Watermark Issue 22.25: Riding off the metro

daytona beach • orlando • tampa • st. petersburg • sarasota • issue 22.25 • december 3 - 16, 2015 • watermarkonline.com

Your lgbt life.

RAISING

THE BAR hOw yOUr LOCAL wAtering hOLes Are ChAnging with the times

RIDING OFF THE METRO Chris rudisill takes the leap from Metro to Ft. Lauderdale’s Stonewall National Museum and Archives

NEW

STRIPES

zeBrA yOUth COUnCiL rAises AwAreness

shop small.

buy local.

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Support local businesses by choosing from our selection of home décor, hand-crafted furniture, apparel, all natural bath & body and also find Ron Jon Surf Shop, Bass Pro Shops and Cinemark Theatres, all under one roof for a totally unpredictable holiday shopping experience.

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departments 6 // mail 7 // editor’s desk 13 // orlando news 16 // tampa bay news 20 // state 22 // nation & world news 29 // in-depth 37 // 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

PAGE

29

Let’s face it, social media isn’t going away. It’s a part of the whole experience of going out— heck, of all of life, anymore.

—stOnewall OrlandO Owner steVen watkins

on the cover

PAGE a camp legend’s grown-up christmas list: “I guess I could be political

37

PAGE AT THE STATION:

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Amid of flurry of activity around St. Pete’s Grand Central District (or Gayborhood), Metro Wellness figurehead Chris rudisill takes his bow this month, promising to keep up the good work at the Stonewall Museum and Archives in Ft. Lauderdale.

and want peace in Baltimore. I always think maybe I should do drugs again. I hate fruit baskets.

watermark i ssue 22.25 // december 3 - december 16, 2015

all the stripes

klan takes JaX

unelectable?

planned perishing

PAGE Orlando’s Zebra Coalition

PAGE As Jacksonville continues

PAGE

PAGE

Photo by Jake Stevens

scan Qr code For

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read it Online!

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continues to expand its impact into local universities and local lives. Now we’re getting somewhere.

20

its fight to enact a Human Rights Ordinance, the ugliest colors of the south start to shine with threats and flyers.

Our favorite do-gooder returns to address the crisis that is currently known as “unelectable” candidates by way of sometimes-grumpy Bernie Sanders. Shouldn’t we all be grumpy sometimes?

25

Our political column Uprisings doesn’t feel very dear to Robert Dear, the man who in one fell swoop reminded America that there are terrorists among us, and they will, in fact, make already difficult decisions terrifying.

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Decemb er 3 - Decemb er 16 , 2015 // Issue 2 2. 25

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top web comments From Facebook: On the ACLU suing for student’s right to wear “Some people are gay, get over it” t-shirt:

“Provoke them toward civil rights? That is indeed dangerous.”

—Rachel Wilson

On lesbian standup comic Suzanne Westenhoefer coming to St. Petersburg:

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—Anthony Hamilton

“Finally businesses recognizing LGBT people as objects of hate-crimes.

This is big.”

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“Never had any issues on CCL or RCCL - - majority of staff are gay on almost all cruise lines.”

“Never had an incident.

What a sad story.”

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On Stephen Sondheim being named among the 17 recipients to be honored

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On a gay man who fell off a cruise ship still missing:

“Last time I was on Oasis there was a gay wedding taking place. The things I am hearing just don’t make sense. Never had an issue ever with RCCL.”

“How did he get out onto the davits? Was he in a balcony room? Any history of mental illness? Where’s the video from the cruise ship? Did staff inform the

“Clearly everyone has different experiences.

However, my husband and I have taken several and we’ve never had issues.

Typically they will go out of

On Hope & Help hiring a new events lead:

—David Bain

“Great news for us Sondheimites!”

—Stephen Miller

“What a great choice.

Michael [Morman] is just fantastic.”

—George Wallace

Watermark’s John Waters ticket giveaway Watermark is so excited that John Waters is coming to Florida for Christmas that we groped some elves and got a pair of tickets for one lucky freak. So turn to page 37, bone up on your Waters’ knowledge and head over to WatermarkOnline.com to submit an answer to our John Waters trivia question for a chance to win. Is your flamingo pink enough? Good luck.

Winter Park 321.203.2900 Follow us on:

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On Seattle Starbucks joins LGBT hate crime safe haven program:

WatermarkOnline.com:

—Robert Hillyer

wave

—Mickey Layman

their way to make sure that we aren’t being harassed.”

—Michael Moriarty

“I love her, especially since she ditched the perm.”

watermark’s

bridge of an imminent MOB so the ship could begin to stop or deploy a rescue boat?”

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contributors

Photo by robert bArtLett

editor’s

Billy manes editOr

BIlly@WatermarkOnline.com

w

desk

hen dame daVid bOwie OnCe

asked us to “turn and face the strange,” because, you know, “ch-ch-ch-changes,” we had some idea what he was going on about.

It wasn’t all platform shoes and glitter, shaved eyebrows and existential overstatement, the cold war and some cold cream—it was about evolving as people, living statements and art installations.

Minus a trickle of pretension, that’s what this issue is largely about, too.

We’re moving, not stopping; we’re trying, not giving up. We got this.

As several stories within this dangling, old-year issue purport, those changes don’t always come easy, and if we choose to roll our eyes and ignore our movements forward, we become the wrinkles of our checkered pasts. We become boring crow’s feet.

But, as magic would have it, we aren’t fraying or decaying; in fact,

we’re stridently moving forward as an LGBT culture. Our cover man, Metro Wellness hero Brian Rudisill, is hopping, skipping and jumping into a new role with a similar theme: He’ll be heading up the Stonewall National Museum and Archives down in Ft. Lauderdale.

While Rudisill will be missed—his reputation is one of smart talk on even smarter issues concerning the LGBT community; he’s also one who calls back when needed— his exit marks a new day for the Gulf Coast.

But Metro isn’t the only institution that finds itself in the throes of evolution. A lot of noise has been made about the end of the gay bar, the last gasps of our

gathering places, the confetti on the floor that marks the end of the party or the cessation of the political movement. Obviously, none of this is true. You can still get fired. Also, you still need a hug every now and then.

This issue, we reached out to some of the more prominent proprietors of our noted watering holes just to pose the question: What do you do when the river runs dry? Or, rather, what do you do when everyone seems to be working some clandestine, digital railroad of hook-ups and bygones?

Sure, the word clouds hanging over our heads have indicated, with mild precipitation, that we are becoming a less personal, more immediate culture. Fine, we also have cable. But what doesn’t get as much notice is that movement toward streamlining our entertainment centers to meet the needs of our local cultures. Not every gay bar is a vacuum of oonceoonce beats, blank-eyed stares and underwear dancing (though, there’s nothing wrong with that). Many are evolving in a way that a community that is increasingly accepting of LGBT identities should. In other words, sometimes gay people eat. Also, sometimes we have conversations that don’t involve sexual prudence and its opposite while spinning our heads into the various ethers that inhalants and potables imply. Sometimes we’re just people in need of support.

This time around, we take a gander at what some of our favorite liberation libation liquidators are working on to make a better future for themselves and for us, their patrons. If you ignore a change in business models, it can fester; if you embrace it, it can foster a whole new cultural zeitgeist.

Don’t get me wrong. If I’m handed a shot at 1 a.m., odds are I’m not diving into a pool of

intellectualism or a vat of academia.

But if I do have a conversation with someone, and I do feel the connection of life at its most convivial, then I’ve done myself a favor. I’ve also saved electricity by lighting up a room. (Or I’ve fallen from a bar stool, but don’t worry about me.)

Speaking of changes, Baltimore’s godfather John Waters jumps out of his sleigh just long enough to coin a phrase or four—we love him, clearly, even if he may be a high-yellow—and American Horror Story’s Sarah Paulson

You can still get fired. Also, you still need a hug every now and then.

speaks almost defiantly about the unbearable vagueness of being a lesbian icon.

We have a couple of old faces— we’re looking at you, Greg Stemm and Scottie Campbell—returning to the fold and kicking up Viewpoint dust about coming out at Christmas and presidential “electability” having a dubious ring to it. We try to pick up our jaws at the absence of change that led to a Klan revival around the Jacksonville human rights ordinance. And we get justifiably angry about the recent attacks on innocent people legally using Planned Parenthood (and the police officers who lost their lives protecting them).

In other words, we’re minding our shifting plates, we’re not giving up on anything, and we will change the world as the world changes with us—not against us.

We’re not angry. We’re just going through the turn. And we’re facing the strange.

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Decemb er 3 - Decemb er 16 , 2015 // Issue 2 2. 25

greg stemm

lives in Gulfport, Fla., and has worked as a freelance writer for several local publications. He is a founding member of St. Pete Pride and active politically in Tampa Bay. Page 23

STEPHEN miller

is a long-time Watermark contributor and author of Screened Out, our movie reviews column. He is also an Orlando playwright and business consultant. Pages 29

Chris azzOpardi

is the editor of Q Syndicate, the international LGBT wire service and has interviewed a wide range of celebrities, including Cher and Lady Gaga. He lives in Canton, Mich., and can be reached via his website at Chris-Azzopardi.com. Page 31 aaron alper, scottie campbell, susan clary, krista ditucci, kirk hartlage, Joseph kissel, Jason leclerc, mary meeks, stephen miller, david moran, gregg shipiro, greg stemm, dr. steve yacovelli, , michael wanzie

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watermark Your lgbt life.

Decemb er 3 - Decemb er 16 , 2015 // Issue 2 2. 25

central florida news

new stripes:

(L to R) Zebra Youth Council member shane young, Zebra executive director heather Wilkie, and Youth Council members Melanie De La Paz, grace Zottig and Ana suarez break bread together at a Thanksgiving dinner hosted by the Youth Council Nov. 24.

Photo by DeAnnDrA Meno

Young with heart Zebra Coalition’s Youth Council acts as ambassadors for LGBT equality Ciara Varone

O

rlandO | The Zebra House has always been a safe space that takes in LGBT youth, but now the Zebra Coalition is reaching outward, into the community, with a Zebra Youth Council.

Nine young people, ages 17 to 24, have been serving on the council since this past summer. In addition to their role as ambassadors for the LGBT youth community, the council members are tasked with helping Zebra Coalition to better understand the young people it serves. The Coalition is a network of Central Florida social service providers, government agencies, schools, and colleges and universities that provide a full continuum of services to at-risk LGBT+ youth.

Heather Wilkie, director of Zebra Coalition, says the council formed after groups at Rollins College and the University of Central Florida contacted Zebra.

“The idea behind the youth council is that they serve as ambassadors for Zebra, so they can go back to their respective schools and become

advocates in talking about raising awareness for the mission, which is to serve LGBTQ+ youth,” Wilkie says.

Shane Young, 17, was appointed as the council’s treasurer in August, but he’s not new to Zebra. Young, who is transgender, says he started using Zebra’s counseling services about three years ago.

“Without [Zebra], there aren’t any resources for the youth in the LGBT community. There’s the Center and there’s stuff like that, but it’s for 18 and up,” Young says. “A lot of places don’t have somewhere where you can go when you’re under 18. I don’t know what I would have done.”

The youth council meets weekly to plan events and activities.

“You’re planning the things for other people to enjoy, so it’s nice,” Young says. “When we attend it, we can see the other people and how much they like it or if they don’t, we can ask them questions.”

Young says he thinks the intimate, home-like setup of the Zebra center is an appealing setting for these events.

“We give you the option to walk away if you’re feeling too emotional, and sometimes you can’t do that everywhere,“ Young says.“This is more

of a safe environment for people than being out in the open.”

Members Ana Suarez, Grace Zottig and Melanie De La Paz all consider themselves LGBTQ allies and all chose to volunteer at Zebra as part of the community outreach component for their Intro to SWAG (Sexuality, Women and Gender studies) class at Rollins College.

Suarez, 22, says she has always been fascinated by the way the LGBT community has been marginalized, and the psychological analysis and waiting period required for those seeking gender reassignment surgery is especially shocking.

“People are allowed to change the shape of their nose or, you know, alter themselves in drastic physical ways just for cosmetic reasons, and they don’t have to go through any sort of evaluation,” Suarez says. “But someone who know that inside they’re one way or another, they’re not allowed to make that choice.”

Suarez was recently appointed social media ambassador for the council.

“We need youth to drive that,” Wilkie says. “[The council] helps us to be able to say, ‘Hey, this may be a way that we want to go in this direction, because the youth are interested in this.’”

Zottig, 20, noted the role the council plays in Zebra’s mission.

“It’s hard to say that anyone is going to love something unless you’re working directly with the people that you’re serving,” she says. “We work as a team to really figure out what events or what activities will be useful.”

watermark Your lgbt life.

three central Florida companies earn perFect score From hrc Jamie Hyman

w

ashingtOn, d.C. | Nine Florida companies— including three based in Central Florida— are tops when it comes to LGBT equality, according to the Human Rights Campaign.

The HRC’s annual Corporate Equality Index scores companies in five areas: non-discrimination policies; employment benefits; a demonstrated organizational competency and accountability of LGBT diversity and inclusion; public commitment to LGBT equality; and responsible citizenship.

In 2016, nine Florida-based companies earned a perfect 100 percent. They are: Akerman LLP, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida Inc., Carlton Fields Jorden Burt, Darden Restaurants Inc., Harris Corp., Holland & Knight LLP, Office Depot Inc., Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Tech Data Corp. Darden, Harris and Carlton Fields are all based in Central Florida.

“Diversity and inclusion are business imperatives at Darden, and our commitment extends to and embraces the LGBT community,” said Danielle Kirgan, chief human resources Officer for Darden, in an email to Watermark. “Fostering a diverse workforce further enables us to retain the best, most talented team members.”

The HRC scored 851 companies this year. 407 of those earned a perfect score, up from 366 last year.

do you know this woman?

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Lake County police are renewing efforts to identify the body of a woman found along a Clermont road in 1988 after new DNA testing revealed the victim was transgender. She’s about 5’10”, 150-180 pounds, and between 24 and 33 years old. Anyone with information is asked to call Cpt. Tamara Dale at 352-343-2101 or anonymous tipsters can call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.

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Decemb er 3 - Decemb er 16 , 2015 // Issue 2 2. 25

tampa bay news

radio days meets garrison keillor at una voce’s “the Fairy home companions” Krista DiTucci

mOVing On:

Chris rudisill leaves Metro Tampa Bay after three years to become the new executive director of Stonewall National Museum and Archives in Fort Lauderdale.

Photo By JAKe steVens

At the station METRO’s Chris Rudisill bids Tampa Bay adieu as he catches the train to Fort Lauderdale Jeremy Williams

A

fter more than five years as a visible face of the LGBT community, Chris Rudisill will be leaving METRO and the Tampa Bay area Dec. 4.

Rudisill, 39, ran St. Pete Pride for three seasons starting in 2010 before being recruited by METRO CEO Lorraine Langlois as the Director of LGBT Community Center Services in 2012. Since then, he has helped build up Metro Health and Wellness from an HIV/AIDS clinic into an “all under one roof” LGBT community center that includes primary healthcare, a welcome center and programs developed to assist with transgender issues, PrEP and LGBT elderly concerns.

Rudisill will be the new executive director of Stonewall National Museum and Archives. The change takes Rudisill from the Tampa Bay area to Fort Lauderdale in South Florida.

Rudisill, along with his fiancé (“The

rings have been purchased”) Jacob Hamm, will be saying goodbye to the community at a farewell event at the St. Pete Metro LGBT Center Dec. 3. But before the tearful farewells, Rudisill sat down with Watermark to discuss what he learned from working at METRO and what he’ll miss most about St. Pete. when you started with st. pete pride in 2010, what was the lgbt scene like in tampa bay?

It’s interesting, because I was fairly new to the area as well as new to St. Pete Pride. Brian Longstreth and the board of St. Pete Pride had done an amazing job. It shocked me when I moved here that St. Pete Pride was the largest in the state, but it was built by huge community support.

Brian had led that in a great way and built that foundation. It wasn’t nearly at the level it is at now, but I think we capped out at over 100,000 that year, so it was already at a good peak and the community wasn’t too different. There was a Georgie’s and

it was strong then; it was the center of the community in a lot of ways. I hate to say a bar is the center of the community but it really was: Metro was still located across the street next to Georgie’s; Pride’s office and TIGLFF were at the King of Peace. A lot of the organizations got their start in that office in King of Peace, and that led to one of the things I really love about St. Pete, and will continue to love about St. Pete: the organizations work really well together, and part of that was we were all centered around this one community.

whAt is it ABOUt this COmmUnity thAt hAs ALLOwed sO mAny LgBt OrgAnizAtiOns tO succeed and flourish?

St. Pete is in the midst of a huge renaissance of growth and culture. I see St. Pete as a vibrant, cosmopolitan city with a beach lifestyle and that makes it very comfortable for people. I have been amazed at how welcoming this city has been and that goes a long towards how successful we have been. Ever since Jacob and I moved here, there’s never been a point where we didn’t feel comfortable and safe walking hand-in-hand anywhere in the city. you made the jump from st. pete pride to metro in 2012. what was it that made you make the jump from running an event Centered On CeLeBrAtiOn tO An

E

ntertainment fans can experience live radio show entertainment and comic relief this holiday season at Una Voce’s “The Fairy Home Companions: A Comedic Satire,” on Dec. 11 and Dec. 13.

Joseph Caulkins, Una Voce’s artistic director, says he grew up in the Midwest listening to Garrison Keillor’s live radio variety show, A Prairie Home Companion. He thought it would be a fun idea to turn the show into a parody and “make it a little more gay and exciting.”

The show is a hybrid of theater and concert, which Caulkins describes as “Radio Days meets Garrison Keillor.” He says the night will include holiday music, skits, jingles, and zany, fun things that happen on live radio shows.

“It’s going to be a really nice holiday event,” Caulkins says. “It’s really funny and hilarious comedy along with great singing.”

Tom Barker, Una Voce’s executive director, says some of the music is not what people would normally expect to hear at a holiday performance, but that they can also expect several traditional elements. He says the central theme is really just about being joyful over the holidays.

“We get so bogged down with everything in everyday life,” Barker says. “This show is lighthearted and fun and also beautiful. It expresses a lot of different sentiments.”

Miguel Fuller, host of “Hot Dish with Miguel and Holly” on 101.5 FM, will be hosting the show.

Other special guests for the evening will include WoodWorks, a marimba ensemble comprised of four percussionists, and musical numbers by Michelle Caulkins.

“I’ve worked with WoodWorks many times, and they always find a nice way of presenting high quality music in an entertaining style,” Caulkins says. “Having four percussionists opened up a lot of repertoire which couldn’t have happened without their expertise.”

Caulkins mentions “The Elves’ Broadway Christmas” as a particularly noteworthy performance.

He says the piece, commissioned by Una Voce from Kevin Robison, director of the Atlanta gay men’s chorus, includes “words of Christmas carols put into Broadway songs.” Caulkins says this will be the first time Una Voce performs this piece.

Caulkins says the performance that will probably stand out the most is “Gaudete,” arranged by Michael Engelhardt, a tune from 1582 with a stout beat given to it.

“It’s an interesting mash-up of a medieval

continued on pg. 16 | uu |

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continued on pg. 16 | uu |

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tampa bay news | uu | Chris Rudisill from pg.15

organization that deals with a heavy subject like HIV/AIDS?

Two reasons, actually. First, I honestly felt like it was time for someone else to run Pride. Brian and the rest of the board had done a tremendous job taking Pride to another level, and I think in the three seasons I was there I was able to propel Pride to another level, and it needed new leadership and new blood to take it to take it up again to another level. It was the right time to leave, plus I got to go out on the 10year anniversary, so that was a great time to go out at a big Pride moment.

Personally, it was about taking that next step in my professional career and doing more direct services, getting more directly involved in the community, and I was excited to be getting a chance to help build these programs with [Executive Director] Lorraine [Langlois]. She approached me and there had not been a director level position overseeing the LGBT Centers. We all had that shared vision, so it was a great opportunity to dig in and help shape the Center and the community.

What are the big lessons you’ve learned during your time at METRO?

Collaboration is key. I’ve seen communities come together and fall apart and it’s all around the collaboration. You don’t always have to agree but you have to be able to work with each other. At the heart of it, that is what has made St. Pete such a strong community. After I leave, I hope people will continue to keep getting involved. One of the things that has made our lives so fulfilling here is that we have been involved in everything we could be.

That doesn’t mean everyone try and get in a leadership role. That means whether you are coming to a trans support group or a queer youth night or going to the film festival or volunteering at Equality Florida, it’s important to get involoved in the community.

METRO recently received a grant from the CDC, one of only three organizations in the entire state of Florida to get the grant. What is it about METRO that attracts the attention of federal groups like the CDC?

I think it’s the care that METRO has

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After I leave, I hope will continue to keep getting involved.

One of the things that has made our lives so fulfilling here is that we have been involved in everything we could be.

—Chris Rudisill

for its clients. The people that work here care so much about the clients and the community as a whole and people notice that. You have to have that care to have quality services, and I think it’s noticeable. When they walk through the door of any of METRO’s locations they know they have found a safe space, they have found a caring home and caring people. If it’s an HIV patient, they know that they will find a person who will walk them through every aspect of care; if it’s an LGBT teen, they know they have found a place they can be themselves. That comes through because of the entire staff here. They have all been amazing to work with.

METRO has grown into a huge entity in the community, but when they started they were established as an HIV clinic.

In the time you have been here, how has the perception of HIV changed and how does METRO help in changing the negative perception?

There is still a lot of work to do with HIV stigma, perception around HIV and prevention. I see it improving.

I see the gay community talking about HIV again which is hugely important to eradicating this disease. One of the most important things METRO has done to help change that and help shift that tide has been being out there, and since I’ve been here I have seen a huge increase in our outreach into the community. I think more and more people know what METRO does.

As we have added the primary care and the behavior health aand as we continue to add program after program especially in the last two

years, huge amount of growth, it has helped propel our status and image in the community. People are more aware that we are here than they were before, which in turn has people talking not only LGBT issues but about HIV. They see the METRO van and they see us talking about prevention, it all adds to it.

I think that is helping but there is still a whole lot of work to do.

There are still way too many people testing positive, Florida is now No. 1 for new infections and it breaks my heart to continue to see young people come in and test positive.

I’m so glad we are doing PrEP now and hopefully we will start to see a change in the numbers. As the PrEP conversation continues and people become more educated, the most important thing though is that people are talking about it. To me that is huge benefit of PrEP, it is starting the conversations that we need to be having. People talking

| uu | Una Voce from pg.15

tune in an urban rhythmic arrangement,” Caulkins says.

“It’s a wonderful combination of ancient and modern.”

A noteworthy comedic piece will be a skit of “Hermey the Elf” in which Hermey is portrayed as a curmudgeon who always aspired to be a dentist instead of a toymaker and grows up to tell his disgruntled story.

“There is variety, comedy, and touching beautiful moments of chorale music, then there’s this zany hilarious

watermark Your lgbt life.

about HIV again, that’s the first step to really making a difference.

Do you think the numbers have gone up in Florida because people don’t see HIV as a deadly disease anymore, or is it that because of the conversation more people are getting tested?

That’s a good question; I don’t know the numbers as far as how many HIV tests were given this year as compared to last year. I would guess it’s a mix of both. I don’t think a lot of younger people realize the seriousness of HIV, I also think there as been a benefit of PrEP in larger cities changing the tide. You also have prevention from positive programs that are really taking a new push on the way we do prevention. Making sure HIV-positive people are in care and continue to get care. It all goes interaction,” Barker says.

The night will end with “New Years Carol” by Ola Gjeilo. Caulkins says the central message is that we remember all the great feelings we get around the holidays and pay those feelings forward all year long.

“When you get all of this talent together and you’re making great music, it really tells what Christmas is all about,” Barker says. “The joy of being around people you care about, the people you love and want to have a good time with.”

The Dec. 11 performance will be held at 8 p.m. at The

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hand-in-hand, but I don’t know the facts so I don’t want to say for sure but I would guess it’s a bit of both.

With the stigmas associated with HIV, do you think it has been beneficial to the discussion having celebrities, for example Charlie Sheen and Danny Pintauro, coming out as HIV-positive and in interviews saying it was there “risky behaviors” that led to their positive status?

I think, on one hand, it adds to the stigma because it doesn’t take risky behavior to become HIV-positive, it only takes one occurrence. There’s a big difference, so I can see where it’s adding to the stigma but on the other hand sometimes any media attention is good news. We have got to get HIV back into the public’s eye to make a huge difference so I see the benefits from it.

We have been discussing a lot about people needing to talk about HIV again. Why did the community stop talking about it?

You have to look at the gay community and say what did we do to let people forget, because we did.

I don’t know if it is even beneficial to look back and see what we did wrong; I think it’s better to look forward and say this is what we need to do. We need to start talking about HIV the same way we talk about all other LGBT issues. It needs to be a part of our discussion about LGBT health. There is no reason an HIV discussion should not be included in every LGBT person’s health just as much as a talk about your blood pressure.

Palladium in St. Petersburg. The Dec. 13 performance will be held at 4 p.m. at the Hillsborough Community College Mainstage Theater. Tickets are $25 for general admission and $40 for the “gold ticket,” which includes a complimentary beverage, early theater entry, and VIP seating.

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state news

Benjamin harris Manses

kkk distributes anti-gay Flyers in Jacksonville neighborhoods Jeremy Williams

J

aCksOnVille | In an apparent response to a proposed Human Rights Ordinance (HRO), the Ku Klux Klan distributed flyers encouraging gay bashing throughout Jacksonville neighborhoods Nov. 20.

The flyers were distributed in the Riverside area, wellknown as Jacksonville’s LGBT neighborhood, as well as in the Mandarin and Southside

18

neighborhoods, according to Jimmy Midyette of Jacksonville Coalition for Equality, a civil rights group who has been working to get sexual orientation and gender identity added to the city’s HRO. “I think the opponents of equality, at least it seems, are frustrated by the process because we have a Republican mayor who is leading it. I think that this is the way their frustration has bubbled out, with this hate,” Midyette says.

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, who spoke with FloridaPolitics. com Nov. 23, said these threats

are the “lowest forms of human behavior and bigotry.”

The flyers, which were placed in bags of rice, read “STOP AIDS, support gay bashing” and are from the Loyal White Knights of the KKK. The flyer includes a “Klan Hotline” as well as a website.

The hotline, a North Carolina number, leads to a message describing a recent news story involving the death of a one-year-old black child. The message concludes with “always remember if it ain’t white, it ain’t

watermark Your lgbt life.

right. White power.”

The flyer also states “ban non-white immigration, outlaw Haitians and deport mud people.”

The bill is expected to be filed with the City Council by early 2016. “Equality Florida members in Jacksonville have responded to these ugly, hateful attacks by redoubling their commitment to securing these long overdue protections,” Equality Florida’s executive director Nadine Smith said in a statement to Watermark. “We are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with the local leadership team and all fair minded people in Jacksonville who refuse to be intimidated by those who seek to use fear to block progress. In their own twisted way, they have made the clearest argument for passing the protections they seek to block.”

Mandarin resident Kelly Ramdial and her husband went throughout their neighborhood, gathering the flyers up and throwing them away, she told News4Jax. “I saw a truck go by, throwing things in people’s yards and saw what it was, and it was extremely offensive. A flyer asking people to join the KKK. We were worried at first, because we’re an interracial couple and didn’t know if we were being targeted,” Ramdial said.

Midyette says he heard reports of a champagne-colored truck in the neighborhoods distributing the flyers, but no arrests have been made.

The flyers were distributed the same day a 25-year-old Jacksonville man was arrested

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for leaving a voicemail saying he would bomb a Dec. 3 community meeting at Edward Waters College. The meeting is to discuss the city’s proposed Human Rights Ordinance.

Benjamin Harris Manses left the message on the voicemail of a Florida Times-Union reporter Nov. 19. He was arrested at his home in Arlington Nov. 20, according to the police report. No bomb was found at the residence.

Manses told police that he was drunk and did not mean what he said, according to the report.

Curry said “the public ought to feel good about the quick arrest” and added that “public safety is top priority.”

Midyette says that while specifics cannot be discussed, “Security is being heightened for the Dec. 3 meeting to ensure everyone is safe.”

Even with the attacks, those supporting the HRO have not wavered in their efforts to get it passed. The Jacksonville Coalition for Equality has announced the endorsement of prominent Jacksonville reverend R.L. Gundy, as well as dozens of other local faith leaders. This is a big change from 2012 when Gundy and a gaggle of evangelical leaders spoke out against adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the city’s HRO. “I used to criticize people who were gay but then, I had a young man in my church who died from AIDS,” Gundy said to WJCT. “When I went to the hospital to talk with him, I said ‘Why didn’t you come talk to me?’ And he said, ‘Pastor, I didn’t feel like I could talk to you.

I didn’t feel like the church would accept me.’”

Gundy said that is a moment that still haunts him today, and if the church had been more accepting perhaps the young man would still be alive today.

“From that point on, I started doing more and more research.

I started engaging myself into what this LGBT was really all about,” Gundy said.

The Dec. 3 meeting is the second in a series of three called “Community Conversations” and will focus on the theme of religious freedom, thoughts and beliefs. The meetings were ordered by the mayor in order to gauge public opinion on the HRO. The final meeting is scheduled for Dec. 15.

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nation+world news

arizona lesbian sues tribe over gay marriage Wire Report

F

LAGSTAFF, Ariz. | Cleo Pablo married her longtime partner when same-sex weddings became legal in Arizona.

She looked forward to the day when her wife and their children could move into her home in the small Native American community outside Phoenix where she grew up.

That day never came. The AkChin Indian Community doesn’t recognize same-sex marriages and has a law that prohibits unmarried couples from living together. So Pablo voluntarily gave up her tribal home and now is suing the tribe in tribal court to have her marriage validated.

“I want equal opportunity,” Pablo said. “I want what every married couple has.”

Pablo’s situation reflects an overlooked story line following the U.S. Supreme Court’s historic decision this year that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide: American Indian reservations are not bound by the decision and many continue to forbid gay marriages and deny insurance and other benefits.

The reasons vary and to some extent depend on

cultural recognition of gender identification and roles, and the influence of outside religions, legal experts say. Other issues like high unemployment, alcoholism and suicides on reservations also could be higher on the priority list, said Ann Tweedy, an associate professor at the Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota, who has studied tribal marriage laws.

Advocacy groups largely have stayed away from pushing tribes for change, recognizing that tribes have the inherent right to regulate domestic relations within their boundaries.

“Tribal sovereignty is very important to tribes,” Tweedy said.

“They don’t want to just adopt what the U.S. does.”

Pablo follows in the footsteps of a handful of other tribal members in Oregon, Washington state and Michigan who lobbied their governments for marriage equality.

The Ak-Chin Indian Community wouldn’t comment directly on Pablo’s lawsuit but said marriage laws are a matter for the tribe to decide, not the U.S. Supreme Court.

Change for some tribes came easily.

The Central Council Tlingit

& Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska enacted a marriage statute in March to expand court services.

Chief Justice Debra O’Gara said leaders talked more about whether to allow members of the same clan to marry than members of the same sex.

“There was very little controversy over the same gender aspect because everybody believed it should be open,” she said. “Whoever our citizens are should have the same rights as everyone else.”

Fred Urbina, general counsel for the Pascua Yaqui Tribe in southern Arizona, said he suspects the tribe’s laws that are silent on gay marriage will be questioned in the context of benefits and insurance for employee spouses.

Pablo and her son moved in with Tara Roy-Pablo and her children in Phoenix after she discovered the tribe wouldn’t provide insurance to her entire family and she risked arrest if they stayed in her tribal home.

Pablo said she’s never felt unwelcome in the tribal community where she works as a probation officer, but doesn’t believe she should be treated differently under the law.

“As Native people in the community, we’re taught to stand in the background, not create waves,” she said. “I’ve done the opposite. People know who I am, who I was. I wouldn’t rock the boat. It gets to the point if you don’t say anything, nothing is going to change.”

New law in Vietnam paves the way for transgender rights Wire Report Hanoi, Vietnam | Gay and transgender activists in Vietnam say a new law recognizing their rights will pave the way for gender reassignment surgery and reduce discrimination in the communist country.

Vietnam’s National Assembly Nov. 24 unanimously passed the law, which will take effect in 2017 as part of the revised civil code.

According to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly, the law was passed to

“meet the demands of a part of the society in accordance with international practice and not counter to the national tradition.”

Those who have undergone transgender reassignment will be allowed to register under their new gender with their personal rights protected accordingly, the Thanh Nien newspaper quoted the committee as saying.

Huynh Minh Thao of ICS, an LGBT group, said the law will make it legal for hospitals to perform gender reassignment surgeries. So far, Vietnamese had to travel to neighboring Thailand

for such procedures.

“This is a good opportunity for the Vietnamese health services to perform transgender surgeries, which are illegal now,” Thao said.

Last year, the National Assembly passed a revised law on marriage and family, which lifted the ban on same-sex marriages.

However, the government still doesn’t recognize them.

There are estimated 270,000 to 450,000 transgender people in Vietnam, which has a population of 90 million people.

watermark Your lgbt life.

in other news Ohio group adopts road in memory of transgender teen The Ohio Department of Transportation has erected signs indicating that a group has adopted a stretch of highway in southwestern Ohio in memory of a transgender teenager who killed herself there nearly a year ago. Seventeen-yearold Leelah Alcorn left a handwritten note on her bed – “I’ve had enough” – and did an online search about runaway assistance and the word “suicide” before walking into the path of a tractor-trailer on Interstate 71 in suburban Cincinnati in late December. Leelah’s death prompted vigils, social media discussions and online petitions supporting transgender people. Reports said that Chris Fortin, a 2001 graduate of the same high school Leelah once attended, led the Adopt-A-Highway effort in her memory.

Gender-neutral bathrooms become law in Philadelphia Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter signed legislation requiring restaurants, bars and other private establishments to designate all single-occupancy restrooms as gender neutral. The law would require all signage be non-gender specific by Jan. 20, 2016. The Department of Licenses and Inspections will oversee the law’s enforcement. Businesses will have 90 days from the time of the laws implementation to make the change or face fines up to $2,000. The law will not apply to restrooms which are considered multi-occupant or which contain multiple stalls.

Portugal allows same-sex adoption, lesbian artificial insemination Portugal’s Parliament has approved laws allowing same-sex couples to legally adopt children and permitting lesbians to obtain medically assisted fertilization. Left-of-center parties used their outright parliamentary majority to ensure the bills passed Nov. 20. Parliament in 2013 approved a law allowing gay married couples to adopt their partners’ children but rejected legislation granting gay couples the same adoption rights as heterosexuals. Reversing legislation enacted by the outgoing center-right government, Parliament also removed hospital charges for voluntary abortions through the 10th week of pregnancy and waived mandatory counselling before the procedure is carried out.

New Delhi Pride celebrates progress while fighting for LGBT rights Hundreds of gay rights activists marched in a parade in New Delhi, celebrating what they call the diversity of gender and sexuality. Organizers said that while the gay pride parade celebrated the gains India’s LGBT community has made in recent years, they also wanted to highlight the continuing discrimination it faces. Activists had cheered in 2009 when the New Delhi High Court declared Section 377 of the Penal Code, which criminalizes homosexual acts, unconstitutional. But the judgment was overturned four years later when India’s Supreme Court decided that amending or repealing Section 377 should be a matter left to Parliament, not the judiciary.

Decemb er 3 - Decemb er 16 , 2015 // Issue 2 2. 25

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Decemb er 3 - Decemb er 16 , 2015 // Issue 2 2. 25

and Vegeterian Cuisine Greek, Mediterranean,

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f we were a bunCh Of

Pagan Romans marking their end of year holiday celebrations, we’d wish each other a “Happy Saturnalia,” get drunk, smoke a bunch of weed and have a huge orgy.

Since I can’t possibly imagine any of you celebrating like that (ok, well maybe one or two of you), we are left with the specter of schlepping our gay-appareled buns to dreaded holiday family gatherings.

Regardless of what holiday you are celebrating, this time of year can be incredibly stressful as we venture into the strange land of straight people, especially when they are family members.

I find that the most stressful thing for me is the culture shock. I have to remind myself that Springfield, Ohio, is about as different from my home here in Gulfport as Baghdad is to Washington, D.C. There won’t be any people walking a goat on a leash in Springfield: no lesbian drum circles on the beach; no LGBTQ Resource Center under a huge rainbow flag in the public library in Springfield. If someone talks about their “partner,” I have to remember they are probably talking about a business relationship.

And if I want to walk up Main Street in Springfield holding

of my mouth, the steam freezes on my face turning my mustache into a blond iceberg, which makes me look like a character out of Dr. Zhivago.

Welcome home. Ho, Ho, Ho. A word of advice to you shoe queens. Go out and buy yourself a stylish-but-warm set of hiking boots. They are they only footwear you’re going to need. Even if you have to get dressed up to go to church or temple, you’ll note that the ever-practical northerners you’ll be sitting with are wearing the same thing. You aren’t going to want to wear your Pradas in that slushy mess up there anyway.

You’ll fit right in.

If you happen to be thinking of coming out of the closet to your entire family by dropping the news at a holiday dinner, I have one word to say to you: don’t. You don’t want an entire legion to pounce on you. Your only ally might be old spinster Aunt Ida, and her “family friend,” who she’s lived with for 30 years (wink wink). Do you really want to drop the G-bomb on the family right after Uncle Ernie has just spent the last 20 minutes extolling the virtues of Donald Trump, and why he’d be a great president?

On the other end of the spectrum, we have a real change this year in that some of us will be traveling home with our newly legitimately and legally married spouses for the first time. This should be a joyous time, and for some families it will be. Others may have some challenges. What

If you happen to be thinking of coming out of the closet to your entire family by dropping the news at a holiday dinner, I have one word to say to you: don’t.

my boyfriend’s hand—something that is so common in Gulfport and St. Petersburg it doesn’t even merit a second look—I’d better be ready to get a beat down.

For many of us a trip to the family homestead means we have to travel to the tundra. Remember when you are packing that you are in essence packing for a polar expedition. The last time I went to Ohio for the holidays it was a balmy 82 degrees when I got on the plane in Tampa.

It was 4 degrees when I got off the plane in Columbus—4 whole degrees. Do you remember what 4 degrees does?

It freezes the snot in my nose and, as I’m breathing out

is your response going to be when your mother suggests that you and your “friend” will be sleeping in separate bedrooms? I would argue that this is where we make our stand. That kind of suggestion was insulting and demeaning when you might have been bringing your “boyfriend”

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or “partner” home, but married is married and that kind of nonsense shouldn’t be acceptable. You probably know your own family best, though. If you think there might be a problem, get a hotel room close by so that where people sleep becomes a non-issue.

I’d also suggest renting a car while you are there so you can escape. I always sneak

away to “go visit a fraternity brother in Columbus” while I’m there. Springfield is about an hour from Columbus, which does have a pretty lively gay community and an amazing 42 gay bars. My fraternity brother is gay, too, and we have a blast catching up, plus I get an evening to recharge before I have to go back into the straight family soup.

If nothing else, you’re going to come back to the New Year with a greater appreciation of the subtropical paradise we live in and how wonderful it is to live in gay friendly cities like Sarasota, Gulfport, St. Petersburg, Tampa and Orlando. Happy trails friends and have a festive Saturnalia.

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The Tender

activist Reclaim Your Vote

“I

like Bernie Sanders,”

said my friend across the patio of his Winter Park condo, where we gathered with longtime friends. His soft, kind voice did little to cushion the rest of his opinion: “But he’s unelectable.”

Unelectable. The word shot into my ear, easily cutting through the still Florida-muggy September night air. Three beers in, there was the slight danger of my reaction landing disproportionate to the moment, but I managed, “The only way to change that is to vote for him.”

My friend nearly completed my sentence, easily acquiescing. It is as simple as that. Yet, I felt no power in saying the words, no satisfaction in his agreement. I had delivered a call-to-action as impotent as it was obvious. I slipped into my familiar pensiveness, considering the matter, while not for the first time that night wiping sweat from my forehead—were we really sitting in that humidity to test out his recently recovered outdoor furniture?

The word “unelectable” strikes me as terribly un-American; the ease with which it slides out of our mouths gives weight to the argument that we have moved away from our intended democracy and have accepted oligarchy or, as rapper Killer Mike recently tweeted, monarchy. True, in a strict definition of the word, Killer Mike isn’t accurate, but the essence of the word describes a government in which things are decided for you. By and large, that seems to accurately describe our collective, apathetic surrender.

Take a look at the recent election in Orlando for which only 14.9 percent of registered voters bothered to make it to the polls, or vote in their underwear by absentee ballot. Mayor Buddy Dyer captured 62.5 percent of those voters, meaning 9.35 percent of registered voters voted him back in. If you scored 9.35 percent out of 100 on your performance review at work, you would more than likely be fired. While Dyer bragged during his acceptance speech that he had won by the largest margin of his political career, it’s hard to imagine the victory to be truly satisfying.

The reality is, of course, it doesn’t behoove an incumbent to encourage you to vote. In his memoir A Full Life, former President Jimmy Carter describes his efforts to bring out the vote while he was in office, including an inspired program deputizing school principals as voter registrars so they could register students turning 18. Carter was puzzled as to why he received continual opposition from congress on the subject, until House Speaker Tip O’Neill gave him a reality check when he explained, “few incumbent congressmen wanted the voters’ lists expanded because they were satisfied with those who had put them in office.”

Voter suppression may smack of conspiracy theory, but the evidence is all around and hard to dismiss. Alabama made the news when the state passed a law in 2014 requiring photo ID to vote, then this year closed 31 driver’s license offices in predominantly black neighborhoods under the familiar veil: budget cuts.

In the same vein, stripping felons of voting privileges continues, but if the goal—as it should be—is to rehabilitate the criminal to upstanding citizen, this

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practice is contradictory.

Fewer voters, particularly those who don’t look like you, means fewer people to sway.

Probably the biggest trend discouraging us to exercise our voting rights is: Money always seems to win. Here is an area where

poll workers.

The Koch Brothers will spend more on the 2016 presidential election than the Republican and Democratic parties combined. If money does talk, this means two private citizens are having more say in the

DMVs (albeit only one day a week), one recent example of regular voices being heard. Theoretically, big money spent should only work if we don’t think through misleading commercials and boughtand-paid-for media, so let’s think and discuss. Why are

I derail into conspiracy. I mean, take our own state as an example. Do you know anyone who will admit voting for Rick Scott? I don’t. From what I can tell, he simply outspent his rival by millions and got to stay in Tallahassee and continue to rape our state. Clearly, somebody voted for him, but their silence makes me imagine Scott sliding envelopes full of Benjamins across a desk to unsavory

matter than the rest of us, and our government currently supports their right to do so. Good news if you’re Republican, I suppose, though it’s hard to understand why any rational person would be in this day and age.

Why doesn’t all of this piss us off? Why are we not fighting back in the voting booths? Public outcry in Alabama caused their governor to reopen

we beaten into inaction?

And why do we side with the candidate we’ve been told is the electable one? It’s worth mentioning that eight years ago we were being told that a black man was unelectable; as gay Americans, our world would look far less inclusive today if we had listened.

Fewer voters, particularly those who don’t look like you, means fewer people to sway.

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talking points Understanding that you have to fight to stay in their lives at that point, because they can go off and live their whole life with people they’re more comfortable with.

You have to understand that you don’t have that power anymore to dictate the terms of engagement.

—fOrmer GOOD MORNING AMERICA anChOr keVin newman explaining the prOCess he, as a straight father, had tO gO thrOugh when his sOn Came Out tO him.

president obama has lgbt artists over for a movie night

P

resident Obama had a transgender mOVie night with the nine LGBT artists picked by the White House as the “Champions of Change” Nov. 23.

The nine “champions” were selected by the White House for their artistry in advocating for the LGBT community. The movie night included an advance screening of the trans drama The Danish Girl starring Oscar-winning actor Eddie Redmayne as artist Lili Elbe and the Amazon TV series Transparent. Transparent won four Emmys and two Golden Globes in 2015, and a new season starts streaming next month. Along with watching some TV with the president, the guests also heard speeches from Senior Adviser to the President Valerie Jarrett and Secretary for the Department of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro.

have been

KILLED IN U.S. IN 2015 inCLUding

19 BLACK OR LATINA TRANSGENDER WOMEN.,

the highest tOtAL sinCe

advocacy groups BegAn sUCh tALLies

a decade ago.

—National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs

stephen sondheim among 17 recipients hOnOred By president obama

S

tephen sOndheim was One Of 17 indiViduals presented with the presidential medal Of freedOm nOV. 24. The honors were presented at the White House by President Obama. Sondheim is one of the most recognized lyricists and composers in the world. He has been awarded eight Tony Awards (more than any other composer), eight Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and an Oscar in his more than 60 years in the business. Sondheim was the composer and/or lyricist of such classics as West Side Story, Gypsy, Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods, to name a few, and is the only openly gay person on the list of recipients. Other honorees included Barbra Streisand, Itzhak Perlman and Steven Spielberg.

watermark Your lgbt life.

MoDeRN FaMily’s reid ewing COmes OUt On twitter

r

eid ewing, haley’s Onagain/Off-again bOyfriend dylan on ABC’s Modern Family, came out via Twitter after commenting on a Good Morning America segment about body dysmorphia, sort of. Ewing tweeted, “Saw Eugene Bata on @GMA in the Body Dysmorphia segment connected to my article and I just want to say he is hot af.” Someone responded to his tweet saying, “Did you also just out yourself?” To which Ewing replied, “I was never in.” Ewing wrote an essay for Huffington Post Nov. 20 about his battle with body dysmorphia and his addiction to plastic surgery. The 27-year-old actor had his first plastic surgery at the age of 19 and continued on for several years getting everything from implants and fillers to injections before getting help.

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people magaZine honors campbell’s soup couple

P

EOPLE MAGAZINE puts Out the sexiest man aliVe issue eVery year, and along with the cover model as THE sexiest, the issue is filled with the honors of the sexiest [insert category]. This year People deemed the gay couple from the Campbell Soup Company commercial as “Sexiest Pitchmen Alive.” The commercial, which stars the real-life family of couple Larry Sullivan and David Monahan with their son, Cooper, features each dad doing his best impersonation of Darth Vader’s icon line “I am your father.”

The commercial went viral and has been viewed more than a million times on YouTube. Campbell’s tweeted its congratulations to the couple as well as a message, “From the worst Darth Vader to the sexiest… not bad.”

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in-depth: the future of nightlife

the sky’s the limit:

Stonewall partners steven Watkins and rick Dubasak. Photo By JAKe steVens

S IN G A I R THE

how lgbt dance clubs and bars respond to history and look to the Future

O

Stephen J. Miller

ur lgbt bars and nightClubs:

throughout history, they’ve served as more than mere entertainment and socialization. They’ve alternately provided protection, community, purpose, a meeting place for political activism, a defining character for subgroups, and even a disseminator of vital cultural and health information. Yet, just like every lasting institution, in order to survive and be relevant, bars and clubs have to change. They can capitalize on what they do well while transforming with the times. watermark Your lgbt life.

A B R

“Let’s face it,” says Steve Watkins, owner of the newly renovated Stonewall Bar Orlando, “social media isn’t going away. It’s a part of the whole experience of going out—heck, of all of life, anymore.”

With the rise of social media and the expansion of LGBT rights, our favorite places shift again—to encourage people to leave their computers, look up from their phones, see and be seen, share both the big and small events of our lives, and post about it online.

OUr histOry We don’t have to look too far to see what these watering holes and dance floors have meant to us in the past.

Even President Obama mentioned a famous gay bar in his second inaugural address in January 2013: “We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths—that all of us are created equal—is the star that guides us still, just as it guided our continued on pg. 31 | uu |

Decemb er 3 - Decemb er 16 , 2015 // Issue 2 2. 25

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| uu | Future of Nightlife from pg.29

forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall.”

Though they weren’t the first LGBT uprisings, the Stonewall Bar riots in New York City in June 1969 provided a tipping point in our history. They were the start of people coming out of the closet and beginning the long struggle to equality.

In an interview with National Public Radio after Obama’s address, historian Martin Duberman stated, “Stonewall was probably the most popular gay male bar in New York in the late ‘60s. It was one of the few, or maybe the only place where you could dance.”

Up to that point—and even beyond for many places—bars and clubs were clouded in secrecy. Cities like Indianapolis, Cleveland and Omaha had places tucked away in warehouse districts. The Double Header in Seattle—quite possibly the oldest continuous gay bar in the United States—first opened in 1934 and ran for decades with blackedout windows and very little signage.

Even into the mid-1990s, The Brass Garden in Des Moines could only be found by searching among railroad warehouses for thumping dance music and a dimly lit lavender door.

“The places where gay, lesbian and trans people used to meet were often illegal. They were hidden.

You had to go up a secret passage and knock on a door. That stuff is very easily lost and forgotten, but actually these were the sorts of places that were pioneering in terms of politics, art, culture, music, fashion,” English lesbian historian Rosie Sherrington says.

Most places then catered to men; the same is true today. The reason typically given for this used to be that there were more gay and bisexual men than women.

Most statistics say there is only a 0.3 percent difference in men versus women. According to a 2011 Huf�ington Post article by Ellyn Ruthstrom, the reason more bars target men is that men may be more visible and open, they may have more historical access to starting such businesses, and there was more of a push to be social—less cultural pressure to stay home.

Ruthsrom also says most gay bars included women. She concludes that women-only establishments were not only financially riskier; they were seen as less necessary to a united front.

In 1969, the Stonewall Inn in

a tale Of twO stOries: Stonewall grows in Orlando. Photo By JAKe steVens

a new skyline: Stonewall awaits the MLS stadium. Photo By JAKe steVens

up in the sky: Sky bar shakes it up. Photo By JAKe steVens Greenwich Village was a dark, Mafiarun place with weak drinks and no running water. LGBT people felt safe there, even with the regular raids where people were lined up and their identification checked. Anyone in drag was immediately arrested.

On June 28, 1969, a typical raid escalated into riot when people refused to leave. Soon, people were organizing, throwing bricks, challenging riot police and setting fire to squad cars. The riots lasted three nights and slowly motivated the gay rights movement.

from party shout-out tO rALLying Cry

As we organized for the decadeslong, continuing fight for equality, our bars and dance clubs were often our meeting halls and newsrooms.

“We started creating community centers, but we understood we still needed to be

out there, every weekend night, in the bars spreading the word,” Duberman says.

Especially as the AIDS crisis devastated local LGBT populations, information about safe sex, health services, and support groups was communicated.

Even today, these establishments are more than just places to meet and be seen. Gay bars and entertainment complexes are major donors into Pride celebrations, AIDS walks, and other events. The Parliament House in Orlando is well known for its fundraising, including its support of local arts and the Orlando International Fringe Theater Festival. Many bars are following the same communityengagement lead.

“We always try to give back, because it’s just a good thing to do,” Stonewall owner Steve Watkins says. Stonewall also supports numerous events, including Fringe

watermark Your lgbt life.

and Come Out with Pride.

Ronny Barnett, director of VIP services and entertainment at Throb Nightclub in Sarasota says, “We’re the ones cutting the checks for Prides and AIDS walks and all of that. The straight clubs aren’t doing that. It’s kind of unfortunate that those dollars are being spent in straight establishments. All I’m saying is support the ones who support you.”

emBrACing the ChAnge Things have changed significantly with technology and a sense that many gays want to mainstream, become married, and settle down. Assimilation is a slippery slope for niche businesses.

In her 2011 article “The Gay Bar,” national columnist June Thomas said, “The days—and nights—when gay bars had a monopoly on samesex social lives are long gone. As

Decemb er 3 - Decemb er 16 , 2015 // Issue 2 2. 25

much as contemporary queers may romanticize the gay bar as a sanctuary in a lonely world, most of us now have lots of safe spaces, both real and virtual, available to us.”

So, how do these establishments change with the times? There seem to be a lot of approaches. One aspect of social change is that LGBT businesses are out in the open now; they advertise, they have prominent signage—like Parliament House’s famous sign—and they throw open their doors. Gone are the days of blacked-out windows and discrete lavender doors hidden in warehouse districts.

Even more so, businesses don’t fight the social media aspects of life; to not evolve is to face certain peril.

Barnett of Throb says, “It’s a double-edged sword as far as social media goes. In one respect, social media is great as far as getting the

continued on pg. 33 | uu |

31

Visit osc.org or call 407.514.2158 for details.

GIVE AN EXPERIENCE GIFT A MEMBERSHIP 32

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| uu | Future of Nightlife from pg.31

word out about special events, for example. In another breath, social media is used for hooking up, so people don’t go to bars anymore to hook up.”

“You just have to be a little bit innovative with marketing strategies, especially with Facebook,” he adds. “Facebook used to be a really great platform to advertise on. Now, Facebook has limited the amount of organic advertising that you can do. You have to pay and be very specific in your target market in order to get a response for your money. So it depends on whom you want to target for whichever specific event you’re planning.”

There are other, shorter platforms that most businesses use as well. “I use Instagram and Twitter,” Barnett says. “I find that the short messages get absorbed a lot more, because they’re easily digestible and they get retweeted.

Basically, customers are doing a lot of your marketing for you. I also use a lot of Periscope, on-the-scene promotion. For example, if we’re doing an event with dancers, we’ll go live on Periscope give a taste, and we’ll get people to come in on that.”

Drew Sizemore, who does marketing and graphic design for Parliament House, says, “We’ve aimed our marketing towards those that socialize online. Along with print advertising, we now utilize paid Facebook advertising as well.

For the so-called ‘hook-up’ apps such as Grindr and Scruff, we regularly pay to advertise on those apps. We’ve seen success from both of those advertising outlets.”

Jeff Beadle, of Quench Lounge in Largo, says, “Our website is very comprehensive, and we do have a mobile friendly version. We’ve also used already established apps— Grindr, Scruff—to send shout outs or ads about significant events.”

But not everyone is so comfortable in the brave new digital world.

Stonewall’s Steve Watkins admits that, for neighborhoodfriendly Stonewall, he leaves a lot up to his employees: “Even though I’m of the younger generation, I’m not personally much for social media. The bartenders keep up the Facebook page and connect to it with their personal pages.”

Claiming Their Space In addition to just riding the digital zeitgeist, establishments

Punk’d: Brian Longstreth and his new ladyfriend.

The longview: Punky’s brings food to the table.

Photo by Aaron Drake

Photo by Aaron Drake

have also made physical and event-planning changes, both big and small, to recognize the new technology and their clientele’s need for some sense of novelty.

Sizemore says that—besides having their sign and advertisement feature prominently in visitor

Barnett of Throb tries to connect with frequent and varied events that people can post about on social media.

“Our foam parties are legendary,” he says. “We own some of the most state-of-the-art foam equipment, so when we want to do a foam

emotional nightclub downstairs where the weather changes inside the building. When you’re dancing you can feel the climate change.

“I just wanted to do something no one’s ever done,” Watkins adds.

selfies—Parliament House has charging stations for phones and free wireless service.

Other area clubs are trying to move the focus back to the faces.

“We try to provide an experience that entices people to put their phone down and enjoy what’s right in front of them,” says Beadle of Quench. “A lot of what our nightly lineups focus on is interactive; pool tournaments, karaoke, even our Saturday night drag performances have an “audience participation” game or contest built into the shows. And trust me, you won’t be looking at your phone while that’s going on!”

But there can be a happy medium between modernization and personal immediacy.

party, we just do it. Sometimes we just do it at the drop of a dime, and I’ll just warn people a few hours beforehand on social media. We bring in big-name artists—current hip hop and dance artists. Our Climaxxx dance parties, we have some of the sexiest dancers.”

Watkins took a more dramatic approach recently, to shake things up a bit, and because he wanted something different than other establishments. Stonewall Bar Orlando just finished three years of major renovation.

“We added a third-floor rooftop terrace. It’s completely covered, open-air. We have a new 1,400 gallon glass-bottom water feature, which is all glass and you can go upstairs through. We’re doing an

Love and Marriage and a Bar

We try to provide an experience that entices people to put their phone down and enjoy —Jeff Beadle of Quench what’s right in front of them.

watermark Your lgbt life.

Most establishments recognize the power of marriage equality, and they help people celebrate just as they would a birthday or anniversary “We give lots of free drinks to help mark any special occasion in people’s lives,” Watkins says of Stonewall.

“We’d love to host a reception, and we’ve got several contacts who can legally marry couples, but that has yet to come to fruition,” Beadle says of offering more at Quest.

“We’re not a bar/restaurant, so people don’t realize that we can cater food and take care of most details people wouldn’t think we’re

Decemb er 3 - Decemb er 16 , 2015 // Issue 2 2. 25

equipped to handle.”

Barnett of Throb would also love to do more: “We really haven’t had that many receptions in Sarasota.

I’m waiting to do a reception, and I have a crazy idea. And I’d do it just because I want to do it” He’s staying closed-lipped about the concept, wanting it to be a surprise.

Being an entertainment complex with rooms for rent has allowed Parliament House to offer more to the newly married.

“The Parliament House has newly renovated honeymoon suites marketed toward married couples.

We’ve removed the queen beds and replaced them with a larger king bed. The adjoining rooms to the suite have also had a complete renovation as well. These rooms have brand new floors, modern fixtures, and completely renovated bathrooms with new tile. Our suites are now booked nearly 100 percent of the week.”

One of the biggest changes is how the LGBT and straight communities have integrated. The taboo has left the building.

Barnett says, “I find that a lot of gays in Sarasota are ‘mainstreaming,’ going into straight establishments more and prefer that over the ‘gay scene,’ because they’re not into that anymore.”

Of Stonewall, Watkins says, “Everybody’s welcome, and everybody makes themselves welcome. Times have changed, and people just don’t care if it’s a gay bar, straight bar, or whatever—people just want to have fun.”

Sometimes those revelers are neatly grouped within the LGBT community, making the challenge of targeting an audience a little easier and more refined.

“We open our venue to a lot of different groups,” Quench’s Beadle says. “We’re the home bar for the Tampa Bay Bears, we’ve hosted Pro Suzie events, fundraisers for ASAP, METRO, and St. Pete Pride. We’ve had the fetish groups join us, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, the Prime Timers, Watermark Wednesday and more.”

Ultimately, people still want a place to physically gather, see and be seen, communicate with each other and support their community.

“Let’s be honest,” says Throb’s Barnett, “you want to give your friends a hug. Human touch and interaction is pretty amazing, and you don’t get that by hitting the ‘like’ button on social media.” \

33

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John Waters illustration by glen hanson

Arts And entertAinment

XXXmas john waters looks to bring all the sin and sex back to the holiday season with his christmas-themed one-man show

P

Jeremy Williams

Op Culture iCOn JOhn waters is

well known for many things: being from Baltimore, being THE director of cult classic cinema, that ‘stache! But one thing you may not know that gets Waters excited every year is Christmas. The legendary filmmaker tells the tale of religious spectacle crossed with commercialism in his one-man show, A John Waters Christmas: Holier & Dirtier, coming to the Plaza LIVE in Orlando Dec. 8 and in Clearwater at the Capitol Theatre Dec. 16. Waters took a moment away from decorating the tree and hanging the stockings by the fireplace to talk to Watermark on the phone about his upcoming show, as well as a few other holiday topics.

thanks for taking a few moments to talk to us about your upcoming show.

I’m happy to chat with you, especially about Christmas with it barely even Thanksgiving.

well, you are on par with the retailers. they have all their christmas stuff out now.

They put it up at Halloween now. It’s amusing; you don’t know whether to be a goblin or a pilgrim or one of the Three Wise Men.

sO the new shOw is CALLed a JoHN WateRs CHRistMas: HolieR & DiRtieR. what can we expect to see?

Extremes, I’m going to more extremes. At Christmas I’m always

continued on pg. 39 | uu |

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37

Limited Availability for all performances.

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Elizabeth Morse Genius Foundation | Galloway Foundation John M. Tiedtke | Isabelle Sprague-Smith | Members of the Bach Festival Choir The Martin Andersen-Gracia Andersen Foundation

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watermark Your lgbt life.

Decemb er 3 - Decemb er 16 , 2015 // Issue 2 2. 25

The problem was it was the sexiest musical for the whole family, which is always a problem.

This has been quite a year for the LGBT community with same-sex marriage becoming legal and transgender rights getting a spotlight on the national stage.

I don’t know. I think that one would make a great TV series where she fought political correctness every week.

As long as you don’t have to go to the bathroom, which is such a button pusher when people are winning elections because of that. First of all, they have stalls in bathrooms. If you’re a transgender man and you’re standing up in front of a urinal, good for you, because that’s a good feeling.

And if you’re halfway or not all the way, then go in a stall. Nobody sees anything when you’re in a stall, no matter what bathroom you’re in.

They used to have unisex bathrooms in all the nightclubs in New York, and people just did cocaine in them.

Personally, I don’t think anyone should be taking a shit out in public anyway. Eliminate before you go out for Christ’s sake. Plan ahead!

Any chance we will ever see Serial Mom the Musical?

Speaking of which, do you think political correctness has gotten out of hand?

FESTIVE FILTH: A John Waters Christmas: Holier & Dirtier will be at the Plaza LIVE in Orlando Dec. 8 and at the Capitol Theatre in Clearwater Dec. 16.

| uu | John Waters from pg.37

feeling needy and greedy and horny for presents and filled with a masochistic desire to please. So you put that together with the fear of religion and the pressure of religion mixed with capitalism, and it makes Christmas an extreme time of year that always interests me.

You’re a big fan of Christmas; in fact in your book Crackpot you have a chapter entitled “Why I Love Christmas.”

Yeah, that’s what started the whole Christmas tour to begin with; little did we know I would end up being the Elvira of Christmas, along with Johnny Mathis. That just proves there’s no such thing as karma cause his house just burned down recently, which I feel terrible about. It was the same house I interviewed him in for my book Role Models. I hope he is still out on the road this Christmas.

What is it about this time of year that you love so much?

I love cold weather. My idea of good weather is nude in the Alps. I also like the idea of family and friends; I just love the idea of Christmas. I also realize though why so many people hate it. They go home to family and they might be abusive or feel great financial pressure; they have to get presents, and they have to sing these songs that get on your nerves, like “The Little Drummer Boy.” It’s an extreme time, so I’m always

interested in how people deal with Christmas, because no matter what, it’s coming at you like a steamroller.

are most well-known for your movies, but we haven’t seen one from you in over a decade.

Will we ever see a John Watersdirected film again?

I guess I could be political and want peace in Baltimore. I always think maybe I should do drugs again. I hate fruit baskets. When someone ever dares give me a fruit basket, I tell them a beautiful basket should be filled with poppers, gun oil, porno,

Maybe not; it’s not like I haven’t spoken. I have like 16 of them out there. They’re not hard to get, you can find them anywhere. So I don’t know. I have had a couple of development deals fall through, one recently, so who knows, and I don’t really have any complaints about

What’s on your list for Santa this year?

Only at rich-kid schools. It’s a luxury.

I have a lot of parents who say to me, ‘I don’t know what to do. I sent my daughter to this really expensive college that cost like $75,000 a semester. She takes one course and it’s folk dancing in Uganda; they don’t have report cards, she’s had her breasts removed, she has a beard and she looks like she just kidnapped Elizabeth Smart and I have to call her Fred now. What should I do? [laughs] I understand both sides of that.

You are Maryland’s most famous son. How do you think [former Maryland Governor] Martin O’Malley is doing out on the campaign trail?

Martin is a friend of mine. He comes to my Christmas party every year, and I hope he can come this year. I think I would vote for him or Hillary, whoever wins.

Do you think based on his performance in Maryland that he would make a good

Personally I don’t think anyone should be taking a shit out in public anyway. Eliminate before you go out for Christ’s sake! Plan ahead!

—John Waters

cigarettes—things you would never want to buy for yourself—not a rotten pear. I can buy a pear, anyone can buy a pear. So I’m always amazed when I see one of those.

I’ll make sure not to send you a gift basket this year.

I also look for the 10 most dangerous toys every year. The list usually comes out around Thanksgiving, and I collect them. The first one I ever bought was Gobbles the Garbage Eating Goat. It came with plastic garbage that you fed the goat, and it was pulled because they said the kids were choking on the garbage. That’s a little Christmas horror story for you.

You have written books and performed on stage, but you

that. They paid me well, they liked my ideas, I wrote it and it didn’t get made, but that’s the movie business.

The more money they give you, the more they’re gonna have a say.

Am I gonna go back and be a fauxunderground filmmaker at 70 years old? I don’t think so. [laughs]

two of your more popular films, Hairspray and Cry-Baby, have been turned into musicals.

Yes and Hairspray was a gigantic hit and Cry-Baby was a flop, but CryBaby I’m really proud of. They never got a chance to do an album before it closed, and we had four Tony nominations, but the cast album finally just came out, so I have high hopes that we’re bringing that one back. I think it could really succeed.

watermark Your lgbt life.

president?

I think so, yes. I really like him. He got gay marriage passed, and he got rid of the death penalty. I think those two things there are great for the state.

What do you think of the other side?

I’m glad they’re all crazy. It makes it easier for us to win. The worse one to me unfortunately is the one from Baltimore. I can’t ever remember his name; I try not to say it out loud.

Ben Carson?

Yes, Carson. Yes, he is the most dangerous, because he believes God is talking to him.

Decemb er 3 - Decemb er 16 , 2015 // Issue 2 2. 25

With the advances we have made in society for LGBT people, do you feel like we are losing anything as a community?

Well, maybe our sense of humor a little. I think it’s good though. It’s progress that there won’t be gay bars, because I’m against separatism; I’ve never been for it. I don’t just want to be with all gay people. I don’t care what their sexuality is; I want to be with people who are smart or people that are interesting or people that have street smarts. To me that’s always been the mixer, whatever you are or want to be. I don’t care and I think you have the right to be that.

I don’t want to hang around with just people who are like me. That’s the only thing I didn’t understand about the bear community. I love them, I think it’s a great extreme, a great minority, but why would you just want to sit around and look at people who look just like you? If that was the case I would only be allowed to hang out with old otters with mustaches.

Divine would have been 70 years old this year. What do you think he would have thought of the world and where it is today?

Divine would have been happy.

I think he would be pleased that everything is more acceptable, but I think Divine just wanted to scare people. I always say he wanted to pass as Godzilla, not a woman.

Divine would like it if when he walked down the street people would run in the other direction and they had to call in the National Guard, That’s what Divine wanted.

Divine didn’t want to pass for anything; he didn’t want to fit in.

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Decemb er 3 - Decemb er 16 , 2015 // Issue 2 2. 25

A

2112 N. 15th St., Tampa 33605

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HCC Ybor Campus, Mainstage Theatre

entertainment

The Authentic Life Sarah Paulson on coming out, defying labels, and the pressure to be an LGBT activist

award, sweetie.” It was not a really conscious thought. I didn’t think of what the implications were gonna be. I just did what was true and honest to me in that moment.

The truth of the matter is it was early enough in my career that there have been no attachments made to me as a performer. I think the thing that makes it somewhat easier in terms of there not having been ramifications is that I’m a character actress—nobody is assigning a particular kind of sexual anything to me, I don’t think. Maybe that’s totally not true. (laughs) But it just seems if you’re sort of known for being a sex kitten and that’s how you come on the scene, and then you end up being a total femme fatale actress, and then all of a sudden you make a statement about your sexuality, it becomes news. Whereas I’m a character actress; I can do a lot of things. I don’t think anybody’s made one particular association with me that would then make them go, “Well, I can’t see her this way now.”

You do seem to put your career before your personal life.

(ABOVE)

Paulson breaks boundaries:

True love only makes the fiction more real.

Photos courtesy Weintseign

W

Chris Azzopardi

hat does Sarah Paulson

remember about the first time she kissed a girl? “Nothing that I’m going to tell you!” she teases, laughing as if to say “nice try.”

Not that the actress’ entire life is a secret. It hasn’t been.

In 2005, when then-girlfriend Cherry Jones was named a winner at the Tony Awards, Paulson planted a sweet kiss on Jones’ lips. But the 40-year-old acting dynamo isn’t one to kiss and tell—a practice extending to many aspects of her public life, which she’s regulated for a reason: so as not to distract from the stories she’s a part of telling.

Those stories are wide-ranging. In addition to her chameleonic roles in Ryan Murphy’s FX hit American Horror Story, where she’s currently playing a hip ’80s-inspired druggie named Sally, she stars as Cate Blanchett’s former flame, Abby, in writer-director Todd

Haynes’ powerful lesbian love story Carol. In the film, Blanchett plays a married woman with a passionate desire for a department store clerk named Therese (Rooney Mara). But it’s the 1950s—homosexuality is taboo, and the closet doors are closed.

Paulson’s story is a different one, however. And the doors? They’re mostly open.

Watermark: How do you reflect on your accidental coming out?

Sarah Paulson: I was very young, and I was in love. It was the reality of the person I was with. She just won a Tony Award—I’m not gonna pat her on the back, give her the big thumbs up and say, “Go up there and get your

watermark Your lgbt life.

I do think it’s more important, and I know that Matt Damon got a terrible amount of flak for the way he phrased those things [note: earlier this year, Damon said: “People shouldn’t know anything about your sexuality because that’s one of the mysteries that you should be able to play.”], but the sentiment is still true: My personal life...

I’m not gonna hide it from you, but I also don’t want you to think about that before you think about the character I’m playing.

Have you been strategic, then, in what you reveal to the public?

It’s not been strategic; it’s been life experience. I’ve learned lessons, and therefore I behave in different ways now, and they are not in ways I’m upset about or ways that I think are not good.

But like for Therese in Carol, you live and you learn and you come into your own and you start to be responsible for your own power and your own choices and what you’re willing to reveal. At the end of the day, I put enough of my interior life on camera when I’m acting

Decemb er 3 - Decemb er 16 , 2015 // Issue 2 2. 25

by giving as much of myself as I possibly can—I don’t have to give everything to everyone.

You’ve been so matter of fact about your sexuality since unintentionally coming out in 2005. How have you escaped becoming a pillar for the LGBT community?

Because I refuse to give any kind of label just to satisfy what people need.

I understand that everybody wants to have a person to look toward that is actively making change around this issue, and I understand for young people coming out they want to attach that hope to a particular person, but I think that honesty is the most important piece of this for me. All I can say is, I’ve done both, and I don’t let either experience define me.

How do you feel about the way Cate Blanchett reacted to the idea that, because she’s playing a woman attracted to other women, she must have had relationships with women?

I think it’s very interesting—all of it, really. Is anyone asking George Clooney what he likes about having sex with a woman? Nobody does. It’s a foregone conclusion that it’s just an acceptable reality and nobody thinks to bother to ask. But you have a story about two women together or two men together and all of a sudden it becomes fair game and assumptions are made that are just never made in the reverse, and I just think it’s terribly unfair. I don’t know what her reaction was, but I hope it was, “Bugger off!”

Both American Horror Story and Carol are associated with sexuality in some way or another.

As an actress, are you drawn to roles related to sexuality?

As human beings we are very fascinated by sexuality and what it means and who we’re attracted to and why, because I think there’s a really big mystery about it. There’s something so unknowable about it, which is part of what makes it so exciting. And I do think this about my career all the time: People think I pick such great jobs—that I picked 12 Years a Slave, I picked Carol, I picked Game Change. I auditioned for them and I got the jobs. And so I’ve been lucky—but I actually give the credit to Steve McQueen and Todd Haynes and Ryan Murphy and people who saw something in me that they went, “You’re the girl. I want you.” And so, it’s less about choices I’ve made and things I’ve been drawn to—it’s what has been drawn to me.

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watermark Your lgbt life.

Decemb er 3 - Decemb er 16 , 2015 // Issue 2 2. 25

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event planner

arts+entertainment

community calendar

OrLAndO

tampa bay

Annual holiday tree Lighting ceremony, Dec. 4, Central Park, Winter Park. 407-644-8281; CityOfWinterPark.org

Tampa Bay AIDS Walk & Fun Run saturday, deC. 12, 8:00 a.m.

VinOy park, st. petersburg

Amiyah scott, Dec. 4, Pulse, Orlando. 407-649-3888; PulseOrlandoClub.com Clare and the Chocolate Nutcracker, Dec. 5, Walt Disney Theater, Orlando. 844-513-2014; DrPhillipsCenter.org Light up the courtyard, Dec. 5, Parliament House, Orlando. 407-425-7571; ParliamentHouse.com Mac Miller, Dec. 5, Hard Rock Live, Orlando. 407-351-5483; HardRock.com copeland, Dec. 6, The Social, Orlando. 407-246-1419; TheSocial.org A Christmas Carol, Dec. 7 & 10, The Abbey, Orlando. 407-704-6261; AbbeyOrlando.com glass Animals, Dec. 7, The Beacham, Orlando.

407-246-1419; TheSocial.org Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical, Dec. 8 – 13, Walt Disney Theater, Orlando. 844-513-2014; DrPhillipsCenter.org A John Waters’ Christmas: Holier & Dirtier, Dec. 8, The Plaza Live, Orlando. 407-228-1220; PlazaLiveOrlando.com Movies out Loud – Santa Claus: The Movie, Dec. 9, The Abbey, Orlando. 407-704-6261; AbbeyOrlando.com trans-siberian orchestra, Dec. 12, Amway Center, Orlando.

800-745-3000; AmwayCenter.com Mix 105.1’s All i Want for christmas show starring: third eye Blind, Dec. 13, House of Blues, Orlando. 407-934-2583; HouseOfBlues.com Miss southern nights, Dec. 14, Southern Nights, Orlando. 407-412-5039; SouthernNightsOrl.com

The 12th annual AIDS Walk Tampa Bay kicks off at Vinoy Park in Downtown St. Pete to benefit the AIDS Service Association of Pinellas (ASAP) which supports members across the entire Bay Area. For the first time a Fun Run has been added to the beginning of the walk. Registration starts at 8 a.m., runners start at 9:50 a.m., and the walk starts at 10:00 a.m. Strap on your running shoes, get your friends together and come join a team to support those impacted by HIV/AIDS in the Tampa Bay community. More information and sign-up can be found at AIDSWalkTampaBay.org.

ginger snaps

Pinellas equality connection thursday, deC. 17, 6:00- 8:00 p.m. punky’s bar and grill, st. petersburg

Prop comic carrot top brings his truck of talents to The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in Sarasota Dec. 12 and The Plaza LIVE in Orlando Dec. 14. Photo courtesy oF cArrottoP.coM

orlando Ballet: The Nutcracker, Dec. 17 – 23, Walt Disney Theater, Orlando. 844-513-2014; DrPhillipsCenter.org Broadway christmas, Dec. 17, Southern Nights, Orlando. 407-412-5039; SouthernNightsOrl.com A Platinum christmas, Dec. 17, Pulse, Orlando. 407-649-3888; PulseOrlandoClub.com XL’ent Xmas: 25th Anniv. edition feat. shaggy, Walk the Moon & tori kelly, Dec. 17, House of Blues, Orlando. 407-934-2583; HouseOfBlues.com

tampa bay Make them say hA!, Dec. 4, Metro Wellness Community Center, St. Petersburg. 727-321-3854; MetroTampaBay.org

carrot top, Dec. 14, The Plaza Live, Orlando. 407-228-1220; PlazaLiveOrlando.com

Peter and the Starcatcher, Dec. 5 – 24, freefall Theatre, St. Petersburg. 727-498-5205; FreeFallTheatre.com

Katya from RuPaul’s Drag Race, Dec. 16, Pulse, Orlando. 407-649-3888; PulseOrlandoClub.com

the Florida orchestra: handel’s Messiah, Dec. 5, The Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg.

727-893-7832; TheMahaffey.com

holiday Lighting event, Dec. 5, Flamingo, St. Petersburg.

727-321-5000; FlamingoFla.com holiday Music concert, Dec. 9, Ferguson Hall, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

the Florida orchestra Pops: holiday Pops, Dec. 12, The Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg.

727-893-7832; TheMahaffey.com

suzanne Westenhoefer, Dec. 13, The Palladium, St. Petersburg.

727-822-3590; MyPalladium.org

Francesca giorgianni – Live & Local, Dec. 12, Straz Riverwalk, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

A John Waters’ Christmas: Holier & Dirtier, Dec. 16, The Capitol Theatre, Clearwater.

727-791-7400; AtTheCap.com

Balance tampa Bay’s 5th Annual Party for Presents, Dec. 12, Southern Nights, Tampa. 813-559-8625; BalanceTampaBay.org

Festival of Light: An intimate evening with Matisyahu, Dec. 17, Ferguson Hall, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

Ghashee w Mashee, Dec. 12, Ferguson Hall, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

the Florida orchestra: An old World christmas, Dec. 17, The Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg.

727-893-7832; TheMahaffey.com

sArAsOtA Women of ireland – celtic Angels’ christmas, Dec. 10, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Sarasota. 1-800-826-9303; VanWezel.org

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

watermark Your lgbt life.

OrLAndO

An evening with sutton Foster, Dec. 13, Ferguson Hall, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

the Florida orchestra: holiday Pops, Dec. 11, Carol Morsani Hall, Straz Center, Tampa.

813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

Rudolph the Red‐Nosed Reindeer: The Musical, Dec. 12, Carol Morsani Hall, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

Join Equality Florida at St. Pete’s newest hotspot Punky’s for an exciting and informative event. Equality Florida’s Pinellas leadership will update guests on what’s next in the fight for full equality, as well as discuss what’s in store for Florida’s most recent legislative session. The event will be joined by Mike Reedy who is running for Florida House District 63. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres will be provided. This is a free event and Equality Florida encourages you to bring a friend. For more information or to RSVP go to EQFL.org/EqualityConnection/Pinellas.

KRAMPUSNACHT saturday, deCember 5, 8:00 p.m. the hammered lamb, OrlandO The Feast of St. Nicholas is celebrated in parts of Europe on December 6. On the preceding evening of December 5, Krampus Night or Krampusnacht, the wicked hairy devil appears on the streets. You are cordially invited to Orlando’s inaugural Krampusnacht party at The Hammered Lamb. Join guests for an original Krampus tale from Phantasmagoria, Krampus carols sing-along and costume contest and Krampuslaf, a whipping of naughty participants by Krampus.

Jeff Jones & Friends: An Evening of Laughter and Libations thursday, deC. 10, 6:30- 10:30 p.m. parliament hOuse, OrlandO Comedian Jeff Jones is turning 40 and wants to celebrate with a few funny friends on stage at the Parliament House on his actual birthday. Jeff will be joined on stage by Trixie Deluxxe, Carol Lee, Pedro Lima, Adam Avitable, Carmen Morales and others for an evening filled with laugh, fun and drinks. $5 at the door and show starts at 7:30 p.m. with cocktails the hour before and the after party kicking off at 9:00 p.m. Join the party and celebrate the first 40th birthday of Jeff Jones.

Decemb er 3 - Decemb er 16 , 2015 // Issue 2 2. 25

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Laurie Ross Photography Tampa Bay area Equality Florida Official Photographer Contributing Photographer to Watermark News Magazine

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Celebrate the LGBTA Best in Business and Community in the Tampa Bay area, 7:30pm Saturday January 16, 2016 at the Tampa Garden Club, 2629 Bayshore Blvd Tampa FL 33629.

Tickets and information available now at TBGLCC.ORG or call 727-755-8390 44

watermark Your lgbt life.

Decemb er 3 - Decemb er 16 , 2015 // Issue 2 2. 25

overheard

tampa bay out+about

hot packages for charity

T

Oys fOr tOts is One Of the mOst belOVed and respected holiday charities in the country and it isn’t hard to see why.

The amazingly talented and beautiful Marines showcase those big muscles of theirs, their hearts, as they gather toys for less fortunate children for Christmas. So it is no surprise that for the fifth year now the Marines’ Toys for Tots is being associated with the amazingly talented and beautiful Kori Stevens for a benefit and toy drive at St. Pete’s Flamingo Resort. Make sure to clear your Sunday evening Dec. 13 and come join in on the tastes, talent and toys of a charitable tradition, and who knows, you may actually get to take home a Marine.

the big elephant in the room

A

s if a Visit paid by republiCan presidential hOpeful dOnald trump isn’t already enough of a circus, the area in and surrounding Robarts Arena at the Sarasota Fairgrounds was a three-ring freefor-all. The event even had an actual full-grown elephant by the name of Essex, with “TRUMP MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN” painted on its side. While Essex was a living breathing billboard advocating for Trump to be elected, we can’t help but think an animal immigrated from overseas to America probably would vote Democrat. Protesters from both sides of the political line protested, yelled and held signs making it seem less like a presidential campaign speech and more like a WrestleMania main event. After an hour speech by Trump that brought attacks on Rubio, Bush and Clinton as well as chants from the crowd of “Trump, Trump, Trump,” he boarded his helicopter and was off leaving the crowd to disperse and ready the grounds of the Sarasota Craft Show and a Taste of Chanukah.

hey mister dj, put a record on

w

ith the hOliday seasOn in full swing, parties will be popping up everywhere and Tampa is going to be one of the best places to shake it off this Christmas, according to ThumbTack.com that is. The Guettas and the Skrillexes over at the “hire the right professional for the job” website named Tampa the seventh best city to throw a dance party in. To achieve such an honor as one of the best cities to stop, drop and wiggle with it in, ThumbTack.com looked at the supply to demand ratio, average overall ratings and average price for DJ’s in metro areas around the country. The results have Tampa nestled between the cupid shufflers of Denver and the electric sliders of Salt Lake City. You might be asking yourself, who tops the list? The victors in that Dance, Dance Revolution belong to Atlanta.

Rock on Tampa Bay; you earned it.

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niCe stems: Jeremy Wade Neiman (L) and Anthony citrola show off how well roller skating has been on the calves during Pride Skate at United Skates in Tampa Nov. 19. Photo courtesy

oF JereMy WADe neiMAn

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raise yOur VOiCe: Voice for Equality Award honoree Michael Donald edwards (L) and Equality Florida’s Kimberly Bleach at the 2015 Equality Florida Suncoast Celebration Nov. 21. Photo

By JereMy WiLLiAMs

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remember me: tristan Byrnes speaks to the crowd gathered at St. Petersburg City Hall steps during the memorial for Transgender Day of Remembrance Nov. 20. Photo By steVe BLAnchArD

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fOOd fOr thOught: Hot 101.5 morning show hosts Miguel Fuller (L) and holly o’connor hang outside a Pinellas Park Wal-Mart to collect food for Feeding America Tampa Bay Nov. 24.

Photo courtesy oF MigueL FuLLer

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panel disCussiOn, table fOr 4: (L-R) Dr. Kathleen Farrell, Lucas Wehle, caitlin Jones and carolina gutierrez speak about trans education and experiences over dinner at the TBGLCC November Meeting at The Barrymore Hotel in Tampa Nov. 18. Photo By JereMy WiLLiAMs

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we’re On a bOat: Brian Longstreth (center) and the rest of the Punky’s Bar & Grill gang enjoy their Saturday off on the open sea Nov. 21 before they open the doors to St. Pete’s newest hot spot. Photo courtesy oF

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BriAn Longstreth

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sOme peOple wait a lifetime: (L-R) Ken shelin, Equality Florida’s Lifetime Achievement honoree Mary Bonauto and Jay handelman bring the evening to a close at the 2015 Equality Florida Suncoast Celebration at the Palm Avenue Parking Garage in Sarasota Nov. 21.

Photo By JereMy WiLLiAMs

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the pOwer Of gOOdbye: (L-R) connie Lancaster, Jacob hamm, Anastasia hiotis and Chris rudisill enjoy a farewell dinner Nov. 24 at The Mill Restaurant in St. Petersburg.

Photo courtesy oF chris ruDisiLL

watermark Your lgbt life.

8 7 Decemb er 3 - Decemb er 16 , 2015 // Issue 2 2. 25

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watermark Your lgbt life.

Decemb er 3 - Decemb er 16 , 2015 // Issue 2 2. 25

overheard

OrLAndO out+about

the fringe jackpot!

T

he fringe lOttery is COmplete, and although the wait list is long, a lot of your favorite local Orlando LGBT performers are set to have their own shows. Although most artists don’t announce the actual name of the show until after the new year, Watermark was able to get the inside scoop for some. Yow Dance will return with a dance revue, Logan Donahoo will be performing another one man show that he promises to be semi-educational and of course entertaining. We have Michael Wanzie, who will be revisiting his very first Fringe show, a drama about two soldiers stuck in a foxhole, one gay and one straight. There will be a show about Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche. Comedian, Disney fan and Movies Out Loud host Jeff Jones is writing a comedy, this time not set in hell, but a sit-com style show about four Disney animatronics living together as roommates called Animatronicans; the show will feature the Polar Bear (from the now closed Maelstrom), Abe Lincoln (the Hall of Presidents), the Dreamfinder (Journey to Imagination) and John (Carousel of Progress).

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they tend bar for the money

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ith the new additiOn tO stOnewall bar COmes sOme new bartenders, including Thomas Cail, last seen a tending bar at PH. Thomas had taken a break a while back from the gay-bar scene. Now everyone’s favorite tattooed Canuck is part of the team to the newly renovated Stonewall Bar. Thomas joins Taylor Bulloch at Stonewall, who happens to be a contender for Real Radio’s Orlando’s Hottest Bartender Photo Contest—the voting process has started & the winner will receive a “$500 Tip.” Not to worry ladies, this contest includes an Orlando’s Hottest Female Bartender as well!

beetlejuice! beetlejuice! beetlejuice!

O

n the theme park nOte, Universal Orlando announced the final nail on the coffin for Beetlejuice’s Graveyard Revue that opened at Universal Studios Florida in 1992. It featured the title character of Beetlejuice and several Universal classic monsters with updated modern looks and the gift of musical talent. The theme park show has seen a number of Orlando entertainers performing in a variety of the monster roles, including Joey Fatone (before he had NSync strings attached). Although fans were distraught of show’s demise in favor of the upcoming Fast and Furious: Supercharged attraction (mmmm, Vin Diesel), many can now breathe a sigh of relief in knowing that Universal has delayed the show’s final curtain. The show will end its run (finally) on Jan 5. Now you got time to say Beetle-Bye Felicia!

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pretty generOus maC: Cosmetics staff helps assist with the food pantry and light office dutes at Hope and Help of Central Florida headquarters on World AIDS Day, Dec. 1.

Photo By MichAeL MorMAn

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SANTA SNAP: Comedian Jeff Jones gets a jump on the holidays with a Santa Claus photo Nov. 27 at Disney California Adventure.

Photo By PooKie JenKins

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last hurrah: (L to R) steven Fifer, Franklin grinstead, John Partain and scott guira take in The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights for a final time—this is the last year the spectacle will be displayed at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Photo courtesy FiFer

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funny lady: Orlando drag performer trixie Deluxe hangs out with Sawmill regular Ms. Morris after performing at Sawmill Campgrounds Nov. 28. Photo

courtesy triXie DeLuXe

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traditiOnal tunes: Zac Alfson snaps a selfie of friends (L to R) Bryan henley, Danny garcia, James Witherspoon and Bryan soloezano Nov. 28 before Orlando Philharmonic’s Home for the Holidays at the Bob Carr. Photo By ALFson

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dinner with friends: Zebra Coalition volunteers, staff and youth gather to break bread Nov. 24 for a Thanksgiving dinner at Zebra House. Photo by DeAnnDre Meno

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blessed beats: Musician Beaux Patrick entertains the members of OWL (Older Wiser Learning) at their Thanksgiving potluck Nov. 19 at The Center.

Photo by ken terreLL

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tyrannasaurus!

Power Ranger fan and Orlando cosplayer billy celiz meets the original Red Power Ranger, Austin st.

John, at Rangerstop, a Power Ranger Convention Nov. 14.

Photo courtesy ceLiZ

8 watermark Your lgbt life.

Decemb er 3 - Decemb er 16 , 2015 // Issue 2 2. 25

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watermark Your lgbt life.

Decemb er 3 - Decemb er 16 , 2015 // Issue 2 2. 25

announcements

wedding BeLLs

manny Agon, 44, and Nick Kresky, 33 from Orlando, Florida

congratulations

Congratulations to Tampa’s Mac Mcgowan for another year on the wagon Dec. 17.

years together:

Andrea hays, Diversity and Inclusion Director of the MBA, celebrated 16 magical years with the Walt Disney Company on Nov. 20.

engagement date:

St. Petersburg couple chuck henson and tom young celebrate another anniversary Dec. 16.

Young also celebrates his birthday Dec. 7.

3 years

April 18, 2015

wedding date:

local birthdays

January 16, 2016

wedding venue:

The ceremony will take place at knowles Memorial Chapel at Rollins College in Winter Park with the reception at Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin.

wedding planner:

The couple planned their wedding, and Andrea Paoletti, one of Manny’s co-workers, will be the wedding day coordinator.

wedding caterer:

All catering will be conducted by Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin and Subsonic event DJs.

wedding theme/ colors:

They have chosen to go with a theme of “apples and oranges” since Nick is from Michigan and Manny is a native Floridian.

interesting Fact:

They are both eagle Scouts and have a strong passion for music.

Photo courtesy Kresky and Agon

E

mmanuel “manny” agOn, whO

is an Expedia market manager, and Nicholas “Nick” Kresky, a team member at Universal Studios Parks and Resorts, first met through their shared love of music as members of the Orlando Gay Chorus at the first rehearsal for the 2010 “Rainbows over Broadway” spring concert.

“Our section leader in the chorus, Sheri—we call her our ‘Sheri Godmother’—kind of nudged Nick into my direction, knowing that I really liked him. We have a lot to thank Sheri for—for getting us together,” Manny says.

Nick was a new member of the chorus, having moved to Florida recently from Michigan, and Manny found him cute. Nick was in a relationship when he first joined the Orland Gay Chorus, but Manny waited till that relationship ended and pursued him. After asking a couple times, Nick finally agreed to go on a date with Manny. Their first date was at the Polynesian Resort to watch the Fantasy in the Sky fireworks on July 3, 2012.

They went on more dates— both group date and dates with just the two of them—and their relationship slowly progressed over the years.

“He has a generosity about

him—a generous spirit,” Nick says. “With his time and his talent, he gives to the community and he gives to his family. I definitely appreciate that most about him.”

As the years passed, Manny figured it was time to take the next step, especially after same-sex marriage became legal in Florida in January 2015.

“Because we are both mama’s boys, it was important to have our families with us when I popped the question, so coordinating an excuse for both our moms to be in the same place was tricky,” Manny says.

Manny organized a long weekend getaway to Florida for Nick’s mother and stepfather who live in Michigan; Manny’s mother drove up from South Florida. With the help of his sister, Manny organized a beach day at Paradise Beach in Melbourne so that the mothers could meet for the first time. Manny proposed to

Nick on the beach in front of their parents, and Manny’s sister and brother-in-law.

“It definitely took me by surprise because I wasn’t quite expecting it,” Nick says.

For their wedding, they wanted to incorporate a lot of their story and backgrounds into the ceremony and reception. Nick says that he dreams “everything up, and Manny coordinates it.”

The ceremony will take place at Knowles Memorial Chapel at Rollins College in Winter Park with the reception at Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin—where Manny first referred to Nick as his boyfriend in public and has since then been an annual tradition to attend. There will also be an after party at Atlantic Dance at Disney’s BoardWalk.

“I heard somewhere that the way a man treats his mother is how they will treat their future spouse, and I always found it endearing how he holds his family close to his heart,” Manny says. “He’s very family-oriented, and that’s something I’m was looking for as well. We are both open to raising kids together, and so we agreed to continue dating because we had very similar goals in life.”

Watermark contributor and Orlando DJ Kirk hartlage (Dec. 3); Tampa Bay actor and Lucky Star St. Petersburg bartender Daniel Harris, Watermark cover model Aleesha Kerri, “Flame On” podcast host Bryan Pittard, Osceola Arts COO Jeremiah Krivinchuk, Funky Monkey entrepreneur eddie nickell (Dec. 6); Orlando Theatre goddess Beth Marshall, St. Petersburg psychiatrist tom young, Tampa’s Red Herring Ltd. expert ivan Moros (Dec. 7); uOwn Real Estate founder and broker sean Frank (Dec. 8); Orlando comic Jeff Jones, Tampa Straz Center staffer and actor spencer Meyers, Orlando derby girl and mommy Amy Anderson, Mitzi Morris’ alter ego Kevin Kreigel (Dec. 10); former Watermark sales director and out and proud Veteran Mark cady, Orlando former Watermark contributor John sullivan, Tampa Bay Bulldog softballer Les Croy (Dec. 11); Orlando Ford-dealing bear Fred Berliner (Dec. 11); Tampa’s Equality Florida Gala go-to guy ed Lally, Orlando Chorus baritone Jamie Decker, Sarasota’s WAVE-winning realtor Jim Jablonski, St. Pete Twirler Jose Luis Perez, Altamonte Springs chiropractor Dr. Bradford Levine (Dec. 12); Orlando zebra and baby-deliverer Marie Mcclure, Orlando talent-seeker Mark catlett, Orlando actor/director Ashland thomas (Dec. 13); Paradise purveyor Dan schwab, drag performer hunter holloway, Manatee Segway Tours CEO Fred Burgin (Dec. 14); former Tampa MCC Pastor rev.

Phyllis hunt, St. Petersburg outdoor lover Dan Barrett, Clearwater softball stud gregory toth (Dec. 15); blogger and Tampa Bay lawyer David schauer (Dec. 16); GLBT Community Center senior program director Ken terrell, gay-friendly NYC (former Orlando) chanteuse Becky Fisher (Dec. 17).

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.

Decemb er 3 - Decemb er 16 , 2015 // Issue 2 2. 25

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Decemb er 3 - Decemb er 16 , 2015 // Issue 2 2. 25

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watermark Your lgbt life.

Decemb er 3 - Decemb er 16 , 2015 // Issue 2 2. 25

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Decemb er 3 - Decemb er 16 , 2015 // Issue 2 2. 25

53

uprisings

OUr new qUiet terrOrism

‘When I asked Rubio about it, he said, somewhat confusingly, ‘Look, I personally believe that all life is worthy of protection, and therefore I don’t ever require, nor have I ever advocated, that I won’t support a law unless it has exceptions.’ After some more twists and turns, I sensed that we had reached the line he plans to use in a general election: ‘my goal is to save as many lives as possible, and I’ll support anything that does that. Even if it has exceptions.’

T

—Via eVan OsnOs, the NEW YORKER

wOrLd Aids dAy

y

Ou might haVe nOtiCed that we tOOk the better part Of Our last issue to discuss the importance of World AIDS Day and the continuing significance of HIV/AIDS in the LGBT community.

We’re not the kind to play siton-hands-worry-warts, but it’s worth pointing out that, at least in Florida, the number of new HIV cases rose by 23 percent in the first six months of this yar, according to the Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Advocates for awareness of the disease are clearly concerned.

“When the Centers for Disease Control released a map this year showing the most distinctive causes of death per state, or where causes of death were higher than the national average, Florida was cited as the HIV state, based on the 15,000 deaths between 2001 and 2010,” the NewsJournal reported.

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CUrtAin Lights

T

here’s been a lOt Of nOise flOating arOund abOut hOllywOOd east—er, OrlandO—for decades, with incentives and political drivel lubricating the whole mess. Well, it turns out that Hollywood East is indeed Hollywood Least, as, even with Floridian facades, most “Floridabased” films are picking up incentives from states more interested in feeding the machine. The Bradenton Herald reports that projects meant for Florida have lost out on some $650 million in economic spurts thanks to a state bent on tightening its belts. Previous funding has dried up, so now we’re just pretending Georgia is Florida and teeth are teeth.

Big incentive-backer Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, is already throwing up her hands at the issue. Florida could do better, of course. “The criticism has continued through the years to the point that your program is now killed,” she told a gathering of state senators last week. We’re dead to us.

if at first you don’t succeed

J

ust as we all danCed a Jig tO the rhythm Of lOuisiana electing a pro-Medicaid-expansion patriot Joe Bel Edwards on Nov. 28, the entirety of sentient beings thought aloud, “hey, could this also happen in Florida, where nearly one million people fall into the Medicaid gap?” Well, that’s not immediately likely, but in the land of Jindal and the idiocy he’s continued to dance along with, it does make the possibility of a post-Rick-Scott, post-Republican Florida seem a valid possibility.

(We know; we bite the insides of our mouths, too.) The loss to serial philanderer David Vitter, R-Hooker, wasn’t the easiest for his supporters to swallow, but the fact that a southern state, let alone Louisiana, could lean in favor of institutionalized philanthropy is enough to make us smile. Cheers, Joe. Let’s do this.

watermark Your lgbt life.

Billy Manes

here was a day in my life when all new life seemed Caught up in the pOlitiCs Of wOrthlessness, and I remember that day clearly. Having spent the better part of post-adolescence trying to bridge the gap between harmony and hostility, I did not know of the gun scourge, of the hatred, nor of the political machinations put in place to destroy that order and, in its face, murder people for the sake of a headline.

Why should I have? I always understood the abortion battle to be one that took place personally, in a home, dangling in the well of a tear, lingering in a personal weight. Bang. And then they shot Dr. Gunn in Pensacola in 1993. And then I was on TV. Why else would I have driven girlfriends to warzones, walked them through, kept silent and comforted them as if at home. There were actual people who thought their semen to be sacred (men); there were people who thought their excrement in ecstasy to be a thing of genius. I was not one of them. I lived and breathed for my friends; I never asked questions about wherefore and why. If you knew, you knew.

So last week’s attack on a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado, an attack that has followed the rumbling rhetoric of terror surrounding the body parts of women without ever explaining their worth to our society (as if that is a necessary caveat) has been horrifying. Frightening photographs of a man unhinged, terrifying thoughts of women abused, likely considerations of a desperate politic reified, it came off as something we should all be afraid of. Did Robert Dear have an excuse? Of course he did not. He does, now, have a headshot and likely a publicist.

And this is where we stand. When Republican politicians like Carly Fiorina are piping out versions of hatred that seem acceptable in the current political climate of reproductive health; when Donald Trump is coming down the mountain of spite in the face of the poor and the trying and the disabled; when everyone hates the black guy who is our president because, well, he’s black, we definitely have a problem.

Any more digging into this would likely be pointless—we all have our histories—but it’s worth noting that we cannot any longer abide the “Southern charm” that has brought us to yellow-taped murder scenes. “No more baby parts,” Dear allegedly said, according to The New York Times. Well, no more babies, no more excusing terror, no more living outside of the means of your own existence and no more blatant running with the course of violence that has brought us to this peak of discussion. It may not be popular, it may just be an anomaly, but try telling that to the family of a dead man. Or to the families of three dead people. Sometimes politics aren’t ephemeral, you know. Sometimes these sad politics we wear as badges are just the means required to kill people who ought to stay alive. Shame on this country and apologies to the families involved.

We will survive. But we will know better.

Decemb er 3 - Decemb er 16 , 2015 // Issue 2 2. 25

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