SL C L E AT HE R P R IDE • Q UE E R F IL M F E S T I VA L • E Q U A L I T Y U TA H E NDOR SE ME N T S
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from the publisher
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month BY MICHAEL AARON
Let me
be straight with you (haha): September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, I didn’t mention it in the September edition. Given that I’ve been going through a prostatectomy and 28 courses of radiation over the past year or so, that’s an embarrassing mistake. Therefore, this is the correction. Better late than never. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men in the United States, and about one in eight men will suffer from it during their lives. It is also one of the more treatable forms of cancer when detected early, which is exactly the reason why the discussion about screening is so important. Nevertheless, it is still a disease that people tend to avoid—men fail to go in for check-ups, doctors at times omit the conversation, and by the time the symptoms show up, the available options have become limited. For gay and bisexual men specifically, the picture is more complicated than “higher risk,” and I want to be careful not to overstate what the research actually shows. A review of scientific studies, including a 2020 analysis of prostate cancer among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, does not show conclusive evidence that we face a higher incidence of prostate cancer than other men. What the research does show, consistently, is that we are screened less often, have poorer follow-up support, and report worse urinary and bowel quality-of-life outcomes after treatment. So, the disease may not discriminate, but the health care system built around detecting and treating it too often does. Gay or bisexual patients must be more proactive, not less. That leads me to the PSA test — a simple blood test which checks pros-
tate-specific antigen levels — that can indicate a problem many years before any symptoms appear. The test isn’t perfect, since it may give false positives; a further test a month or so later can tell whether your levels have risen for another reason. It is one of the few early-warning methods we have, and medical guidelines have changed over the years in ways that sometimes make doctors reluctant to prescribe it routinely, particularly before age 50 or when there is no family history to trigger it. My own admission is that, when I look back, I know I’d have been in a better position today if a doctor earlier on had suggested I have a PSA test. The subject never came up in our regular talks, and I wasn’t aware enough to ask for it. I don’t want other men to make the same mistake. You shouldn’t wait for your doctor to raise the idea; ask about it. If necessary, insist on it. After all, it’s your body, and a five-minute chat could make the difference between an early and a late treatment plan. When I started seeing a new doctor at UAF Legacy Health, I got a PSA test simply as part of routine bloodwork — no debate, no hesitation, no need for me to advocate for myself. That’s exactly how it should work everywhere, for every man, regardless of who he loves or how his provider was trained. I was mostly fortunate this time, since my aggressive cancer hadn’t spread to other parts of my body. Not every man is. So this is my October column, written in September, pleading with you to get the test. Ask the question your last doctor may not have asked. Find a provider who treats your health — all of it — as routine, not remarkable. Prostate Cancer Awareness Month may be over on the calendar, but the conversation shouldn’t be. Q
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news The top national and world news since last issue you should know BY CRAIG OGAN
Pappas V Sununu in N.H. Congressional REP. CHRIS PAPPAS (D-N.H.) has secured his party’s nomination to succeed retiring SEN. JEANNE SHAHEEN (D-N.H.) after winning New Hampshire’s Democratic Senate primary. He will face former U.S. SEN. JOHN E. SUNUNU, who won the Republican nomination Tuesday. Pappas, who married his husband, VANN BENTLEY, in 2023, is an openly gay lawmaker and former co-chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, formerly known as the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus. The race is expected to be one of the most closely watched Senate contests in the country and could play a key role in determining control of the chamber. Pappas received about 65% of the vote, defeating progressive challenger KARISHMA MANZUR, a medical scientist and member of the Southern New Hampshire Democratic Socialists of America, who won approximately a third of the vote. Sununu comes from one of New Hampshire’s best-known political families. Both his father, John H. Sununu, and his brother, Chris Sununu, served as governor. Sununu previously represented New Hampshire in the U.S. House and served one term in the U.S. Senate
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Fund cuts hurt LGBT groups worldwide A new report from LGBT advocacy organization Outright International surveyed 229 LGBT organizations in 94 countries and found that nearly 89% had lost U.S. funding since January 2025. Of the organizations surveyed, 49% reported losing more than half of their operating budgets, while 75% said they had lost at least one-quarter of their funding. Today, 73% operate on annual budgets below $250,000. The cuts have particularly affected advocacy groups in countries with anti-LGBT laws, including Ghana and Uganda. The report found that transgender, nonbinary, and gender-diverse people, along with lesbian, bisexual, and queer women, have been disproportionately impacted. Forty percent of organizations said the funding cuts placed their existence at severe or immediate risk, while 36% said they were likely or very likely to close within the next year. Only 3% reported being in stable financial condition. The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, launched by President George W. Bush in 2003, is one of the largest global health initiatives focused on a single health issue. The program is coordinated through the U.S. Department of State and has been credited with saving approximately 26 million lives while helping to prevent millions of HIV infections worldwide. Budget revisions have shifted greater responsibility for HIV treatment and prevention programs to national governments, with the State Department emphasizing increased local-country management and long-term sustainability of services.
Tennis Love First, it was Hockey Hunks, now a gay fantasy about men’s tennis. An official image from the upcoming film Forty Love has sparked debate over which real-life tennis stars its lead characters resemble. The movie marks the feature directing debut of fashion photographer PIERRE-ANGE CARLOTTI, who co-wrote the screenplay with GAËLLE MACÉ. PAUL KIRCHER stars as Sacha Gallo, a 21-year-old tennis prodigy. ROMEO BECKHAM makes his acting debut as a charismatic rival who enters Sacha’s world. While his character’s name has not been revealed, Beckham performs in both English and French. Filmed across the French Riviera, Provence, Monaco, and Paris, Forty Love promises striking scenery. Following the image release, fans have compared the actors to a range of tennis stars, including Carlos Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal, Taylor Fritz, Andre Agassi, Andrey Rublev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Nick Kyrgios. Whether they are straight actors playing gay tennis players or whatever, it’s still a nice bit of eye candy on the screen.
9/11 Victim # 1 As the nation marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, it is worth remembering Father Mychal Judge, the Franciscan priest and New York City Fire Department chaplain often referred to as the first officially recorded victim of 9/11. He died inside the World Trade Center after rushing to the scene to minister to firefighters and other first responders. Accounts indicate he was offering prayers and pastoral care, and may have been administering last rites when he was killed. Father Judge was widely known for his ministry to firefighters in Lower Manhattan and for his outreach to people living with HIV/ AIDS and members of New York’s LGBTQ communi-
ty. He advocated for the inclusion of gay and lesbian Catholics and provided compassionate pastoral care to many who were marginalized by the Church, then. His body was assigned the designation “Victim 0001” by New York City’s medical examiner, Father Mychal Judge making him the first officially recorded casualty of the attacks.
Grindr not out at GOP meetings A tired joke resurfaces whenever Republicans gather, and this year was no exception. As the GOP convened in Dallas for the 2026 Republican Nation-
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al Midterm Convention, social media posts claimed that gay dating app Grindr was experiencing outages because user activity at the event had overwhelmed the platform. The claim appears to have been unfounded. A Grindr spokesperson told fact-checking outlet Lead Stories that no such outage occurred. Much of the speculation stemmed from a screenshot of Downdetector, a website where users can report technical issues. However, Downdetector does not independently verify outages and relies on user-submitted reports. The meme’s descent into misinformation reached rock bottom as expelled former congressman George Santos reported the outage to his followers in his not widely followed posts.
Stonewall Museum needs love One of the nation’s largest LGBT archives is literally running out of space. According to CEO Robert Kesten, shelves have been added to nearly every office at the Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library,
while additional materials have been moved to off-site storage. The dispersal makes research, scholarship, and exhibit development more time-consuming. To address the problem, the Fort Lauderdale-based institution has launched a $40 million capital campaign to build or relocate to a larger facility. Museum leaders say the effort has been complicated by the loss of federal and state grants amid efforts to eliminate funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. An National Endowment for the Humanities grant on an exhibit for the 250-year U.S.A. celebration on the reputedly gay, Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, the military officer credited with helping professionalize the Continental Army survived the cuts. Like many LGBT museums, libraries, and archives, the nonprofit relies heavily on donor support. Learn more at stonewall-museum.org.
No charges on Buttigieg swatting No one will face criminal charges for the false child
welfare report that targeted former U. S. Transportation Secretary and former and maybe future presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg and husband Chasten Buttigieg, forcing their 4-year-old twins into forensic interviews and separating the children from the former transportation secretary overnight. The investigation crossed state lines. The false report was made by an Alabama woman while she was staying in Marshall County, Indiana, but the child welfare investigation itself was conducted in Michigan, where the Buttigieg family lives. Indiana State Police identified the caller and recommended charges, but Marshall County Prosecutor E. Nelson Chipman Jr. declined to prosecute. Chipman concluded that the woman’s documented history of alcohol abuse, hallucinations, and delusional thinking made it impossible to prove she knowingly filed a false report. Authorities said she reported hearing voices and expressed grandiose beliefs. During her stay in Indiana, she had three police encounters, including a domestic battery arrest
in which her blood-alcohol level was recorded at 0.32. Buttigieg later described the accusation as a “cruel, politically motivated hoax.”
Talarico relents on Transgender sports participation Texas Senate candidate James Talarico is qualifying his support for transgender athletes. The Democrat appeared on Fox News, saying he “would oppose trans athletes playing in girls’ sports if it endangers safety or fairness. Every sport has to be safe and fair. As a former public-school teacher, I care a lot about our student athletes.” The comments are a reversal from his previous positions on transgender participation in athletics. As a member of the Texas House of Representatives in 2021, he opposed HB 4042, a bill that sought to restrict participation in sports based on gender assigned at birth. In committee testimony in 2021, he said, “What part of your love of freedom moves you to ask the government to police people’s private parts?” Q
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Over 300,000 transgender citizens could face barriers to voting at the polls in the 2026 elections
Voters in at least 19 states face new voting restrictions that were not in place for the 2024 general election An estimated 1.3 million adult transgender U.S. citizens are eligible to vote in the November 2026 midterm elections, according to a new report by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law. In the United States, 36 states have voter ID laws that require voters to present identification when voting at the polls. Of these, 33 primarily hold elections in person. Within these states, an estimated 323,700 transgender citizens may face barriers to voting in the upcoming elections because they lack an ID that lists their correct name and/or gender. Approximately 113,700 of those without IDs live in states with the strictest voter ID laws, where a government-issued photo ID is required to vote, and few or no alternatives are available. Many transgender people do not have ID documents that list their correct name and gender. Among transgender adult citizens who responded to the 2022 U.S. Trans Survey, 49% said that they had no form of ID that lists their correct name, and 54% had no form of ID that represented their correct gender. About 58% had
no form of ID that correctly reflected both their name and gender. Transgender people who are Black, indigenous, or people of color; young adults; students; people with low incomes; people experiencing homelessness; and people with disabilities are more likely to lack accurate IDs for voting. “Voter ID laws create a unique and, in some cases, insurmountable barrier to voting for a substantial number of transgender people,” said lead author Will Tentindo, staff attorney at the Williams Institute. “States must take steps to improve access to the ballot for transgender voters, including changing voter ID laws, making the process of obtaining accurate IDs simpler and more affordable, training poll workers, and reducing barriers to voting more broadly.” Transgender voters who have IDs may need to update them to reflect their correct name, photo, and gender marker when they begin living according to their gender identity. This can be challenging, as laws vary substantially across states and federal agencies. In some places, updating these documents
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is prohibited altogether. Currently, eight states prohibit changes to an individual’s gender marker on their driver’s license, and 10 states prohibit changes to an individual’s gender marker on their original birth certificate. Seven states prohibit corrections on both documents, including five (Indiana, Kansas, Tennessee, Florida, and Texas) that require a photo ID to vote. Even in states where changing one’s name and gender marker on state IDs is allowed, the process can be difficult, time-consuming, and costly, often requiring court orders, physician letters, and fees for new ID cards. The second Trump administration has declared voter identification a key policy priority. The SAVE America Act, under consideration in Congress, would require a photo ID to vote and narrow the types of acceptable identification. In addition, President Trump issued an executive order on March 31, 2026, that would impose greater federal oversight of mail-in ballots. The order is currently being challenged in court. “Prohibiting or restricting eligible voters from voting undermines democracy, and it undermines transgender citizens having a voice in the electoral process,” said co-author Jody L. Herman, Senior Scholar of Public Policy at the Williams Institute. “Voter ID laws can potentially disenfranchise a substantial number of transgender people and can be particularly impactful in elections decided by a small number of votes.” Since the 2024 presidential election, many states have updated their voting laws. Specifically, between January 2025 and May 2026, at least 19 states passed 44 laws restricting voting procedures. Q The full report is available at WILLIAMSINSTITUTE.LAW. UCLA.EDU/PUBLICATIONS/TRANS-VOTER-ID-IMPACT/
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Equality Utah’s 2026 endorsements spark backlash Equality Utah, the state’s largest LGBTQ advocacy organization, released its 2026 election-cycle political endorsements this month, backing candidates across state legislative races, Salt Lake County government, and local school boards. The list reflects the organization’s long-standing “big tent” approach to politics in a deep-red state, but it has also reignited a familiar argument within the community it represents: Is bipartisan coalition-building protecting LGBTQ Utahns, or is it costing them ground?
The Slate Equality Utah’s Political Action Committee endorsed 40 candidates this cycle, including:
UTAH STATE SENATE CJ HERNANDEZ (District 5), JEN PLUMB (District 9), EMILY BUSS (District 11), KAREN KWAN (District 12), SILVIA CATTEN (District 13), STEPHANIE PITCHER (District 14).
UTAH HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PATRICK BELMONT (District 3), ANGELA CHOBERKA (District 9), ROSEMARY LESSER (District 10), STEPHEN OTTERSTROM (District 21), JEN DAILEY-PROVOST (District 22), HOANG NGUYEN (District 23), GRANT MILLER (District 24), ANGELA ROMERO (District 25), MICHAEL FINCH (District 26), ANTHONY LOUBET (District 27), JAKE FITISEMANU (District 30), VERONA MAUGA (District 31), SAHARA HAYES (District 32), DOUG OWENS (District 33), JULIE JACKSON (District 34), BLAKE TOWNSEND (District 36), ASHLEE MATTHEWS (District 37), CHRIS MCCONNEHEY (District 38), DREW HOWELLS (District 39), ANDREW STODDARD (District 40), JOHN ARTHUR (District 41), and CELESTE JOHNSON (District 59).
SALT LAKE COUNTY JIRO JOHNSON (COUNTY COUNCIL, DISTRICT 1), MIKE BIRD (County Council, District 3), ZACH ROBINSON (County Council, AtLarge), LANNIE CHAPMAN (County Clerk), SIM GILL (District Attorney), and ROSIE RIVERA (Sheriff). School Boards: ANDREW EDTL (Can-
yons District 4), F. MASITA TAUFAHEMA (Jordan District), ZACH THOMAS (Ogden District 6), OSCAR MATA (Ogden District 7), ASHLEY ANDERSON (Salt Lake City, Precinct 3), and, for the Utah State Board of Education, NICOLE MCDERMOTT (District 8) and SARAH REALE (District 5). At first glance, it’s a sprawling, largely Democratic-leaning list threaded with familiar LGBTQ-rights allies. But buried inside it are the choices that lit up Equality Utah’s social media accounts: several races where the PAC passed over an openly LGBTQ or trans-affiliated candidate in favor of a straight, and in some cases Republican, opponent — most notably the endorsements of Mike Bird over Luke Maynes in the County Council District 3 race and Republican incumbent Anthony Loubet over Democratic challenger Liz Oates.
The Backlash The reaction arrived fast, loud, and public — stacking up in the comments beneath Equality Utah’s Instagram and Facebook posts announcing the slate. Longtime supporter JAHN CURRAN didn’t mince words: “And you wonder why many of us have stopped donating and attending Equality Utah events. You are not listening to your constituency.” Curran argued the org’s reluctance to automatically back LGBTQ candidates over other qualified contenders wasn’t about protecting rights at all, but about “cozying up to the LDS Church and appearing ‘moderate’” — a strategy Curran said ignored the real damage a Republican supermajority does to queer Utahns. ANDY DALRYMPLE pushed back even harder on the premise of bipartisan balance itself, arguing that any “good Republicans” who might exist are swallowed by a party he described as increasingly authoritarian — and that “falsely equating both sides” wasn’t neutrality; it was surrender. Frustration has also translated into action. Former candidate EVAN DONE pointed to a new alternative entirely — a PAC called Reflect Utah, created specifically to endorse and
support LGBTQ candidates, seemingly in direct response to Equality Utah’s perceived inconsistency. Other comments zeroed in on specific races the endorsement list didn’t include at all. JESS WIARDA flagged the Birdover-Maynes decision as the one she found hardest to square with the org’s mission. LINDSEY SKINNER raised the case of DAVID CHAPPELL, an openly queer candidate with a long organizing history running a competitive campaign in Provo’s House District 62 — a race Equality Utah declined to weigh in on. And ANNE BERBERT offered one of the most personal accounts: three Davis County candidates, each parenting a transgender child, who had shown up to committee hearings and legislative meetings to advocate for kids largely ignored by the supermajority — only to be passed over for endorsement, with one candidate’s application never even receiving a confirmation email. “I was grieved not to see him endorsed,” she wrote, describing a colleague whose trans son was hospitalized this year. A group of Democratic leaders, many of whom are on the endorsement list, published a statement against the PAC’s decisions. “Equality Utah has a long history we respect, which is exactly why this cycle’s endorsements are so disappointing,” the statement began. “There were talented, openly queer candidates on the ballot this year, running real, competitive campaigns, and in multiple races Equality Utah either declined to endorse them or endorsed their opponents instead. That’s not a small oversight. It’s a departure from what this organization is supposed to stand for.” “Queer representation in Utah politics doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when organizations like Equality Utah use their influence to back candidates who reflect their community, especially when those candidates have a real shot at winning. When that support isn’t there, it sends a discouraging message to every queer Utahn thinking about running for office,” the statement continued.
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Mike Bird/Luke Maynes race The largest pushback was on EU’s decision to endorse Republican Mike Bird over out Democrat Luke Maynes. This was Bird’s second endorsement from Equality Utah. The first came when he ran for a Utah House seat, which he didn’t win. He said he was “humbled” and “honored to be able to be trusted with [Equality Utah’s] support.” “I think that’s one of the things that I have really appreciated about Equality Utah is that they are always wanting to collaborate, work hard to make our community better, and to be able to not focus too much on partisan areas of that process,” he told ABC 4 News. He also said his support for the LGBTQ+ community is personal: “My twin brother just celebrated his second year and second anniversary with his husband.” Maynes was endorsed by the national LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, which says Maynes will be the “first out trans/non-binary person on the County Council” if elected. Maynes said his interactions with Equality Utah were positive and that he is grateful for their work. “If they want to endorse a longtime supporter over a queer candidate, that is their prerogative,” he said. “And if elected officials take issue with their process, then that is their prerogative as well.”
Anthony Loubet/Liz Oates race Many commenters were angry that the PAC endorsed Republican Sen. Anthony Loubet over Democrat Liz Oates.
Loubet has a mixed voting record on LGBTQ+ and transgender issues. In 2024, he was one of only three House Republicans who broke ranks to vote against HB257 which restricted transgender access to bathrooms and changing facilities in publicly owned buildings. In a statement regarding his “no” vote, Loubet noted that he had “unresolved concerns and questions” and wanted to ensure the legislation did not negatively impact his district on the west side of the Salt Lake Valley. Conversely, Loubet voted in favor of a 2025 law that required transgender students at public universities to be assigned to dormitories based on their sex assigned at birth. In 2026, he voted for HB174 which, in part, forbade doctors from continuing hormone therapy of minors, even if they had already started the treatment Oates is a staunch advocate for transgender rights, especially among trans youth. She is a mother of a trans teen and attended the rally where the Utah Pride Center unveiled the largest trans flag in the world with them. On her campaign website, she writes, “The continued culture wars and political attacks on marginalized communities and underrepresented individuals do not make our state better, safer, or more affordable. Liz believes all residents should be uplifted and supported fairly and equally, not attacked to advance partisan political agendas.”
The Organization’s Response Facing the wave of criticism, Equality Utah PAC’s Max Green issued a statement defending both the process and the outcome. Green acknowledged the disappointment directly, and affirmed that “LGBTQ representation in public office matters” and that openly LGBTQ candidates “deserve recognition and respect” for the unique challenges they face in running. But he drew a clear line: “LGBTQ identity alone does not determine an endorsement from the Equality Utah Political Action Committee.” Endorsements, he explained, are decided by an indepen-
dent Board of Directors weighing five factors — a candidate’s commitment to the LGBTQ community, their ability to build bridges and govern, campaign viability, the potential impact of an endorsement, and the strategic opportunities in each race — applied “consistently... regardless of political party, sexual orientation, gender identity, or personal relationship with our organization.” That framework, Green said, means the PAC will sometimes back Republicans over Democrats, sometimes decline to endorse in races where both candidates support the community, and — as happened this cycle — sometimes endorse a candidate running against someone who is themselves LGBTQ. “Those decisions are never a judgment about whether someone belongs in our movement,” he wrote, “or whether their voice deserves to be heard.” Green closed by reaffirming the organization’s 25-year identity as a coalition-builder that spans “any one political party, ideology, geography, or identity,” and by leaving the door open: “An endorsement decision in one election does not close the door on partnership tomorrow.”
The Underlying Tension What’s playing out in Equality Utah’s comment sections is really a fight over political theory, not just individual races. The organization’s model — bipartisan bridge-building in a state where Republicans hold a legislative supermajority — has historically been credited with hard-won wins even under one-party rule. Critics now argue that model has calcified into caution, at a moment when bills like Utah’s flag ban suggest the supermajority itself, not the goodwill of individual legislators, is the actual obstacle. Whether that translates into real fallout like the loss of donors or a rival PAC gaining traction will likely become clearer as Utah’s 2026 election season moves forward. For now, Equality Utah is standing behind its slate, and a visible slice of its base is standing in open disagreement. Q
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Historical markers of Sun Tavern, Thomas Coleman unveiled in SLC For many years, Salt Lake City’s history focused mostly on a single story that began in 1847 and centers on Temple Square. Last week, two new markers added to that story by giving lasting recognition to histories left out of the city’s monuments. This project, started last year by Salt Lake City Councilman Chris Wharton, was designed to include more people by ensuring their stories would be remembered and marked in bronze and concrete. “There are other really compelling and interesting stories that exist, too,” Wharton said. “So I wanted to have a way for community members to tell those stories.” After securing $30,000 in funding, the office of Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall collected proposals. The Salt Lake City Human Rights Commission reviewed them and chose two markers, which were unveiled on August 25. Thomas Coleman, a Black man lynched in 1866, is now remembered at 300 North and Main Street, near where his body was found. The Sema Hadithi African American Heritage and Culture Foundation searched for years for a suitable site after facing what they call “rejection after rejection” elsewhere. The organization’s motto, “Unity through historical truth”, shows the plaque is meant to encourage honest reflection on this history, not just condemn the past. The second marker, which has drawn special interest from Utah’s LGBTQ+ community, honors the Sun Tavern. It stands near South Temple and 400 West, near
where the original bar once stood before it was torn down. For many gay, lesbian, and bisexual Utahns, the Sun Tavern was much more than a bar. Joe Redburn opened it in 1973, and according to Randall Hoffman, co-founder of the Mildred Berryman Institute for LGBTIQ2S+ Utah History, it became a “de facto community center” and a rare safe place for queer people to gather when such spaces were hard to find. Hoffman noted that the Sun Tavern shows how gay, lesbian, and bisexual people in Utah were building their communities and creating meeting places to gain visibility and acceptance long before today’s well-known milestones. Utah’s first public Gay and Lesbian event in 1974 was organized at the Sun Tavern by Redburn, creating a direct link to later Pride marches and LGBTQ+ activism. The Sun Tavern’s story has lasted mainly because groups like the Mildred Berryman Institute believe queer history is not just a small part of Utah’s past, but an important part of it. “Opened by Joe Redburn in 1973, the Sun Tavern quickly became more than a neighborhood bar. It served as an important gathering place and de facto community center for Salt Lake City’s Gay community, providing a space where people could meet, build friendships, organize, and find community at a time when openly LGBTQ+ spaces were limited,” the Institute said in a statement. “Redburn also helped organize Utah’s first public Gay and Lesbian event in 1974, laying important
groundwork for the Pride celebrations and LGBTQ+ activism that followed. On October 4 at 4 p.m., the Institute will hold a public unveiling and dedication for the plaque at about 41 S 400 W, across from where the Sun Tavern once stood, near the Recursion building. LGBTQ+ community members, historians, and advocates will come together to talk about the Sun Tavern, Joe Redburn, and the community the tavern supported.
More details about the event will be announced soon. Wharton has said these two markers are likely the only ones this project will fund for now, but he plans to keep looking for more funding to expand it. “I don’t know when the next opportunity will come up to find additional funding,” he said, “but I am going to be looking for that opportunity going forward.” Q More information on the Sun Tavern marker unveiling can be found at mildredberrymaninstitute.org
UAF Legacy Health reimagines Salt Lake AIDS Walk UAF Legacy Health is partnering with the Utah Arts Alliance to present this year’s Salt Lake AIDS Walk on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Liberty Park. This year’s event reimagines the traditional walk as an interactive educational and arts-focused experience. Attendees will move through stations exploring more than four decades of HIV/AIDS history in Utah and nationally, advances in treatment and prevention, and current healthcare resources. The Utah Arts Alliance partnership brings an arts activation honoring creative voices lost to AIDS, including lesser-known artists, through storytelling and interactive displays. An interactive mural
will let attendees contribute to a collaborative artwork symbolizing remembrance, resilience, hope, and community. The free, community-wide event aims to honor those lost, celebrate medical progress, reduce HIV stigma, and connect attendees with prevention, testing, and treatment resources. A free food truck lunch will be provided, and the first 100 registrants receive a free 2026 event T-shirt. Founded in 1985 as the Utah AIDS Foundation, UAF Legacy Health now offers primary care, HIV/STI prevention and treatment, mental health services, gender-affirming care, and outreach for Utah’s LGBTQ+ and HIV communities. Q More at uafhealth.org
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Qsaltlake.com
A Salt Lake couple holds a Pride brunch to raise over $75,000 for homeless youth
For 13 years, Brian Garrett and Scott Pulley have opened their Salt Lake City home to friends, colleagues, and other members of Utah’s LGBTQ community in June to celebrate Pride, share a meal, and pay it forward. What started as a meeting between friends has become an annual fundraising event that attracts around 200 people and raises tens of thousands of dollars for young people experiencing homelessness. This year’s Pride Brunch raised over $15,000 for Volunteers of America and the Utah Youth Resource Center, bringing the total amount raised at the event to over $75,000. The Youth Resource Center offers young people who need urgent assistance with shelter and food a safe environment, while also helping them access a range of services meant to support long-term stability. Support of this kind is especially important for LGBTQ young people, Volunteers of America in Utah says, since between 30 and 40% of young people who receive services at the center identify as LGBTQ. For Garrett and Pulley, supporting the center has now become an important element of their Pride tradition. The couple, who have been partners for 20 years, have donated to the VOA youth homeless shelter for seven or eight years and have always raised more than $10,000. Friends and companies give prizes, Pulley says, and guests buy tickets for an ‘opportunity drawing’ and then put their tickets in the boxes corresponding to the prizes they would like to win. They also encouraged guests to bring a drink or a side dish to share. Garrett is a co-founder and designer at M3LD, which has built his career on design, entrepreneurship, and a love of the unusual. The early venture laid the foundation for the philosophy that is still followed in M3LD: the idea that design can be used to bring people
Brian Garrett and Scott Pully flanking Velma
together and improve communities. Pulley applies his experience in brand building and marketing. He was the global director of brand experience at Skullcandy and, since May, has served as marketing director at PaleBlue, a company developing advanced battery and energy-system technology. For the organization, the money means far more than a donation. They celebrated the donation in an Instagram and Facebook post: “Every June, Brian Garrett and Scott Pulley open their home for their annual Pride Brunch. This year’s event was their 13th, bringing together close to 200 guests to celebrate Pride and support our community. “Last week, they stopped by our administration office with a check for over $15,000 from this year’s brunch, part of more than $75,000 raised to support the Youth Resource Center. The funds will support all youth at the YRC, where on average 30 to 40 percent of the young people we serve identify as LGBTQ+. The YRC offers a safe space for all to receive help with emergency needs like shelter and meals, along with assistance building longterm stability through housing, employment, mental and physical health, addiction, legal, and other services. “Thank you, Brian, Scott, and everyone who shows up year after year to give back. Your community’s generosity makes a big difference for the youth we serve.” Q
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St. Paul’s Episcopal Church calls Rev. Canon Barbara Harrison Seward as its next rector The Reverend Canon Barbara Harrison Seward has been appointed as the next Rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, which signifies the beginning of a new phase for one of Salt Lake City’s established Episcopal churches. She will be the 20th priest to have led St. Paul’s since the parish was founded in 1879. She starts her ministry on November 2, with the first of her Sunday services taking place on November 8. The Church of St. Paul and the Episcopal Diocese of Utah are inviting the community to take part in welcoming her to Salt Lake City. St. Paul’s has been one of the main Episcopal congregations in Utah for nearly a century and a half, with 19 rectors before Canon Barbara. Her arrival comes as the parish seeks to build on that legacy while deepening its commitment to being an open and affirming spiritual home in Salt Lake City. Canon Barbara is coming from the Episcopal Diocese of Bethlehem in Pennsylvania, where she most recently held the position of Southern Canon Missioner and had previously been rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Easton, Pennsylvania; at the latter church she gained a reputation for being a pastor who was deeply committed to welcoming the LGBTQ community into the life of the church — a ministry which it is expected that she will continue and extend in Salt Lake City.
A TRACK RECORD OF LGBTQ ADVOCACY IN MINISTRY At the Trinity Episcopal Church in Easton, Canon Barbara spent months talking with LGBTQ members of her congregation, asking them directly what it meant to see the Pride flag displayed at their church. The discussions she had during that time resulted in a public ceremony involving the raising of the Pride flag at Trinity — a event which she and Senior Warden Melissa Amator arranged not as a symbolic act but as a deliberate statement of welcome. “Every Sunday for the last couple of months, I’ve been talking about welcoming, and so I believe that to be
a safe space and a welcoming place for everybody,” Canon Barbara said at the time. “God doesn’t turn people away.” She has been outspoken about the historical misuse of scripture to justify exclusion, drawing a direct line between the arguments once used to defend slavery and the near-genocide of Indigenous peoples and the arguments still used today against LGBTQ inclusion. “We have known people to use scripture for slavery, for the near genocide of indigenous people, and that is not what our faith teaches,” she said. “It just reminds me that we have to be more vocal in preaching the gospel, living the gospel, standing up for what we believe, because the gospel comes alive in the people. It doesn’t just sit in the book. It is active.” Under her leadership, Trinity Episcopal became a congregation where LGBTQ members were married in the church and openly celebrated within their faith community. Canon Barbara has also emphasized that her ministry’s welcome extends beyond the walls of belief itself — she has said LGBTQ individuals who are not people of faith, or who have left the church because of past rejection, are welcome without any expectation of conversion or membership. “Even if they are non-believers, and they want to come up here, they won’t be turned away,” she said. “We’re not trying to indoctrinate people...
that’s not what this is about.” She has also pushed back on the idea that LGBTQ advocacy belongs only to a single month of the year. “The LGBTQA+ community does not sit only in a month,” she said.
“People live their lives every day. The issues, they don’t stop; the attacks don’t stop.” That conviction led her to pursue interfaith Pride events and sustained, year-round visibility efforts rather than one-off gestures. The leadership of St. Paul and the Diocese of Utah are urging the parishioners as well as the wider Salt Lake City community—including the city’s LGBTQ community—to take part in welcoming Canon Barbara Harrison Seward as she starts her ministry on November 2 and will lead her first Sunday services on November 8. Q
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Qsaltlake.com
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NEWS | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 15
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Equality Utah’s annual Allies event turns 25, features Betty Who For the past quarter of a century, Equality Utah has put on one event each fall that acts as both a party and a means of raising money — and this year the event is being held to mark its anniversary. On Saturday, Oct. 3, the organization will celebrate 25 years of advocacy with “Allies: Take Flight” at the Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City, an evening made up of two parts consisting of a Donor Dinner followed by a Celebration Concert and After-Party featuring pop singer Betty Who, with live music provided by The Galaxy Band, DJ Cecilia and Robot Dream, and hosting responsibilities carried out by The Salt Lake Tribune columnist and comedian Eli McCann, who has been cast this year as the gala’s “co-pilot”. The backstory behind Betty Who’s booking is unique to Utah. Before she became a headliner for Equality Utah, the Australian-born singer was better known in the Beehive State for a song than for a live performance. In September 2013, Salt Lake City resident Spencer Stout uploaded a video to YouTube in which he proposed to his then-boyfriend, Dustin Reeser, in a flash-mob-style scene inside a Home Depot, choreographed to Betty Who’s “Somebody Loves You.” The clip went viral and garnered more than 11 million views, turning an unreleased dance-pop single into a real hit. It made it to No. 44 on the overall iTunes chart and reached No. 4 on Spotify’s viral chart, a level of success that eventually secured Betty Who a contract with RCA Records. The LGBTQ community in Utah embraced her early on as she headlined the main stage at the Utah Pride Festival in 2014, and the crowd, as QSaltLake noted at the time, had a “special connection to her music” because the video originated in the state. Over a decade later, she is back in Salt Lake not as an up-and-coming artist trying to seize a moment, but as the featured act closing out Equality Utah’s silver anniversary. Marrlo Suzzanne and The Galaxxy Band, a regular feature of Salt Lake’s queer nightlife since their first perfor-
mance in April 2021, will share the stage. Marrlo Suzzanne, the band’s frontperson and vocalist, is a “cosmic rock” leader who combines glamorous theatrics with real vocal ability. The Galaxxy Band has earned a reputation for high-energy covers with a rotating cast of live drag vocalists, transforming events such as weddings, Pride celebrations, and nightclub performances into “time-warping” shows, as the band puts it. Marrlo says she discovered drag through “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and has built her career on the belief that masculinity and femininity are not opposites but rather tools to be used in the same performance toolkit. That evolution is also exactly how “Allies” has changed over the past 25 years. The event originally was the Allies Dinner — an elegant seated banquet which, during its most crowded years, occupied over 2,000 chairs at the Salt Palace Convention Center ballroom, featuring a formal program of awards, speeches, and a single keynote speaker. It was more in the nature of a civic banquet than a concert: there was a chicken dinner, silent auctions, a room full of donors and elected officials, and finally a speech by a well-known guest — Gloria Steinem in 2016, Chelsea Handler in 2017, and Dan Reynolds from Imagine Dragons in 2018. As both the guest list and the aims expanded, so did the size of the venue. By 2019, with Billy Porter as the headliner, Equality Utah moved the whole event into the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Theater in downtown Salt Lake City — replacing the banquet tables with a proper stage production, including lighting design, elaborate themes (Enchanted World, Gorgeous Planet, Ocean Odyssey), and well-known entertainers such as Eddie Izzard, the Indigo Girls, Andy Bell from Erasure, and most recently Tig Notaro. The Eccles era transformed Allies into something resembling a Broadway-level gala rather than a rubber-chicken dinner — it became a full theatrical evening designed for a seated audience of well over a thousand. This year, for its 25th anniversary, the
Betty Who
PHOTO: ZAC CASSAR
event is once again altering its format. Instead of being a single-stage theater production, ‘Take Flight’ is now divided into a two-room, two-session event at the Hyatt Regency ballroom: first an informal Donor Dinner for major supporters, lasting from 5 to 7 p.m., during which there are reflections on the organization’s history and a fundraising appeal, and then a Celebration Concert and After-Party which opens up to the wider community — part concert and part dance club — running past 11 p.m. with DJs, drag performers and dancing until the end. It is a hybrid which combines the intimate-dinner element of the earliest Allies events with the large-scale ambition of the Eccles years, and also includes something that neither of those versions had: a real late-night after-party designed for a crowd who wants to stay and dance rather than just applaud and go home. The importance of the party remains high. Equality Utah is entering this landmark year against a legislative backdrop that is unusually aggressive both nationally and in Utah, with efforts being made to monitor bills relating to gender-affirming care, housing protections, and gender identity. Each ticket sold at ‘Take Flight’, the organizers say, funds the policy and advocacy work ahead. Q Info at equalityutah.org/allies/
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NEWS | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 17
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HalloQueen Ball returns to Salt Lake Masonic Temple this Halloween
UofU Queer Student Union reformed LGBTQ+ students at the University of Utah have a new, old home. Project Rainbow Utah recently announced that the Queer Student Union at the U (@qsuutah) has been accepted as its newest chartered program, officially recognized by the university and aiming to expand into chapters across campuses statewide. QSUU’s mission statement is nearly identical to one that could have come from more than 50 years ago: it aims to empower, protect, and advocate for for the dignity, unity, and liberation of students of all identities. That is no accident. QSU is the most recent version of an organization whose origins go back to 1973, when a number of students at the University of Utah established the Gay Student Union. It was a courageous and risky move at a time when being openly gay on campus might have cost a student everything. By the late 1970s, the Gay Student Union quietly disappeared, a casualty of graduating leadership and possibly a hostile climate. It took until 1982 for the group to be revived, this time under then-professor Phil Sullivan’s guidance. Michael Aaron, now publisher of QSaltLake Magazine, became co-president at the revived group’s first meeting. That role that kicked off a lifelong commitment to Utah’s LGBT community that would extend well beyond his college years. Under Aaron’s leadership, the group evolved alongside
the community it served, becoming the Lesbian and Gay Student Union. Later, after Aaron had left the school and since the language of identity had expanded, it was renamed the Queer Student Union, a name that was wide enough to cover bisexual, transgender, nonbinary, and other students who did not fit comfortably into the earlier categories. Today’s QSUU came about following the passage by the 2024 Utah State Legislature of HB 261, a bill that intended to remove equity and inclusion programs from public colleges and universities. As a result, the University of Utah closed its LGBTQ+ Resource Center, together with a number of other programs that had for years supported marginalized students. Their first priority was to bring back the start-of-year Queer Pool Party, which in 2024 gathered over 200 students. The group now moves on to provide mentorship, resource-sharing, and community-building to help students connect as the semesters progress and as people graduate. “Half a century of queer students at the U, reaching back to say we are still here, and reaching forward to make sure the next ones will be too,” Project Rainbow Utah wrote. “That is history in motion, and we are honored to walk alongside it.” Q QSUU created a GOFUNDME campaign with a goal of $2,200. Supporters can donate, share the GoFundMe page, and follow QSU’s work at @qsuutah.
It’s back! The Utah Pride Center will host its annual HalloQueen Ball on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Salt Lake Masonic Temple, 650 E. South Temple. The 21-and-over Halloween fundraiser will feature multiple floors of entertainment, live DJs, drag-hosted bingo, food and beverages, and a costume contest offering a $1,500 grand prize across eight categories. Tickets are $31 for general admission and $100 for VIP, which includes four drink tickets, access to a VIP lounge with a dedicated bar and hors d’oeuvres, priority entry through security and checkin, and expedited access to bars throughout the venue. Proceeds benefit the
Utah Pride Center’s yearround programs, services, and community events. “HalloQueen Ball gives our community a chance to come together, celebrate Halloween in true queer fashion, and support the Utah Pride Center at the same time,” said Chad Call, the center’s executive director. Attendees can extend the celebration into a weekend getaway, with discounted room rates available at Hilton Salt Lake City for Oct. 30-31 and Kimpton Hotel Monaco Salt Lake City for Oct. 31-Nov. 1. Last year’s revival of the Ball was a huge success, drawing a great crowd and fantastic costumes. Q Tickets are available at UTAHPRIDE. ORG/HALLOQUEEN-BALL-TICKETS.
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views
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quotes “Why wouldn’t I stand up for everybody, for all people?” —Dolly Parton in an interview with Chris Azzopardi
“Queer representation in Utah politics doesn’t happen by accident.” Equality Utah has an obligation “to back candidates who reflect their community, especially when those candidates have a real shot at winning.” —Utah Democratic leaders on Equality Utah endorsements
“LGBTQ identity alone does not determine an endorsement” from the PAC — decisions weigh “the ability to build bridges and govern effectively” and “the viability of their campaigns.” —Equality Utah in a statement
“At the end of the day, our LGBTQ+ community needs someone that will continue to bring them to the table and support wherever they can.” —Salt Lake County Council candidate Mike Bird
I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men. —WNBA guard Shophie Cunningham on trans athletes
“If there’s no trans women in sports right now in the WNBA, why are we talking about it? What are we doing?” — Aubrey Campos, Director of Education, Texas Latino Pride
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who’s your daddy
Welcome, Lord Vader CHRISTOPHER KATIS
I frequently
remind my kids that Athena Cat is my favorite member of our family. Skeelo the good dog isn’t far behind, but he’s a border collie, so he’s a bit needy and neurotic. I even joke that if there’s ever an emergency at our house, I’m grabbing the kitty, whistling for the dog, telling Gus’s girlfriend Ariana to run, and the rest of them are on their own. The implication that I like my cat better than my children isn’t true, of course. I mean, at least not all the time. But let’s just say one or both of the boys drive me crazy at least once a day. Maybe that’s why I think simply by nature, animals are better than people – especially if those people are your kids. Let’s do a simple comparison of my pets versus my children.
Who listens better? One of Skeelo’s many fine traits is being a good listener. I almost never have to tell him anything more than once for him to follow through. That, yeah, that was never true for the boys. Now, I will admit, Athena doesn’t really give a crap what I say, but I mean, she is a cat.
They don’t talk back I can honestly say that no pet I’ve ever had has talked back to me. Now, for my kids, that’s quite a horse of a different color. A discussion about keeping bedrooms tidy frequently seemed to devolve into a Jane Curtain/Dan Akroyd Point/Counterpoint skit, but no one got called “an ignorant slut.”
The cat and the dog actually want to spend time with me. Sure, when they’re little, kids want to spend time with their parents. But once they hit their teenage years, avoiding being seen with us becomes the ultimate
goal. The dog and cat, however, actually like being with us. I mean, Skeelo follows us around like a, well, like a puppy dog. Even as I wrote this column, he was napping on his blanket next to me.
We can’t ever embarrass the cat. It doesn’t matter what I wear, what I say, or what lame joke I make in front of her friends, it is impossible to embarrass Athena. She simply doesn’t give a damn. I mean, technically, besides the dog, she doesn’t really have any friends. But in 15 years, she has never once told me to knock it off or rolled her eyes!
They never complain about what’s for dinner. What kid hasn’t complained about dinner? At least now the boys are adults and mostly cook for themselves. But, honest to God, I literally serve Skeelo dog food, and he acts like it’s the greatest meal that’s ever been served at the finest Michelin threestar restaurant. Hell, he even licks the bowl clean. OK, in fairness, Athena is much more discerning. She’ll give me side-eye and walk away in a huff if she doesn’t like what I’ve put on her plate. But there are two sides to every coin. Pets are better than parents, too. They don’t demand clean rooms. They won’t nag about homework. They’re always free to hang out. Actually, pets are better than people in general. They don’t care who you love. They don’t care if you have two dads. Pets like you just for being you. That makes them pretty lovable. Recently, Ariana got a new miniature dachshund puppy. His name is Anakin. He and I don’t know each other very well yet, but whenever I call him Lord Vader, he responds by licking me like crazy. I think I like him better than the boys already. Q
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creep of the month
Dolly affirmed us; Trump centered himself. BY D’ANNE WITKOWSKI
I want to
say DOLLY PARTON was too good for this world, but I don’t think she’d agree with such a statement. But I think it’s fair to say she was better than most. After her death, it seemed like no one had a single bad word to say about her. Unlike, say, LINDSAY GRAHAM and CHARLIE KIRK. The invective hurled at their corpses was understandable, if not exactly equal to the ugliness they perpetuated while alive. Dolly Parton is an amazing example of someone who was talented, kind, and never forgot her roots. Lindsay Graham is an example of a person who ascended to power and then used that power to hurt people. Charlie Kirk was a tried-and-true racist asshole. He was literally saying something racist when he was killed. The moral of the story: Live your life so that people don’t celebrate when you die. And so The Onion doesn’t feel the need to dunk on your earthly demise. Dolly Parton was a queer icon. Or should I say IS a queer icon? LGBTQ+ people will always love her. She also transcended musical genres. One of her last albums was “Rockstar,” which she made after her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (an honor she initially declined). On it, she duetted with other queer icons like MELISSA ETHERIDGE, BRANDI CARLILE, ELTON JOHN, LINDA PERRY, and ROB HALFORD. I love Rob Halford. He’s the proudly gay singer of legendary heavy metal band Judas Priest. I absolutely love Judas Priest. And I love Dolly Parton. Not only did Rob Halford duet with
Dolly Parton on “Bygones” (a damn good song), but she also invited him to sing at her Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction. Let me tell you, Rob Halford singing “Jolene” (one of the greatest songs in the history of songs — this is not up for debate) with Dolly Parton blew my mind. His, too. “Somehow, instinctively, I knew we were going to meet,” Halford told Metal Hammer magazine. “I always tell the story of my mother’s grandmother, who was a clairvoyant, and I still think I’ve got a little of that in me, because something went, ‘You’re going to meet Dolly Parton.’ Two or three days later, these emails come into the office, and Dolly’s reached out, asking, ‘Would you sing some lines on ‘Jolene’?’ You sit at home and go, ‘Oh my god, this is truly going to happen!’” You may be thinking, “Uh, OK. But why are you writing about this? Isn’t this column supposed to be about creeps who hate LGBTQ+ people?” It is. Usually. But in honor of Dolly Parton, I want to remind you, and myself, that there is still goodness in the world. Dolly Parton may be gone, but her goodness lives on. And it can live on in all of us. But don’t worry. Amid all of the beautiful tributes and kind words voiced around the world, there was one person who made the death of Dolly Parton about himself. And that person is DONALD TRUMP. Shocking, I know. The day Dolly Parton died, Trump told fellow pathetic man GLENN BECK, “She was unique. She was amazing, and to lose her, it’s like losing a member of the family,” Trump said.
Now, a normal person would have stopped there. But Trump is not a normal person. And, honestly, he probably would have gotten praise for his “eloquent tribute” or some shit. “She wasn’t a very political person,” Trump added. “She really liked me, I will tell you.” Indeed, he will tell us that. But even with her heart of gold, I doubt she “really liked” him. In an attempt to, once again, insert himself into the national mourning for Dolly Parton, he posted an AI generated image of the two of them, arm in arm, strolling together at the White House. There is just so much insult here. For one thing, AI sucks. It is a tool of fascism (which explains why Trump loves it so much). And also, if Trump wanted to post a photo of Dolly Parton, he could have posted an actual photo of her. Millions probably exist. But then it wouldn’t be about him. It’s hard to know if Trump is completely delusional or if, somewhere deep down, he knows that he is reviled by the majority of the world. That there will literally be parties in the street when he dies. That he will be remembered as a wretched little man. No doubt, The Onion will have a field day. Another metal band I love, Agriculture, has a lyric in their song “My Garden” that goes, “Death is the ultimate fucker.” Death will eventually get us all. While you’re alive, be a Parton, not a Trump. Q D’Anne Witkowski is a writer living with her wife and son. She has been writing about LGBTQ+ politics for nearly two decades. Follow her at muckrack.com/danne-witkowski.
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QUEER FILM FESTIVAL | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 21
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Age is the greatest risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease
LGBT OLDER ADULTS AND DEMENTIA
2.7million
An estimated LGBT people are over age 50
LGBT people have greater health disparities, many of which are risk factors for dementia, including: l l l l
l l
Depression Obesity Alcohol and tobacco Lower rates of preventive screenings Cardiovascular disease HIV/AIDS
7.4%
of the lesbian, gay and bisexual older adult population is living with dementia
LGBT adults living with dementia face unique challenges in accessing support:
40%
report that their support networks have become smaller over time
Alzheimer’s is the most expensive disease in the nation
51%
34% live alone
$$$
of LGBT older people report being very concerned about having enough money to live on
30%
Up to experience lower rates of access to care
Fear of discrimination can delay access to care
40%
say their health care providers don’t know their sexual orientation Sources l l
l
l
Visit alz.org for additional information, support and resources.
Alzheimer’s Association and SAGE, Issues Brief: LGBT and Dementia Jason Flatt, Ph.D., MPH, et al. Dementia Prevalence Among Sexual Minority Older Adults. Funder: U.S. National Institute on Aging. Hanneke Rhodius-Meester, M.D., et al. Median Survival in Memory Clinic Cohort Is Short, Even in Young Onset Dementia. Funders: Alzheimer Nederland; Stichting Dioraphte. Yvonne Leung, Ph.D., et al. 100 Years and Beyond: Investigating the Prevalence of Dementia in Centenarians and Near Centenarians from 17 Population-Based Studies. Funder: The Dementia Momentum Initiative.
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Utah Queer Film Festival announces 2026 lineup at new location
The Utah Queer Film Festival returns for its 2026 edition November 6–8, and for the first time the festival will screen its full slate at its new home: the Utah Film Center screening room and event space, located at 375 W 400 N in Salt Lake City. Over three days, the festival will present a mix of narrative features, documentaries, restorations, and shorts programs spanning stories of trans parenthood, ballroom culture, queer history, and cult cinema, opening Friday night with a documentary on gender and sexuality in the animal kingdom and closing Sunday evening with the definitive story of The Rocky Horror Show.
APOLO FRI, NOV 6TH, 10 AM
This documentary follows a family formed by a transgender couple, exploring love, daily life, and their fight for recognition and respect. Following Apolo’s pregnancy, it examines the struggles faced by Isis Broken and Lourenzo Gabriel — a father giving birth in a society not yet ready for that reality.
BARBARA FOREVER FRI, NOV 6TH, 12:30 PM
An exploration of pioneering lesbian filmmaker Barbara Hammer’s life, work, and legacy, drawn from her canon of eightyplus films, unreleased archives, and audio interviews. The film tells her story in her own voice, tracing her place across 1970s San Francisco, 1980s New York, and the New Queer Cinema movement.
MINESHAFT: THE CRUISING MURDERS FRI, NOV 6TH, 3:15 PM
This documentary examines the controversy behind William Friedkin’s 1980 thriller Cruising, which sparked LGBTQ+ protests for depicting a serial killer targeting gay men. Friedkin drew inspiration from reporter Addison Verrill’s real murder. Emmy-winning director Jeffrey Schwarz explores where true crime, filmmaking, and queer resistance collide.
OPENING NIGHT SCREENING — SECOND NATURE: GENDER AND SEXUALITY IN THE ANIMAL WORLD FRI, NOV 6TH, 6 PM
Debunking myths that being queer is “unnatural,” this documentary follows trans evolutionary biologist Dr. Joan Roughgarden as she meets scientists studying over 1,500 animal species that engage in same-sex behavior, parenting, sex changes, and matriarchal structures — from clownfish to penguins to bonobos.
mother Marg after she unexpectedly returns. But she carries secrets, ulterior motives, and a vengeful figure from her past trailing behind her, sweeping Cliff into a wild desert misadventure.
ARTIST FOUNDRY PRESENTS: UTAH FILMMAKER SHOWCASE QUEER SHORTS COLLECTION
and the “modern primitives” movement through transgressive artist Fakir Musafar and his community. Blending archival footage with queer trailblazers’ voices, director Angelo Madsen traces a collective history of bodies in revolt and self-expression. Sunday, November 8
GIRLS & BOYS
SAT, NOV 7TH, 10 AM
SUN, NOV 8TH, 10 AM
A curated shorts program spotlighting local Utah filmmakers; individual film descriptions were not published for this collection block.
BLACK, BOLD & BRILLIANT PRESENTS: THIS IS BALLROOM
Charlie, a trans student, reunites with her childhood best friend Jace at a party — only he doesn’t recognize her. They spend the night together, and ghosts from their shared past resurface.
SAT, NOV 7TH, 1:15 PM
TEST
Inspired by Paris Is Burning, this documentary traces Rio de Janeiro’s ballroom scene to its 1960s origins, when non-white drag performers built their own competitions after exclusion from mainstream pageants. Ballroom becomes both refuge and battlefield — a space to claim visibility, dignity, and power.
Eddie Owens, a small-town bodybuilder guided by his devout mother, spirals after a competition loss and turns to veteran bodybuilder Mike for mentorship — and performance-enhancing drugs. Their bond stirs confusing attraction that collides with faith, conservative masculinity, and Eddie’s ambition.
INTERNATIONAL QUEER SHORTS COLLECTION
SAPPHIC & TRANS FEMME SHORTS COLLECTION
SUN, NOV 8TH, 12:15 PM
SAT, NOV 7TH, 4 PM
SUN, NOV 8TH, 3 PM
A curated shorts program of international queer short films; individual film descriptions were not published for this collection block.
A curated shorts program spotlighting sapphic and trans femme stories; individual film descriptions were not published for this collection block.
CENTERPIECE SCREENING — BY HOOK OR BY CROOK (4K RESTORATION) SAT, NOV 7TH, 7 PM
This trans and butch buddy film follows Shy, a gender-bending dreamer grieving his father’s death, who heads to the city seeking a “life of crime.” He teams up with Valentine, an adoptee searching for her birth mother, in an anti-authoritarian tale of friendship and redemption.
LUNAR SWAY
A BODY TO LIVE IN
FRI, NOV 6TH, 8:45 PM
SAT, NOV 7TH, 10 PM
Cliff, an eccentric young man in a remote desert town, bonds with his estranged birth
This documentary examines the rise of BDSM performance art, body modification,
CLOSING NIGHT SCREENING — STRANGE JOURNEY: THE STORY OF ROCKY HORROR SUN, NOV 8TH, 5:15 PM
This documentary traces The Rocky Horror Show from a London fringe play to the biggest cult film ever, with access to creator Richard O’Brien, Tim Curry, and Susan Sarandon. It explores the show’s transgressive themes and the safe haven it created for the marginalized. All screenings will take place at the Utah Film Center screening room, 375 W 400 N, Salt Lake City. Times listed are Mountain Time. For tickets and the full schedule, visit UTAHQUEERFILMFESTIVAL.ORG.
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Qsaltlake.com
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24 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | PET ISSUE
Qsaltlake.com |
Our Pets
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ANN CLARK & JACK My granddog Jack. This guy brings me so much happiness in a world that has been a bit difficult to smile in lately. I can’t imagine my world without him in it. He makes my heart so full..
Each year, we ask for your pet pics and a little story about them. Here’s 2026!
DALLAS RIVAS Even though Archie Jose has LDS standards, he is still a fun boy!
KELLY MILNE, HAROLD MORENO & ASHER
Hi, my name is Asher. These are my dads Harold and Kelly. I love it when they take me over to the park and throw pine cones for me to chase. I also love it when they take me on bike rides around the city. People are really friendly to me when I am out doing these things and say how cute I am with the way I sit in my dad’s arms like a human child. My biggest wish is to get a chicken nugget when my dads go through the drive-thru.
ROMY COLVINN AND JOEY Joey was more than my black Lab. He saved my life in more ways than I could ever put into words. He was always there—for me, for my kids, and for our family through every chapter of our lives. He helped shape my kids into the people they are today, simply by showing them what unconditional love, loyalty, patience, and a truly gentle soul look like. Joey had the sweetest soul anyone could ever know. He never needed words to let us know he was there. His presence was enough. Nearly 13 years wasn’t nearly long enough. We miss him more than words can say, and there will forever be a place in our hearts that belongs only to Joey. Run free, buddy. Thank you for saving us, loving us, and being our best friend. You will never be forgotten
JP VARNEY These two are awfully cuddly today ... hmmmm ... what did you all break??.
CHRIS JOHNSON & DAMMIT JANET
She’s a loving and gentle rescue we found at the Davis County Animal Shelter. She turns her nose up at most canned food but bugs us every night until we toss her a handful of Temptations. She crawls into my lap every afternoon and we take catnaps together.
TIM & DOM WITH BEAVER & BRUNO We adopted beaver about 6 years ago. A year later, we decided that he needed a friend and so he adopted Bruno. We met the people from Central Utah at the Carvana in Lehi to pick him up. So now we just tell everybody he was born at Carvana when we drive by. Our boys are the love of our lives, and we love them with every fiber in our body
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26 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | PETS
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KERENA, HERMAN, LUNA & LEO Herman is a senior rescue weiner dog. He is 15 years old and he loves his car rides. Karena takes care of all our fur kids. She’s a loving devoted fur mom to Herman, the 5-yearold snorkie Luna, and Leo the corgi, also 5
TONY, SCOTT & KUBO little kubo walking slow but a spirit full of life looking out the window for tony coming up the drive and even though he’s walking slow he wags his happy tail inside he’s still that little dog running the old bike trail and looking back.
DUSTIN & LUDO
After Dustin’s passing Ludo was rehomed to a wonderful couple where he finally got a girlfriend. Dustin’s life was vibrant, with his natural drive to help people nutritionaly, mentally, and spiritually. He helped so many along the way. His passion for the outdoors, he brought Ludo along with him on his adventures. As much as I love Dustin, sometimes I would come over just because I missed his intelligent and friendly dog. This Australian Shepherd/ Border Collie mix requires at least two hours a day of exercise. Otherwise they are the best breed ever! True angels sent from gay Jesus himself. RIP Dustin. Ludo will meet you at the Zoo Station very soon because, you know, dog years ;) Submitted by Ducky aka Salty Gossip
PHOENIX & PYRO Pyro wasn’t just our Pitbull. He was a piece of our hearts, a part of our home, and a member of our family in every way that mattered. In the short four years we were lucky enough to have him, he changed our lives forever—and somehow made them better just by being in them. He gave us love without conditions, loyalty without limits, and memories that we will carry for the rest of our lives. He had a way of making a house feel like home simply by being there. To some people, he may have been “just a dog,” but you wouldn’t understand. You wouldn’t understand the bond, the comfort, the laughter, the protection, or the unconditional love. Pyro was more than family. He was one of us. Four years was never going to be enough, but those four years will stay with us forever. We didn’t just lose a dog—we lost a piece of our family, and there will never be another Pyro.
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always two ends of the leash.” That belief, he says, is still at the heart of everything he does, and a big part of why he created The Good Dog Post.
WHAT SHOWS UP IN THE MAILBOX
The Good Dog Post KIMO POKINI has always believed dogs understand something about presence that most people forget. Not the dramatic kind, but the quiet kind — the way a dog waits at the door before you’ve even turned onto the street, and offers affection without asking what kind of day you had. That unconditional support shaped Kimo into someone who builds spaces where people can feel that same belonging, too. That instinct led him, years ago, to co-found RUFF HAVEN, a Salt Lake City animal welfare organization built on a simple premise: people experiencing homelessness or domestic violence shouldn’t have to choose between safety and their pets. Ruff Haven created crisis boarding so no one had to surrender a dog simply to survive. Kimo has spoken about that work from the TEDx stage. “I’ve always believed that animal welfare is about more than helping animals — it’s about helping the people who love them, too,” he said. “Through my work with Ruff Haven, I’ve seen how a little support can make the difference between a family staying together and being torn apart. Because there are
Somewhere between boardrooms and crisis intake calls, Kimo — also a watercolor artist — started missing something slower: real mail, the kind you wait for. So he launched a monthly snail mail club for people who love their dogs “a ridiculous amount.” “Every month, I pack each Good Dog Post with original art, a heartfelt personal letter, a little dog-inspired bonding activity, a ‘Snackie-Poo’ treat recipe, a playlist for a walk, and a few surprises,” he says, “all created to help you slow down and celebrate the dog you love.” It’s built on a countercultural idea that in a world of instant everything, the wait is part of the gift. “Because sometimes the best things aren’t waiting in your inbox,” his post reads. “They’re waiting in your mailbox.” Kimo’s life as a dog dad to Kubo, husband to Stanley, and artist came together in July’s box theme that chosen love and chosen family aren’t lesser versions of the real thing. They are the real thing. Kimo isn’t scaling this for a quick exit. It’s an extension of everything he’s already built — Ruff Haven, the TEDx talk, the watercolors — funneled into something small enough to hold in two hands. “If you’d like to be a part of it,” he says, “I’d absolutely love to send you some mail.” Q Find Kimo on Instagram @thegooddogpost and Facebook @kimo.pokini.
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28 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | PET ISSUE
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STUART GRAVES & LUKLA This is my precious cat, Lukla. He found me as a kitten, walking up the street in front of my apartment. I love going to Nepal, so I named him after the village where most people start the Everest Base Camp Trek. His favorite thing is to spend monitored time outdoors, where we walk the neighborhood leash free. He really likes exploring the grounds of the McCune Mansion. He’s 12 years old, and I love him to pieces.
Wag this way: Utah’s Fall dog-friendly calendar Grab the leash. Your pup wants in on the fun this season.
COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS — WORK OFF YOUR COURT FINES
Can’t pay your court fine? We can help — for free.
Court-ordered and need to work off fines through community service? Call us first. AARDVARKSSLC.ORG is the #1 nonprofit on Utah’s court-approved community service list, in every county. We’ve served Utah since the early 1980s — long before there was a gay center or Pride Center. Some remember us as Gingerbread House Cafe’ and Aardvarks Cabaret and Catering. We financed the state’s original Helpline system and ran the Gay Helpline for 17 years. We launched the first support groups (Newcomers, Youth, Married Men’s), wrote the incorporation papers for the Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire, and published a community newspaper ‘The Best Source’ in the ‘80s. Since 1981, we’ve also supported men with brain injuries. Now we’re expanding — and we need offenders to help us help others: • Yard work • Remodeling & house repair • Laundry & house cleaning • Safety rail, wheelchair ramp & walk-in bathroom installation • Support work for VETS — we’re being considered as a major contractor for the VA hospital Ask your court for the nonprofit community-service list — request AARDVARKSSLC.ORG by name. Work off your fine while doing real good for veterans, brain injury survivors, and the needy in your community. Text 801-906-0906 for more info. (No calls, please) Think about it. God bless. Community Services Development / dba AardvarksSLC.org
Sept. 26 — BARK AT THE UTAH OLYMPIC PARK A scenic alternative for the same day: dogs are welcome to explore the Olympic Park grounds with their humans, combining mountain views with tail wags. Time varies | Utah Olympic Park, Park City, UTAHOLYMPICLEGACY.ORG/EVENT/ BARK-AT-THE-UTAH-OLYMPIC-PARK/ Sep. 26 — WHEELER HISTORIC FARM: DOG DAYS IN THE MAZE Let your dog loose in the corn maze after hours — a Halloween-season favorite combining farm charm with offleash maze romps and fall photo ops. 4–8 p.m. | Wheeler Historic Farm, 6351 S 900 E, Murray, WHEELERFARM.COM Oct. 8 — YAPPY HOUR Happy hour, but for dogs. Head to Jordan Park for an evening mixer of off-leash socializing, local vendors, and drinks for the humans while the dogs make new friends. 6–9 p.m. | Jordan Park, 1060 S 900 W, SLC SLC.GOV/ EVENTS/2026/04/02/YAPPY-HOUR/
Oct. 17 — STRUT YOUR MUTT Best Friends Animal Society’s signature fundraising walk returns to Liberty Park with thousands of dog lovers, a post-walk festival with food trucks and local vendors, and a costume contest (the winner takes home a year’s supply of Blue Buffalo food). Registration is $35 and includes a gift bag and T-shirt — and you choose whether your funds go to Best Friends or a participating local rescue partner. Every dollar supports spay/neuter, adoption events, foster programs, and lifesaving transports. 11 a.m.–3 p.m. | Liberty Park, Salt Lake City BESTFRIENDS.ORG/STRUTYOUR-MUTT Oct. 24 — MARK MILLER SUBARU’S “MAKE A DOG’S DAY” Subaru’s beloved fall tradition returns with adoptable pups, giveaways, and pet-brand vendors — proceeds and awareness support local rescue partners. 10 a.m.–12 p.m. | Shops at South Town, 10450 State St., Sandy, MARKMILLERSUBARU.COM/ MAKE-A-DOGS-DAY Q
30 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | OGDEN PRIDE
Sean Childers-Gray’s life of service to the community For 25 years, Sean Childers-Gray has dedicated much of his life to bettering the community he lives in. From the day he could legally step into a bar, he’s been an organizer, an activist, and a king.
For nearly a decade of that time, Childers-Gray has been the steady hand guiding Ogden Pride from a modest gathering into northern Utah’s largest LGBTQ+ celebration — all while becoming one of the most visible faces in the fight for transgender rights statewide. Childers-Gray, a Utah native, emancipated from his parents at age 15 and moved in with friends. During those early years, he discovered a passion for impersonation performance, and “Sean, the Drag King” was born. He went on to co-found the charity drag troupe Salt City Kings, which performed monthly for more than a decade, donating proceeds to causes including City of Hope, Christmas Box House, and the Rape Recovery Center of Utah. He later earned a bachelor’s degree in graphic arts, cum
laude, from Stevens-Henager College and a Master of Fine Arts, summa cum laude, from Full Sail University in 2016. Long before, and alongside, his work with Ogden Pride, Childers-Gray built a career of service within Utah’s historic drag pageant and charitable court system. He held working titles and board seats with the Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire in Salt Lake City — Utah’s oldest LGBTQ+ nonprofit organization, founded in 1976 — winning the title of Mr. Golden Spike Universe 21 and later being honored as Imperial Crown Prince 21. He also became the first transgender president of the Imperial Rainbow Court of Northern Utah, a related charitable drag organization based in Ogden, where he served on the board. Through both courts, Childers-Gray helped raise money for local causes ranging from HIV/
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AIDS and cancer support funds to LGBTQ+ youth programs — the same charitable-pageant tradition that RCGSE says has distributed more than $1 million to the community since its founding. As president of Ogden Pride, Childers-Gray has helped the festival grow from roughly 5,000 attendees in 2019 to an expected 8,000-plus in recent year. He has also founded the Ogden OUTreach Resource Center to support LGBTQ+ youth and has now announced a “pop-up” center and banned bookmobile. Childers-Gray’s advocacy reaches well beyond festival planning — he reshaped how every transgender Utahn can update their legal documents. In 2016, he petitioned Utah’s Second District Court to change the gender marker on his birth certificate, a step he needed to adopt his stepchild. Judge Noel Hyde denied the request, ruling that Utah law didn’t give him clear enough legislative guidance to grant a sex-designation change, even though judges elsewhere in the state routinely approved such petitions. A second petitioner, Angie Rice, a transgender woman and retired U.S. Air Force command pilot, hit the same wall in front of the same judge. Attorney Christopher Wharton, who had represented Rice from the start and picked up ChildersGray’s case in its final stages, combined the two petitions and appealed all the way to the Utah Supreme Court, seeking a definitive ruling rather than a patchwork of county-by-county outcomes. The state’s attorney general’s office chose not to oppose the case, leaving it without an adversarial party — a fact that, according to QSaltLake’s report on the ruling, contributed to an unusually
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long wait: the court heard arguments in January 2018 but didn’t rule until May 6, 2021 — 40 months later. The wait paid off. In In re Sex Change of Childers-Gray, the Court ruled 4–1 in favor of Rice and Childers-Gray, with Justice Deno Himonas writing that Judge Hyde had made “a legal mistake” in treating sex-designation changes as a matter requiring specific legislative authorization. The Court held that Utahns have a common-law right to change facets of their legal status, including sex designation. It laid out a two-part test courts must now apply statewide: the petition cannot be sought for a fraudulent or wrongful purpose, and it must be supported by objective evidence — such as medical history or clinical treatment — that the petitioner’s gender identity is sincerely held. Wharton called the decision a victory not just for his two clients but for every transgender, intersex, and nonbinary person in Utah. “It makes clear the role of the judiciary is to rule on the petitions that come before them and to rule on them on the merits,” he said, meaning a person’s outcome would no longer depend on which county — or which judge — heard their case. For their perseverance through more than three years of litigation, QSaltLake named Childers-Gray, Rice, and Wharton its 2021 People of the Year. Ogden City Council also honored ChildersGray during a June 2022 Pride Month recognition, and Equality Utah presented him its 2021 Impact Award for Advancing Transgender Equality. He and his wife, Sara, are raising two teenagers, along with two huskies and a cat named Todd. Q
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Life is a Drag; Live it!
The shape of our dignity: A collection of moments that lead to authenticity. BY SEAN W CHILDERS-GRAY
The sound
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of the emcee, muffled, as if the space I stood in warped into a different dimension. Fear rushed in. Stomach churned; heart pumping in excitement. The room filled with strangers, hidden behind a glaring wall of light so bright, I felt its heat. I hear my cue…welcome to the stage… The crowd screamed. The music I’d listened to religiously for nearly two weeks on repeat began rattling through the house system. The stage vibrated, and the bass of my selection created a contact high with my body, my mind, my heart, and… The courage to step out on that floor, wearing my costume of hypermasculine drag, set in motion a life I never thought possible. A dream to entertain, be among people like me, and share moments like this with others turned this moment into over two decades of drag life, filled with continued purpose. I had read about drag kings in the 90s: usually female-identified people donning masculine clothing and makeup to impersonate a male persona. I studied the names and history, anything I could get my hands on. The likes of Mo B. Dick, Murray Hill, Ken Vegas, Cody Vegas, Dante DiFranco, and so many more. Idols to look to for inspiration and courage about finding my own place in the king community. I didn’t know other drag kings in Salt Lake, save for the few that got dressed once a year for the annual Drag King competition, naming a new “king” of the Papermoon, and a group of older friends who’d had a performance here and there; calling themselves something I can’t remember to this day. They were occasional affairs, and I wanted more; more chances to create magic on the stage with others who dressed opposite our drag queen counterparts. I had just turned 21, having grown my craft just a little bit in the underage club; doing drag each week with the house cast, not getting much opportunity to perform. I was still very new to the scene in the LGBTQ+ community, a baby lesbian, if you will. I had come out a few short years prior, and only a year before my outing, a high school junior, mostly scared that I was a lesbian. Afraid to face the fact that I really did not belong in the commu-
nity I was in. Religion I lived. Holding the hand of the man I loved, hiding this truth. Hiding the first step of my truth. I hadn’t even come out to my mom yet, for fear that I would be ostracized even further. It’s a funny thing, though, coming out to my mother as a lesbian. It was much smoother and more accepting than it was when I told her I was transgender. To this day it hurts that she’d accept and support me for being a lesbian but not acknowledge her son. The cursor on the screen blinked at me, timid and eager to display the words I wanted to scream into the halls of the Yahoo chat rooms. The message on my mind, is there anyone in here who might be interested in performing as a drag king? The room fell silent, and then a familiar handle chimed in, you should reach out to Club Casanova Kings. They aren’t in Utah, but Mo might be able to give you some advice. Freaked out that someone knew a name I knew, I left, but with more purpose. I’d open a Yahoo Group called Drag Kings of Salt Lake City, and then place an advertisement at the Gay and Lesbian Center of Utah. I made a flyer that read, “Do you like to dress in drag, and maybe want to get together with other lesbians who do too?” Small twigs of tearable paper, labeled with contact info and how to connect online, cut like chunky fringe, beckoned interested parties. Intimidated and shy, I recognized the barista behind the counter as a king from the drag king contest: Oliver Klozoff. I slowly handed the flyer to the older woman, who greeted me with her flirtatious charm. She loved my gumption and said, “Hang this, but meet me at the Papermoon this Friday night. Oh, and dress up in your best drag.” Soon we’d gathered two more members, and a drag queen began teasing “the Salt City Boys are coming” through rainbow-colored stickers and home-printed flyers. After considering our focus, dressing up in drag every weekend for a month, and making it known we were gearing up, we announced the first Drag King Troupe of Utah in August 2002. We began plans for our first show, to be held that October. Prior to that, we were able to connect with and bring in Club Casanova Kings for a September date, fresh on their World Tour from New York City, traveling by passenger van. Meeting big names, spending time with strangers who became family quickly, was the jump start I needed to make the Salt City Kings happen; for me, for the brotherhood, for our community. I got more time with these wonderful entertainers than most people get with their heroes, as they stayed with us for the week. I still hold the conversations with Mo close to me, and I’m inspired by the growth the Drag Kingdom has gone through.
Drag history dates back to the early pioneer days here in Utah. This is a fact that has been written about recently, due to the political climate. I became part of this history, adding to the fact that the drag community has been here for over a century. October 13, 2002, two days from my 22nd birthday, my vision became official. The handmade, cutout letters pinned to a heavy velvet backdrop: “It’s Good to Be King”. A friend’s sexy motorcycle, rolled onto the stage with care: the Purple Passion. A last-minute review of our show lineup. A heated argument about who should announce our opening number. A new beginning to a lifetime of moments, just like this… Four kings became eight. Eight became fifteen. Always with our Queen, or queens, really. The kings made space for the Kit Kat Girls; bio queens who kept us in line and made us shine. We performed by command at coronations across the western states. We won awards for local recognition. We ran for pageants with other organizations. We became a staple in the drag scene; requested for special events and celebrations. Had the privilege of entertaining at pride festivals; always eager to don the smiles of gratefulness. Through a decade of monthly productions, large group numbers, choreography, set building, arguments, brotherhood, love, breakups, tryouts, new kings, travel, opportunity, collaboration, connection, charity, and service, the Salt City Kings raised thousands of dollars and built relationships that have withstood the test of time. Friends became family. Kings became leaders and giants in the fight for equality and justice. The Kings donated to causes near and dear to their hearts, always wanting to make this world just a little bit brighter. Proud moments. Humble moments, to just be there for others. We dedicated our April show always to the Rape Recovery Center of Utah. Our October show helped raise funds for Breast Cancer causes. The in-betweens all added up for others’ needs. Now almost 21 years later, we’ve become Elders to look to and keep history alive for, paving a way for the now generation of youthful drag entertainers, taking up the mantle. We’ve lost a few brothers; life is fragile and hard. I hold them close to me; memories of each I’ll never let anyone take from me. We celebrate them; they who brought us back together. Real talk of a comeback reunion of some sort. We’ve laughed a little more lately. We toasted whiskey to our Irish Prince in a Mormon church parking lot after the funeral service none of us expected so soon. We still love. We still perform; some of us. We still hold to the fact that Life is a Drag; Live It! Q
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Ogden Pride Festival returns for 12th year with ‘Resist. Persist. Exist.’ For the first time in its 12-year history, Ogden Pride is taking its signature festival out of the summer heat and into the fall, announcing that its 2026 celebration will be held October 3–4 instead of the traditional early-August weekend. The 12th Annual Ogden Pride Festival, themed “Resist, Persist, Exist,” will take over 25th Street and the Ogden Amphitheater, with an expanded footprint that organizers say will add more room for entertainment and improve ADA accessibility throughout the grounds. The move has been in the works for months and follows years of the nonprofit watching attendance dip during the hottest days of summer. In fact, the weekend that the event normally would have taken place saw a 103-degree heat wave. This year starts with a Saturday night celebration focused on banned books and free expression before a full day of entertainment, vendors, and community activities on Sunday.
Saturday: ‘Read. Resist. Repeat.’ The festival weekend starts on Saturday, October 3rd, with the “Read. Resist. Repeat.” opening night event, which takes place from 5 to 9 p.m. at the RAMP Main Stage in the Ogden Amphitheater, situated at 343 25th Street. The event is free and open to the public. The event centers on banned books, literacy, and the struggle for access to ideas. To mark the launch of THE
BANNED WAGON, a new community resource designed to increase access to books and ideas that have been censored or restricted, the festival will hold an official ribbon-cutting ceremony. People can meet local authors, browse displays from independent bookstores and literary groups, watch live entertainment, take part in the Drag Story Hour, and sign up for library cards. Organizers say the event is a direct response to a widespread movement of book bans that has taken place both locally and nationally, on the grounds that literature has long been used as a means of resistance, education, and connection. “As they stated in the promotional materials for the event, such gatherings enable us to understand one another, keep our history alive, and picture a better future, it being an opportunity to pay tribute to stories that have fought against injustice and given a wider platform to marginalized voices.”
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LIL MISS HOT MESS, a drag performer, activist, and author of children’s books, acts as Mistress of Ceremonies on the opening night; her career has taken her from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art to Stanford University and to “Saturday Night Live.” She has written several children’s books, such as “The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish” and “If You’re a Drag Queen and You Know It”, both of which present drag culture to young readers in a familiar, family-friendly way. Beyond her work in performance and publishing, Lil Miss Hot Mess has a history of activism directly related to Saturday’s event. She was one of the key figures in the campaign against Facebook’s “real names” policy, a measure that critics claimed had a disproportionate negative impact on drag performers, transgender people, and others who use chosen names instead of their legal identification. She also sits on the board of Drag Queen Story Hour, the nonprofit organization responsible for the reading initiatives that match drag performers with children’s books in libraries, schools, and bookstores across the country—initiatives that have in turn become focal points in the wider political debates concerning LGBTQ visibility. She may be most famous for being the poster child, almost literally, for Marjorie Taylor Green in a DOGE hearing over PBS funding. Her reply was to thank MTG for using her very best photo while looking so haggard herself. A drag queen story hour and a set from DJ YEZZZ will round out Saturday’s opening kickoff party.
Sunday: Festival Centerpiece Returns to 25th Street The principal event of the festival will happen on Sunday, October 4, from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m., extending throughout the Ogden Amphitheater and the 300 block of 25th Street in central Ogden. Just as the opening party on Saturday was, the festival on Sunday is free and open to the public. Organizers call Sunday the highlight of the weekend, describing it as a full day of live entertainment, a variety of community vendors, and family-friendly LIL HOT MESS, COURTESY PHOTO
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LIAM MANCHESTHAIR, COURTESY PHOTO
activities. During the day, two stages will host performances such as drag, live music, dance, and spoken word, highlighting the range of talent in the local LGBTQ community. Sunday’s emcee will be local drag king LIAM MANCHESTHAIR. Manchesthair has been a fixture in the city’s drag scene since 2017. Inspired by the gender-blending performances he saw at Club Try-angles, he began attending shows in drag and was eventually invited to perform with the troupe Those Bitches. He went on to become a resident performer at Why Kiki for brunches and created the all-drag-king showcase King’s Kiki. This year, Vendor Village will be also there, giving visitors the opportunity to look around at the stalls run by local artists, makers, small businesses, community organizations, and advocacy groups. Food vendors will also be on site, offering a variety of options throughout the day. This year, families visiting the festival will discover a larger Family Activity Zone, offering games, crafts, and other interactive activities that are intended for both children and their parents
or caregivers. The organizers stated that this expansion is a result of the increasing number of families attending in recent years and part of a more general initiative to make the festival accessible to people of all ages. For attendees who want to escape the crowds and noise typical of a big outdoor festival, the organizers have established a quiet/chill tent — a low-sensory area meant to give visitors a place to rest and reflect during the day.
P R E S E N T S
Somewhere In my M emory
A Theme Rooted in Current Events The theme this year, “Resist. Persist. Exist.” is similar to those that have become widely used in LGBTQ activism throughout the U.S. as a result of the unrelenting legislative and political pressure on transgender rights, drag performances, and LGBTQ-inclusive programs in schools and libraries. Utah has not escaped this pressure, since state lawmakers have in recent years introduced restrictions relating to transgender youth, drag performances in certain public settings, and bans on flags and books. “Every performance, every conversation, and every moment filled with rainbows is a reminder that we are visible, that we are valued, and that we are not going anywhere,” wrote organizers. For the first time in its 12-year history, Ogden Pride is taking its signature festival out of the summer heat and into the fall, announcing that its 2026 celebration will be held October 3–4 instead of the traditional early-August weekend. Q More details on the festival, including vendor and volunteer sign-ups, are available at OGDENPRIDE.ORG.
DECEMBER 11 & 12, 2026•7:30PM DECEMBER 13, 2026•4:00PM First Baptist Church of Salt Lake City 777 S 1300 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84102
Richard Smith, Artistic Director
F E AT U R I N G
Musical Artist
SOFRONA SNOW
GET YOUR TICKETS NOW Tickets also available at the door. saltlakemenschoir.org/concerts
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Ogden Pride Sunday Stage Schedule RAMP Heart of Pride Main Stage
11:30 am THE HAUS DANCE AGENCY Ogden’s own award-winning competitive dance studio, bringing bold choreography and high-energy performance to the Pride stage.
12:00 pm FULL OUT ATHLETICS A competitive cheer and tumbling program from Roy, Utah, delivering power, precision, and pride in every routine.
12:45 pm BOMBA MARILÉ An eight-member ensemble sharing Afro–Puerto Rican Bomba music, dance, and ancestral storytelling with heart and community spirit.
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Weber State University Rainbow Route 2nd Stage
2:15 pm JAZI KAT A sapphic pop and Eurodance artist with a signature pink style, known for lyrical storytelling and celebrating self-acceptance.
2:55 pm BILLY THE KING & COLOR COUNTRY DRAG COLLECTIVE A genderbending, pole-dancing drag king from Southern Utah, born in Ogden, joined by two stars of the Color Country Drag Collective for a homecoming set you’re sure to enjoy. 3:50 pm THE REAL DRAG WIVES OF NORTHERN UTAH A six-member powerhouse collective of titleholders, producers, and community leaders bringing decades of combined artistry to the stage.
5:00 pm STANDARDS & SUBSTANDARDS A local quartet reimagining jazz standards and contemporary favorites, from Gershwin to Dua Lipa, with charisma and soul.
11:35 am FUSION PRODUCTIONS A local drag troupe showcasing a diverse range of styles, dedicated to building safe spaces for Ogden’s LGBTQ+ community.
12:50 pm RUNESTOMPER A Utah-based duo fusing industrial, synthwave, and heavyedged electronic music with a message of acceptance. 2:00 pm COCO’S QUEER JUKEBOX A curated break of queer anthem favorites, keeping the energy alive between live sets with all your feel-good Pride classics. 3:10 pm JADYN AIRE VERDIGRIS Reigning Mx. Gay Utah Youth, performing in the drag community since age 7 and bringing a fresh cosplay-forward style to the stage. 3:35 pm ASHLEY AMBER A contemporary and jazz dancer making her first-ever Pride performance after years on stages across the region. 4:05 pm PHARAOH VERDIGRIS LOVE A Boise-based drag king who’s performed across the country, doing dedicated work to connect LGBTQ+ communities. 4:35 pm BILLY THE KING & COLOR COUNTRY DRAG COLLECTIVE A genderbending, pole-dancing drag king from Southern Utah, born in Ogden, joined by two stars of the Color Country Drag Collective for a homecoming set you’re sure to enjoy. Q More at OgdenPride.org
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY THE ARTISTS
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36 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | SLC LEATHER PRIDE
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Salt Lake City Leather Pride returns October 18 with Mr. & Ms. Leather contests, celebrity judges
The
leather, kink, and BDSM community will gather at Club Try-Angles on Friday, Oct. 16 and Milk+ on Sunday, October 18, for the annual Salt Lake City Leather Pride celebration, an indoor-outdoor festival that organizers say will be one of the largest of its kind in the city’s history — highlighted by the return of a title contest that has been absent from the local scene for years. The free, ages-21-and-up event will run throughout the day and feature the 2026 Mr. & Ms. Leather SL♥UT title contests, charity silent and live auctions, an opportunity drawing with a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and a Rad E-Bike as grand prizes, bootblacks, a cigar bar, local and national vendors, a full bar, food trucks, and entertainment including go-go dancers, burlesque performers, and drag artists. A Best in Show pup contest — organizers are joking they hope to give the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show a run for its money — rounds out the day’s programming.
Titles Perhaps the most significant development for 2026 is the reinstatement of the Ms. Leather SL♥UT competition alongside the long-running Mr. Leather contest, restoring a companion title that had lapsed in recent years. Organizers say they are still updating graphics and website materials to reflect the addition, but the mission is clear: to expand who gets to represent Salt Lake City’s leather community on regional, national, and international stages. “The Mission of the Mr. & Ms. Leather SL♥UT title contests is to promote leather culture in the Salt Lake City community,” organizers said in materials describing the contests, which are
International Mr. Leather 2026 and Mr. Palm Springs Leather 2026 Honey Davenport
bar titles that make winners eligible to compete at the International Mr. & Ms. Leather contests in Chicago, as well as other regional and national competitions. Both titles are open beyond narrow definitions of gender and sexuality. Mr. Leather SL♥UT is open to trans and cisgender men of any sexual orientation. Organizers note that winners will be chosen based on their demonstrated ability to represent and support the LGBTQ and broader “radical sex” communities outlined in the contest’s mission. “We would advise that if you are a straight man who isn’t actively involved in LGBTQ community activities, this may not be the title for you,” organizers said. The newly restored Ms. Leather SL♥UT title is similarly open to trans and cisgender women, including lesbian, bisexual, straight, and other sexualities, with winners again selected based on their capacity for community representation, activism, and charity work. Organizers say they are seeking contestants who are “passionately interested in activism, charity, and community building” and who can “articulate their platform and excite those around them to get involved.” Competitors will be judged on skill, charisma, and dedication to the leather lifestyle throughout the weekend’s events, starting with a Meet-N-Greet at Club Try-Angles on Friday, Oct. 16 and culminating in the main contest at Milk+ on October 18. Applications for the 2026 titles are due no later than October 1, and proJason Elliot, PHOTO BY J-BO GRAY
PHOTO: MAGNUS HASTINGS
spective contestants must submit photos of themselves and a government-issued ID for age verification, since the contests — like the festival itself — are restricted to those 21 and older.
Judges This year’s judging panel includes a notable national figure: HONEY DAVENPORT, the reigning International Mr. Leather 2026 and Mr. Palm Springs Leather 2026, who also competed on Season 11 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and works as a singer, songwriter, DJ, actor, and activist. Davenport’s participation marks a high-profile addition to the Salt Lake City event’s judging slate. Joining Davenport on the panel is JASON ELLIOTT, who currently holds the title of Mr. Mid-Atlantic Leather 2025 and previously held the Mr. Virginia Leather 2024 title. Elliott, based in Char-
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lottesville, Virginia, serves as director of development for Side by Side, a nonprofit supporting LGBTQ+ youth, and is the founder and executive director of Out and About, an organization that produces multiple LGBTQ+ events monthly in Charlottesville. He brings more than 15 years of experience in HIV prevention and public speaking to the role. Next on the judging panel is E MERALD ONYX the reigning Mx. Washington State Leather 2026 and a dedicated community leader with over 24 years of experience in the leather and fetish communities. Originally from San Francisco, where ze came out in the 1990s at age 13, ze now serves as the chapter president for ONYX Pacific Northwest in Seattle. As a proud Black, fat, switchy community member, Emerald focuses hir work on intersectional representation, queer history, and hosting local educational and fetish gatherings to foster inclusive spaces. Also on the judge panel is JODI BINGHAM, a respected activist and community organizer within the Utah leather and BDSM community. Known for promoting education, safety, and consent, her dedicated leadership earned her the prestigious Jan Lyon Award from NLA International in 2016. She remains a bedrock figure in regional alternative networks. Last, but not least, is DIANA. Raised in leather and kink, Diana has spent decades traveling the country as a community educator, mentoring others through 101 to 301-level classes. She is a passionate facilitator of ritual hook pulls and suspensions, finding deep spiritual fulfillment in public and private energy work. Her play style leans heavy and profound, with a deep love for leather, CBT, fisting, needles, and blood play.
Charity All proceeds raised through the festival and the title contests will benefit UAF LEGACY HEALTH CLINIC, Utah’s first nonprofit community health center dedicated to serving the LGBTQ+ and HIV-positive community. The clinic provides primary care, mental health support, gender-affirming care, walk-in HIV/STI testing and prevention, PrEP and Doxy PEP, telehealth services, and low-cost after-hours testing. Most insurance plans are accepted, including Medicare and Medicaid, and the clinic offers a sliding fee scale for uninsured or underinsured patients, ensuring that cost is not a barrier to care. “Insured visits help fund care for uninsured and underinsured patients,” accord-
ing to clinic materials, underscoring the direct connection between the festival’s fundraising goals and the broader health needs of Utah’s LGBTQ+ community. Organizers are encouraging attendees to arrive ready to explore their kinks, browse offerings from vendors traveling in from around the country alongside local businesses, and stick around for the full slate of entertainment and contest programming. With free entry, a full bar, and prizes ranging from motorcycle giveaways to silent auction items, organizers are positioning the 2026 celebration as both a community showcase and a significant fundraising vehicle for local health services. More information on contest applications, rules, and event details is expected to be updated on the Salt Lake City Leather Pride website at as October 18 approaches.
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Saying hello to Dolly was aasy. Goodbye isn’t Over a decade of interviews — about her gay relatives, trans employees, drag name and a lesbian-wedding rumor — the country icon made clear the love went both ways
BY CHRIS AZZOPARDI
Here’s
the thing nobody’s obituary is going to lead with, so I will: Dolly Parton picked up the phone for queer press. Not just the glossies with the biggest circulation — she talked to a small LGBTQ+ paper out of Michigan, the one I write for, the same way she talked to Rolling Stone or Playboy, at a time when most of country music wouldn’t return that call at all. There was no algorithm rewarding her for it, no cultural mandate yet that made it the safe or expected thing to do. I got to ask her about her gay family, her trans employees, her drag queen name (she told me “P. Titty, like P. Did-
dy”), whether Willie Nelson’s tour bus gave her a contact high — sometimes in the same conversation — because she never once treated an LGBTQ+ outlet like a liability to be managed. She treated it like a call from a loved one. “There are no angel wings,” I wrote, backstage in Grand Rapids in 2016, watching Dolly Parton scoot into a drab garage in a canary yellow dress and more rhinestones than the room could reasonably hold. I meant it as a joke about costuming. I didn’t know I’d be reaching for that same sentence a decade later and meaning something else by it entirely. That night she worked the line the way she always did — moms, dads, kids,
an elderly woman in a wheelchair and at the end of it, me, a gay reporter and a fan like everybody else waiting their turn. I called her, in print, the only religion we might all agree on. I stand by it. Around that same stretch, I got her on the phone, too — 11 whole minutes, timed and everything, her manager’s small mercy of a bonus sixty seconds tacked on at the end. I didn’t know then my career would allow me to check back in with her over the years, or that I’d eventually be writing that sentence about her in the past tense. Everybody wants to call Dolly “the great unifier” now, ever since the 2019 podcast “Dolly Parton’s America,” from PHOTO: NETFLIX
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Radiolab’s Jad Abumrad, made the case for her as maybe the last person left in America who both sides claim as their own. It’s not wrong. It’s also a little bit of a cop-out to call her that, because it makes her sound like she got there by staying quiet, by being agreeable enough that nobody could pin anything on her. She didn’t. She got there by answering hard questions in a way that made it very hard to be mad at her for the answer because it was honest, and honesty was Dolly’s default. I asked her once, point blank, on a Zoom call the morning after Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump in the bruising 2020 presidential election, what it meant to reach people across “the spectrum of religion, race, politics, gay, straight.” She didn’t dodge into a talking point. “I just love people,” she said. “I love that God light and that God core that is in every single one of us. I do not judge or criticize or condemn.” Fine, sweet, very Dolly. Then I pushed a little further — does it hurt you, knowing not everyone can love like that? And she didn’t do the thing famous people do, where they pivot to gratitude and grace. She just said yes. “Well, yeah, it does hurt me that anybody cannot open their heart to love people in the way they should.” I was not supposed to ask about anything remotely political that day. She answered like a person who’d decided the question was bigger than politics anyway. That same conversation, we spoke about “Family,” a song of hers from 1991 that — by her own account — might be the first country song to say the word “gay” right out loud, no euphemism, no clearing of the throat first. “Some are preachers, some are gay, some are addicts, some are strays, but not a one is turned away, when it’s family,” she sings. I asked how country fans reacted to that word landing in a genre that, in 1991, mostly pretended it had never heard it. She said she didn’t remember anybody objecting, because to her it
Chris Azzopardi and Dolly Parton
wasn’t a provocation, it was just true. “I really do believe whether you accept ‘em or not, we all have gays and lesbians and transgenders in our family or in our family of friends,” she told me. Whether folks wanted to admit it or not. She wasn’t announcing a position. She was describing a guest list that, in her mind, had already been set. That’s the part of Dolly that’s going to get flattened if we let the tributes run on rhinestones and Dollywood and “9 to 5” alone. She wasn’t doing allyship as brand extension. She was talking about an actual family. Hers — which, it turned out, was a lot bigger and a lot more specific than the metaphor. In 2016, I asked her the plain version of the question: growing up in the Smoky Mountains, did you know any gay people? No, she told me — not because there weren’t any, but because nobody had the words yet. The two guys in town everybody whispered about were just “queer,” “sissies, they’re girls,” in the ugly little shorthand of the era. She didn’t have a category for “different” back then. She just already knew, somehow, that different was fine, on account of being pretty different herself. “I have many gays and lesbians in my own family,” she revealed to me, and then she used a word that’s stuck with me for a decade: ours. “They’re ours and they’re who they are and we know they’re wonderful and they’re like us.” Some relatives back in the mountains, she admitted, still weren’t quite sure what to make of it.
She also told me — casually, like it was nothing, which is exactly how she wanted it treated — that she had transgender employees on salary in her own company, years before most corporations would say that sentence out loud, let alone mean it. People came to her the way they used to come to her mama, she said: to be told it was safe to be honest. “You need to let people know who you are and you need to come on out,” she’d tell them. “You don’t need to live your life in darkness.” That interview didn’t stay ours for long. CBS News and HuffPost both picked it up within days, running her words about becoming the family member her gay and lesbian relatives call when it’s time to come out. National outlets didn’t get their own version of that quote. They ran ours. What she said to a small LGBTQ+ paper became, for a few days, the version of the story the rest of the country’s press was working from. I ended that conversation the only way that felt right, thanking her for the joy she’d brought to my life. She didn’t say anything a celebrity says to a reporter. She said what your mother says when you tell her you love her, without missing a beat: “Love you too!” Somewhere in the middle of all that sincerity, I should say: Dolly was also just deeply, reliably funny about all of this, in a way that mattered just as much as the earnestness did. Back in 2014, I asked her about the National Enquirer story that had her secretly marrying her longtime friend Judy Ogle, with her husband Carl supposedly fine with it. Most stars in that position reach for the lawyer-approved denial. Dolly reached for a bit. “I am not gay,” she told me, “but if I were I would be the first one running out of the closet.” I asked, naturally, if that meant running straight into Judy’s arms. “Yeah, who knows!” she said. “I might’ve said, ‘Judy, you wanna get something going with me?’” Then, because she never let a joke overstay its PHOTO: CHRIS AZZOPARDI
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LGBTQ+ Suicide Hotlines The Trevor Project 866-488-7386
stood something faster than I did: that this one belonged in the family column. She was right. That’s exactly where Dolly put herself. Not just for the relatives she actually employed and defended and called “ours” without blinking, but for a lot of queer people who only ever got her 11 minutes at a time.
AGES 13–24 – 24-HOURS
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welcome without landing somewhere true, she added that their friendship was simply “a precious friendship.” That 2014 conversation found a second life, too. Three years later, it turned up in “Dolly on Dolly: Interviews and Encounters with Dolly Parton,” a career-spanning anthology of 25 interviews pulled from her five decades in the spotlight, alongside her conversations with Playboy, Rolling Stone and her chat with Andy Warhol for Interview magazine. Whoever decided which 25 of Dolly Parton’s interviews actually mattered decided that one belonged. That’s not a small thing. That’s a book editor, working with no stake in queer press whatsoever, looking at everything Dolly Parton ever said to anyone and deciding the version of her that talked to us was essential to the record. I didn’t fully understand how deep this ran for me personally, though, until my aunt texted me the day Dolly died. We don’t speak that often, which made this message all the more meaningful: “Hi Chris, I feel like another family member has passed. I’m sure you already know about Dolly…it’s heartbreaking and I know you’re feeling it.” I read that on my phone and started crying over a woman I’d interviewed a handful of times across a decade, always on the clock, always with a publicist somewhere in the room watching the minutes tick down. My aunt, who has no idea how any of that works, underPHOTO: CHRIS AZZOPARDI
She said the word “gay” in a country song in 1991 and didn’t flinch. She kept answering the phone for gay press for the better part of two decades, long after she had anything left to prove by doing it. And somehow, from that distance — an interview here, a Zoom call there — she made enough of us feel like family that when she died, my aunt’s first instinct was to check on me. I once asked Dolly why she’d taken that step, becoming one of the first major country artists to stand up for LGBTQ+ equality. She didn’t treat it like a stance at all. Just unconditional love. “Why wouldn’t I stand up for everybody, for all people?” she said. “In the country field, we’re brought up in spiritual homes, we’re taught to ‘judge not lest you be judged,’ and it’s always been a mystery to me how people jump all over things just to criticize, condemn and judge other people when that is so un-Christian — and they claim to be good Christians! We’re supposed to love one another. We’re supposed to accept and love one another. Whether we do or not, that’s a different story. But that’s what we’re supposed to do.” Not a one is turned away, when it’s family. She meant her own. Turns out she meant ours too. Q Chris Azzopardi is the executive editor and brand director of Pride Source Media Group and Q Syndicate. He has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Cher, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé and, of course, Dolly. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, GQ and Billboard.
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adam lambert is still reinventing himself
With his new album ‘Adam,’ the singer talks dystopia, defiance and seeing the good in people BY KEITH LANGSTON
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At this
point, performing on a national stage is second nature to Adam Lambert, who shot to fame 17 years ago during the eighth season of “American Idol” in 2009. Just six months later, Lambert went on to release his hit album “For Your Entertainment,” which included the Billboard Top 10 hit “Whataya Want from Me.” “I have a better sense of what my voice can do,” Lambert says, reflecting on his career, which has since led to numerous milestones like his second album, “Trespassing,” hitting No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart, touring with Queen and, in 2024, making his Broadway debut in “Cabaret.” Recently, Lambert released his sixth studio album, “Adam,” which he describes as a “brutalist” record filled with deep but relatable emotions, creating a “maze of possibilities.” From rock anthems to power ballads, the album is a journey through various styles, with each song feeling like a distinct scene, all coming together to create a musical voyage. In mid-July, while preparing to perform a second song backstage at the “Today” show, here’s what Lambert had to say about his career and his new album. One thing I noticed about “Adam” is that it almost feels like a story. The first song, “Rat City,” is like the opening to a musical where you’re setting the scene. Yeah, “Rat City” feels like it’s a song that sets the stage and the tone. I’m giving you a place. As a whole, the album is pretty universal stuff, like relationship ups and downs, highs and lows. But it’s all set in a strange, dystopian, sort of post-apocalyptic background. I wanted it to have a dark underbelly, which I thought was important to set up as the environment, because it reflects a lot of what we’re going through right now. There’s a lot of anxiety and a lot of stress over the way the world is being run, and governments and PHOTO: NICK KNIGHT
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AI and all that shit. So I wanted to acknowledge that and make sure it was very clear sonically and emotionally that this was the setting. It seems like everyone is feeling that sense of dystopia. We had this decade in the 2010s where progress was being made and doors were being opened. But now it seems like everything is going backwards. Yeah, it’s strange. I think we did so much amazing work, even from when I started in the industry back in 2009. Just from that point to 2019 was wild. But in this new decade, it definitely seems like we’ve slipped back. There are some clear and dangerous challenges that we’re all looking at. But I do feel somewhat hopeful that at some point we’re gonna get out of it, and hopefully on the other side there’s going to be a renaissance of sorts. I think the biggest thing is getting involved and making sure we’re getting active in making the changes that need to happen. But I also think a lot of propaganda and media manipulation are to blame for a lot of the takeaways we have about what’s going on. From what I see, I feel like there’s actually a lot more people on the right side than the wrong side. I think there’s illusions being created to make us feel like there’s a big group of evil people…but I don’t know how many there actually are. It may be less than we realize. It’s interesting hearing that from you because your career has put you in a unique spot to see different groups of people that many queer artists probably don’t. You’re huge with straight moms — my mom being one of them — and touring with Queen probably has you interacting with a lot more Gen X and baby boomers than other gay musicians. Do you think that’s what has you hopeful? Yeah, I had a bit of a rude awakening right after “American Idol.” I had been in a bubble in L.A., amongst theater peo-
ple, club kids and creatives, so I was very comfortable with myself and my sexuality. Then suddenly, I was put on a national stage, and I quickly saw that there is homophobia and hatred. I hadn’t experienced too much of it until that moment. What did you do as an artist to combat that? I think it’s all about making good art and making stuff that connects with the public. I think that’s a big first step. If it’s honest, about real life stuff and has real emotional relevance, then you can start connecting with people. And if you’re connecting with them and they’re connecting with each other over that music, that’s how you start to shift consciousness. I also think that just existing as a queer artist and being out there in public is an act of defiance and activism itself. Like, yeah, I’m a gay man and proud of it, but that doesn’t mean my music is only for gay people. Music is universal. Emotions aren’t exclusive to one identity or group, they’re experienced by everybody. This brings up something me and my mom were talking about last night. You famously performed as Judas in “Jesus Christ Superstar” alongside Cynthia Erivo. My mom, who’s hardcore
Catholic, thought you were amazing and saw it as a radical protest, whereas I hate religion and feel like if anyone ever asked me to be in a religious musical I’d probably say, “Fuck no.” [Laughs.] That’s probably one of the reasons I was drawn to the role of Judas! I found a lot in common with him, oddly enough. He doesn’t go with the rest of the group. He’s the one who speaks up. He’s like the voice of reason. He’s anxious, worried and afraid. Those are all things I can identify with and have felt in my life, and that have gotten in my way and led me down the wrong path. I’m not religious either, but honestly, it’s not a religious role. He’s the skeptic. Judas is literally fighting against his own sense of faith. He’s like, “I don’t think I believe this,” so I identified with him a lot. I’m thinking about what a varied and wildly successful career you’ve had. Have you developed more courage or comfort to tackle things in your new album that you might not have had the confidence to in your earlier releases? So there’s a ballad in the middle of the album, “Am I OK?,” which is super vulnerable. I had never been in a situation where I was writing about something while I was still in the midst of it. I was right in the middle of all those feelings when I wrote that song. Compared to the beginning of my career, I trust my instincts a lot more now. I have a better sense of what my voice can do, and this album goes in a lot of different directions, like dynamically, the textures and the approach. It can get soft and light, then heavy and hard. I was really able to play with all the colors and shades of my voice. Plus, from a songwriting standpoint, I’ve also been able to use what I’ve learned throughout the years. I’ve also taken more of a leadership role than I ever have before. I’m releasing it independently on my own, so I’m funding it. I hired the team PHOTO: DANA SCRUGGS
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for all the jobs, so I feel a real sense of empowerment. That’s created a very open, free space for me because I don’t have to play politics with anyone and I’m not answering to anybody. But also, this album has taught me when it’s best to step back and let someone else take the lead. I think that’s a big part of growing up, when you finally start recognizing where your strengths are and aren’t. I feel like your voice is up there in the echelons of people with mas-
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sively powerful voices. As you’ve grown more mature in your career, have you come to recognize just how insanely strong your voice is? I always think I’m my own worst critic, and I can be incredibly hard on myself. I mean, I’m gay, that’s just part of our baggage. It’s integral to our experience! [Laughs.] Coming up in theater, I think I was always looking for validation from the audience, and that was something I got really addicted to. It’s like, “Oh, they’re clapping for me; they
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think I’m good enough.” Their reaction is always what told me if I was good or not. So there have definitely been moments throughout my career where I’ve had to learn to muster up that validation on my own. But without external validation, it’s harder and more abstract. At the beginning, the imposter syndrome was a lot thicker for me. But over time, that’s changed. After being on tour with Queen and putting out great music, yeah, I think my reputation’s good. People often refer to me as “Oh, he can sing.” That’s a simple statement, but a powerful one. It’s great to know that people know who I am and know what I can do. I think that’s a great place to be. What can fans expect next? Any big projects on the horizon? I’ve actually been working on a musical on the side, so that’s something that’s in development. I’ve also been looking to get into some more acting roles in film and TV. Doing “Cabaret” on Broadway was a full-circle moment for me because it had been 17 years since I’d done a stage musical. It was nice to get back to that and be a theater person again. The acting bug really bit me again after that. What’s the musical you’re working on? It’s an original musical that I’m writing, so not about me and not a jukebox musical. It’s about a real-life person from New York in the ’70s who was a musician. I think that’s all I can reveal at this point! Q Keith is an entertainment and travel journalist who contributes to People and has been featured in publications like Lonely Planet, Entertainment Weekly and Business Insider. When he’s not traveling, he’s either watching horror movies or playing video games. He can also bore you for hours with useless facts about roller coasters, space, animals, and tea. PHOTO: NICK KNIGHT
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OCTOBER 2026
Kyle’s Bed & Breakfast by Greg Fox
Man of Many Faces
42 Jam ingredients 44 Foam at the mouth 45 Handle on a machine that cuts leaves of ACROSS grass 1 Taylor of “I Shot Andy 47 King of Crete Warhol” 49 Dick, for short 5 “Snail-mail” org. 50 Ivy Leaguer in New 9 Closet item Haven 14 Straight ___ arrow 52 One of the Village 15 Personal lubricant People wears one ingredient 54 Tim Curryís most 16 Slowly, to Sondheim iconic role 17 Tim Curryís “It” clown 58 Make more potent 19 Capital of Ghana 59 Gallo portrayer in 20 Actress Pfeiffer “And the Band Played 21 From, in France On” 22 «Suzanne» composer 60 Stand next to Cassatt Leonard 64 Rock Hudson’s “A 23 Homeland of the Farewell to ___” Singing Nun (abbr.) 65 Not even once, to 25 Tim Curryís operatic Dickinson villain in “Legend” 66 Copland composed 27 Goes the way of bad for it milk 67 Ball-bearing items 30 Number of bulbs 68 Not hard to get in bed 31 “___ live and breathe!” 69 Stick your nose in 32 Top draft level 34 “Faust” author DOWN 37 Tim Curryís character 1 “Crash” org. in the movie “Clue” 2 Frasier’s response to a 40 More like a virgin client 41 Breakfast waffle brand 3 Connector of continame nents
4 Wanting much 5 Motor City org. 6 Got some dirt in the skirt, in “A League of Their Own” 7 Sat for Diana Davies 8 Playground piece for a couple 9 Paving material 10 Storyteller 11 Emulate Leonard Bernstein 12 Shrek and others 13 Lovemaking responses 18 Gutless 24 Type of salami you can put in your hero 26 Disdained newspaper 27 Sounded like Scarecrow’s foe 28 The way we word 29 Hospital fluid 33 Motivation affecters 35 German philosopher Georg 36 With blood rushing to the head 38 Cause for a massage 39 Like some degrees 43 “Chim-Chim-Cheree” 51 Totally ridiculous 53 It makes waves residue 54 Apartment, to McK46 “Horny” animal 48 Beds, with “with” ellen
55 One way to have one’s 61 Word on a Brazilian meat map 56 Top 62 Bowie collaborator 57 Bitch botherer 63 Cut PUZZLE SOLUTIONS ON PAGE 55
OCTOBER 2026 |
ISSUE 388 |
COMICS | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 47
Qsaltlake.com
Each Sudoku puzzle has a unique solution which can be reached logically without guessing. Enter digits 1 through 9 into the blank spaces. Every row must contain one of each digit, as must each column and each 3x3 square. Qdoku
Q doku Medium
8 2 3 4 5 1 3 2 6 5
7 8
9 4 8
6
1 5 4 8
9
1 2 3 9 5 8 4 3 6
3 4 5 1 3 8 6 5 9 8 8 1 6 9 5 4 5 7 9 7 8 3 5 4 9 6 7 1 3 4 2 3 2 6 3 5 2 3 4 8 6 1 7 5 6 9 4 8 2 3 5 2 5 8 3 6 7 9 4 9 2 8 7 3 6 5 7 4 5 4 3 9 2 4 6 7 5 1 7 5 4 4 5 9 6 7 6 4 2 1 1 9 2 2 3 4 5 7 5 3 9 2 5 6 8 3
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48 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | STORYTIME
Qsaltlake.com |
ISSUE 388 |
OCTOBER 2026
bricks & rainbows of marmalade
Ep. 9: Paper Trails and Fault Lines BY CHRISTOPHER SNOW
September
arrived like a long exhale. The heat broke. The nights cooled. Marmalade filled with the smell of turning leaves and distant fireplaces. If August had been brittle, September was fragile — everything poised to either settle or shatter. Grant’s house remained dark. Yellow tape lingered for days after the fire, fluttering like a warning flag. Investigators came and went. A city notice was posted on the door. Grant stopped parking his SUV out front. But he hadn’t disappeared. “He’s lawyered up,” Paige said, scrolling through her email. “Hard.” Denise confirmed it. “He’s claiming targeted harassment,” she told them over the phone. “Says tenants coordinated false allegations.” Mateo snorted. “We coordinated survival.” The house adjusted to a new rhythm: cautious optimism layered with dread. Everyone knew retaliation didn’t always look like eviction notices. Sometimes it looked like delays. Paperwork. Quiet revenge. Jonah started sleeping badly. “If this goes south,” he said one night, staring at the ceiling, “I tank my credit. My degree. Everything.” Mateo squeezed his hand. “We’ll figure it out. Together.” Across the hall, Nora and Paige were arguing in whispers. “We could move,” Nora said. “Prove
we’re not dependent on this.” “And give up the case?” Paige replied. “That’s exactly what he wants.” Eli documented everything. Sounds. Dates. Feelings. He started writing again — not just notes, but scenes. Truth felt slippery; story gave it edges. Then the mail came. A thick envelope. Certified.
NOTICE OF CIVIL ACTION — DEFAMATION Grant Whitaker v. Seven Defendants. “Holy shit,” Alex breathed. Grant was suing them. “He’s claiming emotional distress,” Jonah said, voice tight. “Lost business. Reputational harm.” Mateo laughed once, then stopped. “Is this… real?” “It’s a SLAPP suit,” Paige said. “Strategic lawsuit against public participation. He’s trying to scare us.” “And it’s working,” Eli said. Denise called that afternoon. Her voice was steady, but clipped. “This changes things. But it also exposes him. His communications. His finances.” Nora frowned. “What aren’t you saying?” There was a pause. “He’s alleging the fire was arson,” Denise said. “And that one of you was involved.” The room went cold. “That’s insane,” Alex said. “We were all here.” “Doesn’t matter,” Denise replied. “He doesn’t need proof. Just suspicion.”
That night, police knocked. Two officers. Polite. Professional. “Routine questions,” one said. They asked where everyone had been the night of the fire. Who had access to Grant’s property. Who had grievances. Mateo’s jaw tightened. Jonah’s hands shook. Eli answered carefully, truthfully. After they left, no one spoke. Finally, Alex said quietly, “Lila isn’t answering my messages.” Paige’s phone buzzed. An email from Grant’s attorney. “Preservation notice. Do not delete any communications.” Outside, a moving truck idled down the street. It stopped. In front of their house. The driver stepped out, clipboard in hand. “I’ve got a pickup scheduled,” he said. “For one of you.” Everyone turned. “Which one?” Nora asked. The driver checked his sheet. “Eli,” he said. Eli’s stomach dropped. “I didn’t schedule anything,” he whispered. From across the street, Grant’s SUV pulled into view. And the passenger window rolled down. Q
When buying or selling real estate, you don’t want a part-time agent working a side hustle, but a professional who’s versed in winning multiple offer battles, marketing strategies to get the best price, knowing LGBTQ vendors and allies for mortgages, inspections, attorneys, etc. With four decades as a full-time agent/broker and the first ‘out’ REALTOR® in Utah, I’d love to help you with this huge financial decision. I sell downtown condos in Salt Lake, homes with casitas in St. George, homes of those who have passed, and 1031 exchanges on income or commercial properties. Text or call anytime.
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OCTOBER 2026 |
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NEWS | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 49
50 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | STORYTIME
Qsaltlake.com |
ISSUE 388 |
OCTOBER 2026
the perils of petunia pap smear
The tale of the Total Eclipse of the Skirt BY PETUNIA PAP SMEAR
The path
to a full moon is filled with danger and excitement.
Michael Aaron’s recent Facebook posts about his solar-eclipse cruise reminded me of my own eclipse adventure. Ever since I was a little princess in Idaho’s potato fields, I had dreamed of witnessing a total solar eclipse. Around 2015, I learned that one would cross the western United States in August 2017. The next eclipse over Utah would not arrive until August 2045. As an aged queen already well past her sell-by date, I doubted I would still be around in ’45, so 2017 was my chance. To experience total immersion in darkness, I would need to travel to Idaho Falls. I began making plans. Idaho news reports predicted apocalyptic crowds and local resources stretched thinner than a bargain-bin wig. I pictured Queertanic, my beloved land yacht capable of seating six with “room for a pony,” stranded on the roadside, out of gas, while I, wearing a torn, filthy sundress and the dignity of a dethroned pageant queen, hitchhiked through a scene from “The Walking Dead.” So, I packed extra gasoline, a mountain of ham sandwiches, and enough Diet Mountain Dew to keep a drag troupe alive for two weeks of a zombie apocalypse. Not to mention many folding chairs, beach blankets, and other comforts, just in case we ended up in someone’s potato field. On the appointed morning, long, long before dawn, Mr. Pap Smear and I got the grandkids out of bed and almost had to carry them to the car because it was so early. Expecting gridlock, I allowed two extra hours of driving time for the journey to Idaho Falls. I slipped into my flashiest yellow caftan, crowned myself with a beehive wig, pulled on opera-length driving gloves, and added sunglasses flashy and gaudy enough to eclipse the eclipse. Then we hit the road to a celestial playlist: Andy Williams’s Moon River, Frank Sinatra’s Fly Me to the Moon, and Bonnie Tyler’s Total Eclipse of the Heart.
Subtle? True to form, the grandkids complained about the music choices. To my shock, Interstate 15 was busy but flowing at full freeway speed, and we reached the edge of Idaho Falls three hours early. In full apocalypse-hoarder couture, I topped off Queertanic’s tank before the gas station could run dry. (It never did.) Then I searched for a place to moor our beloved land yacht, which requires roughly ten acres and a generous turning radius for her maneuvers. I chose the nearest park, expecting a parking-lot death match, but found only one other car. We docked with ease and claimed the picnic pavilion beside the restroom, the park’s undisputed VIP lounge. We chatted and read books as the park slowly filled. Determined to add a touch of glamour, I spread a tablecloth and set out the finest paper plates, plastic utensils, and styrofoam cups Walmart had to offer. Then I piled a whole mountain of ham sandwiches on a silver serving tray and placed it in the center of the table with a two-liter bottle of Diet Mountain Dew chilling in an ice-filled champagne bucket off to the side. For entertainment, our seven-year-old grandchild staged a scientific drag spectacular with chocolate and vanilla Oreos, showing how the moon would cross in front of the sun. It was educational, delicious, and suspiciously under-rehearsed. Then I got hungry and swallowed both the sun and moon cookies in one bite. After all that eating and drinking, I needed the little queen’s room for a brief audience on the porcelain throne. Fortunately, it was close to our pavilion. After bestowing a rather voluminous “royal contribution,” I emerged from the restroom and processed back to camp with all the dignity a drag queen in daylight can summon. Halfway there, children began pointing and giggling. One especially hunky daddy scooped up his child and hurried away. Naturally, I assumed they were overwhelmed by my sparkling jewels. Then Mr. Pap Smear rushed over with the horrifying truth: the back of my skirt was tucked into my under-
wear, and I was giving the entire park an unscheduled viewing of my own full moon. Clinging to one last sequin of dignity, I lowered my skirt, smoothed the wrinkles, and glided back to the pavilion as if the wardrobe malfunction had been deliberate. Then I hid behind a wall for half an hour, waiting for the eclipse to provide face-saving darkness, all the while hoping against hope that neighboring parents did not call the police to report me flashing innocent children. At last, the sun vanished, the streetlights flickered on, and the park fell into magical darkness — nature’s most dramatic lighting cue. As the sun returned, I pointed a golden wand skyward and cried, “Lumos!” The timing dazzled the grandkids and restored my reputation as a sorceress of stage and sky. Then, we quickly packed Queertanic and headed home, only to find I-15 transformed into the gridlocked parking lot everyone had predicted. The one-hour drive to Pocatello took three, but the spectacle — and the scandal — made the once-in-a-lifetime trip entirely worthwhile.
As always, these events leave us with several eternal questions: 1. When the grandkids complained about old people’s music, should I have made them ride in the trunk? 2. How many ham sandwiches must a queen pack before emergency preparedness becomes catering? 3. Was the picnic pavilion truly the VIP lounge, or merely the only venue close enough for a queen in crisis? 4 Should “Lumos!” count as sorcery if the sun was already doing all the work? 5. If one accidentally shows the park a full moon during a solar eclipse, does that make it a double feature? 6. Could I have distracted the neighboring families from my shame by announcing that there was an extremely rare Pokémon Go character reportedly on the far side of this park? These and other important questions will be answered in future chapters of: The Perils of Petunia Pap-Smear Q
OCTOBER 2026 |
ISSUE 388 |
Qsaltlake.com
Q&A | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 51
52 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | QMMUNITY
Q mmunity groups BUSINESS
LGBTQ+ Affirmative Therapists Guild LGBTQTHERAPISTS.COM * robin@lgbtqtherapists.com
Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce UTAHLGBTQCHAMBER.COM * info@utahgaychamber.com
Utah Independent Business Coalition utahindependentbusiness.org 801-879-4928 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-7233 YWCA of Salt Lake YWCAUTAH.ORG
322 E 300 S 801-537-8600 HEALTH & HIV
Planned Parenthood BIT.LY/PPAUSLCHIV
654 S 900 E 801-322-5571
Salt Lake County Health Dept STD Clinic SALTLAKECOUNTY.GOV/
HEALTH/ID-CLINIC
610 S 200 E, 2nd Flr Walk-ins M-F 8a-5p Appts 385-468-4242 UAF Legacy Health UAFHEALTH.ORG
150 S 1000 E 801-487-2323 Weber-Morgan Health Mon., Weds 1-4:30p 477 23rd St, Ogden Appt 801-399-7250 HOMELESS SVCS
VOA Homeless Youth Resource Ctr, ages 15-21 880 S 400 W 801-364-0744 LEGAL
Rainbow Law Free Clinic 2nd Weds 6-7:30pm Olpin Student Union, Panorama East probono@law.utah.edu POLITICAL
Equality Utah EQUALITYUTAH.ORG * info@equalityutah.org
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376 E 400 S 801-355-3479 Utah Libertarian Party 129 E 13800 S #B2-364 LIBERTARIANUTAH.ORG
866-511-UTLP Utah Stonewall Democrats utahstonewalldemocrats.org FB.ME/
UTAHSTONEWALLDEMS SPIRITUAL
Center for Spiritual Living
First Baptist Church FIRSTBAPTIST-SLC.ORG 11a Sundays 777 S 1300 E 801-582-4921 Mt. Tabor Lutheran Church 10:30a Sunday worship 175 S 700 E 801-328-0521 MTTABORSLC.ORG
Sacred Light of Christ SLCCHURCH.ORG
823 S 600 E 801-595-0052 11a Sundays
The Divine Assembly THEDIVINEASSEMBLY.ORG
10am Sunday worship 389 W 1830 S, SLC 11:15am meditation, 12:30pm mtg 532 E 800 N, Orem
UTAHBEARS.COM E utahbears info@utahbears.com
6pm Weds Salt Lake Roasting Co 860 E 400 S Utah Male Naturists UMEN.ORG FB.ME/
UTAHMALENATURISTS
info@umen.org
Utah Pride Center UTAHPRIDECENTER.ORG info@utahpridecenter.org
Alternative Garden Club
1380 S Main St 801-539-8800 Venture OUT Utah bit.ly/GetOutsideUtah
UTAHAGC.ORG/CLUBS/
SPORTS
SOCIAL
SPIRITUALLYFREE.ORG
10:30 meditation, 11am celebration svc Sun LGBTQIA+ support group 4th Sat, 11am 4516 S 700 E Ste 102
Utah Bears
ALTGARDENCLUB/
altgardenclub@gmail.com
1 to 5 Club (bisexual) E @1TO5CLUBUTAH blackBOOTS Kink/BDSM Men’s leather/kink/ fetish/BDSM 4th Sats; blackBOARD class, 2nd Tues; Leather Church 3rd Sundays at Try-Angles BLACKBOOTSSLC.ORG CUB Adventures
Cheer Salt Lake CHEERSALTLAKE.ORG EQ @CHEERSALTLAKE
QUAC — Queer Utah Aquatic Club QUACQUAC.ORG questions@
COM
quacquac.org 7pm Tues, Thurs; 10:15am Sun, Fairmont Aquatic Ctr, 1044 Sugarmont Dr. Salt Lake Goodtime Bowling League
fb.com/groups/312955669422305/ Gay Men’s Sack Lunch Noon Weds.
Stonewall Sports SLC E SLCStonewall
THECUBADVENTURES.
UTAHPRIDECENTER.ORG
68 S Main St 801-539-8800 Gay Men’s Peer Support Group 6:30-8pm Tuesdays UTAHPRIDECENTER.ORG
68 S Main St 801-539-8800 Mindfully Gay MINDFULLYGAY.COM OWLS of Utah (Older, Wiser, Lesbian Sisters) BIT.LY/OWLSUTAH
qVinum Wine Tasting QVINUM.COM
Seniors Out and Proud SOAPUTAH.ORG E soaputah info@soaputah.org
801-856-4255 Temple Squares Square Dance Club TEMPLESQUARES.ORG
801-449-1293
BIT.LY/SLGOODTIME
STONEWALLSALTLAKECITY.
LEAGUEAPPS.COM
385-243-1828 Utah Gay Football League E UtahGayFootballLeague Venture Out Utah E Venture.OUT.Utah
ISSUE 388 |
OCTOBER 2026
Fri. 7p Stonewall Group, Mt Tabor Lutheran, 175 S 700 E Crystal Meth Anon CRYSTALMETH.ORG
USARA, 180 E 2100 S Clean, Sober & Proud Sun. 1:30pm Leather Fetish & Kink Fri. 8pm Genderbands GENDERBANDS.ORG EQ @genderbands
LifeRing Secular Recovery 801-608-8146 LIFERINGUTAH.ORG
Weds. 7pm, Sat. 11am How was your week? First Baptist, 777 S 1300 E LGBTQ+ Affirmative Therapists Guild LGBTQTHERAPISTS.COM * robin@lgbtqtherapists.com
YOUTH/COLLEGE
Encircle LGBTQ Family and Youth Resource Ctr ENCIRCLETOGETHER.ORG EQ @encircletogether
91 W 200 S, Provo, 190 S 100 E, St. George 331 S 600 E, SLC 81 E Center, Heber City Gay-Straight Alliance Network GSANETWORK.ORG
OUT Foundation BYU THEOUT.FOUNDATION fb.me/theOUTfoundation Salt Lake Community College LGBTQ+ 8 SLCC.EDU/LGBTQ/
SUPPCLASSIFIEDSORT
UofU Student Pride Ctr
Alcoholics Anonymous 801-484-7871
USGA at BYU
UTAHAA.ORG
LGBTQ+ meetings: Sun. 3p Acceptance Group, All Saints, 1710 Foothill Dr Tues. 7p Live & Let Live, Mt Tabor Tues. 7p Pride in Recovery, Narcotics Anon. UPC, 68 S Main Wed. 7p Sober Today, 1159 30th St , Ogden Wed. 7p Bountiful Men’s Group, Am. Baptist, 1915 Orchard Dr, Btfl
Q UOFUPRIDE USGABYU.COM FB.ME/USGAATBYU
Utah Valley Univ Spectrum LINKTR.EE/SPECTRUMQSA uvu.edu/lgbtq/ * lgbt@uvu.edu
801-863-8885 Liberal Arts, Rm 126 Youth Discord Virtual Hangout 6p Wednesdays Open to all youth 14-20. Email jay@ utahpridecenter.org to get access
OCTOBER 2026 |
ISSUE 388 |
October at the Utah Pride Center TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6 6:30–8:30 pm Gay Men’s Peer Support Group 7–8 pm Pride In Recovery (LGBTQ+ N.A. Meeting) WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7 12–1 pm Gay Men’s Sack Lunch 5–6 pm Transgender & Nonbinary Support Group 6–8 pm Trans Social Club MONDAY, OCTOBER 12 2–4 pm Utah Seniors Elevated (offsite) 6–8 pm Sit & Stitch TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13 6:30–8:30 pm Gay Men’s Peer Support Group 7–8 pm Pride In Recovery (LGBTQ+ N.A. Meeting) WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14 12–1 pm Gay Men’s Sack Lunch 6–8 pm Game Night THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15 6–7 pm Courageous Conversations for Queer Utahns FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16 5–11 pm Horror Movie Social Club SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18 10–11 am Sapphic Voices
QMMUNITY | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 53
Qsaltlake.com
MONDAY, OCTOBER 19 2–4 pm Utah Seniors Elevated (offsite) TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20 6:30–8:30 pm Gay Men’s Peer Support Group 7–8 pm Pride In Recovery (LGBTQ+ N.A. Meeting) WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21 12–1 pm Gay Men’s Sack Lunch 6–8 pm Trans Social Club THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22 6:30 pm - 08 pm Religious Trauma Support Group FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23 5:30–7:30 pm Connection Lab MONDAY, OCTOBER 26 2–4 pm Utah Seniors Elevated (offsite) 6–8 pm Sit & Stitch
JOIN OUR GROUP OF ACTIVE OUT SENIORS Our Vision is to reduce social isolation and loneliness, improve the health and well-being of older adults and to empower them to lead meaningful and connected lives in which they are engaged and participating in the community.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27 6:30–8:30 pm Gay Men’s Peer Support Group 7–8 pm Pride In Recovery (LGBTQ+ N.A. Meeting) WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28 12–1 pm Gay Men’s Sack Lunch 6–8 pm Blood on the Clocktower SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31 8pm–1am HalloQueen Ball at the Salt Lake Masonic Temple For more information on these events, go to UTAHPRIDECENTER.ORG/CALENDAR
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sales@qsaltlake.com 801-997-9763
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Our Mission is to reimagine aging by empowering older adults to live life to the fullest potential guided by these five pillars: • Cherish the Journey • Encourage the Body • Inspire the Mind • Nurture the Spirit • Empower the Future Find us at
SeniorsOutAndProudUtah.org and Facebook.com/SOAPUtah
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OCTOBER 2026
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OCTOBER 2026 |
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MARKETPLACE | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 55
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