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CONTENTS NOVEMBER 6, 2019 VOL43 NO15
6 BLACK STUDENTS PROTEST FOR CHANGE IN BOULDER 10 REX FULLER'S PLANS TO REVITALIZE THE CENTER ON COLFAX 12 QUEER TV FROM 'CLASSIC' TO WOKE 14 SHELVIS AND THE ROUSTABOUTS 17 MARGARET CHO, FBI: FEMINIST, BISEXUAL, ICONIC 24 DEBBIE SCHEER: PRIDE, COMEDY, AND BADASSERY 28 FABULOUSLY TRANS: ALEXANDRA BILLINGS 30 LOVE SMACKED ME IN THE FACE. HARD. 32 HEINZESIGHT: THE FAITH KILLER 37 DOWN THE RABIT HOLE 37 TRACKS' HALLOWOOF FUNHOUSE 39 OUTLAWS LACROSSE ROAD TO CHAMPIONSHIP 40 POWER GALA 2019 42 ZOMBIE PROM GETS QUEER
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Photo by Sergio Garcia
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BLACK STUDENTS PROTEST for Change in Boulder By Arjuna
A
fter a racist incident on October 6, the Black Student Alliance at the University of Colorado Boulder held a protest. BSA demanded to be heard by Chancellor Philip DiStefano and mobilized students to attend the Chancellor’s State of the Campus address wearing all black. They proceeded to walk out after their concerns were not fully addressed by the Chancellor.
Instagram) immediately asked students to share the story on social media.
On October 6, Black students at CU Boulder were called the N-word repeatedly by an individual later found to be 33-yearold Rebekah Krajacic, who has a previous history of harassing other Black students on campus.
The following Tuesday, October 8, the Chancellor held his annual State of the Campus event. Armed police were at the event, which began late. The open conversation session was canceled.
Krajacic repeatedly addressed the students with a racial slur as they were trying to study in the Engineering Center. Eventually, a professor intervened and asked Krajacic to leave.
Almost half of the people in attendance were the BSA and allied students, who wore black to make their concerns visible.
The incident was caught on video and went viral shortly after. On social media, BSA (@blackbuffsCU on Twitter and 6 \\ N O V E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 9
Through an instagram story, BSA stated, “Being black is neither a crime, nor should it constitute a threat. Our students deserve to have spaces that are conducive to their learning and that are not interrupted by racists. We are demanding action.”
The Chancellor, who has worked at CU for 45 years, explicitly referred to the incident as racist in his speech and in an email to students. On Twitter, CU President Mark Kennedy stated that
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the incident “included racially hostile language,” and received criticism for his word choice and for avoiding labelling the event as racist. DiStefano spoke about the racist incident and stated, “Our goal is to ensure that every person at CU Boulder has a safe, welcoming and supportive learning environment—and that racism and harassment have no place to hide.” He also stated that he and other administrators would meet and partner with BSA to address the issue of racism on campus. After briefly speaking about the racist event, the chancellor moved on to discuss the importance of mental health on campus and the University’s various accomplishments over the year. During the panel, administrators briefly addressed a question about the racist incident but redirected to the issue of mental health. BSA and allied students walked out of the panel after feeling their concerns were not fully addressed. On social media, BSA said, “We showed out, and we walked out. We made it very clear that we will not tolerate avoidance of the conversation.” The racist event at the CU Boulder campus comes on the heels of the Botham Jean sentencing. Jean was murdered by a police officer who entered his apartment and shot him, thinking it was her apartment. She received a 10-year sentence, according to NBC News. BSA and the Black community at CU Boulder were affected
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and grieved both Jean’s death and the sentencing. BSA hosted an open meeting and discussion on Jean’s death on October 2; they invited allies to listen and discuss the trial as well as police brutality. At the Jean event, many Black students communicated about feeling exhausted, disheartened, and angry about the trial, as well as the pain and difficulty of being Black at CU Boulder. Nonblack students of color and other marginalized students expressed solidarity, as well as shared pain of being brown and/or queer at CU. After the racist incident, BSA made five demands. The first demanded that the individual who instigated the racist event be expelled and banned from all CU campuses. The second demanded that Mark Kennedy name and denounce the act of racism. The third demand was for the university to work with affected organizations to restructure policies to reflect zero tolerance of racism and harassment. BSA also demanded the University create an initiative to denounce all acts of racism and white supremacy. The last demand was for the University to meet with BSA and allied organizations to develop better training for staff, faculty, campus police, and students. On October 9, the BSA organized a “We Demand Change.” protest outside the building where BSA leaders were meeting with the chancellor and other administrators. BSA reached out and consulted with leaders from other marginalized groups before meeting with the chancellor.
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The protest included chanting and speeches from BSA leaders as well as speeches from other groups present in solidarity. Representatives included those from the South Asian Student Association, International Socialist Commission, and Latino multicultural fraternity Sigma Lambda Beta. One of the student body presidents from CU Student Government also spoke in solidarity. CUSG leaders also signed the letter of BSA’s demands and expressed their solidarity earlier in the week. In the past, CUSG has received criticism for not supporting or representing marginalized students on campus. The CU School of Education, the Ethnic Studies Department, INVST Community Leadership Program, as well as the Center for Inclusion and Social Change have also expressed support for BSA and allied activists. Lawrence, a member of queer fraternity Theta Pi Sigma, also spoke at the protest. He spoke about Theta Pi Sigma’s support of BSA; the violence Black, trans women experience; and the importance of queer solidarity for the Black community. Lawrence said for him, it was important to attend the protest, “because these issues are similar issues to the ones that we face. We’re here because we think we should stand in solidarity for BSA because this is a horrible thing. Lawrence followed with, “The justice that we are all looking for comes from the same place. It comes from the place ofC dismantling a system that wants us to not exist, that wantsM us to be erased.” Y
After meeting with the chancellor, the BSA released a statement CM on the response to their demands. While the perpetrator was MY not a student, a statement regarding the perpetrator will still CY be released, and the administration will circulate the image of the perpetrator on campus. In address of the second demand, CMY DiStefano “requested that he be held accountable” and will K release a statement denouncing the act of racism. BSA will work with allied organizations to keep Mark Kennedy accountable. In response to demands III-V, the University and DiStefano agreed to “develop a compact aimed at restructuring campus policies that impact communities of protected classes.” In their second statement, the BSA stated that “the goal is to create a framework for implementing equitable policies and protections for ALL students.” The chancellor has agreed to meet and work collaboratively with leaders of student groups on campus. Kolondja Thillot, BSA executive board member, observes this week as a shift. Thillot stated, “As students and Black students especially, I feel we are in a culture of losing and being unheard.” For him, the most important result of the meeting with the chancellor was “the fact that our voices were being heard.” It’s important that the entire queer community, especially white queer people, listen to and support Black activists in their work. Supporting the queer community means supporting the entire community, including our Black siblings. As Lawrence said, queer liberation is tied to Black liberation from white supremacy. OUT FRONT expresses solidarity for Black students at CU Boulder and the important work being done by the Black Student Alliance.
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By Veronica L. Holyfield Photo courtesy of The Center
Rex
Fuller
Plans to Revitalize The Center on Colfax
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eginning November 1, the largest queer resource and community space in Colorado, The Center on Colfax, will officially be under the care of a new leader. After a nationwide search, the board of directors have chosen Rex Fuller, The Center’s vice president of communications and corporate giving over the last six years, to progress the future of the organization as CEO. Fuller has seen the ins and outs of the work that The Center is doing for the LGBTQ community, and while he recognizes the stability of the organization, he has some big plans on how to usher forward even more inclusive programs as the stability of the nation is continuing to divide us.
How does it feel being appointed the new CEO of The Center on Colfax? I'm really excited to move on to this next step; I've been with the agency for six years. This is definitely a step up in responsibility, but it's many projects I've been working on for several years, so it'll be a chance for me to just dive deeper into some of those.
What do you think The Center on Colfax does really well? I think we have a great story [at The Center], and I hope we can make it better. We have been a bedrock institution in this community for 40 plus years, and there have been many advances that have happened in the community in those last four decades. We were we were very involved in the early days of the AIDS crisis; we were very involved in the fight against Amendment Two in the mid 90s; we've really played a role in those big civil rights issues for the LGBTQ community.
in the closet is the wrong direction. I really think that visibility and being vocal and active is really the key to our advancement and to our survival. Sometimes that makes people really uncomfortable; sometimes there are conflicts within our own community with different points of view, but I don't think that hiding away our true selves serves anybody well. That's really key in addressing many of the challenges that we face. Also, one of the biggest challenges that we are facing is the civil rights of the transgender community. The trans community has really been finding some ways in the last few years to really to get their voice out, and there's still a long way to go. The trans community suffers from chronic unemployment and underemployment, has some higher rates of depression, and in some cases self harm, and has one of the highest rates of violence directed against them.
What is your hope for the future of The Center? I grew up in northern Colorado, and I moved here in the early 80s; the center was much smaller and much different than it is now. I certainly found resources here that I used; I had heard about The Center before I got here, I came and participated in programs. I think that while we have some really vital programs, like producing PrideFest; a lot of people don't realize that The Center produces it. I do hope that we're able to get better familiarity with the community and that we're able to revitalize our programs so we're welcoming more people into The Center.
Going forward, what would you like to implemented at The Center? We have some really great programs that we're really well known for, but we really don't have adequate programming for the bisexual community. People talk about bi erasure where we look over the ‘B’ in that acronym, so I would like to find ways to be more inclusive for that group. Likewise, I feel that we need more programming for people between rainbow alley and sage, between high school and retiring adults. We do quite a bit here in terms of community programming, but I think we could do more.
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What makes The Center on Colfax stand out from other LGBTQ Community Centers? Both SAGE and Rainbow Alley are especially exemplary programs; they both really serve their communities very well. Also, by virtue of the building that we have, and the support that we receive from the community to maintain that building, we've been here now 10 years in 2020. We've been able to grow PrideFest to one of the largest in the country; it really speaks to the level of support that we've been very grateful to receive from the community.
What are the biggest barriers that LGBTQ folks today face? I have been involved with the Pride movement for a very long time, and I am 100 percent convinced that going back
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Queer TV from
Classic to Woke By Arjuna
W
hen I was in high school, I used to close my eyes whenever Emily and Paige kissed on Pretty Little Liars. I knew to be afraid of how I would feel if I saw two women kiss. Pretty Little Liars and other queer TV shows taught me the futility of looking away and the relish of being understood. This December, the L Word: Generation Q premieres, marking the return of the groundbreaking show, which started in 2004. The return of the show marks the completion of a cycle, a revolution around the broadcast sun that sapphic, queer television has traversed. Since then, and even before, let's take a look back on the ways we’ve been seen and seen ourselves. This is a snapshot; there’s so much to discuss about the way queer people have been represented on the silver screen and the ways in which it reflects their lives beyond the episode. TV has a profound role in shaping our worldviews, our cognitive schema, and how we view each other. Research by Gomillion and Giuliano has found that queer individuals with access to queer media role models would have higher self-esteem through the process of identification. Demand queer representation so queer youth can imagine and see their futures where they can thrive and celebrate their queerness instead of being punished for it. Thirty three years before The L Word, the first gay character on primetime TV appeared on the show All in the Family. According to Pink News, Steve was only in one episode. From there, important milestones also include the original run of Queer Eye, then called Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.
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Xena: Warrior Princess started airing in 1995, and while it didn’t have any explicit queer characters, it became a cult classic after heavy subtext. In 1997, Ellen came out in the controversial “The Puppy Episode” of her TV show. After some friction with ABC, the show was canceled after another season. Will & Grace was also a landmark show, with a gay man as a lead character. Two years later, Queer As Folk started airing, which included the character Ben Bruckner, an HIV-positive college professor. When The L Word premiered in 2004, queer representation was still fairly sparse, especially for queer women. The L Word opened a new world for sapphic women where they were able to see themselves at the forefront. Queer women were shown fully, with complex desires and relationships, during stressful, dramatic, and steamy moments. The L Word also gained attention for openly showing queer sexuality. It didn’t just openly show it; it reveled in it. The show introduced pulpy and campy goodness into the queer canon of TV, an aesthetic that’s become popular in queer TV, film, and even webseries (cough cough Carmilla). Alison Glock said in 2005, The L Word was “akin to ending a drought with a monsoon ... there was no tentative audience courtship. Instead, there was sex, raw and unbridled in that my-goodness way that only cable allows.” The show is iconic and still stands as one of the most important pieces of sapphic media. The first season was incredibly popular and was even hailed by critics, whom acknowledged its importance for lesbian visibility. Though the show had impacts on sapphic visibility, it had major blindspots. The show had issues around race, biphobia, and transphobia. The main ensemble was white, lesbian, cis, and skinny. In even a casual rewatch, there’s material that would give audiences today heavy pause. The show creator and writer Ilene Chaiken said in 2005, “I do want to move people on some deep level. But, I won’t take on the mantle of social responsibility.” Chaiken’s comment revealed a legitimate misunderstanding and shrugging of responsibilities on media creators. Unfortunately, that’s still common today. Many showrunners queerbait audiences and imply queerness, but never affirm or validate audience hopes. Or even when it’s shown, the characters are then punished. Recently, Chaiken amended her position and said “I know things now that I didn’t know then, and I’m glad to know them. I recognize the sensitivities.” The reboot made an effort to cast more diverse characters, but we will have to wait until December to see any improvements in writing.
It’s especially easy to see the influence of The L Word on shows like Orange is the New Black, another ensemble show with an emphasis on queer women. Though OITNB fell victim to another instance of a bi woman “resisting labels,” it included a diverse cast of queer women in a well-written, complex show. Modern Family continues the tradition of Will and Grace, as a sitcom that shows gay men as a part of the mainstream, normative world. In the show, a gay white couple adopt a child and quarrel over the usual; Cam is a football coach and PE teacher. These days, we don’t have to pick and choose individual shows. The number of queer characters on television is even increasing on a yearly basis. According to GLAAD, 8.8 percent of regular characters were queer in 2018, up from 6.4 percent in 2017. Additionally, certain networks have consistently included more queer representation in their shows. In terms of streaming, Netflix has the highest number of queer characters, and FX has the highest on cable. The network airs Pose, the two-time Golden Globe-nominated show about NYC’s ballroom culture in the early 90s. The show has been praised for its representation of Black and brown queer people, showcasing ballroom culture and Janet Mock’s position as producer. Networks like ABC Family and CW are also known for including queer characters, to the point where straight people are getting upset, a sign that they should keep going. On the public question-and-answer site Quora, people ask pointed questions about LGBTQ representation. Some examples include, “Has anyone noticed how homosexuality is being promoted in television series?” “I get that people should support gay people, but why does every new TV show have to have at least a gay guy or girl?” “Is the LGBT overrepresented in movies and TV shows?” and “Is there something wrong with being homophobic?” I hope The L Word reboot can continue the tradition of bothering straight people, and as a community, we can get more more meaningful, intersectional, and diverse representation on- and off- screen. Not only do I want more queer characters, I want more queer people behind the camera. I want more Black, trans femme directors, I want more intersex writers, and I want more bisexual showrunners. In one way or another, I want us to all know we are worthy.
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Shelvis and By Samantha Albala
Photos provided by Shelvis and the Roustabouts
the Roustabo
T
he world-famous female Elvis impersonator has a band in Denver. If you haven’t caught the fever yet, now is the time to find the love. Shelvis and the Roustabouts always put on a high-energy show highlighting the power within as well as the impact of musical trailblazers.
in common with drag kings. This might have something to do with the genre of music Muha sings, or just her funny, out-of-the-box, vibrant Vegas style. Either way, Shelvis and the Roustabouts are their own genre, and they put on an unforgettable show.
At the age of 8, Lori Marie Muha, also known now as Shelvis, got struck with the needle of Elvis’ love. After attending his show at Nassau Coliseum where he gave her a scarf, which is still in her possession, Muha was hooked. She won a contest as the only female Elvis impersonator in 1995, and has grown her fascination by launching a band that showcases the music of Elvis and other Rockabilly pioneers.
The band name the Roustabouts came from the movie where Elvis played a performer in the circus. Also, because Elvis had a 60s Vegas lounge act, the shows revolve around nostalgia, fun, and heart. There are four to five costume changes per show, sometimes encompassing the three eras of Elvis.
However, there is a challenge they face. Shelvis and the Roustabouts fall in between genres. Shelvis isn’t exactly a drag king. The band isn’t a tribute band, either. Muha, while she dresses in drag, is not a drag performer. Actually, she often fits in more easily in both lineup and culture with drag queens, even though she might appear to have more
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In addition to Elvis, there are songs from Buddy Holly, Johnny Cash, John Travolta, others, as well as a few band originals written by band members Laura Whitlock (also Muha’s wife) and David Duran that speak to LGBTQ (Go With The Flow) and musician life (2AM at The Breakfast King). At the end of most shows, Shelvis comes out as Lori, no makeup, no costumes, just herself. This represents personal versatility and the power that is behind one individual.
outs “I’ve never been in a band that smiles so much, everybody is smiling,” said James Patrick, drummer. “My old saying was good drummers don’t smile, but I guess I have to change that.” During every show, the band is watching Shelvis carefully as she goes out into the audience. She is subtle, but she is giving signals on how to adjust the song to the intimate moments with each audience. Communicating with the band through dance is something that Elvis was expert at as well. Why is performing as many different male influences as a woman important? Shelvis performs a large range of styles, and being a woman dressed as Elvis, going out into the audience, and strutting her stuff, showcases the multitudes and possibilities in oneself. There is also immense gratitude and amazement from the audience when Muha comes out stripped of the costumes and makeup. By stripping the costume, she also is shattering the expectations that a woman can’t embody these male powerhouses. Why did she stick with it? “The word 'can't' is not in your vocabulary. You have to believe in yourself, because life is hard. Period. And when you give up your dreams and your passion, a part of you dies ... you are going to go through some bumps. You are going to go through some failures. With failures comes wisdom. With wisdom, you become better and better, and that’s how I survived.” Come see Shelvis and the Roustabouts on December 20 at Rockabillies in Arvada and December 21 at Speakeasy in Longmont to experience the glitz and joy.
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Photo by Jen Rosenstein
Margaret
Cho FBI:
Feminist, Bisexual, Iconic
by Denny Patterson OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM
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f you do not know who Margaret Cho is, then you best be ready to get read to filth. An actress, stand-up comedian, author and singersongwriter, Margaret has opened many doors for Asian-American and LGBTQ entertainers. With so much success in her artistic life, she has never turned away from the causes that are important to her: anti-racism, anti-bullying, fighting for the homeless, and championing for LGBTQ rights. Her unwavering dedication has been honored by the National Organization for Women, The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, and PFLAG. Through her hard work, Cho has had the opportunity to be heard, extend her point of view, and become regarded as a true pioneer in her field. Lately, she has been touring the country with her comedy act and stepped back into the world of podcasting this past summer with her brand-new show, The Margaret Cho. Join her for a series of intimate interviews with her celebrity besties. Who knows, these celebs may spill some piping hot tea. OUT FRONT had the pleasure of chatting more with Cho about the podcast, comedy and what we can expect next from our favorite Asian sensation.
Hi, Margaret! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me today! Sure, of course!
I would like to begin by chatting more about your podcast that debuted over the summer, The Margaret Cho. How has it been going, and how much fun has it been to chat and interview your celebrity friends? It’s great! It’s fun; it’s such a nice time, because everybody gets so busy. We love to just hang out and catch up, and I really love podcasting. I started podcasting a very long time ago at the very dawn of
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podcasting in 2012, so it has been nice to get back to it.
Ah, so this isn’t your first time throwing your hat into the podcast ring. No, I have done it before, but the industry around it has changed a lot. So, I think it is really cool.
Awesome. Now, some of your guests include Jonathan Van Ness, Kat Von D and Trixie Mattel. Who should be on the lookout for? There are a lot of different people coming up, and I am also excited about the people that are like people you already know, but these are people that we should know. People like Robin Tran. She is a great female comedian; she’s a trans woman; she’s Asian American, and she’s awesome. So, there are a lot of fun people coming up.
What kind of topics do you cover? What do you talk about that will make listeners care and want to know who these people are? I think it’s everything. I mean, it’s just like, we just go over what is happening in the world. There is so much happening, and there is so much to discuss. You know, we are kind of always on high alert every day about everything. The way that news is and the way that things happen, living is so vitally important every day, so it is always different.
How has the podcast been received by audiences so far? It’s been great! People really love it, and I think what’s so fun is that we are kind of welcoming this kind of, like, journalism podcasting. It’s different, but there’s something very intimate about it, so I really love that, and I think it’s really amazing.
Photo by Albert Sanchez
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Photo by Albert Sanchez
In your opinion, what makes a good podcaster? A good voice, good sound quality, great topics and, awesome guests.
Is there a celebrity you would absolutely love to have on your show sometime? Well, I really love any of the stars from the show Euphoria, which I am kind of, like, obsessed with right now. Everybody on there is amazing, and it’s like this new breed of young stars that are just so amazing and beautiful.
What kind of podcasts so you personally like to listen to? I love a true crime podcast. I do a lot of hiking, and so I am always like semi-looking for a body [laughs]. I really like a morbid, deep dive into the darkness, which I think is what podcasting is really excellent at. This genre of crime and drama. But my podcast, “The Margaret Cho,” is a nice vacation from that. It’s light and a lot of fun. 2 0 \\ N O V E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 9
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Photo by Albert Sanchez
I love listening to true crime podcasts! So, let me ask you this, is there a specific serial killer or case you like to learn the most about? I think all of the killers who are gay, because there is so much complexity, you know, when you are dealing with these stories. So, to me, that is the most fascinating. Like Andrew Cunanan was a very big one, because I was around San Francisco at that time in the 90s, so it was very, like, all of the places that they talked about, like Colossus, which was the club where he met Versace, and you know, all the stuff that was going on. It is very familiar to me. So, definitely the gay stories are the most fascinating, because there is so much complexity.
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That’s awesome. So, in addition to your podcast, you are currently touring the country with your comedy show “Margaret Cho Fresh Off the Boat.” As an entertainer who has done several tours before, how do you manage to keep each performance fresh and exciting? Well, I think it’s just turning very current events into material. It’s always a big challenge, but right now, there is a lot to talk about with the way things are with Trump. It’s so crazy, so there’s a lot to say. I think it’s about finding new things to talk about.
Do you believe some topics should never be joked about? Well, I think if there’s a way to do it without being raunchy, which can be a challenge. You know, you want to be respectful to things and to tragedy, but at the same time, there needs to be some lightness around things, too. So, I think there has got to be a certain amount of skill that goes into talking about it.
If you never pursued an entertainment career, what path do you think life would have taken you? I don’t know. I think I would maybe work with animals, like as a veterinarian or something, but I don’t think I would have been very good as medical school [laughs]. But, I do love animals. I could be a dog walker; that would be a good one.
What is one thing you hope audiences take away or benefit from your shows? I hope that they laugh and have a good time. And that, to me, is the ultimate benefit.
And speaking of Trump, you are known to hit on some controversial topics. Do you think more comedians should do the same, or has society become so PC that entertainers are too afraid to talk about taboo subjects? No, I think people are really attacking the establishment with a lot more force because it’s got to be done. You know, it’s like political correctness is sort of like the only thing we have. It’s insane what’s happening right now, so I think comedians are becoming more and more bold in commenting.
Do you have any upcoming projects we should be on the lookout for? I’m doing a lot of acting stuff which I can’t exactly talk about yet, but it will become more clear soon, but I have just been working a lot on doing that and traveling a lot, which is really great.
What would you like to say to your Denver fans, and will you be in the area anytime soon? I hope I can come soon! I love Denver, and I’m usually out there every year at least, so hopefully I will see you soon! OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM
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Debbie Scheer:: Pride, Comedy, and Badassery
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By Judy Wolf Photo by Josh Gold Photography
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aybe you recognize Debbie Scheer from PrideFest on the Center Stage, performing comedy, or maybe as the MC or auctioneer from a local fundraiser. Fierce, fabulous and 51, Scheer has always inspired me as a woman/mom/ comedian and all the things that she is. Making a life for herself on stage while raising two boys is no small feat. When life throws you hatchets ... well … (first you just get out of their way) then you plow through and make your own damn path. Nobody exudes this more than Scheer. She slid into her chair at the coffee shop after dropping off her kids at school, and we generally talked about life and how what you plan isn’t always what happens. Who did she look up to as a kid? “My mom is one of my heroes. She was the fiercest of mama bears and led by example that family comes first. My family and my extreme love of ALL things Costco comes from my mom. My mom died in 2016, and that loss has been overwhelmingly devastating for our family.” Scheer also admired her grandmother for starting over after losing a husband. Women doing what needs to be done is a running theme in her life. Talking about midlife and how f*cking awesome it is, Scheer had this to say: “I think when we say we give zero f*cks what we should really be saying is, I am being very selective with the f*cks I give. I think giving MORE f*cks is exactly what we need.. We NEED TO CARE. I have a beautiful confidence NOW in who I am and a comfort coming into this being with my age ... I a care about what is important and meaningful, and I try to not allow the meaningless shit to grab my attention.” OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM
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How does one focus when the plan goes haywire? It’s all about riding the wave. “I used to have a choke hold on my goals and I think with age, I have learned to soften the grip. I learned I needed to have more fluidity about how I get there, wherever the ‘there’ is. My x-wife and I wanted to be parents. That was our goal. I tried several times to get pregnant, and that was unsuccessful, so we had to shift our thinking as it related to the journey of becoming parents. I had to broaden the vision of what that looks like.” Her heartfelt and piercing answer came when I asked her what she wanted for her boys. “For them to be productive and happy humans who are healthy and safe in this world. I am a white mom parenting two black boys, and it’s a scary time. My black boys are not safe; there, I said it. They are unsafe because of white people; there, I said it again. We, meaning we white, liberal people, need to do better. We need to show up and own our sh*t, own the harm we have caused and continue to cause, and change how we show up. This is a huge conversation and one that we don’t have time to do it justice. I don’t want to be terrified for their (children's) safety.” Scheer started out in comedy six years ago by throwing herself into it. However, a setback came when her wife, after being with Scheer for almost 11 years, announced that she wanted a divorce. “I had left a great career working for a wonderful reproductive rights non profit and was a stay-at-home mom and was literally terrified. I decided I needed to do something scarier than what I was going through to take my mind off of the sh*t show I was living.” She had always loved Carol Burnett and all of the power house women from the early days of SNL so she decided to try stand-up. Scheer went to Blush & Blu and spoke to Penny From Heaven. “I will always be grateful to Penny, because she was so warm and open and totally supportive of me trying stand-up. I was given a five-minute spot, which is an eternity when it’s your first time doing stand-up. I remember walking onto the stage and thinking, 'OK, this is where I’m going to die. Right here on this stage.’ I survived, and that experience gave me the feeling of ‘I can survive anything now.” Scheer later developed a show called Sexcom The Show with Dr. Shanna Katz M.Ed, ACS a board-certified sexologist and sexuality educator. MIxing comedy and education was what Scheer's foundation truly is. “My time as a sexuality educator and my love of 2 6 \\ N O V E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 9
comedy gave me the idea to create a show geared for adults that focused on using comedy as a way to talk about sexuality," Katz explained. Scheer believes that “...Humor can fill that space that's disconnecting us. Laughter is what opens us and gives us room to engage with each other on a more compassionate level. And that engagement is what ultimately leads to positive change.” She also co-produces and co-hosts another show with Taryn Atlas called Broadsided Interactive. This show is full of improv, sketch, and stand-up, and, yes, education, and has been running for four years. From the comedy world Debbie Scheer got into the MC business. “I was very lucky. People would see me perform comedy, and they started to ask me if I could MC events or come use humor to talk about the things that they didn’t want to talk about. I started to talk about transracial adoption, sexuality, parenting, the GLBTQ community, and everything in between.” In 2016, Scheer became a licensed auctioneer. It is in this mode that she is able to connect the people to the cause. “I love being able to give back to the nonprofit community by helping them raise money so that they can continue to have a positive impact.” Other organizations Scheer partners with are: Boulder Valley Women's Health Center, Matthew Shepard Foundation, NARAL, The LGBTQ Center, Maria Droste Counseling Center, Heritage Camps for Adoptive Families, Safe House Denver, No Kid Hungry, and the Athena Project. Any advice for aspiring performers? “Well, as much advice as a 51-year-old liberal, jewish, queer, lesbian raising two young black males can give: Yes, please take that risk. The thing that you are unsure if you can do, but that you know in your heart that you need to try it ... do that. Find your voice, and figure out the best way to share it with the world.”
CATCH HER ON DECEMBER 17 WITH BROADSIDED INTERACTIVE AT THE CLOCKTOWER CABARET.
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FABULOUSLY TRANS:
, Bil in g s
By Denny Patterson Photo provided by Alexandra Billings
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lexandra Billings is the kind of person who can instantly light up a room with her charm and quirky humor. Not only is she an actress, singer and educator, she is an AIDS and LGBTQ activist who argues for the equality of the LGBTQ community and urges others to use their voice to create change within the community. Openly transgender, Billings is one of the first actresses to play several transgender characters on television. However, her most notable role is that of Davina in the Amazon hit series Transparent, which recently wrapped up with a musical film after going on hiatus due to controversy surrounding the show’s leading star, Jeffrey Tambor. As Billings continues to break down barriers, she was also recently cast to play Madame Morrible in Broadway’s Wicked, and was the first transgender person to star in the show. OUT FRONT had the pleasure of chatting more with Billings.
Hi, Alexandra! Thank you so much for chatting with me today. I would like to start off by talking more about the Transparent film that was released a couple weeks ago, Musicale Finale. How has it been received by audiences so far?
What are your personal thoughts about the film? Are you satisfied with how the show wrapped up? Oh, yeah, I don’t think we could have ended it any other way. Jill Soloway is what I call a raving genius. Their ability to dream and imagine is truly unparalleled. When we took a year off from the show, people thought we just sort of disappeared, and because none of us knew what to do, we were all in pain and angry, upset, confused. Truly, no one knew what to do. I didn’t know this until Jill brought it up in an interview, but if you look back, there’s music in every episode. So, strangely, it’s been turning into this, like, night of the living musical sort of thing. We died and came back to life. I think musicalizing it not only made it kinder, but it also made it more universal, because it’s a language everybody speaks.
I haven’t been to a lot of the screenings, but the couple I have been to, they seem to really like it. They seem to cheer a lot, which is strange. I have never been in a movie before where in the middle of it, people go 'Woohoo!' You know what I mean? It’s like something on fire, but it’s great.
I agree. Now, the reason why the show went on hiatus was because of the controversy surrounding Jeffrey Tambor. Would you mind sharing some of your thoughts on the matter?
And the soundtrack to the film was released at the same time. Can you tell us more about your song?
Well, this was obviously a difficult time. What did you think about the situation when it first came to light? Jeffrey Tambor seems to be this incredibly woke person, but then two sexual harassment allegations were made against him.
My song “Goddamn House” is sort of a bridge. What Faith wanted was a musicalized bridge as to what happened to Maura’s house and how it no longer belongs to the kids and belongs to Davina, and there was a seed in there, but it got a little too muddy. So, Faith, because she is so brilliant, made it this sort of weird vaudevillian sort of feel. So, it’s this sort of happy, wacky music underlying this terrible news that the children no longer own their house. Surprise! 2 8 \\ N O V E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 9
Oh, sure. What do you want to know?
Isn’t it funny, what you said? Because that’s what everyone thought. But you have to remember, I’m trying not to get super political, but you have to remember that there are white, heteronormative, cisgender men who come from a very specific time of life where they were taught behaviors that were the norm.
I always equate it like this, and I am getting to a point. I began my transition in 1980, which began a long time ago, but in LGBTQ years, it was the Stone Age. I was raised in California, where the weather is always hot, and boys would run around with very little clothes on. Just your shorts, flip-flops, and maybe a shirt that’s tucked in the back of their shorts. When I began my transition, I noticed that as my body began to feminize, I had to put on more clothes. Also, suddenly, for absolutely no reason, I couldn’t open my own door, carry my own packages, buy my own cigarettes, people pulled out chairs for me—I began to feel helpless. My power in this country, and I know this sounds trivial, but when you think about what behavior means in our country right now, especially the way the administration is acting, you think about how important behavior is. These tiny things matter. So, now, here you have this man of a certain age who comes in this television show and has enormous success and is praised critically, spiritually, emotionally. It was incredible, and it happened very quickly. Jeffrey Tambor had been working for decades as a very successful actor, but he has never had this kind of success before. Now, I don’t know how he was on other sets, but I can tell you that on this set, and I worked the most with him, he was kind, considerate, and funny. I mean, drop dead to your knees, pee on yourself, funny. He was delightful, intelligent, well-read, learned, and one hell of an actor. Truly. And then, you could walk to get a sandwich, and by the time you came back, he could be vicious, vindictive, maniacal, rude, impertinent, and physical. And it could happen within the blink of an eye. I make this very clear anytime people ask me this. I know, as sure as I’m standing here talking to you, that Trace Lysette and Van Barnes are telling and told the absolute truth. Every word of it. And Jeffrey Tambor is lying. I know that, and I don’t say that out of vindictiveness. It’s been two years now; I have no anger. I’ve worked through all that stress. I’m holding onto nothing. I am clearly saying that this man behaved badly. He is the culmination of behavior he was taught because of the generation in which he was raised. And look, whether or not he was woke, I have absolutely no idea. The only person that knows that is Jeffrey Tambor.
Were other cast and crew members just as shocked? I can’t speak for anybody else, but I can tell you, just from the outside looking in, it was like someone had dropped a bomb in the middle of a peaceful, loving, kind, compassionate commune.
Well, clearly you all moved forward, which resulted in giving us a fabulous film to wrap up the story. Did you ever think Transparent would become such a sensation? Oh my God, no, are you kidding? Please. Faith got ahold of me through the Facebook when she and Jill’s parent was transitioning asking what the heck the family should do. We talked for, like, six months. Just about how to take care of each other. Then, about six months later, Faith says she’s thinking about making a TV show out of this. I’m like, what? Because remember, nothing like this has ever been done. They asked if I wanted to be in it, and I’m like, sure! Then Faith goes, it’s going to be on Amazon. Now, this was like seven to eight years ago,
so I’m thinking the place that sells books. This kind of sounds terrible, but that’s kind of how we all went into it. Like, OK, nobody’s going to see it. So, we’re going to do everything we feel in our gut. We’re going to shake things up and say what we want to say about family, transness, Jewishness, sex, and we’re just going to face them. It was like the lunatics were running the asylum. And that first year, it really is the damnedest thing, we got nominated for a Golden Globe Award, and won! If you search on Google and look at our faces, every single one of us look like we just got out of a clown car. It was such a shock.
What have you taken away the most by being a part of Transparent? That is it important for me to be of service to those who cannot or are unable to find their voice. That for me, for the rest of my life, is my job.
Awesome. Moving on to an upcoming project, you were just recently cast as Madame Morrible in Broadway’s Wicked. Have you always wanted to be involved with production? When I was a child, I could recite every single word of The Wizard of Oz at any time. It’s superhuman and incredibly pathetic, but it has always been one of my favorite films. In my dreams, I would go to sleep and listen to The Wizard of Oz. I would climb inside the Emerald City; I would be inside Munchkinland; I would hold hands with Dorothy—it infiltrated my psyche, and I believe my spirit as well. When this opportunity came along, I had no words. I was diagnosed with HIV in the 90s, so I should have been dead 10 times over. This should not be true. I should not be here. So, the fact of it is truly extraordinary. My gratefulness is off the charts.
And what does it mean to be the first trans woman to be in this production? That’s a beautiful question, thank you for asking that. I think it’s incredibly important. Whoever comes to see the show, they have to have a conversation about something on the way home. Whether it’s how wonderful it is or asking questions, whatever it’s about, a conversation about Madame Morrible comes up, and that really is the gift of the show. So, all the young, trans people who believe they are crazy, they can now without having to say a word just point and gesture at me and turn to their family or friends and say, 'That's me.' This opens an enormous portal for the trans community.
What other upcoming projects should we be on the lookout for? What’s next? I’m going to Burger King. I’m exhausted [laughs]. Let’s see, there’s so many things! I’m teaching right now; I am a theatre performance professor at USC. I have been teaching for about four decades. Acting and teaching are my two biggest passions. It’s part of the air I breathe. I also have a couple of speaking engagements; I just finished up a film, and I just wrapped up the first season of Diary of a Female President for Disney+. I don’t have much time before Wicked rehearsals start in January. OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM
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Love Smacked Me in the Face. Hard. By Cade
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S
o we all know the phrase “falling in love," but no, I did not simply fall. After much denial, I was smacked with my emotions in realizing how I felt. I moved to Virginia when I was in 8th grade and was introduced to a girl who later became one of my best friends by a counselor We spent the day together, and she showed me around, but in the last period of the day, we sat next to each other, and I noticed she was drawing a character that I didn’t recognize. I assumed it was an original character. Now, I am an artist and love character drawings and story writing very much. Being the nerd I am, I asked her what she was drawing. She told me about her original character and how she needed a name for them and more of the story. I busted out with ideas for the character and backstory. She ended up loving the ideas and suggestions, and we talked much more. Not long after, we started writing together, meeting up every day in the library, and when we had last period every day, we’d sit on the floor next to each other and talk or listen to music. Sometimes, we’d even do drawings together and combine our art styles. One of my favorite times was when we’d sit next to each other on the floor, sharing earbuds while we would lean our heads on each other while staying quiet, enjoying the music and being close to each other. This girl was so different from me, but in a good way. She was quirky, kind, eccentric, tenacious, creative, and a total nerd! I absolutely loved it. Near the end of the school year there was a big art project we ended up doing together, and she came over one night so we could go and paint in the basement. She saw how I acted around my parents, forcing myself to smile and act happy. She knew that wasn’t the real me, because I told her everything about my mental state, and she confided in me as well. When we got down to the basement, she immediately started acting goofy with me, cracking jokes and pulling up videos to make me smile. I’ll admit, it really worked, and I felt genuinely okay for the first time in a long time. We painted, sketched, listened to music and watched stupid YouTube videos for an entire night. I think it was around five in the morning when I was laying on the couch, the lights were off, and she was laying on the other couch. We were watching an animation, and I looked over at her. I had been denying it up until then, but after a few months, I had truly fallen in love with this girl. For me, realizing that I truly wasn’t straight was a frightening yet absolutely liberating moment. I
felt collectively more free than before, knowing that I was finally figuring myself out. Later, high school rolled around, and we were still as close as ever, and I was head-over-heels by then and had fully accepted that I was in love. She started dating another girl, and I was heartbroken, but still loved her dearly. I supported her, and there was homecoming, fun lunches together, and many memories I could share. By the middle of the year, I was told we were going to be moving out-of-state, and my heart was crushed. I told my friends the next day, and they all flipped out, telling me to move in with them. In a way, I wish I did. The school year carried on, finals ended, and I went over to my best friend’s house to see her one last time. We sat on the couch in the small apartment behind her house and watched Star Wars, ate snacks and talked about characters and story ideas. Eventually, we were cuddling on the couch, and I was so content. When it came time to go, I cried, and she cried after I left. But, on the porch before I left, I blurted out, “I love you!” She teared up a little and said “I love you, too,” and hugged me, but by the way she said it, I knew she didn’t mean it the same way I did. I would never change that moment though, and I wish I could go back to it. That night we began the long drive to the state I live in now, and months passed. The trees changed color, the sun rose and fell countless times, and the world continued on. I was visiting my family in Ohio when I had finally gotten the courage to tell her that I loved her. However, I did wait until she was single and out of her relationship. I texted her how I felt due to not being able to tell her in person, because I couldn’t be there. I waited and waited for a reply, partially feeling stupid for telling this amazing girl how I felt out of the blue and not waiting for a “perfect” moment. When I got the reply back, I remember I was so startled I threw my phone. After I picked it up and looked at it, I knew we’d be friends forever, just not lovers. She told me she wasn’t interested in a relationship, but mentioned all the good things she loved about being my friend. We talked completely normally after that, even discussing my feelings for her like it was a normal topic. To this day, she’s still one of my best friends, and I wouldn’t change that for anything. We’ve been through so much together, and I know I would be a completely different person without her in my life. My word of advice is that if you love someone, tell them, because if they stay, you know that they truly value your friendship. OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM
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HEINZESIGHT The Faith Killer By Brent Heinze
I
have recently had the opportunity to spend some time with a very sweet, caring man who has been living a heterosexual life for as long as he’s been alive until very recently. He has always known there was a sexual attraction to men, but never felt comfortable pursuing it. He has been a supportive husband, a caring and nurturing father, and has provided helpful encouragement for countless members of his church. He has a successful career, grandchildren, and tons of community friends. Unfortunately, he also lives in environment were his sexuality needs to be hidden away for many reasons and he has chosen to sacrifice a core part of who he is to live his life safely. Now he is being faced with an uncomfortable and terrifying future of either being true to himself and potentially destroying the life he has worked so hard to create or attempting at to cram his desires back into a closet, even though it would hurt him emotionally and could potentially destroy him. This description may seem melodramatic to some, but these struggles happen more frequently than we want to believe. The outcomes of these types of internal conflicts can have dire consequences. Not only can feelings of isolation, depression, self-loathing, anxiety, and hopelessness develop, but people may become so overwhelmed that suicide might even seem like a good option. For my new friend, one of his most significant sources of negativity at this point in his life started out being the most 3 2 \\ N O V E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 9
positive. As with most of us, he grew up in a church that discussed the importance of family values, love, and acceptance. Religion also taught very strong perspectives on what activities were acceptable and which were considered dangerous or disdainful. Although the concept of “unconditional love” is presented to us, there are so many times and situationsthat make us feel like conditions need to be met in order for us to be accepted and loved. When these expectations are not met, judgment and rejection can happen quickly. Those who we may have felt were our support network can easily choose to turn their backs on us, leaving us feeling punished and alone. This feeds into our fears that we will be abandoned if we rock the boat too much by expressing ourselves in ways that go against a set of pre-determined expectations. It is totally understandable to see how people can be terrified of change, especially if they feel that they are risking the loss of relationships, support, love, status, family, and their life as they currently know it. It is not as easy as just being true to yourself. It’s much more complicated. Although it may be easier to identify what we want, the ramifications of pursuing these desires may be disturbing to the point where these yearnings are locked away or hidden from most of the world. This struggle is a convoluted combination of fear of rejection, loss of stability, devastation of our current lives, and the terror of an uncertain future. The negative outcomes can appear to
be significantly more horrific than most of the positive results. This leads people into feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and desperation. For many of us, we grow up with some form of religion or spirituality that may have had some negative impacts on our acceptance of ourselves. There can also be other people, organizations, and influences that can have equally negative impacts on our lives. Any of these situations that hurt us emotionally can also be directly to blame for the devastation they cause in the lives of good people who don’t deserve to be hurt.
Colorado Health Network Clinical Services Sex-Positive Healthcare focused on You!
There is significantly less tolerance in our culture for bullying, but for some reason it is not considered as abusive if this messaging comes in the form of morality. There are many hurtful outcomes that have been caused by vicious ideas which are hidden within supposedly loving and supportive comments. These are directly to blame for numerous concerning circumstances including those resulting death by suicide from people who simply want to feel good about living their lives honestly.
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These types of situations and people who intentionally or unintentionally cause pain in other people’s lives need to consider their messaging and how it can potentially affect others. Building faith and trust should be about empowering people, not making them feel terrible about themselves and forcing them to make decisions between being true to themselves and risking alienation. Putting unreasonable expectations on others should be considered equally unreasonable.
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It is time to hold those people and organizations accountable for causing this type of devastation in others' lives. As much as we want to feel that we are living in a society that is so much more accepting of personal differences such as the variety of expressions of sexuality and gender, we also need to be aware that there are many people who continue to be surrounded by negativity. I hope my new friend finds the encouragement, wisdom, courage, and faith to face his future with confidence and hopefulness. He is a beautiful man whose only crimes are not being surrounded by those people who accept him for who he truly is and growing up feeling that his internal drives were wrong and needed to be hidden or eradicated. In our lives, we should strive to find connection, affection, understanding, and passion. Be careful of surrounding yourself with judgement, conditional love, or cruelty. Stop letting others make you feel badly about yourself. We are all amazing in our own ways and need to strive during this lifetime to be the best people we can be, regardless of how it may look to some. Being true to yourself is the most important gift you can give to yourself.
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Photographer: Alexander Clary, Alex Clary Photography Model: StarChild Make-Up: Aaryn McPhetres, Matchstick Make-Up Artistry
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Down the Rabit Hole Friday October 25, featuring international DJ/producer Alain Jackinsky This Halloween, Triangle transformed into two stories fighting for dominance as the main level of the Triangle was reimagined into Alice’s ultraviolet enchanted Garden, the patio was transformed into the mad hatter’s tea party, and the world of the Wizard of Oz was dropped on the lower level. Denvers’s best queens became Alice, the Chesire Cat, and the Mad Hatter as some of the nations' hottest DJs took them on a mad, musical journey and guest dancers from around the country shook it all night.
Tracks' Hallowoof Funhouse Saturday October 26 The Saturday before the big day, Tracks lit it up with a $500 cash costume contest, special international guest DJ Isaac Escalante in EXDO Event Center, and RAM Takeover featuring special international guest DJ/producer Moussa.
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Pride as a Tool for Mental Wellness
our mental health.
As a therapist who works primarily with queer people, I see day-in and day-out the effects of systemic oppression and bigotry on resilience. We are exhausted by society’s need for us to justify our humanity by constant misnaming, miss-pronouning, and misgendering, in addition to violence, hatred, and fear. The idea that Pride is a place where most of us feel accepted and no longer the outlier is not a novel one. But, I’m thoughtful of how we rarely validate how essential these moments are to
In my own story, I have found that being surrounded by heteronormativity and misogyny drains me. I often feel like I have this battery pack of energy that I can use to manage those moments, and throughout the year, people continuously take from it. What is essential is identifying the ways we can recharge. Is it volunteering at Rainbow Alley to give back to queer youth? Is it coffee with people in our community who we love and trust? Is it joining queer athletic leagues or
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social clubs? Or is it taking time out of your year to attend large gatherings of like-minded folks such as Pride? This kind of recharge is what provides us with resilience to better cope with anxiety, depression, and other forms of mental illness. So, my question to you is, where are your recharging stations? Do you know? Are you aware of how and when your battery is being drained? If not, let’s find out. Justin R. Lewis, M.A, LPCC – The Denver Element
OUTLAWS LACROSSE ROAD TO CHAMPIONSHIP
The Colorado Outlaws of Major League Lacrosse advanced to their fourth consecutive championship game on Friday, October 4. After defeating the Boston Cannons at University of Denver's Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium 17-15, the Outlaws lost the title to the Chesapeake Bayhawks the following day.
Photos by Veronica L. Holyfield
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2019 What a night to celebrate the winners of the 2019 Power Gala! This was an evening to remember with help from Phantom Circus' acrobats, and big red top opened at Hilton's Double Tree Hotel on Saturday, October 12.
Photos by Veronica L. Holyfield
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Zombie Prom Gets Queer
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Photos by Veronica L. Holyfield Denver’s Union Station got a love-struck makeover to a deadly degree on Friday, October 25 at the Zombie Prom. The 80s were alive and thriving as the dead arose at the iconic transit destination in the heart of downtown.
OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM
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BAR TAB | THE HOTTEST COLORADO NIGHTLIFE
BLUSH & BLU
1526 E. Colfax Ave. Denver (303) 484-8548 blushbludenver.com
BOYZTOWN
117 Broadway St. Denver (303) 722-7373 boyztowndenver.com
CHARLIE'S® NIGHTCLUB
3430 N. Academy Blvd. Colo. Springs (719) 570-1429 clubqonline.com
CLOCKTOWER CABARET
16th St. Mall @ Arapahoe, Denver (303) 293-0075 clocktowercabaret.com
DADDY’S BAR & GRILL
1120 E. 6th Ave. Denver (303) 993-6365 daddysdenver.com
DENVER SWEET
O
W
N• T JOI N
BENNYSMEXICAN.COM
TRACKS
3500 Walnut St. Denver (303) 863-7326 tracksdenver.com
THE TRIANGLE BAR
www.StoneysUptown.com
2036 N. Broadway St. , Denver (303) 658-0913 triangledenver.com
STONEY'S UPTOWN JOINT
BL
W
16 T
ST .M
AL
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COLFAX AVE.
17TH AVE. PRIDE & SWAGGER
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O AH AP
AV E
.W
ES
ES
31ST AVE.
T
HAMBURGER MARY’S
XBAR
11TH AVE.
1ST AVE. LI’L DEVILS
OGDEN ST.
COMPOUND BOYZTOWN
CLARKSON ST.
GLADYS TRADE
DADDY’S BAR & GRILL
R+R DENVER
CHARLIE’S BLUSH & BLU
#VYBE BENNY’S 8TH AVE. DENVER 6TH AVE. SWEET
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T.
STONEY'S
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1027 N. Broadway St. Denver (720) 608-8923 303Vybe.com
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K
TRIANGLE
BROADWAY
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COLORADO BLVD.
CLOCKTOWER
PA R
PENNSYLVANIA
X BAR
629 E. Colfax Ave. Denver (303) 832-2687 xbardenver.com
AL
. ST
AR
TRADE
475 Santa Fe Dr. Denver (720) 627-5905 THU: Skivvy Stripdown SAT: Beer Bust 3 - 7 p.m. SUN: Beer Bust 3 - 7 p.m.
E AK
YORK ST.
1035 E. 17th Ave. Denver (720) 485-5503 Stoneysuptown.com WED: All You Can Eat Wings & Team Trivia THU: $1 Tacos & Tequila Specials FRI: Feud Trivia @8pm SAT/SUN – Brunch, Bottomless Mimosas ’til 2 p.m. HAPPY HOURS: M-F 4-7 p.m.
MILLERS & ROSSI
TRACKS1 Uptown_Ad.indd
BROADWAY
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.
HAMBURGER MARY’S
1336 E. 17th Ave. Denver (303) 993-5812 hamburgermarys.com/denver
4958 E. Colfax Ave. Denver (303) 320-9337
HAPPY HOURS: M-F 4-6PM S&S - 9AM TO 2PM
VD BL
500 Santa Fe Dr. Denver (303) 893-6112
R&R LOUNGE
301 E 7TH AVE, DENVER
R
GLADYS: THE NOSY NEIGHBOR
450 E.17th Ave. #110 Denver (720) 476-6360
EE
4501 E. Virginia Ave. Glendale (303) 388-8889 Facebook - Elpotrero.180
CANTINA
PRIDE & SWAGGER
SANTA FE DR. KALAMATH ST.
EL POTRERO
RESTAURANT
SP
776 N. Lincoln St. Denver (720) 598-5648 www.denversweet.com M-F: Happy Hour 2–7 pm SAT: Happy Hour 1–7 pm SUN: Bears on the Roof Bearbust 4-8pm Music Videos Daily | DJs Fri/Sat/Sun
MILLERS & ROSSI
Contemporary Art Speakeasy 3542 Walnut St, Denver 720-257-5342 Mention OUT FRONT for $2 off all specialty cocktails
P
CLUB Q
LIPSTICK DISCOTHEQUE
5660 W. Colfax Ave. Denver (720) 669-3470
U
900 E. Colfax Ave. Denver (303) 839-8890 charliesdenver.com MON - SAT: Happy Hour 11 a.m.-7 p.m. FRI: Neon Fridays SUN: $7 Beer Bust 4-8 p.m.
LIL’ DEVILS
255 S. Broadway St. Denver (303) 733-1156 lildevilslounge.com
DOWNING ST.
BENNY’S
301 E. 7th Ave. Denver (303) 894-0788 bennysmexican.com Happy Hours: MON-FRI: 4-6 p.m. SAT-SUN: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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