OFM BREAKING

PRESIDENTIAL REPORT: BIDEN'S WIN AND A TUMULTUOUS TRANSITION TO POWER

by Ray Manzari

On November 7, four days after the election, the Associated Press declared former Vice President Joe Biden the winner of the 2020 election and the 46th president of the United States. People around the country, including hundreds in the deeply blue city of Denver, poured into the streets to celebrate the victory. However, months later, the incumbent Trump administration, as well as select republicans, continue to fight election results.

The counting of ballots lasted a nail-biting four days, with some states being barred from opening mail-in ballots until election day. A recordbreaking 66.8 percent of the 239.2 million eligible American voters turned out for an incredibly close race, making this the highest voter turnout since 1900. Key battleground states such as Arizona (D), Florida (R), Georgia (D), and Michigan (D) were hard-won by small margins. Voters and analysts kept a close eye on Nevada and Pennsylvania, both of which Biden took with just over 50 percent of the vote, coming mostly from the metropolitan areas of Philadelphia and Las Vegas. Biden took Colorado with just over 400,000 votes, with counties like Denver and Pueblo remaining blue despite the surrounding sea of red.

The election results depict a country deeply divided, an issue Presidentelect Biden addressed in a speech given after his election was called.

“Today, once again, we are a house divided, but that, my friend, can no longer be. We are facing too many crises. We have too much work to do. We have too bright a future to leave it shipwrecked on the shoals of anger and hate and division.”

In the weeks and months that followed, President Trump continued his legal battle against the results while refusing to concede. While there is no legal obligation for an incumbent president to formally concede, the tension between the two parties began to cast doubts on whether we’d see the same smooth transition to power we’ve become accustomed to.

The people in charge of that transition to power make up Biden’s appropriately named Transition Team, whose diversity made headlines with LGBTQ members such as Shawn Skelly, Chai Feldblum, Pamela Karlan, and Dave Noble. In addition to his transition team, Biden has begun assembling the members of his cabinet. The following is a list of those he has named thus far:

Biden has also named some of his cabinet-level staff members such as Ron Klain, who will be acting White House chief of staff, or John

Vice President Kamala Harris

Secretary of State Antony Blinken Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsak Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona

Kerry, who has been named U.S. special presidential envoy for climate. President-elect Biden will continue to name mebers throughout the end of the year.

Meanwhile, the incumbent President Trump has continued to fight election results through every exhaustible legal method. Yet on Friday, December 11, the Supreme Court ruled against a bid from the Texas attorney general to block the ballots of millions of voters in battleground states that went in favor of President-elect Joe Biden.

The court's order, issued with no public dissents to dismiss the challenge, is the strongest indication yet that Trump has no chance of overturning election results in court, and that even the justices whom he placed there have no interest in allowing his desperate, legal bids to continue. Would like you to join us!

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PRIDEFEST CHANGES DATES

by Ray Manzari

THE OFM PODCAST

by Ray Manzari

We’re looking to 2021 as a not only a new year, but a new chance to excel at bringing you the latest news within the LGBTQ community. One of the ways we plan on doing this is with the relaunch of our podcast, formally called The OUT ‘Cast. With a new name, and COVID-safe recording practices, we’re excited to bring The OFM Podcast to new heights.

Our main mission for this podcast is to amplify queer voices within our community. Each episode, we invite a guest to tell their story, talk about their art, and have their voice heard by a larger audience. First and foremost, we want to give the opportunity to be heard to those who often don’t have it. We continuously look for new ways of reaching a wider audience, and the ever-growing medium of podcasting was a perfect fit. This free, widely available media source has the potential to reach listeners not just in the Denver metro area, but around the world. Each episode of The OFM Podcast can be found on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite pod catcher.

If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on one of our upcoming episodes, or would like to become a sponsor, please email us at outfrontpodcast@gmail.com.

Denver PrideFest is shifting to the fourth weekend of June in 2021—a move that will help PrideFest avoid conflicting with other large, cultural celebrations, including Denver’s Juneteenth Music Festival. The 2021 Denver PrideFest will now take place June 26 through 27, 2021.

Officials at The Center are working with Juneteenth organizers to help expand the annual celebration, which commemorates the official end of slavery in the United States in 1865. Eventually, the two organizations would like to have a presence at the other’s event, to broaden their appeal and potential audience.

While this year’s PrideFest celebration was held virtually, The Center’s goal is to host an in-person event in 2021. The Center will continue to monitor coronavirus-related restrictions and encourage the public to do its part to stop the pandemic’s spread. Read the full story at outfrontmagazine.com.

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NEW YEAR, SAME YOU – AND THAT’S OK

by Zachari Breeding, MS, RDN, CSO, LDN, FAND

We have heard it before, “New Year, new you!” Even as a nutrition professional, I have been guilty of saying that in the past. It has always been thought that with a new year, we are given a fresh opportunity to make any changes we want to see in our lives. That’s fine and dandy in theory, but no one has to make any changes if they don’t need or want to. And that’s important … especially when it comes to the idea that we need to lose weight at the beginning of every year.

The unnecessary pressure that we place on ourselves to make “changes” every new year can actually cause undue stress on our minds and our bodies. This stress means we usually don’t stick to the changes we are so adamant about implementing on January 1 for very long. Fluctuating our body weight significantly—that is, losing weight and then gaining it back time and time again, is actually worse for our bodies than maintaining a little extra weight all of the time. We also shame ourselves for not sticking to the unrealistic regimen we set for ourselves, which can lead to depression and demotivation.

Getting back to your normal eating patterns after the holiday season (of eating) is likely a more attainable goal than changing your entire diet drastically overnight. Regardless of your body weight, choosing more nutrient-dense foods (such as fruits and vegetables) and exercising regularly in your own way is always a goal worth reaching for, in your own time. With nutrition, one thing is definitely tried and true—slow and steady results in longer and more significant outcomes than hurrying to get to the finish line.

With the year that 2020 brought us, many of us have experienced unimaginable levels of stress and depression. It’s important to recognize how those feelings can impact our lifestyle choices and not place blame on ourselves for coping any way we choose to. Forgiveness is key—so that when you are ready, you can move on to accomplishing whatever lifestyle goals you may have. Knowing things

are unlikely to radically change until well into 2021, keep this in mind as our society and the media tell us differently. The new year will bring large, advertising campaigns for gyms and diet programs; these have historically been a source of self-sabotage and shame for most people. Don’t fall victim to these ploys. Remember that the most important aspect of beauty and health is mental and emotional wellness. Without those core foundations, the changes we want to make for ourselves will never come to fruition.

Adopting a different lifestyle than we’re used to is already a lot of work. There is no need to put extra pressure on ourselves to accomplish our goals just because the year changed. The only construct you need to live by is one of your own rules, where you reach your personal goals slowly over time and limit the expectations set on yourself by media and society. Pick one or two things you want to reach, and set a realistic time span. Set small goals to get there. Each small goal reached will feel like a success, which will motivate you to keep going. Whether your goal is to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables every day or simply go for a walk after dinner several nights per week, your goal is yours to own. Remember that as we venture into 2021—you don’t need to become a new you to be happy or successful. You are beautiful and fabulous just the way you are!