Monday, June 5, 2023

117 ISSUE 35

UF transgender community faces legislation restricting access to health care, bathrooms

TRANSGENDER STUDENTS FIND SUPPORT FROM ONCAMPUS GROUPS

By Garrett Shanley Alligator Staff Writer

Raven Hooper visited the Planned Parenthood in Gainesville for a hormone treatment appointment eleven days after she graduated from UF.

Hooper has received genderaffirming care from the clinic since April 2021.

In the middle of her hormone treatment, a nurse practitioner informed Hooper State Bill 254 had just passed, jeopardizing her access to gender-affirming care. The nurse told Hooper she wanted to go home and cry.

“I gave her a hug,” Hooper said. “It was really f---ing sad.”

Planned Parenthood released a statement announcing a pause

on gender-affirming services until June 12, following the passage of SB 254.

SB 254 imposes a series of restrictions on gender-affirming care in Florida. The law bans new prescriptions of hormones and puberty blockers for minors for the purpose of gender dysphoria.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bill into law effective immediately May 17.

“It’s been pretty terrifying,” Hooper said. “DeSantis and his cronies are trying to take away my rights and the rights of my friends and my partner and the people I love.”

Under the law, only physicians can administer gender-affirming prescriptions and procedures.

Nurse practitioners, who provide 80 percent of gender-affirming care for adults, will not be

Protestors

Local businesses show support for Pride Month amidst recent backlash experienced by big companies

108 Vine, First Magnitude Brewing Co. and Studio T/M host events throughout June in their support towards the queer community

By Emma Parker Alligator Staff Writer

After weeks of multinational corporations cutting back on pride representation due to backlash, Gainesville’s local businesses are stepping up in their place.

At the beginning of May, Target released its 2023 Pride collection in anticipation of Pride Month. Due to backlash, threats and protests of the different products included in the collection, Target decided to remove some of the collection items from displays

SPORTS/SPECIAL/CUTOUT

and relocate displays to less trafficked areas of the store in select locations.

“Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans, including removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior,” read a Target statement.

“Our focus now is on moving forward with our continuing commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community and standing with them as we celebrate Pride Month and throughout the year.”

UF LGBTQ students expressed their dis-

appointment toward larger businesses and their inauthentic support, sometimes referred to as rainbow capitalism.

Alex Owens, a 19-year-old UF biochemistry junior and member of the LGBTQ community, criticized the practice.

Big corporations producing occasional pride merchandise aren't doing enough, Owens said.

“I don’t really think that these companies actually care that much about our community,” Owens said. “I think they could be doing a lot more good if they focused more

on outreach or if they focused a little bit more on financially supporting the community rather than just marketing clothing.”

“[Target is] committed to helping our guests, team members and communities observe Pride wherever and however they choose — from partnerships supporting LGBTQIA+ efforts to sharing stories of selfdiscovery” according to Target’s diversity, equality and inclusion mission statement.

“I think it’s really telling how they are willing to immediately abandon their sup-

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Story

UF men’s golf wins NCAA championship

Fred Biondi, Flori da men’s golf secure NCAA national championship Read more on pg. 11.

description finish with comma, pg#

Figure on diversity gives representation in art Art workshop gives space for people of color, fat, disabled or LGBTQ, pg. 7 El Caimán: Latines y LGBTQ Estudiantes de UF comparten sus experiencias en las dos comunidades, pg. 8

Alex Winn // Alligator Staff

will

Guns stolen from Gainesville Big Daddy Guns, two unidentified burglars still at large

By Jacob Sedesse Alligator Staff Writer

Sheriffs are looking for two people who stole several fire -

arms from Big Daddy Guns in Gainesville early June 1 morning.

Deputies responded to a burglary alarm at the store at around 3:27 a.m. said Alachua County

Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Chris Sims in a video. When the first deputy arrived, they found a broken window, Sims said. Helicopters, drones and K-9 units were deployed by ACSO to investigate. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is also assisting in the case.

Investigators haven’t identified any suspects as of June 1 morning, but believe there were two burglars.

ACSO asked Tower Road residents to check their home surveillance footage and send any relevant information to Crime Stoppers, the office’s website, or their social media channels.

Due to the federal involvement in the investigation, ACSO could not comment further.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

@jacobsedesse jsedesse@alligator.org

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Sawyer Lamers // Alligator Staff

Rev. Milford Griner discusses the impact of gun violence on his life.

Sheriffs ask nearby homeowners to check surveillance footage

“The goal is erasure”: Local LGBTQ community discusses impacts of 2023 legislative session

PANEL FEATURED LAWYERS, MEDICAL PROVIDERS AND ACTIVISTS

By Amanda Friedman Alligator Staff Writer

Under the cloud of recent Florida legislation targeting LGBTQ rights, a panel of legal experts, medical professionals and activists discussed discrimination from the state during a Pride Month town hall meeting.

Nearly 200 residents crowded the local gay nightclub, University Club, to hear the panelists share legal advice and ask questions June 1.

The panel highlighted laws restricting discussions of LGBTQ themes in K-12 classrooms, transgender healthcare, transgender individuals’ ability to use the restroom aligning with their gender identity, minors’ attendance at drag performances and the defunding of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Donn Smith-Lopez, the 52-year-old vice president of the Pride Community Center of North Central Florida, and CJ Acevedo, a WellFlorida Council Inc. HIV prevention program coordinator, organized the town hall to provide a space for members of the LGBTQ community and allies to combat misinformation surrounding the implications of the laws.

“A supermajority and a governor bent on creating a platform so he could run for president cooked up all of these bills and laws in order to oppress and discriminate against folks that typically have not had a strong voice in our legislative process,” Smith-Lopez said.

Throughout the event, panelists emphasized the legislation as an attempt to erase the progress

of the LGBTQ community over recent decades.

They also stressed the bills’ language and said it is purposefully vague to encourage self-censorship among impacted individuals and institutions.

Panelist Simone Chriss, an attorney and director of Southern Legal Counsel’s Transgender Rights Initiative, is working behind the scenes to challenge the legislation.

“We have the law and facts on our side,” she said. “The other side has misinformation and fear.”

To begin the panel presentation, Chriss broke down the effects of House Bill 1069, the expansion of the 2022 “Don’t Say Gay” bill, to K-12 classrooms. The law broadens the existing ban on classroom instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation from K-8 classrooms to up to 12th grade.

Schools also cannot force a teacher, student or staff member to respect the desired pronouns of another person, according to the law. However, Chriss emphasized that while the law allows schools to disregard desired pronouns, it is not mandated.

“Your child should still have their affirmed name and pronouns used consistently,” she said.

Additionally, Chriss cleared misconceptions about Senate Bill 254, which bans Florida medical providers from prescribing minors gender-affirming care, restricts access to gender-affirming care for adults and limits parental rights for medical decisions involving children.

The law’s custody provision, which allows Florida to take emergency jurisdiction of a child, only applies to out-of-state custody orders concerning a divorce, Chriss said.

“The state cannot investigate or take children away from parents for supporting their trans chil-

dren,” she said.

Chriss suggested transgender youth and adults who are having trouble accessing gender-affirming care from state providers contact out-of-state providers.

Panelist Gina Duncan, a regional development leader for Equality Florida, also spoke about the controversial legislation.

Duncan explained House Bill 1521, which criminalizes individuals for using restrooms “designated for the opposite sex” inside educational institutions, correctional facilities and government buildings and refusing to exit upon request from certain-level employees.

Penalties for violating the law can be as severe as a misdemeanor charge, Duncan said.

Duncan advised those affected to use a unisex or family-designated bathroom or bring someone with them to the restroom due to the law’s vague language and the unknown enforcement tactics for determining one’s sex assigned at birth.

Duncan also discussed Senate Bill 1438, which targets drag performers. The law punishes businesses that let minors into adult live performances, which are broadly defined. If found in violation, businesses could face fines and have their liquor license revoked.

Under SB 1438, local governments may not give permits to events featuring adult live performances where a minor will be present. This provision of the law could impact Gainesville’s ability to hold Pride-themed celebrations, Duncan added.

“The goal here is erasure — to move us back to where we were 20 years ago,” she said.

Chriss returned to the floor to explain Senate Bill 1580, which allows medical providers to refuse to supply healthcare coverage or

services based on religious, moral or ethical beliefs.

However, any objection must be directed towards a particular service, not the patient or overall care, Chriss said.

Additionally, healthcare providers must give written notice of their objection to their employer and inform the patient of their refusal to provide a service before they schedule an appointment. The law still requires providers to administer emergency treatment despite objections.

Before she ended the panel’s presentation, Chriss also touched on Senate Bill 266. The bill restricts politically disfavored topics, like systematic racism within the curriculum of state universities and colleges and bars the use of state funding for DEI initiatives and programs.

“Many of [SB 266 provisions] will be quickly enjoined and overturned,” she said. “They’re so facially, blatantly, unapologetically unconstitutional.”

Local elected officials spoke about their dedication to protecting the rights of Gainesville’s LGBTQ community despite the controversial laws at the conclusion of the presentation.

The Gainesville City Commission is committed to hosting

Gainesville’s annual Pride celebration in October at Bo Diddley Plaza with drag performers and the ability to use whichever bathroom aligns with one’s gender identity, said Gainesville City Commissioner Casey Willits.

“The general consensus on the city commission is that we’re not going to back down,” he said.

Many attendees left the town hall with less confusion and more hope than they walked in with.

Manda Wittebort, a 32-year-old program coordinator at the UF David and Wanda Brown Center for Leadership and Service, attended the event so they could be more informed about the laws and help dispel misinformation.

“Our silence takes a position,” they said. “They win if we give into fear.”

Bills like SB 266 impact their livelihood as their work centers on helping students find their sense of belonging. Widespread education about diverse perspectives and identities is crucial for LGBTQ students to feel affirmed, they said.

“Our diversities don’t push us apart, they bring us together,” they said.

@amandasfriedman afriedman@alligator.org

Evelyn Miguel // Alligator Staff Panelists (left to right) Gina Duncan, Simone Chriss, Regina Livingston, Dr. Larry Green, Dr. Jennifer Evans and Dr. Michael Haller speak on Florida legislation during the LGBTQ town hall at University Club on Thursday, June 1, 2023.

Rainbow capitalism

port when there’s even the littlest bit of controversy,” Owens said.

For Owens, support comes from local businesses and markets that create a safe environment for queer community members to attend and participate instead. Larger companies should sponsor local LGBTQ businesses yearround, they said.

Due to the seasonal nature of some businesses’ support, some UF students believe their efforts are insincere.

Fabiana Gonzalez, a 20-year-old UF environmental engineering junior, said they are disappointed companies like Target only seem to support the queer community when it’s financially convenient.

“I personally believe that they are not doing enough. I feel like just putting out a T-shirt and sticking a rainbow on it doesn’t have the intrinsic value of supporting [the community],” Gonzalez said.

Companies are able to support the community with their dollar, Gonzalez added, and without doing so, businesses’ efforts can feel hollow.

Despite the recent backlash, Gainesville locals are showing up and finding ways to support their LGBTQ community. Local businesses are coming together and working with the Pride Community Center of North Central Florida to organize and host queer-focused events such as drag shows, queer markets and pride parties.

108 Vine is hosting a pride party on June

10 where they plan on providing a safe space for LGBTQ community members and allies alike to come together.

It felt like an especially important time to support LGBTQ people in any way they could, said Bren Strickland, director of 108 Vine and Plantstay.

“This year seemed like a year to be extra loud and show support and love for the LGBTQ+ community,” Strickland said. “We are donating 10% of the sales, and there is a minimum amount that I’ll give and contribute to the Pride Center of North Central Florida.”

First Magnitude Brewing Co. is working closely with the Pride Community Center and organizing queer events throughout the month of June, such as pride trivia, drag bingo and a pride party that will include a drag show after 7 p.m. for 18+ attendees.

Studio T/M, an LGBTQ-owned ceramics studio, is celebrating Pride Month by hosting their Sip and Spin events with a rainbow twist. The business is doing a Pride Swag Night June 24 and 30, where the best Pride outfit wins a handmade rainbow mug.

Pride Community Center of North Central Florida has posted a month-long schedule of different pride events being hosted by local businesses and plans on providing a safe and fun environment for everyone to enjoy.

@emmaparkerG eparker@alligator.org

UF transgender community

able to continue providing care, according to Spektrum Health, an Orlando-based gender-affirming care provider.

It also creates a requirement for adult patients seeking genderaffirming care for the first time to sign an informed consent form. The Florida Board of Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine’s Joint Rules and Legislative Committee must produce an official informed consent form by July 16.

The law has been life-altering for UF students like Hooper, who receive gender-affirming care, and for the doctors providing it.

“People have really been scrambling to try and figure out their own care,” Hooper said.

Many doctors are scared to treat their patients because they don’t know what is legal under the law, Hooper said.

Members of the medical community continue to express concerns about the implications of state legislation regulating gender-affirming care.

Michael Haller, a pediatric endocrinologist practicing in Gainesville, said the legislation is meant to confuse the trans and nonbinary community.

“These intentionally nebulous laws have had a major chilling

effect on patients being able to seek and receive care,” Haller said.

While the law prohibits new prescriptions, minors who were prescribed hormones and blockers prior to May 18 will be able to renew prescriptions, and psychological care is still available for all patients regardless of age.

“We continue to see our patients, including minors, so that even when we can’t provide prescriptions we can help them understand what is currently legal and what is being done to overturn some of these barbaric laws,” Haller said.

Haller remains optimistic that the legislation will be fought in the courts, he said.

“Ultimately, justice must prevail,” Haller said.

UF Health provides a variety of gender-affirming care services, including hormone therapy, gender-affirming surgeries and mental health care. Additional initiatives like the Youth Gender Program continue to offer pediatric services for social and medical transitioning after the passage of SB 254.

“UF Health’s Youth Gender Program continues to provide options to existing patients based on our health care providers’ medical expertise and in compli-

ance with state law,” UF Health wrote.

Within the university community, UF students and faculty have criticized the intentions of SB 254.

Jonathan Stephens, president of the UF Pride Student Union, criticized the bill’s definition of gender-affirming care for minors as “serious physical harm.”

“They use the guise of parental control to be able to push things like the ‘Don't Say Gay’ bill or blocking gender-affirming care for minors,” he said.

SB 254 is not the only bill affecting the trans and nonbinary community at UF. DeSantis signed House Bill 1521 into law May 17. The law restricts transgender people from using public bathrooms that align with their gender identity. The bill becomes effective July 1.

UF student groups have been proactive in developing a solution.

The Queer Liberation Front, a coalition of queer and trans students fighting for liberation at UF, has held protests against the legislation and is working with campus officials to implement gender-inclusive bathrooms.

Erin Bischof, a member of the organization, believes the bill’s definitions of gender-neutral bathrooms as single-occupant rooms limits the ability to convert existing gendered bathrooms into gender-inclusive ones.

Single-occupant bathrooms are costly and limit the ability to convert existing gendered bathrooms into gender-inclusive ones, she said.

Bischof expressed concern over the lack of response from the UF administration.

“It has been in a limbo, and that is completely unfair to every student who is worried about their future on campus,” Bischof said.

Ryan Need, a Department of Materials Science and Engineering assistant professor who identifies as queer, is disappointed by UF administration’s response to state legislation.

“It’s really discouraging to not feel like the upper administration in the school is engaging with us and willing to protect us,” Need said. “That doesn't create a lot of confidence for those of us that want to stay.”

Need, who co-chairs QueerNation and the LGBTQ+ Presidential Advisory Committee, is unsure of how the law will be implemented in public universities.

The Board of Governors will ultimately decide how the law will be enforced, they said.

Need remains optimistic about the fate of the trans and nonbinary community at UF despite the implications of the legislation, they said.

“The biggest effect of these bills right now is the fear that

they induce,” Need said. “How do we combat fear? Community and joy.”

UF is home to many queer communities, including the Trans@UF, the Black Queer Table and Queer Asian Pacific Islander Desi at UF.

The UF Trans & Allies Discord server gives trans and nonbinary UF students an opportunity to network and share information with their peers.

Hooper began the server in September 2021 through the official UF student hub on Discord as a way to provide the trans and nonbinary community at UF with a platform for mutual support.

“I know a lot of people that have joined because they're unsure of their gender,” Hooper said. “People there that have had a lot of experience in the area helped them figure themselves out,”

Tessa Sun, a recent UF alumna, joined the server shortly after its creation. She credited the community with helping her through her own journey with gender-affirming care.

“Having that support for me personally has made the biggest difference and I genuinely don’t think I could have done it without this community,” Sun said. “I hope that we can continue to move forward.” @garrettshanley

Emma Hayakawa // Alligator Staff

Student Government Judiciary Committee fails to hear legislation, nomination

Judiciary Committee Chair expresses frustration, concerns in the Replacement and Agenda Committee

By Vivienne Serret Alligator Staff Writer

The UF Student Government Judiciary Committee could not hear the 14 pieces of legislation and one nomination awaiting consideration as it continues to fail to meet quorum.

Some of the legislation regards student debt relief advocacy and indigenous land acknowledgment establishments.

The June 2 meeting was called to order at 12:15 p.m. and adjourned at 12:18 p.m. by Judiciary Committee Chair Jonathan C. Stephens (Change-District D) because only four members were present and five members were required for quorum.

The other present members included Judiciary Vice Chairperson and Sen. Joaquin Rafaele Cecilia Marcelino (Change-District D), Sen. Timothy Sinclair (Change-CLAS) and Sen. Matt Reich (Gator-District D).

Sen. Jacey Cable (Gator-Journalism), and Joah Levine, the former Gator-affiliated Senator for Beaty Towers who recently was excluded from the Senate roster, were not present at the meeting.

The committee reviews all nonbudgetary bills, resolutions and proposed constitutional amendments submitted to the Senate. They also review the qualifications of all executive nominations to the judicial branch and determine if they are qualified to hold office.

Ethan Halle, the nominee for Supervisor of Elections, still cannot be considered in the Senate due to the lack of a meeting. He served as supervisor of elections in the previous two elections.

Stephens expressed in an email sent after the June 2 meeting that the current situation with the committee is beyond unorthodox.

“I empathize with how frustrating it has been for legislation, nomination and other details to be finalized within our body,” Stephens wrote.

“I will do my best to be an advocate to all of those who prioritize legislation within [their] tenure as senators and execute as many extraordinary measures as possible to ensure that our legislature can review these bills this cycle.”

“The Judiciary Committee failed to meet quorum, and thus all reviews of legislation, Judicial nominees and preparation of Judiciary projects have been deferred to the Sunday Meeting,” they wrote.

The June 4 Judiciary Committee meeting failed to meet quorum as well.

Stephens did not anticipate the Sunday meeting to meet quorum given the lack of communication from certain committee members, they said. This is the third time the Judiciary Committee has failed to meet quorum since the summer cycle began, Stephens added.

Concerns continue to raise about issues senators have with certain

nominees in other committees, along with failing to meet quorum.

In Stephen’s emails to Student Body President Olivia Green, they urge Green to open up the applications for the Graduate, Professional and Family Affairs. The current executive secretary nominee, Paul Camardo, faces disapproval from the Change Party.

“Under my assessment of the situation, I could not see in any way how putting up Camardo would benefit the students,” Stephens wrote.

“In fact, I feel that even the seat being emptied would be better than letting this person in.”

Comardo contends he is qualified, pointing to his track record that speaks for itself in early emails with Sen. Rachel Hartnett (ChangeGraduate).

Green stated in a previous email before the May 30 Senate meeting Camardo has shown to be receptive and ready to work towards helping students, specifically graduate students.

Green also added there was only one other applicant, and that they had nowhere near the experience, relationships with administration nor eagerness Camardo did.

Prolonging the nominations actually hurt the ability for her to start working on graduate initiatives, and hurt Camardo as well, Green wrote.

In an email addressed to Green, Stephens provided a screenshot of Camardo’s Instagram account,

which had a bio that read “Hi Senate”.

Stephens asked Green to review the attachment, which they saw as an attempt to create the situations within Student Government into some joke where he gets to taunt senators.

They emphasized that if this is

the professionalism Green is looking for in a nominee, then they have no words, they wrote.

The Alligator reached out to Paul Camardo and has not received a response as of Sunday.

@vivienneserret vserret@alligator.org

Animal rights group denounces UF experimentations

THE GROUP CALLED UF’S EXPERIMENTS ‘BARBARIC’ AND ‘UNNECESSARY’

By Garrett Shanley

Alligator Staff Writer

NNational animal rights group Stop Animal Exploitation NOW!

sent a letter to UF President Ben Sasse condemning several university animal experiments.

Michael Budkie, executive director of SAEN, first wrote to Sasse May 20, urging him to suspend an experiment after it killed two canine subjects.

“We have discovered several other heinous projects for which UF has admitted significant failures to follow regulations,” Budkie wrote in his letter.

In the group’s latest letter, Budkie cited three non-compliance reports related to animal experiments at UF.

The first report, filed May 2022, described a dosing mistake that led to the death of eight rats.

In preparation for a study, laboratory staff administered meloxicam to the rats, a non-steroidal

anti-inflammatory drug typically used to relieve pain in animals.

Laboratory staff mistook the concentration of the drug and gave the subjects five times the approved dose of meloxicam as a result. Eight subjects died or were euthanized due to the dosing mistake and their “advanced age,” according to the report.

“Why did UF staff not simply read the bottle?” Budkie wrote.

The UF Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee declared the incident as a noncompliance with Public Health Services policy May 17, 2022.

The lab adopted measures to prevent further dosage mistakes, such as requiring two staff members to verify prescription drug doses prior to administration, according to the report.

Budkie cited another report revealed unapproved traumatic brain injury procedures performed on a group of mice.

The mice received traumatic brain injury procedures from May 25, 2022, to June 16, 2022.

The mice used in the procedure were originally obtained through an IACUC-approved pro-

tocol which allowed them to be temporarily transferred to other projects.

The protocol allowing the temporary transfer of the mice was suspended June 16. From June 16 to June 22, further TBI procedures were performed on additional mice from the original protocol without IACUC approval.

Budkie argued the effects of anesthesia on intracranial pressure and the differences between the skulls of mice and humans invalidated the results of the experiment.

“This experiment would have virtually no scientific utility,” Budkie wrote. “Unless of course, the goal is to treat mice who were anesthetized before receiving a traumatic brain injury.”

The UF IACUC determined the incident violated regulations in July. In response, transfer protocols were eliminated from future TBI procedures.

Data collected from the unapproved TBI procedures was discarded.

The third report cited by Budkie described an experiment where scald burn injuries were

inflicted on 24 mice subjects.

Prior to the procedure, the mice received injections of ketamine and xylazine as anesthetics. Laboratory staff administered a toe-pinch test to ensure the effectiveness of the anesthetics.

Additional doses of ketamine and xylazine were administered after two-thirds of the mice responded to the toe-pinch test. The total dosage remained within IACUC-approved limits, according to the report.

After scald burn injuries were applied to the mice, three died before recovering from anesthetics.

Two mice died after they recovered from anesthetics.

The IACUC voted to report the incident to regulatory agencies. Several corrective actions were ordered, including an amendment to replace ketamine and xylazine with isoflurane anesthesia in future protocols.

Budkie argued in his letter the use of animal subjects was unnecessary, citing a study where burn wounds were tested on in vitro human skin cells.

“It is time for the University of Florida to move into cutting-edge

science and abandon the barbaric abuses of animals which have violated federal regulations,” Budkie wrote.

UF Spokesperson Cynthia Roldan released a statement assuring the UF Animal Care and Use Program has received full and continued accreditation from the AAALAC International, a nonprofit organization that promotes the humane treatment of animals in science.

“The University of Florida is committed to the ethical use of animals in its pursuit of medical advances that benefit both humans and animals,” Roldan wrote.

Budkie believes UF has yet to live up to this statement.

“If there is any truth to UF’s claims for concern about animals, end these barbaric and unnecessary studies, and terminate your staff who apparently can’t read drug bottles,” Budkie wrote.

This is an ongoing investigation. Check back for updates. @garrettshanley

Sawyer Lamers // Alligator Staff Senate President Oscar Santiago Perez (Change-District D) signed bills condemning attacks on higher education and creating a budget review act at the Senate meeting Tuesday, May 30, 2023.

Beyond the Binary expands drag to nonbinary performers

Local Gainesville group spreads positivity and inclusivity

By Leia Ulrich Avenue Staff Writer

Editor’s note: Some of the names used on this article are stage names.

Some drag stars create a character and embody it when they perform. Beyond the Binary cofounder Sydney Lee uses drag to explore their true self.

“It just feels like channeling parts of myself that have been repressed,” the 24-year-old Gainesville resident said.

The Curious Sheyzé, Sydney Lee and Carlos Zaragoza founded Beyond the Binary to provide a safe environment they felt was missing for people of color and nonbinary individuals within the drag community.

Many performers worry about the future of the art after recent Florida legislation passed restricting drag shows.

In support of the larger LGBTQ community, Beyond the Binary members coordinated and attended a town hall meeting at University Club June 1, where more than 200 people were in attendance.

At the event, a lawyer presented the details of new legislation, and what it means for the drag and LGBTQ community.

Later this month, the six performers plan to take the How Bazar stage June 10 as pride month commences at their upcoming event, BTB: The Blazing Ball.

Starring Aurora Whorealis, Dreamer Knight, Marisoll Lords, The Curious Sheyzé, Emma Gration and Kamonii a Dior, the extravaganza will be a night highlighting fashion, culture and inclusion.

Sydney Lee creates content for and manages all of the digital media for Beyond the Binary. The organization uses its platforms to uplift cast members and encourage others to attend their meetings and shows.

Within the drag community, the majority of the performers Lee knew were white and assigned male at birth. As a person who was

assigned female at birth, Lee didn’t feel at home in drag, they said.

Lee realized they were not the only nonbinary performer who was assigned female at birth in Gainesville after they met Dreamer Knight, a nonbinary drag performer who was also assigned female at birth.

Aurora Whorealis, a 23-yearold drag queen, became Lee’s drag mother and immersed them into drag.

Aurora Whorealis began her drag career five years ago in South Florida. Outside of performing, she works as an HIV prevention program coordinator for WellFlorida Council Inc. She is also an environmental activist who

travels across Florida to discuss climate change.

She uses her performances to highlight environmental issues as well. In one performance she addressed the importance of honey bees. The performance began with dubbed audio about native bee populations, then transitioned to the song “Beez in the Trap’’ by 2Chainz and Nicki Minaj, then ended with a Beyoncé remix because “she is Queen Bey,” Aurora Whorealis said.

The third co-founder is Carlos Zaragoza, a 24-year-old freelance makeup artist who grew up in a small town an hour north of Gainesville. Growing up without any queer influence pushed

Zaragoza to create a community that celebrates their differences. They moved to Gainesville to start a new chapter with their partner, Aurora Whorealis.

“I met my partner and [she] completely flipped my life on its head and taught me about queer culture,” Zaragoza said. “[She] taught me about ballroom and drag and it’s been a really refreshing experience.”

The two met in 2019, and Aurora Whorealis moved from Miami to Gainesville that December to be with Zaragoza.

“It was love at first sight for me,” Aurora Whorealis said. “Now, we’re coming up on our 4 year anniversary this month and

we still live in our first townhome with our three kitties that we got together.”

Zaragoza thinks of themself as the makeup father of the house who helps newer drag performers grow into their identities, they said. They oversee all organization partnerships and look for growth opportunities.

They hope that in the future, Beyond the Binary will do more than just shows. Members held a queer-inclusive makeup workshop in the past and plan to host similar events through the organization in the future.

lulrich@alligator.org

Courtesy to The Alligator

Starting from bottom left, clockwise: Carlos Zaragoza, Dreamer Knight, The Curious Sheyzé, Kamonii A Dior, Marisol Lords, Emma Gration and Aurora Whorealis. Drag performers, makeup artists and coordinators for Beyond the Binary work together to host extravaganzas and raise awareness about the LGBTQ community.

Figure on Diversity seeks to build confidence for transgender youth

LGBTQ Local figure-drawing workshop continues celebrating underrepresented bodies

By Aubrey Bocalan Avenue Staff Writer

Everyone deserves to see art when they look at themselves in the mirror — for the past six years, Figure on Diversity has been dedicated to helping people do just that.

Angela DeCarlis, a 30-year-old art adjunct professor at UF, founded the figure drawing workshop, which features diverse models who are people of color, fat, disabled or members of the LGBTQ community.

“It’s really important for the models who have been oppressed on the basis of their appearance to have the opportunity to be seen,” DeCarlis said. “Not just stared at, right? Really seen and valued.”

DeCarlis first saw a need for diverse figure-drawing models when they were an art student at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and Lesley University. They wanted to learn how to draw different body types and give underrepresented communities the opportunity to feel welcome in the arts.

They hosted several events for people to learn how to model after they founded Figure on Diversity. Since then, they have learned more about the importance of helping people feel like their bodies are worth representation, they said.

One way they are achieving this is by hosting an event called Outshown from June 11 to June 13 that focuses on transgender youth. This free three-day workshop will teach 20 trans and nonbinary participants how to draw from a live model.

The event will also feature two days of figure drawing trans bodies, one day of selfportraits and special guests like artist Hayden Stern.

One Nation/One Project, a national arts and wellness initiative, provided a grant to host the event to promote trans youth wellness to Figure on Diversity.

LGBTQ youth are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers, and this suicidal ideation is largely due to their stigmatization in society, according to the Trevor Project.

“[Ages] 16 to 24 is a really vulnerable time — your body is going through a lot of changes,” DeCarlis said. “And for trans youth, those changes can be really traumatizing.”

They hope this workshop will give young transgender people the ability to see what it’s like to be an adult trans person and to be proud of their bodies, they said.

Brooke Hull, a 24-year-old model for Figure on Diversity, has seen their confidence grow through modeling.

Hull, who identifies as fat, trans and nonbinary, started modeling for Figure on Diversity in April.

“I just feel more proud of who I am and how my body looks because I recognize that it’s artwork,” they said.

They had never viewed their body as art before they began modeling, Hull said. After their first modeling event, they were in awe of the drawings artists created from the session.

“I was full smiles — near tears — at times because it was just so beautiful to see myself that way,” they said.

Hull believes the event’s last day of selfportraits will be the most empowering, they said.

The self-portraits will be done on the last day of the Outshown workshop and will be exhibited at Gainesville Fine Art Association July 28.

“I’m sure that’s going to be a wonderful day for the trans youth who are able to attend because they’ll be able to see themselves as I did,” Hull said. “ As artwork, as something to be uplifted and celebrated.”

However, these workshops are not just about helping models or minority groups feel proud of their bodies.

Carolina Cotten, a 54-year-old transgender model for Figure on Diversity, believes the workshop is also a way to advocate for trans stories.

Art and artists have the power to shape culture and society, she said. Projecting

LGBTQ bodies in a positive way can also help destigmatize the queer experience.

“We are not monsters,” Cotten said. “We are just human beings with human bodies.”

Since February, Cotten has modeled twice and plans to model at the Outshown event for trans youth.

Cotten’s first time modeling was fantastic, she said.

“On one side, I was feeling vulnerable,” Cotten said. “But at the same time, it made me feel that I was coping with my own insecurities and my own self-acceptance.”

On top of that, she made new friends with other models and artists.

Modeling for Outshown will be just one more step toward self-acceptance, not just for herself but for trans participants as well, she said.

“We’re living at a time when we have so many forces telling transgender people ‘You don’t belong. You don’t exist. You’re not what you are. We hate you,’” Cotten said.

But participating in Outshown and other events hosted by Figure on Diversity and seeing people make art inspired by trans bodies has meant a lotalot to Cotten.

Now, transgender youth have the ability

to see themselves creating and being art by participating in the Outshown workshop, even if they had no drawing experience.

Art is about telling stories in a visual way, and with Figure on Diversity workshops, everyone walks away with a better understanding of one another, DeCarlis said.

“Artists are the ones who get to generate our cultural notions of beauty,” DeCarlis said.

After Outshown, DeCarlis hopes to continue providing a platform for selfacceptance and open conversation through their other nude figure drawing workshop, Drawing Out Summer, which will meet every first and third Monday of each month starting June 8.

“Anybody who’s excited about the idea of posing for artists and who holds at least one oppressed identity or marginalized identity is welcome to apply to pose,” DeCarlis said.

As Figure on Diversity continues to highlight LGBTQ stories and teach artists and viewers alike about diversity, they hope to inspire people to truly see others.

@aubreyyrosee

Courtesy to The Alligator

Carolina Cotten (left) and Mel Hernandez (right) pose together during a Museum Days event held at the Harn Museum of Art in April 2023.

El Caimán

LOS ESTUDIANTES BUSCAN IGUALDAD Y ACEPTACIÓN MIENTRAS DESAFÍAN LAS NORMAS CULTURALES

Por Nicole Beltrán Esritora de El Caimán

Miguel Pascual, estudiante guatemalteco de primera generación en su segundo año en UF, está orgulloso de su herencia latina. Durante su tiempo libre, disfruta ayudando a otros estudiantes de primera generación a reconocer esta admiración cultural por medio del desarrollo de sus habilidades de liderazgo.

Aunque las contribuciones del joven de 19 años como miembro de la comunidad latina son bien reconocidas por sus compañeros, Pascual a menudo lucha por integrar esta importancia con su identidad gay por temor a ser juzgado por sus compañeros, amigos y cultura.

Si bien identificarse como LGBTQ puede ser una lucha individualizada, para algunos, la intersección entre la herencia y la identidad puede provocar una fuerte sensación de inestabilidad abrumadora.

Algunos de sus amigos de ascendencia hispana veían a la comunidad LGBTQ como raros o fuera de la norma, dijo Pascual. Las experiencias de Pascual ignorando las suposiciones sobre su identidad lo han llevado a sentirse incómodo al expresarse en la Florida, un estado que ha aprobado numerosos proyectos de ley relacionados con la comunidad LGBTQ.

“Hay momentos en los que simplemente no me siento cómodo diciéndole a la gente que soy gay”, dijo Pascual.

Pero el cuerpo estudiantil latino de UF con-

tinúa rechazando estas creencias injustificadas de la institución y creando un espacio seguro para que todas las comunidades prosperen.

Santiago Oscar Pérez, presidente del Senado de Gobierno Estudiantil del Partido Change, ha dedicado parte de su candidatura y presidencia a crear más inclusión para la comunidad LGBTQ en el campus universitario.

“He sido un gran defensor de la comunidad LGBTQ y quiero seguir haciéndolo durante mi término actual como presidente” dijo Pérez.

Pérez, de 20 años, es puertorriqueño y se identifica como no binario. Además de servir en el gobierno estudiantil, está terminando su mandato como tesorero de la Unión Estudiantil del Orgullo, y es el presidente entrante de Voluntarios para Asuntos Estudiantiles Internacionales. También ha trabajado con la Asociación de Estudiantes Hispanos en el pasado.

Pérez ha ocupado cargos importantes durante su tiempo en la UF, pero esa autoridad no ha quitado sus sentimientos de restricción. Él cree que necesita limitarse por miedo a lo que dirán los demás, dijo.

“Creo que es un tabú de cierta manera dentro de los círculos hispanos”, dijo. “Especialmente cuando no estás muy seguro de si tus padres te aceptarían”.

Si bien Pérez se sintió cómodo discutiendo su identidad con su madre, todavía sigue tratando de construir ese tipo de conexión con su padre, dijo.

Fuera de su hogar, Pérez cree que la UF le ha dado un ambiente seguro y cómodo para ser auténtico y continuar abogando por la autenticidad en la vida de los demás. Ha encontrado grupos acogedores y amigos que lo apoyan y lo elevan a él y a su identidad, dijo.

“He podido discutir temas LGBTQ de una manera constructiva, productiva y segura”, dijo.

Otros estudiantes han recibido una combinación de comentarios negativos y positivos de amigos y familiares.

Otros estudiantes, como la alumna de segundo año de la UF, Sarah Wutzler, reconocen el apoyo que han recibido de su familia a pesar de recibir algunas reacciones negativas.

“Tener otras personas LGBTQ en mi familia me ha ayudado mucho a aceptar mi propia identidad, pero también ha causado muchas peleas y controversias dentro de mi familia”, dijo Wutzler.

Wutzler es una cubanoamericana de 18 años y se identifica como una mujer queer cisgénero.

“Una de mis mayores luchas es que muchos de mis valores culturales latinos han chocado con mi identidad LGBTQ+”, dijo Wutzler. “Tuve que aprender a equilibrar eso sin dejar de sentirme orgullosa de ambas identidades”.

Wutzler es embajadora AWARE del Centro de Asesoramiento y Bienestar, directora del Comité de Disparidades de Salud y Medicina y miembro de la Asociación Americana de Estudiantes de Medicina . También es voluntaria en el Centro de Oportunidades, donde es tutora de adultos con enfermedades mentales.

Estando en la carrera de medicina y especializándose en la psicología, reconoce el descuido generalizado de la salud y el bienestar de la comunidad LGBTQ no solo dentro de la UF sino en todo el estado y la nación.

“El aumento de la legislación anti-LGBTQ es alarmante y se siente como una amenaza no solo para mi seguridad física sino también para

mi salud mental y educación”, dijo Wutzler. Ha encontrado un espacio seguro con sus amigos queer y otros estudiantes LGBTQ, pero no considera que la UF sea un ambiente cómodo, dijo.

Wutzler se siente afortunada de que su familia inmediata acepte su identidad, incluso si su familia extendida no comparte los mismos valores. Hay una mezcla de opiniones sobre religión, raza, edad y normas sociales de Cuba, dijo.

“Todavía no he hablado con toda mi familia sobre mi identidad por esto”, dijo.

Independientemente de los puntos de vista conflictivos, Wutzler tiene la esperanza de que su familia eventualmente pueda comenzar a aceptar sus creencias y su identidad. Ella también quiere poder entender los de ellos.

“Estoy trabajando para tener conversaciones con mi familia para comprender sus perspectivas y espero que ellos comprendan la mía”, dijo. “Esto no siempre funciona, y raramente es fácil, pero ayuda a fomentar el amor y algo de compasión incluso a pesar de las diferencias”.

La intersección entre las comunidades latinas y LGBTQ ha presentado desafíos, pero ha ayudado a las familias a comprender mejor las diferencias.

“Soy afortunado de haber crecido en un hogar que no se opone a quién soy ó a qué me identifico”, dijo Pascual. “Pero si hay otras personas que no son necesariamente tan afortunadas como yo, hay recursos a los que pueden recurrir – sistemas de apoyo fuera de su hogar y que, con suerte, mejoraran con el tiempo”.

@nicolebeltg nbeltran@alligator.org

UF students discuss overlap between Latinx and LGBTQ communities

STUDENTS SEEK EQUALITY AND ACCEPTANCE WHILE CHALLENGING CULTURAL NORMS

By Nicole Beltrán

Alligator Staff Writer

Guatemalan first-generation UF sophomore Miguel Pascual is proud of his heritage, and in his free time he enjoys helping other first-generation students recognize this cultural admiration by developing their leadership skills.

Although the 19-year-old’s contributions as a member of the firstgeneration Latinx community are recognized by peers, Pascual often struggles with integrating this importance to his gay identity, fearing judgment from the student body, his friends and his culture.

While identifying as LGBTQ can be an individualized struggle, for some, the overlap between heritage and identity can elicit a strong sense of overwhelming instability.

Some of the friends he had who were of Hispanic heritage saw LGBTQ as weird or out of the norm, Pascual said. Pascual’s experiences with disregarding assumptions about his identity has led him to feel uncomfortable with expressing himself in Florida, a state that has passed numerous bills concerning LGBTQ.

“There are moments where I just don't really feel comfortable telling people that I am gay,” he said.

But UF’s Latinx student body continues to push down these unwarranted beliefs from the institution and create a safe space for all communities to thrive in.

Oscar Santiago Perez, the student government senate president of the Change Party, has dedicated part of his candidacy towards creating more inclusivity for the LGBTQ community on campus.

“I have been a huge advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, and I want to continue to do that within the current role serving as president,” he said.

Santiago Perez, 20, is Puerto Ri-

Mantente al día con El Caiman en Twitter. Envíanos un tweet @alligatorElCaiman.

can and identifies as nonbinary. Besides serving on SG, he’s finishing up his term as Pride Student Union Treasurer and is the incoming President of Volunteers for International Student Affairs. He has also worked with the Hispanic Student Association in the past.

Santiago Perez has upheld important roles during his time at UF, but that authority hasn’t erased his personal feelings of restriction. He believes he needs to limit himself in fear of what others would say.

“I think that it’s taboo in a way within Hispanic circles,” he said. “Especially when you're not very certain if your parents would be very accepting.”

While Santiago Perez felt comfortable discussing identity with his mother, he is still trying to build up that connection with his father, he said.

Outside of his home, Santiago Perez believes that UF has given him a safe, comfortable environment to be authentic and to continue to advocate for authenticity in the lives of

others. He’s found admirable groups and supportive friends who uplift him and his identity, he said.

“I’ve been able to discuss LGBTQ topics in a constructive, productive and safe manner,” he said.

Other students have experienced a mix of negative and positive feedback from friends and family.

Other students, like UF sophomore Sarah Wutzler, recognize the support they’ve received from their family despite receiving some negative reactions.

“Having other LGBTQ people in my family has been really helpful for me in accepting my own identity, but it has also caused a lot of fights and controversy within my family,” Wutzler said.

Wutzler is an 18-year-old CubanAmerican and identifies as a cisgender queer woman.

“One of the biggest struggles for me is that a lot of my cultural Latinx values have clashed with my LGBTQ+ identity,” Wutzler said. “I had to learn to balance that while still feeling proud of both identities.”

Wutzler is an AWARE ambassador for the Counseling and Wellness Center, a director for the Health Disparities in Medicine Committee and a member of the American Medical Student Association. She also volunteers at the Opportunity Center where she tutors adults with mental illness.

Being on the pre-med track and majoring in psychology, she acknowledges the widespread neglect of LGBTQ health and wellness not only within UF but across the state and nation.

“The increase in anti-LGBTQ legislation which affects UF is alarming and feels like a threat not only to my physical safety but to my mental health and education as well,” she said.

Read the rest online at alligator. org/section/elcaiman.

@nicolebeltg nbeltran@alligator.org

Síganos para actualizaciones

Para obtener actualizaciones de El Caiman, síganos en línea en www.alligator.org/section/elcaiman.

Gailis overcomes struggles Rachel Gailis’ breakout freshman season. Read more on pg. 11.

Estudiantes de la UF discuten la intersección cultural entre las comunidad latina y LGBTQ

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Rachel Gailis overcomes midseason struggles, finishes breakout year

THE FRESHMAN FOUND HER FOOTING TO FINISH HER SEASON 22-7

By Luke Adragna Sports Writer

Gators women’s tennis freshman Rachel Gailis exudes confidence. Her confidence bleeds through with expressive nature on the court. She went back to the drawing board after she endured a rugged stretch.

The freshman boasted a 4-2 record in singles midway through the season and faced her biggest uncertainty after a loss to the Kentucky Wildcats March 19.

The Wildcats defeated the Gators 4-2, and Gailis swallowed the largest dose of the defeat when Kentucky senior Carlota Molina clinched the winning point against the freshman in a deciding set.

“That was probably the toughest loss of my actual tennis career,” Gailis said. “I was really struggling.”

Gailis wasn’t accustomed to failure. She committed to UF as a top recruit in the class of 2022. Her confidence continued to waver until the Gators approached their matchup against Arkansas April 2.

“She was at a dark place there, come March,” said UF head coach Roland Thornqvist. “And eventually, that got better.”

Gailis placed an emphasis on confidence and positivity that week — which was all Thornqvist wanted her to focus on for the upcoming match.

“He told me the only thing that could really change my game is my mind and being positive,” Gailis said. “Even if I don’t feel good, I have to show I feel good.”

The freshman also found a boost in confidence in a rally session between her and her father, Alex Gailis.

The two focused on her tempo and went through an entire basket of balls before she managed to find her feel.

“I just told her to go slow,” Alex Gailis said.

The two gradually began to increase the pace until she finally found her stride.

Freshman Rachel Gailis serves the ball in the Gators' 4-1 victory against the Michigan Wolverines Wednesday, March 22, 2023.

MEN'S GOLF

SEE TENNIS, PAGE 12

Biondi, Gators bring home NCAA national titles

Florida men’s golf secured the NCAA crown May 31

By Madilyn Destefano Sports Writer

On the 17th hole, Florida Gators senior golfer Fred Biondi was tied with a chance to give UF its fifth national title in program history. Biondi, slightly further from the hole than his opponent, had two strokes to bring home the title for his team.

He sunk the final putt to bring the Gators to the summit.

Not only did the Florida men’s golf team take home first place in the 2023 NCAA National Championship, but Biondi won the individual national championship as well.

The title marks J.C. Deacon's first national championship as head coach of the Florida men’s golf team since he took the job in 2014.

“I’m very, very proud to be coming back

to Gainesville as national champions,” Deacon said.

UF traveled to Scottsdale, Arizona, where it defeated the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the final round May 31, winning 3-1 in match play.

Deacon explained his player’s dedication to the sport paid off.

“We’ve been a good team for a few years,” Deacon said. “The last two months we became great.”

Biondi walked onto the course five strokes back from the lead on May 29. However, he stayed patient and came back to win the individual title. The momentum continued through May 31 when he led his team to victory.

The senior locked in the winning point for Florida during match four between Biondi and his opponent, Georgia Tech fresh-

man Hiroshi Tai.

“It’s a really hard course and the scores are always pretty high there,” Biondi said. “By the end of the tournament, I kind of figured out how to play the course better than last year when we were there.”

Biondi remained consistent.

“If you remain calm and patient, things will work out your way,” Biondi said.

Biondi demonstrated patience during his freshman year. Despite not competing, he worked hard and appeared in the lineup three times the following year.

It wasn’t until Biondi’s junior year he started to put his name out there. Biondi appeared in the Gators’ lineup a career-high 10 times and was the top performer in the lineup six times throughout the 2021-2022 season.

The senior won two tournaments in the

spring including the first win of his career at the VyStar Credit Union Gators Invitational. He tied the tournament record at 14-underpar 210 and finished ranked No. 1 in the Golfstat Cup standings his junior season.

In Biondi's senior year, he raised the bar. The Brazilian is the first South Americanborn player and third Gator ever to win the NCAA national championship individual title. In addition, he is the first player to shoot under par in all four rounds in the last three tournaments held at Grayhawk Golf Course.

Deacon has coached Biondi since 2019 when he enrolled early in the Spring as a freshman. Four years later, Deacon watched the senior lead his group to a national title.

"I promised J.C. when I first got to school that I would work as hard as I could to try and bring him a ring or two," Biondi said. "And we did it."

@destefanomadi mdestefano@alligtor.org

Ryan Friedenberg // Alligator Staff

Freshman Comeback

Florida dream comes true

TENNIS, from pg. 11

SOFTBALL, from pg. 11

away,” she said. “It brought me back to why I love playing, and it made me feel a lot more free.”

el, so he had an impact on my growth as a person and an athlete," Reagan Walsh said. Her growth as an athlete and as a Gator was made possible by the support of her parents and teammates, she said.

The seemingly simple rally session between them spawned an evolution in Gailis’ play.

“When she’s on the courts, I can see her body language from far,” Alex Gailis said. “It’s not about her game or the technical aspect; it was all mental for her.”

Walsh — who’s near the end of her second year — recognized she has support from her father, teammates and coaches, she said.

Florida entered its final weekend of regular season play with an important task. If the Gators won out, they’d secure the No. 4 seed in the Southeastern Conference tournament and earn an extra day of rest.

feated Crimson Tide sophomore Petra Sedlackova and junior Anna Parkhomenko 6-3.

Her fellow Gators have noticed her confidence in her ability to change positions on the field when things get tough.

said.

Walsh was set to fill the hole left by the departure of former Florida graduate student infielder Hannah Adams as she entered her sophomore season.

Alicia Dudeney among seven other players in Florida’s history to earn SEC hardware twice in one season.

The Delray Beach, Florida, native improved upon UF’s lead with a 6-3, 6-2 victory against Parkhomenko in singles.

"I've seen her work and the growth she has had,” UF shortstop Skylar Wallace said. “I think she's known you're not going to be perfect at all times."

The Gators defeated Alabama 4-1 and set up a pivotal matchup against Auburn for the fourth seed.

“Working with Coach Walton every single day at practice, and him killing me at second base, I think, is all worth it,” Walsh said. “Hannah was such a great athlete; it's an awesome experience to be able to play second.”

Though the wins didn’t amount to success in the SEC tournament, the victory lifted the Gators above the Tigers in NCAA seeding and allowed Florida to host its region for the first two rounds of the tournament.

Tech then-freshman Alejandra Cruz.

be hard on her so she will succeed, he said.

Gailis returned Cruz’s serve, and after many back-and forthstrokes, immaculately placed a ball which the Yellow Jackets freshman couldn’t return. Gailis’ teammates mobbed her and clinched the victory for the Gators.

"As a parent, I just want to love and support her — tell her it's all right,” he said. “Then on the other hand, you have to be competitive, and you have to push her to make sure she knows you have to do better, and you can do this.”

Gailis won her singles matches against Missouri and Arkansas that weekend. She played a pivotal role in the Gators’ final regular season weekend and National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament run.

The slate of games included the No. 61 Alabama Crimson Tide and the No. 15 Auburn Tigers. The latter held the No. 4 seed at the time.

"The people at the University of Florida are great and have definitely impacted me as a player, but also as a person," Walsh said.

“It kind of took all my pressure

The freshman orchestrated wins in both of her singles and doubles matchups against Alabama. Gailis and Florida senior Carly Briggs de-

Walsh has displayed confidence and an eagerness to win to the fans who come out to support her in Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. She batted in a season-high six runs against Illinois State Feb. 11 and has a batting average of 0.353 this season. Her control at bat and ability to find the right pitch is big in late innings, Wallace

Gailis and Briggs picked up right where they left off and earned a 6-1 doubles victory against Tigers junior Adeline Flach and freshman Angella Okutoyi. Gaillis wrapped up her weekend with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory versus freshman Kaitlyn Carnicella to help secure the No. 4 seed in the SEC tournament.

The freshman joined sophomore

There, Gailis had her full-circle moment.

Walsh and her father share a passion for sports and the competitiveness that comes with it. However, a line is drawn between his support for her as a father and giving her advice as a former athlete who understands the hardships of being an athlete, John Walsh said. He has to push her and

The freshman had the opportunity to clinch the match against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on an even grander stage.

He will forever support his daughter, he said. As a former athlete playing at a competitive level, he’s been hard on Reagan and understands the tough times she might face, he said.

The freshman concluded her season with a 16-3 record in dual-meet singles, seven consecutive singles victories and two SEC Freshman of the Week awards.

"It's a tough balance,” he said. “But I love her and let her know that.”

Gailis led forty-love and needed one more point to secure a victory in a deciding set of the NCAA tournament second round against Georgia

“I try to not set too many expectations for myself,” Gailis said. “But one thing I do expect is to give 100 percent all the time.”

@abrittonharr abritton-harr@alligator.org

@lukeadrag ladragna@alligator.org