December 19, 2018 :: Thank U, Next

CO LO R A D O'S LG B TQ M AGA ZINE | F R E E

2018

THANK U, NEXT

CONTENTS

DECEMBER 19, 2018 VOL42 NO17

6 PINWHEEL COFFEE: WHIPPING UP INCLUSIVITY IN THE HIGHLANDS 10 ALEXIS CHAVEZ HEALS HEARTS AND MINDS IN COLORADO 17 ADAM RIPPON SKATES HIS WAY INTO OUR HEARTS 25 FOR ALL: AURORA EMBRACES DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION 31 THE GAY JOYS OF AGING 34

6

PLIE: THE PRESSURES OF LGBTQ DANCERS

34

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Pinwheel COFFEE Whipping Up Inclusivity in the Highlands

By Arianna Balderrama

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T

he southwest corner of Navajo and 37th Streets in the Highlands has been invaded by middle schoolers. Home to Pinwheel Coffee, you’ll often spot preteens running the small shop during school hours. They didn’t ditch class.

And yes, it is totally legal.

If you find yourself in the neighborhood and follow the smells of mocha and chai tea, you’ll soon encounter a multicolored sign assuring you the corner shop is a safe space. As you pull open the glass door with the pinwheel sticker in the center of the glass, you'll be greeted by high barstools on the left side of the shop looking out toward Navajo Street. Below the towering stools, smaller, round tables—with a pop of green from the succulents decorating the light colored wood—dot the floor of the shop. But, the eye of whoever enters will most likely be drawn to the multicolored pinwheels hanging on the back wall.

Pinwheel is a coffee shop run by a collection of students from Denver’s public Montessori schools.

“It started as an idea between several Montessori educators five years ago.

Part of the Montessori philosophy at the middle and high school levels is that the students be a part of an enterprise so they can be a part of the community and learn about exchange and the economy they’re living in,” Julia Richards, who runs Pinwheel, said.

What started as an idea has since brewed into a business, open seven days a week. Working with professionals at Great Work Inc., a nonprofit organization, Pinwheel was brought to life.

Great Work Inc. matched the students with experts, architects, and artists to help them stand out in the sea of coffee shops in the Highlands.

Pinwheel officially opened October 31, 2017. Now, students are able to stir a coffee shop class into their schedules and experience the economic structures being taught to them.

Montessori schools are a different model than most educational institutions. The name comes from Maria Montessori, a woman who studied children and found that hands-on experiences help them learn and grow. The philosophy behind Denver Montessori Junior/Senior High School and Compass Montessori School's coffee shop is described by Richards as a way for students to “come into work, learn business and entrepreneurial skills, and run the shop.”

The class is also giving the students a firsthand look at the gentrification of the Highlands neighborhood.

While explaining the demographics of the school, DMHS Program Director Hannah Ewert-Krocker noted the majority of the students come from a Hispanic background, while the remainder are black or white. Providing a friendly environment to accommodate anyone who walks through the door is a top priority for the students.

Working behind the counter, taking orders and making drinks, are Drew, Tehya, and Naveah, Denver Montessori Junior/ Senior High School students. While Tehya takes orders and works with customers, Naveah begins to make a simple hot chocolate. Drew stands behind the other two waiting to assist in any way. After pushing buttons and pulling down levers to create the drink, both Teyha and Naveah walk away. Drew takes over to put the final touches on the hot chocolate—latte art.

As they work, the pinwheels on the wall turn with the light breeze that sweeps the shop each time the front door swings open. The rainbow colors were used as a nod to the idea of making the shop a safe space for all— thanks to a suggestion from Tehya, whose parents are queer—and the pinwheels themselves symbolize childhood.

“That was so much fun to work on and create color schemes. The pinwheels’ colors fade and bring attention to our bar,” Nevaeh said.

“They actually spin, and I believe this is the biggest visual we worked on in this class. Great Work Inc. architects helped us create a feature wall to stand out from others,” Tehya added.

The classes assigned to the ongoing project work cohesively to bring Pinwheel to life. A section of the class is in charge of finding anything from picture frames to soaps to sell at the business's small shop. Drew, Tehya, and Neveah are part of the group that price the objects.

Currently, local artists’ work is displayed on the walls of Pinwheel. In the future, the work of students from the coalition of schools will be placed alongside the professionals’ art and personalized products to be sold at the shop.

“Our school is super diverse, and we could incorporate that in so many ways, but for now, we started with the wall,” Nevaeh said while reminiscing on her time spent at Pinwheel this semester.

Aside from learning about economic structures, diversity has become a huge topic to introduce to Pinwheel. Taking what they know from their Sexuality And Gender Alliance club, SAGA, the students put those ideas into action in the workplace, creating a safe space for all who walk through the doors.

So next time you find yourself in the Highlands, visit Pinwheel.

And if an eighth grader is pulling your latte, don’t stress it. It’s not child labor; it’s a valuable life lesson, wrapped in a coffee sleeve with a dollop of whipped cream on top.

This story originally ran in our “Queer Money” issue on February 7, 2018.

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Alexis

CHAVEZ Heals Hearts & Minds In Colorado

By Ryan Howe Photo By Jeremiah Corder

“The heights by great men reached and kept Were not attained by sudden flight, But they, while their companions slept, Were toiling upward in the night.”

–Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

T

his is the quote that Dr. Alexis Chavez revisits when she needs inspiration.

It’s a reminder for her to keep fighting.

It also provides comfort when she’s tired, because sleep is not something that Chavez knows a lot about.

Chavez works as a self-proclaimed “mild-mannered psychiatrist by day,” specializing in the LGBTQ population, especially queer youth. But most of her work in the community falls outside of her nine-to-five job.

Rather than rest, Chavez spends her time doing trainings on curriculum developments for therapists for the LGBTQ community to make them more competent. She’s creating new curriculum to make therapists more trans-competent. She sits on the board of directors at The Center. She gives trainings at different hospitals in the area. She’s the treasurer of the National Association of LGBTQ Psychiatrists. She’s on the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Issues Committee at ACAP, a national organization of child psychiatrists. She’s on the council of research at the American Psychiatric Association.

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“Mental health is a big issue in our community, and I want to make sure everyone is on the same page about how to treat LGBT people— especially our youth.”

“I probably spend at least the equivalent of two more jobs’ worth of time on extracurriculars,” she said. “I spend 60 to 80 hours a week doing things in LGBTQ advocacy work or trainings, but we always find time for the things that are really important to us.

Imagine Clinic was the first of its kind in Colorado, providing comprehensive psychiatric evaluations, pre-gender confirmation surgery evaluations, psychiatric medication management, individual and group therapy, and wellness assessments and referrals.

“For me, this is one of the most important things in my life,” Chavez continued. “I sacrifice a lot for it. I sacrifice free time.

I sacrifice time with friends and family. I sacrifice personal time, and when people ask me what my hobbies are, my answer is simple—LGBTQ advocacy, training, and research.

This is what I do.”

In the few short years since its doors officially opened, Imagine Clinic has become a hub for queer folks in Colorado.

Her passion for the LGBTQ community stems from both experience and empathy.

As a trans woman, Chavez has experienced discrimination from many people in her life, including healthcare providers.

Even during periods when she had insurance, she sometimes couldn’t use it because anything dealing with trans health was denied thanks to an exclusionary clause. Some insurance companies even took it the extreme and refused to cover primary care visits.

At the same time, Chavez recognizes her privilege.

She grew up in Wichita, Kansas, in a very conservative, very religious community “that wasn’t conducive to people that are sexual or gender minorities.” For her undergrad, she didn’t wander too far and graduated from Kansas University with two majors and a minor in four short years.

She trekked across the country and landed in Washington, D.C. for a while, where she worked on research at the National Institute of Health on childhood schizophrenia. She made her way up the coast to Boston for medical school, took a year off and worked at an art center, graduated with a doctorate, and eventually found a residency here at CU Health with Dr. Robert Davies.

“With all of the privilege that I have—I’m white; I’m a doctor; I’m very versed in the healthcare system—with all the privilege that I have, I can’t even navigate healthcare," Chavez said.

"How is a trans person of color, who is going to have more difficulties obtaining employment because of discrimination, going to do this?”

During her time at CU Health, Chavez was already working on ways to make competent healthcare available to the mental health community. Alongside Davies and a few other residents, Chavez helped set the foundation and open the doors of the Imagine Clinic, an LGBTQ Mental Health Clinic.

“I really wanted to do give back to the LGBT community and make sure they were getting the help they deserved,” Chavez said. “Mental health is a big issue in our community, and I want to make sure everyone is on the same page about how to treat LGBT people—especially our youth.”

According to the National Alliance of Mental Health, LGBTQ individuals are almost three times more likely to experience a mental health condition such as major depression or generalized anxiety disorder. Fear of coming out and being discriminated against for sexual orientation and gender identities can lead to depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, thoughts of suicide, and substance abuse.

For LGBTQ people aged 10 to 24, suicide is one of the leading causes of death. LGBTQ youth are four times more likely, and questioning youth are three times more likely, to attempt suicide, experience suicidal thoughts, or engage in self-harm than straight people. Between 38 to 65 percent of transgender individuals experience suicidal ideation.

An estimated 20 to 30 percent of LGBTQ people abuse substances, and 25 percent of queer people abuse alcohol.

There’s still no sleep in sight for Chavez.

She’s going to continue travelling and training throughout Colorado. She’s co-authoring a book about depression in LGBTQ youth. She’s working with One Colorado to evaluate how transcompetent Colorado’s upcoming legislation is. She’s working with The Center to roll out LGBTQ-competent trainings. And right now, Chavez is putting together a grant proposal to start a study measuring the brain development in trans youth taking hormone and puberty suppression therapies.

“We know that these are treatments that are definitely needed for these kids, but we don’t know all of the effects it has. I think it's something important we should be focusing on," Chavez said. "Each of us have to ask what is important to us.

Once we figure out what that is, fight for it. Forget about the barriers. Forget about who is going to try and stop you. Forget when people tell you it won’t work. Just go out and do it.”

This story originally ran in our “Power” issue on October 3, 2018.

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GRANDOOZY

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SUMMER PRIDE

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From Pride fests to summer sports, we couldn't get enough of the Colorado sun and our queer fam.

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EXCELLENT CHOICE! NOW, LET’S START OFF BY TALKING ABOUT THE OLYMPICS. WHY DO YOU THINK BEING AN OPENLY GAY OLYMPIAN MADE SUCH A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT? Besides the fact that I’m openly gay, I may be a little more flamboyant, but I’m being myself.

I feel like a lot of people say I have this take-it-orleave-it sort of mentality, and I do, but I think what really resonated with people and connected with a lot of people, is that I don’t feel like I have ever asked anyone to like me. I always assumed that people would. When I assumed people would like me, I wasn’t asking for their approval.

I was presenting myself to the world— telling them, 'You are going to like me.'

I wasn’t expecting the attention, but I was ready for it, because when you go into the Olympics anything can happen. I think more than anything, more than being an out athlete, it’s important to speak up for things you think are important.

YOU HAVE ALSO BEEN LABELED AS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY OLYMPIAN. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU? There have obviously been other gay athletes before, but I don’t think they were comfortable to come out and compete at the same time. Those athletes have given people the confidence that they can be successful no matter who you are. I wanted to show that you can be successful and out—it doesn’t matter.

Being the first was just the luck of the draw. Gus Kenworthy and I competed at the same Olympics, but being one of the first openly gay men to compete at the Winter Olympics, I hope it makes those in later competitions embrace who they are as athletes. You can do anything; it’s self-empowerment.

It’s incredible.

I can’t tell you what a big difference it was for me pre-comingout and post-coming-out. I wouldn’t have the confidence to do crazy things and push myself. I’m not afraid of what other people think of me. I don’t care. I’m doing things I think are cool, and that’s important to me. That’s what I need to focus on.

WHERE DOES THAT PASSION COME FROM? My passion and my drive to pursue goals come from my mom.

When I was young, my mom taught me that if you want to do something, you must do it at 100 percent. It didn’t matter if we were bad; we just had to give it our best. My mom reminded me of that all the time. She reminded us that hard work would pay off, and she instilled in us that anything is possible if you dream it. Go after your dreams.

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I think that a lot of people who come from small towns sometimes think it’s hard to see out of that world. My mom never for a second made us feel like the world ended outside our town. She made it feel as if the whole world was for us, and it wasn’t that big. Having that sort of mentality made me feel like anything was possible and crazy dreams like the Olympics weren’t impossible.

The mentality my mom reinforced in us as kids set us up to have successful lives.

BEFORE GOING OUT ON THE ICE TO SKATE, OR EVEN TO DANCE ON DANCING WITH THE STARS, WHAT DO YOU DO TO GET INTO THE ZONE? ANY PRE-COMPETITION ROUTINES? One of my role models growing up was Michelle Kwan. About 10 years ago, I had the chance to do a show with her. I was telling myself to watch Michelle skate and to watch every, single f*cking thing she does, because she’s Michelle Kwan.

Well, she’s hanging out with everyone backstage, and before the show is about to start, she removes herself from the group. She then closes her eyes and takes two to three deep breaths. She doesn’t say anything; she’s very quiet. She then opens her eyes and returns to the group. She’s exactly the same as she was, but I could tell in that moment, she harnessed her energy. She got it together and harnessed all those butterflies and the adrenaline.

After years of closing my eyes and taking a few deep breaths, I feel like I’m connecting to my true self, how I am going to use this adrenaline and bring it and focus. Before I have any sort of performance, I take that moment. I have fun with everybody and joke and try to make people laugh all the time, but I take a moment before every performance to close my eyes and take a few deep breaths and remind myself that I am powerful and strong. I use the adrenaline to my advantage and as a secret weapon to push myself further.

I KNOW YOU HAVE MENTIONED THAT DANCING WITH THE STARS WAS OUT OF YOUR ELEMENT. CAN YOU TALK MORE ABOUT THAT? When I was asked to do Dancing with the Stars, I immediately withdrew from the idea of doing it, because it was something out of my comfort zone. What I discovered was being a competitor and being pushed out of my comfort zone made me feel the most alive, like I was getting the most out of myself.

So, every time I did something that was completely out of my element, it was exhilarating. When you step out of your comfort zone, you learn more about yourself. You learn more about how you deal with different situations. I am so glad I took the time to do the show, even though it was a crazy time.

It was so fun and rewarding.

YOU ARE ALSO WORKING WITH GLAAD TO HELP RAISE AWARENESS AND FUNDS FOR LGBTQ YOUTH PROGRAMS. WHAT HAS THAT EXPERIENCE BEEN LIKE? WHY IS HELPING LGBTQ YOUTH SO IMPORTANT TO YOU? I work with a youth ambassador program called the GLAAD Campus Ambassadors Program, and this program is for young people across the country. GLAAD gives them the tools and resources to go back to their communities as ambassadors, like counselors for young LGBTQ youth in their community.

After a Stars on Ice performance, I met someone whose college roommate was a youth ambassador at their campus. Through GLAAD, I’ve had the chance to meet a lot of these ambassadors and hear what they are able to do for the community. It’s so empowering, and I think that when you have role models like that growing up, it shapes your world and gives you confidence.

To have a voice, it changes your outlook on a lot of things. It changes your world, your light, and I think that’s important.

For me, coming from a small town, I didn’t have those role models who were openly gay. That’s why I think it’s important to share my story and get to work with GLAAD and work with these people who are younger than I was. It’s so awesome to see this, and that’s why I am happy and honored to be working with GLAAD. The stuff they do is inspiring.

WHAT ARE SOME OTHER WAYS WE CAN SUPPORT THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY LGBTQ YOUTH? I think the best thing an ally can do is find people they think are inspiring or are impressed by and share their story. No matter who they are, if they are part of the LGBTQ community or not, we need to find young people who we find inspiring and embrace them, and we should highlight what they do.

I have been talking with my brothers and sister who are in high school or recently graduated, and the amount of people and kids they are around who identify as LGBTQ is crazy to me. When I was young, not many did. I’m 28, but to see kids who are 18, 16, 15 years old be comfortably gay in school, it’s still a bit foreign to me, but it’s awesome.

Being gay is awesome, but it’s not special. Being gay is not special. What you do is special, and what you do for other people is special. To be able to help and empower other people, that is special. An ally who notices someone within the LGBTQ community doing that and sharing their story is important. Our straight friends should also learn more about our community and about who came before us.

THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS ARE COMING UP SOON. HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR THE QUEER COMMUNITY TO COME OUT AND VOTE? Oh my god, it is so important to come out and vote. I think that is what’s really inspiring now. Given the current administration, it has inspired a lot of people to speak up.

I never thought I would be one of those people that would go to marches or go to protests, and all of a sudden, here I am at 11 p.m. right before a march or some protest making some random poster. It’s crazy. I never felt like I needed to go out

and do that, but I think there are so many people out there, especially young people, who are inspired.

I think back to the young kids in Florida who started the March for Our Lives, the kind of response and attention they garnered because they immediately spoke out and called for change.

It’s amazing. Right now, seeing the social climate and people coming together to rally is mind-blowing. I think the result of the last election was a lot of people not acting. Right now, they are speaking up about things they do not think are right and speaking up against things that aren’t correct. They are speaking up for people who they feel aren’t being treated the way they want to be treated, and I think that is so important that we keep this fire in our bellies.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK ABOUT AN ISSUE BUT IS AFRAID OF BEING SILENCED? I have definitely received my fair share of ‘stay in your own lane’ comments, but it’s important to say what you think is right. Say what you believe in. I also think it’s important to be factual. Do not just say whatever the first thing is that comes to mind. Think about it.

My advice to people who want to speak out is, if this is an issue that is true to who you are or something you truly believe that isn’t right, then it doesn’t matter what other people think. It needs to come from your heart. No matter what it is, people can always tell if you are genuine. That’s when they will listen to you. If it’s off and weird and not from the heart, people will ignore you. If it’s something your truly believe in, and it’s something you are truly passionate about, go after it. It doesn’t matter what other people think, because the backlash is minimal.

More importantly, at the end of the day, you will feel like you did something to better the world or help someone. That’s what matters. If people have a problem with that, then that’s their own problem. They are resisting change and afraid of something. If you are confident in what you are saying and believe in what you are saying, your point will come across.

So, my advice, be confident and be sure that it comes from the heart. At the end of the day, you are doing something you believe in and are passionate about.

I KNOW YOU HAVE DECLINED THE OPPORTUNITY BEFORE, BUT WOULD YOU EVER WANT TO MEET FACE-TO-FACE WITH TRUMP OR PENCE? I mean, ideally no. I really have nothing to say. I think Donald Trump says enough for himself. He does all the talking anybody needs.

Regarding Mike Pence, I don’t have anything to say to him, either. I have been really lucky that what he has pushed and the people he has gone after and the different causes he has stood for have not affected my life. It’s not a conversation for me. It’s a conversation for those people whose lives have changed or who felt like they don’t have a voice.

This story originally ran in our “Pride” issue on June 6, 2018.

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COMMUNITY ALL YEAR LONG

Photos by Charles Broshous

This year, we hit the slopes, took a swim, struck a pose, and celebrated life, all in the name of our community.

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QUEER NIGHTLIFE

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We partied with puppies, queens, and shirtless hunks, but we still made time to honor those who make change.

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By Addison Herron-Wheeler Photos by Brian Degenfelder

FOR

ALL

Aurora Embraces Diversity and Inclusion

D

enver may be the Colorado city most known for culture and diversity, but its neighbor to the East, Aurora, boasts high numbers when it comes to its diverse and varied population.

Still, despite this fact, much of the focus on acceptance and cultural relevance is placed central to the Denver area. Denver hosts PrideFest, cultural festivals, and is home to LGBTQ organizations.

Activists get up in arms about the gentrification in historic Denver neighborhoods that have long been home to people of color. Not much attention is paid to fair and affordable housing in Aurora, however, or the vast population of immigrants, refugees, and minorities who call Aurora home.

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For this reason, OUT FRONT decided to focus on Aurora and host an annual Pride event within its borders. The population of the city is often underserved when it comes to special events and programs that cater to Denver, but it turns out they have a pretty good handle on embracing diversity within their city and trying to make life better for all people, despite some setbacks and issues the city is still facing.

Here is what we found out about the City of Aurora, from population demographics and a chat with the mayor about diversity to the programs in place for queer folks, immigrants, and people of color.

By the Numbers You can see the diversity in Aurora just by driving through the city, checking out the array of restaurants, places of worship, and people. But when you look at it on paper, it’s even more impressive.

According to "Who is Aurora," the city’s 2016 demographic report, the city of Aurora is 17.6 percent white, Hispanic, or Latino; 16 percent black or African American; and 5 percent Asian. In a state like Colorado, with a high concentration of white residents, Aurora stands out as a diverse beacon.

The city also has a large immigrant population with an especially large concentration of Ethiopian residents. Twenty-one percent of residents speak Spanish at home; that number is much higher than the 13.6 percent in the Denver metro area, and 10.3 percent of residents are disabled, which is also higher than the metro average.

These numbers show that Aurora has a varied population and is a place many folks of different ethnicities and backgrounds call home. However, it’s also clear from the published numbers that many of the people who live in Aurora struggle economically. Twelve percent of families live in poverty, and so do 16 percent of adult individuals and 23 percent of children.

While the most recent, available census data report contains a lot of information about the city, it highlights the existing diversity without commenting on it and still misses a lot of pertinent information.

It talks about languages spoken, races, genders, ages, and poverty levels, but it does not address how many folks are queer, in same-gender relationships, or identify as trans or nonbinary.

To get a clearer idea of the people and programs behind the numbers, we reached out to influential figures in Aurora to learn more about the city and how it treats its citizens.

Immigrant Integration Especially since the election of Trump, America is on edge about immigration. Cities are taking a stand about the laws imposed within their borders, often claiming to be “sanctuary cities” that protect immigrants. Aurora does not claim that term, but instead calls itself a “welcoming city.”

“We comply with federal law and don’t break any federal laws, but the reality is that immigrants are members of our community, and if we were to adopt a new policy where local law enforcement wasn’t friendly to immigrants, we would have a situation where undocumented immigrants would no longer participate in reporting crimes and helping keep our community safe,” explained Aurora Mayor Bob LeGare. “It’s very important for our community to feel safe and welcome regardless of their immigration status. We as a city do not have the ability to do federal law enforcement.”

The idea behind this action is simple: if a large percent of the population is unwilling or unable to report crime, the city will be a lot more dangerous. This, coupled with a desire to do right by the city’s residents, drives the mayor and the police force to make sure immigration status isn’t asked about if a crime is reported.

“If you read the studies, cities with high immigrant populations have better paying jobs; there are lower violent crimes, and I think Aurora—with our highly diverse population—we are certainly benefitting from that,” said Allison Hiltz, MPP, council member at-large. “I would like the city to take more policy stances that show that, but we are doing a lot.”

The city also has an office of International and Immigrant Affairs, a department that seeks to make things better for immigrants who are undocumented or folks who legally moved to the U.S. but lack the resources to get ahead. They help families get the support they need, including language classes for those looking to improve their English, professional development courses to help with landing jobs, and daycare for those with families and children.

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safe space is also needed for people of color who, while they may be native born and assimilated into American culture, still face disadvantages based on their skin color.

People of Color and LowIncome Inclusion Aurora still has work to do in the realm of racial inclusivity and equality, but they are making strides towards embracing and supporting people of color in the workforce and all across the city and creating more opportunities for those who are lower income.

“We have programs that support all segments of our community,” said LaGare. “When it comes to housing, the Aurora City Council is going to be meeting and discussing in more depth affordable housing, attainable housing, workforce housing.

That is an issue that has come up in the last three to four years, and it’s not unique to Aurora; it’s the entire metro area.”

“We are very proud that Aurora is the only city in Colorado and one This city is aware that many residents need resources to of 10 cities in the U.S. with a comprehensive immigrant integration help with affordable housing or employment. However, plan. The Office of International and Immigrant Affairs facilitates when it comes to specifically supporting people of color the successful integration of immigrants and refugees into Aurora’s and their minority status, some residents feel there are civic, economic, and cultural life,” said Ricardo Gambetta, manager not enough resources in place to make them and others of the Office of International and Immigrant Affairs. like them feel included.

“Since the launching of the immigrant integration plan, OIIA has made immense progress on the plan’s implementation, initiating innovative and nationally recognized programs to provide immigrants and refugees the tools they need to address linguistic and cultural barriers, promote small business, partner with law enforcement agencies, reach for opportunity, and learn about city resources.”

In addition to the support available and the lack of aggressive action against undocumented immigrants, the city tries to support the diverse immigrant community’s culture. They recently implemented a citywide festival called Global Fest, held every year to honor all the different cultures that mingle in the city. The festival gives immigrants the chance to share and celebrate their own personal histories and learn about other immigrants, and also teaches native-born residents about other cultures.

While all of this support is paramount for a healthy city, a

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“I don’t think that Aurora has many opportunities for people of color in the community,” admitted Reia Cheille, a black,

trans woman who lives in Aurora and performs under the drag name Menage E’toi. “I think it is not anything personal, just honestly something that seems to happen across the state.

Being African American, we are often looked at as trouble. And I feel like if someone were to do something different targeted towards us, there would be tripled amounts of law enforcement and many stipulations that other events not aimed at African Americans do not have to put up with.”

Cheille also mentioned that all the programs in Aurora targeting queer, African American folks seem to focus on HIV or AIDS. In other words, while there is outreach for those who are lower-income or need medical help, there are not a lot of programs in place that specifically celebrate black folks and people of color.

For that reason, it’s hard to clearly quantify how much support there is in Aurora for LGBTQ people or how much is needed.

But, there are a lot of programs in place to support queer individuals.

The UCHealth LGBTQ Mental Health Clinic, also known as the “Imagine Clinic,” provides services to LGBTQ individuals of all ages. Robert Davies, medical director and co-founder, helped start the clinic after realizing a need for queer youth to be able to take pride in themselves.

LGBTQ Activism

“We provide a safe and affirming place for queer kids to explore their own relationship with their sexual and gender identity through individual and group therapy modalities,” he explained. “It’s important to give LGBTQ youth in particular an early experience of acceptance and support in order to minimize internalized self-hate that so often develops in LGBTQ individuals who don’t find acceptance. We also work with their families to help them be able to provide support.”

Like in many areas, there is not clear data regarding the numbers of queer folks in Aurora. Census data will delve into who is single and married, but most surveys don’t look at people in a same-gender marriage or how many people do not identify with the gender they were assigned at birth.

The city also shows queer inclusion in a very unexpected area—the police force. The police cruiser with the rainbow flag that is always seen around Denver PrideFest is from Aurora, and the police chief has made a point of being outspoken in support for trans folks.

“When the military wanted to ban trans people, the police chief tweeted, ‘If the military won’t take you, come here; we want you,’” explained Hiltz.

OUT FRONT’s own Aurora Pride is also evidence that the city makes strides when it comes to inclusion, and that the LGBTQ community wants an event to happen within city limits.

While all metro area residents are welcome at Denver’s PrideFest, the event is Denver-centric, taking place right downtown. Having a Pride event in Aurora allows folks who may not be able to make it downtown, or who may have missed the first Pride celebration because of work, another chance to join in the festivities.

Moving Forward Aurora clearly has a diverse population made up of largely of immigrants, people of color, and folks who identify as queer. There is also a large population of low-income and impoverished individuals and families. This puts the city in a unique position to offer services and provide resources for residents in need.

While there are many great programs in place that promote diversity and initiatives to help people in need, more work could still be done in Aurora to truly make all residents feel like they belong. With more groups and individuals stepping up in the face of nationallevel oppression and discrimination, Aurora has the chance to make a real impact on the people within its local community.

This story originally ran in our “Aurora Pride” issue on August 1, 2018.

AURORA PRIDE

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Photos by Brian Degenfelder

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THE GAY JOYS of

AGING

By Rick Kitzman

L

a reine est morte!

I grieve for Eric Engles, queen extraordinaire. My dancing buddy from our gay-glorious days in 70s/80s New York tripped his last light-fantastic on May 9.

Eric was blessed and cursed with a plethora of idiosyncrasies: utter disdain for authority, numerous addictions, steadfast loyalty, and uncommon generosity. His sense of humor— rapid-fire, salacious, low, or highbrowed—was peerless.

Fueled by world travel and voracious reading, his brilliant intellect—caustic, swift, merciless, cruel—cut hypocrisy to the quick and could pivot upon you in a fiery flash. A debate was like a barbecue: opponents skewered, grilled, burned.

Eric embodied the personas of court jester, fishwife, a debauched Catholic cardinal, a heretic destined for burning at the stake. Perhaps 'Ding-dong, the witch is dead' is a more accurate epitaph. Witch or queen, wherever Eric’s soul lounges, I have no doubt my dear friend is claiming the Oz reference, stoically amused, the regal reference his due.

As the year draws to a close, thankfully, I can celebrate another year of gay joys. As denizens of Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen, and Villages East and West, Eric and I marched down Fifth Avenue for many Gay Pride Parades, two Colorado boys discovering and experiencing life as gay men. My friend’s death has accentuated my gratitude. I live a fabulous life!

That declaration did not occur easily. Fears of coming out of my closet festered into a painful desire to be someone I was not: straight, athletic, smarter, richer, prettier, taller. But oh, those relentless urges to express the real me conquered my fears until all I desired was to be gay. (Taller? Really?) I cannot thank God enough for my rich life, all the gay men and women I met along the way, and myself for the courage to be who I am. We do not grow unaided, and we do not give ourselves enough credit for our courage to be authentic.

Eric and I made it to our 60s, no mean feat considering we survived the AIDS plague.

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Last year, I turned 64, and during a musical segue on NPR (where else?), I heard the jaunty ditty, “When I’m 64” by The Beatles. I smiled because I had reached the countdown to zero calculated with junior high buddies in 1967, the year of the song’s release. We goofy teenage boys were 14, joking and giggled about, well, everything, imagining the year 2018: flying cars, moon colonies, time travel, SEX! Our futures promised endless tomorrows. Old age was inconceivable.

During the plague years, I wondered not about WHEN I’m 64, but IF I’d ever be 64. Hell, 34.

AIDS smashed the gay world into a billion splinters. Shame, stigma, and death shadowed its shibboleths: sex, drugs, dancing, disco, fashion, theatre, the gym. Their excitement and pleasure mutated into shallow clichés. Perhaps they already were, but Eric and I were having too much fun to notice. Those who have experienced the ineffable joy of dancing with our tribe know what I mean. It’s a joy I have never replicated.

Our creed? Party ‘til you drop. Many partied into their graves.

But the gay community rallied. Therein lies good grief, not as in everyman Charlie Brown’s melancholy cry, but as in the gay community’s ability to transform unfathomable grief into something good: art, compassion, health, and social reform.

The pandemic may be considered as old, tired, and boring as those who lived it. Regardless, it is our story, our shared history, a holocaust that should never be forgotten, a devastation far from resolution. No matter the story or achievement, we stand on the shoulders of our foremothers and forefathers wearing combat or cowboy boots, stilettos or ballet slippers, cleats or wingtips, ice skates or flip-flops.

Our youth forge new stories, new achievements. We stand on their shoulders already. Everyone in our community is a rebel; we challenge the status quo.

Eric was in-your-face gay, a purposeful rebel; I was on-the-fence gay, an unwitting rebel. In 70s New York, as the love child of the zeitgeist of the 60s sexual revolution, gay life exploded. It was defining itself, its nature secretive and seductive, an allure I was compelled to experience body and mind, heart and soul.

The irony is, our fight for acceptance cost us our invisibility.

Progress comes with a price. Explosions like gay parades down Fifth Avenue tend to be noticed. I do not want to return to the past, but when I scrolled by a headline about homosexuality becoming homogenized, I could not read it. First, my life style became a cliché, and now, I am like everyone else? Quelle horreur!

As American humorist Dorothy Parker wrote: “Heterosexuality isn’t normal. It’s just common.”

Who wants to be normal? And we are certainly not common.

Every life is unique. But gay lives? Oh my Lord and Taylor, Needless Markup, and Sex Tits Avenue! If gays had ruled the world, the only wars fought would have been over whose toga draped better. Imagine Project Runway as Project Appian Way. Instead, for millenia, gays had to fight for their right to live.

And live I did, and do, privileged to experience aging. At 50, I awoke to overflowing nose and ear hair, as though my body had whimsically decided to produce nasal and aural 3 2 \\ D E C E M B E R 1 9 , 2 0 1 8

Rogaine-like hormones. At 60, my feet, already size 11, grew an inch, and my ears seemed to be in a race to match them.

My nose swelled to the size of an avocado pit, and my neck skin sagged like a Thanksgiving turkey’s wattle, threatening to reach my nipples. Well, that’s what it felt like. No need to call me a WHAAA-ambulance. Investing in tweezers and trimmers, shoes and V-neck T-shirts, is a small price to pay for life.

In 2005, Eric and I parted ways and rarely spoke. It happened in Bangkok, like an Asian Casablanca. Eric played Ilsa, Ingrid Bergman as a drunk Divine. I played, well, Rick/Bogart, but our beautiful friendship ended. Friendship divorces are as sad as marital. Lyrics from the 30s classic "Thanks for the Memory" reveal my ambivalence: “You may have been a headache, but you never were a bore.”

To retain a thin thread of contact, I occasionally sent Eric postcards, the last delivered the day before he died. On the back of a garish cover of a 50s pulp novel, Office Sluts, I wrote, “Ah, the good ol’ days.” Gone is another member of my dwindling tribe who remembers them.

Good, new days abound. I have a loving and incredible partner.

I can still touch my toes and comb a full head of gray hair.

Aging grants me the privilege of considering myself a silver fox.

This summer, The Boys in the Band—Mart Crowley’s iconic dissection of 60s gay life, a play that epitomizes gay clichés— celebrates its 50th anniversary with a Broadway premier featuring A-list, gay stars. How’s that for progress? And how I wish the Eric I had loved and adored could accompany me and my partner when we attend the show, because that is how Eric and I met. In a 1974 college production, he played Emory, the Connie Casserole femme; I played Larry, the artistic slut.

Our futures do not promise endless tomorrows. This coming year, let us each celebrate our joys—gay, lesbian, queer, bi, straight, pan, trans, two spirit, drag, you name it. However you live your fabulous life, rebel and rejoice!

This story originally ran in our “Pride” issue on June 6, 2018.

P L IE

Story and Photos by Veronica L. Holyfield

The Pressures of LGBTQ Dancers

“F

was to work with queens in stilettos.

Yet the 28-year-old is doing exactly that as owner and lead choreographer of International Dance Crew.

she decided to take a break. I made it my own dance crew, and last November, I started my company, International Dance Crew.”

On this particular Sunday afternoon, the empty bar, set up on concrete floors under unfinished ceilings, will be home to Carlos Spanic and his team of half-adozen dancers for the next few hours.

“OK, let’s go through it once more and then to music,” Spanic told the dancers.

With his left leg outstretched, he swept his right arm overhead as the assembled formation of dancers watched behind him and followed each motion. Later, between group rehearsals, Spanic explained his journey from dancer to choreographer and now business owner.

Spanic’s dance education is nontraditional; as a teenager he would lock himself in his room for hours and watch Britney Spears music videos, learning each move with a meticulous perfection as though preparing for his inevitable big audition someday.

When he moved from Lima, Peru to Colorado at the age of 10, Spanic never imagined he would be in charge of a dance company whose sole purpose

“I started dancing for Denver Dance and Drag Nation at Tracks two years ago,” Spanic said. “Then, led by Marguerite Endsley, I was lead choreographer when

ive, six, five-six-seven-eight,” a voice echoed through the empty nightclub at the corner of 35th and Walnut. Without the veil of night, the home of LGBTQ club Tracks is but an inconspicuous warehouse in RiNo amid construction of the transitioning neighborhood.

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“It’s tough out there for dancers; you have to start from zero,” he said. “I started from zero dancing at a Latin club where only 20 people come to the show.”

At the age of 21, he took the leap into professional and began as back-up dancer for Mariah Spanic and other queens at El Potrero Night Club. He then was introduced to Endsley and the rest of the Tracks house dance group who performed for Drag Nation and other Tracks-hosted events, and the rest is history.

International Dance Crew now has more than 20 dancers, and Spanic works diligently beside manager Rachel Gibbons to keep things running smoothly as they perform beside some of Denver's, and the nation’s, biggest names.

“I help Carlos pick up the lost pieces.

Whatever he can’t get to is what he’ll toss my way. He knows how to take charge and how to run this company. He does the majority of the work and has been for this last year. It’s really fun to see him grow into this position; he’s found a new Carlos by doing doing so," Gibson explained.

“Not a lot of people have the opportunity to dance,” Spanic said. “I have a lot of friends that went to California and are suffering; they don’t get any gigs. We do have that platform to dance every month; we perform a lot at this venue.”

Sometimes opportunities are given, and sometimes they are made. In the case of Buddy Bravo, one choreographer for International Dance Crew, opportunities were made. He created a pathway for himself within the world of Denver’s queer dance scene, bringing a unique form of dance fitness from his hometown in Pueblo: a non-traditional fusion of hip hop and modern burlesque, which he teaches out of Tease studio next to Tracks.

Through incorporating his queer identity, he found confidence and a way of standing out that generated success.

“As I express myself more authentically, and as I am more comfortable with myself as an individual, my performance also increases. Personal success and professional success walk hand-in-hand.”

“Denver is on fire with creativity; we are being challenged as a city about what our own identity is. It’s up to us to decide. That’s what it’s all about; that is what Denver is. It’s loud; it’s beautiful; it’s self-expressive, and it’s very accepting and loving.”

Back at Tracks, Meghan Trainor’s “Lips Are Moving” played on repeat in the background as Spanic continued to work with Bella C Le Cher and the group of backup dancers. They learned the moves at an impressively rapid pace, one section at a time.

Combinations of turns and intricate footwork were taught at half-speed, then were immediately compounded by an eight-count of hip pops and Sailor Jerry salutes. This sequence is but one of the dozen performances choreographed for the August Drag Nation show.

On average, eight to 13 queens perform per show each month. While some choose to perform as solo acts,

the majority of numbers will include dancers and some choreography.

“It’s a lot of work to do 10 or 13 numbers,” Spanic admitted. “I don’t think I’ll ever have time for that.”

Even though he does most of the heavy lifting, there is a lot of help within the crew of eager dancers who offer to help choreograph the handful of songs that he has to hand off.

Collaboration, it appears, is the recipe for a beautiful production.

Take Angie Simmons, founder, coartistic director, and choreographer for Evolving Doors Dance. Specializing in a contemporary, modern-based form of dance, her process of creating a finalized piece of choreography is very much a collaborative venture with her cast and fellow contributors.

“A lot of our work has deep, contextual meaning, and I like for that to not come just from my brain,” Simmons explained.

“We’ll do some movement work based on discussions we have had; a lot of it comes from the dancer’s input and their experiences.

“Being that I am a lesbian, I have spent some years in creating work that speaks to my experiences. Sometimes there is content in shows that has to do with being queer or being a lesbian specifically.”

“The modern burlesque class has been a really good form of expression for me.

It really allows me to express myself in much different way than I’ve ever been allowed or than I’ve even tried,” he said.

“I teach my class in heels, a platform with a nine-inch heel. I decided to go full-force with it, because I feel like I had held back so long on anything that slightly interested me. It's been so cool for me, because in my class it almost acts as an excuse for people to express themselves as well.”

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While often creating pieces that are inspired directly from her own experiences, Simmons pointed out that may not always be the case, even though audiences can be quick to assume based on socialization around gender.

“We are so trained to look at bodies in a gendered way,” she said. “If I make a femalefemale duet, the audience sometimes identifies that on their own as a lesbian duet. Unfortunately, sexualization is something that audiences automatically put on what they see.”

Simmons continued, “If there are two females who dance in an intimate way that involves touch, even if I, as a choreographer, intended it to be familial or friendly touch, there will always be audience members who will place it in a certain category no matter what my intent is. In the past, we have cast from the trans community, the queer community, the non-binary community. However, I do find that most of those who audition tend to not be from those communities."

For Simmons, who entered formal dance training as a child, she found that selfexploration through movement was not only helpful but crucial to her selfdevelopment and self-acceptance.

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“I’ve often wondered if I should create a queer-specific dance class in Denver,” Simmons said. “Dancing sometimes feels vulnerable, and while it does feel vulnerable, it also gives us an opportunity to become friends with our bodies. I’ve had some students in the queer community in my classes, and that is really rewarding to me, to be a fly on the wall as that person gets a different understanding of where their power is as a mover. When somebody who has maybe not been comfortable in their body before, for whatever reason, suddenly figures out they can move big or can really travel [across the dance floor], that is super empowering.”

Pressure around body size and shape is intense in the dance community and is often informed strictly by genetics. From the length of a leg to the shape of a foot, the height of a dancer and their waist size, all of these become focal points for casting directors and choreographers in the profession.

“The dance world is so interesting,” Simmons said.

“There are some long-standing

stereotypes that all of us bump up against. There are some body specifics that we expect in the dance world, that all dancers are very fit and trim. Going in as a professional, I would never call this an easy road.”

Gibbons spoke to her own experience in pursuing the profession before meeting Spanic and joining International Dance Crew. “There have been auditions that I have attended, that it’s very clear that I do not have the proper body type,” she said. “I’m not this skinny, tall ballerina, which is what most professional companies do look for.”

Spanic agreed, “A lot of the auditions require a dancer to be fit, to be completely in shape.” But emphasized, “Here at Tracks and in International Dance Crew, there is no discrimination.

You can be any weight, and you don’t have to be a trained dancer, as long as you have that will to perform.”

Spanic, Bravo, and Simmons embody an essence of Plie, which means to

bend, an approach of taking on the traditional, heteronormative world of dance and making it their own. Each of them are pushing boundaries outside the box for dancers, allowing space and opportunities for those who may not have them elsewhere.

A week later at Tracks, the night has come to see the hard work pay off in front of hundreds of eager audience members. Song after song, the queens vogue and vamp away, strutting their finest attire and striking the most ferocious poses. Then, the familiar words came on over the speakers: “If your lips are movin', then you’re lie, lie, lying...”

Spanic and his dancers took the stage with Bella Le Cher in an energetic execution of the dance moves they learned less than seven days prior.

Not a single clap, hip sway, or spin was missed, and every, single dancer had a grin a mile wide.

“It feels overwhelming sometimes, because you do get tired,” said Spanic.

“You do get to that point where it’s like, ‘Oh my God, do I really want to continue to do this after so many rehearsals?’

But, that feeling I get when I’m on stage, and that feeling that I get when I see my dancers performing on stage trying to kill it... it’s a fulfillment for me.”

He admits that while the burden of being a business owner can sometimes be dramatic, uphill, and exhausting, it’s one worth fighting.

“When I hear ‘thank you,’ it makes me feel like I’m here for a purpose,” Spanic said.

“If my purpose is to lead them, I’m still going to do it. It makes me happy, even though I get really tired, when I see the number come together at the end—it's amazing.”

This story originally ran in our “Fitness & Health” issue on September 19, 2018.

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

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COMPOUND BASIX

145 Broadway, Denver (303) 722-7977 compounddenver.com

TRACKS

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CLOCKTOWER 16 T

X BAR

VYBE

H

ST .M

AL

K

PRIDE & SWAGGER

TS

T.

O AH AP

AV E

TRIANGLE 17TH AVE.

L

COLFAX AVE.

PA R

.W

ES

ES

T.

31ST AVE.

T

HAMBURGER MARY’S

STONEY'S XBAR

CHARLIE’S BLUSH & BLU 11TH AVE.

COMPOUND BOYZTOWN 1ST AVE. LI’L DEVILS

BROADWAY

GLADYS TRADE

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6TH AVE.

CLARKSON ST.

8TH AVE.

WASHINGTON ST.

VYBE

PENNSYLVANIA

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A

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DADDY’S BAR & GRILL

R+R DENVER

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

E

.

ST

AR

TRADE

475 Santa Fe Dr. Denver (720) 627-5905 THU: Skivvy Stripdown SAT: Beer Bust 3:30-7:30 p.m.

SUN: Beer Bust 4-8 p.m.

AK

W

.

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VD BL

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Uptown_Ad.indd 1

1035 E. 17th Ave., Denver (720) 485-5503 Stoneysuptown.com WED: ½ Price Wings; Pub Quiz THU: Team Trivia SAT/SUN: Brunch, Bottomless Mimosas 'til 2 p.m.

HAPPY HOURS: M-F 4-7 p.m.

S-T 10 a.m.-Close

R

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

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www.StoneysUptown.com

EE

HAMBURGER MARY’S

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2036 N. Broadway, Denver (303) 658-0913 triangledenver.com

SP

500 Santa Fe Dr. Denver (303) 893-6112

N • T JOI N

3500 Walnut St. Denver (303) 863-7326 tracksdenver.com

SANTA FE DR. KALAMATH ST.

GLADYS: THE NOSY NEIGHBOR

W

YORK ST.

EL POTRERO

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O

COLORADO BLVD.

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TRACKS

BROADWAY

DADDY’S BAR & GRILL

T

P

CLUB Q

3430 N. Academy Blvd.

Colo. Springs (719) 570-1429 clubqonline.com

R&R LOUNGE

4958 E. Colfax Ave., Denver (303) 320-9337

U

CHARLIE'S® NIGHTCLUB

900 E. Colfax Ave. Denver (303) 839-8890 charliesdenver.com MON - SAT: Happy Hour 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

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PRIDE & SWAGGER

DOWNING ST.

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970 Lincoln Street

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