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FLORIDA’S MOST READ LGBT PUBLICATION Florida’s LBGT Magazine
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November 2012
Contents 07 12 14 17 19 21 23
Jacksonville Coming OUT Elections Jack Mackenroth Prop 8 Don’t Drink Haterade GLBT Adoption OUT: Vegas
Publisher/Executive Editor: publisher@cityxtramag.com Creative Designer: designer@rcityxtramag.com Sales Department: sales@cityxtramag.com cityXtra Magazine is published by cityXtra Magazine, LLC. 2941 Plum Street Jacksonville, FL 32205 (904) 410-9592 www.cityxtramag.com
Nightlife
JACKSONVILLE
616:616 Park St. 904.358.6969 AJ Bar & Grill:1024 Atlantic Blvd 904.805.9060 Boot Rack:4751 Lenox Blvd 904.384.7090 Bo’s Club:201 5th Ave N 904.246.9874 Club Jax:1939 Hendricks Ave 904.398.7451 Hamburger Mary:3333-1 Beach Blvd 904.551.2048 Incahoots:711 Edison Ave 904.353.6316 Park Place:931 King St 904.389.6616 Metro:859 Willow Branch Ave 904.388.7192 The Norm:2952 Roosevelt 904.384.0029 ORLANDO
Parliament House:410 Orange Blossom Trail 407.425.7571 parliamenthouse.com ST. PETERSBURG
Flamingo Resort: 4601 34th St. S (727) 321-5000 Sporters Bar: 187 Dr. MLK St. N 727.821.1920 TAMPA (Ybor)
Bradley’s on 7th:1510 E 7th Ave 813.241.2723 Liquid Tampa: 1502 E 7th 813.248.6104
It may come as a surprise to learn that Jacksonville actually is the largest city proper in Florida, with a population of over 1,300,000. Located in the northeast corner of the state on the St. Johns River, Jacksonville has witnessed a surging gay community in recent years. In spite of the city's conservative roots and image, The Advocate ranked Jacksonville as one of the "top 5 emerging cities of gays and lesbians." Evidence of
JACKSOVILLE
city: Jacksonville
this progressive trend can be witnessed by the burgeoning San Marco, Riverside or Avondale neighborhoods, where you can stroll to sample the eclectic charm, retro boutiques and visible gay culture. Jacksonville has maintained its uniquely southern flavor while attracting a significant population of gay men and lesbians from all regions, seeking a better economy, less expensive housing and, of course, the endless Florida sun.
Parts of the city feel distinctly Southern, while other neighborhoods capture the distinct Spanish Colonial flair of the region - it's just a 30-minute drive south to America's oldest city, St. Augustine. The gay scene has grown tremendously in the area of late.
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OUT Elections By David Vandygriff business, seven of those assemblies will welcome for the first time an openly gay member. “This is America after unprecedented voter support for what a tipping point looks like,” wrote gay rights same-sex marriage in four states. But beyond scholar Nan Hunter of Georgetown University Law Maine, Minnesota, Maryland and Washington, Center, on her blog, Hunter of Justice. Equally Election Day 2012 produced other milestones and jubilant was the nation’s largest gay rights will likely be remembered as the day gay rights advocacy group – the Human Rights Campaign – came fully out of the closet to take its place which was still headlining the news on its website among other facets of everyday public life in as late as Friday: “Equality Landslide. Unprecemainstream America. dented mobility for equality.”
Gay is closer to ordinary than it has ever been in
By winning at the polls in those four states, gay rights supporters ended an unbroken losing streak that had dated to 1998, when Hawaii voters overwhelmingly voted to amend their constitution to let lawmakers ban gay marriage. State legislatures, notably New York’s last year, have legalized gay marriage, but never before had voters endorsed the idea at the ballot box.
Opponents saw the results in no less urgent terms. “Evangelical Christians must see the 2012 election as a catastrophe for crucial moral concerns,” the Rev. Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville wrote on his influential blog the morning after the election. The votes in favor of gay marriage in Maine and the other three states should sound a call to action for Christian Public opinion on gay marriage, like on most conservatives. “After 33 victories, last night things political in today’s America, remains split. brought multiple defeats. Kentucky and Tennessee, barely a third of … Clearly, we face a respondents favor gay marriage. But everywhere new moral landscape in else the question is either much closer, or America.” Archbishop decidedly favorable. Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco, leader of But those numbers only hint at a broader the church’s opposition momentum. Gay rights supporters won other to gay marriage, said no prizes, as well. Across the country, gay vote will change the truth candidates and those who were strongly about marriage. supportive of gay rights won their races. “November 6… was a Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin was elected in disappointing day for Wisconsin (GOP Vice-presidential candidate Paul marriage, as the effort to Ryan’s home state), to become the nation’s first preserve the unique meaning of marriage in the openly gay senator when the new Congress law lost by only a narrow margin in four states, forms. Meanwhile, the man who won the right to even though vastly outspent by those who replace her in the House of Representatives is promote the redefinition of marriage,” Cordileone gay, too, and he’ll join five others who are openly said in a statement released by the U.S. gay in that body, according to the Gay and lesbian Conference of Bishops. “The meaning of Victory Fund, which contributes to campaigns by marriage, though, cannot be redefined because it gays and gay-friendly candidates. When state lies within our very nature. No matter what policy, legislatures across the country return for law or judicial decision is put into place; marriage
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is the only institution that unites a man and a woman to each other and to any children born of their union. It is either this, or it is nothing at all.” Professor Michael Klarman of Harvard Law School, whose book From the Closet to the Altar: Courts, Backlash and the Struggle for Same-Sex Marriage was published last month, told cityXtra Friday that the election’s results should be seen as a powerful indicator of where the country is headed. “Tuesday’s results demonstrate with clarity the sorts of changes that people kind of understood were happening but didn’t have sufficient direct confirmation of,” he told cityXtra. He says at least on some level, the votes in favor of gay marriage shouldn’t be surprising, given that public opinion polls have shown shrinking opposition to gay marriage nationwide and that some analysts like Nate Silver of The New York Times’ FiveThirtyEight Blog have seen even in the string of losses on the issue growing support that would eventually turn into success in the ballot box. Klarman adds, “But the fact that things actually played out as one might have predicted now disrupts the standard narrative that whenever people actually vote on gay marriage, they reject it. Now that’s no longer true—and in a big way. In all 4 states voting on the issue on Tuesday, the voters rejected the anti-gay marriage position.” So what’s next? Klarman says activists will be pushing more ballot measures and upping the pressure on legislatures to grow the total number of states where marriage is legal into the double digits. Sooner than that, the long-simmering legal challenges in federal court which seek to end legal barriers to gay marriage will be considered by the Supreme Court. Those cases include lower -court decisions seeking to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act of 1996 and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision overturning California’s 2008 constitutional amendment ending gay
marriage in that state. Most observers think the court will take one or more of the cases, and if they do, Klarman said it’s entirely possible that Tuesday’s results could be influential on the justice most likely to be the swing vote on the issue. “It is possible that these results might influence how a judge like Justice Kennedy thinks about the issue, because we know his constitutional jurisprudence is not indifferent to the force of public opinion,” Klarman says. Still, no one expects a Supreme Court ruling before next year. So for now, perhaps the biggest political impact of Tuesday’s results will be in the healing it represents for gay and lesbian voters who had been scarred by President Obama’s previous record on their civil rights. That rift began four years ago, when gay rights supporters were thunderstruck to see that in reliably blue California, the same voters Obama had pulled to the polls through a historic outreach had stayed in the booths long enough to check ‘yes’ on Prop 8. That was the amendment that halted gay marriage in the Golden State and eviscerated one of the most powerful gay rights rulings ever issued by a state supreme court. A string of setbacks for gay rights followed, culminating in a vote two years ago in Maine, where activists had been convinced the State’s independent-minded voters would vote down an amendment aimed at preventing gay marriage. They were soundly disappointed. All along, Obama kept to the sidelines on gay marriage – even keeping quiet in June of last year when he was raising money in Manhattan at the same time state lawmakers were engaging in guerrilla warfare over whether to make gay marriage legal in New York. But Obama began applying salve to those wounds in May, when he became the first major presidential candidate, not to mention sitting president, to support gay marriage. On Tuesday, elated gay voters rewarded the Obama campaign by casting their ballots for him three to one. The bandages can now be removed.
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Jack Mackentroth: Volttage
a sense of community and acceptance.' 'We take the stance that everyone should assume their partner is HIV positive and proceed accordingly,' Mackenroth adds. 'Asking someone their
Jack Mackenroth, one of the first openly HIV-positive contestant in the history of the reality show competition Project Runway, has launched a social networking site for HIV positive men. Mackenroth describes Volttage.com is 'much more than a hookup site' although it certainly offers the possibility of romantic encounters for members. The fight, which signed up more than 600 members in its first day, offers gay men living with HIV a place to develop and foster friendships and relationships with other members. It also offers opportunities to learn about HIV and AIDS, medical advances and other health and lifestyle information.
status is rather pointless, as people may not know or even lie about it to avoid rejection. 'We encourage members to be out and proud but we understand that the stigma can be prohibitive so members control all of their own content. I hope that the sense of community will help members ‘ come out’ about their status over time.'
'Sex sells,' says Mackenroth, who will appear on the site with other HIV positive models. 'But we are much more than a hookup site. We provide an alternative for HIV positive men who often feel stigmatized and discriminated against on the other sites. As the site develops and grows, we will incorporate features like forums and blogs that will strengthen
Mackenroth was forced to withdraw from Project Runway in the fifth episode of season four due to a serious MRSA staph infection completely unrelated to his HIV.
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Prop 8
decided. If chosen it is scheduled for briefing and Oral Argument.
The proponents of Prop 8 have already filed a brief asking the court not to hear it arguing mainly By Carrington Mead, Esquire that 1) the previous court ruling properly applied previously decided SCOTUS case law; 2) that it already makes clear Prop 8 violates the rights of ill the Prop 8 make the case for same-sex LGBT citizens right to equal protection and due process; and/or 3) the decision by the 9th District marriage? Court of Appeals (DCA) is so narrow as to not be easily applied on a nationwide, state by state, As we near the close of another year and participate in the electoral process, many LGBT basis. Why would they do this? citizens will be waiting to see what route some of Well, if SCOTUS hears it and agrees with the 9th the accomplishments in LGBT rights will take in DCA it could prove to be the impetus of a this next term. nationwide revolt amongst the conservative right. This year has seen a record number of cases Essentially, it would allow other states to prevent involving LGBT rights wind their way through the same-sex marriage or any like right by merely lower federal courts and fall on the steps of the prohibiting laws that give rights to same-sex Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). couples. The 9th DCA largely pointed to all the One of the many cases before the SCOTUS is codification in the California laws that gave LGBT Hollingsworth v. Perry, commonly known as the people all the rights of heterosexual married couples, but prohibited marriage per se. Thus, Prop 8 case. The they pointed out, you cannot give same-sex case has made it to couples all the rights of married people and tell the list of cases them they can't call which have been themselves married. "distributed" for To do so, proves no conference on other purpose than to September24, 2012. discriminate.
W
What does mean?
that
So, if SCOTUS agrees with the 9th DCA then it may seal the fate of This is the first stop a case makes after many LGBT people. being accepted for Especially those of us review. A strong living in hostile states majority of cases like don't even make it this far after being Florida. This one case reviewed for their merit to address issues of constitutional importance that may have long could send us light range effect on citizens on a nationwide basis. years back. This review is usually performed by law clerks Ms. Mead is a member of the Family Law Institute of (lawyers) who have been hired to assist the the National LGBT Bar Association and licensed to justices. Once the cases are picked for distribution the cases are assigned to clerks for practice in the State of Florida and Federal Middle District Court of Florida. The information expressed in briefing and are presented at the distribution conference where the justices listen and discuss this article are for educational purposes and should not the facts of the case and the legal issue(s) to be be construed as legal advice.
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Don’t Drink Haterade By Dr. Harvey Carr
You probably don't have to think very hard to
right, until his neighbor comes and examines him."
When we negatively judge what someone else has, we are saying they have been unfairly blessed. We think we know better than God how things should be done!
conjure up an image of someone in your life who Anytime I find myself second-guessing God's judgment or blessings, I know it's time to check can be classified as a hater. my moral compass and recognize that I am only Haters are people who cannot be happy for accountable for what I do with my own riches. another person's success. n some cases, haters It is also important to note that many of the are envious of the person they "hate on." "blessings" people hate on can actually be a "In other cases, "hating" is simply a way for haters "curse" to those who experience them. Ask the to feel bigger by belittling someone. Rather than lottery winners who are now broke. sharing in the happiness of someone's achievement, they are compelled to knock the individual Instead of looking at another person and feeling bitter about what you don't have, examine yourself down by exposing a perceived defect in that person. You may think you are above all this. No and appreciate what you do have: employment, food, family, shelter. Riches come in forms other "haterade" for you, right? than dollars and cents. Have you counted your Not so fast! Did you follow the tabloids' coverage friends, influence, personality traits, skills, of the intelligence, talents or Kardashian divorce? Did you education? talk with coworkers about whether Kobe cheated? Maybe you don't have access to more because Do you question your God can't trust you to be neighbor buying a BMW – faithful with what you do while you're stuck in have. foreclosure? Matthew 25:23 says, "To If you step back for a him who multiplied what he moment, you have to realize was given, His lord said to that you will never know the him, 'Well done, good and whole truth about any of faithful servant; you have those people. You'll never been faithful over a few understand their struggles, things, I will make you ruler gifts, pain and purpose. over many things…." If you drink the haterade you The bottom line is this: it's will find yourself poisoned wrong to hate on other with gossip, envy and negapeople. Period. Jesus tells us in Mark 12:30-31 tivity. Remember, to bring people down, you must that the two greatest commandments are to love be beneath them. God and love our neighbors as ourselves. We are When the talk turns tabloid, ask yourself, "Why to be the people of love and grace, not of am I having this conversation? What is the goal? condemnation, and certainly not relishing in the Does it honor or edify another person?" If not, grief and failure of our brothers and sisters or walk away! bemoaning their success. Proverbs 18:13 and 17 teaches, "He who answers Whatever you do, don't drink the haterade – it's a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to poison. him.…The first one to plead his cause seems
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GLBT Adoption
are as parents. We share our experiences, our goals, and our hopes when we become parBy Gordon T. Nichol, Attorney ents. Adoptions change the lives of our children. We can For years we have been treated rights. She fought against G/L/B/ provide direction and hope like second class citizens. We T adoptions. She argued that if where there wasn’t any. have been denied the right to gay people had the right to take care of our life partadopt children we would start Having a family is not something ners. We have been denied the marrying our dogs – she was that we can take for granted. right to create our families and one of the first to get “credit” for raise our that horrible We still have a way to go. We children. G/L/B/T parents have saying. She accused us of still have to fight for every had their children taken away being unfit parents. She accused because of being gay. We have us of being child molesters. had Courts rule that we should- Because of her, we were pren’t raise or even be around our vented from adopting chilown children. dren. Because of her, G/L/B/T people lost the hope of ever We have had Courts tell us that having the joy of raising our children. we will never be able to adopt.. For years, we have had Florida Courts deny us the right to adopt children and start our families. This ban goes back almost 40 years. It may be hard to believe but the ban on gay adoptions stems back to Anita Bryant. Some of you will remember her. Others will ask who she is. So who is Anita Bryant? She was a former beauty pageant winner who went on to become the national spokeswoman for Florida orange juice. In the late 70’s and early 80’s, she used her celebrity status to fight against G/L/B/T
And now in 2012, adoptions are starting to move in a different direction. I want to share a life changing adoption case. I am representing a G/L/B/T couple who want to adopt. After a long hard legal fight – with research of Federal and State statutes and cases covering the past 40 years - I just received the Order from the Judge to finalize their adoption. This adoption will change the couple’s lives and their child’s life.
adoption on a case by case basis. In Florida every adoption is a new fight. We still have to keep fighting - for the right to be married and the right to be able to adopt. Know that every battle, every victory changes our lives. Every victory changes the lives of our children. Every victory changes the lives of other families who are going through the sow far we have come.
Every legal situation is different. Adoptions really are life changBe sure to seek legal advice as ing. Adoptions change who were needed.
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ST. LUKE’S COMMUNITY CHURCH
Weekly Services Sunday School 8:30 am Sunday Worship 10:00 am Wednesday Bible Study 7:00 pm PROCLAIMING GOD’S INCLUSIVE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE FOR ALL PEOPLE
1140 McDuff Ave S Jacksonville, FL 32205 904.389.7726 stlukescommunitychurch.org
Xtra Out: Vegas
Begin the next day with a hearty breakfast at Serendipity 3, located at Caesar’s By Joey Amato Palace. The New York-based restaurant offers supersized What happens in portions ranging from Crab Vegas, stays in Vegas…unless Cakes Benedict, to The Hangyou’re a journalist and have to over Omelet and Egg White write about it! My first trip back Shrimp Frittata. Try one of Serto Sin City in over 12 years endipity’s Frrrozen Hot Chocoproved to be a memorable lates or their popular Lookie one. Not only was I surprised by Lookie Gimme Cookie Sundae, its enormity, but I was also both are customer shocked to see how upscale and favorites. chic the city has become. 40Susan Feniger of the Food Walk off breakfast story glass towers line the strip Network’s “Too Hot inside The Forum Shops at from Mandalay Bay to the Tamales.” The two-story cantina Caesar’s Palace, a shopping, Stratosphere. New hotels are offers some of the best Mexican- dining and entertainment mecca everywhere, from the gigantic inspired flavors in Vegas. THE featuring over 160 boutiques, 13 City Center compound to my hotel is located within walking restaurants and a menagerie of residence for the stay, THEhotel distance to Crystals at City Roman fountains, sculptures at Mandalay Bay. Center, the magnificent indoor and art. Or if relaxation is deGuests entering THEshopping mall where you will sired, head to Qua Baths & Spa hotel are greeted by a modern, find everything from Bulgari and where guests can enjoy Roman minimalistic lobby, quite uncom- Christian Dior to Paul Smith and baths, an herbal steam room mon when compared to the opu- Versace. and even an Arctic Ice room, lent Chihuly-lined ceiling of the Directly across the where the 55˚ Bellagio. The all-suite property street from City Center is the temperatures provide instant boasts large guest rooms with Cosmopolitan, one of the newest stress relief. Massage separate living spaces, relaxing hotels to open in Vegas. One of treatments range from traditional soaking baths, walk-in showers the highlights of my trip was a Thai to Hot Stone with Aroand luxury linens throughout, not visit to The Chandelier, a matherapy and Hawaiian Lomito mention sweeping views of breathtaking bar that is almost Lomi, an experience based on the Las Vegas skyline. too majestic to describe in Hawaiian concepts of working One of the most words. The three-story venue, with the body, mind and spirit. majestic parts of THEhotel is located in the center of the Those looking to catch miX.The rooftop restaurant and casino is one of the most some rays while gazing at the ultra-lounge decorated with beautifully designed spaces I hottest eye candy on the strip hundreds of Murano glass have ever seen. should visit Temptation Sunspheres is quite a site. Floor-toLas Vegas is all about days. The weekly LGBT pool ceiling windows provide the best entertainment and what better party at the Luxor is the place to view of the strip and a 15-foot way to start the Vegas see and be seen. glass cellar holds approximately experience than with a visit to Le As my fabulous Vegas 7,000 bottles of wine from Rêve – The Dream at Wynn Las vacation draws to a close, I am around the world. Vegas. The Franco Dragone already planning my next visit. For a more ethnic meal, production is an aquatic head to Border Grill, a delightful spectacle featuring synchronized For more information, visit www.lvcva.com Mexican restaurant operated by swimmers, aerialists and a Chefs Mary Sue Milliken and multi-million dollar stage design.
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