SFGN 01/06/22 V13iss1 by South Florida Gay News

LOCAL NAME GLOBAL COVERAGE JANUARY 6, 2022 VOL. 13 // ISSUE 1

WHO IS AMY? TRANS WOMAN MAKES HISTORY ON ‘JEOPARDY!’

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NEWS HIGHLIGHT

MS SOCIETY’S GALA SETS NEW DIVERSITY MARK John Hayden

ne of South Florida’s most prestigious, high-profile luncheons is returning. And its return marks a new level of recognition and appreciation for the LGBT community. The National MS Society’s 39th Annual Together for a Cure: MS Gala Luncheon is set for Friday, Jan. 21, at the West Boca Country Club. Every year, the event gives out the MS Hope Award, recognizing people who raise money and awareness about MS. This year, for the first time in the history of the award, a gay couple is being honored. Paul Polachek and his partner, Doug Bonds, have worked with the MS Society for years. Polachek was diagnosed with Primary Progressive MS in 2010, creating physical obstacles and health challenges neither would have ever imagined until it became their reality. “This award is showing people that it doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from, we [can all get] MS, and we’re in this together,” Bonds said. “One of the things that’s different this year is that Paul and I are the first LGBT couple to receive the award.” They are both 2022 MS Hope Honorees, in recognition of their years of service to the MS Society. Bonds is co-chair of the Ft. Lauderdale Community Council, has served on the Fort Lauderdale/Aventura Walk MS Committee for 12 years, and is an MS Activist. They have a walk team and are members of the Society’s Golden Circle. Bonds said that Polachek is doing well and his condition has stabilized, despite having the progressive form of the disease.

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January 6, 2022 • Volume 13 • Issue 1

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Honorees Paul Polachek and his partner, Doug Bonds. Photo via Doug Bonds, Facebook.

“He’s excited about the honor of this award.” For years, The MS Society has been there for Bonds, Polachek, and thousands like them. They help them navigate special needs, healthcare issues, and more. “We want to get the word out that Paul and I are doing so well because we could depend upon the National MS Society to help us get things we needed. They stepped up to the plate and because of that relationship, we had no issues.” The annual luncheon usually has about 1,000 attendees, but last year was held virtually. This year will be in-person and virtual. Bonds said the event is needed more than ever.

“The importance of [this is] Paul and I trying to raise money. The MS Society had a $50 million shortfall from COVID.” Beyond the financial impacts, the effects of COVID are still being felt by MS patients. Robin Nunley is president of South and Mid Florida’s National MS Society chapters, and said many patients can’t fight COVID and MS at the same time. “We continue to deal with the ramifications of this pandemic. People with MS take disease-modifying therapies that render the vaccines ineffective. Many who are on these therapies show no antibodies for COVID-19 and they are still uncomfortable in large crowds and in person.”

For more information on the 39th Annual Together for a Cure: MS Gala Luncheon and the MS Society’s work, visit their website at NationalMSSociety.org.

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NLGJA Journalist of the Year SOUTH FLORIDA GAY NEWS.COM, INC. — — FOUNDED, DECEMBER, 2009 BY PIER GUIDUGLI AND NORM KENT 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.

1. 6 . 20 22 •

LGBTQIA BITES

BY KENNEDY MCKINNEY

IT’S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT THE G Lesbian

LESBIAN POP STAR ARRESTED AMID GROWING CRACKDOWN AGAINST CHINA’S CRITICS Lesbian pop band star and famous prodemocracy activist Denise Ho was one of seven people arrested by national security police in Hong Kong. All seven people arrested were linked to the pro-democracy news website Stand News and were accused of conspiracy to publish seditious material, a colonial-era crime punishable by two years in jail and a fine of up to 5,000 Hong Kong dollars ($640). Ho previously served as a board member for Stand News according to Go Magazine. CNN reported that police searched the star’s home and took her phones, computers, identification cards, and passport. Shortly after the series of arrests, Stand News announced its immediate

• 1. 6. 2022

shutdown, deletion of all social media pages and firing of all employees. Under Chinese pressure, Hong Kong passed a 2020 National Security Law that China claimed would help silence violent civil protests. Fellow human rights activists said the law is just a way to arrest and silence any of China’s critics. Ho and the other people arrested have since been released. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the arrests, demanding the arrestees’ release and calling on China to stop “targeting” members of the free press, Politico reported.

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

Transgender

TRANS CLIMBER COMPLETES 5 OF 7 SUMMITS

Erin Parisi, a transgender climber, recently completed the 5th of 7 summits. Parisi just returned from the bottom of the world, but has already set her sights on her next challenge, which is to conquer the highest summits of each of the seven continents. “I have been trying to train and get to the tops of the highest mountain on every continent: Seven Peaks, seven summits, seven continents,” she said. “I just finished Antarctica, which is an extraordinarily difficult climb as far as logistics, as far as dealing with the weather and the environment, a mountain that’s only been climbed 2,000 times before.” Parisi plans to return later this year to the tallest spot in North America: Mount Denali, 20,310 feet above sea level. Not

the highest of the seven summits but considered by many experienced climbers to be the hardest. Parisi is active in promoting transgender rights, and the flag she carries on every expedition incorporates the trans pride flag designed by Monica Helms. “We really take pride in putting the pink, blue and white up there,” she said. “I climb these summits just to kind of remind myself and remind the world that you can be yourself and you can enjoy the things you enjoy. You don’t have to make a Mountainfilm.org. choice.”

LGBTQIA BITES

Bisexual

TED CRUZ’S DAUGHTER COMES OUT AS BISEXUAL

In a recent TikTok that went viral, Caroline Cruz, daughter of Republican Senator Ted Cruz, discussed the pros and cons of being a senator’s daughter while also revealing that she is bisexual. Her followers asked if she told her dad about her sexuality yet to which she responded, “I haven’t told him yet, I’m kind of nervous, to be honest, but I don’t think he would be mad about it.” Caroline continued by saying that a lot of people misjudge her and assume that she holds the same views as her father. “A lot of people judge me based upon him at first glance, but I really disagree with most of his views,” said Caroline. Since the video was released, Caroline’s account has been turned to private and Twitter users have been speculating that Ted and his team are behind the censorship. “@tedcruz IF you were a better parent your 13 yo daughter‘s TikTok account would’ve been private from the start …

Caroline Cruz. Photo via TikTok.

nice deflection from baaaaad parenting @ tedcruz,” said one Twitter user. Caroline’s supporter base is growing as people on social media are rallying behind the teenager and supporting her coming out journey.

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NEWS NATIONAL

BY GILLIAN MANNING

THE COUNTRY ACROSS

UTAH

BILLIONAIRE LEAVES LDS CHURCH, DONATES TO LGBT GROUP

Jeff Green, reportedly the richest person from Utah, announced his exit from the Church of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormon church. He wrote a letter that was critical of the church and made a $600,000 donation to Equality Utah, an LGBT advocacy group. Green became an inactive member of the church a decade ago, but in December he requested to be officially removed. According to NBC News, about half of the donation will create a scholarship fund for LGBT Utah students. This can also include students at Brigham Young University who “may need or want to leave.” The university is sponsored by the church and is Green’s alma mater. “We made this investment sizable and publicly to send a message that Equality Utah isn’t going anywhere,” Green wrote

Jeff Green. Photo courtesy of Giving Pledge.

in his letter to the church’s president, and added that he hopes his donation is the first of many. Green also wrote that he believes the church has “hindered global progress in women’s rights, civil rights and racial equality, and LGBTQ+ rights.” Green, the church president, and the university have not responded to NBC’s requests for comment.

GEORGIA

• 1. 6. 2022

NEW HAMPSHIRE

CONGRESSMAN ANNOUNCES ENGAGEMENT TO HIS BOYFRIEND

Democratic Congressman Chris Pappas from New Hampshire announced his engagement to his boyfriend on Twitter. “We said yes!” Pappas wrote. “Vann and I are thrilled to share the news of our engagement and look forward to a lifetime of happiness and togetherness.” Pappas had made history in 2018 when he was the first gay person with a federal office position in New Hampshire, the Advocate reported. The couple garnered attention during the 2020 re-election campaign when Pappas’ Republican opponent, Matt Mowers, called him out during a live debate. Mowers said the Pappas’ boyfriend, Vann Bentley, was an Amazon lobbyist until November 2019 and it was unclear if the two were dating during that time. However, Pappas said he spoke to the House Ethics Committee,

Congressman Chris Pappas. Photo via Facebook.

which told him he did not need to officially register the relationship. Pappas said that Mowers’ callout was “gutter politics,” and the Victory fund, an LGBT political organization, called it a homophobic dog-whistle. As election season approaches, Pappas has announced that he is running for a third term. Mowers is one of the six currently announced Republican nominees.

INDIANA

MOVEMENT FORMS TO BAN LGBT BOOKS FROM PUBLIC, SCHOOL LIBRARIES

School districts and communities across the country have pushed to ban LGBT and “sexually explicit” books from public and school libraries. Now, leaders in Georgia are joining the movement. The Georgia General Assembly, which convenes in January, has shown support for the drive to ban books, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. House Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones said, “children should be shielded from ageinappropriate materials” and that she is writing legislation to accomplish this goal. Former State Schools Superintendent John Barge called out transgender topics when he announced that he would be running for his old position in November. He said that schools are not the place for “talking to children about, you know, they can be whatever gender they want to be.”

COVERING LGBT NEWS SWEEPING THE NATION

Photo via Pixabay.

James, a transgender middle school student in Forsyth County, said that people are transgender no matter what books they read. He also argued that banning books on these subjects would lead to more bullying and bigotry. The Trevor Project reported that suicide attempts in transgender and gender nonconforming students were lower for those in schools that were “affirming.”

GAY-STRAIGHT ALLIANCE CLUB GRANTED EQUAL RIGHTS AFTER LAWSUIT

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Indiana filed a lawsuit in September on behalf of Pendleton Heights High School’s gay-straight alliance (GSA) student organization. U.S. District Court Judge James Sweeney has issued an order requiring that the school give the club the same rights as its other student-led groups. “The student led Gay Straight Alliance group at Pendleton Heights High School must be treated in the same manner that all other student groups are treated,” the ACLU wrote in a statement. Students claim that though they have been allowed to create the group, the school hasn’t let them advertise its existence on school bulletin-boards, the school radio, or anywhere on the property, which other organizations on the campus

Pendleton Heights High School. Photo via Facebook.

are allowed to do, the IndyStar reported. The order requires that Pendleton allow the GSA to advertise, raise funds, and be listed in its handbook while litigation is still ongoing. In a news release, the ACLU said that the school’s unequal treatment of the GSA “severely hindered its purpose as a place of shelter, support, and education, not just for LGBTQ students, but for all Pendleton Heights High School students.”

NEWS INTERNATIONAL

BY EVERITT ROSEN

THE WORLD AROUND

EXPLORING LGBT NEWS EVENTS ACROSS THE GLOBE

ASIA

EUROPE

TRANS FOOTBALLER OPENS UP ON JAPAN’S LGBT RIGHTS

GERMANY BIBLE MUSEUM PRESENTS JESUS AS TRANS

Kumi Yokoyama, a trans footballer, has accused Japan of “lagging behind the rest of the globe” in terms of LGBT concerns and rights. According to PinkNews, Yokoyama came out as a trans man in public, making him the most high-profile athlete in Japan to do so. President Joe Biden hailed Yokoyama and Las Vegas Raiders player Carl Nassib for their “courage” when they were made public. He was not shocked, however, that then-Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga did not make a comparable declaration, he added. Yokoyama claimed it was “natural” for Suga “to remain silent,” and that Japan is “lagging behind the rest of the world” in terms of LGBT rights.

Kumi Yokoyama. Photo via Twitter.

“I think that a lot of Japanese people became more aware of LGBTQ issues because of what Biden tweeted,” Yokoyama explained. “It did make me feel like Japan is lagging behind the rest of the world … but I’m happy to see Japanese society make progress, however that happens.”

A Bible museum in Germany featured an exhibit stating that LGBT themes may be found in biblical studies, as well as a play depicting Jesus Christ as a trans woman. According to Fox News, the exhibit, “G*tt w/m/d,” encourages visitors to “take a look at the diversity of gender identities from biblical and modern times and find a divine answer that fits all questions: You are good as you are.” The Bibelhaus also sponsored the play “The Gospel According to Jesus, Queen of Heaven,” written by English transgender playwright Jo Clifford. “I had been brought up as a Christian and taught that when you’re unsure of what to do, you should try to think, ‘What would Jesus do?’ I thought, ‘Well, what would Jesus do if Jesus came back to

The promotional image for the exhibit. Image via Bibelhaus.

earth now and was me, a trans woman? What would she do and what would she say?’ That was the origin of the play,” Clifford said.

AFRICA

OCEANIA

LGBT COMMUNITY MOURNS DESMOND TUTU

GAYWAVES INDUCTED INTO SOUNDS OF AUSTRALIA

The late Archbishop Desmond Tutu was known for his opposition to apartheid, but his fight against injustice also included a staunch support for LGBT rights. LGBT people are both grateful and saddened by the death of the man who gave them a voice. According to RFI, Tutu considered his support for LGBT rights as part of a lifetime battle against prejudice. “I oppose such injustice with the same passion that I opposed apartheid,” Tutu said in 2013 at the launch of a UN campaign against LGBT discrimination. He concluded with his most famous comment on inclusion: “I would not worship a God who is homophobic [...] I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say, ‘Sorry, I would much rather go to the other place.’”

Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Public domain.

Gaywaves, Sydney’s first gay and lesbian radio station, has been admitted into the NFSA Sounds of Australia for the year 2021. The groundbreaking LGBT radio program was among 10 sound recordings added to the collection, which also featured the National Apology to the Stolen Generations and the most popular Australian song of the decade. According to the Star Observer, Gaywaves began broadcasting in November 1979, while homosexuality was still illegal in Australia, and ended in 2005. The half-hour pre-recorded show, created by an independent gay and lesbian collective, was the first broadcast on Wednesday nights as a half-hour prerecorded program.

Photo via the Australian Government.

“For a show like Gaywaves to be acknowledged in Australian history is a great example of social change. Before all this, gays and lesbians were largely invisible, but now we are living more openly, and our history is being celebrated,” said Greg Reading, one of the volunteers heavily involved in the production of Gaywaves.

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NEWS NATIONAL

TRANS WOMAN BECOMES HIGHEST-EARNING WOMAN IN ‘JEOPARDY!’ HISTORY Kim Swan

my Schneider, a transgender woman, has won “Jeopardy!” 25 times in a row, making her the highest-earning woman in the show’s history.

Schneider’s winnings reached $918,000, “It’s a strange thing to think that I have according to the Miami Herald. made history as the first trans person to “I’ve been watching the show since I qualify for the Jeopardy! Tournament of was a kid,” Schneider said, LGBTQ Nation Champions,” she wrote in an editorial in reported. “I’ve watched all the people on this Newsweek. “It was inspirational for me to list [of top winners], and to see my name up see transgender contestants on the show with them is a very good feeling.” before I became a contestant and I hope that Larissa Kelly, the previous record holder, I am now doing that same thing for all the praised Schneider’s victory. other trans ‘Jeopardy!’ fans out there.” “Well, it was fun to hold a ‘Jeopardy’ record Schneider has worn a pin of the for a few years ... but transgender flag for a it’s been even more fun number of episodes. to watch @Jeopardamy However, for potential set new standards for copyright reasons, she excellence, on the show had to cover up a tattoo and off,” Kelly tweeted. that honors her trans “Congratulations to Amy identity, Newsweek on becoming the woman reported. with the highest overall “My tattoo is indeed earnings in the show’s of Ozma of Oz. For those history!” who don’t know, L. Nick Adams, the Frank Baum wrote many director of Transgender sequels to ‘The Wizard Representation for of Oz,’ and in all of GLAAD, said in a them the ruler of Oz was statement that Schneider’s Princess Ozma. She had success is also a victory for been the rightful heir, the trans community. but was kidnapped as a “Amy Schneider’s baby by a sorceress, who incredible run on enchanted her to become ‘Jeopardy!’ allows families a boy,” Schneider wrote - Amy Schneider all over the country in a tweet. WINNER ON JEOPARDY! to get to know her as “Eventually, the someone who is great enchantment is lifted, at word puzzles, has and she is revealed in-depth knowledge on a range of topics, to be the beautiful princess she always and who also happens to be a transgender was. So it seemed like the perfect image to woman,” Adams said, according to LGBTQ commemorate my transition!” Nation. “Amy is using her history-making However, during her winning streak, appearances and a new platform to raise Schneider’s house was robbed Jan. 3. awareness of transgender issues and share a She posted on Twitter that she’s doing bit of her personal story too. We can’t wait to “fine” after losing personal belongings. see how long her run lasts.” “Hi all! So, first off: I’m fine,” Schneider Schneider started receiving recognition tweeted. “But I got robbed yesterday, lost when she became the new champion during my ID, credit cards, and phone. I then Trans Awareness Week in November. couldn’t really sleep last night, and have

“IT’S A STRANGE THING TO THINK THAT I HAVE MADE HISTORY AS THE FIRST TRANS PERSON TO QUALIFY FOR THE JEOPARDY! TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS.”

• 1. 6.2022

Amy Schneider on “Jeopardy!” Photo credit: Jeopardy Productions, Inc.

been dragging myself around all day trying to replace everything.” The robbery isn’t the only thing Schneider has to worry about. The champion has been addressing transphobic comments on Twitter, arguing that she wasn’t assigned female at birth and therefore doesn’t deserve the recognition she’s earned.

“I’d like to thank all the people who have taken the time, during this busy holiday season, to reach out and explain to me that, actually, I’m a man. “Every single one of you is the first person ever to make that very clever point, which had never once before crossed my mind,” Schneider tweeted.

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1. 6 . 20 22 •

CONVICTIONS

Guest Column

RIGHT-WING CHRISTIANS ARE THE UNSPOKEN FORCE BEHIND JAN. 6 INSURRECTION Wayne Besen

ntil we admit that Jan. 6 was primarily a Christian conservative coup attempt, we will never move forward as a country. People are rightfully careful not to blame all right-wing Christians for the treachery that occurred at the U.S. Capitol. That would be unfair to the millions of evangelicals who do support freedom and democracy. Nonetheless, it would be terribly misguided to not admit that most of the leaders of the insurrection were evangelicals (orright wing Catholics) who have come to believe that democracy is no longer useful in advancing what they consider “the Kingdom of God.” Think about it. Most of the outspoken coup leaders are conservative Christians: Sens.Ted CruzandJosh Hawley, Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene,Jim Jordan,Mo Brooks,Andy Biggs,Matt Gaetzand too many others to name. Rep. Andrew Clyde made headlines by claiming that that those who ransacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 were there on a “normal tourist visit.” Clyde believes that Separation of Church and State, “doesn’t exist in the Constitution. Our current system of government is based on the Judeo-Christian ethic and is wholly insufficient to be based on anything else.” When former President Donald Trump wanted to use the police and military to cow Black Lives Matter demonstrators, he had peaceful protesters forcibly removed from Lafayette Square in Washington to pose in front of a church holding a Bible. On the week leading up to the Jan. 6 anniversary, Trumpshamefully endorsedHungarian strongman Viktor Orban, who brags that his illiberal form of government isa “Christian democracy.”Writer Shaun Walker observed that Orban’s messaging “comes in increasingly Christian packaging, both at home and abroad.” The American right’s love affair with Orban inspired FOX News host Tucker Carlson, a leading purveyor of The Big Lie, totravel to Hungaryto interview (aka worship) the authoritarian leader. Why are these right-wing Christians so angry with America that they are willing to destroy it? Well, evangelical leaders see that70% of Americansnow support same-sex marriage. They know that59% of Americansare in favor of abortion in all or most cases. Sixty-percentof people believe that marijuana should be legalized for recreational use.Seventy-two percentof Americans are in favor of euthanasia for terminally ill patients. Conservative evangelicals understand that the United States has become a center-left country on social issues. They stand by helplessly, fully realizing that the ballot box is no longer their friend. They loved voting as long as they were winning. Now that they are losing, they no longer have faith in the American people, and the contemporary American Dream has become their worst nightmare. Their contorted minds wonder, “How can we trust majority rule, when the Godless majority believes in promoting sin?” If democracy is no longer useful, they reason, perhaps it should be replaced by a religiously oriented Putin-like dictatorship? There is one hitch: The only ways to achieve this aim is by forcibly

• 1. 6.2022

overthrowing the government or changing democracy’s rules to stage a bloodless coup. This is the twisted attitude that horrifyingly manifested itself on Jan. 6. Indeed, the foot soldiers who stormed the U.S. capitol were awash in conservativeChristian symbols, revealing the underlying motivation for undoing democracy. I’ve been covering right wing conferences since at least 1993. They were always notable for their exaggerated nationalism, which included fiercely defending American institutions. The attitude back then was, “if you don’t love America, leave it.” These shindigs also included buckets of American exceptionalism, with attendees believing that “America is the greatest country in the world.” If someone pointed out that the country was lagging in certain social indicators, such as healthcare, infrastructure or happiness, they considered such naysayers disloyal or even communists. The tenor of these confabs dramatically changed after Barak Obama was elected. It’s easy to forget thatthe Religious Right’s original issuewas not homosexuality or abortion, but fervently opposing the federal government when it tried to take away taxexempt status from southern segregation academies. From Day 1, the modern Religious Right wasbased on hardcore racism. Not much has changed. With a Black man sitting in the Oval Office, the Religious Right became paranoid, despondent and bitter. Suddenly, they went from cheerleading America, to “fearleading,” offering foreboding visions of our country’s pending doom. They no longer recognized a demographically changing United States, so they set about causing chaos, confusion and division in an unholy effort to unravel the nation. The Religious Right’s new attitude was personified by Rev. Rick Joyner, of Morningstar Ministries, who declared at the 2010 Awakening conference in Lynchburg, VA,which I attended, “Our country has fallen to one of the lowest states of depravity that the Bible says a nation could.” Why not destroy a nation if one sees it as hopelessly depraved and beyond redemption? Joyner is a big supporter of “The Oak Initiative,” which wants fundamentalists to control the “seven areas of dominant influence,” which are listed as: Government, business, media, arts and entertainment, education, family services, and the church. In the ensuing years since this conference, this is exactly what the Religious Right has quietly done. We are now witnessing a not-so-quiet actualization of their patient plan coming to fruition. Coup supporter Rep. Mo Brooks offered a similar worldview in 2017 when he said, “Great countries go wayward when they lose their moral compass, [which] guides you to do the right thing rather than the wrong thing with the power that your country has been blessed with.” Political essayist Rebecca Solnitneatly summed upthe religious-based attitudes of those peddling the Big Lie: “The

Credit: Blink O’fanaye, via Flickr.

world is moving on; those who’d rather it stand still are eager to push narratives depicting these shifts as degeneration and white Christian heterosexual America as profoundly imperiled.” Another prevalent evangelical teaching that fed into the Jan. 6 insurrection is that conservative Christians don’t have to follow laws they don’t agree with. This corrosive attitude was typified at the Awakening conference in 2010 when Rev. Lou Engle declared, “We are not Republicans or Democrats, but subjects of a higher king.” Given this warped view, if Democrats are falsely portrayed asbaby eating pedophiles, why wouldn’t good Christians have the authority to overthrow a government led by such evil-doers? A final viewpoint embraced by many right-wing Christians that led to the coup attempt, is that raw power can be used to prevail over the will of the people. At the 2010 Lynchburg conference, Pastor Joyner said, “One hundred people can impact a city of one-million. Let’s concentrate on those twelve who are true force multipliers.” This is exactly what occurred on Jan. 6. Platoons of “force multipliers” entered the Capitol and tried to overthrow our government. It almost worked. Unless we get real and acknowledge the religious roots of the insurrection, our democracy doesn’t stand a prayer. Wayne Besen is an American LGBT rights advocate. He is a former investigative journalist for WABI-TV, a former spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign, and the founder of Truth Wins Out. Besen’s coming out experience led to his founding of the organization Truth Wins Out.

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Jesse’s Journal

CONVICTIONS

THE TOMMY KIRK STORY Jesse Monteagudo

n September 28, 2021, Tommy Kirk died at his home in Las Vegas. He was 79. With all that has been written about the Walt Disney Corporation’s domestic partner policy, its production of queer films, “gay days” at Disney World, Elton John’s music for The Lion King, etc. it is surprising that little has been written about Kirk, who after all was Disney’s leading young male star of the late ‘50s and early ‘60s. Many gay boys, myself included, grew up watching young Tommy mourn the death of his dog in Old Yeller (1957), turn into a dog himself in The Shaggy Dog (1959), tame the savage wilderness with his brothers in The Swiss Family Robinson (1960) and reluctantly kiss Annette Funicello in The Misadventures of Merlin Jones (1964). We loved Kirk in the movies and we loved him on television, where he played one of The Hardy Boys opposite Tim Considine. Growing up on Disney movies and television, I wanted to be like Tommy Kirk. And, in an unexpected sort of a way, my wish was granted. When I grew up and found other interests, I lost track of Tommy Kirk and would not have thought of him again if my passion for old movies did not lead me to Filmfax, the magazine for unusual movies and television. Issue #38 of Filmfax (Apr.-May 1993) featured, along with the usual fluff about flying saucers and giant lizards, the article “Sex, Lies and Disney Tape: Walt’s Fallen Star;” Kevin Minton’s in-depth interview with Mr. Kirk. The Kirk who emerges in this interview is an older and wiser man; one willing to deal with the contradictions in his

“I KNEW I WAS GAY, BUT I HAD NO OUTLET FOR MY FEELINGS.” - Tommy Kirk

• 1. 6.2022

life and their effect on his career. (All of the Kirk quotes in this story were taken from Minton’s excellent article.) In its films and TV shows, comic books and theme parks, Walt Disney Studios created an ideal world for a generation of Baby Boomers who were growing up in the American Fifties. Walt Disney himself groomed Kirk to be the ideal “All-American Boy;” the epitome of wholesome masculinity. Unfortunately, “Tommy Kirk was a square peg being shoved into a round mouse hole;” a peg who had to be ejected before he damaged the works. Kirk was gay, a fact about himself that he later became open about: “I’m not ashamed of being gay, never have been and never will be. For that I have no apologies,” he told Minton. Born in 1941, the 13-year-old Kirk was discovered in 1954 while performing at a Will Rogers Jr. Pasadena Playhouse production of Eugene O’Neill’s “Ah, Wilderness.” The boy’s clean-cut good looks won him the attention of Uncle Walt, who signed Kirk to a long-term contract. Kirk’s years at Disney, where he starred in a series of wholesome, family comedies and dramas, were the high point of his show business career. “I want to be remembered for the [Disney] work, like Swiss Family Robinson and Old Yeller. Swiss is probably my favorite film,” he said. But Kirk knew that his homosexuality would jeopardize his movie career, clash with his All-American Boy image and anger the homophobic Disney and Kirk’s own “strict Baptist parents.” As a result, he said he considered his teenage years as being “desperately unhappy.” “I knew I was gay, but I had no outlet for my feelings. It was very hard to meet people and, at that time, there was no place to go to socialize. It wasn’t until the early ‘60s that I began to hear of places where gays congregated. The lifestyle was not recognized, and I was very, very lonely.” The idea of a lonely Tommy Kirk boggles the mind, and it was not long before our hero met others who shared his proclivities. “I had some brief, very passionate encounters and as a teenager I had some affairs, but they were always stolen, backalley kind of things. They were desperate and miserable,” he told Minton.

Tommy Kirk. Photo via IMDb.

Eventually, young Kirk came to terms with his sexual orientation: “When I was about 17 or 18 years old, I finally admitted to myself that I wasn’t going to change. I didn’t know what the consequences would be, but I had the definite feeling that it was going to wreck my Disney career and maybe my whole acting career. It was all going to come to an end. Eventually, I became involved with somebody and I was fired.” The story goes that Disney personally fired Kirk after Kirk’s “backstreet affair” with a younger actor became the talk of the studio. “Disney was a family film studio and I was supposed to be their young, leading man. After they found out I was involved with someone, that was the end of Disney.” The year was 1964, and Kirk’s career was effectively over. Now only 23, Kirk became “box office poison.” “After I was fired from Disney, I did some of the worst movies ever made and I got involved with a manager who said it didn’t matter what you did as long as you kept working.” Kirk’s post-Disney performances ranged from cute and campy fluff like Pajama

Party (1964) to unmitigated disasters like the godawful Mars Needs Women (1968) (Kirk played a Martian in both movies). To make things worse, Kirk got mixed up with drugs, a habit that ruined him financially and almost killed him. “I wound up completely broke. I had no self-discipline and I almost died of a drug overdose a couple of times. It’s a miracle that I’m still around,” he said. Fortunately, like William Haines before him, Tommy Kirk discovered that there was life after the movies. “Finally, I said, to hell with the whole thing, to hell with show business. I’m gonna make a new life for myself, and I got off drugs, completely kicked all that stuff. ... I went out and started my own little carpet and upholstery cleaning business. I’ve done it for 20 years and I live well. ... I have a nice business, a nice pension and friends.” Though his film-making days were behind him, Kirk managed to appear in a reunion show produced by the now-gay-friendly Disney Corporation. We hope that Tommy Kirk’s recent demise will lead to a new interest in his classic Disney movies.

Jesse Monteagudo is a freelance writer and journalist. He has been an active member of South Florida's LGBT community for more than four decades and has served in various community organizations.

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GAZETTE VOLUME 9 • ISSUE 1 JANUARY 6, 2022

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WILTON MANORS

TWO CHILDREN KILLED IN WILTON MANORS IN

HIT AND RUN ACCIDENT By Christiana Lilly

Broward Sheriff’s Office has arrested the driver who drove through a crowd of six children in Wilton Manors, killing two of them. Sean Charles Greer, 27, was booked into the BSO Main Jail Dec. 28. Police were able to find him thanks to evidence left behind at the scene and “information available,” according to police. Greer’s car was found in Wilton Manors with damage consistent with the hit-and-run accident, including a missing bumper that was left behind at the scene. Greer was by Violence Intervention Proactive Enforcement Response (VIPER) and confessed to the hit-and-run. He faces two counts of leaving the scene of an accident involving death, two counts of leaving the scene of an accident involving serious bodily injury, two counts of leaving the scene of an accident involving injuries, tampering with evidence, four counts of driving without a license causing death and/ or serious bodily injuries and driving with a suspended license. BSO says he is also on probation for burglary of a dwelling in Broward County.

BSO also announced the names of the children who died and were injured: Andrea Fleming, 6, and Kylie Jones, 5, were killed. Draya Fleming, 9, Johnathan Carter, 10, Laziyah Stokes, 9, and Audre Fleming, 2, are being treated for injuries. “Condolences are with their families,” the city said of the children involved. In a press release, BSO shared that the driver was traveling south on Powerline Road at the same time a Broward County Transit bus was attempting to merge back into traffic after dropping off a passenger. Greer passed the bus, almost hitting the driver’s side, drove in front of the bus, then drove onto the sidewalk and struck the six children. In a letter from Chief Gary Blocker posted to social media, police wrote that bystanders at the accident “sprang into action” to help the children until first responders arrived at the scene. “Our Island City is heartbroken, and our police department stands with you as we support these families in this time of need … We are Island City Strong!” he wrote. Through Twitter, Fort Lauderdale Battalion Chief Steven Gollan said in a video that grief counselors are available to help the families as well as the first responders who were impacted by the “horrific event.”

Police were able to find Greer thanks to evidence left behind at the scene and “information available,” according to police.

Steven Gollan, Battalion Chief with the Fort Lauderdale Fire Dept., updates the community on the night following the hit-and-run. Photo via the Wilton Manors Police Department, Facebook.

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WILTON MANORS

OPINION

Happy New Year 2022

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look to develop a marketing and branding strategy, and engage the community in order to enhance economic development along major commercial corridors. Residents and business owners are encouraged to attend and have their voices heard on the future growth of our city. All work and no play, leaves us a bit dull, so take time on Friday night, Jan. 14, to enjoy “Movies on the Drive” outdoors at Hagen Park. Then on Friday, Jan. 21, head over to Mickel Park for the free concert event beginning at 7:30 p.m. Enjoy a night of music lounging in the field under the night sky. Check out Leisure Services website at www.wiltonmanors.com/427/ LIVE-Mickel for additional information. A word of caution while out and about the next few weeks, COVID is back with a vengeance. Many have become infected and area hospitals are near capacity once again. The long lines around COVID testing sites tell

a tale of many fellow residents feeling they may have been exposed, fearful for family members and loved ones, concerned for their own health, or in need of a negative test result to be able to travel or return back to work. Frustration and uncertainty are part of our daily routine once again. Get vaccinated, wear your mask and keep your distance from those around you, especially indoors. Who knows where this New Year will take us during the next 12 months. Let us hope we move beyond the current challenges of this global pandemic to become better people. Take time this month to let the teachings and the love of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr reach within and guide us to making a better world, a better county, a better community, and a better place called Wilton Manors. “An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” Coming together, to understand one another, to communicate with one another and to help one another is what Dr. King’s legacy asks of us. By doing so, together as one community, we will make life just better here…

www.WMGAZETTE.com • 1. 6.2022

January 6, 2022 • Volume 9 • Issue 1

Publisher • Norm Kent norm.kent@sfgn.com Associate Publisher / Executive Editor • Jason Parsley jason.parsley@sfgn.com

Let us hope we move beyond the current challenges of this global pandemic to become better people.

GAZETTE Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943

By Sal Torre The New Year is off to a roaring start with a busy January here in our Island City. Special primary elections for Florida House District 94 are underway. This district takes in a large part of Wilton Manors and early voting is going on now through Jan. 9, with the day of the special election on Jan. 11. Registered voters can vote at any early voting site, one is located right here in the Island City at the Women’s Club Building, 600 NE 21st Court, next to the volleyball courts at Hagen Park. Come the day of the election, one will need to vote at their designated voting location. Elijah Manley has received the endorsement from the Sun Sentinel, but don’t rule out the other two leading candidates Daryl Campbell and Josephus Eggelletion, both with very strong credentials and support. Seek out information on all the candidates, make an informed decision — and make sure to vote! Following on the heels of this Special Election will be the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday weekend. Monday, Jan. 17 is also a National Day of Service. The MLK Day of Service is a way to honor Dr. King’s life and teachings by engaging in community action. Volunteering to work together to improve our neighborhoods helps build stronger communities. Here in the Island City, our neighborhood associations have joined this effort and will conduct neighborhood clean-up events in each area of our city. On the Eastside, Three Bridges Neighborhood Association will be conducting a park clean-up at Colohatchee Park and Boat Ramp. In Central, the Central Area Neighborhood Association (CANA) will be conducting a clean-up of Rachel Richardson Park as well as along the eastside of Andrews Avenue. On the Westside, the Westside Association of Wilton Manors (WAWM) will be conducting park clean-ups at Snook Creek Boat Ramp, Donn Eisele Park and the front of Mickel Park along Powerline Road. Reach out to your area association if you would like to volunteer on this special day. Right after the holiday weekend, on Jan. 18, the “Wilton Next” kick-off meeting takes place at the Hagen Park Community Center beginning at 7 p.m. This special meeting is hosted by our city’s Economic Development Division and will

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

WILTON MANORS

There’s A Lot Happening in Your Neighborhood The City of Wilton Manors is small but as a community we are large and very active! From nonprofits to social and sports-related groups, there are plenty of ways to get connected to your community. One great way to meet your neighbors is by getting involved in your local neighborhood association. There is something happening in every neighborhood (East, Central and West) within the next few weeks. Our city has four neighborhood associations: the Westside Association of Wilton Manors (WAWM), the Central Area Neighborhood Association (CANA), Wilton Manors Eastside Neighborhood Association (ENA) and the Three Bridges Neighborhood Association. Neighborhood association meetings often begin with a “social hour” (albeit, usually it’s in 20-30 minutes) that is a great time to meet your neighbors, and then roll into an agenda that typically includes updates on community issues as well as feedback gathering from residents. Three Bridges, like ENA, is focused on the east side of Wilton Manors. While it is the newest neighborhood association, it has about 100 members already and they are hosting dynamic meetings and events. They are leading a Colohatchee Park & Boat Ramp Cleanup as part of the MLK National Day of Service on Monday, Jan. 17 from 9-11 a.m. Volunteers will split into teams to clean up either the Park or the Boat Ramp area. Their next meeting is being held on Wednesday, Jan. 26 at 6:30 p.m. at the Hagen Park Community Center. At the January meeting, residents will have an opportunity to socialize with one another before hearing from both City leadership and Broward County on plans for flood mitigation and roadway improvements on NE 15th Ave and NE 26th St. You can learn about Three Bridges via their website at 3bridgesassociation.com. The Central Area Neighborhood Association (CANA) is holding its next meeting on Jan. 12, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Hagen Park Community Center. Their meeting also begins with an opportunity to socialize with neighbors, so it’s wise to be on time. On the agenda for their Jan. 12 meeting is hearing from the developers of a new proposed 178-unit complex on Andrews Avenue. This project is the first large scale project since the city adopted new zoning regulations allowing for increased heights and density and, therefore, now is the time to lend your support or raise your concerns. CANA

Photo via the City of Wilton Manors, Facebook.

is also planning a volunteer effort on MLK’s National Day of Service; interested volunteers should email bill@billdesautels.com for details. CANA’s website is www.canawm.org. The West Side Association of Wilton Manors (WAWM) next meeting is Wednesday, Feb. 9 at 6:30 p.m. The main topic for this meeting is the west side traffic study. Like Three Bridges and CANA, they will have a 20-30-minute social period followed by the formal agenda. For details about WAWM, visit wawm.org. Eastside Neighborhood Association (ENA) next meeting is on Jan. 27 at 7 p.m. at the Woman’s Club. This meeting will be their annual election of officers. ENA did not announce a social hour as part of their meeting announcement in the Town Crier. I hope to see you at one of the upcoming neighborhood associations meetings. I enjoy meeting residents at these meetings and listening to their ideas for our great city. If you can’t attend your neighborhood association meeting, but would like to share feedback with me, you can always email ccaputo@ wiltonmanors.com or text 954.557.2801.

www.WMGAZETTE.com 20

• 1. 6.2022

— Chris Caputo

WILTON MANORS CITY COMMISSIONER

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1. 6 . 20 22 •

CONVICTIONS

Trans Talk

SEX EDUCATION NEEDS TO BE BETTER Atticus Ranck

ex can be many things. Sex can be beautiful and amazing and make you feel really connected to someone you love. Sex can also be traumatizing and hurtful and horrible. People have sex for a lot of different reasons. Sometimes people have sex to experiment, or to show someone how much they love them, or because they were bored, or horny, or hungry, or needed a place to sleep, or to feel loved. People can have sex with people they love or someone they just met. They can have sex with one person at a time or many people. Some people have sex using toys or role play or bondage or completely clothed or wearing leather or nothing at all. Some people have sex with the lights on and some want it completely dark. Some people have sex every day, while others go years without sex, or maybe never have sex. Some people masturbate on a regular MOST OF WHAT basis and others don’t. Some people WE’VE READ ABOUT crave sex and experience sexual urges, while others may not. OR SEEN OR WERE Some people feel really good when TAUGHT ABOUT they have sex, while others might experience shame. SEX, IF WE WERE Some people received comprehensive Photo credit: The Gender Spectrum Collection by Broadly, VICE. AT ALL, IS ABOUT sex education, but most of us don’t. Most of what we’ve read about or seen HETEROSEXUAL SEX or were taught about sex, if we were at with it. Nobody answered my questions two trans people have sex together, something magical BETWEEN CISGENDER like, How does it to feel to be naked with happens. It doesn’t even matter exactly what happens all, is about heterosexual sex between cisgender people. What if you don’t fit someone for the first time? Why didn’t during sex. We are two people who are doing what feels PEOPLE. WHAT IF that mold? anybody tell me how weird our bodies are? good and loving each other’s bodies just the way they are. YOU DON’T FIT Growing up, I was very much a late Why do our bodies make so much noise There is absolutely no expectation that someone should bloomer when it came to even learning during sex? Am I a bad person for having be doing something specific during sex or not doing THAT MOLD? how babies were made. There was very sex or even for craving it? Will I still be a something because of our bodies. There are no rules. My little sex education, and the education good person after having sex? Can I get wife and I came up with our sex together. I did receive in school was about body parts and an STI from kissing? How do I tell a partner how I like I’d like to see more comprehensive sex education being menstruation. I didn’t learn anything about the actual to be touched? How do I figure out what I like during taught that answers all the questions I had. Sex education experience of sex. The rest of my sexual education sex? How do I ask for consent? What do I do if I had an should also encompass everyone who isn’t cisgender and was learned in church, which boiled down to, “Don’t experience I didn’t like or didn’t want? How do I know heterosexual. It took me a long time to get to where I am have sex until you’re married. After you’re married, if I’m normal? now and there were a lot of mistakes along the way, and I which is of course between two consenting cisgender After more than a decade of figuring it out as I went don’t want other people to go through what I did. If I had heterosexual adults, then sex is great and a gift from along, I married another trans person. Together, our been more properly educated, I may have hurt myself and God. But before that, it’s horrible, and you’ll burn in sex is amazing. Nobody told us how to do it, but when other people a lot less along the way. hell. Also, don’t masturbate.” What I never actually learned was the answer to my question, “What is sex?” After I did have sex for the first Atticus Ranck (he/him/his pronouns) works in the Education and Training Program of the AIDS Institute for the New time, I had a lot of feelings, and I realize now looking York State Department of Health. Atticus identifies as a trans man and he is married to a trans woman. Together, back that nobody taught me anything about the act they are raising two puppies and a cat and happily live in rural upstate NY. Previously, he was the Director of of sex itself, and much less about the feelings that go Transgender Services at SunServe in Wilton Manors.

• 1. 6.2022

FEATURE PETS

A WAITING FORNCE SECOND CHA

GEORGIA

Hello! My name is Georgia (ID 648887) and I am a 3-year-old girl hoping to find my forever home. I have been patiently waiting to find my perfect family since the beginning of November. I am gentle, sweet, and a little timid at first, but after I warm up, all I want to do is be with you. I am good with adults and strangers, and I like to get treats and attention from them too. I consider myself to be a great listener and would love to hear about your day all day long. Do I seem like a good fit for you? The wonderful people at J.R. Dunn Jewelers have generously sponsored my adoption fee. Now I just need the perfect home to come pick me.

Appointments are not necessary to visit the Humane Society of Broward County, however, please complete the preadoption application on the website www.humanebroward.com prior to stopping by if you would like to meet a pet. The shelter is located at 2070 Griffin Road, a block west of I95 and opens daily at 11 AM. If you have questions call 954-989-3977 ext. 6. Can’t adopt, but want to help? The Humane Society has wish lists on Amazon and Chewy. ALL STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, AND CUSTOMERS SHOULD WEAR A MASK TO ENTER THE SHELTER.

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LIFESTYLE TWO GUYS AND A DOG

WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET Brian McNaught

ou have perhaps heard the story about the two inmates who looked through their barred windows. One looked down and saw mud. The other looked up and saw stars. People often say, “It is what it is.” The message is simply to accept what is. But what is “what is?” If the two inmates exchanged that truism, they’d assume they were accepting the same reality, but they wouldn’t be. When we surrender to the moment, we’re surrendering to our interpretation of the moment. A priest friend of Ray and mine spent many years in prison for a crime he insisted never happened. When I’d write to him, and upon our visits, I’d say that “it is what we make it. It is what we decide to see, feel, taste, touch, hear, and think.” He could grumble his days away, or see around him the possibility of having a positive influence on the lives of the other inmates in protective custody. He could continue to minister as priest. My mind often wants me to get stuck in the mud, but I choose as often as I can to get lost in the stars. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t horrors we AGING CAN HAVE are all forced to acknowledge. We can’t hear THE BENEFIT about a driver running down children on the Photo via PxHere, edited by Brendon Lies. sidewalk and speeding away without us feeling OF LETTING GO great sadness, and anger. But where our mind OF THE THINGS goes next is what’s important. Do we feed and share the anger, wanting someone to pay, or do retirement money to dear friends who can’t achieve nothing, and they eliminate my ability to be present to THAT WEIGH US we embrace the children and their families in our pay us back. For the remainder of our lives, the magic of each moment, including the magic of kind, caring DOWN SO THAT hearts? Do we curse or bless? We can do both, we’ll live on Social Security, which is not how strangers. The AAA driver knew from dispatch how frustrated but where does most of our energy go? we imagined growing old. It is what it is, but I was that it was taking so long, but for him the delays were WE CAN ASCEND We had new tires put on our old, red Mercedes the mud of “shoulda, woulda, coulda,” what his work life was like. He did his best. AND LOOK DOWN beyond convertible by Layton’s garage. Not long after, there are the bright stars of living for a while Yesterday, I did most of the dinner preparation in the as I headed out with Lincoln on our way to the in our dream house on a lake, of experiencing morning, including oven roasting carrots and thinly sliced ON OURSELVES Pampered Pooch for a wash and cut, I could life in a forever wild environment, of making potatoes. Knowing that Lincoln can easily put his front paws on IN WHATEVER IS tell something wasn’t right, especially when I friends whom we will love the rest of our the kitchen counter, I covered the vegetables with parchment HAPPENING. spotted Ray in the rear-view mirror waving his lives, of teaching our young grandnephews paper, and put a set of tongs on top. When I got back from my arms. The back left tire was flat because at some and -nieces how to water ski, of learning errands, Lincoln greeted me excitedly, as always, at the door. point, one of us drove over a big screw. It is what forgiveness, and of understanding the When I entered the kitchen, and saw the empty roasting tray, I it is, but what is “it?” As soon as I got out of the car, a friend extraordinary power of living in the moment with gratitude. understood why the dog was now acting sheepishly. I’d love to pulled up behind us to ask if there was anything he could do. Focusing on the stars isn’t always easy, but it’s always easier. be able to tell you that my age and spiritual practice made me His kindness was part of the “it.” So was Lincoln’s patience, and Training your mind and heart to focus on the good takes look at the stars, but I initially saw mud. And then I decided to the sight of Ray filling the tire with foam from a can, and the a lot of practice, but I find it more possible as I age. There’s let go of my anger, to realize that it was my fault for not hiding understanding of the groomer. Before I knew it, I was on my something quite wonderful about being a senior. Aging can the food in the oven, and to start again by calmly preheating way, and only five minutes late. have the benefit of letting go of the things that weigh us the oven to 400 degrees, and peeling two more potatoes. I pet The wait for AAA to come change the tire took two and a down so that we can ascend and look down on ourselves in Lincoln, took him for a walk around the garden, stepped out of half hours. What you see is what you get. But, what did I see? whatever is happening. The experiences of my life since birth the mud, and saw stars. I saw two nice guys who admired the car, with knowledge and in deciding on what to focus my attention enabled me not to It is what it is, but it’s also what we make it. What we appreciation for the automatics that were far beyond mine. I go crazy about the two and a half hour wait with the AAA guy. see is what we get, but what we see can change so that we saw a juice bar in which everyone was very friendly, and I got No one would argue that I wouldn’t have a reason to be really consistently feel love and gratitude. The choice is always ours. an iced drink of leaves that was guaranteed to make me mellow. angry, frustrated, and resentful, but those feelings, when fed, And I saw the groomer who gladly held on to Lincoln until the AAA truck arrived. Although I was frustrated with the wait, despite the iced tea, the people at AAA couldn’t have been Brian McNaught has been a leading educator on LGBTQ issues globally since 1974. He has made his nicer. So, when I got home and Ray asked, “How was it?” I had many books and DVDs available for free at Brian-McNaught.com. The New York Times named him “The lots of options to describe the “it,” one of which was that I got Godfather of gay diversity training.” Brian has a weekly YouTube/FaceBook podcast called, “Are You high on the tea. Happy Without the Movie?” and McNaught's latest book, “On Being Gay and Gray: Our Stories, Gifts, You’ve heard the story of Ray and me loaning all of our and the Meaning of Our Lives” is available now on Amazon for $14.99.

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LIFESTYLE READING WITH PRIDE

‘LILLA THE ACCIDENTAL WITCH’ Aurora Dominguez

f you like LGBT books featuring magical powers, then “Lilla the Accidental Witch” by Eleanor Crewes is the book for you.

WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR MOST RECENT NOVEL? I was inspired to write “Lilla the Accidental Witch” after my own experiences of visiting my aunt in Italy as a child. After coming out as gay, and writing my memoir, I thought it would be exciting to reconsider the story from a time in my life that held great importance. My aunt always encouraged my interest in witches, magic and ghosts, so I thought it would be a lovely setting in which to tell the story of a child coming out. WHAT DOES “READING WITH PRIDE” MEAN TO YOU? Reading stories by authors who excite me with the way in which they construct, express and reimagine the queer experience. Recently I’ve been blown away by Carmen Maria Machado’s “In The Dream House,” and for younger readers I loved “The Magic Fish” by Trung Le Nguyen. WHY DO YOU FEEL REPRESENTATION OF A VARIETY OF PEOPLE IS SO IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO WRITING BOOKS AND CHARACTERS? It’s very easy to create characters from the model we’ve all come to recognize, and writing with the idea of representation in mind is only the beginning of a much more exciting path. We’ve always been taught that literature is a tool with which we can expand our minds and world views, and what better way to further that than to introduce characters that are less commonly developed. That’s why I was so excited to write a children’s book, as reading was always so important to me when I was growing up, and having access to the characters we’re starting to see today would have been even better. WHICH CHARACTER IN YOUR BOOK DID YOU RELATE TO THE MOST AND WHY? Whilst writing the book I believe I put a lot of

myself into all of the characters. Lilla looks the most like my childhood self, Gio carries the self-doubt and hesitation that I experienced as a teenager, and Ludo represents how I feel now as a more comfortable and assured queer adult. I put a lot of time into constructing Ludo. It was important for me to ensure that the reader could understand Lilla’s complete awe of her, as that was a feeling I experienced so much as a younger person. But I also wanted to be certain that Ludo stood out as a role model for Lilla, which is why I included simple snapshots of her relationship with her girlfriend Serena. I never wanted any shame to shroud the way in which Ludo lived, as I hoped that in the end, that would be more enticing to Lilla (and the reader) than the idea of living in the land of fae. WHAT CAN FANS EXPECT FROM YOUR BOOK? A hopeful story about witchcraft and coming out! WHAT’S UP NEXT FOR YOU IN THE BOOKISH WORLD? I’m currently developing a collection of ghost stories targeted at YA readers. I’m very inspired by the pioneers of the British ghost story like M.R. James and think Elizabeth Gaskell and am working to combine that with a graphic format. 1. 6 . 20 22 •

LIFESTYLE FOOD

RICK KARLIN’S ANNUAL

GOLDEN SPOON AWARDS SFGN food editor shares his favorite dining spots, and delectable dishes from 2021 Rick Karlin

o paraphrase Charles Dickens, “It was the best of dines, it was the worst of dines, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us ...” Twenty-Twenty was its own kind of special hell. Not only did we have to deal with the onset of a pandemic, but we had leaders in the government who refused to take appropriate measures until it was too late. We are still dealing with the consequences of their inaction. So many restaurants were shut down; consequently I did so few restaurant reviews, that I didn’t even announce Golden Spoon Awards for 2020. Then, as 2021 rolled around, things started to look up, and restaurants reopened to the public. A few new places even debuted and thanks to our wonderful tropical climate, we can continue outdoor dining throughout the winter. Business improved so much that a couple of new places opened in Wilton Manors and are not only surviving, they’re thriving, which leads me to the Golden Spoon Awards for outstanding dining experiences in 2021.

Golden Spoon Award:

OUTSTANDING NEW RESTAURANT WILTON MANORS (TIE) Opening during a pandemic is challenging enough, but then to excel as these two places have is an extraordinary feat.

TULIO’S TACOS & TEQUILA 2150 Wilton Dr., Wilton Manors 954-530-5523 TULIOSTACOS.COM

I prefer not to review a restaurant until it’s been open a few weeks, but there was great anticipation for Tulio’s, so I stopped in after it had been open about two weeks. In my review I said, “If Tulio’s operates this smoothly after only being open for a couple of weeks, I think that they’re ready for their close-up, Mr. DeMille.” Not only ready for their close-up, but quickly becoming a star on Wilton Drive. The taco selection is vast, and each and every one is a winner — and there are plenty of options for vegetarians as well as carnivores. Let’s not forget the other half of Tulio’s name; the cocktails are delish, varied and well prepared. Top that off with friendly and efficient service and you can see why it has become a must stop for everyone, natives and visitors alike.

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Crown photo via Adobe. All other photos courtesy of Facebook.

UNION KITCHEN & BAR 2309 N. Dixie 754-216-0143 UNIONKB.COM

Wilton Manors has plenty of casual dining spots. Now, with Union Kitchen & Bar it has a fine dining experience, albeit in a casual setting. As I said in my review, “Union … is a place where all aspects of the dining experience from service to food prep to atmosphere unify to create something remarkable ... The food on its own is terrific, but when combined with the excellent service and comfortable atmosphere it becomes more than dinner out, it becomes a dining event … there simply are no other restaurants in the vicinity that can match this level of service and quality of food.”

OUTSTANDING LANDMARK RESTAURANT– (TIE) Sometimes when awarding restaurants, it’s easy to focus on new places and overlook those that have been reliable mainstays. Wilton Manors is lucky to have two such places.

BONA ITALIAN 2468 Wilton Dr. 954-565-7222 BONAITALIAN.COM

I haven’t done a fullfledged review on Bona since Mark Byrd and Glen Weinzimer took over the neighborhood landmark (it’s been around since 1979) in December of 2016. They’ve continued to shape the place, keeping what everyone loves and adding their own touches (like the Aperitivo lounge). During the pandemic they started focusing more on take-out and delivery, but the dining room is hopping again. Kudos to the duo for their commitment to the community; check out their Monday night community events and support for Island City Stage.

ROSIE’S BAR & GRILL 2449 Wilton Dr. 954-563-0123 ROSIESBARANDGRILL.COM

A required stop for anyone visiting Wilton Manors, Rosie’s is an integral part of the town; it is, in fact, the quintessential Wilton Manors experience. The food is tasty, the drinks are strong, and the staff is pretty. They’ve been around since 2006 and they’ve got this thing down to a science. I think the restaurant’s website sums it up pretty well, “A tropical oasis in the middle of the Island City offering amazing food and refreshing drinks and sassy fun. Whether you come for lunch or dinner, for Sunday Funday Brunch or for just a few drinks ... whether you are LBGTQ+ or an ally ...whether you are local or visiting ... whether you come with a group or venture out solo ... you will have a memorable experience with the most talented crew in South Florida … Rosie’s is the place to see … and be seen!”

LIFESTYLE FOOD Golden Spoon Award:

OUTSTANDING UPGRADE

Golden Spoon Award:

OUTSTANDING LATIN RESTAURANT QUATES

PHAT BOY SUSHI

3701 N Andrews Ave., Oakland Park 954-635-2404 QUATESMEXICANRESTAURANT.COM

4100 N Federal, Ft Lauderdale 954-533-4218 PHATBOYSUSHI.COM Phat Boy Sushi was open for a few years a couple of blocks up the road, but moved to a new, more upscale location. A move like that can be dangerous; sometimes a place can overreach, but Phat Boy has been more than up to the challenge. In fact, it’s become one of my favorite spots. I love the expansive patio, and the servers are always friendly and eager to please. As I said in my review, “Phat Boy Sushi is a textbook example of how to do sushi the right way. The fish is fresh, minimally manipulated, and kept perfectly chilled. Sushi and sashimi average about $3-$5 a piece, simple rolls are in the $6 to $10 range, and rice-less rolls (for those avoiding carbs) are $9-$18. If you’re looking for something exotic, check out the Phat Boy rolls … If you’re not yet won over to the sushi side of life, you can enjoy a variety of rice dishes topped with everything from chicken curry or fried chicken cutlets, to eel, or the luxurious surf and turf that tops lobster fried rice with a grilled piece of ribeye. Bowls of ramen average $15-$16 and provide enough for a very hearty meal. Plain grilled foods are anything but. The salmon arrived perfectly cooked, glazed with teriyaki sauce over grilled asparagus for $12. Other options include miso-marinated sea bass and scallops wrapped in bacon.”

Quates means “friends,” and if our experience is typical, everyone is treated as a friend. As I said in my review, “There’s nothing fancy or pretentious here, a few tables outside and about a half-dozen booths inside, all lending even more of a feeling of a fast-food joint. And service is quick, no sooner had our butts touched the seat than we were asked if we knew what we wanted, or if we needed menus. I have a feeling that almost everyone who goes in there has a favorite dish. For me, there are so many from which to choose, that I will always want to try something else. “Chef Jose Oscar Villatoro has more than 20 years of experience, and brings his passion for food to create, not just a meal, but a Tex-Mex experience. And, as if on a mission to disprove that old saying, ‘You get what you pay for,’ you’ll be hard-pressed to find much on the menu priced more than $15. I paid less for my steak entrée than I have for an appetizer at some of the fancier Mexican restaurants in town and yet the quality of the food at Quates is outstanding.”

Golden Spoon Award:

OUTSTANDING ASIAN CUISINE Golden Spoon Award:

OUTSTANDING REIMAGINING EVEN KEEL FISH SHACK

112 Commercial, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea 954-530-6276 EVENKEELFISH.COM Phat Boy Sushi moved into the space formerly occupied by upscale seafood restaurant Even Keel, which in turn, went more casual in a new location in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. Casual, however, doesn’t mean lower quality. Even Keel’s menu reflects a modern take on coastal Floridian cuisine — with fish, shellfish, and a raw bar taking center stage, alongside reinterpretations of classic American comfort dishes. Crafted cocktails, boozy frozen drinks, and an expansive wine list encourage discovery through several interesting by-the-glass offerings, and an edited collection of bottled, tap, and local beers round out the selections. The real draw are the specials: Monday mussel madness with all you can’t eat spicy mussels for $19 and “Two Buck Tuesday” features chilled oysters, Miller, and “Cham-bongs” (sparkling wine in a champagne bong) for $2 each.

KRAKATOA INDONESIAN CUISINE 1910 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 754-221-0914 KRAKATOACUISINE.COM

I have to thank my friend, the late Herb Parker, for turning me on to this place. After one visit you’ll crave Indonesian food, and it will become your favorite Asian cuisine (albeit with a Dutch influence). Abdul Saleh, the genius in the kitchen, cooks his favorite dishes from growing up in Indonesia, while his husband John Anthony runs the front of the house. As I said in my review, “Krakatoa isn’t cheap; most of the entrées are in the $25-$30 range, but the food is of exceptional quality and the experience so charming that it is worth every penny.”

FLYING FORK AWARDS Of course, for every yin there is a yang. For every positive, a negative. For these I have created the Flying Fork Award. This year, it is more the disappointment that some places didn’t survive the pandemic; we said goodbye to Too-Jay’s on Federal, La Boulangerie, Sage, Nabu and Gyro Express on Oakland Park as well as the much-loved Lucky’s Supermarket (although we did get two new Aldis and a Sprouts). The only true Flying Fork goes to The Wharf, the wanna-be food truck hipster hang-out in Himmarshee Village. Never has there been a bigger waste of real estate.

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.

1. 6 . 20 22 •

A&E APPOINTMENTS

ARTSBEAT LATEST NEWS FROM SOUTH FLORIDA’S ARTS SCENE J.W. Arnold

MISS RICHFIELD 1981 IS BACK AND IT’S A PARTY Miss Richfield 1981 is returning to the Sunshine Cathedral, 1480 SW 9th Ave. in Fort Lauderdale, on Saturday, Jan. 15 at 8 p.m. with her new show, “40 Years on the Throne.” The timeless performer hardly seems old enough to be celebrating her 40th birthday, let alone four decades as Miss Richfield, and she’s celebrating. Her appearance is the first in the Outlandish performance series hosted by the LGBT-centric congregation and will be followed by Varla Jean Merman, Feb. 12; pianist Joana Gonzalez, Feb. 26; transgender actor and performer Laith Ashley, March 26; and Miss Coco Peru on April 9. Tickets start at $30 at SunshineCathedral.org.

Miss Richfield 1981 opens the Outlandish performance series at Sunshine Cathedral on Saturday, Jan. 15. Courtesy photo.

THE SHOW MUST GO ON

THE

ISLANDER A WILTON MANORS NEWSLETTER

THE NEWSLETTER YOU NEED NEED.

For tickets, theaters and showtimes, go to FathomEvents.com.

ISLAND CITY STAGE HOSTS COMMUNITY FORUM In advance of the world premiere of Andrew Kramer’s political thriller “Armature” later this month, Island City Stage is hosting the second Behind the Red Curtain free public forum, “Bias and Racism in Our Culture – How do we evolve?” on Tuesday, Jan. 11 at 6 p.m. at 2304 N. Dixie Hwy. in Wilton Manors. Racism, homophobia and self-hatred seethe through Kramer’s drama, and the theater is partnering with the Racial Equality Council of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce on the forum. The issues will be addressed by a panel of local civil rights and arts community experts, including Anthony Abbate, Racial Equality Council; Patricia Zeiler, History Fort Lauderdale; Walter Honaman, Legal Aid Service of Broward County; Dwayne Rayner, Partners in Racial Justice; and award-winning actress Karen Stephens.

WILTON MANORS NEWS... RIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

Guests may attend in person or virtually. Register at IslandCityStage.org.

From events to local announcements, fun facts and so much more, the Islander is everything you need to wake up ready for a beautiful day in the Island City.

COVID CASUALTIES UPDATE

visit sfgn.com/islanderwm to sign up! 28

The world mourned days ago when iconic actress Betty White passed away, just 17 days before her long-anticipated 100th birthday. Fathom Events, the media company that broadcasts special events and performances into movie theaters, had planned “Betty White: A Celebration” for Monday, Jan. 17, featuring clips from White’s long television career and interviews with co-stars and fans. This week, the company announced plans to go on with the show: “We will go forward with our plans … in hopes our film will provide a way for all who loved her to celebrate her life — and experience what made her such a national treasure.” She would have wanted it that way.

• 1. 6.2022

Actors’ Playhouse in Coral Gables announced this week that its production of “On Your Feet,” the hit Broadway musical about the lives and careers of local artists Gloria and Emilio Estefan, will be postponed to Feb. 9 – March 6. Current ticket holders affected by the date change will be issued new tickets for another performance. Tickets are still available at ActorsPlayhouse.org.

A&E THEATER

LOOKING BACK AT THE TOP ARTS EVENTS OF 2021 JW Arnold

ith the arrival of an effective COVID-19 vaccine earlier this year, both artists and audiences alike rejoiced as life slowly returned to shuttered stages and concert halls across the region. The emergence of the Delta and Omicron variants threatened to upend longanticipated plans, but failed to halt inspired theater productions, cabaret performances and concerts across all three South Florida counties. Now, before we close the book on 2021, here are SFGN’s picks for our favorite performances of the year.

Pushed to the boiling point, three female coworkers concoct a plan to get even with the sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot they call their boss. With Music and Lyrics by Dolly Parton

713 Lake Avenue, Lake Worth Beach

“SAUNA”

www.lakeworthplayhouse.org | 561.586.6410

RONNIE LARSEN PRESENTS, POW! Playwright and producer Ronnie Larsen took his sexy comedy “Sauna” to the next level by incorporating celebrity cameos during the second run in November and December. Each performance was special, thanks to appearances by Wilton Manors community and business leaders. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see SFGN Publisher Norm Kent on the Foundry stage, but perhaps someday.

“THE TWENTIETH CENTURY WAY” ISLAND CITY STAGE

The LGBT-centric theater in Wilton Manors celebrated its 10th anniversary season with a Carbonell-worthy revival of its first production, a fast-paced and thoughtprovoking “The Twentieth Century Way,” a drama about two real-life actors who helped police break up notorious rings of homosexuals living in Long Beach, California.

“MORE THAN TANGO: 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF PIAZZOLLA” SYMPHONY OF THE AMERICAS

After more than a year stuck in his native Spain due to the COVID travel ban, Symphony of the Americas’ new Artistic Director Pablo Mielgo finally arrived and the results, a glorious celebration of the 100th anniversary of tango composer Astor Piazzolla, were stunning. Mielgo shined and showcased a clearly reinvigorated orchestra.

“A WINTER SPECTACULAR” FEATURING MARILYN MAYE THE WICK THEATRE

South Florida audiences were treated to an unforgettable performance by cabaret legend Marilyn Maye, singing holiday favorites accompanied by a jazz quartet in the festively decorated Boca Raton theater. And, at 92 years old, the sparkling Maye is still showing no signs that she has any plans to slow down, let alone retire.

“The Twentieth Century Way.” Photo via Island City Stage, Facebook.

“PIAZZOLLA, MUSSORGSKY & BERLIOZ” SOUTH FLORIDA SYMPHONY

Over the years, the South Florida Symphony has performed in a wide range of venues from Boca Raton to Key West. This season, Maestra Sebrina María Alfonso and her orchestra entered an exciting new partnership with the newly renovated Parker in Fort Lauderdale and the orchestra simply sounded fantastic in their new home.

“THE PROM”

BROADWAY IN FORT LAUDERDALE Ryan Murphy’s film adaptation of the short-lived Broadway musical may have received mixed reviews, but the touring production that stopped at the Broward Center this December was clearly a hit with audiences. And it felt good to enjoy a high-energy, old-fashioned show together again in the Au Rene Theater.

“KINKY BOOTS” SLOW BURN THEATRE CO.

and

Slow Burn Artistic Director Patrick Fitzwater told SFGN “Kinky Boots” was the right show for this time and he couldn’t have been more spot on. Elijah Word puts his unique stamp on the iconic role created by Billy Porter on Broadway and the rest of the cast sing and dance with heartfelt energy. The best part: It’s not too late to catch this production at the Broward Center’s Amaturo Theater before it closes on Jan. 2.

1. 6 . 20 22 •

A&E TELEVISION

FAYWHAT?! BACK TO UNITE THE G & THE L John Hayden

FayWhat?! Photo via Facebook.

NICOLE HALLIWELL HOST

JOSHUA ATOM DJ

Join us in celebrating 12 years of illuminating the lives and loves of our LGBT community AWARD CEREMONY • COMPLIMENTARY HORS D’OEUVRES & BAR SOCIAL MEDIA

HOSTED BY GRIECO FORD OF FORT LAUDERDALE Grieco Ford Showroom of Fort Lauderdale 1333 N. Federal Hwy Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304

• 1. 6.2022

NEWSLETTER