Watermark Issue 31.08: Mutant & Proud

Actor and activist JP Karliak uses his voice for ‘X-Men’ and more

On a very specific level for the queer community — although representation matters, especially in a show like this, where there is a queer hero — it matters right now because the youth need to hear it.

Rick Todd PUBLISHER

Rick@WatermarkOnline.com

JDESK PUBLISHER’S

OURNALISM MATTERS. JOURNALISM

fosters knowledge and knowledge is power.

Journalists ask questions and report the facts. At times they ask questions that are tough for some to answer. The goal is to get to the truth, to tell the stories that bring change when needed and inspire a community.

This may seem like a Pollyanna view of this profession, but for me it is simply how journalists should approach their chosen profession. I am not naïve, there are bad actors in every corner of life. Some reporters tell a story with a specific slant, regardless of truth, or invent their own truth and some engage in vendetta journalism.

I hope you don’t find that to be the case at Watermark. Here, we aim to keep our opinions out of the news. You won’t find us describing Florida’s governor or legislative agenda as a piece of shit. We would rather tell you what the agenda is, how it will affect you and uplift the people who are working for you

to make your life better. You don’t need our opinion telling you what to think. You need us to bring you the truth so you can form your own opinion.

Watermark matters. Our mission is to advance LGBTQ+ interests. We do that by connecting community, informing you of what is happening around you that might not be on your radar. We celebrate your triumphs and, at times, we question your missteps. We uplift those fighting the good fight and hold those accountable who seek to silence you.

Now, it is important to distinguish fact from opinion, a journalist from a pundit. I am not

a journalist. I only bring you my opinion in every other issue of this paper. In addition, we have others who share their views on our Viewpoint pages. These are designed to bring you a variety of backgrounds navigating a variety of topics as seen through the lens of that person.

I end my columns with the sentence, “We strive to bring you a variety of stories, your stories.” You are our purpose. Bringing you these stories in a manner you can trust is our mission and our job.

The importance of what we do here and the professionalism we must take in pursuing our mission was ingrained in me from the beginning of my 22 years with this company by my mentor and Watermark’s founder, Tom Dyer. I hope to honor that every day.

Watermark is celebrating its 30th year in business. It’s a huge milestone considering Florida politics, recessions, terrorist attacks and a pandemic. We owe it to the businesses that advertise with us and the dedicated staff that has graced our doors throughout the decades.

Times are certainly different than they were 30 years ago. The arrival of the internet has been a blessing and a curse. Although LGBTQ+ media continues to maintain the loyal readership and revenue from print publications, others have not fared so well. This continues to drive the cost of production.

The days when Watermark staffed 13 employees seems like a distant luxury. Today we navigate the news world in two major markets with seven fulltime and one parttime employee. All of this with the added feature of our online presence with our podcast, website and social media.

It takes a lot of resources to pull this off. That is why we are launching a campaign to ask for support from our loyal readers.

There are many ways you can help. You can pick up a copy of the paper and shop with our advertisers. You can simply follow us on our social media platforms. You can engage on our social media posts by liking, sharing and commenting. This engagement increases our visibility and truly helps. You can sign up for our eNewsletter. This is a big one as it shows our potential advertisers that we indeed have a large, concrete number of loyal readers who want to hear from us.

The newest and most direct way you can support Watermark is financially. We need this support to keep doing what this column has laid out that we do. This option is available via our eNewsletter

Watermark matters.

where we provide you with the links to make a one-time gift of support or sign up for a monthly membership.

The main drive here is to keep local journalism thriving, to allow us to keep connecting our community in the way we are uniquely qualified to do. All support is helpful. In addition to making a difference in your community, our membership packages hope to give you some added benefits by providing you greater access to us. We will create a Facebook membership group for you to share thoughts directly with us, we will give you access to exclusive video of our podcast recordings and provide you with a weekly eNewsletter designed specifically for our members. We want you to be part of our family.

We strive to bring a variety of stories, your stories. I hope you will join us in this endeavor.

BRYANA

SALDANA is a 25-year-old, Afro-Latina poet born and raised in Orlando. Saldana had her first published poem through “Women Who Roar.” Saldana’s pronouns are She/Her They. Page 15

JASON LECLERC (@JLeclercAuthor) is an essayist, poet, economist, and author of two published collections, “Momentitiousness” and “Black Kettle”. He shares his work online at PoetEconomist.Blogspot. com. Page 17

CMJM

BROS IN CONVO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ANNOUNCES HIS DEPARTURE

ORLANDO | Daniel Downer, founder and executive director of The Bros in Convo Initiative, is parting ways with the organization after holding the title for five years.

Bros in Convo is a Black, queer-led grassroots organization that focuses on building community through education and empowering gay and queer individuals of color living in Central Florida, according to its website.

Downer says his time at Bros in Convo has been fulfilling but it’s time for new leadership to take over.

“I think the most exciting thing is to bring their perspective, talents, skills, their flavor to how they can help further the mission and the vision of the organization,” he says.

Bros in Convo was started in 2017 with the mission to provide comprehensive health education, HIV prevention and peer support to the populations most affected and impacted by health disparities in Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties’ gay and queer individuals of color.

The organization is dedicated to cultivating an environment where diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are not just valued but celebrated.

Downer says he is looking forward to the future of the organization as there are new faces, innovative ideas and services to come. As for his personal work he plans to continue his work as a diversity, equity and inclusion practitioner.

“I’m looking forward to being able to provide support not only locally but in national DEI efforts,” Downer says.

As a nonprofit that Black LGBTQ+ leaders lead, Downer is proud that Bros in Convo is still present in Orlando. He says the organization has built a community that feels like home.

“I hope what people see with The Bros in Convo Initiative is just how unapologetically Black we are,” Downer says. “How unapologetically gay, queer, nonbinary we are. It is interwoven into every aspect of our organization because without community there is no us; without community, there is no me.”

Downer will be formally resigning as executive director on May 31. He says he will support the board and the organization’s fiscal agent, Miracle of Love, as they identify a new individual to assume the role.

Miracle of Love is a nonprofit community-based minority HIV/AIDS organization, and it is the oldest in Central Florida, according to its website.

“[Miracle of Love] will also be stepping in the interim time, in the case there are any gaps between me leaving and not being able to identify someone,” Downer says. “I feel very hopeful that the organization is in great hands between my board as well as our fiscal agent.”

For more information on The Bros in Convo Initiative, visit BrosInConvo.org.

Breaking Barriers

Wes Hodge looks to become 1st LGBTQ+ Supervisor of Elections

Connor Barry

ORLANDO | Wes Hodge grew up in Orlando, getting his degree in business administration at the University of Central Florida, and worked for 16 years in real estate. He beat cancer twice, has worked on campaigns with former Congressman Charlie Crist and state Sen. Linda Stewart and served as Orange County Democratic Party Chair.

Now, with his campaign for Orange County Supervisor of Elections, he is working to become the first LGBTQ+ constitutional office holder in Florida.

Hodge says getting elected as party chair led him to fall in love with the idea of voter empowerment and doing what he could to get more people out to the polls, showing them the power of their vote.

“This is where my passion is, this is where I feel like I can do the most good with my skill set. … We’ve had a couple of different events where all the candidates have been present, and it is clear

who the subject matter expert is,” says Hodge.

When asked what he would do if he won the office, Hodge had plenty to say about his goals. With ideas for more community engagement and outreach, an early-voting appointment system to decrease wait times, more voting locations and longer voting hours.

Hodge’s number one goal is to make it easier for more people to vote.

“Increasing accessibility across the board; parents with kids, kids taking care of their parents, seniors in Florida heat, people whose jobs don’t facilitate standing in line for an hour and a half. All those people may not have the opportunity to vote,” says Hodge. “That is a form of voter suppression, so I want to make sure we minimize those lines as much as possible.”

This is a problem that Hodge says can be solved by voting appointments. Allowing people to go online or call the SoE office to set up an appointment for a specific time at a specific location

GET OUT THE VOTE:

and not have to wait in line when they go to early voting.

With the potential to make history as the first LGBTQ+ person in a Florida constitutional office, there’s more riding on Hodge’s campaign than just this election and his goals.

“That ability to open up the door for someone else to come in after me … this is another opportunity to break down another barrier, to bring more people to get involved,” he says.

As an LGBTQ+ person in Florida, Hodge says that breaking these barriers is essential, whether he’s the one to do it or not, it must be done.

“We have a governor and a legislature who are actively banning books and actively trying to erase history and actively trying to erase our marginalized communities,” says Hodge. “Black history, Hispanic history, LGBTQ history, LGBTQ books, books by Black writers. All of these things are trying to be banned or erased or suppressed. What better place than Florida to continue writing that history and continuing to write that book as they’re trying to erase it.”

Primary elections are Aug. 20 with the general election on Nov. 5.

For more information about Wes Hodge’s campaign, go to WesHodgeOC.com.

WatermarkOnline.com.

Additional reporting by Jeremy Williams. A longer version of this story can be found at

Wes Hodge is running to become the Orange County Supervisor of Elections. PHOTO

COURTESY WES HODGE

TRANSNETWORK, PINELLAS COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY

CELEBRATE ‘UNI-TEA’

Ryan Williams-Jent

ST. PETERSBURG | TransNetwork and the Pinellas County Democratic Party will hold a UNI-TEA Dance April 28 from 4-8 p.m. at Coastal Creative, an inclusive event uniting LGBTQ+ Floridians and their allies “in a time of great division.”

The celebration will feature food, drinks, drag and more. The fundraiser was designed to benefit TransNetwork, the local nonprofit working to build “a community where trans and gender-expansive people thrive as healthy, connected and supported members of society.”

“The UNI-TEA Dance … is a celebration of music, art, food, drink and performance intended to create a space where stronger alliances within the LGB & TQIA+ communities can be built,” TransNetwork said in a press release. “Using our voices and keeping our rights has never been more fun! We are stronger together.”

UNI-TEA will feature entertainment from some of the region’s top drag performers as well as a silent auction from fan favorite artists. Guests are expected to mingle with “distinguished members of the community, leaders, politicians, activists and more, all coming together to celebrate our strength when we are as one.”

“In the past two years we have witnessed this state attempt to push the most repressive legislation targeting the already marginalized citizens, education, history and healthcare,” TransNetwork Treasurer Stephanie Foglia says.

“They pushed and we pushed back — some victories have been made — but much more needs to be done to bring sanity,” she continues. “It’s time for us to celebrate ourselves and show unity and love for each other.”

“The Pinellas Democratic Party is honored to be the presenting sponsor and assisting in creating unity at the upcoming UNI-TEA Dance with our partners at TransNetwork,” Pinellas Democratic Party Chair Jennifer Griffith adds.

“Recognizing the challenges the communities face, which can lead to division, we believe now is the time to move beyond isolated efforts,” she continues. “Our commitment is to encourage collective action, guiding us all towards a shared vision of unity and equality.”

General admission begins at $25 and VIP tickets are available for $50. The latter includes two complimentary drink tickets and a VIP meet and greet with elected officials and the evening’s entertainment. Sponsorships are also available with tiered benefits and begin at $150.

The UNI-TEA Dance will be held April 28 from 4-8 p.m. at Coastal Creative, located at 2201 1st Ave. S. in St. Petersburg. To purchase tickets and learn more, visit Secure.ActBlue.com/Donate/UniTeaDance. Visit TransNetwork.org and PinellasDemocrats.org for more information about each organization.

New Beginnings

Trans vet, Tampa shelter at odds

Ryan Williams-Jent

TAMPA | Local veteran

Bobbie Coy says transphobia contributed to his firing from New Beginnings of Tampa in late February, while the facility says he was never employed.

New Beginnings operates one of the largest transitional housing and homeless recovery programs in the region. It has helped over 10,000 people, including 7,500 veterans, contracting with the Veterans Administration through the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital to do so.

New Beginnings was developed by Dr. Thomas E. Atchison — a local pastor as well as its president and CEO — who in recent months has been accused of retaliatory terminations, racism and homophobia. Atchison denies the allegations, which he says were initiated by New Beginnings’ former executive director, whom he fired. He worked with Coy and others as Ian Donnell, but Atchison notes he is now being investigated for misrepresenting his identity and more. He did not respond to Watermark’s request for comment.

Coy says his troubles with New Beginnings extend beyond this

matter. He came to the facility in June 2023 for shelter and provided services as a kitchen manager and driver, earning $150 per week in the process.

Watermark has reviewed receipts showing Coy received cash for these services, as well as a letter signed by former Program Director Andy Reyes drafted “to acknowledge employment and income” for the work. Coy says this was completed for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to help him obtain another residence.

Atchison says the letter shouldn’t have been drafted and that he wouldn’t have signed it. He notes it was done so during the period his former employees were being led by the man known as Donnell.

Atchison also says no tax documentation was completed for these services, which Coy acknowledges, and that the funds were extended as a charity. He says New Beginnings worked with Coy to provide housing and services which shouldn’t have been available through their VA contract because of his Other than Honorable discharge, which the staff empathized with.

Coy last served in the Navy more than two decades ago and was discharged during “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” At the time he presented as female and posed for a photo that a superior officer perceived as homosexual in nature, a violation of the policy.

He was discharged prior to completing his second year of service, a requirement for certain benefits, which he notes “really messed up my life.” It’s part of what led him to New Beginnings.

Coy has been convicted of a felony and was sent there by the Veterans Treatment Court, which serves veterans in the criminal justice system. He says Atchison told him he was being fired due to the felony and the day prior noted “he didn’t agree with my lifestyle.”

Atchison confirms he “probably” said this, citing his faith and role as a pastor. He maintains this is different than his role as president and CEO of New Beginnings, where LGBTQ+ veterans are welcome.

As for Coy, he says he’ll continue to fight for his rights as an LGBTQ+ veteran.

“It was just wrong for [the military] to discharge me for something like that, when it doesn’t have anything to do with my ability to work,” he says. “My ability to die for my country is the same as any straight person’s.”

For more information about New Beginnings of Tampa, visit NewBeginningsOfTampa.org.

IN SERVICE: Tampa veteran Bobbie Coy drives a New Beginnings van. PHOTO COURTESY BOBBIE COY

SMART RIDE SUCCESSOR ‘JOY RIDE’ ANNOUNCED

Connor Barry

ORLANDO | The inaugural “joy ride” is coming to Florida Nov. 22-23, bringing riders from all around to participate in a bike ride from Miami to Key West to benefit a handful of charities.

The joy ride marks the return of the 165-mile bike ride after the annual SMART Ride event ended last year, closing out its 20-year run with $16,377,287 raised.

Earlier this year when the end of SMART Ride was celebrated with its check distribution party, Scott Pridgen, A.H. Monroe executive director, shared the news that the ride would continue as “Bike It For Life” under new management. Since then, it has evolved into the joy ride.

The return, led by FAB Adventures, was founded by the five beneficiary organizations: Broward House, Compass, Empath Partners in Care, Miracle of Love and Pridelines. It will see riders biking the distance over the course of two days and fundraising, much in the same way as the previous ride.

“The agencies met the day before The SMART Ride Check Distribution Party in January and we agreed to stick together and build upon what Glen Weinzimer created in the SMART Ride,” said Jule Seaver, Compass CEO and board member of the joy ride. “The 100% give back will remain and we are thrilled that AH Monroe is supporting us in their commitment to being the sponsoring welcome wagon as the joy ride rolls into the lower Keys and Key West.”

The joy ride will have everything that participants know and love about the old event, with it following the same course and model set up by SMART Ride.

On top of the familiar charitable side of the event, the course will feature many of the same rest stops for fueling, as well as support vehicles and volunteers cheering on riders. This was important in facilitating the ride’s return as the impact of SMART Ride was huge and the organizers wanted that impact to be able to continue.

“The camaraderie among participants, seeing old friends and meeting new ones and the sense of accomplishment at the finish line is what people always enjoyed about The SMART Ride,” said Angus Bradshaw, CEO of Miracle of Love. “We are taking all of the elements we loved from the previous ride to continue the journey.

According to the joy ride mission statement, the organization is committed to producing community-based events where 100% of the funds raised are given to the non-profits.

“Through the events we produce, we will assemble and sustain a group of thoughtful, committed citizens to build relationships and raise funds to positively affect the lives of people, whom the citizens may have never met, and in doing so challenge themselves to stretch the limits of what they thought they could do as an individual,” states the mission statement.

The joy ride registration opens April 15 on the organization’s new website and fundraising platform at thejoyridefl.org.

SETTLEMENT REACHED IN DISNEY LAWSUIT

Wire Report

ORLANDO | Allies of Gov. Ron DeSantis and Disney reached a settlement agreement March 27 in a state court fight over how Walt Disney World is developed in the future following the takeover of the theme park resort’s government by the Florida governor.

In a meeting, the DeSantis-appointed members of the board of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District approved the settlement agreement, ending almost two years of litigation that was sparked by DeSantis’ takeover of the district from Disney supporters following the company’s opposition to Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” law.

The 2022 law bans classroom lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades and was championed by the Republican governor, who used Disney as a punching bag in speeches until he suspended his presidential campaign this year.

The district provides municipal services such as firefighting, planning and mosquito control, among other things, and was controlled by Disney supporters for most of its five decades.

The agreement came a day after the appointment of a new board member, replacing a DeSantis-appointed board chairman who was a Disney critic. Under the deal, covenants and a development agreement Disney supporters on the board made with the company just before the state takeover would be dropped and the new board agreed to operate under an earlier plan.

Jeff Vahle, president of Walt Disney World Resort, said in a statement that the company was pleased a settlement had been reached.

“This agreement opens a new chapter of constructive engagement with the new leadership of the district and serves the interests of all parties by enabling significant continued investment and the creation of thousands of direct and indirect jobs and economic opportunity in the state,” Vahle said.

DeSantis, who was in Orlando on March 27, said at a news conference that “we have been vindicated on all those actions.”

“I’m glad that they were able to do that settlement,” DeSantis said. “Those 11th hour covenants and restrictions were never going to be valid. We knew that.”

As punishment for Disney’s opposition to the controversial law, DeSantis took over the governing district through legislation passed by the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature and appointed a new board of supervisors. Disney sued DeSantis and his appointees, claiming the company’s free speech rights were violated for speaking out against the legislation. A federal judge dismissed that lawsuit in January, but Disney appealed.

Before control of the district changed hands from Disney allies to DeSantis appointees early last year, the Disney supporters on its board signed agreements with Disney shifting control over design and construction at Disney World to the company. The new DeSantis appointees claimed the “eleventh-hour deals” neutered their powers and the district sued the company in state court in Orlando to have the contracts voided.

Disney filed counterclaims that included asking the state court to declare the agreements valid and enforceable.

Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Disney lets stand a determination by the board of DeSantis appointees that the comprehensive plan approved by the Disney supporters before the takeover is null and void. Disney also agrees that a development agreement and restrictive covenants passed before the takeover are also not valid, according to the settlement terms.

Instead, a comprehensive plan from 2020 will be used with the new board able to make changes to it, and the agreement suggests Disney and the new board will negotiate a new development agreement in the near future.

Disney also agreed to put on hold the appeal of the federal lawsuit pending the negotiations on the development agreement and other matters, and it will drop its two state lawsuits against the district, one of which was a public records complaint.

“It looks to me like both sides called ‘uncle,’” said Richard Foglesong, a Rollins College

professor emeritus who wrote a definitive account of Disney World’s governance in his book, “Married to the Mouse: Walt Disney World and Orlando.”

“Disney has an interest in ending this and so does the oversight board,” he added. “So, they both win.”

Since the takeover last year, the district has faced an exodus of experienced staffers, with many in exit surveys complaining that the governing body has been politicized since the changeover. Just this month, the district’s administrator, Glen Gilzean, left to become a county elections supervisor at half the $400,000 salary he was earning at the district, and the district’s DeSantis-appointed board chairman, Martin Garcia, departed the following week.

In their place, DeSantis on March 26 appointed Orlando businessman Craig Mateer to the board and board members on March 27 approved former DeSantis advisor Stephanie Kopelousos to be the district’s new administrator.

Mateer, a donor to DeSantis campaigns, previously had been appointed by the governor to the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority and the Board of Governors, which oversees the state university system. Kopelousos was director of legislative affairs for DeSantis. She also had served as secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation under then-Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and was a former county manager in northeast Florida.

Garcia was a vocal critic of Disney and his replacement by Mateer, who is well-known in Orlando tourism and business circles, may have made Disney comfortable enough with the board to reach an agreement, Foglesong said.

Board member Charbel Barakat said the board was looking forward to taking a more cooperative approach with the entertainment giant.

“We are eager to work with Disney,” Barakat said after the settlement deal was approved.

BIDEN’S TDOV RECOGNITION CRITICIZED BY TRUMP

WASHINGTON | President Joe Biden faced criticism from Donald Trump’s campaign and religious conservatives for proclaiming March 31 — which corresponded with Easter Sunday this year — as Transgender Day of Visibility.

The president issued the proclamation March 29, calling on “all Americans to join us in lifting up the lives and voices of transgender people throughout our Nation and to work toward eliminating violence and discrimination based on gender identity.”

But in 2024, the March 31 designation overlapped with Easter, one of Christianity’s holiest celebrations. Trump’s campaign accused Biden, a Roman Catholic, of being insensitive to religion, and fellow Republicans piled on.

“We call on Joe Biden’s failing campaign and White House to issue an apology to the millions of Catholics and Christians across America who believe tomorrow

is for one celebration only — the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” said Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign’s press secretary. She assailed what she called the Biden administration’s “years-long assault on the Christian faith.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson said on social media that the “Biden White House has betrayed the central tenet of Easter” and called the decision “outrageous and abhorrent.”

White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said the Republicans criticizing Biden “are seeking to divide and weaken our country with cruel, hateful and dishonest rhetoric.”

“As a Christian who celebrates Easter with family, President Biden stands for bringing people together and upholding the dignity and freedoms of every American,” Bates said. “President Biden will never abuse his faith for political purposes or for profit.”

The advocacy group GLAAD said in a statement that people can both celebrate Easter and show their support for the trans community.

“The date of Easter moves each year, while Trans Day of Visibility

is always recognized on March 31, but this year right-wing politicians and talking heads are using the coincidental timing to overshadow the hope and joy that Easter represents,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, GLAAD president and CEO. Biden first issued a proclamation on transgender visibility in 2021. Proclamations are generally statements about public policy by the president. But this year’s overlap with Easter and the heated tensions from the presidential campaign made the latest transgender proclamation a way for many Republicans to question the Democrat’s religious faith.

Biden devoutly attends Mass and considers his Catholic upbringing to be a core part of his morality and identity. In 2021, he met with Pope Francis at the Vatican and afterward told reporters that the pontiff said he was a “good Catholic” who should keep receiving Communion.

But Biden’s political stances on same-sex marriage and support for reproductive rights have put him at odds with many conservative Christians.

UGANDA UPHOLDS ANTI-HOMOSEXUALITY ACT

KAMPALA, UGANDA | Uganda’s Constitutional Court on April 3 upheld an anti-gay law that allows the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality” despite widespread condemnation from rights groups and others abroad.

President Yoweri Museveni signed the bill into law in May last year. The law is supported by many in the East African country, where some see it as behavior imported from abroad and not a sexual orientation.

One activist petitioner quickly vowed to appeal to the Supreme Court. Constitutional Court judges said the law was legally passed by parliament and does not violate the constitution. Homosexuality was already illegal in Uganda under a colonial-era law criminalizing sexual activity “against the order of nature.” The punishment for that offense is life imprisonment.

The law in question defines “aggravated homosexuality” as cases

of homosexual relations involving a minor and other categories of vulnerable people, or when the perpetrator is infected with HIV. A suspect convicted of such can be imprisoned for up to 14 years, and the offense of “attempted homosexuality” is punishable by up to 10 years.

The court, however, ruled that members of the gay community should not be discriminated against when seeking medication. Uganda was one of the earliest and hardest hit countries when AIDS emerged, and public health experts have long warned against letting stigma or fear of punishment impede access to care.

One of the 14 petitioners, Andrew Mwenda, said they would appeal.

“What we have witnessed in court is what I would call a temporary reversal in an overall strategic battle or a strategic war against cultural bigotry and prejudice, so we are going to appeal to the Supreme Court, not for striking down the different components of this law

but for overturning this law into its entirety,” he said.

The U.N. commissioner for human rights, Volker Turk, expressed dismay at the court’s decision and called on Uganda’s government to repeal the law. He said nearly 600 people have been reportedly subjected to rights violations and abuses based on their actual or assumed sexual orientation or gender identity since the law was enacted in May.

When the law was passed, the U.N. human rights office called it “a recipe for systematic violations of the rights” of LGBTQ+ people and others. U.S. President Joe Biden called the law “a tragic violation of universal human rights — one that is not worthy of the Ugandan people, and one that jeopardizes the prospects of critical economic growth for the entire country.”

The World Bank halted new loans to Uganda, saying additional measures were necessary to ensure projects align with the bank’s environmental and social standards.

WISCONSIN GOV VETOES ANTI-TRANS SPORTS BAN

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, vetoed a bill April 2 that was passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature to ban high school transgender athletes from competing on teams aligning with their gender identity. He vetoed it in the Capitol surrounded by Democratic lawmakers, transgender advocates, the mayor of Madison and others. Evers said in his veto message that this type of legislation “harms LGBTQ Wisconsinites’ and kids’ mental health, emboldens anti-LGBTQ harassment, bullying, and violence, and threatens the safety and dignity of LGBTQ Wisconsinites, especially our LGBTQ kids.” Republicans don’t have the votes needed to override the veto.

MARYLAND DELEGATE COULD MAKE HISTORY

Maryland state Del. Joe Vogel said March 25 could make history if elected to Congress this year. The Montgomery County Democrat declared his candidacy for Maryland’s 6th Congressional District last May. Vogel, 27, would be the first Latino, the first gay man and the first Gen Zer elected to Congress from Maryland if he were to win in November. “We need a new generation of leadership with new perspectives, new ideas and the courage to actually deliver for our communities if we want things to get better in this country,” Vogel told the Washington Blade.

UN ADOPTS INTERSEX RIGHTS RESOLUTION

The U.N. Human Rights Council April 4 adopted a landmark resolution in support of the rights of intersex people. It specifically targets discrimination, violence and harmful practices against those with innate variations in sex characteristics. The resolution received overwhelming support from member states with a final vote of 24-0, with 23 abstentions. The resolution urges countries to strive towards ensuring the highest possible standard of physical and mental health for intersex people and will assess discriminatory laws and policies and acts of violence, while also identifying best practices and legal protections for intersex people.

ROWLING’S TRANSPHOBIA COMMITTED NO CRIME

J.K. Rowling did not break the law with tweets criticizing Scotland’s new hate speech law and transphobic language, the police said April 2. The “Harry Potter” author opposes the law, which came into force on April 1 and makes it illegal to stir up hatred on the basis of characteristics such as age, disability, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity. In a series of posts on X, Rowling referred to several prominent trans women as men. Rowling posted that “if what I’ve written here qualifies as an offence under the terms of the new act, I look forward to being arrested.”

American Stage Theatre Company’s Production of DISNEY’S AND THE IN THE PARK

BEAUTY BEAST

APRIL 3 - MAY 5, 2024

Originally Directed by Robert Jess Roth

Originally Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions

Music by: Alan Menken

Lyrics by: Howard Ashman and Tim Rice

Book by: Linda Wolverton

Directed by: Kenny Moten

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DIARY OF A POET

Entering my 30’s

GROWING UP, TURNING

30 is something I rarely imagined. I was seeking an escape hatch out of the torment my life felt like for so long, it was hard to imagine myself at 30 and thriving, as everyone I speak to has mentioned since my 29th birthday a few weeks ago.

Arriving at the dawn of my 20s, I think about what I could have told my younger self. You finally get to see more than your neighborhood and all the disfunction. You hold on to the happier memories you’ve made throughout the years since you have finally gotten away. You don’t get humiliated anymore; she sings along when she hears you sing. There were so many moments in my life where I wanted to revel in the simple pleasures the TV screen portrayed. The imaginary family my mind would make. I found myself in constant search of an escape.

At some point in my life, I wanted to crawl out of my skin and fly myself to the moon, maybe when there were dinosaurs and I would be the only human, and we would live in harmony. These are what my daydreams looked like in fifth grade, every time they landed on my report card as something to improve on. I found out this was disassociation and anxiety, among a slew of other things, many years later. Therapists attributed it all to trauma that was out of my control and now I am tasked for the reminder of my life to undo it. Since then, I’ve been trying to rewrite my brain into something brighter

and more fulfilling. I am doing my best to stay the course but being strong sometimes feels heavy and exhausting. With the temperature of the world around me and the result of what I consider a failure in humanity, it is hard to sustain in a crumbling infrastructure.

For as long as I felt injustice in the way I was treated by so many different people, I took up the motto: treat others how you want to be treated. As with all things it was a struggle in my earlier years while trying to figure out my place in the world with people and places and things. Unfortunately, I am the enemy in many stories, and I have done my best to make the things I can right, but I cannot undo hurt feelings and I am guilty of this. Much less frequently now, guilt was my loudest determiner of my compulsive nature — negatively or positively — no matter how much of myself I had to sacrifice. I use my “no” and provide no further explanations more often than anything else, but not doing so was a significant barrier early in life. See, when most of your view of the world is built from the lens of someone who has been through a far greater hell than you, the hell they give you is a little bit lighter, but all the same, demons are sharing the oxygen with you and them and everything else. Despite this, I did my best not to become that and sometimes failed. I learned early on sorry does not count for much when you allow chaos to dictate your every move.

There were so many moments when growing past my misery was impossible to imagine. Somedays, although I have worked hard to claw my way out of it, my vocal cords feel tied in a knot because all they want to do is scream over broken earth to make me feel less

viewpoint

broken and the future clearer. I don’t think there is an absolute solution for the little girl who wanted to feel safe and sound, but the reprieve has been romantic. I have cultivated a world where beauty is truly what drives me and what I am constantly chasing after,

looking under the bed or couch of the family dynamic, I thought it would absolutely destroy me and for a long time it was the precursor to everything. I am finally cutting this unwanted misery from my world and painting in color and not black and white.

and how I will succeed and fail upward. It has allowed me to paint different perspectives and cry a lot but wow the freedom I have carved for myself so far will be my legacy and I am satisfied with that. I move with love and care in my heart, for myself first

I have cultivated a world where beauty is truly what drives me and what I am constantly chasing after.

whether that be the ocean or the mountains.

I have learned so much in the last few years of my life I will carry forever and can attest to meeting someone that has shown me beauty in a new way. I think she will be the brightest point in my memoir. It’s crazy to think when I was 11 years old losing my friends, being bullied and finally

I think entering 30 is the most exciting point of my existence because I plan to touch my earth and feel freer.

I think we all find ourselves in this state of what am I doing on every birthday but especially the ones that signal the end of an era. I spent my 20s falling in love with myself and others. Reflecting on who I want to be in my life

and foremost, because I’m always treating people how I deserve to be treated and that is without pause. As always, move with love in your world, heart and spirit.

Bryana Saldana is an Afro-Latina poet born and raised in Orlando. Saldana had her first published poem through “Women Who Roar.” Saldana’s pronouns are She/Her/They.

THE OTHER SIDE OF LIFE

THERE WAS A TIME

when I was a dog devotee, quite anti-cat in fact: alpha in all the ways that dog imagery and canine metaphors invoked.

I insistingly self-identified as “Jaydog” and was prolific in the jargon thereof: you were all my dogs. In that obnoxiously top-dog way, I insisted that people refer to me as such. Up to and including my late thirties, I was never simply tired, I was dog-tired and if I was sick, I was sick as a dog. My reading materials were always dog-eared and I subscribed, as a libertarian, to a dog-eat-dog mindset.

Whether metaphorically or actually, I was usually performing it doggy style. Alas, I’d been barking up the wrong tree and was thus transformed. This old dog learned a new set of tricks and positions: call me simply “Jay” if you want. Or more precisely, “cat-lady-Jay” (if you’re being nasty).

Since age 40, when I was walked off the dog-ledge by my soon-to-become spouse and his cats, I’ve grown into a cat-napping, bookmark-using, passive-love-consuming, purr-addicted, aloof knocker of pencils off desks: an ailurophile. Show me a proverbial high dollar rug and I’ll proverbially claw it to shreds or proverbially puke on it.

Alas, the traits we love in our pets don’t define us. They may expose our affinities and help to provide kibble for our therapists, but that’d be too easy for pandering identity warriors. As with most this-or-that’s and top-bottom designations, dog guys against cat ladies lacks the narrative nuance we need in 2024.

By our forties, we’re all pretty much verse — amirite?

At the rainbow’s end — and especially in a community that doesn’t, as a rule, make lots of children — our pets become our family. Cat ladies and dog guys love our animals and are really on the same side against those monsters who don’t.

And yet, the constant through it all is that I’m Always. Picking. Up. Poop.

Cats and dogs alike crave attention, require shelter and sustenance, enjoy chasing lizards, and live for belly rubs. They may show their affinities differently as species, but they have us attuned to their needs: the needs of those who have been domesticated to interdepend on us.

We are the government in our homes: identifying priorities, allocating resources to meet budgets, providing for common defense and forwarding the pursuit of happiness: working hard to please our cats and dogs and deriving value as a family from that effusive love and generalized good.

Speaking of poop-management, it’s April and the tax bill’s come, “on little cat feet…looking over harbor and city, on silent haunches, and then…” well.

A few years ago, I noted that what I paid in federal taxes had exceeded my entire annual income from earlier in life. Most of us, I suppose, cross this threshold at some point: along the earning trajectory from our first high school jobs to higher-paying career plateau points.

One should expect that, given inflation, ability, luck, experience and opportunity, that our income should grow. And so should, of course, our spending power and responsibility to pay taxes. Now, in the fog of middle age we are really handing our taxes back to our younger selves — an intergenerational, inter-time-spatial resource transfer. We are scooping up our excess and tossing it back.

Meanwhile, our 18-year-old selves had been tossing it forward: paying into Social Security, registering for selective service, pursuing higher education: investing along the way, according to our increasing ability to push forward civil society in this greatest nation. As tax responsibility increases over the years, so too does our “extra.” I am more able to care for my cats today than I was for my dogs when I was younger. I’m also more able to give to my church, to support

By our forties, we’re all pretty much verse — amirite? viewpoint

the local basketball team, to sponsor scholarships, to hand a homeless person $20, to give my employees raises, to donate to the local cat shelter, and yes, to buy myself something nice on occasion. And that I have to pay 6% on my consumption to ensure Medicaid and education are funded in Florida AND if I have to pay 1.47% of the value of my Hillsborough home to ensure that we are police-and-fire-protected and that the schools are safe AND if I have to pay 20% of my income to ensure that America isn’t attacked by foreign enemies, that the arts and sciences don’t wither, and that families that I don’t even personally know are assisted in the midst of natural disasters, then so

be it. The value-oriented, coupon-clipping cat lady in me doesn’t want to pay more than he can, but she also doesn’t want to pay less than they should. Where my dogs at?

While I’m no longer canis alpha, I’m not pusillanimous either. I’m a proud, loving, somewhat eccentric, anti-monster-active, American taxpaying cat lady who’s gotten a lot more back

dependents are in our home, cuddling up to us, offering up their bellies, purring on our chests at night. Some of these dependents are our neighbors or strangers who need a hand up when life kicks them in the guts.

than he’s put in — and he’s put in a lot. Taxpaying isn’t just scooping and disposing, it’s having enough to throw a little forward to our future selves and to toss a little back toward our past selves.

But more importantly, it’s recognizing that there are those who are dependent on us right now. Some of these

Some of these dependents are ourselves, trying our darndest to be good citizens by making life better as we progress on the civic trajectory from youth to our rainbow’s ends as citizens and poop-scoopers — dog devotees and cat ladies — with extra means to give back and extra love to share with our four-legged families along the way.

Jason Leclerc (@JLeclercAuthor) is an essayist, poet, economist, and author of two published collections.

talking points

He was open and generous. Kind beyond measure. Regal. We owe so much to him.

What a monumental life he lived.

— COLMAN DOMINGO, REACTING TO THE DEATH OF LOUIS GOSSETT JR., DOMINGO’S CO-STAR IN “THE COLOR PURPLE,” ON X.

CHANCE PERDOMO DIES IN MOTORCYCLE CRASH AT 27

ACTOR CHANCE PERDOMO, WHO ROSE TO FAME AS A STAR OF “CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA” and “Gen V,” has died at age 27 following a motorcycle crash. “On behalf of the family and his representatives, it is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Chance Perdomo’s untimely passing as a result of a motorcycle accident,” a publicist said in a statement issued March 30. The statement said no one else was involved in the crash. No details about the crash, including when and where it took place, were immediately released. Perdomo most recently played Andre Anderson on the first season of “Gen V,” the college-centric spin-off of Amazon Prime’s hit series “The Boys.” One of Perdomo’s most famous roles was on the Netflix series “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.” For four seasons Perdomo played Ambrose Spellman, the cousin to Sabrina Spellman and a powerful, pansexual warlock who specialized in necromancy and is initially under house arrest. He often served as a sort of voice of reason on the show, which wrapped in 2020.

SINGERS CALL ON AI DEVELOPERS TO HONOR ARTISTS

BILLIE EILISH, BILLY PORTER AND NICKI MINAJ are just some of the over 200 names featured on a new open letter submitted by the Artist Rights Alliance, an artist-led nonprofit organization advocating for musicians in a precarious digital economy, calling on artificial intelligence tech companies to stop using AI “to infringe upon and devalue the rights of human artists.” The letter, while acknowledging the creative possibilities of AI, addresses some of its threats to human artistry, including using preexisting work to train AI models without permissions in an attempt to replace artists.

HRC RELEASES ‘QUEER RENAISSANCE SYLLABUS’

HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN

UNVEILED ITS “QUEER RENAISSANCE SYLLABUS,” inspired by Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” album. Curated by Justin Calhoun, Leslie Hall and Chauna Lawson of the HRC’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities Program, the syllabus includes a variety of media rooted in Black queer and feminist studies. Each piece is directly inspired by the tracks on Beyoncé’s “Renaissance.” Tailored for educators, youth-serving professionals, DEI practitioners and higher education leaders, the syllabus aims to explore innovative ways to honor the vibrancy and significance of LGBTQ+ individuals and their culture.

JENNER BACKS BAN ON TRANS ATHLETES

CAITLYN JENNER SAID SHE SUPPORTED A LOCAL NEW YORK OFFICIAL’S ORDER banning female sports teams with trans athletes from using county-owned facilities. The ban applies to over 100 athletic facilities in New York City’s Long Island suburbs. Speaking alongside Nassau County’s Bruce Blakeman, Jenner said allowing trans athletes to compete against other women will “ruin women’s sports” for years to come. “Let’s stop it now while we can,” said the reality television star. The LGBT Network, a Long Island-based advocacy group, called Jenner’s comments a “baffling contradiction” to her own identity as a transgender woman that is “not only hypocritical but also harmful” to the LGBTQ+ community.

70% OF LGBTQ+ YOUTH HAVE EXPERIENCED SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY WHILE 57% HAVE SHOWN SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION. AMONG THOSE SURVEYED, 81% WANTED MENTAL HEALTH CARE IN THE PAST YEAR BUT 56% WERE UNABLE TO ACCESS CARE.

“LET’S FIND SOME BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO GET LOST.”

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Casa del Merman

Havens of inclusivity and charm in St. Petersburg, Florida and Montañita, Ecuador

Deborah Bostock-Kelley

NESTLED IN THE HEART OF ST. Petersburg, what started as GayStPete House metamorphosized into Casa del Merman in 2009. Serving the LGBTQ+ community and allies, this charming B&B resort exudes a definite Florida vibe, welcoming guests with open arms.

Brian Longstreth had owned the building as an apartment building and, with the real estate crash in 2008, decided to convert to a B&B. He started with a couple of apartments and the venture took off quickly.

“After about two, maybe three years, we’d converted all of the

rooms,” he explains. “My goal was to have an affordable alternative for LGBT accommodations. We always tried to keep our prices a little lower than other LGBT places.”

Casa del Merman is conveniently located at 4505 5th Ave. N. in Saint Petersburg.

Its central position allows easy access to the city’s vibrant arts scene, waterfront parks, and LGBTQ+-friendly establishments. Longstreth jokes that what began as a modest display of December Diamond brand merman ornaments in the bar area of the B&B blossomed into an impressive assembly of over 120 mermen after adding a canopy and chandelier.

“I hung two merman on the canopy instead of the bar area, and they quickly multiplied,” he says. “I thought [the name] GayStPete House was getting tired, and we could go for a refresh, so here was a branding opportunity. It’s all based off the ornaments.”

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Casa del Merman was born.

Longstreth ordered mermaid tails online and encouraged guests to take photos to share on social media, tagging Casa del Merman.

“They became a great social media information spreader,” he says. “People seem to enjoy it a lot because it’s a lot of fun.”

Visitors can choose from six unique pet-friendly guest rooms adorned with Floridian décor named after a local beach. The rooms offer private entrances, private baths, TVs with DVD players and free Wi-Fi, which covers the entire property.

At the clothing-optional, private heated pool area, whether sipping a refreshing drink by the pool, taking a naked dip, or lounging in the many hammocks, this oasis is the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Continental breakfast and happy hour are served poolside at the bar area, where guests can also enjoy TV or movies or even get a massage from the B&B’s list of recommended licensed massage therapists.

Longstreth says, “The downside of being clothing optional is many people assume it’s a bathhouse, and it’s not. We oftentimes have to have that discussion.”

Each month, Casa del Merman hosts a pool party where a selected nonprofit receives all the door money collected.

Casa del Merman costs $109-159 daily, but guests can purchase five nights and enjoy two nights free. Longstreth

created this discount with the B&B’s inception, encouraging visitors to stay longer to get a chance to explore and see everything that the tourist-friendly city has to offer.

Longstreth started looking 15 years ago for a second coastal location with moderate temperatures, was out of the hurricane zone and was LGBTQ+friendly. Ecuador kept popping up in his search engine. When he finally decided to visit, a friend acted as a tour guide, introducing him to Montañita’s relaxing surfing atmosphere.

He immediately fell in love with the location. “The first day I was there, I said, ‘Yes, this is it.’”

As a companion to St. Petersburg’s location, in 2021, Casa del Merman expanded its horizons to the shores of Ecuador. Its second home is a slice of paradise in the Tigrillo Neighborhood [The Quiet Zone] of Montañita. This LGBTQ+friendly coastal town is renowned for its guests losing track of time, world-class surfing and vibrant nightlife.

Like its Florida counterpart, the Ecuadorian Casa del Merman at GayMontanita House caters to the LGBTQ+ community. However, like in St. Petersburg, everyone can experience its warmth and hospitality. Whether guests identify as LGBTQ+ or an ally, they’ll find a sense of belonging here.

Longstreth describes the B&B as an Ecuadorian Bohemian upgraded hostel, offering a cultural retreat for as little as $300 a week. Visitors can indulge in the local cuisine and unwind in its many hammocks. The “sunny season” runs from December to May, with temperatures peaking

at 85 degrees Fahrenheit, while the tranquil off-season from June to November is typically overcast, with a mild 5 degrees drop in temperature.

One of the first things Longstreth did when renovating the pet-friendly hostel into a B&B was to donate the single beds to the local orphanage, which was overflowing with 90 youth who had lost their parents to COVID-19.

“They were very happy. It was perfect timing,” he says.

Longstreth’s goal is to introduce the vibrant allure of Montañita and Casa del Merman to a broader LGBTQ+ audience.

“We have 20 basic rooms with a private bath, air-conditioning and hot water, which is rare for some of these hotels. We were fortunate to find this hotel. It wasn’t listed. It sat on an underutilized large parcel, so we first added a pool, some privacy fence and more hammocks,” he says. “The hammocks are what everyone does just to chill out.”

He explains that a friend coined the description of Casa del Merman at GayMontanita House.

“It’s a Bohemian Bourbon Street. We are a beachy, laid-back version of that,” he explains. “It’s fun and we’ve been doing it now for two and half years.”

Longstreth says while the St. Petersburg location is predominantly male, Montañita features male and female vacationers, as well as straight guests who stayed before the transformation to the LGBTQ+friendly Casa Del Merman that don’t want to leave.

While neither Casa del Merman has yet hosted a wedding, the B&B has had a party for some of the cast of the

Netflix series “Merpeople” in St. Pete, with Longstreth extending a warm invitation to indulge the Ecuadorian experience. Casa del Merman in Montañita has even been visited by a gay Shaman couple who blessed the location.

He explains that the most Instagrammable locations are at the pool and in front of the murals designed by local artists at the pump house and the beach bar.

For the convenience of his guests, Longstreth also owns Casa del Merman Beach Club, the beach bar with hammocks and a stunning Pacific Ocean view. In addition to the club, a community kitchen by the pool invites guests to make their own meals.

“Sometimes groups get together and cook,” he explains. A full meal in Montañita averages $5.

For guests not into the energetic club scene, Longstreth offers an array of holiday and themed events at Casa del Merman, providing an alternative to the bustling nightlife that thrives from 11 p.m.-5 a.m.

“We’re chill. It’s a different party scene than a lot of typical gay communities. I always tell people it’s not for everybody, but you should come and experience it. Our parties continue to grow and get more popular.”

Casa del Merman is proud of its philanthropy, having sponsored lesbian surfers in tournaments and regularly working with the local pet rescue.

Longstreth is also excited about future plans to add 32 condo hotels that can be used to live in or as vacation properties. “The prices are ridiculously low compared to anything in America or Central America. Taxes are low and it’s a real opportunity

for people being priced out of housing in the U.S. who also want to enjoy the lifestyle here.”

Longstreth hopes to start taking deposits in about two months. Once he reaches a certain threshold of reservations, new construction should take 18 months.

Casa del Merman celebrates diversity and embraces all guests, regardless of their background. Whether a solo traveler, a couple or a group of friends, guests find acceptance and camaraderie — and no one needs a car in Montañita.

“You walk everywhere. If you need to take a taxi, it’s $1.50,” he jokes. “Anywhere in town. Whenever I come down, I lose weight just walking on the beach and around town.”

Both locations provide easy access to local attractions and LGBTQ+-friendly districts. From art walks in St. Pete to exploring Ecuador’s beautiful Pacific beach, adventure awaits all travelers.

Longstreth explains, “We get all ages, all shapes and sizes. Everybody remains pretty friendly and open to people that are different, which is also something a little unusual in some of the other LGBTQ+ accommodations.”

Whether guests dream of Florida sunsets on the Gulf of Mexico or Ecuadorian beach escapades on the Pacific Ocean, Longstreth encourages visitors to book a stay and create memories that will last a lifetime.

When asked to summarize both properties, Longstreth says, “Laidback. Relaxing. Friendly.”

For reservations and more information about each property, visit CasaDelMerman.com.

| uu | Casa del Merman FROM PG.21

A TAIL OF TWO CITIES: A merman enjoys the pool at Casa Del Merman at GayMontanita House, also a popular photo op at Casa del Merman at GayStPete House. PHOTO COURTESY BRIAN LONGSTRETH

EVENING IN ECUADOR: The sun sets near Casa Del Merman at GayMontanita House. PHOTO COURTESY BRIAN LONGSTRETH

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Actor and activist JP Karliak uses his voice for ‘X-Men’ and more

Ryan Williams-Jent

DECADES BEFORE IRON MAN

became one of Hollywood’s biggest heroes or the average filmgoer had a favorite version of Spider-Man, “X-Men: The Animated Series” dominated Saturday morning screens. Its 76-episode run premiered in 1992, paving the way for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and more.

“In the Marvel Comics universe, mutants, people with genetically endowed superpowers, are persecuted by a hateful and fearful populace,” it’s now described. The series was based on the entertainment juggernaut’s line of “X-Men” comic books launched in 1963.

Born differently and hated for it, the X-Men have served as an allegory for minorities ever since. It’s undoubtedly contributed to the property’s six decades of success, leading to cinematic interpretations and revivals like Marvel Studios’ “X-Men ’97.”

The animated sequel premiered on Disney+ March 20 and “revisits the iconic era of the 1990s as the X-Men … are challenged like never before, forced to face a dangerous and unexpected new future.” The series brought back a significant amount of its original voice cast and hit four million views in just five days, a new record. Returning characters include mutants like Storm and CONTINUED ON PG. 29 | uu |

PHOTO BY TOMMY FLANAGAN

Wolverine, popularized by Fox’s live-action films, as well as animated counterparts like Morph. The character appeared in nine episodes of the original series, including its two-part premiere and series finale in 1997.

Based on a legacy comic character named Changeling, Morph is a shapeshifter who can alter his body and voice to appear however he wishes. His inclusion in the series made headlines in February when former “X-Men ‘97” showrunner Beau DeMayo — a gay man who parted ways with Marvel Studios ahead of its premiere — noted that the character would be nonbinary.

Actor and activist JP Karliak, who is genderqueer and uses he/ him pronouns, voices Morph in “X-Men ’97.” He’s settled on he/ they for the mutant, an ongoing discussion, and has an extensive resume that includes fan favorite characters like Wile E. Coyote, Boss Baby and Joker.

Performance isn’t Karliak’s only passion. He co-founded NerdsVote in 2018, the nonpartisan organization dedicated to getting pop culture aficionados involved in the democratic process, and founded Queer Vox in 2021. The latter nonprofit provides training and professional support for LGBTQ+ voice actors while advocating for equitable opportunities and authentic representation.

Karliak discussed his work with Watermark after the “X-Men ‘97” premiere, reflecting on the importance of using your voice for mutantkind and much more.

WATERMARK: WHAT DREW YOU TO PERFORMANCE?

JP Karliak: I got hit by the performance bug so many times. I was a big fan of movies, old movies that my mother would watch every weekend, and I was a huge fan of cartoons. I was just under the impression that there was no way that it could be a job because it looked too fun.

I watched “Aladdin” as a kid and I thought to myself, “Well, they’re letting Robin Williams do that and he’s a famous Hollywood actor, so I must have to become a famous Hollywood actor in order to be allowed to do voiceover.”

That was sort of my trajectory through college, trying to get on

stage or get in front of a camera and do that work. Luckily, I had a professor tell me, “You can just audition for these roles, you don’t have to be famous to get them,” and that led me to voiceover.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE REWARDING AND DIFFICULT ASPECTS OF VOICEOVER?

There’s really no judgment about what you look like, or what your physicality is. Your voice is allowed to play whatever character it manages to change into, so I’ve had a lot of variety that’s been at my disposal.

As for what’s difficult, the pandemic changed it to being a real work from home experience, whereas before I was visiting with engineers, producers, directors and writers. Everybody would come to the session and we’d all record together, and sometimes I’d get to record with other actors and get to kibitz during break; it was still quite social. I’m an extrovert, so I do miss that. Luckily, there are experiences like the “X-Men” premiere where we get to really bond and get excited for a project. It’s been nice to have that.

HOW DID YOUR INVOLVEMENT WITH “X-MEN ‘97” COME TO BE?

It was really just a regular audition. I got it, saw that Morph was not only a legacy character, but also that they were adding the detail of him being nonbinary, and it really piqued my interest as someone who identifies as genderqueer. Really delving into his story and getting to know this

character, I saw a lot of myself.

HOW DID YOU APPROACH IT?

I think because Morph wasn’t a massive part of the original series, there wasn’t such a pressure that his voice had to be exactly the same as it was in the original — he has a very distinctive laugh that was stressed as important — but other than that, I identified so much with this character that I thought, “Well, I’m just going to do my voice and see how that goes.” I really don’t sound that different from Ron Rubin, who did the original, so I just trusted that I didn’t need to put anything on to play him. I just needed to let the sense of humor shine through and that was it.

CRITICS HAVE SPOKEN OUT AGAINST MORPH BEING NONBINARY AND DISSENT CAN BE THE LOUDEST, BUT THERE’S ALSO BEEN POSITIVE FEEDBACK. WHAT CAN YOU SHARE ABOUT THAT?

I think, as you said, the dissent is the loudest, but I have also been around long enough to know it is the smallest — and truthfully, I’ve been overwhelmed by the backlash to the backlash.

I’ve been overwhelmed by the positive reactions, by the people championing “X-Men” and saying, “Have you not read ‘X-Men?’ Do you not know their origins? Do you not know what they stand for, being born out of the civil rights movement and being an allegory for civil rights for all sorts of communities, including and especially the queer community?”

humor, which is such a uniquely queer experience that just so powerfully resonates with me.

THERE’S BEEN A LOT OF QUEER REPRESENTATION BEHIND THE SCENES AS WELL, LIKE WITH FORMER SHOWRUNNER IN BEAU DEMAYO. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN SHARE ABOUT THAT?

I think Beau has such a fantastic grasp of that connection between the queerness of “X-Men” as a whole and how to bring that to the screen, and I think it’s very evident in his writing; it comes through so beautifully. But I do think that it has been such a team effort. There are so many artists on the show and other writers who are queer as well that bring so much to the table.

So it’s been heartening to see that a lot of people understand what those origins are and can come to its defense, as opposed to the conversation really being dominated by trolls and haters.

I did read an article or two from some of these hateful websites, and what I found so amusing was that one called me a “radical queer activist.” I’m the founder of an LGBTQ+ voice actor advocacy nonprofit and they said that I was, and they listed the mission, and it was all accurate. So I’m happy to roll with it.

WHY DO YOU THINK THE X-MEN RESONATE WITH LGBTQ+ AUDIENCES?

I think it’s their history of oppression. I love the line in the film “X2: X-Men United” where they visit Iceman’s parents and he comes out as a mutant. They say, “have you tried not being a mutant?” and there are so many nuances like that with the X-Men that queer people go through that aren’t even thinly veiled references. It resonates so powerfully with our experiences.

I also know personally why Morph feels so powerful for me. In the original series, he goes through such a traumatic journey — including feeling betrayed by his friends, then feeling he betrayed his friends, feeling PTSD from some physical and psychological trauma and having to try to overcome that, and then trying to figure out how he fits back in his friend group. All of that, especially as we continue the story in this series, is trauma that he tries to push through with

Although the voice director, Meredith Layne is not queer herself, she does have such a beautiful grasp of how to tell a queer story. She’s worked on what I consider to be prestige adult animation, including “Arcane” and “What If?” and “Castlevania” and “Blood of Zeus,” many of which have queer stories and she helps direct them with such a deft touch. I think all of that combined really gets the message of its queerness home without a “very special episode.” We don’t need it, and I think we’re in that part of our movement where it is so powerful to just see us living our lives.

WHEN IT COMES TO MORPH’S PRONOUNS, WHAT SHOULD BE USED? THERE ARE CONFLICTING REPORTS AND THE SHOW’S CREDITS USE “THEIR.”

Yeah, I noticed that too. Which is funny, because in recording the show and in interviews, it’s been he/him and has been from the original. This is an ongoing discussion, so I reserve the right to edit my response at a later date. (Laughs.) But the way I jive it is basically in the context of what’s happening in 1997, when the term nonbinary did not exist yet and the use of they/ them pronouns in connection to someone who is nonbinary was not a mainstream thing.

So while Morph might not even have that terminology to use, gender is a journey and it’s a journey of understanding. I’m going to say that maybe the end credits are sort of the historical record ... maybe, fingers crossed, Morph will make it to an era where nonbinary is common

NEW ERA, NEW EPISODES: Cast and crew including JP Karliak (Far R) attend the “X-Men ‘97” Launch Event at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 13. PHOTO BY JESSE GRANT/GETTY IMAGES FOR DISNEY

| uu | Mutant & Proud FROM PG.29

terminology. So maybe we could say the pronouns are he/they. But again, even that resonates so much with me.

HOW SO?

My gender was a journey. I didn’t have the language to say that I was genderqueer in 1997 in high school, confused about who I was. I found that much later and even in spite of that, I still identify with he/him pronouns. If I was 10 years younger, I probably would identify as nonbinary and use they/them, but I think there is a sort of conditioning of growing up in the era that I did that makes me more comfortable with he/ him, which is fine.

I think it speaks to every queer person’s prerogative to be able to use the terminology that describes what is within themselves. No term fully encapsulates in and of itself what everything is, and everybody’s going to describe their gender identity differently. I think this experience with Morph figuring out who he is, and using whatever pronouns he may end up using, is all just a beautiful journey of his specific queer experience.

WHY IS LGBTQ+ REPRESENTATION IMPORTANT ON THE SCREEN?

Performance art, whether it be theater, film, TV, whatever it is, is meant to show us a slice of life. It is meant to give us a better understanding of humanity. So when we’re only showing limited

snippets of humanity, we’re not really showing the world as it is. We’re not really addressing everything that’s happening, so I think representation is so important for the experience of seeing the fullness of humanity. On a very specific level for the queer community — although representation matters, especially in a show like this, where there is a queer hero — it matters right now because the youth need to hear it. This is such a difficult time for the queer community. I’m not going to say it’s the worst time because we’ve certainly faced a lot of bad, but this is a very, very dark time, especially for queer humans. I think having positive representation, especially positive heroic representation, is so important.

WHAT ABOUT BEHIND THE SCENES?

When it comes to behind the mic, I think that’s important because as much as we want our art to represent the full breadth of humanity, we also want to give everybody an opportunity to pay their bills. I never make the argument that a queer person should be played by a queer person because only they have the talents or the wherewithal to be able to understand what that person’s going through. We’ve all seen queer characters portrayed by cis or straight people that we found effective or beautiful … to me it’s not about that.

In an ideal world, where we all have equal opportunity, we all would be able to say, “oh, I want to play that role that is not my

gender” or something like that. But the truth of the matter is that you are denying the opportunities of the actual people whose story you’re telling to earn wealth telling those stories. You are dabbling in an art form that is actually a business, and therefore careers cannot be made because you had to take that role. That’s the problem to me, and if this industry was allowing everybody an equal opportunity, not even to just get the role but to audition for the role, then we’d be in a much different situation.

IS THAT WHY YOU BECAME A “RADICAL QUEER ACTIVIST?”

(Laughs.) Well, it really was born out of that, of having conversations with casting director friends celebrating the rise of well-written queer characters in animation and video games, but also bemoaning that they were not authentically cast. So often we were hearing “I just don’t know where to find them,” and they weren’t wrong, but it’s not that queer and trans voice actors don’t exist. Of course they do. It’s just that we haven’t created the pipelines to get them into mainstream work.

Part of it was creating a training program to offer classes with little to no financial burden to offer people this training, and I discovered that a lot of them already had it, they just didn’t have the opportunity. It’s about ensuring queer people are a part of stories, even those that aren’t queer-centered stories. It’s about showing people we exist. Just as we’ve trusted our cis and straight

colleagues for hundreds if not thousands of years to play us, now the industry needs to trust us to play them. There’s no reason that we shouldn’t be allowed those opportunities as well as the mainstream representation to build long-lasting careers.

YOUR ACTIVISM ALSO EXTENDS TO NERDSVOTE.

NerdsVote was the brainchild of my voiceover pal, Courtenay Taylor. She was talking with one of her fellow voiceover pals about wanting to get people excited about voting, about creating voter registration opportunities, but at the time, they were just overwhelmed with a very busy schedule of various conventions. They were like, “How am I going to have the time to register people to vote when I’m talking to all of my fans at all these events? Oh.” Suddenly the light bulb went off about bringing voter registration opportunities to conventions.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

If you’re a young person who is a big fan of particular property, and you go in to get an autograph from an actor and you’re excited to meet them, and while you’re there, they encourage you to get out the vote and that’s important to them, you’re going to find it’s important to you too.

It’s nonpartisan, even though Courtenay and I are pretty darn partisan ourselves and fully admit that, but we really work hard to make sure that it is purely about registering more people to vote. We’re of the mind that by and large, the nerds that we’ve run

into — people who love gaming, cosplaying, congoing and pop culture of all kinds, they’re an empathetic people at heart. They are interested in social justice and making the world a better place. Having more of those people voting is a net positive.

FLORIDA HAS PASSED HIGH-PROFILE, ANTI-LGBTQ+ LAWS IN RECENT YEARS.

WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HAVE FOR FANS HERE?

My message for the queer folks — especially the gender nonconforming and trans folks and especially the youth in Florida — is that you’re my heroes (Pauses.) I don’t know how you do it. I grew up in the 90s in Pennsylvania, which was tricky enough just being a gay person. I never felt the government coming after me. I felt some bullies throw me into lockers, but I never felt that my existence was threatened by the Governor of Pennsylvania. Never. I had smaller concerns. I don’t know if I would have survived that, so it breaks my heart that any queer person has to go through that.

So whether it’s my work at Queer Vox, or NerdsVote, any of the stuff that I do, so much of it is about trying to turn the tide so that no queer person anywhere has to experience that. So that no queer child has to grow up feeling that the literal world is against them. You’re my heroes and we’re doing our best. Hang in there.

“X-Men ‘97” is now streaming on Disney+. For more information about JP Karliak’s acting and activism, visit JPKarliak.com.

SECOND GENESIS: (L-R): Wolverine (voiced by Cal Dodd), Storm (Alison Sealy-Smith), Beast (George Buza), Jubilee (Holly Chou), Bishop (Isaac Robinson-Smith), Morph (JP Karliak), Gambit (AJ LoCascio), Rogue (Lenore Zann), Madelyne Pryor as Jean Grey (Jennifer Hale) and Cyclops (Ray Chase) in Marvel Animation’s “X-Men ‘97.” PHOTO COURTESY MARVEL ANIMATION. © 2024 MARVEL.

A Parody Musical

‘Stranger Sings!’ takes center stage at Tampa’s Straz Center

Bellanee Plaza

MAKE ‘EM SING:

THE REGIONAL PREMIERE OF

“Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical” is taking Tampa’s Straz Center “upside down.”

A night filled with adventure, pubescent angst and dancing monsters, “Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical” is a campy and satirical take on the hit Netflix series.

Nick Flatto, director of “Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical,” says the show has been six years in the making with Jonathan Hogue, the writer of the show. Flatto says he has enjoyed every moment directing this show.

“I love getting to bring this to audiences, but especially these Tampa audiences, it’s a rock concert in there,” Flatto says. “When I saw this script, it was just nonstop joke after joke. We flipped it on its head, now it’s pure comedy.”

The characters that many are familiar with like Mike, Eleven, Lucas, Dustin and even Barb, will be seen in a new light, Flatto says. “Stranger Sings!” follows the story arc of “Stranger Things” season one with some special nods to later seasons, according to the “Stranger Sings!” website.

While the show was in its early stages, Flatto had the idea to make the character of Will Byers a puppet and Hougue loved it. With Will being gay, they liked the idea of making him an abstract creation.

“Are we puppets until we come out and be our authentic selves in this theatrical world,” Flatto says. “I thought it was so cool to think that Will is a puppet until he has

the strength to allow himself to live his truth.”

Flatto says one of the reasons he loves theater is because he can do things like connect queerness to puppetry. He says he wouldn’t be able to achieve that on TV or film.

“We get to introduce the audience to how fun material can live in the live theater sector,” Flatto says. “I fell in love with theater at a very young age and I thought this was the coolest way to see a story is living, breathing performances, sweat, tears and live singing.”

“Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical” had its world premiere Off-Broadway on Oct. 13, 2018. The show won seven Broadway World Off-Broadway Awards including Best Musical and was nominated for a Drama Desk.

“I always say that it comes back to the script,” Flatto says. “Because the script is so good it has attracted the best talent in New York.”

The show has eight actors playing over 35 characters. Behind the scenes, they are running around, changing costumes and throwing wigs, Flatto says.

The parody musical has an original cast album and is already being translated for productions in Spain and Brazil. There have also been productions of the show in London and Australia after it played Off-Broadway for eight months in New York.

“Every scene and song has a joke,” Flatto says. “We also have a lot of references for our people that appreciate the ‘80s, people that know all the ‘80s kind of pop culture, we have something for everyone. You’re constantly laughing because you recognize this secret message that we’ve given to you.”

Flatto says he feels connected to the show because at its core it is about bringing together a community, and as someone who is part of the LGBTQ+ community, he connects to Will’s character.

“Coming to see a show and laughing with people like us in an inclusive, safe environment, that’s pure joy and is what makes me tick

and why I’m so excited to be here,” Flatto says.

The production is built “in the round,” providing a uniquely immersive experience with 360-degree seating. The Straz Center is also getting audiences in the ‘80s mindset with arcade games in the lobby for guests to enjoy before the show, courtesy of Lowry Parcade.

“We have pinball machines in the lobby and beanbags that you can sit in,” Flatto says. “I just want you to forget your worries and have a great time with like-minded individuals.”

Flatto says he hopes the show will get audiences excited about the upcoming fifth and final season of the hit series, which will be coming to Netflix in 2025.

“Stranger Sings!” features Tampa native Caroline Huerta, who plays Joyce Byers and Will Byers. Huerta has been featured in “Hairspray,” “In the Heights” and “The Handmaids Musical: A Dystopian Tale.”

After multiple extended runs, the musical became available for professional, amateur and educational licensing, something Flatto got to experience firsthand.

“I went to our first licensing in Staten Island and it was high schoolers,” he says. “It’s so amazing seeing performers the age of the characters playing the characters. There’s just this innocence and awkwardness that a teen has, it’s hard to replicate as an adult performer.”

Flatto hopes audiences will go in preparing to pick out on all the “Stranger Things” references that are written in the show. He says there are more secrets in the show and in its music that even he realized.

“Even as the director it took me two years to realize that is from this, so I think it makes it a fun game,” Flatto says. “It puts the show on a whole other level of fun when you challenge yourself to find the hidden jokes.”

Along with jokes referencing the series, Flatto says there are also several deep cuts referencing lesser-known bits of trivia related to Dungeons and Dragons for the true fans.

“It’s all for the audience,” Flatto says. “It’s a love letter to your favorite show letting you get to see your characters in a brand new way.”

“Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical” is playing now at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts’ Jaeb Theater in the Round, located at 1010 N. Macinnes Place in Tampa, through April 21. Tickets start at $37 and are available at StrazCenter.org.

Composer, lyricist and book writer Jonathan Hogue and director Nick Flatto, creators of “Stranger Sings! The Musical Parody.”

PHOTO BY EVAN ZIMMERMAN

THEATER

Scary Good Songs

Fringe favorite ‘An Adele Horror Story’ returns to Orlando stage

Connor Barry

(ABOVE) HELLO FROM THE OTHER SIDE:

“A

BSURD, GOOFY, WACKY, SILLY.”

That’s how writer/director/producer Ciara Hannon describes their show “An Adele Horror Story.”

The jukebox horror musical, presented by 11th Hour Productions, made its debut at the 2021 Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival receiving lots of love for its unconventional and improvised nature, says Hannon, selling out nine shows and going on to receive the “Fringiest of the Fringe” award at that year’s festival.

During the show’s initial run, it received positive reviews from several publications including from the Orlando Weekly, which wrote “’An Adele Horror Story’ power-sprays a metric ton of slapstick bullshit at the walls, and a surprising amount of it sticks,” and from this publication, which wrote that the show “flips the

script on a couple of the old slasher flick troupes” and praised the show’s light-hearted and zany plot.

An updated version of the show is making its return to Central Florida at the Fringe Artspace in downtown Orlando April 26-27, starting at 7:30 p.m.

Described as a campy comedy/ horror, “An Adele Horror Story” follows a group of six college students deep in the woods of Florida where they encounter the “soul-sucking demon” named Adele, who feeds on heartbreak and who is “ready to say ‘Hello’ … from the other side.”

A show full of “Adele’s greatest hits. Lesbians. Horror. Mommy issues. $9 blonde bob wigs. Black claw nails.

fleshed out than the first one, this is a full two act version … so if you loved the outside version, I promise the goofiness is still there, but it’s definitely more refined.”

Blood. Amelia Earhart. Two lesbians in a car listening to ‘Lucky’ by Britney Spears. Big stompy stomp boots. Did I mention lesbians?” Hannon assures audiences that the show will be an exciting experience.

When writing “An Adele Horror Story,” Hannon says it was important to not include a lot of what has been going on in Florida regarding the ongoing attacks on the LGBTQ+ community in the musical itself. With so much time and energy from the LGBTQ+ community being focused on everything going wrong and how to fix it, the show was made so people could stop and have a moment to not think about all of that.

“Oftentimes with LGBTQ shows I feel like we have to stop and talk about Ron DeSantis or something like that. This is just queer joy,” Hannon says. “I wanted it to be kind of an escape.”

Hannon says another important focus of “An Adele Horror Story” was presenting a horror story that didn’t trounce all over queer people.

“It was about reclaiming the genre and putting queer people in a very campy, very scary situation, really fighting against the ‘bury your gays’ trope,” Hannon says.

As the cast and crew prepare for their upcoming shows, Hannon says there’s going to be a lot to look forward to in “An Adele Horror Story’s” second run, even for people who have already seen it the first time.

In 2021, the show was held on the lawn outside the Orlando Art Museum using battery powered lights, Bluetooth speakers and “lots of yelling over passing helicopters and cars,” says Hannon, but with “a new venue, new cast and speakers that actually help, this time around the show will be much more polished.”

Another noticeable difference from the show’s Fringe debut to this year’s production is the show’s length. “An Adele Horror Story” will be bumping its 75-minute runtime up to 105 minutes with a 15-minute intermission.

“This is also brand-new cast doing it … and man oh man it is lightning,” Hannon says. “It’s going to be more

The new cast includes Jessica H. Williams as the show’s host, Saylor Moon Lake as Gracie, Felicia Thornsbury as Sue, Breanna Wells as Lee, Lexie Ann Cole as Laura, Joe Fabian as Phil and Hayley Sanz as Sarah. And, of course, you can’t have “An Adele Horror Story” without an Adele. This production will see Beth Ann Stripling stepping into the songstress’ shoes.

“The woman who plays our Adele, Beth Ann Stripling, gosh she is good,” Hannon says. “That’s something that was hard about the casting process because if you don’t have an Adele, you don’t have a show and I promise you we have an Adele, and she is horrifically, devastatingly amazing.”

Another aspect of the show that has Hannon excited is the show’s soundtrack. Despite being a jukebox musical, Hannon reassures audiences they’re not simply going to just hear karaoke tracks of Adele’s biggest hits.

“Our amazing music director rearranged all of Adele’s music,” says Hannon. “Like for our opening number she mixed the ‘Halloween’ theme and ‘Rumor Has It,’ and it works so well.”

Another change to the show that Hannon is excited about is this run will also be a fundraiser for the LGBT+ Center Orlando, with 20% of tickets sales being donated to the LGBTQ+ organization.

The Center Orlando has been promoting the intellectual, physical, social, emotional and spiritual well-being of Central Florida’s LGBTQ+ community through access to quality programs and services for decades. With locations in Orange and Osceola Counties, The Center Orlando offers health services, scholarships and programs for seniors, youth, trans folks, Latinx and more.

“This is so close to my heart, being able to provide to the queer community in any way that I can even if its just $100,” says Hannon. “It matters now more than ever.”

“An Adele Horror Story” will be performed at the Fringe Artspace, located at 54 W Church St. in downtown Orlando, on April 26 and 27, starting at 7:30 p.m.

This show is 18+ only and features Adult Language, Mature Themes, Sexual Content and Violence. A strobe will be used in this production. Tickets are $25 each and are available at OrlandoFringe.org.

Castmembers are on the lookout for Adele.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY CIARA HANNON

announcements TAMPA BAY OUT+ABOUT

CONGRATULATIONS

TIGLFF held its fourth Tampa Bay Transgender Film Festival March 29-31. Read more at WatermarkOnline.com.

Empath Partners in Care announced the joy ride will take place Nov. 22-23, a new cycling fundraiser replacing the SMART Ride. Read more on p. 12.

Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas and West Pasco Counties’ Glow Gala raised over $1 million April 5. Learn more about the organization’s work at HabitatPWP.org.

Salon Swank celebrated 10 years in St. Petersburg April 6.

Trevor James and Rylei Baez were engaged April 7. Florida Entertainer of the Year was held April 7 at The Ritz Ybor, crowning Mulan Nguyen and naming Jordyn Sinclair first alternate. Read more and view a full photo gallery at WatermarkOnline.com.

PRIDE 2024

Sarasota’s Fabulous Arts Foundation will hold its Be Fabulous Music & Arts Festival May 2-4, celebrating 14 years. Read more at FabAF.org.

St Pete Pride is now seeking grand marshal nominations for its 2024 celebration, scheduled to return for a month of LGBTQ+-focused festivities this June. Read more at WatermarkOnline.com.

Polk Pride announced “There’s No Place like Home” as the theme for its 2024 celebration April 5, scheduled June 8-15. Read more at PolkPrideFL.org.

LOCAL BIRTHDAYS

Safe Space Organizing owner Mandy Keyes, Equality Florida staple Jennie O’Leary (April 11); PFLAG Riverview Founder Faith Moeller, Tampa MCC’s facility manager Mac Williams (April 12); Tampa Bay entertainer Esme Russell, St. Petersburg ROTC twirler Scott Heli, Tampa Bay internet

guru Jordan Butterworth, Watermark mom Sama Bender (April 13); LGBTQ+ advocate Eunic Epstein-Ortiz, St. Pete Dance owner Michael Raisch (April 14); Tampa entertainer Isaiah Sanchez Hilton, Tampa Bay DJ Bill Kody (April 15); Tampa Bay artist John Gascot, Tampa Bay talent DeLaran Withers (April 16); Tampa insurance specialist Mitchell Ryan, Tampa Bay realtor Eric Wilson (April 17); Stonewall Democrat Beth Fountain, St. Pete superwoman Tammy Benjamin, Tampa staple Joey Stalker, USAA Insurance claims adjustor Andy Perry, Magic man Ryan Zubrick (April 18); Fluent’s David Letro, Dharma Kava Lounge owner Drew Jansen (April 19); Tampa Bay entertainer Vivion Rachel Harris Clarke, Sarasota-area actor Peter Ruiz (April 20); Tampa burlesque producer Mayven Missbehavin, H&R Block team lead Tyler Hargrove (April 21); Tampa business owner Michael DiCamillo, Project No Labels founder Claire Elisan, Tampa Bay entertainer Cortez Blue (April 22); Tampa Leather Club’s Joseph Mastrapasqua, Metro Inclusive Health Operations Manager Allan HeroShaw, Hancock Whitney Bank VP John Balestrieri (April 23); St. Petersburg actor Tom Campbell, former Tampa actor Larry Buzzeo, former St Pete Pride president Scott Turner, Tampa bear Bill Vincent, Tampa Bay politico Valerie McDonald; Florida Orchestra Principal Flutist Clay Ellerbroek-Pettiford (April 24).

1 FLORIDA FIGHTERS: State Rep. Michele Rayner (L) and Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell caucus at the 10th annual Spring Fling at the Cuban Club to raise funds for candidates and more. PHOTO FROM RAYNER’S FACEBOOK

2 LET IT GLOW: Johnny Boykins (L) and Brian Rothey attend Habitat for Humanity’s Glow Gala April 5 at The Vinoy Renaissance Hotel.

PHOTO FROM HABITAT’S FACEBOOK

3 DISCO FEVER: Florida Entertainer of the Year promoters Katie (L) and Neil McCurry strike a pose during this year’s preliminary at The Ritz Ybor April 7.

PHOTO BY BUBBA TRAHAN

4 FURRY FRIENDS: Metro Inclusive Health takes part in the SPCA Pet Walk April 6 in St. Petersburg.

PHOTO FROM METRO’S FACEBOOK

5 DRAG SPOOKTACULAR: The Boulet Brothers perform during Spookala 2024 April 6 at the Florida State Fairgrounds. PHOTO FROM SPOOKALA’S FACEBOOK

6 SPEAKING OUT: Representatives from Equality Florida, TransNetwork and more attend the Florida Board of Medicine’s April 4 meeting to support trans Floridians. PHOTO FROM EQUALITY FLORIDA’S FACEBOOK

7 WRAPPING UP: (L-R)

Cue Harris, Nathan Bruemmer and Kayden Rodriguez close out the Tampa Bay Transgender Film Festival’s fourth year during its March 31 wrap party.

PHOTO COURTESY TIGLFF

8 COMING TOGETHER: CAN Community Health’s Tampa team drops by the HOPA Pharmacy Conference April 5. PHOTO FROM CAN’S FACEBOOK

Retro Run 5K

AIDS Walk Orlando

Run back in time for AIDS Walk

Orlando: Retro Run 5K!

Join Hope & Help as we throw it back to the 80s and honor the strides we've made in our fight against HIV.

May 5, 2024

8am to 12pm Harbor Park

4990 New Broad St, Orlando, FL 32814

CENTRAL FLORIDA OUT+ABOUT

CONGRATULATIONS

Nikole Parker, Terrance Hunter, Marco Antonio Quiroga and Nick Smith were named as the 2024 Royal Court for Come Out With Pride’s Pride Prom on April 12.

CONDOLENCES

Orlando hairstylist Jesse Colin Yeager passed away on March 31. They will be missed.

DEPARTURES

Daniel Sohn resigned April 3 as The Pride Chamber’s president/CEO following allegations of fabrications in his career past. In a statement, The Pride Chamber said “Due to recent allegations against Daniel Sohn, The Orlando Pride Chamber’s President and CEO, we can confirm that Mr. Sohn has offered his resignation, which we accepted. We take this matter very seriously and our organization will conduct a thorough internal review and investigation of these allegations. We are unable to make further comments on this matter until our review is completed. The statement continues, “We remain dedicated to the business equality movement in the Greater Orlando area, and we stay committed to The Pride Chamber’s mission and to its members.” Read more at WatermarkOnline.com.

LOCAL BIRTHDAYS

Orlando Fringe performer John Michael (April 11); Equality Florida’s Joe Saunders, Orlando Log Cabin Republican Patrick Howell, Orlando dentist Elena Puig (April 12); Florida Hospital’s Stacy Pease, Former OGC director Aubrey Connelly, Florida Paradise Weddings owner Steven Russell (April 13); Elizabeth “Sister Koochie Koo” of the Orlando Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Orlando attorney Cory Beetly, Team Friendly’s Jack Garcia Jr., Dog dad Eric De Jesus, Drag chanteuse Chantel Reshae, Theatre West End co-owner Quinn Roberts (April 14); Ocala-based horse trainer Randy Eeckhout, Southern Nights Orlando DJ Nela Aguirre, Orlando City Soccer fanatic Kevin Torres (April 15); Orlando arts patron Jerry Baumeister (April 18); Photographer Jordan Thomas, Disney enthusiast Nick McCullagh, Orlando bartender Spencer Dalberth (April 19); YouTuber and transgender advocate Zinnia Jones (April 20); Central Florida realtor Scott Penyak, On-air personality for Magic 107.7 Chad Pitt, Disney Vacation Club program facilitator Craig Resendes, Local adventurer Nolan Eden (April 21); “Miss Pee-Vira” AJ Pratt, LGBTQ+ advocate and bearded bear Robert Aguilar, Central Florida promoter Neema Bahrini, Former Rollins College director of dance Bob Sherry (April 22); former Watermark sales rep Tammi Jones, Trent Leonard of Magic Kingdom’s guest relations, artist Amanda Vickers (April 23); DNC member Vivian Rodriguez, O-Town textbook editor Sara Lyna (April 24).

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4 WAVE WINNER: Parker Sketch picks up his WAVE

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Fine Art | Portrait | Wedding | Commercial Photography in your best light!

community calendar

CENTRAL FLORIDA

Pride Prom 2024: Be Your Brightest Self

FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 8 P.M.

ORLANDO SCIENCE CENTER, ORLANDO

Come Out With Pride returns with its third annual Pride Prom, presented by Pineapple Healthcare, at the Orlando Science Center April 12. This year’s prom, themed “Be Your Brightest Self,” will be an adult-only, 21 and up event that promises to be “the largest Pride Prom ever.” Attendees are encouraged to dress in bright colors, neon outfits and glow-in-the-dark accessories. Tickets are $50 for General Admission and $120 for VIP Lounge Experience, and can be purchased at ComeOutWithPride.org.

Watermark’s

Third Thursday social

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 6-8 P.M.

JACK & HONEY’S, ORLANDO

Join Watermark for its April networking event as we mix and mingle with Central Florida’s LGBTQ+ community. Hosted by Jack & Honey’s, Watermark’s Third Thursday will include light bites with your first drink provided. Bring cash for raffle prizes, funds raised benefit Zebra Youth. For more information, go to WatermarkOnline.com.

TAMPA BAY

DOFL Tampa Bay

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, TIMES VARY

MULTIPLE LOCATIONS, TAMPA BAY

Dining Out for Life Tampa Bay benefits Empath Partners in Care for the 19th year. Restaurants and bars throughout Clearwater, Dunedin, Gulfport, St. Petersburg and Tampa will offer dine-in, takeout and delivery options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and more with a percentage of sales benefiting the organization. For a list of participants and additional information, visit DiningOutForLife.com/City/Tampa-Bay.

“The Evolution of Drag”

SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 8 P.M.

CENTRAL PARK PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, LARGO

Daphne Ferraro’s drag extravaganza returns for one night only, blending comedy, dance, pop culture, history and more. Additional performers include Chi Chi Lalique, Jocelyn Summers, Kathryn Nevets, Kenya Black, Conundrum, April Fresh, Jaeda Fuentes, The Lady janet, Imani Valentino, Rick O’Shea and Just Jarrod. Tickets are $19.50-34.50 and can be purchased at LargoArts.com.

“Dancing

ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT

CENTRAL FLORIDA

“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” April 11-14, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando. 407-823-1500; PerformingArts. cah.ucf.edu

Florida Film Festival, April 12-21, various locations, Orlando. 407-629-1088; FloridaFilmFestival.org

“RENT,” April 12-May 5, Athens Theatre, DeLand. 386-736-1500; AthensTheatre.com

Florida Film Festival

Opening Night Party, April 12, Winter Park Events Center, Winter Park. 407-629-1088; FloridaFilmFestival.org

Neon Night, April 12, The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, Winter Park. 407-645-5311; MorseMuseum.org

Detention After Dark:

Impulse Group Orlando’s Pride Prom After Party, April 12, Savoy, Orlando. Facebook.com/ ImpulseGroupOrlando

Bingo For Handbags:

80s vs 90s Edition, April 13, Hilton Orlando, Altamonte Springs. OrlandoZetas.org

April Fresh’s Ladies of the 80s, April 19, Jack & Honey’s, Orlando. 407-440-4079; JackAndHoneys.com

An Evening with Natasha Lyonne featuring “But I’m a Cheerleader,” April 19, Enzian Theater, Maitland. 407-629-1088; FloridaFilmFestival.org

Amy Sedaris, April 19, The Plaza Live, Orlando. 407-228-1220; PlazaLiveOrlando.org

Central Florida Earth Day 2024, April 20, Lake Eola Park, Orlando. 321-331-1859; CFEarthDay.org

Derek Hough: Symphony of Dance, April 20, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando. 844-513-2014; DrPhillipsCenter.org

LGBTQ+ Dodgeball League Spring Season Opener, April 22, Englewood Neighborhood Center, Orlando. OUTSportsLeague.com

“Mrs. Doubtfire,” April 23-28, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando. 844-513-2014; DrPhillipsCenter.org

LGBTQ+ Indoor Volleyball League

Spring Season Opener, April 22, Dover Shores Community Center, Orlando. OUTSportsLeague.com

TAMPA BAY

“Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical,” Through April 21. Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

“Disney’s Beauty and the Beast in the Park,” Through May 5, Demen’s Landing, St. Petersburg. 727-823-7529; AmericanStage.org

LGB2B+ Breakfast Social, April 12, The Crumb Factory, St. Petersburg. 727-623-9830; Facebook.com/Groups/ LGB2BPlus

Women of Rock, April 12, Salty Nun, St. Petersburg. 407-952-2868; Facebook.com/ WomenOfRockFL

EPIC Generations Coffee Hour, April 12, Sunshine Center, St. Petersburg. 727-328-3260; MyEPIC.org

Derek Hough: “Symphony of Dance,” April 16, Seminole Hard Rock, Tampa. 866-388-4263; SeminoleHardRockTampa.com

“The Book of Mormon,” April 16-21, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

Practicing the Art of Tease with Lilabelle, April 17, St. Pete Retreat, St. Petersburg. 727-776-1870; Facebook.com/ StPeteRetreat

Transcend: Transgender and Nonbinary Social Group, April 18, Empath Partners in Care, St. Petersburg. 727-328-3260; MyEPIC.org

Anniversary Hoe Down, April 20, Pro Shop Pub, Clearwater. 727-447-4259; ProshopPub.US

Bella Voce Gala, April 20, Morean Arts Center for Clay, St. Petersburg. 727-823-2040; StPeteOpera.org

Shade Showcase, April 20, The Garage on Central Ave., St. Petersburg. 727-258-4850; Facebook.com/ OFCLGaragePage

EPIC Generations Coffee Hour, April 26, Senior Center, Gulfport. 727-328-3260; MyEPIC.org

SARASOTA

“The Rocket Man Show,” April 24, Van Wezel, Sarasota. 941-263-6799; VanWezel.org

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

with the Stars” dancer Derek Hough comes to the Seminole Hard Rock in Tampa April 16 and the Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando April 20. PHOTO FROM DEREKHOUGH.COM

Best in Central Florida.

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Your Heart is in the Right Place.

Bayfront Health is now Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital.

A new name, for a new century of care. Three years ago, we welcomed Bayfront Health into the Orlando Health family of hospitals. Since that time, we’ve been making steady investments in Bayfront Health and the St. Petersburg community to improve the quality of care and your patient experience, with expanded services and access to more top specialists. And we are proud to add our name. Stay tuned for even more good news to come.

OrlandoHealth.com/Bayfront

choose well.