SFGN 5/4/23 V14iss18

JOURNALISM FUND LAUNCHED IN NORM KENT’S MEMORY

Our Fund Foundation launched the Norm Kent LGBTQ Newsmaker Fund in the longtime attorney’s memory.

“It is especially meaningful for The Our Fund Foundation to hold the Norm Kent LGBTQ Newsmaker Fund because Norm’s values and hopes for South Florida align with ours. He was a force for good in our region, and we hope to follow in his path.”

Kent was the publisher of South Florida Gay News and before that the Express Gay News in the early 2000s. He was a passionate defender of the First Amendment.

Kent died April 13. He was 73. Here’s an excerpt from the SFGN obituary.

In 1999, Kent took on a new title: newspaper publisher. He launched the Express Gay News, which covered all aspects of queer life in South Florida.

Kent sold the paper four years later to Window Media, a national LGBT media group that renamed it the South Florida Blade. Window Media went bankrupt in November 2009 and quickly shut down the Blade. Most of the staff of the Blade reorganized and launched the Florida Agenda, which shut down in 2016.

In January of 2010 Kent launched a new newspaper and website called South Florida Gay News, along with a new business partner Piero Guidugli, who stayed with the company until 2020.

Celebrating 400 issues of SFGN in 2018, Kent and Guidugli highlighted a few of their most compelling stories, including:

– A five-year long program of entrapment by two West Palm Beach policemen who had entrapped more than 300 men.

– Hollywood police fired officer Mikey Verdugo in 2010 after the department learned he had appeared in a 15-minute gay porn

scene 14 years earlier. (Verdugo now owns Bodytek Fitness in Davie and Wilton Manors.)

– The 2010 firing of licensed practical nurse Ray Fetcho AKA drag queen Tiny Tina, when it came out that 35 years earlier Fetcho had been charged with a lewd act for hosting a wet jockey shorts contest at the old Copa nightclub in Fort Lauderdale. (Fetcho died at 68 of cancer and diabetes in 2015.)

In 2016, Kent wrote in a publisher’s column about the last of the big gay bar raids in Broward County, when in 1991 then-Sheriff Nick Navarro created a media spectacle arresting men at the Copa and at Club 21 in Hallandale Beach.

“Sheriff Navarro orchestrated the raid as if he were hosting a Hollywood opening,” Kent wrote. “As the news report by Steve Rothaus indicates, the Sheriff turned the

raid into a media event, placing the entire LGBT community in a false light. Navarro arrived on the scene, believe it or not, in a helicopter, accompanied by his wife, dressed in an evening gown. Reporters were shocked by the crass celebration, amazingly accompanied by foreign Russian dignitaries to show off for.”

Kent said he never regretted publishing a story, even if it got him into hot water with local power figures, including activists and elected officials.

“It’s the newspaper. It’s what editorial cartoons are all about,” he said. “It’s not for the politician to be thin skinned. It’s for the politician to go naked before the canon and accept the fact that he, too, can be criticized no matter how good they think they are.”

May 4, 2023 • Volume 14 • Issue 18 2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943

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

Associate Publisher • Justin Wyse Justin@sfgn.com

Editorial

Assistant to the Editor • Kimberly Swan Webmaster@sfgn.com

Social Media Director • Christiana Lilly

Graphic Designers • Julie Palmer Kyle Willis • Craig Tuggle

Design Consultant • Brendon Lies Artwork@sfgn.com

Arts/Entertainment Editor • J.W. Arnold JW@prdconline.com

Food/Travel Editor • Rick Karlin

Community Editor • John Hayden john.jmhcreative@gmail.com

Senior Photographer • J.R. Davis JRDavis12000@hotmail.com

Senior Feature Columnists

Brian McNaught • Jesse Monteagudo

Special to SFGN Steve Rothaus

Correspondents

John McDonald • Sean Conklin • Deon Jefferson

David-Elijah Nahmod • Aurora Dominguez

Denise Royal • Austen Erblat • Kennedy McKinney

Mary Rasura • Christian Walden • Christopher Flores

Contributing Columnists

Pier Angelo • Terri Schlichenmeyer Gregg Shapiro • Dana Rudolph

Associate Photographers Carina Mask • Steven Shires Sales & Marketing

For ad placement in SFGN, contact 954-530-4970

Director Justin Wyse Justin@sfgn.com

Senior Advertising Associate Edwin Neimann Edwin@sfgn.com

Distribution Services Richie Wilson & Johnathan Rey National Advertising Rivendell Media 212-242-6863 sales@rivendellmedia.com

Accounting Services by CG Bookkeeping Printing by Stuart Web Inc. Co-Founders Norm Kent • Pier Angelo

SOUTH FLORIDA GAY NEWS.COM, INC.

FOUNDED, DECEMBER, 2009 BY PIER GUIDUGLI AND NORM KENT

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, Jason Parsley at Jason.Parsley@SFGN.com. SFGN is owned by Norm Kent and represented legally by Russell Cormican. SFGN, as a private corporation, reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs. Copyright © 2023 South Florida Gay News.com, Inc.

SFGN Staff

SFGN co-founder Norm Kent. Courtesy photo.

Donations to the Norm Kent LGBTQ Newsmaker Fund can be made here: rb.gy/2s1c8.

IT’S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT THE G ... HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING IN THE LGBTQIA COMMUNITY

Lesbian CHARITY SECTOR LACKS D&I AND LUCY CALDICOTT WANTS TO CHANGE IT

To celebrate Lesbian Visibility Week, PinkNews interviewed Lucy Caldicott, CEO and founder of the UK’s third-sector consultancy ChangeOut, about diversity and inclusion (D&I) and the need for more lesbians in executive roles.

Research by myGwork indicates less than 10% of C-suite roles are held by lesbians, and only 3% of top-level officers are lesbians or non-binary people.

“Often in the charity sector, we assume we’re the good guys because we’re doing good things so that can be a bit of a blind spot,” said Caldicott. “We kind of don’t really face up to when we’re getting things wrong, because we’re the good people, aren’t we?”

ChangeOut aims to advance D&I in the charity/advocacy space after noticing a “distance” between charity executives and

those they serve.

Caldicott notes training is needed but isn’t the solution. “That requires some kind of long-term systemic systematic work. It’s not an overnight thing.”

Caldicott advises lesbians to seek employers who support the entire LGBT community and not put up with noninclusive work environments.

TRANS MAN CLAIMS HE IS TREATED BETTER THAN BEFORE HIS TRANSITION

Samuel Giardina claims he “gained male privilege” after transitioning compared to life before.

Giardina, from Berlin, Connecticut, came out as trans in 2020 when he started testosterone, changed his name and pronouns, and had top surgery.

“One thing I talk about is how I experienced all the things a woman experienced including sexism - and now it’s so different being a man,” said Giardina.

Giardina openly discusses that as a woman, people would constantly talk over him, objectify him, and he didn’t feel safe walking home at night. However, he feels the opposite now and feels that the transphobia and hate comments he faces are nothing compared to his treatment as a woman.

“I have gained male privilege but I can still relate to a lot of the things my female friends go through - it’s very humbling,” said Giardina.

Giardina now feels confident for the first time and is happy when looking in the mirror.

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.

Samuel Giardina via Facebook.

Lucy Caldicott of ChangeOut via Twitter.

LOS ANGELES LGBT CENTER GALA HONORS NOTABLE QUEER ACTIVISTS

On April 23, queer activist, singer, and actress Keke Palmer attended the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s annual gala and received recognition for her advocacy for the LGBT community via the Vanguard Award.

In her acceptance speech, Palmer spoke candidly about struggling to define herself.

“I’ve always been my own person, and sexuality and identity, for me, it’s always been confusing,” said Palmer. “I never felt straight enough; I never felt gay enough; I never felt woman enough; I never felt man enough. I always felt like I was a little bit of everything.”

Palmer publicly came out as sexually fluid in 2015 but refuses to use other labels. She has championed the stories of alternative and queer Black people and has starred as several queer characters.

“There is no greater masterpiece than living your truth,” said Palmer.

In addition to Palmer, Pamela Anderson

also received the Vanguard Award, and the late actor Leslie Jordan was honored with a tribute as the gala’s longtime emcee.

“I am rooting for you,” said Anderson. “Thank you for rooting for me!”

Keke Palmer via Twitter.

Photo by J.R. Davis

Husbands, owners and trainers at Bodytek Mikey Verdugo and artist Trey Opp celebrating their nine-year anniversary.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MANDATES DRESS CODE BASED ON BIOLOGICAL GENDER

The Texas Department of Agriculture has issued a new dress code based on biological gender. The memorandum describing the new dress code, obtained by the Texas Observer, is dated April 13. The memo states “employees are expected to comply with this dress code in a manner consistent with their biological gender” and that “violation of this agency policy includes remedies up to and including termination.”

An anonymous source told the Texas Observer that they were concerned that the dress code would be primarily applied to employees who are trans or gender non-conforming. They also stated that several of their coworkers are

TENNESSEE

DOJ INTERVENES IN STATE’S BAN ON GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE FOR MINORS

According to The Tennessean, the Department of Justice interceded in a federal lawsuit involving Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The DOJ asked for the law to be stalled before taking effect on July 1. The American Civil Liberties Union has been suing the state in defense of three families affected by the ban, as well as a physician who provides genderaffirming care.

“SB1 violates the constitutional rights of some of Tennessee’s most vulnerable citizens,” said Middle District U.S. Attorney Henry Leventis in a statement. “Left unchallenged, it would prohibit transgender children from receiving health care that their medical providers and their parents have determined to

be medically necessary. In doing so, the law seeks to substitute the judgment of trained medical professionals and parents with that of elected officials and codifies discrimination against children who already face far too many obstacles.”

GOP VOTES TO CENSURE FIRST TRANS STATE LEGISLATOR

According to NBC News, Montana House Republicans voted on April 26 to censure Democratic Rep. Zooey Zephyr, the state’s first transgender legislator. A censure is a formal disapproval of a politician. Zephyr will remain in office but is not allowed to physically participate and will have to attend remotely through the end of the legislative session. The censure comes after her comments on April 18 during a debate on a bill limiting gender-affirming care for minors where she told legislators they would have blood on their hands if they voted for the bill.

Zephyr upheld her previous statements on April 26 before the censure vote.

“I was speaking to the real consequences of the votes that we as legislators take in this body,” she said, as

quoted in NBC News. “When the speaker asks me to apologize on behalf of decorum, what he’s really asking me to do is be silent when my community is facing bills that get us killed. He’s asking me to be complicit in this Legislature’s eradication of our community, and I refuse to do so.”

Photo via Zooey Zephyr, Facebook.

worried about the memo but are afraid to speak out.

Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller. Photo via www.texasagriculture.gov.

Photo by Mercedes Mehling via Unsplash.

SPAIN WALES

PRO SOCCER PLAYER ALBERTO LEJÁRRAGA COMES OUT

Professional Soccer Player Alberto Lejárraga came out last week.

In a post on Twitter, Lejárraga shared a picture of him kissing his boyfriend writing, “Thank you for always being by my side through the good and bad times! This time, we got to live the beauty of this! THANK YOU.”

SCOTLAND

A controversial film about trans issues has been canceled for the second time by the University of Edinburgh following student protests.

The film, “Adult Human Female,” is classified as a “gender-critical documentary” and was set to be shown at a lecture hall. However, protesters were restricting access to the venue and the event was canceled for safety reasons.

The film’s description says it is an “explainer about the issues, how far things have already changed for the worse for women and how difficult it has been to be heard, to be listened to,” but individuals against “Adult Human Female” say the documentary was “a clear attack on trans people’s identities.”

SCHOOLS TO GET GUIDANCE ON SUPPORTING TRANS PUPILS

The education system in Wales is making a change to support trans students.

The Welsh government announced that, starting the next academic year, “extensive consultation” and “clear and well-informed advice” will be provided. The Inc. Project, led by School of Hard Knocks, offers this training to schools and other organizations.

The project led a focus group to learn more about what teachers needed in the classroom. They learned that teachers lack confidence in talking about issues relating to gender as it comes up more in the classroom.

Others said they knew it was a sensitive area and feared getting it wrong. This

initiative is meant to change this and equip teachers with the necessary tools to help students.

Protesters at the "Adult Human Female" showing at the University of Edinburgh.

LGBT COMMUNITY RISES UP IN IRAN PROTEST

Photo via Niel Deepnarain, Facebook.

Photo via Alberto Lejárraga, Twitter.

BY KENNEDY MCKINNEY THE

AROUNDWORLD

PRIDE ON THE BLOCK RETURNS JUNE 3

John Hayden

PERSEVERANCE PAYS OFF IN TAMPA GAY MAN’S ELECTION VICTORY

John McDonald

Not all the news out of Florida is bad these days. For the first time ever, Tampa elected a gay man to its city council. Alan Clendenin won the District 1 seat in a runoff election, taking almost 65% of the vote.

A retired air traffic controller, Clendenin received 16,244 votes to defeat Sonja P. Brookins, who got 8,933 votes. Clendenin, 64, lost in the city council race four years ago, but never gave up.

He credited his years of civic engagement as a key factor in the win.

“Years of hard work and experience,” Clendenin said. “Building relationships and I surrounded myself with good people. I also had the help of the Victory Fund and Equality Florida.”

In a July 2021 estimate, the Census Bureau reported Tampa had a population of 387,050, making it Florida’s third largest city behind Jacksonville and Miami.

“Big congratulations to Tampa’s newly elected city council members. Look forward to working with each of you to keep moving our city forward,” tweeted Tampa Mayor Jane Castor.

Clendenin, who had the backing of the Tampa Police Benevolent Association, told the Tampa Bay Times that increased funding for the city’s transportation department is a top priority.

Voter participation in the citywide election was 11%.

AFTER SOME UNCERTAINTY AND MISINFORMATION PRIDE ON THE BLOCK WILL HAPPEN

JUNE 3.

The fourth annual party raises money for Transpire Help, which provides aid for LGBT in recovery.

According to Donna Weinberger, founder of Transpire, in a press release, “I appreciate [West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James] sitting down with me to work out the details. Pride on the Block is a celebration of and for the community which brings together so many people, performers and vendors to celebrate Pride in our community. It’s our major fundraiser for the year and it helps us fund our programs which give LGBTQ+ individuals the resources to access help.”

The city of West Palm Beach is ending

all street parties in the 500 block of Clematis St. The area began hosting the outdoor drag parties during the pandemic as a way for the community to safely come together. SFGN was told that had nothing to do with Pride on the Block and so there was confusion and misinformation being spread.

According to the press release from the city the hold up with the event the initial application contained “fatal flaws.” James worked with Transpire to submit a new application for permit. The press release says The City of West Palm Beach will “expedite permitting so all deadlines can be met.”

Last year’s event was marked by the threat of violence after a very detailed letter was received. It listed streets and landmarks, and police took it seriously. The person behind it was determined to be a minor in Canada who used an online mapping service to scout the area. He remains under arrest in Canada.

“It is truly a pleasure to work with the sponsors of Pride on the Block. The City is fully supportive and is looking forward to a safe and successful event. As mayor of this great city, I fully support the LGBTQ+ community and I am pleased that we were able to come together,” said James in a statement.

AP AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES CLASS GETTING UPDATES

Christiana Lilly

There are changes coming to the AP African American Studies course — again. The College Board, which manages the Advanced Placement courses, announced that it would be making edits to the new class. This comes after the board received criticism for bowing to political pressure to remove elements of the class, such as the Black Lives Matter movement, queer Black history, and slavery reparations.

“Access was our driving principle — both access to a discipline that has not been widely available to high school students, and access for as many of those students as possible. Regrettably, along the way those dual access goals have come into conflict,” the College Board said in a statement.

“The updated framework, shaped by the development committee and subject matter experts from AP, will ensure that those students who do take this course will get the most holistic possible introduction to African American Studies.”

Sixty classrooms participated in the pilot program for the course, and the College Board says that now there are 800 schools that will be teaching the course to 16,000 students. However, despite this popularity, Florida schools will not be offering the class to its high school students. Gov. Ron DeSantis said the class has a “political agenda.”

The College Board did not share what specific changes would be made to the course, simply that the team would “determine the details of those changes” over the next few months.

Alan Clendenin. Photo via Facebook.

A transfeminine student and masculine student laughing together in class. SFGN file photo.

“PRIDE ON THE BLOCK IS A CELEBRATION OF AND FOR THE COMMUNITY WHICH BRINGS TOGETHER SO MANY PEOPLE, PERFORMERS AND VENDORS TO CELEBRATE PRIDE IN OUR COMMUNITY.”

- Donna Weinberger

Pride on the Block 2022. Photo by JR Davis.

CULTURE WARS DRIVE FORMER HEAT STAR OUT OF FLORIDA

John McDonald

As the Miami Heat make another playoff run, the franchise’s all-time leading scorer has moved his family out of state due to the toxic political climate.

In an interview with sportscaster Rachel Nichols, Dwayne Wade revealed he no longer lives in Florida. The former Heat star and his wife, actress Gabrielle Union, have a 15-yearold daughter, Zaya, who is trans. Wade said he does not want to raise her in a hostile environment.

“I have to make decisions for my family, not just personal individual decisions,” Wade said, adding, “my family would not be accepted or feel comfortable there.”

Wade’s decision to leave Florida comes as the state’s leading LGBT civil rights organization has issued a travel advisory in the wake of continued attacks by Republican lawmakers in Tallahassee.

In an unprecedented move, Equality Florida warned LGBT travelers of heightened risks to their health, safety and freedom

CNN FIRES DON LEMON

Kim Swan

inside Florida’s borders.

In response to Wade’s departure, the organization tweeted: “The cost DeSantis’ Blueprint for Bigotry.”

Wade was a key component in Miami winning three NBA championships. In addition to being the Heat’s all-time leading scorer, Wade holds franchise records in assists, steals, games, shots made and shots taken. He retired in 2019 and sold his Miami Beach home in 2021 for $22 million.

Meanwhile, the Heat host the New York Knicks Saturday in game three of a best-ofseven series with the winner advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals.

PRIDE CENTERS LEAVE TWITTER AFTER DEADNAMING PROTECTIONS REMOVED

It’s not just the blue checkmark changes happening over at Twitter — under Elon Musk’s ownership, the social media network has also ended its policy against deleting tweets that misgender or deadname transgender people.

Previously, Twitter’s hateful conduct help center included the “targeted misgendering or deadnaming of transgender individuals.” It’s now been updated to a more generic statement that, “You may not directly attack other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, caste, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, disability, or serious disease.”

Twitter’s decision to change its policy, among other changes under Musk’s leadership, has led to droves of LGBT groups leaving the platform. Locally, this includes The Pride Center in Wilton Manors, Compass Community Center in Lake Worth, Orlando Center, and The Center Orlando. Some have chosen to deactivate their accounts while others are leaving their accounts intact but

no longer using it. Instead, they are referring followers to their accounts on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

CenterLink, a nonprofit network of more than 325 LGBT organizations around the world, announced that they would also be leaving Twitter.

The policy protecting trans users from being misgendered or deadnamed was added in 2018.

In a survey of LGBT organizations and high-profile advocates conducted by Amnesty International, the Human Rights Campaign and GLAAD, 60% said they saw an increase in “hateful and abuse speech” on Twitter from the time Musk took over in October; the remaining 40% said the hate speech was the same as before.

CNN fired Don Lemon on April 24. He has no idea why.

Lemon was the co-anchor of “CNN This Morning,” and he announced his termination himself:

”I was informed this morning by my agent that I have been terminated by CNN. I am stunned. After 17 years at CNN I would have thought that someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly. At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network. It is clear that there are some larger issues at play. With that said, I want to thank my colleagues and the many teams I have worked with for an incredible run. They are the most talented journalists in the business, and I wish them

all the best.”

Lemon’s termination came after Variety published a story on the allegations his female colleagues made during his time at CNN, which included allegedly “malicious texts,” and “mocking female co-workers.” He also faced backlash over controversial comments he made on-air.

Lemon, who is black, came out as a gay in 2011.

“I have to tell you I can’t even put it in those terms,” he told the Blade. “I mean, it goes way over a scale of one to 10, honestly. And it goes way over incredible. I mean I just feel like a new person.”

Lemon, who has a fiancé named Tim Malone, had “heated arguments” with staff over his negative treatment of “CNN This Morning” co-star Kaitlan Collins that was discussed within the company.

He also came under fire when he remarked that Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, 51, was no longer in her “prime,” according to NBC News. He said that while discussing a suggestion made by Haley that candidates over 75 should be subjected to mental competency exams.

A spokesperson for Lemon reacted to the reporting by saying it was “amazing and disappointing that Variety would be so reckless.”

“The story, which is riddled with patently false anecdotes and no concrete evidence, is entirely based on unsourced, unsubstantiated, 15-year-old anonymous gossip,” the statement read.

The Wades. Photo via Facebook.

Christiana Lilly

CenterLink’s CEO, Denise Spivak. Courtesy photo.

Photo via Don Lemon CNN, Facebook.

"I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES AND THE MANY TEAMS I HAVE WORKED WITH FOR AN INCREDIBLE RUN. THEY ARE THE MOST TALENTED JOURNALISTS IN THE BUSINESS, AND I WISH THEM ALL THE BEST.”

- Don Lemon FORMER CO-ANCHOR OF “CNN THIS MORNING”

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LOCATIONS IN SOUTH FLORIDA

FORT LAUDERDALE

315 SE 14th St. Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 (754) 701-6920

PLANTATION

4101 NW 3rd Court, # 9 Plantation, Fl 33317 (754) 701-6911

LAKE WORTH

201 N Dixie Hwy. Lake Worth, FL 33460 (561) 867-9991

SOUTH BEACH

427 Washington Ave. Miami Beach, FL 33139 (305) 514-0813

MIAMI GARDENS

18360 NW 47th Ave. Miami, FL 33055 (786) 800-5631

OAKLAND PARK

1421 E. Oakland Park Blvd. #101 Oakland Park, FL 33334 (941) 366-0134

DR. MICHAEL SENSION

DR. AMY WECKER

TUCKER CARLSON LEAVES FOX

Kim Swan

Tucker Carlson is out at Fox. The highly rated conservative talk show host “parted ways” with Fox on April 24, a move that stunned the news world.

“Fox News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways. We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor,” Fox wrote in a statement.

Carlson had a history of targeting minority groups during his time at Fox, according to D.C.-based progressive media watchdog group Media Matters for America. Madeline Peltz and Nikki McCann Ramirez, the group’s researchers, shared their findings:

Carlson’s unabashed championing of white grievances earned him the accolades of neo-Nazis, who praised him as a “one man gas chamber” and how he “lampshaded Jews on national television.” Although Carlson claims to have nothing in common with them, he echoes their talking points and was reluctant to condemn white supremacists after the deadly 2017 demonstration in

DESANTIS AND CRONIES NEED TO BE STOPPED

Charlottesville, Virginia.

He has also mocked the LGBT community. In December 2022, he hosted Libs of TikTok owner Chaya Raichik, who said LGBT people were, “bad and evil” and how they want to “groom kids.” Carlson nodded sympathetically and embraced her extremism.

I just read the articles in the Wilton Manors online paper and the article in SFGN related to the travel advisory being issued. I was wondering when this would happen. The attacks on the LGBT community by DeSantis and the rest of the GOP in Tallahassee is absolutely disgusting. I am often left wondering what can I do from far away to support the LGBT community and to help fight the attacks. I can’t vote in Florida elections! For the past two years, I have been vacationing in Florida. Sort of looking for a safe retirement home. I absolutely love the vibe from Wilton and even from St. Pete, but given the changes I’ve noticed over the past couple of

years, watching what is going on now in Florida, I have serious doubts about making Florida my home. I don’t need to tell you, but DeSantis and cronies are driving the community back underground. They are not letting us be us. They are not letting us be who we truly are. Again, I don’t need to tell you, but this is not just limited to LGBT issues and freedoms, but also abortion and women’s rights to choose. DeSantis and cronies are driving the state back to puritanical practices and forcing their belief on the rest of us. This needs to stop.

Sincerely,

Randy Meyer

Photo by Gage Skidmore, via Wikimedia Commons.

COLUMN

Photo via Adobe.

TWO CALLS ON WILTON MANORS

‘LEADERS’ TO STOP DENYING REALITY AND INSTEAD VOW TO FIGHT DESANTIS’ ANTI-LGBTQ BIGOTRY

Truth Wins Out

Truth Wins Out called on Wilton Manors City Commissioners to stop whitewashing the dire situation faced by LGBT residents in Florida. Instead, they should use their considerable platforms to fight back against Gov. Ron DeSantis’ bigotry and discrimination. As a city with one of the highest concentrations of LGBT people in the United States, Wilton Manors Commissioners should flex some muscle instead of flacking for the status quo.

“While protecting business interests is important, it can’t blind us to our current political reality,” said Wayne Besen, Executive Director of Delray Beach-based TWO. “The safety of LGBTQ people must come before profits. Equality Florida was correct to offer a travel advisory urging LGBTQ visitors and residents to take proper precautions, until DeSantis’ cloud of darkness lifts from the Sunshine State.”

Equality Florida released a travel advisory in April, warning Florida residents and visitors to be careful in the current political climate. Instead of amplifying the prescient warning and vowing to fight back against DeSantis, some Wilton Manors politicians myopically downplayed the travel advisory and tried to blame the messenger.

“They issued an advisory that it might

Guest Column OPINION

CRITICISM OF FORT LAUDERDALE OFF THE MARK

The Sun Sentinel editorial of April 20, “A low-water mark for unity in Fort Lauderdale,” is hyperbolic, shortsighted and off the mark.

I am obliged to provide a response that provides clarity regarding our position here in Fort Lauderdale.

not be safe for them using words like ‘harm’ and ‘assault,’” said Commissioner Chris Caputo. “This has been acknowledged with disappointment by the CVB, our local business community, and many businesses that I’ve spoken to … It’s a little misleading and it’s definitely causing harm to tourism and our local businesses. It’s clear when you read the comments, they have not read the advisory in detail to learn why Equality Florida did it.”

Mayor Scott Newton also soft-pedaled the travel advisory, which places tourists and residents at risk.

“I understand why they said it but at the same time you’re hurting the state of Florida, especially South Florida. I don’t think that was their intention.”

TWO vehemently disagrees with this assessment and urges the commissioners to elevate their fight against DeSantis. Wilton Manors and Fort Lauderdale should be Ground Zero in countering DeSantis and leading counter offensives.

“Wilton Manors, as well as Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis, must lead the resistance against DeSantis,” said Besen. “These ‘leaders’ are punching below their weight and signaling to DeSantis that he can brazenly bully the LGBTQ community without consequences. It’s time to answer the call to action and use their positions of power to fight back.”

Earlier this month, Besen had an op-ed published in the Sun Sentinel. In the piece, he spoke out against canceling LGBT Prides in Florida in reaction to new anti-LGBT state laws.

First, I want to say how saddened I am for the loss of property and the heartbreaking suffering our neighbors have had to endure. Our area was hit by a 1,000-year supercell thunderstorm that, with very little advance warning, poured 26 inches of nonstop rain — a record for Florida — over Fort Lauderdale in a matter of six hours. The U.S. Geological Survey defines a “1,000-year flood” as an event with a one in a thousand chance of occurring in any given year. Almost immediately, our emergency response teams, in coordination with our mutual aid agencies, came to the rescue and helped save more than 600 people, resulting in no deaths in such a freak weather phenomenon.

After a community experience of this magnitude, it is important to help those in need and expedite recovery. At our last commission meeting, we focused on how those in need were getting aid and support, not only from the city, but from other agencies as well. We also discussed the next steps and what it would take to fully recover. Once those two critical topics were done, we should have continued to discuss pending city business for the sake of our neighbors and stakeholders. That is what resilient cities do.

Fort Lauderdale is not a hamlet; we are the kind of well-managed, strong community that can walk and chew gum at the same time. For the Sun Sentinel to say that it was a serious mistake for the commission to carry on our business is astonishing. Please tell me how conducting our business in any way impeded the recovery efforts on the ground. It simply did not.

Besides, we had more than 50 residents on the virtual meeting who waited more than three hours to speak on a duly noticed public

meeting agenda, and that is why I objected to the adjournment that left them hanging. We carried on with the other meetings that day and night, so what was the panic about for our first meeting of the day? Baffling. Our local newspaper, instead of editorializing on the rapid response, the door-to-door visits and all the good that happened and is still happening, instead nitpicks on emotions that my colleagues displayed on the virtual dais. Certainly, city officials are not shrinking violets; we sometimes get passionate and disagree with each other. That does not mean that “unity” has been shattered.

The paper highlighted what it called a “clash” between Commissioner Warren Sturman and me but omits the fact that a few minutes later, we were joking with each other and were just fine.

Focus on the good, Sun Sentinel, rather than kick the community you cover in the teeth just for online clicks.

This commission and city staff are working together to deal with all aspects of this humanitarian crisis and that will always be the case. At the same time, it is important to demonstrate to our residents, the state, the country and the world that, even under an emergency order, we are able to meet the needs of all residents and that we are open for business.

Steven Glassman Special to the Sun Sentinel

Steven Glassman is the District 2 city commissioner in Fort Lauderdale.

Screenshot via WPLG Local 10, YouTube.

Founded in 2006, TWO works to eliminate anti-LGBT prejudice and discrimination, as well as all forms of hate and bigotry. We fight against fascism and speak out against right-wing extremism.

Photo by Gage Skidmore, via Wikimedia Commons.

AS A CITY WITH ONE OF THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATIONS OF LGBT PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES, WILTON MANORS COMMISSIONERS SHOULD FLEX SOME MUSCLE INSTEAD OF FLACKING FOR THE STATUS QUO.

FLORIDA’S LGBT COMMUNITY MUST RESIST ROLLBACK OF OUR RIGHTS

Wayne Besen Special to the Sun Sentinel

In the aftermath of Florida expanding legislative attacks on its LGBT population, the community is struggling with how best to respond. Pride Alliance of the Treasure Coast reacted to the uncertainty by announcing Pridefest would only be open to those over 21 years old and they canceled what they called their “beloved” Port St. Lucie pride parade.

This is precisely the wrong action to take. What is needed is courage, not cowardice, in the face of state-sponsored persecution. In the fighting spirit of Stonewall, the LGBT community must stubbornly resist efforts to silence students, strip transgender Floridians of health care and falsely label comedic drag shows “obscene.” Canceling our events only appeases bullies like Gov. Ron DeSantis and encourages further attempts to limit our freedom.

Organizing is our only path to overcoming these politically manufactured moral panics. Instead of canceling Pride, what if we reinstated the Port St. Lucie parade and called it Florida Pride, flooding the city with 50,000 marchers from around the state? This would send a powerful message that we have the courage to fight and refuse to be cowed.

The language regarding measures to cancel drag shows is deliberately vague with the goal of creating a climate of uncertainty and fear. We must not succumb and allow

the ambiguity to create political paralysis. Let’s challenge such equivocal laws that are likely an unconstitutional attack on free expression.

If police or state agencies show up with the goal of shutting down a drag show, we must vigorously contest their false claims of obscenity. Most performances by female impersonators are comedic and intended to bring joy. One cannot claim they are inherently “sexual” or titillating unless one has an excessively prurient mind. We must ask: Why are DeSantis and his allies lusting at drag shows while the rest of us are innocently laughing?

We must inquire why it’s OK to take kids to overtly sexual venues like Hooters restaurants to order off the children’s menu while it’s forbidden to take kids to drag shows. So much for the right-wing mantra of parental rights.

It is critically important to force Republicans to specifically define “drag” before they enforce laws against it. How do they intend to prove when one crosses the arbitrary and capricious line from gender nonconforming to drag queen? How much make-up must one wear for it to officially be drag? If one covers up a small blemish with concealer, does that constitute drag? Is a kilt a dress? If a woman wears blue jeans and a trucker shirt, is it drag?

This year, Pride committees should consider dropping the term “drag” and rebrand these events “Pride Fashion Balls.” If law enforcement shows up, the performers should stand firm and say, “define drag queen. I identify as a fashionista.”

Of course, Republicans would counter that drag is “a man wearing the clothes of a woman or a woman wearing the clothes of a man.” But the moment they go down this rabbit hole, they open a perilous legal and cultural can of worms. In essence, they are creating a new regime of oppressive stateapproved uniforms that strictly divide the sexes in Florida. Let them explain to voters how it’s liberty when a bunch of old men in Tallahassee get to choose what is acceptable attire for men and women in our state.

Will they next raid unisex clothing stores?

Will they decide the “appropriate” length of men’s hair or decree that women must wear one-piece bathing suits at the beach to enforce modesty? Once the authoritarian door is opened, it’s a slippery slope of state control. They’ve already decided to ban abortion at six weeks, forcing Florida women to give birth, so it seems a bad bet to believe that Republicans are capable of moderation on issues of social control.

Pride Alliance of the Treasure Coast may have been well intentioned, but canceling pride parades doesn’t offer increased “safety.” It simply encourages our foes to take further

steps to intimidate and harass us into choosing invisibility. We must reject the idea of cooperating with state and local officials to voluntarily strip ourselves of dignity and human rights.

Our homes might be in DeSantistan, but we are Americans first, and our rights are constitutionally protected. The LGBTQ community has overcome far worse, from Anita Bryant to AIDS discrimination and battles over marriage equality. We have prevailed every time, and we should commit ourselves to doing so again, by lifting this contemporary dark cloud of bigotry that hangs ominously over the Sunshine State.

Wayne Besen is the executive director of Delray Beach-based LGBTQ nonprofit organization Truth Wins Out. He is the former spokesperson of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ rights organization.

INSTEAD OF CANCELING PRIDE, WHAT IF WE REINSTATED THE PORT ST. LUCIE PARADE AND CALLED IT FLORIDA PRIDE, FLOODING THE CITY WITH 50,000 MARCHERS FROM AROUND THE STATE?

Miami Beach Pride 2023. Photo by JR Davis.

‘I WILL FIND YOU AGAIN’

Aurora Dominguez

THE WAY OUT OF SADNESS

Brian McNaught

There is a sadness that accompanies major personal loss, and it’s tough to shake.

I find that it sucks the energy right out of me, making it challenging to write, or to think in an upbeat, creative way. The sadness that accompanies the loss of things we most love never leaves us. Thus, I take comfort in the wisdom found in many sources over the ages that there is a time for everything under the heavens, including a time to be at rest.

There’s also a time to be tired of being tired, restless with the recovery period of loss. For me, the best path back to the energy of the soul is to be aware of, and to celebrate what I have in my life, rather than to linger in thought of what is no longer there. I am surrounded by sources of joy for which I am grateful, and when I give them my focus, they can light the way back to equilibrium.

Those sources include a husband that loves me beyond my ability to comprehend, a garden that is in bloom with multiple colors every day, and good friends who would grieve my passing. Being thankful for everything that surrounds me, including the sound of my soulmate snoring, and the smile that comes on his face when he sees me, helps me climb the ladder back to the time that is for laughter and dance.

Gratitude is the key that unlocks the door, gratitude for what I was fortunate enough to have, and gratitude for what I can still touch. As we age, it becomes clearer that letting go is the price of living, and we pay our dues with increased frequency. We can fight it or accept it, but it happens nevertheless.

If you’re interested in reading stories about falling in love, breaking apart, and finding each other again, then check out “I Will Find You Again” by Sarah Lyu.

WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION BEHIND “I WILL FIND YOU AGAIN”?

I wanted to write about that feeling of falling in love with your best friend, your soulmate, the one person in the world who understands you — the only person in the universe who’s your safe harbor. And I wanted to write about what happens when a love like that falls apart and the journey of finding each other again: all the mistakes, yes, but all the moments of grace too. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was a big inspiration and it’s a recurring reference in the novel. I loved how complex and layered the core relationship in that movie is, and I wanted to tell a story that felt like that. The problems and characters are completely different, but they’re all grappling with big life questions. They’re grappling with how to find happiness in a world that often feels alienating, or worse, indifferent.

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

Growing up, I had so few books that had characters who looked like me and shared my experiences. Back then, it was acceptable to tell those with marginalized identities to see stories about cis, straight, white characters as “universal.” Of course, it was a one-way street, with “no demand” for diverse stories, and while we have a lot of room for improvement, the overall landscape is much better. It’s so important to see stories starring marginalized characters as universal and universally accessible; readers of every identity deserve books centered on their experiences and their stories. When I was young, I struggled with internalized racism and homophobia in part because I never saw myself or my experiences in any books, movies, TV shows. It felt impossible to accept who I was when the implicit (and sometimes explicit) messaging was that a person like me didn’t belong — didn’t deserve to belong. But I hope with each book I write, I’m carving a place for myself and others like me. And I hope readers who don’t share the same marginalized identities of my characters will still see their stories as universal.

BEING THANKFUL

All of us who are in loving relationships, dread the thought of our beloved dying before we do. I fear the loss of Ray and he fears the loss of me. My younger brother has made it clear that he needs to precede me in death, as the anticipated loss feels to great to bear. I feel the same.

We’re in control, though, of how we manage the feelings that accompany letting go. It’s foolish not to accept that there is a contract we sign with our hearts when we choose to love something or someone at the deepest level of our being, and that if we lose it, we will be called to grieve to the same degree to which we loved. But, at some point, we can make the choice to acknowledge the blessing of intimacy we had, and still have, and to let go of the jet stream in which we’ve lingered.

As Cat Stevens’ song goes, “And if you want to be high, be high, and if you want to be low, be low, ‘cause there’s are a million ways to go, you know that there are.”

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.

Photo via Pixabay.

FOR EVERYTHING THAT SURROUNDS ME, INCLUDING THE SOUND OF MY SOULMATE SNORING, AND THE SMILE THAT COMES ON HIS FACE WHEN HE SEES ME, HELPS ME CLIMB THE LADDER BACK TO THE TIME THAT IS FOR LAUGHTER AND DANCE.

Photos via www.simonandschuster.com.

THE CHOSEN ONE AN INTERVIEW WITH MARGARET CHO

Gregg Shapiro

It’s been a few years since queer comedian, actor, and activist Margaret Cho has done a stand-up comedy tour. In the interim, she’s been acting in a variety of well-received movies (including “Fire Island”) and TV shows (such as “Hacks” and “The Flight Attendant”). In other words, she’s never far from our sight. That’s a good thing! For 2023, Cho will be embarking on a multi-city comedy tour, “Live and Livid,” and it promises to be the live performance event of the year (sorry Madonna). Margaret was kind enough to answer a few questions before heading out on the road.

GREGG SHAPIRO: Margaret, I interviewed you last spring just before the movie “Fire Island” premiered. Since that time, the movie won the Gotham Awards’ Ensemble Tribute, and was named on several end-of-the-year “best of” lists. Additionally, “Fire Island” is Certified Fresh on RottenTomatoes.com with a 94% rating. What does it mean to you to have been associated with such a wellreceived project?

MARGARET CHO: I love it! I loved making it. I love the cast. I love Joel’s (Kim Booster) vision. I love Andrew’s (Ahn) directing. We are a family, and we’ve got to make sequels, prequels, a whole cinematic universe. I think that would be so valuable. Hopefully, we’ll get

to see that. I love them, they’re my babies. I knew that everybody would love this movie. I loved this movie so much. I’m very proud of it and proud of everybody that worked on it.

GS: The Lifetime sitcom “Drop Dead Diva,” on which you played Terri Lee, has been brought back and is airing on the Hallmark Channel. How do you feel about the possibility of a whole new generation of viewers getting to see the show?

MC: I’m very proud of the work that I got to do on that show. It’s really exciting that everybody gets to discover it again. I love that we get to show everybody what we did. It’s so fun and it’s a triumph.

GS: Do you have any favorite memories to share from “Drop Dead Diva”?

MC: I loved working with Liza Minnelli. My very favorite episode was all the stuff I got to do with Patty Duke. She was a legend. I kept trying to get her to come to a screening of “Valley of the Dolls” where we would interview her. She was like, “Oh, nobody wants to see that movie!” I’m like, “What? Are you crazy [laughs]? Everybody loves that movie.” She was such a person to get to know and to work with. What an incredible actor and a lovely woman.

Margaret Cho performs at The Parker in Fort Lauderdale on May 18.

Photo via Margaret Cho, Facebook.

Dr Stephen T Scoglio, DMD

DANCE NOW! MIAMI CLOSES SEASON

J.W. Arnold

In Greek mythology, Icarus sought to touch the sun with the help of waxen wings constructed by his father. Dance Now! Miami will feature choreographer Gerald Arpino’s retelling of the archetypical tale in its closing program, May 11 – 13 in Lake Worth, Fort Lauderdale and Aventura.

“The Relativity of Icarus” is an athletic male duet from 1974 that uses the story to express the tortured relationship between sons and fathers, with homoerotic overtones that were controversial for its time. It was reconstructed and restaged by Cameron Basden, a former Joffrey Ballet dancer and repetiteur for the Arpino Foundation. The piece, powerful and rarely seen, will be presented with the original score by Gerhard Samuel.

“It hadn’t been done anywhere for 30 to 40 years,” explained Dance Now! co-artistic director Diego Salterini. “It was at risk of being forgotten. It’s important to keep the history of dance alive.”

Salterini, who founded the company in 2000 with Hannah Baumgarten, noted there was very little surviving documentation,

poor videotapes of performances and only one living dancer who originally performed the work.

“There is a sense of urgency,” he noted. Salterini’s original work “Tribe” will also be repeated on the program.

“It’s a piece of contemporary dance without a real narrative, but a concept: there are moments when you are in rut, not sure where to go, and then a community sees you and helps you shed the boundaries that you impose on yourself,” said Salterini. While audiences may infer additional meanings from the dance, he added, “On the surface, it’s about finding that place where you belong – that can sustain you when you are weak or seeking a path to follow. I imagined the piece coming out of COVID, when we were all returning to society and figuring out ways to connect with others.”

The program concludes with “Gli Altri” (“The Others”), choreographed by Salterini and Baumgarten. This conceptual work marries filmmaker Federico Fellini’s cinematic imagery with confessional storytelling to create

unique symbolism, Salterini said. A gender fluid cast of characters create a magical safe space on stage where life, death, joy, despair, love and loss are entwined in the work’s non-linear narrative. The performance features music based on the iconic sounds of Nino Rota (“The Godfather”), reimagined by long-time Dance Now! composer Davidson Jaconello.

“Hannah and I are always traveling

Dance Now Miami will present Gerald Arpino’s 1974 work, “The Relativity of Icarus,” May 11 – 13 in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade Counties.

together, in airports,” Salterini described. “We were always surrounded by very interesting people and we would imagine their stories, their motivations … it invites people to look twice at the strangers they encounter.”

Salterini and Baumgarten will take the work to Italy this summer for its European premiere, a collaboration with Opus Ballet in Florence.

Dance Now! Miami presents Program III on May 11 at the Lake Worth Playhouse in Lake Worth; May 12 at the Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale; and May 13 at the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center in Aventura. Tickets are $50 and $20 student tickets are also available. For more information, go to DanceNowMiami.org.

Credit: Herbert Migdoll for the Gerald Arpino Foundation.

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