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Parents Sue Florida Over Transphobic Trans Ban Gay Dads Explain How They Were Surprised With Triplets Pride Month: The LGBTQ History You Probably Didn’t Learn In School How Technology Can Create Safe Spaces for LGBTQ+ Youth Recover Is Always Possible AMC To Bite Into Some Very Hot Gayness
Peru is Open For Business, From 5-Star Dining to Machu Picchu Treks Here’s Your First Look at “We’re Here” Season 2 Jacksonville’s NEW Beach Gay Happening Spot & Visit Jacksonville Equality Florida’s Open Doors
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InCahoots: 711 Edison Ave. (904) 353-6316 www.Incahootsnightclub.com
Park Place: 931 King St. (904) 389-6616 Metro: 859 Willow Branch Ave. (904) 388-7192 www.MetroJax.com
Publisher/Executive Editor David Vandygriff Dvandygriff @cityxtramagazine.com Editor In Chief Dr. Harvey Carr hcarr@cityxtramagazine.com Director of Sales Adam Plante, Esq aplante@cityxtramagazine.com Creative Designer Debbie Johnson Djohnson @cityxtramagazine.com cityXtra Magazine is published by cityXtra Organization Inc . 2941 Plum Street Jacksonville, FL 32205 (904) 300-3320 www.cityxtramagazine.com Facebook/Twitter: cityxtra National Advertising Sales Rivendell Media (908) 232-2021 Ext 200 monique@rivendellmedia.com
Parents Sue Florida Over Transphobic Trans Ban By Brenda Davis
The parents of a 13-year-old girl have launched a federal lawsuit to challenge Florida’s reviled ban on trans girls taking part in school sports. Mounted by the Human Rights Campaign, one of the largest LGBT+ advocacy groups in the US, the lawsuit argues that the ban violates both the constitution and existing federal anti-discrimination law. It was filed on behalf of Daisy, an avid football player aged 13, and her parents. Under Florida’s anti-trans sports law, she will be forced to play either on the boys’ team or quit the sport altogether. “Playing sports makes me feel like I fit in,” Daisy said in a press release issued Wed (30 June). “The thought of not being able to play next year scares me. I’m going to be lonely and sad if I can’t place.”
said, “and are confused about why their state’s leaders, who are elected to represent them, are so determined to hurt them.
“There is no way to be more clear: transgender children are children; transgender girls are girls; transgender boys are boys; and our community deserves respect, dignity and equal protection under the law.”
Florida became the seventh US state this year to ban trans youth from competing on girl’s sports teams at the start of June. DeSantis signed SB1028 – dubbed “The Fairness in Women’s Sports Act” – into law on the first day of Pride Month, crushing kids like Daisy. According to the suit, Daisy has played football since she was eight, has played basketball and softball at school and currently is a goalie on three different soccer teams. The litigation states she first received gender-affirming healthcare in middle school and never encountered HRC hopes to send a message opposition from her to Florida governor DeSantis teammates, rival athletes, that “you cannot target our coaches or parents of fellow community without retribution”. players when it came to playing Further lawsuits will be filed sports. against similar laws in AK, MS Now working with the law firm and TN, it added. Arnold & Porter, her parents “Kids just want to play sports,” have rallied behind her efforts HRC president Alphonso David to challenge the ban. “It is a very helpless feeling to 06 www.cityxtramagazine.com
know that people think our daughter does not deserve the rights to play sports with her friends — she has been playing with them for the last seven years and it has not been an issue,” her parents said in a statement. “Taking this right away will only further isolate her from her peers. As her parents, we just want her to be happy.” HRC is taking aim at the legislation on several grounds. The suit argues that the ban violates the 14th Amendment, which guarantees Americans equal protection under the law, as well as Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in schools. The Department of Education extended Title IX protections to trans pupils earlier this month, saying that all trans youth deserve to “thrive“. The suit comes after the DOJ filed statements of interest in two similar lawsuits that aim to reverse laws in West Virginia and Arkansas that target trans athletes and gender-affirming healthcare respectively. The department said that such laws are unconstitutional.
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Gay Dads Explain How They Were Surprised With Triplets By Molly Sappington
TikTokers Jake and Sean share their daily adventures raising triplet babies with their 1.4 million followers. In addition to daily doses of cuteness, the couple, who go by the username @daddiestothree, also answer their followers’ questions about their surrogacy journey and how it all works. Recently, the couple responded to a user who asked how they ended up with triplets. “I don’t understand how surrogacy works,” the user wrote, “but I’m very curious. Were triplets naturally developed or did you choose an embryo that had triplets?”
children into the world. “We started with an anonymous egg donor that we found through a database,” Jake continued, “and she did an egg extraction and we fertilized half of those eggs with my sperm and half with Sean’s sperm and ended with 12 viable embryos. We did some testing so we knew which of those eggs were girls and which were boys and then we implanted one girl and one boy embryo, one of each of ours.” Sean explained that the girl embryo then split, resulting in three babies.
Sean started by saying this is a “It didn’t happen the way that really common question. we planned,” he said, “but we “Science is crazy!” added Jake, couldn’t imagine life any other who said it took four people to way.” bring their
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In another video, the couple opened up about the challenges they experienced building their family, saying that on their first attempt, they implanted two embryos and only one took. Twelve weeks later, their surrogate miscarried. They also discussed how their plans for the embryos they have left. “I’m pretty sure our family is done with three,” Jake said. “We’re kind of on the same page there. It sounds a little bit too hard for us to have other biological exact matches to our children, so we are leaning towards donating those embryos to science.”
there’s no turning back.” As a second summer of COVID-19 leads to more cancellations, it’s hard to imagine what Has The Pride ‘Bubble’ Burst Forever? Pride will look like when it By Jacob Wilson finally returns Could Pride be about to return to the post-pandemic era. to its radical roots? cityXtra investigates what the pandemic Ammaturo predicts we’ll see an increasing “questioning of the and a new era of protest inherent goodness of Pride” as means for the future. LGBT+ people and allies The past 18 or so months have demand more from the events changed the world in and their organizers, particularunprecedented ways, with ly in terms of intersectionality. lockdown and increased The past assumption that Pride attention on systemic racism and other injustices awakening is purely positive has meant “there is not enough attention many young people to the power of activism and protest, on the less positive or more problematic aspects” of a and the importance of model which largely caters to accountability. cisgender, white, able-bodied Suddenly, the problems people, and the corporations plaguing Pride – the sense it’s chasing their cash. become too sanitized and commercialized, more parade Now There’s Quite Clearly A Hook And A Reason To Be than protest – are getting Asking Difficult Questions harder and harder to ignore. “The bubble that presumed that This reckoning has already Pride events were this amazing reached Pride in London, whose five senior-most opportunity for the queer members were forced to resign community, I think that has earlier this year amid damning burst,” Dr Francesca Ammaturo, a senior lecturer in allegations of racism and bullying. sociology and human rights, tells cityXtra. The “culture of racism” at the top levels was exposed by “Last year really was the Rhammel Afflick, who quit his tipping point because of the convergence between COVID role as director of communications citing a and Black Lives Matter,” she “reluctance to accept that the says. “Once you lift the veil, once you open Pandora’s box, liberation of LGBT+ people must be coupled with the fight 10 www.cityxtramagazine.com
Has The Pride Bubble’ Burst Forever?
against sexism, ableism, racism and other forms of unacceptable discrimination”. Speaking to cityXtra, Afflick is keen to point out that none of these issues are new – he himself had been speaking of it for years, while other queer Black activists had been fighting far longer – but after the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, it suddenly went mainstream. “I think one of the reasons we’re having this recognition more publicly, because I wouldn’t say it’s a new recognition, but publicly, is that there’s now a space for it to happen,” he said. “What is new is perhaps the popularization of certain words, and certain elements of the conversation are available in mainstream media … There’s also a lot more queer Black people with platforms whose voices are now emerging on
the mainstream. And that, I think, has been shaking the table.” What it meant for Pride in London was an opportunity for people to hold organizers to account on an issue they didn’t know about before, or didn’t know well enough to speak out on. “Now, there’s quite clearly a hook and a reason to be asking difficult questions, particularly with Pride in London’s 20th anniversary coming up” he says.
democratization of Pride, with participants demanding more racial advocacy from the events. “An organization like Pride in London will not be able to dictate a certain line on the theme of Pride anymore as much as they used to do – and that will be the same for other countries,” she said. Afflick, however, is more cynical. He finds it harder to see a trend, pointing out that positive change from Pride in London only came about as a result of significant public Another factor which Afflick pressure. says “has been missed completely” is that the “I think it will be harder to upcoming generation is far avoid, is probably the easiest more politically engaged than way of saying it,” he said. “It’s many have previously realized. not that I think that we’ll see “They’ve been misrepresented action necessarily, but it will as disengaged because they’re certainly be something that [organizers] can’t avoid.” not taking part in formal processes, like local Nevertheless, some events are consultations on a road layout paying attention – like New or things like that,” he said. York City Pride, which recently “But actually young people are made the decision to ban all still politically astute, they know police until 2025 to “acknowledge their harm” to what’s happening and will genuinely turn up and support the community. something. And I think that is There’s been talk of other US an important context to this Pride events following suit, but conversation.” Ammaturo doesn’t think we’ll see a “sweeping movement” of Pride parades turning against the police, at least not outside the English-speaking world. “Other countries haven’t really arrived at the point where the police march openly at Pride,” she explained. While institutionalized racism certainly exists outside the US, Ammaturo predicts increasing the death of George Floyd engagement in these issues hasn’t been the same catalyst will prompt a “top down”
elsewhere, so we’re unlikely to see the level of animosity felt by NYC Pride. Pride And The Big Brand Backlash Ammaturo predicts the strongest backlash will be against corporate sponsors, warning that the question of commercialization “casts a very long shadow on the future of Pride”. “I think a good way of thinking about the position organizers now find themselves in is that Pride is so successful it’s become a victim of its own success,” she said. “There’s a huge amount of resources required to bring all of these amazing crowds together, crowds of hundreds of thousands, millions of people. It becomes so big that obviously the efforts of grassroots activists would not suffice.” Pride-goers no longer want to see floats of huge multinational corporations like Barclays, PWC and British Airways dominating the event at a time when grassroots activism is more powerful than ever – but the sponsors, unwelcome though they may be, are needed to foot the bill. Ammaturo highlighted the approaching conflict between the “growing sense of alienation” caused by big brands and their financial necessity at large -scale events – events which may no longer be feasible as we enter what experts predict will be an “age of pandemics”. www.cityxtramagazine.com 11
Has The Pride Bubble’ Burst Forever?
Both she and Afflick pointed to a potential future “fragmentation” of Pride, becoming smaller, safer celebrations that better represent marginalized communities. But in any case, Afflick says we shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss the corporate sponsors. “Often the demands people make of Pride organizations are quite simplistic. It’s: ‘Get rid of the corporate stalls! Get rid of the floats!’ And I can understand why people take issue with them being at the heart of something which is about basic human rights,” he said. “But actually, it doesn’t acknowledge how those organizations are constituted, and also the real breadth of people that we serve. 12 www.cityxtramagazine.com
“One of the things that frustrates me is when people say it should be a march alone and forget everything else,” he continued. “Pride has a multitude of objectives in terms of amplifying voices. There is, of course, a protest. But there’s elements around [queer music and culture] as well, and I think there’s something great about that.” Once They’ve Been Activated, I Don’t Think They’re Gonna Go Back As well as being a vital funding source, the presence of corporate sponsors at Pride grants a level of visibility and safety that many people wouldn’t feel at a protest. A parade or staged event is also easier for those who struggle with mobility – and issues of accessibility will only become more prominent after the virtual Prides of the COVID era. “For people with accessibility issues, [2020] was probably the first time many were able to get a glimpse of what these events would be like, because probably they had never participated or there were barriers to their participation,” Ammaturo said. “In the context of going back to ‘normal life’, I think this will be one of the main questions that Pride events will have to answer.” The Future Must Be Different One thing for certain, though, is that the dynamic has changed. The interruption forced by COVID-19 has unexpectedly
given people the breathing room to ask what they want and need of Pride going forward, and a year of Black Lives Matter marches has empowered them to demand it. “A lot of young people, especially people of color who participated in BLM protests, once they’ve been activated, I don’t think they’re gonna go back,” Ammaturo says. “They will bring their ferment, they will bring their activism wherever they go, be it Pride be any other political event. “So I think that there is a lot to be expected. And if those who organize Pride events go forward with the mentality of governing it as a single, coherent event, they will not succeed.”
members, we are partnering with the remarkable It Gets How Technology Can Create Safe Better Spaces for LGBTQ+ Youth Project to By David Vandygriff raise What a difference a year critical funds for its makes! Last summer my family important work. Please and friend pod celebrated Pride take a look at our Pride not in the streets of L.A. like we initiative, detailed on our blog, usually do but in the safety of and help us spread the word the backyard. I purchased about the trailblazing work that several new Pride flags and the It Gets Better Project does covered the yard with them to every single day, not just celebrate the month and my during June. husband’s birthday. Like so On a similar note, while we many members of our LGBTQ+ announced our program during community, we were trying to Pride Month, we will continue be safe from the virus by aspects of it throughout the staying home and yet still year to ensure that we create looking to celebrate our spaces in person and online progress and our pride. During that support our youth for the that time last year, our youth long term. Every day another were also home finding ways to young person starts their stay safe and to stay journey in embracing their connected online. authentic self, and every day is Unfortunately, the pandemic an opportunity for us to do our highlighted the reality that we part to celebrate their growth in still have a long way to go a way that is not performative when it comes to creating safe but transformative for an spaces for our community, LGBTQ+ person. even when we are in our own One of my favorite things about homes. As one of the leaders Pride is that it is always of StreamElements (a provider transforming. Our community of content creation tools with a continues to build on the large user community), a proud progress ignited by the heroes member of the LGBTQ+ of Stonewall, carrying through community, and a father of a to the impactful work of the teenager, I know that now more leaders of the It Gets Better than ever we need to work Project to consciously expand harder to create safer spaces our safe spaces. Those safe online for our youth. spaces allow our youth to revel As part of our commitment to in their powerful voices and build safer, inclusive spaces for discover what it means for our LGBTQ+ community them to be their vibrant, authentic selves. 14 www.cityxtramagazine.com
In that same vein of creating safe spaces, I continue to be inspired by the work of LGBTQ+ content creators and the inclusive communities they are creating. It’s no easy feat, mind you; these creators are on the front lines of vanquishing trolls to ensure authenticity can flourish.
It’s the reason I joined StreamElements, a company that powers the connection between creators and their audiences to strengthen community bonds. And it’s the reason that we are partnering with the It Gets Better Project to uplift and empower youth. I know I wouldn’t be who I am today without the support of my community. And whether it's celebrating Pride on the streets of Los Angeles, in our backyard with my family and friends, or with online communities, we must continue to transform the world into a better one than we found. Together with It Gets Better, we are committed to fueling the evolution of what Pride means to our community and to bring the spirit of safety and celebration to a new venue and a new generation. Happy Pride from our family to yours!
Recover Is Always Possible By Rich Holcomb
My name is Rich Holcomb, and I am in long-term recovery. My drug use brought me to some pretty terrifying places. Since I was a teenager, I found myself on the streets of various cities and countries getting high. Out of options and nowhere to go, I eventually started selling myself in exchange for money to support my drug addiction. I felt I had crossed the line of no return. Traumatized and defeated, I continued to use drugs.
As time went on, I started advocating on a state and federal level for specialized services and support for men with drug problems who sell sex to support their addiction. In my travels, I crossed paths with hundreds of addicts who had gone down a similar path, and I knew I was not alone. My goal was to make it easier for the next generation of In Nov 2007, I was individuals falling down this diagnosed with HIV. To my path to get the help & surprise, my perspective on support they need from peers myself and my life began to in recovery who could change. I had a choice: I could understand and relate to them. either use my diagnosis as an On Oct 1, 2013, after many excuse to continue using, or I years of advocacy & support, I could do my best to deal with it was finally able to open the first and move on. I decided to “turn drop-in center for male sex this curse into a blessing,” workers in the U.S. I named which is something I learned the organization Project from my predecessors in 12Weber, in honor of Roy Weber, step recovery programs. a sex worker who was I pursued a career in HIV murdered on Christmas Day prevention & eventually 2003. became a certified test Since then, the org. has grown counselor, working at the same and expanded beyond my agency that gave me my original vision to become diagnosis. Supporting Project Weber/RENEW and individuals newly diagnosed has included services to with HIV & trying to prevent include female and those at risk from acquiring the transgender clients. virus gave me a sense of We are on the streets daily in purpose. our mobile outreach vans providing rapid HIV & HCV
testing, food, water, safe injection kits, condoms, Narcan and rides to detox and substance abuse treatment centers. We meet each person where they are and support them through their stages of change.
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I hope I was able to help one person with the little bits and pieces I shared on this post today. You are not alone. Recovery is always possible. What three adjectives best describe you? Passionate, resilient, creative. What is your greatest achievement? Creating Project Weber. What is your greatest regret? Allowing my secrets to destroy me. What keeps you up at night? Wondering what lies ahead, both good and bad. If you could change one thing about living with HIV, what would it be? Keeping up with those damn doctor’s appointments. What is the best advice you ever received?
The only mistake is not learning from your mistakes. What person in the HIV/AIDS community do you most admire? Chad Allen Lazzari, a person who has used his voice to support and advocate for the LGBTQ community and those living with HIV. What drives you to do what you do? I believe in the work. It is much needed in our community. If the services and support we provide were there when I was a troubled kid, perhaps I would not have had to go through what I did. What is your motto? “Stand up for something or fall for anything.” If you had to evacuate your house immediately, what is the one thing you would grab on the way out? Old photo albums. I’m pretty sentimental. If you could be any animal, what would you be? And why? I was pretty much an animal when I was on the streets using drugs, so I’m cool with being human today. Alcoholics Anonymous is an international fellowship of men and women who have had a drinking problem. It is nonprofessional, selfsupporting, multiracial, apolitical, and available almost everywhere. problem. There are no age or education requirements. Membership is open to wanting help with addiction.www.AA.org
sequels. AMC has optioned all 18 novels and shared plans to spin off the stories into different, overlapping AMC To Bite Into Some franchises, Very Hot Gayness By Jennifer Reddish somewhat akin to the Television network AMC has Marvel Cinematic Universe. announced a new adaptation of Producer Mark Johnson, the the classic Anne Rice vampire producer of Breaking Bad and novel Interview with the Better Call Saul will oversee Vampire, set to debut on the development. Rolin Jones, channel next year. fresh off the success of the For the unbitten, Interview with network’s Perry Mason reboot the Vampire chronicles the life will showrun. of a vampire named Louis. “The challenge of adapting for After the death of his brother, television the groundbreaking he crosses paths with a and immensely compelling flamboyant vampire named work of Anne Rice is both Lestat who shares the “dark intimidating and exhilarating,” gift,” making him a vampire as Johnson said in a statement. well. The two become a gay Having previously produced couple of sorts, traveling the films from such singular works, world and even adopting a I recognize both the vampire child named Claudia, responsibility and the obligation and watching society evolve we owe the material. I strongly from pre-industrial to modern. believe that with AMC and Rolin Jones we are equipped The book, published in 1976, to meet this challenge and to won wide acclaim and thrill and entertain both the spawned a whole series of loyal Anne Rice fan and the
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viewer who is just now discovering her work.” In addition to Jones and Johnson, Anne Rice and her son Christopher will also produce. Interview with the Vampire went before the cameras before in the popular 1994 film, directed by Neil Jordan and starring Tom Cruise, Antonio Banderas and Brad Pitt. Despite the success of the film, some vocal fans felt censorship of the time constrained the movie’s ability to explore the homoerotic relationship between Louis and Lestat. Thankfully, standards have since evolved, so we’re hoping for some very gay vampires in the new series. Interview with the Vampire will debut on AMC in 2022.
Peru is Open For Business, From 5-Star Dining to Machu Picchu Treks By Dru Padgett
As the world slowly reopens to travel in a post-pandemic era, Peru beckons with increased safety protocols for visitors to one of the world’s ultimate travel destinations. The U.S. State Department last week removed the South American nation from its ‘do not travel’ lists of countries, while Peru had lifted quarantine restrictions for nearly all international travelers in March.
in the country. Mask use is mandatory in public, and double masks are sometimes required to enter highly populated establishments such as shopping centers. Safety protocols are strictly enforced in the country.
Peru is a bucket list destination for a broad range of travelers, from the foodie in search of world class dining in Lima, to Visitors will still have to the history buff looking for the provide proof of negative intersection of Incan civilization results from an approved test and Spanish colonialism in before boarding a plane to the Cusco, to the adventure country. Passengers must have traveler seeking the challenge a negative molecular (PCR), an of trekking across the Andes or antigen test, or a medical floating through an Amazonian certificate of epidemiological rainforest. And, of course, discharge performed not Machu Picchu is near the top of greater than 72 hours prior to everyone’s travel list. Peru is arrival. also the ultimate in environmental diversity, Only passengers from Brazil, possessing 84 of the Earth’s India, and/or South Africa, or known 103 ecosystems in three those who made a layover in climate zones—the coastal one of those countries, must plateau, Andes mountains, and still quarantine in their home, Amazon jungle. accommodation, or isolation center for two weeks after There are some caveats for the arriving in Peru. LGBTQ traveler, though. Peru is still making strides when it Masks are still required in nearly all areas of public life in comes to issues of tolerance and basic rights. The Peru. A mask or face shield must be worn to board planes machismo aura prevalent or other forms of transportation within many Latin cultures is also strong here, and this becomes more prevalent the 20 www.cityxtramagazine.com
further one travels from Lima. Same-sex couples should have no problem renting a room with one bed in the more deluxe hotels in Lima, but should exercise caution when roughing it or in isolated areas. Couples should also refrain from PDAs except in more affirming districts of Lima such as Miraflores or Barranco in the nation's capital. A reputable tour organizer with experience planning for LGBTQ+ travelers can ensure you make the right choices for each locale. A leading provider of travel to Peru is Mountain Lodges of Peru. MLP arranges a wide arrange of pre-designed or more personalized travel packages to the famed mountain citadel, from a hiking adventure along ancient Indigenous Andean and rain forest trails to more traditional tours using their string of remote yet exclusive luxury lodges. Their 5-day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu via the Salkantay Pass and Sacred Valley was just voted by Travel & Leisure to their list of incredible adventure vacations. MLP tells Out Traveler they’ve been safely welcoming back guests since April using an updated set of protocols.
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Here’s Your First Look at “We’re Here” Season 2 By William Rudolph
still don’t know where the drag In case you haven’t heard, football is queer, according to a trio are traveling this time around, we finally got our first new video from the NFL. preview of the new episodes At least three queens got the when HBO tweeted out a photo memo: Bob the Drag Queen, yesterday (June 29). These Eureka O’Hara, and Shangela, looks are a touchdown, henny! who are sporting some fierce, football-inspired fashion in the Speaking to Logo last year, first image from the upcoming Bob, Eureka, and Shangela all second season of HBO’s We’re agreed that they would love to return to their small hometowns Here. in the upcoming season. “I’ll go Last summer, HBO renewed anywhere because I loved it, the Emmy-nominated but I really want to come back unscripted series for Season 2, to my hometown of Paris, but production was put on Texas. I think that would be pause due to the ongoing something super special,” said COVID-19 pandemic. While we Shangela. “All of us are from
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small towns. Eureka’s from a small one in Tennessee, and Bob’s from a small one in Georgia.” Eureka was even thinking outside the continental 48: “I would love to be able to do a Hawaiian city. There’s a big drag circuit in Hawaii, but that has its own element of small town-ness because it’s native to Hawaii. Maybe even Alaska, it’d be fun!” Could we see a drag queen lūʻau? Guess we’ll find out when We’re Here Season 2 premieres later this year on HBO.
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Jacksonville’s NEW Beach Gay Happening Spot & Visit Jacksonville By David Vandygriff
As we closed out pride month many locals did not notice the new addition to www.VisitJacksonville.com website. The Visitors Bureau of Jacksonville added gay pride events and added an LGBTQ+ Travel Guide to Jacksonville page. A true first for Jacksonville but welcomed change in our local government. The page offers information of where to stay, where to eat, and where to visit during your stay in Jacksonville if you happen to be LGBTQ+. As we move forward we noticed a NEW little gay hot spot at Jacksonville Beach called Tulua Bistro. Tulua Bistro is located at 798 3rd Street Jacksonville Beach, Florida. A gay owned restaurant by Joey Brown has now begun drag bingo on Tuesday nights and hosting brunch on Saturday morning. All hosted by the infamous Karrissa Wade. To find out the time and make reservations visit www.TuluaBistro.com Happening this month is the 9th Annual Rainbow Awards Show on July 10th at Friday Musicale. The Rainbow Awards Show honors 6 individuals, an organization and a business, along with 48 voted various awards for the LGBTQ 24 www.cityxtramagazine.com
community. For more information visit www.RainbowEvents.com/ RainbowAwardsJax
but successful campaign to Don’t forget about the summer expand Jacksonville’s human season kick-off of kickball with rights ordinance to cover the LGBTQ community. Midyette is Stonewall Sports Jax Sunday also an award-winning July 11th at Willow Branch Park. Sorry, too late to sign-up attorney, who began his legal career 20 years ago at as this season sold-out with 400 players. A mention and big Jacksonville Legal Aid before spending time in private congrats to JASMYN the practice and at the ACLU of recipient of $10,000 from Stonewall Sports Jax’s Spring Florida. A fixture in Jacksonville Season. We expect a lot more politics, Midyette has been a to come from the organization. candidate for public office and served mayors of both parties Oh yeah! Go help the Queens in volunteer roles with the city. Sweet Tea & Gizzelle He traces his deep roots in the Alexzandria Cliché out on Territory of Florida to the 1830s Thursday July 8th at when his forbearers settled and Hamburger Mary’s Jax, as they thrived upon the longleaf pine raise money to help with Miss flatwoods of western Duval Glamorous Newcomer Pageant County. “I’m excited to join the entry. The line-up is massive indefatigable team at Equality and guaranteed to be a NOT Florida in the fight for full TO MISS show. Reservations equality for all LGBTQ people,” are encouraged. To make said Midyette. “These are the reservations visit battles worth winning, and www.Facebook.com/ Jacksonville is a vital wellspring HamburgerMarysJax of energy and strength for this fight. Our strong LGBTQ Congrats to Jimmy Midyette, community and steadfast allies Esq. on becoming Equality have no quit in them, and Florida’s North Florida neither do I.” Development Office. Midyette is a co-founder of the highly We encourage every one to successful Jacksonville remain cool and well hydrated Coalition for Equality where he during July in Florida. LOL We served as chairperson and hope you enjoy your vacations. legislative director in the long
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Equality Florida’s Open Doors By Equality Florida
Open Doors is a mobilefriendly statewide business directory that spotlights merchants, faith organizations, and other companies that have implemented LGBTQ inclusive nondiscrimination in their policies and in their practices of running their business. This multi-lingual resource is part of our effort to ensure that people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and marginalized communities feel welcome and protected in their daily lives and can be selective about where they spend their dollars. Research has demonstrated a correlation between a commitment to diversity, fairness and equal opportunity and a vibrant economy that draws top talent and loyal customers. Open Doors allows you to identify those companies who stand by our community. Non-discrimination issues are being discussed in the Florida state legislature, the U.S. Congress, and the U.S. Supreme Court. And while
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some progress has been made, it remains important for us to identify and promote businesses that support equality.
In this current climate of pandemics and social injustice, consumers are paying attention to corporate social responsibility and want to know that the businesses they support respect equality, fairness and equal opportunity for their employees and customers. We believe honoring those companies that set the standard with comprehensive policies is the best way to encourage others to promote inclusivity and to strengthen Florida's reputation in recruiting and retaining a talented workforce. Open Doors is brought to you by Equality Florida, the largest civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for Florida's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) community. Through lobbying, grassroots organizing, education, and coalition building, we are changing Florida so that no one suffers harassment or discrimination on the basis of
their sexual orientation or gender identity. Partnership with Open To All: Equality Florida has joined forces with the national program called Open To All which highlights companies and businesses who pledge to implement non-discrimination policies and practices for their employees and their customers. Members of their coalition include such national brands as Gap, Michael’s, and Old Navy. If you sign up for the Open Doors program, you will automatically be included on their platform (unless you opt out). This gives our directory listings additional exposure on a tool that is used nationally. For more information and/or to sign-up your business today visit www.OpenDoorsFlorida.com
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