Agenda 111215 issue 312 by Multi-Media Platforms

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

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JUST ADAM

The week reflected back through fabulously funny eyes HOLD ON… Have you seen the Carnie Wilson Progressive commercial???? It’s a step up from the Magic City Casino. CHILDSPLAY. Am I the only one that trolls the Disney Channel so I can be the first to call out America’s next teenage train wreck/crackwhore? GWYNETH BETTER HAVE MY MONEY! Blythe Danner must have crummy bones and need a check badly! She’s not only the Boniva lady, but she’s hawking Prolia too! Maybe Gwynny can give her a loan? GIRL, BYE. Am I the only one to see that this Jonas brother that alleges to “maybe being gay”or “maybe not being gay” is doing nothing but taking the gay community for a ride to buy his crappy music? Pathetic. CANDLES IN THE WIND. Happy 40th birthday Tara Reid! You don’t look a day over 79! YOU KNOW THAT I’M NO GOOD. You know how the inside of your car can be classified as dirty. Then really dirty. Then filthy? Mine is bordering on “Amy Winehouse is in the ashtray.” SERVING SANDY OLSSON REALNESS. Hitting new heights of homosexuality as I pull into the work parking lot singing along to Olivia Newton John’s “Hopelessly Devoted to You.” RED. FOR FILTH. Starbuckscupgate? Seriously.. the older I get, the more I see why people that live in other countries laugh at the stupidity of Americans... and the more I agree with them. Seriously, with all the problems in the world, this is the Evangelical gripe this year? Forget poverty, hunger, homelessness! Starbucks left the reindeer off the cup!!! MORE THAN A MOUTHFUL. Off to The dentist for a cleaning/scrape and rape. ALL T, ALL SHADE. Wow, so it’s cool to not be politically correct, according to the republican candidates? Yeah man, it’s totally cool to be sexist, anti-Semetic, homophobic, transphobic. Why bother to watch your offensive speech around other people? Especially if you’re white, straight, wealthy and Christian (like 90% of the Republican candidates).

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BASIC B*TCHES INQUIRE WITHIN. I drank so much pumpkin spice creamer in my coffee today, that I just might accidentally sprout a vagina, a pair of uggs, and a Netﬂix subscription spontaneously. Stay tuned. NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS SKINNY FEELS. “Supergirl?” I think the real magical powers on that show belong to Calista Flockhart for having the ability to still be alive after consuming only 1 box a of raisins and a celery stick since 2005. Bravo! Adam Cohen is South Florida’s favorite and most fabulous social commentator. He’s also single.

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WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING...

Random thoughts from social media and beyond this week

SOCIAL MEDIA SOUND BYTES Starbuck’s Holiday Cups Start a Twitter War

GLENNON DOYLE MELTON (@ MOMASTERY): The only thing that I care about when it comes to my Starbucks cup is that it’s full. MICHAEL CASTRO (@MCASTROMUSIC): As a Christian, I can tell you that the color of Starbucks cups have nothing to do with Jesus, the gospel, or Christianity. They are cups.

CAITLYN JNNER, in

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, in an interview with Out, in which he was named “Ally of the Year.”

“TO ME, THE LGB MOVEMENT, WITH ITS CELEBRATION OF ALL TYPES OF GAY MEN AND WOMEN, SUCH AS BEARS, LEATHER DADDIES, DRAG QUEENS, DIESEL DYKES, LIPSTICK LESBIANS, ETC., HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT EXPANDING AND RE-DEFINING CONCEPTS OF GENDER; THE TRANS MOVEMENT, ON THE OTHER HAND, APPEARS TO BE ABOUT RE-ASSERTING AND CODIFYING TRADITIONAL CONCEPTS OF GENDER.” ANONYMOUS AUTHOR

CHEERS

“When they asked if it was gay, I said: ‘Didn’t you know all my characters are gay?”’ -Johnny Depp discussing his revelation to Disney execs about his body of work

NICK JONAS

dodging a question about whether or not he’s been intimate with someone of the same sex.

JEERS

“Many people have said, Donald, you’re the most amazing guy. You’re handsome. You have everything going.” -Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live

of a highly controversial Change.org petition to remove the ’T’ from the community’s ‘LGBT’ moniker.

“POT POT CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK IS ALL I’M SAYING.” VIVICA A. FOX to Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live discussing ex-boyfriend 50 Cent’s comments about gay storylines contributing to Empire’s declining ratings.

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““I’M NOT SURE WHO THE FIRST OPENLY GAY PERSON I MET WAS, BUT DR. LAWRENCE GOLDYN, ONE OF MY COLLEGE PROFESSORS, IS A MAN WHO STANDS OUT TO ME. I GOT TO RECOGNIZE LAWRENCE LAST YEAR AT OUR PRIDE MONTH RECEPTION AT THE WHITE HOUSE, AND THANK HIM FOR INFLUENCING THE WAY I THINK ABOUT SO MANY OF THESE ISSUES.””

front of a Carnegie Hall crowd as she was honored with one of Glamour’s Women of the Year awards.

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CHRIS JOHNSON (@THECHALLS): I just went into Starbucks and forced them to draw a detailed, historically accurate nativity scene on my cup.

“WELL I’M GAY IN KINGDOM. IF YOU KEEP WATCHING THE SERIES, YOU’LL SEE MORE OF THAT. I CAN’T SAY IF I HAVE OR HAVEN’T, BUT IF YOU WATCH THE SHOW YOU’LL SEE MORE OF THAT.”

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“I’m very happy to be living on the other side.”

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COVER STORY

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LAST GASP: The truth behind poppers and your health By Richard Hack

November 12, 2015

Photo: substance.com

Whether you call it video head cleaner, room odorizer, or amyl, the inhalant “poppers” are the single most popular drug of choice in the gay community. From the dance floor to the bath house, the little bottles with the powerful kick have held their reign since World War II when they were first used as a “supplement” during battlefield sex.

Poppers got their nickname from the popping sound that small glass ampoules full of amyl nitrate made when they were cracked open for use. The drug itself dates from the mid-1880s, when it was discovered as a form of treatment for angina chest pain. While the recreational uses didn’t catch on until the roaring 20s, even then its use was limited mainly to doctors and nurses with ready access to the drug. According to journalist Leonard Sigell, writing about the drug in 1978, four million bottles of poppers were sold for a total of $50 million. Fast forward to current day: Sales at adult book stores suggest that seven million bottles are inhaled annually. No studies on the long term effects of the drug’s use have been conducted, but recently cardiologists have taken a fresh look at the inhalants to see what damage may be occurring from repeated use. Officially, amyl nitrate or butyl nitrate its first cousin, are prescription drugs, not available without a prescription. Unofficially, pipe stores and smoke shops sell video head cleaner under a variety of brand names including Rush, Juice, and Amsterdam. Maximum Impact is an aerosol form of a similar product. Medically, the drug is a rapid acting vasodilator, which causes the blood vessels to expand, allow-

ing the blood to circulate faster bringing more oxygen to the brain causing the characteristic rush. The effect of a single inhale lasts several minutes before it’s naturally cleared from the body. The most common side effect is headache, dizziness and a rapid heart beat. For some people, particularly repeat users, there is smooth muscle relaxation throughout the body. Despite the dramatic effect of inhaling the drug, the danger from its use seems to be minimal. According to physicians at McGill University, the most dangerous combination is the use of Viagra in unison with poppers. The drop in blood pressure, or severe hypotension, can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure, coma or even death. Not surprisingly, given the number of gay men who utilize Viagra recreationally along with poppers, the incidence of side effects is most often seen in emergency rooms. Chemical burns around the nose as well as inside the lungs have been known to occur, although, again, no long term permanent damage is likely. Additionally, recent studies have disproven the oft-heard rumors that use of poppers contributes to the occurrence of Kaposi sarcoma in AIDS patients. Where the fun turns serious is in the impact on sexual behavior. According to a study authored

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taking group, according to Plankey, to no one’s surprise. What was surprising was that during his study, Plankey discovered that 93% of meth users also used poppers to vary their high. The extensive combination drug use was shocking only because the study showed a far lower popper use among those who used cocaine, ecstasy or needles. The good news is that when taken alone, poppers are one of the most harmless of drugs. Its use may become habitual, but it is non-addicting, with no permanent long term damage done to the body. Always good news as playtime goes.

by Dr. Michael W. Plankey, assistant professor of infectious diseases at Georgetown University Medical Center. “Our examination of popper use, in addition to methamphetamine use, in this study was the result of previous findings demonstrating popper use was one of the most consistently and strongly associated drug use behaviors in HIV seroconversion among… participants. Additionally, popper use has been shown to be frequently used along with methamphetamine to ‘enhance sexual pleasure, get a better high, or take the edge off of methamphetamine.” Stoned gay men are a risk-

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Not surprisingly, given the number of gay men who utilize Viagra recreationally along with poppers, the incidence of side effects is most often seen in emergency rooms.

Photo: lgbtweekly.com

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NEWSWATCH

November 12, 2015

CBS spinoff steals logo; OutFront magazine fights back It’s the ultimate David vs. Goliath story, and comes our way via Denver, Colorado. That’s where Jerry Cunningham, publisher and owner of OutFront magazine, the second oldest independent LGBT publication in the US, is waging a legal battle with Outfront Media Inc., the rebranded company that used to be known as CBS Outdoor. CBS as in the CBS Television network. BY RICHARD HACK

he saga began last November when CBS spun off its billboard division which became a standalone company listed on the New York Stock Exchange with the ticker symbol OUT. Suddenly, Cunningham’s phone started to ring with calls from potential billboard clients. Then, some the magazine’s own advertisers started to send payments to New York’s Outfront Media. OutFront, the magazine, and OutFront the billboard company have nearly indistinguishable logos, leaving the casual observer to believe that the 40-year-old LGBT publication is behind billboards for anti-gay companies such as Chikfil-A and Cracker Barrel restaurants. Cunningham has sued the billiondollar media giant for trademark infringement, a move that Cunningham suggests was expected by Outfront Media Inc. “Using a brand name virtually identical to that of OutFront, OMI has shown a willingness to sell advertising space to jut about anyone, even those who are know to actively work against the LGBT community,” Cunningham said. “We firmly believe that use of Out Front’s brand with OMI’s intolerant advertisers will first cause us significant reputational and then pecuniary harm.” A paragraph in OMI’s prospectus suggests that the company hasn’t been blindsided by Cunningham’s legal maneuver. “We may not be able to maintain or enjoy comparable name recognition or status

under our new brand as we did using the ‘CBS Outdoor’ brand name,” the prospectus reads. “In addition, we may face the risk of claims that we have infringed third parties’ intellectual property rights with respect to our trademarks.” Seriously. “OutFront has always been operated by a mighty few with the mission to reach, represent, and help out community and beyond,” Cunningham says. “We are not a billion or million-dollar company, and OMI knows this. It is my belief that OMI wants us to know they hae the power to destroy us and will use that power if we do not buckle to their wishes. OMI’s recent frontal attack of our brand and market demonstrates that OMI cares not a whit for the damage it is causing and the confusion it is creating with the public. It will continue like a juggernaut to destroy our business unless stopped,” Cunningham concludes, Q Publishing Group filed a lawsuit against Outfront Media Inc. in federal district court in Denver last February claiming unfair trade practices and misappropriation under Colorado common law. Motions are expected ahead of an expected 2016 trial date. Attempts at mediating a resolution earlier in the year have failed. Cunningham is reaching out to the LGBT community for help funding his legal battle. A GoFundMe account has been created at https://www.gofundme.com/OUTFRONT?utm_medium=wdgt.

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November 12, 2015

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MAURA “MUMBALL” LANE National Advertising Director

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AS I SEE IT

THE BULL BEING THROWN IN HOUSTON

here’s been a lot of bull being thrown in the air since last week’s vote in Houston on its nondiscrimination law known as the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO), which has been in place and functioning since May of 2014.

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A PUBLICLY TRADED COMPANY STOCK SYMBOL: MMPW

In case you’ve been sleeping, the big news is that Houston reversed its stance on discrimination. It is now fine to ride your horse up to the trough in the Space City and discriminate freely against LGBTs and others without legal consequence. It wasn’t so long ago that we were writing in this column about Indiana, and that state’s reckless ruling about LGBT equality in business. Not soon after, the entire state was thrown By into defense mode in an efRichard fort to limit the Hack backlash that happens when discrimination is thrown in the face of the powerful demographics known as millennials—those individuals born after 1990, who are now the trendsetters of

the country. From purchasing power to political influence, these voters and shoppers have more than just a say in the way the country is run: they have the potential to influence every aspect of it. What happened in Houston has not just made the millennials unhappy (and they are, having gone by the thousands onto social media to discuss that idiocy of this vote), it has now made the entire country stand up and wonder what exactly is going on in Houston? How does a seemingly upscale, intelligent, thriving city the size of Houston—the fourth largest in the entire country—vote again the rights of its citizens? And not just the LGBT citizens that have been linked most closely with this, mind you. This ordinance covered 15 categories in an effort to prevent discrimination against sex, race, color, ethnicity, age, national origin, religion, disability, family, marital, and military status in addition to sexual orientation and gender. Now ALL of those categories can be legally discriminated against.

Every woman in Houston should be insulted by this vote, just as every Asian and Black and sailor in the Navy. This takes us back in time to before women had the right to vote and African Americans could sit at the front of the bus. It is a pathetic example of the media not doing its job, and a few selfrighteous individuals on the religious right getting their facts purposefully confused to leave just enough of a question mark in voters’ minds to push them toward making an illogical choice at the voting booth. After the vote on HERO became known on election night, the Lieutenant Governor of Texas Dan Patrick proudly exclaimed: “We have 600 to 700 people a day moving to Texas,” Patrick said. “You know why? Because they see Texas as the America that all America used to be. We stand for God. We stand for guns. Guess what, we also stand up for the privacy of women in the bathroom. If I’m a business guy somewhere else, that’s the kind of place I want to be.” Really? What Houstonians heard from the mouth of Dan Patrick is as bold a lie as those told during the prevoting day process. There are plenty of laws currently in place on the books preventing men from entering a woman’s bathroom. If that weren’t the case, we would have certainly heard about a “bathroom problem” in Houston since this ordinance has been in place the past year. But there have been none. Zero.

“

At the moment, Houston is a thriving metropolis based on an economy that has a broad industrial base in energy, manufacturing, aeronautics, and transportation. It is also leading in health care sectors and building oilfield equipment; and only Manhattan has more Fortune 500 headquarters within its city limits. Well, Houston, the mass exodus is about to start. Did you think for a second that Phillips 66 or Sysco or Waste Management or Apache or KBR or Halliburton or Fluor or Marathon Oil or Kinder Morgan are going to keep their home in a city that does not respect age or race or disabilities or its LGBT community? And while we’re at it: wake up NFL. You were quick to release a statement that said SuperBowl 2017 wouldn’t be affected by the vote. “ We will work closely with the Houston Super Bowl Host Committee to make sure all fans feel welcomed at our events. Our policies emphasize tolerance and inclusiveness, and prohibit discrimination based on age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other improper standard.” Nice words, but made completely empty and impossible to ensure with the defeat of HERO. Houston, your reality check is about to come. Richard Hack is the award-winning author of 26 books, and the Vice President of Content for Multimedia Platforms’ publications.

Every woman in Houston should be insulted by this vote, just as every Asian and Black and sailor in the Navy.

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OPINION

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Particularly Outraged I’ll just say it: I’m P.O. (particularly outraged). One of the reasons that I am particularly outraged is because religion is important to me. My brand of religion is decidedly progressive, and is more about building community and offering hope in this world than about By Rev. trying to ﬁgure what Durrell an afterlife Watkins might look like or how to get there. Nevertheless, as non-dogmatic as my religious experience is, religion remains important to me and building progressive faith communities that focus on human potential and the sacred value of all people is my life’s work. Religion, for me, can (and ought

to) be about giving people tools for their individual spiritual journeys and bringing them together to celebrate life’s joys and to face life’s challenges. I believe religion can be a powerful force for good in the world, and I want it to be. So, when religion is used to hurt entire communities of people, I, as a religious person, am particularly outraged. I am disappointed that the proposed Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO) was defeated last week in Texas. I’m disappointed that it didn’t pass, but I am P.O. (particularly outraged) that transgender people were viliﬁed, demonized, and dehumanized in order to defeat an ordinance that would have provided protections for many. Had HERO passed, the elderly, religious people, veterans, gays and lesbians, transgender people, people of all national, racial and ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities and more would have been protected from discrimination. But anti-equality forces launched a smear campaign against transgender people

saying that offering them equality would pose a danger to cis-gendered women in the city. They had the temerity to claim that men would cross-dress in order to harm women in public restrooms if HERO passed. Of course, nothing before or since the vote would prevent predators from donning a disguise and trying to hurt people, but afﬁrming the full humanity of transgender folk has nothing to do with violent criminals disguising themselves. The opponents of HERO tried to reduce the transgender experience to playing dress-up, and they added nefarious motives even to that. The ignorance of transgender realities was astonishing and the fear-mongering was reprehensible, if effective. Fundamentalists celebrated all over social media the day after HERO failed. They were congratulating themselves for taking a stand for morality; but slander and discrimination are not the paths of the moral high ground. Religious conservatives often insist they are victims when their

prejudices aren’t enshrined in law or when people they ﬁnd distasteful are afforded full and equal rights in society; but as a religious person, let me assure you: not letting discrimination disguised as religion have the force of law in all of our lives is not a denial of religious liberty; it is resistance against religious tyranny. Marriage equality was a huge victory in this country, but the war on human dignity, on equal rights, on LBGT safety is not yet over. In fact, in some ways, it may be getting uglier than ever. This is not the time for the LBGT community to become complacent or to allow ourselves to become fragmented. We must continue to stand together, work together, and insist that all people have a right to love genuinely, to live safely, and to be treated fairly. This is not only a strategy for survival - it is what my understanding of healthy religion demands.

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DR. DURRELL’S SPIRITUAL PRESCRIPTIONS

Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins is the Senior Minister of Sunshine Cathedral in Fort Lauderdale.

PAUL BERGE

What’s your opinion? The Agenda wants to know...

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The Florida Agenda welcomes signed Letters to the Editor, up to 400 words in length, on topics of general interest to our readers. You may e-mail submissions to Editor@mmplgbt.com. We welcome comments on our Facebook page also.

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Carson

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bBen

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CREEP OF THE WEEK

Dear LGBT Community,

“

Carson is a homophobe after all. Feel free to continue calling him one loudly and often.

dows is the worst. Remember Clippy from Microsoft Office? Yeah, well, so does Ben Carson. Never forget. In order to clear Carson’s name, we need to ask ourselves just what is a homophobe anyway? So let’s look at some hypothetical things a homophobe would do: A homophobe would claim that being gay is a choice, and a bad one at that. A homophobe would claim that people become gay after being in prison because of rape and stuff. A homophobe would compare lesbians and gays to pedophiles and people who are into bestiality. A homophobe would happily align himself with the desperately-clinging-to-hate group National Organization for Marriage. A homophobe would even sign their pledge “to take several specific actions as president to restore marriage to the law and protect people of faith from discrimination because of their support for traditional marriage.” In other words, to support a federal amendment to the Constitution stripping gays and lesbians of their right to marry. A homophobe would look at Kentucky clerk Kim Davis and be all, “You go, girl. Rock on with your Judeo-Christian self.” A homophobe would say that any federal judge who rules in favor of marriage equality should be forcibly removed by Congress. A homophobe would declare that Congress should try to find some workaround to get out of having to follow the Supreme Court’s decision that anti-gay marriage laws are unconstitutional. See? These are totally homophobe moves and if we look at Carson’s record we see… Wait a minute… Well, I’ll be. Those supposed hypotheticals are all things that Carson himself has said and done. Conclusion: Carson is a homophobe after all. Feel free to continue calling him one loudly and often.

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his is a cease and desist letter regarding the accusation that Ben Carson is a homophobe. Stop such hurtful name calling at once. Carson himself declared himself Officially Not Homophobic during the Oct. 28 Republican Bitch Fest Debate. When asked about his views about LGBT people he declared, “I believe our Constitution protects everybody regardless of their sexual orientation or any other aspect. I also believe marriage is between one man and one woman. There is no reason you can’t be perfectly fair to the gay community.” See? His views are “perfectly fair”! He said so himself. Now, you might point out that denying lesbians and gays the right to marry isn’t exactly “fair” and has been declared unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court. You also might ask why, if the Constitution supposedly “protects everybody,” are there so many states where you can be fired for being LGBT or even if you are just perceived to be LGBT? To that I say: He was a neurosurgeon, you guys. Have you ever successfully separated conjoined twins? I didn’t think so. So stop it with your judging. Carson continued, “They shouldn’t automatically assume that because you believe that marriage is between one man and one woman that you are a homophobe.” Yeah. “They” (a.k.a. “you”) shouldn’t be calling names and making assumptions. “This is one of the myths that the left perpetrates on our society and this is how they frighten people and get people to shut up,” Carson continued. “That’s what the PC culture is all about and it’s destroying this nation.” OMG! Quit destroying the nation, you guys! And stop being so scary with your demand for equality. And stop telling people to shut up, because that’s not nice. And get a Mac. Enough with this PC bullshit. Win-

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CAPITOL BEAT

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November 12, 2015

Time to give some toilet training to the potty-mouthed It was toilets that got hijacked by the conservative ﬂank in order to defeat HERO.

he Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, known as HERO, which was undone November 3rd by a disappointingly lopsided vote, was in place to provide protection against discrimination for all of Houston’s residents. It would have continued to disallow discrimination based on sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, familial status, marital status, military status, religion, disability, sexual orientaBY tion, genetic LINDA information, gender identity PENTZ and pregnancy. You’d never have known all that, though, given that almost all the media attention was focused on, yes, bathrooms. It’s exactly what the anti-HEROs wanted. It neatly distracted voters from their own villainy, instead painting as predator one of the most marginalized — and victimized — constituencies in our society; transgender women. This ﬁt perfectly into the national anti-LGBT strategy which tries to position conservative traditionalists as the hapless victims of menacing gays, lesbians and transgender women and men. When in reality, as we know, quite the reverse is true. But why this obsession with bathrooms? For starters, there is a peculiar inhibition in this country about describing the destination. Euphemisms abound. It’s a bathroom but no one bathes there. A restroom where no one takes a nap. The John. Why him? Grown men and women say they are going “potty,” which sounds pretty potty to me. But never would you say, in polite society, that you are indeed actually going to the toilet. Nevertheless, it was toilets that got hijacked by the conservative ﬂank in order to defeat HERO. Toilets, it seemed, constitute the irresistible venue of choice for both transgender women and cross-dressing men

in which to commit sexual assaults. (Pause here for a collective and incredulous “say what?”) There were too many stupid things said about toilets in relation to HERO to repeat here, nor does such numbskullery deserve reiteration. But the comment by Houston Astros player, Lance Berkman, was definitely one of the cake takers. Upholding the ordinance, Berkman declared, would: “allow troubled men who claim to be women to enter women’s bathrooms, showers and locker rooms.” Then there’s the Campaign for Houston — which was in reality a campaign against a large swath of Houston’s residents — which issued a veritable white paper in which it characterized HERO as allowing “biological males, including registered sex offenders, to go into female restrooms, locker rooms and showers all under the protection of the law.” Let’s try to picture this. Giving equal rights to all of Houston’s citizens will provoke a mad dash by predatory straight male sex offenders to the nearest designer boutique, where they will don a convincing drag outfit, burst into the ladies’ room and commit assaults. According to Campaign for Houston logic, straight men need to dress up as women before they feel permitted to commit a sex crime in any space exclusively allocated to females. The facts tell a different story. Men are perfectly capable of assaulting women without the need of disguises and without the inconvenience of following them into toilets or locker rooms. Plus, last time I looked, there were no TSA security personnel stationed outside any public bathrooms, school restrooms, locker rooms or changing rooms. A man dressed as a man can walk in any time. They don’t need an equal rights ordinance to feel like they have permission. This argument is laughable. The vilification of the transgender community, on the other hand, is no laughing matter. It is, as transgender Houston activist, Monica Roberts, tweeted on the eve of the vote, another tragic example of a civil rights struggle being subverted to victimize

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

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in their school restroom.” As Arthur said in the eponymous film, “fish all bathe together.” Harvey has probably never “invaded the privacy” of a men’s room where she would have been shocked to discover men invading each other’s privacy unabashedly, peeing side by side at urinals. At the recent Human Rights Campaign gala at the Convention Center here in Washington, DC, the men’s and women’s restroom signs had been deliberately covered over to allow entrance to either one for all. I am sure this came as an immense relief to us women who have to endure bathroom envy at virtually every public event, watching men zip in and out, so to speak, while we stand in interminable lines. There were precisely zero bathroom assaults reported that night. The Houston fiasco allowed a fundamental and desperately important discussion about civil and human rights to, well, go down the toilet. The whole thing was subverted to such a degree that LGBT and civil rights advocacy organizations were forced to pour hundreds of thousands of dollars and significant human resources into the city in an effort to uphold what was already law. The fact that it failed will likely lead to plenty of strategic regrouping by LGBT groups. We could also now see a frightening escalation of trans-trashing around the country. As Roberts aptly posted, “Post #HERO, we are going to have to deal with the fallout from the anti-trans hatred & lies that have been sown in this political fight.”

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transwomen and worse. “So tired of trans people being demonized in this #HERO fight & Houston media not allowing our voices to be heard in this entire campaign,” Roberts wrote with more than an edge of justifiable bitterness. We could be generous (although we probably don’t feel like it right now) and attribute Berkman’s “troubled men” fantasy and similarly idiotic remarks by others of his ilk less to hatemongering than to naive, deep-seated ignorance about transgender women and men. A 70-year old female volunteer working to defeat HERO, epitomized this when she told the Washington Post: “Anybody with a penis, I don’t want them in the ladies’ restroom.” Meanwhile, that transgender woman who still has her penis is far more likely to be the target than the perpetrator of an assault. None of this nonsense withstands the Pinocchio test for a single second. The majority of sex crimes are carried out by heterosexual men, victimizing women, including trans women. An estimated 91% of victims of rape and sexual assault are female and nearly 99% of perpetrators are male. But facts didn’t mattered in Houston. Carefully orchestrated propaganda won the day. The bathroom frenzy is by no means exclusive to the Houston fight for equality either, nor the hostility toward transgender women and men. It seems to be everywhere. In Virginia, a male transgender youth, Gavin Grimm, is suing for access to the boys’ restrooms at his high school. He is supported by the White House in an amicus brief filed by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Justice. His case prompted the hate-spewing commentator Linda Harvey to describe Grimm as “a wannabe boy” who “has launched a battle over her demand to invade the privacy of boys

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A transgender woman who still has her penis is far more likely to be the target than the perpetrator of an assault..

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NATIONAL NEWS

Mass. moves to end transgender discrimination

Transgender woman files complaint against Iowa hotel

Photo: pinterest.com

who ran afoul of the law. A panel of judges, lawyers and members of the public will decide whether sanctions are warranted and make recommendations to the Oregon Supreme Court, which has the final say.

Indiana now backs LGBT civil rights INDIANAPOLIS, IN (AP) - The Indiana Chamber of Commerce is calling on lawmakers and Republican Gov. Mike Pence to expand state civil rights laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity during the coming legislative session. The statewide business group announced Thursday that its board of directors voted “overwhelmingly” to endorse that step during its annual fall meeting. Indiana Chamber President Kevin Brinegar says the expanded protections are needed to improve the state’s future business competitiveness after the national backlash to the state’s religious objections law that Pence signed in March. The chamber board is comprised of more than 100 business executives and civic leaders. The group says Indiana will suffer if steps are not taken to secure the state’s reputation as a hospitable and welcoming place.

Mississippi grants same-sex divorce JACKSON, MS (AP) - The Mississippi Supreme Court voted to allow a lesbian couple to seek a divorce, even as two justices questioned the U.S. Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage. The decision Thursday came after DeSoto County Chancery Judge Mitchell Lundy Jr. ruled in 2013 that the Mississippi Constitution and state law prevented him from granting a divorce to Lauren CzekalaChatham and Dana Ann Melancon because the state didn’t recognize same-sex marriage. Czekala-Chatham appealed, and it was initially opposed by Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood, a Democrat. However, Hood asked the court to allow the divorce after the June 26 ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court. On Friday, same-sex couples will be in federal court seeking to overturn Mississippi’s last-in-the-nation ban on adoption by gay couples.

DES MOINES, IA (AP) - A transgender woman has filed a complaint against a hotel in Iowa, accusing staff of discriminating against her because of her gender identity and race. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint Tuesday with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission on behalf of 23-year-old Meagan Taylor. Taylor, a black transgender woman from the St. Louis area whose legal name is Derez Flowers, says staff at the Drury Inn & Suites in West Des Moines discriminated against her and another transgender woman in July. Taylor says staff contacted police and reported they suspected the women were engaging in prostitution because of their appearance. Taylor was arrested and jailed for several days. Charges were later dropped. A message left with Missouribased Drury Hotels was not immediately returned Tuesday.

Vance Day

November 12, 2015

BOSTON, MA (AP) - U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy and six other members of the state’s congressional delegation have sent letters to House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Stan Rosenberg urging them to pass legislation extending non-discrimination protections to transgender people in public spaces in Massachusetts. In the letter sent to the two key lawmakers Monday evening, the Democratic members of Congress urged the Legislature to pass the bills before going on holiday break next week. In the letter, Kennedy says Massachusetts needs to be more welcoming to its transgender citizens. The letter also was signed by U.S. Reps. Niki Tsongas, Katherine Clark, William Keating, Seth Moulton, Jim McGovern and U.S. Sen. Edward Markey.

threatening a youth-sports referee, allowing a convicted felon to handle a gun, and lying to ethics investigators. Day, a former Oregon Republican Party chairman, has denied he violated judicial ethics rules, and said even if he did, the rules are unconstitutional. He said he’s being targeted because of his Christian beliefs. “It appears that the commission has thrown everything in but the kitchen sink,” Day told The Associated Press in September. “The clear issue that they’re after me on is that I had stopped doing weddings because I have a firmly held religious conviction.” Day is the head of Veterans Treatment Court, which aims to provide intensive monitoring of veterans to treat drug and alcohol problems as an alternative to jail. Several of the allegations against him stem from his interactions with veterans and displays he placed around his courtroom. The judge says the Hitler portrait was not intended to glorify the Nazi dictator but was part of a display on democracy’s defeat of fascism. He says he solicited money from lawyers to pay for patriotic displays intended to inspire veterans

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PORTLAND, OR (AP) - A disciplinary hearing began Monday for an Oregon judge who is accused of a variety of ethics violations that include screening marriage applicants to exclude samesex couples. Marion County Circuit Court Judge Vance Day went before the Commission on Judicial Fitness and Disability for the start of a trial-like proceeding that is expected to last two weeks. Day is accused of breaking several rules from the Code of Judicial Conduct, including a requirement that judges “observe high standards of conduct” so their integrity and independence is preserved. Day has acknowledged that after gay marriage became legal in Oregon last year, he told his judicial clerk that any same-sex couples who wanted him to preside over their wedding should be referred to another judge. A few months later, Day stopped doing weddings altogether. He said he’s not aware of any gay couples who sought his services. Day is also accused of hanging a portrait of Adolf Hitler in the Salem courthouse, soliciting money from lawyers appearing before him,

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Oregon judge gets his

November 12, 2015

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NATIONAL NEWS

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Detroit nurses adopt five children

Gilead’s new four-in-one HIV pill

White House on board with anti-LGBT discrimination measure

photos with McDonald, scarfed down some celebratory cake and exchanged hugs with loved ones who attended the hearing. As for their future, DeBoer said

Photo: pbs.com

she and Rowse were looking forward to “going back to life, getting off the radar. “We’re ready to just to be a family and raise our kids.”

White House comments on Houston nondiscrimination defeat HOUSTON, TX (AP) - The White House says the defeat this week of an ordinance that would have established nondiscrimination protections for gay and transgender people in Houston isn’t “going to set back the broader trend toward greater equality and justice in this country.” The White House had been one of the high-profile supporters of the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance. Supporters said it would have offered increased protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, as well as protections against discrimination based on sex, race, age, religion and other categories. Opponents alleged it would have allowed male sexual predators to go into women’s restrooms. White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Thursday that opponents were more interested in “a political tactic that diverted attention from the true intent of the ordinance.”

What’s your opinion?

WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House has come out in support of a federal measure outlawing discrimination against LGBT people. Spokesman Josh Earnest says the bill would provide comprehensive equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans and also protect religious freedom. The bill, the Equality Act, would update the 1964 Civil Rights Act to provide LGBT Americans with lasting protections against discrimination in employment, housing, education and other areas. Earnest announced the administration’s support for the measure on Tuesday, the same day President Barack Obama appeared on the cover of Out magazine. The publication says Obama is the first sitting president to be photographed for the cover of an LGBT title.

Jayne Rowse and April DeBoer and Family

November 12, 2015

Federal regulators have approved a new four-in-one combination pill to treat HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The Food and Drug Administration approved sales of Genvoya (pronounced jehn-VOY’ah) from Gilead Sciences, the top maker of HIV medicines. The drug combines three existing Gilead HIV drugs - Vitekta, Tybost and Emtriva - with a new version of tenofovir, the active ingredient in Gilead’s widely used Viread. A chemical cousin, called tenofovir alafenamide, gets more of the drug into cells where HIV copies itself, reducing drug levels in the bloodstream and with that, side effects including kidney damage and reduced bone density. Fatal side effects, including severe liver problems, are still possible. The annual list price for Genvoya will be $31,362, about the same as Gilead’s older four-in-one HIV drug, Stribild.

Asked afterward what she was feeling, DeBoer said: “Just a lot of joy. It’s finally over, and we’re finally a legal, protected family.” They sued the state in 2012, initially challenging Michigan’s restrictions on joint adoption and later the ban on gay marriage at the suggestion of the judge in the case. Federal Judge Bernard Friedman overturned the state’s gay marriage ban in 2014. At the beginning of this year, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear the Michigan couple’s case, among others, and in June the high court said samesex couples have a right to marry. Rowse and DeBoer married nearly two months later. “We’ve made changes throughout the United States and we’re very proud of that, but I think our proudest moment is this one right here,” DeBoer said Thursday. The happy family posed for

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PONTIAC, MI (AP) - Two Detroit-area nurses jointly adopted five children on Thursday, closing a case that started when they challenged Michigan’s restrictions on adoption and helped pave the way for the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing gay marriage. “What a long road,” Oakland County Circuit Judge Karen McDonald acknowledged before granting the adoptions during a brief ceremony in Pontiac. Jayne Rowse and April DeBoer are raising the children, who range from 18 months to 6 years, at their Hazel Park home. Rowse had adopted the boys, Nolan and Jacob, and DeBoer was the adoptive mother of the girls, Ryanne and Rylee. That all changed Thursday, when the women jointly adopted all four kids and added Kennedy, a toddler who had been their foster daughter.

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NATIONAL NEWS SPECIAL REPORT GAY MORMONS: new rules devastating The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints disseminated the handbook changes this week to local church leaders around the world. BRADY McCOMBS Associated Press

November 12, 2015

Photo: shutterstock.com

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Mormon church officials have issued a rule change that says members in same-sex marriages can be kicked out and their children must wait until they’re 18 and disavow homosexual relationships to be baptized. The revisions triggered a wave of anger, confusion and sadness for a growing faction of LGBT-supportive Mormons who were buoyed in recent years by church leaders’ calls for more compassion and understanding for LGBT members. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints disseminated the handbook changes this week to local church leaders around the world. The goal was to provide clarity to lay leaders who run congregations, church spokesman Eric Hawkins said. He noted the church has long been on record as opposing same-sex marriages. “While it respects the law of the land, and acknowledges the right of others to think and act differently, it does not perform or accept same-sex marriage within its membership,” Hawkins said in a statement. The changes come as other religious groups that oppose gay marriage struggle with how to approach the issue of same-sex spouses’ children. The new rules stipulate that chil-

dren of parents in gay or lesbian relationships - be it marriage or just living together - can no longer receive blessings as infants or be baptized around age 8. They can, however, be baptized and serve missions once they turn 18, but only if they disavow the practice of same-sex relationships; no longer live with gay parents; and get approval from their local leader and the highest leaders at church headquarters in Salt Lake City. The church views these key milestones as acts that bind a person to the faith and as promises to follow its doctrine. The changes align with the way the church addresses children in polygamous families, said Matthew Bowman, associate professor of history at Henderson State University. That fact wasn’t lost on Mormons interpreting the new rules. Scott Gordon, president of FairMormon, a volunteer organization that supports the church, said: “It certainly makes a statement about how they feel about it.” Gordon said he understands why some find the changes jarring and consider them mean-spirited toward children. But, he believes they’re intended to protect gay couples and their children by allowing the kids to mature and make the difficult decision at 18

about whether to become fully invested in a religion that holds as a root tenet that their parents’ lifestyle is a sin. “The idea of family is not just a peripheral issue in the Mormon church. It’s core doctrine. It’s a central idea that we can be sealed together as a family and live together eternally,” Gordon said. “That only works with heterosexual couples.” The handbook revisions also for the first time list being in a samesex relationship as an offense that can lead to being ousted from the religion. This is a category known as apostasy, which until now has been reserved primarily for people who practice polygamy, teach inaccurate doctrine or publicly defy guidance to church leaders. Last month, two high-ranking church leaders delivered speeches that gave LGBT advocates hope that the faith was moving toward greater acceptance. The leaders reiterated the religion’s commitment to promoting families led by married heterosexual couples but also urged people not to shun those with opposing views. That message of “fairness of all” appeared to distance the faith from the blowback that came when it was a major backer of California’s gay marriage ban in 2008. Mormons appear to be slowly

growing more accepting of homosexuality, albeit at rates that still put them among the least accepting among major religions, a new survey from the Pew Research Center shows. The new rules stipulate that children of parents in gay or lesbian relationships - be it marriage or just living together - can no longer receive blessings as infants or be baptized around age 8. They can be baptized and serve missions once they turn 18, but only if they: 1. Disavow the practice of same-sex relationships. 2. No longer live with gay parents. 3. Get approval from their local leader and the highest leaders at church headquarters in Salt Lake City. The church views these acts as promises to follow its doctrine that bind people to the faith. In a survey done last year, 36 percent of Mormons said homosexuality should be accepted by society. That’s up from 24 percent in 2007, the last time Pew conducted its U.S. Religious Landscape Study. Support for gay marriage is lower, with just 25 percent of Latter-day Saints approving such unions.

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The revisions triggered a wave of anger, confusion and sadness for a growing faction of LGBT-supportive Mormons who were buoyed in recent years by church leaders’ calls for more compassion and understanding for LGBT members.

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Mormon Church degrades gays and their kids

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NATIONAL NEWS SPECIAL REPORT

Photo: wsbtv.com Photo: mormanshare.com Photo: youtube.com

Scott Gordon, president of FairMormon, a volunteer organization that supports the church, said he understands why some find the changes jarring and consider them mean-spirited toward children. But he believes they’re intended to protect gay couples and their families by allowing the kids to mature and make the difficult decision at 18 about whether to become fully invested in a religion that holds as a root tenant that their parents’ lifestyle is a sin. “The idea of family is not just a peripheral issue in the Mormon church. It’s core doctrine. It’s a central idea that we can be sealed together as a family and live together eternally,” Gordon said. “That only works with heterosexual couples.”

36%

In the past two years, Nathan Kitchen has revealed to his five children that he’s gay, gone through a divorce with his wife and grappled with how to stay in a religion that doesn’t condone his lifestyle. Now comes the toughest task: Telling his children he could be kicked out of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints if he someday marries a man, and warning his two youngest, 11 and 15, that they might be barred from serving a mission under new church rules. “It’s almost like they now have to choose between a gay father and a church that they love,” said Kitchen, a 47-year-old dentist from Gilbert, Arizona. “This is almost too much to bear.” That fact wasn’t lost on Mormons interpreting the new rules. “I am no better now than an illegal polygamist,” Kitchen said.

25% of Mormons said they support for gay marriage.

of Mormons said homosexuality should be accepted by society.

Photo: yelp.com

November 12, 2015

In a video interview posted late Friday night on a church website, Mormon leader D. Todd Christofferson said the changes were prompted by questions that have risen since the U.S. Supreme Court made gay marriage legal throughout the United States. He said the church considers same-sex marriage a particularly egregious sin that requires mandatory church discipline. “There was the need for a distinction to be made between what may be legal and what may be the law of the church and the law of the Lord,” said Christofferson, a member of the religion’s governing Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. “It’s a matter of being clear. It’s a matter of understanding right and wrong. It’s a matter of a firm policy that doesn’t allow for question and doubt.” Christofferson said the revisions are meant to protect children from being torn between their parents’ teachings of those of the church. If they choose to be baptized as adults, there’s time for an informed and conscious decision, he said.

Some find the new rules contradictory to these recent church messages, including guidance from a church website created in 2012 to urge more compassion for LGBT people. On it, the church says: “With love and understanding, the church reaches out to all God’s children, including our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters.” “It feels like they are extending an olive branch and hitting you with it,” said Wendy Montgomery, who is Mormon and has a 17-yearold gay son. “It’s like this emotional whiplash.” Montgomery is in the legion of Mormons who have grown more accepting of homosexuality in recent years. But the acceptance rates still put the religion among the least accepting among major religions. Montgomery said news of the new rules left her son sobbing and forced her and her husband to consider leaving a religion they’ve been desperately trying to stay in, despite a harsh reception to their son coming out. “We just put a scarlet letter on these kids,” Montgomery said. “This isn’t my church. I don’t see God in it. I don’t see divinity it. It just feels evil.”

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Let me know if you are interested in building a new pride organization that reflects this community in all its parts. Send a resume and statement of interest to norm@pridefortlauderdale.org.

November 12, 2015

First of all, I am writing this to the readers of SFGN, Hot Spots!, and the Agenda in my capacity as the chairman of Pride of Greater Fort Lauderdale.

community. Candidly, the organization I chaired did not. In early January, we will hold a community forum asking for public participation and input on the direction Pride Fort Lauderdale should engage going forward. The media, businesses and community leaders need to be part of that process. Not surprisingly, last month the City of Wilton Manors dissolved its much-heralded Stonewall Entertainment Group. The truth is all of us have to ask difficult questions about these events and our organizations. For example, do two pride groups working at opposite ends of the same fence make any sense? Should these events be more than music festivals and vendor fests? Do these products in fact drain local businesses of limited resources by holding street fairs on weekends when there is Mack mixers and a host of other business groups holding meetings every week? How do we get a group of professionals to come together and create a board that is truly representative of the ethnic and cultural diversity of our community? The holidays give all of us a time to reflect on new directions for the future. We can set new ground rules, create new parameters, and find new leaders and voices to move us forward. You learn in life that sometimes you have to let go in order to hold on. We need to start over and get it right. The people who have run Pride of Fort Lauderdale, and Stonewall, too, should not be dissed. They should be celebrated for their contributions, volunteerism and community spirit. No one got paid, and many gave hours of time and personal energy. But we have seen childish and immature behavior fracture many noble causes. Our group was no different than many others. It can be a thankless task. Our last task this year is to honor next week the organizations that underwrote our efforts this year, the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Fort Lauderdale and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. Our honorees will be Nikki Grossman and Michael Kahane. Join us for a wine tasting at the Best Cellar in Wilton Manors between 5 and 7 pm with the awards presentation at 6.

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An open letter to the LGBT community from Pride Fort Lauderdale

s you know, we just finished running a festival in Holiday Park last month. While it was marginally successful in balancing our budget, we failed to generate enough revenue to fulfill our mission of seeding other non-profits. Apart from finances, the festival broke no new ground. Administratively and financially challenged, we offered more of the same, and little that was vibrant, new or inspiring. Essentially, it was a routine music festival with modest acts, subject to the elements, which served us well this year. There were numerous events and seminars for adults and children, but the truth is there was nothing we did that was so striking or creative or innovative that it warrants starting the process all over again. Once again, it was a small, core few who were immensely dedicated at making the festival run successfully. This is unacceptable. The same few people canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t manage Pride Fort Lauderdale year in and year out. It is time for a sea change. Unfortunately, it was that same small group of people who gathered on Monday to hold its annual elections. Asked to submit their names in advance for nomination, less than six of a dozen board members did. Accordingly, I concluded the best interests of the Greater Fort Lauderdale LGBT community were not being served. In order to recruit new names and new blood, and find new nominees, I asked to suspend the operation of the group, and postpone any elections until the beginning of the New Year. My goal was to ask that nominees for the Board of Pride Fort Lauderdale be opened wide to everyone in the community. My aspiration was to publicize to the local media that our doors were open, and volunteers were needed to enhance the stature and success of the organization. Many were not receptive, and the meeting was contentious. But that is the democratic process. It was not a unilateral decision. Ironically, it came down to a tie vote. As chair, I broke the tie by deciding in favor of my own motion. Accordingly, Pride of Fort Lauderdale did not elect anyone, but is now in fact open to everyone, regardless of its old rules. Pride Fort Lauderdale now has a chance to represent the diversity and breadth of our community. YOU have a chance to step up to the plate and help build an organization which better represents the ethnic diversity and the cultural cross section of our gay and lesbian

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Letter to the Editor

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SUNSHINE STATE

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said Yvonne Lamé, Lips founder and co-owner. “Lips is the perfect backdrop to celebrate any occasion and it gives us great pleasure to present this day of giving.” Guests of Lips always enjoy the witty show hostesses and talented cast as they serve up delicious food and entertainment as part of a well-orchestrated revue of past and present leading ladies. Lips’ menu of drag queen-inspired delicious salads, appetizers, entrees and desserts is available as well as a full-bar serving its world famous frozen cosmos and other specialty drinks. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 954-5670987. A $10 cover charge in addition to brunch will apply to each attendee and go directly to Children’s Diagnostic and Treatment Center (CDTC). CDTC is a not-for-profit organization that serves more than 11,000 children with special healthcare needs in Broward County annually. As a facility of Broward Health, CDTC’s mission is to promote the optimal health and well-being of children with special healthcare needs by providing comprehensive prevention, intervention and treatment services within a medical home environment.

November 12, 2015

OAKLAND PARK--Lips, the ultimate in drag dining, is hosting a not-your-ordinary Holiday Toy Drive to benefit Children’s Diagnostic & Treatment Center on Sunday, December 6 with two show seatings at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Attendees that bring an unwrapped children’s toy will receive a voucher for a free Lips’ world famous frozen cosmo valid for a future visit. “It’s great that we can benefit from these entertaining shows to benefit CDTC,” said Ana E. Calderon Randazzo, Ph.D. of Children’s Diagnostic & Treatment Center. “We are grateful to Lips for supporting the mission of CDTC as we seek to raise much-needed funds and collect toys for children in need.” Those attending this benefit will have two reasons to enjoy this foot-stomping, high-energy event. In celebration of Lips’ show hostess, Nicolette’s birthday and the Annual Holiday Toy Drive, patrons will experience soulful and inspirational music performed by the ladies of Lips who will also serve Lips’ world-famous Sunday brunch with bottomless Bloody Marys, mimosas and champagne. “In the spirit of giving this holiday season we are proud to support the mission of Children’s Diagnostic & Treatment Center,”

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Lips drag nightclub does holiday toy drive

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PHOTOS MICHAEL DAVIS

NATIONAL LGBTQ TASK FORCE BROWARD EVENT AT THE HOME OF DR. RUSSELL SASSANI & HIS HUSBAND MICHAEL SCHNEIDER WITH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REA CAREY

November 12, 2015

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HEALTHWATCH

roduced naturally from the pituitary gland, Human Growth Hormone (HGH) is responsible for the growth of lean muscle and bone mass in every mammal. The more HGH present in a person’s body, the more IGF-1 there will be in their body. IGF-1 is responsible for repairing damaged cells as well as producing new ones. As we age, our pituitary glands produce less and less of this healing hormone, which means that our bodies become less able to repair damaged cells, resulting in, of course, the physical and mental aging process. Reduced levels of growth hormone associated with aging contribute to age-related decreases in muscle mass, strength, and lipolysis.

By Dr. Don Fisher

BELOW ARE SOME OF THE EFFECTS OF HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE DECLINE:

November 12, 2015

Body fat increases by 7% - 25% while lean body mass decreases similarly. Muscle strength and muscle mass are noticeably reduced while long bone density and spinal bone density decrease. Weight gain of 30-50 pounds can occur. Furthermore, there are negative effects on cholesterol; triglyceride levels increase while high density cholesterol (HDL), ‘good cholesterol’, decreases. The risk of cardiovascular disease increases due to vascular wall thickening and changes associated with decreased cardiac output. Less energy, anxiety, social isolation, depression and lack of concentration.

Below are some benefits of The BEST Program HGH Support: • • • • • • • • •

greater cardiac output ampliﬁed muscle mass enhanced memory enhanced libido better sleep burning of fat improved proﬁle of cholesterol sharper vision stronger bones and muscles

• • • • • • • • •

enhanced immune system re-growth of hair more agile and thicker skin better disease resistance increased positive mood rapid wound healing lowered blood pressure restoration of the essential organs increased lipolysis

THE SCOOP ON HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE I have always advocated the safety of HGH (Human Growth Hormone) when patients are optimally monitored and fully evaluated. Years of offering optimal levels of growth hormone prove to me as a healthcare provider that HGH is safe and significantly will enhance health. There are many unfounded fears and myths about HGH. If we look at a special patient population that has excess growth hormone (HGH), we might well learn whether the many myths and anxieties about growth hormone are in fact of any great concern. Patients with too much growth hormone have a medically documented conditioned called acromegaly. We then could say that our best model ever for Growth

Hormone potential risks is acromegaly. And here are the facts about acromegaly and disease risk: Acromegaly is a result of a pituitary GH producing tumor. Average time until diagnosis: 10 years Average GH released daily: 150 times more than normal adult Average IGF-1 levels at diagnosis: 4 times more than the highest level range for age and sex. Acromegaly deaths from malignancy are lower! I never want Growth Hormone in the very high range for patients -- not even close to the highest range and now we know that patients with acromegaly (with 4 times the high range) get cancer less!

Patients who are appropriately chosen and dosed, do so well with additional Growth Hormone and interestingly their health improves. Three factors usually improve: Sleep, Sex and Energy. I have always advocated for healthy ranges of growth hormone in my adult patients and maintain that the hormone really should be called the “healing and restoring hormone” as it does not grow anything in adults but rather significantly improves healing. Growth Hormone or HGH is a valuable hormone for countering the deteriorating health in some select adult patients. Research this topic yourself or ask a physician with significant history of dispensing this medicine.

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PUZZLE Kara Mia!

November 12, 2015

Across

1 Stringed instrument of Shakespeare’s day 5 Home of Picasso’s Stein portrait 9 One and only 13 Tight-assed 14 Siberian river 15 Three of Frida’s family 16 She plays the title character of 37-Across 19 Reaches the top 20 Famous, to fifty million Frenchmen 22 Sender of 1040 forms 23 James VI, e.g. 25 Kind of labor 26 Place in a Robert Redford movie 28 Ready for plucking 30 Small amounts 31 My Fair Lady song 34 Moisten with spray 36 Duncan’s denial 37 New CBS program whose main character is from Krypton 40 It turns out lts. 43 “You bet!” in Yucat?n 44 Sleep with Kahlo? 48 Honeypot lover 50 Chip off the old flock? 52 Get as profit 53 Bad weather culprit 55 Highland dialect 58 Arthur of The Golden Girls 59 Bend over and take it 61 Like the dawn 63 What 37-Across is to Kara Danvers 65 Macho man 66 Rep in the ‘hood 67 Character in No Exit 68 Game of observation 69 Bugs Bunny’s Broadway musical? 70 S&M root

Down

1 LGBT literary awards 2 Discover 3 Addresses 4 Peace Nobelist Wiesel 5 Notes from Barber’s staff 6 Cicero, for one 7 Queen in Romeo and Juliet 8 Obi-Wan player 9 Mink ___ of Cry Baby 10 Set straight 11 When 37-Across “came out” about who she was, one of her friends thought she was this 12 CHiPs costar Erik 17 Sound of an inflated doll puncture 18 Moby Dick, to Ahab 21 Showboat’s “Nobody ___ But Me” 24 Evita lyricist 27 Sounds of disappointment 29 Party in a fairy tale threesome 32 “M-m-m!” to Sappho 33 Galavant installment, e.g. 35 Prefix with angle 38 Tongue ending 39 Jason of Chasing Amy 40 Drilling org. 41 Statues with big packages 42 Some Byron poems 45 Audrey Hepburn role 46 Avoided tricks 47 What Niles and Frasier do to patients 49 Minor setback 51 Bear or bull 54 Like Michael Cera 56 Napped leather 57 It may follow directions 60 Emulate Paul Cadmus 62 Porter’s regretful miss 64 SEP, e.g. For the solution to this puzzle, go to www.floridaagenda.com/puzzle

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November 12, 2015

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11/12 America and Three Dog Night

British-based 1970s classic rock band America is known for its trio’s harmonizing vocals. Their storied career has led to a number of accolades, including induction into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Three Dog Night also achieved success in the 1970s, hitting number one three times in the decade’s first five years. The two legendary groups perform together at the Hard Rock. 8:00 p.m. Hard Rock Live. 5747 Seminole Way. Hollywood. 33314.

November 12, 2015

By Patrick Robert

11/13 Yes Band

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THE WEEK: FORT LAUDERDALE Yes, one of the 1970s’ most iconic and influential progressive rock bands, achieved great success for their lengthy songs and live stage sets. Their fourth album, Fragile, and subsequent hit single “Roundabout” catapulted them to superstardom both in their home country England and in the United States. Yes’ most popular tracks include the heavily played “I’ve See All Good People” and “Owner of a Lonely Heart.” 8:00 p.m. Broward Center for the Performing Arts. 201 SW Fifth Ave. Fort Lauderdale. 33312.

photo: noise11.com

photo: file

11/16 The Life Story of Bobby Blair Multimedia Platforms CEO Bobby Blair’s memoir Hiding Inside the Baseline chronicles Blair’s career as a closeted gay athlete and coach in the 1980s and 1990s and the devastating consequences that come from hiding truth. Tonight’s premiere party honors the new made-for-television documentary based on the memoir. The party includes a meet and greet with iconic Hall of Fame tennis coach Nick Bollettieri, an open bar, a full course dinner, and a VIP screening. 6:00 p.m. The Venue. 2345 Wilton Dr. Wilton Manors. 33305.

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THE WEEK: MIAMI The Miami Book Fair is an internationally recognized celebration of authors and reading. Now in its 32nd year, the festivities begin today with the popular Evenings With… series, featuring six nights of readings and discussions with notable authors. Tonight’s writer is the dynamic punk star Patti Smith. 7:00 p.m. Chapman Conference Center. 300 NE Second Ave. Miami. 33132.

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Ranchera singer Vicente Fernandez’s son Alejandro started his career as a traditional Mexican folk singer, specializing in mariachi and ranchera. In the mid-1990s, a creative shift toward pop music catapulted Fernandez to international superstardom. The album Que Seas Muy Feliz and its lead single “Como Quien Pierde una Estrella” were international hits. 8:00 p.m. American Airlines Arena. 601 Biscayne Blvd. Miami. 33132.

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11/15 Miami Book Fair

11/14 Alejandro Fernandez

photo: southflorida.com

11/14 The Barber of Seville

photo: latin-e.com

Florida Grand Opera opens its season with the story of clever barber Figaro’s attempt to help Count Almaviva win the love of the beautiful, recently wealthy Rosina. They concoct a hilarious and wacky plot in order to gain access to Almaviva (since she is stringently kept by her possessive uncle). What follows is the hysterical story of one of the best-loved operas ever written. 7:00 p.m. Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. 1300 Biscayne Blvd. Miami. 33132.

photo: independentpublisher.com

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THE WEEK: JACKSONVILLE .

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11/14 Kristin Chenoweth

photo: fremontherald.com

11/14 Wheel of Fortune

The popular, long-running game show that marries spelling skills with pure luck is searching for contestants across America. The Wheelmobile, a 36-foot Winnebago, tours the nation hoping to find the fortunate few that can successfully answer puzzles while avoiding bankruptcy. This afternoon, the Wheelmobile sets up camp at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville where applications will be handed out. 12:00 p.m. Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. 301 A. Philip Randolph Blvd. Jacksonville. 32202.

November 12, 2015

By Patrick Robert

Kristin Chenoweth holds the odd distinction of being a Republican and a major LGBT activist. Her rise in popularity began with a Tony Award for her portrayal as Sally Brown in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown followed by a stint originating the character for Glinda in the musical Wicked—a role that would define the rest of her career. Since then she’s co-starred in such television shows as Pushing Daisies and Glee. 8:00 p.m. Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts. 300 Water St. Jacksonville. 32202.

photo: theatrecues.com

photo: floridatheatre.com

11/17 Cirque Dreams Holidaze The critically acclaimed holiday stage extravaganza Cirque Dreams Holidaze includes 300 costumes, 20 acts, and 30 artists from around the globe. The performance is known combining acrobatic skills with imaginative set design and fantastical illusions. Content includes the popular Christmas offerings: snowmen, angels, reindeer, toy soldiers, gingerbread men, and more. 7:30 p.m. Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts. 300 Water St. Jacksonville. 32202.

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THE WEEK: ORLANDO

Renowned playwright Terrence McNally’s (Love, Valour Compassion) humorous play Master Class centers around the iconic soprano Maria Callas. It’s the early 1970s and Callas is mentoring three students at Julliard School, regaling them with tales from her turbulent past. The demanding role of Callas will be played by renowned opera star Susan Neves. 8:00 p.m. Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. 445 S Magnolia Ave. Orlando. 32801.

Notoriously angry and aggressive, stand-up comedian Lewis Black is a living legend. Black connects with his audience through the use of hysterical, irate rants about all types of social taboos: politics, history, religion, and popular news items of the day. He was a frequent guest on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and has served as an Ambassador of Voting Rights for the American Civil Liberties Union since 2013. 7:00 p.m. Hard Rock Live. 6050 Universal Blvd. Orlando. 32819.

photo: youtube.com

photo: afar.com

11/14 Menopause the Musical Riding off the success of The Vagina Monologues in the late 1990s, Menopause the Musical is another probing look at women’s issues people are embarrassed to talk about. This time, instead of a certain anatomical region, it’s an exploration of a life-changing and difficult time in an aging woman’s life. Menopause the Musical is about four women who reminisce about their dilemma while shopping for lingerie at a Bloomingdale’s sale. All proceeds benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation. 7:30 p.m. Clermont Performing Arts Center. 3700 S. Highway 27. Clermont. 34711.

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11/15 Lewis Black

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11/13 Terrence McNally’s Master Class

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Cruising

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THE WEEK: PALM BEACH .

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11/15 Zac Brown Band

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11/15 The Nutcracker

Dance Theater of Florida presents the classic story of The Nutcracker. Tchaikovsky’s famous holiday ballet is adapted from the story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. The plot revolves around a German girl and a Nutcracker Prince as they enter a winter wonderland filled with exotic creatures, toy soldiers, sugar plum fairies, and a Mouse King. 7:00 p.m. Crest Theatre. 51 N. Swinton Ave. Delray Beach. 33444.

November 12, 2015

By Patrick Robert

With sixteen charted singles on the Billboard country singles chart, Zac Brown Band is one of the most popular country acts today. The Atlanta natives are also known for their collaborations with artists from different genres, including Kid Rock, Jimmy Buffett, String Cheese Incident, Jason Mraz, and Dave Grohl. Tonight’s performance will probably include their popular hits “Chicken Fried,” “Highway 20 Ride,” and “Knee Deep.” 7:00 p.m. Perfect Vodka Amphitheatre. 601-7 Sansburys Way. West Palm Beach. 33411.

photo: pba.edu

11/18 Symphonic Band Concert

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The Symphonic Band from Palm Beach Atlantic University’s first concert of the year features a wide range of music by some of today’s up-andcoming composers. Exhilarating pieces by Frank Tichell, Steven Bryant, and David Maslanka will showcase the powerful fanfares, and exotic and moving harmonies of the group. 7:00 p.m. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. 701 Okeechobee Blvd. West Palm Beach. 33401.

THE WEEK: TAMPA / ST. PETE .

Who knows if Chaka Khan realized in 1978 that her single “I’m Every Woman” would go on to be an ironic gay club anthem, but that’s exactly what happened. The once lead singer of the band Rufus has spent four decades in the music business, heralded by many as the Queen of Funk. Her singles include “I Feel for You,” “Through the Fire,” and “Got to Be There.” 8:00 p.m. Mahaffey Theater. 400 First St. St. Petersburg. 33701.

Legendary singer songwriter Brian Wilson is known to be one of the greatest creative geniuses in music history. His innovative style led to more than two dozen Top 40 hits for his band the Beach Boys. His brilliant mind also led to multiple, infamous nervous breakdowns which severed his ties with the band for many years. This tumultuous history is chronicled in the newly released film Love and Mercy. Tonight, he shares the stage with fellow Beach Boys legend Al Jardine. 7:30 p.m. Mahaffey Theater. 400 First St. St. Petersburg. 33701.

photo: thereelnetwork.com

photo: timeout.com

11/15 Bianca Del Rio RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Bianca Del Rio has been a fixture of the gay community club scenes of New Orleans and New York City for years, often performing with legendary drag queen Lady Bunny. The self-proclaimed “clown in a dress” is known for her quick-witted comedy, effortless style, and unique ability to make audiences cry from laughter. Her Rolodex of Hate tour will feature a mix of typical drag queen camp, cabaret, and stand-up material sure to keep every type of audience entertained. 8:00 p.m. Straz Center for the Performing Arts. 1010 N. Macinnes Place. Tampa. 33602.

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11/17 Brian Wilson

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11/13 Chaka Khan

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THE FRIVOLIST

BY MIKEY ROX

6 Ways to lessen the gut-busting effects of your Thanksgiving Binge Thanksgiving is a holiday of gratitude and family, indulgence and indigestion. Embrace the former while ditching the latter with these actionable ways to limit your belly-bulging binge at this month’s high-calorie celebration.

1. Don’t Overeat at Holiday Meals

November 12, 2015

Yes, Thanksgiving food is awesome. Especially if you have a mom or grandma (or whoever the cooking guru is in your family) who blows out that spread like fireworks at a Katy Perry concert. Start the holiday by having a sensible, healthy and filling breakfast – like an egg white-and-spinach omelette with turkey sausage and mixed berries – so you’re not apt to snack all afternoon then dive into a piled-high plate of smorgasbord staples like you just got out of prison. Little piggies belong in a pen, not face-first in the pumpkin pie.

2. Drink Water to Feel Full Just like you do (or at least should do) at restaurants when you’re in danger of overeating, drink water before taking your seat for the main event. Baltimore-based certiﬁed strength and conditioning specialist Roy Pumphrey recommends “downing a giant glass of H2O about 30 minutes before the meal begins to help quell the hunger pangs for a fuller feeling.”

3. Choose Protein and Greens

4. Mind Your Alcohol, Choose Wisely

5. Stay Active, Even on a Holiday

6. Plan a Post-Binge Fast to Burn Fat

Unless you’re running a postThanksgiving marathon, there’s no reason to stuff your face. Fill your plate with the healthy proteins and greens available at your family’s fete and limit the space on your plate for waist-widening comfort foods like mac-and-cheese. “Many of a food binge’s adverse effects come from carbohydrate overloading and the subsequent ‘carb crash’ that occurs due to spikes in our insulin levels,” says Dr. Linda Anegawa, founder and medical director of OSR Weight Management. “I always advise my patients on Thanksgiving to go for lean white-meat turkey, green beans and salad, and avoid marshmallow-laden sweet potatoes, simple-carb dinner rolls and sweets.”

For some, alcohol at holiday time is a special treat; for others, it’s a necessary coping mechanism to prevent a brutal bloodbath at the family manse. For whatever reason, choose your drinks smartly and set a limit on how much you’ll consume. “If you must drink alcohol, enjoy a low-sugar, low-carb concoction,” says Anegawa. “Steer clear of cocktails with loads of simple syrup, such as premade mixes, and instead enjoy a vodka tonic or a glass of dry chardonnay.” Red wine also is low(er) in calories compared to other types of booze, and packed with beneﬁcial antioxidants. . As a general life rule, drink one glass of water, between alcoholic drinks to prevent from getting sloppy and waking up with a killer hangover.

You exercise on ordinary days when your food intake is normal, so it only makes sense that you should ﬁt in a workout before you settle in for this cornucopius supper. “It is a busy time, but schedule into your calendar one hour of some type of physical activity daily,” Anegawa advises. “This won’t offset a giant food binge but it will help keep metabolism and appetite somewhat in check, and chances are you may not be as tempted to binge if you know you’ve put in the effort to exercise.”

After you’ve had your fill and finished the meal, it’s time to do damage control. As an alternative to exercise – because who wants to do that on a gluttonous gut? – prepare to fast for at least half a day. “When you’ve just downed a big meal, making sure you fast for 16 hours right afterward is a good way to kick your body into fatburning mode,” according to certified personal trainer Rui Li. “The simplest way is to skip breakfast so that half of your time fasting is during sleep.” In other words, your body will start eating itself, is a welcomed change of pace.

Mikey Rox is an award-winning journalist and LGBT lifestyle expert whose work has been published in more than 100 outlets across the world. He splits his time between homes in New York City and the Jersey Shore with his dog Jaxon. Connect with Mikey on Twitter @mikeyrox.

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November 12, 2015