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DONATE TODAY TO THE NORM KENT JOURNALISM FUND

Our Fund Foundation launched the Norm Kent LGBTQ Newsmaker Fund in the longtime attorney’s memory.

“It is especially meaningful for The Our Fund Foundation to hold the Norm Kent LGBTQ Newsmaker Fund because Norm’s values and hopes for South Florida align with ours. He was a force for good in our region, and we hope to follow in his path.”

Kent was the publisher of South Florida Gay News and before that the Express Gay News in the early 2000s. He was a passionate defender of the First Amendment.

Kent died April 13. He was 73. Here’s an excerpt from the SFGN obituary.

In 1999, Kent took on a new title: newspaper publisher. He launched the Express Gay News, which covered all aspects of queer life in South Florida.

Kent sold the paper four years later to Window Media, a national LGBT media group that renamed it the South Florida Blade. Window Media went bankrupt in November 2009 and quickly shut down the Blade. Most of the staff of the Blade reorganized and launched the Florida Agenda, which shut down in 2016.

In January of 2010 Kent launched a new newspaper and website called South Florida Gay News, along with a new business partner Piero Guidugli, who stayed with the company until 2020.

Celebrating 400 issues of SFGN in 2018, Kent and Guidugli highlighted a few of their most compelling stories, including:

– A five-year long program of entrapment by two West Palm Beach policemen who had entrapped more than 300 men.

– Hollywood police fired officer Mikey Verdugo in 2010 after the department learned he had appeared in a 15-minute gay porn

scene 14 years earlier. (Verdugo now owns Bodytek Fitness in Davie and Wilton Manors.)

– The 2010 firing of licensed practical nurse Ray Fetcho AKA drag queen Tiny Tina, when it came out that 35 years earlier Fetcho had been charged with a lewd act for hosting a wet jockey shorts contest at the old Copa nightclub in Fort Lauderdale. (Fetcho died at 68 of cancer and diabetes in 2015.)

In 2016, Kent wrote in a publisher’s column about the last of the big gay bar raids in Broward County, when in 1991 then-Sheriff Nick Navarro created a media spectacle arresting men at the Copa and at Club 21 in Hallandale Beach.

“Sheriff Navarro orchestrated the raid as if he were hosting a Hollywood opening,” Kent wrote. “As the news report by Steve Rothaus indicates, the Sheriff turned the

raid into a media event, placing the entire LGBT community in a false light. Navarro arrived on the scene, believe it or not, in a helicopter, accompanied by his wife, dressed in an evening gown. Reporters were shocked by the crass celebration, amazingly accompanied by foreign Russian dignitaries to show off for.”

Kent said he never regretted publishing a story, even if it got him into hot water with local power figures, including activists and elected officials.

“It’s the newspaper. It’s what editorial cartoons are all about,” he said. “It’s not for the politician to be thin skinned. It’s for the politician to go naked before the canon and accept the fact that he, too, can be criticized no matter how good they think they

@SFGN

May 25, 2023 • Volume 14 • Issue 21 2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943

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

Associate Publisher • Justin Wyse Justin@sfgn.com

Editorial

Assistant to the Editor • Kimberly Swan Webmaster@sfgn.com

Social Media Director • Christiana Lilly

Graphic Designers • Julie Palmer Kyle Willis • Craig Tuggle

Design Consultant • Brendon Lies Artwork@sfgn.com

Arts/Entertainment Editor • J.W. Arnold JW@prdconline.com

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

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

Senior Feature Columnists

Brian McNaught • Jesse Monteagudo

Special to SFGN Steve Rothaus

Correspondents

John McDonald • Sean Conklin • Deon Jefferson

David-Elijah Nahmod • Aurora Dominguez

Denise Royal • Austen Erblat • Kennedy McKinney

Mary Rasura • Christian Walden • Christopher Flores

Contributing Columnists

Pier Angelo • Terri Schlichenmeyer Gregg Shapiro • Dana Rudolph

Associate Photographers Carina Mask • Steven Shires Sales & Marketing

For ad placement in SFGN, contact 954-530-4970

Director Justin Wyse Justin@sfgn.com

Senior Advertising Associate Edwin Neimann Edwin@sfgn.com

Distribution Services

Richie Wilson & Johnathan Rey National Advertising Rivendell Media 212-242-6863 sales@rivendellmedia.com

Accounting Services by CG Bookkeeping Printing by Stuart Web Inc.

Co-Founders

Norm Kent • Pier Angelo

SOUTH FLORIDA GAY NEWS.COM, INC.

FOUNDED, DECEMBER, 2009 BY PIER GUIDUGLI AND NORM KENT

with the AP, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher, Jason Parsley at Jason.Parsley@SFGN.com. SFGN is owned by Norm Kent and represented legally by Russell Cormican. SFGN, as a private corporation, reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs. Copyright © 2023 South Florida Gay News.com, Inc.

SFGN Staff

SFGN co-founder Norm Kent. Courtesy photo.

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ARTS CENTER’S PROHIBITION OF DRAG SHOWS LEADS TO PRIDE VENUE CHANGE

On May 10, northwest Arkansas’ Pride weekend said they were changing their venue for their Pride Youth Zone event slated for June 24 from Walton Arts Center to Fayetteville Town Center, according to the Associated Press. The venue change is due to Walton Arts Center banning the group from hosting drag shows or drag story hour with minors in attendance.

“We celebrate diversity both on and off our stages and are open to hosting Pride events this year except for drag story time for minors and drag performances by adults specifically for minors,” said a statement released from the center. “Our decision was made

BAR OWNER DENIED INSURANCE COVERAGE DUE TO HOSTING DRAG SHOWS

According to NBC affiliate KPRC, the owner of a Houston lesbian bar said that she was denied insurance coverage due to hosting drag shows.

Mabry said that her bar only allows people 21 and over as well as not allowing minors to watch the drag shows.

“And the narrative that we aren’t good people, that’s what I believe the insurance companies are looking at as a risk. Obviously, at some point they have decided that we are too much of a risk,” Mabry told KPRC.

Mabry added that bar owners need to reapply for insurance every year. She’s already paying $60,000 a year and is worried about her cost increasing.

CITY PASSES RESOLUTION TO BECOME A SANCTUARY FOR GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE

According to the Associated Press, Kansas City approved a resolution on May 10 to proclaim it a sanctuary for those receiving or providing gender-affirming care. This move is in contrast with the state government, after Missouri’s Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced a rule last month requiring 18 months of therapy before receiving gender-affirming care.

The resolution states that the city will not take legal action against anyone receiving or providing gender-affirming care. It also states that if the state passes a law asking for legal action, the city will make enforcing that law their lowest priority.

Julie Mabry at Pearl Bar. Photo via Facebook.

Missouri’s Attorney General Andrew Bailey. Photo via Twitter.

City is valued,” said Merrique Jenson, a transgender woman and founder of Transformations KC. “It would minimize the legal violence toward trans people in accessing gender-affirming care.” TEXAS MISSOURI

in the interest of safety concerns for performers, patrons and staff due to the divisive political rhetoric at this time.”

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Fayetteville Town Center. Photo via twncenter.com.

LONDON SLOVAKIA

GAY WEDDING TO FEATURE AT CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW

The Chelsea Flower Shower, a staple of the London society calendar, is trying to make this year’s show more inclusive.

Celebrities and royals attend the event each year and, for the first time in the 110 years of the show, a wedding will be hosted. Garden designer Manoj Malde and his partner Clive Gillmor will tie the knot in the unity and diversity themed garden that Malde designed.

“It’s really important that people know the Royal Horticultural Society isn’t just about their shows and gardens, it also does a lot in the community – then people will begin to understand that it’s not elitist,” said Malde.

He continued, “How on earth is anyone going to accuse the RHS of being elitist when they are going to have the first RHS Chelsea wedding between a gay Indian

man and a gay Irish man?”

The event will also celebrate female gardeners, have themes of accessibility, and will have attendees from disadvantaged areas of London.

NAMIBIA

Although same-sex marriage is illegal in Namibia, the country’s Supreme Court ruled that the government must recognize the unions of same-sex couples who get married in countries where it was legal to do so.

The case that ended in this ruling originated from residency applications of a German woman who married a Namibian woman in Germany and of a South African man who married a Namibian man in South Africa.

The Namibian government refused to give the non-Namibian spouses residency rights in the country on the grounds that their marriages could not be recognized in Namibia. This prompted the couples to take legal action.

“Today’s verdict and outcome clearly

THERE’S

indicates that Namibia is moving towards recognising diversity in this country irrespective of people’s political or social positioning,” said gay rights activist Linda Baumann.

The ruling was met with mixed reactions since the country is considered socially conservative.

TRANS

Slovakian MPs are being pressured to reject a bill that would put a stop to legal gender recognition for transgender people.

The law was proposed by conservative and far-right parties and would require someone to have the “correct” set of chromosomes to match their legal gender.

“This law will gravely impact the rights of transgender people, forcing them to reveal their gender assigned at birth in everyday circumstances, such as signing for parcels. It will increase the risk of bullying, discrimination, or violence, and impact the right to privacy. This bill should not pass,” said Rado Sloboda, the

director of Amnesty Slovakia. If passed, this bill would follow a similar one passed in Hungary. A vote is expected within the next few days.

Photo via Pixabay.

Clive Gillmor and Manoj Malde. Photo courtsey of James Manning.

Rado Sloboda. Photo via Twitter.

EXPLORING LGBT NEWS EVENTS ACROSS THE GLOBE BY KENNEDY MCKINNEY

Photo by J.R. Davis

UJIMA MEN’S COLLECTIVE PROMISES TO BE EDUCATIONAL, ENLIGHTENING AND ENTERTAINING

Denise Royal

This fall, the Ujima Men’s Collective will hold its upcoming conference. Ujima is derived from the third principle of Kwanzaa and means collective work and responsibility. That’s what the Conference is all about. Some attendees compare it to a family reunion.

It is a safe space to share ideas, thoughts, and feelings among men with similar experiences. Participants are from all walks of life and represent a variety of nationalities, ages, and gender expressions. The 2023 theme is Living in the Light.

The Conference is on Oct. 13-15. It will be held at the Gallery One Doubletree Hotel. Organizers ask anyone interested in presenting at the Conference to submit an abstract.

“We are seeking abstracts from individuals with expertise, interest, and experience willing to share on our five tenets – leadership, advocacy, relationships, spirituality, and health and wellness,” said Lorenzo Robertson, executive director of Ujima Men’s Collective. “We just want the best people to share and facilitate a fantastic presentation. We are seeking wisdom from our presenters.”

This year, Ujima Men’s Collective is hosting its Noir Diamond Awards Affair on Oct. 14. Nhojj, an award-winning singer, will perform at the awards affair and the opening luncheon. Comedian Sampson will perform some of his stand-up. New York Times Bestselling author Daniel Black will speak and share about his books, Black on Black, Perfect Peace, Don’t Cry for Me, and The Coming.

The Collective also seeks nominations for its five leadership, advocacy, relationships, spirituality, and health & wellness awards. For more information about the conference, nominations, and abstracts, visit www. ujimamen.net.

~ Alan Harris

ArtServe Impact Philianthropist Award receipient Marc Martorana with husband Don D'Arminio Wilton Manors City Commissioner at the inaugural Impact Awards Gala.

Photo via www.ujimamen.net.

VANDAL ATTACKS NEW ART INSTALLATIONS IN WILTON MANORS

John Hayden

The newest art installation in Wilton Manors is drawing lots of attention, and not all of it is good. “Thunderbunny,” the Hunt Slonem masterpiece recently unveiled in Flippen Park, was targeted for vandalism.

Around 11 a.m. Sunday, someone appears to have intentionally run their car into the city’s newest landmark. Wilton Manors Police Department (WMPD) say they quickly caught the suspect, who later confessed to another recent vandalism in the area.

Derek Modrok is the suspect they say confessed to the bunny vandalism as well as a sign in Flippen Park, plus attacking the Popsicle installation at Richardson Park a couple of days earlier. In all, Modrok faces three charges of criminal mischief. It appears he has been released on bond from the Broward County jail. Investigators don’t believe the motives are hate-driven. WMPD says Modrok believed the late mayor, Justin Flippen, is responsible for “the birds that we hear.”

Photos by Carina Mask

STONEWALL WILL HAPPEN, DETAILS STILL IN DOUBT

John Hayden

With Stonewall Pride Parade & Street Festival less than a month away, there is one thing everyone agrees on: the event will happen. Beyond that? It’s complicated.

At Wilton Manors’ city commission meeting on May 23, Mayor Scott Newton reaffirmed that the parade and party will go on.

“I want to reiterate: we are having Stonewall. We are having the parade. We’re changing nothing of what we did last year.”

Newton was addressing the anxiety over a new Florida law that bans children from attending “live adult entertainment.” The law is incredibly vague, likely by design, but it goes into great detail to classify many elements of drag entertainment as falling under the law.

In an effort to be extremely careful (violations could lead to loss of liquor licenses and removal of elected officials and city employees), many have interpreted this to preclude all public drag performances.

Newton takes a wider view.

“Everything we do that day is within the law, I believe. I haven’t seen anything in the last couple of years that would even begin to be [in violation] of that [law]. I have no fear or reservations of having Stonewall this year.”

NOTHING HAS CHANGED, EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED

From the city to producers of Stonewall, everyone is saying the same thing, that all events have always been required to follow all laws, so nothing has changed. But the law has changed, and that could change everything.

“We will abide by the law the governor has signed,” Newton said.

Jeff Sterling, CEO of Stonewall, echoed that sentiment.

“We have always been required to follow all laws.”

The problem is, no one knows for sure exactly what that means. People in drag will be allowed into the event space, and in the parade. Beyond that, no one can say for sure what is being targeted. Will a drag queen hosting a stage, no matter how tame the act, run afoul of the governor’s fascist minions waiting for a “gotcha!” moment on camera?

Such a scenario was on Newton’s mind.

“[Businesses] could hire a drag queen who comes up and if they adjust themselves one time, the governor’s people are there taking a picture of it.”

HAMBURGER MARY’S CHALLENGES DRAG BAN

John Hayden

he ink of the governor’s signature was barely dry before a new law severely restricting drag entertainment in Florida faced its first legal challenge. Hamburger Mary’s in Orlando is challenging the law on first amendment grounds of free

Plaintiffs are asking for a judge to issue an injunction, which would essentially put the law on hold while it works its way through the courts. If that happens, it’s possible that could take some of the pressure off of upcoming events, like Stonewall Pride, on whether they will ban drag entertainment

The federal lawsuit says reservations for its family-friendly drag brunch on Sundays are down 20%. Like its sister store in Wilton Manors, Hamburger Mary’s in Orlando often programs drag

entertainment.

The law is vaguely written, but is being interpreted as banning all live drag shows, regardless of the content. The plaintiffs say their shows wouldn’t violate the law, which defines adult live performance as a show with a live audience that depicts or simulates nudity, sexual conduct, excitement, or activities. It also bans exposure of prosthetics or simulated sex organs.

“The law does not ban drag,” Sterling told SFGN. “So I don’t have to make decisions on a hypothetical. What appears to be obvious is the governor has a special place in his heart for drag and Disney.”

THE REAL VILLAIN

Much of the arguing is within the LGBT community itself, with many calling for open defiance, damn the consequences. While that is a worthwhile discussion, all ire must be directed back to the man who put us in this position to begin with: Gov. Ron DeSantis.

He signed the bill after forcing it through his rubber stamp legislature in Tallahassee. Even before the new law, DeSantis was already changing the interpretation of prior laws and regulations, using administrative measures against venues that hosted drag events with children present.

“We all knew this was coming since before he went after those places. He was quite public on where he draws the moral lines,” Sterling said. “The only new thing is a sense of fear and confusion that is causing fractions of the gay community to attack internally out of fear.”

GMCSF, MARLINS KICK OFF PRIDE MONTH

John Hayden

When it comes to professional sports and LGBT communities, the playing field is more open than ever. In that spirit, the Miami Marlins are ready to celebrate Pride In the Park Celebration at Marlins Park on May 31.

Taking the field with the team will be the Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida (GMCSF), who will sing the national anthem.

“Singing the national anthem for professional sports teams is always a highlight for the chorus,” GMCSF Artistic Director Gabe Salazar said. “We have really enjoyed our relationships with these teams and look forward to performing every year.”

Having a presence at Pride nights is important outreach for the chorus and the LGBT community in general.

“Performing in local South Florida communities is crucial to developing relationships with new populations. Some residents and visitors may hesitate to attend one of our mainstage concerts in person,”

GMCSF Executive Director Mark Kent said. “By meeting people where they are in their neighborhoods, at professional sporting events, and at other local gatherings, we can bring our messages of love and inclusion right to them.”

All four of South Florida’s major sports teams have a Pride game and are supportive of the LGBT community. Salazar says he likes performing the national anthem at games, because it gets work out of the way and leaves time for everyone to enjoy the game. “We always have the best time because we get to sing, stay for the game, and have a fun night out. The crowd is extremely receptive and welcoming whenever we perform at a game.”

Pride night starts at 6 p.m.

There will be a pregame reception in the Biscayne Bay Brew Hall, where fans can meet Billy Bean, the only gay former MLB player. Ticket packages are also available, and include discounted admission and a Marlins Pride bucket hat at mlb.com.

Hamburger Mary’s and Ron DeSantis via Twitter.

Stonewall Pride Parade 2022. Photo by JR Davis.

GOODBYE SOUTH FLORIDA

SOUTH FLORIDA GAY NEWS SHUTS DOWN; OUR LAST ISSUE

When Norm Kent died in April, we had hoped to continue his legacy of hard-nosed journalism through the South Florida Gay News. But we quickly realized that would not be feasible. This was not an easy decision, but in the long run it’s the best decision for us and the community.

So this is a quick and short note to say thank you to our readers, our advertisers and all those who believed in us. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

SFGN may be gone. But we are not. Stay tuned.

– Jason Parsley, Justin Wyse and the team of SFGN

SUNSERVE CELEBRATES IN TIME OF CHANGE

John Hayden

The start of 2023 has been busy for the team at SunServe. Highlights include their affiliation with AHF, raising more than a half-million dollars and being the top team at Florida AIDS Walk, and beginning a move to their new digs in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

The group took time to celebrate their accomplishments at their facilities on the Sunshine Cathedral campus. The mood in the room was light and festive, in part due to a surprise visit by CEO Tony Lima.

“It’s been quite the adventure,” he said. The adventure he refers to isn’t the organization’s growth, but his own personal recovery.

He had surgery on one of his hips in early May, and had surgery on the other this week. Titanium parts are being inserted into each hip. While he’s been recovering, his staff has carried on.

“They’re incredible. I really have to be

thankful to everyone who’s kept everything rolling,” he said.

Lima’s been keeping up with business via phone and internet, but has seen first hand how the group is doing much more than limping along. “It’s been incredible. I start to do things and they’re like ‘oh we just got this done. It’s like they’re anticipating what could happen. I’m so proud of this team and the way they roll with the punches.”

While Team SunServe rolls along, Team Tony is providing TLC at home. His parents, Esther and Tony, and his boyfriend, Dr. Guillermo Salinas, are taking care of him while he does physical therapy and literally gets back on his feet.

He hopes to be back and active in June, optimally in time for Stonewall Pride.

“We see it as our pride, since our main campus is in the center of Wilton Manors. We want to put our stamp on the advocacy and protesting necessary.”

LOCAL MAYORS COME TOGETHER FOR BREAKFAST IN WILTON MANORS

John Hayden

Wilton Manors seems like a city more suited to brunch than an early breakfast, but running cities is a 24-7 proposition. So people got up early and packed The Pub to meet four influential mayors: Scott Newton of Wilton Manors, Dean Trantalis of Fort Lauderdale, Aisha Gordon of Oakland Park, and Broward County Mayor Lamar Fisher.

Far from being adversarial and territorial, all four have collegial working relationships with each other. From issues regarding increasing strain on infrastructure to overbearing, fascist laws coming from Tallahassee, they all stressed the need to work together.

The business-minded audience were especially keen to hear their opinions about a public ban on drag entertainment and calls by some groups to avoid Florida altogether. The general feeling was that boycotts do more harm than good.

“If you don’t come to Florida, that means you’re going to sap the resources the state needs in terms of people, voices, and activism,” Trantalis said.

On the drag ban, all eyes are on Newton. It’s his city that is preparing to host the Stonewall Street Festival, the state’s first major LGBT event since Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the law. “I’m worried about businesses and what this law does to them.”

He notes that if a bar is found in violation, it could lose its liquor license for up to six months, essentially putting them out of business.

Wilton Manors Business Association (WMBA) hosted the event. “As an island city that relies on our neighbor cities it’s imperative that we work together to meet the needs of the business community as well as the community at-large,” WMBA President Gary Van Horn said.

Mayors Scott Newton, Dean Trantalis, Aisha Gordon, and Lamar Fisher. Photos via Facebook.

PRIDE FORT LAUDERDALE TAKES YOUR MONEY, OFFERS NO ACCOUNTABILITY

John Hayden

Pride Fort Lauderdale has not filed a tax return in more than three years.

According to the IRS, Pride’s last federal return was received on May 13, 2020 for the year 2019.

Through extensions and quirks in the tax code, a nonprofit like Pride can take about three years and five months to file a return. But even under the most forgiving scenario, Pride appears to be just a week away from missing its deadline to report their finances for 2020, a solid three years and five months ago.

How the organization is operating, as well as who’s in charge, are questions President Miik Martorell is in no hurry to answer.

As SFGN reported, Martorell appears to be the only person running the organization, without any executive board to oversee him. SFGN has learned that he has brought on Ernie Yuen to serve as Executive Director or in some analogous role. Drew Segura, a local DJ and entertainer, recently posted on social media that he has joined Pride and will work on their social media and digital presence. But that’s all we know. Pride’s website is still promoting February’s event and its About Us page still lists board members and employees who have resigned.

EMPTY PROMISES WHILE EMPTYING OUR COFFERS

The city of Fort Lauderdale and Broward County are key partners in making sure the event happens. In the runup to Pride of the Americas (POTA) in February, the city stepped in at the last minute and offered a new location and covered some of the security costs. Visit Lauderdale, the county’s tourism arm, traditionally kicks in tens of thousands of dollars.

And while Pride happily takes the money, it offers little in return. Martorell has promised to show us a profit and loss sheet from POTA. He has promised to get minutes of board meetings posted. He has promised transparency.

None of the promises have been fulfilled.

The lack of transparency caused major sponsors to drop out just weeks before POTA, and a steady stream of resignations, starting with now-former executive director

Kevin Clevenger, left the organization bare.

In an exclusive interview with SFGN, Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said he believes in the event but stresses that Pride is its own group, not a part of the city, and Fort Lauderdale functions in a supportive role.

“They’re completely on their own. I don’t understand what happened,” Trantalis said.

Indeed, it is hard for anyone on the outside looking in to understand what’s going on because Pride won’t tell you.

Their intentional evasiveness led to the exodus of board members and volunteers. The departures are what concerns Trantalis.

“What concerns me is that the group has disintegrated. Hopefully by this time next year we’ll be able to see a reconstituted board with a lot of energy,” he said.

501(c)3 groups don’t have a lot of restrictions on them, but Pride’s by-laws are supposed to provide guardrails. Those include setting qualifications to serve on the boards, posting minutes, making notice of meetings, requiring two signatures on a check (both must be members of the Executive Committee and cannot be the treasurer).

It’s possible though Martorell and his supporters have changed the by-laws.

The fact is, they won’t tell us. Legally, they don’t have to.

Though a date for a Pride in 2024 hasn’t been announced, Trantalis remains optimistic. “We’re hoping that Pride Fort Lauderdale is able to reorganize and we’ll be able to have another great event.”

SFGN reached out to Martorell, who has not returned calls related to this story.

Donations to the Norm Kent LGBTQ Newsmaker Fund can be made here: rb.gy/2s1c8.

Photo via Adobe.

ORLANDOANS GREETED WITH ‘KILL ALL GAYS’ SIGN

Christiana

Lilly

In the early morning hours of May 17, drivers in Orlando were greeted with an electronic sign that read: KILL ALL GAYS. The sign, usually reserved for construction updates and the like, was in Orlando’s Medical City near Lake Nona Boulevard, according to Fox 35.

Police responded to the sign and are still unsure who put the messaging on it. A spokesperson for the city told the news station that the sign was out in anticipation for a 5K run in the area the following weekend. The city contacted the barricade company and the sign was taken down the same day.

Carlos Guillermo Smith, a former state representative who is now running for the Florida Senate, posted a photo of the sign on Twitter and wrote, “This is NOT the place I call home. It’s not Orlando, it’s not Florida. It’s a dystopian upside-down world contrived out

SUPREME COURT ACTION COULD IMPLICATE LGBT MED ISSUES

of an era of unchecked political extremism and overt bigotry. I refuse to be a bystander. We will not let hate win.”

Fellow Orlandoan Rep. Anna V. Eskamani also tweeted in response to the sign: “This happened in Lake Nona — the homophobia and transphobia need to stop. The rhetoric is already bad, the policies dangerous — and all of it has and will translate into violence.”

If you have information about who tampered with the sign, please call the Orlando Police Department at 321-235-5300.

TAMPA PRIDE FACING MULTIPLE PROBLEMS

THE CANCELLATION OF ITS SEPTEMBER EVENT MAY JUST BE THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG

John Hayden

Tampa Pride held its main, annual event in March, before a new law essentially banning public drag entertainment took effect. Its next event isn’t so lucky. The organization has canceled September’s Pride On the River, citing the new law.

A COVID-era innovation, the family friendly Pride On the River included a diversity-focused boat parade, face painting for kids, a drag brunch and more.

“The climate right now is just very bad,” Tampa Pride president Carrie West said. He hopes to bring the event back next year.

But Gov. Ron DeSantis and his anti-LGBT policies are only some of the problems Tampa Pride faces. According to Axios, several board members say the organization has lost community support. They quote Cassandra Hair, a former board member, who said, “The

way this organization is run is heartbreaking. This community deserves so much more.”

West denies the lack of community support, but after an interview with Axios he said the decision to cancel the September event was made before DeSantis signed the bill into law.

Tampa has long had a difficult relationship with Pride events. The city had no Pride for a decade after a commissioner got the votes to prohibit the use of any city resources for LGBT related events. Tampa now has a lesbian mayor and a seemingly booming LGBT community.

The escalating clash over the availability of a certain FDA-approved medication to terminate an early-stage pregnancy has significant implications for many LGBTQ people. Over the years, various entities have tried to block the use of hormones for gender transition and medications for HIV prevention. Now, the court battles raging over the abortion drug RU-486 (also known as mifepristone) could determine whether any federal judge has the power to pull any controversial medication off the market.

So, there was guarded appreciation Friday (April 21) when the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it would grant a stay against a lower court decision in Texas that sought to pull RU-486 off the market. (Two justices –Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito— dissented from the stay.)

“While today’s ruling to keep this safe, effective drug available for the time being is a sense of relief,” said U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, “our fight to preserve a woman’s right to control when and if to have a family continues.” The Supreme Court’s procedural action came in a consolidation of two appeals, FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine and Danco Pharmaceuticals v. Alliance. Both appeals asked the Supreme Court to stay an order issued by a U.S. district court judge in Texas until the merits of the case could be appealed.

Alliance v. FDA began when an antiabortion coalition asked a federal judge (appointed by then President Trump) in Amarillo, Texas, to strike down the FDA’s long-standing approval of RU-486. The judge did so on April 7. That same day, another federal judge (appointed by then President Obama) in Spokane, Washington, issued a ruling to ensure that RU-486 would remain available in 18 states which joined a lawsuit by the company that distributes RU-486 (Danco).

The Texas decision moved quickly to the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals which issued a stay against only part of the district court’s ruling taking effect until the appeals court could rule on the merits of the decision. The FDA quickly appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court and, on April 21, the Supreme Court stayed the district court’s entire order.

“LGBT people should care about this case,” said Jenny Pizer, chief legal officer for Lambda Legal. In fact, she said, LGBTQ people should be “profoundly alarmed” by the Texas judge’s “utterly lawless ruling” and “only slightly less” alarmed by the Fifth Circuit’s willingness to let part of the judge’s ruling take effect.

“First, many LBTQ people need ready access to emergency contraception for a range of medical reasons, including the decision not to continue a pregnancy for one’s own reasons,” explained Pizer. “…The trial court’s approach just as easily (or perhaps more easily) could be aimed at HIV-related medications and puberty blockers and hormone treatments, as well as medications for many other health conditions that are specially relevant for our communities.”

Lambda Legal and other LGBTQ groups have long warned that any damage done to the right to choose an abortion could have deep implications for the right to have intimate relations, including marriage, for LGBTQ people. Abortion, said Pizer, “is an LGBTQ+ issue for personal medical reasons, liberty and autonomy doctrinal reasons, and [for] broad, movement partnership reasons.”

Lambda Legal and the National Center for Lesbian Rights were among the more than 200 civil rights, health, and justice organizations which submitted a brief to urge the Supreme Court to block the Texas judge’s ban from going into effect. Twelve out of 13 of Congress’ openly LGBTQ members signed onto a similar brief from 253 members of Congress. The Congressional brief against allowing the Texas judge’s ruling to take effect said the ruling and the Fifth Circuit’s upholding of part of it had “perilous consequences reach far beyond mifepristone.”

“Providers and patients rely on the availability of thousands of FDA-approved drugs to treat or manage a range of medical conditions, including asthma, HIV, infertility, heart disease, diabetes, and more,” said the brief. “Moreover, the prospect of courts second-guessing FDA’s rigorous drug safety and effectiveness determinations will disrupt industry expectations and could chill pharmaceutical research and development.” The District of Columbia and 23 states also submitted a brief to the Supreme Court, asking it to stop the Texas judge’s ruling from going into effect. Those states, including California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Oregon, said that taking RU-486 off the market would increase the need for surgical abortions, thus increasing the stress on many clinical facilities and causing delays that affect all patients.

Lisa Keen Keen News Service

Photo by Robin Marty via Flickr.

Photo via Tampa Pride, Facebook.

Drivers were surprised by a homophobic electronic sign in Orlando. Photo courtesy of Twitter/Carlos Guillermo Smith.

CHRISTIAN COLLEGE FIRES TWO EMPLOYEES FOR INCLUDING PRONOUNS IN EMAIL

Christiana Lilly

Houghton University in New York fired two employees in April after they refused to remove their pronouns from their email signature.

Raegan Zelaya and Shua Wilmot, both resident hall directors, told the New York Times that the school said they had violated a new policy when they added their pronouns to the email.

“I think it boils down to: They want to be trans-exclusive and they want to communicate that to potential students and the parents of potential students,” Wilmot said.

The two staffers also added that not only was adding the pronouns a way to be inclusive, but also clear up any ambiguity for email receivers as the two have uncommon names.

The small college of less than 1,000 students describes itself as a “Christ-centered liberal arts and science university, providing an academically challenging educational experience through an orthodox Christian worldview.” The New York Times reports that the school has come under fire for closing a

DODGERS APOLOGIZE; REINVITE SISTERS TO PRIDE NIGHT

In a plot twist, the Los Angeles Dodgers will follow through on their original commitment to honor the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

multicultural center in 2021, an environmental sustainability program, and ended its recognition of an on-campus LGBTQ club.

A spokesperson said the firing was not based solely on the pronouns, but that “we’ve required anything extraneous be removed from email signatures.” However, a photo of Zelaya’s termination letter includes the reason for her firing was “as a result of your refusal to remove pronouns in your email signature.”

According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, both employees were on one-year contracts to manage the men’s and women’s residence halls. Zelaya already had plans to not return and Wilmot’s contract was not renewed.

MINNESOTA MAN CHARGED IN RUBY RED SLIPPER THEFT

Christiana Lilly

The saga of the stolen ruby red slippers from “The Wizard of Oz” has ended in the indictment of a Minnesota man.

Terry J. Martin, 76, was charged by a federal grand jury with theft of major artwork, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office North Dakota Division.

The iconic footwear was stolen in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids and recovered by the FBI 13 years later. The identity of the shoe caper was a mystery until the announcement on May 17. The museum posted the press release on its Facebook page, simply writing, “Ruby Slippers Update.”

When the Star Tribune newspaper called Martin, he only said, “I gotta go on trial. I don’t want to talk to you.” Janie Heitz, the executive director of the Judy Garland Museum, told the newspaper that his name didn’t ring any bells to the staff.

Martin allegedly broke into the museum in

2005 through the backdoor and then smashed the glass case where the shoes were stored. In a documentary from 2016, staff explained they didn’t want the shoes to be handled each and every night — possibly causing damage — and put in a vault. The museum’s alarm did not sound and no fingerprints were found. Finally, more than a decade later, the shoes were found in an undercover operation by the FBI. Worth about $3.5 million, the U.S. Attorney’s office says the pair was one of just four remaining pairs used in the movie.

The Dodgers apologized for rescinding the drag group’s invitation to Pride Night. The decision came after “much thoughtful feedback from our diverse communities, honest conversations within the Los Angeles Dodgers organization and generous discussions with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence,” the ball club stated.

Pressure from anti-LGBT hardline Catholics, persuaded the Dodgers to cancel plans to honor the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, fearing their presence would “distract from the great benefits that we have seen over the years of Pride Night.”

The controversy was stoked by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) who penned a letter objecting to the sisters being given a Community Hero Award at the June 16 game.

“Do you believe that the Los Angeles

NEWS NATIONAL

Dodgers are being ‘inclusive and welcoming to everyone’ by giving an award to a group of gay and trans drag performers that intentionally mocks and degrades Christians — and not only Christians, but nuns, who devote their lives to serving others?”

The nonprofit’s San Francisco Order refuted assertions they harbored anti-Catholic beliefs.

“Our ministry is real,” wrote Sister Rosie. “We promulgate universal joy, expiate stigmatic guilt and our use of religious trappings is a response to those faiths whose members would condemn us and seek to strip away the rights of marginalized communities.”

Upon learning of the sisters’ exclusion by the Dodgers, Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken invited them to attend Anaheim Angels Pride Night on June 7 as her guests.

DHS: ANTI-LGBT THREATS ON THE RISE

Kim Swan

Threats against the LGBT community are rising, according to new statistics from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

DHS shared a document with law enforcement and government agencies on May 11 detailing hate crime statistics, according to the Washington Blade. The numbers come from the FBI’s database and they indicate that 20% of crimes committed in 2021 were motivated by bias linked to the victim’s sexual orientation or gender.

“These issues include actions linked to drag-themed events, gender-affirming care, and LGBTQIA+ curricula in schools,” the agency said.

The Williams Institute of the UCLA School of Law reported in 2022 that LGBT people are nine times more likely than non-LGBT people to be victims of violent hate crimes.

Because of this, DHS is warning of a possible rise in attacks against LGBT people

in public spaces and healthcare sites as Pride celebrations begin in June.

The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, a group that describes itself as “a disaggregated data collection, analysis, and crisis mapping project,” found that antiLGBT incidents including “demonstrations, acts of political violence, and the distribution of offline propaganda — have more than tripled from 64 events in 2021 to 193 events in 2022 as of mid-November.”

Raegan Zelaya and Shua Wilmot. Screenshot via Stand By Your Values, YouTube.

John McDonald

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

Photo via Facebook.

Photo by JR Davis.

Dorothy's ruby red slippers safely back at the Judy Garland Museum. Courtesy Facebook/Judy Garland Museum.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (Screen capture).

THE NEW NORMAL –DRAG ON LOCK DOWN

Sean Conklin

Dr. Macek is double board certified in Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine by the American Board of Anesthesiology. Dr. Macek is fellowship trained in Pain Medicine at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, the birthplace and leading program of modern

WINDOWS WERE COVERED WITH THICK BLACK PAPER, A SIGN HUNG ON THE DOOR STATING “18+ ONLY” AND A HOST STOOD GUARD OUTSIDE. THIS WAS THE SCENE AT LILO’S STREET FOOD AND BAR IN LAKE WORTH BEACH LAST SATURDAY AS THE IMPERIAL SUN COURT OF ALL FLORIDA HELD ITS REGULAR DRAG BRUNCH FUNDRAISER.

The drastic measures were all in response to the new bills signed into law last week by Governor Ron DeSantis.

The Imperial Sun Court of All Florida (ISCOAF) is a charity that raises money for other nonprofits through drag performances. Despite the changes and challenges, the show this weekend raised over $1,100.

It took the passion of many dedicated planners, performers and allies to make sure it went off without a hitch.

Previously, the show at Lilo’s was performed outside in the outdoor seating area. It was visible to all who walked down the streets, or sat at other restaurants enjoying their brunch.

The show would, at some points, literally stop traffic as performers danced in the streets, or drivers lingered to watch after the light turned green. Families would come with their children, and it wasn’t uncommon to see the kids showered with

praise from the queens and even offered some accessories.

Eric Lipson, Reigning Emperor of ISCOAF, said, “I was honored, along with my Empress Leila Cox, to continue our charity drag performance at Lilo’s knowing we are in uncharted territory with the new Florida performance law. We are grateful for our allies, especially Lilo’s, who support us as we continue on our mission of good deeds raising money for community charities. The court supports the ACLU Drag Defense to keep the message forward that drag is not illegal. Our next drag show at Lilo’s will be June 24 at noon.”

The planning of the show was fraught with challenges. Some performers did not feel safe performing without clear guidance on what could and could not be considered illegal. Lilo’s pulled out all the stops to ensure that the performers and guests felt safe and protected, having a long and prosperous relationship with ISCOAF and its fundraisers.

Despite all of the challenges, the show went on. Nevertheless, the queens persisted. Currently there are lawsuits attempting to nullify or at least suspend some of the laws that were enacted last week.

The community is determined to do what it has always done - resist.

And, of course, raise money for charity.

From left to right: Reign Chambers, Vasti Love Montana, Jamie LaChoy, Eric Lipson, Miss Cheevious Lee, Anita “Mother” Moorehead, and Madison Mansfield. Courtesy photo.

DRESS CODE AT STONEWALL PRIDE?

I read in the Sun Sentinel that Jeff Sterling plans to impose a dress code and a code of conduct on Stonewall.

From the Sun Sentinel:

The major changes will focus on conduct, clothes and language.

Vulgarity is out. “If you wouldn’t say it in front of your 6-year-old niece, you ain’t saying it in public,” he said.

There is a dress code. Showing off female breasts and prosthetics are out. “None of that borderline stuff like pasties,” Sterling said.

Sterling will tell performers, “You are entertaining for minors, your audience is a bunch of kindergartners. How would you treat it as if it was your child.”

And there’s conduct. “You can’t touch yourself inappropriately, grabbing genitalia, using your body and thrusting it in a certain way,” Sterling said.

He’s got to be kidding. What is he going to do? Spy on attendees and have the pride police eject anyone who violates his code of dress, language, and conduct? What does he mean by “no borderline stuff”? How is this not caving completely? How is this a Pride celebration if we’re trying to blend in with the straights?

OPINION

IT’S TIME TO MAKE SOME ‘GOOD TROUBLE’ IN WILTON MANORS

There are many people rightfully upset that this year’s Stonewall Parade & Street Festival may not feature drag performances. But if that wasn’t bad enough, they now may be policing our language.

Instead of rising up against these new Draconian laws handed down by our tyrannical governor, it appears some leaders are willing to enforce their own set of Draconian laws against the community in order to avoid the governor’s wrath.

So far the argument has centered around whose fault is it? Gov. Ron DeSantis? The City of Wilton Manors? The commissioners? The Stonewall Festival? The bar owners?

Nope. It’s our fault.

It’s easy to sit behind a mobile phone and comment about how mad you are.

Well then. Do something.

And that’s why I believe it’s time to make some “good trouble” in Wilton Manors.

Former Congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis once said, "Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble."

It’s a call to action.

If Wilton Manors isn’t representing you, if the organizers of the Stonewall Street Festival are not representing you, it’s time to make your voice heard.

But you have to do something.

Other Pride festivals around the country have faced similar crises and sometimes it’s taken grassroots organizers to make the change that was needed and wanted. When our leaders become tone-deaf we sometimes have to make “good trouble” to make them hear us.

Activists around the country have shut down parades, they’ve protested, they’re formed alternative Prides.

So stop bitching and do something.

Here’s an excerpt from the Sun Sentinel about the upcoming June festival: The major changes will focus on conduct, clothes and language.

Vulgarity is out. “If you wouldn’t say it in front of your 6-year-old niece, you ain’t saying it in public,” he said.

There is a dress code. Showing off female breasts and prosthetics are out. “None of that borderline stuff like pasties,” [Jeff] Sterling said. Sterling will tell performers, “You are entertaining for minors, your audience is a bunch of kindergartners. How would you treat it as if it was your child.”

And there’s conduct. “You can’t touch yourself inappropriately, grabbing genitalia, using your body and thrusting it in a certain way,” Sterling said.

It’s ironic a festival named after the Stonewall Riots is even considering caving to DeSantis’ demands. The riots were started by the most marginalized parts of the LGBTQ community. And now the most mainstream parts of our community, who have capitalized on those riots, are turning their backs on us, especially our drag performers, and our transgender community.

It’s a disgrace.

But it’s not surprising. This is what happens when you choose liquor over liberty; profits over pride; cowardice over courage.

So what to do?

Here’s a start. Email them: stonewall@ hotspots.lgbt. Call them (find their number at www.stonewallpride.lgbt/). Contact their board. Stage a protest, every day if you must, in front of their building at 2435 N Dixie Highway, Wilton Manors. Contact their sponsors.

Whatever you do, remember these words from Lewis:

“Speak up, speak out, get in the way. Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America.”

Also, wear pasties.

Sincerly,

Jason Parsley

John Lewis.

Photo by By United States House of Representatives, via Wikimedia Commons.

Editorial Graphic by Kyle Willis

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE BROWARD COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT

OPINION LIFE WITH TOTO Jesse’s Journal

Jesse Monteagudo

Good morning, Dr. Smiley. I’m preparing to visit my father out of state who just had his kidney removed and is now on dialysis but feel the need to share what I am hearing throughout my community.

Yesterday while the world observed the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB1069, expansion of “Don’t Say Gay”; SB254, banning gender affirming care; HB1521, the Anti-Transgender Bathroom Bill; and HB1423, the Anti-Drag Bill. The abhorrent actions by DeSantis now place Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) individuals, and their families in grave danger.

Upon introduction of the above stated legislation, Broward County Public Schools has been aware of the high likelihood for them to be enacted by the governor. As superintendent you have failed to advocate and protect LGBT-youth and families and remain idle as the attacks keep coming from Tallahassee.

Regretfully, the community has witnessed your failure to advocate in a transformational manner for the school district to engage authentically with diverse community stakeholders to develop strategies to solve the problems for where we find ourselves today.

BCPS is without curriculum or policy for sexual health education, and district administration have failed to replace the LGBTQ Critical Resource Guide with a tool to assist staff when attempting to support LGBT-youth. Under your watch, LGBT-youth and families have been bulldozed into the shadows.

My tone may sound harsh; however, the LGBT-community has been patient, lied to, and continually disrespected. This is compounded when Broward County School Board Member Brenda Fam continually spews anti-LGBT rhetoric from the dais and is left unchecked by you or School Board Chair Lori Alhadeff. You insisted that Fam prioritizes the interest of every student – yet, her constant hateful rants, especially towards transgender individuals during board meetings demonstrates otherwise.

Broward County Public Schools are not safe for LGBT-students, family, or employees. BCPS lacks single occupant restrooms so transgender individuals can simply use the restroom in peace and safety. To my knowledge, the only single occupant restroom at KCW is in the boardroom. Does the school district plan to retrofit buildings or is your solution to relegate transgender people to use a portable toilet in the parking lot?

I wish you had the same leadership as Leon County Schools Superintendent Rocky Hanna or Escambia County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Tim Smith to act courageously and speak out against book banning and the anti-LGBT oppressive laws and movements, but you haven’t shown any.

Given the superintendent selection process is underway, and you have weighed in on the issue, the community is concerned with your hand-picked nominee’s ability or commitment to solve some of these critical concerns.

I am urging school board members to ensure our next Superintendent will affirmatively respond to the needs and concerns of the LGBT community.

Regards,

Michael Emanuel Rajner

Fort Lauderdale LGBT Right Activst

Ronald David Farago, known to his friends as “Toto,” is unforgettable, loving, amusing, amazing, comical, and witty. At times he could also be stubborn, opinionated, and insufferable. However good or bad, Ron is the most interesting person that I have ever met. He is also the most important person in my life, at least since the death of my partner of over thirty years, Michael Greenspan.

I met Ron way back in the mid-80s, after I turned 30 and Ron was still in his mid-20s. Marty Rubin, my colleague as a contributor to The Weekly News (twn) and member of the Board of Pride South Florida, introduced me to his young protege. (Marty Rubin, also known as “the old bike daddy,” was a well-known writer, journalist, and leader of South Florida’s leather, SM, and fetish community.) It was Marty who named Ron “Toto,” after the dog in The Wizard of Oz, because he was “cute, lovable, small, and hirsute” (hairy). At that time Marty’s “boy computer genius” lived in Cape Canaveral, where he worked as a computer analyst at the Kennedy Space Center. Marty introduced Toto to the local gay scene where Ron, being young and handsome, was quite popular. From 1998 to 2000 Ron chaired GNOMES (Gay Naturist Orlando Men Enthusiasts Society), Central Florida’s gay nudist club; and attended nationwide gatherings sponsored by GNI (Gay Naturists International) and CMEN (California Men Enjoying Nature). Though Ron and I saw each other now and then, we did not connect until Ron, not yet forty, retired from his computer job and eventually (July 1, 2001) moved to South Florida. During much of that time we were involved with other people, Ron with Jim Chen (one of the nicest guys I’ve known) and me with Michael Greenspan.

During the first decade of this century, Ron and I became friends, and I attended some of the parties he hosted in his house in Oakland Park. But we did not get close until tragedy brought us together. When dementia struck Michael, forcing me to

place him in memory care and then in a nursing home, my friends urged me to go out and meet people. I decided instead to go on a sea cruise and emailed my friends in search of a shipboard roommate. Ron answered my email, and the rest is history. By that time Ron had also experienced loss, namely Jim Chen’s untimely death from brain cancer. Ron and I started seeing each other on a regular basis and, after Michael passed away in 2017, we remained close.

My relationship with “Toto” Ron Farago is unusual, to say the least. Ours is an open, honest relationship, with dual residency. We share a circle of friends; we go out to dinner and the theater together; we often travel together; and we share our interest in the gay naturist movement, both in South Florida and elsewhere. I share my troubles with Ron, and I grudgingly accept his constructive criticism. I even played gay uncle to Ron’s lovable dog Popi who, sadly, is no longer with us. Though Ron is no Michael Greenspan, I learned to take him one day at a time, and that is good enough for me.

This is my last “Jesse’s Journal” column for SFGN. But it is not the last of me. I hope to continue writing, in whatever medium, for as long as there is life in me.

Photo via Adobe.

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.

Ronald David Farago and Jesse Monteagudo. Courtesy photo.

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

CONGREGATION ETZ CHAIM

2038 N. Dixie Hwy (Pride Center Building B), Wilton Manors

954-564-9232 - etzchaimflorida.org

congregationetzchaim1974@gmail.com

Friday Night Shabbat Service 8p.m.

SPIRITUALITY

LISTINGS

PENTECOST

THE ENERGIZING EXTRAVAGANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

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

SAINT MARK'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND SCHOOL

1750 East Oakland Park Blvd Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334

954-563-5155 | www.saintmarksftl.com

Worship Sundays @ 8am and 10:30am

ST. NICHOLAS EPISCOPAL CHURCH

1111 E. Sample Road Pompano Beach, FL 33064

954-942-5887 | StNicholasFL.org

Sunday Service 9:30AM

On the Feast of Pentecost, we celebrate the gift of the energizing extravagance of the Holy Spirit. It is also a time when, I suggest, the LGBTQ+ community should attend worship services in droves, precisely because of the emphasis on the Spirit –that person of the Most Holy Trinity with mixed pronouns.

She is often perceived as Sophia – the embodiment of divine Wisdom in the Old Testament, even as the New Testament uses the masculine pronoun “He.” Kittredge Cherry, in his article “Pentecost: Holy Spirit Brings LGBTQ Visions,” describes this mixed pronoun experience as “a rather queer blurring of gender duality.”

“Pentecost” means “the fiftieth day.”

During the Great 50 Days of Easter, we celebrate our new life in Christ. Pentecost caps off the Eastertide celebration with the gift of the Spirit igniting our awareness to

the passionate presence within us of a loving God who promises to lead us into all truth (John 16:13) – truth about God, about love, and about ourselves.

Pentecost is the day when the Spirit descends in a blazing fire of compassion and rests upon each of us, enabling and emboldening us to dream dreams and see visions. Pentecost is the day the Spirit reveals the depth of love that overcomes the world’s exclusions. Pentecost is the Power of the Spirit to live as our true selves – loving as we are loved.

As the LGBTQ+ community knows well, choosing to see reality through the lens of love in the midst of rabid xenophobia can be extremely difficult. The Holy Spirit helps us recognize that God’s love is what is most true. She is our personal advocate testifying that each one of us is created out of love, in love, and for love and that we are “very good” (Genesis 1:31).

The Rev. Mark Andrew Jones, BSG Rector, St. Nicholas Episcopal Church

WHAT’S DRAG?

WHAT’S ENTERTAINMENT?

Is Elaine Noble, the pioneering heroine of the LGBTQ Movement, in drag here?

Though elected as the first openly gay person to a state legislature in Massachusetts in 1974, she now lives in Florida, and I find her very entertaining. Would Gov. Ron DeSantis have her arrested for wearing a cutout mustache at Ray’s birthday party?

What is drag? There actually is no such thing as a woman in drag. Women who wear men’s underwear and suit and tie are called “Comfortable and Fashionable.”

So that leaves us guys. I’ve been in drag twice in 75 years, and though it wasn’t a pretty sight, I was very entertaining. Would I be barred from the Wilton Manors Gay Pride parade because I wore jewelry and make-up but wearing men’s shoes? How about if I add perfume? Am I in drag if I wear a wig? What about guys in chemotherapy who lose their hair and wear a temporary wig?

What clothing constitutes drag, and what is considered entertainment? Whistling, singing, dancing? Is a man in a skirt who plays the bagpipes a drag entertainer? What about a man in a mustache and dog collar who wears Dorothy’s Gale’s blue checkered dress and ruby red shoes, and tap dances?

Are only men in drag who entertain at risk of being arrested in the Wilton Manor’s Pride parade? What if the entertainment was wearing a Ron DeSantis mask and ball gown? That would be funny. Is laughter an indication of entertainment? If the guidelines on what constitutes drag are unclear, and the guidelines on what’s entertainment are unclear, is it a matter of being paid? If I drive my pretty red convertible down Wilton Drive during the parade and I’m in a wig and make up, but “men’s clothes,” and if I sing off key and someone throws a dollar into the car in appreciation, am I a paid drag queen entertainer who should be arrested?

A neighbor and good friend works for the county. He’s the one who first told me about there being no drag entertainers in the Wilton Manor’s Pride parade. He’s outraged by the ruling, but he also knows that if the city challenges DeSantis, all state funding of city projects will dry up.

If the Wilton Manors police arrest someone in the parade, let’s remember they’re on our side. They’re following the orders of people also on our side, who are afraid of being removed from office by the governor and of losing essential state funding of city and county projects.

Ron DeSantis is the most fascist politician I’ve had the displeasure of governing my life. He won’t last, and the courts will rule against all of his dictates on what can be taught from kindergarten through college. But, before that, what kind of “good trouble” can we cause the governor, without making it impossible for the City of Wilton Manors to complete necessary projects?

Brian McNaught has been an author and educator on LGBTQ issues since 1974. Former Congressman Barney Frank said of Brian, “No one has done a better job of chronicling what it’s like to grow up gay."

www.brian-mcnaught.com.

Elaine Noble. Courtesy of Brian McNaught.

RON DESANTIS IS THE MOST FASCIST POLITICIAN I’VE HAD THE DISPLEASURE OF GOVERNING MY LIFE.

Brian McNaught

‘SPELL BOUND’

Aurora Dominguez

Interested in reading rivals featuring apprentices who must work together to save their magical worlds? Then check out “Spell Bound” by F.T. Lukens.

WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION BEHIND SPELL BOUND?

The inspiration for Spell Bound was born from two different desires. The first was that I wanted to play around with a different type of magic system than I’d written before. I had a conversation with my brother about developing a world that revolved around an external source of magic kind of like a magical wi-fi. And I wanted to explore how that type of magic would work in an urban setting. The other goal was to write a story that addresses themes of self-love and self-acceptance and show the journeys of characters learning how to embrace their true selves.

WHAT DOES “READING WITH PRIDE” MEAN TO YOU?

To me Reading with Pride means making an active choice to read and support books that celebrate queerness and diversity and inclusion.

WHY DO YOU FEEL REPRESENTATION OF A VARIETY OF PEOPLE IS SO IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO WRITING BOOKS?

When writing for young adults, it’s important that even in fantasy stories or speculative media that the characters feel real and accessible. And diversity, inclusion, and intersectionality are real life for our readers. And as a lover of fantasy and speculative fiction, I want the worlds that I create to feel like a place where the reader would want to be. When I was growing up, I loved reading sci-fi and fantasy books. And while there were characters that I related to and there were definitely stories that I loved, there wasn’t a singular character that I could point to and say, ‘yes, that character right there is like me.’ Because while I’m certain there were books being written with queer characters and neurodivergent characters, I didn’t have access to them. I didn’t know where to look for them. So, it’s important to me that I write stories where young adults can see themselves as heroes and can have a happy ending.

WHAT CAN FANS EXPECT FROM SPELL BOUND?

Fans can expect romance, comedy, a found family of characters, and a chaotic magical world. There are small acts of rebellion and creepy haunted houses and an adventure in a magical forest. And there is a cast of characters that I absolutely love who don’t like each other much at first but who grow closer over the course of the novel and become a makeshift family.

F.T. Lukens. Photo via www.speilburgliterary.com.

THEATER FEATURES FANTASY, FUN

J.W. Arnold

Regional and touring theater productions offer an escape from the summer heat with witty and wonderful productions that are sure to amuse South Florida audiences:

‘DISENCHANTED’ MNM THEATRE CO.

MNM Theatre Co. returns to the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach for its production of “Disenchanted.” More a revue than a musical, the adult-themed show supposes what the Disney princesses might have to say about life, if they were real – all while carefully stepping around any possible trademark infringement or cease-and-desist letters from the corporate powerhouse. The ladies protest misogyny and gender stereotypes, curse and drink, and a couple even explore a little girlon-girl action. It’s a bawdy show that the ensemble cast sell handily with their powerful voices. Hurry, the show closes May 27. Tickets at MNMTheatre.org.

‘TRACY JONES’

ISLAND CITY STAGE

Island City Stage presents the rolling world premiere of this new comedy by Stephen Kaplan. Tracy Jones is a lonely woman who leads a dull, uneventful life and she’s sure it’s partly because her name is drab. But what if she celebrates her name by hosting a party and inviting every woman named Tracy Jones – not just from her hometown, but all over the world? And, what if she hosts it at Jones Street Bar and Grill, the Place for Wings (and Things)? What could go wrong with that scenario? Kaplan’s play is a study in belonging and self-worth and runs through June 18.

Tickets start at $40 at IslandCityStage.org.

‘NEWSIES’ SLOW BURN THEATRE CO.

Stop the presses! Slow Burn Theatre Co., the regional company in residence at the Broward Center, presents its latest Disney musical, the dance-centric “Newsies,” June 10 – 25. Set in turn-of-the century New York City, “Newsies” is the rousing tale of a band of teenaged paperboys. When their publishers raise distribution prices at the young men’s expense, they strike against the unfair conditions, dancing and singing all the way. Based on the 1992 motion picture and inspired by a true story, the show will showcase the

Fairy tale princesses tell their stories on their terms in “Disenchanted,” playing through May 27 at the Kravis Center in West

talents of director/choreographer Patrick Fitzwater.

Tickets start at $49 at SlowBurnTheatre. com.

‘BEETLEJUICE’ BROADWAY IN FORT LAUDERDALE

Tim Burton’s film about a couple of straight-laced ghosts who haunt the quirky new owners of their New England home gets the Broadway treatment with song, dance and lots of special effects. We’re not going to get Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder or Catherine O’Hara in this touring production, but makeup and costumes (not to mention incredible voices) will more than make up for our film favorites.

Tickets start at $30 at BrowardCenter.org.

‘SIX DANCE LESSONS IN SIX WEEKS’ EMPIRE STAGE

Lily, an aging but formidable retiree, hires Michael, an acerbic dance instructor, to give her dance lessons in her condo in St. Petersburg Beach, Florida. Antagonism between a gay man and the wife of a Southern Baptist minister gives way to profound compatibility as they tango, foxtrot, and chacha while sharing barbs and intimacies along with the dance steps. During the sixth lesson, Lily reveals a closely guarded secret and Michael shares his greatest gifts. The comedy runs June 16 – July 2 at Empire Stage in Fort Lauderdale.

Tickets are $30 at EmpireStage.com.

Palm Beach.

Credit: MNM Theatre Co.

MATTER OF FACT EXHIBITION FEATURES THOUGHT-PROVOKING WORKS OF ART

Denise Royal

When you think about creating art, it may not be synonymous with facts. Facts are tangible (at least they used to be), and art is ethereal. A new art exhibition called Matter of FACT features the works of two women; Niki Lopez and Khaulah Naima Nuruddin. Both are South Florida-based artists and educators. Both are women of color who identify as lesbians.

Their exhibition features various art media and invites attendees to examine their identities while encouraging them to embrace their stories. It is also designed to uplift people, including those who feel marginalized.

“All the works have layered stories and meanings, so it’s not to be taken solely at face value,” said Lopez. “Our works are not meant to be decorative; they meant to dig deep, be vulnerable, share ourselves, provoke, advocate, and educate.”

The artists also want those who see their work to challenge societal norms and embrace their full selves.

“I want people to leave this exhibition and

realize and affirm the power of art,” said Lopez. “I want them to use art to its full capacity and to know that one or one’s work can be impactful even if it’s not ‘popular,’ trending, or easily digestible.”

The Matter of FACT exhibition takes place at the 1310 Gallery at 1310 SW 2nd Court (Middle Street) in Fort Lauderdale. Anyone interested can contact the artists to schedule a private viewing. There will also be an art-making "What’s Your Elephant" workshop followed by a closing Tea Party June 10

Photo by Niki Lopez.

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