SFGN 02/10/22 V13iss6

LOCAL NAME GLOBAL COVERAGE FEBRUARY 10, 2022 VOL. 13 // ISSUE 6

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NEWS HIGHLIGHT

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LATINOS SALUD GALA GOES OUTDOORS WITH MUSIC FOR THE SOUL

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February 10, 2022 • Volume 13 • Issue 6

2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943

Publisher • Norm Kent Norm.Kent@sfgn.com

Associate Publisher / Executive Editor • Jason Parsley Jason.Parsley@sfgn.com

Editorial

John McDonald

Art Director • Brendon Lies Artwork@sfgn.com Webmaster • Kimberly Swan Webmaster@sfgn.com Social Media Director • Christiana Lilly Arts/Entertainment Editor • J.W. Arnold JW@prdconline.com Food/Travel Editor • Rick Karlin Gazette News Editor • John McDonald HIV Editor • Sean McShee Community Editor • John Hayden Senior Photographer • J.R. Davis JRDavis12000@hotmail.com

S

oulful sounds await attendees at this year’s Latinos Salud Gala al Fresco.

Following COVID-19 guidelines in the wake of the Omicron variant, this year’s event is being held outdoors at its new Wilton Manors location (1401 NE 26th St.). Organized into two dates (Feb. 19 and 20) Gala al Fresco features a live performance by rising singing sensation Jimmie Herrod Jr. For Latinos Salud, the gala provides a fun approach to education and stewardship and comes at a time when the pandemic has strained resources at many nonprofit health agencies. Latinos Salud never stopped operating during the pandemic, said Dr. Stephen Fallon, co-founder and executive director, and continues to offer HIV and STI testing and screening, prevention tools such as access to PrEP and PEP and COVID vaccinations.

“All nonprofits depend on a mix of grants and community funding,” said Fallon. “Since we’ve started offering clinical services, community support is so important — now more than ever.”

Getting Herrod, 31, a vocalist for the Portland, Oregon-based group Pink Martini, is a big deal. Herrod recently appeared on the NBC television show, America’s Got Talent, wowing audiences with renditions of Pink’s “Glitter In The Air’’ and Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World” and earning the Golden Buzzer from actress Sofia Vergara for a smashing performance of “Tomorrow” from the musical Annie.

“We wanted to choose talent that through their performance conveys the same message as our services and that message is hope,” Fallon said.

Senior Feature Columnists

Brian McNaught • Jesse Monteagudo

Special to SFGN Steve Rothaus

Correspondents

Kendall Little • Everitt Rosen • Donald Cavanaugh Deon Jefferson • David-Elijah Nahmod Aurora Dominguez • Gillian Manning Denise Royal • Corey Rose • Kennedy McKinney

Contributing Columnists

Pier Angelo • Terri Schlichenmeyer Gregg Shapiro • Dana Rudolph • Ric Reily

Photo via Latinos Salud, Facebook.

Herrod said he is grateful to lend his voice to Latinos Salud’s mission.

“Latinos Salud represents both community and determination to me,” Herrod said. “Any time people come together for the benefit of others is an inspiring thing, and I’m always happy to share my gifts with such a company.

Without organizations like Latinos Salud, many people with sensitive and important needs would go overlooked and unseen.”

Joining Herrod as part of the gala’s entertainment is the California retro-funk band Soul Scratch. The six-piece band sent a video postcard, recorded live, for gala guests. Passed hors d’oeuvres and an open bar are included in admission and guests are encouraged to wear masks when not actively eating or drinking. NBC6 meteorologist Stephen MacLaughlin returns as gala host.

Ticket prices are $150 for regular admission and $200 for VIP through Friday, Feb. 11. Then they increase to “door rush” levels of $175/$225 until the event. VIP ticket holders get a meet and greet photo opportunity with Herrod. Saturday evening’s cocktail party is from 7 to 10 p.m. and Sunday’s brunch gala celebration is from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at www.LatinosSalud.org/Gala.

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• 2 .10.2022

WILTON MANORS PLAZA GETS LONG AWAITED WALKWAY Read SFGN.com to find out more. | Photo via Vice Mayor Paul Rolli, Facebook.

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SFGN COVER: From top left: Luis Alonso-Piovet, Pablo Reinaldo Romo-Figueroa, Adonis Diaz and Juan C. Lopez.

Photos via Miami-Dade corrections. Background photo via Adobe.

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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.

Copyright © 2022 South Florida Gay News.com, Inc.

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LGBTQIA BITES

BY KENNEDY MCKINNEY

IT’S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT THE G

B

Bisexual

‘THE VOICE’ STAR COMES OUT AS BISEXUAL Sawyer Fredericks, the winner of the “The Voice” season eight, shared a post regarding his sexuality this past week.

On Instagram, the singer posted a photo wearing a rainbow tie-dyed T-shirt with his hair down by his shoulders. The caption read, “Hey everyone it is time for my #Truthfultuesday. Since I have not publicly said this in a post, I wanted say that I am bisexual.”

He continued with, “When I was younger I thought I was straight, because I was more attracted to women, and I didn’t know there were more options besides gay and straight. So I just assumed I was straight.

I am privileged and have never been discriminated against for my sexuality or ashamed of it. I’m truly sorry for any of you who have been, and I hope it gets better. I’ll

Sawyer Fredericks. Photo via Facebook.

probably lose some fans over this post, but that’s fine with me.”

The post was immediately met with an outpouring of support from both fans and colleagues. In an interview with The Daily Gazette, Fredericks revealed he’s been living with his partner in upstate New York and shared that the two met at a rockclimbing gym about five years ago.

Offered:

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us

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&

OREGON DEMOCRAT VIES TO BECOME FIRST LESBIAN US GOVERNOR

Tina Kotek is continuing to break barriers in Oregon politics. After becoming the first out lesbian to lead a U.S. state’s House of Representatives, she now has her sights set on being elected the nation’s first openly lesbian governor.

Kotek is one of nine candidates running for the Democratic nomination in Oregon’s gubernatorial contest. She hopes a win like this will break down barriers for all LGBT Americans.

“Becoming the first openly lesbian governor in the country means that I am showing young queer kids around the country that they can do it, too,” Kotek, 55, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. “To me, being a role model means two things: that I will work to make life better for my community and all communities; and that

&

I will not stop until we don’t just have ‘the first’ — but the second, the third and the fourth as well.”

The Democratic candidate will be chosen in May, six months prior to the state election.

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• 2 .10.2022

A

LGBTQIA BITES

T

Transgender

ELLIOT PAGE TO PRODUCE ‘ARTFUL’ TRANS DOCUMENTARY

Elliot Page will serve as an executive producer for a soon-to-be-released transgender documentary, “Nel Mio Nome” meaning “Into My Name.”

The storyline will follow four friends as they come to terms with their gender identity and transition from female to male at different points in their lives.

“What stands out to me about ‘Nel Mio Nome’ is the way it so artfully and intentionally presents all the different pieces that make up a person’s identity,” said Page, who recently came out as transgender.

The film is directed by Nicolò Bassetti, an Italian director best known for his work on Magnificent Fortunes.

“My personal experience as a parent has allowed me, as a director, to find the necessary self-assurance to approach the protagonists of this story, to delve into their emotions, and establish an intimate relationship built on trust and complicity,”

Elliot Page with his dog Mo. Photo via Instagram.

he said in a statement. “I am truly grateful to Elliot for adding his lived perspective to help our film find its way in the world.”

The film is set to premiere this month at the Berlin International Film Festival as part of the Panorama section.

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5

NEWS NATIONAL

BY GILLIAN MANNING

THE COUNTRY ACROSS

PENNSYLVANIA

GAY STATE REPRESENTATIVE GETS MARRIED

State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta announced his marriage to Dr. Matthew Jordan-Miller during the first weekend of February.

“Forever sounds pretty good,” Kenyatta wrote on Twitter.

Jordan-Miller is the director of Justice and Belonging at the University of Pennsylvania’s design school.

The couple said that anyone who wanted to send gifts could instead make donations to the Trevor Project and the North Broad Renaissance.

The pair started off in a long-distance relationship. They met each other on social media in 2016 after Kenyatta saw that Jordan-Miller was highlighted as an LGBT leader to follow. He followed JordanMiller on Instagram, where the two would mutually engage with each other until they began their relationship.

State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta with Dr. Matthew Jordan-Miller.

Photo via Twitter.

Kenyatta proposed first in July 2020; Jordan-Miller then counter proposed in March 2021.

Kenyatta is currently running for a position in the U.S. Senate, the Advocate reports. He announced his campaign in February 2021, and if he wins, he’ll be the first gay U.S. Senator. Kenyatta has already made history as the first Black and gay elected official in Philidelphia. He was also the second gay official in the state’s legislature.

• 2 .10.2022

On Feb. 3, Gov. Kristi Noem signed a bill that bans trans girls and women from participating on female sports teams. This is the first bill of its kind to be signed in 2022, but the 10th overall.

“This bill has been an important priority for a lot of the people behind me,” Noem said at a press conference.

The bill applies to all state-accredited schools, public and private.

Previously, Noem signed executive orders that stated only those who are assigned female at birth can play on female sports teams. Noem argues that these rules protect women in sports.

Trans advocates say that that these bills are a solution to a non-existing problem, according to NBC, and that they have the right to the same opportunities as cis people.

South Dakota State Capitol. Photo credit: Jake DeGroot.

“All kids should be supported — by their families, their schools and their communities. South Dakota has turned its back on kids who are just trying to be kids,” said Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, the executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality.

MISSISSIPPI

MAN WHO ADVOCATED FOR REMOVAL OF LGBT BOOKS CHARGED WITH MOLESTATION

6

SOUTH DAKOTA

FIRST ANTI-TRANS ATHLETE BILL OF THE YEAR SIGNED INTO LAW

MISSOURI The nationwide conservative call to ban books relating to sexuality and gender has made headlines for months. One advocate of the movement was arrested for child molestation and furnishing pornographic material to a minor.

Ryan Utterback, 29, joined many other parents at a school board meeting and argued that LGBT memoirs such as “Fun House” and “All Boys Aren’t Blue” are not appropriate for kids. Utterback argued that books describing “sexual acts” should not be available to school-aged children, the Hill reports.

The library pulled two books but eventually returned them to the shelves after receiving heavy backlash.

Utterback has been accused of molesting a child under the age of 12 back in 2020 and allegedly began showing

COVERING LGBT NEWS SWEEPING THE NATION

Ryan Utterback at a school board meeting in October 2021.

Credit: NKC School District Board of Education.

pornographic material to a child when they were just 4 years old.

The author of “All Boys Aren’t Blue” spoke out on social media.

“A man who said ‘All Boys Aren’t Blue’ was pornographic and inappropriate for his kids at a school board meeting has been charged with sexually abusing kids and giving porn to a minor,” George Johnson wrote. “Our books TEACH and give resources to kids about predators like him.”

HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN CONDEMNS ANTI-TRANS BILL

The Mississippi House passed HB 1099, also known as the “Real You Act,” and it will be voted on by the Senate.

The Human Rights Campaign released a statement on Feb. 4 condemning the bill. The legislation would ban people who are incarcerated from petitioning the court to legally change their gender or their name while serving their sentence.

The way that the bill was originally introduced would have banned all trans youth in the state from changing their legal gender marker. The bill as it stands now, the HRC says, is still an attack on transgender individuals.

“By advancing the ‘Real You Act,’ representatives have again made Mississippi an innovator in antitransgender discrimination,” said Rob Hill, Mississippi State Director, Project

Photo via Adobe.

One America. “This legislation is being pushed by anti-equality forces in the state house and not addressing any actual problem.”

The bill follows the recommendations of a policy paper written in 2015 by the Family Research Council, an anti-LGBT hate-group. The paper recommends that legislatures bar trans individuals from obtaining legal identification that coincides with their gender identity.

NEWS INTERNATIONAL

BY EVERITT ROSEN

THE WORLD AROUND

EXPLORING LGBT NEWS EVENTS ACROSS THE GLOBE

MIDDLE EAST

EUROPE

IRAN EXECUTES GAY MEN

GAY COUPLE REFUSED HOUSE SHOWING IN LONDON

After spending six years on death row, Iran has executed two gay men convicted on sodomy charges, adding to a long list of LGBT people executed on the same charges.

Iran is often considered one of the most repressive places in the world for the LGBT community. These two men were sentenced to death for “forced sexual intercourse between two men” and were hanged.

Sodomy, rape, adultery, armed robbery, and murder are all crimes that can result in the death penalty in Iran.

Two more individuals were killed in the same allegations in Maragheh last July, according to AP News. In addition, Iran hanged 299 people last year, four of whom were convicted of crimes they committed as children.

Photo via Adobe.

Becoming a homeowner often has many hurdles to overcome, but a gay couple in south London has been refused a viewing and chance to buy a house simply based on their sexuality.

The owners of the property, Lachlan Mantell and Luke Whitehouse, were interested in sending them a message saying they were “unwilling” to allow them to view or buy it.

The homeowners justified their choice by stating that it was based on their religious convictions.

The couple has been together for eight years and planned on viewing a threebedroom house before being denied.

According to BBC News, the couple has stated they are not planning on taking legal action, and are excited to resume their home-hunting.

Lachlan Mantell and Luke Whitehouse. Photo via Twitter.

AFRICA

SOUTH AMERICA

TRANS WOMAN FIGHTS ANTI-LGBT BILL

VENEZUELAN MILITARY PUNISHES SERVING GAY MEN

While transitioning is not illegal in Ghana, it may soon become so if a new law is passed, which will tighten antiLGBT regulations, rendering same-sex relations illegal.

One trans woman in Ghana, Va-Bene Elikem Fiatsi, is taking a stand against the bill through her art and activism.

The photos, called “Rituals of Becoming,” were initially shown by Fiatsi in 2017. In Ghanaian galleries, enthusiastic audiences came to view the show.

Her art depicts how LGBT people in Ghana have worked around legal and societal barriers to carve out a place to express themselves.

Fiatsi is concerned that even that little window of opportunity may be narrowing with the proposed bill, which,

Va-Bene Elikem Fiatsi. Photo via Facebook.

if passed, would put her in jeopardy every time she puts on a dress.

“To say I’m afraid is an understatement, but I am what I am,” said Fiatsi to Reuters.

“It feels like waiting to be slaughtered.”

The Venezuelan military carries huge political weight in the country and boasts many concerns for human rights violations.

A draconian provision in their Military Code of Justice punishes consensual same-sex conduct between service members with up to three years in prison and dismissal.

The clause, which is included in the code’s “on cowardice and other crimes against military decorum” chapter, makes it illegal to engage in “sexual acts against nature.” Consensual heterosexual intercourse is not prohibited.

It’s unclear how many people have been convicted under this statute.

According to Human Rights Watch, at least one conviction occurred in 2013.

However, the law has far-reaching

Venezuelan armed forces.

Credit: Cancillería del Ecuador, via Wikipedia.

implications. Supervisors and others are using the threat of dismissal under the statute to harass homosexual and lesbian service members.

2 .10 . 20 22 •

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NEWS LOCAL

J.R.’s SNAPSHOTS

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.

8

• 2 .10.2022

WEEK Photos by J.R. Davis

Cindy Newton with her husband, Wilton Manors Mayor Scott Newton.

Integration Developer and Software Engineer Dave Bhujun with his friend John Dorry of The Cabanas.

Wilton Manors City Commissoner Chris Caputo with his boyfriend Leo Leonard, who works in sales.

Writer and filmmaker Bill Spring with his husband Jose Lima.

Both are co-founders of and partners in News Travels Fast PR.

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There’s an old saying, “Life is uncertain, eat dessert first.” If that’s true, we’ll all be lined up at Stork’s, chosen best dessert for the eighth year in a row. Whether it’s an elegant cake, a slice of pie, or a chewy cookie, you can’t go wrong at Stork’s.

Stork’s has been a staple in the community since opening in 1997. Like most businesses though, they faced challenges last year due to shutdowns and restrictions. But unlike some places, they were able to remain open, which allowed them to keep all of their staff employed.

“We offer so much more than a coffee shop, including homemade cakes, pies, pastries and cookies; soups, salads and sandwiches, full breakfast menu, breakfast sandwiches pastries; delicious prepared foods, and professional catering,” said Pasquale Rizzo, catering manager.

Their individual-sized tarts are especially popular. Check out the Fresh Fruit Tarts,

Photo via Facebook.

the award-winning Lemon White Chocolate Mousse Tarts, and their Red Velvet Oreo Cheesecake Tart.

“All this, and we’re open from early morning to midnight every day of the week,” he said.

One of their baristas took the top prize for Best Barista this year as well.

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NEWS MIAMI-DADE

JUDGE DISMISSES ‘STAND YOUR GROUND’ DEFENSE FROM ACCUSED MIAMI GAY BASHERS Case Can Go to Trial Jason Parsley

F

our men accused of attacking a gay couple in 2018 after Miami Beach Pride were in court this week for a hearing where their defense attorneys asked a judge to dismiss all charges against their clients claiming self-defense.

They were denied. festivities of Miami Beach Pride.

Judge Ariana Fajardo Orshan rejected the The trial was supposed to start Nov. 30, but Stand Your Ground defense on Nov. 18 defense attorneys motion filed by the accused threw a curveball when they attackers. told the judge they wanted a “I cannot find “[The victims] were just continuance in order to file a that any one of standing there being beaten Stand Your Ground motion. these defendants upon. And any one of these Under the Stand Your defendants, if they were in fear Ground law in Florida a person is immune for for their lives, one of the four who is attacked has no duty prosecution could have picked up the phone. to retreat, and the law allows One of the four could have been them to “stand their ground” so the motion calling for help,” Orshan said. and “meet force with force.” to dismiss is “No, they all engaged in this When a defendant files a stand denied.” behavior. I cannot find that your ground motion it allows any one of these defendants is the judge to dismiss the charges - Ariana Fajardo Orshan immune for prosecution so the without going to trial if they Judge motion to dismiss is denied.” find the actions were justified.

The date of the next hearing In this case the attack was is now set for early March. caught on video and according to the arrest The case is now almost four years old. The report, the video footage is consistent with alleged attack, which was caught on camera, what victims told police. took place April 8, 2018, after the closing The four defendants — Adonis Diaz, Juan

From top left: Luis Alonso-Piovet, Pablo Reinaldo Romo-Figueroa, Adonis Diaz and Juan C. Lopez.

Photos via Miami-Dade corrections.

Video Footage of the alleged attackers. Photo Via Miami Beach PD.

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• 2 .10.2022

Carlos Lopez, Luis Alonso-Piovet, and Pablo Reinaldo Romo-Figueroa — all in their early 20s, have pleaded not guilty.

Here’s a recap of what allegedly happened: the attack took place when Rene Chalarca and Dmitry Logunov, now 35, were leaving a public bathroom in Lummus Park in Miami Beach about 8 p.m. after the local pride festival had wrapped up.

“We were walking and holding hands and needed to use the bathroom,” Logunov told SFGN in 2018. So the two of them stopped at a public restroom as they headed home for the evening.

According to testimony, as the two victims were leaving the restroom and holding hands one of the defendants bumped shoulders with one of the victims. After that happened Chalarca and Logunov were allegedly called “fucking faggots” in Spanish, punched, and then beaten. At one point Logunov blacked out. The two victims were boyfriends at the time.

The attack was caught on camera, and the four defendants were charged with three counts of aggravated battery. A hate crime enhancement was later added to the charges.

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• 2 .10.2022

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2 .10 . 20 22 •

13

NEWS NATIONAL

GAY MAN BECOMES COMMISSIONER OF US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, FACES BIG CHALLENGES John McDonald

S

worn in to lead one of the largest law enforcement agencies in the United States, Chris Magnus also joined a small group of gay national security officials.

At a formal ceremony on Feb. 4 in County so we could make this move to D.C.,” Washington, D.C. with his husband looking on, Magnus said. “That’s not something I take Magnus took the oath of office to serve as the lightly. Terrance, I love you and I thank you so commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border much for being part of this journey with me.”

Protection.

The confirmation process was an arduous “This is the honor of a lifetime,” said one for Magnus, known as a progressive police Magnus, a career cop who takes over a chief in Richmond, California, and Tucson, troubled agency nestled front and center of Arizona, who was critical of the Trump the ongoing immigration debate. “I consider it administration’s approach to “sanctuary a special privilege to lead an agency with such cities.” U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat a dedicated workforce that has such a critical from Oregon, slowed the confirmation mission.” process to extract information Magnus, 61, becomes the of the Trump administration’s fifth commissioner in the tactics in Portland, Oregon, history of Customs and Border during the protests in the Protection, a full-service summer of 2020. global border entity created The Senate eventually in 2003. He was nominated confirmed Magnus by a 50 to in April 2021 by President 47 vote and he hit the ground Joe Biden and confirmed by running, describing his first the Senate in December. The six weeks on the job as a confirmation places Magnus “whirlwind.” in exclusive company.

“The whole drinking out of a “His confirmation is fire hose metaphor couldn’t be significant in two ways,” said more applicable,” Magnus said.

Lucas F. Schleusener, coSchleusener, a speechwriter founder and president of Out for former Department of in National Security, a hub Defense Secretaries Leon that empowers and connects Panetta, Chuck Hagel and Ash LGBTQIA+ national security Carter, said that fewer than professionals. “First, alongside 20 LGBT national security other LGBTQIA+ officials in officials have been confirmed this administration, is that by the Senate and there is a they are all highly qualified reason why that number is not - Lucas F. Schleusener professionals whose sexual higher.

CO-FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF orientation and gender “The fact that it’s this small OUT IN NATIONAL SECURITY identity were not and could is a result of the historical not be used to bar them from discrimination that the confirmation. Second, by serving at DHS, community has faced at large, and in particular Commissioner Magnus is blazing a trail that in national security and law enforcement, as a will make it easier for others to follow in his result of the Lavender Scare and an Eisenhower footsteps.”

Executive order that remained in place until In his swearing-in speech, Magnus said most 1998 barring openly gay people from receiving people do not realize the sacrifices made by clearances,” Schleusener said. families of those who serve in law enforcement.

Operating under the Department of “In my case, my husband Terrance gave up Homeland Security, CBP, with a workforce of his job as a highly regarded program director 64,000, is responsible for preventing terrorists, with the Arizona Supreme Court in Pima criminals, illicit goods and contraband from

“... BY SERVING AT DHS, COMMISSIONER MAGNUS IS BLAZING A TRAIL THAT WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS.”

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• 2 .10.2022

Chris Magnus speaks at his swearing in ceremony. Photo via @CBPChrisMagnus, Twitter.

entering the United States. The agency enforces more than 500 laws for 47 federal agencies, processing more than $2.8 trillion in international trade and collecting more than $93 billion in revenue.

Magnus credited U.S. Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona for encouraging him to pursue the job and quipped that the long drive from Tucson with two dogs in the car was “quite an adventure.” In his short time on the job, Magnus said it is evident CBP is an agency of innovators with a dynamic mix of experience, work styles, personalities and varying approaches to getting the job done.

“It is a great day for our department and country because we have a proven, distinguished leader taking command of this incredible organization,” said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

On average, CBP welcomes over 500,000 passengers and pedestrians, screens almost 90,000 cargo containers, arrests 400,000 individuals and seizes over two tons of illicit drugs. The agency is not without its critics, notably Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has sparred with the Biden administration over the treatment of migrant children and alleged secret flights.

Schleusener said Magnus faces tremendous challenges in his new role. With last fall’s shocking images of border agents on horseback using whips on Haitian migrants still fresh in many minds, Congress recently called for an investigation into CBP critical incident teams.

“Many believe that over the years DHS’s mission has warped and its core functions have suffered,” said Schleusener. “With Sec. Mayorkas and others, Commissioner Magnus must rebuild the agency, regain the confidence of the public, and better prepare the CBP for its mission.”

Magnus said he intends to tackle problems through collaboration, learning from the past and being willing to try new things with emphasis on accountability and transparency.

“There are no simple strategies to irregular migration and border security,” Magnus said.

“The trading environment and issues like forced labor are increasingly complex.”

Attitudes are also in need of reform, Magnus noted, and, much like the confirmation process, there are no illusions it will be a cakewalk.

“I am very aware we have moral issues to deal with,” Magnus said, also acknowledging, “Make no mistake, there is nothing easy at CBP.”

NEWS NATIONAL

Photo via Adobe.

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE ADVOCATE FOR FLORIDA NON-DISCRIMINATION LAW Kim Swan

W

ithout a non-discrimination law, “Our economy suffers when all employees, LGBT Floridians are vulnerable to customers, and visitors don’t feel safe and being denied healthcare, denied welcome in Florida,” said South Tampa credit and more. That’s why the Florida Chamber of Commerce CEO Kelly Flannery, Chambers are calling for the senators to take according to a press release. “Including LGBTQ action to protect LGBT people. people in our nation’s nondiscrimination The Chambers of Commerce and Economic protections would deliver real value to local, Development Corporations throughout state and national economies. A federal Florida released a letter urging law would add to Florida’s Senators Marco Rubio and Rick competitiveness for corporate “Our economy Scott to work on an LGBT noninvestment and tourism.” discrimination law.

Research from the U.S. suffers when “It’s essential to our state Foundation of Chambers all employees, economy that all employees, shows that non-discrimination customers, and customers, and visitors — and laws boost productivity and their families — feel safe and reduce employee turnover, visitors don’t welcome in Florida,” the letter and companies that embrace feel safe and reads.

“Non-discrimination LGBTQ inclusion attract the protections ensure those basic best talent. welcome in freedoms to earn a living, rent or “Businesses benefit from Florida.” own a home, and participate fully clarity and stability,” Florida - Kelly Flannery in the community. LGBTQ people Chambers writes. “Dozens of SOUTH TAMPA CHAMBER currently do not have these Florida cities have passed their OF COMMERCE CEO express, enduring, comprehensive own local non-discrimination nondiscrimination protections ordinances, but we need to nationwide, and continue to lack clarity and put the entire state and country on the same consistency here in Florida.” page.”

They are not the only ones calling for A recent polling from PRRI finds that 82% action. More than 20 major Florida businesses of Americans favor laws that protect LGBTQ and employers released a letter of their own people from discrimination in jobs, public to make Congress support the passage of the accommodations, and housing (including Equality Act. 67% of Republicans).

2 .10 . 20 22 •

15

NEWS NATIONAL

Raising the bar for Telehealth

Gov. Ron DeSantis. Photo via Facebook.

EQUALITY FLORIDA CALLS OUT DESANTIS FOR SUPPORTING ANTI-LGBT BILLS

John Hayden

­

­

­

GET STARTED TODAY!

www.healthkarma.org 16

• 2 .10.2022

G

ov. Ron DeSantis and his GOP allies in the Florida Legislature are doubling down on the anti-LGBT rhetoric as bills to bully and silence students and teachers speed through committees. Equality Florida refuses to be silenced.

Executive Director Nadine Smith says DeSantis’ support for these bills echoes bigots from the past. DeSantis is taking a page from Anita Bryant’s playbook, using anti-LGBT legislation as a springboard to serve his national political ambitions.

“From banning books and electronic monitoring of teachers to white-washing history and allowing the state to dictate our health care decisions, DeSantis is committed to an agenda of censorship and surveillance that intrudes on all aspects of our lives.”

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NADINE SMITH SAYS DESANTIS’ SUPPORT FOR THESE BILLS ECHOES BIGOTS FROM THE PAST.

The “Don’t Say Gay” bills have a clear path to DeSantis’ desk. In the House, HB 1557 already passed one committee 15-5, and SB 1834 is set to be heard in the Senate Education Committee this week.

KILL BILLS A rally against the bills was held at The Pride Center last week, and LGBT members and allies are in Tallahassee lobbying to kill the bills.

But it’s an uphill climb.

LGBT students are easy targets. They can’t vote and tend to be less politically involved.

Last year a new law banned trans athletes from school sports. This new law would prevent any discussion of sexual orientation in schools, impacting everything from sex ed to Gay/Straight Alliance clubs to married teachers putting a picture of their same-sex spouse on their desk.

DeSantis is running for re-election in November, and some believe a shadow campaign for the GOP nomination for president in 2024.

Smith called him out for these transparent efforts to cater to his bigoted, narrow-minded base.

“His political agenda is driven not by the real pressing needs of our state but his desire to peel away Trump supporters as the two Floridians jockey for the 2024 Republican presidential primary. He is willing to inflict harm on the most vulnerable in our state in order to shore up his extremist base.”

NEWS LOCAL At The Pride Center. Photo courtesy of John Hayden.

DUELING BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVENTS UNFULFILLING John Hayden

S

ometimes, two halves don’t make a whole.

Plans for a celebration of Black History Month in Wilton Manors and the Black LGBT community saw organizational problems almost from inception, and a lastminute split between organizations. The result was two under-attended events.

Feb. 5 was The Cookout: A Black History Month Field Day Fundraiser at The Pride Center in Wilton Manors.

At the same time was The Cookout Extravaganza at Joseph C. Carter Park in Fort Lauderdale. Originally, there was supposed to be one event, held at a park in Wilton Manors, with Afro Pride being a beneficiary of funds raised.

Organizers wanted Wilton Elementary Park, but because alcohol isn’t allowed

“It came down to a misunderstanding and some things we didn’t want to be a part of.”

- Donald Gunder AFRO PRIDE COO

on school property, they looked for other locations. Each space came with obstacles, such as bans on alcohol and amplified music.

The Pride Center was finally chosen, but more problems crept in. Afro Pride pulled out at the last minute, citing transparency issues.

“It came down to a misunderstanding and some things we didn’t want to be a part of,” Afro Pride’s COO Donald Gunder said. “So we decided to step back from it and do our own fundraising. I know it was supposed to be a benefit for us but we just declined.”

Organizers for the event at The Pride Center echoed those comments. Both sides declined to name names on the record.

DIVIDE AND FALTER Saturday saw two events, neither living up to the potential that one, united event could have delivered. Afro Pride’s event at Carter Park had music, food and drinks, and several games set up on the lawn for a field day. At 4 p.m. only a handful of people were there and no games were underway.

Over at The Pride Center, a few dozen people showed up. Food was provided by The Pub and drinks provided by LeBoy. Their participation was important as they continue to demonstrate their solidarity with the community after some patrons used hateful, racial slurs. A few tables were set up, there was a DJ, and the city of Wilton Manors issued a proclamation. But there were no games, and no real program to educate the crowd on Black history.

2 .10 . 20 22 •

17

NEWS ELECTION

SFGN’S MAJOR LGBT NATIONAL CAMPAIGNS TO WATCH IN 2022 John McDonald

I

t’s a midterm election year and while there are thousands of LGBT candidates out there, we put together a short list of noteworthy national campaigns to keep your eye on in 2022. To be fair, we highlighted one campaign in each of 20 states and looked far and wide to find gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender candidates and even found a Republican. Good luck to all!

TINA KOTEK, OREGON GOVERNOR: Kotek, 55, served as Oregon’s Speaker of the House since 2013, stepping down recently to run for governor. She would be the first lesbian elected governor in the United States, but not a shoo-in. Kotek, who has never won a statewide election, faces a crowded field for the Democratic nomination in a state that has endured some of the strictest COVID-19 protocols.

1

MALCOLM KENYATTA, U.S. SENATE PENNSYLVANIA: Another urban leader taking on the challenge of campaigning statewide, Kenyatta, 31, rose to prominence with a take charge attitude and unabashed progressive principles. Black, gay, and married with union backing. Expect Kenyatta to make some noise in this election cycle.

2

ROBERT GARCIA, U.S. CONGRESS CALIFORNIA: The mayor of Long Beach, California, is looking to step up in service. A loyal supporter of the Biden/Harris administration, Garcia, 44, has raised his profile during the focus on supply chain management. He is seeking to succeed retiring Rep. Alan Lowenthal in California’s 47th Congressional District.

3

MICHELE RAYNER, U.S. CONGRESS FLORIDA: Rayner is the first queer Black woman elected to the Florida House of Representatives. A highly accomplished civil rights attorney, Rayner, 40, is campaigning for the Democratic nomination in Florida’s 13th Congressional District. In her first term in Tallahassee, Rayner has been an outspoken supporter of women’s health care, trade unions and LGBT rights.

4

DANIEL HERNANDEZ, U.S. CONGRESS ARIZONA: Hernandez gained hero status when he was the first person to administer aid to former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords during her attempted

5

18

• 2 .10.2022

assassination. A gay Hispanic man, Hernandez, 32, has served in the Arizona House of Representatives since 2017. He is campaigning for the Democratic nomination in Arizona’s 6th Congressional District, which includes his hometown of Tucson.

JIM OBERGEFELL, OHIO HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: Best known as the lead plaintiff in the historic 2015 Supreme Court case that legalized same-sex marriage.

A native of Ohio, Obergefell, 55, is seeking the house seat in District 89, which includes his hometown of Sandusky on the shores of Lake Erie.

6

CELIA ISRAEL, AUSTIN, TEXAS MAYOR: 7 Israel, 57, has served in the Texas House of Representatives since 2014. She would be the first lesbian and first latina elected mayor of Texas’ capital city.

ADRIAN TAM, HAWAII HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: Tam, 29, made headlines when he defeated a leader of the hate group Proud Boys to become the only gay legislator in Hawaii’s House of Representatives. The son of immigrants from Hong Kong and Taiwan, Tam was born and raised in Honolulu, and is a licensed real estate agent.

8

RITCHIE TORRES, U.S. CONGRESS NEW YORK: The first openly gay Afro-Latin American member of Congress, Torres, 33, a champion of public housing reform, represents New York’s 15th Congressional District, which includes most of the South Bronx.

9

JARED POLIS, COLORADO GOVERNOR: The first openly gay man elected governor of the state and Colorado’s first Jewish governor, Polis, 46, married his partner last year. The couple have two children.

10

Michele Rayner, U.S. Congress, Florida. Photo via Facebook.

MAURA HEALEY, MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR: Massachusetts Attorney General since 2015, Healey, 50, is a lesbian and basketball enthusiast who filed more than 100 lawsuits against the Trump administration while serving as Mass. AG.

11

MIKE SIMMONS, ILLINOIS SENATE: The first openly gay member of the Illinois State Senate. Simmons, 38, served as deputy director for My Brother’s Keeper, an Obama Foundation initiative to build safe and supportive communities for boys and young men of color.

CLAY AIKEN, U.S. CONGRESS NORTH CAROLINA: The former “American Idol” singer returns for another chance at politics.

Aiken, 43, a high school special education teacher, is campaigning as a Democrat in a new district covering parts of North Carolina’s research triangle.

15

12

SHARICE DAVIDS, U.S. CONGRESS KANSAS: 13 The first out LGBT Native American elected to Congress, a lawyer and former mixed martial artist, Davids, 41, represents Kansas’ 3rd Congressional District.

JOSHUA HIGGINBOTHAM, WEST VIRGINIA 14 SENATE: In 2021, Higginbotham came out as gay while serving as a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates. A Republican and a Christian, Higginbotham, 25, sponsored legislation to add sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes in West Virginia’s human rights and fair housing laws.

5 MORE TO WATCH: SARAH MCBRIDE

TRANS WOMAN, DELAWARE STATE SENATE

KETURAH HERRON

QUEER, KENTUCKY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

DAVID CICILLINE

GAY MAN, U.S. CONGRESS, RHODE ISLAND

ZOOEY ZEPHRY

BISEXUAL TRANS WOMAN, MONTANA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

NEIL RAFFERTY

GAY MAN, ALABAMA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FIRST DESANTIS CAME FOR UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS, AND I DIDN’T SPEAK UP

because I wasn’t an undocumented immigrant.

THEN DESANTIS CAME FOR BLACK PEOPLE, AND I DIDN’T SPEAK UP

because I wasn’t Black.

THEN DESANTIS CAME FOR TRANSGENDER PEOPLE, AND I DIDN’T SPEAK UP

because I wasn’t transgender.

THEN DESANTIS CAME FOR QUEER PEOPLE, BUT I DIDN’T SPEAK UP

because I wasn’t Queer.

When Will

You SPEAK Up?

2 .10 . 20 22 •

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SPORTS OLYMPICS

COMING SOON S O U T H

F L O R I D A

Vol. 11 Issue 1

S O U T H

• FEBRUARY 2022

- MARCH 2022

F L O R I D A

•

G A Y

THEMIRRORMAG.CO

G A Y

IREEN WÜST SKATES TO OLYMPIC HISTORY Everitt Rosen

N E W S

M

N E W S

Ireen Wüst. Photo via @Ireenw, Twitter.

WINTER ARTS & ENTER TAINMENT

A NEW FACE GABE SALAZAR TO CO NDUCT THE GAY MEN’S CHORUS Begin s on Page 20

WINTER ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THEATER, MUSIC, DANCE AND MORE...

LOOK FOR IT SOON IN A RED SFGN BOX NEAR YOU 20

• 2 .10.2022

Y

anking off her hood and throwing her hands above her head after finishing her 1,500-meter speedskating race, 35-year-old bisexual Ireen Wüst of the Netherlands was delighted to see her time on the scoreboard and knew she had just skated her way into Olympic history.

Having just set a new Olympic record of 1 minute and 53.28 seconds, Wüst watched the final pair of the night take the ice.

Settling down, she attempted to watch Japan’s Miho Takagi race, but she was unable to relax with three races remaining that could ruin her chances of another gold medal.

“An Olympic record on this track is amazing,” said Wüst to AP News. “Time goes by really fast. I was really proud already of myself that I did my best 1,500 in the biggest moment.”

Wüst leaped into the arms of her coach to begin celebrating yet another gold medal when Takagi, skating in the last pair, came up 0.44 short.

With a triumph in the 1,500 meters at the Beijing Olympics, Wüst became the only athlete — woman or male, winter or summer — to win individual gold medals at five separate Olympic Games.

“Of course it means a lot, but I don’t realize it yet,” said Wüst. “Ask me this question again in 10 days. I’m an emotional mess in my head.”

Wüst already had the most medals in Winter Olympic speed skating history.

She increased her medal tally to an even dozen since her debut at the 2006 Turin Games, with two events still remaining.

But this gold medal makes the sixth of her collection — five in individual events evenly distributed over her remarkable Olympic career.

“She had the perfect race at the best moment,” said fellow Dutch skater Antoinette de Jong, who settled for the bronze behind the winner and Takagi.

At 35 years of age, Wüst is the oldest Olympic gold medalist in speed skating and plans to retire following the Beijing Olympic Games. On the other hand, she denies the notion that she is growing too old to participate, a point she made clear at Beijing’s National Speed Skating Oval, dubbed The Ice Ribbon.

“Age is just a number. It’s just about how you feel. I’m not thinking like, ‘I’m 35, I’m too old,’ hell no,” she said to NPR. “To then have a race like this one is just incredible. I just have no words for it.”

Wüst’s decision to retire after the Beijing Games will not be swayed by another gold medal.

“This is it,” she said. “I will leave on top.”

CONVICTIONS

EDITORIAL CARTOON

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2 .10 . 20 22 •

21

IN MEMORIAM TRIBUTE

GEORGE M. HESTER, ACCLAIMED ARTIST, FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER, WWII GUNNER, DIES AT 98 Neil D. Kolner

G

eorge M. Hester, 98, gifted visual artist, animal lover, commercial illustrator, and fashion photographer whose groundbreaking book of photographs, “The Classic Nude” was published while the Supreme Court of the United States was struggling to define obscenity, and whose photograph of a nude human couple is aboard NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft, died Jan. 15 in Wilton Manors, where he had lived since 1990. His death was announced by his companion of 47 years, Alfredo Pinheiro.

Hester was a World War II veteran of more than 55 flights as a B-29 gunner in the South Pacific, attached to the same squadron as those who flew the Enola Gay, another B-29 Superfortress bomber, which dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. His war experience made him an ardent and vocal pacifist.

George Martin Hester was born Sept. 1, 1923, in Wildwood, New Jersey to Helen W. (Thompson) and Benjamin Franklin Hester. The family moved to Pittsburgh, where George excelled at art. At age 12, he began weekly studies at the Carnegie Institute.

Despite a scholarship to study art there, he instead enlisted in the army at age 16.

Returning from the war at age 20, he tried without success a career in civil aviation, but his short stature ended that. Later, he began to study at Parson’s School of Design in New York, but left before graduating. He told an interviewer 40 years ago that “I thought it ridiculous to be paying for drawing instruction when I could draw better than any of my instructors.”

In 1953, he went to Rome to pursue a singing career by studying Italian lyric opera with Beniamino Gigli. His money ran out before he completed his training. He returned to the United States and never sung another note. However, his love for opera lasted throughout his life; he was a long-time subscriber with the Metropolitan Opera and the Florida Grand Opera.

Hester was hired as an illustrator for the

luxury New York department store Bonwit Teller & Co. While there he began his own photography studio, and over some two years in his upper westside Manhattan studio and laboratory, across the street from Lincoln Center, he photographed and printed a sufficient portfolio of nudes.

With no experience in publishing, he went to Amphoto, the first publisher whom he offered his work. Amphoto published “The Classic Nude” in 1971.

Describing his work, Hester wrote: “I tried to bring to bear on the photographic medium my knowledge of painting and sculpture, and in that context to explore photographically the ideal and universal aspects of the human form.”

His first book was so successful that Hester produced a two-volume set called “Man / Woman” which was published in 1975. Carl Sagan, chair of NASA’s committee to create the Golden Record — a sort of electronic time capsule to communicate with extraterrestrials a story of humans on Earth — invited Hester to include his image of a nude man and pregnant woman.

However, buckling to outcries over a nude image on an earlier Pioneer spacecraft, NASA rendered Hester’s photograph in silhouette, yet engraved on the Golden Record aboard Voyager, now traveling in interstellar space, 15 billion miles from Earth.

Hester loved to joke, and when he got to the punchline, the twinkle in his eyes was

HESTER LOVED TO JOKE, AND WHEN HE GOT TO THE PUNCHLINE, THE TWINKLE IN HIS EYES WAS A REMINDER OF HIS CHILDLIKE WONDER AT THE WORLD.

22

• 2 .10.2022

George Hester was 98. Photo courtesy of Neil Kolner.

a reminder of his childlike wonder at the world.

When he moved to South Florida, Hester continued his classical oil paintings and drawing until he began to lose his eyesight to macular degeneration over the past 20 years, which ultimately led to his blindness, preventing further artistic endeavors. He endured experimental treatments involving dozens of painful injections at the Miami VA Hospital to restore his declining eyesight, but it was largely useless. A lifelong lover of animals, he donated generously to, and

volunteered with, pet rescue organizations and adopted several animals, including his three-legged dog, “Tripod.”

Hester supported many local organizations; the Stonewall National Museum and Archives, in Fort Lauderdale, named a gallery wall in his honor. In lieu of flowers, Hester stated he would prefer donations in his name to Abandoned Pet Rescue, Fort Lauderdale.

Hester never married and other than Pinheiro, has no known survivors. Consistent with his request, no service is planned.

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

CHECK WEBSITES AND FACEBOOK PAGES FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION REGARDING IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE OF SERVICES, AS WELL AS VIRTUAL VIEWING OPTIONS.

Shabbat services Friday night at 8pm.

Find us online at our Facebook page!

Congregation Etz Chaim 2038 N. Dixie Hwy, Wilton Manors, FL 33305, on the Pride Center campus www.EtzChaimFlorida.org / RSVP HERE: info@etzchaimflorida.org

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 2011 South Federal Hwy. Boynton Beach, FL 561-733-4000 www.churchofoursaviormcc.org

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

SPIRITUALITY

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Mass Schedule: Sabado 6:00 PM misa en español • Sunday Mass at 11 AM in English • All are welcome!

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LISTINGS CONGREGATION ETZ CHAIM 2038 N. Dixie Hwy (Pride Center Building B), Wilton Manors 954-564-9232 - etzchaimflorida.org RabbiNoahKitty@etzchaimflorida.org Friday Night Shabbat Service 8p.m.

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2 .10 . 20 22 •

23

IN MEMORIAM TRIBUTE

POPULAR BARTENDER DAVID GUZDEK DIES AT 47 SFAAA Hall-of-Famer Tim Martin

The voice stood out, and was unmistakable.

Whether you walked in a South Florida gay bar over the last two-plus decades, sat at a poker table, bowled at the local lanes, or played softball at Mills Pond Park, when David Guzdek rasped, you knew who was barking without even looking.

But that bark has been silenced.

Guzdek, a longtime popular bartender at various South Florida establishments and member of the local gay softball league’s Hall of Fame, died Tuesday morning at Holy Cross Hospital after being diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer, according to his husband Butch Fornaza. He was 47.

“All who knew him knew what a kind and generous soul he was,” Fornaza wrote Wednesday morning on Facebook. “He was one of a kind. My heart hurts and my life will never be the same without him. I know he is in a better place, but we are going to miss him terribly.”

Guzdek and Fornaza married on Feb. 29, 2016.

Guzdek said he picked that day on purpose so he would only have to remember his anniversary once every Leap Year. Together they raised dogs and grew pineapples at their Fort Lauderdale home.

Born March 16, 1974, in Buffalo, N.Y., Guzdek moved to South Florida in 1996 searching for a community and better lifestyle, his sister Michelle told SFGN. He graduated from Pembroke High School and studied business management at Bryant and Stratton Business Institute, his Facebook profile states.

His early days centered around bartending, where he used his handsome features to pack

his station and recruit softball players. It was a theme that would continue to play out through his life until recently, when he took a management job in retail.

“I got the chance to work with him at Cathode,” friend Steve Woollett writes on Facebook. “He had quite the following he built up over the years. They would come to masse to see David, even at lunch.”

Woollett also remembers a time Guzdek brought in the softball league for an afterparty, and “Guz” didn’t think he’d be able to handle the overflow crowd.

“But I didn’t need David’s help.

He was ready to jump behind the bar, but I didn’t need him.

I was busy AF, but I prevailed.”

Later, they toasted the day, raised a couple jagers. “David smiled, and with his lovely raspy voice said, ‘Atta girl,’” Woollett recalled.

But softball? He played that until the end.

Just this past November, Guzdek’s Coalition Dynasty softball team won a D Division championship at the annual Hurricane Showdown. As the final out was being recorded, Guzdek bolted from the dugout with hands on head, mouth agape, tears flowing, looking for someone ... anyone ... to hug. In a quarter-century of playing ball, it was the first time Guzdek won a championship. And he let everyone know that on social media.

“I will never forget us holding each other, crying after that final game,” teammate Ryan Schnell wrote on Facebook. “This man has picked me up and supported me so many times on and off the field. He is my champion.”

GUZDEK MOVED TO SOUTH FLORIDA IN 1996 SEARCHING FOR A COMMUNITY AND BETTER LIFESTYLE, HIS SISTER MICHELLE TOLD SFGN.

24

• 2 .10.2022

That championship game was the second to last time he would be in uniform at Mills Pond Park, with his final days in uniform coming a week later in the league’s seasonending playoffs.

“He was more than just a member in our league,” SFAAA Commissioner Jarvis McCray tells SFGN. “He was an integral part of SFAAA. He was family to many.”

Guzdek started his career in gay softball soon after starting his job behind the bar at Cathode Ray, which used to be on Las Olas Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. From his perch, Guzdek started to play, coach, manager, and recruit gay players for the South Florida Amateur Athletic Association.

Guzdek was instrumental in those fledgling days of SFAAA in turning out dozens of players. For his efforts and hard work, he was inducted into the SFAAA Hall of Fame in 2015.

Guzdek played on numerous teams during his career, including Cathode Ray, Alibi Angels, Amazing Greens, Hung Jury, Arsenal, New Moon Thunder, Bandits, Marauders, and most recently Coalition.

“David and I played together my first year,” Michael McDonnell writes on Facebook, recalling his first year of league play in 2004.

“He taught me how to play darts. A wonderful man.”

He played in his first Gay Softball World Series in 2002 in Portland with the Angels, and went almost 20 years before returning to a World Series, shuffling off to Kansas City with Coalition in 2019.

“It is a sad day in SFAAA as he will certainly be missed,” McCray concluded.

As far as local watering holes, Guzdek has also worked at, among others, Sidelines, Bills Filling Station, Depot, Monkey Business, and finally Matty’s Wilton Drive until late 2021.

Tributes have been pouring into Facebook

David Guzdek. Courtesy photo.

since news broke of Guzdek’s passing.

Most are shocked, in disbelief, and are terribly saddened.

“The heavens have a new angel,” writes Blanca Puerta.

Others recalled his voice, welcoming smile, and love for his husband.

“We’ve lost too many good ones already,” writes Henry Corona. Butch “was the best thing to ever happen to Dave, and he loved you very much.”

Guzdek was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Nancy. Guzdek is survived by his husband, Fornaza; brother Charles Jr. and sister-in-law Becky; and sister Michelle and brother-in-law Sherman.

“He had a lot of friends and loved you all,” Michelle said. “You were his family, too.”

No funeral service will be held, the family said. A celebration of life will be scheduled at Matty’s Wilton Park in the near future, Fornaza said. A date and time have yet to be determined.

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LIFESTYLE FOOD

NOTHING FISHY ABOUT CORVINA SEAFOOD GRILL Rick Karlin

Photo via Corvina Seafood Grill, Facebook.

CORVINA SEAFOOD GRILL 110 Plaza Real S., Boca Raton 561-206-0066 corvinabocaraton.com

Since opening a few months ago in Boca Raton, CORVINA SEAFOOD GRILL has quickly become a favorite in the area. The restaurant was created by industry veterans Dean Carras, Patrick Marino, David Wizenberg, and renowned chef Jeff Tunks. Tunks’ seafood-focused menu leans into a mix of Latin American and Caribbean flavors.

Corvina offers indoor and open-air seating for 235 guests and a private dining room that seats up to 32 guests.

Corvina already has a dedicated group of regulars, and after a recent visit I can see why. We arrived at the tail-end of happy hour and found tout le Boca gathered around the indoor-outdoor bar enjoying dishes from the special $9 happy hour menu (shrimp nachos, patatas brava, sushi rolls, oysters, and shrimp cocktail) and $6 cocktails, available at the bar from 4-6:30 p.m. We were seated on the comfy patio (as it appears most diners prefer), and settled back for a luxurious meal, with attentive service and terrific food and drink.

We sipped on cocktails, an enormous, but overly sweet Mai Tai, and a CosNo mocktail for my teetotaling honey. On the manager’s recommendation, we started with two of the restaurant’s most popular dishes. The Bar Harbor roll offers a warm take on sushi with gently heated lobster and blue crab atop an avocado roll, crowned with a dollop

of agave-lime aioli. The sushi literally melts in your mouth. Tuna taquitos featured fresh tuna and guacamole livened up with a few pickled red onions and chile de arbol. They were crunchy and briny. My only complaint is that the serving is a bit sparse. At $13, they could have provided four tiny tacos instead of three, especially since many people often share an appetizer.

We also split an excellent Caesar salad with crunchy sourdough croutons.

Choosing an entrée proved to be difficult.

There were so many scrumptious dishes: prawns Diablo served with a Venezuelan sweet corn and cheese cachapa (pancake), red snapper Veracruzana, Brazilianinspired moqueca seafood stew with prawns, lobster, mussels, and non-seafood dishes, such as brickpressed Jamaican jerk chicken, beef tenderloin, and NY strip. In the end, we again chose two dishes that are among the most popular menu items. Crabcrusted flounder atop a bed of creamy lobster and pea risotto, and a perfectly fileted and deboned grilled branzino, simply prepared with herbs and lemon.

Desserts consisted of a creamy citrus cheesecake with coconut sorbet (which was so light in flavor it was nearly tasteless) and a rich and decadent chocolate bombe. Corvina certainly deserves its loyal following. If I

WE WERE SEATED ON THE COMFY PATIO (AS IT APPEARS MOST DINERS PREFER), AND SETTLED BACK FOR A LUXURIOUS MEAL, WITH ATTENTIVE SERVICE AND TERRIFIC FOOD AND DRINK.

THERE’S MORE ONLINE! 26

• 2 .10.2022

lived in Boca, I’d be stopping by for happy hour almost daily.

If you aren’t in the Boca area and are looking for some good seafood, try one of these Fort Lauderdale spots: WILD SEA LAS OLAS 620 E. Las Olas 954-467-2555 wildsealasolas.com

RENDEZVOUS BAR & GRILL 2525 Marina Bay Dr. W. 954-797-0054 therendezvousbarandgrill.com

G&B OYSTER BAR

429 Seabreeze Blvd.

954-525-2421 gandboysterbar.com

KELLY’S LANDING

1305 SE 17th St 954-760-7009 kellyslanding.com

HUNGRY FOR MORE? 

NEW AND FAMILIAR FACES IN NEW SPACES Look for a Greek restaurant from Montrealbased restaurateur Ted Dranias to open in the space formerly occupied by Mod Lounge next to the Gateway Theater. Revival of “Never on Sunday” anyone? BAIRES GRILL will open a fifth location on Las Olas in the space formerly home to Talento Restaurant. The Argentinean steakhouse hopes to open by mid-February.

Peter Tsialiamanis plans to open a second location of his European-style restaurantbakery, GIORGIO’S BAKERY & BISTRO in the old Whale’s Bar & Grill on Galt Ocean Mile.

Expect Greek and American classics similar to his Hollywood spot, popular since 1996: pizzas, sandwiches, baguettes baked on site, and mouthwatering entrées such as moussaka and baby back ribs. Rob Scruby plans to open a second ROB’S FAMILY BBQ later this month inside Plantation’s Vizcaya Square.

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.

‘ALL BOYS AREN’T BLUE’ BANNED FROM SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES IN 15 STATES Visit SFGN.com to read more.

FEATURE PETS

R U O Y E B L L ’ HE BUDDY

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Adorable Bud (ID 651377) wants to be your pal! At 7 years old, this handsome fellow might have some Labrador retriever in him. Don’t let his age deter you, he is quite spry for his age and likes to chase after toys, though he doesn’t always bring them back. Bud is not a fan of felines or small dogs, but he may do ok with a larger dog.

He appears to be pottytrained and would love a family to spoil him. Can you make his wish come true?

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 a.m. 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.

and

2 .10 . 20 22 •

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WINTER CLASSES BEGIN JANUARY 24

UNLEASH YOUR INNER PERFORMER! Enroll today in our popular adult classes in ACTING, SINGING, BROADWAY DANCE & COMEDY IMPROV

A&E APPOINTMENTS Celebrate Valentine’s Day at one of the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival theaters, including the Gateway Cinema on Sunrise Boulevard. Credit: FLIFF.

ARTSBEAT WOO YOUR LOVER WITH ROMANTIC FILMS AND ARTS J.W. Arnold

VALENTINE’S DAY AT THE CINEMA

BrowardCenter.org/classes 954.414.6904

THE MAGIC BEHIND THE

STAGE GO BEHIND THE SCENES Every week, SFGN brings you an inside look on what’s hitting the stage near you. From interviews with producers to exclusive peeks at new performances, we’re here to make sure you’re ready for every show.

SFGN.COM/SFGN-ARTICLES/AE 28

• 2 .10.2022

Restaurant reservations are already hard to find on Valentine’s Day, so why not romance your special someone with a film at one of the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF) theaters? Enjoy a classic movie, a bottle of wine and popcorn to share at the Gateway and Savor Cinema in Fort Lauderdale or Cinema Paradiso in downtown Hollywood.

At Savor Cinema, Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck star in the 1953 romance “Roman Holiday,” while Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson headline the contemporary rom-com “Marry Me” at Gateway Cinema.

Cinema Paradiso will be screening “What’s Up, Doc,” starring Barbra Streisand, Ryan O’Neal and Madeleine Kahn.

Tickets at Savor Cinema and Cinema Paradiso are $30 per couple and $40 per couple at the Gateway. Learn more at FLIFF.com.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH EXHIBIT AT BRIGHTLINE To commemorate Black History Month, Brightline partnered with the Black Archives History and Research Foundation of South Florida to display artworks by Purvis young, a renowned artist who was born in Liberty City and lived in historic Overtown, both African-American communities in Miami.

The exhibit is on view inside Brightline’s Miami Central premium lounge and features 19 original works, along with QR code links to videos of the artist detailing his works and creation process.

Young’s art has been collected by Jane Fonda, Jim Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Damon Wayans and Lenny Kravitz. In 2010, Young died at 67 years old and shortly after, the Black Archives received almost 400 pieces of his artwork from the Bass Museum of Art. Riders taking Brightline and looking to explore more of the Overtown neighborhood surrounding the Brightline station can also visit the Black Archives Historic Lyric Theater, Black Police Precinct and Courthouse Museum, Dorsey House, Red Rooster and Lil Greenhouse Grill.

Learn more at BAHLT.org.

ART AT THE MIAMI BOTANICAL GARDEN Miami Beach Botanical Garden is hosting a new exhibition, “I Was Born in the Spring: The Paintings of Jenny Perez.” The exhibition is currently on view in the Butterfly Gallery through Feb. 27.

Perez is a Caribbean-American painter and visual artist based in Miami, Florida. Early in her career, she quickly became recognized as one of the pioneering artists fueling the rise of Miami’s street art movement. A self-taught painter, she immersed herself in a disciplined studio practice exploring abstract expressionism with notes of pop art, eventually translating her paintings onto walls and, most recently, into monumental threedimensional public sculptures.

Throughout her career, Perez has been invited to be a part of various group and solo exhibitions around the world, worked with several nonprofit organizations to support causes she is most passionate about and been featured in global campaign collaborations for notable brands.

Learn more at MBGarden.org/Events.

A&E DANCE

FUN FACTS ABOUT COMEDIAN TIG NOTARO

Queer comedian Tig Notaro appears at the Parker in Fort Lauderdale on Friday, Feb. 18. Credit: Courtesy.

J.W. Arnold

S

croll through Tig Notaro’s bio on her website and you’re likely to learn all sorts of unexpected facts about the queer comedian’s life and career, for instance: As a child in Jackson, Mississippi, her brother gave her the nickname “Tig.” (Her given name is Mathilde O’Callaghan Notaro.)

Notaro’s artistic and free-spirited mother would feed the children all three meals at once, then hose down their diapered bodies in highchairs to cut back on cooking and cleaning (leaving more time for mom to paint donkeys on the outside of the house).

While serving time in a Texas high school, Notaro failed three grades by entertaining classmates rather than entertaining the notion of a successful academic career. (She dropped out and moved to Denver and worked briefly in the music industry.)

And for some other more random tidbits: Her great-great-grandfather was the mayor of New Orleans.

Notaro’s guilty pleasures are “America’s Funniest Home Videos” and “walking upright.”

Pretty much every day, her wardrobe

includes argyle socks.

Of course, the free-spirited high school dropout redeemed herself after landing in the comedy world in Los Angeles. Her album “Live” was nominated in 2014 for the Grammy Award for best comedy album and her TV special, “Tig Notaro: Boyish Girl Interrupted,” was nominated two years later for an Emmy award. In 2017, an accompanying album was also nominated for a Grammy.

She’s appeared as a guest on television sitcoms, created a recurring role on “Star Trek: Discovery” and, of course, starred in her own comedy specials. More recently, she even made an appearance on the Zombie thriller, “Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas.”

Next week, she’ll be bringing her newest standup comedy show to the Parker in Fort Lauderdale.

Notaro promised, “A lot of stories about my family, the day to day of marriage and kids and then my observations out in the world. I have some ongoing health stories [she’s a cancer survivor] and there’s a lot of nonsense woven into everything.”

She’s still wary of COVID-19, as the latest surge begins to recede: “It continues to be pretty scary and alarming. I feel, myself, like everyone having to readjust life and expectations, and be thankful for being healthy and my family being healthy and the time we’ve had together. I’m trying to be trusting in the vaccination that I’ve gotten and getting back into the world. I hope that everything is going to be manageable to some degree, but it’s an ongoing adjustment.”

Notaro and family still managed to keep busy during the shutdowns. In addition to earning a certification in plant-based nutrition, Notaro filmed four movies and codirected a project with her wife, Stephanie Allynne.

“Oddly when we were on set, we felt safe because there were certain guidelines and zones,” Notaro recalled. “I really want to go on vacation with my family [now], that’s what I really want to do. I have two 5-and-a-halfyear-old sons and they’re just busting at the chance to go anywhere. We might go to Hawaii in the spring. That’s really what I want to do.”

When you’ve escaped a pandemic AND a zombie apocalypse, that seems like a reasonable goal.

“I feel like everywhere I end up, I’m surprised that I’m there and a zombie film was at the top of the list. I was flying a helicopter in an action movie and I didn’t see that coming.

It was amusing and very enjoyable,” Notaro concluded.

Tig Notaro appears at the Parker, 707 N.E. 8th St. in Fort Lauderdale, on Friday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m.

Tickets start at $35.50 at ParkerPlayhouse.com.

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A&E THEATER

MIAMI NATIVE TAKES STAGE IN BROADWAY HIT AT ARSHT J.W. Arnold

N

ext week, the curtain will rise at the Arsht Center and a native son, Stephen Christopher Anthony, will take his place in the spotlight in the massive theater.

The New World School of the Arts and Florida State University grad has already made a splash in the theater world, leading the first national tour of “Catch Me If You Can” and then joining the Broadway cast of “The Book of Mormon.”

After the pandemic shuttered theaters across the country for more than 18 months, Anthony is back on stage, touring as Evan Hansen in the smash Broadway hit.

SFGN spoke with the young actor about being Evan Hansen, his career and advice for other young performers: HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE RETURNING TO MIAMI IN THE LEAD ROLE OF “DEAR EVAN HANSEN”?

SCA: I saw my first-ever touring Broadway production at the Arsht Center, so it is surreal to be getting up on that stage that inspired me, especially with this incredible production. It’s also a lot of pressure. I want to give back to that next generation of — young generation of theater-lovers in Miami.

WHAT ARE YOU ENJOYING MOST ABOUT THIS EXPERIENCE AND WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES? I won’t lie, the challenges are very real. Playing Evan is an Olympic event; the vocals and the emotions are acrobatic. But the greatest joy is in proving to myself again and again that I am stronger than I previously thought, and overcoming those challenges.

HOW IS TOURING DIFFERENT FROM PERFORMING IN NEW YORK CITY? Well, you’re away from your home, your support system, your creature comforts, and the travel itself is strenuous. In New York City, Mondays are your day off. On tour, every Monday means carting a hundred pounds of luggage into an Uber, connecting flights, unpacking in a new city, figuring out where’s a grocery store, where’s a gym, how my allergies are responding here, how do I get to the theater. But, of course, it’s also a joy to bring a Broadway production to new cities who are so excited to see it for the first time — especially right now when people are less willing to travel to New York during COVID,

Stephen Christopher Anthony stars in the touring production of “Dear Evan Hansen,” coming to the Arsht Center, Feb. 15-20. Credit: Matthew Murphy.

and there’s been no live theater for almost two years.

WHAT DID YOU DO DURING THE LOCKDOWNS? I got a puppy. My partner and I moved into our first apartment together in New York City.

I took a fall semester of political science online at [Miami-Dade College] — literally during the 2020 election, which was a mad time to be studying poli sci. I began my yoga instructor certification. I’m making it sound incredibly productive, but there was a fair amount of idling with existential dread as well.

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN A FEW YEARS DOWN THE ROAD? Just happy still. That sounds corny, but honestly, I’m trying to stay present and trust that my happiness isn’t dependent on my career moves.

What will be will be. When I auditioned for “Evan Hansen,” I was getting ready to go back to school, so who knows, anything could happen. I wouldn’t be mad at a couple of Tony Awards, a solo album, a feature film [and] a stunning penthouse overlooking the park.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER YOUNG PERFORMERS WHO ARE ABOUT TO EMBARK ON THEIR OWN CAREERS? Your self-care is part of your work. Performance requires use of your entire self — body, mind, heart, spirit. You have to keep that self healthy, so that you have something to give.

Stephen Christopher Anthony stars in “Dear Evan Hansen” at the Arsht Center in Miami, Feb. 15 – 20.

Tickets start at $40 at ArshtCenter.org.

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ai1643746449163_CFOB5388701_Larry_Print_Resize_South_Florida_Gay_News_FP.pdf

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BE A LEADER. MAKE A DIFFERENCE. FOR BROWARD. BE BOLD.

Larry Feuer wants to be remembered as someone who gave back to his community. He says, “The status quo is unacceptable. We have to BE BOLD to address problems that will happen decades from now.” That’s why Larry is using his estate plan to create an endowed charitable fund at the Community Foundation of Broward.

He wants to impact a wide range of causes, including assistance to Broward’s LGBTQ+ community, which the Community Foundation has directly supported for more than 35 years. Thanks to generous donors like Larry, the Foundation has provided over $9 million towards LGBTQ+ issues so far.

Larry is proud to have locked in a legacy that makes a difference in the place he calls home. “The Community Foundation of Broward ensures that I’ll be remembered as someone who helped people and created a better Broward for everyone.”

Underwriting support generously provided by:

NORTHERN TRUST and CASTLE GROUP

Visit the website to learn more

CFBROWARD.ORG/BE-BOLD