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When George Floyd was killed by police this summer, many in the LGBTQ community masked up and joined in protests to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.Īllen said the intersection of the two communities harkened back to the start of Pride celebrations 50 years ago. There have been a handful of situations during the pandemic where the community gathered in person. “We do find so much community and resilience by coming together in person,” Allen said.
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But others, Allen said, are tired of looking at a screen to find community. Online programming has been a lifeline for some LGBTQ Coloradans, especially for those who are not able to be fully “out” in their own town or even home. One Colorado shifted to remote work in March, published a list of resources for the community and made upcoming events virtual to keep up the connection with participants. are still disproportionately affected by the global epidemic, first identified in 1981, compared with the country in general.Īllen said many in the community are taking as many precautions as possible to avoid falling ill with COVID-19. Though anyone can get HIV or AIDS, LGBTQ people in the U.S. Experts say the health crisis has only made this worse.Ĭoronavirus isn’t the first public health emergency for this community. More than half of respondents said they experienced feelings of isolation and lack of companionship. A One Colorado survey from 2019 found that the state’s LGBTQ population experiences anxiety and depression at three times the rate of the general population. These impacts are even greater for LGBTQ people of color.Įven before the pandemic, many LGBTQ people struggled with their mental health. About 17% said they don’t have health insurance.
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Data from the Human Rights Campaign found that roughly 5 million LGBTQ people nationwide have lost jobs or work hours - 15% work in restaurants, compared with 6% of the non-LGBTQ population. The LGBTQ community has been hit hard by the pandemic, beyond the loss of community. At events like Pride, “we’re not only seeing but we’re being seen, and I think that’s so important to myself and many members of our community, because our identities are often erased or ignored.” “It’s been a big loss,” Marvyn Allen, health equity and training director for One Colorado, said in a recent interview. Pride festivals - including Denver Pride, the largest festival between the coasts - went virtual or were canceled, leaving thousands of Coloradans wondering what to do this year with all their rainbow-patterned apparel. But since the coronavirus pandemic hit Colorado in March, those communal events have been hard to come by.īars have been almost or entirely shut down clubs can no longer offer their trademark intimacy and electric energy. “We quickly realized that the needs of the Denver community were different than what we knew about the Dallas community, so with that being said, we decided it was best to pack Sir and get him back to where it all started for us, the Lone Star State,” Trey wrote in an email to: westword† “We’ve listened to the feedback we’ve had in Denver, learned a lot and hope to make a comeback in the future with a better understanding of what Denver needs.The LGBTQ community takes great pride in its mass gatherings. that were more sophisticated than the typical bar fare, including duck bao buns and braised pork skewers.
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Sir was twice the size of that space and offered a full menu of food. Called Misster, which has been open since the summer of 2019. The duo behind Sir, Trey Stewart and his father, Tyler, also own a gay bar in Dallas, Mr. But now the doors of 1822 Blake are closed again. Like sir, the space was bathed in red-tinted lights at night and drag brunches were regularly hosted on weekends. Trey Stewart owned Sir with his father Tyler.