4/16/14 V5i16 by South Florida Gay News

S.F. PRIDE HONORS CHELSEA MANNING • 3

“MARC HANSEN MUST GO” SAYS NORM KENT • 14

local name, global coverage

April 16, 2014 // vol. 5 // issue 16

With Fred Phelps Gone...

WHO IS THE MOST HOMOPHOBIC MAN IN AMERICA?

Introducing... Scott Lively Pages 18 -19

The Voice

WHAT ‘RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION’ REALLY MEANS • 21

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28 Page Insert Inside This Issue! Pages 23-50

DINING OUT FOR LIFE HELPS FIGHT AIDS • 8

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G O A L L O U T a t t h e ye a r ’s m os t i n c l u s ive s p o r t i ng event www. 20 1 4 G ay G a m e s .co m

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Last week’s hottest items couldn’t wait to be printed... Compiled by John McDonald

Judge Strikes Down Ohio Gay Marriage Ban

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Federal judge Timothy Black issued a ruling on Monday ordering Ohio to recognize legal same-sex marriages performed in other states. Black’s ruling declares Ohio’s statutory ban on recognizing legally performed same-sex marriages from other states violates the U.S. Constitution. The ruling does not require Ohio to begin performing same-sex marriages, but

Philly Police Looking for Robber/Rapist Philadelphia police are asking the public’s help in finding a man they identified who allegedly raped, beat and robbed a Canadian tourist he met on the popular gay dating app Grindr. Detectives have identified Douglas Spady, a.k.a. Douglas Casey, 26, of the 5200 block of Cottage Street, Philadelphia from surveillance images where he is seen struggling with the victim. The victim, a

nevertheless, it was hailed by same-sex marriage supporters. “Couples should not have to play ‘now you’re married, now you’re not’ as they travel, work, move, or return home. This is a good day for families and businesses in Ohio, and a good day for the Constitution and America,” said Freedom to Marry president Evan Wolfson.

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34-year-old man from Canada, met Spady on Grindr. The expected tryst turned into a harrowing experience that included a sexual assault at gunpoint and $3,000 in theft, local ABC affiliate, WPVI reports.

ANDREA RICHARD • DONALD CAVANAUGH CHRISTIANA LILLY • DENISE ROYAL • SEAN MCSHEE DORI ZINN • GARY KRAMER • DAVID-ELIJAH NAHMOD

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BRIAN MCNAUGHT • DANA RUDOLPH • WAYNE BESEN RIC REILY • STEVE SILER • BIL BROWNING TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

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U.N. Population Chief: Sex Rights Still Contentious The world has changed dramatically since the U.N. population conference in Cairo in 1994 but the U.N. population chief says many issues remain as contentious as they were 20 years ago, including sexual rights, abortion, sex education, lesbian and gay rights, and child marriage. Babatunde Osotimehin said in an interview with The Associated Press that he expects a weeklong meeting of the U.N. Commission on Population and Development that ends Friday to preserve

APRIL 16, 2014 • VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 16

the action plan adopted in Cairo by 179 countries, which for the first time recognized that women have the right to control their reproductive and sexual health and choose if and when to become pregnant. The Cairo conference broke the taboo on discussing sexuality, adolescent sexual behavior and the real concerns of women and families — and Osotimehin said he hopes this meeting will also address some new challenges.

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INTRODUCING... SCOTT LIVELY Photo: Livelyforgovernor.com 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.

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news highlight

SF Pride Honors Chelsea Manning Controversial figure named parade grand marshal John McDonald jeanmichelmcdonald@gmail.com

An imprisoned U.S. Army private charged in a massive leak of U.S. secrets has been selected as an honorary grand marshal for this year’s San Francisco Pride parade. Parade organizer Gary Virginia confirmed that Chelsea Manning, formerly known as Bradley Manning, was chosen to make amends for a controversy last year. Manning was named an honorary grand marshal ahead of the 2013 parade, but had the honor revoked after being convicted of violating the Espionage Act. Virginia apologized, saying that decision was mishandled. The Chelsea Manning Support Network, an organization that works to raise money for Manning’s legal defense, released a statement from Manning thanking Pride organizers for the honor. “As a trans* woman, I appreciate the Pride movement’s significant role in bringing together diverse communities and elevating the public profile of the fight for queer

rights,” Manning said in the statement. “I have always enjoyed attending Pride celebrations given the opportunity, and I’m deeply honored to receive this title.” Manning is serving out 35 years in Fort Leavenworth military prison for her role in leaking a barrage of classified information to the website Wikileaks. Manning’s role is controversial because while some consider Manning a whistleblower, others see her only as a convicted criminal. “No comment,” said Rob Smith, a gay Iraq War veteran, when asked his thoughts on Manning. Stephen Peters, president of the American Military Partner Association, a group advocating for same-sex military families, says Manning’s actions do not represent other LGBT people in uniform and that another choice for honorary parade grand marshal would have been more appropriate. San Francisco Pride is scheduled for June 28-29.

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News Briefs Compiled by John McDonald

OkCupid Caught in Donation Scandal Last week, OkCupid was quick to point to former Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich’s $1,000 donation to Prop 8 in 2008. The dating and social networking site went as far as producing a new landing page so that when Firefox users logged in, they received the following message: “We’ve devoted the last ten years to bringing people—all people—together. If individuals like Mr. Eich had their way, then roughly 8% of the relationships we’ve worked so hard to bring about would be illegal.” The message then asked Firefox users to consider switching to a different web browser. It didn’t take long for the company’s PR stunt to go viral. Then after Eich stepped down from

opez, Cox Win GLAAD Media Awards Jennifer Lopez has added a couple of more trophies to her block. The pop star, Ben Affleck-ex and “American Idol” judge was honored Saturday night at the 25th annual GLAAD Media Awards with the Vanguard Award, which lauds efforts to increase visibility and understanding of the gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender community. The announcement was made last Saturday night at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. In addition to being an outspoken advocate for gay rights, Lopez serves as executive producer of the ABC Family series “The Fosters,” which centers on a lesbian couple raising their children. “The Fosters” also won the award for outstanding drama series. “We are so proud of this show,” Lopez said. “Our biggest hope is that it will help young people feel loved, understood and included.” Other winners at LA ceremony included NBC’s long running soap opera “Days of Our Lives” for daily drama, Fuse’s “Big Freedia: Queen of Bounce” for reality program, Tegan and Sara for music artist and “Young Avengers” for comic book. “Bridegroom” and “Call Me Kuchu” tied for the outstanding documentary trophy. “Orange is the New Black” star Laverne Cox was presented with the Stephen F. Kolzak Award, which is given to a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender member of the entertainment community. Previous recipients include Wanda Sykes, Rufus Wainwright, Melissa Etheridge, Ellen DeGeneres and Ian McKellen. Norman Lear, the veteran television producer of groundbreaking sitcoms such as “All in the Family,” “The Jeffersons,” “Sanford and Sons” and “Maude,” was honored with the Pioneer Award. The awards salute fair, accurate and inclusive representation in media of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives. Other winners will be presented at a New York ceremony on May 3. From the Associated Press

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his job, OkCupid boasted, “We are pleased that OkCupid’s boycott has brought tremendous awareness to the critical matter of equal rights for all individuals and partnerships.” But one should never throw stones in a glass house. Mother Jones, the investigative journalism news magazine, exposed OkCupid CEO Sam Yagan’s own history of donating to antigay political candidates. In 2004, Yagan gave $500 to antigay candidate, Rep. Chris Cannon (R-Utah). Cannon served in Congress from 1994 to 2009. During that time, he voted for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, against a ban on sexual-

yoming Asks Judge to Dismiss Gay Marriage Suit The state of Wyoming has asked a district judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by four gay couples and a gay-rights advocacy group seeking to force the state to recognize gay marriage. The Wyoming Attorney General’s Office filed a response last month with District Judge Thomas Campbell of Cheyenne. The state denies that Wyoming’s refusal to allow same-sex couples to marry violates the state constitution. Wyoming law specifies marriage occurs between one man and one woman. Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, Gov. Matt Mead said that his administration will defend the state law. “The law in Wyoming is clear that it’s between a man and a woman,” Mead said. “We’ll defend it, that law.” The plaintiffs are the Cheyenne-based gay rights group Wyoming Equality and four couples - two who were married outside Wyoming and two who want to wed in Wyoming. Their lawsuit seeks to force state officials to recognize gay marriages performed outside Wyoming and to allow gay couples to marry inside the state. In its response, the AG’s Office denies many of the plaintiffs’ claims. For example, it denies that the state’s position on the same-sex marriage issue violates the constitutional rights of samesex couples and subjects them to “second-class” status relative to the rest of the people in the state. Cheyenne lawyer Ivan Williams and his partner Chuck Killion are among the plaintiff couples. The lawsuit states that the Laramie County Clerk’s Office refused their request for a marriage license in February. Williams said Tuesday that he had expected the Attorney General’s Office to defend the state law as written and wasn’t surprised that the office denied that the state’s ban on same-sex marriage violates the constitutional rights of same-sex couples. From the Associated Press

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orientation based job discrimination, and to prohibit gay adoptions. Yagan released a statement that read, in part: “A decade ago, I made a contribution to Representative Chris Cannon because he was the ranking Republican on the House subcommittee that oversaw the Internet and Intellectual Property, matters important to my business and our industry. I accept responsibility for not knowing where he stood on gay rights in particular.” Yagan, 37, who is also CEO of Match.com, said he fully supports marriage equality and that he “would not make that contribution again today.” From the Associated Press

n Uganda, Nurse Accused of Spreading HIV Goaded by journalists who wanted a clear view of her face, the Ugandan nurse looked dazed and on the verge of tears. The Ugandan press had dubbed her “the killer nurse,” after the HIV-infected medical worker was accused of deliberately injecting her blood into a two-yearold patient. The 64-year-old nurse, Rosemary Namubiru, was charged with attempted murder, denied bail and sent to jail in an unusual case that many here saw as a horrifying example of the lax hospital standards believed to be prevalent in this East African country. But in the course of her trial -- on the revised charge of criminal negligence -- the nurse is attracting sympathy and emerging as the apparent victim of rampant stigma in a country that until recently was being praised as a global leader in fighting AIDS and promoting an open attitude toward the disease. The nurse, while attempting to give an injection to a distraught child on Jan. 7, accidentally pricked her finger with a needle, according to AIDS-Free World, an international advocacy group that has been monitoring the ongoing trial. After bandaging her finger she returned to administer the injection, apparently using the contaminated needle. Uncertain about whether the same needle was used, the child’s mother “became concerned about the possibility that her child had been exposed to HIV,” the group said. After a test showed the nurse was HIV positive, she was arrested and prosecutors argued against giving her bail on the grounds that she posed a grave danger to the public. If convicted, the nurse faces seven years in jail and would be the first Ugandan medical worker to be sentenced under a colonial-era law against negligent acts likely to lead to the spread of an infectious disease. The child who may have been exposed to HIV was given post-exposure treatment and will be tested again for HIV in coming days, according to lawyers and activists familiar with the case. From the Associated Press

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RC Head Calls Business Leaders ‘Cowards’ Tony Perkins, head of the Family Research Council (FRC), says business leaders like Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy are “cowards” for backtracking on their expressed views against marriage equality. Perkins’ comments offer fresh fodder in the endless culture wars. The chicken sandwich campaign goes like this: Shortly after Cathy said he was unapologetically opposed to marriage rights for same-sex couples in 2012, his fast-food chain became a symbol of homophobia for LGBT people and allies. The company has also donated millions of dollars in cash and services to antigay groups. Last year, Floyd Lee Corkins entered the headquarters of Perkins’ organization and opened fire. He reportedly had a bag full of Chick-fil-A sandwiches and claimed that he would smear them on the faces of his victims. Earlier this year, Cathy said he would no longer speak publicly about marriage equality and that he would leave such public debate for politicians and pundits. “The wiser thing for us to do is stay focused on customer service,” he said. Still, Perkins derided the decision for Cathy and the company to shy away from political expression. “I think we’re seeing those in the business community are becoming cowards,” Perkins said on Mike Huckabee’s Fox News show. Perkins added, “Tolerance is a one-way street for these individuals. What they want to do is force the rest of America not to just to tolerate but to celebrate what they’re doing. They want to redefine America.” The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has designated Perkins’ Family Research Council, headquartered in Washington, D.C. as an antiLGBT hate group. While FRC bills itself as a leading voice for the family in our nation’s great halls of power, SPLC has determined that Perkins and his associates spend a majority of their time and resources defaming gays and lesbians. From the Associated Press

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news bites

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ilk Forever Stamp Ceremony Announced

The United States Postal Service has announced the official first-day-issue dedication ceremony for the Harvey Milk Forever Stamp is May 22 at the White House. Milk, known as the Mayor of Castro Street, was a visionary leader who became the first openly gay elected official when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. “Harvey Milk was an extraordinary activist whose courage, tenacity and legacy is alive today in everything we do to advance real freedom and justice for all LGBT people and their families,” said Rea Carey, Executive Director for the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force.

uckabee: ‘I am not homophobic’

Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas governor and one-time Presidential candidate, told an audience in Iowa recently, “I’m not homophobic.” Huckabee ran for the Republican Party’s nomination during the 2008 election cycle and his appearance at last week’s Faith & Freedom Coalition stoked rumors he is considering another bid for the White House. A Southern Baptist pastor, Huckabee, 58, appears to be softening his tone with gays. “I’m not a hater,” he said. “I honestly don’t care what people do personally in their individual lives.” Huckabee went on to tell the Iowa crowd that he is “on the right side of the Bible.”

ollege Basketball Player Comes Out

Derrick Gordon, a sophomore starter on the University of Massachusetts men’s basketball team, revealed recently that he is gay. In an interview with ESPN, Gordon said the reason for coming public with his sexuality was, “I just didn’t want to hide, anymore. I didn’t want to have to lie or sneak.” Gordon, a 6-foot-3 guard for the Minutemen, averaged 9.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals as his team advanced into the NCAA Tournment during the 2013-14 season. He transferred to UMass from Western Kentucky and played his prep ball for St. Patrick High School in Plainfield, N.J.

MCSF Gets $50K Grant

* R ATES EFFECTIVE 3/15/2014 SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

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The Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida received a $50,000 grant from the John C. Graves Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation of Broward for an initiative called “Preserving the Legacy: John C. Graves Maestro’s Chair.” Graves was a local philanthropist, committed to several projects in Broward County. His posthumous generosity will undoubtedly aid the cultural efforts of GMCSF, a 159-member group with singers from Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties. The chorus’ next production, “Believe: Wishes Do Come True” is scheduled for June 20-21 at Sunshine Cathedral in Fort Lauderdale. For more information, visit www. gmcsf.org

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news local Eat Out to Help Fight AIDS in Our Community Denise Royal

Here’s a great excuse to eat out! On Thursday, April 24, restaurants around Fort Lauderdale will donate at least a quarter of the night’s proceeds to men, women and children with HIV/AIDS. It’s part of Dining Out for Life. To participate, all you have to do is eat breakfast, lunch or dinner at one of the participating restaurants and that establishment will donate a portion of your check back to Broward House. Broward House is South Florida’s oldest and largest HIV/AIDS community service organization with 15 locations throughout Broward County. It provides medical care, substance abuse and mental health counseling, and, in some cases, housing, to more than 6,000 Florida residents yearly. At least 15 restaurants are stepping up to the plate this year. One restaurant, JMarks, is donating 100 percent of its proceeds to Broward House. You can see the entire list of participating restaurants here. Keep checking the list as it gets closer to the 24th, as more restaurants are expected to sign on. This year’s spokesperson is Chef Chad Thilborger, author of “A Whole Heap of Goodness.” “I’m proud to a part of this event,” he said.

Here is the list of participating restaurants at press time:

% DONATION

11th Street Annex 13 Even Alibi Courtyard Café Hot & Soul J-Marks Lips Mojo’s The Over Easy Café Pink Submarine Rosie’s Bar & Grill Rumors Bar & Grill Tijuana Taxi Company • Coral Springs • Davie

“When you think about it, Dining Out for Life is really a no-brainer. All you have to do is choose a restaurant on the list and eat there on April 24. I can’t think of an easier way to help! I salute all of the restaurants that are taking part and helping those in our community.” Fort Lauderdale is just one of many cities around the world taking part in this international night of fundraising. For more information about how you can participate, log on to www.diningoutsouthflorida.com. To become a part of this event, contact Terry DeCarlo at Broward House, 954-522-4749 x1221 or e-mail him at tdecarlo@browardhouse.org.

PARTICIPATING DURING BREAKFAST, LUNCH OR DINNER?

25% 50% 25% 25% 50% 100% 25% 25% 25% 25% 25% 25% 25% 25%

Join us for Holy Week! Maundy Thursday April 17 • 7:30p.m. Upper Room Experience Call 954-563-4271 for reservations

Good Friday April 18 • 7:30 p.m. Service of the Seven Last Words

First Congregational Church, UCC

N. Federal Highway (U.S. 1)

East Oakland Park Blvd.

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To the Beaches

2501 N.E. 30th Street Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306 954-563-4271 • www.uccftl.org • mail@uccftl.org Rev. Dr. Garth R. Thompson, Pastor

Easter Sunday April 20 Sunrise Service - 6:30 a.m. (Breakfast served after Sunrise service) Easter Service - 10:30 a.m.

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Middle River Drive

Palm Sunday April 13 • 10:30 am Palms, Special Music Come, Touch the Robe Chancel Choir

N.E. 30th Place

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health news

April’s News from South Florida AIDS Network Sean McShee

Below are the highlights of the monthly meeting of the South Florida AIDS Network (SFAN). Pilot program — On March 7 the Florida Department of Health announced plans for a pilot study that would enroll a small number of AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) clients in the marketplace insurance plans of the Affordable Care ACT. Anne Mercer reported on how this pilot study worked locally. Recruitment took place at the Wellness Center and Broward House. Enrollment for this pilot study began in midMarch, but had to be completed by March 31. Some clients felt that this failed to provide them with enough time to make an informed choice. Only five clients in Broward County enrolled in this pilot program. According to staff from these agencies, the people who did enroll had large out-of-pocket expenses. As some had never had insurance before, they were unfamiliar with health insurance concepts such as deductibles, and co-pays. These clients needed a great deal of assistance and had to work with a counselor. Pilot studies can provide a cost-effective way to obtain information on potential problems, costs and other factors associated with a much larger future project. In this case, the much larger future project is the transition of higher income Florida ADAP clients from the direct ADAP program to the Insurance Marketplaces of the ACA. Low income ADAP clients lack enough annual income to enroll in the exchanges. In the ACA, these low income clients originally were to transition to Medicaid, but the Supreme Court ruled that states could not be compelled to expand Medicaid to nondisabled childless adults. Florida, like other ACA resistant states, has chosen not to expand Medicaid. The 500 clients eligible for this pilot study fell into one of six categories: 1. Those with Pre-Existing Insurance Plans (PCIPs)

2. Those who lost their insurance during the roll-out of the Affordable Care Act 3. Those with inadequate coverage for prescription drugs 4. Those with COBRA 5. Those with premiums costing more than $750 per month 6. Those without insurance, but whose cost to ADAP exceeded $20,000 per year. In addition to those categories, clients would have to meet the income eligibility requirements for subsidies under the ACA. In order to be eligible for these subsidies, enrollees must have annual incomes ranging from 100 to 400 percent of the federal poverty level (between $11,670 and $46,680 for a single individual). A largely unacknowledged change in paying for HIV treatment over the last decade involves a change from direct government payment for services and pharmaceuticals to government payment for insurance premiums, deductibles and co-pays. In 2003, the national ADAP program paid insurance costs for 5.6 percent of clients served by ADAP, but in 2012, it paid insurance costs for 24 percent of all clients served by ADAP, according to The National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors “National ADAP Monitoring Project Annual Report (July 2013).” HOPWA — Mario DeSantis reported that the local Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA) program had received notice of a sequestration related cut of $931,000 to its current budget. DeSantis said that this cut would have no effect on the tenant, project and facility voucher systems. He was not sure what would be affected. The local HOPWA program has received several other cuts to their current budget. Next Meeting May 2, 2014 at 10 a.m. at the Holy Cross Healthplex, Dorothy Mangurian Comprehensive Women’s Center, 1000 NE 56th St., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334. Meetings are open to the public and newcomers are encouraged to attend.

Increased ADAP Payments for Insurance

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news local Pride South Florida Has Meltdown ‘Stop this madness’ proclaims one board member Jason Parsley

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column mcnaught’s notes

Who Is Not Holding Hands? Brian McNaught

ARRESTED? DON’T BE A DOPE! CALL 954-763-1900 THE

CRIMINAL DEFENSE

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NORMKENT.com THE LAW OFFICES OF NORMAN KENT AND RUSSELL CORMICAN

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We customarily hold hands with guests before starting dinner. Not long ago, one of the stars of the Miami Dolphins held hands with his younger brother (also a football player) and with Ray. I held hands with the younger brother, and with a gay man to my left, who owns a local gay guesthouse. My gay friend held the hand of his spouse, who also held Ray’s hand. Holding hands in silence before a meal allows us to focus on the moment, aware of what we have and those who are hungry, lonely or frightened. When I finished sharing my thoughts about our bounty, the need for gratitude, and about those who have so much less, the NFL star said, “If you had told me a year ago that I’d be sitting here with you guys, I would have told you that you were crazy.” The next morning, in the produce section of the grocery store, I ran into one of our gay dinner guests who said, “If you had told me that we would love having a meal with two straight jocks, I would have told you that you were nuts. But we had a great, great time.” “So did our neighbors,” I assured him. There are lessons to be learned from the unexpected joy we experience in what we imagine will be awkward and uncomfortable situations. One lesson I’ve learned is that as human beings we have an amazing capacity to find common ground with those outside our comfort zones. Regardless of age, we have the ability to learn from our new experiences, and that we take delight in our own growth. Our gay friends and our straight, footballplaying, neighbors ended up talking at dinner, mostly about movies and TV, but also about the best restaurants and things as mundane as the best car washes in Fort Lauderdale. We also talked about the inherent challenges of being famous, about whether openly gay Michael Sam would feel comfortable in the Dolphin’s locker room, and of the funny stories that come from operating a gay, male, clothing-optional guesthouse. They made each other laugh, and they felt like friends despite just meeting. All of them commented later that they had imagined a much different experience, and they were happy it was so much fun. Another lesson that I take from this experience, and many others like it at our dinner table, is the awareness of how many people would love to join the circles of handholding that Ray and I, and many others, create. I’m not thinking here about just those who

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are starving, or who daily face horrific state or religion-sanctioned persecution because of their faith, sex, orientation, ethnicity, gender expression, or other factors. I’m thinking about all of the people who feel lonely, misunderstood and powerless. When I join hands with people in Ray’s and my home, I want them to feel safe and valued. Those feelings don’t come easily for many people. Part of the reason some people feel so isolated is that our fears of encountering them help isolate them. Because so many people are outside of our comfort zones, it becomes less likely that we’ll take their hand at the dinner table. I’m thinking of the person who is homeless, “deformed,” has been convicted of a crime, is dying, or is a prostitute or a cross-dresser, among others. My experience is that when these people somehow get seated at the table, Ray and I get far more out of it than they do. The gift of holding the hand of someone who frightens you is that your mind and heart expand. It is no less a meaningful life experience than traveling to a foreign land, learning a new language and tasting new food. Having someone scary “at your table” is all of that and more, because it is an experience in which you are not an observer, but a participant and creator; a game changer. A few weeks after their first encounter, our straight neighbors and our gay friends were brought together again at our table. I noticed how easily conversations started as soon as they saw each other. Hands were held more readily. Laughter came more quickly. In my reflections on our bounty, the value of gratitude, and on those who feel alone and unwanted, I reminded them of the comments each made the last time about their shock and delight in meeting one other. They nodded, and then began debating which was the best of the movies inspired by Marvel comics.

column jesse’s journal

I Support Nan Rich

Should progressives vote for the viable candidate or the one they agree with? Jesse Monteagudo The art of politics is often a dialogue between the mind and the heart. Our constitutional system of government encourages moderation and compromise and discourages ideology. Unlike other countries, which have proportional representation, we have a “winner takes all” tradition in which the person with the most votes is elected. All this means is that, for those of us who have principles, elections are often a choice between the lesser of two evils. This is especially true for progressives, who often have to hold our noses and vote for a wishy-washy Democrat when the only viable alternative is a staunch right-wing Republican. And, as we all know, in an election between a Republican and a Republican, the Republican always wins. With such a system, what can a “true-blue” progressive do? We can move to another country, or push for constitutional change (a nearly impossible task). Seriously, though, we who belong to the progressive left must work within the Democratic Party, and hope to transform it the way the tea party has transformed the GOP. We need to encourage like-minded candidates, in any way we can, and get out the vote on their behalf in the primaries. Even when we lose, we can make an impact! Back in 1980, lesbian and gay activists (bisexual and transgender people were not yet part of our coalition) who were dissatisfied with President Jimmy Carter’s record backed the insurgent candidacy of United States Senator Ted Kennedy. We didn’t keep Carter from being nominated (and losing to Ronald Reagan), but we elected openly lesbian and gay delegates to the Democratic National Convention where they spoke out on our issues. And to this day, many of us vote our hearts’ desire when it comes to primary elections. For example, I voted for Vermont Governor Howard Dean in the 2004 Florida primary, though Dean had already withdrawn from the race, because I felt that Dean was more in synch with what I believed in than the winner, Senator John Kerry. On the other hand, when November comes around, my mind always prevails and I vote for the Democrat, if only because the alternative is so much worse. This brings me to this year’s gubernatorial race, where once again LGBT Democrats have to choose between the mind and the heart. All of us agree that Gov. Rick Scott is a

disaster for many reasons and must be voted out of office by any means possible. However, we disagree as to who should carry the Democratic banner when it comes to the general election in November. Should we support Nan Rich, the former minority leader of the Florida Senate and a staunch progressive? Or should we support Charlie Crist, the former Republican governor who switched parties after committing what the GOP considers to be the most unforgivable sin (he embraced President Obama, both literally and figuratively). Many of our community’s best and brightest, including people who I admire and respect, made their choices clear when they attended a benefit for Crist at the home of Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner Dean Trantalis. On the other hand, staunch activists like Michael Emanuel Rajner and Wilton Manors Vice Mayor Julie Carson continue to back Rich, pointing to her support for LGBT rights back when most politicians, Crist included, were against us. There is much truth in both sides. On the one hand, Rich has been our friend and ally for many years, and has earned our support. Furthermore, her views are more in synch with my own, not only on LGBT rights but on so many other issues. Crist is a political opportunist who changed his mind when it was convenient to do so. How can we be sure that Crist will not change his mind again once he regains the governorship? On the other hand, Rich has a minimal chance of being elected governor in a state as conservative as Florida. Both Rich and Crist face a formidable opponent in Scott, who will try to use his vast fortune and a united GOP apparatus to destroy whoever runs against him. On the other hand, the Democrats, as we tend to do, are still divided. Here as in previous elections, the mind and the heart will come together to devise a solution that will compromise our deep-seated beliefs with the realities of electoral politics. Whatever we decide, the most important thing is to make sure that Scott is a one-term governor. The answer to my dilemma, at least in terms of the primary election, is simple: I’ll support and vote for the more progressive candidate — Rich. But once the primary’s over, I’ll work for my party’s candidate and do what I can to make sure that she or he becomes the next governor of Florida.

No cheesy taglines, just results.

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opinion publisher’s editorial

Pride South Florida’s Marc Hansen Still Must Go

I encourage our readers to contact PSF with your thoughts. Below are the board members and their email addresses:

Norm Kent

norm.kent@sfgn.com

Mark Hansen has no business being the director of Pride South Florida anymore, and almost everyone working there with him and around him knows it. He has compromised their efficacy and diminished their organization. In the last two weeks, facing public challenges from board members for transparent irregularities, Hansen voluntarily suspended his tenure on the board by taking a self imposed leave of absence, purportedly in order to deal with recurring health issues. Good for him, for at least temporarily recognizing the board is bigger than any one person. Unfortunately, there is more to the story. Faced with disciplinary action from his own board for violating their own rules, regulations, and guidelines for ill-conceived acts of misbehavior, Hansen then even prudently went a step further. He told everyone to call off their inquisition, since he was formally resigning from the organization. Hansen then publicly announced his decision to the community and the board in a series of emails. SFGN last week published a detailed news story on this year’s latest PSF meltdown, complete with the email exchanges from board member Christopher Bailey exposing the organization’s internal feuds, fury, and frustrations. Welcome to the world of non-profits, where it sometimes seems for board members that no good deed goes unpunished. The Pride South Florida implosion came at an awkward time for the board as they are currently in negotiations with the Wilton Manors city commission to run the annual Stonewall Parade. No city official worth their salt can conceivably jeopardize their credibility by allowing tax dollars to be used for an event run by a non profit in the midst of an open and public internal dispute threatening its own existence. We have gone that path too often before, with other pride groups, and the end result has always been nasty. First responders have been compromised and vendors have not been paid. Accountings have been suspect. The city simply can’t do business with a group that can’t do business with itself. The city would be inviting its own censure and compromising their own stature. But here we go again. Somehow, Mark Hansen has now ‘changed his mind’ and rescinded his resignation. Under the mixed up mess that is apparently the rules of Pride South Florida’s board, he says he can. Who knows? Who cares? Either way, this is no way to run a publicly funded non profit subject to IRS scrutiny and review, doing business with a city commission, and dependent on our community’s support. Stepping aside was and still is the proper thing for Hansen to do. Remember, this is the same organization who last year refused and still won’t turn over to the press correspondence from the IRS indicating their not for profit tax status is in jeopardy. It still is and always will be with crap like this going on. Too many honorable board members faithfully discharging their duties just don’t need this kind of public humiliation. They work too hard. We understand. You don’t volunteer expecting rewards, but you don’t need embarrassment wrongfully heaped on you either. But if Hansen won’t act, the responsibility does fall to the rest of the board to remove him. If they don’t, they should be held just as culpable as Hansen himself. As SFGN goes to press on a Tuesday night, Hansen is again issuing edicts and directives as the chair, warning board members to be careful about what they say because “the wrong people might get ahold of it.” Yes, like us, the free press. Meanwhile, one of Hansen’s challengers, Christopher Bailey, told SFGN that he planned on resigning. We understand that too. Who needs the grief? This is not why you join a board. But then who is left to speak up if the righteous people depart? Hansen, please allow yourself the space and time to heal and deal with the many challenging health issues you face. Let the rest of your board also heal without your tyrannical temper tantrums and inconsistent, perennially compromised leadership. Do what’s right and permanently step aside, once and for all. The South Florida LGBT community can do without the leader of one of the most prominent non-profits in anger management classes one day and emergency rooms the next. Hansen, if you had taken our advice and resigned last year, we would not be here visiting this issue again. You have done some good things along the way. Now give others a chance. The earth will remain on its axis without you spinning the wheels of PSF, which you are singularly causing to fall off.

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Rocky Bowell Corrie Boyd Christopher Bailey Shawn Manning Sonia Aguero Bryan Wilson John Fugate Jeff Sterling Miss Vicki Ellsworth Bonia Bonnie Majcher Melani Yerpe John Tupper George Medeiros

— Rocky@pridesouthflorida.org — Cboyd1017@aol.com — PSFchristopher@gmail.com — Shawnpridesouthflorida@gmail.com — Sonia.Aguero@live.com — Bwilson@sunserve.org — John.Fugate@sfgn.com — Jeff@sterlingaccounting.com — Msvicky26@att.net — Esbonia11@gmail.com — Bbmpride@gmail.com — Evenchances2@hotmail.com — Lauderdaletigger@gmail.com — George@sterlinghopper.com

column chamber chat

Equality Means Business Equality Florida and the Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce

At this historic moment in the LGBT civil rights movement, Florida is on the front line of Southern states in achieving LGBT equality, and the business community is helping to lead the way. Florida has passed more than 125 local ordinances banning discrimination and recognizing our families, yet we remain one of 29 states in which it is still legal under state law to discriminate against job applicants and employees because of their sexual orientation. In 33 states, including Florida, it is still legal to discriminate based on gender identity. Corporations have long understood that pro-equality policies are good for business, and the numbers are irrefutable. The more successful a business is in the United States, the more likely it is to embrace equality. “Openness to diversity is a driving factor in decisions about where people choose to live and where corporations choose to relocate or expand their operations,” said Stratton Pollitzer, Deputy Director of Equality Florida. “Business leaders today are not only taking a closer look at their internal policies, they also are looking at the quality

of life in the communities in which their increasingly diverse workforce must live.” This is why a growing coalition of 15 of Florida’s largest employers is now actively pushing state lawmakers to ban anti-LGBT discrimination statewide, including Florida Blue, Wells Fargo, Winn Dixie Stores, Disney, CSX and others. According to a recent survey conducted by the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute, more than 70 percent of Americans strongly support laws that would protect gay and lesbian people in the workplace. In spite of the fact that there is no federal protection, 75 percent mistakenly believe that it is already illegal to fire or refuse to hire someone because of their sexual orientation. With an international reputation as an LGBT-friendly destination, as well as being the “Gateway to Latin America,” South Florida must lead the way in advocating for inclusiveness in the corporate culture. Equality Florida formed Equality Means Business (www.EqualityMeansBusiness. org) in 2010 to spotlight and support major employers in Florida that have adopted

comprehensive non-discrimination policies and have demonstrated their commitment to valuing, and proactively including, all employees. The organization’s goal is to improve Florida’s national and international reputation as a welcoming and inclusive place to live, work and visit. On Tuesday, May 13th join the Miami Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (MDGLCC) and Equality Florida for an “Equality Means Business

Roundtable” luncheon at Jungle Island. The panel will feature a groundbreaking dialogue about how practices that foster inclusion and diversity in the workplace can transform and strengthen our economy. For further information, please email stratton@eqfl.org, or call 954-682-6094. For any inquiries or interest in joining the MDGLCC, please visit GayBizMiami.com or reach us at info@gaybizmiami.com or 305-673-4440.

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column chamber chat

GFLGLCC Announces ‘Intimate’ Luncheon Series Michael Vita

Director of Marketing & Membership Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce

The Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (GFLGLCC) announces the start of a monthly series of smaller networking luncheons held on the fourth Tuesday of every month. These ‘intimate’ luncheons will take place at Dapur Asian Tapas and Ultra Lounge, 1620 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, from 12 Noon to 1 p.m. These smaller, luncheons are in addition to the Quarterly Networking Luncheons and Executive Luncheons and will be limited to 25 attendees. Thus, allowing for a one-on-one networking experience. The luncheons will be open to GFLGLCC members and future members. $35.00 GFLGLCC members — $40 future members. The price includes a nonalcoholic beverage, tax and gratuity. For the first luncheon on April 22nd, we will “learn” from Anthony Timiaros of Our Fund. The topic will be “Defining your Legacy.” He will speak for approximately 15 minutes, leaving plenty of time for networking. The GFLGLCC is always looking for new speakers, so please let us know if you’d like to be included at a future luncheon. According to the dictionary, ‘Networking’ is a supportive system of sharing information and services among individuals and groups having a common interest. The GFLGLCC’s more “intimate” networking luncheons are more than just an opportunity to distribute business cards but, rather an opportunity to connect on a more personal level to create a relationship with other business owners for the purpose of enhancing each other’s respective businesses. Leading to the best use of valuable time. How do you make a lasting impression when networking? Some advise from Jason

daniel.pye

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SouthFloridaGayNews

Loeb, owner of Sudsies Dry Cleaning, and an expert on networking, “Get to know each other. Then it becomes a pleasure to work together.” Ask, ‘How can I help you grow your business?’ Because the more you are able to provide value to another person the more valuable the business relationship becomes. Dapur Asian Tapas and Ultra Lounge, is the creation of renowned designer, chef and restaurateur Edi Mulyanto, who conceived Fort Lauderdale’s most popular Asian and Thai restaurant. Enjoy Happy Hour – Everyday – from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Check out www.dapurkitchen.com for specials and events. The GFLGLCC “intimate” networking lunches are scheduled for the fourth Tuesday of each month. Please watch for the announcements on the GFLGLCC website (www.gogayfortlauderdale.com) and on all social media. For information on joining the GFLGLCC or to participate in the “Intimate” networkers please contact Keith Blackburn at keith@ gflglcc.org. or visit gogayfortlauderdale.com.

advertorial financial focus Financial ‘Spring Cleaning’ Can Brighten Your Investment Future Darcy Beeman The days are getting longer and warmer — a sure indication of the arrival of spring. Another sign of the season may be the urge you get to do some spring cleaning. But you might not have realized that some of the same spring-cleaning techniques that can be used on your home can also apply to your investments and your overall financial strategy. Here are a few ideas to consider: • Get rid of “clutter.” As you do your spring cleaning, you may well find some clutter — a bunch of items you no longer need. As an investor, you might look at your portfolio and also find “clutter” in the form of investments that are no longer appropriate for your objectives. For example, perhaps some of them are virtual duplicates of other investments you own, thereby diminishing your potential for diversification. Or maybe some investments are now too risky for your needs. In any case, you may be better off rebalancing your portfolio. • Get organized. As you clean your home, you might find ways to organize your belongings and furniture more efficiently. And you may also be able to organize your investments more effectively. One possibility: Consider consolidating your investment accounts with one provider. If you have an IRA here, another one there and some other investments scattered about, you may be paying more in fees and commissions than is necessary. By consolidating these investments, you might save money and paperwork — and more importantly, you may find it easier, with all your investments under one “roof,” to follow a single, unified investment strategy. • Seal “cracks.” Over time, the grout between your kitchen or bathroom tiles can crack, so you’ll need to re-grout to protect your flooring. And you may find that, in looking at your overall financial strategy, your “protection” component — primarily in the form of insurance — might have developed some “cracks” or “chips.” Specifically, has your life insurance kept up with changes in your family situation? Events such as marriage, remarriage or the arrival of a new child can all trigger the need to review your life insurance. And you’ll also want to make sure you have adequate

disability insurance. Consult with a financial professional for information on appropriate protection vehicles. • Do some “dusting.” As part of your spring cleaning, you may need to dust furniture, shelves and other surfaces in your home. And if you’ve been investing for a long time, you may need to metaphorically “dust off” your financial strategy to “freshen it up” to reflect changes in your life. To cite one possibility, as you get close to retirement, you may need to shift some — but certainly not all — of your growth-oriented investments into income-producing ones. But you may also need to review and revise your financial strategy at other points in your life, such as when you begin saving for your children’s college education.

Just as spring cleaning can bring more light into your home, sprucing up your investment picture can help you brighten your financial outlook. And these improvements can help you in all the seasons of your life. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. •

Darcy J. Beeman, CFP®, AAMS® Financial Advisor Edward Jones

954-463-1933

717 SE 2

Street – Suite 204, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 soflagaynews //

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cover feature

Fred Phelps Is Dead

Now who will claim the title of “Most Homophophobic Man in America”? Jason Parsley Last month brought the death of the leader of the Westboro Baptist Church Fred Phelps, who infamously coined the phrase ‘God Hates Fags’ and was considered by many to be ‘the most homophobic man in America.’ But that doesn’t mean there’s not someone eagerly waiting to take his place. And his predecessor may be even more of a problem than he was. Meet Scott Lively. “He is certainly a contender for the title that Fred Phelps once famously held,” said Mark Potok, a senior fellow at the Southern Poverty Law Center. “He is a ranting, screaming homophobe, and has been for many years. He engages in all of the worst lies about gay people.” But Lively certainly doesn’t look or sound like the man Potok describes. Slightly overweight and sporting a full, grey beard, he could be your gentle, kind, local pastor — or your best friend’s father. His demeanor and voice can almost be calming. He’s easy to listen to. And unlike Phelps who was prone to fits of anger and known for his overuse of the word fag, Lively is calm and collected — like a professor giving a lecture. But those lectures are filled with nothing more than anti-gay propaganda. “[Lively] is the author of the some of the most vile and completely false accusations against LGBT people in this country,” Potok said. “For anyone to say that gay men were responsible for the Holocaust is beyond ludicrous. He has no respect for facts, history or people.” Those claims Potok is referring to come from Lively’s book “The Pink Swastika” where he makes the claim gay men were to blame for the Holocaust. “While we cannot say that homosexuals caused the Holocaust, we must not ignore their central role in Nazism,” Lively writes in the book. “To the myth of the ‘pink triangle’ — the notion that all homosexuals in Nazi Germany were persecuted — we must respond with the reality of the ‘pink swastika.’” Lively lives in Springfield, Mass. and is the founder of Abiding Truth Ministries and Redemption Gate Mission Society. ATM’s poorly designed website is populated with links to right wing Christian news stories, anti-gay books and other anti-gay propaganda. One such book featured is Lively’s manual “Seven Steps To Recruit-Proof

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Your Child” which, according to its description, is “A concise, practical guidebook for parents who wish to protect their children from pro-homosexual indoctrination and the possibility of recruitment into the homosexual lifestyle.” While Lively’s claims are outrageous and few in America take him seriously it’s his globetrotting adventures that worry gay rights activists. In the past few years he’s traveled to Africa and Eastern Europe spreading his falsehoods and hate in countries where gay rights movements are in their infancy. “Scott Lively is a fascist who has dedicated his life to destroying the lives of LGBT people across the world,” said Wayne Besen, executive director of Truth Wins Out. “While he has been largely discredited in the United States and is regarded as a pathological individual, his propaganda resonates overseas in countries with uneducated people who take his lies as the gospel.” He traveled to the African nation of Uganda in 2009 to attend an anti-gay conference where he presented his views on homosexuality. Some believe that presentation played a key role in the country’s now infamous ‘kill the gays’ bill. “Now he’s running around the world spreading his poison in any country that will allow him,” Potok said. “He’s trying to get gay sex outlawed and doesn’t mind if the death penalty is included in those laws.” And that’s what Besen says makes him far more dangerous than Phelps ever was. “Because of his international reach he must be taken seriously and his loony ideas can’t be easily dismissed. It is my view that Lively should be in prison for promoting ‘eliminationism’ and inciting crimes against humanity,” Besen said. “He is far more diabolical and dangerous than Fred Phelps.” It was easy to see why Phelps was universally condemned and despised and arguably the most homophobic man soflagaynews //

in America. His funeral protests shocked even conservatives and other traditional anti-gay folks. But it wasn’t until he and his church protested the funeral of Matthew Shepard that he became a household name. Ironically to get his point across he used drama, flamboyancy and shock value. In

the end though most commentators agree that Phelps actually helped the gay rights movement by forcing people to speak out against such outrageous behavior and condemn the ‘God Hates Fags’ campaign. It spurred several counter movements such as “Angel Action” in which groups of people dress as angels with giant wings that shield families from protests, and ‘God Loves Poetry,’ an art installation that featured press releases from the church with most of the text blacked out, leaving affirming poems and messages. In many ways Phelps brought the LGBT community together, while also forcing the straight community to pay attention to his antics and in turn condemn them. When it came to public policy though Phelps was never a player. He preferred theatrics to get his point across. When his funeral protests lost their desired effect and people stopped paying attention, he switched tactics by protesting the funerals of American soldiers. But like most of Phelps’ stunts it had the opposite effect with even the staunchest conservatives coming out against his church’s tactics.

SouthFloridaGayNews

As for Lively, since at least 2007, he’s been working behind the scenes to spur the anti-gay forces overseas, not with pickets and protests, but with policy, including Uganda’s ‘kill the gays’ bill. That bill originally included the death penalty, but after international pressure, a new bill was drafted that dropped the maximum penalty to life in prison and was signed into law this past February. In 2007 Lively launched the anti-LGBT group, Watchmen on the Walls, which was the beginning of his overseas antigay outreach. Lively promoted his ‘Watchmen’ group as an international network of Christian activists dedicated to fighting the “homosexual agenda.” He traveled to the capital of Latvia where at a church, railed against the LGBT rights movement, calling it “the most dangerous political movement in the world.” In 2011 he traveled to the Eastern European country of Moldova to oppose a human rights bill saying in a statement, “What I know now, and have taught the Moldovans, is that the anti-discrimination law is the seed that contains the entire tree of the homosexual agenda, with all of its poisonous fruit.” He’s also traveled to and spoken at venues in Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Belarus and Ukraine. “What he and his organizations leave in their wake are vulnerable LGBT communities abroad under greater threat of violence and state sanctioned discrimination. Still the most chilling and heartbreaking result of this hate mongers work is the hope he takes away, not just the hope of LGBT youth and LGBT adults, but the hope of the broader communities to value their diversity,” said Stuart Milk, founder of the Harvey Milk Foundation. “I have witnessed first hand, on the ground, the devastating aftermath of the Scott Lively’s orchestrated hate campaigns that he has held at college and state functions in Latvia, Poland, Lithuania, and Estonia.” At least one organization though is standing up to Lively. Sexual Minorities Uganda, an umbrella organization

cover feature which represents the interests of its member organizations in advocating for the rights of LGBT people filed a U.S. lawsuit against Lively under the Alien Tort Statute, 28 U.S.C. §1350, which provides federal jurisdiction for “any civil action by an alien, for a tort only, committed in violation of the law of nations or a treaty of the United States.” The lawsuit accuses Lively of violating international law by inciting the persecution of gays in Uganda. The judge, so far, has denied a motion to dismiss the case. So is Scott Lively the most homophobic man in America now that Phelps is dead?

Well the answer to that may be subjective, but as Milk notes: “Make no mistake about it, Lively has blood on his hands, both the blood from the violence inflicted by the ultra-nationalist he emboldens to commit hate crimes and the blood of innocent youth who take their lives hearing that who they are or who they may be ‘is the heart of the apocalypse.’”

In His Own Words: Here’s what Scott Lively has said about the LGBT community in the past. His homophobic statements have been recorded at least since 1992. “Because no matter what, [homosexuality] is still abnormal, wrong, harmful and perverse.” – Eugene Register-Guard, Nov. 1, 1992 “There is no question that homosexuality figures prominently in the history of the Holocaust. … The first years of terrorism against the Jews were carried out by the homosexuals of the SA.” – “The Pink Swastika,” 1996 “It is not mere coincidence that the emperors of Rome in its horrific final days were homosexual; that Adolf Hitler’s inner circle were mostly homosexual; and that nearly all of the most prolific serial killers in U.S. history were homosexual. It is not mere coincidence that America’s cultural decline parallels the rise of ‘gay rights.’” – “Agents of the Death Agenda,” May 1996 edition of Life Advocate magazine, quoted in “Northwest Update,” Coalition for Human Dignity, June 1996. “Homosexuality is thus biologically (and to varying degrees morally) equivalent to pedophilia, sadomasochism, bestiality and many other forms of deviant behavior.” – “Deciphering ‘Gay’ Word-Speak and Language of Confusion,” May 2002 “Homosexuality is a personality disorder that involves various, often dangerous sexual addictions and aggressive, anti-social impulses.” – Letter to the Russian people, 2007 “The gay movement is an evil institution [whose] goal is to defeat the marriage-based society and replace it with a culture of sexual promiscuity in which there’s no restrictions on sexual conduct except the principle of mutual choice.” – Conference in Kampala, Uganda, March 2009 “We need to bring back public discussion of AIDS as a ‘gay’ disease, pederasty as [sic] major subculture of male homosexuality, mental health problems and domestic violence as major problems associated with lesbianism, the increasing recruitment of children into a homosexual identity through experimentation with ‘gay’ sex, etc. – all the truths we stopped telling because the other side screamed so loudly about them.” – WorldNetDaily, September 2012

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column

Keeping the Glass Half Full Chris Reina

Inmate #50095-004

Christopher Reina is serving a five-year sentence in federal prison. In his writing he shares how he is surviving prison life as a gay inmate. Chris is paying it forward by donating his compensation for this column to a charity close to his heart.

Entry 8 — April 16, 2014 If complaining were a marketable job skill, there would be no employment problems for ex-cons. These guys can bitch about any circumstance; the weather, the food (guilty!), the guards, other inmates, what’s on TV, commissary shortages and basically every Bureau of Prisons policy and procedure ever thought up. Some of this is no doubt an effect of becoming institutionalized, where any small change in the daily regimen can set people off, but a lot of their grievances are valid. And while I am making a conscious attempt to be less of a “Debbie Downer” these days, there are some things about this place that just stick in my crawl.

Take, for instance, our horror movie showers. While most of the other bathrooms on the compound have been remodeled in the past couple of years, our downstairs showers — the ones we *chomos must use — are vintage, dark, moldy 3x4 foot cinderblock boxes. Going inside one reminds me of playing that childhood game, Hot Lava. Touch the floor and you die! The same goes for the walls, which are forever covered in green blotches and an invisible layer of slime. The pipes and faucets come out of large, pitchblack holes that have been knocked open in the walls from previous repairs, where my little friend and bathing buddy, Pepe, the three-inch cockroach lives. With 250 men in the unit, the showers pretty much run all day long, and since ventilation is nonexistent, big fat drops of condensation rain down constantly from the ceiling. Some of the not too bright guys will use the floor squeegee to wipe them off, but that only serves to spread those drug

resistant prison cooties from the bottoms of our shower shoes to our heads, which is, you know, eew. Then there is the matter of our bunks being just a cruel 26 inches wide. Books, blankets, pencils, eyeglasses, (contraband) earplugs, food and other things that I have squirreled away on top of and underneath my (painfully thin) mattress are always falling on poor old Joe in the bunk below me. Attempting to turn over requires the care of parallel parking on Las Olas. But I suppose that living with petty deprivations of cleanliness and personal space are just part of the price of paying one’s debt to society. I know, I know, prison isn’t supposed to be a

spa retreat. More like its exact opposite. In an effort to keep this glass half full, I will share some very good news I found out this week. Despite being told on inmate.com (what we call the rumor mill here) that sex offenders don’t qualify. It turns out that I will indeed be eligible for time off my sentence (up to a year!) for completing the nine month drug treatment program. I’ll need to be transferred to another facility, but it’s not like I’m gonna miss this place. Besides, Pepe says he’s always wanted to travel. *Inmates in prison for child molestation or child porn are referred to as chomos by the other inmates.

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column bil of rights

What ‘Religious Exemption’ Really Means The unintended consequences of these bills are far reaching Bil Browning One of the most disturbing aspects of the current fervor for religious exemption laws is how quickly many supposedly progressive backers are either downplaying the laws as unimportant or even supporting passage. They dress themselves up with libertarian wrappings to hide that their excuses and justifications are nothing more than moral bankruptcy. Douglas Laycock, a University of Virginia professor and a leading lawyer for the rightwing Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, was recently profiled on Huffington Post, and is a prime example of this type of illogical apologia. Supposedly a supporter of marriage equality and LGBT civil rights, he also spearheaded an open letter to Arizona Governor Jan Brewer on behalf of the Alliance Defending Freedom, arguing in favor of passage of the state’s embarrassing SB-1062 legislation intended to allow businesses the right to refuse service to LGBT people under the guise of “religious liberties.” Laycock is not only promoting farreaching and dangerous rationalizations for discriminating against LGBT people, but also for the rights of women to control their own healthcare decisions. The Becket Fund is a high profile supporter of the current Hobby Lobby Supreme Court case arguing that the fabric and sewing supplies retailer should be able to cherry pick services included as part of company-provided health insurance. The owners of the company don’t want to provide coverage for any contraceptive devices and are claiming that their religious beliefs about sex trump the rights of the employee to have equal access to a baseline standard of care. These libertarian ideas and their supporters are being touted by noted anti-gay leaders like Maggie Gallagher, former head of the National Organization for Marriage. In an interview with Huffington Post, she specifically acknowledges the letter to Governor Brewer — and calls out Laycock by name — as her reason for supporting SB1062. NOM has touted Laycock’s work in the past, praising him in 2009 for a letter he wrote to the Connecticut legislature urging them to pass same-sex marriage equality legislation, but encouraging them also to include a religious freedom clause as a political tactic to pacify the religious right. “It is in the interest of the gay and lesbian community to create religious martyrs in the enforcement of this bill,” Laycock wrote. “To impose legal penalties or civil liabilities on a wedding planner who refuses to do a samesex wedding, or on a religious counseling

agency that refuses to provide marriage counseling to same-sex couples, will simply ensure that conservative religious opinion on this issue can repeatedly be aroused to fever pitch. Every such case will be in the news repeatedly, and every such story will further inflame the opponents of same-sex marriage. Refusing exemptions to such religious dissenters will politically empower the most demagogic opponents of same-sex marriage. It will ensure that the issue remains alive, bitter, and deeply divisive.” In a press release issued after the Connecticut legislature provided an exemption, Gallagher also hewed the line that by giving the religious right the ability to reject civil law, civil rights advocates and antigay zealots could come together in harmony. “We are just grateful that the Connecticut legislators acknowledged and addressed the serious potential implications of same-sex marriage for traditional faith communities,” she wrote. “We hope this decision represents

a change of heart among gay marriage advocates and a new willingness to accept broad conscience protections.” Laycock isn’t alone, of course, in his misguided attempt to straddle the fence between civil rights and religious liberties. Around the nation, politicians and advocates are wrestling with the issue. But while these struggles are localized, they all have national implications. In Indianapolis, two former city councilors wrote an op-ed for the Indianapolis Star condemning the city for investigating a local bakery who refused to make cupcakes for an LGBT youth group. The two were the lead sponsors for the human rights ordinance that held that LGBT people couldn’t be discriminated against in public accommodations, but claimed that instances like that weren’t what they had in mind when they sponsored it. “In our view, it would be wrong to force a business to support a political project with

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which its owners do not agree,” they wrote. “While a Jewish printer might be compelled by the law to offer her services to somebody who claims to be an Aryan, we do not expect that the ordinance would compel her to print banners promoting a march by the Aryan Nations.” Ignoring the offensive comparison between white supremacists and LGBT people, the underlying premise is fundamentally flawed. The bakers were discriminating solely because the purchasers were gay and lesbian — a protected class under the city’s nondiscrimination laws. Aryan Nation members are not a protected class and the hypothetical printer wouldn’t be discriminating against them based off their skin color or religious beliefs. What both arguments have in common is that if their interpretations of religious liberty exemptions is allowed to spread unchecked, they will allow blatant discrimination to flourish. Using Laycock’s logic, if the Aryan Nation members claimed to be a church and that white supremacy was part of their organized religion (and several churches have historically used passages of the Bible to justify slavery and racial discrimination), their members should be able to legally discriminate against anyone. Not only would the church itself be able to discriminate, but their members could also have the right to refuse service to non-white customers, patients or clients. Should Baptist doctors have the right to refuse to treat gay patients? Can a member of a church organized around white supremacy refuse to bake a wedding cake for an interracial couple? Should a consortium of evangelical churches running a charter school staffed by secular faculty have the ability to fire a science teacher for marrying her same-sex partner? According to this twisted use of religious freedom laws, all three scenarios should be allowable. As the current Hobby Lobby case awaits a decision by the Supreme Court, it is crucial that LGBT advocates pay attention to both the major players and the outcome. Its fate is intertwined with the fight for LGBT civil rights. If corporations have religious rights and laypersons can claim any religious belief to justify their own prejudices or beliefs, the fight for full equality has become 10 thousand times more difficult. After all, we can already see the same players lining up to provide cover for intolerance, prejudice and discrimination.

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advertorial

Poverello Addresses HIV-Related Challenges Living with HIV creates enormous challenges. At Poverello we witness people facing HIVrelated challenges on a daily basis. For example, having HIV may put those living with the virus at greater risk for heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. This is due to the damaging nature of the virus and the side effects of some HIV medications. Eating a healthy diet can help protect people living with HIV/AIDS, (PLWHA) from developing some of these conditions. Nutritional counseling, through a qualified HIV nutritionist, can help reduce the possibility of getting some of these conditions and works as a valuable tool for PLWHA. Nutritional counseling could be considered a complementary and alternative medical practice, often referred to as CAM. Poverello offers a wide range of CAM services at our Live Well Center, previously called the Friends Fitness Center. Nutritional counseling, massage, acupuncture, chiropractic care, healing touch (we offer a Reiki support group) and smoking cessation services, along with a full gym, are all offered at Poverello’s Live Well Center. This is not just a theory but a scientific fact. Published literature states that physical exercise has positive effects for PLWHA. To that end, weight lifting classes are offered at The Live Well Center. It has been scientifically documented that regular physical activity results in less cardio-vascular and musculoskeletal problems. Studies also indicate that HIV progression is slowed and that patients enjoy a better quality of life. “Poverello will always be a nutrition based AIDS service organization, however we also realize the importance of complimentary therapies and the benefits from these modalities. We will continue to grow the Live Well Center bringing new programs and education to the community”, said Butch Thompson, Education Director. It’s important to note that, while you do not have to be a client of the Poverello Food Pantry to access the Live Well Center, we invite the HIV-positive community to take advantage of the Center’s services. To learn more please call 954.563.1299 or visit Poverello’s Live Well Center at 2200 NE 12th Ave. Wilton Manors, FL 33305. •

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lifestyle review

‘Body Counts: A Memoir of Politics, Sex, AIDS, and Survival,’ by Sean Strub Sean McShee

Long time HIV survivor Sean Strub has played a central role in the movement for self-empowerment of the HIV infected. Recently, he has focused on issues of HIV criminalization. He founded and published POZ, a magazine about living well with HIV. An active member of AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP), he has also raised funds for numerous HIV/ LGBT causes. He recently published “Body Counts: A Memoir of Politics, Sex, AIDS, and Survival.” For those of us who lived through the worst of the epidemic, we can now look back on the worst collective “morning after” in our lives, its messy clean up and reflect on what happened. For younger people, this book provides an accessible, quick read about living through an important time in our history. The memoir format emphasizes lived experience rather than reporting objective facts. Strub also describes two seldom mentioned aspects of the epidemic: the fear of asking about someone you hadn’t seen in a while and the emotional problems of updating your address book when so many in it have died. The epidemic not only involved death, pain and suffering, but also the community’s adaptation to it and resistance to the right wing’s attempt to use it to further their agenda. One cannot understand that adaptation and resistance without understanding its development. Strub emphasizes the “Denver principles,” a foundational document for the selfempowerment of the HIV positive community. Eleven gay men with AIDS wrote these principles. They rejected the label of “victim” and asserted the rights of the HIV positive to live full, satisfying sexual and emotional lives, free of scapegoating and pity. A direct line exists from this early statement to today’s resistance to HIV criminalization. Strub defines HIV criminalization as “… the inappropriate use of one’s HIV status in criminal prosecutions, most notably through criminal statutes that apply only to people with HIV.” Consistent with the “Denver Principles,” Strub founded POZ. While centered on living well with HIV, POZ did not shy away from HIV prevention, and its failures. Strub also discusses POZ’s coverage of barebacking at length. In 1999, POZ published two articles, one by each member of a mixed status couple, who “should have known better” but still managed to transmit the virus. Each explained what happened from his perspective. I remember reading POZ at the time and being blown

away. Finally, someone explained how “it” happened, rather than retreating into safe platitudes, or ego inflating moralistic condemnation. Arguably the most under-utilized resource in HIV prevention, these two articles should be read by everyone working in HIV testing and prevention, or at risk for HIV infection. In a community whose central value lies in the act of “coming out” in public rather than hiding in shame, honest and open discussions of HIV transmission should inform HIV prevention messages. One minor problem with the book concerns Strub’s writing style. He seems to have known everyone worth knowing, with the exception of porn stars. While most writers refer to people by their full or last names, he frequently refers to people by just their first names. This provides an informal tone but can be confusing at times. Strub has a long career with many achievements. This book tells his story and, somehow, he manages to tell it without bitterness, bitchy comments or “settling scores,” another major achievement. To read the “Denver Principles,“ please visit http://www.actupny.org/documents/Denver. html. To read the POZ articles about how two guys who should have known better managed to transmit the virus please visit http://www. poz.com/articles/220_12073.shtml.

“IF DOROTHY HADN'T MADE IT BACK TO KANSAS; WOULD SHE HAVE BEEN PREPARED? AND WHAT WOULD SHE HAVE DONE WITH TOTO?” WHY PRE-PLAN?

WHY DIGNITY?

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lifestyle people

PrideFest of the Palm Beaches in Lake Worth March 29-30, 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ Photos by Jason Parsley

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SouthFloridaGayNews

lifestyle gay history This Week in Gay History April 16 – April 22 Quistapp.com

edro Díaz and Muño Vandilaz

April 16,1061 — First Recorded Same-Sex Wedding

April 20, 1966 — Mattachine Society Members Stage “Sip-In”

Pedro Díaz and Muño Vandilaz are married by a priest at a small chapel in Rairiz de Veiga, Dick Leitsch, President of the New Galicia, Spain. The records of the wedding York Mattachine Society, and two other were found at the Monastery of San Salvador members hold the Sip-in at Julius bar in de Celanova. Greenwich Village. This led to court actions that overturned the New York State Liquor April 17, 2013 — Marriage Authority’s provisions declaring it illegal for homosexuals to congregate and be served Equality Passed in N.Z. The New Zealand Parliament votes 77-44 to alcoholic beverages in bars. approve a law legalizing same-sex marriage, April 21, 1999 — First making it the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to do so. Openly Gay Person Elected to

April 18, 1965 — ECHO Picketed the UN

Czech Senate

Vaclav Fischer, an independent businessman, is elected to the Czech Senate. Twenty-nine demonstrators from the He serves until 2002. East Coast Homophile Organization (ECHO) picket the United Nations in New York City. April 22, 1969 — Frank

April 19, 1967 — First Student Gay Group Formed

Bartley Shot by Police

Frank Bartley is shot and killed by police in Berkeley, California on this day, and the The Student Homophile League is granted shooting is declared accidental. After this, its charter at Columbia University. It is still “gay rights groups began to stand and take active today as the Columbia Queer Alliance. notice of the number of shootings of gay men that were declared ‘accidental.’” All of the information above has been reprinted with permission from Quist, an LGBT mobile history app that can be found on iOS and Android devices. Visit QuistApp.com for more information. The app was created by Sarah Prager and launched in July of 2013. soflagaynews //

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lifestyle books

“Teaching the Cat to Sit: A Memoir” by Michelle Theall Terri Schlichenmeyer

Sometimes, you feel so adrift. Unmoored, unanchored, you feel as though you ride each wave alone, emotions and events washing over you until you can’t weather the storm any longer and you need an anchor. That’s when you reach for your family or your God. But what if both were denied to you? In “Teaching the Cat to Sit,” Michelle Theall shares her story of standing up instead of standing still. Al Theall and his wife were sure their second child, born in 1966, would be a boy but – “surprise!” – they got another daughter. Later, they were even more astounded that their second girl was so different from the first one: unlike her older, popular, outgoing sister, Michelle grew to be athletic, bullheaded and introverted; aside from the cat, her only friend was a neighbor girl whose parents had scandalously been divorced. Divorce, of course, was against the teachings of the Catholic Church, the religion

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that Theall’s mother devoutly followed. She was reluctant to even let her daughter play at the Crandall’s house, but reasoned that Theall needed one friend. That bond ended abruptly when the girl’s father molested Theall. In high school, Theall had an Evangelical Christian friend, but the girl’s mother thought Theall was a lesbian, and put an end to the relationship. That hurt, because Theall herself didn’t yet realize her sexuality. After a sweet and almost accidental love affair with another woman while at college, Theall examined her sexual preferences and felt deeply ashamed. Catholicism taught that being gay was a sin against God. Her parents would not accept her as a lesbian. She tried to be heterosexual, but that wasn’t who she was — so, upon graduation from Texas Tech, she moved to Colorado where she chose long term celibacy and started rebuilding a relationship with her parents. Then, after a surprising (and awkward)

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introduction, Theall fell in love. When she and Jill started their family, she fell in love again with a baby who’d had a rough start in life. They’d hoped to raise their child in Theall’s Catholic faith. And the Church said “no…..” Though it made me very sad, and though I spent a lot of time with my mouth open in astonishment, I just couldn’t stop reading “Teaching the Cat to Sit.” That might be because author Michelle Theall is a first rate storyteller, and she really knows how to keep a reader wanting more. Half of this book is about her battle with Catholicism and with the church for recognition of her partner and their son and, eventually, their search for an acceptable (and accepting) religion. That’s fascinating, but there’s more: the other half is the memoir of her tumultuous relationship with her parents and her journey to understanding, both of them and of herself. Overall, I think I liked this book because

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of its deliberateness and its ultimately empowering message of truth to self. For that, and for the great biography it is, “Teaching the Cat to Sit” is a must read — especially if you’re in the same boat.

lifestyle gay car geek

60 Second Car Reviews

2015 Chrysler 200

Steve Siler I’m a sucker for a pretty face. And with its clean grille and Audi A5-like LED running lights, the all-new 2015 Chrysler 200’s face definitely qualifies as pretty. The 200 has a good body and great ass, too, if I may go there. But it’s more than beautiful on the outside, it’s spacious and stylish on the inside, too, especially in high-zoot “200C” form, which contains topstitched leather and artfully bent wood veneers evocative of the famous lounge chair designed by Charles Eames in the 1940s. Among my favorite features are a gorgeous floating instrument cluster with backlighting — I’m all about good lighting — a clever center console with sliding cup-holders, and the availability of 3G Wi-Fi connectivity. Alas, there’s a lot we will forgive on account of good looks, but with this car, you won’t have to forgive much. If there’s

anything on its list of demerits, the 200 is quite heavy, and has rather dull road manners, even in the ostensibly sportier “200S” model. The fuel economy numbers are respectable with up to 36-mpg highway for the four cylinder, 32-mpg highway for V6 models, and 29-mpg for allwheel-drive V6 models. Prices range from around $25,000 to about $39,000 fully loaded, which is on the premium side for midsized sedans, but not unreasonable for what you get.

Base Price (including destination): $22,695 Power: 2.4-liter four cylinder (184 hp, 173 lb-ft of torque); 3.6-liter V6 (295 hp, 262 lb-ft of torque) Tranny: 9-speed automatic with manual shift mode Fuel Economy, city/hwy: 23/36 mpg (4-cyl); 19/32 (V-6)

2015 Chrysler 200

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Or you could buy: Honda Accord Ford Fusion Mazda 6

Steve Siler is a regular contributor to Car and Driver Magazine, Edmunds.com, AutoTrader.com, AOL Autos and Yahoo! Autos, and also pioneered automotive writing for the LGBT community more than a decade ago.

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F O R

SFGNITES

T H E

J.W. Arnold

jw@prdconline.com

THUR MUSIC

W E E K

O F

A P R I L

1 6

A P R I L

2 2 ,

2 0 1 4

W W W . S F G N . C O M

4/17

Power up at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach for an immersive concert featuring music from the most popular video games of all time. “Video Games Live” combines the power and emotion of a symphony orchestra mixed with the excitement of a rock concert and the technology and interactivity of a video game, all completely synchronized to cutting-edge visuals, lighting and special effects. Segments include Zelda, Warcraft, Mario, Halo, Final Fantasy and more! Tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $20 at Kravis.org.

FRI

THEATER

4/18

“The Trouble with Doug,” a contemporary reimagining of Kafka’s “Metamorphosis” from Will Aronson and Daniel Mate opens tonight at Delray Beach’s trendy Arts Garage. This hilarious and moving new musical stars actor Clay Cartland as a healthy young man who transforms inexplicably into a giant talking slug. Thrust together awkwardly under the same roof, Doug, his family, and his fiancée all struggle to understand and respond to this strangest of crises. Wednesday through Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.

SAT ART

new exhibit, “The Male Nude: The Photography of Greg Lindeblom and Gordon Nebeker” opens Saturday and runs through Friday, April 25 at Broward Art Guild, 3280 NE 32nd St. in Fort Lauderdale.

Photo: Gordon Nebeker

4/19 SUN

A new exhibit, “The Male Nude: The Photography of Greg Lindeblom and Gordon Nebeker” opens tonight and runs through Friday, April 25 at Broward Art Guild, 3280 NE 32nd St. in Fort Lauderdale. Head over to the emerging North Beach Art and Design District this weekend to check out the beautiful images from these talented, sensitive photographers and their passions for the male form. There will also be an artists’ reception on Sunday, April 20 beginning at 6:30 p.m. For more information, go to BrowardArtGuild.org.

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NIGHTLIFE

4/20 MON

Are you feeling crafty? Get out those hot glue guns, guys, and throw together the most fabulous Easter bonnet ever imagined. That’s right, today’s the day to don your holiday finest, a la Judy Garland, and go on an impromptu parade along Wilton Drive. Start with gospel brunch—it’s better than church— with the ladies of Lips and then head down to the Retro T-Dance with DJ Galaxy at Village Pub, with stops at Rumors, The Drive, Sidelines, Tropics, Hunters and all the popular local watering holes.

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TELEVISION

4/21 TUE

Easter is the last hoorah of season before Memorial Day and if you were good boys, you deserve a day to rest and recuperate. Make sure to set your DVR—or if you’re lucky, you’ve got video on demand — and catch up on the inaugural episodes of the final season of AMC’s critically acclaimed hit, “Mad Men,” or better yet, check out all the hot boys on the CW spring line-up. Our favorites are “Star-Crossed,” “The 100” and “The Tomorrow People,” but Stephen Amell’s “Arrow” is also a sure bet.

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MUSIC

4/22

New York City native Lenora Jaye is the latest diva to join the roster at the Manchester Room at the Alibi in the Shoppes of Wilton Manors. The singer got her start on the stages at such venerable Manhattan venues as B.B. King’s, House of Blues, The Blue Note, CBGB’s, and Ashford & Simpson’s Sugar Bar. Catch her tonight at 8, 9 and 10 p.m. as she belts out everything from gospel, jazz and R&B to your favorite Broadway show tunes. Don’t miss her hot performances. For more information, go to AlibiWiltonManors.com.

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outeats

Special Advertising Section

The Mexican Mission

Finding the perfect Mexican restaurant is tough! Dave Griffiths Once again, my friends and I are on the hunt for the perfect dining experience; this time, we’re hunting for Mexican food. Since we live in South Florida, you’d think that the Latin flavors would be on just about every street corner, however, what we found out was that it’s harder to find dynamite Mexican restaurants than you’d think. We also found out that the best Mexican restaurants are not those that are wonderfully decorated with great ambiance. The ones we have chosen here today are very basic and very down-to-earth. So pull one of those dusty sombreros off the wall and check out what we found:

La Bamba III

This is by far, my favorite Mexican restaurant in Fort Lauderdale. It’s not necessarily about the food, but the social interaction there is great! Mondays are “Gay” night at La Bamba and you can see all your old friends and make new ones! You might have to wait up to half an hour for your table on a Monday night, but that’s alright… enjoy a pitcher of their famous strawberry frozen margaritas while you wait and socialize! My favorite meal at La Bamba is their “bistec a la tampiquena,” which is a flattened skirt steak, served with an enchilada and sides of rice and beans, slathered in cheese and salsa, with a scoop of sour cream and guacamole. I like to go HUNGRY, so that I may eat the entire plate! www.labamba123.com

Jalisco

Another place that may seem skeptical at first when you drive by is Jalisco on Federal Highway. As with many Mexican restaurants, their fresh salsa and chips is always a good way to start off your meal. Now, you might think we are crazy for picking this place as one of our top Mexican dining experiences, but in reality, the food here is more authentic than the chains (Taco Bell, Chipotle, Lime, Whole Enchilada) and the prices are more reasonable too. Plus, if you’re lucky, they might even have their Mariachi singer there to play traditional music for you to enjoy. https://www.facebook.com/ pages/Jalisco-Retaurante/100860013292824

Tipico Café

Our third pick, which was a good choice, however not our favorite, is the Tipico Café at the Gateway Shopping Center. A coworker of mine has suggested it, as he “goes there twice a month,” he proudly exclaimed. Again, the atmosphere is nothing to look at. Hanging on their walls are their accolades from the New Times Best Of issues from 1994 where they had been picked as the top Mexican restaurant, however, our experience was not that good. I had read online that their chicken soup was fabulous so I tried it… Hoping for some kind of traditional Mexican chicken soup, I was disappointed that it was plain old chicken noodle. I ordered the chicken chimichanga and my friends both ordered the enchiladas and the sizzling steak fajitas. The fajitas looked great! However, both the enchiladas and the chimichangas didn’t impress us. At least they were served warm. https://www.facebook.com/TipicoCafe So if you’re looking for the perfect Mexican restaurant, while these are very good, we haven’t found it yet. However, if you have any suggestions or comments of your own, please comment at www.sfgn.com or send them to us, as we are always on the hunt for a great dining experience.

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SERVING DELICIOUS COOKED TO ORDER BRUNCH

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a&e interview

Milk Gets the Boot on RuPaul’s Drag Race Michael Cook

In the tradition of Sharon Needles and Jinkx Monsoon, Season 6 “RuPaul’s Drag Race” competitor Milk brought her own special brand of drag to the show this season. Sadly, a rap lip synch sent Milk home earlier than many expected. SFGN had a chance to speak with Milk and find out more about her eclectic looks, how she felt about the shade thrown her way by the other girls and the music she may be making very soon. How does it feel to be asked to “sashay away” so early in the competition, as many fans thought you would be going much further?

I knew that there would be a good chance that if I had to go up against Trinity (K. Bonet) in a “lip synch for your life” to do Salt & Pepa’s “Whatta Man,” I may have to go home. I didn’t give up though, I feel like I turned that lip synch out! We both have very different styles, but I definitely didn’t let it stop me. I really was just happy to have been able to show as much as I did of myself in such a short amount of time. I’m sure that they’re just setting me up for “All-Stars 2” right now!

Your looks are very eclectic, to say the least. Where do you draw your inspiration from?

You know, probably thrift stores, I really do. My days off are spent going to vintage or thrift stores, searching the racks, and if I find something that stands out, my mind starts going crazy about what I could do with it, or what kind of concept I could come up with or show. What I did on “Drag Race” was for me, first and foremost, but it was for everyone watching this season as well. I didn’t want to show something that had been seen before on any other season. I wanted to stand out because, even if it was for the wrong reasons, you’re still standing out. It’s even better if you’re having fun the whole time, and I had a great time with it.

Some of the other queens, most notably Gia Gunn and Darienne Lake, were overly critical about your look and style. How does that feel looking at it now?

It’s reality television; a lot of it is expected and we know that from watching all reality television. Watching it now, I have developed a relationship with some of the girls, especially with Darienne; we are very good friends. We only knew each other a little amount of time, and it’s a competition, so I can’t hold anything

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they said against them and I hope they wouldn’t hold it against me if I said something that hurt their feelings. What were your favorite and least favorite parts of the “Drag Race” experience?

I loved the platform that you receive from being on “Drag Race.” It opened a whole new world for Milk, people all over the world love it and it makes me over the moon! Then, there are people that hate it, but screw them! I think the ability to share what I do because it’s different and hasn’t been visible on “Drag Race” and on this large a stage before, that’s the biggest highlight for me. I didn’t like the short amount of time that we had to get ready, it was really tough. They only gave us about an hour and a half. It seems like a lot of time for normal folk, but to completely change your face and put an outfit on, it takes a long time to look as crazy as I do! Also, the mirrors are covered in some sort of Vaseline or something, they are not quality mirrors!

So what’s next for Milk. Can we expect some music, perhaps?

Oh of course, the inevitable music, everybody has to do it don’t they? Well, they don’t have to do it, and most of them really shouldn’t! My boyfriend is a musical artist, his name is Jb Dubs, he writes gay pop; We’re going to collaborate on some stuff and I think that will be really fun. I’d love to make my way and bring Milk into the fashion world, as I work in fashion currently. I have these dreams and I’m just taking it day by day, and I’m not stressing. I’m loving the chance I have been given and I’m just going for it! To learn more about Milk, please visit: BigAndMilky.com. For Michael Cook’s full interview with Milk, go to www.sfgn.com. RuPaul’s Drag Race airs Mondays at 9 p.m. on LOGO Channel or on Logotv.com.

a&e the web

Web Soap ‘Beacon Hill’ Reunites Daytime Stars Show offers lesbian intrigue David-Elijah Nahmod

Fans of daytime drama were shocked when the long running soap opera “The Guiding Light” was cancelled in 2009. The beloved serial premiered on radio in 1937, switching to TV during the 1950s. When it aired its final episode after an impressive 72 years on the air, it was the longest running scripted drama in history. Over the next three years, three other beloved soaps were cancelled in rapid succession. Now, actress Crystal Chappell, who played a lesbian in a committed relationship on “Guiding Light,” offers “Beacon Hill,” a web serial she’s producing. The new show reunites several of her “Guiding Light” co-stars, along with players from the alsocancelled “All My Children.” “Beacon Hill” will feature a front burner lesbian storyline. Sarah Brown plays one half of the lesbian couple on “Beacon Hill.” Her character Katherine Wesley is from a conservative political family. She has no use for the GOP and is in fact a rising Democratic star. Her former girlfriend, journalist Sara Preston (Alicia Minshew of “All My Children”) has just returned to town. They’ve not had contact in years. “Sara is now a reporter,” Brown said. “Katherine doesn’t trust her.” But the attraction for each other is still there, in spite of their bad ending. “It’s great stuff,” Brown said. “It explores powerful females in politics and journalism who are openly gay. There’s no coming out story in the first season, but I’ve written my own back story. I’ve taken everything the writers have given me and go on a journey to see where it will take me.” Brown is a staunch advocate of LGBT equality and hopes the cast of “Beacon Hill” will draw viewers who may still be on the fence about gay issues.

“It’s very courageous to bring in soap actors,” she said. “ABC shows have a very conservative fan base. We’re bringing them along for the ride and hopefully will open their minds. This will change your perspective of how you view LGBT people. I applaud Crystal and all the networks who are providing this kind of content.” But don’t call “Beacon Hill” a soap opera. “It’s not a soap genre show, it’s a political genre show,” Brown said. “We have none of the stuff you are encouraged to do on soaps. Soaps have specific ways to do tags at the end of scenes, we don’t have that.” What “Beacon Hill” does have, according to Brown, is strong acting and high production values. “Crystal is doing a great job,” she said. “I’m so proud of her production quality, in spite of the tiny shoestring budget.” Chappell tells SFGN that the entire first season of “Beacon Hill” was shot in 5 and a half days. Twelve episodes of six to nine minutes each were produced. “It was pushing it, but they did it,” she said. She referred to Brown and Minshew’s work as “phenomenal”and says that through viewer subscriptions and advertisers, her production costs are covered. The first season features a variety of story-lines. “It’s a great cast of daytime people,” she said. “It’s really about politics and intrigue and how the girls react to it. Lesbians are part of it, but the show is for everyone, including gay women who want to be represented.” Chappell, who is straight, sees no issue in presenting same sex story lines. “We’ve got a ways to go, but it’s less shocking now,” she said. “There are same sex stories across TV.” Episodes are now available for viewing at BeaconHillTheSeries.com; $9.99 gives you access to the full season.

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PEACE

PIPE

4800 N. DIXIE HIGHWAY, FORT LAUDERDALE JUST SOUTH OF COMMERCIAL BLVD. SouthFloridaGayNews // SFGN.com //

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a&e music Tennessee Williams: Words & Music A haunting celebration of a great gay playwright David-Elijah Nahmod “Do you remember Jean Harlow?” Alison Fraser asked in a genteel southern drawl. “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could sprinkle those ashes all over the ground like seeds, and out of each one would sprout another Jean Harlow?” The line is from the play Ten Blocks on the Camino Real, by Tennessee Williams. Fraser is an award winning cabaret artist, and a two-time Tony nominee. On her new album, “Tennessee Williams: Words and Music” she pays homage to one of the greatest playwrights of the American theater. Williams (1911-1983) was a Southern gentleman who wrote brilliant plays like “A Streetcar Named Desire and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” Openly gay as early as the 1940s, his works were gothic melodramas about mad, sexually frustrated Southern ladies who often lived on the fringes of society. Many of his characters are believed to be stand-ins for Williams himself, who waged a lifelong battle with alcoholism and substance abuse. He was haunted by many personal demons of his own. “Tennessee Williams is a doorway I can walk through,” Fraser told SFGN. “By saying his words and singing the songs he lived and chose to include in his plays, our listeners can walk through that doorway with me and enter his singular world.” On the new album, Fraser sings jazz and pop standards that were heard in various Williams plays. Sprinkled between the songs are lines of dialogue from some of the plays themselves, which Fraser performs in character. Williams’ words could be simple, yet chilling, conveying the aching loneliness and longing of the character speaking them.

wo-Time Tony Nominee Alison Fraser Releases New Album, “Tennessee Williams: Words and Music”

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“The great legacy of Tennessee Williams is that the outsiders of this world have as much right to the pursuit of happiness as the insiders,” Fraser said. “His plays are populated with the fragile, the lonely, the discarded, the misfits, the down and out and the spat-upons. To have their lives unfold theatrically through Tennessee Williams deeply compassionate eyes is to have a clean window looking out on a better world, a world in which everyone’s story is worth telling, everyone’s life is worth living, everyone’s dream is valid, no matter how far they veer from the social norm.” In one track, Fraser tells part of Blanche’s story from “Streetcar.” The monologue “Sister Blanche is No Lily” is spoken with a plaintive piano background. It’s followed by the song “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles,” which was actually heard in Williams’ “Clothes For A Summer Hotel,” yet it underscores the empty circle Blanche found herself trapped in, and the better life she yearned for. The disc is a document of The Tennessee Williams songbook, a concert which Fraser premiered in New Orleans last year. The music on the 16 tracks is provided by The Gentleman Callers, a New Orleans jazz band. Arrangements are provided by Allison Leyton-Brown, who co-produced the CD with Fraser. “Tennessee Williams: Words and Music,” is a wonderful homage to a tragic genius. Fraser literally conducts a séance with her voice, reaching out to Williams across the decades. At times it feels as though he’s responding, speaking to us through Fraser’s vocal stylings. “Tennessee Williams: Words and Music” by Alison Fraser can be purchased from Amazon.com.

a&e theater Evita: She’ll Have You Crying J.W. Arnold

Caroline Bowman stars as Eva Peron in the traveling production of “Evita,” which recently closed at the Kravis Center and comes to Miami’s Arsht Center in May.

South Florida audiences have already been treated to several rock operas this season: “We Will Rock You” spun together the song catalog of Queen with a silly science fiction plot last fall at Miami’s Arsht Center, while the angst of contemporary youth was proclaimed very loudly in “American Idiot,” featuring the music of Green Day, just a few weeks ago at the Broward Center. Last week, West Palm Beach audiences were pleasantly reminded of the ‘70s British rock-infused scores of a young Andrew Lloyd Webber when the latest touring production of “Evita” pulled into the Kravis Center (and returns to Miami’s Arsht Center later in May). Like his first two hits, “Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat“ and “Jesus Christ Superstar,” this show is clearly a product of a young composer exploring the musical idioms of his generation and who would ultimately dominate musical theater for more than a two decades. Tim Rice’s book and lyrics remain a smart, cynical and timeless portrait of the ambitious actress would climb her way to the top of Argentine politics, while Webber’s score is both dated and dazzling at the same time. Based on the recent Broadway production starring Ricky Martin and Elena Roger, director Seth Sklar-Heyn offers a spare, tight vision of Eva Duarte de Peron’s life in Buenos Aires between 1934 and 1952. The fast-pace punctuates the meteoric rise of Peron from a fatherless child to ambitious actress to the most powerful woman in Latin America. By the age of 33, she is practically revered by the public as a saint before succumbing to cancer. Caroline Bowman stars as Eva, while Sean MacLaughlin portrays Peron. Josh Young is Che, the narrator, a sort of Greek chorus rolled into one, is an Argentinian “everyman.” Both men are exceptional. Handsome MacLaughlin commands the stage as the charismatic leftist strongman, while Young is incredibly ever-present, never intrusive, commenting on the action with a rich, heartfelt baritone, especially in the soaring “High Flying Adore.” Bowman must live up to the memory of a

young Patti LuPone, who famously created the role on Broadway, and she struggles to evoke the lust for power and adoration that drove Eva throughout her life and made LuPone a legend in her own right. Bowman handles her character’s signature number, “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina,” well, but lacks the range for “You Must Love Me,” the original song added for Madonna in the 1996 film version and retained in this stage production. In a show with so few leads, chemistry is so important and somewhat lacking. One of the few sizzling moments occurs as Juan and Eva sing “I’d Be Surprisingly Good for You,” the realization that together they can achieve all of their aspirations. The cast is rounded out by a dozen chorus members who play everyone from peasants to militant Peronistas. They execute Rob Ashford’s tango-infused choreography flawlessly throughout, even if the dance is more Broadway than ballroom, and harmonize perfectly in hymns to their fallen heroine. Set designer Christopher Oram’s Italianate neoclassical Presidential Palace, complete with the ubiquitous balcony, serves as an effective backdrop for most of the show, as actors make dramatic exits through various arches and galleries. But, it’s Neil Austin’s creative, backlit lighting design that lends more drama to the production than any of the performances. The story is further punctuated by archival news reel footage projected above the stage, providing both history lesson and a connection to the historic figures portrayed on stage. This production may not send audiences enthusiastically to their feet as the curtain drops, but it’s solid and imaginative and superior to any community theater production you’re likely to see in South Florida anytime in the near future. “Evita” runs at the Arsht Center in Miami, May 27 – June 1. For tickets and show times, go to Arsht.org. Kravis on Broadway concludes its season at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach with “Million Dollar Quartet,” April 29 – May 4. For tickets and show times, go to Kravis.org. soflagaynews //

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Dividing the Estate

Datebook

Theater

Through April 27 at the Don & Ann Brown Theatre, 201 Clematis St. in West Palm Beach. The Gordon family has fallen on tough times, and the greedy children are determined to divide their 100-yearold property. Tickets $60. Call 561-514-4042 or visit PalmBeachDramaworks.org.

Christiana Lilly

Free Friday Concerts

Calendar@SFGN.com

Fridays at 7:30 p.m. at the Delray Beach Center for the Arts, 51 N. Swinton Ave. in Delray Beach. Enjoy live music from the comfort of your picnic blanket or lawn chair every week, for free! Call 561-243-7922 or visit DelrayArts.org.

BROWARD COUNTY broward county

* Friday Night Tunes

April 18 from 7 to 10 p.m. at Carter Park, 1450 W. Sunrise Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. Nia Devine performs jazz and neo soul tunes. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs to listen under the stars! Call 954-8285363 or visit FortLauderdale.gov/Friday.

MIAMI DADE county miami-dade

* Shen Yun

April 18 to 20 at the Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami. The famed presentation of Chinese music, dance, and acrobatics returns to South Florida. Tickets $50 to $200. Call 305-949-6722 or visit ArshtCenter.org.

* Barbershop Harmony Salutes The Cowboy

April 19 at 2 and 7 p.m. at the Broward Center, 201 SW Fifth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. Barbershop crew, The Miamians, perform cowboy favorites from singers like Roy Rogers, Gene Autry and Tex Ritter. Tickets $15 and $20. Call 954-462-0222 or visit BrowardCenter.org.

Not Ready for Primetime

Through April 19 at the South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center, 10950 SW 211 St. in Cutler Bay. David Samson, president of the Miami Marlins, stars in this spin off of Saturday Night Live’s golden era. Tickets $26. Call 786-573-5300 or visit New-Theatre.org.

* John Legend

April 22 at 8 p.m. at the Broward Center, 201 SW Fifth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. The nine-time Grammy Award winner takes to the stage for his sultry RnB, soul, and hip hop songs, including his latest hit “All of Me.” Tickets $40 to $100. Call 954-462-0222 or visit BrowardCenter.org.

* Jon Kimura Parker

April 24 at 8 p.m. at the Broward Center, 201 SW Fifth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. Tickets $25 to $45. The pianist performs both parts of Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring.” Beforehand, participate in a free wine tasting with Lyn Farmer. Call 954-462-0222 or visit BrowardCenter.org.

* Under the Streetlamp with Gentleman’s Rule

April 26 at 8 p.m. at the Parker Playhouse, 707 NE Eighth St. in Fort Lauderdale. The modern day Rat Pack performs doo-wop, Motown, and rock favorites from the ‘50s and ‘60s. Then, they’re joined by Indiana University a capella group Gentleman’s Rule. Tickets $39.50 to $49.50. Call 954-462-0222 or visit ParkerPlayhouse.com

Have I Got a Girl For You

Through April 27 at Empire Stage, 1140 N. Flagler Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. The true story of a gay man running a female escort agency in Boca Raton. Tickets $20. Visit IslandCityStage.org. PALM BEACH county palm beach

Shen Yun

April 16 at the Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach. The famed presentation of Chinese music, dance, and acrobatics returns to South Florida. Tickets $50 to $200. Call 561-832-7469 or visit Kravis.org.

* Shakespeare at The Pavilion

April 17 to 19 at 8 p.m. at the Delray Beach Center for the Arts, 51 N. Swinton Ave. in Delray Beach. Five actors from the Take Heed Theatre Company perform all the roles of Shakespeare’s great works. Free. Call 561-243-7922 or visit DelrayArts.org.

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* Egg Safari

ine-time Grammy Award winner comes to Fort Lauderdale’s Broward Center on April 22 at 8 p.m. and the Kravis Center on April 23 at 8 p.m. The Trouble With Doug

April 18 to May 11 at the Arts Garage, 180 NE First St. in Delray Beach. Doug suddenly turns into a giant talking slug, and his family and fiancee must learn to live with his new appearance and discover how much they truly care about him. Tickets $30 to $45. Call 561-450-6357 or visit ArtsGarage.org.

One Night of Queen

April 19 at 8 p.m. at the Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach. Gary Mullen plays tribute to Freddie Mercury and Queen with his band, The Works. Tickets $15 to $80. Call 561-8327469 or visit Kravis.org.

The Pajama Game

Through April 20 at the Delray Beach Playhouse, 950 NW Ninth St. in Delray Beach. Staff at a pajama factory battle to get a 7.5 cent raise. Tickets $40. Call 561-272-1281, ext. 4 or visit DelrayBeachPlayhouse.org.

* John Legend

April 23 at 8 p.m. at the Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach. The nine-time Grammy Award winner takes to the stage for his sultry RnB, soul, and hip hop songs, including his latest hit “All of Me.” Tickets from $31. Call 561-8327469 or visit Kravis.org.

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* 4,000 Miles

April 24 to 29 at the Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave. in Lake Worth. Leo stays with his grandmother in the West Village after experiencing a tragedy while biking across America. Tickets $15. Call 561-586-6410 or visit LakeWorthPlayhouse.org.

* Under the Streetlamp with Gentleman’s Rule

April 25 at 8 p.m. at the Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach. The modern day Rat Pack performs doo-wop, Motown, and rock favorites from the ‘50s and ‘60s. Then, they’re joined by Indiana University a capella group Gentleman’s Rule. Tickets from $15. Call 561-832-7469 or visit Kravis.org.

* Lennis Sabatino

April 26 at 6 p.m. at Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach. The New York singer performs hits from renowned singers Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler, Ella Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby and more. Tickets $25 to $50. Call 561-832-7469 or visit Kravis.org.

Monty Python’s Spamalot

Through April 27 at the Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave. in Lake Worth. The hilarious play based on the classic movie, “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.” Tickets $26 to $35. Call 561-586-6410 or visit LakeWorthPlayhouse.org.

SouthFloridaGayNews

April 19 and 20 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Zoo Miami, 12400 SW 152nd St. in Miami. The animals at the zoo will have their own Easter egg surprises and treats! Free with admission. Call 305-255-5551 or visit ZooMiami.org.

* Annual 4:20 Dinner

April 20 from 6:30 to 11 p.m. at Eating House, 804 Ponce de Leon Blvd. in Coral Gables. Celebrate the “holiday” with munchies-inspired dishes, beers and wines for $4.20 with the backdrop of stoner music and movies. Call 305-448-6524 or visit EatingHouseMiami.com.

* Rose and the Rime

April 23 to May 18 at the Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami. A small town in Michigan has been in a never-ending winter for an entire generation, and young Rose is determined to end the curse of the Rime Witch. Tickets $45. Call 305-949-6722 or visit ArshtCenter.org.

* Bleaulive: The Neighborhood

April 25 at 8 p.m. at the Fontainebleau, 4441 Collins Ave. in Miami Beach. Known for their hit “Sweater Weather,” rock out to the The Neighborhood at this private, poolside show. Must book at least two nights at the hotel to attend. Visit Fontainebleau.com.

PAMM Outdoor Music Series

Third Thursdays at the Perez Art Museum Miami, 101 W. Flagler St. in Miami. Come out for live music from DJs and musicians by the bay. Drink specials available. Free with museum admission. Call 305-375-3000 or visit PAMM.org.

The Big Show

Fridays and Saturdays at 9 p.m. at Just the Funny Theater, 3119 Coral Way in Miami. A collection of comedy mixing the likes of improvisation and sketches. Tickets $12. Call 305-693-8669 or visit JustTheFunny.com.

* Denotes New Listing

Datebook

Community Christiana Lilly Calendar@SFGN.com

broward county

* Earth Day Electronics Recycling

April 19 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at ARC Broward, 10250 NW 53rd St. in Sunrise. Bring your old electronics to be recycled -- it will also aid the electronics education program at the nonprofit, which helps adults with disabilities learn valuable life and work skills. Call 954-746-9400 or visit ARCBroward.com.

* Doggie Egg Hunt

Contact Gerald Hirschtritt at 954-849-6738 or regh46@aol.com. Visit PrideCenterFlorida.org

Gender Bender Youth Group

Mondays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at SunServe Campus, 1480 SW Ninth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. A group for LGBT youth 13 to 21 to discuss gender, gender expression, binary systems, friendship, family and whatever else comes up! Free. Visit SunServeYouth.com

PFLAG

Tuesdays in Fort Lauderdale, Coral Springs and Southwest Ranches. A support group for parents of LGBT youth 13 to 21. Free. Visit SunServeYouth.com for dates and locations.

GayWrites

Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. at the Stonewall Library, 1300 E. Sunrise Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. Come join us and write your memoir, poem, blog, novel or short story. Free. Email garri1@earthlink.net

palm beach county

April 19 from 10 am. to noon at Easterlin Park, 1000 NW 38th St. in Oakland Park. Bring out your furry friends for their very own Easter egg hunt. Dogs must be on a leash and have proof of a rabies vaccination. Ticket $5 per dog, $1.50 park entry fee per human. Call 954-357-5190.

Cinema of the ‘60s

* Trans Authors Reading

“Urban Scrawl” Reception

April 22 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Pride Center, 2040 N. Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors. Rajindra Nerienesingh, Jessica Lam, and other notable authors read from their works. Free. RSVP to Jodi Reichman at 954-213-0610 or email judith.reichman@flhealth.gov.

April 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the Norton Museum of Art, 1451 S. Olive Ave. in West Palm Beach. Scott Eyman leads a discussion on New York’s filmmakers of the 1960s. Free with museum admission. Call 561-8325196 or visit Norton.org.

Delray Art League

* The Human Race

* KeroWACKED: Homage to Jack April 20 from 2 to 8 p.m. at the Boynton Beach Art District, 422 W. Industrial Ave. in Boynton Beach. An outdoor festival of artists, musicians, dancers, and workshops to pay tribute to Jack Kerouac. Free. Call 786-521-1199.

* What’s the Deal with PrEP?

Through April 20 at the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium, 4801 Dreher Trail North in West Palm Beach. With your replica boarding pass of an actual passenger in hand, enter the world of 1912 on board the Titanic. Tickets $15. Call 561-832-1988 or visit SFScienceCenter.org

Wonders of America and More

Through April 30 at the Pride Center, 2040 N. Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors. See the incredible photography by Albert Barg, Jeff Weisberg and Brandon Quarters as they traveled through American national parks capturing landscapes and animals. Call 954-463-9005 or email galleries@ pridecenterflorida.org.

Henning Haupt, Craig Carlisle and Sylvia Tashis Exhibition

Through May 17 at the Coral Springs Museum of Art, 2855 Coral Springs Drive in Coral Springs. The three artists’ work will be on display, showcasing varying styles of floral art, “big heads,” and installations. Museum admission $6. Visit CoralSpringsMuseum.org

Man2Man Discussion

Mondays 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Pride Center, 2040 N. Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors. A weekly informal discussion group among gay men of all backgrounds.

Kayaks Canoes and Paddleboards! RENTALS AVAILABLE POST-EVENT LUNCH, AWARDS AND DOOR PRIZES !

Through April 27 at the Delray Beach Center for the Arts, 51 N. Swinton Ave. in Delray Beach. An exhibit of local artists’ work, including oils, watercolors, sculpture, and photography. Call 561-243-7922 or visit DelrayArts.org.

April 26 at 6:30 a.m. at Charnow Park, 300 Garfield St. in Hollywood. Run for the human race! Choose a nonprofit for your fundraising to go to as you run the 3.1-mile track to entertainment. Race registration $30 to $35. Parking $1.50. Call 954-233-1289 or visit BrowardHumanRace.org. April 30 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Pride Center, 2040 N. Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors. Learn more about Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis and a new pill that can help those without HIV lessen their chances of contracting the disease. Free. Call 954-463-9005 or visit PrideCenterFlorida.org.

Saturday, April 26th

April 17 from 6 to 11 p.m. at the ActivistArtistA Gallery, 422 W. Industrial Ave. in Boynton Beach. View abstract paintings by Jonathan Ortiz-Smykla during Boynton Beach Art Walk. Visit ActivistArtistA. com or call 786-521-1199.

* “Queen Christina” Screening

April 24 at 7 p.m. at the Stonewall Museum, 1300 E. Sunrise Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. Greta Garbo, bisexual herself, plays the cross-dressing Queen Christina of Sweden. Free. Call 954-763-8565 or visit Stonewall-Museum.org.

Join the American Cancer Society Relay For Life Oakland Park Team as we raise money to fight cancer!