Florida Agenda #134

FLORIDAAGENDA.COM

JUNE 14, 2012

JUNE 14, 2012

HONORING OUR FATHERS, AND OUR SONS EDITORIAL PAGE 12

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Florida’s Largest LGBT Newspaper and Entertainment Source

BIG Money Obama & Romney’s Donors Political Desk PAGE 10

“GAY THREESOME SEX”

NUTRITION

Foods That Are Super Good, And Super Bad PAGE 33

LOVE JONES

LOVE JONES WICKED STICKS ANONYMOUS PAGE 28

WORLD DESK

First Gay Union Held In British Church PAGE 10

SUNSHINE STATE

Crist Denies Gay Affairs (Again) CRIMINALIZATION LAWS PAGE 8

Resigned Teacher Suspended Earlier This Year for Directing Students to Racy Blog

PIERSON, FLORIDA - A Fun Coast teacher resigned CONSERVATIVE: GAY FATHER’S effective this week after he mistakenly projected the title DAY ADS ARE A “WAR ON MEN” of an X-Rated, gay YouTube video in front of the eyes of his middle school class. Jose Rosario-Gonzalez, a history COLUMBUS, OH – Last week, Linda Harvey, teacher at T. Dewitt Taylor Middle-High School in founder of the anti-gay group Mission America, Volusia County, resigned rather than face the possibility called ads by retailer JCPenney containing a same of being fired. sex Father’s Day message produced constitute a “war Rosario-Gonzalez, 53—citing “family/personal on men.” reasons”—turned in his letter of resignation three weeks Harvey—who, in 2011, called LGBT activists ago, with an effective date of June 12, after the incident “masters of demonic manipulation”—said, “I read last month in which he unwittingly made public his with astonishment that JC Penney is advertising viewing habits. According to officials, Rosario-Gonzalez Father’s Day with an ad featuring two real life connected his computer to a projector during class, with homosexual males who are in a home with kids. The the intent of playing a YouTube video for students. ad says that a father is ‘a swim coach, tent maker, According to a complaint written by a student, “Mr. best friend, bike fixer, and hug giver – all rolled into Rosario was on YouTube, he scrolled through his videos one. Or two,’ but actually no, only one person is ever and there was history videos [sic], except for one. This one your dad, the other parent is your mom. We need to was titled ‘Gay Threesome Sex.’” The student described keep repeating this unchanging truth.” the reaction of students to the A/V faux pas. “The whole “Friends, fathers and males in general are under class was saying ‘eww,’ and ‘What is that doing on there?,’ attack in this culture. There is not a war on women and he just kept scrolling and didn’t say anything.” as claimed, but there does seem to be a war on men.”

After seeing the X-rated item listed Rosario-Gonzalez’s viewing queue, at least one student reported the incident to a parent, who reported it to school officials.

An investigation determined that Rosario-Gonzalez, who taught at the school—which serves grades six through 12—for 12 years, used his school-owned laptop to access files “classified as homosexual pornography” on numerous occasions. Officials say that he did not deny doing so.

Records show that Rosario-Gonzalez has previously been disciplined for improper interactions with those in his classroom charge. In 2006, he was cited for making inappropriate comments to students. In March, he was put on a three-day unpaid leave for directing “students to his blog [that] they said sometimes included content overtones.” The suspension occurred after officials had or links to material laced with profanity and sexual previously warned him in October to cease.

‘THREESOME continues on Page 1 ‘

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SUNSHINE STATE Jeb Bush: Gay Parents Should Not “Be Discriminated Against”

MIAMI – Former Gov. Jeb Bush told interviewer Charlie Rose last week that although his brother—former President George W. Bush—supported a Constitutional amendment to ban same sex marriage while he was chief executive, the younger brother and son of two U.S. presidents thinks that America needs all kinds of examples of good parenting.

While saying that he personally opposes same sex marriage, Bush told Rose, “I don’t think people need to be discriminated against because they don’t share my belief on this, and if people love their children with all their heart and soul, and that’s what they do, and that’s how they organize their life, that should be held up as examples for others to follow because we need it.

We desperately need it and that can take all sorts of forms, it doesn’t have to take the one that I think should be sanctioned under the law.”

School Officials Cave to Legal Pressure, Permit Students to Form Gay-Straight Alliance

OCALA – On Friday, Ocala School Superintendent Jim Yancey— responding to the pressure of a pending lawsuit, and the possibility of a federal

LOCAL DESK

court injunction—announced that he will permit two students to start a GayStraight Alliance at Vanguard High School. In a statement, Yancey cited Florida case law and the likelihood of extensive legal fees in reversing his earlier decision to deny the request from Dylan Lee and Sarah Kirk to form the club.

Yancey and officials looked at the results of similar lawsuits in other Florida school districts. The Okeechobee County schools district was ordered to pay $325,000 in legal fees following a similar decision. The statement said that students who are interested in joining the Gay-Straight Alliance must get written parental permission, and noted that “discussions at club meetings cannot focus on sexual content, and the faculty advisor must attend all meetings.”

Former Gov. Crist Denies Allegations He Paid Men to Hide Gay Affairs

TAMPA - Former Gov. Charlie Crist is angrily denying charges that he paid two men in order to hide alleged homosexual affairs. Crist told Tampa television station WTSP that the charges, which were revealed in documents relating to an investigation of former Florida GOP Chairman Jim Greer, are “a bunch of delusional lies.”

The investigation of Greer concerns allegations that he conducted a secret fundraising effort that resulted in

close to $200,000 of campaign money going directly to Greer and the Florida Republican Party’s executive director.

According to a Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Investigative Report, “[Crist’s former attorney, Damon] Chase had contacted [Crist’s employer, John] Morgan … to set up a time wherein Chase could depose Crist. [Chase] indicated to Morgan that if he (Chase) had to take Crist’s deposition, Crist was not going to like what Chase asked as it would contain embarrassing things and would be used to impeach his testimony. When Morgan inquired what embarrassing things Chase was referring to, Chase indicated that he would be forced to impeach Crist by addressing [that] Charlie Crist was a homosexual, and had homosexual relationships with at least two men who were paid to leave the state to avoid embarrassing then-Gov. Crist.

2. Gov. Crist kissed or attempted to kiss Greer at a hotel in Beverly Hills, California. 3. Governor Crist’s drunken escapades, and how Governor Crist’s security detail had to cover for him. 4. Governor Crist attempting to run people over while intoxicated and operating a golf cart.” Greer is expected to stand trial on July 30.

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Japanese Name Not “Lucky” for Restaurant Request Denied on “Immoral” Grounds

WEST PALM BEACH – The owner of a West Palm Beach eatery is decrying his bad luck after state officials denied his request for a trademark on his restaurant’s name on the grounds that the moniker in question is “immoral.” Paul Ardaji, whose previous experience includes operating Morimoto restaurants in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., applied for a trademark on the name “Fuku,” which means good fortune, wealth, and prosperity in Japanese. In refusing the trademark request, officials said the name “includes immoral, deceptive, or scandalous” material.

Vita Adds Treece Financial to His C.V.

MIAMI- Michael Vita, a past member of the board of directors for the Miami-Dade Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (MDGLCC), has joined Treece Financial Group as Director of Marketing and Public Relations. Vita, who served as the Secretary/Treasurer for MDGLCC, will be responsible for developing strategies and themes for media relations, seminars, and promotional materials. Treece Financial Group is a gay-owned and operated financial services and investment advisory firm, specializing in issues relating to the LGBT Community.

Archidezigns Hosts Grand Opening in Wilton Manors

Images from the ArchideZigns Gallery Opening in Wilton Manors: (R to L) Julie Carson, Wilton Manors City Commissioner; Krishan Manners, President/CEO of Wilton Manors Main Street; Sofia Arguimbau and Zulay Marti, Owners of ArchideZigns; Tom Green, Wilton Manors City Commissioner; Heidi Shafran, Director of Community Development

WILTON MANORS – On Friday, June 8, Archidezigns held a Grand Opening at its 2214 North Dixie Highway offices. The new architectural firm and art gallery brings an extension of the Art and Entertainment district to Dixie Highway with the inclusion of gallery space to showcase local artists.

“Our mission is to design spaces that enhance people’s lives, not only by the practicality of using it, but also by creating landmarks which can be appreciated by every person forming part of the connecting web of community,” said owner Zulay Marti.

In support of the arts, Archidezigns will provide workshops for artists at heart, who have a desire to express themselves on canvas, in a relaxed atmosphere.«

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NATIONAL DESK Easy Rider

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – A California man is suing BMW of North America, claiming that the motorcycle manufacturer is responsible for his severe priapism—a medical term for a “persistent, lasting erection.”

Henry Wolf is suing both BMW and the company that manufactured the seat on his 1993 motorcycle, CorbinPacific Inc. In a civil suit filed last month in San Francisco Superior Court, Wolf claims that after cruising on his 1993 BMW motorcycle on two back-to-back two hour rides in May 2010, he was stricken with an erection that has lasted more than 20 months.

Wolf ’s suit says that the San Francisco man “is now unable to engage in sexual activity, which is causing him substantial emotional and mental anguish,” and seeks damages for personal injury, lost wages, product liability, and emotional distress.

According to automotive news blog Rushlane, “This is not the first time motorcycle riding has been linked to such problems. However, in most cases it has been seen that there may be a direct link between motorbike seat design and problems regarding infertility and impotency. Vibrations caused by the bike coupled with configurations of the seat are said to be the crux of the matter.”

NATIONAL DESK

New Survey Data: Rising National Acceptance for LGBT Rights, Marriage Equality

ATLANTA, GA – The results of a new nationwide CNN poll show that acceptance for gay rights—and for gays, generally—is at an all time high.

In 2010, 49 percent of Americans answered “yes” when asked if they had a close friend or family member who was gay. In the survey released on June 6, a majority of Americans—60 percent—said “yes.” The results also indicated a partisan bias for both LGBT rights and acceptance of same sex marriage, with 70 percent of Democrats favoring legal recognition of marriage equality and 72 percent of Republicans opposing it.

NAACP leader Resigns Over Group’s Support of Marriage Equality

DES MOINES, IA – Last week, Rev. Keith Ratliff, pastor of the Maple Street Missionary Baptist Church in Des Moines, and President of the Iowa and Nebraska branches of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), resigned his positions with the organization, to protest the group’s resolution last month in support of same sex marriage. Ratliff told reporters that he reevaluated his future with the nation’s oldest civil rights organization last month, when its board of directors voted overwhelmingly to endorse same sex marriage during the body’s annual meeting in Miami.

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In a statement, Ratliff said, “I want to thank the NAACP for the privilege to humbly serve in such an organization and thank all those I had the privilege to work with in the states of Iowa, Nebraska and throughout the country.” Ratliff is a long-standing opponent of marriage equality, and was a vocal supporter of an amendment to the 2009 Iowa Supreme Court ruling that granted legal recognition to civil unions between same sex couples.

Biden Brags about Obama’s “Big Stick”

NEW YORK, NY - Vice President Joseph Biden—never at a loss for words—was channeling former President Theodore Roosevelt during comments he made at New York University last month that sought to refute claims by Mitt Romney that the administration lacks credibility in discussing a “military option” towards a potentially-hostile Iran.

While discussing international relations at the 181-year-old nonprofit research institution, Biden said “I promise you, the President has a big stick. I promise you,” drawing laughter from the crowd of roughly 500 university students. Biden was invoking enjoinder by Roosevelt— who was president from 1901 to 1909—to “speak softly and carry a big stick” in matters of foreign policy.

“President Obama understands what Gov. Romney apparently doesn’t: It is possible—it’s indeed necessary— for America to be strong and smart— and smart—at the same time,” said Biden during the campaign visit.

Romney, the former Governor of Massachusetts and the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has called for a more aggressive public stance toward the Islamic Republic, which is believed to be pursuing nuclear weapons research, in defiance of international requirements.

Texas GOP Adopts Platform Calling for End to Criminalizing Same Sex Marriage

HENRY WOLF AND HIS BIKE

JUNE 14, 2012

FORT WORTH, TX – At its state convention last weekend, the Texas Republican Party adopted a new platform that reaffirms the party’s opposition to same sex marriage and

BIDEN

pornography, but end historic calls to criminalize both institutions. In 2010, party leaders passed platform language that called for a felony charge against any official who issued a same sex marriage license, or who performed a same sex marriage ceremony. The Texas Republican Party continues its opposition to gay marriage.

The 22-page platform, which lays out the party’s principles, defines marriage “as a God-ordained, legal and moral commitment only between a natural man and a natural woman, which is the foundational unit of a healthy society, and we oppose the assault on marriage by judicial activists.”

With respect to homosexuality, it reads, “We affirm that the practice of homosexuality tears at the fabric of society and contributes to the breakdown of the family unit.

Homosexual behavior is contrary to the fundamental, unchanging truths that have been ordained by God, recognized by our country’s founders, and shared by the majority of Texans.

Homosexuality must not be presented as an acceptable ‘alternative’ lifestyle, in public policy, nor should ‘family’ be redefined to include homosexual ‘couples.’ We believe there should be no granting of special legal entitlements or creation of special status for homosexual behavior, regardless of state of origin. Additionally, we oppose any criminal or civil penalties against those who oppose homosexuality out of faith, conviction, or belief in traditional values.”

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EDITOR’S DESK

Honoring Our Fathers— and Our Sons

FLORIDAAGENDA.COM

JUNE 07, 2012 • ISSUE 133

CLIFF DUNN, EDITOR

B

eing raised by a single mother, growing up I didn’t have a whole lot of use for Father’s Day, and it more or less dropped entirely off the radar screen after my absentee father died when I was 18. Further compounding my estrangement from this “holiday”— which was only signed into official existence in 1972 by Richard Nixon, of all people—was was the fact that— lacking a paternal role model of any substance—at some point during my 20s, I determined that I would be my own “dad,” and would look out for myself as the best father would have done.

(This quasi-after-the-factinbreeding in my psyche may account for my tendency to date men who are attracted to father figure-types, including my present boyfriend.)

One of the things I find most regrettable about the social cliquishness that is prevalent in our community is the fact that so much “institutional memory” is lost to gay kids who are just coming up in this fast-changing world. The lack of “cross-culturalpollination” between older and younger gays—other than at strip clubs—means that the wisdom of an older generation of gay men—who came up, and OUT, during the early years of the gay rights movement—is entirely missed by a youthful generation that can most use it. It wasn’t always like this.

Although I would like to avoid a

discussion of the finer points of ancient Greek pederasty (at least, the prurient, sexual aspects of it), the central element of this institution—an institution, by the way, which most reasonable people can agree has no place in a modern world—was the older male’s obligation to educate, protect, and provide a role model for the younger partner.

This relationship ended once the boy “became a man” (which was determined by the widespread appearance of body hair on the youth), and joined the wider complement of free Greek adult citizens. (Incidentally, penetrative sex had little or nothing to do with ancient Greek pederasty—it was considered demeaning to the passive partner.)

My point here, of course, is not to titillate, but to offer an ideal for your consideration. When I refer to institutional memory, I mean the collective set of facts, experiences, and wisdom possessed by a group of people. Elements of institutional memory are found in corporations, professional organizations, government bodies, religious groups, academic societies, and in entire cultures. But the polarization of LGBT—and especially gay male—culture into “twinks,” “bears,” “gym rats,” “S&Ms” (“standers and modelers”), ad nauseum, means that the benefits of age and a lifetime of learning—and struggle—are lost to some of those who could most benefit from its imparting.

The “Greatest Generation”—those who lived during Stonewall in 1969, and who experienced the fear of being closeted and discovered as gay at the dawn of the modern LGBT rights movement—are segregated from younger gays, who may understand— on a human level—all too well the pain of rejection from family and friends, but who are denied the institutional

memory and experience of mature gays because of superficial inter-cultural barriers. This segregation, though, and the attitudes underlying it, cuts both ways.

My boyfriend—who divides most of his time between work, home, and the gym—has done an enviable—some might call it “hateful”—job over the past six months of sculpting his body into amazing athletic form, and he has done so for all the right reasons. Yet he was asked—true, innocently enough— recently by an acquaintance if the reason he has been working out so hard was to get employed as a male dancer.

Don’t mistake me: it was both meant and taken as a compliment, but the fact that this would be the first motivation that comes to mind for some gay men staggers me. It speaks of the objectification—and the disrespect for boundaries—to which some members of our community subject others in our community.

There is a vast difference between admiring someone’s physique and thinking that their purpose is to grace a dancer pole. But when we objectify others, we are not only diminishing their own worth as people, we are relegating ourselves to the sidelines of the inappropriate, improper, and unwelcomed. As my grandmother told me, you can’t each every plate of ziti that gets set in front of you. Does ogling a desirable person—to the exclusion of all other outward forms of appreciation—make “possessing” that person any more likely? Probably not. When we dehumanize others, we dehumanize ourselves. That’s no way to honor either our fathers, or our sons.

Happy Father’s Day.«

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Q-POINT

JUNE 14, 2012

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A Spiritual Cabaret Q -Point: WIG: for the Fabulous!

BY REV. JAMIE GRACE

What is all the hoopla about WIG? And what is WIG anyway? These are two of the most common questions people ask me about “WIG’s Wednesday Night Experience.”

If you’re expecting some religious, gay dogma speech you’re in the wrong place.

We’re totally “entertainment,” with lots of spirituality thrown in. Plus, I’m Jewish, so you’d only get matzo ball soup anyway.

WIG (“Wild Inspirational Gatherings”) revivals are held at The Manor Complex, in their big disco room. The ambiance is full of colorful lights, and the before show music is jazzy and upbeat. There’s quite a diverse crowd of women, young adults, couples and a lots of charming, Wilton Manors men. When you enter, the ushers are really friendly and sometimes wear plastic wigs, like cartoon characters. This is to make sure people think of WIG as fun right off the bat. WIG is serious about making a difference in our gay community, especially with the next generation, but we

don’t take ourselves too seriously. We’re celebrating life, not contemplating it. One man told me he likes to bring his son.

“We get to do something fun together,” he said. “There’s nothing really for us to do together in Wilton Manors besides WIG. And my son loves it.”

The night opens with the “WIG GaYngsta Choir,” garbed in multirainbow-colored robes. Last week, they opened with Kelly Clarkson’s, “What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger,” and the rest of the show was like that, featuring gay, positive, upbeat musical numbers, much more like a cabaret show than anything else. We do a meditation, an affirmation, and an initiation during which everyone clicks their heels three times and says, “There’s no place like WIG.” The performance lineup last week included Teri Catlin, a folk singer who brought down the house, Extravaganza— who performed as Jennifer Hudson, and did a flip off the stage that drove the crowd crazy—and Berry Davis, a talented young New York City-based actor.

I also get asked, “Why does WIG

have the word ministry in its name?” The answer is simple: “We want to be taken seriously.” Many folks don’t understand that LGBTQ people are spiritual.

As a culture, we have been leaders in spirituality for thousands of years. WIG wants to remind, reeducate, and make folks remember that we’re fabulous, in a big Off Broadway, spiritual-cabaret sort of way. WIG loves being gay, and doesn’t apologize for it. At WIG, the word gay also means “Fabulous!”

Wilton Manors is an energy vortex for gay folks, and we make sure that affirming, gay positive energy gets created here.

Although I love Bear Busts and Drag Shows and drink specials—oh, my!—I don’t find my spirituality there. Greater Fort Lauderdale must have a place so that all of us, including the next generation, can feel uplifted and empowered just for being part of our community—just for being who we are. Is Wilton Manors ready for WIG? That answer seems to be a big “yes.” The room is more crowded every week, people have a really great time and, get this—you can enjoy drinks and food during WIG. (Some call WIG, “Comedy-Cabaret Church,” or “Church and Cocktails.”) We hope WIG is here for a long time. This island could use some gay spirituality, empowerment, theater, and cabaret.«

Rev. Jamie Grace is the founder and pastor at WIG: Wild Inspirational Gatherings. The WIG revivals are held on Wednesdays from 8 to 9:30 p.m., at The Manor Complex, 2345 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors. For more information, visit wigministries.org.

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WORLD DESK

WORLD DESK Over 3 Million Attend Brazil Gay Pride .

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – Officials estimate that over three million people attended the world’s largest gay pride parade in Brazil on Sunday, June 10, the culmination of a month-long series of events. The 16th annual event included a call from LGBT advocates for an end to homophobic violence in the 192 million-person nation.

In 2011, Brazil’s Supreme Court legally recognized same sex partnerships, a ruling that was applauded as a landmark case for LGBT rights in a country that has the world’s largest population of Roman Catholics. The court ruling gave gay couples most of the rights enjoyed by heterosexual married partners, including retirement benefits, and may soon lead to the legal right to adopt children. Brazil has struggled with recent violence against the gay community, including harassment and beatings in the country’s largest cities.

this year marks the first time that the nation’s ruling Conservative Party has made an appearance.

“I can’t speak for other people but when I ran to be the leader of this party I talked about change and I believe that we are a party that has changed,” Redford said. “I want to be sure that we’re doing everything we can so that everyone who wants to live in this province and express themselves is able to do that.” Over 1,500 people took part in Saturday’s parade, which was attended by nearly 15,000 people.

Minority of Gay Britons Say Gay Marriage Should Be a “Priority”

Alberta Premier Takes Part in Edmonton PRIDE

EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CANADA – The Premier of the Canadian Province of Alberta attended Edmonton Gay Pride last weekend, to the applause of LGBT rights activists. Alison Redford is the first Alberta premier to take part in the annual event, as well as being the province’s first female premier.

“It speaks to the fact that we are a very different province than we were many years ago, and I’m very proud of that,” said Redford, 46, who was elected premier in January. The event, which has been held since the early 1990s, has been attended by other provincial leaders in the past, but

LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM- In the first survey of its kind conducted in Great Britain, a minority of British gays say they believe marriage equality should be a “priority” for the national agenda, and just half think that getting married is of personal importance. The first poll of its kind in Britain also found that only a minority of gay people believe redefining marriage should be a “priority” and only half said that having the opportunity to marry was important to them personally.

The poll—which was conducted on behalf of Catholic Voices, a conservative activist organization— found that over three quarters of British LGBT persons support marriage equality in principle. It also reported that over 70 percent think that marriage should be “more about love between two people than it is about rearing children.”

But only 39 per cent agree that marriage equality is a “priority for gay people,” while just over a quarter think there is “no need” to legalize same sex unions in the U.K. because

civil partnership legislation, which went into effect in 2005, confers a number of the rights and privileges of full civil marriage. Nearly half of gay Britons—49 per cent—disagree that gay marriage is a top “priority,” and 25 percent are unsure.

Gay British Couple First to Hold Church Partnership Ceremony

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM - A British same sex couple is believed to be the first to have held a civil partnership ceremony in a United Kingdom church. Kieran Bohan and Warren Hartley were married last month at the Ullet Road Unitarian Church in Liverpool. They told The Guardian that they waited until literally the last minute to hold their ceremony on hallowed ground, after the Liverpool City Council ruled a day before the event that the church was permitted to register civil partnerships.

Although plans to permit the hosting of civil same sex ceremonies in religious buildings were announced in February 2011, the final legislation allowing its implementation was only

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finalized in December. The couple have been together for nearly five years, and met in groups organized for gay people of faith.

Kieran, 41, a youth group director, said, “When we booked our blessing over a year ago we had no idea this would be possible. We are delighted to have achieved this milestone on the road to equality.” His partner, Warren, 36, a native of Sydney, Australia, said, “Bringing the two elements together means we are able to integrate our sexuality and our spirituality, to celebrate our love for each other, and our love of God.” A civil official performed the service, which was attended by around 150 guests. Angela Howard, lay minister at Ullet Road Unitarian Church, said, “We are so pleased to have the first civil partnership on religious premises, but we will continue striving for all couples to have equal access to civil marriages, religious marriages and civil partnerships.”«

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SPOTLIGHT • BUSINESS DESK

JUNE 14, 2012

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SPOTLIGHT: Sunserve

Serving the LGBT Community, One Phone Call at a Time

By Dale Madison

When Mark Ketcham, the Executive Director of the SunServe, began our interview, he asked me, “Do you like to chat on the phone?” After a long beat that contained what I’m sure was a puzzled look on my face, I realized that he was speaking about the “telephone tree” that SunServe has put together.

Let’s explore: If you are homebound and living in Broward County, with no one to check in on you, SunServe has set up a network of people to make one phone call a day, in order to check upon just one individual, and make sure that they are safe. I looked at Ketcham, and couldn’t help but say, “What a great idea—especially for those who are infirmed.”

“That’s just one of the programs that SunServe offers,” explains Ketcham.

SunServe began in 2002 as a mission of the Sunshine Cathedral, with a mental health initiative purpose. It quickly established its own tax-exempt foundation and status. That mission has greatly expanded over the last decade in both scope and services. Ketcham fires off a short list of programs and constituencies that the organization

BUSINESS DESK Are You Liable?

Protecting Your Business is a Job in Itself

By Mary Adams, J.D.

A disgruntled employee can get no satisfaction from calling the state workers compensation agency on you because—as an informed business owner—you should already know that if you employ four or more full-time OR part-time workers, it is the law that you possess workers compensation insurance coverage.

A harassment claim to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will not affect your business, because—as a prepared business person—you already have a policy protecting against employee and client harassment, and you utilize an outside neutral source for any employee who is not comfortable talking to internal management.

Your business will pass Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

serves.

“We have Parents, Family, and Friends of Lesbian and Gays (PFLAAG) that meets here on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at our south location, our Women for Women dropin group [by drop in, he means you don’t need to belong to the group, you just stop by for its meetings] gets together on Wednesdays at the Wilton Manors office. We have an HIV long term survivor group, which meets on the first and third Thursdays, also at the Wilton Manors office. We have a gay male empowerment group, and they meet at the Pride Center at Equality Park on Thursdays.”

Ketcham notes that with a large LGBT community that is centered in one geographic area, comes a dark underbelly. “Unfortunately, one of the areas that we had to address is intimate partner abuse. This is a group for LGBT people experiencing abuse in their relationships, or who have just left an abusive relationship.”

“One thing that I am very proud of is our One-on-One group, which right now includes 115 participants. Through inspection of your employees’ I-9 work documents because—as a compliant business owner—you use the free Department of Homeland Security database to process new-hire documents.

Just a few federal, state, and local laws can bring your business to at grinding halt, if any of these agencies contact you regarding a complaint and you are not prepared. You don’t want to get to know them, especially since all records become public, and— before you know it—the wage board is contacting you concerning an audit on how your business manages overtime, bonuses, commissions, tips, etc.

Small businesses are the most vulnerable to civil and court liability, because they do not have the money or resources to fight against regulatory harassment, while trying to pay vendors and employee payroll. Questions? Let’s talk.«

Mary Adams, J.D., is Principal Consultant at The Employee Relations Group (T.E.R.G.) in Fort Lauderdale. She can be reached at Mary@TERG.com.

it, we work with local students of family and marriage therapists. Students have to delegate 2,000 hours of service, under the supervision of licensed therapists.”

Ketcham adds that SunServe has not forgotten its original aim of offering support to those with special emotional needs. “We currently have a waiting list of kids who require mental health services. It’s tough with the budget cuts.” Noting the irony, he adds, “This year, we have a budget of $248,000 for mental health services—and the longest waiting list of those in need—in our history.”

In spite of the challenges, Ketcham

FROM THE FRONT Records show that RosarioGonzalez has previously been disciplined for improper interactions with those in his classroom charge.

In 2006, he was cited for making inappropriate comments to students.

In March, he was put on a three-day unpaid leave for directing “students to his blog [that] they said sometimes included content or links to material laced with profanity and sexual overtones.” The suspension occurred after officials had previously warned him in October to cease.

Rosario-Gonzalez challenged his earlier reprimand and suspension. In letter written on April 5, he called the controversy surrounding his blog an effort to curtail his Constitutional right to free expression, and said that parents were engaged in a “witch hunt” against him.

School documents indicate that Rosario-Gonzalez called the “threesome” page-view incident an accident, and said that he “did this on his own time, in the privacy of his home and it was never his intention to show students.” In a blog statement,

and SunServe keep one eye firmly focused on the needs of the future, and the growth that will require servicing those needs. “We have recently added a Gender-Bender group, which meets Monday nights for the growing transgender community. A year ago, the United Way came out with a program to help with preventing teen suicide, and we have been working closely with them on this growing concern.”

To learn more about SunServe, and to find out more about volunteering or utilizing its community resources, visit sunserve.org, or call (954) 764-5150.«

“THREESOME” continued from Page 1

the teacher insisted that he never exposed students to any inappropriate content.

Volusia County school district officials say they are sending the results of their investigation to the Florida Department of Education. If investigators determine that probable cause exists to formally discipline Rosario-Gonzalez, the case may be sent to the Education Practices Commission for further review and penalties, which can range from a reprimand to revocation of a teacher’s license. «

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POLITICAL DESK

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POLITICAL DESK Political StarFunders: Who’s Who Among 2012 Celeb Campaign Donors

By Joe Harris As we mentioned here last week, the reelection effort for President Barack Obama includes a horde of A-List celebrities who have ponied-up in bringing their Tinseltown pals onboard the chief executive’s campaign donor bandwagon. Federal Election Commission (FEC) records indicate that those fundraising dynamos—called “bundlers” in the parlance of election slang—who list entertainment (TV/Movies/Music) as their profession are among the president’s high-roller bundlers, accounting for close to $7 million in donor money as of April. The names that top Obama’s famous contributors include actor and activist George Clooney, “Lost” co-creator and “Star Trek” director J.J. Abrams, and Hollywood powerhouses Steven Spielberg, Leonardo Di Caprio, and Tobey Maguire.

On the LGBT side of things, the Commander-in-Chief counts among his troops “Nip/Tuck” and “Glee” creator Ryan Murphy, talk show host Suze Orman, television stars Jane Lynch, Neil Patrick Harris, and EllenDeGeneres, Scottish stage and film actor Alan Cumming, screen writer Dustin Lance Black,

ELLEN DEGENERES

ALAN CUMMING

performer Ricky Martin, and openly gay children’s author Maurice Sendak, who—prior to his death last month donated to the president’s reelection effort. (The president has said that “Where the Wild Things Are” is one of his favorite books, and has read it to children during the White House Easter Egg Roll.)

The president’s presumptive Republican opponent, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, lags behind the Democratic incumbent in terms of campaign star power— although his presidential campaign shot past the president’s last month in fundraising, bringing in close to $77 million, nearly $17 million more than Obama’s—but it does include some familiar names and faces.

According to FEC filings, and records of the Center for Responsive Politics, Romney’s celebrity supporters include country performer Trace Adkins, former “Happy Days” star Scott Baio—who has appearances

NEIL PATRICK HARRIS

on the GOP candidate’s behalf, and donated the legal limit to Romney’s campaign in November—1960s game show staple Orson Bean, a wellknown conservative and father-in-law to the late conservative commentator Andrew Breitbart, “Pirates of the Caribbean” producer and “CSI” creator Jerry Bruckheimer—one of Hollywood’s richest men— who donated the max individual amount to Romney in March.

(OpenSecrets.org reports that since 1990, Bruckheimer and his wife have contributed over $120,000 to political campaigns—since 2002, most of them Republicans.)

Former 1970s teen idol and fellow Mormon Donny Osmond contributed the $2,500 legal limit in December to Romney’s campaign.

His sister, Marie Osmond, is also a supporter, although has not made any financial contribution to the Romney campaign. KISS bass player and reality television star Gene Simmons endorsed Romney in April on Twitter.

“America is a business, and should be run by a businessman,” Simmons said, although he is not listed as a Romney donor in FEC records. Jon Voight, father of actress Angelina Jolie, and star of “Midnight Cowboy,” has called Romney “strong” and “honest,” and told CNN’s Piers Morgan that the Republican candidate is “a fellow who shoots from the hip … He’s got great values.” The praise has not yet translated to a campaign donation.

One of the McCain campaign’s top bundlers in 2008, Donald Trump donated the legal limit to Romney’s campaign in December. After toying with his own run

for president, the billionaire real estate mogul endorsed Romney in February, saying that the former Massachusetts governor is “not going to continue to allow bad things to happen to this country.”«

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Cinema | Fitness | Nutrition | Travel | Dining | Bar Guide | Recipe | Classifieds

What’s Inside: Maybe you were a smarter kid than I was, because until I was about 12, I really thought that Komonahwannalayuh was an actual Hawaiian monarch. The reality about our nation’s 50th state is far more exotic, charming—and gay, and jet-setting maven Robert Elias Deaton, takes us to the tasty archipelago that was once called the Sandwich Islands, inside this week’s Travel.

Father’s Day is the perfect time to take out your daddy, Papi, Pap-o—or even your actual father—for some delicious dining. I don’t know which part of me loves Italian cuisine more: the Italian part—I mean, c’mon, Fuhgeddaboudit!—or the Irish, which is hot for the Italian in me. Both halves were delighted to read this week’s Dining review from foodie Richard David Chamberlain, who takes us this week to Fort Lauderdale’s Fiore de Tedesco’s, on East Commercial Boulevard, for a look at one of the happening spots on the east side of town. (And with a menu item named after Old Blue Eyes himself—Pollo Sinatra—I mean, seriously, how can you go wrong?)

Want to know the “skinny” on what foods are good—and what foods are good to avoid?

Nutrition expert Andy “The Core” Kress has the low-down on Super-Foods (and NotSo-Super-Foods). Are Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Chris Martin, and Gwyneth Paltrow really taking a Recreational Vehicle on a summer road trip around Florida? Grant James knows all and tells all—along with two new album reviews— this week in The SCENE. We also take you OUT (in Florida), to see what’s hot and happening around the Sunshine State this week, and Terri Schlichenmeyer reviews “Redefining Diva” in an all-new Bookshelf.

Happy Father’s Day! CD «

HAWAII-OH! TROPICAL HEAT

TRAVEL PAGE 27

ROAD TRIP!

Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Martin & Paltrow Are Florida-Bound SCENE PAGE 28 Mangiare!

FIORE DE TEDESCO’S

REVIEW: “Redefining Diva”

DINING PAGE 32

BOOK SHELFPAGE 27

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NUTRITION

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JUNE 14, 2012 «17

Super-Foods

and Not-So-Super-Foods

BY ANDY KRESS

M

ost of us know what a balanced diet should look like, but most of us don’t follow it. It does not seem to matter that eating the right foods improves your health, enhances the skin, helps lower our risk of disease, and most importantly gives you energy to perform life’s daily functions.

Some of our most beneficial foods are fruits and vegetables, due mainly to their hydrating qualities and low calories. Always remember that what you’re drinking is just as important as what you are eating. Drinking the proper

amount of water is essential to overall health.

And no, soda does not count. It not only doesn’t cleanse the palate, it quickly overloads the body with sugar. Most Americans do not know that some of our favorite foods and drinks actually harm the body more than they help, especially when consumed in excess; just as some super-foods recharge the body more than others.

FOODS THAT HARM Caffeine is a major contributor to upsetting the body’s delicate balance. This comes in a

variety of beverages and many other foods like chocolate. Excess caffeine not only overcharges your nervous system, it can inhibit calcium absorption, and even lead to osteoporosis in time. Salt is another ingredient that often is used in excess, and is very detrimental to your health. High blood pressure is a major side effect of a high sodium diet and can easily be prevented by moving the salt shaker from the table. Protein, when it comprises more than 25% of your diet, can not only raise your saturated fat levels, but is also very deleterious to your kidneys. Sugar is another ingredient found in just about anything. Excessive sugar intake leads to huge spikes in your insulin response system, and, over time, can lead to diabetes. Sugar also helps add loads of calories to foods and drinks, helping in packing on the pounds, especially if inactive. Alcohol is extremely harmful to all organs of the body when used in excess on a constant basis.

Alcohol loves to punish your kidneys and liver, as well as strip vital nutrients from the body.

FOODS THAT HELP There are some foods that are more beneficial to the body than others. These are called super-foods, and some of these foods even help you lose weight faster than most.

Blueberries top the list with lots of antioxidants, phytonutrients and cancer fighting properties.

Who cares if your mouth turns purple. Eat your blueberries! Wild caught salmon is very

beneficial to the body providing high doses of Omega-3 fatty acids, lowering cholesterol and aiding in preventing inflammation. Eggs are full of choline, which helps fat from being absorbed in the liver and helps in preventing memory loss. Almonds contain high amounts of monounsaturated fats and fiber.

Monounsaturated fats are healthy fats that aid in the reduction of body fat. Nuts are high in calories, so moderation is the key to this superfood. Broccoil is one of nature’s most nutrientdense foods. Broccoli contains a ton of hunger curbing fiber, as well as lots of antioxidants that detoxify cell-damaging chemicals. Low-fat dairy products have been proven to give the body its recommended essential calcium, and helps burn fat.Think cottage cheese and you’ve got the picture. Beans are a great source of low fat protein and lots of fiber. Last, but not least is dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is known for its heart health benefits, as well as antiinflammatory properties and antioxidants.

Good foods or bad, the choice is yours! «

Andy Kress is a certified fitness trainer, yoga instructor and nutritional counselor in Fort Lauderdale, FL. For more nutritional tips or inspired exercise routines, reach him at 954-789-3930 or via email at andyfitnesstrainer@gmail.com

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dining

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JUNE 14, 2012 «21

FIORE of TEDESCO’S

Old Italian from the Family’s Kitchen

BY RICHARD DAVID CHAMBERLAIN

T

ony Bennett left his heart in San Francisco. We know this is absolutely the truth because we’ve heard him sing about it 1001 times. And every single time, he convinces us again that his heart is still back there, high up on hill, with SF calling his name. It was only last week that we discovered otherwise. Bennett, born Anthony Dominick Benedetto, may have left his heart in San Francisco, but its alive and well and beating on East Commercial Blvd. these days in a restaurant called Fiore of Tedesco’s.

Bennett’s music is heard nightly along with that of Dino, Frank, and Bobby, in this reinvented Italian restaurant, long

a legend In Fort Lauderdale. Originally created by Albert and Julie Tedesco, the restaurant was purchased by Fiore and Rose Ann Casale a little less than a year ago. Fiore’s family has been in the restaurant business for over 50 years, so he’s been nursed and weaned on bread sticks and Parmesan. This is a good thing.

You’ll find him in the kitchen most nights making new traditions out of old favorites. New to the antipasti menu: Bruchetta Caprese ($18). It’s Italian bread, layered with mozzarella, tomatoes, roast red peppers and red onions, drizzled with basil oil and balsamic in a portion large enough feed a table for four.

We always judge a Italian restaurant by

its lasagna, and at Fiore and Rose Ann’s place, their Lasagna al Forno ($12) is a pleasure dome of wide pasta noodles, with seasoned beef, ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, and a delectable housemade tomato sauce which is a joy to savor. Magnifico! The Eggplant Parmigiana ($14) is a scene-stealer. A lighted breaded and fried eggplant that is tenderly topped with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella, this dish has only one problem. Everyone at your table will expect a bite, leaving not nearly enough for the more gluttonous among us.

The Pollo Sinatra ($16) is a selection worth tasting for its combination of chicken cutlet, prosciutto, spinach, roasted red peppers, topped with a marinara sauce and, yes, more mozzarella. Gorgonzola has always been our favorite Italian cheese—particularly when its prepared as Pollo Al Gorgonzola ($16), a breast topped with scallions, mushrooms, spinach and a gargonzola glaze.

Fiore of Tedesco’s likes to pride itself on being a seafood restaurant tucked within an Italian eatery. It expresses that best on the menu with a delicious recipe for salmon called Salmone Tedesco ($22).

Okay, perhaps not the most original of labels, but yum-yum is all we can say with our mouth full of a bite of salmon graced with artichoke hearts, onions, and garlic, Kalamata olives and fresh tomatoes. This one is the item that will keep you coming back for more.

Think of the Frutti de Mare ($24) as a combo plate with calamari, clams, shrimp and mussels, served over linguine with a light marechiare sauce, made from pink clam juice.

The atmosphere of Fiore of Tedesco’s is definitely Old Worlde, accent on old.

There is a slightly tattered look about the place that suggests a thousand dishes served on thick white plates and stainless steel silverware whose second home is a dishwasher. But this is

not a bad thing. It falls into the comfort category like your favorite BarcaLounger whose arms are fraying. It may not be the newest piece of furniture in your living room, but it’s the one everyone heads toward. If you’re lucky, you’ll find Tony, Frank, Dino, and Bobby there. Tell them The Florida Agenda sent you.«

FIORE OF TEDESCO’S 2460 E Commercial Blvd Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308 954-493-9233

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travel

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JUNE 14, 2012 «23

HAWAII

Pick an Island, They’re All Paradise

By ROBERT ELIAS DEATON

S

waying palm trees, the sound of distant waves lapping upon pristine white or red or black sand beaches, tropical sunsets silhouetting hula dancers in flowing grass skirts. Yes, this is paradise, otherwise known as Hawaii.

Often referred to as the ultimate in vacation destinations, Hawaii is more diverse than any state in the union—and the only state

comprised entirely of islands numbering in the hundreds. Of these, seven are inhabited, and each has a charm unique to its position in the island chain.

The most populated and gay famous is Oahu (The Gathering Place), the home of Waikiki beach, Honolulu, high-rise condos, and the only royal palace on U.S. soil. ’Iolani Palace, built in 1879 for King Kalākaua, isn’t

grand by international palace standards. It is, however, unique as the only example of Hawaiian Renaissance architecture. Located at 364 S King Street, the palace is in downtown Honolulu and is open to the public.

The Royal Hawaiian Hotel (2346 Kalakaua Ave) has a long history of celebrity guests, its pink façade welcoming heads-of-state, financiers, and movie stars. But despite repeated restorations, the hotel is no longer the Queen of Waikiki Beach, though a visit to the lobby is always a pleasant journey back in time. For the height of luxury accommodations, there is none finer than the Halekulani Hotel (2199 Kalia Road) which has been ranked among the top five-star hotels in the world since its opening in 1997. With Hawaii’s acceptance of civil unions in January of this year, the hotel has become the favored spot for beach-front ceremonies and receptions.

The gay beach in Hawaii is a few blocks away from Halekulani (toward Diamond Head volcano) on Queen’s Surf Beach near Kapiolani Park. Before you get too excited, the name derives from Hawaii’s last royal, Queen Liliuokalani. Her beach house and pier were once positioned at the exact spot where current day lesbians and homosexuals paddle board and sun. On weekends, the adjacent park area becomes Sunset on the Beach, with movies shown under the stars. Too much fun.

Right around the corner, you’ll also find Hula’s Bar and Lei Stand Waikiki (134 Kapahulu Ave), the Hawaiian version of Stonewall. It’s

been a fixture on the Honolulu gay scene since Adam and Eve did their thing, or perhaps longer some say. Our dear friend Jack Law (otherwise known as Da Kine or Big Daddy) is the owner of the joint, which is located on the second floor of the Waikiki Grand Hotel (a good inexpensive choice if you want to say close to the action). At dusk, the bar’s sliding glass windows glide open and transform this gem into a visual postcard of people watching, sunsets and passing catamarans. The drinks are strong, the music is upbeat, and the clientele a mixture of cute, rugged, muscled locals with a few paunchy tourists advertising themselves by their sunburn.

If you’re in a hiking mood, from Hula’s follow Kalakaua Ave. along the beach toward Diamond Head until it turns into Diamond Head Road. Four blocks ahead watch for the turn-off on your right to Beach Road. This takes you to Diamond Head Lighthouse, which was completed in 1917 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. It’s a great spot of soak up the sun. You might even meet some new friends, since this is a hot gay rendezvous point.

An extra bonus: on the way home, you’ll pass right by Hula’s again. It’s the perfect time to visit Jack, and tell him Guy Magazine says Howzit? «

Robert Elias Deaton is a world-traveling epicure who enjoys the finer things in life.

bar guide

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FORT LAUDERDALE/WILTON MANORS

tournament, both with a $50 cash prize!

ALIBI 2266 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors Gayborhood tradition since 1997. Comfortable, inviting atmosphere with indoor video bars, outdoor drinking and dining. Drink specials all week, with mammoth 22-ounce Long Island Iced Teas for $3 on Thursdays.

RAMROD 1508 NE 4th Ave., Fort Lauderdale Voted World’s Favorite Leather Bar. Pig Dance first Saturday of the month – South Florida’s Busiest, Craziest Monthly Party (with caged hunks at Midnight on Saturdays – is there a downside to this?).

BILL’S FILLING STATION 2209 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors Videos, pool tables, dart boards, dance floor, happy hour, live shows, Tuesday and Thursday karaoke – and great burgers, to boot. Fun and friendly truck-stop-themed bar.

ROSIE’S BAR & GRILL 2449 Wilton Dr., Wilton Manors Nexus of the A-Gay List. Be Seen in the Scene (without making one). Food, folks, libations, and a killer Sunday Funday.

BOARDWALK 1721 N Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale Over 100 of the sexiest men from all over the world. Go-go dancers, cages, billiards, 2-4-1 Happy Hours. Drag emcees and did we mention the Boys?

BOOM 2232 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors The bar with two names features a dance club and Gayborhood bar. Drag Bingo on Mondays, karaoke Mondays and Tuesdays, dance music Fridays and Saturdays, and (indoor) Sunday T-Dance.

CORNER PUB 1915 N Andrews Ave., Wilton Manors Friendly atmosphere, unpretentious clientele and staff.

Next to Island City Pizza (so you can get your drink AND your slice on).

CUBBY HOLE 823 N Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale Butch bar and grill with a rockin’ daytime crowd (and a fun nighttime one, too). Fifty cent pool, 2-for-1 drinks all day every day, video games, hot movies on HDTV and DirecTV. Thursdays it’s Bare Bear Chest Night, and every Friday and Saturday the fur flies with Hot Bears on Poles (where their Grizzlies Grind)!

DEPOT CABANA BAR AND GRILL 2935 N Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale Adjacent to the America’s Best Inn and Suites. Pool open daily – No Cover or Day Pass. Great food, daily happy hour, Sunday afternoon T-Dance Poolside. Karaoke and live music.

Open daily at 11:30 a.m.

DUDES 3270 NE 33rd St., Fort Lauderdale Men dancing for men. Hot go-go boys in an upscale atmosphere, piano lounge for more quiet interludes.

Steamy shower shows.

JOHNNY’S 1116 W Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale Club, bar, lounge. Male dancers and the men who love (to ogle) them. Sunday amateur strip contest (and karaoke!).

LIPS 1421 E Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park The Ultimate in Drag Dining. Dinner and shows six nights a week. Sunday Gospel Brunch with the Sisters of Sequins.

THE MANOR 2345 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors WeHo vibe (think: LA’s The Abbey) in the heart of the Gayborhood. Dine, drink, dance, play, mingle. Theme rooms (salsa and merengue every weekend in the Latin Quarter!).

Live dancing and dining.

MATTY’S ON THE DRIVE 2426 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors Drink specials, billiards, and a chill gayborhood vibe. 75 Cent drinks on Wednesdays. No Drama, No Smoking.

MONKEY BUSINESS 2740 N Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale Cozy neighborhood bar. Karaoke, drag shows, Patio Bar – and open at 9 a.m. daily.

MONA’S 502 E Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale Cocktail Lounge in the heart of Searstown. Fun customers, fun bartenders and fun proprietor (the Legendary Jerry).

Outside patio. Wednesday karaoke, Thursday Speedball Tournament.

NAKED GRAPE 2163 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors Relaxing, friendly, hip, unique – the alternative gathering place on Wilton Drive. Wine tastings and events. Tuesday and Wednesday Late Night In the Biz.

PJ’S CORNER POCKET 924 N Flagler Dr., Fort Lauderdale Friendly neighborhood interracial bar with drinks specials every night of the week including, “In the Biz Mondays” at 9 p.m. with 2-4-1 drinks and $3 Cosmos and Apple Martinis, “Splash Friday’s” wet underwear contest, and Sunday’s pool

SCANDALS SALOON 3073 NE 6th Ave., Wilton Manors A line-dancin’, tight blue jeans-wearin’ good time. Country and western music, two-steppin’, three-steppin’, pool tables, and themed events year ‘round. Cowboys and Indians was never this much fun, Pilgrim.

SIDELINES 2031 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors Where Sports come first. Nationally known destination sports bar with TVs streaming NFL, MLB, NBA and college games. Pool tables, dart boards and large indoor (and now smoke-free) facility. Outdoor patio features area for smokers. Mixed crowd of gay men and women (who would have thought?). Featured in Bloomberg Businessweek and recommended by LOGO. STABLE 205 E Oakland Park Blvd., Fort Lauderdale Levis-and-leather neighborhood bar, where the bears line dance and the cowboys are VERY friendly.

SMARTY PANTS 2400 E Oakland Park Blvd., Fort Lauderdale Cozy neighborhood bar with daily happy hour, and regular patrons. Show night Thursdays at 9 p.m. Karaoke Friday and Saturday nights, and with matinee on Sunday afternoon.

TORPEDO 2829 W Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale Dance, shoot pool, drink til 4 a.m., 7 nights a week. Doors open at Midnight; dance til Dawn.

WHISKEY BLUE 401 N Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale In the W Hotel on Fort Lauderdale Beach, downstairs it’s the elegant Whiskey Blue, upstairs the luxe Living Room: hot dance and social settings in a distinctive atmosphere with signature cocktails and upscale patrons. Indoor and outdoor lounges.

WILTON’S BIER GARDEN 2245 Wilton DriveWilton Manors German cuisine meets Der Gayborhood, in a fun, relaxed atmosphere. Upstairs dining, downstairs outdoor patio and bar, DJ music, and a fun staff make one of Wilton Manors’ newest venues a good time to be had by all.

MIAMI/MIAMI BEACH ­ CLUB BOI 777 NE 79 St., Miami With an urban vibe on the weekends, a diverse crowd and a diverse musical format, including Hip Hop, R&B, House, Reggae, Soca, Latin and Old School. Go-go bois and drink specials.

CLUB SUGAR 2301 SW 32nd Ave., Miami Gay Latin scene, with Salsa, Merengue, Reggaeton, Hip Hop and House music always playing.

DISCOTEKKA 950 NE 2nd Ave., Miami Hot music, hot scene, hot bartenders, and hot patrons in the hot heart of Downtown Miami.

JOHNNY’S MIAMI 62 NE 14th Street, Downtown Miami Club, bar and lounge. Johnny’s Miami boasts the best sound system in town! Plenty of safe, secured parking. Open 5pm to 5am daily. Hot male dancers and daily drink specials.

MOVA LOUNGE 1625 Michigan Ave., Miami Beach On Miami Beach’s famed Lincoln Road, never a cover. Drink specials all week long, live DJs, high energy music and a fun crowd getting their dance on til late.

PALACE BAR 1200 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach This bar and restaurant in the heart of South Beach’s Art Deco District. Mouth-watering burgers, boys (and girls!).

Weekend cabaret shows Thursday through Sunday.

SCORE 727 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach Dance, drink, party all night on Miami Beach’s Lincoln Road.

Tons of events throughout the year, including fundraisers for Winter Party, White Party, and Miami Beach Gay Pride.

SPACE 34 NE 11th St., Miami Mingle and mix with gays and str8s in the heart of Downtown Miami. Indoor dance floors and outdoor rooftop bar, spectacular light show.

TWIST 1057 Washington Ave., Miami Beach Great music, friendly staff, hot tourists and locals. Never a cover, always a groove. Bungalow Bar = Hot Men. In SoBe’s Art Deco District.

ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA Hanks 5026 Edgewater Dr., Orlando, FL Friendly local bar with a cruisy attitude. One of Orlando’s oldest and friendliest Gay bars. Beer and Wine. Pool Tables, Video Games and a Large Patio area.

Hamburger Mary’s Bar & Grill 110 W Church St., Orlando, FL Eat, Drink & Be Mary! Tuesday BINGO with Miss Sammy & Carol Lee, Wednesday Trivia with Doug Bouser and Leigh Shannon’s Cabaret Dinner Show is every Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

Parliament House 410 N Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, FL All gay entertainment complex with 130 newly-remodeled hotel rooms. Cruisy Hotel, Nightclub, Pool Bar, Bear/Leather Bar. New Phoenix 7124 Aloma Ave., Winter Park, FL Winter Park’s ONLY Gay & Lesbian Bar. Been There Forever!

Karaoke every Tuesday and Friday at 9 p.m. Drag shows every Saturday night. Home of the $1 Jello shots.

Pulse 1912 S Orange Ave., Orlando, FL Orlando’s Premier Gay Bar & Nightclub with Ultra Lounge, Jewel Box Dance Floor, and Adonis Dancers. Twisted Tuesdays with $10 All-U-Can Drink, College Wednesdays (18+) and 2-4-1 every Friday for Happy Hour.

Savoy Orlando 1913 N Orange Ave., Orlando, FL “The hottest” gay bar and nightclub in Orlando. The MEN OF SAVOY Dancers from 6 p.m. til 2 a.m. every night in the main bar! Video Bar, Pool Tables.

Wylde’s 3557 S Orange Ave., Orlando, FL Neighborhood bar South of Downtown Orlando. Jukebox, Video Games, Pool Tables and Dancers.

Paradise Orlando 1300 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL Orlando’s casual Gay & Lesbian bar and nightclub. Patio, Tiki Bar and Pool Tables. Happy Hour 4 til 9 p.m. and drink specials every day til 9 p.m.

Bar Codes (Formerly Bear Bar) 4453 Edgewater Dr., Orlando, FL Friendly Bar, Real Men and Bears... Oh My! Beer and Wine.

Tends to attract the after work Happy Hour crowd.

TAMPA BAY 2606 2606 N Armenia Ave., Tampa, FL Tampa’s favorite Levi/leather bar has two floors (dimly lit), with the upstairs being the more cruisy. There’s Hog House shop on-premises, and the 2606 is home to the Tampa Leather Club. Monday is Underwear Night, Tuesdays are $1 drinks and on Wednesdays, Longnecks are just $1.50.

Azalea Lounge 1502 N Florida Ave., Tampa, FL Exposed brick, cold beverages and friendly staff are the mainstays of the recently bloomed Florida Avenue flower!

Neighborhood bar, pool tables.

Baxter’s Lounge 1519 S Dale Mabry, Tampa, FL Tampa Happy Hour Tradition. Serving up some of the hottest dancers Wednesday thru Saturday nights at 10PM. Flirt Nightclub & Showbar 1909 N 15th St., Tampa, FL (Ybor City) Get that hometown feeling. Amazing lazer shows, big headliners and has been around for 6 years.

City Side 3703 Henderson Blvd., Tampa, FL Tampa Bay’s “Best Happy Hour” til Midnight every night of the week.

GBar 1401 E 7th Ave., Tampa (Ybor City), FL Dance Club & Video Bar. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 4 p.m. til 3 a.m. No cover before 10 p.m., $5 after with ID.

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Valentines Nightclub 7522 N Armenia Ave., Tampa, FL Voted #1 Nightclub in Tampa. Open 7 days a week 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. Monday, Latin Night, Tuesdays are Boys Night Out, Wednesdays are Karaoke Night, Thursdays, No Cover Dance Party, Fridays feature Hot Go-Go Girls, Saturdays are Latino Night “Uncut” and Sundays are Hip Hop Night.

Ki Ki Ki III 1908 W Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, FL One of The Oldest Bars (beer and wine). A plain bar without pretention with its share of young regulars.

Rainbow Room 421 S MacDill Ave., Tampa, FL A mix between a neighborhood bar and a community center. Main bar with pool, darts, jukebox. Outdoor Tiki patio has a full volleyball court and live bands. Beer & Wine.

ST. PETERSBURG Georgies Alibi 3100 3rd Ave. North, St. Petersburg, FL One of the most popular gay bars in St. Pete. It’s always busy! Great VJ’s play Top 40 music. Mondays are Drag BINGO and Talent contest, Pool tourney Wednesdays, and the legendary Long Island Iced Tea nights on Thursdays.

Ages 21 and over, never a cover!

Flamingo Resort 4601 34th St. South, St. Petersburg, FL Florida’s “largest, luxury all gay resort.” Non-stop entertainment, great menu, and drinks served poolside at the Cabana. Weekly events and 2-4-1 Happy Hour daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday Happy Hour ($1 off) 11 a.m to 9 p.m.

Gemini Lounge 2315 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, FL Gemini Lounge aims to serve a variety of tastes; music, karaoke, Internet access, poetry readings and sports on TV. Oar House Bar & Liquor Store 4807 22nd Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL Fun, friendly, laid-back atmosphere where you can get great drinks at cheap prices! Drama free! Happy Hour daily from 2 p.m. til 9 p.m.

Haymarket Pub 8308 4th St. North, St. Petersburg, FL More of a Men’s bar. Showing hot videos, beer specials, Saturday Underwear Night, and different events each week.

Hideaway 8302 4th St. North, St. Petersburg, FL The oldest Womyn’s bar in the country. Where music is always the main entree! Coldest selection of beer in town.

Detour 2612 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, FL The hottest club in St. Pete. Daily specials, karaoke nights and gogo boys from Rico’s Men. Noted for it’s Saturday Drag shows and Karaoke nights. Full liquor bar.

MELBOURNE/COCOA Cold Keg NightClub 4060 W New Haven Ave., Melbourne, FL Largest Gay Club in Melbourne Florida and the Premier Gay Bar & Nightclub in Brevard County.

Ultra Lounge 407 Brevard Ave., Cocoa, FL Nestled in Cocoa Village, this bar has a full coffee bar, serving espresso, lattes, cappuccinos as well as draft beers & wine.

JACKSONVILLE The Metro 2929 Plum St., Jacksonville, FL The Metro Entertainment Complex has been serving the GLBT community for 17 years. Features a total of 7 different venues under one roof to choose from.

Lesbo-A-Go-Go, monthly Tea Dances, special quest performers, female impersonators and live musicians.

Boot Rack Saloon 4751 Lenox Ave., Jacksonville, FL Your Neighborhood Gay Bar - the place for men. Cold beer, music and a warm and cozy atmosphere. Hot men and cheap beer... We all know where that leads!

AJ’s Bar & Grill 10244 Atlantic Blvd., Jacksonville, FL Annie and Janie invite you to stop by and see some old friends and meet some new ones! Great food, awesome service, delicious mixed drinks and live entertainment.

Park Place Lounge 931 King St., Jacksonville, FL A fun and comfortable gay bar that’s accommodating

bar guide • SPOTLIGHT

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to both gays and non-gays. A great place to watch your favorite game, or enjoy playing Wii while the liquor flows!

The Norm 2952 Roosevelt Blvd., Jacksonville, FL A neighborhood bar. Everyone is welcome, but remember it is a girls bar! Beer and Wine only.

616 Bar 616 Park St., Jacksonville, FL A warm and friendly atmosphere with a Patio bar.

Karaoke on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Thursdays the Jax Bears are here for happy hour. Fridays and Saturdays enjoy the “Beer Blast.”

Three Layers Cafe 1602 Walnut St., Jacksonville, FL The name Three Layers comes from their large variety of delicious three layer cakes. An inviting loft style cafe located in Springfield. Enjoy a bistro style lunch or just stop in for your morning coffee.

Bo’s Coral Reef 201 5th Ave. North, Jacksonville Beach, FL There are great shows Thursday through Sunday with the best of female impersonators. Pool tables, video games, and a large outdoor patio. The only gay bar on the beach!

Incahoots 711 Edison Ave., Jacksonville, FL This club offers good crowds every night. Recently remodeled with three bars and a friendly staff. Everyday is a different special. A fun place anytime. Full Liquor bar. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays except for special events.

Kickbacks Gastropub 910 King St., Jacksonville, FL This is a top class venue serving over 600 different bottled beers, 84 beers on tap, breakfast, lunch and dinner 20hrs a day 7 days a week!

PENSACOLA The Roundup 560 E Heinberg St, Pensacola, FL A neighborhood gay men’s bar... Pensacola’s Cowboy Bar. Open 2 p.m. til 3 p.m. daily.

Cabaret 101 S Jefferson St. #E, Pensacola, FL Not strictly a gay bar, the charming and friendly Cabaret is very much a fixture in Pensacola’s GLBT community, drawing a mixed bunch each evening for happy hour, karaoke, videos, comedy shows, live music, and all-around hobnobbing and socializing.

525 United St., Key West, FL Tropical themed women’s bar for gay women and gay-friendly women alike. Patio bar with a full bar featuring drinks like “Cosmopearlitans” and “Pearl’s Passion”.

Bobby’s Monkey Bar 900 Simonton St., Key West, FL The gay Cheers style neighborhood bar of Key West.

Happy Hour from Noon to 7pm, Karaoke on Sunday nights, pool tournaments on Tuesday nights at 7pm.

Free Wi-Fi access.

KEY WEST Bourbon Street Pub 724 Duval St., Key West, FL Opened in October of 1995 and has continued to grow ever since, it is now part of the larger collection of gay action in The Bourbon St. Pub Complex. Hot Go-Go boy dancers and a busy crowd. “Where the boys are!”

Garden of Eden 224 Duval St., Key West, FL A Rooftop Bar with the BEST VIEWS in the city & “BEST Long Island Ice Teas made by Melinda!” Gay, straight, fat, or skinny... Doesn’t matter! Clothing optional - gay friendly!

801 Bourbon Bar 801 Duval St., Key West, FL Cabaret shows upstairs with nightly performances by famed performers Sushi, Kylie, RV Beaumont, Margo, and others. This legendary establishment has been around for over 30 years, and host Happy Hour specials daily from 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.

WEST PALM BEACH H G Roosters 823 Belvedere Rd., West Palm Beach, FL Dark bar that attracts a fun party crowd. Camp is in at H.G.’s, where drag shows and bingo nights pack in crowds looking for laughs and fun.

Aqua Nightclub 711 Duval St., Key West, FL Aqua features the “Reality is a Drag” show six days a week, followed by dancing. Monday is karaoke night and don’t miss the great happy hour specials from 3 to 8 p.m. daily.

The Lounge 517 Clematis St., West Palm Beach, FL Sushi, tropical views and tasty cocktails are accompanied by acclaimed resident DJ Daisy DeadPetals.

KWest 705 Duval St., Key West, FL Daily Happy Hour from 3 to 8 p.m., and a piano singa-long every Wednesday night. Men dancing for men after 10 p.m. Weekly drink specials and “Wet Jockey” contests on Fridays.

Fort Dix Bar & Club 6205 Georgia Ave., West Palm Beach, FL Mostly local crowd looking to mingle and relax.

The bar is a bit on the dark and dingy side, but who knows--that could be a plus.

Saloon One 801 Duval St., Key West, FL (Behind 801 Bar) This is the only gay leather bar in Key West. Conveniently located behind 801 Bourbon Bar.

FORT MYERS

JUNE 14, 2012 «25

Tubby’s 4350 Fowler St., Fort Myers, FL Where men come to compete (in tournaments).

“Never a cover... always a smile” Tubby’s is a no-frills video bar with a total of 10 TVs and two projection screens available for patrons to use as they wish. Add a six-hour 2-4-1 Happy Hour during the Wii tournaments on the big screen!

The Bottom Line 3090 Evans Ave., Fort Myers, FL This gay entertainment complex is one of the longest running clubs in southwest Florida at over 20 years, The Bottom Line features 7 bars, pool tables, drag shows and occasional guest appearances by porno stars.

VENICE TOTI: Tavern on the Island in Venice 127 Tampa Ave. East, Venice, FL This South Beach inspired gay bar, boasts a dance floor and a game room with pool tables and dart boards. It’s clean, the music is mixed and the staff are friendly. A mixed crowd can be found most nights... younger, older (duh, this is Venice), gay and straight.

Did you know that in the Caribbean, TOTI is slang for a beloved male appendage? How apropos.

GAINESVILLE Spikes 4130 NW 6th St., Gainesville, FL It is a laid-back kind of place, with friendly bar staff.

The crowds vary depending on the night. The bar has a nice open air patio area that is rarely used, but would be nice if it was.

University Club 18 E University Ave., Gainesville, FL This is a fairly average small college town gay bar. It is usually busy and crowded on Thursday nights.

Office Pub 3704 Cleveland Ave., Fort Myers, FL Oldest gay bar in South West Florida with a festive attitude. This bear-friendly Office likes to have fun with underwear parties, drag shows, Wii bowling!

Check out their country and western music night on Saturdays.

La Te Da 1125 Duval St., Key West, FL An upscale hotel complex with 3 bars, cabaret and restaurant.

Pearl’s Patio Bar for Women

SPOTLIGHT: Sidelines Sports Bar Turning “6” into a Very Lucky Number

By Dale Madison It is hard to believe that it’s been six years since Laurie Whittaker and her partner of 18 years, Jennifer Morales, took over the space once occupied by the defunct Club Circuit on Wilton Drive. Even more difficult to believe is how they reformed the failed dance club into Sidelines—one of the most popular sports bars in all of South Florida, and into a nationally-known LGBT destination spot.

“Once Circuit closed, we contacted the owner of the property, because we wanted to make a plan [to occupy the space],” says Morales, who in addition to being Whittaker’s significant other, is the marketing guru behind the club.

“We wanted a State of the Art sports bar,” Whittaker added. “Something like no one else would have. We also knew that we were going to be involved in the LGBT community. We were not just going to sit here to serve drinks—we really wanted to serve the community.”

That has translated over the course of six years to close to $500,000 that the pair and Sidelines have donated back into the local community.

Those dollars have been poured into

local charities and service organizations, including the Florida AIDS Walk, the Smart Ride, The Poverello Thrift Store and Food Bank, Tuesday’s Angels, and many other causes. “The community becomes your family and, frankly, you have to take care of your family,” says Whittaker.

Morales, who, as previously noted, tackles the job of promoting and marketing the concept bar to the outside world, says that her and Whittaker’s efforts have paid off with respect to branding and name recognition. “We’ve been featured on ‘Deco Drive,’ and we’ve had local news anchor Adam Kuperstein, who had a great time,” Morales brags. “We’ve been featured on the Bloomberg Business Report, too. We’ve been very blessed with great press,” she adds.

Whittaker is equally proud of the House that Time and Patience Built.

“Do you realize that when we opened, there were only six LGBT sports bars in the country? Now there are more than 30,” she notes proudly. “We sort of set a standard for part of the industry.”

That standard includes providing

lots to do for the bars valued patrons, including 16 widescreen televisions, three pool tables, darts, and other amusement activities that keep guests having fun and coming back. Add entertaining bartenders to the mix, and you have a formula for success.

Morales and Whittaker note that it isn’t just LGBT patrons who come to Sidelines to enjoy a “gay old time.” “We have one group of Green Bay Packers supporters whose mix is roughly 70 percent straight,” says Morales. “They come in for every Packers game, and they have a blast. Fred Belgie heads this group—and they pack the place”—but what would you expect from Packers fans? The bar also reaches out to other local groups, as well as to those who

are “just visiting.”

“This year during ‘Fleet Week,’ we had at least 12 men in uniform come in, and they commented ‘What a great place,’” Whittaker reports. “Of course, they all took turns showing how butch they were at the boxing machine, which has become one of our most popular amusements,” she notes.

Morales says that hospitality is the key to Sidelines’ warm, friendly, and convivial vibe. “All we really want at the end of the day is for people to come in, relax, talk with each other,” she offers, adding with a smile, “and of course it’s always nice to turn a little profit so that we can continue to support our community.” «

style news

26 «JUNE 14, 2012

FLORIDAAGENDA.COM

YOUR WEEKLY

STYLE NEWS BRIEFING:

LGBT Heritage Month Honors “Star Trek’s” George Takei LOS ANGELES, CA – On June 1, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa commemorated the city’s second annual LGBT Heritage Month with a ceremony inside the Los Angeles City Council Chambers, held to honor actor and longtime LGBT political activist George Takei, along with other area LGBT community leaders. Takei, who played Lt. Sulu on the television sci-fi classic from 1966 to 1969, commemorated his honor by planting a kiss on Mayor Villaraigosa’s cheek.

Carrie Equality

Underwood

Endorses

Marriage

NASHVILLE, TN – American Idol winner and country superstar Carrie Underwood told the British newspaper the Independent this week that she and husband Mike Fisher attend a gay-friendly church in Nashville, and that she supports marriage equality for LGBT persons.

“As a married person myself, I don’t know what it’s like to be told I can’t marry somebody I love, and want to marry. I can’t imagine how that must feel,” Underwood told the British publication. “I definitely think we should all have the right to love, and love publicly, the people that we want to love.”

“Above all, God wanted us to love others,” the fourth season American Idol champion and Oklahoma native added. “It’s not about setting rules, or [saying] ‘everyone has to be like me’. No. We’re all different. That’s what makes us special.

We have to love each other and get on with each other.”

Last month, “out” country artist Chely Wright told “CBS This Morning” that her coming out two years ago has resulted in her experiencing a “freeze” and a “rejection of silence” from the big names in country music. “I need a country artist who is a big deal, like Jay-Z in his community—he came forward and said, ‘I believe in equality for all,’” Wright said during the May 30 segment.

DC Comics “Outs” Green Lantern NEW YORK, NY – The publishers of “Superman,” “Batman,” “Wonder Woman,” and dozens of other popular super hero comics unveiled a new storyline last week in which the original Green Lantern—a centerpiece character of the DC Comics universe for over seven decades—was revealed to be a gay man.

The character of Alan Scott—a formerly married father of two, who first appeared in

print in 1940—was rebooted last week along with other elements of the fictional comic book universe as part of publisher DC Comics’ “New 52” initiative, which the publishing giant intends to rejuvenate its popular comics series.

“He’s very much the character he was,” DC writer James Robinson told The New York Post.

“He’s still the pinnacle of bravery and idealism.

He’s also gay.” Readers are alerted to this last fact early in the first issue of the comic reboot, when the superhero welcomes his boyfriend home—with a kiss.

The British-born Robinson said he changed Scott from a straight man to a gay one because the story reboot called for making the character young again—and eliminating Scott’s “past history,” which included having a gay superhero son. “The only downside of his being young was we lose his son, Obsidian, who’s gay,” Robinson explained. “So I thought, ‘Why not make Alan Scott gay?’ That was the seed that started it.”

In the 1990s, Robinson wrote DC’s “Starman” comic, a groundbreaking title that featured a gay central superhero character. He said the only agenda he’s pushing is reality.

Robinson described the rebooted Green Lantern as “a type-A personality who doesn’t hide in the shadows,” and added, “If there’s some kind of kid out there who’s reading the comic and who’s worried about the person he is, maybe it will give him a positive sense of who he is. Or maybe a different kid will read it and decide I don’t need to bully some kind of kid in

school.”

The unveiling of a “pink” Green Lantern happened on the heels of competitor Marvel Comics’ announcement that its creation, “Northstar”—the first openly gay hero—will marry his boyfriend in the June 20 issue of “Astonishing X-Men.” The super speedster character—whose secret identity is Canadian Jean-Paul Beaubier—will wed his partner, Kyle Jinadu, in the title’s Issue 51. Northstar, a member of the X-Men team, came out in Marvel’s “Alpha Flight” title in 1992.«

For more news, scan here to jump to

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bookshelf

JUNE 14, 2012 «27

BOOK SHELF

“Redefining Diva” by Sheryl Lee Ralph

BY Terri Schlichenmeyer

I

s it so horrible to know what you want? You don’t think so. That’s why you’re decisive, you state your needs clearly and firmly, and you expect people to act accordingly. What’s wrong with that?

Nothing. So why do people call you the “B” word that rhymes with itch? You’re not nasty or horrible, so why would they call you a diva? Author Sheryl Lee Ralph doesn’t know the answer. But, as she says in her new book “Redefining Diva,” if they call you that last name, you really should thank them.

Okay, so you’re a diva. What is that, anyhow? The word, says Ralph, has gotten a bum rap lately, but it was originally an Italian noun derived from the Latin word for deity; in other words, a diva is a goddess. Ralph also says that the

word is an acronym for Divinely Inspired Victoriously Anointed. A diva, says Ralph, “copies no one. She is her own woman.”

Ralph became a diva through a lifetime of observing strong women. Her mother, a Jamaican immigrant, worked in a hospital to pay for her ticket to America.

Ralph’s grandmother, a North Carolina belle, was headstrong and fearless enough to tussle with the burglars who killed her husband. Divas, you see, know that risks are to be seized.

At sixteen, Ralph took on a big risk when she went to Rutgers University. She had initially considered going to medical school, but she hated dissecting. She switched to law school, but considered it “boring.” Then Ralph stumbled into drama auditions, tried out for a play, and found her niche. When a Diva discovers

what she’s meant to do, Ralph says, she knows it.

After working with the Defense Department, she landed in Hollywood and the movies, but Broadway was her first love. Good Diva that she is, she tackled every opportunity, which eventually gained her a part as one of the original “Dreamgirls,” in the stage show. She ultimately quit the show, went back to Hollywood, and enjoyed more fame on television. Today, Ralph still acts, because Divas know “yes” can be satisfying. She also works with the Diva Foundation, an organization that focuses on HIV/AIDS awareness and testing. She does it to memorialize her friends and because, she says, a “real Diva counts… her blessings.”ww I wasn’t sure what to expect when “Redefining Diva” crossed my desk. Is it a memoir? Or is it meant to inspire?

The answer to that, delightfully, is both.

Author Sheryl Lee Ralph weaves a lot of advice into this biography, giving readers plenty of takeaways while she shares tales of family, fame and folly. And that’s what makes this book so enjoyable: Ralph imparts life lessons in between star-studded gossip and her own personal experiences, on-stage and off. Advisements are wrapped inside anecdotes, which somehow make them more memorable and definitely more fun to read. I liked this book, and I think you will, too. Read “Redefining Diva” for the advice. Read it for the biography. Either way, this’ll be a book you’ll want to read.«

“Redefining Diva” by Sheryl Lee Ralph © 2011, 2012, Gallery Books $14.00 / $16.00 Canada 200 pages

28 «JUNE 14, 2012

OUT IN FLORIDA • LOVE JONES

LOVE JONES

WILTON MANORS STONEWALL STREET FESTIVAL Sunday, June 24, on Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors’ main thoroughfare. The 13th annual Stonewall Street Festival, from 12 to 10 p.m.

This year will feature a parade, over 125 exhibitors, activities, and A-List main stage entertainment, all through the day—including Andy Bell from 1980s pop group Erasure, who takes the stage immediately after the Summer Pride Twilight Parade, performing such hits as “A Little Respect” and “Chains of Love.”

The street festival will highlight local businesses, and include merchants and sponsors from the fields of health and wellness, recreation and entertainment, travel, community resources, and others. At 7 p.m., the parade kicks off on Northeast 20th Street and will follow Wilton Drive north to its Five Points finale. For more information, visit stonewallsummerpride. org.

MIAMI “THE DONKEY SHOW”/THE ADRIENNE ARSHT CENTER Described by The New York Times as “Passion. Sex. A Rollicking Cool Party,” “The Donkey Show” opens on Friday, July 13, at the Adrienne Arsht Center’s Ziff Ballet Opera House. The celebrated smash hit is described as “the ultimate night fever—a crazy fun house of disco mirror balls and feathered divas, of roller skaters and hustle queens, enchanted by an ever-so-light sprinkling of Shakespearean magic.”

MIAMI BEACH BRUTHAZ Thursday, July 19 through Sunday, July 22. Founded in July 2006 as an annual summer lifestyle event for gay men and women from around the world, Miami Beach Bruthaz includes a series of social, educational, and personalized activities that

Wicked Sticks Anonymous

BY JUSTIN JONES

S

o there you are, sitting in front of your computer with your jeans around your ankles, your underwear at your thighs, one hand on a mouse pad, and the other on your 21st digit. The laptop’s bluish glow is the only source of light in your bedroom: it illuminates the soaking wet end of the t-shirt bunched up in your mouth (you had to keep it out of the way of your hand, after all).

You don’t want anyone else in your apartment building to hear the animalistic sounds that emanate from the porn that’s playing on your computer (although you DO want to make sure that YOU hear every graphic detail), so you’re wearing headphones.

And how ironic the whole scene is.

The measures you’ve taken to hide your self-pleasure—right down to making sure the blinds in your bedroom are closed in just the right direction, so the neighbors can’t peer in—are the very measures that have given you away.

You don’t know, for instance, that the glow cast by your monitor creates a vivid silhouette on your blinds for the benefit of the curious outside. Nor did you anticipate your headphones disguising the sounds of laughter right outside your window. No, as careful as you were, those details went unnoticed.

Thankfully, you have a roommate who cares. After hearing laughter outside your building, he investigates. He finds the scene troubling—possibly even embarrassing—to you. After seeing the frenzied shadow-show projected onto your blinds, he nobly attempts to inform you that you’re being watched (and mocked). He tries knocking at your bedroom door—which, of course, you can’t hear. So he knocks louder.

When you realize someone is at your door, you play it cool. You throw the bed comforter over your legs, and minimize the pornographic window on your computer screen. You have previously opened Facebook in another window

tab, in case such an incident was to occur. “Come in,” you say politely, trying to breathe as slowly as possible.

“Um, dude,” your roommate says, “people outside can see what you’re doing.” You feel the empathy in his voice and, though your heart drops, you unabashedly oppose admitting to anything.

“See me doing what? Talking to people on Facebook?” you respond, still out of breath, and still visibly rather— impassioned. Your roommate shakes his head, and while you know there’s no way out of this, you stick to your guns—because, for some reason, this is somehow embarrassing.

“Dude,” you say, “Look, I was on FACEBOOK.” And you turn your laptop around to show your roommate the “truth.” Yes, there is Facebook maximized on your screen, but then those pesky headphones get in the way—they unplug themselves just when you think you’ve proven your “innocence” to your roommate. With the headphones out, your computer routes the sound to its speakers, and the sounds coming from your computer aren’t from iTunes—they’re from XTube. Obnoxious, disgustingly sexual, and embarrassingly loud.

Your eyes lock with your roommates’.

Your erection has perished upon the altar of the Gods of Embarrassment.

You feel the urge to jump up and run away, and you would—except you’d fall, because your pants are still around your ankles.

So you laugh, and your roommate laughs with you. «

Justin Jones, 25, is a writer based in Minneapolis. In addition to his column lovejones, Justin pens Through These Eyes, a bi-weekly column for Lavender Magazine. He writes about things like being alive, being in love, and drinking too much. Facebook.com/JustinJonesWriter.

FLORIDAAGENDA.COM

miami promote unity, camaraderie, and a sense of belonging.

The event is focused around central themes of Knowledge, Culture, and Fashion.

Miami Beach Bruthaz features an upscale White Party with a celebrity guest, a serious hip hop party, a rooftop pool party, and a men’s fashion show. The Saturday night party features the sounds of Brazil, and Sunday brunch at the Palace on Ocean Drive is surely not to be missed. For more information, visit shop. miamibeachbruthaz.com.

KEY WEST WOMENFEST The 20th Annual Womenfest will be held in Key West from September 4 through 9.

Parties, dancing, film festival and outings for women.

For more information: womenfest.com.

ST PETE ST. PETE PRIDE The 10th Annual St. Pete Pride Street Festival and Promenade returns Saturday, June 30. The diversity of Southwest Florida’s LGBT community and visitors from around the world join local allies, business and community leaders, and supporters for a day of food, fun, dancing, music, and fun. St. Petersburg’s Grand Central District transforms into “Carnivale,” with an attendance estimated near 100,000.

Following in the great tradition of the Stonewall Riots and the start of the modern gay rights movement, St. Pete Pride has grown into one of the country’s largest Pride events. In 2011, the number of attendees topped 90,000. For more information: stpetepride.com. «

FLORIDAAGENDA.COM

the scene

JUNE 14, 2012 «29

The scene By grant games

Metric: “Synthetica”

Canadian new wave/rock band Metric has been on the scene for quite some time, but they kept relatively quiet until they reached commercial success from their 2009 “Fantasies,” from which a track— “Gold Guns Girls”—was used in the Woody Harrelson film “Zombieland,” as well as on an episode of HBO’s “The Entourage.” The track “Black Sheep”—which was originally intended to appear on “Fantasies”— was later given to the soundtrack for the 2010 feature “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.” The album was unlike any of their previous offerings, seemingly designed to be radio-friendly.

However, it was released by the band themselves, with no financial assistance provided by a label. The album was a success, and helped Metric climb the charts on iTunes and various other sites, expanding their fan base infinitely. After extensive world tours, the band announced in 2011 that they were working on their fifth studio album, to be released in 2012.

“Synthetica” is in some ways a return to form for the band, and a total departure from anything they’ve ever done. Opening track “Artificial Nocturne” starts with, “I’m just as fucked up as they say/I can’t fake the daytime/Found an entrance to escape into the dark/Got false lights for the sun/It’s an artificial nocturne/ It’s an outsider’s escape for a broken heart.” Front woman Emily Haines says the album is “about being able to identify the original in a long line of reproductions. It’s about what is real, versus what is artificial.” The cut “Lost Kitten” features the most “poppy” sound on the album, but stays true to classic Metric (similar to their earlier single, “Grow Up And

Blow Away,” off the aforementioned “Fantasies” album). On title track, “Synthetica,” Haines boasts “Hey— I’m not synthetica, I’ll keep the life that I’ve got/So hard, hard to resist synthetica/No drug is stronger than me, synthetic.”

While the message of the album sometimes comes off a little pretentious, it’s a good message nonetheless: Keep your wits about you, and pay close attention to what is real. On the album’s closing track, Haines reminds the listener, “I’ve got nothing but time, so the future is mine.” Metric manages to leave you feeling empowered, which is a very real gift, indeed.

8.2/10 if it’s through repetitive lyrics like “I care for you…gotta believe that I care for you…oh girl I care for you.” The album is well-produced, and it offers something for everyone, with classic Usher R&B moments. Although Usher described the album best when he called it “damn-near a rebirth,” “near” is not exactly a full-on rebirth.

6.8/10

Making a SCENE: Are Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Chris Martin, and Gwyneth Paltrow Trailer

Usher: “Looking 4 Myself”

Usher says his newest album, “Looking 4 Myself,” was “damn-near a rebirth.” It’s easy to see he wanted to really show with this album who he is as an artist. The first single, the Diplo-produced track “Climax,” is ultimately one the best songs of his career. Usher sings “Going nowhere fast/we’ve reached the climax/We’re together, now we’re undone/Won’t commit so we choose to run away/ Do we separate? Don’t wanna give in so we both gave up/Can’t take it back, it’s too late we’ve reached the climax.”

While Usher hasothers to help him in the writing process, you can’t help but feel that this album is something personal. He says, “I’ve felt restricted a lot over the last several years, and maybe it’s because I was holding myself back.” “I Care for U” plays with minimal dubstep, but is a noble attempt at getting a girl to realize that he really does care for her, even

Trash? Rapper Jay-Z and his wife, Beyoncé, have made plans to rent an RV and take a Sunshine State road trip with pals Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin, and their respective offspring (the kids, not the band). The performing power couples say they’ll have boots on the Florida ground once Jay-Z and Martin—the front man for Coldplay—conclude what are reported to be grueling world tours. Of the friendship between her husband and the 35-year-old British singer-songwriter, Beyoncé recently told a reporter, “They balance each other out. Chris and I are like Jay and Beyoncé—two paranoid ironists and two calm, grounded people.”

Jay-Z last month echoed President Obama’s support for gay marriage during an interview with CNN. “What people do in their own homes is their business, and you can choose to love whoever you love,” the entertainment mogul said, adding “It’s no different than discriminating against blacks. It’s

discrimination, plain and simple.”

Jay told Rolling Stone last month that he hopes to score the Commanderin-Chief—who is known to perform a mean imitation of soul legend Al Green—to play his Budweiser Made in America music festival in Philadelphia on Labor Day. Noted Jay-Z, realistically, “He’ll be so far into helping the world that he probably won’t have time, but I’m absolutely going to ask him.” The rapper is one of numerous entertainment industry A-Listers who have come OUT in favor of marriage equality—prompted in part by President Obama’s endorsement last month. Tweeted Lady Gaga: “Feels like the future and not the past.”

And Alicia Keys noted, without irony, “Well, honestly, it’s about time!”«

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