Agenda 092415 issue 305 by Multi-Media Platforms

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WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING Don’t you dare, not on my stage. Didn’t I say I was 71 years young? I am not Nicki Minaj or that little Miley. Get off my God darn stage, bitch, and stay off!

By Adam Cohen

WHAT’S NEXT, TORI? Jesus Christ, Tori! First you get disinherited from a fortune, marry a scuzzball, have 25 ugly kids, get cheated on national TV, fall into a hibachi table at Benihana.....and now lose your dog! Pull yourself together!

– Legendary diva Patti LaBelle, to a fan who began taking off his shirt on stage and asked her to spank him during a portion of her show when she invited members of the audience on stage.

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ON THE POPE’S VISIT... Gay people meeting the Pope is like alcoholics at an open bar. – Republican Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee Count me among the millions of people who are very excited that Pope Francis is making his first visit to the United States. He has been a breath of fresh air, putting the focus where it should be – on love, compassion, and social justice – rather than on what divides us. May the hearts (and ears!) of our country (and its policy-makers) be open to his message. – P.G. Sittenfeld The Lord came in a triumph. The pope came in a Fiat 500. – Richard Silver Yesterday, Pope Francis touched down in the U.S. for the first time. It’s now officially OK to wear white after Labor Day. – Bruce Roorda

– Former President Jimmy Carter

The Pope is at the White House. How exciting! Maybe he can teach our president a thing or two. Let’s pray for his safety. – Marilyn Collard I wish folks would get as excited about Jesus Christ as folks are about the Pope. – Christine Wynn

Today is very sad day …we have the pope here on the U.S. soil. Out of all the other popes I remember, he is the first that openly supports divorces, gay marriages, immoral acts… this is truly a sad day for America. – Randal Whitner Dear America, I think the pope is a joke; one cannot be a Christian and love the gays. Go home Pope! – Dusty Sizemore As I read some of the post this morning I’m amazed that so many people are hating on the pope and the president. I know everyone has the right to their opinions, but give me a break! If you believe in God or peace... why do people hate so much? We have got to come together as a nation and stop hating. – Wayne Bolt For the right wing conservative Republicans out there that hate Pope Francis, I am at a loss for words other than shame on you! – William Parlee The antagonist in me loves that so many Conservative Christians hate this Pope. I think he’s pretty cool. – Adam Tufano

What’s your opinion? E-mail us at Editor@MMPLGBT.com

FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, MAN I’m at Walgreens and a man in seriously bad jorts is popping his cherry using the Credit card swiping thing for the first time. It’s Monday and I just ain't got no time for that. MISSING SIRI Believe it or not I'm actually missing the old Siri on this upgraded version 9.0 dictaphone feature. It seems that Siri has left me and replaced herself with my new personal assistant, Helen Keller, because half the stuff I say does not translate out at all – in any way or shape. TWICE AS BAD Two-for-one Slurpees at 7-11 this weekend! Twice the calories, twice the brain freeze! BLESS HER MAMA, TOO I was flipping through the cable channels dedicated exclusively to infomercials and came across this exquisite ad for turkey neck cream hosted by former 80s/early 90s “It Girl” Courtney Thorne Smith! Bless her heart! THE CIRCUS IS ON TV I’d watch the Republican debate tonight… But I’ve dealt with enough jerks at work today that I’ve had my fill and don’t need to see anymore. Thanks but no thanks. MIAMI’S REAL LANDMARK Forget Vizcaya or the Seaquarium. The true landmark of Miami is the fabulously exquisite City Inn, home of Miami’s choicest crackheads, hookers, and the site of coat hanger abortions for years! Adam Cohen is South Florida’s #1 social commentator. His Facebook musings are published exclusively in the Agenda.

September 24, 2015

Evangelical Christianity has been hijacked by people who would give Jesus himself the boot if he knocked on their door.

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JUST ADAM

OH, NO, YOU DIDN’T...

Not all Jews believe [President Barack] Obama is anti-Israel. Some of us want to try a different possible way to solve what has been an intractable problem forever. War is always an option. Maybe this one time, negotiation will work. – Meri Gastman Cohen Boca Raton

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The best thoughts and quotes on Facebook this week...

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SPECIAL REPORT: TRANS IN AMERICA

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ANYONE

‘T’?

Transgender community speaks up

September 24, 2015

25th annual Southern Comfort trans conference convenes in Fort Lauderdale

N A YEAR DURING which transgender issues have been at the forefront of conversation and headlines around the country, Fort Lauderdale this week hosts the 25th annual Southern Comfort, the largest transgender conference in America. The conference features high-profile guest speakers, seminars, and special events geared toward the transgender community. This year’s conference will feature Jazz Jennings, the 14-year-old Broward transgender activist, as its keynote speaker. “As a destination that welcomes all people of diverse, safe and open community, we aim to put trans people in the forefront of the

LGBTQ community instead of being the often forgotten ‘T,’ said Richard Gray, LGBTQ managing director for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We are educating lesbian and gay travelers, mainstream audiences and using our platform as a leader in the LGBTQ travel space to illustrate Broward County’s commitment and respect for trans individuals.” More than 1,000 attendees are expected at the host hotel, the Bonaventure Resort & Spa. ‘We are thrilled to bring our conference to such a welcoming, progressive, and beautiful

By Adriana Cortez

destination for our 25th year,” said Lexi Dee, president of the Southern Comfort Conference. “I look forward to our conference and partnership growing over the next three years with the help and dedication the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, which has led the way for the trans community and helps to deliver an authentic and welcoming experience for Transgender visitors.” To better understand the challenges and triumphs of being Transgender, the Agenda turned to the following five women, all of whom stand as Transgender Profiles in Courage.

RANSITIONING FROM MALE TO FEMALE in early 2000, Rejee Narinesingh gained national notoriety after “pumping” sessions with an illegal physician in Florida left her cheeks, chin and lips injected with Fix-a-Flat and cement. While the story of her physical and emotional struggle to regain normalcy is a major part of her past, it is her activism for transgender rights that she hopes will be her lasting legacy. “For many years being trans in the LGBT community was like being a part of a community that really didn’t want us,” she says. “For many years, we truly were at the bottom of the totem pole. “It was like a real double standard. We could be used as entertainment at a gay bar, but on the street nobody would speak to us. Thankfully in recent years, a social shift in regards to the trans community is taking place here in our country. There seems to be a lot more awareness and understanding in society with transgenderism. “To me, that reaffirms that my 18 years of activism has not been in vain,” she explains. “Every society has their own gender rules. We live in a world where gender has a lot to do with the way a person maneuvers through society. So being trans can often times be a very challenging path. Especially for someone from my generation.” Rajee has appeared on television on Anderson Cooper 360, Botched, Dr. Phil, and Howard Stern on Demand. She also is the star of the transgender series Bella Maddo, shot in Fort Lauderdale and shown at the Cannes Film Festival in 2010. “I have heard from people all around the world who have seen my story and have connected with my life. I’m so happy that I have been able to educate people and be a testimony on how to make lemonade out of lemons,” she told the Agenda. I’ve been able to go from a victim to victorious.”

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Activist

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4RAJEE NARINESINGH

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Transgender profiles in courage

Read Rajee’s story in her memoir Beyond Face Value: A Journey to True Beauty. Reach her via Twitter @Rajeeactree or on Facebook at Rajee Rajindra Narinesingh. September 24, 2015

“For many years being trans in the LGBT community was like being a part of a community that really didn’t want us...”

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SPECIAL REPORT: TRANS IN AMERICA

Transgender profiles in courage 4NAOMI AGUILERA

September 24, 2015

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Entertainer

“The letter T was once shut down and derailed by the world and by our very own LGBT community...”

AOMI AGUILERA EXUDES a positive attitude even when discussing negative elements of her life. This includes the years when, as a transgender male-to-female, she felt excluded from the LGBT community. “The letter T was once shut down and derailed by the world and by our very own LGBT community,” she says, remembering a time not too long ago. “Whether your preferred acronym is LGBT or GLBT, we all have one thing in common. Individually, we once fought to be loved, heard and respected. “Today we finally stand stronger together as a whole and as a part of today’s everyday society,” she continues. “Slowly, but surely, we are moving forward and growing together, thanks to many of today’s LGBTQ advocates and celebrity role models such as Chaz Bono, Laverne Cox, Caitlyn Jenner, and Janet Mock to name a few. Trans people living in fear and being viewed as ‘freaks’ will be a thing of the past!” Naomi was born and raised in New York, but has long called Miami her home. Living as a transgender female since the 90s, she says she has had to remain true to herself to be whole even while seeking and gaining acceptance from friends, coworkers and family. “My most difficult struggle and challenge wasn’t my transformation into another sex,” she says, “but finding my true sexuality. It took a toll on me,” she admits “when I discovered not only was I transgender but I was also pansexual.” Pansexuals are quite capable of making no love distinctions, and traditionally include not only male and female genders in their intimate affections, but also transgendered, androgynous and gender fluid people. “Not many people know the difference between gender and sexuality,” she says. “Being different and falling in love with the female gender or my same gender blew my mind into a depression because I didn’t understand,” she admits. Naomi has won many female impersonator pageants around the country include the 2010 Miss Florida Continental Pageant. She has appeared on Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami, as well as the Kenny Ortega film, A Change of Heart, in 2014. “I will climb the latter of success to build a stronger voice and platform to prove to our younger generation that it is not only possible for them to achieve all their goals, but also to prove that we are just as strong and determined as any other normal human.”

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4ARIANNA LINT

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Director of Transgender Advocacy, Sunserve

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“The ‘T’ in LGBT does nothing for me,” says Arianna Lint, who feels invisible in a community of lesbians, gays and bisexuals. She works within the transgender community every day, and works with the health department in Fort Lauderdale, yet still feels marginalized to insignificance. “The ‘T’ is just a way that gay agencies apply for our funds in Fort Lauderdale,” she says. The health department, she says, focuses their prevention programs only on the gay community, at the expense of all others. “It is sad that the LGB agencies don’t support T at all. We watch silently.” Arianna sees gays demanding equality, when transgender individuals are simply ignored. “Equality? I only ask for respect, for myself as an individual, and for the trans community as a whole. “We are tired of having to prove that we have needs. We have proven that we also are professionals. We are doctors and lawyers and journalists and actors. We deserve the same quality of life as any other normal person.

“I am a dreamer and survivor. I will not be defeated. My successes come from my work, and just being alive.” To the LGBT community, Arianna says, “We are your heroes just because we live from day to day and do not give up. “I always own my truth,” she says, “and hold up my commitments. Always.” Can you say the same? Arianna is the director of Transgender Advocacy at SunServe, a South Florida non-profit social service and mental health agency serving the LGBTQ Community. Her role is to help connect transgender residents with employment opportunities, with safe housing, social networks and medical services. She is currently starting her own nonprofit organization, Translatina Coalition, focusing on services for trans individuals in the Latin community. Additionally, she is a speaker for Bristol-Myers Squibb. She also is a chairman on the Community Empowerment Committee of the HIV Broward Planning Council, (a part of Transaction Florida Group of Equal Florida), and recently became a Member of the (T+) Trans National Advisory Board. Originally from Peru, Arianna graduated from high school at the age of 15 and completed her law degree at the San Martin de Porres University at the age of 22.

4 ISABELLA LOUITILIEN Student

a transgender woman in connection with the LGBT community means living in my own truth,” says Isabella Louitilien. “Living my authentic self. “I know this may sound like a basic thing in life to do, but as a Trans woman growing up in a conservative household, I didn’t know how to fully express myself or have the language to communicate who and what I am. “I was taught to be masculine, to be strong, and to emulate the men that I saw around me. I didn’t know what it meant to be different, but even then, I was being myself.” Such an upbringing could have easily left Isabella bitter or

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O ME, TO LIVE AS

feeling isolated. But the deeply religious transgender student took a different route. “I don’t have any animosity for the way I grew up. It’s just what my family knew, and I know they believed they were doing was what was best for their child. “Some of the struggles I had at the beginning were actually more mental than anything,” she says. “Coming from a religious background, I wanted to know that I was doing something that God wanted me to do, and I didn’t want a God out there to punish me for transitioning or not living in a way that the Bible states. “I struggled with work, finding the ones where I could, and CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

“My successes as a trans woman mean being alive and thriving in a world where I am a statistic...”

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SPECIAL REPORT: TRANS IN AMERICA

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Transgender profiles in courage 4ISABELLA LOUITILIEN

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4DEJA DEVONIER Entertainer

Florida, deja devonier has a background steeped in dancing and theater and carries on a legacy passed to her, she says, by her dragmother, the iconic Velvet

Lenore. deja believes government and non-profit agencies, including LGBt groups, have missed the marked in addressing transgender issues. “i find living as a t in the LGBt community, we are often overlooked until there is something that we can do to help them bring the community closer,” deja says. “the struggles i have had to deal with include a lack of resources and outreach. interestingly enough, as a gay lad before my transitioning, i had countless programs, groups and resources to turn to,” she adds. “there needs to be more done for the transgender community.” deja, who is well known as an entertainer in the LGBt community, says she has not had to deal with the prejudice that other trans people experience working in the general population. Because only eight percent of the general population has ever even met a transsexual, according to statistics, it is understandable why most people have no concept of the problems, the struggles, the fear that trannies experience. to expand understanding, deja was reached out to share her experience and offer her help. “i have taken it upon myself to assist upand-coming individuals who have had to face the same day-to-day conflicts as myself.” as she does, she carries with her a crown — a very large crown — awarded to her for winning the Miss Florida Continental pageant in 2015. the reigning queen spends her free time working in her garden or freshwater Koi pond. “i practice the form of meditation called Bodies of Life, playing with my dog Loui, and taking care of one of my many fish aquariums, as i am a very involved aquarist.” She also enjoys spending quality time with friends and going to the beach. Politically, she moves outside of the transgender arena and into animal activism. in the future, as more resources and organizations for transgender rights come about, she plans to become much more involved in transactivism.

September 24, 2015

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

orn in indiantown,

“I find, living as a T in the LGBT community, we are often overlooked...”

not be judged for who i was. i learned to work as a sales person over the phone, and i did that during the first three years of my transition. “My mother was highly concerned about my safety and my well-being, but i was going to be a functioning human being in society, who can provide for myself. Her fears became my fears. “over time i learned to overcome all of those fears. i learned to meditate and received guidance from God,the source of my being. i joined a church called Unity. they provided classes that i attended, which gave me the tools to see the world differently. “i wasn’t the victim that i previously was anymore. i learned through positive affirmations and started taking the right actions on my life. “My successes as a trans woman mean being alive and thriving in a world where i am a statistic. Being a black trans woman who was born outside of the United States, i haven’t come across a lot of role models such as myself.” isaella is now a full-time student at Florida atlantic University with a major in communications. She previously earned an associate of arts degree in political science from Broward College. She also holds a diploma in retail fashion management from the art institute of Fort Lauderdale. in addition to her studies, isabella works as a part-time sales representative for a flooring company. “i have an awesome relationship with my family and they now accept me, which is one of greatest successes in my life,” she adds. “i live alone. i have a vehicle and support myself. i am simply blessed. My goal is to get into law school. God has always provided for me, and i know he will provide for this goal as well.”

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SPECIAL REPORT: TRANS IN AMERICA

suggestions originally appeared in “Injustice at Every Turn.”) This is what it takes: 4 LGBT activists needs to care about the alarmingly high rate of HIV among trans women – and to push our organizations, political leaders and the pharmaceutical industry to do so as well. Silence can still equal death for trans people who can’t access medical care. It’s time to remind everyone of this. 4 The research/medical community and pharmaceutical industry needs to stop misgendering trans women in research studies. Lumping trans women in studies about “men who have sex with men” does not give you true statistics on trans women’s needs and risks, making it difficult for concerned clinicians to properly treat trans women with HIV. We need them to ensure that trans people are properly categorized in future research. 4 We need to push researchers to understand that gay and bi transgender men may be at equally high risk; since there have been no studies, nobody knows. 4 Medical schools and medical organizations need to start training their people to treat transgender patients properly and mandating that people do so. Refusing care to people because of their gender identity is a travesty. 4 We need to elevate trans people

into leadership areas in HIV organizations, including their voices when we talk about HIV. 4 We need LGBT organizations to take up the mantle in talking about trans people and HIV, and we need trans organizations to tackle HIV. One such organization is doing just that: The Transgender Law Center has created Positively Trans, a project led by a group of poz trans people who have launched the firstof-its-kind study seeking to determine the obstacles to care faced by trans people living with HIV. In order for all of us – poz or not, trans or not, queer or not – to do right by trans women, we have to do more than tune into I Am Cait once a week. We have to tear down and rebuild the systems that are here to care for trans and gender non-conforming people in a way that really works. We have to remove the stigma of being trans, of being positive, of seeking to take an HIV prevention treatment. That’s only one step, and there are many needed, but just that, understanding and truly caring about trans people, can take us quite a way.

We need LGBT organizations to take up the mantle in talking about trans people and HIV, and we need trans organizations to tackle HIV

Diane Anderson-Minshall is editor in chief of Plus magazine and editor at large for The Advocate magazine. You can find her online at HIVPlusMag.com and Advocate.com. This column is a project of Plus, Positively Aware, POZ, TheBody.com and Q Syndicate, the LGBT wire service.

September 24, 2015

Let me tell you about a woman I met. Let’s call her Trina. On the surface, we have some similarities. A woman of color and a bottle blonde, Trina grew up feeling like she never fit in. Shuffled between family members, she left home early in an effort to be herself, and ended up homeless at one point. Like my husband, Trina is transgender. Unlike my husband, she doesn’t have insurance (yes, even in this age of Obamacare), worries about affording her hormones, and has had to do a lot of things to be the person she is. That includes turning the odd trick or two. She has HIV. When she tested positive last year, it wasn’t a surprise to her or to the other women in her trans support group, which meets at her local LGBT center each Wednesday night. It’s one of the few places Trina feels at home, accepted, able to be honest. And many of the women are also HIV-positive. Transgender women are 49 times more likely to have HIV than the general population. We first heard this number when The Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) released a report in 2014, “Trans Populations and HIV: Time to End the Neglect,” and this summer, the World Health Organization did a new meta-analysis of data from 15 different countries, which again showed that transgender women were nearly 49 times more likely to have HIV than the general population. Both studies argue that trans women are the most at-risk population around the globe. The numbers are even worse for those who are women of color; 56 percent of black trans women have HIV. That’s over half. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, transgender women involved in sex work

have HIV rates that are almost twice that of trans women not engaged in commercial sex work. They’re also six times more likely to be living with HIV than other female sex workers. Perhaps you’re ready to turn the proverbial page because you think women who do sex work deserve it. They don’t. My friend Trina gave blow jobs to help afford the hormones she needs every two weeks to continue living as a woman. Going off hormones would give her serious medical issues. The waiting list to get into her local clinic was two months. She’s had bad experiences with doctors who refused to treat her because she’s transgender. She’s not alone: The Task Force’s 2011 study, “Injustice at Every Turn,” reports that approximately one in five trans people in the United States has been denied medical care as a result of their gender identity. She’s also shared injection needles not for drugs, but at a pumping party, where trans women get low-cost fillers to create a more feminine look in their faces, breasts and hips. As a once-homeless trans teen – over 40 percent of homeless teens are LGBT, according to a 2011 Williams Institute study – Trina has had to do plenty of things that put her at risk for HIV. But that’s not how she got HIV. Like the majority of HIV-positive people today, Trina became HIV-positive during a relationship that she believed was monogamous. The man she loved was not monogamous – and he was not aware that he had HIV. Today Trina is on antiretrovirals and sees a doctor at a clinic who knows how to treat trans people living with HIV. Those are few and far between. It’s time for all of us to wake up to this issue. As we revive the conversation around gay and bi men and HIV, it’s time to end this epidemic for trans people too. (Note: Many of my

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BY DIANE ANDERSONMINSHALL

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4Trans women are 49 times more likely to have HIV – and here’s why you should care

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HIV and the transgender community

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SPECIAL REPORT: TRANS IN AMERICA

sion, and another 1½ hours working one on one with a speech pathologist. They learn not only how to change the pitch of their voice, but also its resonance (males speak more from chest, women from the head) and delivery (men tend to be more staccato, women more fluid). It involves a lot of voice exercises – humming to find an ideal pitch, naming five words that start with the letter “T.” The idea is to condition and change the voice without harming the vocal chords, said Wendy Chase, the clinic’s director. “Pitch up, shoulders back ... whatever you’re doing wrong, she tends to help you correct it,” said 61-year-old Brianne Roberts, also of Enfield. “It really works.” The majority of the transgender clients at the clinic are transitioning to female. Hormone therapy will naturally cause a lowering in the voice of someone transitioning to male, Chase said. Many “F to Ms,” as they are sometimes called, need to learn the other subtleties. But clients transitioning either way need to work on articulation and patterns associated with male and female speech, even how to use their hands differently to gesture and touch during communication.

“There is tremendous irony in the fact that we use information based on stereotype to make people feel better about themselves,” said Chase. “But that’s what we do.” The clinic also has served some people who are not transgender, such as men who wish to sound less effeminate – a topic explored in the new documentary “Do I Sound Gay?” And some clients, including people who are only considering a change in gender, want a voice that is more neutral, Chase said. Literature in the field dates back 50 years, but until the past 20 years only a handful of people were doing voice work with transgender people, and the work is still in its infancy, Chase said. Richard Adler, who retired this month from Minnesota State University Moorhead, was one of those pioneers. The field has been growing exponentially and internationally, he said, as the world has become more accepting of transgender people and people like Caitlyn Jenner have shared their stories.

expects to participate for at least another semester. As a man, Roberts was a radio personality, voiceover artist and actor. She is now returning to the stage as an actress and doesn’t want her voice to impede her winning roles. “For me, passing is important,” she said. “But, in some cases it’s a matter of survival. There are some places where you do not want to be read as being anything other than female. It’s dangerous.” The sessions also help in other ways, Roberts said. She’s able to talk to other people going through the same experience about progress and problems. And the environment is supportive and respectful, something Roberts said affirms her decision to transition. As for Wojcik, she is just happy to be able to order sliced bologna at the deli without getting a strange look. “I want to just be one of the girls,” she said. “I just want to blend in with the woodwork and people not notice that I’m trans.”

“There are still people opposed to the work we do. We still get hate mail, but it’s less and less...” be changed. It’s then $10 per session for individual treatment and $25 per semester for the group sessions. Some insurance companies may pick up some or all the cost if a doctor gives a diagnosis of gender dysphoria. But Chase said that it is still rare. A typical patient will spend about 18 months in therapy, Chase said, but the number of sessions varies widely. Roberts, a freelance copywriter, has been attending sessions since February. She

Bonaventure Resort and Spa in Weston starting Sept. 29. We welcome your comments and opinions on this special feature and all other articles. Send your comments to: Editor@MMPLGBT.com.

FULL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE ONLINE The full schedule for the 25th annual Southern Comfort transgender conference is available online at www.FloridaAgenda.com. The conference takes place at the

“There are still people opposed to the work we do,” he said. “We still get hate mail, but it’s less and less.” UConn charges clients $192 for a voice evaluation to determine what needs to

September 24, 2015

By PAT EATON-ROBB STORRS, Conn. (AP) Sylvia Wojcik was making reservations for a beach getaway in Maine when the receptionist on the other end of the line called her “ma’am.” Nothing could have delighted her more. Wojcik, 66, is transitioning from male to female. For her, that proof that she sounded like a woman was an important moment. “It felt like I had just been validated,” she said. “It just gave me a great sense of being at ease with myself.” Wojcik has undergone several years of voice therapy, the past 18 months at the University of Connecticut’s Speech and Hearing Clinic, one of a growing number of clinics with programs to teach transgender people how to sound more like the sex they identify with. “You can be well kept, present well, but if your voice is masculine, you get pegged right away,” said Wojcik, of Enfield, north of Hartford. “I really didn’t start getting success with my voice until I came to UConn. And I’m sure glad I did, because it’s made all the difference.” The program at UConn is in its fourth year, with about a dozen people participating at any one time. The typical participant will spend an hour a week in a group ses-

clinic helps transgender clients

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4Speech

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Finding their true voice

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THE POPE AND THE TRANSGENDER Could LGBT people be seen as ‘gifts’ to the Catholic church?

WILLIAMSON is making news again. The one-time co-chair of the Catholic LGBT organization Dignity USA, Mateo is just one of the guests who was invited to greet Pope Francis during a morning reception for the papal visit to the White House this week. But Mateo is different than many others who made the cut. Mateo is transgender who now identifies as a gay male as well as a devote Catholic. There’s been a bit of a clamor from the papal By team on just RICHARD whom President HACK Barack Obama has asked to the meet and greet at the White House that took place this past Wednesday. There are those that say inviting Mateo is a slap in the face to the pontiff. They would probably feel the same way about Vivian Taylor, a 30-year-old male-to-female transgender who acted as Executive Director of Integrity USA, a homosexual and transgender activist wing of the Episcopal Church, until last March. Vivian served in the Iraqi war as a male. Meteo spent his first 20 years as a female. What’s a pope to do. I suspect that this particular pope, who you’ll remember was once a nightclub bouncer in his native Buenos Aires, will do just fine. He is, after all, the very same pope who, when discussing homosexual priests, said, “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?” Interesting to note that Francis was speaking in Italian, but used the English word “gay” which apparently translates across all platforms, papal, religious

September 24, 2015

ATEO

and otherwise. That was two years ago. Since that time, the Pope has had several deliberate encounters with transgender folk. Let’s not forget the saga of Diego Neria Lejárraga. He’s the Spaniard who transitioned from female to male eight years ago in his hometown of Plasencia, a small village in the medieval province of Cáceres. After getting the boot from his Catholic church, he appealed to the pope last December for an intervention. Francis did better than give a long distance blessing. The pope invited Diego to a private audience in January of this year, and told the transgendered man that “Of course you are a son of the Church!” Francis DeBernardo, Executive Director of New Ways Ministry which advocates for LGBT Catholics, adds: “This pope, through his many gestures of meeting with those who society and the church treat as outcasts, has made it his mission to lead by example, and to send a strong message of welcome and hospitality to all people, regardless of their state in life.” That is understandably a good thing considering what’s ahead for the pope in Philadelphia. After visits to DC and the UN, Pope Francis will head to the City of Brotherly Love where Mayor Michael Nutter, a longtime pal of the LGBT community, will deliver a message to the pontiff. “We encourage ending the systematic and institutionalized discrimination against LGBT people through the message of love, hope, and acceptance,” Nutter’s message reads. “For the many LGBT individuals who seek the Lord and have good will, we ask that you end judgment of these individuals by those within the church through teaching and pastoral practice

currently in place.” Brotherly love indeed. All of which brings us back to Mateo Williamson, who shook the hand of the pope this week. “I think LGBT people are gifts to the Catholic Church,” she said, “because they enable us to see an immense diversity in God’s creation and to affirm everyone no matter who you are and to bring everyone in to this family — this Catholic, this universal family,” Mateo says. “We need to be able to see God in every person and to look at other people and even if we don’t understand why they are who they are, to say, ‘This is who you are and I’m going to love you all the same.’” The pope couldn’t have said it better.

“

I suspect that this particular pope, who you’ll remember was once a nightclub bouncer in his native Buenos Aires, will do just fine. He is, after all, the very same pope who, when discussing homosexual priests, said, “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?”

SIGN OF THE TIMES We are your children... This gigantic sign was posted on the Human Rights Campaign’s Washington, D.C. headquarters, across from a scheduled stop by Pope Francis this week.

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CAPITOL BEAT

received a reply by press time. Siciliano said he thought a visit to his Center by the pope could have brought home the urgent imperative for change in a very personal way. “I would hope that the pope’s heart would be opened to the harmfulness of church teaching on homosexuality if he met with our youths, so many of whom have been driven to the streets by the religious beliefs of their parents,” he told me. “I would hope that he would realize that church teachings are to promote love, and there is nothing loving about hundreds of thousands of parents throwing their LGBT children into the streets.” Siciliano is not tossing out statistics idly. As he explained in his letter to the pope, the shocking reality is that religious rejection is the number one cause of homelessness among LGBT youth who represent “up 40 percent of the homeless youth population in this country, despite comprising only about five percent of the overall youth population. Marianne DuddyBurke, president of DignityUSA, sounded a more optimistic note when we talked prior to the pope’s arrival in the U.S. “There is a small but growing number of Catholic leaders speaking out and openly questioning official teaching and Francis has given Continued on page 23

September 24, 2015

gay Catholic and former Benedictine monk, Siciliano has worked with the homeless for more than 30 years and is passionate about seeing change within his Church. He was among many in the Catholic and secular LGBT ranks who wrote to Pope Francis requesting a meeting during his U.S. tour. Siciliano’s letter, termed a “plea”, implored Pope Francis to visit the LGBT youth at his Center and “see for yourself how their lives have been devastated and made destitute by religious rejection.” DignityUSA and GLAAD, along with 28 co-signatory groups, sent their joint letter to the pope in late June. (GLAAD is a secular organization that works to get positive and accurate stories about LGBT into the media.) They described their request for a meeting with the pontiff as “a compelling pastoral need,” and said the teaching and practices of the church were “upholding systemic, institutionalized discrimination against LGBT people and our families.” The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the country’s largest, and arguably most influential, LGBT advocacy group, hung a banner on their building reading: “We Are Your Children, Your Teachers, Your Faithful. Welcomed by God. Dismissed By Our Bishops. Pope Francis, Will You Welcome Us Home?” HRC headquarters are conveniently located close to the Cathedral of St. Matthew where Pope Francis was to pray with bishops during his DC visit. HRC President, Chad Griffin, stated that, while the Campaign would “join in welcoming the pope to the United States, we will also be urging him to continue to move toward greater acceptance and embrace of members of our community who are longing to hear that their Church welcomes them — and their families — fully.” None of the groups had

(Photo: lifesize.com)

s there any greater gift? For some gay Catholics, that gift comes from God. How could it not, they ask? “My sexuality is as much a gift from God as my spirituality,” says Christopher Cappiello in a video for DignityUSA, an organization that works for respect and justice for all people, especially gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender members of BY the Catholic LINDA Church. PENTZ “It means my capacity to love, to be in a loving, nurturing relationship for 26 years, with a man, has to be a gift from God. If anything else in this life is, it’s got to be that,” concluded Cappiello. The gift still ungiven, however, is full acceptance of LGBT Catholics by the Vatican hierarchy. Many gay members of the Catholic church hoped that the visit by Pope Francis to the U.S. this week would afford a platform for such a change. Seemingly so progressive in some areas, the pope has sent mixed signals on the LGBT front, leading to hopes both raised and dashed. “I am in many ways deeply impressed with Pope Francis, especially by his ardent concern for the poor and economically disenfranchised, and for the environment,” Carl Siciliano told me on the eve of the pope’s U.S. visit. “But I am disappointed that he has thus far not signaled a willingness to explore substantial change in the church’s hostile stance towards homosexuality.” Siciliano is the founder of the Ali Forney Center, a shelter for homeless LGBT youth in New York City. A

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To love another human being fully, 100%, with every ounce of one’s heart and soul.

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DOES POPE FRANCIS REALLY LOVE GAYS?

September 24, 2015

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Continued from page 21

“

HE IMPLORED THE POPE TO /floridaagenda floridaagenda.com

prevent your bishops from fighting against the acceptance of LGBT people as equal members of society.”

(Photo: huffingtonpost.com)

-- says Siciliano

ing with Pope Francis earlier this summer, and after the Supreme Court ruling, Cupich called on Catholics to welcome LGBT people. Cupich insisted that gays and lesbians “must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.” He emphasized that “This respect must be real, not rhetorical, and ever reflective of the Church’s commitment to accompanying all people.” The intransigence of the church establishment leads to what Siciliano described in his letter to the pope as the “horrific” suffering of rejected LGBT youth who then endure “the torment of being unloved and unwanted by their parents, combined with the ordeals of hunger, cold and sexual exploitation while homeless.” He implored the pope to “prevent your bishops from fighting against the acceptance of LGBT people as equal members of society.” Jesus, Siciliano reminded the Vatican “spoke of God as a loving parent who would never abandon his children.” For now, it appears, the Vatican has put Siciliano’s call, and others, on hold.

Linda Pentz is the Washington correspondent of the Florida Agenda. She can be contacted at lindapentz@mmplgbt.com. Follow her on Twitter @CapitolAgenda

September 24, 2015

permission for that to happen,” she said. “I believe we are in the process of evolving as a church on this and the people of the church will lead the leaders. At some point, the church teaching will change.” Pope Francis has been dramatically on point on a number of causes. His encyclical on climate change was so well received by environmentalists they rallied on the National Mall during his DC visit. But he sounded a negative tone on same-sex marriage during a January visit to the Philippines. “The family is threatened by growing efforts on the part of some to redefine the very institution of marriage, by relativism, by the culture of the ephemeral, by a lack of openness to life,” he said then. The Vatican showed no shift in stance in June after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage across the country, a decision warmly supported by DignityUSA and other progressive gay Catholics. Catholic Bishops called the decision a “tragic error” while the pope’s top U.S. advisor, Cardinal Sean O’Malley, wrote that “enshrining same sex marriage in our constitutional system of governance has dangers that may become fully evident only over time.” Nevertheless, a real commitment to LGBT acceptance is coming from some within the Catholic church leadership, such as Archbishop Blase Cupich of Chicago. During a meet-

September 24, 2015

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CREEP OF THE WEEK By D’Anne Witowski

b Steve Deace

h, rainbows. Kids wear them on their clothing. They’re slathered in sprinkle form onto ice cream cones, are the namesake of a favorite “My Little Pony” character, and even form in the sky because of science. Of course, the rainbow is also a symbol of LGBT pride. And that, for some, has made the rainbow into a symbol of evil. Like radio host and author Steve Deace who writes on the Conservative Review website that the Rainbow Jihad is running roughshod over America and will not be satisfied until total domination and, presumably, color saturation, is reached. He begins his column by listing the handful of cases where people have tried to use their faith as an excuse to discriminate against gays and lesbians and were told that, nope, they couldn’t do that. Top of the list, of course, is Kim Davis. Then there’s the Oregon bakers, the florist in Washington. The usual suspects. Absent, of Steve Deace course, from this list are the countless gays and lesbians who have been discriminated against over the years with no legal recourse. Discharged from the military for being gay? Too bad. Fired for being a lesbian? So sad. Did a photographer refuse to work with you because “two dudes together would make me puke”? Well, such regurgitation was his right under God, laws be damned. Because there weren’t any. But no, please explain how Rainbow Jihad is wreaking havoc, Mr. Deace. “What I have dubbed ‘the Rainbow Jihad’ is a carefully coordinated cultural hijacking decades in the making,” he writes. “Like a parasite that long exists in a body but doesn’t manifest itself until the host is at its weakest, it has been unleashed by the Left because they

believe they have successfully eroded our Judeo-Christian foundation.” Granted, anyone who thinks that this nation’s Judeo-Christian stronghold has been destroyed has a very tenuous grasp on reality. The majority of Americans identify as Christian. It’s just that Christians are, more and more, beginning to recognize that maybe LGBT people don’t make Jesus puke after all and that two people of the same sex creating a family isn’t so awful. Deace would say these Christians have been brainwashed. As evidence that the “Rainbow Jihad” has been decades in the making, Deace cites an obscure 1989 book called After the Ball: How America Will Conquer Its Fear and Hatred of Gays in the 90’s by Marshall Kirk and Hunter Madsen. From what I can tell, the book argues that the principles of advertising can change the minds of the general population about who and what gays are. photo: twitter.com Deace quotes liberally from the book, and it’s clear he thinks each quote is particularly damning, but he offers no real analysis and no context. It’s worth noting that this book is long out of print (you can nab one on Amazon for about $200) and the authors have never published anything else from what I can find. In other words, this is some obscure stuff, yet Deace has latched onto it as if he’s found the official playbook of the homos. Well gays and lesbians, joke’s on you. All this time you thought you were fighting for love and equality and this whole time you were nothing but pawns in Big Government’s takeover and destruction of the Christians. Oh well, at least it’s nice to be wanted.

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September 24, 2015

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MICHAEL D. BECKER Attorney at Law

September 24, 2015

Criminal Defense Federal and State Trial and Appeals Two Decades of Experience

BECKER-LAWYER.com 201 NE 2nd St. Fort Lauderdale 33301

Healthcare Insurance Fraud, Internet, Child Porn and Sex Crimes Financial Fraud Drug Trafficking, Delivery, Possesion DUI, DUI Manslaughter Violent Crimes, Murder, Homicide Assault, Burglaries, Theft Domestic Violence Bond Hearings Probation Violations

954.727.5067 / 305.538.0520 MDBLAWYER@gmail.com

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NATION

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b MAN CLAIMS BIAS OVER USE OF HIV-BLOCKING DRUG Project, calls the decision “nonsensical.” “It’s really based on the stereotypes and the fears that are out there, that somehow gay male sexuality is inherently risky and unhealthy,” Klein said. “We have a lot of bias about gay male sexuality in our society.” Truvada was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2004 to be used in combination with other medications to treat people with HIV. In 2012, the FDA made it the first drug approved for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to reduce the risk of HIV infection in uninfected people. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says taking Truvada consistently has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV transmission in people who are at risk by up to 92 percent. Critics of Truvada say widespread use could lead to an increase in condom-less sex and new HIV infections because people will forget to take the pill every day. “Doe, a 61-year-old attorney and businessman who lives in Boston, said he began taking Truvada about a year ago after discussing it with his doctor. He said he has lost dozens of friends to AIDS and cannot understand the rationale behind rejecting his application for long-term coverage when Truvada is believed to reduce his risk of HIV. His long-time partner also is HIV-negative. He said he received a letter in April from a

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BOSTON (AP) - As a gay man, the Boston attorney thought he was doing the responsible thing when he asked his doctor to prescribe Truvada, a drug hailed as a way to halt the spread of AIDS. But when he tried to get long-term care insurance, Mutual of Omaha turned him down, saying it does not offer coverage to anyone who takes the drug. Now, the man is planning to sue the insurer, alleging he was discriminated against because he is gay. He filed a complaint Wednesday with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, the first step in a lawsuit. The man, who is identified only as John Doe in the complaint, said he wants to make sure that he and anyone else taking Truvada can get long-term care insurance, which covers daily, extended-care services for people with chronic illnesses or disabilities. He also wants to ensure that people are not deterred from using Truvada because they fear they will face discrimination. “I was shocked. I really was,” Doe told The Associated Press in interview at the offices of Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, a Boston-based legal group that is representing him. He spoke on condition of anonymity because his complaint contains private medical information. “I thought maybe they misunderstood me. I’m HIV-negative. I’m not HIV-positive. I was taking Truvada as a prophylactic.” Bennett Klein, director of GLAD’s AIDS Law

chief underwriter for Mutual of Omaha denying his appeal. “We do not offer coverage to anyone who takes the medication Truvada, regardless of whether it is prescribed to treat HIV infection, or is used for pre-exposure prophylaxis. This in accordance with our underwriting guidelines,” the letter said, according to the complaint. Doe alleges that Mutual of Omaha discriminated against him based on sexual orientation and disability, in this case, an assumption that Doe will in the future contract HIV, a health condition covered by the state’s antidiscrimination law.

b NATIONAL HEADLINES AFFECTING THE LGBTQ COMMUMITY Former Angie’s List CEO forms group pushing for LGBT rights

NEW YORK (AP) - Two New York legislators are launching a campaign to designate the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village as the first national park site honoring LGBT history. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Jerrold Nadler are making their announcement in front of the tavern where a 1969 uprising marked the start of the gay rights movement. Gillibrand and Nadler, both Democrats, are being joined by other elected officials, plus members of the National Parks Conservation Association. National parks can only be created by an act of Congress. They include sites of cultural or historic importance like Stonewall, where protesters rioted against police that had raided the inn. Stonewall would be the first park representing the LGBT community, while symbolizing the fight for equal rights.

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is nominating longtime Pentagon official Eric Fanning to be the Army’s new secretary. If confirmed, Fanning would be the nation’s first openly gay leader of a military service. Obama says Fanning brings years of experience and leadership to the role. He says in a statement that he’s confident Fanning will lead U.S. soldiers with distinction. Fanning is currently the Army’s acting under secretary and has served as the Air Force’s acting secretary and chief of staff to the Defense secretary. The nomination comes as the Obama administration works to eliminate barriers to military service based on sexuality or gender. Fanning’s nomination must be confirmed by the Senate. He would replace John McHugh, who has said he plans to step down no later than November 1.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Former Angie’s List CEO Bill Oesterle (OH’-ster-lee) is forming a new tech industry coalition that will advocate for equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people. Oesterle said in a Thursday news release that the group called Tech for Equality will push for legislation at both the municipal and state levels. The group is the latest to emerge following a national uproar earlier this year when lawmakers and Republican Gov. Mike Pence approved a religious objections law. Opponents said the law would sanction discrimination against the LGBT communities, leading lawmakers to make changes. Oesterle was a vocal opponent of the law and says new LGBT protections are crucial for tech firms to recruit talented workers. Oesterle says members of Tech for Equality will be announced in the coming weeks.

Obama pick for Army would be first openly gay service chief

September 24, 2015

Lawmakers: make Stonewall Inn a national park site

September 24, 2015

Ryan Uhler from Facebook post Photo: advocate.com

SARASOTA COUNTY

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SIDELINES SPORTS BAR SOLD TO LE BOY OWNER SEAN DAVID

UNF TO OFFER GENDER INCLUSIVE HOUSING

JACKSONVILLE — University of North Florida has opened its first “gender-inclusive dorm room at its Jacksonville campus. The new units occupy a wing of the campus’ Osprey Fountain housing complex and are being occupied by seven students including one who identifies as neither male, female, or transgender. The university estimates about 10 percent of its students identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender based on data from its latest student survey. Currently, about 200 colleges and universities across the country offer gender-inclusive housing to students, according to national college LGBT advocacy group Campus Pride. UNF is the fourth college in Florida to offer the option, according to the organization, joining Stetson University, Ringling College of Art and Design and Eckerd College. The new housing option also marks the 10th anniversary of UNF’s LGBT Resource Center.

September 24, 2015

Sean David (Photo:facebook)

WILTON MANORS—Sidelines Sports and Video Bar, the nine-year-old club which became the go-to hangout during football, baseball and soccer season, has been sold to entrepreneur Sean David owner of le Boy strip club and bar. In an exclusive interview with the Agenda, David said that Sidelines is currently closed, and will be extensively renovated to reflect a fresher, upscale feel. “We have a full team of professionals coming in and redesigning the space,” David said. Plans currently call for the facility to remain non-smoking with an outside smoking area. According to David, the club will be rebranded, with the new name being teased in advertisements starting next week in Guy Magazine. The new club’s slogan is “The Sports Bar with a Kick!” Original Sidelines owner Laurie Whittaker has been involved in an on-going lawsuit with former partner Marty Kildea, who was removed from his management position several years ago. Mediation is due to begin in that case in several months. The new club is expected to be open by Halloween.

b (Photo: jacksonville.com)

of my life sharing my story,” Blair admitted. “The awareness and hope my memoir and documentary can bring to the LGBT community, particularly young athletes, is most fulfilling for me. Harry Cicma and I will spend a few days at my alma mater, the University of Arkansas, before heading up to South Bend, Indiana to visit with Notre Dame tennis stand out Matt Dooley. We appreciate all your support as we head out in an effort to make a difference.” “I have covered tennis my whole life and have a great deal of respect for Bobby’s career,” Cicma added. “Bobby established himself as a World Class American tennis player, and his story is an inspiration to all. He is truly a class act, and a champion, on and off the court. It is an honor to produce the documentary that tells his story, and Matt Dooley’s story, as they continue to inspire people throughout the sports community.”

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FORT LAUDERDALE--Multimedia Platforms, Inc., the only LGBTQ publicly traded media company, confirmed that filming of the documentary, Hiding Inside the Baseline, has begun. The documentary follows company CEO Bobby Blair’s coming out memoir of the same title. Emmy-Award winner, Harry Cicma of Harry Cicma Productions LLC,will be chronicling Blair’s journey as a closeted American tennis standout 30 years ago and how that has compared to the experiences of LGBT athletes today. The documentary is scheduled to be aired worldwide this winter on various sports networks and to reach over 100 million households. Additionally, Hiding Inside the Baseline will be sponsored by WiRLD.com, MMP’s online destination for entertainment shows, news, travel information, shopping, and business directories and social networking in a virtual LGBT community. “It has been the most incredible experience

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b DOCUMENTARY TO BE MADE OF THE LIFE OF MMP’S BOBBY BLAIR

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SUNSHINE STATE

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Congregation Etz Chaim The place to be on

Sukkot at Equality Park BYO Potluck Supper in the Sukkah September 29 - October 3, 5PM-8PM Call to reserve your seat Please bring canned goods for the Food Pantry

Deli and Dance at Sunshine Cathedral Dance the night away October 10, 7PM-?? Catered by Pomperdale NY-Style Deli

Simchat Torah at Etz Chaim Rewind and renew joy in the Torah, October 4, 7PM

Shabbat at Etz Chaim Day of rest, day of peace, every Friday at 8 PM

September 24, 2015

Congregation Etz Chaim 1501 NE 26th St., Wilton Manors (954) 564-9232

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September 24, 2015

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RELAX. REfREsh. RE-EnERgizE. tickets $75 / person before oct 1

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CONTACT NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR, MAURA “MUMBALL” LANE AT 954-543-5947 OR MAURALANE@MMPLGBT.COM TO GET ON THE LIST.

ACCOUNTING

Sterling Tax & Accounting 2435 N Dixie Hwy Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-667-9829 / sterlingandhart.com

ATTORNEYS Michael D. Becker Attorney at Law 201 NE 2nd Street Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 954-727-5067 / becker-lawyer.com Law Offices of George Castrataro 707 NE 3rd Avenue, Suite 300 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304 954-573-1444 / lawgc.com Law Offices of Phillip Menditto 524 S Andrews Avenue, Suite 200 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 954-641-9100 / phillipmenditto.com Law Offices of Caro Kinsella 20801 Biscayne Blvd, Suite 403 Miami, FL 33180 954-304-2243 / immigrationlawyerfl.com

CHURCH / SPIRITUAL

Center for Spiritual Living 1550 NE 26th Street Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-566-2868 / cslftl.com Holy Angels Catholic Community 2917 NE 6th Avenue Wilton Manors, FL 33334 954-633-2987 / holyangelsﬂ.org Etz Chaim 1501 NE 26th Street Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-564-9232 / etzchaimﬂorida.org The Parish of St Francis & Clare 101 NE 3rd Street Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 954-731-8173 / stsfrancisandclare.org

COUNSELING Shoshana Paris House Call Counselor shoshana.paris@gmail.com 954-985-5362 / 305-951-1279

EVENTS I DO Custom Events PO Box 2357 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 954-626-0131 / idocustomevents.com Source Events 605 Lincoln Road, #410 Miami Beach, FL 33139 305-672-9779 / sourceevents.com

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Bove Dental 2500 E Oakland Park Blvd Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306 954-564-0181 / bovedentistry.com Magnolia Dental 12014 E. Colonial Drive, Ste 130 Orlando, FL 32826 407-205-9585/ MagnoliaDentalFL.com Wilton Manors Dental 2517 N.E. 9th Avenue Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-564-4746 / wiltonmanorsdental.com

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REAL ESTATE Galleria International Realty 945 Las Olas Boulvard Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 954-234-8759 / galleriarealtors.com

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September 24, 2015

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HEALTHWATCH Sleep loss shrinks brain size!

Sleep quality is generally considered a key anti-aging essential, allowing the brain and body to perform tasks to help optimize its performance.

laire E. Sexton, from the University of Oxford (United Kingdom), and colleagues By enrolled 147 Dr. Don adults, ages Fisher 20 to 84 years, in a study to examine the link between sleep difficulties, such as having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep at night, and brain volume. All participants underwent two MRI brain scans, an average of 3.5 years apart, before completing a questionnaire about their sleep habits.

35% A total of 35% of the participants met the criteria for poor sleep quality, scoring an average of 8.5 out of 21 points on the sleep assessment.

The study found that sleep difficulties were linked with a more rapid decline in brain volume over the course of the study in widespread brain regions, including within frontal, temporal and parietal areas. The results were more pronounced in people over 60 years old. Observing that: “We found that longitudinal measures of cortical atrophy were widely correlated with sleep quality,” the study authors submit that: “Poor sleep quality may be a cause or a consequence of brain atrophy.” I want patients to report to me that with optimal hormones they get 7-9 hours of sleep and wake up feeling rested. Lack of sleep raises cortisol levels and now we know it shrinks your brain --- that can’t be good.

Dr. Don Fisher is an anti-aging specialist and the medical director of The Best Program in Fort Lauderd

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FAST FIT

Never buy tomatoes packaged in a can. The linings contain a resin containing bisphenolA, a synthetic estrogen that researchers say can contribute to diabetes, obesity and heart disease. If you can’t ﬁnd fresh tomatoes, use those packaged in glass bottles or waxed boxes.

The pituitary gland is about the size of a pea and weighs less than half an ounce.

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Human Growth Hormone is composed of 191 amino acids, all manufactured by the pituitary gland located at the base of the brain.

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By Richard Hack and Andy Kress from their book Baby Boomers’ Guide to the Fountain of Youth

As we age, our ability to absorb calcium decreases as the body produces less estrogen in women and testosterone in men.

September 24, 2015 37

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The Lynch-pin of Comedy

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PUZZLE

September 24, 2015

Across

1 Get ready for a trip to P-town 5 Gin diluter 10 Low-quality meat 14 Sea bordering Kazakhstan 15 He repealed DADT 16 Where to get off in gay Paree 17 Funny thespian Lynch 18 2008 movie comedy of 17-Across 20 From the top 22 Moth tail? 23 Coll. basketball competition 24 “Oh What a Beautiful ___” 26 Paul Cadmus’ output 27 One, for James M. Barrie 28 In-case connector 29 Features of Disney’s Dumbo 32 2009 James Cameron film 34 Have troops in 36 Timothy or his sister Tyne 37 New TV comedy of 17-Across 41 Like a meticulous bottom? 42 Comedies that are an Oscar Wilde forte 43 Insertion marks 46 Linda Hunt’s The ___ of Living Dangerously 47 Comics outburst 50 “Yadda, yadda, yadda,” briefly 51 Emissions-watching org. 53 Psycho psycho 55 P on Socrates’ paper 56 Fashion photographer Herb 59 Prolonged attack 60 2000 mockumentary film of 17-Across 63 Fox comedy with 17-Across 64 Top’s betting phrase? 65 Bone-chilling 66 Angelina Jolie’s ___ Interrupted 67 Hairspray list 68 ___ Ste. Marie, Mich. 69 Femme character in Mango Kiss

Down

1 The ___ Game 2 Home of Bloody Mary’s mom 3 “Cock-eyed Optimist” shade of yellow 4 Calvin of underwear 5 Rocky top 6 Double reed instrument 7 Feisty female in The Lion King 8 “... ___ man with seven wives” 9 Bianchi’s tool 10 Native land 11 In between breeder sex and birth 12 Everything considered 13 Sandra Scoppettone genre 19 Where to see rabbit ears? 21 Dorothy, to Em 25 Chemist’s condiment 30 Dog of Dennis the Menace 31 Fine mist 33 Fruity drinks 34 Rubberneck 35 Long-ago time, to Shakespeare 37 Gay life style is this to many religious conservatives 38 Deep stupor 39 Big name in shoes 40 They hold your meat in a deli 41 Biting 44 Garr of “Tootsie” 45 Bones in the back 47 Flyer Earhart 48 Men in shorts 49 Gets on one’s knees 52 In a fog 54 Filmmaker Marlon 57 Via, briefly 58 Get dirty 61 Explosive stick 62 Lube brand For the solution to this puzzle, go to www.floridaagend. com/puzzle

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September 24, 2015

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INSIDE HOLLYWOOD

LIKE A ROLAND STONE(WALL): u

An interview with director Roland Emmerich GREGG SHAPIRO: Do you remember when it was that you first became aware of the Stonewall Riots? ROLAND EMMERICH: It was (when I was) in Germany. Everybody talked about the Stonewall Riots. I knew quite a lot about it because I was interested in history.

September 24, 2015

GS: If there is a target audience for Stonewall, who do you see that to be? RE: I made this movie, like all of my movies, for the biggest possible audience. I don’t think there’s a target audience. It’s just for people who are interested. When we tested the film, it was relatively balanced (in regards to) who liked the film and who didn’t like it.

ROLAND EMMERICH, known for actionpacked blockbusters such as Independence Day, might not be the first name that comes to mind to direct a movie about the Stonewall riots, which marked the launch of the modern day LGBT rights movement as we know it. However, that didn’t prevent the openly gay filmmaker from trying his hand at making such a film. Featuring a screenplay by gay playwright Jon Robin Baitz, Stonewall (Roadside Attractions), tells the story of corn-fed Midwestern boy Danny (Jeremy Irvine), arriving in New York in June of 1969. Befriended by trans hustler Ray (Jonny Beauchamp), aka Ramona, Danny undergoes a personal transformation to become not only an openly gay man, but one who takes part in the famous Stonewall uprising. I spoke with Roland Emmerich about Stonewall shortly before it opened in theaters.

BY GREGG SHAPIRO

GS: Would you like to see Stonewall do for the advancement of LGBT rights awareness what Selma did to renew awareness and advancement of civil rights? RE: Sure, absolutely. That’s why we did the movie. Because there are a lot of young people who have no idea that the Stonewall uprising/riots spawned all these gay marches. GS: I’m glad you mentioned young people, because a number of the cast members were born long after the Stonewall riots occurred. Did any of them have an awareness of the events of June 28, 1969 and its significance to contemporary LGBT culture? RE: Some of them had and some didn’t. Most of the time it’s shocking for me that LGBT kids don’t know about it. In general, we had a smart cast, although one or the other had no clue that this event took place.

GS: Were there books or other resources that you recommended to them so that they could become more familiar with the subject? RE: Yes, we gave everybody a reading list. It’s one thing to read a book. We also found one or two or three Stonewall veterans and we asked them to help us. Some talked (to cast members) by phone, some in person, to tell them about the times, what music they listened to, how they felt. Just to get a little bit of a feel that you can’t get out of books. GS: The characters in the film are a blend of real (such as Marsha P. Johnson, Bob Kohler and Frank Kameny) and fictional people. Please say something about the choice to blend those stories. RE: That’s the peculiar thing about the Stonewall riots. A lot of people take credit, but it’s very murky. One thing is very clear – it was a lot of the homeless kids that did it. And they’re nameless. It’s all very vague. That was one of the difficulties in getting the movie made, Normally, when you do a movie such as Milk, you can go to someone such as Sean Penn to play Harvey Milk and you have it much easier. (With Stonewall) you just have these kids. On top of it, I didn’t want to make it a star-driven movie. I was set on telling the stories of these unsung heroes. Naturally, we realized that we had to have some historical characters. When you talk about Stonewall, you can’t talk not talk about Marsha P. Johnson or Bob Kohler or Frank Kameny or Ed Murphy. We even based some of our fictional characters on famous people such as Sylvia

Rivera. It was cool, in a way, for us to mix historical facts with fictional ones. GS: You have a long, creative history of directing special effects-laden films. Did you feel like you had to dial it back for Stonewall and, if so, what was involved in that process? RE: My big movies helped me a lot to make this film. We realized very fast that this movie is only possible if we build a big set. Another director might have said, “I don’t know how to do that.” But I know how to do these things. Everybody was really surprised how real it all looked. The whole movie was shot indoors. GS: Gay films have a history of controversy not just amongst straight people but also within the gay community itself. I’m thinking specifically of The Boys In the Band and Cruising. Were you prepared for the controversy that arose around Stonewall? RE: Not really [laughs]. I’ve always said that it will be interesting to see what happens. The amount of controversy, based on a trailer, when nobody had seen the film, was strange and funny to me. But what can you do? It would have been different if they reacted that way after having seen the movie [laughs], not based on the trailer. GS: Finally, Roland, have you started working on or thinking about your next film? RE: I’ve already shot my next film. It’s called Independence Day: Resurgence. It’s a sequel to Independence Day. It comes out next summer.

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September 24, 2015

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Swedish indie folk singer-songwriter Jose Gonzalez’s light sound employs an acoustic guitar with his own soft vocals. His career took off in 2005 when his cover of The Knife’s hipster classic “Heartbeats” was featured in a Sony ad before being released as a single. Gonzalez’s recent album Vestiges and Claws is his ﬁrst in seven years. 7:00 p.m. Hollywood ArtsPark. 1 Young Circle. Hollywood. 33020.

9/26 Anthrax and Motorhead

It’s a night of hard metal as gritty Brit rockers Motorhead team up with classic thrash-metal band Anthrax. Anthrax has sold over 2.5 million records in the United States, earning critical praise speciﬁcally for Spreading the Disease and Among the Living. Motorhead are considered one of the earliest members of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal; they added punk rock elements into metal and pioneered the subgenre of speed metal. 7:00 p.m. Pompano Beach Amphitheater. 1806 NE Sixth St. Pompano Beach. 33060.

September 24, 2015

By Patrick Robert

9/28 Jose Gonzalez

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THE WEEK: FORT LAUDERDALE

photo: mtv.com

9/30 The Agenda Business Network New wine bar Mod Lounge hosts this month’s networking event, Agenda Network. Each month, The Agenda present two hours of cocktails and hors d‘oeuvres business professionals. Rub shoulders with lawyers, advertising agents, writers from this magazine, and many other successful professionals from our glittering community. This month’s corporate sponsor is Auberge, Fort Lauderdale’s premiere beach residence and spa. Agenda Network also offers guests a chance to win a $500 advertising certiﬁcate with Guy Magazine and The Agenda. 6:30 p.m. Mod Lounge. 1828 E. Sunrise Blvd. Fort Lauderdale. 33304.

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THE WEEK: MIAMI

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photo: instinctmagazine.com

9/27 Nick Jonas Current LGBT icon, Neil Patrick Harris crush, and ex-member of popular, cookie-cutter boy band Jonas Brothers, Nick Jonas has been redeﬁning his career while creating radio friendly hits. His current self-titled solo debut is riding a wave of success thanks to the single “Jealous.” Aside from creating music, the often shirtless hunk can be seen in such television shows as Kingdom and Scream Queens. Bebe Rexha opens the show. 7:30 p.m. The Fillmore Miami Beach. 1700 Washington Ave. Miami Beach. 33139.

Ralf Hutter and Florian Schneider’s electronic music band combines repetitive rhythms along with hummable melodies. Many of the lyrics are created by using a vocoder, which is a computer-speech software. The German group found much success in the 1970s with singles like “Autobahn” and “Trans-Europe Express.” With the rise of EDM, critics look at Kraftwerk as forerunners to the genre. They were honored this year with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. 8:00 p.m. Olympia Theater at Gusman Center. 174 E. Flagler St. Miami. 33131.

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Throughout Tennessee Williams’ tumultuous life, he wrote classic plays that have become a part of our literary canon. Suddenly, Last Summer, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof are considered some of the ﬁnest plays from the past century and are parts of most English curriculums in high schools throughout the country. WTonight’s one-of-a-kind evening celebrates the diverse tapestry of selections from his collection of short plays. 8:00 p.m. Jerry Herman Ring Theatre. 1312 Miller Dr. Coral Gables. 33146.

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9/29 Kraftwerk

9/25 Tennessee’s Treasures

photo: metrotimes.com

Mmmmm -panadas

September 24, 2015

2037 Wilton Drive ~ Wilton Manors, FL 954.565.8550 ~ 13-even.com

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THE WEEK: PALM BEACH .

By Patrick Robert

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9/25 The Larry Silver Hypnosis Show

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Larry Silver combines comedy with hypnosis and throws in a dash of education into the mix. The touring entertainer is a renaissance man, equally comfortable in 55+ communities as well as theatres and casinos. Tonight he brings his informative and interactive show to the Boca Black Box Center for the Arts. 8:00 p.m. Boca Black Box Center for the Arts. 8221 Glades Rd. Boca Raton. 33434. photo: palmbeachzoo.com

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9/26 Brew 2 at the Zoo

9/24 Gary Owen

September 24, 2015

Blond hair, blue eyed Gary Owen is as famous in African American culture as Tyler Perry, having been named Black America’s Favorite White comic. This is due to a series of headlining performances on BET and a recurring role on Tyler Perry’s House of Payne. He has appeared in a number of movies, including Daddy Day Care, Little Man, and College. 8:00 p.m. Palm Beach Improv. 550 S. Rosemary Ave. West Palm Beach. 33401.

photo: augustine.com

The specially brewed craft beers of Palm Beach County are emphasized in this special event sponsored by the Palm Beach Zoo. 25 different Florida breweries will be on display with about half of the beer coming from breweries less that ﬁfty miles from the Zoo. Some of the breweries conﬁrmed include Due South, Saltwater, Twisted Trunk, Cigar City, and Copperpoint. 6:00 p.m. Palm Beach Zoo. 1301 Summit Blvd. West Palm Beach. 33405.

THE WEEK: TAMPA / ST. PETE .

Latoya Jackson’s sister has been quiet as of late; her last album Discipline was released way back in 2008. That’s about to change as the “All for You” and “Escapade” singer drops her heavily anticipated eleventh studio album Unbreakable in early October. The sometime singer, sometime actress is one of the best-selling artists in history, having sold 160 million records. Her tours are well-received and, judging from recent reviews, the Unbreakable World Tour is no different. 8:00 p.m. Amalie Arena. 401 Channelside Dr. Tampa. 33602.

Banned Books Week honors the classic novels that have been notoriously banned in libraries and school systems throughout the country. Exquisite Entertainers presents a live reading and burlesque interpretation of famous banned books in honor of the weeklong celebration of the freedom to read. Expect to see provocative interpretations of such books as 1984 and The Outsiders. 9:00 p.m. Creative Loaﬁng Event Space. 1911 N. 13th St. Tampa. 33605.

photo:lovebscott.com

photo: tbo.com

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9/26 Banned Books Burlesque Revue

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9/24 Janet Jackson

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9/25 The Children’s Hour Lillian Hellman’s 1934 stage play remains an LGBT classic, way ahead of its time in tackling themes of homophobia. The drama revolves around the fall-out for Karen Wright and Martha Dobie, headmistresses at an allgirls boarding school, when student Mary Tilford accuses them of having a lesbian affair. The Tampa Repertory Theatre puts on this show that was turned into a well-received 1961 ﬁlm. 8:00 p.m. Bob Smith Black Box Theatre. 727 W. Cass St. Tampa. 33606.

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THE WEEK: JACKSONVILLE .

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9/25 La Cage Aux Folles

photo: fanart.com

9/24 REO Speedwagon

With the recent death of longtime guitarist Gary Richrath, REO Speedwagon’s current tour takes a new emotional, elegiac direction. Kevin Cronin and the rest are dedicating all of the current shows to Richrath’s memory—a man whose guitar deﬁned much of Speedwagon’s ‘70s and ‘80s hits. The band is known for elaborate rock songs, including classics “Keep On Loving You” and “Can’t Fight This Feeling.” 8:00 p.m. Florida Theatre. 128 E. Forsyth St. Jacksonville. 32205.

September 24, 2015

By Patrick Robert

The classic gay musical La Cage Aux Folles has seen many incarnations, including a successful Broadway revival and a hit Robin Williams ﬁlm titled The Birdcage. At its heart, the musical is about the importance of love, acceptance, and family. Two gay nightclub owners must impress their straight son’s ﬁancée’s conservative parents. Hilarity, drag, and beautiful musical sequences ensue. The show was composed by classic composer Jerry Herman and includes the hit song “The Best of Times.” 8:00 p.m. Players By the Sea Theatre. 106 6th St. N. Jacksonville Beach. 32250.

photo:broadway.com

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9/26 Whoopi Goldberg A consummate entertainer and comedian for decades, EGOT winner Whoopi Goldberg achieved her ﬁrst big break alongside Oprah Winfrey in Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple. She famously won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her funny yet sensitive role as a wacky psychic in Ghost and later hosted The Academy Awards—one of the greatest honors for a comedian. Tonight she performs her signature brand of tell-itlike-it-is humor at the Florida Theatre. 8:00 p.m. Florida Theatre. 128 E. Forsyth St. Jacksonville. 32205.

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THE WEEK: ORLANDO

The members of 1990s vocal group Wilson Phillips have great pedigree—they are the daughters of vocal talents from The Beach Boys and The Mamas & the Papas. Their selftitled debut album highlighted their own vocal chops and included the smash hit “Hold On,” which would most recently be used to great effect in the ﬁlm Bridesmaids’ conclusion. The album went on to sell over ten million and solidiﬁed Carnie Wilson’s status as a household name. Tonight the group performs as part of Epcot Center’s “Eat to the Beat” concert series. 10:00 a.m. Epcot Center. 200 Epcot Center Dr. Orlando. 32821.

Christopher Cross broke through in a big way in 1980 when his eponymous album sold ﬁve million copies and earned the soft rock singer ﬁve Grammy Awards. Some of his best-known hits include “Sailing,” “Ride Like the Wind,” and the theme for Dudley Moore’s alcoholic comedy Arthur, “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do).” Cross performs as part of Epcot Center’s “Eat to the Beat” concert series. 10:00 a.m. Epcot Center. 200 Epcot Center Dr. Orlando. 32821.

photo: allmusic.com

photo:clubzone.com

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9/30 Christopher Cross

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9/28 Wilson Phillips

9/29 Collective Soul Collective Soul capitalized on the alternative music renaissance of the early 1990s with their hit song “Shine” and later singles “Breathe,” “Wasting Time,” and ”December.” Since their breakthrough album Hints Allegations and Things Left Unsaid, the band has created seven number one rock hits. Their new album See What You Started by Continuing is scheduled to be released in October. 7:00 p.m. House of Blues. 1490 E. Buena Vista Dr. Lake Buena Vista. 32830.

photo: allmusic.com

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