Gayngstar Ryghts creates casual-hip T-shirts for community

Fashion trends are fickle, but one thing that’s always in style is a great T-shirt. After all, stylish tees go with just about anything, and they’re perfect when you want to be casual yet hip.

One local company – Gayngstar Ryghts – fits the style bill to a … tee. But the company goes even one step further by creating T-shirts that bring to the forefront the discrimination suffered by LGBT people.

“We wanted to create something that stood out from the rainbow,” said co-owner Frankie Bueno. “We want anyone who supports the GLBTQ community to feel comfortable wearing our designs, and we want to create an avenue that allows us to give back to our community.”

Gayngstar Ryghts, which was founded in December 2009 by Denver’s Frankie Bueno, Jessica Olsen, Christina Duran and Katie Dolton, features original designs in support of an equal society. The company’s best-selling T-shirt advocates the repeal of the U.S. military’s ban on openly serving gay and lesbian troops. It reads: “Do Ask. Do Tell.”

The company ordered 500 T-shirts in its first batch in May 2010. Since then, Gayngstar Ryghts has released four designs. The girls also hope to release two or three additional designs per year. According to Bueno, they are currently working on another ally-friendly design, as well as designs that tackle issues on marriage and using the word ‘gay’ as a negative. “We hope to spark conversation about things that really matter to someone you’d never know otherwise.”

All of the current designs are on sale for $10 each, and all new designs will be sold for $20 each. Gayngstar Ryghts donates 10 percent of proceeds to organizations such as Rainbow Alley and Colorado AIDS Project. “Keep an eye out for more from us,” Bueno said. “It’s only the beginning!”

On the web at http://gayngstar.com.