From the Editor: Beyond political parties

As we head into the final throes of a three-year battle to pass civil unions in our little blue mountain state, we look in two directions. We look back – at our growth and evolution from “Bush Country” and the state that passed Amendment 2 to our current reality on the verge of being the first state in the region with civil unions. We look forward – to decipher what struggle or movement calls to us as the next big step.

Some of us will lead the fight to gain full marriage equality, while others will look at other areas of unequal representation within the LGBT community. And at the end of each struggle, we are able to look back on our accomplishments with a tinge of triumph, and a prevailing strength from our successes that propels us to continue our work, be it in our personal lives – coming out or telling our story – or our professional and social spheres in which we gain momentum in standing together at rallies, protests or unique spaces – LGBT bars or hangouts – that we can still claim as ours.

We know with certainty that there is always a cause to stick up for; there is always a battle worth the effort.

Two years ago, almost to the day this issue comes out, I was embarking on my new journey in LGBT media. Accepting the job offer at Out Front for the managing editor position, I put my previous life as a bartender behind me – flare and cleavage-bearing late-night tops thrown to the back of my closet – excited yet timid, to immerse myself into the world of publishing.

And I didn’t quite know what to expect, at first.

I knew I was a lesbian, but beyond my small circle of out friends and acquaintances, I was a gosling to the LGBT community in Denver. A spectator more than an activist; a part of the crowd more than a leader, but a creative mind above everything else.

Matt Kailey, the author of this issue’s cover story, was the previous managing editor at Out Front, and interviewed and then trained me to be his replacement in March of 2011. And for the two weeks that he spent detailing the day-to-day tasks of being an editor, I developed a deep respect and admiration for a person whose job I was expected to take on.

And after getting to know him, I realized that I had some pretty big shoes to fill.

We reached out to Kailey a few months ago in hopes he would take on this issue’s very important cover story on trans issues. Not only is Kailey a talented journalist, he is also an activist and thought leader in the national trans community, and wrote several books and many articles on the struggles and victories of transitioning.

We were proud and excited that we could have Kailey back to write this issue’s cover story, and even more excited when the story developed. It focuses on three people: Savannah Sanburg, Max Wolf Valerio and Craig Archuleta, who reveal a spectrum when it comes to political worldviews.

Trans folks are not just one type of person, even if they all happen to identify as “T.” They are advocates, students, teachers, bankers or prominent leaders who are conservative and liberal, Republican or Democrat, or neither. And in a community where we sometimes define our common experiences to a fault, we’ve found that in these cases, even the terms we use to identify ourselves and relate ourselves to the rest of our community will vary from person to person.

Not all trans folks are liberal Democrats. Just as not all white, wealthy men vote Republican. And not all people who identify differently from the gender they were assigned at birth will publicly identify themselves as “trans.”

We could spend much time talking about the complex relationship between trans people and the rest of the LGBT community, or whether trans people are accepted enough within the community – but the truth is, trans people are already at the center of our community and its social world, history and politics.

Speaking of politics, this month we’re saying goodbye to a very important community activist, Jace Woodrum. Transman and deputy director for statewide LGBT advocacy organization One Colorado, Jace has focused his message on stories – the unique and personal details of our lives that, in our differences, make it impossible to miss what we have in common. He was also always ready to remind us to pay attention to those who are falling off the radar, whoever’s radar that may be and whoever has been lost to it.

As Woodrum said after being honored in Out Front’s Power List last October: “When we get to know someone and their stories, it creates a connection,” he said. “I hope this encourages other members of the trans community to reach out to me, to One Colorado, to share their stories and get involved in the work that’s being done for trans equality in Colorado.”

Jace left for South Carolina with his wife, Addison Woodrum, and we wish them the best of luck though we’re sorry to see them go.