SFGN 08/19/21 V12iss33 by South Florida Gay News

LOCAL NAME GLOBAL COVERAGE

AUGUST 19, 2021 VOL. 12 // ISSUE 33

A GOOD MAN JAMES C. HORMEL, FIRST OUT U.S. AMBASSADOR, DIES AT 88 PAGES 8 - 9

Statement From SFGN

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Mayor Pete Now Daddy Pete

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The (Not So) Good Cuban

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NEWS STAFF ANNOUNCEMENT

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STATEMENT FROM OUR PUBLISHER AND EXECUTIVE EDITOR

@SFGN

August 19, 2021 • Volume 12 • Issue 33

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Publisher • Norm Kent Norm.Kent@sfgn.com

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

Editorial

We apologize - unequivocally, without caveats or excuses. Last week SFGN published a paid advertisement that was racist, offensive and disgusting. It certainly does not share our values. Immediately when it was brought to our attention we recalled the newspapers, replaced the online versions, and ordered a new newspaper printed. We are outraged and disappointed and ashamed - in ourselves. When mistakes happen it’s important to own up to them. But let us make this clear this was no mistake. This was a grievous error of judgment, or rather, lack of judgment. The advertisement appeared to be a satirical theater ad, and fooled us. The advertisement was anything but that. The person that took out this advertisement has since said it was meant to be a scathing commentary on how Americans are oblivious to racial discrimination in the U.S. Clearly he missed the mark. If we had examined this advertisement before it was published - we would never have let it run. But that’s beside the point - it did run. And that’s unacceptable. In the hustle and bustle of getting the papers to press and distributed, this negligently slipped through the cracks, but there is no excuse for mediocrity, when you demand excellence. We’re having discussions now how to make sure it won’t ever happen again. We owe it to you to make sure it does not. And if we do our job properly, it won’t.

- Norm Kent PUBLISHER

- Jason Parsley EXECUTIVE EDITOR

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COVER: James C. Hormel. Photo via Facebook.

Associated Press

NLGJA Journalist of the Year SOUTH FLORIDA GAY NEWS.COM, INC. — — FOUNDED, DECEMBER, 2009 BY PIER GUIDUGLI AND NORM KENT South Florida Gay News is published weekly. The opinions expressed in columns, stories, and letters to the editor do not represent the opinions of SFGN, or the Publisher. You should not presume the sexual orientation or gender identity of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations in SFGN. SFGN contracts with independent entities for stock images. Furthermore the word “gay” in SFGN should be interpreted to be inclusive of the entire LGBT community. All of the material/columns that appears in print and online, including articles used in conjunction with the AP, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher, at his law office, at Norm@NormKent.com. SFGN, as a private corporation, reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs.

8 .19. 20 21 •

LGBTQIA BITES

BY KENNEDY MCKINNEY

IT’S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT THE G Transgender

FIRST TRANS ATHLETE WINS OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL Quinn, the first openly trans athlete to participate in the Olympics, won an Olympic gold medal. Quinn is a part of the Canadian soccer team and emerged victorious against Sweden. This year, 181 openly queer athletes competed in the Tokyo games which is more than three times the number who participated in the Rio Games. Quinn was happy to see their name on the soccer roster but is sad that past Olympians were unable to live their truth in the games, “I feel proud seeing ‘Quinn’ up on the lineup and on my accreditation. I feel sad knowing there were Olympians before me unable to live their truth because of the world,” they wrote in an Instagram post. Quinn first competed in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and took home the

• 8 .19.2021

Quinn. Photo credit: Jamie Smed, via Flickr.

bronze. However, they were not out yet. In September 2020, Quinn came out to the world as transgender in a hope to inspire others and to “be visible to queer folks who don’t see people like them on their feed.”

... HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING IN THE LGBTQIA COMMUNITY

Queer

SUPERMODEL LILY COLE COMES OUT AS QUEER

British supermodel, actress, and activist, Lily Cole has proudly come out as queer in an interview with The Sunday Times Style. Cole says she is generally a private person who avoids the public eye but felt it was time to let the world know that she is “not straight.” She decided on queer saying, “I like that word because of its openness. Because I think all those boundaries are quite rigid.” Cole continues this discussion in her new book “Who Cares Wins: How to Protect the Planet You Love.” “Just as we do not choose the circumstances and ancestral patterns we are born into, none of us choose the cultural norms and laws we inherit,” Cole writes, also opening up about raising her daughter with husband Kwame Ferreira, whom she married back in 2012.

Lily Cole. Photo via Instagram.

“Had my mixed-race daughter been born in a different country, she would have been a crime. If I were living in another country today, my queerness would be a crime.”

LGBTQIA BITES

Non-Binary

EMINEM’S CHILD STEVIE COMES OUT AS NONBINARY

Eminem’s adopted child Stevie came out as nonbinary via TikTok last week. They announced that their pronouns are they/she/he. The video starts with the words: “Watch me become more comfortable with myself.” Following that, photos of Stevie when they went by Whitney pop up and gradually show their transition into Stevie. The video received nearly 11,000 views along with an outpouring of support from followers. Their sister Hailie also liked the video. In the comment section, Stevie explains the process of finding a name, “I spent a long time trying to pick a name I felt comfortable with and the first name I felt comfortable with is Stevie.” Their bio now reads “any pronouns” and the hashtags #genderfluid and #bi have been added to the video.

Stevie. Photo via TikTok.

MASKS ARE COMING OFF

TIME TO

SHOW YOUR

SMILE

AGAIN!

8 .19. 20 21 •

NEWS NATIONAL

BY COREY ROSE

THE COUNTRY ACROSS

CALIFORNIA

LA LGBT CENTER CHANGES BLOOD DONATION PROTOCOL Recruiters at Los Angeles LGBT Center are on the search for 250–300 gay and bisexual men between 18 to 39 years old for a new study intended to change the way The U.S. Food and Drug Administration screens potential blood donors. For decades, the administration has resorted to a “time-deferral” policy that prohibits men who have sex with men from giving blood up to a year after their last encounter. The time deferral was relaxed to three months in response to COVID-19, but the LA Center is one of eight centers nationwide that will shift to a questionnaire that assesses each individual’s HIV risk factors. LA LGBT Center’s Chief Medical Officer Robert Bolan said in a statement, “The decades-old policy was enacted at

Photo via Pixabay.

a time when there was little science on the mechanisms of HIV transmission and the epidemic was concentrated in the gay community. The Center is eager to contribute, through the ADVANCE study, in ending the stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS and the discrimination that targets gay and bisexual men.”

ILLINOIS HOBBY LOBBY LOSES DISCRIMINATION CASE The same arts and crafts store that took its religious freedom stances to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2014 has lost an almost 10-year battle to block bathroom access for a transgender employee that still works for the company. Meggan Sommerville began working at a Hobby Lobby in East Aurora in the early 2000s. She began receiving gender-affirming care in 2010, but even after she presented her updated legal documents with a copy of the Illinois Human Rights Act, managers wrote referrals on Sommerville for using the women’s restroom. As a full-time employee, Sommerville testified that she “ended up having to structure [her] life around how often [she] would be able to use the restroom.” In the unanimous decision, Justice

• 8 .19.2021

Outside a Hobby Lobby. Credit: DangApricot, via Wikipedia.

Mary Seminara-Schostok wrote, “Hobby Lobby’s conduct thus falls squarely within the definition of unlawful discrimination under the Act, as it treats Sommerville differently from all other women who work or shop at its store, solely on the basis that her gender identity is not ‘traditionally associated with’ her ‘designated sex at birth.’”

COVERING LGBT NEWS SWEEPING THE NATION

ARKANSAS

ARKANSAS MAN SENTENCED FOR TRANS TEEN’S MURDER Last week, 20-year-old Trevone Hayse Miller was sentenced to 50 years in prison after pleading guilty for the murder of a transgender teen last year in Little Rock, Arkansas. Weeks after her 17th birthday, Brayla Stone was found dead in a parked car on a walking trail in Little Rock. Investigators found that Miller was afraid Stone would go public with their relationship, and discussed his intentions to kill Stone with friends and family prior to committing murder. The charge was reduced from capital murder, which carries the death penalty or life in prison, to 50 years as a result of a plea deal. At the time of Stone’s death, David Johns, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition, said in a statement to the Grio, “Brayla Stone was

Pictured: Brayla Stone, the victim. Photo via the HRC.

17 years young when someone murdered her because we live in a society where it is not yet explicit that when we say BlackLivesMatter we mean all Black lives, which includes Black trans women and girls.”

VIRGINIA PRO-LGBT VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY CHURCH VANDALIZED Each time vandals stole a rainbow pride flag from Virginia Tech’s offcampus Wesley Chapel, Minister Bret Gresham would retrieve another one and hang it up again. This past weekend, he found that unknown vandals left two of their own flags in place of the ones they stole — confederate ones. The chapel posted to its Facebook page, “This hate crime goes against all that we believe, and we want our LGBTQ+ community to know that we will always love, support, and embrace you with open arms.” The latest incident makes three in less than two weeks for the small campus ministry, which has flown the pride flag for years. The incident has been reported to the Blacksburg Police Department. Gresham told NBC News, “This

An image of the incident, edited by Wesley Chapel to censor the confederate flag. Photo via Wesley at Virginia Tech, Facebook.

one was just an escalation when the confederate flag was put up in its place. My number one concern is the students and making sure they feel they have a safe environment to come to, to live out their faith and be affirmed in who they are.”

NEWS INTERNATIONAL

BY EVERITT ROSEN

THE WORLD AROUND

ASIA

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL SLAPS DOWN RUSSIAN MP The Russian Human Rights Council has punished anti-LGBT Russian MP Vitaly Milonov after he urged for gays to be “sterilized” and put in shelters like cats. According to PinkNews, Milonov made the remarks while replying to a query from a journalist on TikTok. Milonov is a famously homophobic member of the State Duma and the original proponent of Russia’s so-called “gay propaganda law.” He said, “We have to be humane. How do we fight stray cats? We sterilize them. And gays should be sterilized, too.” Milonov added that gay people were “lowest stage of development of the animal world,” and “of course” could not be compared to “cute cats.” As a result, Valery Fadeev, the president

Vitaly Milonov. Photo via the Govt. of Russia.

of Russia’s Human Rights Council, issued a warning to Milonov.

AFRICA

EUROPE THOUSANDS ATTEND BUCHAREST LGBT PRIDE PARADE

Thousands of protesters marched in Bucharest in support of LGBT rights for the first time since the coronavirus epidemic began, ahead of proposed legislation that would limit minority rights. According to Reuters, Romania, a socially conservative country that decriminalized homosexuality in 2001, nevertheless prohibits same-sex couples from marrying or forming civil unions. When parliament reconvenes in September, lawmakers from two separate parties, the junior ruling coalition’s ethnic Hungarian party UDMR and the opposition ultra-nationalist Alliance for Uniting Romanians (AUR), announced they aim to draft legislation to prohibit so-called LGBT promotion in schools. The organizers were punished by

A past Bucharest Pride. Photo credit: Stefan Botez, via Wikipedia.

riot police for exceeding the maximum number of people allowed for civic protests. The fine will be challenged by the organizers. “We have a long way to go as a country until we come to accept everyone,” said Daria, 16, at her second pride parade.

SOUTH AMERICA

UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL CRITICIZES GHANA’S ANTI-LGBT BILL Ghana’s effort to enact stricter legislation against LGBT people and their activities has been slammed by the United Nations Human Rights Council. According to Africa Feeds, panel of UN experts said in a statement that “passing this law in its current or even partial form would violate a significant number of human rights, including the absolute prohibition of torture.” They further stated that the new measure “will not only criminalize LGBTI [I for intersex] people but also all those who support or show sympathy for human rights.” Several human rights advocates have already stated their opposition to Ghana’s legislators’ attempt to approve the bill. Only Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-

EXPLORING LGBT NEWS EVENTS ACROSS THE GLOBE

Photo via Pixabay.

Addo, who has promised not to legalize same-sex weddings, would have the last word on whether to sign or reject the measure if it is voted into law. Ghanaians appear to be enthusiastic about the law.

ARGENTINA OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZES NON-BINARY PEOPLE Non-binary people are now formally recognized in Argentina. The country was the first in Latin America to enable residents to write X on their national identity cards to indicate their gender. According to the Advocate, President Alberto Fernández made the move by order. It comes after he approved a bill allowing 1% of public sector positions in Argentina to be designated for trans persons. The bill was passed by the country’s Congress in June. “We have the need to expand our minds and realize that there are other ways to love and be loved and there are other identities besides the identity of a man and the identity of a woman,” Fernández said in a ceremony, according to the paper. He gave out the first three

Photo via Adobe.

IDs with the non-binary markers at the event, “and they must be respected.”

8 .19. 20 21 •

NEWS NATIONAL

FIRST US GAY AMBASSADOR JAMES C. HORMEL DIES AT 88 Brody Levesque Los Angeles Blade

he first openly gay diplomat appointed as the United States Ambassador to Luxembourg in 1999 by former President Bill Clinton, has died at 88. James C. Hormel, heir to the Hormel meatpacking fortune, was a longtime philanthropist who parlayed his financial interests and contributions as a longtime Democratic Party activist and donor, into actively pursuing LGBT equality and civil rights. “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Ambassador Jim Hormel. Jim devoted his life to advancing the rights and dignity of all people, and in his trailblazing service in the diplomatic corps, he represented the United States with honor and brought us closer to living out the meaning of a more perfect union,” former President Bill Clinton and his wife, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a joint statement. “We will always be grateful for his courageous and principled example, as well as the kindness and support he gave us over so many years. Our thoughts are with his family and all who loved him.” Hormel’s work as an openly gay supporter for equality led to his being one of the founders of the Human Rights Campaign Fund along with fellow native Minnesotan Steve Endean. In 1995 the organization was renamed the Human Rights Campaign. A longtime San Franciscan, Hormel served as a member of the board of directors of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce and the American Foundation for AIDS Research. He also founded and funded the James C. Hormel LGBTQIA Center located at the San Francisco Public Library. Two notable national Democratic Party political figures and fellow San Franciscans, U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein and U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reflected on Hormel’s long service. Sen. Feinstein’s statement read in part, “San Francisco lost a great friend today. A philanthropist, civil rights pioneer and loving spouse and father, James Hormel lived an extraordinary life and will be deeply missed by many. I had the pleasure of working closely with him on several issues, most notably on the 1984 Democratic National Convention in

• 8 .19.2021

San Francisco. Tapped to be the ambassador to Luxembourg by President Clinton in 1997, he was the first openly gay person to serve as an ambassador. While his nomination was controversial at the time, his service was distinguished and helped advance LGBTQ rights both at home and abroad.” House Speaker Pelosi released a statement praising Ambassador Hormel’s commitment to advancing LGBT equality rights. “Jim Hormel was a barrier-breaking public servant, champion for LGBTQ equality, and cherished friend who will be dearly missed in San Francisco, in our nation and around the world. Jim Hormel made history as the first openly gay U.S. ambassador, showing the world how the voices of LGBTQ Americans are integral to foreign policy, and paving the way for a new generation of leaders,” said Pelosi. “With his gentle yet powerful voice and undaunted determination, Jim made it his mission to fight for dignity and equality for all. Paul and I are heartbroken at this tremendous loss, and hope it is a comfort to his husband, Michael, and his children Alison, Anne, Elizabeth, James Jr. and Sarah, that Jim’s extraordinary life continues to serve as a beacon of hope and promise for LGBTQ children across our country and around the world.” Born at the height of the Great Depression in January of 1933, Hormel, the grandson of Hormel Foods founder George A. Hormel, earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Swarthmore College in suburban Philadelphia and later a law degree from University of Chicago Law School. He later served as the school’s Dean of Students and Director of Admissions. Hormel’s Democratic Party activism coupled

James C. Hormel (center right) poses in a group photo with Hillary Clinton (left). Photo via Facebook.

with his dedicated efforts to advance the cause of LGBT equality led to a chance dinner conversation in 1992 with then candidate Bill Clinton’s campaign treasurer, Bob Farmer. Cynthia Laird, the editor of The Bay Area Reporter, San Francisco’s LGBTQ newspaper noted Hormel’s recounting that conversation which was originally published in B.A.R. in 2016: Over dinner, Farmer suggested to Mr. Hormel that he seek a presidential appointment as an ambassador. “I was quite surprised when he brought up the idea,” said Mr. Hormel, noting that over 60% of such positions are held by career employees who have come up through the ranks in the Foreign Service. The appointment did not happen easily, Mr. Hormel recalled. In fact, it wasn’t until five years after that dinner that Clinton nominated Mr. Hormel for the job. During that period, recalled Mr. Hormel, he made “dozens of visits and hundreds of phone calls” to keep his name in consideration. Mr. Hormel said he was persistent because, if appointed, “I would break a ceiling and make

it easier for gay people to serve at the highest levels of government.” Initially, Hormel was considered for an ambassadorship to Fiji by the Clinton White House, but according to published accounts in the Washington Blade, D.C.’s LGBTQ newspaper and the Washington Post in December of 1994, his name was withdrawn from consideration in part due to objections from conservatives in both parties on Capitol Hill and the government of Fiji itself. The Washington Blade’s Lou Chibbaro reported, “The action on Hormel also comes after members of the moderate and conservative wings of the Democratic Party have said the stunning defeat last month of Democratic members of Congress was due, in part, to Clinton’s support for Gay civil rights in general and Gays in the military in particular.” Fijian officials had protested in part because same-sex intimate sexual relations were a crime punishable by long prison sentences and Hormel’s status as an openly gay man ran counter to the principles of “Fijian Culture” they claimed. “Hormel’s nomination as ambassador to Fiji would be ‘dead in the water,’” said one

NEWS NATIONAL

Los Angeles Blade courtesy of the National LGBTQ Media Association.

source familiar with the controversy, who parade in which Hormel laughed at a joke about the spoke on condition of anonymity, the Blade Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a group of men who dress reported. The source said Helms made it clear in drag as nuns to mock religious conventions, as they through intermediaries that he would bottle passed by. The Catholic League took this as an indication up Hormel’s nomination in committee. of approval of what they characterized as an anti-Catholic The Blade also reported that, “The only group. In a meeting with Tim Hutchinson, Hormel declined reason Jim Hormel did not get the job was to repudiate the Sisters. In an interview years later, because he is gay,” said one gay activist Hormel objected to the idea that the video clip showed that leader, who spoke on condition that he not be he approved of the group and that he was anti-Catholic. identified. The Clinton Administration according to • It was revealed that Hormel had contributed $12,000 the Washington Post then explored another to fund the production of the It’s Elementary: Talking About appointment for Hormel that would not Gay Issues in School, a video aimed at teaching tolerance require Senate confirmation. One option of homosexuality to grade-school students. This especially under consideration, the Post reported, was inflamed Senator Bob Smith of New Hampshire, who was a position in a delegation to an international portrayed unflatteringly in the film. Smith contended that conference on social justice issues in he opposed Hormel not because he was gay but because of Copenhagen. Another possibility, the Post his “advocacy of the gay lifestyle.” said, was participation by Hormel in the United Nations commission on human rights Ultimately after Republicans were in Geneva. successful in stalling Hormel’s nomination, President Clinton ultimately named Hormel preventing a vote which was orchestrated as a member of the United States delegation by then Senate Majority Leader, Mississippi to the United Nations Human Rights Republican U.S. Senator Trent Lott, President Commission in 1995, and in 1996 Hormel Clinton in May of 1999 in a recess appointment was named an alternate U.S. representative made Hormel the U.S. Ambassador to at the United Nations General Luxembourg. Assembly. The Washington Post The following October of reported, “Bypassing Senate 1997, the president nominated confirmation, President Hormel as his choice to be Clinton moved yesterday the U.S. Ambassador to the to directly install gay San principality of the Grand Francisco businessman James Duchy of Luxembourg. While C. Hormel as ambassador to the Senate Foreign Relations Luxembourg. Committee approved The president invoked a his nomination with the provision of the Constitution exceptions of Republican allowing him to make such conservative Senators Jesse appointments during a Helms and John Ashcroft congressional recess. Hormel, opposed, the battle in the who will become the first - Kamala Harris Senate which got progressively openly gay U.S. ambassador, VICE PRESIDENT uglier as contentious portions can serve in the post through of Hormel’s philanthropic the end of 2000.” and activist work were derided by more The “recess appointment” drew criticism conservative Republicans and the powerful from a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader political foes of LGBT equality rights. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) and conservative groups Those groups included the Southern but was praised by gay rights activists. Poverty Law Center’s designated extremist “The denial of a confirmation vote by anti-LGBT hate groups, the Washington D.C. the Senate leadership, a vote he would have based Family Research Council and the Orange easily won, was nothing more than antiCounty, California based Traditional Values gay discrimination,” said Elizabeth Birch of Coalition Christian organization founded by the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s Rev. Louis P. Sheldon to oppose LGBT rights. largest gay and lesbian political group to the In a Wikimedia entry on Hormel it notes Washington Post. that FRC and TVC both: The Post also reported that Clinton’s recess appointment of Hormel was criticized by Lott • Labelled Hormel as being pro-pornography, asserting spokesman John Czwartacki who said it was “a that Hormel would be rejected in the largely Roman slap in the face,” particularly to Catholics. Catholic Luxembourg. It was later observed that much of Czwartacki cited what he said were the same material could also be found in the Library of Hormel’s links with the Sisters of Perpetual Congress. Indulgence — drag queens who dress as nuns. White House spokesman Barry Toiv said • The FRC distributed video tapes of a television Hormel does not support “any such group. interview with Hormel at the 1996 San Francisco Pride The idea . . . is outrageous and is false.”

“JIM’S DISTINGUISHED SERVICE REPRESENTED THE VERY BEST OF AMERICA AND PAVED THE WAY FOR OTHERS.”

The Family Research Council claimed that Hormel’s appointment was strictly to “advance the gay agenda” on what the antiLGBT hate group deemed “a governmentsanctioned platform.” Hormel went on to serve as ambassador until the inaugural of former President George W. Bush on January 20, 2001. After his service as ambassador Hormel returned to his philanthropic work moving back to the City by the Bay where he was honored in 2010, with a lifetime achievement grand marshal for the San Francisco Pride parade. Hormel also continued his lifelong advocacy work and as an elder statesman in the Democratic Party. When then Presidentelect Joe Biden announced his choice of nominating out Pete Buttigieg as U.S. Secretary of Transportation, the Washington Blade reported, “Buttigieg, who made history as a gay Democratic candidate in the 2020 primary said at the time his career aspiration was to become an airline pilot and ‘was a long way from coming out, even to myself,’ but gained knowledge from Hormel’s story.” The Blade also reported, “I learned about some of the limits that exist in this country when it comes to who is allowed to belong, and just as important, I saw how those limits could be challenged,” Buttigieg said. “So, two decades later, I can’t help but think of a 17-year-old who might be watching right now, someone who wonders whether and where they belong in the world, or even in their own family, and I’m thinking about the message today’s announcement is sending to them.” Hormel, in an email to the Blade the day after Buttigieg praised him, was able to return the favor by offering support. “I enthusiastically support the nomination of Pete Buttigieg as secretary of transportation and will acknowledge him as the first openly LGBTQ member of the presidential Cabinet,” Hormel said. “Today we mourn the loss of a true titan in our LGBTQ+ movement — a trailblazer, a mentor and a friend to all those who sought his counsel during his decades of leadership and advocacy. Ambassador James Hormel defined our community’s resilience — representing our nation with honor and distinction in the face of vile hate and discrimination,” Executive Director of Equality California’s Rick Chavez Zbur said in a statement. “In the years since his diplomatic service, Jim has been unyieldingly generous with his time and his resources, working tirelessly to create a world that is healthy, just and fully equal for all LGBTQ+ people. “It is true that we stand on the shoulders of the giants who came before us. I am forever grateful for the wisdom and guidance that Jim shared with me and Equality California over the past 25 years, and I am confident that

James C. Hormel pictured on the cover of his biography, “Fit To Serve.” Photo via Facebook.

generations of LGBTQ+ diplomats, advocates and community leaders will benefit from his life’s work. I know that we will continue to see the immeasurable impact of his contributions on the faces of children who dream of walking the world’s greatest halls of power without worry that who they are or whom they love could ever limit their potential.” The White House Friday afternoon released a statement by Vice President Kamala Harris on the death of Ambassador Hormel: “During his remarkable life, Ambassador James Hormel made history, and he made the world a better place. Jim’s kindness and commitment to human rights, including his efforts to help found the Human Rights Campaign and advocate for those living with HIV/AIDS, changed lives and inspired generations of leaders. As our country’s first openly gay ambassador, Jim’s distinguished service represented the very best of America and paved the way for others. I will always be grateful for Jim’s friendship and counsel over many years. He will be missed. Doug and I send our condolences to Jim’s husband Michael, children Alison, Anne, Elizabeth, Jimmy, and Sarah, and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.” President Biden, reflecting the recent passing of James Hormel, the first openly gay person to serve as U.S. ambassador gay person to the United States, said his “bravery paved the way” for LGBT appointees now working for the U.S. government. “I am proud that my Administration is staffed by incredible LGBTQ+ public servants at all levels, including in my Cabinet and nominees for Ambassador-level appointments,” Biden said. “Ambassador Hormel’s bravery paved the way for all of them to serve, just as he hoped it would.”

8 .19. 20 21 •

NEWS LOCAL

J.R.’s SNAPSHOTS

OF THE

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.

Gabriel Garcia-Vera, field director at the National LGBTQ Task Force, with Mayra Hidalgo Salazar, deputy executive director at the National LGBTQ Task Force.

• 8 .19.2021

Photos by J.R. Davis

Jeff Sterling, CEO of Wilton Manors Entertainment Group and owner of Sterling Accounting, with boyfriend Desmond Sadler.

Husbands and co-owners of Dick’s Service Station Christian Santiago and Eric Mcknight.

Marvin Reyes and Brian Douglas from The Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel.

WEEK

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CHECK OUT THE

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Mayor Dean Trantalis at the Florida LGBTQ Democratic Caucus summer conference. Photo by Carina Mask.

LGBT DEM CLUB HONORS FORT LAUDERDALE MAYOR WITH LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD John McDonald

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ort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis University with a degree in political science. received the Lifetime Achievement He got his law degree from Stetson University Award from the Florida LGBTQ+ and started practicing law in Broward County Democratic Caucus at its summer conference in 1982. in Miami. “I thank the Caucus for this recognition. I Caucus President Stephen will never stop working towards Gaskill presented Trantalis a more equitable and inclusive with the award at the Hilton South Florida,” tweeted Downtown Miami. Gaskill Trantalis, who joined Miami touted Trantalis’ decades-long Beach Commissioner Michael leadership on matters ranging Góngora and North Miami from human rights to same-sex Councilman Scott Galvin on domestic partnerships to HIV/ a panel discussion about how AIDS services. South Florida LGBT cities work “He’s been a leading voice for together. the community as an elected First elected to the Fort official, as a candidate, as an Lauderdale City Commission advocate and really as just a in 2003, Trantalis has served - Dean Trantalis person,” Gaskill said. “If you continuously since 2013, MAYOR OF know Dean, he will help you including the last four years as FORT LAUDERDALE get to where you need to get mayor. to resolve whatever problem Trantalis is the first openly you are trying to solve … Whatever you are gay mayor in Fort Lauderdale history, an going to him for. Those people are rare and achievement that brings him great joy. we wanted to thank him for his leadership all “Becoming mayor of a city that our these years.” community has invested so much of itself A Connecticut native, Trantalis graduated is the ultimate validation of the success we cum laude with distinction from Boston have achieved,” Trantalis wrote.

“I will never stop working towards a more equitable and inclusive South Florida.”

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8 .19. 20 21 •

NEWS NATIONAL

THE

ISLANDER

CENSUS DATA REVEALS FOOD, HOUSING CONCERNS IN LGBT RESPONDENTS John McDonald

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THE NEWSLETTER YOU NEED NEED. WILTON MANORS NEWS... RIGHT TO YOUR INBOX. From events to local announcements, fun facts and so much more, the Islander is everything you need to wake up ready for a beautiful day in the Island City.

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ew data from the U.S. Census Bureau reveals households with LGBT people have higher rates of food and economic insecurity. The report is part of the Census Bureau’s first of its kind Household Pulse Survey, which asks about sexual orientation and gender identity. Identifying adult LGBT populations is new ground for the Census Bureau as it attempts to measure the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on American households.

“THIS IS A RESULT OF DECADES OF ADVOCACY DEMANDING THAT LGBTQ PEOPLE BE COUNTED, SEEN AND VALUED.” - Mayra Hidalgo Salazar DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NATIONAL LGBTQ TASK FORCE

“Victory,” tweeted Mayra Hidalgo Salazar, deputy executive director at the National LGBTQ Task Force. “The Task Force has been advocating for this since the ‘90s. This is a result of decades of advocacy demanding that LGBTQ people be counted, seen and valued.” But queering the census, as the Task Force puts it, is also discovering some painful truths. The survey found 13.1% of LGBT adults lived in a household that experienced food insecurity in the past seven days. The rate was 7.2% for non-LGBT adults. Other findings from the survey: 36.6% of LGBT adults lived in a household that had difficulty paying for usual household expenses compared to 26.1% of non-LGBT adults. Households with LGBT adults had a higher rate (19.8%) of lost employment income in the last four weeks than non-LGBT adults (16.8%). The survey found 8.2% of LGBT adults said they were not confident their household would make the next housing payment on time compared to 6% of non-LGBT adults. In total, the survey found 8.2% of American households experienced food scarcity. The number rose slightly to 8.5% for Florida households and significantly higher for the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach metro area to 14.7%. The report was released Aug. 11 with data collected July 21 to Aug. 2. Overall, 1,042,642 households were invited with 64,562 responses for a weighted response rate of 6.1%.

NEWS NATIONAL

FROM MAYOR PETE TO DADDY PETE Jeremy Williams Watermark

.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg announced on his Twitter account Aug. 17 that he and husband, LGBT activist and author Chasten Buttigieg, are becoming dads. “For some time, Chasten and I have wanted to grow our family. We’re overjoyed to share that we’ve become parents! The process isn’t done yet and we’re thankful for the love, support, and respect for our privacy that has been offered to us. We can’t wait to share more soon,” Pete Buttigieg tweeted. Chasten Buttigieg shared the announcement by retweeting Pete Buttigieg with the tweet “Some news!” Pete Buttigieg made history and national headlines in 2019 when he became the first openly LGBT person to launch a major presidential campaign. Pete and Chasten Buttigieg met in 2015 and married three years later while Pete Buttigieg was mayor

Pete and Chasten Buttigieg. Photo via Facebook.

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8 .19. 20 21 •

NEWS HEALTH

NEWS LOCAL

PEOPLE WITH HIV MAY BE AT AHF COLLECTING DONATIONS TO HELP HAITI HIGHER RISK DUE TO COVID AFTER EARTHQUAKE John Hayden

Kim Swan

Photo via PxHere.

ollowing an earthquake this past weekend in Haiti, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation is collecting donations to help the communities that were severely impacted by the catastrophe. AHF, a nonprofit public health organization that addresses the HIV/AIDS epidemic, is collecting items through Aug. 20. The donations will be put on a plane and delivered directly to healthcare centers in the impacted communities and Haitians living with critical illnesses, according to a press release.

Donations will be accepted at the following locations until 2 p.m.: NORTH MIAMI CITY HALL

(9 a.m. – 5 p.m.) 776 NE 125 Str., North Miami, FL 33161

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(10 a.m. – 7 p.m.) 2097 Wilton Dr., Wilton Manors, FL 33305

OUT OF THE CLOSET THRIFT STORE (10:00 a.m. – 7 p.m.) 2400 Biscayne Blvd. Miami, FL 33137

AHF SOUTHERN BUREAU OFFICE

(9 a.m. – 5 p.m.) 700 SE Third Ave., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316

WHAT TO DONATE NOTE: ALL ITEMS SHOULD BE UNUSED AND PACKAGED.

1. Toilet Paper 2. Toothbrushes 3. Toothpaste 4. Paper Towels 5. Diapers 6. Sterno Cooking Candles 7. Plastic Buckets 8. Blankets 9. Flashlights and Batteries 10. Baby Formula 11. Canned Meat 12. Baby Food 13. First Aid Items (band aids, antiseptic, etc.) 14. Tarps 15. Face masks

OVID has ravaged America and the world for a year and a half and South Florida has been a “hot spot” for much of that time, and never more so than right now. The Delta variant is thriving among the unvaccinated population and creating so-called “breakthrough” cases among those who did the responsible thing and got their shot(s). All of this is adding yet another layer of anxiety for the HIV-positive community. The New York Times cited a new study presented at a conference in Berlin, Germany, that estimates having HIV increases the risk of dying from COVID-19 by 30%. This study looks at COVID in general and doesn’t factor in a lot of data from the Delta variant. One of the problems isn’t a lack of access to care, it’s a reluctance to seek out care. Many are avoiding clinics, hospitals, and doctor offices because they fear coming in contact with COVID. Despite the perilous medical environment, local health services are working hard to treat patients. One of SunServe’s main goals is to keep clients in treatment, a job made much harder by Delta. “The biggest issue right now with Delta is that [many HIV-positive] clients are homeless or close to it, many times finding shelter in either a homeless shelter or packed into their family homes,” said Tori Bertran, SunServe’s director of Quality Assurance. “In that kind of close contact, Delta just rips through, infecting everyone. We’ve had many clients who come in for an intake, and then the next time we hear from them, they and

“THE BIGGEST ISSUE RIGHT NOW WITH DELTA IS THAT [MANY HIVPOSITIVE] CLIENTS ARE HOMELESS OR CLOSE TO IT, MANY TIMES FINDING SHELTER IN EITHER A HOMELESS SHELTER OR PACKED INTO THEIR FAMILY HOMES.” - Tori Bertran SUNSERVE’S DIRECTOR OF QUALITY ASSURANCE

• 8 .19.2021

Photo via Adobe.

their support structures are dealing with COVID-19. Sometimes those clients don’t come back for a month. Sometimes they don’t come back [at all].” Latinos Salud works more in testing, education, and screening as opposed to actual treatment. But they are still seeing clients come in at a steady pace. They point out the CDC message that “...some immunocompromised people don’t always build the same level of immunity after vaccination the way nonimmunocompromised people do, and may benefit from an additional dose to ensure adequate protection against COVID-19.” On Aug. 13 they said that recommendation is for people with advanced HIV, meaning under 200 CD4 cells. Latinos Salud is watching to see if the CDC will recommend a third shot for persons with HIV who might have higher CD4 counts, but may not have a robust ratio of CD4 helper to CD8 killer T cells. For now people with HIV continue to deal with a second medical threat, and are encouraged to talk with their healthcare providers for the best way to monitor their HIV and prevent COVID.

PA L M B E A C H

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LGBT ARTIST ROLANDO CHANG BARRERO WAS APPROACHED BY ALEXANDRIA AYALA, PALM BEACH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER OF DISTRICT 2, TO CREATE A GRAPHIC THAT EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTH AND SAFETY OF CHILDREN AS THE SCHOOL YEAR APPROACHED, HE HAD NO IDEA IT WOULD SPIRAL INTO A HUGE FUNDRAISER FOR LOCAL SCHOOLS.

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“I posted the prototype of the graphic, Mochilas y Mascarillas | Backpacks and Face Masks, to Facebook in order to test the community’s response of the graphic before presenting it to Ms. Ayala and the graphic was received much better than expected, in fact people responded by contacting me with inquiries about where to give financial donations, backpacks and school supplies,” Barrero said. He immediately took action and sent donors to his non-profit organization’s website for financial donations and told others to drop off school supplies at his art gallery, The Box Gallery. The donations received at the Art Synergy website were then redirected to local schools in Palm Beach County. Though Barrero’s involvement with the Palm Beach County school system was intended to end after a safety graphic was created, his accidental fundraiser is still booming. According to a press release, “the campaign to raise awareness and promote health was soon embraced by community leaders, elected officials, friends, local

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Empty backpacks were lined up inside of The Box Gallery, each one awaiting donations. Photo via Rolando Chang Barrero, Facebook.

businesses, and other non-profits who help gather the backpacks, sort the supplies, and facilitate the delivery to Hope Elementary School where they will be distributed to the students.” The fundraiser began as an effort to prioritize the health and safety of children as the Delta variant makes its way through Florida. During the first week of school, more than 1,000 Palm Beach County students were sent home due to COVID-19 concerns according to WPTV. Five different types of masks are listed on the Art Synergy Amazon fundraiser list for Palm Beach County schools to receive along with mini hand sanitizers. The list includes links to everything that schools need for the 2021-2022 school year, including backpacks, notebooks, highlighters, and face masks. Donors can simply add the items to their carts and have them shipped to The Box Gallery. School supplies can also be dropped off at The Box Gallery from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Friday and Saturday.

8 .19. 20 21 •

Publisher's Editorial

CONVICTIONS

AN UNFORGIVABLE MISTAKE Norm Kent

norm.kent@sfgn.com

FGN celebrated publishing its 600th issue by posting a little note on Facebook, and we received many acknowledgements of appreciation. Thank you. Three days later, my associate publisher was on local television explaining to WSVN Channel 7 how we somehow allowed to be published an ad that was blatantly racist and transparently offensive. It did not take rocket science to figure it out. The author of the ad had advertised before. So, we negligently trusted him. He submitted copy that he admitted was controversial, but the person in charge paid no attention to it, because, frankly, we never had a problem with this person’s ad before. Additionally, the advertiser also submitted the copy with a credit card. So, it was rubber stamped. It should not have been. Money talks again. Making things worse is that the advertiser successfully produced an ad that was purposely deceptive and duplicitous. Amateur though he was, he fooled us. He created a visual that appeared to advertise a theatrical version of West Side Story, not a modern version of hate. Hurriedly skimming through the paper, you might not notice the ad did not give a time and date for the show. We are so visually accosted every day on our TV screens and internet providers that we just don’t pay attention anymore the way we should to things that are right in front of us. And boy, did that bite us in the ass this time, big time. Few ads are bought to make a point. They promote their businesses. They sell goods. They sell food. Ads go through the advertising department. Editorial goes through the editorial department. That’s the way it works. But in this case, this was a paid editorial cartoon making a statement, disguised as a theatrical ad. It missed its mark. And so few even noticed. We have become anesthetized. From me to everyone else on the staff, our failure to flag that stupid freaking ad led to the most embarrassing moment I have experienced in 40 plus years as a weekly news publisher in South Florida. That’s right, over 40 years.

• 8 .19.2021

The first paper I ever published in South Florida was released on July 4, 1978, when “Sportsbreak” hit the stands in Coral Springs, It was a weekly paper promoting the youthful and emerging athletic community growing up in northwest Broward County. Back then, there were no PDF’s and JPG’s. We laid out the paper cutting up copy and placing it on stick tape. Once, I may have published the wrong ad for Sneaker City, promoting a Michael Jordan shoe instead of a Patrick Ewing special. But on Wednesday, August 11, 2021, three weeks out of Brain Surgery from the University of Miami Neuroscience Institute, I was not ready for this. On page 25 of the South Florida Gay News, we did not have an ad for “West Side Story.” We did not have an ad displaying an erotic man featured with gold beads around his neck. On Aug. 12, SFGN ran an ad depicting an image of a naked young Black man being lynched, with a rope around his neck. And it looks like the dancer was stepping on the face of George Floyd, yet another character cast deceptively in the image. I was mortified, ashamed, embarrassed, just as Jason Parsley, my associate publisher was. What do we do next? First, I immediately instructed our delivery drivers to go back through their route, collect every issue, and burn them. Recycle them. The papers were poisoned, vile, and disgusting. Get rid of them. Now. Simultaneously, I contacted Stuart Web, who prints our paper. I asked them to come in on Sunday if they had to, but to immediately reprint our paper with the offending ad stricken. They were great. By Monday afternoon, a new issue of SFGN was on the stands, without the obscene ad. As many of the offending issues as we could find were retrieved, removed, and destroyed. No matter what, everything that happened to cause the offending copy to reach our newsstand is the fault of SFGN and our negligence. I am the publisher. It’s my job, as the guardian of your community newspaper, to make sure this kind of crap does not happen. It does not matter that my graphic designer

The June 17, 2021 edition of SFGN is an example of what type of newspaper we strive to give you.

was in another time zone in Germany trying to get his first vaccine shot. It does not matter that my associate publisher was in Kentucky trying to deal with the fact that his unvaccinated older brother is in a hospital with COVID. We can all have excuses after the fact. If you publish a newspaper that is an investment in an entire community, you don’t tolerate mediocrity. You master it. You surround yourself with people that rise to the occasion, not tell you why they fell down. No matter what the excuses, our first, second and third lines of defense spectacularly failed at SFGN. Like Uncle Ben said to all of us in Spiderman, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Publishing a community newspaper is not just slapping words on a printed or digital page. It means being part of something bigger than yourself. It means holding yourself to a higher standard. If our paper insists on transparency from others, we must own up to it ourselves. It would be sheer hypocrisy to do anything else. Thus, you are entitled to know how we are handling this major screw up. First, the person responsible has been suspended for two weeks. They should have known better. They are too experienced for SFGN to excuse this kind of mistake. An advisory from an advertiser had

forewarned the paper that a “controversial” ad was being submitted. That warning was paid no heed, and the resulting negligence has embarrassed the reputation of SFGN and violated our trust with you. However, we are a family here at SFGN, a small community, not just a big corporation. This person is an extraordinarily talented individual who has faithfully served this paper and our community for over a decade. This person has volunteered their time and services to multiple non-profits, and championed just and honorable causes during their entire tenure at SFGN. One mistake does not define this person’s career, dedication, and loyalty. We will use this as a learning moment, and do better next time. If we make better decisions, we can expect better outcomes, happier endings, and newer beginnings. At SFGN, we have written hundreds of stories over thousands of pages these past 10 years. We expose the naked city, with all its wins, warts, and wounds. This week, it’s us. Our screw up. We own it. But that’s all she wrote folks. Now we have another paper to put out. Finally, our thanks to the readers and advertisers, like Peter at Stork’s, who caught this error, and cared enough to bring it to our attention. You make us better.

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8 .19. 20 21 •

Don’t miss a

CONVICTIONS

Jesse’s Journal

tastE THE (NOT SO) GOOD CUBAN Feeling the hunger?

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Jesse Monteagudo

t is seldom a good time to be a dissident Cuban, in Cuba or in Miami. As far as my compatriotas are concerned, I am not a very good Cuban. Since I became an American citizen in 1973, the first one in my family to do so, I forged my own path: as a gay man, a convert to Judaism, and most importantly, a member of the political left. Most of my nuclear family members, like most Cuban Americans in Miami, are conservative Republicans. I am a progressive Democrat. They support aggressive action against Cuba’s communist regime. I support Barack Obama’s detente with the Island and regret that President Biden retained Donald Trump’s regressive moves. I oppose the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba, agreeing with the vast majority of nations that oppose it at the United Nations. All that would make me, as some would say, a Cubano arrepentido, a Cuban who is ashamed to be Cuban. This is not true. I am proud to be a Cuban American; proud that I was born in Havana from parents who were themselves born in Cuba. We are a great people, as proved by our success in the Cuban diaspora. I have no illusions about Cuba’s totalitarian regime, which like all tyrannies cut off access to the Internet once their people began to complain and protest in early July. Those who believed that anti-government feeling was limited to a few old fogeys playing dominoes on Calle Ocho were surprised to see many young Cubans and Cuban American, in greater and Little Havana, women and men who were born long after the Revolution of 1959, take to the streets on behalf of Patria y Vida (homeland and life). This is not the first time that Cubans and Cuban Americans gathered in front of the Versailles Restaurant on behalf of Libertad on the Island. They did so when the Soviet Union fell (1991) and

Photo via Pixabay.

when Fidel Castro died (2016). And though the protesters might be disappointed again, they will never give up, because hope springs eternal in the human breast. Like the buen Cubano that I believe I am, I look forward to the day when Cuba’s democracy is restored, and its people are free. But change must come from the Cuban people themselves. It must not come from the United States, which has a terrible record at nation building, whether in Cuba, Haiti, Vietnam, Iraq or Afghanistan, among other countries that it messed up. Opportunistic American politicians like Senator Marco Rubio have made political hay out of the suffering of the Cuban people (and the Venezuelan people) for far too long. Though I do not intend to return there to live, I would like to see my native land, for the first time in almost 60 years, and be among a people who survived and prospered, no matter what the circumstances.

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

• 8 .19.2021

CONVICTIONS

EDITORIAL CARTOON By Mike Luckovich

8 .19. 20 21 •

RESERVE YOUR AD NOW! 954-530-4970, EXT. 2

E D I U G

THE

THE HA

• 8 .19.2021

TO W NDBOOK

HAT'S H

OUTH OT IN S

FLORIDA

THE

GAZETTE VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 16 AUGUST 19, 2021

FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/WMGAZETTE COMMUNITY

OAKLAND PARK

Oakland Park Foreclosure Ordinance Undergoing Major Legal Overhaul By Christiana Lilly The Oakland Park City Commission is asking came about during the recession in 2007, when city staff for a “major overhaul” of a proposed homes were being foreclosed on at a rapid rate. ordinance that would require properties that However, she said that the proposed ordinance are in foreclosure to be registered with the city. needs to “go back to the drawing board.” “I think the definitions have to change. I The ordinance, presented at the commission’s Aug. 4 meeting, currently only also wonder about enforcement mechanisms,” she said. “Does our registration requires this if the home is requirement get us anywhere?” unoccupied. Commissioner Aisha Gordon “It’s kind of overreach for said she asked staff how many the government and I don’t homes would fall under this want to do this; I don’t see us ordinance, as she was “taken getting ahead of anything,” off guard by this request.” While said Vice Mayor Michael Carn. she did not share the number, “This does nothing for me but she said it didn’t seem to be reach into people’s personal something the city needed to business.” pursue. In order for the ordinance to “Right now I don’t see a real be reworked by city staff, the crisis with distressed properties, commission had to approve especially based on the number the first reading. Otherwise, that was given to me. It was a the ordinance would die and very low number,” she said. remain as is. Commissioner Mitch According to the cover sheet Rosenwald, a social worker and provided to commissioners, professor at Barry University, “staff recommends adding the Vice Mayor, Oakland Park added that it seemed more requirement for all properties important for the city to be aware in a state of default [vacant and occupied] be required to register with the City, of code violations, not whether the home is in which will allow for earlier active monitoring foreclosure or not. He also said the ordinance and compliance actions by Community makes assumptions about homeowners who Enhancement Staff.” City Manager David are in foreclosure. “They may be in a crisis, and when people Hebert explained that the information would help staff be notified of violations and are in a crisis, things break down,” he said. “There are other people who have obstacles in warnings. Mayor Jane Bolin, who is a real estate life, when in foreclosure, and still take care of attorney, explained that the ordinance probably their kids.”

“Why should I have to register with you because I’ve fallen on bad times?” - Michael Carn

Photo via Adobe.

While he agreed that the ordinance needed work, Commissioner Matthew Sparks said he didn’t think the spirit of the ordinance was to put a spotlight on people in foreclosure. “All we’re doing is saying we’d like a list of bank-owned properties,” he said. “We’re not actually saying we want you to file before you go into bankruptcy. I’ve been through this and I

www.WMGAZETTE.com

have no problem with owning up to that.” He also shared that he himself was foreclosed on during the recession. Carn emphasized his opposition to the ordinance as it was written. “Why should I have to register with you because I’ve fallen on bad times?” he asked. “No. We just don’t do people like that.”

8 .19. 20 21 •

NEWS

OAKLAND PARK

Oakland Park Appoints 2 New Members to School Advisory Board By Christiana Lilly

August 19, 2021 • Volume 8 • Issue 16 2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943

Publisher • Norm Kent norm.kent@sfgn.com Associate Publisher / Executive Editor • Jason Parsley jason.parsley@sfgn.com

Editorial

Art Director • Brendon Lies artwork@sfgn.com Oakland Park Editor • Christiana Lilly Wilton Manors Editor • John McDonald

Correspondents

John Hayden• Sal Torre • James Oaksun

Staff Photographers

J.R. Davis • Carina Mask • Steven Shires

Sales & Marketing

JACK DONNELLY A software manager for Nielsen Ratings/ Scarborough, Donnelly maintains the mainframe computer systems all over the country, he wrote in his application. He graduated from Boston University with a degree in biology, chemistry and physics. His community involvement includes the Oakland Park Democratic Club, the Oakland Park Volunteer Corps, Kings Point Democratic Club, and Equality Florida. Donnelly was first recommended and appointed by Mayor Jane Bolin in 2020 and again this year.

COBY KING King works as a neighborhood support specialist for the Broward Sheriff’s Office, where he helps deputies form positive relationships with their community. “I have worked in youth development for over 15 years, empowering young minds for better futures,” he wrote in his application. He graduated from Florida Southwestern State College with a degree in business and is a part of the Unified Neighborhood Alliance of Central Broward. King was originally appointed to the board by then Commissioner Tim Lonergan in 2020 and was recommended and reappointed by Vice Mayor Michael Carn.

For ad placement in the Wilton Manors Gazette, contact 954-530-4970 Sales Manager • Justin Wyse justin.wyse@sfgn.com

Advertising Sales Associate • Edwin Neimann edwin.neimann@sfgn.com Delivery • Juan Manzano

Oakland Park City Hall. SFGN file photo.

computer science (Broward College) and accounting (FAU). He has been a memory of the Rotary Club for nine years and said he has been an education and community activity and advocate for more than 25 years. He was appointed by City Manager David Hebert in 2020 and recommended and appointed this year by Commissioner Matthew Sparks.

The advisory board is responsible for keeping the commission in the loop with school happenings.

LEWIS NAYLOR A broker and owner of Naylor Realty for three decades, Naylor has an Associate’s Degree in agricultural management (SUNY Cobleskill),

SARA NUNEZ

The executive director at the Pace Center for Girls, Nunez also shared on her application that she worked with the YMCA for 17 years and the Girl Scouts for six years. “I am passionate about the education and development of youth.” She is a member of the Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce and the Broward Women’s Alliance. Nunez earned her Master’s in psychology from Niagara University in Niagara Falls, New York. She was recommended and appointed by Commissioner Mitch Rosenwald, a professor of social work at Barry University.

CHRISTOPHER THOMAS Thomas has been a program analyst for the Department of Veterans Affairs for a decade, where he oversees its managerial cost accounting program, performs financial and healthcare analytics, and creates technical tools and reports, according to this application. Thomas has a Master’s in public administration from Arizona State University, where he also earned a Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. He currently serves as the treasurer/secretary of the Urbana Homeowners Association. He was recommended and appointed by Commissioner Aisha Gordon.

2 •

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

MEMBER

Associated Press MEMBER

MEMBER

ALTERNATE: NATHAN CHERSON The Bank of America Merrill wealth management adviser was originally appointed to the board by then Commissioner Sara Guevrekian, who resigned from the commission in October 2020. Cherson has a degree in international relations from Tufts University. He is involved in the community as a coach for Northeast Little League, was an Oakland Park soccer coach in 2017, and was appointed to the Broward School District’s Human Relations Council.

www.WMGAZETTE.com • 8 .19.2021

GAZETTE

Webmaster • Kimberly Swan webmaster@sfgn.com

The Oakland Park City Commission appointed members of the community to its School Advisory Board on Aug. 4, including two newcomers. The advisory board is responsible for keeping the commission in the loop with school happenings — especially important now with the pandemic and the ceiling collapse at Rickards Middle School. The advisory board members are:

THE

AUGUST 19, 2021

Keep your eyes on the ocean... Hurricane season is in full swing! Photo via PxHere.

IN MEMORIAM

OAKLAND PARK

The Loss of Beloved Friend Robert Neu By John Hayden South Florida is mourning the loss of a beloved friend and talented stylist. Robert “Bob” Neu died suddenly over the weekend leaving his friends, family, and co-workers stunned. Bob was a barber at Dick’s Service Station in Oakland Park and had worked there since it opened in 2016. Owners Chris Santiago and Eric McKnight told SFGN that Neu was a master barber and had a big, loyal following. On their Facebook page they said, “He was the kind of guy who was always there, so much so that we all expected him to always be there. Making each memory we shared with him feel that much more valuable.” They went on to echo what so many expressed in online tributes. “To say he has added to the success of the shop would be an understatement. Sometimes quiet and reserved, other times the center of attention with one of his crazy stories.” While Bob was at the top of his game

Robert Neu. Photo via Facebook.

professionally, he also was a friend and confidant away from his barber chair. A friend of 10 years says Bob helped him through difficult days. “When I first started my sobriety journey I talked to him often and he gave me amazing advice on staying clean.” What caused Neu’s death hasn’t been released, but it appears to have been unexpected. His Monday appointments weren’t rescheduled until Sunday.

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WILTON MANORS

Delighted Tobehere!

On Saturday, August 7, The Pub in Wilton Manors hosted the shining debut of drag queen Delighted Tobehere. The performer, singer and comedian was carried to fame after her appearance on America’s Got Talent. Photo credit: J.R. Davis.

TO SEE MANY MORE PHOTOS, JOIN THE WMG GROUP ON FACEBOOK! Facebook.com/groups/WMGazette

3 •

AUGUST 19, 2021

8 .19. 20 21 •

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

WILTON MANORS

From Wilton Manors With Love An Interview with Gay Poet Dustin Brookshire By Gregg Shapiro

ome poets love the spotlight, while others prefer to work behind the scenes. Gay poet Dustin Brookshire (dustinbrookshire.com) has an equal amount of both qualities. The author of two chapbooks, “Love Most Of You Too” (Harbor Editions, 2021) and “To The One Who Raped Me” (Sibling Rivalry Press, 2012), Brookshire was a finalist for the 2021 Scotti Merrill Award, as well as a Pushcart Prize nominee. His work has been published or is forthcoming in a variety of publications including “Assaracus,” “Whiskey Island,” “South Florida Poetry Journal,” “Mollyhouse,” “Oddball,” and “Gulf Stream Magazine,” in addition to the anthologies “Divining Divas: 100 Gay Men on their Muses” and “The Queer South: LGBTQ Writers on the American South.” Brookshire is also the founder/editor of the literary journal “Limp Wrist” and curator of the Wild & Precious Life Series, a Zoom-based poetry reading series. He was kind enough to answer a few questions shortly after the publication of his latest book. GREGG SHAPIRO: You have been a resident of Wilton Manors since 2019. What was it that brought you here? DUSTIN BROOKSHIRE: I visited Wilton Manors with, at the time, my best friend, as he was exploring the city in preparation for a move. I helped him relocate and visited every month thereafter. I fell in love with Wilton Manors because it is so gay. The city is walkable and a few miles from the beach. Did I mention it is super gay (laughs)? What’s not to love? GS: There are some fascinating recurring themes in your new book “Love Most of You Too” (Small Harbor, 2021) beginning with family, including a brother (“Waiting to Come Out”), an aunt (“Aunt With A Mission,” “Bad Apple”), a mother (“Bypassing Peachford”), and a

Dustin Brookshire. Courtesy photo.

grandmother (“On Line Dancing Night at the Gay Bar I Think of Grandma,” “Losing At Cards”). Please say something about the experience of writing about family in a poetic format. DB: I’ve been out since I was 19, and it hasn’t always been an easy road with my family. Hell, it’s been a hard and painful journey. I’ve captured a lot of my family in experiences in my poetry since I own the fact that I’m a confessional poet. It feels really damn good to write about my familial experiences, and it feels even better when the poem is on point. GS: Do you know if any of these relatives are aware of their presence in your work? DB: I hope not [laughs]. When I was 19 or 20, my mother called to demand that I rewrite a poem she read online because the details of the poem weren’t accurate in her opinion. I refused and let her know it’d be best if she didn’t Google my poems. I’m not sure if she’s adhered to that request. If she hasn’t, well, at least she hasn’t called to demand rewrites.

To read the rest of the interview, visit SFGN.com. www.WMGAZETTE.com 24

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AUGUST 19, 2021

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CONVICTIONS

Guest Column

NO COPS AT PRIDE HOW LOCAL LGBT NONPROFITS LEADERS HAVE ALIGNED WITH STATE VIOLENCE Queers United for Abolition & Liberation in South Florida (QUALS)

uring Pride month this year, several local LGBT nonprofit organizations like Aqua Foundation for Women, Pridelines, and Survivor’s Pathway, collaborated on an event centering on the City of Miami Police’s unveiling of their rainbowwrapped cruiser. Meanwhile, the organizers of Wynwood Pride, alongside Miami-Dade’s Mayor Daniella Levine Cava (who has a strong track record of supporting LGBT rights), kicked off this “celebration” with a ribbon-cutting photo-op that unnecessarily and egregiously positioned uniformed police front and center. Just days before Pride month began, on Memorial Day Weekend, Miami’s LGBTQ Advisory Board uplifted and publicly locked arms with the Miami Beach Police Department (while also using binary gendered language to celebrate those “serving”) — despite the fact that Black folks have regularly been met with unnecessary use of force, treated with disdain and disrespect, and have even been killed by MBPD during Urban Beach Week for years. Several local activists commented with both concern and critique on the Board’s post. Instead of community members hearing from Gabriel Paez, the Program Director for Miami-Dade County’s LGBTQ Advisory Board (who is in the above photo in a red shirt, and is believed to have made the actual post), we only heard from Ray Guell, his husband. Over two months later, the post is still up. Not a word has been uttered by Mr. Paez in response to community concerns (his husband, however, responded with several other comments in the same flavor). Two days later, this very same advisory board raised both the Pride and Progress flags over the Stephen P. Clark Government Center for the first time ever. Yet again, a uniformed officer was front and center — literally. It is also worth noting that the board, which has only one trans-identified member, and only one Black LGBT member, just installed

a police officer on the board, and has also installed two members that do not identify as LGBT. With just 15 seats on the first official board that is supposed to represent the concerns and lived experience of queer and trans people in Miami-Dade, one now belongs to a police officer, two to cis/het people, and the rest to mostly white (or “white-passing”), affluent cisgender gay and lesbian people — a number of whom also control the power and purse of several local LGBT nonprofits. Instead of working in tandem with local organizers, who’ve requested limited police presence in our spaces, or supporting grassroots efforts to defund the police, they are providing police officers with increased access to our own decision-making bodies; we must ask ourselves why. We must also ask ourselves why those in positions of power are so resistant to input surrounding these topics. For example, when several trans community members took issue with a post made by current Executive Director of Aqua Foundation for Women, Grace Lopez, about the aforementioned celebratory police event (wherein she hashtagged “transgender rights” while posing and smiling for a photoop in an Aqua T-Shirt), feedback was met with nothing shy of righteousness and dismissal. Instead of trying to better understand this context and history, or why her post landed as hurtful to a number of trans people, Grace became defensive, denoted that this was her “personal page,” and then simply began unfriending trans folks who’d offered her feedback (she unfriended at least three trans people of color that day). There’s grave irony in hashtagging “transgender rights,” and then immediately dodging feedback from actual local trans people, one of whom, Tori Bertran,

FOR THE RECORD, THERE’S NOTHING ABOUT THE POLICE, PRISONS, OR JAILS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH AFFORDING RIGHTS TO TRANS PEOPLE.

• 8 .19.2021

Photo credit: Joëlle Wider.

happened to be both a former board member of Aqua and a monthly donor. Several subsequent attempts to follow up with Grace and a member of Aqua’s board have been ignored. It is our hope that Aqua’s leadership will take active steps to acknowledge community members’ concerns, and will take responsibility for these actions. The way in which Aqua’s current leadership has engaged multiple trans/non-binary people around this issue is demonstrative of a historical pattern of local “LGB” organizations being harmful and exclusionary toward trans people (especially those that speak out), while actively purporting to be inclusive, affirming, and supportive of all LGBT people. For the record, there’s nothing about the police, prisons, or jails that are associated with affording rights to trans people. These punitive and antiquated systems continue to have disproportionately negative impacts on trans and non-binary people. Many trans/non-binary people who are arrested end up being abused, housed by sex (rather than gender), and/or placed in solitary confinement, which is considered torture by both the World Health Organization (WHO)

and the United Nations. Recent actions on behalf of local decisionmakers and organizations with regards to the police are in gross incongruence with the platitudes they poured out in response to the state-sanctioned murder of George Floyd. It was only a year ago that many of the very same local nonprofit decision-makers were attending racial justice trainings, and were writing seemingly heartfelt social media posts filled with hashtags like #DefundThePolice, #BlackLivesMatter, #NoJusticeNoPeace, and #WhiteSilenceIsWhiteViolence. It was only a year ago that these very same organizations were mass distributing their organizational commitments to racial equity and antiracism. To be actively antiracist is to work toward a world that is safe and inclusive for everyone - a world in which all people and all identities can freely exist. To be antiracist is also to be willing to analyze, critique, and interrupt systems that contribute to racial inequities and other forms of oppression. To align with the police, in any manner, is the opposite of antiracist work. Police in Florida continue to underreport LGBT-specific hate crimes, and especially

CONVICTIONS those directed at transgender/non-binary from participating in Pride in 1973 by white persons, despite community outcries for cis gays, who wanted the event to focus on proper reporting (only one small element of “acceptance” rather than protest. What we are justice). Local police forces routinely harm, seeing today, with the centering of police and wrongfully arrest, rape, and kill trans/non- corporations at Pride, and the simultaneous binary people, BIPOC queer folks, LGBT silencing of trans people’s feedback, is only a people with disabilities, queer/trans sex present-day manifestation of the same white workers, and queer/trans people who sit at the cis gay energy that told Sylvia and Marsha intersections of multiple forms of oppression. they weren’t welcome — and that their fight When any members of these directly and their fervor wasn’t welcome either. It is impacted groups speak on topics involving also the reinforcement of several virulent prisons and the police, those who are not strains of toxic positivity (i.e. “not all cops are members of said groups should witness, bad,” and “why can’t we all just get along”) listen, express compassion, try to understand, that are often only promoted by those with and seek to do what is being asked of them — immense privilege around these topics. not double down with defensiveness and/or Our history of resistance to the police in dismissal. queer and trans spaces didn’t begin nor end After a year of nearat Stonewall. In 1959, Black and constant racial uprisings in Latinx trans femmes directly THE VOICES THAT our country, the police have clashed when LAPD raided only continued to do harm to Cooper’s Do-nuts. Seven years CONTINUE TO BE queer and trans people, even at later, in 1966, trans sex workers CENTERED IN THIS this year’s Pride events. Since fended off the SFPD who raided DISCOURSE ARE OFTEN there has been ample national Compton’s Cafeteria (in which discourse around these topics, no reports or documentation THOSE WITH PRIVILEGE there is simply no excuse for was filed). And in 1982, Blue’s — DISCONNECTED local LGBT decision-makers Bar, a common meeting place FROM THE ACTUAL to not be informed (and thus for queer men of color, was responsive to community input violently raided by the police. EXPERIENCES, FEELINGS, and needs). While many radical This led to uprisings that AND NEEDS OF THE entities in cities like New York, explicitly named the ongoing TOTALITY OF QUEER AND police violence that was being Boston, San Francisco, and Seattle have been demanding aimed at queer and trans TRANS PEOPLE IN OUR that the police not be present communities, and especially LOCAL COMMUNITIES. at Pride, nor at other queer/ those of color. trans events, South Florida’s Additionally, many of the LGBT nonprofit leaders are forging new broad social justice principles that we attempt partnerships with the police — actively to practice today are rooted in theories aligning themselves, and the organizations derived from the blood, sweat, and tears of they represent, with state violence, all whilst Black transgender and Black queer feminist willfully ignoring community input about thinkers. This encompasses everything from these partnerships. intersectionality (Dr. Kimberlé Crenshaw), Plainly, this is offensive, and it flies in the to the frameworks and ideas we’ve adopted face of not only our own history, but the work from revolutionaries like Angela Davis of so many of our own queer and trans elders and Ericka Huggins, to the tools we’ve and ancestors, many of whom spent a good modeled after present-day warriors for trans portion of their own lives rallying against the liberation — people like Miss Major Griffinpolice and other systems that harm queer/ Gracy, who channeled her lived experience trans folks. at Stonewall in 1969 into the uprising she While more vocal trans people are often later led at Attica Prison in New York in 1971. dismissed by LGB institutions as “angry” What all of these people have in common or are deemed “troublemakers” or “rabble- is that they have always known and broadly rousers,” we must not forget that we would espoused that the police are at the very not even have a Pride without the important epicenter of harm in our communities. The contributions, leadership, tenacity, and direct police exist to benefit the white-wealthypushback of transgender people, particularly elite. Nonprofit organizations exist to protect BIPOC trans folks. We would not have the and serve those in need. The real conflict of freedoms that some of us have without trans interest occurs when nonprofits are run by visionaries like Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. the very same people that the police exist to Johnson, who chose to fight back when the protect and serve. police brought violence into the Stonewall Cisgender queers choosing to form Inn (as was the routine) on June 28, 1969. or bolster relationships with the police And we must not forget that these very need to know that these actions do not, same trans visionaries were later banned nor will they ever, keep our communities

Guest Column

Photo via PxHere.

safe. Police presence in our spaces actually poses direct risk to queer and trans people whose lives fall squarely “in the margins.” The police have only harmed and killed the most “minoritized” among us. To continue to center and uplift the police exemplifies a level of tone deaf that is rooted in privilege, racism, classism, and the desire to be proxy to power. Plainly, the police represent the antithesis of Pride and liberation. A rainbow-wrapped cop car only obscures both queer/trans history and present-day queer/trans realities. It is only a reminder and reinforcement of the status quo — a country that relies on a unique combination of privilege, power, and shiny new toys to routinely trap and snuff out people of color and trans folks alike. Just one month after all of the abovenamed issues surrounding Pride occurred in South Florida, Steve Rothaus, a highly celebrated local white gay journalist, published an article in South Florida Gay News about the inclusive and non-conflictual nature of South Florida Pride events. It is with the above information, analysis, and “receipts” that we hope it is now obvious that his article was not representative of the full gamut of perspectives surrounding Pride in South Florida. The voices that continue to be centered in this discourse are often those with privilege — disconnected from the actual experiences, feelings, and needs of the totality of queer and trans people in our local communities. One of the intentions behind this article is to expand community dialogue around these topics to include more diverse, critical, and boots-on-the-ground voices. If we have anything to learn from our

queer radical roots in the Stonewall Riots, Act Up, The Lesbian Avengers, and Dyke March, to present-day’s #Not1More (#NiUnaMas), #TurnUp4TT, and Blackout Pride, it is that LGBT decision-makers and organizations who continue to partner with the police, especially during Pride, and especially after this past year, must be held accountable for these decisions. To all who have centered the police in queer/trans work, especially during Pride, please know that the very communities you exist to serve do not broadly condone nor support your actions. Your decision-making around these issues is in direct conflict with your stated commitments to racial equity and antiracist work. Your dismissal of community feedback, and/or refusal to acknowledge it, is met with criticism from grassroots queer/ trans organizers — especially as many of us are re-imagining safety by intentionally centering the feedback and leadership of the most justice-impacted community members, who are calling for us to divest from the police, and to reinvest these resources in community-led programs instead. Audre Lorde, a Black lesbian feminist writer, teaches us that our silence will not protect us. That by us speaking these truths, we make contact with others. We examine the words to fit a world in which we all believed, bridging our differences. To have a Pride that our transcestors — people like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera — would be proud of, we must continue to speak truth to power. And so we will. We hope and believe that others will join us along the way. Stay tuned. Our demands are to come.

QUALS is in the early stages of building an organizing base of radically leaning queer/trans folks in South Florida. To learn more about QUALS, and/or to stay abreast of information related to pressing local LGBTQ+ issues through an antiracist, abolitionist and liberatory lens, please complete this form: tinyurl.com/QUALSinfo. 8 .19. 20 21 •

LIFESTYLE CELEBRITY

BY ELLIOT RODRIGUEZ

GAY VINE THE

KEEP UP WITH THE CELEBRITIES IN OUR COMMUNITY

MUSIC

ANIMATION

FREE BRITNEY!

BRING IT ON!

THERE ARE STILL CHALLENGES AHEAD FOR THE STAR For anyone who grew up throughout the late ‘90s early 2000s era, you know the name Britney Spears. Even if you didn’t grow up in that time period, the name will probably sound familiar. The pop icon has recently been on the news, trying to win a battle that will let her regain the fragments of her life. While it seems like Spears and everyone rooting for her had finally won the battle, their hearts sank as it was announced that NBC’s reports had been inaccurate according to PRIDE. Spears’ lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, spoke briefly to the court, NBC reported. “If he loves his daughter, it is time to step aside — to move forward,” Rosnegart said. Although it may seem like the odds are stacked against her, Spears took to

Britney Spears. Photo via Facebook.

her Instagram where she wrote, “I feel GRATITUDE and BLESSED!!!! Thank you to my fans who are supporting me ... You have no idea what it means to me to be supported by such awesome fans!!!! God bless you all.” As of now it still seems like the case isn’t officially settled.

‘Q-FORCE’ TO BE NEXT GREAT LGBT ANIMATED SERIES? Looking to binge another show on Netflix? Nothing catching your eye? Well “Q-Force” may be your go-to TV show. Netflix is about to premiere a new gay animated series, where the action is bound to be great and the characters even better. “Steve Maryweather, AKA Agent Mary, was once the Golden Boy of the American Intelligence Agency until he came out as gay … Unable to fire him, the Agency sent him off to West Hollywood, to disappear into obscurity,” Netflix’s official description of the show reads. If this show sounds like it’s right up your alley, then tune in for the premiere taking place on Sept. 2. Along with its seeming abundance of action-packed moments, there will

A glimpse of “Q-Force.” Image credit: Netflix.

probably be more funny moments in this series. “Will and Grace” star Sean Hayes is the mind behind the madness. Netflix has already released a trailer on its YouTube page to “Q-Force.”

DRAG

YIKES!

SANTINO RICE GIVES MISINFORMATION ABOUT COVID VACCINES As if the COVID-19 situation wasn’t enough of a problem, misinformation about vaccinations and the virus in general continue to be a problem. It also doesn’t help when celebrities such as Santino Rice keep giving false information. Rice, being a judge on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and appearing on “Project Runway,” took to the bible of the internet to convey his ideas on the vaccine situation. “PHARMACEUTICALS ARE NOT THE ANSWER! A VACCINE IS NOT THE ANSWER!” Rice tweeted, along with “What they are selling people isn’t even a vaccine! They are calling it a ‘vaccine’ but it is not really a proper vaccine. Call me crazy ... Keep informing yourself on

• 8 .19.2021

what this ‘vaccine’ is! Keep questioning EVERYTHING!” The tweets go on and on. Rice has been spreading his thoughts about the vaccine since May. Sending out one controversial tweet after another. His latest tweet read, “You have the ability to meditate and connect with The Source. Those that are lost, fearful, and full of hate need to ask God for guidance. You cannot cancel someone with spiritual influence. You cannot fathom what it would take to hide the truth that is about to be revealed.” Most of the comments have taken his snake oil comments with a grain of salt. However, for the people who believe this guy, yikes.

Santino Rice. Photo via Instagram.

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RECENTER YOURSELF WITH SPIRITUAL PRODUCTS FROM

OFF BEATNIK Kendall Little

our new favorite spiritual decor is just a click away at the Off Beatnik Etsy shop.

? How do I seal my record

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LIFESTYLE SHOP WITH PRIDE

Queer and non-binary fiber artist Kodi Howard Birtch wanted to fill their inner desire to heal their community and found that there was no better way to do it than with art. “Once I made connections with people in my local art district, EGAD, I was energetically invited into a space where I could do just that,” they said. Birtch works with materials such as beads, crystals, wire, and yarn to create their products, which are called Altar Adornments. “They’re wire wrapped crystal wall hangings [which are] intuitively designed and inspired by Tarot cards. You can hang them above your altar if you’re into that, but many people put them on their rear-view mirror in their car,” Birtch said. “They can be hung anywhere that re-centers you throughout your day. Wherever you do yoga, meditate, even a corner in your office that you can look at periodically throughout the day to ground yourself.” Each Altar Adornment is inspired by a Tarot card that Birtch draws before beginning the creation process. “I typically make them to match the energy of the associated Tarot card, but I also custom make them with crystals that are intuitively chosen for the seeker, depending on their needs,” they said. Altar Adornments aren’t just beneficial for whoever purchases them. Birtch has found that making them

Photo credit: Off Beatnik, via Etsy.

brings them peace and clarity. “Creating the Altar Adornments is a meditative experience for me. I play sound bowl or chakra cleansing music, I light candles and incense, and I connect with my Spirit Guides,” they said. “I allow them to come forward and utilize me as I do when I heal people. Each piece is charged with beautiful, healing energy.” While Altar Adornments are the main focus of Off Beatnik, Birtch offers more products. “Altar Adornments are my favorite to make, but I do so much more. I also make what I call Vibe Clips. They’re cigarette holder clips adorned with semi-precious crystals and a cute charm on the end,” they said. Birtch has also made lamp shadestyle chandeliers and wall-hangings and offers Tarot readings. Birtch said that the purpose of Off Beatnik is the same purpose as their life: “to energetically expand each person [they] come into contact with.”

To support this LGBT-owned small business, check out their Instagram @off.beatnik or visit their Etsy shop at Etsy.com/shop/OffBeatnikk.

Got the itch to shop for more? Visit SFGN.com/ShopWithPride.

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LIFESTYLE TWO GUYS AND A DOG

HI, GOD. IT’S ME, BRIAN Brian McNaught

friend asked me recently what I plan to say to God upon my death. I replied, “Thank you, God, for the incredible challenges and opportunities you have provided me. I hope you are pleased with how I manifested you in my life. I’m aware that I may have many more invitations to grow, to serve, and to love. I will work hard to rise to the occasion. When my body gives out, I look forward to the review of my life so that I may see where I need to grow.” People with a high level of education, living in large cities in first world countries, who are skilled in logical thinking, are less likely to believe in God. Those who don’t need a higher power to settle scores, to protect them from abuse, or to bring them good fortune are also less likely to be planning on having a conversation with God. I’m increasingly aware of how many people around me no longer believe in a Supreme Being. One learned friend suggested that belief in reincarnation is childish. He does, however, believe in the mystical connection between all living things. I believe in both, and prefer the description “childlike.” What some people see as naivety, I would describe as innocent. I accept that I may be completely wrong about the existence of a universal life force that can’t be destroyed, even by neglect. But I embrace my life experiences as proof there is something that gives meaning and purpose to all living things; at least it does to me. I get no tangible benefit from believing in the existence of the soul, and of its indissoluble connection to all other souls, past, present, and future. It just makes sense to me, as does the thought of the Universe working through me; working through everyone who’s willing. It’s a matter of quiet discernment and responding “yes.” Being gay and growing up Catholic are two very essential components of my transformation in consciousness, and of my freedom from doctrine. My emotional intelligence — my ability to perceive and understand the feelings of others, to see what is happening and how it will result, and my sensitivity to input from the “other side” — has been apparent to me since early childhood. I identified with the saints, particularly with Francis of Assisi. I was transfixed in prayer. Throughout my life, I’ve had consistent encounters with the Holy Spirit, inspiration beyond my own experiences or awareness, and with powers that humbled my sense of self. All of this may be romantic wishful thinking, but what is to be gained by denying the connection I feel I’ve had with teachers, writers, artists, and ancient spiritual guides? My heart jumps, my eyes tear up, my ego seems transcended when I encounter the truth of my existence mirrored through the reflections of other human beings, and by the communication of nature. Water, especially, creates a serenity of connectedness, most especially when I’m completely submerged. I get this too from walking through the woods, but not as profoundly, and dependably as I do when playing in lakes, rivers, ponds, the ocean, and even in the shower. The Catholic faith is a treasure trove of symbols, rituals, and traditions that provided me with a foundation of beliefs, and

• 8 .19.2021

Photo via PxHere.

a means to experience a higher consciousness of the divine. Like many people my age, and with my life experiences, I grew to distrust, and then disdain the hierarchy of those who were considered learned and inspired enough to know and enforce the “truth” of spiritual enlightenment and of God-centered living. The better educated I became, the more I embraced in myself what the Church called “disordered,” and the more exposure I had to other ways of knowing God, the less Roman Catholic I felt. It is said that if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere. I believe that if you can break it in the Catholic Church, you can break it anywhere. To find the courage to stand up to the institution you once revered as the solitary source of your spiritual breast milk, with all of your life to date defined by the sacraments you were tutored to receive, is nothing less than heroic. It is treason with good reason, and my departure, repudiation, and eventual reconciliation saved and reconfigured my spiritual life. The same is true for my being gay, and the fortitude it required to reject all of the temptations offered me to be duplicitous, to be silent, and to deny the song heard clearly in my heart. To come out of the closet is as heroic a human action as one can conceive, and is essentially required for the liberation from the limbo of primitive thinking. To reject the tantalizing comforts of acceptance by family, church, and state for the sake of one’s soul requires vision, conviction, determination, and a connection to a power greater than oneself.

The conversation with God that I wrote in response to the request of my friend varies little from the prayers I have been saying since early childhood. I know that for some people, my faith in a Supreme Being makes me a less attractive role model of the healthy, happy homosexual, but it was my relationship with a higher power that enabled me to name myself first as a conscientious objector to the War in Vietnam, and then to say “yes” to the reporter’s request for an interview on me being gay and Catholic, a “yes” that would alter my interactions with others for the rest of my life. If you admire me for standing before hostile audiences for many of the early years of the LGBT civil rights movement, you need to know that the courage I summoned was fed by my conversations with God. If I lose respect today or tomorrow for having such “childish” beliefs, it doesn’t impact one iota the joy and gratitude I have for experiencing a spiritual life and identity. When I say, “Hi, God. It’s me, Brian,” I may be seen as just talking to myself, but that doesn’t mean my words are worthless. On the contrary, talking to God is talking to myself, and talking to myself is talking to God. “Hi, Brian. Thank you for rising to the occasion with every incredible challenge and opportunity you encountered. We hope you are pleased with how you manifested love in your life. We know that there may be many more invitations from life to grow, to serve, and to love. We will do our best, and when our body gives out, we hope our review of our life helps us see where there is room for growth.” And so it is, for me.

Brian McNaught has been a leading educator on LGBTQ issues globally since 1974. He has made his many books and DVDs available for free at Brian-McNaught.com. The New York Times named him “The Godfather of gay diversity training.” Brian has a weekly YouTube/FaceBook podcast called, “Are You Happy Without the Movie?”

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

Rosh Hashanah begins Monday, September 6th Make your plans now for the New Year Join Us! Let’s bring in the holidays together! Our Shabbat service can also be viewed on Facebook Live Every Friday at 8pm

Congregation Etz Chaim

2038 N. Dixie Hwy, Wilton Manors, FL 33305, on the Pride Center campus www.EtzChaimFlorida.org / RSVP HERE: info@etzchaimflorida.org

Church of Our Savior MCC 2011 South Federal Hwy. Boynton Beach, FL 561-733-4000 www.churchofoursaviormcc.org

In Person Worship Returns

SPIRITUALITY

SOUTHFLORIDAGAYNEWS.COM

LISTINGS CONGREGATION ETZ CHAIM 2038 N. Dixie Hwy (Pride Center Building B), Wilton Manors 954-564-9232 - etzchaimflorida.org RabbiNoahKitty@etzchaimflorida.org Friday Night Shabbat Service 8p.m. HOLY ANGELS CATHOLIC COMMUNITY 1436 NE 26th St Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-633-2987 - HolyAngelsFL.net Sunday Mass at 11AM

CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOR, MCC Church of Our Savior, MCC 2011 S. Federal Hwy. Boynton Beach. churchofoursaviormcc.org | 561-733-4000 Sunday Service 10AM TEMPLE BAT YAM 5151 NE 14th Ter Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334 954-928-0410 Friday Night & Saturday Morning Streaming Online at templebatyam.org

Join us June 27th at 10 AM for services in our beautifully updated sanctuary. We will also continue streaming the service on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/ ChurchofOurSaviorMCC. Visit our web site for more details & updates.

Join us for masked, socially distanced in person worship. 11 AM Sundays. Services also LIVE-streamed on Facebook and posted on website for safe at home viewing.

“Love without judgement” Holy Angels National Catholic Church 1436 NE 26th Street Wilton Manors. 33305 Facebook.com/HolyAngelsFL www.HolyAngelsFL.org

954-633-2987

A home for your spirit. Mass Schedule: Sabado 6:00 PM misa en español • Sunday Mass at 11 AM in English • All are welcome!

A LITTLE BIT OF FAITH AND

PRIDE ALL ARE WELCOME SFGN is here for you, no matter who — or what — keeps you going. Check out the Spirituality Section each week to stay in touch with your local religious LGBT community. The only requirement? Be yourself.

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A&E APPOINTMENTS

The Broward Center and its affiliates are seeking volunteer ushers for the 2021-22 season. Credit: Broward Center.

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ARTSBEAT THE BEST TICKETS IN TOWN ARE FREE J.W. Arnold

ARTS VENUES SEEK VOLUNTEER USHERS How would you like to enjoy the latest Broadway shows, concerts and other performances for free? You don’t have to sing for your supper as the old adage goes, but there is a catch. The Broward Center is seeking volunteer ushers to serve as community ambassadors at its downtown Fort Lauderdale complex, as well as affiliated venues The Parker, Rose & Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center at Nova Southeastern University and the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center in Aventura. “A dynamic mix of theater-lovers, from retired seniors and baby boomers to high school students, volunteer ushers enjoy the opportunity to expand their horizons, explore new interests and be part of the cultural community of South Florida. Ushers commit to a regular weekly shift, choosing an evening or matinee schedule to welcome patrons and guide them to their seats,” according to an announcement from the Broward Center. For more information, go to BrowardCenter.org/Usher.

LONDON FILM FESTIVAL COMES TO FORT LAUDERDALE The 15th annual I WILL TELL International Film Festival launches an 11-day spectacular hybrid event starting Monday, Aug. 30 and running through Thursday, Sept. 9 with live screenings presented at Savor Cinema in downtown Fort Lauderdale. I WILL TELL International Film Festival has been held for the past 14 years in London, and was established as a platform for story-telling that provokes change at an individual and societal level. In an announcement, festival founder Jenny Lee said, “We are excited about the expansion of the festival to the wonderful, creative, multicultural and diverse melting pot that is South Florida, and we hope this festival will be a fresh and unique addition to the community’s film scene.” The festival will include more than 70 dramatic features, documentaries, animated and short films from over 30 countries with themes including race, faith, gender, relationships, technology, health and wellbeing. Tickets start at $15 at IWillTell.com or at the Savor Cinema box office.

DANCER-TURNED-ARTIST FEATURED IN MIAMI BEACH EXHIBIT “In the Waking Hour,” a collection of paintings by Alexander Peters, will be on display in the Butterfly Garden at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden from Aug. 19 through Oct. 3. This will be the first solo exhibition for Peters, a resident of Miami Beach and principal dancer with the Miami City Ballet. His foray into painting coincided with the departure of his husband to attend medical school in Philadelphia. Looking for a way to pass time in these new periods of solitude, he found that painting filled a void and provided a new sense of artistic sustenance, according to notes about the exhibition. An opening night reception will be held on Aug. 19 at 6 p.m. and is open to the public. For more information, go to MBGarden.org.

• 8 .19.2021

A&E THEATER

GAY MEN ON THE PROWL AGAIN IN LARSEN’S LATEST PLAY J.W. Arnold

o say Ronnie Larsen is obsessed with sex could be an understatement. He’s written plays about seedy Times Square peep shows and cruisy truck stops. Larsen has taken audiences behind the scenes in the gay porn industry and even sent a prim and proper Mormon mom onto Grindr. And his plays almost always offer at least a hint of male frontal nudity — except that one about the mom. But Larsen’s latest play, “Sauna,” opening Aug. 20 at the Foundry in Wilton Manors, is a little different. It’s set in a straight gym and sex isn’t condoned. “They come, they go, in and out. Men of all ages, races and body types and sexual orientations. Relaxing, drying off, cruising, touching. It’s not legal to have sex in this particular sauna, not in this one. But does that stop them?” said Larsen. This is just a sauna in an ordinary gym but when Larsen puts a bunch of horny naked men squeezed together in a tight, hot and sweaty box, well things are bound to happen, right? “They have to be careful. A guy was arrested there last week. But, isn’t that part of the excitement, the danger? And who wants to play and who just wants to be left alone isn’t always clear at first,” Larsen teased. Larsen was inspired by a two-man play submitted for his consideration by William Ivor Fowkes, called “Steam.” Larsen liked the setting, but envisioned a very different approach with a larger cast and credits Fowkes, even though he didn’t borrow any of the characters or plot lines. Larsen’s play even works in celebrity cameos among the many vignettes inside the sauna. In the first weekend, local businessman and Wilton Manors Commissioner Chris Caputo will be making appearances. Caputo is also a board member of POW! (Plays of Wilton), Larsen’s nonprofit producing partner. “I’ve never been on stage in a towel before but I’m really looking forward to it,” Caputo admitted in an email promoting the show. “Also, please don’t text my boyfriend next week and tell him you ran into me in the sauna over the weekend. He’s in Portugal

Ronnie Larsen’s plays are frequently set in gay sex clubs and cruising spots. His latest play, “Sauna,” opening this weekend, takes audiences into a straight gym. Credit: Courtesy.

for two weeks and might not understand the context!” Larsen even put out a public invite to SFGN publisher Norm Kent to participate during the run. “I already mentioned him in the show, so wouldn’t it be perfect?” chuckled Larsen. Larsen did note some changes to operations at the Foundry, following a COVID-19 scare. One of the original cast members was diagnosed with the virus, sending all the actors and Larsen to be tested. Fortunately, none of the others tested positive, but the producer resolved to require masks again for audience members in the intimate, 40-seat theater space. Cast members will continue to be tested regularly throughout the run. “It’s really changed my perspective,” Larsen said, pointing out his theater was one of the first to resume live performances last year after the pandemic forced the closure of performing arts venues across the country. “I’m beginning to think this is the new normal, as [the pandemic] keeps going on because people won’t get vaccinated.”

Ronnie Larsen’s new play “Sauna” will be performed Aug. 20 – Sept. 25 at The Foundry, 2306 N. Dixie Hwy. in Wilton Manors. Tickets start at $35 at RonnieLarsen.com.

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