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June 6, 2012 • Volume 3 • Issue 23

SPECIAL HIV/AIDS SECTION

STARTS ON PAGE 33

SUSPECTED GAY PORN CANNIBAL ARRESTED INSIDE THIS ISSUE

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Live Free Be Strong

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Gender Neutral Bathrooms Come to Fort Lauderdale!

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Views of the News:

Gay Days

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Gay Lake Worth

LOCAL NEWS June 6, 2012 • Volume 3 • Issue 23

Live Free Be Strong

Editorial Offices

courtesy of LFBS

New charity donates $1,000 to local GSA

By Gideon Grudo

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avid Vincent was looking for a good cause, a grassroots organization that fit the mission of his new company Live Free Be Strong (LFBS). As it were, a chocolate and peanut butter cupcake helped show him the way.

Vincent’s marketer and friend Michael Goodman had just finished his lunch at Wilton Manors’s Humpy’s Pizza, when he ordered the double-flavor cupcake. That’s when the principal of Fort Lauderdale High School walked in. She needed multiple cupcakes, and needed one more chocolate and peanut butter. Goodman offered his, promising that he hadn’t touched it.

The two ended up sitting and chatting, the conversation slowly turning to Goodman’s rather dark high school history and the need for people to pay it forward. The principal recommended Goodman get involved in her school’s Gay-Straight Alliance chapter, and a bulb was lit.

It wasn’t long before Vincent knew all about the chapter, excited at how well it fit LFBS’s mission.

THE REGULARS

By Karl Hampe

“I was so impressed with their goals — a lot of bigger organizations get funding, and we support them,” Vincent told SFGN. “But a handful of struggling kids who try to make this work at a local school, pushing for equality, that really set the mood for me.”

And so it came to be that LFBS’s first move would be donating one thousand dollars to the chapter, an emotional move for the president and vice-president of the student chapter.

“We’re so incredibly thankful to [LFBS],” said Jacqueline Faerman, a 17-year-old junior and the VP of the chapter. She said that both her and Alex Corso, the founder and president of the chapter, were in tears when they heard the news. Corso started the chapter because he believes that every school should have one, and that FTL High School was just a start of what he hopes to see become a string of schools opening chapters.

“They’re responsible for promoting tolerance and acceptance, giving students a safe place to discuss their LGBT issues.” Principal Robeiro said about the GSA chapter. “It’s an opportunity for students to talk without being judged.” She added that LFBS is the first

organization to have gotten involved with the school’s GSA program.

To Vincent, this is the culmination of an idea that started long ago.

“I always knew that I was going to do something not-for-profit,” He explained. One of his son’s friends had taken his own life. The child wasn’t gay or bullied for being gay, but was facing other hardships and other kinds of bullying, Vincent said. He struggled fitting in. “That was my drive. There were no clear signs that the child was going to take his own life. That was my first push — these kids are in front of us everyday.”

And with his son’s friend as motivation, as well as a push from his own friends, Vincent started LFBS, which means to live life the way one sees it, the one with which one is comfortable.

“It’s about freedom, having a choice to be who we are and living our lives accordingly,” Vincent said. “You’ve got to come to grips with who you are and what you’re all about before things will get better.”

Michael Goodman remembers that the toughest part of high school was physical education. No one wanted to be on his team, nor chose him for theirs. If someone is overly sensitive, these types of environments may hold someone back.

“When you’re that age, and you’re dealing with being different and others are calling you out maliciously over it. It was a lot of weight on a young person’s shoulders — they would chase you, and taunt you. It was a nightmare,” Goodman said.

“But then I realized one day, ‘You know, I’m a good person.’”

LFBS’s first fundraiser is centered around t-shirts. All of the proceeds from the sale of these t-shirts will go to anti-bullying organizations.

To learn more about LFBS, go to www.livefreebestrong.org.

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June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

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Young Artist Fights for Justice Kyle Pierre stands up for equality

By Donald Cavanaugh

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submitted photo

hen I went to my first PrideFest event and discovered all those other people just like me, I knew I had to get involved in everything I could,” said 18-year old Kyle Pierre. “When I started attending the Compass HOPE Youth Group, I knew that I needed to work for equality for all of us.”

That was three years ago when Pierre was 15. Today, at 18, Pierre is an avid advocate for civil equality and takes every opportunity to assert his belief that “We must all love one another and make the world safer for each other regardless of perceived differences.”

Pierre was born in Trinidad and spent much of his life there. His parents divorced when he was young and his mother moved to South Florida. His paternal grandmother raised him until his father paid some cousins to “beat him into being a real man.”

When that effort failed, he was shipped off to his mother in Palm Beach County where she and her boyfriend made his life uncomfortable until his mother told him to leave when he was 17.

“I went to live with my best friend,” he said.

“Her parents have treated me like I’m their own son. I have really found a family among my friends and I’m so grateful. When both of my parents rejected me I had no place to go. It was very scary but in many ways it has been the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Once Pierre became active in the youth group he was a major recruiter for the Compass program, which is funded by the Palm Beach County Children’s Services Council.

He introduced more than 20 teens to the safe place at 201 N Dixie Highway. Gay, and gayfriendly, he’d coax them to “just try it and see what you think.” Many stayed.

A group in South Palm Beach called Boca Raton’s Promise is working to end stigma and ‘break the silence’ about mental health. The organizers recognize that there are unique mental health issues faced by gay youth who often suffer from the effects of bullying and rejection rather than from systemic causes.

Rita Thrasher, president and CEO of the group invited Pierre and another youth to speak to the group about this issue and had this to say, “Kyle was very straightforward

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Kyle Pierre and effective. He told what he believed and pulled no punches. People seemed eager to hear what he had to say.”

More recently, Pierre was invited to be a member of a panel on violence at a youth summit at Gaines Park in West Palm Beach. More than 20 county organizations helped create the summit including the Urban League, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s office, the School District, County Health Department, Workforce Alliance, Planned Parenthood and more.

From the gay community there were Compass Gay & Lesbian Community Center and TriAngle Consulting, which specializes in the issues faced by LGBT people in the county.

Pierre took his place on the stage in front of 300 plus teens and introduced himself saying, “Hello. I’m Kyle Pierre and I’m gay.” He touched on his experiences as the victim of anti-gay bullying as well as being a witness to bullying. He said, “It’s really just about love.

Isn’t it? We all want to love and be loved.”

“I thoroughly enjoyed having Kyle as one of our summit’s panelists,” said Marcia Bahia, one of the summit planners. “His delivery was very informative and engaging. It is sad that some kids (and adults) are victims of bullying. I am happy to see that this young man overcame the emotional abuse and is now helping others break the silence. Many thanks to Kyle for his powerful presence and participation, and I hope to see him again at the next Youth Summit.”

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

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National News

DOMA Doomed!

Ruled unconstitutional again...

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OSTON — A federal appeals court last week declared that the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutionally denies federal benefits to married gay couples, a groundbreaking ruling all but certain to wind up before the U.S. Supreme Court.

In its unanimous decision, the three-judge panel of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston said the 1996 law that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman deprives gay couples of the rights and privileges granted to heterosexual couples.

The court didn’t rule on the law’s more politically combustible provision, which said states without same-sex marriage cannot be forced to recognize gay unions performed in states where it’s legal. It also wasn’t asked to address whether gay couples have a constitutional right to marry.

The law was passed at a time when it appeared Hawaii would legalize gay marriage.

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Since then, many states have instituted their own bans on gay marriage, while eight states have approved it, led by Massachusetts in 2004.

The court, the first federal appeals panel to deem the benefits section of the law unconstitutional, agreed with a lower court judge who ruled in 2010 that the law interferes with the right of a state to define marriage and denies married gay couples federal benefits given to heterosexual married couples, including the ability to file joint tax returns.

“For me, it’s more just about having equality and not having a system of first- and second-class marriages,” said plaintiff Jonathan Knight, 32, a financial associate at Harvard Medical School who married Marlin Nabors in 2006.

“I think we can do better, as a country, than that,” Knight said.

Knight said DOMA costs the couple an extra $1,000 a year because they cannot file a

joint federal tax return.

Opponents of gay marriage blasted the decision.

“This ruling that a state can mandate to the federal government the definition of marriage for the sake of receiving federal benefits, we find really bizarre, rather arrogant, if I may say so,” said Kris Mineau, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute.

Since DOMA was passed in 1996, many states have instituted their own bans on gay marriage, while eight states have approved it, including Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Iowa, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maryland, Washington state and the District of Columbia.

Maryland and Washington’s laws are not yet in effect and may be subject to referendums.

Last year, President Barack Obama announced the U.S. Department of Justice would no longer defend the constitutionality of the law. After that, House Speaker John Boehner convened the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group to defend it. The legal group argued the case before the appeals court.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said the appeals court ruling is “in concert with the president’s views.” Obama, who once opposed gay marriage, declared his unequivocal personal support on May 9.

Carney wouldn’t say whether the government would actively seek to have DOMA overturned if the case goes before the Supreme Court.

“I can’t predict what the next steps will be in handling cases of this nature,” Carney said.

The 1st Circuit said its ruling wouldn’t be enforced until the U.S. Supreme Court decides the case, meaning that same-sex married couples will not be eligible to receive the economic benefits denied by DOMA until the high court rules.

That’s because the ruling only applies to states within the circuit — Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine and New Hampshire — and Puerto Rico. Only the Supreme Court has the final say in deciding whether a law passed

by Congress is unconstitutional.

Although most Americans live in states where the law still is that marriage can only be the union of a man and a woman, the power to define marriage had always been left to the individual states before Congress passed DOMA, the appeals court said in its ruling.

“One virtue of federalism is that it permits this diversity of governance based on local choice, but this applies as well to the states that have chosen to legalize same-sex marriage,” Judge Michael Boudin wrote for the court. “Under current Supreme Court authority, Congress’ denial of federal benefits

to same-sex couples lawfully married in Massachusetts has not been adequately supported by any permissible federal interest.”

During arguments before the court last month, a lawyer for gay married couples said the law amounts to “across-the-board disrespect.” The couples argued that the power to define and regulate marriage had been left to the states for more than 200 years before Congress passed DOMA. Paul Clement, a Washington, D.C., attorney who defended the law on behalf of the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group, argued that Congress had a rational basis for passing it in 1996, when opponents worried that states would be forced to recognize gay marriages performed elsewhere. The group said Congress wanted to preserve a traditional and uniform definition of marriage and has the power to define terms used to federal statutes to distribute federal benefits.

Clement did not immediately return a message left Thursday. The legal group could ask for the case to be reheard by the full 1st Circuit, which typically sits six judges, or could ask the U.S. Supreme Court to take on the case.

Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, the Boston-based legal group that brought one of the lawsuits on behalf of seven gay married couples and three widowers, said the law takes one group of legally married people and treats them as “a different class” by making them ineligible for benefits given to other married couples.

“We’ve been working on this issue for so many years, and for the court to acknowledge that yes, same-sex couples are legally married, just as any other couple, is fantastic and extraordinary,” said Lee Swislow, GLAD’s executive director.

Two of the three judges who decided the case Thursday were Republican appointees, while the other was a Democratic appointee.

Boudin was appointed by President George H.W. Bush, while Judge Juan Torruella was appointed by President Ronald Reagan. Chief Judge Sandra Lynch is an appointee of President Bill Clinton.

In California, two federal judges have found this year that the Defense of Marriage Act violates the due process rights of legally married same-sex couples.

In the most recent case, a judge found the law unconstitutional because it denies longterm health insurance benefits to legal spouses of state employees and retirees. The judge also said a section of the federal tax code that makes the domestic partners of state workers ineligible for long-term care insurance violates the civil rights of people in gay and lesbian relationships.

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Gay Porn Cannibal Jailed German Police Snatch Suspect

Luka Rocco Magnotta on his website

By Sergio N. Candido

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Canadian gay porn actor, who had been the prime suspect in the murder and dismemberment of a Chinese university student, was arrested by the German police today in Berlin, according to CBC News of Canada.

Luka Rocco Magnotta had left Montreal for France last week, on May 26, hours after the torso of 33-year-old Jun Lin—a student and former lover of Magnotta—was found by lo-

cal police stuffed in a suitcase and dumped in a trash pile behind the suspect’s apartment.

Other body parts, the victim’s severed foot and a hand, had been mailed to the federal Liberal and Conservative parties in Ottawa.

The Montreal Gazette, also reported that police obtained video allegedly filmed by the killer of the grisly murder.

On Thursday, May 31, Interpol issued a notice about Magnotta to 190 countries. CBC reports that Montreal police are calling it “one of the largest manhunts in their history.”

Back in 2007, Magnotta was said to be romantically involved with Canadian serial killer Karla Homolka, who along with her ex-husband was convicted of manslaughter for the rape and murders of two Ontario teenage girls and of her own sister, according to Xbiz.

In a 2010 interview with NowPublic.com, the porn actor had revealed he wanted to be a lawyer once his film career was over.

“Fortunately, I find criminal law very fascinating and so I have met a lot of lawyers and I am in school studying law,” Magnotta said. “I also find psychology fascinating.

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

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June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

harun Ravi, recently convicted D of invasion of privacy and bias intimidation in the Rutgers Webcam case

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

courtesy of ABC News

“I accept responsibility for and regret my thoughtless, insensitive, immature, stupid and childish choices that I made on Sept. 19, 2010, and Sept. 21, 2010.

My behavior and actions, which at no time were motivated by hate, bigotry, prejudice or desire to hurt, humiliate or embarrass anyone, were nonetheless the wrong choices and decisions. I apologize to everyone affected by those choices.”

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SFGN BRIEFS

Judge in Webcam Case: Jail is Harsh Enough

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f you’re gay or transgender, chances are you won’t get hired at ExxonMobil.

The gas and oil giant ExxonMobil voted May 30 against adding a resolution asking the corporation to amend its equal employment opportunity policy to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, according to the Dallas Voice.

This is not the first time the company voted against the measure. Every year since 1999, ExxonMobil has rejected an amendment to its policies that would include the LGBT community. The highest level of support was in 2008, with nearly 40 percent of shareholders in favor, but still falling short.

“It’s disappointing, but this isn’t the end of the issue for us,” said Resource Center Dallas’ Rafael McDonnell, who has lobbied the company on the issue. “We’re going to continue to reach out and engage them.”

4-year-old Sings ‘Ain’t No Homos Gonna Make It To Heaven’

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hat’s not cute about a toddler singing in front of a full crowd? Well, maybe the fact that he was singing about gays not going to heaven, and backed by a thunderous applause from the crowd at church. A phone video taken during a gathering at the Apostolic Truth Tabernacle church in Greensburg, Indiana, and then anonymously uploaded to YouTube earlier this month has raised some eyebrows among people who have found the video to be offensive. ”The Bible is right, somebody’s wrong.

Romans 1 and 27, ain’t no homos gonna make it to heaven,” sings the 4-year-old in the video.

Dan Savage, LGBT activist and host of MTV’s Savage Love, fired back with a blog post about the video: “That’s the town where Billy Lucas was bullied to death for being perceived to be gay by his classmates.

I wonder if they stood up and cheered at Apostolic Truth Tabernacle when Lucas died—hey, another homo in hell. I wonder if any of Lucas’s tormenters attend services at Apostolic Truth Tabernacle.”

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courtesy of fagburn

Exxon Says No to LGBT Protections…Again

18 gay rights activists were arrested at Moscow Pride.

Moscow Police Detain 40 as Gays Push for Parade

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OSCOW (AP) – Gay activists tried to stage two demonstrations in Moscow on Sunday to demand the right to hold a gay pride parade in the Russian capital, but they were blocked first by Orthodox Christian opponents and then by police, who detained a total of about 40 people from both sides.

The gay activists first gathered outside the city council building, where a few scuffles occurred as their opponents tried to disrupt the demonstration, decrying homosexuality as a sin. After police broke up that protest, another group tried to stage a second protest at city hall, but once again police moved in and detained participants, including prominent gay rights activist Nikolai Alexeyev.

The majority of those detained were gay activists, but some of the Christian demonstrators also were pushed into police buses.

Police said about 40 people were detained in all. Homosexuality was decriminalized in Russia in 1993, but anti-gay sentiment remains strong.

Activists have long petitioned the Moscow government for permission to stage such a parade, but have always been denied. Former Mayor Yuri Luzhkov described gay parades as “satanic,” while current Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has said he disapproves of gay gatherings because they could offend the religious beliefs of many Russians.

Gay activist Galina Kaptur criticized city authorities for treating homosexuality as a contagious disease that would be spread through society if gays were allowed to hold a parade.

Outed ID Dem Seeks New Title: Youngest Lawmaker

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OISE, Idaho (AP) – Nate Murphy knocked on 8,000 doors and spent just $10 on his successful 2011 campaign for Pocatello’s school board, but the 22-year-old’s current bid to become Idaho’s youngest-ever legislator is exacting a higher price.

He’s running for Pocatello’s District 29 House seat as a Democrat in a Republicandominated state. He also has a misdemeanor marijuana conviction from 2008 he knew he’d likely have to explain to voters before November.

And in March, he was accidentally outed as gay after Idaho’s only openly gay lawmaker told The New York Times that Murphy would be taking up her legacy. That’s how his father and grandmother found out about his bisexuality.

Given those distractions, Murphy is working hard to refocus voter attention on the topics that matter to him, not diversionary issues he says distract from his core message of improving Idaho education, a theme that won him his School District 25 trustee seat last year. Until now, the youngest Idaho lawmaker was former Rep. Branden Durst, D-Boise, 26 when elected in 2006.

Murphy, still a junior at Idaho State University after taking semesters off to run Democratic campaigns in southwestern Idaho, aims to claim that title by telling voters he’ll fight Idaho public schools chief Tom Luna’s education reforms, passed by the 2011 Legislature to require online classes and student laptops.

EW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (AP) – After fielding criticism in emails, blogs and newspaper columns, a judge on Wednesday defended his decision to give a 30-day jail sentence to the former Rutgers student who used a webcam to spy on his gay roommate.

Superior Court Judge Glenn Berman said the punishment is harsh enough to deter others from doing the same thing, but not so severe that it will dump 20-year-old Dharun Ravi into prison with hardened criminals.

“I can’t find it in me to remand him to state prison that houses people convicted of offenses such as murder, armed robbery and rape,’’ Berman said. “I don’t believe that fits this case. I believe he has to be punished and he will be.’’

In March, a jury found Ravi guilty of 15 criminal charges, including invasion of privacy and bias intimidation. He used his webcam in September 2010 to stream, and view, seconds of live video of roommate Tyler Clementi and another man kissing, and told others they could watch another encounter two days later. Clementi jumped to his death from New York City’s George Washington Bridge just days after the ordeal began.

Some gay rights activists have portrayed his story as a prime example of the consequences of bullying young gays. And Ravi’s defenders see him as a scapegoat for a death that they don’t believe he was responsible for – and was not charged with.

Berman said he wanted to explain further the sentence he handed down last week largely because it’s being appealed by prosecutors, who say it’s too lenient, and he wanted to provide appellate judges for a clear rationale for his decision.

Ky. Baptist Church Ordains Openly Gay Man

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OUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) – An eastern Louisville Baptist church has ordained an openly gay man as a minister with unanimous support from church members.

Highland Baptist Church on Sunday ordained Maurice “Bojangles’’ Blanchard, a local gay-rights advocate who started the church’s gay and lesbian outreach group last year. Church Pastor Joe Phelps says ordaining Blanchard was “new territory’’ for the church but in April it moved to support his ordination.

The Fairness Campaign, a Louisville-based gay rights organization, hailed Blanchard’s ordination as one of only about two dozen at Baptist churches in the U.S. Highland Baptist, which is not a member of the Southern Baptist Convention, says on its website it is “open to anyone who professes Christ as Savior.’’

Blanchard is studying ministry at the Louisville Seminary.

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Gay hockey?

Gay and Play Hockey?

You’re Welcome at UConn.

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TORRS, Conn. (AP) – Gay and play hockey? You’re welcome at the University of Connecticut. That is the message the school’s men’s hockey team is sending out in two videos for a program called “You Can Play.’’ The goal of the international initiative, which was launched in March, is to work to end homophobia in hockey. In them, the players pledge to support “any teammate, gay or straight, that can help us win games.’’

Black Lawmakers Oppose Gay Black Republican

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RENTON, N.J. (AP) – A group of black New Jersey legislators announced its opposition to Gov. Chris Christie’s choice of a gay, black Republican for the Supreme Court on Thursday, mounting evidence that Democrats were ready to reject the second of the governor’s high court picks.

The New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus told The Associated Press that attorney Bruce Harris’s legal qualifications fall short of the high standard required of the court’s seven justices. No blacks currently sit on the court.

“The nomination of Mr. Harris sends the wrong message, that we can only achieve diversity on the Supreme Court through lowering the bar for qualifications,’’ said Sen. Ron Rice, the caucus leader. “In a state with many distinguished African-American lawyers and judges, nothing could be further from the truth.’’

The Republican governor failed to reappoint the court’s only black justice in 2010, touching off a firestorm among Democrats. Justice John Wallace had two years to go before reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70. The governor nominated Harris, a 61-year-old Morris County mayor, and Phil Kwon, a 45-yearold with a top spot in the state Attorney General’s Office, to fill two open court slots in January. Democrats rejected Kwon in March over ongoing concerns regarding cash deposits from a liquor store owned by his wife and mother.

The black lawmakers oppose Harris’s confirmation because of his lack of judicial and litigation experience and his failure to make partner at any law firm.

stock photo

that prohibits gay marriage is pending in Illinois, but a vote isn’t expected before the legislative session is scheduled to end this week. And although Illinois enacted samesex civil unions last year, couples in the lawsuits said the limited rights and protections make them feel like second-class citizens.

The lead plaintiffs in the ACLU lawsuit are Chicago police detective Tanya Lazaro and systems analyst Elizabeth Matos. The women, who’ve been together 15 years and have two children, reject the notion of a civil union.

“It’s not the same thing as a marriage.

We want our relationship, our love and our commitment we’ve shown for 15 years to be recognized like everybody else’s,’’ Lazaro said.

The 25 couples in both Illinois lawsuits tried to apply for marriage licenses in Cook County, where Chicago is, but were denied.

The lawsuit names Cook County Clerk David Orr. A spokeswoman said Orr was out of the country and had not seen the lawsuit but issued a statement on his behalf.

10K Sign Petition to Vote on ‘Fairness Ordinance’

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INCOLN, Neb. (AP) – A petition drive to force a vote on Lincoln’s “fairness ordinance’’ for gay and transgendered people has garnered more than 10,000 signatures, four times the number needed to place the issue on the ballot, organizers said Tuesday.

Family First and the Nebraska Family Council announced that they submitted 10,092 signatures before the 4:30 p.m. filing deadline. The conservative religious groups needed roughly 2,500 signatures from registered voters in Lincoln.

The groups tapped a network of 310 volunteer petition circulators in the days after a vote by the Lincoln City Council.

Approved earlier this month, the city ordinance adds sexual orientation and gender preference to a list of factors that are legally protected against discrimination for matters that involve housing, employment and public accommodations.

The city’s charter requires the council to either repeal the ordinance, which appears unlikely, given the 5-0 vote to enact it, or place the issue to a referendum that would let Lincoln voters decide whether it should go in to effect.

The vote could take place in a special election called by the city or in November’s general election. When the city council approved the measure on May 14, two members abstained. Supporters have dubbed it the “fairness ordinance,’’ and argued that the measure protects the civil rights of LGBT people. Opponents claim that any change to the city’s charter requires direct voter approval. On Tuesday, a crowd of about 50 gathered on the steps of the Lincoln/Lancaster County Building to show support for the petition drive.

Lawsuits Challenge Illinois Gay Marriage Ban

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HICAGO (AP) – More than two dozen gay and lesbian couples in Illinois filed lawsuits last week arguing that it’s unconstitutional for the state to deny them the right to marry, a move advocates hope will lead to legalized samesex marriage there.

The two lawsuits, backed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois and the New York-based gay advocacy group Lambda Legal, challenge a state law that defines marriage as between a man and woman. Illinois is among 30 U.S. states where voters have approved amendments limiting marriage to unions of one man and one woman.

Legislation to eliminate the law’s language

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

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Wilton Manors Considers Gender Neutral Bathrooms

By Victoria Michaels

By Victoria Michaels

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sing a men’s or a women’s restroom is a clear choice for most people since they don’t consciously consider their own gender, comfort, or safety to be an issue, however, there is a growing concern in Wilton Manors due to the diverse population for those who do have to worry about potentially being humiliated, harassed, or possibly even arrested while simply trying to use a bathroom.

Wilton Manors City Commissioner Julie A. Carson accounts her first awareness for the need of unisex restrooms was raised when she and her Mom faced difficulties as her ageing father needed assistance to use a public restroom, yet neither of them could comfortably accompany him to ensure his safety. These memories still remain important to her today, which has inspired her to push for genderneutral bathrooms within Wilton Manors.

Carson also acknowledges the importance for the Transgender Community.

“For the transgender person, the choice

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between the men’s room and the women’s room often leaves them with nowhere to go,” she said. “They can even be faced with harassment from security guards, police officers and other restroom users for appearing to use the ‘wrong bathroom.’ The usually single-stall, gender-neutral restroom can provide a safe facility for transgender people who live in and visit our city.”

A posting on the official City of Wilton Manors web site reads, “A mother with two young sons says that her sons are embarrassed when they join Mom in the restroom.

Yet she does not feel comfortable allowing her sons to go into the men’s restroom alone.

Similar concerns are prevalent among fathers with daughters who are faced with their own restroom dilemma. A “family friendly” public restroom policy is consistent with the desires of those who are raising children in our diverse society.”

On the flip side, some argue that transgender people should not receive special privileges for a special bathroom, but being able

submitted photo

The Transvestigator

to use a bathroom in a safe and comfortable manner is not a privilege, rather, it is a right and necessity.

It wasn’t long ago that a transgender female was attacked and severely beaten in Baltimore McDonalds by two females for using the ladies room. A worker at the restaurant taped the attack and created a graphic video that went viral. After the video garnered hundreds of thousands of views on websites, McDonald’s issued a statement condemning the incident, and the worker who taped the incident was fired. No word on whether McDonalds plans to offer gender neutral bathrooms.

Pre-Op Transsexual and reigning Miss Miami F.I. Rebecca Finn was approached by a security guard in 2007 who threatened to have her arrested for utilizing the women’s restroom in the Fort Lauderdale’s Greyhound Bus Station.

“I was completely dumbfounded and quite offended at his remarks so I explained to the security officer that I identify as a transgender female. It’s obvious I have breasts im-

Now, gender neutral bathrooms at the bus station. One more reason to travel. plants and I’m on female hormone therapy,” Rebecca Finn said. As she debated the issue with the security guard she asked him, “Would you feel more comfortable if I used the men’s room and stood at a urinal next to you Mr. Officer?” The officer got a puzzled look on his face, grinned, and simply dropped the issue and walked away from the situation.

Although the City still needs to work out the actual language for an incentive program, Carson hinted that the importance of gender neutral restrooms is pointed out to all new potential developers who desire to do business with the City of Wilton Manors.

“Please know that as your City Commissioner, I have been and will continue to advocate for and partner with the Transgender community to ensure that we take this journey together and that all who work, live or play in Wilton Manors are afforded a safe, supportive and vibrant Community,” she said.

“I remain, committed to your service.”

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

P e r s o n a l I n j u ry • f r e e c o n s u ltat I o n

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

Marc SCharphorn Elected Co-Chair of Pride South Florida Born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Marc came toFlorida 4 years ago after spending 20 plus years in College Athletic Administration in Michigan. He spent all of that in Facility and Event Operations. Marc and his partner Jim are co-owners of the Depot Cabana Bar & Grill in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. A friendly neighborhood bar with a pool and full kitchen. This will be Marc’s second year on the board.

Last year he was the Co-Chair of the Entertainment Committee.

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June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

13

A Baptism at Low Tide

By Brian McNaught

O

ver the Fourth of July, we’ll be baptizing our grandnephew, Easton, at low tide in Provincetown. We’ll do so in the same area in front of our house where we scattered his grandfather’s ashes six years ago. Easton’s father and mother, his two uncles and their partners, and Ray and I will “adopt” the infant into our lives.

When Mike and Christina asked me to baptize their firstborn, I was obviously honored, and a bit intimidated. I grew up thinking of baptism as the initiation into Christianity.

But that’s not what they had in mind. They wanted something more personally meaningful to their spirituality, and they felt confident they would get that from me.

From a little research, I was glad to learn that the rite of baptism is understood as both an initiation and as an adoption. There are different rituals associated with traditional baptisms, from pouring a small amount of water over the head of the infant, as was done to me at a Catholic Church on the eastside of Detroit 64 years ago, to the full immersion of

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the individual into a body of water. Some native cultures initiate members of their group into the tribe with rituals that include piercings, tattooing, and sex. We’ll just be utilizing the water at low tide. We’ll all wear white to make the occasion a bit more memorable, and we’ll each tell Easton our positive intentions for him in this life. Our words will be our “welcome” into our family’s circle of love.

What is the significance of a heterosexual couple asking a gay man they know not to be a Christian to baptize their new baby? I feel that it stands along with President Barack Obama, the most powerful and influential person in the world, publicly that he supports the right of gay and lesbian people to marriage equality.

When Easton’s father was born, Ray wasn’t asked to be his godfather. This troubled my spouse for many, many years. He and his brother Bob were closest among the seven boys. Ray felt certain that his being openly gay disqualified him from the honor. We suspect that thirty years ago it simply would

have been too difficult for Bob to have a gay godfather for one of his sons. And the grandparents on both sides of the family would have been very upset had he dared.

When Bob and his wife brought their three young boys to visit and stay with us, or when we visited them, Ray’s and my relationship was described to the children as being “a good friendship.” A few years later, after Bob separated from his wife, he began bringing Mike, Tim, and Matt to visit us in Provincetown over the Fourth of July. Initially, when these handsome, young teenagers walked down Commercial Street, they were a bit intimidated by the sight of drag queens, of female impersonators, of men in leather, and of same-sex couples walking hand in hand. The boys drew the attention of many of the gay men on the street, and sometimes they looked to their father or their uncles, Ray and Brian, for assurance that they were safe.

Provincetown is also where our young nephews ate lobster, salt water taffy, and fudge, went on whale watching boats, played Mexican Train (dominoes) with their dad and uncles, went fishing for striped bass, water skied, and learned from seeing the great variety of people walking the streets that there was more to life than what they had experienced in Wichita, Kansas.

In a very short amount of time, the three boys were eager to head down Commercial Street on their own. They learned to enjoy and ultimately love the street musicians, the campy cross dressers hawking their shows, and the young and old gay people, who snuggled with their partners on park benches in front of Town Hall. Being with their father and gay uncles in Provincetown over the Fourth became a tradition they all looked forward to as they grew into young men. They knew that Uncle Brian would make his spaghetti sauce, that Uncle Ray would make pancakes and strawberry shortcake, and that they’d watch the harbor fireworks from the third floor deck of the house. In P-Town, they felt a sense of family, safety, and fun.

When the boys began to marry, or to date seriously, they asked permission to bring with them their wives or girlfriends. The kitchen table was then surrounded with new, smiling faces, and the house was filled with the sounds of new laughter. Bob would look proudly at his family, and gratefully to Ray and me for creating the space in which they all felt connected.

When Bob was in his final bout with cancer, the boys and he came to Provincetown for what would be his last Fourth of July celebration. He sat wrapped in a blanket as we watched the fireworks. He was bald from the keith haring print

McNaught’s Notes

chemotherapy and he was in constant pain, but he always had a smile on his face. He was at home when he was with us, and he was happiest when he was with his three boys.

The following Fourth of July, Mike and his wife Christina, Tim, and Matt, came from around the country to be together again, and to scatter their father’s ashes in the place they all considered sacred. Together, we walked out in front of the house at low tide, stood in a circle, spoke from our hearts about Bob, and then poured his ashes into the receding water.

Given the expense, and the trouble it can be to get to the very tip of Cape Cod, it wouldn’t have surprised Ray and me if that was the final year that we saw the three nephews over the Fourth. But none of them wanted to stop the tradition. Coming to town each year was their way to stay connected with one another, to feel the presence of their father in the place that was more like the family home than anywhere else, to see their uncles Brian and Ray, to eat spaghetti and pancakes, to play poker, to watch the fireworks from the third floor deck, and to laugh freely in an environment that felt welcoming to everyone.

Now, they are bringing their children, and intend to do so even if not all of the brothers are able to come. This is where they feel they belong, where there are more traditions and shared fond memories than anywhere else.

This is where they know they will join hands at every meal, think about the joy of the moment, and recall their wonderful father.

That is why young Easton needed to be baptized here. The water and the sand hold more meaning than any other water could possibly contain. Easton was formally baptized in an Episcopal Church, but this baptism is his adoption into the love of his family, and into the world in which his grandfather, father, uncles, and great uncles played. It’s what his parents most wanted for him.

The words that will be spoken won’t be remembered by Easton or by the rest of us in the circle. But, the experience of carrying their son or nephew into the low tide where they carried their father’s ashes will never be forgotten by Easton’s parents and uncles.

And as he grows, Easton will walk on his own to visit the place where his married, gay, great uncles baptized him into a world that is far more enlightened and courageous than it was thirty-plus years ago.

Brian McNaught was named “the godfather of gay diversity training” by The New York Times. He works with corporate executives globally, is the author of six books, and is featured in seven educational DVDs. He and his spouse Ray Struble divide their year between Ft. Lauderdale and Provincetown.

Visit Brian-McNaught.com for more information.

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

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June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

By Brian Swinford

Have an event you want to list?

If so send me an email at Calendar@sfgn.com.

Proof

*denotes new listing

Theater Broward County

This Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning drama Proof will be at the Palm Beach Dramaworks located at 201 Clematis Street. This play is about a daughter of a brilliant but mentally disturbed mathematician tries to come to grips with her possible inheritance: his insanity. Visit Palmbeachdramaworks. org/index.php

*Standing on Ceremony The Gay Marriage Plays

The Fantasticks is the world’s longest running musical and is about captivating love story about a boy, a girl, two fathers and a wall, the narrator, El Gallo, creates a world of moonlight and magic, then pain and disillusionment, until the boy and girl find their way back to each other. The score, which includes “Try to Remember,” is as timeless as the story itself! Visit Palmbeachdramaworks. org/index.php

submitted photo

Enjoy an entertaining and provocative evening featuring eight short plays on the subject of marriage equality written by some of today’s most brilliant playwrights and performed by a dynamic celebrity cast at the Broward Center on June 21-24.

Offering their unique takes on the moments before, during, and after saying “I do,” these prominent writers have created theater that is as insightful and stirring as it is funny and heartwarming. Visit Standingonceremony.net

The Fantasticks

*South Florida Ballet Theater presentsThe Great Pas de Deux Series IV This one day only performance of The South Florida Ballet Theater’s Gala, “The Great Pas de Deux Series IV” and “The Sleeping Beauty Act III”, will be presented on June 10 at 6 p.m. at the Broward Center. All of the performance series include professional dancers brought in from across the nation whom have toured both nationally and internationally.

Visit Southfloridaballettheater.com

*16th Annual Festival Yachad Israeli Dance Festival

Festival Yachad will feature more than 500 dancers on stage with local groups and invited companies from Mexico, Brazil, Canada, Panama and Israel, performing to Israeli folk dance music, with colorful costumes, amazing scenery and spectacular lighting effects. This year our Festival Yachad reaches 16 years and the Gala Performance theme is “Shir”, which in Hebrew means “Music.” This breathtaking festival will take place at the Broward Center on June 10. Visit Bamachol.com

South Florida JAZZ presents The Bad Plus

The Bad Plus -- pianist Ethan Iverson, bassist Reid Anderson and drummer David King -- have broken down the walls of jazz convention and created an uncompromising body of work. The Bad Plus will be at the Miniaci Performing Arts Center on June 9 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $40. The Bad Plus is both thrilling and provocative, which makes it one of the most acclaimed bands on the jazz scene. Visit southfloridajazz.org

Palm Beach County

Miami-Dade *Summer Shorts

Summer Shorts is one fast and furiously fun program of the nation’s hottest “short” plays! Strung together in a whirlwind of bite-size nuggets, these mini-plays will one minute have you laughing hysterically and the next shocked beyond belief. Hang on for the ride of your life in this wonderful evening of theater from June 1-17 at the Carnival Studio Theater in the Ziff Ballet Opera House. Visit Arshtcenter.org

*The Brand New Kid

This delightful kids’ musical based on the children’s book by television journalist Katie Couric is about being different and overcoming teasing through the power of acceptance and friendship. This killer musical will be at the Carnival Studio Theater in the Ziff Ballet Opera House on June 9 -17. Visit Arshtcenter.org

The Lion King

Experience the phenomenon of Disney’s The Lion King.

Marvel at the breathtaking spectacle at the Ziff Ballet Opera House through June 10. Times vary. Thrill to the pulsating rhythms of the African Pride Lands and an unforgettable score including Elton John and Tim Rice’s Oscar-winning song “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” and “Circle of Life.”

Let your imagination run wild at the Tony Award-winning Broadway sensation Newsweek calls “a landmark event in entertainment.” Visit Arshtcenter.org

Key West

*Mona Golabek in the Pianist of Willesden Lane

Red Barn: Match

The Pianist of Willesden Lane is performer Mona Golabek’s true family story, chronicling hope, survival and how through our darkest times, music has the power to help us survive.

Visit Geffenplayhouse.com/index.php

This Broadway hit stars like the hysterical Tom Luna as Tobi Powell, an eccentric and endearing dancer, choreographer and teacher. A married couple arrives at Powell’s apartment to interview him about his life, but it is soon evident that their agenda is as multi-layered as Tobi’s life story. Call 305-2969911 or Email: info@redbarntheatre.com

*The Exorcist

Key West Pops: Kiss Me Kate

The most chilling test of faith comes to life on stage at the Gil Cates Theater from July 3- August 12. The Exorcist transforms the unsettling battles of good versus evil, faith versus fact and ego versus ethos into a uniquely theatrical experience as sophisticated as it is suspenseful. For more Information visit Geffenplayhouse.com/index.php

KeyHole

If you like action and adrenaline Keyhole is for you. Keyhole has it all: from gangsters to police to a great love between a husband and wife. Keyhole will be at Mos Art Theatre on May 31. Visit Mosarttheatre.com

The annual musical-in-concert features Cole Porter’s production starring Susan Powell and Richard White. This classic from the Golden Age of Broadway musicals is pure entertainment gold with hits songs and great dance sequences. The guest artist roster is to reflect the Pops’ usual practice of bringing together out-of-town artists and Key West favorites. Starts at 7:30 p.m. and is at the Tennessee Williams Theatre. Call 305-296-6059 or Email: info@ keywestpops.org

continued on page 18

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

17

To Submit Listings Email: Brian at Calendar@sfgn.com Fax: 954-530-7943.

Please include a brief description, address, phone number, date, time and cost.

STAGE DOOR

By J.W. Arnold

Community Calendar Broward County

Queer Youth Nights

LGBTQ & allied youth 13-21 are welcome any time after 6 p.m. at the SunServe building on Wilton Drive for a great place to meet new friends, play board games and a Queer Themed Movie at 7 p.m. Email Afrosch@sunServe.org

Saturday Nite Alive

*Essential Buddhism: The Four Noble Truths & Reincarnation

What are the underlying causes of our suffering and dis-satisfaction? It seems like these are coming to us from outside, but even when we change our external situation, we never become free from problems. The origin of our cycle of impure life, samsara, is the delusions in our mind, such as anger, attachment, and self-grasping ignorance. This cycle of contamination continues in life after life, as long as these poisons remain in our mind. Once we see this, we can start to reduce these distorted conceptions, by following the path presented

by Buddha. Eventually we will attain a final cessation of all delusions and the suffering they cause, a permanent liberation known as nirvana. $35 includes vegetarian lunch Come join this class at the Drolma Buddhist Center on June 23 from 10am-3pm. Visit MeditationInFortLauderdale.org

Cleaning Yourself: The Four Powers of Purification Alliance Theatre Lab

Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do the same things keep happening to us, even though we have already learned from them? This is the result of negative karmic imprints. Until this karma is exhausted, suffering will keep appearing, and we will continue to feel stuck in a cycle.

Learning how to purify this negativity before it ripens is one of the kindest things we can do for ourselves. $10/class or $30/series includes vegetarian food. Series begins June 14 with It is Not About Guilt: The Power of Regret, and June 21 with Faith & Compassion: The Power of Reliance, and June 28 with Making Up for the Past: The Power of the Opponent Force, and July 5 with Setting Realistic Goals: The Power of Promise. Visit Meditationinfortlauderdale.org

The Measure of a Man It’s inevitable that a play about a young man’s struggle with his modest endowment would inspire more than a few puns.

My colleague, Bill Hirschman at FloridaTheatreOnStage.com, called Mark Della Ventura’s new one-man show, Small Membership, a “modestly endowed, touching and amusing package.” And even Della Ventura’s character, Matt, wryly puts it well: “In high school, my penis was still in middle school.”

Now, I’m not going to venture just exactly to what degree the show might be autobiographical, but the inventive writer, with assistance from director David Sirois, has crafted a funny and touching show that will certainly have the men in the audience contemplating the “long and short” of manhood.

Small Membership plays through June 24 at Alliance Theatre Lab at Main Street Playhouse, 6766 Main St., Miami Lakes.

Performances are at 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 5 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.

Tickets are $10-30 at TheAllianceTheatreLab.com.

A Classic Goes Cuban You might remember “Penthouse” publisher Bob Guccione’s foray nearly 40 years ago into feature film production, an outlandish, pornographic retelling of the

18

story of gory Roman Emperor Caligula.

Peter O’Toole graced the screen—surrounded by a bevy of very talented playmates—that is still somewhat titillating.

Now the tale, as told by Albert Camus, is being retold at Miami Beach’s Colony Theatre with a Cuban twist.

Teatro el Público, under the direction of Carlos Díaz, recasts the tyrannical Caligula with “a contemporary face, making him into an icon armed behind the mask of gayness and the glamour of the most illustrious uniforms, thus inciting us to other forms of misconduct way beyond the sexual.”

Caligula will be performed in Spanish with English surtitles, Thursday, June 14-Saturday, June 16 at 8 p.m. at the Colony Theatre, 1040 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach. Tickets are $25-30 at the theatre box office or online at FundArte.us.

Dance the Night Away Hard Rock Live in Hollywood hosts Disco Night 3 on Thursday, June 10 at 7 p.m. with Martha Wash, Maxine Nightingale and Sister Sledge featuring Kathy Sledge. Boogie all night long to all of these divas’ biggest hits, including “It’s Raining Men,” “Right Back Where We Started From” and “We Are Family.” Tickets are $29-54 at Ticketmaster.com.

Learning from Death, Waking up to Life

It can feel like our life is one mundane task after another, until we are exhausted, with no time or energy for spiritual activities. Worse, our preoccupation with worldly affairs is a source of tremendous anxiety and frustration, leaving us with no peace or contentment. Strangely, the most powerful solution to these problems is to remember that we are going to die. By seeing our existence in this much broader context, we realize what really matters and make time for it, finding deep satisfaction and fulfillment. From Joyful Path of Good Fortune. $10/class or $30/series begins June 17 with Overcoming Anxiety: The Eight Worldly Concerns, and June 24 with Freedom from Denial: Death is Certain , and July 1 with Making Every Moment Meaningful: The Time of Death is Uncertain, and July 8 with Preparing for the Future: At Death and Afterwards, What Helps? Visit Meditationinfortlauderdale.org

Leadership Broward Foundation Hosts 30th Anniversary Celebration

The Leadership Broward Foundation, Broward County’s premier leadership development organization, hosts “30ROCK- Dancing through the Decades” in celebration of its 30th anniversary. Evening features cocktail reception, dinner, dancing and performance by The Sheffield Brothers.

Event will take place on Friday, June 8. Cocktail reception at 7 p.m. Midnight anniversary party at 8 p.m. at the Signature Grand located at 6900 State Road 84 In Davie. Tickets are $100 per person. Contact Suzanne Higgins at 954-767-8866 or Suzanne@leadershipbroward.org

Corporate Challenge of Florida

Opening ceremony begins August 2012. Corporate Challenge of Florida is bringing the spirit of the Olympics to Broward County. Offering many different sporting events throughout Broward. The largest sporting event in South Florida will have the opportunity to show unity, sportsmanship and camaraderie. Each company’s registration fees will support the American Heart Association, breast cancer research, Make a Wish Foundation and more local charitable South Florida organizations. Visit Ccoffl.org/thanks.php

WIG: Wild Inspirational Gatherings

WIG is a new and exciting weekly event that will inspire and empower you to celebrate life. Imagine a gay revival mixing spirituality, disco meditation, drag divas, WIG’s Gayngster Choir and a fabulous message from Rev. Jamie! WIG seeks to empower gay youth, adults and our allies with positive energy, a fun environment and a gay spirit. Doors open at 7:30, curtain up at 8. Tickets: $10 suggested donation, VIP booth seating $30. 754-444-1WIG (1944)

The free event will showcase the best of Fort Lauderdale Beach for 11 fun filled Saturday nights: June 2 through August 11 (7 p.m. – 11 p.m.). The entertainment lineup includes more than 20 high-energy entertainment acts i.e. Billy Bones, Taiko Drummers, Swahili, House of Flying Cards, Rafael & Ligia and the Bahamian Junkanoo Revue. Each Saturday night, entertainers will perform on the sidewalks along the west side of AIA on Fort Lauderdale Beach from Hall of Fame Drive to Castillo Street. Visit Wizard-Entertainment.com

Latinos Salud’s programs

Multiple programs and groups for bi/gay Latino guys. Latinos Salud’s SOMOS program is for guys 18 to 30. All proceeds will benefit Latinos Salud in our efforts to educate on HIV Prevention and testing. Every Thursday night at 7 p.m. join the Core Group, and help plan alternative activities. Also offers Popular Opinion Leader group for guys ages 25 to 44 and a Life Coaching program for guys ages 18 to 44. Come by Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. for free one-on-one life coaching with certified CRCS coaches. Located at 2330 Wilton Drive. Call 954-533-8681 or visit Latinossalud.org

Latin Night Bingo

Latin night bingo and dinner fundraiser for Hildana Ciser at the Pride Center in the main hall, building A. The Latin inspired dinner starts at 530 p.m. and bingo starts at 730 p.m.

Dana will be raffling away one of her paintings. Don’t miss out on owning an original Dana work of art. There are sponsorships available for those interested. The will also be an open snack bar for all that attend. Call 954-463-9005

GLBTA Diversity Summit

The Florida Diversity Council is please to be sponsoring its Inaugural GLBTA Diversity Summit on Friday, June 22 at the Pride Center at Equality Park from 1:30 to 5 p.m. Registration for the half day event is $49 and the event will be held at The Pride Center in Wilton Manors, Florida. Visit Glbtsummit.com

Man2Man Discussion Group

Man2Man Discussion Group meets at the Pride Center on Mondays from 7 until 8:30 p.m. Any subject may be discussed.

Members regularly reassemble afterwards for ‘repast’ at The Courtyard, PeterPan Diner. Visit Glccsf.org

Meditation After Work

On Mondays from 6-6:30 p.m. there will be Guided meditation w/ western Buddhist teacher Gui Passow. Looking for a way to rest and re-charge before starting your evening? Come in for a free guided meditation to clear your mind at the end of the day. This class is free at Drolma Buddhist Center. Call 954-537-9191 or visit meditationinfortlauderdale.org

Buddhist Meditation Classes: Happiness from a Different Source

All the happiness there is in the world arises from wishing others to be happy. By abandoning self-centered thoughts and replacing them with the belief that others are important, we will overcome our suffering and find true happiness inside our own hearts. $10/class or $30/series includes vegetarian food after class. Call The Drolma Buddhist Center at 954-537-9191.

Intimate Partner Abuse Group

SunServe is offering a new weekly support group for LGBT people that are experiencing abuse in their intimate relationships, or have just left an abusive intimate relationship.

Abuse includes: name calling, put downs, slurs, humiliation, isolation, being kept from friends and family, economic deprivation, threats, intimidation, violence, sexual coercion, and sexual violence. Call 954-764-5150 extension 104.

Dream Car Classic

Every Sunday of the month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Pre-1980s classic cars, modern classics and custom cars from 19812012 will be showcased. $10 car registration from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. (Show Car Entrance: 20th Avenue & Tyler Street).

People’s Choice Award - 2 Classes; Top Ten Vehicles Award.

Call 954-214-2457

Living Healthy

Fusion in Wilton Manors will be having a free workshop on healthy choices, and healthy living on Tuesdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. This workshop provides interactive learning, practice and mastery techniques for a healthier and more active life, and positive changes for quality of life. Call 954-630-1655

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

To Submit Listings Email: Brian at Calendar@sfgn.com Fax: 954-530-7943.

Please include a brief description, address, phone number, date, time and cost.

SPOTLIGHT

Miami Gay Men’s Chorus

By J.W. Arnold

Miami Gay Men’s Chorus

Who’s Your Diva?

T

he Miami Gay Men’s Chorus presents its fabulous summer concert this weekend, June 8-10, at the Colony Theatre in Miami Beach. The 60-voice chorus, under the direction of Artistic Director Anthony Cabrera, will present, “Who’s Your Diva?” a musical salute to the iconic women who have inspired generations of gay men.

Whether you worship Norma Jean, Joan or Judy, Elizabeth, Liza, or Lady Gaga, Barbra, Bette or Bernadette, there will be something for everyone. Performances on Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m. and Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. Tickets are $25-35 at MiamiGayChorus.org.

Life Coaching program

Latinos Salud’s Life Coaching program is for Latino gay/bi guys ages 18-44. Come by Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. for free one-on-one life coaching with certified CRCS coaches. Set your goals, and meet action steps to make them come true. Stop in for more info at 2330 Wilton Drive or call 954-765-6239. Visit Latinossalud.org

Sex and Love Anonymous

S.L.A.A. believes that sex and love addiction is a progressive illness which cannot be cured but which, like many illnesses, can be arrested. It may take several forms -- including, but not limited to, a compulsive need for sex, extreme dependency on one or many people, or a chronic pre-occupation with romance, intrigue, or fantasy. Meets at The Pride Center at Equality Park in Bldg A, Room 200 Fridays 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Visit Slaafws.org

A Survivor Support Group

A Survivor Support Group is being held on the first and third Wednesday of each month at the 211 Community Center, 250 NE 33rd Street, in Oakland Park. The Florida Initiative for Suicide Prevention (FISP) is sponsoring this free support group and is open to all family members and friends of those who have died by suicide. Call 954-384-0344 to register. Meets from 7-8:30 p.m. Visit Fisponline.org.

SunTrust Sunday Jazz Brunch

First Sunday of every month. An ideal way to relax and enjoy Fort Lauderdale’s scenic Riverwalk. Live, outdoor concert series bringing the area’s best local jazz artists. Listen to the soulful sounds on four different stages. Well-behaved, leashed pets welcome. Plenty of room for chairs, blankets and picnic baskets.

Young Adult GLBT

A social group open to all LGBT people ages 18-35. Meets Fridays at the Pride Center in Wilton Manors from 7:15-9 p.m.

Meeting starts with a discussion on current events followed by introductions and then a group activity. Visit PrideCenterFlorida.org/contact-us

Boardwalk Friday Fest

Come out to Hollywood Beach Theatre East of A1A at Johnson St and the ocean. Admission: Free every Friday of every month. Live jazz, blues, pop and everything in between along Hollywood’s signature 2.5 mile boardwalk. Charming oceanfront cafes and restaurants serve up delicious innovative cuisine while you enjoy the best array of live music and tropical ocean breezes. Visit Hollywoodfl.org or call 954-924-2980

Toastmasters

Grief Support Group

Meets every 3rd Tuesday at American Burial & Cremation Center @ Jennings Funeral Home 1801 E. Oakland Park Blvd. from 2-4 p.m. Call 954-731-4321.

Most Toastmasters meetings are comprised of about 20 people who meet weekly for an hour or so. Participants practice and learn skills by filling a meeting role, ranging from giving a prepared speech or an impromptu one to serving as timer, evaluator or grammarian. Toastmasters meet at the GLCC/Pride Center Monday at 7:15 p.m. Call Ted Verdone at 954-566-2074 or email: Tedverdone@comc​ast.net

Eating Disorder Support group

Gay Male Empowerment Group

Meets Friday evenings from 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. At Sun Serve’s Wilton Manors location at 2123 Wilton Drive, second floor. A “drop-in” psycho-educational support group. Free. No registration required. Donations welcome.

Call 954-764-5150

Topic discussions include issues and concerns about being a gay man in South Florida. Meets Thursdays at the Pride Center from 7 - 8:30 p.m. Call 954-353-9155 or email info@ sunserve.org

continued on page 22

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

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V I E W S O F T H E N E W S one magical weekend, orlando 2012 Photos by J.R. Davis

Typhoon Lagoon

Typhoon Lagoon

Typhoon Lagoon

Typhoon Lagoon

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Epcot

Mark Baker Universal

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

WHITE PARTY FORT LAUDERDALE 2012 Photos by J.R. Davis

The Manor’s Rob, Bobby and Chris

J-Mark’s Boys with Poppycock

Bill, Terry, and Nikki

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

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To Submit Listings Email: Brian at Calendar@sfgn.com Fax: 954-530-7943.

Please include a brief description, address, phone number, date, time and cost.

Safe “T”

Jazz on the Palm

SPOTLIGHT

Safe “T” is a support group for gender variant adults. Meets Wednesday evenings from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at Sunserve’s Wilton Manors location at 2312 Wilton Drive, second floor.

A “drop-in” psycho-educational support group. Free. No registration required. Donations welcome. Call 954-764-5150.

Jazz on the Palm - Downtown West Palm Beach Waterfront - Gather with friends and family to enjoy the diverse vibrant sounds of jazz under the stars every 3rd Friday of month at the new Downtown West Palm Beach waterfront concert series. Free and open to the public. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs. From 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Visit Wpbgo. com/2010/06/jazz-on-the-palm

Tuesday Night Eatin Meeting

Tuesday Night Eatin’ Meeting will be held at The Alternative MC Clubhouse at 4322 NE 5th Ave in Oakland Park. Fun, food, and fellowship. There will be hamburgers, hotdogs, all the fixins, cold drinks, desserts, and snacks. Meeting begins at 8 p.m. and ends at 9 p.m. Visit Alternativemc.com/events/ florida-events

Miami-Dade

Transgender Symposium

On Sat. June 16 at 8 a.m. till 4 p.m. come the Coral Gables Congregational Church, Fellowship Hall for this amazing discussion featuring Internationally Recognized Sexologist Marilyn Volker. This workshop has a $10 registration fee.

The registration fee, payable when attendees sign-in, helps cover cost of materials, continental breakfast and lunch.

This is going to be one workshop you will not want to miss.

For more information email Melanie@safeschoolssouthflorida.org

Gay Men’s HIV+ Long Time Survivors’ Group

A support group that gives men who have been HIV+ for a long time (5 yrs +) the opportunity to give and receive support around topics of interest and issues for concern that are raised by the members. Meets on 1st and 3rd Thursday at SunServe 2312 Wilton Drive from 6:30 – 8 p.m. No cost. Donations welcome.

Meets on the 2nd and 4th Tues. of the month at the Sunshine Cathedral at 1480 SW 9th Avenue to support the parents of LGBTQ youth in Broward. No charge. Visit Community.pflag. org/pflagfortlauderdale

SunServe Therapy Groups

Provided for the LGBT community at SunServe on a regular basis. Groups require an intake interview. Call the Intake Coordinator at 954-764-5150 to learn which therapy groups have openings. Visit SunServe.org

Fusion Wilton Manors - Connections

Gay men’s group discussion. Different subject every week.

Dr. David Fawcett, a gay therapist, who has been in private practice in Fort Lauderdale for the last ten years, leads the event. No charge. Starts at 7 p.m. Call 954-630-1655.

Women4Women Support Group

A safe and loving place to explore all the concerns and topics raised by group members. This open drop-in meeting is held Wednesdays at 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the New Sun Serve Building at 2312 Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. Call 954-764-5150

Man2Man Discussion Group

Man-2-Man talk is an informal discussion group of gay men, with all age ranges and backgrounds welcomed. Bldg A, Room 206. Visit Glccsf.org/calendar/

Palm Beach County

*Kids Cancer Foundation Fundraiser

Enjoy a great family day at Ruth Chris steak house with a Mardi Gras theme. They will have crawfish boil, kids craft activities, face painting, cotton candy, snow cones and a live band. There will also be steak sandwiches and sliders will be for purchase. For more information call 561-514-3544

Male Revue

Check out who will be at MARA on June 27. Show starts promptly at 9pm and runs until 2 a.m. $10.00 cover to party all night. Open to the first 200 people and then the doors are shut to keep the crowd to a minimum so the dancers can pay individual attention to each attendee. Four hot hunks, one low cover and 200 screaming fans. Open to women and men.

Visit Maraglobaldimensions.com

Stonewall Ball Black and White Party

European Film Festival 2012

The European Film Festival [in Miami] has a unique position in the landscape of the major film festivals. For the last 6 years, thousands of film enthusiasts and industry professionals from all over the world meet in Miami and transform the city into an international capital of amateur cinema. Opening night Thursday May 31. Visit Europeanfilmfest.org

submitted photo

PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays)

Sizzle Apocalypse Soak Him Pool Party

Key West Pride This Weekend

K

ey West Pride takes place this week starting Wednesday and ending Sunday evening with the annual parade. Check out SFGN’s prior coverage for more info.

Postcards from Key West: Key West Pride 2012 (http://bit.ly/JGNCdu) and PrideFest Key West: One Week, One Family (http://bit.ly/LsNEav). Or visit KeyWestPride.org for a schedule of the events.

Motivation Man Triathlons

Choose your distance and choose your race! Ready to prove you can do it solo or did you want relay participation with friends? Either way, it’s your way to swim, bike and run through picturesque streetscapes and historic neighborhoods of The Palm Beaches. This event is free to spectators and will take place in beautiful Downtown West Palm Beach.

For more information Visit Motivationman.com

Music for the Mind

Kretzer Piano presents Stuart School of Music. Offering lessons in piano, voice, clarinet, guitar, violin, viola and cello from a faculty of nine professional teachers. Honor students along with faculty members will perform. Proceeds will benefit music scholarships and the school’s music education program. Takes place June 19 at 7 p.m. at the Harriet Himmel Theater. Visit Kretzerpiano.com/local-events-concerts

New Alternatives

Social group with regular outings and social mixers for LGBTQ ages 18 to 30. This meeting will take place at The Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Palm Beach County. Email matthew@compassglcc.com or Visit Compassglcc.com.

Sober Sisters AA

Support group is dedicated for lesbians who are recovering from alcoholism. Meeting happens every Monday at 7 p.m. at Lambda North Clubhouse. Visit LambdaNorth.net

The doors always open at 8:30 p.m. on June 30 and the ball features several live entertainment acts, a silent auction and dancing as we gather in a celebration of history. Palm Beach casual, cocktail and costumed attire, in black and white, is encouraged. Regular admission is $25, or $15 with Compass memberships. Visit Compassglcc.com

PBC Gender Support Group

Lake Worth Downtown Bike Night

Good Orderly AA

The Lake Worth bike night is fun, and it’s for a cause. Join loads of people in downtown Lake Worth every Thursday from 7pm-10pm. The event is free and open to bikers and nonbikers. For more information visit Lakeworthbikenight.com

PFLAG

PFLAG is a monthly support, coming out and rap groups for families of & for Gay, Lesbian, Bi, and Transgender people. Meeting in Palm Beach County is at 6:30 on the third Wednesday of the month. Call or e-mail Carol at 561-716-9464 Pflag@pobox.com

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Sizzle has landed “The Pool” where it will host the largest pool party ever at the Finnegan’s river located on Miami’s Historic riverfront. The atmosphere will be absolutely captivating. The Soak Him pool party is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Featuring amazing entertainment, a show stopping swimwear fashion show starring the Men of Sizzle, and a head-turning hot body contest. For more information visit Sizzleevents.com

All ages support group dedicated for transgender individuals.

This meeting happens the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month at 7:30 p.m. These meeting will take place at The Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Palm Beach County. Visit Compassglcc.com These meetings now take place at Lambda North at 18 S. J Street, and geared toward recovering alcoholics. Every Tues. and Thurs. at 7 p.m. and on Sat. at 5:30 p.m. These meetings will help recovering alcoholics cope with the stress of everyday life without the use of alcohol. Email tcamie@aol.com

BrothasSpeak

This group is a black gay men’s discussion group that is held at the Compass in West Palm Beach. Every Wednesday from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. this group will be directed toward issues for and about black men. Visit Compassglcc.com

Aids Quilt Panel Workshops

Miami Beach Community Health Center’s “Making Memories” will assist those interested in creating an AIDS Quilt panel as a way to pay tribute to a life lost to AIDS. Workshops are held the fourth Saturday of every month through October. 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Workshops are free. Visit Miamibeachhealth.org or 305-538-8835 or 1-800-393-1290

Seniors vs. Crime

Seniors vs. Crime is a free service that provides help to seniors who have been victimized by businesses or service providers and need assistance. This event will take place at Mae Volen Senior Center at 1515 W. Palmetto Park Road. By appointment only so call 561-736-3820 or 561-395-8920.

Lambda Dade Clubhouse

Yoga On The Waterfront

A meeting place for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender communities and friends in recovery. Hosts Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Al-Anon, Crystal Meth Anonymous (CMA), Debtors Anonymous (DA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), and Sex & Love Addicts Anonymous (SLAA), meetings. (305) 573-9608. 212 NE 24th Street. Miami. Visit Lambdadadeclubhouse.org

YOGA Among the Orchids

Key West

Lake Pavilion at 101 S. Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach, FL / Yoga On The Waterfront in downtown West Palm Beach on Wednesday Evenings at 5:45 p.m. Residents $40 per 8 week session, Non-Residents $50 per 8 week session, Drop-ins $10 per class. To register, please call 561-804-4902.

It’s time for Yoga Among the Orchids at the American Orchid Society, 16700 AOS Lane, Delray Beach. Relax and replenish the flower inside with an hour of breathing exercises, toning, and yoga poses under a canopy of lush orchids. Classes are Wed. at 9 a.m. Cost is $20 and RSVP is suggested. Call 561404-2011. Visit OrchidWeb.org

Paths

Paths is a social/discussion group held at Compass in Lake Worth. This men’s group takes place every Monday from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Paths men’s group will be discussing relationships, coming out, safer sex issues and more. Visit Compassglcc.com

Yoga

Yoga with Deborah will change your life. Bring a mat and get ready to stretch the stress away every Tuesday at The GLCC in Palm Beach from 6 to 7 p.m. This yoga experience will uplift and transform your life. $6 Entry Fee. You must bring your own mat. Visit Compassglcc.com

Living Buddhism

On the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. Compass in Lake Worth will be holding a discussion group for overcoming obstacles and obtaining happiness. This group is great for getting internal enlightenment. Release your inner stress, and become free. Visit Compassglcc.com

Sunday on the Waterfront

Sunday on the Waterfront is a free concert series, which takes place the third Sunday of most months in the beautiful downtown West Palm Beach waterfront area. Bring blankets, chairs, and coolers or purchase treats at the concert.

Free parking in all city lots and at city meters. 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. May through October. Visit OnTheWaterFront.com

Mercury Marine Ladies Dolphin Championship

Female anglers have seven (7) ways to win $10,000 in cash and prizes for catching dolphin during the one-day event.

A $3,000 cash prize is to be awarded to the angler catching the single heaviest dolphin during the day-long tournament.

The second-place angler is to receive $1,500 cash and the third-place angler is to receive $500 in cash. A boat prize of $2,500 will be presented to the team weighing in the heaviest aggregate weight of two dolphins. Contact: Lee Murray 305-296-0364 or 305-797-1117 or e-mail: lee@ murraymarine.com

Key West Pride

On June 6 - 10, come show your pride in our tropical paradise, and you’ll find yourself in the midst of a celebration unlike any other. From the opening party to the closing parade, you’ll discover quickly that the best place to show your pride is on an island whose official motto is “one human Family.” The welcoming island invites you to join us at Key West Pride! Visit Gaykeywestfl.com

17th Annual Golf Tournament

One of the longest running golf tournaments in the Florida Keys, the event supports scholarships for Florida Keys students in the hospitality and culinary fields of study. Just $100 per player includes greens fees at Key West Golf Club, goodie bag, food (Breakfast and Lunch), drinks, hot dog stand, Mimosas and Bloody Marys and much more! Team up with four of your friends or sign up individually. Call 305-2964959 or Email: executiveoffice@keyslodging.org

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

To Submit Listings Email: Brian at Calendar@sfgn.com Fax: 954-530-7943.

Please include a brief description, address, phone number, date, time and cost.

nightlife Broward County

Cubby Hole

823 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304, (954) 7289001. The Cubby Hole is one of Fort Lauderdale’s most unique and popular Neighborhood bar for men. Underwear Wednesday’s. “Boxers n’ Briefs” get 2 for 1 drinks 9 p.m. to close

321-Slammer

Bathhouse. 321 W Sunrise Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 33311. Slammer sex club the best place to cruise for the hottest gay men. Thursday’s is leather night, Friday and Saturday night live DJs. Monday & Tuesday -- $9 entry fee

Atomic Boom

The Depot Cabana Bar and Grill

2935 N. Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304, (954) 5377076. Voted the “Friendliest” Gay Bar in Fort Lauderdale.

Monday’s $1.99 Drinks and $.50 wings open to close

Dudes Bar

2232 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors, FL 33305, (954) 630-3556 Best Sound & Light Show in Broward County. Mondays “porn bingo” with Desiree Dubois. $3 Margaritas, $1 Draft

3270 NE 33rd St Fort Lauderdale FL 954-568-7777. Sexy hot men starting to shake the booty daily from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. On Sundays enjoy karaoke with Peter Petrucci. Great drink specials every Monday with $1 well drinks from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Bill’s Filling Station

Georgie’s Alibi

2209 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors, FL 33305, (954) 567-5978.

Large bar/ nightclub, amazing drink specials in Wilton Manors! Wednesday’s after 9 p.m. $10 Miller Lite Beer Bust

Boardwalk

1721 N. Andrews Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311.

(954) 463-6969. A Cute Little Hangout in Fort Lauderdale.

Pool-room/game room on one side and a bar/strip club on the other. Mondays $3 Well & Dom, after 9 p.m. $3 U-Call-It Shots

The Club Fort Lauderdale

Bathhouse. 110 NW 5th Ave., Fort Lauderdale, FL, (954) 5253344 Good. Clean. Fun. 1/2 price rooms...Tuesday Nights and 1/2 price Lockers. Thursdays Nights. Always busy.

Clubhouse II

Bathhouse. 2650 E. Oakland Park Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, Florida (954) 566-6750. A Private Club for Bi/Gay men. “bear and cub” Thursday $4 Off For Bear & Cub. Tuesday leather night $4.off wear any type of leather.

Corner Pub Bar

1915 N. Andrews Ave, Wilton Manors, FL 33311, (954) 564-7335.

Redefining what a bar should be. Thursday’s margarita madness $4, Monday’s “Underwear Night. 2 for 1” until 9:30 p.m.

2266 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors, FL 33305, (954) 565-2526. Fort Lauderdale’s best & longest happy hour.

Wednesdays $2 Domestics & $1 Schnapps after 9 p.m.

Johnny’s

1116 W. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312, (954) 5225931. Monday Dragon with TP Lords, Daisy D. and DJ Rob Sky Some of the hottest guys around with great happy hour drink specials. Bring all your friends to this sexy Bar.

The Manor

2345 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors, FL 33305 (954) 626 0082 - Come Dine, Dance, Drink, Mingle and of course Relax. 2 for 1 happy hour Tues-Friday 3-9 p.m. Indoor/Outdoor Dining. Dance the night away Thursday through Sunday. Live music Weds, Fri, Sat, Sun - Visit themanorcomplex.com FOR MORE DETAILS.

Matty’s on the Drive

2426 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors, FL 33305 (954) 564-1799.

Matty’s is one of the few bars in Wilton Manors that’s just that –a bar. Wild Wednesday’s $.75 Drinks, 13 Drinks for less than $10. 5 p.m.

continued on page 24

SPOTLIGHT

A DINING TRADITION BEGINS

T

undra Las Olas launched “Tundra Tuesdays” on May 29. The new monthly mixer will become the only official “LGBT night” on Las Olas. The next mixer is scheduled for July 10. SFGN teamed up with AIDS Healthcare Foundation to host the monthly event.Visit www.tundralasolas.com for more information about the restaurant.

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

23

To Submit Listings Email: Brian at Calendar@sfgn.com Fax: 954-530-7943.

Please include a brief description, address, phone number, date, time and cost.

Mona’s

502 E. Sunrise Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304, (954) 525-6662. The eclectic décor and a friendly staff makes.

Mona’s a great place to have fun in Fort Lauderdale.

Thursday’s College Boy’s Night 8 p.m. Enjoy College Boy’s Choice 2 for 1

Monkey Business

2740 North Andrews Ave, Wilton Manors, FL 33311, (954) 514-7819. The Monkey Business Bar is a Small Outdoor Bar Among The Shops Just off Marina Blvd. No Frills But Comfortable and a Great Place to Stop and Meet Good People. Happy Hour 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Naked Grape Wine Bar

2039 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors, FL 33305, (954) 563-5631 A Casual, Hip, Fun Experience and if You Have a Taste for Deliciously Unique Wines, You Need to Make This Your Next Stop! Happy Hour All Night on Thursday

New Moon

2440 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors, FL 33305, (954) 563-7660 Your neighborhood lesbian bar in the heart of Fort Lauderdale and just minutes from Fort. Lauderdale Beach. Wednesday All the fun, half the price 2-4-1 All Day, All Night

PJ’s Corner Pocket

924 North Flagler Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304, (954) 533-0257. One of The Most Diverse Bars in Fort Lauderdale. $2 Drinks Every Wednesday, Spades Every Thursday

Ramrod

1508 NE 4th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304, (954) 763-8219 South Florida’s Leading Levi, Leather and Uniform Bar/Club.

Every night is Bear Night. Bear Happy. Hour Every Thursday.

Caged Hunks Sat Night

Rosie’s Bar and Grill

2449 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors, FL 33305, (954) 567-1320 Wilton Manor’s Best Burger in Town. Try the Fat Elvis. Happy Hour 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Scandals Country Western Bar

Oakland Park, FL 3334, (954) 567-2432. Scandals Gay and Lesbian Country Western. Dance Bar in Wilton Manors.

Tuesdays Pool League, and Free Dance Lessons

Smarty Pants

3038 North Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306, (954) 561-1724. Great Local Hangout in Fort Lauderdale with Great Drink Specials. Saturday’s Free Breakfast to Order – 8 a.m.

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Sidelines Sports Bar

2031 Wilton Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33305, (954) 5638001 Sidelines Sports Bar and Billiards is a unique, friendly, and accepting place to relax with a cold beer, great drinks and Martinis. Happy Hour M-F 4 p.m. to 2am

The Stable

205 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL 33334, (954) 565-4506 A neighborhood bar with a different theme every night, from drag shows and bingos, to bears and underwears.

Torpedo

2829 W. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312, (954) 587-2500. Your Dance Destination Till Dawn.

Open Late for You To Devour The Night. Open 7 nights a week till 4 a.m.

Palm Beach County

The Cottage (Tea-Dance Sundays)

522 Lucerne Ave, Lake Worth, Fl, 33414. (561) 586-0080 Great Service, Great Food, Full Stocked Bar, Great Professional Tea-Dance every Sunday

Fort Dix

6205 Georgia Ave, West Palm Beach, Florida 33405 Directions, (561)533-5355. Mostly local crowd looking to mingle and relax. Place rocks with a Fabulous DJ on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sunday T-Dance.

H.G. Rooster

823 BELVEDERE ROAD, WEST PALM BEACH FLORIDA 33405, (561)-832-9119. H.G. Roosters is West Palms oldest gay club.

Sunday’s Complimentary BBQ 5 p.m., Hot Male Dancers 6 p.m., Karaoke 11 p.m.

Mara (Thurs-Sat)

1132 North Dixie Highway, Lake Worth FL $3 Drinks. No Cover. Open till 5 a.m. Ladies night on Thursdays and Karaoke on Fridays.

The Mad Hatter

1532 North Dixie Hwy ,Lake Worth, FL 33460. (561) 547-8860. Cheap drinks, friendly bartenders, and free pool Sunday-Thursday. Stop by and relax at this noattitude haunt.

Tag Bar

Swinging Richards

The Bar Lake Worth

Twist

25 Northeast 2nd Avenue, Delray Beach, FL 33483 954-8013247. Delray Beach’s only gay bar. Mon - Sun: 4 p.m. - 2 a.m.

Awesome Drink Specials.

17450 Biscayne Blvd, N Miami Beach, Fl 33160 954-357-2532 Tuesdays-Saturdays from 6p.m. to 6 a.m. Come and enjoy fully nude guys dancing to the best music in South Florida.

2211 North Dixie Highway Lake Worth. (561) 370-3954 Thebarlakeworth.com. Men and women share this mostlylocals space as a calm and friendly watering hole. The bar often features live music which can be a nice break from thumping bass.

1057 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, Fl, 33139. (305)538-9478.

Never a Cover…Always a Groove. Resident star DJ Mika spins tribal. Every Saturday TWIST is full of the hottest men in Miami. Muscle boy dancers taking it off in the Bungalow Bar.

Key West

Miami-Dade

801 Bar

Club Space

801 Duval St., Key West, Florida,(305)294-4737. Cabaret shows upstairs with nightly performances by famed performers Sushi, Kylie, RV Beaumont, Margo, and others. Happy hour specials daily from 11a.m.- 8 p.m.

34 NE 11th St ,Miami ,Florida, 33132,(305)350-1956 Space Miami Voted Best U.S Club IDMA 2011. The go-to venue for any nightlife enthusiast in the nation, the club is proudly marching on into its second decade of operation.

The Bourbon St. Pub

724 Duval St. (305)296-1992. Key West’s premier video bar with LIVE DJ’S nightly. A taste of N’Awlins in the heart of Old Town – Enjoy Key West’s hottest music videos on the large screen while the boys entertain on the bar. No Cover.

Club Sugar

2301 SW 32nd Ave, Miami, Florida, 33145, (305)443-7657. All the sweetness you’ll need in one club. Every Thursday “drag wars” with TP Lords. $5 house drinks & $4 Domestic beers all night.

La Te Da

950 NE 2nd Ave, Downtown Miami, Florida 33132,(305)3509084. One of the best night clubs In Miami. Every Saturday the hottest DJ’s from the top performers. Drink Special Every Saturday

1125 Duval St. 305-296-6706 Fun Gay-Friendly atmosphere.

Cabaret entertainment during season including Randy Roberts and Chris Peterson. Enjoy great live music Tuesday thru Sunday with Lenore Troia. Cover charge may apply. Great outside bar if you just want to enjoy a cocktail and chat while people watching on Duval Street.

Johnny’s

Club Aqua

Discotekka

Miami 62 NE 14 Street Downtown Miami Florida (305)640-8749.

No Cover 7 nights a week. The hottest men in the universe strip shows nightly from 6 p.m. sexy from wall to wall. Saturday Sept.

3 in Miami. FIRE & ICE at the SPOT…The hottest Pop, Hip Hop and Latin alongside the COLDEST electro and house beats all on Miami’s best sound system.

Score

727 Lincoln Rd, Miami Beach, Florida, 33139,(305)561-5521.

Score is located in the heart of South Beach in the thriving and infamous promenade, Lincoln Road. Bigger Saturday’s sexy male dolls.

711 Duval St.,Key West, Florida,(305)294-0555. Monday’s Dueling Bartenders. Your Bartender’s sing, shake, and stir their way through happy hour 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Kwest

705 Duval St. , Key West, Florida,(305)292-8500 Key West All-Male Strip Club. Daily Happy Hour from 3-8 p.m., And a piano sing-a-long every Wednesday night.

Pearl’s Patio Bar

525 United Street, Key West, FL(305)293-9805 ext. 156 Pearl’s Patio is a great place to enjoy a drink and relax.

Happy Hour – every weekday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Friday’s are Extended Happy Hour 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Green Lantern Flames on

Another comic character comes out

courtesy of DC Entertainment

P

HILADELPHIA (AP) — Green Lantern, one of DC Comics’ oldest and enduring heroes no matter what parallel earth he’s on, is serving as a beacon for the publisher again, this time as a proud, mighty and openly gay hero.

The change is revealed in the pages of the second issue of “Earth 2” out next week, and comes on the heels of what has been an expansive year for gay and lesbian characters in the pages of comic books from Archie to Marvel and others.

But purists and fans note: This Green Lantern is not the emerald galactic space cop Hal Jordan who was, and is, part of the Justice League and has had a history rich in triumph and tragedy.

Instead, said James Robinson, who writes the new series, Alan Scott is the retooled version of the classic Lantern whose first appearance came in the pages of “AllAmerican Comics” No. 16 in July 1940.

And his being gay is not part of some wider story line meant to be exploited or undone down the road, either.

“This was my idea,” Robinson explained this week, noting that before DC relaunched all its titles last summer, Alan Scott had a son who was gay.

But given “Earth 2” features retooled and rebooted characters, Scott is not old enough to have a grown son.

“By making him younger, that son was not going to exist anymore,” Robinson said.

“He doesn’t come out. He’s gay when we see him in issue two,” which is due out Wednesday. “He’s fearless and he’s honest to the point where he realized he was gay and he said ‘I’m gay.’”

“It was just meant to be — Alan Scott

being a gay member of the team, the Justice Society, that I’ll be forming in the pages of ‘Earth 2,’” he said. “He’s just meant to be part of this big tapestry of characters.”

It’s also another example of gay and lesbian characters taking more prominent roles in the medium.

In May, Marvel Entertainment said super

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

speedster Northstar will marry his longtime boyfriend in the pages of “Astonishing X-Men.” DC comics has other gay characters, too, including Kate Kane, the current Batwoman.

And in the pages of Archie Comics, Kevin Keller is one of the gang at Riverdale High School and gay, too.

Some groups have protested the inclusion of gay characters, but Robinson isn’t discouraged, noting that being gay is just one aspect to Scott.

“This guy, he’s a media mogul, a hero, a dynamic type-A personality and he’s gay,” Robinson said. “He’s a complex character.”

25

Lake Worth Rainbow Group attempts to ‘gay-ify’ city

By Donald Cavanaugh

courtesy of gay lake worth

W

hat happens in a city with an openly gay pro-business commissioner; a large gay population; interesting homes from cottages to mansions; a beautiful sandy beach within walking distance of downtown; a collection of quaint stores; a gay community center; lots of gay friendly accommodations and a variety of interesting restaurants from the exotic to the mundane?

If the commissioner is Andy Amoroso and one of the gay residents is Roger Hendrix, newly moved to town with his partner Bobby Pitcock, you have a party and call yourselves “Gay Lake Worth.” You also open a Facebook page, and invite everyone you know.

“This is our first monthly potluck picnic,” said Amoroso while welcoming a gathering of about 35 men and women who assembled at a picnic pavilion in South Bryant Park in Lake Worth on Sunday, May 13. The assembled gay men and lesbians, and a couple of gay allies brought a variety of foodstuffs including salads, burgers, hot dogs, pizza, sausage balls, cookies, cakes and candies. No one

Commissioner Andy Amoroso would leave hungry.

“Next month we expect you all to bring someone else with you and that’s how we’ll grow,” Amoroso said. “That and through some advertising and outreach that we’ll be doing at

the same time to promote the city generally.”

“Bobby and I moved down here from Nashville,” Hendrix said. “We have a condo in Fort Lauderdale but it didn’t really feel quite what we were looking for. Then we found Lake Worth and we had to move here.” It’s such a gay friendly place. And it has an amazing collection of interesting and fun things to do.”

Once they started getting settled into their new environs, Hendrix and Pitcock kept meeting more gay people as they got to know the city. They decided they wanted to help attract even greater numbers to make Lake Worth a truly gay destination for tourism and settling down.

“You know how gay people traditionally move into a location and buy and renovate distressed properties?” asked Hendrix. “That could happen here, too. There are lots of wonderful, eclectic houses of all sorts that just need some tender loving care. Besides, who wouldn’t want to live within walking distance of the ocean and the beach, not to mention the pier where you can watch the moon rise over the ocean – or the sun if you get up early enough?”

Guess who was thinking similar thoughts around the same time? Right. Andy Amoroso.

“It was perfect timing,” Amoroso said. “The commission is always looking for ways to attract businesses and increase tourism and what better way than by making Lake Worth a gay destination? Just as I was thinking about how to do that, Roger and Bobby, and some of their friends stopped by the store and shared what they had been talking about. We got together and brainstormed it and came up with the idea of the potluck picnic at the south end of Bryant Park to kick it off.”

“We sent out a lot of invitations,” Hendrix said. “And we invited everyone we knew.

Andy helped increase awareness by talking about it at his store and by creating palm cards that are still available if anyone wants some.”

Everyone at the potluck seemed to be having a good time. The rain held off the weather was fine. A good breeze kept the temperature down. Some of the guests had heard about the event from Andy’s store, others had seen it on Facebook, others knew somebody who was planning to attend. Everyone said they were having a great time and would look forward to the next month’s gathering.

“We’re really pleased that so many people came and plan to return,” said Hendrix.

“This was a small but important gathering and soon we’ll be known as the great gay destination we are.”

Visit Facebook.com/GayLakeWorth for more information.

Passages

Kecskemety Trust Will Fund Pride Center’s ‘Voice’ Popular local journalist loses battle with cancer

I

n the weeks leading up to Bob Kecskemety’s passing, he made arrangements to leave a legacy for the Pride Center of Equality Park.

Recognized as a journalist who tried to illuminate the lives of the LGBT community, from his days at Scoop and Hotspots to the Florida Agenda, Kecskemety had a special place in his heart for the Gay and Lesbian Community Center, now the Pride Center at Equality Park.

In fact, over the past few years he was responsible for quietly and professionally putting together and editing the Voice, the center’s quarterly publication. Aware of his imminent passing, Kecskemety sought out his long time friend, attorney Norm Kent, publisher of SFGN, and asked that the proceeds of his modest estate be used to fund the continued publication of the ‘Voice’ by the Pride Center.

Kent contacted attorney Robin Bodiford, who had prepared wills for Kecskemety’s

26

mother and father. A meeting was then arranged at the Manors Convalescent Center between Pride Center Executive Director Robert Boo and Bodiford, where Kecskemety executed documents naming Kent as his trustee, to insure continued publication of the Center’s ‘Voice.’

“The proceeds from the sale of Bob’s house will fund the Voice,” Kent stated.

On behalf of the Pride Center of Equality Park, Robert Boo, stated, “We are overwhelmed by the generosity and love shown

by Bob Kecskemety. This legacy honors him and humbles us. We should all be appreciative of his enduring kindness.”

Each of the subsequent issues of the Voice will state that they are published “in the memory and through the donations of the Robert S. Kecskemety Trust.”

Stated Kent, “Between the loss of my former editor and Bob’s best friend, Mike James, two years ago, Paul Harris last year, and now Bob Kecskemety, our community

has lost titans of gay journalism. It is wonderful that in his last days Bob thought so much of preserving the voice of our community, and has created a trust for the Pride Center.”

Kecskemety’s friends remembered him fondly on Facebook:

We all hope that we will have made our mark in life and will be remembered for the good we have done. You made you mark Bob. You will be remembered for all the good you have done and all the kindness you have shown to so many people. Working with you was fun and a pleasure. Thank you, friend. See you on the other side.

David Charles Rost

I met Bob while working on Stonewall Street Festival, he pulled me aside Ahhh, dear Bob, I am going to Bob Kecskemety and told me what a great miss you greatly. We have been 1951-2012 job I was doing and gave friends since high school, we sat beside each other at the back of the class me words of encouragement for the weekend and did our own thing (we still aced the ahead. I can’t think of a person in Fort Lauclass, didn’t we!), and I was thrilled when derdale that wasn’t touched by his presence. we re-connected years later when I worked It hits close to home, this loss and his untimefor the City of Wilton Manors and you ly passing...I promise to make the most of my worked for one of the city publications. Rest days and cherish what he has left behind. in peace, my dear friend. Watch over me, nudge me when I need it, and I will see you Jason Otero again someday! Warm mental hugs and What a terrible loss. Bob was a true gentlemuch love to you, Bob, always! man. We will miss you Bob. RIP

Dawn James Walker

Pompano bill

By Jason Parsley

Mark Paige

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark

By Phillip Valys Sun Sentinel

O

n one exhibit panel inside the Stonewall National Museum and Archives in Fort Lauderdale, the tormented and romantic career of gay French composer Francis Poulenc is revealed. An irreverent pianist who wrote surrealistic operas before dying in 1963, Poulenc dedicated several works to his gay lovers, writing his harpsichord concerto “Concert Champêtre” for painter Richard Chanlaire, his “reason for living and working.” Shortly after Poulenc penned “Les Dialogues des Carmélites,” another partner, salesman Lucien Roubert, died of pleurisy in 1955, and Poulenc was too grief-stricken to produce another major work for years.

“When he fell in love again, [Poulenc] almost immediately wrote another major piece. It was like he needed to be in love in order to be able to compose. The thought is wonderfully romantic,” says Charles Ross, the curator of “The Secret Symphony: Gay Composers of Classical Music,” a display that is, more often than not, about the love

lives of gay composers and the muses who inspired them. “This all started out when I began asking the question, ‘Could a composer’s sexual orientation influence the music he created?’ “ The answer, Ross discovered, was yes, and his nine-panel display inside the Stonewall delves into 40 such composers. Ross’ examples tackle contemporary composers such as John Corigliano, Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland and stretch back to 12th century German composer St. Hildegard of Bingen, a nun who wrote homoerotic hymnals in praise of the Virgin Mary.

Ross spent weeks researching the panels, which are divided into 33 confirmed-gay composers and seven “’maybe, maybe nots,” as he calls them. Among the featured are Russian composer Tchaikovsky, who married because it was rumored he was a homosexual, and who dedicated “Pathetique Symphony No. 6” to his gay nephew; English conductor Benjamin Britten, who composed operas specifically to showcase the vocal range of his lover, Peter Pears, a tenor; and openly gay American composer Virgil

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

submitted photo

Exhibit looks at the private lives of gay composers

Ross says. “It’s a lot more history than other people realize.”

Throughout June, the Stonewall display is being paired with music on public radio station Classical South Florida (89.7 WKCP), which will play 30-second trivia spots and the gay composers’ works through a grant from Miami Foundation GLBT Community Project Fund and the Fort Lauderdale-based Our Fund, says Jason Hughes, a station spokesman.

“It’s a musical background that really hasn’t been exposed before,” Hughes says.

“Some of these composers were fairly open about their sexuality, and some people knew about it. It should be very surprising to some people that these are some really well-known names.”

SFGN and Sun-Sentinel have a media partnership.

The Secret Symphony: Gay Composers of Classical Music Francis Poulenc

Thompson, who lived at Manhattan’s Hotel Chelsea with painter Maurice Grosser and composed “4 Saints in Three Acts” (an opera with actually more than three acts) with Gertrude Stein.

“This will educate classical-music listeners to a genre of music they already enjoy. But they may not have known these composers actually led very, um, progressive lives,”

When: Through June 30 (a wine and food reception will be held 6-8 p.m. Thursday, June 7) Where: Stonewall National Museum and Archives 1300 E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale Cost: Free Contact: 954-763-8565 or StonewallNationalMuseum.org

27

The

Fitness Guy

By Peter Jackson, CPT

Is my obesity related to my depression?

Q: I am a 30-year-old man, 5’9” and I weigh 245 pounds. I am depressed because I am so overweight and so I eat even more. I read somewhere that the reason some people can’t lose weight is because of low serotonin levels. Is that connected to my being overweight?

A: The fact that you have reached out to me indicates that you realize you need help – and that’s an important first step. My first recommendation would be to see a physician who can give you a thorough physical examination and determine what, if any, underlying medical conditions are contributing to your obesity.

Secondly, you should seek the help of an experienced fitness professional you can help you with an exercise program and offer guidance on a healthy food plan.

There is no magic pill or diet to lose body fat. In the end it comes down to learning how to eat the right foods in the correct portions and engaging in regular exercise comprising both cardio and strength training. That’s the cold, hard truth.

Your personal trainer can calculate exactly how much fat you need to lose. For a 30-year-old man like yourself, 12-15 percent body fat would be considered good.

A pound of fat equates to approximately 3,500 calories, so burning 500 calories more than you eat each day (500 x 7 days = 3,500) will lead to a pound of fat loss in a week.

Health professionals advise against losing more than 1.5-2 pounds of fat per week.

I am not in a position to make a connection between your obesity and possible low levels of serotonin, but I can address this topic in general terms. Serotonin (5-hydroxytrptamine) is a chemical produced naturally by the body which essentially helps brain cells communicate. It can help to calm anxiety, relieve mild depression, improve sleep and create a general sense of well-being.

Changes in the level of this neurotransmitter caused by excessive use of alcohol and caffeine, a lack of exercise, smoking and diabetes, among other factors, have been attributed to a number of conditions including insomnia and, yes, obesity.

Low serotonin levels adversely change our mood, so much so that drugs prescribed to treat depression and anxiety are typically engineered to work by increasing serotonin production. Americans spend $3 billion a year or more on drugs to treat depression and anxiety, according to published reports, but there are simple, inexpensive steps we can take to influence our mood naturally.

The simple fact is this: We are what we eat because what we eat affects how we feel.

Scientists have discovered that our diet influences the brain’s neurotransmitters – including serotonin – and certain foods affect the natural production of this important chemical.

Serotonin is made following a chemical reaction with tryp-

28

EXERCISE OF THE WEEK DUMBBELL ONE-ARM TRICEPS EXTENSION Grab a dumbbell and extend your arm over your head as shown.

The

palm of your hand should be facing forward with your pinkie facing the ceiling.

This is your

starting position.

Moving only your forearm, lower the dumbbell behind your head while keeping your upper arm stationary.

➋

Pause when your triceps are fully stretched.

Rodney Frick, a client at Push Fitness, demonstrates the Dumbbell One-Arm Triceps Extension.

Return to the starting position by flexing your triceps.

Complete a set of 10 to 12 reps and switch arms. tophan, an essential amino acid which is present in varying amounts in all protein foods. Here are a few: TURKEY: Ever notice how relaxed you get after eating turkey at Thanksgiving dinner? That’s because turkey contains high levels of tryptophan from which serotonin is made. Turkey and other lean meats including roast beef, tenderloin and skinless chicken breasts are good sources of tryptophan.

SALMON:Wild fatty fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines and packed with tryptophan and omega-3 fatty acids which positively affect mood. A 3.5 ounce serving of salmon contains 22 grams of protein and is an excellent source of omega-3 fats.

Put wild fish on your dinner table at least once a week.

EGGS: Eggs are one of the best, natural sources of protein (6.3 grams per egg) and are rich in amino acids and nutrients the body needs. Forget egg substitutes and, please, eat the yolk! Scientists have now dispelled the myth that eggs yolks have a direct link to heart attacks. Dietary cholesterol found in eggs yolks are no longer believed to impact serum cholesterol which can lead to coronary disease.

BANANAS: Bananas have been called “the world’s perfect food” – and with good cause. This amazing fruit is rich in vitamin C, fiber, minerals and potassium. A little known fact is that bananas contain tryptophan, and so also contributes to a positive mood.

FLAX OIL OR FLAXSEEDS: Flaxseed oil is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and is known for its antiinflammatory properties. Other nuts and seeds such as peanuts, almonds, sesame seeds, walnuts and pecans similarly contain generous levels of tryptophan.

Other foods known to increase serotonin levels include asparagus, avocado, broccoli, buckwheat, cottage cheese, oats and pineapple.

➊

Photography by TobysPhotos.com.

SUPPLEMENTATION: A non-prescription supplement available at any vitamin shop or health food store which is highly regarded for its ability to stimulate serotonin production is called 5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryphophan). This is an extract of the Griffonia simplicifolia plan native to West Africa. The Food and Drug Administration does not regulate the sale or monitor the claims of supplements, but it is widely believed that 5-HTP is not only safe in the right dosage (100 mg per day) but has the same effect as SSRI (Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors) antidepressants.

It’s best to take this supplement at night as its calming effect helps to induce sleep.

EXERCISE: In addition to eating balanced meals which contain protein and fats, making time for relaxation and getting sufficient sleep, it’s critical FOR EVERYONE to exercise at least two to three times a week. A regimen of both cardio exercise (walking, running) and strength training are necessary. Exercise releases a hormone called endorphins which also promotes a sense of well-being.

TIP OF THE WEEK PUSH FROM YOUR TOES!

When you perform the Leg Press, always push from your toes. This will cause your quadriceps to work harder.

Peter Jackson is nationally-syndicated fitness columnist and the owner of Push Fitness, a private, full-service personal training gym in Oakland Park which offers cutting-edge fitness programs for individuals, couples and small groups. Peter welcomes your questions at peter@ PushFitnessFTL.com or visit him online at www.PushFitnessFTL.com and www.PozFitness.com.

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

TRAVEL

submitted photo

WeHo? No, SaMo!

42 Pier at night

By Jon Fairbanks Gay Travel Team Member

Y

es, most LGBT travelers know West Hollywood is the focal point of gay and lesbian life in the greater Los Angeles area. WeHo offers great clubs, restaurants and boutiques, making it a bona fide queer mecca. What’s the one thing you won’t find in this metropolitan gayborhood? The beach. If you’re not interested in going on an expedition through the concrete jungle, head west to Santa Monica.

Very fab.Very gay.

Santa Monica is known for its laid-back atmosphere, world class hotels and beautiful beach area. What gay tourists might not realize is that there are several activities geared towards LGBT travelers. First and foremost you must find a great hotel located close to the beach. Loews Santa Monica is a luxurious, gay-friendly property that hosts samesex commitment ceremonies on-site.

After you’ve checked in, strip down, throw on your bathing suit and head to the beach. Less than two miles from Santa Monica you’ll find the most well-known gay beach in the Los Angeles area, Will Rogers Beach in Pacific Palisades. Admittedly, Will Rogers is a little disappointing compared to Black’s in San Diego and other gay beaches. It’s a small, nondescript area but fine if you want to get a tan or play a game of volleyball with some bronzed hotties.

Getting to the beach can be a pain if you’re

driving, so your best bet is to rent a bike from one of the beachfront shops and get a little exercise before you tan. When you’re tired of hanging out in the sand, take part in an outdoor yoga class. The point is to take advantage of the sunshine, the biggest draw for out-of-towners.

Feeling a bit peckish after a long day at the beach? Head to Ocean Street, Third Street Promenade or Mid-City for a fantastic meal. Whether you’re looking for a great steakhouse, sushi or amazing Thai, there’s a venue for every taste and preference. Seafood lovers will definitely want to experience The Lobster located next to the iconic Santa Monica Pier. The surf and turf is just as incredible as the view.

I’m not a huge fan of tourist traps but even I must admit the Santa Monica Pier is fabulous! Once you get past the gaudiness of the amusement park, you’ll find that the Heal the Bay Aquarium is phenomenal and the street performers are a sight each visitor must experience at least once. What sets the Pier apart from other over the top iconic landmarks is the breathtaking view of the ocean.

Looking for LGBT nightlife in the Santa Monica area? You could drive to West Hollywood. It’s only 10 miles away but depending on traffic it might take an hour to get there. The hassle is definitely worth it but if you’re looking for something more lowkey, consider a short trip into neighboring

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Venice. The city is a haven for artists, surfers and anyone who enjoys the wafting scent of Marijuana on every corner. Abbot Kinney Boulevard is the heart and soul of the Venice community, lined with coffee shops, eclectic boutiques and restaurants serving exotic cuisine. This is also where you’ll find the area’s only gay bar, Rooster Fish.

For more than three decades Rooster Fish has been the only game in town for the gay and lesbian Westside. When you first walk in, you feel like you’re in a straight college bar, not a beach city gay bar. It’s a small venue with two rooms but it’s a popular spot that attracts a wide variety of patrons, straight, gay, male and female.

Rooster Fish offers a great Domestic Bliss Happy Hour all week long with drink specials starting at just $3.50 from 5 to 7 p.m. There’s also an outdoor patio barbeque each Sunday from 1 to 6 p.m., where burgers and hot dogs are served.

If you’re in the Venice area at the beginning of the month, check out First Friday.

This is an incredible event where a slew of restaurants, galleries and boutiques stay open until 10 p.m. allowing locals and tourists to meet shop owners in a festive setting.

Santa Monica,Venice and the rest of the communities located on the Westside of Los Angeles offer gay visitors a vibe that can’t be found in any other area. This beachfront area attracts Hollywood celebrities, college students, artists, executives and musicians.

Whether you live in Minneapolis or Downtown Los Angeles, you instantly feel like you’re on vacation when you arrive in town.

So what’s the most important thing each and every visitor must do in Santa Monica, gay or straight? Nothing! Whether you’re hanging out on the beach, lounging by a hotel pool or sipping espresso on a café patio, take time to rest, relax and soak up the sun.

Just make sure you tweet lots of pictures to make your friends jealous.

GayTravel.com and SFGN are media partners.

Visit www.gaytravel.com for more information.

29

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June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

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June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

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June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

More AIDS Stories Online at SouthFloridaGayNews.com

June 2012

South Florida Gay News.com

Killer Campaign

New South Fla. AIDS campaign, ‘Kill AIDS’ gets rough and in your face

By Gideon Grudo

D

anny Barry was in a group of eight students at University of Miami’s PhilADthropy project. They had 25 hours to come up with and implement an ad campaign for their client, Miami-Dade’s top HIV/AIDS resource center Care Resource “We found all these articles about how, in the next few years, scientists were hoping to have a cure for AIDS,” the junior advertising major said.

“People in our age-range like results that are immediate. Here’s a chance to present a clear end to HIV/AIDS. So we flipped the common ‘AIDS Kills’ to ‘Kill AIDS.’” And so it went. The group focused on the under-25-year-old demographic, from which 50 percent of all new HIV

infections are reported.

“Maybe Danny’s generation, this could be their moment. So we thought, ‘Let’s go out there and kill AIDS,’” said Serge Castagno, a part-time UM professor who acted as a mentor to Barry’s group. “Let’s just go after it, close the deal and call it a day.”

After meeting with Care Resource and coming up with a strategy, the group was ready to execute, its last obligation in the day-long project.

So they thought of what would represent their idea. Shock and drive were the two main focuses of Kill AIDS, Barry explained.

“Some of these are a sort of a punch in the gut,” he said. Print ads, for example, are dark. There’s no image, just text, like: ‘End the fight, start the kill.’

“It’s not the type of thing you’ll expect

Volume 3, Number 1

to see while walking down the street.

The words are big and bold, they’re not hidden. They make you think.”

And Care Resource seemed very pleased with the results, Castagna said.

“This was the first time I saw a client whose jaw dropped,” he said.

They were extremely wowed. From the strategic idea of the campaign — you just can’t have creative work without backing it up — to the execution, they backed up everything they wanted to say. There were no holes in this campaign.”

The Kill AIDS campaign kicked off in April’s Miami AIDS Walk, and has become Care Resource’s premiere ad campaign. Barry said he’s happy to see it grow into this magnitude and hopes it makes a change for an otherwise apathetic age group that is not concerned with HIV/AIDS until they’ve been diagnosed.

Visit www.careresource.org for more information. Visit www. killaids.org to learn more about Kill AIDS.

Did you know?

people living with HIV in the US fection, accounting for an estimated Just a taste of the type of in-your-face are undiagnosed.

53 percent of new HIV infections. facts that Kill AIDS uses in its campaign: • Every nine-and-a-half minutes, • African-Americans and Latinos • More than 50 percent of new someone in the US is infected are disproportionately affected by HIV infections are among those with HIV. HIV and AIDS. under 25 years of age.

• Gay and bisexual men continue to • Women now account for 27 per• An estimated 21 percent of bear the greatest burden of HIV in- cent of HIV infections in the US.

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

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The Spirit

Intn’l AIDS Conf. Coming to US for First Time

By Gideon Grudo

A

bi-partisan, multiple-president initiative paid off when in 2009 the Helms Rule was lifted. The rule was a ban on giving U.S. visas to people who were HIV-positive, named after the North Carolina senator who initiated it.

Among the damage and stigma it caused the HIV/AIDS population, it kept the world’s premiere conference on AIDS outside of US borders — until now.

From Sunday, July 22, to Friday, July 27, the 19th bi-annual event will come to Washington, D.C. And its timing isn’t only special because of the Helms Rule. More importantly, 2012 brings with it some good news to the HIV/AIDS community.

“We could be looking at an AIDS-free generation if we could implement what we now know scientifically,” said Chris Beyrer, the North America Regional Representative

for the International AIDS Society, composed of nearly 14,000 scientists around the world. “It’s a very exciting time in the history of the epidemic. People who are treated were found to be much less contagious.”

Beyrer is a Professor at Johns Hopkins’ Center for Global Health whose research focus includes HIV/AIDS epidemiology, and HIV vaccine research and human rights. He was talking about HPTN 052. It’s a 2011 clinical trial that showed that antiretroviral treatment, or medication that attacks retroviruses like HIV, decreased HIV-positive people’s ability to transmit the virus by 96 percent.

To put that number into perspective, Beyrer said, he had never seen such a high success rate in over 20 years of studying and researching HIV/AIDS. In the U.S. 1.2 million people are living with HIV/AIDS and the news couldn’t come sooner.

“It’s important that we recognize that not

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South Florida organization to send delegation to historic LGBT conference

Chris Beyrer only has the LGBT male population in the U.S. been seriously impacted by the AIDS epidemic, but major communities within it have been impacted, as well,” said Shawn Jain, one of the conference’s organizers. “[The conference] really unites leaders in the scientific community, the advocacy community and the policy-making community.”

But the conference isn’t just for big wigs.

There will be an area of the conference dedicated to and focused on the civilian population. It’s called Global Village and, according to the Village coordinator Joseph Elias, it will be composed of four main sections.

The village is composed of a plethora of activities for everyone. They include: special sessions featuring panel discussions and debates concerning contemporary HIV topics; networking zones where local, national and international groups can meet and engage with each other; a main stage for live music, dances and theater that concerns itself with HIV; a video lounge where people can watch documentaries about HIV and human rights; a Youth PaVillion where young people can network; a marketplace where NGOs can appeal for donations and sell products; art exhibits of sculptures, installations and paintings focused on HIV; and, finally, a Community Dialogue Space

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where delegates and the general public can meet and talk.

“It’s strongly programmed to ensure that it’s fun but that there’s an element of learning,” Elias said. “It allows people to celebrate the response to HIV. It really is an amazing and dynamic space.”

South Florida will be sending its own delegates to the conference, coming from Compass, a Palm Beach County LGBT community center.

“From our point of view at Compass, we can look back at our history as an organization founded by people who were responding to HIV issues in South Florida,” said Compass delegate Tony Plakas. “The stigma, the marginalization that leads people to make decisions regarding their health is negative. We’re talking about cultural norms, community norms that let LGBT people put themselves at greater risk for HIV.” Plakas, who used to work for the CDC, hopes to bring information back from the conference that will help Compass continue its struggle in South Florida, a struggle he said is long from over.

“It’s not just about HIV prevention and treatment, it’s also about erasing — or addressing — the bias that people have in the first place,” he said.

For more information on the conference, go to www.aids2012.org.

If You Go

When Sunday, July 22, 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Monday, July 23 to Thursday, July 26 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Friday, July 27, 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Where Walter E. Washington Convention Center 801 Mt.Vernon Place Northwest Washington, DC 20001

How Much Free

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

The Spirit

HIV Vaccine Trials Network Seeks Volunteers

By Jesse Monteagudo

and attempt to use the best possible tools available for protection, including condoms.

They must also report all drug use (prescription and non-prescription).”

The HVTN vaccine trial involves four shots per participant. These shots could be the research vaccine itself or placebos.

“The original study design was for 1,350 participants. After the results of the iPrEx trial showed evidence that daily PrEP (PreExposure Prohoylaxis) TDF/FTC (Daily tenofovir/emtricitabine) reduced HIV infection risk in gay men and transwomen, the HVTN 505 team examined the data and its protocol and consulted with scientists, advocates and other community leaders,” Wakefield said. “In August 2011, the trial changed its scope to include prevention of HIV infection

S

ince the emergence of HIV and AIDS, the world has searched for a vaccine that would prevent the pandemic from spreading.

Thirty years later, an HIV Vaccine is still a dream, primarily because the virus has been able to outsmart its human prey.

This has not kept scientists from trying out new tactics. One of them is the HVTN (HIV Vaccine Trials Network) 505 initiative, which its promoters say is the only preventative HIV vaccine efficacy study currently underway worldwide. According to Steve Wakefield, Global Volunteer Coordinator and Director of External Relations for the HIV Vaccine Trials Network, “in 1999, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) charged a collaboration of scientists and communities with finding a vaccine to prevent HIV infection. Led by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, over 100 institutions are on a path to an effective HIV vaccine. We conduct clinical trials of potential products aiming to improve the process of designing, implementing, and analyzing safety and possible protection [ability to stimulate an immune response].”

The long-term goal of the HVTN project is to develop a vaccine that is 100 percent effective and protects everyone from infection.

According to Wakefield, “the Network has successfully opened over 60 studies with more than 20 in active follow up. Those completed have provided a wealth of information on the safety and immunogenicity of a large number of diverse products and regimens. Vaccine candidates that progress into efficacy trials have the greatest potential to advance the field and generate knowledge about what will be needed for protection.”

Phase 1 involves a small number of HIVnegative participants who test the safety and various doses of the vaccine. Phase 2 increases the number of participants to the

as a primary endpoint. The trial expanded enrollment from 1,350 to 2,200.”

HVTN 505 trials are being held across the USA, including one in Orlando where, Wakefield attests, “we are fortunate to work with the Orlando Immunology Center under the leadership of Dr. Edwin DeJesus and his talented staff.”

Anyone who would like to learn more about the HVTN 505 study, or to participate in the program, should visit www.hopetakesaction.org.

“HIV negative men and women who are willing to roll up their sleeves are the true heroes in this search,” Wakefield said.

The Orlando Immunity Center is located at 1701 N. Mills Avenue, in Orlando. Its phone number

hundreds while Phase 3 involves thousands of HIV-negative participants.

“A variety of studies are in process simultaneously to move with urgency to new knowledge that will ensure the design of a safe and effective vaccine strategy,” Wakefield continues. HVTN itself, “the largest ongoing HIV vaccine clinical study,” is a Phase 2b study that tests a vaccine regimen developed at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). This regimen, which Wakefield describes as “a DNA prime followed by a recombinant adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) boost, was found to be the most immunogenic in any HVTN study to date.”

According to the HVTN web site (hopetakesaction.org), the project needs 2,200 volunteers for the vaccine trial. The volunteers must be men who love men or transwomen who love men; 18-50 years old; HIV-negative; and circumcised.

“Circumcision is just one of the criteria for participation,” Wakefield explains. “It was added to ensure safety with this particular product after another trial showed some risk. Persons must be sexually active, willing to participate in counseling sessions

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

35

The Spirit

Fighting the Fight A look at the tri-county area’s top HIV/AIDS resource organizations

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own in the bottom of the nation, South Florida’s tri-county area leads the charts in HIV/AIDS infections — and the response is just as grandiose.

SFGN picked the top HIV/AIDS organizations in each of the three counties that make up South Florida’s hub. Each organization, in its own right, is providing a helping hand to those it serves and each one deserves praise.

PALM BEACH COUNTY — Comprehensive AIDS Program (CAP) It’s Palm Beach County’s oldest and largest AIDS resource, and — both from its composition of staff to the populations it serves — can deem itself minority-based.

CAP has three offices in the county, spanning its geography in an attempt to offer a close connection to its clients. But it also reaches out to the community, specifically with minority-focused programs, like Community Promise, which targets the Latin community and the Real AIDS Prevention Program (RAP) for the African-American community.

Outreach includes handing out pamphlets, offering testing on location and distributing preventive materials that might fight the spread of AIDS. “We want to encourage them and educate them so they can stay HIV free,” said Rik Pavlescak, CAP’s chief programmer and CEO. He explained that CAP focuses on proactive treatment, fighting to prevent the disease first, and then giving a helping and reactive hand to those who’ve been infected.

“Once they’re in medical care, HIV is a lifelong chronic illness.”

CAP offers individual case management in an effort to identify people’s ongoing needs of the real world variety, including items that might seem inconsequential but add up, like medical transportation or bus passes for clinical visits. CAP will help its clients with their health insurance, from helping unemployed people with COBRA to getting them access to medication through referrals and diagnosis.

“It’s a wide range of services,” Pavlescak said, reiterating that CAP tries to help in areas that are otherwise ignored by other organiza-

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tions. One such area is housing, for which CAP has a program called St reet Sma r t. T he prog ra m s offers tenant-based housing to those who need and emergency housing services for those who may have found themselves in a pickle, with five months to a year for clients that would otherwise face homelessness.

One of CAP’s crowning achievements is Found Care, a subsidiary of CAP that focuses all of its energy on healthcare for clients.

“Medical care and access to primary care is a much bigger issue than just for HIV people,” Pavlescak said. He said that 28 percent of adults under 64 in Palm Beach County don’t have health insurance. “It’s very difficult for them to get health care. They end up waiting until they’re so sick they need to go to the emergency room.” submitted photo

By Gideon Grudo

“Medical care and access to primary care is a much bigger issue than just for HIV people”

– Rik Pavlescak Some of this healthcare comes in the form of direct care, like dental work and a working pharmacy. The goal is to keep adding services to Found Care, making it a complete and comprehensive care center for HIV-positive people.

But for the president of CAP’s board of directors, the goal is a bit loftier. Maria Vazquez said that her long-term vision for CAP would be to put it out of business by eliminating the community’s need for it.

“Other organizations, regrettably, have gone under. We’re still here,” Vazquez said. “Based on our history, I would say the knowledge of what is most needed and the ability to provide the services — to have knowledgeable staff — is what sets us apart.”

CAP was formed in 1985 by a group of family, friends and providers who kept bumping into each other while helping the AIDS community.

Pavlescak and volunteer Sage Klein “There was a lot of discrimination. People who had HIV were kicked out of their homes,” Pavlescak said. He said that back then funeral homes were refusing to handle infected bodies and dentists refused to offer them services. This stigma put the people trying to help in a unique place where they found brotherhood and sisterhood in each other.

Two years after founding it, the group got the funding they needed to open offices and start work. While the organization tightened its belt since, downsizing from its five offices to three today, it’s still serving about 2,000 people with AIDS, this year alone having served 1,800 already.

“Most of our clients stay with us for a long time, but we add a lot of clients all the time,” Pavlescak said. “Our focus is helping people live and thrive — no longer to just help them die with dignity. Certainly there are people who still die with HIV and/or AIDS, but we do our best to give people what they need to have healthy outcomes.”

“You would fine a home in CAP — which the staff often calls ‘Caring About People,’” Vazquez said. “All you have to do is walk through our doors, and you’ll get that sense.”

CAP’s service is free-of-charge to those who qualify. For more information, go to www.cappbc.org.

BROWARD COUNTY — Broward House It started off in the Floridian summer of heat of July, 1989, by opening a facility with over fifty beds for people living with HIV/ AIDS. Since then, Broward House has grown to become South Florida’s largest HIV/AIDS resource, claiming an astounding 13 locations.

“We never turn anybody away. If they don’t have money pay, we find the money,” said Tony DeCarlo, the House’s director of PR and marketing. “Good people, caring staff. You really can’t find a better staff.

We’re involved with our patients, we take ownership. We go out of our way to make sure everybody’s treated the way we’d want to get treated.”

Indeed, Broward House, like CAP, offers people with HIV/AIDS everything they need, from housing to doctors to nurses.

“We’re a complete one stop. If someone comes to us for help, we have everything they need,” DeCarlo said, saying that this fact sets the House apart from other organizations, who are still growing into themselves. “Once they’re in our system, they don’t need to go anywhere else.”

Perhaps because of this, the House treats and helps around 6,500 people a year, not counting the 4,000 or so who get tested through them. And they’re not stopping there.

DeCarlo said that they are expecting to buy a new property to have more space for both employees and the people they help.

“The letters that we get from past clients would make you cry,” DeCarlo said. “Management is there to support the staff and the staff is there to support the clients — there to treat them like family.”

Like CAP, the House was also founded by a group of people with a similar cause — fighting AIDS and helping people who had it — wanting to combine their expertise and create a hodgepodge of service that could help anyone.

Among its services, the House has taken upon itself assisted living facilities, substance

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

The Spirit

Joe DePiro

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY — Care Resource Youngest of the three, Care Resource didn’t come into being until 1998, when Health Crisis Network and the Community Research Initiative combined forces. However, it claims to serve an annual 9,000 people in the LGBT community, which cuts close to being one of the largest in the region.

Care Resource may only have two locations, but it spans two counties with those locations in Broward and Miami.

Care Resource sports an institutional memory of the epidemic that goes back to the early 80s, though, through its parent organizations. Again, as with the other organizations, Care Resource was started by a string of volunteers who wanted to make a difference in a tough world of HIV/AIDS. Today, Care Resource claims it’s a one-stop shop, much like Broward House, in that it offers a similar variety of resources, from

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abuse treatment, medical services with actual doctors, mental health therapy, transportation, case management, insurance help, testing, counseling, suicide prevention programs, and a myriad of other services.

DeCarlo said that one of the House’s new goals, toward which it is barreling forward, is finding a way to provide homecare to the clients who need it. This way, when a client simply can’t make the journey to a healthcare provider or one of their locations, the House will come to the client, eventually offering as much service as it would at their office.

One of Broward House’s distinguishing factors is its hands-on and outreach to the community. From award ceremonies to unique fundraising events like the Amazing Race, the House has really become, as it claims, one of the community’s most recognizable organizations.

Broward House’s service is free to anyone.

For more information, go to www.browardhouse.org.

healthcare to financial aid, transportation to abuse counseling.

“One of our biggest aims is getting people with HIV into treatment,” said Care Resource’s PR and Marketing Manager Joe DePiro. “We don’t turn anybody away who comes seeking treatment.” Insurance doesn’t matter, he added, saying that the center will find a way to help.

The agency’s many prevention and education programs go out into the community and engage populations at risk of being affected or infected by the disease. Prevention programs target youth, men who have sex with men, the incarcerated, African American, Haitian, and Hispanic men and women believed to be HIV positive or at risk of contracting the virus.

Like Broward House, Care Resource also owes its well-known reputation to public interaction, including one of the biggest LGBT parties of the year, the White Party, as well as AIDS Walk Miami. The center also works with smaller organizations that promote awareness of AIDS and hold events to that extent. DePiro said that the center tests about 12,000 people each year, beating out the two other organizations.

“We’re seeing a definite paradigm shift predominantly from a gay male disease to an African American, Hispanic and female disease,” DePiro said, explaining the center’s newfound focus on minorities. In the black community, he said, the infection rate is running at about a 49 percent, while they only make up about 19 percet of the population in South Florida. Within the whole country, Miami ranks number one in per capita infection rate. Broward comes in at second-place.

To face these numbers and give the communities it supports the help they need, Care Resource has four RVs that drive around Miami-Dade offering testing and resources for HIV, STDs and diabetes, as well as condoms.

One of Care Resource’s newest and strongest initiatives is its “Kill AIDS” campaign, which was born out of a University of Miami program called PhilADthropy. In the programs, non-profits apply to participate in a competition between groups of students who have 25 hours to create and implement entire ad campaigns. The ad campaign chosen for Care Resource was to focus on the younger generation, a new concern in the epidemic, but giving it a no-holds barred, rough look at the disease.

“No type of minutia around it,” DePiro said about the new ad campaign to raise awareness of HIV. “That’s how this generation responds to things.”

Care Resource’s service is free to anyone.

For more information, go to www.careresource.org.

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

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The Spirit

Coming Together in the Name of Science

Florida AIDS Institute pushes researchers to work together with new program

By Gideon Grudo

T

By Justin Wyse

W

in FREE condoms of your choice for 1 year during National Gay Pride Month in June. Conscious Contraceptives is an organization that delivers contraceptives to consumers through a discreet and secure online store. That’s right, no more embarrassing trips to the drug store. Proceeds from this campaign directly benefit communities both National & Internationally by providing condoms to the less privileged at no charge. They also will be providing funding for sex education working to reduce STI’s (sexually transmitted infections) and unplanned pregnancies.

To support this cause directly visit www.ConCon.org to make your purchase today. To WIN your choice of 365 condoms simply click “Like” on their Facebook.com/conconorg and then post your comment about why you use contraceptives with PRIDE. All entries must begin with the phrase “I use contraceptives with PRIDE because…” The entry with the most “Likes” and “Comments” will be the winner. So remember to share your post with everyone you know on facebook.

Contest runs from June 1-30. For official rules please visit www.ConCon.org/ blog/archives/69. Good Luck! Play Safe and Do Good While Your Doing It!

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Conscious Contraceptives

here’s no longer a need for HIV researchers in Florida to reinvent the wheel — unless they want to.

It’s called the Florida Consortium for HIV/AIDS Research (FCHAR), and it’s here to bring scientists together, like the community they are.

From webinars to brochures to databases, the consortium aims at mitigating some of the time and dollar restraints that many researchers face by giving them the tools that have already been invented, and the knowhow that’s already been tested.

FCHAR’s HIV/AIDS Research Coordinator Spencer Lieb said the idea is to get people to work together and share what works, and what doesn’t.

“The emphasis here is on collaboration,” he said. “Without collaboration, you’re not going to attract as many funds from the government.”

Up until now, Lieb said, research on HIV/ AIDS has been done in what he called silos, or secluded environments where a scientist may waste time figuring out a foundation for research (like a test group) when that foundation was already created by another researcher, a mere few hours away.

FCHAR currently has about 110 researchers, ranging in specialties from virology to basic science.

For example, there are studies in South Florida right now pertaining to the prevalence of HIV in homeless populations. Another example would be University of Miami’s research on a phase one vaccine for HIV

Michael Ruppal

Spencer Lieb

that’ll act therapeutically. The results of these findings, and very well the information that was gathered, can now be shared among scientists looking into similar things.

Lab results is another focus of FCHAR — both providers and patients often times don’t understand the results of various tests, Lieb said.

A state-wide AIDs research inventory has about 450 current or ongoing studies, allowing researchers to see common problems.

“Our mission is to impact social change,” said Michael Ruppal, the Florida AIDS Institute’s executive director. “In Florida alone, just in talking to the universities we work with, we found there was an array of studies being conducted in partnerships with universities all over the country. There are universities in our state they could have partnered with.”

These partnerships can help Florida save research dollars for more studies and ultimately results in bigger and better results. And it helps in getting the government or other agencies to grant money to a partnered study.

“It’s all about getting the right people at the right time to sit around and talk about the right thing,” Ruppal said. “When you join

two or three universities together, it simplifies those things — everyone’s talking the same language.”

Spencer Lieb reminisced to January’s symposium in Orlando, the second time that it occurred, allowing researchers to meet faceto-face.

“Those were both educational in terms of informing ourselves of what kind of research was going on around the state,” Lieb said. “It helped us break down some walls of competitiveness around the state.”

Finally, FCHAR is a sign to other states that Florida is an HIV/AIDS force to be reckoned with.

“It also outs us in the map in the research community — that Florida’s got its act together,” Ruppal said. “And not just talking about it, we’re actually making those frontline impacts.”

And the frontline is the bottom line for this endeavor — it’s the front of the struggle, where an HIV patient or someone coming in to get tested connects with the scientific community and receives the most up-todate information possible.

To learn more, go to www.fchar.org.

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com

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June 6, 2012 • SouthFloridaGayNews.com