SFGN 05/12/22 V13iss19

LOCAL NAME GLOBAL COVERAGE MAY 12, 2022 VOL. 13 // ISSUE 19

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GAY BLACK REP FROM

ST. PETERSBURG RUNS FOR CONGRESS

- Michele Rayner

FLORIDA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

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• 5.12 . 2022

Publisher • Norm Kent Norm.Kent@sfgn.com

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M

“THE WAY THAT I SHOW UP — I’M A BLACK, GAY WOMAN SO I THINK THAT INSPIRES A LOT OF FOLKS.”

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Editorial

John McDonald ichele Rayner is ready to make history again.

Rayner, the first queer Black woman elected to the Florida House of Representatives, is stepping up a level and campaigning for United States Congress. If elected, she would become the first LGBT person ever elected to Congress from Florida.

“For me and my wife we understand representation matters and we understand the assignment that is on our lives,” Rayner told SFGN in a Zoom interview last week.

“My opponents are independently wealthy — we’re not — and there are a lot of sacrifices we’re making in order to do this. So, in our community it is incumbent on us to make sure when we have good members of our community who are running that we support them in a real way.”

A civil rights and social justice attorney, Rayner is seeking the Democratic nomination in Congressional District 13. The coastal St. Petersburg-area district is being vacated by gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist. Born and raised in Pinellas County, Rayner believes she has the energy necessary to defeat Anna Paulina Luna, who has the backing of former President Donald Trump.

“The way that I show up — I’m a Black, gay

@SFGN

May 12, 2022 • Volume 13 • Issue 19

Senior Feature Columnists

Brian McNaught • Jesse Monteagudo

Special to SFGN Steve Rothaus

Michele Rayner hugging her wife, Bianca Goolsby. Photo via Facebook.

woman so I think that inspires a lot of folks,” Rayner said. “Our message is one of people power. Our message is one of solutions. Anna Paulina is still focused on the Big Lie. My other opponents who are Democrats are focused simply on keeping this seat blue. We are offering something for folks to vote for, giving them a vision to believe in and that sets us apart from our other opponents.”

Luna leads all candidates in fundraising with $1.4 million as of March 31. Rayner has received a little more than $516,000, placing her third in the Democratic field behind fellow state representative Ben Diamond and Eric Lynn, an advisor to former President Barack Obama, who have both passed the million-dollar mark.

While in Tallahassee, Rayner spoke out against bills targeting LGBT Floridians. She said it is important to clarify positions on matters of education and parental rights and not let far right Republicans control the narrative.

“We have to be able to really snatch that message back,” she said. “We have to be able to say we are parents too and we care. If my wife

and I have a child I don’t want anyone talking to my child about anything human sexuality wise, however, I don’t want my child not to be able to say that my moms and I went to Disney World or my moms and I went to the beach.”

Currently there are just 11 LGBT members of Congress and some have already endorsed Rayner’s candidacy. New York Congressman Ritchie Torres called Rayner a champion for affordable housing, accessible healthcare and small businesses.

“Michele will add a fresh perspective in Congress and use her experience and advocacy to improve the lives of everyday hard-working people as she has been doing in her community at home,” Torres said.

Rayner said she is motivated by knowing a trail is being blazed.

“I do this work, because I know there is a young woman or young person that’s looking at me and saying, ‘If she can do this, then I can do this as well,’” Rayner said. “My hope and goal are to make the road a little easier for folks who are coming after me.”

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LGBTQIA BITES

BY KENNEDY MCKINNEY

IT’S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT THE G LESBIAN

TREY MCBRIDE IS NOW FIRST NFL PLAYER WITH SAME-SEX PARENTS Trey McBride, drafted by the Arizona Cardinals, is now the first NFL player with same-sex parents. McBride is one of five children of Kate and Jen McBride.

“They’ve done a great job of pushing me to be the best version of myself, just constantly getting support and love,” McBride said of his two moms on the “Today” show.

The couple raised their children in a rural community and taught them all from a young age to be confident and keep the family close as hateful comments were the norm.

“I’m excited to see him just live his dream,” Kate said. “When your kid comes to you when they’re little and they say they want to be president, it’s ‘OK, honey, that’s great.’ He wanted to play in the NFL, and

L

Trey McBride. Photo Via Facebook.

he’s going to do it.”

Trey plans to use the NFL platform to change the stigmas associated with the LGBT community.

“This could really be the platform to kind of help change things and kind of shine a light on this, but really, it’s just normal to me,” he said.

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

Q

QUEER

ARCHIE COMICS INTRODUCES NEW QUEER CHARACTERS

Archie Comics is introducing two new characters to the Riverdale clan. Teen business mogul Eliza Han, who is pansexual, and software tech genius Stacy Banks, who is bisexual.

The two characters will debut in a new series launching this summer entitled “Archie and Friends: Summer Lovin.”

Their debut will take place during Pride month, which makes it even more special to the franchise. The creators made it clear that although this is a limited series, both characters will be seen again and incorporated into the regular series.

“Any and all new characters are meant to become integrated into the regular cast of characters. Riverdale is forever expanding, and we’ll be taking extra care to make sure that none of these new kids get lost in the

Images via Archie Comics.

mix,” said Mike Pellerito, Archie Comics’ Editor-in-Chief. “Eliza is another character that you can fall in love with very easily, and there’s a lot more to be revealed about the character besides her sexuality.”

The series will be available starting June 8.

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• 5.12 . 2022

LGBTQIA BITES

T

TRANSGENDER

TRANS ARCHERY CHAMPION GETS BANNED FROM TEXAS WOMEN’S COMPETITIONS

KellyJeanne Pyne, an army veteran trans archer, won a championship, which led to a rule change that bars athletes like her from competing alongside women in Texas.

Pyne finished one point ahead of the runner-up, Linda Culwell, and 14 points higher than the other contestant, Theresa Murphy. She received 81 points for hitting the innermost ring of the target — 14 points higher than Culwell and 12 more than Murphy for hitting that part of the target.

“It felt good. It felt like I had achieved something and then was rapidly taken away,” Pyne said.

After her victory, three archers submitted official protests. The protests objected to Pyne being trans and competing in the women’s events.

“The aim comes from your mental game: can you sit there and focus on that pin or on that dot and keep it in the center until the shot breaks? That’s your mental game.

KellyJeanne Pyne. Photo via Instagram.

It really comes down to a mental game and practice,” Pyne said.

Pyne said she would like to work with USA Archery to develop a policy related to trans athletes.

5.12 . 20 22 •

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IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®

This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.

(bik-TAR-vee)

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including:

BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including:

 Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. Your healthcare

 Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY”

provider will test you for HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months, and may give you HBV medicine.

section.

 Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get

stronger and begin to fight infections that may have been hidden in your body. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY.

 Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare

ABOUT BIKTARVY BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements.

BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains:

provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY.

 Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a

serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.

 Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your

healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, lightcolored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.

 dofetilide  rifampin  any other medicines to treat HIV-1

 The most common side effects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were

BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY

diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%).

Tell your healthcare provider if you:  Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis

infection.  Have any other health problems.

These are not all the possible side effects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY.

 Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY.

Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.

 Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not

breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk.

HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:

Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.

 Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter

GET MORE INFORMATION

medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.  BIKTARVY and other medicines may affect each other. Ask your

healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.

 This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY.

Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.

 Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5  If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for

program information.

BIKTARVY, the BIKTARVY Logo, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, GSI, and KEEP BEING YOU are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. Version date: February 2021 © 2022 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. US-BVYC-0085 02/22

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US_BVYC_0085_BIKTARVY_B_10x10-75_SouthFloridaGayNews-Montage_r1v1jl.indd • 5.12 . 2022

All Pages

#1 PRESCRIBED

HIV TREATMENT * *Source: IQVIA NPA Weekly, 04/19/2019 through 05/28/2021.

KEEP BEING YOU. Because HIV doesn’t change who you are.

BIKTARVY® is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in certain adults. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.

Ask your healthcare provider if BIKTARVY is right for you.

ONE SMALL PILL, ONCE A DAY Pill shown not actual size (15 mm x 8 mm) | Featured patient compensated by Gilead.

Please see Important Facts about BIKTARVY, including important warnings, on the previous page and visit BIKTARVY.com.

Scan to see their stories.

5/4/22 4:52 PM • 5.12 . 20 22

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NEWS NATIONAL

BY KIZZY AZCARATE

THE COUNTRY ACROSS

ILLINOIS

QUEER TEENS HAVE THEIR OWN PROM

Fox River Valley, Illinois’ Queer Prom sold out with 100 people attending the event. The event was held at Mixology Salon Spa and sponsored by Fox Valley Pride Organization.

“They can be open about who they are, especially since this is a Queer Prom. They can enunciate the fact that they’re queer, whereas at school you don’t dress up, you don’t act in a certain way, you just live your life,” a teen who chose to conceal his name because he has not come out to his parents told WBEZ. Conversations flowed as teens exchanged similar experiences they’ve had, from bullying at school to whether the extended time in pandemic quarantine made it harder or easier to find acceptance as LGBT youth, according to WBEZ. People in attendance ranged from

Photo via Adobe.

teens who identified as part of the LGBT community to supporters and teens who were still figuring out who they were.

“That’s why I love a place like this, because I am completely open to be whoever I want, and nobody is going to assume anything about me,” Al Meier said.

NEW JERSEY CHURCH MEMBERS QUESTION SAFETY AS HARASSMENT CONTINUES

Harassment has continued at New Jersey’s Sparta United Methodist Church after two rainbow Pride flags were burned and voicemails were left.

The church has faced criticism in the past for showing its support and hospitality for the LGBT community.

“It is a rainbow flag, we are an open congregation, and we welcome all people,” said Rev. Steve Bechtold to the NJ Advance Media.

Bechtold said that the church has spare flags in storage since this is not a firsttime occurrence. Previously, LGBT flags have been burned, stolen, or tampered with in the past few years, but now the church is receiving displeased voicemails.

“They call late at night, they call at times when it would be very unlikely that anybody would answer the phone,” he

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• 5.12 . 2022

Burnt rainbow flag on Jan. 1 2022.

Photo via Reconciling Ministries Network Facebook.

said.

The reverend said the incident has raised safety concerns amongst LGBT members.

This flag burning incident is different because two young adult males were caught on surveillance, said Sussex County Sheriff Michael F. Strada in a statement. Through CrimeStoppers, there is a $1,000 reward for anyone who identifies the suspects.

COVERING LGBT NEWS SWEEPING THE NATION

COLORADO

CONGRESSWOMAN TWEETS ANTI-LGBT ‘JOKES’

After the leaked draft of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade, Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert took to Twitter to express her feelings about the news that would allow abortion laws to be handled at the state level.

“Seems the Left suddenly can define ‘woman’ again,” Boebert said in a tweet according to the Advocate.

The Republican representative also antagonized trans men in a different tweet asking where the “pregnant men” outrage was.

Boebert began her tweets with a passage from Joshua 1:9 that she directed to the five Supreme Court Justices who apparently voted to overturn Roe v. Wade.

She added, “the pressure they’re under is unimaginable.”

This is not the first time Boebert has

Photo by Gage Skidmore, via Wikimedia Commons.

made transphobic remarks. In 2021, she introduced legislation that would end research surrounding puberty blockers for trans youth. The bill failed.

“Using psychologically vulnerable children as lab rats for testing the puberty-blocking drugs used in chemical castration procedures for sex offenders, medically unnecessary mastectomies, irreversible hormone treatment, lifealtering sterilization procedures, and genital mutilation is wrong,” Boebert said in a press release.

PENNSYLVANIA STUDENT’S PRIDE FLAG MURAL GETS PAINTED OVER

Pennsylvania high school student Oliver Bryant was shocked when he saw his halffinished mural painted over.

After receiving approval from Chambersburg Area High School’s principal to have a rainbow Pride flag painted in the ninth-grade hallway, Bryant didn’t understand why the school did not notify him.

“It was definitely a punch in the face when I walked up and saw it,” said Bryant according to CBS Local 21 News.

Bryant’s reasoning for the mural was to show that life is not always black and white. The rainbow colors, according to him, symbolize acceptance.

Yet, at the recent school board meeting, some parents agreed with the school’s decision to get rid of Bryant’s mural.

“There is no need for that in school.

Oliver’s mural outline that was approved by the school.

Photo via Heather Bryant’s Facebook page.

There is no need for a focus on sexual preference in the school,” said Kristen Simmons, a parent.

Chambersburg Area High School put out a statement saying that they’ve heard the “differing community concerns” and will “make sure that any murals or other permanent changes to the district’s buildings are approved consistent with an established process.”

NEWS INTERNATIONAL

BY EVERITT ROSEN

THE WORLD AROUND

EXPLORING LGBT NEWS EVENTS ACROSS THE GLOBE

ASIA

EUROPE

THAILAND’S ‘BOYS LOVE’ RECEIVED WELL THROUGHOUT ASIA

BOSNIA PASSES HISTORIC RULING AGAINST DISCRIMINATION

Thailand’s “Boys Love” (BL) movies and series have been highly welcomed in the local market and are regarded viable export items that can draw rich revenue streams and develop commercial prospects in other industries, including tourism, thanks to the LGBT community’s openness.

In Thailand, BL dramas are known as Y Series, which is derived from the Japanese term “yaoi,” which refers to a fictional media genre that emphasizes homoerotic relationships between male characters.

According to Bangkok Post, Thailand’s Y content industry is valued at over 1 billion baht, according to the government, with significant export markets including China, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Latin America.

The acquisition of Thai material

Scene from “Miracle Of The Teddy Bear” Photo via IMDB.

produced more than 360 million baht, with the top three customers coming from Japan, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

In April, the Sarajevo Municipal Court found in favor of LGBT activists who sued on their behalf against a former assemblywoman who openly asked state officials to keep “people like this” away from the rest of society.

The three-year-long lawsuit resulted in a judgement that “prohibits any further conduct” by the defendant “or similar activities that infringe or may violate the right to equitable treatment of members of the LGBTIQ community.”

It is the first recognition of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity by a Bosnian court, advances the battle against hate speech, and should bode well for unhappy Bosnians’ hopes of obtaining protection from state and municipal institutions.

Sarajevo pride parade, 2019.

Photo by Kristina Millona, via Wikimedia Commons.

According to Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty, this verdict is subject to appeal.

AFRICA

SOUTH AMERICA

LGBT COMMUNITY IN NIGERIA PROTESTS ‘CROSSDRESSING’ BAN

WITH RIGHTS UNDER ATTACK, LGBT PEOPLE ARE WORKING FOR A SAFER ONLINE SPACE

Around 50 LGBT activists marched to the streets of Abuja, Nigeria, to protest a dreaded bill that would criminalize “crossdressing.”

According to Pink News, the bill, which aims to modify a 2013 statute prohibiting same-sex marriage, would sentence queer individuals who dress outside of anticipated gender norms to up to six months in prison or a heavy fine. Activists are especially concerned about the wellbeing of Nigeria’s trans population if the bill is passed.

Worryingly, the bill outlaws “crossdressing” in both private and public areas, with the exception of “crossdressing in the course of a stage play or any bonafide public entertainment.”

Protesters gathered in Abuja, Nigeria, to oppose the much-discussed measure.

Photo via Adobe.

LGBT activists may be seen dancing, playing music, and waving trans and Pride flags in video footage published on social media.

Others can be spotted sporting T-shirts that say things like “trans lives matter” and “queer rights are human rights.”

Without a doubt, the internet has been one of the most powerful platforms for activism, advocacy, and education, but it has also served as a powerful proxy for the kinds of gendered violence. This violence has an influence on women’s and others’ capacity to engage in these important civic places. As a result, women’s and LGBT organizations throughout the Americas have emphasized study into online violence and what can be done to combat it.

In addition to the work of established rights advocacy organizations, many smaller grassroots organizations and local communities in the region are assisting in the expansion of this work through reports, useful language, websites, and even card games to imagine feminist technologies and talking circles.

Photo via Adobe.

According to Ifex, Fundación Karisma and TEDIC created Libres y Segures en Internet, a self-learning course about digital security geared at LGBTQI+ groups, and Artigo 19 (Brazil) created a handbook to assist women defend themselves during rallies.

5.12 . 20 22 •

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NEWS LOCAL

J.R.’s SNAPSHOTS

OF THE

From your life... into our pages! SFGN takes a weekly look at a community that has stood together through countless trials and victories in the past year alone.

10

WEEK Photos by J.R. Davis

Board chair Mark Gilbert, vice-chair Jennifer Kriz, and treasurer Chris Vastine of Outshine Board at the opening night of the Outshine Film Festival.

Actors Thomas T. Mackie and Landon G. Woodson in the opening night film “B-Boy Blues” at The Outshine Film Festival.

Husbands Derald Robertson, testing outreach specialist at The Pride Center, and with Lorenzo Robertson, program manager at The Pride Center, at the opening night of the Outshine Film Festival.

Former Miami Beach commissioner, vice mayor and recent Miami Beach mayoral candidate Michael Gongora with boyfriend Alberto Ravelo, a fashion designer, at the opening night of The Outshine Film Festival.

• 5.12.2022

NEWS LOCAL

NEWS LOCAL

SFGN PUBLISHER RECOVERS FROM CANCER SURGERY Staff Reports

Jack Petocz speaks to a crowd of students during a rally. Photo via Jack Petocz, Twitter.

STUDENT QUITS JOB AT PUBLIX FOR ‘LACK OF SUPPORT’ FOR LGBT WORKERS John Hayden

O

ne of the student leaders against the “Don’t Say Gay” law has quit his job at Publix over what he said is the company’s lack of support for its young LGBT workers.

Jack Petocz announced his stance on Twitter, saying, “After four years of service, I was so disheartened when the company failed to even make a statement following more than $200,000 in donations to the sponsors of the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ [law].”

He then encouraged his followers and supporters to put pressure on Publix by using the hashtag #StopFundingHate.

Petocz is gay, and he has been one of the highest profile students fighting LGBT silencing and censorship in Florida. Last month, he helped organize a statewide walkout of students to protest DSG. He was immediately suspended from school and escorted off campus. He said the suspension wasn’t because he was a protest organizer, but because he was handing out rainbow pride

“I’M NOT SURPRISED THAT THE PRESS SECRETARY OF A GOVERNOR, WHO’S RAISING TAXES ON FLORIDIANS FOR THE SAKE OF A FEW MINUTES OF FOX AIR TIME, WOULD SHIT ON A WORKING-CLASS TEENAGER STANDING UP FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR IDENTITY.” - Jack Petocz

flags.

SFGN reached out to Publix for comment and the company, as of this writing, has not responded.

ATTACKED FOR HIS VIEWS As has been the case often during Gov. Ron DeSantis’ term, opposition to their agenda means being demonized, even if they’re demonizing one of the people they say they’re trying to protect. DeSantis’ press secretary, Christina Pushaw, said opponents are “grooming” children, which is a dog-whistle term for saying they’re pedophiles.

Now she’s attacking Petocz, retweeting him and commenting, “Lol they’re really trying this. Publix is a bigger employer in Florida than Disney is. Publix is certainly aware of Floridians’ reaction to Disney declaring war on parental rights — and losing $41 billion in shareholder value. I doubt Publix will make the same mistake Disney did.”

Disney’s stock has declined from about $147 per share around the time they came out against DSG, and is now around $116 per share. But it should be noted the stock’s decline started in November, well before DSG was originally proposed.

Petocz said he isn’t surprised he’s being targeted by the government for his views.

“I’m not surprised that the press secretary of a governor, who’s raising taxes on Floridians for the sake of a few minutes of Fox air time, would shit on a working-class teenager standing up for themselves and their identity.”

His profile also lists him as the director of an effort to recall the Flagler County School Board, and as doing political strategy with Genz For Change, a youth-focused grassroots organization.

Norm Kent, the publisher of SFGN. Photo via Facebook.

S

FGN publisher Norm Kent underwent successful pancreatic cancer surgery Monday, April 25, at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.

Under the guiding hands of Dr. Alan Livingstone, and the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Care Center, Kent tolerated a five-hour procedure to remove early-stage tumors that were previously described by oncologists as “survivable.” The tumors were discovered last fall after Kent had taken prophylactic body scans to address a brain tumor, which required emergency surgery last July. While the brain tumor proved to be benign, cancer cells uncovered elsewhere did not. Kent was released from the hospital May 4, and is now recovering in his Fort

Lauderdale townhouse “with caretakers and my four dogs by my side,” he said.

Kent added he is looking forward to returning to work soon, and plans to be present on June 2 at the SFGN Anniversary party that Sales Manager Justin Wyse is planning at Greico Ford in Fort Lauderdale. Meanwhile, Jason Parsley continues to run the editorial operations of SFGN and Russell Cormican, Kent’s law partner, manages their shared law office, the Criminal Defense Law Center of South Florida. Guest hosts have been filling in to do his afternoon radio show on Wwnnradio. com, including SFGN personnel and, theatrical buffs JW Arnold and Edwin Neiman.

“I am getting better at Wordle daily,” Kent added humorously, “with lots of rest.”

PAPA DUKE’S DELI PAPA DUKE’S DELI

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outh Florida continues to be an epicenter for new HIV/AIDS infections.

Now a new partnership between Walgreens and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine (UM) hopes to make a dent.

The pairing marks the first-in-the-nation concept to bring HIV prevention information to one of the places it’s needed most. UM’s new clinic will be at Walgreens in the heart of South Beach.

“UM had a clinic at Walgreens before but it closed,” Dr. Mario Stevenson said. “So we approached Walgreens with the proposal of setting up an HIV prevention clinic there and they were excited about it because of its community impact.”

As the director of the school’s Institute AIDS and Emerging Infectious Diseases, he’s well aware of how dire the situation is.

“We already had a presence in Miami Beach. We have a mobile HIV prevention clinic Rapid Access Wellness [RAW] Clinic that parks at the Gaythering Hotel each week and distributes HIV prevention tools such as PrEP. We were at capacity and realized we needed more facilities to meet the demand for HIV prevention services.”

The location is at 1669 N. Collins in Miami Beach. Stevenson said the doors are open to everyone.

“We work with the uninsured, those who don’t have visas. No one is denied access to HIV prevention services.”

One of the key goals is to get people to know their status. About one in seven HIV infections is undocumented. People who test negative can be signed up for PrEP while those that who positive can be put in touch with physicians and organizations to get the treatment. Dr. Stevenson hopes to expand the program but said starting in South Beach was the logical choice.

“That is now the location where there are the highest number of new infections occurring. HIV infection rates on Miami

UM’S GOAL IS THAT THIS WILL BECOME A NEW MODEL FOR REACHING PEOPLE WHO AREN’T EASILY REACHED. 12

• 5.12.2022

Photo via Adobe.

Beach are approaching that of Sub-Saharan Africa. If the mission of UM is to have an impact on the health and well-being of people in our community, I can think of no better way to do that than to get PrEP into a community where new HIV infections are exploding.”

Dr. Susanne Doblecki-Lewis is the chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at UM, and she said new clients are made to feel comfortable and cared for.

“We have a wonderful team of navigators who will walk new clients through the process. The process almost always starts with an HIV test, and frequently with STI testing as well. If an HIV test is positive, we work with that person to take the first steps to get on to antiviral therapy as soon as possible, most of the time this can happen within a few hours. And then we work with them until they are well established in care.

For people that test negative, we will discuss options including PrEP and if interested we will start that process right away as well.

The process for PrEP involves an assessment by a medical provider, STI and HIV testing and some monitoring labs, and counseling regarding how to take the medication. Once these things are done, a prescription is usually written right away.”

UM’s goal is that this will become a new model for reaching people who aren’t easily reached.

“We hope this is a model program, and hope that we can demonstrate how locating services like PrEP outside of traditional clinics, including in-pharmacy clinics and mobile clinics, can really help to increase access. Our program is always looking for ways to innovate to increase access to these services.”

NEWS STATE

GAY STATE SENATOR ENDORSES CHARLIE CRIST FOR GOV. ‘I COULDN’T SIT AND DO NOTHING’ John McDonald

Sen. Shevrin Jones. Courtesy of office of Jones.

S

hevrin Jones has seen enough.

Jones, Florida’s first gay Black Senator, jumped off the sidelines on Monday to issue an influential endorsement in the race for governor. Heeding feedback from his constituents, Jones announced on Monday he was backing U.S. Congressman Charlie Crist.

“I couldn’t have just sat out and not done anything,” Jones said in a Zoom interview with SFGN on Monday. “I think the time is too critical right now and I wanted to see whose message was really resonating with Floridians and the Black community in particular.”

Jones represents the largest Black district in the state and has been repeatedly asked by voters for guidance in the governor’s race.

Crist, Jones said, is gaining consensus among his constituents.

“Charlie Crist is the direction they are moving in and it’s clear that there’s a message that’s resonating that needs to be amplified,” Jones said.

Crist, who served as governor as a Republican from 2007-2011, faces Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried and Senator Annette Taddeo in the Democratic party primary election. In his career, Crist, 65, has served as a state senator, education commissioner and attorney general. He was elected to Congress in 2017, representing the St. Petersburg area 13th congressional district.

“We are thrilled to welcome Senator Jones to Team Crist,” Crist tweeted. “With his support and leadership we’re going to restore goodness and integrity back to the Sunshine State.”

Meanwhile, congressional maps remain a sore subject for Democrats. Governor Ron

DeSantis called a special session to redraw the maps, which ultimately led to the elimination of two majority Black districts. Jones said he’s putting his faith in the integrity of the judicial system to strike down DeSantis’ maps.

“This is the moment that you hope the integrity of the court and not the politics of the court is what’s upheld and that the justices rule based on the letter of the law and not what’s popular in this moment,” he said.

Jones said the other option is to play the hand you’re dealt and step up the ground game, something Democrats were hesitant to do the last election cycle in the grips of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There is a path that we can get out of this mess but the question becomes do Democrats have the momentum and then get the momentum of the people to begin to change the trajectory of what we’re seeing,” Jones said, adding, “I’m optimistic.”

Jones is campaigning for re-election in District 34, a Miami-Dade district covering parts of Miami, Miami Gardens, Opa-locka, Liberty City, El Portal, North Miami, North Miami Beach and Miami Beach. He said the legislative body has changed a lot since he first went to Tallahassee in 2012 — and not for the better.

“When I first got elected it was a legislature that was not just empathetic but there was a true intentionality to work together and truly do no harm to people,” Jones said. “I couldn’t imagine in 2011 in a chamber with Republicans like Don Gaetz or Mike Fasno or Tom Goodson that would have allowed policies that passed this year. They would have stopped the chamber and said, ‘What are you doing? How do you think any of this works or is not hurting people?’”

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1946 Wilton Drive • Wilton Manors • FL 33305 elect the candidate of their choice.”

Smith, the fiery gay Latino activist from Smith said Republicans’ strategy in Florida www.IslandCitySmiles.com Orlando, is not one to turn a blind eye to has been to distract the public from essential injustice. First elected to the Florida House of services by obsessing over LGBT children.

Representatives in 2016, Smith, a Democrat, As a result, the state is mired in a property is the dean of LGBT state elected officials and insurance crisis and teachers shortage with quick to counter attacks on the community. disparities in affordable housing and health “I have always believed that representation care, he said. Tactics deployed by DeSantis’ for the LGBTQ community matters, I just team, Smith noted, have sunk to an all-time didn’t realize how much it would matter low. under the administration of Gov. Ron “This type of homophobia and bigotry must DeSantis,” Smith said. “He be confronted head-on and has declared war on LGBTQ we have confronted it headServicesServices Offered: Offered: people to advance his own on,” he said. “The governor “I HAVE ALWAYS political ambitions in a way has used the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ • HIV Care, • PrEP HIV Care, PrEP BELIEVED THAT that is very frightening to a bill [that is now law] to smear lot of people.” and defame LGBTQ people. T Treatment • Hepatitis • C Hepatitis Testing & Treatment C Testing & REPRESENTATION FOR Smith recently announced These baseless accusations THE LGBTQT COMMUNITY ent • STD Testing • STD & Treatment Testing reatme he will seek re-election in & of grooming and pedophilia the newly drawn House are just unconscionable.”

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NEWS STATE

DESANTIS TAKES AIM AT COLLEGE PROFESSORS Kim Swan

N

ot only is Gov. Ron DeSantis going after LGBT youth, he’s also going after tenured professors.

DeSantis recently signed the Postsecondary Education bill into law, which as he describes, holds higher education “accountable” by requiring tenured professors to undergo a review every five years, according to WPTV. It goes into effect July 1 of this year.

The United Faculty of Florida blasted DeSantis, saying he is “playing political games with the futures of over a million of Florida’s students,” WPTV reported.

“Tenure protects the right of faculty to teach and research honestly and accurately without the threat of politicians who would fire them for doing their jobs, and it protects the rights of students to learn about whatever interests them without being told by big government how to live their lives,” UFF President Dr. Andrew Gothard said in a statement.

DeSantis defended the law, saying “We need to make sure the faculty are held accountable and that they don’t just have tenure forever without having any type of ways to hold them accountable or evaluate what they’re doing.”

The governor claimed the goal of the legislation is to ensure productivity among professors and prevent them from indoctrinating students with their own biases, calling it the “most significant tenure reform” in the country,” WPTV reported.

“GOV. DESANTIS MADE IT CLEAR THAT CONTROLLING THE THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION COMMUNITY IS MORE IMPORTANT TO HIM THAN THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION FLORIDA’S STUDENTS RECEIVE.” - Dr. Andrew Gothard UFF PRESIDENT

Gov. Ron DeSantis. Photo by Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, via Wikimedia Commons.

“Tenure was there to protect people so that they could do ideas that maybe would cause them to lose their job or whatever — academic freedom,” DeSantis said. “Now you’re gonna be in a situation where, OK, if the productivity is not there, if you’re not adding anything, then you can go your separate ways.”

Until now, tenured faculty could only be fired for justifiable causes or severe misconduct.

“If we’re paying an institution to guide me and expand my mind, should we not be able to hold that institution accountable?” said Taylor Walker, a Florida State University student who spoke at the news conference April 19. “When so many in this world, especially in academia, will put their own biased agendas over excellence, it’s refreshing to see a government that applies standards to mitigate injustice.”

According to Outgoing Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran, professors often “inject their personal opinions on” two of his children in college.

“They’ll tell me something that the professor said. And I’ll say, that’s just the most liberal, unfactual diatribe. Why didn’t you say something? And they literally say, ‘I want to get a good grade,’” Corcocan said. “That’s a horrible institution. That’s not free speech.”

Gothard argued that all higher education faculty members already undergo a review process by their peers and employers, and the “only missing piece” in the equation is that they cannot be fired for political reasons.

“Gov. DeSantis made it clear that controlling the thoughts and actions of the higher education community is more important to him than the quality of education Florida’s students receive,” Gothard said.

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NEWS NATIONAL

OKLAHOMA GOV. BANS NONBINARY BIRTH CERTIFICATES Kim Swan

O

klahoma delivered a setback to the nonbinary community this month by prohibiting a third gender option on birth certificates.

This ban is the first of its kind in the nation.

On April 12, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill that prohibits the use of nonbinary gender markers on state birth certificates, according to NBC News.

This law is in response to a lawsuit last year filed by Kit Lorelied against the State Department of Health when they initially refused to grant them a nonbinary option on their birth certificate. The department later allowed them, angering Republicans, including Stitt.

“People are free to believe whatever they want about their identity, but science has determined people are either biologically male or female at birth,” said Oklahoma Rep. Sheila Dills, the House sponsor of the bill, in a statement after the bill passed the House.

“We want clarity and truth on official state documents. Information should be based on

and

18

• 5.12.2022

and

THIS ISN’T THE FIRST TIME OKLAHOMA’S GOVERNOR HAS TARGETED THE LGBT COMMUNITY. HE SIGNED A BILL EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT BANS TRANS GIRLS FROM PLAYING ON SPORTS TEAMS THAT ALIGN WITH THEIR GENDER.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt. Photo via Facebook.

established medical facts and not an everchanging social dialogue.”

Stitt issued an executive order prohibiting any changes to a person’s gender on birth certificates despite the settlement agreement, NBC News reported. Lambda Legal, a civil rights group, challenged the order but there’s been no response by the state yet.

Rep. Mauree Turner, the nation’s first nonbinary legislator in the U.S., said it was painful to have colleagues attack those who are gender diverse, according to NBC News.

“I find it a very extreme and grotesque use of power in this body to write this law and try to pass it — when literally none of them live like us,” Turner tweeted the day the bill was debated.

Fifteen states and the District of Columbia allow a nonbinary gender marker, according to the National Center for Transgender Equality. The U.S. state department began allowing an “X” marker on passports in April.

This isn’t the first time Oklahoma’s governor has targeted the LGBT community.

He signed a bill earlier this year that bans trans girls from playing on sports teams that align with their gender.

NEWS NATIONAL

15 ANTI-VAXXERS DIED OF COVID SINCE AUGUST, INCLUDING A QANON PROMOTER Kim Swan

M

ore and more anti-vaxxers are dying of COVID, including one who called people who got the vaccine “idiots.”

Cirsten Weldon, who encouraged her followers to not take the vaccine, died of COVID in January. She was a Donald Trump supporter who would also post QAnon conspiracy theories on right-wing social media, according to The Daily Beast.

Weldon focused on creating videos attacking vaccines, even saying that Dr. Anthony Fauci “needs to be hung from a rope.”

“The vaccines kill, don’t get it!” Weldon Cirsten Weldon. Photo via Facebook. said in a video. “This is how gullible these idiots are. They’re all getting [the] vaccine!” pneumonia,” Maggie Clopton Wright wrote.

However, in late December, she started “Just yesterday she told a group of friends showing symptoms of the virus and was that she definitely felt better and that the hospitalized in Camarillo, California, The docs had told her she had ‘turned the corner’ Daily Beast reported. In her last video, she with improved blood test results … Later last talked about overthrowing the government night she developed an acute abdominal while complaining how exhausted she was. issue, was given pain meds and put on the Weldon posted a photo of herself wearing ventilator.” an oxygen mask claiming to have had In November, Canon was talking about “bacterial pneumonia.” how her employer granted her a religious She also wrote that she refused to take a exemption for the vaccine, writing “No COVID treatment remdesivir, calling it “Dr. jabby-jabby for me! Praise GOD!” Fauci’s Resmedervir.”

Canon shared several links on Facebook Another conservative who to speeches she attended at died of COVID in January was a “COVID symposium” in WELDON Kelly Canon, who peddled Burleson to dissuade people vaccine misinformation, from getting the vaccine, FOCUSED ON according to Yahoo.com.

Yahoo.com reported. The event CREATING VIDEOS She died after a few weeks was organized by God Save Our of attending a “symposium” Children, a conservative group ATTACKING against the vaccine. that is “fighting against the use VACCINES, EVEN The Arlington Republican of experimental vaccines” on SAYING THAT DR. Party in Texas confirmed her children. passing on Facebook.

Thirteen other prominent ANTHONY FAUCI “Another tragedy and loss anti-vaxxers have also died “NEEDS TO BE for our Republican family. Our of COVID since August: Marc dear friend Kelly Canon lost her Bernier, Phil Valentine, Jimmy HUNG FROM A battle with pneumonia today.

DeYoung, Dick Farrel, Tod ROPE.” Kelly will be forever in our Tucker, Jimmy DeYoung, Sr. hearts as a loyal and beloved Gregg Prentice, Marcus Lamb, friend and Patriot.”

Robin Fransman, William Hartmann, Kelly Canon’s friends posted tributes on social Ernby, Johann Biacsics, and Douglas Kuzma. media saying she died from “COVID-related Jeff Hoverson, a Republican state pneumonia,” Yahoo.com reported. representative in North Dakota, was set to “I am truly heartbroken to learn that hold an anti-vax rally in Minot Nov. 8, but my dear friend Kelly Canon has passed couldn’t attend because he was too sick after away from complications from COVID catching COVID. He is still alive.

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NEWS NATIONAL

‘YOU’RE GONNA LOSE’

GAY LAWMAKER TELLS GOP AFTER APPROVING ANTI-TRANS BILL Kim Swan

Rep. Ian Mackey. Photo via Facebook.

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his legislative season has been this is what you’re focused on. This is the particularly bad for queer rights, with legislation you want to put forward. This is hundreds of anti-LGBT bills being what consumes your time. ... I was afraid of introduced around the country. people like you growing up.”

On April 13 Republican Rep. Chuck Basye in Mackey added that he grew up with “nice Missouri proposed the bill that would allow people” like Basye who voted against Mackey’s school districts to vote on whether or not to and LGBT people’s rights, the Advocate ban trans student athletes from youth sports, reported. He thanks God for making it out. according to the Advocate. He “I think every day about the claims it was to “save women’s kids who are still there who “I THINK EVERY haven’t made it out, who haven’t sports.”

Rep. Ian Mackey, a gay man, DAY ABOUT THE escaped from this kind of bigotry. blasted Basye and his GOP I’m not afraid of you KIDS WHO ARE Gentlemen, colleagues. His passionate speech anymore,” Mackey said. “Because has since gone viral.

STILL THERE WHO you’re gonna lose. You may win In a video that has been today, but you’re going to HAVEN’T MADE this viewed more than 700,000 times lose.” on TikTok, Mackey called out Basye, according to the NewsIT OUT, WHO Basye, comparing the anti-trans Leader, defended his bill, saying: bill to his own experience as a HAVEN’T ESCAPED “This isn’t about hate, this is queer student growing up. He FROM THIS KIND about fairness.” even brought up Basye’s own gay The amendment was approved OF BIGOTRY.” brother.

89-40 after almost three hours of “Your brother wanted to tell heated debate.

- Ian Mackey you he was gay, didn’t he?”

Other Democrats sided with MISSOURI STATE Mackey asked Basye.

Mackey.

REPRESENTATIVE Basye said he did and his “We have spent nearly three brother thought their family would hold it hours talking about this issue and why?” against him. asked Minority Leader Crystal Quade, “Why would he think that?” Mackey asked, according to the News-Leader. “Members on to which Basye didn’t know the answer. the other side of the aisle have said directly to “I would have been afraid to tell you too,” my face that they spoke on this issue because Mackey said. “I would have been afraid to of their primary elections. Because they need tell you because of stuff like this because to win elections in a redistricting year.”

SPORTS PLAYING WITH PRIDE

NEWS INTERNATIONAL

GOVERNOR OF BAJA CALIFORNIA VETOS CONVERSION THERAPY BAN

Everitt Rosen

T

Everitt Rosen

T

he governor of Mexico’s Baja California state vetoed a bill that would ban conversion therapy. This bill, which was passed in Baja California’s congress with a 20-4 vote, would amend the state’s penal code and non-discrimination laws to ban the practice of conversion therapy.

According to Homosensual, those convicted of conversion therapy would be fined and face 2-6 years of prison time.

“The delay in the publication of the law on the part of the governor represents a setback in the guarantee of these rights. As long as this law is not published, therapies will continue to take place and many young people and children will continue to be subjected to these practices,” said Eduardo Arrendondo, an activist and member of the Congress’s Youth Parliament.

LA DODGERS HOST PRIDE NIGHT HONORING GLENN BURKE

Baja California Gov. Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda.

Photo via Facebook.

he Los Angeles Dodgers have a long history of supporting Pride, and this year, one of MLB’s great LGBT trailblazers will be honored.

The Dodgers have announced they will celebrate their eighth annual LGBTQ+ Night in honor of Glenn Burke, MLB’s first LGBT player. Burke was a member of the Dodgers’ 1977 World Series squad and played for them for portions of three seasons.

According to Outsports, the Dodgers invited the Burke family to throw out the ceremonial first pitch to mark the occasion. His siblings will also be in attendance.

At Dodger Stadium, Billy Bean, an MLB ambassador for inclusivity, will be joined by transgender MMA fighter Fallon Fox and retired out umpire Dale Scott, who recently published his autobiography.

Glenn Burke’s 1979 Topps trading card.

Photo by Jason Villemez.

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EXHIBITIONS

LIBRARY

“Everywhere Babies” book cover. Photo via Amazon.

A

children’s book celebrating infants just joined the list of banned books in at least one county in Florida.

“Everywhere Babies,” a picture book with rhyming text that features babies sleeping, crawling and more, was created by Susan Meyers, who was inspired by the birth of her first grandchild to write the book, according to the Washington Post. It was a common recommendation by new parents and featured on Best Books lists.

But Walton County school districts wanted the book to be removed from public school libraries.

Walton County School Superintendent Russell Hughes told WJHG-TV that it was “necessary at this moment” for him to make the decision and he did it for the “welfare” of all involved, including constituents, teachers, and students.

A spokesperson for the Florida Department of Education referred questions by the Post to Walton County, noting that “individual school districts are responsible for making these decisions,” and did not respond to follow-up questions.

Meyers and Marla Frazee, who did the illustrations, spoke to the Post about the experience of seeing it banned from public school libraries for the first time.

“I’ve been following all this book-banning stuff and wondering what is wrong with these people,” Meyers said. “And they’re only bringing more attention to these books — there are plenty of people who will then seek them out and want to read them. So I wasn’t really upset. There are various LGBTQ children’s book sites that have included our book in their lists, so I suspect that might be how [the school officials in Florida] found it.”

Frazee said it was “abhorrent” but not surprising to see the book banned. Some illustrations might have depicted same-sex couples, but were not specifically identified in the text, the Post reported.

“If you were a child being raised by two moms, you might look at that image of two women together in one way,” Frazee said.

“Two men on the street — that could be seen in a variety of ways by a variety of cultures.

I’m not that concerned with what adults think about the pictures in the books, I’m concerned about what the children think. I want them to follow the story and understand what the picture is saying. Regardless of what the book is, or what kind of picture story is being told, I often sort of feel like adults miss the mark in a big way. I don’t think adults read pictures all that expertly, but I think kids do. I trust a child’s perception way more.”

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The largest lending library of LGBTQ materials in the United States with more than 28,000 books, CDs and DVDs. Our collection incorporates most winners of gay literary awards including the prestigious Lambda Literary Award.

VISIT!

1300 E. Sunrise Blvd.

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304 954.763.8565 stonewall-museum.org With a focus on the last quarter of the 20th Century to present day, The Archives contains items documenting LGBTQ political,cultural and social history.

A resource to scholars, historians, researchers and writers, the Archives preserve our existence for future generations.

WITH SUPPORT FROM

5.12 . 20 22 • SNMA2022MSHIP_SFGNhalf.indd 4

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BOOK CLUBS, FAIRS & MORE Wilton Manors Library Has it All

By Gillian Manning

THE

ISLANDER A WILTON MANORS NEWSLETTER

There’s nothing as magnetic as the pull of an electric screen — most of us have probably had days when we sit on our phones or in front of the TV longer than we should.

The good news is that despite minimal funding, libraries have been able to keep up with us.

The Wilton Man ors Library makes many of its resources available with a few clicks of a button. From book clubs to fairs, the library has a little bit of everything for residents.

For those who want to get back into reading, the library provides digital book clubs for various genres and ages.

“Book clubs in general foster a sense of community,” Mike Hesson, interim director of the Richard C. Sullivan Library, said. “It is important for readers to learn other people’s perspectives of the books they are reading.”

There are plenty of e-books, magazines, and even language courses available for free online.

They even have a delivery service for Wilton Manors residents.

“Contrary to popular belief, Google has not made libraries obsolete,” Hesson said. “Our website

provides a ton of information about what we can do for people, and we’re always happy to assist patrons by phone or in person.”

The Broward County library system gives free tax assistance to people who make $66,000 or less per year during tax season.

You can thank Rick Sterling, the former Wilton Manors library director, for most of these modern resources.

Sterling was the director for 17 years before he died in December.

“Rick expanded the library to three times its original size since becoming library director in 2004,” said Patrick Cann, the director of Leisure Services. “Thanks to his dedication and expansion of the library, services were expanded for both children and adults.”

The Friends of the Wilton Manors Library hosts a monthly book fair that raises funds to keep the library on its feet.

“Monetary donations for used books, videos, and music CDs received at these events are an important source of revenue, which enables the Friends of the Library to underwrite the cost of children’s and adult programming,” Hesson said.

A REDEVELOPMENT GROUP SURVEYED LOCALS; HERE’S WHAT THEY FOUND

By Gillian Manning Wilton Manors worked with a local group called the Redevelopment Management Associates, who surveyed over 300 residents. They presented the results at a city commission meeting.

Islanders expressed their want for more nearby food options. Thirty-five percent said they go outside of Wilton Manors for dining on a weekly basis, compared to about 30% who stay inside the city.

The survey found that Islanders also want to see more: • Retail shops • Groceries • Medical services The most common words residents used to describe Wilton Manors were welcoming, diverse,

gay, and walkable.

But even though a number of people described the city as walkable, they also said they wish walkable areas were safer for pedestrians.

Wilton Manors is already addressing this issue. In March, the city approved plans to expand sidewalks and bike lanes. Interestingly, some Islanders are vocally against the idea.

“I think it is ridiculous to add four-foot-wide bicycle lanes on both sides of the very busy and narrow NW 29th Street,” resident Paul Kuta said. “I oppose narrowing heavily trafficked roads in Wilton Manors because they cause problems for trucks and service vehicles and cause back-ups.”

Another thing that RNA identified among Islanders

was a desire for wellness and medical services — they pointed to the pandemic as being one possible reason.

This expands beyond typical medicine. It also includes nutrition, fitness, parks, and entertainment areas. Particularly, RNA pointed to what they called Medtail. These businesses pay top dollar rent and might be considered more distinguished. Medtail can include yoga studios, gyms, and specialized medical services.

Because of the feedback they received, RNA highly recommended that Wilton Manors “capitalize” on the wellness theme. One way to do this that RNA mentioned is by placing DNA art statues throughout the city — like Pompano Beach has fish statues throughout their own.

THE NEWSLETTER YOU NEED NEED. WILTON MANORS NEWS... RIGHT TO YOUR INBOX. From events to local announcements, fun facts and so much more, the Islander is everything you need to wake up ready for a beautiful day in the Island City.

visit sfgn.com/islanderwm to sign up!

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UPCOMING EVENTS MAY 13 DINNER & SHOW Join an amazing dinner show with drag, delicious food and drinks while watching “RuPaul’s Drag Race” at 7:30 p.m. at Hamburger Mary’s, 2426 Wilton Drive.

MAY 14 BICYCLE SAFETY DAY Wilton Manors is hosting Bicycle Safety Day which includes presentations from WMPD including free bike helmets and lights for children at Hagen Park located at 2020 Wilton Drive from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

MAY 18 TOMMY ON TOP Watch a new show at the Foundry about an actor who was nominated for an Oscar but must hide his sexuality to stay at the top at 8 p.m.

Located at 2306 N. Dixie Hwy, Wilton Manors.

TELL US ABOUT UPCOMING EVENTS WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT!

FEATURE NEWS

LOCAL MAN INDUCTED INTO GAY PORN HALL OF FAME John Hayden

F

or more than 20 years, South Florida has been a hot spot for the adult movie industry, and Howard Andrew has been at the forefront. As the business evolved from VHS to DVD to streaming, and from major studios to self-produced content, Andrew has served as the industry’s North Star.

Now, he has received the ultimate recognition, being inducted into the GayVN Hall of Fame.

“I honestly sat here in shock, not knowing how to react,” Andrew said about the moment he found out he would be inducted.

“Unexpected, but beyond thrilled.”

He founded and continues to run FabScout Entertainment, which has placed more than 7,500 models with dozens of studios and producers over the years. In his acceptance speech at the ceremony, he thanked the models who’ve passed through his doors, as well as his parents for their support over the years.

A CHANCE ENCOUNTER Andrew didn’t set out to make a national name for himself. He was managing Cupids in Miami when he was approached by someone who was already an industry legend.

“Dirk Yates came in and said he wanted to hire a dancer for a movie. Who knew the next 20 years would be that?” No one, especially Andrews, had any idea what the future held.

It all began at home.

“We started out in the guest room of my old house, my ex-partner, Gio Caruso, and I, creating and building and tossing ideas around. With Dirk Yates as my first booking, then through a mutual friend I met John Bruno from Massive Studios and began booking guys with him.”

He launched the careers of countless stars.

His model roster was filled with beginners in the industry who would quickly become allstars.

His behind-the-scenes talent was also filled with rock stars.

“After two years I hired an assistant Matt Lock. He ended up being my business partner for 16 years. Many changes since then. Matthew Rush working in the office for a while. Misty Eyez, in the office for a while.

And of course Steven Ponce, starting as a

Howard Andrew. Photo via Twitter.

model, moving to production assistant, to production manager, and now promoted to office manager. Sixteen years with him has been awesome. It’s been a fun road.”

Another person who’s been with him since the beginning is another industry icon, Caruso. They were personally, as well as professionally, involved for 18 years. Many long-term relationships end bitterly, but that’s the exact opposite for Andrew and Caruso.

“Many good years but like a lot of couples, things change. I am truly blessed to call him truly my soulmate and best friend. Our nicknames for 30 years of ‘The Bickersons’ still stands [daily]. He and his husband are amazing friends, family and parts of my life.”

AN AGENT & A FRIEND Many of the models who come to him are just starting out in the industry and are young and inexperienced. Not only inexperienced working on a set but also in

life. For many, Andrew is one of the most stable figures in their lives. That’s led to some strange encounters… and phone calls.

“My least favorite phone call, ‘Hi, you are receiving a collect call from an inmate in a correctional facility.’ Really you get one call and I am that call.”

Often they turn to him when they feel they have no one else, and show up at his home at all hours. He’s also met their families under what most people would call unusual circumstances.

“A wife and kid waiting in the car while Dad is getting banged in the studio.”

While they come together to work and for help, they also come together to celebrate. “[During] the holidays, my house was for years known as the home for wayward porn stars. The guys with no families, the sex workers with nowhere to go on all the holidays, the chosen family that we have created. I am still friends with models that I had 15 years ago. That’s the true blessing.”

FUTURE OF THE INDUSTRY Adult entertainment seems to undergo tidal shifts every few years as technology evolves. Andrews says the past two years have been hard, especially with the burgeoning self-produced content trend (e.g., Only Fans or Just For Fans). But he believes the past may come back into vogue.

“I think there will always be studio porn and fan content, but the selection may change. I believe there will be a point that people don’t like the fast and easy homemade stuff and want to go back to storyline based porn, and themes. But who knows? My crystal ball isn’t working today.”

One thing that won’t change is his visibility in the industry. That means working with the community and the models of tomorrow.

“I am constantly recruiting and doing events around the country. I also immerse myself in charity events to keep my face out there and my head in the right space.”

5.12 . 20 22 •

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PA L M B E A C H

GAY POLO RAISES MONEY FOR ONEPULSE FOUNDATION

news

Deon C. Jefferson PALM BEACH COUNTY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING BACK THE BELOVED GAY POLO TOURNAMENT. THIS YEAR MARKED THE TWELFTH TIME GPL HAS HELD THE LEXUS INTERNATIONAL GAY POLO TOURNAMENT. DOUGLAS ELLIMAN REAL ESTATE WAS THE PRESENTING SPONSOR. Last year’s event was fantastic, but it lacked some of the bells and whistles due to COVID-19. GPL did not have a tournament in 2020. This year’s event took place at the Land Rover Palm Beach International Polo Club in Wellington, America’s only high goal polo venue.

“I’m so happy for this year because we all know that the world has gotten crazy, so it’s nice that this feels like normal, our world has not felt normal for three years,” said J.P. Davis from J.P. Davis Partners in Louisville, Kentucky.

Davis played a huge role in the fundraising.

“The tournament has become a tradition for me, I enjoy coming down here and seeing people I’ve known for years.”

GPL’s tournament featured four teams battling it out on the field. These teams were from Palm Beach County and beyond. The teams represented were First Republic Bank, Cherry Knoll Farm, Baccarat, and Woodford Reserve. There were some new updates to the teams this year. All 16 GPL Polo Players are members of the LGBT community. Seven of the GPL Polo Players made their debut, and there were players from six countries: Argentina, France, Netherlands, New Zealand,

Peru, and the United States.

Before the tournament started, Wellington native and singer Tom Blake sang the national anthem. His laid-back and acoustic version was the perfect way to start the tournament. Gus Whitelaw returned this year as the official announcer for the tournament.

This is the second time the West Palm native has been involved with GPL. Last year’s tailgate was toned down. This year was the return of the elaborate tents that GPL is accustomed to having. Some of the more memorable tents came from Sip Smith, Palm Beach County Sports Commission, and The Palm Beaches Florida. There were also some unique ensembles as well. One group deemed themselves “The Mod Squad” as they were seen dressed in ‘60s attire, complete with knee-high boots, short shirts, and floral crowns. There was also a group dressed in Great Gatsby attire as they represented the roaring twenties. First Republic Bank was the sponsor for the tailgate competition.

GPL’s Polotini Friday night Wigstock party was sponsored by Baccarat. It was held at the IPC Mallet Grille. Varla Jean Merman did not disappoint with her comedic timing and glamorous outfit. She performed the night

Scene from the Lexus International Gay Polo Tournament 2022. Photo via Facebook.

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Baccarat at the Lexus International Gay Polo Tournament 2022. Photo via Facebook.

away and lifted everyone’s spirits, and there wasn’t a shortage of fabulous wigs and men in the building. The party was a benefit for onePULSE Foundation, which “is a sanctuary of quiet reflection and love dedicated to honoring the senseless loss of innocent life and remembering the horrible attack that occurred on June 12, 2016,” according to their website.

“What is not about being LGBTQ, it’s about being human, and sometimes being human just means love,” said Ward Simmons, the senior vice president of Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations, and Visual for Baccarat. “In this world, there is so much hatred and division. We have people of color and we have several other groups of people that are not treated the same. The one thing we do have is love. So on behalf of Baccarat, we would like to present an additional check for $25,000 to the onePulse Foundation.”

The founder of the onePulse Foundation, Barbara Poma was on hand to receive the check.

GPL raised a total of $100,000 for the entire weekend. The Gay Polo League (GPL) is the only LGBTQ-identified polo league in the world. Since its initial founding in 2006, GPL has built an impressive international network of LGBT polo players and dedicated enthusiasts in 14 countries.

FOUNDERS’ CUP Woodford Reserve SENATORS’ CUP Baccarat MVP Austine Arellano (Baccarat) BEST PONY Voodoo BEST IN SHOW TAILGATE Sip Smith BEST DECOR Emerald Elite Care BEST DRINK Tent #22 (Sierra and Olivia) BEST FOOD Woodford Reserve BEST DRESSED Great Gatsby Crew

(dressed up in honor of their friend Kevin Ray, who passed away)

HONORABLE MENTION Mod Squad

CONVICTIONS

EDITORIAL CARTOON Mike Luckovich

5.12 . 20 22 •

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Guest Column

CONVICTIONS

‘DON’T SAY GAY’ LAWS COULD BE CIRCUMVENTED

BY PRO-LGBT STUDENT-LED PRAYER IT’S TIME TO BEAT THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT AT THEIR OWN GAME Wayne Besen

U

nder the guise of parent’s rights, the efforts would be unofficial student led evangelicals are hijacking public prayer sessions, these so-called clubs would schools, banning books and working not have to register with schools. to render LGBT students invisible. The Once gathered, the students participating most notorious effort is Florida’s “Don’t in these clubs could offer fully inclusive Say Gay” law. The ambiguous wording of prayers such as: the law puts a chill on teachers trying to “Dear Universe, we pray that our LGBTQ help LGBT students. The goals of such laws friends receive the support that they need include pushing religious indoctrination, and deserve. We hope that love conquers the turning LGBT issues into something dirty ugly hate that is infecting our state and seeks and unmentionable, smearing democrats as to demean and dehumanize our LGBTQ pedophiles and driving gay and transgender friends and family members. students deep into the closet.

We beseech the Universe to stop bullying In targeting LGBT students and teachers, and bigotry. It is time for cynical politicians opportunistic right-wing bullies, such as to halt trying to get elected by exploiting Christopher Rufo, believe they have found a divisions and demeaning those with whom salient issue. These bigots have introduced they disagree. copycat “Don’t Say Gay” bills in at least 20 It’s our belief, backed by science, that states, with Alabama following Florida’s lead being gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender and passing a law. is normal and natural. The wisdom of the Fortunately, there is a free-speech loophole Universe created LGBTQ people just as they for LGBT students and their supporters that are. Attempts to say otherwise or ‘change’ right wing fascists are powerless to stop. them are ignorant, mean-spirited and While school prayer was struck down by the backward. We pray that people come out of High Court in 1962, pupils are still allowed to the darkness and into the light, so all LGBTQ pray in public schools, as long as it is student people can experience unconditional love initiated. According to The and full acceptance for who Washington Post: they are. Amen.”

In 2000, the court addressed Take that, Ron DeSantis!

ANY ATTEMPT whether it was permissible There could be contests to for a school to allow studentcreate pro-LGBT prayers and TO STOP IT IS A led sectarian prayer during the sessions could go viral VIOLATION OF events such as graduation and by filming them and posting THE FREEDOM football games; the court said on social media. If the goal no. Students and faculty are is continuing discourse on TO WORSHIP free to pray on their own and LGBT issues, circumventing — A RIGHT gather to do so; the question oppressive laws and offering THAT RELIGIOUS is whether those prayers are support to vulnerable official in any way. students in schools, this is CONSERVATIVES So, one magic bullet against one way to do so.

HAVE ALLEGEDLY efforts to silence LGBT How would right wing students is the formation of activists, red state lawmakers FOUGHT SO HARD “Good News Rainbow Prayer or school administrators stop TO PROTECT. Clubs.” Students who care these prayer sessions? Our about their LGBT friends foes would have no choice could take the initiative but to permit such gatherings to meet and “pray” in front of the school if they are student led. The First Amendment flagpole at certain times each week. Since allows people to pray any prayer they want.

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Image via PixaBay.

Right wing activists might hate it, but they’d have no authority to determine what people pray for or whether such prayers are sincere.

Could you imagine the chaos if frustrated evangelicals created some sort of prayer police to decide which student-led prayers were legitimate and sincere? Not only would this be unconstitutional, but how many of their own “prayers,” for example, to become rich or smite people they dislike, would be ruled disingenuous or offensive?

The bottom line is that students can “say gay” all day if they frame the issue as prayer.

Any attempt to stop it is a violation of the freedom to worship — a right that religious conservatives have allegedly fought so hard to protect.

Sure, it’s not a perfect solution, but it’s one that our foes are powerless to stop and must learn to live with. When they object, we can point to their own writings and dismiss them with a wry smile, calmly intoning, “We agree with you. Religious liberty is important, but it means religious freedom for everyone.

Would you like to join our Good News Rainbow Prayer Club?”

Wayne Besen is an author, talkshow host and LGBTQ advocate. He is Executive Director of Truth Wins Out, an LGBTQ organization that fights the Religious Right and monitors “ex-gay” conversion therapy programs.

CONVICTIONS

Jesse’s Journal

TO UKRAINE WITH LOVE

Jesse Monteagudo

W

hen Russian forces invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, it unleased a wave of worldwide sympathy not seen since the World Wars of the previous century. Back then, of course, it was easy to tell the good guys from the bad guys: The Allies were good, and the Axis were bad. Since then, wars have come and gone but few were as morally clear as World War Two. The war in Ukraine took the world back to those good old days. We love a David versus Goliath story as much as anyone, and there is no better David than Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the comedian who went from playing a president on television to being one in real life — and when adversity struck took on the role of a lifetime. On the other hand, Russian President Vladimir Putin makes a terrible Goliath.

Though Putin began his unsavory career as a KGB officer, his idea of a Russian revival is not that of a multinational Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, of which Ukraine was one. Rather, Putin yearns for the days of imperial Russia, when Romanov rulers like Peter the Great and Catherine the Great and others not so great ruled a continentwide autocracy based on the supremacy of ethnic Russians and the Russian Orthodox Church. Putin’s designs on Ukraine frighten those countries that, like Ukraine, were once part of imperial Russia: Poland, Moldova and the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Along with Ukraine and Belarus, they formed the “Bloodlands;” unhappy countries historically trapped in a tug of war between Germany and Russia. There is every indication that Putin might expand his reach beyond Ukraine into Moldova, which is why Poland and the Baltic States recently joined NATO and now eagerly support Ukrainian sovereignty. Only Belarus, led by its dictator Alexander Lukashenko, openly backs greater Russia in its war of conquest.

Though the Russian Federation is

Photo via Adobe.

technically a democracy, it is in fact an autocratic republic, and most Russians would not have it any other way. Russian voters gave Putin a landslide victory in 2018 and now eagerly support his invasion of Ukraine.

Though Joseph Stalin’s Gulag is a thing of the past, today’s political opponents are quickly dealt with in unsavory fashion and more than one dissident has had his life cut short before his time. Like the Russian Orthodox Church that he pays lip service to, Putin and his followers are violently homophobic, and under his reign Russia enacted severe antiLGBT laws that would give Ron DeSantis pause.

Of course, Ukraine is far from perfect.

Government corruption, before Zelensky, was endemic. Though Ukraine has a historically vital Jewish community — Zelensky is a Jew — antisemitism is as prevalent there as in any other country in the “Bloodlands” (or, for that matter, Russia). According to an analysis published by Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, extremist movements on both the far left and the far right are exploiting the war between Russia and Ukraine to spread antisemitic propaganda. But all this should not deter us from sympathizing with the valiant Ukrainians, whose only wish is to have the right to manage their own affairs. We wish them well.

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

5.12 . 20 22 •

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LIFESTYLE FOOD

FAMILIAR PLACES, NEW FACES Rick Karlin

NOODLE STATION 3045 N. FEDERAL HWY., FORT LAUDERDALE 954-990-5460 EATNOODLESTATION.COM Soon after moving to South Florida, I discovered and fell in love with Hot & Soul, a tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurant in the back of the Coral Center Mall, across from Target on Federal and Oakland Park Blvd. Alas, I discovered it shortly before it closed, but I still include it in my list of favorite restaurants in the area. Imagine my Image via Noodle Station Facebook page. delight when I was at the South Florida Food & Wine micro-breweries.

Festival and discovered Noodle Station had The service model is similar to Chipotle, taken over the spot. While the management pick your ingredients, move down the line, and menu are very different, I can see this and pick up your order. The difference is that becoming one of my favorite restaurants. the folks behind the line are personable and The menu focuses on three items: bowls, knowledgeable and seem to really enjoy their baos and beer, and while I’m not a major fan work and take pride in their product. It’s fast of the last of those, the other two are among casual dining with high-quality food. my favorite treats. The bowls can be enjoyed three ways: as soup, a stir fry or as a salad. The CASA MONARCA RESTAURANT basic bowl starts with your choice of noodle, protein, fresh seasonal vegetables, broth, and & TEQUILA BAR house made sauces. Noodle choices include 2980 N. FEDERAL HWY., ramen, soba, udon, rice, sweet potato, and FORT LAUDERDALE veggie noodles. If you opt for soup, there are a 954-765-6864 half-dozen broths or so from a clear vegetable CASAMONARCAFL.COM stock to a hearty and spicy Asian soup. Sauces can add additional zing. Then you pick the Although I don’t have as many fond veggies and protein (BBQ tofu, hoisin glazed brisket, candied Hajiki bacon, soy-marinated memories of the space formerly occupied by Too-Jay’s Deli across the street from Noodle hardboiled egg, or five spice chicken).

If you don’t feel like making a decision, Station, I was surprised when it closed as they have suggested combinations available. suddenly as it did at the beginning of the Soups, salads, and stir-fries average $13-20 pandemic. The space sat empty for a while bucks, baos are $8 for a pair (on Tuesdays and, driving by recently, I saw a sign indicating and Thursdays they throw in a third bao and that it had reopened as a Mexican restaurant. charge $8.50 for any combo) or you can add We stopped in the next night and were one to your bowl order for $3.50. The beer pleasantly surprised by its new occupant, selection is just as varied as the rest of the Casa Monarca. While it hasn’t had a chance to menu, with drafts and canned offerings from fully spread its wings and take flight yet, I am

THERE’S MORE ONLINE! 30

• 5.12.2022

The rest of the menu features the standard offerings: tacos, enchiladas, burritos, fajitas, and quesabirria tacos as well as soups, salads, and entreés such as carnitas, carne asada, steak ranchero, a cheeseburger, and grilled chicken breast (with traditional mole, or topped with chorizo and melted cheese).

Seafood lovers will enjoy the pescado Vallarta (lightly breaded fish fillet with grilled red, green and yellow bell peppers, onions, and zucchini), shrimp ceviche, Image via Casa Monarca Restaurant website. sautéed shrimp in a garlic mojo sauce, or the tower of optimistic because of our recent visit. They’ve seafood (shrimp, octopus, scallops, and fish added lots of Mexican art, including many ceviche) with layers of tomatoes, cucumbers, día de los Muertos-themed pieces, and added and onions. amber-globed chandeliers that warm up the You can also create your own combination otherwise cold space. plates ($10 at lunch, $13 at dinner), served with The service is sunny and eager to please. rice & refried beans. At dinner pick two items Our server, Josie, was particularly sweet, and (taco, tamale, tostada, burrito, enchilada, the food, while not highly refined or fancy, is chili relleno, or quesadilla) and your fillings good classic Mexican and Mexican-American (shredded beef, shredded chicken, ground fare. Appetizers include mini-chimis, filled beef) cooked with onions, tomatoes, and bell with chicken and beef served with guacamole peppers. Vegetarian filling options include & cheese dip on the side. The Mexican classic cheese, beans, veggies, and spinach. street food elote showcases griddled corn Dessert options are $7 and include fried ice on the cob slathered with butter, mayo, and cream in a cornflake crust, churros, flan, tres cotija cheese. A sampler comes with, taquitos leches cake, sopapillas, and lava cake, but we Mexicanos, mini-chimis, cheese quesadillas were too full to try any of them, as tempting as and chicken wings, served with cheese dip they were. Drinks were large and strong and and avocado dressing. It is a bargain at $16. range from a simple shot of high-end tequila Nachos can be topped with shredded or grilled to large exotic concoctions. beef or chicken, grilled shrimp, carnitas, or It looks like this may be the location in ground beef. which we make many memories.

HUNGRY FOR MORE? 

VISIT SFGN.COM/FOOD!

Rick Karlin is SFGN’s food editor.

Visit SFGN.com/Food to read his previous reviews. Have a culinary tip to share? Email Rick at RickKarlinFL@gmail.com.

The views Rick expresses are his own and do not represent the opinion of SFGN.

SUNSHINE CATHEDRAL GETS A FRESH LOOK Visit SFGN.com to find out more.

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

Join us for masked, socially distanced in person worship.

11 AM Sundays. Services also LIVE-streamed on Facebook and posted on website for safe at home viewing.

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

In Person Worship Resumes Join us for live services

our beautifully7th updated Joininus November at 10 AM also continue for sanctuary. services inWe ourwill beautifully updated streaming theWe service on Facebook! sanctuary. will also continue streaming the service on Facebook!

954-633-2987

A home for your spirit.

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

SPIRITUALITY

Church of Our Savior MCC 2011 South Federal Hwy. Boynton Beach, FL 561-733-4000 www.churchofoursaviormcc.org

https://www.facebook.com/ ChurchofOurSaviorMCC. Visit our web site for more details & updates.

Shabbat services Friday night at 8pm.

Find us online at our Facebook page!

Congregation Etz Chaim SOUTHFLORIDAGAYNEWS.COM

LISTINGS

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

A LITTLE BIT OF FAITH AND

PRIDE ALL ARE WELCOME

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

HOLY ANGELS CATHOLIC COMMUNITY 1436 NE 26th St Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-633-2987 - HolyAngelsFL.net Sunday Mass at 11AM

CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOR, MCC Church of Our Savior, MCC 2011 S. Federal Hwy. Boynton Beach. churchofoursaviormcc.org | 561-733-4000 Sunday Service 10AM TEMPLE BAT YAM 5151 NE 14th Ter Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334 954-928-0410 Friday Night & Saturday Morning Streaming Online at templebatyam.org

SFGN is here for you, no matter who — or what — keeps you going. Check out the Spirituality Section each week to stay in touch with your local religious LGBT community. The only requirement? Be yourself.

SEE MORE ONLINE AT SFGN.COM/TABLE/NEWS/RELIGION 5.12 . 20 22 •

31

A&E THEATER

BENDELACREME TALKS RELATIONSHIPS, TOUR J.W. Arnold

“Drag Race” alumna BenDeLaCreme brings her new show to the Broward Center on May 20.

Credit: Liz Nicol.

B

reakout “RuPaul’s Drag Race” fan favorite BenDeLaCreme — or “DeLa” for short — is “ready to be committed.”

The “aggressively effervescent” queen is finally determined to settle down and “tie the knot in something besides her corset.”

Now, all she needs is a potential spouse.

And a dress. And a cake. And the ability to consider others.

All the while, she “dodges pervy Grindr suitors, bitchy wedding-cake-toppers, and the errant arrows of Cupid himself.”

That’s the premise for the one-woman show that premiered in 2019 and was set to make its way across the country before the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered theaters in 2020.

“Then the world fell apart,” recalled Ben Putnam, DeLa’s male alter ego, in a phone interview. “There have been some false starts, but it’s really happening. It’s given me time to polish the edges and take it out for a ride.”

Putnam has not changed the show much since the forced hiatus, but “upped the ante” on the physical production of the show, which finally arrives at the Broward Center’s Amaturo Theater on May 20.

“This is a show that I wrote all about love and commitment and relationships and how we sort of view them in our culture and in our own lives,” Putnam explained. “They’re universal tried-and-true subjects that we’ve explored over history. Coming back to it, I found that most of the subject matter still feels very relevant to me and how I think the world will view it.”

Unlike his character, Putnam has been in a long-term relationship with his partner for nearly eight years: “As we continue to build our lives together, you learn more and more about what commitment means and what building a life together means. There are ongoing discoveries and that’s my personal journey, but going into this, I [tried to] look at it from every angle, the philosophies of love through the ages, how scientists look at [love], fairy tales and romcoms. This is a show that is going to ring true to anyone, whether they are happily single or unhappily single or happily coupled or unhappily coupled.”

Putnam and his partner had just moved to Los Angeles together when the lockdowns were ordered, putting their relationship to new tests.

“We were in a new city, in a new house and suddenly completely out of work. It was a trying time figuring out how to navigate all this. We had to kick it into high gear as producer partners, as well as life partners.

It was a challenge, but we’re both really dedicated and hard workers, and we made a lot of stuff happen. Fortunately, we share the same passions and drives, and we’ve managed to find joy in it and make the best out of it.”

After the U.S. tour concludes in July, Putnam will take DeLa to the United Kingdom and Australia. She’ll also team up again with fellow “Drag Race” alumna Jinkx Monsoon for their annual holiday tour.

“The rest of the year is a real whirlwind … then, holy crap, it’s 2023!” Putnam exclaimed.

“BenDeLaCreme is…Ready to be Committed” will be presented on Friday, May 20 at the Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale. Tickets start at $44.50 at BrowardCenter.org.

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A&E APPOINTMENTS

A&E THEATER

British playwright Chris Woodley’s “Tommy on Top” will receive its U.S. premiere at the Foundry in Wilton Manors.

Credit: David Monteith-Hodge.

Alexander Peters performs as choreographer George Balanchine’s “Prodigal Son.” Credit: Miami City Ballet.

‘TOMMY ON TOP’ SET

FOR U.S. PREMIERE AT FOUNDRY J.W. Arnold

“I

t’s a small world,” the old adage goes, and well, the theater world is even smaller. Sometimes painfully so. And that’s how producer Ronnie Larsen snagged the U.S. premiere of Chris Woodley’s comedy, “Tommy on Top,” opening this weekend at the Foundry in Wilton Manors.

The British actor who starred in a 2019 London production of Larsen’s “Happy Ending” later played the lead in “Tommy” last year, and word soon got back to the prolific South Florida producer about Woodley’s “terrific new play.”

“Ronnie said he’d like to read it and that was followed by a reading in December and here we are,” Woodley explained in a Zoom call.

Tommy Wilson is an actor who finds himself nominated for an Oscar for best supporting actor in an art house film.

According to Woodley, Tommy is “more of a Channing Tatum or Wentworth Miller type, a middling actor” more suited to less weighty roles. In the weekend leading up to the awards ceremony, a photo is leaked of him “having a clinch with” (kissing) another man in a hotel. Tommy’s agent then arrives to untangle the ensuing scandal. Ultimately, the actor must decide whether to remain in the closet or pursue happiness.

Larsen quickly slotted “Tommy on Top” into a three-show series, “The Hollywood Plays,” including Michael McKeever’s “The Code,” an imagined 1930s meeting of gay actor Billy Haines and agent Henry Willson, and “Valley of the Balls,” a campy genderbending parody of the 1967 film about three

women struggling to forge careers in the entertainment industry.

A former teacher, Woodley’s first fulllength play, “Next Lesson,” focused on Section 28, Britain’s version of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law that was in force from 1988 through 2003. His inaugural effort enjoyed a sold out run in London, a workshop in New York and another successful production in Australia.

After penning a couple more plays, “I wanted to challenge myself with something that was set in the U.S. I have family in New York and many friends in L.A. and San Francisco,” Woodley said. “I read an article

by Sir Ian McKellen that essentially said no openly gay actor had ever won an Oscar for performance. That was in 2016 or 2017 and I also found it interesting that there were these gay Trump supporters, too.”

The playwright won’t be able to attend the premiere, but he is hopeful to catch an upcoming production in Chicago — while hopefully on a “mini-(honey)moon” following his June wedding.

In the meantime, Woodley has two film projects in the works, romantic comedies that will begin production in Canada and the U.S., respectively. He also will be penning an upcoming episode of a popular British soap opera.

“I’m definitely moving toward writing for the screen. That’s always been an aspiration, especially in the last year … and of course, I’d love to see ‘Tommy on Top’ made into a film, sort of ‘Birdcage’ meets a ‘Will & Grace’ live episode,” he said.

Chris Woodley’s “Tommy on Top” will be performed May 13–29 at the Foundry, 2306 N. Dixie Hwy. in Wilton Manors. Tickets start at $35 at RonnieLarsen.com.

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• 5.12.2022

ARTSBEAT INNOVATIVE ARTS IN SOUTH FLORIDA J.W. Arnold

MIAMI CITY BALLET CLOSES SEASON WITH PREMIERES Miami City Ballet (MCB) concludes its 2021-22 season at the Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale, May 21–22, with “The Source,” a newly commissioned work by Claudia Schreier, a cinematic journey of the human experience through dance and technology. Schreier’s second commissioned work for MCB features a diverse range of contemporary composers, including Riley Mulherkar, Frank Zappa, Alexina Louie and Julius Eastman.

The dynamic and eclectic program also features the return of George Balanchine’s 1929 ballet “Prodigal Son,” completed just months before Sergei Diaghilev’s death and the final ballet created for the impresario’s famed Ballet Russes; the lyrical “After The Rain” pas de deux; and Herman Schmerman’s “Duet.”

Tickets start at $30 at MiamiCityBallet.org.

FGO UPDATES HANDEL’S ‘AGRIPPINA’ Agrippina, Roman empress turned Hollywood starlet turned scheming Regency-era mother, makes her Florida Grand Opera (FGO) debut this weekend in Florida Grand Opera’s final mainstage offering of the 80th anniversary season.

Staged in 1930s Hollywood, the novel production recreates the hustle and bustle of a studio sound stage as the cast films a Regency-era version of the classic tale, “Agrippina.” Stage director Jeffrey Buchman found inspiration for the concept in the beautiful 1920s era Miami Scottish Rite Temple where “Agrippina” will be performed.

George Frideric Handel’s opera is one of his earliest works, based on the true story of the Roman empress who successfully schemed to place Nero, her son by another marriage, on the Roman throne, and later was murdered by him. Despite the grim subject matter, the treatment is light-hearted as Agrippina reels from plot to foiled plot in her efforts to gain power.

The cast is led by soprano Christine Lyons in the title role, with Flora Hawk as Poppea, Kenneth Tarver as Nero, Neil Neilson as Claudius and Brennan Hall as Ottone.

Tickets start at $22 at FGO.org.

SO YOU THINK YOU’RE FUNNY? Island City Stage in Wilton Manors invites the community to listen, laugh and vote for South Florida’s funniest comedian during its “Stand-UP. STAND OUT!” comedy contest on May 23. The theatre company has lined up local comics to test their stand-up material in front of a live audience and secure a spot to open for select performances of the company’s upcoming production of “The Mystery of Irma Vep.” Competitors include Peter Bisuito, Brian Coronado, Michael Evans, Mai LG aka Mrs. Saigon and Seetharaman “Seetha” Radhakrishnan.

For tickets and more information, go to IslandCityStage.org.

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