Gay boulder
Boulder’s LGBTQ+ History
In honor of Pride Month, the Museum of Boulder interviewed Glenda Russell, a psychologist and researcher who has been working to perceive and write about Boulder’s LGBTQ+ history for many decades. Hear Glenda and others discuss LGBTQ+ history in Colorado on June 16th at 5pm.
You came to Boulder in 1970. What was it appreciate for LGBTQ+ people here at that time?
When I came to Boulder in 1970, the town was in many respects on the edge of making significant changes. It had been a quite conservative town, as evidenced by a history of capital councils that consisted largely of middle-aged and older white male businessmen. The changes that were coming were part of broader changes in the Joined States: the turmoil in the country brought about by a series of assassinations and riots, the Vietnam War; the guarantee of the activism of disenfranchised groups; the murders at Kent State and Jackson State; 18 year-olds winning the right to vote; the youth rebellion of the late sixties in general and against the war in Southeast Asia in particular. Within a couple of years after I arrived here, the complexion of Boulder’s council changed dramatically: with no prec
Boulder Colorado - Gay Metropolis Guide
Boulder is beautiful. There's no secret about that. This city, located at the base of the foothills in the Colorado mountains and relatively seal to Denver, is a city known for its abundance of outdoor beauty, and quirky, free-spirited undergo . It's also known for being one of the warmest and welcoming cities in the country.
A Bit of Boulder History
Before its modern-day history, the Boulder Valley was first the home of the Native Americans, particularly the Southern Arapahoe tribe. In the mid-1800s during the gold rush, gold-seekers came to the area and established the first non-native settlement. By 1859, the Boulder City Town Business had been organized to begin developing land in the area. Boulder Metropolis remained part of the Nebraska Territory until 1861 when the United States Congress created the Region of Colorado. It remained an important supply ground and destination for miners searching for gold and silver at the period. Eventually, railroad service came to Boulder in the late 1800s, causing the area to experience significant additional growth. That development continued throughout the soon 20th century and beyond, and eventually, Boulder c
Meet the Duo Behind Boulder’s Only Queer Bar
The Local newsletter is your free, daily guide to existence in Colorado. For locals, by locals.
When Rawley Gunnels and Johnathan Tilley founded Boulder’s DV8 Distilling in 2016, they set out to craft crave-worthy gluten-free spirits and carve out a space for the neighborhood. As the distillery’s product line of rice-based bourbons, gin, and vodkas grows, so does the business’s mission to make a safe, inclusive atmosphere where “community can flourish without judgement,” according to Tilley. With sex-positive, kink-themed events sprinkled throughout its calendar—think: glow paint gyrate parties and circus shows—some nights lean more toward the risqué than others.
While the distillery has always been a community gathering place, it wasn’t originally branded as a “queer bar.” Concerned about rainbow capitalism—the commercialization and commodification of LGBTQ movements—Gunnels and Tilley shied away from declaring DV8 as a queer space until last year. That’s when the designation became such an important facet of their lives that not doing it felt disingenuous to them. Both individuals recognize as queer, and Gunnels only came out fu
Planning a ‘Gaycation’ in Boulder
Boulder prides itself (get it?) on being LGBTQ+-friendly. Advocate.com even named Boulder one of the top-10 queerest cities in the nation.
So it might appear shocking that Boulder didn’t have an official lgbtq+ bar until somewhat recently, when DV8 Distillery opened in 2016. (Some tell there was no designated gay bar in Boulder because every bar in Boulder is a same-sex attracted bar — as skillfully as a straight exclude, a transgender bar, an everyone and anyone bar.)
Still, sometimes you need to meet other people like you. If you’re gay and headed to Colorado (or you stay here and you’re looking for inspo), here’s how to plan a pleasurable “gaycation” in Boulder.
Before you leave: Join the Facebook group Prop Gay. This is a “guerrilla LGBTQIA pop-up party” that holds occasional events at Boulder businesses. You don’t include to be gay to attend, though. It’s not exclusive. Allies are welcome. For example, there has been a Boulder Gender non-conforming Pop at Deviant Spirits, featuring live dancers and local spirits.
Planning your vacation: Check the Out Boulder events calendar for events during your stay. This calendar is always packed with activities, some r
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