SFGN 1/12/23 V14iss2

A LIST OF LGBT-FOCUSED PROJECTS IN OMNIBUS 2023

Intended as condemnation, the result was attention to critical needs. Representative Chip Roy did the LGBT community a favor by highlighting several projects in the 4,155-page, $1.7 trillion 2023 federal Omnibus appropriations.

While the Texas Republican called the earmarks “terrible” and “ridiculous,” those who requested them celebrated the bill’s passing.

“So proud to support LGBTQ+ students!!,” tweeted Representative Sara Jacobs (D-CA). “I’m proud these funds will be used to purchase new space that will house LGBTQ seniors and provide vital services,” tweeted former Representative Mondaire Jones (D-NY). Here is a list of the LGBT-related earmarks in the 2023 Omnibus:

Division E: A $250,000 earmark for Our Lives Media, Inc. of Madison, Wisconsin. Requested by Representative Mark Pocan (D-WI), the earmark commissions a National Archives and Records Administration grant in the name of the late Dick Wagner, who authored the state’s first gay rights law. This appropriation goes to the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations.

Division H: A $523,345 earmark for Compass LGBTQ Youth and Family Services of Lake Worth Beach, Florida. Requested by Representative Shelia Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), the project funds behavioral health and wraparound services. This appropriation goes to the Department of Health and Human Services under an account titled, Substance Use and Mental Health Services Administration.

Division H: A $105,000 earmark for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh. Requested by Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), the earmark funds a mentoring program for LGBTQ youth. This appropriation goes to the Department of Health and Human Services

under an account titled, Administration for Children and Families.

Division H: A $500,000 earmark for Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth, Inc. of Hauppauge, New York. Requested by Representative Thomas Suozzi (D-NY) and Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), the project is for substance use prevention and mental health services for youth. This appropriation goes to the Department of Health and Human Services under an account titled, Substance Use and Mental Health Services Administration.

Division H: A $750,000 earmark for the TransLatin@ Coalition of Los Angeles. Requested by Representative Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), the project provides case management for professional development, English as second language courses, legal services and more to help transgender and intersex individuals successfully enter the workforce. This appropriation goes to the Department of Labor under an account titled, Employment and Training Administration.

Division H: A $113,520 earmark for the LGBT Center of Greater Reading, Pennsylvania. Requested by Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), the project provides wraparound services and support for at-risk youth. This appropriation goes to the Department of Education under an account titled, Elementary and Secondary Education.

Division H: A $1.2 million earmark for the San Diego Community College District. Requested by Representative Sara Jacobs (DCA), the project funds centers in the district to support LGBT studies. This appropriation goes to the Department of Education under an account titled, Higher Education.

Division L: A $1.5 million earmark for the LOFT LGBTQ+ Center of White Plains, New

York. Requested by Representative Mondaire Jones (D-NY), the earmark funds the community center’s New Home Project. This appropriation goes to the Department of Housing and Urban Development under an account titled, Community Development Fund.

Division L: A $3 million earmark for the New York Historical Society. Requested by Representative Jerry Nadler (D-NY), the earmark funds the organization’s American LGBTQ+ Museum Partnership Project. This appropriation goes to the Department of Housing and Urban Development under an account titled, Community Development Fund.

Division L: A $750,000 earmark for In Our Own Voices, Inc. of Albany, New York. Requested by Representative Paul Tonko (DNY), the project provides transitional housing and services for LGBT and gender nonconforming people of color. This appropriation goes to the Department of Housing and Urban Development under an account titled, Community Development Fund.

Division K: A $500,000 earmark for the special advisor to advance the human rights of LGBTQI+ people. This appropriation goes to the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor under an account titled, Administration of Foreign Affairs and Diplomatic Programs.

John McDonald

Associated Press

SFGN COVER: Art by Kyle Willis.

Photo via Adobe Stock.

South Florida Gay

NEWS

J.R.’s

OF THE SNAPSHOT WEEK

From your life... into our pages! SFGN takes a weekly look at a community that has stood together through countless trials and victories in the past year alone.

Photo by J.R. Davis

Graphic artist Byron Hilado and boyfriend Gary Day, a barber at Carved Barber Shop and an LPN, attending the Gay Men’s Chorus South Florida Concert at The Hard Rock.

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

BISEXUAL

MEGAN FOX TO STAR IN SCI-FI THRILLER

Megan Fox is set to star in an upcoming scifi thriller titled “Subservience.”

The movie, directed by S.K. Dale with screenplay written by Will Honley and April Maguire, is about a struggling father who purchases a domestic SIM to help care for his house and family. All is well until the SIM, played by Fox, gains awareness, and turns deadly.

“Megan and Michele [Morrone] are perfect for this timely and provocative thriller. As Megan’s third film with us, this high concept and topical subject make for a cautionary tale of AI and the frighteningly real dangers that could rise,” said Millennium Media President Jeffrey Greenstein.

“This film will show a side of Megan that we have never seen before. The cast that we are assembling will elevate this emotionally-

charged story and I cannot wait to show you all what we have in store,” Dale added.

Production for the film started on Jan. 7.

QUEER Q ADAM LAMBERT OPENS UP ABOUT HIS STRUGGLE WITH ANXIETY AND QUEER IDENTITY

In an interview, Adam Lambert opened up about his struggle with anxiety and queer identity.

“I started feeling like this isn’t fun. I’m not enjoying this because I’m completely stressed out about the technical side of it and it’s pulling me out of the moment,” Lambert said in the trailer. “And that, to me, is like so much of the magic of performing, is this feeling that you get where it’s very liberating.”

Lambert discussed how his mental health suffered when he began masking his queer identity, taking medication, and more.

“I’ve started recently being more vocal and open about my own personal experiences. After the pandemic, I think a lot of people had some extra weight that

Adam Lambert Via Facebook.

they were carrying. I think that caused an extra amount of anxiety across the board for most people,” said Lambert.

The interview aired on Christmas Eve on “Britain Get Singing.”

Megan Fox via Wikimedia.

BETH MEAD WINS SPORTS PERSONALITY OF 2022

Beth Mead won the 2022 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

“I’m speechless for one. I’m incredibly honored to win this award,” said Mead.

She used the opportunity to pay tribute to female athletes.

“Most of all this is for women’s sport and for women’s sport heading in the right direction, so let’s keep pushing girls and keep doing the right thing.”

This is the second time an LGBT athlete has won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

“I’ll keep saying, it’s cliché, but I wouldn’t have done it without the girls over there and a team that have backed me. Yes, I’ve got this accolade, I did my job, I scored a few goals, but I wouldn’t have done it without them, and I certainly wouldn’t have done it without my dad, my mum and all my family.”

Beh Mead via Wikimedia.

THE COUNTRY

180 BODY BAGS LEFT OUTSIDE STATE CAPITAL IN PROTEST OF ANTI-LGBT LAWS

Dawn Shim, 17, the leader of Support Equality Schools Arizona, orchestrated an event outside of the Arizona Capital to show lawmakers that their vote has an effect on people.

The demonstration showed 180 body bags of Arizona students while lawmakers were in session.

The Republican majority has proposed an onslaught of anti-LGBT bills since 2020. Laws like barring trans student athletes from playing on a sports team with those of the gender they identify as to forcing teachers “to hand over all student records to parents, even if they contain sensitive personal information.”

“Whether they pass or not is not the

problem.

restrictive,

ANTICIPATED ANTI-LGBT LAWS HAVE SOME READY TO FIGHT

Three dozen bills have been proposed by Texas Republican lawmakers against LGBT people recently.

The GOP has reverted back to adopting party platform language like being queer is a “lifestyle choice” and “little or no sense of choice about their sexual orientation,” according to The Texas Tribune.

“This is not the first time that we’ve been villainized,” said Ricardo Martinez, CEO of Equality Texas. “It won’t be the last time. We just have to fight.”

Before the 2016 election, the LGBT community saw big wins on the local, state, and federal levels. Those include marriage equality, being protected under Title IX, and more, but since Donald

Trump was elected, the conservative party has been diligent about overturning rights.

NEW YORK

CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER, QANON ACTIVIST SAYS TOP DEMOCRATS AND HOLLYWOOD A-LISTERS ARE PEDOPHILES

David Todeschini, 70, appeared on journalist and YouTuber Andrew Callaghan’s directorial debut, “This Place Rules,” where he was asked about his conviction in New York back in 1999, according to LGBTQ Nation.

Todeschini, known for his posts in the QAnon world under the name David Trent, has made statements that leaders of the Democratic party, like Hillary Clinton, and A-List celebrities, like Oprah Winfrey, are part of a secret satanic cabal of pedophiles.

When questioned about his 1999 convictions, Todeschini said he pled guilty to a crime that he didn’t commit. He was found guilty of one count each

of sexual abuse in the first degree and sodomy in the second degree for coercing an 8-year-old boy in New Jersey into sexual activity in 1996, according to LGBT Nation.

He is reportedly a level three threat, meaning he is a “sexually violent offender” and is at “high risk of repeat offense and a threat to public safety.”

Photo via New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services.

Photo courtesy equalitytexas.org.

THE AROUNDWORLD

ASIA CENTRAL AMERICA

ASEXUAL COMMUNITY IN HONG KONG FINDS ITS VOICE

Three early-20s individuals talk about their mutual disinterest in sex while surrounded by condoms and sex toys.

Yumi, Kaya, and PK recollect hearing that they would grow intrigued about sex and that interest in sexual activity frequently rose in college, a setting long regarded as one for trying new things. The trio, however, strongly disagrees.

According to Kaya, PK, and Yumi, when they discovered the idea of asexuality, no other phrase adequately captured their mental condition.

A-lephants is a division of the Chinese University of Hong Kong student organization Saan Sing Sex and Gender Concern Group, which discusses and spreads awareness of different sexand gender-related topics. A-lephants collaborated with PrideLab to plan a two-

day display and workshop.

“We progressed from talking about lesbians and gays to discussing LGBTI+ and many more. Every time a new English letter was added was because someone showed up. Members of those sexual minorities came out and made themselves visible,” said Kenn Chan, the creative director of PrideLabs, to Hong Kong Free Press.

EUROPE

According to Fox News, a non-binary gender-queer Anglican clergyman in the United Kingdom wants to use their position as a cleric to “normalize” such conduct in young people.

“I try to get involved in, not just in my religious work but outside it, with the local secular LGBT youth groups,” said Rev. Bingo Allison, a Church of England priest in the Diocese of Liverpool who identifies as gender-queer and uses “they/them” pronouns.

During a late-night study of Genesis 1:27, which describes how God created humanity male and female, Allison — who asserts to be the first non-binary gender-queer priest in England’s established church — also claimed to have uncovered a scriptural justification for gender fluidity.

“So God created man in his own image,

in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them,” reads the verse, which Allison maintained expresses “maleness to femaleness” instead of men and women.

Allison described the revelation as “a deepening spiritual experience” by which God “was guiding me into this new truth about myself.”

ISLAMIC POLICE DETAIN MUSLIMS ON SUSPICION OF ATTENDING SAME-SEX MARRIAGE WEDDING

BILLIONAIRE BANKROLLED LGBT GROUP CALLING FOR EXPANSION OF ‘SEX WORKER’ RIGHTS

Records reveal that a Colombian LGBT charity organization supported by the Biden administration and calling for the extension of “sex worker” rights in the violent nation has received thousands of dollars from left-wing billionaire George Soros.

According to the Washington Examiner, the State Department sent Fundacion Sentiido, which promotes prostitution, $16,000 in tax money. Records reveal that Soros’ Open Society Foundations, a renowned liberal grantmaker, has also given over

$122,000 to the same group, which is situated in Bogota, Colombia.

According to its website, Sentiido educates Colombians about “gender, sexual diversity, and social transformation” and writes articles about LGBT problems. Sentiido received a grant from the State Department in October that was intended to “provide tools, resources, and opportunities to support journalists and activists in Colombia and in Latin America” in order for them to better comprehend the “use of disinformation and gender restrictive narratives against LGBTIQ and women’s rights.”

Rev. Bingo Allison via Facebook.

Yumui photo via Hong Kong Free Press.

George Soros. Photo via Wikmedia.

TOP 11 MOST-READ LOCAL STORIES

DEATH PENALTY BEING RECONSIDERED

FOR MAN WHO MURDERED GAY COUPLE

By Christiana Lilly

The wheels of justice move slowly, but hopefully this October the trial in the 2010 murders of Steve Adams and Kevin Powell will finally come to an end.

Peter Avsenew was found guilty and sentenced to death in June 2022 — his attorneys requested that the death penalty be thrown out, claiming that some jurors did outside research, which is not allowed. His request for a new trial was denied in December 2022, but his penalty will be reevaluated during a hearing on Oct. 9.

This was not his first time before a jury, though. Avsenew was originally found guilty and sentenced to death in 2018. However, the Florida Supreme Court reversed the sentence and granted Avsenew a new trial in January 2022 because a witness, his mother Jeanne, gave her testimony against him via Zoom since she was undergoing cancer treatments. The court believed that it was unfair to Avsenew that he could not see her while she testified. She died in April 2022

Jeanne told the court that after the couple was killed, her son arrived at her house with a stolen car, asked that she get

rid of his gun, and said that “he had done something violent, something that was the worst thing he had ever done, and that he could not get out of it if he was caught.” He hadn’t slept in three days, she said, and had a bruise and showered to get rid of the smell of bleach.

Adams and Powell had made plans to fly to Ohio to visit Adams’ family for Christmas in 2010, but when they never arrived at the airport, the family called the Wilton Manors Police. On December 26, the couple was found dead inside their homes with gunshot wounds to the head.

As if the case wasn’t heinous enough, Avsenew handwrote a letter to Broward Circuit Judge Ilona Holmes, gloating that, “It is my duty as a white man to cull the weak and timid from existence … homosexuals are a disease to mankind and must be put down. I can’t put into words the feeling of ending a life it’s euphoric at the least.” He also implied it’s not the first time he may have killed someone, writing, “these weren’t the first and won’t be the last,” and “if you only knew how many there really are you would faint.”

GAY BASHERS SENTENCED

By Jason Parsley

The saga is over.

It took over four years to resolve the case of the four men who attacked a gay couple at the closing of Miami Beach Pride in 2018.

In October all four of them, Pablo Reinaldo Romo-Figueroa, Juan Carlos Lopez, Adonis David Diaz, and Luis Manuel Alonso-Piovet, all pleaded guilty after a year of twists and turns in the case.

At the beginning of 2022 they attempted to use a new defense: Stand Your Ground. They suddenly claimed they were the ones being attacked and were simply defending themselves. None of the four took the stand in the mini trial to determine whether or not the judge would allow them to continue with that defense.

The judge denied them. And finally in October they pled guilty.

They could have faced 15 years in prison.

The court withheld adjudication and sentenced them to five years’ probation, 200 hours of community service, anger management, mental and substance

abuse evaluations and any recommended treatments. They must all stay away from the victims.

They were all also required to apologize to the victims in court, which all four did on the spot.

MENINGITIS OUTBREAK HITS COMMUNITY

By John Hayden

Major medical crises hit the LGBT community one after another in 2022. An outbreak of meningitis and meningococcal disease disproportionately affected Florida’s MSM community. They affect the brain, spinal cord, and blood. If untreated they can kill in 48 hours.

The outbreak started in December, 2021, and appears to have its roots in the Orange County/Orlando area. While only a few dozen cases were diagnosed, that is still a much higher number than Florida health officials have seen in years. Gay and bisexual men were encouraged to get vaccinated.

Dr. Kinder of AHF said the diseases went from being an afterthought to an immediate priority. “I haven’t heard of any meningococcal or meningitis cases in 15

years,” he said. “It was the last vaccines we’d give and now it’s one of our tops.”

The number of new cases has subsided, but people in at-risk groups are still encouraged to take advantage of readily available vaccines.

While meningitis and meningococcal disease isn’t spread as easily as cold and flu germs, close or lengthy contact such as in retirement homes, dorms, and during sex can quickly lead to a cluster.

Peter Avsenew. Screenshot via CBS Miami, YouTube.

Photo via Pixabay.

Clockwise from top left: Luis Alonso-Piovet, Pablo Reinaldo Romo-Figueroa, Juan C. Lopez and Adonis Diaz. Photos via Miami-Dade corrections.

Three weeks ago we published the Top 10 National Stories of the Year. But our editors chose those topics and subjects. So we decided to take a look at what our readers are actually reading on the website.

LESBIAN SENATE HOPEFUL CAUGHT IN FLORIDA’S RED WAVE

By John McDonald

She had hoped to become Florida’s first lesbian Senator, but Janelle Perez got caught up in the one red wave Republicans were able to surf on.

Perez lost the race for Senate District 38 to Alexis Maria Calatayud, 93,741 (54.3%) to 78,625 (45.6%). Many analysts had Perez favored to win the coastal Miami-Dade district, which stretches from Key Biscayne to Homestead Air Force Base, covering 231 precincts.

Perez did well in Coral Gables, but it wasn’t enough to stop Calatayud, who ran up big margins in Westchester and parts of Kendall. The results were integral in the Republicans’ flipping of Miami-Dade County from blue to red.

The race got nasty at times with the 28-year-old Calatayud touting herself as “vibrant,” which some perceived as a slight to Perez, 34, a cancer survivor.

“While FL Dems are writing thesis and pointing fingers on Twitter the GOP is out

there registering voters,” Perez tweeted shortly after the election.

In December, Perez and her wife Monica were invited to the White House to attend President Joe Biden’s signing of the Respect For Marriage Act. The couple are proud parents of two girls.

“We’ve built a family filled with so much love and appreciation for those who paved the way,” Perez posted on Facebook.

GROUPS HAVE VERY DIFFERENT IDEAS OF HOW TO ‘PROTECT THE CHILDREN’

By Christiana Lilly

A clash of ideals came face to face on Fort Lauderdale Beach with conservative and progressive groups both wanting to protect children — but disagreeing very much on how.

Word spread that a Protect the Children rally would be taking place Dec. 3, hosted by Moms for Liberty Miami, Florida Fathers for Freedom, Gays Against Groomers and the Proud Boys. In their event flier, they said they would be protesting against “radicalized sexual curriculum, gender ideology, child grooming, parental alienation, and ‘genderaffirming care’.”

In response, LGBT groups organized a counter rally to show support for queer youth, holding signs such as “gender affirming care is health care” and “tired of being a target.” The groups were separated by A1A and for the most part, did not interact.

During the rally, Broward County School Board member Brenda Fam spoke to

FORT LAUDERDALE RESIDENTS VOTE IN 3 NEW COMMISSIONERS FORMER

By Christiana Lilly

From a crowded ballot of 15 candidates, Fort Lauderdale residents voted for John Charles Herbst, Pam Beasley-Pittman and Dr. Warren Sturman to join Mayor Dean Trantalis and Commissioner Steve Glassman, both gay men, at the dais.

Sturman now has the role of vice mayor, after beating out six other candidates for the District 4 seat. According to the Broward County Supervisor of Elections, he squeaked by with 21.19% of the vote, beating Kevin Cochrane by less than 100 votes. For District 3, retired BSO extradition specialist Beasley-Pittman was elected.

Perhaps the most controversial part of the election was Herbst’s easy win for District 1. He is no stranger to Fort Lauderdale, as he served as the city’s auditor for 16 years before being fired in February when he investigated the former police chief’s “secondary employment” as an NCAA coach when he was supposed to be on duty. Trantalis and Glassman

both voted to have him fired, and now they must work alongside one another. During his very first meeting, Herbst calling for the firing of the city attorney, city manager, and Trantalis’ chief of staff.

Former Commissioner Heather Moraitis announced in April that she would be resigning from her post, saying that she wanted to return her primary focus to education. Vice Mayor Ben Sorenson lost his run for Florida Congress in August, giving up his seat for a new commissioner. During the same midterm election, Commissioner Robert McKinzie won a seat on the Broward County Board of County Commissioners.

supporters of the Protect the Children side, where she talked about sex trafficking and grooming. She responded to criticism of her appearance at the conservative rally by saying, “If you support my cause, to protect the children you are [welcome] to stand next to me. Doesn’t matter if you are gay, straight, black, white, Black Lives Matter, or the Proud Boys.”

MR. RAMROD STRIPPED OF TITLE

By John Hayden

South Florida’s leather community is out and proud, but, in 2022, they had to deal with a problem within their ranks. Scot Blumstein, Mr. Ramrod 2017, was stripped of his title after making vulgar, disparaging comments about Blade Onyx, the thenreigning titleholder.

Blumstein made racially-tinged comments among other long rants on social media. Pageant organizer David Howell told SFGN at the time, “I think it all stems from jealousy. There had been some bickering between the former and the current. Most of it was coming from Scot. Then he made comments about Onyx and Deep South, and it stems from jealousy.”

As part of the sanctions, Blumstein had to return his patch, medallion, and was barred from The Ramrod. Howell said in a statement, “He does not represent the bar or the contest. His actions have shown that he is not deserving of being a leader in our community. I DO NOT and WILL NOT tolerate this behavior toward anyone in our community let alone a current or former titleholder.”

Blumstein posted, “I let ego, perceived slights, and thick-headedness cloud my judgment and allowed myself to make bad choices.” Howell said that given the hateful tones of the original posts, this is not enough of an apology or amends.

Courtesy of Janelle Perez Campaign.

The Proud Boys, Moms for Liberty Miami and Gays Against Groomers hosted a Protect the Children protest on Fort Lauderdale Beach, which was met with a counterprotest by local LGBT groups. Photo by JR Davis.

From left: John Charles Herbst, Pam Beasley-Pittman and Dr. Warren Sturman. Photos via Facebook.

Scot Blumstein. Photo via Facebook.

EX-DC COP AWAITS FLORIDA TRIAL ON SEX WITH MINOR CHARGES

By John McDonald

A former D.C. police lieutenant awaits trial in Broward County on charges of sex with a minor under the age of 18.

Brett Parson was arrested on Feb. 17, 2022 in Palm Beach County and later released on a $50,000 bond. The incident took place five days earlier around 1 a.m. at 5601 Regency Lakes Blvd. in Coconut Creek where Parson allegedly performed oral sex on a 16-year-old boy.

An affidavit states Parson and the boy met on Growlr, a hook-up app for gay bears. They exchanged “explicit” photos of each other and met in a parking lot where they kissed and performed oral sex on each other in Parson’s car, the affidavit states.

Later, while traveling east on Johnson Road, both cars were stopped by police. Parson, 54, is charged with two counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor.

Parson served as a supervisor in the LGBT Liaison Unit for the D.C. Metropolitan Police, before retiring in 2020 after a 26year career. He was in South Florida to care

for his mother after a recent surgery.

Parson has hired Fort Lauderdale attorney Michael Dutko for his defense. A hearing before Judge Tim Bailey is scheduled for March 17, 2023 at the Broward County Central Courthouse.

BROWARD EPICENTER OF MONKEYPOX OUTBREAK

By John Hayden

When Monkeypox was still backpage news in most of the country, it was front and center for South Florida’s gay and bisexual community. MPox is common in Africa, and it has been decades since the U.S. has seen an outbreak.

But when infected patients went to circuit parties in Europe this past spring, they spread and South Florida began to see a high number of infections. Since April 1, more than 1700 cases have been diagnosed in Broward, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade counties.

While there is no such thing as a ‘gay disease,’ this outbreak disproportionately affected the MSM community. The reason is Patient(s) Zero was/were sexually active MSM.

The community rallied together to fight yet another health crisis facing LGBT. Vaccines were quickly on site even while one million more doses were on back order.

Adult entertainers got vaccinated when producer Howard Andrew got some doses for that community.

AHF’s Dr. Zachary Henry told SFGN at the end of October, “Cases have been steadily falling overall since August. For me personally I was seeing a minimum of 3 to a record of 12 in one day every day at the clinic from early June until September. Now we are surprised to get one case a week.”

TRANS TEEN ATTACKED TWICE, COMMUNITY RALLIES WITH FUNDRAISER

By Christiana Lilly

In August 2022, Nori Sanford, 14, thought she was invited to hang out with friends at a Pompano Beach Park. But when she arrived, she was pushed to the ground, kicked, and punched.

“They came behind me and jumped me,” she told Local 10, adding that the boys told her “Don’t come around me with that gay shit.”

Someone at the scene taped the attack, which was shared with Local 10, which helped the Broward Sheriff’s Office arrest two of the four boys involved. Since they are minors, their identities were not released.

This was not the first time that the trans girl was attacked. In May 2021, she made the news when another video surfaced of students slamming her into the ground at Deerfield Beach Middle School. The video shows fellow students standing watching — she said she no longer attends the school.

But as the LGBT community does, it rallied for Nori. Jasmine McKenzie of the McKenzie Project hosted a GoFundMe

fundraiser for Nori and her grandmother to help with moving to another community where they can be safer. So far, $4,700 of the $60,000 goal has been raised.

“The community, including law enforcement and the school district, has not supported this family and ensured their safety,” according to the fundraiser. “There is a lot of work that needs to be done, and we are hoping the community can help us boost the mental well-being of [Nori] and her grandma to someday soon have joy and liberation.”

*In our original reporting of this story, we used a different name that Nori no longer uses.

GAY MAN ATTACKED IN FORT LAUDERDALE

By John Hayden

Gay-bashing was behind the attack of a senior Fort Lauderdale man in April. James Garcia told local media that he was walking his dog when a person came up and asked if he was gay. Before he could respond, Garcia was punched and suffered a broken nose and needed ten stitches.

The attack came out of the blue, but police believe it wasn’t random. They arrested Maurice Antwan Charles after Garcia picked him out of a lineup. He’s charged with hate crime battery, a felony.

He was released on $15,000 bail and electronic monitoring, but as of Christmas, Broward County Sheriff’s Office shows him in the main jail awaiting trial. Charles has a violent criminal record that includes a felony. He was released from custody just before Christmas of last year. Four months later he would be back behind bars and charged with attacking Garcia.

Nori Sanford talks to Local 10 about her experience.

Former D.C. Police Lt. Brett Parson. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

James Garcia. Photo via LinkedIn.

Photo via Pixabay.

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HERE’S WHO WE LOST LOCALLY IN 2022

In 2022 our local LGBT community grieved the loss of activists, bartenders, towering religious figures, community leaders, and more. Here are some of those individuals SFGN wrote about last year.

PAM ROBB

ANIMAL ACTIVIST, TEACHER

Pam Robb was killed by a large, mixed-breed dog she was working with it at 100+ Abandoned Dogs of Everglades, Florida.

The retired Cooper City High School teacher had volunteered there for more than six years. Witness reports say the dog grabbed onto her arm and refused to let go.

Robb and her wife Angie Anobile married in 2016 but were together for more than 20 years. Anobile told WFOR that Robb loved her work at the shelter.

“She wasn’t just doing. She was being. She was being Pam Robb, a wonderful, wonderful, giving, caring person. She just had a love for those animals. She really did.”

Robb’s social media was flooded with messages of shock, sadness, love, and support.

“The tragedy that took you from us, had you doing what you loved to do,” Jennifer Keyas posted on Facebook. “Rehabilitating a broken abused, tortured creature that humanity failed. This has rocked our 100+ family to the core and we shall never get over losing you.”

Acclimating dogs and preparing them for their “furever homes” was a passion of Robb’s. The work is hard, but she found reward in seeing animals drop their guard and learn to be loved.

KYLE WHITTAKER

SOUTH FLORIDA TEACHER, ACTIVIST

In the classroom and the community, Kyle Whittaker impacted everyone.

He passed away in November 2022 with friends by his side. He was 34. He was a longtime high school math teacher for The School District of Palm Beach County and an ardent activist for philanthropic LGBT organizations. He was known for creating or participating in fundraisers for a variety of local causes.

He attended community events from Compass in Palm Beach County to making lunches for the homeless at United Church of Christ in Fort Lauderdale. Compass mourned his loss,

posting, “Kyle lived his life in service and was always helping others through his volunteerism in the many causes he supported. We know in our hearts that Kyle would want us to continue to help and love others, to live authentically, and most of all, to be kind.”

His mother said, “Our dear Kyle has been ill for so many years and just couldn’t fight it anymore. Typical Kyle though, he didn’t let anyone know his health was failing and never missed a step at work. We spent time with the principal and admin of his school who couldn’t say enough! This Mom’s heart is full.”

John McDonald and Jessica Abramsky

Pam Robb. Photo via Facebook.

Kyle Whittaker. Photo via Facebook.

DON CLARK

WILTON MANORS BARTENDER

Don Clark died on Oct. 2, 2022. He had been fighting cancer for two years and had recently been hospitalized.

Most recently, Clark was a manager at Georgie’s Alibi Monkey Bar on Wilton Drive. One of his fellow managers, Ron Woolery, had known him for a long time. They first worked together in 2006 when Wollery went to work at Bill’s Filling Station when it was on 13th Street in Fort Lauderdale.

“If there’s somebody who’s a better man, I don’t think I’ve met him. Don was always just a great guy.”

Woolery said Clark raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Tuesday’s Angels, which helps people who need help fighting HIV/AIDS in Broward County.

Customers and friends of Clark expressed their condolences on social media after the news of his passing spread.

Cecil Cole Morris said, “He truly was a great man and quite the enigma. Always had a cheerful disposition and I always wanted to do a good job when I did work for him. A great work ethic to emulate.”

Clark was originally from outside Lexington, Kentucky.

PATRICK ROGERS

BELOVED REVEREND

Rev. Patrick Rogers was born on October 15, 1956, and grew up in Dixon, Tennessee. During a stint at an MCC church in Topeka, Kansas, Rogers decided to rededicate his life to love. He often spoke about the actions of the hateful, anti-LGBT Westboro Baptist Church. The group is known for holding rallies at funerals for military and gay people. As a gay man, he was horrified. As a gay pastor, he knew love must always shine through.

“It’s such a huge loss,” pastoral associate Emily Jazombek said. “I’m feeling so empty and numb right now. We just clicked. About a year ago he said, ‘I want to mentor you and keep you close by.’ We became closer and closer friends.”

In early 2022, Rogers was diagnosed with very aggressive melanoma. Rogers was 65 years old.

After treatment, he entered hospice care and passed shortly thereafter. His friend Slotnick said once the news spread he received messages from around the world offering condolences and celebrating his life.

JEFFREY ESCOFFIER

GAY ACTIVIST SCHOLAR AND WRITER

On May 20, 2022, the gay activist, scholar, and writer Jeffrey Escoffier died. He was 80.

His career began in the age of New Left-inspired gay liberation. It lasted to the age of Pete Buttigieg and PrEP. He always linked LGBT political struggles to larger social issues, like class, gender, and race. All the while, he defended the diverse sexual behaviors and expressions. In his last book “Sex, Society, and the Making of Pornography” (2021), he examined the porn industry like any other industry in late capitalist society.

In 1970, he became head of Philadelphia’s Gay Activist Alliance. That group led that city’s first Stonewall Commemoration in 1972. Escoffier also had a passion for writing and publishing. In 1972, he and others published “The Gay Alternative.” In 1993, Escoffier began to work for the New York City Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene. He held the title of Director of Health Media and Marketing. He retired from that job in 2015.

In a time of increasing economic anxiety and attraction to social democracy, Escoffier’s writing may have more relevance than ever.

LEO PERALTA

WILTON MANORS

Love, laughter, sadness, and tears blended together as nearly 300 people celebrated the life of Leo Peralta, the partner of Wilton Manors City Commissioner Chris Caputo, who took his own life after a long battle with depression. The Celebration of Life was held at Richardson Park on Sept. 3, 2022.

The service was opened by Sunshine Cathedral’s Senior Minister, Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins, who shared a biblical story of how God showed Moses the Promised Land, kissed him, and took him home. Afterward, he said it was important to be there for Caputo and the community.

“This was more than mourning the loss of a loved one. This was also trying to prevent the loss of other loved ones by getting that message out,” Watkins said. “I want them to know that they are loved. If they can’t believe that God loves them then I want to promise them that I love them. That this community loves them, so they are loved.”

About a month before he died, more signs began to appear. Trainers at his gym said he wasn’t putting in the same effort that transformed him from a skinny guy to a muscled man in under a year. Then he confided in Caputo that he was going to kill himself. Caputo contacted people that specialize in getting help for LGBT in dire situations. He reluctantly began seeing someone.

“I can’t be angry about him taking his life,” Caputo said. “As angry as I am, I’m angry at everything but him. He gave it all he had.”

If you or someone you know struggles with suicidal thoughts, please call the new suicide hotline. You can call or text 988 to reach trained counselors.

LONGTIME

PARTNER OF

CITY COMMISSIONER CHRIS CAPUTO

Don Clark. Photo via Georgie’s Alibi Monkey Bar, Facebook.

Reverend Patrick Rogers. Photo by Michael Murphy.

Jeffrey Escoffier. Photo by Leethorpejr, via Wikimedia Commons.

Leo Peralta. Photo via Leo Peralta/Facebook.

REV. JOSEPH EDWARD GALLANT

FOUNDER OF HOLY ANGELS NATIONAL CATHOLIC CHURCH IN WILTON MANORS

Rev. Bishop Joseph Edward Gallant, D.D., 76, of Fort Lauderdale, passed away on June 30, 2022.

Gallant was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on May 28, 1946. He was a person of many talents and owned numerous businesses, including Gallant Interiors. Gallant was the general manager of the Wicks & Wax Candle Emporium.

Gallant’s hobbies included gardening, writing, and singing. He was a regular at karaoke at Chardee’s and other Wilton Manors bars. He was extremely active in the gay community in Wilton Manors and Fort Lauderdale. In the 1990s, Gallant wrote a column published by

NICK COLEMAN

Nick Coleman passed away after a brief but tough illness. And while COVID-19 didn’t cause his death, it is to blame. He was 32 years old.

“It was about two days of symptoms that he thought was COVID,” his friend, Gary Hill, said. “He thought he would get through it. But the coroner said it was bacterial meningitis.”

Coleman moved to South Florida in 2015 after growing up in Missouri. He was a server at several restaurants in and around Wilton Manors, and quickly endeared himself to the community.

The news of his death was sudden and shocking, and his mother, Angelique Overstreet, urges everyone to cherish those close to them.

Hill remembers his friend as someone who was “very outgoing, loving, [and] caring.”

Because he had friends and family in so many places, several Celebrations of Life were held.

Coleman was considered the life of the party anywhere he went, and gathered a “chosen family” everywhere he went, from Springfield to Kansas City to Fort Lauderdale. Hundreds of people have posted pictures and memories recalling the times they spent with him.

STEVE K. SMITH

Scoop Magazine titled “My Town,” and always ended with saying, “‘Til next week, be safe, be proud and be sure to tell ‘em ‘Joe sent me.’”

Gallant was a founder of Holy Angels National Catholic Church in Wilton Manors. The proudest moment in his religious calling was when he was ordained Bishop by the Most Rev. Sean Alexander, D.D., O.S.B., on July 19, 2014.

Gallant was committed to Alcoholics Anonymous when he decided to get sober in March 1992. He was an active member of the gay sober community and regularly attended the “Lunch Brunch” at Lambda Clubhouse.

GEORGE M. HESTER

VISUAL ARTIST, ANIMAL LOVER AND COMMERCIAL ILLUSTRATOR

George M. Hester, gifted visual artist, animal lover, commercial illustrator, and fashion photographer, died on Jan. 15, 2022, in Wilton Manors, where he had lived since 1990. He was 98 years old.

Hester was a World War II veteran with more than 55 flights under his belt. His war experience made him an ardent and vocal pacifist.

Hester loved to joke, and when he got to the punchline, the twinkle in his eyes was a reminder of his childlike wonder with the world.

When he moved to South Florida, Hester continued his classical oil paintings and drawing until he began to lose his eyesight to macular degeneration over the past 20 years, which ultimately led to his blindness preventing further artistic endeavors. He endured experimental treatments involving dozens of painful injections at the Miami VA Hospital to restore his declining eyesight, but it was largely useless. A lifelong lover of animals, he donated generously to, and volunteered with pet rescue organizations, and adopted several animals, including his three-legged dog, “Tripod.”

A Key West LGBT community leader, Steve K. Smith is remembered for making Key West a fabulous gay destination. Smith died of heart failure, the result of a long battle with cancer. He was 71. A fifth-generation Floridian, Smith was born in Daytona Beach and lived in Lakeland before moving to the Keys in the late 1980s. He was married to Paul Murray.

“Steve was an extraordinary guy and a wonderful brother,” Mike Smith said. “He loved his adopted home of Key West, its colorful and wonderful people, and his friends and neighbors, immensely.”

“Our Key West family has lost a true ambassador for Key West and the LGBTQ+ community,” said Kevin Theraiult, executive director of the Key West Business Guild. “Steve spent many years promoting our beautiful island community as an all-welcoming, LGBTQ+ destination. Words cannot express how much he will be missed. Our hearts go out to his wonderful husband, Paul Murray.”

“Steve most certainly put the GAY in Key West and will be a huge loss,” said Richard Gray, senior vice president of Inclusion & Accessibility for Visit Lauderdale. “I always enjoyed our discussions on where LGBTQ+ travel was headed.”

BELOVED LOCAL SERVER

LONGTIME KEY WEST LGBT COMMUNITY LEADER

Rev. Joseph Edward Gallant. Photo via holyangelsfl.org

Nick Coleman. Photo via Facebook.

George Hester. Photo courtesy of Neil Kolner.

Steve K. Smith. Photo via Facebook.

ROBERT DEBENEDICTIS

ORIGINAL INVESTOR OF LIPS

DAVID GUZDEK

David Guzdek, a longtime popular bartender at various South Florida establishments and member of the local gay softball league’s Hall of Fame, died in February 2022 after being diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer, according to his husband, Butch Fornaza. He was 47 years old.

“All who knew him knew what a kind and generous soul he was,” Fornaza wrote on Facebook. “He was one of a kind. My heart hurts and my life will never be the same without him. I know he is in a better place, but we are going to miss him terribly.”

Guzdek and Fornaza married on Feb. 29, 2016. Together they raised dogs and grew pineapples at their Fort Lauderdale home.

Tributes have been pouring into Facebook since news broke of Guzdek’s passing. Most are shocked, in disbelief, and terribly saddened.

“The heavens have a new angel,” writes Blanca Puerta.

Others recalled his voice, welcoming smile, and love for his husband.

KEN KELLEY

Ken Kelley is remembered as a community-minded man who supported Wilton Manors and LGBT causes with unwavering support.

Kelley died in January 2022 after a brave battle with cancer. He was 70 years old. Tributes on social media poured in from friends, customers, and former employees. They remembered Kelley as a loyal and generous employer — for years, he owned Scandals Saloon in Wilton Manors and the Stable Bar in Oakland Park. Scandals, a longtime area favorite, is known as a place where patrons could enjoy country music and line dancing.

Aside from providing a variety of entertainment, those who knew him remember Kelley for his kindness and generosity.

Robert DeBenedictis impacted hundreds, if not thousands, of people during his life, including many in South Florida.

Many of them gathered on Feb. 27, 2022, at Tropics Grille in Wilton Manors to celebrate the man who brought smiles to their faces. The restaurant shut down for the evening so people could remember DeBenedictis.

DeBenedictis passed away in October 2022. DeBenedictis was 87 years old.

He was one of the original investors in Lips on Oakland Park Blvd. Lips’ owner, Mark Zschiesche, posted at the time, “He was a great man who helped many people realize their dreams by investing in them. Bob enjoyed life and he was always looking for a young entrepreneur he believed in to help them in their venture.”

He was born and raised in Pennsylvania and attended Drexel University for his undergraduate and then a Master’s in Business Administration. After a stint in the U.S. Navy, DeBenedictis moved to New York City, worked on Wall St., and was a small business entrepreneur, whose ventures included restaurants and real estate.

He expanded his business to Florida in the 1990s. His partner was Bashir Khan.

“He always had something funny to say and never had a negative word about anybody,” said friend Jeremy Pettus.

“He was a huge community supporter,” said Terrence Smalley. “He helped raise tons of money for charity. He had a big heart and a great sense of humor. It’s a big loss for many of us.”

In recent years, Kelley moved back to the Florida panhandle, where his sisters helped care for him.

ALBERTO CARRILLO

The

Carrillo, who also served as the victim advocate in the WMPD, died following a brave bout with throat cancer. He was 52.

Beloved by many and known for his calming presence and reassuring smile, Carrillo is survived by his partner of 20 years, Brian Percival. The two met at a birthday party on New York’s Fire Island, became smitten with each other and were married in 2016.

“He was more than my husband,” Percival said. “He was my best friend, my calm in any chaos and the greatest man I have ever known. I will miss him deeply every day for the rest of my life.”

Police Chief Gary Blocker described Carrillo’s work as the definition of selflessness.

“He made everybody better human beings and was the definition of what it means to be a public servant,” Blocker said.

Longtime community activist Michael Rajner recalled Carrillo’s compassion in the face of a domestic violence incident and suggested an annual service award be given in his honor.

“He was one of the most amazing people the city has ever had,” Rajner said.

LONGTIME WILTON MANORS BARTENDER AND GAY SOFTBALL ENTHUSIAST

Wilton Manors police family suffered a big loss in February with the passing of criminal intelligence specialist Alberto Carrillo

FORMER OWNER OF SCANDALS

WILTON MANORS POLICE OFFICER AND VICTIM ADVOCATE

Robert DeBenedictis. Photo via Facebook.

David Guzdek. Courtesy photo.

Ken Kelley. Photo via Facebook.

Alberto Carrillo. Courtesy of Brian Percival.

DRAMA AT PRIDE FORT LAUDERDALE CONTINUES - THIRD BOARD MEMBER RESIGNS, NEW ENTERTAINMENT ADDED

Another board member is resigning from Pride Fort Lauderdale. Jay SoboeRodriguez, the organization’s secretary, is leaving. He hasn’t publicly discussed the reasons for his departure, but it comes at a critical moment for Pride. They are just about a month away from Pride of the Americas (POTA) and he is the third person in two weeks to leave. He follows former entertainment director Shawn Palacious, aka Kitty Meow, and executive director Kevin Clevenger. Clevenger is staying on through February to work with sponsors.

This is the latest in a series of crises in Pride that SFGN first reported in late December. The event, marketed to the entire hemisphere to show off Broward County’s commitment to the LGBT community, is now a shadow of its first incarnation. Once a three-day party on the beach, it’s now a one-day event a couple of blocks off the beach.

Organizers are trying to put together a pool party for Sunday, Feb. 12, but unwise assumptions and disorganization have that in jeopardy. Usually, the host hotel would be the spot for this type of event and people involved in the planning say it was assumed Pride could use the space. But that day is Super Bowl Sunday, and most pools big enough for that type of event are already booked.

Friday, Feb. 10, POTA will kick off not at the beach, but in Wilton Manors. Pride On

the Drive will happen in the parking lot of Shoppes of Wilton Manors, home to Georgie’s Alibi Monkey Bar and Hunter’s Nightclub. And that night just got a big boost.

Wilton Manors Business Association (WMBA) and Pride announced Thunderpuss is reuniting to perform for the first time in nearly 19 years. DJ Barry Harris and DJ Chris Cox, collectively known as Thunderpuss, will play on the stage in front of Hunter’s.

“The last party Chris and I played together as Thunderpuss was the 2004 White Party at Vizcaya in Miami,” Harris said. “The stars have aligned for us to reunite in Florida almost 20 years later for Pride Fort Lauderdale! I am excited to DJ along with Chris and we can’t wait to party with everyone again!”

Wilton Manors and local organizations stepped up to create Pride On the Drive late last year when Pride was showing signs of organizational problems with POTA.

“Music brings people together, so it’s only fitting that Chris and Barry will be reuniting in Wilton Manors during Pride,” said WMBA President Gary Van Horn, Jr. “There is no other city in the U.S. where diverse communities happily live together.”

The show is free but you must register.

SFGN has reached out to Pride President Miik Martorell and other remaining Pride board members, but all have declined comment.

John Hayden

Pride Fort Lauderdale 2021. Photo by JR Davis.

HOLLYWOOD PRIDE RETURNS JAN. 29

Florida’s newest Pride is back for a second year. My Hollywood Pride (MHP) is set for Jan. 29 from 1 to 6 p.m. immediately followed by a Tea Dance at Karma Lounge. Both are in downtown Hollywood.

MHP is carving out a niche as being hyperlocal. The vibe is very community-based and a celebration of the city’s deliberate and successful effort to embrace its LGBT citizens at all levels.

“We’re located in the heart of Downtown Hollywood, which is known as a local gathering place for the Hollywood community so a hyper-local is a product by nature for us,” Jameer Baptiste, MHP’s Marketing and Publicity Coordinator, said.

Being hyper-local doesn’t mean being exclusive. After last year’s success, Baptiste said the rest of South Florida is taking notice.

“We’ve noticed that interest in the festival has spanned outwards to include festival goers from North Broward to down in Miami. It’s great to see such reach because

people get to experience the awesomeness of Downtown Hollywood, which most likely they would have never done if it wasn’t for our Pride festival.”

The event has moved to Sunday, and the main stage is moving a block down to be accessible to a larger crowd. They will also feature the Banned Book Nook, where people can see and read books that are banned in Florida schools.

There will be a Kids Zone, a Drag Queen Story Hour, Pride Cinema at Cinema Paradiso in conjunction with OUTshine Film Festival, and live entertainment on the main stage hosted by Velvet Lenore

For more details, visit MyHollywoodPride.com.

CARL NASSIB ANNOUNCES RELATIONSHIP WITH OLYMPIAN SØREN DAHL

According to Gay Times, NFL linebacker Carl Nassib secretly declared that he is dating former Olympic swimmer Søren Dahl.

“Kicking off 2023 with my man and a trip to the playoffs,” he wrote in a story on Instagram, which was shared alongside an image of the two standing together outside what appears to be a stadium.

In the picture, Dahl can be seen sporting a Nassib shirt.

Nassib is highly quiet about his personal life, although there have been previous hints that the two could be dating.

At the end of 2022, Dahl upload an Instagram photo of the two of them with the comment, “Weekend 11/10” and a heart emoji, which Nassib later reposted.

John Hayden

My Hollywood Pride 2022. Photo via Facebook.

Søren Dahl and Carl Nassib. Photo via Instagram.

Everitt Rosen

OF

20 PUBLIC FIGURES YOU (PROBABLY) DIDN’T KNOW WERE ASEXUAL

By Kim Swan

From a model activist to a TV show personality, these are many public figures who have come out as asexual.

Aromantics are people who feel little or no romantic attraction, while asexuals lack sexual attraction or sexual interest. It is possible for someone to be both.

To highlight the sexual orientation, these are the public figures who people probably didn’t know were asexuals.

By Jason Parsley

Rowan Ward, a non-binary contestant on “Jeopardy!,” made history with their wins on the long-running game show. Ward’s initial run on the show was short-lived when they lost in their first appearance. In years past that would have meant the end of the road for those contestants.

But this season “Jeopardy!” introduced a new tournament called Second Chance Tournament. Ward was one of two winners of the tournament who moved on to the Tournament of Champions.

According to Advocate, when Ward competed last year, they were not publicly

out and used a different name on the show.

When “Jeopardy!” host Ken Jennings asked Ward what they did with their thirdplace winnings after their first shot on the show, Ward said, “Oh I have $1,000 and actually before going on ‘Jeopardy!’ I told my close friends to call me Rowan. I was under another name on the show, but I’m non-binary. I wanted a name that [fit] me. So what I did with the money is I used it to pay for my name change filing and now I’m back on ‘Jeopardy!’ with a second chance, as my true self.”

During the Tournament of Champions Ward lost in the quarterfinals.

YASMIN BENOIT: A Black model activist

TIM GUNN: American author, actor, and television personality

JANEANE GAROFALO: American comedian

PAULA POUNDSTONE: Comedian

MORRISSEY: Singer, songwriter and author

SRITI JHA: Actress

MIKEY NEUMANN: YouTuber

ERICA MENDEZ: Voice actor

BRADFORD COX: The lead singer for Deerhunter

DAVID ARCHULETA: The “American Idol” alum

KERI HULME: Author

DAVID JAY: Activist and the founder of the Asexual Visibility and Education Network

KIM DEAL: Singer

EDWARD GOREY: Author

CAVETOWN: Singer and songwriter

JOHN FRUSCIANTE: Former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist

TEMPLE GRANDIN: Autism activist and scientist

EMILIE AUTUMN: Singer

ANA GABRIEL: Mexican singer-songwriter

ALICE OSEMAN: Author

SFGN Staff

Rowan Ward. Photo via Jeopardy/YouTube.

David Archuleta from “American Idol.” Photo via Facebook.

MONKEYPOX GRIPS NATION

By John Hayden

While still dealing with COVID, Americans, especially men who have sex with men (MSM), were confronted with another health crisis: Monkeypox. The disease is prominent in Africa. This outbreak is traced back to circuit parties in Europe where some attendees had visited Africa.

South Florida was a major point of entry for the virus, and it quickly spread across the country. By the end of the year, 30,000 Americans had been diagnosed and 20 had died.

Monkeypox is similar to smallpox, and people over 50 who had been vaccinated for smallpox as kids were mostly immune. This was the first Monkeypox outbreak in America in decades. A vaccine is available, and once it became clear this outbreak was spreading, the Biden administration ordered a million doses.

The disease is spread through prolonged, close exposure to an infected person, almost always through skin-to-skin contact, including sex. Because lesions can go unseen during intimate moments, sexual relations became a driver of infections.

The most at-risk patients are those with compromised immune systems. Most patients get flu-like symptoms and lesions usually appear within a week and take a couple of weeks to clear. During that time, patients should avoid exposing others.

RUSSIAN GENERAL WHO TORTURED, MURDERED LGBT PEOPLE KILLED IN UKRAINE

By Kim Swan

Karma was on the side of LGBT people when a Russian general who was responsible for torturing and killing Chechen queer people was killed in the war in Ukraine Feb. 26.

The Ukrainian forces were the ones who confirmed the death of Magomed Tushayev, a top advisor and military commander in Russia, according to The Los Angeles Blade .

“While I never rejoice at the killing of anyone, his death means one less mass murderer on the loose,” Peter Tatchell, a British LGBT activist and human rights campaigner, told The Jerusalem Post. “Those who live by the sword should not be surprised if they die by the sword. This will mean that he is no longer able to abduct, torture and kill Chechen LGBTs and dissidents, which is a good thing.”

Tushayev was killed at the Antonov International Airport northwest of Kyiv. Illia Ponomarenko, a defense reporter for The Kyiv Independent tweeted: “Magomed Tushayev, one of Ramzan Kadyrov’s top warlords, has been killed in action in Hostomel. Ukraine’s elite Alpha Group is reportedly fighting Chechens in the airfield.”

16 PROMINENT ANTI-VAXXERS DIE OF COVID, INCLUDING A QANON PROMOTER

By Kim Swan

While many people were getting vaccinated against COVID, anti-vaxxers openly fought against it, a few of them dying of the disease in the process.

Although Vachik Mangassarian, an actor, ended up getting the vaccine much later on, he originally opposed it and spread misinformation about the pandemic, according to Newsone.

Manassarian died of complications with COVID on Jan. 25 at age 78.

Cirsten Weldon, who encouraged her followers to not take the vaccine, died of COVID in January 2022. She was a Donald Trump supporter who also posted QAnon conspiracy theories on right-wing social media, according to The Daily Beast.

Kelly Canon, a conservative who peddled vaccine misinformation, died of COVID in January 2022. She died after a few weeks of attending a “symposium” against the vaccine, according to Yahoo.com.

Other prominent anti-vaxxers have also died of COVID since August: Marc Bernier, Phil Valentine, Jimmy DeYoung, Dick Farrel, Tod Tucker, Jimmy DeYoung, Sr., Gregg Prentice, Marcus Lamb, Robin Fransman, William Hartmann, Kelly Ernby, Johann Biacsics, and Douglas Kuzma.

NEW REPORT CLAIMS FLORIDA HAS BANNED 566 BOOKS

By Everitt Rosen

At the start of Banned Books Week, a report was released by PEN America, a nonprofit organization that promotes literary freedom of speech, finding that efforts to censor books in the U.S. are on track to surpass last year’s count.

Florida has book prohibitions affecting 566 titles in 21 of the state’s school districts, according to PEN America. The LGBT community and people of color are frequently included in themes or characters in works that have been banned.

The Florida Board of Education refused to provide any clarification on how districts should use the list, instead stating that it was up to them to create “a mechanism for eliminating or limiting access to individual publications,” according to the New York Times

Novels like “Milk and Honey,” “Gender Queer,” and “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” are often deemed essential for the inclusive education of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and gender dysphoric kids.

“I was writing the book I wish I got to have when I was a youth struggling with the intersections of my Blackness and my queerness, and trying to navigate a society that wasn’t built for me,” said George M. Johnson, author of “All Boys Aren’t Blue.”

Photo via www.who.int.

Cirsten Weldon. Photo via Facebook.

Magomed Tushayev (left) and Ramzan Kadyrov. Photo via Illia Ponomarenko, defense reporter, The Kyiv Independent.

Photo via Safe Schools South Florida/Facebook.

GAY COUPLE WITH CHILDREN HARASSED ON TRAIN, CALLED PEDOPHILES

By Kim Swan

A gay married couple with two children decided to take what they thought would be a fun family trip to California. However, while they were on the train, a man approached them and called them “pedophiles,” accusing the couple of stealing their children.

Robbie Pierce recounted the horror of the verbal attack in an interview with BuzzFeed. He said the incident caused both of his children, ages 5 and 6, to cry while his husband, Neal Broverman, shielded them from the unidentified man.

“All of a sudden there was a man there, just standing there and shouting,” Pierce said. “’Remember what I told you! They stole you! They’re pedophiles!’ At that point I was like, this is something really awful and homophobic.”

The incident occurred April 12, 2022, on the Amtrak train traveling to San Jose, California.

The man used words like “stole,” “pedophiles,” and “rapists” that come from QAnon conspiracists and right-wing rhetoric that creates false and hateful accusations about LGBT people.

After the man left, Pierce said that his children continued to cry and he had to explain bigotry in a way that children can understand.

However, he couldn’t promise his kids they wouldn’t face something similar again.

BISEXUAL BARISTA WINS US CHAMPIONSHIP

By Kim Swan

Making coffee is Morgan Eckroth’s passion. And her passion allowed her to win the 2022 United States Barista Championship.

Not only is she a content creator with nearly seven million followers in Portland, Oregon, she is also a “proud B” in the LGBT community.

“Labeling my gender has always felt strange as well as never really mattered to me,” she writes on Instagram. “I’m Morgan and I’m quite content with that She/they pronouns are rad and I love y’all a lot, thanks for hanging out and making coffee with me for over two years.”

Eckroth is known as MorganDrinksCoffee on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. She works at Keeper Coffee and is the first alreadyfamous person to win a major coffee competition, according to Sprudge.

TEXAS PASTOR

GAY MAN FORCED OUT AS CBP COMMISSIONER

By John McDonald

He was one of the first heads to roll in the Biden Administration.

As the midterm elections consumed most of the public and media’s attention, Chris Magnus tendered his resignation as commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Magnus, 62, was the first-ever gay man to lead the country’s largest law enforcement agency. He had refused a request to resign by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, leaving his fate in the hands of President Joe Biden.

On Nov. 12, the White House announced Biden had accepted Magnus’ resignation and appreciates his “nearly 40 years of service and the contributions he made to police reform during his tenure as police chief in three U.S. cities.”

By Kim Swan

After countless years of calling for the death of LGBT people, Pastor Jonathan Shelley of Texas said that his church has to move since “nobody really wants to lease to us.”

This is the same pastor who said “fornicators” were not welcomed in his Steadfast Baptist Church and said he couldn’t wait for gay people to “go to Hell.”

“Love is love? No. There’s no promise you could make, there’s nothing you can say, you’re never welcome, go away. I just can’t wait until you just go to Hell,” Shelley said during a live stream of the sermon March 6, which has been taken down.

People off-screen cheered in agreement while others were left in shock.

Shelley is a part of the Steadfast Bible Church in Texas, which is considered a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, Pink News reported.

Magnus had sought to reform an agency with a well documented history of corruption and misconduct. Its union, however, spun a narrative that Magnus was absent on issues at the southern border, which ultimately pushed him out after only 11 months on the job.

In an op-ed, in the Los Angeles Times, Christy E. Lopez, a former Department of Justice investigator, wrote Magnus’ dismissal was “a glaring example of a long-standing pattern in this country, including in the Biden administration, of calling for broad changes to reduce law enforcement harm and ensure accountability but refusing to support those brought on to actually make that change.”

Neal Broverman and Robbie Pierce.

Photo via Facebook.

‘I JUST CAN’T WAIT FOR GAY PEOPLE TO GO TO HELL’

Jonathan Shelley, a pastor for a church considered as a hate group by activists. Screenshot via YouTube.

Morgan Eckroth. Photo via Instagram.

Chris Magnus. Photo public domain.

GOLDEN SPOON AWARDS PART 1

We made it through another year! This was the year we got back to normal, more or less. Even though COVID and the pandemic have shaken our economy, folks are cautiously returned to going out in full force without looking as if they’re about to rob a bank. Many restaurants closed during the pandemic, but we’ve recently seen an uptick in the number of new places making their debuts. Though the economy is supposed to be tight, people are dining out more than ever. One thing you might notice is that more restaurants are going the fastcasual route. In fact, for the first time since I began awarding the Golden Spoon Awards (30+ years), there is not one high-end white linen tablecloth place on the list and almost all are affordably priced.

540 N Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale 754-779-7599 mitchsdowntown.com

Although the décor and atmosphere could be a bit cozier, the food is always top-notch, and the service is friendly and helpful.

What I said then: “One of the ways that this deli signals a new generation is that it does not accept cash, only credit, debit, and online apps such as Apple and Google Pay.

That and the multi-colored hair of the diverse staff are the only hints that this isn’t your grandmother’s deli; everything else feels old school. There are racks of bagels and a deli case filled with knishes, lox, spreads, and salads. It’s all food that tastes just like Bubbie used to make, only now she’d order it on an app on the way home from her Pilates class.”

Golden Spoon for Outstanding Seafood Restaurant MYSTIC LOBSTER ROLL

753 SE 17th St., Fort Lauderdale (954) 999-5605

mysticlobsterollsftlorder.com

Those who like lobster know that it doesn’t need a lot of frills. Mystic Lobster Roll is nothing fancy, simply a storefront with a few tables and a brisk take-out business, but the options are numerous, and the staff is eager to please. They simply place the lobster in a bun with a few accompaniments to augment the fresh seafood.

What I said then: “In addition to the classic cold New England lobster roll and the warm Connecticut version, there are eight other versions. Try the LBI (with avocado and grape tomatoes, but oddly, no bacon, so I don’t know what the B stands for) or the Deep South version (with chipotle mayo and candied jalapenos.) The shrimp and corn chowder are great!”

Golden Spoon forOutstanding Vegetarian Fare PLANTA

1201 E Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale 754-732-1952

plantarestaurants.com

Being married to a 40+ year vegetarian, I’ve become more aware of how little is available on most menus. So, when a vegetarian-focused restaurant appears on the scene, we check it out quickly. On our visit, just a week after Planta opened, the place was running as smoothly as if it had been around for years. The food was delicious, and the service was

knowledgeable and friendly.

What I said then: “Dining at Planta … is a pricey option. It seems counter-intuitive that a meat-free menu would be pricier, but highquality vegetarian ingredients can be just as costly as animal protein … Our trio each enjoyed a mocktail and an entrée at brunch and the bill was $150.”

Golden Spoon for Outstanding Mediterranean Restaurant YA MAS! 1103 East Las Olas, Fort Lauderdale 954-306-8388 yamastaverna.com

A neighbor to Planta and similar in price point, Ya Mas is not only a dining option but also a cultural experience. The food, atmosphere, décor, and service will immediately transport you to the feeling of

Planta Queen courtsey photo. HUNGRY

being at a sidewalk cafe on one of the Greek Isles. From the large communal table running down the center of the colorful dining room to the sidewalk café, this place feels like a movie set, and I mean that as a compliment. The décor is beautiful, but the staff is even better looking; they all look like they just stepped out of central casting. The best part is not only are they all gorgeous, but they are also friendly, efficient, knowledgeable, and hospitable. I felt as if I were a guest at a party.

What I said then: “The minute you walk in you feel as if you are in the middle of a party scene from ‘Mama Mia.’ I half expected a helicopter to land on Las Olas and drop off Cher”.

These are your appetizers for this week. Next week I’ll complete the list of my Golden Spoon recipients. Until then, bon appetite!

Rick Karlin is SFGN’s food editor. Visit SFGN.com/Food to read his previous reviews. Have a culinary tip to share? Email Rick at RickKarlinFL@gmail.com. The views Rick expresses are his own and do not represent the opinion of SFGN.

Golden Spoon for Outstanding Deli MITCH’S DOWNTOWN

Rick Karlin

Mitch’s Downtown Bagel Cafe.Photo via Instagram.

FAMILIES CONFRONT CHANGE IN TWO NEW PLAYS

J.W. Arnold

‘AMERICAN RHAPSODY’ AT ZOETIC STAGE

Zoetic Stage, the regional theater in residence at Miami’s Arsht Center, presents the world premiere of Michael McKeever’s family drama, “American Rhapsody,” Jan. 12–29. McKeever’s husband Stuart Meltzer directs.

McKeever’s epic tale spans 60 years and traces the lives of the Cabot family over four generations through “the ever-changing landscape of the American zeitgeist” from the civil unrest in the late 1960s, ’70s feminist movement and greed of the ’80s to the shock of the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers, 2008 financial crisis, fights over same-sex marriage and COVID-19 pandemic.

“As the family evolves into a new America, so does its cultural identity as members of other races and sexual orientations marry into and redefine what the family thought it was,” in promotional materials.

“Sixty years is a lot of play,” McKeever quipped in an interview with Artburst Miami, while Meltzer described the play as “complex, effortless, funny, inspirational, but mostly, hopeful.”

“American Rhapsody” marks Meltzer and McKeever’s first time working together as playwright and director since 2016’s “After,” another world premiere by Zoetic at the Arsht. “American Rhapsody” is the sixth fulllength play McKeever has written for Zoetic.

Zoetic Stage presents the world premiere of Michael McKeever’s “American Rhapsody” at the Arsht Center in Miami, Jan. 12–29. Tickets are $55 and $60 at ArshtCenter.org.

‘ROTTERDAM’

AT ISLAND CITY STAGE

Island City Stage in Wilton Manors presents Jon Brittan’s “Rotterdam,” Jan. 19 to Feb. 19. Associate Artistic Director Michael Leeds directs.

“Rotterdam,” a moving and sensitive exploration of gender identity and relationships, tells the story of lesbian couple Alice, who is struggling to come out to her parents, and Fiona, who tells Alice that she has always identified as a man.

“Although politics and media seem focused on the trans[gender] community, we don’t often hear personal stories about those who seek to transition and the effect that can have on those closest to them,” said Island City’s Artistic Director Andy Rogow.

“Rotterdam is a bittersweet comedy whose characters are in transition in one way or another.”

The company recently hosted a “Behind the Red Curtain” community forum in conjunction with the production to educate and inspire others regarding how to interact with transgender, nonbinary and genderdiverse individuals.

“Rotterdam” stars Suzanne Ankrum as Alice and Autumn Kioti Horne as Fiona. Ankrum has been seen on TV in Netflix’s “Orange is the New Black” and on Florida stages Palm Beach Dramaworks and Theatre Lab. Horne, a South Florida-based actor, has been seen at Theatre Lab, Zoetic Stage, GableStage and the former Florida Stage and Caldwell Theatre. Abbie Fricke and Robert Koutras round out the cast.

Playwright Michael McKeever (standing) and his husband, director Stuart Meltzer, once again collaborate on Zoetic Stage’s production of Mckeever’s new play, “American Rhapsody.” Credit: Chris HeadShots.

Island City Stage, 2304 N. Dixie Hwy. in Wilton Manors, presents the regional premiere of Jon Brittain’s “Rotterdam,” Jan. 19 – Feb. 19. Tickets start at $40 at IslandCityStage.org.

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