SFGN 10/21/21 V12iss42 by South Florida Gay News

LOCAL NAME GLOBAL COVERAGE

OCTOBER 21, 2021 VOL. 12 // ISSUE 42

MUSIC IS

BACK LOCAL ORCHESTRAS GEAR UP FOR EXCITING SEASONS PAGE 36

Halloween Extravaganza PAGE 2 SOUTHFLORIDAGAYNEWS

Remembering DJ Frank Corr PAGE 24

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Bree Black: Still No Justice PAGE 14

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NEWS HIGHLIGHT

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PRIDE FORT LAUDERDALE, AHF PLAN HALLOWEEN EXTRAVAGANZA John Hayden

little kink, a little fetish, a lot of fun. Halloween weekend kicks off with a costumed gala at Design Center of the Americas (DCOTA). Pride Fort Lauderdale and AHF are throwing a Halloween extravaganza. With a costume contest, open bar and live DJ, they promise this will be a Halloween party like you’ve never experienced. The Fetish and Fantasythemed bash will be cohosted by two South Florida Icons: Kitty Meow and FayWhat. “Pride Fort Lauderdale does nothing halfway,” FayWhat told SFGN. “They are pulling all the stops for The Design Center of the Americas (DCOTA). Photo via Facebook. this Halloween extravaganza. They’ve been working on this “We are really excited best, most imaginative costumes,” event for months and each about presenting an upscale FayWhat said. “Pop culture and scandals week there’s been an added, Halloween event that’s all are always included. I expect to see Squid mind-blowing surprise!” inclusive with cash prizes Game realness. Someone is definitely She said this party will galore,” co-host Kitty Meow going to dress like the First LGBTQ+ Man more than make up for said. on the cover of Playboy. Or Britney... COVID canceling Halloween The costume contest FREED!” last year. has prizes of $250, $500 FayWhat has plenty of ideas for her own - FayWhat DJs Lady Snack Daddy and and $1,000, and we get the costume but has yet to pick one. DRAG QUEEN Kidd Madonny will share feeling that the naughtier “That is so tough. I want to be everything! music duties and be joined by the costume, the better your I want to tap into my fetish lesbian side for a series of haunting performers entertaining chances. sure. From Kim Kardashian at the Met Gala the crowd. Tickets start at $85 dollars for “When it comes to uniqueness, our to the newly out Queen of the night, Elvira.” general admission. The VIP Experience is community always comes up with the $150, and the VIP Red Light District is $1500 for a table of six. While everyone can go to You can see which look (or looks) FayWhat picks at the DCOTA on Friday, Oct. 29. The party the open bar, a perk of the VIP sections is is from 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Tickets are on sale now at PrideFortLauderdale.org/Halloween. top-shelf liquor.

“THEY’VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS EVENT FOR MONTHS, AND EACH WEEK THERE’S BEEN AN ADDED, MIND BLOWING SURPRISE!”

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• 10 . 21.2021

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COVER: Maestra Sebrina María Alfonso will lead the South Florida Symphony this season in its new Fort Lauderdale home at The Parker. Credit: Steven Shires.

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October 21, 2021 • Volume 12 • Issue 42

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Publisher • Norm Kent Norm.Kent@sfgn.com

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Senior Feature Columnists

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Special to SFGN Steve Rothaus

Correspondents

Kendall Little • Everitt Rosen • Donald Cavanaugh Deon Jefferson • David-Elijah Nahmod Aurora Dominguez • Gillian Manning Denise Royal • Corey Rose • Kennedy McKinney

Contributing Columnists

Pier Angelo • Terri Schlichenmeyer Gregg Shapiro • Dana Rudolph • Ric Reily

Associate Photographers Carina Mask • Steven Shires

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NLGJA Journalist of the Year SOUTH FLORIDA GAY NEWS.COM, INC. — — FOUNDED, DECEMBER, 2009 BY PIER GUIDUGLI AND NORM KENT South Florida Gay News is published weekly. The opinions expressed in columns, stories, and letters to the editor do not represent the opinions of SFGN, or the Publisher. You should not presume the sexual orientation or gender identity of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations in SFGN. SFGN contracts with independent entities for stock images. Furthermore the word “gay” in SFGN should be interpreted to be inclusive of the entire LGBT community. All of the material/columns that appears in print and online, including articles used in conjunction with the AP, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher, at his law office, at Norm@NormKent.com. SFGN, as a private corporation, reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs.

10 . 21. 20 21 •

LGBTQIA BITES

BY KENNEDY MCKINNEY

IT’S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT THE G Lesbian

JULIANNA MARGULIES DEFENDS PLAYING A LESBIAN ON ‘THE MORNING SHOW’ Julianna Margulies, who plays Laura on “The Morning Show,” defended her choice to portray a lesbian character. Since the second season aired, she’s been receiving pushback for playing a gay character when she is heterosexual in real life. After recent debates in the media on lack of queer representation, she’s been asked why she chose to play Laura. “I’ve played a gay character before, and who’s to say I haven’t had my own gay experiences? It’s like, you know, we’re making assumptions, then. I felt like they were going with what they felt was the best choice for them. And the best choice to fit in between these two very powerful lead women on that show,” said Margulies in an interview on the Just for Variety podcast. She also noted that she played a lesbian

• 10 . 21.2021

Julianna Margulies. Photo via Facebook.

character in the past in the 2000 indie dramedy “What’s Cooking?” “I would never ever be angry if a lesbian played a straight woman. And I don’t think there’s, you know, I haven’t seen the discrimination towards lesbians to play gay women. So I don’t know if it’s the same kind of conundrum. But maybe, maybe it is, and if so, I apologize,” said Margulies.

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

Bisexual

FORMER CNN ANCHOR ANJALI RAO COMES OUT AS BISEXUAL

Anjali Rao came out to co-star Kyla Kirkpatrick in a recent episode of “The Real Housewives of Melbourne.” The 47-year-old, who has interviewed big names like Kevin Spacey and Bill Clinton, said she had to keep her past relationships with women “very secret” due to her career. “I kept it hidden for forever until a couple of years ago, I got out of the worst relationship of my life. And the person decided to destroy me by outing me to everybody,” Rao said. However, Rao turned the betrayal into something positive. “So since that person outed me, I decided to use that in a positive way. I couldn’t be happier to be in this position and go, ‘I’m bisexual and I love it,’” she said. She is looking forward to this newfound

Anjali Rao. Photo via Instagram.

identity and is happy that she no longer has to hide. “It’s a new thing for me, but I am openly bisexual,” said Rao.

LGBTQIA BITES

Transgender

BLACK TRANS CAST MEMBER FILES COMPLAINT AGAINST THE MUSICAL ‘HAMILTON’ Suni Reid, a “Hamilton” cast member for more than two years, filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against the parent company of the Broadway hit, Eliza Tour and Adventureland LLC. The complaint included allegations of performers harassing, physically threatening and intentionally and repeatedly misgendering them. Reid also noted that shortly after they asked management to set up a gender-neutral dressing room at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre, the musical suddenly “refused to renew their contract,” according to the complaint. “Unfortunately, during Mx. Reid’s years with the show, which purports to be an icon of diversity, they have experienced frequent incidents of discrimination and harassment from cast members and management of Hamilton based upon their race, sexual orientation/LGBTQ+ status, gender, and gender identity,” the complaint reads. The show, which is famous for showcasing

Suni Reid. Photo via YouTube.

diversity, denied the allegations. A “Hamilton’’ spokesperson told NBC News in a statement that they “deny allegations in the charge,” adding that management has provided Reid with “direct financial support, paid for their health insurance and paid for their housing.” Reid’s legal team is persistent and is planning to fight for their rights and hopes that this serves as a “wake-up call for the theater industry about the systemic inequities that persist even at its greatest heights.”

10 . 21. 20 21 •

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 . 21.2021

WEEK Photos by J.R. Davis

Flockfest Founder Steven Crawford with his friend Andis Tamayo, the founder of Renand Foundation.

Outshine Film Festival CEO Victor Gimenez with husband Edwin Scharlau, owner of Route 7 Productions.

Husbands David Jobin, president of Our Fund Foundation, and Angel Burgos, executive director of the FIU Business School.

Plantation Barnes & Noble store manager Alvaro Hunter with his husband Andy Hunter, a lawyer who just graduated from FIU law school.

One Person Can Make a Difference With legacy gifts your impact lives forever. Jack W. Huizenga

September 28, 1939 — August 23, 2020 Even after his passing, Jack's legacy lives on. His philanthropic contributions will endure through his Legacy Fund at Our Fund Foundation.

A Life Well Lived

Jack and his devoted late partner Donald Broaddus enjoyed more than 50 years together and led remarkable lives. They enjoyed traveling the world and generously contributing to many LGBT-supportive agencies. Jack was a resident of John Knox Village in Pompano Beach and was a proud member of the Sunshine Cathedral. Before his passing, Jack mindfully created a Legacy Fund at Our Fund Foundation to ensure the causes and organizations which matter to him most during his remarkable life could continue to benefit from his financial support. Thanks to Jack’s forethought and generosity his Legacy Fund will continue to support LGBT senior programs at SunServe and need-based scholarships at his alma mater the University of Michigan, through the Spectrum Center that supports LGBT+ students. “Jack Huizenga and his partner Donald Broaddus were early supporters of Our Fund Foundation as they recognized and valued the importance of aiding LGBT-supportive causes,” said David Jobin, president and CEO of Our Fund Foundation. “Their generosity will be recognized for generations because of the steps they took during their lives to make certain that their estate reflected the values by which they lived their lives.”

Our Fund Foundation is honored to announce the creation of the Jack W. Huizenga Fund, a legacy fund that will greatly benefit South Florida’s LGBT supportive community

Jack Huizenga, right with his partner Donald Broaddus

Our Fund Foundation’s mission is to secure the LGBT community’s future by promoting and increasing responsible philanthropy, strengthening community organizations and their leaders, and connecting donors to causes that matter To learn more about how Our Fund Foundation can help you establish a legacy plan, please contact Our Fund at DJobin@Our-Fund.org or call 954-565-1090. A sampling of South Florida LGBT-supportive agencies Our Fund Foundation is proud to support. Alzheimer's Association Aqua Foundation Broward House Chainless Change Compass LGBT Community Center Equality Florida

Gay Men's Chorus of South Florida Gilda's Club Island City Stage Jewish Community Services of South Florida Latinos Salud

Museum of Science and Discovery OUTShine Film Festival Pride Center at Equality Park South Florida Institute on Aging Stonewall National Museum & Archives

SunServe Sunshine Cathedral Thou Art Woman TransInclusive Group Urban League of Broward County

10 . 21. 20 21 •

NEWS NATIONAL

BY GILLIAN MANNING

THE COUNTRY ACROSS

TEXAS

TEXAS HOUSE PASSES ANTI-TRANS ATHLETES BILL

On Oct. 14, the Texas House of Representatives passed a bill preventing transgender students in public schools from participating in team sports aligned with their gender identities. House Bill 25 was stalled multiple times after not being able to pass through the House, the Texas Tribune reported. This time it passed the vote 76-54 and is expected to pass the Senate. Under the bill, student athletes would have to participate with the sports team that corresponds to the sex listed on their birth certificate, and it will not recognize modified birth certificates, only those from when or around the time the child was born. LGBT advocates point to the toll that previous anti-transgender legislation has had on trans youth. Supporters of the

Texas House of Representatives. Credit: Randy von Liski, via Flickr.

bill say that it does not bar children from participating in sports. “This is all about girls and protecting them,” said Rep. Valoree Swanson, who authored the bill. Rep. Mary E. González argued, “If you care about mental health, and I know you do, then do this simple thing and not advance this piece of harmful legislation … There is no issue with transgender and intersex students playing sports.”

• 10 . 21.2021

Colorado is the first state in the country to classify transition-related care as essential healthcare. With the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approval, gender-affirming care in the individual and small group health insurance markets is now required, the Los Angeles Blade reported. “Health care should be in reach for everyone; by guaranteeing transgender individuals can access recommended care, we’re one step closer to making this a reality,” Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra said. Axios noted that coverage for hormone therapy and genital reconstruction surgery is limited and won’t come into effect until 2023. The new rule only applies to certain insurance policies, meaning the rule will

A trans woman speaking to her doctor. Photo credit: VICE.

cover about 9% of the state’s population. Rep. Brianna Titone, Colorado’s first elected openly transgender lawmaker, said the provided services “are critical for the health and safety of LGBTQ+ communities and will provide more Coloradans with the agency they need to affirm their identities.” The new plan will also require plans to cover procedures for transgender patients such as facial bone remodeling for facial feminization, eye and lid modifications, face tightening, laser hair removal and breast/chest construction and reductions.

CALIFORNIA

HIGH SCHOOL FORCED TO REMOVE PRIDE, ‘SAFE SPACE’ POSTERS

COLORADO

COLORADO MANDATES HEALTH SERVICES FOR TRANS PEOPLE

WISCONSIN Over the summer, Wisconsin’s Waukesha Superintendent James Sebert ended staff diversity training and suspended the district’s equity leadership team. He ordered that Black Lives Matter, as well as Thin Blue Line signs, be removed. All signs showing support to the LGBT community had to also be removed. Rainbow signs recommended by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction that read, “Safe Place” also were forcibly removed, the Wisconsin Examiner reported. While other student organizations could use colorful posters, the gaystraight alliance club was only allowed to display black and white signs. The authority to ban political signage in schools typically pertains to the promotion of political candidates or

COVERING LGBT NEWS SWEEPING THE NATION

LESBIAN COUPLE INDUCTED INTO HALL OF FAME

Photo via Adobe.

parties. Superintendent Sebert has extended this to other issues such as the LGBT community. On Oct. 14, 30 speakers stated their objections to Sebert’s sign policy at the school board meeting. There is also a petition against his policy with the goal of 5,000 signatures. “When you start taking down those signs of support, you basically disappear that community. Somebody is okay to bully, okay to intimidate,” said David Simmons, a speaker at the school board meeting.

The late Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, activists and lesbian couple, were inducted into the California Hall of Fame in a virtual ceremony conducted by Gov. Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom on Oct. 12. When he was mayor of San Francisco in 2004, Newsom issued an illegal marriage license to Lyon and Martin, the Sacramento Bee reported. The California Supreme Court overturned the marriage, but they married again in 2008 due to a brief window during which marriage was legal prior to Proposition 8, the state’s samesex marriage ban. Lyon and Martin were some of the first people to be inducted into the Hall of Fame posthumously, as Martin died in 2008, shortly after their wedding, and

Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon during their wedding. Credit: NickGorton, Wikipedia.

Lyon died in 2020. “Jennifer and I are pleased to induct this group of extraordinary Californians into the Hall of Fame,” Newsom said. “There is no doubt their lives and legacies have helped make California synonymous around the world with innovation, imagination and progress.” The couple had co-founded Daughters of Bilitis, a lesbian rights organization, and were known in San Francisco as trailblazing LGBT leaders.

NEWS INTERNATIONAL

BY EVERITT ROSEN

THE WORLD AROUND

EXPLORING LGBT NEWS EVENTS ACROSS THE GLOBE

ASIA

EUROPE

INDONESIAN POPULATION UPSET BY BISEXUAL SUPERMAN

ALLIES SHOW SOLIDARITY FOR THOSE ATTACKED IN BIRMINGHAM

In Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, new Superman comics depicting the Man of Steel as bisexual are ruffling feathers. According to South China Morning Post, in the fifth and final issue of DC Comics’ “Superman: Son of KalEl,” Jon Kent, son of the original Superman Clark Kent and journalist Lois Lane, comes out of the closet and kisses his male friend and reporter Jay Nakamura. While LGBT groups throughout the world have hailed the news, in Indonesia, opposition has come from religious, political and even child welfare groups — despite the comic not being published in the country. The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the country’s highest Islamic

The new “Superman.” Photo credit: DC.

scholars’ group, was among the most vocal opponents, saying it was upset that “anyone could make cartoons that encourage the LGBT lifestyle.”

After another gay man was attacked in Birmingham’s Gay Village, allies are organizing a demonstration to demonstrate solidarity with the city’s beleaguered LGBT community. According to PinkNews, when JohnPaul Kesseler, 38, uploaded a photo of himself with blood running down his face after being beaten for holding hands with another guy in Birmingham’s Gay Village over the weekend, it sparked outrage on social media. It was the most recent in a series of assaults in the region. When Salman Mirza, 54, found out what had happened to Kesseler, he was shocked. He is now taking direct action by holding a protest outside the Nightingale Club on Kent Street to demonstrate solidarity with LGBT Birmingham locals. “Nothing’s been done. The police are

John-Paul Kesseler. Photo via John-Paul Kesseler, Twitter.

investigating of course, but I was really enraged, and I wanted to show another side of Birmingham — to show that this is unacceptable and that we’re really angry about it,” Mirza said.

AFRICA

SOUTH AMERICA

BOTSWANA APPEALS RULING ON GAY SEX

BRAZIL’S PRESIDENT MOCKS LGBT RIGHTS IN WHATSAPP MESSAGES

Justices in Botswana postponed a decision in a case in which the government is attempting to overturn a 2019 verdict that decriminalized homosexual sex, citing the need for further research and debate. Letsweletse Motshidiemang, a university student, originally initiated the lawsuit, and his attorneys claimed that the legislation should be repealed because society had evolved and homosexuality was more generally accepted. Sidney Pilane, who represented the state in the Court of Appeal, said there was no indication that people’s opinions had altered. Activists argue that the court is the appropriate venue to handle the situation since it has the most resources to safeguard people’s rights.

Photo via Adobe.

“Politicians are afraid of losing elections. We can’t give the responsibility of protecting the minority to the majority,” Cindy Kelemi, the executive director of human rights advocacy organization BONELA, said to Reuters.

On the instant messaging service WhatsApp, Brazil’s president, Jair Bolsonaro, made homophobic slurs, while mocking LGBT rights protestors on a new number. According to PinkNews, he sent a slew of messages to his acquaintances, claiming anything from that the COVID-19 vaccination will make people “turn into alligators” to that “young individuals [had died] of Pfizer.” After radio station Jovem Pan reported on just five examples of adolescents who died recently, two of whom had not even been vaccinated with a single dosage, the president laid into the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which is now being distributed by the federal government. Bolsonaro then went after minimalist artist Rogério Skylab, who said in

Jair Bolsonaro. Photo credit: Jeso Carneiro, via Flickr.

an interview that he had had sexual intercourse with males “three times” but that he is heterosexual. “Up to three times you can,” the president retorted.

10 . 21. 20 21 •

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Vauz Allen poses outside of Hamburger Mary’s. Photo via Vauz Allen, Facebook.

DRAG MEETS BINGO THIS SUNDAY AT HAMBURGER MARY’S John Hayden

elicious drinks, fierce makeup and O-69! Hamburger Mary’s is hosting Drag Bingo Night this Sunday, Oct. 24. But this night of fun will address a very serious problem. All proceeds will benefit No More Tears, a South Florida organization working to help and empower victims of domestic abuse and human trafficking. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Hamburger Mary’s will open the doors at 6 p.m., and the games begin at 7 p.m. People can buy their Bingo tickets onsite by making a donation to No More Tears. The stunning and always entertaining Vauz Allen will host the night and help dole out prizes. No More Tears has helped more than

30,000 women, children and men break the cycle of violence and begin rebuilding their lives. Many of their clients are members of the LGBT community. Last week they helped a member of our trans community, saying, “Today @nomoretearsusa is helping a member of our trans community and we couldn’t be more proud in doing so.” The plague of domestic violence has gotten worse throughout the COVID pandemic. No More Tears cites a report from UNWOMEN.org that reads, “Since the outbreak of COVID-19, emerging data and reports from those on the front lines, have shown that all types of violence against women and girls, particularly domestic violence, has intensified.”

HAMBURGER MARY’S WILL OPEN THE DOORS AT 6 P.M. AND THE GAMES BEGIN AT 7 P.M.

Hamburger Mary’s is at 2426 Wilton Drive. You can learn about No More Tears at NoMoreTearsUSA.org.

• 10 . 21.2021

Stonewall: Where History Comes OUT

Monday, November 8, 2021 // 6:00 – 9:00 PM Chima Brazilian Steakhouse // 2400 East Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderale Mark Your Calendar for a Festive Evening! The evening includes cocktail hour with hors d’oeuvres, open bar, traditional Brazilian dinner, awards, entertainment, special guests, and exciting live and silent auctions.

TICKETS ON SALE

DIAMOND SPONSORSHIP James Doan & Brad Zuckerman Richard Quadracci

EMERALD SPONSORSHIP Ronald Herron Dick Schwarz & Tom Massey Michael Fernon

RUBY SPONSORSHIP

Scott Bennett Hunter O’Hanian & Jeffry George Maria Lescano & Jean Willey

at STONEWALL-MUSEUM.ORG

Stonewall is proud to unveil In Plain Sight, an engaging digital experience that brings to life pivotal LGBTQ milestones and achievements. In Plain Sight provides factual historic records and up-to-date information about people who have come out in different professional areas. It features more than 800 entries with brief descriptions and zoom-in capabilities for high-res photos organized in 10 categories: AIDS/HIV, Arts, Business, Film/TV, Literature, Memorials, Milestones, Music, Sports, and Theatre/Dance. Step into the most wonderful #LGBTQhistory journey. Learn your history today: https://www.stonewallnma.org.

For more information visit Stonewall-museum.org

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Made possible by the Florida Humanities Council

3:42:19 1010/19/2021 . 21. 20 21 •AM11

NEWS STATE

EQUALITY FLORIDA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO RECEIVE KEY TO ST. PETERSBURG Kim Swan

Equality Florida’s Executive Director Nadine Smith. Photo via Facebook.

quality Florida Executive Director Nadine Smith will receive the highest civilian honor given by the mayor of St. Petersburg: the keys to the city. On Oct. 14, Mayor Rick Kriseman will hand over the key to the city for being “a leading voice for the LGBTQ community,” according to a press release. “Nadine Smith has been a community organizer, a trailblazer and a leader all her life,” said Mayor Kriseman. “From helping convene the first Oval Office meeting between a sitting president and LGBTQ community leaders in the 1990s to serving as the executive director of Equality Florida, Nadine is a leading voice for the LGBTQ community. She and her

“NADINE SMITH HAS BEEN A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, A TRAILBLAZER, AND A LEADER ALL HER LIFE.” - Rick Kriseman MAYOR OF ST. PETERSBURG

• 10 . 21.2021

work are also an important part of what makes St. Pete so special. That is why I am incredibly honored to give my friend Nadine Smith a Key to the City of St. Petersburg.” Equality Florida was formed in St. Petersburg in 1997 in response to the Defense of Marriage Act. Since then, the organization has worked to ensure that no one suffers harassment or discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, according to the press release. “As we approach the 25th anniversary of Equality Florida’s founding, I am honored to receive the key to a city that has become a beacon of fairness and equality for the LGBTQ community,” said Smith. “While the state legislature escalates attacks on our community, Florida’s cities continue to lead the state in LGBTQ inclusion. Mayor Kriseman’s leadership in St. Petersburg has made this a welcoming place for my wife and I to raise our child. We must continue to uplift the values of fairness and equal treatment under the law and ensure our city and our state are welcoming and inclusive places for everyone to live, work and visit.” The public ceremony recognizing Smith will take place in a special ceremony at the St. Pete City Council meeting on Oct. 14 at 3 p.m. The event will also be live streamed on St. Pete TV.

NEWS NATIONAL

AMERICANS SUPPORT PRO-LGBT POLICIES BUT FALL SHORT ON TRANS RIGHTS Kim Swan

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ccording to a report, the majority of Americans support pro-LGBT policies, but not so much transgender sports and bathroom accommodations. The report conducted by The Public Religion Research Institute showed that 82% of Americans support laws that protect LGBT people from housing, jobs and public accommodations, marking an increase by 10% from 2015. PRRI is an organization that investigates the intersection of religion, culture and public policy.

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TRANSGENDER STUDENTS IN SPORTS Support for transgender students being allowed to participate in high school athletics has decreased since 2018 across the political spectrum, according to the report. Marking a decrease from 61% in 2018, less than half (46%) of Americans favor or strongly favor transgender boys being allowed to participate with cisgender male students in high school sports. Support for this position from Republicans (37%) and independents (63%) has fallen by nearly 20% since 2018, while Democrats’ (68%) support has fallen by 6%. About one-third (36%) of Americans believe that transgender girls should be allowed to participate with cisgender female students in high school sports, marking a decrease from 50% in 2018. Support for this position from Republicans (9%) has fallen by more than two-thirds, from independents (30%) by one-third and from Democrats (62%) by 11% since 2018.

BATHROOM ACCOMMODATIONS As for bathroom accommodations, Americans continue to be divided over policies that allow transgender people to use bathrooms consistent with their sex assigned at birth (47% favor, 50% oppose), similar to 2019 percentages (45% favor, 47% oppose). In 2016, Republicans and independents showed more support for restrictive bathroom policies, increasing from 44% to 74% for Republicans, from 37% to 48%

1946 Wilton Drive • Wilton Manors • FL 33305 www.IslandCitySmiles.com

Photo via Adobe, edited by Brendon Lies.

for independents and from 27% to 31% for Democrats, according to the report. White Christian groups have shown support for it as well.

DISCRIMINATION IN RELIGIONS The report also showed that 63% of Americans oppose allowing religiously based refusals to serve LGBT people, with 36% of Americans supporting them. While white evangelical Protestants’ support for non-discrimination laws rose from 60% to 66% since 2015, their support for religiously based service refusals rose from 54% to 62%. Less than half of all other religious groups favor religiously based service refusals. PRRI also reported Americans’ beliefs about gender identity, comfort levels with transgender people and perceptions of discrimination and personal relationships with LGBT people.

10 . 21. 20 21 •

GET YOUR VOICE

HEARD

FRUSTRATED BY BEING DROWNED IN A SEA OF UNREAD FACEBOOK COMMENTS?

NEWS LOCAL

REWARD FOR INFORMATION ON SHOOTING OF BREE BLACK UPPED TO $10,000 Christiana Lilly

Get your voice heard and letters read visibly on SFGN.com and in our newspaper every week.

Submit your own letter to Jason.Parsley@sfgn.com

Bree Black. Photo via Facebook.

ore than a year after Bree Black’s death, the reward for information leading to an arrest has been increased to $10,000, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office. The agency said Oct. 1 that they do not believe that the shooting death of Black, a transgender woman from Pompano Beach, was a random act. “Like any homicide that occurs in this community, it is our responsibility to investigate these things through,” Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony said during a press conference last year. “However, we can’t

MEDICARE AND PRIVATE INSURANCE ACCEPTED

THE AGENCY SAID OCT. 1 THAT THEY DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE SHOOTING DEATH OF BLACK, A TRANSGENDER WOMAN FROM POMPANO BEACH, WAS A RANDOM ACT.

lose focus on the fact that in the U.S., the transgender community is targeted and discriminated against and we would like to get to a conclusion to understand whether or not this was a matter of a hate crime.” The original award for information leading to the arrest of her shooter was $8,000. The reward money was announced back in August 2020 by Tony and is a combination of funds — $5,000 from the Florida Sheriffs Association Criminal Apprehension Assistance Program and $3,000 from Broward Crime Stoppers. Black was shot and killed by an unknown person the night of July 3, 2020. When police arrived at the scene, they saw she had gunshot wounds, and she was pronounced dead shortly after. Even though the neighborhood was busy due to Fourth of July festivities, there were no eyewitness accounts. Unfortunately, 2020 turned out to be the deadliest year on record for transgender and gender-nonconforming people. According to the Human Rights Campaign, at least 44 people were murdered that year, about double the amount in 2019. Black was one of three on the list from Florida — Tony McDade was shot and killed by a police officer in Tallahassee in May 2020, and Yunieski Carey Herrera was stabbed to death by her husband in Miami in the middle of Transgender Awareness Week in November 2020.

If you have information pertaining to the shooting death of Bree Black, contact BSO Det. Louis Bonhomme at 954-321-4377. To remain anonymous, contact Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS (8477) or online at browardcrimestoppers.org.

• 10 . 21.2021

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NEWS STATE

CAMPBELL FOUNDATION AWARDS $75K GRANT TO SOFLA HIV RESEARCHER Denise Royal

SFGN.COM/SCREENSAVOR

he search for more advanced HIV treatments continues as scientists diligently work to find a cure and develop vaccines. Massimo Caputi, Ph.D., a professor of biomedical science at Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine in Boca Raton, has found a new class of molecules called circular RNAs that HIV-1 generates while replicating in human cells. Circular RNA is a type of single-stranded RNA that, unlike linear RNA, forms a closed continuous loop. Closed circles of RNAs have been shown to regulate the immune system and are often associated with cancer, neurological disorders and autoimmune and cardiovascular disease. “These molecules have the shape of a closed circle and are derived from the RNA that the virus utilizes to produce the viral proteins,” wrote Caputi in a previously released statement. To help advance his research, The Campbell Foundation has awarded Caputi a $75,000 grant to define the precise amount and composition of the circular RNA molecules produced by HIV-1 and determine their role in replicating the virus. “Understanding how HIV replicates in infected cells and how it can escape the control of the immune system is essential for creating new therapeutic approaches to eradicate HIV,” Caputi said. “In addition,

“OBTAINING A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE FUNCTION OF THESE NOVEL MOLECULES MAY LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW WAYS TO TREAT HIV.” - Ken Rapkin EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CAMPBELL FOUNDATION

• 10 . 21.2021

Massimo Caputi, Ph.D., in his lab. Photo via The Campbell Foundation.

because of the high HIV-1 mutation rate, new multi-drug resistant strains are appearing with growing frequency and have accentuated the need for the development of drugs with novel mechanisms of action.” “Obtaining a clear understanding of the function of these novel molecules may lead to the development of new ways to treat HIV,” said Ken Rapkin, The Campbell Foundation’s executive director. “Our organization is proud to have provided Dr. Caputi with the seed funding needed to further his research. We hope that he is able to do the same with this latest grant.” The Campbell Foundation’s Peer Review Board describes this research as exciting and innovative. The hope is that it will lead to a greater understanding of the biology of HIV. Caputi has spent the last year and a half working on new methods to detect COVID-19 and has also developed novel techniques to study RNA binding protein interactions and has made significant contributions to understanding how cellular proteins modulate the replication of the HIV-1 genome.

NEWS STATE

David Jobin. Photo via the Our Fund website.

OUR FUND GIVES OUT GRANTS TO COMMUNITY GROUPS John Hayden

espite being in a worldwide health community. The need for expanded health crisis for nearly two years, many and wellness programs which address basic services and procedures have unique LGBTQ+ community health risks gone overlooked and underfunded. Cancer and disparities ranked highest, and we screenings are down, and are extremely proud to help mental health problems are on support these wonderful nonSIXTEEN GRANTS, profits and initiatives.” the rise, often because people have feared COVID and avoided Sixteen grants, ranging RANGING FROM public places like doctor offices from $8,000 to $40,000, $8,000 TO and health clinics. On Aug. 12, were awarded to community Our Fund Foundation aided groups and their LGBT-specific $40,000, WERE the efforts to improve South programs. Recipients included AWARDED TO Florida’s health by handing Barry University’s Cultivating COMMUNITY out $355,000 from its LGBTQ+ Compassion Project, Equality Health & Wellness Fund. Florida’s Health Equity GROUPS AND “Our Fund seeks to improve Program and Transinclussive THEIR LGBTthe quality of life for the local Group’s U-Matter Project. SPECIFIC LGBTQ+ population through Since 2011, Our Fund responsive, relevant, and Foundation has worked PROGRAMS. impactful philanthropy and to “promote a culture of grantmaking,” said David Jobin, philanthropy by uniting donors president & CEO of Our Fund Foundation. with organizations advancing lesbian, gay, “We recently conducted a comprehensive, bisexual and transgender issues in Broward, researched-based Needs Assessment which Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties identified critical gaps between needs and supporting causes within the LGBT and services in South Florida’s LGBTQ community.”

For more information on Our Fund Foundation and the grantees, visit our-fund.org.

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NEWS NATIONAL

House Minority Leader on Same-sex Marriage:

‘I SUPPORT THE LAW OF THE LAND’ Chris Johnson

Washington Blade

ouse Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), eager to capitalize on the U.S. government coming to the brink of a shutdown with Democrats in control of Congress, was thrown off on Sept. 30 when asked about an LGBT issue in other news of the week. In the wake of Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) — now ostracized in the Republican Party for opposing former President Donald Trump — telling “60 Minutes” she “was wrong” to oppose same-sex marriage, McCarthy initially ducked when asked by the Washington Blade during his weekly news conference whether his views have changed. “Look, same-sex marriage is the law of the land, and it’s what America holds and that’s the law of the land,” McCarthy said. Pressed by the Blade on whether his views have changed, McCarthy repeated, “It’s the law of the land. I support the law of the land. I don’t see how that’s different. I don’t see how that’s news.” McCarthy’s response leaves room for interpretation. To support the law of the land is to support same-sex marriage, but it is not exactly a ringing endorsement and would certainly be a different position for McCarthy. The Washington Examiner reported McCarthy’s words in response to Blade questioning as him having “effectively endorsed” same-sex marriage. The Guardian reported McCarthy “stumbled through an answer” on the issue. The Washington Blade placed a call to the Republican leader’s congressional office seeking clarification on whether McCarthy intended to signal he supports same-sex marriage with those words. McCarthy — like Cheney, who once had a public spat with her lesbian sister Mary Cheney over same-sex marriage — has a record in opposition to same-sex marriage, having cast votes against it before his comments this week. First seated as a member of the U.S. House in 2007, McCarthy missed out on key votes on same-sex marriage, including the

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. Photo via Facebook.

Defense of Marriage Act and the Federal Marriage Act. However, McCarthy as House majority whip in 2011 voted as a member of the congressional Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group in favor of taking up in court defense of DOMA, which barred federal recognition of same-sex marriage, after the Obama administration declined to defend it. The U.S. Supreme Court struck down DOMA in 2013, before ruling in favor of marriage equality nationwide in 2013. In a related vote on LGBT issues, McCarthy played a key role in defeating a 2016 amendment proposed by Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) aimed at upholding an executive order against antiLGBT discrimination in the workplace among federal contractors. The new comments demonstrate radically changed views since that time in the American public’s support of same-sex marriage. According to a Gallup poll in June, support for same-sex marriage reached a record high of 70% this year. For the first time, a majority of Republicans, 55%, said they supported same-sex marriage, the Gallup poll found. As pointed out by the Examiner, that’s nearly double the support from 10 years ago in 2011.

Washington Blade courtesy of the National LGBTQ Media Association.

• 10 . 21.2021

10 . 21. 20 21 •

LGBT HISTORY MONTH

TIMELINE

LGBT MILESTONES A TIMELINE OF EVENTS IN THE FIGHT FOR EQUALITY Stonewall National Museum & Archives

THE PAST CENTURY ALONE HAS BEEN FILLED WITH LANDMARKS AS OUR COMMUNITY HAS FOUGHT TIRELESSLY FOR ITS RIGHT TO EXIST. This timeline, courtesy of the Stonewall National Museum and Archives, is part of a greater LGBT History Month project and explores various LGBT landmarks throughout history. The timeline that these two pages reference has over 110 entries and has been shortened for publication. To see more timelines that explore our shared LGBT history, visit www.StonewallNMA.org.

1969

Marsha P. Johnson and other patrons objected to police raid at the Stonewall Inn in NYC, leading to several days of civil unrest.

1850

Most states had strict laws against same-sex actions with penalties including banishment, castration, imprisonment and death. Same-sex action was often considered “abominable” or “unmentionable,” similar to bestiality and incest.

1942

The US military prohibited gays from serving in all branches of the service.

1958

1952

Christine Jorgensen became the first widely known transgender woman to have sex reassignment surgery.

The Supreme Court allowed One to publish articles about homosexuality in the landmark decision One, Inc. v. Olesen.

1962

1953

1934

The established medical community considered homosexuality a disease that could be cured. “Treatments” included lobotomies, electroshock therapy and castration.

• 10 .21.2021

1948

Alfred Kinsey published Sexual Behavior of the Human Male, empirically establishing that same-sex behavior was more widespread than previously believed.

1952

The American Psychiatric Association listed homosexuality as a mental disorder.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed an executive order banning employment for homosexuals anywhere in the United States government because they were guilty of “sexual perversion.”

The US Supreme Court upheld the right of gay male magazines to be sent through the US mail in the decision Manual Enterprises v. Day.

2003

1993

1978

One million individuals joined the third March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation—one of the largest protests in American history.

US Supreme Court eliminated anti-sodomy laws in 14 states in their landmark decision Lawrence v. Texas.

2015

US Supreme Court declared that same-sex couples could get married in all 50 states in their landmark decision Obergefell v. Hodges.

Harvey Milk was murdered by fellow city supervisor Dan White.

1973

The American Psychiatric Association depathologized homosexuality by removing it from its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual.

1998

1987

1977

In response to efforts to lessen civil rights restrictions on the lesbian and gay community, Christian singer Anita Bryant established the anti-gay organization Save Our Children.

Activists in NYC founded the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) to fight the government’s inaction regarding the HIV/ AIDS pandemic.

Matthew Shepard, a gay student at the University of Wyoming, was beaten and subsequently died of severe head injuries. His murder led to hate crime legislation at the state and federal levels.

2021

2009

President Barack Obama passed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, declaring that federal hate-crime law must apply to crimes stemming from a victim’s actual or perceived gender, sexuality or disability.

Marking the 10th anniversary of the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, the federal Department of Veterans Affairs announced that all (estimated 100,000) military personnel who were discharged due to their sexual orientation or HIV status would have their benefits reinstated.

10 . 21. 20 21 •

LGBT HISTORY MONTH

OFF THE WALL

WHO’S ON FIRST? Pier Angelo

o celebrate the upcoming World Series, I compiled a random list of “First Recorded Homosexual Person, Place or Reference” and organized it in the format of the all-American game. THE LGBT NATIONAL ANTHEM

#6: THE FIRST OPENLY GAY EUROPEAN MAYOR

“Glad to be Gay” performed by Tom Robinson from the album “Power in the Darkness.” Great Britain, 1978. The first commercially successful gay political song. Sorry, it is not “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor.

‘TOP’ OF THE 7TH: THE FIRST OPENLY LESBIAN MUSICIANS TO PLAY CARNEGIE HALL

THE BOYS AND GIRLS OF SUMMER AT BAT: #1: THE FIRST GAY POPE

– Benedict IX (1020-1055) turned the Vatican into a male brothel; he was the first pope known to be homosexual or bisexual at least.

#2: THE FIRST GAY POLITICAL PARTY RECOGNIZED BY A CONSTITUTION

– April 2010, The Philippine Supreme Court recognized Ang Ladlad (Out of the Closet) as a legitimate political party for the first time. The justices said the party complied with all legal requirements and that there is no law against homosexuality.

#3: THE FIRST GAY PRIDE

– NYC June 28, 1970. Thousands of gay men and lesbians took over Sixth Avenue to commemorate the first anniversary of Stonewall.

#4: THE FIRST OPENLY GAY RABBI

– Allen Bennett, Congregation Sha’ar Zahav, has the distinction of having come out in the New York Times in 1978. “Staying in the closet is an emotional death sentence,” he said. “You can do it one person at a time.”

#5: THE FIRST ADVOCATE OF GAY RIGHTS

– Heinrich Hössli (1784-1864) in 1836 published the first volume of Eros: Die Männerliebe der Griechen (“Eros: The Male-love of the Greeks”), a defense of same-sex love.

– Bertrand Delanoe (Paris-France, 2001)

– Cris Williamson & Meg Christian, November 1982. Indigo Girls were 18.

SEVENTH INNING STRETCH GAYEST CITY: – Berlin, Germany 1932, with over 300 gay bars and cafes. ‘BOTTOMS’ OF THE 7TH: THE FIRST GAY MUSICAL GROUP TO PLAY CARNEGIE HALL

– The NYC Gay Men’s Chorus, Christmas 1981. Ricky Martin was 10 years old; two years later he joined Menudo.

#12: THE FIRST GAY DOLL

#8: THE FIRST GAY MONUMENT

#13: THE FIRST PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE TO COME OUT OF THE CLOSET

– Amsterdam, 1985, “The Stichting Homomonument,” on the river Amstel, in memory of all men and women persecuted because of their homosexuality. Bless those “coffee shops” and Amstel Light.

#9: THE LAST EXECUTION FOR HOMOSEXUALITY IN THE WEST

– Britain, 1836, but the death penalty for sodomy was not outlawed until 1861. Sodomy was struck down in the U.S. in 2003. In other countries, the death penalty for homosexual behavior is still enforced.

EXTRA INNINGS: #10: THE FIRST COUNTRY TO BAN DISCRIMINATION AGAINST GAYS IN THE MILITARY – The Netherlands,1974.

• 10 .21.2021

– Gay Bob, 1978, produced by Out of the Closet Inc. The Cher Doll came later.

David Kopay, 1975, played, among other teams, for the San Francisco 49ers (ding ding). Martina Navratilova and Billy Bean came later.

#14: THE FIRST TRANSGENDER POLITICIANS

Italy’s Luxuria, 2006, the first openly transgender Member of Parliament in Europe, and the world’s second openly transgender MP after New Zealander Georgine Beyer.

#15: THE FIRST GAY MARRIAGE

– The first recorded mention of the performance of same-sex marriages occurred during the early Roman Empire. Cicero states that the younger Curio was “united in a stable and permanent marriage” to Antonius. Gay marriages continued until Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. After that they opened the Vatican.

#16: THE FIRST GAY GAMES

– 1982, San Francisco, where else?

MVP: THE FIRST OPENLY STRAIGHT, TRIPLE X PORN STAR ELECTED MP

– Ilona Staller, better known as La Cicciolina, Italian politician, porn star and singer, 1987. She continued to make hardcore pornographic films while in office.

UMPIRE: DAVID MICHAEL PALLONE (Oct. 5, 1951) is a former Major League Baseball umpire who worked in the National League from 1979 to 1988. On April 30, 1988 Pallone was involved in a highly controversial confrontation with Cincinnati Reds manager Pete Rose. The incident led to temporarily stoppage of the game and Pallone being taken out of the game. In September of that year Pallone was forced to resign. He was outed in a New York Post article few months later. Pallone went on to write his autobiography, “Behind the Mask: My Double Life in Baseball,” about his experience as a gay man working in baseball. The book became a New York Times best seller. Game over.

#11: THE FIRST NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY

– October 11, 1988. Is it a coincidence that Oct. 11 is also Eleanor Roosevelt’s birthday? I heard Lincoln is quite mad; he wanted Feb. 12.

TO SEE MORE HISTORY MONTH STORIES, VISIT SFGN.COM/HISTORY2021 22

The Homomonument in Amsterdam (color-edited for clarity). Photo credit: BoBink, via Wikipedia.

Pier Angelo was born in Italy, moved to England at the age of 17 and learned English at the Nelson School of English. He attended college and graduate school in Manhattan. In 2009 he founded SFGN with Norm Kent. Now he’s retired with his husband Tom and his Affenpinscher Cabbage. He still enjoys writing his column Off The Wall for SFGN.

Fifteen Years Serving the CommUNITY

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www.NormKent.com 10 . 21. 20 21 •

IN MEMORIAM TRIBUTE

YOU KNOW WHERE TO FIND US... BUT WE MIGHT BE CLOSER THAN YOU THINK.

REMEMBERING LEGENDARY DJ FRANK CORR John Hayden

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CORINTO’S RESTUARANT 4390 N Dixie Hwy Oakland Park (954) 563-8800 Pictured: Juan Manzani, manager, poses next to SFGN’s newest red box with Fatima Villatoro. Credit: J.R. Davis.

FIND US AT THE TRI-RAIL STATIONS! Boynton Beach, Boca Raton and Fort Lauderale stations

straight facts, gay news. sfgn is also available in the lake worth, boynton beach, and delray tri-rail stations.

• 10 .21.2021

rank Corr, one of the people at the epicenter of the disco revolution, has died. He began his career as a DJ in the mid-1970s, playing at major clubs including the infamously fabulous Studio 54. Later, he moved to Wilton Manors and continued using his talents, and love of music, to rock the club scene here. Corr produced music mixes for local bars, meaning his musical influence stretches nearly 50 years. Frank Corr, one of the people at the epicenter of the disco revolution, has died. He began his career as a DJ in the mid-1970s, playing at major clubs including the infamously fabulous Studio 54. Later, he moved to Wilton Manors and continued using his talents, and love of music, to rock the club scene here. Corr produced music mixes for local bars, meaning his musical influence stretches nearly 50 years. Corr didn’t just move to South Florida — he became an involved member of the community. Since his passing last week, hundreds of friends and fans have taken to Facebook to share stories. “The news of this wonderful human being, sweet, kind, funny and most importantly a master in his craft passing away hit me close to my heart,” wrote Mark Rivera. “I never got to experience him in his early times of his career but did experience working with him and just knowing how much he not only enjoyed what he did but his support for all of us in the business. He would come visit me at Boom and other places I would be working and

Frank Corr. Photo via Facebook.

support, come over and hug me and give me compliments ... I will never forget his kind words and how he practiced the human gesture of just being kind and supportive. Frank, we will all miss you but never forget you and I know you’re up there putting your calming hand on our shoulder telling us it will be ok and keep the music alive.” Corr continued working well past the time many of us would have retired. Last November, he gave an interview to L.O.V. Legacy Hour and talked about how he wants to be remembered. “If it’s legal, just keep doing what you love, don’t stop. I’m lucky enough to do what I love.” Frank Corr was 80 years old.

CORR DIDN’T JUST MOVE TO SOUTH FLORIDA — HE BECAME AN INVOLVED MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY.

10 . 21. 20 21 •

Jesse’s Journal

CONVICTIONS

CORONAVIRUS JOURNAL IX Jesse Monteagudo

OVID is here to stay. This is the way it seems, 18 months after the virus entered our lives to wreck them. We thought we could go back to normal, after a year of lockdowns and social distancing. Like George W. Bush in Iraq, we declared victory prematurely. But we underestimated COVID’s resilience. Though it is wrong to ascribe intelligence to a virus, the organism seems resourceful enough to evolve into more enduring forms at a much faster pace than we “superior” species would. We developed vaccines that would keep us alive and, mostly, out of the ICU, but no matter. COVID just evolved itself into the Delta variant and other strains that are stronger and more contagious. So, we had to go back to face masks, social distancing and Zoom meetings. Sadly, like AIDS or 9/11, COVID has changed our lives forever, and there is no turning back. Humans are stubborn, and there are many of us who, like the U.S. military, refuse to accept defeat. We don’t want to be locked up in our homes or to be limited in the social contacts that make us human. We certainly don’t want to imprison our faces in stifling face masks. As some of you know, I work part time in Port Everglades and the Port of

THOUGH THE PFIZER, MODERNA AND JOHNSON & JOHNSON VACCINES WILL NOT PREVENT US FROM CATCHING COVID, THEY WILL KEEP US ALIVE AND RELATIVELY HEALTHY. 26

• 10 .21.2021

Miami, assisting cruise ship passengers. Like everyone else, I wear a face mask at work. I also wear a mask when I attend Dolphin Democrats meetings or Congregation Etz Chaim services at the Pride Center. I admit that I hate to wear a face mask, especially since I am vaccinated. But I do it for the common good, not to show off my face mask collection. (Visit my Facebook page for samples.) Like the once-progressive but now-conservative comedian Bill Maher said, “I take one for the team.” Other people, alas, are not so altruistic, and refuse to wear a mask because it would encumber them. In the United States of Trumpism and Q-Anon, everything is political. Refusing to take a vaccine was once the province of a few crackpots. Now it is all-too prevalent among right-wingers of all kinds, who believe that turning down Pfizer or Moderna is a good way to “own the libs.” Never has cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face been so obvious. Though the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines will not prevent us from catching COVID, they will keep us alive and relatively healthy. They are more effective than the horse medicine or the regeneron that Gov. Ron DeSantis is peddling all over Florida. Unfortunately, for political and selfish reasons, many of our fellow citizens have turned down the vaccines, as a result of which Florida has one of the highest rates of COVID hospitalizations and deaths in the country. Speaking of Ron DeSantis, wise and compassionate governors would make the best decisions possible for the good of their constituents. Of course, DeSantis is not wise or compassionate. Like his mentor Donald Trump, DeSantis only cares about his extreme right-wing political base and his own political future. He certainly does not care about businesses, local governments or school boards that he tries to browbeat into dropping all mask or vaccine requirements. Backed by a Republican State Legislature and a Republican State Supreme Court, DeSantis made himself Florida’s dictator. And he appears invulnerable. He certainly would not survive in a blue state like California, where the governor is being recalled for

Photo via Adobe.

doing much less. So, what can we do? I am heartened by the fact that Floridians are not taking this lying down, that the journalists that DeSantis hates are speaking truth to power and the school boards in our most populous counties are challenging his tyranny. Others are taking

the governor to court, arguing that his evil moves are literally killing our children. The rest of us must also do our part. At least, we must make sure that DeSantis is only a oneterm governor. We must bring back sanity to a state that throughout history has seen so little of it.

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.

CONVICTIONS

EDITORIAL CARTOON

OUT NOW! LOOK FOR IT NEAR YOU, OR ASK FOR YOUR COPY AT SFGN

By Mike Luckovich

S O U T H

F L O R I D A

G A Y

N E W S

PICTURED: ISLAND CITY STAGE OPENS ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON WITH A REVIVAL “TWENTIETHCENTURY WAY.” THE ORIGINAL PRODUCTION STARRED MIKE WESTRICH, RIGHT, AND CLAY CARTLAND. CREDIT: ISLAND CITY STAGE.

Vol. 10 Issue 4 • OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

READ IT ONLINE AT THEMIRRORMAG.COM 10 . 21. 20 21 •

HISTORY MONTH STATEN ISLAND MUSEUM THROWS OPEN ALICE AUSTEN’S CLOSET DOOR By Cynthia Laird It’s been a long time coming, but officials at the Alice Austen House on New York’s Staten Island have thrown open the closet door, now fully embracing the lesbian pioneer and photographer who lived in the house with her longtime partner, Gertrude Tate.

Alice Austen.

Austen, who was born March 17, 1866, was one of America’s earliest and most prolific female photographers. And while she lived a life of privilege until her later years, she took many photographs of working-class people as well as women. She likely did not call herself a lesbian, Munro and other historians have said, but the LGBT community has long celebrated her.

READ MORE AT SFGN.COM/HISTORY2021

PAULI MURRAY ARCHITECT OF HISTORY

By Victoria A. Brownworth (*PGN is using she/her pronouns in keeping with Murray’s own writings, but Murray was a transmasculine and gender nonconforming lesbian.) Some say Pauli Murray is the most important American activist you’ve never heard of. An iconoclastic socialist-leaning, gender-fluid feminist and Black Civil Rights activist, Murray broke barriers in every aspect of her life. And the barriers Murray broke, the paths Murray created single-handedly and single-mindedly, quite literally changed history. Pauli Murray is, in many respects, the one-name answer to why we need LGBT History Month. Murray’s quest to find herself as someone who variously identified as a woman, a man and as neither, ran parallel to Murray’s quest for racial and gender parity in American society and the law.

READ MORE AT SFGN.COM/HISTORY2021 Join SFGN during October for LGBT History Month and see where it all began for our community... It’s our past, you deserve to know about it.

SFGN.COM/HISTORY2021 28

• 10 .21.2021

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DOUBLE FEATURE

LIFESTYLE FOOD

Casa Sensei Needs an Attitude Adjustment While Papa Duke’s Deli’s Brisket Sandwich is Perfection Rick Karlin

eaders of a certain age will remember that when you went to the movies (you remember going to the movies, don’t you? We all used to do it before COVID changed our lives forever), there was usually what was called a double feature.

Usually, it was a big splashy blockbuster and then a second movie with a lesser budget, the “B” movie. The thing about that is that a lot of times the “B” movie was the better film. “Psycho,” “Enter the Dragon,” “Night of the Living Dead” and “Foxy Brown” are perfect examples. This week I went to two restaurants: one a fancy, pricey spot, the other the B movie equivalent. As with the way movies are screened, we’ll start with the main attraction and then move on to the second feature.

CASA SENSEI

1200 E. Las Olas, Fort Lauderdale 954-530-4176 casasensei.com According to its website “Casa Sensei blends brilliant Pan-Asian flavors with the dynamic culinary traditions of Latin America to create a magnificent fusion eatery … Mixing and matching global flavors …” I’ll give them points for the waterfront dining location; it is both charming and relaxing, and even on a hot September night, was quite comfortable, at least climate-wise. The lowslung bench seating pitches you so far back that it is difficult to sit up straight. To get close enough to the table to eat comfortably, you must give up legroom. Service at Casa Sensei was my main issue. Our server was eager and friendly, perhaps too eager; our behinds had no sooner plopped into the seats and he was pushing drink orders (recommending his “favorites,” which all happened to be the most expensive things on the menu). My husband and I ordered an appetizer to split and a pair of Asian entrées; our friends Fredda and Katia passed on the appetizer course and ordered two of the Latin dishes from the menu. Except for a bit of mixing spices (wasabi mashed potatoes with the Latin dishes,

• 10 .21.2021

sesame seeds on a mole sauce), I didn’t see much “fusion” in the actual dishes. That’s not necessarily bad, because Sensei does do both Asian and Latin fare proud. The actual food was tasty and well prepared. Service is where everything falls apart. Our appetizer was delivered by a different server who had no idea who had ordered it. Not less than 10 minutes later my entrée arrived, followed immediately afterward by my husband’s, leaving us to sit there with three plates while our dining companions had nothing in front of them. The manager happened to walk by and asked if everything was all right. When I explained our issue with the food delivery, he responded in a very condescending manner, “Our food is prepared to order, we are a scratch kitchen, and is delivered as soon as it is ready, perhaps you didn’t read that on the menu. I apologize.” (Substitute “F you” for “I apologize,” and you’ll get an idea of his tone.) Prepared to order from scratch, isn’t that true of all restaurant service? We weren’t at a cafeteria. I went back and looked at the menu on the restaurant’s website, and NO it does not state that anywhere. That’s just an excuse for poor timing in their kitchen. The food coming out of that kitchen is delicious, though. The tuna tower presented four chips topped with chopped tuna tartar. From the Latin portion of the menu, picanha a la Parilla was mostly cooked to order and served with crispy yucca fries, fried rice and wasabi butter. Mojo marinated pork chops were accompanied by white rice, black bean purée, maduros and chimichurri. From the Asian side, my hubby was satisfied by his pad thai with crispy tofu. It just wasn’t remarkable. Neither was my sesame chicken. The chicken was crispy, and the blood orange caramel sauce added a nice sticky quality, but the green beans were overcooked. We passed on dessert, and a good thing too, as it started to rain just as we were leaving. As

Papa Duke’s Deli. Courtesy of Rick Karlin.

Casa Sensei. Courtesy of Rick Karlin. the end credits started to roll, I thought for a big-budget meal (nearly $80 a couple, without drinks) there wasn’t enough bang for the buck.

INTERMISSION PAPA DUKE’S DELI

1950 Wilton Dr., Wilton Manors 954-530-4914 papadukeswm.com Getting second billing, but tops in taste, the long-anticipated Papa Duke’s deli opened on the Drive a few weeks ago. On my first two visits, I turned around and walked out; the lines were just too long. The third time I walked in right after lunch hour and was waited on almost immediately. The menu is limited, with five specialty sandwiches and a build-your-own variety, and a couple of salads. Breakfast sandwiches and pastries are also offered. I opted for the star of

HUNGRY FOR MORE? 

the show, the sandwich that gets top billing: the Drunken Brisket. I don’t know why it’s called that, nor do I care, as long as I can order it again. A healthy, but not overwhelming, portion of slow-roasted, juicy brisket is served atop your choice of bread or roll (and the bread is a star in its own right). The meat is topped with pickled veggies (almost like what you’d get on a bahn mi) and spicy pepper tapenade. Barbecue sauce and provolone blanket the entire thing. It’s not cheap, at $12.75, but there’s enough there for a very hearty lunch or two smaller meals. My veggie hubby had to “settle for” the caprese sandwich, but after one bite the vegetarian didn’t feel that he was settling anymore. There are also a BLT, Reuben, and an Italian cold cut classic, all priced at $12.75 and served with a small side. Papa Duke’s is still ironing out some kinks; they’re known to run out of brisket long before the end of the day. But the food is delicious and the service is friendly and willing to please, and that makes them the main attraction in my book.

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.

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10 . 21. 20 21 •

FEATURE PETS

T H I R D T I M E’S THE CHARM

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Fun-loving Bayou (ID645904) was adopted but soon returned because they felt this 55-pound fellow was too big. Remember … it’s not how big you are but how well-behaved, and Bayou is a good boy. He is very friendly, good with people of all ages, loves bones and is a mellow fellow who likes to lie around. Bayou is heartworm positive, so his adopting family will have to bring him back to the Humane Society of Broward County for treatment. If you’ve thought about getting a great dog, Bayou could be the perfect fit.

If you would like to meet a pet at the Humane Society of Broward County, please visit www.humanebroward.com to complete a pre-adoption application. Visit www.humanebroward.com to learn more or call 954-989-3977 ext. 6. Appointments are not necessary for the vaccine clinic, which is open Monday — Friday 9 a.m. — 4:30 p.m. credit cards only. The banners rotate, so click on the one that says COVID-19 update adoptions and essential services update and scroll down a little bit. There you will find an application for adoption and other pertinent information. Complete the application (even if you have adopted before) and submit it. Adoptions are being done by appointment only now. For more information call 954-989-3977 ext. 6. FACE MASKS ARE REQUIRED WHEN COMING TO THE SHELTER.

• 10 .21.2021

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10 . 21. 20 21 •

A&E APPOINTMENTS

More than 75 books were removed from the Stonewall National Museum’s lending collection for containing misinformation about AIDS. A new exhibit explores how these books and others helped spread falsehoods about the epidemic. Credit: Stonewall National Museum and Archives.

ARTSBEAT THE AIDS EPIDEMIC: ON EXHIBIT AND ON STAGE J.W. Arnold NEW EXHIBITION DEBUTS AT STONEWALL “Mis-Information – True and Not-So-True Early Information About AIDS,” the latest exhibit at Stonewall National Museum & Archives (SNMA), 1300 E. Sunrise Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale, opens on Oct. 21 at 6:30 p.m. with a reception and curatorial talk by Executive Director Hunter O’Hanian. “As we cope with another wave of COVID-19 cases, especially here in Florida and the American Southeast, focus has been redirected to what we know and don’t know about the prevention of treatment of a viral pandemic. Everyone is aware of the misinformation relating to COVID circulating on social media and the press,” said O’Hanian in an announcement. However, the early days of the AIDS pandemic were not very different, O’Hanian pointed out. While the medical community made some early progress, myths were rampant about the cause, transmission and treatment of the disease. Concerns were raised about AIDS originating from prior vaccines or nefarious motives from the “medical establishment” or governmental leaders. Baseless claims were made about purported treatments and cures. The exhibition draws on SNMA’s collection of early AIDS books, many of which were removed from the lending collection because they contain factual errors. The exhibit also explores how some of these rumors were spread through the gay press. “We are hopeful that as people look at how mis-information was spread then, they might make better choices today with regard to the spread and treatment of COVID,” O’Hanian added. For more information, go to Stonewall-Museum.org.

NEW COMEDY PREMIERES AT EMPIRE STAGE “Old Tricks,” a new comedy by local playwright Michael Bush, will receive its world premiere Nov. 5 – 28 at Empire Stage, 1140 N. Flagler Drive in Fort Lauderdale. After 30 years apart, two 60-something former lovers who broke up during the AIDS crisis impulsively rendezvous at Fire Island’s famed Belvedere Hotel. Madness ensues when they discover one of their husbands is watching from a nearby house while the other one has checked into the room next door with a mysterious young man. Bush described his play as “inspired by Noel Coward’s ‘Private Lives’ — old tricks prove to be as potent as new ones, as sexual escapades are exposed, cocktails are thrown, hard truths are revealed and a talent to amuse reigns supreme.” Mike Dinwiddie, Thomas Farmer, Brian Piedra and Michael Wright star. Bush does triple duty as writer, director and cast member. Performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 5 p.m. Tickets are $30 at EmpireStage.com. Use promo code EMPIRE to save $5.

• 10 .21.2021

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10 . 21. 20 21 •

A&E MUSIC

LOCAL ORCHESTRAS GEAR UP FOR EXCITING SEASONS J.W. Arnold

oth of the region’s leading professional orchestras — the South Florida Symphony Orchestra (SFSO) and the Symphony of the Americas (SOTA) — are finally kicking off full seasons of concerts following more than 18 months of pandemic-fueled uncertainty. The SFSO is debuting in the recently renovated Parker Playhouse in Fort Lauderdale while SOTA’s long-awaited new artistic director returns to the podium at the Broward Center.

SFSO NAMED PARTNER IN ARTS AT PARKER

• 10 .21.2021

Maestra Sebrina María Alfonso will lead the South Florida Symphony this season in its new Fort Lauderdale home at The Parker. Credit: Steven Shires.

SOTA ARTISTIC DIRECTOR ANNOUNCES NEW SEASON

The curtain will finally rise on SFSO’s 2021-22 season on Nov. 17 at its new home, The Parker. The orchestra joined Broadway Across America, Florida Grand Opera and Miami City Ballet as a Partner in the Arts with the Broward Center, which oversees programming and operations at the venue. The opening performance, conducted by Artistic Director Sebrina María Alfonso, will feature Berlioz’s “Roman Carnival Overture,” Ravel’s vibrant orchestration of Mussorgsky’s iconic “Pictures at an Exhibition” and a 100th birthday celebration in honor of tango composer Astor Piazzolla, featuring “The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires” (Las Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas) performed by guest violinist Siwoo Kim. During the pandemic, Alfonso turned to streaming performances to connect with audiences and keep her musicians employed. She thinks patrons will notice some unexpected benefits: “I think having to perform without an audience last season and all the precautions that had to be taken brought an intimacy to the music that perhaps will grow even more this season. We relied totally on each other to bring the music alive virtually, and I think if we carry that into the concert halls that it will be even more amazing with the audience’s energy mixing with ours,” she said. Other concerts in the upcoming season include: Handel’s “Messiah,” Dec. 1 & 4; music by Tchaikovsky and SFSO composer-in-residence Jon Gottsch, Jan. 19 – 22; works by Mozart, Mendelssohn and Rossini, March 23 – 26; and a program of Copland, Beethoven and Mahler, April 27 – 18. SFSO also performs at Temple Israel in Miami Beach and the Tennessee Williams Theater in Key West. “I am excited by all our programs. I always have the audience on my mind as I program the music and the musicians in a sense of making sure they have challenges for their own personal growth as artists. Programming for our patrons is one of the most important aspects of my job,” said Alfonso.

Maestro Pablo Mielgo finally arrived in South Florida, just days before the first planned concert of his inaugural 2021-22 season. A pandemic travel ban had left him and his family stuck in Spain for more than a year after being tapped for the position. Weeks ago, he conducted Mahler on the Amaturo Theater stage for the first time. “It was almost a miracle, due to the difficulties with the COVID and the international restrictions. But I am so glad it was possible, and I have to thank all the support from the Symphony of the Americas to make it happen,” Mielgo said. “After more than one year … and not being able to work with the orchestra and to come back to live performances, it was incredible that we could make it happen. All the musicians, the staff and the board joined back together with a great energy. The first bars of Mahler’s 4th Symphony were a miracle after so many months without music.” Now home in South Florida — which Mielgo calls “a paradise” — he’s turned his attention to the ambitious remainder of the season, monthly performances including: “More Than Tango – 100th Anniversary of Piazzolla,” Nov. 2; “Holidays of the Americas,” Dec. 3 – 4; “Salzburg in Florida,” Jan. 11; “Between Rio and Pampa — South America’s Cultural Crossroads,” Feb. 22; “From Russia with Love,” March 15; and “American Classics — Gershwin & Bernstein’s Broadway,” April 12. “Every single program will be a fantastic experience for the orchestra and for the audience,” Mielgo explained. “I think we have made a programming proposal that shows very well what we want from Symphony of the Americas for the future. Make it a benchmark in the continental repertoire, honoring its name, and all the relationships with European music and the origins of classical music. We want each Symphony of the Americas concert to offer diverse content that reaches all layers of our society and explore this musical crossroad and intersection of culture, here in South Florida.”

Tickets and more information at SouthFloridaSymphony.org.

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

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