SFGN 4/13/23 V14iss15

FLORIDA FAMILIES WITH TRANS KIDS FILE LAWSUIT AFTER MEDICAL BAN

Florida’s medical governing boards may have eliminated healthcare for trans youth, but four families are fighting back.

The families anonymously filed a federal lawsuit against Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, as well as members of the Florida Board of Medicine and Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine. Both entities voted in March to stop the treatment of gender dysphoria in youth, an offense that could strip a doctor of their medical license.

“The transgender medical bans violate the rights of parents to make medical decisions to ensure the health and wellbeing of their adolescent children,” the lawsuit reads.

The lawsuit was filed with the help of the Southern Legal Counsel, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and the Human Rights Campaign.

One of the defendants, Jane Doe, is living in Florida after her husband was stationed in the Sunshine State because of his work in the Navy. Their daughter, who is 11, cannot receive treatment for gender dysphoria.

“She is a happy, confident child, but this ban takes away our right to provide her with the next step in her recommended treatment when she reaches puberty,” Doe said in a press release. “The military doctors we work with understand the importance of providing that evidence-based, individualized care.

We’re proud to serve our country, but we are being treated differently than other military families because of a decision by politicians in the state where we are stationed.”

Brenda Boe, another parent included in the lawsuit, said of her 14-year-old son, “He was finally getting to a place where he felt hopeful,

where being prescribed testosterone was on the horizon and he could see a future for himself in his own body. That has been ripped away by this cruel and discriminatory rule.”

Youth who began gender-affirming hormone therapy prior to March 16 are exempt from the law and can continue their treatment. Due to the ban, some parents have looked to seek treatment with doctors in other states. However, Florida Sen. Clay Yarborough, a Republican, introduced a bill that would “protect the child from being subjected to sex-reassignment prescriptions or producers in another state” and could impact a parent’s custodial rights to their children.

Fellow Republican Rep. Randy Fine compared gender-affirming care to the experiments done on Jews in concentration camps during World War II by Dr. Josef Mengele. Fine called supporters of the treatment “baby butchers.”

Lawmakers are also coming after trans adults — HB1421 has been filed and would add loopholes for adults seeking gender-affirming care.

Governors in Alabama, Arkansas, South Dakota, Tennessee and Utah have signed into law restrictions on treating gender dysphoria, according to NBC News. However, the bans in Alabama and Arkansas have been blocked by federal judges as lawsuits have been filed.

“Our daughter has been saying she is a girl since she was three – it hasn’t gone away,” plaintiff Carla Coe said of her 9-year-old daughter. “Since she started being able to live as a girl she has been so much happier and better adjusted. Having the resources and support to make the best decisions for her wellbeing has been so important for our family. I’m scared this ban will take away the essential medical care she may need when she gets older. We just want to do what’s right for our kid.”

April 13, 2023 • Volume 14 • Issue 15 2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943

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IT’S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT THE G ...

Lesbian COUPLE FEATURED ON 90 DAY FIANCÉ

Lesbian couple Jeymi Noguera and Kris Foster, who some call “U-Haul Lesbians,” got married after knowing each other for only nine days.

“So many people told us we’re crazy, we’re rushing, we shouldn’t be doing this. But when you have something wonderful, hold on to it. That’s what I’m doing,” said Foster.

On April 2, the couple was wed on an episode of “90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way.”

“I can only tell you that it’s not going to be easy, and each day, we’ll have to make our best effort. But there’s nothing I want more than to make such an effort for you,” said Noguera.

The couple was supported by Noguera’s friends in person and Foster’s family via Zoom during the ceremony.

LBisexual B

MO’NIQUE COMES OUT IN NEW NETFLIX SPECIAL

Actress and comedian Mo’Nique launched her Netflix-original special "My Name is Mo’Nique” on April 4 and left fans “shook” after coming out as bisexual.

Mo’Nique shared anecdotes with the audience ranging from being raised in Baltimore by “junkies, gamblers, alcoholics…” to her interest in intimacy with other women despite being married to Sidney Hicks.

Mo’Nique said to her husband, “Daddy, I wanna be with another woman sexually.” In which he responded, “B**ch, me too!”

It’s been revealed in the past that the couple had an open marriage, but have grown out of the arrangement

Mo’Nique said she’s “misunderstood,” but hopes the special will help fans “understand why I swing like I swing.”

I’ve been using Pallant since 2014 and they have provided great service and guidance while navigating all of the insurance challenges that Florida residents encounter.

Kris Foster and fiancé Jeymi Noguera.

Photo via @crazykboog/Instagram.

Mo’Nique via Instagram..

HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING IN THE LGBTQIA COMMUNITY

YALE HONORS PAULI MURRAY WITH MURAL

Pauli Murray, the same-gender loving civil rights attorney and Episcopal Priest, was honored with a mural at Yale University. The mural was designed by queer visual artist Mickalene Thomas and unveiled on March 27.

Murray was the first African American woman to earn a doctorate in law and was a powerful figure in the civil rights movement.

The mural covers an entire portion of the university’s dining hall and is dominated by thousands of enamel tiles with a youthful Murray at the end of the mural.

“Pauli was a trailblazer for civil rights and gender equity and I am so grateful to have had the privilege to depict her at the college named in her honor,” said Thomas.

Dining hall of Pauli Murray College. Photo via yale.edu by Allie Barton.

THE COUNTRY ACROSS

STABBING INVESTIGATED AS POSSIBLE HOMOPHOBIC HATE CRIME

According to NBC News, a 44-year-old New York City man was stabbed on April 5 in Hell’s Kitchen while walking on a street that was painted rainbow. A spokesperson for the NYC Police Department told NBC News about the incident: several men made a homophobic comment towards him and when he responded, two punched him in the face and another stabbed his leg.

Erik Bottcher, a gay NYC council member, responded with a statement to NBC News.

“New York City is a symbol of diversity

and freedom throughout the world, and Hell’s Kitchen is a haven for the LGBTQ+ community, and we will always stand up against hate of all kinds,” Bottcher said. “We will not be intimidated.”

GOV ANNOUNCES STATE AS A ‘SAFE HAVEN’ FOR TRANS, NON-BINARY PEOPLE

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy stated that the state will be a “safe haven” for people in need of gender-affirming care, as originally reported in New Jersey Monitor. He signed an executive order on April 4 that stated that state departments will protect those receiving such care, not be able to help other states that are investigating people receiving care in New Jersey, and forbids extradition to other states.

“Across the nation, we are witnessing attacks led by certain states that seek to undermine the equality, dignity, and safety of the LGBTQIA+ community, especially transgender and non- binary youth,” Murphy said in a statement to New Jersey Monitor. “As leaders, our greatest responsibility is ensuring that

NEW JERSEY WEST VIRGINIA

every person we represent, regardless of their gender identity or gender expression, is entitled to respect, fairness, and freedom.”

SUPREME COURT REJECTS STATE’S ATTEMPT TO BAR TRANS GIRL IN SPORTS

According to NBC News, the Supreme Court blocked West Virginia’s attempt to ban 12-year-old trans girl Becky Pepper-Jackson from participating in women’s sports. The West Virginia law, the “Save Women’s Sports Act” only allows biological women to participate in women’s sports. Due to the Supreme Court decision, the enforcement of this law towards Pepper-Jackson is paused during ongoing litigation. NBC News states Pepper-Jackson is represented by the American Civil Liberties Union and Lambda Legal.

“We are grateful that the Supreme Court acknowledged that there was no emergency and that Becky should be allowed to continue to participate with

her teammates on her middle school track team,” said Pepper-Jackson’s lawyers in a statement to NBC News.

Becky Pepper-Jacksonvia Twitter.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy via Wikimedia.org.

Hell's Kitchen, New York. Image created by Craig Tuggle.

AG: BALTIMORE CHURCH PRIESTS RAPED HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN

In a damning report, Maryland’s top prosecutor accused the Archdiocese of Baltimore of covering up the sexual abuse of over 600 children for over a half-century, according to the Associated Press.

Anthony Brown detailed the abuse in a 463-page report naming several priests and describing what they are alleged to have done, the AP reports.

“Time and again, members of the Church’s hierarchy resolutely refused to acknowledge allegations of child sexual abuse for as long as possible,” the report reads.

The state found more than “600 children are known to have been abused by the 156 people included in this report, but the number is likely far higher.” The abuse was so rampant sometimes multiple predators would

target the same victim.

“Based on hundreds of thousands of documents and untold stories from hundreds of survivors, it provides, for the first time in the history of this State, a public accounting of over 60 years of abuse and cover-up,” Brown wrote in a statement.

ALASKA

CHILDREN’S BOOK ARTIST ARRESTED FOR THREATENING TRANS KIDS

“Feeling Cute Might Shoot Some Children.”

That’s the shocking message a children’s book illustrator in Alaska is accused of writing on notes and leaving them in businesses in Juneau. The notes also reportedly depicted an assault rifle displayed over the transgender flag.

Mitchell Thomas Watley, 47, was arrested for the crime.

“Officers spoke to Mitchell, who said (in essence) that he was in fear of the recent transgender school shooter and took it uponhimself to print out and distribute these leaflets,” the criminal complaint reads, according to the Associated Press. Watley is a well-known illustrator of three children’s bookswritten by his wife. Their publisher, Sasquatch Books, owned by Penguin Random House, told the AP it had ended its relationship with Watley and will discontinue selling their books.

NEW TRANS SPORTS BAN

MAY ALLOW GENITAL INSPECTIONS

Critics of a new law in Kansas blocking transgender girls and women from playing school athletics say the legislation paves the way for genital exams of children.

During a discussion on how the law will be enforced, the GOP sponsor of the bill said that it would require athletes who don’t provide a birth certificate to undergo a “sports physical,” according to Salon.

This is the third year the GOP led state legislature attempted to pass this law, but the Democratic governor of the state vetoed it. This year the legislature overrode the governor’s veto with the help of one Democratic lawmaker.

According to the Kansas Reflector, opponents of the measure voiced their concerns over the genital inspections but GOP lawmakers never revised the bill to specifically forbid them.

The new law applies to students from

kindergarten through college.

“Again, bill supporters had repeated chances to address these obvious shortcomings. They had years to do so. The fact they didn’t speaks volumes,” writes Clay Wirestone for the Reflector.

The books feature mother animals snuggling their young and trying to make them feel safe.

“Whatever the motivation, we feel Mitch’s actions were not consistent with our values or the values of our community,” one business owner wrote on social media, according to the AP.

“We’ve decided to pull all of Mitch’s books and artwork from our shelves.”

Photo via amazon.com.

Image created by Craig Tuggle.

Maryland Attorney General, Anthony Brown.

Photo via Maryland Attorney General, Facebook.

Photo by J.R. Davis

Wives Jacqueline Lorber the executive director of the South Florida Symphony Orchestra and Sebrina Alfonso the conductor of the South Florida Symphony Orchestra attending Diversity Honors at The Hard Rock.

LAST WEEK'S COVER

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LGBTQ uotable

I IMPLORE [REPRESENTATIVES]

WHO WEAR THEIR FAITH ON THEIR SLEEVE WHILE LEGISLATING TO FIRST CONSULT SCRIPTURE –AND THEN PRACTICE WHAT THEY PREACH. LAWMAKERS HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO SERVE ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, NOT JUST THE ONES THEY DEEM ‘WORTHY.’

- Sen. State Shevrin Jones

Photo via Faceboook

RACHEL WILLIAMS

PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS ONE STEP AT A TIME

Equity and equality. That is what Rachel Williams, a Housing and Community Development Manager for Fort Lauderdale, is trying to accomplish with her work.

Williams strives to provide affordable housing and community development services for Broward County and Fort Lauderdale residents. These services include Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS, State Housing Initiatives Partnership, and many more.

“I’ve always had a desire to do meaningful work that impacts people’s lives in a positive way,” she said. “It’s a combination of passion colliding with opportunity.”

Gary Hensley, Director of Operations of SunServe, has also worked with Williams through the years. Before SunServe he worked with Williams while he was at the Broward House as well.

“She’s a strong supporter of affordable housing and has always been a supporter of LGBTQ rights,” Hensley said. “She always makes our LGBT agencies aware of housing openings.”

Some programs under the services are public services for the elderly, childcare,

domestic violence shelter service, housing support for youths aging out of foster care and the homeless, and more.

“[I’m proud of] the results of collective efforts and initiative that have positively impacted hundreds of lives,” she said.

She added that with specific focus on HOPWA, many people and families have transitioned from a life of homelessness and drugs to successful careers and selfsufficiency.

Williams is also involved in the LGBT community as well. She said she is an ally, advocate and service provider.

Tiffany Arieagus, Director of the Housing Program at SunServe, has worked with Williams for years and counts her as an ally.

“Rachel is and has always been a strong supporter and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. I have worked with her for many years and respect her work ethics and patience and temperament,” said Tiffany Arieagus. “She is involved in ensuring that all of our clients’ voices and needs are heard when they reach out to her for help.

It is important to her that all agencies work together to provide excellent services for our clients.”

Kim Swan

Photo via Broward House, Facebook.

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DR. MICHAEL SENSION

DR. AMY WECKER

GOP LAWMAKERS TARGET GENDER STUDIES AND CRITICAL RACE THEORY IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Gender theory. Ethnic studies. Intersectionality.

If Florida’s House Bill 999 passes, students at the state’s public colleges and universities would be prohibited from majoring or minoring in these academic disciplines as well as in related fields, including queer theory, critical race theory, feminist theory and social justice.

“The fields that are being threatened are fields that challenge the status quo, and these are well-established, respected disciplines,” said Irene Mulvey, president of the American Association of University Professors. “They enrich academia. They enrich our civilization, but they’re being dragged into the culture wars now. And I feel like these bills are an attempt by people in power to maintain the status quo . . .at the expense of a free and open democratic society.”

Wording in HB 999 has also sparked fears that it could threaten sororities, fraternities and other clubs on campus that cater to Black students and other students of color. Currently in the Florida House’s Education and Employment Committee, HB 999 will take effect July 1 if enacted. Along with its companion legislation in the Florida Senate,

the bill is one of the latest introduced in a state that has passed a series of recent laws to limit what students can learn about race, gender, sexuality or inequity.

Another piece of legislation in front of the legislature, HB 1069, would restrict what can be taught in sex education courses in Florida’s public schools, so that abstinence is emphasized and students learn that sex is determined “by chromosomes, naturally occurring sex hormones, and internal and external genitalia present at birth.” Florida’s HB 1223 would prohibit use of pronouns that don’t match a child’s assigned gender at birth and has been described as an expansion of legislation commonly known as “Don’t Say Gay.” Both of these laws would also take effect in July, if enacted.

Educational gag orders — which is how free expression advocacy group PEN America describes legislation that limits lessons on certain topics — typically target K-12 schools. Most states have introduced such bills over the past two years, and House Republicans last month passed the Parental Bill of Rights Act, which echoes legislation filed at the state level and purports to give parents a say in their children’s education. This includes access to learning materials, school board meetings and conferences with teachers — rights educators note that parents already enjoy.

Increasingly, PEN America research has found, educational gag orders focus on higher education, indicating that these policies intend to do far more than expand parents’ rights over their minor children’s education but to broadly limit free thought.

of the economy and has given us great breakthroughs.”

While critics of legislation such as Florida’s HB 999 warn that it is dangerous, they are also optimistic that, if passed, it would ultimately be struck down in court as unconstitutional due to long-standing legal precedents that protect academic freedom in higher education.

HB 999 has not only raised concerns because it would limit what college students can study but also because it would allow state university boards of trustees to review the tenure status of faculty members, a provision the legislation’s detractors say could have a chilling effect on the free speech of educators.

Jerry Edwards, staff attorney with the ACLU of Florida, said the legislation puts tenure in the hands of political appointees, which significantly lessens job protections for faculty.

Joe Cohn, legislative and policy director for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a nonprofit that works to protect free speech on college campuses, called HB 999 unconstitutional because it bans both majors and ideas that legislators have deemed disfavorable.

“There’s over 60 years of Supreme Court case law prohibiting government intrusion into higher ed,” Cohn said. “For example, there’s a case called Keyishian v. Board of Regents, and there, the Supreme Court said academic freedom is of a special concern of the First Amendment, which does not tolerate laws that cast a pall of orthodoxy over the classroom. And it’s hard to envision a law that casts more of a pall of orthodoxy than one that says, ‘These topics can’t be discussed, and these ideas can’t be discussed because the majority in the legislature don’t like those ideas.'”

- Irene

PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF

“Most of us understood that what was happening in K-12 was going to find its way to higher ed,” Mulvey said. “It’s extremely concerning because the difference between K-12 and higher education is that in colleges and universities, students and faculty are free to follow their interests wherever they lead. That’s what makes American higher education globally preeminent. This system of higher education, where robust academic freedom is enforced by disciplinary norms and professional standards and peer review, is what makes higher education a driver

“I think the goal is to chill speech that our leaders in the state government disagree with,” Edwards said. “I don’t think that’s something anybody should want because, first of all, leadership in state government changes. So you may like the leadership today, but you may not like it tomorrow. And do you want tomorrow’s leadership who you don’t like having that ability to bully the professors who are speaking out, who are dissenting? We need dissenting voices in society and in our public institutions. We need people to be able to research things without fear of retribution.”

If HB 999 is enacted, both Cohn and Edwards said that their organizations plan to fight it. The ACLU of Florida is one of the groups, along with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and law firm Ballard Spahr, that filed a lawsuit to block enforcement of Florida’s Stop W.O.K.E. Act in public colleges and universities. FIRE took part in separate litigation against the legislation, which bans critical race theory (CRT) and allows legal action to be taken if CRT is taught. While in effect in K-12 schools, a preliminary injunction prevents the Stop W.O.K.E. Act’s enactment in

Nadra Nittle The 19th

Photo via Governor Ron DeSantis, Facebook.

“MOST OF US UNDERSTOOD THAT WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN K-12 WAS GOING TO FIND ITS WAY TO HIGHER ED, IT’S EXTREMELY CONCERNING BECAUSE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN K-12 AND HIGHER EDUCATION IS THAT IN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, STUDENTS AND FACULTY ARE FREE TO FOLLOW THEIR INTERESTS WHEREVER THEY LEAD.”

Mulvey

UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS

'THE FIELDS THAT ARE BEING THREATENED ARE FIELDS THAT CHALLENGE THE STATUS QUO'

higher education. Earlier this month, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied an appeal by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration to remove the injunction. As for HB 999 and its companion legislation in the Senate, Cohn said “if it does get into a courtroom, there’s very little chance that it will survive. The case law is very strong.”

For decades, FIRE has defended tenure because it has been one of the most important tools for protecting faculty with disfavored views, but the group has no position on what form tenure should take. It also acknowledges that tenure isn’t the only way to protect academic freedom, Cohn explained. The problem with the current crop of legislation, he added, is that it does not replace tenure with comparable policies that would allow faculty to speak freely and engage in scholarship and research without fear of reprisal.

Mulvey views any attack on tenure as an attack on academic freedom. She said legislation such as HB 999 amounts to censorship. In addition to that legislation, Texas and North Dakota have recently introduced bills that take aim at tenure. “We’re going down a dark road if we’re allowing the statehouses to censor what can be learned and what can be taught and what can be said in the classroom,” Mulvey said.

Over the past year, the University of Wyoming has withstood multiple attempts by lawmakers to defund its gender studies program, most recently in the form of a budget amendment in the Wyoming House that failed in February. A similar amendment was proposed unsuccessfully last year.

“We were really pleased that the Wyoming law that would have eliminated gender studies didn’t advance,” Cohn said. “It was a bad idea and it was important that the legislature recognized that and didn’t move it forward.”

College students are also concerned about legislation that imposes restrictions on courses of study. Last week, Florida students rallied against HB 999 in the capital city of Tallahassee. Maxx Fenning, a senior at the University of Florida and the founder and president of LGBTQ+ advocacy group PRISM, also finds the legislation unsettling. He worries about HB 999’s potential impact both because PRISM is a proponent of LGBTQ+-inclusive education and because he is studying business administration with a specialization in education. As part of this specialization, he takes classes that focus on the role systemic oppression, gender identity, sexual orientation and gender theory play in education. It’s unclear if all classes focused on topics such as gender, race or intersectionality would be banned if HB 999 passes or if the legislation would simply prohibit students from majoring or minoring in these subjects.

“Being able to have access to this information is so impactful for young adults,” Fenning said. “Being able to have access to a wide diversity of opinions, a wide diversity of

theories about the way that the world works, the way that we interact with each other, is part of building a nuanced view of the world.”

While studying education, Fenning said he’s learned about the importance of “mirrors and windows” — seeing oneself reflected back in the curriculum and being exposed to materials that help students empathize with people who are different from them.

“There’s so many ways that this sort of representation matters,” Fenning said. “So when we’re talking about things like HB 999, in particular, we see this effort to whittle down the worldview that we present into one that certain legislators agree with, to shatter those mirrors, to tint those windows and prevent us from being able to live and learn authentically.”

As both a graduate student and a lawmaker, Florida State Sen. Shevrin Jones is particularly concerned about HB 999’s potential impact on higher education in the state. The Democrat is pursuing a doctorate in higher ed administration at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.

“Students go to school to explore diversity of thought,” Jones said. “We should not be in the business of interfering with that diversity of thought, interfering with that exploration. That is not our job. Our job is to create the best type of system where individuals can flourish, not push an agenda on students and on a system that’s been shown to work.”

Florida is home to four historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Although three of them are private, they receive state funding for certain academic programs. Jones questions how HB 999 could affect the state’s HBCUs and the nine Black sororities and fraternities known nationally as the Divine Nine. He wrote an MSNBC opinion piece earlier this month urging Black Greekletter organizations to keep fighting the bill. He noted that language in the Senate version of HB 999 has been changed to offer some protections to Black sororities and fraternities, but he worries that the House bill still prohibits public colleges and universities from paying for “programs or campus activities that espouse diversity, equity, or inclusion or critical race theory rhetoric,” he said. Jones argues that this line could be interpreted in a way that would lead to the defunding of Florida’s Black Greek organizations.

Florida Rep. Alex Andrade, the Republican lawmaker behind HB 999, said that this was not his intent. “HB 999 in no way applies to student-led organizations,” he told The 19th in a statement. “Student organizations are neither contemplated nor affected by the bill.”

Jones said he knows the bill sponsors have said that’s not their intention. “But the problem is that, particularly in how the House bill is written, it could be implied because the bill clearly states that it prohibits state and federal fund usage for programs or campus activities that advocate for DEI and engage in

political and social activism. Fraternities and sororities fall into that category.”

Edwards agrees that the broadness of the legislation may pose a risk to a wide range of campus organizations, including Black sororities and fraternities, Latinx groups, affinity groups or even veterans’ organizations.

“I’m sure they’ll say that they added language in the most recent version of the bill that permits expressive activity, to the extent it’s not inconsistent with regulations or university rules, but the problem there is that ... after they passed the Stop W.O.K.E. Act, the Board of Governors then implemented regulation that was basically identical to what the statute prohibited. So if that happened [with HB 999], if they implemented a regulation, while the statute wouldn’t necessarily stop those things, the regulation would.”

It’s unclear what will happen to Black Greekletter organizations if HB 999 is enacted, but Jones said that he eventually expects HBCUs to face questions about their right to exist, pointing out that they are already massively underfunded and that HBCU Tennessee State University is currently under scrutiny amid questions about mismanagement.

“The [TSU] president right now is having to defend the reason why the institution is important to the Tennessee state legislature,” Jones said. “And I think we will continue to see this questioning of whether or not HBCUs are still needed, which they are because HBCUs were founded because they were the only place where African Americans could be educated. Still to this day, HBCUs do admit students that PWIs

[predominantly white institutions] just won’t admit.”

A potential consequence of statewide legislation that takes aim at diversity, equity and inclusion; prohibits students from learning about race, gender and sexuality; and weakens tenure is that faculty and students may decide to pursue scholarship elsewhere. Many progressive Florida youth with the means to leave the state plan to do so, Fenning said.

“It is not a good reputation to have as a state when your best and brightest cannot wait to get out of it and take their business elsewhere, quite literally their business and their economic impact elsewhere,” he added. “If there are greener pastures and they have the ability to get to those greener pastures, they’re gonna.”

Faculty are already telling their graduate students not to teach in states where there’s no academic freedom, Mulvey said, and some institutions in these states are seeing fewer donations.

Jones said that he has made similar points about HB 999.

“Many researchers, particularly in STEM, come here because they know they are secure in their work and they will be able to complete a research project without being tampered with, without anyone trying to come against their research,” he said. “They’re not going to even think twice about coming to Florida if they know that they can be fired for their views or fired for any reason if the board of trustees or the board of governors find a need to do so. No one’s going to come to teach in that type of state. I know I wouldn’t.”

Photo via Governor Ron DeSantis, Facebook.

GAZETTE

VOLUME 10 • ISSUE 7 APRIL 13, 2023

WILTON MANORS

SHOPPES OF WILTON MANORS GETS MAKEOVER

By John Hayden

Redevelopment of The Shoppes of Wilton Manors, often referred to as Alibi Plaza, is imminent. After years of proposals that went nowhere, many residents have learned to just ignore talk of new buildings. But final approval of a massive and controversial construction project is upon us.

The Planning and Zoning Board is scheduled to meet April 17 at 6 p.m. and is expected to consider granting variances to the developer, which would clear the way for construction on the site, pending final approval by the city commission.

THE PLAN

The current plan, as described by several sources to SFGN, calls for the back building of the property (the one with Pride Factory and the gym) to be demolished and replaced with a parking garage. The parking lot in front of that building will become home to mixed use housing; businesses on the ground floor andabout 250 residential units above.

The building with Hunters Nightclub and Georgie’s Alibi Monkey Bar, as well as the parking lot right in front of it, are safe for now. We’re told both anchor tenants have longterm leases and buying them out would be cost prohibitive for the developer.

In recent years, the city has updated its building code, allowing new development to be eight stories high, up from three.

THE PROBLEMS

Critics of the proposal say approval would degrade the skyline, disrupt nearby businesses, and lead to an identity crisis in the city.

Many say the height of the building will stick out like a sore thumb and start the creation of a “canyon effect” along Wilton Drive.

Construction, by most estimates, will take up to thirty months from demolition to grand opening. It’s obvious how existing businesses in the remaining building will be affected,

but others on The Drive could suffer as well. Construction could disrupt traffic and will exacerbate parking issues, deterring people from coming out. New parking spots in the city are supposed to be 9’x20’, which is a larger requirement than neighboring cities.

The developers are asking for spots in the proposed garage to only be 8.5’x18’. If a variance is granted, that would create over 500 spots, enough for new residents and businesses, as well as absorb the loss of the current parking lot.

Critics also worry about the city losing its

spirit. New construction means new residents. But there’s no promise of who will move in. Many say a heterocentric influx of people and businesses would hurt the LGBT community, which has made Wilton Manors the center of LGBT life in South Florida. The city is welcoming to all, but many want to create ways to preserve the heritage of Wilton Manors for the future.

Decisions made at the next Planning and Zoning Board meeting will answer a lot of questions about the future of the city.

The city is welcoming to all, but many want to create ways to preserve the heritage of Wilton Manors for the future.

Top: The Shoppes of Wilton Manor via Google Street view. Right: Image via stock art.

WILTON MANORS

MOTORCYCLIST KILLED IN WILTON MANORS CRASH

By John McDonald

A motorcyclist died from injuries suffered in a crash on April 3 in Wilton Manors.

The victim’s name is being withheld under Marsy’s Law while investigators with the Broward Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Unit examine factors of the crash. The incident occurred April 3 at 9:30 p.m. near the 200 block of Northeast 26th Street, in front of Wilton Manors Elementary School.

A preliminary investigation determined a vehicle traveling eastbound on NE 26th Street struck the motorcycle while it was attempting a left turn, northbound on NE Second Ave. The vehicle, a 2021 Kia Forte, was operated by a 53-year-old Fort Lauderdale resident.

Upon impact, the motorcycle driver was ejected. Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue transported the victim to the Broward Medical Health Center where he was pronounced deceased at 9:57 p.m.

In a news release, detectives ruled out excessive speed or impairment as contributing factors to the crash.

WILTON MANORS

“My heart goes out to all of those involved in this tragic accident and their families,” said Wilton Manors Vice Mayor Mike Bracchi. “Our Island City continues to work with state and county agencies to improve our roadways and traffic calming measures. Since many of our city’s major roadways are owned by the state and county, I implore our state and county

officials to fund roadway improvements.”

Meanwhile, the City of Wilton Manors is hosting two public outreach meetings on its transportation master plan. The meetings are scheduled for April 13 at 1:30 p.m. and April 24 at 5:30 p.m. at Hagen Park Community Center. For more information, call (954) 390-2103.

WILTON MANORS CITY COMMISSION APPROVES MASSIVE LIEN REDUCTIONS

By John Hayden

Every day, thousands of people pass by 2300 NE 6th Ave. And every day for years it’s been racking up fines. Over several years, the property fell into disrepair, had unpermitted renovations, and eventually accrued $372,100 in penalties.

At the city commission meeting on March 28, the owner, Roger Quisenberry, asked for fines to be reduced. A special magistrate had already reduced the amount by 50% to $187,652. Quisenberry, a resident of Palm Beach County, and his attorneys requested additional relief.

The property, which currently houses Club Xtra, several residences, and was briefly home to a beer garden, has been brought into compliance. Quisenberry says fines accrued due to legal fights with tenants which prevented him from making changes while the lawsuits were going on.

Commissioners were skeptical of some of the absentee landlord’s arguments but also had issues with the amount of the fines versus the severity of the violations, which included

lack of enclosure around the garbage and striping.

“The total of the sum of the fines is a ridiculous number. It’s ridiculous that an absentee owner would let it get to that number, so I have a tiny amount of understanding,” Commissioner Chirs Caputo said.

Commissioner Don D’Arminio pointed out that he, too, owns rental properties but checks on them daily. He said the property was neglected and sits in the heart of the entertainment district.

Eventually the commissioners lowered the fines to $105,801.

April 13, 2023 • Volume 10 • Issue 7

2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305

Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943

Publisher/Editor • Jason Parsley jason.parsley@sfgn.com

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South Florida Gay News is published weekly. The opinions expressed in columns, stories, and letters to the editor do not represent the opinions of SFGN, or the Publisher. You should not presume the sexual orientation of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations. Furthermore the word “gay” in SFGN should be interpreted to be inclusive of the entire LGBT community. All of the material/columns that appears in print and online, including articles used in conjunction with the AP, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher, at his law office, at Norm@NormKent.com. SFGN, as a private corporation, reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs. nlgja logo 6

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HAVE YOU JOINED THE GAZETTE’S FACEBOOK GROUP?

Come join the discussion. The Gazette welcomes feedback. Email Jason.Parsley@sfgn.com with comments, suggestions, etc.

Facebook.com/groups/WMGazette

Photo via the City of Wilton Manors, Facebook.

Photo via Adobe.

Dr. Macek is double board certified in Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine by the American Board of Anesthesiology. Dr. Macek is fellowship trained in Pain Medicine at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, the birthplace and leading program of modern pain management in the United States.

ANNE FRANK BOOK REMOVED FROM HS LIBRARY IN VERO BEACH

Jason Parsley

"Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation” has been removed from Vero Beach High School.

Apparently the Indian River County chapter of Moms For Liberty objected to two portions of the book, according to WPTV. One scene contains Frank telling a friend they should expose themselves to one another, and in another scene, Frank walks along a path of nude female statues.

Frank was a teenager who hid from the Nazis for two years during World War II. During those years she documented her life in a diary. She was eventually discovered and later murdered in a concentration camp during the Holocaust. Her father, who survived, later published her writings.

That original book is still on the shelves in the Indian River School District.

According to WPTV, the school district determined that some of its text of the graphic novel did not contribute to the themes of Holocaust education.

One reason for the objections could be because Frank was attracted to girls.

According to the Times of Israel that attraction was left out of the original published diary because her father was embarrassed by the content.

“I must admit, every time I see a female nude, I go into ecstasy. I wish I had a girlfriend,” Frank wrote in one passage from her original diary. In another entry Frank recalled suggesting that she and a friend show each other their breasts during a sleepover as a sign of their friendship.

The 2017 graphic-novel version included

those passages.

Today the Anne Frank Foundation owns the family’s archives and believes it’s important to understand Frank’s entire history.

“Times change and there is a growing desire to get to know the many aspects of the real Anne Frank and so it was decided to publish after [her father’s] death the full diary, including for the first time parts that [he] took out,” the Foundation said, as reported by the Times.

Cristen Maddux, a spokesperson for the Indian River County School district, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, the book was determined to be “not age appropriate” for high school students.

“That’s not the actual diary of Anne Frank,” she added. “It’s a fictional novel that has some inappropriate content in it.”

But the passages Moms for Liberty appear to have objected to are not fictional.

Maddux also added: “Library spaces in the district currently have factual accounts of The Diary of Anne Frank.”

But as mentioned above, the “problematic” scenes are factual.

Maddux admitted in the interview she had not read the graphic novel and did not immediately know what the “inappropriate content” in question was.

TOM MACEK, MD Board Certified in: ANESTHESIOLOGY, PAIN MANAGEMENT

Photo via @EdKrassen, Twitter.

“I MUST ADMIT, EVERY TIME I SEE A FEMALE NUDE, I GO INTO ECSTASY. I WISH I HAD A GIRLFRIEND.”

- Anne Frank

GOP LAWMAKER COMPARES TRANS FOLKS TO ‘MUTANTS’ AND ‘DEMONS’

Jason Parsley

PRIDE FLAG BAN BILL DEAD… FOR NOW

John Hayden

Imps. Mutants. Demons. That’s how Florida Rep. Webster Barnaby, R-Orange City, characterized the transgender community in an unhinged rant during a hearing on the Transgender Bathroom Ban bill (HB 1521) on April 10.

Barnaby even got God involved, saying to the trans people who spoke in opposition: “The Lord rebukes you, Satan, and all of your demons, and all of your imps who come parade before us. That’s right, I called you demons and imps who come and parade before us and pretend that you are part of this world.”

He started off his rant by invoking the X-Men.

“It’s like I’m watching an X-Men movie [...] it’s like we have mutants living among us on planet Earth.”

Equality Florida blasted Barnaby in a press release.

“Today, parents and children, many of whom traveled hours to share their stories, had to listen to Barnaby slander the transgender community from the dais. This hideous bigotry has always been at the root of the wave of anti-LGBTQ hysteria sweeping our state. The agenda of [Gov. Ron] DeSantis and his legislative cronies have always been aimed at empowering this brand of bigotry and dehumanizing the LGBTQ community. Shame on Barnaby for spewing his transphobic vitriol.”

The House Commerce Committee ended up voting in favor of the bill. If signed into law, it would bar someone 18 years or older from using a restroom designated for the opposite sex. If that person refused to “immediately depart” when asked by another person in the restroom or changing facility, the person could face criminal charges.

School districts would be allowed to establish disciplinary procedures for those younger than 18 years old who enter a restroom for the opposite sex, according to the bill.

According to Florida Politics, Barnaby apologized minutes after the bill passed. Later in the day, however, his Twitter account retweeted video and links to the speech.

HERE ARE HIS FULL REMARKS:

“I’m looking at society today. And it’s like I’m watching an X-Men movie [...] from Marvel Comics. It’s like we have mutants living among us on planet Earth. And, you know, some people don’t like that, but that’s the fact. We have people that live among us today on planet Earth. That are happy to display themselves as if they were mutants from another planet.

“This is the planet Earth, where God created men, male and women, female. I’m a proud Christian, conservative Republican. I’m not on the fence. There is so much darkness in our world today. So much evil in our world today. And so many people who are afraid to address the evil, the dysphoria, the dysfunction. I’m not afraid to address the dysphoria or the dysfunction. The Lord rebukes you, Satan, and all of your demons, and all of your imps who come parade before us. That’s right, I called you demons and imps who come and parade before us and pretend that you are part of this world.

“So I’m saying my righteous indignation is stirred. I am sick and tired of this. I’m not gonna put up with it. You can test me and try to take me on. But I promise you I’ll win every time. Let’s all vote up on this bill. Thank you.”

Florida Republicans’ latest attempt to erase any trace of LGBT culture and existence is dead, for now. An attempt to ban the Pride flag has stalled at the state house in Tallahassee and, despite GOP super-majorities in both houses, is likely to die in committee.

House Bill HB1011 and its Senate companion, SB668, are mired in committees where many bills are sent to quietly go away. The bills don’t specifically ban Pride flags, but lays out which flags may be flown, such as the U.S. flag, the state flag, and local municipality flags. Critics of the bills say banning Pride flags was the impetus for the legislation.

At one point, the senate version would have allowed the Confederate flag to be flown. The amendment was filed by Tampa area

ACTIVISTS ARE REMAINING VIGILANT. AT ANY TIME THE WORDING COULD BE ATTACHED TO ANOTHER, UNRELATED BILL, AND GO TO THE FLOOR.

State Senator Jay Collins. A spokesperson for the freshman State Senator said including the Confederate flag was “an accident,” and Collins has pulled the language. The House bill, HB1011, was filed by Rep. David Borrero of Miami-Dade County. Both Borrero and Collins are republicans.

THREATS REMAIN

Activists are remaining vigilant. At any time the wording could be attached to another, unrelated bill, and go to the floor.

But these efforts aren’t unique to Florida. Bans or attempted bans of Pride flags are happening across the country from Miami to Michigan, New England to California.

The Gilbert Baker Foundation and the ACLU have launched their Save the Rainbow campaign. Besides tracking flag bans, they set up a toolkit for activists and concerned citizens to use.

They say, in the last year, dozens of communities have given in to right-wing pressure groups and banned Pride flags. They consider this a First Amendment, free speech issue. Even the Florida Senate appears to agree. A review by their attorneys said Florida’s ban may violate the state constitution.

To learn more, visit GilbertBaker.com/Save-the-Rainbow.

Photo via Rawpixel.

Florida Rep. Webster Barnaby via Twitter.

PRIDE RETURNS TO MIAMI BEACH THIS WEEKEND

John Hayden

40 PRO ATHLETES SEND LETTER TO HOUSE OVER ANTI-TRANS SPORTS BILL

Jason Parsley

Superstar soccer player Megan Rapinoe, a lesbian, is among 40 professional athletes who signed a letter opposing a GOP led effort in the House of Representatives to ban transgender and intersex girls and women from competing in sports.

The 15th annual event, with the theme Growing Stronger Together, reaches its zenith this weekend with a two-day party, a parade down Ocean Drive and an entertainment lineup that would rival that of a major music festival. But besides its role as an over-the-top South Florida-style party, the event also serves as a protest.

Drag queens, the epitome of Prides everywhere, are under attack in Florida. The Republican super-majority in the legislature is pushing a bill that would require all drag entertainment to be classified as an adult, making it a crime to perform in drag in front of children.

But that bill is not the law yet, and plenty of entertainers are going to be heard and seen by many. Last year’s attendance topped 170,000 people and more are expected to hit the beach this weekend.

The weekend kicks off Friday night with a big party and a big headliner, Sandra Bernhard. She’s appearing at the VIP Beach Affair at Lummus Park at 7 p.m. The nononsense comedian has been an LGBT icon for decades and was most recently seen starring in “American Horror Story: New York.” Also on the lineup: performer Adora and Grammy and Emmy winner Albita.

The event is $95 and gets you a “first glimpse” inside the park’s Pride layout,

open bar in the VIP lounge, and nibbles by Executive Chef iChef.

Lummus Park is once again hosting the Pride party, set for Saturday and Sunday. Three stages will provide a variety of entertainment, with the AT&T Entertainment Stage hosting the headliners. Among those scheduled to perform are “RuPaul Drag Race” Alum and HBO star Shangela, Inaya Day, Todrick Hall, and more.

DJs will rotate through the TD Bank Stage, which is designated as the dance area. Scheduled to appear are: DJ Josh Riptide, DJ Alex Ferbeyre, DJ Tatiana, DJ Alex Ramos, DJ Whitney Day featuring Mindy Jones, DJ Tony Moran, and Dan Slater.

The Capital One Community Stage is the place to check out up-and-coming local talent.

All stages open at noon Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday (following the parade).

The final day kicks off with the main event: the Pride Parade down Ocean Drive at noon.

Thousands will march down one of the most iconic streets in the world with drag entertainers defiantly marching with other members of the LGBT community and our allies.

Jaymes Vaughan and his “Mean Girls” star husband, Jonathan Bennett, are serving as Celebrity Grand Marshals. Activist and performer Jazzmun is Advocate Grand Marshal, while Steve Adkins, President of the Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, is Community Grand Marshal.

“We believe that gender equity in sport is critical, which is why we urge policymakers to turn their attention and effort to the causes women athletes have been fighting for decades, including equal pay, an end to abuse and mistreatment, uneven implementation of Title IX, and a lack of access and equity for girls of color and girls with disabilities, to name only a few,” the letter reads. “Our deepest hope is that transgender and intersex kids will never have to feel the isolation, exclusion and othering that H.R. 734 is seeking to enshrine into law.”

FEATURE PETS

UNDERDOG

MADNESS ADOPTION EVENT APRIL 14-16

The NCAA March Madness tournament may be over, but you’ll score big when you adopt at the Humane Society of Broward County’s “Underdog Madness” event on April 14–16.

Underdog Madness features several dogs who are ready to WIN your heart! These are wonderful dogs that have been homeless for 100 days or more and want to become your top pick. Puppies and small dogs are usually #1 (first to be adopted), but this weekend

Underdogs are the winners! Be the “top dog” and open up your heart and home to an MVP Underdog in need.

Part of this winning package includes:

• A sponsored adoption fee $200 value

• A goody bag full of toys and treats $50 value

• A dog training crate $100 value

• One free private consultation with our APDT Certified Dog Trainer $150 value

• Paw.com bed or blanket $180 value

• A year’s supply of Nexguard and Heartguard $160 value

• Total value: $840

• Value of a new best friend … PRICELESS!

The Humane Society of Broward County is located at 2070 Griffin Road, Fort Lauderdale – a block west of I95. The adoption kennels open daily at 11 a.m. and are open seven days a week. To meet a pet, complete the pre-adoption application at www.humanebroward.com and stop by. Appointments are not required. The adoption center is a private, non-profit organization that is not affiliated with any local or national group with a similar name. If you have questions call 954-989-3977 ext. 6.

Photo via Humane Society of Broward County Facebook.

WHEN PRIDES ARE FACING AN EXISTENTIAL CRISIS IN FLORIDA, MIAMI BEACH PRIDE IS BEING LOUDER AND PROUDER THAN EVER.

Miami Beach Pride Festival 2022. Photo by JR Davis.

Other signatories include retired WNBA star Sue Bird and USWNT star Becky Sauerbrunn. The letter was organized by the LGBT advocacy group Athlete Ally. Twenty states have enacted laws to ban trans athletes from participating in public schools and colleges including Florida.

Megan Rapinoe.

Photo by Lorie Shaull from St Paul, United States. via Wikimedia Commons.

GAY POLO BRINGS GLAMOR BACK TO PALM BEACH

PALM BEACH COUNTY HAD TONS TO CELEBRATE LAST WEEKEND. IN ADDITION TO EASTER FESTIVITIES, PBC ALSO HELD THEIR ANNUAL GAY POLO TOURNAMENT.

“Today we will laugh, cheer, greet and meet friends, new and old, and enjoy the day together in an open, safe, and festive

environment,” said GPL President and Founder Chip McKenney. “Today we will remind us of the value of friendship, the power of joy, and the importance of kindness.

GPL’s world-famous tailgate competition was in full swing. For the first time ever, Woodforest Reserve had a tropical tent that was equipped with celebrity and social media influencers like Tiffany Fantasia, Sam Paige and Paul Steiner. There was a barbie tent that came with a larger-than-life box that guests could take a picture in. Fans of “The Golden Girls” were in for a treat when they saw “The Golden Gays” tent by Emerald Elite LGBT Senior Home Care.

The party was a benefit for onePULSE Foundation, which “is a sanctuary of quiet reflection and love dedicated to honoring the senseless loss of innocent life and remembering the horrible attack that occurred on June 12, 2016,” according to their website.

“This year’s event feels really important considering the current climate in our state and in our country for LGBTQ people,” said McKenney. “For us to have a larger event and be more visible is key to our mission about elevating LGBT athletes with diversity and inclusion. Thank you to all people who work tirelessly to bring this special day to fruition. “

GPL raised about $100,000.

Deon C. Jefferson

All of the teams together before the big match, with Chip McKenney. Photo by Deon C. Jefferson.

“TODAY WE WILL REMIND US OF THE VALUE OF FRIENDSHIP, THE POWER OF JOY, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF KINDNESS.”

- Chip McKenney

GPL PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER

LIVING IN A BUBBLE

Jesse Monteagudo

TRUMP CAMPAIGN BLASTS DESANTIS OVER TRAVEL

Jason Parsley

Gov. Ron DeSantis is almost surely running for president. But it’s not official yet so the Trump campaign is blasting him for traveling the country promoting himself, and his new book, during Florida’s legislative session.

“DeSantis wants to campaign full-time for president, during the Florida legislative session, while collecting a salary and having the taxpayers pick up the costs for his travel and security,” said Donald Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung, according to Florida Politics.

Florida has a “Resign to Run” law that would force DeSantis to resign if he runs for president. But the law has been waived for other candidates in the past.

“DeSantis is a young man who is not doing well against me in the polls, to put it mildly. I

believe that if he decides to run for president, which will only hurt and somewhat divide the Republican Party, he will lose the cherished and massive MAGA vote, and never be able to successfully run for office again,” Trump wrote on social media.

Meanwhile on the other side, on NBC’s Today Show President Joe Biden let it slip to weatherman Al Roker is running for reelection.

Wilton Manors is one of America’s great gay villages. Every day and night, hordes of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, trans people and allies, whether residents or visitors, can be seen walking, running, skating, riding, driving, or just standing still in the miracle mile we know as Wilton Drive. In this gayborhood, samesex couples hold hands without fear of repercussion and people of all ages, races and genders feel free to be themselves. Though Wilton Manors is not without incidents of crime or hatred, all in all it is as close to a queer paradise as we have on this earth. Sadly, as good as the Island City is to us and to those who like us, it is but an oasis of tolerance and acceptance within a state that is rapidly becoming less tolerant and less accepting. On Wilton Drive, gay or lesbian couples can kiss and hold hands with impunity. Only a few miles north or south or west, same-sex kissing or hand holding is not recommended. Wilton Manors is not unique in this reality. Cities like Atlanta, Austin, Nashville, and New Orleans face the same dilemma: being blue cities deep within red states. Even when the blue cities are state capitals, as is the case with Atlanta, Austin and Nashville, their people live with the harsh reality that most citizens of their respective states hate them and everything

they stand for.

The dictionary defines a bubble as “a good or fortunate situation that is isolated from reality or unlikely to last.” In Israeli filmmaker Eytan Fox’s 2006 movie The Bubble, Tel Aviv’s gay village is described as a bubble of religious and ethnic harmony far from the political discord, terrorism and war that is the norm in the Middle East. Of course, sooner or later reality comes by and bursts the bubble, both in this movie’s explosive end and in the violence that remains a way of life in the Promised Land. There is a lesson to be learned from this, even in Wilton Manors.

I do not write this to be a downer, but a reminder. Like you, I enjoy my visits to Wilton Manors, my second hometown. I like to visit with my friends and spend time with them in the bars, clubs, restaurants, shops and parks of the Island City. I appreciate Wilton Manors-based groups that improve my life, like the Pride Center, Congregation Etz Chaim, and Plays Of Wilton. But while we enjoy the pleasures of Wilton Drive, Dixie Highway, and nearby neighborhoods, we need to remind ourselves that what God gave us Ron DeSantis threatens to take away, if we don’t watch out. It will take all our efforts in order to keep our bubble from bursting, taking away the rights we take for granted.

COLUMN OUT HEALTH

COMMON DRUG REDUCES RATES OF SOME STIS

Jason Parsley

New studies show taking doxycycline, a common antibiotic, after sex helps prevent some STIs in gay and bisexual men, and transgender women.

“We do need new approaches, new innovations” to combat a rising tide of STIs, Dr. Philip Andrew Chan, told the Associated Press. Chan is consulting with the CDC on new doxycycline recommendations.

One recent study found doxycycline lowered the rates of gonorrhea by 50%, syphilis by 80% and chlamydia by 90%, compared with people who did not take the pills after sex, researchers found, according to the AP.

The regimen is known as doxyPEP. To be effective the doxycycline needs to be taken within 72 hours after having sex.

SFGN first reported on doxyPEP in 2018 interviewing one of the early researchers of the regimen. In 2018 SFGN was told, “We

were surprised by the results. They were quite dramatic.”

Over the past two decades cases of the three STIs have soared, to 2.5 million cases in 2021.

Some medical experts have expressed concerns that overuse of doxycycline will lead to resistance among some key bacteria, including gonorrhea and staph.

Jesse Monteagudo is a freelance writer and journalist. He has been an active member of South Florida's LGBT community for more than four decades and has served in various community organizations.

The Grille Mural. Photo via Artgallery21.org.

Photo by Shorelander, via Wikimedia Commons.

COLUMN WHITE HOUSE WATCH

Photo via Governor Ron DeSantis, Facebook.

White House Watch is a weekly column on the 2024 presidential election.

‘THE WRONG KIND OF WEIRD’

Aurora Dominguez

THE IMPACT OF CHANGING YOUR FAITH

James Ramos wanted to write a book about dealing with the pressures of conforming to societal norms, so he wrote “The Wrong Kind of Weird.”

WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR MOST RECENT BOOK?

The inspiration for “The Wrong Kind of Weird” came from my own experiences growing up and trying to be someone and something I wasn’t for the sake of being accepted by my peers. I was convinced that in order to be liked and popular I had to change who I was and be like everyone else. It wasn’t until a long time later that I finally realized that even if I succeeded, it wasn’t worth it and that it was much better to be true to myself.

WHY DO YOU FEEL REPRESENTATION OF A VARIETY OF PEOPLE IS SO IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO WRITING BOOKS?

I believe it’s important because it reflects the reality of the world we live in. I think a lot of the hate and prejudice we see comes from this sense of otherness, and people thinking that other people are so fundamentally different from them that it allows them to comfortably hate them. If we chip away from that otherness by having stories featuring all types of people, we chip away at the prejudices and biases, which in turn I think

goes a long way towards truly embracing our fellow humans.

TELL US A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE BOOK AND WHY YOU DECIDED TO WRITE IT.

The book is ultimately about the choice many of us have to make, about whether we be true to who we are or compromise for the approval of other people. When I was young I thought peer pressure was something you didn’t have to deal with once you grew up, but it doesn’t go away really. There’s always some form of societal pressure to conform, especially for us queer folks, so I wanted to write about dealing with that pressure and the idea that it can be more worthwhile to be true to who you are.

WHAT CAN FANS EXPECT FROM YOUR BOOK?

“The Wrong Kind of Weird” is definitely for geeks. I did try to make it accessible for people who aren’t into some of the nerdier things that the characters are into, but it was really important for me that I didn’t shy away from the nuance, because I think that even though so much of pop culture now comes from things that used to be considered fringe or “for nerds,” there’s still this stereotype about what a geek or a nerd looks and sounds and acts like, so I wanted to show that there’s no monolith, and especially so for kids of color.

We went to Rosie’s for dinner with a 91-year-old priest, an 80-year-old nun, and a Gen X gay Catholic nurse.

Ray and I picked up the bill. No one seemed to have given up anything for Lent.

The priest had two gay brothers, and the straight nun has been silenced by Rome (at least they tried) because of her advocacy on behalf of LGBT Catholics.

Sr. Jeannine Gramick and I met at the first conference on Homosexuality and the Catholic Church in 1974. She’s the co-founder of New Ways Ministry. I was sure she was a lesbian because she was wearing studded blue jeans. Apparently that’s what she could find at Goodwill. But she’s not a lesbian nun, although there are plenty who are.

I reflected with them that I had lost credibility and a large gay Catholic reading audience when I no longer identified myself as Catholic. Until then, I was the best known gay Catholic lay person at the time.

My coming out and being fired by the Church was a big deal in 1974, as was my water fast in reparation of the sins of the Church against gay people. One national columnist called me a heretic, and another called me a saint. Thousands of gay Catholics bought my first book, but then my faith changed, and I lost the admiration and interest of many gay Catholics.

That reflection led to a great discussion

on who is best able to move their churches forward on gay and transgender issues, people who stay or people who leave but remain committed to change.

We concluded that all of us have appeal to different audiences. I appeal more to those who see themselves on a spiritual path, defining it simply as living with loving kindness. There are people who can’t relate to the language of the mainline religions, and those who won’t trust anyone who doesn’t use their religious terminology. We’re all in search of the higher power of Love. “We’re all just walking each other home,” as Ram Dass said.

Ray and I use ever-changing words to express to whom/what we’re giving gratitude. The words don’t matter, any more than how many people think of us as a role model. “If you seek the approval of others, you’ll be their prisoner for life,” warns the Tao te Ching. So, as painful as it was for some gay Catholics to see me no longer in the Church, they couldn’t be the reason I stayed.

What struck me funny was when I was talking with, and listening to the priest and the nun, I saw them as older than me. I wondered if it wasn’t because they represented “that old time religion,” and I was “New Age.” Most probably, though, is that we never see old people as our age. Like faith, it’s all about the lens through which we’re looking.

Brian McNaught has been an author and educator on LGBTQ issues since 1974. Former Congressman Barney Frank said of Brian, “No one has done a better job of chronicling what it’s like to grow up gay."

www.brian-mcnaught.com.

Photos via www.harpercollins.com.

Photo via Pixabay.

Brian McNaught

CHECK WEBSITES AND FACEBOOK PAGES FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION REGARDING IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE OF SERVICES, AS WELL AS VIRTUAL VIEWING OPTIONS.

CONGREGATION ETZ CHAIM

2038 N. Dixie Hwy (Pride Center Building B), Wilton Manors

954-564-9232 - etzchaimflorida.org

congregationetzchaim1974@gmail.com

Friday Night Shabbat Service 8p.m.

LISTINGS

YELP! THINKS THESE ARE THE BEST RESTAURANTS IN FLORIDA

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Like it or not, Yelp! holds tremendous power in the hospitality industry. Its reviews are touted by restaurants, and many customers check to see how many stars a place has before dining there. In the past few years, it has been revealed that some larger chains pay people or have employees place positive reviews, skewing the numbers somewhat. However, when it comes to smaller independent eateries, I’ve found the star system to be helpful. Sure, there’s going to be that one disgruntled reviewer, but if a place has 200 five-star reviews and one negative, what are you going to believe?

With that being said, Yelp! has just released the Top 100 Florida restaurants, based on Yelp!’s ratings and reviews. While many of the places on the list are outside our demographic area, quite a few, almost a third of the entries, are in the four counties that comprise our distribution area (West Palm to Key West).

Taking the number one slot is PLA-TU SUSHI, which opened in Miami just over a year ago. Reading through the five-star ratings made me want to jump in the car and head down there immediately. Their innovative take on Southeast Asian, Japanese favorites, and Thai tapas won raves for Pla-Tu from Yelpers. The “Bad Boy,” sushi roll was often cited as the best dish and won its raves for being loaded with soft-shell crab, spicy toro, and truffle sauce.

Pembroke Pines is becoming a dining destination, with two of the top five places.

PROSECCO22 (#3) was consistently praised for its savory pasta dishes and attentive service, while NORTH SOUTH GRILL’S (#5) Angus burgers and super-sized American Wagyu steak sandwiches won folks over. Also squeaking in, at number 95 is tiny TACU TAKU and its innovative take on South American cuisine.

The current Broadway musical adaptation of “Some Like It Hot” could also be the theme of this article, as many of the favorites specialize in spicy dishes. One of my favorite restaurants LARB THAI-ISAN (#11), showcases the fiery street fare of Thailand. Also taking the spice road are West Palm Beach’s INDIA GRILL AND BAR (#9) and Homestead’s YARDIE SPICE (#13) with its flavorful Caribbean cuisine.

Italian is the most popular ethnic food and is well-represented on the list. PANE & VINO LA TRATTORIA (#7) in Miami Beach, FRATELLINO (#8) in Coral Gables (which has more than 1,500 5-star reviews for its homemade pasta), NAPOLI 1800 CUCINA & PIZZERIA (#12) in Miami, and THE ETNA ROSSO (#15) in Fort Lauderdale, are all in the Top 20. Other local eateries of note include the comfort fare at Fort Lauderdale’s GILBERT’S 17TH STREET GRILL (#6), COLOMBIAN MOUNTAINS CAFÉ (#18) in Fort Lauderdale which was noted for its “mountainous” portions,” the creative vegan barbecue at Pompano Beach’s THE RABBIT HOLE (19), and Wilton Manor’s own hot spot, ETHOS GEEK BISTRO (#59).

LOCAL DINING DESTINATIONS ON THE REST OF YELP’S LIST INCLUDE:

#21. BUNBURY, Miami

#23. INTIMO, Miami Beach

#24. LUCA OSTERIA, Coral Gables

#28. FRANKY’S DELI WAREHOUSE, Hialeah #31. THE MODERN ROSE, Deerfield Beach

#33. HAVANA VIEJA, Miami Beach

#34. ICHIMORA, Fort Lauderdale

#41. BROAD SHOULDERS SANDWICHES, Fort Lauderdale #42. MAGNOLIA CAFFEE (sic), Fort Lauderdale #52. BUCCAN, Palm Beach

#54. DRY DOCK WATERFRONT GRILL, Longboat Key #56. PESTO CAFE AND GRILL, Miami

#59. ETHOS GREEK BISTRO, Wilton Manors

#62. CAFÉ PRIMA PASTA, Miami Beach

#69. MINTY Z, Miami

#71. AIOLI, West Palm Beach #78. FULL BLOOM VEGAN, Miami Beach #79. DUNE DOG CAFE, Jupiter #83. PAMPA GAUCHO CHURRASCARIA, Lighthouse Point #86. HOBO’S CAFE, Key Largo #91. AGUACATE SANCTUARY OF LOVE, Miami #92. LA SANDWICHERIE – MIAMI BEACH, Miami Beach #93. PHO BAR VIETNAMESE KITCHEN, Davie #94. NIRAN’S KITCHEN, Deerfield Beach #95. TACU TAKU, Pembroke Pines #97. DADA, Delray Beach

Rick Karlin

Photo via platumiami.com.

Photo via Bunbury Miami, Facebook.

Photo via drydockwaterfrontgrill.com.

Photo via Tacu-Taku, Facebook.

Photo via North South Grill, Facebook.

THURSDAY, MAY 18

8pm

More than anything else, Margaret Cho is unconditionally, unapologetically herself. Cho is the champion of debunking taboo subjects like sex, race, world politics, sexual orientation, and womanhood (to name a few) with her unabashed, sure-fire humor.

DON’T MISS ONE NIGHT WITH MARGARET CHO!

This event contains adult language.

OUTSHINE CELEBRATES 25 YEARS WITH NEW DIRECTOR, VENUE

J.W. Arnold

OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival celebrates its silver anniversary, April 20 – 30, with more 65 features, shorts and documentaries on the silver screen at its new venue, Silverspot Cinema in downtown Miami.

Board Chair and Interim Executive Director Mark Gilbert said the new central location downtown will make the Festival more accessible to the community and offers a perfect venue for both film screenings and the popular festival afterparties.

In addition to lounge chairs, Silverspot Cinema also serves meals and alcoholic beverages. For the opening night event on April 20, tickets include the feature film along with a choice of six entrees like miso-glazed salmon, skirt steak, margherita flatbread and coconut jasmine rice bowls. A dessert party will follow.

The opening film will be “Fairyland,” starring Emilia Jones, Scoot McNairy, and Geena Davis. Writer and director Andrew Durham explores the relationship between a father and daughter, Steve and Alysia, after they move to San Francisco, where he develops his poetic and personal writing and begins to openly date men. Steve’s bohemian lifestyle clashes with the expectations of parenthood and their bonds are tested in painful and sudden ways.

Local Olympic gymnastics champion Danell Leyva will be honored on April 26 at 7:15 p.m., prior to the screening of “Clocked” (2023). After his second Olympics, Leyva retired and moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting. Since then, he has been seen in

nationwide commercials, short films and web and television series. He is one of the featured actors in the drama about a young transgender boxer raised in a conservative Miami family and facing the toughest fight of his life.

The Festival’s centerpiece film, “L’Immensita” (2022), follows on April 27. This Italian film, featuring Penelope Cruz, is set in 1970s Rome. While the film tells the story of the breakdown of a marital relationship, it also explores the transition of the oldest daughter, who longs to live life as his true self and proclaims he wants to be called Andrew. With musical numbers, the film maintains an entertaining tone.

OUTshine wraps up on April 30 at 6 p.m. with “Three Nights A Week” (2023), a French film that utilizes the art and culture of drag to tell a poignant, yet entertaining story that organizers promise “will bring out the true diva in all of us.”

“As a leading LGBTQ+ voice in the community, we are committed to bringing people together to champion diversity, inclusiveness and awareness in the arts and beyond. This year promises an unforgettable line-up of dramas, comedies, shorts, and thought-provoking documentaries, many of which you will only see at the [f]estival,” said Gilbert.

Following the festival, organizers will again offer “OUTshine At Home,” on-demand streamed viewing beginning May 1 and including many of the films, as well as several new titles that were not part of the 2023 schedule.

The 25th annual OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival takes place April 20 – 30 at Silverspot Cinema, 300 SE 3rd St #100 in Miami. For a complete schedule and tickets, go to OUTshineFilm.com.

Olympic gymnastics champion and former Miami resident Danell Leyva, right, is one of the stars of “Clocked,” a film about a transgender boxer that will be featured at the 25th annual OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival, April 20 – 30 in Miami. Credit: Title Page Media.

NEW BARBIE FILM FEATURES TRANS ACTRESS

Jason Parsley

Transgender actress Hari Nef will play a doctor in the upcoming summer film “Barbie.” This is the big screen adaptation of the iconic doll.

Nef recently shared that she almost had to give the part up because of a scheduling conflict but she wrote a heartfelt letter to lead actress Margot Robbie and director Greta Gerwig urging them to adjust the schedule, which they did.

“This is a big movie, made by a team whose work has played no small role in cultivating my love of sitting in the dark in front of big screens for an hour or two,” she wrote in the letter. “But that’s just a part of why I want — my heart says ‘need’ — to join the making of this film.”

The movie features a star-studded cast including Ryan Gosling, Dua Lipa, Helen Mirren, Will Ferrell and out actress Kate McKinnon.

Nef is known for her roles in the Amazon series Transparent and the film Assassination Nation.

Photo via Warner Bros. Pictures.

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