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ARE YOU GOING TO KEEP QUIET AS THE GOP TAKES YOUR RIGHTS? STAND UP. SPEAK OUT.

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MARCH 18

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HISTORY FORT LAUDERDALE HOSTING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH EXHIBIT MARCH 9

The women who have made Broward County the place it is today are being recognized and celebrated for Women’s History Month. History Fort Lauderdale is debuting an exhibit at Galleria Mall titled: Women Trailblazers Champions of Change. The goal is to show how early residents impacted Broward County and women working today. The multi-generational exhibit pairs a woman from today with someone who did similarly impactful work back in the day.

“Each year we link a modern woman who is a leader in her industry, with a woman from Broward’s past who was often not

recognized at all for her trailblazing efforts,” History Fort Lauderdale Executive Director Patricia Zeiler said.

Champions of Change is just the latest History Fort Lauderdale event hosted at Galleria Mall. People who are coming for a phone accessory or a new outfit may be surprised to see a cultural exhibit.

“We view the exhibitions as an added bonus to enhance the shopping experience or another reason to visit the property to enjoy our variety of stores and restaurants,” Galleria Mall’s Melissa Milroy said. “We have done several exhibitions and will continue to do them since our shoppers like

them.”

The exhibit will feature dozens of pictures of eight amazing women. Four prominent women of today and four of their historical female predecessors.

The event debuts March 9 at 5:30 p.m. at the Galleria Mall.

ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCED FOR AIDS WALK & MUSIC FESTIVAL

Your walking shoes will double as dancing shoes on March 18 as the annual Florida AIDS Walk & Music Festival hits Fort Lauderdale Beach. Flo Rida is scheduled to headline with DJ Citizen Jane rocking the beach before his set.

“He’s really exciting and a great performer,” AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s Imara Canady said. “It’s going to be a fun day with some great entertainer and a great messenger.”

AHF produces the event and knows that South Florida remains an epicenter for new HIV infections. Canady says bringing Flo Rida back (he’s played this gig before)

helps them reach the right people.

“He is great in terms of helping to spread awareness and to attract an audience that needs to be educated and create emphasis around the epidemic.”

Even though the HIV epidemic has been pushed off the headlines, it’s still a health threat, and events like these keep raising awareness.

“People think, because there have been such advances in medicine and science, that HIV and AIDS isn’t a thing anymore.”

Money raised will go to various South Florida HIV organizations. They can use the money to cover expenses and programs that aren’t covered by grants.

Check-in begins at 8 a.m., with DJ Citizen Jane spinning at 9 a.m. The walk steps off at 10 a.m. and Flo Rida hits the stage at 11:30 a.m.

For more event details and how to participate, visit FloridaAIDSWalk.org.

March 9, 2023 • Volume 14 • Issue 10 2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943

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

Associate Publisher • Justin Wyse Justin@sfgn.com

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Food/Travel Editor • Rick Karlin HIV Editor • Sean McShee Community Editor • John Hayden john.jmhcreative@gmail.com

Senior Photographer • J.R. Davis JRDavis12000@hotmail.com

Senior Feature Columnists Brian McNaught • Jesse Monteagudo Special to SFGN Steve Rothaus

Correspondents

John McDonald • Everitt Rosen • Sean Conklin Deon Jefferson • David-Elijah Nahmod Aurora Dominguez • Denise Royal Austen Erblat • Jessica Abramsky • Benjamin Manning • Mary Rasura • Christian Walden Christopher Flores

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Pier Angelo • Terri Schlichenmeyer Gregg Shapiro • Dana Rudolph

Associate Photographers Carina Mask • Steven Shires

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2 • 3.9.2023
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3.9.2023 • 3

IT’S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT THE G

Bisexual

UPCOMING FILM STARS KRISTEN STEWART, KATY O’BRIAN

The upcoming bisexual bodybuilder film “Love Lies Bleeding” stars Kristen Stewart, Katy O’Brian, and other notable members of the LGBT community.

Distributed by A24 and written by Weronika Tofilska and Rose Glass, the film is described as “a romance fuelled by ego, desire and the American Dream.”

Following a test screening, World Of Reel reports, “O’Brian is an aspiring bisexual bodybuilder in the late 1980s who moves to a small rural Nevada town from Oklahoma and falls madly in love with Kristen Stewart’s character who works at the local gym. In a twist of fate, Stewart’s character is also her new boss’ daughter who introduces her to the world of steroids, and also gets mixed in with their family drama.”

The movie was filmed last year, and A24

has not released a premiere date or trailer. According to other early screeners, they described “Love Lies” as “pain & gain for indie lesbians’ and revealed that it has a strange ending that will make this a love-it-or-hate- it type of movie.”

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

BTransgender T

EMIRA D’SPAIN TALKS ABOUT HER GENDER CONFIRMATION SURGERY

Emira D’Spain, a famous TikToker, and the first Black trans model to work with Victoria’s Secret, documented her journey to get gender confirmation surgery on Feb. 26.

“Come with me to get a vagina,” said D’Spain via TikTok. “Today I officially get gender confirmation surgery and, you guys, I’m really excited.”

“For those of you who don’t know, gender confirmation surgery is something I have wanted since I was literally like 10,” D’Spain added. “It’s a very lengthy, intense recovery but if anyone can do it, it’s 1,000% me.”

D’Spain finished her video with some inspiration for her audience.

“I don’t even have words to express my gratitude. But I’l leave with this: You

matter where you are in life or what your journey is, I am living proof that if you actually believe in yourself, everything is possible.”

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Emira D’Spain via Instagram. Kristen Stweart and Katy O’Brian. Photos via Wikimedia Commons.

HBO’S 'THE IDOL' IS QUEER AND DRAMATIC

“The Idol” is set to release sometime this year. The highly anticipated show follows Lily-Rose Depp drawn into a cult led by The Weekend. The show will also mark the final televised appearance of Anne Heche, who died last year.

On Mar. 1, Rolling Stone released a report with 13 sources who have closely worked with “The Idol.” The sources professed that production on the show has become a “shit show.” The report cited sources that called the series “sexual torture porn” and blames The Weekend for changing the story after feeling like the series was too far in “the female perspective.”

In response, Depp released that “the team made creative changes they felt were in the best interest of both the production and the

HBO has continuously dubbed the show “one of the network’s most exciting and provocative original programs.”

The show will include LGBT stars Hari Nef, Troye Sivan, and Dan Levy. The series was first announced in June 2021, with an actual premiere date still yet to be announced.

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6 • 3.9.2023 SFGN.com @SoFlaGayNews Keep your eyes on South Florida Gay News SouthFloridaGayNews NEWS LOCAL OF THE SNAPSHOT WEEK
J.R.’s
Photo by J.R. Davis Billy Porter actor, singer, writer, and director with National LGBTQ Task Force Executive Director Kierra Johnson at The Beach Party during the 30th annual Winter Party on Miami Beach.

EURASIA EUROPE

WAR WITH RUSSIA STRENGTHENS LGBT RIGHTS IN UKRAINE

A Russian soldier grabbed a Ukrainian soldier’s hair and kicked him in the back, screaming, “There will be no ‘pink’ in our country.”

When they broke into a lesbian couple’s hiding place in Kherson, two Russian occupants referred to them as “pinks,” the same derogatory term.

Many accusations of transgender and homophobic assaults by Russian troops in controlled territory have surfaced over the past year.

Even though Ukraine has improved recently to be more accepting of the LGBT community, many western European nations still lag behind it.

Same-sex relationships are still not officially recognized, and before the war, prejudice and discrimination were pervasive across society.

SOUTH AMERICA

According to a poll released by the Venezuelan firm Meganálisis, upwards of 84% of Venezuelans oppose the legalization of abortion and nearly 73% oppose same-sex marriage.

The president and CEO of Meganálisis, Rubén Chirino Leaez, told Breitbart News that Venezuelan politicians, including the self-described “opposition” leaders and socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro, largely avoid social topics to forge coalitions among various segments of the populace.

He continued by saying that the media’s focus on the minority of Venezuelans pushing for the legalization of same-sex unions or abortion makes such groups of people appear far larger than polling and other data show they are.

Although leftist movements have

THERE’S MORE ONLINE!

historically prosecuted suspected gay individuals as “counterrevolutionaries,” notably in Latin America, advocacy for abortion and LGBT concerns have become pillars of left-wing ideology in the West.

SCHOOL INVESTIGATION BY PARLIAMENT AFFECTS LGBT UGANDANS

Proposals to allow prayers of blessing for same-sex couples have the support of the Church of England.

It will maintain its stance against samesex marriage and continue to forbid same-sex unions in churches.

Both those who believe the measures go too far and others who eve they don’t go far enough to have criticized them.

But all three of the “houses” of the synod approved the motion, giving priests the option to bless gay couples, or opt out.

“I’m really pleased that we now will bless same-sex couples who are faithfully living in a civil marriage or a civil partnership, in church,” said Stephen Cottrell, according to BBC News.

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CHURCH OF ENGLAND BACKS PROPOSAL TO BLESS SAME-SEX COUPLES
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But, according to ABC New, campaigners claim that because of the struggle, the community’s injustices are now more exposed than ever.

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‘INSANE.’ ‘UN-AMERICAN.’

‘UNCONSTITUTIONAL’

GOP LAWMAKER TAKES AIM AT FIRST AMENDMENT; NEW BILL PANNED BY ALL SIDES

That’s how GOP firebrand and former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich summed up a new proposal in Florida that would force bloggers, who write about elected officials, to register with the state.

“The idea that bloggers criticizing a politician should register with the government is insane,” Gingrich wrote on Twitter. “It is an embarrassment that it is a Republican state legislator in Florida who introduced a bill to that effect. He should withdraw it immediately.”

If passed, bloggers would have to disclose who paid them and how much, and provide other information such as where the post is located online. They would be subject to a $25 fine per each day the report is late, up

to a maximum of $2,500 for each report. The proposed legislation would not apply to content on “the website of a newspaper or other similar publication.”

Russell Cormican, a Fort Lauderdale First Amendment attorney, also blasted the bill.

“This is the most patently unconstitutional piece of legislation I have seen in quite some time. In our country, speech about political issues receives the highest level of protection under the First Amendment,” he said. “It is literally the cornerstone to our democracy. The idea that a person would need to pre-register with the government before speaking about political issues is absurd.”

Cormican is confident the law would not survive a court challenge saying “the Courts will almost certainly strike it down.”

The controversial bill was introduced by Florida State Senator Jason Brodeur. Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a press conference Tuesday he does not support the bill.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida slammed the bill as well.

“This is a clear violation of the First Amendment because it strongly discourages bloggers from speaking on politics – one of the most critical types of speech for maintaining a democracy,” the group said in a statement. “The First Amendment protects the right to share ideas, including a person’s right to share information and knowledge. It also protects our right to learn and read free from viewpointbased censorship. The U.S. Constitution demands that we transcend such callous political agendas and instead promote the value of freedom of expression. This bill is unAmerican to its core.”

8 • 3.9.2023
NEWS STATE
Photo via Adobe.
“Insane.”
“THIS IS THE MOST PATENTLY UNCONSTITUTIONAL PIECE OF LEGISLATION I HAVE SEEN IN QUITE SOME TIME. IN OUR COUNTRY, SPEECH ABOUT POLITICAL ISSUES RECEIVES THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF PROTECTION UNDER THE FIRST AMENDMENT, IT IS LITERALLY THE CORNERSTONE TO OUR DEMOCRACY.”

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OUTRAGE

FLORIDA GOP TO BAN ABORTION AFTER 6 WEEKS

Last year Florida banned abortion after 15 weeks. But apparently that wasn’t enough. On Monday lawmakers filed bills that would limit abortion to six weeks, outraging democrats, including the White House.

“Politicians like Governor DeSantis espouse ‘freedom for all,’ while directly attacking the freedom to make one’s own health care decisions,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told media outlets. “This proposal is wrong and out of touch with the overwhelming majority of Americans, including Floridians, who support a woman’s right to choose.”

The latest restrictions provide an exception for life of the mother or serious physical damage, but critics point out that in other states the vague definitions of “life of the mother” has scared medical providers away from performing legally allowed abortions.

In one recent example in Florida, a woman’s baby was diagnosed with Potter syndrome at about 24 weeks. The doctor told her the condition is incompatible with life. She decided to terminate the pregnancy, but doctors refused to perform an abortion. So instead she is now forced to carry the baby to term. Medical experts expect the baby to survive only 20 minutes to a couple of hours after delivery.

On Monday five women in Texas sued the state saying medical providers put their lives at risk because of the state’s vaguely worded abortion ban. Some of those women left the state to have abortions elsewhere. Two of the fetuses had no skulls and two of them were

threatening the lives of their twin.

If passed the Florida law also provides exceptions for rape and incest but women will have to provide proof of the crime. Proof includes “a copy of a restraining order, police report, medical record, or other court order or documentation providing evidence that she is obtaining the termination of pregnancy because she is a victim of rape or incest.”

Those exceptions end at 15 weeks.

DeSantis has signaled he supports more restrictions on abortion in the state.

“We are proud to be pro-family and we are proud to be pro-life,” he said Tuesday during a speech.

“If it’s a war they want, it’s a war they will get,” Florida Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book wrote in a statement. “This issue bridges the partisan divide, and we will not go down as easily as they believe.”

But Republicans hold supermajorities in both legislative chambers and it’s unclear how they would be able to stop the bans from becoming law.

Rep. Anna Eskamani (D-Orlando), who formerly worked for Planned Parenthood, quickly blasted the legislation.

“Florida Republicans have once again demonstrated a complete disregard for the women of our state and for our collective freedoms,” Eskamani said in a statement. “As we’ve already seen in other states, a six-week ban is extreme, dangerous, and will force millions of people out of state to seek care and others will be forced into pregnancy.”

12 • 3.9.2023
NEWS STATE
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3.9.2023 • 13

'EMPOWER BIGOTS ACT'

PROPOSED DEFAMATION LAW WOULD HAVE CHILLING EFFECT ON FIRST AMENDMENT

Jason Parsley

Florida lawmakers are looking at overhauling libel law in the state, including making it easier for politicians to sue news outlets.

House Bill 991 would lower the bar on who’s considered a public figure under defamation law, and lower the bar on what’s considered defamation.

The bill is alarming to free speech advocates.

“It is important to remember that the free press serves as the eyes, ears, and mouth of our democracy,” said Russell Cormican, a Fort Lauderdale First Amendment attorney. “You may not always agree with what you see, hear, and read, but the correct response to that is not curtailing free expression but encouraging more of it.”

In February Gov. Ron DeSantis held a roundtable about the current libel laws in the country saying he was surrounded by people who have fought to hold “big media companies accountable for their actionable lies.”

“We live in a politically polarized world and that translates to polarization in our media outlets as well,” Cormican said. “The new bill aims to make it easier for politicians or political figures to file legal claims against the media outlets that don’t share their viewpoints.”

The original bill stated the U.S. Supreme Court should reassess the 1964 New York Times v. Sullivan decision and “return to the states the authority to protect their residents from defamatory falsehoods and the ability to make their own policy judgments regarding the prevention of defamation.”

Rep. Alex Andrade, who sponsored the bill, pulled it the next day and refiled it without mentioning the Supreme Court.

“This bill is very alarming, because it threatens one of the bedrock principles of free speech in America, which is the right to criticize government officials and other powerful figures without fear of financial or other types of retribution,” Katie Fallow, senior counsel at Columbia University’s Knight First Amendment Institute, told the Tallahasse Democrat.

Two Supreme Court justices have said they want to revisit the Sullivan decision,

a landmark decision ruling that the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution’s freedom of speech protections limit the ability of public officials to sue for defamation.

“While that kind of dramatic reversal seemed far-fetched a few years ago, it does not seem implausible today given that the conservative courts overturned Roe v. Wade,” Fallow said.

The bill lowers the bar on what constitutes a public figure and defamation. The bill also says that statements by an anonymous source are assumed false in a defamation case. The bill also lowers the “actual malice” requirement that allows journalists some room for error. The term “actual malice” refers to the idea that someone acted on information they knew to be false, or with disregard for the accuracy of that information.

CORMICAN SUMS IT AS SUCH:

The current state of the law makes it more difficult for public figures and officials to bring defamation claims. A private citizen only has to prove that a false statement caused an injury in order to state a claim for defamation. If a person is a public figure they must additionally prove that the statement was made with ‘actual malice’ which means the statement was made with knowledge that it is false or with a reckless disregard for the truth. The rationale behind this additional requirement for public figures is that discussion of matters of public concern are so important in our society that we must allow for free and open discourse. Allowing public figures to pursue defamation claims where a media outlet published the offending statement without reason to believe it was false can serve as an impediment to the free flow of information.

This bill would also punish news outlets for using anonymous sources.

“Journalists use anonymous sources

to learn about misdeeds in government, industry and other sectors,” First Amendment Foundation Executive Director Bobby Block told the Tallahassee Democrat. “[They] use them to expose what is going on behind the scenes, so that the public not only knows about it, but has the ability to discuss and pressure their officials to act.”

Block went on to say that had this kind of law been in place in years past, it could have prevented stories that exposed the Watergate scandal and Harvey Weinstein’s sex crimes.

The bill could also have big ramifications for the LGBT community. The legislation explicitly cites the LGBT community saying, “a defendant cannot prove the truth of an allegation of discrimination with respect to sexual orientation or gender identity by citing a plaintiff’s constitutionally protected religious expression or beliefs.

TRUTHOUT SUMS IT UP AS SUCH:

“House Bill 991 would also give Florida residents the right to sue others (both in the state or elsewhere in the U.S.) who describe their actions online as transphobic or homophobic, for sums as high as $35,000, and would not allow the truth to be used in defenses against such lawsuits.” the website reads.

Alejandra Caraballo, a civil rights attorney and clinical instructor at the Harvard Law School Cyberlaw Clinic dubbed the bill the “Empower Bigots Act.”

“If it involves LGBTQ people and someone’s beliefs, truth is no defense,” Caraballo tweeted. “This is absolutely chilling.”

According to the Advocate Andrade pushed back at those descriptions saying

his legislation only applies to discrimination that causes actual harm. He assured the outlet someone could still call him a racist, even if it’s not true, and not get sued.

“Anyone who is concerned somehow the truth no longer matters in a defamation claim needs to go review the rules of evidence,” Andrade told The Advocate. “They are speaking from authority when they clearly have none.”

Additionally, HB 991 would change the law so that someone who sues a journalist and wins would get their legal costs covered. But if that person loses, the journalist would have to cover their own legal expenses. Republicans, though, seem to want it both ways.

Earlier in the year Republicans made it harder for people to sue big insurance companies.

“For decades, Florida has been considered a judicial hellhole due to excessive litigation and a legal system that benefitted the lawyers more than people who are injured,” DeSantis said in an earlier press release promoting legislation intended to shield businesses and insurance companies from lawsuits.

Meanwhile, HB 991 would make it easier for powerful people to sue others.

Rep. Hillary Cassel (D-Dania Beach), said it’s a matter of who’s going to have access to the courts under Republican rule.

“It’s not going to be everyday Floridians who are wronged by bad actors,” Cassel told the Tallahassee Democrat. “It’s those in power and the elites and those people that are continuing to serve culture wars that don’t actually serve everyday Floridians.”

14 • 3.9.2023
NEWS STATE
Photo via World Bank Photo Collection, Flicker.
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PROTECT THE CHILDREN?

ANGRY MOB OF PROUD BOYS ATTEMPT TO STORM DRAG QUEEN STORY HOUR

Ashield of colorful umbrellas and Pride flags saved the day for children attending a Drag Queen Story Hour last month in a Maryland suburb of Washington DC.

The Proud Boys attempted to force themselves inside Loyalty Books to presumably break up the event.

One person suffered a facial injury, The Advocate reported.

“[On Feb. 18] Loyalty came under attack from hate groups who tried to force their way into our store during a Drag Queen Story Hour with physical violence,” the owners wrote on Twitter. “Because of [counterprotesters’] efforts the children inside the store got to enjoy doing the Hokey Pokey, hearing beautiful books read aloud basking in the presence of the wonderful @CharChateau. They did not have to hear about bodily mutilation or listen to the slurs and the unhinged, graphic accusations.”

Protesters shouted anti-LGBT slurs and accused the counterprotesters of being

IDAHO LAWMAKER PROPOSES BAN ON GAY MARRIAGE

An Idaho state senator wants to eliminate the requirement for a state marriage license and replace it with the recording of a marriage certificate with the county recorder.

“groomers,” WUSA reports.

Montgomery County Councilmember Kristin Mink said the members began to kick, punch, and shove people, and Mink herself was even kicked, DCist reported.

A spokesperson for Montgomery County Police Department said no arrests or injuries were reported despite multiple attendees having injuries, according to local news site MoCo360.

The owners will continue to host drag queens.

“We are incredibly grateful to the volunteers and our wonderful Drag Queen for focusing on joy and safety,” the owners tweeted. “Loyalty will continue with our Drag Queen Story Hour because it is an awesome time for kids ... and because there is no hate or violence stronger than the love of our community ... ”

Some see it as a way to eventually target marriage equality.

In fact, when the bill was initially put on the agenda it stated, “This legislation eliminates the marriage license. Marriage in Idaho will consist of a man and a woman meeting legal qualifications, a marriage ceremony or solemnization and recording of a marriage certificate by the person performing the solemnization.”

The item was later removed and then later added again without mentioning samesex marriage. Sen. Scott Herndon has since refuted his bill as having anything to do with same-sex marriage.

“If it’s not about gay marriage, what’s the

purpose? What’s Herndon trying to do here?” writes Scott McIntosh, in an opinion piece for the Idaho Statesman. “It’s not inconceivable that Herndon’s bill could set up Idaho as some sort of test case for gay marriage. Who knows what Herndon’s motivations are, but for all the reasons above, don’t be surprised if something more nefarious is in the works.”

16 • 3.9.2023
NEWS NATIONAL
Photo by Kristin Mink, Twitter.
NEWS NATIONAL
Idaho Sen. Scott Herndon.
*Book cover is satire but the quote
Photo via Scott Herndon for Idaho, Facebook.
is real.
17

IOWA GOP PROPOSES BAN ON GAY MARRIAGE

epublican lawmakers in Iowa have introduced legislation that would amend the state’s Constitution to define marriage as between a man and a

According to the Des Moines Register, it’s doubtful any of the bills will pass.

House Joint Resolution 8, cosponsored by eight Republicans, states: “In accordance with the laws of nature and nature’s God, the state of Iowa recognizes the definition of marriage to be the solemnized union between one human biological male and one human biological female.”

Another bill targeting marriage equality, House File 508, also cosponsored by eight Republicans, states marriage is “a sacred religious sacrament” and no resident shall be compelled to recognize any same-sex marriage as valid.

A unanimous Iowa Supreme Court

decision in 2009 made Iowa the third state in the country to legalize same-sex marriage. In addition, in 2015 the Supreme Court in Obergefell v. Hodges ruled same-sex couples had a fundamental right of marriage. In 2022, the Respect for Marriage Act was signed into law, putting additional safeguards in place to protect marriage equality.

STRAIGHT PARENTS WOULD RECEIVE TAX CUTS UNDER TEXAS GOP PROPOSAL

Couples with children may soon have an opportunity to pay no property taxes in Texas if a recently filed bill gets signed into law.

But there are a few catches, according to the New Republic

For one, they have to be heterosexual. Next, they need to have 10 “qualifying” children. Lastly, they could never have been divorced.

According to the bill, qualifying couples are “a man and a woman who are legally married to each other, neither of whom have ever been divorced.” As for qualified children, they’re described as a “natural child of both spouses of a qualifying married couple born after the date on which the qualifying married couple married.” The bill also allows for adopted children.

The tax break would kick in at four children and increase by 10% until they reach 10 kids.

The Texas representative who proposed this piece of legislation, Bryan Slaton, is a former minister and has a history of attempting to attach anti-LGBT amendment to unrelated bills.

“With this bill, Texas will start saying to couples: ‘Get married, stay married, and be fruitful and multiply,’” said Slaton in a press release.

Slaton’s former intern, Jake Neidert, is a selfdescribed Christian nationalist who has called for the public execution of people who take children to drag events, according to the Texas Tribune

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3.9.2023 • 19

WHAT MAKES A RESTAURANT GAY?

When people find out I’m a restaurant reviewer, they often ask me, “What’s the best restaurant in town?”

My joking response is, “Depends on who’s paying.”

The response is only partially a joke. There’s so much packed into that question. Are they talking value for the dollar? Overall dining experience? I’ve had terrific meals in strip mall holes in the wall, and in white linen tablecloth 5-star restaurants. I’ve also had lousy meals in both.

Factor into that, do they mean a “gay” restaurant? What exactly is a gay restaurant? I recently had that conversation with my friend Erik Piepenburg who is writing a book about gay restaurants. What are the facets that make it a gay restaurant? Is it a place owned by a gay person? Mostly gay clientele?

We decided that if it is gay-owned and/ or managed that doesn’t automatically put it in the running. It is more dependent on the clientele and the general vibe. Other restaurants can be “gay-friendly” in that you feel comfortable on a romantic dinner with your significant other, but that may not be a gay owner or have a significant LGBT clientele. Younger readers may not know of the days

when same-sex couples could not get seated at some mainstream restaurants, much less hold hands or share a smooch.

A quick Internet search for “gay restaurants in Fort Lauderdale,” brought up some interesting results. Trip Advisors’ suggestions from those posting on the site were all at least 10 years old. Yelp! started their list with two places that obviously paid to be placed at the top of any lists for searches in the area, Jet’s Pizza and Legends Tavern & Grille, both of which are franchise operations, neither of which is remotely gay. Jet’s is at least located in a gay area. As for the “legitimate” one’s chosen, its algorithm apparently can’t discern between a restaurant and a bar. The Yelp! list includes.

• Rosie’s Bar & Grill

• Union Kitchen & Bar

• Hamburger Mary’s

• Georgie’s Alibi Monkey Bar

• The Manor

• The Pub

• Johnsons

• Eagle Wilton Manors

• Scandals Saloon

• New York Grilled Cheese

I don’t know what they’re serving at Johnsons besides giant sausages. But why choose these bars and leave out obvious choices such as Courtyard Café, Tulio’s Tacos, and Tropics? And if you’re going to choose bars, pick those where the food is a major focus. They included Alibi and The Pub, but why not Spencer’s or Gym Bar?

GayTravel.com was also off the mark on many of its suggestions:

• La Bamba

• Courtyard Café

• Georgie’s Alibi

• Rosie’s Bar and Grill

• Rodeo: A Southern Restaurant

• Capital Grille

• Ortanique on the Mile

• Casa D’ Angelo

Rodeo has been closed for about 10 years, Capital Grille is not particularly gay, and Ortanique is all the way down in Coral Cables. GayFortLauderdale.com is a little closer to the mark. Its list features:

• 15th Street Fisheries

• Bona Italian

• Casa d’Angelo

• Coco Asian Bistro & Bar

• Doc B’s Fresh Kitchen

• Foxy Brown

• Grill 66 & Bar

• Java Boys Coffee

• Lips

• Rosie’s Bar & Grill

• Tropics

I’ll give them a couple of these as at least gayfriendly, but Doc B’s is very het, and Grill 66? I’ve never even heard of that one.

Eater Miami bundled bars and restaurants together in an article and includes all of South Florida, but if you pull out the restaurants in our area, it did a pretty good, if not complete, job. But then, restaurants and Fort Lauderdale alone wasn't the focus of its article.

• Rosie’s Bar & Grill

• Georgie’s Alibi Monkey Bar

• Bubbles & Pearls

GayCities.com also included the Miami area in its list, but after you pull those out and factor

in the fact that the list is old (at least two of the places it lists are closed), it comes the closest to being complete.

• Rosie’s Bar & Grill

• Courtyard Café

• Lips

• Peter Pan Diner

• Thai Me Up

• Casablanca Cafe

• Stork’s Bakery & Coffee House

• Tropics Grille

• J. Mark’s Restaurant

• Flip Flops Dockside Restaurant

• Java Boys

• Tee Jay Thai Sushi

• Sozo Sushi Bar

• Pink Sub

• Greek Islands Taverna

• Christina Wan’s Mandarin House

• Le Patio

What would you list as the top 10 gay (or if you prefer LGBT) restaurants? Send me your list at sfgnfeatures@gmail.com.

20 • 3.9.2023
LIFESTYLE FOOD
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. The views Rick expresses are his own and do not represent the opinion of SFGN.
Photo via Tulio’s Tacos, Facebook.
Visit SFGN.com to find out more. LETITIA NEWBOLD APPOINTED TO OAKLAND PARK CITY COMMISSION THERE’S MORE ONLINE!
tropicsgrillefl.com.
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GRAB YOUR HEELS & GET READY TO TAKE ACTION

It’s time to dust off your heels, unpack your wig, and get yourself a shiny new Pride Progress flag. On March 26, our LGBT community and its allies are coming together to fight for our rights and protest against oppressive legislation. This grass roots community event is being powered by dozens of local community leaders and organizations who recognize the imminent threat the DeSantis administration and proposed legislation like the HB 1011 pose to our community. We are all incredibly fired up by the recent defacing of the Pride Flag on Fort Lauderdale Beach, and we recognize that both Stonewall Pride and Wicked Manors are at risk if we don’t take immediate and decisive action.

The march is unique because rather than having “rest stops” along its route, we’ll be providing “action stops” where participants will take meaningful action to have their voice heard. Some planned action stops include:

1. Dialing with Demands. Participants, armed with smart talking points, will dial moderate legislators and encourage them to stand with us on LGBT issues. For those legislators who can’t be swayed, we’re identifying major donors to their campaigns who aren’t likely to appreciate their stand so we can alert them of how their donations are impacting our community.

2. Every Vote, Every Election. Designed to increase voter participation, this stop will offer voter registration and mail in ballot requests.

3. Our Values Gone Viral. An interactive and totally instagrammable experience, this action stop will provide the props and

cool technology to showcase participants personal spirit and style! Digital photos with messages that demonstrate our values will be taken for participants to share instantly on their social media–helping our event go viral!

Attendees are strongly encouraged to dress up for this special occasion. Whether that means dressing in full drag or simply draping themselves in pride flags, we plan to show up as only our community can. There will be plenty of opportunities for marchers to express themselves as they move through the streets alongside like-minded individuals.

At a time when Florida’s governor has launched multiple attacks on drag queen communities, individuals belonging to the LGBT spectrum need to come together to resist this oppressive attempt to marginalize and dismiss our community. This march serves as a reminder that our voices cannot be drowned out — we are here and ready to make our demands heard across all levels of government!

This march represents more than just a political or social statement – it shows that despite adversity, we can come together to make positive change happen. It sends a message of hope not only for those in Florida but for people throughout the country who are already subject to anti-drag laws and oppressive legislation. Those who attend this march will become part of a legacy in which we stand up for what we believe in and make our voices heard! To register for the event and see the latest updates, visit https://fb.me/ e/8gcer2EYM.

Sincerely, Chris

3.9.2023 • 21 LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!  Submit your own letter to Jason.Parsley@sfgn.com COLUMN LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Photo by Simona Todorova, via Unsplash.

Church of Our Savior MCC

In June of 2021, Hungary passed a law banning instruction on LGBT topics in schools, prohibiting information on gay and transgender people in sex education classes. Nine months later, Ron DeSantis signed HB 1557 Parental Rights in Education, or “Don’t Say Gay.” According to reports, when asked about a connection between the laws, Ron DeSantis’s Press Secretary at the time, Christina Pushaw, said, “Oh yeah, we were watching the Hungarians, so yay Hungary.”

Victor Orbán, Hungary’s Prime Minister, has become a role model for the Republican right. He spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) last August in Dallas, around the same time Orbán declared that Hungary must remain racially white, as Hungarians do not want to become “people of mixed races.”

After DeSantis’s 20-point victory in November, the magazine Hungarian Conservative published this headline: “Florida’s ‘Orbán’ On His Way To The White House.” Dozens of articles have been written about the similarities between Hungary’s authoritarian leader and Florida’s governor. Both support bans on gender studies at colleges and universities, both have expanded government control over school curricula, both punish corporations for defying their political agenda, and both use religion as a cudgel to inflict pain on LGBT students and adults.

That’s why the decisions you make go well beyond Broward. Are we really going to make policy in Broward based on HB 1557? It’s having tragic effects on the mental wellbeing of gay and trans youth, it’s driving teachers from the profession … but Moms For Liberty are happy. So are white nationalists, and neo-Nazis, and the Proud Boys. And it’s at the heart of DeSantis’s campaign to energize

that extreme MAGA base he will need to secure the Republican nomination for 2024.

As school boards have tried to appease DeSantis, his agenda has just gotten more oppressive. Appeasement doesn’t work with bullies or fascists. Just ask Neville Chamberlain.

If you think my language is too strong, it became clear at last week’s CPAC conference that the Republican campaign against trans kids could be the beginning of a fascist campaign to erase trans people from public life altogether. When a speaker declared that, “For the good of society … transgenderism must be eradicated from the public entirely, at every level,” the crowd cheered.

Now see what Hitler wrote in a letter dated September 16, 1919, to a soldier named Adolph Gemlich: “Rational antisemitism must lead to the eradication of the privileges of the Jews, with the final objective the total removal of all Jews from our midst.”

In his last-ditch effort to escape the gallows, Holocaust organizer Adolph Eichmann tried to shift responsibility for the deaths of millions of Jews to his superiors, claiming he was only complying with their orders. I’m asking this school board to stop complying.

Show all of our students, our parents, our state, that this body has the strength, integrity and decency to stand up to the Tallahassee bullies. Broward schools won’t “just follow orders” and throw our LGBT students under the bus. We will not help you marginalize our kids by erasing them from our schools. You’ve inflicted enough pain already. It stops here. It stops now. It stops in Broward.

Sincerely, Marc

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LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!  Submit your own letter to Jason.Parsley@sfgn.com COLUMN LETTERS TO THE EDITOR BROWARD SCHOOLS,
DESANTIS
STAND UP TO
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ON THE TRANS HEALTHCARE ISSUE, WE AS A COMMUNITY ARE MORE IN AGREEMENT THAN NOT

Last week found me in London for what turned out to be three major speaking events. It also came in the wake of what I believe is one of the most horrible of trans hate actions ever publicly reported in the United Kingdom. Sixteen-year-old Brianna Ghey was killed when she was stabbed multiple times in a park by two 15-year-olds. Police immediately stated it was not related to her being trans. If that were not enough, the mainstream media didn’t report it as an anti-trans attack and the government, because of their anti-trans laws, misgendered her in all the investigative papers — including her death certificate — since she was not allowed by law to change her birth certificate.

Back here in the U.S., we are not talking about the 400 anti-trans laws that have been introduced in the U.S. In the U.K. the issue is so divisive that it literally has the possibility of breaking up the U.K. with Scotland having a vote on whether to leave the union. So in each of the speeches I felt compelled to bring up her name, Brianna Ghey, and give her the identity she deserved, an identity her parents supported, but the British government and mainstream media did not.

And we in our community that do support trans health and legal issues seem to want to do nothing but debate on almost any issue of trans health and legal issues. The reality is, much of the anger is being targeted at those who agree with trans heath policies rather than those who fight against trans people.

We all agree that trans people and children have a right to their health and proper respect by governments. We all agree that politicians, mostly Republicans, are grandstanding on anti-trans issues.

In the middle of all this, GLAAD decided to create a debate about the New York Times reporting on the issue. They called out the NYT for “irresponsible, biased coverage of transgender people” and created a petition against the publication. These actions are why we are losing on this issue, and it’s a sad that our national organization which is supposed to understand media, simply proves they do not. While GLAAD’s action will help their fundraising, it adds discourse that distracts from the real fight.

You can’t begin to fight the injustices until

you understand how those supporting injustice are fighting. In this case, they’re allowing us to fight against ourselves and divide ourselves, and GLAAD contributed to that. Here is the ONE simple point that those Republicans use: they state the medical treatment for trans children, “harms children.” They’re using the same debate that Anita Bryant used in Florida in the 1970s. Back then it was “Save our Children.” It’s a simple message, and it requires a simple counter attack. But instead we go into the weeds and debate all health and legal issues and attack the New York Times as the major culprit. Does this sound like Trump and calls of fake news? The New York Times is not the enemy, Republicans are.

GLAAD’s major talking point is that the NYT didn’t print only the one side of the trans issue, but spoke to people that they would not approve of. That’s called censorship. In the end, the NYT will either consider you irrelevant or put out a blanket statement that they have learned from this experience. GLAAD will have raised more funds, and we all will have wasted time we could have spent fighting the real enemy.

My friend and fellow journalist Chris Johnson formally of the Washington Blade wrote an important piece about this issue, titled “Why a crusade against the New York Times shows LGBTQ groups outlived their purpose.” It’s a good piece, and it reflects on how far groups like GLAAD have come and how far they have strayed from their original purpose.

Ron DeSantis is the enemy. Greg Abbott is the enemy. Moms For Liberty is the enemy. Republican state legislators are the enemy. Don’t forget it.

3.9.2023 • 23
Guest Column OPINION
Photo by Ted Eytan, Flickr.

INDIANA HOUSE TWISTS ‘DON’T SAY GAY’ TO TARGET TRANS STUDENTS

Parental rights bills continue to make waves across the country following the passing of Florida’s own “Don’t Say Gay” Act last year.

Proponents of the bill tout the importance of giving parents more control over their children’s school environment. However, anti-LGBT parents are the only beneficiaries.

Indiana’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill has just passed the House and moves to the Senate with amendments that deviate from Florida’s act and impact transgender students more.

HB 1608 begins with prohibiting instruction on sexuality from kindergarten through third grade. The rest of the bill details the hoops a student has to go through to potentially be referred to by their preferred name and pronouns.

If the bill passes the state senate, students who wish to go by a new name must submit a

SPORTS PLAYING WITH PRIDE

request from their parents at the beginning of the school year. A parent must be notified if their child otherwise tries to use a new name or set of pronouns.

However, the bill states that an employee of the school is not required to refer to a student by anything other than their legal name and assigned sex at birth.

WTHR reported Indiana teacher Chris McGrath asking, “How do I not have the right to compel [a school] to call my child a name that I told them I want my child to be called?”

TRANSGENDER DISC GOLFER SUES PRO TOUR FOR DISCRIMINATION

Natalie Ryan, a transgender disc golf touring pro, has filed a complaint in the Eastern District of California’s federal court. According to the lawsuit filed against the PDGA, the Pro Disc Golf Tour, and tournament organizer 1000 Rated Productions, the new PDGA policy violates the Unruh Civil Rights Act of California.

“The DGPT’s decision was based on prejudice, the results of a deeply flawed survey of a small portion of the PDGA membership, and a report from the PDGA medical committee that would receive a failing grade if turned in by an undergraduate at a reputable university,” Ryan’s attorney Brian Sciacca argued in a written statement.

Ryan would not be eligible to compete in the tour’s Female Professional Open division this year according to the regulations.

The PDGA reportedly informed Sciacca that Ryan might participate in the Mixed

Professional Open division in 2023. Although anybody can compete in the MPO, men outnumber women in the division by a large margin.

Bernadette Peters returns to the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach on March 15 to sing her favorite Broadway show tunes, accompanied by a live orchestra. Credit: Courtesy.

ARTSBEAT

BROADWAY BABY AND SALUTE TO SONDHEIM

J.W. Arnold

BERNADETTE PETERS IN CONCERT AT THE KRAVIS CENTER

Throughout her illustrious career, Bernadette Peters has dazzled audiences with her distinct vocals and captivating stage presence. One of Broadway’s most critically acclaimed performers, she’s earned three Tony Awards, a Golden Globe and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The 75-year-old icon will return to South Florida for an intimate evening of her favorite songs on March 15 at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach.

“I’m there to entertain,” she said. “That’s what I do, but it can happen in so many different ways – it’s fun, it’s dramatic, it’s connecting with people.”

She’ll sing selections from “Hello, Dolly” and several Rodgers and Hammerstein shows, and, of course, there will be plenty of Sondheim on the program.

“I miss him greatly,” Peters said of the legendary composer and lyricist who passed away at 92 just

15 months ago. “He was a really dear friend, a smart person, funny, very precious to me. It’s hard to lose him, but he left us so many great songs and great shows.”

And like Sondheim before her, Peters isn’t slowing down. Following the West Palm Beach gig, she has plans to headline gala concerts of Sondheim’s music on the West Coast, London, and even The Villages (where her nephew’s in-laws live).

And of course, she will continue to champion the animals she holds so dear. This summer, she’ll once again host Broadway Barks, the pet adoption event in Shubert Alley she founded with Mary Tyler Moore 24 years ago. (“Celebrities love it,” she added.)

Then what’s next? Peters pondered: “I’ve done most of the great musical roles … maybe there’s something that’s not written yet, or maybe a play to do.”

Tickets start at $29 at Kravis.org.

SYMPHONY OF THE AMERICAS SALUTES STEPHEN SONDHEIM

The Symphony of the Americas and Music Director Pablo Mielgo welcome Emmy Award-winner Liz Callaway for a special tribute on March 14 to the late composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim.

The program at the Broward Center’s Amaturo Theater includes popular songs from Sondheim’s greatest Broadway productions, including “Company,” “Follies,” “Sweeney Todd,” “Merrily We Roll Along” and “Into the Woods.”

“I fell in love with Sondheim’s music when I was 10 years old, when my parents took me to see my first Broadway show, ‘Company.’ I brought home the cast album and memorized every song. Little did I

know that his music would become part of my DNA. I’ll always be grateful to Steve for taking a chance on me, for his guidance, and for giving me ‘so much stuff to sing,’” said Callaway in a 2021 interview with Playbill Magazine.

Ten years after that life-changing experience, Callaway made her Broadway debut in Sondheim’s “Merrily We Roll Along.” She received a Tony Award nomination for her performance in “Baby,” and for five years, she starred as Grizabella in “Cats.” Callaway also performed in the original casts of “Miss Saigon,” “The Three Musketeers” and “The Look of Love.”

Tickets start at $10 at SOTA.org.

24 • 3.9.2023
A&E APPOINTMENTS
Natalie Ryan via Facebook.
COLUMN DON’T SAY GAY WATCH
Everitt Rosen SFGN file photo.

‘EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE’ DOMINATES LGBT CRITICS AWARDS

GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics recently announced the winners of the 14th Dorian Film Awards, named in homage to Oscar Wilde’s novel, “The Picture of Dorian Gray.”

GALECA, a select group of over 400 entertainment journalists in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Australia (including SFGN’s J.W. Arnold), weigh in annually on their favorite films prior to the Oscars.

A24’s dark fantasy “Everything Everywhere All at Once” was named 2022’s Film of the Year and swept several other captions for the studio and distributor.

Creative duo Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert shared both Best Director and Best Screenplay, star Michelle Yeoh seized Best Performance (acting categories are gender neutral), Ke Huy Quan edged out two of his costars for Supporting Performance, while the time-and-reality-warping box office champ also nabbed LGBTQ Film and Visually Striking Film wins.

While “Everything” castmate Stephanie Hsu missed out on the Supporting Performance nod, GALECA named the breakout actress Rising Star of the Year.

Dorian voters also chose writer-director Charlotte Wells’ father-daughter tearjerker “Aftersun,” another A24 production, as Unsung Film, a category meant for “an exceptional movie worthy of greater attention.”

And A24’s stop-motion charmer “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” walked off with

Animated Film, while cheeky horror prequel “Pearl,” headlining co-writer Mia Goth as an ax-wielding wannabe in 1918 Texas, was Campiest Flick.

As for the group’s special accolades, Yeoh, currently seen in the re-release of the movie that made her an international star, 2000’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” was GALECA’s latest pick for Wilde Artist of the Year. Previous recipients include Pedro Almodóvar, Todd Haynes, Kate McKinnon, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ryan Murphy, Dolly Parton, Jordan Peele and Joey Soloway.

Non-binary actor-singer Janelle Monáe, costar of last year’s popular mystery “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” for which they received a Dorian nomination, was named LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer. Past awardees include director Isabelle Sandoval, “Pose” star Michaela Jaé Rodriguez and Almodóvar.

“Pushing through a pandemic, plus frightening attacks on not just America’s democracy, but its citizens of color and anyone who isn’t straight – we’ve all had to deal with a lot lately,” said GALECA Executive Director John Griffiths.

“But the movies are back – from big, exciting blockbusters to personal and quirky stories that hit home for all types of cinema fans. No matter what’s going on in the mind of a certain Florida governor and his ilk, the best movies will only continue to reflect what’s going on in the real world – and parallel ones, too. Looking at our nominees and winners, you can let out a nice, deep breath,” he added.

3.9.2023 • 25
A&E FILM
For a complete list of GALECA Dorian Award winners and nominees, go to GALECA.org. Fantasy-action film “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and star Michelle Yeoh were big winners in the 2023 Dorian Awards, judged by LGBT Critics. Credit: A24.

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