Watermark Issue 28.11: St. Pete Pride

Your LGBTQ Life.

May 27 - June 9, 2021 • Issue 28.11

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st leads e F e id r P e t e St P r a t io n s b e l e c f o h mont

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Orlando prepares for Pulse’s 5-year mark

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Tampa Pride 2021 welcomes thousands

D A Y T O N A B E A C H • O R L A N D O • T A M P A • S T . P E T E R S B U R G • clear w ater • S A R A S O T A

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May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

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departments 7 // Publisher’s Desk

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8 // Central Florida News 12 // Tampa Bay News

The LGBTQ community is an important part of who St. Petersburg is and why we love living in this city so much ... celebrating Pride is more than a parade and it’s more than just the events, it’s what it represents and how it defines us as a community.

– St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman

16 // State News 17 // Nation & World News 25 // Talking Points 45 // Tampa Bay Out + About 47 // Central Fl Out + About 50 // Tampa Bay Marketplace 51 // Central FlMarketplace 54 // Wedding Bells On the cover

page All that Sparkles:

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page Tis the Season:

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St Pete PrideFest leads month of celebrations.

Design by Dylan Todd.

scan qr code for

WatermarkOnline.com

Central Florida entertainer Rob Ward talks about P. Sparkle’s creation and Pepe’s retirement as we head into Pride month.

Watermark Issue 28.11 // May 27 - June 9, 2021

Archaic Policy

Hometown Heroes

Let Kids play

Michele’s musings

page Nation’s largest blood centers research blood donation eligibility for gay, bi men.

page Equality Florida honors St. Petersburg advocates during virtual fundraiser.

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Read It Online!

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

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Elected officials in Florida sign letter directing Gov. DeSantis to support trans youth.

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Representative Michele Rayner reflects on her service to Florida in her latest column.

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May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

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May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

Publisher’s

Rick Todd PUblisher

Rick@WatermarkOnline.com

I

Desk

t’s been a whirlwind of a 2021

at Watermark, coming off the heals of the COVID pandemic. As described by Editor-in-Chief Jeremy Williams in his last Editor’s Desk, Watermark staffers have celebrated a baby, a wedding, a graduation and the purchase of a house.

I, for one, am very happy to have all that excitement in the past and welcome the return of Watermark’s business manager, Kathleen Sadler, from her maternity leave. I missed her with all my heart and sanity. I’m not sure who is more thrilled to have her back in her role here, me or the staff who doesn’t have to deal with me on a daily basis anymore.

I am beginning to piece life back together and it feels good.

This past week we saw the return of an in-person pride.

Tampa Pride to be specific. The Watermark staff got to ride in the parade as Grand Marshals, an honor we are so thankful for.

I had forgotten the simple joy and, well, pride you feel drifting down a sea of people cheering you on for just being you. Or was it for the beads? As we passed one gentleman, he pointed at our Watermark sign, nodded his head and mouthed the words, “Thank you.” It was such a simple act of appreciation and kindness and exactly what I didn’t know I needed. Congrats to the team at Tampa Pride for an incredible event!

Last night I finally had the opportunity to attend Orlando Fringe and it was delightful. It truly is an experience of its own.

The hunt for parking, walking

the lawn, eating the food and being immersed in a festival with others who share the same love of live performance. I had gone with some friends to see “Arden,” staring the multi-talented Ginger Minj. We sat up front near the seat designated for Sam Singhaus and I swear I could see him smiling and hugging me.

I applaud whoever put those photos in the seats, it’s a real treat for all of us.

The next big event coming our way is one of my favorites. It has many names and can be confusing for some, but the rules are simple: wear red and go to the Magic Kingdom. Gay day at Disney ranks high on my list because it’s so grassroots.

Basically, a group of friends put the word out to go to the Magic Kingdom and wear red to make our community visible at the happiest place on earth.

The idea was magic and it grew and grew and grew. Soon hotels were booked, night parties planned and companies formed to expand the experience for those in attendance. Watermark even joined in the fun and created the Friday night Typhoon Lagoon party Beach Ball, now known as Riptide and run by the fabulous team at One Magical Weekend.

I’ve heard some rumblings that “Gay Days” is cancelled so I wanted to take this opportunity to explain what that means. Some of the major players in Orlando’s big gay weekend have postponed their events until next year.

GayDays Inc., who rents out a hotel and throws fabulous events and pool parties, is one of them.

One Magical weekend, who also rents out a hotel, throws pool parties and hosts spectacular events on Disney property, has also postponed until 2022.

Girls in Wonderland events are scheduled later this year and Tidal Wave has postponed

watermark staff Owner & Publisher: Rick Todd • Ext. 110 Rick@WatermarkOnline.com Business Manager: Kathleen Sadler • Ext. 101 Kathleen@WatermarkOnline.com Editor-in-Chief: Jeremy Williams • Ext. 106 Jeremy@WatermarkOnline.com

Tampa Bay Bureau Chief: Ryan Williams-Jent • Ext. 302 Ryan@WatermarkOnline.com

Sales Director: Danny Garcia • Ext. 108 Danny@WatermarkOnline.com

Creative Designer: Dylan Todd • Ext. 107 Dylan@WatermarkOnline.com

Senior Orlando Account Manager: Sam Callahan • Ext. 103 Sam@WatermarkOnline.com

Creative Designer: Ezri Ruiz • Ext. 301 Ezri@WatermarkOnline.com

Tampa Bay Account Manager: Michael Wier • Ext. 105 Michael@WatermarkOnline.com

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

until next year. In short, all of the events surrounding gay day at Disney are not happening.

However, it is important to note that none of these entities own, nor can cancel, gay day at the Magic Kingdom. You own gay day at Disney. This community owns gay day at Disney. As long as you show up and wear red, this day is happening on the first Saturday of June always.

The wrinkle in this year’s gay day is of course COVID. In order to attend you have to make a reservation and currently there are no reservations available. If you are lucky enough to have a

As long as you show up and wear red, this day is happening on the first Saturday of June always. reservation then I will see you there, keeping the tradition alive.

Don’t miss the 1 p.m. Country Bear Jamboree and I’ll see you in front of the castle for the 3 p.m. parade. Let’s represent our community for those who can’t, for those who started this amazing event and for those who have fought for us to live freely.

Let’s represent.

In this issue of Watermark we cover all things St Pete Pride.

There’s a ton of information in this month-long pride celebration so keep this issue handy throughout June. Every week has a theme and is packed with ways to celebrate your community. Do so safely and with pride!

We strive to bring you a variety of stories, your stories. I hope you enjoy this latest issue.

Orlando Office Founder and Guiding Light: Tom Dyer National Ad Representative: Rivendell Media Inc. • 212-242-6863

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May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

contributors Scottie Campbell

is a longtime activist as a member the LGBT community. His work has resulted in a thriving community in the Lake Ivanhoe region and his wit has melted at least a few Orlando candles. Page 19

Michele Rayner

is a civil rights attorney and social justice advocate.

She has served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives since 2020, representing District 70. She is the first Black, openly LGBTQ woman elected to the Florida Legislature. Page 21

Wes Davis

is the Equality Florida Field Director based in Orlando. He leads programs to educate, mobilize and empower LGBTQ Floridians and our allies. Page 23 Sabrina Ambra, Nathan Bruemmer, Scottie Campbell, Miguel Fuller, Divine Grace, Holly Kapherr Alejos, Jason Leclerc, Melody Maia Monet, Jerick Mediavilla, Greg Stemm, Dr. Steve yacovelli, Michael wanzie

photography Brian Becnel, Nick Cardello, Bruce Hardin, Jamarqus Mosley, Chris Stephenson, Lee Vandergrift

distribution LVNLIF2 Distributing, Ken Carraway, Vanessa Maresca-Cruz CONTENTS of WATERMARK are protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced in whole or part without the permission of the publisher.

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central florida news

Stars of Hope to bring art installation to The Center to honor Pulse Jeremy Williams

O

RLANDO | The LGBT+ Center Orlando will be home to an art installation, presented by Stars of Hope, built to remember the 49 lives lost at Pulse on June 12, 2016.

The piece — titled “Together Again,” named after the 1997 Janet Jackson song — will feature 49 stars suspended from the ceiling and is being created by Central Florida artist and muralist Kim Murphy, whose most recent mural can be seen on the outside wall of The Center Orlando.

“We knew we wanted to use stars,” Murphy says. “It started out as 49 portraits but we moved away from that because we know that there are concerns with some of the families not necessarily wanting their loved ones’ images to be displayed, which we totally understand. So we wanted to do something that was still representative so we’re having the names of every person on a star. Then on the other side we will have a message of hope written in both English and Spanish.”

The use of the stars comes from Stars of Hope, a nonprofit that uses art as therapy to help survivors and communities impacted by natural and human-caused disasters. The organization’s signature wooden stars will be the focal point of Murphy’s exhibit.

“We were just going to attach them to the wall but they’re three dimensional so we thought it would be great if they were hanging from the ceiling,” Murphy says. “From there it grew to the idea of hanging it from the ceiling as a mobile. It’s going to almost look like a giant chandelier.”

The idea for Stars of Hope to partner with The Center Orlando came from local activist Bobby Hermida. Hermida met Burns while working at a respite tent next to Stars of Hope at Pulse on the one-year mark of the shooting. Hermida reached out in December with an idea to collaborate and honor those impacted by the tragedy.

Stars of Hope first brought their stars to Orlando the morning after the Pulse tragedy.

“When Pulse happened, we had our director of operations down here and we were here using our therapeutic art program to work with the community,” says Kelly Burns, program manager and art therapist for Stars of Hope. “I think we made over 2,000 stars during that time and a lot of the stars got sent to other communities that were affected by gun violence as well.”

“Together Again” will open June 3 at The Center Orlando and will be on display for the entire month of June. Stars of Hope will make paint kits available to anyone who visits the opening of the show.

For more information on Stars of Hope, visit StarsOfHopeUSA.org.

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Get the word out: OneBlood

Chief Medical Officer Rita Reik speaks with a member of the press at the LGBT+ Center in Orlando May 20. Photo by Tomás Diniz Santos

Archaic Policy Nation’s largest blood centers to research blood donor eligibility Tomás Diniz Santos ORLANDO | OneBlood, Vitalant and the American Red Cross — three of the nation’s largest blood centers — have launched a pilot study funded by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that may lead to changes to blood donor eligibility for men who have sex with men (MSM).

The study — called the ADVANCE study, which stands for Assessing Donor Variability And New Concepts in Eligibility — focuses on finding alternatives to the FDA’s blood donor deferral policy for MSM, which the FDA currently recommends that MSM be deferred from donating blood for three months following the most recent sexual contact with another man.

“We’re hoping to learn that this broad time-based deferral is really not the best approach. That asking the individual about, ‘What did you do Saturday night,’ is a better way to protect the blood supply but, even if you’re not a scientist, you can imagine how complicated

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

that algorithm is for trying to sort through all of that, so we need to have a certain number of people to have enough power in the study to give significance to any findings,” says Rita Reik, M.D., chief medical officer for OneBlood.

For this study’s purpose to be possible, Reik says the donor history questionnaire would need a change. The questionnaire consists of several questions that all potential blood donors answer before donating. They assess risk factors that could determine possible infection with a transfusion transmissible infection, including HIV. “If the scientific evidence supports the use of the different questions it could mean gay and bisexual men who present to donate would be assessed based upon their own individual risk for HIV infection and not according to when their last sexual contact with another man occurred,” said Susan Stramer, Ph.D., vice president of Scientific Affairs, with American Red Cross Biomedical Services.

The three blood centers involved with the study combined

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represent approximately 60% of the total blood supply in the United States.

The blood centers are partnering with LGBTQ+ Centers across eight cities, including Orlando. A total of 250-300 participants from each area will be enrolled in the study.

“The study participants are a very select group. They’re males who are between 18 and 39 years old. It had been 30 years old, but the FDA just raised it to 39 years old to try to increase participation,” Reik says.

The FDA will review the findings and decide the steps for the future then.

Scott Moriczdetecso, a participant in the ADVANCE study in Orlando, says his immediate reaction to finding out about the study was to participate, especially since the first time he learned about the blood donation ban on MSM was when he heard of the study.

“Change is something that happens over time and in small steps. It’s usually very small steps, so this is just one small step towards a much bigger step,” Moriczdetecso said. “It’s finally getting gay people to be able to stand in a room or donate blood and not be ‘a gay person’ but just another person in the room.”

To learn more about the ADVANCE study or to enroll, visit their website at ADVANCEStudy.org.

From how far we’ve come to how far we’ll go, there’s PRIDE in progress.

As a proud ally to our LGBTQ+ customers, associates and neighbors, Regions recognizes PRIDE doesn’t just celebrate the community that has been built. It also celebrates the challenges this community has conquered and the changes it will create. So as the LGBTQ+ community continues to push for progress, Regions will continue to push our advocacy through our support and services.

regions.com/LGBTQ

© 2021 Regions Bank. Regions and the Regions logo are registered trademarks of Regions Bank. The LifeGreen color is a trademark of Regions Bank.

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May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

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central florida news

onePulse announces a week of community activities leading to June 12 Jeremy Williams

O

RLANDO | As onePULSE Foundation prepares to remember the five-year mark of the Pulse tragedy, the nonprofit announced May 14 a list of community activities planned for the week leading up to June 12.

Remembrance Week will begin June 5 with the fifth annual 4.9K CommUNITY Rainbow Run at Wadeview Park in Orlando. After going virtual last year due to the pandemic, the run returns as an in-person event this year and will include a kids’ fun run around Wadeview Park and a virtual option for those who cannot attend in person.

Prior to the run, on June 2, Peer Support Space and the Orlando United Assistance Fund will hold a virtual volunteer event called Creating Hope: Honoring the Lost, Supporting Those Struggles, which will

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The Center Orlando will host The remembrance continues allow those attending to read “Inhala Exhala” June 10 at 6 p.m. at the Frontyard Festival June through stories of LGBTQ This in-person new moon yoga 8 at 7:30 p.m. with the Orlando individuals who are struggling event will help members of the Gay Chorus’ “My Portrait of and let you write personal community acknowledge their Pulse: An Orlando United Story,” messages of hope to them. To emotions through restorative register, go to CreatingHopeEvent. a concert told through the lens yoga. The event will also be of photographer J.D. Casto, who Eventbrite.com. streamed on Instagram Live at captured thousands of images in On June 6 at 6 p.m., HÄOS the weeks and months after Pulse. @QLatinx. For more information, on Church will host Straight go to TheCenterOrlando.org.

Tickets to each event are free and Men Real Makeup, a onePULSE On June 10, starting at 7 p.m., boxes are first come, first serve. fundraiser presented by Makeup HÄOS on Church, Hamburger and Creative Arts and Morphstore. Go to DrPhillipsCenter.org to Mary’s and Pepe’s Cantina reserve your spot for each night. com that take eight straight men all host United We Dance, a Two virtual conversations out of their comfort zone and night of music and dance to will take place June 9: Central have them compete in full drag. honor “the resilience of our Florida Foundation’s “Virtual Tickets for this event start at $10. community, the City Beautiful, Community Conversation: The following evening, on June Survivors, First Responders Pulse Remembrance” at 1 7 at 7 p.m., One Orlando Alliance and our 49.” The evening will p.m. at CFFound.org and invites you to “An Evening of feature live entertainment, music “Overcoming Barriers Between Reflection and Promise” at the

by DJ Scott Robert and guest the Faith Community and Dr. Phillips Center’s Frontyard speakers including Pulse owner LGBTQ Community” at 7 p.m.

Festival. This interfaith Barbara Poma and Orlando Those who are comfortable service will look at the effects Mayor Buddy Dyer. General attending in person, may do so religious-based discrimination admission is $10 and VIP tickets has had on the LGBTQ community for the Overcoming Barriers are $50 with proceeds going conversation at St. Luke’s United and feature a panel of LGBTQ to onePULSE Foundation and Methodist Church’s Founder’s people of diverse faith and Unspoken Treasure Society.

Hall. Register for this event at thought backgrounds.

St.Lukes.org.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

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For more information, visit HÄOSonChurch.com.

On June 12, a day of events are planned, including the traditional 49 Bells at First UMC Church at noon; a Pulse Remembrance by DeLand Pride at The Abbey in Orlando starting at 2 p.m., where the names of the 49 angels will be read out loud; and Remembrance Day Memorial Blood Drive with OneBlood throughout the afternoon with the location to be announced closer to the event.

The Five-Year Pulse Remembrance Ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. at the Pulse Interim Memorial and is by invitation only. A live stream of the ceremony for the general public can be viewed at the Dr. Phillips Center’s Frontyard Festival as well as on onePULSE’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.

For more information, go to onePULSEFoundation.org.

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11

tampa bay news

Gulfport Pride hosts inaugural celebration Ryan Williams-Jent

G

ULFPORT, Fla. | Gulfport Pride will hold its inaugural celebration May 29 from 3:30-9 p.m., an event benefiting the LGBTQ Resource Center of the Gulfport Public Library.

The award-winning space has previously received the nation’s highest honor given to libraries and museums for its inclusive services. It has long been celebrated for its resource center’s LGBTQ focus.

In addition to the City of Gulfport, organizers of the inaugural Gulfport Pride include SIK Promotions and LocalShops1. The former produces fundraising festivals throughout Tampa Bay and the latter seeks to connect consumers with local businesses.

The festival will begin with the Gulfport Gecko Amalgamated Marching Band in a socially distanced presentation. Featuring more than 30 members, the band will precede a Pride flag raising at the library scheduled for 4 p.m., which also serves as the launch of the fourth annual ArtOut. The exhibit highlights LGBTQ and ally artists who reside in Gulfport and will be featured inside of the resource center throughout Pride month. It will be open May 29 from 4-6 p.m.

This year’s vendor showcase will feature more than 50 participants and be held from 4-9 p.m. along Beach Blvd. S. LocalShops1 encourages people to “Swing by and say hi (and SHOP!) from local makers and small businesses and check out the awesome nonprofits serving our community!”

Organizers will follow all recommended safety guidelines and note that vendors will be socially distanced and wear masks. Guests are encouraged to do the same, with masks available for those without them.

They also promise popup events at businesses throughout Beach and Shore Blvds. Entertainment includes Drag by the Bay featuring entertainer Brianna Summers from 7-10 p.m. and the Double M. Band at Salty’s Gulfport from 7-11 p.m.

“Gulfport Pride will provide a much-needed positive influence for our residents and businesses who have struggled over the last year,” Gulfport City Councilman Paul Ray says. “We welcome all to celebrate our cities diversity with like-minded people safely.”

LGBTQ Resource Center Chair Susan Gore says that the organization is honored to have been named the beneficiary. She also stresses the importance of “raising awareness and funding for programs that educate the Gulfport community about the needs and contributions of all of us who identify as LGBTQ. “We appreciate the support of Councilmember Paul Ray in promoting Gulfport Pride,” Gore concludes, “as well as City Council and the City of Gulfport for its enduring commitment to LGBTQ inclusion.”

Gulfport Pride will be held May 29. For more information, contact SIK Productions’ Suzanne King at SuzFest@Gmail.com, 727-417-5494 or search “Gulfport Pride” on Facebook.

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COMMUNITY ADVOCATES:

Tom Kirdahy (L) and his late husband Terrence McNally, who received the Equality Florida’s Edie Windsor Lifetime Achievement Award. PHOTO COURTESY EQUALITY FLORIDA

Hometown Heroes Equality Florida honors advocates Ryan Williams-Jent

S

T. PETERSBURG | Equality Florida held its St. Pete gala May 8, honoring advocates in a virtual fundraiser that raised a record amount in Pinellas County.

The gathering was Equality Florida’s first St. Pete gala since 2019. Traditionally held in person, it was postponed last year in response to COVID-19.

More than 70 people watched the gala live, which was hosted by entertainer Matthew McGee. Supporters helped Equality Florida exceed its fundraising goal to bring in $425,013.

“Our award winners, presenters, entertainers, staff, volunteers and guests came together to create a special evening that many of us will never forget,” Equality Florida Pinellas Development Director Todd Richardson says. “When our community comes together to share our personal stories of how our lives have been affected by hate and discrimination, the power of those stories help people connect why the work we do in Florida is so important.”

The evening began with a tribute from Broadway legend Audra McDonald, a personal friend

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

of the late Terrence McNally and his husband Tom Kirdahy. The two were honored with the Edie Windsor Lifetime Achievement Award that evening.

McNally, a St. Petersburg native, died in Sarasota from complications of COVID-19 in 2020. He is credited with writing more than 40 plays and books for musicals.

“Tom’s acceptance speech had many of us in tears,” Richardson explains. “He spoke of the great love he shared with Terrence and the overwhelming loss of losing him to COVID [and] of Terrence’s award-winning plays that helped to create dialogues that strengthened our message in our fight for full equality.”

St. Petersburg City Councilmember Darden Rice, who Equality Florida’s political action committee has endorsed as the next St. Petersburg mayor, also presented Smith & Associates Realtor Connie Lancaster with the Equality Means Business Award.

She received it for being “a role model to all by demonstrating how you can lead a successful business and not compromise who you are.”

Rounding out the evening’s awards was St. Petersburg Police Lt. Markus Hughes, the

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city’s LGBTQ liaison. The officer received the Voice for Equality Award, presented by Mayor Rick Kriseman, Deputy Mayor Dr. Kanika Tomalin and Police Chief Anthony Holloway.

“Lt. Hughes shared his personal coming out story and people were incredibly touched by his words,” Richardson reflects. “He talked about the importance on finding your identity and sharing your story so that you can also become a ‘liaison’ to help educate people on the importance of acceptance, inclusion and diversity in our communities.”

Executive Director Nadine Smith also gave her annual State of the State address, reflecting on the work the organization does in and around St. Petersburg. She used the opportunity to honor Kriseman, who is term-limited, for his years-long commitment to the city’s LGBTQ community.

Smith called him “an absolute stellar champion for equality” that “has continuously raised the bar on what it means to be an ally.”

Kriseman subsequently called it an honor, noting he hopes “we’ve created policies … that will be impossible for whoever comes after me to undo.”

The organization’s executive director noted that they will hold his successor “to that high standard,” something Equality Florida does statewide.

To learn more about Equality Florida, visit EQFL.org. You can view this year’s St. Pete gala at WatermarkOnline.com.

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13

tampa bay news

Tampa Pride’s 7th season welcomes thousands to ybor for 2021’s in-person festival and parade Ryan Williams-Jent

T

AMPA | Tampa Pride welcomed thousands of supporters to Ybor May 22 for its seventh season, marking a return to form for both the celebration and the city it calls home.

Events began earlier in the week during Tampa Pride’s annual VIP Sponsors Party.

Organizers welcomed guests to the Florida Aquarium May 20 to honor this year’s sponsors and grand marshals.

This year’s honorees were chosen by Tampa Pride ahead of last year’s cancellation. The board advised that each party was selected because of their commitment to Tampa Bay’s LGBTQ community.

Grand marshals included Renee Cossette, Tampa Bay International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival Director; Bradley Nelson, Bradley’s on 7th owner

and couple Sally Phillips and Ercilia Albistu of the Hillsborough County LGBTA Democratic Caucus. Freddy and Bardha Mamudi, the owners of New York New York Pizza were also named, as were Carol “Mama” Steen, a longtime LGBTQ ally; Angelique Padro, the Tampa Bay performer known as Lady Janet and Jay Chetney, a Stonewall veteran.

This year’s celebrity grand marshal was Taylor Gibson, better known as the self-described, “very gay” professional wrestler Effy. Watermark was also honored as Tampa Pride’s community organization grand marshal.

“I can’t express how excited I am that Watermark has been named a grand marshal,” Watermark owner and publisher Rick Todd says. “We have been longtime supporters of Tampa Pride and work hard to make sure Tampa is represented as a thriving and inclusive city. It is humbling that the board of

Tampa Pride recognizes that and amazing to receive such an honor from them.”

The kickoff was co-hosted by Tampa Pride President Carrie West and Vanessa Araiza, an anchor for Tampa Bay ABC affiliate WFTS. The outlet also livestreamed the event’s parade on the big day.

“Yes, we had a year off,” West shared at the party, “but I’ll tell you we did a lot of work to make things happen. We worked overtime.”

That was evident throughout the full day of events and entertainment. Festivities began at 11 a.m. with a street festival, featuring an Artisans Fair, Health & Wellness Fair and vendors from throughout the state. Medical partners included Tampa General Hospital and Metro Inclusive Health, which educated and offered attendees the COVID-19 vaccine as well as provided other services throughout the day.

The Diversity Parade in her first time taking a stage in simultaneously began at 4 p.m. It more than a year. followed its traditional path along “We wanted to make sure that 7th Ave., flanked by Pridegoers we were not only the host this from across the world. year but for many more to come,” New this year was Tampa Cuban Club Foundation President Pride’s expansion into The Cuban Patrick Manteiga told Watermark.

Club. The historic space hosted “A great event such as Tampa Pride 2021’s official entertainment. deserves a great venue such as Pepper Mashay, the acclaimed the Cuban Club as a showcase. singer known for “Dive in We are excited about the event’s the Pool,” headlined the Main continued success.”

Stage at 3 p.m.

City officials are as well. Jane “I’m so looking forward in Castor, the city’s 59th and first spreading love and joy,” Mashay openly LGBTQ mayor, reflected shared with Watermark. “It’s on Tampa Pride’s return that been a very gut-wrenching year evening. “Love, community, for the majority of us. Tampa’s diversity – these are just a few of LGBTQ community has always the reasons I’m so PROUD to be held a special place in my heart.” mayor of this great city,” Castor The inaugural Pride at Night shared via social media. concert featuring headliner Martha Wash followed from 6 p.m. For more information about Tampa Pride, visit TampaPride.org. View this year’s official until midnight. The celebrated disco diva, known for “It’s Raining event guide, Watermark’s interview with Martha Wash and all of our photos from Men,” performed the hit song Tampa Pride 2021 at WatermarkOnline.com. while reflecting on her longtime support of the LGBTQ community

Join your local LGBT Chamber, as we are the premier advocates for the Tampa Bay Area’s LGBT business community.

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Artwork elements have been moved and organized into: C:\Data\Editorial\Master Ad Folder\Customer Files\R\Romeo's Sensation\Artwork Elements I took the liberty of organizing the text-blurbs he sent over as best I could. You have full creative-license on this to help his business shine, and you're free to pick and choose from the information and images provided. Thanks Dylan!

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May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

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state news

more than 100 Florida elected officials urge DeSantis: ‘Let Kids Play’ Ryan Williams-Jent

M

ore than 100 current and former elected officials from throughout the state showed their support for transgender youth May 12, signing onto a letter directing Gov. Ron DeSantis to oppose legislation targeting the vulnerable population.

The letter urges the governor to “Let Kids Play,” a response to legislation discriminating against transgender youth that passed April 28. The governor shared his support for the measure April 30.

Equality Florida notes it is the state’s first anti-LGBTQ law in more than 20 years. The organization released the letter to illustrate the legislation’s harmful effects on all Floridians.

“We, the below signed elected public servants of the State of Florida, denounce any efforts to discriminate against our state’s

16

transgender youth,” it begins.

“We stand united to oppose all attempts to enshrine anti-LGBTQ+ legislation into law and reject efforts to exclude transgender people from public life, including participation in sports.”

It goes on to detail how the legislation will threaten not only educational institutions but Florida’s economy as a whole, which is currently working “to rebuild the industries most harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“The recent action from leaders in the Florida Capitol that removes transgender youth from teams and categorically bans transgender students from future participation in sports is discriminatory and creates enormous risk for schools and universities tasked with implementing a poorly constructed policy that threatens expensive lawsuits if transgender young girls are allowed to play,”

the letter states. “Florida is a state that should be open for all. A state where every visitor, business, resident, and player can thrive.”

The letter goes on to remind the Florida governor that trans youth are one of the most vulnerable groups in the state, “most likely to experience violence or to be marginalized in their communities,” and that, as leaders, Florida’s elected officials should work “to build the understanding of our communities about their unique needs.”

“Transgender youth deserve our love and support, not cruel attacks because of who they are,” the lawmakers urge. “We celebrate our diversity in Florida as our strength and believe that everyone, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity, should have the freedom to be who they are. All Floridians, including transgender Floridians, deserve the opportunities,

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education, and freedoms that come from the ability to play.”

The letter concludes, “We call on the Governor and all elected leaders to reverse this dangerous path and allow existing guidelines, not fear and ignorance to prevail.”

Signatories include current and former lawmakers from all levels of government, 109 in total as of its initial publication. They include the state’s Commissioner of Agriculture Nicole “Nikki” Fried, the sole Democrat in the Florida Cabinet.

Five members of the U.S. Congress also signed, all members of the Congressional LGBTQ+ Caucus. Among them were Central Florida’s Reps. Stephanie Murphy and Darren Soto as well as Tampa Bay’s Rep. Charlie Crist, the latter two of which serve as vice chairs for the group.

Notably, Crist announced May 4 that he is running for governor.

After the anti-LGBTQ legislation

May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

passed he shared that in contrast to DeSantis, “I have a different message to every trans kid in Florida: you are welcome here and you are loved.”

Additional signers include openly LGBTQ state lawmakers Sen. Shevrin Jones and Reps.

Carlos Guillermo-Smith and Michele Rayner – as well as proven allies like Rep. Anna Eskamani, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman.

Openly LGBTQ Tampa Mayor Jane Castor also signed, as did St. Petersburg City Councilmember Darden Rice. Mirroring Castor in her neighboring Tampa Bay city, Rice could become St. Petersburg’s first openly LGBTQ mayor next year.

You can read the full letter and view a list of elected signatories at WatermarkOnline.com.

nation+world news

Us announces global LGBTQ priorities Michael K. Lavers of The Washington Blade, Courtesy of The National LGBT Media Association

S

tate Department spokesperson Ned Price said May 14 the decriminalization of consensual same-sex sexual relations is one of the five priorities for the Biden administration in its efforts to promote LGBTQ rights abroad.

President Joe Biden in February signed a memorandum that committed the U.S. to promoting LGBTQ rights abroad. Price said the decriminalization of homosexuality is “one of the many reasons why” the White House issued it.

Homosexuality remains criminalized in nearly 70 countries

around the world. Saudi Arabia and Iran are among the handful of countries that impose the death penalty upon anyone found guilty of engaging in consensual same-sex sexual relations. Bhutan and Gabon are among the nations that have decriminalized homosexuality in recent years.

Price told the Blade the Biden administration will also work to protect LGBTQ migrants and asylum seekers. Activists in Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and other countries with whom the Blade has spoken say violence and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation are among the factors that prompt LGBTQ people to flee their homes and travel to the U.S. Price told the Blade the administration’s three other global LGBTQ rights priorities are funding efforts “to protect human rights

and to advance nondiscrimination around the world,” respond to anti-LGBTQ human rights abuses and “building coalitions and engaging international organizations in the fight against this discrimination.”

Price spoke with the Blade three days before the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, which commemorates the World Health Organization’s 1990 decision to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder. Both Blinken and Biden acknowledged the day.

The president criticized authoritarian governments, as well as the coronavirus pandemic, for endangering LGBTQ people in the statement and specifically enumerated violence against transgender people internationally as an ongoing issue.

Biden bans discrimination against patients Chris Johnson of The Washington Blade, Courtesy of The National LGBT Media Association

T

he Biden administration announced May 10 that it would enforce civil rights protections under Obamacare to prohibit discrimination in health care against LGBTQ patients.

The Dept. of Health & Human Services declared it would enforce Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, which prohibits discrimination in health care on the basis of sex, and begin to take up cases of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said the Supreme Court has “made clear that people have a right not to be discriminated against on the basis of sex and receive equal treatment under the law, no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation.”

“Fear of discrimination can lead individuals to forgo care, which can have serious negative health

consequences,” Becerra said.

“Everyone, including LGBTQ people, should be able to access health care, free from discrimination or interference, period.”

Sharita Gruberg, vice president for the LGBTQ Research and Communications Project at the Center for American Progress, said in a statement the change “assures LGBTQ people that their rights will be upheld at the doctor’s office, vaccine sites, and everywhere else they seek health care and coverage.”

The past three administrations have instituted policy on LGBTQ protections based on their interpretation of Section 1557. Each move had varying implications and directions for LGBTQ patients.

The Obama administration issued a rule in 2016 interpreting it to apply to cases of anti-transgender discrimination and discrimination against women who have had abortions, which was consistent with court rulings at the time. The Trump administration, shortly after the Supreme Court’s ruling in Bostock, made final a regulation proposed last year rescinding the Obama

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administration’s transgender protections.

The new rule from HHS goes above and the beyond the Obama administration by instituting protections based on both sexual orientation and gender identity.

Susan Bailey, president of the American Medical Association, said in a statement the new HHS rule is a welcome change after the Trump administration rescinded protections for transgender patients.

Rachel Levine, assistant secretary of health and the first openly transgender presidential appointee to obtain Senate confirmation, hailed the HHS rule change in a statement.

“The mission of our Department is to enhance the health and well-being of all Americans, no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation. All people need access to healthcare services to fix a broken bone, protect their heart health, and screen for cancer risk,” Levine said. “No one should be discriminated against when seeking medical services because of who they are.”

in other news NYC Pride bans police marchers Organizers of New York City’s Pride said May 15 they are banning law enforcement from marching in their parade until at least 2025. They will also seek to keep on-duty officers a block away from festivities. NYC Pride said in a statement that “the sense of safety that law enforcement is meant to provide can instead be threatening, and at times dangerous, to those in our community who are most often targeted with excessive force and/or without reason.” The Gay Officers Action League said it was disheartened by the decision, calling it an “abrupt about-face … to placate some of the activists in our community.”

Tennessee gov. signs ‘bathroom bill’ Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed legislation May 14 puts public schools and their districts at risk of losing civil lawsuits if they let transgender students or employees use multi-person bathrooms or locker rooms that do not reflect their gender assigned at birth. It’s the first bill restricting bathroom use by transgender people signed in any state in about five years, according to the Human Rights Campaign. Lee, who is up for reelection next year, has said the bill promotes “equality in bathrooms,” despite the prohibition against transgender people using multi-person facilities. The legislation takes effect July 1.

Cuban Ministry dons Pride flag The Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) hung a Pride flag on the outside of its headquarters May 17 in support of the LGBTQ community, whose rights to marriage, access artificial insemination and full recognition of gender identity are currently being debated in Cuba. The flag was draped to commemorate the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. Some activists took to social media to thank the ministry for its support and interpreted the gesture as a favorable sign in government policy, which must introduce the family code bill in Parliament in July. Others were critical and referred to the Cuban government’s history of homophobia.

Wales elects first nonbinary mayor The city of Gwynedd in Wales has elected 23-year-old Owen J. Hurcum as mayor, making them the first nonbinary, gender queer mayor in the world. The student was chosen by their fellow councilors on the city’s governing council. The post is mainly ceremonial and acts as a goodwill ambassador for city in Wales and the greater UK as well as overseas. Hurcum told BBC Radio Wales it “wasn’t a huge shock” when they were chosen to take up the reins, having served as a Bangor councilor for five years. They added it was a shock when they were initially asked to put their name forward.

May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

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May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

In Memory of John “Tweeka” Barber 1972 - 2011

viewpoint

Photo by Jess regan

Scottie Campbell

The Tender

activist Body collectors were a thing

I

n the middle of the

1980s, I took my first solo trip at the tender age of 18 to London.

I was there for a college theatre course and found myself with some time to kill so I strolled around the city and ducked into a touristy spot in Piccadilly Circus.

There was a film playing that told the history of London.

My mind remembers it as being an experiential-type film with heat being pumped in during a fire, etc., but since this memory has fermented for nearly three decades, that might not be the case and is irrelevant to the story.

At one point, the small theatre space went pitch black and silent. Then, a voice cut through that silence calling: “Bring out your dead! Bring out your dead!” I broke out in laughter. The more knowledgeable readers among you are probably shaking your head right now. A faux pas born of ignorance is still a faux pas and realizing you made a faux pas about death makes you wish you yourself were not only dead but already cremated and forgotten in someone’s attic, tucked between a stack of aging Playboy magazines and a Ronco Veg-O-Matic.

I thought this portion of the film was about Monty Python and one of my favorite bits, but instead it was about the Bubonic Plague.

That moment of learning the body collector was a reality has come to mind often over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have heard our current plight referred to as “unprecedented times” over and over again. A good deal of that comes from the media’s twisted love affair with sensationalism, but you couldn’t even take your masked face to a theme park without hearing it. If you mean that this specific thing has not happened before, the phrase is true; but unique things that haven’t happened before are actually occurring millisecond by millisecond. Even while you are reading this, my unprecedented column.

The Bubonic Plague, also known as Black Death, killed more than 200 million people worldwide in the mid-1300s. Victims would develop one or more painful

lymph nodes swollen to the size of a chicken egg, which were followed by an outbreak of black spots all over the body. The disease was transmitted by flea bites. In Europe, the bodies were literally piling up. Body collectors would remove the dead from homes and the streets, and transport them to mass graves. They apparently made a nice paycheck from this, but it was risky work – the bulging lymph nodes, or buboes, could rupture leaking pus. If the disease had attacked the lungs, the body would likely be covered with coughed up blood.

We’ve lost nearly 3.5 million to COVID-19. While we’re not out of the woods yet, it seems safe to say we won’t reach the numbers of the Bubonic Plague -- the body collectors might take exception to calling current events unprecedented times.

We have the advantage of time on the folk of the 1300s, during which we’ve made advances in technology and medicine. For that we should be thankful.

Still I read stories of the plague and I wonder if modern humans would have survived the Black Death.

Over the past year, we have collectively lost our damn minds in more ways than any statistician could count, if such a thing were possible.

We are still suffering from this condition and I’m afraid we might be dealing with it for a long while.

To be fair, whether the times are unprecedented or not aside, it has been a weird world. We spent far too much time connecting with people through laptop screens and done a home/work mashup that taught many of us the work-from-home life ain’t for us. Strong leadership was a rare thing and knowing who to listen to was often difficult.

Even as we were learning who this unseen enemy was, some couldn’t resist using COVID to perpetuate the political divide. We romanticized about working together to defeat this thing, yet simply having a piece of material over the

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mouth and nose to protect a fellow human was too much to ask for many.

Is it a wonder we’ve struggled mentally and emotionally? But now we are in a phase that to me is the most puzzling.

Thanks to our politicians, for many people, science has become a belief; something

said something different last year?!”

Guidelines from the CDC ruled the day with those not abiding by them sticking out like a sore thumb. Largely there weren’t consequences for not following them other than the cashier at the 7-11 screaming at you. Then recently the CDC guidelines

so for the next five years.

We may have aggravated neuroses we didn’t know we had and we’ll need to become aware of them and their effect on others.

It is, of course, concerning that reaching herd immunity is a struggle with anti-vaxxers and selfish or lazy people not getting the shot, but we will

Humanity made it through that horrific time in the 1300s which must have seemed like the end of times, we can make it through this. you either ascribe to or not, akin to heaven. Science is ripe for doubters. Scientists are comfortable with the fact that science is an ever changing thing and what we “know for certain” changes as we learn more and as the world changes. That fluidity spawns distrust in some and that distrust is an opening politicians can exploit. “How can we believe them? They

changed: if you’re vaccinated no need for a mask or distancing. So many who followed the CDC’s rule to the letter now questioned them, reluctant to ditch the mask or a piece of magic plexi-glass at the register.

A recent New York Times article told of one man who double masks and wears goggles when he grocery shops and he plans to do

get there. Breathe. Keep calm and listen to science. Imagine the uncertainty the body collectors faced. Humanity made it through that horrific time in the 1300s which must have seemed like the end of times, we can make it through this.

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May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

viewpoint

Rep. Michele Rayner

Michele’s

Musings:

I

Reflections on Service f you had told me –

even a year ago – that I would be running for office, I would have laughed because it was never on radar, in a real way. But life had other plans.

A voice in my head grew confident enough to ask, “Why not you?” I am the first openly queer, Black woman to ever hold public office in Florida and it’s always a reminder that there are still so many “firsts” for us.

Someone once told me that you either run for office because of your ego or because you’re called upon. To me, this was less about my ego but the call from the community and the drive to do the most good wherever I am placed.

It is time out for elected officials to be serving their own needs, feeding their own egos but when faced with injustice or making actual change, they take the path of least resistance. I do the work because of my community, not only those for whom my identity represents but for everyone. I am continuously overwhelmed by my community’s

support and know that with each step I take, they are rallying behind me.

So when I initially ran, it wasn’t just my community that stood with me but more than 30 organizations and individuals who endorsed me. I am an attorney by day and I always knew I wanted to be a public defender. There is always a need to stand in the gap for people and that is why I ran.

I see elected public service as an extension of my life’s work. So, during the race and after I got elected, I made sure I was grounded in meditation, therapy and being very intentional about who I surrounded myself with – as I knew this journey was not going to be all roses and ice cream.

These lines of support and defense were equally as important as I headed into my first legislative session. I was appointed as a deputy Democratic Whip and filed bills to bring about police reform, uplift our working class families, and programs to revitalize our communities. Every day on the House floor quickly became a battle for the soul of democracy itself and the future of our state.

During the debate on the bill aiming to ban trans children from playing in sports, I was distraught – and my words seemed to fall short of the gravity of the situation before me.

I watched my colleagues coldly advocate for policies that would hurt Floridians including my friends and neighbors.

I watched constituent after constituent come to Tallahassee to speak against voter suppression and ultimately be ignored.

And I watched while partisanship won over the people we serve.

I found solace as I passed two of my bills; a workforce program to implement apprenticeships for future CNA’s and a

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bill to create the Florida Urban Agriculture Act so our communities have less obstacles growing gardens in the urban areas they live in. I was also proud to see a bi-partisan police reform bill introduced. If one life can be saved because of it, then we did our jobs. I look

that progress may be slow, but it is happening right before our eyes. President Biden addressed the trans community to say, “Your President has your back.” The stark difference between what was happening at the highest level of Florida’s leadership

for our future generations.

We can only get there united and determined.

Every day I wake up, I am aware of the weight of my candidacy and representation. It’s about fulfilling that promise I made to my community and showing them

I see elected public service as an extension of my life’s work. forward to the day when more comprehensive police reform can take place throughout our state and nation. It is still important to recognize the victories we walk away with because the needle has moved in the right direction.

When President Biden addressed Congress flanked by two women, the Vice President and the Speaker of the House, I had to remind myself

and our nation was on full display. It was, however, an incredibly motivating moment to witness.

In 2018, Florida voted overwhelmingly to give returning citizens the right to vote. In 2020, a $15 minimum wage got 67% of the vote. I know that we want better transportation, infrastructure, equitable economic development and a healthier environment for all of us, but especially

May 29 – August 15, 2021

May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

that there is someone fighting for them and getting results.

Michele Rayner is a civil rights attorney and social justice advocate.

She has served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives since 2020, representing District 70 in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, and Sarasota counties. She is the first Black, openly LGBTQ woman elected to the Florida Legislature. Learn more at MicheleForFlorida.com.

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May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

viewpoint

Wes Davis

Equality

Advocate An open letter to Florida Sen. Kelli Stargel

F

or three years, you

and I worked closely together to advance Republican politics across Polk County. We fought to elect Colleen Burton to the Florida House of Representatives, we knocked on doors, rallied volunteers and attended almost every political hob-nob we could find. Following your lead, my call to public service was undeniable.

But we were literally shoulder-toshoulder when I hit one of the lowest of lows in my career.

As you know, in 2016 I came out while working as a Regional Field Director for the Republican Party of Florida. Despite tremendous fear of losing the future that I poured my blood, sweat and tears into, I knew that I had to show up as my true authentic self no matter the cost.

That low hit when you were sitting in the passenger seat of my 2005 Chevy Tahoe. The Polk County Republican Party Chairman, Jim Guth, called me. I put him on speaker. You sat next to me as he lashed out in a fury of rage. He called me a faggot. A fairy. A hail of expletives. We were in shock. Afterward, you agreed that it was uncalled for and out of line.

I thought that having a state senator on my side, supporting me, would be my saving grace.

Instead, looking back at this moment, all I got was silence and inaction.

I didn’t know it then, but these comments were the beginning of the end of my career in Republican politics. After months of dehumanizing and discriminatory comments from party officials, co-workers and volunteers I retreated into isolation.

I struggled to figure out what was wrong with me and where I belonged, because it was not in the nightmare I was living. And your silence was deafening.

Today I work for the the largest civil rights organization in Florida fighting for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer liberation.

And your silence has turned into a vocal attack.

An irrefutable nightmare blasted from the bullhorn of your bully pulpit and directed at transgender kids in every corner of our state. As one of the high ranking leaders in our state, you have led the charge to further isolate the kids who just want to be left alone rather than be the target of a nationally orchestrated right wing attack.

Senator, your ban on transgender kids participating in sports seeks to solve a problem that does not exist in Florida, a fact you have agreed with. But the reason I am writing to you is to remind you that your words have meaning.

Transgender kids all across the country are listening to what you say.

The act of writing a bill like the Transgender Youth Sports Ban, holding hearings and debates, and casting votes sends a direct message to them. It says: You do not belong in our community, your existence is dangerous to the children around you and we are okay if you feel lonely and isolated. The transgender community is tired of fighting for their existence. And allies, like me, are tired of pleading for you to treat them as

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

full and equal members of our community.

The abuse needs to stop. Florida leads the nation in murders of Black transgender women. In the last two years, seven Black

coordinated, cultural attack on our transgender kids and my LGBTQ community. It has been 1,769 days since I came out. I have experienced, seen and fought this sort of dehumanization and

you encouraged me and my classmates at Florida Southern College to create the world we’d want our children to live in. Today, I challenge you to create a world where every child

Transgender kids all across the country are listening to what you say. The act of writing a bill like the Transgender Youth Sports Ban, holding hearings and debates, and casting votes sends a direct message to them. It says: You do not belong in our community, your existence is dangerous to the children around you and we are okay if you feel lonely and isolated. transgender women were murdered in Florida. LGBTQ youth are more than two times as likely to experience homelessness than their non-LGBTQ peers.

As someone who has experienced the far right firsthand, I know this is a

deception. This overt hostility is even more painful than your silence in my Chevy Tahoe while Chairman Guth made me feel as though my existence was a cancer in our community.

In one of our first meetings eight years ago,

May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

feels seen, supported, included and loved.

Wes Davis is the Equality Florida Field Director based in Orlando.

He leads programs to educate, mobilize and empower LGBTQ Floridians and our allies.

23

AY N IGHTS! FRID

OW! VARIETY SH

SEATING SEATING 11:00am 11:00am && 11:30am 11:30am

SHOWTIME SHOWTIME NOON NOON

ii && BB UU % % SS JJ OO LL BB OO EE CC FF . . BB SS ZZ ww

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watermark Your LGBTQ life.

May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

talking points

[S]top waiting for other people to tell you that you’re amazing. [D]ecide you’re amazing and wait for everybody else to catch up.

— Lil Nas X in a tweet May 16

30.9% 0f

LGBTQ students

Demi Lovato comes out as nonbinary, uses pronouns they/them

experienced

S

a

inger Demi Lovato revealed in a series of tweets May 19 that they now identify as nonbinary and are officially changing their pronouns to they/them. “Today is a day I’m so happy to share more of my life with you all – I am proud to let you know that I identify as non-binary and will officially be changing my pronouns to they/them moving forward,” the musician tweeted. The two-time Grammy nominee said that their decision comes “after a lot of healing and self-reflective work.” Lovato’s announcement also came with the first episode of their new podcast “4D With Demi Lovato.” In the first episode, they talked with Alok Vaid-Menon about gender expression and discovering their “true self.” “This has come after a lot of healing & self-reflective work. I’m still learning & coming into myself, & I don’t claim to be an expert or a spokesperson. Sharing this with you now opens another level of vulnerability for me,” Lovato stated.

housing disruption

due to the COVID-19

pandemic

Ellen DeGeneres announces talk show’s end

T

Billy Porter reveals he’s been living with HIV

he upcoming 19th season of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” will be its last, its namesake announced May 12. DeGeneres’ talk show first aired in 2003, quickly becoming a staple of daytime television. It will end along with her contract in 2022.

The comedian shared the news in an exclusive interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “When you’re a creative person, you constantly need to be challenged – and as great as this show is, and as fun as it is, it’s just not a challenge anymore,” she said. DeGeneres informed her staff May 11, the outlet reported, adding that the decision was hers and had been “several years in the making.”

A

fter being diagnosed over 14 years ago, “Pose” star Billy Porter has revealed he is HIV-positive. In an in-depth interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the 51-year-old reflected on the year when he was first diagnosed and how it was “the worst year of his life.” Earlier that year he was diagnosed with Type II diabetes and had signed papers to file for bankruptcy. “The shame of that time compounded with the shame that had already (accumulated) in my life silenced me, and I have lived with that shame in silence for 14 years,” Porter told the publication. Porter tweeted a link to the story May 19, writing “My truth. In my time.”

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Instagram unveils pronouns for users to define themselves

I

nstagram rolled out a new feature for its platform users in the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia May 11 with “plans for more” in other countries the social media giant said. Users will now be able to select their preferred profile pronoun from he/him, she/her and they/ them. Once selected, the pronoun preference will appear in small gray letters next to their username.

LGBTQ social media influencers and others including LGBTQ+ advocacy groups have embraced the change in multiple threads on Twitter and on the Instagram platform.

25% of LGBTQ youth use they/ them exclusively, a combination of he/him, she/her, or they/them, or neopronouns such as ze/zir or fae/faer.

compared to 16.9% of non-LGBTQ students.

3% of LGBTQ and

0.8% of non-LGBTQ students had

nowhere to live

during the pandemic.

May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

—Williams Institute report

25

#GetTested #endHIVstigma

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14243 TAMIAMI TRAIL NORTH PORT, FL 34287 (941) 888-2144

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408 7TH STREET WEST PALMETTO, FL 34221 (941) 803-7939

May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

Photo by Ryan Williams-Jent

’Tis the Season

A

Ryan Williams-Jent

t least 275,000 people were projected

to attend the 18th annual St Pete Pride in June last year, further cementing its legacy as Florida’s largest LGBTQ celebration. Its 2019 outing welcomed more than 265,000 to St. Petersburg, honoring the authenticity of all who live, work and play in and around the Sunshine City.

Those plans changed May 21, 2020, when organizers announced that large, in-person festivities wouldn’t return until

2021. The decision was made in response to the ongoing pandemic in an effort to protect attendees.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

“After careful consideration and thorough exploration of alternatives with the City of St Petersburg, the board of St Pete Pride has made the difficult decision to cancel,” officials shared at the time. “The initial hope was to postpone these events – however, the level of uncertainty and lack of clear guidance from experts prompted the decision to cancel as the board deemed the health and safety of our community, both near and far, most important.”

The cancellation impacted more than the area’s LGBTQ residents and visitors. In Continued on pg. 29 | uu |

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27

viewpoint columnist

Scottie Campbell

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OFFICIAL EVENTS Tuesday, June 1

Official Pride Flag Raising Free, 11 a.m. | St. Pete City Hall, 175 5th St. N., St. Petersburg St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman, St Pete Pride and other LGBTQ advocates will raise the city’s Pride flag, signifying the kickoff of St Pete PrideFest 2021.

Thursday, June 3

PrideFest Kickoff Reception $10, 6-9 p.m. | Sirata Beach Resort, 5300 Gulf Blvd, St. Pete Beach PrideFest’s official kickoff celebration returns to the beautiful Sirata Beach Resort. Take pride in St. Petersburg’s beautiful beaches as the sun sets with limited free apps and drink specials.

Saturday, June 5 pride & precaution: LGBTQ advocates including U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman and St Pete Pride President

Pride OUTside ft. Pride Run St Pete $5, 7 a.m.-2 p.m. | Vinoy Park, 701 Bayshore Dr. NE, St. Petersburg

Nathan Bruemmer raise the Pride flag at City Hall in a small ceremony last year following St Pete Pride’s cancellation. Photo Courtesy city of st. pete

| uu | ’Tis the Season from pg.27

2019, St Pete Pride had an economic impact of $67.2 million on the local economy, benefiting the city’s many industries in a variety of ways.

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman, a staunch LGBTQ ally who has supported St Pete Pride since its inception, welcomed the difficult decision. He explained that “our shared focus and most important job is public safety.”

“St Pete Pride is one of the best and biggest LGBTQ events in the nation and will certainly outlast any challenges that come its way,” Kriseman said. “Working with St Pete Pride and other organizations and individuals in our community, we will find ways to celebrate this year’s Pride Month safely and collectively.”

LGBTQ advocates and allies did exactly that. Kriseman, representatives from St Pete Pride and other community leaders kicked off Pride Month 2020 with a small, socially distanced gathering at St. Petersburg City Hall. They raised the Pride flag to look toward brighter days on June 1.

Finding safe ways to connect became St Pete Pride’s mandate throughout the year, which was mostly spent apart from the community. On June 26, 2020, the date its 18th annual celebration would have taken place, the organization announced a fundraiser to install and maintain an LGBTQ-focused street mural in the heart of its birthplace, St. Petersburg’s Grand Central District.

The effort exceeded its fundraising goal of $7,000 within two weeks, allowing LGBTQ activists and artists to complete the Progressive Pride street mural July 29, 2020. The design features the 11 colors found on the Progress Pride Flag, which expands on the traditional Pride flag’s red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet to include black, brown, white, pink and light blue.

The additional colors represent the more marginalized members of the LGBTQ community, people of color and those who are transgender. St Pete Pride subsequently highlighted its dedication to elevating these voices in November, partnering with the Tampa Bay International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival to virtually hold the inaugural Tampa Bay Transgender Film Festival.

The venture was co-founded by St Pete Pride President Nathan Bruemmer, who assumed the nonprofit’s lead role just prior. The LGBTQ advocate had served on its board for nearly five years at the time, most recently as vice president.

“There’s a really unique energy and vibe that this organization creates as a partner with this city,” Bruemmer reflected last October. “It’s tough coming into leadership during such a challenging time because there are a lot of unknowns, but I’m confident that we can get back to our roots.”

HEADING HOME A return to form is exactly what St Pete Pride has worked toward in 2021, beginning with its

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

first in-person event of the year. The nonprofit held Taste of Pride March 12-14 in the Grand Central District, returning to its birthplace to highlight the area’s service industry.

While the event has traditionally been a fundraiser for St Pete Pride, it was reimagined this year to benefit local restaurants and bars impacted by COVID-19 closures. Bruemmer called it a chance “to support the folks that support us,” noting that organizers saw it as “a small way for us to give back and accomplish our mission.”

It’s that mission – to promote unity, visibility and a positive image of and among all LGBTQ Floridians – that St Pete Pride is centering. The organization adopted a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion statement earlier this year to stress their commitment to each.

“St Pete Pride was created out of a desire to ensure a safe space for all people of the LGBTQIA+ community of Tampa Bay to celebrate unity and the many things that make us similar,” it reads. “As we move forward into a bright new future, we do so purposefully and with intention to not just embrace those similarities but welcome, celebrate and promote respect for the many intersections of the human experience.

“We value and respect diversity in its many forms: race, ethnicity, ability, class, faith, age, gender identity, sexual orientation and experience,” it continues. “We honor the visible and invisible qualities that make each of us who we are. We center Black, Brown and Trans voices that so often go unheard because we know Diversity,

Outdoor Adventure Week. Join Pridegoers for a waterfront festival anchored in Vinoy Park, featuring live music, local vendors and interactive experiences. Start the morning with the Pride Run St Pete: 5K and Diva Dash from 7-10 a.m., running or walking along the city’s waterfront.

Saturday, June 12

We Are Family $5, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | St. Pete Pier, N./S. Straub Parks, 800 2nd Ave. NE, St. Petersburg Family Week. Grab the whole family and celebrate along St. Petersburg’s waterfront in North and South Straub Parks and the St Pete Pier! Enjoy family focused vendors, entertainment and activities in this first-of-its-kind Pride event celebrating St. Petersburg’s family-friendly culture.

Saturday, June 19

Arts + Qulture $5, 4-10 p.m. | The Factory, 2622 Fairfield Ave. S., St. Petersburg Arts & Music Week. Take in St. Petersburg’s best music, art and dance at The Factory, the new eight-acre, mixeduse space in the Warehouse Arts District! Featuring main stage performances and roaming musicians and dancers, talent from local cultural organizations will offer visitors an immersive experience. A program celebrating Black, queer culture will also honor Juneteenth.

Saturday, June 26

Pride Picnic ft. Pride Fireworks $5, 2-9 p.m. | N. and S. Straub Parks, 400 Bayshore Dr. NE, St. Petersburg Taste of PrideFest Week. Spend the evening along the St. Petersburg’s waterfront for PrideFest’s final event of the year. Enjoy picnics, musical performances and a fireworks display that promises to “cap off PrideFest in dramatic fashion.” Restaurants throughout St. Pete will also offer $5 specials all week long.

Continued on pg. 31 | uu |

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UNOFFICIAL EVENTS Tuesday, June 1

Light Up with Pride 8:30-11:30 p.m. | Throughout St. Petersburg St. Petersburg landmarks will illuminate their buildings in the colors of Pride to show their support for the LGBTQ community. This event began in 2020 and continues in 2021 to showcase Pride Month.

Thursday, June 3 —Sunday, June 27

Pride in GC at Punky’s Bar and Grill Various Times | Punky’s Bar & Grill, 3063 Central Ave. Live singers perform starting at 6 p.m. and include Jennifer Real June 3; Chic June 5; DeLaran June 10; Erin Boone June 17, Brittany June 19, Lisa Noe June 24 and Karmic Tattoo June 26. Drag Bingo featuring hostess Georgia Moore will be held June 1 benefiting Lucky Dogs Pet Rescue, June 8 benefiting Carifesta Radio, June 15 benefiting Rose Dynasty, Inc. and June 22 benefiting Pride in Grand Central. Live radio broadcasts will be held June 18 and 26 from 8-11 p.m. and a Sunday market will be close out the month on June 27 from 12-5 p.m.

Friday, June 4 on your mark: St Pete PrideFest 2021 will feature a new event, the Pride Run St. Pete 5K. Its course, displayed above, will give racers of all skill levels the opportunity to participate in Pride OUTside, the first themed week of the month. Photo courtesy st pete pride/pride run 5k

| uu | ’Tis the Season from pg.29

Equity and Inclusion are the ultimate acts of PRIDE.” To help guide St Pete Pride into its 19th season, Bruemmer was joined by board newcomers Tiffany Freisberg, who filled his vacated position of vice president and Molly Robison, St Pete Pride’s secretary. Rounding out its board are two of the organization’s veterans – Stanley Solomons, who serves as treasurer and fellow LGBTQ activist Susan McGrath.

Freisberg, who is a wife and mother of three, moved to St. Petersburg from Jupiter, Florida in June 2019. She joined the board in January.

“Jupiter is not as progressive as St. Pete, and our focus there was to make our girls feel like our family was no different than anyone else’s,” she explains. “We happened to move to St. Pete during Pride and our girls were blown away by all of the rainbow flags everywhere.”

When their children asked what they represented, Freisberg says “we realized we’d made a major misstep as parents – we’d been so determined to make them feel ‘normal’ that we’d

failed to educate them about a core part of who we are as a family.” She and her wife committed then and there to taking on an active role in St. Petersburg’s LGBTQ community.

“I reached out to Pride as a volunteer,” she explains. “Then I met Nathan … the rest is history.”

As for Robison, she joined the board in December 2020 after serving on St Pete Pride’s production team in 2019. Outside of her work with the organization, she also serves as the special events coordinator for Empath Partners in Care.

“Joining the board allowed me to be part of the team guiding Pride through the COVID craziness,” she explains.

“Events in COVID require creative, outside the box thinking and I’m excited for Pride 2021!”

REIMAGINED RETURN After months of speculation, St Pete Pride confirmed in April that it would return with in-person festivities this year. In lieu of its traditional parade and festival, however, it will present COVID-conscious events throughout June.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

That will take shape in the form of PrideFest, four weeks of signature events flanked by unofficial celebrations. Each are designed to safely reunite the LGBTQ community and its allies after more than a year apart.

“St Pete Pride has worked diligently to design a creative and safe Pride with a twist for June of 2021,” the organization first announced. “2021’s Pride will stretch throughout the month of June and feature four themed weeks with a signature, albeit scaled down event each weekend and community events presented by partners.”

Bruemmer first detailed PrideFest during a press conference at St. Petersburg’s Vinoy Park April 12.

He was joined by the mayor as well as event sponsors and supporters.

“This year in hosting St Pete PrideFest we were challenged by hosting over 265,000 people over just a number of days,” Bruemmer said.

“We met with the city over many, many months about how we could ensure the health and safety and wellbeing of our community but also honor our mission.”

“We are doing that by celebrating all month long through St Pete PrideFest, where we will enjoy a different theme

“RAINBOW” Opening Free, 6-9 p.m. | MIZE Gallery, 689 Dr. MLK Jr. St. N., St. Petersburg MIZE Gallery presents “Rainbow,” its first in-person opening since March 2020. The exhibit will run through June 27 and features 40 fan favorite artists from throughout Tampa Bay. Each artist was assigned a color of the rainbow to create a new work on a circular canvas.

weekends, June 4-20

“Daniel’s Husband” West Coast Players 21905 U.S. Hwy. 19 N., Clearwater The West Coast Players celebrate Pride with this live production of playwright Michael McKeever’s celebrated play addressing a modern dilemma and marriage equality. Purchase tickets and learn more at WCPlayers.com.

Fridays and Saturdays, June 4-26

Pride Month at Enigma Enigma St. Pete 1110 Central Ave., St. Petersburg Join hostess Daphne Ferraro for “Queens on Central” Friday nights. She’ll welcome friends from throughout Tampa Bay with shows at 10 and 11:30 p.m. Come back Saturday nights for Pride dance parties.

Continued on pg. 33 | uu |

May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

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May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

Sunday, June 6

| uu | ’Tis the Season from pg.31

each week and anchor with a flagship event each Saturday at different locations, showcasing the beautiful parts of our city,” he continued. “We are encouraging hundreds of other nonprofit organizations and cultural institutions to join us and host their own events all month long and honor those needs to tell the story about our community beyond parades and parties.”

Kriseman addressed the crowd next. “In St. Pete, our vision statement is being a city of opportunity where the sun shines on all who come to live, work and play, and we take that very seriously,” he began. “The LGBTQ community is an important part of who St. Petersburg is and why we love living in this city so much.”

The mayor subsequently thanked the St Pete Pride board for its work, reflecting on how the celebration has grown in its nearly two decades.

“Pride has become one of the biggest events that we host in the city and certainly from a parade standpoint … it’s the largest in the state of Florida,” he said. “But celebrating Pride is more than just a parade and it’s more than just the events, it’s what it represents and how it defines us as a community.”

Kriseman noted that as the pandemic continues to impact Tampa Bay and beyond, finding a way to celebrate Pride safely became even more important. He added that the city wants “to encourage people to participate in the events – and you can do so safely.”

SAFETY FIRST After receiving approval from government officials to move forward, PrideFest will operate under the safety guidelines detailed in St. Petersburg’s “Race to Safe” initiative. The city has long been focused on reducing Pinellas County’s COVID-19 positivity rate to become Florida’s “most COVID-safe community.”

They’ve done so by encouraging residents and visitors to adhere to all precautions set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to get tested for COVID and to receive their vaccination. Officials have tracked the daily and two-week average positivity rates of Pinellas to compare it to nine of the state’s most heavily populated counterparts.

As of May 17, these efforts have paid off. Pinellas County’s two-week

Back It Up for Pride Free, 3-6 p.m. | freeFall Theatre, 6099 Central Ave., St. Petersburg Balance Tampa Bay presents a fundraiser featuring at least 10 automobiles competing for the title of “Best Pride Trunk.” Attendees will enjoy a cash bar, food trucks and more. All funds benefit Balance Tampa Bay.

Sunday, June 6—Sunday, June 27

Pride in GC at Dog Bar Various Times | Dog Bar St. Pete, 2300 Central Ave., St. Petersburg

proud to play: Pride in Grand Central will feature a scrach off which gives participants the chance to win prizes, including up to $500.

average ranks first, ahead of Broward, Palm Beach, Miami-Date, Duval, Orange, Brevard, Polk, Hillsborough and Lee counties with an average of 3.53%.

In accordance with the initiative, CDC-approved masks and facial coverings will be required to be worn to all official events. The gatherings will all take place outside and visitors without masks will be provided one upon entry.

To enforce capacity regulations, official events will also be ticketed.

Ticket sales launched May 1 with attendance capped at 5,000 attendees per gathering, though that number is subject to change.

“One of the restrictions we have to abide by in order to have an event is that we have to register people to control crowd size and ensure everyone agrees to a COVID liability waiver,” Freisberg explains. “How do you do that without tickets? You could make the tickets free, but the ticketing platform itself costs money. How do you stop someone from ‘claiming’ 100 tickets they don’t end up using, which stops other people who genuinely want to attend from coming?”

The board landed on a $5 per fee for that reason, funds which will also help other nonprofits in the Tampa Bay community. “We’re dividing our ticket sales between operational costs for the events themselves and benefitting eight local nonprofit partners,” Freisberg explains.

Beneficiaries include Reach St. Pete, which works to prevent and eliminate homelessness; EmpowHERment, which seeks to empower all women by fostering their skills for self-sufficiency; The Well, a wellness collective catering to people of color and Ready for Life, which provides resources for former foster care youth.

Also benefiting are Community Tampa Bay, which cultivates leaders through cross-cultural interaction; the Dr. Carter G.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Photo courtesy grand central district association

Woodson African American Museum, which preserves and presents African American history; the St. Petersburg Free Clinic, which provides food, shelter and health care and the St. Pete Youth Farm, which provides food and develops leaders.

“We are covering the administrative cost of ticketing events with thousands of people, and the remainder is being donated to these amazing local nonprofit organizations whose missions are aligned with St Pete Pride and the themes of the weeks for PrideFest 2021,” Bruemmer says. “So when our community comes out to events this year, we will celebrate and give back together.”

Join Dog Bar to show your Pride all month long. Events include a Corona Beach Bash June 6 with ice pools and a foam party; Rescue Dog Yoga June 12 with vendors on site; a Lip Sync Battle June 18 with DJ Shannon C.; a Biscuit Brunch June 20; DJ Fugi and a food truck June 25; Unleash Your Pride June 26 with unleashed doggie play time and a Doggie Fashion Show June 27.

Friday, June 11 —Saturday, June 19

“Once Upon A Shine” Anytime June 12-19 Throughout St. Petersburg Find your pride on this SHINE mural scavenger hunt hosted by fan favorite performer Matthew McGee. Follow video clues from one mural to another in search of Cinderella’s missing stiletto using the free PixelStix app to decipher the clues as your Fairy Dragmother recounts the tale of Cinderella’s wild night out. Learn more at StPeteArtsAlliance.org/PRIDE.

Friday, June 11—Sunday, June 20

“Plus” $20, 8-9:30 p.m. | The MAR, 2309 Central Ave., St. Petersburg

WEEKS ONE & TWO Outdoor Adventure Week kicks off PrideFest and Pride Month alike, beginning with a familiar event at St. Pete City Hall. As they have in years prior, St Pete Pride and city officials will welcome supporters to raise the Pride flag.

The PrideFest Kickoff Reception will follow June 3 at Sirata Beach Resort before the month’s first signature event, Pride OUTside, begins June 5.

“Our first PrideFest Saturday kicks-off with a waterfront festival along the glistening Tampa Bay,” St Pete Pride shares. “Anchored in Vinoy Park, join us for live music, local vendors and interactive experiences. Participate in a yoga class or sit back and enjoy a variety of roaming entertainers!

Pride OUTside celebrates our LGBTQ+ community while showcasing St. Pete’s beautiful natural surroundings.”

Continued on pg. 35 | uu |

This cabaret-styled performance spotlights LGBTQIA+ artists while emphasizing those in the ever-expanding “plus” subsect of the community. The all-inclusive evening will feature multiple solo acts. Contains adult content, visit TheMARStPete.com for specific dates and details.

Saturday, June 12 —Sunday, June 27

Pride in Grand Central (GC) Various Locations St. Petersburg’s Grand Central District The birthplace of St Pete Pride is a must-visit destination. Pridegoers are invited to enjoy shows, music, sidewalk markets, parties and play the district’s scratch off game for a chance to win prizes, many listed here. A Grand Central Block Party & Street Stroll will be held June 26 from 11 a.m.-7 p.m., closing off the 2300 and 2400 blocks of Central Ave. from noon to 8 p.m. to ensure pedestrian safety. View the full list of events and learn more at PrideInGrandCentral.org.

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Saturday, June 12

Come OUT St. Pete Royal Court Show 10 p.m. | The Garage on Central Ave., 2729 Central Ave., St. Petersburg Join the Come OUT St. Pete Royal Court – Stephanie Stuart, DKJ and Kristina White – for a special show celebrating Pride.

Sunday, June 13

Pride Poolside Fashion Show $25, 12-4 p.m. | GayStPete House, 4505 5th Ave. N., St. Petersburg This poolside show is presented by Atlas Body + Home and hosted by Kori Stevens and DJ Bill Kody. Food, punch and a day pass are included for the donation which benefits the Grand Central District Association.

The runway will be open between 1-3 p.m. and this is a clothing optional event.

Tuesday, June 15—Sunday, June 27 no place like home: The staff of Cocktail, St. Petersburg’s newest LGBTQ bar, proudly showcases the Pride in Grand Central flag in front

Pride in GC at Cocktail

of their home in the Grand Central District, the area which launched St Pete Pride in 2003. Photo courtesy the grand central district association

| uu | ’Tis the Season from pg.33

It will also feature St Pete Pride’s first marathon. On the morning of June 5, Pride Run St Pete will feature a timed 5K, a timed Youth 5K, a virtual 5K and an untimed, 100-yard Diva Dash for those wearing their heels and “best diva attire.”

Pre-registration is required and prices vary. The timed 5K is $40 until May 29 and after that until June 5; the youth 5K and Diva Dash are $15 and the virtual 5K is $30. When registering for the timed 5K, the Diva Dash is included at no additional cost.

The 5K course is described as “a fast street course along St. Petersburg’s Bayshore that is out and back with minimal elevation changes of approximately 75 feet.” It is scheduled to begin from the 5th Ave. NE west of Bayshore Dr. NE and end along 5th Ave. NE across downtown. The course may vary on race day.

Participants will have 1.5 hours to finish the track, which organizers note is ideal for besting a personal record, having fun or a leisurely run or walk.

Pets are not permitted but sports strollers, running chairs, handcycles, sports wheelchairs, walkers and canes are allowed on the course. Finisher medals and T-shirts will be available at the race.

“This week and this event is about focusing on the mind, body, and spirit as an LGBTQ+ community – especially

as we recognize the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 on us individually and collectively,” Bruemmer describes the new partnership.

“At its core, Pride’s history is our fight for equity,” he continues. “Who we are as LGBTQ people in sports has had a complicated narrative of inequality.

The coming out stories of professional athletes continue to inspire us and we must also continue the fight for the rights of transgender children to play sports.”

Family Week will follow, beginning June 7. It will culminate with We Are Family at the St. Pete Pier and North and South Straub Parks.

“Join us for a gathering of LGBTQ+ families and allies on the beautiful downtown St. Pete waterfront in North and South Straub Parks and The St Pete Pier,” it’s officially described. “Enjoy family focused vendors, entertainment and activities in this first-of-its-kind Pride event as we celebrate the family culture of St. Pete and beyond.”

WEEKS THREE & FOUR Arts & Music Week will kick off the second half of PrideFest’s official gatherings. Its signature event will be Arts + Qulture on June 19 and be held at The Factory in St. Petersburg’s Warehouse Arts District.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Billed as the “new creative arts destination in South St. Petersburg,” the 8-acre, mixed-use space is located 2622 Fairfield Ave. S. St Pete Pride promises attendees will be able to “soak in music, art and dance around every corner.”

“From main stage performances to wandering musicians and dancers, St Pete Pride will welcome a range of talent to offer visitors an immersive, memorable experience,” officials advise.

The program will also honor Black, Queer culture to mark Juneteenth, which celebrates the emancipation of those who were enslaved in the U.S. Taste of PrideFest Week will begin after that and include the PrideFest 2021 Stonewall Reception on June 25.

The annual reception for sponsors, VIPs and supporters will be held at The James Museum for the first time, welcoming supporters to an outdoor gathering in Downtown St. Petersburg.

The week’s signature event will then be held June 26, a Pride picnic on June 26 at North and South Straub Parks.

Guests will enjoy food trucks, festival vendors and a fireworks display at dusk.

“PrideFest’s final event will invite visitors to spend an evening along the beautiful bayside waterfront, enjoying picnics, musical performances and a fireworks display that will cap off PrideFest in dramatic fashion,” St Pete Pride advises. Restaurants and breweries throughout the area will also be participating in the festivities with $5 specials all week.

Various Times | Cocktail, 2355 Central Ave., St. Petersburg Events include Pride Queereoke June 15 with local singers; Wigs & Wit June 16 with comedians vs. queens; Gay Ass Trivia June 17 tackling LGBTQ herstory, There’s No Place Like Home with dancers; Sissy that Walk Saturday June 19 with drag shows and Daddy Issues June 20 for Father’s Day with Daddy dancers. Week two includes Loud & Proud Karaoke with LGBTQ icons; Fresh Start: Drag Showcase with new talent June 23; Hide, a leather event June 24; Wonderful Wigs of Oz with dancers, wigs and drag June 25, Cock’d N Loaded with a mega show June 26 and Cock-Eyed June 27, which closes out Pride with go-go boys. Special headliners to be announced.

Saturday, June 19

“Sip, Shop, & Kiki” 1-4 p.m. | Sip, Shop, Hooray, 2053 Central Ave., St. Petersburg DJ Shannon presents specials on clothes and drinks.

Pride Leather Night 9 p.m.-3 a.m. | The Garage on Central Ave., 2729 Central Ave., St. Petersburg Celebrate Pride with the Tampa Bay Leather Community.

Sunday, June 20

The Garage T-Dance 4-9 p.m. | The Garage on Central Ave., 2729 Central Ave., St. Petersburg Show your Pride during Sunday Funday.

Continued on pg. 37 | uu |

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INDIGO GIRLS With Amythyst Kiah

May 29

CeCe Teneal & Soul Kamotion

R ECO N N EC T: A CO M M U N I T Y SO U L F E S T I VA L

With Yoshi, Carmen Harrell & Nina Skyy

May 28

Bachata Brunch

B AC H ATA H E I G H T Z

Enjoy food and drinks delivered to your own socially distant box for up to 5 people.

F R O N T YA R D F E S T I VA L .O R G Mainstage at Senee Arts Plaza

May 30

SUPPORTED BY

One Orlando Alliance Presents

AN EVENING OF REFLECTION & PROMISE J une 7

Orlando Gay Chorus Presents

M Y P O RT R A I TS O F P U L S E

An Orlando United Story

June 8

onePULSE Foundation Presents

P U L S E F I V E-Y E A R REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY LIVESTREAM June 12

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just to name a few – Grand Central, the birthplace of Pride – will once again be a must visit destination this Pride season,” the district advises. “Plan to stop by as our small businesses and neighborhoods join forces to entertain and welcome all.”

Or as David Foote summarizes, “there’s no place like home.” As the executive director of the nonprofit Grand Central District Association, he oversees the membership organization and works to ensure the district flourishes.

“There’s not a large, single event this year,” he notes. “Right now we’re in an era that prompts a lot of change and a lot of open thinking, which opened up a chance for us to make sure that

Gascot, a celebrated artist who has sold his work during St Pete Pride for | uu | ’Tis the Season years, says a number of Tampa Bay’s from pg.35 LGBTQ-owned and friendly businesses and organizations are feeling the loss “PrideFest was born first and of traditional events like St Pete Pride’s foremost out of necessity, but the gift street festival. of that was a clean slate – a reason to Even so, he explains “it’s not reimagine what Pride is and what it just about the business. It’s about looks like,” Freisberg says. “We decided the community sharing something that neither St. Pete nor Pride are uplifting.” just one thing, so we want to try and Tampa Bay entertainer Jaeda celebrate as much of it as possible.

Fuentes, who was honored during Miss “St. Pete has beautiful outdoor St Pete Pride 2021 this year for her spaces, we have world-class art and 10-year mark of taking home the crown music, we’re a city that’s heavenly for herself, will host the gathering’s show. kids and we have incredible local dining Gascot says visitor safety will be of the options,” she continues. “The LGBTQ utmost importance and notes that city community is made up of a wide array officials support his efforts. of people. Some of us are parents. Some “We’re are runners. Some pouring all of love art and music. We our heart and tried to conceptualize effort into this,” enough variety so Gascot says. “We that it felt like there will have Pride was something in Pinellas!” for everyone.”

Bruemmer “This year, it feels a says that St bit like coming out of Pete Pride is hibernation,” Robison thrilled to see adds. “We’ve all been the participation in this weird COVID from so many lifestyle and now that members of the we can see light at — st pete pride vice president tiffany freisberg community. “We the end of the tunnel, knew we couldn’t safely have 200,000+ people were still coming to Grand Pride is the perfect reason to come out, people in downtown or 65,000+ Central in June.” shake off the past year, celebrate each people in Grand Central this year,” he That’s why Foote launched other, our community, our friendships says. “When designing PrideFest 2021 Pride in Grand Central, highlighting and our beautiful city. and developing these four themes LGBTQ-focused events running “I love that locals and visitors we hoped to encourage events to throughout June with a branding can choose to join us for one of the develop in different neighborhoods and initiative. “I see it as a part of Pride signature events or all of them and business districts. as a whole,” he says, noting that he find lots of other activities to fill their “We are inspired to see our whole and Bruemmer were in constant Pride month,” she continues. “There community creating dozens and dozens communication about St Pete will be something for everyone … all of different events all over our city,” Pride’s plans. month long!”

Bruemmer concludes. “Beyond June, As an additional incentive to we hope our community is inspired to patronize the area, Pride in Grand celebrate Pride every day!”

Central will also offer scratch offs for Pridegoers June 20-27.

St Pete PrideFest will be held throughout June, It will give them the chance to win with all safety precautions and event details prizes from district businesses or $500 subject to change. cash. Participants will scratch off a unique code to be entered at To purchase tickets to official events and for the PrizeHub.net/PRIDE, with winners SOMETHING latest details about PrideFest, visit StPetePride.org. notified via email June 28.

Read the organization’s full commitment to safety at FOR EVERYONE “We’re doing something because we StPetePride.org/COVID. should be doing something,” Foote says.

(EVERYWHERE) “Our businesses want to do something.

For more information about Pride in Grand Central Unofficial events will be held We’re going to have a good time and or Pride at the Village, visit PrideInGrandCentral.org throughout Tampa Bay before, during that’s what this is about, the people. and PinellasArtsVillage.com. and after PrideFest’s official festivities, Hopefully next year we’ll be back to inspired by St Pete Pride’s mission to one big party.”

WatermarkOnline.com will also feature the unite the LGBTQ community.

In the interim, LGBTQ advocates latest details about all official and unofficial Among the largest concentrations and allies are working to bring the PrideFest events. are those taking place in the Grand community together in other ways, Central District. The area is home to some outside of St. Petersburg. LGBTQ more than 475 LGBTQ-inclusive bars, advocate John Gascot will hold Pride at merchants and restaurants, including the Village in Pinellas Park on June 26 LGBTQ fan favorites like Cocktail, Dog “to fill the voids felt by the cancellation Bar, GayStPete House, Mixers at OKW, of St. Pete Pride’s parade and festival.”

Punky’s Bar and Grill and more.

More than 50 vendors are expected “With shows, music, sidewalk to attend the free, eight-hour event. markets, parties and a $500 cash prize

The LGBTQ community is made up of a wide array of people. Some of us are parents.

Some are runners. Some love art and music.

We tried to conceptualize enough variety that it felt like there was something for everyone.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Thursday, June 24 —Sunday, June 27

Pride in GC at Mixers at OKW Various Times | Mixers at OKW, 2451 Central Ave., St. Petersburg Show your Pride in Grand Central with Mixers at OKW, formerly Old Key West Bar and Grill. Events include Drag Trivia on June 24 with Miranda; music from DJ Bill Kody June 25; a Silent Disco June 26 and a Bubble & Brunch Foam Party on June 27.

Saturday, June 26

Pride at the Village 2021 2-10 p.m. | Pinellas Arts Village, 5663 Park Blvd., Pinellas Park This free, pet-friendly event will feature more than 50 vendors, businesses and community organizations celebrating Pride. Indoor and outdoor bars, familyfriendly activities and contests and giveaways will also take place, with a show hosted by Jaeda Fuentes.

Sunday, June 27

Pride Cruise Around St. Pete & Gulfport 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Throughout St. Petersburg/Gulfport Decorate your vehicle and show your Pride!

Participants will meet at 10:30 a.m., park and subsequently cruise at a low speed through downtown St Pete, then West to the Edge District into the Grand Central District. They will then head to Gulfport’s Waterfront District, back through 22nd, Main Street, the Warehouse Arts District and ultimately the Grand Central District.

Pinellas Pride Party 12-6 p.m. | Biff Burger St. Pete, 3949 49th St. N., St. Petersburg Featuring live performances, guest speakers, Pride raffles and contests, this event hosted by Sam Obeid benefits Project No Labels. Come as you are.

Come OUT Block Party 1-9 p.m. | The Garage on Central Ave., 2729 Central Ave., St. Petersburg An Out and proud block party and vendor market closes out Pride Month.

“Tall Tale” 3-5 p.m. | Stageworks Theatre, 1120 E. Kennedy Blvd., Ste. 151, Tampa Join Daphne Ferraro for an original show with a limited, live audience. Doors will open at 2 p.m. with a special pre-show and feature a live talkback session featuring a Q&A with the fan favorite entertainer.

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Stage

All That Sparkles

Central Florida entertainer Rob Ward talks about P. Sparkle’s creation and Pepe’s retirement as we head into Pride month

(above)

Hair Talk: Rob Ward premiered P. Sparkle with a new do: a giant rainbow with glittery stones and lights.

Photo by BlackRose Photography

R

Jeremy Williams

ob Ward loves to entertain. He

moved to Orlando about 20 years ago to attend the University of Central Florida as a theater major.

“I moved from Fort Lauderdale and just kind of fell in love with the city and have been here ever since,” he says. Ward went on to become a staple at Orlando Fringe and has worked with Come Out With Pride for several years, but his first stage in Orlando, and one he still performs on today, was at SAK Comedy Lab in downtown Orlando.

“I discovered SAK because I got a speeding ticket and they used to run a comedy traffic school,” Ward recalls.”I went to that and they gave you free tickets to see the show at SAK so I went and was like, ‘oh wow, this is what I should be doing.’”

Ward took improv classes at SAK, grew through the system there and in 2007 applied to do a show at Orlando Fringe.

“I didn’t get in,” he says. “I was on the waiting list. Then, a week before the festival began, I got a call that said, ‘Hey, your show is in.’”

Ward had to throw a show together in less than a week. He pieced together an outfit from old Halloween costumes – the top half from a pimp costume, the bottom half from an Elvis costume, a purple wig and shoes from a devil costume.

“I had the idea of a talk show where all the guests had to play truth or dare,” Ward says. “But if I dare

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

people to do stuff that they don’t want to do, I’m just gonna look like a jerk. That’s when I decided I would be a character that makes people play along.”

That’s when Ward created Pepe, an homage to Pee Wee Herman with an accent Ward describes as “60% Latin origin, 20% Slavic, 20% just random sounds.” Pepe was a hit and became the character Ward was most associated with.

“I thought I would do it for that one time, but then after I did the first show it was really popular and Fringe asked me to host the next year for one of their events as the character. So I brought the character back and then decided to do a second show at Fringe and then it kept going and going and growing. It was never something I imagined would continue as long as it did,” Ward says.

Fast forward to 2021 and Ward took to Facebook with a lengthy post that began “LET’S TALK ABOUT PEPE AND CULTURAL APPROPRIATION.” In the post, Ward stated that Pepe would be evolving into a new character named P. Sparkle. Pepe’s final show was at SAK on March 11.

As we head into June, Watermark sat down with Ward to talk about Pepe, cancel culture and his new creation P. Sparkle.

Watermark: It has been 14 years since that first Pepe show at Orlando Fringe.

Why did you decide to change the character now?

Rob Ward: So I’ve done this character for so many years with no issues. I brought Pepe to SAK, we created a gay-themed improv show there which was “Pepe’s Truth or Dare Improv.” This is going back to 2016 and in the summer of 2020, following the Black Lives Matter protests and everything going on, someone launched a boycott against SAK saying in a Facebook post that SAK didn’t have enough entertainment available for people of all diversities. Someone commented, mentioning my show in that post, saying, “Hey look, SAK has a show

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that is LGBT with a cast that’s racially diverse, and a mix of all different sexualities and worlds.” The person who had made the original post replied, “Well, that show is the equivalent of Latino black face.”

I heard that and was immediately like, “Whoa.”

The hurtful thing about it was the person who had said that and who was launching that boycott was someone who came to every single show. Had always been in the front row, paid to have his birthday party at my show and have me bring him up on stage. So I dismissed what that person had said and then someone else brought it up on a different post and again, I kind of dismissed it because that was someone who hadn’t even seen the show. They just said, “Oh look what’s going on out here.” A third comment happened where somebody was like, “SAK has this show where a white guy is pretending to be a Latino guy.” I spoke on that to them and said, “Hey, just so you understand, my character has never claimed to be Latin, he just claims to be eccentric.” There’s nothing in the show that is about Latin culture or Latin background, my character does have an accent, but it’s a bastardized accent.

But when I took a moment to really think about it and not get defensive, just step away from it all and think about what if I wasn’t involved with the show and didn’t know the story and didn’t know my intentions. That was when I made the decision where I said, “You know what, I can change the character, edit and do things slightly differently and it wouldn’t affect it.”

You announced the character change in a Facebook post and some of the comments, particularly from many Latinx members of the community, were defending the character of Pepe and didn’t see an issue with it. Was there any part of you, after seeing people defend Pepe, that thought, “I’ll just continue with Pepe then”?

By the time I made the post I was set. Before that, I was living in a little bit of a gray area. Where obviously there was a struggle that I was having internally where I could see where change could be made but I also know that my intentions were never in cultural appropriation.

There’s nothing about Latin culture in my show. It has nothing to do with Continued on pg. 41 | uu |

39

6th Annual Masquerade

Saturday, July 31, 2021 Tampa River Center For more information and to purchase tickets and sponsorships visit MyEPICMasquerade.org Proceeds benefit EPIC (Empath Partners in Care)

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EPIC a member of

giant rainbow with glittery stones and lights and I immediately fell in love with it. I had to relearn how to walk in it but it’s great.

| uu | All That Sparkles from pg.39

the show, the character, any of that. I could still just do what I’ve been doing for almost 15 years and keep going.

I think I bring joy to a lot of people and I want to continue to do that. So, of course, I had that little defensiveness and the knowledge of what my intensions are but again when I was watching everything going on and really thinking about, “Are you part of the solution in this world of racial tension that we’re living in or are you part of the problem?” In my head I was always part of the solution but I thought about it from the perspective of what if I didn’t know me? What if I didn’t know anything about me and I never saw the show, but I was someone who is Latinx just moved to this country and then heard, “Hey, here’s this white, gay man, who’s mocking you,” which again never my intent, but if I just heard that, I would probably see the problem and I said I want to be better than that. I don’t want to be a part of the problem.

Cancel culture has been a hot topic over the last year. Do you see this as a preemptive strike against cancel culture, of you getting ahead of “being canceled,” or do you look at this as just evolving the character?

I made a joke in the first show where I said, “Oh, I canceled myself.” The reality is, as weird as it is to be a person in comedy saying this, I’m not necessarily against what has arrived as cancel culture. I think of it more as accountability culture. The people who are getting canceled are typically the people who someone’s telling them that something they’re doing may be hurtful to others and they’re immediately dismissing that and not having a conversation. They are doubling down saying, “Well, you’re stupid, get out of my face.”

Those are the people who are being canceled. Accountability culture is: we hear it, we stop and listen and we go, “Is there something I can change? Do I need to change because maybe I don’t but it’s at least worth thinking about.” When I really took the time to think about it, I said, “I could do this.”

It’s been a couple of weeks since you premiered P. Sparkle. How has the reception been?

P is for Pride: P. Sparkle will be shining and twinkling at SAK Comedy Club in Orlando for LGBTQ Pride Month June 24 for “P. Sparkle’s Truth or Dare Imrov.” Photo by BlackRose Photography

What’s funny is it was a story about cancel culture that made me go, “I definitely have to do this.” All of this was happening right around the time Gina Carano had been fired from “The Mandalorian” for her tweets.

I just happened to be reading an interview online that she did where she was talking about how she was bullied by Disney and all this stuff and I was like, “She’s the one who did something wrong and she’s playing the victim in this.” It bugged me so much and I realized I don’t want to be that.

I will say though, in terms of cancel culture and being offensive in comedy, my show is still very offensive. It is dirty.

It’s a very adult show. We bring people up on stage, people take off clothes, crazy things happen.

That’s been the whole journey of the character. Everything we do is silly, naughty, R-rated, very adult stuff and I’m not changing any of that. I still say, if you’re offended by the content in the show just don’t go see the show but if you feel like I am mocking marginalized people, that’s a different problem than you just don’t like my material. That needs addressing.

Talk to me about the about the character P. Sparkle and how he differs from Pepe.

It’s actually an evolution of the same character. It’s the same spirit of the character. When you come to the show you are treated like an old friend. That’s the vibe of what I’ve always wanted for

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

every one of my shows. It’s like, “Hey we’re all hanging out in the basement, having a party and you’re all guests at the party.

He’ll always be friendly, always be shady in a way that’s delivered with a smile so that it feels like a friend messing with you more than somebody being mean and making fun of you. There will always be that spirit of “Let’s see what trouble we can get into and let’s see how far we can push the boundaries.”

The voice was the most difficult thing to work out. I still elevate my voice. It’s still a little higher pitch, a little sassier but there’s no more accent at all.

I tried different accents with the character, thinking maybe I’ll be British now or I’ll do like a Russian accent, but as I tested the character with different voices I found what worked best was just not doing any accent at all.

It felt like such a “duh” moment, but for so many years I’d hidden the “me” behind this accent and the hair, my giant boots; I’m so different when I’m on stage than when I’m just hanging out with friends. I felt like I had always been able to hide behind this big character, so not doing the accent felt really vulnerable and scary. But people have really responded well without the accent.

You premiered P. Sparkle with a new hairstyle.

Pepe’s trademark Mohawk became a big, poufy

rainbow-colored wig. Why the change in hairstyle?

When I first did Pepe, it actually was this little Dame Edna wig. The second year was when I bought my first Mohawk wig and that became Pepe’s signature, that giant 36-inch Mohawk. So when I said we’re going to reinvent the character one of the things I said was for the first time in a long time it’s time to reinvent the hair because it’s such a signature piece of the character.

At the time I had been directing a show called “The End of the Rainbow” at Theater West End and our wig designer was a guy named Justin Lore from Tease and Floof. I was chatting with him about changing the character’s hair and he asked me what I was thinking so I said “Well everything about Pepe was flamboyant so I want to lean into it with P. Sparkle and go gay, gay, gay, gay, gay. He needs to be a walking rainbow.”

He sketched the first design and it was long and big like drag queen hair and I said, “I love that, but can you make it more.” He redesigned it as a giant plume of a rainbow and I was like “Can you find a way to add rhinestones?” because the name is P. Sparkle, so I’ve got to be sparkling. He was like, “Challenge accepted.”

He redesigned the whole front all with rhinestones and then when he delivered the wig he told me he added a surprise element.

He added lights into it. I went from my iconic Mohawk to this

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The reception has been wonderful but it’s also a learning curve for me. Pepe’s quirks and phrases, all that was developed over time playing the character.

When I think of the first show versus the last show, the ways that the character changed over those years was so much, so reinventing as P. Sparkle means finding what works for me now.

My first show at the Fringe Preview, I was using a lower register of my voice than I wanted to and it didn’t read as flamboyant and playful so when I got to my first show at SAK, I lifted everything up and was like “Ah, that’s the sweet spot. That’s where it lives.” Also learning new catchphrases now. For years I always call my audience members “mamis and papis,” which I’m not doing now because it’s not really a term that I should be using, so finding out now what do I call my audience members other than “bitches” because it’s not the nicest word to use.

While I’m playing a character, I want to feel free and real with my audience so I want to find something that just rolls off my tongue and I haven’t found that yet so those are things to still develop, and while the relationship with the audience is still strong, I’m trying to figure out where they fit into P. Sparkle’s world because I always knew where they fit into Pepe’s world.

What does P. Sparkle have planned for Pride month?

The last Thursday in June, June 24, we are doing a show at SAK Comedy Lab at 9:30 p.m. We are doing “P. Sparkle’s Truth or Dare Improv” with a Pride theme that night. For the rest of the month it’s going to be about being where I can. Pride for me has always been important, ever since I went to my very first Pride and realized “Oh, this is where I belong.”

To me, Pride month is a month that I sit back and love on everything and celebrate who we are, so I can’t wait to do a P. Sparkle show at SAK for Pride but also can’t wait to be around just as myself.

Additional reporting by Tomás Diniz Santos.

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community calendar

event planner

arts+entertainment

Central Florida

Central Florida

Alliance Live: Rev. Terri Steed Pierce

“Young At Heart” art show by Jay Geeker, May 20-June 13, CityArts, Orlando. 407-648-7060; DowntownArtsDistrict.com Indigo Girls, May 29, Dr. Phillips Center’s Frontyard Festival, Orlando. 844-513-2014; DrPhillipsCenter.org Memorial Day Weekend w/ Int’l DJ Danny Verde, May 29, Stonewall Bar, Orlando. 407-373-0888; StonewallOrlando.com COMMUNITY: Five Years After the Pulse Tragedy, May 29-Aug. 15, Orange County Regional History Center, Orlando. 407-836-8500; TheHistoryCenter.org Brunch with the Boys, May 30, Savoy, Orlando. 407-898-6766; SavoyOrlando.com Orlando Rally to #ProtectTransKids, May 31, City Hall, Orlando. 813-870-3735; EQFL.org Lunch w/ The Center’s E.D., June 1, LGBT+ Center, Orlando. 407-228-8272; TheCenterOrlando.org Stars of HOPE: Together We Remember, June 3, LGBT+ Center, Orlando. 407-228-8272; StarsOfHopeUSA.org “The Year That Wasn’t: A Heartfelt and Humorous Musical Tribute to What We Missed in 2020,” June 3-4, Northland Churhc, Longwood.

407-937-1800; CFCArts.com First Friday: Celebrando Pride, June 4, Alianza for Progress, Orlando. 407-674-6123; Alianza.org Miz Cracker, June 4, Southern Nights, Orlando. 407-412-5039; Facebook.com/ SouthernNightsOrlando CommUNITY Rainbow Run, June 5, Wadeview Park, Orlando. onePULSEFoundation.org

Thursday, May 27, 1 p.m.

Facebook Live, virtual

Girls look long Indigo Girls take the outdoor stage with their new album, “Look Long” at the Dr. Phillips Center’s Frontyard Festival in Orlando May 29. Photo from DrPhillipsCenter.org

An Evening of Reflection and Promise, June 7, Facebook Live, virtual. OneOrlandoAlliance.org

The Florida Orchestra’s “Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto,” May 29-30, Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg. 727-892-5721; TheMahaffey.com

Jake Shimabukuro, June 10, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando. 844-513-2014; DrPhillipsCenter.org

Ballet Academy of St. Petersburg: “Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons,” May 29, The Palladium, St. Petersburg.

727-822-3590; MyPalladium.org

Tampa Bay

Broadway Star of the Future, May 29, Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa.

813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

“Touzeled,” June 5-6, Athens Theatre, DeLand. 386-736-1500; AThensDeLand.com

Voices of the Community: Dance, Dance, Dance, May 27, Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org Van Gogh & Floriography lecture, May 27, The Dali’s YouTube channel, virtual.

727-823-3767; TheDali.org Jennifer Real, May 28, The Pesky Pelican Brew Pub, St. Petersburg. 727-302-9600; PeskyPelicanBrewPub.com

Memorial Day Pool Party, May 31, GayStPete House, St. Petersburg. 727-365-0544; GayStPeteHouse.com The Allman Betts Band, June 4, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater. 727-791-7400; RuthEckerdHall.com Tampa International Hot Air Balloon Festival 2021, June 4-5, ZooTampa at Lowry Park, Tampa. 813-935-8552; ZooTampa.org “Daniel’s Husband,” June 4-20, West Coast Players, Clearwater.

727-437-2363; WCPlayers.org

Miz Cracker, June 5, Southern Nights, Tampa. 813-559-8625; Facebook.com/ SouthernNightsTampa

Join One Orlando Alliance executive director Josh Bell as he speaks with Rev. Terri Steed Pierce of Joy Metropolitan Community Church about the impacts of the Pulse tragedy on her as a person and on the Central Florida community. Rev. Pierce serves on the One Pulse Foundation Task Force and is part of an Orlando Pastor’s Coalition. Tune into One Orlando Alliance’s Facebook page to watch the free event.

Kim Murphy “Portraits of the Maven Leadership Collective Cohort” Thursday, June 3, 6-8 p.m.

LGBT+ Center, Orlando The Center Orlando will host the opening reception of its June Art Show featuring artist Kim Murphy’s “Portraits of the Maven Leadership Collective Cohort” June 3. The event is free and open to the public. A cash bar will be available. Part of the proceeds from art sold will benefit The Center Orlando and Maven Leadership Collective. For more information, visit TheCenterOrlando.org.

Painting in the Trap - LGBT Edition, June 6, Club 1828, Tampa. 813-531-4511; 813area.com/tampa/ybor-city/ nightlife/club-1828 “Shockhead Peter,” June 9-27, Jobsite Theater, Tampa. 813-229-7827; JobsiteThetear.org

Sarasota Drag Queen Bingo w/ Georgia Moore, May 30 & June 6, Bahi Hut Tiki Cocktail Lounge, Sarasota. 941-355-5141; BahiHut.com “Sophie Tucker: The Last of the Red Hot Mamas,” June 2-July 11, Florida Studio Theatre, Sarasota. 941-366-9000; FloridaStudioTheatre.org Diversity Voices of Sarasota presents Pride Concert, June 7, The Reserve, Sarasota. 941-253-6003; TheReserveSRQ.com

Tampa Bay Pride Flag Raising Tuesday, June 1, 11 a.m.

City Hall, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman will be joined by city officials, LGBTQ advocates and local residents as they raise the city’s Pride flag at St. Petersburg City Hall June 1 to signify the kickoff to St. Pete Pride’s month-long celebration. Local COVID-19 safety procedures will be in effect at the event. For more information on the Pride flag raising and other Pride events, visit StPetePride.com.

“RAINBOW” Friday, June 4, 6-6:45 p.m.

MIZE Gallery, St. Petersburg Mize Gallery presents “Rainbow,” an art exhibit featuring works form 40 local artists. Each artist was assigned a specific color — red, orange, yellow, green, aqua, blue, purple and pink — and will create a new work using shades of that color on a supplied circular canvas. For more information, visit ChadMize.com.

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

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

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A MONTH OF C E L E B R AT I O N S

T

T PE

EP R I DE .OR

G

ALL ARE WELCOME - LGBTQIA+ AND FRIENDS!

Outdoor Adventure Week

June 7th - June 13th Signature Event: We Are Family: June 12th

Arts & Music Week

Taste of PrideFest Week

June 14th - June 20th Signature Event: Arts + Qulture: June 19th

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Family Week

June 1st - June 6th Signature Event: Pride OUTside: June 5th

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

June 21st - June 30th Signature Event: Pride Picnic: June 26th

May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

announcements

tampa bay out+about

CONGRATULATIONS Tampa Bay entertainer Jay Miah was crowned Miss City Side 2021 May 16 at the LGBTQ hotspot.

“May your reign be blessed and full of love,” owner James Encke shared after the annual pageant.

Tampa Pride returned for a successful seventh season May 22. Read all about this year’s in-person celebration on p. 14 and view all of our photos at WatermarkOnline.com.

Tampa Bay entertainer Ashlee T. Bangkx was crowned Miss St Pete Pride 2021 May 23 at The Postcard Inn. The performer won in every pageant category for the event.

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Gulfport Pride will hold its inaugural celebration on May 29. Read more on p. 12 and at WatermarkOnline.com.

LGBTQ SUMMER CAMP Metro Inclusive Health has announced the return of its in-person LGBTQ+ Youth Summer Camp, held this year at the LGBTQ-inclusive Allendale United Methodist Church.

The organization will offer two sessions for teens ages 1317, July 5-9 and 12-16. Camp will be held Mon.-Fri. from 10am-4pm and signups began May 19.

Interested parties can contact Youth@MetroTampaBay.org with any questions and visit MetroTampaBay.org to learn more. Watch future issues of Watermark and visit WatermarkOnline.com for additional details.

LOCAL BIRTHDAYS Tampa Bay performer Amy DeMilo, Tampa Bay real estate agent Marvin Meeks, The Florida Orchestra’s Daryn Bauer, Sarasota country line dancer David Russell (May 27); Tampa Bay director Jonathan Van Dyke (May 28); St. Pete photographer Laurie Ross, St. Pete theater supporter Jon Hughes, Dunedin stylist Corey Judge, St. Pete entrepreneur David Fischer (May 29); St. Petersburg Target specialist Joe White, Former St Pete Pride grand marshal Cheryl Hawkes, Roo Roo’s Diner owner Nicholas Ellis (May 31); Lakeland tri-athlete Andy Orrell, St. Pete artist Logan Joseph, Tampa Bay entertainer Te Monet, Purple Rhino owner Bob Donaldson, City of Gulfport employee Jon K. Ziegler (June 1); Tribeca Salons owner Brandon Wagner, St. Pete Twirling Project’s Harry Correa, Watermark freelancer Gregg Shapiro, Swiftie superfan Jeremy Russo (June 2); Tampa Bay bartender Chris Hannay, Brandon Pride founder Mark Ferguson-Nokham, marketing director Timothy Evans, Jedi-in-training Derek Bailey (June 3); former Pom Pom’s St. Pete owner Tom Woodard (June 4); Sarasota derby icon Krista DiTucci, Tampa Coldwell Banker realtor Steve Wessels (June 5); VHA Nurse Steven Frost, Massage practitioner Ed Halleran (June 6); Florida Cane Distillery owner Pat O’Brien (June 7); Tampa Bay photographer Nick Cardello, Sarasota performer Lindsay Carlton-Cline (June 8); Tampa Bay chiropractor Joshua Carreiro, Computer Measurement Group VP Whitney Rousseau-Brundage, Tampa Bay EPIC Executive Director Joy Winheim (June 9).

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TAMPA PROUD: Tampa Mayor Jane Castor (L) walks the Tampa Pride Diversity Parade for the first time as mayor with partner Ana Cruz.

PHOTO COURTESY JANE CASTOR

2

DREAM TEAM: DJ L Mo (L) and Kori Stevens lead the 2021 Miss St Pete Pride pageant at Postcard Inn on the Beach May 23.

PHOTO COURTESY DJ L MO

3

ROYAL T: Miss Royal Pride of Nations Juno Vibranz (L) and Mr. Tampa Pride Kirk T. DaVinci take in the sights at The Florida Aquarium May 20 during Tampa Pride’s VIP Sponsors Party.

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5

Photo by Ryan Williams-Jent

4

HOME BASE: (L-R) Darren McCoy, Tara Webster, Brian Longstreth, Julie Longstreth, James Longstreth and Michael Scranton plan a Pride event for June 26 in Grand Central with Your Neighborhood Realty Associates May 24.

PHOTO COURTESY YNRA

5

TOUCH UP: Artists Saumitra Chandratreya (L) and Thompson Davis Kellett help refresh the Progressive Pride Street Mural May 17 on International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia.

PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT

6

FIRST OUTING: PFLAG Riverview proudly represents their chapter at Tampa Pride May 22, participating in the street festival for the first time. PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD

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7

QUEEN ME: City Side Lounge owner James Encke (R) welcomes the newly crowned Miss City Side Jay Miah to the family May 16. PHOTO COURTESY CITY SIDE LOUNGE

8

PICTURE PIERFECT: (L-R) Justin Geleta, Matt Morrin, Corey Malyszka and Jeffrey Lucas spend Sunday at the St. Pete Pier. PHOTO COURTESY JEFFREY LUCAS

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

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May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

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45

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watermark Your LGBTQ life.

May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

announcements

central florida out+about

CONGRATULATIONS Greater Orlando Performing Arts Relief, also known as GOPAR, surpassed its fundraising goal of $100,000 in donations the organization announced May 19. The funds are granted to eligible Central Florida performing arts workers, including onstage, backstage, production and management roles. With the pandemic abruptly canceling events and shutting down stages, many arts and entertainment industry professionals were left unemployed. Thanks to the community and their contributions to GOPAR, many of those out of work or even just behind on payments are being looked after in the Central Florida area.

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The ninth annual Celebrity Bartending Night at Savoy Orlando, which benefits The LGBT+ Center Orlando, returned May 18 with such celebrities as Orlando Sentinel columnist Scott Maxwell, Real Radio’s Sabrina Ambra, entertainer Axel Andrews, state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, Miss America 2004 Ericka Dunlap and The B-52’s front man Fred Schneider. The event raised more than $19,000 for The Center Orlando. Go to WatermarkOnline.com to see photos from the event.

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5

6

RESEARCH STUDY Three of the nation’s largest blood centers — Vitalant, OneBlood, and the American Red Cross — in partnership with The LGBT+ Center Orlando are seeking participants to join a new groundbreaking FDA-funded study in Orlando to consider new approaches for determining blood donation eligibility for men who have sex with men. If you are a gay or bisexual male between 18-39 years old and interested in becoming a blood donor, you may be eligible to participate. To gather the necessary data the blood centers are partnering with LGBTQ Centers in eight cities across the nation. The study looks to enroll 250–300 gay and bi men in Central Florida who meet the study eligibility criteria. Read more about the program on page 8.

LOCAL BIRTHDAYS Orlando hairstylist Jesse Colin Yeager (May 27); Orlando behind-the-scenes theater guru Bill St. Yves (May 29); Fairvilla peddler DC Bulla, Orlando-based photographer Jim Barrett (May 30); Spektrum Health CEO and medical provider Joseph Knoll, Peer Support Space executive director Yasmin Flasterstein; Orlando restaurant magnate Nicholas Olivieri (May 31);Ranger’s Pet Outpost founder Rick Merrifield, JJ’s Grille ownerJ.J. Paredes, Southern Nights Orlando performer Kitana Gemini (June 1); Orlando realtor Bobby Mills, Impulse Group Orlando’s David Rodriguez, Physical therapist Rob Ryan, Watermark freelancer Gregg Shapiro (June 2); Former Equality Florida public policy director Mallory Garner-Wells, Mojo Man owner Lane Blackwell, District Dive & the Hammered Lamb bartender Joel Gran (June 3); Central Florida transgender activist Angela Hunt (June 4); Orlando banker Luis Alberto Sousa-Lazaballet (June 6); Orlando artist Nick Smith, Orlando drag performer Addison Taylor (June 8); Freedom For All Americans VP of government affairs Hannah Willard, KangaGirl Productions diva Margaret Nolan(June 9).

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We’re in a Play: Members of the “Fucking Men” cast and crew take to the Fringe Lawn during Orlando Fringe May 23. Photo courtesy Coletyn Hentz

2

Stars Tend Bar: The B52’s front man Fred Schneider (L) and state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith tend bar at Savoy in Orlando May 18 for the ninth annual Celebrity Bartending Night. Photo by Pat Michael

3

Making Cocktails: The News Junkie’s Sabrina Ambra gets the vodka flowing at Savoy in Orlando May 18 for the ninth annual Celebrity Bartending Night.

Photo by Jeremy Williams

4

Hearts of Orlando: Kelly Ann Mcguire poses with Kim Murphy’s newly painted LGBTQ hearts mural on the side of the LGBT+ Center Orlando May 23. Photo

5

Mallrats: (L-R) Nick Smith, Bobby Mills and Kate Maini volunteer at onePULSE’s pop-up store at Bloomingdales in the Mall at Millenia in Orlando May 21.

Photo courtesy Nick Smith

6

Art Park: (L-R) Jerick Mediavilla, Omar Mediavilla and Josh Bell grab a selfie at the 62nd Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival May 15. Photo

7

courtesy Jerick Mediavilla

7

Seeing Double: Lynn “Moira” Dictor poses with a cutout of herself at the Orlando Rep during the Fringe Festival May 17. Photo

courtesy Lynn “Moira” Dictor

8

Book Club: Brandon Wolf shows off his copy of Ashley Brundage’s new book, “Empowering Differences” in Orlando May 12. Photo courtesy Sally Hogshead

courtesy Kim Murphy

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

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May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

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May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

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May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

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May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

53

wedding bells

Michelle and Karie Valdes from Plant City, Florida

Engagement Date:

Oct. 29, 2020

Wedding Date:

April 10, 2021

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pandemic has been for most people, Michelle and Karie Valdes might not have ever fallen in love and gotten married without it.

“I honestly don’t know what it would have been like without the pandemic,” Karie said. “It’s a bad thing, of course … but it brought us together.”

Before the pandemic, though, the two simply admired each other from afar.

For years, both have been active in the Plant City area. Michelle actually lived and worked in the city, also running her nonprofit, Operation Paying It Forward. Karie was involved in that community but lived nearby in Mulberry.

They initially crossed paths at a series of 2019 networking events.

They didn’t speak at the time but felt a “pull” to one another. By early 2020, when the pandemic started and the isolation set in, Michelle’s networking group began meeting online daily for happy hour.

“Literally every day we were on Zoom. We got very close,” she says.

One day, a couple months into this new pandemic routine, Karie showed up for the gathering.

“I’m sitting there in Zoom, having a drink, chatting with everyone and her image shows up on the screen,” Michelle recalls.

A million thoughts ran through her head: “That’s the girl. She’s on Zoom.

What is she doing here? Who invited her to our happy hour?”

Michelle adds, “And she was looking as beautiful as ever.”

She turned her camera off momentarily in a panic. After she calmed herself, she turned her camera back on and their relationship grew from there.

They eventually exchanged phone numbers and began having their own video chats separate from the group.

Then, an avid reader – especially on the subjects of positivity and self-improvement – Michelle told Karie last May that she was sending her a book to check out.

“’It’s a good book. You’ve got to read this book,’ I told her,” Michelle says. “The book wound up being two dozen red roses.”

Karie says, “There was a knock on the door. Nobody was out there and on the table was this huge thing of roses. I looked around like, what the hell is going on?”

The card attached to the arrangement said, “Hope you enjoy your book.”

She was casually dating a man at the time and unsure what to do about Michelle. Not long after the flowers were sent, she went on a trip to St. Augustine with her boyfriend and two sons.

“I was trying to date this guy.

Trying to make the square things fit in the round hole kind of thing,” she says. When their Zoom group found out about the trip, she told them, “Too bad you can’t all come up here.”

So, several of them decided to surprise her in St. Augustine. Michelle wasn’t convinced of the trip, at first.

“I’m not super spontaneous,” she says. “I don’t travel much. I’ve got to plan.”

One of their friends in the networking group convinced Michelle to go, however, telling her “to go get your girl.” When she arrived at the

hotel, “that was the first time on the trip that I was actually happy,” she says. “There was actually joy there.”

They’ve been together ever since, having built a strong foundation for their relationship because of the pandemic.

“It really did speed things up,” Karie says. “We knew in 2019 when we first saw each other that there was this fire. This gave us the time to really talk and get to know each other.”

Michelle planned to propose during a trip to the Georgia mountains for Thanksgiving with Karie’s family. She scrapped that idea when she learned that Karie’s niece was likely getting engaged on trip.

Still, she had a ring waiting for that perfect moment. Since early in their relationship, Michelle set a new tradition for them. No matter how busy they were with work and everyday life, they’d make a few minutes to put on some music and have a dance party.

“Every day, we set aside five minutes just for us and we’d dance to a song,” Michele says. Karie said she questioned the practice at first, but it soon became an essential part of her day.

“To me, it was beyond important.

It went from first being an awkward thing to ‘I need this,’” she explains.

“It was a huge part of our growth as a couple. Let’s cut the world out and take three to five minutes and just dance to a song or two.”

One morning in October, they took a long walk together. During this walk, they both got emotional as they talked about their mothers, who they both lost in recent years.

When they returned home, still feeling raw from the conversation, they did what they normally do before a busy workday: played a song and danced. While dancing, Michelle reached into a desk drawer and pulled out an engagement ring. They both kept dancing, and Karie, crying, eventually said yes.

They married six months later.

“It’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of,” Michelle says.

—Tiffany Razzano

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

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May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

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May 27 - June 9, 2021 // Issue 28 .11 wat e r m a r konline .com

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CHOOSE TO B.E. F.A.S.T. WHEN IT COMES TO STROKE.