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SFGN Profile

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Anthony Humphreys Page 31

December 29, 2010 • VOLUME 1 • Issue 49

6 SFGN WRITERS CHOOSE THEIR BEST STORIES OF THE YEAR Starts on Page 2 Late Breaking Story

DOUBLE MURDER IN MANORS Page 8

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December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

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Best 10 SFGN Articles of 2010 BY Tony Adams

I

have not had sex with any of the men or women whom I have profiled in SFGN. I’m confessing this fact with a bit of chagrin and disappointment because it enhances my journalistic integrity more than my unbidden chastity.

Asking me to pick favorites from a year of writing for SFGN is a treacherous request, for a wise parent never admits to favoring one child over another. I have been honored to step into the lives of the men and women who consented to my questioning and I hope my reports enhanced our celebration of the great people with whom we live and whose accomplishments often go unseen.

Reviewing a year of profiling some of the remarkable folks among us allowed me to place them in one of two groups. There were those who knew exactly what they wanted to say and greeted me with an envisioned article and message, and there were those who simply answered my knock on the door with trust that they wouldn’t regret what appeared in print. In both cases, I kept a good number of their candid words out of SFGN rather than let something unintentionally embarrassing cause them an ouch of remorse. Some would say that I’m too gentle to achieve hard-hitting journalism.

I’d say that while I love taking in other men’s dirty laundry, I’m not inclined to share it.

I especially enjoyed those moments when I was totally surprised by someone. Before sitting down with female to male transsexual singer-songwriter Mark Angelo Cummings (April 5, 2010) of Hollywood, I was already a fan of his music, but I was not prepared for the surge of sexual attraction I felt for him.

I have known other transsexuals, and I’ve interviewed a few, (including the glamorous Amanda Lepore who is in town this week) and I’ve made out on the dance floor with others, but having limited my sexual adventuring to cis-gendered males, I was surprised by my reaction to him and I mustered heroic

powers of concentration on the pad and pencil held in my lap over the course of our visit. I am grateful to his lovely and gracious wife Violet who surely must have sensed my dilemma but remained hospitable and welcoming throughout.

Another handsome Mark also surprised me. I was already an acquaintance of Mark Foley (July 14, 2010) with whom I often exchange a few words while on my skates in Birch Park. I feared that his vigilant efforts to save the local sea turtles who nest on the beaches of Fort Lauderdale would constitute the kind of drippy and numbing environmentalism that I usually avoid. After getting his tour of the nesting sites, I found myself on the beach many summer nights actually witnessing the approach of giant sea turtles and watching awestruck while they dug nests and laid their eggs. One midnight, in a drenching thunder and lightening storm, I witnessed a nest hatch out and saw hundreds of baby turtles head for A1A rather than the sea, distracted by the headlights. I was pleased to learn that because of my profile of Mark, the number of volunteers who nightly patrol the beach during nesting season has increased significantly.

Also among the easy-on-the-eyes was the fabled Fort Lauderdale tattoo artist Stevie Moon (May 10, 2010). His was easily my longest interview session. I spent the good part of a day at his salon while he worked on a client who slept during much of the process.

We got into an amazing theological discussion that was certainly not what I expected.

A third Mark who surprised me is Mark King (April 26, 2010) who once operated a phone sex business in California, had a childhood acting career, almost lost his life to drugs and HIV, and has come back from that edge for a dazzling second act in which he is dedicated to honest communication about recovery and HIV. His story spilled out of his mouth when he approached me after I had moderated a panel of writers at

the Stonewall Library and Archives. I think his was the interview in which I did the least talking. Mark has an amazing energy and urgency rooted in his personal survival and in his activist convictions about HIV. Everyone should be following him at MyFabulousDisease.com.

Mentioning the Stonewall Library and Archives reminds me of the number of fascinators I’ve encountered therein and subsequently written about. They almost form their own separate category of favoritism. There’s its fabulous director, Jack Rutland (March 15, 2010). The generous and talented Charles L. Ross (May 30, 2010). The witty and wise Dermot Meagher (March 10, 2010). The bright young Chris Finlay (December 22, 2010). Would I ever have had the pleasure of their company had I not walked into the library one day out of simple curiosity? You really must.

I’ve also been terrifically humbled by writing about the local unsung heroes among us whose stories deserved more than my words may have delivered. Jarod Cashner and James Sanzeri who started and operate Sanctuary House (November 24, 2010). The tireless volunteer Chuck Nichols (March 22, 2010).

The venerable Father John McNeill (May 17, 2010). Again, only the space restrictions of writing for the kaleidoscopic SFGN keep me from mentioning others whose tireless service to the community deserves more light.

I do have one favorite 2010 SFGN interview moment. In the course of my exchange with famous 75 year old writer and AIDS activist Larry Kramer (July 5, 2010), he disclosed his efforts to reinvigorate his sex life.

While I listened to him describe his presence on hook-up sites, my hands flew across the keyboard to verify his disclosures and I located his profiles exactly as described! Would that I had gotten the same dirt from Joan Rivers in my SFGN exclusive (June 16, 2010).

I have thoroughly enjoyed writing for SFGN despite the meager pecuniary (or sexual) compensation. The folks I’ve met through the paper constitute the real South Florida that most visitors never see through the haze of beach, booze and banter. I hope to meet you in 2011.

December 29, 2010 • Volume 1 • Issue 49

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The views and opinions expressed within this publication, in bylined columns, stories, and letters to the editor are those of the writers expressing them. They do not represent the opinions of South Florida Gay News.com, Inc., or the Publisher. They are included to promote free speech and diversity of thought.

You should not presume the sexual orientation of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations in SFGN, and it would be careless to do so. For the sake of readable newswriting, the word “gay” in SFGN should, when relevant, be interpreted to be inclusive of the entire gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered community.

All of the material that appears in SFGN, both online at www. southfloridagaynews.com, and in our print edition, including articles used in conjunction with our contract with the Associated Press and our columnists, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Thus, nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher of SFGN, at his law office, Kent & Cormican, P.A., 110 Southeast 6th Street, Suite 1970, Fort Lauderdale, Fl 33301.

SFGN, as a private corporation, reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs.

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December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

2010: The Perfect Alignment

By Lisa Keen

Keen News Service

photo courtesy of victor fehrenbach

T

he suspense is over: The U.S. Senate finally took a vote on a bill to repeal the ban on openly gay people in the military and passed it, 65 to 31. Having Congress pass that bill, to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT), and having that bill signed by the president is an important legislative and political milestone.

It is not the first time the LGBT community has ever succeeded at dismantling a form of institutionalized discrimination. That honor goes to the eradication of laws prohibiting consensual sex between same-sex partners. That was done state by state and, eventually, in the U.S. Supreme Court. The community has, in several states, won the right to obtain marriage licenses the same as straight couples. And, in 2010, it made enormous progress towards marriage equality nationwide through several lawsuits.

But passing the DADT repeal bill in Congress this year was itself a Herculean feat.

Partisan hostilities were at an apex, and the Democratic majority was eroding. Two efforts to break a Republican-led filibuster failed. Many in the community voiced impatience and exasperation at the stops and starts in moving legislation. Even more were uneasy with the White House strategy of giving military officials such voice in how and when repeal might happen. And some wondered why repealing the discriminatory policy in the military took precedence over bills that could have benefited even more people.

At the end of 2009, after all, the community was hearing that the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) would get a vote.

ENDA was blocked, in large part, by deliberations over the landmark –and contentious—health reform legislation. It was also snarled to some extent by preoccupations over bathroom accommodations and wild imagining of bearded kindergarten teachers in dresses. But ultimately, says Mara Keisling, an activist who has pushed hard for ENDA, DADT repeal had more money and more organizational drive behind it, from Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, Servicemembers United, GetEqual, and the Center for American Progress, to name just a few. It got a presidential boost in the form of President Obama’s 2010 State of the

(l-r) Major Mike Almy, Captain Jonathan Hopkins, Gay Rights General Rachel Maddow, Lt. Col.Victor Fehrenbach and Cadet Katie Miller celebrate the repeal of DADT

Union address. It had a vehicle –the annual defense authorization bill—on which to ride. And it had the fierce advocacy of legislators who just would not give up –Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Penn.), Senator Joe Lieberman, and many, many others.

At times, it seemed as if the push had turned to shove and the bill would be derailed. So, too, the public’s growing angst over the deep recession emboldened conservatives of every ilk to oppose anything and everything the president and the Democratic Party supported.

But that same public refused to get onboard the gay bashing wagon in the DADT repeal fight. Poll after poll showed growing support for allowing openly gay people serve in the military. A massive survey of active duty personnel and their families found only a few, isolated pockets of trepidation about repealing the ban.

So, passage of a bill to repeal the Clinton-era ban on gays in the military was an event whose time had come, the triumph of a relentless campaign to end discrimination, and the result of a perfect alignment of public opinion, Democratic Party control of Congress and the White House, and LGBT community focus. It was a major political and legislative accomplishment for a community that has long been relegated to second-class citizenship status. It conjures hopes for undoing other institutionalized and formalized discrimination against LGBT people –like the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). And it may even hobble some elements on the far right that have sought to prosper by peddling hurdles to the mere

idea that LGBT people deserve the same respect and rights as other citizens.

But it does not guarantee the ban against openly gay men and lesbians in the military will actually be gone anytime soon. In fact, 2010 will end with the ban still intact.

“Gay, lesbian and bisexual service members posted around the world are standing a

little taller today, but they’re still very much at risk because repeal is not final,” said SLDN Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis, in a statement released after the Senate vote. “…Even with this historic vote, service members must continue to serve in silence until repeal is final.”

That’s because the strategy chosen by the Obama White House for ending the policy –while successful thus far and noble in its sensitivity to how difficult “change” is for many people-- is akin to soaking a splinter until it falls out. The administration asked that Congress not vote on repeal for nine months while the Pentagon conducted a “study” of how it might best implement repeal “if” Congress repealed it.

Now, after the House sends the bill to the president and he signs it, another waiting period begins. The Department of Defense must develop regulations and conduct “the planning necessary to carry out this change carefully and methodically,” said Gates, folcontinued on page 38

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December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

2010: Lamberti Took Lead on Homeless, Hate Crimes Sheriff Promises to Maintain Focus

By A. Sebastian Fortino

the two have not stopped to educate the loroward Sheriff’s Office Command- cal – and statewide – community about the er Rick Wierzbicki and Sheriff Al need to educate to eradicate the numbers of Lamberti lent themselves not only hate crimes reported in Broward County.

Our diverse community came in as leading to protecting our local citizens this past year state numbers for reported but also to protecting vichate crimes for the fourth tims of hate crime on a year in a row. Broward Counstate level. Wierzbicki is try reported 22 hate crimes, head of Broward Country while Miami-Dade numSheriff’s Office Hate Crimes/ bered 17. Statewide Broward Anti-Bias Task Force. and Miami-Dade tallied the In May both men worked most hate crimes committed towards protecting the on the basis of sexual orienhomeless by inclusion untation in the state. der Florida’s hate crimes However the Broward law. This is quite impresSheriff Al Lamberti Sheriff ’s Office promises sive, as we are only the sectown halls and other such venues in which ond state to have enacted such protections.

The new law, passed under Florida House to train people to recognize hate crimes, Bill 11, increases state penalties against how offenders are punished, help for victhose who attack the homeless. It went into tims, and to let the community know it’s not effect this past October, although it took only acceptable to report hate crimes, it is four years to pass. Due to their diligence in their civic duty.

This has been a passion of Officer Lamberfighting for the rights of homeless in their “own backyard” their efforts were recog- ti’s since he was appointed sheriff in 2007.

“Broward is the most diverse county in nized farther a field.

“Because of what we did with House Bill Florida, based on all criteria,” he told SFGN. 11 Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Susan Those criteria being race, religion, and Collins (R-ME) selected officer Lamberti sexual orientation. “Yet, we also continue and myself to submit testimony with the to lead the state in hate crimes. How is that National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) possible, I asked, given our diverse resion the protection of the homeless,” said Wi- dents. This distinction is not something I erzbicki. Although officers invited to speak am proud of, nor should we tolerate.”

Broward is not only the most diverse were considered on a national level, two of county, but the population is also led by Broward’s own were chosen.

The United States Committee on the Ju- minority groups – with 49.8 percent of diciary, Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs residents identifying as a minority. The Brohearing, “Crimes Against the Homeless: Is ward Sheriff’s Office plans to hold their next the Violence Growing?” was held on Sep- hate crimes education event at the AfricanAmerican Library in Fort Lauderdale. tember 29.

“This will be our third one and will take “The NCH believes this was the hearing was the first held by Congress,” Wierzbicki place in Feb 2011. The first one was held at told SFGN about the hour-long trial in the Pride Center about a year ago. We are which he testified verbally for five minutes. going to keep taking it on the road,” said Lamberti was unable to attend, but deliv- Lamberti. “No one should fear being targetered testimony via a letter. “They had been ed for a hate crime.”

We should be thankful to not only have trying for several years to get the hearing, but it was only realized this year after Sena- Commander Wierzbicki and Officer Lamberti not only making our community safe, tor Cardin had it scheduled.”

The hearing was successful. However, the but extending the arm of the law to embrace law was not passed on a Federal level as of often defenseless individuals. yet. The next step will be a hearing before the new Congress some time in 2011. Yet, For more information please visit, Sheriff.org

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December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Lambda South Suffers Severe Fire

By Jarrett Terrill

T

he Lambda South Clubhouse on East Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale was burned badly in a fire on Sunday night. The home of LGBT AA meetings, the group’s largest room, just off the patio, was destroyed. The rest of the facility has suffered significant damage from smoke. No one is believed to have been injured in the blaze, which occurred sometime after its last meeting on Sunday, typically held at 7 pm.

“We will be giving regular updates to our community on our website (below),” said Rachel G., the Director of Lambda South.

“We will have an alternative location for meetings set up very soon,” she added. “We have so many communities that depend on their meetings at this location but all of the programs have other meeting locations as well. You can look at the intergroup websites for any of these programs to find another time or location.” The Website Director of SFGN, Dennis Jozephowicz, has promised to post daily updates at www.southfloridagaynews.com to keep people informed of

Lambda meeting places.

Meanwhile, Fort Lauderdale Police investigators and Lambda South Officials have been on the scene since Monday, assessing the damage and trying to determine what caused the fire. “I’ve been hearing that it might have been electrical,” said Steve S. The fire is rumored to have started near a fuse or electrical box. Fort Lauderdale police would not confirm or deny any theories about the fire, as it is currently being investigated.

Access to the Lambda South meeting house is only engaged from the alley behind East Las Olas Boulevard. The facility is known for its elusive location behind a bakery. Although meeting attendees find that their anonymity is protected by entering from the back, the dark, secluded alley could also give cover for any sort of delinquency or transgression.

“I can talk to you openly,” said Rachel G., “because I don’t represent any of the groups.

But since this fire, some of these news outlets have already printed some misinformation about what we do here. We do not offer therapy or anything like that. The meetings are fully self-supporting and independent of Lambda South.”

Typically, “12-Steppers”and others in the recovery community will often avoid giving their last name to the media. This is to protect their anonymity and privacy.

A television news station recently covered the goings on at Lambda South where they printed full names of their interview subjects and identified them as “recovering alcoholics.”

For up-to-date information as it becomes available, please visit: www.LambdaSouth.com, www.

AABroward.org, www.CrystalMeth.org, www.

SouthFloridaCoDA.org

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December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

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Biden Says Gay Marriage ‘Inevitable’, Says Attitudes in Country Evolving Laurie Kellman Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Joe Biden predicted Friday the evolution in thinking that will permit gays to soon serve openly in the military eventually will bring about a national consensus for same-sex marriage.

Changes in attitudes by military leaders, those in the service and the public allowed the repeal by Congress of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, Biden noted in a nationally broadcast interview on Christmas eve.

“I think the country’s evolving,” he said on ABC’s “Good Morning America.:” And I think you’re going to see, you know, the next effort is probably going to be to deal with so-called DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act). He said he agreed with Obama that his position in gay marriage is “evolving.”

Stay on top of the news: Get breaking new alerts sent directly to your phone Gay marriage is legal in only a handful of states, mostly in the Northeast, and in Iowa.

President Barack Obama recently said his feelings on the gay marriage issue were in a state of transition. But he also said he still believes in allowing strong civil unions that provide certain protections and legal rights

that married couples have.

Obama said he is still wrestling with whether gay couples should have the right to marry, now that the change in the law will allow them to serve openly in combat.

Presidents in recent years have struggled with this issue. President Bill Clinton developed the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy for the military, and Obama promised repeatedly in his 2008 campaign for the presidency that his administration would have a more supportive attitude toward gays. But gay rights groups also have said frequently they have been disappointed with the administration’s performance on this issue.

For the complete article, go to: sfgn.com/biden

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December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

International News

courtesy of the washington blade

US Takes Anti Bullying Message to Italy

By Lou Chibbaro, Jr.

T

he Obama administration’s participation in the “It Gets Better” campaign to stop anti-LGBT bullying and teen suicide moved to Europe last week when the U.S. ambassador to Italy appeared in a video promoting an Italian helpline (watch the video here).

Speaking in Italian and addressing viewers of Italy’s version of MTV and YouTube, Ambassador David Thorne said the American Embassy was “focusing on the rights of gays” this year to commemorate Human Rights Day on Dec. 10.

“If you are a victim of discrimination or acts of bullying, talk to someone who is ready to listen,” he said. “Call the helpline number listed on the screen. Your life is important.

You are not alone. Things will get better.”

Thorne’s video recording follows similar videos on the subject of bullying and LGBT teen suicides related to bullying that have been recorded by President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and four cabinet members, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. John Berry, the gay director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, also recorded such a video.

Each of the videos, including the one recorded by Obama, calls on LGBT youth subjected to bullying or harassment to remember that things get better once they finish school and enter a career and that they should seek help and support. The videos are modeled after the first such video made by gay columnist and author Dan Savage, who founded the “It

Ambassador David Thorne

Gets Better Project” to address LGBT teen suicides triggered by harassment and bullying.

Paula Thiede, a spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Italy, said Thorne made his video through recording facilities at the embassy in Rome after seeing an ‘It Gets Better’ message directed to LGBT young people delivered by Secretary Clinton in a video released earlier this year.

Thiede said Thorne’s video message appeared on Italy’s MTV channel Dec. 8-10.

A press release issued by the embassy directed to the Italian media also announced that the embassy organized a free concert Sunday [Dec. 12] called “Broadway Night” at a Rome theater that was “dedicated to the lesbian, gay and trans community.”

The news release says the concert, which was open to everyone, was sponsored by the City of Rome and the surrounding provincial and regional governments together with the Italian Gay Help Line.

“The concert last night was a huge success, the theater was standing room only, with a lively crowd who really enjoyed the music, calling for encores and requesting their favorite American songs,” said Fleur

Cowan, deputy cultural attaché for the U.S. Embassy in Rome, in an e-mail on Monday.

“Guests came from as far away as Naples, and we were approached by many people thanking us for the event and underscoring how important the U.S. example of tolerance and social inclusion was for the LGBT community here,” Cowan said.

Thorne’s video attracted considerable coverage in the Italian news media, including stories in two of Italy’s leading mainstream newspapers – La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera.

“This year, both President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton wanted to underscore respect for gay rights,” Thorne said in a statement. “On the occasion of World Human Rights Day, my embassy in Rome decided to collaborate with the associations supporting the Gay Help Line to sensitize public opinion on a very important theme, and to help homosexual young people who are victims of discrimination and bullying.”

Thorne’s video aired at a time when the Italian public and media have been closely following the release by the controversial group WikiLeaks of confidential cables from the U.S. Embassy in Rome that were highly criti-

cal of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

The embassy cables were among thousands of classified and confidential U.S. documents WikiLeaks obtained from unidentified U.S. sources. The Justice Department is investigating the matter.

Although Thorne’s video steered clear of internal Italian politics, it also followed a Nov. 2 comment by Berlusconi about gays that offended Italian gay activists and drew criticism from opposition party leaders.

In responding to allegations that he hosted parties in his private villas in which young women provided sexual favors to guests – an allegation that Berlusconi strongly denies – the prime minister told reporters at a public gathering, “It is better to like beautiful girls than to be gay.”

His office said the remark was a joke and not intended to offend anyone.

Berlusconi’s government barely survived a vote on a motion of “no confidence” by opposition forces that sought his ouster from office and a call for a national election.

“Reprinted with permission of the Washington Blade, washingtonblade.com.”

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December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Gay Couple Murdered in Wilton Manors

By Norm Kent

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he two men whose bodies were found inside their rented home at 2513 NE 8th Avenue in Wilton Manors were domestic partners Kevin Mark Powell, 47, and Steve Adams, 52, former residents of Hollywood, Florida.

Their bodies were discovered by the Wilton Manors police after the sister of one of the victims had called authorities because her brother had not arrived at her home for a planned holiday gathering.

Kevin Powell had been very ill with Diabetes and Manors police were doing a wellness check.

Powell, whose hobby was arts and crafts, had once been featured on the Home and Garden channel after creating a home for his dogs within his home, including pet sized lighting and furniture.

Investigators are looking for the victims’ vehicle, a black 2003 Saturn Vue with Florida tag 989VRL. The investigation continues. At this time, investigators do not have a motive and have not named any suspect(s).

Steve Adams

Kevin Mark Powell

“I was like, oh my God!” said neighbor Mitch Geasler whom police woke up early Sunday morning as they began their investigation.

Geasler said the block where they live is transient, filled with snowbirds, renters and vacationers at a nearby bed and breakfast.

Geasler also told a tv cameraman from channel 4 that “the two victims were passionate about small birds they kept in a large tented aviary in their backyard.”

Another neighbor, Brentley Taylor, told

Missing victims’ car: Black Saturn Vue

Channel 7 that both men “were very nice gentlemen,” and he, like the rest of his neighbors, were in a state of shock over the killings.

For insvestigative purposes, the Wilton Manors Police Dept. has not revealed the manor of death, other than to say it was a certain homicide.

The killings add to the number of gay men already murdered in South Florida this year, featured in a special report by SFGN on November 3, 2010. The stories are acces-

sible online sfgn.com/issue41.

Anyone with information about this double homicide is urged to contact WMPD Detective Biagio Balistreri at 954-390-2150. To provide anonymous information about this case, the public is asked to contact Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Unconfirmed reports at press time indicate a suspect, reportedly a homeless man, may have been apprehended for questionning. For further developments, go to SFGN.com.

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December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Passages

Neil Rogers 1942-2010

N

eil Rogers passed away on Friday, December 24, 2010 at 9:45am, from congestive heart failure. He expired peacefully in his sleep.

His attorney and friend, SFGN Publisher, published a tribute to him in last week’s newspaper. sfgn.com/neil.

Kent stated that there will be a public memorial for Neil next week after the New Year.

Details have not been finalized.

“Fans of Rogers are encouraged to read the online obituaries published by Ellie Brecher in the Herald, and by Tom Jicha in the Sun-Sentinel,” Kent stated. “They both capture his life, his energy, and remarkable talent. He was one of a kind on the air, let alone in person.”

Born in Rochester, New York on November 5, 1942, Nelson Roger Behelfer, aka Neil Rogers, had been in a hospice after doctors determined last month his heart condition was inoperable. For over 30 years, the openly gay Rogers was the highest rated AM talk show personality in South Florida. At one point, Rogers was earning $1.5 million a year, broadcasting his show on 560 WQAM.

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December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Happy Holidogs!

Happy Tails, and Happy Holidays

By A. Sebastian Fortino

W

hen people think of the holidays and pets, they think most often of puppies. However, with more and more animals being dropped off at local shelters, due to personal budget cuts, a lot of these dogs are older.

They are well-trained, loving dogs but just because their puppy days are over many – like older children in the foster-care system – are often overlooked.

“We are not limiting ourselves, to older dogs,” said Peter Stanton who founded Happy Tails Dog Rescue with his wife, Stephanie Stanton. “But our specialization will be older dogs that have ended up in a kill shelter. Our primary mission is to pull them from the kill-shelters, get them cleaned up then into homes.”

For the past year, the Stantons have been making the rescue of these dogs their personal mission. For the past year they have donated 10 percent of their income from a for-profit business in which they are partners to take care of the dogs and ultimately a open new shelter in Boynton Beach, to house the dogs until they are adopted. The new location opens in January.

“Now that we have the new facility, and more visibility, we have received donations from the public,” said Peter. A chef friend

of the couple, Ursula Rafer, hosted a vegan holiday baking class and donated the funds to Happy Tails Dog Rescue.

A facility to house the dogs was, of course, a chief priority this year. They want to keep things small so that they can give the dogs the best protection and assistance possible.

“We don’t want to be a large-volume site. We are trying five or seven at a time, then maybe we will try 10 to 12 at a time,” said Stephanie Stanton. So far they have rescued 14 dogs, four of whom have been adopted, while three or four are pending adoptions.

Their mission to rescue at-risk pets came when they started to volunteer at the MiamiDade Animal Shelter, where they met Sophie.

“Sophie was 11 when we learned about her,” said Peter, after a Miami-Dade Animal Shelter coordinator sent out an email asking if anyone wanted to take the older dog who was in bad need of medical and dental care. Peter and Stephanie adopted Sophie, whom they call their “angel dog.”

“Our mission is to help these wonderful souls that are not able to help themselves,” said Stephanie.

For more information, or to make a donation please visit HappyTailsDogRescue

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December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

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Best 10 SFGN Articles of 2010 BY Joey amato

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Thomas Barker – Thomas Barker has changed the landscape of gay publishing as we know it in South Florida. He is one of Miami’s most influential young professionals and is served on the executive committee of this year’s Miami Beach Gay Pride. In addition to that task, Barker is the executive editor and co-publisher of Wire Magazine. Barker is a supporter of Equality Florida, Care Resource and Pridelines Youth Services and has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the organizations.

lthough I’ve written countless news stories and promoted dozens events throughout the year, the most important part of my job at SFGN is reaching out to the people in our community who are making South Florida a better place to live.

In the past twelve months, I’ve had both the opportunity and pleasure of meeting some of our region’s most influential and inspirational people. From young professionals such as Chris Caputo and Dustin Jacobs to music icons like Chuck Panozzo from Styx, this year has been magical. Here are some of the people who made the greatest impact on me in 2010:

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Michael Goodman – Michael Goodman is partner in one of South Florida’s most prestigious Al Cicotte & Kevin Palombo – Institute of Technology. Always looking to public relations firms, Bitner Goodman.

American Tax and Insurance Services stay ahead of the curve, Caputo is actively is a local investment company owned Richard Cortez – On a beautiful His work stretches beyond the conference enrolled in Florida Atlantic University’s by partners of nearly 25 years, Al Cicotte Saturday afternoon, I sat in the living room. He is actively involved with numerWeekend MBA program. ous local arts organizations. Goodman is the and Kevin Palombo. The couple has been room of local singer-songwriter, Immediate Past Board Chair of ArtServe, Imactive in the retirement-planning industry Richard Cortez. I listened track by track mediate Past Vice-Chair and honorary board and makes an indelible impact on the South Jason Tamanini – Jason Tamanini to his new album, Sleeping with Strangers. member of the Art and Culture Center Florida community. Cicotte and Palombo Composed over the past two years, the is no stranger to South Florida of Hollywood and Board Secretary of the work hard to support charitable organizaalbum is a compilation of Richard’s trials nightlife. Known by enthusiasts Florida Theatrical Association. Furthermore, tions around the country, including the Pride throughout the east coast,Tamanini has already and tribulations as a gay man. Written and Goodman supports AIDS-related organizaCenter at Equality Park, Big Brothers/Big arranged entirely by Richard, the album fealeft an indelible mark on LGBT culture at just tions such as the Poverello Center.

Sisters, and Joining Hearts among others.

29 years old.Tamanini’s first foray into nightlife tures heart-felt music about love, sex, relationships and sorrow. Drawing from musical came when he held the prestigious position influences, Joni Mitchell, Carol King and Ani of General Manager at China White, one of Chef Ron Kerr – Alibi’s culinary Pastor Leslie Fort Lauderdale’s most remembered establish- DeFranco, Richard creates a unique sound, renaissance began two years ago Tipton – Out of the ments. Tamanini then took on the title and re- which incorporates his love for theatre and when Chef Ron Kerr was hired many women we have folk music. sponsibilities of Regional Director for Halo in to spearhead the venue’s new menu. Kerr profiled in SFGN, Pastor Leslie Tipton has both Miami Beach and Washington D.C. Now, earned his culinary degree from the Florida one of the most interesting life stories. In Culinary Institute in West Palm Beach, but he as the General Manager of the Manor,Tamanini her second year of college at San Diego Kevin Gale – Kevin Gale is the oversees all aspects of operations including only relocated to South Florida three years State University, where she majored in editor of South Florida’s largprivate events, community outreach, human ago from Naples. Specializing in modern Behavioral Psychology and Naval Science, est and most respected business Pastor Leslie began toying with the possibilAmerican cuisine, Kerr has also been instru- resources, restaurant and nightlife operations. publication, South Florida Business Journal. mental in the formation of Alibi catering.

Gale oversees all aspects of the paper’s news ity of homosexuality. In 1987, she entered the Marine Corps, where she remained for operations in Miami-Dade, Broward and John Tanasychuk – The man over a decade and then in 1997, Pastor LesPalm Beach Counties.

He joined the Busibehind most of the dining reviews Chris Caputo – At age 28, South ness Journal as editor in 1998 after 15 years lie answered the “call of God” and left the in the Sun-Sentinel, John Tanasychuk Florida resident Chris Caputo has with the Sun-Sentinel where he was business Corp, eventually ordained as a Pastor and earned a bachelor’s degree in English from a lot going for him. Not only does the University of Windsor in Canada and has editor. Gale is an active member of the Fort becaming Associate Pastor at the Church of he operate his own company, MetroMediathe Holy SpiritSong. held numerous writing and editing positions Lauderdale Front Runners, an LGBT group Works, but he is also partners in two other in the publishing industry. Tanasychuk has re- for people who enjoy walking and running. companies, Print-ibles and RecruiterBuddy.

To automatically link to any Prior to beginning his own ventures, Caputo viewed everything from local mom and pops Gale recently served as president of the of the above articles, go to: organization. achieved a bachelor’s degree in management to superstar chef Emeril Lagasse’s flagship sfgn.com/amato Miami Beach restaurant. information systems from the New York

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December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

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December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

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Best 10 SFGN Articles of 2010 BY A. Sebastian Fortino

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hen my friend Liz told me a new LGBT newspaper was launching last Christmas, as I housesat her place on South Beach, my response was one of disbelief. “No one in this economy is starting a newspaper. Are you kidding,” I wrote before I pressed send, convinced it was a lie, or scam of some kind.

“I don’t know,” Liz responded. “I checked the guy’s name out on Wikipedia.The publisher seems pretty serious and, he’s pro-decriminalization of marijuana.”

My interest peaked, and when my Google findings corroborated with Ms. Liz I came to Wilton Manors for an interview. I had only heard things about the gay village, talk of it being a depraved city of lost gay boys and men wantonly, hopping from bed to bed and party to party, much like my college years in the East Village of Manhattan…it sounded delightful!

Yet, I went to the interview with much trepidation. As I am a fan of TruTV I feared whomever met me was going to kill me, transport my remains to the Everglades, where an alligator would enjoy me as a Christmas dinner. Fortunately I was not disposed of into any murky depths. Instead, I was eventually offered a full-time position, and it has been my pleasure, privilege and honor to serve the LGBT community in South Florida as SFGN’s Features and Lifestyles Editor.

We quickly – for it was a learning process for all of us – adapted to newspaper writing as opposed to the website, magazine, or fiction writing with which we were already familiar. As we adapted to writing for you, you have thanked us by making SFGN a weekly event, something you look forward to each week.We love your praise, and heartily consider your criticisms so we may constantly create a better product.

We have become a part of you, and you a part of us, for that we are all truly grateful. As a writer this is good for me, professionally and emotionally. I need to read and write like some people need to breathe. Now, that I look back on the past year I cannot believe I doubted the ability of this newspaper to survive, or even exist.

In a way I guess it was my own fear, suggesting I would not be able to contribute enough to this

anyone ponders the fate of the poor professor attention this past summer and fall. Secondly, as much as they imagine a rickshaw shaking when I emailed Dan Savage I thought I would salaciously along a crowded Mumbai curb. never hear from him and that the piece wouldn’t be personalized – after all we are a small, community newspaper! However, Dirty Larry: ‘Wilton Drive he called me back within ten minutes, which Magazine’ Likely to Wilt – As I meant the paper is a viable voice for our was searching for roommates I met community. The interview with Savage made SFGN, as per HRC & AP, will go all sorts of interesting people, one of them me feel as if SFGN was on the map. revealed he had moved here for a job that ‘LGBT’ – This was my first attempt was not what he was expecting. This was my at writing something that was both first exposure to writing real, local news. I political and humorous. It ended up being a Taking Stock of A Great bit of an episode in the office. After changing wrote it with our publisher Norm Kent, it Gay Life: the Man Behind felt very “his girl Friday,” and…a little scary hands – and eyes – several times the resultWoodstock, Elliot Tiber – As ing, final edits had “corrected” the incorrect as we did not know how Larry Patterson a teenager my friends and I did not get into would react to our exposure. initialisms that were intended to remain in a revival of flower power, or The Beatles. We the piece! It still makes me want a BLT. were too urban to wear Birkenstocks and pretend to be neo-hippies. Therefore, I never The Bonnet House and idolized the music of the sixties and my Gardens: Bohemian GranGay Actors Respond to relatively conservative parents pretty much deur – This was just a wonderful Newsweek Claim – Actors piece to write! A beautiful, historic home on vilified them as a drug-washed waste of ten Cheyenne Jackson, Michael Urie, years. So, my interview with Elliot Tiber, the Jonathon Groff and others react to the mali- the beach, and an heiress who lived to be man who saved Woodstock, was enlightennearly 110 years of age made for a magical cious claim by entertainment writer Ramin ing on many levels. Another opportunity as afternoon and story that I hope made many Setoodeh that gay men should – or could a writer in which I felt I made a friend, not of our readers pencil in a day at the Bonnet – not play straight men. “I think it’s some sort of wish fulfillment by society that wants House Museum. History to me is wonderful only got a great interview!

– but being able to experience it firsthand in to believe that sexuality is fluid.Yet on the an intimate setting makes it all the more real. same token that homosexuality is a choice, Pornogate on the which it’s not,” said Paul Hagen an editor and Beach! – Imagine my award-winning playwright based in Manhattan. surprise that my first asOut in Africa – In the wake of intense anti-gay feelings and impend- signment was a piece on 1960s entertainer Connie Francis, this after going through a ing legislation in Africa I thought Thirty is a Drag – In this column rough break-up prior to moving to Fort a more lighthearted look at travel in Africa I turn 30, quit drinking and smokLauderdale and becoming rather obsessed was needed – I try to believe the glass is ing, and take a turn on stage for half full. This offered a unique opportunity to with her malt shop melodies. The first piece the very first time. Instead of bombing on stage, which was my biggest fear, I took to it interview personal friends who have traveled was fine, and I thought that would be it for Ms. Francis. Well…I was wrong! When her beyond my wildest hopes. This proved to me to countries where it might be dangerous to be a gay man. My friend Stefan seemed to escorts were revealed to be gay porn actors, I’m not getting older, I’m getting wittier! have a lot of fun in Africa, this before he was and a local dignitary quickly detached himself And, well, yes…older too! in a committed relationship. “Yes, I have been from the scene, a follow up was necessary! so comfortable in Africa that I even one time Besides, I got to use this line and get away Indian Professor Booted for with it! “Oh my God! I don’t know what to had sex with a very hot African policeman,” Rickshaw Sex – There was a do. I can’t hurt their feelings,” when it was he told me from his home in Switzerland. time early on in the paper, before suggested [Connie Francis] dismiss the modwe had developed our personal styles and colels. Ms. Francis is so nice. She even thinks lective voice, where we tried to emulate the It Gets Better: Dan Savage shocking headlines and titles of the National Speaks Out to Gay Teenagers porn stars have feelings!

Enquirer and the New York Post.This was my – Working on this piece felt great To automatically link to any contribution, I even read a 60 page document for two reasons. Firstly, I was able to write of the above articles, go to: about gay rights in India. Certainly, the title about something hopeful in the depressing sfgn.com/fortino grabs your attention. However, I don’t think wake of the gay suicides that caught national paper to become a part of the community.

As we begin a new year, the second year of this publication, we have goals to expand and improve so that 2011 will indeed be a perfect 10 for your newspaper.

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December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

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Best 10 SFGN Articles of 2010 BY Jarrett Terrill

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cal conservatives were discussing… until I blogged about it too.

his year has been a turbulent one for the LGBT community in Florida and I’ve been fortunate enough to be in the right places at the right times in regard to a lot of the news items that have many of us on the edge of our seats. There are news items we can’t wait to leave behind (Dove World Outreach) and others that we know we’re going to be dealing with for quite some time (Repealing DADT). However, there is something to be said for taking a step back and pulling out those rose-tinted glasses on occasion too. Here are the 10 pieces I’ve worked on that I find to be most noteworthy:

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Gay Environmentalism – After the BP oil spill had been gushing into the gulf for days and then weeks on end, Florida was scared.Very little attention and money had been paid toward dealing with this kind of disaster and many of us looked to our local greenies to offer some perspective. What we found is that, contrary to conventional wisdom, there are gays and lesbians in South Florida who do care about the environment.

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It Gets Better – When the mainstream media took notice of the gay suicides problem (for about a week or two), they learned what we’ve always known in the gay press – that young gay people in America are deeply troubled and need to be loved and shown encouragement.

Even still, when CNN and MSNBC magnified the issue and gave us an in-depth look at the lives of some whom had been lost; it was a very emotional experience for all of us. At SFGN, we can help by offering information about vital services and networks that want to help make things better.

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Gay Men’s Chorus Christmas – Who knew that writing a nice review about a local chorus that’s been in business for 30 years could be such a controversial move? Well, it turns out that my first foray into writing an arts review was met with tons of personal attacks and

PHOTO BY Jarrett Terrill

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The ADAP Waiting List – The AIDS Drug Assistance Program experienced cutbacks in the Florida State budget and at the same time, federal state moneys had not increased enough to cover a rising number of people who are testing HIV positive in the Sunshine State. Not everyone can be covered by the program designed to help low/middle income persons afford their expensive HIV medications.

Debra Hampton sings ‘Santa Baby’with the Gay Men’s Chorus

misgivings because some people are still very turns out, has just as much contempt for the sore about a recent break-up in the chorus. haters as she does the hated.

Nonetheless, I stand by my opinion that the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus had Genealogy Not Just For an outstanding holiday performance and I Straights – With all of the proenjoyed it very much. paganda from conservative groups regarding their definition of “family”, there is a movement of LGBT persons who are 8 Activists in South Florida securing their place in their own family tree – There are a number of people – literally. Here, I reveal that you can kick a in our area who work tirelessly gay person out of your family but you can’t to make Florida a better, nicer and more take a bloodline out of that gay person. equal place for the LGBT community. In this article, I’ve highlighted just 8 of these trailblazers.

Blog: Julian Assange, World Net Daily – Our SFGN blogs are great places for our writers Interview: Shirley Phelpsto muse about their personal and opinionRoper on Uganda – One of the ated perspectives on current issues or most maddening news items on a daily life. While the dramatic “Wiki-leaks” global level – the human rights violations in Uganda – is most ironically put into perspec- saga quickly ascended into the category of “news story of the year”, there was a gay tive by one of America’s most notorious angle on the story that only the most radihaters, Shirley Phelps-Roper. Roper, as it

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Blanche Lincoln Facebook Attack – A Democratic “Blue Dog” Senator from Arkansas became a favorite punching bag for the gay community on the social networking giant Facebook when she helped Republicans to avoid cloture on a defense appropriations bill. That bill included a repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. The irony of this story is that even after she lost re-election, she was given a final opportunity to right the wrongs of her past – but she missed that vote too because of a dental appointment.

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Coral Ridge Ministries Listed As Hate Group / Smart List includes Butterfly World – When Pastor Tchividian took over Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, a group of angry conservatives defected from the church because of what they saw as a liberalization of the church. That group, forced to hold their services and meetings at Butterfly World (owned by one of the members) created a rabidly anti-democratic and anti-gay organization called Coral Ridge Ministries. CRM landed on the radar of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) this year as a possible “Hate Group”.

To automatically link to any of the above articles, go to: sfgn.com/terrill

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December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

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iSlAnd city center • 2550 northeASt 15th Avenue • Wilton MAnorS, floridA 33305

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Jeffrey Seth Selzer, eSQ. • Scott A. WeiSS, eSQ.

Best 5 SFGN Articles of 2010 BY J.W. Arnold

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s the region continued to be among the most popular LGBT tourism destinations and winter-weary Northerners flocked to our sun-soaked shores during “Snowmageddon”, 2010 proved to be another strong year for nightlife in South Florida, with promoters and bar and club owners providing plenty of entertainment options for visitors and locals alike. Some of the top stories of the year include:

Sean David and A.J. Cross at White Party

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The End of an Era? – The legendary White Party held its last Thanksgiving weekend bash at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, after 26 years at the Miami landmark. Orgnizers cited high property rental and production costs, as well as limited access for set-up, as the primary reasons for the decision. One of the most popular and successful HIV/AIDS fundraisers, White Party organizers noted the venue rental fees took a $50,000 bite out of proceeds, which benefit local service provider CareResource.

of partiers and venues to go around on the biggest weekends of the year.

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Is it Live or is it Memorex? – Music videos are so ’90s, but 2010 was a great year for cabaret and live music across South Florida. Nearly every night of the week, music lovers enjoyed performances from local favorites such as singing gender-bending magician Cashetta, cool Debra Hampton and sultry-voiced Jennifer McClain, as well as a host of girl bands at The Manor and New Moon. Our favorite? Talented Judy Garland look-a-like (and sound-a-like, too) Ann Marie Olson, a recent New World School of the Arts grad who has developed a following for her monthly shows at the Mustang Lounge in Bill’s Filling Station.

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He Keeps on Going and Going – In a town where the latest clubs and parties sometimes prove to be fleeting fancies, South Beach promoter Edison Farrow is on top of the town. 2010 was an especially good year for Farrow and he continues with four big nights: “Jump” Sundays, Martini Tuesdays, “The Simple Life” Thursdays and “Hype” Fridays. Most importantly, when a concept doesn’t fly or he runs up against venue issues (“Penthouse” Saturdays), he smartly knows when to pull the plug and try something else that’s bound to be successful. It’s good to be King, isn’t it Edison?

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Out and Proud? – Fort Lauderdale queens have never been afraid to take to the streets and remind Rebel With/Without a Cause? the locals just how many homos reside in – New York-based DJ Peter Rauhofer the city; after all, we have not one, but two Pride festivals. Can we get any gayer? And in again caused a stir during the White 2010, Miami Beach followed up its first Pride Party and Winter Party weekends for crossparade with a successful follow-up. Miami ing the line—throwing his own party on Beach is again on track for another big bash weekends that traditionally raise money for in April 2011, while flat festivals in Oakland CareResource and local charities that team up with National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Park and Wilton Manors (not to mention Opponents charge Rauhofer’s greed was tak- financial woes) raise questions about the ing money directly out of the pockets of local future of Pride in Fort Lauderdale. With all non-profits and HIV/AIDS service providers, the rainbow flags flying daily across the city, would anybody miss another festival? while supporters argued there were plenty

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December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

SFGN Editorial

December 29, 2010

Thanking You for Our First Year Norm Kent, Publisher

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he First Amendment to the United States Constitution provides for a free press but let me tell you that if you are community newspaper, there is nothing free about it.

The South Florida Gay News.com is published every Wednesday and distributed immediately to over 422 locations in three different counties, from South Beach to Palm Beach. This week, we expanded our distribution to include guest houses and venues in Key West. Add to that mix the 7-11 stores and local chain pharmacies which carry our publication, and we are everywhere.

Our paper is of course free to everyone, but it costs a small fortune to print and distribute it every week. Two vans, increasing gasoline costs, and cities even charging us money to place our 50 news boxes in public locations all add to our overhead. But we are proud of the product we have created.

We are also proud as we close our first year with our 49th issue that we have become the credible, newsworthy, progressive publication of record for the LGBT community of South Florida.

Our paper is an affiliate of the Florida Press Association and a member of the Associated Press. We have developed a media partnership with the Sun-Sentinel and Edge Publications. We are about to join the Suburban Newspapers Association and are already partners with the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association, who even invited us to participate in panels at their Jeffrey Seth Selzer, eSQ. • Scott A. WeiSS, eSQ.

iSlAnD city center • 2550 northeASt 15th Avenue • Wilton MAnorS, floriDA 33305

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national conference. We are the exclusive South Florida distributors of news content for LGBT news services such as the Keen News and Q Syndicate. We have broken national news stories which have been picked up by Advocate.com, Towleroad, Bilerico and the mainstream press.

Whether you realize it or not, we have now published 2,000 pages of news and over 1,000 articles. Our website, accessible at www.sfgn.com, has every one of them, including our daily updates and headlines.

Oh, yeah, our dedicated web server costs almost two hundred bucks a month, too.

Some free press. Actually, the truth is we are here because of you. Were it not for the support of the business community, your community paper would not be thriving.

Yes, we want to be the LGBT newspaper of record for sure, but we also want our business to make you business.

Therefore, as we close the year, I have to pay special tribute to a wealth of business professionals who took a leap of faith and stood with us from the beginning. They did more than invest in our business. They invested in you, the community, and your aspiration that we needed a weekly news chronicle which illuminated our lives, wins and warts, accolades and embarrassments.

We needed a newspaper that was populated first with news, content, and class, not just ads and ass.

Words then, cannot adequately express my appreciation for Andy Weiser and L.

John Castelli, realtors who have stood with us since day one. Much the same is to be said for attorneys George Castrataro and gclaw.com, who backed this paper from the start, along with Gregory Kabel, Selzer & Weiss, Robin Bodiford, and Stephen Jerome. What gave our paper credibility from the outset was having Dan Pye and Morgan Stanley by our side, along with Al Cicotte and Kevin Palumbo from American Tax and Insurance. Our business is to make you business. But it is also to establish credibility with the gay community. You get that when retirement communities like Forest Trace partners with you, or a guest house as reputable as the Island House and Oasis House in Key West. But you also know your paper has stature when your original advertisers include Dunham Insurance, the Northwest Savings Bank and City Credit Union. These types of companies tell us that SFGN is where businesses come to succeed.

Yes, this paper is here because my CEO Pier Guidugli joined with me in making this investment, but without profession-

als like Dr. Howard Cunningham, and Oakland Park Dental, or Dr. John Sarris, and Gold Dental Plan, we would not still be here. Businessmen like Paul Hugo and Brett Tannenbaum, owners of the Manor, have done more than change the nightlife of Wilton Manors. They have given us literally, food, and sustenance. For libations and nighttime relaxing, so much is owed to Lori and Jennifer at Sidelines. We have been able to write about them often because of how much they have given back to our own community. So too has the dynamic and vibrant AIDS Health Care Foundation, nobly fighting an honorable cause while significantly investing in the South Florida Gay News. And the AHF Pharmacy, like the ‘Out of the Closet’ discount shop, has enhanced our community.

The truth is by July of this year we had run advertising for over 75 legitimate first rate businesses, and were we to use this issue to run each of over 125 advertisers who have graced these pages, this week’s publication would be over 100 pages. The truth is the

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December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

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newspaper business is not dying in America.

We are thriving because we have developed a niche publication that you have supported.

We can keep up if you do. Just remember, the paper is free, but the cost of creating, printing and distributing it is not. We need your support still.

The LGBT community is a sophisticated one, and therefore we love theater and entertainment, culture and nightlife. So from the outset we have not only had theatrical and dining reviews on our pages, they have been enhanced by the support of the Hard Rock Café, the Kravis Center, Broadway Across America, and the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. Even local community theaters like David Goldyn’s Rising Action Theater have helped us achieve a newspaper you can, as we say, respect in the morning.

Even non profits have asked us to publicize them while allowing us to provide them with editorial support for their noble goals.

The Miami Gay Men’s Chorus, the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus, the newly formed Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida,

and the Miami City Ballet have reached out to us so we can reach out to you. For stature and credibility, having advertisers such as the Miami Seaquarium, Nova Southeastern University and Amtrak is an indication we are on the right track. Ads from the Human Rights Campaign and first run movies come our way because we have partnered with the nationally credentialed LGBT marketing team at Rivendell Media of Mountainside, New Jersey.

With the cross-section of our advertisers, and me trying to pay tribute to all, I am bound to forget some. This will lead to egg on my face next week on one hand, but it is also testimony to the plethora and diversity of businesses that have supported us. My sore back has been treated therapeutically

by Coast Chiropractic and Camp 4 Health, and more than once I confess, I have not only had a drink at Johnny’s and Cosmos, I have had a lap dance as well. My tires have been changed at Dale’s, and our company vans repaired by Rosen’s Prestige Automotive. I can’t tell you how many pizzas our

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staff has had from the Corner Pub. We try to give back to those who give to us, and I suppose the Center for Cosmetic Surgery could have a field day if they or Dr. Tiller in South Beach ever got a hold of my body.

Finances dictate that some advertisers come in but move their promotion dollars elsewhere, as their business needs take them. Still, we have not forgotten what Earl Rynerson and CLAD Tile did to get us off our feet, or Island City Smiles, or Dr. Nadel’s newly reopened 21st Century Dental. If you were once with us, from the law offices of Lea Krauss, to Da Vinci Realty, we thank you for what you have done, and we welcome you back at any time. Our goal is to be here forever, and we want you to be part of us now and in the future.

Finally, our newspaper has partnered with LGBT chambers of commerce, and tried to support our various charities from AIDS causes to pet rescues, from the Pride Center to drug rehabilitation centers. There is much we have done, and many stories we have written, There is still more we have to do, but many more stories to still write.

To paraphrase a TV show from the 50’s, there are 8 million stories in the Naked City.

Our newspaper is one of them. So is your life. We look forward to the day when we can make your business, your profile, and your accomplishments part of our pages.

Your faith in us will never be misplaced.

Emmy-Award Winner

LESLIE JORDAN’S “Deck Them Halls, Ya’ll”

Sunday, December 5, 2010 • 7pm An outrageous and hilarious one man show, the effervescent Leslie Jordan brings colorful characters lamenting, or celebrating, the Christmas season. A flamboyant ex-stripper trying to win a trip to Vegas; a transgendered lesbian practicing to enter a competition at the local gay bar; a 10 year old that refuses to be pried out of an elaborate Christmas choir robe after being told he has potential and needs to practice for the upcoming Christmas pageant! "Deck Them Halls, Ya'll!" is like no other holiday show! Both scream out loud funny and life affirming, it roller coasters to very surprising conclusion."

For tickets call 954.462.0222 or visit BrowardCenter.org All programs, artists, dates and times are subject to change.

Follow us on:

Facebook.com/BrowardCenter • Twitter.com/BrowardCenter

18

December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

General Gayety

Hopes for the New Year

Chely Wright looks to the horizon after coming out.

By Leslie Robinson

A

s 2010 draws to a close, I’m looking ahead. Here are some of my hopes for the LGBT community in 2011, along with a few predictions.

I hope next year the Pope will reveal a new attitude toward gays. I predict he won’t.

Now for a bolder prediction concerning Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who has the grinding task of holding together the worldwide Anglican Communion as it convulses over the gay issue.

I think poor Rowan will chuck it all. He’ll become a pagan, and periodically be seen frolicking at Stonehenge wearing nothing but a whimsical smile and un-strategically placed flowers.

Turning to another part of the planet, it is my fond hope that the murderous antigay bill still pending in Uganda’s parliament will be quietly withdrawn. Or loudly with-

drawn—I’m not particular.

Now that the frothing homophobe Yuri Luzhkov has lost his job as mayor of Moscow, let’s hope that city can finally have an open, legal Pride. Russian LGBT folks need an infusion of freedom. Luzhkov, married to a billionaire, needs a soul, but he’ll probably settle for a Piaget watch.

Turning to these shores, I don’t want 2011 to bring on a case of As Maine goes, so goes New Hampshire. You know that in 2009 Maine voters shot down the state’s same-sex marriage law. Now conservative legislators in New Hampshire are gearing up to repeal gay marriage in the Granite State.

Repeal would be a dagger in the heart of every LGBT person in the state. Plus it could mess with my plans. My partner and I have been considering getting hitched in New Hampshire, my home state. If the legislators

kill same-sex marriage, the state will miss out on all the money we planned to spend— on a six-pack and a bag of cheese popcorn.

Regarding the Prop 8 litigation, experts tell us that whatever the outcome in the appellate court, the case won’t really be decided until it reaches the U. S. Supreme Court. I’ll nonetheless hope for an appellate court victory. I’m not against being bathed in validation.

With DADT on its official way out of Dodge, what can we expect in 2011 from Sen. John McCain, the Obstructer-in-Chief? After fighting with such baffling intensity to keep DADT, McCain’s passion, or bile, over the issue of gays in the military will continue. Look for him to chain himself to the Pentagon. Or to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, causing interesting rumors about the two of them.

By the way, if Adm. Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, is still peeved with

Gen. James Amos, head of the Marines Corps, for his public opposition to DADT repeal, I can guess whom Mullen will choose to replace him: Lady Gaga.

If she can wear raw meat from head to toe, she has the stomach for it.

Turning to other performers, country singer Chely Wright and Christian music artist Jennifer Knapp came out this year. Since both hail from genres traditionally unfriendly to gays, I want this fine trend to continue next year. Hey 2011, bring us a reggae artist.

Each year I hope a male pro athlete who’s still playing will come out, but so far nobody has obliged me. I hope 2011 will be the year a football, baseball or basketball player does the deed. But I’ll happily settle for a hockey player. With or without teeth.

Finally, I hope that next spring I don’t have to write another column about a gay teen’s fight to attend his or her prom with the appropriate date. If Constance McMillen could triumph in 2010 in small-town Mississippi, no place is safe from prom equality.

For approximately the next three months, Leslie Robinson will continue to date her checks “2010.”

E-mail her at lesarobinson@gmail.com, and check out her blog at www.generalgayety.com.

19

December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Jesse’s Journal

Winning Equality in Florida: A Glass Half Empty or Half Full

By Jesse Monteagudo

E

quality Florida (eqfl.org) is the largest civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for Florida’s LGBT community. EQFL recently published a report, “Winning Equality,” which details the progress of LGBT rights in the Sunshine State since EQFL formed in 1997.

According to Nadine Smith, EQFL’s Executive Director (and my Bilerico.com colleague), “despite a hostile legislative climate, Florida has made dramatic progress in securing legal protections for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community... [“Winning Equality”] documents pro-equality successes in areas of workplace non-discrimination, family recognition, and school safety, while also highlighting that the organization has defeated anti-LGBT legislative efforts in every session over the past 13 years.”

“Winning Equality” is optimistic about the condition of LGBT people in Florida after 8 years of Governor Jeb Bush, 4 years of Governor Charlie Crist, and over a decade of conservative Republican control of the State Legislature.

Highlights of the report include the repeal (2010) of Florida’s anti-gay adoption ban by the Third District Court of Appeals; city

and county laws banning workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity; laws passed by 11 cities and counties that provide domestic partner benefits; the passage (2008) of Florida’s anti-school bullying law; and a more supportive business climate.

According to the EQFL report, “Florida ranks 4th in the nation in the number of people protected from discrimination based on sexual orientation. Florida ranks 5th in the nation in the number of people protected from discrimination based on gender identity and expression. And Florida ranks 8th in the nation in the number of LGBT people living in communities that recognize domestic partnerships.”

In other words, as Nadine Smith writes, “Florida now leads the Southeastern United States in passing over 55 local policies outlawing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, banning harassment of LGBT students, and providing domestic partnership benefits to our families.”

The condition of LGBT people in Florida has certainly improved since the turn of the millennium, when the Sunshine State usually appeared on the bottom of lists issued by human rights organization, and Equality Florida deserves much of the credit. But is our human rights glass half empty or half full? Sadly, things are not as rosy as “Winning Equality” would have us believe.

All the human rights and domestic partnership laws that EQFL rightly praise were enacted on the city or county level, in urban areas that are politically liberal or moderate.

The fact is that, while many Florida cities and counties have become LGBT-friendly, the State government in Tallahassee remains socially conservative and homophobic. In fact, the recent election of Rick

Scott as Governor, Pam Bondi as Attorney General and other social conservatives to the State Cabinet and the State Legislature guarantees that, on the state level, Florida will be even less supportive of our interests in the years to come.

It is quite likely that Scott and/or Bondi will appeal the District Court’s decision that overturned the anti-adoption law, or that the Legislature will place an initiative on the ballot that, if passed, will amend the Florida Constitution to ban gay adoptions permanently. Other anti-LGBT measures might be introduced by one or more of the Sunshine State’s more extremist legislators.

If a sign of political progress is the election of openly gay legislators, then Florida is sadly behind other states. In fact, Florida is one of only 14 states that have never elected openly LGBT people to the State Legislature or to Congress. Though a few brave candidates tried this year, they were invariably struck down by the anti-progressive “shellacking” that marked the Tea Party election.

The fact that all the LGBT candidates were Democrats didn’t help their cause.

In fact, our community’s only electoral victories in 2010 were on the municipal level: Craig Lowe, J.P. Sasser and Gary Resnick

were elected or re-elected mayors of Gainesville, Pahokee and Wilton Manors, respectively. Part of the blame goes to the Sunshine State’s incumbent-friendly system of determining legislative or congressional districts (also known as gerrymandering); one that will hopefully be done away with by the passage of the Fair District Amendments.

All this should not be taken to be an attack against Equality Florida, or against the brave, dedicated women and men who make this great organization possible. My thanks and appreciation goes out to EQFL’s staff – Nadine Smith, Stratton Pollitzer, Brian Winfield, Joe Saunders, Mallory Wells, Tobias Packer, Michael Farmer and Ed Lally – as well as to its Board members, interns and contributors.

With leaders like these, our community might be able to withstand the backlash that is sure to come next year. Florida is a wonderful state (with horrible rulers), and a negative political climate will not keep me from enjoying life in the Sunshine State.

Jesse Monteagudo (jessemonteagudo@aol.com) is a not-quite native Floridian and freelance writer who lives in South Florida with his partner and community members.

20

December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

10

10

Best 10 SFGN Articles of 2010 BY Norm kent

1

Pier Angelo Guidugli – As I go to summarize the ten most significant stories we ran in our paper this year, I realize that the most significant thing we have done is publish a newspaper. Faced with an adverse economy, and straight and gay newspapers crumbling in cities across this country, one man took a leap of faith with me and invested his heart, soul, and pocketbook into making SFGN the credible, progressive, newspaper for our LGBT community.

He has stayed the course and steered the ship in a prudent sound direction, and so much of what our staff has done is attributable to this quiet and silent business partner of mine, I could not start this column without saluting him, because without him, I would not have started this newspaper.

Maybe I should not call him all too silent, because the fact is his columns on gay life from Italy to China have stirred more comments and dialogue on our pages than any of all the other writers we employed. So with Piero Guidugli I not only have a great business partner who has stood by my side, we all have a great columnist whose insights are enriching, illuminating, and insightful.

4

Mikey Verdugo (right) speaks to reporters outside of courthouse with George Castrataro

ney, George Castrataro, stood up and went to bat for Verdugo, winning last July the battle to retain Mikey’s state certification. Doing so on a pro bono basis, fighting for the rights of gays in the workplace, Castrataro’s efforts are to be applauded. While a Circuit Court eventually concluded in November that Verdugo’s firing was lawful, the city of Hollywood relented just two weeks ago on their claim for attorney’s fees. We salute both Mikey Verdugo and George Castrataro with SFGN’s 2010 ‘Making a Difference’ Award for ‘LGBT Advocacy.’

went away, until this year. In his full time charge, Ray had been a nurse’s aide, licensed by the state. And to secure that position, the legislature eventually passed laws restricting that type of employment to those without criminal records.

This year, in a routine check, it came Mikey Verdugo and up that Ray, 40 years in the same health George Castrataro – First, from care field, and 16 years at one ALF, was no our very first issue, you have to aplonger employable based on the decades plaud a former cop, Mikey Verdugo, challengold arrest. He was summarily fired. We did ing the Hollywood Police Department for a front page feature entitled ‘God Save the his job back. When he first came to us, he Queen,’ and my law partner Russell Corhad been fired and an arbitrator had ruled mican came to Ray’s rescue. He petitioned the firing was legal. The city of Hollywood also sought to terminate his statewide certiTiny Tina and Ray Fetcho – This immediately to get Ray an exemption from the rule, pointing out the episode had ocfication to remain a cop. would be a feel good story had Ray curred in the distant past. To their credit, During his tenure as a cop, Mikey had done Fetcho, aka, Tiny Tina, not wound up the State responded swiftly, and in a story an outstanding job in the department, not losing her leg to diabetes later this year. But that was generated by SFGN, and covered only on patrol but in an undercover capacity, in March the entire LGBT community was locally and nationally, from NBC to CNN, taking drugs off the street and seizing dirty pretty stunned to hear his amazing story. 36 Ray got his job back. When you are a young money, turning it over to the department and years ago, working as a drag queen at the the city. But he also challenged the brass for Copa, Fetcho promoted a wet jockey shorts newspaper, and you can help do something that good for someone, it makes you feel humiliating him about his sexuality, and some contest. But cops back then had no sense of good about yourself too. SFGN salutes of those superiors wound up undergoing humor, just badges. They arrested Ray and Ray Fetcho with our 2010 ‘Making A sensitivity training when Mikey’s allegations charged her with promoting a lewd act. A about sexual harassment were sustained. nominal fine was paid, his career as an emcee Difference’ Award for ‘Exemplary Courage.’

As the court battles played out, one attor- prospered, and the episode pretty much

2

3

AHF, The Spirit and HIV Advocacy – Of all the achievements of SFGN, I am proudest of the fact that we created a quarterly newspaper supplement to remind everyone that HIV is still real, still here; that our community is still getting sick from this pandemic 30 years from its dawn. The saddest reminder of this terrible disease has been the fact that Florida now has a waiting list of over 2,000 patients denied their life saving meds. This cannot stand. It is unconscionable. Ironically, for all the accolades and articles we have published about the Obama Administration’s efforts in this regard, this never happened under two terms of former President George Bush, whose op-ed on AIDS we published on World AIDS Day. However, one person and one organization stand out proudly for having taken the gauntlet and raised the flag, saying ‘no more, no way.’ We salute Michael Weinstein and the AIDS Health Foundation for its fortitude and forthrightness in advocating for AIDS patients, taking the legislature to task. But more than just politically, we have seen how AHF has undertaken to help persons individually. When Derrick Burts, a porn star who tested positive for HIV in October went untreated for a month, he contacted me for help. I called AHF, who arranged, without questions, for him to be seen by doctors the very next day.- their mission fulfilled.

We recognize the AIDS Healthcare Foundation with the SFGN 2010 ‘Making A Difference’ Award for HIV Advocacy. From protecting porn actors to its mobile AIDS testing unit, AHF has become a driving force for advocacy for those living with HIV in Florida. Whether standing on street corners with placards and bullhorns, or supporting our efforts with media partnerships, we praise AHF for standing up for the HIV community.

5

Larry Patterson and Wilton Drive – A newspaper’s job is to uncover scandal. The story of Mr. Patterson was not pleasant, but very real. He was using people to start a magazine for Wilton Drive, but not paying them, promising them

21

December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

‘the 2010 sfgn ‘making a difference’ awards For advocacy and honor on behalf of the lgbt community

everything and delivering nothing. He was abusing and sexually harassing employees, leading them on with misrepresentations our newspaper exposed. Leaving a trail of unpaid employees and never publishing Wilton Drive Magazine, Patterson was hosting parties and throwing out promises of how much he was going to do for the LGBT community. He did do a lot for us when he disappeared after our expose, and we award him with our 2010 ‘Scam of the Year’Award for making the wrong kind of difference.

Roy Ashburn, who spent his life bashing gays until admitting he was one- after he got picked up for a DUI with a boy in the front seat. Ashburn sneaks in with the 2010 SFGN ‘Hypocrisy’ Award.

6

Stonewall Pride and Mike Cruz – We have a right to hope that the people who conduct not for profits do so responsibly with dignity and meet the challenge. We wrote with disappointment about the mismanagement of Stonewall Pride this year and its residual impact on street festivals in Wilton Manors.

Even today, the costs of law enforcement and EMT’s are not paid from last June’s festival.

This month, we reported how Stonewall went broke, no way to pay their past bills.

Our bad. This community and its leadership have an obligation to do better. Because the city was owed money from last June, it foolishly then permitted this year’s Halloween festival to be conducted with the streets open for vehicular traffic.You don’t have a party with people drinking on the streets and allow cars to drive in between them.

That was just plain stupid, and I am glad that SFGN protested the city’s malfeasance.

Stonewall Pride may have been an administrative collapse we could have avoided, but sometimes you just can’t stop bad things from happening. Pride South Florida’s reputation was tarnished a bit when its former director Mike Cruz was charged with grand theft, stealing donated funds for charities, accused of pocketing it for himself. Not much better than when we had to report that an LGBT Samaritan, 85 year old Miss Vicky, was the alleged victim of elderly exploitation by a man she had trusted. It’s not fun to write about gay people getting arrested unless they are like the Senator from California,

7

Michael Weinstein

Arthur Goldberg and George Rekers – Another headline splash for SFGN that put us on the map nationally came when we exposed an ex religious leader who ran a therapeutic treatment center for homosexuals, one of those ex gay programs. Working with Truth Wins Out, we exposed Arthur Goldberg’s New Jersey operation, playing himself off as a hero while failing to disclose his criminal convictions for fraud. The icon for the ex gay movement had erased from his moral compass his history of scamming money from people which led to a stay in a federal penitentiary. Our newspaper outed his criminal past and he was soon thereafter ousted from the boards of the right wing anti gay groups he represented. We recognize him with a sarcastic SFGN ‘Making a Difference’ Award for ‘Hypocrisy.’

We also did the story on the guys who did the story on George Rekers, exposing him for picking up a rent boy from Hialeah as his ‘travel companion’ for a European vacation. Penn Bullock’s New Times expose led to him being featured on our front page, with his partner, Brandon Thorp, as ‘Writers of the Storm.’ Now in school in Manhattan, Bullock is still an SFGN correspondent, rec-

ognition coming his way this past Fall from OUT Magazine, naming him as one of their OUT 100 for 2010. Bullock is a good young man with a solid future in journalism. I will also add that Jovanni Roman, the rent boy who Rekers engaged, is a charming and personable young man whose full story has not yet been told. It will be. when he is ready.

8

Dan Choi and Get Equal – Obviously, the repeal of DADT has been a featured item in every LGBT publication this year, but we have made a point of covering it from our very first issue, when Congressman Alcee Hastings supported us with an op-ed calling for its repeal. Few political leaders in this community have ever stood by the LGBT community as righteously and for as long as Alcee has, and we should never forget his never-ending support. Like him or not, Dan Choi worked the streets to make DADT go away, from chaining himself to the White House to delivering national addresses. So too did Robin McGehee get equal by getting in everyone’s face this year, orchestrating demonstrations in congressional offices and maintaining pressure against the inequities of DADT. Our newspaper covered the protests and the speeches leading to the December repeal, and SFGN awards its 2010 ‘National Activism Award’ for Making a Difference to Dan Choi.

Ironically, ten years ago, when I started and founded Express Gay News, we covered this story at that time relentlessly. A decade later, we were still writing about it. Early on this year, the late Leonard Matlovich was featured in a cover story. The repeal is a tribute to men like him, whose memorial reads, ‘In the Army they gave me a medal for killing two men; they threw me out for loving one.’

9

Gay Marriage and Prop 8 – This was a year where the gay press and mainstream press covered so many of the same stories that we shared content back and forth with the Sun-sentinel. But no story got more press than the battle for same sex marriage in California. When the courts declared victory, we took our weekly newspaper and published a special 8 page section the very next day, distributed to all of our 400 plus distribution points. It was testimony to the dedication of our staff, the support of our advertisers, and the significance of the story that we were able to capture the technology of our times and disseminate a newspaper overnight. Winning the battle for same sex marriage was one of our community’s great successes. Publishing a newspaper hailing that victory the very next day was this paper’s crowning achievement.

10

Gay Adoption and Martin Gill – Not only did the stories of gay adoption dominate our news pages throughout 2010, we were privileged to have this story generate right here in our own lap. Florida was the sad state, thanks to Anita Bryant, that did not allow gays to adopt. Our legislature and closeted governor would not budge.

Instead, it took courts and judges to make rulings and decisions protecting and providing for gay men to adopt straight children. These are important rulings as they delineate with specificity how there are no empirical facts or rational basis to discriminate against gay men and women who wanted to or were raising foster children. For fighting the good fight SFGN presents its Father of the Year Award for 2010 to Martin Gill. Those that endured the battle were later honored appropriately as heroes of our community.

Those that opposed us, like George Rekers, wound up embarrassed and humiliated.

To automatically link to any of the above articles, go to: sfgn.com/kenttopten

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December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Tiny Tina Has Big Resolve

No Cha Cha Heels for Christmas but Fetcho says “It Gets Better”

T

o finish off the year, SFGN would not be complete without a word from Ray Fetcho (aka Tiny Tina).

Fetcho, as you recall, fell into a misfortune 30 years in the making when he was suddenly dismissed from his employment taking good care of the elderly. The reason for Fetcho’s dismissal was rooted in an exaggerated arrest record from 1976 – the result of a police raid on a popular gay nightclub, The Copa.

When The Copa was raided during a “wet jockey shorts contest” in ’76, it was against the backdrop of an extreme campaign to criminalize homosexuality in Anita Bryant’s Florida – an era which is hopefully a little different from today’s Sunshine State. After all, you can see worse things than wet jockey shorts on prime-time television now.

At least that must be the way most people saw it when Attorneys Russell Cormican and Norm Kent (SFGN’s Publisher) secured a speedy exemption from the State of Florida’s Board of Nursing which would have allowed Fetcho to return to work.

Then, in early June of 2010, it began to appear that Fetcho’s bad luck was only getting started. As one door opened, another slammed shut and Fetcho’s diabetes gave way to major surgery whereupon his left leg was

amputated below the knee.

It was at this juncture that many members of our community, including but not limited to SFGN, Kent & Cormican, The Manor Nightclub, Robert Trout and Nikki Adams were all expressing concern. Trout, for example, noted that Fetcho fell into a category where he could not receive Medicare.

Medicare recipients must be age 65 upon retirement or be legally married to someone who is.

Eventually, a benefit was thrown and many tidings of encouragement were offered. That was back in June. “But I am not one to live in the past,” says Fetcho, “I live in the now.”

It seems that his stage presence has been retired for the time being but Fetcho has not given up on the moniker. He expresses his gratitude for all the support and encouragement he has been given and signs all of his correspondence with “Love Ya, Tiny Tina”.

“I don’t really foresee any performances in the near future, but I am able to walk with my new leg and getting better every day. I also had my car converted so I can drive us-

future,” he says. “I am under the doctor’s care myself. My general health is doing well and my mental health offers some bad days but not enough for me to worry about them.”

When he refers to his mental health, Fetcho is talking mostly about the turbulent angst that comes from suddenly not being able to utilize a limb. “I can go to the mall and I do some volunteer work with kids but I have to sit down a lot quicker. I have to re-learn everything just to function at 50% of the old me. I hope this New Year will bring me up to 75%.”

Recalling the past but not living in it, Fetcho indicates that Florida is, in fact, different than it was in 1976.

“You know back then, gay life was difficult. As a female impersonator, I had to apply for an Identification that clearly stated my gender and I was forced by law to wear at least 3 items of male gender-specific attire at all times,” he laments.

“It’s ok to be gay now. It wasn’t before. Today we have not just gay bars, but gay cities and gay politicians. We can be honest with each other today. If there’s a way to sum it all up, I’d have to go with that phrase… It Gets Better.”.

JARRETT TERRILL

By Jarrett Terrill

ing a left-side gas pedal.”

Fetcho relies for now on Social Security Disability but has not given up on the idea of nursing. “I may work at it part-time in the

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December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

N

atalie Portman flaps her arms and moves as gracefully as a bird in the twisted psychosexual thriller Black Swan, but the comparisons don’t stop there. The actress ate like one, too.

To transform into mentally unstable ballet dancer Nina Sayers, a darkly disturbing role that’s already giving Portman major Oscar pull, the 29-year-old had to train intensely – for nearly eight hours a day she exercised, toned and practiced – and eat lots of carrots and almonds. Then, as soon as production wrapped, she stuffed her face with pasta… for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

“The physical discipline really helped for the emotional side of the character,” Portman says, a sweet laugh escaping her as she discusses the film during a press day at Los Angeles’ Pantages Theatre. “That’s a ballet dancer’s life – you don’t drink, you don’t go out with your friends, you don’t have much food. You are constantly putting your body through extreme pain, and you get that understanding of the self-flagellation of a ballet dancer.”

But simply twirling around in pointe shoes, in Nina’s case anyway, is only the half of it. Pressure to be the best, to succeed in every way for everyone – herself, her mother (Barbara Hershey) and her instructor (Vincent Cassel) – mounts in mental madness, as Black Swan becomes less about dance than the psychosis of performing it. New dancer Lily (Mila Kunis), who impresses with her dark Black Swan personification, only adds to the fire burning inside Nina, throwing her into a charged competition that’s as destructive as the dance form itself.

“It’s really just a retelling of Swan Lake,” says director Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler), “but it definitely shows the challenges and the darkness and the reality of how hard it is to be a ballet dancer.” continued on page 27

Dirty Dancing Natalie Portman and Black Swan cast talk ballet thriller – and that girl-on-girl sex scene

By C h r i s A z z o pa r d i

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NEW YEAR’S EVE BLOWOUT!

December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Nightlife by J.W. Arnold

Out with the Old, In with the New: Let’s Celebrate!

IF YOU EVER BEEN TO ONE OF

SHANNON’S

NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY’S OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS

THEN YOU KNOW THIS YEARS PARTY

IN HIS OWN BAR

IS GOING TO BE OFF THE HOOK!

1913 north andrews avenue • wilton manors, Florida 33311

Y

ou have to love it when holidays fall on the weekend and this year was no exception as both the Christmas and New Year’s holidays landed most of us an extra day to celebrate.With barely a week to recover from the outrageous Christmas parties, New Year’s is upon us and, as usual, South Florida nightspots are pulling out all the stops for a memorable holiday: Fort Lauderdale and Wilton Manors

Living Room, the swanky club on Fort Lauderdale’s Las Olas Riverwalk celebrates the New Year with future fashion and a fluorescent 3-D “Tron”-themed party, while on Wilton Drive, Bill’s Filling Station rings in the year with videos from popular local VJ Barry Browder, accompanied by a balloon drop and champagne toast at midnight.

Across the street, the Shoppes of Wilton Manors will become the Times Square of South Florida with lots of holiday revelry in the parking lot. Georgie’s Alibi also counts down the New Year inside with a classic balloon drop while just a few doors down, Boom features DJ Scott Mann on the turntables.

A couple of blocks up Wilton Drive at the Manor Complex, DJ David Knapp will be in the booth and Erika Norell take to the stage to wish 2010 away. On Saturday, Jan. 1, Manor continues the party with DJ Lazaro Leon. There is no cover either night.

If you’re feeling a little dirty—after all not everybody got their stockings stuffed for Christmas, head to the boy bars. In addition to their regular bevy of hot dancers, Boardwalk features performances all weekend long by “Men” magazine’s man of the year, Reese Rideout.

Meanwhile, at Johnny’s on Broward Blvd., it will be a brutal night, thanks to appearances by ultra-dominate porn star Brenn Wyson. If you survive New Year’s Eve, plan to stop by Ramrod, the area’s hottest leather bar on Saturday for the New Year’s pig dance,

sure to be a memorable way to kick off 2011.

Looking for more of a low-key holiday? The local neighborhood bars will welcome you to celebrate the New Year, too. For a Country Western evening, head to Scandal’s Saloon or the Stable on Oakland Park Blvd. If sports are your thing, head down to Sidelines Sports Bar. And, we can’t forget Matty’s for the boys and New Moon for the girls on the other end of Wilton Dr. Starting in January, Torch will have new performers! Teri Wilson will perform on Wednesday & Thursday nights. Chris Barrett can be heard during Sunday brunch at noon. Bob Pagano will be the performer for Sunday Twilight at 6 pm. Debi Benson will be there on Friday & Saturday nights.

Hear them all! Go to www.Thetorchclub.

Com (Click “hear performers”).

South Beach and Miami

B

illed as the “biggest party in the world,” Matinee comes to Miami Beach’s Paris Theater on Washington Ave.With the ever popular “Tron” theme, tickets aren’t cheap, going all the way to $175.

Elsewhere on the beach, you can get your cork popped at Edison Farrow’s Hype Fridays at Bar 721. DJ Bryan Zero will be spinning and, as if a complimentary champagne toast isn’t enough, there will be free vodka from 10 to 11 p.m.

For the ladies out there, Pandora Events takes over trendy Lincoln Rd. nightclub, Score, for a huge dance party,“Odyssey: A Glimpse into the Future.” DJ Just Steph will be in the booth and hot sexy cyborg dancers will be on the move all night long.

Just down the road at legendary Twist, DJs Joey Se and Lazaro Leon will be saluting 2010 with the best sounds on the beach and DJ Miik will be entertaining as you sip your martinis at MOVA Lounge.

In Miami, Sugar ushers in the New Year with DJ Willy G. and shows by Sasha and T.P. Lords. Get there early for the champagne toast at midnight—you’ve got to admit, midnight is early for the crowd in Miami.

December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

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December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

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December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Dirty Dancing

continued from page 23

Hype, however, isn’t over how much weight Portman and co-star Kunis (That ’70s Show) shed to play rivals – about 20 pounds each – or that it took a grueling year for Portman to move as skillfully as she does onscreen. All anyone’s talked about is how they get it on (intensely), how far they go (pretty far), and how much of Portman you see (sorry, zilch). Recently, Portman told V Magazine, “It’s not raunchy – it’s extreme.”

At the November premiere in New York, she also insisted that shooting sex is hard whomever it’s with: “It doesn’t matter if it’s a friend, a male, a female,” she told The Huffington Post from the red carpet. “You’re with 100-something crew members, lighting you, repositioning you; there’s no comfort whatsoever.”

It was just as awkward for Kunis, who spoke about the scene at the Pantages Theatre: “Whether you have a same-sex scene or a scene with the opposite sex, it’s a sex scene nonetheless,” says the actress, who suggestively bedded another woman – but not so graphically – in 2007’s After Sex. “Doing something like this with Darren was very

do, as the most beautiful art,” Portman says.

“I always wanted to do a film related to that.

So when Darren had this incredible idea that wasn’t just related to the dance world but also had this really complicated character – two characters, really – it was just something completely exciting.”

Really tough, too. Training aside, it’s one of the actress’ most complicated characters, a role that summons an extensive out-ofbody performance that only someone with Portman’s range could pull off. And she has before, effortlessly slipping into the erratic seductress role in Closer, as a stripper, and in period pieces like The Other Boleyn Girl. In

January, she’ll star alongside Ashton Kutcher in the sex farce No Strings Attached. Aronofsky was sold far sooner, though, with one of the actress’ first films, starring a then-13year-old Portman as a precocious sidekick to a hit man in The Professional.

“One of the reasons I think Darren and I had such telepathy during this was because he’s as disciplined and focused as could possibly be, and that’s what I try to be,” Portman muses, mulling over her Black Swan character.

“And I’m not a perfectionist but I’m definitely… I think I like discipline.” Laughing, she insists: “I’m obedient!”

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safe and as comfortable as it could be. I never had a fear of being exploited.”

The steamy scene, a switch from Portman’s usually prim-and-proper image (there’s a reason we fell madly in love with her in Garden State), is pivotal in creating Nina, whose newfound liberation after years of repression leads to a raging sexual awakening.

She masturbates, vomits, hallucinates and anxiously scratches herself until she bleeds.

The Harvard-educated actress – who says, “This was actually a case where something I learned in school did turn into something practical” – has a name for it: “religious obsession-compulsion.” And then there’s Nina’s smother-mother. Think Mommie Dearest, but with Hershey in Faye Dunaway’s place.

“It was really exciting to come in and do this insular, claustrophobic, intense relationship,” says the Beaches actress. “(Portman and I) got to a feeling of ritual. And I tried to copy her eyebrows as much as I could. We were very aware of the symbiotic everydayness of living together forever, and that was fun. We didn’t talk about it too much, but we knew it.”

How they reached that unique bond was the product of Aronofsky’s genius suggestion: Exchange letters in character, as mother and daughter.

Portman starts, “Barbara wrote gorgeous letters that were really in character that really gave a sense –” “Of our history,” Barbara adds. “To suggest that was just amazing preparation and it gave me the door to my character, which was great.”

Singularly, as Nina, Portman was made for this role. Until age 12, she was a dancer and dreamed of growing up to be one.

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December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Heard it on...

Naked Sword Celebrates DADT Well, come on now, everyone has got to make a buck, and the website nakedsword.com is no different than any other business that has to pay its bills. So why not seize the day, hop on the moment, and score while you can. Within days after the US Senate’s vote to repeal DADT, Naked Sword came up with this cool gimmick- just celebrate the end of DADT by enhancing your

By Karl Hampe

THE REGULARS

Leonardo DiCaprio

military gay porn collection . All we could say is if you ever doubted gays were in the military to begin with, this collection of films should put an end to those thoughts right away.

David Furnish and Elton John

DiCaprio Won’t Don Drag as Hoover Leonardo DiCaprio has a new male love interest in his forthcoming biopic of FBI honcho J. Edgar Hoover, but don’t expect him to indulge in Hoover’s alleged cross-dressing, reports Michael Musto on his Village Voice blog.

“I know this for a fact because a reporter friend of mine actually asked the actor about it,” Musto writes.

The Social Network’s Armie Hammer has reportedly been cast to play lawyer-turned-FBI-official Clyde Tolson, a man many believe was also Hoover’s longtime secret lover. Clint Eastwood will direct DiCaprio in the film, based on a screenplay by Milk’s Oscar-winner Dustin Lance Black.

well, and we are very proud and happy parents.”

John and Furnish formalized their relationship in a much-publicized civil partnership ceremony in 2005 after 12 years together. The ceremony was held at the Windsor Guildhall – the same venue where Britain’s Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles married. John has a residence in Windsor, outside of London.

The baby was born in California via a surrogate, according to Fran Curtis, a representative for the couple. Curtis said she would not discuss the details of the surElton john Is a Farogacy arrangements. ther Like his namesake in John’s early 1970s (CNN) – Sir Elton John is a hit “Levon,” the baby boy was born on father. The boy was born on ChristChristmas Day and weighed 7 pounds, 15 mas Day. And he shall be Levon. Or, ounces, Curtis said. more accurately, Zachary Jackson In addition to “Levon,” where the couple Levon Furnish-John, the singer’s apparently snatched one of the baby’s publicist said late Monday. middle names, other classic John songs are “We are overwhelmed with happiness and joy at this very special mo- likely to take on new meaning, such as “I ment,” John and his long-time partner, Guess That’s Why they Call It The (Baby) David Furnish, said in a statement. Blues” and “I’m Still Standing” for the toddler years.

“Zachary is healthy and doing really

December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Preacher Pat Says ‘Legalize Pot’ Count this among the 10 things nobody ever expected to see in their lifetimes: 700 Club founder Pat Robertson, one of the cornerstone figures of America’s Christian right movement, has come out in favor of legalizing marijuana.

Calling it getting “smart” on crime, Robertson aired a clip on a recent episode of his 700 Club television show that advocated the viewpoint of drug law reformers who run prison outreach ministries.

A narrator even claimed that religious prison outreach has “saved” millions in public funds by helping to reduce the number of prisoners who return shortly after being released. His cohost added that the success of religiousrun dormitories for drug and alcohol cessation therapy present an “opportu-

nity” for faith-based communities to lead the way on drug law reforms.

“We’re locking up people that have taken a couple puffs of marijuana and next thing you know they’ve got 10 years with mandatory sentences,” Robertson continued. “These judges just say, they throw up their hands and say nothing we can do with these mandatory sentences.

We’ve got to take a look at what we’re considering crimes and that’s one of ‘em.

“I’m ... I’m not exactly for the use of drugs, don’t get me wrong, but I just believe that criminalizing marijuana, criminalizing the possession of a few ounces of pot, that kinda thing it’s just, it’s costing us a fortune and it’s ruining young people.Young people go into prisons, they go in as youths and come out as hardened criminals. That’s not a good thing.”

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30

December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

SFGN Profile: Anthony Humphreys would be today,” he explains.

Being in the field and sharing artistic vision with others was a breath of fresh air for Humphreys who typically spent much of his time at a computer. “Being able to combine personal interaction with post production really gave me a new sense of inspiration. That day I followed through with a new vision for myself, a future-forward photographer.”

Humphreys credits various experiences for helping to mold him as an artist. “We can never stop learning, and although specific jobs stand out over others, all of them are of value.”

The young artist is a member of Miami’s Independent Thinkers, a non-profit organization dedicated to the unity, development and promotion of Miami’s art community.

“I have exhibited with them a total of four times now; two of the shows were at Art

By Joey Amato Basel in 2009 and 2010.” orn in Tallahassee, but now a In addition, he recent held an exhibiresident of South Beach, Anthony tion of his work at Dennis Dean Gallery in Humphreys has been making a Wilton Manors and currently has a collecname for himself in South Florida’s vibrant tion of sixteen pieces displayed at Piola in and flourishing art community.

Hallandale Beach. The exhibit will be open A graduate of Full Sail University in Oruntil mid February. lando, Humphreys holds a Masters degree Inspired by his friends, Humphreys dein Music Business and an undergraduate in scribes his work as frozen encapsulations of Digital Arts and Design. He time. “My friends are my influence.They tells SFGN his career are make-up artists, stylists, path fell into place by hair dressers, videographers, sheer coincidence. “I musicians, models, dancers, always really wanted etc. It is very rare that you to study music,” he states. find a friend of mine that is “When I began delving into it not expressive in some artistic medium. and trying to understand the concepts, it The human soul is what drives my work.” was difficult for me to grasp.” Undeterred, When he is not working on his art, HumHumphreys began focusing on digital art phreys is busy supporting local charities. “I and design instead. am an avid supporter of the organ and tisSoon after graduating, Humphreys invested in an SLR camera and began taking sue donation industry. I am very passionate about this cause and do what I can to raise stock photos which he used in his design money and awareness. When one life ends, work and shortly after received a surprisanother life has the opportunity to live.” ing gig. “A friend of mine was a booking An avid patron of the arts, he enjoys agent for Wilhelmina Models and asked traveling, dancing, live events, and listening me to do a test shoot for the agency one to new music from The Chemical Brothers day. I was a little taken back as I did not consider myself a photographer of any sort, and Nicki Minaj. but I obliged.” This opportunity changed the course of his career. “If it wasn’t for the For more information, please visit Anthonygig with Wilhelmina, I don’t know where I Humphreys.com.

B

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December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Sidelines Goes Smoke Free

Staff Reporters

T

he owners and management recognize in order to sustain economic health and continue to grow, they must continue to evolve and change.

So, after months of deliberation, and many discussions with staff, loyal patrons, and business-minded folks, Sidelines co-owners, Laurie Whittaker and Marty Kildea, have decided to “bring a breath of fresh air” to the popular gay sports bar.

On Wednesday, January 5, 2011, Sidelines will become a smoke-free establishment. In order to properly undertake this rejuvenation, various modifications will be made to the bar and it will be necessary to close operations for two days. Therefore, on Monday and Tuesday, January 3 and 4, respectively, Sidelines will be closed. During this time, the staff will be working very hard to refresh, refashion and surprise its customers by creating a new Sidelines!

It must be reiterated that these changes in no way affect the “sports theme” that has made Sidelines the repeated award-winning entertainment venue of Fort Lauderdale since their opening in 2006.

By giving Sidelines a bit of a “nip/tuck”, the goal of management is to gain even more business, sustain themselves in this seemingly slumped economy, and grow their future business with confidence.

For more information, please visit Sidelinessports.com.

33

December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

ArtyBras: Artistically Fighting Breast Cancer

By Amy Paonessa

T

he Lighthouse Art Center of Tequesta is accepting submissions of artistically-designed bras for its second annual ArtyBras exhibition and auction to benefit breast cancer research, until January 4. Last year’s auction raised $5,000 for the American Cancer Society’s “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer.” The year proceeds will go to the Ella Milbank Foshay Cancer Center at the Jupiter Medical Center. The pieces will be exhibited at the Lighthouse ArtCenter from January 6 until the day of the auction, February 10. Guests at that night’s event will be treated to a fashion show, where they can see the creatively decorated bras on the runway.

“The bras can get pretty wild and outlandish, because there isn’t any limit on what the artists can do,” says Sarah Block of the Lighthouse ArtCenter. “49 bras were donated last

year, and we’re expecting 50 or more this year. Artists are already bringing in pieces.”

The highest bid at last year’s benefit auction went to local artist James Hook’s piece, “Mardi Bra: Unmask the Myth of Breast Cancer,” which sold for $420.

Over 300 guests attended the auction. The event organizers plan to hold a ballot auction instead of a live one this time around. This will enable bidders who haven’t checked out the ornate pieces on display at the gallery see them off the runway.

“It’ll give people a chance to get up close and see everything,” Block says.

Artists like James Hook can attest, those of the Y chromosome persuasion shouldn’t be deterred from contributing a bra.

“By and large the artists have been women,” Block told us, “but it looks like men have taken more of an interest this year. I think people are realizing that breast cancer is an issue that affects everyone.”

For more information, please visit LightHouseArts.org, or call (561)746-3101

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34

December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Book Review Book:

Possessed: The Life of Joan Crawford

By Donald Spoto HarperCollins.com 336 pages

By A. Sebastian Fortino

B

oth detractors and fans of Joan Crawford might raise an eyebrow at the title of this thoughtful biography by veteran Hollywood biographer Donald Spoto.Yet, it’s not meant to be an insult. Joan admitted to her obsessive desire to rise from chorus girl to Hollywood Royalty. Furthermore, Joan starred in two films titled Possessed, although the storylines differed entirely.

Born Lucille Le Seur in 1905, her father soon left his wife, daughter and slightly older son. Mrs. Le Seur was left to fend for the family. For sometime the family lived in a laundry where they all worked to save money.

To secure education for young Lucille, her mother made arrangements with

prestigious schools for girls. She worked off tuition performing menial tasks on campus.

However, schooling was brief.

“After the fifth grade she was essentially hired to work, and although she had the right to attend classes, there was no time for that. Therefore she quite accurately said that she had “no formal education.” Indeed, that lack of schooling was part of the inferi-

ority complex to which she often referred, and for which she tried to compensate during her entire life.”

She would, seek out refined men with background and name, such as Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Franchot Tone, of whom she later said, he “…contributed greatly to my cultural and intellectual development,” in 1951. Swimming, dancing, French, poetry and literature were all studied by Joan on her way to prominence.

Part of that stardom came with a name change. Hollywood, still gripped tightly by studio executives such as Louis B. Mayer, felt Lucille Le Seur was too difficult to pronounce. A contest was arranged, and Joan Crawford was born. She revealed disliking Crawford – it reminded her of crawfish.

The book deals honestly with Crawford’s enigma – both public and private. While Cathy and Cindy Crawford, identical twins, and others close with the family argue against the majority of Christina Crawford’s damning book Spoto supports facts regarding the children’s adoption. They were all adopted through a baby broker, in effect black market babies taken from troubled homes.

Spoto points out the infamous wire hangers scene in the book and film Mommie Dearest most likely grew from knowledge Christina had about her mother’s time in the laundry, hanging clothes for customers. It is unlikely a wire hanger ever entered the pristine home Joan later occupied in Brentwood.

Ex-husband Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. confirms Spoto’s title is dead on. He speaks of the torture she put herself through in order to be Joan Crawford the movie star both on the set, and in public.

Yet, while she consorted with “people of culture and taste,” said Fairbanks, Jr., she never forgot the audience kept her in demand.

Not only did the directors contribute to her image and popularity but so did the crew.

She gave generous gifts, called on ill crew people, and in the end learned the craft of filmmaking in addition to acting in films.

Towards the end of her life work still drove her constantly. Even when married to a Pepsi-Cola executive she lent herself to the corporation, and still after when the films got progressively questionable.Yet, Crawford needed work in her life, no matter what the role, to in fact be Joan Crawford.

Credible. Newsworthy. Progressive.

The Voice of Our Community.

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35

December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Superhero Bill Needs Car It’s Back to the Future for Father Bill’s Ford Focus

By Jarrett Terrill

O

n December 22, many long-time community members came out to Johnny’s Bar in Fort Lauderdale to help support getting “Father Bill” Collins, the founder of Poverello Food Bank, a new set of wheels.

His entire charity was, at one point, based on driving around to deliver meals to those whom suffered from HIV/AIDS. Now he is not left with much to do since an accident totaled his car. He has been taking taxicabs to and from the food bank and his home in Lauderdale by the Sea but he cannot afford those expensive trips every day.

At a time when the cost of America’s average car is around $28,000, AJ Cross, the GM of Johnny’s coordinated a fund raiser to help Father Bill purchase a 2010 Ford Focus for the low price of $18,500. But ac-

cording to Cross, they have not been able to reach their goal yet.

Despite everyone’s best efforts, Cross lrevealed that the donations did not quite come to half of what the participants had hoped for.

Although there were performers, and comedians and a silent auction and even city council members attesting to Father Bill’s good character, the total amount garneredwas $7,200.00, well short of the cost of a new vehicle.

According to Cross, he would like to continue with fundraisers for the car but he admits the possibility that Collins might not be driving that particular Ford Focus after all.

“Once again, Thank ALL Of You,” Cross concluded. ”And this is NOT over yet. There is NO WAY we will stop until Father Bill no longer has to spend money on Cabs.”

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36

December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Jarrett Terrill

Eleven People Who Totally Rocked Me into Next Year

11

Jeanne White-Ginder – In all the years that Jeanne (Ryan White’s mother) was flown around for speaking engagements and charity events, she’s never lost that sense of injustice and bewilderment about the disease of HIV. On the 20th anniversary of the global day of recognition that her son inspired, she was once again a bit of an outsider. She lives in Florida now, which if you ask me, can be a lot like Indiana in the 1980’s when she was sitting with Elton John and Michael Jackson next to her son’s deathbed. At the time, she was perplexed as to how there could be more money in that room than anyone could ever dream of and yet her son had to die anyway. “I guess I just want to be known as his mom,” she told one interviewer. “I’ve always tried to be best mom I could be… and you just do what you have to… even when it’s not easy anymore.”

On World AIDS Day 2010, the ADAP programs have become a lottery and WhiteGinder recalls the last two decades since her son passed in the 3rd person. “They all got so excited back then,” she says, “because, well, we thought there was going to be a cure. They kept talking about a cure that never came. There were so many people who made such a difference, but the people that really did all the work are the ones who are no longer mostly here.”

10

Diane J. Savino – This is a woman who could sell an ice cube to an Eskimo but only if they’re willing to listen to her. Republicans in the New York State Senate did not listen to her impassioned speech on behalf of legalizing gay marriage in New York – in fact, they literally left the room and came back when it was time to cast their

votes. Although gay marriage did not pass in New York, Diane’s message went viral and rang wedding bells in the ears of all the right people.You can view it here.

08

Katy Perry – What if I told you that my new favorite celebrity started out performing Christian Country music in her parent’s church? You might take away my license to call myself a discerning gay audiophile… She even made a song that Ted Kennedy – Although was sort of offensive to gay people (“Ur So Senator Ted Kennedy did not live Gay”). But let me tell you to see the year – if Lady GaGa is a “fame 2010, something monster”, than Katy Perry he wrote back is the Jabberwocky. The difduring the Clinton ference between the two, Administration most notably is that while resurfaced durLady GaGa seems to have ing the repeal of chosen her gay fans, we DADT (Don’t Ask, chose Katy Perry for ourDon’t Tell) which selves. Mark my word; DJ’s carried strong imwill be spinning variations plications for John on ‘Firework’ for years to McCain despite come because it’s just really the fact that the well done. But what puts two had tried to Ted Kennedy Perry (or is it Hudson?) pass legislation on this list, is the unassuming sincerity and together in the past and were even thought sentiment she’s expressed through her art of as friends. In short, while not mentioning and actions (duets with Elmo have censored anyone by name, Kennedy entered a written footage now?) and the coolness with which account of how some of his fellow Senators she has purged herself of any wrong-doing had completely ignored valuable testimony “Home of tHe original uncut“itpizza” by creating the most uplifting gets better” before rushing ahead with what would video you’ll ever see… become DADT.

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December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

07

Belinda Carlisle – When Carlisle recorded “Heaven is a Place on Earth” in 1987 it was almost like she was sending a postcard to herself in the future. It was this song, actually, that indirectly led me to Buddhism.

For Carlisle, it was something else that brought her to the so-called middle path: “I knew if I didn’t stop I’d be dead,” the 5-years sober Carlisle says, “I remember thinking about how humiliating it would be for my son to have his mom die in a hotel room of a cocaine overdose. That’s pretty low.”

Also speaking of her son, Carlisle has this to say: “Most of my friends are gay and lesbian, but when it’s your own kid ... If there are any parents out there who are struggling with knowing their kid is gay, wanting to throw them out or not loving them – then I hope this book helps. So if this can open somebody’s mind just a little bit then I’m glad I wrote the book.” She may not be the Dalai Lama, but she’s got an idea of what compassion is.

06

Barack Obama – Through an epic battle against the allied special interests who entertained masses of uneducated voters and even created a special sub-partisan domain to house them in congress, President Obama has shown cool,

calm, collected reasoning ability. He sought luck.When Bullock made a captivating Oscar compromise and bipartisanship even when acceptance speech for her role in The Blind it seemed to do so would be egg on his face. Side, I rushed to put it on my Netflix queue.

Most dishearteningly, he withstood some Of course, it was every bit as good as it was of the worst attacks not from his political hyped to be. Her life didn’t immediately get less opposites but from the very people he’s complicated after the awards as we all know. looking out for. When groups like GetEqual But she handled it in character – as the new and AHF decided to targay favorite in big Hollyget him, his administration wood – Diva2.0. And of and his allies in congress course, she had a little for perceived inaction on help from a friend who gay rights and HIV fund“Gives A Damn”. ing, he extended an olive branch. When the olive Shirley branch was rejected he Sherrod resorted to humor. When – It wasn’t the best of humor didn’t quench their circumstances under bloodlust he tried to diswhich Shirley Sherrod appear until the job was became a household done in congress. When it name. She was well on Sandra Bullock came time to sign the bills her way to becoming he had been fighting for, right along side of the next “Van Jones” as Fox News would have us, he did so with a smile. I raise my glass to us believe. “Just another racist black woman our President and his family! settling a score against the white man with help from her friends at the NAACP.” Well, scratch that.The only thing Sherrod wanted Sandra Bullock – What interest to settle was her cell phone bill. She was the a person lacks in football, they can victim of one of the most unforgiveable acts surely make up for with an appreciation for hard-working actresses who are down on their of propagandizing video editing we’ve seen.

04

05

Her message of coming to terms with racism was portrayed as racism itself and her overall message of cooperation & tolerance was ignored in favor of deeply held prejudices. But it turned out for the best since we are now aware of what an amazing woman she really is.

03

Asher Brown – There were as many as 12 gay kids who committed suicide in rapid succession and it was to be expected that the mainstream media would collect the easy ratings and move on as soon as any other news story emerged.

This is of course part of the larger problem that these troubled kids face. Asher Brown, age 13, was one of the most perplexing of the cases and he was the boy that touched my heart and finally brought me to tears. His adorable smiling photo does not easily connect with the story of poverty, out-casting, bullying and reckless disregard that stole this child from his parents and the nation at large. I don’t easily make heroes out of victims, but in this case, I gladly accept this kid as a hero because he inspired me to make the rights of kids a priority in my life.

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December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

2010: The Perfect Alignment

Air Force Major Mike Almy (left) and Lt. Col.Victor Fehrenbach celebrate the repeal of DADT

continued from page 3

lowing Saturday’s vote.

“The legislation provides that repeal will take effect once the President, the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff certify that implementation of the new policies and regulations written by the Department is consistent with the standards of military readiness, military effectiveness, unit cohesion, and recruiting and retention of the Armed Forces,” noted Gates. “As I have stated before, I will approach this process deliberately and will make such certification only after careful consultation with the military service chiefs and our combatant commanders and when I am satisfied that those conditions have been met for all the Services, commands and units.

“It is therefore important that our men and women in uniform understand that while today’s historic vote means that this policy will change, the implementation and certification process will take an additional period of time. In the meantime, the current law and policy will remain in effect.

And then, once certification is submitted, the legislation calls for a third waiting period – a 60-day waiting period between certification and implementation.

The language of the bill does not stipulate what, if anything, should take place during this third waiting period, but Senator Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), who passed away in June, reportedly agreed to vote for repeal of DADT only after this waiting period was added. He told reporters at the time that the 60 days would give Congress “an opportunity to re-examine

the concerns of our Armed Forces and the manner in which they are being addressed.”

Thus, the splinter may not be ready to fall out for some time to come, especially since the 60-day review period will take place after Republicans have taken control of the House and increased their numbers in the Senate from 41 to 47.

Could a Republican House attempt to thwart repeal during that 60-day review period?

“Congress could always re-enter the picture, even repeal the repeal,” said longtime legal scholar and activist Nan Hunter, “but there are obviously not the votes for that, even in the next Congress. You might see oversight hearings on the House side, but, even there, I would doubt it, since I think [Republicans] will want to send a message that they are concentrating on curbing spending and other [economic] issues.”

No doubt, President Obama and the Democrats will be concentrating on such issues in 2011, too. The first debate of the 2012 presidential campaign among Republican candidates will take place in the spring of 2001. Given that between 50 and 78 percent of Americans supported the repeal of DADT, it seems unlikely that President Obama’s push to make repeal happen will be of any consequence in his effort to be re-elected. But it is also unlikely that the president –or any other presidential candidate— will be spending much political capital to champion any other gay-related drives toward equality in the near future. Politicians must balance their capital among a wide variety of constituencies –that’s how they get re-elected.

Sen. Mark Udall (D-CO) consults with Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), while activist Air Force Lt. Col.Victor Fehrenbach looks on, during their campaign to repeal DADT

So, for marriage equality, the LGBT community will have to focus on the courts, through such critical legal battles as Ted Olson-David Boies lawsuit against Proposition 8 in California and the Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders lawsuits in Massachusetts and Connecticut. And for protection against discrimination in the workplace, it will to look to the future and another perfect alignment.

Crossword Puzzle

Down 1 Lettuce variety 2 US citizen Across 3 The king in The King I, for one 1 Three-men-in-a-tub event 4 Time for Frida 5 Oral attention getter 5 Fireplace rods 9 So-so grade 6 Bounds gaily 14 Point of view intro, at Gay.com 7 Deadly septet 15 “Oh,What a 8 HIV exam, e.g.

Beautiful Morning” singer 9 One that reproduces without sex 16 Prayer starter 10 Backup strategy 17 Hides of hairy guys?

11 ___ Cabin Federation 19 Workers under Barney Frank 12 Moist ending 20 He had a crush on Beatle John 13 ‘60s radical org.

22 Start of MGM’s motto 18 Type of tool 23 Dean, and others without causes 21 Muse for Millay 27 Bye Bye Birdie sounds?

24 “My Cup Runneth Over” singer 31 Burn a bit 25 Whitman’s dooryard bloomers 33 Kit letters 26 Site of Gay Games VI 34 Two to one, for one 27 Rex Reed, for one 35 Cat on ___ Tin Roof 28 Where they say “Aloha” 36 Lacking locks when they come 37 Early Beatle song that 29 Not straight up expressed how 20-Across felt 30 Button’s place 40 Use your tongue 31 Chase of Community 41 Edison’s middle name 32 Georgetown athlete 42 Dorothy, to Em 35 Ready and willing partner?

43 Three on a sundial 36 Cheese for Ms. van de Kamp?

44 Joel of Cabaret 38 Composer Copland 45 Somewhat formal 39 Spread open 46 Roman orator of note 44 Rosie’s Broadway musical 48 Prefix with political 45 Formal order 49 Where the relationship of 47 Eulogizer of Diana in song 20-Across stayed?

48 Responders to “Bite me!”?

56 The Great Garbo 50 Tenn. neighbor 59 Rae of Facts of Life 51 Cry after getting the shaft 60 Jam ingredients?

52 Reactions to seeing a hottie 61 Stud fee?

53 RBI to Glenn Burke 62 Obscene four-letter word 54 Kett of the comics 63 Sharon of If These Walls Could Talk 2 55 Jack McPhee, in Dawson’s Creek 64 Name repeated in a Stein quote 56 “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” to Mick Jagger 65 Country suffix 57 The daily grind 58 WWII command See solution on page 39 He Loves You, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah

39

December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

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Solution to Crossword Puzzle on page 38

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December 29, 2010 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com