August 2022 :: Sound and Fury by OUT FRONT Magazine

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TABLE OF CONTENTS VOLUME 46 NUMBER 5 AUGUST 2022

From The Editor

OFM Breaking • January 6 Investigation

• Supreme Court Update

OFM Lit

• Amy Martin Profile

OFM Music • Diama Luciano • Analogue Records • Melly

Gallery • Purple Reign

OFM Thoughts • Ask a Coach

• Beyond the Binary • Queer Girl Q&A

• Q Publishing House

• Re-Introducing DJ Alex Chapman • Betty Who Profile

• Suspect Press

• Bitches on Comics, Decoded

OFM Music

OFM Style • Beauty Beat

• Haute Couture and Exclusivity

OFM Reviews

OFM Music

• Cannabis Reviews

• August's New, Must-Catch Music • Metal Meltdown

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OFM Astrology

OFM Lust

• August Horoscopes

• Loud and Proud

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FROM THE EDITOR

Sound and Fury It’s not easy being a queer kid who grew up in the early 2000s. With shows like Pen15 making headlines, it’s almost cliche to talk about, but the influx of extreme body image messages, sexism, and the peer pressure of an evolving world made for an ever-changing and stressful environment to learn and grow in. Like many 00s kiddos, I was raised by divorced, low-income parents. I spent many an hour riding around in my dad’s van as we went to auctions and estate sales looking for antiques to buy and sell, or sitting at a hot, humid, dusty auction where we had to wait for hours to place bids. I was also shuttled back and forth between both parents, and grandparents, and spent hours in the car trying to kill time. During these times, I didn’t always have steady access to TV, movies, or ways to communicate with my friends (yes, this was before the time of texts and FaceTime—try Myspace and AOL instant messaging), but I did always have books and music, and those two things, I wholly devoured. I listened to the entire catalogs of 70s and 80s metal and hard rock, 70s punk, and nu-metal, along with Destiny’s Child, Spice Girls, and all the boy bands I could get my hands on. As I greedily devoured everything from the Sex Pistols to Kelly Clarkson, I was also reading. I would double-fist with the Baby-Sitters Club and Thoroughbred series along with the classics, musician biographies, all the magazines I could read and buy in a month, and whatever random books my dad had lying around. I couldn’t put into words at the time what all these outlets were opening up for me, but looking back, I see myself strutting my queer stuff up and down my bedroom listening to Britney Spears, then devouring every word of Huckleberry Finn and imagining what it would be like to be a preteen boy in the 1800s, going on adventures. I was learning a lot about who I was through metal, punk, and old rock records, but also filling in the blanks that would have been covered by an older sibling with my teeny bopper romance novels. Through it all, these outlets shaped me into being who I am today. I am grateful for every single one of them, not just the ones that seem cool to look back on from my 30s. The teeny bopper books and pop did as much to shape my identity as the classic metal or literature. And now, we celebrate all things music and literature, from singer-songwriters to local literature, and beyond. So, sit back; put on some good music, and read through these pages to learn about your next big obsessions, both through the radio waves and on the page. -Addison Herron-Wheeler outfrontmagazine.com 9

January 6 Investigation Committee Releases New Evidence Against Trump Administration By Ray Manzari

The investigative committee charged with looking into last year’s Capitol riot conducted more than 1,000 interviews, collected more than 125,000 documents, wrangled uncooperative Trump allies, and found “previously unseen material” which they released during a series of televised hearings in June. In the first hearing on June 9, the panel delivered on its promise to shed light on Trump’s “coordinated, multistep effort to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and prevent the transfer of power.” The two most pieces of evidence from that day were former Attorney General Bill Barr's recollection, telling Trump that his election fraud case was "bullshit," and a quote from a witness who says Trump responded to the mob's "hang Mike Pence" chant by saying, "Maybe our supporters have the right idea. Mike Pence deserves it." The panel also released parts of Ivanka Trump’s testimony, in which she admita she believed Bill Barr’s claim that there was no voting fraud in the 2020 election. In addition, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows was also told that there was no evidence of voting fraud. In the months and weeks leading up to January 6, 2021, hundreds of republican officials, from Ivanka Trump to My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell, sent messages to Meadows, urged the White House to ignore the will of American voters and overturn the election results. Thousands of messages to Meadows were turned over to the investigative committee. Of those revealed, the most shocking were from Ginni Thomas, republican activist and wife

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of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Records show that Thomas texted Meadows 21 times, repeatedly pressuring him to work on overturning the 2020 election results. “Sounds like Sidney (Powell) and her team are getting inundated with evidence of fraud. Make a plan. Release the Kraken, and save us from the Left taking America down,” Thomas says in one message. Messages also suggests that Thomas spoke with her husband regarding their plans, who went on to make judgements in 2020 election-related cases. If the deep-seated corruption throughout the republican party was not enough, the January 6 Committee also confirmed reports that Trump and his advisors pursued plans to seize voting machines after Election Day. On December 18, 2020, four conspiracy theorists, including former national security adviser Michael Flynn and lawyer Sidney Powell, met with Trump, according to Axios. They urged him to have the Pentagon seize voting machines and appoint Powell as special counsel to investigate voter fraud. However, Rudy Giuliani is said to have shot the idea down. But, at Trump’s direction, Giuliani then asked the Department of Homeland Security’s acting deputy director if his agency could seize the machines, to which the deputy director said no. In January, Politico published a never-issued draft executive order consistent with the Powell-Flynn plan. The outlet notes that the order would have given the defense secretary 60 days to write the assessment, which “suggests it could have been a gambit to keep Trump in power until at least mid-February of 2021.”

Other incriminating evidence presented by the committee included a sevenhour-and-37-minute blank in Trump’s call log during the Capital riot. The gap from 11:17 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. means that the committee does not know exactly who Trump was speaking to during these hours. The panel is now investigating whether Trump was using back channels of communication, such as phones of White House aides or even personal burner phones. One lawmaker on the panel says the committee is investigating a “possible coverup” of the official White House record from that day. Other possible coverup methods brought to light were Meadows burning sensitive documents in a White House fireplace located in his personal office, as well as a story of Trump himself tearing up or even flushing documents down a White House toilet. All this culminated in the January 6 Committee wishing to subpoena the Trump-allied lawyer, John Eastman, who has yet to comply with previous subpoenas on the basis of attorney-client privilege. “The Select Committee... has a good-faith basis for concluding that the President and members of his Campaign engaged in a criminal conspiracy to defraud the United States,” they write in a legal brief. The panel says in its filing that the court should reject Eastman's claims of attorney-client privilege, citing an exception for when a client is involved in criminal activities. “The Select Committee has responded to Dr. Eastman’s efforts to discharge this responsibility by accusing him of criminal activity,” they say, adding they will respond in due course. OFM will continue to monitor the investigation into the January 6 riots and update readers in the coming months.

Rogue Supreme Court Continues to Rule Against America’s Best Interests By Ray Manzari

ust as Denver was gearing up to celebrate this year’s PrideFest, the Supreme Court made good on their leaked decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark case protecting abortion rights. As legal experts and politicians warn of what could come next, the Supreme Court continues to make decisions against the desires of most American voters. Just before overturning Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court passed sweeping gun regulation allowing Americans the right to carry in public spaces. The ruling, pushed through by its conservative majority, struck down New York state’s limits on carrying concealed handguns outside the home. The Court found that the law, originally enacted in 1913, violated a person’s constitutional right to “keep and bear arms,” per the Second Amendment. At the same time, Congress began to pass a bipartisan bill that would tighten background checks for would-be gun owners. "This bipartisan legislation will help protect Americans. Kids in schools and communities will be safer because of it," President Joe Biden says following the vote. "The House of Representatives should promptly vote on this bipartisan bill and send it to my desk." According to a recent Gallup poll, 66% of Americans want stricter gun laws, specifically surrounding the purchasing of a firearm. As a democrat-majority Congress passes stricter laws, the republican-led Supreme Court simultaneously made carrying a concealed weapon a constitutional right, illustrating the deep political divide facing our country today. Another wildly unpopular decision from the Supreme Court was their overturning of the 50-year-old right to abortion. According to Gallup, 58% of Americans did not support the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. In addition, 56% of Americans are opposed to banning abortions after 18 weeks, and 58% are opposed to banning once a “fetal heartbeat” can be detected.

Gallup again shows us that 53% of Americans believe that protecting the environment should be made priority over economic growth, highlighting the SCOTUS’s disfavorable decision streak. Though the previous administration has been replaced by a marginally more liberal one, the ghost of Trump’s presidency continues to send ripple effects throughout the country through his appointment of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who gave the Court a republican majority. Conservatives have lost the public debate on abortion, gun control, climate change, and marriage equality. Time and time again, voters have come out to make their voices heard on these issues; however, the Supreme Court does not have to campaign nor appeal to voters. The conservative-led Court can continue to pass laws and strip away rights that would never make it past the ballot box. But not all hope is lost. The Constitution, of which the Supreme Court is the prime interpreter and guardian, gives Congress the power to decide how many justices sit on the SCOTUS. Adding justices, who would be appointed by President Biden, could level the Court to be more evenly split, and hopefully result in decisions that more closely reflect the average American’s opinions. Whether the democrat-led Congress will do so, or continue to drag its feet while fundraising and campaigning on these issues as they’ve done for the last 50 years, remains to be seen.

The Supreme Court made two hugely unpopular decisions in less than a week, but they didn’t stop there. On June 28, the Supreme Court ruled to block the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating greenhouse gasses from power plants. The ruling effectively hinders America’s ability to combat climate change in a meaningful way. Beyond climate change, the ruling has far-reaching ramifications for the power of federal agencies to make policy decisions. “The opinion is likely to severely restrict many federal agencies’ ability to issue health and safety regulations on issues involving the marketplace, involving consumer financial products, as well as issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which is ongoing,” says Blake Emerson, a professor at the University of California at Los Angeles School of Law. outfrontmagazine.com 11

Suspect Press: Queer Literature for All by Addison Herron-Wheeler

Founded in 2013 and acquired by Q Publishing in 2022, Suspect Press has long been known as a queer beacon for literature, even before it became a part of the OFM family. During their tenure as editors, Amanda E.K. and Josiah Hesse infused the publication with their wisdom as ex-vangelicals who left the church in pursuit of navigating queer idenity and life in Denver. That same spirit carries on now that we are running the mag, but there have been some changes. First off, the magazine is now officially Colorado’s LGBTQ literary outlet. Every month, we publish stories, poems, and essays inspired by that month’s OFM issue themes, and we encourage queer folks of all kinds, no matter how well published or known they are in the literary scene, to reach out. As we navigate the late stages of the pandemic and what the world will look like going forward, we are still debating what print will look like for Suspect Press. Once we have collected enough to publish, the plan is to put out a Suspect Press book anthology. Even sooner, we plan to bring back one of the titles that Suspect Press published under previous ownership: Eliza Beth Whittington’s Treat Me Like You Treat The Earth will see its re-release this year. The book is a queer, poetic ode to self-identity and the healing the planet so desperately needs, and we’re honored to make it available once more. If you’re interested in being published by Suspect Press, don’t hesitate to get in touch: editor@outfrontmagazine.com.

Q Publishing House: Who We Are and What We Do by Addison Herron-Wheeler

In 1976, when OFM was first established in Boulder, Colorado by our founder, Phil Price, he chose a very ahead-of-its time name for our parent company LLC: Q Publishing. I’ve marveled and mused on the name many times myself. Did he somehow know that “queer” was the word of the future, or was it a defient act, done when the word was still taboo? Does it stand for “queen” instead, or something else entirely? Whatever the backstory, we were in love with the name, so naturally, we decided to use it for our book publishing arm, Q Publishing House. Already this year, we’ve brought you two amazing queer titles, and we plan to drop two more before the year is through. Amanda E.K.’s The Risk it Takes to Bloom was our debut book, and thanks to the sexy, steamy cover done by Lonnie M.F. Allen and 1 2 OFM AUGUST 2 0 2 2

E.K.’s gorgeous, sensual prose, we came onto the scene hot and heavy. Her book goes beyond the traditional erotica tropes and introduces queerness, intersectionality, and stories of embracing a hard-won and important sexual freedom.

ing together—looks like. In this day and age, where our rights and LGBTQ youth are constantly under threat, books geared toward teens are even more important. Our very own creative mastermind Rachel Galstad will be design this one.

In June, we joyfully unleashed one of our proudest works, a collection of Brian A.S. Byrdsong’s fantastical short stories. The Queerest Touch, features a show-stopping cover from Whitney Dorman and a queer Twilight Zone vibe that shines during Pride and is appropriate for any season. Let the dark magic of these stories take you over as you dive into Byrdsong’s psyche with this collection.

Last but certainly not least, we will wrap up the year with Living Starship, a sci-fi collection that dives into different species and ranks aboard a starship—all while staying free from the gender binary. Local drag king Layman Kingsford daylights as a scifi author, and we think you’ll love the universe he has dreamed up for us all. The book will feature cover art from Eric Pung.

Next, coming this fall, my young adult book, @SweetScarlett, will drop. The book focuses on a murder mystery investigated by a group of teens who are also navigating their own sexuality and what coming out—and stand-

Our plan is to keep publishing beyond 2022 and share even more queer titles with the world. Stay tuned for everything we have in store!

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Uplifting Untold LGBTQ Stories in Sci-fi, Fantasy, and Horror: The Creative Trio Behind ‘Bitches on Comics’ Podcast, ‘Decoded Pride’ Anthology by Keegan Williams

The dynamic trio behind the Bitches on Comics podcast and the Decoded Pride anthology series finally have space to breathe, after wrapping the Decoded’s third issue as June came to a close. Sara Century (she/her), S.E. Fleenor (they/them), and Monika Estrella Negra (she/her) are the group of writers and creatives who make it all happen, and it all began with their mutual love for sci-fi, fantasy, and horror and the desire to uplift queer voices in those spaces. Bitches on Comics came first, founded by Fleenor and Century in September 2017. They worked at SyFy, eventually became friends, and decided it was worth creating something together, despite not knowing what form it would take. Century says that working at SyFy was still a great experience, but there was a lot to be desired working within a corporate structure. They also had Kate Warner on their side, the BoC sound engineer, who was able to help them to get production started. “Our whole idea was that we wanted to talk about things that maybe queer people would care about, or women would care about, people who—usually in comics, for a long time— were alienated,” Century says. Because of the sheer amount of people they already knew to bring on the podcast, it quickly became an interview-focused program, which is how Estrella Negra entered the picture. “They kidnapped me! I’m just kidding,” Estrella Negra jests. No, Estrella Negra simply became a recurring guest on BoC, to the point where Fleenor and Century decided she would be a good addition to the team. Estrella Negra is a filmmaker and initially connected with Century through collaboration on her horror film, Bitten. Before that, she organized punk shows in Chicago, including a festival called Black and Brown Punk Show, primarily a space for Black and Brown, queer, punk folks to come together and raise money for local grassroots organizations. As Estrella Negra moved forward to pursue her love of filmmaking, she opened a production company focusing on radical, leftist-leaning shorts, “which is why I’ll never be famous,” she laughs. 1 4 OFM AUGUST 2 0 2 2

That eventually led Estrella Negra to a job at SyFy as well, where she linked up with Century and, later, Fleenor. “They just proposed to me, basically, and were like, ‘Do you want to join our cult?’ and I was like, ‘Sick, sure,’” Estrella Negra says, though Century interjects, “You were in Decoded before that.” Fleenor says—as they continued producing BoC with Century—they knew they wanted to have a written component, though they weren’t sure what form it would take. Fleenor says the idea for Decoded—a daily anthology of queer and trans comics and speculative fiction shared throughout Pride Month—ultimately came after examining their own experiences as queer people in literature and reevaluating the feedback they received from guests on BoC. Looking back at those days, Fleenor says they pondered: “What if we could find an editorial team that has a real focus on queer and trans expression, without an expectation for what that expression would look like exactly?” The pair looked specifically at Pride Month, referencing how frustrating it can be watching corporations make money off the LGBTQ community without any commitment to those communities or without monetarily supporting them. In that, they prioritized uplifting writers who faced rejection from other publications, giving them a chance to build a foundation, and a business model ensuring they could pay writers fair wages. Estrella Negra came on as a co-editor, specifically handling sensitivity readings to ensure that there was no inflammatory material in the content and that the stories in Decoded were appropriate to the demographics they were looking to uplift. She says learning about the process behind Decoded ultimately brought her closer to Fleenor and Century, as the three collectively unraveled these often untold stories and shared their vulnerability with one another. Fleenor is happy the team is growing. They shout out to Priya Saxena, Decoded’s new copy editor and editorial coordinator, a South Asian person with her own lived experience and another advocate to ensure Decoded honors their mission. They add that the team tries to be “flat” rather than hierarchical. They try to share edits with authors and creators in

the spirit of strength and unity, giving folks a home for their stories that they may not otherwise have.\ “When we're selecting stories, are we looking for the most polished best stories? Not necessarily,” Fleenor says. “We are looking for stories that have something to say, that make us feel something, and that's kind of our only barometer—They have to be by a queer and/or trans person.” Century reflects on her own life when looking at the platform Decoded has provided queer creatives, referencing that there have always been spaces—include Pride, feminist gatherings, and comic conventions—where she wasn’t fully comfortable. “I think Decoded and Bitches on Comics is—We’re kind of spotlighting people who are unique and strange… We’re trying to take a chance on people who, we see them now doing all kinds of things. We’ve seen people join the Horror Writers Association because we were their first professionally-paying market. I love that we’re being this jumping-off point in a lot of ways.” Growing up and navigating her identities as a Black, queer, “nerdy-goth-punk hybrid,” Estrella Negra says she often felt a sense of social alienation. It was through the power of storytelling and cinema—especially speculative horror, fantasy, and science fiction—that she found her escape. “I either had to deal with racism from white, weird dudes, or I was just completely, I wouldn't say ostracized, because I definitely had lots of friends from my community and neighborhood who were not into the same alternative, nerdy things I was into,” she says.” I didn't want to hang out with a lot of kids who were inhabiting those weird and nerdy subcultural spaces because they were primarily white, and the racism and microaggressions and anti-Blackness were definitely present. So I enjoyed a lot of those things on my own.” She eventually found other Black people with the same interests, and her world expanded when she began traversing the internet, discovering a plethora of queer, Black authors and content creators. “They’re just not seen,” she says, “especially within the horror community, because the horror community is still overwhelmingly white and cis and straight and male. And it can be really fucking annoying, to be perfectly honest with you. I can’t find any solace, really, within the mainstream horror community.” With that in mind, Estrella Negra says it’s important to bring that sentiment to Bitches on Comics and Decoded. Not only is diversity our strength, but there are so many stories begging to be told and so much work that will never be elevated, she says, “because those who hold keys to power will just never give us the time of day.” Reflecting on three years of Decoded, and nearly five years of BoC, Century references her interest in archiving. “Whenever I'm looking at what we're doing right now—and sometimes it will be mid-interview or something like that, or

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Illustration courtesy of Decoded Pride and Craig Hale 1 6 OFM AUGUST 2 0 2 2

I'll be reading the Decoded submissions once they've gone through edits—and I just think this is not just a moment in time now. But if, if the world continues to exist in 100 years, then we have this time capsule,” she says. “There’s always space for more, but I think that, whenever I’m listening to a queer creator talking on Bitches on Comics, or reading the stories, I just think that otherwise, this doesn’t exist.” Estrella Negra nods to the current political climate in the U.S., the “Christo-facist regime that we all live under,” how art has always been the precedent for revolutions, and artists have always been targeted by the state. “There was this fear of art being this form of propaganda,” she says, referencing the Red Scare and leadership efforts to ensure communists weren’t making movies, “because the establishment did recognize that power in the art that people consume.” In reference to this year’s Decoded Pride, Estrella Negra recalls the themes of the future, alternative worlds where queer people, trans people, Black people are the victors, the shamans, the heroes, and living a life where they overcame their oppressors. She says art and artists in general have a responsibility to try to formulate what a new world could entail. “I'm trying not to be defeatist, and I'm trying not to be nihilistic about it, even though it's really hard to not feel overwhelmed and powerless,” she says. “But I like to think that the power that we hold within us and how we manifest that power into our art and into our work can also empower people to keep going. Especially, I think about younger queer and trans kids that will pick this up, read it, and feel empowered because they identify with this one character that they read in a comic or read in a story, and then go on to create their own stories and to create their own art and create their own resistance.”

Fleenor adds, “We really believe in the power of queer and trans people; we believe in us, together; we believe in people people. And you can see that in the way we structure everything.” Now that Decoded Pride Issue #3 has wrapped, the trio have the time and space to look ahead to the future, “How are we going to blow everything up, basically,” Century says, in that they all have a lot of ideas they are ready to explore. Up next, they are looking to dive into narrative fiction podcasting. They’re currently working on the release of their new horror podcast, Tales From the Sapphire Bay Hotel. Generally, they see themselves continuing all of the work they’re doing right now, just to a greater degree. Though, they admit that they are still underfunded and encourage folks to buy a subscription to Decoded Pride and check out Bitches on Comics, which regularly comes out with new episodes. Fleenor also notes that the future is full of possibilities. “Our goal, with all of our prospect projects, is to try things we’re interested in to see how it goes,” they say, “to move with the way the spirit and the flow move us, you know? If it needs to take a new form, then we’ll take a new form. We’re kind of just open to whatever that looks like.” Subscriptions to Decoded Pride Issue #3 are $14.99, less than 50 cents a per story, and can be purchased at decodedpride. com/buy-a-subscription. Subscriptions include PDF and eBook formats. To check out Bitches on Comics, visit the official website, bitchesoncomics. com, or find the podcast on Apple and Spotify.

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Diama Luciano Unapologetic Riffing and Trans Identity by Addison Herron-Wheeler

enver’s metal scene is exploding and expanding by the day—On any given night, you can catch an awesome, local death metal or doom show. But, like many other exports from the Mile High City, we are still lacking a bit in diversity. While there are women and people of color who have made massive headlines and hail from Denver, the scene is still overwhelmingly white, male, and straight. Enter Diama Luciano (they/them), a queer and femme member of metal community. We sat down with Luciano to learn more about her journey to get here and her experience in the local metal scene. How did you first get into metal? I’ve been into metal since I was very young. The first concert I ever went to was Iron Maiden, and I was only, like, 3 or 4 years old. The only thing I vaguely remember from that show was the massive tapestry of Eddie up on the stage. How, if at all, did metal intersect with your coming out story? To be totally honest, metal actually hasn't had that much to do with my coming out. In fact, my place in the metal community was to some degree one of the hardships I had in coming out, as metal is traditionally a very masculine genre, and I was worried I would not be as accepted. However, to my pleasant surprise, the Denver metal community has been overwhelmingly accepting, almost more so than before I started presenting more feminine, and other than a few odd moments, has been very good support for me.

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Photos Courtesy of Julius Gariddo outfrontma ga zine.com 19

How do you feel the metal scene in Denver treats queer folks? As stated above, I seem to be treated a little better after coming out. When I presented more masculine, it seemed like I was more or less ignored, and I felt myself struggling to make any kind of name for myself, most likely because at that time, I didn't know who I was or who I wanted to be. After “coming out” as a more authentic version of myself, it felt like people saw me for who I was, and I became more recognizable and well known in the community. Have you had any role models that show you what queerness in metal can look like? There are a few good examples, but on the whole, it seems that metal is quite lacking in representation of queer people and very lacking in representation of trans people. I feel that this is born out of a fear that we will not be taken seriously. I have no trans role models from the metal scene and don't really know of any. Not because they don't exist, as they absolutely do, but they are not well known enough that I have naturally come across them, and I would have to deliberately look for bands that have trans members just for the sake of it. When you think of even just gay representation in metal, there are usually only two people that come to mind: Rob Halford and Gaahl, both of whom suffered both extreme controversy and loving acceptance when coming out. Rob Halford is an extremely important queer icon in metal, given that Judas Priest is one of the foundational creators of metal itself alongside Black Sabbath, meaning that metal in and of itself comes partly from queer origins. Gaahl is also extremely important given that black metal was known for being one of the more anti-queer metal communities, and Gaahl basically told the edgy, takes-themselves-too-seriously faction of people within that community to go fuck themselves. Metal is for everybody. However, the important thing to mention about both of these people is that they are still quite masculine. Metal is not uniquely to blame for any of this, and its community is not uniquely homophobic. The music industry and fans in general always seem to give LGBTQ people a hard time, as evidenced by Lil Nas X's treatment by people in the very large and encompassing pop community. But I feel metal's problem is less one of ideology (you won't find that many Christians hanging around at death and black metal shows) and more one of image. Metal struggles to find a way to unite its serious and aggressive tone with the false belief many people have that gay people are inherently fruity or flamboyant and will change the tone of the genre to something less destructive and serious. This comes from a pretty inaccurate characterization of metal, queer people, and even flamboyance. Metal is not a genre that is only supposed to be about the dark and 2 0 OFM AUGUST 2 0 2 2

serious nature of life. It is a music genre, and it can be about whatever the artists want it to be about. Metal is not about any specific content or topic; metal is about the WAY in which you address these topics. And even a band that only sings about sunshine and happiness, but does so with crushing riffs and screaming vocals, is still metal. Because metal is only about one thing: It is about the freedom to express yourself in the loudest and most aggressive way possible. It is about being unapologetic and unwavering. It is about breaking AWAY from and annihilating the "norm" and "conformity," and that includes heteronormativity. In this way, queerdom is very metal, and metal is very queer. And if it won't allow itself to be queer, then its purpose is fake, and it is not truly a way to shatter norms and barriers and is yet another culture of a specific type of conformity, which celebrates a meaningless image of darkness and spookiness and no actual substance. Tell us more about your band and what you’re working on currently. The main musical project I am in is Katalysk, a band that formed out of my high school. Its founding members were all a part of our school marching band together and had prior experience playing music with one another. Eventually, we refined what started as a heavier-than-usual crossover thrash band and melted it down and distorted it into its current Apocalyptic Thrashing Death Metal form. "Katalysk" tells the tale of a world very similar to our own; it's people controlled by a government that thrives by stealing from them, brainwashing them to fight one another as the most influential members of society create a problem far larger than division and even war: the Katalysk, the Earth's owner and keeper—a monster that dwells in the center of the Earth, sleeping until it is awoken by the noise and violence created by the surface world. The monster bursts out of the crust and mantle and sets itself to completely devour and annihilate all of humanity, reclaiming its home. To make it abundantly clear, whereas Godzilla was a metaphor for nuclear destruction, Katalysk is one for a climate apocalypse and any number of existential threats we choose to ignore. My second project is called Improvised Slaughter, and it is improvisational, that is, made up entirely on the spot, and is a goregrind band. There is not much more to say about that one! Katalysk released its first album, Incessant Awakening, in 2020 and is on all streaming platforms. I highly recommend giving the whole album a complete, unshuffled listen through to really experience it. How do you feel about Denver’s queer and metal scenes, and do you feel more safe in one than the other? It's really a bit hard to choose, but to Denver's massive credit, I feel a bit more at home in the metal scene than anywhere else. I feel a bit safer in the queer community, but find my experiences and interests line up a bit more

with the average metalhead I come across than the massively diverse community that is people who do not confirm to cisheteronormativity. I love and appreciate deeply Pride and queer culture, but find my personal interests tend to move away from the peaceful and loving and colorful environment and more towards a brutally introspective one. I find immense value in places that are designed to be safe for people to express their identity and find myself very comfortable and understood when I am in them. But I still tend to enjoy the metal community slightly more. Not only am I still free to be who I am—mostly without judgment— in the metal scene, but those folx are more likely to be interested in the specific things I am interested in. While I feel that in this environment, I am not quite as well understood, I feel just as respected. And I just love metal so fucking much, it feels very at home to be headbanging with people that feel the same way to music that means a lot to me. In any case, both have a special place in my heart, but the metal scene barely wins out, provided I continue to be accepted as I am. Follow Katalysk at facebook.com/Katalysk or katalysk.bandcamp.com.

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by Keegan Williams

Analogue Records

Empowers LGBTQ Creatives to Share Their Authentic Selves

ordan Quin initially entered Boston’s Berklee College of Music for performance, though she quickly fell in love with music business and songwriting. Her focus shifted as she observed the “messed up” relationship between artists and their labels and the powerlessness artists—especially queer artists—often face in elevating their own voices. Fast-forward to present day, and Quin is the founder of student-run label Analogue Records, with 10 folks on staff and four artists under its belt. The label launched in May 2021. “Our main goal, and the foundation that was built around, was just making sure that artists’ relationships with their label are good, trustworthy, and honest and making sure that we can produce something that we all truly love,” Quin says. She also points to the trend of labels prioritizing commercial success over all else, which often results in monot2 2 OFM AUGUST 2 0 2 2

onous music that isn’t true to the artist’s vision, for the sake of generating profit. “The artists don't really have a say in what they're writing anymore,” Quin says. “So, we make sure to give our artists liberty in what they're writing and what they're creating and make sure that they're involved in every step of the process.” As a lesbian who grew up in Texas, Quin references that she didn’t even know what the word “lesbian” meant until she was 14. “I think (Analogue’s LGBTQ focus) just started as me wanting to give little kids something to look up to and see themselves in,” Quin says. In addition, the Analogue Records staff is representative of a broad range of genders and LGBTQ identities. Quin says elevating queer folks behind the scenes and in the artists the label represents

shows all of society just how capable queer folks are. Their queer and trans identities are still important to affirm and uplift as crucial elements of their personhood, but working at Analogue exemplifies how much more they, and other LGBTQ folks, have to offer in the beautiful creations and art they are able to share, she says. Ultimately, building a staff that shares a community and common goal allows the Analogue crew to not only share and collaborate with differing perspectives but foster a trust in one another in their collaboration, without judgment. “Everyone knows that, no matter how they identify or who they love, they're going to be listened to and heard as an equal at Analogue,” Quin says. “And I think that just causes us to have such creative and interesting conversations because you're not coming at it from a defensive lens, like you have

“I feel like it's so important to

be explicit and to not tone down your music or your queerness or anything, for anyone.”

to deal with in so many other aspects of society and so many other workplaces Unfortunately, in so many queer people's paths, that's just what we're used to.” She admits that LGBTQ musicians have come a long way, and it’s beautiful that there are so many artists who are celebrated for their queerness. Though, Quin argues that there is still a lot of censorship around queer artists, especially by bigger labels who are mostly concerned with how palatable the music is for the general population over legitimately letting artists control their narratives. “I feel like it's so important to be explicit and to not tone down your music or your queerness or anything, for anyone,” Quin says. “I mean, if a (straight) woman or a man can go and sing about literally having sex with someone else, I don't know why a queer person can’t do the same thing, or talk about someone they love, or use the right pronouns in a song or an interview.” She recognizes that, even though LGBTQ rights are under threat in the U.S., we’re still globally in a privileged position where queer people aren’t penalized for being explicit in their identities through art. “If that's not what some people want to hear, then they can listen to something else, but I think that we just really need to focus on building each other up, amplifying the voices, and people who are being honest with themselves and with their audience.” The supportive environment of Analogue surely helps to support that aim, though Quin admits that it’s also pushed her to grow in her role as the label founder. Initially, she started Analogue with “no confidence, honestly, like, outfrontmagazine.com 23

Jordan Quin

levi

Taylor O'Connell

Analogue Records Artists Kelly Flatley

Tristan

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“Just the way that you can create something from nothing—It's been beautiful.” no friends,” just going for it, hoping that other people agreed with the mission and believed the label would be successful. Slowly but surely, her own community became part of the project. Quin initially signed her two best friends, Kelly Flatley and Levi Cooper, as the first artists on the Analogue label; Tristan and Taylor O’Connell are also signed to Analogue Records. “I believed in their music, and they believed in my work, and we just decided to work together,” she says. “It's become this really beautiful thing where we can uplift queer people. I think the love is what shines through in everything we do, and how much care we have for each other and our work.” Quin also nods to the environment in which Analogue was fostered: “I’m lucky enough to go to Berklee—I’m surrounded by musicians all the time,” as beneficial while the label continues to grow. In building Analogue Records, it’s often as simple as approaching talented folks she already knows about and letting them know she can help them to find a producer, seek out distribution, and elevate their music to more listeners. “It’s been the most beautiful example of trust because they trust me with their creative vision. And we sit down and we meet and we text all the time. I’m so close with my artists.” She sees the label today, with Analogue’s artists benefiting from the platform and the passion project continuing to blossom, in stark contrast to the early days, when it was just an idea. Quin says she’s often in awe, witnessing the growth and reflecting on the trust her staff and artists have instilled in her. “It's so rewarding because not only do I care about the music and the work, obviously, but it's the relationships that I'm building with my staff and my artists, seeing how much they trust in me and how much they believe in what we're doing—That's been so amazing. I wake up every day, and I can't even believe that it's my life.” Looking ahead, Quin is eager for the label’s upcoming releases and to establish Analogue Records as an independent label, something artists can come to and that folks recognize within the industry. She’s also eager to one day open a storefront, even though that may take some time. For now, it’s all about nourishing the project and promoting its potential. “Just the way that you can create something from nothing—It's been beautiful.” For more front Analogue Records, find them on Facebook @anloguerecordsco, Instagram @analoguerecords, and check out their official website, analoguerecords.co. outfrontmagazine.com 25

OVO by Cirque du Soleil Prepares to Delight Denver Cirque du Soleil is thrilled to announce its return to Colorado later this year with its high-energy and high-acrobatic production OVO (“egg” in Portuguese). An exciting Cirque du Soleil experience, OVO is a colorful intrusion into a new day in the life of insects, a headlong rush into a colorful ecosystem teaming with life, where insects work, eat, crawl, flutter, play, fight, and look for love. Through show-stopping acrobatics highlighting the unique personalities and abilities of selected insect species, OVO explores the beauty of biodiversity in all its contrasts and vibrancy. OVO will perform in Colorado at Ball Arena in Denver from September 8 to 11, 2022.

Sponsored Content

Back on the road since mid-February, after a three-month staging process where two new acts were added, OVO has been delighting audiences in the United States and Canada. From mighty crickets bouncing off trampolines to a hypnotic spider contorting inside her web, OVO exudes extraordinary showmanship to tickle the imagination. Funny and chaotic, yet adorable and wonderful, OVO charms our inner child with its sweet exuberance. "OVO is a feast for the eyes and a fabulous time for all!’’ says the Dragonfly hand balancer Kyle Cragle (seen above), one of OVO’s aerial straps artists. Comprised of 52 artists, OVO brings to the stage high-level acrobatic acts redefining the limits of the human body. Catherine Audy and Alexis Trudel are OVO’s aerial straps artists, flying over the stage as night butterflies (seen on left). After working together as acrobatic partners for 12 years, the duo were thrilled to hit the road again. ‘’We actually didn’t see each other for almost two years! So the first time we came back training together was very special and it was like doing bicycle actually. It was so easy. In one training, we had all or our moves back… but the thing missing was the audience.’’

Photos Courtesy of Cirque du Soleil

Since its opening in Montreal in 2009, OVO has thrilled more than 7 million people in 155 cities in 26 different countries. A thrill that doesn’t get old, according to the circus veteran: ‘’The reaction of the audience… that’s why we are doing what we do. It’s really for the public!’’

Cirque du Soleil Cirque du Soleil has redefined how the world views the circus, from small town talent to a household name. Based in Montreal (Qc), the Canadian organization went on to become a global leader in live entertainment with the creation of world-class immersive and iconic experiences, across six continents. Connecting with audiences by being genuine, human, and inclusive. Working with artists from 90 countries to bring their creativity to life on stages around the world, the company aims to make a positive impact on people, communities, and the planet with its most important tools: creativity and art. Over years, more than 215 million people have been inspired, in over 70 different countries. For more information, visit cirquedusoleil.com.

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meet

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melly and Her New Single, 'Dirty Girl' By Brianna Janae

elly is a creative entrepreneur of all trades. She is a director, writer, producer, and upcoming pop star. She also works through her own creative studio Eight88.Studios assisting other creatives with productive, design, and artist management. It is now Melly’s time to shine as she relishes in the release of her new single “Dirty Girl.” The single was released in July. OFM caught up with Melly to learn more about what inspires her music and how her art is liberating to other Black, queer femmes. How does it feel to have fully produced and written your new single “Dirty Girl?” This new song that I have coming out is the first song that I've ever fully produced. I wrote it alongside some of my best friends. I did write this one and the lyrics are punchy, they are angry, but they're also honestly, really smart lyrics. It's a really complex song when you actually go into like the granular details, but on the surface, it's also really catchy. We've been working on it since December. So I'm excited to share this piece of this body of work with folks and introduce who I am as a songwriter.

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When I think about the title, it could be perceived in so many ways depending on who’s listening. When you came up with the title, do you want people to have an idea for what they're getting into or do you like the element of surprise with the lyrics? You know what it is? I think because so much of the work that inspires the music, it's so complex and theoretical. I feel like I could tell you what it's about, and you still wouldn't know what to expect. But essentially, “Dirty Girl” is a political statement in the fact that essentially, we're “dirty” in response to the dirty world that we live in. It’s reflecting on the fact that because we live in this dirty world, because we are inundated with these systems of oppression and domination, we aren’t clean of them. And it's acknowledging that if you grow up or if you are, if you are conditioned to exist within a system of domination, you are going to inherit some of those same practices and apply it to others. This brings me to ask, what inspires your music overall? I think for me the foremost, what inspires my music is, I want to have fun. Because in a lot of ways, that's what art is supposed to be. Art is supposed to be the arena in which we get to be vulnerable and we get to actually allow ourselves to let go and be free. And for me, what that often leads to is having deep uninterrupted fun. I'm a former theater kid. I love show tunes. I've had that type of relationship with music since I was about 5 years old. My background is actually in political organizing. I'm 23 now. I started organizing when I was about 14 years old, so I have been doing that work for a really long time, along with a lot of serious thinking and working around building new futures for Black people. When I really got a chance to sit back and reflect on the work that I had been doing for almost nine years, I realized that even though I was building those futures, I wasn't necessarily building futures that accounted specifically for Black women and Black, queer folks, meaning that I, I didn't even really imagine what it would look like for us—what freedom would even look like for us in a new society—because it was hard to center myself outside of the work that I was doing to service others. I will say what inspires the music definitely is this desire to glamorize the academics, to make it sexy, to make it learning, to make it something that you can't resist. I want you to wake up and choose freedom every day. I want you to wake up and choose to be a fan of Melly every single day. And so I think, in a lot of ways, what inspires my music making is, I really wanna make this type of work, these cyber-theoretical frameworks, irresistible for the average person. I think art is a really great way of merging this really serious arena with something that is a little bit more free. I want the music to be the thing that pulls you into this world. And then once you open that door, it's like a whole universe. There's books; there's conversations to be had; there's interviews to be read. There's a deeper scholarship. But before I can get you to see that, I first have to get you to even wanna open the door in the first place. And I think music is the way to alert people into this propaganda that we're sharing.

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You mentioned your music being a subculture; do you think your music is under any genre? I actually think my music is genre-less, or at least that's the type of artist I wanna be. Like Beyoncé's Lemonade album—It has so many different songs, like, genres, on there. But it all really melted together really well. That's the type of artist I want to be. I want to be an artist that, like, you don't necessarily try to box me into a genre. But instead when people ask you about me, you describe how I make you feel. I think that's my goal as an artist. I don't want you to idolize me. I don't want you to glorify me. I want you to really feel like I am in the trenches with you. I want you to feel like, “Yes, Melly is really well known, but she's really walking alongside me and trying to get and trying to get to freedom with me, not ahead of me, not behind me, but, like, on the same level playing field as me.” And so for me, what it means to be a pop star is like, I'm just well known. And not only am I well known, but, my message is well known, but I also say I have a rock star ethos, which is to say that I'm gonna, I'm gonna fuck shit up in the meantime. I want “pop stardom” to feel more communal.” Based on that, what does that freedom look like to you now? For me, what freedom looks like right now is being able to be my full, authentic self, being able to express myself without it being in response to something else. I think often when we grow up in oppressive societies, specifically those of us who are oppressed, we begin to think that our existence or our resistance is only validated if it exists in direct response to oppression. I don't have to prove anything to anyone; I am just because I am, or I deserve just because I am. I think that's what true freedom looks like to me right now, being able to know that a lot of what I'm doing is not in response to anything outside of myself. I am just because I am. My power is, I am the embodiment of everything you never thought you would get to experience in this life. Something that I've been saying a lot with “Dirty Girl” is, “We are dreams come true.” I am a dream come true. I think for a lot of Black girls and Black, queer folks, I serve as an example that they are able to experience their wildest dreams, and they are able to manifest their wildest dreams. My power is being able to paint a new path forward for people who have been historically told that their dreams are not worthy of being pursued or that their dreams are impossible. And I want to be one of the people who is illuminating that and creating a new paradigm where Black girls, Black, queer folks, get to dictate their own realities and their own livelihood. Keep up with her on Melly website at melissadenizard.com, and follow her on Instagram @q33rcadette and @eight88.studios.

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Produced by: Eight88 Studio Director of Photography: Riot Muse Hairstylist: Nique St. Rose Makeup Artist: Coy Dishman Stylist: Riot Muse

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2022 PRISM AWARD RECIPIENTS Barb Cardell | Positive Women's Network, CORA Goddess Tyescha | Inside Out Youth Services Amayas Gonzalez | Youth Activist Commissioner Michael Conway | Division of Insurance

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Glam, funky, and fabulous: That’s the future that The Artist Formerly Known as Prince had in mind for us when he pioneered his famous (and infamous looks). And that’s exactly what we took inspiration from for this gorgeous photo shoot. The shoot looks at a musical, whimsical, alternate reality (and, we hope, actual future) where the fantasy and magic of the queer wedding becomes our reality. As our rights continue to be threatened, let’s build a better future together. Venue provided by: The Clocktower Cabaret Photos by: Roxanna Carrasco Interior Design: Lonnie Hanzon Hair and Makeup provided by: CRU Studio Makeup Artists: Wendy Campos and Michelle Ivey Jewelry provided by: Sarah O Jewelry Models and Musicians provided by: A Music Plus Set design: Christopher La Fleur Costuming and Styling: Christopher La Fleur Models: Jovana Bjelanovic, Ris Estes, Sean Sorenson, and Will Keleman

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The Re-Introduction of DJ Alex Chapman by Denny Patterson

Making a name for himself as a DJ by commanding dancefloors at large scale events and becoming a nightlife staple, Alex Chapman is now introducing himself as a dance-pop artist. In May, the rising singer-songwriter released his new single “Horsey” featuring Kim Petras, which is a club banger and tongue-in-cheek anthem that’s as much of a response to smash hits such as Duck Sauce’s “Barbara Streisand” as it is a love letter to queerness. According to a press statement, Chapman says the track tells audiences what he’s all about—“dance music, having fun, and high-quality stupidity.”

Can we expect an EP or full-length album anytime soon? I hope so. I think we live in a single world right now, especially if you’re a new artist. You just want to put out songs, let people get to know you, see which ones catch on, and then build a bigger body of work around that. No matter how it's delivered, there will consistently be a lot more music coming. Photo by Nick Little

Chapman has been on the frontlines of pop music experimentation ever since enrolling in a music conservatory and offsetting classical guitar lessons with pop music analysis. He realized his ability to upend the pop structure after remixing tracks for artists such as Zolita and Gia Woods and found his identity as the ultimate escape artist by allowing listeners to experience the freedom of losing themselves in fun.

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In June, you DJed at several Pride festivals. Was this your first time performing on the Pride circuit? In such an official capacity, yes. I’ve done plenty of events and things that were centered around Pride, but playing at Miami Pride and LA Pride, this was my first time. You also performed at Poppy’s Nightclub in West Hollywood on May 31 for Invisible Narrative’s Pride Eve celebration. What was the experience like? It was great! It was a great way to ring in Pride; it was for a great cause, and they had a lot of great people there. It was cool to ring in Pride in this celebratory way and know that it was benefiting a lot of great organizations.

OFM caught up with Chapman to talk about his music, dedicating it to centering queer people, creating more space for individuality, and more. You have been making headlines with your recent single "Horsey" featuring Kim Petras. Can you begin by telling us how this track came to fruition? I've been wanting to make an artist project for a while, and I've been toying around with some ideas, but I really wanted to debut something fun and stupid in a good way. I worked with some friends on the concept, and it just became this song that we thought was kind of special. Kim is one of my best friends, and she believes in me a lot, which means a lot because I think she's just so talented. She was down to get on the track and that's kind of how it came to be. It was very organic.

It sounds like you have your sights on being the gay Calvin Harris. That’s what the press release says (laughs). If we have to dilute it down, I would love to be able to exist in the dance space as the person that I am. I love dance music; I love pop music; I love being gay, and I love being in the community that I’m in. I want all those things to be a part of who I am and not things I need to work against or around.

Ultimately, what do you hope audiences take away from your music? As of right now, I hope my music inspires people to have fun and let loose. I hope it inspires other queer people who love dance music as much as I do to know that we're out there making this music, dancing to this music, and loving this music. I always hope that people can rally around the music I make because I love DJing for crowds. My whole aim with my artist project is to make it something that I can DJ and then be excited to DJ for people. More than anything, I want to inspire a party and a good time.

How much does your life experiences as part of the LGBTQ community influence your music? I think my experience of being someone in the LGBTQ community influences everything I do naturally. It’s just a part of who I am, and it's something that I lean into because being yourself is the only way to stand out, especially in industries that are super overwhelmed with talent, artists, and content. It is part of what makes me who I am, so it influences everything I do. Stay up-to-date and connect with Chapman by following him on Instagram @alexchapman and TikTok @alexchapmannn.

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Photos Courtesy of Kate Biel

Betty Who Makes TV Debut as Host of Prime Video’s ‘The One That Got Away’ by Denny Patterson

etty Who may be a fierce pop artist who has given us an excuse to dance in the mirror, trust our instincts, and realize that joy is never too far away, but there’s more! The queer icon recently made her television debut by hosting Prime Video’s brand-new reality dating series, The One That Got Away.

Love is most definitely in the air, but it’s showing up in a completely different way as six people searching for their soulmates are given the chance to explore a lifetime of missed connections as one by one; people from their pasts enter through “The Portal” to surprise them and take their shot at love. Could it be an old lover, a secret admirer, or possibly a childhood friend? So many “what ifs,” but all will be revealed. Throughout filming, Who developed a bond with each contestant as they confided in her before approaching “The Portal.” OFM caught up with the music star to talk more about the show, how it felt jumping from music to hosting reality TV, and her upcoming projects.

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Can you begin by telling us what makes The One That Got Away worth watching? Obviously, there are a lot of competitive shows in the reality series format, and I think the most exciting thing about this series is the way it makes you think about yourself. It’s about six singles who come to meet people from their past that will come through this portal, and they see if this connection they had in their past, this misconnection, can work in the future. I think when people hear that logline and the description of the show, it immediately makes you go, “Oh my God, who's my one that got away?” I think that self-referential experience that I've seen so many people have, one I even had during my first night on set, I was like, “This is a very interesting social experiment.” Why did you want to be involved with this project? Reality television is definitely one of my guilty pleasures. I don’t even call it guilty because I think it’s just a pleasure at this point (laughs). So, when the opportunity sort of came across my desk, it was like, “Are you even interested in something like this? Should we even have a conversation about it?” I was definitely nervous because I had no idea what I was doing and have zero qualifications, other than a can-do attitude. When we had the first conversation about it and what it would entail and what it would look like, they asked if this would be something I was into. More and more, I was like, “I think I want to do this. I think I would have so much fun,” and to my surprise, they actually ended up hiring me for it. I had the best month of my life shooting it. It was so fun.

have a short list of people who would definitely come through the portal if I was a contestant on the show. Circling back to music, you released "Blow Out My Candle" in June, which is your first single in two years. How has that been received? You know, it's hard to say. I have had a great time performing it, and I got to perform it on James Corden, which was a huge milestone for me. TV performances can be very stressful, so I really wanted to enjoy myself, and I’m very proud of myself. I think all in all, it’s going really well. I love feeling that I’m starting up again. It feels like the machine is slowly grinding to be in motion again. Touring is always my favorite part. We haven’t announced a tour or anything yet, but there will be one eventually, and that’s what I’m looking forward to the most. What else do you have in store for us this summer and the rest of the year? You will definitely be hearing more music for me, and hopefully there will be a full album by the end of the year. By the time we head into 2023, you’ll have a new Betty Who album. That’s the plan. Also, I’m hoping you won’t see a weekend go by next year where you wouldn’t be able to look up where Betty Who is and go see a show. That’s what I’m hoping. It’s been a long time, and I’m ready to get back out there! Stay up-to-date and connect with Who by following her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @bettywho, or visit her official website, bettywhomusic.com. The One That Got Away is now streaming exclusively on Prime Video.

How did it feel to make the jump from music into television? It was an unusual experience. I don't think I could have prepared myself for it. I don't know if you can prepare for totally being out of your element and in a new professional environment. I spent 10 years in music feeling like I kind of really learned the ropes, and I put in my 10,000 hours, so there’s not a ton that could happen to me in music that would really throw me off. I know the lay of the land pretty well, so to be completely out of my element in this new environment, it was very vulnerable, but also, I think it was really good for me. It reminded me of how fun, exciting, and nerve-wracking art should sometimes feel. I came away with a really nice feeling. Ultimately, what do you hope viewers take away from the show? I ultimately hope that people watching the show feel like there's hope for love. I'm such a romantic. I know it sounds so obvious, but I really do believe that whether it's from your past or whether you have yet to meet the person who you will fall in love with, I believe there is a path for all of us to find that person, to find, if you will, the one that got away. Is there a person you consider to be the one that got away? (Laughs) This is always the question! This is the problem with doing a show called The One That Got Away. Everybody’s like, “OK, who’s yours?” I will say, I’m happily married, so no judgment around anywhere, but I do o u t f r o n tm a g a z i n e. co m 45

Amy Martin on Leaving the South and Finding Herself by Addison Herron-Wheeler

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From a young age, Amy Martin knew she wanted to be a musician and that country music, in particular, was calling her name. “My mom was a karaoke DJ at night, so I spent a lot of my childhood going to karaoke bars and sang karaoke my first time on stage, I'd say I was about 6 years old,” she explains. “I sang 'Life #9,' which was a Martina McBride song, and I was so afraid to sing it by myself. My mom remembers me saying in the bathroom, before I went on, I was like, ‘I want to sing, but my tummy doesn't want me to sing.’ But she had, unbeknownst to me, told the sound guy to cut her mic. And so she was singing but wasn't amplified. And so I was singing, belting, at 6 years old, and the crowd went wild. And from that moment on, she couldn't get me down.” Martin threw herself full-force into music, from learning more songs and choreography to perform on stage to eventually joining a bluegrass band, Many Nights. Growing up in Virginia, it was easy to find access to the best country music and get involved with the scene, but it more challenging to reconcile with an emerging queer identity. “There was something about being within the genre and being in the area of Virginia, toeing that line as an LGBTQ person, that it just felt like, for whatever reason—I'm not blaming it on the genre itself, but the combination of it all—I just felt like I wasn't really able to fully express myself as a musician and as a singersongwriter,” she explains. “I was writing songs and changing the pronouns, toeing the line, making it a little more acceptable to play in these spaces where we kind of bridge the gap between the old folks that love it because it sounds like what they used to flatfoot to on the porch with their grandad and the college kids who love it because I was singing and rapping T.I.” Like many, Martin did some soul searching during the pandemic and decided to take a step back from her band and put out a personal, solo EP—one that expanded out beyond the scope of bluegrass and touched on her identity. This decision ultimately culminated with her leaving Virginia for Colorado and deciding to focus on her solo career instead of fronting the band. “It was my ‘jump into the deep end’ moment of, like, alright, I’m a solo artist now, so who is Amy Martin if she isn’t the vocalist of a bluegrass band, if she isn’t in Harrisonburg, Virginia, toeing the line as a queer person, being the quote unquote ‘exception?’ You hear a bit of that story in my latest single, ‘Antebellum Town,’ because growing up in the capital of the Confederacy, in conservative Virginia, it wasn’t safe to be out. Socially, it wasn’t safe. There was an expectation for a long time when I was on stage that I was available and single and straight, and my sexuality was kind of neither here nor there.” This was especially frustrating for Martin because, in her personal life, she certainly was not in the closet. She explored her sexuality early on and had her first girlfriend in high school. But in Virginia, it always seemed that she could never be truly all the way out and accepted, and that especially held true in the country music and bluegrass space. “I was wearing a lot of different hats,” she says. “I had a group of people where it was cool to be gay, and then a different group of people where I had to keep that under wraps in order for them to be comfortable, and I think that’s often the story of queer people in general. Part of our growing up is understanding that, in many cases, we have to build a bubble of safety and authenticity for our own safety. And once that bubble is popped, or if you remove yourself from that environment, you’re able to take a full look at yourself.” o u t f r o n t m a g a z i n e. co m 47

Now, her music is more of an extension of her identity, and thus, her take on all areas of life. Acknowledging the privilege she had in Virginia as a white person, she is also interested in tackling race issues and standing up against institutionalized racism in her songs.

“It’s wonderful to be in a town where I can hold my girlfriend’s hand walking down the street, where I’m not the only lesbian who is out,” she says. “I chose Denver because I felt like it had a little bit of everything: job opportunities, mountains, community, and a nice-sized music scene.”

“We had the Unite the Right rally that happened in 2017 out in Charlottesville, where white supremacists came to town and out of the woodwork, all over the fact that we were wanting to remove some of the Confederate statues that are harmful because they're glorifying the Confederacy all throughout the town. There's tons of battlegrounds or statues erected everywhere; our schools are named after them; our roads are named after them. I mean, just absolute glorification to the nines, and that resulted in the death of a counter protester when a car was driven through a side street.”

Since being in Denver, Martin has immersed herself in that scene, playing recurring shows with women-run brewery Lady Justice Brewery and queer-positive events like the recent LoHi Lifestyle music and Pride festival in Sunnyside. And she’s going to keep making music. Look out for her next single, “Traveling on (42),” about Virginia highway driving, out this month. Most of all, she is going to keep telling her story.

“Antebellum Town” was written on January 6, as she watched alongside millions of Americans in horror as the Capitol was stormed. It came from a place of living in fear because the Confederate flag hangs next to the American flag across town, and because her partner wasn’t acknowledged as any more than her roommate when she lived in Charlottesville. So, like the song says, she got the hell out of there and came to Denver. 4 8 OFM AUGUST 2 0 2 2

“LGBTQ people are afraid right now, and our rights are potentially on the chopping block next, and I think it’s important to share our queer stories,” Martin concludes. “I understand the privilege in leaving and coming to Denver; I understand the privilege even in writing ‘Antebellum Town’ and putting that out there. But I think it’s important to leverage that conversation, and I hope every queer person knows, even if they just skim over this article, that they are loved, and they are a gift to this world exactly how they are.” To keep up to date with Amy Martin, follow her at amymartinmusic.com.

Photos Courtesy of Ayla RM Photographer o ut fr o ntm a g a z in e.co m 49

Ask a Coach Welcome to Ask a Coach, where Ingomu coaches answer your questions about life, work, wellness, or matters of the soul. Share your question with us at coaches@ingomu.com, and we’ll answer them here. by Ingomu

I identify as nonbinary. How do I best educate the people around me at work to prevent uncomfortable situations for myself and them? - Tyler S. Living as your authentic self (including how you identify) should be embraced at work and beyond. Unfortunately, this is not the reality for many individuals who are gender-nonconforming. While most companies have nondiscrimination policies that address gender identity, nonbinary workers often experience harassment, microaggressions, and mistreatment. Ideally, your workplace already has policies and protections in place for nonbinary employees. If that is the case, you can work with management so that they take on the challenge to educate others as part of building an inclusive workplace culture for everyone, including nonbinary colleagues. If your workplace is not particularly inclusive for any number of reasons, you may want to: •

Gauge your safety, and determine what supports and protections are in place for nonbinary individuals in your workplace as well as your city, state, and country.

•

Talk to a trusted supervisor regarding how they could help support and guide you in educating others about your gender identity.

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Be prepared for people to react in all sorts of ways.

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Decide to engage or disengage in conversations and interactions that are not affirming to your gender identity, experience, chosen name, and pronouns.

- Coach Kim Kennedy, Ph.D.

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What do I do (with), or how do I deal with, people who have a negative reaction to me coming out? - Ash G. It can be freeing to come out. And as excited as you may feel about finally saying it out loud, you may have to deal with negativity once you do. So here are some suggestions on how to deal with those who had a negative reaction to you coming out •

Remind yourself that the reaction that someone else has belongs to them. You cannot control or change it. Sometimes people react rather than respond.

•

Give others some time and space. Maybe they reacted from an emotional place and need time to process.

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If the reaction was from a trusted individual, reach out and let them know you would like to start a conversation. If the reaction was from someone who is not an integral part of your life, take time to determine how important it is to do anything at all.

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Unless you feel drawn to advocate for LGBTQIA+ people, release yourself from feeling responsible for educating others.

•

Create a positive space for yourself. In this space, be yourself, and set a boundary that does not allow negativity in. Fill this space with your own self-love and others who are supportive and loving. - Coach Maria Kaylor What advice can you share for building relationships with professors or mentors that would be helpful as you enter your professional life? - Colin W. “Relationship” is the key word here. Contacting someone and immediately asking for something

seldom yields positive results, personally or professionally. First, reach out and connect with them with a message developed specifically for them, letting them know that you value their connection personally. Follow up with a different form of connection. If you emailed them first, then call them. Tell them why you want to connect further, and ask for a convenient time for a one-on-one meeting. Meet visually, on screen or inperson. If in-person, meet at a public place initially to ensure your safety rather than in a private office. Then ask questions and listen—questions about their job, what it takes to achieve what they’ve achieved, their perspectives on the future of their industry. Then you can ask if they would be open to mentoring you. Stay in touch and follow through with commitments you make. That’s how you build relationships! - Coach Sylvia Henderson, MBA Attend your professors’ office hours as often as you can. Doing so will give you valuable experience asking for help when needed, as well as engaging in conversation with someone who holds a position of authority. To be successful in your professional life, you will need the ability to admit when you don’t know the answer and have the courage to seek out the answer. This often comes in the form of asking others for help. Seeing this as a strength, not a weakness, will serve you well in school and in the world of work. - Coach Sara Jackson Here at Ingomu, we uplift humankind by making a positive difference in the lives of many. Via the Ingomu app, we provide holistic and equitable coaching in the areas of life, work, wellness, and soul. Coaching for everyone because everyone matters. Learn more at OFM.ingomu.com.

“Living as your authentic self (including how you identify) should be embraced at work and beyond.”

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Beyond The Binary Let’s Talk About Pronouns by Keegan Williams

I can’t help but laugh when I think of folks who are generally misinformed or simply a bit transphobic, barking back at queer folks: “I don’t have pronouns!” LOVE to break it to you, but pronouns are used all the time and, unless you solely use your name in place of pronouns (which is valid), you do indeed have them. Pronouns are an element of language that far predate the modern conversations of queerness and transness, acting as a shorthand for a person’s name or a substitute when someone’s name isn’t known. With the increased use of singular they/them pronouns, individuals who use multiple pronouns, and a number of new pronouns emerging over the years, it’s worth taking a step back to review exactly how pronouns are used in the modern day and the innovative ways folks are claiming their own pronouns to better explain their gender and identity. Most of us grow up with one of two pronouns: he or she. The use of singular “they” as a third alternative, less rooted in the binary, has increased in recent years, as gender liberation and gender-nonconformity flourish throughout the LGBTQ community and beyond. That’s not to say using “they” or “them” for a single person is at all new. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the use of singular “they” dates back to 1375, where it appeawrs in the medieval romance Williams and the Werewolf. The work uses singular “they” to refer to an unnamed 5 2 OFM AUGUST 2 0 2 2

person, which is generally how it’s used today and has been used in past years. Language often exists in speech before it’s written down, so singular “they” likely predates this text.

multiple pronouns may want to have one used more frequently than another; others may ask that pronouns are used interchangeably or in specific contexts (especially in reference to safety).

A common example mirrors that initial mention from hundreds of years ago. Say you’re in a restaurant, and you notice a coat on the seat at the neighboring table. You might tell your dining companion, or a server, “Someone left their coat! I hope they can get it back.”

The best rule of thumb is to listen to how people refer to themselves, and ask how they would like to be referred to if they use multiple pronouns.

(There are also a ton of uses of singular they in this very column.) We do this all the time without thinking about it, usually in reference to a person who has an unknown gender. So, what’s the fuss about using it for a person who feels most affirmed with that language? In the same vein, it’s often good practice to default to they/them pronouns in reference to a person who has yet to disclose their pronouns, despite what you might believe looking at their gender presentation. As we’ve discussed in previous iterations of “Beyond the Binary,” presentation and gender expression are not always indicative of gender identity and pronouns. It’s also good practice to just disclose your own pronouns first and then politely ask for that person’s pronouns if you don’t know and want to ensure you are using the language that reflects and respects their identity. Folks may also use multiple pronouns or any pronouns. This means different things for different people. Folks using

The use of multiple pronouns typically indicates that a person resonates to some extent with each pronoun. Someone using she/they pronouns, for example, might not fully identify with womanhood, femininity, or the binary but may still resonate with those parts of their identity to some degree. It is dependent on the person, though take care in asking WHY people use the pronouns they do, especially if you don’t know them well. While many folks are eager and willing to discuss their relationship with their own gender with others, no one owes anyone that information, either. To explain neopronouns, we can simply look at the prefix “neo”: It means “new pronouns.” Common neopronouns include ze/zie/zir and xe/xem/xyr, though there are many more. These are often considered gender neutral, though people using neopronouns may also use she/her, he/him, or they/them pronouns. If a person exclusively uses neopronouns, it’s for the same reason any other person uses the pronouns they do: They are the most affirming, and other pronouns are not.

Of course, if people are in a tizzy about they/them pronouns, there are increasingly more who are quick to dismiss the use of neopronouns. These same folks are also reluctant to look back at the course of human history and the English language, which has evolved immensely over the years and will continue to in the future. Why are we so quick to dismiss a trend of evolution that, historically, is prevalent in this and other languages? It all comes down to respect. Sure, using unfamiliar language can be a challenge, but it’s a good invitation to ask for clarification on pronunciation or use if you are unsure. Even better, do some of your own research, and practice with yourself and others. In these conversations, I often hear folks voice concern over messing up someone’s pronouns, as if that person will immediately jump down their throat and label them a bigot for making a mistake. Generally, that really isn’t the case. It doesn’t feel good to be misgendered, but it happens, especially if a loved one or acquaintance begins using a pronoun or pronouns they previously didn’t. The best practice is truly to quickly apologize, use the correct pronoun, and carry on. For example: “Oh yeah, I love Alex. She—Sorry, they, are a really cool person.” Easy. If you misgender someone, don’t profusely apologize or harp on how challenging the shift is for you. If that person is present, it often puts a pressure on them to reassure you or provide you some sort of comfort, which is an unfair burden. If that person isn’t around, and they are misgendered without correction, quickly interject with the correct pronoun—Yes, every time. If you’re on the other side, and someone quickly corrects you, say that part of the sentence over with that person’s correct pronoun. Finally, if someone does correct you, especially the person who was misgendered, say “Thank you,” not

“sorry.” Saying sorry is basically prompting that person to tell you it’s OK (and though misgendering happens, it’s uncomfortable for many people to affirm it’s acceptable), whereas “thank you” indicates gratitude for the clarification without the need for that person to comfort you over the error. Practicing on your own is always helpful. I’ve also always said that pronouns are really the tip of the iceberg. I don’t want someone to just memorize my pronouns but still see me as a cis man who happens to use they/them; I also want folks, namely those close to me, to know what I mean by my use of they/ them pronouns—in the most general sense, that my gender is neither man or woman, and that I am a nonbinary person—and to see and respect me, fully, in that way. Additionally, changing your view of that person, their gender, and their pronouns should help you to adapt to that person’s change in pronouns. People simply want to be seen and recognized. And listen, I’m not saying you HAVE to do anything. This is surely informed by my perspective and the perspective of the trans community as a whole, though I’m not saying this is a finite set of rules, either—simply some good practices and resources for folks looking to do better. If honoring and respecting someone’s pronouns, gender, and identity is important to you and you want to support and uplift your transgender siblings, you can’t be passive. Gender is a construct, and we have the ability to shape our actions, thinking, and language around the evolving societal rejection of the gender binary. It’s important to continue informing our perspectives on these conversations, rather than leaving it up to the person in front of us to fully educate us on these topics. Trans folks need cis people to not only work to understand us but to fight alongside us. Your trans loved ones, and the community as a whole, will appreciate the effort.

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Q: I’d like to read more books with LGBTQ characters—and not just coming out stories or overdone tropes, but narratives where queer women are leading rich, full, lives. Any suggestions? What about queer music recs? A: I do have a plethora of suggestions for you! First though, I’d just like to remark that we are in a wonderful time for queer media. Even as recently as 10 to 15 years ago, the landscape was much more barren than it is now. I still remember the evening in Athens, Greece back in 2008 when I first became aware of this dearth. It was the summer after I’d come out, and my family and I were on vacation to my dad’s homeland. Out on the balcony of my cousin’s apartment, I breathed in the warm

After reading them, though, I remember feeling unsated. Almost all of the relationships seemed in some way fraught or tragic. Many of them also felt somewhat contrived. The characters stayed on the page, their flatness and caricaturization preventing them from occupying a space in my heart and mind as palpable, three-dimensional humans. Fourteen years later, our options have expanded considerably. A volcano went off somewhere between then and now, sending down with its magma a treasure trove of books filled with richly drawn queer plot lines. The overdone coming out and closeted love tropes are far fewer, though you’ll still encounter some. While they, too, have a place, there are plenty of other stories to choose from as well.

when it was incredibly dangerous to be seen as subversive in any way, including being gay. As for music: Blessedly, we have also gained more visibility on this front, with out, LGBTQ artists like Lil Nas X, Hayley Kiyoko, Fletcher, Demi Lovato, and Tegan and Sara openly singing about their feelings of same-gender affection (and so many others). The one I currently feel most excited about is Fletcher’s revamping of Katy Perry’s 2008 “I Kissed a Girl.” Where before, Perry chanted about kissing a girl friend as a fun departure from her (primary) hetero relationship, in this new iteration, Fletcher sings about desiring a woman front and center. It’s not just a phase (and she even tells her mom this!)—She didn’t just like it; she “really, really liked it.”

Here are some of my picks.

Queer Girl Q&A by Eleni Stephanides

Mediterranean air. It was scented by jasmines that climbed down the balcony’s rails, mixed with the faint smell of smoke and souvlaki from a grill on the next street over.

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado is a haunting, evocative portrayal of domestic abuse in a queer relationship written in an extremely poetic and avant-garde way.

While taxis sounded in the distance and Greek club music thumped from the nearby late-night tavernas, the copy of Jane Eyre that I’d just finished reading (as part of my summer homework for AP English) lay closed next to my cousin’s pack of cigarettes on the round glass table before me.

Also structurally creative, Women by Chloe Caldwell chronicles a passionate but toxic, off-and-on relationship between two insecurely attached women (an excerpt: “Finn and I could easily break over 75 emails daily. Back and forth, back and forth. Banter and proclamations of love and compliments and general worries of the future. We write how lucky we are that we have found each other. I don’t know what it is, she says, but our minds click. We’re mind clickers”).

As I reflected on the novel’s romance, it occurred to me that nearly all the books I’d consumed up until then had centered on hetero love. Never had I read one wherein two girls had captured each other’s hearts. Propelled by the desire to consume stories like these in the midst of my newly self-granted freedom from closetedness, I relocated inside and opened my laptop to search for lesbian lit on Amazon. Each click took me to one coming-ofage lesbian love story after another. I filled my cart with them.

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Juliet Takes a Breath tells the story of a young, queer, Latinx character and explores the themes of tokenization and the feelings that arise when you’re let down and reduced to a stereotype by a person you once admired. Lastly, Cantoras centers on the relationships between a group of queer women in a beachside village during the 1970s dictatorship of Uruguay. These woman find chosen family in a time

That, to me, is some real humanizing progress. So put on your headphones; grab a book, and get comfortable. You can tell Jane and Mr. Rochester to move over as you immerse yourself in these multi-layered, nuanced stories of queer love. Foll ow El eni on In st a gram @el eni_st eph_w rit er

? ? ? ?

Queer Word Search by Kerry Shatzer

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by Angel Omar Rivera

Beauty Beat Beat Beauty Balm Battle

After a night of partying or a day of toiling, your face can feel heavy and loaded with sebum and remnants of your favorite products, be they foundation, concealer, a heavy moisturizer or, paramount of all, sunscreen. A good beauty balm will help prep you for your cleanse and increase the moisture retention of your skin care routine. Beauty balms, more commonly known as cleansing balms, are an excellent way to start your skincare routine for the end of the day. In that vein, check out some of our favorite beauty balms and the benefits of using them to cleanse away your beat, in no particular order.

Green Clean by Farmacy

Take the Day Off Balm by Clinique

Slaai Makeup-Melting Balm

A favorite of many people who look for clean beauty products is the Green Clean. The spritely, green color of this balm, followed by the airy smell of Echinacea helps unclog pores while melting away the most stubborn makeup. It even includes papaya enzymes to help exfoliate and beautify the skin, fighting pollution intake. This cleansing balm is great with or without makeup. It has to be tried to be believed. Not to mention, this product is cruelty free and certified clean.

If you are someone who loves a full face but suffers from sensitivity issues, then the OG Clinique has you covered with this balm. A smooth and silky balm which transforms into a milk when making contact with your face, this cleanser is a heavy-duty makeup remover that is vegan and cruelty free. Leaving a lightweight, non-greasy finish when wiped or rinsed off, truly, Clinique made this balm for the heavy-handed makeup artist!

If you loved the sound of Green Clean, then you will adore Slaai. This balm is formulated with fruits high in antioxidants, such as blueberries and strawberries, and blended with baobab fruit and Drunk Elephant’s signature marula oil. The combination ensures that makeup is not only removed, but so are any local pollutants. Oh, and to top it off, Drunk Elephant includes a vial of bamboo charcoal powder for a quick exfoliation when needed.

Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm Of the four cleaning balms on the list, this balm leans more toward skin longevity. While still cleaning the skin, this balm is packed with skin-hugging collagen. It also has some essential oils such as chamomile, lavender, and eucalyptus to help keep the skin calm and hydrated. Rose extract and mimosa wax are also key players in this cleanser to help reduce lines and wrinkles over time. Keep this balm in mind the next time you want to create an even more intense antiaging routine.

This is only a portion of what sort of balms that are on the market, highly coveted by the people who use them. Though not always needed, a cleansing balm will set the tone for what sort of routine to come as the (of course) balmy texture allows the skin to absorb more active ingredients than a regular cleanser.

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Haute Couture

and Exclusivity by Angel Omar Rivera

ronounced “ot kotur,” Haute Couture is French for high dressmaking and sewing. It is usually reserved for certain brands and clientele and is usually custom-made. There are many rigorous rules and regulations established by the Paris Chamber of Commerce, but Haute Couture is not exclusive to only Parisian fashion houses. As defined by the Paris Chamber of Commerce, each piece in a collection of Haute Couture needs to be custom-fit to a client, usually privately listed and high-profile, with at minimum two fittings before the finalized design. For the Couture to even be considered, the fashion house needs to employ at the very least 15 fulltime staff members and 20 full-time technicians in a workshop, called an Atelier, which has to be located in Paris. Additionally, the makers must hand-fit and hand-sew the piece for the client. Mind you, each Atelier needs to showcase the custom pieces created. At least 50 pieces are to be showcased to the public every Fashion Week that occurs in Paris. So that means in both Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter, Paris Fashion Week will include a baker’s dozen of shows putting full display of the hard work and craftsmanship of the designers and technicians. It is the ultimate hand-made collaboration.

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Haute Couture, in a more contemporary sense, is used to describe most pieces of custom made high fashion. Even the illustrious Met Gala hosted at the beginning of May was used as the vehicle to showcase the best of Haute Couture. However, many pieces will never meet the “standard” set by Ateliers and the Paris Chamber of Commerce. Though, that has not stopped many fashion start-ups and indie designers from following the steps to achieve that Haute Couture air that is so prestigious. Not only is the process of making Couture elaborate, but the fabrics chosen to work with are just as prestigious. The finest silk, cashmere wool, vicuna, or charmeuse are some of the world’s most expensive fabrics which are usually the tools used to create both plain and eccentric designs based on the clients’ taste. Of course, textiles like linen and 100% cotton are used as well, but the point of Haute Couture is to showcase both the handiwork of the Ateliers and the opulent taste of clients and designers. Mind you, the point of it all is not practicality, but rather a sense of pride and inspiration toward craftsmanship and design between fashion houses and aspiring designers. In a word, Luxe can be used to describe what Haute Couture is: expensive and high quality. Though, the best part of Haute Couture is how it inspires designers big and small to create high-quality pieces for clients. Essentially, it is the antithesis of fast fashion. Couture is not a feasible purchase for everyone, but it does make one wonder about the quality and production of the things you wear and where they come from. outfrontmagazine.com 57

Cannabis Reviews : Loud Buds, Poetic Pot Nothing enhances your favorite album or a book you just can’t put down like cannabis! As you explore all the books and music presented in these pages, here are some tasty samples to make your experience even better.

Escape Artists 1:1 Relief Cream - Lavender (100mg CBD:100mg THC) — An ultrapotent topical blend to remedy any soreness you may be feeling, and it smells great, too! We can’t get enough of the lavender scent. Available at licensed Colorado dispensaries starting at $16. 1:1 Recovery Cream: Pro Sport Menthol (300mg CBD:300mg THC) — A fast-acting and fast-absorbing cream that is perfect for an active lifestyle. The menthol smell is a bit stronger than the lavender, but for the big aches and pains, it really does the trick. Available at licensed Colorado Dispensaries starting at $45.

Ripple Ripple Dissolvables — The OG fast-acting, water-soluble THC powder allows consumers to turn any food and beverage into their very own customized cannabis edible. It’s easy to just add powder and then go on your merry way! Ripple Gummies — THC packed into a tasty, low-sugar treat. Ranging from 2.5 to 5mg of THC per gummy, these are perfect for microdosing. Ripple QuickSticks — Designed for convenience, this THC powder can be poured directly on your tongue. Next step: Wait (15 minutes to be exact) for Ripple’s fast-acting effects.

Veritas Fine Cannabis Veritas Premium Eighths — Grown, harvested, trimmed, and packaged entirely by hand to ensure each jar contains the densest and most flavorful nugs you could wish for. Available at licensed Colorado dispensaries, starting at $40 Veritas Premium Pre-Rolled Joints — These single gram pre-rolls are always made from full buds of small-batch, top-shelf cannabis that delivers phenomenal taste and a slow burn. Available at licensed Colorado dispensaries, starting at $10 Veritas x Oskar Blues Veritasty Trucker Hat — A unique and “oldschool” trucker hat with a “new-school” design. Available online for $25 Veritas x Oskar Blues Veritasty Tumbler — Keep drinks cool with this stylish Veritasty IPA-themed tumbler. Available online for $25

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Cheeba Chews MELTS— Featuring only the finest ingredients. These pâte de fruit chews are infused with locally sourced, terpene-rich live rosin. They’re available throughout Colorado in three flavors: Strawberry, Apricot, and Toasted Coconut. Available at licensed Colorado dispensaries, starting at $20

Cookies Caps by Cookies — Caps by Cookies marries the symbiotic medicinal properties of mushrooms, cannabinoids, and terpenes to create a set of three-in-one capsules designed to expand your cognitive well-being. Organic non-intoxicating fungi, CBD, CBG, CBN, and terpene blends combine to take the entourage effect to the next level. Available in “Daytime” or “Nighttime” for $50 on the Cookies website.

Coda Signature Microdose Fruit Notes— 1mg edibles designed for the cannacurious consumer. Coda Signature’s newest product is a microdose variation of its award-winning, French-inspired Fruit Notes. The new product line caters to those who are looking for a delicious, low-dose option.

Olio-Stardawg This solventless premium rosin’s icy color looks just as good as it hits. The cold curing process brings out the terpenes’ delicious fresh fragrance and enhances the earthy flavors. Your lungs will thank you for this clean high!

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OFM NEW MUSIC by Eric Farwell

This month’s must-catch, new releases from the artists you already love and the musicians you need to know.

Calvin Harris

Black Thought and Danger Mouse

Demi Lovato

The consummate party starter returns with the perfect comedown record for the end of summer. Groovy and wistful in equal measure, Harris glitches his way through 14 tracks of beat-heavy pop with help from a curated list of all-star tastemakers like Young Thug, Pusha T, and (surprise, surprise) Justin Timberlake. Putting his own spin on a trend spearheaded by Timbaland, N.A.S.A, and Closure, Vol. 2 is full of future wedding DJ classics like “Potion,” which features Dua Lipa and Young Thug spicing up a bouncy yacht-rock and bongo-heavy production with their own brand of irresistible magic.

Anyone who remembers the pleasant retro-rhythms of “The Seed 2.0” knows that Black Thought’s flow is a natural fit for a certain type of throwback production. Here, the legendary rapper teams up with the 50s-obsessed Danger Mouse for a bass-heavy ride that amplifies the sorrow and joy of Black Thought’s career through a juxtaposition similar to the one that helped him break out. Emotional and clever, tracks like “No Gold Teeth” and “Because” allow him to drop bars about growing up in 70s Philadelphia, while Danger Mouse’s swirling production samples create a vortex that takes you there.

In all their damaged glory, the pop superstar returns with a comeback album only she could pull off. Injecting the DNA of L.A. hair metal, awful pop punk, and the goody balladeering of lite rock acts like Pink and Halsey into their own vibrant sound, Lovato kicks the lid off her proverbial coffin with rock ‘n’ roll relish. On lead single “SKIN OF MY TEETH,” they chew the lyrical scenery against a backdrop of power chorded glee not unlike the mall rock efforts heard on the latest MGK. However, as with any Lovato album, the drama is high; the lyrics are dark, and the listener will be dumbfounded by Lovato’s ability to find hope as she sticks the musical landing every time.

Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 2

Releases August 5

Cheat Codes

Releases August 12

Holy Fvck

Releases August 19

YoungBoy Never Broke Again

B’z

Hot Chip

The rap game has grown to include space for fuckbois and sadbois, and with its trap beats and woozy production, YoungBoy’s debut splits the difference. As a young rapper, it’s easy to hear the influence of everyone from Roddy Riich to J Cole in his phrasing, but the blend of bravado and thoughtfulness is all his own. On the absolute bop “Don’t Rate Me,” he flexes his ability to dunk on a verse while bringing a singalong hook to the chorus. “Loner Life” is an in-your-feelings track that’s all heart. On his debut, one of the best in the game points a finger toward the future, and gives the finger to all who doubted him in an eclectic, exciting way.

A Japanese rock duo that combines the swagger of 80s cheese acts like Europe with the cool licks of 90s alt rock megastars, B’z are the perfect antidote to blase indie and saccharine pop. On songs like “Sleepless,” the band smoothly jumps from Rage Against The Machine stylings to a harmonized, catchy chorus that seems like it was made in a lab devoted to figuring out the best sounds to rock out to. There are no grandiose adjectives or gushing sentences to add. B’z are simply remarkable, and if you’re willing to hang with the sounds of loud music past, a hell of a lot of fun.

It’s the end of summer, and what seasonal list would be complete without a mention of Hot Chip? The auteurs that reinvigorated dance music are back with another excellent collection of disco-infused tracks to dance the pre-fall depression out too. “Down,” “Hard to be Funky,” and “The Evil that Men Do” are all perfect throwbacks to a time when Broken Bells were novel, and goat yoga wasn’t a thing yet. Put on your favorite pre-Warby glasses and your chicest monochrome outfit, and end this summer with a bang!

The Last Slimeto

Releases August 5

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Highway X

Releases August 10

Freakout/Release

Releases August 19

Metal Meltdown A Teenage Love Affair by Addison Herron-Wheeler

t started in sixth grade, when I spent the summer with MTV and VH1—probably, in hindsight, the first summer I was allowed to watch these channels, or preferred them to cartoons. I was a preteen possessed. I watched the top MTV music videos every week and devoured every documentary I could on old rock stars. I was young enough that I still rooted for all the boy bands and teen pop idols I had grown up loving, but I also started to get excited about blink-182 and Sum 41, the two pop punk sensations of the day. In their hit song “Fat Lip,” Sum 41 rap about Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, their classic metal influences, and of course, I had to research them on my own. Around that same time, I caught a documentary on Ozzy Osbourne— his rag-to-riches story, the lore surrounding his dove and bat head biting, his goofy persona, and the music of early Black Sabbath, had me hooked.

And suddenly, a whole new world opened for me. I no longer asked my dad to change the radio when he was listening to classic rock, and I inquired and researched about every new band I heard. Around the time that pop punk was popping off, and classic metal and punk were experiencing a revival, nu metal was also on the rise, and I greedily devoured all of it, spending hours in my room, sitting crouched on the floor with my headphones plugged in to my stereo so I could listen loud without disturbing everyone in my apartment building. Along with this musical renaissance, I was also experiencing a personal renaissance. It suddenly occurred to me that there was a school of thought in the world that embraced not caring what people thought of you. I no longer cared that I got made fun of at school for being bookish and shy. I came out of my shell and cut my hair short and spiky, despite how the popular kids mocked me for my choice, and I started to wear whatever I wanted, not just the same preppy uniform I saw a lot of my friends wearing.

And though I was much too young to give voice to my queerness, a lot of things stuck with me: Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford’s infamous coming-out interview reclaiming the word “fag,” Twisted Sister and Kiss dressing like women, punk women with short hair, the homoerotic cowboy shirt made famous in Vivienne Westwood’s boutique—I couldn’t really explain it, but a mix of all those things just felt right to me. As the years went on, I learned more and more about punk and metal, as well as about my own identity. And despite the fact that the world of metal isn’t always welcoming to women and queer folks, even in 2022, I will always credit my early love affair with metal and punk as having a huge impact on the person I became today.

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Horoscopes August 2022

by Alanna L.P. Welcome to Alanna L.P.’s Uplifting Horoscopes. These are very general readings that will resonate with many but not all of you. That’s OK! Take away what makes sense, and leave what doesn’t behind. If you want a deeper understanding of what to expect this month, read your sun sign, your rising sign, and your moon sign. You can find what these are by going to cafeastrology.com to get a free birth chart reading.

Aries If you’re feeling confused about who you are, it’s OK. A lot of big changes are happening, and you’re doing a good job. Don’t worry about being perfect. Everyone loves you for who you are, Aries, even if you feel misunderstood. Mantra: I love me.

Taurus If you’re not ready for change, too bad; it’s coming for you, Taurus. It’s time to tear down structures in your life that aren’t working anymore and set those boundaries, so speak up and speak out. You’re about to find out how much it will really pay off. Mantra: I am not afraid of abundance.

Gemini Good things are coming your way, so get focused! You’re super popular this month, but don’t give away more time than you have. This is a great time to exchange ideas with others as you work to become the best version of yourself possible. Mantra: Improving my life changes the world around me.

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Cancer Invest, don’t spend in excess, Cancer! Happiness comes from giving your time to worthwhile endeavors, not spending frivolously. You are not your possessions, so don’t let the material world define you. Mantra: Time is money.

Leo If you’re looking for a good time, dear Leo, your vibrant energy is going to attract the right attention. You may feel lonely at the beginning of the month if you’re single because you’re tired of players and haters, but stay optimistic. Opportunities in love, luck, and money are just around the corner. Mantra: I don’t have time for fakes.

Virgo Happy birthday Virgo! It’s time to celebrate the quirky, earthy healer that is you! If someone owes you money, the good news is, it’s coming back to you. You’re going to have abundance in love, luck, and money so take your time choosing. You’ll have so many options you don’t know what to do, so go get it, tiger! Mantra: Success is a numbers game.

Libra Let’s celebrate the charming person that’s you! August calls you to keep letting go of old grudges. Putting in the energy to work on troubled relationships will totally be worth it. If any relationships can’t be worked out, don’t worry; someone else will fill that space sooner than you think. If you really want some fun, get kinky in the bedroom. Mantra: Real relationships bend, not break.

Scorpio You can have it all, you decadent beast! Within a year’s time, you’re going to have exactly what you’re after but you need to work at it for just a little longer. Your words have power, so speak with authority. Mantra:“The world is mine.” – David Guetta

Sagittarius The theme of August for you, dear Sagittarius, is money management. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to have a good time. Solving mental problems will solve your physical ones. Mantra: Just breathe.

Capricorn Your August forecast is partly cloudy with a chance of scattered intuition, Capricorn. Don’t jump to conclusions— It’s not what you think. If no one can meet your standards, take charge and date yourself. Mantra: “Those who jump to conclusions often land in ignorance.” – Unknown

Aquarius Validation comes from within, dearest Aquarius. August is a time to deepen relationships by spending one on one time with friends, clients, and lovers. Put passion into everything you do and you’ll see just how loved you really are. Mantra: The greatest gift you can give someone is your time.

Pisces If something needs fixing or organized, you’re the one who can do it! This will lead to opportunities in your work life. Spending one on one with coworkers and superiors will give you the leg up you need to spring ahead in your career. Mantra: I’m the one for the job.

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OFM

BAR TAB | Colorado Nightlife

BLUSH & BLU

ICONS

1526 E. Colfax Ave. Denver (303) 484-8548 bluebludenver.com

3 E. Bijou St. Colorado Springs (719) 300-7863 Instagram- @icons_colorado

BOYZTOWN

LI’L DEVILS

WILD CORGI PUB

255 S. Broadway St. Denver (303) 733-1156 Facebook- @lildevilslounge

1223 E. 13th Ave. Denver (303) 832-7636 wildcorgipub.com

LIPSTICK DISCOTEQUE

CHARLIE DWELLINGTON’S 1103 N. 1st St. Grand Junction (970) 241-4010 charliedwellingtons.com

5660 W. Colfax Ave. Denver (720) 669-3470 Facebook- @lipstickdiscoteque

829 E. Colfax Ave. Denver (303) 832-2687 xbardenver.com

CHARLIE’S NIGHTCLUB

MILLERS & ROSSI

900 E. Colfax Ave. Denver (303) 839-8890 charliesdenver.com

3452 Walnut St. Denver (720) 257-5342 millersandrossi.com

#VYBE 1027 N. Broadway St. Denver (720) 573-8886 303vybe.com

776 N. Lincoln St. Denver (720) 598-5648 denversweet.com TUE: Solve That Puzzle 7p-9p w/$5 House Margs WED: Music Bingo 7p-9p w/$4 U Call It At The Bar THU: Karaoke 9p-1a w/BOGO well & drafts to 7p

16 T

ST .M

PA R

AH AP

AV E

TRI A N GL E 17TH AVE.

. ST

31ST AVE.

T H A M B U RGE R M A RY’S

STO N E Y'S X BA R

COLFAX AVE.

TI GH T EN D

OGDEN ST.

CLARKSON ST.

WASHINGTON ST.

1ST AVE. L I ’ L D EV I LS

BROADWAY

BOYZTOW N

PENNSYLVANIA

8TH AVE. DE N VE R 6TH AVE. SW E ET

TRADE

WILD CO RGI

11TH AVE.

B LUS H & B LU

R + R DE N VE R

C H AR L I E ’S

V YB E

YORK ST.

C LO C KTOW E R

THE TRIANGLE BAR 2036 N. Broadway St. Denver (303) 658-0913 triangledenver.com

U LN AR

VD BL

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M I L L E RS & ROSS I

TRAC KS

1336 E. 17th Ave. Denver (303) 993-5812 hamburgermarys.com/denver

TRADE 475 Santa Fe Dr. Denver (720) 627-5905 Facebook- @tradedenver

. ST

HAMBURGER MARY’S

TRACKS 3500 Walnut St. Denver (303) 836-7326 tracksdenver.com

SANTA FE DR. KALAMATH ST.

FUSIONS BAR & GRILL 3053 Brighton Blvd. Denver (303) 862-7376 Facebook- @fusionsbardenver

TIGHT END BAR 1501 E. Colfax Ave. (303) 861-9103 tightendbar.com

VD BL

4501 E. Virginia Ave. Glendale (303) 388-8889 Facebook- @elpotreroclub

COLORADO BLVD.

EL POTRERO

F US I O N S

4958 E. Colfax Ave. Denver (303) 320-9337 Facebook- @randrdenver

BROADWAY

SUN: Beer Bust 4p-8p & Showbears 7p-10p

R&R LOUNGE

DOWNING ST.

DENVER SWEET

X BAR

DOWNING ST.

117 Broadway St. Denver (303) 722-7373 boyztowndenver.com

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Loud & Proud by Alex Burnel

on the Conference Table

’ve done these work strategy sessions before, but never with someone as beautiful as Aisha. Her very presence brings my heart to flutter. My heart races, and my hands become clammy every time I lay eyes on her. Even while she brings up work, I can’t help but imagine better ways to use this conference table. I knew I needed to control my breathing before she noticed. It was that moment I could see she was now looking at me with a smile. I was really worried I made it too obvious, and the room was suddenly getting hotter in more ways than one. “This is going to be fun,” she said to me. I was looking for the furthest spot away from her so I could attempt to keep my yearning in check.

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“Come sit next to me,” she said to me, as she motioned to the seat next to her. Oh gosh, this is it. I just know I’ll give myself away and she’ll run out the door. I sat down, and she placed a hand on my knee and asked if I was ready. With a slight shake in my voice, I asked “ For what”? She looked puzzled and glanced at her hand on my knee and then up to my face and said, “For the long night ahead of us.” I told her, “Definitely.”

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As we were working, I could swear she was moving her chair closer and closer to me ever so slightly. Was this in my imagination, or could she possibly like me like the way I like her? I was now beginning to sweat through my top noticeably. Aisha looked at me and noticed my shirt. She asked, “Is everything OK?” I said, “Of course it is,” but the slight shake of my hand said otherwise. She also knew that to be a lie because as she asked me, I was staring at her breasts. She placed her hand over mine and looked at both of our hands. Her hand felt so soft, and the hairs on my arm raised. This sensation felt amazing.

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She began to move her thumb side to side over my hand and slowly moved her eyes up to lock onto mine. My heart began to race more as she gently traced her finger along my arm and up my neck and cupped my chin with her palm. As I said, “Oh my g—,” she leaned in and kissed me. This kiss was everything I hoped it would be. She began to unbutton my top, and I unbuttoned hers. I told her I loved her bra, and she smirked as she looked at my chest and said, “I love the one you’re not wearing.” Aisha Barried her face between my breasts as she massaged one with one hand and lightly pinched the nipple of my other one. She started to slide my skirt off and stood up and turned around to move her hair out of the way so I could unzip her dress. I slid her dress off, and she quickly pushed the files out of the way and lifted me onto the conference table. I laid back, and she crawled up and straddled me. She spread my legs and showed me just how talented she was with her tongue. With every stroke of her tongue, I arched my back more. It felt like she was drawing the ABCs with perfect precision. The sense of euphoria I felt was blowing my mind. She sat opposite of me, brought one of my legs over hers, and started to slowly rub our vaginas together. She definitely knew what she was doing, and I was completely willing to go on the journey she was taking me on. She pulled me in close and tight, and her motion started to pick up speed. She was going back and forth between kissing my neck and lightly sucking the edge of my ear. She started using her fingers like she was dialing a rotary phone with my clit. Sweat dripped off our bodies, and the smell of her drove me wild. I don’t think my eyes could be more rolled back, and I knew she could tell and was proud of the fever pitch she was bringing me to. Both of us were now experiencing an electrifying orgasm that hit every inch of our bodies. We were both shaking with pleasure as we reached climax, and we held each other tight, feeling each shake our bodies made.

I couldn’t believe we lasted the same amount of time. We laid back and cuddled as we collected ourselves and gained control of our breathing. I don’t think I’ve ever experience an orgasm like that before. She turned to me and said, “Well it’s definitely going to be a longer night now, but so worth it.” I told her I was happy we were paired up on the Loud and Proud ad campaign. She replied, “Same!” “Are you OK? Hello? Are you OK?” I turned to Aisha and noticed she was trying to get my attention. She was fully dressed, and so was I. I can’t believe it. I imagined the whole thing. That was the best time I’ve ever had, and it was all in my head. Aisha turned to me and said, “I’m really happy we were paired up on this campaign, but I should probably be up front and let you know… I have a major crush on you!” My jaw dropped down, and after a moment, all I could say was, “Same!”

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