20-Years of Metromode: Celebrating Colorado’s LGBTQ+ Voices and Vision

Welcome to Metromode Magazine’s 20th Anniversary Issue—a milestone that signifies not just two decades of storytelling, advocacy, and celebration but also the resilience, courage, and vibrancy of Colorado’s LGBTQ+ community.

Mikko Mäkelä's latest feature, Sebastian, which premiered in the Sundance World Cinema Dramatic Competition, is a poignant exploration of identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of the human spirit.

Julia Fox’s decision to come out as bisexual at 33 is a significant moment in her career and personal journey. Her story, along with those of Kristen Stewart, Halsey, Demi Lovato, Laverne Cox, and Megan Rapinoe, highlights the evolving understanding of sexuality and the courage it takes to live authentically.

In the wake of a divisive election, Colorado’s LGBTQ+ youth are being urged to lean on one another and take comfort in the resilience of their communities.

From the stages of ancient Greece to the runways of contemporary pop culture, drag has evolved, adapted, and flourished, becoming a powerful symbol of resilience, creativity, and resistance against societal norms.

In a landmark legal case, Anderson Lee Aldrich, the shooter responsible for the tragic attack on Club Q, an LGBTQ+ nightclub in Colorado Springs, has pleaded guilty to 50 federal hate crimes. This plea is part of a broader agreement following the November 2022 attack that resulted in the deaths of five individuals and injuries to 19 others.

November 5, 2024, will mark a transformative election that has the potential to shift the manner in which the nation is governed for a generation or possibly even longer. The outcome of the Kamala Harris and Donald Trump showdown will usher in starkly different consequences for the LGBTQ+ community in the immediate and long-term future.

As with any historical investigation, it is essential to approach the topic with sensitivity and rigor, acknowledging the complexities and uncertainties inherent in interpreting the past.