4/6/16 V7i14 by South Florida Gay News

local name global coverage

CHECK OUT THE NEW

Gazette Wilton Manors

april 06, 2016 vol. 7 // issue 14

INSERT IN CENTER

s o u t h

f l o r i d a

g a y

n e w s

#IggyOutofPride S i n g e r ’s P ast co m e s back t o h aunt her WPB sanctions • Page 22

Farm to table • Page 44

SouthFloridaGayNews

Page 4

Paula Poundstone • Page 55

soflagaynews

SFGN.com 4.06.2016 • 1

The Opening Line Photos: Facebook.

Iggy Azalea Stirs Emotion At Miami Beach Pride Vincent Jv –

DO SOMETHING MORE POSITIVE!, LIKE PROTESTING TRUMP SO SAD…

Liam Hodgson –

We go from having Mario Lopez last year, to Elvis Duran and her?

Comments from SFGN’s

online outlets

Compiled by John McDonald

Shoppes of Wilton Landlord Puts Kabosh On Charity Dog Washes Maurice Mizrahi – The space is leased by Hunters - Why would the landlord get to charge for something that hunters is using the space for- As for insurance thats the Pride Center and Hunters and the dog owners- This is just stupid- I have 2 commercial buildingsThey are rented - As long as nothing illegal occurs I have no rights unless specifically authorized by the lease- That may be the case because there is a groomer there.

David Steven Katz – Michael Fazakerley –

contact The Pride Center I am sure they will work with you.

Steve Johnson –

The property is owned by a company based in NORTH CAROLINA.

SouthFloridaGayNews.com

April 06, 2016 • Volume 7 • Issue 14 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

Art Director • Brendon Lies Artwork@sfgn.com Designer • Charles Pratt Editorial Assistant • Jillian Melero JillianMelero@gmail.com Internet Assistant • Andrew Fausnight webmaster@sfgn.com Arts/Entertainment Editor • JW Arnold jw@prdconline.com News Editor • John McDonald john.mcdonald@sfgn.com Miami-Dade Reporter • Anthony Beven Food/Travel Editor • Rick Karlin Gazette News Editor • Michael D'Oliveira Senior Photographer • J.R. Davis jrdavis12000@hotmail.com

Senior Features Correspondents

Jesse Monteagudo • Tony Adams

Correspondents

um yeah i am sure there are better choices.

Dori Zinn • Andrea Richard • Donald Cavanaugh Christiana Lilly • Denise Royal • Sean McShee Alex Adams • Gary Kramer • David-Elijah Nahmod

Gay Couple Attacked At South Beach Burger King Kalilah Bautista –

Fuckers. Being discriminatory in a white country that discriminates against them.

Jess Barnett –

That’s sad. You can’t even give a kiss and get a burger in peace...

Contributing Columnists

Brian McNaught • Dana Rudolph • Wayne Besen Ric Reily • Steve Siler • Bil Browning Terri Schlichenmeyer

Associate Photographers

Pompano Bill • Steven Shires

Sales & Marketing

Director of Sales & Marketing • Mike Trottier mike.trottier@sfgn.com Sales Manager • Justin Wyse justin.wyse@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Edwin Neimann edwin.neimann@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Cindy Curtis cindy.curtis@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Jim Albright jim.albright@sfgn.com Sales Assistant • Devon Woods devon.woods@sfgn.com Distribution Services • Brian Swinford National Advertising Rivendell Media 212-242-6863 sales@rivendellmedia.com Accounting Services by CG Bookkeeping

MEMBER

Todd Myers – There once was a time that would happen with interracial couples. The irony.

Photo: Laura Murray/ wikicommons

SFGN Winner of

• 4.06.2016

& 3 Florida Press Club Awards And runner-up for

NLGJA Journalist of the Year

Associated Press

Cover:

Laura Murray/ wikicommons

In Memoriam

MEMBER

Printing by Sun Coast Press

Dennis Jozefowicz Internet Director 2010 - 2016 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 © 2016 South Florida Gay News.com, Inc.

MEMBER

Join Macy’s as we Celebrate Family + Friends + Love + Life + Equality + Respect We are proud to join the parade across America in honor of National Pride Month. We think it’s really something to celebrate. Plus, join us in our continued support of The Trevor Project!

The Trevor Project provides life-saving crisis intervention for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth.

F O R M O R E D E T A I L S visit

50775_N6030277.indd 1

MACYS.COM/CELEBRATE

3/31/16 4:56 PM

4.06.2016 •

news local

Elvis Duran named Grand Marshal of MB Pride

But Controversy erupts over Iggy Azalea being named as “Guest of Honor” John McDonald

iami Beach Gay Pride returns for the seventh year this weekend. Last year more than 130,000 attended the growing festival. This year’s event has caused some local activists to cry foul over singer Iggy Azalea being invited to the event as a guest of honor of Elvis Duran, this year’s grand marshal. Azalea has made racist and homophobic comments in the past. “Her comments have not always aligned with the vision and values of our community,” said Garcia-Vera, a Miami community activist, who has started a hashtag, #IggyOutOfPride. “The damage is done.” In 2010, Azalea took shots at lesbian athletes, tweeting, “Wondered why my butt felt like it was about to grow legs, flip me off & walk away. then I remembered i played soccer yesterday w 5 dyke bitches,” she wrote. The same year, Azalea went after gay men, tweeting “When guys whisper in each others ears I always think its kinda homo.” Last year, Azalea was forced to cancel

performances at Pittsburgh Gay Pride due to pressure from LGBT activists who pointed to the blonde bombshell’s tweets in 2010 and 2011. In those tweets Azalea insulted lesbians, gay men, black men and Mexicans. “Just saw five black men get arrested out the front of popeyes. #damn #stereotypes,” Azalea tweeted in 2011. Richard Murray, whose public relations firm Duree and Company, is a pride sponsor, released the following statement: “The fact that she’s lending her star-power to the fundraiser Elvis is hosting Saturday night which benefits LGBTQ charities including Pride, speaks much more loudly to me as a member of the community than a few poor choices of words six years ago.” Miami Beach Gay Pride Executive Director Dave Cook, in his first year, issued the standard welcome in a letter printed in the event’s official program. “The mission of Miami Beach Gay Pride is to bring together members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, their

Photo: Facebook

friends, allies, and supporters, in celebration of the unique spirit and culture of the LGBTQ community,” Cook wrote. Ceremonies began on Monday with the raising of a rainbow flag at Miami Beach City Hall. Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine welcomed the event, noting how far Pride has come in just under a decade’s time. “Since its inception in 2009, Miami Beach Gay Pride has grown from a neighborhood event to an event on the global stage with an estimated attendance of 130,000.” Levine wrote in a letter. Elvis Duran is the host of the most listened to Top 40 morning show in the U.S. Duran

HOMEOWNERS

describes his on-air role as a “maître d’ of the mornings.” He is the one who created a stir by inviting Azalea to appear on his float for Sunday’s parade. Murray and his husband Greg Griffin are one of 32 legacy couples being honored at pride this year. Couples begin gathering at Larios on the Beach (820 Ocean Drive) at 10:30 a.m. for a meet and greet prior to the parade’s start. The parade is scheduled for noon to 2 p.m., starting on 5th Street and Ocean Drive and traveling north to 15th Street. Festival hours are 1 to 10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday at Lummus Park. Festival admission is free.

HURRICANE

FLOOD

FREE Policy Review FREE Quotes Fast and Courteous Call or Come In Today

954.522.3800 www.PallantInsurance.com 1800 N.E. 26th Street Fort Lauderdale, FL 33305 4

• 4.06.2016

Brian had his HIV under control with medication. But smoking with HIV caused him to have serious health problems, including a stroke, a blood clot in his lungs and surgery on an artery in his neck. Smoking makes living with HIV much worse. You can quit.

CALL 1-800-QUIT-NOW.

#CDCTips

HIV alone didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cause the clogged artery in my neck. Smoking with HIV did. Brian, age 45, California

4.06.2016 â&#x20AC;˘

â&#x20AC;¢ 4.06.2016

4.06.2016 â&#x20AC;¢

â&#x20AC;¢ 4.06.2016

news national

Activists Try to Calm Fears Over Transgender Bathroom Access Photo: Facebook

(AP) Stung by setbacks related to their access to public restrooms, transgender Americans are taking steps to play a more prominent and vocal role in a nationwide campaign to curtail discrimination against them. Two such initiatives are being launched this week - evidence of how transgender rights has supplanted same-sex marriage as the most volatile, high-profile issue for the broader movement of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activists. One initiative is a public education campaign called the Transgender Freedom Project that will share the personal stories of transgender people. The other, the Trans United Fund, is a political advocacy group that will engage in election campaigns at the federal and state level, pressing candidates to take stands on transgender rights. “We welcome the support of our allies,” said Hayden Mora, a veteran transgender activist who’s director of Trans United. “But it’s crucial that trans people build our own political power and speak with our own voices.”

From a long-term perspective, there have been notable gains for transgender Americans in recent years - more support from major employers, better options for health care and sex-reassignment surgery, a growing number of municipalities which bar anti-transgender discrimination. But there were two setbacks in the past five months that hammered home to transgender people the challenges that they still face. Last November, by a decisive margin, voters in Houston repealed a municipal nondiscrimination ordinance that provided protections for LGBT people. On March 23, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory signed a hastily drafted law that barred Charlotte and other cities in the state from implementing similar ordinances. In both cases, conservatives opposed to the ordinances focused their arguments on bathroom access - contending that allowing transgender people to use public bathrooms based on their gender identity would expose women and girls to discomfort and possible molestation. Those arguments helped carry the day among Houston voters and North Carolina lawmakers despite the fact that such problems have not materialized in any significant way in the 17 states already banning anti-transgender discrimination in public accommodations. “All the people who lost the marriage equality fight, they’ve now decided that trans people are fair game,” said Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. “They’re going to claim trans people are sexual predators, but the public is quickly going to learn that’s just

nonsense.” The outcome in Houston prompted many post-mortems among LGBT activists - What went wrong? How should the bathroom-access argument be countered in the future? “It’s been an alarming wake-up call since November,” said Dru Lavasseur, Transgender Rights Project director for the LGBT-rights group Lambda Legal. “We need to prioritize bringing transgender people into the movement in leadership positions, with transgender voices leading the way.” There has been widespread agreement that a key plank of future strategy should be enlisting more transgender people to share their personal experience - a tactic that was successful for gays and lesbians during the campaign to legalize same-sex marriage. “In most parts of this country, people don’t know a trans person,” said Kasey Suffredini, a transgender attorney who’s director of the new Transgender Freedom Project. “The work in front of us is to put a face on who the trans community is. That’s the way that we win.” The project, undertaken by an advocacy group called Freedom for All Americans, has a first-year budget of about $1 million, with plans to expand thereafter. Nationwide success “will not happen overnight,” said Suffredini, suggesting a 10-year timeframe was plausible. “What happened in North Carolina, as terrible as it was, has really galvanized people,” he added. In the aftermath of the North Carolina legislature’s action, several LGBT leaders headed

by David Crary to the state to join in protests and plot strategy for trying to overturn the new law. Among them was Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, a national LGBT group that has been under pressure from some grass-roots activists to block any recurrences of the Houston and North Carolina setbacks. On Thursday, as Griffin sought to personally deliver a letter of protest to McCrory, he insisted on being accompanied into the governor’s office by a local transgender activist. The Human Rights Campaign’s director of research and public education, Jay Brown, said he’s already seen an impact as more transgender people step into the political spotlight. He cited recent developments in South Dakota, where Gov. Dennis Daugaard met with several transgender people and later vetoed a bill that would have restricted transgender students’ bathroom access at public schools. Brown also cited a new survey released by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation - it found that 35 percent of likely voters know or work with a transgender person, twice as many as two years ago. Asked about the impatience among some LGBT activists in regard to transgender rights, Brown replied, “Public education isn’t something that happens overnight.” “We’ve had some incredible victories in the past few years as a movement, so it’s hard to take a loss,” he said. “But that’s part of the movement - we take steps forward and some steps back.”

4.06.2016 •

Compiled by Jillian Melero

House LGBT Caucus Calls on D.R. Prez to Support Openly Gay U.S. Ambassador (EDGE) The Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus called on President Danilo Medina of the Dominican Republic to support Ambassador James “Wally” Brewster, Jr. by renouncing the insulting efforts to remove the Ambassador from office simply because of his sexual orientation. LGBT Caucus members Rep. Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) and Rep. Joe Kennedy (MA-04) took the lead to draft a bipartisan letter to President Medina reaffirming that Ambassador Brewster has strong and unambiguous support from Members of Congress. “Ambassador Brewster is one of the most honorable and effective public servants I’ve ever known,” said LGBT Caucus Co-Chair Rep. David N. Cicilline (RI-02). “He has served the United States with distinction since he was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2013. This petition is the latest in a long line of unwarranted personal attacks that Ambassador Brewster and his husband, Bob, have endured in recent years. The President of the Dominican Republic needs to immediately renounce

President Danilo Medina

this petition and make clear that he does not support this kind of anti-LGBT rhetoric. I thank my colleagues, especially Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky and Congressman Joe Kennedy, for working relentlessly to bring attention to this issue. We need to continue to make clear that we won’t stand for these kinds of attacks on a very distinguished and respected public servant.” “The homophobic and derogatory attacks led by a Catholic Cardinal directed at U.S. ambassador to the Dominican Republic, James “Wally” Brewster, Jr. are unacceptable and despicable,” said Rep. Jan Schakowsky (IL-09). “Ambassador Brewster and his husband are my personal friends and he is an outstanding representative of the United States and our democratic values. I am proud to stand with my colleagues in sending this letter to the President of the Dominican Republic, calling on him to express support for Ambassador Brewster and reaffirm the relationship between the United States and the Dominican Republic.”

Photo: Mrjosefernando .

os Angeles Father Charged With Killing Son for Being Gay

• 4.06.2016

Clergy Tennessee Against Hate Bill

Speak Out

(Tennessee Equality Project) This week, clergy from across the state added their voice to the growing outcry over Tennessee House Bill 1840, also known as Hate Bill 1840. Hate Bill 1840 would permit counselors to deny services and refer clients based on the provider’s “strongly held religious beliefs.” Not only is the proposed legislation discriminatory in nature, but it is also an unnecessary government intrusion that could result in costly unintended consequences for the state of Tennessee. Clergy representing several faiths, from across the state came together to issue the following statement: “As faith leaders and clergy serving people in Tennessee, we urge the Tennessee House of Representatives to reject House Bill 1840, which allows counselors to turn clients away based on the counselor’s religious beliefs. Those seeking counseling deserve the highest standard of care and we believe the American Counseling Association’s code of ethics provides that standard.” Over 20 faith leaders have already signed on to the letter, with more expected to join as HB 1840 heads for a vote next Wednesday.

Photo: Ichabod

(AP) A man accused of fatally shooting his son outside a home where his wife was found dead has been charged with one count of premeditated murder as a hate crime, with prosecutors alleging he killed his son for being gay. Shehada Issa, 69, told police he shot his son Amir in selfdefense after he discovered his wife’s body in their house. An investigation into Issa’s wife’s death is ongoing. The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said Friday that Issa had previously threatened to kill his 29-yearold son for being gay. “The murder was committed because of the victim’s sexual orientation and because of the defendant’s perception of that status and the victims’ association with a person and a group of that status,” prosecutors said in a statement. Issa was arrested Tuesday after Los Angeles police officers found his son’s body outside their house in the city’s North Hills area. Issa’s wife was found stabbed to death inside the house. Detectives said Issa told officers he found his wife’s body in a bathroom. “He claimed (the son) was armed with a knife, and there was no knife to be found (there). It was a horrible family tragedy,” Detective John Doerbecker told the Daily News. Authorities allege the father used a shotgun in the attack on his son, the Los Angeles Times reported. Doerbecker told the Daily News that there had been problems between the father and son, including the son reportedly vandalizing the home. He said the couple was evicting the son. Issa was being held without bail pending his arraignment on April 11. He faces life in prison if convicted of the charge.

ebraska Senators Tread Warily With LGBT Issues

(AP) By rejecting bills this session on either side of gay and transgender issues, Nebraska lawmakers acknowledged that while they’re willing to take stands on some social issues, they’re hesitant to tackle matters dealing with gay and transgender rights. On Friday, Sen. Mark Kolterman of Seward pulled a bill that would protect state funding for faith-based child placement agencies that refuse to work with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender foster parents. Kolterman said he didn’t have enough support to overcome a threatened filibuster. That followed the rejection last week of a bill that would have provided workplace protections for gay and transgender employees. In the last few years, Nebraska’s Legislature has waded into controversial issues, including repealing its death penalty, rejecting some gun rights and anti-abortion legislation, and considering a measure to legalize medical marijuana. But at a time when lawmakers in Georgia and North Carolina have taken action to slow or reverse the expansion of rights for gay and transgender residents, Nebraska legislators have decided now isn’t the time to take up the matter. Georgia legislators approved a “religiousRep. freedom” measure Andy Holt that would let individuals, businesses and organizations deny services to people based on their religious beliefs, but it was vetoed by Gov. Nathan Deal. North Carolina lawmakers approved a law that was signed into law that excludes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from anti-discrimination protections, among other provisions. Former Nebraska Sen. Greg Adams, who was speaker of the House from 2013 through 2014, said it’s not Nebraska’s nature to be on the cutting edge of such issues. He said it’s not only when dealing with matters of sexual orientation, noting the state had repeatedly taken up but not approved expansion of Medicaid.

News Briefs

assachusetts Court to Hear Gay Parental Rights Case

Photo: Facebook.

Photo: Swampyank.

ay Couple Attacked at Miami Beach Burger King After Kissing

Continued

emi Lovato, Caitlyn Jenner Receive GLAAD Media Awards

Photo: Hollywood Records

shows more than a dozen people waiting in line for food. About a minute into the fight, a second man wearing a light, long-sleeve shirt and jeans can be seen in the video keeping people from breaking up the fight. He pushed Danko, who was wearing a gray tank top, away from the fight according to CBS Miami. A police source told the news station the attacker in the dark shirt and shorts appeared to be trained in some sort of martial arts or had experience in fighting. Schaeffer suffered lacerations to his lip. Police are working with Florida’s state attorney’s office and are pursuing the incident as a felony battery. Police are hoping to identify the two men involved in the fight as well as a third man believed to be in their group. Watch CBS Miami’s reporting on the incident, which includes clips of the surveillance footage, at http://cbsloc.al/1UBWZUI

(AP) Demi Lovato and Caitlyn Jenner are among the recipients of the 27th GLAAD Media Awards. The awards honor those who further GLAAD’s mission of ensuring that stories of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are heard through media outlets. Lovato is the recipient of the organization’s Vanguard Award, which she received from Nick Jonas during Saturday’s ceremony in Beverly Hills. The singer was chosen for her advocacy for acceptance of the LGBT community. Lovato has spoken about her late grandfather, who came out as gay in the 1960s, and filmed the music video for her son “Really Don’t Care” at the L.A. Pride festival. Jenner’s E! Entertainment Television reality series “I Am Cait” was honored for outstanding

reality program. Jenner, who was born Bruce Jenner, is sharing the honor with transgender YouTube personality Jazz Jennings, who has a TLC show “I Am Jazz.” “I Am Cait” is currently airing its second season on the E! network. Other honorees included the film “Carol,” the Amazon Instant Video Series, “Transparent,” the HBO film “Bessie,” which starred Queen Latifah, and Netflix’s “Sense8,” which was co-created by transgender director Lilly Wachowski. Wachowski announced she was transgender last month, several years after her sister Lana Wachowski publicly revealed she was transgender. The siblings created the “Matrix” film trilogy. Highlights of the ceremony will air on the Logo network on Monday.

(AP) The same state court that paved the way for same-sex marriage in the United States is now being asked to decide a complicated case about the parental rights of a once-partnered but unmarried gay couple. The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, the state that more than a decade ago became the first to allow same-sex marriage, will hear arguments Tuesday. The case seeks to determine whether Karen Partanen, whose former partner, Julie Gallagher, gave birth to two children through artificial insemination, should have the same parental rights as Gallagher. Partanen helped raise the children, now 7 and 4. She and Gallagher split in 2013. Gallagher acknowledges Partanen has been a good parent, and the kids spend half their time with Partanen under a shared custody order. But Gallagher is challenging Partanen’s bid to be declared a full legal parent, which would allow Partanen to share in virtually every decision made about the children, including where they go to

school, what doctors they see and what religion they practice. A judge dismissed a complaint Partanen filed in family court, finding she did not meet the requirements for legal parentage because she and Gallagher were not married when the children were born, and Partanen is not a biological parent. Partanen appealed, and the state’s highest court agreed to hear the case. The extent of Partanen’s parental rights is being disputed under two Massachusetts laws. One law says that any child born to a “married woman” as a result of artificial insemination with the consent of “her husband” is considered the legitimate child of the mother and husband. The other law says children born out of wedlock are entitled to the same rights and protections as children born to married couples. But nothing in Massachusetts statutory law written before same-sex marriage was legalized specifically addresses children born to unmarried gay parents.

entucky Lawmakers Pass Bill for 1 Marriage License Form

(AP) Kentucky lawmakers gave their final blessing Friday to legislation creating one marriage license form for gay and straight couples in an effort to defuse the state’s controversy over gay marriage. The proposal is a response to Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis, who spent five days in jail last year for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples based on her religious beliefs. Davis said she could not issue the licenses because they had her name on them. The final version sent to Gov. Matt Bevin’s desk cleared the Republican-led Senate on a 36-0 vote Friday. The measure passed the Democraticcontrolled House 97-0 a week earlier. Bevin, a social conservative elected last year, endorsed the single-form version, which put the issue on a fast track after it languished for weeks. “This is progress,” Democratic Sen. Morgan McGarvey of Louisville, one of the bill’s chief advocates, said after the Senate’s final passage. “It says we’re going to treat everyone as equals. People are going to get married in the manner they want to get married and no one is going to be treated differently.” Lawmakers from both political parties said

Gov. Matt Bevin

Photo: Facebook.

(EDGE) Miami Beach police are currently searching for three men suspected in the beating incident of a gay couple at a Miami Beach Burger King last month, CBS Miami reports. Jordan Schaeffer, 25, who was visiting Miami Beach from Los Angeles, was allegedly attacked by a man inside the Burger King Whopper Bar around 3 a.m. on March 14. A Miami Beach police officer, who was standing in front of the police station across the street from the restaurant, noticed the incident. Local authorities said the attack was sparked after Schaeffer and his boyfriend Eric Danko, 25, kissed. The display of affection apparently upset a man in a dark shirt and shorts, the couple told police. They said the man confronted them and harassed them by “using derogatory words.” Things then turned physical with the men wrestling on the floor. Surveillance footage captured the fight and

they hope the bill resolves the issue. “The end result was something everyone can live with,” said Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer, a Republican from Georgetown.

4.06.2016 •

lgbtqia bites

Lesbian

San Francisco Coach Jennifer Azzi Comes Out as Gay (AP) University of San Francisco coach and former Stanford and U.S. star Jennifer Azzi has come out as gay, announcing she is married to her top assistant, Blair Hardiek. Azzi made the announcement Thursday night when she introduced Golden State Warriors President and Chief Operating Officer Rick Welts at the Anti-Defamation League’s Torch of Liberty Award ceremony in San Francisco. In 2011, Welts - then president and chief executive of the Phoenix Suns became the first senior sports executive to openly acknowledge he was gay. “I, too, lived a long time not being 100 percent honest,” Azzi said Thursday night, according to the San Jose Mercury News. “Kind of the don’t-ask-don’t-tell kind of thing. And it’s so stupid. I don’t know why we do that, but we do that. I’m a college coach. Is it going to hurt me with recruiting? What are people going to think? And you are constantly worrying about those things. What I realized in watching Rick in his path

• 4.06.2016

Compiled by Jillian Melero

Bisexual

Human Rights Campaign Highlights Five Resources for Bi Awareness

Photo: Facebook

Photo: Shawncalhoun

and his journey is that there is nothing more powerful than living the truth. And the best thing I can do for my team is be authentic and true to myself.”

(HRC) With Bisexual Health Awareness Month come to a close, the Human Rights Campaign highlights “Five Resources You Need for Bisexual Awareness Month” in recognition of the advocacy and awareness work needed all year round. 1. HRC’s Resource Guide to Coming Out as Bisexual features words of inspiration and advice regarding the “risks and rewards” of coming out and tips on how to come out to friends, family, and whether or not to come out at work. 2. HRC’s “Supporting and Caring for Our Bisexual Youth” report is based on one of the largest ever surveys of LGBTQ Youth, in partnership with the Bisexual Resource

Center, BiNet USA, and the Bisexual Organizing Project. 3. HRC’s resource on Bisexual Visibility in the Workplace includes steps to improve bisexual inclusion in the workplace. 4. HRC’s report “Health Disparities Among Bisexual People” found that bisexuals face striking rates of poor health outcomes ranging from cancer and obesity, to sexually transmitted infections to mental health problems. 5. HRC’s Bisexual FAQ answers basic questions about bisexuality For these resources and more, visit www. hrc.org

lgbtqia bites

continued

Transgender

DNC Chair Speaks Out on Transgender Day of Visibility

Photo: Facebook

(EDGE) In celebration of the Transgender Day of Visibility on Thursday, DNC Chair Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz called out GOP lawmakers and elected officials to end their divisive, discriminatory campaign to erode legal protections for members of the LGBT community. “As we celebrate the International Transgender Day of Visibility, we need to recommit ourselves to fighting against

the discriminatory laws that Republicancontrolled legislatures have passed or are trying to pass. Our nation has worked too hard to distance ourselves from the ugliest chapters in our history when discrimination was codified by our laws. We cannot move forward as a people or as a nation if we design laws that seek to diminish or demean people because of who they are or who they love.”

4.06.2016 •

PEACE PIPE Over 1,000 SQ FT. GLASSROOM!

LOWEST PRICES • LARGEST SELECTION GUARANTEED • YOUR ONE STOP SHOP FOR ALL YOUR VAPOR NEEDS!

LARGEST SELECTION

news local Photo: Facebook

HOOKAHS • SHISHA • ROLLING PAPERS • VAPORIZERS • ELECTRIC CIGARETTES • ELIQUIDS • ZIPPOS • TOBACCO ACCESSORIES

DIESEL • LEFT COAST • MEDICALI • ROOR • GRAV LABS • SILIKA • PULSE • TSUNAMI & MORE!

INCENSE + CANDLES + TAPESTRIES • ASHTRAYS • TORCH LIGHTERS • FLASKS • BODY JEWELRY • GAMES • ROLLING TOBACCO • POSTERS • STATUES • FIGURINES • T-SHIRTS • LOTS MORE!

OPEN MON - SAT: 10AM - 9PM • SUN: 12 - 6 PM EVERYTHING YOU NEED! MORE THAN YOU EXPECT! The Best Since 1996

954-267-9005

15 Minutes From The Beach or I-95 754-779-7007

4800 N. DIXIE HIGHWAY, FORT LAUDERDALE JUST SOUTH OF COMMERCIAL BLVD

Two Locations!

FACEBOOK.COM/PEACEPIPEFL

821 N. FEDERAL HWY., FORT LAUDERDALE JUST SOUTH OF SEARS TOWN NEXT TO CUBBY HOLE @PEACEPIPEFORTLAUDERDALE

LGBT Caribbean Pride Festival is for those who can’t celebrate Michael d’Oliveira

n LGBT Pride Festival is an easy thing to organize in South Florida, New York and San Francisco. Even in Alabama, where support for gay rights is consistently low, a PrideFest is usually held without much incident. But it’s a different story in Jamaica and other Caribbean islands where the LGBT community is still not widely tolerated or accepted. “Gays and lesbians in Jamaica live in a state of constant fear. We live knowing that the probability of us being killed is very high,” said Gareth Henry, Jamaican LGBT rights activist, in an interview with Human Rights Watch. In the interview, the case of Dwayne Jones, a 16-year-old transgender youth who had been kicked out of his home, was cited. Jones was murdered in front of hundreds of people because he was dressed as a woman at a party. “It appeared that no one attempted to intervene as they ran him down, stabbed him, shot him three times and then ran over him with a car and left him to die by the side of the road,” said Dane Lewis, executive director of J-FLAG, a Jamaican LGBT rights organization. According to Human Rights Watch, Jamaica does not outlaw homosexuality but it does outlaw anal sex between men. Reynolds said that helps fuel homophobia by the police and other government agencies. Attacks on LGBT individuals

also go unpunished. “How does it reflect on society when you have a 16-year-old kid that’s being so brutally murdered and nothing happens? No consequence,” said Rhon Reynolds of Human Rights Watch. “When I was in Jamaica, I interviewed over 77 LGBT people. The one thing that we heard, time and time again, was about how they were not accepted by society. Kids as young as 12 years of age being kicked out of their homes.” To organize a PrideFest for those unable to do so in their homelands, SunServe will hold the LGBT Caribbean Pride Festival on May 28 from 4 to 10 p.m. at Richardson Park, 1937 Wilton Drive, in Wilton Manors. And lead organizer Richard Forbes, SunServe’s youth services manager, knows exactly how important it is for those from the Caribbean to have a pride event of their own. “I am from Jamaica. I know how they judge. It’s not open. [We’re] not allowed to be ourselves. [People from the Caribbean need] a safe environment to be themselves.” The event features HIV testing by AHF, vendors, food, including the Jamaican restaurant the Jerk Machine, and entertainment. “We’re trying to get one vendor from each island,” said Forbes. Admission is free but donations are accepted. In case of rain, the event will be moved to May 29.

To help sponsor the event or become a vendor, call Richard Forbes at 954-7645150 Ext. 206. Sponsorships are also available.

• 4.06.2016

news national

Submited Photo

Photo: PROJeffrey Beall

Bill Tracker Aids in Fight Against anti-LGBT Legislation Michael d’Oliveira

pastor protection bill in Florida. A transgender bathroom bill in Tennessee. These are the kind of bills, proposed in multiple states, with varying degrees of success, that the Equality Federation hopes to combat with its Legislative Action Center [LAC]. “Last year we saw over one hundred antiLGBTQ bills introduced across the country and we expect another avalanche of negative bills this year. We have a game plan to stop these attacks. We can target the right people at the right time with the right message to help defeat these bills,” said Rebecca Isaacs, executive director of the Equality Federation, in a press release. Currently, Equality Federation is tracking over 200 bills; at least 150 of those are of an anti-LGBT nature. “The ones that seem to be getting the most attention are antitransgender bills and religious exemption,” said Amanda McLain-Snipes, author at Equality Federation. Making a lot of the LAC possible is the Legislative Tracking Center, a computer program that can scan every state legislature’s website for anti-LGBT bills and provide the information in an easily accessible way to the Equality Federation. “We developed it internally. It gathers information [schedule of floor votes, committee hearings and more] in a smart and strategic way across the country,” McLain-Snipes said. “We had a huge win [with gay marriage] in June in the Supreme Court, but now we’ve got to hold our ground.” With the LAC, McLain-Snipes said the hope is that pro-LGBT groups won’t be caught off guard like they were with Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act. In Oklahoma, HB 2428, the “Child Welfare

Provider Inclusion Act of 2016,” would prevent any state agency from taking action against a child adoption or foster entity that discriminates against LGBT couples. McLain-Snipes said the law could also end up opening a door to abuses perpetuated among the non-LGBT community. “You could make the case where somebody said, ‘as a deeply-held religious belief,’ I’d rather pray for this child than give them medical care.’” According to Tulsa World, in 2012, Susan Grady of Tulsa, Oklahoma was convicted of allowing her son to die because she decided to forego medical care in favor of prayer. McLain-Snipes pointed to that bill as an example of the LAC working as intended. “When we saw that HB 2428 started getting traction, I reached out [to groups in Oklahoma]. By doing that, the legislation has really gotten bogged down. We want people to have the tools in their tool kit right when the legislators are considering the legislation; getting people to speak out . . . before it becomes law.” According to the Human Rights Campaign [HRC], over 60 people lobbied Oklahoma legislatures against HB 2428 on March 1. Oklahoma and the HRC both singled out Oklahoma as having the single highest number of anti-LGBT bills in the legislature, 26 – named a “slate of hate’ by HRC. “Oklahoma is regrettably leading the nation in the number of bills attacking LGBT people, their families, and visitors in the 2016 legislative session,” said HRC Legal Director Sarah Warbelow on the organization’s website. To view the LAC, visit EqualityFederation.org. 4.06.2016 •

news miami-dade

Photo: Facebook

SAVE Begins 2016 Fundraising Cycle Fights against workplace discrimination, for disability accommodations

Anthony Martinez Beven

AVE, South Florida's oldest organization protecting LGBT people against discrimination, recently held its kickoff event for the year for political advocacy, working to promote local and state policy change through building community consensus. The event, which was held at the home of SAVE board member Joe Falk near downtown Miami, allowed community philanthropists, young professionals and politicians to interact and engage in an informal setting on issues focused on equality, social justice, advocacy and charitable giving. This is the first of a series of four fundraising events throughout the year that directly support the budgetary needs of the organization. The other events include the Champions of Equality gala in June, the Luminary Awards in September and Halloween Ball in October, said Tony Lima, executive director of SAVE. "People, with their support, fuel the work that SAVE us," Lima said, explaining the event on March 17 was the "'crème de la crème' of LGBT supporters in Miami-Dade County." In 2015, SAVE worked with other human rights organizations on a number of initiatives to secure equal treatment for those within the LGBT community, including: • Expanding the human rights ordinance in Miami-Dade County to include gender identity and expression.

• 4.06.2016

• Working to get several LGBT-friendly government officials elected, such as businessman Ken Russell, now a commissioner in the City of Miami. • Collaborating with the ACLU of Florida to bring marriage equality to the state. With regard to this year, SAVE is continuing to work to get a statewide ban on LGBT discrimination in work settings and public accommodations, which includes hotel stays or purchasing goods or services from businesses. Currently, LGBT people can be refused hotel accommodations or service, because they are LGBT. While some municipalities and counties, such as Miami Beach and Miami-Dade County, have local ordinances banning LGBT discrimination of this type, statewide there are no protections in place. This year is going to be "huge” for Florida with state senate and congressional redistricting, said Justin Klecha, director of campaigns for SAVE. The Florida Supreme Court struck down re-districting that occurred in 2010, he said. "This year, every senator for the state is up for election opposed to alternating fouryear elections. That's really gives us the opportunity to elect 6-8 pro-equality leaders statewide that were previously held by folks who were anti-LGBT. It's going to really

change the landscape for us next year,” Klecha said. With 2015 changes on the federal level with regard to LGBT discrimination and marriage equality, the tide seems to be changing. More politicians are active and steadfast in their support of the LGBT community and more openly gay politicians are seeking and being elected to office. Carlos A. Gimenez is the Mayor of Miami-Dade County, the largest county in Florida. Gimenez, who is not gay, supports a workplace and public accommodation ban on LGBT discrimination, and was in attendance at the March 17 event. “The gay community is very important here in Miami-Dade, and we've been very inclusive,” Gimenez told SFGN. “They are important members of our society. They are like everyone else, like any other group. It's important to show my support, just like for the African-American community, the Cuban community and every other community that's here in Miami-Dade.” Gimenez said that there is a shift in public and political attitudes toward the LGBT community because of education. “I think its education, and a lot of that old fear of the unknown. It's taken awhile for people to be educated. At the end, we are all just people,” he said. “Organizations, such as SAVE, have done a great job in educating the masses about

the issues. We shouldn't be discriminating against anybody. It's flat out wrong.” Openly gay democratic state Rep. David Richardson, who represents the 113th District (this includes parts of downtown Miami, Miami Beach and North Bay Village), echoed the education message. In his role, Richardson said he focuses on relationship-building among his legislative colleagues, too. Richardson is actively working to pass legislation in Florida that prohibits LGBT discrimination in work and public settings. More than half of U.S. states have such bans in place, according to a 2015 Newsweek article. Florida is not among this group of states. “We’ve been working on that here in Florida for a number of years and have not been successful. That initiative will be ongoing, where we try to demonstrate to the legislature and the governor that it’s important that the LGBT community have protections in employment and public accommodation,” Richardson said. Many of his fellow lawmakers, Richardson said, when he’s spoken to them about this issue don’t believe that people can be fired for being gay. “They don’t understand that it’s not a protected class, and many people don’t believe that people are also denied employment opportunities based on their sexual orientation,” he said.

March Issue

Visit sfgn.com to see where to find your copy

JOIN US !

GAY G AY & LE LES LESBIAN SBIAN BUS BU BUSINESS SINE INESSS EXCHANGE EXC EX CHAN HANG GE

AFTER HOURS NETWORKING SEAWATCH ON THE OCEAN

Thursday April 14, 2016 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

6002 N. Ocean Blvd. Fort Lauderdale 33308

Admission Members: Complimentary Non-members: $10 Register at www.ftlchamber.com

SPONSORED BY:

For phone registration or general information call Event Coordinator Doug Frens - 954 462 2570 - doug@ftlchamber.com MEDIA SUP P O R T LOCAL NAME. GLOBAL COVERAGE.

SOUTHFLORIDAGAYNE WS.COM

4.06.2016 â&#x20AC;¢

â&#x20AC;¢ 4.06.2016

news national

did Prep Finally Fail? First documented case

Sean McShee

n February Dr. David Knox presented a case report about the first documented HIV Infection of someone on PrEP. A 44year old Toronto man, The Toronto patient, tested positive for HIV in May of 2015, despite adhering to PrEP. Dr. Knox was the primary care physician for The Toronto patient at a community clinic. The results of the laboratory tests were consistent with strict adherence to PrEP. This marks the first documented case of HIV infection of someone adherent to PrEP. The Toronto patient is now taking other antiretrovirals and has achieved an undetectable viral load. While some have interpreted this as “proof” of PrEP failure, others have cautioned that no prevention treatment has guaranteed 100 percent success. The Toronto patient had been on a PrEP regimen for 2 years. Clinical and pharmacological tests are consistent with adherence to PrEP. Two to six weeks prior to his first positive test, The Toronto patient had “bottomed” with casual partners on multiple occasions. The Toronto patient did not require his partners to use condoms and neither did they insist on using condoms. One of those partners transmitted a resistant strain of HIV to The Toronto patient. This strain had resistance to, and reduced effectiveness against the antiretrovirals in PrEP. This strain is resistant to two nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), one non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), and one integrase inhibitor. In addition, two NRTIs and two integrase inhibitors have reduced effectiveness against this strain. This type of

multi-drug resistance is rare. Dr. Robert Grant (University of California, San Francisco) reported that less than 1 percent of all HIV infected people carry this strain of the virus. Some of them have undetectable viral loads. Gus Cairns in AIDSMAP cautioned against interpreting this one case as a reason to reject the entire PrEP program. “It is not unexpected that there would be occasional cases of PrEP failure;” Cairns said, “but the fact that this is the first case report among the tens of thousands of people now taking PrEP shows that it is very rare.” Dr. Robert Grant in The Body Pro brought up a “forbidden” subject in HIV prevention: the mental health need of gay men to have sex without thinking about disease. “I also think that gay men benefit from feeling safer during sex and I am grateful that PrEP affords that feeling” Dr. Grant continued, “People who feel safe feel more power, more confidence in the future, and more desire to discover and pursue their deeply felt personal goals. Believing in the future brings powerful social and personal benefits. There is less trauma.” At press time, Poz interviewed The Toronto Patient. To read the interview please visit, http://bit.ly/1UvaPZ1 To view the complete webcast please visit http://bit.ly/1ooB70J To read the Body Pro on why this one infection does not disqualify PrEP as an HIV prevention technology, please visit http://bit.ly/1ZNSQMM To read Dr. Robert Grant’s interview in BetaBlog, please visit http://bit.ly/1X07fEb 4.06.2016 •

news local

’

Pride Center Strives for Fitness with Rainbow 5K

OUT 50

Michael d’Oliveira

Photo by Steven Shires.

VISIT SFGN.COM/2016OUT50

• 4.06.2016

here’s some disagreement as to how walkable Wilton Manors really is. But on April 10, it will definitely be more walkable and runnable. That day, The Pride Center will host its inaugural Rainbow 5K Run/Walk, a 3.1-mile race through the city’s streets that starts at 7:30 a.m. in front of The Shoppes of Wilton Manors. “This is part of the Pride Center’s health initiative program. We really want the community to become healthier and do more activities,” said Roger Roa, Pride Center’s director of development and the race’s organizer. Right now, The Pride Center offers exercise classes but Roa said the Rainbow Run/Walk is the first major event to focus on fitness. Wilton Drive, Northeast 21 Court, Andrews Avenue, Northeast 29 Street, Northeast 26 Street and Northeast 11 Avenue will be closed from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. on the day of the race to accommodate the 200 participants who have signed-up already. “It’s really amazing, the support from the community for a first time event,” Roa said. At 8 a.m., just as the first runners finish up, the event’s Expo portion will begin.

Most of the Expo vendors, Trader Joe’s, Challenge Fitness, South Beach Tanning and others, will be health-related. They will provide product samples, discounts and more. Participation in the Rainbow 5K is not necessary to attend the Expo. Many of the event’s supporters, including the presenting sponsor, Broward Health Imperial Point, are also healthrelated. The cost to register is $25. Participants get a shirt, medal and goody bag. Proceeds benefit The Pride Center’s programs and activities. Visit PrideCenterFlorida.org/2015/12/therainbow-5k to register. To help volunteer for the event, call Roger Roa at 954-463-9005. Free parking is available at Hagen Park and The Shoppes of Wilton Manors.

news local

Photo: Facebook

Joey Fatone Joins Dirty Pop Cruise

John McDonald

oey Fatone, original member of the 1990s boy band Nsync, is joining the Dirty Pop At Sea Cruise, scheduled to leave Fort Lauderdale next month, event organizers tell SFGN. “We are very excited to announce Joey Fatone and Nash Overstreet are joining us and will be hanging out with us during the cruise,” said Don Goodlin, cruise planner. Fatone, 39, is currently promoting his newest project, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2,” a film opening in theaters March 25. Fatone is expected to board the Allure of the Seas, the world’s largest passenger cruise ship, at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale on April 10 for a seven night eastern Caribbean cruise hosted by his good friend, Lance Bass. Some minor changes to the original celebrity roster have been announced as comedian Fortune Feimster and dancer Frankie Grande cannot make the voyage due to signing new television show contracts. Replacing Feimster and Grande in the lineup is Nash Overstreet and Marcus

Monroe. Overstreet, is best known as lead guitarist for the group Hot Chelle Rae, and Monroe brings a talented juggling act that has thrilled cruise ship audiences in the past. The Allure of the Seas, owned by Royal Caribbean International, is scheduled to make stops in Nassau, Bahamas, St. Thomas and St. Maarten before returning to port in Fort Lauderdale April 17. Bass and husband Michael Turchin, of Miami Beach, tell SFGN the cruise will be a “blast.” Goodlin said there are still a few cabins available for last minute sign-ups. To reserve your space, visit DirtyPopAtSea.com.

4.06.2016 •

news out on the trail

Photo: Facebook

West Palm Beach Mayor Sanctions North Carolina John McDonald

he Mayor of West Palm Beach has issued a directive to all city staff: No more business trips to North Carolina. In response to North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory’s decision to remove municipal ordinances that protect the human rights of all people, West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio issued the following statement: “For more than two decades, West Palm Beach has been in the forefront, protecting the civil rights and ensuring equality for the LGBT community. Until North Carolina’s discriminatory law is amended or repealed, West Palm Beach taxpayers will not subsidize legally-sanctioned discrimination against LGBT people.” McCrory, with the North Carolina legislature’s backing, stripped away antidiscrimination local ordinances. The Republican Governor took particular exception with the City of Charlotte’s recent passing of a transgender inclusive human rights ordinance. McCrory, like so many cultural conservatives before him, used public restrooms as a reason why the ordinance is bad policy.

• 4.06.2016

“The basic expectation of privacy in the most personal of settings, a restroom or locker room, for each gender was violated by government overreach and intrusion by the mayor and city council of Charlotte,” McCrory told the Associated Press. “This radical breach of trust and security under the false argument of equal access not only impacts the citizens of Charlotte but people who come to Charlotte to work, visit or play. This new government regulation defies common sense and basic community norms by allowing, for example, a man to use a woman’s bathroom, shower or locker room.” Several Fortune 500 companies, including tech giants Apple, IBM, Google and Facebook have called on the Governor to reconsider his actions. For West Palm Beach city employees, Muoio’s travel ban means no official visits to the Research Triangle, Outer Banks or the Great Smoky Mountains. “We commend Mayor Muoio for putting her strong beliefs against bigotry into action by prohibiting taxpayer dollars being used in North Carolina,” said Palm Beach County Human Rights Council Founder Rand Hoch.

4.06.2016 â&#x20AC;¢

â&#x20AC;¢ 4.06.2016

Gazette Wilton Manors

Volume 3 • Issue 7 April 6, 2016

Twice-Monthly Neighborhood Outlook

Community

New Development Ignites Dixie Village Resurgence

Residents, Officials Eye Properties for Parking By Michael d’Oliveira While there is a shortage of parking on Wilton Drive, there’s no shortage of opinions on how to fix the problem. “I live behind [Out of the Closet] so I see cars go around and around [my street looking for parking]. It’s crazy,” said resident Erica Werner. Paul Rolli, president of the Central Area Neighborhood Association, said he’s worried about “parking creep” – drivers, unable to find parking in designated lots who park on neighborhood streets. To address those concerns, officials say they want residents, business owners and those who visit and work in the city to offer up solutions. “We need your input. You live here, work here, play here,” said Finance Director Bob Mays to the people who attended the city’s parking workshop on March 24. Lanier Parking, the firm contracted by the city to enforce public parking, is in the midst of a parking study that is estimated to be finished in a few weeks. Fred Bredemeyer, a representative for Lanier, said the study would look at parking availability, times of use, rates and other data and then come up with solutions to present to the city. Some attendees suggested the city build a parking garage at the parking lot next to city hall. Previously, two mixed-use developments, which included parking garages, were proposed for the site but never approved by commissioners. Nick Berry, who owns two businesses on Wilton Drive, said the city should keep buying land and creating parking lots, especially at the north end of Wilton Drive. Specifically, Berry recommended the Iberia Bank branch across from the Starbucks as a possible location. The branch closed in March. He also thinks there’s not enough daytime demand to justify a parking garage. But Sal Torre, president of the Westside Association of Wilton Manors, said he thinks multiple parking lots are too expensive and also hurt the city by taking land off the tax rolls. He favors a garage. So far, the city has spent $1.2 million on two parking lots near Wilton Drive. The first, at Northeast 8 Terrace and Northeast 26 Street, which has 42 spaces, cost $788,000 to purchase and pave. The second, located behind Bona Pizza, cost $447,879 to buy. A preliminary estimate by Mays has that lot’s number of paved spaces at 22 but possibly

By Michael d’Oliveira

more. The estimated cost to pave it is between $180,000 and $240,000. In addition to possibly buying more lots or building a garage, Mays said he’s also looking at partnering with property owners to use their private lots for public parking when they aren’t being utilized. Berry said more community partnerships are needed and criticized Publix, located at Five Points, as “tow crazy” and not being a good community partner because they don’t open their lot to the public during events like Stonewall. Publix did not return a request for comment in time for publication. Tony LoGrande, a member of the city’s Economic Development Task Force, suggested a valet service that would allow drivers to park on one end of the street and have their car delivered to another part when they’re ready to leave. One business owner, who said he’s interested in opening a restaurant in the city, echoed LoGrande and said that kind of service is already effectively used in Delray Beach and could work here. Resident Jake Valentine criticized Lanier as the city’s choice and said another firm, without a financial connection to the city, should be doing the study. “I appreciate what you do but you have a dog in the fight,” Valentine told Lanier executives. Bredemeyer said that Lanier has as much experience as any other parking firm. “The solutions are not revenue based. The solutions are practical based,” he said. To fund whatever ideas are chosen, Mays estimates the increase in meter fees to $1.50 per hour, will generate $2.1 million over the next six years. That money could be used to help secure a bond or loan and pay for improvements in the immediate future. Commissioners would have to approve any borrowing but have yet to officially propose a plan.WMG

As a purveyor of mid-century modern furniture, Chynna Luschen would have fit in perfectly with Antique Alley in its heyday. But that heyday was 20 years ago when antique shops made up the majority of businesses along the small stretch of Dixie Highway just south of Five Points. Now the street, with just a couple shops that sell antiques, has a nickname more befitting of the mixture of the different kinds of businesses that occupy most of its storefronts – Dixie Village. The street includes art galleries and studios, a salon, massage parlor, a gym, professional offices, a video rental store, an animal hospital, a rug merchant, a locksmith and a used car dealership. A café that sells smoothies is also in the works and under renovation. And Luschen, co-owner of It’s a Mid Mod Mad World, said she’s fine with the area’s new name. “I think it’s cute. It’s good to rename this part of Wilton Manors. I actually call this Artists Row. It’s secondary but better than F.A.T. Village. We’re thrilled to be over here. And it’s still affordable.” But after most of the antique shops left, only a handful of businesses survived and there wasn’t much to rename for a while. “I was alone for a long time on this street. It died. There was nothing else here,” said Michael Bolling, owner of Divine Concepts, which sells antiques, clothing and other items. Bolling has been in business on a near-empty street for six years but things remained that way as recently as two

years ago when Tim Abbott, owner of Retro Video, opened his video rental store. “A lot of places weren’t open. There wasn’t much going on.” The location has always been right for Abbot though. “I love it. I like that we’re right off Wilton Drive.” To promote what’s going on now, the Dixie Village Business Marketplace was held on March 26. Some of the merchants on Dixie Highway held open houses to showcase their businesses. “We just want people to slow down and look . . . so they know there’s a business district here,” Sterling said. The resurgence in occupied storefronts comes right as The Metropolitan, a 179-unit apartment complex adjacent to Dixie Village, is almost complete. Artist Rachel Henriques, who has a studio on Dixie Highway, said she’s hopeful the people who move into The Metropolitan make their way over to Dixie. Sterling predicts redevelopment, the form of mixeduse buildings with commercial on the bottom and residential on top, will hit Dixie just as it has Wilton Drive and The Metropolitan before it. “In the next five years, we’re going to see a different business district here.” The city’s planned $1 million improvements along Dixie Highway, funded by a grant from the state, have also begun – March 30. Henriques and her husband, Tim Hartley, hope construction doesn’t hurt business. “It’s growing pains,” Hartley said. WMG

City Explores $290,000 First Time Home-Buyer Program Commissioners are glad to have $290,000 for affordable housing but will wait a little longer before spending the money. “We can be really creative with this,” said Mayor Gary Resnick at the March 22 commission meeting. “I’d like to explore more options.” The program could be used to help lower

income individuals and families with down payment assistance, closing costs and other aspects of buying a home. The city will also have to negotiate an interlocal agreement with Broward County. “I want to see people have homes, whether or not they own them,” Commissioner Julie Carson said.

WMG

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • www.WMGAZETTE.com • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 •

April 6, 2016

4.06.2016 •

Opinion

Wilton Manors Now Has its Own Morality Police

Gazette Wilton Manors

april

By Sal Torre

6, 2016 • Volume 3 • Issue 7

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

Watch out Wilton Manors, the Morality Police are marching up and down Wilton Drive. Who knows where they might strike next! Residents of our wonderful city’s first reaction might be that some right-wing church group or closed-minded members of the Ladies Club have started a campaign against LGBT advertisements along Wilton Drive, trying to save our society from descending into Sodom and Gomorrah. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The Morality Police Squad is being led by one of our own, no other than Michael Rajner, a longtime activist we have come to know and love for his work on HIV/AIDs awareness, transgender rights, School Board Diversity Committee, and many causes that have been long hard battles for the LGBT community. Mr. Rajner recently charged that certain advertisements which appeared on the Eco Bin Trash Bins along Wilton Drive were indecent, that they sent the wrong message to youth, that the content was inappropriate and so on…. Sounds like the same arguments we used to hear from the right-leaning Catholic League and other groups claiming to possess the moral high ground in American Society over the past few decades. It wouldn’t be so bad if this were just one person voicing his opinion, but due to Mr. Rajner’s well-oiled machinery of political contacts, social media postings and other means, our city government responded to his complaints by having the Eco-Bin company immediately pull the ads. Wow, pretty impressive Michael! A brief policy discussion at the following City Commissioners meeting did not bring much light or clarity on what city policy will be moving ahead, but the fact that city staff moved so quickly to censor content is pretty amazing, scary, frightening, and actually has pissed me off. Somehow it’s OK to promote gay bars, nightclubs, and a cleaned-up version of LGBT lifestyle here in Wilton Manors, but not OK to promote a hook-up site such as Realmen.com. A bit of hypocrisy going on here perhaps? In a rush to gain equality and assimilation, it did not take long for the puritanical, judgmental, condescending moral superiority over others to catch up with our community. Over the past decade, we have seen many LGBT leaders falling in step with the battle cry, “We’re just like you,”

Community

By Michael d’Oliveira

Publisher • Norm Kent norm.kent@sfgn.com

leading up to the recent gains on marriage equality. These leaders saw it important to persuade public opinion rather than to shock it. So LGBT culture is now a happy family behind a white picket fence, just like the rest of the white-washed version people want to fool themselves in believing is the American Dream. Oh, and God forbid you mention sex. Oh no, not a proper subject to bring out in the open now, is it? Our community celebrates Stonewall as the beginning of our march to equality, the event that symbolizes the beginning of the gay rights movement; but back in 1969, the Stonewall bar was nothing but a hookup site just like the current site advertised on the Eco Bin. If one was to show their age and think back to when we did not have the Internet, phone dating lines and hook-up apps on our cell phones; gay and lesbian bars were the hook-up sites of that period. So we celebrate the riot that took place defending a hook-up site in 1969, but we sit quietly while the same thing is happening today here in Wilton Manors. While it is easy to white wash reality to make it acceptable for the masses, the riot that took place in 1969 was led by drag queens, young, poor and urban Puerto Rican and Black homosexuals who finally had enough of being treated like shit and stood up to a police force who brutalized and humiliated them at every turn. The well-off white homosexuals, already heading out to the Hamptons and Fire Island for sex, were very few. The riot that night and the protest that followed did cause LGBT leaders of the time to come together and lay the groundwork for a movement. However, the Stonewall riot came about due to gays defending their rights to have fun, to meet each other, and to have sex. Sounds to me the same message one would receive from the Squirt. org advertisement that the city has deemed inappropriate and had removed. How far have we come? Beware of the troubles that might engulf our community once we open the Pandora’s Box of censorship here in our city. I say, live and let live, ‘cause life should be just a little more fun and sexual here.WMG

Gay Hookup App Leads to Debate on Eco Bin Advertising

One resident’s complaint about a gay hookup app advertised on eco bins associated with the city has raised a debate on how to balance First Amendment rights with concerns over community standards. At the March 8 commission meeting, resident Michael Rajner raised his concerns over several Squirt.org ads that were displayed on some of the eco bins at and near the Five Points intersection. The ads read “Real Guys Real Hookups” and featured a man in a tank top. Rajner said the ads were inappropriate for children to view and that they put a divide between some of the straight and gay residents in the city. Resident Nick Berry echoed Rajner’s concern for the kids. “You’re putting it right in front of the face of the kids.” Berry also called for someone, either residents or city staff, to be put in charge of approving the ads. The solar-powered eco bins, which accept trash and recycling, are owned by Go Green Eco Bins and 7 Sun Media. The city receives 15 percent

of the ad revenue from the boxes because they are located on city property or in city rights of way. Days after Rajner’s raised the issue, the ads were removed and at the March 22 commission meeting, City Manager Leigh Ann Henderson said the city would create a policy to decide which ads are allowed on the boxes. Per its contract with the owners of the eco bins, the city can already decline any proposed ads. But that censorship has some commissioners worried. “We will have to be cautious,” said Mayor Gary Resnick who cited the First Amendment. “When you start censorship, I get nervous,” Commissioner Tom Green said. He added that he doesn’t think children need to be protected from the ads. “Kids are not as naïve as people think. I’ve heard things from fourth graders that stun me.” Thomas Julin, a Miami attorney who specializes in free speech issues, said First Amendment cases involving government-

involved or controlled advertising are “very complicated.” But, he said, despite the city’s right to reject ads, Squirt.org or the owner of the eco bins could possibly win a case to overturn any city objection if it can prove it was subject to special treatment. To do that though, the advertiser would first have to raise an objection to the city’s actions and so far neither Squirt.org, nor the owner of the eco bins, has not given any indication it will. In 2015 in Walker v. Texas Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans, Inc., the Supreme Court ruled that government can prohibit certain kinds of license plates because they constitute government speech. In his majority opinion, Associate Justice Stephen Breyer wrote “a city accepting a privately donated monument and placing it on city property was engaging in government speech.” 7 Sun Media did not return an email request for comment in time for publication.WMG

Chief Executive Officer • Pier Angelo Guidugli Associate publisher / Executive Editor • Jason Parsley jason.parsley@sfgn.com

Editorial

Art Director • Brendon Lies artwork@sfgn.com Editorial Assistant • Jillian Melero JillianMelero@gmail.com News Editor • Michael d’Oliveira

Correspondents

Natalya Jones • John McDonald • James Oaksun

Staff Photographers

J.R. Davis • Pompano Bill • Steven Shires

Sales & Marketing

Director of Sales & Marketing • Mike Trottier mike.trottier@sfgn.com

Sales Manager • Justin Wyse justin.wyse@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Edwin Neimann edwin.neimann@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Cindy Curtis cindy.curtis@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Jim Albright jim.albright@sfgn.com Accounting Services by CG Bookkeeping 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.

Associated Press

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • www.WMGAZETTE.com • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 26

• 4.06.2016

2 •

April 6, 2016

A Rule of Thumb is Not Worth 6%

Real Estate Geek

By James Oaksun I hate rules of thumb. With a passion. It’s never quite that easy, you know. Yes of course you can make an assumption based on something like, for example, hand size. But unless you have done the research (oh my) you really can’t know how good the conclusion might be. The same holds true in other endeavors. Consider the process of evaluating real estate. As I alluded to in my last column, as well as in my other writings, most neighborhoods are no longer seeing the sorts of double-digit year over year price increases that we had in 2012-14. Some neighborhoods have declined in price. It’s easy to say, if you are getting a mortgage, “oh the appraisal will tell us.” When prices have started to drop, appraisals will remain strong for a while. They are a lookback in time and will always be a lagging indicator of actual market conditions. And with the large number of cash buyers in our market, buyers don’t always get an appraisal but depend on the opinion of their Realtor. I cringe – Cringe! – every time someone mentions “price per square foot.” My research over several years has shown, and continues to show, that price per foot is at best a fair measure of valuation. I have long argued that the data exists to develop far better assessments. Taking the time, or finding the resources, to do this evaluation is becoming more important, not just as

a marketplace differentiator in a market space of 65,000 realtors (between Miami and West Palm), but also as prices start to oscillate and diverge from a straight path upward. It is especially difficult to assess true core valuation changes when properties are dissimilar in quality over time. For example, say you bought a single family house in Center WilMa in mid-2011 for $200,000 (believe it or not you could at that time), and just sold it for $400,000. Prices doubled, right? Price per foot jumped! Well yes, naively, that is so. But suppose (as is most often the case) the owners performed substantial improvements – the most common of which being a kitchen remodel with stainless appliances and stone counter tops (please use quartz; granite is so 2004). Well they didn’t sell the same house they bought, clearly. But how can you back out the improvements made and determine core price changes over time? By analyzing more than 1,000 closed transactions of single family homes in the Island City and several other nearby neighborhoods, I have determined not only the real value the market places on certain sorts of improvements, but what prices have been doing on a completely normalized basis (apples to apples). The chart shows the actual core improvements since the market trough in mid 2011. Yes, prices have been tracking

3 •

April 6, 2016

upward, even adjusting for improvements in quality and the types of homes sold. Of particular note is the strong increase over the past year in East Wilton. Valuations in the rest of the city have, however, become less robust. WMG James Oaksun, Broward's Real Estate GeekSM, is a Realtor with the Wilton Manors office of RE/MAX Preferred. In addition to having degrees from Dartmouth and Cornell, he is a graduate of the Realtors Institute (GRI).

4.06.2016 •

Community

City Gets Closer to Narrowing Wilton Drive

By Michael d’Oliveira

Photo: Jessica Chesler

Narrowing Wilton Drive has been a topic of discussion here for many years. But the idea’s ultimate fate may rest on what residents, visitors and business owners say at a special workshop held on April 12 at 5:30 p.m. in the commission chambers. The Florida Department of Transportation [FDOT] is still reviewing a request by Fort Lauderdale to narrow Northeast 4 Avenue. That gives Wilton Manors the opportunity to also have Wilton Drive narrowed and paid for by FDOT. One previous estimate of narrowing Wilton Drive puts the cost at about $500,000 and about $85,000 a year to maintain it. That’s a price the city has been unwilling to pay. Fort Lauderdale wants FDOT to narrow Northeast 4 Avenue from four lanes to two. In November, Wilton Manors sent a request to FDOT

to include Wilton Drive. Now, the city will consider another request after the workshop. Commissioners will vote on the issue at their regularly scheduled April 12 meeting. Proponents of narrowing Wilton Drive say it will make the street safer for pedestrians, add more parking and make the road more attractive. The project, known as the Two Lane Initiative, would change the street to make it more similar to Las Olas Boulevard. Opponents have said altering the street would cause traffic problems and could divert visitors away from the city once they decide to find an alternative route because of the predicted traffic problems. “The time is right. We’re not going to get another bite of this apple,” said Commissioner Justin Flippen.

After years of rejection by FDOT to narrow the road, Mayor Gary Resnick said “the stars seem to be aligned. We need to do something to explain this to residents.” But some residents and at least one commissioner questioned if more public input was needed on whether or not to proceed. “Haven’t we talked about this for years?” asked Commissioner Tom Green. He also expressed support for the narrowing, adding that he doesn’t want to see a two-lane Northeast 4 Avenue open up into a four lane Wilton Drive. Vice Mayor Scott Newton said he wants to make sure people are still in support of the project. “Things change.” He added that narrowing Wilton Drive is not an issue that comes up when he talks to people. WMG

Commission Approves New Residential Parking Requirements By Michael d’Oliveira

Briefs By Michael d’Oliveira

Adequate parking for businesses isn’t the only parking challenge facing the city. On March 22, commissioners approved new regulations for residential parking. In a 4-1 vote, commissioners approved the requirement that new single-family, duplex, multi-family and townhouse developments must include one additional parking space for every bedroom in structures with more than three bedrooms. Vice Mayor Scott Newton was the only one to vote against it. “I think it should be more than that. Now is the time to think higher than lower,”

said Newton. A second vote on the regulation will most likely be held at the next commission meeting on April 12. Commissioner Julie Carson, who wants more information before casting a deciding vote at the next meeting, said she wants something done that will ensure the city won’t “have to deal with this time and time again. I’m afraid we’re underselling ourselves like we usually do.” Commissioner Tom Green said he didn’t want to overreact but added that he’d like to see the city encourage people to rely less on cars.

“We almost need to make it not easy to park.” Mayor Gary Resnick said a balance needs to be struck between ensuring new residences have enough parking and ensuring that developers aren’t scared away by regulations that are too stringent. More space for parking, he said, means developers will have less space for units and will make less money on a development. “You can’t manufacture space.” He added that a shortage of parking shows the city is where people want to be. “It’s a good problem to have.” WMG

News Briefs From Around Wilton Manors

Friends of the Library Book Tent Event

Flying Tigers discussion Peter Colon, history enthusiast and re-enactor, will talk about the Flying Tigers of World War II. He will speak on Thursday, April 14 at 7 p.m. at the Richard C. Sullivan Library, 500 Wilton Drive. The event is sponsored by the Friends

of the Library. Refreshments will be served. The Flying Tigers were a group of American pilots who fought the Japanese in China. Artifacts related to the Flying Tigers will be on display. WMG

Workshop on Code Changes

City officials and the city’s three neighborhood associations, ENA, CANA and WAWM, will hold a joint workshop to discuss possible changes to the city’s code of ordinances. Public input is wanted on topics such as marijuana laws, parking regulations, property maintenance, signage and zoning. The workshop will be held on Wednesday, April 13 at 7 p.m. at Hagen Park, 2020 Wilton Drive. WMG

On April 9, the Friends of the Wilton Manors Library will be giving out books, DVDs, audio books and CDs in exchange for a small donation. The event will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hagen Park, 2020 Wilton Drive, during the city’s monthly yard sale. Items range

Art Social The art of Dwight Hoffman, Louise Meredith, Joan Glassman, Mark Baker and Dirk Eberle will be on display during the last art social of the season at Art Gallery 21, 600 NE 21 Ct. The event takes place on Friday, April 15 at 7 p.m. and is free to attend. WMG

from books on tape to children’s DVDs and cookbooks to gardening manuals. All donations benefit the Richard C. Sullivan Public Library of Wilton Manors. The Friends will also accept donations of materials at the event or the library. WMG

WAWM meeting The Westside Association of Wilton Manors will hold a meeting on Thursday, April 7 at 7 p.m. at Hagen Park, 2020 Wilton Drive. Broward County Commissioner Tim Ryan, who represents Wilton Manors, will be in attendance. A presentation on the county funding of improvements to Mickel Park will be given.WMG

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • www.WMGAZETTE.com • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 28

• 4.06.2016

4 •

April 6, 2016

4.06.2016 â&#x20AC;¢

chamber chat

Celebrating our 6th Year on Wilton Drive!

Photo: Facebook Photo: Facebook

New Patients

$69 ($295 Value)

Comprehensive Exam, Digital X-Rays & Cleaning*

Your smile should leave a great impression!

General & Cosmetic Dentistry

Buying A Gym Membership Won't Make You Fit! Solimar Rodriguez GLBX

New, State of the Art Facilities•Most Insurances Accepted Always Plenty of Free Parking•Located Conveniently on Wilton

954-565-7666 Dr. David K. Warner, DDS, FAGD Fellow, Academy of General Dentistry

1946 Wilton Drive •Wilton Manors • FL 33305 www.IslandCitySmiles.com *In the absense of gum disease. Not applicable to insurance benefits.

• 4.06.2016

ften we have the idea that because we join a gym, we will automatically get in shape. We create a false perception that our habits will change and that we’ll be deemed the healthiest and fittest person. Think about how many times you have paid for a gym membership or a fitness club that you never used, or a fitness class that you never went to. Or maybe you did attend but maybe just for the first week and then never went back. It has happened to you, right? Changes don’t happen from one day to the other. To be able to see those changes we need to put time, effort and commitment into it. The same thing happens when you are reaching out to potential clients with the ultimate objective of obtaining new business. We all have our strategies for obtaining new clients and referrals. However, one of the most effective strategies for obtaining potential leads is by joining a local networking group. Networking groups provide you with the opportunity of meeting professionals like you. They also help you to establish powerful connections that will potentially turn into business or refer you business. Often people join networking groups expecting immediate results, however they do not put the effort into getting involved in the group activities, networking opportunities or getting to meet the other members of the group. Like the gym, to be able to exceed and see results while joining a networking group takes effort and time. Nonetheless, the connections it creates are long lasting and forever. Networking memberships won’t make you fit. They will provide you with all the tools, and opportunities that you need to be able to create a solid base to move your business forward. Networking memberships provide you with long lasting relations that will train you to get your better self ready to obtain more and build your business core. Joining the networking group is the first step to success. Attending the networking

events, conferences, and meetings is like doing the cardio workout for your business needs. Obtaining client referrals because you participated in those events is like seeing your abs for the first time. Getting to experience the amazing opportunities that networking can offer is like showing off your abs to the world and letting them see how fit you are. The Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce’s Gay and Lesbian Business Exchange Council (GLBX) is one of the best trainers in town to get yourself networking fit. They offer all the networking opportunities that you need to create long lasting business connections and community outreach to help you show those business abs. The GLBX is the all-inclusive council. Within its multiple offerings, the Council has created the GLBX Referral Advantage leads group, which is the Chamber's Gay and Lesbian Business eXchange group. The GLBX leads group is open to any business interested in doing business with the community. The GLBX council and leads group are all-inclusive which means that they have a diverse membership. The Referral Advantage group also has "power teams" which are sub-groups that work very closely together to promote other businesses in a synergistic way. If you would like to get networking fit, and experience better business, check out the GLBX council networking opportunities, or come to one of the Council’s monthly events. The next event will be held Thursday, April 14 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Sea Watch on the Ocean, 6002 North Ocean Blvd., in Fort Lauderdale. You can follow the GLBX on Facebook Facebook.com/FortLauderdaleGLBX/ or you can contact the GLBX Council Chair, Karen Prescod at Karen@prescodlifeandhealth. com to obtain more information on how to become a member or check out what this exciting networking group has to offer you. Make the GLBX one of your New Year’s resolutions.

¿ESTÁS LISTO PARA

GET INFORMED. MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR YOU.

PrEP is an HIV prevention option that works by taking one pill every day

PrEP can help prevent you from getting HIV if you are exposed to the virus

Talk with your doctor or health care provider to determine if PrEP is right for you

EL CONTROL ESTÁ EN TUS MANOS www.cdc.gov/StartTalkingPrEP facebook.com/StartTalkingHIV

Start Talking. Stop HIV. 4.06.2016 •

“The event of the year”

Friday, May 13 • 7 pm Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Featured Performer Levi Kreis Tony Award-winning actor/singer

Guest Host Omar Lewis Weekend Morning Anchor, WSVN

Special Presenter Stuart Milk Global human rights activist and MSNBC contributor

Honoring those who are transforming lives by living authentically and advancing inclusiveness. • Peter Clark, Publisher, Hotspots Media Group • Robert Runcie, Superintendent, Broward County Schools • Rae Franks, Esquire • Judge David Young 2016 Milk Foundation Milan Rosza Youth Award Honoree, Ryland Whittington To benefit these two organizations

Presenting Sponsor

For sponsor or ticket information: 954.463.9005, x105 or diversityhonors.com

MARK GRIFFIS

SINCE 1980

LOCAL NAME. GLOBAL COVERAGE.

SOUTHFLORIDAGAYNE WS.COM

• 4.06.2016

4.06.2016 â&#x20AC;¢

Convictions

Publisher's Editorial

Civil Rights Struggles Go On

Norm Kent

norm.kent@sfgn.com

ess than a year after winning marriage group of wholesome and loving people, and equality, we are fighting again in state we owe apologies to no one. We stand for after state for our civil rights. the essence of all American principles- that Being gay is anything but that. Being we come together as a society not to restrict gay means standing tall, the rights of any, but rather to fighting on, and making embrace the rights of all. your voice heard from The battle for civil liberties city halls to congressional So it’s clear, is an ongoing struggle, taught offices. It means electing us by a U.S. Constitution we are a good to a president that will move that once treated Africanand decent us forward, not set us back. Americans as three-fifths That means supporting of a citizen, and women as group of Bernie Sanders or Hillary second-class citizens. It is wholesome however, a powerful document, Clinton, and rejecting the Republican candidates. interpreted over years by and loving No one ever promised learned jurists who have carved people us a rose garden. No one out rights that cannot be taken ever said it would be easy. away from any of us, but rather Abraham Lincoln may which must be protected for all have freed the slaves with of us. an Emancipation Proclamation, but it was There are zones of privacy where not for one hundred years later that the U.S. government cannot reach, and one of those Congress had to pass a Civil Rights Act to is in our bedrooms, another with whom we help march us forward. choose to love. We have also won equal rights We may have won a Supreme Court in the military, protections in the workplace, victory last year, but it will take us decades and emerging recognition in professional still to win the hearts and minds of the walks of life. We are everywhere, and you American people. But remember this always: have nothing to fear. we don’t want to be tolerated, and we do not Homosexuality is not stealing anyone’s need other’s approval to be who we are. children away; it is making us good parents. So it’s clear, we are a good and decent Homosexuality is not hurting society,

• 4.06.2016

Editorial Cartoon

it is expanding it, making the rainbow that defines us reach all parts and aspects of our community. The laws, which once arrested us, today now arrest those who abuse us. We are not seeking to intrude on anyone’s freedoms. We are simply seeking to protect ours, in our homes and in everyone’s communities. We are your friends, not your enemies. Your bathrooms are safe. Therefore, to North Carolina and Mississippi, and any other states which want to step backward in history, let me say we will meet your challenge, with our hands locked, our heads high, and our spirit undaunted. We will march on, from Miami Beach to the most northwestern corners of our country. We will not be denied, and we will not have you deny us our rights anymore, anywhere, or ever again.

By Andy Marlette

We have come to far to let you take us back to where none of us should ever have been. We are going to the future, proud and unafraid. Join us as partners, or stay behind as relics of the past. But we are moving forward, gaily forward with a song in our hearts, and a smile on our lips, and maybe a partner and child in our arms.

Guest Photo: Shutterstock/CNNMoney

Convictions

georgia Spot on while North carolina Tries to turn back History Gary Resnick Mayor of the City of Wilton Manors

DS, CANDY, GREETING CARLTIES, GIFTS, BASKETS, NOVE OR N A

N D Y

AND SO MUCH MOREORIIGGINA

E OR ST O

Batman VS Su merchandise inperman stock

5, R1

OVE

Obviously, the pressure by companies like Walt Disney Co., Marvel and the AMC Networks, which threatened to stop film production in GA (with a potential impact of $1.7 billion in GA) helped convince the Governor to veto the controversial bill. Time Warner, Apple, Dell, IBM, Facebook, Google, and Wells Fargo, among others, publicly spoke out against the bill. Florida considered such a law this session, and while the watered down version that passed was not as objectionable, our legislators got bogged down debating what bathrooms people would use to stop a statewide nondiscrimination bill from passing. Discrimination could be written into law again in Florida. All the measures supporting equality that Wilton Manors, Miami Beach, West Palm Beach, school boards, and local governments throughout the State have adopted to make lives better for everyone, could be overturned by a quick vote in our Legislature and signature by our Governor. Legislators do not need to dictate what bathrooms people use! We need to show that laws that discriminate will have adverse impacts. Economic impact influences legislation. We should demonstrate that NC’s law will not be without consequences. Let’s join San Francisco, NYC, and West Palm Beach and ban government paid travel to NC. With a well-respected School of Government at UNC, North Carolina hosts numerous seminars and conferences for government employees. We should also support the lawsuits against the State of North Carolina that are already planned by several organizations that fight discrimination. Also, friends and members of the LGBT community should avoid patronizing NC. Instead of Asheville, GA’s Blue Ridge mountains are great in summer and Fall! For nearly two decades, Wilton Manors has been in the forefront of fighting for civil rights for the LGBT community, locally, throughout Florida and across the US. As Mayor, I will continue to support efforts to repeal or overturn North Carolina’s institutionalized discrimination and to end discrimination against the LGBT community.

WILT ON

or some reason, conservative policymakers who disfavor government regulation, love regulating the bathrooms people can use. Recently, the North Carolina Legislature called a Special Session, not to address the budget, a court mandate, or an emergency. No, they needed to deal with a local ordinance passed by the City of Charlotte prohibiting discrimination against LGBT persons and allowing people to use the bathroom for the gender with which they identify. Apparently, conservative lawmakers thought this was outrageous. They used this as an opportunity not only to pass a wide-ranging bill barring people from bathrooms and locker rooms that do not match the gender on their birth certificates, but also to preempt any local government law that prohibits discrimination against LGBT persons or raises the minimum wage above the State’s. While Democrats in the North Carolina Senate walked out in protest, the bill passed and the Governor signed it into law. Part of the problem with the NC law is that it directly preempts municipalities from adopting policies in the best interests of their citizens, which as a Mayor, I oppose for obvious reasons. The more important issue with this law is that it institutionalizes discrimination against members of the LGBT community. We have seen other states pass similar laws institutionalizing discrimination against the LGBT community: Two states, Tennessee and Arkansas, adopted laws that preempt local nondiscrimination provisions. In February, South Dakota considered a bill mandating that persons use bathrooms tied to the sex on their birth certificates, but the Republican Governor vetoed it saying local lawmakers were better equipped to handle such issues. The so-called “Religious Liberty” bills considered by Indiana, Arizona and passed recently by the Georgia Legislature are really just forms of legalized discrimination. On March 28, Georgia’s Governor announced he was vetoing HB 757, stating that “Georgia is a welcoming State.” I am glad Governor Deal vetoed the bill.

TO NT ITE MS

• Over 100 types of great tasting sugar free candy • Over 40 ﬂavors of soda (made • Sweets & snacks from over 90 countries with cane sugar) in glass bottles • Large selection of super hero gifts

To the Moon

2205 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors, FL 33305

(954) 564-2987

ToTheMoonMarketplace.com 4.06.2016 •

GUEST

Photo: Martin Falbisoner

Convictions

There’s Too Much Secrecy in Government Lee H. Hamilton

e have a secrecy problem. This may seem odd to say during an era in which the most intimate details of individuals’ lives are on display. Yet government is moving behind closed doors, and this is definitely the wrong direction. In fact, I’m dismayed by how often public officials fight not to do the public’s business in public. And I’m not just talking about the federal government. City and town councils regularly go into executive session to discuss “personnel issues” that might or might not truly need to be carried on outside public view. And let’s not even talk about what can go on behind closed doors when it comes to contracting. At the state level, lawmakers exempt themselves from public records laws, underfund public watchdogs, and exempt lobbying expenditures from sunshine laws. “While every state in the nation has open records and meetings laws, they’re typically shot through with holes and exemptions,” the Center for Public Integrity reported last year. “In most states, at least one entire branch of

government or agency claims exemptions from the laws.” In case you’re wondering whether this has an impact on real people’s lives, it’s worth remembering that thousands of emails released in the wake of Flint, Michigan’s water crisis revealed “what appears to be an active effort by state employees to avoid disclosure of public records under [freedom of information laws],” according to Governing magazine. Meanwhile, there’s no shortage of efforts to keep the public from learning all sorts of details about how the federal government conducts business. Campaign contributors increasingly manage to avoid disclosure of their political activities. Government contractors are not subject to most of the transparency rules that affect federal agencies — even as more and more business is being done through contractors. The 72 federal inspectors general who are appointed to ensure the efficiency and accountability of the agencies they oversee face constant efforts to limit their access to records. Routine information

At the state level, lawmakers exempt themselves from public records laws.

• 4.06.2016

is classified and kept secret; members of Congress joke that what they’ve just read in a top-secret document was taken from the front page of the New York Times. Yet they themselves increasingly rely on omnibus spending bills — which are put together behind closed doors by a handful of leaders and congressional staff with no public scrutiny. Most notably, of course, secrecy extends to national security issues. There are some government secrets that are necessary to protect, and a balance has to be struck between protecting national security and openness. But the presumption should be in favor of openness. Those who favor secrecy should make their case in public and not rely on the old adage, “Trust me.” Take the question of the U.S. drone program. The overall program may be necessary, and technical means, operational details, intelligence methods are all rightfully classified. But that should not be an excuse for hiding information from the American people about what we’re doing with drones. Do we want our resources spent on targeted killing programs? Who determines who gets killed? What’s the evidence on which we base who gets killed? How many innocent

people have been killed? The American people have a right to know what’s going on. But we’re being kept in the dark. Openness is not a panacea, but it makes good government more likely. Representative democracy depends on our ability to know what’s being done in our name. We cannot exercise the discriminating judgment required of citizens about politics, policies and politicians if we do not know what they’re doing. Nor is it possible to maintain the checks and balances required under our Constitution without openness and transparency. We have to shine a bright light on the actions of public officials so that it’s more likely they’ll act with integrity. Justice Louis Brandeis gave perhaps the most famous formulation of this requirement in his 1913 statement, “[S] unlight is said to be the best disinfectant.” But Judge Damon Keith of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals put an exclamation point on the idea in a 2002 ruling that the government could not carry out secret deportation hearings without proving the need for secrecy. “Democracies,” he wrote, “die behind closed doors.”

Lee Hamilton is a Senior Advisor for the Indiana University Center on Representative Government, and a professor at the IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 34 years.

4.06.2016 â&#x20AC;¢

March issue

Visit sfgn.com to see where to find your copy

â&#x20AC;˘ 4.06.2016

Where People Get Better We treat the chemical dependency and the underlying issues that contribute to drug and alcohol addiction. Whether you are a professional, a parent, or a student, now you can get better. All calls are 100% conďŹ dential. Detox

Residential

OutpatientPM

Aftercare

800.778.6792 www.FHErehab.com All calls are confidential. Your treatment may be covered 100% by insurance.

Botox Special: $50 Off 30 or more units Purchase 2 vials of Sculptra Receive 2 Vials FREE. Sorry, No sharing Exp. 4/30/16

Nationally Accredited Treatment Center

4.06.2016 â&#x20AC;˘

lifestyle tech

Japanese Game Cuts Gay Conversion Therapy in U.S. Localization Fire Emblem: Fates features three LGBT characters, but one had a big change in U.S. release Brittany Ferrendi

popular Japanese game finally has gay relationships, but boy they don't make it easy. First, let me step back a bit and explain. Fire Emblem: Fates is a turn-based strategy roleplaying game for the 3DS. It was originally made in Japan, but was recently imported to the U.S. in English. It is the 14th installment of the Fire Emblem series and has three different versions with different stories: Birthright, Conquest, and Revelations. The latter comes out later on in the year. In the game you play as a central main character, Corrin, who can be male or female. Within the game, you and all the characters you meet fight together and create relationships, both platonic and romantic. In special circumstances, characters can get married (and have children). This has been going on since the game prior to Fates, which was Awakening. But in that game, you couldn't have gay relationships. People weren't happy. This time around, the creators included an option for a gay relationship. I'm applauding the creators for finally opening up to wider representation of the LGBT community, but the relationships are very specific — you can't engage in a same-sex romance with every character, but just three. That makes sense in the real world because obviously not everyone in real life is gay, bisexual, or otherwise, but games typically open up to a wider variety of characters. Take Dragon Age I and II, for example, where all main characters were romanceable regardless of gender. Even putting that aside, there are more or less fifty playable characters between the three games, making it seem strange that only three out of that many are anything other than straight. And to put that in perspective, you can also marry a number of half-sisters and step-siblings in the game. You can basically commit incest with more people than you can be gay with. The characters open to gay relationships are also separated by different versions of the game. In Birthright, you gain the character Rhajat, a female magic user. In Conquest, the avatar has the option of marrying Niles,

• 4.06.2016

a male outlaw. Both of these characters are technically bisexual because they can also be in opposite-sex relationships, but they do lean heavier towards the same-sex avatar. There is a third character, Soleil, who is also seemingly a lesbian. The game doesn't water down the romance, either — it's a legitimate marriage, not a "union" or "partnership." Yay! One of the main downsides of having a gay relationship is the missed opportunity to have children. There is no "adoption" so if your character originally has the option to have children, that won't be the case in a same-sex relationship. No children means less characters in-game, and less dialogue options and character development. But this representation of LGBT characters isn't all happiness and rainbows. In Japan, you could actually force Soleil to fall for the male character. Yes, that does sound rapey. Basically, Corrin believes that she can't focus with other cute women around, so he spikes her drink with a "magic potion." This makes it so she sees men as women and women as men. Thus, you basically make her straight. Then, Solei begins to fall in love with the male main character. And even though the potion begins to wear off, she admits that she loves the male Corrin even though he now appears as a man. You read that right, this game basically has gay conversion therapy. Using drugs. Anyone see a problem with that? Well apparently somebody did, because during the localization of the game, that was taken out for the U.S. release. But other sites, such as one Kotaku writer, contend that this wasn't an attempt to remind people of the time where society thought it was okay to "fix" homosexual people. According to the author, an understanding of this mechanic requires more cultural context. For most of us in the U.S., though, we still think it was a good idea to remove it for the Western release. Don't get me wrong, though — Fire Emblem: Fates is a fantastic RPG game and I can't seem to put it down. But one thing is for sure: there is still a lot that needs to be done in terms of LGBT representation within video games.

lifestyle tonys talks Photo: Tony Adams

Mark Angelo and Lynna Cummings

FTM Trans Mark Angelo Detransitions Back To Maritza Tony Adams

he trans community can be hostile, volatile and downright dismissive when one of their own embraces an opinion that might be used to support the arguments of their oppressors. That is why widely-followed Mark Angelo Cummings, the Cuban born FTM (femaleto-male) transgender man set off a firestorm when he suggested that helping youngsters transition might be misguided, and that his own transitioning might have been a big mistake. His recent de-transitioning back to “Maritza” outraged some of his fans, and his controversial stance caused sponsors to dump him. His new wife MTF trans Lynna admits that she is attracted to Mark more than Maritza. If you are rolling your eyes, please wait a moment. This couple is wiser than any headline might lead you to think. Six years have passed since I wrote about Cummings for SFGN when he was living in Hollywood, with his then-wife Violet, and beginning a career as a singer/songwriter. After several years traveling and living in New Mexico, and with a few unsuccessful relationships with men and women behind him, Cummings has returned to Fort Lauderdale with his new wife. When I ask him if he has continued to write songs and to perform, he seems surprised by the question, and it is clear that he has spent six years generating an all-encompassing online presence in word, image and video about what it means to be trans. That did not leave much time for music. To be clear, his de-transitioning back to female is on hold for the moment as the couple takes this time to settle into Victoria Park and a new phase of their life. You can still follow Cummings’ brutally honest self-presentation on Facebook, on his blog and on his YouTube channel where fans’ tempers sometimes flare. Cummings did not disguise his very practical reasons for stopping his de-transitioning. The money, the icy reception by his parents, the apartment hunt and his wife’s love put a stake through the heart of the freshly reborn Maritza. Online, he clearly describes his practical decision with these words, “All of the events that took place from pounding the pavements finding an apartment that would be affordable, in a good neighborhood and free from scammers, led to my knowing that de-transitioning was not

an option for me after all. I felt vulnerable as Maritza and had to use, yes I know, my male privilege to get the job done. It is a jungle out there and unfortunately my alpha nature [as Mark] is needed to be taken seriously and to protect my wife and I during certain situations[…]Nonetheless I don’t regret the 3 months of my attempts to de-transition, but in those three months, I quickly learned how much I hated fussing over myself, the make up, the worrying about what I was going to wear, the looking in the mirror and not liking what I saw. In the end, it would take way too much money to de-transition and to make things look presentable after 13 years of testosterone and all of the secondary characteristics that it created. I am who I am, and after all at 51 years of age, I can’t put myself through all of that. I became Mark 13 years ago, and Mark I shall remain.” Building on those words, I asked Mark who he actually is. “I am two-spirited,” he said. “Sometimes the female part of my nature comes to the foreground and sometimes my male side dominates. I think we are all like that to some degree.” In listening to Mark and Lynna, I find that what separates them from most people is their fearless ability to give expression to what is in their hearts without worrying about the approval of others, and free from the assumption that today’s decision must be monumental or permanent. Gender-presentation seems to be a small part of their deep devotion to each other, and the gifts they give each other are more lavish than their sex organs. Lynna tells me that soon after their arrival in Fort Lauderdale, Mark brought her to the Wilton Manors bar Alibi. Walking through that door, Mark rejoiced at being in a crowd of gay men and proclaimed them to be his people. Did that moment upset Lynna? Not in the slightest. She shrugs and smiles when she tells me about this. She knows and cherishes her husband to the core. She accepts the entire package that is Mark Angelo and Maritza Cummings without much concern about the wrapping. Glad to have all three of them nearby, I hope Mark will pick up his guitar and write some new songs. For more, check out www.TransitionRadio.net and www.YouTube.com/user/markangeloc 4.06.2016 •

lifestyle history

Homo History 101 Photo: dbking

Frank Kameny

History was never as straight as we are told. Recording our history means reporting the truth. Pier Angelo

Frank Kameny –

Homosexuality is not an affliction, and by god, we’re going to enjoy it.

Marlene Dietrich – In America sex is an obsession, in the rest of the world it is a fact. Gore Vidal – I was once asked whether my first sexual encounter was homosexual or heterosexual. I don’t know. I was too polite to ask. Alfred Kinsey – The only unnatural sex act is that which you cannot perform. Armistead Maupin – I felt very close to God...my friends say that’s because I was always on my knees. Thomas Eakins – The most beautiful thing there is, is a naked man. Gordon Merrick – I say if it’s love,

NormKent.com 42

• 4.06.2016

the lord won’t mind.

James Baldwin – Love him…love

him and let him love you. Do you think anything else under heaven really matters?

Ru Paul – Everyone’s born naked and after that, everything is drag. Richard Goldstein – Gays have nothing in common with straight people except what we do in bed. Sarah Jessica Parker– I’m basically a homosexual man. I love clothes, I work out, I’m concerned about my looks. I’m vain. W.

Scott

Thompson

–

Mainstream America has to realize we are everywhere; and then relax.

Mark Fisher – As gay men, we’re much luckier, we have real friends. Les Petites Bonbons – We acknowledge the gaily erotic nature of all things and we reject the forcible attempts of straight society to define and thereby limit the human experience.

lifestyle books

' And Then I Danced' by Mark Segal

Terri Schlichenmeyer

een there, done that.

Yep, you’ve had experience and you’re willing to talk about it. Why not? Someone could learn from the things you did. Mistakes can be avoided. Or, at least, as in the new memoir “And Then I Danced” by Mark Segal, people will be entertained. Not long after his birth in 1951, Mark Segal’s parents were snatched from the middle class and shunted off to “the other side of the tracks” with the loss of their bodega. They became “the only Jewish family in a South Philadelphia housing project,” which set the tone for Segal’s outspokenness. Indeed, when he was in grade school, he committed his “first political action” by refusing to sing a Christian song. When he was thirteen, his beloved Grandmom took him to his first Civil Rights event. By then, Segal knew that other boys peeped at ads for women’s underwear, but he preferred studying the men’s clothing pages. He knew he was different – but he also knew that he absolutely couldn’t talk about it. After learning that there were gay men in New York City, Segal convinced his parents to send him there following his high school graduation. Having “no idea where to go” as he settled in, he began exploring his new city and, “After a few days of looking around,” he came across the Stonewall bar and a man who “was creating an organization called the Action Group.” Organized activation suited Segal, and it became a job of sorts for him. He worked on behalf of gay pride marches and parades, a Gay Youth organization, and a Gay Alliance. He became politically active. He and friends interrupted live broadcasts with what they

302 pages $16.95 / $23.50 Canada c. 2015, Open Lens / Akashic Books called “zaps,” which gained the attention of news media. That got them on camera, and arrested. It was a different world by the mid-‘70s, but there was still much to do. A friend asked why Segal didn’t start a gay newspaper in Philadelphia. And so, “Meet publisher Mark Segal.” That’s what you’ll find in the first half of “And Then I Danced.” Yep, there’s more – a second life, in a way – and it’s every bit as enjoyable to read. With gentle humor and the slightest touch of sardonicism, Segal writes further about people he’s known, his newspaper, and a different kind of activism. That in-thetrenches stuff is great to read, partly because his narrative is indicative of the times in which it all happened. Readers also may, like me, be impressed with the creativity used to help gain LGBT equality. But there’s more: Segal lets readers into his personal life: his loves, losses, and (spoiler alert!) a very happy ending. “Drama seems to follow me,” he writes, and readers will be glad for it. It was nice to see this memoir cross my desk. I was getting tired of Big Star Bios and while there’s name-dropping in this book, it’s not egregious. No, it’s kinda fun and worth picking up, so be there with “And Then I Danced.” You’ll be glad you done that. 4.06.2016 •

lifestyle food

Rick Karlin

Farm to Table

outh Florida is one of the nation’s top growers of produce, and the prolific winter growing season helps the local farm-to-table movement thrive. Whether open seasonally or yearround, there are plenty of choices when it comes to finding a fabulous farmers market in the Fort Lauderdale area, much of it organic and/or grown by environmentally conscious sustainable means. The Las Olas Outdoor Green Market, held on Sundays from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., includes local and organic produce and you’ll also find locally grown orchids, raw organic treats, fresh baked goods (many gluten free), fresh pasta, olive oils, soy candles, soaps, baked goods, local raw honey, and designer gemstone jewelry. Among the vendors participating are; Henyan’s Produce (a family-run farm in Homestead), 2 Cousins (hummus, pestos, salads, etc.), Captain Greg’s Smoke Shack (smoked fish and dips) and Everglades Seafood (stone crabs, fish fillets, shrimp, lobster, crab cakes, etc.). 333 E. Las Olas Blvd. at SE 4th Ave., 954-426-8436, lasolassundaymarket.com Wilton Manors Green Market is held 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the Hagen Park lot, most Sundays and Wednesdays. In addition to a wide variety of locally grown (some organic) vegetables in season, there are also baked goods, honey, jellies and jams and eggs and meat. 2020 Wilton Drive., Wilton Manors, 954-531-5363, facebook.com/ WiltonManorsGreenMarket. The Oakland Park Farmer’s Market, held

• 4.06.2016

Photos: Facebook

Wednesdays at Jaco Pastorius Park from 4-8 p.m., may be the only one to feature a happy hour! It also offers classes in home and farm gardening in conjunction with the Urban Farming Institute. On every second Wednesday, local chefs create dishes to sample and try at home. 4000 N. Dixie at the SW Corner of 38th St., 954-696-9577, facebook.com/OPCRA. Lauderdale-By-The-Sea’s Farmers Market at Town Hall is held most Sundays 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Vendors sell a wide variety of natural foods, plants and specialty items. 4501 N. Ocean Drive., 954-5406593, lbtsevents.com. The Sanctuary Church hosts a green market from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. most Fridays. 1400 N. Federal, Fort Lauderdale, 954-564-7600. On Tuesdays from 8 a.m.-10 p.m., the Whole Foods in Fort Lauderdale hosts a farmer’s market featuring more than 35 vendors selling products grown or made locally. 2000 N. Federal, 954-398-2000, wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/fortlauderdale. The Yellow Green farmers market is open Saturdays and Sundays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. year-round and held in an indoor venue. 1940 N. 30th Road., Hollywood, 954-513-3990. In addition to pop-up farmers markets, there are a few farms in the area that feature their own markets, many of which are open daily year-round. Flamingo Road Nursery and Farmers Market is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 1655 S. Flamingo Road. in Davie. (954-235-9397, flamingoroadnursery.com).

Marando Farms, 1401 SW 1st Ave., Fort Lauderdale, is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends. (954-294-2331, marandofarms.com) There are many more markets in the area and no matter at which market you shop, it’s always a good idea to call ahead as dates, hours and locations may change. Additionally, some markets are only held seasonally. Here are a few other places to check out. Saturdays Plantation Farmers Market 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Volunteer Park, 12050 W. Sunrise Blvd. 954-452-2558 Pompano Beach 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Corner of NE 1st St. and 1st, Ave. 954-786-7824 Dania Beach 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 1200 NW 1st. St. 954-924-6801 Sundays Josh’s Organic Garden 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 101 N. Ocean Drive, Hollywood Tamarac 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 7825 Southgate Blvd., 954-540-6593

If the sight of all that produce makes you yearn for a fresh from the farm dinner, make a reservation for a place at one of the communal tables set up in the field at Swank Specialty Produce in Loxahatchee Groves. Twice monthly the farm presents its “Swank Table,” a multi-course meal served in the fields. Each event is themed and benefits a local charity. The remaining dinners this season include: The third annual “Diner en Blanc,” on April 10, is a benefit for the children's programs of the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County. Heritage pork is celebrated at “The Three Little (Red Waddle) Pigs” dinner on April 24, which raises funds for the Palm Beach County Food Bank. The season winds up on Apr. 26 with “Prime Cuts, A Beef Lover's Paradise.” The event is a benefit for Food for the Poor. Tickets for all events are $160. For or more information, go to SwankSpecialtyProduce.com or call 561-202-5648.

4.06.2016 â&#x20AC;¢

F O R

T H E

SFGNITES W E E K

O F

a p r i l

0 6

a p r i l

1 3 ,

2 0 1 6

W W W . S F G N . C O M

J.W. Arnold

jw@prdconline.com

THU

4/7

Concert Lyrical arias performed by resident artists from Florida Grand Opera will fill the air tonight at the historic Bonnet House Museum and Gardens, 900 N. Birch Road on Fort Lauderdale Beach. Stroll the manicured grounds and enjoy the ambiance of a time gone by during the final Concert Under the Stars performance from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. Tickets are $35 for members and $40 for non-members at BonnetHouse.org.

FRI

4/8

Theater Island City Stage presents the regional premiere of the Off Broadway hit, “The Submission,” by Jeff Talbott, tonight through May 8 at Abyss Stage, 2304 N. Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors. An unexpected chain of events is set in motion when a young gay playwright wins a major award. The problem is he wrote his play under the pen name of a black woman. Tickets and more information at IslandCityStage.org.

Randy Harrison stars as the Emcee in the touring production of John Kander and Fred Ebb’s Tony Award-winning musical, “Cabaret,” coming to the Arsht Center on Tuesday, April 12 Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

SAT

4/9 SUN

4/10 MON

4/11 TUE

4/12

Cabaret

Dance

Film

Theater

Libby Dodson’s Live at Lynn Series at Lynn University in Boca Raton presents “Extreme Vegas,” a high-speed revue straight from the famous Las Vegas strip. It’s a magical evening of grand illusions, extreme stunts, hilarious comedy, aerial acrobatics and dazzling choreography. Sometimes it’s a good thing when “what happens in Vegas” doesn’t stay in Vegas. Tickets start at $50 at Lynn.edu/events.

Miami City Ballet brings its ravishing production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” to the Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale, Saturday, April 9 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, April 10 at 2 p.m. featuring choreography by George Balanchine and dramatic direction by Tarell Alvin McCraney, this full length ballet is set to the timeless music of Felix Mendelssohn. Tickets and more information at MiamiCityBallet.org.

The best day to catch a movie, in our opinion, is Monday. Tonight we’ll be heading to the local cineplex to catch Melissa McCarthy’s latest flick, “The Boss.” When a wealthy mogul gets busted for insider trading, she winds up devising a scheme to create a new empire selling Girl Scout cookies. She turns out to be quite the role model for her young troop. Check local listings for theaters and show times.

It’s a Broadway double header tonight: “Wilkommen” to Kander & Ebb’s hit musical, “Cabaret,” set in pre-World War II Germany and running at the Arsht Center in Miami through April 17. Meanwhile, have the time of your life with the cast of “Dirty Dancing” at the Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale, running through April 24. For tickets and more information to both shows, go to BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com.

• 4.06.2016

4.06.2016 â&#x20AC;¢

a&e television

Photo: Jack Robinson/Vogue

New HBO Documentary ‘Nothing Left Unsaid: Gloria Vanderbilt and Anderson Cooper’ premieres April 9 David-Elijah Nahmod

loria Vanderbilt is now in her early 90s. Still active as a painter, she has lived a life of extreme privilege and extreme hardship. In Liz Garbus’ new documentary “Nothing Left Unsaid: Gloria Vanderbilt and Anderson Cooper,” Vanderbilt tells CNN news anchor Anderson Cooper, her equally famous son, the story of her life. The film will debut on HBO on April 9. From the very beginning viewers will see the deep love that mother and son have for each other. Cooper has been a great comfort to his mom, who buried one son at age 23. Another son disowned her. As Vanderbilt speaks, the audience might be reminded of the old adage that money can buy just about anything, except happiness. In spite of all her successes, Vanderbilt remains haunted by the loss of her sons, and by her memories of the mom she herself had disowned decades earlier. Shortly before Gloria’s mother Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt died at age 60, she was briefly reunited with her daughter. But as Vanderbilt recounts to Cooper, they engaged in nothing more than small talk – the elder Vanderbilt passed shortly thereafter. Her teary eyed daughter now tells Cooper that she wishes they’d said more to each other. The film includes archival photographs and film footage of Vanderbilt’s childhood during the 1920s and ‘30s, and goes into some detail regarding the bitter custody battle that she found herself caught in the middle of in 1934. Only 10 years old at the time, Vanderbilt was forced to divide her time between her aunt and mother, and saw her name splashed across the tabloids. The film then follows Vanderbilt’s colorful if sometimes difficult life across the decades. Cooper hears about his mom’s

• 4.06.2016

marriages to Hollywood director Sidney Lumet and conductor Leopold Stokowski. Stan Stokowski, Vanderbilt’s eldest son with whom she retains a close relationship, participated in the making of “Nothing Left Unsaid.” Vanderbilt also recalls her years as an actress--she enjoyed some success in the theater and on television, finally becoming a household name as the creator of designer jeans. Cooper listens intently as his mother speaks. Occasionally he asks questions as they examine old photos and family mementos together. It’s only towards the end of the film, when Carter Cooper’s suicide at age 23 becomes the focus of their discussions, that Cooper opens up about his own feelings regarding his brother’s death, and the early death of his dad. Completely absent from the film is any mention of the fact that Anderson Cooper is an out gay man, though both he and his mom have discussed his sexuality--a nonissue between them, in other interviews. Also missing from the film are Gloria’s recollections of a lesbian relationship she’d had as a teenager, which she speaks of quite openly in recent interviews for a new book she co-wrote with Cooper. “The Rainbow Comes And Goes: A Mother and Son Talk About Life, Love and Loss” will be published on April 5. “Nothing Left Unsaid: Gloria Vanderbilt and Anderson Cooper” might perhaps be looked upon as a chance for Gloria Vanderbilt to make amends for the mistakes she made during her lifetime. Brutally honest with her son and with herself, she emerges as a woman of great strength. Vanderbilt is a survivor, who, at the end of the day, has a good heart.

4.06.2016 â&#x20AC;¢

a&e dvd´s

Queerly Digital LGBT cinema on DVD/Blu Ray, a monthly column

David-Elijah Nahmod

elcome to Queerly Digital, a monthly column for cinema lovers from across the LGBT spectrum. All titles are available on DVD, Blu Ray, or both. This column will be sure to include titles which honor all LGBT experiences.

“Big Eden” (2000) Wolfe Video re-releases this charming Queer fable in a brand new edition on DVD and Blu Ray. “Big Eden” is set in a dreamlike nevernever land we all wish we had come from: just click your heels together and whisper: “there’s no place like home.” For Henry (Arye Gross) home is a small town in Montana where bigotry and intolerance don’t exist. The local country bumpkins know that Henry is gay, and they love him all the more for it. Henry is a successful artist in New York City who returns to the rustic cabin of his youth to care for the ailing grandfather who raised him. Henry struggles with coming out to Grandpa, who already knows. Henry is also struggling with his attraction to his hot, strapping, recently divorced best friend from childhood, who appears to be waging a battle with his own coming out issues. Henry cannot see what everyone else around him can: that local shopkeeper Pike (Eric Schweig), has been in love with him for years. If “Big Eden” had been cast with straight characters, it might have been written off as an unremarkable romantic comedy a “chick flick.” With gay characters, the story becomes something entirely different, something special. It’s a gay film which gives us a peek inside the world we all yearn to live in. Everyone in town accepts Henry and Pike for who they are—they accept each other as well. In “Big Eden” there are no judgments. The further removed “Big Eden” feels from the world we actually live in, the more sublime and uplifting the film becomes. Gross and Schweig are wonderful in their respective roles as two gay men who come to love each other — and to love themselves — in part due to the love and acceptance which surrounds them. The stars receive glorious support from a stellar supporting cast. Oscar winner Louise Fletcher (“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”) brings some Hollywood star power to this low budget indie as a kindly schoolmarm who mentors Henry. Nan Martin and George Coe, as, respectively, a lovably annoying nosy neighbor and Henry’s kind, gentle grandfather, steal a few scenes apiece in roles that are three dimensional and well written — both of these actors had long and distinguished careers in Hollywood. Coe, who passed on in 2015, and Martin, who left us in 2010, appeared in scores of films and TV productions dating back to the 1960s. It’s a testament to the quality of “Big Eden” that director Thomas Bezucha was able to convince these acclaimed performers to appear in his little movie for what was most likely a much lower pay scale than they were used to. Wolfe Video, a lesbian owned company, offers a pristine print of “Big Eden” on this recently released disc. Bezucha, Gross, Schweig and Fletcher appear in newly shot interviews in which they recall the making of the film.

• 4.06.2016

“Edge of Seventeen” (1998) This charmer gets a full scale DVD/Blu Ray rerelease from Strand Releasing. Set in Sandusky Ohio, 1984, David Moreton's film has a soundtrack rich with the music of the period. The Eurythmics ("Right By Your Side"), Toni Basil's "Mickey" and the great gay anthem "Smalltown Boy" by Bronski Beat are among the wonderful tunes which grace the soundtrack and add a tinge of excitement this lovely coming out story. Eric (a very likable Chris Stafford) takes a summer job at a restaurant as the story begins. As the title suggests, he's 17 years old and coming to terms with his sexuality. Eric has his first fling that summer, and gets badly hurt. He also makes his first gay friend: out lesbian actress Lea DeLaria, currently on view in "Orange in the New Black," is marvelous as Angie, a hard edged, worldly wise but kindhearted butch dyke who mentors Eric and helps him come to terms with who he is. Along the way Eric sleeps with his straight female best friend (Tina Holmes), and comes to realize too late what a mistake this was – he breaks her heart and destroys the friendship. "Edge of Seventeen" is another delightful film that many of us will relate too. At one time, we were all Eric.

"Hustler White" (1996)

Bruce La Bruce is considered an icon of "New Queer Cinema," a movement of edgy, maverick and fiercely independent gay filmmakers who proliferated during the 1990s. In this film, the auteur co-stars as a writer researching the worlds of hustling and gay porn production in Southern California. He meets a handsome hustler (Tony Ward) who becomes his muse. Monti the hustler is trying to keep a low profile as he turns tricks and dabbles in gay porn – a few weeks earlier he ran a fellow hustler (Kevin P. Scott) over with his car, severing the other guy's foot. That poor chap now turns tricks as an amputee, using his footless leg as a penis! Though not a porn film, "Hustler White" pushes the sexuality envelope. The film is both a satirical look at the gay sex trade and a nod to classic Hollywood cinema – the opening scene is a direct rip-off of Billy Wilder's "Sunset Boulevard" (1950), the masterpiece in which former silent film superstar Gloria Swanson played former (fictional) silent film superstar Norma Desmond, who had lapsed into a bizarre fantasy world. La Bruce and co-director Rick Castro wrote a witty screenplay which is filled with over-the-top references to gay sex and to a variety of black-and-white Hollywood films. "Hustler White" is not for every taste – some of the sex scenes are genuinely disturbing. Keep an open mind – the film is a rich treasure trove of great ideas, and is definitely not your run-ofthe-mill movie.

a&e theater Jeff Talbott is the writer of “The Submission,” receiving its regional premiere at Island City Stage

Submitted Photo

Life Imitates Art in New Play at Island City Stage J.W. Arnold

n 1889, gay Irish playwright Oscar Wilde opined, “Life imitates art far more than art imitates life.” “The Submission,” a play written more than a century later by Jeff Talbott and receiving its regional premiere this weekend at Island City Stage, proves Wilde’s lofty conclusion. A 2011 Off Broadway hit, “The Submission” is an unsentimental look at race identity and latent affirmative action in the United States: Shaleeha G’ntamobi’s new play about an alcoholic black mother, her card shark son and their struggle to get out of the projects wins a coveted spot in a prestigious theater festival. The only problem is Shaleeha G’ntamobi doesn’t exist, except in the mind of young gay playwright Danny Larsen, who created the appealing nom-de-plume. He hires Emilie, a black actress, to stand in for him, but quickly, Danny, his boyfriend and best friend get dragged down a dirty path of deception and revelation. Plot sound familiar? Three years after “The Submission” won the Laurents/Hatcher Award for challenging topical American plays, Michael Derrick Hudson admitted he used his own minority pen name, Yi-Fen Chou, to get his poems published. And then last year, there was the baffling case of Rachel Dolezal, the Spokane NAACP activist, who was revealed to be a white woman who darkened her skin and dyed her blonde locks. Both instances ended in disastrous personal embarrassment. That’s where life imitated art. “I had this notion to write a satire about theater and the PC (politically correct) attitude of how theater is working today,” said Talbott, 50. “Quite honestly, I became uninterested in that quickly. I’m not a satirist.” Talbott, who also makes his living as an actor in New York City, set the project aside until he recalled a discussion in graduate school about political correctness and racial intolerance. “I wondered if I could fold it into the idea and see what the play wanted to be,” he said.

“See what the play wanted to be?” That’s Talbott’s writing methodology. “That’s a phrase I use,” Talbott explained. “You can muscle a play. Any writer with craft can sit down and force a piece of language. You have to set your ego aside and let it evolve organically. If you can listen to that, you have a better chance that it will become a play.” He cited one play that he’s been working on for 11 years. “I realized I’m not listening to it. It said I’m not a comedy and now it’s good,” Talbott said. “That’s half the job. If I’m really in it, working on all cylinders, I have no conscious memory of writing the thing.” The actor’s extensive experience on stage and screen is also particularly valuable in shaping the dialogue of his plays. “One of my great strengths as a dramatist is dialogue. I think that comes from my time of saying lines,” he said. “‘The Submission’ is a real anomaly for me. I don’t generally write about the theater. Being in theater you learn a lot about dramatic structure and how a play can spin….it’s a physical feeling.” Talbott’s play has been performed across the country and, according to its creator, is eliciting strong responses from audiences. It’s tough and funny and entertaining, but there are people in the audience that it will make uncomfortable. As a theatergoer, I like plays that ask me to engage in a conversation, that send people out into the lobby talking. I’m now kind of used to it. It took some time,” he said. Back to the whole life imitating art metaphor, Talbott insisted, “It’s a dramatic device. I’m not reinventing the wheel. The shocking thing is that these things are still happening.” Island City Stage presents Jeff Talbott’s “The Submission,” April 7 – May 8 at Abyss Stage, 2304 N. Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors. Tickets are $35 at IslandCityStage.org. 4.06.2016 •

a&e theater

a&e opera

"Daniel’s Husband” captured top honors at the 2016 Carbonell Awards ceremony Monday night

Photo: Robert Figueroa

Island City Stage Takes Top Prize at Carbonells W

• 4.06.2016

Submitted Photo

Review: FGO’s “The Passenger” is Epic, Powerful J.W. Arnold

J.W. Arnold ilton Manors-based Island City Stage took home the Carbonell Award on Monday night at the Broward Center for the best production of a play, Michael McKeever’s powerful “Daniel’s Husband.” The four-year-old company, which focuses on works with LGBT themes, presented the world premiere just weeks before the Supreme Court handed down the landmark decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, affirming the fundamental right for same-sex couples to marry nationwide. “Daniel’s Husband’ was really a gift to the theater and we are so excited to be recognized for best production,” said an ecstatic Andy Rogow, artistic director. “It’s so rewarding to do work that truly affects peoples’ lives. We were told of so many people who saw the play and then were inspired to get married.” In 2014, Island City Stage swept the awards with Dan Clancy’s “The Timekeepers,” a moving play about two prisoners in a Nazi concentration camp who form an unlikely bond. McKeever, who is gay, also won the Carbonell for best new work—his seventh—and one of the play’s stars, Antonio Amadeo, was named best actor in a play. Maltz Jupiter Theatre in Palm Beach County racked up four wins for its production of the musical, “Les Miserables,” including best production, best director, best actor and best sound design. Following is the complete list of winners at the 2016 Carbonell Awards: Best New Work (play or musical) “Daniel’s Husband,” Michael McKeever, Island City Stage Best Production of a Play “Daniel’s Husband,” Island City Stage Best Director - Play J. Barry Lewis, “Buried Child,” Palm Beach Dramaworks Best Actor - Play Antonio Amadeo, “Daniel’s Husband,” Island City Stage

Florida Grand Opera’s production of “The Passenger” is one of the masterpieces of contemporary music.

Best Actress - Play Lindsey Corey, “Stripped,” Zoetic Stage Best Supporting Actor - Play Paul Tei, “Buried Child,” Palm Beach Dramaworks Best Supporting Actress - Play Margery Lowe, “Picnic,” Palm Beach Dramaworks Best Production of a Musical “Les Misérables,” Maltz Jupiter Theatre Best Director - Musical Mark Martino, “Les Misérables,” Maltz Jupiter Theatre Best Actor - Musical Aloysius Gigl, “Les Misérables,” Maltz Jupiter Theatre Best Actress - Musical Melissa Minyard, “Ragtime,” Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre Best Supporting Actor - Musical Shane Tanner, “Oklahoma!,” The Wick Best Supporting Actress - Musical Elizabeth Dimon, “Billy Elliot,” Maltz Jupiter Theatre Musical Direction - Musical David Nagy, “Ragtime,” Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre Choreography - Musical Greg Graham, “Billy Elliot,” Maltz Jupiter Theatre Best Scenic Design Victor Becker, “The History Boys,” Palm Beach Dramaworks Best Lighting Design Jeff Quinn, “Constellations,” GableStage Best Costume Design Brian O’Keefe, “Les Liaisons Dangereuses,” Palm Beach Dramaworks Best Sound Design Marty Mets, “Les Misérables,” Maltz Jupiter Theatre Best Ensemble Production “Glengarry Glen Ross,” Maltz Jupiter Theatre

t first glance, Florida Grand Opera’s season appeared to be safe—Mozart’s “The Barber of Seville,” Bellini’s “Norma” and Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale”— with just one exception, a little known work by Mieczyslaw Weinberg, “The Passenger.” In fact, the addition of Weinberg’s opera was a daring act of faith that astounded Arsht Center audiences both musically and dramatically on Saturday night. Composed decades ago, the opera received its first fully staged performance just six years ago in Austria. Walter (David Danholt) is a German diplomat traveling on a steamship to a new post in Brazil. He is accompanied by his wife, Liese (Daveda Karanas). While milling about on the deck, Liese catches a glimpse of a mysterious passenger who brings back painful memories of her past as a warden at Auschwitz during the war. Liese is forced to confront her demons as she recalls the relationship she forged with a spirited young Jew, Marta (Adrienn Miksch). Much of the story is told through a series of flashbacks to those dark days in the camp and the plight of its residents who realize they will never return to their homes beyond the fences. Regardless whether the mysterious passenger is indeed Marta, Liese and Walter eventually reconcile the deeds of her past. The performances—Miksch, in particular, with her powerful voice—are mesmerizing, but the real star of the production is the set by Johan Engels. The steel deck of the ocean liner transforms in a second into the dire camp via a series of curved sets that resemble train cars and actually roll across the stage on tracks, not subtly evoking images of the cattle cars that

transported the Jews to their deaths in the camps. Above one sat the men of the opera chorus, serving as both spectators to the atrocities and, eventually, judge and jury. The other section served as Liese and Walter’s cabin, but when wheeled behind the ship mast reveals the doors to the crematorium chambers. Dramatic lighting was largely provided by spots atop two towers on either side of the stage, both manned by guards in Nazi uniforms, keeping watch over the camp below. Marie-Jeanne Leca’s costumes also evoke the conflict of past and present. The camp inmates are dressed in shabby striped smocks emblazoned with Stars of David and the guards wear authentic Nazi military uniforms. But, the passengers on the ship are all dressed in white, drawing a stark, ghostly contrast of people who had put the horrors of the past behind them. Conductor Steven Mercurio summoned a massive orchestra in the pit to tackle Weinberg’s score, including saxophones, winds, marimbas and a full battery of percussion. Unlike many of his classical contemporaries, Weinberg’s score is relatively tuneful, sung in Russian, German, Polish, French, Yiddish, Czech and English. At times, Weinberg’s musical vocabulary evokes the works of Leonard Bernstein, especially the opening notes on the timpani (“On the Waterfront”) and the jazz riffs of the dance band onboard the ship (“West Side Story”), and Dmitri Shostakovich, who called the opera one of the most important works of the 20th century. Two performances remain on April 8 and 9 and should not be missed. For tickets and more information, go to FGO.org.

BROADWAY’S DEFINITIVE TONY®-WINNING MASTERPIECE DIVINELY, DANGEROUSLY

Randy Harrison as the Emcee and the 2016 National Touring cast of Roundabout Theatre Company’s CABARET. Photo by Joan Marcus.

DECADENT.”

Featuring

RANDY HARRISON from Showtime’s

QUEER AS FOLK

APR 12 - 17

ADRIENNE ARSHT CENTER | ZIFF BALLET OPERA HOUSE

TICKETS! 305.949.6722 · arshtcenter.org/broadway ®

4.06.2016 •

Datebook

Theater Christiana Lilly

Calendar@SFGN.com

Top

Picks

The Pajama Game

April 7 to 24 at Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave, Lake Worth. Workers at the SleepTite Pajama Factory threaten to strike for a 7.5 cent pay raise in this musical adapted from the novel “7 ½ Cents.” Tickets $29 to $72. Call 561-586-6410 or visit LakeWorthPlayhouse.org.

Diego and Drew Say I Do

Through April 10 at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. Enjoy dinner and a show -- the interactive wedding of Diego Torres and Andrew Boudreaux III. Tickets $59.50. Call 954-462-0222 or visit BrowardCenter.org.

Chicago City Limits

April 14 at 8 p.m. at the Aventura Arts and Cultural Center, 3385 NE 188 St. in Aventura. The improv troupe is one of the New York’s longest running shows. Tickets $39. Visit AventuraCenter.org.

* Denotes New Listing

broward county * The Sheba Mason Comedy Show

April 12 and 13 at 8 p.m. at Empire Stage, 1140 N. Flagler Drive in Fort Lauderdale. The child of playwright Ginger Reiter and comedian Jackie Mason, Sheba Mason will have the crowd laughing with her witty observations of politics, grandmothers, and living in the gay capital of the world. Tickets $20, includes beer and wine. Call 954-678-1496 or visit EmpireStage.com.

Silence of the Clams

Through April 24 at Empire Stage, 1140 N. Flagler Drive in Fort Lauderdale. FBI Agent Clarice Startling is in search of serial killer Beaver Bob, who skins his victims “down there.” To help catch him, she interviews Dr. Hannibal Lichter. Tickets $30. Call 954-678-1496 or visit EmpireStage.com.

• 4.06.2016

APR. 6 to APR. 12

Friday Night Sound Waves Free Friday Concerts Fridays at 7:30 p.m. at the Delray 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 Chris Botti

April 6 at 8 p.m. at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, 701 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach. The trumpet player has performed with the likes of Lady Gaga, Frank Sinatra, Sting, Barbra Streisand, and more. Tickets $25 and up. Call 561-8327469 or visit Kravis.org.

* Zakir Hussain

April 8 at 8 p.m. at the Duncan Theatre at Palm Beach State, 4200 Congress Ave. in Lake Worth. The master of percussion performs classical Indian tabla. Tickets $35 to $75. Call 561-868-3309 or visit DuncanTheatre.org.

Little Shop of Horrors

Through April 10 at the Delray Beach Playhouse, 950 NW Ninth St. in Delray Beach. Seymour Krelborn works aimlessly as a flower shop clerk on Skid Row when he encounters aliens set to take over Earth. Tickets $30. Call 561-272-1281, ext. 4 or visit DelrayBeachPlayhouse.com.

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! Call 561-2437922 or visit DelrayArts.org.

miami-dade county Jennifer Holliday

April 6 at 8 p.m. at the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center, 3385 NE 188th St. in Aventura.The “Dreamgirls” star performs Broadway hits. Tickets $40 to $45. Call 305-466-8002 or visit AventuraCenter.org.

* PET

April 7 to 9 at 8 p.m. at The Light Box at Goldman Warehouse, 404 NW 26th St. in Wynwood. The one-man show takes place in a support group for the broken hearted. Tickets $16.74 to $27.24. Call 305-576-4350 or visit MiamiLightProject.com.

The Passenger

Through April 9 at the Adrienne Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami. A woman is on her way to South America with her husband when she sees who she thinks is an Auschwitz survivor -- when she served as an SS officer. Tickets $16 to $139. Call 305-949-6722 or visit ArshtCenter.org.

The Two-Character Play

Through April 24 at the Miami Theater Center, 9806 NE Second Ave. in Miami Shores. A brother and sister are ditched by their theater company while touring the nation, and they must deal with their own personal problems while also trying to keep their careers afloat. Tickets $45. Call 305-751-9550 or visit MTCMiami.org.

The Hammer Trinity

Through May 8 at the Adrienne Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami. Casper Kent discovers he is in line to the throne and must defend the precious hammer from pirates. The three-part play is performed over 6.5 hours. Tickets $150. Call 305-949-6722 or visit ArshtCenter.org.

PAMM 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 305-3753000 or visit PAMM.org.

The Big Show

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 JustTheFunny.com.

Smoke 2016

Through April 17 at Arts Garage, 94 NE Second Ave. in Delray Beach. James, a college student, and Julie, a wannabe artist, come together in a twisted relationship filled with mind games. Tickets $40 to $45. Call 561-450-6357 or visit ArtsGarage.org.

Outside Mullingar

Through April 24 at the Don & Ann Brown Theatre, 201 Clematis St. in West Palm Beach. Set in Ireland, Rosemary and Anthony Reilly have hated each other since they were children and refuse to give in to love -- even when their hearts are telling them something different. Tickets $64. Call 561-514-4042 or visit PalmBeachDramaworks.org.

A Minister’s Wife

Through April 24 at GableStage, 1200 Anastasia Ave. in Coral Gables. A reverend and his wife seem to be in the perfect marriage, but all the troubles bubbling beneath come to a head when a handsome young poet comes to town. Tickets $60. Call 305-445-1119 or visit GableStage.org.

“Diego and Drew Say ‘I Do’” through April 10 at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. Photo: Facebook

a&e comedy

Submitted Photo

Education, Politics No Laughing Matter for Paula Poundstone J.W. Arnold

he’s always boning up on the “news of the weird” for NPR’s popular “Wait, Wait…. Don’t Tell Me” weekly radio

quiz. “You win or lose in the lightning round,” Poundstone explained. “I always try to keep two answers in my pocket. For years, it was ‘Iraq, Iraq, Iraq’ or ‘the ferret’s down his pants’.” Poundstone became a news junkie as a young adult one summer when she lived with Dr. Timothy Leary, the psychologist and writer who advocated for the therapeutic use of psychedelic drugs such as LSD. “I was working all night at the clubs and then would sleep half the day. I didn’t have a lot of purpose,” Poundstone recalled. “He’d come in at five or six o’clock and tell me the news was on.” Now, she relies on the PBS NewsHour and a little bit of BBC and Morning Edition on NPR, “when I’m up,” to get her information. She’s also working on a book and dreams of writing a screenplay, something in the vein of the hit ensemble comedy, “Bridesmaids,” that is, “if you ask me what a bucket list is.” But, then she let her secret passion slip. “My quixotic quest to get rid of computers will usurp my time,” the mother of three said. “After I get my work with my book up and running, I plan to really invest myself into a campaign to get computers out of our schools, particularly our elementary schools. And even our middle schools.” Poundstone feels our growing reliance on technology is having a detrimental effect on society. “It won’t be fast—we’re a reactive society, not proactive—and we’re throwing away a generation of kids. It’s not their fault, it’s our fault,” she said. “Kids sit side by side and text

each other and we act like it’s funny and we’re not doing anything about it.” The advent of virtual reality technology alarms Poundstone further. “It causes brain damage. I hope to use what little fame I have to bring it into everyone’s consciousness,” she warned. In the meantime, she focuses on raising a house full of kids (25, 22 and 17) and animals (14 cats, 2 German shepherd mixes and an ant farm) while paying enough attention to politics to cast a “halfway decent vote.” “My ability to pay attention to the news is indirectly proportional to the amount of drama I have in my life,” she said in a telephone interview. Poundstone has plenty of praise for President Obama: “We all know the president doesn’t make laws. I always think it’s funny when people get mad about gas prices and blame Obama.” She is adamantly opposed to a Donald Trump presidency: “Trump is a nasty adversary. If you call a spade a spade, he’s the kind of guy who will go after your family.” And she’s finally made up her mind in the Democratic primary: “I feel the Bern, I really do. First of all, the banking crisis is poised to happen again and I’d like to see someone in office who keeps that at the top of their agenda.” Poundstone will talk about the latest headlines, politics and more on her upcoming Florida tour (“I don’t know how that happened!”), including a stop at Fort Lauderdale’s Parker Playhouse, 707 NE 8th St., at 8 p.m. on April 10. For tickets and more information, go to ParkerPlayhouse.com. 4.06.2016 •

APr. 6 to APR. 12

Datebook

Community Christiana Lilly Calendar@SFGN.com

Gender Bender Youth Group

Top Picks Bruises & Banquets: A Conversation with Ginny Apuzzo and Toni Armstrong, Jr. April 6 at 7 p.m. at Stonewall National Museum - Wilton Manors Gallery, 2157 Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. Meet longtime LGBT activist Ginny Apuzzo, from her life as a nun to being the highest ranking lesbian in national government office, and Tony Armstrong Jr., founder of BLAST Women of the Palm Beaches. Free. Call 954-763-8565 or visit StonewallMuseum.org.

Miami Beach Beach Party

Gay

Pride

April 9 from 1 to 10 p.m. at Lummus Park, 11th to 14th Streets on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach. Celebrate pride with the annual party filled with music, vendors, dancers, drinks, food, and more. Free. Visit MiamiBeachGayPride.com

Palm Beach Prime Timers

Second Saturdays at 3 p.m. at Compass GLCC, 201 N. Dixie Highway in Lake Worth. A support and meet-up group for middle age gay and bisexual men. Free. Visit PrimeTimersWW.com/PalmBeaches

* Denotes New Listing

broward county GLLN Social Luncheon

April 7 from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at Tee Jay Thai Sushi, 2245 Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. The Gay and Lesbian Lawyers Network hosts a luncheon open to the public. Cost $20 for members, $25 for nonmembers. Email nkolner@igc.org.

Deep in the Dark Forest

Through April 7 at Studio 18, 1101 Poinciana Drive in Pembroke Pines. Artwork from South Florida artists exploring the dark side of one’s artistic inspirations. Free. Call 954462-8190, ext. 206 or visit ArtServe.org.

* John Waters Turns 70! - Film Festival

April 7, 14, 21, and 28 at Stonewall National Museum - Wilton Manors Gallery, 2157 Wilton

• 4.06.2016

Broward Support Services Mondays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at SunServe Campus, 1480 SW Ninth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. A group for LGBT youth 13 to 21 to discuss gender, gender expression, binary systems, friendship, family and whatever else comes up! Free. Visit SunServeYouth.com

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.

GayWrites Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. at the Stonewall Library, 1300 E. Sunrise Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. Come join us and write your memoir, poem, blog, novel or short story. Free. Email Jay Asher at ijasher@aol.com

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. Drive in Wilton Manors. Celebrate gay cult filmmaker John Waters’ 70th birthday with screenings of “Divine Trash,” “Polyester,” “Hairspray,” and “Pecker.” Free. Call 954-7638565 or visit Stonewall-Museum.org.

* The Rainbow 5K

April 10 at 6 a.m. on Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. Dress in your favorite color of the rainbow and join the 5K to raise money for the Pride Center. Visit TheRainbow5K.com.

LGBT Senior Competency 101

Cultural

April 13, May 19, and June 15 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Pride Center, 2040 N. Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors. Learn how your business can better serve the LGBT senior community during one of these classes, with options to book a longer session for staff. RSVP to Bruce Williams at 954-463-9005, ext. 109 or email BWilliams@PrideCenterFlorida.org.

Free In-Person Preparation for Seniors

Tax

Tuesdays through April 12 from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Pride Center, 2040 N. Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors. People 50 and older can benefit from tax help from professionals. Free. Call 954-463-9005 or visit PrideCenterFlorida.org.

palm beach county Voices of Pride

Mondays at 7 p.m. 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

Out of the Closet NA Group

Mondays at 7 p.m. at Lambda North, 18 S. J St. in Lake Worth. A support and discussion group for LGBT recovering addicts. Visit LambdaNorth.net.

Positive Connection

Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. at Compass GLCC, 201 N. Dixie Highway in Lake Worth. Men who are HIV positive are invited to come together for support, education, and advocacy. Closed group. Call 561-324-1626 or visit CompassGLCC.com.

Rapid HIV Testing

Wednesdays at MCC of the Palm Beaches, 4857 Northlake Blvd. in Palm Beach Gardens. Find out your status in a safe and private way. Free. Email dropincenter@mccpalmbeach.org

Yoga Among the Orchids

Wednesdays at 9 a.m. at the American Orchid Society, 16700 AOS Lane in Delray Beach. Practice your yoga in the presence of beautiful, calming orchids. $20 a class. Call 561-404-2011 or visit OrchidWeb.org.

Yoga on the Waterfront

Wednesdays at 5:45 p.m. at Lake Pavilion, 101 S. Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach. Take a day out of the week to center yourself on the yoga mat. $10 per class or residents $40 for eight weeks, nonresidents $50 for eight weeks. Call 561-804-4902.

Overeaters Anonymous

Wednesdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Compass GLCC, 201 N. Dixie Highway in Lake Worth. A safe place to discuss their eating habits and goals. Free. Call 561-5339699 or visit CompassGLCC.com

Coming Out Support Group

Thursdays from 6:30 to 8 p.m. a Compass GLCC of the Palm Beaches, 201 N. Dixie Highway in Lake Worth. Get support as you explore your sexual identity and be your true self. Call Forrest at 561-479-8313.

Queer Alternatives

Fridays from 5 to 7 p.m. at Compass GLCC, 201 N. Dixie Highway in Lake Worth. An all encompassing social group, those 18 to 29 who consider themselves to be lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual, questioning, or anything in between are welcome to join! Free. Call 561-533-9699 or visit CompassGLCC.com.

miami-dade county * Japanese Spring Festival

April 10 at 10 a.m. the Miami Beach Botanical Gardens, 2000 Convention Center Drive in Miami Beach. Celebrate the arrival of spring with Taiko drumming, flower arranging, tea ceremony, martial arts, calligraphy, and more. Free. Call 305673-7256 or visit MBGarden.org.

Miami Beach Gay Parade & Festival

Pride

April 10 from noon to 9 p.m. at Fifth Street and Ocean Drive north to 15th Street in Miami Beach. The community comes together for a parade with entertainment by Jordin Sparks, Elvis Duran, Miss Miami Beach Gay Pride, and more. Free. Visit MiamiBeachGayPride.com

* Did Shakespeare Really Write Shakespeare?

April 11 at 7:30 p.m. at GableStage at the Biltmore, 1200 Anastasia Ave. in Coral Gables. There is much controversy in the literary world over if the Bard wrote his own plays -- lawyer and actor Tom Regnier gives an enlightening talk on the topic. Free. Call 305-445-1119 or visit GableStage.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. Free. Visit ArshtCenter. org/en/Visit/Dining.

Rainbow Circle

Mondays from 6 to 8 p.m. at the University of Miami Flipse Building #302, 5665 Ponce de Leon Drive in Coral Gables. An open discussion about coming out, relationships, peer pressure, bullying, depression and more. Free. Visit Pridelines.org.

Miami Log Cabin Republicans Fourth Wednesdays at 7:15 p.m. at Casa Larios, 7705 W. Flagler St. in Miami. Meet with other like-minded people and hear from speakers in the community. Visit LogCabin.org/chapter/florida-miami.

porn pulse

Kink Home Sharing Site Hunter Houston Launched

ho says traveling has to be boring, scripted and repetitive? Building on the success and system-disrupting model of AirBnB, comes KinkBnB, a new way to accommodate your intimate desires. “Sex tourism is a growing trend,” KinkBnB declares on its website. “We view our hosts as not only our valued partners but as authorities on the local sex positive scene.” Ryan Galiotto, one of the founders of KinkBnB, gave an interview to Huffington Post last month in which he revealed more of his company’s mission. “KinkBnB is a digital marketplace for adults to find spaces to play and places to stay where they don’t have to hide their sexuality. We want to help people explore themselves,” Galiotto told Huffington Post. This kinky concept has yet to fully catch on in South Florida as there are very few hosts available, but, nevertheless, it’s a start. A search for the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area pulled up Studio P, a 1,500 square foot BDSM play space located just off Interstate 95.

Like AirBnB, hosts and travelers are reviewed and rated. Amenities at a KinkBnB location that sets it apart from other rentals typically include, but are not limited to the following: Dungeon, Sex Furniture, Orgy Friendly, Swinger Friendly, Nudist Household, Sex Educator Available, Pro-Domme Available and Toys Available. Holiday options for hosts include: adventure, hookup/tryst, romantic, party or honeymoon. “We also want the sex positive community to grow and travel,” Galiotto told Huffington Post. “It is not always easy to find where to go in a new city. But if you stay with someone already in the community, you have a host and guide.”

I’m 26 and transitioning. I have a lot going on - I don’t need to be mocked, misgendered, or marginalized, and I don’t have time to hunt out news that matters to me. That’s why I read EDGE on my Android tablet. I’m being true to my future - and that’s where it will be.

The person depicted here is a model. Their image is being used for illustrative purposes only.

4.06.2016 •

SFGN Classified$ accounting - finance HEALTH & LIFE ADVISING INC - 14 years experience. Guaranteed issue 25K critical illness insurance rates at $36 and $50 including accidental injury coverage. Best rates for life guaranteed, from limited med to full medical underwriting. Term/ROP/ WHOLE/FINAL EXPENSE/ACA HEALTH PLANS WITH SUBSIDIES AVAILABLE. CALL 954-2000140, ask for Brian

Accounting and Tax Services 618 NE 38th Street Oakland Park, FL 33334

FelixTaxL.Professional Fidelibus (954)691-6778

Felix@ctcapitaladvisors.com

Rentals Furnished Housing *PERFECT RELOCATION RENTALS* 4 WEEK + SPECIAL FROM $425/WEEK Intimate 7 unit Liberty Garden Suites offering all the comforts of home. for your Vacation or Temporary Housing Needs. Beautifully Furnished & Fully Equipped Studio & One BR Apts. with Full Kitchens, in lush tropical Gay Resort setting. 5 Min south of Airport in Dania Beach. Central to Haulover Nude Beach & Wilton Manors. Incl. WI-Fi, laundry,private parking, utilities, cable, tel. Gay Owned & Operated. Longer term Monthly rates available for 3 months+ Stays. Pets Always Welcome. Celebrating Our 19th Year. Call Joe or Jack at 954-927-0090 or visit www. LibertySuites.com

rentals

MIKE THE RENTAL GUY - NE Lauderdale/Wilton Manors/Oakland/Victoria Park-1/1 from $950 2/1 from $1150. Credit & Income RequirementsPets okay with restriction. Call for Details Mike 561-703-5533 SOUTH MIDDLE RIVER - South Middle RiverPOOL- One bedroom garden apartment on lush grounds. Available 04/01 for tenant with prior rental references. Includes water. One pet welcome! Washer/Dryer on premises. Don't miss this one! $850 (954) 200 0166

folow the action.

sfgn.com

To place a Classified Ad, call Cindy Curtis at 954.530.4970 or email at cindy.curtis@sfgn.com

landscaping MIKE THE GARDENER - Lawn and Garden care. Trim, cut, prune plants and trees, apply mulch, stone and flowers and more. Call Mike at (561)543-6337

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.

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 TOP DOG ELECTRIC-QUALITY CRAFTSMANSHIP AT A FAIR PRICE - Any and all types of electrical work performed by craftsmen who care about their work. 954-533-5005 guy@ topdogelectricfl.com www.TopDogElectricFL.com Lic# 97-CME-1724-X

roommates

ROOMMATE WANTED - 3bdr, 2.5 bath condo at the Tennis Club. $550 per month all inclusive. Must have job, transportation. No Smokers. Ideal for tennis player. Contact George.Alvan@yahoo.com

help wanted EARN $300+ PER DAY - Activists Needed To Collect signatures to get Medical Marijuana on ballot. Earn $300+ per day. 954-616-7736; 754204-0114 Make own hours. help wanted! - New full service gym located on E. Sunrise Blvd., looking for part time front desk help (Tues & Wed 5am- 10am and 8am-2pm every other Sat &Sun) and fill in as needed. Contact Julian via email julian@stamina1640.com. Seeking Front Desk Person For Dental Office - Looking to hire full time 8-5 front desk person for receptionist, answering phones, filing, making appts. Full time position with benefits and fun, relaxed working atmosphere for the right person. No previous dental experience needed. Willing to train if you have good attitude and work ethic. To apply, email opdentalung@aol.com.

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

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

GREGG'S PAINTING - Interior/exterior,great rates, friendliness, reliability, neatness. No job too small. Call Gregg at 617-306-5694 or 954-870-5972.

Now HiriNg! Call 800-DiLigENT

• • • • • •

Screen Room Enclosures Pool Enclosures Pavers Hurricane Shutters Sunrooms Pergolas

Place an ad in SFGN’s Classifieds

954.530.4970

CALL FOR A FREE ESTIMATE

folow the action.

Licensed & Insured • Residential & Commercial

sfgn.com 58

• 4.06.2016

954.993.7477

health & body WANTED RN.DON FOR NEW HOME HEALTH AGENCY - Are you a Florida licensed RN with Home Health supervisory experience?Are you interested in serving the LGBT community in PBC? If so, call Craig at 954-681-2209

Music Lessons VOICE LESSONS & MUSIC THEATRE COACHING - Over 30 years experience. Students have performed on (and off) Broadway, in National & International tours, recorded solo albums & placed in prestigious competitions. www.kreutzmusic.com 617-967-0575

licensed massage AFFORDABLE AWESOME MASSAGE BY JIM Offering Swedish, Deep Tissue, Sports and LomiLomi Massage for Men; in a very comfortable, relaxed and Private Massage Studio, NOW conveniently located in Wilton Manors on NE 26th Street, with plenty of free parking. Same Day appointments are welcome; please call Jim, 954-600-5843 email: info@ massagebyjim.com or visit my website for testimonials, rates and more. GREAT OPENING SPECIAL NOW AVAILABLE! www.massagebyjim.com Licensed and Certified MM22293 INCREDIBLY AWESOME BODY WORK - In-calls at a private studio 15 minutes west of PBIA. Intuitive, experienced licensed massage therapist offers affordable rates 7 days, early to late. ASK ABOUT WEEKLY SPECIALS! Calls only 561-254-8065 for the very best massage experience you can get HANDS DOWN! Call for Spring Specials! #MA51008

pets/supplies

Daniel Ross NO

GET YOUR TAXES DONE

CPA, CFE

Reasonable | Reliable | Dependable

IRIS SEYMOUR, PA

Masters of Taxation: GA State University (1987) Masters in Forensic Accounting: FL Atlantic University (2010)

Integrity You Can Trust

954.610.8816 iris@irisseymour.com

www.irisseymour.com

WITH A REFUND TRANSFER

Now Preparing 2016 Form 1040’s IRS Electronic Filing Available

sfgn.com

Your Local Real Estate Expert Since 1995

UPFRONT FEES

CPA since 1987

CONVENIENTLY LOCATED

In The heart of Wilton Manors

954.612.9922 danrosscpa@aol.com

4.06.2016 •

â&#x20AC;¢ 4.06.2016