Watermark Issue 22.17: Back to School

daytOna beacH • OrlandO • tampa • St. peterSburg • SaraSOta • iSSue 22.17 • auguSt 13-26, 2015 • watermarkOnline.cOm

Your lgbt life.

THE return Of

Culture Club

Pastor Protection Act

cOmeS tO flOrida

BACK TO

SCHOOL

Sarasota’s peter ruiz graduates college thanks to the Zebra Coalition

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watermark Your lgbt life.

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

Jono Vaughan, Untitled. Courtesy of the artist.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 20 | 6:00-8:00 p.m., Great Hall Audience participation encouraged. FREE with MFA admission - $5 after 5.

Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.

watermark Your lgbt life.

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

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watermark Your lgbt life.

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

departments 6 // mail 7 // editor’s desk 8 // orlando news 12 // tampa bay news 16 // state 18 // nation & world news 27 // in-depth 33 // arts & entertainment 43 // community calendar 45 // tampa bay out+about 47 // orlando out+about 48 // tampa bay marketplace 49 // transitions/wedding bells 50 // orlando marketplace 54 // uprisings

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the whole purpose is to incite hate and cause harm to the community. It gets people fired up unnecessarily, and people do crazy things when they’re fired up. Then people get hurt.

—ciVil rights attorneY marY meeks on the Pastor Protection act

on the cover

PAGE

33

PAGE BACK TO SCHOOL:

27

Zebra Coalition of Orlando earns a new stripe with its first college graduate, cover boy Peter Ruiz, now an actor in Sarasota. Several other courageous survivors join in the equality chorus.

Photo by LizziVanDess.com

scan Qr code For

watermarkonline.com

kissing to be clever: Culture Club reunites for Unity Fest in

Madeira Beach and a concert in Orlando, avoiding churches and poison minds.

watermark i ssue 22.17 //august 13 -26, 2015

central Florida news tampa bay news

the other side oF liFe uprisings

PAGE Parliament House isn’t

PAGE

read it Online!

In addition to a Web site with daily LGBT updates, a digital version of each issue of the publication is made available on WatermarkOnline.com

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going anywhere, even if everyone on the internet wants you to believe it’s on the auction block.

PAGE Benefit gala may have

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hidden faces but it drew large crowds and thousands in philanthropic donations.

Fiscally concerned gay conservative Jason Leclerc debuts his new column about how we can all just get along. Or can we?

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PAGE

Our political column decries the misogynistic free-for-all that was the Republican debate, starring Donald Trump’s hairpiece... and his loud mouth.

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mOre lgbt newS aS it develOpS daily at watermarkOnline.cOm! watermark Your lgbt life.

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

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top web comments “When someone loans you money and then wants you to make payments on it they are called a businessman, not a homophobe.”

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From WatermarkOnline.com On an executive order implementing a national HIV/AIDS strategy:

“I’m glad the president has done something about AIDS as he rounds out his ‘legacy,’ but this updated plan seems to be incremental, rather than bold. The plan states that half of all new cases are clustered in minority gay/bi populations, but the plan aims to reduce risky behavior in that group by only 10 percent over 5 years. Very little is said about prevention through condom use. I wish the president had recruited a half-dozen black athletes, actors and rappers and made a video with them on the theme of ‘Brothers, wear your condoms.’ If churches and schools remain too hesitant on the condom issue, the White House should be leading the charge.”

—beachcombert

On the Parliament House not being on the auction block:

Discover why we are setting the standard for the new cool stay.

www.6603idr.com 6

“Anyone with legal knowledge can read right through the ‘Court Papers’ that are on the Orange County Court House website. Keep believing what you are being told by Don and his attorney, no one cares about any of this but when the place is foreclosed on you will all be screaming.”

—Bill

watermark Your lgbt life.

“Too funny, everyone but Watermark can see through this. Don wants you to believe he was foreclosed on, went bankrupt, and then secured a multi-million line of credit to pay off his debt. This is the Debbie Reynolds Hotel and Casino in Vegas story all over again. Remember when Don promised that would be huge and then bankrupted that mess and lost her money?

Remember when we read in Watermark this recent mess was only about The Gardens and not about P-House? Remember the millions of dollars in renovations that were starting seven years ago and Don just told us this summer, AGAIN, that they were going to happen?

Then blame the investor you took money from for a gay complex and call him a homophobe, even though he invested in a gay project to begin with and Watermark doesn’t get a comment from him, EVER. When someone loans you money and then wants you to make payments on it they are called a businessman, not a homophobe.”

—Ryanjohn

From Watermark’s Facebook page: On LGBT Jamaicans holding the first gay pride celebration on the island:

“I think people should go and show support.”

—Veronica Drake

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

“Is this going to be another Jerusalem massacre?”

—Steve Fuller

On a clerk suing Kentucky governor over same-sex marriage directive:

“Fire her ass! She’s a public servant hired to serve the public and refusing to do the job she was hired for.

FIRE HER NOW!” —Bill Welch

“You will notice that SHE even says that she is there to serve the ‘public’ and ‘people of Rowan County’ NOT the Christian public or Christian people of Rowan County.”

—Tim Stahl

On a South Carolina church dropping Boy Scouts after gay leader decision:

“I know several Boy and Girl Scout Clubs of America that would be happy to take over for the churches. Let the church haters paint themselves into a lonely corner. Love will prevail, hate will fail!”

—Joan E. Hepsworth

On Florida Representative Scott Plakon filing the Pastor Protection Act, despite lack of threat to pastors:

“A Pastor Protection Act sounds like a good idea. The public should be protected from their nonsense.”

—Brian Garcia

Photo by Robert Bartlett

editor’s

Billy Manes EDITOR

BIlly@WatermarkOnline.com

H

Desk

ere comes that sinking feeling.

Surely you remember the itch of the blanket that turned your Sunday night fears into an anxiety burrito – the tossing, the turning, the worrying about your external outfit and your internal self-worth. Would there be pimples, would there be cameltoe, would there be fat rolls, would there be sweat-stain-inducing derision as you walked down the corridors of first-day-of-school judgment? Or, worse, would nobody even notice you?

Would you be completely invisible?

This week, we take the whole “back to school” theme – one typically associated with backpacks and new jeans and Trapper Keepers – and turn it on its head a bit. That sales-tax holiday isn’t going to save everyone, after all.

Some people exist in the margins that don’t involve finance, devils dancing and performing inside of

watermark staff

their own heads while walking face down through a life that doesn’t accept them. It gets better? Maybe, but current teen suicide rates don’t exactly indicate that, nor do some of the messages being perniciously broadcast by conservative politicians beneath the afterglow of recent LGBT victories in the courts.

It’s not all bad news, though.

Founder and Senior Contributor: Tom Dyer • Tom@WatermarkOnline.com Publisher: Rick Claggett • Ext. 110 • Rick@WatermarkOnline.com Admin. Assistant: Kathleen Harper • Ext. 100 • Kathleen@WatermarkOnline.com Editor-in-Chief: Billy Manes • Ext. 101 • Billy@WatermarkOnline.com Online Media Director: Jamie Hyman • Ext. 106 • Jamie@WatermarkOnline.com Asst. Media Director: Jeremy Williams • Ext. 106 • Jeremy@WatermarkOnline.com

There are survivors like our cover star Peter Ruiz, a young man who came up through Orlando’s Zebra Coalition after years of familial neglect only to make a name for himself as Zebra’s first college graduate. He’s now a stage actor in Sarasota who is pursuing the dream that always guided him, obstacles be damned. Along with Ruiz, we profile three other success stories from both the Gulf Coast and Orlando, all worthy of the honor roll. These aren’t easy times for authentic young individuals, but blazing trails through all of the handed-down bullying and discrimination, that’s exactly the light show that the next generation needs to see.

We also, somewhat selfishly, go back to our own school days – the good parts – to have a talk with Jon Moss of Culture Club about the posters that used to adorn our walls when we sulked, the songs that used to sing about the “victims we know so well.” Talk about trails blazed! Boy George was challenging social and sexual norms in a way that even David Bowie before him couldn’t. Moss reveals that George really wasn’t aware of his impact, somehow silenced into his own celebrity. That caged existence in the screams of the public zoo led to the old music-industry tropes of addiction and self-abuse. But these days, things have mellowed, voices have lowered, and Culture Club is back with a new album and shows in Madeira Beach and Orlando.

Happy endings are the best!

But uneducated vitriol masked in religious pretense isn’t. On Aug. 10, Florida Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Longwood, launched the “pastor protection act” as a means of forbidding lawsuits against pastors that won’t solemnize gay marriages.

Really? We’ll be following the progress of this bill in the future, as it will have a companion bill in the senate (and promises to keep hate alive in next year’s legislative session). But, a quick lesson for

Ext. 108 • Mark@WatermarkOnline.com Tampa Bay Advertising Sales: Bill Jeffries Ext. 301 • 813-454-9064 • Bill@WatermarkOnline.com Orlando Advertising Sales: Sam Rennels Ext. 103 • Sam@WatermarkOnline.com

crisis pregnancy center.) You and your buddy John Stemberger should know better by now, but you don’t.

Go back to school.

Finally, this week we bid an Orlando farewell to beauty school dropout and staff writer Jeremy Williams. He’ll be taking the reins in the St. Pete and Tampa area, covering anything that sticks to his shoe-leather or anything that you, our dear readers, see fit. So he’s not really leaving Watermark High School, he’s just transferring to our satellite school out west. Make sure to give him a warm welcome. He’s not one to walk down the hallways unnoticed, after all. You’ll hear him from a mile away.

You’ll be missed, Jeremy.

Stay sweet!

P. O. Box 533655 Orlando, FL 32853-3655 TEL: 407-481-2243 FAX: 407-481-2246

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watermark Your lgbt life.

These aren’t easy times for authentic young individuals, but blazing trails through all of the handed-down bullying and discrimination, that’s exactly the light show that the next generation needs to see.

Orlando Office

Sales Manager: Mark Cady

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you, Plakon – a man who prayed on my shoulder at the memorial for my deceased former partner – marriages don’t need to be solemnized, so you’re wasting everyone’s time and anger. This sacrament you speak of doesn’t even carry over into the prosperity gospel of “I’ve got mine” and “I’ll lie to you about your pregnancy.”

(Plakon is affiliated with a maligned

TEL: 813-655-9890 FAX: 813-849-2986

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

contributors Jason Leclerc

is a near lifelong resident of the I-4 corridor, currently in South Tampa.

He publishes poetry online at PoetEconomist.blogspot.com. His first book, Momentitiousness, was published in 2014. His new book, Black Kettle, will be published in 2016. Page 21

Michael Wanzie is an

Orlando-based playwright, actor and ordained minister. He is most recognized for his direction of productions at the Footlight Theatre at the Parliament House. Page 23 Scottie Campbell, Kirk Hartlage, Joseph Kissel, Jason Leclerc, Mary Meeks, Stephen Miller, David Moran, Gregg Shipiro, Greg Stemm, Dr. Steve yacovelli, Jim Walker, Michael wanzie

photography Lizzi Van Dess

is a passionate and proud lesbian photographer and artist. She is the founder of The LVD Studio (LizziVanDess.com) and has over a decade of experience with many art forms. Cover, Page 27, 30 Nick Cardello, Angie Folks, Tom Eckert, Julie Milford, Travis Moore, Chris Stephenson, Lee Vandergrift, Tinkerfluff, Lonnie Thompson

distribution RJ Publishing, Lisa Jordan, Ken Caraway, David Krauss CONTENTS of WATERMARK are protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced in whole or part without the permission of the publisher.

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Publication of the name or photograph of any person or organization in articles, advertising, or listing in WATERMARK is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual orientation of such persons or members of such organizations.

WATERMARK is published every second Thursday. Subscription rate is $55 (1st class) and $26 (standard mail).

The official views of WATERMARK are expressed only in editorials. Opinions offered in signed columns, letters and articles are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the newspaper’s owner or management. We reserve the right to edit or reject any material submitted for publication.

WATERMARK is not responsible for damages due to typographical errors, except for the cost of replacing ads created by WATERMARK that have such errors.

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central florida news

hro in the works For osceola county Jamie Hyman

K

issimmee | The Osceola County Commission is taking a step toward implementing a Human Rights Ordinance.

There’s a public hearing on the HRO set for 1:30 p.m.

Aug. 17 at commission chambers in Kissimmee.

The ordinance would add protections for sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression to the county’s existing discrimination ordinance. “[The HRO] relates to employment, housing and public accommodations,” said Commissioner Cheryl Grieb, who introduced the ordinance alongside Commissioner Viviana Janer.

“We know when businesses are looking to relocate to an area, a checkbox is quality of life,” she says. “I think that opens additional doors for us and shows that we are an inclusive community and a welcoming community.”

Grieb says the ordinance is worded to be countywide and to allow someone who feels they are discriminated against based on sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression to take it to the courts. She adds that Commissioner Fred Hawkins, the only Republican sitting on the commission, made the motion to advertise and said it’s “sad” the HRO is even needed.

leadership changes in store For zebra coalition Jamie Hyman

O

rlanDo | The search for a new executive director of Zebra Coalition is “almost complete,” according to the organization’s interim executive director, Brett Burlone.

ASPIRE, the managing entity of Zebra Coalition, has already chosen their candidates but he or she “can’t be officially announced until the human resources process is completed, which includes accepting the role,” according to Burlone, who said the new director will be in place “in four to six weeks, if not sooner.”

The role is vacant after the departure of Dexter Foxworth, who resigned in July.

“Dexter leaving is a significant loss to the Zebra Coalition as we lose a family member who led the great work we are doing,” said Burlone in an email to Watermark. “But he left Zebra in a position where we able to continue our work and accomplish our goals.”

In the meantime, acting as interim director is a “great opportunity,” said Burlone, who has been the clinical manager of Zebra for the past two years.

“I get to support keeping the foundation of our team’s work intact, while I prepare to set up the next director for success,” he said.

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misfire:

Cheyenne West (inset) is not injured after she was allegedly shot at repeatedly by a 12-year-old near Church St. and Rio Grande Avenue.

PHOTO By PATRICK O’COnnOR

Close call 12-year-old boy charged with shooting at transgender woman Jamie Hyman

O

rlanDo | A 12-yearold boy is charged with attempted murder after he allegedly shot at a transgender woman near the Citrus Bowl.

The victim, Cheyenne West, is not hurt.

“I’m fine. I was walking along Church St. headed toward OBT and when I was close to OBT the young man came around the corner and said ‘I’m gonna kill you’ and started shooting and that’s when I started running,” West says. “He was chasing me and shooting at me.”

Police say the boy yelled anti-gay and racist slurs as he allegedly chased West down the street near Church Street and Rio Grande Avenue just after midnight August 1.

Police found the boy and charged him with attempted murder and grand theft of a

watermark Your lgbt life.

firearm. Police determined the gun had been reported stolen. “[The 12-year-old] fired multiple rounds at West while stating he was going to kill him,” reads the police report.

“Based on these facts and that [redacted] was in possession of a firearm that was functional and capable of firing a projectile, [redacted] is being charged with attempted murder.

West, 25, reports that the boy is a stranger to her.

“I never saw him a day in my life,” West says. “It’s just sad. I didn’t know he was 12 until the police told me.”

The boy lives with his grandmother, Josephine Felder, who told WESH she had no idea he even had left that house that night. She said her grandson is on medication and she’s been trying to get him help for a while now.

WESH reported that the boy appeared in court Aug. 1, and West says he also heard that, but

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

Cheyenne West

PHOTO COURTESy WEST

no one has gotten in touch with him yet about a trial.

“There was witnesses as well and I have people who might come into court to testify,” West says.

It’s not the first time West has faced danger based on her gender expression. Last year, she was arrested for throwing a brick through a car window after the girls inside yelled slurs and threw juice on her. West says she was not charged for the incident because the girls didn’t appear in court.

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Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

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central florida news

GLBT Center to offer STI testing Jamie Hyman

O

rlando | The GLBT Center of Central Florida now offers free testing for gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis. Starting August 31, the tests will be available Monday from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Lindsay Kincaide, the HIV program coordinator at The Center, says they’re “very excited” and the Orange County Department of Health will provide the staff and perform the tests.

“No appointments needed – first come, first serve basis,” Kincaide says. “All are welcome, but we are definitely wanting to reach out to the LGBT community to address some of the health disparities in the community to make sure everyone has access to STI testing.”

Like the HIV tests, the syphilis test is a finger prick test with results ready in twelve minutes.

The gonorrhea and chlamydia tests are urine tests, and results take longer, but if the client signs a consent form, results can be sent via text.

She says the tests are free. There is only one other place to get these STI tests for free in Orange County, Kincaide says, and that is Miracle of Love on Fridays from 1 - 4 p.m.

“It’s not enough to have one location do [the STI testing] a couple of hours on a Friday afternoon,” Kincaide says. “They needed the support.”

Syphilis can be cured with antibiotics, but untreated, it can cause complications, neurological damage or even death. Kincaide says Orange County saw a 114 percent increase in the number of reported cases of syphilis between 2003 and 2012 and according to the Centers for Disease Control, 75 percent of reported primary and secondary syphilis cases in 2013 were among men who have sex with men. From 2003 to 2012, Orange County also saw a 10 percent jump in gonorrhea cases and a whopping 100 percent jump in chlamydia cases.

“Per the CDC, gay and bisexual men, men who have sex with other men regardless of how they identify, and transgender women are disproportionately impacted by STIs,” Kincaide wrote in an email to Watermark. “For this reason, The Center and the Florida Department of Health in Orange County felt it was imperative that free STI testing be available at The Center of Central where the LGBT community has been coming for years for free HIV testing.”

She says the Center also offers free Hepatitis C and HIV tests seven days a week, and they test between 450 and 650 people each month.

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Parliament House not on the auction block Jamie Hyman

O

rlando | Earlier this month, some court documents circulating on social media caused a stir, as they appeared to indicate that Parliament House would be put up for auction Nov. 2, 2015.

Filed by Parliament Investors (no relation to Parliament House), the resort’s creditor, the documents were merely part of the process of fulfilling Parliament House’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy agreement.

“The judgment that was just entered does not mean that Parliament House is going to be auctioned or sold at foreclosure any earlier than was previously agreed, which was November,” says bankruptcy attorney Scott Shuker.

“It was just dotting the ‘i’ and crossing the ‘t.’”

Shuker says as part of the bankruptcy deal, Parliament House has until November to pay Parliament Investors $3.5 million, which would make good on their outstanding $13 million loan. Nov. 2 is the date that Parliament House would go up for auction should owner Don Granatstein be unable to pay off that $3.5 million, but Shuker says that repayment will not be a problem. “[Granatstein] has two or three letters of interest to make the loan, and he’s just finalizing them now,” Shuker says. “He still has four or five months, and I don’t have any doubt that he’ll get there.”

Granatstein says everything is up to date and there have been no changes to the agreement.

“Believe me, [Parliament Investors will] be paid out long before Nov. 1,” Granatstein says. “I guarantee it.”

Shuker says filing is a matter of the creditors’ lawyers just being prepared.

“As soon as we hand them a check for $3.5 million, even on the morning of the foreclosure sale, Don keeps Parliament House,” Shuker says.

“There is not substantive impact of the judgment.”

Granatstein indicated some bad blood with Ken Johnson, the man behind Parliament Investors, who Granatstein calls “a homophobe.” “[Johnson is] a jerk,” Granatstein says. “If he can figure out a way to give me a headache, that’s the choice he makes every time.”

watermark Your lgbt life.

Granatstein says he’s anxious to get the loan moved over to a bank lender. “[Johnson will] be gone forever and we’ll have a normal bank loan,” he says. “I’m getting a line of credit that covers everything we need.”

Parliament House filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy July 25, 2014, and emerged in early March 2015.

Once the agreement was reached, Granatstein announced plans to open new locations around the country, to create a gay vacation club for timeshares on the resort property and to renovate the beach area, turning it into a wedding venue. Earlier this month, some court documents circulating on social media caused a stir, as they appeared to indicate that Parliament House would be put up for auction Nov. 2, 2015.

Filed by Parliament Investors (no relation to Parliament House), the resort’s creditor, the documents were merely part of the process of fulfilling Parliament House’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy agreement.

“The judgment that was just entered does not mean that Parliament House is going to be auctioned or sold at foreclosure any earlier than was previously agreed, which was November,” says bankruptcy attorney Scott Shuker.

“It was just dotting the ‘i’ and crossing the ‘t.’”

Shuker says as part of the bankruptcy deal, Parliament House has until November to pay Parliament Investors $3.5 million, which would make good on their outstanding $13 million loan. Nov. 2 is the date that Parliament House would go up for auction should owner Don Granatstein be unable to pay off that

$3.5 million, but Shuker says that repayment will not be a problem. “[Granatstein] has two or three letters of interest to make the loan, and he’s just finalizing them now,” Shuker says. “He still has four or five months, and I don’t have any doubt that he’ll get there.”

Granatstein says everything is up to date and there have been no changes to the agreement.

“Believe me, [Parliament Investors will] be paid out long before Nov. 1,” Granatstein says. “I guarantee it.”

Shuker says filing is a matter of the creditors’ lawyers just being prepared.

“As soon as we hand them a check for $3.5 million, even on the morning of the foreclosure sale, Don keeps Parliament House,” Shuker says.

“There is not substantive impact of the judgment.”

Granatstein indicated some bad blood with Ken Johnson, the man behind Parliament Investors, who Granatstein calls “a homophobe.” “[Johnson is] a jerk,” Granatstein says. “If he can figure out a way to give me a headache, that’s the choice he makes every time.”

Granatstein says he’s anxious to get the loan moved over to a bank lender. “[Johnson will] be gone forever and we’ll have a normal bank loan,” he says. “I’m getting a line of credit that covers everything we need.”

Parliament House filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy July 25, 2014, and emerged in early March 2015.

Once the agreement was reached, Granatstein announced plans to open new locations around the country, to create a gay vacation club for timeshares on the resort property and to renovate the beach area, turning it into a wedding venue.

Jamie Hyman

were selected from the application, essay, transcripts and letters from teachers,” says OYA president Michael Slaymaker, who added that Tim Warzecha and Bill Neighbors donated the scholarships.

OYA has been a safe space for LGBT youth since 1990 and more than 1,300 young people have been a part of the program.

Interested youth or volunteers can find out more information at OrlandoYouthAlliance.org or by e-mail at Info@OrlandoYouthAlliance.org.

OYA marks 25 years

O

rlando | Orlando Youth Alliance is celebrating their 25th anniversary with an event at Dubsdread Country Club August 14.

Jeff Horn is the founder of the Delta Youth Alliance, which was OYA’s original name. He will speak at the event, and OYA leadership will award two $1,500 scholarships to London Nunn and Emily Mound.

“The scholarship award winners

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

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Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

11

tampa bay news

suspect arrested For murder oF india clarke, named “person oF interest” in another death Jeremy Williams

T

amPa | A suspect is under arrest for the murder of India Clarke, a transgender woman whose body was found July 21 in a Tampa community center playground.

Keith Lamayne Gaillard, who faces charges of firstdegree murder and possession of a firearm by a violent career criminal, turned himself in July 29 and is currently being held at the Hillsborough County jail.

Clarke sustained a single gunshot wound to the head, said hillsborough County Sheriff office’s homicide detectives in a report. There were no shell casings found at the scene.

Detectives also discovered a vehicle, a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu bearing New York tags, in the parking area of the park a short distance away from where Clarke’s body was found.

A search of the vehicle uncovered a used condom and a cigar wrapper with a fingerprint matching Gaillard.

An autopsy of Clarke’s body found the gunshot wound to the head, as well as one to the upper arm, matched that of a .22 caliber firearm. Dna found under Clarke’s fingernails matches that of Gaillard.

Gaillard posted a picture on his Facebook page on July 2.

In the picture, he is holding what appears to be a .22 caliber black revolver. Police used the photograph to get positive identification of Gaillard from witnesses who spoke to the accused after the murder.

A witness in the case said that Gaillard visited them at their home the day after Clarke’s body was discovered saying “I think I killed somebody,” according to the police report. The witness also stated that Gaillard was carrying a tote bag which he “routinely carries his firearms in.”

The witness also told detectives that Gaillard made references to the fact that he “shot” Clarke and that he did it “across Fletcher [Ave].”

Detectives spoke with another witness who had been in contact with Gaillard after the murder. The witness informed the detectives that Gaillard had a scratch on his neck and stated that he had a personal relationship with Clarke.

The witness also identified Galliard from his Facebook photograph and said that the gun in the picture matched the one seen in Gaillard’s possession.

Detectives were able to recover the .22 caliber revolver after it was discovered that Gaillard sold it to someone “he personally knew” for $50 on July 26.

The revolver was recovered by the Tampa Police Department.

Coincidentally, that was the same day the body of Tyrone Sean Davis, 46, was found in Tampa’s Temple Crest Park.

While many details have not yet been released, the Tampa Bay Times is reporting that Davis’ death is being investigated as a homicide and that Gaillard is being sought after as a “person of interest” in that investigation.

cOntinued On pg. 14 | uu |

12

come on, VogUe: The Balance Tampa Bay dancers strike a pose as they entertain the masses of masks.

PHOTO By JAKE STEvEnS

Paper faces on parade Balance Tampa Bay’s Masquerade Ball a huge success for ASAP-Empath Health’s Home 3050 Jeremy Williams

B

alance Tampa Bay had everyone masked and ready to mingle for the inaugural Masquerade Ball at District 3 in Tampa Aug. 8.

The event was attended by over 400 people. At press time actual dollar amounts were not available; however, with the ticket price for the event being $40-50, the event brought in thousands of dollars. Proceeds from the event were donated to AIDS Services Association of Pinellas (ASAP) and Empath Health.

The night began with a private VIP party that poured out into the main room where the main event featured exotic costumes and dance performers, along with

watermark Your lgbt life.

some of the Tampa Bay area’s best bartenders and music by DJ CK. “The Masquerade Ball was an amazing success. So many people I spoke to that night said how they loved the idea of a masquerade and they were having a really good time,” says Steve Watson, a Balance Tampa Bay board member.

Balance Tampa Bay hopes to make this an annual event that will just get bigger and better every year.

“Balance Tampa Bay is very happy with the turnout for the Masquerade Ball benefitting ASAP-Empath Health,” says Scott Kligmann, Balance Tampa Bay President. “The response from our members, guests, media and general public has been very positive and we look

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

forward to next year’s 2nd annual Masquerade Ball being even better.”

Balance Tampa Bay is an LGBT volunteer organization founded in 2011 with the mission to promote Fellowship, Fun and Philanthropy throughout the LGBT community and Tampa Bay as a whole.

Balance Tampa Bay’s events are well known throughout the community, including Party for Presents, which is a holiday drive for needy children, Kickball for Kids which is a spring benefit for children charities and monthly public service events that help other non-profits in the area.

“Balance Tampa Bay did such an incredible job with this event to raise money for ASAP. The vibe was awesome. The people were awesome. I would give it two enthusiastic thumbs up,” says Masquerade Ball Committee member Dustin Chase.

The inaugural Masquerade Ball was a community effort put together with more than a dozen local sponsors coming together to benefit aSaP-Empath health.

“The Ball was a huge success and Balance did a great job putting on the event,” says ASAP Executive Director William Harper.

“The venue was stunning. It was filled with light - from lasers to cOntinued On pg. 14 | uu |

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13

tampa bay news

Harvey Milk Festival receives $5K grant Valentina Bore

T

he Harvey Milk Festival is the recipient of a $5,000 grant, which will take a chunk out of the $40,000 required to put on the festival every year.

In its sixth year, the three-day festival honors Harvey Milk, his legacy, and awareness of any legislation important to the LGBT+ community, according to Shannon Fortner, Harvey Milk Festival founder and president.

The grant is from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, a public charity founded in 1979, in conjunction with the McCauley-Brown Fund.

“The festival is a $40,000 festival that we throw every year and it’s free [admission],” says Fortner. “We rely on donations, sponsorships, concession sales the day of the festival to help cover all the costs, and this year we had a big incident with rain for the first time out of six years, so we had a lag financially.”

A big amount of their finances come from donations specifically, which is why the Harvey Milk Festival is participating in the Giving Partner for the second year in a row. The Giving Partner is a 24-hour giving challenge through the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, taking place from noon on Sept. 1 until noon on Sept. 2.

“They have matching donations, like you get someone from 50 states to donate 50 dollars, you get a bonus of $1,000 dollars or something. So they do all these incentives,” said Fortner.

During the 24-hour giving challenge, there will be a donation link live at HarveyMilk.org. Additional donations can be made via the website any time.

| uu | India Clarke Murder Suspect from pg.12 According to the Tampa Bay Times, Davis’ family said they believe he was gay.

“We don’t know whether it was a hate crime or what it was,” Raymond Davis, his father, said to the Tampa Bay Times. “We’re hanging in there. We’re taking it one day at a time.”

As of press time, no one has been charged in Davis’ murder.

Davis’ family held a service for him Aug. 1 at the First United Methodist Church in Dade City. His obituary said that he had a passion for singing and church.

Clarke’s murder sparked nationwide attention and drew a spotlight on transgender murders in America. Clarke marks the tenth transgender murder for 2015, most of whom were women of color.

A candlelight vigil was held July 24 at Lykes Gaslight Square Park to draw attention to the murder as well as attention to growing intolerance of trans issues by police and the media. In many instances, Clarke’s death was reported using improper pronouns and transphobic phrases.

No court date has been set for Gaillard in Clarke’s murder.

14

LOOK INTO MY EYES: The masks were in such abundance that some even had two. Photo by Jake Stevens

A TOAST TO YOU: The drinks were top notch and the champagne flowed like… well, champagne. Photo by Jake Stevens

ON STRANGE TIDES: A masquerade is a great place to make friends with a romantic stranger. Photo by Jake Stevens

| uu | Masquerade from pg.12

chandeliers, entertaining dancers, creative masks and costumes, music and so much more.”

The time and effort put into the event was noticed by Harper and ASAP-Empath Health.

“It was evident that a great deal of work went into the multiplicity of details that it takes to put on such an event,” Harper says. “ASAP sincerely appreciates Balance Tampa Bay for naming us as the beneficiary of this wonderful event.”

The proceeds raised from Balance Tampa Bay’s Masquerade Ball will help to fund the current renovation at ASAP that will become Home 3050.

Home 3050, named for its location at 3050 1st Ave. S. in St. Petersburg, will offer primary care, HIV specialty care, pharmacy, counseling, benefits services, medical case

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SPOTS OR STRIPES?: Animal prints were a very popular choice for facial coverings at the ball. Photo by Jake Stevens

management, HIV and STD testing, therapeutic and support groups, and prevention and wellness education.

“The funds donated to ASAP will go directly to our Home 3050 medical home project and be used to directly benefit those we serve daily,” says Harper. “ASAP has partnered with Pinellas Care Clinic to bring a one-stop experience to our clients. Clients will be able to access medical care, labs, case management, counseling, food pantry, support groups and more, all on one campus.”

The facility is expected to be open this fall.

“Each of these direct client services benefits from all donations that come to ASAP, thereby giving us the opportunity to provide quality and compassionate services to our clients. Our goal is to have the medical home up and running by October 1, 2015,” Harper says.

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

WHO’S THAT GIRL?: Not only the masks, but the costumes were also extravagant. Photo by Jake Stevens

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15

state news

State Rep. Scott Plakon files “Pastor Protection Act” in Florida Legislature despite lack of threat to pastors Billy Manes

W

hile discussion of the fabled “Pastor Protection Act” has been long in the pipeline – Texas passed similar legislation from which Florida is cribbing its bill language – Florida Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Longwood, filed HB 43 on Aug. 10, laying down the proverbial gauntlet for the social conservative battle set to play out in next year’s legislative session. The bill, as expected, seeks to protect churches from litigation should they refuse to “solemnize” same-sex marriages.

Plakon is sticking to his guns on criticism of the bill as being “superfluous” and “unnecessary,” because, at least in his opinion, it’s a protection for all parties involved.

There are so many unknowns in modern times, he says.

“With the trajectory of how

16

public policy and the courts have moved on all this [marriage equality], it’s really impossible to predict what will happen next,” he says. “It’s kind of a backstop, if you will, to ensure that religious practitioners won’t ever have to deal with that decision.”

But Plakon is quick to admit that even though he would like to call the bill “protective” and not “reactive,” this won’t be the only bill of its kind to cross the legislative transom early next year when the legislature convenes.

“The concern is, and you can see it show up with flower shops and bakeries, that there are people out there just waiting to tee up lawsuits,” he says, although HB 43 is limited specifically to religious organizations, most of which do not pay taxes.

“I suspect that there will be other bills for private businesses and adoption agencies and workplaces

State Rep. Scott Plakon

bills,” he adds. “This will be one of a handful of bills addressing the outcome of the Supreme Court case.”

In June, the Supreme Court decided in favor of marriage equality the nation over. That move catalyzed yet another wave of conservative-base engagement from Republicans, many of whom were at the ready with their talking points. The main complaint centers

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around a 2014 case in which Houston passed a human rights ordinance, one that was challenged by a ballot campaign. Houston officials subpoenaed sermons from local churches, a move that set off accusations of religious persecution of those on the right. In fact, the subpoenas were intended to question the political motivations of tax-exempt churches waging a political battle.

Proponents of the Texas act also claim to have gained bipartisan support in advance of its passage.

Plakon says that hearts and minds were changed on the left and among gay-rights groups when they saw that their Pastor Protection Act would be something of an olive branch between churches and the gay community. However, there’s more to be read into statements like those from Dave Welch of Texas Pastor Council Action in which the war is clearly being waged.

“The reality is that we now live in a condition that we have to step out and be proactive in drawing some boundaries based on the aggression we’ve seen against the simple expression of our faith,” Welch told

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

OneNewsNow in June.

Not everyone is buying the reasoning behind this bill and other similar bills that are being introduced across the country in other Republican legislatures.

Though Plakon calls his bill a “shield, not a sword” – it’s being presented in the Senate as well by Sen. Aaron Bean, R-Jacksonville – opponents consider it to be more insidious than that. It is a means of picking a fight and a dangerous distraction; moreover, it’s a tactic meant to coddle the conservative base and raise money.

“Legally, it’s unnecessary,” local civil rights attorney Mary Meeks says. “No preacher can be forced to marry anyone, to begin with.

Also, surely every gay person wants to ruin the best day of their life by being married by a bigot who doesn’t respect their union.”

“The whole purpose is to incite hate and cause harm to the community,” she adds. “It gets people fired up unnecessarily, and people do crazy things when they’re fired up. Then people get hurt.”

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17

nation+world news

in other news SOUTH CAROLINA CHURCH DROPS AFFILIATION WITH boy scouts OVER GAY RULING A Presbyterian church in South Carolina says it is dropping its nearly 50-year association with the Boy Scouts after the organization agreed to allow gay leaders. Multiple media outlets reported that First Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Lancaster, about 60 miles northeast of Columbia, sent a letter to 63 scouts in a troop sponsored by the church saying that it ended its sponsorship of the Boy Scouts on July 31. Church member Buddy Lever says it was a tough decision, but the Boy Scouts’ announcement it would allow gay leaders doesn’t match the church’s beliefs on homosexuality. The scouts are being given an opportunity to join other troops. The Lancaster church is also joining with a group called Trail Life USA, which is a Christian outdoor adventure club.

SEATTLE STABBING THREATS LEAD TO HATE CRIME GUILTY PLEA A 34-year-old Bremerton man has pleaded guilty to shouting anti-gay slurs has he threatened to stab a man in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. Troy Deacon Burns was charged under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act and entered his plea in federal court on Friday.

According to the plea agreement, three gay men were walking on East Pike Street on Jan. 25 when Burns came up behind them and shouted homophobic slurs.

He was holding a knife and raised it over his head in a stabbing position. The plea agreement says the men started running but Burns caught one and threatened to stab him while still screaming. Another man pulled the friend away and Burns was arrested. Burns was under the influence of drugs and alcohol and claims he doesn’t remember what happened. His sentencing was set for Nov. 10.

MORE ISSUES WITH GAY EMPLOYEES AT CATHOLIC INSTITUTIONS The pope’s vision for an “open door’’ church is bumping up against sometimes wrenching decisions involving gay employees at Catholic schools and institutions.

The issue has stirred debate in Philadelphia since the June dismissal of a married gay teacher at a Catholic elementary school. Margie Winters says she was open with Mercy Waldron Academy officials about her marriage but believes a parent’s complaint to the archdiocese forced the school’s hand. Archbishop Charles Chaput argues that Catholic schools must hold to church teachings, including its ban on same-sex marriage. An advocacy group says over 50 people have lost their jobs at Catholic institutions over their sexual identity or orientation. Winters plans to ask the pope for a moratorium on such firings if she gets to meet him next month when he travels to Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families.

18

GAY HOUSE OF CARDS COLLAPSES IN MICHIGAN Wire Report

L

ANSING, Mich. | A Michigan lawmaker apologized Monday but said he would not resign after orchestrating a campaign suggesting he had sex with a male prostitute in order to distract attention from his relationship with a female legislator.

Republican Rep. Todd Courser of Lapeer said he was the target of a blackmail attempt before he devised the plan ``to misdirect attention’’ from a threat to expose his extramarital affair with GOP Rep. Cindy Gamrat of Plainwell. ``It was over the top. It was wrong,’’ Courser said in a 27-minute audio file posted on his campaign website. ``It was not my finest moment. It was the only option I felt would be unpredicted by the blackmailer.’’

Courser asked in the posted recording for forgiveness from his wife and children and his constituents, as well as from Gamrat, her family and ``especially her husband.’’

The two lawmakers are among the Legislature’s most outspoken social conservatives and have said

their legislative work is inspired by the ``Divine hand of God.’’ Both have had friction with GOP leaders, and calls for their resignations have come from Republicans as well as from liberal groups.

Courser said Monday he began receiving anonymous texts in May demanding that he resign or else the affair would be exposed. He said he devised the false email - which claimed he was a ``bisexual pornaddicted sex deviant’’ - in part to ``disrupt’’ the blackmailer, buy time to figure out who was behind the plot and discredit or blunt any potential leak of his relationship with Gamrat. It was unclear who actually sent the email.

Courser blamed three former aides for conspiring with the “establishment machine’’ and “Lansing mafia’’ to bring him down and “control’’ him, alleging that his office had been bugged and wiretapped. In an unusual arrangement for lawmakers with districts so far from each other, Courser and Gamrat had combined their office operations and had the three staffers effectively work for both of them.

The Detroit News, citing secret audio recordings and text messages

provided by former aide Ben Graham, reported Friday that Graham refused to send the email at Courser’s behest, urged him to consider resigning and was fired on July 7. The email was received

by Republicans and reporters on May 20 and 21, the two days following a recorded meeting in which Courser read aloud portions of a draft email. Aide Keith Allard quit in April. Gamrat fired Aide Josh Kline on July 7.

Republican House Speaker Kevin Cotter has ordered an investigation by the House Business Office to determine whether Courser or Gamrat broke legislative rules or if there is evidence of illegal behavior.

Democratic House Minority Leader Tim Greimel said because House Business Director Tim Bowlin serves at Cotter’s discretion and Courser has made allegations against Cotter’s office, the probe should be turned over to Michigan’s attorney general.

“There is no place in the Legislature for people who are engaged in criminal conduct, and when accusations of this magnitude are raised, the taxpayers of Michigan deserve a full investigation,’’ Greimel said.

explicit that if you’re engaged in a religious ceremony, you have that protection but at the same time if you’re engaged in some civil practice like renting an apartment or selling a sandwich, then you can’t discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, then maybe that would have a better shot of getting through,’’ Tucker told reporters.

Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed the religious objections measure into law after legislators rewrote the measure at his request to address criticism that an initial version sent to his desk would open the door to widespread discrimination against LGBT people.

Indiana lawmakers changed that state’s religious objections measure to include LGBT anti-discrimination language after similarly facing a public backlash. State Rep. Bob Ballinger,

R-Hindsville, said he opposed adding such language to Arkansas’ legislation and said opponents should have pushed for adding such language to the state’s civil rights law.

“The community who’s mad that that wasn’t on the bill, they should be mad at their legislators for not introducing that bill and not running it and not creating that debate,’’ Ballinger said.

“Frankly, I know it wouldn’t be very popular and it wouldn’t pass. However, if we don’t have that debate, I promise you it’s not going to pass.’’

Ballinger praised Attorney General Leslie Rutledge for an advisory opinion issued this week that said it was unclear whether courts would require justices of the peace to officiate samesex weddings. Ballinger said he believed the religious objections law would protect JPs.

MORE MARRIAGE EQUALITY CONFUSION IN ARKANSAS Wire Report LITTLE ROCK, Ark. | An opponent of Arkansas’ religious objections law said Friday he’s looking at proposing changing it to include protections for gays and lesbians, as well as making clear religious leaders aren’t required to perform same-sex weddings.

Speaking at a forum on the new law aimed at preventing the government from infringing on someone’s religious beliefs, Democratic Rep. Clarke Tucker said he was looking at proposing the changes when the legislature convenes in 2017. Tucker said the proposal could have more support than expanding Arkansas’ civil rights law to include protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

“Maybe if we could put it in the statute to make it absolutely

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Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

viewpoint

Jason Leclerc

The other side

of life

T

I. Miss. America.

o many of the circles

in which I roll, I am the frustrating liberal—the poet. In the world writ larger, I am the flaming conservative—the economist. As much as we like to eschew labels, we find ourselves answering to and for them: Believer, Rationalist, Gay, Conservative, Patriot, Aging, Obamaniac, Republican.

These labels may look as seemingly contradictory as the sash I sew them onto. As I inhabit this America, that sash oscillates between Boy Scout (I miss America!) and Pageant contestant (I, Miss America).

“As a gay Republican,” in this, the Central Florida media equivalent of Che-Guevara-meets-Stonewall, “write about how you can be this unicorn in a political party that hates myths.” Of course (Mr. Manes), the Republican Party is a party of myths. I’d say the same—and do, here—about the Democratic Party. We Republicans have small government, and a founding father (Abraham Lincoln) that freed the slaves. We Republicans also have fundamentalism, military transfer-payments, and provincialism. In fairness, you Democrats have your myths too: Jesus was a socialist, fiscal responsibility is a personal attack on otherness, Andrew Jackson (remember that “Trail of Tears?”) couldn’t possibly have also politically fathered modern progressivism (hey,

Elizabeth Warren!).

But there’s another “we”: The “we” that joins us—you and me, independent of our constructed political bents—by our inclinations toward each other.

Save the very few staunchest ideologues, we are—from our first fabulous breaths— hypocrites. We are forced into political stances that fly in the face of our true and consistent beliefs. How can anybody right a platform that values life and be both against abortion and for capital punishment? How can strong advocates for small government also advocate for giant transfers disguised behind a bloated military? How can voices for civil liberty also seek to limit the free exercise of religion?

Let’s remember— beyond soundbites—that we in this community sport our own sashes. Our badges may be different—like our experiences and our proclivities—but our goals are the same. Arguments are not ideologies, they are entrance-points for discourse. If we can agree that we deserve equal standing under the law, can’t we agree that even as others blazed that idea before us, we are responsible for advocating the same values into the future? If we can agree that we need to share and protect our planet, can’t we agree that sustainability is just as important as advocating for personal responsibility?

Let’s agree that institutions—Constitutions, marriage, gay bars, gender, parties—were built in the past, exist in the now, and have room to evolve together. The lines defined by such institutions don’t always make sense when we are forced to choose.

Which political party best aligns with the scintilla of difference between where we fall on the

scale of social liberalism and fiscal conservatism?

Choosing one over the other—Republican over Democrat—denudes neither our gayness nor our American-ness. All it says is that our Classical Liberal endowments curve one way or the other.

An alignment with a party that continues to evolve, to reach out, and

otherness as an institution.

Ultimately, you and I can—and largely do—agree on the same set of challenges while still disagreeing on the solutions. If you can see me, a gay Republican, as something more than a cartoon represented by my party’s wingnuts, I can see you as somebody who respects fairness,

endowments. We all walk across the same stage: swimsuits, oaths and stilettos. Sashaying, sashed.

We all believe that individuals matter, logic matters, incentives matter, and love matters. Right?

And even if not, let’s strive for discourse, big smiles, busty curves, and shoulders back. We are all sisters and brothers

to include “others” does not indicate a hatred of our “gay badge,” rather it indicates what we Republicans prefer to consider bravery. Instead of creating our own pageants, we wear our sashes as good citizens, good neighbors, philanthropists, and entrepreneurs. We respect

institutions, safety, and rule of law despite your party’s wingnuts.

As knot-tiers—a newly available badge—we are all on a sliding scale between novice and mobius. We all have space on our sash.

Our sashes match in nearly every way, despite the curves in our ideological

and emerging others. So, here we are, wearing our sashes and competing for first-runner-up. Or is it Eagle Scoutism? Miss Congeniality?

Our badges may be different—like our experiences and our proclivities—but our goals are the same.”

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watermark Your lgbt life.

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

viewpoint

Michael Wanzie

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF WANZIE The Outrage of the Transgender Community Over Revisionist “Stonewall” Film

W

hen I was tapped

to commit my opinion to this page regarding the call from the trans-community for a boycott of the upcoming Hollywood film Stonewall, I was unaware there was any controversy surrounding the film. So before reading any of the articles and posts voicing those concerns, I first accessed the trailer which had only just that day been made available online.

As I watched the preview, I was fairly blasé about the tired formulaic contrivance the filmmakers had obviously chosen to employ: telling the story of the fateful Stonewall riots by following the plight of a handsome, white, masculine, jock-from-next-doortype gay youth who arrives in the big city fresh off the bus from Middle America just in time to be present for the uprising, which is famously credited for “sparking the beginning of the modern gay rights movement in America”.

Then my heart skipped a beat and, although I was sitting alone, I let out an audible gasp as I gazed in now wide eyed disbelief at what I was seeing on my laptop monitor. I knew in that very instant precisely why transgender people were upset about a film that had not yet been released. Replay; and there it was.

My eyes had unfortunately not deceived me. Hollywood had obviously decided that, in their version of the Stonewall riots, the legendary brick which gay historians have long heralded was thrown by a drag queen and is considered to be the singular act which galvanized otherwise passive gays to fight back against police harassment for the very first time THAT all important brick - would instead be hurled by a white guy in pullover shirt and khaki pants.

In the late ’80s I lived for a time at 35 Grove Street, less than a city block from The Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street. I often drank there and had occasion to meet and speak with persons who claim to have been in the historic landmark bar on that fateful night in June of 1969. I researched these events ten years ago when working the scenario into my Lion Queen musical and again this past spring as I prepared to direct playwright John Ryan’s 1969: Stonewall which recently played the Orlando Fringe Festival and The Footlight Theater.

While I’m no expert on the subject, I have been dabbling in the Stonewall Riots over the course of two and half decades. As a result there are two things of which I feel certain: First, there were only ever a handful of persons who could actually prove they were present at the riots (the majority of them now deceased, many having succumbed to AIDS in the late ’70s and throughout the ’80s). And second, no one can possibly substantiate for certain who specifically threw that brick.

But there are two absolute truths I wish to share concerning the events: (1) The act of resisting rather than complying with the efforts of the New York Tactical Police Force to arrest those in the Stonewall Inn that night was in fact

initiated by transgender persons. And (2), no sooner had the dust settled from the rioting than a coalition of mostly white, affluent, gay businessmen, who had been more comfortable in the closet then out, began a decades-long agenda

the film is viewed in its entirety it may very well be that transgender persons are shown as being pivotal in igniting the spark that resulted in “the hairpin drop heard round the world.”

An individual who was able to substantiate his

It’s important for people to understand; to ‘join in’ means somebody else was already there. And that was the transgenders.”

To transgender individuals who are feeling blindsided and short changed by this particular

of drawing distinctions between regular every day straight-like gay persons like themselves and the undesirable and not-suitedfor-mainstream-press imagery of transgender individuals.

But I will go see Stonewall come September, regardless of all that the trailer foreshadows. When

presence at the riots told listeners of After Hours Radio, 90.1 KPFT, “The whole thing…was started by, was all about the transgenders. Gay people – gay males – we joined in, but it was started by transgenders. Now even though we joined in within five or ten minutes, it was still five or ten minutes later.

Stonewall all I can say is, my heart goes out to you. I understand your justifiable indignation. But, it is my firm belief this film will do far more good then it will do harm. It has already succeeded in starting this all important conversation.

When the film is viewed in its entirety it may very well be that transgender persons are shown as being pivotal in igniting the spark that resulted in ‘the hairpin drop heard round the world.’

watermark Your lgbt life.

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

23

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Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

54

talking points

%

I say to you tonight my friends, the best defense against bullshit is vigilance. So if you smell something, say something.

—Jon steWart in his final rant aboUt those Who bUllshit the PUblic on their stance against climate change, marriage eQUalitY anD Vaccinations before stePPing DoWn as host of THE DAILY SHOW.

STONEWALL film trailer SparkS Online riOtS

OF

GAY MEN

T

he first trailer for Director rolanD emmerich’s lgbt Drama STONEWALL Was releaseD aUg. 4 and was immediately met with backlash, criticism and a call for a boycott. Many have taken to social media to say that Emmerich has “whitewashed” the events surrounding Stonewall, because the film erases the role of transgender people and people of color in the 1969 riots. Emmerich responded to the critics on Facebook Aug. 7 saying “when this film – which is a labor of love for me – finally comes to theaters, audiences will see that it deeply honors the real-life activists who were there.” Stonewall opens in theaters nationwide Sept. 25.

WHo RANGE IN AGE FRoM 17 To 65

Surveyed Say tHey Have

CONTEMPLATED

SUICIDE at One pOint in tHeir life. 24% Of tHOSe men Surveyed Had attempted it.

— A survey conducted by FS, a gay men’s health a life magazine.

JOHn waterS talkS caitlyn Jenner

i

n a recent interVieW, legenDarY film Director John Waters askeD why isn’t anyone allowed to make fun of Caitlyn Jenner? “Caitlyn’s a Republican, she’s on a reality show and she’s a Kardashian. We can’t make fun of him or her?” Waters said the whole thing was kind of “old hat” to him.

Waters said he is more intrigued by transgender men. “They look like guys I like, so it’s even more confusing.”

Waters also said in the interview that fatherhood isn’t for him. “I’m a good uncle – I’ll get you an abortion, I’ll get you out of jail, I’ll take you to rehab.”

watermark Your lgbt life.

gay black SuperHerO JOinS cw’S ARROW

i

t has been annoUnceD that the cW sUPerhero Drama ARROW will feature an openly gay version of the character Michael Holt, also known as Mister Terrific, in the show’s next season. Played by actor Echo Kellum, Mister Terrific is a black superhero who was introduced by DC Comics in 1997. He is the second LGBT character to appear on Arrow. Earlier in the series, the character of Canary was revealed to be bisexual. “The network has been very welcoming and they realize the younger generation doesn’t have issues with that kind of stuff,” said series co-creator Greg Berlanti.

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

greg lOuganiS diveS intO OrlandO tHeater

O

lYmPic DiVing chamPion greg loUganis - Whose DocUmentarY, BACK ON BOARD, recentlY PremiereD on hbo - is getting pretty active in theater, including a play here in Orlando, according to an interview he gave at a session with national TV critics. “I have a little part in a little play in Fort Wayne, Indiana,” Louganis said. “It’s only two scenes but their artistic director is helping me workshop a musical that I’m writing, kind of based on my relationship with Ryan White. I’m also going to be in Orlando, Florida, doing a play, Spring at the Willowbrook Inn.”

25

26

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Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

in-deptH: back tO ScHOOl

PHOTO By lIzzIvAnDESS.COM

ZeBra’s

FIRST STRIPE THe ZEBR A COALITION ceLeBr aTes THeir firsT coLLeGe Gr aduaTe

P

Jeremy Williams

eter rUiz Was onlY 14

years old when he had to start looking out for himself. He was living at home with his mother and siblings, and she had just moved them from New York City to Orlando. Ruiz’s mother also suffered from mental health issues.

“When we moved down here, my mother’s schizophrenia started to get worse,” Ruiz says. “From the time I was 14 until I was 16, she started to have episodes where she imagined I would physically abuse her, and she would call the cops and have me arrested.”

During the two-year period Ruiz would spend days, sometimes weeks, in a juvenile detention center. When she again had him arrested on his 16th birthday, Ruiz had had enough.

“When I went to court, the judge had known me for quite a while because I had the same judge throughout this. I told him I didn’t want to go back home,” Ruiz says.

Ruiz was placed in DCF custody and was adopted by his biological brother’s godmother.

“Things were going well at first,” Ruiz says. “I was back in school. I had always been a really good student so I kept that up. During my junior year I got into theater and started performing and acting. It was something I was

cOntinued On pg. 31 | uu |

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Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

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Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

29

The honor roll

Photo by Jake Stevens

Ja’leel Denson, 21

T

his fashionable scholar

since.

dropped out of high school at an early age, and says it has haunted her ever

Keeping her eye on the prize, she decided to move away from her “crazy party life” in Tampa to focus on getting her GED through Zebra Coalition funding.

“Before the Zebra Coalition, I felt like I had no job opportunities and my purpose was partying,” Denson said. “I knew if I didn’t get out of that lifestyle soon it would be too late for me to pursue anything.

Unfortunately, everywhere I applied wanted a high school diploma. Zebra helped me find my passion for business management and fashion, and has helped me control my fierce attitude into something more cheerful.”

Ja’leel has got big plans in the works to study marketing at Seminole State College next fall, a place she heard is nothing but trans friendly. “They put my right name on my student I.D., so thumbs up to them,” Denson said. “I can’t wait to get my AA in the next few years.”

When she’s not studying, you’ll catch Ja’leel booking commercials or walking the runway for her blossoming modeling career. “I still like to have fun,” said Denson.

“I did just celebrate my 21st birthday after all. It just doesn’t consume my life anymore. I’ve got more important things to do.”

Her proudest moment since joining the Zebra Coalition: seeing the smile on her grandma’s face after Ja’leel received her GED last month. “My grandma was so upset when I dropped out,” said Denson. “To see her crying tears of joy, instant relief washed over me.

I moved to Orlando to get my life on track… a lot has changed for me.”

—Gina Calbrese

30

Photo by LIzziVanDess.com

Photo by Jake Stevens

Raemond Emmett Mathews, 16

R

aemond Emmett Mathews

is your typical Sarasota 16-yearold. He likes writing and art, and as he approaches his junior year in high school, he is thinking about where he wants to go to college. Mathews also identifies as pansexual.

Pansexual is not limited in sexual choice with regard to biological sex, gender or gender identity. While this might seem like something that brings about extra struggles in your teen years, Mathews is very able to deal with it and credits a very specific reason: ALSO Youth.

“It’s a safe place you can go to meet other youths and feel normal,” Mathews says.

ALSO stands for Advocacy, Leadership, Support, Outreach and was created in 1992 by individuals who were alarmed at the statistics documenting high rates of suicide among gay and lesbian teens.

Today, ALSO Youth is a non-profit that provides peer support services, educational programs, advocacy and referrals for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex and questioning youth (ages 13 to 21), their families and friends and the community.

Mathews has been going to ALSO Youth since he was 14 and says that the last two years have helped to not only shape who he is but have guided him to what he wants to do in the future.

“Well I don’t have anything cut in stone yet as far as what I want to do in life,” Mathews says. “I think ultimately I want to be some kind of therapist, helping others like ALSO does. I think that’s really where I want to go.”

—Jeremy Williams

watermark Your lgbt life.

Nicole McIntyre, 22

A

fter prostituting on

the streets and constantly moving from place to place, this scholar says the Zebra Coalition gave her something she’d been searching for her whole life: stability.

“I felt like I was just living, just there,” McIntyre says.

“I’ve never had a true home. Zebra taught to live for something and to further my goals. They’ve showed me the bigger picture in life.”

Nicole says feelings of accomplishment overwhelmed her after learning she was approved for GED funding last month. “I can’t believe I’ve come this far, it’s surreal,” McIntyre says. “The positive environment at Zebra really helped me through a lot.”

Her career goals include opening up her own hair salon after completing her GED to peruse her love for cosmetology. “I want to own a business that runs itself,” says McIntyre. “I’m going to be my own boss.”

Nicole says she’s gained positive exposure from her successful situation (such as appearing on PBS and being interviewed by numerous publications), and she’s learned something very valuable from the Zebra Coalition: the importance of having a voice. “I want to be an outspoken example for the trans community, and for everyone who feels like the only way out is the worst way,” McIntyre says.

“My advice to LGBT youth is stay in school, and handle your business. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel.”

Both Nicole and Ja’leel received GED funding through The Jefferson R. Voss Education Fund program at the Zebra Coalition. After going through an interview process, case managers at the Zebra Coalition chose them to receive the scholarships based on their educational goals and needs.

—Gina Calabrese

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

| uu | Peter Ruiz from pg.27

really starting to get engaged in and that was not something she approved of. She kept telling me theater was going to turn me gay.”

Ruiz came out in his senior year of high school and continued with theater, even applying to colleges where he could study acting.

“I had thought about studying physics, but theater was calling my name,” Ruiz says. “I told [my adoptive mother] that, and that really upset her. She stopped cooking for me, stopped feeding me altogether. I had to find a way to feed myself on top of going to school.”

Just days before his high school graduation, Ruiz came home from theater rehearsal and found himself homeless.

“No one will let me in,” Ruiz says. “I found out that she did not want me to come back, because she said I was gay and that was not acceptable.”

Ruiz was taken in by his drama teacher for the weekend, The following Monday, his high school put him in touch with the Zebra Coalition.

“They immediately had a place for me to stay. They helped me through the process of getting clothes, getting school supplies, they helped me to get food stamps so I could feed myself, all those basic things I needed to survive,” Ruiz says.

The Zebra Coalition is partnered with Rollins College and helped Ruiz get set up with a student with whom he stayed for the summer. He began college classes in the fall of 2011. “[The Zebra Coalition] supplied me with a support system,” Ruiz says. “I always had someone I could talk to if I was having an issue, whether it was personal, financial or whatever, they made it so I didn’t feel alone, especially as I was getting ready for college.”

Ruiz credits the Zebra Coalition as the resource that enabled him to attend college.

“Most people when getting ready to leave for college have their parents or family to help them; they already have this builtin support network, but that was one of the things that was taken away from me. Zebra made it easy for me to rebuild that support network,” Ruiz says. “College was the most stable time I have

They immediately had a place for me to stay.

They helped me through the process of getting clothes, getting school supplies, they helped me to get food stamps so I could feed myself, all those basic things I needed to survive.

—Peter Ruiz

had in my life, and I had people looking out for me, and they were in my corner and I have Zebra to thank for that.”

Ruiz came to the Zebra Coalition as it was just getting off the ground. In 2015, Ruiz became the first “Zebra kid” to graduate from college.

“Without the Zebra, I would probably be living on the streets.

I don’t think I would have gone to college. I mean, there is only so much my high school could have done for me, and then once I graduated, I wouldn’t have had anything. I don’t know where I would be but I don’t think I would be thriving. I don’t know if I would be surviving,” Ruiz says.

Ruiz is now living on the Gulf Coast in Sarasota where he is an acting apprentice with the Florida Studio Theatre. Ruiz hopes to continue his education by getting his Masters in acting and eventually a Ph.D. in theater history. He is also an LGBT activist, for which he credits the Zebra Coalition.

“My experiences with the Zebra Coalition made me want to advocate for those who have been marginalized by society. I did a lot of college activism and I link it very closely to the fact that I had the Zebra backing me up,” Ruiz says. “I feel like I have to give back to my community.”

watermark Your lgbt life.

LGBT Protections Play Important Role for Students

A

Krista DiTucci

s LGBT youth approach a new

school year, they will wonder what opportunities and challenges to expect. One of these challenges is whether they will face bullying and, if so, whether they can turn to teachers and administration for support.

The Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) recently reported findings on LGBT protections in “From Statehouse to Schoolhouse: Anti-Bullying Policy Efforts in U.S. and State School Districts.” Findings reveal LGBT students are at increased risk of being bullied and harassed in schools and often encounter “inschool victimization that negatively impacts their academic experiences.”

However, findings also reveal that specific LGBT protections in district and state anti-bullying policies may help alleviate victimization and create a more positive school environment.

Such policies include protections for sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. LGBT-inclusive policies are especially important because youth may not be able to confide in family members and, thus, rely on teachers and administration for confidentiality as well as expertise in addressing LGBT-related issues.

“I was bullied and called a dyke at my old middle school,” a 13-yearold Manatee County teen, who we won’t name, says. “I didn’t feel like there was any protection for LGBT youth specifically. I went to the administration about a non-LGBT related bullying issue and all the staff did was have us sit down and talk to each other.”

Findings reveal 95.8 percent of Florida’s districts contain anti-bullying policies. Among these districts, 19.4 percent were identified as having LGBT-inclusive protections. Among the higher percentages of LGBTinclusive states were Iowa, New Jersey, Washington, D.C. and Hawaii.

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

Despite LGBT protections in antibullying policies or lack thereof, however, the degree to which students receive advocacy may vary from school to school. The aforementioned youth says she is now at a different middle school and feels much more protected, despite her district not having LGBT anti-bullying protections.

“I had to calculate how to come out so I wouldn’t get beaten up,” says a 17-year-old Manatee County teen. “But I know there were some teachers at my school that would stand up for the LGBT community.”

In extreme cases, students report that they have encountered bullying from both students and teachers: “I was the first openly gay kid at my school,” says a 13-year-old Charlotte County student. “I got a lot of support from the kids, but when I did have an LGBT-related bullying incident, I would tell a teacher and they would say I was overreacting every time.

“I give people hugs, it’s my normal thing,” she says. “When I would come up to guys and give them a hug, it was no big deal, but when I would give girls a hug, I would get yelled at, written up, and told I was being inappropriate.

I was even told by a teacher that I shouldn’t have come out if I didn’t want to deal with this problem. They said they were anti-bullying, but they bullied students! I feel like they stereotyped me into thinking that every time I walked up to a girl, I was trying to sexually assault her.”

Broward, Orange, and Miami-Dade are among Florida school districts known for having LGBT protections in their anti-bullying policies.

31

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Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

60 South Ivanhoe Boulevard | Orlando, FL 32804

10/10/14 3:45 PM

10/10/14 3:45

artS and entertainment

EVERYTHING BUT

THE

“J

Billy Manes

Ust to reiterate, YoU’ll be

speaking with the band,” a publicist tries to coyly clarify before a scheduled telephone interview with a member (or several members) of classic '80s swaying drama phenomenon Culture Club. Boy George, the veritable foghorn of Culture Club’s legendary pop-cultural reign, is not doing publicity today, nor was he the previous week when we first attempted to connect.

Presumably he’s saving his voice – his vocal troubles nixed the band’s big British Christmas comeback tour and album launch late last year – or, more than likely, he’s still not comfortable sharing the soapbox with his reunited bandmates after years of acrimony and stop-and-start

reunion volleys. Least of whom among the instrumentwielding contenders, we can only assume, is the man who inspired lovelorn hits like “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me,” “Karma Chameleon” and “Victims,” drummer (and

cOntinued On pg. 36 | uu |

BOY drummer JOn mOSS On tHe return Of culture club and tHe undereStimatiOn Of bOy geOrge…by HimSelf

watermark Your lgbt life.

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

33

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former lover) Jon Moss.

“Roy Hay [the band’s guitarist] is sitting next to me eating his eggs if you want me to pass the phone over,” Moss jokes. No, you’ll do just fine.

Moss is no stranger to the promotional junket, after all, nor has he ever shied from a spotlight or a microphone or, well, a telephone. His explosive relationship with George was the band’s worst kept secret, something that has been extensively covered in numerous biographies and television specials to the point of tearstained caricature. Moss helped form the band with George, Hay and bassist Mikey Craig in 1981 after a stint with punk legends The Damned. Within a few years of hoofing it through the new-wave/newromantic alleys of London’s post-punk music business, Culture Club’s pervasiveyet-huggable perversion of sociocultural norms saturated the world over, pulling sensitive teenagers and grandmothers alike into the band’s musical fold. It was a time of androgyny that avoided talk of sex outright in favor of “a cup of tea.”

Now, after a few years of management shifts and stuttered planning – George released another solo album in 2013, This is What I Do – the band has returned to its mothership and is proving itself all over again. For a clue as to just where on the zeitgeist the band is in 2015, look no further than the fact that Caitlyn Jenner introduced them at a July show at The Greek in Los Angeles. The reviews so far of the new Club – replete with a sobered-up and vocalregister-downed George (he sounds downright husky these days) – have been glowing.

“We’ve had some tough people reviewing us and it’s almost like our weakness is our strength,” Moss says.

“It’s quite nice, because I think people are sort of reawakening to Culture Club.

Also there’s a whole new

watermark Your lgbt life.

Within a few years of hoofing it through the new-wave/newromantic alleys of London’s post-punk music business,

Culture Club’s pervasiveyet-huggable perversion of sociocultural norms saturated the world over. generation [of fans]. There’s a sort of academic interest in Culture Club as well. The whole social history aspect.”

On its face, that history involves four key albums, with the first two, Kissing to be Clever and Colour by Numbers, picking up most of the acclaim and precious metals. Subsequent efforts saw diminishing returns.

Waking Up with the House on Fire (which notably featured the lyric, “War is stupid, and people are stupid”) hinted at divisions in the group’s bloating identity; From Luxury to Heartache came with televised The A-Team appearances attached (plus a message to “Move Away” as its lead single). Things got dicey, George caved to drugs and global gaffes, and minus one notable reunion for VH-1 in the U.S. and a failed reunion album that never made it to the shelves stateside (despite a Dolly Parton duet), the clubhouse seemed to be indefinitely boarded up.

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

“Culture Club, I suppose we just came somewhere out of London. I think we became very much the voice of the dispossessed, at the time, if you like,” Moss recalls. “The main thing about Culture Club is that George is very clever. We didn’t mean to be clever; it was just by default, really.

It was very subversive in a very palatable way. And I think that’s something that George – one of the things we really messed up in Culture Club – George, I don’t think he realized the effect that he had.

He started to see himself as being an intellectual puppet who couldn’t talk about sexuality.”

If that closet strewn with kimonos and platform heels served the band well in its public appearances and merchandising – everybody has been Boy George for Halloween at some point in his or her life; some still

Continued on pg. 39 | uu |

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ONE LOVE!

watermark Your lgbt life.

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

In Memory of John “Tweeka” Barber 1972 - 2011

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Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

TIGLFF.COM

UNITY FEST REIGNITES OLD POP FLAMES HOWARD JONes Former British hair god of the keytar – OK, he’s still sort of a hair god with an occasional keytar – Howard Jones blazed the synthesized trail of conscience-pop in his mid-‘80s prime. Hits like “The New Song,” “What Is Love?,” “No One Is to Blame” and “Things Can Only Get Better” bounced around the radio like a good mood (or lesson) waiting to happen, while more reflective numbers buried deeper in album rosters spoke to his more philosophical side. Last year, he headlined the Retro-Futura tour at the Hard Rock Live with former Thompson Twin Tom Bailey, a generous act that resulted in everyone present forgetting that they had to go to work the next day. Still sounds great, by the way.

MARC ALMOND back in the clUb: Mikey Craig, Boy George, Jon Moss, and Roy Hay. PHOTO COURTESy MIllER PR

| uu | Culture Club frOm pg.36

are – in retrospect, Moss thinks it served the public in a fairly dramatic manner, as well.

“What I find sad about Culture Club and George is that we sort of got forgotten about, which is ridiculous,” he says.

“We were mainstream album leaders that spearheaded the ‘80s movement. And also, I think there we did a lot to change society’s attitude here in America, in Europe, and in the world and so on.”

That’s something the band has been working on correcting in the past year, however.

Prior to George’s reportedly serious throat troubles last year, all signs were “go” for a new album, Tribes, which had already been preceded by a lead single, “More Than Silence.”

The record is “not there yet” for the tour, Moss says, though he adds that the work they did with producer Youth (Killing Joke) produced up to 15 “really good songs.” Tribes, he suspects, will be released by indie distribution house Kobalt early next year.

“It’s funny, I was speaking to [Duran Duran keyboardist] Nick Rhodes on the phone yesterday, and I said, ‘What are you doing?’ and he said, ‘What do you write about for a bunch of 17-year-olds?’ We’re trying to base ourselves off of Duran Duran, because they’ve been steadily going on releasing albums and playing,” Moss says.

more inFormation WHAT: Unity Fest featuring Culture Club, Howard Jones, Marc Almond, Thrill kill Cult, C+C Music Factory and Book of Love When: Saturday, Aug. 15, 3 p.m.

Where: Madeira Beach Park, St. Petersburg tickets: livenation.com — WHAT: Culture Club When: Sunday, Aug. 16, 8 p.m.

Where: Hard Rock Live, Universal orlando tickets: hardrock.com

(Duran Duran releases its new album Paper Gods on Sept. 11 via Warner Brothers Records.)

“For bands from the ‘80s, they’re not out of date. They’re getting new audiences, which is the main thing, really, if you think about it.”

This tour likely won’t be the breeding ground for a new army of wannabes in dreadlocks and makeup, though. Recent setlists have largely covered the known territory of Culture Club’s early‘80s heyday along with several of George’s more successful solo hits (“The Crying Game,” “Everything I Own”).

“We were going to do the ‘War Song,’ but now we’re not doing that. I don’t think we’re

doing anything from the third album,” Moss laughs, adding that they won’t be playing this writer’s favorite Culture Club song, either. “‘Mistake Number Three,’ that video, it’s the most hideous thing known to man.”

Speaking of mistakes, it doesn’t take much to drag Moss into the romantic territory of his felicitations with George from the band’s outset. In fact, he offers the information without provocation, seemingly proud that it exists on some mantle of social importance, dusted off from time to time.

Times have changed, after all, and it must be somewhat rewarding to be memorialized in so many broken-hearted hits, even if you’re a straight man with children now.

“Can you imagine gay marriage 20 years ago? I know, you could go out in major cities, and no problem,” he says, though in smaller burgs you were called “queer” and shoved into corners. “I’ve got three kids, and my ex-wife is very worried about the programs about me and George and our relationship. Kids don’t care!”

That’s something that is in no small way attributable to the rise of Culture Club in its prime, even if the downfall of the band was so public, Moss allows.

“Sometimes in a velvet revolution, that’s the way you do it,” he says. “It had to happen. It’s got to happen. It did happen. It’s just the way you make it happen that’s important.”

watermark Your lgbt life.

By our imperfect calculations, it seems like British bedsit synthpop legend Marc Almond has never made it to Florida, at least not as a solo act. You probably know Almond best for his turn as half of Soft Cell (“Tainted Love,” “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye”), but he’s had some other stateside chart inroads (at least on the dance floor) with solo numbers like “Tears Run Rings” and “Jacky.” We’re pretty certain that we’re most excited about this part of the show, but don’t tell anyone.

tHRILL KILL KuLt Generally known as My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, but abbreviated here for reasons unknown, the Kult saw mainstream success for a hot second with “Sex on Wheelz” in the early ‘90s before drifting back into goth/ cult infamy and soundtrack work (Showgirls, anyone?). A sort of traveling horror show, the Kult should be expected to make a genuine malevolent mess of things while Howard Jones stands aside in horror.

C+C MusIC FACtORY (FeAt. FReeDOM WILLIAMs) For a minute there in the early ‘90s, C+C Music Factory (then Robert Civilles and David Cole) were an inescapable background noise that made it feel like you needed to go to the gym. “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” was their signature hit, though it came at a pretty bad time. While everybody was bemoaning Milli Vanilli’s lip-sync shenanigans, Civilles and Cole were using a stand-in to cover up for vocalist Martha Wash’s lack of commercial sex appeal.

Now, it appears that even the C and the C aren’t with the factory anymore (Cole is deceased), so Freedom Williams – the shirtless one who raps – is taking the reins despite criticism from the act’s sole remaining founder. Fun, right?

BOOK OF LOVe Forever memorialized by psychotic associations with films like Silence of the Lambs and American Psycho – plus Mike Oldfield’s “Tubular Bells,” with which they created one of pop’s earliest mash-ups – Philadelphia’s Book of Love rode the decade shift from the ‘80s to the ‘90s with blissed-out synth-psychedelia laced with darker themes. Surely you’ve found yourself wearing too much eyeliner and slapping a dance floor to the tune of “Pretty Boys and Pretty Girls.” Wait, you haven’t? Sorry. This should be another highlight of the Madeira Beach Unity Fest lineup.

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

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event planner

arts+entertainment

community calendar

OrlandO

OrlandO

Dames at Sea, July 24-Aug. 22, Winter Park Playhouse, Winter Park. 407-645-0145; WinterParkPlayhouse.com

Orlando Youth Alliance 25th Anniversary

Clybourne Park, Aug. 7-Sept. 6, The Harriet Theatre, Mad Cow Theatre, Orlando. 407-297-8788; MadCowTheatre.com

friDaY, aUg. 14, 7:00-9:00 P.m.

DUbsDreaD golf coUrse, orlanDo Join current and former board members, volunteers and LGBTQ+ youth to celebrate 25 years of Central Florida’s community gay-straight alliance. Along with celebrating a quarter of a century of youth assistance, OYA will also announce the recipients of the 2015 OYA Continuing Education Scholarships. You can RSVP to info@orlandoyouthalliance.org. For more information on OYA and the 25th anniversary celebration, visit orlandoyouthalliance.org.

Heathers the Musical, Aug. 13-23, Alexis & Jim Pugh Theatre, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando. 407-839-0119; DrPhillipsCenter.org Southern nights One year Anniversary Party, Aug. 13-15, Southern Nights, Orlando. 407-412-5039; SouthernNightsOrl.com

Pride in Business Awards gala 2015

The Molly Ringwalds, Aug. 14, House of Blues, Orlando. 407934-2583; HouseofBlues.com

satUrDaY, aUg. 22, 7:00-10:00 P.m.

JW marriot granD lakes, orlanDo

‘80s night at The Abbey, Aug. 14, The Abbey, Orlando. 407-704-6261; AbbeyOrlando.com Whose Life is it Anyway?, Aug.7-30, Moonlight Players, Clermont. 352-243-5875; MoonlightPlayers.com Culture Club, Aug. 16, Hard Rock Live, Orlando.

407-351-5483; HardRock.com Hippiefest 2015, Aug. 16, The Plaza Live, Orlando. 407-228-1220; PlazaLiveOrlando.com Girls night Out: Handbag Happy Hour, Aug. 20, The Abbey, Orlando. 407-704-6261; AbbeyOrlando.com Bitch Better Have My Money Platinum Friday, Aug. 21, Pulse, Orlando. 407-649-3888; PulseOrlandoClub.com

The Metropolitan Buisness Assocaition has expanded the PRIDE Gala into a red carpet awards affair. Celebrate as they recognize LGBT and allied business and community leaders with awards for those who go above and beyond the call of duty for the LGBT community. Come out and enjoy live entertainment, a silent auction and more.

The Legendary group, The Family Stone, will headline the 10th anniversary of the Hippiefest Tour in Clearwater on Aug. 15 and Orlando on Aug. 16 that will also feature Rick Derringer, Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels and Badfinger featuring Joey Molland.

tampa bay Incubus, Aug. 13, MidFlorida Credit Union, Tampa. 813-740-2446; MidFloridaCreditUnion Ampitheatre.com Weird Al yankovic, Aug. 13, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater. 727-791-7400; RuthEckerdHall.com

Red Bull BC One north America Finals 2015, July 22, Walt Disney Theatre, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando. 407-839-0119; DrPhillipsCenter.org

The Pearl in the Hogwaller, Aug. 14-15, American Stage Theatre Company, St. Petersburg. 727-823-7529; AmericanSatge.org

vegas night with Derrick Barry, Aug. 22, Parliament House, Orlando. 407-452-7571; ParliamentHouse.com

Patel Conservatory End-ofSummer Music Blowout, Aug. 15, TECO Theatre, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

Monday night Cabaret Series Summer Special- Cydney Clark: Coming of Age, Aug. 24, The Abbey, Orlando. 407-704-6261; AbbeyOrlando.com

Hippiefest, Aug. 15, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater. 727-791-7400; RuthEckerdHall.com

Culture Club, Aug. 15, Madeira Beach Park, Madeira Beach. 727-392-0665; MadeiraBeachFL.gov Pole for a Purpose, Aug. 15, Jaeb Theatre, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org From Michelangelo to Miles: A Music & Art Appreciation Series, Aug. 19, Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg.

727-896-2667; Fine-Arts.org latin nights, Aug. 20, Maestro’s Restaurant, Straz Center, Tampa.

813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org Rob Thomas, Aug. 21, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater. 727-791-7400; RuthEckerdHall.com Tim McGraw, Aug. 22, MidFlorida Credit Union, Tampa. 813-740-2446; MidFloridaCreditUnion Ampitheatre.com

Flamingos 6th Anniversary Weekend, Aug. 21-23, Flamingo Resort, St. Petersburg. 727-321-5000; FlamingoFla.com

SaraSOta Cats, Aug. 13-15, Manatee Performing Arts Center, Bradenton. 941-748-5875; ManateePerforming ArtsCenter.com Yesterdayze, Aug. 21, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Sarasota. 941-953-3368; VanWezel.org My Old Lady, Aug. 6-22, Jane B. Cook Theater at the FSU Center for Performing Arts, Sarasota. 941-351-2808; BanyanTheaterCompnay.com

tampa bay

Balance tampa Bay August social thUrsDaY, aUg. 20, 6:00-8:00 P.m. the hYDe oUt, tamPa Balance Tampa Bay will be having their August social at The Hyde Out on West Platt Street. The monthly social is a great way to come out and mingle, socialize and network with the community. The Hyde Out - an artistic, industrial retro-lounge that serves American eats, sushi, microbrews and specialty cocktails - will have complimentary appetizers and happy hour drink specials until 7:00 p.m.

eVOs-tBAC smartRide Fundraiser thUrsDaY, aUg. 20, 3:00-8:00 P.m. eVos, soUth tamPa EVOS in South Tampa is hosting a fundraising event for Tampa Bay Area Cyclists (TBAC) and The Smart Ride.

The Smart Ride is a two-day fundraising event where cyclists ride bikes a total of 165 miles from Miami to Key West Nov. 12-13 and raises money for HIV/AIDS service organizations across the state. EVOS wants you to come out and enjoy a healthy, wholesome and organic meal with your friends and family, and 20 percent of all money taken in will be donated to TBAC toward their goal for The Smart Ride.

to submit your upcoming event, concert, performance, or fundraiser visit watermarkonline.com.

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ON VIEW NOW AT THE MFA

Paul Binnie, Scottish (born 1967), Yoshitoshi’s Ghosts, 2004 from the series, A 100 SHADES OF INK OF EDO, Japanese color woodblock print, Gift of Dr. John E. Schloder in honor of the Museum’s 50th Anniversary 2014.29.17

Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.

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overheard

tampa bay Out+abOut

metrO HealtH Set tO party at tHe train StatiOn

m

etro health, Wellness anD commUnitY has annoUnceD the thirD annUal tamPa baY gala roUge, and this year they will have it in a new venue. The historic train station in the vibrant warehouse arts district of St. Petersburg will play host when the event takes place Nov. 7. Gala Rouge, which promises to be “a true voyeur’s delight,” will feature live entertainment, open bar, food, special guests and honorees. It will slao have silent and live auctions. Gala Rouge benefits Metro LGBT Centers and programs and the new Metro Health Centers. Tickets are $100 and can be purchased at www.metrotampabay.org.

and tHe award gOeS tO…

C

reatiVe loafing has entereD stage 3 in the Voting Process to finD oUt the best of the baY. This is the 25th anniversary and you get the opportunity to say who, what and wow… I like it, I love it, I want some more of it for Tampa Bay. From now until Sept. 8, you can vote for the best of in an array of categories, including Best Restaurant, Best Food, Best Bar, Best Local Band, Best Theater and many more. Not only do you get a say in venues and locations, but you also get to vote on the people in the area in categories like Best Local Politician, Best Local Activist, Best Couple and more. Oh, and don’t forget to vote for the few not-so-great categories also (we’re looking at you, Pam Bondi, for Worst Local Politician). Winners will be announced Sept. 24. For information on the Best of the Bay 25th Anniversary party Spet 23 at The Mahaffey visit www.cltampa.com/botb25.

cOme rain Or cOme SHine

T

he tamPa baY area resembleD the lost citY of atlantis a feW Weeks ago when areas were flooded with as much as 12 inches of rain within two days. Streets were flooded and destroyed with potholes, buildings and homes were affected by water damage and many were without power for days. Even at press time, in parts of Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties , some people are still without power.

One bright spot was HIV/AIDS facilities were able to conduct business without any disturbance in services. According to AIDS Services Association of Pinellas (ASAP) Executive Director William Harper, short of a few appointments that had to be rescheduled for the next day, no one was without medications or services because of the weather.

Most businesses seemed to be doing fine with no dramatic drops in attendance at local bars and restaurants. One thing that the storm did bring was some amazing pictures and some amusing videos (we’re look at you Jimmy!) of people trying to drive (and in some cases swim) through the streets.

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We all scream for art: Happy and excited couple, Morgan Murray (L) and Toli Gintoli, represent Metro at Soft Water Studio for the Second Saturday Artwalk, which featured the TransLucid art show, Aug. 8. PHOTO By TOlI GInTOlI

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the WickeD talent of the West: Carrie West is looking absolutely fabulous at Tampa Bay Balance’s Masquerade Ball at District 3 in Tampa Aug. 8. PHOTO By JAKE STEvEnS

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skater girls: Tara Butler (L) and Portia Weiss get set to skate hand-inhand at the Pride Skate Night at United Skates Tampa July 30.

PHOTO COURTESy OF PORTIA WEISS

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sing oUt loUD anD ProUD: Drag performer Kathryn nevets entertains the crowd at Club Main Street in Lakeland Aug. 8. PHOTO By DAnny GARCIA

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hoUse PartY: (L-R) nick Carper, Alma Gonzalez and Mike Reedy want you to show them the money during Reedy’s fundraiser as he makes a run for State House District 63 at Enigma in St. Petersburg July 30.

PHOTO COURTESy OF MIKE REEDy

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the crazY nine: The board of Balance Tampa Bay, the heroes Tampa Bay deserves, dons their masks and welcome guests to the BTB Masquerade Ball at District 3 in Tampa Aug. 8. PHOTO COURTESy

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OF BAlAnCE TAMPA BAy

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can i get a Photo bomb on the rocks: Flamingo bartender Tyler gets photo bombed as he gets set to pour drinks for the thirsty patrons at the St. Pete resort Aug. 9. PHOTO By TylER C

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see Ya When We get home: Southern Nights Tampa’s Chris “Tadpole” Hannay (L) and leugim “leo” Quintana send a quick xoxo back to Tampa as they party it up in Orlando.

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PHOTO By lEUGIM QUInTAnA

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Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

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overheard

OrlandO Out+abOut

O-tOwn dOt cOm SHOutOutS:

e

VerYone Who is anYone knoWs oUr local gem, Blue Star. From her DJ work, acting and singing talents to her incredible dancing skills and of course, the Venue. The Venue plays host to many local entertainment events.

Recently, in an online feature on USAToday’s 10Best – the Venue and Blue were praised for bringing the burlesque scene into the spotlight of the artistic side of the Ivanhoe Village. Thanks to Blue and many others, the #OneLove campaign has been making its rounds these last few years, named for the passing of John “Tweeka Weed” Barber – truly a talent whose light was taken too soon due to complications with an aggressive form of cancer. Tweeka/Barber was recently the subject of an article of Georgia Voice in an article by old friend Bill Kaelin titled “The Drag Queen who changed my life.” Kaelin mentions when he was hanging out with Tweeka/Barber, he knew he was hanging out with royalty. He was.

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ocal elections are right aroUnD the corner, so of course all the candidates are planning and getting ready to make themselves seen. You will see ads on TV, hear them on the radio and even in print like in Watermark. But many political hopefuls also prefer the yard signs, Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan included. She recently ordered a batch of signs reminding Orlando to vote for her as District 4 city commissioner.

Unfortunately, someone missed the proof reading and the signs were accidently posted with the “b” missing in November. Instead of getting upset over the error and chucking the signs, Patty found the humor in all of this and plans to slap a sticker with the correct spelling over them.

Sunday FUNNER DAY

T

he tea-Dance is a staPle in gaY societY, although the true meaning has been lost in the younger generations as to why. Now what’s typically a Sunday T-Dance(because T-shirts) is better known as a Sunday Funday. Bars like Ember & Latitudes have surely jumped on board, unofficially catering to the downtown gay crowd. Now, at Orange Avenue’s EVE, Chris Pittman presents Royal-Tea. This night will kick off on Sunday, August 16. 18-plus are welcome, and there’s no cover.

25 yearS Of myStery SOlving

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leUth’s mYsterY Dinner shoW on international DriVe just celebrated 25yrs of entertaining tourist and locals alike.

And also, employing a lot of local theater talent including: Doug Ba’aser, Rob Ward (Pepe from Truth or Dare with Pepe), Nathan Bonk and Janine Klein.

After taking time away from Gay Days this past June, Sleuth’s hosted a special gay performance of “Ken and Scott tie the knot,” much to the delight of those attending Gay Days looking for a meal and a show!

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seeing reD: (L to R) Denise Merritt, Eva Fijardo, Cathy Keene and Diana Cox network and lunch at the MBA’s Red Central group meeting Aug. 11 at The GLBT Center. PHOTO By DAnny GARCIA

fairY DUst: (L to R) Ed Dobski, Jeff Jones, Beau Egerer and Drew Sizemore celebrate Drew’s birthday with a little help from Tinkerbell at the Magic Kingdom Aug. 5.

PHOTO COURTESy SIzEMORE

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rainboW crUise: Watermark giveaway winner Robert Hawxhurst and his partner, Karl Anderson, enjoy cocktails and water views aboard the Rainbow River Cruise Aug. 12 in Sanford.

PHOTO By DAnny GARCIA

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WilD horses: Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan makes friends with the Orlando Police mounts Aug. 3 at National Night Out, an annual community-building campaign that promotes policecommunity partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie.

DiVinitY: The Divine Grace keeps the crew and passengers laughing on the Barbara Lee as they cruise along the St. John’s River Aug. 12. PHOTO By DAnny GARCIA retro loVe: Doug Ba’aser and leigh Shannon party to the ’80s and ’90s at the Decades Party Aug. 8 at Parliament House. PHOTO By JOEy RIEDlEy

7

Prime time: Former presidents of Prime Timers of Central Florida (L to R) lee Stone, Jerry Danese, Jim Moore, Russ Mayo and Edwin Barnes celebrate the organization’s 20th anniversary Aug. 8 at Golden Corral. PHOTO By ROn BUSH

7

8

farleY farce: Justin Shakeri (L) and Addison Taylor (R) channel the classic SNL Chippendale’s audition skit at the 2015 Miss Comedy Queen pageant at Parliament House Aug. 4. PHOTO By SAM DORADO

PHOTO By BIll STEvEnS

8 watermark Your lgbt life.

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

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watermark Your lgbt life.

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

announcements

wedding bellS

troy Herbst, 43, and James Blanchard, 33 from Port Richey, Florida

years together:

Almost three years

engagement date:

Central Florida Community Arts (CFCArts) announces the addition of four new members to its Board of Directors. CFCArts’ new board members include Beverly Blake, Brenda Cole, Scott Evans and José Fajardo, all of whom embody the spirit of the organization’s mission to serve, connect and perform, said Founder and Executive Director Joshua vickery.

April 20, 2015

wedding date:

August 8, 2015

wedding venue:

Savoy Orlando celebrates its 11th anniversary Aug. 14.

Spirit of Life MCC in New Port Richey, Florida

Southern nights Orlando celebrates its 1st year anniversary Aug. 13.

Sammy Goldstein and Bill yahner of Altamonte Springs celebrate 23 years together on Aug. 26.

wedding planner:

local birthdays

The couple and their family

wedding caterers:

Donna Bennett and Jennette Morrison

wedding theme/ colors:

Indian-style sand ceremony featuring wedding colors of rose red and white

First song:

They did not have a first dance, but they will have their favorite song, “A Thousand years”

by Christina Perri, playing while they’re pouring the sand in their ceremony.

interesting Fact:

Troy is an ordained minister, and James is in an evangelizing Christian Band called Canaan Band with Melanie Wilkinson and David Lee.

congratulations

Kristen R. Weick, MA RMHCI, is opening her counseling private practice, My Path Unfolding LLC, in Baldwin Park in Orlando. Kristy has been advocating for the Florida LGBTQ+ community as a volunteer for Equality Florida since 2009. After two years at The Zebra Coalition as a counselor to LGBTQ+ youth, Kristy is currently volunteering as a counselor at The GLBT Community Center of Central Florida.

W

hen askeD, James coUlDn’t

just pick one thing about Troy he loved the most—his outlook on life, his smile, his genuine love and concern—because he loved everything about him.

James and Troy’s love story is full of things like compassion and faith, yet their love story doesn’t start off as most others do. While the couple has been together for almost three years, it was just more than a year after they started talking before they actually met face to face.

“We actually met, believe it or not, online, and we were just friends,” James, who is a verifications coordinator for CareCentrix, says. “We were just chatting as friends… and we talked for about a year as friends.”

James is a part of an evangelizing Christian band called Canaan Band. Because of that, he was always on the road.

But both he and Troy agree that how their relationship started was the best, because it created a foundation for them, plus it was nice to have somebody to go home at night and just talk to.

“I was excited to finally get to meet James face to face,” says Troy, a financial coordinator at the Moffitt Cancer Center. “With his busy schedule, it was hard to do, that’s why it took over a year. When we met, it was like we already knew each other for a long time.

Eight months into their relationship, they decided that since they spent so much time together, they might as well move in together.

Troy admits that he never

was the type to imagine himself married, and James thought the same about himself, too.

“We both never really thought of marriage, to be honest with you,” James says. “I work from home and he came home from work one day, and we were having dinner with the family. He just walked in and popped the question with a ring, and I was like ‘Are you serious?’”

“Now that [same-sex marriage] is legal everywhere, just having that piece of paper and those rights and knowing we’re committing ourselves to each other, that’s the most exciting part of it all,” Troy says.

“Of course having our friends and loved ones together is also exciting.”

After their honeymoon, the couple looks forward to starting their life journey together. Both say they even see adopting kids in their future, hoping to grow their family.

Regalia owner and beauty pageant emcee David lang, Tampa performer Robyn Demornay (Aug. 14); Orlando entertainer Tod Kimbro, Tony-winner Kenny Howard, The Dali Museum’s Jim nixon, St. Petersburg interior designer Scott velez (Aug. 17); Tampa Bay performer Macaviti, Orlando newlywed Bob Poe, Orlando actor Chris Shepardson, Sarasota orthodontist Michael Radall, Orlando lawyer Paul SanGiovanni (Aug. 18); Orlando performer Danielle Hunter, Lakeland American Idol Hollywood week singer Danny Pate, Tampa pastor Scott Manning, St. Pete ASAP Executive Director William Harper, former Georgie’s Alibi bar maiden Duffy Iorio, Winter Park Playhouse’s Todd long, Tampa economics specialist lJ Sosa (Aug. 19); Clearwater bear Keith Schorr, Brandon restaurant exec Rob Roberts (Aug. 21); COWP member and Balance Orlando co-owner Deb Ofsowitz, Tampa radio station Hot 101.5 morning show host Miguel Fuller, LGBT activist lynn Mulder, LGBT ally and teacher Tabatha Schmidt (Aug. 22); Tampa Bay retailer Charles Germaine,Orlando graphic artist Marcus vale (Aug. 23); writer and LGBT ally Karen Brown, Sunnyland Slammer Shana Moshen, American Stage Theatre Company’s zachary Hines, founder of Tampa’s The Taylor Company Scott Taylor, St. Petersburg actor/ director Steven Flaa (Aug. 24); Spring Hill psychologist David Chandler, St. Pete Twirling Project veteran Steven Caruso, Tampa bear and softballer Andrew Cohen (Aug. 25); Orlando’s Eddie Mora, Central Florida singer and actress Jill Wilson, Watermark writer and film critic Stephen Miller (Aug. 26).

Do you have an announcement? Having a birthday or anniversary?

Did you get a new job or promotion? See your news in Watermark!

Send your announcement to Editor@WatermarkOnline.com or go to WatermarkOnline.com/Submit-a-Transition. It’s that easy!

—Samantha Rosenthal

Do you have an interesting wedding or engagement story you’d like to share with Watermark readers? If so, email the details to Editor@WatermarkOnline.com for consideration as a future feature on this page.

watermark Your lgbt life.

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

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watermark Your lgbt life.

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

watermark Your lgbt life.

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

53

uprisings

TRUMP DAY

S

SEX AS A WEAPON:

As no fewer than 17 Republican candidates jostled for position to argue for their worth to the executive branch of the U.S. Government in the first televised debate of the season on Aug. 6, leading candidate Donald Trump sparked unprecedented controversy by squaring off with Fox News broadcaster Megyn Kelly. The newscaster brought up Trump’s references to female competitors as “fat pigs” and couched them in Trump’s history of “disparaging comments” toward women. Trump, who has doubled down since, later accused Kelly of having her period.

I

Rubio accepts exceptions?

t doesn’t take a political genius to recognize the balance beam that Sen. Marco Rubio is continually falling from on social issues as he tries to appease both the far right and the middling clueless on his trek to the White House. Rubio has always been an opponent of abortion, often citing his “two wrongs don’t make a right” playground mentality.But following the severely anti-woman tone of last week’s televised Republican presidential debate, Rubio found himself crushed into a conundrum.

You see, Rubio, who tried to make it clear that he believes that women should be forced to bear the children blindly offered them by the love of rapists and incestuous family members, has a history of (gasp!) supporting exceptions for those in need of abortions under duress. Side note: abortions are legal, so your support is weak, Marco Polo.

54

Scott buys to hide

I

f you were on the proper email feed – or actually allowed into the public records and emails that Gov. Rick Scott’s administration was clearly concealing from the public throughout the beginning of his administration – then maybe you would understand the bobbing and weaving that has come to characterize Florida’s elected Republicans over the past few years.

At every turn, Scott and his cronies have attempted to hold themselves exempt from standard Sunshine Laws, because, well, they don’t want to admit that most deals are done off-card and beneath the board.

Last week, Scott agreed to fork out $700,000 in order to settle no less than seven public records disputes brought about by Tallahassee attorney and Scott arch-nemesis Steven R. Andrews. So, basically, you’ll be paying that $700k through various agencies that exist off your tax dollars.

Ash Mason potentially challenges Charlie Crist

A

ck, we almost forgot to mention the other tangential Rubio connection to this week’s cascade of illegitimate hopefuls lining up at the public-figure trough! In a twist worthy of a bad soap opera, the Tampa Bay Times reports that former Rubio aide Ash Mason (of Pinellas County) is lining up for a potential run for Congress. Mason has “history” with frat-house inflatable pool Will Weatherford, the former Republican House Speaker from Wesley Chapel, and, in a strange twist of fate, could be facing disgraced former Republican and failed Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist. Don’t say Charlie Crist three times. Wait, did we just say Charlie Crist three times? Oh, no.

watermark Your lgbt life.

Billy Manes

omewhere in the annals of psychological academia exists a hidden chapter – an Easter egg of sorts – that describes the finely honed narcissism that allows the seemingly illegal cloud of hair and bravado, that misanthropy and machismo and money, that witch’s tick and spooky juice available to a figurehead named Donald Trump with which he has managed to control a news cycle yet again.

You wouldn’t find that listing anywhere near its reasonable attribution – a footnote about nonsense that shouldn’t be paid attention to; the bad kid pouting in the back of the bus – as we already know that attention is being paid, and if there is a Republican Party bus, at least for the moment, he is the creepy guy driving it way up front.

Sure, it’s a low-hanging fruit expedition to go after Trump after his ostentatious appearance at the Aug. 6 Republican primary debate aired by Republican funhouse mirror Fox News. Why, even Fox is playing into the fallout, circling wagons around host and debate panelist Megyn Kelly, who Trump, in no uncertain terms, accused of menstruating, because that’s what makes women ask about why it is that you continually and publicly hate on women.

Regardless, it’s Trump who walked away with all the headlines. He’s not backing down. All of our leaders are dumb. Only women bleed. Don’t discriminate against gays, but, “I am against gay marriage.”

In some ways, the gay card was partially protected from the primetime Republican scrimmage – Ohio Republican Gov. John Kasich actually went to a gay wedding recently and apparently had a good time. The volume of applause, if applause in these scenarios is to be believed, suggested a turning point in the rickety conservative wheelhouse, base be damned (except that Bobby Jindal, Rick Santorum and Ted Cruz all committed to reversing LGBT progress).

Not surprisingly, much of the red meat being used to chum the noisy base of riled-up Fox fans teetered on the bravado of threatened men in suits.

Why? Well, obviously because Hillary Clinton is waiting in the wings, and we all know how easy it is to get groups of people to scream obscenities about that woman.

But it was Trump who ultimately showed the true nature of the current conservative discourse (replete with reproductive choice buried in the code). After Kelly brought up his “fat pig” remarks against Rosie O’Donnell and, well, an entire gender he doesn’t understand, Trump warned against politeness.

“I think the big problem this country has is being politically correct. I’ve been challenged by so many people, and I don’t frankly have time for total political correctness and, to be honest with you, this country doesn’t have time either,” he said.

This country doesn’t have time for you, your insolence, your blinders or your ill-gotten fortune, Mr. Trump. Step aside.

Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

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Augus t 13 -26 , 2015 // Issue 22.17

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