Agenda Florida Issue 275 by Multi-Media Platforms

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FEBRUARY

FT LAUDERDALE • JACKSONVILLE • KEY WEST

25,

2015

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ISSUE

275

MIAMI • ORLANDO • TAMPA / ST PETERSBURG

Page 25

SAME-SEX PARENTS TO CREATE BABIES FROM SKIN CELLS WITHIN TWO YEARS Page 24

February 25, 2015

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February 25, 2015

PHILIPPINE COURT ENTERS NOT-GUILTY PLEA FOR U.S. MARINE

GMA ONLINE NEWS

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The anti-tank misANILA, sile man from BrisPhilippines tol, Massachusetts, (AP) — A Philipwas bar-hopping pine court entered with fellow Marines a not-guilty plea at the time after Monday for a U.S. participating in Marine charged joint U.S.-Philippine with the murder of military exercises. a transgender FiliAmong the evipino, who authoridence submitted ties say he killed by government after finding out prosecutors were her gender when Joseph Scott Pemberton statements by three they checked into Marine colleagues a motel. who were with Pemberton on Accompanied by security Oct. 11 in Olongapo, a former escorts and his lawyers, Marine liberty town when the U.S. Navy Pfc. Joseph Scott Pemberton was at the vast Subic Naval base, refused to enter a plea to the now a bustling commercial port. murder charge in the brief proPemberton and some of his colceeding in a court in Olongapo leagues picked up women at a city northwest of Manila, accorddisco bar and separately checked ing to Justice Secretary Leila de in at nearby motels, then returned Lima. Journalists were barred to their ship after midnight. Witfrom the courtroom. nesses saw Pemberton check in The arraignment paves the way with Laude. He was then seen for Pemberton’s trial, which lawyers of the victim’s family said was leaving shortly before the discovery of her body, prosecutors said scheduled to start next month. in a statement to the court. “Finally justice can be attained Marine Lance Corporal Jairn for our sibling,” Marilou Laude, Michael Rose, who was with the victim’s sister, told reporters, Pemberton that night, acknowladding she was shaking in anger edged that Pemberton later conwhen she saw the handcuffed fided back at their ship that he suspect guarded by several attacked the woman he was with escorts in the courtroom. by choking her after discovering Dozens of left-wing protesters waved red flags outside the court- that she was a transgender when she undressed, according to the house Monday, demanding jusprosecutors. tice for Laude and an end to U.S. “I think I killed a he/she,” Pemmilitary presence in this former American colony. Gay and lesbian berton was quoted as having told Rose. groups have also staged protests The case comes after the Phildenouncing Laude’s killing as a ippines and the United States hate crime. Pemberton has been charged by strengthened ties with the recent signing of a defense accord that prosecutors in the October killing allows greater U.S. access to Philof Jennifer Laude, whose former ippine military camps. The accord name was Jeffrey and who had will help Washington’s bid to apparently been strangled and drowned in a motel toilet bowl after reassert its presence in Asia, and enable Manila to deter what it the U.S. Marine discovered that calls China’s aggressive moves to she was a transgender woman. reinforce its claim to virtually the They had checked into the motel entire South China Sea. after meeting in a disco bar.

North Carolina Bill Would Let Judges Opt Out of Gay Weddings

Sarah Preston with the state American Civil Liberties Union opposes the measure, saying it was proposed from a desire to deny gays and lesbians their legal right to marry.

After One Marriage, Same-Sex Unions Stopped in Texas

Oregon Gay Rights Group Seeks to Outlaw Gay Therapy

AUSTIN, TX(AP)—Defying Texas’ longstanding ban on gay marriage, a lesbian couple wed in Austin after being granted a marriage license on Thursday under a special court order because one of the women has cancer. Texas’ attorney general immediately appealed to the state Supreme Court, which later agreed to block other gay couples from obtaining marriage licenses but didn’t address the Austin marriage of Suzanne Bryant and Sarah Goodfriend. Attorney General Ken Paxton said he considers their marriage void, but a court hasn’t ruled on that issue. Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir, whose office issued the license, said she still considers the marriage valid. Cynthia Meyer, a spokeswoman for Paxton’s office, said Thursday night that the state would file additional paperwork Friday “that explains why the order and resulting marriage license are void.” But it was unclear if the attorney general or his staff had the standing to make such a declaration unilaterally. The women were granted a one-time license in the liberal-leaning county after basing their request on a ruling issued earlier this week by a local probate judge who deemed the ban unconstitutional in an unrelated estate case. Bryant said Thursday that being legally married to Goodfriend, who has ovarian cancer, would ensure inheritance and allow the couple to make medical decisions for each other should

February 25, 2015

RALEIGH, NC (AP) - Some North Carolina lawmakers say court officials should be able to avoid marriage duties because of their religious beliefs. Lawmakers are backing a measure filed in response to federal judges who overturned the state’s gay marriage ban in October. A Senate judicial committee recommended approval Tuesday. The bill allows magistrates to refuse to preside at same-sex weddings. It also allows assistant and deputy registers of deeds to not issue marriage licenses. But they could not participate in traditional marriages, either. Sen. Buck Newton of Wilson says the measure balances religious freedoms with complying with court orders that legalize same-sex marriage.

Texas Supreme Court

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LITTLE ROCK, AR (AP)--Wal-Mart Stores Inc. says it opposes a new law in its home state of Arkansas to ban cities and counties from expanding antidiscrimination protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity. A spokesman for the world’s largest retailer on Monday said the proposal that became law earlier in the day runs counter to its beliefs and “sends the wrong message about Arkansas.” WalMart is based in Bentonville in northwest Arkansas. The measure, which takes effect later this year, bans local governments from expanding anti-discrimination ordinances beyond state law, which doesn’t include sexual orientation or gender identity. Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson allowed the legislation to become law without his signature after citing concerns about it infringing on local control. Opponents of it had urged WalMart to speak out against the measure.

she and her wife couldn’t control what the attorney general did but believed they had a valid marriage license. They hoped other couples would follow their lead, saying their advice would be: “Have hope and have faith.” Mark Phariss, who along with one of them become critically ill. his partner are among those fight“Financially, now we’re intertwined, ing the ban in federal court, said he and we will have community property was “thrilled” by news of the nuptials that we will share,” Bryant said shortly even though it’s unlikely to impact the after the marriage ceremony outside the federal lawsuit. He said Bryant and county clerk’s office, where the couple Goodfriend’s case “is evidence of the was flanked by a rabbi, friends and their harm the ban is having on the state.” two teenage daughters, whom they both Before the state Supreme Court legally adopted years ago. ruling, two same-sex couples had State District Judge David Wahlberg inquired about getting a marriage sided with the couple Thursday mornlicense in Travis County, chief deputy ing, directing DeBeauvoir to stop relying clerk Ronald Morgan Jr. said. on “the unconstitutional Texas prohibiBut after the ruling, some gay rights tions against same-sex marriage as a basis activists predicted that couples wouldn’t for not issuing a marriage license.” flood courts with similar requests for Courts in Indiana made a similar exemptions. Equality Texas Executive exception for a lesbian couple in April Director Chuck Smith said “it would because one of the women was dying seem that the window for that has again of cancer and wanted her partner’s temporarily closed.” name on her death certificate. A federal appeals court overturned Indiana’s ban in September. Paxton, a Republican who took office in January, argued that the Supreme Court’s emergency stay was needed to “to make clear to all county clerks that SALEM, OR (AP)--An Oregon gay Texas marriage law remains enforcerights group is asking the state Legisable until there has been final appellate resolution.” A federal judge last year lature to outlaw therapy that seeks to change the sexual orientation or gender overturned the ban, which was overidentity of young people. whelmingly approved by voters in the A state House panel heard testimony fiercely conservative state in 2005 — on the measure Monday. It’s promoted but the judge put the ruling on hold by Basic Rights Oregon, a nonprofit while the state appeals to the 5th U.S. gay and transgender advocacy group Circuit Court of Appeals. from Portland. “We are all waiting for a final decision The measure is part of a national push on marriage equality,” Debeauvoir said. to prevent mental health care provid“However, this couple may not get the ers from practicing so-called conversion chance to hear the outcome of this issue therapy. A dozen other states are pushbecause one person’s health.” ing for similar legislation, which already Goodfriend, policy director for state exists in New Jersey, California and Rep. Celia Israel, said during a news Washington, D.C. conference that her last chemotherapy Proponents of the measure say there is treatment was 4 ½ months ago. But, she no scientific basis the therapy is effective added: “All of us wonder if the cancer in changing a person’s sexual orientation grows back along with the hair growor gender identity. They also say it often ing back.” leads to feelings of depression, suicidal Bryant, an Austin lawyer who works thoughts or anxiety in children. on adoptions for same-sex couples, said

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Wal-Mart Stands Up for Gays

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Moore argues that no federal court, even the U.S. Supreme Court, has the right to define marriage. “You’re taking any definition of a family away. When two bisexuals or two transgendered marry, how large is that family? Can they marry two persons, one of the same sex and one of the opposite sex? Then, you’ve got a family of four or how many?” Fighting, in one way or the other, has been a trademark of Moore’s, a West Point graduate, former kickboxer and military police officer in Vietnam. In the 1990s, he was sued for hanging a homemade wooden Ten Commandments plaque in his courtroom while a county judge. After being elected chief justice in 2000, Moore put 5,200-pound Ten Commandments monument in the state judicial building. He was removed from office in 2003 after

refusing to obey a federal judge’s order to remove it. His critics have accused him of grandstanding for politics. Moore said there are no political calculations in his fights, noting how his Ten Commandments stance put him off the bench for nine years. Moore’s actions have drawn inevitable comparisons to former Gov. George Wallace’s 1963 largely symbolic “stand in the schoolhouse door” aimed at preventing desegregation at the University of Alabama, nine years after education segregation was ruled illegal. Moore said there is another difference. “George Wallace moved,” he said, noting how the former governor eventually stepped aside. “I can’t move from my position because I’m bound to uphold the Constitution,” Moore said.

KEVIN MILLER

February 25, 2015

While some judges were following Moore’s advice, 48 of AlaONTGOMERY, AL (AP)—As bama’s 67 counties on Wednesday the days and hours ticked were issuing, or willing to issue by until gay and lesbian couples marriage licenses, to same-sex began lining up for marriage couples, according to the Human licenses at Alabama courthouses, Rights Campaign, a national gay state Chief Justice Roy Moore said rights group that has kept a runhe kept waiting for someone to try ning tally. to stop it. “Freedom to marry has won,” “I was waiting on others to take Richard Cohen, president of the a stand. They did not. They would Southern Poverty Law Center, which not,” Moore, 68, said in an interhas filed an ethics complaint against Moore. “Roy Moore’s actions have view with The Associated Press. made us look like the most homoSo the chief justice, never shy about taking on a fight, even a phobic state in the nation.” losing one, acted. He fired off a U.S. District Judge Callie Granade missive to state probate judges to on Jan. 23 ruled Alabama’s gay refuse the marriage licenses to gay marriage ban unconstitutional and couples, saying they weren’t bound enjoined the state attorney general to adhere to the ruling of the fedfrom enforcing it. The U.S. Supreme eral judge who declared Alabama’s Court refused to stay the decision gay marriage ban unconstitutional. and Alabama became the 37th state — and the first in the center of the Alabama’s chief justice, preconservative Deep South — where viously best known for being gays and lesbians wed. removed from office for refusing Alabama probate judges were to move a 5,300-pound Ten Comnot defendants in the case, Moore mandments monument from the argues, and thus are not subject to state Supreme Court building, has a direct court order. He also said been thrust back into the national spotlight over his fight to block gay they are part of a parallel state marriage from coming to Alabama. court system that doesn’t have to submit to Granade’s views. Moore acknowledges that Ala“You’ve seen that in this case bama courts will have to go along where you have one federal with whatever the U.S. Supreme judge who is reaching out and Court rules on same-sex marriage trying to bind the whole state. It is later this year. But until then, he improper,” Moore said. said, the fight is not over. Henry C. Strickland, dean of the “The ruling of the Supreme Cumberland School of Law at SamCourt would bind the state courts. That’s the law. That doesn’t make ford University, said Moore has a the Supreme Court right in making technically correct argument that such a decision,” Moore said. probate judges aren’t “absolutely Moore said decision legalizing obligated” to issue the licenses to gay marriage would be among the gay couples. court’s greatest mistakes — a deciHowever, he said, couples who sion he would classify alongside rul- are denied marriage licenses could ings that allowed racial segregation, file their own lawsuits or perhaps slavery and abortion. Moore said he join the existing case. Moore said another judge might rule differently. would refuse to go along with it in However, Strickland said they will his judicial opinions and would dislikely hold that the state has already sent or recuse himself in any cases fought and lost before Granade. involving same-sex marriage.

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By Kim Chandler

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ALABAMA CHIEF JUSTICE HAS NO REGRETS

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SUNSHINE STATE New Jacksonville LGBT Group to Endorse City Candidates

February 25, 2015

Man to Refuse Jury Duty in Protest over Court Weddings JACKSONVILLE — An openly gay man plans to take a stand against a recent decision by the clerk of courts to stop performing any more weddings at the Duval County Courthouse. Chuck Chapman will appear for jury duty on Feb. 24 to tell the judge that he will not serve because he feels uncomfortable in the courthouse. In January, Clerk of Courts Ronnie Fussell made a decision to stop courthouse ceremonies in part because he and other members of his staff say they don’t feel comfortable performing samesex weddings. Chapman disagrees with his decision. “I’m a taxpayer in this community. I’m a citizen in this community. My rights should be across the board just like anybody else has and anybody else wants and anybody else needs. It’s my rights as a citizen in Duval County and the state of Florida,” Chapman said. Chapman has been summoned for jury duty before. But he said when his name is called this time, he will tell the judge the reasons he won’t be able to serve as a juror. He said Fussell’s personal views and those of his staffers

Chef Art Smith Hosts Mass Gay Wedding on Miami Beach MIAMI BEACH (AP) — With a mix of elegance and irreverence, only celebrity chef Art Smith could round up his famous chef buddies, a sea of white orchids and a drag queen DJ to pull off a wedding ceremony Saturday for more than two dozen same-sex couples on Miami Beach. Smith, a Florida native and former chef to Oprah Winfrey and Gov. Bob Graham, is revered by fellow chefs and those in the gay and lesbian community, known as the chef with a big Southern accent and an even bigger heart. When Smith heard that Florida judges had lifted the state’s ban on same-sex marriage last month, he set out to throw an over the top-wedding officiated by chef Guy Fieri, with a stunning cake from Duff Goldman, and a dance party spun by local star Chi Chi LaRue. He invited the first 101 couples to participate in the free wedding, noting he chose the number after the movie “101 Dalmatians” to shame Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has ardently fought to keep same-sex marriage from becoming legal. “We have our own Cruella De Vil, Pam Bondi. She was determined that she was going to prevent equality from coming to Florida,” Smith said. “For a state known for sunshine, it was living in the darkness when it came to LGBT rights and it was important to acknowledge that.” South Beach is also memorable to Smith who met his partner, Jesus Salgueiro, here 15 years ago while in town with Winfrey. Smith went out to buy some flowers for her home. He returned with the flowers and Salgueiro,

Chef Art Smith

PHOTO BY STEFAN

JACKSONVILLE — A newly formed political action group for LGBT rights will unveil its first-ever picks for Jacksonville mayor and city council tomorrow. Members of the Northeast Florida LGBT Leadership Political Action Committee said they will announce the endorsements on the steps of City Hall at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb 24. “After much deliberation and research, we have selected the candidates we will be supporting. Each of these candidates has demonstrated the commitment to equality that we want to see from our elected officials,” said Carrington “Rusty” Mead, chair of the group, in a written statement.

have no business in the courthouse. “Ronnie Fussell is an elected official in this town. It’s government for the people, by the people. I’m a citizen, a vote. I pay my taxes. Just because it’s across the board, his decision not to do it any longer, has me willing to make this statement.”

whom he married five years ago on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial with a big ‘ole ceremony where Moby performed. Nicole Griffin, 43, and Stephanie Swanson, 42, had been waiting a few years to say ‘I do.’ The Tampa couple moved from Indiana shortly before gay marriage became legal there. Friends flew in from California and Indianapolis to see the women, both wearing elegant white gowns, get married Saturday. “(Pam Bondi) fought so hard. She denied us for so long … I think our presence today and being able to do this is a defeat of that mentality,” Swanson said. Bondi is appealing the rulings and some county officials in more conservative areas have even stopped performing marriage ceremonies. Seth Anderson and his partner Michael Ferguson, both 33, flew out from Utah to renew their vows. They were among the first to legally marry there two years ago, but none of their family or friends were able to attend the impromptu ceremony at the courthouse where the couple had nothing to wear but their work clothes. “We wanted to come and be a part of this and celebrate with all the other people getting married,” Anderson said. They were one of the couples who walked down the aisle in the courtyard of The James Royal Palm hotel as a small orchestra played. Many couples said they became emotional when Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives host Fieri, a chef with spiky hair, tattoos and a love for Southern BBQ, officiated the ceremony in honor of his late sister who was a lesbian. It was especially emotional for 45-year-old Hugo Lopez to return to the area where he said he had previously experienced so much intolerance. “For me to come back here to a place

that felt so hostile growing up, to know this (wedding) was happening … I was terrified we were going to get turned away when we went to get our marriage license in Hialeah,” said Lopez, who married Ryan Griffin wearing matching linen suits. The couples were showered with white rose petals thrown from the balconies and then treated to a feast of fried chicken, grilled lamb, crab-stuffed avocadoes, empanadas and a seven-tier gold and silver cake from Goldman, star of Food Network’s reality show Ace of Cakes. “My only agenda is to celebrate this and make it true in every state,” said Goldman, who is also a gay-rights advocate. After reading of a baker who refused to make a cake for a lesbian couple a few years ago, Goldman tracked them down and made them a cake. “We are not arbitrators of morality, we’re cake decorators,” he said. Smith, who hosts the Big Gay Ice Cream Social at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival each year, said it had been their polite protest to the state law for years. Now they were ready to throw a wedding. “I felt like it was important for us to show the haters, just shake it off,” he said quoting a Taylor Swift song as he moved onto the dance floor as the crowd cheered him on. “We’re gonna have a party and we’re going to show people we’re proud, we’re happy, we’re loud.

Issue of Gay Couple’s Pension Benefits Remains Unresolved TALLAHASSEE — A gay couple who successfully sued the state of Florida over employee benefits were told they couldn’t change their pension plan, although Department of Management Services (DMS) officials said they were working to resolve the issue. “The DMS is developing a plan to contact all (Florida Retirement System) recipients and provide them necessary information on how to receive spousal benefits in light of the court’s recent decision,” said Kendra Parson, commu-

Transgender Bathroom Bill’ Comes Up for Vote on March 3 TALLAHASSEE — LGBT advovacy groups are gearing up for a legislative floor fight on March 3 over a House bill that would restrict all public, singlesex restrooms and dressing rooms to persons of that gender only. Introduced by Rep. Frank Artiles on Feb. 4 and dubbed the “Show Your Papers To Pee Bill”, HB-538 says that anyone caught using the wrong facility in Florida would be arrested and charged with a first-degree misdemeanor, an offense that is punishable with a $1,000 fine and up to 12 months in jail. This bill requires that individuals suspected of breaking the law show their birth certificate as proof of gender. Artiles said his bill is in response to a Miami-Dade ordinance passed in December that plugs a public safety loophole for male sexual predators. Any inconvenience imposed on transgender people is an afterthought, he said. “People are not forced to go the restroom. They choose to go to the rest-

room,” said Artiles. Civil rights organizations have voiced concern over the bill. “This ‘show your papers to pee bill’ denigrates both transgender and nontransgender people alike,” said Daniel Tilley, an LGBT lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). “In addition to dehumanizing transgender people in particular, it invites humiliation and harassment of anyone who is not considered sufficiently feminine or masculine in the eyes of the beholder.” Other Florida politicians are also coming out against the bill. Rep. Janet Cruz (D-Tampa) said, “A bill labeling members of our transgender community as criminals for living their lives is an abomination and an embarrassment.” Rep. David Richardson (D-Miami Beach) mentioned that the bill would not only affect the LGBT community but will also cause new public safety problems. “Parents with small children should be concerned about sending their tiny children into a public bathroom by themselves.” The ACLU, which defeated a similar Arizona bill in 2013, and Change.org are asking members of the community to sign petitions.

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of their litigation because of a decision they were forced to make by the state because the state refused to recognize same-sex marriage,” White said. “It’s nonsensical in my opinion. The state is going to have to make some concessions for same-sex partners.” White added that “there will be litigation” if the state persists in its position. After gay couples across Florida began marrying last month, DMS issued memos saying Florida Retirement System members with legally recognized marriages could begin using existing forms and processes to name their spouses as beneficiaries for their retirement benefits. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on gay marriage sometime this spring, and White, among others, expects a ruling finding a constitutional right for same-sex couples to marry. An appeal of Hinkle’s decision by Attorney General Pam Bondi is still pending before the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which has signaled it won’t rule until after the Supreme Court does. Once that happens, White said she expects the case to come back before Judge Hinkle as part of post-litigation matters.

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FUNDRAISER HELD FOR DEAN TRANTALIS A fundraiser was held in Fort Lauderdale for the Dean Trantalis campaign for re-election as commissioner, with hosts Ken Keechl and George Castrataro. Photos by Big Dewitte.

February 25, 2015 17

nications director for the department. Jim Brenner and Chuck Jones, both longtime state employees, filed their lawsuit last year in federal court seeking to have their 2009 Canadian marriage recognized by the state, which they hoped would allow them to get the same state benefits offered to straight couples. The lawsuit prompted a ruling in December by U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle that the state’s six-year ban on gay marriage was unconstitutional. One of the reasons Brenner and Jones went to court was because the state had denied a request by Brenner to name Jones as his spouse when he entered the Deferred Retirement Option Program in 2011. Brenner wanted to choose an option open to spouses that would have given retirement benefits to Jones for the rest of his life if he preceded him in death. Instead, because the gay-marriage ban was in place, he was forced to choose an option that would give Jones benefits for no more than 10 years. On Feb. 13, Brenner was told by a DMS official that despite Hinkle’s ruling, he would not be able to pick the option he wanted in the first place. He said he was told by DMS that under Florida law, he could only make changes to the plan within the first month of entering DROP, a time that has long since passed. Brenner said a personnel official at the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services tried to intervene on his behalf but also was told no by DMS. “I feel like I’m being made to beg for what I’m entitled to,” said Brenner, fire-management administrator for the Florida Forest Service. “It was one of the original reasons for us filing the lawsuit. And now we’re being told we’re not entitled. It’s our perception that the judge told us we are.” Betsy White, a Jacksonville attorney who was part of Brenner and Jones’ legal team, said the state can’t deny them the benefits of their choosing now because of a previous decision by DMS that grew out of a marriage ban that’s been found unconstitutional. “I think it would be dishonest for the state to take the position that these men are foreclosed from the benefits

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are witnessing great strides at the local level to resist authoritarianism meant to mold us into something we are not and thereby address a reason for suicide by LGBT youth, according to the American Psychological Association. This week, the nonprofit LGBT group Basic Rights Oregon asked state lawmakers to back legislation that would outlaw any treatment seeking to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of a minor. Under the bill, social workers and licensed psychologists or psychiatrists would be barred from practicing conversion therapy on people under age 18. The Portland group’s effort is part of a national push to prevent mental health care providers from practicing conversion therapy. Laws banning the practice have passed in New Jersey, California and Washington, D.C., where the National Center for Lesbian Rights played a key role. A dozen other states are looking at similar legislation, including New York and Florida. In Tallahassee, a bill introduced by Sen. Jeff Clemens (D-Lake Worth) last December would ban the practice among licensed therapists in Florida. Rep. David Richardson (D-Miami Beach), Florida’s first openly gay elected official, has introduced companion legislation in the House. Richardson’s bill only applies to conversion therapy offered by licensed professionals, not religious and other non-professional organizations. Pro-family organizations generally claim that the broad language of current legislation and existing laws violate a parent’s right to choose what is best for their child. They also argue that because therapy is speech, it is protected under the First Amendment. But the majority of American parents seeking this form of treatment for their children are unlicensed, ignorant and merely locked into a valuesbased fantasy of who and what their children would, could or should be. They are often blinded by love, not hate, like my mother. However, those under the microscope now are the real culprits: doctors and religiously-based psychologists who earn hefty sums from a fool’s errand which can no longer withstand the disinfecting light of day.

February 25, 2015

y parents arrived at my Rep. David Richardson apartment in West Los (D-Miami Beach) Angeles to visit. Today was the day, but not the kind of day they assumed or even wanted — a typical parent-child outing where we picked a place to have lunch at a cozy eatery in Fox Hills, a hilltop, treefilled neighborhood near Culver City, just east of Marina del Rey and north of Los Angeles International Airport, where my dad finished a distinguished career in aviation. I answered the door and asked my parents to come in. Sitting them both down, they could sense I had something important to say, something my brothers and close friends already knew: “I’m gay.” As I began to break down and cry, my mother rolled her eyes and just sat there, looking around the room at anything but me. My father, on the other hand, approached me and put his arm around my shoulder. “It doesn’t matter. We love you,” he said. As one of eight Catholic children raised on a family farm in Iowa, my mother and I remained distant for much of the next few hours, days, weeks and months. As time went by, I thought the worst was over and she and I had reached the kind of love and understanding we enjoy today. But one day my mother left me someconfidence, or the maturity or the social support thing I would never forget, a newspaper clipping to resist emotional attempts to alter who they with some of the old mail and correspondence she are fundamentally. would set aside for me occasionally that was still Putting the sheer will power of Buddhist monks delivered to what had been my childhood home aside for the moment, sexual orientation is not a and permanent address until I left for college when choice, like abortion, or a disease or some kind of I was 18. health condition that can be repressed or treated The clipping was actually an advertisement over time with the right mix of drugs, electrodes, for how to cope with sexual deviancy through a heterosexual pornography and clinical psychiaform of conversion therapy that would attempt to try. It’s an aspect of our human condition stretchchange my sexual orientation and/or gender iden- ing as far back as Dr. Alfred Kinsey’s psycho-sexual tity. With my college education, I knew better, so continuum fans wide. this time it was my time to roll my eyes. But not everybody agrees, obviously. So now, as But many people younger than I was weren’t the acronym LGBT becomes more ubiquitous in as fortunate to have a mind of their own, or the headlines and on lips around the United States, we

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REGARDING SEXUAL ORIENTATION, CONVERSION IS FOR CURRENCIES, NOT PEOPLE

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BY DANIEL HICKS

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LEFT COAST

February 25, 2015

COURTESY OF NORMAN R. GLICK FACEBOOK PAGE

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PHOTOS BY ADRIANNA CORTEZ

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to remember Kristina Grant Infiniti, found slain in her Miami home, and to protest transgender violence

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AS I SEE IT February 25, 2015 • ISSUE 275

BY RICHARD HACK

FOUNDER MULTIMEDIA PLATFORMS

BABIES WITH TWO BIOLOGICAL SAME-SEX PARENTS TO BECOME REALITY IN TWO YEARS

y husband Michael is a regular softy where babies are concerned. Not ALL babies, mind you. Just the blond, blue-eyed kind, who also happen to be twin boys. And as long as I’ve known him, Michael has long spouted his desire to add a pair of blond twins to our family “as soon as possible.” As a French creole, Michael has experienced his share of racism, so before you scream that his preference to add a pair of blonds into the Hack-Davis household is reverse racism at its most obvious, know that he also wants a French creole baby named Little Ricky. Michael also expects perfection. And while normally I would say “good luck” to that, a new announcement out of Cambridge University may make his “order to go,” easier than we could have possibly imagined. The researchers at Cambridge teamed with Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science to pair stem cell lines from

embryos with the skin of five different adults, according to the study published in the journal Cell. The experiment was a resounding success, resulting in what can most easily be understood as “manufactured” babies. Since they are created from the skin cells of two adults of the same gender, it is the very first hint that samesex couples might have their own babies with no help from the opposite sex. Last year, the researchers has made quiet news by creating live baby mice using nothing more than mice skin cells. The skin cells turn into the precursor for sperm and eggs, eventually maturing into fertile sperm and egss capable of producing life. This week’s announcement marks the first time ever that engineered cells created in a laboratory were compared to aborted fetuses to determine an identical match. And match they did. “We have succeeded in the first and most important step of this process,

February 25, 2015

MARCH 3: A LIST OF PRO-LGBT CANDIDATES ON TAMPA’S BALLOT Voters in Hillsborough County will head to the polls on Mar. 3 to pick a new Tampa mayor and city council. Equality Florida, the largest LGBT rights organization in Florida, has endorsed the following candidates: TAMPA CITY COUNCIL Mike Suarez (District 1) Yvonne Yolie Capin (District 3) Harry Cohen (District 4) Lisa Montelione (District 7) Note: Candidates in Districts 2, 5 and 6 are listed with their respective positions on safe schools, domestic partnership, non-discrimination,

marriage equality, adoption and reproductive choice, but they have not been endorsed. MAYOR OF TAMPA No candidate endorsed. Note: Candidates for mayor are listed with their respective positions on safe schools, domestic partnership, non-discrimination, marriage equality, adoption and reproductive choice, but they have not been endorsed. You can read Equality Florida’s entire Voter’s Guide for Hillsborough County by clicking here.

which is to show we can make these very early human stem cells in a dish,” Azim Surani, Wellcome Trust project leader and professor of physiology and reproduction at Cambridge, told the London Sunday Times. “We have also discovered that one of the things that happens in these germ cells is that epigenetic mutations, the cell mistakes that occur with age, are wiped out,” he said. The researchers said that stem cells and adult human skin were used from ten different donor sources and new germcell lines were created from all the experiments. The SOX17 gene is critical in the “reprogramming” process of human cells, according the researchers. They have stated that the technique could mean same-sex couples could have babies in just two years. The team says it is possible to make human egg and sperm cells from the skin of two adults of the same gender – prompting interest from people with infertility diseases and gay couples. “It has already caused interest from gay groups because of the possibility of making egg and sperm cells from parents of the same sex,” Jacob Hanna, the specialist leading the project’s Israeli arm, said in the Sunday Times. The researchers noted to the Sunday Times that the development raises serious ethical issues, but many can potentially benefit from the technique they’ve been testing on humans since creating artificial human eggs and sperm for the first time last year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that Assisted Reproductive (ART) was performed at 456 clinics in the U.S. in 2012, resulting in 51,267 live births. Although still relatively “rare,” just over 1 percent of all infants born in the U.S. each year are conceived using ART methods.

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Camera Ready Artwork by Mondays, Noon Placement by Mondays, 5 p.m. ALL MATERIAL in the Agenda is protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the Agenda. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, writers and cartoonists published herein is neither inferred or implied. The appearance of names or pictorial representation does not necessarily indicate the sexual orientation of that person or persons. Although this paper is supported by many fine advertisers, the Agenda cannot accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers. EDITORIAL POSITIONS of the Agenda are expressed in editorials and in editors’ notes as determined by the paper’s editors. Other opinions are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Agenda or its staff. TO SUBMIT A LETTER OR COMMENTARY: Letters should be fewer than 400 words; commentaries should be fewer than 750 words. Submissions may be edited for content and length, and must include a name, address and phone number for verification. Send submissions by e-mail to Editor@floridaagenda. com by fax to 954-566-7900 or by regular mail to the Agenda office, attn: Letters/Commentary. MAIN OFFICE / SALES: 2929 E Commercial Blvd, PhD, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308 Phone 954-380-8563 FAX 954-380-8567 A bureau of LGBTQNation.com www.floridaagenda.com Printed by Forum Publishing Group (954) 574-5321 MEDIA ADVISORY BOARD Alan Beck, Keith Blackburn, Robert Boo, Reece Darham, Richard Hack, Kevin Hopper, Paul Hugo, Peter Jackson, Krishan Manners, Terry DeCarlo, Mark Negrete, Jackson Padgett, Gary Santis, Jason Tamanini, Brett Tannenbaum, Dean Trantalis, Victor Zepka © 2015, Mutimedia Platforms LLC. All rights reserved.

COVER STORY

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GAY RIGHTS ACTIVISTS ARE LIKE ISIS EXTREMISTS

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BY RICHARD HACK

— Republican Pundit Erick Erickson

CHRISTOPHER HALLORAN

the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations. And he referred to one-time Republican turned Democratic State Senator from Texas Wendy Davis, “Abortion Barbie.” While he dislikes gays and their agenda, his remarks are often addressed at his fellow Republicans, who he feels are far too eager to compromise. Former Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell was a frequent target. He not only labeled McConnell, “a cancer on the Senate Republican caucus,” in 2009, he claimed that McConnell had “lost his testicles” and called on his readers to send the senator “balls.” According to Erickson, over a hundred of his readers did just that, sending toy balls to the senator’s office by way of Amazon link that Erickson had provided. “Nationally, people think of me as a Tea Party person, and I am,” Erickson told Atlantic magazine. “But in Georgia, the Tea Party can’t stand me.” “The local movement, he explained, is dominated by libertarian followers of former Congressman Ron Paul, and Erickson has opposed many of its chosen candidates. Erickson’s conservatism is of a more traditional bent, deeply informed by his evangelical faith. He believes Republicans must not yield in pursuit of small government, strong national defense, and the primacy of the traditional family,” according to Atlantic. He spreads his tormented messages via the Internet, on his drive-time radio show on WSB (the fourth largest talk-radio station in America), and RedStates.com—the source of the twisted ISIS comparison that insults not only gay activists but Republicans who follow Erickson’s words as fact.

February 25, 2015

rick Erickson, the founder of RedStates.com and frequent Fox News contributor, wrote a column last week in which he compared gay rights campaigners to ISIS extremists. It would be easy to dismiss such incendiary words if Erickson were not arguably the most powerful conservative in America today. “In Denmark, France, and elsewhere we have seen Islamic extremists take lives because of the Islamic extremists’ beliefs. They do not want tolerance. They do not want pluralism. They do not want to show respect to the views of others. They will take life for being offended. There will be no magnanimity and there will be no mercy,” Erickson wrote in a column titled “The Line Between Islamic Extremists and Gay Rights Extremists.” “In taking life, the Islamic extremists want the public spectacle. They want not just revenge, but they also want to make others fear and second-guess doing the same. They want to silence others and drive them from the town square. They use death and violence to do it. “Gay rights activists, with few exceptions . . . have not turned physically violent. But they are intent on destroying any who disagree with them. They will take the homes, businesses, and life savings of any who defy them. They will use the tools of the state and mob action through boycotts, fear, and Erick Erickson intimidation to make it happen. They will not kill but they will threaten and scare,” Erickson wrote. “The divide between Islamic extremists and gay the truth often enough to keep him relevant, while rights extremists is at death. They meet on the line at voicing absurdities that keep his name in play. After destruction.” all, it was Erickson who said, upon the retirement With statements like that, it should be easy to of Supreme Court justice David Souter, “The nation compartmentalize Erickson as a hater, an attention loses the only goat fucking child to ever serve on the seeker, or a right wing extremist. And while he may Supreme Court …”. He said his heart was gladdened be all of those things, he has a way of hitting upon by “watching a hippie protester get Tased” during

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SUN, FUN, AND SLINGS: INN LEATHER

nn Leather has been a stable in Fort Lauderdale since 1999. The Guest House and Resort caters to the gay leather and Levis community. The resort is one in which you can let your inhibitions go and enjoy yourself in a safe, non-judgmental environment. The whole facility is clothing optional. There’s a cruisy backroom and a fully functional outdoor sling. Actually, you can find a sling in every guest room. There are two types of rooms: studios and suites. The studio is a regular hotel-style room that comes equipped with the customary amenities like an alarm radio, flat screen TV and DVD player. There’s also an added bonus that comes standard in each studio: a mini-size kitchenette that includes a toaster, coffee maker, microwave and a mini-frig with six complimentary beverages. The suite is a large, one-bedroom apartment and includes all the amenities of the studio with an additional flat screen TV and a complete kitchen with a full-size refrigerator and stove. Guests receive parking, a continental breakfast and free Wi-Fi. The resort is pet-friendly and the entire facility is gated off from the public with 24-hour security surveillance. On the grounds, guests can enjoy a heated pool, soak in the jacuzzi and relax on the sundeck. There’s also the opportunity to meet and mingle with locals in the area as they stop in routinely with a daytime pass. Locals and non-guests are able to enjoy the resort’s amenities everyday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. for only $10, which includes parking and Wi-Fi.

They are also able to attend the resort’s monthly Inn Leather parties for a $20 cover fee. Since General Manager Milan Gamiani took over, the resort has thrown monthly parties to coincide with observed holidays. In March, for example, a party is planned on the 15th at 12:00 p.m. to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and Leather Pride. But these monthly parties also serve a higher purpose other than just their entertainment value. Along with private contributions from the owner, these parties have helped to raise over $200,000 that the resort has donated to different charities: Poverello, local fire departments, Leather Archive and Museum, and many others. In three and half years, Gamiani has done a lot with the resort to improve the overall look and feel of the property, including modernization of the guest rooms. He has also helped to increase the resort’s international appeal by drawing in television fans who know him from popular TV shows in Spain and the United States, including “Burn Notice,” “The Glades,” and “Charlie’s Angels.” To learn more about the resort, visit their website at www.innleather.com. To make a reservation call 954-467-1444 or 1-877-532-7729 between 8:00 a.m.– 8:00 p.m. (Summer hours: 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.)

Inn Leather Guest House and Resort 610 SE 19th St. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 Phone: 954 467-1444

NON-PROFIT

SUNSERVE: SERVING LGBTQ SOUTH FLORIDA FROM CRADLE TO GRAVE

February 25, 2015

THE WEEK

GUESTHOUSE

ou are never without help here in South Florida. Because SunServe, the largest LGBTQ social service agency in the region, is only a stone’s throw away with a location in Wilton Manors and another on the campus of Sunshine Cathedral. It’s amazing what this mid-size organization with only 30 employees is able to offer. The organization manages 7 departments: Youth Services, Transgender Services, Housing Assistance, Mental Health Services, Training and Education Services, a Senior Service Department, and an Administrative Department. Want a safe and reliable senior center for your mother while you’re at work? Reach out to the Senior Service Department about their respite care. Would like to talk with someone about your concerns and work towards developing the very best you? Check with their Mental Health Department for counseling. Struggling to secure a new residence? See if qualify for their Housing Assistance program. SunServe’s LGBTQ commitment even extends beyond working within our community to also provide the general public, care providers and the business population the education they need-to-know to effectively engage with our community. Such programs like their LGBTQ Cultural Proficiency Training is available to businesses and their employees.

Their certification courses directly provides nurses and social workers with their continue education units (CEU’s). They also have an internship program, which continues to help mental health students fulfill their necessary requirements for licensing. SunServe strives to provide our community any and all services to improve our everyday lives. Administrative Director, Bryan Wilson said, “Whether we have a service that caters to you or not, we always find away to assists.” SunServe’s upcoming Caribbean LGBT Pride Festival reinforces Wilson/s statement. The 1st ever LGBTQ Caribbean festival in Florida spawned from one woman’s phone inquiry and SunServe’s desire to guarantee all of our community members’ equal representation. The event will be held On March 7, 2015 at Eucalyptus Gardens between 4pm and 10pm. It’ll be fun-filled festival with Caribbean cuisine and music.

SunServe 2312 Wilton Drive Wilton Manors, FL (954) 764-5557

WILTON MANORS BY PATRICK ROBERT

2/27

Jerry Seinfeld A weekend of comedy continues as one of the most famous comedians in the world performs at the Hard Rock Live. The king of observational humor takes a break from enjoying his millions earned from Seinfeld’s syndication in order to return to his first love—the stage. Seinfeld’s 1990s eponymous sitcom catapulted his humorous take on life’s little peculiarities to the masses— something that allowed him to become one of the most successful sitcom stars in the world. 8:00 p.m. Hard Rock Live. 5747 Seminole Way. Hollywood. 33314.

Richard Lewis and Kevin Pollack If observational humor isn’t quite your thing, about twenty minutes east of Jerry Seinfeld both Richard Lewis and Kevin Pollack will be dishing out their dark, neurotic stand-up. Lewis has been a major player in the standup world, respected by both his peers and the critical community. Using his history in therapy and his twisted view of the world, Lewis uses self-deprecating jokes with a sick bent. Pollack has had a successful film career in, ironically, dramatic roles. He was a supporting player in movies A Few Good Men, Casino, and The Usual Suspects. Still, his home is on the stage, where he has perfected his Capt. Kirk impression. Tonight’s show helps fundraise the Catskill Resort Museum. 8:00 p.m. Parker Playhouse. NE Eighth St. Fort Lauderdale. 33304.

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Miss Florida Continental Pageant With over 3,000 in cash and prizes, the Miss Florida Continental Pageant is a seriously worthy competition for those drag queens who have what it takes in all the pageant categories. Miss Florida Continental 2014, April Chanel, will be on hand to pass off her crown to the next winner. The competition take place at Lips—South Florida’s favorite drag queen dining experience. Entertainers include Ericka Norell, Diva, Champagne Bordeaux, and Nikki Adams. 7:00 p.m. Lips. 1421 E. Oakland Park Blvd. Oakland Park. 33334.

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16) NAKED GRAPE 2163 Wilton Drive Wilton manors

15) MONKEY BUSINESS 2740 N Andrews Ave Fort Lauderdale

14) MONA’S 502 E Sunrise Blvd Fort Lauderdale

13) THE MANOR 2345 Wilton Drive Wilton Manors

12) LIPS 1421 E Oakland Park Blvd Oakland Park

11) LE PATIO 2401 NE 11th Ave Wilton Manors

10) LE BOY 1243 NE 11th Ave Fort Lauderdale

30) VILLAGE PUB 2283 Wilton Drive Wilton Manors

29) TROPICS 2000 Wilton Drive Wilton Manors

28) 13 I EVEN 2037 Wilton Dr Wilton Manors

27) THE STABLE 205 E Oakland Park Blvd Fort Lauderdale

26) SMARTY PANTS 2400 E Oakland Park Blvd Fort Lauderdale

25) SIDELINES 2031 Wilton Drive Wilton Manors

24) SCARFONE’S 2150 Wilton Drive Wilton Manors

23) SCANDALS SALOON 3073 NE 6th Ave Wilton Manors

8) INFINITY LOUNGE 2184 WIlton Drive Wilton Manors

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9) JMARK’S 1245 N Federal Hwy Fort Lauderdale

22) RUMORS BAR & GRILL 2426 Wilton Drive Wilton Manors

21) ROSIE’S BAR & GRILL 2449 Wilton Drive Wilton Manors

20) RAMROD 1508 NE 4th Ave Fort Lauderdale

19) PROGRESS 2440 Wilton Drive Wilton Manors

18) PJ’S CORNER POCKET 2340 Wilton Drive Wilton Manors

17) NEW YORK GRILLED CHEESE 2207 Wilton Drive Wilton Manors

7) HUNTERS NIGHTCLUIB 2232 Wilton Drive Wilton Manors

6) DAPUR 1620 N Federal Hwy Fort Lauderdale

5) CUBBY HOLE 823 N Federal Hwy Fort Lauderdale

4) CORNER PUB 1915 N Andrews Ave Wilton Manors

3) BOARDWALK 1721 N Andrews Ave Fort Lauderdale

2) B BAR AND GRILLE 2209 Wilton Drive Wilton Manors

1) ALIBI 2266 Wilton Drive Wilton Manors

BAR MAP

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February 25, 2015

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28 February 25, 2015

BY PETER JACKSON, CPT

A 10-STEP PLAN TO GET FIT AND HEALTHY

FITNESS MAN

Week One: Cut Your Sugar Consumption FIRST in a weekly 10-part series.

ur risk of developing diabetes increases 26% if we are in the habit of drinking a Coke, Gatorade or even a ‘healthy’ fresh juice drink on a daily basis. This is a new revelation by Harvard University scientists, who say the culprit is the amount of sugar in our diets. Americans are consuming way, way too much of it (about 20 times as much as our great grandparents) and a variety of serious health issues ranging from diabetes to obesity and certain types of cancer are the result. Their findings were backed by a study at California State University which found that people who ate approximately 24 grams of sugar in a sitting (the average amount in a candy bar) had a quick energy spurt but an hour later reported less energy and a more stressful mood than beforehand. Experts think that “because sugary drinks are new (evolutionarily speaking), the brain isn’t designed to register their calories,” meaning we won’t feel full and will likely overeat later. This leads to weight gain. The recommendation, which health and fitness professionals like me have been preaching for years, is simple: Drink water and high-electrolyte, unsweetened hot or cold tea and beverages like coconut water instead. And, of course, add regular exercise to your lifestyle. Exercise can have a significant effect not only in helping diabetics control their disease and reducing their risk to its life-threatening complications, but also in greatly decreasing an individual’s chances of developing the disease in the first place. In fact, research shows that exercise reduces an individual’s likelihood of developing diabetes by more than half — including people who either are obese or are genetically predisposed to the disease.

If you are craving something sweet, go natural! Put down the sugary, calorie-rich candy bar and eat a banana instead. Fruit is Nature’s candy. Here are 5 ways to crave less of that sugar that you’re eating that’s killing your results and keeping you from attaining your goal weight: EAT MORE PROTEIN: A diet rich in protein keeps you full, satisfied and less likely to crave sweets. A great way to make sure that you are getting enough is to plan each meal and snack around a protein. Plan breakfast around eggs, lunch and dinner around baked chicken breast or baked meatballs, and make snacks such as hard boiled eggs.

SAY NO TO SODAS AND ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS: One of the biggest fitness myths out there is the idea that calorie-free, artificially sweetened beverages don’t impact your fat loss results. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the truth is that the diet soda you’re sipping is making it harder for you to reach your goal weight. While the diet soda itself doesn’t contain calories, it has been proven to cause cravings for sugary foods. Put down the diet soda and instead pick up a refreshing bottle of spring water. The same is true for those packets of artificial sweeteners.

EAT FRUIT: What’s sweet, colorful and comes in hundreds of flavors? Organic, seasonal, fresh fruit, of course! As you remove refined sugar from your life, feel free to add in some natural sugar by way of fresh, local fruit. It’s amazing how satisfyingly sweet fruit is – it’s truly nature’s candy.

TRY DARK CHOCOLATE: For those moments when your sweet tooth is relentlessly badgering you for something sweet, ditch the super-sugary candies and stick with a small square of very dark chocolate. Chocolate that is 70% or higher in cocoa content should be the only candy that

you keep on hand. The benefit of the cocoa, in addition to the lowered sugar content, makes dark chocolate an occasionally justifiable treat. WORKOUT LIKE YOU MEAN IT: A regular, challenging exercise routine will not only get you into amazing shape, it also reduces your cravings for sugar. The endorphin rush brought on by vigorous exercise is an even more powerful feel-good-feeling than the pleasure gotten by indulging in sugary foods. Make challenging, consistent exercise a part of your life. NEXT WEEK: HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES Agenda health and fitness contributing editor PETER JACKSON is the owner of Push Fitness, Club One CrossFit and Inner G Yoga, all located in Oakland Park. He welcomes your questions and comments at Info@PushFitnessFTL.com.

MIAMI/ MIAMI BEACH

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THE WEEK BY PATRICK ROBERT

Sykes is known as being one of the most humorous guest stars on the cynical Emmy-award winning TV show Curb Your Enthusiasm. She is also a vocal proponent for LGBTQ rights, having come out of the closet in 2008 while at a same-sex marriage rally in Las Vegas. She has had a few HBO comedy specials and co-starred in films Monster-in-Law, Pootie Tang, and Nutty Professor 2: The Klumps. 8:00 p.m. Olympia Theater at Gusman Center. 174 E. Flagler St. Miami. 33131.

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Wanda Sykes

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2/28

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Harlem Globetrotters MIAMI 1) CLUB AZUCAR 2301 SW 32nd Ave

6) EROS LOUNGE 8201 Biscayne Blvd

2) CLUB BOI 1060 NE 79th St

7) FLOPPY ROOSTER 7018 NW 72nd Ave

3) CLUB SPACE 34 N.E. 11th Street

8) HOUSE 1915 NW Miami CT

4) DISCOTEKKA | MEKKA MIAMI 950 NE 2nd Ave

9) JAMBOREE 7005 Biscayne Blvd

5) DUGOUT SPORTS BAR 3215 NE 2nd Ave

10) MAGNUM LOUNGE 709 NE 79th St 11) CLUB AZUCAR 2301 SW 32nd Ave

MIAMI BEACH 12) CAMEO 1445 Washington Ave

15) PALACE BAR 1200 Ocean Dr

13) KILL YOUR IDOL 222 Espanola way

16) SCORE 1437 Washington Ave.

14) MANSION NIGHTCLUB 1235 Washington Ave

17) THE CABARET 233 12th St 18) TWIST 1057 Washington Ave

Those kooky, manipulative, and condescending Harlem Globetrotters arrive at the American Airlines Arena for an afternoon of abusive fun at the expense of such “stooge” teams as the Washington Generals and the Boston Shamrocks. In their free time, The Globetrotters have been known to help such famed sleuths as Scooby Doo solve mysterious crimes or to play pick-up games with a bunch of robots while being coached by Gilligan and The Professor. 4:00 p.m. American Airlines Arena. 601 Biscayne Blvd. Miami. 33132.

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The Pearl Fishers

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Before creating the world’s most popular opera, Carmen, Georges Bizet composed this atmospheric tale of love, friendship, and sacrifice. The Pearl Fishers is inspired by the European infatuation with all things Oriental, and it contains one of the most famous tenor-baritone duets in all of opera. The plot revolves around two lifelong friends, Nadir and Zurga, who vow to never let their love for a woman destroy their friendship. When Leila arrives, this pact, along with their friendship, is tested. 7:00 p.m. Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. 1300 Biscayne Blvd. Miami. 33132.

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GAY-FRIENDLY CARIBBEAN VOYAGE

e are continuously bombarded with headlines and news reports of homophobia in the Caribbean. But the Caribbean isn’t all homophobic and unsupportive. There are actually several gorgeous tropical paradise islands where we can relax and feel safe while vacationing. Plus, these islands are close--only spanning short travel distances from South Florida, so why not share the good travel news for a change?

PUERTO RICO is a beautiful tropical island that experiences St. Barth warm weather year-round and has been a popular gay destination houses that line the streets and ascend since the early 70s. Although it has yet up the hillsides of the island. It’s the US to fully accept the LGBT community socially due to its strong religious influ- Virgin Island’s most developed, urban ences, its United States Commonwealth area with multiple shops and restaurants. The island was known to have the status does help with protecting our Virgin’s most robust gay scene; however, legal rights on the island. in recent years the gay nightlife has Puerto Rico’s capital, San Juan, is vanished. Nonetheless, the gay-friendly extremely welcoming to the LGBT atmosphere still exists and many believe community. In the upscale neighborthe reason for the change stems from hood of Condado, you can not only the island’s overwhelming acceptance, find the gay beach of the city, but also which allows gay and straight people to gay and gay-friendly hotels, restaurants, bars, and nightclubs as well. This enjoy the same venues without a need for distinction. oceanfront neighborhood is a combination between Rodeo Drive, CaliforSAINT JOHN ISLAND is much nia and Ocean Drive, South Beach. smaller in population and developThere are high-end luxury boutiques ment than that of Saint Thomas Island. like Chanel and Louis Vuitton and a However, Cruz Bay, the largest town vibrant nightlife. on the island, still offers great shops, THE US VIRGIN ISLANDS are art galleries, and dining options. The located only 40 miles east of Puerto waters are a clear blue and 60 percent Rico. The islands are white sand paraof the island is a national park, which dises with a tropical savannah climate makes it an ideal spot for the active travyear round. The unique allure of the eler. There is no distinct gay scene on US Virgin Islands when it comes to the the island but they do offer commitLGBT community is its multiple gayment ceremonies and welcome the gay friendly destinations. 3 of the 4 main community with open-arms. islands appeal to the gay community in one fashion or the other, depending on SAINT CROIX ISLAND is the what vacation vibe you are looking for: biggest of the 3 gay-friendly Virgin Islands. It is less busy than Saint SAINT THOMAS ISLAND is Thomas yet more developed than Saint a sandy beach oasis with bright color John. Travelers like to visit two major

COURTESY OF SAINT BARTH TOURISME

February 25, 2015

BY JAMEER BAPTISTE

towns of this green pastures and crystalclear water destination--Christiansted and Frederiksted. Both are distinct in character with Frederiksted being more laid-back with the island’s most popular beach, Dorsch Beach. And Christiansted is said to have the eye-catching views and sights. Saint Croix is also the most gay-oriented of the three islands. They have a gay hotel, gay-friendly clubs and a gay business guild. Saint Croix is the US Virgin Island that you are most likely to come across other gay travelers. CURACAO is the only Caribbean island to publicly embrace the gay community. There isn’t any particular gay scene on the island but their “live and let-live” philosophy makes enjoying the island carefree and easy. This Caribbean paradise has it own Gay Curacao website that lists an array of gay-friendly hotels and nightlife venues. They also produce an annual Gay Pride event in September. “It is important to us that it’s known to the gay & lesbian community that everyone is welcome in Curacao,” Executive Director of the Curacao Tourist Board. SAINT MARTIN/SINT MAARTEN is the Caribbean’s smallest island that houses two different countries. St. Martin is the French

TRAVEL

northern part of the island and St. Maarten is the Dutch southern part of the island. Nonetheless, tourist can move freely between both parts and each country is known to be welcoming and gay-friendly. And although there are no distinct gay scenes on either side, there’s one gay club in St. Martin called Club Eros. In addition, there are three clothing optional beaches that are favored by gay travelers: Cupecoy Beach on the Dutch side and Baie Rouge and Baie Oriental on the French side.

SAINT BARTHELEMY, also known as St. Barts and St. Barths, is the most exclusive of the Caribbean Islands. The French destination is the Caribbean travel hub for the rich and famous with A-list celebrities frequently vacationing on the island. As a predominantly liberal and secular vacation spot, St. Barts has also been a high sought out luxurious travel destination for the gay power-elite. There are no specified gay clubs and hotels but there are openly gay business owners and staff. St. Barts appeal is centered on its easy-going, laissez-faire vibe in which everyone is respectful and respected. Both communities gay and straight comingle with no animosity or discomfort. SABA holds the rank as the most unique Caribbean destination in both landscape and gay-friendly attributes. Unlike most all of the Caribbean islands, Saba has no major cruise-ship visits and only has one actual beach at Well’s Bay. Most vacationers come to the island for its world-class outdoor activities like snorkeling and hiking. There aren’t any gay bars and hotels on the Dutch inhabitant but the super tiny island is the only Caribbean destination that has legalized Marriage Equality, which has put the town on the map as one of the gayfriendliest Caribbean islands.

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BAR MAP

1) BO’S CORAL REEF Arlington 201 N. 5th Ave. , Jacksonville Beach, FL

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5) PARK PLACE Downtown 931 King St , Jacksonville, FL

THE WEEK JACKSONVILLE BY PATRICK ROBERT

2/27

Doobie Brothers and Marshall Tucker Band

2/28

Les Miserables

The genius behind the choreography of such famous Broadway shows as Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk, Savion Glover is an exuberant performer of traditional and avant-garde tap dancing. His newest show is called Stepz; it promises to fuse traditional tap and music of the past with his own style and the energy of the future. 8:00 p.m. The Florida Theatre. 128 East Forsyth St. Jacksonville. 32205.

One of the grandest musicals of our time, Les Miserables

Savion Glover

February 25, 2015

American rock band The Doobie Brothers have sold more than forty million albums worldwide. Known for hits “Listen to the Music” and “Jesus Is Just Alright,” the Doobie Brothers are an American institution. The Marshall Tucker Band was also popular in the 1970s, known for their massive hit “Can’t You See.” The two groups will join forces tonight, performing their hits. 8:00 p.m. St. Augustine Amphitheatre. 1340 A1A South St. Saint Augustine. 32080.

celebrates the survival of the human spirit under the most adverse conditions. The musical takes place in 19th-centruy France as Jean Valjean, a French peasant, tries to redeem his life after spending nineteen years in jail for having stolen a loaf of bread for his starving sister’s child. 7:30 p.m. Amelia Musical Playhouse. 1955 Island Walkway. Fernandina Beach. 32034.

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LEATHERWERKS.COM

February 25, 2015

Copyright © 2014 The Werks Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Werks, LeatherWerks, PaddleWerks, Lifestyle Club, BootWerks and “Where Leather is a Lifestyle” are Registered Trademarks of The Werks Company, LLC

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February 25, 2015

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THE WEEK TAMPA/ST. PETE

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2/27

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Margaret Cho

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Bone Thugs-n-Harmony

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February 25, 2015

Margaret Cho was once an AllAmerican Girl, but that ABC sitcom’s demise led to her more edgy persona as an advocate for LGBT rights and as a brassy comedienne. She has written numerous books, including I’m the One That I Want and I Have Chosen to Stay and Fight. The openly bisexual comedienne is a sharp social satirist and often includes pointed political humor in her stand-up routines. 8:00 p.m. Improv Comedy Theater. 1600 E. Eighth Ave. Tampa. 33605.

1) BAXTER’S LOUNGE South Tampa 1519 S Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, Fl 813-258-8330

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The classic hip-hop group burst onto the music scene with a string of hits off their sophomore album, E. 1999 Eternal, including “The Crossroads,” “1st of tha Month” and “East 1999.” That entire album will be played tonight, along with some of their greatest hits. They are known for their innovative harmonizing. 8:00 p.m. Jannus Live. 200 First Ave. N. St. Petersburg. 33701.

Indigo Girls Folk rock music duo Amy Ray and Emily Saliers are the only duo to have top forty titles on the Billboard 200 in the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s. They are icons among the LGBT community, having come out early in their career and having worked tirelessly for equal rights. Some of their most famous songs include “Closer to Fine,” “Galileo,” and “Power of Two.” 8:00 p.m. Mahaffey Theater. 400 First St. S. St. Petersburg. 33701.

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n Dutch with English subtitles, Boys (Wolfe), aka Jungens, is an insightful exploration of the first blush of young gay love. Teen track team mates Sieger (Gijs Blom) and Marc (Ko Zandvliet) have an immediate attraction as they train for a relay meet with fellow runners Step (Stijn Taverne) and Tom (Myron Wouts). A visit to a swimming hole cements things when the two kiss. Of course, Sieger tells Marc he’s not gay, in spite of not hesitating to kiss Marc back. The boys’ home lives couldn’t be more different. Sieger and his older brother Eddy (Jonas Smulders), a former track star turned motorcycle-riding hoodlum, live with their widowed father. Eddy insists on riding a motorcycle, even though his father disapproves since the boys’ mother was killed in, you guessed it, a motorcycle accident. Marc, on the other hand, is an adoring older brother to his kid sister, and has a good relationship with his folks. As Sieger and Marc’s relationship develops, and they can barely keep their hands off of each other, complications arise. There is Sieger’s possible interest in Jessica (Lotte Razoux Schultz), for example, and his obvious confusion about his feelings for Marc. However, a victory at an important track meet is just the thing Sieger needs to face his demons. The minimal DVD bonus features include the original trailer for the film.

C February 25, 2015

SCREEN SAVOR

CRAZY, LILTING BOYS

razy Bitches (Film McQueen) is a twisted slasher comedy with an unexpected ending twist from director/actress Jane Clark (Meth Head). Sorority sisters prissy and pearled Taylor (Samantha Colburn), predatory lesbian Cassie (Cathy DeBuono), smug and smart Princess (Mary Jane Wells), terminally ill Dorri (Nayo Wallace), cheated-on Alice (Victoria Profeta), woo-woo woozy

(COURTESY OF STRAND)

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BY GREGG SHAPIRO

Lilting

Minnie (Liz McGeever), gay guy pal BJ (Andy Gala) and Alice’s nasty sister Belinda, gather for a weekend at the Benton Estate, site of a grisly murder a few years earlier and said to be haunted by the souls of the seven girls killed there. Combining elements of revenge killing for past hurts, ghost stories, as well as references to classic horror, and a healthy dose of pansexual humping, Crazy Bitches gets most of it right. It keeps us guessing as each of the characters begins dropping in ways specific to their personality. Fashion obsessed Belinda gets a stiletto heel to the eye, Taylor chokes on her pearls, hair hung-up Princess is scalped, skin color conscious BJ discovers too late that there is acid in one of his cream tubes, and so on. Be sure to pay close attention to the sub-story involving Alice’s philandering husband Eddie (David Fumero). Crazy Bitches refreshes a genre that was getting tired and tiresome. [Available on VOD and across all other digital platforms, in February.]

ecently out actor Ben Wishaw plays Richard, widower of Kai (Andrew Leung), in queer writer/director Hong Khaou’s feature-length debut Lilting (Strand). Together four years, Richard loses his boyfriend when Kai is struck by a car on the way to catch a bus to visit his stubborn and unassimilated mother Junn (Pei pei Cheng) in the sheltered home where she resides in London. A complex portrait of difficult relationships on par with Ira Sachs’ Love Is Strange, Lilting depicts the challenges, linguistic and cultural, that arise when loss clouds everyone’s perspective. Both Richard and Junn are struggling in their own ways, which are more similar than they realize. Jealous of her son’s relationship with Richard, the level of which she supposedly doesn’t fully grasp, Junn, who doesn’t speak English, is miserable in her living situation. This is the case, despite of being the object of fellow resident Alan’s (Peter Bowles) affection. In the meantime, Richard is

coming to terms with living alone in the home that he shared with Kai. Making an effort to reach out to Junn, he visits her, even going so far as to hire a translator, Vann (Naomi Christie), to help with the language barrier. But it is what is unspoken – Richard’s relationship with Kai – that is the greatest obstacle. Unbeknownst to each other, it is their memories of Kai, seen in flashback, that truly bind Richard and Junn. The performances in Lilting are simply awe-inspiring. The writing, while definitely on the tearjerker level, also makes subtle use of humor, giving the characters and the audience the chance to occasionally catch their breath. DVD bonus features include an interview with director Khaou, as well as Khaou’s short film “Summer,” and more. Also out there: Cheyenne Jackson plays a gay dance instructor tangoing with widow Gena Rowlands in Six Dance Lessons In Six Weeks, a film based on Richard Alfieri’s play of the same name, opening in Fort Lauderdale-area theaters on Feb. 27.

ORLANDO BY PATRICK ROBERT

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Las Vegas entertainer Coco Montrese was one of the fourteen drag queens competing on the fifth season of Logo’s wildly popular RuPaul’s Drag Race. She placed fifth in that competition, having been on the bottom for a record four times. Tonight she will be performing at the Parliament House. DJ Scott Robert will be spinning the music. 10:00 p.m. Parliament House Resort and Entertainment Complex. 410 N. Orange Blossom Trail. Orlando. 32805.

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Coco Montrese

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THE WEEK

2/28

Photograph 51 2

BAR MAP 7) PULSE 1912 S Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 407-649-3888

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provides complimentary Health and Wellness services to financially challenged people living with HIV/AIDS and offers a global LGBT athletic mentoring program for amateur and professional athletes ranging from grade school to the professional ranks. DI

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BRIANNEALFITNESS.ORG

The 1977 play by Bernard Pomerance tells the story of medical marvel John Merrick, a man from Victorian era England known for his extreme body deformities. A David Lynch film based on the play has become a cult classic. One of the highlights of the play is the skill involved in playing Merrick— no prosthetics are used to show his deformities, only the actor’s physicality. 7:30 p.m. Lowndes Shakespeare Center. 812 E. Rollins St. Orlando. 32803.

February 25, 2015

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The Elephant Man

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Rosalind Franklin’s role in the discovery of DNA’s double helix structure is often overlooked. The play Photograph 51 gives an intriguing portrait of the intelligent and stubborn woman operating in a male-dominated field. Anna Ziegler’s play won the 3rd STAGE International Script Competition and will be performed tonight by Mad Cow Theatre. 8:00 p.m. Mad Cow Theatre. 54 W. Church St. Orlando. 32801.

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