local name global coverage March 28, 2018 vol. 9 // issue 13
a bittersweet farewell to
tuesday’s angels ‘We remember when you got HIV and died in three months’ SouthFloridaGayNews
Page 14
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NEWS local
SouthFloridaGayNews.com
March 28, 2018 • Volume 9 • Issue 13
2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943
Publisher • Norm Kent Norm.Kent@sfgn.com
Chief Executive Officer • Pier Angelo Guidugli Associate Publisher / Executive Editor • Jason Parsley Jason.Parsley@sfgn.com
Editorial
Those With HIV/AIDS Face Challenges with Mental Health and Self-esteem Michael d’Oliveira
M
any individuals with HIV/AIDS don’t want your pity. But self-pity isn’t as easy to dismiss. According to the CDC, many individuals with HIV/AIDS struggle with how the disease makes them feel about themselves; 1 in 4 say it makes them feel dirty or worthless, 1 in 3 say they feel guilty or ashamed about their status, 2 out of 3 say it’s difficult to reveal their infection to others, 8 out of 10 report some kind of feeling of internalized-stigma. That internalized-stigma was the focus at a recent meeting of POZitive Attitudes, a topic-driven support group for men and women with HIV/AIDS which meets in Wilton Manors. Susan Mintz, whose husband, Jeffrey Mintz, a gay man, died of AIDS in 1994, spoke to POZitive Attitudes of the stigma she faced when she first started answering questions about how he died. “Get it out of your brain and out of your heart,” she told POZitive Attitudes. “I can’t give you internalized-stigma. Only you can.” There’s an estimated 300 members in the group, some of whom have had the disease since it first became widely-known in the early 1980s. What drives much of the stigma, say members, some of whom did
not provide their names for publication, are outside circumstances and pressures. One man said he doesn’t advertise he has AIDS, but he’s not shy about revealing his status when it comes up. “I share when I’m asked.” Dating, and the rejection that ensues because of an HIV/AIDS status, was cited by more than one person in the group. One man talked about revealing his HIV status on dates. “I just feel overwhelmed by the stigma. You tell them and they walk out the back door.” One woman said that’s how the stigma gets internalized. “Now that I’m single, the stigma is right in my face.” Steve Stagon, facilitator of the group since 2006, said the name, POZitive Attitudes, is a reflection of the positive status of each member as well as the positive attitude members are encouraged to adopt. “You just have to let the water roll over your back, like a duck,” said Stagon. But much of that proverbial water comes from members of the LGBT community who don’t have HIV/AIDS, say some members. “Sometimes, non-gay people are more understanding than gay people,” said one man. “Wilton Manors is exactly like he said,” commented another. For all its flaws though, Wilton Manors and South Florida, MEMBER
said another man, are far more accepting than many other areas, including many cities generally thought of as progressive when it comes to the LGBT community or HIV/AIDS. “Coming here from New York, it was like Nirvana. There’s a lot less stigma here than almost anywhere else,” he said. Dan Drennen said “white suburban housewives” and some other heterosexuals are much more likely to be less stigmatizing because they don’t fear getting the disease from gay men. Drennen said fear about HIV/ AIDS “is not always logical.” But talking about the problems faced by individuals with HIV/AIDS isn’t the only purpose of the group. It’s also a place to socialize outside of meetings, including movie nights, parties, and fundraisers for HIV/AIDS causes. “It means a lot. It’s a place where you can focus on community,” Peter Accardi said. “We enjoy these types of discussion groups. We do fun things, too.” Members take turns bringing dessert and refreshments each meeting. Another member moved here in 2004 and joined the group not long after. “That’s how I made my social life in Fort Lauderdale. It’s very important to me.”
MEMBER POZitive Attitudes meets every Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the World AIDS Museum, 1201 NE 26th St., Wilton Manors. Visit pozitiveattitudes.com for more information.
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Cover: Tuesday’s Angels. Photo ccredit: Pompano Bill. MEMBER
Associated Press
Art Director • Brendon Lies Artwork@sfgn.com Digital Content Director • Brittany Ferrendi Webmaster@sfgn.com Designer • Char Pratt Copyeditor • Kerri Covington Arts/Entertainment Editor • JW Arnold JW@prdconline.com Social Media Manager • Tucker Berardi TBerardi2014@fau.edu Food/Travel Editor • Rick Karlin Gazette News Editor • Michael d'Oliveira HIV Editor • Sean McShee Senior Photographer • J.R. Davis JRDavis12000@hotmail.com
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Dori Zinn • Donald Cavanaugh • Christiana Lilly • Denise Royal • Sean McShee • David-Elijah Nahmod
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NLGJA Journalist of the Year 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 of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations. 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 © 2018 South Florida Gay News.com, Inc.
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NEWS online
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Don't miss the
Queens of the Stone Age Frontman Speaks Out Against Homophobic, Racist Fans
By Rama (Own work) [CeCILL or CC BYSA 2.0 fr, via Wikimedia Commons.
LGBT Pride Parade Held in City that Initially Denied Permit
Gay Cuban Couple Among Miami Bridge Collapse Victims
Alberto Arias and Osvaldo ‘Ozzy’ González (Photo courtesy Facebook).
Pentagon Pledges to Retain Trans Troops Regardless of Trump Policy
Grindr to Send HIV Testing Alerts to Users
6. Sex Trafficking Bill Prompts Craigslist to Drop Personal Ads 7. Study Finds Men in Same-Sex Marriages Break Up Less Than Opposite-Sex Marriages 8. RuPaul’s Drag Race Exit Interview: Vanessa Vanjie Mateo 9. In Emotional Post, ABC News Reporter Comes Out as HIV-Positive Photo via Facebook / @karl.schmid.923
10. Pence’s Daughter Tweets Support for John Oliver’s Gay Rabbit Book
Visit SFGN.com to stay up to date on all the news across the web! Twitter.com/SoFlaGayNews
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NEWS local Photo via Facebook.
Sanctuary Church Officials Aim for Shops, Affordable Housing Michael d’Oliveira
I
n an effort to “grow” their community, leaders of Sanctuary Church in Fort Lauderdale announced plans to redevelop their church site. Leaders for the LGBT-friendly church, 1400 N. Federal Hwy., announced their plans earlier this month on Facebook. “We just announced some big news at our church and we are excited to share it with you. Our goal is to create a church that is growing our local
community in congruency to giving to our local ministries.” The church building will remain, but the plans, which are still in the preliminary stages, include affordable housing, a redevelopment of the waterfront, and shops which “give a percentage to our ministries for every purchase.” A call to Sanctuary Church was not returned in time for publication.
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LGBTQIA bites Lesbian
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Cynthia Nixon called ‘Unqualified Lesbian’ by Andrew Cuomo Aide
By Ryan Lynch
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Bisexual
Department of Health and Human Services removes Lesbian and Bisexual info from Website
Photo via MTA, Flickr.
After being called an unqualified lesbian by an aid of Governor Andrew Cuomo, actress Cynthia Nixon dismissed the comment. Nixon, who starred on the television “Sex and the City,” was put down by former New York City Council member Christine Quinn, according to Cosmopolitan. Quinn had an issue with Nixon endorsed Bill de Blasio instead of her in Quinn’s mayoral campaign. “Yesterday, when I announced my candidacy, one of Governor Cuomo’s top surrogates dismissed me as an ‘unqualified lesbian,’” Nixon said in
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response at a campaign launch event. “And I just want to say tonight, that she was technically right. I don’t have my certificate from the Department of Lesbian Affairs, but in my defense, there is a lot of paperwork involved.” Quinn later clarified her remarks on Twitter, stating it was not about her sexuality. “As a lesbian who ran one of the most high profile races in the country, i know what that’s like,” she tweeted. “And I know it’s imperative that we encourage more members of our community to run for office.”
Office of Women’s Health website.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has taken info on lesbian and bisexual people off its women’s health website. The department took info off the site which had last been updated in 2012, according to NBCNews. The removals included info on lesbian and bisexual specific health issues. “As OWH updates its site, the outdated
lesbian and bisexual health pages were removed and the health content was integrated into the relevant health topics pages across the website,” an HHS spokesperson said. “This aligns with how people search for content. You can now find lesbian and bisexual health content by searching for relevant health topics on the womenshealth.gov website.”
LGBTQIA bites
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NEW CITY PLAYERS presents
Transgender
Study Finds Gender Consignment Surgery Improves People’s Quality of Life
CLYBOURNE PARK by Bruce Norris German researchers have found that transgender people who get consignment surgery are much happier than those that don’t. In a study by University hospital in Essen, Germany of 156 people who had a male-to-female surgery, a group led by Jochen Hess looked at the status of gender consignment patients, according to the Verge. In the six years after surgery, 75 percent of women were more satisfied and 67 percent were happy with their appearance as a woman.
“Nevertheless, we now have the first specific validated tool for measuring Quality of Life in transgender patients, we hope that this means that we can go forward to gather better information to help us improve treatment,” Hess said in a release. More than 80 percent of respondents also said they perceived themselves as women after the surgery, according to the Verge. Of those who responded, 76.2 percent said they could have orgasms with their changed sexual organs.
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NEWS local
NEWS health
LGBT and LGBT-friendly Churches Hold Easter Services
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ith website proclamations telling worshippers – including gay, straight, black, white, republican, democrat, native or foreign-born – to “come as you are,” some of Broward County’s churches are LGBT-run or LGBT-friendly and open to all this Easter – April 1. SFGN has compiled a list of Easter worship times.
St. Nicholas Episcopal Church 1111 E. Sample Road, Pompano Beach 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. St. Mark’s Episcopal Church 1750 E Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Unity Ft. Lauderdale 2501 NE 30th Street Sunday - 10AM
SFAN March Meeting
Sunshine Cathedral 1480 SW 9 Ave., Fort Lauderdale 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
Parish of Saints Francis & Clare 2300 NW 9th Ave (Powerline) Sunday - 10:30 AM
Church of the Holy Spirit Song, 2040 N. Dixie Hwy. #3, Wilton Manors 10 a.m.
Christ Lutheran Church 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd. Sunday - 10AM
Center for Spiritual Living 4849 N. Dixie Hwy., Oakland Park, 10:30 a.m.
MCC of the Palm Beaches 4857 Northlake Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens Easter Sunday Sunrise Service at 7 a.m.
Sean McShee This report discusses the monthly meeting of the South Florida AIDS Network (SFAN). SFAN is the advisory board for the Ryan White Care (RWC) program of the Florida Department of Health in Broward.
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n March 1, SFAN held an evening community meeting. That meeting discussed problems related to changes in the PAC Medicaid Waiver program. The PAC Medicaid Waiver Program had allowed Medicaid to pay for services not covered by Medicaid. Eligibility for this program was restricted to clients with specified serious diseases like HIV. Case managers at RWC agencies could authorize those services. The Agency for Health Care Administration (ACHA) manages Medicaid in Florida. Its auditors discovered irregularities in the program. Some case managers had authorized expenses that they should not have authorized. ACHA then launched a statewide investigation. ACHA has moved the case manager role from RWC agencies to agencies that specialize in case management. In many Florida counties, this transition has occurred with minimal disruption. In Broward, clients have reported problems. Joey Wynn, SFAN chair, said that this meeting would collect reports of these problems. He stressed that this meeting would only gather and document problems. SFAN would then bring these documented problems to ACHA and demand accountability. SFAN would present the results of that meeting at the April meeting of SFAN. Wynn said that some Medicaid clients with HIV need intensive case management to avoid hospitalization. Effective case management can contain costs without decreasing available services. ACHA has designated two agencies as enhanced HIV agencies: Clear Health Alliance and AIDS Healthcare Foundation. These agencies provide special HIV training to their staff. In return, these agencies can charge ACHA
an “enhanced rate.” In addition, three Medicaid managed care companies provide telephonebased case management: Amerigroup, Clear Health, and Positive Health Care. Gary Hensley of SunServe said that these case management agencies have failed to link with the prior case managers. SunServe had previously provided these case management services. About six Broward Medicaid clients reported problems. These clients reported that the contact numbers for Amerigroup and Clear Health had Miami-Date area codes. Providers that served both counties reported that Miami clients did not have problems. Only Broward clients had problems. Clients reported many issues. Some case managers referred clients to doctors that did not accept their insurance. Some case managers failed to return phone calls about serious medical issues. Some case managers had failed to contact their clients for three months or more. Some case managers and their supervisors lacked basic knowledge about HIV and failed to understand HIV terminology. Their clients had to educate them. Case managers used to help clients reapply for Medicaid. Now some were refusing to do so. A black male client broke down in tears while telling his story. In addition to HIV, he has balance issues. He has fallen. He had to lean on a cane to speak. He appeared to be having some speech issues and to be short of breath. He said that he had seen his case manager once and that lasted just 40 minutes. Wynn stressed, “People are getting paid to perform a service. If they are not providing that service, they should lose that contract and give the contract to someone who can.”
Announcements SFAN and Broward Department of Health are conducting an online survey to learn about perceived availability of services for people not living with HIV. The survey will be available through April 13, 2018. It is available online in English and Spanish (www.surveymonkey.com/r/jwky2xg), and Kreyol (www.surveymonkey.com/r/dzzz7rf). The next SFAN Meeting will be on Friday, April 6, 2018 at 10:00 a.m., at the Holy Cross Healthplex, 1000 NE 56th Street, Ft. Lauderdale.
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NEWS local
Bisexual Parkland Activist Emma Gonzalez Targeted in Fake Photo Ryan Lynch
A
fake viral image of Parkland survivor Emma Gonzalez has been making the rounds on Twitter. Gonzalez is a bisexual teen who became one of the faces of the March For Our Lives movement. Recently fake images circulated of her ripping apart the U.S. Constitution, according to Gay Star News. The original photo depicted her tearing apart a shooting target in a photoshoot for Teen Vogue. “The pic going around of #EmmaGonzalez ripping the constitution is a photoshop of a Teen Vogue cover,” Twitter user susanelizabeth tweeted.
Pictured right: Emma Gonzalez. The tampered photo is on the left.
“Stop being such gullible morons, right wingers.” Gonzalez wrote an opinion piece in Teen Vogue which bears the faces of her and others in the #NeverAgain movement. She made a case for the need for gun control and the reason why she and her classmates were pushed to become activists. “In just a few weeks’ time, we, the youth of the United States, have built a new movement to denounce gun violence and call for safety in all of our communities,” she wrote. “And this is only the beginning.” The origin of the hoax is unknown.
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NEWS local
Tropics to Become The Grille on The Drive Michael d’Oliveira
Photo courtesy of Tropics.
T
ropics is dead. For real this time. The promised resurrection of Tropics Piano Bar & Restaurant isn’t happening. Paul Hugo, owner of EAT and The Manor, has leased the building on Wilton Drive where Tropics operated since 1992. It will now be called The Grille and will serve steak and seafood. It will also feature live vocal performances and piano music. Owners Alex Meyer and Godfrey Thompson told SFGN they planned to reopen the restaurant but the liquor license application process was taking longer than expected. SFGN confirmed the delay with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Several months later on Facebook, Meyer announced that they decided to lease the building to Hugo. “After Godfrey and I had some hard times cleaning up after Jackson [Padgett, the previous owner]. We still have some lawsuits ongoing, we thought what would be best
for us to do. Naturally Godfrey’s visit to the hospital was an important factor too. So, we decided to lease Tropics to Paul Hugo.” According to public records, Thompson and Meyer filed a writ of possession last year against Padgett and Tropics after they claimed he failed to make a monthly lease payment to them of $4,541. Hugo deferred comment to Randy Abendschein, the general manager of EAT. Abendschein did not return a call to SFGN in time for publication but announced the opening of The Grille on Facebook.
x. Photo: x A photo of the alleged incident. Photo courtesy of Joseph Wilson.
Gunther Volkswagen Customer Finds ‘Fag’ Written Next to Vehicle Michael d’Oliveira
D
uring a service appointment he didn’t know. “I have not a clue. I’ve at Gunther Volkswagen in Fort never been in that area before.” Lauderdale on Monday, Joseph Asked if he would go back to Gunther, Wilson said he saw and “I would probably switch to heard things he didn’t another company. I don’t expect – “Josh is a fag” want to see that word.” written next to his car On Monday afternoon, and some of Gunther’s SFGN spoke with a manager employees using the word at the dealership. He “queer.” Wilson contacted expressed shock over the SFGN about the incident. incident but did not provide “I was kind of an official statement. embarrassed because I am By press time Tuesday gay,” said Wilson, who lives afternoon, the dealership in Wilton Manors. Wilson had not provided a said the incident happened statement to SFGN. around 11 a.m. and he In an interview Monday contacted the company afternoon, Wilson said - Joseph Wilson when he got home about 30 he was contacted by the customer minutes later. “I paid and dealership and was told that got out of there real quick. I “Josh is a fag” was written was kind of nervous. I didn’t make a fuss by employees who had previously there. I just wanted to pay and get out.” been fired and were not working at the Asked if he thinks the epithet was an dealership at the time of his service isolated incident or if it was something appointment. He said he did not believe influenced by the company, Wilson said the explanation.
“I was kind of nervous. I didn’t make a fuss there. I just wanted to pay and get out.”
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NEWS local Johnny Moses, as he appeared on the cover of 411 Magazine.
Former Customers, Employees Remember Johnny Moses as a Friend to the Community Michael d’Oliveira
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or one night, Johnny’s was back in business. In honor of Johnny Moses, who died last week, Sean David said his bar, LeBoy, was Johnny’s for the night of March 21. Moses, 79, owned Johnny’s in Fort Lauderdale from 1980 until he sold it to David in 2005. Originally, it was located on Himmarshee and eventually moved to Broward Boulevard. Eventually, David closed that bar and opened LeBoy in 2014. David said he “felt obligated” to honor Moses because he was “a pioneer” who operated an openly-gay bar back in the 80s when it wasn’t as easy to be openly gay. “That was when you’d get beaten up . . . He’s a very major part of the community.” The stories of Moses’ commitment to the community came up time and again, from former customers and employees. “He was good to the community. The community really lost a friend,” said Al - Will Gibson, a former employee. “He was strict, but he had a soft side. Johnny would always come in and if he didn’t like what you were doing, he would slap his hand down and say ‘I will not have that.’ He was a good boss. But he liked things to be done his way.” Gibson said Moses was always holding fundraisers for non-profit organizations,
such as Poverello. “And we brought in a lot of money.” Former employee Richard Rogers, better known as Sally Starr, remembered the yearly Thanksgiving dinner Moses would hold because he knew a lot of gay men wouldn’t be spending the holiday with their families. No one was turned away. “He didn’t care if you never came to Johnny’s [as a customer]. He just wanted to help people,” Rogers said. For some customers, the bar itself was a help to the gay community. “It was the place to go. What a fantastic bar. We knew the bartenders. We knew we were safe,” Will Carl said. “What a man he was. He was warm. He was friendly. Just an allaround good guy.” Louis Epps remembers Johnny’s as a safe place where there were no fights, no trouble. “It was great. It was always packed. He had a good following.” But Moses the man was also remembered via a few drinking stories and more. “Johnny liked red heads. If Carl the kid had freckles, red hair, and blue eyes, the kid didn’t have to do a thing,” Gibson said. Rogers remembered having a couple of strong drinks with Moses one night after they left Johnny’s and had a hard time walking. “Johnny called us a cab and the driver said, ‘where to?’ Johnny said, ‘the end of this block.’”
“It was the place to go. What a fantastic bar. We knew the bartenders. We knew we were safe.”
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Visit SFGN.com to find your copy 3.28.2018 •
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NEWS national
Pulse Survivors Invoke LGBT Victims at
March For Our Lives
Chris Johnson
Washington Blade
S
urvivors of the 2016 mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla., took part Saturday in the March For Our Lives with heavy hearts as they remembered the 49 people killed that night, but they also expressed optimism about the potential for change. Those personally affected by the tragedy — including Christine Leinonen, the mother of victim Christopher “Drew” Leinonen, and Brandon Wolf, Drew’s friend — marched as part of the contingent organized by the Human Rights Campaign. Prior to heading out, Wolf told the Washington Blade his thoughts were on his slain friend and “the life that he deserved, that he should be living.” “I’m marching every step for him,” Wolf said. The group led by the Human Rights Campaign headed to the rally point in D.C. carrying signs that read, “Honor Them With Action.” Each sign bore the name of a victim of gun violence. Wolf said he took in part in the march with hopes to “wake up the country, to energize them,” shaming Congress for what he said was inaction on gun control. “I manage businesses for a living, and I try to imagine a day where one of my employees can have a 15 percent approval rating from me, do absolutely nothing for decades and still get their six-figure salary,” Wolf said. “So my hope is that I can wake Americans up and remind them that we’re the employers, these folks are not doing their job. They have failed us. They’re not keeping us, and it’s time for us to fire them and move on.” Wolf said he isn’t sure why Congress hasn’t taken action on gun control, but the first step to encouraging them should be eliminating the influence of money on politics and the National Rifle Association. “We need to start by eliminating the NRA’s campaign contributions, taking their power out of the conservation,” Wolf said. “I think that’s a start, but ultimately, this group of lawmakers has made their case. They’ve said that money is most important to them and it’s time for us to pick somebody else.” Leinonen said taking part in the March For Our Lives reminded her of the energy surrounding the gun reform movement amid the lingering sadness about her departed son. Recalling the protests against the Vietnam War in the 1970s, Leinonen said, “Now we have teenagers that are doing that
“Today we’re proud to be led by Pulse survivors and family members and join the hundreds of thousands of students and their supporters from across the nation in the March For Our Lives.” - Chad Griffin
president of the HRC
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Photo via Chad Griffin, Facebook.
very same thing fast-forward 60 years, and it’s incredible, so it makes me feel very hopeful for their future.” “Whether you are marginalized because you’re a teenager, or because you’re going to a concert, or a nightclub, you’re gay, you’re Latino, you’re African-American, everyone is marching for their lives in solidarity, and it’s going to be a force that this political climate is going to have to reckon with,” Leinonen said. Leinonen paused during the interview at one point on the way to the rally to give high fives to youths on the street and exclaimed, “March For Our Lives, March For Our Lives!” The Pulse survivors are seeking measures they say are common-sense gun reform measures, such as expanded background checks and a ban on assault rifles. Wolf said a number of the items on the gun reform agenda, such as background checks and increased access to mental health care, are “in the middle” and should be easy for lawmakers to achieve. “Those are things I’d like to see done, but instead, we get so hung up on outer issues that the gun lobby pushes us to the edges of the issue that we don’t ever talk about the things that we agree on,” Wolf said. “Ninety-eight percent of Americans agree we need universal background checks. Why haven’t we moved on that? Sixty-two percent of Americans believe that a ban on assault-style rifles would make sense. Why haven’t we moved on that? The answer is the money, the answer is the gun lobby and our ineffective group of legislators.” Leinonen said she hopes the march will send a signal “not just to the American people, but people all over the world” that the status quo is no longer working. “The status quo is we have out of control gun laws in this country,” Leinonen said. “That’s the status quo is they’re making it easier and easier to buy more and more guns and put them in more and more places, so now we have an environment where weapons of war, semi-automatic weapons, made to be automatic in some cases, are being marketed like candy or toys, just like in the old days when Big Tobacco used to own D.C.”
The contingent for the Human Rights Campaign departed for the March For Our Lives after an event at the Renaissance in which Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign spoke and sought to energize the audience. “Today we’re proud to be led by Pulse survivors and family members and join the hundreds of thousands of students and their supporters from across the nation in the March For Our Lives,” Griffin said in a statement. “As the tragedy at Pulse showed us, hate can turn deadly when coupled with unfettered access to military-style weapons. The safety of LGBTQ people and other marginalized communities that face disproportionate levels of hate and violence requires the adoption of common-sense gun safety measures.” Also speaking at the event were Wolf and Leinonen in addition to fellow Pulse survivors José Arraigada and Ricardo Negron and One Pulse Foundation Board Chair Earl Crittenden. Karamo Brown, one of the hosts of “Queer Eye,” also spoke at the event wearing a black “Never Again” sweatshirt and he revealed he’s an alum of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., where the mass shooting that killed 17 took place. “You all cannot imagine how my heart broke,” Brown said. “In one moment, 14 students and three staff members were viciously murdered by senseless gun violence.” Ana Navarro, a Republican commentator and Trump critic, was also present at the event and hurled criticism at Trump for anti-LGBT policies she called “deplorable.” “I have no doubt that the constant curtailing of LGBTQ rights by the Trump ‘misadministration’ has everything to do with keeping his base happy and distracting us from the fact that he cheats, he lies and has no moral compass,” Navarro said. — Chris Johnson, Washington Blade courtesy of the National LGBTQ Media Association.
NEWS national
NEWS palm beach Center: Daniel Sohn. Submitted photo.
Photo via www.NPS.gov.
Stonewall National Monument Captures South Florida Imagination Comments sought through April 30
Town of Haverhill Elects Openly Gay Man to Council Jason Parsley
Damon Scott
N
ational Parks Conservation Association officials were in Wilton Manors March 20 for a public forum at The Pride Center. The goal was to videotape comments from those in attendance who had opinions and suggestions for the NPS. Public comment is open until April 30 online. The National Park Service, which oversees America’s national monuments, has partnered with the nonprofit NPCA to get community feedback on the best way it can tell the story of Stonewall and the larger movement. The main part of that story, of course, are the Stonewall Riots which took place June 28, 1969. The riots came as a reaction to a police raid that took place at the Stonewall Inn bar in the Greenwich Village neighborhood in New York City’s Manhattan. The event is considered one that accelerated the gay liberation movement and the modern fight for LGBT rights in America. Much happened leading up to Stonewall, and much happened after it. The significance of Stonewall was not lost on former President Barack Obama. On June 24, 2016, just months before his administration would end, Obama designated the Stonewall National Monument to “honor the broad LGBT equality movement.” The monument is a first of its kind — one that designates an area (as opposed to one statue or façade like the Lincoln Memorial or Mount Rushmore) that was important in telling an overall story. This story — the struggle for LGBT people to attain equality. The monument encompasses (including the Stonewall Inn) about a five-block area where the uprising took place. It includes the adjacent Christopher Park and surrounding streets where protests took place.
The public comment process has included consultation with historians, community members and stakeholders who represent the LGBT community “to ensure that the full Stonewall story is told accurately. “ South Florida joined Tacoma, Seattle and San Francisco on the list of sites where NPCA hosted public forums. “We chose South Florida as one of the locations because of the partnerships that we have and wanted to build upon, especially with the Stonewall National Museum & Archives,” said John Adornato III, NPCA’s deputy vice president for regional operations, based in Hollywood, Florida. “We also know that the LGBT community in South Florida is very active and engaged, as well as has tight connections to the New York area, given the amount of overlap of residents or past residents. We knew we would get a robust conversation from informed people — which is exactly what happened,” Adornato said. Adornato joined Cortney Worrall, senior regional director of NPCA’s northeast regional office, and an NPS ranger at the event. Several in the crowd of about 25 had personal stories of their connection to Stonewall and the larger movement of LGBT rights in America and internationally. “We were so pleased with the turnout. The stories that everyone shared, from the younger millennial generation to the retirees who served in the military as closeted enlistees, all diving deep into a discussion about the symbolism and meaning of the Stonewall riots and our continually evolving LGBT history,” Adornato said.
For more: Stonewall National Monument: nps.gov/ston. To submit a public comment to the NPS before April 30: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/document. cfm?documentID=85194. (Read the draft significance statements, and then click on the “comment now” button). To learn more about NPCA: npca.org.
D
aniel Sohn was recently elected to the Town of Haverhill with more than 60 percent of the vote. Sohn becomes the first LGBT elected council member in Haverhill’s history. At 27 years old he is also currently the youngest elected public official in Palm Beach County. “I am super excited about getting to work
in my community. I’m looking forward to representing not only the residents of the Town of Haverhill but LGBTQ and young people across Palm Beach County,” Sohn said. “The LGBTQ community and young people are still struggling to have a fair and equal role (with representation) in the political process. This win was for all of us and we made history.”
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3.28.2018 •
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NEWS miami-dade
The ‘Angels’ Say Goodbye Iconic HIV crisis help group will shut down by year’s end ‘We remember when you got HIV and died in three months’
Damon Scott
Tuesday’s Angels, via AIDS Walk Miami, Facebook.
W
hen a group of people come together for a noble cause — such as helping those who are navigating the decades long and complex world of HIV — it might be hard to imagine an end that makes sense. But the group Tuesday’s Angels seem to have found that end, and it’s happening this year. “After a period of reflection and discussion the board of Tuesday’s Angels has decided to dissolve as of November 30, 2018,” the group said this month in a statement. “We feel like we achieved what the founders intended,” added Tuesday’s Angel’s president Mike Ross. Let’s do dinner More than 30 years ago a group of gay men started meeting for dinner in Wilton Manors once a month on Tuesday to raise money to help those in crisis due to HIV. The dinners took place at Chardee’s Lounge, (later Bill’s Filling Station), located at 2440 Wilton Drive, where a hat was passed around the table for donations. The men wanted to help in their own small way by collecting a little money to provide a variety of assistance to HIV-positive men. Ross began attending the dinners in 1996, soon after moving to South Florida from New Jersey, a time, he said, when the dinners brought 100 to 150 men together. “A lot of people were affected by HIV in one way or another,” Ross said. “There was a real need.” Ross, who is HIV-negative, said he had “many, many friends” who had died of AIDS in their 30s and 40s. “It gave us a strong desire to do something. Presently all the board members are HIV-negative, but have either had a lover or friends who died. We’re in that age category where we were surrounded by people dying of AIDS,” he said. “Things have improved enormously.” Mark Ketchum, executive director of Wilton Manor’s SunServe, has known about Tuesday’s Angels for 20 years, has been to many of the dinners, and has supported the group for several years. “I’ve been working with AIDS services since 1985,” Ketchum said. “In the beginning, we were just trying to put the fire out. For a client losing everything, and [Tuesday’s Angels] could pay their electric bill without the bureaucracy — it gave people hope,” he said. Ketchum said the younger generation likely doesn’t understand the extent of the AIDS crisis that he, and many
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of the longtime supporters of Tuesday’s Angels, do. “All of our friends were dying and the government wouldn’t do anything,” Ketchum said. “We remember when you got HIV and died in three months — those were the rules,” he said. A crisis, changed Ross and members of Tuesday’s Angels board say there have been many changes in the world of HIV. Those changes are part of why the group unanimously agreed to dissolve. One change is that most people with HIV are now living longer lives with advances in medication. “There are also several HIV agencies providing services in Broward County, as well as programs for some housing and
“We’re in that age category where we were surrounded by people dying of AIDS. Things have improved enormously.” - Mike Ross
Tuesday’s Angels President
utility assistance,” a statement from the board said. “Over the past few years, Tuesday’s Angels has been serving largely a chronically ill HIV population of low income individuals rather than critically ill people in crisis,” the statement said. Tuesday’s Angels said it has spent fewer funds on rent and utilities in recent years, and more on eyeglasses and bus passes. “The number of clients helped has also decreased. While there is still a great need to serve those living with HIV who are struggling financially, the initial crisis has thankfully passed,” the statement read. Ross said as recently as three years ago Tuesday’s Angels served 500 people with direct assistance, and now it’s 300. “We’re here to help people in crisis. It might be a financial crises now, but not so much a health crises. A lot of people with HIV are able to work now or are on disability,” Ross said. Different time, face of HIV Another significant reason for the decision has to do with the aging of the board, donors and volunteers of Tuesday’s Angels. Ross said the younger generation hasn’t shown a lot of interest in the organization, either. “Board members have been extremely loyal and longstanding,” said Ross, who is 67, mentioning enduring board members like Chuck Nicholls as an example. He said the average age of board members is about 75 and
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By the numbers Tuesday’s Angels has given out close to $3 million over its lifetime to individuals and organizations involved in the HIV crisis. Over just the past 12 years, Tuesday’s Angels has provided the following, in addition to various grants:
Tuesday’s Angels, via AIDS Walk Miami, Facebook.
the average age of donors is about 80. “What’s happened with our dinners is we’re getting about 30 to 35. A lot of donors have died or are sick. There’s been a lot of attrition over the years,” he said. Ross was a screener for Tuesday’s Angels — one of the volunteers who reviewed applications for assistance. He did the job for 14 years and saw a lot of changes over that time. “Initially [the applications were an] all-gay, all-white, male population, but that’s changed dramatically. It has changed to include women, children, and a lot of straight people,” Ross said. Tuesday’s Angels traditionally provided funds for cremations, food, rent, utilities and other needs, often in collaboration with other HIV-related agencies. But agencies have asked more so for eyeglasses and bus passes recently, than rent and electric assistance. Ross said other demographics have changed, too. He said Tuesday’s Angels has been primarily serving a poor (often homeless) and chronically ill population, more than people in an HIV-crisis situation. “There’s still a need, but it’s not so much a crisis need anymore,” Ross said. “Although people are still dying from AIDS, we’ve stopped giving money for cremation. Like Ross, Ketchum also has seen the switch from what was primarily an overwhelming gay male population with the need for services to a population including women, children, and those who are socio-economically disadvantaged.. “Don’t be complacent just because there are medications. It doesn’t mean they work 100 percent or don’t have side effects. It’s better to be safe than sorry, and I don’t think [the younger generation] realize that. They see HIV men who look healthy and are in good shape. But unless you lived in an era where you would see people who were wasting away, it wouldn’t have the same impact,” he said. Local reaction While Ross and others on the board are humble about the group’s impact over the years — calling Tuesday’s Angels a “very small organization that filled a niche” — reaction from the leaders and workers at local agencies has been wide and heartfelt. Stacy Hyde, the president and CEO of Broward House, was introduced to the group about 17 years ago.
“I have been fortunate to see firsthand the lives Tuesday’s Angels has changed through the generosity and care of those impacted by HIV,” Hyde said. “[Their] legacy of selfless giving and caring for many cast aside will continue through the actions of the thousands of individuals and care providers [they’ve] impacted,” she said. Added Ketchum: “They’ve been a very important part of us providing case management services for those living with HIV,” he said. “The money we receive four times a year for bus passes are like gold to our clients.” Ketchum explains that the bus passes allow many of his clients to get to important doctor’s appointments. “We recognize the changing tides of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and how far we have come together,” said Rafael Jimenez of Care Resource. “Our hearts are bound by the love, care and remembrance of those in our lives, and how we can continue to engage the support of our communities in need,” he said of Tuesday’s Angels. Ross is quick to credit a variety of individuals and organizations that supported Tuesday’s Angels over the years. He said the group received generous support from foundations and other organizations. A few, he said, are the Quick Tricks Duplicate Bridge Club, A Celebration of Friends, the Drial Foundation and the Hollander Foundation. Ross also gives enormous credit to an annual bicycle ride that was “a big money maker for us for 10 years that raised about $1 million.” Next steps While Tuesday’s Angels is ending the Tuesday night dinners — its assets will continue to provide support for the next 10 years, Ross said. The board plans on placing its assets in what will be the “Tuesday’s Angels Donor Advised Fund” at Our Fund of Wilton Manors. “The advisors will be several of the current board members who will ensure that the money will be spent to continue the mission of providing direct assistance to financially needy people with HIV in Broward County,” the board members said in a statement. They consider the fund to be Tuesday’s Angel’s legacy. The organization has never paid for offices or any administrative expenses (other than an accountant) ever since its founding. It’s allowed 100 percent of donations to go directly to those in need, Ross said.
The last dinner is scheduled for April 10. To attend and receive a reservation, email dkrich121@gmail.com. To make a donation, send a check or money order to: Tuesday’s Angles, 1994 East Sunrise Blvd. PMD 139, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 33304.
$15,000
in telephone subsidies
$41,000 in cremations
$61,000
to The Poverello Center for basic necessities
$100,000
to the Children’s Diagnostic & Treatment Center (to send HIV positive children to camp.)
$270,000 worth of eyeglasses
$300,000 in utility assistance
$400,000 in bus passes
$520,000 in rent assistance
Source: Mike Ross. 3.28.2018 •
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WMG
NEWS local
Wilton Manors Gazette
Your source for local news in Wilton Manors. COMMUNITY NEWS
Campbell Foundation Grants 100K to HIV Research
HOLIDAY BUSINESS PARKING
Philly based institute will look at carbohydrate molecules in HIV comorbidities
POLICE PHOTOS
Damon Scott
POLITICS OPINION REAL ESTATE
Read WMG exclusively in an upcoming edition of SFGN!
• • • • • • • • • • • www.WMGAZETTE.com • • • • • • • • • • •
H
IV can cause many issues, including premature aging and a state of inflammation — to the point of spurring other illnesses. This is the case even when someone has their HIV under control with medication. With that in mind, the Philadelphiabased Wistar Institute and Fort Lauderdale’s Campbell Foundation have collaborated on what’s being called a “novel” look at the role of carbohydrate molecules in HIV comorbidities. Comorbidity is defined as “the simultaneous presence of two chronic diseases or conditions in a patient.” Dr. Abdel-Mohsen and his team at Wistar are analyzing recent advances in glycobiology — the study of carbohydrate molecules and the “critical role they play” in the body’s immune responses and in chronic inflammatory conditions. “Their preliminary work indicates that glycosylation in the body is altered in HIV positive individuals, even after years of suppressive ART (antiretroviral therapy),” said Campbell’s Executive Director Ken Rapkin, who recently awarded Mohsen and Wistar a $100,000 grant for further study. “They believe that understanding this may be a key to breaking into the vicious cycle between HIV and the over-activated immune system that leads to multiple comorbidities,” Rapkin said. Rapkin said Mohsen’s work will be important not just for HIV, but for other diseases involving inflammation (like cardiovascular diseases) and immune dysfunctions (such as autoimmune
disorders) and some cancers. Mohsen is an assistant professor in Wistar’s Vaccine & Immunotherapy Center. “HIV positive individuals experience nonAIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) inflammation-related illnesses, such as neurological disorders and cardiovascular diseases,” Rapkin said. “These comorbidities reduce the quality of life and life expectancy,” he said. Rapkin told SFGN that many of the grants it receives have to do with the chronic and oftentimes fatal comorbidities in those living with HIV/AIDS. He said while there have been overall advances in HIV prevention — South Florida is still an epicenter of new HIV infections. “The great advances in treatment and care are a double-edged sword; we now have many people in the general public whose perception of HIV/AIDS is that it’s like diabetes — you take one pill and it’s a done deal. This is not the case, as borne out by the scientific research grants The Campbell Foundation receives and vets for possible funding,” Rapkin said. Rapkin said many people are walking around infected, and do not know their status, thereby infecting others. He said The Campbell Foundation is proud to provide an avenue of funding for up-andcoming researchers to test their ideas and hopefully garner data that will advance the field and to a cure for HIV/AIDS. “With the current federal funding climate, our board is committed to continue in our mission to find and fund the best science that may help us to make HIV/AIDS history,” he said.
The Campbell Foundation has given away $10.8 million since it was established in 1995. For more information, go to CampbellFoundation.org. More on Wistar is at Wistar.org. 16
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NEWS local
GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE
The Pride Center playground. SFGN file photo.
Pride Center’s Playground Prompts Removal of Sexual Predator Jason Parsley
W
hen the Pride Center opened the comfortable with the situation,” Boo said. first in the nation playground at an “He was an elderly man who had served LGBT center in 2015 no one realized his time and wanted to repay his debt to there might be a problem with an employee, society. If any valid concerns or issues had who is a convicted sexual predator. been raised, we would have taken immediate It’s unclear how the issue just now arose action.” but Executive Director of the Pride Center Boo said recently they learned about in Wilton Manors, Robert Boo, said the staff stipulations in place regarding playgrounds, member has been terminated. That person which prompted the Center’s reevaluation of worked at the center in some capacity since the employee. 2003 and was employed part Florida law states “If the time since 2013. victim was under age 18, a “The individual was an prohibition on working for elderly janitor who decades pay or as a volunteer at any prior, had one reported place where children regularly incident of inappropriate congregate, including, but not behavior toward a child. He limited to, schools, child care had served his time and wanted facilities, parks, playgrounds, to repay his debt to society. In pet stores, libraries, zoos, theme his years of service at The Pride parks, and malls.” Center, he did not raise any red Boo said going forward the flags,” Boo said. “During his Center will “create a task force time with us, we ensured that to review all practices, policies the employee was not on-site and procedures to ensure that during any events involving we are in full compliance with - Robert Boo children.” all legal requirements and Pride Center CEO Boo said he went above and to ensure optimal safety of beyond to make sure there everyone who visits our center were no safety concerns. and utilizes our services.” “When I assumed the position of CEO The employee in question has been on of The Pride Center, I personally called his the sex offender registry since he was found former parole officer, even though at that guilty in 1997 on two counts: sexual battery point he was no longer under observation. on a victim less than 12 years old and lewd I have received a handful of inquiries from and lascivious behavior on a child under 16. parents, but once we spoke, they all felt fully
“He had served his time and wanted to repay his debt to society. In his years of service at The Pride Center, he did not raise any red flags.”
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NEWS miami-dade
Miami Trans Support Group Tackles Substance Abuse, Discrimination
Members of Borinquen. Photo courtesy of Carmen Pineiro.
Jose Cassola
jocacommunications@outlook.com
W
hen Joval Valdivia joined Borinquen Medical Valdivia said support groups like this accomplish a lot for Centers of Miami-Dade four months ago, he knew those who attend. right away the first thing he wanted to implement “We talk about substance abuse, discrimination, in his role as an outreach specialist was a support group for depression and other topics that the trans community transgender individuals. deals with on a daily basis,” Valdivia said. “They learn “Transgender [people] are the most discriminated in something new in every group meeting. We create different the LGBTQ community,” said Valdivia, who is known topics every week.” throughout Miami and Fort Lauderdale for his fliers and Transgender activist, author and actress Rajee promotions of clubs and events from South Beach to Narinesingh was recently a guest speaker at one of the Wilton Manors. “After my friend, sister group meetings. Valdivia says he hopes and mother in the scene, legendary trans to have more transgender members of woman Jackie Wilson, passed away, I was the community attend and share stories so hurt I knew I needed to do something of their journey, including Taina Norell, to help this community that suffer from Aryah Lester and Morgan Mayfaire. depression, suicide, drug use or get into For now, Valdivia says the support abusive relationships.” group is trans focused because “there When other trans friends such as is not enough support out there for Paloma de Laurenti, Monica Cooper [transgenders].” He adds Borinquen also and Bianca Brinski — “the list goes on,” offers a recovery skills group on Tuesdays Valdivia says — died too soon, Valdivia and Thursdays at 2 p.m. and a Spanish made it his mission to make a difference version of that group on Fridays at 10 - Joval Valdivia in the trans community. So he started a.m. Valdivia says it is an open space for Borinquen medical centers working at the Borinquen office at 100 NE everyone. of miami-dade 38th St. in November, referred by Angel “This group wouldn’t be possible without Infiniti Camacho, who works the tests Carmen Pineiro, program coordinator, and and treatment program at Borinquen. The trans support Waleska Perez, substance abuse counselor,” Valdivia said. group launched in January. Meetings are held bi-weekly on Pineiro runs the Substance Abuse Treatment Outpatient Tuesday evenings. & Prevention Program (STOPP), which provides substance “This is a cause that is near and dear to my heart,” Valdivia abuse treatment and services to LGBT individuals, said. “I remember one of my best friends, entertainer minorities and others facing these issues. Barbra Brice, lived here on South Beach. Not even drag Services include outreach; individual substance abuse could help her survive. She is a smart trans woman. No one counseling; groups counseling; early recovery skills; would hire her at a regular daytime job, so she had to leave relapse prevention; family education; prevention and risk Miami and move in with her parents because the struggle reduction education and counseling; HIV and Hepatitis in Miami was too much.” testing, counseling and treatment; referral and linkage
“Transgender [people] are the most discriminated in the LGBTQ community.”
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to residential treatment facilities; access and linkage to psychiatric services and specialty medical services; Ryan White case management; and additional community support services, such as housing and employment assistance. For the last 10 years, STOPP has been successful in reducing substance use among African Americans and Hispanics and providing access to HIV care. With rising crystal meth use within the gay community and new HIV infections, Pineiro says STOPP maximizes its focus on engaging the LGBT community in efforts to increase awareness. “Borinquen is committed to decreasing substance use and increasing healthier lifestyles in our Miami-Dade community,” Pineiro said. “This funding gives us the opportunity to offer more services, increase access to these services and to make a lasting, positive impact on our community.” Pineiro said addiction “destroys all aspects of a person’s life, confiscating the mind and body and leading to loss of employment, financial instability, loss of family support and homelessness.” She added individuals who need treatment often have limited resources, don’t know where to turn to or ashamed to ask for help if it’s available. “Experienced STOPP counselors provide an atmosphere conducive to recovery and assist clients throughout their personal recovery journeys,” Pineiro said. “If you know anyone who admits to using drugs or alcohol or has depression or anxiety and you believe they will benefit from speaking to a counselor, do not hesitate to refer them to STOPP.”
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 305-576-1599, ext. 3117.
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Set Your Spiritual Sights on
Love + Light Brittany Ferrendi
I
f you’re looking for a new spiritual path, Love + Light Spiritual Emporium can counsel you through your journey. Located in Oakland Park, Love + Light is a spiritual store chock full of incense, crystals, meditation circles, Reiki cleansings and special events. “People who work here all have their knowledge and their fortes so people can come in and they can ask questions, and we can help inform them through their spiritual journeys,” said co-owner Christopher Johnson, an openly gay man who has been in the metaphysical practice since age 14 by a hereditary witch family. He is a Reiki master in the usui tradition and owns the store alongside co-owners Rosa Albert and Tiffany Coican. “It’s really wonderful,” Coican added, “because it doesn’t matter what our personal beliefs are. If someone comes in with a question we are going to help them in the best possible way we know how.” Coican is also clairaudient and teaches meditation. Meanwhile co-owner Albert is a Reiki practitioner and registered nurse with over 20 years of magical and spiritual experience. She is a certified crystal healer. Every Saturday morning from 9 a.m. to
10 a.m., the three owners host a free Reiki circle — a group healing session involving the Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation. They also host a free New Moon Clearing ceremony once a month on the night of the new moon between 8 and 9 p.m. The cleansing is a walk-through ceremony that incorporates various ancient traditions to “remove blockage on multiple levels.” For those interested in joining an atmosphere of “peace and healing,” Mindful Meditation Mondays every week between 8 and 9 p.m. with a $10 entry fee. In addition to their consistent cleansings and ceremonies, Love + Light also hosts events covering topics like hypnosis, magic, wicca, tarot and more. Customers can also seek out spiritual consultations and energy healing sessions from spiritual counselors with over 30 years of experience. “All are welcome,” Coican said. “That’s our big thing: everyone is welcome. It doesn’t matter what spiritual path you’re on, it is right for you and that makes it right.” “As long as you are pursuing your own spiritual fulfillment without harming others,” Johnson added. “Look through the lens that makes sense to you.”
For more information, call (954) 261-3878 or visit LoveLightSpiritualEmporium.com. The shop is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Monday through Saturday, and 12 to 6 p.m. on Sunday. 3.28.2018 •
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NEWS miami-dade
Miami Beach Gay Pride Celebrates
10th Anniversary
Event will include a week of festivities Jose Cassola
jocacommunications@outlook.com
F
or its momentous 10th year, Miami Beach Gay Pride 2018 will feature a week’s worth of events starting Monday, April 2 with the official Pride rainbow flagraising ceremony at City Hall and the Miss Miami Beach Gay Pride pageant, which moves to glamorous new digs at the Faena Theater, 3201 Collins Ave. Miami Beach elected officials will raise the “I had no idea winning Miss Miami Beach flag at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. Then at 8 p.m., Gay Pride 2017 would be this much fun. It “Pride Lights the Night - A Tribute to PULSE” has been a fabulous year,” James said. “I kicks off as PULSE Nightclub survivor Laura know I’m going to be a tough act to follow as Vargas “flips the switch” to illuminate the Miss Miami Beach Gay Pride, so these ladies 1111 Lincoln Road parking garage in rainbow better bring it!” colors. Richard Murry, marketing director for Pageant contestants will compete in Pride, says “Pride Lights the Night” is a week- such categories as Presentation, Swimwear, long display of unity and remembrance Evening Gown with Questions and Answers paying tribute to the victims of PULSE and and Talent. The winner will receive the title their families. of Miss Miami Beach Gay Pride 2018; the “The colorful display of lights throughout Pride crown designed by Joey Rolon from Greater Miami sends a message of support to Funky Sexy Couture; a matching jewelry set the entire LGBTQ community as structures of ring and earrings designed by Michael and buildings are illuminated Egnor from Beauty & Elegance in rainbow colors,” Murry Designs & Tittle; $1,000 in said. cash and $1,000 in prizes. That same evening on April Pride festivities will 2, a new Miss Miami Beach continue throughout the rest Gay Pride will be crowned. of the week, including dance The Stella Rosa Red Carpet parties, a Friday night VIP Champagne Reception, gala and Saturday beach party hosted by Kitty Meow, begins and festival featuring singer/ at 7:30 p.m., followed by the songwriter Betty Who and pageant at 9 p.m., hosted Australian international DJ by Peter J. Morales, Miss and producer Dan Slater. The Miami Beach Gay Pride 2013 Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Tiffany Fantasia and Miss Chamber of Commerce will Miami Beach Gay Pride 2015 hold a fundraiser for Pride - Joanna James Athena Dion. Special guest from 6-9 p.m. April 3 at the Miss miami 2017 performances during the Shore Club, 1901 Collins Ave. evening will include Fantasia, The Spotlight Mega-Mixer will Dion, Miss Miami Beach Gay Pride 2014 TP include cocktails and food bites, music and Lords, Miss Miami Beach Gay Pride 2016 entertainment, a free drawing for prizes and Kalah Mendoza and the reigning Miss Miami opportunities to make network and business Beach Gay Pride 2017 Joanna James, who will connections. Pre-register at GayBizMiami. relinquish her crown to the next winner. com.
“I know I’m going to be a tough act to follow as Miss Miami Beach Gay Pride, so these ladies better bring it!”
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Miami Beach Pride in 2017. SFGN file photo.
The Friday VIP gala will take place from 7:30-10:30 p.m. April 6 at the Faena Forum, 3300 Collins Ave. Comedian Julie Goldman and Brandy Howard of the “People’s Couch” and the podcast, “Dumb Gay Politics,” will be the hosts of the gala with music by DJ Adora. Grand Marshals Gus Kenworthy, Olympic silver medalist, and Roxanne Vargas, NBC6 anchor, will also be in attendance. Pride’s 10th anniversary culminates Sunday, April 8 with the parade and festival at noon, featuring more than 125 LGBT-friendly vendors and businesses, refreshments, food and a family-friendly play area. The newly crowned Miss Miami Beach Gay Pride will be featured in the parade and be introduced from the Grand Stand Stage and perform at the Main Stage. There will also be musical performances by 80s songstress Taylor Dayne, R&B and Disco Grammy award winner Thelma Houston and international DJ and producer Hector Fonseca. Kenworthy joins Vargas for Grand Marshal duties, as the two will lead the parade down
Ocean Drive. Mark Fernandes, chairman of the Pride board of directors, said Kenworthy and Vargas were chosen as this year’s Grand Marshals because they are “two preeminent public figures who well represent and support the LGBTQ community.” “Gus for being a role model as an out and proud sportsman who excels at his craft and Roxy for being a prominent ally for the community and equal rights,” Fernandes said. Kenworthy first represented the United States in the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, bringing home the silver medal in slopestyle. Since then he has earned seven World titles and five X Games medals and is known for being the first Olympic free skier to ever perform a double cork 1080 and right side 1440 in a halfpipe, a double flip on a hip jump and a flip off a rail. In 2015, Kenworthy came out as a gay man in an ESPN Magazine cover story. His on-camera good luck kiss from his boyfriend at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang recently went
NEWS miami-dade viral around the world. named one of the “Top 100 Events of the As an Emmy award-winning host of Year” for the fourth year in a row by BizBash NBC6’s “6 in the Mix,” Vargas has been a Magazine and earned the Pink Flamingo supporter of Pride and the LGBT community Award as favorite multi-day event for the for many years, earning the Pink Flamingo fifth year in a row. Award for Favorite Media Personality three Since its inception in 2009, Miami Beach times. She says being named Gay Pride has grown from an Ally Grand Marshal this a neighborhood event to year has meant a lot to her. one on the global stage with “Since day one, my husband participating celebrities and I have been nothing such as Patti LaBelle, Gloria but loved and adored and Estefan, Adam Lambert, welcomed with open arms Jordin Sparks, Chaz Bono, by the LGBTQ community,” Mario Lopez, Sharon Vargas said at the kickoff event Gless, Andy Cohen, Ross and fundraiser for Miami Mathews, Bebe Rexha, Elvis Beach Gay Pride in January. Duran and Iggy Azalea. “To have been named an Attendance has grown from Ally Grand Marshal this year, 15,000 spectators at the it’s been such an incredible first Pride parade in 2009 opportunity to have really to an estimated 135,000 in - Laura Vargas smart conversations about the 2017. In addition, last year’s ally grand marshal community and about getting event included more than more allies to come out and 70 parade contingencies, 35 support and to understand what this means floats and 3,000 participants. to the community and to just show up.” “It takes an army of dedicated volunteers Following the parade, there will be a and staff, the support of the City of Miami “Garden of Eve” women’s party at Lummus Beach and the help of all our sponsors to Park with Jenny Foxx and DJ MISS M produce a Pride of this magnitude,” Mark spinning their beats and special appearances Fernandes said. “A special shout-out goes to and entertainment by Goldman and Howard our presenting sponsor Celebrity Cruises, at 5 p.m. who really helped us bring Pride to a new Miami Beach Gay Pride was recently level last year.”
“To have been named an Ally Grand Marshal this year, it’s been such an incredible opportunity.”
Tickets for Miss Miami Beach Gay Pride can be purchased at MissMBGP2018. brownpapertickets.com. For pageant registration and information, contact Tiffany Fantasia at 305-215-7270, sobetiffany@gmail.com or Peter J. Morales at 786-3688374, missmiamibeachgaypride@gmail.com. For more information about Miami Beach Gay Pride, visit MiamiBeachGayPride.com.
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NEWS photos
Palm Beach PRIDEfest 2018
On March 24 and 25, the Compass Community Center in Lake Worth kicked off its annual pride parade and celebration! CeCe Peniston was the headline musician in a whole line of rocking performances once the parade itself was over. J.R. Davis CeCe Peniston
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Publisher’s Editorial
Convictions
A March for the Ages
Students from South Florida make international headlines
Norm Kent
norm.kent@sfgn.com
T
he opening line of the 1966 Rolling Stones song “Mother’s Little Helper” is “What a drag it is getting old.” So it goes. I am getting old, and a respiratory infection grounded me last weekend. So, with hundreds of thousands of Americans and South Floridians marching against gun violence in Washington, DC, I was sitting on my spoiled ass watching it on a big screen 85 inch HD TV. But there is nothing like being there. Still, the living room is better than an emergency room. As a student who joined in anti-Vietnam war marches in the Capitol in 1968, 50 years ago, I felt this event was equally historic. Over a half million young Americans were going to take a mass shooting and turn it around into a rally massing their generation in a noble cause. I wanted to be there. These young men and women represent a movement that did not exist six weeks ago. But thanks to social media, now when you say, ‘Enough is Enough’ and reach a vast Internet with those words, half the world can hear you in less than a day. Our own group of students from the suburban, quiet communities of Parkland and Coral Springs have launched their own ‘Arab Spring’ in less than thirty days, faster than it takes a veteran on Medicare to get an appointment with a local endocrinologist. Ironically, as it applies to SFGN, wouldn’t you just know that the boldest voice of this new movement turns out to be the president of the Gay Student Alliance at Marjory Stoneham Douglas High School in Parkland. You did not know Emma Gonzalez existed three months ago. Today, she is on the cover of Time Magazine with more followers on Twitter and Facebook than the entire National Rifle Association. Three months ago, she did not even have a Twitter account. Last Saturday, in Washington, DC, this young woman shared a stage with Congressman John Lewis, a man who shared
a similar stage a half century ago with Dr. Martin Luther King. On April 3, 1968, 50 years ago next week, Dr. King was gunned down by a high-powered rifle too. Saturday, his own 9-year-old granddaughter spoke at the rally, preaching love and an end to the cycle of gun violence wreaking havoc from coast to coast. The senseless slaughter must end, and if it is to do so, it will begin with this determined lot of students making their voices heard nationally. They were met in DC by victims of senseless violence from across the country, from Columbine to Sandy Hook to Colorado theaters and Vegas concerts. One of the walkers in New York was a man named Paul McCartney. You may know him. He quietly put on an overcoat and took to the streets, and when asked by a reporter what motivated him, he simply looked at the journalist and replied: “You may know that one of my close friends was once shot and killed by a gunman just a few blocks from here.” No, America has not forgotten what happened to John Lennon in December of 1980, 38 years ago. But what the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas have done in 30 days since the massacre on their campus is galvanize a generation of citizens to say “No More” and “Enough is Enough.” Over 800 cities were so represented across the globe. And it has only been a month. Who amongst us is not proud of what these young students have done to stir the conscience of our country? I mean, other than Ric Santorum whose mindless comments about kids learning CPR would be a better use of their time. No, Ric, you are so wrong. These kids have spent the last month moving the sands of time. Most of the news coverage in South Florida last week would normally have been a hedonistic, self-indulgent music festival in Miami called Ultra. Not this year. Cause and conscience and community won out. Instead of flashing lights, we got a gun shooting survivor herself, Jennifer Hudson, to sing Bob Dylan’s
Almost anyone who has served in office these past few decades should quietly resign and never run again.
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Photo: Time Magazine.
‘The Times They are a Changing’ on a national stage, a moment few will ever forget. The kids are alright. Growing older means passing the torch to a new generation of leaders. For years, the answers have been wrong. Too many graves, too many lives silenced by too many bullets prove that. Let’s listen to these strident students. We had our chance. We blew it. Are Bill Nelson and Rick Scott really running against each other for United States Senate in Florida this year? Please. I would rather put both up in a space shuttle. I would rather vote for Cameron Kasky or Emma Gonzalez than either of those two. One young high school speaker who had graduated Newton Elementary School reminded every adult over 45 that he had spent his life growing up in classrooms that had weekly “mass shooter” drills, I guess in between home room and Math. No, that was not my life five decades ago. We had fire drills for sure, and when I was real young we would hide under our desk in case the Russians wanted to drop a nuclear bomb on us, but it was never a real threat that kept us from playing stickball in the schoolyard. We turned 15 without targets on our back. We were never scared daily.
My message to these students is to stay your course and keep the candle lit. Don’t get sidetracked or dissuaded by disappointments or defeats. They are impostors you can beat back. You and your movement are now more popular than the president or the NRA he has already caved into. You are fighting for life tomorrow while he is fighting hookers he screwed over yesterday. But you don’t need him. You have each other. Every generation has its calling, to end racism, fight for universal suffrage, equal rights, shut down a war, or save the environment. Nothing came easy, not even getting seat belts in cars or cigarettes out of airplanes. You found your mark. It is to end the darkness and demons of gun violence, which has claimed too many lives too often for too long. Take back America for the rest of us. Shut down the violence. You can only do it while you are here, and those days are never certain. You never know when your ticket is going to be pulled. So, while you have passage and passion, a voice and a vote, let it be heard. Let peace begin with you. The road is rocky. That’s life. Go out and build a new tomorrow today.
Editorial Cartoon
Convictions
Editorial Cartoon By Andy Marlette
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Convictions
Jesse’s Journal
Mayor Dean Trantalis A Day That Will Live in History
SFGN file photo.
Jesse Monteagudo
I
n 1995 the Gay and Lesbian Community Center (now the Pride Center) joined forces with the Stonewall Library (now the Stonewall Museum and Archives) to produce a poster meant “to increase the awareness of the citizens of Broward County to some of the historically important events of the Broward County gay community.” The poster celebrated 12 historic events in Broward’s LGBT history: Community Center launched (August 18, 1993); First Broward County human rights referendum held (we lost that one) (September 4, 1990); Broward Women in Network created (July 29, 1987); John Fiore elected to the Wilton Manors City Council (March 8, 1988) and Chris Wilson elected to the Oakland Park City Council (March 9, 1993); Rainbow Pride flag is adopted at a conference held at the Marlin Beach Hotel (October 12, 1985); AIDS Center One created (September 12, 1984); Florida authorizes Sharon McCracken to be a foster parent (November 18, 1992); Fort Lauderdale MCC (now the Sunshine Cathedral) established (February 27, 1972); Stonewall Library and Archives created (April 12, 1973); Ken Wolf wins Fort Lauderdale City Commission primary (February 8, 1994); Lambda South Clubhouse opens (June 4, 1983); and Congregation Etz Chaim founded (March 4, 1974). Each of these events is an important part of our history, and each deserves its own article. I had the privilege to witness LGBT history in the making on March 20 when Dean Trantalis was sworn-in as Mayor of the City of Fort Lauderdale. I have the honor to know Dean for over three decades, years in which he excelled as a lawyer, LGBT rights activist and City Commissioner. Under his leadership,
Broward enacted a human rights ordinance that finally survived an effort to repeal it (1995). Later he joined Robin Bodiford and others in a successful move to get the County Commission to enact domestic partner legislation (1999). He also served, at different times, as chair of Broward United Against Discrimination, co-chair (with Bodiford) of Americans For Equality; and president of the Dolphin Democrats. But Dean Trantalis is more than a one trick pony. He was first elected to the Fort Lauderdale City Commission in 2002, in which he proved to be a capable and compassionate leader, not only for his LGBT community but for everyone. His knowledge of and care for the needs of his city, its residents and its visitors earned him a following that went beyond his sexuality or his GreekAmerican heritage; and on March 13 he was elected “the people’s mayor” in a landslide. I contributed a very small part towards Dean Trantalis’s victory, serving as a volunteer in various campaign fundraisers throughout Fort Lauderdale. Besides the fact that this gave me an opportunity to visit some of the city’s most posh houses or apartments, volunteer work allowed me to see the affection that many in Fort Lauderdale had for their current commissioner and future mayor. Attempts by supporters of City Commissioner Bruce Roberts, Dean’s main opponent, to paint him as a gay stereotype failed miserably. After all, Dean Trantalis is the straightest gay man I know (sorry, Dean). His victory party, held at Thasos Greek Taverna (a great place to eat, if you can afford it) was attended by a veritable “who’s who” of Broward’s
Fort Lauderdale has come a long way in just over a decade, from the homophobic Mayor Jim Naugle to the out and proud Dean Trantalis.
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LGBT and mainstream communities, who were there to celebrate Dean’s victory and their city’s future. The election of Steven Glassman as City Commissioner, keeping the District 2 seat formerly held by Dean in gay hands, only added to the historical moment. The election of Ben Sorensen from District 4 gave Mayor Trantalis, at least for now, a 3-2 majority in the City Commission. Fort Lauderdale has come a long way in just over a decade, from the homophobic Mayor Jim Naugle to the out and proud Dean Trantalis. But Dean is not Florida’s first openly gay mayor. Key West, Oakland Park, Palm Beach Shores and Wilton
Manors have or had elected queer mayors through the years; and J. P. Sasser served as the matter-of-fact, openly gay Mayor of Pahokee - a small city on the shore of Lake Okeechobee - for years without raising an eyebrow. But Fort Lauderdale is a large city, larger than Key West, Oakland Park, Palm Beach Shores, Wilton Manors or Pahokee. Dean’s election makes Fort Lauderdale, now that Annise Parker is no longer Mayor of Houston, the largest city in the South with an openly LGBT mayor. That makes Dean Trantalis’s victory a truly historic event, not just for Floridians but for all Americans. Keep up the good work, Dean. We will be rooting for you.
Jesse Monteagudo is a freelance writer and journalist. He has been an active member of South Florida's LGBT community for more than four decades and has served in various community organizations.
column letter to the editor
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Tony Adams is the Hypocrite Older gay men joined the priesthood because they had few other options
“gay” people. Not all men who became priests were gay, not all who became priests knew they were gay when they entered the priesthood. Likewise, not all gay men who married knew they were gay when they married. Priesthood and marriage were falsely believed to possibly “cure” those who were gay. Gay men who married ran the risk of ruining two lives not just one. (Many gay men who married had children and a positive experience, and I envy them in many ways.) Celibacy is a “call” not given to all people. These days, the church is rightly reconsidering the demand for celibacy for clergy. Peter had a mother-in-law. Orthodox and Episcopalian priests may marry. Episcopalian or Lutheran clergy who convert are permitted to keep their wives, which is not fair to faithful Roman Catholics. The bottom line, admittedly, is that priests (and monastics) who are actively gay are hypocrites. But an awful lot of people are hypocrites of varying degrees. For instance, the author of the article, formerly a priest and a hustler, indicates that “having been trained to respond to the sexual overtures of older priests, I took the logical route in my new circumstances; I became “a Manhattan hustler.” The truth is, anyone who takes a vow of celibacy could keep the vow and say no to sex. Adams was not “trained to respond to the sexual overtures of older priests;” he freely chose to comply. Becoming a hustler was also a choice he freely made and not “the logical route” in his new circumstances. Who is the hypocrite here?
ALEJANDRO KALAF III alejandro.kalaf@weinsuregroup.com
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I
would like to address some of the issues I have with the 3/14/18 article by Tony Adams, “Vatican Vice.” To begin with, the topic is not Vatican vice but homosexual priests and a male prostitute in Naples, Italy. The male prostitute is euphemistically called a “male escort” in the otherwise salacious headline. (His name Mangiacapra means “eat” “goat” in Italian, which may be related to mangiacaparra, a “cheat or swindler.”) Mangiacapra asserts that, in this interview and in his book (which he is pushing), he wanted to out, to expose the hypocrisy and sin of priests in the Catholic Church who are actively gay. There is a certain irony in a gay prostitute taking the high road and outing hypocritical priests as sinners. He says, “I wanted to expose the ‘bad apples,’ not to throw mud at the Catholic Church but to help her get rid of the rot that contaminates the healthy part – that priests are allowed to do the opposite of what they preach.” He admits that “I am a sinner denouncing the priests who are the supposedly moral leaders but are committing sin. I like to think that the priests who have sex with me are not souls to be saved but only hearts and minds to be liberated from their hypocrisy. Basically, my sex work is a ministry similar to that of priests, but more scrupulous [“having moral integrity”].” Indeed? To begin with, if Mangiacapra has such scrupulous moral integrity, he could, no should refuse to have sex with hypocrites. Though, that might take his clientele down to zero. Mangiacapra’s real goal is not living with moral integrity but money. But let us turn to the vocation of priesthood. In the real world, priesthood (or the monastery) and marriage were often considered the only possibilities open to
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Let your voice be heard! Submit your own letter to Jason.Parsley@sfgn.com 3.28.2018 •
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lifestyle photos
Florida AIDS WALK The Florida AIDS walk and music festival on march 18 was a roaring success on Fort Lauderdale Beach, granting almost $2 million to HIV/AIDS Education and services. J.R. Davis
To see many more photos, visit South Florida Gay News on Facebook. 28
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LIFESTYLE photos
Stonewall gala fundraiser On March 11 at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, the Stonewall National Museum and Archives hosted its annual fundraiser gala to honor several of its most notable contributors. Audra McDonald performed live, and a silent auction was held. J.R. Davis
To see many more photos, visit South Florida Gay News on Facebook. 30
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pring is here and that means we have a few more weeks of cooler weather before the summer heat moves in. It also means that Easter and Passover are upon us. If you plan on doing the whole Easter brunch thing, dust off your bonnet and check out some of these possibilities, who knows, you may just find a great big basket!
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art Broward Art Guild presents its latest juried exhibition, “Pride!,” through April 7 at its North Beach gallery, 3280 N.E. 32nd St. in Fort Lauderdale. Tonight, representatives from a diverse array of LGBTQ community organizations will discuss their services and activities, surrounded by the intriguing and colorful paintings, photographs and mixed media art. More info at BrowardArtGuild.org.
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theater Don’t miss the world premiere of Andrew Bergh’s play, “The Radicalization of Rolfe,” through April 29 at Island City Stage, 2304 N. Dixie Hwy. in Wilton Manors. Bergh’s comedy invents a creative backstory to the beloved Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, “The Sound of Music,” and supposes what would happen if Liesl’s handsome young suitor Rolfe was secretly gay. Tickets are $35 at IslandCityStage.org.
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Saturday
3/31
comedy
Ronnie Larsen’s hilarious “The Penis Talk Show” is back tonight for two shows at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Foundry at the Abyss Stage, 2304 N. Dixie Hwy. in Wilton Manors. Three anonymous “penises” will take your questions in this frank conversation that always gets a “rise” out of audiences and offers a peek into the down and dirty topic of human sexuality. Tickets are $20 at RonnieLarsen.com. Photo Credit: Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida.
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opera
television
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Florida Grand Opera’s stunning production of Christoph Willibald Gluck’s “Orfeo et Euridyce” comes to the Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale, Thursday, March 29 and Saturday, March 31. Internationallyacclaimed countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo stars in the title role of the ancient Greek hero who could tame all beasts with his beautiful voice and lyrical poetry. Tickets start at $21 at BrowardCenter.org.
Tune into Bravo tonight at 9 p.m. for the premiere of “The Real Housewives of Wilton Manors.” Yes, Andy Cohen’s signature reality franchise is getting the gay touch with a bitchy new series set right in the Island City. Did you miss those camera crews shadowing the A-gays all over town for the last several months? Well, if you believe that, then we’ve got a couple bridges to sell you. Happy April Fools Day!
Tonight at 7:30 p.m. is the Carbonell Awards ceremony, affectionately known in South Florida’s regional theater community as “theater prom,” at the Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale. Actors and actresses, directors, musicians and technical craftsmen don their creative finery— and it is creative—to celebrate the best local performances and productions of 2017. Tickets are $25 at CarbonellAwards.org.
Dance music legend and Grammy nominee Deborah Cox stars as Rachel Marron in “The Bodyguard” at the Arsht Center through April 8. The new stage adaptation Whitney Houston’s hit 1992 film features all your favorite songs from the movie soundtrack, including “Queen of the Night,” “One Moment in Time,” “Saving All My Love,” “I Will Always Love You” and more. Tickets start at $29 at ArshtCenter.org.
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A&E theater Ronnie Larsen’s play “Sleeping with Straight Men” opens April 4 at The Foundry at Abyss Studios in Wilton Manors. Photo Credit: Abyss Studios.
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‘Talk Show Murder’ Inspires Play at Abyss Studios J.W. Arnold
W
hen a gay Michigan man revealed his secret crush on national television in 1995, the appearance would set forth a chain of events that ended very badly. Scott Amedure, 32, was a guest on the syndicated “The Jenny Jones Show” on an episode titled, “My Secret Admirer.” The only problem was the object of his affection was an unsuspecting straight acquaintance, Jonathan Schmitz, 24. During the segment, Amedure was encouraged by Jones to share his fantasies about Schmitz before the man was brought onstage. The men exchanged an awkward embrace before the host dropped her bombshell. In response to Amedure’s disclosure, Schmitz laughed, then stated that he was “completely heterosexual.” He had been led by a producer to believe his admirer was a woman. But that wasn’t the end of the story. Later that evening, the men went out drinking and an alleged sexual encounter ensued. Amedure left a note at Schmitz’s home three days later. An enraged Schmitz purchased a shotgun and murdered his admirer. Schmitz left and called 911, confessing to the killing. Despite a “gay panic defense,” the man would later be found guilty and sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison. The tragedy that began on a sensational talk show fascinated playwright Ronnie Larsen. The creator of the hit Off-Broadway comedy “Making Porn” has long been open about his own attraction to “straight” men. “Everything that could have gone wrong
for (Amedure) did, basically,” Larsen said. “At the time, those shows like Jenny Jones and Jerry Springer were always about the ‘set up’ and rarely did they not end up without some sort of sweaty brawl. The fact that Schmitz took the surprise so well should have been a big red flag.” As the story unfolded on the TV news and in tabloids, Larsen became intrigued with the men. Soon, the tale began to shape itself into a play. The writer even journeyed to Michigan to research his subjects and the bizarre chain of events that unfolded in just a matter of days during that cold winter. “They say life imitates art, but in reality, ‘Sleeping with Straight Men’ is art imitating life,” he explained, but then adding, “except my story is kind of a comedy.” In his research, he discovered that the men’s relationship was far more nuanced than a newspaper headline or wire service story might convey, just like all romantic relationships—straight or gay. While not strictly biographical, the resulting play was critically and commercially successful in its Off-Broadway, London, San Francisco and Chicago runs several years ago, and Larsen felt the timing was particularly right to mount a new production at the new Foundry at Abyss Studios in Wilton Manors: Schmitz was released from a Michigan state prison seven months ago. “Sex and love are risky and then, unlike now, you couldn’t just post a hashtag when you were hurt,” Larsen said. “People were literally putting their lives in jeopardy, all in the hope of finding love.”
“Sleeping with Straight Men” will be performed April 4 – 29 at The Foundry at Abyss Studios, 2304 N. Dixie Hwy. in Wilton Manors. Tickets are $20 – 50 at RonnieLarsen.com.
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A&E theater Deborah Cox stars in the stage adaptation of the hit 1992 film, “The Bodyguard,” coming to both the Arsht and Kravis Centers. Photo Credit: Joan Marcus.
Deborah Cox Offers New Interpretation of Whitney Houston Role J.W. Arnold
B
roadway has long turned to Hollywood for inspiration. The marquees in New York’s famed theater district advertise stage adaptations of many hit movies, ranging from Disney’s “The Lion King,” “Frozen,” and “Aladdin” to “School of Rock,” “Kinky Boots” and “Waitress.” Whitney Houston’s 1992 Oscar-nominated musical thriller “The Bodyguard” has also undergone a theatrical transformation and the current touring production will stop in Miami and West Palm Beach in April. Grammy nominee and dance hit diva Deborah Cox takes on the role made famous by Houston, a pop singer who is being terrorized by a hitman and must secure the services of a handsome former Secret Service agent for her protection. But, there are still plenty of surprises in store for even the most avid movie fans, Cox promised. “It’s very close to the film, but the difference is the music really tells a lot of the story, as opposed to the film. This show is more of a mixture of a Broadway show and a concert and we break the fourth wall and talk to the audience to get them involved.” And don’t expect Cox to mimic the familiar on-screen performance of Houston, either. “I’ve worked hard to make it my own and bring a different sentiment to the character. I think when you hear the songs, you go back to the place where you were when you first heard the music, but the difference in my performance is these songs have to be sung in a way to give the audience a better understanding of the character.” Like many successful artists, Cox is comfortable both in the studio or the concert hall, but performing in a musical offers a
different kind of satisfaction. “The collaboration with other artists, cast members, dancers, crew—there’s something that is more exhilarating, as opposed to being in concert. I have a lot of control when it’s my own show, I love storytelling. I lucked out with great leading man (Judson Mills) and a great supporting cast. We’re having fun and it’s like being in a great workshop every night finding new moments in the show. This is really a dream role.” Fans will discover compelling new sides to Cox’s character, thanks to the iconic soundtrack, along with an added bonus, “The Greatest Love of All,” she said: “The songs are all sung in their entirety. With ‘The Greatest Love of All,’ (we reveal) Rachel Marron as a mother and discover her maternal side. There are a lot of beautiful moments in the show that give Rachel a little more of an arc in who she is, not just a superstar who has everything at her fingertips.” A generation of gay men and women first came out to Cox’s chart-topping dance hits. Many of these gay fans have enthusiastically supported the show, which concludes its current tour after performances in Miami and West Palm Beach. “It’s so funny. A few fans said they came out to my music and, now that they’re older, have money and can come watch me in the theater. It shows how fans have grown and matured and (are) comfortable coming out and being their authentic selves. I’m proud to help them.” The singer won’t be slowing down much, though. “I’m going to get back in the studio…music is always something I do, so that will never change.”
Deborah Cox stars in “The Bodyguard,” April 3 – 8 at the Arsht Center in Miami, and April 10 – 15 at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach. Tickets and more information at ArshtCenter.org and Kravis.org. 3.28.2018 •
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Datebook
Theater Tucker Berardi
Calendar@SFGN.com
Top
Picks
* Oliver!
April 12-29 at the Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave, Lake Worth, Fl. Come see the award-winning musical adaptation of Dicken’s classic novel Oliver Twist. Tickets range from $23 to $35. Call 561-5866410 or visit lakeworthplayhouse. org/oliver.html
Maks, Bal & Peta Live on Tour: Confidential
Thursday, March 29 at 8 pm at the Kravis Center. ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ finalists Kiki & Koko are hitting the stage with a dazzling cast of the industry’s best dancers in this new show. Tickets start at $25. Call 561-831-7649.
*Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox
Wednesday, April 18 at 7:30 pm. Listen to modern pop hits and past favorites reimagined in a soulful and fun style reminiscent of the 1920’s. Tickets from $40 to $160. Visit TheCenterCS.com.
march 28 - april 3 broward county “Memphis” comes to Slow Burn theater
Thursday, March 22 to Sunday, April 8 at the Broward Center for Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Avenue Fort Lauderdale. See the story of a 1950s radio DJ who wants to change the world and a club singer who is ready for her big break. Tickets are $47-$60. Buy tickets online at BrowardCenter.org or call 954-462-0222.
Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox
Wednesday, April 18 at 7:30 pm. Listen to modern pop hits and past favorites reimagined in a soulful and fun style reminiscent of the 1920’s. Tickets from $40 to $160. Visit TheCenterCS.com.
* Reggae Meets Soul Showcase
Sunday April 8 at 6:30 pm at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts, 2855, Coral Springs Drive, Coral Springs. This inaugural concert celebrates the history and unity of Jamaican and American popular music. Tickets $40 $60. Call 239-601-2639.
Staged Reading of ‘Rights’
Monday, April 9 at 7:30 p.m. at Island City Stage in Wilton Manors, 2304 N Dixie Hwy. Playwright Bruce Karp presents a three-part stage reading dealing with pressing issues like abortion, gays in the military and same-sex marriage. Tickets are $10. Call 954-519-2533.
Friday Night Sound Waves Music Series
Fridays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at The
Hub, Las Olas Boulevard and A1A in Fort Lauderdale. Enjoy live, outdoor music spanning genres and tributes every Friday evening through November. Free. Visit FridayNightSoundWaves.com
palm beach county * Oliver!
April 12-29 at the Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave, Lake Worth, Fl. Come see the award-winning musical adaptation of Dicken’s classic novel Oliver Twist. Tickets range from $23 to $35. Call 561-586-6410 or visit lakeworthplayhouse.org/oliver.html
* Neil Bacher & Peter Bockius Quartet
Friday, March 30 at 8 pm at the Arts Garage in Delray Beach, 94 NE 2nd Ave. Enjoy guitarist Neil Bacher as he is joined by other musicians in a live musical collective here for one night only. Tickets $25-$35. Call 561-450-6357 or visit artsgarage.org.
* Lauren Mitchell Band
Saturday, March 31 at 8 pm at the Arts Garage in Delray Beach, 94 NE 2nd Ave. This Tampa Bay Soul Singer is sure to burn the house down with her high-energy band as they perform songs from their critically-acclaimed album ‘Desire.’ Tickets are $30 to $45. Call 561-450-6357 or visit artsgarage.org.
Maks, Bal & Peta Live on Tour: Confidential
Thursday, March 29 at 8 pm at the Kravis Center. ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ finalists Kiki & Koko are hitting the stage with a
dazzling cast of the industry’s best dancers in this new show. Tickets start at $25. Call 561831-7649.
Amadeus Live
Wednesday, March 14 at 8 pm at Dreyfoos Hall at the Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd, West Palm Beach. Watch the award winning 1984 motion picture following the life of Mozart on the big screen as his greatest pieces are performed live in sync by a full orchestra, the FAU Chamber singers and the Delray Beach Chorale Chamber Ensemble. Tickets start at $25. Visit kravis.org for tickets.
World Premier of Joseph McDonough’s ‘Edgar & Emily’
March 31 at the Don & Ann Brown Theater, 201 Clematis Street, West Palm Beach. Edgar Allen Poe and Emily Dickinson have a fateful meeting of bantering and bickering that slowly gives way to their respective deeper sides as they provide each other with encouragement and courage. Tickets from $15 to $90. Call 561-514-4042 or visit www. palmbeachdramaworks.org.
Free Friday Concerts
Fridays at 7:30 p.m. at the Delray Beach Center for the Arts, 51 N. Swinton Ave. in Delray Beach. Enjoy live music from the comfort of your picnic blanket or lawn chair every week, for free! Returns in October. Call 561-2437922 or visit DelrayArts.org.
miami-dade county If I Forget
Through March 4 at GableStage, 1200 Anastasia Ave. in Coral Gables. Three Jewish American siblings come together to celebrate their father’s 74th birthday. Tickets $45. Call 305-445-1119 or visit Ga-bleStage.org.
Outdoor Music Series
Third Thursdays at the Perez Art Museum Miami, 101 W. Flagler St. in Miami. Come out for live music from DJs and musicians by the bay. Drink specials available. Free with museum admission. Call 305-375-3000 or visit PAMM.org.
The Big Show
Full Charge Bookkeeping Services
Fridays and Saturdays at 9 p.m. at Just the Funny Theater, 3119 Coral Way in Miami. A collection of comedy mixing the likes of improvisation and sketches. Tickets $12. Call 305-693-8669 or visit JustThe-Funny.com.
* Denotes New Listing 36
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3 .28.2018
Syphilis is
Serious. AHF Wellness Centers Broward 750 SE 3rd Ave, 1st Floor Ft Lauderdale, 33316 (754) 366-1642
South Beach 1613 Alton Rd Miami Beach, 33139 (786) 226-7378
Biscayne 2900 Biscayne Blvd Miami, 33137 (786) 226-7378
Wilton Manors 2097 Wilton Dr Wilton Manors, 33305 (786) 226-7378
3.28.2018 •
37
Datebook
Community
Nite Life Law
Tucker Berardi
If you drink, don’t drive. If you drive, don’t drink. If you do both, call us.
Calendar@SFGN.com
Top Picks
* Egg Safari at Zoo Miami
March 31 and April 1 from 11 am to 1 pm at the Miami Zoo. Come out to enjoy continuous egg hunts, photos with the Easter Bunny, music, games and prizes. Great for kids and grandkids! Tickets $19 to $33. Visit zoomiami.org.
Kent & Cormican
* 7th Annual KeroWACKED Multimedia Fest 2018
Criminal Defense Law Center
Sunday, April 8 from 3 pm to 10 pm at the ActivistArtistA Gallery, 402-422 West Industrial Ave, Boynton Beach. Artists, musicians, poets and other creatives will provide the community with a funfilled day themed around homages to underrepresented women. Free Event. Visit BoyntonBeachArtDistrict.com
954.763.1900
Norman Elliott Kent & Russell Cormican 12 S.E. 7th Street, Suite 709 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 www.NormKent.com
Miami Beach Gay Pride
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 38
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3 .28.2018
Monday, April 2 to Sunday, April 9. Partake in this week-long event that features a beach party, festival and parade with more than 125 LGBT-friendly vendors and businesses, celebrities, performances, refreshments and more. For more information visit miamibeachgaypride.com.
march 28 april 3 Broward Support Services PFLAG
Tuesdays in Fort Lauderdale, Coral Springs and Southwest Ranches. A support group for parents of LGBT youth 13 to 21. Free. Visit SunServeYouth.com for dates and locations.
SunServe Youth Group
Tuesdays and Thursdays in Fort Lauderdale, Southwest Ranches, Coral Springs and Hollywood. A support group and night of fun for LGBT youth 13 to 21. Free. Visit SunServeYouth.com for dates and times.
Survivor Support
First and third Wednesdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Broward Health Imperial Point Hospital cafeteria, 6401 N. Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale. Find support from counselors and peers who have lost loved ones to suicide. Call the Florida Initiative for Suicide Prevention at 954-384-0344 or visit FISPOnline.org.
broward county * GLNN Social Luncheon
April 5 from 11:45 am to 1:15 pm at Timpano Chophouse, 450 E Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale. Bring friends and colleagues to enjoy this social luncheon with the Gay and Lesbian Lawyers Network. Tickets $30-$35.
*Wild Tales Zoo Miami Speaker Series
Business for the Arts of Broward Cultural Tour
March 16 from noon to 5 pm. Participate in this guided tour around Coral Springs, Pompano Beach and Fort Lauderdale to see the cultural treasures Broward County has to offer. Tickets are $50. Call 954-940-5344 to register before March 13.
April 14 from 7 pm to 8 pm at the Miami Zoo, 12400 SW 142 St, Miami. Meet Patti Ragan, founder of the Center for Great Apes in 1984, a sanctuary for chimpanzees and orangutans, as she shares stories of her experiences with these animals. Tickets $10. Visit zoomiami.org
Florida AIDS Walk & Music Festival
*The Ladies Foursome
Mascara, Mirth & Mayhem: Independence Day on Fire Island - Photography by Susan Kravitz
March 21 - April 8 at the Empire Stage, 1140 N Flagler Drive, Fort Lauderdale. Imagine Sex and the City on a golf course! This fun and fast-paced tale of friendship kept aloft in the secrets and surprises of retirement. Tickets $39. Visit pigsdoflyproductions.com or call 866-811-4111.
Sunday, March 18 at Fort Lauderdale Beach. Join us in the 2018 march or donate! Donations will benefit the Pride Center for use in vital HIV programs. Visit PrideCenterFlorida.org.
Through March 11 at the Stonewall National Museum - Wilton Manors Gallery, 2157 Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. Photographer Susan Kravitz’s exhibition chronicling the
march 28 - april 3 Invasion of the Pines. Exhibit closes March 11. Suggested donation $5. Call 954-763-8565 or visit Stonewall-Museum.org.
Voices of Pride
Meets at Compass GLCC, 201 N. Dixie Highway in Lake Worth. Join the Gay Men’s Chorus as they practice every week. Free. Call 561-533-9699 or visit CompassGLCC. com for rehearsal details.
Lauderdale Bridge Club Lessons and Games
Mondays at 2 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 401 SE 15th St. in Fort Lauderdale. Join the club for bridge lessons and try your hand at some games. Cost $4. Call 610-4016475 or visit MarpleBridge-Club.com.
palm beach county Student Juried Exhibition at FAU
March 26 through April 6 in the Ritter Art Gallery, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton Campus. Students may submit up to three works of varied media to be put on display for the public in a showcase representing the talent of Florida Atlantic University’s
student body. For more information visit fau.edu.
LGBTQ Teen Support Group
Tuesdays from 6 pm to 7 pm at the Falk Center for Couseling, 22455 Boca Rio Road, Boca Raton. Join experts in a support group that addresses discrimination, coming out, depression, PTSD and how to deal with these stresses as an LGBTQ teen. Call 561483-5300 to register in advance.
The Young People’s Guide to Broadway
Friday March 9 at 11:30 a.m. at the Crest Theater, 51 N Swinton Ave, Delray Beach. See a theatrical, entertaining and educational show celebrating the art of musical theater past to present. Tickets $25. Call 561-2437922.
Sober Sisters
Mondays at 6:15 p.m. at Lambda North, 18 S. J St. in Lake Worth. A support and discussion group for female recovering alcoholics. Visit LambdaNorth.net.
Transcendence
Meets at Compass GLCC, 201 N. Dixie Highway in Lake Worth. A closed
transgender youth support group for teens ages 12 to 19. For more information, email youth@compassglcc.com.
miami-dade county Gus Kenworthy to Grand Marshal Miami Pride
Sunday, April 8 at noon at Ocean Drive in Miami Beach. This year’s Miami Beach Pride parade will be grand marshaled by gay Olympic medalist Gus Kenworthy. For more information visit miamibeachgaypride.com.
Arsht Center Farmers Market
Mondays from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Parker and Vann Thomson Plaza for the Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami. Purchase fresh food from local farmers, including fruits, vegetables, meats, prepared foods, as well as chefs, live music, and cooking demonstrations. Tickets $45 to $75. Free. Visit ArshtCen-ter.org/en/Visit/Dining.
POZCONNECT Support Group for Spanish Speakers
Mondays 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Pridelines, 6360 NE Fourth Court in Miami. A support group for HIV+ people, in Spanish. Free. Call Eddie at
305-571-9601, ext. 105 or visit Pridelines.org.
Yoga
Tuesdays from 6 to 7:15 p.m. at Jose Marti Park, 362 SW Fourth Ave. in Miami. Yogis 18 and older of all levels are invited to a practice led by a certified instructor. Bring your own yoga mat, water, and towel. Free. Call 305358-7550 or visit BayfrontParkMiami.com/ Yoga.html.
key west Aqua Idol
Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Aqua Key West, 711 Duval St. in Key West. Support your local artists and vote for your favorite! Benefits Waterfront Playhouse. Call 305-294-0555 or visit AquaKeyWest.com.
Hot Naked Hump Days
Wednesdays from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Island House, 1129 Fleming St. in Key West. Relax in the middle of the week with two-for-one drinks, free shots, videos and music, giveaways, and naked boys at the pool. Call 305-294-6284 or visit IslandHouseKeyWest.com
* Denotes New Listing
3.28.2018 •
39
THE
GUIDE
Business Directory
attorney
attorney
Law office of george castrataro 707 NE 3rd Ave #300, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304 954.573.1444 Lawgc.com
law office of Gregory Kabel 1 East Broward Blvd #700, Fort Lauderdale, 33301 954.761.7770 gwkesq@bellsouth.net law office of Shawn Newman 710 NE 26th St, Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954.563.9160 Shawnnewman.com
Law office of Robin bodiford 2550 N Federal Hwy #20, Fort Lauderdale, FL 954.630.2707 Lawrobin.com
a&e Ft Lauderdale Gay Men's Chorus PO Box 9772, Ft Lauderdale, FL 33310-9772 954-832-0060 www.theftlgmc.org Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida 2040 North Dixie Hwy, #218, Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-763-2266 Gaymenschorusofsouthflorida.org
To place an ad in the Business Directory, call our sales team at 954.530.4970
beauty
furniture
Ask ur ut O lub” b A o 25 C r e v e r “Fo
$25 Mani/Pedi
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car
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on-call
health
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call us to reserve space! Licensed & Insured
954-725-3633
custom alarm contractors, Inc.
Est. 1989 “Experience Matters” Service after the sale! ▶ residential security ▶ commercial security ▶ closed circuit tV www.customalarmcontractors.com 40
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Oakland Park Dental 3047 N Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306 954.566.9812 Oaklandparkdental.com Andrews Dental Care 2654 N Andrews Ave, Wilton Manors, FL 33311 954.567.3311 Andrewsdentalcare.com Island City Dental 1700 NE 26th Street, Ste. 2, Fort Lauderdale, FL 954-564-7121 Islandcitydental.com
transportation
RAINBOW RIDES-SAVE MONEY ON YOUR RIDE! - We treat you like family! SPECIALIZING IN AIRPORT RIDES! Need a ride to FLL, MIA, or PBI? (or anywhere else?) I'm a friendly driver with a nice, clean Chevy Malibu. My fixed-rate pricing beat all ride sharing - apps every time. Call or text me to schedule a ride, I'll be there early and I'll text you when I arrive. No 'surge" prices, no hassles. Call or text Nikki at 954-600-3133.
final arrangements Kalis-McIntee Funeral & Cremation Center
2505 N. Dixie Hwy, Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-566-7621 Kalismcintee.com
financial services WE’RE HERE FOR ALL YOUR
FINANCIAL NEEDS Taxes IRS Issues Accounting
Bookkeeping Small Business Advising
health insurance Medicare/MedicaID Florida Blue / Blue Cross Blue Shield 2765 West Cypress Creek Road Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309 Call Steve Herbstman @ 954-554-7074
health American Pain Experts 6333 N. Federal Hwy, Ste. 250, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 954-678-1074 Americanpainexperts.com
professional services
954-667-9829 ACCOUNTING@STERLINGACCOUNTING.COM
W ED N ES D AY S
7:0 0P M
2435 North Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305
MANNY SIMONE, NEWS ANCHOR
CUSTOM IN
STALLATIO
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Custom mad e Roller shad Curtains es Verticals Blinds Movie scre ens Windows Wifi door lo cks Wifi light sw itches
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We also inst all/replace A / C thermos the latest in tats of technology (Ecobee or — downloa Nest) ded and co ntrolled by your sma r t ph on
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handyman Miami/Broward/Palm Beach Paint/Caulk/Remove Grout/Yard Work Fix Drips & Switches/Debris removal Assembles Furniture & Appliances Repair or Fix Call "Avrom" Keith 786-227-9981
sfgn.com
Contact Hai m to schedu le a no obligatio n quote!
954-398-3676
Hitechshade@gmail.com
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THE
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Business Directory
To place an ad in the Business Directory, call our sales team at 954.530.4970 professional services
spirituality
William D. Turner taylorandturner@yahoo.com 2520 North Dixie Hwy Wilton Manors, FL 33305
954.630.2627
social
call us to reserve space! The Parish of Sts. Francis and Clare Where we welcome and appreciate diversity.
2300 NW 9th Avenue (Powerline Rd) Wilton Manors, FL 33311 Mass Times: Saturday 5:00 PM Sunday 10:30 AM Ecumenical Catholic 954.731.8173
www.stsfrancisandclare.org Baptisms • Weddings • Memorial Services
Only one product is beyond the government’s reach when it comes to defects and safety: firearms.
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2 bedroom/2 bath condos from
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Your South Florida Specialist for Over 18 Years
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Tennis Lessons at Hagen Park in Wilton Manors. Individual or group lessons. Call Robert 732-604-0362 for more information.
Fort Lauderdale, Wilton Manors & Oakland Park REMODELED homes:
3 bedroom/2 bath homes
Taylor & Turner
sports
real estate
Realtor
954.205.5275
SFGN Classified$ To place a Classified Ad, call us at 954.530.4970
attorney Injury or illness? - Unable to work due to injury or illness? Call Bill Gordon & Assoc., Social Security Disability Attorneys! FREE Evaluation. Local Attorneys Nationwide 1-855-643-2430 [Mail: 2420 N St NW, Washington DC. Office: Broward Co. FL (TX/NM Bar.)]
commercial for sale
employment positions wanted Male-Caregiver - 10+ Experience, Certified in State of Florida. Call Antonio 954.599.3265
handyman HUSBAND FOR RENT - Is he procrastinating home repairs? He says he will do it tomorrow?? After the football game?? We fit right in - in the house or the yard, small or big jobs: tile, dry wall, paint, plumbing, roof leaks, broken furniture, irrigation, fences, and more! It doesn't cost to hassle us to see the work - so why wait? Neat, clean work for a reasonable price. Call Haim at 954-398-3676, sidnalll@yahoo.com
rentals wilton manors
real estate wilton manors
MIKE THE RENTAL GUY - NE Lauderdale/Wilton Manors/Oakland Park-1/1 from $1090, 2/1 from $1140. Victoria Park-2/1=$1290.00 cable included. Credit & Income Requirements-Pets okay with restrictions Call for Details Mike 561- 703-5533 or miketherentalguy@ aol.com
FANTASTIC DUPLEX $469,000 - Unit is 3 bedrooms & 2 baths. Newer Roof, New Electric Panels and more. Huge Pie Shaped Lot on Quiet Street. Please call for Appointment Michael Tublin United Reality Group 561-703-5533
Rental wilton manors - 2/1 recently fluffed ground floor condo. First, last, deposit. $1,150/mo. The Grove, 8th Ave. 954-654-4910. #2055.23623
television DIRECTV SELECT PACKAGE! - Over 150 Channels, ONLY $35/month (for 12 mos.) Order Now! Get a $200 AT&T Visa Rewards Gift Card (some restrictions apply) CALL 1- 888-597-7205
rentals fort lauderdale
PRIVATE COMPLEX FOR RENT - 1 Bed Apt, Must See, Private complex, Fully renovated, laundry, ask: $1150.00 Progresso, 1214 NE 5th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, 33304 Call 954-552-2831
home health care
COMPANION AIDE - Strictly Professional, TBI, PCA, and NHTD certified Over ten years’ experience. Provide light personal care, light cleaning. Laundry and major meal prep. Respite for caregiver. Serious inquires call Karl 954-616-8952
internet AT&T - High Speed Internet Starting at $40/month. Up to 45 Mbps! Over 99% Reliability! Bundle AT&T Digital TV or Phone Services & Internet Price Starts at $30/month. Call 1-855-830-9658
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massage - miami Midtown Miami Massage - Full body massage - 65 minutes only $45; 95 minutes is only $70. I have 38 5-star Google reviews. I work on both men and women, and couples. Out calls start at $65. Over 20 years experience. LIC ma0006625. Body shaving and trimming starts $40. Nelson 305-905-5397
piano
WANT TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY THE PIANO? Learn from an experienced teacher. All levels and ages welcome. Learn to play classical, popular, jazz, or show tunes. Visit www.edwinchad.com or call 954-826-9555 for more information.
painting
dental DENTAL INSURANCE - Call Physicians Mutual Insurance Company for details. NOT just a discount plan, REAL coverage for 350 procedures. 855-407-8729 or http://www.dental50plus.com/SouthFL Ad# 6118
electrician
HARRY’S ELECTRIC RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL - Additions, renovations, service upgrades, breaker panels,FPL undergrounds, code violations, A/C wiring, ceiling fans, recessed, security & landscaping, lighting, pools, pumps, Jacuzzis, water heaters, FREE PHONE ESTIMATES 954-522-3357 Lic & Ins. www. harryelectrician.com
employment wanted SPECIAL HIRE NEEDED - Earn $45,000 per year. Experienced, self-motivated professional salesman needed. Work competitively in a highly flexible and relaxed LGBT-friendly environment. Fax resume to 954-530-7943.
www.sfgn.guide
GREGG'S PAINTING - I paint both interior and exterior. Great rates, free estimates. I am detailed-oriented, friendly, reliable, punctual, and neat. No job too small. Broward and Palm Beach Counties. Call Gregg at 617-306-5694 or 954-870-5972 Email: gmanbenn44@gmail.com
pool service
COOL POOLS- RELIABLE POOL SERVICE Professional pool service.Covering Wilton Manors, Lighthouse Point, and eastside of Pompano Beach. 15 years experience. Licensed and insured.Free estimates. Call 954-235-0775.
Wedding announcements? Anniversaries? Obituaries? Place an ad in SFGN’s Classifieds
954.530.4970 senior living
A PLACE FOR MOM - The nation’s largest senior living referral service. Contact our trusted, local experts today! Our service is FREE/no obligation. CALL 1-888-250-3053
3.28.2018 •
43
LGBT CRUISES & TOUR EVENTS
17th Annual
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Aug 13 - 20, 2019 7 Nights – Labor Day Castles on The Rhine River Cruise Aquafest Hosted Group of LGBT Travelers September 5-17, 2019
Exclusive LUXURY LGBTCruise Tour Vietnam, The Mekong River, and Cambodia (Angkor Wat) with #1 Tour Operator Abercrombnie & Kent
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