Watermark Issue 23.01: Philanthropy

OWN FOR $1691 A MONTH* Latham Park in Winter Garden

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Learn more at: 407.395.9756 www2.ashtonwoods.com/watermark © 2016 Ashton Woods Homes. All rights reserved. All trademarks herein, including Ashton Woods, the “AW” logo, and the “AW Ashton Woods” logo, are the property of Ashton Woods Homes and may not be used without express written permission. Ashton Woods Homes reserves the right to change plans, specifications and pricing without notice in its sole discretion. Square footage is approximate and window, floor and ceiling elevations are approximate, subject to change without prior notice or obligation and may vary by plan elevation and/or community. Special wall and window treatments, upgraded flooring, fireplace surrounds, landscape and other features in and around the model homes are designer suggestions and not included in the sales price. All renderings, color schemes, floorplans, maps and displays are artists’ conceptions and are not intended to be an actual depiction of the home or its surroundings. Basements are available subject to site conditions. Homesite premiums may apply. Please see Sales Representative for additional information. This is not an offer to sell real estate, or solicitation to buy real estate, in any jurisdiction where prohibited by law or in any jurisdiction where prior registration is required, including New York and New Jersey. 2013 & 2014 Most Trusted Builder in AmericaSM according to Lifestory Research Most Trusted Builder in America StudySM. *Information such as interest rate and annual percentage rate (APR), points, number and amount of loan payments, may be estimated. The accuracy of this information is dependent on borrower’s credit background and other information and may be subject to change. Annual percentage rate (APR) is the cost of credit expressed as a yearly rate. The APR includes the prepaid interest rate, discount points, fees, and other credit charges that the borrower is required to pay, and is a more complete measure of a loan’s cost than the interest rate alone. The loan’s interest rate, not its APR, is used to calculate the monthly principal and interest payment. CRC#1517613 1.16

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JA nuA ry 14 - J A nuA ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

2013 & 2014 MOST TRUSTED BUILDER IN AMERICA SM

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Tampa Gala You’re Invited!

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20 • 7:30PM - 11:00PM at TPepin’s Hospitality Centre | 4121 N. 50th Street, Tampa, FL

Please join us for one of the biggest events in Tampa celebrating the LGBT community. The 2016 Tampa Gala will feature live and silent art auctions, music by Jureka, open bars, catering by Puff ‘n Stuff, and DjCK spinning dance tracks! Our program will include an update from our CEO Nadine Smith on the status of LGBT equality in Florida, and we will recognize Ed Lally, our Voice for Equality Honoree.

Tickets are $125 • Cocktail Attire • R.S.V.P. and purchase tickets at www.eqfl.org/tampagala or call 813-870-3735.

Bidding for our 2016 silent art auction will be done completely online this year, and items are currently available for bidding!

Please follow these steps to view and place your bids today:

1. Scan the QR Code to the right, or visit http://bit.ly/tampagala 2. Click on “Register to Bid” on the far right of the screen to create your account.

3. Create your account. Receive confirmation email and click on link to verify account.

Our live and silent auctions will showcase work by local artists. This piece by Duncan McClellan will be featured in the live auction!

(Be sure to check your junk mail folder for the confirmation email if you do not see it in your inbox.)

4. View auction items and place your bids!

Please note: All silent art auction items will be on display at the Tampa Gala and able to be viewed online.

PO BOX 20786, TAMPA, FL 33622-0786

Equality Florida is the largest civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for Florida’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

All net proceeds directly benefit Equality Florida Institute, a tax exempt 501c3 non-profit organization.

A CO P Y O F T H E O F F I C I A L R E G I S T R AT I O N A N D F I N A N C I A L I N F O R M AT I O N F O R T H E E Q UA L I T Y F LO R I D A I N S T I T U T E M AY B E O B TA I N E D F R O M T H E D I V I S I O N O F CO N S U M E R S E R V I C E S B Y C A L L I N G TO L L- F R E E W I T H I N F LO R I D A ( 1 . 8 0 0 . 4 3 5 . 7 3 5 2 ) . R E G I S T R AT I O N D O E S N OT I M P LY E N D O R S E M E N T, A P P R O VA L , O R R E CO M M E N D AT I O N B Y T H E S TAT E . R E G I S T R AT I O N # C H 7 9 9 2 .

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JA nuA ry 14 - J A nuA ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

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JA nuA ry 14 - J A nuA ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

departments 6 // mail 7 // editor’s desk 8 // orlando news 12 // tampa bay news 17 // state 19 // 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

37

I didn’t want to have a tantrum and foot-stomp, ‘What about me?’ but I was holding everything together and going through a divorce and coming out. Everybody else was being showered with concern and care, which made me angry sometimes. I was feeling like the villain.

—authoR dawn eliZabeth wateRs

on tHe cover

PAGE

07

PAGE GIVERS AND

29

RECEIVERS:

As the New Year begins, philanthropic organizations and political campaigns are rallying for more LGBT donations.

It’s time to put your money where your heart is. Here’s how.

Illustration by Jake Stevens

scan qr code For

watermarkonline.com

we could be Heroes:

To most of ‘All the Young Dudes,’ it was also just another brush with genius, one we were fortunate enough to absorb, enjoy, think about and share. He never let us down. And losing him felt like the loss of a family member, the last of the gang to die.

watermark i ssue 23 .01 // J anuary 14 - J anuary 27, 2016

ricHardson’s rules

stamped out!

wHeels on Fire

legislate tHis

PAGE The HRC is keeping its eyes

PAGE The United Nations

PAGE

PAGE

Read it Online!

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

08

on the Florida Legislature as it heads into session. State Rep. David Richardson, D-Miami-Dade, is looking out for you in the meantime.

12

debuts its first LGBTthemed stamp in Sarasota. You’ve got mail.

Florida House hopeful and Equality Florida champion Carlos Guillermo Smith blurs the line between LGBT rights and women’s rights. We have to look out for each other.

23

As the legislative session starts in Tallahassee, Gov. Rick Scott promises to make the rich richer. Surprise!

54

CheCK Out wateRmaRK’s OveR-the-shOuLdeR gLanCe at the a-Z Of 2015’s pOp CuLtuRaL expLOsiOns at wateRmaRKOnLine.COm

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JA nuA ry 14 - J A nuA ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

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“Among so much more, you’re just hating, intolerant I differ in who I support for president.

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watermark Your lgbt life.

On Randy Ross being named Donald Trump’s Orange County campaign chairman:

“I might reply with something like this next time....”you know Billy, it’s a sad departure from what Tom Dyer built as the editor/owner of Watermark for 20 years.”

I’ll take you seriously, perhaps, the day you remind our community about the 20k I helped raise for AIDS Walk Orlando. Has any team ever done that....even today? 5 years later? I’ll take you seriously when you remind readers the $50k I helped raise for Harbor House to bring awareness to domestic abuse. Or when I led the charge to raise the Orlando Museum of Art out of the ground.

Heck, I’d be ok if you just acknowledged I ran for office versus referencing it like I’m a failure to do so. Among so much more, you’re just hating, intolerant I differ in who

I support for president.

And let’s be honest, you’re coming off jealous. Clean up your journalistic subjective style. You made it clear what a failure I am in your eyes long ago.

Why report at all? Oh, I know, I do whatever I set out to do. Not always successful, but I do it.

And you know that must be incredibly frustrating for you. Oh, Billy. Thank you for spelling my name correctly!

—Randy Ross

(Editor’s response: Hmm, I am so jealous. Good luck with that).

Watermark’s Facebook:

On the HRC predicting anti-LGBT bills for Florida in 2016:

“We have serious problems facing this country and state, but yet the Florida legislature can only think up new and creative ways to hate people who are LGBT. Maybe we can start discriminating against politicians?”

—Don Shetterly

On Kevin McCarty, Florida Insurance Commissioner, resigning:

“Read the whole articlethe tidbits are misleading.

He’s resigning of his free will to pursue other interests after years of stellar service. It’s a well written article of a worthy man.”

—Candy Sulzer

Ja nua ry 14 - J a nua ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

On Adam Lambert announced as part of Universal Studios Orlando concert series during Mardi Gras”

“It’s my birthday... I wonder if he’ll sing to me?”

—Thom Bland

On Twitter banning anti-gay and antitrans language:

“I can self-monitor. I don’t need anyone to filter posts for me.”

—Michael K. Markus

“Haters gonna hate! We are everywhere!!”

—Danny Weaver

On Watermark founder Tom Dyer announcing he sold the company to current publisher Rick Claggett:

“Good luck to you Tom and thank-you for helping make Orlando a better community.”

—Matthew Azar

On the 2016 Watermark WAVE Awards nominations going up:

“Done! Always great to recognize those who make a difference in our Community!”

—Chuck Henson

On judge who ordered foster child be taken from lesbian couple retiring:

“Buh-bye.”

—Joan E Hepsworth

Photo by Robert Bartlett

editor’s

Billy Manes EDITOR

BIlly@WatermarkOnline.com

I

Desk

t was about 3 a.m. when, curled

in my perpetually awkward slumber that involves noise and talking for no real reason, I “heard the news today, oh boy.” My lifelong hero, my sun, my moon, the man who fell to earth and influenced every song or band or fashion to which I would cling in dreams and sleep and love and hate was dead.

Tony, my husband, was doing a radio show when the update clouded the transom: David Bowie, 69, had passed from cancer just a couple of days after his birthday.

I only mention this because, well, it meant that my skull collapsed and shattered and the ground became a hole. Yes, it’s overdramatic to eulogize a celebrity or an artist in such a sadly choreographed fetalposition cramp, but that’s what I did. I cried in a ball; I pressed words together in my head the same way that Bowie did on small pieces of paper; I made nonsense make sense and I ran to my computer to relive

watermark staff

a life I had already absorbed once before. I was an Absolute Beginner once. A Starman. A Hero. A Dead Man Walking.

It was very early on a Monday morning, somewhere close to the end of a production cycle for Watermark; I was already behind on deadlines, but now I was beneath.

So I sobbed some more and watched, in chronological order, the years of my life, my misbegotten life, dance on the screen. Only three days prior, Tony and I had a Bowie day; it was the release date of the Thin White Duke’s newest and last album Blackstar, a maudlin reflection on

life and love and disaster tainted with horns and hope. “I can’t give everything away,” Bowie blustered at the album’s end, and I think, deep inside, I knew something was amiss.

You’ll pardon me for this rant, I hope, because if there has ever been anyone who made me feel OK about being gay in the beginning, who espoused glamor to such extremes, who would throw on a frock and fake his own suicide as if to only reinvent himself, it was Bowie.

I learned from that; I tried to do the same on all levels. We were all spiders from Mars, and as such, we were all immortal.

So when a dream dies, when that crouch of pain and tears becomes meaningless in its aftermath, it’s a big deal. I lost it; I don’t remember much of Monday.

But I do remember David Bowie.

For those who rolled their eyes at my mourning morning gear on Jan. 11 – I did in fact wear a black star over my black garb – here is why I cried. Life isn’t quite as artful as it should be anymore, in my opinion. We race from blip to blip, dish to drink, work to bed and stop realizing things. There are no more story arcs, just dot-matrix doubts and shit thrown at walls to see if it sticks: a vocoder, a sequencer, a meme, a Facebook post, some beats thrown in for good measure.

I’m not trying to play the “back in the day” game here, but at least for me, David Bowie was the father of reinvention and inspiration, a shooting star. Even his commercial failures stood shoulders above the chaff we float on today. And, as someone in an internet meme said Monday (natch), we’re lucky to have lived in this small capsule of time that included him. I am lucky.

I know this.

Blackstar was Bowie’s goodbye, and it was perfectly timed, just as everything he did was. The thinkpiece writers are now putting the twos with the twos and realizing that his last video “Lazarus” was in fact a note to his fans and the

Art Director: Jake Stevens Ext. 109 • Jake@WatermarkOnline.com

Founder and Guiding Light: Tom Dyer • Tom@WatermarkOnline.com Owner & Publisher: Rick Claggett • Ext. 110 • Rick@WatermarkOnline.com Office Manager: Kathleen Harper • Ext. 100 • Kathleen@WatermarkOnline.com Editor-in-Chief: Billy Manes • Ext. 101 • Billy@WatermarkOnline.com Online Media Director: Jamie Hyman • Ext. 106 • Jamie@WatermarkOnline.com

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ultimate expression of pain via seizures and letter-writing.

But, to most of “All the Young Dudes,” it was also just another brush with genius, one we were fortunate enough to absorb, enjoy, think about and share. He never let us down. And losing him felt like the loss of a family member, the last of the gang to die.

There’s a more substantive bit about Bowie deeper in this issue of Watermark, one with fewer tears on its page, but I couldn’t walk in these platforms at this job, at this paper, where we encourage individualism and change, and not pay homage

You’ll pardon me for this rant, I hope, because if there has ever been anyone who made me feel OK about being gay in the beginning, who espoused glamor to such extremes, who would throw on a frock and fake his own suicide as if to only reinvent himself, it was Bowie.

to the man who, I would argue, made it possible for a generation to believe in itself.

Tellingly, Watermark is going through a bit of its own reinvention this week with a new logo and a new company name, Watermark Publishing Group Inc., under the promising new ownership of longtime friend and publisher Rick Claggett. Hell, it went under quite a few changes this year, including my ascension to editor-in-chief. But if Bowie taught me anything, change is living. Turn and face the strange.

“I don’t know where I’m going from here,” Bowie once said. “But I promise it won’t be boring.”

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

Tampa Bay Office TEL: 813-655-9890 FAX: 813-849-2986

contributors Scottie Campbell

knows his way around the Watermark headspace.

In addition to his community engagement and behind-thescenes efforts to make Orlando a better place, he can turn a phrase or two. Pages 12

Carlos Guillermo Smith is the

governmental affairs manager for Equality Florida. He’s also bleeds politics.

After serving in the Florida House of Representatives for more than a decade, he’s now running for his own seat in HD 49. Pages 21

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 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

photography Brian Becnel, Nick Cardello, Angie Folks, Bruce Hardin, Julie Milford, Travis Moore, Chris Stephenson, Lee Vandergrift, Tinkerfluff

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

Unsolicited article submissions will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Although WATERMARK is supported by many fine advertisers, we cannot accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers.

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

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

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

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Ja nua ry 14 - J a nua ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

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central florida news

LGBT icon “forgotten by community” needs help Jamie Hyman

I

n 1992, Out &About Books on Mills Ave. was Orlando’s hub for the LGBT community.

Bruce Ground, who opened LGBT bookstore, hosted friends and fundraisers until he sold the store in 2001.

Since then, Ground has fallen on hard times. He’s had six heart attacks in the past several years and is currently unemployed and uninsured, according to Coco Pazzo, a longtime friend who says she and Ground are “closer than family.”

Now, not only is Ground’s health in danger, but he’s in financial trouble as well. He needs more than $1,300 by Jan. 20 to get current on his mortgage plus a couple hundred dollars for HOA fees.

According to Pazzo, Ground’s home has a leaky roof and bad plumbing, and his car needs major repairs. He has no medical care and is unable to afford medications he needs.

Pazzo, crushed that a key figure in Orlando’s LGBT Orlando icon Bruce Ground, history would find himself in in better times, celebrates at such a desperate situation, the 1995 Spectrum Awards. created a Go Fund Me account Ground says he borrowed that aims to give Ground the his white tail coat from financial boost he needs to get Orlando City Commissioner back on his feet.

Patty Sheehan.

“Bruce has serious medical Photo courtesy Coco Pazzo problems,” Pazzo says. “I realized that if we don’t help him out of this dark hole he’s fallen into he could die.”

Ground says he wasn’t sure about the account at first, based on pride and a feeling that his cause isn’t as important as others, but agreed to it because he realized, “I simply can’t afford to be proud at this point in my life.”

The account’s goal is set at $10,000. As of press time, $1,020 had been raised.

“I’ve been touched by the support people have shown and all I can do is attempt to repay their generosity by paying forward their kindness in some way,” Ground says.

Pazzo, however, knows more is needed and urges people to remember the contributions Ground has made to the community.

“The important thing is for people to realize is how vital Bruce was to Orlando’s LGBT community coming of age,” Pazzo says. “His store became the place to be. The place to plan. It had a larger role than the community center.”

She says over the years the LGBT community has forgotten Ground, mentioning how he was not included in the LGBT History Committee’s display in city hall last year.

“He’s rarely mentioned,” Pazzo says. “It’s wrong.

It shouldn’t be that way. People should care now, not at a funeral.”

Those who care to donate should visit WatermarkOnline. com for the link to Ground’s Go Fund Me account.

8

SNEAK PEEK: A refurbished meeting space is just one component of extensive renovations to The GLBT Center of Central Florida. The project has been ongoing for more than a year and is expected to be completed in February.

Photo by Deanndra Meno

Home Stretch After a yearlong delay, renovated GLBT Center set to open in February Jamie Hyman

S

ometimes, a fire escape is a simple safety mechanism. But sometimes (or this time), it’s the final piece in the much-anticipated, long-delayed renovation of the GLBT Center of Central Florida’s headquarters, located on Mills Ave. The fire escape isn’t solely to blame for setting the project back about a year longer than planned.

“The building was built in 1941,” says Terry DeCarlo, executive director of The Center. “There have been no major upgrades or renovations until this came about. Code enforcement in 1941 was a lot different than [now], and we had to bring everything up to code.”

The permit for the fire escape had not been signed off of by the time this issue of Watermark went to press, but Tim Vargas, president of The Center’s Board of Directors, says the head of permitting for the city gave them a pass, and they’re hoping to have permit in hand this week.

“It’ll go pretty darn quick; we’re thinking three to four weeks for construction,” Vargas says. “God willing, fingers crossed, we’re hoping

watermark Your lgbt life.

for a mid-February open.”

In the meantime, most of the renovation projects have been checked off the list.

“The outside has been completely redone, there’s a new roof, brand new windows, and windows upstairs are reopened - they were all ply-wooded over - and the inside has been drywalled,” DeCarlo says. “The things left to do are the fire escape in the back, finishing the paint on the inside, putting some new LED lighting on the inside, and the last thing is putting down the carpet tiles, and that’s it.”

Despite the delays, DeCarlo says they’re still within their $194,000 budget, which was formed through a combination of fundraisers and a city of Orlando Community Development Block Grant for nearly $150,000.

During the construction, The Center has been operating out of the building next door, which was formerly the home of Funky Monkey Vault and before that, a pharmacy.

“It’s a little rough, because I get so many community groups who do want to meet or hold events, and I haven’t been able to do it,” DeCarlo says. “I’ve been feeling really bad. I don’t have that space.”

Ja nua ry 14 - J a nua ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

He mentions that despite the renovations, space will continue to be an issue for The Center. “[The renovated building] building hasn’t opened yet and I’m already looking at running out of space,” he says. “We are growing so fast and so rapidly.”

Therefore, at a retreat Jan. 9-10, the Board of Directors decided to expand operations into the neighboring building.

“The board resolved over the weekend that rather than lease out the Funky Monkey Vault building that we own, we’re actually going to absorb that into the operations of The Center, effectively doubling the square footage of The Center,” Vargas says. “We’re going to start working with architects to figure out how we open walkways between the buildings, how we’ll lay it out, and there will need to be some renovations on that building.”

Vargas says they have several options to fund that project, including requesting another grant from the city.

“We already operate within the city’s identified at risk communities so we know we could make a strong case there,” he says.

Another option is tapping into the buildings’ equity, as Vargas says the property is valued at $1.3 million but they’re only carrying a mortgage of $190,000. He says there are a few organizations in town interested in renting office space in their renovated headquarters and of course, fundraising is always an option.

Vargas estimates the new project

Continued on pg. 10 | uu |

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watermark Your lgbt life.

Ja nua ry 14 - J a nua ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

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central florida news | uu | GLBT Center Renovations from pg.8

MAKING IT OFFICIAL

Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan shakes hands with Rev. Cynthia Alice Anderson of Christ Church Unity at the Oath of Office Ceremony Jan. 11 at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.

Anderson administered Sheehan’s swearing in. Sheehan will be serving her fifth term as District 4 Commissioner.

At the ceremony, in addition to Sheehan, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer was sworn into his fourth full term, District 2 Commissioner Tony Ortiz was sworn into his third term, and District 6 Commissioner Samuel B. Ings was sworn into his third full term on the City Council. Photo by Deanndra Meno

will cost about $100,000.

In addition to expanding their headquarters, the Board also decided to expand their staff.

“We will be hiring a development director for the organization this year,” Vargas says. “Somebody who is good at grant writing, somebody who can operate the corporate membership side of the house, dealing with foundations, corporations, get them really engaged in what The Center does.”

He says they hope to have a job posting in the next 45-60 days, with the goal of having the development director in place for June 1.

“We came away from the retreat with a list of about 20-25 programs and services The Center should have to be on par with other GLBT centers across the nation,” Vargas says. “Those programs and services take money, and really, one of the things we found recently is given our staffing level, and given the number of things we do today, we’re actually running fairly thin as far as staffing levels are concerned.”

Better LGBT protections in the works for Brevard Schools Jamie Hyman

M

elbourne | The Brevard County School District’s discrimination policy will soon include protections for LGBTs. That’s the word from Andy Ziegler, the chairman of the Brevard County School Board.

Ziegler says the board has asked staff to bring them revised policies and he expects to see them by end of January. Once the new language is in hand, Ziegler says they’ll appear on an agenda, then the board will hold one or two hearings before voting on the new protections.

He’s confident the new protections will be approved.

“I’m pretty confident that it will just flow through as brought to us, which should be consistent with other districts modifications,” Ziegler says.

The changes were sparked by Space Coast activists appearing at a December school board meeting wearing red to rally support for adding gender identity and sexual orientation to the school’s existing nondiscrimination policy.

Lexi Wright, president of Space Coast Pride, told Watermark after the meeting that board members approached the group in support of the changes. After that, the proposal was brought up during the school board’s strategic planning meeting.

It appears this is part of a larger movement in Space Coast to get LGBT protections added to all area anti-discrimination policies. Space Coast Pride hosted an ambassador training on Dec. 4 to educate activists on how to effectively tell their stories to lawmakers in order to push for LGBT-inclusive Human Rights Ordinances.

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11

tampa bay news

diamond awards set to launcH a Huge year For tHe tbglcc Jeremy Williams

eQual fReedom:

t

ampa | Get your formal attire to the cleaners because the Tampa Bay Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce are honoring the community once again at the second annual Diamond Awards at the Tampa Garden Club Jan. 16.

“It’s a celebration of the continued diversity in the Tampa Bay area, or the growing diversity as we call it,” says Ashley Brundage, TBGLCC President and nominee for Business Person of the Year. “This is where we will celebrate the best in business and the best in the community.”

The community was given the opportunity in 2015 to nominate any person, business or organization in one of four categories. Once the votes were tallied, the TBGLCC members voted which of the finalists would be the winner.

In the category of Business of the Year, the nominees are The Hotchkiss Group, NY Massage Inc., PNC Bank, Russell Property Group and Safer Dining.

Nominated along with Brundage for Business Person of the Year are Larry Biddle, Saralee Fackleman, Sharon Herman and Sonny Hotchkiss.

Non-Profit Business of the Year nominees are Equality Florida, Francis House, Keep St. Pete Lit, Metro Wellness & Community Centers and Tampa Bay International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.

The nominees for the Community Champion of the Year are Kevin Beckner, Bob Buckhorn, Steve Kornell, Lisa Montelione and Darden Rice.

“We are going to have a fully produced award show,” Brundage says.“There will be entertainment, a catered meal, VIP sponsor reception. We have Jennifer Real performing and the previous year’s winners will be in attendance to present the awards to this year’s winners, so it should be a lot of fun.”

Along with the prestige and pageantry of a top-of-the-line award show, the chamber will also be inviting some students from their mentorship program.

“Through a partnership with Balance Tampa Bay, we formed a mentorship program in 2015 where we mentor LGBTA students and youth in the community,” Brundage says.“We host a monthly mentorship mixer where we pair students with

COntinued On pg. 14 | uu |

12

One of the six designs for the UN’s first series of LGBT stamps. They will first be seen at the National Stamp Exhibition in Sarasota Feb. 5-7.

stamp of Approval The United Nations is using Sarasota’s National Stamp Exhibition to launch its first ever LGBT stamp series Jeremy Williams

S

aRasota | The United Nations Postal Administration announced that they will issue a series of six stamps which commemorates the fight for LGBT rights at the Sarasota National Stamp Exhibition Feb. 5.

The stamp series is a part of the UN’s Free & Equal campaign which looks to spread global education on LGBT equality and to raise awareness of homophobic and transphobic violence and discrimination, according to their website.

The Free & Equal campaign recently celebrated its first year with the UN and states that in that year they have spread the organizations message to more than a billion people.

The new stamps, each one designed to celebrate the diversity of the LGBT community, are the first series ever issued by the UNPA that have an LGBT theme.

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Malli Hui is a representative with the UNPA and arranged to have the LGBT stamp series presented at the Stamp Exhibition in Sarasota.

“The stamps were originally envisioned to be launched in February around Valentine’s Day, and the Sarasota National Stamp Exhibition comes as the best fit for both the time and venue for UNPA to launch the ‘Free & Equal’ stamps,” Hui says.

The launch of the series in February is the accumulation of months of discussions and preparation from the UNPA, says Hui. “The United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) stamp issuance was decided by the Stamp Advisory Committee formed by various staff in different UN offices, who met on a regular basis to discuss and research for the best stamp theme based on the activities and achievements of the United Nations,” Hui says. “UNPA decided to feature one of the lead projects of the United Nations Human Rights Office, which

JA nuA ry 14 - J A nuA ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

is the ‘Free & Equal’ campaign to help promote and protect human rights around the world. Through numerous discussions and upon understanding the concept, the designer then uses his perception and creativeness to incorporate the message and the theme into a visual stamp image.”

The series of six stamps were designed by artist Sergio Baradat who currently serves as the Global Graphics and Communications Art Director for the UNPA. Baradat has had his work exhibited at The Walker Art Center, The Denver Art Museum and The Aronson Galleries in New York, and has pieces on permanent display at the Smithsonian’s Postal Museum in D.C. and at the Cuban Heritage Collection in Miami.

The UNPA has only released the first stamp in the series but hopes to have the rest out very soon.

“We are still in discussions with the United Nations Human Rights Office as to how soon the rest of the stamp images can be released,” Hui says. “Perhaps one at a time near the week before the official release date.”

Once released, the stamps can be purchased at the United Nations Post Offices in New York, Geneva and Vienna. They will also be available through various national stamp exhibitions throughout the world and on their website at UNStamps.org.

The Sarasota National Stamp Exhibition is a three-day annual event from Feb. 5- 7 and will be at Sarasota’s Municipal Auditorium.

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13

tampa bay news

Sanders author visits Florida

| uu | Diamond Awards from pg.12 a mentor in a field they are interested in to get them more involved in the community and to learn what it is we do. Students who get involved in that program earn points, both by volunteering in the community and meeting with their mentor.”

The top five students will be in attendance as personal guests of the TBGLCC. The Diamond Awards is only the first event for the TBGLCC in 2016.

“We will be launching the first in what will be an annual chamber luncheon on April 7 at the Tampa Club,” Brundage says. “So beautiful view, amazing food. Tickets are only $35 for members.

Obviously we are going to continue this strong growth in our membership, we have our annual membership drive going on right now. We also have the mentorship program that we will be looking to grow this year.”

To purchase tickets for the Diamond Awards or to find out more information on future TBGLCC events, visit www.TBGLCC.org.

Scottie Campbell

S

ARASOTA | Jonathan Tasini, author of The Essential Bernie Sanders and his Vision for America, spoke at Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center on Jan. 9. The event was one of five Florida stops with an engagement in Melbourne that evening, and three in Miami the following day. A predominantly caucasian audience of approximately 100 attended the Fogartyville event; attendees ranged from teens to senior citizens but skewed elderly, including one gentleman who turned 103 that week.

Endorsed by Sanders, Tasini’s book breaks down the presidential candidate’s policies in an easy to read format to layout talking points for supporters or introduce voters to Sanders. Tasini meticulously patchworked excerpts from Sander’s speeches and press release statements to create the slim,

accessible book. He wrote the book in the 20 days following Sanders’ Presidential bid announcement in May 2015.

Complete with a section to take notes, The Essential Bernie provides an approach in keeping with a Sanders tenet that the election process should be educational. Tasini’s book tour echoes this philosophy with a presentation expounding on six key points: foreign affairs, civil rights, education, health care, jobs, and climate.

“I see it more as being a surrogate for Bernie, promoting Bernie, and the political revolution,” Tasini said in a subsequent interview for Dr. Doreen Dupont’s One Wonders podcast. “The book is secondary. If the book never sold another copy, I’d still be honored and privileged to be doing this because this is about changing the life that we all live.”

Tasini is an animated speaker, often bending at the knees as if to

thrust his passion at the listener.

Behind him poster-size printed visual aids were clipped to a curtain, helping to keep him and the audience on track. He was flanked by two more posters on easels. One simply said “Political Revolution vs. Status Quo” – Hillary Clinton was rarely referenced by name, but instead as “the candidate of the status quo.” (As point of fact, Tasini unsuccessfully ran against Clinton in 2006 in NY for U.S. Senate.)

The other poster lists three qualities of the Sanders approach: “Moral Principles, Shared Responsibility, Economic Wisdom.”

Consistently Tasini came back to Moral Principles, often expressing awe for his subject matter. On Sanders eschewing super PACs in light of his campaign finance reform stance, he said: “If it were me, I’m going to have the super PAC, then I’ll fix that when I’m elected.”

Following a Q&A, Tasini closed by urging the audience to find ways to do more and give more for the cause. “When you wake up in the morning, ask your partner, ‘What are we doing for Bernie today?’”

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state news

Hrc predicts anti-lgbt bills For Florida in 2016 Jamie Hyman

t

allahassee | The Human Rights Campaign predicts anti-LGBT legislation will be introduced in Florida during the 2016 state legislative session, which begins on Jan. 12. It’s part of the HRC’s preview 2016, a report released Jan. 8 on both proequality and anti-LGBT legislation at the state and local levels.

It’s a safe call for Florida, as two anti-gay bills have already been introduced. The Pastor Protection bill, filed by Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Longwood, in August, purports to protect religious leaders from being forced to conduct same-sex weddings. The bill is unnecessary because religious leaders are already free from being forced to perform any sort of wedding ceremony at all that doesn’t align with their faith or personal convictions. HB 43 moved through the Civil Justice subcommittee and is now at the Judiciary Committee.

A companion bill filed in the Florida Senate has not advanced.

The other anti-gay bill currently active in the Florida House is titled Protection of Religious Freedom and would allow doctors to refuse to treat gay people, adoption agencies to refuse to place children with gay couples, and effectively any business to discriminate against gay people, as long as the business owner says it’s against their religious beliefs to do business with gay people.

The bill wouldn’t greenlight discrimination against just gay people, either. The wording is broad enough that it lets any business discriminate against anyone for any reason at all—race, gender, disability, whatever—as long as the business owner says it’s against their religion. HB 401 is currently referred to the Civil Justice Subcommittee and does not at this time have a companion Senate bill.

The HRC predictions specify that Florida is likely to see both religious refusals and antitransgender bills, but so far, no anti-transgender bills have been filed for 2016. In 2015, there was much debate over a “bathroom bill” that would have prohibited

Florida’s insurance commissioner resigns Wire Report

t

fiGhtinG the Good fiGht: State Rep. David Richardson, D-Miami-Dade, leads the charge for equality this legislative session.

PHOTO COuRTESy MyFLORIDAHOuSE.GOV

individuals from using public facilities that align with their gender identities, and instead have them use facilities based on their gender at birth. The bill died in committee.

The HRC also noted proequality campaigns.

“There are campaigns to amend existing state antidiscrimination laws to protect against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in many states, including...

Florida..,” the report reads.

On the municipal level, the HRC specifically references the movement in Jacksonville to make their anti-discrimination laws LGBT-inclusive.

As of press time, three proequality bills have been filed in the Florida Legislature.

The Florida Competitive Workforce Act would shield Florida employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. The bi-partisan bill has been attempted at least a dozen times in previous years but has always died in committee.

Florida House Representative David Richardson, D-Miami Beach, filed HB137, a bill that would prohibit gay conversion therapy for minors. And on Jan. 8,

Richardson filed HB1151, which would update Florida statutory language to strike words that are gender-specific. Specifically, the bill would iron out wrinkles regarding how same-sex parents’ names appear on their children’s birth certificates.

“Although marriage equality has been a reality for a year now, if the couple decides to become parents, presently the only possibility is to list one as the mother and one as the father, regardless of the gender of the couple. These bills would allow for the parents to list themselves appropriately on their child’s birth certificate,” the Florida LGBTA Caucus said in a press release.

According to a separate press release from Richardson’s office, Sen. Darren Soto, D-Orlando, will file a companion bill in Florida’s Senate.

“The Florida LGBTA Democratic Caucus applauds State Senator Darren Soto & State Representative David Richardson for their introduction of legislation that updates laws regarding parentage on birth certificate with current marriage laws, furthering the cause of equality for all Floridians,” the caucus added in its press release.

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allahassee (ap) | Kevin McCarty, who helped guide Florida’s fragile insurance market in the wake of eight hurricanes a decade ago, is resigning as the state’s insurance commissioner.

During his 13-year tenure, McCarty dealt with the near collapse of the state’s homeowners insurance market, major changes in health insurance and contentious legislative battles over auto insurance, medical malpractice and the state-created Citizens Property Insurance.

McCarty, the first person appointed to the job after it stopped being an elected position, was placed in the post in 2003 by then-Gov. Jeb Bush and other elected members of the Cabinet. He held onto his position despite numerous calls from legislators—and even Gov. Rick Scott last year—that he should resign.

McCarty, who earns more than $134,000 a year, was able to hang onto his job because of the unique structure that requires both the governor and the state’s elected chief financial officer to agree on whether to fire the commissioner.

He said he wasn’t being pressured to resign, but is stepping down on May 2 to pursue other jobs. He did not say what that job may be, but his lengthy time as a state regulator could help him to move to positions at the national level. ``I am leaving on my own accord,’’ said the 56-year-old McCarty, who said he talked to Scott last month about the possibility of seeking a new job. ``There has recently come some opportunities that I think I’m interested in personally and professionally that I think would tap into my skills and abilities.’’

Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, who had resisted Scott’s efforts to force him out, said in a statement that McCarty had served with ``upmost integrity.’’ ``Throughout his years of service, he’s propelled and ushered in reforms across multiple facets of the industry including workers’ compensation, medical malpractice, health, and auto,’’ said Atwater.

When appointed, McCarty became one of the only openly gay people in a top state position. His sexual orientation only became known because a Florida insurance company opened an investigation into his private life, hoping it would cause then-Insurance Commissioner Bill Nelson to fire him. A private investigator followed McCarty and illegally tapped his phone. McCarty sued the St. Petersburg-based Bankers Insurance, which in 2000 agreed to pay him a $2.55 million settlement.

McCarty’s biggest challenges as commissioner came when the state’s insurance market shriveled after eight hurricanes pounded the state in 2004 and 2005. Some insurers left the state and rates started soaring, leading then-Gov. Charlie Crist and the Florida Legislature to approve a dramatic expansion of a state-backed reinsurance fund in order to lower costs for private insurers. They also agreed then to freeze rates for Citizens Property Insurance and help it compete for business.

Jackie Schutz, a spokeswoman for Scott, said ``we appreciate his service to the state and we wish him the best of luck in his next endeavor.’’

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nation+world news

Androgynous music legend David Bowie dies of cancer at 69 Wire Report

N

EW YORK | David Bowie, the chameleon-like star who transformed the sound—and the look—of rock with his audacious creativity and his sexually ambiguous makeup and costumes, died of cancer Sunday.

Bowie, whose hits included “Space Oddity,” ‘’Fame,” ‘’Heroes” and “Let’s Dance,” died surrounded by family, representative Steve Martin said early Monday. The singer, who was 69, had fought cancer for 18 months.

Long before alter egos and wild outfits became commonplace in pop, Bowie turned the music world upside down with the release of the 1972 album, “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars” which introduced one of music’s most famous personas. “Ziggy Stardust” was a concept album that imagined a rock star from outer space trying to make his way in the music world.

The persona—the red-headed, eyeliner wearing Stardust—would become an enduring part of Bowie’s legacy, and a touchstone for the way entertainers packaged themselves for

years to come.

Bowie’s birthday was Friday, the same day as he released his newest album, “Blackstar.”

A statement on social media asked fans to respect the family’s privacy. No more details were provided.

Born David Jones in London, the singer came of age in the early 1970s glam rock era. He had a striking androgynous look in his early days and was known for changing his appearance and sounds. After “Ziggy Stardust,” the stuttering rock sound of “Changes” gave way to the disco soul of “Fame,” co-written with John Lennon, to a droning collaboration with Brian Eno in Berlin that produced “Heroes.”

He had some of his biggest successes in the early 1980s with the bombastic “Let’s Dance,” and a massive American tour. Another one of his definitive songs was “Under Pressure,” which he recorded with Queen; Vanilla Ice would years later infamously use the song’s hook for his smash hit “Ice Ice Baby.”

“My entire career, I’ve only really worked with the same subject matter,” Bowie told The Associated Press in a 2002 interview. “The trousers may

change, but the actual words and subjects I’ve always chosen to write with are things to do with isolation, abandonment, fear and anxiety—all of the high points of one’s life.”

Tributes poured in for the singer after the announcement of his death.

British astronaut Tim Peake tweeted about his sadness from outer space aboard the International Space Station, saying “his music was an inspiration to many.”

British Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted that Bowie’s death is “a huge loss.” He wrote he had grown up listening to and watching Bowie and called the singer a “master of reinvention” and a pop genius who kept on getting it right.

Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger, in a statement, said Bowie was his inspiration and “a true original.”

“He was wonderfully shameless in his work we had so many good times together,” Jagger said. “He was my friend. I will never forget him.”

Former Beatle Paul McCartney has also paid tribute, calling Bowie “a great star.”

“His music played a very strong part in British musical history,” McCartney wrote on his website.

to the letter of the law but who neglect love; men who only know how to close doors and draw boundaries,” Francis is quoted as saying.

Francis has rankled many conservatives with his frequent dismissals of theological and legalistic arguments stressing doctrine over his more pastoral message of welcome and mercy for society’s most marginal. The clash in approaches has been particularly evident in recent church debates over marriage and divorce.

“We must avoid the attitude of someone who judges and condemns from the lofty heights of his own certainty, looking for the splinter in his brother’s eye while remaining unaware of the beam in his own,” Francis says.

The Vatican officially launched the book Jan. 12 with a high-level panel discussion featuring Francis’ secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and Life Is Beautiful actor Roberto Benigni, signaling the importance Francis places on getting the message out.

In the book, Francis insists that his now-infamous “Who am I to judge” comment about gays was merely a repetition of the church’s teaching on homosexuality. Francis won praise from gays with the comment, uttered during his first press conference in 2013.

Francis says the church has long held that gays should be treated with dignity and respect and seen as individuals. And he goes to some length throughout the text to cite scripture and previous popes to make clear that his radical agenda is fully rooted in the church’s basic teachings.

“People should not be defined only by their sexual tendancies: Let us not forget that God loves all his creatures and we are destined to receive his infinite love,” he says. “I prefer that homosexuals come to confession, that they stay close to the Lord, and that we pray all together. You can advise them to pray, show goodwill, show them the way, and accompany them along it.”

Pope Francis addresses gay issues in his first book Wire Report Vatican City | Pope Francis lays out his case for emphasizing the merciful face of the Catholic Church in his first book as pontiff, saying God never tires of forgiving and actually prefers the sinners who repent over selfrighteous moralizers who don’t.

“The Name of God Is Mercy,” a 100-page conversation with Italian journalist Andrea Tornielli, is being published this week in 86 countries to help kick-start Francis’ Holy Year of Mercy. A copy was provided in advance to The Associated Press.

In the book, Francis condemns what he calls the “scholars of law”— the doctrinaire-minded rigorists who throughout the history of the church have challenged Jesus’ message of unconditional love and mercy for even the most wretched of sinners. He says often these self-righteous Christians are hypocrites themselves, using the law to hide their own “deep wounds.”

“These are men who live attached

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in other news Salt Lake City’s first openly gay mayor sworn in Jackie Biskupski was sworn in Dec. 4 as Salt Lake City’s first openly gay mayor, a landmark the former state lawmaker acknowledged shortly after taking the oath of office. Biskupski, 49, said the historic moment should not be taken lightly, and noted great strides have been made for LGBT people in the state. Her ascension to the mayor’s office comes on the heels of new rules by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints targeting gay members and their children. The new policy, which prompted widespread backlash, bans baptisms for children of gay parents until the kids turn 18 and disavow same-sex relationships.

First LGBT private school set to open in Atlanta A first-of-its-kind private school in Georgia aimed at attracting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth and teachers is being established in Atlanta for students who feel bullied or not accepted in traditional schools.

Pride School Atlanta is a k-12 institution designed to be an alternative for LGBT students, though the school is open to any student who believes they’re not getting the support they need for “being different,” says Pride School founder Christian Zsilavetz. Pride School will initially operate out of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta church and is expected to open by September 2016. Tuition will be around $13,000, though Zsilavetz says financial assistance is available for students who need it.

Judge who ordered foster child taken from utah lesbians retires A Utah judge who had ordered a baby girl taken away from her lesbian foster parents and placed with a heterosexual couple has retired. Court officials announced that juvenile court Judge Scott Johansen retired on Jan. 1. Johansen faced widespread criticism and calls for his impeachment after he ordered a 9-monthold baby taken from the home of April Hoagland and Beckie Peirce on Nov. 10. He later reversed the ruling and recused himself. He was appointed in 1992 to the bench in Price, about 120 miles south of Salt Lake City.

U.S. Marine convicted of killing transgender Filipino appeals A U.S. Marine has asked a Philippine court to reverse his conviction in the killing of a transgender Filipino and sought bail and a reduction of his six to 12-year jail term, his lawyer said. Lawyer Rowena Garcia-Flores said she would insist that her client, Lance Cpl. Joseph Scott Pemberton, did not kill Jennifer Laude in a motel room after they met in a disco bar in October 2014 and that his sentence should be eased because he surrendered to authorities. In December, a judge convicted Pemberton of homicide, not the more serious charge of murder as prosecutors sought—and sentenced him to a lighter jail term than what the victim’s family sought. The court will start to hear Pemberton’s appeal on Jan. 7.

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viewpoint

Carlos Smith

guest column Attacks on LGBT, Reproductive Rights Cannot Be Separated

T

he nature of reproductive

freedom in America—and the movement that secured it—has always been about much more than a woman’s right to make her own personal medical decisions. It encompasses the broader right of all individuals to live their private lives free from intrusion or judgment by government and politicians.

It’s a broader advocacy of sexual life free from reproductive function. That’s why support for reproductive rights and support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality go hand in hand.

It should shock no one that many of the same politicians seeking to control women’s bodies are also the ones trying to turn back the clock on LGBT equality. For decades, the usual right-wing agendas and organizations that have fought to limit and restrict reproductive choice have also fought to pass laws that impose traditional definitions of gender, sexuality, family and marriage onto others.

In Florida, these familiar intrusions into our private lives are about to be renewed. That’s why pro-choice and pro-equality coalitions must work together to stop our opponents from rolling back our progress.

As we begin another 60-day legislative session in Tallahassee, the battle lines have been drawn. New legislation has already been filed (HB 1/SB 602) that seeks to limit access to safe and legal abortions by shutting down providers with medically

unnecessary regulations.

Politically motivated investigations of Florida’s Planned Parenthood clinics by Governor Rick Scott and others in late 2015 failed to find any evidence of wrongdoing, but left the opponents of reproductive rights looking for another fight. There can be no doubt that the attacks on Planned Parenthood will continue to escalate.

Conservative lawmakers will try to score cheap election-year points to rev up their bases at the expense of low-income women who need care. That same escalation of attacks can also be expected against LGBT communities as part of a national right-wing backlash to the historic marriage equality decision.

Overly broad and far-reaching “religious exemptions” ripe for abuse are the weapon they will continue to use to undo the accomplishments of both of our coalitions.

Equal protection from discrimination, child adoption services, access to contraception and abortion rights—all successfully chipped away under the guise of “religious freedom.”

Remember Hobby Lobby? Or last session’s “conscience protection” bill to reinstate a new gay adoption ban? How about the discriminatory Indiana “Religious Freedom Restoration Act”?

Sweeping religious exemption laws are already in motion in Tallahassee.

In fact, HB 401 is so dangerous it would allow hospitals, pharmacies, nursing homes and even hospice care facilities to refuse care for LGBT patients on religious or moral grounds. The same proposal would even permit health care providers to refuse fertility treatments or hormonal therapy for women. The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida and

watermark Your lgbt life.

others agree that this may be the broadest religious exemption bill of its kind in the nation. We can combat this extremism by standing together in opposition.

But even as we fend off these attacks from our

majority of Florida’s public schools. Abstinence-only sexual health education is naive. Not only have studies consistently shown teen pregnancy rates to be the highest in states with abstinence-only policies,

shared enemies, pro-choice and LGBT activists also have an opportunity to collaborate on good public policy that accomplishes our mutual goals. Last year, Florida became the state with the highest number of new HIV transmissions in the nation. There are many reasons for this problem, not least of which is the absence of age appropriate, medically accurate, comprehensive and LGBTinclusive sex education in a

but the facts show it has made teens less likely to engage in safer sex. That means more pregnancies and more STDs. That’s why Equality Florida and Planned Parenthood have signed-on in support of Florida’s Healthy Adolescents Act (HB 859/ SB 1056), which would require any existing sexual health curriculums in Florida’s public school to be age appropriate, medically accurate, comprehensive

We can combat this extremism by standing together in opposition.

and LGBT-inclusive.

These common interests and policy intersections built upon the history of modern feminism and LGBT movements further demonstrate how attacks on either one of our struggles are intrinsically linked, our goals interconnected.

Equality Florida recognizes that connection. It’s why we’ve been a pro-choice organization since our founding in 1997, and will continue to stand with Planned Parenthood and other pro-choice coalitions in actively defending hardfought reproductive rights.

I urge my lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender friends to join us in doing the same.

Carlos Guillermo Smith is the government affairs manager for Equality Florida Institute.

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viewpoint

Rick Claggett, Publisher

w or d s

to live by B

Aging gracefully

y the time this article

publishes, I will be 41. I’ve never been the type to dwell on age, well, not my own age. “I won’t fight aging,” I told myself. I will age gracefully.

No plastic surgery, no covering up gray hair. Of course I made these promises when I had no wrinkles and my hair was a solid dark brown. Now I stare in anguish at the wrinkles near my ear and do my best to hide the variety of “Just for Men” products in my bathroom.

But aging gracefully isn’t just about your appearance; It’s about your way of life.

40 started out rough for me. I turned 40 less than two weeks after my father passed away. That sent me into a mid-life crisis. I spent a good deal of time evaluating the direction of my life, my relationships and my goals.

It became evident to me that the relationship I was in, the one I thought would last forever, was not healthy for either of us. When that ended I went full swing into recapturing my youth. Carrying on with the party boy reputation I had built, I logged more and more hours in bars than my bank account would have liked. Unfortunately, this led to some poor decision making.

After making enough bad decisions, I was forced

to evaluate my lifestyle.

With the help of a college friend, it became clear to me that, although I didn’t do something stupid every time I was drinking, every time I did something stupid, I was drinking.

I’m sober 104 days now.

My first real step toward aging gracefully, and the best choice I have made in a year full of ups and downs.

As my last day at 40 years old draws to a close, I thought I would leave you with 40 things I have learned this year. They are in no particular order of greatness, and if you think I am talking about you, then you are probably right.

1. Some people will do anything to see their name in print.

2. Too many people just read the headlines.

3. The Goldbergs is a must watch TV show.

4. My life is better without cable TV.

5. I have the best friends.

6. I look better in a size 32 than a size 36.

7. Cancer sucks.

8. Print is not dead.

9. Productive selfishness is a good thing. Lazy selfishness is bad.

games are a blast.

20. Quitting drinking didn’t end my life.

21. Owning a business is hard work.

22. A sporty car beats a sedan.

23. Air Supply is still my favorite music group, and

29. Tom Dyer is my hero.

30. Babies are cute, as long as they aren’t mine.

31. The Orlando theater scene is on fleek.

32. You don’t have to be smart to run for president.

33. Starbucks teaches us

40. Hair grows in places you don’t want it.

This issue of Watermark marks the end of my nearly 14 year employment with Watermark Media and the beginning of Watermark Publishing Group. I am excited to see what the future holds for both this

It’s OK to make mistakes if you learn from them. seeing them at EPCOT remains the best show of the year.

24. Playing softball with the Rock Hard Roosters and The Ivy keeps me sane.

about religion through coffee cups.

34. Equality Florida galas are impressive.

25. To thine own self be true.

35. Eating rainbow color Doritos will make you gay.

27. Don’t go home with anyone you wouldn’t introduce to your mother.

37. “Netflix and chill” doesn’t mean watch TV and relax.

26. It’s OK to make mistakes if you learn from them.

28. It’s not religious freedom to discriminate. You’re just an asshole.

36. There is always something to do in Tampa Bay.

new company and the communities it serves. It goes without saying that Tom Dyer is an amazing man who has left an important footprint . So, here’s to the future of Watermark.

May it age as gracefully as its creator.

38. All trivia nights rule.

39. I say “word” a lot.

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10. A Star Wars movie can have good acting in it.

11. Adele is a musical goddess.

12. Hard work really does pay off.

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13. The Squatty Potty is an essential life accessory.

14. Movies Out Loud is hilarious.

15. Tampa Pride made a great comeback.

16. Gender is fluid.

17. Don’t drunk-promise anything to George Wallace. You may wake up to the Facebook announcement that you are hosting Movies Out Loud.

18. Gay marriage proposals make me tear up.

19. Orlando City Soccer

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Ja nua ry 14 - J a nua ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

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JA nuA ry 14 - J A nuA ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

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Ja nua ry 14 - J a nua ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

41

%

Of peOpLe BeLieve LgBt peOpLe have

A RIGHT TO

talking points You’re a mutilated man, that’s all. Self-mutilation, what’s all this carry on? Caitlyn Jenner – what a publicity-seeking ratbag. It’s all given the stamp – not of respectability, but authenticity or something. If you criticize anything you’re racist or sexist or homophobic.

—baRRy humphRies, a.K.a. dame edna, suppoRtinG comments made by fRiend and fellow austRalian GeRmaine GReeR who claimed tRans woman liKe JenneR aRe Just men who castRate themselves.

adam LamBeRt tO taKe univeRsaL studiOs ORLandO stage duRing maRdi gRas

A

dam lambeRt is amonG the 14 acts announced by univeRsal oRlando ResoRt to perform during the theme park’s annual Mardi Gras celebration. On select nights from Feb. 6 through April 16, Universal Studios will convert the theme park into the French Quarter complete with a Mardi Gras parade, performances and Cajun cuisine from the Big Easy. Lambert is scheduled as the eighth musical act and will perform March 13. Other acts scheduled to perform throughout the three-month celebration are Diana Ross, Nate Ruess, Fall Out Boy, REO Speedwagon, T-Pain and many more. Universal has also made a change to the 12 floats for the Mardi Gras parade. For the first time, each float will highlight a different culture from around the world. The Mardi Gras celebration and concert are included in the admission to Universal Studios.

BE ANGRY

ABOUT HOW THEY

ARE TREATED.

45

%

say they aRe angRy themseLves aBOut hOw LgBt peOpLe aRe tReated.

—Esquire/NBC News survey titled, “American Rage”

eLLen degeneRes tO ReCeive peOpLe’s ChOiCe humanitaRian awaRd

E

llen deGeneRes is ReceivinG a humanitaRian awaRd, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is reaping the benefits. Producers of the People’s Choice Awards announced Jan. 4 that she will be recognized as the Favorite Humanitarian at their Jan. 6 ceremony. The honor comes with a $200,000 donation from Walgreens, which DeGeneres is directing toward the hospital. She joked that the award “sums me up perfectly as I am both a human and an itarian.” DeGeneres is also nominated for Favorite Talk Show Host at the fan-voted People’s Choice Awards, which will be presented at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles and broadcast on CBS.

watermark Your lgbt life.

twitteR Bans anti-gay and anti-tRans Language

b

iGots may no lonGeR eXpRess theiR hate in 140 chaRacteRs oR less as Twitter has banned abusive behavior and hateful conduct. The new rules explicitly mention that sexual identity and gender expression are protected: “You may not promote violence against or directly attack or threaten other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, disability, or disease.” Twitter’s announcement of the update notes that the new rules don’t restrict expression, but encourage it. “We believe that protection from abuse and harassment is a vital part of empowering people to freely express themselves on Twitter,” the announcement states.

JA nuA ry 14 - J A nuA ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

matt BOmeR gets wet fOR men’s fitness

A

MERICAN HORROR STORY: HOTEL’s matt bomeR is reminding us to set those New Year’s resolutions with his appearance on the January cover of Men’s Fitness magazine. The cover has Bomer emerging from a swimming pool with a soaking wet, white t-shirt clinging to his chiseled, perfect body. Bomer, who appeared shirtless and gyrating in Magic Mike XXL this past summer and won a Golden Globe last year for his role in The Normal Heart, discusses working out, being a dad and the influence working with Lady Gaga on Hotel has had on him in the pages of the issue. The issue is available on newsstands.

27

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JA nuA ry 14 - J A nuA ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

_ and _ Givers Receivers in-depth: phiLanthROpy

phiLanthROpiC ORganiZatiOns aRe RaLLying fOR mORe LgBt dOnatiOns

m

Stephen J. Miller

oRe fundRaiseRs aRe

seeking LGBT funds, and not just from and for our own community.

LGBT people keep coming out, getting involved, marrying and mainstreaming—growing more acceptable in the larger society. Because of this, many fundraisers are reaching out with targeted marketing.

It’s a significant shift from once quietly refusing LGBT donations or disregarding

us to ones that now actively court our community.

“Same-sex marriage in the United States will create a fundamental shift in who keeps and holds the marital assets,” writes local fundraiser Michael Slaymaker in his fall 2015 article in the

COntinued On pg. 31 | uu |

watermark Your lgbt life.

JA nuA ry 14 - J A nuA ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

29

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JA nuA ry 14 - J A nuA ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

“That’s how we’re going to break down those stereotypes that we’re just for ourselves. For example, I’ve supported Jewish causes, because I deeply care about the Holocaust Center, even though I’m not Jewish. We all appreciate somebody outside our core group supporting us; it means the world.”

—michael slaymaKeR

| uu | Philanthropy fROm pg.29

national magazine Advancing Philanthropy, the publication for the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).

Besides being treasurer and administrator in the Orlando branch of AFP, Slaymaker is the vice president of grants and planned giving at Easter Seals of Central Florida. He also is the president of Orlando Youth Alliance, a 25-year-old organization he helped start.

“If your fundraising organization does not have

a strategy for attracting and engaging the LGBT segment of your community, you are going to miss out on this transfer of wealth,” he writes.

And what a transfer of wealth it is! Slaymaker estimates that, with 1,233 LGBT people getting their marriage license on Jan. 6, 2015, alone—the first day we were allowed to marry in Florida—the average estate value is $182,000. Multiplied, this is a total of nearly half a billion dollars in estate values. That’s just for that one single day of marriages in our own state!

“It truly is a new frontier when I talk to fundraisers,” says Slaymaker. “They always say, ‘I know we have gay and lesbian donors. I don’t pursue them as aggressively as I should.’”

These are subjects Slaymaker has addressed in his article, and in presentations in Orlando and Tampa.

“My goals include raising diversity issues, educating people and getting the whole community involved,” says president of the Tampa chapter of AFP Judy Anderson, who invited Slaymaker to present there last year. Anderson is also

watermark Your lgbt life.

the director of development for the public charter school Brooks Debartolo Collegiate High School.

“In the past, we brought in speakers to talk about the diversity,” Anderson says, “ but it was the typical presentation employees would get. It wasn’t unique to us as fundraisers trying to know more about our community.”

As a subject matter expert, Slaymaker has now been invited to speak on the topic at International Conference on Fundraising (ICON) in late March in Boston.

JA nuA ry 14 - J A nuA ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

“There’s no doubt groups are interested,” Slaymaker says.

“We all want to give to organizations and causes in our community that hit home, that pull at our heartstrings,” Anderson said when asked what she learned from Slaymaker’s presentation. “As fundraisers, we need to make those connections for our donor communities.”

stiLL heLping OuR Own

Minority groups have always targeted their own, and the LGBT community is no different.

As the president of Orlando Youth Alliance, Slaymaker says that sort of giving absolutely must continue.

“Ninety percent of people are not going to give to LGBT causes, so we need LGBT people to support our causes,” he says.

However, he also adds that LGBT people often have interests outside the community.

“LGBT people are going to love their pets, and are going to want to support the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando, or maybe a pet rescue,” says Slaymaker, who owns three dogs with his husband, jeweler George R. Bridges.

It’s also a part of LGBT people fitting into and being responsible to the larger community.

“That’s how we’re going to break down those stereotypes that we’re just for ourselves. For example, I’ve supported Jewish causes, because I deeply care about the Holocaust Center, even though I’m not Jewish. We all appreciate somebody outside our core group supporting us; it means the world,” Slaymaker adds.

It’s LGBT citizens’ expanding role within the wider community—along with the untapped wealth of newly married couple who often do not have kids—that is encouraging fundraisers to learn more.

Opening the dOOR

When asked whether he was advocating that organizations that were not once gayfriendly now become more so

COntinued On pg. 33 | uu |

31

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| uu | Philanthropy from pg.31

because more funds are now available, Slaymaker had several things to say.

“Most of these organizations don’t think politically. They just follow the money.”

That may not have been the case in 2000, when Heart of Florida United Way asked their 78 member agencies to create inclusiveness policies. Faced with that edict, the Central Florida Boy Scouts refused, potentially losing $300,000 in funding, about 10 percent of the group’s annual budget.

The standoff was broken in 2001 when United Way and Boy Scouts agreed to create a “contract organization” designation, where the Boy Scouts would no longer be in the pool for non-designated funds and would have to be targeted by donors.

That didn’t make some locals happy. “Discrimination is discrimination, no matter how you look at it,” longtime LGBT activist and Metropolitan Business Association founder Debbie Simmons stated in a 2001 Orlando Sentinel article. “I think [United Way is] caving in.”

In fact, in 2000 and 2001, 74 of the 78 organizations United Way supports quickly changed their policies without much issue.

“We ask the entire community, regardless of their race, religion, or sex preference, whatever, to donate to the community,’’ United Way board member Matt Zavadsky stated at the time.

Zadavsky’s own Local Health Council of East Central Florida found implementing nondiscrimination policies easy: “Of course our group believes in nondiscrimination. We hadn’t thought to add it to our policies until this was brought up.”

Since then, the Boy Scouts of America removed their ban on gay scouts January 1, 2014, and their ban on gay adult leaders July 27, 2015. Their designation with Heart of Florida United Way still remains “contract organization.”

Does this mean that the Boy Scouts and other traditionally antagonist organizations would also follow the money and court LGBT donors?

“No, the strategy makers

of the Boy Scouts and the Salvation Army are probably not going to change their policies,” Slaymaker concedes. “This article and my presentation are more about how there are already people who are gay friendly; they just don’t know how to be gay friendly.”

“As fundraisers, we need to ask, ‘What is the best way to reach different communities of donors? How do they give, why do they give, what are the different causes, what are the trends?’” Anderson says.

Slaymaker adds, “There are a lot of fundraisers who are not familiar with our community and not familiar with how to work with LGBT folks—because they’re not typically around us. That’s why I wrote the article. I wanted to help nonprofit organizations realize that here is a minority group that is going to become exponentially wealthier.”

Slaymaker’s article offers these suggestions:

1.

Create nondiscrimination policies and training for your entire organization— employees, clients, and donors: “Donors have a right to ask whether you have these in place,” Slaymaker says. Anderson confirms that AFP has that.

2.

Network at local LGBT equality events: “There are always events going on where you can share information.”

Might this be stealing donors from the LGBT organization?

Slaymaker counters, “It’s very possible that these organizations in turn help us by becoming members and sharing information.”

“We look at this as a way to get the word out, about what we do,” Vice President of Development with The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay Sandy McLaughlin says. They provide help 24 hours a day, every day of the year to people suffering from sexual assault or abuse, domestic violence, financial distress, substance abuse, medical emergency, suicidal thoughts and emotional or situational problems. “From that point of view, we are active in committees and with the Pride campaign,” she says.

3.

Send press and media releases, and advertise in local LGBT

publications: “Most groups have nondiscrimination policies, but you wouldn’t know it,” says Slaymaker.

Slaymaker adds, “Diversity now includes trans support.

That’s one of the areas that have really caught organizations off guard, behind the times.”

McLaughlin would love if the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay could advertise with their limited budget: “We don’t advertise in anything. We look for donated press and would love to get the information in LGBT press [like this article]; we work with publishers like Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine, Tampa Tribune, and Tampa Bay Times.”

4.

Join the LGBT chamber of commerce, community center, and LGBT ally organizations: In other words, show your support of your LGBT donors by, in turn, supporting the LGBT community.

“I admit that this is something our organization must work on,” Anderson says of Tampa’s AFP chapter. “Getting out there to LGBT organizations … and getting them to join us is a big goal of mine. Our chapter doesn’t currently do a good job of communicating outside of our own organization, and I want to change that.”

“You know, partnerships come about naturally because people happen to be in the same room at the same time,” Slaymaker says.

Keeping Everyone Giving

When asked what his toughest questions are, Slaymaker replies, “When I do the presentation, I have people ask, ‘What if I have a very conservative donor group or volunteers, and they go ‘I don’t want to be a donor with those people.’”

Slaymaker counters: “In fundraising, there is always a good policy, and that is to bring those people back to the mission. That’s what I suggest.

Ask them, ‘Why do you give money to us? Do you give money to us so that you can be in a group that’s exactly like you, or because you believe in what we do?’”

Slaymaker further says that, if a donor gets that upset that

Continued on pg. 35 | uu |

watermark Your lgbt life.

#GayGoal2016

Set a goal, check in, keep the LGBT equality movement rolling

S

Jamie Hyman

ome say there’s hardly a

need for LGBT activism in a postmarriage equality world, and while we can’t deny that a sense of urgency and injustice has been deflated, we’re not quite ready to give up on fostering, nurturing and reporting about a tight-knit, active LGBT community.

Yes, there is still political work to do. Activists are—and should continue—fighting for workplace protections, against bullying, to ensure young LGBTs can come out safely and to add gender identity and sexual orientation to existing antidiscrimination policies where LGBT-specific protections are far too frequently excluded.

But we can’t help but think there’s another type of activism we should carry on, as well. Harnessing the attitude of “We’re Here, We’re Queer, Get Used To It,” continued battles for equality will be more effective if LGBTs preserve our sense of community and make an effort to simply be out. Be proud. Be loud.

Where activism goals and community goals meet, Watermark found our next project: #GayGoals2016. Team Watermark is setting goals for the coming year with a focus on continued activism, being out and proud in the community... or both.

Billy Manes, editor-in-chief, has a goal of traveling to Tallahassee and making some noise with Equality Florida during Lobby Days, because he knows there are still legislative hills to climb.

Jamie Hyman, Director of Digital Media, is committed to working a shift as a Planned Parenthood escort, because the intersection between LGBT equality and reproductive justice beams brighter with each passing day.

Art Director Jake Stevens aims to eat every single type of hamburger at Hamburger Mary’s, because Jake likes hamburgers.

Sales Director Danny Garcia and Creative Assistant Deanndra Meno both hope to engage more with organizations helping children—whether through tutoring or fostering—within the LGBT community.

Owner and publisher Rick Claggett (who’s already done quite enough in the past year, thank you!) hopes to find real love in 2016. Everybody grab a Kleenex and a cookie.

And these are just a few of the things we’re aiming to do.

We hope you will join us by setting a goal, telling us what it is and checking in. It’s easy! Just post your goal to Twitter, Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #GayGoal2016. As you move toward achieving your goal, post photos or updates with the hashtag so the community knows what you’re up to.

Watermark will highlight some of our favorite goals throughout the year, check in to see how you are doing, and when possible, connect you with the people or resources you need to be successful with your #GayGoal2016.

Because we’re here, we’re queer and we still have work to do.

Because marriage equality doesn’t equal full equality. #GayGoals2016: Let’s make some noise, and let’s do it together.

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33

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|

| uu | Philanthropy from pg.33 they leave over LGBT donors, they were just looking for a reason to leave.

Helping Our Own

This means—as we make sizeable donations or plan our estates for large bequests—LGBT people have the right to ask some questions of fundraisers and organizations:

1.

If it’s a large enough organization, ask if they have LGBT employees and if you could talk to them: If they do not know if they have LGBT employees, that could be a good indication that they’re not very aware or welcoming.

“We had this in my old organization,” Anderson said. “But I’m not sure if we have it at the school [Brookes Debartolo]. This conversation is going to lead me to hang up and go talk with our principle about this right now.”

2.

Ask what sort of diversity training the organization supplies for its employees and volunteers.

3.

Ask what the organization does for the LGBT community.

“That doesn’t always mean that their organization is LGBT focused,” confirms Slaymaker. However, organizations should know how their program reaches our community.

‘That is a hope of mine, that people will look at their organizations and ask what they are doing for the ten percent of the population that is LGBT. I look at organizations like Boys and Girls Clubs. Do they—or Boys Ranch—have specific programs for LGBT youth who come to your facilities? I bet you a buck they do not!

And then should they? Or do they have a programmatic belief that they treat everyone the same?”

“Well, you don’t treat them differently,” Slaymaker continues, “But do these LGBT youth have special needs that you need to respond to? And if donors find out that the group doesn’t do anything and don’t ever plan to, then why are we supporting them?”

Slaymaker concludes hopefully, “Perhaps it’s just a case of organizations not knowing how. And donor funds can go to start those special programs. Maybe they’re just looking for your help in getting that started.”

“We are keenly aware that LGBT people—along with everyone else— need to know we have resources they

may someday need,” says McLaughlin of The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay.

4.

Definitely do your homework on where the money goes! Ask how much of your donation goes to administrative costs or to high executive salaries; Slaymaker suggests that should be below 25 percent of the total donation.

You can also check CharityWatch.org, GiveWell.org, or other websites that monitor costs like this.

5.

Also, know what your money actually pays for specifically! In Florida, especially, nonprofit organizations can be fronts, raising money to line forprofit business’s earnings. This is called “hybrid social benefit,” and it is becoming more and more popular.

For example, a nonprofit could exist merely to help a for-profit mental institution remodel and upgrade, so that grounds improvements don’t affect already high executive salaries.

Claiming Our Power

The question then becomes whether these organizations will listen to LGBT people for their funds.

“The world is changing,” Slaymaker says, “and fundraisers have to respond to it. They have to follow the wealth, and this is a new, largely untapped resource.”

Take the case of Elliott Mitchell, 65, and Clark West, 60, of Sarasota. They met at University of Alabama, and 10 years ago, donated $1 million to their alma mater. The couple married in Hawaii in 2013. They had planned to leave their estate, estimated at $15 million, to the university.

After the University of Alabama rejected to couple’s offer to fund a new community outreach center that would include LGBT students, Mitchell and West rescinded their bequest in March of 2015.

An Advocate article reported the men wrote in a letter to the university, “We understand the conflict of well-intended people struggling to find balance with this issue. But, we also realize there is no support in the legislature or initiatives at the University to create a dialogue.

Instead, there is a very strong and continued effort by the state and the majority of its citizens to exclude this group in every way possible.”

Slaymaker uses this case as an example: “I ask the room of fundraisers, ‘Put yourself in the shoes of Vice President of Advancement at University of Alabama. What do you do? You have to find another $15 million somewhere else or try to get these men back.’”

watermark Your lgbt life.

Ja nua ry 14 - J a nua ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

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Ja nua ry 14 - J a nua ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

aRts and enteRtainment

THE L-TEAM Dawn Elizabeth Waters’ Switching Teams takes an honest and difficult swing at illustrating coming out later in life

D

Billy Manes

awn eliZabeth wateRs may not

have brought her Xanax (we offered; she declined), but she did bring her wife, Yvette, for a quick sit down about her frank and, honestly, refreshing memoir Switching Teams. Publicizing her life is not really her bag, but she really wanted to present a clear, often poignant, recount of what it is to find that you are living a life that isn’t yours— that having a husband and three children, holding a real-estate license for the purpose of appearances and squelching your own reality, these are not necessarily the seeds of authenticity.

Growing past the 40-year-old line, Waters wanted to make a statement that is too often unheard, buried in the noise of normalcy or explicit overstatement. Waters is a lesbian.

She’s also an ex-wife and mother of three who used to consider herself background noise in the suburban

dream. She climbed out, found Yvette (who is also present for our interview), and decided to document the realities—minus the histrionics— of coming into her own and out of society’s shadows. A shock of blond

COntinued On pg. 39 | uu |

watermark Your lgbt life.

JA nuA ry 14 - J A nuA ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

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JA nuA ry 14 - J A nuA ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

| uu | Dawn Elizabeth Waters fROm pg.37

hair kicked to the side and some palpable nervousness in tow, Waters knocks it out of the park with her candor and kindness.

“To me, it’s a once in a lifetime chance,” she says. “I want it to be me.”

Waters will be presenting her debut book, Switching Teams, at Orlando’s The Venue on Jan. 20, assisted by improvisational dancing from Michelina Wingerter (a Venue regular) to decorate the scene; 20 percent of book proceeds will go to the Barber Fund benefiting those living with cancer. Waters seems happy. And she has every reason to be. It all starts on a pitcher’s mound.

WATERMARK: the BaseBaLL intRO, what inspiRed that?

Dawn Elizabeth Waters: Well, honestly, I write about what I know, and I’ve been a sports geek my entire life. I have a way to compare the two things, and I’ve been through sports, and it’s very much the same thing. Mental stuff, emotional stuff, physical stuff, it’s all encompassing. It’s pretty much my personality.

everybody else was being showered with concern and care, which made me angry sometimes.

I was feeling like the villain.

—dawn eliZabeth wateRs

sO, yOu’Re COmpetitive?

I am. I am competitive. My 18-yearold competitive self is not friends with my 43-year-old self. My body is not cooperative all the time anymore. eRgO, yOu’Re dOing ReaL estate nOw and Living in deBaRy with yOuR LOveLy wife, yvette. as a wRiteR myseLf, i Can see hOw yOu dO a LOt Of naRRatiOn Of yOuR pROCess Of COming Out and wRiting a BOOK, BeyOnd the standaRd memOiR. was theRe any hesitatiOn in wRiting a BOOK aBOut yOuR stORy?

I’m not sure. I didn’t have a plan when I started this, so it kind of morphed into what it was. When I came out—I’m an information gatherer, so I like to know what I’m in for—I knew that I was analytical, maybe a little over-analytical sometimes, and there wasn’t anything out there that I could find that made sense of what it was I could expect, what was going to happen, what it was going to be like. It was a very lonely place with so much going on. So the focus was more on the chaos that was going on all around more than it was on the lonely place. We’d go to

tRuth and poweR: Dawn Elizabeth Waters stands up and stands out. PHOTO By JAKE STEVEnS the bookstore, and there would be collections of two-page essays from women. It was like, “Yeah, I get it.

You came out after you got married and had children.” And it didn’t help.

I thought it was kind of chicken. I wanted to do know what it was like.

I wanted that voyeuristic sense. it seems LiKe theRe aRe sO many mORe maLe COming Out BOOKs than femaLe.

Absolutely, and that’s exactly what I found. The ones that I’ve looked at and read are written completely differently. They have a different tone to them. For mine, I was frustrated because there was no information. I was also frustrated because, in the beginning, everybody focused on the kids and the husband. And I felt like, this is hard for me, too, and nobody seemed to get that. I didn’t want to have a tantrum and foot-stomp, “What about me?” but I was holding everything together and going through a divorce and coming out.

Everybody else was being showered

with concern and care, which made me angry sometimes. I was feeling like the villain. My aunt and I had a lapse in our relationship; I wrote about her in the book. And, I asked her, “Is there anything in there that surprised you? Is there anything that you didn’t know?” And she said, “The one thing I didn’t realize is that I never knew how hard this was for you.” There’s still not a lot of sympathy for this, when you’re this person in this situation, because you’re ground zero, you caused this.

Me being me, I couldn’t not do it.

That was my story and I stuck to it.

It wasn’t going to happen any other way. I have women contacting me all the time—they’re married—they go on for a page and a half, and talk about how there’s no passion in their marriage and they’re so afraid.

And my response is that, “You have to be you, and find what works for you. I want to tell them that they’re crazy, get out!” what i fOund paRtiCuLaRLy inteResting was the guiLt

watermark Your lgbt life.

aspeCt and yOuR BRinging ReLigiOn intO it, finding yOuR Own pLaCe with faith.

If I look back on the course of my life, where I was in my life kind of determined where I was with religion. And I found, just me personally, when I was a mess, I was looking to the church for gratitude and it was really feeding my selfloathing. I don’t have self-loathing anymore, not any more than anyone else. For me, all I see is that religion is an obstacle to love. That’s all I see anywhere. I know some God-fearing, very religious and loving people, so it’s not a blanket statement. I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t trashing people. I could have written a whole other book about trashing the Catholic Church and all the women who run around like chickens for the men. The misogyny, I just can’t. I don’t want to be a part of that. This started before I knew I was gay. I was struggling with that in raising my kids; that “because we said so” type of thing didn’t work. I believe now that I’m

JA nuA ry 14 - J A nuA ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

more agnostic than believing in any particular faith. I believe in God. To me it’s God, it’s something out there that I’m not sure what it is. I’ve been reading a lot about these secular humanists, and I’m kind of down with them. … For me, when people pray for strength, they’re finding the strength within themselves. did that spaRK yOu tO puRsue finding a puBLisheR and getting this BOOK ReLeased?

I decided about four years ago, I was going to write a book. I had started the blog, and it was kind of therapeutic. It was very difficult at times, proofing, re-reading after the edits, because there are many chapters that I don’t like reading.

It’s almost like I’m detached from it now. It’s got a life of its own. I know what’s in it, believe me. I was scared to death, because I’m a very private person, and this is not something a private person would put out into the world. I’m kind of

COntinued On pg. 41 | uu |

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| uu | Dawn Elizabeth Waters from pg.39

balancing on that teeter-totter a bit, but I wanted people to understand. That was my intent in doing this. It wasn’t to be famous or make a million dollars. It was, “You really want to know what this is like?

This is my experience of it.” It was kind of a support tool.

Personally, when I’ve been autobiographical in my writing about difficult situations, people assume that there’s a catharsis involved. To me, catharsis doesn’t carry much value.

No. I don’t feel any better. I feel the same way I did. Did I go through some emotion?

Of course. It’s an emotional thing. I have the draft at home that is not fit for people to read. I wanted there to be some value in it.

Aside from the gay thing, that’s the biggest thing that I thought about when I wrote the book: This is what happened when I came out. I wanted there to be a point to it and a kind of takeaway. To me, it’s about being kind, being loving, and if something doesn’t work for you, don’t tell somebody else that it won’t work for them. Maybe I’m turning into a hippie? I have anxiety, so this is challenging me to be out there. It’s one thing to sit and type and another thing to talk about it. I think I realized after writing this that there was some degree of trauma that this brought on; that writing it didn’t help fix it, it made me realize that it was.

You’re just really one foot in front of the other and do what you have to do to make it through to the end of the day.

There’s a theme throughout the book, the binary code of responsibility and happiness. Nobody ever achieves either absolutely.

I feel more comfortable as time has gone on, and there are still difficulties, and it’s not so much because I’m gay. It’s just time.

I’m raising three kids. Things happen. They go through their stuff. I’m married. I have a really screwed up family, as does my wife.

We are all having the same experience. I feel happy that people are getting book.

One, this was hard for me, too. So all of you people that thought I was just having a midlife crisis, this was hard for me, too. You can do this. It’s hard, but, suck it up, you can do this. It’s important. You have to be who you are. If you are on your deathbed and having one regret … When I told her how I felt about her, that’s the only reason she told me the truth. She said, “I don’t want to be on my deathbed and have one regret.” And to help people have something that I didn’t get.

It’s not salacious in heavy details, though.

I did that on purpose. I didn’t put anyone’s name in it. I didn’t put our relationship

in it. I have stories that are so fucking hilarious that you would not even believe.

That’s private. The best blog I wrote was a how-to manual on coming out. I didn’t want it to be a gay book. Everybody was like, “Well, this is going to be your primary audience, women coming out later in life.” I understand that. It wasn’t written for them.

It was written for you, for straight guy, for transgender, because it’s about change: the emotion of change, time changing and what you do about it. You learn. Life is hard; that’s my pitch. I didn’t want it to be just a gay book.

The most painful part for me was the job discrimination chapter, which is a big issue coming into the Florida legislative session.

They don’t announce it. I know there are a lot of straight people that have no idea.

It was an awful place. I’m not an overly dramatic person, but there was no question that that was going to come. Shortly after that, I became a Realtor. I have my license.

Why not use it? [When I was married], I was just telling people so that they didn’t think I was a stay-at-home mom. I never sold a house with it.

You should have sold houses on the sly.

I should. I should have stolen money!

What’s your relationship with your ex-husband now?

It’s civil. Frequent and civil, mostly regarding the kids. We disagree on everything. Our relationship is exactly the same as it was when we were married. My kids suffer, because I mitigated a lot. I’m upset that he sounds so good in the book, because I had to make him sound good. If I had written it now, it would not sound like that. I had to be true to that timeframe.

You were already unloading a huge concrete truck on everybody around you.

It was absolutely that. You tend to feel so awful but not care. You have moments where it’s just anger, anger, anger and then excitement. It’s tough, even five years later, we’re still evolving. We both have our journeys that we have separately to do, and that’s while we’re together. It’s been challenging. When I came out, I did this for me. I didn’t leave my husband for you.

For me grief is being sad. For her, grief is missing what you had. It was about life changing, and she really had a hard time with that. Fear is the most dangerous thing of all of it. Hate isn’t even the most dangerous, because it’s all brought about by fear. Even ten years ago, I wasn’t here.

Fear is the worst thing for me. As I said, I have anxiety. What’s freaking me out is you’re going to write this and I don’t know what’s going to happen.

watermark Your lgbt life.

Ja nua ry 14 - J a nua ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

41

This unique event brings together two incredible thinkers who will discuss the power of reading, writing and art.

Deeply inspired by art historian Linda Nochlin’s influential 1971 essay “Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?,” Schneider’s Reading Women series addresses the paucity of women in the literary canon. She photographed and filmed one hundred friends and colleagues in their homes–as they read books of their choice by female authors.

Writer, historian, and activist Rebecca Solnit is the author of seventeen books about the environment, community, art, politics, hope, and feminism, including Men Explain Things to Me; A Field Guide to Getting Lost; Wanderlust: A History of Walking; and River of Shadows: Eadweard Muybridge and the Technological Wild West (for which she received a Guggenheim, the National Book Critics Circle Award in criticism, and the Lannan Literary Award).

Photo by Jude Mooney Photography

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

42

watermark Your lgbt life.

JA nuA ry 14 - J A nuA ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

event pLanneR

arts+entertainment

community calendar

ORLandO

ORLandO

Why not? A Cabaret, Jan. 14, Winter Park Playhouse, Winter Park. 407-645-0145; WinterParkPlayhouse.org

Comedy night featuring Adam Avitable and sean Finnerty

Wine for Wildlife, Jan. 1415, Quantum Leap Winery, Orlando. 407-730-3082; QuantumLeapWinery.com Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents LEGEnDS, Jan. 14- 15, Amway Center, Orlando.

407-440-7000; AmwayCenter.com Dancing Lessons, Jan. 14Feb. 7, Orlando Shakespeare Theater, Orlando. 407-447-1700; OrlandoShakes.org Ani DiFranco, Jan. 15, the Plaza Live, Orlando. 407-228-1220; PlazaLiveOrlando.com Orlando Meltdown Charity Softball Tournament, Jan. 15- 17, Seminole Softball Complex, Altamonte Springs. 407-425-7571; OrlandoMeltdown.com Rise, An Acrobatic Play, Jan. 16, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando. 877-215-0087; DrPhillipsCenter.org CPnArts new year Happy Hour, Jan. 19, The Peppy Bistro, Orlando. 407-420-1144; Facebook.com/ThePreppyBistro Trivia night: Scottie’s Birthday Edition, Jan. 19, The Hammered Lamb, Orlando. 407-704-3200; HammeredLamb.com Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Jan. 20, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando. 877-215-0087; DrPhillipsCenter.org DORM- Kitana Gemini and Tashae Royale, Jan. 20, Pulse Nightclub, Orlando. 407-649-3888; PulseOrlandoClub.com Art, Jan. 22- Feb. 21, Mad Cow Theatre, Orlando. 407-297-8788; MadCowTheatre.com Bertie Higgins in Concert, Jan. 21, the Abbey, Orlando. 407-704-6261; AbbeyOrlando.com Breaking Stigma: An Evening Celebrating 43 years of Roe, Jan. 22, Sleeping Moon Café, Winter Park. 800-230-7526; MyPlannedParenthood.org

thuRsday, Jan. 14, 8:00 p.m. footliGht theatRe at the paRliament house, oRlando

LampOOning LampaneLLi

Jeff Jones hosts the kickoff to the Footlight Theatre’s Comedy Series with their first ever Comedy Night featuring Central Florida funny men Adam Avitable and Sean Finnery.

Avitable is the author of the dark comedy book Interviews with Dead Celebrities and for the last fifteen years, his website, Avitable.com, has been known as the place on the internet where tact goes to die.

Finnery was selected for Comedy Central’s Up Next competition and was a semi-finalist in both the 2014 Florida’s Funniest Comedian Competition and the 2014 Charleston Comedy Festival. Tickets are $10 and includes admission to the Parliament House.

Lisa Lampanelli brings her no holds barred comedy to the Van Wezel Preforming Arts Hall in Sarasota Jan. 15.

Leather Indulgence, Jan. 22-24, Parliament House, Orlando. 407-425-7571; ParliamentHouse.com I Left My Heart: A Salute to the Music of Tony Bennett, Jan. 22Feb. 27, Winter Park Playhouse, Winter Park. 407-645-0145; WinterParkPlayhouse.org Star Spangled Girl, Jan. 22- Feb. 14, Moonlight Players Theater, Clermont. 352-319-1116; MoonlightPlayers.com The Temptations and the Four Tops, Jan. 24, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando. 877-215-0087; DrPhillipsCenter.org

tampa Bay Trans Parent Support Group, Jan. 14, Metro Wellness and Community Center- Ybor, Tampa. 813-232-3808; MetroTampaBay.org

Cocktails & Couture, Jan. 16, the Ritz Ybor, Tampa. 813-390-0397; CocktailsXCouture.com The Return of One Love, Jan. 16, Flamingo Resort, St. Petersburg.

727-321-5000; FlamingoFla.com Vocalosity: The Aca-Perfect Concert Experience, Jan. 16, Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org Art + Feminism Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon, Jan. 16, Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg.

727-896-2667; Fine-Arts.org JB Smoove, Jan. 16, The Palladium, St. Petersburg.

727-822-3590; MyPalladium.org Pool Deck yappy Hour, Jan. 16, Aloft Tampa Downtown Hotel, Tampa. 813-898-8000; AloftHotels.com/TampaDowntown Debate Watch Party, Jan. 17, Edge of 9, St. Petersburg. 727-843-3343; TheEdgeOfStPete.com

The Gray Lady: Artwork by Jimmy Baumgartner, Jan. 15, the Studio@620, St. Petersburg. 727-895-6620; TheStudioAt620.org

Disney’s The Lion King, Jan. 20- Feb. 14, Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa.

813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

The Social, Jan. 15, Metro Wellness and Community CenterYbor, Tampa. 813-232-3808; MetroTampaBay.org

Jitney, Jan. 20- Feb. 21, American Stage Theatre Company, St. Petersburg. 727-823-7529; AmericanStage.org

Third Anniversary Winter White Party, Jan. 22, Quench Lounge, Largo. 727-754-5900; QuenchLounge.com

tampa Bay

TBGLCC Presents Diamonds

TIGLFF presents Upstairs Inferno: a Documentary, Jan. 22, MCC Tampa. 813-879-4220; TIGLFF.com State of the City, Jan. 23, St. Petersburg City Hall, St. Petersburg. 727-893-7111; StPete.org Alan Cummings Sings Sappy Songs, Jan. 24, Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa.

813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

saRasOta A Chorus Line, Jan. 14- 24, Manatee Performing Arts Center, Bradenton. 941-748-5875; ManateePerformingArtsCenter.com The Diary of Anne Frank, Jan. 14- 31, Manatee Performing Arts Center, Bradenton. 941-748-5875; ManateePerformingArtsCenter.com Lisa Lampanelli, Jan. 15, Van Wezel Preforming Arts Hall, Sarasota. 941-953-3368; VanWezel.org Air Supply, Jan. 16, Van Wezel Preforming Arts Hall, Sarasota.

941-953-3368; VanWezel.org

satuRday, Jan. 16, 7:30- 10:00 p.m. tampa GaRdens club, tampa Join the Tampa Bay Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce for the second annual Diamond Awards. The elegant evening of dinner, dancing and live entertainment in your finest attire will recognize those who helped to grow diversity in the Tampa Bay area. Find out who will be named Business of the Year, Business Person of the Year, Non-Profit Business of the Year and Community Champion of the Year. Tickets available at TBGLCC.org.

Miss Tampa Pride 2016 sunday, Jan. 17, 6:00 p.m. the honey pot, tampa Be a part of the kickoff to Tampa Pride as they look to crown Miss Tampa Pride 2016 at The Honey Pot. Hosted by 2015 Grand Marshal Kurt King and the current Miss Tampa Pride, Emeritus Esme Russell, watch the contestants compete in the categories of Presentation, Creative Pride, Talent and Gown. Who will take the crown? The red carpet rolls out at 6PM and opening numbers start at 7PM. Tickets are $10 at the door.

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

watermark Your lgbt life.

JA nuA ry 14 - J A nuA ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

43

watermark

2016 WAV E S WATERMARK AWARDS FOR VARIETY AND EXCELLENCE

NOMINATE YOUR FAVORITES WATERMARKONLINE.COM NOMINATIONS END JANUARY 25TH 44

watermark Your lgbt life.

Ja nua ry 14 - J a nua ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

overheard

tampa Bay OUT+ABOUT

a mOment On the weB, a Lifetime as CeLeB

I

t appeaRs to be a faded memoRy now, but for a hot minute, Bradenton hair and makeup artist Joey Killmeyer was going viral. Killmeyer posted a picture of himself and an 8-year-old boy who wants to be a makeup artist and asked Killmeyer to teach him. Killmeyer worked with the boy, showing him on one side of his face how to do the makeup and then allowing Ethan to do the other side of his face himself. The picture of the final product had more than 2,500 shares and nearly 150,000 likes, but after a day in the sun the post was deleted.

The picture had gone further than any of them expected and, at the request of the boy’s parents, the post was removed and no more interviews were given. Most of the over 500 comments were positive and encouraged Ethan to be himself and applauded his mother for her support.

After the post went viral, Killmeyer took to Facebook again to advise Facebook to take note that Ethan wants to be a makeup artist and not a drag queen, saying, “He is 8 and simply expressing his creativity. I am tired of seeing this spun in the incorrect way.

And I do not want Ethan bullied or harassed at school.”

wheRe’d he LeaRn mOves LiKe that?

h

ollywood supeRstaR channinG tatum is best Known foR two thinGs: a smoking hot body and dance moves that hypnotize as you watch those hips gyrate and thrust in such hit films as Magic Mike and its sequel Magic Mike XXL. Those moves and that body were perfected right here in Tampa Bay where, as a young man, he danced, grinded and stripped at several clubs in town making them dolla-dolla bills rain down. Rumor has it that he even did a little shake, shake, shake in some of the gay clubs. Tatum, while shaking that bon bon, was apparently wishing he had a different job … that of drag queen, that is if the latest episode of Spike TV’s show Lip Sync Battle is any indication.

Tatum busted out the looks of two icons for his performances on the show. First, as the ice queen Elsa from Disney’s Frozen when he performed “Let it Go,” then as the music queen Beyonce when he had the hair blowing in the wind with “Run the World (Girls).” Tatum’s performance was so on point Queen Bey herself joined him on stage to finish up the set. From Tampa strip clubs to Magic Mike to on stage with Beyonce. At least we can say we knew him when.

1

2 3

1

touch youR what?!?!: Attempting to mimic a viral video of lesbians touching guy’s junk for the first time, Hot 101.5’s Miguel Fuller (L) and Bone Carmin contemplate making one of their own Jan. 8. Photo

COuRTESy OF THE MIGuEL SHOW

2

may i have this seat: Leo Quintana arranges some of the furniture at Southern Nights Tampa before the crowds flood in Jan. 9.

4

5

PHOTO By SCOTT DOWnEn

3

3…2…1…: Gil Sainz (L) and Kevin Beckner countdown the final moments of 2015 in New York City Dec. 31. Photo

COuRTESy OF GIL SAInz

4

past tents: Balance Tampa Bay volunteers help with the holiday tent breakdown as part of Balance’s January Service in Tampa Jan. 9. PHOTO COuRTESy

OF TAMPA BAy BALAnCE

5

liKe the cool Kids: Mark Bias (L) and Jacob Friebel share beauty and fashion tips at Hamburger Mary’s in Tampa Jan. 2. Photo

COuRTESy OF PAuL CRAMBLET

6

you’Re always Glad you came: The crew at Punky’s Bar and Grill says hello from the other side of the bar Jan. 1 at Punky’s in St. Petersburg. PHOTO COuRTESy

6

OF PunKy’S BAR AnD GRILL

7

poolside pete: Jeremy Jones comes to mingle for the Gay Guys’ Happy Hour/Saint Pete Boys first official party of the year at the HH2O Pool Bar at The Hollander Hotel in St. Petersburg Jan. 8. Photo

COuRTESy OF JEREMy JOnES

8

sweet as honey: Gemma Lux rings in 2016 at the 5th Annual Spectacular New Year’s Eve Party at the Honey Pot in Ybor Jan. 1. Photo

8

COuRTESy OF GEMMA LuX

7 watermark Your lgbt life.

JA nuA ry 14 - J A nuA ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

45

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JA nuA ry 14 - J A nuA ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

overheard

ORLandO OUT+ABOUT

and the winneRs aRe …

t

hebRoadwaywoRld.com Results aRe in, and several LGBT and LGBT friendly performers were on the top of the list as the winners. Fuck me gently with a chainsaw! The multi-talented, Blue Star for the Best Choreography (Professional) for the popular Heathers: the Musical. Kenny Howard also won best Direction of a Musical (Professional) for Heathers: the Musical - Lick it up, baby. Lick it up! Heathers: the Musical was based on the black comedy, teen-angst ridden film from the ‘80s that starred Winona Ryder and Christian Slater. Kenny also won Best Direction of a Play (Professional) for The Flick – both shows were performed at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and were locally produced.

I

BARING IT ALL!

t’s been Recently announced that one of the most RisQuÉ annual aRt eXhibits has found a new home. Traditionally, Valentine’s Day is a time for lovers, but even if you’re single, you’d be certainly guaranteed to get an eyeful of the artistic expressions of the nude form. Nude Nite returns, and it will be hosted Artegon Marketplace, home of various shops featuring local artisans, so this certainly feels like a great fit. Located on the north end of I-Drive, the new location not only offers a leak proof roof, but also bountiful and secure parking.

(Not commonly found in previous Nude Nites). If you would like to participate, there is still a call for live artists as well.

Nude Nite Orlando, will run from February 11-13; tickets are on sale now and often sell out! There’s also a Nude Nite Tampa coming in March.

F

2

i-dRive is i-mine?

unKy monKey’s eddie nicKell went on a self-pRoclaimed facebooK Rant complaining about the new clubs and he has specified the ones on I-Drive attempting to steal his cast. He claims they’re using the names and likenesses of the performers he’s worked so hard to develop. Presently, the only other drag show on the tourist strip will be at Revere. Mango’s Tropical Café, the South Beach hot spot, just opened a massive complex on International Drive in Orlando. The location features all the amazing entertainment the South Beach location offers but in a larger scale. No word if Eddie Nickell was referring to Mango’s, as its performers also have the appearance of showgirls. Confusing!

4

1

pyRamid amid pianos: Things get acrobatic at Paddy’s, as folks create a human pyramid at the gay piano and entertainment lounge’s grand opening Jan. 8.

PHOTO By J. D. CASTO

2

stRiKe a pose: Logan Donahoo vogues with Madonna’s wax doppelganger while visiting Madame Tussaud’s to celebrate his birthday Jan. 10.

PHOTO By DAnny GARCIA

3

liKe a boss: Former and current Metropolitan Business Association presidents (L to R) Dr. David Baker-Hargrove, Lu MuellerKaul, Gina Duncan and nayte Carrick rub elbows at the Jan. 6 MBA Mixer at Fields BMW Winter Park. Mueller-Kaul is the organization’s current leader.

PHOTO By DIAnE nELSOn

4

JuRRasic JunioR: Hunter, the son of Brian Carboy and Larry Caul Carboy, faces off with a velociraptor at Universal Studios Jan. 8. Photo

1

3

5

6

5

climb eveRy mountain: Carlos Carbonell and Chris McCullion head toward their seats on opening night of The Sound of Music at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. PHOTO By JAMIE HyMAn

6

heavenly host: Angel Sheridan rocks the crowd at Revere’s Disco Brunch on New Year’s weekend.

7

PHOTO By DAnny GARCIA

7

cool GRand: Brendan O’Connor and Sarah Abuobaida Elbadri receive an Awesome Foundation grant from Terry Olson, Director of Orange County Arts and Cultural Affairs. The $1,000 grant will go toward creating pop-up movies in Orlando vacant lots. Photo VIA OLSOn’S FACEBOOK PAGE

8

KinG and Queen: Lisa Brown celebrates Elvis Presley’s 81st birthday at The Hammered Lamb Jan. 8. PHOTO By DAWn KALLIO

COuRTESy BRIAn CARBOy

8 watermark Your lgbt life.

JA nuA ry 14 - J A nuA ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

47

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watermark Your lgbt life.

JA nuA ry 14 - J A nuA ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

announcements

wedding BeLLs

theRe’s a staRman waitinG in the sKy:

Patrick Braden and José Quiles from Celebration and Sanford, FL

Arts pioneer David Bowie lost his life to cancer on Jan. 11. We are inconsolable.

years togetHer:

9 months

a Fond Farewell

First date:

William (Bill) Kucharski passed just as the new year began. Our condolences go to his family and friends.

The Breezeway

place oF proposal:

local birtHdays

Orlando Gay Chorus Silver Bells Concert

engagement date:

December 12, 2015

wedding date:

March 11, 2017

interesting Fact: Patrick and José met on SCRUFF.

“w

e leaRned RiGht away

that we were both very romantic because we brought each other flowers,” Patrick says.

Patrick Braden, an optician, and José Quiles, who works for a home care agency, met online through an app called SCRUFF. “We talked for a while on the website, and then we talked for a little bit on the phone, and we met and went out for dinner at the Breezeway,” José says. “It was very interesting, because I was really looking forward to knowing more about him in person since we were just talking on the phone for a while.”

José says it has been a journey to get to know each other, but that he’s enjoyed the process and how much fun it has been. Every weekend since they’ve met, the couple has done something together.

“Since that first weekend, we’ve spent every weekend together except for one,” Patrick says.

As time passed, José knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Patrick. He wanted to make their bond one that would last forever, so he started planning to ask Patrick for his hand in marriage.

“I wasn’t sure when I was going

to do it,” José says. “I bought the ring and I thought about Christmas Eve or Valentine’s Day. Then I remembered he was having his chorus concert and I know he was nervous about that, so I figured ‘Let me give him the ring today and that will keep his mind off of that.’”

José went with a friend of his to the mall to pick out a ring. While he was planning this and getting flowers and such, Patrick called him and told him that he had to be at the Orlando Gay Chorus concert early, so he had to rush.

“I took him to the living room, and I sat on his couch and I had the ring in my hand,” José says. “At first, I was nervous. I started tearing up and I told him to close his eyes, because I had a surprise for him— and that’s how it happened.”

Patrick said they were in the foyer where there was a candy dish near where they were sitting.

When José told him to close his eyes, he thought he was going to be goofy and just put a piece of chocolate in his mouth.

“The look on his face was like he was smiling but sheer terror in

the back of that smile, and then he goes ‘Will you marry me?’ We both just hugged and cried, and I said ‘Yes’,” Patrick says.

They say a challenge in planning their wedding will be trying to come up with something that will work for people out of town, since they have family in Wisconsin and New Jersey.

“I’m looking forward to telling each other how we really feel, more love and having my friends there to celebrate with us,” José says.

Patrick anticipates all the work the wedding planning will be, and he jokes that he will probably be happy when it’s done.

They plan on moving in together before they get married, but it has been a challenge not living near each other.

Right now, they’re throwing around ideas for details about their wedding and plan to start finalizing more once the holidays are over.

“José is probably the sweetest man I’ve ever met,” Patrick says.

“It seems like he is constantly thinking of me, because he’ll have little gifts or he’ll just see something, and think of me and get it. I’ve never had anyone like that before.”

Tampa’s former Chelsea Nightclub owner nikki Turnon, Orlando mom and Se7en Bites owner Trina Gregory-Propst (Jan 14); real estate vixen Carla Stanton (Jan. 15); Bradley’s on Seventh bartender Levi Garrett, Orlando dog-walker Don Williams, Ex-Watermark intern and cover model Gina Avile, Central Florida gay veterans advocate Keri Griffin Edenfield, Tampa realtor Patricc Petti (Jan. 16); Watermark art director Jake Stevens, multi-talented Orlando writer/actor/director (and Watermark contributor) Scottie Campbell, softball stud Richard Harem (Jan. 17); Lake Fairview Marina owner Cynthia Johnson, Orlando Gay Chorus vocalist Edd “Peaches” Sinnett, Sarasota native and A League of Our Own member Jerry Rivera, JP Morgan Chase honcho Kris R. Johnson (Jan. 18); St. Petersburg beefy Flamingo bartender Doug Lyons, Space Coast Pride President Lexi Wright (Jan. 20); Watermark sales representative Sam Rennels, Watermark office manager’s BFF Michelle Carter (Jan. 21); GSHRadio host and Orlando resident Greg Henchar, Orlando service industry pro Jeremy Indomenico (Jan. 22); Metropolitan Business Association secretary Michael Deeying (Jan. 23); Orlando home inspector and art lover Paul Kusic, Ex-Watermark intern and Time Warp specialist Kim Slichter (Jan. 24); singer and Tampa Bay performer Ashley Smith, St. Petersburg realtor and Punky’s proprietor Jim Longstreth (Jan. 25); Sarasota photographer Kaje Housman, St. Pete resident and Double M Band’s Mario Jooste, Ybor City special events promoter Chucky Ruckus (Jan. 26); Full Moon at Woodstock Co-Owner Kevin naylor (Jan 27).

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.

JA nuA ry 14 - J A nuA ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

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JA nuA ry 14 - J A nuA ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

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JA nuA ry 14 - J A nuA ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

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INCLUDES

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upRisings

WAKE UP!

The most important thing you can do is make sure they can get a job. I think these [tax cuts] are going to help to continue to grow our economy, help people get jobs.

—floRida Gov. RicK scott

fRaming the futuRe

S

t. peteRsbuRG-based tyRone fRame and miRRoR owneR dan fioRini threw his hat in the ring for a seat in the Florida Legislature last week. The Democrat, who is challenging former city councilman Wengay Newton in District 70, has some bona fides that his opponent can’t claim—he was legislative aide to state Rep. Helen L. Spivey, D-Crystal River, and that’s a heavy job, because, basically you do all the research and running around. “Now is not the time for on-the-job training,” Fiorini said in a press release. “I have the background and experience necessary to be an effective voice for the people of District 70.” He’s also worked directly with the U.S. Air Force at the Pentagon and in urban planning, among other occupations. Because of the latter, he is deeply concerned about the environment. “My urban planning background gives me a unique perspective,” he says in his presser. “As an environmentalist, I am concerned about oil drilling. The preservation of Tampa Bay is paramount as it is the lifeblood of our tourism industry.”

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we nOw KnOw aBOut pOe

t

his column dipped its toes into the political leap of former Florida Democratic Party Chair Bob Poe into the congressional pool a few months ago, but on Jan. 7, he made it official.

Bob Poe is going to be in a pool fight with former Orlando police chief Val Demings and state Sen. Geraldine Thompson (among others) for Orlando’s District 10. Things could get interesting there, as the district, which was just recently finalized via a nasty redistricting battle, includes minority neighborhoods like Pine Hills and Eatonville.

That doesn’t seem to be bothering Poe at the moment though. In a statement, he reminded the media and supporters that “my first job was pumping gas at Johnson’s Pine Hills Gulf Station on West Colonial drive here in Orlando.” It also helps that Poe knows his way around the political process like few others in the biz, most recently working for the Charlie Crist gubernatorial campaign. He was, as they say, the bright spot. And he pumps gas!

b

Oh, sit dOwn

ecause 15 minutes don’t ReGisteR on watches that don’t woRK anymoRe, everybody’s favorite Halloween costume—and Kentucky clerk of courts—Kim Davis received an embossed (we’re guessing) invite to President Barack Obama’s final State of the Union address, which was held on Tuesday (again, it’s a press day, so we don’t know if she fell down or screamed “liar!”… we can only hope). She’ll be sitting next to her attorney, the guy who is missing a “t,” Mat Staver of the glorious hate group called the Liberty Counsel. Davis, we all know, made an ass of herself by refusing to marry same-sex couples even after the U.S. Supreme Court mandated that same-sex marriage was the law of the land. Word is that the terrible twosome was invited by a couple of Republican congressman. Whodathunkit? On a happier note, Jim Obergefell, he of the famous gay marriage case that changed our world, will be sitting in the First Lady’s box. Must be nicer up there.

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F

Billy Manes

Rom the GloRious paRade of middlebRow leGislatoRs doing their best to seem optimistic and “bipartisan,” all the way to the noted Sine Die hanky-drop and relative middle-brow sweat (hopefully wiped with said hanky) of the indecencies that will come in the next 60 days, the Florida Legislature’s dance with policy and chest-beating promises is here. As if a harbinger were needed, lobbyists and lawmakers canoodled on the night before the deluge, Jan. 11, at the headquarters of Associated Industries of Florida.

Gov. Rick Scott and his series of failures were there, glad-handing those who are not so much citizens as Citizens United.

By now, you’re aware that our own monogramed confederacy of dunces is just about as reliable as the U.S. Congress: a litany of whack-a-mole hammers coming down on progressive politics while the money rains, rains and rains down on the businesses that choose to pay their workers next to nothing while making them work while sick. It’s a tail-chase.

It’s a joke. It isn’t funny anymore.

Gov. Scott, who never met a modicum of reason that he intended to stuff in his jacket pocket and reference someday, is currently making headlines for his overhaul of the state’s corporate tax structure— and not in the way that it should. Thus, Associated Industries parties and photo-ops are leading his homecoming party. The notion is, of course, that if we cut $1 billion from corporate income tax funds and inject $250 million in incentives to businesses, the rising tide won’t drown all of those who actually live here. Instead, we’ll get rafts, like the ones you rent at the municipal swimming pool in the middle of a broken suburban daydream. We all know this is false, even Scott knows it’s false, but this is Florida’s mantra and we’re sticking to it: more money for businesses, less money for citizens.

This week doesn’t come without its conscientious objectors, though. Organize Now, the folks behind exposing Orange County’s “textgate” and rallying for a decent wage for fast-food workers, are alive, well and ready for the fight.

“Tuesday begins the most dangerous 60 days in Florida,” Organize Now director Stephanie Porta says in an emailed statement. “The working majority, the sick, and the needy will have targets on their backs as the legislature will be in full target practice mode.

From expanding ‘Stand Your Ground’, to destroying public records laws, expanding tax credits for giant corporations, and attacking immigrants—the message is clear—our legislature cares more about profits than people.

Across the state, groups gathered on Tuesday to light the spark under the hearts of activists who are interested in human rights across the spectrum: unions, farmworkers, Hispanics. There’s a lot of work to be done, but it is only the beginning.

Make this 60 days your best 60 days and stay on top of the issues, call your legislator, visit Tallahassee, make some noise. We’re all in this together. It’s our parade, too.

JA nuA ry 14 - J A nuA ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

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Ja nua ry 14 - J a nua ry 27, 2016 // Issue 2 3.01

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