Thursday, November 30, 2023 Vol. 133 No. 15 by The Rocky Mountain Collegian

THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN Thursday, November 30, 2023

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY NATHAN CARMODY AND GARRETT MOGEL

QUEER SPECIAL EDITION

Vol. 133, No. 15

COLLEGIAN.COM

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Collegian.com

FORT COLLINS FOCUS

TOP STORIES NEWS: LGBTQIA+ Rep. Stephanie Vigil nears end of 1st year in office

THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN

PAGE 3

L&C: Remembering Matthew Shepard 25 years after his murder PAGE 8

SPORTS: Kennedy McDowell carves path for LGBTQIA+ athletes in stalwart fashion PAGE 14

SCIENCE: Science without limits: Highlighting LGBTQIA+ voices in STEM PAGE 22

OPINION: There are no limits to how you label yourself PAGE 25

A&E: Local drag performers navigate stereotypes PAGE 28

PHOTO: Drag at the R Bar

PAGES 18-19

FOCO EVENTS Opening of Fire and Light: Winter Solstice Traditions presented by the Global Village Museum of Arts and Cultures 5-8 p.m. Dec. 1

University Symphony Orchestra concert: Symphonic Stories

7:30 p.m. Dec. 1

Fort Collins Holiday Gift Festival 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 3

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Visitors observe Terry Maker’s “Thirst (Round)” in the Museum of Art Fort Collins Nov. 22. Maker created the piece using resin from drinking straws. PHOTO BY SAMANTHA NORDSTROM THE COLLEGIAN

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This publication is not an official publication of Colorado State University, but is published by an independent corporation using the name ‘The Rocky Mountain Collegian’ pursuant to a license granted by CSU. Approximately 59% of Rocky Mountain Student Media Corp’s income is provided by the Associated Students of Colorado State University (ASCSU) for the purpose of fostering student careers post-college and greater campus awareness and engagement. The Rocky Mountain Collegian is a 4,000-circulation student-run newspaper intended as a public forum and is printed on paper made of 30% post-consumer waste. It publishes every Thursday during the regular fall and spring semesters. The Collegian publishes online Monday through Thursday. Corrections may be submitted to the editor in chief and will be printed as necessary on page two. The Collegian is a complimentary publication for the Fort Collins community. The first copy is free. Additional copies are 25 cents each.

CORRECTIONS

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EDITORIAL STAFF Allie Seibel | Editor in Chief editor@collegian.com Ivy Secrest | Content Managing Editor managingeditor@collegian.com Parisa Farhadi | Digital & Social Managing Editor managingeditor@collegian.com Lauren Pallemaerts | Night Editor copy@collegian.com Adah McMillan | Copy Chief copy@collegian.com Nathan Carmody | Print Editor design@collegian.com

Caden Proulx | Assistant Print Editor design@collegian.com Trin Bonner | Illustration Editor design@collegian.com Milo Gladstein | Photo Director photo@collegian.com Garrett Mogel | Photo Director photo@collegian.com Hannah Parcells | News Editor news@collegian.com Tyler Weatherwax | News Editor news@collegian.com

Christian Arndt | L&C Director life@collegian.com Jenn Dawson | Science Director science@collegian.com Dominique Lopez | Opinion Director letters@collegian.com Damon Cook | Sports Editor sports@collegian.com Emma Askren | Sports Editor sports@collegian.com Alex Hasenkamp | A&E Director entertainment@collegian.com

Thursday, November 30, 2023

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COLORADO GOVERNMENT

LGBTQIA+ Rep. Stephanie Vigil nears end of 1st year in office

PHOTO COURTESY OF STEPHANIE VIGIL

By Hannah Parcells @hannahparcells

When Stephanie Vigil decided to run for elected office, her own life experience motivated her to fight to give people in Colorado better lives. Vigil was elected to the House of Representatives in the Colorado General Assembly Nov. 8, 2022, less than two weeks before five people were killed and 25 were injured in the shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The shooting occurred in the House District 16 of Colorado, the same district Vigil had just been elected to represent. “When I ran for my seat, I used this phrase in a lot of my outreach, and I still kind of stick to it,” Vigil said. “It’s still a guiding principle for me and my legislative work as well,

which is to fight for a solid foundation and light for every Coloradan.” As the first LGBTQIA+ individual from El Paso County to be elected to the state legislature, Vigil was already in the spotlight as she prepared to take office. The shooting at Club Q impacted the community that had just chosen her to represent them, and Vigil was determined to help that community as she stepped into her new role. “It’s just being able to keep at it day after day and knowing that you’re going to have wins and losses and still be able to come back and keep trying,” Vigil said. “I’ve just kind of taken the approach that, like, I’m here for people, I’m part of this community and I’m going to look out for people’s rights.” One of the things Vigil focused on in the months following the shooting was

how t o help and protect victims of mass shootings and biasmotivated attacks. Vigil said she’s been in touch with survivors to make sure they have access to the resources they need and to do what she can to help them in the aftermath. “It’s kind of never over for them,” Vigil said. “Other people can kind of forget about it until the next atrocity occurs. But for people who survived it, there’s a before and after in their lives now: before the shooting and after the shooting. They’ll never get to just move on. So I’ve really committed to that for myself as a representative of this community. If it’s not over for them, it’s not over for me.” As part of an ongoing effort to protect transgender people in Colorado, the

state legislature is currently working on a bill to map the landscape of genderaffirming care throughout the state in partnership with the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, Vigil said. Beyond the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights in the state, Vigil remains committed to helping people through her legislative work in housing and transportation. The goal isn’t just to help those who currently need it, she said, but also to find a lasting solution to problems to ensure that everyone has a better foundation. “I’m interested in a holistic approach to how we can help people have healthier, happier childhoods and healthier families and have betterconnected communities,” Vigil said. “In my book, you go as far upstream as you

can to stop people from falling in the water in the first place instead of fishing them out later.” As she approaches the end of her first year in office, Vigil said she believes more than ever in the importance of local government. “Organizing politically from the bottom up is not just a good way or the best way to make change; it is the only way to make change,” Vigil said. “There’s no one who we could make president tomorrow who’s going to change this country for the better all by themselves. It’s always going to have to start with regular people working with those around them who are most readily available and changing what they can that’s within reach and building on it from there. That’s how we get things done.” Reach Hannah Parcells at news@collegian.com.

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Collegian.com

CENSORSHIP

Book bans ‘promote ignorance’ locally, nationally

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY TAYLOR MACMAHON THE COLLEGIAN

By Aubree Miller @csucollegian

Books have been an integral part of life for centuries, and they are even more important in schools, despite attempts nationwide to censor certain titles and topics. The American Library Association reported that of the top 13 most challenged books of 2022, most were written by or about LGBTQIA+ people or people of color. The top three are “Gender Queer: A Memoir” by Maia Kobabe, “All Boys Aren’t

Blue” by George M. Johnson and “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison. Colorado has seen only eight ban attempts from January to August. However, in the first eight months of 2023, there were at least 136 book titles challenged in the state, which is a 143% increase from 2022, when 56 titles were challenged. Successful book bans mostly happen in public school districts because that’s where government officials have a higher degree of control over curriculum and content because they are state-funded.

Many people have their own reasons for requesting a book to be removed from a library. “There are people who maybe legitimately feel like they are protecting people from seeing something that they believe shouldn’t be seen at a certain age or by certain people,” said Kristen Draper, the manager of Old Town Library, one of three Poudre River Public Library District libraries. While some might believe they are helping, censorship and book bans ultimately cause more harm than good. “The reason it’s so important is that we have those stories for people to see themselves reflected in,” Draper said. “We talk about (how) books can be mirrors, windows and sliding glass doors. And so, you know, it’s really nice to see yourself reflected in a book, right? ... It’s that level of understanding that I think we can only get from listening and reading and hearing about other people’s life experiences.” Public libraries grant access to information and therefore freedom that comes with learning and exploring. Moreover, libraries celebrate and preserve culture and

history in a way that is not common in many other places. Libraries are unique in both the stories they hold and their patrons. “If you don’t want to read it, don’t read it,” Draper said. “My general rule for a public library is if I don’t have something in my library to offend everyone, I am not doing my job. So everyone who walks through my doors should find something that offends them.” Although university libraries function very differently than public libraries and public school libraries, censorship still impacts college campuses, whether it be today or in the future. “It’s because (book bans have) been happening in the last couple of years,” Draper said. “A lot of college students weren’t necessarily seeing it in their high schools, but I feel like a lot of high school students are now seeing it and feeling it.” Jace Long is a teen librarian and scheduler at the Old Town Library and has had experience with requests regarding specific books. “I have had to interact with customers and patrons seeking information on how to put in a complaint about books or had

lengthy interactions with patrons being upset over certain books,” Long wrote in an email. Although Colorado has been fairly unencumbered by censorship, it is still important to discuss in the state as well as nationally. “Any time a book gets banned or challenged, it opens the doors for more bans,” Long wrote. “It also sends the message that certain voices shouldn’t be heard.” While some might be well intentioned or believe they are helping, the negative impacts of censorship and bans are abundantly clear to those who work in libraries. “Book banning only promotes ignorance and a monocultural life, which hurts everyone,” Long wrote. “There are so many wonderful people from different backgrounds and lives, and we all benefit from learning about other’s experiences and perspectives. To learn and grow as a person means you might experience some discomfort, but the world is better for it. To deny people’s voices is to live a stagnant life.” Read the full version of this article at collegian.com. Reach Aubree Miller at news @collegian.com.

Thursday, November 30, 2023

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Thursday, November 30, 2023

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QUEER INCLUSION

Anti-LGBTQIA+ policies lead former CSU students to question Young Life’s presence on campus

By Ivy Secrest @ivysecrest

When former Colorado State University student Tara Mortell joined Young Life in high school, she thought she was entering a welcoming community. She hadn’t grown up with religion, and she was looking for a place to make friends. “It’s why I went to CSU in the first place, actually: ... I wanted that community,” Mortell said. “And then (I) became a leader and a backpacking guide.” Young Life is an evangelical Christian organization based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The group focuses on youth from middle school through college, bringing them on weeklong summer camps and organizing group activities in which faith is practiced. Mortell was even considering pursuing Young Life leadership as a full-time job until she realized Young Life didn’t align with her values. “We had some younger freshmen who identified as bisexual that had tried to become leaders, and they weren’t allowed to,” Mortell said. “It made a lot of us sit down and really consider what Young Life values and what they say versus what they do.” In 2020, two younger members of CSU Young Life were denied leadership positions because of their

identities as bisexual women. While it wasn’t confirmed their sexualities were the sole reason for their rejection, the decision led several members of Young Life to reconsider their role in the organization. “I left for a variety of reasons, but a big part of it was the bisexual girls being denied leadership and the way that staff handled the conversations after that happened,” Mortell said. Alyssa Proulx was a senior at CSU when the two women were denied leadership. Feeling that their treatment was unjust, Proulx sought to discuss the issue with Greg Hook and Jodi Green, Northern Colorado Young Life area directors. “LGBTQIA+ stuff is something that we didn’t talk a lot about in Young Life up until that point,” Proulx said. “Once I sat through that meeting and heard those perspectives, I quit immediately.” Young Life isn’t open about their position on the LGBTQIA+ community, Proulx said. Meeting with Hook and Green only affirmed for Proulx how strong Young Life’s stance is against the LGBTQIA+ community. “Young Life has not changed policies around guidelines for staff and leaders within the larger mission,” Hook wrote in email correspondence in October. “These guidelines and policies are public.”

“Young Life loves to say they welcomed queer kids, and I’ve seen them really want queer kids because they can be seen as currency of, ‘Oh, look how welcoming Young Life is. But those queer kids are eventually going to come across a Young Life leader or Young Life staff who has really anti-LGBTQ views. … There’s no way of insulating queer youth from that harm, regardless of what Young Life says about their policies.” KENT THOMAS FOUNDER OF #DOBETTERYOUNGLIFE

“I don’t think that Young Life should be allowed at CSU. I think that they violate every (diversity, equity, inclusion and justice) standard that CSU has claimed to value. And I think that they do a really good job of masking those values in order to attract young people who are really desperate for community and pretty vulnerable in their first year of college.” ALYSSA PROULX FORMER YOUNG LIFE LEADER AND CSU STUDENT

The “Unhealthy Sexuality” section of Young Life’s Sexual Health Policy, provided to The Collegian by Mortell, reads, “For the purposes of this policy, unhealthy sexuality will be defined as any behavior including but not limited to 1) sexual intimacy outside of a heterosexual marriage relationship, 2) interaction with sexually explicit content or interactions including but not limited to pornography of any kind, 3) assaultive behavior physically or electronically, 4) sexual infidelity or immoral behavior, 5) inappropriate use of social media and/or electronic communications and/or 6) transmission of sexually suggestive material (especially to or of minors).” “As a freshman, we got this giant packet of training materials (that you get) when you become a leader or decide you want to be a leader,” Mortell said. “I remember reading at the very beginning that we were not supposed to condone or engage in homosexual behavior. And that was at the time that I was still very closeted to myself.” Mortell and Proulx said they and some of their peers signed that policy not fully understanding the implications of the policy. “(When) I became a leader and got more involved, they started

telling us that if kids came out as queer, we had to report them,” Mortell said. “(We had to) basically out them to their parents because it was a fundamental issue. And if a kid came out as queer, then we had to basically quarantine them for the rest of the week and not let them be in the same cabin as the people that they were sexually attracted to technically.” Northern Colorado isn’t the only place where these issues came to light. In 2020, the #DoBetterYoungLife movement took off on social media, highlighting issues within the organization nationally. Kent Thomas, founder of #DoBetterYoungLife, has read and posted hundreds of stories from Young Life members about their experiences and advocates for accountability from the organization. “Young Life loves to say they welcomed queer kids, and I’ve seen them really want queer kids because they can be seen as currency of, ‘Oh, look how welcoming Young Life is,’” Thomas said. “But those queer kids are eventually going to come across a Young Life leader or Young Life staff who has really antiLGBTQ views. … There’s no way of insulating queer youth from that harm, regardless of what Young Life says about their policies.”

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Thomas first experienced leadership policies in action when he was 24 and coming to terms with his own identity as a gay man. After growing up in Young Life, Thomas was shocked when he was told he couldn’t be a leader if he was gay. After he shared his experience online in June 2020 with the #DoBetterYoungLife hashtag, the movement took off, bringing in hundreds of stories. “I thought maybe there were 20 people around the country in Young Life who had that experience,” Thomas said. “So to see just so many stories come in around anti-queer stuff and then also around racism and sexism and ableism, … from my personal experience, it was pretty validating to see that I wasn’t making this up.” #DoBetterYoungLife has been asking for accountability and transparency from the organization since the movement’s beginning, but Thomas, Mortell and Proulx said they don’t believe Young Life will ever change. “Unfortunately, Young Life made it very clear after all of this that they stand by their policies and that they would never change,” Mortell said. “There was a large amount of people during COVID that were pressuring Young Life to reevaluate their policies and actions, and Young Life released another document stating their beliefs and the biblical backing to their standpoint.”

@CSUCollegian

Young Life sent this confidential document to its area directors, detailing their theology around sexuality to guide local leaders in response to LGBTQIA+ controversy. They additionally released a public statement in response to #DoBetterYoungLife. When asked several questions about Young Life’s policies and stances on LGBTQIA+ identifying members in leadership, Hook responded with the following statement on Young Life’s behalf. “We believe that every human is made in the image of God and created for a purpose,” the statement reads. “We love every kid and only have restrictions in involvement when it comes to holding leadership roles within our organization, the first being a requirement that our leaders have a faith in Jesus Christ as the only mediator between God and all human beings. We require that they believe Jesus is God’s eternal son, who, as man, fully shared and fulfilled our humanity in a life of perfect obedience. “We do not exclude anyone from being recipients of the ministry of God’s grace and mercy as expressed in Jesus Christ. We provide our leaders with resources and training to ensure they are equipped to create an environment in which every young person, regardless of their background, is welcomed with the love and understanding of

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY CADEN PROULX THE COLLEGIAN

faithful adults who personally demonstrate the compassion and truth of Jesus. “Young Life staff and volunteer leader positions are not one-sizefits-all nor are they single-issue decisions. There are layers of conversation to be had around faith in Jesus and lifestyle that come from the teachings of Jesus found in the New Testament. These are case-bycase conversations that are deeply personal as we discern together if volunteer leading or staff is a good fit.” Gonzaga University banned Young Life because of their sexual health policies and the stories that have come out around them. Thomas said these policies cause damage to the LGBTQIA+ community even if Young Life says they don’t mean to cause harm. CSU’s Student Code of Conduct prohibits students from conducting discriminatory harassment and states that the university is committed to creating an inclusive environment for students. All student organizations are subject to the student code of conduct. Proulx said leaving meant she didn’t have access to the biggest community she had in college. “I don’t think that Young Life should be allowed at CSU,” Proulx said. “I think that they violate every (diversity, equity, inclusion and justice) standard that CSU has claimed to value. And I think that they do a really good job of

masking those values in order to attract young people who are really desperate for community and pretty vulnerable in their first year of college.” While several students have left Young Life after coming across their anti-LGBTQIA+ policies, leaving isn’t without its struggles. #DoBetterYoungLife has slowed down, putting out less content so that the account managers can take care of their mental health while reading all of these stories, but these stories are still ongoing. “They make you feel like you can only really be friends with people in Young Life — that people on the outside won’t really get you,” Proulx said. “It took me a couple years to start to build a social network outside of Young Life because it really took over every single part of my life with just how much they expect you to give up yourself.” The harm that interactions with anti-LGBTQIA+ policies and mindsets can do to those in the community is extensive. Going into an assumed safe and welcoming space and then not feeling cared for can be damaging. “If Young Life is going to have these policies, they just need to be honest about it,” Thomas said. “I think that honesty would help prevent a lot of harm because then queer people aren’t left kind of trying to put the pieces together.” Reach Ivy Secrest at news @collegian.com.

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Collegian.com

LGBTQIA+ HISTORY

Remembering Matthew Shepard 25 years after his murder By Hannah Parcells @csucollegian

Matthew Shepard was a normal college student simply going about his life when he was murdered 25 years ago for existing as a young gay man. The attack is one of the most well-known hate crimes in recent history, and it has had a lasting impact on both the LGBTQIA+ community and the country as a whole. On the night of Oct. 6, 1998, 21-year-old Matthew Shepard was attacked and tortured by two men. He was left to die, tied to a fence post in a field just outside Laramie, Wyoming. He survived the night and was taken to the UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins the next morning to be treated but ultimately died from his injuries Oct. 12, 1998, six days after the attack. The story of Matthew Shepard’s murder shocked the nation and became the basis for federal hate crime legislation, but behind the legacy of his death is the life of a young man who loved theater, was passionate about politics and the environment and always wanted to help others. “He was an extreme extrovert, empathetic, never met a stranger,” said Judy Shepard, Matthew Shepard’s mother. “People were drawn to him, you know. (He was) a charismatic individual. I think they sensed a kind soul.” Matthew Shepard was born in Casper, Wyoming, and took part in local theater productions throughout his youth. He was engaged in local politics and volunteered to plant trees after the Yellowstone National Park fires of 1988. He moved to Saudi

especially after living overseas and seeing that the money the American government could give to developing countries didn’t always go to where it should have gone.” He was always active in the causes he cared about, whether it was campaigning for local elections or working with his university’s LGBTQIA+ organization. “He wanted to be part “We waste a lot of of the bigger world,” Judy Shepard said. time in the world of Though Matthew Shepard’s hate, right? We waste name has become well known across the country, much of that a lot of time there, and has come from the way he died, (we waste) effort and not the way he lived. energy where we could “I want people to remember that he was a kid — just a kid be doing good things — who had so much promise instead of looking in life and desires and friends and family,” Judy Shepard said. for reasons to single “The way I talk about him is people out because not at all to create this perfect they’re different.” person because he certainly was not that. But just remember that he was a human being that JUDY SHEPARD did not deserve what happened MATTHEW SHEPARD’S MOTHER to him. Nobody does. Nobody deserves that.” After Matthew Shepard’s “He loved to travel, try new things, death, his parents started the Matthew new foods,” Judy Shepard said. “He Shepard Foundation in honor of his was always learning about different life. According to the foundation’s cultures. He just loved people and life website, they are “dedicated to working toward the causes championed by and everything it had to offer.” Matthew Shepard was a student Matthew during his life: social justice, at the University of Wyoming at diversity awareness and education and the time of his death. His mother equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual and said he was working toward a transgender people.” The world would be a much better career in government. “He was about to change the place if we all accepted each other for world in his mind,” Judy Shepard who we are, Judy Shepard said about said. “He wanted to be part of the the work the foundation does. “I think that really every ounce (U.S. Department of State) when he graduated from college. He was very of work we’ve done since then — interested in the effects of foreign aid, regarding all the marginalized Arabia with his family when he was a junior in high school, and he attended a boarding school in Switzerland, where he learned to speak Japanese, Arabic, German and Italian, Judy Shepard said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MATTHEW SHEPARD FOUNDATION

communities, not just the gay community — is about that,” Judy Shepard said. “Why do we think that because somebody is different from us means that we have to treat them with less respect, with suspicion and disdain? Why can we just not accept each other for who we are and learn from that and be a much better, forward-thinking, prosperous society?” It all boils down to what we lose because of hate, Judy Shepard said. “We waste a lot of time in the world of hate, right?” Judy Shepard said. “We waste a lot of time there, and (we waste) effort and energy where we could be doing good things instead of looking for reasons to single people out because they’re different.” The memory and legacy of Matthew Shepard are incredibly important, but it’s also important to honor who he was in life. “I think he would want to just be remembered for being a good person,” Judy Shepard said. “In his role in life, he had nothing to do really with the work that’s going on right now. I think he would be pleased that people paid attention and realized change needed to happen, but I think, honestly, he just wanted to be remembered as a good person.” The life of Matthew Shepard is further commemorated in the book “The Meaning of Matthew,” written by Judy Shepard, and “Matthew Shepard is a Friend of Mine,” a documentary made by Michele Josue, a high school friend of Matthew Shepard. Reach Hannah Parcells at life @collegian.com.

Thursday, November 30, 2023

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LGBTQIA+ RECOGNITION

Trans Awareness Week: How CSU celebrates trans resilience “Not utilized often is holding space for things that have happened to the trans community and acknowledging that everything isn’t right in the world,” Bowden said. “You can’t move past it if you haven’t, like, acknowledged that it’s a problem.”

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY ELI CROCKER THE COLLEGIAN

By Aubree Miller @csucollegian

For many Colorado State University students, having a community on campus is one of the most important parts of the college experience. Queer and transgender students often find this within the Pride Resource Center. Transgender Awareness Week takes place each year the week before Transgender Day of Remembrance Nov. 20. CSU’s Pride Resource Center hosted a remembrance event Nov. 16 in addition to providing support and resources to trans students on a regular basis.Trans Awareness Week is crucial to a community that is consistently resilient in the face of adversity, and it highlights the importance of

remembering transgender individuals who came before as well as those in future generations. Airi Bowden, a fifth-year agricultural education literacy major and PRC student staff member, spoke about how ze has both experienced and observed resiliency within the trans community. “Resiliency is generally in the face of hardships — otherwise we wouldn’t need to be resilient, it would just be existing,” Bowden said. “Having things like Trans Day of Remembrance is acknowledging that there’s a lot of grief around this but also ... the future of trans people.” Creating safe spaces is incredibly important in encouraging and fostering resiliency.

“Being there for each other in the face of the many struggles we face with gender dysphoria or social discrimination and things like that, to just have each other’s back and to be shoulders for each other.” DEVY WINDER COMPUTER SCIENCE STUDENT

PRC Director Maggie Hendrickson spoke on the importance of the event and how they wanted to make sure Trans Day of Remembrance events were as inclusive as possible. “This event was originally created because many trans people are not honored or remembered in death or are even misgendered in

death,” Hendrickson said. “So this is an example of chosen family and community care within the queer and trans communities.” “We work with local organizations like (Northern Colorado) Equality, SPLASH (Supporting Pride Learning and Social Happenings), PFLAG (Federation of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), Eclectic and others to make sure this event is truly a Northern Colorado event, not just a CSU event,” Hendrickson said. The PRC frequently works on issues within the queer and trans communities, but there is always work to be done by both members of the community and allies. Fourth-year art student Reagan Amberg is one of the graphic designers for the PRC. “One thing to work on in trans communities is just broadening our perspective on what it means to be trans, ... recognizing and giving space to BIPOC trans people and not making it a white-dominated space,” Amberg said. Devy Winder is a first-year computer science student who spends time hanging out in the PRC and has also attended voice workshops that the PRC hosts — one of the many resources available to trans students. “When I go to these voice workshops, I’ve seen people looking to better themselves and to

persist, to keep being themselves, even when it’s difficult,” Winder said. “I think it’s a good thing those resources are offered.” While CSU as an institution makes an effort to be inclusive and provide a safe space for LGBTQIA+ students, it doesn’t always feel that way to some queer students. “Sometimes the university could make better communications about our community,” Winder said. “I’m a person, not just a fancy acronym.” Within the CSU community, there is queer and trans representation all across campus and beyond. “There is an unprecedented amount of being unafraid to be present and out,” Winder said. “Being there for each other in the face of the many struggles we face with gender dysphoria or social discrimination and things like that, to just have each other’s back and to be shoulders for each other.” Emphasizing the importance of this week is crucial for the Pride Resource Center and its staff. “The goal of TDOR is to honor the lives of trans people who have died in the past year due to antitrans violence and to look to a future where less violence occurs against our community,” Hendrickson said. Reach Aubree Miller at life @collegian.com.

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Collegian.com

GENETIC PRESERVATION

Seed bank on CSU campus supports worldwide agriculture By Adam Carlson @csucollegian

Colorado State University, much like other campuses, houses many intensive research facilities, including one of the largest gene banks in the world. The bank contains materials — including plants, animals and microbes — that archive genetics that may otherwise disappear. The National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation is housed on CSU’s campus but belongs to the United States Department of Agriculture. The building is part of the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System, which houses over 600,000 kinds of plant germplasm — plants, seeds or other plant parts — as well as a large number of animal genetic materials. They take every agriculturally relevant sample they can. With its high status and importance, the NLGRP building was designed to withstand disasters

if needed. These preparations include a firm foundation that can withstand many disasters, such as the possibility of the Horsetooth Dam collapsing and flooding the city. The building is in Fort Collins because of the region’s dry air and an assortment of geographic conditions that help protect the bank. “We think we’ve covered, you know, most national disasters because again, we just can’t fail,” Center for Agricultural Resources Research Director Daren Harmel said. “We have to store this material no matter what.” This bank is not like others. In terms of seeds, they have a rigorous testing program that ensures that everything in the vaults is alive. This is in contrast to banks such as the one in Svalbard, Norway, which only puts seeds in and does not test them after being placed in the vault. The NLGRP is unique as well because it contains material other than just seeds. It contains genetic variation across animals and

microbes. It stores everything across two vaults. The first is a freezer vault containing mostly seeds that are more viable in a dry freezer. The second vault is cryogenic, freezing with liquid nitrogen, containing animal semen, microbes and plants that are more viable with that style of preservation. CSU professor Patrick Byrne said he believes what makes the bank special is that it acts like a bank. They do not hold seeds indefinitely, but instead, researchers and breeders can pull from the bank and work with the seeds. This helps in the research and work toward growing and helping with global agriculture. Byrne has used the bank in his own research and has grown seeds from the bank many times. He’s grown plenty

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY TRIN BONNER THE COLLEGIAN

on the Agricultural Research, Development and Education Center facility and has done work with the NLGRP for years. This bank is critical for agriculture across the world, as it receives and distributes samples worldwide. However, few students are aware of its presence on campus. Harmel often clarifies when giving tours that this vault is not for a romanticized doomsday situation like apocalypses. Rather, this bank

is utilized when confronting insect problems, disease epidemics, climate change and more. This bank — and many like it — works toward the goal of ensuring people have as much information as possible about life on this planet. The ultimate goal is preserving life and using it to humanity’s benefit for better practices in agriculture. Reach Adam Carlson at life@collegian.com.

Thursday, November 30, 2023

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COMMON GROUND

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On Nov. 16, Colorado State University’s Multifaith and Belief Initiatives organized Food for Thought, striving to encourage unique and vulnerable conversations in supportive spaces where equal representation is valued. It allowed students of different religious backgrounds to be more open and positively promote mutual peace and understanding. Students gathered at The Foundry to enjoy a meal and have a conversation on relationships and their connection to faith. This event cultivated dialogue on how varying religious beliefs can define one’s understanding of relationships and other aspects of their lives. Laura Nelson was the facilitator for the discussion and has served as the president for the Fort Collins Interfaith Council for the past six years. She spoke about the importance of a space in which students of differing spiritualities can create deeper connections and listen to religious views with an open mind. “Look at all the things we have in common,” Nelson said. “Look at all the things we can learn from each other. Even if we disagree, someone sharing something that feels very counter to the core of my beliefs also helps me understand my own beliefs.” Elizabeth Sink was one of the event organizers and

works in the department of communication studies, teaching classes ranging from dialogue to religious, spiritual and secular identity work. She has recognized how people on campus look for a responsive and open space where genuine and fruitful conversations can be had. “We come at relationships through these big human categories like grief and shame, so we can form relationship solidarity, senses of belonging and trust,” Sink said. “Nobody’s made to be here, so the conversations are even more rich because of it.” Before the discussion, Nelson established the understanding that Food for Thought is a supportive space with good intentions; it works to openly speak about religion and spirituality in a more inclusive environment, providing a voice for marginalized religious communities. “Folks with minoritized religious identity on this campus talk about not feeling like they belong in the same way that majority identities do,” Nelson said. “We have had folks from minoritized but different religious identities talk about how wonderful it is to hear each other talk because the experience is so similar.” Sink said there needs to be more visibility for religion and spirituality because they are normally dismissed on public campuses such as CSU. She highlighted the value of bringing more attention to an individual’s religious identity,

as it significantly shapes who they are. “(Religion and spirituality) are huge things for people,” Sink said. “They influence how you vote and who you hang out with and what you think of other people. I think it is a total disservice if we are leaving this aspect out.” Nelson said she hopes Food for Thought will soon become an experience primarily led by students. She said that with further training, students can facilitate these important interreligious conversations in the future. “Our goal moving forward would be to have folks who have the experience get some extra training and then run it,” Nelson said. “There are now students who not only have the experience of how to be in interfaith dialogue but also know how to lead it.” Anna Saathoff is a junior at CSU and has attended past Food for Thought discussions throughout the semester. She said she trusts that this program will continue to progress as a supportive place where those of diverse beliefs can engage in constructive and open dialogue. The next Food for Thought will be Nov. 30. “I hope to see a lot more dialogue and listening, especially on campus,” Saathoff said. “We’re sharing out what we’re learning and how we are learning to listen and care about people who have different beliefs than us.” Reach Sananda Chandy at life@collegian.com.

Colorado State University students pass around the Food for Thought core agreements sheet before reading them together and talking to each other Nov. 16. PHOTO BY LAUREN MASCARDO THE COLLEGIAN

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Thursday, November 30, 2023

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GENDER EQUALITY

Debating fairness: Laws restrict transgender athletes GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY RASHIDA OBIKA THE COLLEGIAN

“This fixation on the threat that trans athletes pose has been exaggerated.” COURTENAY DAUM PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND WOMEN’S STUDIES

By Liv Sewell @liv_sewell22

As athletes continue to shatter records and overcome stereotypes, this debate intensifies: Are transgender athletes working with an advantage or just trying to be themselves while playing the sport they love? Bans and regulations in 24 of the 50 U.S. states prevent transgender athletes from competing in high school sports that align with their gender identity. It is no secret that the primary function of these bills is to restrict transgender women specifically. Specifying biological differences between men and women makes up the foundation of these bills. For example, the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act was signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis June 1, 2021. This act prohibits students assigned male at birth from competing in sports designated for female students, and it allows schools to request a particular health examination to verify the student’s sex assigned at birth. The act was made off the back of Title IX, enacted in 1972 on the framework of sex-based equality. However, Title IX isn’t used consistently; the definition of sex

in the act changes with shifts in political power. “The word sex is contested politically and legally today,” said Courtenay Daum, professor of political science and women’s studies at Colorado State University. “When (former President Donald) Trump came into office, he said sex speaks to biological sex, not gender identity. And then, when President Biden came into office, he issued an executive order that said sex should be understood to protect gender identity as well.” The difficult conversation of how transgender athletes can compete in sports has only begun in the past three to four years, and the argument is growing bigger. World Athletics has started to address the debate with testosterone measurement or hormone blockers to attempt fairness. President Sebastian Coe of World Athletics said “gender cannot trump biology” when discussing Lia Thomas, a transgender woman who won the 500-yard freestyle in the 2022 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships. Thomas herself is the most prominent example of why many feel these bills are necessary, but in reality, her story represents a small part of collegiate sports. According to the NCAA’s 202122 season report, there were over 520,000 active college athletes in

the United States. Of those, there were 32 transgender athletes — less than approximately .007% of college athletes. “This fixation on the threat that trans athletes pose has been exaggerated,” Daum said. “You’re talking about a really small portion of the population. That doesn’t mean that there are no discussions to be had about elite levels of competition, but most people are never going to get there. When we’re talking about club sports or recreational sports, I think the reality is that this is not an issue in most of those spaces.” Organizations like the NCAA and the Olympics have their own rules and regulations around transgender athletes, and most often, high school governing bodies have to act on contested bills. The Colorado High School Activities Association recognizes students’ rights to play in sports that align with their gender identity, and confidential evaluations are used in some cases to ensure fairness. “I believe Colorado’s protective laws around LGBTQIA+ identities are drawing outof-state students here so that they can pursue their goals and needs, which may well include competing in athletics,” said Maggie Hendrickson, the director of the Pride Resource Center. “Colorado has passed sanctuary

laws for transgender health care and is being seen as a safe haven state, so we are experiencing a wave of folks moving here to be their authentic selves.” Colorado is one of the safer states when it comes to legislation around transgender athletes. In states such as Idaho, which was the first state to enact a bill limiting transgender athletes, restrictions continue into club and intramural sports. “I think (these laws) work in effect to discourage people from participating,” Daum said. “The reality of the situation is this: Different ages, different sports, different levels of competition may require different discussions. The athletic prohibitions do not happen in isolation. They happen as part of a broader concert of legislative initiatives. … They are working to regulate trans people.” Caster Semenya, a twotime Olympic gold medalist in track and field, was curbed from participation when it was discovered that she has undescended testes. Semenya is intersex, which is described by the Intersex Society of North America as undefined sexual anatomy outside of the malefemale gender binary. Because her testosterone levels were higher than the typical person assigned female at birth, Semenya

was required to take hormone treatments by World Athletics to lower them before the 2012 Olympics she was planning on competing in. Semenya is an isolated case of the intersection of gender identity and sex in the Olympics, and her op-ed in The New York Times shows her experience undergoing hormone therapy. In reality, most transgender people aren’t Olympiclevel athletes and don’t have access to expensive hormone treatments. According to The Williams Institute with the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, 101,500 transgender youth — about one-third of transgender youth in the U.S. — live in states that restrict access to school sports for transgender students. Trans students are left at an impasse, one difficult to look past for many legislators and educators. “I’m not inclined to pit groups against each other,” Daum said. “It’s important not to say that this doesn’t matter in terms of outcomes because the laws really matter for transgender people. … (They) are some of the most vulnerable to violence and economic insecurity, … and participating in sports can often be an incredible gateway to building relationships, community and self-confidence.” Reach Liv Sewell at sports @collegian.com.

Thursday, November 30, 2023

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PERFECT FIT

Buffs to Rams: Nique Clifford’s journey to becoming a winning player

By Damon Cook @dwcook2001

Winning is simple: Score more points than your opponent. No. 20 Colorado State men’s basketball knows just a little bit about that, starting off the season 7-0 capitalized by a 69-48 win over then No. 8 Creighton. A large part of the Rams’ undefeated start to the season has been guard Nique Clifford. While Clifford has only been a Ram for a few games, he’s embodied what it means to be both stalwart and a winning player. “It’s a really good experience so far,” Clifford said. “We’re having success so far. (We have) just a great group of guys, great coaches and staff. I’ve (done) nothing but enjoy the experience.” Clifford is averaging career highs across the board at CSU. So far this season, he’s averaged 13 points and seven rebounds while shooting 60% from 3 and the field through the Rams first six games this year. While he has fit in flawlessly with the Rams, his 13 points are a far cry from his average of five when he was playing for Colorado. What’s the change? Simple: a new system and regained trust. “I think it’s the way we run our offense,” Clifford said. “I’m just more involved as an offensive piece, and my mindset has changed a little bit. (I) just got that confidence back. It’s been a lot of different things that go into it — it’s really just a lot of the coaches trusting me and having that trust in me to go do that thing.” Coach Niko Medved is all too familiar with how Clifford might fit in the system. When Clifford came out of high school, Medved pushed to recruit him heavily. While he didn’t land him three seasons ago, it’s always better late than never, but Clifford didn’t let his coach down easily when deciding

to finally commit to playing basketball in Fort Collins. “He kind of tried to make it hard on me,” Medved said. “I remember when he called: It was kind of coming down to crunch time, and he called, and he gave me this whole, like, ‘Coach, I know this has been really hard,’ and he’s giving me that whole deal. And I’m like, ‘Oh my God, he’s about to commit somewhere else.’ He’s like, ‘But, you know, I’m going to come to CSU.’” Despite Clifford’s approach of giving his coach the run down, there is no doubt that CSU is happy to finally have him playing in green and gold. Slotting in seamlessly is something the team knew Clifford would do eventually, but having that perfect chemistry from day one might be a little shocking. “I knew he would fit in,” Medved said. “He’s fit in even earlier than I expected because it’s a transition. He comes to a new program, and (there’s) different terminology, different ways of thinking, and he’s really picked that up quickly. And he’s such a coachable young man, and he fits really, really well with our team and our culture.” The cultural embrace is what made Clifford decide that CSU was the place he wanted to be. With him being so strongly recruited by CSU coming out of high school, there was a prior relationship that existed there. The team maintaining that and continuing their salutations was the drawing force when it was time to make a decision. “It was really the relationship that they had with me coming out of high school,” Clifford said. “They just stayed persistent with me. Even when I saw them in the (U.S.) Virgin Islands a couple years ago, they were just good dudes and said, ‘What’s up?’ and asked me how my family was doing. Certain things like that go a long way. So it was an easy decision for me.” To form a new relationship, sometimes you have to break off

an old one. For Clifford, he had to do so when he left CU. While he’s a Ram now, there is something odd about matching up against people he played with just a season ago. “At the end of the day, it’s another game,” Clifford said prior to the game. “I’m excited, I’m ready to compete against them, and it’s going to be a fun battle. It’s a rivalry: The atmosphere is going to be rocking, and me and the team are going to be ready to go.” Even with the oddities in facing his former team, Clifford helps propel the CSU team. Clifford may have called it just another game on Monday, all of the emotions involved with facing his former team — while fighting for his current team — can toy with that mindset. “I tried to get that through my head that it was just another game,” Clifford said. “But in reality, it’s not. I have ties with those guys — I was there for three years. I had some pride going into that game, so it feels real good to come away with a win.” And win they did. CSU men’s basketball will not be officially undefeated against CU after winning 88-83 Wednesday. The atmosphere inside of sold-out Moby Arena was a special one, including a storybook ending for Clifford and the Rams. Finishing the game, Clifford got the breakaway dunk, popping the roof of of Moby. He followed that up with a rebound before hitting two clutch free throws, which essentially put the game out of reach for Colorado. “I wouldn’t say it’s different, but he’s definitely locked in; he’s excited,” Scott said. “You can tell he’s kind of got that swagger about him like he’s ready to go, and it’s exciting to see that he’s ready to go because it kind of gets all of us ready to go a little more.” Reach Damon Cook at sports @collegian.com.

“He’s fit in even earlier than I expected because it’s a transition. He comes to a new program and (there’s) different terminology, different ways of thinking, and he’s really picked that up quickly. And he’s such a coachable young man, and he fits really, really well with our team and our culture.” NIKO MEDVED CSU MEN’S BASKETBALL COACH

Nique Clifford (10) swings off the rim after dunking the ball Nov. 10. Clifford is in his first season with the Rams after transferring from the University of Colorado Boulder. Colorado State beat Wright State 105-77. PHOTO BY AVERY COATES THE COLLEGIAN

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Collegian.com

TRAILBLAZER

Kennedy McDowell carves path for LGBTQIA+ athletes in stalwart fashion By Damon Cook @dwcook2001

For Kennedy McDowell on the Colorado State football team, his experience of being openly gay and playing Division I football has been nothing but a story of acceptance by the team. McDowell is a first-year football player for the Rams and is one of the few openly gay athletes who have played DI football. “When you step into the facility, I know it’s a bit of a culture shock for some people who have never been around that, but when you throw the green and gold on, you’re one of us,” defensive lineman Grady Kelly said. “I don’t care if you’re Black, white, gay, anything. You’re now a teammate and a family member of the Rams, and it takes a lot of confidence for him to (be openly gay), and we welcome him as a football player.” McDowell came out prior to signing with CSU and had a difficult experience when receiving offers from schools because of that. He said there were schools that turned the other way because of who he was. “It was harder just in the recruiting process in general,” McDowell said. “Some colleges really didn’t want me because of who I was. But Colorado State did, and coach (Jay) Norvell saw who I was and knew who I was. Same with the coaching staff (who) decided to accept me for who I am, as well (as) to play football here. And I was very, very fortunate to have this offer for sure.” While other schools might have decided not to offer McDowell because he is gay, CSU accepted him with open arms, and he has done nothing but flash talent and perseverance on and off the field. McDowell hasn’t seen the field a lot this year outside of playing on special teams. However, defensive line coach Buddha Williams maintains the belief that the first-year will be a crucial piece for the Rams going forward. “Kennedy is unbelievable as a person (and) as a player,” Williams said. “He brings a

PHOTO COURTESY OF CSU ATHLETICS

lot of energy, (he’s) extremely athletic (and a) hard worker. That’s who he is; he’s getting better every day.” While McDowell sustained what seemed like an incredibly serious injury in the Rams’ game against Boise State, he is well on his way to recovering. He will be an important piece for the Rams’ pass rush moving forward — a unit that has looked like the pinnacle of Mountain West play this season. “My main focus is getting my weight up,” McDowell said. “So then I can actually start playing a lot more than what I am right now. And y’all will see me next year for sure.” Getting his weight up and putting on the muscle required to be a great pass rusher will be a big step for McDowell. Right now, McDowell slots in at 6 feet, 3 inches tall and weighs 230 pounds. Horton Barbell, a strength and conditioning coach and sports scientist, said the average weight of an NCAA defensive end is 258 pounds. While there is a lot of work to do, McDowell has been more than willing to do his part to make that happen. “He is always exceeding expectations,” Williams said. “Whatever you think he can achieve or he can’t, he always goes above and beyond that, Kennedy — he’s a dog man. Flat out a dog.” While McDowell is well on his way to becoming a key piece for CSU’s defense, he has faced his fair share of

challenges when it comes to his sexuality. While recently there has been a big push toward being more accepting of everyone, especially people in the LGBTQIA+ community, there is no doubt there is still work to be done. “It’s definitely been interesting,” McDowell said. “I would say it was worse in middle school, it was pretty bad in high school and it’s, like, nothing in college. I’ve not experienced a single thing in college yet. I feel like it’s because we don’t have enough time to talk crap on the field; we’re just so busy playing. But in high school, I would experience a lot of slurs, but it’s nothing I couldn’t really handle.” Being so busy on the field is part of it, but the embrace of McDowell also comes from the team. McDowell joined the team early for spring camp, arriving to the team in January. The early development has been key to him not only making significant progress but realizing he found a true home at CSU. “He’s definitely taking it on really well,” Kelly said. “Better than, I’d say, most freshmen probably do, especially coming in a semester early in the spring helps out a lot because the biggest change is just the speed of the game.” Read the full version of this article at collegian.com. Reach Damon Cook at sports@collegian.com.

Thursday, November 30, 2023

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ovember 30, 2023

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Thursday, November 30, 2023

Drag at the R Bar

YungRaccoon applies makeup and poses at the R Bar and Lounge in Fort Collins Nov. 13. ALL PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS BY GARRETT MOGEL AND MILO GLADSTEIN THE COLLEGIAN

Thursday, November 30, 2023

MaveRick Smith applies makeup and poses at the R Bar and Lounge in Fort Collins Nov. 13. ALL PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS BY GARRETT MOGEL AND MILO GLADSTEIN THE COLLEGIAN

@CSUCollegian

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Collegian.com

MEDICAL MISINFORMATION

AIDS misconceptions plague the LGBTQIA+ community By Hana Pavelko @hanasolo13

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world. It got to a point in the United States where there were over 150,000 hospitalizations and upward of 25,000 deaths in a single week, according to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The virus did not pick favorites. Anyone was — and still is — susceptible to the virus. But back in the 1970s and 1980s, there was a different epidemic sweeping across the U.S. Much like with COVID, anyone is susceptible to this disease. In the same way the term “China virus” stigmatized an entire country, “gay disease” inflated discrimination against an entire population of queer men. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, more commonly known as AIDS, is a very deadly disease that prompted widespread misinformation about the LGBTQIA+ community, specifically gay men. AIDS is the late stage of a disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus, commonly called HIV. If HIV is not treated, it can develop into AIDS. By 1994, HIV infection was the leading cause of death for American men aged 25-44 years. Although no cure exists, there are HIV medications that can reduce the viral load of HIV in a person’s bloodstream to an undetectable level if taken as prescribed. If a person keeps an undetectable viral load, they can live a long, healthy life and will not transmit HIV to a sexual partner who is HIV-negative. “People think HIV is a death sentence,” said Nozipho Becker, a senior research analyst for the Colorado State University

Office of Inclusive Excellence who has previously worked to improve HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention in marginalized communities. “That is not true.” When the AIDS pandemic first began, it predominantly showed up in gay and bisexual men. This led to a tremendous number of misconceptions about AIDS, and it created a negative stigma around queer men. A lack of information surrounding this novel disease, a lack of general awareness and its prominence in the gay community only propelled these misconceptions. First, one of the biggest misconceptions about the disease was that only people who were gay could contract it, and heterosexual individuals were not at risk; however, this is very far from the truth. Because HIV/AIDS disproportionately affects gay and bisexual men, they have a higher exposure risk than those who are heterosexual. However, people who contracted the disease through heterosexual intercourse made up 22% of new HIV infections in the United States in 2021, according to hiv.gov. Women engaging in heterosexual intercourse and transgender people made up 16% and 2% of HIV diagnoses, respectively. These statistics show that anyone is susceptible to HIV regardless of sexual orientation or gender. However, factors like homophobia and a lack of access to healthcare can prevent men who are gay or bisexual — specifically those who are Black or Hispanic — from receiving adequate treatment and HIV prevention services. “The current systems and societal structures that we have (and) misunderstanding around HIV — all of that put together makes it harder for people with minoritized intersectional

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY TRIN BONNER THE COLLEGIAN

identities to access either HIV prevention services or treatment services,” Becker said. While the LGBTQIA+ stigma grew, misinformation about HIV/AIDS continued to escalate. In 1983, the CDC announced that “casual contact” does not seem to be involved in acquisition of AIDS: hugging, shaking hands or sharing toilets, for example. Even so, people were under the impression that casual contact could cause them to get the disease. Princess Diana broke bounds when she shook the hands of HIV- and AIDS-positive patients without wearing gloves to dispel the lingering misconceptions. Over the course of the epidemic, many celebrities announced to the public that they had HIV/ AIDS, rallying awareness and support around the world for those impacted by the disease. Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of the band Queen, announced that he had AIDS only days before he died from AIDSrelated pneumonia. Five months later, a concert hosted in his honor raised millions of dollars for AIDS research. NBA point guard Magic Johnson is a well-known celebrity who revealed that he was also HIV positive. He retired from basketball to become a spokesperson for HIV and safe sex. Johnson was one of the first sports stars to publicly announce his HIV diagnosis. However, even these

celebrities could not quell all the hate surrounding HIV/AIDS nor the shadow it cast over the LGBTQIA+ community. The 2 million Americans who received their AIDS diagnoses over the last 40 years are still vulnerable to discrimination in healthcare, housing, relationships, work, military service and their daily lives. Many have lost their jobs, homes, families and lives, and generations of LGBTQIA+ communities have survived persistent fear and alienation. However, medicine, law and culture have slowly shifted their practices toward inclusion. Those with HIV/AIDS are now legally protected from discrimination, and educational awareness has helped separate the disease from perceptions of sexuality and gender. While HIV/AIDS stigma still exists, knowing the facts can significantly help in the reduction of misinformation and stigma regarding the disease. A movement called Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. launched in 2019 and aims to end the HIV epidemic in the U.S. by 2030. EHE has made progress

in terms of diagnoses, treatment, prevention and response to HIV. Dec. 1 has even been distinguished as World AIDS Day, a day to bring awareness to the disease, treatment options and preventative measures that can be taken. While EHE is working to end the HIV epidemic, other organizations such as UNAIDS, a joint United Nations program on HIV/AIDS, are working to reduce the stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS. By increasing the understanding of the virus, providing the most recent information about the AIDS epidemic and advocating for those living with AIDS, UNAIDS has made significant progress in reducing the AIDS stigma and changing policy centered around the disease. “We need to be increasing awareness and looking to see how — in the scope of health and education — we can bring upfront issues around HIV,” Becker said. Reach Hana Pavelko at science @collegian.com.

Thursday, November 30, 2023

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FRIENDLY PLATES

Meat science students of Ram Country Meats feed community

Shelves in Ram Country Meats full of locally sourced honey, barbecue sauce, seasonings and more Nov. 16. Located in the Animal Sciences Building, Ram Country Meats hosts meat sales noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. PHOTO BY LIZZY RYLANCE THE COLLEGIAN

By Lizzy Rylance @csucollegian

Tucked away on the first floor of the Animal Sciences Building at Colorado State University is Ram Country Meats, a meat processing facility and market that is almost entirely run and operated by students. This butcher shop doubles as an educational facility for students as they learn the ins and outs of the meat industry. Completed in 2018, the Ram Country Meats storefront is bright and spacious, filled with an assortment of locally sourced products like honey, barbecue sauce and meat seasonings. The walls are lined with refrigerators and freezers featuring a rotating selection of beef, pork and lamb products that are all processed by students. The market is open to the public noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. Ram Country Meats was created as a storefront for the JBS Global Food Innovation Center, an oncampus facility that trains students in meat processing. Kyle Harrington, the GFIC operations manager, oversees Ram Country Meats and supervises students in the program. “We have, right now, more than 30 students working for us, and they get paid to learn

the different aspects of meat processing,” Harrington said. “They’re heavily involved in the whole process.” As part of their training, students get hands-on experience in every step of the meat supply chain. The meat for sale at Ram Country Meats represents the last step of this learning process: selling to consumers. But there are many other steps along the way, said Clare Belk, the GFIC catering manager. First, live animals must be sourced, typically from local farmers, Belk said. One such supplier is the CSU Agricultural Research Development and Education Center, which has an operational teaching farm and livestock facility on the outskirts of Fort Collins. Animals are assessed by students for muscle and fat composition and overall quality; then some are selected for slaughter. Next is fabrication: the process of separating the meat into different parts like sirloin or rib cuts. Students learn different types of cuts throughout the semester, which influences the inventory at Ram Country Meats, Belk said. “We do four weeks of lamb, four weeks of pork and then four weeks of beef,” Belk said. “So throughout the semester, you’ll see a big fluctuation in what’s in the store,” aside from

certain staples like ground beef and sausage. All of the packaging is done in-house as well. Because the GFIC is first and foremost a teaching facility, the meat is inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but it isn’t graded for quality, other than a few Certified Angus Beef products. Butchers often pay additional fees for USDA grading because it guarantees a specified level of consistency across different cuts. This is part of the reason the prices are so affordable at Ram Country Meats. The primary mission of the facility is to engage in teaching, research and outreach, so the profits mainly go toward paying the student employees and maintaining the facility, Harrington said. “We do try to recover our costs, but we’re not out to make a major profit on the meat that we sell here,” Harrington said. “Really, our goal is just to teach students, and that’s the main thing.” The GFIC is also involved in a nonprofit program called Beef Sticks for Backpacks, led by GFIC Assistant Manager Sophia Hightower. Beef Sticks for Backpacks provides a high-quality, nonperishable protein source for elementary school students in Colorado who face food insecurity. The GFIC produces around 22,000 meat sticks per

week to donate to students in need, Hightower said. “We make it all here,” Hightower said. “So everything’s donated: the meat that goes into it, the spices, everything.” This gives students in the GFIC the opportunity to put their newly learned skills to the test, all while giving back to the local community. “It’s an awesome project for us at Colorado State University to have, and it’s a story that we really want to get out there more,” Hightower said. Lora Bailey is a current student in the animal sciences program who works as a meat processing technician and student lead for Ram Country Meats. Bailey said she hopes to go to veterinary school once she graduates. “I think it’s really awesome to interact with customers, students and even nonstudents who come in to purchase our products,” Bailey said. “It’s cool to tell the story behind where the meat comes from and how students are involved in the whole process.” The meat processing facility was met with some resistance from an animal rights group on campus when construction began in 2017, according to The Coloradoan. However, animal welfare is a high priority for the department of animal sciences, as stated on their website.

Lily Edwards-Callaway is an associate professor in the department of animal sciences who specializes in livestock welfare. She said her love of animals led her to pursue graduate school, where she initially worked with zoo animals before switching to livestock behavior and welfare. “I really wanted to do something that made an impact, and I found by working in the agricultural space, I really can impact the lives of millions of animals in a positive way,” Edwards-Callaway said. Now she is one of the faculty members in the animal sciences department who prioritizes improving conditions for livestock throughout the food supply chain. “My research focuses on the terminal point in the supply chain, so specifically that means those end-oflife decisions for animals,” Edwards-Callaway said. “Whether it be making timely euthanasia decisions or making sure the marketing process — which includes transportation, handling and processing — is done in the most humane way possible.” Reach Lizzy Rylance at science@collegian.com.

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Collegian.com

REPRESENTATION

Science without limits: Highlighting LGBTQIA+ voices in STEM By Hannah Parcells @hannahparcells

As a dedicated research institution, Colorado State University is well acquainted with the fact that science knows no boundaries. CSU has a long history of research and scientific study with a diverse group of professionals working in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. However, LGBTQIA+ individuals are roughly 20% less represented in the STEM fields than statistically expected. Representation and visibility of diverse identities in the STEM fields have improved over the years, but there is still work to be done. The LGBTQIA+ professionals in STEM fields at CSU are an active part of that effort, and their experiences help shape the progress being made on campus. Kayleigh Keller is an assistant professor in the statistics department who identifies as transgender. She highlighted being able to work with students and contribute toward reputation in STEM. “I think for me, I didn’t really have any queer mentors in my academic career, and that’s something that I think has been a challenge for me,” Keller said. “One of my personal goals is to help where I can to foster and encourage that kind of community so that people can have mentors or feel like they can belong in STEM in a way that I didn’t for a long time.” Bringing understanding of different backgrounds in the lab has been a key part of teaching, said German Parada, a senior instructor and assistant professor of practice in the department of chemical and biological engineering who identifies as gay. “Part of our work in our class is to work in teams to kind of teach students that kind of dynamic,” Parada said. “To teach that this is what’s going to happen: You’re

going to be around diversity, so you have to learn how to work together. You have to recognize that all of us are different, but we all have the same goals.”

“Not everybody will pursue the academic path or the grad school or Ph.D. path, but no matter what path you choose, there are people who are like you who have accomplished success.” GERMAN PARADA SENIOR INSTRUCTOR AND ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF PRACTICE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING

Currently, Parada teaches a senior-level undergraduate lab that is focused on applying theoretical concepts to practical work with research equipment. “My hope as I work here is that students can also see me as a resource and see that somebody with the identities that I have

can still achieve what they want,” Parada said. “Not everybody will pursue the academic path or the grad school or Ph.D. path, but no matter what path you choose, there are people who are like you who have accomplished success.” Molly Gutilla, an associate professor in the Colorado School of Public Health, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the importance of visibility. “Visibility in any kind of leadership — whether it’s in science or politics or anything — is so important,” Gutilla said. “I think it lets others see people for who they are, and it lets people also see potential future versions of themselves.” Gutilla is an epidemiologist, which means she studies patterns and causes of diseases and injuries in public health. Gutilla identifies as a lesbian, and though she is publicly out as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community now, she said she purposely kept her identity private when she began her career. “In science, I think you want your work to be good and respected and make a difference,” Gutilla said. “I think there was a fear for me that being out, people would pay attention more to that identity of mine than my work.” It was a survival tactic, Gutilla said, but as she progressed in her career, her perspective changed. “Later in my career and in school, I thought more and understood more about the value of bringing your whole self to work,” Gutilla said. “To me, there’s

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY TRIN BONNER THE COLLEGIAN

really some important modeling that I’m really committed to doing. I want to kind of be the scientist that I wish I would have seen when I was a student.” Finding a community was touched on by many LGBTQIA+ professionals on campus, including Andee Kaplan, an assistant professor in the department of statistics. “In this department, we have multiple out, LGBTQ, wonderful people, and we can talk about anything,” Kaplan said. “I feel like statistics — at least the slice of statistics that I’ve found — is a very open and welcoming community. I feel like I’ve found my people here.” This concept of finding community was also highlighted as an important part of progress in the STEM fields, and many LGBTQIA+ professionals said that community is the most important thing you can have. “To anyone who is thinking about being a scientist, my No. 1 piece of advice is to find your people to support you in growing yourself,” Gutilla said. “They’re out there, and I think that queeridentifying scientists want to help other queer-identifying scientists or any kind of marginalized identities. Know that we’re out here, we want to be helpful and we want to create an inclusive culture for scientists, and I want to work together to do it.” Reach Hannah Parcells at science@collegian.com.

Thursday, November 30, 2023

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LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

Queer voices in media elevate queer communities By Collegian editorial staff @csucollegian

Dear readers, As we prepared for this special edition, we contemplated the intersectional nature of being queer. While we often cling to a label or community, no two queer people will experience their world in the same way. Holding any minority identity does not make someone part of a monolith. This is true of every identity and is part of what makes the queer community beautiful. Queerness is experienced alongside other realities; we experience the world through multiple lenses. We have thrived in worlds that didn’t want us, and should you ever accuse us of all being the same, you would be denying hundreds of years of culture and counterculture that our found families have built. Our struggles and passions have seeped into popular culture, pulling us from shadows of the early ballroom scene to the limelight of social media trends. Look at drag and its influence on current fashion trends, and tell me you don’t see its influence on culture.

But no matter the level of appreciation for queer culture, we still see discrimination. We witness our rights, our loves and our identities debated in state capitals and on TV screens. We see grand social media battles about the so-called “threat” of our presence in the world. We are left to defend the acceptability of our love. No trending hashtag will heal the damage we experience through legal and social repression in our younger years. As journalists, we see how culture evolves, and we take it upon ourselves to share that evolution through storytelling. We try our best to be objective, sharing every conceivable angle with readers. Our role is to reflect the world back on itself as it is, but that is not without its complications. When those identities of “journalist” and “queer person” intersect, it can be difficult to find a place between the news we report and personal experiences. We not only have to witness and experience injustice, but we also have to confront the perpetrators and ask why they behave the way they do. It is difficult to combat any bias as a journalist, but it is

exceptionally difficult to face those who have made the world an unwelcoming place for us personally. Representing every conceivable angle of a story becomes a daunting task when some of those angles are vehemently anti-LGBTQIA+. Alongside our responsibility to report on ugly truths, we are granted the immense privilege of elevating underrepresented voices in our community. We may not be able to dictate the actions of those around us, but we can give voice to the voiceless and challenge misconceptions while contributing to the broader narrative of queerness. As we watch governments across the country move to put queer communities at risk with “don’t say gay,” book bans and restrictions on trans athletes, it is as important as ever to elevate queer voices. With this edition, we hope to highlight our local LGBTQIA+ community and provide perspective on key issues. Sincerely, Queer-identifying employees and their allies at The Collegian Reach the editorial staff at letters @collegian.com.

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Collegian.com

STEREOTYPING

Stop forcing heteronormativity on queer love

“Have you ever heard, ‘Two bottoms don’t make a top?’ Well, they totally can.”

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY CADEN PROULX THE COLLEGIAN

By Caden Proulx @csucollegian

Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board. Don’t get me wrong: I love the romances of Nick and Charlie from “Heartstopper” or Elio and Oliver from “Call Me by Your Name” as much as the next person. The problem is that almost all popular queer media depict homosexual relationships as only this certain top-bottom, fem-masc way, stemming from a culture of heteronormativity pressed onto the queer community. And this falls woefully short of displaying the vast diversity and beauty present within LGBTQIA+ relationships. Shows like “Heartstopper” feel like straight shows but with gay people as the protagonists. The only difference is Disney wouldn’t allow it on their network because it’s two guys. Ask any queer person near you, and their experience of romance in high school is probably nowhere close to “Love, Simon” or “Heartstopper.” And never having LGBTQIA+ shows that accurately portray the queer experience really sucks. I love these kinds of shows, and you probably love these kinds of shows too. There’s nothing wrong with shows like these, especially at a time when lots of people just want

to be swept off their feet by Prince Charming. But the problem is that it’s sort of like Disney princess movies, which, until recently, always showed heterosexual attraction with the man being dominant and the woman being submissive. It’s no wonder that these traditional gender roles being spouted throughout our childhood had huge influences on us. And they inadvertently contribute to a narrow and homogenized representation of LGBTQIA+ relationships. Have you ever heard, “Two bottoms don’t make a top?” Well, they totally can. The problem with this mindset is it assumes “top” means masculine and “bottom” means feminine, and those are the only options if you are queer. We never see the beauty of the sexuality spectrum ever offered as a choice. For example, verses and switches, who are queer people whose sex position preference fluctuates on a spectrum, are not commonly represented in characters. This also means heterosexual people never get to see the fluidity of a lot of real-life queer relationships, contributing to the over-sexualization of the queer community both among LGBTQIA+ people and straight, cisgender people. This is the best we can do right now, though, because until queerness is more profitable than sensationalism, the media won’t tell diverse stories. There is no reason

to tell an accurate story because being queer is fucking hard, and that’s not binge-worthy. If we have to sacrifice authenticity for the sake of getting representation, I’d honestly just rather not be represented at all. Kit Connor of “Heartstopper” was forced to come out before he was ready because of the boxes put around queer individuals. The minute he was seen holding hands with a female costar, the immediate assumption was that he was straight and queerbaiting. Everyone simply erased Connor’s bisexuality from him because the heteronormative, masculine character that he plays in the show couldn’t be anything more than a sexualized gay top. Even the basic plotlines of all LGBTQIA+ movies only showcase coming-out stories, almost like you don’t even start being queer until you publicly come out and start having sex everywhere: “Heartstopper,” “Call Me By Your Name,” “Love, Simon,” “Love, Victor,” “Brokeback Mountain” — the list goes on and on. The same accusations and pressure that Connor faced happened to Nicholas Galitzine in “Red, White and Royal Blue,” who is a straight man who portrays queer roles frequently. This showcases an alarming obsession with sexualizing and stereotyping queer people at the expense of the people playing them. You might be wondering, then, “Who is on ‘top’?” or, “Who pays

for dinner on the first date?” These questions are super important to the queer experience, and a lot of LGBTQIA+ people struggle with them. The answer to these questions is not one-size-fitsall and goes back to the diversity present in queer love. This brings up terrible questions like, “Will this guy not like me if I’m not masculine enough?” or “How do I express that sometimes I don’t want to be the one on top?” or “How do I express my feminine side enough that it feels authentic to me but not too much so that I can still date my type?” Being a masculine top or feminine bottom is totally valid and one of the many ways that queer individuals choose to express themselves. However, when the majority sexuality is participating in something, it is undoubtedly going to impact the minority sexuality and gender groups, especially when it comes to personal expectations of ourselves. The problem is not that some queer individuals are heteronormative in relationships; the problem is we feel like we have to be. Until this stops being forced on us in our everyday lives due to ignorance and until the media begins to display a spectrum of queer experiences, we will not be truly free. Reach Caden Proulx at letters @collegian.com.

Thursday, November 30, 2023

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MISLABELED

Bisexuality is an identity, not a phase By Hana Pavelko @hanasolo13

Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board. Pride flags allow people to express themselves, find a piece of who they are and discover a community of people who support them. These flags can help people be their true selves. However, there is a strong amount of judgment concerning a certain pink, purple and blue flag. Bisexuality is defined as attraction to more than one gender and can be physical, romantic or emotional attraction, according to the Bisexual Resource Center. But with celebrities such as Dove Cameron and Kit Connor coming out as bisexual, those who are bisexual are often accused of doing it just to be trendy or because they are seeking attention. Accusations like these are a big component of biphobia. Similar to homophobia, biphobia is when people who believe monosexuality is superior are prejudiced against those who are attracted to more than one gender. Biphobia has a lot of overlap with panphobia, but

because some people view bisexuality as gender-binary, people are sometimes under the impression that it is transphobic. This leads to those who identify as bisexual being accused of being transphobic. Biphobia can take many shapes and forms, but a very common form of biphobia is bisexual erasure. Bi-erasure is when people try to deny the existence of bisexuality. Phrases like, “Oh, so you’re back to women,” or, “You’re just confused,” are subtle jabs that contribute to the phenomenon of bi-erasure. “I was never questioned when I had girlfriends in the past, but the minute I started dating a man, everyone asked if I was straight now or if everything was just a phase,” said Morgan Wylie, a bisexual student at Boston University. “I was told by one person that (my boyfriend) had finally ‘straightened me out,’ but that’s not true.” When a man who identifies as bisexual is dating a woman, he is not straight. When a man who identifies as bisexual is dating a man, he is not gay. His sexuality does not change with who he is dating. He is bisexual, and trying to diminish that only contributes to bi-erasure. “I am still bisexual, and just because I’m dating a man, I’m not any less bisexual,” Wylie said.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY NATHAN CARMODY THE COLLEGIAN

It is not just the straight community that can contribute to this phenomenon; sometimes even those in the LGBTQIA+ community participate in bi-erasure. It can hurt when this kind of dismissal comes from within a community. Bierasure can be detrimental to the mental health of individuals who identify as bisexual. Research shows that those who identify as bisexual are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety compared to those who are monosexual. The Bisexual Resource Center has released tips on how to be an ally to someone in this community. Among these tips are believing that bisexuality exists, respecting all relationships equally and accepting the labels people choose to identify themselves. Yet the most important aspect of supporting bisexual people is doing it in a way that makes them feel comfortable. If someone you know identifies with some form of multisexuality, talk with them to make sure you are supporting them the way they need. All sexualities deserve respect, and all members of the LGBTQIA+ community deserve to be supported and legitimized in their identities. Reach Hana Pavelko at letters@collegian.com.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY PRESTON BOX THE COLLEGIAN

There are no limits to how you label yourself By Emma Souza @_emmasouza

Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board. Over the past few decades, the dialogue around sexuality and gender has vastly expanded in the United States. There is still a lot of progress to be made toward dismantling stigmas, implementing inclusive legislation and increasing representation of LGBTQIA+ people in media, but society as a whole broadly discusses such topics now more than they did in the past. Heightened social awareness of labels describing sexual attraction, behavior, orientation and identification is proof of this. Although the definitions of many terms have existed long before the names were identified, decades ago, America did not have the same degree of knowledge about certain labels as we do now. For example, people identifying as asexual certainly existed in the ‘80s; however, because sexuality was not seen in as broad of a spectrum as it is now, open discussions about asexuality likely did not happen at the same frequency as today.

With this being said, people in contemporary America frequently use labels for personal comfort, a sense of belonging and community. Picking the correct one for yourself, however, it is a stressful process. And sometimes, that choice is motivated more by social pressure than by personal desire. Other times, there may not be a right label at all. Part of the pressure to put a label on sexuality comes from queer imposter syndrome, or the feeling that you don’t belong in the LGBTQIA+ community for one reason or another. These reasons range from a fear of how family and friends will perceive you to an anxiety about dating within the community. In this case, the most prominent reason is the worry that your label won’t or doesn’t fit — that is, if you are enough of whatever label you use or if you fit the image of how that label is perceived. The pressure to label yourself might feel especially important given your age. It’s almost like there’s this social time bomb that goes off once we hit graduation. By the time it explodes, we are supposed to know who we are, what we want to do and where our place is in the world. In

the rush to gather ourselves together before we finish college, we assume that part of knowing who we are is knowing how we identify. Maybe a label is right for you and fits — but maybe it doesn’t. Although we have been made to think there is some expiration to figuring ourselves out, there is always enough time. Both sexual orientation and gender identification are extremely complex and nuanced parts of our lives. They should never be rushed into labels that don’t completely fit, despite what we have been taught. Similarly, if labels are something you want to try, it’s always OK to change them. They don’t have to be permanent — identification can be fluid, and it can evolve. If you find something that fits you better, that’s great. At the end of the day, labels are for nobody but yourself. Pick what fits, what makes you comfortable and what empowers you. That being said, if nothing feels right, don’t feel pressured into picking something because it’s easier to say or because you feel obligated. There is absolutely nothing wrong with remaining unlabeled. Reach Emma Souza at letters@collegian.com.

Thursday, November 30, 2023

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COMMUNITY COMPANIES

3 queer-owned businesses to support in Fort Collins By Sophia Masia @sophie_masia

Fort Collins is known for its restaurants, window shopping and businesses that give back to the community. Here are just three of many queer-owned businesses worth checking out in town.

1. The Farmhouse at Jessup Farm

The Farmhouse at Jessup Farm is a rustic American-style restaurant that opened in 2015. They offer handcrafted cocktails, farm fare ingredients and fresh twists on comfort food favorites. The farmhouse is honored to be a queer-, minority- and locally owned business in Northern Colorado and prides itself on partnerships with local growers, producers, brewers and creators in Fort Collins. “I like it here a lot,” customer Tracy Musolff said. “I think it’s great they’re LGBT-owned. It’s so important to have diversity in our restaurants, but I would come anyway. They are that good!” The restaurant gets its name from its location in a 19th-century farmhouse in Jessup Farm Artisan Village. The over 100-year-old building offers an outdoor patio, an indoor bar and tables and a cozy reading nook that makes the atmosphere even more homey. The Farmhouse at Jessup Farms is open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4-8 p.m.

Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4-8 p.m. weekends.

2. R Bar and Lounge

For those who are over 21, R Bar and Lounge is a queer-safe bar catering to the LGBTQIA+ population. R Bar has been serving as Fort Collins’ only LGBTQIA+ lounge/nightclub since opening Nov. 6, 2015. During the past eight years, they’ve become known for their theme nights, karaoke and drag shows. “I love the opportunity to meet amazing people within our community and allow them a place to feel free and accepted,” manager John Bradley said. “Many of us come from backgrounds where being out was not accepted and we did not have a place to gather or be ourselves. I am glad that R Bar can be that spot for many.” And R Bar is that place for many. They host shows every Friday, karaoke on Wednesdays and select Saturdays and drag brunch every first Sunday of the month. R Bar is also where local drag performer and producer Krisa Gonna hosts Kickstart, a drag competition for beginners. “Being a queer- and femaleowned company is very important to us,” Bradley said. “Leanna (Valadez) is an amazing owner, and she brings a momma bear energy to the establishment. Being a double minority in the business world, she

COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO OF THE FARMHOUSE AT JESSUP FARM

is used to fighting against adversity and making things happen.” R Bar is located at 107 E. Laurel St. and is open 5 p.m. to 2 a.m Tuesday through Saturday.

3. FoCo DoCo

Fort Collins Donut Co., or FoCo DoCo, a donut shop in Old Town, has a little something for everyone. “Their lemon poppy seed donut is absolutely divine and just what I needed,” customer Lily Wyn said. FoCo DoCo serves made-toorder donuts “for hot people,” according to their website, and locally roasted coffee beans from Lima Coffee Roasters. Their donuts feature high-quality local ingredients from fresh apple cider and Palisade peaches to locally harvested honey. Their unique flavors, variety of both gluten-free and vegan donuts and activity in the community make them a Fort Collins staple while being an out and proud queerowned business. “I’m not a huge sweets person, but I work right next door, and I am always over there,” customer Juliana Gonzales said. “The staff are nice, and their donuts are bomb. They’re too good.” FoCo DoCo is open 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekends at 215 N. College Ave. Reach Sophia Masia at entertainment@collegian.com.

Thursday, November 30, 2023

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Thursday, November 30, 2023

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QUEER EXPRESSION

Local drag performers navigate stereotypes By Alex Hasenkamp @alexhasenkamp

The reflection of disco balls and shimmering pride flags fill an intimate room with sparkle and joy. R Bar and Lounge, located at 107 E. Laurel St., is a safe space for many LGBTQIA+ identifying FoCo residents. With community activities such as karaoke nights, drag brunches and dance parties, the self-proclaimed “alternative bar” is a hot spot for Fort Collins drag performers. “Drag is really big on supporting each other, so if you’re a young queen or a new queen, they’re big about supporting that community,” said Amanda Jo Reisenweber, the R Bar’s social media and marketing coordinator. Frequent R Bar performer Stephen Tafoya, whose stage name is YungRaccoon, moved to Fort Collins in 2017 and got their start in Colorado State University’s annual drag show. “I kind of took a leap,” Tafoya said. “I didn’t have any friends who did it at the

“I find that I get the best response when I can just express myself freely and not be put into a box.” STEPHEN TAFOYA FORT COLLINS DRAG PERFORMER YUNGRACCOON

time. I started on Halloween, so I asked one of my friends to get me in drag, which was literally just cross-dressing, but it was super fun.” After two years of solely tip work, YungRaccoon eventually proved themself as a talented drag performer, earning spots as a permanent cast member in shows at The Whisk(e)y, The Atrium and R Bar. “It was kind of a rough start because I don’t do traditional drag,” Tafoya said. “I do drag creature kind of things, so a lot of people saw me and weren’t really sure about it, so I really had to prove myself.” Tafoya said they gleaned some fashion and makeup inspiration from performers like Juno Birch and Trixie Mattel.

“I do a lot of sewing (and) a lot of cardboard construction,” Tafoya said. “I’ve always had a craft stash. I started printmaking by myself, collage work, painting at home.” Tafoya’s outfits include a lot of spikes, leather and heavy jewelry. Their signature hoods are the “most important part of their costume,” Tafoya said, and they are inspired by Maurice Sendak’s “Where the Wild Things Are,” specifically the onesie the character Max wears. “It kind of fits my story, too, because I wanted to be where the wild things were,” Tafoya said. “I wanted to be a drag queen.” Because YungRaccoon’s look is so original, finding appropriate makeup tutorials was a bit of a challenge, but after some experimenting, they settled into a suitable routine. “Covering my eyebrows is probably the very, very first step, and that takes, like, 20 minutes,” Tafoya said. Accomplished with Elmer’s glue and a rat tail comb, the eyebrows take two or three layers, depending on how hot the weather is. “I start by picking the color foundation I want to do that night or whatever’s left in my brushes from the last show,” Tafoya said. They custom-mix the foundations together to get what they want on a piece of tin foil to help melt the paint. “I really try and stay away from the traditional drag female impersonation because I think it’s boring, in my opinion, for me,” Tafoya said. “I tried to do that makeup, and it just didn’t really sit with me.” Despite female impersonators being the more traditional form of drag, the freedom to be creative is imperative, Tafoya said. “I find that I get the best response when I can just express myself freely and not be put into a box,” Tafoya said. Along with using drag as a form of self-expression, the accepting community Tafoya was immersed in enabled them to feel more comfortable in their own skin on and off the stage. “Drag was a way for me to work past my social anxiety because it got really bad after high school, so I needed a place to belong, and people weren’t queer enough for me, and I was too queer for other people, so I needed to find a space where I felt really welcome,” Tafoya said. Previous Mister Gay Pride of All Colorado and Mister Rocky Mountain Shining Star are just a few of the titles that MaveRick Smith, self-proclaimed “drag daddy of Colorado,” holds after his eight years of experience.

YungRaccoon puts on makeup in the R Bar and Lounge in Fort Collins Nov. 13. PHOTO BY MILO GLADSTEIN THE COLLEGIAN

“Here in Fort Collins when I first started, we really didn’t have many drag kings,” said Smith, who uses he/ him/his pronouns onstage and any pronouns offstage. Smith got his start after helping out at a fundraiser that didn’t have enough performers; he was praised for his stage presence and ended up joining the longest-running drag troupe in Northern Colorado, Glitter Drag Show. “It might be a bit harder for upcoming queens because there’s so many, … but you still have to overcome the discrimination of being a drag king, … like, drag kings can’t be as entertaining as drag queens,” Smith said. Smith noted that even within the LGBTQIA+ community, there is still a lot of sexism. “It is more challenging for drag kings to hit that same elevated level — they don’t get as much attention; they don’t get as many opportunities presented to them,” Smith said. “There’s a lot of performers that identify as nonbinary, and that’s a cool part of it. It is very open for interpretation. It’s art.” Smith is well known for his showstopping boots and buys a lot of his costumes online. The most consistent part of his costume is the makeup, which includes lots of contour, eyeliner and a beard. Gender neutrality is something Smith has been experimenting with ever since the beginning of his drag journey, enabling him to express gender fluidity outside of drag. Although male artists such as Adam Lambert have a large influence on his fashion and makeup, Smith lets his identity as a bi-gendered individual seep through into his drag, he said.

“I’m not trying to deny one part of myself or the other, and I will acknowledge that I embrace both my masculinity and my femininity,” Smith said. Gender norms are not the only barriers drag performers are commonly faced with. Anti-LGBTQIA+ laws have been rapidly implemented across the United States, many of them targeted at drag performers, banning them from performing in certain places or participating in community events. “I think a lot of it is ignorance of those who are creating these so-called bills to ‘protect children’ because they’re not,” Smith said. “They’re just targeting marginalized groups.” Smith is concerned with where these bills draw the line, bringing up questions of whether or not they target people dressing up on Halloween or in plays. “Everyone knows The Rock (Dwayne Johnson); he was a wrestler, he has voiced and played parts in children’s movies but he’s also been in movies that are extremely violent that you would never take your child to,” Smith said. “He understands that there’s a balance. He’s also a parent, so is he being offensive because he’s performing in R-rated movies versus G-rated movies? No.” Smith voiced his frustration with the lack of research lawmakers have put into these oppressive restrictions. “As adults, just like everyone else, we know when it’s appropriate to do one thing versus another, so if we have a show that’s geared toward children, we know to adjust our appearance, and we know to adjust our performance,” Smith said. Reach Alex Hasenkamp at entertainment@collegian.com.

Thursday, November 30, 2023

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REMEMBRANCE

Pride Resource Center pays tribute to trans community through origami art By Ruby Secrest @csucollegian

Transgender Day of Remembrance is a safe space for speeches, poems and songs to celebrate the lives of those in the trans community who have passed due to anti-trans violence and legislation. The Colorado State University Pride Resource Center hosted a Northern Colorado Trans Day of Remembrance & Resiliency event Nov. 16 in the Lory Student Center Theatre. The PRC held a preliminary gathering Nov. 6 to prepare for this event, taking time to get creative with one another and make origami paper cranes and butterflies. The event served as a way for people to express their love and compassion for those who have passed, and the origami provided an artistic outlet for healing. Ali Owens, one of the participants in the crane creations and butterflies, explained that the PRC does this event every year as a way to combine the therapeutic nature of art with grief. The cranes are made to show the historical significance of multiple

cultures as a symbol of remembrance for those who have now passed. She also said that the paper butterflies represent the migration to Colorado as other states in the U.S. begin to introduce new laws that do not allow the LGBTQIA+ community to exist freely in public. “Art is such a powerful medium for expressing so many things that we see in terms of systems of oppression,” Owens said. “Art, historically, is an act of resistance in a lot of ways, and it’s good to honor that tradition.” During the event, the cranes were hung from the podium, allowing the rainbow colors of the cranes to bring light to the dimly lit room. Then, during the ceremony, guests lined up before the podium and spoke the names of people who had passed. Their names were written on the newly made cranes and hung on a board, resulting in the butterflies forming the word “hope.” “We should continue to fight to exist, although we shouldn’t have to because we are resilient, we are able, we believe, we care, we love, we cherish and we are part of a huge community that loves and cherishes us for who we are and who we continue to be,” CSU graduate

and PRC Program Coordinator Soleil Gonzalez said during their speech. As people gathered and took turns sharing their perspectives and stories through poetry, song and speech, it was clear that while this was a time to feel grief and loss, it was also a reminder of hope and how important a healthy community is. “We are here today to claim our rightful place in the novels of history — not as footnotes but as authors of our destiny,” CSU student Ricky Winston said during her speech. “Our journey is not without its challenges; we face a world that often looks at us with eyes clouded by ignorance and hearts tainted by bias, but let us remember the ignorance of others could never diminish the truth of our existence. We are here, we are here and our lives are valued. We will remember those we’ve lost to the violence of hate, and in their memory, we forge a path of love and acceptance.” The night ended with tears, hugs and storytelling as the rainbow cranes and butterflies filled the room with a new sense of light. Reach Ruby Secrest at entertainment @collegian.com.

Folded paper cranes sit in the center of the table as students participate in the Pride Resource Center’s crane folding for Transgender Day of Remembrance Nov. 6. Cranes are considered holy creatures in Japan and throughout Asia, and the gift of 1,000 paper cranes is said to bring health and long life. PHOTO BY ARIA PAUL THE COLLEGIAN

30/23 Sudoku

PuzzleJunction.com Thursday, November 30, 2023

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To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

Sudoku

Last edition’s sudoku solution

5 2 3 6 1 7 8 2 6 4 7 5 3 4 7 6 3 2

3 1

7 2 3 9

6 5

Last edition’s crossword solution

Weather

Thursday

Friday

We ath W eaat tth heerr

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

You’ve recently ended a chapter in your life and are coming to terms with the new. The tarot card I pulled for you symbolizes a new love Solution or friendship coming up. Be proud of all you’ve overcome. LEO (JULY 23 - AUG. 22) Tarot card: Five of Swords This week will be a good period 5 1 8 4 9to manifest 2 3 6your7desires, Leo. If WEEKLY HOROSCOPE people have been doubting you 2 3 7 6 5on 8a project 1 9 or4endeavor, they By Abby Flores will learn their because 6 (11/30/23) 4 9 1 7you3 will8 achieve 2 5lesson TODAY’S BIRTHDAY a great deal 4 - APRIL 8 3 19) 9 2of 6abundance. 7 5 1 Victory is on ARIES (MARCH 21 your way. Tarot card: Ten of Cups 9 6 Nov. 1 27 7 4VIRGO 5 2(AUG. 8 23 3 - SEPT. 22) The Gemini full moon Tarot card: Ace of Cups will prompt you to reevaluate 2 energy 5 8 3You1 are6 feeling 4 9 inspired and relationships and7 the bubbly this you choose to surround 8 9 6 3 1 4 5 7 week, 2 Virgo. Your yourself with. You may also achievements will not go notice you want 1 to be 7 around 2 5 6unrecognized, 9 4 3 and 8 you may be preparing to have a celebration your friends at this time. 5 always 4 2 8with7 your 9 1friends 6 soon. You Connecting with 3 them are making new spiritual helps open you up. connections. TAURUS (APRIL 20 - MAY 20) LIBRA (SEPT. 23 - OCT. 22) Tarot card: Six of Cups Tarot card: Two of Swords Listen to your inner child, Taurus. You connect well with If you are a Libra sun or rising, the material world, but the the full moon in Gemini is going Gemini full moon on is going to to illuminate your ninth house make you reassess your career. of wisdom and knowledge. Art could be something you’re You’ll be making discoveries about yourself constantly, and being pulled to right now. your spiritual self is going to go GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUNE 20) through a major transformation. Tarot card: King of Swords Trust yourself this week, SCORPIO (OCT. 23 - NOV. 21) Tarot card: Three of Wands Gemini. You will succeed in whatever you put your mind to. Love is the heart of our The upcoming full moon Nov. universe, and you are learning to open yourself up to it. 27 is in your sign, and it is time November may have been to embrace all parts of who difficult, but remember: you are. Self-love is what you’ll There’s always a rainbow achieve. after every storm. You will CANCER (JUNE 21 - JULY 22) find true happiness in the next Tarot card: Nine of Cups couple weeks.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22 - DEC. 21) Tarot card: The Moon The full moon will open up your romantic side. If you cringed at this statement, I promise: It will feel magical. You don’t always need someone to make you recognize that love exists. The love exists within you, but if a special person happens to come around, be sure to let them in. You will not regret it. CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 - JAN. 19) Tarot card: King of Swords You are focused on your health this week, Capricorn. Whether you’re trying to eat more healthy or develop a better day-to-day routine, you will feel more accomplished with each day that comes. Treating yourself with respect is going to motivate your loved ones to do the same. AQUARIUS (JAN. 20 - FEB. 18) Tarot card: Two of Wands You may pick up a new hobby or learn a new language this week, Aquarius. The full moon in Gemini is going to bring you great opportunities to explore what you want. The time is now to heal and rediscover yourself. PISCES (FEB. 19 - MARCH 20) Tarot card: Eight of Cups You’re leaving an old part of yourself behind and embracing your most authentic traits this week, Pisces. Something you should know is that people love you for who you are, and if someone doesn’t accept you, then that is their problem, and they don’t deserve you. You deserve good things, and that is what you should affirm to yourself every day.

COMIC ILLUSTRATION BY TRIN BONNER @GAUCHE.GALAXY

Thursday, November 30, 2023

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OVERHEARD AROUND CAMPUS

“I’m too dyslexic to be cute.”

“I love you, but everything you’re saying is making this worse.”

“Life is hard, and then you die.” “Time means nothing, I’m just gay and tired.” Have you overheard something funny on campus? Put your eavesdropping to good use. Tweet us @CSUCollegian and your submissions could be featured in our next paper!

Things falling in the middle of the night.

Melatonin nightmares. Coming back from fall break.

7:30 a.m. finals.

Pickles. Vitamin C supplements. Having a break from school. London fogs.

ILLUSTRATION BY TRIN BONNER @GAUCHE.GALAXY

Construction.

Holiday movies.