SFGN 07/28/22 V13iss30

LOCAL NAME GLOBAL COVERAGE JULY JULY28, 7, 2022 2022 VOL. 13 // ISSUE 30 26

‘LITTLE MARCO’ CALLS MARRIAGE VOTE

‘STUPID WASTE OF TIME’ FLORIDA REPUBLICANS SPLIT ON MARRIAGE EQUALITY PAGES 2, 10, & 13

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NEWS HIGHLIGHT

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MARCO RUBIO CALLS VOTE ON MARRIAGE EQUALITY A

‘STUPID WASTE OF TIME’ LESBIAN SENATOR CONFRONTS THE FLORIDA POLITICIAN AFTER HIS DISMISSIVE REMARK

S

“WHAT SENATOR RUBIO INSISTS IS A ‘WASTE OF TIME’ IS SOMETHING OVER 70% OF PEOPLE SUPPORT: THE FREEDOM TO MARRY WHO WE LOVE.” - Brandon Wolf PRESS SECRETARY OF EQUALITY FLORIDA

THERE’S MORE ONLINE! SEE OUR NEWS IN VIDEO! Online now!

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• 7. 28.2022

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Kim Swan en. Tammy Baldwin, who is a lesbian, wasn’t going to let Sen. Marco Rubio’s remark on a same-sex marriage bill slide.

As he was walking into an elevator on July 20, Rubio told CNN that voting on the bill was a “stupid waste of time” in front of Baldwin, who is the first openly LGBT United States senator.

The Respect for Marriage Act passed in the House last week 267-157, with 47 Republicans joining Democrats.

“You probably would have loved to be on the elevator to see the exchange after,” Baldwin told CNN. “I said that, ‘The recent Supreme Court decision eroded a constitutional right to privacy.

There’s a whole bunch of cases that have been decided based on a constitutional right to privacy that are in jeopardy,’ which he disagrees with,” she added.

Baldwin did not reveal what Rubio said in response, nor did she say if she was offended or not.

“We’re not going to get into [that],” Baldwin said. “I’m counting votes.”

Baldwin predicted they would have 10

@SFGN

July 28, 2022 • Volume 13 • Issue 30

Senior Feature Columnists

Brian McNaught • Jesse Monteagudo

Special to SFGN Steve Rothaus

Correspondents

Tammy Baldwin, left, photo by U.S. Senate Photographic Studio, via Facebook.

Marco Rubio, right, photo by Gage Skidmore, via Flickr.

Republican votes to break a filibuster attempt when the bill eventually heads the floor, CNN reported.

“What Senator Rubio insists is a ‘waste of time’ is something over 70% of people support: the freedom to marry who we love,” Brandon Wolf, press secretary of Equality Florida, told SFGN. “That freedom has been targeted in a recent opinion penned by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and has been called into question by right-wing politicians across the country.”

Sen. Ron Johnson, along with four other Senate Republicans, have indicated support for the same-sex marriage bill, according to CNN. Although calling the bill “unnecessary,” he said he sees “no reason to oppose it” if it comes up for a vote in the Senate.

Sen. Rick Scott, however, told CNN that he will “wait and see” when asked if he would support the bill, and believes the Supreme Court has already decided what to do with the bill.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, said he wants to bring the bill to the floor soon, but did not announce when he would schedule a vote, CNN reported.

He said he was “impressed” by how much bipartisan support the bill got in the House.

The Senate leaves for its August recess in two weeks, making it unlikely Schumer will be able to get the floor time before then, especially as senators are already trying to pass a bill to boost production of semiconductor chips and a separate economic package.

Taking it up after August moves the debate closer to the midterm elections and will allow Democrats to highlight what they believe are key social issues important to voters, according to CNN. “Guaranteeing in federal statutes the freedom to marry has broad, bipartisan support — and is the right thing to do,” Wolf told SFGN. “Senator Rubio should stand with his constituents and vote yes on the Respect for Marriage Act.”

SOUTH FLORIDA LESBIAN FARMER KEEPS GETTING INTERRUPTED BY HILARIOUS EMU IN VIRAL VIDEOS Visit SFGN.com to find out more.

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South Florida Gay News is published weekly. The opinions expressed in columns, stories, and letters to the editor do not represent the opinions of SFGN, or the Publisher. You should not presume the sexual orientation or gender identity of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations in SFGN. SFGN contracts with independent entities for stock images. Furthermore the word “gay” in SFGN should be interpreted to be inclusive of the entire LGBT community. All of the material/columns that appears in print and online, including articles used in conjunction with the AP, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher, at his law office, at Norm@NormKent.com. SFGN, as a private corporation, reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs.

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MIAMI-DADE

MIAMI-DADE

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PRIDELINES HOPES TO RAISE $100,000 LGBT ‘LEGACY COUPLES’ GRACE IN JULY FOR LGBT YOUTH SERVICES EXHIBIT WITH PORTRAITS, AUDIO

STORIES OF THEIR LOVE, HISTORY

Jason Parsley

PRIDELINES, AN LGBT YOUTH SERVICES ORGANIZATION IN MIAMI, IS LOOKING TO RAISE $100,000 IN JULY TO SUPPORT THEIR CONTINUING PROGRAMS.

According to their fundraising page they’ve collected over $60,000 so far.

“These funds are crucial as the current political climate in Florida and throughout the country is actively working to take away the rights, safety and identities of our LGBTQ+ youth and community. The need for safe and affirming spaces, programs and services that support LGBTQ+ people is greater than ever,” the website reads.

“Every dollar you donate allows Pridelines to provide life-changing and often life-saving programs and services for countless of South Florida’s LGBTQ+ youth and community members.”

Jose Cassola

Miami Gay News

Photo via Adobe.

The name of their campaign is Colors of the Rainbow.

“As Miami’s LGBTQ+ Community Center, Pridelines provides peer support, health and wellness services, and access to LGBTQ+ competent resources and safe and affirming spaces for LGBTQ+ youth, young adults on the verge of or actively experiencing homelessness, people living with or affected by HIV, and anyone seeking to be in community,” the website reads.

Visit https://pridelines.org/ for more information about Pridelines and the campaign.

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FOR MONTHS NOW, HISTORYMIAMI MUSEUM HAS BEEN FEATURING PHOTOGRAPHS AND SHARING AUDIO STORIES FROM MIAMI’S LGBT COMMUNITY IN AN EXHIBITION CELEBRATING SOUTH FLORIDA LEGACY COUPLES.

On display are portraits of 14 LGBT couples who have been together 10 years or more, along with their personal objects, on-camera interviews and first-hand audio accounts recorded by youth leaders from the YES Institute. The project has run in partnership with the lead organization Miami Beach Pride.

Among the featured couples in the exhibit are Kathy Bonny-Redding and her wife Rachel Redding, who say taking part in the exhibition is an experience they have cherished dearly.

“We can’t say thank you enough to everyone that took part in this exhibition to bring it to fruition,” the Reddings said. “We have a visual representation of our love over the years to share with our kids and to share with the younger generation that never thought we could be accepted and appreciated. [We] love our life and

“[LGBTQ] ELDERS’ STORIES ARE NOT OFTEN HEARD AND RISK BEING LOST FOREVER UNLESS WE MAKE CONCENTRATED EFFORTS TO COLLECT THEM.” - Carol Coombes

DIRECTOR OF GRANTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS FOR MIAMI BEACH PRIDE,

our love grows on. We are blessed and grateful.”

The LGBTQ Legacy Couples exhibition opened in April at the Art Deco Museum/ Miami Design Preservation League Welcome Center in Miami Beach as part of the 14th edition of Miami Beach Pride. In May, the exhibition moved to HistoryMiami Museum at 101 West Flagler Street in Miami, where it has been ever since, and runs through September.

The exhibition’s first-hand audio stories of 14 same-sex couples are developed as a twoway conversation between older and younger generations. According to Carol Coombes, one of the founders of the project and director of grants and cultural affairs for Miami Beach Pride, these stories are central to the broader telling of LGBTQ history — not just in South Florida, but across the United States. “[LGBTQ] elders’ stories are not often heard and risk being lost forever unless we make concentrated efforts to collect them,” Coombes said. “[We have] an immense responsibility to capture and memorialize untold and cherished stories of same-sex love and commitment for future generations. It’s often the hidden stories of these elders who were at the forefront of the fight for equality who paved the way for the LGBTQ community to live as freely as we do today.”

Rick Karlin and Gregg Shapiro were honored to be included in the project, as it coincided with their 30th anniversary.

“The photographs were very flattering and it was wonderful as we were coming up on our 30th anniversary to look back on some of the landmarks in our life and reflect on those for younger viewers,” Karlin and Shapiro said.

See the full story online SFGN.com/legacy.

Courtesy of Miami Gay News.

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BREAKING NEWS TRIBUTE

REV. PATRICK ROGERS, LONGTIME PASTOR AT UCC, DIES John Hayden

A

fter spending several months fighting cancer, Rev. Patrick Rogers, the pastor at United Church of Christ Fort Lauderdale (UCC), has passed away. The church announced it on social media, saying, “[On July 26] our beloved pastor, the Reverend Patrick Rogers, went home to God. Pray for our church as we face changes in the future.”

For several weeks, Rogers had been traveling back and forth to Houston for special medical treatments, and recently said he was hopeful doctors in South Florida would be able to begin treating him.

He led UCC for seven years and worked tirelessly until the end to make the community, and the world, a better place. Even as Rogers began the final weeks of his life, he worked to save the lives of others. A month before he died, he organized Gun Safety Sunday, giving out free gunlocks to any gun owner (or friend of a gun owner) who wanted to make their home safer.

When he came to UCC in 2015, he made a direct plea Photo via United Church of Christ Fort Lauderdale, Facebook. for the LGBT community to rediscover God and church.

“I understand how you feel, because I have lived it too,” he told SFGN at the time. “This church is a safe place to be who you are. We are watching people come into their own here and it is great to see.”

Pastor Rogers entered hospice this week and passed away at 11:51 pm on Tuesday evening.

SFGN found out as it was going to press.

Funeral arrangements are still being worked out. They will be announced on the church’s Facebook page where a statement to the community from Pastor Rogers now appears.

SFGN will cover this very sad story more comprehensively online and in next week’s issue.

Join us for masked, socially distanced in person worship.

11 AM Sundays. Services also LIVE-streamed on Facebook and posted on website for safe at home viewing.

Church of Our Savior MCC

“Love without judgement” Holy Angels National Catholic Church 1436 NE 26th Street Wilton Manors. 33305 Facebook.com/HolyAngelsFL www.HolyAngelsFL.org

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954-633-2987

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at 10 AM Sunday, or live streamed on Facebook www.facebook.com/ChruchofOurSaviorMCC

IN MEMORIAM MEMORIAM TRIBUTE

A GOODBYE TO REV. BISHOP JOSEPH EDWARD GALLANT SFGN Staff

T

he Most Rev. Bishop Joseph Edward Gallant, D.D., 76, of Fort Lauderdale, passed away on June 30.

A Celebration of Joe’s Life will be held on July 30 at 1 p.m. at Holy Angels National Catholic Church, 1436 NE 26th St., Wilton Manors, FL 33305. All are welcome. For those unable to attend in person, you can join on Zoom at Meeting #89920544651. Password: 643349.

Joe was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Edward Joseph Gallant and Olive Mae Sparkes on May 28, 1946. He was a person of many talents and owned numerous businesses, including Gallant Interiors on Wilton Manors Drive. Joe was appointed as the general manager of the Wicks & Wax Candle Emporium in the Shoppes of Wilton Manors.

Joe’s hobbies included gardening, writing and singing. He was a regular at karaoke at Chardee’s and other Wilton Manors bars. He was extremely active in the gay community in both Wilton Manors and Fort Lauderdale. In

the 1990s, Joe wrote a column published by Scoop Magazine, which he titled “My Town.” He always ended his Photo via holyangelsfl.org column writing, “That’s this week for My Town. ‘Til next week, be safe, be proud and be sure to tell ‘em ‘Joe sent me.’”

Joe was an original founder of Holy Angels National Catholic Church in Wilton Manors, and his proudest moment in his religious calling was when he was ordained Bishop by the Most Rev. Sean Alexander, D.D., O.S.B., on July 19, 2014.

Joe was committed to Alcoholics Anonymous when his own alcohol consumption stopped in March 1992. He was an active member of the gay sober community and regularly attended the “Lunch Brunch” at Lambda Clubhouse.

A LITTLE BIT OF FAITH AND

PRIDE

SFGN is here for you, no matter who — or what — keeps you going. Read our Spirituality Section to stay in touch with your local religious LGBT community. The only requirement? Be yourself.

SEE MORE ONLINE AT SFGN.COM/TABLE/NEWS/RELIGION 7. 28 . 20 22 •

7

LGBTQIA BITES

BY KENNEDY MCKINNEY

IT’S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT THE G TRANSGENDER

TRANS SWIMMER NOMINATED FOR NCAA 2022 WOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD The University of Pennsylvania nominated swimmer Lia Thomas for the 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year award.

According to the website, this award is meant to honor the “academic achievements, athletics excellence, community service and leadership of graduating female college athletes from all three divisions.”

Thomas has become the face of the debate on whether or not trans women should compete in sports following her win in March in the 500-yard freestyle event and recording the fastest time of the NCAA season. After that victory, she came the first trans athlete to win a D1 title in any sport.

The Woman of the Year will be named at the NCAA convention in January.

“Broker

Since 1985

Photo by Ben Mindall, via Flickr.

T

... HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING IN THE LGBTQIA COMMUNITY

P

PANSEXUAL

JOJO SIWA PARTICIPATES IN CELEBRITY SOFTBALL GAME

This past week, multi-talented and out performer Jojo Siwa participated in the MLB All-Star Celebrity Softball game. The all-star lineup included Anthony Ramos, Rob Lowe, Chloe Kim, CC Sabathia, Simu Liu, J.K Simmons, Bad Bunny, and Bryan Cranston.

Siwa went head-to-head with Migos rapper Quavo and hit an impressive insidethe-park home run for Team Los Angeles.

Team LA ultimately came up short with a final score of 15-13.

Siwa has been busy since her coming out in 2021 and is set to star in Disney Channel’s “High School Musical: The Series” and recently got back together with her girlfriend Kylie Prew following a sevenmonth breakup.

When speaking on the breakup Siwa

Screenshot via JoJo Siwa/Facebook.

said, “It’s good to have people that have your best interest around you, and she really does have mine,” Siwa told People magazine.

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• 7. 28.2022

LGBTQIA BITES

B

BISEXUAL

RAPPER TAYLOR BENNETT SPEAKS ON LIFE AFTER COMING OUT

In 2017, rapper Taylor Bennet came out as bisexual. Since then, he has been an active LGBT advocate and has welcomed two children with his partner Kayla Moore.

“I had always known, and it was always a thing for me, even at a younger age, but it was definitely something that not only did I not feel confident talking about. When I was growing up, it was always presented as being gay or being a part of the LGBTQ community was an option — so it was like, “Oh no, you’re not gay [or bi], you just need to toughen up,” said Bennet in an interview with People magazine.

He continued by saying that since coming out he has never felt more confident in himself and that the last five years have been the best years of his life.

“I’ve never been happier than now. I’ve never felt more confident in myself. I’ve never wanted to do more. I’ve never felt that I could do more. I’ve never felt more represented.”

Photo via taylorbennett.co.

7. 28 . 20 22 •

9

NEWS NATIONAL

THE COUNTRY

ACROSS

CALIFORNIA ELECTED OFFICIAL CALLED A ‘PEDOPHILE’ FOR HIS SUPPORT OF LGBT PEOPLE During his reelection campaign for San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Gordon Mar tweeted that his flyers were covered up with false allegations that he was a “communist” and a “pedophile.”

Among those allegations, another flier accused Mar of “grooming children” because of his support for LGBT people.

“But what concerns me more is that the trans kids, the queer kids, the Black and Brown kids, and the poor kids and families who will see this message posted across Sunset and wonder if they’re really welcome here,” Mar told SFGate in an interview, according to Daily News.

Mar places blame on the “emboldened far-right and the politicians and

Gordon Mar. Photo via Twitter.

candidates who stoke this bigotry and division” in one of the tweets.

BY KIZZY AZCARATE

COVERING LGBT NEWS SWEEPING THE NATION

TENNESSEE 20 STATES BLOCK BIDEN’S EXECUTIVE ORDER PROTECTING LGBT MEMBERS Tennessee Judge Charles Atchley Jr. issued a preliminary injunction that temporarily bars the U.S. Department of Education and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from enforcing the anti-discrimination executive order issued by the Biden administration in January 2021, according to the Tennessee Lookout.

In June, President Joe Biden issued an executive order that would protect LGBT people from facing discrimination in the federal agencies since the Supreme Court’s ruling in 2020 that would allow gender and sex discrimination in the workplace.

The lawsuit was led by Tennessee Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III and his 19 colleagues residing in 19 Republican states.

Photo by Ted Eytan, via Flickr.

Slatery says that due to the state’s dwelling funding within the last few years, if federal work agencies do not comply, children’s education will be at risk.

“Therefore, as it currently stands, [states, including Tennessee] must choose between the threat of legal consequences — enforcement action, civil penalties, and the withholding of federal funding ­— or altering their state laws to ensure compliance with the guidance and avoid such adverse action,” said Judge Atchley during his ruling.

ILLINOIS HOSPITAL SYSTEM LIMITS FERTILITY TREATMENTS TO MARRIED OPPOSITE-SEX COUPLES ONLY

OSF HealthCare, which operates 15 hospitals and 132 other facilities in Illinois and Michigan, has changed its guidelines and definition regarding who is able to receive fertility treatment.

According to Bloomberg, the Illinoisbased Catholic healthcare system decided to refine the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) definition of what “infertility” is.

While the CDC states that a person who is unable to get pregnant after having unprotected sex after a year is considered infertile, OSF Healthcare said that applicants who can receive infertility treatment must be “married opposite sex spouses.”

“The employee benefits we provide are

THERE’S MORE ONLINE! 10

• 7. 28.2022

Photo via www.osfhealthcare.org.

driven by the OSF Mission and are in full compliance with the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services as well as state and federal laws, including the Religious Freedom and Restoration Act,” OSF spokesperson Shelli Dankoff said in a statement to Bloomberg.

Not one of the 24,000 employees of OSF Healthcare has spoken out or taken legal action against the new provision since the story’s posting.

REPRESENTATIVE MAKES ANOTHER INSENSITIVE REMARK TOWARD LGBT COUPLES Visit SFGN.com to find out more.

NEWS INTERNATIONAL

THE WORLD AROUND

BY EVERITT ROSEN

EXPLORING LGBT NEWS EVENTS ACROSS THE GLOBE

MIDDLE EAST

EUROPE

LGBT COMMUNITY IN LEBANON FACES SETBACK

EU EXECUTIVE TO SUE HUNGARY OVER ANTI-LGBT LAW

Nour never truly felt secure in Lebanon as a gay person. However, in recent years, the 25-year-old pharmacist had started to let his guard down, meeting up with pals in LGBTfriendly areas of Beirut and even appearing in drag performances.

He now chooses to remain at home out of more concern for his safety as a result of a flood of anti-LGBT hate speech that followed the Lebanese Interior Ministry’s decision to ban any gatherings meant to promote “sexual perversion” last month.

According to Channel News Asia, the setback is a component of a larger crackdown on disadvantaged people’s rights and freedoms, which activists claim is intended to divert attention away from Lebanon’s escalating economic and financial crises, which have pushed more than threequarters of the country’s population into

Photo via Beirut Pride/Facebook.

poverty.

While tens of thousands have fled the nation in pursuit of chances overseas, millions of people in the formerly middle-income country still suffer with skyrocketing prices, widespread power outages, and medical shortages.

In the most recent conflict over principles that may jeopardize the unity of the European Union, the European Commission decided to sue Hungary over its anti-LGBT law and its refusal to extend the license of Klubradio, a broadcaster critical of the government.

The two cases are the latest in a long line of tense disputes over human rights and Democratic principles between Viktor Orban, the populist prime minister of Hungary, and the liberal EU core.

“The European Commission today decided to refer Hungary to the Court of Justice of the EU over a Hungarian law which discriminates against people on the basis of their sexual orientation and

Photo via PxHere.

gender identity,” said the EU’s executive, according to Reuters.

AFRICA MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER OF KENYAN SHEILA LUMUMBA In connection with the violent murder of Sheila Lumumba in Kenya, a man has been accused.

Lumumba, a 25-year-old non-binary lesbian, was discovered dead at their house days after they had supposedly been raped, beaten, and killed by a group of male attackers, local media source K24 TV reported at the time.

A recent report from the post-mortem revealed that Lumumba had been raped, stabbed repeatedly in the chest, face, neck, and eyes, and struck on the head with a blunt instrument. This information was provided to openDemocracy by a family member. Their broken limb was one of their legs.

In Karatina town, Nyeri County, a guy was charged in court.

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Sheila Lumumba. Photo via Instagram.

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He was charged with the aggravated assault and murder of Lumumba.

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954-530-8357 Esther C. Schumann, MD, AAHIVS João Rodrigues, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC 2608 NE 16th Ave. | Wilton Manors, FL 33334 | midwaycare.org 7. 28 . 20 22 •

11

NEWS LOCAL

J.R.’s

NEWS LOCAL

SNAPSHOT

WEEK

OF THE

From your life... into our pages! SFGN takes a weekly look at a community that has stood together through countless trials and victories in the past year alone.

Alexander Sadeghi, part owner of The Pub, with Ray Boltz, Christian singer/ songwriter and winner of three Dove Awards, at The Pub.

NEEL AMIN, MD

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t wasn’t a surprise when the House of Representatives passed the Respect for Marriage Act, which will officially repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and require the federal government to recognize same-sex and interracial marriages.

But it was a surprise that 47 Republicans joined every Democrat in the House to pass the legislation 267–157. Six of those Republicans hail from Florida and all four South Florida Republican members of the House voted in favor of the legislation.

Those four are Miami-Dade Reps Mario Diaz-Balart, Carlos Gimenez and Maria Elvira Salazar; and Palm Beach County Rep. Brian Mast.

According to the ACLU this vote was the “most pro-LGBTQ vote in Congressional history.”

Democrats are hopeful they will be able to find 10 Republican votes in the senate to break a filibuster and pass the legislation. According

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• 7. 28.2022

and

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Clockwise from top left, Mario Diaz-Balart, photo by US House Office of Photography; Carlos Gimenez, photo by Ryan Holloway/Armando Rodriguez; Maria Elvira Salazar, photo by Dora Franco; and Brian Mast, photo by United States House Official Photographer.

All photos via Wikimedia Commons

to CNN there are currently five Republicans who have indicated they will support the bill.

But Florida’s two senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, have not indicated they will support the bill. Scott told CNN he is taking a wait and see approach, and Rubio called the bill a “stupid waste of time.”

NEWS LOCAL

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wo months after Florida saw its first monkeypox case, cases have been rising at an alarming level in the state and nationwide. Since then, cases have risen to 310 cases, up from the 180 cases in the state last week.

The last two weeks have seen an almost 60% increase in cases across the state, with almost half of all of them in Broward County.

As of July 25, Broward had 151 cases, according to the Florida Department of Health. Miami-Dade had 82 cases; Pinellas and Palm Beach each had 15; Orange County had 19; Monroe had nine; Hillsborough had five; Polk had three; and eight other counties in north, central, and west Florida each had one or two.

Health experts are concerned since monkeypox is rarely reported outside of the African continent. It’s particularly concerning

for the local and international LGBT community, as cases are disproportionately impacting gay and bisexual men.

A study by the New England Journal of Medicine published last week further found that cases are appearing “almost exclusively among men who have sex with men.”

The fatality rate for monkeypox is about 10% and the risk of exposure is low, since an infected person needs to be in close, prolonged face-to-face contact to get it.

Also on July 25, several sources revealed that the White House was working to name a monkeypox coordinator and considering declaring a public health emergency, the Washington Post reported.

If you suspect you have been infected with monkeypox, contact your doctor immediately or call the Florida Department of Health at 954-467-4700 or 850-245-4444.

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13

NEWS LOCAL

COMMUNITY OUTL

K STONEWALL MUSEUM GETS

Meredith Ockman marries her partner at the BOX Gallery in West Palm Beach.

Ockman is currently serving the community as Vice President of Florida NOW, Vice President of Florida National Women’s Political Caucus (NWPC), President of South Florida Women’s Health Foundation of South Florida, a volunteer with the Inner Truth Project in St. Lucie County, and Vice President at SoHo Dogs. Ockman is the immediate past President of Palm Beach County NOW (National Organization for Women), is a past Legislative Director for Florida NOW. She has been involved with several nonprofits including; the March of Dimes, Jewish Federation of Greater Miami, Leukemia Society, American Cancer Society, Jewish Community Center and American Heart Association. Ockman was on the steering committee for the Butterfly House, the first and only rape crisis and treatment center in Palm Beach County. Most recently, Ockman ran a campaign to become the Southeast Regional Director of NOW. As a national board member, she also oversees 7 states of NOW chapters. Photo by Rolando Barrero.

T

WILTON MANORS CANDIDATES TO FACE OFF AUGUST 1 John Hayden

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NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR John Hayden

NEWS LOCAL

o confront Wilton Manors’ issues, voters will elect two city commissioners and a mayor. On Aug. 1 candidates will appear at a Meet the Candidates forum.

Incumbent Scott Newton and Boyd Corbin are running for mayor, while Don D’Arminio, Roy David Walker, and incumbent Paul Rolli are vying for two commission seats. Rolli also currently serves in the role as vice mayor. All candidates except Corbin have confirmed their participation.

“This is especially important in these troubling times when the rights of LGBTQ+ Americans are being threatened,” Wilton Manors Business Association Vice President Peter Jackson said. “On a per capita basis, Wilton Manors is believed to have more LGBTQ+-owned business than any other destination in the U.S., so now more than ever our votes — and who we elect to represent us — matters a great deal for our business community.”

Jackson will serve as Master of Ceremonies,

NEWS LOCAL

Wilton Manors Business Association Vice President Peter Jackson. Photo via WiltonManorsBusinessAssociation.com

and the forum will be moderated by Katina Caraganis of The New Pelican, Wilton Manors resident C. Randall Alan, John Hayden of SFGN, and Al Ferguson of Happening Out Television.

“This demonstrates how vitally important Wilton Manors is to all of us. It allows us to show the English-speaking world that Wilton Manors is among the most important LGBTQ+ communities in America. And that starts with the city’s representation for mayor and city commission.”

The forum is 6:30 p.m. at Hagen Park Community Center. Attendance is free but donations will be accepted for The SMART Ride 19. You can register for a ticket at WiltonManorsBusinessAssociation.com.

he past can inform the present and shape the future. LGBT history isn’t taught in most schools, and the very subject is banned by some laws, including Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay.” But our history is long and rich, filled with suffering and celebration. Now the organization charged with preserving and disseminating that history has new leadership.

Robert Kesten is the new executive director of Stonewall National Museum & Archives in Fort Lauderdale.

“A friend of mine told me that Stonewall was looking for a new executive and that it was the perfect job,” he said. “So here I am.”

He started the job in early June and took time to talk with SFGN about his goals for the museum and its role in the greater LGBT community.

“This is the only community that represents every single other community.

What I mean by that is no matter where you go in the world, no matter what city no matter what country, there are gay people.

No place is excluded.”

Kesten believes LGBT presence in all groups of society has the potential to bring greater acceptance of LGBT people in places that shun and persecute them.

“The LGBTQ+ community is, often globally, at that point in the way people treat

“THIS IS THE ONLY COMMUNITY THAT REPRESENTS EVERY SINGLE OTHER COMMUNITY. WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS NO MATTER WHERE YOU GO IN THE WORLD, NO MATTER WHAT CITY NO MATTER WHAT COUNTRY, THERE ARE GAY PEOPLE. NO PLACE IS EXCLUDED.” - Robert Kesten

Robert Kesten Photo via stonewall-museum.org.

other people. If you don’t treat people on the bottom of the pile well, then everybody is at risk of being on the bottom of the pile.”

Stonewall, located in the ArtServe building on Sunrise Blvd., houses a treasure trove of media chronicling LGBT history. Thousands of documents, photos, and movies fill their space. But history doesn’t sit there waiting to be cataloged and rediscovered by students working on their Ph.D. The museum exports their collection around the country. While South Florida was celebrating Pride Week, Kesten was preparing to send material to Toledo and other cities. He said that is a key part of the museum’s mission going forward.

“I was hired to make sure we had a more national footprint and make sure millions more people know who we are. The plan is to be very out there, very outspoken and show that history equals pride.”

In “LGBT+,” a lot of attention is paid to the “G.” He wants to make sure everyone is recognized.

“We’re starting a big push for women.

We’re going to be creating the Women’s Fund. We will start to aggressively go after women’s collections. In our own collection, we remind ourselves that men are only half of the picture.”

He is already putting words into action.

HERSTORY, Stonewall’s kick-off event for The Women’s Fund, is set for July 29, from 6-9 p.m. at the Museum, at 1300 E. Sunrise Boulevard. For more information on the event and Stonewall National Museum & Archives, visit Stonewall-Museum.org.

NEWS STATE

RUBIO ATTACKS SECRETARY PETE IN VIDEO TIRADE The two politicians spar over marriage equality

Jason Parsley

F

lorida Sen. Marco Rubio blasted Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg after Buttigieg criticized the Republican’s response to a potential upcoming vote on marriage equality in the senate.

Last week the House of Representatives passed the Respect for Marriage Act by a large bipartisan majority, 267–157, with all Democrats and 47 Republicans voting in favor.

But one Republican who is not on board is Rubio, who called the vote a “stupid waste of time.”

CNN asked Buttigieg about the senator’s response.

“If he’s got time to fight against Disney, I don’t know why he wouldn’t have time to help safeguard marriages like mine. Look, this is really important to a lot of people,” Buttigieg said. “It’s certainly important to me.”

Buttigieg, who is gay and married, was referring to Rubio’s recent attacks on Disney and the company’s opposition to the Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law.

“Disney doesn’t say a word about the dictatorship in #China because it would cost them billions of $’s,” Rubio tweeted in April. “But they have no problem using their corporate power to lie about laws passed by democratically elected legislators in #Florida.”

Buttigieg continued in the CNN segment:

“IF HE’S GOT TIME TO FIGHT AGAINST DISNEY, I DON’T KNOW WHY HE WOULDN’T HAVE TIME TO HELP SAFEGUARD MARRIAGES LIKE MINE. LOOK, THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE,” - Pete Buttigieg SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. Photo by Gage Skidmore, via Flickr.

“Our marriage deserves to be treated equally.

And I don’t know why this would be hard for a senator or a congressman. [...] a majority of House Republicans voted no. If they don’t want to spend a lot of time on this. They can vote yes and move on. And that would be really reassuring for a lot of families around America, including mine.”

Rubio later attacked Buttigieg in a video posted to Twitter.

“We have our Harvard educated Transportation [...] who apparently never learned the difference between the state level and the federal level. The Disney fight was a state fight,” Rubio said. “Because our legislature rightfully passed a law that said that we don’t want our public schools indoctrinating six and seven year olds in the transgender agenda, and I supported that law.”

Rubio then attacked Buttigieg’s performance as transportation secretary.

Rubio finished his tirade with, “I’m not going to focus on the agenda that’s dictated by a bunch of affluent elite liberals, and a bunch of Marxist misfits who sadly today control the agenda of the modern Democratic Party.”

All four of South Florida’s Republicans in the House voted for RFMA. Meanwhile in the Senate there are currently five senators who have indicated they may vote in favor of marriage equality. Those include Rob Portman of Ohio; Susan Collins of Maine; Ron Johnson of Wisconsin; Lisa Murkowski of Alaska; and Thom Tillis of North Carolina.

Florida’s other senator, Republican Rick Scott, told CNN he will wait and see.

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NEWS STATE

NEWS NATIONAL

RESPECT FOR MARRIAGE ACT GENDER-FLUID ‘NUCLEAR WOULD STILL ALLOW FLORIDA NERD’ CLIMBING THE LADDER TO BAN SAME-SEX MARRIAGE AT DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY John McDonald

Jason Parsley

T

he Respect for Marriage Act received bipartisan support, but few stories have explained what the bill actually does, and just as importantly does not do.

RFMA will officially repeal the Defense of Marriage Act if it passes the Senate and is signed into law by President Joe Biden.

DOMA, as it was called, was signed into law

by President Bill Clinton in 1996. It passed the house 342-67. Sixty-five Democrats, one Republican and one independent voted no.

In the Senate it passed 85-14. Biden voted for DOMA at the time.

DOMA prevented the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriage and gave states the ability to not recognize samesex marriages from other states.

The law also defined marriage like this: “the word ‘marriage’ means only a legal Photo via Adobe Stock. union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the word ‘spouse’ “If the Supreme Court overturns refers only to a person of the opposite sex Obergefell v. Hodges, which established who is a husband or a wife.” that the fundamental right to marry covers Even though it was mostly ruled same-sex couples, the Respect for Marriage unconstitutional in 2013 in United States v. Act would not stop any state from once Windsor the law still remained on the books. again refusing to issue marriage licenses Now Democrats and LGBT activists are to same-sex couples,” according to the pushing for same-sex marriage to be codified ACLU. “The federal government would still in federal law since the Supreme Court be required to respect same-sex couples’ overruled the constitutional already-existing marriages, right to an abortion in June. as would other states in many SO IF THE SUPREME Meanwhile Justice Clarence circumstances. But a state Thomas added to their that wanted to get out of the COURT OVERTURNS concerns since his opinion SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, business of issuing marriage concurring in judgment called licenses to same-sex couples IT WOULD for decisions in favor of samewould not violate the Respect sex marriage and LGBT rights for Marriage Act.” AUTOMATICALLY to be revisited — alarming So if the Supreme Court BECOME ILLEGAL LGBT activists and Democrats. overturns same-sex marriage, “Justice Thomas urged the it would automatically become AGAIN IN FLORIDA, court to overturn its rulings illegal again in Florida, where WHERE A BAN IS establishing a fundamental a ban is enshrined in the state ENSHRINED IN THE constitutional right to use constitution. contraception, the right of As for public support, in STATE CONSTITUTION. same-sex couples to marry, June Gallup released a poll and a right to form intimate showing 71% of Americans sexual relationships with other consenting supporting same-sex marriage — a record adults,” according to an article from the high. In 2020 that support stood at 70% — ACLU. also a record at the time.

RFMA though would also force states to RFMA has already passed the house recognize same-sex marriages from other 267–157 with 47 Republicans voting in favor. states.

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Sam Brinton. Courtesy Wikipedia.

N

uclear waste has never been this trendy.

Sam Brinton, a gender-fluid activist and self-styled “Nuclear Nerd,” was recently promoted to deputy assistant secretary at the Department of Energy, serving in the Office of Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition.

“I’ve prepared for this moment in a technical sense for a decade,” Brinton tweeted. “Graduating with not one but two degrees from MIT led to working at multiple think tanks where I produced the first-ofa-kind reports and maps on consent-based

“I’VE PREPARED FOR THIS MOMENT IN A TECHNICAL SENSE FOR A DECADE.” - Sam Brinton GENDER-FLUID ACTIVIST AND SELF-STYLED “NUCLEAR NERD,”

siting and advanced reactor innovation.”

Brinton holds graduate degrees in nuclear science and engineering from MIT and undergraduate degrees in mechanical engineering and vocal music performance from Kansas State University. Brinton uses the pronouns them/they and has been an outspoken critic against conversion therapy, testifying before the United Nations against the practice.

On Twitter, Brinton acknowledged being “welcomed with open arms” at the Department of Energy from Secretary Jennifer Granholm on down. Brinton said they are responsible for a $45 million budget and oversee a staff of hundreds.

Being one of the first openly gender-fluid federal government leaders has also generated hateful and threatening responses, including many death threats, Brinton said. Earlier this year, Parkland survivor and conservative activist Kyle Kashuv tweeted his disgust with Brinton’s elevation at Energy.

“Liberals are deeply unserious about where we are in America. Saying ‘so the woke are destroying the country but also there’s no problem with a gender-theory radical progressive activist, who organizes dog kink sessions, running our nuclear energy program.’ Grow up people,” Kashuv tweeted.

NEWS NATIONAL

LGBT ORGS IN CALI SOUND ALARM OVER MONKEYPOX Also Want Name Changed

Jason Parsley

A

coalition of LGBT organizations in California is warning that the state could become the epicenter of Monkeypox if there isn’t immediate expanded access to testing and vaccines. The organizations are also requesting the disease be renamed “hMPXV.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of July 26, there are 356 cases of monkeypox in California.

Meanwhile there are 3,591 cases across the country with 309 in Florida.

The organizations, which include Equality California, Los Angeles LGBT Center, National Center for Lesbian Rights, and San Francisco AIDS Foundation, sent a letter to the Director of the CDC, Rochelle Walensky, with a warning and list of demands.

“California is poised to become the epicenter of confirmed cases [...],” the letter states. “While we are encouraged to see the

THE ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH INCLUDE EQUALITY CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES LGBT CENTER, NATIONAL CENTER FOR LESBIAN RIGHTS, AND SAN FRANCISCO AIDS FOUNDATION, SENT A LETTER TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE CDC, ROCHELLE WALENSKY, WITH A WARNING AND LIST OF DEMANDS.

Photo via www.who.int.

Biden-Harris Administration take stronger action to contain the hMPXV outbreak and protect those who are most at risk, the following are needed to mitigate the disproportionate impact that this poxvirus has on MSM and transgender communities,” including expanded testing, expanded vaccine access and a name change.

MSM stands for men who have sex with men.

“The current global strain has no clear link to West Africa where the virus typically originates, and it acts differently than the West Africa strain. Additionally, the current nomenclature and association to West Africa are stigmatizing and could lead to discrimination,” the letter reads. “As decades long leaders in the fight against HIV/AIDS, the undersigned organizations strive to create an environment where diseases do not discriminate against populations and are concerned the current name undermines decades of efforts to minimize stigma in MSM communities.”

The World Health Organization is considering a name change.

NEWS NATIONAL

LGBT GROUPS IN NYC RALLY AGAINST SUBPAR RESPONSE TO MONKEYPOX Jason Parsley

A

collection of LGBT supportive organizations hosted a rally in New York City last week to demand a robust local, state and federal response to the monkeypox outbreak, which has disproportionately affected transgender women, gay/bi men, and other men who have sex with men.

“The Monkeypox outbreak was entirely preventable, and we hoped that our government would have learned from AIDS, and most recently, political and structural failings related to COVID-19, resulting in over a million deaths in the U.S.,” Director of Organizing with VOCAL-NY, Jawanza Williams, said in a prepared statement. “ We need the U.S. governments and the city and state of NY to act to meet this moment while building infrastructure for epidemic preparedness and most immediate economic relief to people that have to quarantine for nearly a month.”

PREP4All, one of the groups involved, has a

long list of demands, including: The US government must share a plan for turning 15.2 million Bavarian Nordic doses into vaccine-ready vials by July 31.

The CDC & U.S. government must launch large-scale provider - and patient-oriented education campaigns about MPX testing, treatment, and preventive vaccination.

FDA must approve TPOXX, a ready and effective MPX treatment, through the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) process.

A complete set of demands can be found at actionnetwork.org.

According to NYC Health as of July 22, there have been 839 cases of monkeypox in New York City and according to the CDC 2,891 across the country with 247 in Florida.

In Florida, Broward County has become ground zero for monkeypox infections and LGBT organizations, like the Pride Center and SunServe have hosted vaccination drives.

Check here for info on vaccine availability.

7. 28 . 20 22 •

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LIFESTYLE FOOD

THAT’S ITALIAN Rick Karlin

ROSSINI BAR & GRILL 3848 N. FEDERAL HWY., FORT LAUDERDALE 754-779-7645 ROSSINIBARANDGRILL.COM

I

n doing research for this article, I was surprised to learn that Italian food is now only the third most popular ethnic cuisine in America, falling behind Chinese and Mexican. However, that is based on the number of Internet searches for each cuisine.

That might also be an indication that for many people pasta and other Italian dishes are no longer considered exotic ethnic fare.

Five million Italians arrived on America’s shores between 1876 and 1930. So, the odds of one of us having an Italian nonna in the kitchen cooking those classic dishes may have increased.

If you aren’t lucky enough to have an Italian relative, you can head over to Rossini, a new Italian bistro that produces excellent renditions of dishes from northern Italy. The family atmosphere and classic cuisine make this place a standout. And, if you are lucky enough to have Christian as your server (as I was on two visits) you are in for a treat.

He runs the dining room pretty much on his own, and as busy as that keeps him, he still manages to be as attentive as old Italian nonna.

The dining room feels like you’re sitting in an Italian kitchen, giving no indication of the fast-food place (Spatch Chicken) that used to occupy the space. The food that comes out of that kitchen is just as surprising. While it’s not particularly inventive, the classic northern Italian cuisine is prepared and presented to such perfection that you’ll peek into the open kitchen to see if a nonna is indeed in there.

Start with appetizers such as fried calamari, meatballs, creamy buffalo mozzarella, seafood antipasti, eggplant tower, bacon wrapped dates, fried mozzarella, and beef carpaccio. My favorites, though, are the crispy fried cauliflower with a chili sauce, and the impressive charcuterie

THERE’S MORE ONLINE! 18

• 7. 28.2022

board. It’s the priciest appetizer, at $21, but offers more than enough for a table of six. Of course, there is also a soup of the day and an array of salads, both individual and entrée sized.

Pasta dishes shine the brightest, with the option of fresh pasta made on premises, as well as whole wheat and gluten-free varieties.

Prices for pasta dishes are reasonable, from $15 for a simple caprese, $16 for zesty puttanesca or creamy fettuccine Alfredo and $18 for a meaty Bolognese to $24 for lobster ravioli (with six plump pillowy pockets of dough the color of fresh cooked lobster).

Primi piatti hover in the $25 to $30 range and include classics such as chicken or veal Milanese, piccata, and Parmigiana. Seafood such as salmon and branzino and meatlovers’ faves, roast duck, and a beautifully grilled ribeye with gorgonzola, truffle, and balsamic reduction are also represented.

Additionally, there are plenty of options for vegans and vegetarians, all indicated on the menu.

For a limited time, everything on the menu is 25% off, including wine and cocktails, and there is also a cocktail hour menu that is quite the bargain. I wish I could tell you about the dessert menu, but the portions are so large that I’ve never had room to fit in another bite, even after taking half my meal home with me.

THE SIDE DISH •OPEN WIDE AND SAY YUM• GREEK VILLAGE TAVERNA will debut this summer next to the Gateway Theatre, replacing the old Mod Wine Lounge. Delray’s popular TIN ROOF is opening a Fort Lauderdale location. The Nashville-based, music venue and barfood chain is set to open this fall inside the recently shuttered Township bar.

Watch for LASSO GAUCHO BRAZILIAN STEAKHOUSE opening in the former

Seafood Risotto with a Lobster Tail. Image via rossinibarandgrill.com Texas de Brazil space later this summer.

Sounding more like a play from Ronnie Larson, watch for LICKIE STICKIE BBQ to open soon in Sunrise. Pitmaster Juliette Johnson has had a popular Southern Caribbean food stand at farmers’ markets the area. Her brick-and-mortar dining room will offer barbecue fixings and sides daily.

to stand-alone operations. Wenwen Li’s FLAMING GRILL & MODERN BUFFET in Pompano Beach serves all-you-can-eat sushi and hibachi dishes for lunch and dinner. MINATO JAPANESE BUFFET, Qi Feng Dong’s ssushi-, sashimi-, and seafood-focused spot, takes over the former Pembroke Pines Golden Corral on Pines Blvd.

•PIZZA PALOOZA•

•SO LONG, FAREWELL•

Three new pizza restaurants are opening in Fort Lauderdale within a few weeks of each other. Watch for FLAGLER PIZZA & PASTA, in the Victoria Park Shoppes; MISTER 01 EXTRAORDINARY PIZZA in Flagler Village; and PATIO BAR & PIZZA, in Progresso. Flagler Pizza is headed up

by Pablo Crespo and Juliano Viersa, both formerly with Casa D’Angelo. Mister 01 will be the eighth South Florida location. Patio Bar & Pizza will use the walled courtyard in the nearly 100-year-old Progresso Plaza.

It’s from Brian Parenteau, of DrYnk and Tulio’s Tacos. You can expect Patio to open in August.

We’re not surprised at the closing of AMERICAN ICON BREWERY KITCHEN & TAPROOM. We’re more surprised that it was able to survive so long. The food and service never lived up to the décor, featuring breathtaking murals of rock legends Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix.

The flagship brewery in Vero Beach remains open. TIPICO CAFÉ closed its Gateway Shopping Center space after more than 20 years, citing the dramatically rising rents. FAT VILLAGE, which longed to be our version of Wynwood, is dead and gone. The last places on 2nd Avenue NW are shuttering as the entire area faces the wrecking ball. FAT Village founder and coowner Doug McCraw, who said he wanted to build a home for artists, held out for years. But, in the end, he couldn’t resist the dollar signs and sold out. The land will now be home to mixed retail and residential mid-rise properties.

•NOT SO GOLDEN• Bargain buffet chain Golden Corral lost a lot of business during COVID and never really recovered. However, a couple of its former locations will serve as home

HUNGRY FOR MORE? 

VISIT SFGN.COM/FOOD!

Rick Karlin is SFGN’s food editor.

Visit SFGN.com/Food to read his previous reviews. Have a culinary tip to share? Email Rick at RickKarlinFL@gmail.com.

FILM REVIEW: ‘MRS. HARRIS GOES TO PARIS’ - J’ADORE DIOR Visit SFGN.com to find out more.

LIFESTYLE READING WITH PRIDE

‘A MARVELLOUS LIGHT’ Aurora Dominguez

I

f you’re a huge fantasy fan who likes reading books about magic and queer love, then “A Marvellous Light” by Freya Marske is worth checking out.

WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR MOST RECENT NOVEL?

Two inspirations collided in a dark alley!

I’d been playing for a while with the idea of combining the classic fantasy trilogy with the structure of a historical romance series, where each book contributes to an overarching plot but also features a standalone romance story.

I’m impatient. I don’t want to string a romance out for three entire books; I want to get my teeth into the sex and feelings right away and not leave my readers panting on the edge — er, as it were — in the long wait between book releases.

And as soon as I had the idea to write about a good-natured jock being accidentally assigned to a magical bureaucracy, while having no idea that magic exists, the first book in the series began to take shape.

WHAT DOES “READING WITH PRIDE” MEAN TO YOU? I spent the first half of my life reading almost exclusively about cis, straight people. Now it’s time for me to read about people like me; and also about people whose experiences, genders and sexualities are nothing like mine. It means yelling in capslock about exciting new voices. It means throwing my money at queer books and authors so that the publishing industry, famously risk-averse, is prepared to keep taking risks on us. It means seeking out books about queer trauma, queer joy, queer love, queer community, queer anger and queer triumph. They’re all out there. They’re all important.

WHY DO YOU FEEL REPRESENTATION OF A VARIETY OF PEOPLE IS SO IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO WRITING BOOKS AND CHARACTERS? The more experiences and identities are represented in fiction, the greater the likelihood that any given person might stumble across an aspect of themselves, reflected in a sudden and overwhelming sliver of light, and feel seen. Fiction can give us back to ourselves.

And fiction can also settle down in our minds and expand them, working sneakily on our capacity to understand and empathize with other people. To show us the true breadth of what people can be and how they experience the world; to give voice to everyone, especially those whose voices have historically been overwritten, underrepresented, or silenced.

Freya Marske.

Photos via freyamarske.com

WHICH CHARACTER DID YOU RELATE TO THE MOST AND WHY?

There are bits and pieces of me in several of the characters, but I most relate to two of them: the librarian-magician Edwin Courcey, who frequently wishes the world would go away and let him curl up with a good book, and the extremely practical Miss Morrissey, who can’t stand to see a thing done badly and is always itching to slap your hands away and do it herself.

WHAT CAN FANS EXPECT FROM YOUR BOOK?

Murder, conspiracies, curses and deadly peril.

That agonizingly sexy thing where someone’s sleeves are rolled up their forearms. A satisfying jock/nerd romance. Magical parlor-games. A homicidal hedge maze. Unresolved sexual tension in a library. Sexual tension being resolved, at great length (though not — thankfully — in a library).

WHAT’S UP NEXT FOR YOU IN THE BOOKISH WORLD? Mostly, I’m busy at work on the next two books in the Last Binding series! The second one’s at the revision stage, and I keep coming up with ideas for scenes in the third one that make me wriggle with anticipatory glee. I’ve also got a bubbling-away side project of some queer contemporary romance novels, which I’m very excited about.

7. 28 . 20 22 •

19

A&E NEWS

DEPRESSION DOESN'T LOOK THE SAME ON EVERYONE

RICKY MARTIN’S NEPHEW DROPS WILD ACCUSATIONS AGAINST SINGER SFGN Staff

A

restraining order against Ricky Martin was dropped last week after his nephew withdrew a court case against the “Livin’ La Vida Loca” singer. Martin’s nephew accused him of abuse as well as having a romantic relationship.

The details of the complaint were unclear according to Telemundo.

“Just as we had anticipated, the temporary protection order was not extended by the Court. The accuser confirmed to the court that his decision to dismiss the matter was his alone, without any outside influence or pressure, and the accuser confirmed he was satisfied with his legal representation in the matter,” reads a statement from Martin’s attorneys to People Magazine. “This was never anything more than a troubled individual making false allegations with absolutely nothing to substantiate them.”

After the lawsuit was dropped Martin addressed the allegations in a video.

“Thank God [these] claims were proven

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(954) 764-5150 | SunServe.org/MH

Ricky Martin. Photo by US Embassy Santiago, Chile, via Flickr.

to be false. It has been so painful. It has been devastating for me, for my family, for my friends. I don’t wish this upon anybody,” Martin said in the video. “To the person that was claiming this nonsense, I wish him the best. And I wish he finds the help so he can start a new life filled with love and truth and joy and he doesn’t hurt anybody else. Now, my priority is to heal. And how do I heal? With music. I cannot wait to be back on stage. I cannot wait to be back in front of the cameras, and entertain, which is what I do best.”

In 2010 Martin publicly came out as gay.

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SURVIVING PULSE THE AFTERMATH OF THE LGBT MASSACRE IN ORLANDO David-Elijah Nahmod

Photo via Surviving Pulse- Life after a Mass Shooting /Facebook.

I

t’s the deadliest violent attack against LGBT people in American history.

Most of the victims were Latinx. It happened on July 12, 2016, at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando. Forty-nine people were shot dead, with an additional 53 wounded. Some of the dead were as young as their early-mid-20s.

In “Surviving Pulse: Life After a Mass Shooting,” a new documentary produced

by Nancy McBride and directed by Alexa Sheehan, some of the survivors share their stories.

“Pulse was a safe place to be” is the film’s chillingly ironic opening line. There are many equally chilling moments in the film.

“Please tell the cops to come,” a terrified male voice says in a whisper during a 911 call. “Please, they’re going to kill us.”

Sheehan and McBride offer no commentary during the film’s 73-minute running time. No commentary is needed as the horrific memories of the survivors speak for themselves.

Keinon, a young Black man recalls the injuries he received: His pelvis, kidney, abdomen and small intestine all took bullets.

“I’m grateful I’m still here,” Keinon says.

He also addresses how insensitive some people can be.

The film includes a lengthy interview with Shawnna, Keinon’s sister. She recalls the terrifying aftermath of the shooting, when she didn’t know if her brother was

alive or dead. Finally, she’s given the worst possible news: she’s told that her brother didn’t make it. As she approaches a gurney upon which Keinon lies under a sheet, she refuses to accept what she has just heard.

She lifts the sheet and holds her brother’s hand. He squeezes her hand and she realizes that he’s still alive. She yells at the doctors, who rush him into surgery.

Ramses, a young man from Honduras, speaks of the hate he was subjected to. After the shooting the Honduras media took a photo of Ramses and published it, naming him and identifying him as a survivor of the massacre. People in his country send him messages like “You should have died.

You disgrace our country.”

Another 911 call is heard. “My son is shot in the club and he’s still in the bathroom where he’s bleeding ... nobody’s going for him,” says a male voice, fighting tears.

“Surviving Pulse” is a difficult film to sit through, and yet it’s essential viewing.

Pulse remains one of the worst tragedies to hit the LGBT community, and it’s important that it not be forgotten. The victims had done nothing wrong. They went out to have a good time and faced an unimaginable horror. This film gives the survivors a voice.

“Surviving Pulse: Life After a Mass Shooting” is now making the rounds at various film festivals. A distribution deal for a general release will soon be announced.

Read more at https://pulsedocumentary.com.

7. 28 . 20 22 •

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