an easy question to answer.

The answer is YES. Are you sure?

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There. I answered your silly question. The article is over. Turn the page.

Well, I think there’s a really cool correlation between depression and the question about a tree falling in the

woods. Plus, your answer isn’t entirely accurate.

Fine. I’m all ears!

Let’s start with the word "sound."

Webster does indeed define sound as a “vibratory disturbance.”

Told you so!

However, the second part of that definition reads: “... capable of being detected by the organs of hearing.”

Organs of what?

According to that definition, in order for sound to exist at all, there must be an ear drum for those vibrations to interact

with to generate sound. And if there’s no one around—no ear drums—then no matter how many trees fall in the forest, no sound is ever made.

Because the “vibratory disturbance” isn’t interacting with any “organs of hearing.”

Precisely.

Well fine. It’s still an asinine question.

Wordplay with no practical application to everyday life.

But don’t you find it fascinating to regard sound as a relationship?

Relationships are overrated.

Not only must there be something generating the vibrations in the air, such as a tree falling to the forest floor, but you have to be in the forest for sound to exist!

But it changes the experience itself. I’m not just a helpless victim to sound or to depression, you see?

Because I play a part in how sound, or depression, manifests itself.

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

You did! I’m a voice in your head!

And if you view depression as a relationship, rather than something existing as separate from your mind, doesn’t that perspective change how you engage with mental illness? I’m not as powerless in depression’s shadow as I once perceived.

A LIMITED say.

But still a say, nonetheless!

Well, what about a recorder?

What?

If you record a tree falling in the forest, with no one around, does the tree make a sound?

Well, if a microphone is a mechanical organ of hearing, than yes, the tree made a sound.

But if no one ever listens to the recording, did the falling tree make a sound?

Now that’s a good question!

It’s an interaction.

Exactly! Which means I do have a say in the outcome.

So what do falling trees have to do with depression?

I could argue that I have a relationship with my depression similar to that of sound, in that depression is not a separate, isolated entity terrorizing my life. It can only exist if I’m here to experience it.

So, you’re saying we should not exist so that depression doesn’t exist?

No. What I am saying is that the intensity of that depression depends on how I interact with it. I may have no control over a tree that falls, but I do have control on how I react. I can cover my ears. I can move away from the falling tree. I can yell back at the top of my lungs!

Which would do nothing to the sound, or to the depression.

OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

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Photos by Charles Broshous

RuPaul Viewing Party We joined Pride and Swagger for their weekly RuPaul's Drag Race Season 10(italicize show title) viewing party on April 19, to see who would stay another day and who would be told to sashay away. You can catch RuPaul here every week while the season airs. YAAAAS!

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OUTREACH

QUEER-FRIENDLY HEALTHCARE FOR INFO ON OUTREACH AD

PLACING AN 303-477-4000

Why Therapy?

I enjoy offering insights that invite the curious into a deeper exploration of their own journey. Here are some concrete tools that a therapist offers.

Directed Attention Everyone experiences trapping patterns in life.

While the rational mind desires change, the heart seems unreliable in offering assistance.

Therapy directs and focuses attention on the systems we defensively implement to avoid pain. As unconscious defenses surface we gain insight into our responsibility in these patterns.

Understanding our assumptions, expectations and desires allows us to enact lasting changes.

We use our attention to create change Secure Space When life gets threatening people look for safety. Attempts to create safe space by isolating, partying, or seeking the confidence of a select few won’t keep us safe from ourselves. In order to create a foundation of security, the therapist cultivates a view of self that is nonjudgemental, curious and open. While honoring the work that has already been done, therapy reveals ways to encounter hidden pain. This process reduces suffering so that safety can be resourced internally.

We learn to carry our safety within Accountable Support Everyone seeks support to help with difficulties in life. Often the support we find assists us in enduring dissatisfying situations. This process inevitably creates traps that sap vital energy.

To undo this cycle the therapist and client co-create goals. Achieving the goals involves accountability in observing and understanding our unconscious motivations. The process allows us to honestly examine our resistances, excuses and avoidance. We become adaptable and flexible.

We learn to bend without breaking Mindful Alliance We all have damaged attachment to people we depended on. These damaging relationships create maladaptive beliefs that inform our worldview.

Mindful alliance is the primary transformative tool in the therapeutic arsenal. In therapy you learn how to create positive and intentional attachment to the therapist. As breaks in the therapeutic relationship naturally occur, the therapist initiates repair. The repair generates experience in healthy conflict resolution. The alliance strengthens the relationship rather than threatening it. When we use our attention in a secure space to hold ourselves accountable we generate true freedom.

Our energy becomes self renewing For those that find their curiosity sparked, I’d like to invite you to begin exploring therapy. The journey is wild and beautiful and you are ready!

-John Vargas JohnVargasCounseling.com info@johnvargascounseling.com 720-507-8982

OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

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Photos by Charles Broshous

Colorado Leather Fest Lots of consensual kinksters came out to party and celebrate their lifestyles at was held at the Ramada Plaza in Northglenn on May 4-6. The event promotes heritage, expands knowledge, and supports diverse cultures for the development of all things leather, kink, and BDSM.

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OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

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BAR TAB | THE HOTTEST COLORADO NIGHTLIFE GLADYS: THE NOSY NEIGHBOR

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OUTBACK CLASSIFIEDS | ENVISIONED BY BOBERTO Playmates and soul mates...

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