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Out100 Cover Star Gov. Jared Polis: The Gay Gamer Making History

Colorado’s governor, Jared Polis, fights for LGBTQ+ equality — and he slays in multiplayer mode too.

Gov. Jared Polis is more than a politician. He is a public servant, father, son, and most recently, a husband -- hats he wears while navigating Colorado through a pandemic. And for many in the LGBTQ+ community, he is a role model as the first out gay man in the nation to win a gubernatorial election, a feat he accomplished in 2018.

So where did Polis's journey as a groundbreaking out figure begin? "I think it was when I was 21-ish," says the 46-year-old about his coming-out story. "I actually came out to my sister first."

In the not-so-distant past, it seemed almost inconceivable for a politician to be publicly out and win an election. For this writer, having a conversation with a sitting gay governor in his office seemed surreal. But after speaking with his family members, it became clear that his upbringing helped him embark on this history-making path.

"When he was young, I could tell that community service was important to him," says Susan Polis Schutz, the governor's mother -- a filmmaker, poet, and businesswoman who sometimes sports green hair. "His coming-out story inspired me to become a filmmaker and create a movie that helps parents as their children come out."

JaredJ. Crew blazer, shirt, tie Nordstrom jogger trouser


Schutz's film, Anyone and Everyone, features parents across the United States talking about their shared experiences of having an LGBTQ+ child. Additionally, the production sheds light on the Polis family's commitment to community service and evinces an empathy that helped the governor break so many glass ceilings. He's also great at multitasking.

"He bought an entire school wardrobe for the kids while he was not taking care of disasters," says Marlon Reis, Polis's husband and Colorado's first gentleman, who is also an animal rights activist and writer. He sees a different side of the governor than the public. "Jared is actually the cook in our family and likes to experiment in the kitchen," Reis says. "I think we had [the Greek savory pie] spanakopita almost every day for a month once."

Reis and Polis first met in Boulder, Colo., and have been together for 18 years. They have two children, ages 7 and 9. In fact, Polis was the first out gay parent in Congress; he represented Colorado's Second District for five terms. Prior to his calling in government, Polis was prominent in business, making his fortune through online ventures that include a greeting card website and the floral company ProFlowers.

Polis is also a romantic. Last November, Reis was diagnosed with COVID-19. And while he was preparing to be hospitalized, Polis proposed to him. In September of this year, Polis married his longtime partner in a traditional Jewish ceremony and made history once again; it was the first time a sitting governor had a same-sex wedding.

In his first term as the Centennial State's governor, Polis had his fair share of challenges. Colorado was one of the first states to report COVID-19 cases outside of coastal ones. With ski season and spring break in full swing, Polis was faced with tough decisions that often placed him in the national spotlight. One such setback came as Polis was set to purchase 500 ventilators for Colorado -- but the Federal Emergency Management Agency came in and seized them first (FEMA has denied this). This was called a politically motivated move by then-President Donald Trump, who soon said he would send 100 ventilators to Colorado in support of the state's Republican U.S. senator, Cory Gardner. After this incident, Polis would make all ventilator purchases without publicity, likely saving many lives in the process.

PolisThe North Face jacket modified with Colorado state logo


While navigating the state through the pandemic, Polis signed a bill in April recognizing the government's past mistakes (and attacks) regarding the LGBTQ+ community.

"The [Restoration of Honor Act] reminds the federal government of the plight of the thousands of folks who served but were dishonorably discharged because of their [sexual] orientation," Polis said while signing the bill, which expands the rights of these LGBTQ+ veterans by reinstating lost state-level benefits. "This bill will begin to repair some of the harm that was caused by both the outright ban on gays serving in the military as well as the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy."

This is not the only move that Polis has made to support LGBTQ+ Coloradans. In October, Colorado became the first state in the nation to require insurers to cover transition-related care for transgender people. Polis also points to the 2018 election of Brianna Titone, the state's first out trans legislator, as a bellwether of progress. "Colorado has a strong and long history of the trans movement," he notes.

One might think much fanfare would accompany these historic moves. But much like the governor's life, these feats avoided sensational press coverage. According to those who know him, Polis prides himself on getting the job done in a quiet and efficient manner. He runs the state like he lives his life -- with thoughtfulness, rationalism, optimism, and an eye toward the future.

"The biggest thing you take away when spending time with the governor is his relentless optimism," attests Polis's chief of staff, Lisa Kaufmann, the youngest woman to serve in this post in Colorado and the longest-running member of Polis's team since he entered politics. "He is able to remain rational and data-driven while displaying huge amounts of empathy."

Polis also has a talent for working across political divides, which he has done since his days as chair of the Colorado State Education Board. "I became good friends with a very conservative rancher who has since died," Polis recounts. "I went to [a] cowboy church that he had in his barn."

But Polis is not always wearing a politician's hat. Along with all the work comes a fair share of play, his husband and mother attest. "He loves to play video games, and he plays them with Marlon almost every night," says Schutz, adding, "It is the way that he relaxes at night." (The governor's favorite game is League of Legends, a multiplayer online fantasy game.) Polis also enjoys the occasional shows with his family. "We like drag shows, and Jared likes to go out," Reis says. "We also like watching Randy Rainbow with the kids. Recently, Jared and I have gotten into the show Pose."

A recent poll showed that the majority of Coloradans approve of Polis's job performance -- and there's clear excitement over his historic tenure. "This was the first election where I was able to cast my ballot," says Mario El Khoury, a Denver resident originally from Lebanon who recently became a U.S. citizen. "I was ecstatic to vote in my first U.S. election, but voting in a gay governor is something I never imagined I would get to do in my lifetime."

Creative Director Ben Ward @_benjaminward_
Photographer Easton Schirra @eastonschirra eastonschirra.com for @theonly.agency
Styling & Video Matthew Hensley
Additional Video Joe Dahlke and Dante Martinez
Location Governor's Residence at the Boettcher Mansion governor-residence.colorado.gov

Jared Polis

Jared Polis is one of seven cover stars of Out's 2021 Out100 issue, which is on newsstands November 30. Since this is also Out's 300th issue, we are running a $3 promotion for a one-year subscription. Subscribe now (the promotion ends on December 1). Otherwise, support queer media and subscribe outside of the promotion -- or download yours for Amazon, Kindle, Nook, or Apple News.

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Ryan Pfluger
9 Breathtaking Portraits of Interracial LGBTQ+ Lovers by Ryan Pfluger
Ryan Pfluger
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9 Breathtaking Portraits of Interracial LGBTQ+ Lovers by Ryan Pfluger

In their new book of LGBTQ+ couple’s portraiture Holding Space, Ryan Pfluger lets love guide the lens.


Ryan Pfluger

“I exist at the intersection of marginalization and privilege. I am queer — I am nonbinary — but I’m also white. Grappling with how to handle that as an artist — for my work to investigate a nuanced and complicated space — has been a long journey,” begins photographer Ryan Pfluger (he/they) in his introduction to Holding Space: Life and Love Through a Queer Lens, a revelatory new book of portraiture centering interracial LGBTQ+ couples.

In Holding Space, the meaning of the introduction is layered. The reader learns of the intent of Pfluger’s project — to explore intersectionality through photography of these subjects. But it’s also an introduction to Pfluger, who reveals that his career choice was influenced by an upbringing where he felt powerless. “My father a drug addict, mother an alcoholic. I was outed by my mother at 13 — an age when I didn’t even know what that meant for me. Control became an abstract concept that I was never privy to,” Pfluger shares.

“The driving force to be behind the lens though, was my instinctual desire for people to feel seen, thoughtfully and lovingly,” they add. “From my own experiences and of those I love, I know how damaging being seen through the eyes of judgment, racism, sexism, transphobia, homophobia, and so on can be.”

Gaining control — guiding the lens and the narrative — was an early driving force behind his work. (A renowned celebrity photographer, Pfluger will be known to Out readers for their 2015 Out100 portraits, which included Barack Obama and Caitlyn Jenner.) As photography became “less of a craft and more a part of my being,” however, “I discovered my gift to create art also held space for others—that relinquishing the control I had so desperately craved can be more powerful than possessing it,” Pfluger says. “Photography became a vessel of healing.”

To heal, hold space, and explore intersectionality in a way not seen before through their medium, Pfluger set out to photograph interracial LGBTQ+ couples within their social circle. This time, he did indeed relinquish control and let his subjects tell their story. They could choose the setting and their style of dress or undress. The only requirement was that they touch one another in some fashion.

By the project’s conclusion — “two cross-country trips, over a thousand rolls of film, and sixteen months later” — Pfluger had documented over 120 couples, many of whom were recruited through social media and the internet. Some had broken up over that time period and pulled out of the project. Others wanted to share their heartache. Their stories, in first person, accompany their portraits, which launch Holding Space from the genre of photography book to a work of nonfiction, a chronicle of queer love in the 21st century.

“That is the beauty of relinquishing control,” Pfluger concludes. “Allowing the space for things to evolve and change — for marginalized people to have control over their narratives regardless of my intentions. To listen and learn. That is why Holding Space exists.”

Over 70 portraits and accompanying essays are featured in Holding Space, published by Princeton Architectural Press. The book also boasts excerpts from luminaries like Elliot Page, Bowen Yang, Ryan O’Connell, and Jamie Lee Curtis, and a foreword by director Janicza Bravo. Find a copy at PAPress.com, and see a selection of photography below.

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Akeem (he/him) & Samuel (he/him)

Ryan Pfluger

“Despite our different desires, truths, and fears, there was a unique familiarity that made space for us to better understand each other.” — Akeem

“We challenged the system when we decided to be together, and we’re challenging it again by staying in each other’s lives and preserving the bridges we’ve built." — Samuel

Liz (she/her) & Carlena (she/her)

Ryan Pfluger

“Each and every day I am humbled by the intersectionality of our love. By the way our individual ethnicities, races, upbringings, and queer identities guide us toward an even deeper understanding of self and other.” — Carlena

“My hope is that by continuing to love one another openly and fearlessly, future generations will be inspired to also love without any bounds.” — Liz

Chris (he/him) & Joe (he/him)

Ryan Pfluger

“We are proud to be one of the few queer interracial couples within our immediate or extended family/friend circles, which has encouraged us to speak to our experiences and help others learn alongside us.” — Joe

Jobel (he/him) & Joey (he/they)

Ryan Pfluger

“The beauty that we are coming to experience in owning our sexuality is that we can define what it means for us and how we want to experience it.” — Jobel

Luke (he/him) & Brandon (he/him)

“Our differences are a plenty, but this love does not bend.” — Luke & Brandon

David (he/him) & Michael (he/him)

Ryan Pfluger

“We started our relationship at the height of the pandemic, and it was amazing to be able to run to Michael and feel safe in his arms.” — David

Milo (he/him) & Legacy (he/they)

Ryan Pflguer

“Queer relationships aren’t tied to the limited, binary expectations that typically define heterosexual relationships.” — Milo

“Creating more healthy space in our friendship has been peaceful for us. I feel we are embracing a new form of love.” — Legacy

Coyote (he/they) & Tee (she/they)

Ryan Pflguer

“Loving you feels instinctual, like a habit I was born with. It feels like I was born to love you.” — Tee

“I can feel you loving something deeper than the surface of me and it makes me feel so alive.” — Coyote

Jo (they/them) & Zac (they/them)

Ryan Pfluger

“What can I say other than it is incredibly life-affirming when Jo and I are able to achieve the level of coordination needed to experience the sensation of ‘them,’ and that it helps when I say, ‘I love them’ or ‘I trust them.’” — Zac

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