10/30/13 V4i44 by South Florida Gay News

Actors Union Stands With Gays 8

Gay Car Geek 36

New Trans Film: Dallas Buyers Club 44

local name, global coverage Ex-Weatherman Convicted! Faces 20 Years

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Unsung Hero

october 30, 2013 // vol. 4 // issue 44

Why Bayard Rustinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s forgotten legacy resonates today page 22

gay on tv: a look back 24-27

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miami city ballet offers new vision 42

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October 30, 2013 • Volume 4 • Issue 44 2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943

Publisher • Norm Kent norm.kent@sfgn.com Chief Executive Officer • Pier Angelo Guidugli Associate publisher • Jason Parsley jason.parsley@sfgn.com

Last week’s hottest items couldn’t wait to be printed

Baby Born With HIV Cured? Doctors now have convincing evidence that they put HIV into remission, hopefully for good, in a Mississippi baby born with the AIDS virus – a medical first that is prompting a new look at how hard and fast such cases should be treated. The case was reported earlier this year but some

doctors were skeptical that the baby was really infected rather than testing positive because of exposure to virus in the mom’s blood. The new report, published online Wednesday by the New England Journal of Medicine, makes clear that the girl, now 3, was infected in the womb. She was treated unusually

aggressively and shows no active infection despite stopping AIDS medicines 18 months ago. Doctors won’t call it a cure because they don’t know what proof or how much time is needed to declare someone free of HIV infection, long feared to be permanent. From the Associated Press

Gay Couple: Cab Driver Kicked Us Out for Kissing Two men who kissed in a Chicago cab are suing the cab company for discrimination after they alleged the driver kicked them out along the Kennedy Expressway. Steven White and Matthew McCrea had been dating for several months and were on their way back to Chicago from L.A. on May 30, 2013. Once in the cab, “Steven was showing me a YouTube video

when I leaned over and kissed him,” Matt said. The driver of the Sun Taxi, Jama Anshur, flashed the lights inside his taxi and said, according to Matt, “You can’t do this. This is public transportation.” Anshur refused service and they refused to get out. They say they didn’t feel safe along the busy Kennedy Expressway. So he swerved,

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they claim, back into fast moving traffic and pulled off at the Cumberland exit. He took them to the Dominick’s parking lot nearby. The couple kept the taxi driver in the parking lot until police arrived. Now the men are suing him. Anshur was terminated by the Sun Taxi within a week of the incident. From our media partner CNN

Putin: Gays Welcome in Sochi for Olympics Russian President Vladmir Putin on Monday said everyone will be welcomed to next year’s Winter Olympics in Russia, regardless of sexual orientation — comments that come on the heels of a controversial Russian law on homosexuality. Putin made his latest assurances on the matter as

‘s

he welcomed International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach and other sports officials to his summer residence in Sochi — the Black Sea resort town where the Games will happen in February — state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported. “We are doing everything, both the organizers and

our athletes and fans, so that participants and guests feel comfortable in Sochi, regardless of nationality, race or sexual orientation,” Putin said, according to RIA Novosti. CNNMoney’s Virginia Harrison contributed to this report. From our media partner CNN

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Cover

History Cover: Bayard Rustin Photo Courtesy of Stanley Wolfson Palm Beach Cover Former TV weatherman Rob Lopicola Submitted Photo South Florida Gay News is published weekly. The opinions expressed in columns, stories, and letters to the editor do not represent the opinions of SFGN, or the Publisher. You should not presume the sexual orientation of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations. Furthermore the word “gay” in SFGN should be interpreted to be inclusive of the entire LGBT community. All of the material/columns that appears in print and online, including articles used in conjunction with the AP, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher, at his law office, at Norm@NormKent.com. SFGN, as a private corporation, reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs. Copyright©2013 South Florida Gay News.com, Inc.

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Bugger! Bugs have gay sex too In a new study, scientists say the majority of male insects are having same-sex relations. The reason? It’s not because they’re gay – they’re doing it by accident, the British newspaper the Daily Mail reports. According to the researchers, billions of male bugs are engaging in samesex relations, such as courting and mating, because they are apparently confused during reproduction. The scientists say the insects are in a rush to reproduce (since they have a high evolutionary drive) and don’t have the time to check the gender of their mate, so they accidentally have gay sex. The British newspaper the Independent reports that 85 percent of male spiders and insects engage in same-sex activities. Doctor Inon Scharf of Tel Aviv University and Doctor Oliver Martin of ETH Zurich University published the study in the journal of Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology and say that bugs have not evolved to avoid same-sex partners.

The Daily Mail writes that some of the insects may think their partner is a female because they look similar to males or because of certain scents they have. “It is unclear what role evolution plays in this curious situation. Like heterosexual behavior, it takes time and energy and can be dangerous – and it lacks the potential payoff of procreation,” the researchers wrote, according to the Independent. The Daily Mail reports that in almost 80 percent of these cases, male bugs had sex with other male bugs because of “misidentification or belated identification of gender.” According to the researchers the bugs do not gain any benefits from having gay sex, however. The Daily Mail reports scientists thought the bugs were having gay sex to practice for heterosexual relations, dispose of old sperm, discourage predators or distract competitors. But the evidence does not supporter the scientists’ theories. From our media partner EDGE

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News Briefs +Zimbabwe’s Drag Queen Contest And the winner is … Ezmerald Kim Kardashian. That was the stage name for a young man who won the title of Miss Jacaranda at a drag queen pageant in Zimbabwe. He refused to give his real name because he feared for his safety in a country whose president has described homosexuals as “worse than pigs and dogs.”

The flamboyant pageant, one of the biggest gay and lesbian events in Zimbabwe, was held discreetly last weekend in an isolated farmhouse on a forest-shrouded hilltop on the outskirts of Harare, the capital. It was the finale of the annual ZimPride week, in which homosexuals held low-key events, including a film-screening and a launch of “Out in Zimbabwe: Narratives

of Zimbabwean LGBTI Youth,” a book on experiences of young people coming out about their sexuality to families and society. The events were publicized by word of mouth and messaging on social media. Sodomy is a crime in Zimbabwe, punishable by at least seven years in prison. President Robert Mugabe has said gays should be castrated.

Companies Offer Health Benefits to Trans Workers

When Koset Surakomol decided to have a sex change operation, the company she worked for told her co-workers that the man they’d labored alongside for a dozen years should be addressed as a woman going forward. But EMC Corp.’s support didn’t end there: The data storage company paid tens of thousands of dollars for her to undergo hormone therapy, breast augmentation and facial contouring. It also will foot the bill later this year when Surakomol has the operation that will complete her transformation – a benefit EMC began offering in 2007. “I got no bad reactions, no cold shoulders,” says Surakomol, an information technology engineer. “All I heard was, ’This is wonderful.’” It’s a story that would’ve been unheard of a decade ago. EMC, which has 60,000 employees, is one of a growing number of Fortune 500 companies expanding their health care benefits to meet the needs of workers who have gender dysphoria, the medical term for those who identify themselves as the opposite gender that they were assigned at birth. Despite the gains in coverage for these transgender employees, many companies are unwilling to speak publicly about their benefits. But Delia Vetter, director of benefits at Hopkinton, Mass.-based EMC, says, “Everyone has a right to be naturally happy.” From Apple to General Mills, nearly one fourth of Fortune 500 companies cover medical expenses associated with transgender care, according to gay and transgender rights group Human Rights Campaign. That’s up from 19 percent last year. When the group began tracking transgender benefits in 2002, no Fortune 500 companies offered them. Corporate America’s outreach to

transgender workers points to the increasing visibility of a group once relegated to society’s fringes. Recently, more than a dozen states revised anti-discrimination laws to include transgender people. Meanwhile, transgender officials have raised the group’s profile by winning elected office and landing appointments in President Obama’s administration. The trend also shows how much companies want their workplaces to be perceived as welcoming and progressive. Since the Human Rights Campaign began grading companies on the inclusiveness of their benefits for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees, many companies have beefed up their benefits for those groups. Beginning in 2011, companies could only maintain a coveted 100 percent rating on the group’s Corporate Equality Index by offering at least one insurance plan covering up to $75,000 worth of counseling, hormone

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therapy and sexual reassignment surgery – the medical term for a sex change operation. The number of Fortune 500 companies meeting the requirement jumped to 121 this year from 39 in 2011. From the Associated Press

UN Slammed for Hosting Human Rights Event in Trinidad

Gay rights activists blasted the United Nations on Tuesday for organizing a book launch in Trinidad to talk about HIV and human rights in the Caribbean, noting the island bars entry to homosexuals. The book launch is being sponsored in part by the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS, and numerous activists were invited to attend. Among those was Maurice Tomlinson, a legal adviser with New York-based AIDS-Free World, who filed a lawsuit against Trinidad’s government seeking to strike down the law.

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However, there were no police raids on any of this year’s gay pride events; gay activists say it is not an offense to dress in drag, a common feature in the nation’s amateur theater productions. Despite anti-gay policy, attacks on people in same-sex relationships are few and isolated to occasional pub brawls. “Literally, we are considered a ’prohibited class,”’ he said, citing the law. “It’s straight out of the Stone Age.” Trinidad is the only Caribbean island with such a law, and Tomlinson questioned why UN officials did not choose another venue to talk about the book, “Legal and Policy Perspectives on HIV and Human Rights in the Caribbean.” AIDS-Free World said such laws force homosexuals underground, away from testing, prevention and treatment. UNAIDS officials did not return messages for comment. It’s the second time Trinidad’s law has come under fire in recent years. Elton John obtained a waiver to visit the sister island of Tobago in 2007 amid opposition by religious groups, Tomlinson said, adding that he would not consider that option. “It’s an affront to my dignity to say I know (the law) exists and I’m going to ignore it,” he said. In December 2012, Trinidad Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar ordered government officials to prepare a national gender policy to help end discrimination based on gender or sexual orientation, but it is unclear if that policy has been created. The office of Gender, Youth and Child Development did not return messages for comment. Caribbean officials involved in HIV/AIDS programs called on the United Nations to help reject such laws. “Why is the UN not urging the Caribbean countries more strongly to ban these clearly outdated laws and regulations which are indisputably violating the human rights of so many?” said Margje Troost, acting managing director of the HIV/AIDS project at the St. Maarten Ministry of Public Health, noting she was not speaking on behalf of her government. Several Caribbean nations ban sex between men. The penalty in most islands, including Grenada, is up to 10 years in prison, although Barbados and Guyana allow life imprisonment, according to a 2010 United Nations report. From the Associated Press

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Local Briefs +State Rep. Issues Non-Apology for Disparaging Statement About Gay Parents Weeks after he made a disparaging statement about same-sex parents in Florida, Rep. Dennis Baxley (R-Ocala) met with Equality Florida’s Nadine Smith and issued a public apology – that wasn’t really an apology – for his remarks. The comments were made on Oct. 8 when Baxley addressed a meeting of the House K-12 subcommittee. Baxley was describing a conversation he had with a teacher about the challenges of the classroom.

While he spoke about the challenges children face today at home, he listed several examples of how parents aren’t “functional.” “I sat an hour and a half with a teacher telling me, well this child has got serial men coming through the house, this one has two mommies, this one has an abusive father who’s home, this one has alcoholism, this one has drug abuse. How many dysfunctional,

atypical—to me—structures are in the way of a kid having a chance to learn.”” The statement about the two-female household caught the attention of Equality Florida. “We hope Baxley has the decency to apologize for his comments disparaging gay parents and our children,” Smith said in a statement. “More than that we invite Representative Baxley to educate himself, talk with us and actually meet our families.”

Bradenton’s PrideFest Approved

Bradenton It was one small item quietly tucked into the Bradenton City Council’s Oct. 9 consent agenda, but would mean huge progress for the LGBT community in Manatee County. With a unanimous vote and little fanfare, city council members, four Republicans and one Democrat, approved Manatee County’s first Pride festival. “I did not think it was going to be this easy,” said Shannon Summers, Executive Director for Prism Youth Initiative, Inc. “I was scared half to death.” Summers worked with Laura McKeithen, of Realize Bradenton, and the city’s Downtown Development Authority for four months to pick a date and get the item placed on the agenda. The Manatee Pride Festival will be from Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 22 at the Riverwalk downtown. It will feature live music in the amphitheater, artists, speakers and vendors. Admission is free and sponsors are needed. Manatee Pride will host the event to benefit the Prism Youth Initiative, Inc., an organization that offers support and education to LGBT young people ages 13 to 23. Organizers hope to bring 5,000 people to the festival. For more information on Manatee Pride, call 941-357-0111, visit ManateePride.org or email prismyouth@yahoo.com. From our media partner Watermark

Billie Jean King and Elton John Come to Orlando

On Sunday, Nov. 17, two bona fide legends will converge on Orlando for the first time since 1997. Billie Jean King and Sir Elton John are co-hosts of Mylan World Team Tennis Smash Hits, an all-star charity featuring

Baxley took the equality organization up on its offer and responded with a public statement regarding his attack on same-gender parents. “Let me thank Equality Florida leadership for coming to visit with me concerning the remarks in the K-12 Education Committee discussion,” he wrote. “I am very sorry anyone was offended.” From our media partner Watermark

vocal and visible advocate for Title IX, the groundbreaking legislation that established college athletic scholarships for women. In 1981, King’s world was turned upside down when a former lover attempted to extort money from her by taking their affair public. With husband Larry by her side, King acknowledged the affair. She has since become an outspoken advocate for LGBT equality. In 2009, President Barack Obama presented her with the Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

Did FAU Discriminate Against Gay Student?

State Rep. Dennis Baxley Photo courtesy of Mark Foley

tennis stars Venus Williams, Andy Roddick, Marion Bartoli, John Isner and more. The event, at beautiful HP Field House at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World, benefits the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the Hope and Help Center of Central Florida. Smash Hits fundraisers have raised more than $11.5 million for HIV/ AIDS charities around the nation. For the better part of two decades, King was synonymous with women’s professional sports. As her tennis fortunes rose, so did those of her sister athletes. Few feminists have been more significant, and no one in our country’s history has done more to elevate women’s athletics. Particularly in the 70s, it seemed King was everywhere. Her visage was as ubiquitous as that of Elizabeth Taylor or Richard Nixon or, well, her buddy Elton John. For many she was an acquired taste, because she was like nothing seen before: an unabashedly

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competitive, highly charismatic female athlete who charged every shot and played to win. She wasn’t afraid to grunt and groan, and she insisted—willed—that the TV cameras be pointed at her (instead of all those men) while she did it. She put on a show. In 1967, King won Wimbledon’s triple crown, taking the women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles titles. For the next decade or so she reigned as the Queen of Women’s Tennis. Eventually she accumulated a record 20 Wimbledon titles and 39 grand slam victories. Her 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” with Bobby Riggs riveted the world and still holds the record for the most people ever to watch a tennis match. But more importantly, King translated her accomplishments into important and lasting achievements off the tennis court. She led the effort to establish the first women’s professional tennis league, bringing women’s prize money in line with the men. And she was the most

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An openly gay student at a Florida university says the school’s library refused to let him check out a laptop because he “looks and sounds like a girl,” reports WCSH, NBC’s affiliate station in Portland, Fla. Abdul Asquith, a senior at Florida Atlantic University, says he was turned away on Wednesday when he wanted to check out a school laptop from the college’s library in order to study for his communications class. “She looked down at the ID, and said, ’You sound, look, and act like a girl and in this ID is a man, therefore I’m not giving you a laptop,’” Asquith said of the library official. According to Think Progress, the student also said, “It looks just like me. I identify with my ID. I wasn’t there dressed up. I didn’t have on a dress. I wasn’t dressed in character.” WCSH reports Asquith was wearing a Florida Atlantic University hoodie, shorts and his long hair was pulled back. According to Think Progress, the student says he sometimes wears feminine clothes and that this incident “would constitute discrimination based on his perceived gender identity, demonstrating how comprehensive nondiscrimination protections are important for all communities.” Asquith had to ask three different librarians before he could get a laptop.

news national

Life As You Know It OraQuick wants you to talk about HIV — and get tested Sasha Razumikhin

Photo courtesy of OraSure Technologies

OraSure Technologies, the people who brought you OraQuick last year, want you to talk more about HIV and buy more of their tests — they’ve enlisted celebrity Ross Mathews to help spread the word. The announcement for the 20-minuterapid-HIV-test makers’ newest campaign came on Sept. 30 and is called “Life. As We Know It.” The campaign is at first going to focus on gay men and black women, which according to an OraQuick statement are “among those at highest risk for HIV.” The campaign is going to hit up the community through testimonials, panels, guides and videos. The talking heads will be people like celebrities like Mathews, to whom the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada gave its first-ever Qmmunity Advocate Award for representing LGBT people really, really well. But there will also be cooperation from other media, like LOGO TV and Essence, which claims it “tells black women’s stories like no one else can.” “HIV testing is a challenging subject to address head on with consumers. After a careful analysis of available channels to gain mindshare of our target markets, we’ve determined that the most effective way to approach the topic is through a broader conversation on relationships, dating and sex, and through the engagement of passionate, trusted community influencers to help us introduce product,” Kathleen Weber, senior VP and GM for consumer products at OraSure Technologies, said in a statement. Mathews (who’s got his own website, if you were wondering) kicked off the campaign on Sept. 27, in conjunction with National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

Mathews got his fame when he was in the right place, an intern for “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” in 2001. He then hopped onto “Chelsea Lately,” and does stints on E! In an interview with the Las Vegas Weekly on Oct. 18, Mathews shared his coming out story: You hear horror stories, and unfortunately those horror stories are true about people whose families stop loving them. And I, too, was, like, worried at that moment. Like, could they? Could they react that way? And I remember saying, “Mom, I’m gay,” and thinking, “Oh gosh, what is she going to say back?” And she said, “I know, didn’t you already tell me?” She goes, “Oh sh*t, I’ve known since you were 3. I don’t give a sh*t, I love you” (laughs). OraQuick is a fairly new HIV test to the general public, having been FDA approved in July 2012 and then hitting shelves until Oct. 2012, though it’s been used by LGBT community centers for years. For more information on OraSure Technologies, please visit OraSure.com.

Talking Points Important Dates in HIV Testing

•1985 – First test for HIV Licensed (ELISA) •1987 – First Western Blot blood test kit •1992 – First rapid test •1994 – First oral fluid test •1996 – First home and urine tests; FDA approves viral load test, a new test that measures the level of HIV in the body •2002 – First rapid test using finger prick •2004 – First rapid oral fluid test •2012 – First over the counter rapid oral inhome test kit which results are obtained at home soflagaynews //

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news national Actor’s Union SAG/AFTRA Stands With it’s LGBT Members, David-Elijah Nahmod Old Dogs New tricks, a popular web sitcom about middle-aged gay men navigating the dating pool in the gay mecca of West Hollywood CA, is Leon Acord’s pride and joy. Acord is the series’ creator, writer, and star. Old Dogs, covered by SFGN last February, has become a mini-phenomenon, having recently been sold for DVD release in the USA and for broadcast in Canada. As the series enters its third season, Acord couldn’t be happier. Yet he freely admits that the series might never have been created were it not so difficult for out, LGBT identified actors to work in Hollywood. Acord, a former San Francisco resident, created Old Dogs New Tricks in part out of a need to provide work for himself. “I had no problem getting cast in San Francisco,” Acord tells SFGN. “I did three plays a year, just as many independent films. I now do a play every three years.” He recalls, not too happily, a review he got for one particular show he was in. “I portrayed a straight male in a play called Salsa Saved the Girls,” he said. “A theater critic wrote that I ‘played a straight stalker which is hard to believe given his personal orientation.’” In spite of the success and popularity of stars like Neil Patrick Harris, Jim Parsons and others, many LGBT identified actors in Hollywood have faced the kinds of issues Acord speaks of. In a business more cutthroat and competitive than most, LGBT actors often face rejection on the basis of their “labels.” Acord has been told by several casting agents that he comes across as “too gay.” “The biggest problem is opportunity,” said openly gay comic/actor Jason Stuart. “The idea that we are limited to only playing certain kinds of roles. My goal is to open the conversation so we can create more work for the blue collar actor.” Stuart, who came out in 1993, is working with SAG/AFTRA, the union which represents film and television actors, to create a safe and supportive environment for its LGBT members. “Some of us are able to make a living and even play straight characters,” Stuart said. “But we are not yet in the fabric of what’s shown in the media, even though we exist in the real world. Actors still feel there is work to be done in order to create equality with their straight counterparts.” On September 27, 2013, SAG/AFTRA released Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Diversity in Entertainment: Experiences and Perspectives of SAG/AFTRA Members, a groundbreaking study which

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SAG/AFTRA National Executive Director: David White

concluded that even today, LGBT identified actors experience discrimination in the workplace. In that study, thirty percent of SAG/AFTRA members surveyed, including heterosexual members, said that they believed that LGBT actors faced on the job bias. On October 3, the union passed a historic resolution at their national convention. The resolution promises that the issues of LGBT actors would be addressed and that LGBT identified SAG/AFTRA members would be supported. “If you are working on or interviewing for a SAG/AFTRA production and you believe that you have been or are being discriminated or sexually harassed, you should call SAG/ AFTRA,” said union spokesperson Gwen Walker. “Your call is kept confidential and we can help you determine the most appropriate course of action, and if any immediate or emergency needs to be taken, particularly if you believe you are in danger of physical harm.” Walker said that members should not be afraid to speak up. “Neither discrimination nor harassment is your fault,” she said. “When you see or become a victim of discrimination or harassment, don’t ignore it and don’t pretend it didn’t happen. Every action you take against this kind of behavior means is less likely to be repeated. You have a responsibility to yourself and your fellow union members to see to it that all performers are treated with respect in the job search and in the workplace.” Transgender actors would not be forgotten, promises Stuart. “Being a trans actor is a new frontier, and we are working to see what we can do support their specific issues, which are often different from LGB issues. My hope is that the stars will support the working actors to move on to the next level of their careers.” More information can be found at: www. SagAftra.org/EEOdiversity.

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A Florida First! LGBT legislative town hall makes history John McDonald

The folks who attended the LGBT legislative town hall on Monday night in Wilton Manors. Photo courtesy of John McDonald

A standing room only crowd greeted state and local officials Monday night as the LGBT community gathered to air their concerns with elected leaders. Representative Perry E. Thurston, Jr., the Democratic Party leader in the Florida House, presided over the town hall and admitted that just showing up was not “advocacy for the community.” Thurston listened to a number of Floridians give their testimony about living lives as LGBT people. He was joined inside the Wilton Manors Commission room by Senators Maria Sachs and Eleanor Sobel and Representatives Mark Pafford, Shevrin Jones, David Richardson and Katie Edwards. Florida gubernatorial candidate Nan Rich also attended the town hall. “All Floridians deserve to have equal rights,” said Rich, a former state senator seeking the Democratic nomination for Governor. “We need to have statewide laws so everyone is protected.” The town hall was organized by longtime human rights activist Michael Rajner, who called the evening “fantastic” but expressed concern that no current, or former, Republican state legislators showed up. The town hall was touted as the first of its kind in the state to specifically address the needs of the LGBT community. “Human rights is not just a one party issue,” Rajner said. “The next time we do this, there should be Republican [legislators] here.” The stories from citizens were moving and heartfelt, some dealt with trying to find employment as a transgender person, others spoke of the desire to have their marriage legally recognized. Florida does not allow same-sex marriage and has a voter approved constitutional amendment banning such. “Florida has an oppressive feel,” said William Rankin, who moved to the state from Ohio and is now running for Chief Financial

Officer. “If this community wants a voice you have to speak up and speak loudly.” Stratton Pollitzer spoke on the need for the legislature to pass the Competitive Workforce Act. Pollitzer, a lobbyist for Equality Florida, said it’s a “very simple bill” that provides a “ray of hope” for LGBT workers. Citing a poll from the Bob Graham Center for Public Service and the University of Florida that showed public support for the Competitive Workforce Act at 73 percent, Pollitzer said the bill prevents employers from firing someone based on sexual orientation. He said workforce discrimination would be Equality Florida’s top priority during the upcoming legislative session. “Victory,” Pollitzer said. “Is in our reach.” Past efforts to bring equality sponsored bills to the House floor died in committee. Richardson, an openly gay representative from Miami Beach, said adding amendments to other bills is the best strategy. He did this last year, effectively launching a debate in the House on foster care. The debate led to Florida’s Department of Children and Families including provisions for LGBT families in their regulations. “It’s amazing the light he’s shown on the legislature,” Thurston said of his colleague Richardson. “They need to pay David double.” During the town hall, Thurston announced he was running for Attorney General. The South Florida native is seeking to unseat incumbent Pam Bondi, but first faces competition within Democratic ranks from former DCF secretary George Sheldon. Pafford, a West Palm Beach businessman, will replace Thurston as the Democratic leader in the House. “Times change,” Pafford said at the conclusion of Monday night’s town hall. “A lot of these issues were created by Democrats in the first place. Let’s not forget that.” soflagaynews //

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news palm beach

LGBT Veterans Invited to March in Lake Worth Parade Andrea Dulanto

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BLAST/ VA LGBT Veterans Day Parade 2012, Group of marchers with signs Photo courtesy of BLAST Women of the Palm Beaches

On Saturday, November 9, 2013, the City of Lake Worth honors veterans with the annual Lake Worth Veterans Day Parade. According to the City of Lake Worth website, the parade commences its route at the corner of Lucerne and Federal Highway at 11 a.m. A reception is scheduled from 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. at the Cultural Plaza, 414 Lake Avenue. The LGBT contingent of the parade is sponsored by BLAST (Bi, Lesbian and Straight Together) Women of the Palm Beaches and the local Veterans Administration (VA). “You do not need to be a veteran to participate in this parade—the more the merrier when it comes to honoring our veterans,” said BLAST organizer Toni Armstrong Jr. via an email interview with SFGN. “It’s free to march, and…we welcome everyone who would like to march with us.” Armstrong explained how BLAST became involved with the event. “BLAST has over 1,300 members, several of whom are veterans,” she said. “For the past few years, BLAST has sponsored its own annual BLAST Salute to Veterans. When BLAST leader Mary Chase got hired by the VA to specialize in LGBT issues, it was a natural fit for the two groups to collaborate on finally establishing an official LGBT contingent in the Lake Worth parade.” She also noted that “it was especially exciting to celebrate the overturning of the discriminatory Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy that had caused so much harm to so many service people.” According to Armstrong, last year’s LGBT contingent “was comprised of a wide variety of ages, genders, and backgrounds—lesbian,

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gay, bisexual, and transgender veterans, family members of people who are actively serving now, and friends of veterans.” For LGBT veterans who would like to join in this year’s parade, military gear is “encouraged but not required.” Everyone who marches can carry handmade signs and banners. Armstrong confirmed that no preregistration is required for the LGBT contingent. However, the BLAST website indicates that the line-up for participants is at 10 a.m. “Look for the red Miata and the rainbow flags,” said Armstrong. Updated information will be provided at the BLAST website as the date for the parade gets closer.

IF YOU G What

Lake Worth Veterans Day Parade 2013 LGBT Contingent Sponsored by BLAST & VA

When

Saturday, November 9, 2013 Line-Up for Participants Starts at 10 a.m. 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Cost

Free

More Info.

Mary Chase at the VA, sis1088@aol.com Toni Armstrong Jr. at BLAST, toniajr@earthlink.net meetup.com/BLASTwpb/ events/130078472/

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news local

Ex-Weatherman Guilty of ‘Sexting’ With Teen Rob Lopicola acquitted of most serious charge; still faces up to 20 years in prison Marc Freeman, Sun Sentinel

Former TV weatherman Rob Lopicola’s hope for a full acquittal faded Thursday when a Palm Beach County jury convicted him on two out of three sex charges involving a former Boca Raton teenager. The six jurors returned a split verdict, acquitting Lopicola of a charge of having oral sex with a 15-year-old, but finding him guilty of using text messages to solicit sex from the teen. The jury also convicted him on one count of computer pornography and child exploitation. Judge Barry Cohen set sentencing for Dec. 6. Lopicola, 43, faces a maximum of 20 years in prison or as little as 34 months. He will remain in custody at Palm Beach County Jail. He also continues to be charged with unlawful sexual activity with a minor, in a separate case involving a 17-year-old victim. A hearing is scheduled for Monday. Lopicola, who worked at WPTV-Ch. 5 in West Palm Beach until his sudden exit in 2006, testified Thursday he never met his teen accuser and was humiliated by the allegations and media attention on his case. He said being back before the cameras in these circumstances was “a terrible feeling.” “I’m on trial,” said Lopicola, a Wilton Manors resident at the time of his July 2012 arrest. “My entire future is on the line right now.” He denied meeting his accuser for oral sex in October 2010, and explained hundreds of sexually explicit text messages he sent to the boy in the following months were just “fantasy fun” and not real — “that’s like my fetish.” But state prosecutor Michael Kugler blasted Lopicola’s nearly two-hour appearance on the stand, telling the jurors Lopicola leaned on his skilled on-air experience to woo them: “He really tried to schmooze you.” “He had the gall to get up on the stand and tell you it’s all harmless,” Kugler said during his rebuttal to the defense’s praise of Lopicola’s “genuine” testimony. “This is a defendant who is absolutely reckless.” Prosecutors Kugler and Jessica Kahn say Lopicola knew the teen he met through a Craigslist classified ad was underage and not 18 as advertised, but even if he didn’t know, it’s a crime. “Whether he knew he was 15 or not, he’s guilty,” Kahn said in her closing argument. But the defense argued there’s no evidence

linking the pair to any sexual activity, and Lopicola’s young accuser set him up by encouraging Lopicola’s sexting. Assistant Public Defender Kristy Militello said the teen lied during his testimony on Wednesday and emphasized her client was “in a fantasy world” with all of his texts. And the texting wasn’t a crime because Lopicola thought the accuser was 18, she said. Lopicola “thinks it’s role playing, it’s fake,” Militello said, criticizing the teen for deleting all of the suggestive texts he sent to Lopicola. The Sun Sentinel is not identifying the teen because of his age during the incidents and the nature of the charges. Lopicola testified extensively about his preference for dating much younger men, his frequent use of texting for sexual gratification, and his recovery from an alcohol addiction. “I do like young guys,” he said. “I like them slim, lean. I’m gay.” But Lopicola insisted that he never saw the alleged victim in person until he walked into the courtroom. He said he believed the accuser was simply pretending to be younger than 18 in the text messages for the purposes of a pretend relationship. “It’s just crazy, random, dirty, sexual texting,” he said. “It’s just extreme behaviors.” Lopicola said none of the texting translated into reality. He called it a “pornographic movie in text messages.” The accuser, now 18 and attending school in Georgia, testified Lopicola picked him up and performed oral sex on him inside Lopicola’s car on one occasion. The teen also said that after he moved to Michigan in late 2010, he texted Lopicola and the two exchanged hundreds of texts. “I was just really lonely,” the teen said of the “sexting.” He denied the defense claim that he wanted to ensnare Lopicola in a “To Catch a Predator”-style investigation like the Dateline NBC program. A weekend forecaster for nearly eight years, Lopicola covered the region’s biggest weather events in the past decade, including hurricanes Frances, Jeanne, and Wilma in 2004 and 2005. “I have spoken in front of a lot of people when I was a weatherman,” Lopicola, whose reasons for resigning from the station were

// 10.30.2013 // SFGN.com //

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Rob Lopicola was once a well-known face throughout South Florida for his work as a weatherman for WPTV in West Palm Beach. He abruptly resigned in 2006 under mysterious circumstances that the station never revealed. Photo courtesy of Broward Sheriff’s Office

never explained, told the jury. “I’d get a little nervous — but this is a terrible feeling.” He was working at Boardwalk Bar, a gay strip club in Fort Lauderdale, before his arrest on both cases. The second case involves a former West Palm Beach teenager and alleged oral sex episodes in December 2010 and January 2011. Lopicola testified Thursday that they met through Craigslist. The young man, now 20, also testified Wednesday — over the defense’s objection — about his final encounter with Lopicola in April 2011. The Sun Sentinel is also not

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identifying this accuser. The teen, then a high school junior, told police the two traded texts, some of which contained naked photos of Lopicola’s chest and genitals, according to a police report. Lopicola said he thought the teen was 19. They were about to have oral sex in the teen’s home when the accuser’s mother arrived, discovered Lopicola hiding in her shower, and called police. “I felt like an idiot,” Lopicola said. “I’m a 40-year-old man standing in this guy’s shower.” Sun Sentinel is a media partner of SFGN.

How the trial played out on Twitter From WPTV’s Marissa Bagg’s Twitter Account (@MBaggWPTV)

WPTV @WPTV October 24 9:42 a.m. Lopicola says he lies about his age in the gay community, usually that he’s 10 years younger 9:44 a.m. Lopicola says he used sexting to distract himself from stress 9:48 a.m. Lopicola: I was extremely disoriented and stressed when interviewed by police after arrest last year 9:53 a.m. Lopicola says he’s never met the alleged victim, never saw him until the victim took the stand yesterday 9:56 a.m. Lopicola testifies “I like young guys, late teens, early twenties” 10:22 a.m. Lopicola: The text messages were fantasy, harmless conversation 11:03 a.m. Lopicola says he would likely have remembered someone he “hooked up” with, he has “hooked up” with a lot of people. 12:59 p.m. Judge says “ignorance” of the age of the alleged victim is not a defense in Lopicola criminal case 1:55 p.m. Defense closing arguments: Lopicola revealed his truth and never made light of the text messages 2:03 p.m. Lopicola defense: Detectives in this case never attempted to subpoena phone records or emails of alleged victim 2:04 p.m. Defense: Victim only wanted you to see one side of the story. He lied about his age twice 2:12 p.m. Defense to jury: You may think Rob’s dating style is reckless. But his lifestyle with adults is protected conduct 2:38 p.m. State to jury: The defense wants you blame everyone for what happened except the defendant 2:45 p.m. State: Defendant is completely reckless. 2:56 p.m. Closing arguments are complete. Jury instructed to begin deliberating Lopicola case 4:38 p.m. Jury questioning whether sexual touching equals sexual conduct. Attorneys are now discussing with Judge 5: 13 p.m. Jury has reached verdict in Lopicola case 5:15 p.m. Lopicola not guilty on first count, guilty on second count, guilty on third count soflagaynews //

SouthFloridaGayNews // SFGN.com // 10.30.13 //

announcement

‘Best Of’ Deadline Extended! Last chance to vote; deadline Tuesday November 5 SFGN is giving away more than $1,000 worth of prizes to SFGN readers who enter its annual Best Of Gay Friendly South Florida contest. All you need is a valid email address to be included in an upcoming drawing. To vote visit SFGN. com/BestOf2013. SFGN chose the categories, but it’s you who will choose the winners! Below are the categories: Best Overall Restaurant; Best Pizza; Best Burger; Best Brunch; Best Take Out; Best Diner Best Place for Dessert; Best Restaurant to Take a Date; Best Place to Pick up Guys; Best Place to Pick up Girls; Best Drag Show; Best Drag Queen; Best Neighborhood Bar; Best Nightclub; Best Coffee Shop; Best Tea Dance; Best Guest House; Best Social Networking Group; Best Happy Hour; Best Drink Specials; Best Business Group; Best Gym; Best Bath House Best City to Live; Best Movie Theater; Best Live Theater; Best Beach; Best Place to Shop; Best Non-Profit

or Community Center; and Best Gay Social Event or Party of the Year. Some of the prizes include gift cards or baskets from The Manor Complex; Village Pub; To The Moon; B Ocean Fort Lauderdale; Java Boys; Humpy’s Pizza; Juice Blendz; Michelle’s Dining Lounge; and The Naked Grape. Visit SFGN.com/BestOf2013 to vote and be entered in the contest today. Contest ends Tuesday, November 5 at midnight. Cast your vote today and let your voice be heard!

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column Chris Reina

s e i r a i d prison

Macaroons Anyone?

Christopher Reina is doing a five-year sentence in federal prison. In his writing he shares how he is surviving prison life as a gay inmate. Chris is paying it forward by donating his compensation for this column to The Pet Project, an organization near and dear to his heart.

Entry 2 – Oct 16, 2013 Before delving into my story further, I’d first like to make clear that I do take full responsibility for my actions. Because of my criminal activity, I agree that I deserved to be removed from society and remanded to a secured facility for a period of time. I have no one to blame but myself, and I willingly lie in the bed that I have made. I do take exception to the mandated length of my incarceration. One or two years behind bars seems to me a reasonable

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punishment for the crime I committed. The five years I received is harsh, and the 12 to 17 year sentence recommended in my case by the federal sentencing guidelines suggested by Congress was positively draconian. Now to address what I believe is the most substantive issue regarding my case: While I may have ‘distributed’ child pornography, I have never touched a minor in a sexual manner in my life, quite simply because I am not a pedophile. Of course, that’s exactly what most people would expect an actual pedophile to say. Wouldn’t you, if you were despised and shunned by society and actively hunted down by your government? To those of you still reading who are willing to give me the benefit of the doubt, please don’t be offended by my use of a simplistic and often employed metaphor to plead my case; the cookie jar. The very one in which

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I was caught red-handed. First, a little well established science. There are four basic biological drives within man and beast alike; the need to eat, drink, sleep and procreate. Considering that the preponderance of my reading audience is likely to be childless, replace that last one with ‘have sex.’ Another fact that is not disputed is that crystal methamphetamine will completely extinguish the desire to eat, drink, and sleep while conversely activating the drive for sex voraciously, for as long as the user wishes to re-dose. (At my worst I’ve gone five days straight). For the sake of my analogy, say that meth activated the need for food instead, and Photo courtesy of Stacy Spensley that metaphorical cookie jar is filled with macaroons. I explain that I loath coconut even as I reach who approached me and asked for the in for one. Remember, I am driven by an opportunity to download videos from my insatiable desire to eat, and the macaroons password protected folder so that they could do contain elements that I find appealing; add material to their own existing collections. sugar (sex, or rather, the sexualization of Indeed, in the very beginning I would delete power and control), and novelty (a key the illegal material from my hard drive psychological component behind the appeal upon sobering up. Inevitably, I found myself of the ever propagating new releases from conferring with the same group of men in your favorite porn purveyor, if you are into subsequent drug fueled sessions, only to find porn, and trust me, on meth, chances are myself re-downloading videos to keep the party going. Eventually I allowed the videos to good that you are going to be into porn). Finally, imagine that I am surrounded by collect, along with others containing women, men, who I find attractive, who are really dogs, horses, rape fantasies, bondage, you into coconut, and I don’t like eating alone. name it. Meth drastically lowers sexual Can you see how I could conceivably eat said inhibitions, which meant in my case the more macaroons? If you’re finding my explanation extreme the better. At the end of the day, I still broke the law to be contrived and convoluted, at least and violated taboo, which was a shameful allow me the fact that human sexuality is thing to do. I will carry that shame with me complicated, and that sex on meth is often for the rest of my life. I know that I will never just a hot mess, no holds barred marathon. Again, I don’t mean to offend anyone with convince everyone of my lack of a pedophilic my use of a simplistic metaphor to equate a orientation, and it would be folly to even try. subject that is by its very nature so damaging Trust is easy to lose and harder to gain. At to innocent victims. However, I viewed most, perhaps if you run into me in a few the offending material, I did not create it. years from now and happen to recognize me, Perhaps some would consider the two to be maybe the second or third thought to cross your mind will be ‘Hey, that’s that guy who equally evil. So be it. While I cannot deny the distribution isn’t a pedophile!’ Next time: How to get arrested. Until then, component of my crime, it’s not as if I was stay safe everybody. caught handing out dirty pictures down #50095-004 by the schoolyard. I simply allowed those

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SouthFloridaGayNews // SFGN.com // 10.30.13 //

opinion publisher’s editorial Norm Kent

Lou Reed and Tab Hunter: Long journeys to the Light

norm.kent@sfgn.com

A music pioneer, Lou Reed, passed away this week. He is best known for the song ‘Walk on the Wild Side,’ which was written, friends, about drag queens. Yes, his electric and eclectic music gave life to the Velvet Underground, and yes, Lou Reed, 71, was a drug user and alcohol abuser.

Like many pioneers who reach the cutting edge, he was dynamic as well as different. He was a musical genius, whose legacy will live forever. He also for a while was one of us. Born in Brooklyn to a Jewish home, Lou Reed grew up as a rebellious teenager-a high school dropout- in a middle class home in Freeport, on the south shore of Long

Island. But gay teenagers were not exactly acceptable in 1958. Lou’s father sent him for repeated doses of electro-shock therapy to cure his ‘bisexuality.’ Reed would write about the revealing experience in his 1974 song ‘Kill Your Sons,’ then again in a book: “They put the thing down your throat so you don’t swallow your tongue, and they put electrodes on your head. That’s what was recommended in Rockland State Hospital to discourage homosexual feelings. The effect is that you lose your memory and become a vegetable. You can’t read a book because you get to page 17 and have to go right back to page one again.” —Lou Reed quoted in Please Kill Me (1996) That was considered enlightened therapy at the time, the alternative to being called a deviant pervert and subversive by Senator Joe McCarthy. If you are 17 tomorrow and walking in a Halloween parade on Wilton Drive, dressed in drag or as Dracula, take note of the world that was. Appreciate what you have now and ask an older man what being gay was like in America one half century ago. Yesterday, the Fort Lauderdale Film Festival honored Tab Hunter. It was in 1958, while Lou Reed was getting electro shock therapy three times a week, that Tab Hunter

Lou Reed (left) and Tab Hunter Photos courtesy of Freeport High School & Kate Gabrielle

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was electrifying moviegoers with his role of a star baseball player in the film version of the musical Broadway hit ‘Damn Yankees.’ A year before, Hunter’s song, ‘Young Love,’ was the number one hit on the Billboard charts for six weeks. But today, Hunter, featured in last week’s SFGN by our writer, J.W. Arnold, reveals he was not really soaking up the celebrity status in 1958. ‘I was leading two lives,’ he said in his autobiography, ‘I never talked; never discussed with anyone my homosexuality. The word gay did not even exist.’ It was a torture influenced by others and then inflicted upon you in the world that once was. Lou Reed and Tab Hunter may never have met. However, the connecting and common universality of their experiences in life should not be lost upon you this week as you celebrate gay America’s favorite holiday, Halloween. If we are still fighting bullying now, can you come close to imagining the reality then? Here’s the thing to remember though in 2013. Unlike 50 years ago, we don’t need to wear masks anymore. And this week we are celebrating Tab Hunter’s life and remembering Lou Reed’s. From yesterday’s shadows to today’s sunlight, the world evolves. Do your part. Make a difference.

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SouthFloridaGayNews // SFGN.com // 10.30.13 //

GEORGE CASTRATARO, PA Arthur B. Smith, PA Of Counsel

// 10.30.2013 // SFGN.com //

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LGBT History Month

Bayard Rustin’s Partner Talks Activism, Legacy Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com

Fifty years after he helped organize the world-changing National March on Washington, LGBT activist Bayard Rustin will be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the highest civilian award in the United States. Born on March 17, 1912, Bayard was raised in West Chester, Pa., in a family that was heavily involved in activism. Bayard’s maternal grandmother, Julia Rustin, was a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Rustin attended Wilberforce University in Ohio and later Cheyney State Teachers College (now Cheyney University) before he moved to New York City in 1937 to attend the City College of New York. Rustin began his work with civil-rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as an organizer and strategist in the 1950s. He was responsible for organizing the boycott of segregated buses in Montgomery, Ala., and was a key organizer — relegated to behind the scenes largely because of his sexual orientation — for King’s seminal march. Rustin died in New York City Aug. 24 1987, leaving his partner of 10 years, Walter Naegle, behind to continue his legacy. Naegle, who will accept the Presidential Medal of Freedom award on Rustin’s behalf, said he was standing on a street corner waiting for the light to change in April of 1977 when he noticed a man who immediately caught his eye. “We began to talk to each other. I noticed that he was very tall, well dressed and a handsome older gentleman,” he said. “At the moment I met him, I didn’t know who he was — but I knew who Bayard Rustin was.” Rustin, who was open about his sexual orientation throughout his career, was 65 when he met Naegle, at that time 27. Naegle said his sexuality was still emerging when he met Rustin, noting his coming-out experience was relatively easy compared to others of that time. “It was a gradual thing. I didn’t make a grand announcement but people in my family were certainly aware I wasn’t dating women in high school and, in fact, I wasn’t dating anyone really back then,” Naegle said. “I took, what I considered, my first real boyfriend home in the early 1970s. My parents didn’t make a big deal out of it.” Once he and Rustin started their relationship, Naegle said they were fortunately free of some of the prejudice interracial gay couples in other areas of the country experienced.

“We lived in New York City, which is not the same as small-town America. The only time we encountered any curiosity was when we where in South Africa together on a research project, but we weren’t walking around holding hands or showing public affection,” he said. “There were people in New York that knew we were a couple but the average person wouldn’t make that assumption. They were curious about the age difference.” Rustin’s activist career frequently made him the target of public attention and arrests. He was arrested for “sex perversion” in 1953 and jailed for 60 days and was also jailed from 1944-46 after he refused to serve in World War II, an illustration of his nonviolent Quaker faith. Naegle said that although Rustin was active in civil rights when the pair met, his career did not put him in such a spotlight at that time. “By the time I met him, it was past the peak years of the civil-rights period so I wouldn’t say I had a lot of fears,” he said. “I didn’t worry about him being attacked. He traveled a lot and went abroad a lot and there were times where I was concerned about his general health, but I didn’t have any big fears.” Same-sex marriage was rarely a topic on the political radar in the 1970s and ’80s, so in order to protect their relationship legally, Rustin adopted Naegle before his death. While 13 states and Washington D.C. now allow same-sex couples to marry, Naegle said the couple never dreamed of such a day. “When the efforts first started being made for marriage equality, I would say I was skeptical about it and the likelihood of it happening but when I sat down and thought of the logic of it all, a lot of it was about educating people who weren’t aware of the vast number of laws and protections that people have when they are legally married. Unless it is recognized by the state, you are not entitled to all those protections and laws.” Naegle founded the Bayard Rustin Fund in 1997 to continue to educate others on peace, nonviolence, racial justice, LGBT equality and activism. In 2003, the fund released, “Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin,” a documentary on Rustin’s life and activism. And in 2006, Bayard Rustin High School was founded in West Chester. Naegle said educating the younger generation on Rustin’s legacy has been a rewarding experience. “A lot of younger people have no idea of who he was or know too much about the

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Bayard Rustin (right) with his life partner Walter Naegle. Submitted Photo

civil-rights movement,” he said. “People recognized Dr. King’s name. The important thing was Bayard was a part of a movement: It was not about one person, it was a whole team of people.” On Aug. 8, President Obama announced that Rustin would be among a handful of individuals to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom Award. Naegle said he was delighted to hear the news, and said it held special significance since it coincided with the 50th anniversary of the march on Washington — and helped affirm and recognize Rustin’s contributions. “I was grateful and I think that it puts him in a position as a recognized individual who promoted democracy and equality in the country,” he said. “All the other leaders of the March of Washington received a Medal of Freedom. Although he wasn’t officially one of the leaders, he still did a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff.” In addition to honoring the organizers of the march, the award can bring attention to the event itself and its groundbreaking message, Naegle added. “I think there have been a lot of marches since then because it was the first of its kind; a great number of people came to it, it was an interracial effort and had an agenda to get certain laws passed,” he said. “It has taken

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on a status of its own. It was a very important and historical day in the country.” The visibility attained by the march is something that the LGBT community should strive for today, he noted. “I think there is work that needs to be done on the grassroots level,” Naegle said. “People need to start coming out to families and educating people. Churches are an awesome place to start because some harbor a lot of anti-LGBT feelings. I think that the key to overcome prejudice is through education and one of the ways you educate people is by being yourself, being open and letting them see there is all kinds of LGBT people out there.” Naegle said Rustin wanted to a build a society that was just and equal and said the issues that leaders faced in 1963 — such as job security and personal freedom — are still the same issues we fight today. “Fifty years later, we have more people in poverty and the income gap is widening. We need to work on the issue of poverty. He focused a lot on eliminating poverty in the country, providing better schools, healthcare and all those issues. We need to continue working towards building that kind of society and that would fulfill his legacy.” For more information on the Bayard Rustin Fund, visit http://rustin.org.

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LGBT History Month

Through the Ages: Gay On TV Iconic & Groundbreaking LGBT Characters on the Tube David-Elijah Nahmod

While no means complete, this list pays homage to some of the more iconic and groundbreaking LGBT characters to have graced the small screen. The first year that an openly gay character first appeared on the tube is generally credited as 1972. That year saw the premiere of That Certain Summer, an ABC movie of the week in which Martin Sheen and Hal Holbrook played a gay couple who were attempting to hide their relationship from Holbrook’s

visiting teenaged son (Scott Jacoby). The film brought in impressive numbers, won awards, and opened doors. (It can now be viewed complete on YouTube.) Also in ‘72, ABC aired The Corner Bar, a short lived, largely forgotten (only 16 episodes) sitcom which featured the late Vincent Schiavelli as Peter Panama, the first ongoing gay character on American television. Throughout the 1970s, many primetime series featured gay characters in guest

starring roles. In 1973, The Mary Tyler Moore Show introduced viewers to the gay brother of Phyllis (Cloris Leachman). Around that time, an All in the Family episode let us know that “Meathead’s” (Rob Reiner) effeminate friend was straight, while Archie’s (Carroll O’Connor) macho beer drinking buddy was gay. A few years later, Maude (Bea Arthur), takes homophobic neighbor Arthur (Conrad Bain) to a neighborhood gay bar to show him that gays are just like everyone else.

But these interludes were few and far between. Until Ellen came out in 1997, it was nearly impossible to get a continuing gay character on the tube, though there were exceptions here and there. Things have improved considerably over the years, though small screen gay characters can still raise eyebrows and incur the wrath of religious conservatives. Here are a few of the best remembered, and most beloved, groundbreaking LGBT roles to have made it on the air.

Jodie Dallas (Soap) Played by Billy Crystal Before The Golden Girls, writer Susan Harris created the controversial daytime drama spoof Soap. On the very first episode in September 1977, Jodie’s mom (Cathryn Damon) tries to tell him that she thought his being a “homosexual” was a passing phase. But she couldn’t say the

word, so Jodie would interject the H word into her sentences for her! Over the course of the show’s four year run, Jodie considered having a sex change operation so he could marry his boyfriend (Bob Seagren). Jodie fathered a child, dated

a lesbian, and did many other things, which horrified conservatives but kept Soap viewers laughing. For being the first long running gay character on TV, and for never denying who he was, Jodie gets the number 1 spot.

Bianca Montgomery (All My Children) Played by Eden Riegel, Christina Bennett Lind Bianca wasn’t the first gay character to appear on a daytime drama. Prior to her coming out as a lesbian in 2000, the soaps One Life to Live, As the World Turns and even AMC itself featured short-term gay characters. What makes Bianca stand out is her status as the first long running, soap character portrayed by a core contract player. Bianca is the daughter of Erica Kane (soap superstar Susan Lucci), AMC’s long time leading lady. Once she came out, there was no stopping her: Bianca had numerous love affairs, and even

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kissed her girlfriends on camera. She married one girlfriend, then the two got divorced. A bitter custody battle followed. In 2006, Bianca had a fling with Zoe (Jeffrey Carlson), a lesbian identified trans-woman. This particularly courageous storyline saw Bianca questioning her sexuality when she feels attracted to Zarf (also Carlson), a David Bowie-ish glam rock star. Then Zarf comes out and transitions over the course of a six-month story arc. Bianca broke ground in more ways than

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one. She was the first soap character who’s love and sex lives were as active, and as complicated, as her heterosexual co-stars. When ABC cancelled All My Children in 2011, Bianca was a happily married lesbian mom played by Christina Bennett Lind. Two years later, the serial was revived by Prospect Park Productions. New episodes were made available on Hulu and iTunes, and were broadcast on OWN. To the delight of millions of fans, Eden Riegel, who played Bianca so brilliantly for a decade, returned

Jack McFarland (Will and Grace) Played by Sean Hayes Will and Grace premiered on NBC in 1998, the year following Ellen’s historic coming out. Ostensibly a sitcom about a gay man and his straight, female best friend (Eric MacKormack, Debra Messing), it was the show’s colorful supporting cast that

captivated viewers. As the lovably ditzy, star struck Jack, Sean Hayes stole many scenes. An unapologetically gay, flamboyant queen, Jack was also a genuinely decent, if somewhat irresponsible chap.

Though closeted during the show’s production (he has since come out), Hayes played Jack with just the right combination of hysterical theatrics and down home charm. All gays are not alike, as Jack showed TV viewers for the very first time.

Beverly LaSalle (All in the Family) Played by Lori Shannon Norman Lear’s brilliantly courageous sitcom All in the Family put many of society’s prejudices up on a pedestal and ridiculed them. Race, gender roles, religious intolerance, stereotypes of all kinds, nothing was sacred on this hysterically funny if thought provoking series. One of the more startling, for it’s time,

Family characters was Beverly LaSalle, a female impersonator who didn’t always switch to male attire when offstage. Brilliantly played by real life drag artist Lori Shannon, Beverly was unlike anyone TV viewers had seen up to that time. Was Beverly transgender? Perhaps. The third and final of Beverly’s All in the

Family appearances came in 1977, when she was beaten to death on Christmas Eve. Gal pal Edith Bunker (Jean Stapleton) had quite a reaction to the news: she refuses to go to Midnight Mass, saying that she can’t pray to a God that would allow such a thing to happen. All in the Family wasn’t always funny, but it always made people think.

Luke and Noah (As the World Turns) Played by Van Hansis and Jake Silbermann A few years after Bianca came out, the traditionally conservative daytime drama As the World Turns, which hadn’t changed much since it’s 1956 debut, outed young, cute, Luke Snyder. Luke’s portrayer, Jake Weary, quit the series immediately, and was replaced by Van Hansis, who was quite comfortable playing a gay role – Hansis now plays another gay character on the web series Eastsiders. What made Luke’s coming out so significant is the fact that he was the son

of Lily and Holden, a supercouple from the show’s past. ATWT’s primary audience was older and somewhat right wing, the series was particularly popular in the Midwest. For many viewers, Luke was their first exposure to an ongoing gay character. Reportedly, a number of Bible Belt grandmas wrote to Hansis, saying that they could now accept their gay grandchildren as a result of watching his portrayal of Luke. Luke’s storylines included dealing with bullying. From 2007-2010, he was involved

in a stormy but loving relationship with Noah (Jake Silbermann), and the two are credited as daytime’s first gay “supercouple.” They became an audience favorite, even after shocking viewers by actually having sex! As the World Turns’ legendary, 54-year run ended in 2010, with Luke and Noah breaking up, but parting good friends. An enterprising World Turns fan has archived every scene involving the Luke/ Noah love story, where it can still be viewed on YouTube in five-minute segments.

Mrs. Madrigal (Tales of the City) Played by Olympia Dukakis Produced by PBS in 1993, Tales of the City was a six episode miniseries based on Armistead Maupin’s wildly popular novels about life in 1970s San Francisco. Oscar winner Olympia Dukakis (Moonstruck) commanded the screen as Mrs. Madrigal, the gentle, wise, if somewhat mysterious landlady at 28 Barbary Lane, the rooming

house she owns. She often served as a den mother to her tenants, who comprised a colorful mix of gay and straight bohemians enjoying the new-found sexual freedoms of the era. Mrs. Madrigal is harboring quite a secret. 12 years earlier, she traveled to Europe for sex-reassignment surgery.

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Unknown to Barbary Lane resident Mona (Chloe Webb), Mrs. Madrigal is her father! Mona is one of two core Tales characters who are established as bisexual in this brilliant look at sexuality in a changing world. Showtime produced two sequels to Tales of the City. Dukakis returned for both.

SouthFloridaGayNews // SFGN.com // 10.30.13 //

Ellen Morgan (Ellen) Played by Ellen Degenres Thirty-nine million viewers tuned in to hear Ellen say the words “I’m Gay” in 1997. Prior to that historic night, Ellen was a fair to middling sitcom about a neurotic bookstore owner (DeGeneres) who didn’t seem to have a sexual identity (though hints were

dropped). Though Ellen was cancelled the following year amid complaints from both religious conservatives and from gays who felt it wasn’t really funny, Ellen, and Degeneres herself, changed the TV landscape forever.

Steven Carrington (Dynasty) Played by Al Corely and Jack Coleman On the very first episode of this smash 1980s prime time soap opera hit, Steven Carrington, heir to a vast oil empire, spars with his dad over his homosexuality. For the next 8 years, Steven fell in love with a variety of men, and even married evil Sammi Jo (Heather Locklear) with whom he fathered a child. Al Corely played Steven for two years,

then quit amid complaints that Steven’s ever-changing sexual preferences made no sense. Jack Coleman then saw the character through a variety of male and female relationships for the remainder of the show’s run. Corley returned for a 1991 reunion movie. Dynasty proved to be quite popular with gay audiences, in part due to

Steven, but also due to the arrival, in season two, of the outrageous Alexis Carrington Colby (Joan Collins), a scheming, over the top, drag-queenish madwoman who brought a camp sensibility to the series. Steven’s fluid sexuality really isn’t all that hard to explain: he was prime time television’s first ongoing bi-guy!

Mitch and Cameron (Modern Family) Played by Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet When TV Guide named Mitch and Cameron, the gay couple from ABC’s brilliant comedy drama Modern Family as among the five best TV Dads, we knew we were an accepted part of the mainstream. Together for 8 years, the guys adopted Lily, a young girl from Vietnam.

Neither of the guys is a “hunk.” What they are is real: neurotic and insecure, they’re full of love for each other and for their daughter in this, perhaps TV’s most realistic peek inside the day to day lives of a gay family (and other families).

Brian Kinney (Queer as Folk) Played by Gale Harold Drop dead gorgeous, buffed, promiscuous and always horny, Brian Kinney was the most popular character on Showtime’s breakout gay soap opera Queer as Folk. Brian knew how hot he was. Wealthy and above it all, he viewed other gay men as objects to be used for sex, then discarded.

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But when 17 year old Justin (Randy Harrison) falls in love with him, Brian finds his soul mate. Over the course of Queer as Folk’s five seasons, viewers joined Brian on his voyage of discovery, as he slowly became the decent, loving person he truly was. Gale

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Harold played the changes in Brian slowly, brilliantly revealing the man beneath the mannequin. Brian is one of the most complex and multi-layered gay characters ever to appear on television, and Harold proved himself to be more than up to the acting challenge.

Julia Hoffman (Dark Shadows) Played by Grayson Hall In 1964, character actress Hall received a well-deserved Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Miss Fellows, a frustrated lesbian spinster, in the film The Night of the Iguana. It was the first Academy nomination in history for an actor in a gay role. In 1967, Hall was cast as the brilliant if slightly mad Dr. Julia Hoffman on Dark Shadows, the spooky supernatural soap opera. Doc Julia soon fell in love with her patient, the 175-year-old vampire Barnabas

Collins (Jonathan Frid). In 1970, Hall played Julia’s counterpart in a parallel universe story. Parallel Time Julia was a servant, helping her beloved Mistress Angelique (Lara Parker) pass herself off as Angelique’s twin Alexis: Angelique had come back from the dead and murdered Alexis. Though the L word was never uttered, it became clear as the storyline progressed that Julia was head over heels in love with her employer: the puppy dog love in Hoffman’s

eyes was a dead giveaway! Parallel Time Julia was based on Mrs. Danvers (Dame Judith Anderson) from the classic Daphne DuMaurier novel Rebecca, filmed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1940. Danvers’ lesbianism was plain to see in the film, and Hall, on Dark Shadows, channeled Anderson’s performance when she declared her love for Angelique. Certainly a daring thing to do on daytime TV in 1970!

Beverly Leslie (Will and Grace) Played by Leslie Jordan Gay Republicans got a delightful, well deserved ribbing with openly gay Jordan’s hysterical portrayal of wealthy, deeply closeted Southern Belle Beverly, “the world’s oldest girl” as he was called by arch-enemy Karen (Megan Mullaly).

The friendly enemies sparred hilariously as Beverly, determined to keep his sexuality a secret, (in spite of the fact that he was a flaming, effeminate queen!) fends off Karen’s many ingenious attempts to out him.

As stated earlier, W & G’s supporting cast was far more colorful than the leads!

The Glee Kids No show has better illustrated how far we’ve come then Glee. Sure, we love the fabulous musical numbers, but Glee is so much more. The series is set in that perfect world where gays, straights, bisexuals, lesbians and transgender people co-exist side by side, accepting each other at face value and

without judgment. Glee is a magnificent example of how much the TV landscape has changed since ABC aired That Certain Summer 41 years ago.

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SouthFloridaGayNews // SFGN.com // 10.30.13 //

LGBT History Month

Trans Author Brings Female Revolutionary Fighter to Life Ray Simon

Philadelphia Gay News

As a child, transgender author Alex Myers listened with rapt attention when his grandmother regaled the family with tales of their New England ancestors. The devoted amateur genealogist loved telling her grandchildren about distant relatives who had crossed the Atlantic on the Mayflower or accompanied Benedict Arnold on his ill-fated expedition to Quebec. But it was the story of Deborah Sampson that really caught the budding writer’s attention. Towards the end of the Revolutionary War, Sampson disguised herself as a man, adopted the name “Robert Shurtliff” and enlisted in the Continental Army. For 17 months, Robert drilled, bunked and fought side by side with his fellow infantrymen, enduring the privations and the dangers of military life. Despite being seriously wounded in a skirmish, he returned to his regiment, the ruse still undetected. After hostilities ended, a terrible fever sent him to the hospital, where a doctor discovered that this particular soldier was actually a young woman. Even as a child, Myers recognized that this bit of family history was special. “I just remember as a kid hearing it and thinking, ‘Crazy!’ It just sounded so wild to me, but also so natural that a woman would see the Revolutionary War and say, ‘I want to be part of that.’ I mean, who wouldn’t?” he said. Sampson’s story has special meaning for Myers, who came out in 1995 during his senior year at Phillips Exeter Academy and went on to become Harvard University’s first openly transgender student. During that period, he found inspiration in the example of the brave colonial woman who bucked societal pressure in order to lead a life of her choosing. “When I eventually came out,” he said, “I thought back to hearing that story and sort of realized what resonance it had to me at the time, that sort of casual affirmation that, yes, other people desired the very thing that I desired, even hundreds of years ago.” Like Sampson, Myers has chosen to lead life on his terms. As an undergraduate, he successfully lobbied Harvard’s student council to amend its nondiscrimination clause to include gender identity as a separate category. After graduating, he coached and taught at St. George’s, a boarding school in Rhode Island, where he eventually rose to become chair of the English Department. He has also been a husband for 11 years, first committing to his partner in a civil union, then marrying her when that union was annulled by the legal transition of his status from female to male.

Now a Lannan Associate at the Center for Poetics and Social Practice at Georgetown, the former high-school teacher is modest about his accomplishments. “I would say what I did at Exeter and Harvard — and I’d like to think at every place that I’ve lived and worked after that — is to live as a well-adjusted, normal, hardworking, successful, intelligent person who is transgender and who is not embarrassed, ashamed or afraid in any way of being out as transgender,” he said. Although usually understated, Myers is excited about his debut novel, “Revolutionary,” which chronicles Deborah Sampson’s life as a soldier. The novel will be available this coming January; it is the first book on Simon & Schuster’s fiction list to be written by a transgender author. Myers first began to contemplate writing a novel in 2010, while he was working on a MFA in creative writing at the Vermont College of Fine Arts. He mulled over various possibilities, but Sampson’s story quickly emerged as his ideal subject. “I was writing a lot in the MFA program,” he said, “just writing short stories and essays and feeling like, Boy, do I ever want to try writing a novel? And as soon as I thought about that, I thought, Oh my gosh! I have to write about Deborah Sampson.” The result is a thoughtful fictional account of Sampson’s 17 months as Robert Shurtliff, colonial soldier. Although the tale has elements of adventure, Myers focuses on Robert’s experience as an ordinary infantryman, including the drudgery and fear that the real-life Sampson undoubtedly experienced. As the novel progresses, Robert goes from being a raw recruit to a combattested veteran, but his struggles aren’t limited to the battlefield. By embracing Robert, Sampson is able to evade the limited possibilities society offered women of her class and gender, whereas Robert is judged according to his ability. How well he learns close-order drill and how he reacts under fire are what count to the men in his unit. The more Robert is accepted by his peers, however, the more difficult Sampson’s conundrum becomes. Her attempt to understand who she is and how she will lead her life are the issues Myers etches in sharp relief. “I think the novel explores the question of identity and what it means to be true to who one feels oneself to be,” Myers said. “I think it also looks at the question of desire on many levels, like personal desire, as well as a desire that goes beyond oneself.”

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Alex Myers with the cover of his latest book ‘Revolutionary’ Submitted Photo

The author addresses these themes with a light touch, allowing them to emerge from Robert’s day-to-day travails. In fact, it is those struggles that highlight just how remarkable the actual Deborah Sampson was. In reality, Sampson’s long life was marked by poverty, frustration and illness, leavened only by the 17 months of freedom and opportunity she experienced while in the army. The late historian Alfred F. Young examined her life with great sympathy in his 2005 book, “Masquerade: The Life and Times of Deborah Sampson, Continental Soldier.” As Myers was working on the novel, he not only studied that book, but he benefitted from conversations with its author. According to Myers, Young “read through the novel and offered notes on it and kind of guided me through a couple of things that I had maybe misinterpreted. He was just very patient and it was so evident through speaking with him that he had a deep passion for this. And it wasn’t his life’s work — he wrote more extensively on other areas — but it was clearly something that he loved.” The facts regarding Sampson are few but straightforward. She was born in 1760 in Plymouth, Mass. Her parents were descended from Mayflower passengers, but the family struggled to get by. A middle child, she appeared to be unloved and was pushed into indentured servitude as a girl. Enlisting in the army was clearly an escape from a lifetime of sheer drudgery. After the war, Sampson drifted back to Massachusetts to live with relatives in

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Sharon, Mass. Eventually, she married Benjamin Gannett and had three children. As a farmer, Gannett was no more successful than her parents and the couple frequently lacked money. Like many veterans, Sampson petitioned the government for a pension, but her difficulties were compounded by the fact that she used deception to enlist. Consequently, she appealed for help to her commanding officers and to notable public figures, including Paul Revere. In an 1804 letter to a congressman regarding her situation, the famous silversmith and patriot wrote, “I think her case much more deserving than hundreds to whom Congress have been generous.” One respite from these dreary circumstances was an 1802 lecture tour Sampson undertook to raise money, which made her America’s first itinerant female lecturer. After delivering a highly embellished speech about her wartime experience, she would return to the stage dressed in her military uniform and perform the manual of arms. Public reaction was warm, but she missed her children. In later years, Sampson was frequently ill. She finally passed away in 1827. These facts may appear uninspiring, but one hopes that Myers’ novel will show the reading public just how revolutionary Deborah Sampson’s quest for personal liberty and self-determination were. For more information on Alex Myers and his forthcoming novel, visit http:// alexmyerswriting.blogspot.com/.

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LGBT History Month: 31 Days, 31 Icons From LGBTHistoryMonth.com

José Sarria

Sally Ride

Vito Russo

December 12, 1923 - August 19, 2013

May 26, 1951 - July 23, 2012

July 11, 1946 - November 7, 1990

“Why be ashamed of who you are?”

“Young girls need to see role models. You can’t be what you can’t see.”

“I never once, not for a second, believed it was wrong to be gay.”

National Hero

Activist

José Sarria was a drag performer, singer and activist. He was the first openly gay man in the world to run for public office. Sarria, who was of Latin-American descent, was born in San Francisco. He was raised by his mother and grandmother, who allowed him to dress in women’s clothes. During World War II, Sarria enlisted in the army. His fellow soldiers discriminated against him because he was gay. Sarria became friends with some by giving them tours of San Francisco. Sarria began performing at “The Black Cat,” a San Francisco gay club. His shows, which included warning guests of police extortion and raids on gay bars, were a hit. Although the messages were often serious, Sarria presented them humorously and with a gay twist. He became famous for his closing song, “God Save Us Nelly Queens.” In 1961, Sarria became the first openly gay candidate for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He lost, but received 5,600 votes, demonstrating that a gay voting bloc could wield political power. The possibility of empowerment laid the groundwork for the election of Harvey Milk. In the 1960s, San Francisco gay bars were being shut down. The Tavern Guild of San Francisco organized a drag ball to protest. Sarria was crowned Queen of the Ball. Sarria cofounded the Imperial Court System, an international organization that raises money for people living with HIV/AIDS and other causes. In 2006, a street in San Francisco was named in his honor

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Sally Ride was the first female American astronaut in space. Born in Los Angeles, Ride excelled in science and sports. She was a nationally ranked junior tennis player and earned a tennis scholarship to a private high school. While playing in college, she got the attention of Billie Jean King, who encouraged Ride to play professionally. Ride decided to finish her education. Ride earned a master’s degree and a doctorate in physics from Stanford. She responded to a NASA recruiting ad and was one of 35 people—including six women— chosen from more than 8,000 applicants. Ride was selected as a mission specialist aboard the space shuttle Challenger. On June 18, 1983, she became the first American woman in space. She later became the only person to serve on the presidential commissions investigating both of the nation’s space shuttle tragedies— the Challenger explosion (1986) and the Columbia disaster (2003). In 1987, Ride retired from NASA and became a science fellow at the Center for International Security and Arms Control at Stanford. In 1989, she joined the faculty at the University of California, San Diego as a professor of physics and director of the California Space Institute. In 2001, she founded Sally Ride Science, which motivates girls and boys to study science and explore careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Ride co-authored several books about space and about climate change with Tam O’Shaughnessy, her life partner of 27 years. In 2013, President Barack Obama awarded Ride a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom.

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SouthFloridaGayNews

Film Historian

Vito Russo was a gay rights activist, a film historian and an author best known for his book, “The Celluloid Closet,” a groundbreaking chronicle of gays and lesbians in film. A New York City native, Russo grew up in East Harlem. As a young boy, he would sneak into Manhattan to go to the movies. From an early age, Russo knew he was “different.” A cousin remembers him always talking about Rock Hudson rather than Ava Gardner. After graduating from New York University, Russo joined the Gay Activists Alliance. In the early 1970s, he started research for “The Celluloid Closet” (1981), which included watching hundreds of films that included gay content and stereotypes. What originated as a lecture with film clips became one of the most informative books about gay people and pop culture. Diagnosed with HIV in 1985, Russo was a frequent protestor with ACT UP. In 1986, Russo lost his longtime partner, Jeffrey Sevcik, to AIDS. Outraged by the media’s inadequate and inaccurate coverage of the pandemic, Russo cofounded GLAAD, an organization that monitors LGBT representation in the media. In his memory, GLAAD created the Vito Russo Media Award to recognize out LGBT media professionals who have made a significant difference promoting equality. Russo appeared in the 1989 Academy Award-winning documentary, “Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt,” about the life and death of Sevcik and the quilt Russo made for him. A year later, Russo died from AIDS-related complications. In 1996, “The Celluloid Closet” was made into a documentary that was co-produced and narrated by Lily Tomlin. In 2012, “Vito,” a film about Russo’s life, premiered on HBO.

See it For Yourself

Photos by JR Davis

October 2013

Ft.Lauderdale

Pride Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Community Day

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See it For Yourself

Photos by JR Davis

October 2013

Miami

Save Dadeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Halloween Ball

// 10.30.2013 // SFGN.com //

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SouthFloridaGayNews

Equality Florida 11.17.2013 Broward Gala at the Hyatt Regency

Pier Sixty-Six 2301 SE 17th St, Fort Lauderdale Sunday, November 17, 5:30-8pm

ElEanor SobEl

Please join us for this wonderful event that includes drinks, delicious hors dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;oeuvres, and an exciting program including a State of the State Address by our Chief Executive Officer, Nadine Smith. We will be our 2013 Voice for Equality Award Honorees State Senator Eleanor Sobel, the Broward County Public Schools, and Community Parnter for Equality Honoree Padgette Negrete.

celebrating

o u r

c o r p o r a t e

s p o n s o r s

The Kenneth S. Hollander Charitable Foundation

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tickets are $150 and can be purchased at www.eqfl.org/browardgala or (813) 870-3735

sponsorship opportunities begin at $500. please contact row at row@eqfl.org or 305-335-2102 for details. All proceeds directly benefit the important work of Equality Florida Institute, a tax exempt 501c3 non-profit organization. soflagaynews //

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column the book worm Terri Schlichenmeyer

Controversial ‘Book of Matt’ Hits Shelves c.2013, Steerforth Press $26.00 U.S. and Canada 360 pages

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Sometimes, you don’t know what to think. You hear both sides of a story, both conflicting. Rumors are whispered, denials issued, and you’re left to make up your own mind. Right or wrong, there are some things you’ll never know for sure. And that goes for what’s inside “The Book of Matt” by Stephen Jimenez. In early 2000, Stephen Jimenez went to Laramie, Wyoming to start work on a story for which he thought he had an “abundance of detail.” He had, in fact, planned on writing a screenplay about the murder of Matthew Shepard. Laramie residents were friendly, he says, and it didn’t take long to find the prosecutor who won conviction of the two men who murdered Shepard. He “hinted” to Jimenez that there was more to the story than the news media The cover of Stephen Jimenez’s new controversial book The had reported. Book of Matt, which attempts to spin a write a new narrative around Matthew Shepard’s death. Intrigued, Jimenez dug for information and consequently, he says, And yet, if each page of this book was discovered corruption, and odd loose ends imbedded with nitroglycerine, it couldn’t be in the Shepard murder and others. He spoke any more explosive. Jimenez makes a lot of with witnesses; people who knew Shepard allegations that seem to be based on rumor and his killers; and some, he claims, who were and leaps of conclusion, and he’s not often overlooked or inadequately interviewed by very complimentary. I got the impression officials during the investigation. He believes that there was a lot of putting-two-and-twothat he was physically endangered many together here that, face-value, did add up but times because someone, it seems, wanted that left uncomfortable questions niggling in him to stop asking questions. the back of my mind. The reason for that, perhaps, was that Furthermore, Jimenez asserts that what he says he found was shocking, and Matthew Shepard wasn’t killed because not what people have come to believe. It of a hate crime, but that he was murdered involved drugs, sex-for-hire, and at least because he was involved in a drug “family” one man who, Jimenez indicates, can’t seem to whom he owed money. Indeed, several of to tell the truth. And because of what he Jimenez’s “witnesses” claim that Shepard learned, Jimenez asserts, “I will offer here was “friends” with his killers long before his what I believe to be a more accurate account death, which could alter Shepard’s legacy of the violent events set in motion…” on that but does not negate the fact that a crime night in 1998. was committed. At first blush, “The Book of Matt” seems Overall, here’s the thing: only three people like any other true crime book, albeit one know what happened that night. One is that’s tedious, occasionally off-topic, and dead, one gives “contradictory statements,” sometimes melodramatic. Author Stephen and one’s not talking. That fact leaves open Jimenez obviously did abundant research a good bit of finality to this story, but you for this book, and his extremely lengthy can read “The Book of Matt” if you want, and list of interviewees and often-anonymous make up your own mind. “witnesses” proves that.

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column gay car geek Steve Siler

Drive This, Not That, Sept 2013 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Limited vs. 2014 Subaru Forester XT Premium Winner: 2014 Subaru Forester XT

Subaru and the gay community have been deeply enmeshed for a long time, and generally, I really enjoy their products. But alas, I enjoy some more than others. So for this month’s DTNT matchup, I put two similarly priced Subarus, a loaded XV Crosstrek and a moderately equipped Forester XT—both crossovers with mild off-road capability head-to-head.

The Crosstrek’s advantages include funky exterior styling (especially in orange), more features for the money, and fuel economy. But the Crosstrek’s extra infotainment and navigation features, for example, are not as usable to use due to the small screen, tiny info graphics and unintuitive interface. Particularly disappointing is the interior, which is rife with cheap plastics and exceedingly drab in appearance. The Forester’s exterior styling

is more aggressive and just as cool, and the more spacious interior is somewhat more upscale-looking, even without a navigation screen. More importantly, the Forester’s zesty, turbocharged four-cylinder engine gets up and boogies, whereas the XV Crosstrek’s nonturbo engine is droney, less responsive and generally unpleasant. The Forester’s sunroof is also freakishly huge. Sure, the fuel economy difference means you’ll be paying a bit more to gas up the Forester XT, but you’ll be smiling each time you step on the go-pedal. And that

By The Numbers Price as tested Styling

makes it more than worth the extra coin in my book. Renowned automotive journalist and gay car geek Steve Siler has turned his life-long love of cars into a fruitful and enthusiastic career traveling the world to test thousands of new vehicles as they are introduced. Siler is s regular contributor to Car and Driver Magazine, Edmunds.com,AutoTrader.com, AOL Autos and Yahoo! Autos, and also pioneered automotive writing for the GLBT community more than a decade ago.

2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Limited 2014 Subaru Forester XT Premium

$27,420

$28,820 Out of 5

Acceleration Handling

Interior décor

Interior space Cargo Space Value

“Joie de Vie” Quotient

Fuel Economy, city/hwy

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25/33

23/28

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S F G N ITES F O R

T H E

W E E K

O F

O C T O B E R

3 0

N O V E M B E R

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W W W . S F G N . C O M

J.W. Arnold

jw@prdconline.com

THUR Festival

10/31

Halloween is one of those holidays that really should last a month….or at least a week! Fortunately, after nearly a week of madness and mayhem, this year the festivities culminate on a Thursday. All the ghosts and ghouls will be heading down to Wilton Manors tonight and taking to the street on Wilton Drive, which will be closed all evening. Stroll up and down the Drive and admire the creative costumes, stop in for a drink or a bite to eat at one of the many bars and restaurants and don’t miss the entertainment on stage at 6th Avenue.

FRI Dance

11/1

Broadway legend Chita Rivera is coming to South Florida this weekend to discuss her work on West Side Story with Jerome Robbins, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim as part of Miami City Ballet’s Open Barre series. Appropriately, the popular Open Barre program includes an “open bar.” Dancers will also perform a sneak peak of the highly anticipated West Side Story Suite, which joins the company’s repertoire this season. Meet Rivera at the ballet’s studios, 2200 Liberty Ave. in Miami Beach, on Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m and 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 at MiamiCityBallet.org.

SAT

Shopping

11/2 SUN

Fort Lauderdale Beach is prepared for the biggest event of the year as billions of dollars in luxury yachts have been carefully staged for the 54th Annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, Oct. 31 – Nov. 4, one of the largest in the world. The rich and famous—and plenty of wannabes, too—will flock to Bahia Mar, 801 Seabreeze Blvd., to check out the exotic runabouts, sportfishers, high performance boats, cabin cruisers, express cruisers, sailing yachts, super yachts and more. This is definitely the place to see and be seen this weekend. Daily admission is $20 at ShowManagement.com.

Hundreds of luxury yachts and other watercraft will be on display this weekend at Bahia Mar on Fort Lauderdale Beach as part of the 54th Annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. Photo Courtesy of Forest Johnson

// 10.30.2013 // SFGN.com //

Food

11/3 MON

Come enjoy delicious cuisine from over 40 gourmet restaurants and more than 100 wines from around the world at the Seminole Hard Rock Wine & Food Festival in Hollywood. There will be something to satisfy every palate, from robust riojas to delicate chardonnays and juicy churrascaria to creamy cheesecakes. Enjoy music from local bands and or stop by one of the special lounges to chill out. Proceeds benefit the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. Tickets are $65 at TheWineAndFoodFestival.com or $75 at the gate. VIP tickets are also available for $125 and include early entrance, celebrity chef cooking demonstrations and more. soflagaynews //

Food

11/4 TUE

The best food and libations of Wilton Manors wil be celebrated tonight from 6 – 9 p.m. at the 8th Annual Taste of the Island, presented by Rumors Bar & Gril . More than 50 area restaurants and bars wil be dishing up or pouring their best at historic Richardson Park and Nature Preserve, 1937 Wilton Dr. This swanky soiree benefits several local charities including the Friends of the Wilton Manors Library, Historical Society, Kiwanis Club and Wilton Manors Development Alliance. Tickets are $30 at TasteOfTheIsland.org. Public parking is available at Hagen Park and handicapped parking is reserved at Richardson Park.

SouthFloridaGayNews

Nightlife

11/5

With three world-class performing arts centers and dozens of other venues located nearby, South Florida gays almost certainly can catch a show. But, until the season starts to wind up, you can get your fill of Broadway show tunes at Village Pub, 2283 Wilton Dr. Can’t wait for The Book of Mormon or The Wizard of Oz to make their way to the Broward Center? Hankering for a sneak peak at The Gershwins’ Porgy & Bess at the Kravis Center? Well, chances are VJ Galaxy will have clips to show and—the best part—he takes requests! Sing along starting at 8 p.m.

Next to Normal w Nov 7-10

Winner of three Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize, this intensely complex and poignant rock musical continues to wow audiences worldwide. This emotional powerhouse and its energetic pop/rock score show how far two suburban parents will go to keep themselves sane and their family’s world intact, as the household copes with crisis and mental illness. “A brave and breathtaking musical.”--The New York Times

3385 NE 188th Street | Aventura, FL 33180 Tickets at: 877.311.7469 | AventuraCenter.org @aventuracenter All programs, artists, dates and times are subject to change.

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SouthFloridaGayNews // SFGN.com // 10.30.13 //

a&e dance

Miami City Ballet Offers Dazzling Look at New Director’s Vision J.W. Arnold

jw@prdconline.com

Broward audiences got their first glimpse this weekend into Artistic Director Lourdes Lopez’s vision for the Miami City Ballet (MCB) and it was stunning. Although Lopez returned to Miami last year, she triumphed with an inaugural season conceived by her predecessor, MCB founder Edward Villella. Program I: First Ventures, which debuted two weeks ago in Miami and repeats at West Palm Beach’s Kravis Center Nov. 15-17, is the first programmed by Lopez. Maintaining the company’s tradition, ballets by George Balanchine serve as bookends, opening with Ballo Della Regina, set to music by opera composer Giuseppe Verdi, and closing with Serenade, danced to Tchaikovsky’s Serenade in C Major for String Orchestra. One of his later works, Ballo Della Regina (1978) is signature Balanchine, featuring a large female corps circling the stage and rotating through complex formations en pointe as soloists Tricia Albertson and Renato Penteado weave through the action in a series of crowd pleasing pirouettes, leaps and lifts. Dressed in contemporary

leotards and short skirts in pastel pink and aqua hues, the corps invokes the waves of the sea, and Penteado, a brave fisherman in search of the perfect pearl. Balanchine’s choreography serves to literally interpret the grandiose phrases of Verdi’s music, orchestral selections from the opera, Don Carlos, performed by the Opus One Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Gary Sheldon. The movements are frenetic during the arpeggiated woodwind passages, flowing and elongated as the strings enter and dignified with the entrances of the brass. Tchaikovsky’s familiar Serenade for Strings, offers the musical inspiration for a lush ballet—the first Balanchine created after coming to America—again featuring a large female corps, dressed in long, white billowing tutus designed by Karinska. While Balanchine’s choreography is traditional in every sense, the clean, statuesque lines of the costumes instantly give this ballet a contemporary update. Again, the corps serves primarily an “architectural” role, often framing the

Photo: The Miami City Ballet opens its 2013-14 season with Serenade by George Balanchine and set to music by Tchaikovsky. Photo courtesy of Daniel Azouley

soloists, pas de deux and trios, performed brilliantly today by Katia Carranza, Ashley Knox, Sarah McCahill, Jovani Fulan and Didier Bramaz. The centerpiece of Program I is Christopher Wheeldon’s Polyphonia. Set to a collection of challenging piano works by contemporary Romanian composer Gyorgy Ligeti—and performed expertly by Francisco Renno—arguably one of the most important new ballets in the repertoire and a sign of Lopez’s commitment to new works. Like Ligeti’s music, which is, at times, atonal and percussive and others, lyrical and balladic, Wheeldon’s choreography is always rooted in tradition, yet not afraid to push boundaries. Polyphonia features an ensemble of eight dancers, all dressed in dark purple leotards, who engage in a series of fast paced vignettes that are breathtaking and accentuated by dramatic lighting design from Mark Stanley. As the ensemble begins, they are lit from downstage, casting giant shadows on the backdrop and creating an illusion of scores of giant dancers entangled in Wheeldon’s creative poses. Then, as smaller groups take the stage, the lighting sets the mood for intimate pas de deux (Arc in ciel, featuring Katia Carranza and Chase Swatosh, and Hopp ide tisztan, with Emily Bromberg

// 10.30.2013 // SFGN.com //

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SouthFloridaGayNews

and Bramaz) and a male duet, Vivace Energico, performed flawlessly by Furlan and Michael Sean Breeden. Throughout the ballet, the men effortlessly lift the women in what can only be described as complex “maneuvers” that perfectly capture the nuances of Ligeti’s music. With prominent roles in both Serenade and Polyphonia, today’s performance belonged to Furlan, a young Brazilian member of the corps de ballet who has a bright future with MCB.

IF YOU G What

Miami City Ballet Program I: First Ventures

When

Monday, March 25, 7 p.m.

Where Kravis Center,

West Palm Beach

Cost More Info.

Tickets $20-95 Kravis.org or MiamiCityBallet.org

a&e film

Dallas Buyer’s Club:

New Film Puts a Face on Trans People With AIDS David-Elijah Nahmod

davidwriter@msn.com

Jared Leto (left) and Matthew McConaughey in the new film Dallas Buyer’s Club. Submitted Photo

Though Matthew McConaughey is the top billed star in Dallas Buyer’s Club, it’s Jared Leto who walks away with the new film’s most acclaimed performance. The musician/ actor is powerful as Rayon, a transwoman with AIDS, in the true life drama which opens in theaters on November 1. At a recent press junket for the film, Leto said that he felt at ease in women’s attire. “It felt complete, right, as she wanted to be,” he said. “I think she was in a process of discovery--it was a lot of fun to invent her.” The actor/musician, who is neither gay nor trans, explained the commonalities he had with a character who was nothing like himself. “You find things like the desire to be loved, the search for identity,” he said. “I loved her charm, her grace, her levity.” In the film, McConaughey plays Ron Woodroof, a real life Texas cowboy type who contracted HIV during the epidemic’s peak in the mid-1980s. Foul mouthed and homophobic, Woodroof refuses to accept the death sentence he’s given. At a clinic in Mexico, he’s given experimental treatments, which seem to restore his health. Soon, Woodroof is illegally importing a variety of drugs and herbs from around the world – none of which have been approved for use in the U.S. Working out of a Dallas motel room, Woodroof makes his stash available to anyone with cash in hand, legalities be damned. The long lines outside his door bring him in contact with the local gay community. As his homophobic attitudes begin to soften, Woodroof and heroin addict Rayon become business partners. The two quickly come to respect and depend on each other. McConaughey is superb as a man who

can only be described as “trailer park trash” –Woodroof actually lives in a trailer park. But he’s a strong willed guy who possesses above average intelligence. Few things will get you further in life than some good old common sense, and Woodroof quickly learns to play the game. He sweet talks border patrol agents, converses knowledgeably with doctors from around the world, and for awhile, his fledgling business venture succeeds. The film illustrates what AIDS patients of the era had to deal with. Even though the treatments being offered by Woodroof appear to be saving lives, the Food And Drug Administration does everything they can to stop him. “It’s a timely film,” Jared Leto said. “So much of this battle rages on. This is an American story, not overtold. It’s great that this film got made, it was in development for twenty years.” Leto credits McConaughey’s star power as the reason Dallas Buyer’s Club finally got the green light. Though an established actor and successful rock musician, Leto referred to himself as being “on the fringes.” And yet it’s Leto, not McConaughey, who’s getting the Oscar buzz. A scene in which an emaciated Rayon visits her conservative father in tears to ask for money packs a powerful punch – Leto reports that he lost about 3040 pounds for the role. He hopes that his performance will open people’s hearts. “A greater understanding would be nice,” he said. “Some empathy. Film has the power to change us. Stories have the power to change us.” Look for Dallas Buyer’s Club in theaters on November 1. soflagaynews //

SouthFloridaGayNews // SFGN.com // 10.30.13 //

Voting Extended Until Nov, 5th ‘s

l a u n n A 3rd 0 Over $1e0s0! in priz

Vote Today & Win! SFGN.com/bestof2013

The winner of each “Best Of’ category will be featured in the December 25, 2013 issue of SFGN. Voting ends on November 5th at midnight. 44

// 10.30.2013 // SFGN.com //

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SouthFloridaGayNews

community announcement

LGBTQ Student Facing Tuition Challenges Point Foundation, the Largest LGBTQ Scholarship Provider, Accepting Applications as of Nov. 1 The Point Foundation

contribution toward the cost of their education. Each scholar is paired with a mentor and participates in leadership development training with fellow Point Scholars, including an annual Leadership Conference. After graduating, Point Scholars become part of Point’s growing alumni network, connecting them with

caring individuals and professional contacts throughout the nation. The scholar selection process begins with a thorough review of all applications by a trained team of educators, school counselors, staff, board members and alumni, who initially read and score every scholar application a minimum of two times.

Point Scholars and Alumni Photo courtesy of The Point Foundation

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) students seeking financial help for their undergraduate or graduate school education can take action by applying for a Point Foundation Scholarship. Point is the nation’s largest scholarship-granting organization for LGBTQ students of merit. While most students today face daunting monetary challenges as they weigh their educational options, nearly one-third of LGBTQ students drop out of high school. This figure is three times the national average according to a Lambda Legal report. Students who will be enrolled in undergraduate or graduate programs for the 2014-2015 academic year are eligible to apply for Point Foundation’s esteemed, multiyear scholarship. Point’s application process opens online November 1, 2013. “Attaining a college education remains a worthy goal and sound investment toward a better future for millions of Americans, many of whom – like the 38 percent of Point’s 2013 scholar class – will be the firstgeneration of their family to go to college,” said Jorge Valencia, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Point Foundation. “Year after year we receive thousands of applications for Point Scholarships from deserving LGBTQ students who need

support to improve their lives by getting a higher education degree.” Applications are only accepted online at www.PointFoundation.org/apply. Point’s rigorous selection process for awarding scholarships requires that candidates demonstrate academic excellence, leadership skills, community involvement and financial need. Attention is also paid to students who have lost the financial and social support of their families and/or communities as a result of revealing their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Point announced the selection of 26 new scholarship recipients in June 2013, bringing the total number of students currently receiving financial assistance and programmatic support to 78. The amount of annual scholarship support, including direct financial and programmatic assistance, averages $25,000 per scholar/per year. Point Scholars agree to maintain a high level of academic performance and to give back to the LGBTQ community through the completion of an individual community service project each year. Some Point Scholars also benefit from internship opportunities related to their fields of study. Point’s multifaceted support for scholars extends far beyond direct financial soflagaynews //

SouthFloridaGayNews // SFGN.com // 10.30.13 //

DateBook Theater

By Christiana Lilly, Calendar@SFGN.com

* Denotes new listing

Broward County The Timekeepers

Through Nov. 24 at the Island City Stage, 1140 N. Flagler Drive in Fort Lauderdale. A Jewish clockmaker and a gay man become unlikely friends when they are thrown into the same concentration camp during the Holocaust. Tickets $30. Call 954519-2533 or visit IslandCityStage.org.

nine inch nails

Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m. at the BB&T Center, One Panther Parkway in Sunrise. Celebrate Halloween early with nine inch nails, which released its latest fulllength album Sept. 3. Tickets $35.50 to $92.25. Visit TheBBTCenter.org.

* The Magic of Bill Blagg

Nov. 2 at 8 p.m. at the Parker Playhouse, 707 NE Eighth St. in Fort Lauderdale. The magician and illusionist will leave you questioning what you’ve seen -- and you may be asked to come to the stage! Tickets $25.50 to $35.50. Call 954-462-0222 or visit ParkerPlayhouse.com.

* Michael Bublé

Nov. 2 at 8 p.m. at the BB&T Center, One Panther Parkway in Sunrise. Dubbed this generation’s Frank Sinatra, the Canadian singer mixes up his pop hits with old-time favorites. Tickets $59.50 to $115. Visit TheBBTCenter.org.

* Paramore

Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. at the BB&T Center, One Panther Parkway in Sunrise. Metric and hellogoodbye open for the rock band. Tickets $29.50 to $44.50. Visit TheBBTCenter.org.

* Josh Groban

Nov. 6 at 7:30 p.m. BB&T Center, One Panther Parkway in Sunrise. Those who have fallen in love with Groban’s voice will be in for a treat as he hits South Florida. Tickets $49.50 to $99.50. Visit TheBBTCenter.org.

* Mourning Becomes Electra

Nov. 7 and 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Broward Center, 201 SW Fifth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. The operatic play takes place in Massachusetts at the end of the Civil War, sneaking behind the ugly interior of the supposedly perfect Mannon family. Tickets $21 to $200. Call 954-462-0222 or visit BrowardCenter.org.

Palm Beach County * The Longing & The Short of It

Nov. 1 to 24 at Arts Garage, 180 NE First St. in Delray Beach. Six characters sing and play out the awkward and heartwrenching parts of being alive that everyone in the audience can relate to. Tickets $30 to $45. Call 561-450-6357 or visit ArtsGarage.org.

* Once in a Lifetime

Nov. 2 and 3 at the Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park, 300 S. Military Trail in Boca Raton. The life and times of Sammy Davis, Jr. are followed from his humble beginnings in Harlem to the city lights of Hollywood. Tickets $20. Call 561-347-3948 or visit BRTG.org.

* Cuff Me

Nov. 7 and 8 at the Delray Beach Center for the Arts, 51 N. Swinton Ave. in Delray Beach. A parody of the raunchy “Fifty Shades of Grey” series takes to the stage, including parodies of some our favorite songs. Tickets $40. Call 561-243-7922 or visit DelrayArts.org.

* Celtic Thunder: Mythology

Nov. 8 at 7:30 p.m. at the Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach. The six principal performers tell the story of their Irish history, culture and folk tales through song. Tickets $25 to $110. Call 561-832-7469 or visit Kravis.org.

* They’re Playing Our Song

Nov. 8 to 24 at the Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park, 300 S. Military Trail in Boca Raton. Groove back to the ‘70s for the real-life romance between composer Marvin Hamlisch and lyricist Carol BayerSager. Tickets $30 to $35. Call 561-347-3948 or visit BRTG.org.

* Vitali Imereli

Nov. 9 at 8 p.m. at Arts Garage, 180 NE First St. in Delray Beach. With a talent that became noticable at the age of 5, he is now considered the Europe’s best jazz violinist. Tickets $25 to $35 and $165 to $90 for tables of six. Call 561-450-6357 or visit ArtsGarage.org.

Of Mice and Men

Through Nov. 10 at Palm Beach Dramaworks, 201 Clematis St. in West Palm Beach. John Steinbeck’s novel of the struggle of two migrant workers come to the stage in the theater’s season opener. Tickets $52 to $75. Call 561-514-4042, ext. 2 or visit PalmBeachDramaworks.org. Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Tickets $26 to $35. Call 561-586-6410 or visit LakeWorthPlayhouse.org.

Of Mice and Men

Miami-Dade County Repertory Dance Ensemble

Oct. 30 at 10 a.m. at the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center, 3385 NE 188th St. in Aventura. Dancers from the New World School of the Arts presents classic and contemporary dance styles. Tickets $10. Call 305-466-8002 or visit AventuraCenter.org.

* The Hit Men

Nov. 1 at 8 p.m. at the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center, 3385 NE 188th St. in Aventura. The former stars of Frankie Valli and the 4 Seasons perform pop hits from across the decades. Tickets $40 to $45. Call 305-466-8002 or visit AventuraCenter.org.

* Michael Winslow

Nov. 2 at 8 p.m. at the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center, 3385 NE 188th St. in Aventura. Comedian Winslow will wow you with his ability to make

// 10.30.2013 // SFGN.com //

soflagaynews //

Photo courtesy of Thecomeupshow

* Drake

Nov. 5 at 8 p.m. at the AmericanAirlines Arena, 601 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami. The rapper is joined by performers Miguel and Future. Tickets $64.15 to $116.90. Call 786-777-1000 or visit AAArena.com.

* Sleeping Beauty

thousands of sounds just with his voice! Tickets $32.50 to $37.50. Call 305-466-8002 or visit AventuraCenter.org.

Nov. 8 to 10 and Nov. 13 to 17 at FIU’s Wertheim Performing Arts Center, 10910 SW 17th St. in Miami. The fairytale continues in this comedy of Goody the fairy, who places a curse on Sleeping Beauty, and the following story of Beauty rescuing her baby from her ogre mother in law. Tickets $10 to $15. Call 305-3480496 or visit wpac.fiu.edu/theatre.

Ruthless! The Musical

Through Nov. 3 at the Actors Playhouse at the MIracle Theatre, 280 Miracle Mile in Coral Gables. A satirical musical about a girl’s yearning for stardom in today’s celebrity-obsessed world. Tickets $40. Call 305-444-9293 or visit ActorsPlayhouse.org.

* Next to Normal

Nov. 7 to 10 at the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center, 3385 NE 188th St. in Aventura. The rock musical explores the impact that a mother’s bipolar disorder has on her family. Tickets $34.50 to $39.50. Call 305-466-8002 or visit AventuraCenter.org.

SouthFloridaGayNews

My First, My Fist, My Bleeding Seeded Spirit

Nov. 8 to Dec. 1 at the Roxy Performing Arts Center, 1645 SW 107th Ave. in Miami. Three daughters battle with one another as they deal with the mysterious death of their mother in the New Mexico desert. Tickets $15 to $30. Call 305-443-5909 or visit NewTheatre.org

The Big Show

Fridays and Saturdays at 9 p.m. at Just the Funny Theater, 3119 Coral Way in Miami. A collection of comedy mixing the likes of improvisation and sketches. Tickets $12. Call 305-693-8669 or visit JustTheFunny.com.

DateBook

Community Calendar By Christiana Lilly, Calendar@SFGN.com

Broward County

SunServe Youth Group

Through Nov. 15 at the Miramar Cultural Center, 2400 Civic Center Place in Miramar. Celebrate Hispanic History Month with an art exhibit showcasing the work of Latin American artists. Call 954-602-4500 or visit MiramarCulturalCenter.org.

Gender Bender Youth Group

* Americana

* Wicked Manors

Oct. 31 at 7 p.m. on Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. Throw on your sexiest, scariest and craziest costume for the only major street festival on Halloween in South Florida! Live music, drag performances, dancing in the street, Thriller flash mob, and more. Free. Visit WickedManors.org.

* Holy Homos

Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. at The Pride CEnter, 2040 N. Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors. Learn more about The Bible’s stance on homosexuality in a lecture led by the Rev. Dr. Jerry Lee Stephenson, Bishop S.F. MakalaniMahee, and The Church of the Holy Spirit Song Praise Team. Call 954-463-9005.

* Sugar Skulls and Skeletons

Nov. 2 at 1 p.m. at the Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale, One E. Las Olas Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. NSU Professor Barbara Brodman talks about the Mexican Day of the Dead holiday. Tickets $10. Visit MOAFL.org.

* Day of the Dead Celebration

Nov. 2 at 6:15 p.m. at Revolution Live, 100 SW Third Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. The wildly successful street celebration returns, starting with a skeleton puppet parade from the Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale to Revolution Live. Live music, dancers, street performers, food trucks, Mexican wrestlers, and skeletons everywhere you look! Visit DayoftheDeadFlorida.com.

* Not on Allen Street

Nov. 7 to Jan. 12, 2014 at the Art and Culture Center of Hollywood, 1650 Harrison St. in Hollywood. The newest work by photographer Francie Bishop Good. Opening reception Nov. 7 from 6 to 10 p.m., including the opening of five other exhibits at the center. Tickets $10 for nonmembers and free for members. Call 954921-3274 or visit ArtAndCultureCenter.org.

* The Complete Bollywood Experience

Nov. 9 at 8 p.m. at the Miramar Cultural Center, 2400 Civic Center Place in Miramar. Take a journey through Indian culture with performances taken from the small villages to the big city of Mumbai. Tickets $30 to $40. Call 954-602-4500 or visit MiramarCulturalCenter.org.

PFLAG

Tuesdays in Fort Lauderdale, Coral Springs and Southwest Ranches. A support group for parents of LGBT youth 13 to 21. Free. Visit SunServeYouth.com for dates and locations.

GayWrites

First and third Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Stonewall Library, 1300 E. Sunrise Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. Join other LGBT writers to work on your latest story, memoir or novel. Free. Email garri1@earthlink.net

Tuesdays and Thursdays in Fort Lauderdale, Southwest Ranches, Coral Springs and Hollywood. A support group and night of fun for LGBT youth 13 to 21. Free. Visit SunServeYouth.com for dates and times Mondays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at SunServe Campus, 1480 SW Ninth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. A group for LGBT youth 13 to 21 to discuss gender, gender expression, binary systems, friendship, family and whatever else comes up! Free. Visit SunServeYouth.com

Survivor Support

First and third Wednesdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Broward Health Imperial Point Hospital cafeteria, 6401 N. Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale. Find support from counselors and peers who have lost loved ones to suicide. Call the Florida Initiative for Suicide Prevention at 954-384-0344 or visit FISPOnline.org.

Palm Beach County * Japanese Street Fashion

Nov. 1 at 7:15 p.m. at the Morikami Theater, 4000 Morikami Park Road in Delray Beach. Japanese fashion has gone over the top and created a look of its own, popularized by the Harijuku street style. Professor Yuniya Kawamura of the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City will talk about this eclectic style. Tickets $7 to $10. Must be purchased in advance. Call 561-495-0233 or visit Morikami.org

* Occupy Palm Beach County Nov. 2 from 2 to 4 p.m. at 255 First St. across from old City Hall in West Palm Beach. Join the march against corruption. Call 954-531-1928 or email warvhumanneeds@gmail.com.

* One Man’s Trash

Nov. 8 to Dec. 20 at ActivistArtistA, 422 W. Industrial Ave. in Boynton Beach. “Tiki Tom” has traveled the world showcasing his art, made from “trash” like coconuts, broken branches and found objects. Opening reception Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. Call 786-521-1199.

Miami-Dade County

* Chita Rivera “West Side Story” Conversation

Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 2 at 2:30 and 7 p.m. at Miami City Ballet, 2200 Liberty Ave. in Miami. The Broadway star will discuss “West Side Story Suite” alongside live performance excerpts. Tickets $35 and includes open bar. Call 305-929-7010 or visit MiamiCityBallet.com

* Ribfest

Nov. 1 to 3 at Zoo MIami, 12400 SW 153rd St. in Miami. Three days of barbecue, live music, cooking demonstrations and more. Tickets free on Friday, $10 on Saturday and Sunday. Visit MiamiRibFest.com

* March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction

Nov. 6 at 6:30 p.m. the Hyatt Regency Miami, 400 SE Second Ave. in Miami. Notable chefs from around Miami will be preparing mouthwatering food, as well a presentation of wines from around the world. Benefits March of Dimes. Tickets $300. Visit MarchofDimes.com/Florida.

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DateBook Nightlife

By Christiana Lilly, Calendar@SFGN.com

Broward County Alibi

2266 Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. Best and longest happy hour; Wednesdays $2 domestics and $1 Schnapps after 9 p.m. Call 954-565-2526 or visit GeorgiesAlibi.com.

Angel’s Cafe

2287 Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. Enjoy happy hour on Thursdays from 6 to 9 p.m. with $3 wines and beers, free snacks, raffles, and music by DJ Sol. Two-for-one Sunday dinner special. Valet parking in rear. Call 954-900-5217.

The Club Fort Lauderdale

110 NW Fifth St. in Fort Lauderdale. A gym oasis with a pool, steam room, hot tub and half-priced rooms on Tuesday nights and half-priced lockers on Thursdays. Call 954-525-3344 or visit TheClubs.com.

Johnny’s

1116 W. Broward Blvd in Fort Lauderdale. Sixty hot dancers with drink specials to make it even sweeter. Call 954-522-5931 or visit JohnnysBarFLcom

The Manor

2345 Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. Dance club Friday and Saturday nights.Call 954-626-0082 or

visit TheManorComplex.com. Call 954-626-0082 or visit TheManorComplex.com.

Naked Grape Wine Bar & Tapas 2163 Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. A casual, hip bar to try out all sort of wines. Happy Hour all night on Thursdays. Call 954-563-5631 or visit NakedGrapeWineBar.com.

Rumors Bar & Grill

2426 Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. Come check out Rumors Bar & Grill. Call 954.565.8851 or visit rumorsbarwm.com

Sidelines Sports & Video Bar

2031 Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. Relax with a cold beer for some friendly competition on the pool table. Call 954-563-8001 or visit SidelinesSports.com.

Swinging Richards

1350 SW 2nd St, Pompano Beach, FL 33069. Fully nude male dancers for the best shows in the South. Call 954-357-5521 or visit SwingingRichards.com.

Village Pub Wilton Manors

2283 Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. Never miss out on a happy hour, as the pub is serving up two-forone drinks Mondays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. On Saturdays and Sundays, hit the dance floor with world class VJs. Call 754-200-5244.

Hot ’n horny hookups.

Palm Beach County

Eros Lounge

522 Lucerne Ave. in Lake Worth. Tea Dance Sundays with great service, food and drinks. Call 561-586-0080.

Score

The Cottage Fort Dix

6205 Georgia Ave. in West Palm Beach. A great place to mingle and relax with DJs on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Call 561-533-5355.

727 Lincoln Road in Miami Beach. Located in the heart of South Beach with hot male dancers, Pop Fever Thursdays and Filthy Gorgeous parties Fridays. Call 305-561-5521 or visit ScoreBar.net.

H.G. Roosters

Twist South Beach

Vita Ultra Lounge Saturdays

Key West

823 Belvedere Road in West Palm Beach. The city’s oldest gay club, with hot male dancer, free BBQ and karaoke. Cal 561-832-9119. 1225 Belvedere Road in West Palm Beach. LGBT Saturdays with the best drag queens around. Call 561835-8482 or visit VitaUltraLounge.com.

Miami-Dade County Azucar

2301 SW 32nd Ave. in Miami. Jock night Wednesdays, drag Thursdays, girls night Fridays and more. Call 305-443-7657 or visit AzucarMiami.com

Club Space

34 NE 11th St. in Miami. Come out for a night at the infamous nightclub known for crazy all-nighters to the best live electronic dance music. Call 305-3501956 or visit ClubSpace.com.

Discotekka

950 NE Second Ave. in Miami. Come on Saturday nights for some of the best DJs around. Call 305-3509084 or visit Discotekka.com.

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8201 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami. Bingo Tuesdays and Born to be a Drag Fridays. Call 305-754-3444 or visit ErosLoungeMiami.com.

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1057 Washington Ave. in Miami Beach. Multiple rooms to give you the music you want, muscle boy dancers, and never a cover. Call 305- 538-9478 or visit TwistSoBe.com.

801 Girls Cabaret

801 Duval St. in Key West. The island’s only daytime drag show. Call 305-923-9296 or visit 801Girls.com

Bottlecap Groove Lounge

1128 Simonton St. in Key West. Thursday pool tournaments and dance parties Friday and Saturday nights. Tips during Happy Hour on Fridays will benefit a different nonprofit every week. Call 305296-2807 or visit BottlecapKeyWest.com.

The Bourbon St. Pub

724 Duval St. in Key West. Get a taste of New Orleans with the best video bar with live DJs every night. Call 305-296-1992.

Club Aqua

711 Duval St. in Key West. Dueling bartenders on Mondays as they sing, shake and stir their way to victory. Call 305-294-0555 or visit AquaKeyWest.com.

Classifieds accommodations

PERFECT VACATION RENTALS! Spring & Summer specials from $69/night and $395/week.Award Winning Gay Hotel. Beautiful Studio, 1 & 2 BR Self Catering Apts. with Full Kitchen.Clothing optional heated pool, laundry, private parking. Central to Wilton Manors &HauloverBeach.Incl.Wi-Fi utilities, cable, tel. Gay Owned & Operated. Pets Welcome. Celebrating 15 YearsCall Joe or Jack at (954) 927-0090 or visit www.LibertySuites.com *Four Week+ Relocation Discounts Offered* LOOKING FOR LODGIING NEAR SUNLIFE STADIUM? Completely furnished luxury 1/ BD/1BA Condo. Easy access to public transportation and major express ways. Shopping and dining are in walking distance. Gated Community and private parking. Reasonably priced @$375 a week or $1,500 a month plus $400 processing and move in fees. Call 305-793-8650.

air conditioning HONEST, RELIABLE AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING SERVICES Gay owned and operated company, Eiland Air, Inc. 24 hour service. Reasonable prices. Licensed & Insured #CAC1817222 Call Mike 786-247-6022

HOME AND COMMERCIAL CLEANING Residential and Commercial cleaning. Experienced with references and provide free estimates. Call (305)-896-7494 or (214)-356-0684

CLEAN IT RIGHT The best cleaning for your buck. 1BD $50, 2BD $60, 3BD $70. Excellent rates & references. 10 years in business. Serving Broward, North Miami Dade & S. Palm Beach. Call Manny 954-560-4443

counseling/psychotherapy LICENSED CHRISTIAN COUNSELOR Dr. Saul Thermidor, FACCT # LCCP 0365011212 Licensed Christian Psychologist provides Christian counseling on LGBT, anger, violence & personal issues. I speak , English, French and Creole. Call 305-407-9397 day, evening & weekend! TERRY DAVIS, LCSW, LLC #SW1079 Supportive male therapist, specializes in LGBT issues, HIV/AIDS,addictions, etc. Affordable, sliding scale. Eves/weekend. TdavisLCSW.com* (954) 731-5505

dentist

antiques/collectables MOVIE POSTERS WANTED Private collector buying vintage movie posters, lobby cards, film stills, photography and other old entertainment memorabilia. Call for a free appraisal to find out what your stuff is worth! All calls confidential. Ralph (800) 392-4050 email: sell@ralphdeluca.com

attorneys

COMPLETE COMPUTER REPAIR FREE ESTIMATES - no extra charge for in-home. FREE Computer tune-up with any service. Replacement of laptop screen & key board. Viruses, spyware, data recovery, lockouts & more. SAME DAY SERVICE - LOWEST PRICE GUARANTEE Call Ernesto: 754-234-5598

HATE WINDOWS 8?We can bring back the look and feel of windows. Same day service. Call 954-986-1316 www.gaycomputerwiz.com PERSONAL COMPUTER TUTOR! Basic computer skills* Emailing pics /docs, scanning* Microsoft office programs*Excel, Word, Outlook and Powerpoint* Virus Removal* PC speed optimization* Secured Wireless home network setup* Wireless printer installation* PC purchasing consultant. Call (954) 980-0383 or email jamesjcarter22@gmail.com.

employment HOLIDAY DECORATOR NEEDED Looking for a holiday decorator or skilled person to help during Christmas season. Starting Nov 1, must be reliable ,trustworthy, respectful and energetic. Call Staps Interior Design 561-929-2434 NOW HIRING!! H&R Block in Wilton Manors is looking to hire experienced Tax Professionals. Experience is required as you will be asked to take an assessment. Please send your resume to dustin.jacobs@hrblock.com or kerry.meistermiller@hrblock.com

employment ENTRY LEVEL SALES EXECUTIVE Full time Sales, Client Services, Direct Marketing, Lead Generation, Telemarketing & Email Services. Microsoft Word & Excel experience. Competitive Salary plus Commission, Medical/Dental, 401k & Profit Sharing . Email Resume: aleen@lighthouselist.com SALES POSITIONS Sales position open at high end antiques gallery in WPB. Knowledge of antiques, sales experience required. Reply: HillcrestAntiquesWPB@gmail.com

STATE-OF-THE-ART-DENTISTRY General & Cosmetic Dentistry Sedation Dentistry

HANDYMAN WANTED Small local restaurant wanting handyman service part-time 954-496-9000 ACCOUNT MANAGERS ,BOOK KEEPERS AND SALES REPRESENTATIVES Work your own flexible schedule! Pays $1500 to $2000 monthly plus benefits. Must be computer literate, have 2-3 hours access to the internet weekly . We are looking for efficient and dedicated people who are at least 21 years of age. contact us for more details .If you are interested and need more information send your resumes to ruthmace7@gmail.com HANDYMAN NEEDED!! Part time handyman needed to with building projects. Painting, Tile work, Electrical, Construction. Wages based on experience. Call 954-892-0494.

employment wanted PERSONAL ASSISTANT & MALE COMPANION SEEKING a part-time job as a personal assistant & male companion in Broward County. Will take you to doctors appointments. Help you w/ your grocery shopping. Refill or pick up medications. Will drive you to do all your errands & assist w/ daily household chores. Great driving record, honest, professional, reliable, trustworthy, & always willing to help and assist. If you have any further questions please call 954-5481798 or email Ltn69@yahoo.com Thank you. EXPERIENCED , LICENSED BARTENDER I am available for parties, weddings, private events and more. Available evenings and weekends. Call 410-299-6874 for more info.

flood/fire

BROWARD HOUSE Case Manager for MEGA program working with 18 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 30 year old MSM (men who have sex with men) at risk for substance abuse and HIV. Candidate with have a Bachelors degree and provide testing and case management services addressing health care, social supports, and other life areas. Individual must also have the ability to facilitate groups specific to target population. Forward resumes to AThornberry@Browardhouse.org

cars for sale VW Golf Rabbit 2006 For Sale, VW Golf Rabbit 06 well serviced, well-keptand in great shape with only 57,500 mileage. Registered until, 12/14. Ready to be picked up and driven home! Sporty , smart and nice looking car. Great on gas!!! Please call: 954.770.2795, miami. craigslist.org/brw/cto/3921656419.html

computers

cleaning services

To place an ad call 954.530.4970 or visit SFGN.com/getlisted

THE PATIENT AND ANY OTHER PERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT HAS THE RIGHT TO REFUSE TO PAY, CANCEL PAYMENT OR BE REIMBURSED FOR PAYMENT FOR ANY OTHER SERVICES, EXAMINATION OR TREATMENT WHICH IS PERFORMED AS A RESULT OF AND WITHIN 72 HOURS OF RESPONDING TO THE ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE FREE, DISCOUNTED OR REDUCED SERVICE, EXAMINATION OR TREATMENT.

FINANCIAL OFFICER Responsible for maintaining financial, acctng, admin. and personnel services in order to meet legal requirements and support organizational operations. Email denise@lgbtcenters.org for more information!

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home care

handyman DEREK’S HANDYMAN SERVICE Cabinet shop for all your Custom Made Cabinetry, Countertops and Cabinet Re-facing. MUST SEE OUR WORK! JUST ASK OUR CLIENTS! ALL Electrical to code, any/all plumbing work, drywall finish work/repair, crown/baseboard pro-install, int./ ext. painting, demo work. Pressure washing, DÉCOR TILE Install, complete home up-dates. Also, PGT Windows (Wholesale) and Frameless Shower Enclosures. For large jobs, 4 man crew available. WE HANDLE IT ALL!!! Instant call back direct service response. No job is ever too small. Excellent references. Derek 954-825-5598 or email: DerekGallaway@att.net HUSBAND FOR RENT! Is he procrastinating home repairs? He says he will do it tomorrow?? After the football game?? We fit right in - In the house or the yard, small or big jobs: Tiles, Dry walls, paint, Plumbing, Roof leaks, broken furniture, Irrigation, Fences & more. It doesn’t cost to hassle us to see the work- so why wait? Neat, clean work for reasonable price Haim, 954-275-0952, Sidnalll@yahoo.com

home improvement

HEART TO HEART HOMEMAKER AND COMPANION If you or your loved one are elderly, or temporary or chronic disabled, we can help you with home chores (cooking, lighthouse cleaning, laundry) and bring companion for home or where you need to go. We will work with you to find the Plan that fits your needs. (954)226-4660. Right in the heart of Wilton Manors.

human resources WE GOT YOU COVERED! Advocates for student needs. Specializing in helping foster student and others transition into responsible, independent Adults. We are here to help find resources and outlets for stable and healthy adult lives. Call 786793-8650 for more information.

landscaping IRRIGATION SYSTEM REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE 19 years experience, excellent work, referrals upon request. Call Roberto 954383-8980

licensed massage

THINGS YOU NEED TO ACCOMPLISH? Minds at ease, A+ handyman service. Prompt, Reliable & Honest. Call Keldon Keller 954-551-3127 krkeller@aol.com

EXP. MATURE MALE WPB MASSEUR Incalls only, private studio setting by Belvedere/ SR7 in quiet area.Highly skilled, intuitive TOP NOTCH CONTRACTING Knows all and does all!! Many years experience and easy on the theraputic bodywork by friendly LMT. Affordable rates but cash only. Early to late, 7 days. eyes! Remodeling, Trimming, Ground molding, Call (561) 254-8065 for appt. or walk-in OK. Drywall, Painting, Landscaping, Roofing , Tile work, Electrical, Windows, Doors and more. Very RELIEVE STRESS & TENSION WITH MAGIC reasonable rates and free estimates. Call Shawn HANDS PRO MASSAGE (FL: MA51008) 954-549-8243

lawyer

AFFORDABLE AWESOME MASSAGE BY JIM Offering Swedish, Deep Tissue, Sports and LomiLomi Massage for Men; in a very comfortable, relaxed and Private Massage Studio, NOW conveniently located in Wilton Manors on NE 26th Street, with plenty of free parking. Same Day appointments are welcome; please call Jim, 954-600-5843 email: info@massagebyjim.com or visit my website for testimonials, rates and more. GREAT OPENING SPECIAL NOW AVAILABLE! www.massagebyjim.com Licensed and Certified MM22293

pets STEVEN JAY’S LOVING WAYS PET CARE! I care for your pet in my home. One client at a time if requested. Multiple pets and all pets welcome! I have a very clean home and low rates! Call Steven Jay , 954 -565-1996 BEAUTIFUL PEKINGESE! Special Pekes, for Special people!! Please call for more information. 954-566-5069

WPB/ LAKE WORTH MASSEUR Strong, caring perceptive therapist for your body in need. Full time therapist for over 15 years! Easy and relaxed home studio for your comfort and healing. Convenient and affordable, flexible hours, in and out calls. MA64031, Alan 954-279-9935 www. alantherapy4u.com WILTON MANORS MASSAGE Swedish, Deep Tissue, Sports. $59 Swedish Hour. call or Text Chris Tunkus 954-258-8779 1322 NE 4th Avenue Fort Lauderdale, FL www.WiltonManorsMassage.com THE BRITISH POUND John Maroussas LMT Sports Massage, Deep Tissue, Neuromuscular, Trigger Point, Swedish, Salt or Sugar Scrubs. Private Studio w/ Shower. Wilton Manors Location near Bill’s Lic#MA51123 954-999-2240 REIKI MASSAGE BY JONATHAN Relieves stress and all other negative energy. You will feel great! One visit will convince you. For more information or to schedule and appt. Call Jonathan 954-549-8243

Dog Walking: $10.00 starting at Pet Sitting: $40.00 In House Pet Sitting: $45.00 Training: $10.00 starting per visit Pet Taxi (FTL Area): $20.00 Dependable • Reliable Service Delivered with Love and Respect

954-297-5336

RECESSION RELIEF $40 per 90 MIN - Out calls higher. Swedish, Deep Tissue, Specialty Back, Lower Body & Feet. Couples Discounts. Seniors Welcome. Delray Beach. 16 years experience. MA18563 Dennis (561) 502-2628

www.greendogpetservices.com

Lic# 11000106488

piano for sale LOVELY FAMILY STEINWAY & SONS GRAND PIANO Walnut color with Piano bench incl. Lived with same family since 1960. It taught their two daughters and now has taught the grandson how to play. Its parents are 75 and 89 years old and are moving to a small apartment and cannot bring it with them.It needs a new home with an owner who will love it and enjoy its marvelous sound . Last tuned in June 2013. Appraised at $20K , will sell for $ 12K. Email Bobbi55bhi@aol.com

piano lessons WANT TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY THE PIANO? Learn from an experienced teacher. All levels and ages welcome. Learn to play classical, popular, jazz, or show tunes. Visit www.edwinchad.com or call (954)826-9555 for more information..

painting services PAINTING - INTERIOR & EXTERIOR Residential & Commercial. Drywall & stucco repair. 20+ years experience in Broward. Lic & ins. CC#92-6690-PU-X. Great references. Call Bob for a free estimate 954-465-1041

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plumber BUTLER PLUMBING, INC.Residential & Commercial, Licensed & Insured, Palm Beach 561-613-338, Broward 954 -999-3315, Miami-Dade 786-999-2152 24/7 -365 days,info@butler-plumbing.com, www.bultlerplumbing.com“ Just tell your friends the BUTLER did it”

pool services POOL SERVICE Mention this ad and receive your ﬁrst month

FREE! some restrictions apply

Serving Broward Since 1999

Call for a free estimate: 954-367-7007 Web: www.skimmerspools.com Email: skimmerspoolservice@gmail.com

condo for sale MANOR GROVE CONDOS Two bedrooms with two baths ,condo for sale.1180 sq ft located in a nice and quiet community. Beautiful pool with clubhouse and friendly neighbors. $145k. Call Louisa for more information 561-654-8708

real estate for sale DAYTONA BEACH Gay rental complex for sale 2br home + 5 detached rental units beach side. Owner financing real estate, trade or cash down. $420k DaytonaGayComplex.com

rent/lease furnished PERFECT RELOCATION RENTALS!! 4 WEEK + SPECIAL FROM $325 A WEEK!!!. Gay Owned & Operated Apartment Hotel. Beautiful Studio, 1 & 2 BR Apts.With Full Kitchens.Turn-key, fully furnished & equipped, clothing optional pool, laundry, parking. Central to Wilton Manors & Haulover Beach. Incl. Wi-Fi, utilities, cable, tel. Pets Welcome. Call Joe or Jack at(954) 9270090 or visit www.LibertySuites.com

rent/lease west palm beach

PB COUNTY-LAKE PARK 2/1 CONDO 2nd Floor Corner - Next to Kelsey Park across from Intracoastal Great Locations. $750 per month - 1 year Lease • No Pets • No Smoking • 1st & Security Call 561-310-0615

rent/lease wilton manors

LARGE 2BR/1 BA Beautiful wood floors, private yard, single family home with canvas covered parking, amazing bonus room, washer/ dryer. Quiet neighborhood walking distance to Wilton Drive/restaurants, clubs, etc. Background check/credit check required. Available NOW!!! $1,650month Please call Terri Wright with Sea Island Realty, Inc 954-401-4918

rent/lease pompano beach

PALM AIRE Affordable and ready to move in. Beautiful 1 bedroom King Apt. 1.5 bath, new flooring and freshly painted walls. Can be furnished or unfurnished. A great place to live!! Call Myron 201-214-3992.

NEWLY RENOVATED 2BR APARTMENT Very private location, all stainless appliances ,tile throughout, minutes from beach, small dogs and cats ok, includes gas, water and electric $1300/ mo , first and security, for more info call Sean 954-621-7009

rent/lease ft. lauderdale LAKERIDGE FURN. GARDEN STUDIO Central to beach/downtown/Wilton Drive.Clean newly ren. 1 rm and bath. Lg. private fenced courtyard. private entry with parking,laundry onsite, water and electric included. $765/mo. 1st and security with lease. Avail March 1st call 941-548-7989 MIDDLE RIVER TERRACE 1/1 efficency $675/ mo. Or $165/week, 6 mos or 1 year lease. Large 3BD house $1,250, carport, office, and all tile. Pay your first month’s rent with an approved application and you’re in. Water & electric included* Call for details. 954-527-9225 HUGE 2/2 POOL DUPLEX - POMPANO BEACH Updated, Lushly Landscaped, East of Fed Hwy 1 Mile to Beach, D/R, Sep. Laundry W/D, Fab Lrg Pool, New Central AC, Tile Floors, Small Dog or Cat ok. $1390, Available 2/1/13 Call Tim: 754-235-2911 1BD APARTMENT UPSTAIRS 1142 NE 4th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale $700/Mo. Yearly Call 954-764-0212 or 954-581-2573 LARGE TOWNHOME WITH POOL, EAST FORT LAUDERDALE Beautiful 2BR/2BA townhome in quiet 5-plex.Large eat-in kitchen with center island, central a/c, ceiling fans,Washer/dryer in unit, dishwasher, sparkling pool and more. All in tropical paradise within 5 minutes of the Atlantic Ocean & 1-95 & 8 minutes to Wilton Drive. Master bedroom has walk-in closet and sliding glass doors to private balcony. Great neighbors and neighborhood .Small pet ok.$1,250 /mo. Check out photos & complete descriptions at www.YourPerfectApartment.com or call Rick at 954-253-1929 1BR/1BA Condo Oakland Park Near Wilton Manors. Pet Friendly. Recently remodeled bathroom. Wood and tile floors. Dixie Hwy. $775/ mo call 305.304.8405

roommates LAUDERLAKES ROOMATE WANTED Share a 2/2 on lake w/ hot tub, private bath, W/D , dishwasher ,central a/c and cable. $ 400/mo includes utilities & internet. Looking for a mature professional. 1st & security deposit. Background check req. Call Gary 954-803-0885 MALE ROOMMATE WANTED Male roommate wanted for 2/1/13. Beautiful WPB 2BD/2BA apt to share $650/Mo. Water, Elect, Waste Mgt included. Deposit + 1st. mo. Required. Call 561316-7236

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Changing laws changed their lives The recent Supreme Court ruling on the Defense of Marriage Act led Greg and Peter to take a serious look at their investment planning needs. The rapidly changing legal landscape meant it was crucial that they worked with someone who was knowledgeable, so they turned to Wells Fargo Advisors. Our Financial Advisors who have the Accredited Domestic Partnership Advisor℠ (ADPA®) designation are well-versed on the current set of challenges, so Greg and Peter walked away with a solid plan and confidence in the future. Let’s talk about your long-term investment planning needs. Because when people talk, great things happen. To find one of our ADPAcertified Financial Advisors in your area, visit wellsfargoadvisors.com/adpa today.

Wells Fargo Advisors is the trade name used by two separate registered broker-dealers: Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, and Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC, Members SIPC, non-bank affiliates of Wells Fargo & Company. Accredited Domestic Partnership AdvisorSM and ADPASM are service marks of the College for Financial Planning®. © 2013 Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, Member SIPC. All rights reserved. 1125759 10x10.75 4c.indd 1

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