Northern Colorado LGBT community flourishing

I walked into my part-time job yesterday (no this is not the lead-in to a joke) and a good friend who I was working with said “Wow, could you have worn anything gayer to work today?” I immediately broke out into laughter in response to his comment. That was a compliment, right?

OK, a little background. In my little community of Windsor – kind of like a 1960s version of Mayberry from the old Andy Griffin TV show – I feel lucky as well as fortunate to be pretty well accepted as a trans woman. Now, my work mates, friends, neighbors and many of the professionals I deal with on a daily basis treat me like any other person, the way it is supposed to be, you know, equal rights’. Nothing more, nothing less.

I think it’s a pretty safe assumption for me to say that June is a highlight for many of us. For me, bumping into and embracing friends from up north during Denver’s PrideFest weekend, whether along the parade route, next to the main stage, or out at night, was the best part of my Pride weekend.

So now June and the month of Pride is behind us. With the Pride celebrations, parties and that great feeling of community that we experienced during June, the LGBT community is eager to seek that same acceptance and feeling of family, the rest of the year.

Do these feelings and experiences have to end?

Since the end of June, I have experienced so much positive energy here in Northern Colorado that I can’t help but think what a great community we have.

I was in Longmont a couple of weeks ago covering its first PrideFest celebration. This was a day-long event dedicated to the youth in Boulder County who are exploring their identities. There was such an immense amount of positive support from community leaders, parents, siblings and local community organizations, that the attending youth were able to express themselves and gain confidence knowing they were supported in their personal exploration. My hat goes off to the Saint Vrain Valley Safe School Coalition, Boulder PFLAG and Boulder County Public Health for sponsoring this event.

Speaking of Boulder, how about sending  congratulations to OutBoulder’s Executive Director Aicila Lewis. Lewis was named one of the “100 Women We Love: Class of 2011” by GO! Magazine. To read Lewis’ full story, visit www.gomag.com.

On my way home from Longmont, hungry and sun burnt from three Pride weekends, I decided to stop in at the Fox Bar in Fort Collins for a late lunch. Mid-afternoon on a Sunday and things were pretty quiet for the new LGBT bar. With Miguel Gomez, one of the owners, I chatted about all of the great experiences we had in June and business at his new bar.

A few minutes later, Kate Bohn, one of the owner’s of the other Fort Collins bars, Choice City Shots, walked through the doors of the Fox. I literally fell off my bar-stool. As I pulled myself off the floor, Bohn introduced herself to Gomez with a big hug and welcomed him and the Fox to Fort Collins.

I was floored.

These two business competitors and I spent the remaining afternoon talking about the Northern Colorado community and what we could do to strengthen it.

These are but a few examples of what a supportive Northern Colorado LGBT community we live in. Keep it up!
If you want another positive dose of great Pride energy with LGBT family, friends and community, come on over to OutBoulder’s Pride Festival on Sunday, August 28. Visit www.outboulder.org for details.