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July 2, 2014 // vol. 5 // issue 27

How the Straight Media Portrays Gay Marriage Page 12

Stonewall Museum Opens On The Drive Page 10 FSU STUDENT AWARDED LGBT SCHOLARSHIP • 15

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NOT ALL REPUBLICANS HATE THE GAYS • 13

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

Compiled by Nicole Wiesenthal

Vatican Softens Tone Toward Gays & Lesbians The Vatican said Thursday that gays and lesbians must be treated with respect, their children may be baptized in the church, and admitted that Catholic priests are sometimes unsure about how to deal with same-sex couples. The 75-page document Instrumentum Laboris which will be used for discussion

at the synod firmly rejects gay marriage, for instance, but also said Catholics leaders, “are trying to find a balance between the Church’s teaching on the family and a respectful, nonjudgmental attitude towards people living in such unions.” From our media partner, CNN.

Starbucks Raises Rainbow Flag for Pride

To celebrate Seattle Pride’s 40th anniversary, Starbucks officials raised a huge 800-square-foot rainbow flag overs its headquarters in Washington state Monday, the Huffington Post reports. The coffee company’s CEO Howard Schultz, who has been a long time supporter of LGBT rights, was at the headquarters to watch the flag being raised.

Adam McRoberts, Communications Director for Seattle Pride, said in an email statement to HuffPo. “The flag flying over their headquarters will welcome thousands of visitors coming to Seattle to celebrate Pride this week and is a testament to the support Starbucks has shown the LGBT community over the years.” From our media partner, Edge.

Florida Woman Found Burned to Death A transgender woman was found burned to death behind a garbage container in Fort Myers, Fla., on June 19, Naples News reports. Fort Myers authorities are investigating the death of Yaz’min Shancez, 31, as a homicide but not as a hate crime. “We have no indication at this time to say this was specifically done because it was a male living as a female or anything like that,” Fort Myers Police Lt. Jay Rodriguez said. “If you really think about it, a hate crime is killing someone for a specific reason, being black, Hispanic, gay. We’re investigating as we would any other homicide.” Shancez’s body was found on a dead-end, private road in an industrial part of Fort Myers. Shancez ’s father, Harvey Loggins, said his family left balloons and stuffed animals at the

crime scene. “We didn’t hate him for what he was,” Loggins said of his daughter “Still to this day I love him. I wish he was here right now.” According to police reports, Shancez was identifying as a woman since 2004 when she initially spelled her name as “Jasmine.” At the time, when she was 20 years old, she was working as a self-employed hairstylist. GLAAD spokesman Ross Murray told Naples News he didn’t know if Shancez was the victim of a hate crime but said, “no one deserves to be violently murdered and set on fire and put behind a dumpster.” He added trans women and “particularly transgender women of color, face the most violence against them. From our media partner, Edge.

JULY 2, 2014 • VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 27

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Cover: TIME Magazine features Gay Marriage on their Gay and Lesbian covers in an April issue. Photo: TIME Magazine

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.

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news highlight Betty Crocker Mixes Up Some Pride Nicole Wiesenthal

Betty Crocker celebrates Pride by posting rainbow recipes and asking others to do the same. During Minnesota’s PrideFest, Betty Crocker will ask attendees to share what home means to them with the hashtag #HomemakerPride, according to NewNowNext. Betty Crocker will create a mural with the responses. The brand which is owned by General Mills began getting attention for its support of LGBT individuals in August, last year when it gave out cakes to same-sex couples getting married in Minnesota after the state legalized gay marriage, according to AdAge. Betty Crocker will provide cakes again this weekend to couples marrying during the 2014 Minneapolis Pride Fest. Why Minneapolis? Because General Mills holds its headquarters there. General Mills’s Betty Crocker will also have a float in the pride parade organized by a group of LGBT employees, according to AdAge. The moves are part of Betty Crocker’s attempts to redefine homemaking to include various types of families.

“Betty has always been a pioneer and guide for homemakers,” said Perteet Spencer, marketing manager for Betty Crocker. “As today’s family continues to evolve, so does Betty. Our purpose is to help make a home. Better understanding of those cultural dynamics will help us provide the best products and services to meet current and future needs of families everywhere.” The efforts also tie to the “Families Project,” which General Mills created to update the image of the homemaker. The project includes videos of four modern families, which include a married lesbian couple and their 13-year-old son.

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News Briefs Compiled by Nicole Wiesenthal

‘Star Trek’ Star, US Ambassador Tout Gay Rights

U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power and “Star Trek” star Zachary Quinto joined forces Thursday to promote gay rights while commemorating the 45th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Inn riots. “Without the relentless pressure exerted by this movement over 45 years since then, we would surely be in a different place today as a nation,” Power said. “But the struggle sparked at Stonewall is far from over.” The Stonewall Inn riots are credited with launching the modern gay rights movement and more than 100 people attended the event at the Roosevelt House at Hunter College, one of many throughout June to celebrate LGBT Pride Month. Power, Quinto and LGBT activists Bill Bahlman and Alyx Steadman noted progress in gay rights issues, pointing to 19 states that have legalized

bama to Expand Safeguards for Trans Workers

The White House is preparing an executive order offering transgender federal workers formal protection from discrimination at work, President Barack Obama announced Monday. At least two other measures already prevent the federal government from firing people for being transgender, so Obama’s announcement is largely symbolic. Still, advocates hailed the move as a powerful act of recognition for transgender Americans by the first American president to even utter the word “transgender” in a speech. “The majority of Fortune 500 companies already have nondiscrimination policies to protect their employees because it’s the right thing to do and because many say it helps to retain and attract the best talent. And I agree. So if Congress won’t act, I will,” Obama told a supportive crowd in the East Room of the White House during a reception marking LGBT Pride Month. The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBT rights group, praised Obama’s announcement as a “crucial and historic measure.” Obama in 2009 signed a presidential memorandum saying the federal government shouldn’t discriminate against workers for reasons unrelated to their job performance. While it didn’t refer to transgender peoplespecifically, the memo was perceived as offering blanket protection to workers whose gender identity doesn’t correspond with their gender at birth. And in a major ruling last year, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a federal law enforcement agency, said that the section of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that bars discrimination based on gender also applies to gender identity. The move comes just weeks after Obama announced plans to sign an executive order banning federal contractors from discriminating against millions of employees on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Obama had resisted signing that order in hopes Congress would pass a broader nondiscrimination measure that would apply to nearly all employers, but changed course amid signs that lawmakers will not take it up in an election year. From the Associated Press.

an Arrested for Allegedly Shooting Two Lesbians in S. Texas

Authorities arrested a man Friday whom they believe shot

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a young lesbian couple nearly two years ago, NBC News reports. U.S. Marshals and Texas Rangers in the San Antonio suburb of Helotes arrested David Malcolm Strickland, 27, and his wife Laura Kimberly, 23, last week in Portland, Texas, where the attack occurred on June 23, 2012. Mollie Olgin, 19, died from the shooting attack in the small Southern Texas town. Her girlfriend, Kristene Chapa, then 18, survived the attack. Both teens were shot in the head, but Chapa survived. Olgin, a student at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, was pronounced dead at the scene, however. From our media partner, Edge.

ay Teen Claims Restaurant Gave Him Offensive Tag

An openly gay Yankton, South Dakota, teenager is accusing the fast food restaurant where he worked of forcing him to wear a nametag with a homophobic slur. Restaurant officials dispute the boy’s version of events and say the incident has been blown out of proportion. Tyler Brandt, 16, resigned from Taco John’s on June 24. He said he kept the nametag as evidence. He and his father are considering suing the restaurant for discrimination. Brandt said he wore the tag because he feared he would be fired if he refused. He said a supervisor also yelled the slur at him. “I would always stay behind the till so [customers] couldn’t see the nametag,” he said. “I didn’t want them to see it, but even though they couldn’t see it, he would still call me by the name across the store and customers would notice.” Restaurant Manager John Scott said Brandt chose the slur himself as a nickname, and was not forced to wear the nametag. “He asked the manager to make that nametag for him,” Scott

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gay marriage and the large number of openly gay military members. But they also spoke to the challenges faced by the gay rights movement, such as proposed state laws that would allow business owners to turn away LGBT people because of religious beliefs. “How do we expand, not only in this country but around the world, this sense of acceptance?” Quinto said. “It can’t rest on legislation or laws or rules. It has to be something more than that.” While many problems remain in the U.S., it can serve as an example of progress to other countries and use its power to make change in places that violate gay rights, including the nearly 80 countries that criminalize homosexuality, Power said. From the Associated Press.

said. “He [the manager] didn’t tell him he had to wear it. (Brandt) put it on himself and created the situation.” Scott said Brandt became upset when he was told to go home early Monday for poor work performance and resigned the next morning. Scott said he has received two death threats related to Brandt’s accusation. Brandt scoffed at the idea that he asked for the nickname and chose to wear the tag. From the Associated Press.

ingapore Gays Rally to Counter Opposition

Thousands of gay rights activists gathered in downtown Singapore on Saturday for an annual rally that came under unprecedented criticism from religious conservatives, with one influential Christian pastor calling on the government to ban the event. Previous Pink Dot rallies have been held without much opposition. But as they grew in numbers from less than 3,000 people when the first event was held in 2009 to more than 20,000 last year, so did their disapproval. Organizers said a record 26,000 people showed up Saturday. On paper, gay sex remains a criminal offense in the wealthy, multi-cultural city-state of 5.4 million, although authorities rarely enforce the British colonial-era legislation, known as Section 377A. Lawrence Khong, founder and pastor of the 10,000-member Faith Community Baptist Church, has been the most vocal critic of homosexuality and the Pink Dot rally. In a statement, he said he could not understand why authorities were allowing the rally to take place. “I find it even more disconcerting that the event is being used as a platform of public persuasion to push their alternative lifestyle,’’ he said. “I would like to see our government leaders draw a clear line on where they now stand with regard to this moral issue.’’ Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said he believed Singaporean society should be one “where you don’t go pushing your own beliefs and preferences, but at the same time everyone else keeps the balance in society and avoids creating conflict.’’ From the Associated Press.

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hia LaBeouf Led Out of ‘Cabaret’ in Handcuffs: Calls Ofﬁcer a ‘Fag’

(EDGE) The audience attending Thursday night’s performance of the Broadway revival of “Cabaret” at Studio 54 got a completely different show when actor Shia LaBeouf was led out of the theater in handcuffs by police at intermission. According to ABC News, the 28-year-old “Transformers” star was seen smoking inside the theater and was engaging in disruptive behavior during the musical’s first act. When asked to leave, he refused, and was forcibly led out by police in handcuffs while shocked audience members looked on. The New York Post reports that while being booked at Midtown North precinct, LaBeouf used a homophobic epithet at an officer during fingerprinting, calling him a “fag.”

wo Republican Ofﬁcials Attacked for Participating in Pride Parade

(Sun-Sentinel) Two of Broward’s top Republicans are being attacked by a faction of their own party for participating in this past weekend’s gay pride parade in Wilton Manors. The critics are going after County Commissioner Chip LaMarca, the only Republican on the nine-member commission, as he campaigns for re-election in November. They’re also targeting Heather Brinkworth, who was appointed to the School Board by Republican Gov. Rick Scott. Their participation in the annual gay pride parade was reported in a picture gallery posted Monday on the Sun Sentinel’s Broward Politics blog. LaMarca and Brinkworth were among a contingent of federal, state and local officials who marched or rode in the parade. The Sun Sentinel Broward Politics pictures of LaMarca and Brinkworth – along with a picture of four scantily clad young men – were lifted and put on a flier and email missive.

uamo Plan Aims to Sharply Lower New York HIV Rate

(AP) New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is unveiling a sweeping plan to reduce HIV infections and AIDS rates below epidemic levels in the state. The New York Times reports Saturday (http://nyti.ms/1oecAHN) that Cuomo is timing the announcement to coincide with Sunday’s Gay Pride Parade in New York City. Cuomo wants to increase testing for HIV, while boosting tracking and treatment for people who have the virus. Part of the treatment plan includes getting bulk discounts on HIV drugs. The newspaper says he’s developed the plan over months of discussions with AIDS activists. It’s also built on changes to the state’s HIV testing laws. Currently, about 3,000 people are diagnosed with HIV in New York State each year. State officials say Cuomo’s plan could cut that to 750 per year by 2020.

atta, South Carolina, Gay Police Chief Reinstated After Firing

* R ATES EFFECTIVE 3/15/2014 SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

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(AP) The Latta City Council has voted to reinstate former police chief Crystal Moore, who had claimed she was fired because she is gay. Friday night’s vote came during a specially called meeting, and only hours after officials certified Tuesday’s vote to change the town’s form of government. Mayor Earl Bullard, who was not present at the meeting, fired Moore in April after she refused to sign seven unexplained reprimands that Bullard presented to her on the same day. Council members pleaded with Bullard to reinstate Moore, to no avail. The council then voted in May to let the town’s citizens decide whether they wanted council or the mayor in charge of the town’s business. The vote gave the power to the council instead of the mayor.

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news local Tensions Flare After Stonewall Summer Pride One board member abrupty resigns Christiana Lilly

ormer Pride South Florida member, Corrie Boyd

Tuesday’s Pride South Florida board meeting ended with a quick but heated discussion, leading to the resignation of board member and Stonewall Summer Pride event chairman, Corrie Boyd. John Fugate, a fellow board member and former employee of South Florida Gay News, called for his immediate dismissal, alleging that he broke the agency’s bylaws when he signed contracts for the musical acts at the event that only the board president could sign. “It’s in my budget,” Boyd told SFGN after the meeting. “Every time I tried to get in touch with the people that claimed that they should have signed it… they’re not available.” Boyd said Fugate never brought any of this up to him before the meeting. No other board members made a motion to go with Fugate’s request for an immediate dismissal, but Boyd announced he wanted to resign anyway due to frustrations with hosting the event. Fugate was also going to call for the resignation of board member Jeff Sterling, for allegedly using his position in Pride South Florida for his own personal gain and profit. Sterling was not at the meeting. Board members wanted the full board to be present to discuss the issue, including Boyd’s dismissal. However, he resigned on his own accord and left abruptly.

The board had just spent more than two hours at the meeting going over the Stonewall Summer Pride event, taking comments from a dozen members of the public about logistical errors that occurred. Since its founding the June festival has changed hands several times. Last year the event was hosted by the Rainbow Business Coalition, and this year Pride South Florida took on the challenge of hosting the event, which drew 18,000 people. Boyd sat on the board of the coalition and had experience planning the event, which is why he joined Pride. However, he said that the inexperience of the board led to a lot of strife and disagreements. “It was a little bit of frustration on everybody’s part,” he said. This comes after the resignation of board member Marc Hansen earlier this year. He allegedly recorded meetings without notifying others in the room and also wanted to take a medical leave of absence until August. SFGN has also repeatedly requested tax documents from the agency in light of an IRS audit, which they have refused. The next board meeting is set for July 8 and elections will be held sometime between July 15 and August 15, 2014.

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First Appeals Court Strikes Down Gay Marriage Ban Lisa Keen

Keen News Service

Saying that it “emphatically agrees” with numerous court decisions in the past year that have struck down bans on same-sex couples marrying, a threejudge panel of the Tenth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals voted 2 to 1 Wednesday to uphold a lower court decision striking down Utah’s ban Wednesday as unconstitutional. The majority said “it is wholly illogical to believe that state recognition of the love and commitment between same-sex couples will alter the most intimate and personal decisions of opposite-sex couples.” The decision came in Herbert v. Kitchen included an immediate stay of its enforcement pending the state’s anticipated appeal to the full circuit bench. It is the first ruling from a federal appeals court and, thus, is the closest to being appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, where most legal observers expect the validity of statewide bans against marriage licenses for same-sex couples will be decided in about a year. Utah officials have until September 23 to exercise a rarely used option of appealing the panel decision directly to the U.S. Supreme Court. “The Tenth Circuit’s decision states that Utah couples will not be able to marry until after the Supreme Court decides whether to review the case,” noted Shannon Minter, legal director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, which participated with private attorneys in Utah to mount the challenge to Utah’s ban. “If the Supreme Court decides to review the case, couples will not be able to marry until after the Supreme Court issues its decision.” But Lambda Legal’s national legal director Jon Davidson

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notes that, while Kitchen is likely to be the first same-sex marriage ban case to be filed with the Supreme Cour postWindsor, “the Court does not have to take the first case to reach it.” “By the time the Court decides whether or not to accept review in Kitchen, it may well also have a petition from a decision” in the Fourth, Sixth, and Ninth circuits. The Fourth Circuit case, led by Ted Olson and David Boies with the American Foundation for Equal Rights, was argued shortly after the Kitchen appeals case was argued. The Sixth Circuit will hear arguments in five cases, including one from Lambda, in August. And the Ninth Circuit will hear arguments in three cases in September. “I would not be concerned if it were the Kitchen case that is the case the Supreme Court hears,” said Davidson. “It was been well-briefed and argued, with excellent lawyering by Peggy Tomsic, her firm (Magleby & Greenwood), and NCLR. “What struck me immediately upon reading the opinion was the 10th Circuit’s decision to avoid dealing with the question whether sexual orientation discrimination requires heightened scrutiny,” said New York Law School Professor Arthur Leonard, editor of Lesbian/Gay Law Notes. “They avoided it entirely by treating this as a fundamental rights case. Fundamental rights cases always get strict scrutiny, whether they arise in a pure due process context or whether they involve an equal protection claim.” Jon Davidson, legal director for Lambda Legal, explained, the Tenth Circuit applied strict scrutiny –the toughest judicial standard of review—on Utah’s ban “based on its conclusion that Utah’s marriage ban violated a fundamental right – the fundamental right to marry.”

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“Strict scrutiny applies in three circumstances: (1) on a due process claim, where a fundamental right is infringed; (2) on an equal protection claim, where one group is being treated unequally in access to a fundamental right; or (3) when a suspect classification is being utilized to treat one group differently than others,” said Davidson. “The Tenth Circuit applied strict scrutiny based on the first two grounds (fundamental right to marry, and unequal denial to samesex couples of access to that fundamental right). It did not address whether sexual orientation is a suspect classification or whether such discrimination is otherwise entitled to heightened judicial scrutiny.” Roberta Kaplan, who was Edith Windsor’s primary counsel in the Windsor DOMA challenge, said she was “not at all surprised by the results.” “I said last summer at an HRC dinner, that Windsor was the functional equivalent of the Battle of Normandy,” said Kaplan, referring to the pivotal battle in which Allied forces fought their way onto the European continent to begin the effort to win back territory seized by the Germans in World War II. “It was, for a whole bunch of reasons. I just didn’t think we’d get through the rest of Europe so quickly.”

The appeals panel’s vote Judges Carlos Lucero (a Clinton appointee) and Jerome Holmes (a George W. Bush appointee) voted to uphold the district court’s ruling that the Utah ban is unconstitutional. Judge Paul Kelly (an appointee of President George H.W. Bush) concurred on a procedural matter (legal standing) but dissented on the key issue. Kelly is the panel’s most conservative member.

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The majority opinion Judge Carlos Lucero wrote the majority’s 65-page opinion. Not surprisingly, he referred frequently to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last June to strike a key section of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in U.S. v. Windsor. “…The drafters of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments ‘knew times can blind us to certain truths and later generations can see that laws once thought necessary and proper in fact serve only to oppress,” wrote Lucero. “As the Constitution endures, persons in every generation can invoke its principles in their own search for greater freedom.’ “…A generation ago, recognition of the fundamental right to marry as applying to persons of the same sex might have been unimaginable. A generation ago, the declaration by gay and lesbian couples of what may have been in their hearts would have had to remain unspoken. Not until contemporary times have laws stigmatizing or even criminalizing gay men and women been felled, allowing their relationships to surface to an open society. As the district court [opinion in Kitchen] eloquently explained, ‘it is not the Constitution that has changed, but the knowledge of what it means to be gay or lesbian.’ Consistent with our constitutional tradition of recognizing the liberty of those previously excluded, we conclude that plaintiffs possess a fundamental right to marry and to have their marriages recognized.” The majority opinion made frequent references to the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision in Windsor, striking DOMA. For instance, noting that Utah had argued that its laws banning same-sex couples from marrying “merely define marriage within its borders,” the majority said Windsor demonstrated that a provision of a law labeled a “definition” is not immune from constitutional scrutiny. The majority referenced many other Supreme Court

decisions, too, including the 1996 landmark decision in U.S. v. Virginia where the court said it was a violation of equal protection rights to deny women the ability to attend Virginia Military Institute. “Whether a state has good reason to exclude individuals from the marital relationship based on a specific characteristic certainly comes into play in determining if the classification survives the appropriate level of scrutiny,” wrote Lucero. “...A prime part of the history of our Constitution . . . is the story of the extension of constitutional rights and protections to people once ignored or excluded.” The majority also cited Bowers v. Hardwick, the 1986 decision that upheld state laws banning intimate relations between consensual same-sex adults and its 2003 decision in Lawrence v. Texas, which said such bans were unconstitutional. “The Court’s rejection [in Lawrence] of the manner in which Bowers described the liberty interest involved is applicable to the framing of the issue before us,” wrote Lucero. “There was clearly no history of a protected right to ‘homosexual sodomy,’ just as there is no lengthy tradition of same-sex marriage. But the Lawrence opinion indicates that the approach urged by appellants is too narrow. Just as it was improper to ask whether there is a right to engage in homosexual sex, we do not ask whether there is a right to participate in same-sex marriage. The majority characterized Utah’s proffered reasons for banning same-sex couples from marrying as relying on “a sleight of hand in which same-sex marriage is used as a proxy for a different characteristic shared by both same-sex and some opposite-sex couples.” “Same-sex marriage must be banned, appellants argue, because same-sex couples are not naturally procreative,” noted Lucero. “But the state permits many other types of nonprocreative couples to wed.” “Only same-sex couples, [Utah officials] claim, need to be

excluded to further the state’s interest in communicating the link between unassisted biological procreation and marriage. As between non-procreative opposite-sex couples and samesex couples, we can discern no meaningful distinction with respect to [Utah officials’] interest in fostering biological reproduction within marriages. The Equal Protection Clause ‘is essentially a direction that all persons similarly situated should be treated alike.’ Extending the benefits and protections of a civil society to some but not all similarly situated families violates this critical guarantee.”

An historic dissent weighs in In writing a 21-page dissent to the majority opinion, Judge Paul Kelly earned the distinction of becoming the first federal judge post-Windsor to say that a state ban on same-sex couples marrying is constitutionally sound. Kelly said he would not analyze Utah’s ban as impinging on a fundamental right to marry because “for centuries, ‘marriage’ has been universally understood to require two persons of opposite gender.” He said he would scrutinize Utah’s ban with simple rational basis. On that basis, he said, he would accept the law as “rationally related to (1) responsible procreation, (20) effective parenting, and (3) the desire to proceed cautiously in this evolving area.” While the Supreme Court has recognized a fundamental right to marriage, wrote Kelly, “every decision vindicating that right has involved two persons of the opposite gender.” Kelly said that “requiring every state to recognize samegender unions —contrary to the views of its electorate and representatives— turns the notion of a limited national government on its head.” © 2014 Keen News Service. All rights reserved.

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news local

Stonewall Opens A Museum for the Masses Donald Cavanaugh

Stonewall Executive Director David Jobin (left) and key donor and new board member, Bruce Presley in front of “Days Without Sunshine” panels. The Stonewall National Museum and Archives held a private, reception at the new gallery space at 2147 Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors, on Thursday, June 19 from 7 to 9 p.m. Board members and key donors invited guests to see the new space and take in the gallery’s current exhibit, “Days Without Sunshine: Anita Bryant’s Anti-Gay Crusade,” which runs through July 27. A selection of hors d’oeuvres was provided by Whole Foods on Federal Highway and Ketel One supplied an open bar. Volunteers managed the logistics of the reception while board members shared portions of the exhibit with guests. “It was a great turnout,” said David Jobin, Executive Director of Stonewall. “There were about 100 people who came out on a rainy Thursday night to see our new space.” “It’s really a great space,” said board member Rob Delehanty. “You have no problems seeing our space from the outside.” The “Days Without Sunshine” exhibit is brightly colored with oranges and reds and stands out clearly on the white walls, readily visible to passersby on foot or in a vehicle. At around 8 p.m., Jobin spoke briefly to the gathered supporters, introducing board chair Gary Bitner, thanking him and all the board members who had supported the expansion to the new Wilton Manors space. “None of this would have been possible without our visionary donors,” he continued. “We are especially grateful to Charles L. Ross and Mona Pittenger whose gifts enabled the Museum to acquire the space and Bruce W. Presley who has matched their gifts to support additional development.” Later, while talking to a group of visitors, Jobin spoke about the need to upgrade the displays and deliver the information with

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new technologies. Someone suggested widescreen, hi-definition television sets with headphones. “We’re open to suggestions,” Jobin said. The new gallery is located at 2147 and 2149 Wilton Manors Drive. Comprised of two storefronts in the original structure, the gallery has 2,000 square feet. With exhibits on the perimeters, the central part of the gallery provides convenient space for receptions, which according to Jobin, may be made available to other groups in the future. “When we’re fully operational we anticipate that around 4,000 people a month will visit the gallery – both planned visitors and walkins,” Jobin said. He also explained that several artifacts from the archives collections will be housed at the new space when the proper display cases are installed in September. “Additionally, internationally recognized consultant on LGBT issues in the workplace, Brian McNaught, and his partner, Ray Struble are prepared to house their significant collection of gay historical artifacts with Stonewall when the cases are available. “Days Without Sunshine: Anita Bryant’s Anti-Gay Crusade” is a walk through some of the darker days of the campaign for civil rights for LGBT Floridians and Americans at large. Anita Bryant’s crusade to overturn MiamiDade’s protections for LGBT residents spread to other locations. Many of these roadblocks to equality have been overcome but the exhibit makes it clear that LGBT people must be ever vigilant in the struggle for quality. “A lot of gay youth and adults are not aware of our history,” Jobin said. “Exhibits like this one are critical to keeping our history alive and making it visible for everyone.”

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news national

Judge Strikes Down Indiana’s Gay Marriage

A quick look at how the ‘straight’ press covered our victory SFGN Staff

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SouthFloridaGayNews

news national Not All Republicans Hate Us

Susan Collins becomes 4th senator to support marriage equality SFGN Staff

“A number of states, including my home state of Maine, have now legalized same-sex marriage, and I agree with that decision,” Collins told the Bangor Daily News. “Nearly 44 percent of Americans live in a state where same-sex couples can be legally married, and I believe this number will only continue to grow.” Here are the other three republican senators who support gay marriage:

ob Portman (R-OH)

“I didn’t just wake up and say: ‘Oh my gosh I’m going to do this. No, it’s something that I’ve been giving a lot of thought to over a long period of time,” Murkowski told media outlets. “I am a life-long Republican because I believe in promoting freedom and limiting the reach of government. When government does act, I believe it should encourage family values. I support the right of all Americans to marry the person they love and choose because I believe doing so promotes both values: it keeps politicians out of the most private and personal aspects of peoples’ lives – while also encouraging more families to form and more adults to make a lifetime commitment to one another.”

ark Kirk (R-IL)

usan Collins (R-ME)

“I have come to believe that if two people are prepared to make a lifetime commitment to love and care for each other in good times and in bad, the government shouldn’t deny them the opportunity to get married,” Portman wrote in an op-ed in the Columbus Dispatch. “That isn’t how I’ve always felt. As a congressman, and more recently as a senator, I opposed marriage for same-sex couples. Then something happened that led me to think through my position in a much deeper way.”

isa Murkowski (R-AK)

“When I climbed the Capitol steps in January, I promised myself that I would return to the Senate with an open mind and greater respect for others,” wrote in a press release. “Same-sex couples should have the right to civil marriage. Our time on this Earth is limited, I know that better than most. Life comes down to who you love and who loves you back — government has no place in the middle.” soflagaynews //

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news feature

Hobby Lobby Decision Limited in Scope But gay rights organizations still worried Lisa Keen

Keen News Service

Some LGBT legal activists say today’s decision in a U.S. Supreme Court religious exemption case amounts to a “dangerous and radical departure from existing law that creates far more questions than it answers.” Saying it is not providing a “shield for employers who might cloak illegal discrimination as a religious practice,” a 5 to 4 majority of the U.S. Supreme Court ruled today (June 30) that a federal law may not require a closely held commercial employer to provide health insurance coverage for contraception if that employer claims that to do so violates his or her personal religious beliefs. The opinion in the Hobby Lobby cases, written by Justice Sam Alito, also states that the decision applies only to a federal mandate that employers provide coverage for contraception and does not necessarily apply to coverage for other medical services to which some employers might raise religious objections. Leading the dissent, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg called Alito’s opinion “startling.” Shannon Minter, legal director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, called it a “dangerous and radical departure from existing law that creates far more questions than it answers.” “Thankfully, however, the majority recognized that even under its sweeping new rule, corporations cannot rely on claims of religious liberty to evade non-discrimination laws,” said Minter. “That limitation is extremely important and means that employers cannot exploit today’s decision to justify discrimination against LGBT people or other vulnerable groups, but we will need to be vigilant to make sure that principle is respected and enforced.” Gary Buseck, interim executive director for Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, said he was reassured by a concurring opinion from Justice Anthony Kennedy. In that concurrence, Kennedy said he does not believe the majority opinion has the breadth that the dissent claims it does. Jenny Pizer, senior counsel at Lambda Legal, said the majority opinion “disregards decades of case law that drew a protective line between free religious expression and religious dominance of others.” “It is a radically dangerous decision that invites more misguided actions contrary to essential protections for employees, customers and the public,” Pizer said. “It is imperative that the U.S. Congress amend the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act to withdraw the blessing the Court mistakenly has given these companies to impose their beliefs on working women.” While Pizer, too, took some comfort from the majority’s statement that the ruling applies only to the contraception mandate, she said “recent mistreatment of LGBT people in employment and other commercial settings still makes this extremely troubling.” “A business owner’s religious objection to a worker’s samesex spouse or a customer’s LGBT identity is not acceptable grounds for discrimination,” said Pizer. “It is more important than ever that states and Congress enact strong, clear nondiscrimination protections for LGBT people.” Justice Kennedy joined Alito’s decision, as did the court’s most conservative members, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, also joined

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Alito’s decision. The court’s more liberal justices joined Ginsburg’s dissent, Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan. Breyer and Kagan also joined for a separate dissent. Alito said the federal regulations prepared by the Department of Health and Human Services to implement the Affordable Care Act violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. That Act, passed in 1998, prohibits the federal government from imposing a “substantial burden” on a person’s religious beliefs unless that burden is tailored narrowly to address a compelling governmental interest. While the majority concedes that the ACA regulations regarding contraception serve a compelling governmental interest, it believes “There are other ways in which Congress or HHS could equally ensure that every woman has cost-free access to the particular contraceptives at issue here and, indeed, to all FDA-approved contraceptives.” The decision says closely held corporations –owned by a small group or family— should be treated the same as “religious non-profit corporations” when the owners have religious objections to contraceptive coverage. “We do not hold, as the principal dissent alleges, that forprofit corporations and other commercial enterprises can ‘opt out of any law (saving only tax laws) they judge incompatible with their sincerely held religious beliefs’,” wrote Alito. “…HHS and the principal dissent argue that a ruling in favor of the objecting parties in these cases will lead to a flood of religious objections regarding a wide variety of medical procedures and drugs, such as vaccinations and blood transfusions, but HHS has made no effort to substantiate this prediction. HHS points to no evidence that insurance plans in existence prior to the enactment of ACA excluded coverage for such items. Nor has HHS provided evidence that any significant number of employers sought exemption, on religious grounds, from any of ACA’s coverage requirements other than the contraceptive mandate.” “…In any event,” wrote Alito, “our decision in these cases is concerned solely with the contraceptive mandate. Our decision should not be understood to hold that an insurancecoverage mandate must necessarily fall if it conflicts with an employer’s religious beliefs. Other coverage requirements, such as immunizations, may be supported by different interests (for example, the need to combat the spread of infectious diseases) and may involve different arguments about the least restrictive means of providing them.” But Ginsburg and the dissent say the Alito “startling

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SouthFloridaGayNews

breadth” of Alito’s decision “holds that commercial enterprises, including corporations, along with partnerships and sole proprietorships, can opt out of any law (saving only tax laws) they judge incompatible with their sincerely held religious beliefs.” Ginsburg says the majority “forgets that religious organizations exist to serve a community of believers. Forprofit corporations do not fit that bill….By incorporating a business, however, an individual separates herself from the entity and escapes personal responsibility for the entity’s obligations.” As for the majority’s claim that there was “no evidence that any significant number of employers” have sought exemption on religious grounds, Ginsburg wrote, “Hobby Lobby and Conestoga surely do not stand alone as commercial enterprises seeking exemptions from generally applicable laws on the basis of their religious beliefs.” She cited a number of cases, including the Elane Photography v. Willock case, which the Supreme Court recently denied a petition to hear. In that case, a wedding photographer refused a lesbian couple who sought photography service for their wedding. Nan Hunter, a Wiliams Institute Senior Scholar as well as a Georgetown Law professor, said the decision itself is “carefully limited to the particular context of contraception and health insurance.” “But what Justice Ginsburg is worried about – and I share her concern – is that a host of other possible claims for exemptions by for-profit businesses are simply left undecided,” said Hunter. “The examples of discrimination that she cites, as well as the possibility of religious employers discriminating against LGBT workers, are left to another day, but the Court establishes no principles that would preclude such actions. The camel’s nose is well under the tent.” The highly anticipated decision came in the cases of Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores (formerly Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby) and Conestoga Wood v. Burwell --cases that did not involve any LGBT-related health coverage. But the decision is seen as having potential impact on whether employers might be able to cite religious beliefs to deny services of particular interest to LGBT people, such as alternative insemination, HIV preventive care, and gender reassignment treatments. In both cases, the owners of large commercial stores were challenging the implementing regulations for the Affordable Care Act. Those regulations require employer

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news health Missed National HIV Testing Day? Don’t worry! It’s not too late to still get tested

news state FSU Student One of 23 Awarded Point Foundation Scholarship Frederick Adenuga hails from Miami Christiana Lilly For Frederick Adenuga, applying for a scholarship with the Point Foundation changed his life forever. The ambitious Florida State University student applied for the scholarship awarded to LGBT students, and when he made it to the final interview process, he made the decision to come out to his parents. They both responded negatively, cutting him off financially. To make matters worse, he found out that he didn’t win the scholarship and was in financial trouble. Thankfully, his FSU family helped him through the year. Undeterred, he went for the scholarship again and this time around got it. “I was able to see what an impact not winning the scholarship was. I went there with the mindset saying I was going to share my story and what I’ve gone through over the past year and hopefully I’ll win it the second time around,” he said. The 21-year-old is working to complete not one, not two, but three degrees in political science, sales, and entrepreneurship. He is also enrolled in a program that allows him to work on his master’s, which he will complete the year after he earns his bachelor’s. Once he has his diploma, Adenuga’s goal is to pursue political entrepreneurship to influence public policy, as well as work with young entrepreneurs in start-up businesses. “Being an African American gay man… the LGBT community and African American communities are the two communities I want to particularly reach,” he said. “There’s not as much attention is shed on this particular issue that this population faces.” And Adenuga knows the struggles. After coming out, his parents said he was a disgrace to the family name and almost threatened to send him back to Nigeria to be “fixed.” In the African nation, homosexuality is illegal and can be punishable by death. However, they have come around since then, and things are looking up.

Denise Royal

The Point Foundation awarded the scholarship to 23 LGBT students, providing financial assistance and a mentorship for the 2014 to 2015 school year. “Embracing diversity in education – particularly empowering LGBTQ students – is necessary for building a more equitable and innovative society,” said Jorge Valencia, executive director and CEO of the foundation More than 2,100 applicants vied for the scholarship this year, all having to prove academic excellence, leadership, community involvement, and financial need. The winners receive varying amounts of money for school and are also paired with a mentor who is in a similar field as them to guide them through the school year. It’s the mentorship that Adenuga is most excited about, and he will find out who he’s been paired with in August. Learn more about the Point Foundation’s scholarship programs at PointFoundation. org/Scholarships.

Last Friday was National HIV Testing Day, but even if you missed it, or forgot, or didn’t even know about it, don’t worry because getting tested is important every day. This year’s annual theme is “Take the Test, Take Control.” Since HIV first surfaced in the early 1980s, it has killed more than 35 million people worldwide. But today, advances in medicine, including antiretroviral medications can help people with HIV live very long lives. Getting tested for HIV isn’t solely about your own health. It’s also about helping to stop an epidemic. Nearly half of all new HIV cases are spread by someone who doesn’t know they have the virus. Although infection rates have declined among men who have sex with men from the peak of the epidemic in the mid-1980s, they are now creeping back up, to about 30,000 new infections per year today. And while men who have sex with men still made up about two-thirds of the estimated 50,000 new annual infections in the United States. Greg Millett, Vice President and Director of Public Policy for AmFar says HIV/AIDS does not discriminate. “It’s critically important that every American gets tested at least once. It’s even more important that people in high risk groups get tested multiple times each year — 16-18 percent of those with HIV don’t know it,” said Millett. In South Florida, there are many places you can get an HIV test, in many locations those tests are free. The actual HIV test is painless and can be as simple as pricking your finger. “We have rapid tests now where people can find out the results in 20 minutes. If someone tests positive, we can usually walk them down a hall and get started with treatment right away,” Millett said. Officials also say that once people learn they have the virus, they become much more likely to take precautions – such as using condoms during sex – that can prevent HIV from spreading to others

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Despite the wide availability of testing locations, many people are still reluctant to know their HIV status. Millett attributes part of that to the lack of media attention currently given to the HIV/AIDS problem in the U.S. “I noticed it when I was working at the White House. There are so few news articles (especially in Gay media) that are focused on HIV/AIDS. The number of news stories is incredibly few. And gay men are still at such high risk. It’s just not in the mind’s eye anymore,” Millett said. South Florida is one of the U.S. epicenters of HIV/AIDS in the U.S. Millett says getting tested is the key to reducing the number of new HIV cases in our area. “We know that in terms of geography not every American is at equal risk. Most of those counties (with a higher HIV percentage of HIV cases) represent urban areas such as South Florida, New York. They have a higher prevalence of people living with HIV who don’t know that they’re positive. Those are the issues that we need to contend with. We get health care to everyone who needs it. We need doctors to adhere to CDC guidelines. We have to make sure that care is available to those who are diagnosed with HIV,” Millet said.

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news local

Celebrity Hairstylist Ted Gibson and Partner Jason Backe are the ‘Dream Team’ of Hair Christiana Lilly

christiana.lilly@gmail.com

He might be gay, but he certainly has all the ladies calling his name. Hairstylist Ted Gibson rose to fame as a celebrity hairstylist and has worked with the tresses of leading ladies such as Angelina Jolie, Anne Hathaway, Gabrielle Union, Jessica Alba, and others. After working three seasons on TLC’s “What Not to Wear,” where family and friends nominate a hopelessly unstylish person for a makeover, Gibson became a rockstar in the beauty biz. “Being a celebrity hair dresser, it’s not necessarily expected that you would see someone that looks like me that would be the top of the game,” Gibson said. “I contribute that a lot to my Mrs. Obama.” That would be his husband of 18 years, Jason Backe, an ambassador for L’Oreal and a hair colorist. Together, they’re the “Dream Team” of hair. “I always say my first day in beauty school was like when Dorothy’s house landed in Oz and everything went from black and white to Technicolor,” Backe said. Not only did he finally get to learn the ins and outs of the business (he laughs about previously turning his friend’s hair green and giving his mother the “worst haircut of her life), but it was in beauty school that he was hot for a teacher and met Gibson —

an instructor. “I fell in love with how powerful it is to be able to see a transformation in someone after you cut their hair,” Gibson said about getting in the beauty business — hence his social media tag #hairchangeseverything. Together, the couple has opened not one but two Ted Gibson salons in W Hotels, one in New York City and another here in Fort Lauderdale. While Miami gets all the glitz and glamour, it was Fort Lauderdale that they fell in love with. For years, the couple had been visiting the city for long weekends a few times a year. When they got in touch with Starwood, which owns W Hotels, it made sense to open a shop in Fort Lauderdale. Although they’re based in the Big Apple, they’re constantly down this way. “I love how it feels like we’re 10 million miles away from New York City, but it’s only two-and-a-half hours away,” Backe said. While in town, the two love to hit up Casablanca for lunch, Steak 954 for parties and business dinners, Rocco’s Tacos, Sushi Rock, and of course Wilton Manors — their dog, Spencer, especially loves his trips to Wilton’s Manor. At first glance, the two couldn’t be any more different. Besides being an interracial

news feature health plans to provide women on their plans with the “full range” of “contraceptive methods.” ACA regulations allow an exemption for “religious employers” and “religious non-profit organizations that have religious objections to providing coverage for some or all contraceptive services.” And they define “religious employer” as a “non-profit organization described in the Internal Revenue Code provision that refers to churches, their integrated auxiliaries, conventions or associations of churches, and the exclusively religious activities of any religious order.” The two stores challenging the regulations included Hobby Lobby Stores and Mardel. Hobby Lobby is a national chain of arts and craft supply stores; Mardel is an affiliated chain of Christian bookstores. Both stores, employing over 13,000 people, are owned by five people (referred to as The Greens) who excluded contraceptive coverage from the health plans, saying contraception goes against their religious belief that life begins “when sperm fertilizes an egg.” Attorneys for the Greens argued that the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act

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couple, Gibson grew up as the son of an Army soldier — living in Japan, Germany and Hawaii — and played sports in at Ellison High School in Texas. Backe, on the other hand, grew up in Minnesota. “Both Ted and I came out very young,” Backe said of their similarities. “It was in the mid ‘80s, we were in high school, and it was unusual, especially in north Minnesota and in a military town in Texas.” When the two met in beauty school, both were comfortable with their sexuality and decided two years later to get married. In their commitment ceremony, they had 150 guests at a historic home with all the fixings of a traditional wedding. Thankfully for them, their relationship has been a nonissue for both families. “He completes me,” Gibson said of his partner. “I love the fact that we’ve been together for such a long period of time and it still feels like yesterday that I met him. For Backe, his husband is one that motivates him to do better. “I always said that if I had never met Ted, I would probably still be working in the same salon in Minneapolis that I was 20 years ago,” he said. “We complement each other really well. He’s the visionary and I make sure the checks don’t bounce.”

cont’d from page 14 prohibits government from “substantially burden[ing] a person’s exercise of religion” unless it needs to do so to address a “compelling governmental interest” and is applied in the “least restrictive” way. The Tenth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled for the Hobby Lobby-Mardel, saying that, under the Restoration Act, The Greens count as “persons exercising religion” and that requiring them to provide contraceptive coverage does “compromise their religious beliefs.” HHS argued the beliefs held by the owners of the two companies do not justify an exemption for the companies to a “generally applicable law that regulates only those corporations and not their individual owners.” The second case before the Supreme Court, Conestoga Wood v. Sebelius, is essentially the same, except that HHS won that case in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. The Conestoga Wood company is represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, which has been involved in pressing a number of lawsuits opposing equal treatment of same-sex couples with marriage soflagaynews //

licenses. In its brief, the Alliance argues that the ACA is “requiring private citizens to buy contraceptive insurance coverage for other citizens.” Their arguments often echo those used to defend recent efforts to pass bills in various states to allow citizens to discriminate based on various categories (including race, sexual orientation, and gender identity). “Because citizens exercise religion in every area of their lives,” wrote the Alliance in its brief to the high court, “this Court has recognized that individuals may exercise religion in business and that citizens may join together to exercise religion through corporations.” A family of Mennonite Christians operates Conestoga Wood in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, employing 950 people making doors and cabinets. The family believes it is immoral to take a human life, including through abortion. The company filed suit, asking for an injunction to avoid the contraception requirement. The Third Circuit identified Conestoga as a “for-profit secular corporation” and said such corporations “cannot engage in religious exercise.” Lambda Legal and two other groups

SouthFloridaGayNews

filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the two cases, saying they agree with the Obama administration that the ACA’s contraception coverage mandate “serve[s] compelling interests in public health and gender equality.” Allowing these commercial employers to claim a religious exemption, said Lambda, “would open the door to increased use of religion to deny LGBT persons, those with HIV, and other vulnerable minorities equal compensation, health care access, and other equitable treatment in commercial interactions.” Joining Lambda in the brief were the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association and AFLCIO group Pride at Work. The National Center for Lesbian Rights and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force signed onto a brief filed by the National Women’s Law Center. U.S. Reps. David Cicilline (D-RIs.), Mark Pocan (D-Wisc.), and Mark Takano (D-Calif.) joined a brief signed by 91 members of the U.S. House. © copyright 2014 by Keen News Service. All rights reserved.

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column chamber chat Curtain Up on the 2nd Annual Pink Flamingo Awards! LGBT Visitor Center

The LGBT Visitor Center will present the second annual “Pink Flamingo Awards” honoring people, places and organizations that have demonstrated a level of excellence in our community throughout the year. This year’s awards show promises to be an entertainment extravaganza! The Pink Flamingo Awards categories will be announced in July. The voting is open to the public and everyone is encouraged to participate. The top 5 nominees in each category will be announced in early August. Be

PEACE

sure to vote for your favorites and encourage your friends and colleagues to do the same! The winners will be announced live at the Pink Flamingo Awards in September! The Pink Flamingo Awards benefit the LGBT Visitor Center which welcomes thousands of international visitors throughout the year and serves as a major hub of activity for our local community. The Visitor Center is funded and operated by the MDGLCC Foundation, Inc., the non-profit Foundation of the Miami Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.

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4800 N. DIXIE HIGHWAY, FORT LAUDERDALE JUST SOUTH OF COMMERCIAL BLVD.

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news national

Groups Call for Gays to Be Included in Civil Rights Act Christiana Lilly

The Equality Pledge Network gathered at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C Monday, June 30 at 8:30 p.m. for a vigil, two days before the 50th anniversary of the 1964 Civil Rights Act’s signing. The network of 240 organizations paid tribute to civil rights activists of the past, as well as making a call for LGBT people to be included in the act. “It’s time all LGBT Americans were afforded the same rights granted our fellow citizens,” said J. Todd Fernandez, the network’s campaign manager said in a press release. “Including LGBT Americans in the 1964 Civil Rights Act is the most direct way to counter the harms caused by anti-gay societal discrimination.” The group of gay rights, religious, community and political organizations want “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to be included in the list of groups that are protected from discrimination. As of now, 21 states provide protections for gay and lesbian people and 18 of those also include gender identity in its list of protections. There is no federal protection for LGBT people. At the vigil, attendees paid tribute to

Eleanor Roosevelt, who paved a path for the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, and gay rights leader, Bayard Rustin, who worked with King on the 1964 Civil Rights Act. This comes after a victory in the LGBT community with President Barack Obama announcing that he will sign an executive order to provide protections for LGBT contractors. The Human Rights Campaign has been working to get states to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) to provide protections for LGBT people in the workplace. The Equality Pledge Network is taking it a step further, wanting to provide full protection for LGBT people, which will impact them not only in job searching and in the workplace but also in housing, and during hate crimes. The Civil Rights Act was signed into law on July 2, 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson in the throes of the civil rights movement, ending racial segregation and voter registration requirements that unfairly targeted blacks. It has since been amended to include sex, religion and national origin. To learn more about the Equality Pledge Network and its goals, visit EqualityPledgeNetwork.Weebly.com.

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SouthFloridaGayNews // SFGN.com //

7.2.2014 // 19

advertorial

column bil of rights

Why is the Obama Administration Willing to Reward Brunei for Stoning Gays to Death?

Bowling to Fight Hunger Go to www.poverello.org On Saturday August 9th 2014, join Poverello and hundreds of community supporters to fight hunger among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Broward County. Poverello has been conducting its signature, fun-filled, charity event – Bowling to Fight Hunger – for the last quarter century. This year Poverello is pleased to have Wells Fargo Bank and AHF as coPresenting Sponsors. SFGN is the event’s Media Sponsor. Not only is this an exciting event, it is also a great chance to socialize and to get some exercise. Come bowl to fight hunger, move your body and make a difference. The sport of bowling actually burns calories, thus it can be a great alternative to regular exercise routine. Besides, bowling can be just plain fun, especially with a large group of people. Doing good deeds is also good for your health. In everyday life, countless people choose to give time to volunteer - whether it’s bagging groceries at Poverello’s specialty food pantry, serving at soup kitchens, taking elderly people to the grocery store, or helping a next-door neighbor. When we act on behalf of other people, research shows that they feel greater comfort and less stress. But what about the physical benefits for the humanitarian? A growing number of scientists now believe that doing good can, in fact, make us healthier. Studies suggest it may even help us live longer. So come and participate in Bowling to Fight Hunger

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on August 9th. Come help others and simultaneously benefit your own health. 100% of the event’s net proceeds are channeled back into the community. Funds are used to support food, nutrition, health and wellness services for PLWHA. Participants have a wonderful time as they achieve an important goal: feeding the most financially challenged PLWHA in Broward County. Join us on Saturday August 9th, 11:00 am to 3:00 pm at Sawgrass Lanes located at 8501 N. University Drive in Tamarac, FL 33321. To learn more and to register for this event go to www.poverello.org. Whatever you do, don’t miss out on this great event when the community comes together to support those living with HIV/AIDS in Broward County! •

soflagaynews //

Bil Browning

Since the Obama administration can easily be considered the most LGBT-friendly in history, why is it considering rewarding the country of Brunei for implementing a law that allows gays to be stoned to death and women to be whipped for “disobedience”? There’s been a lot of coverage of the celebrityled boycott of the Beverly Hills Hotel that’s owned by the Sultan of Brunei, but the sad truth remains that it is only hurting the hotel’s low wage employees that aren’t working if the hotel is sitting empty. The Sultan could let that property sit vacant for the rest of his life while continuing to pay every single one of those employees double their normal wages and it wouldn’t affect his bottom line in any real way. That’s not what the Sultan is doing though. Instead, like any business owner he’s adjusted his staffing needs to match demand. No customers? No need to have several employees to cater to guest’s needs. Low-income workers who clean the rooms, check in guests, set up and tear down after events and conferences, catering staff, and security staff have all been told to stay home without pay. The Sultan of Brunei is worth approximately $20 billion. The average hotel maid earns between $13,000-$20,000 a year. While the intentions are honorable, it’s the most vulnerable who are being hurt the most by the boycott. Americans will have to think bigger if they want to make a dent in the Sultan’s pocketbook. Meanwhile, the Obama administration is considering giving the Sultan a big fat reward for violating his citizen’s civil rights. In fact, the administration is willing to give up some of the tools in our arsenal for combatting Brunei’s human rights abuses. The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a free trade agreement between the U.S. and 11 other countries that is being hammered out in secret by some of the world’s biggest corporations and government negotiators. The LGBT community has many reasons to fight against the TPP — including that it would increase the cost of HIV/AIDS medications dramatically — but none are as easy to pinpoint as the Sultan of Brunei’s embrace of Sharia law and the administration’s willingness to overlook the

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systemic human rights abuses it entails. One of the many jaw-dropping giveaways included in the TPP is a clause that could make it impossible for the federal government to enact sanctions against Brunei should they continue with the implementation and enforcement of this law. That’s right, the TPP could limit the ability of federal, state, and local governments to respond when a signatory country, like Brunei, decides it wants to stone some gays to death or flog some “out of control” women. More than 115 members of Congress sent a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry in mid-June calling on the administration to drop Brunei from the trade agreement. The same day, several leading LGBT organizations followed up with their own letter saying, “It would be a mistake to enter into preferential trade agreements with countries that flagrantly flout human rights norms.” While the TPP is nothing more than a kickback for the rich investors who routinely fund both Democrats and Republicans and should be defeated in its entirety, the inclusion of Brunei as a signatory is a direct slap in the face for LGBT Americans. “Targeting LGBT individuals or religious minorities and opening the door for discrimination and violence against women is a threat we cannot overlook, and should trade agreements like the TPP go into effect with the participation of human rights violators, the United States would lose its leverage to provide economic pressure on countries to reverse unacceptable policies,” the members of congress wrote in their letter to Secretary Kerry. “As the world’s largest economy, the United States holds a significant place in world affairs and must use this position to address human rights atrocities in countries like Brunei.” If not, no matter President Obama’s history of supporting LGBT rights in America and worldwide, he’ll go down in history as the President who bartered the lives of gays and lesbians for cheaper trinkets and more money for billionaires. Instead of the LGBT hero status he’s earned, he’ll be reduced to an international Reagan-like figure willing to let LGBT people die while he pokes his head in the sand. Bil Browning is a long-time gay activist and writer. He is the founder and publisher of The Bilerico Project.

column guest

How I Became an Activist Howard Andrew

Pittsburgh runs one of the best Pride festivals in the country. But a few weeks ago I got a stunning wake up call about homophobia. I was verbally assaulted for the first time in my life for being gay. There were these two men from a production company outside of the hotel my group was staying at. Weirdly, they were screaming a lot of derogatory comments about us being gay and how all of us “fags” should die. First, we took it in stride and did not confront the man. Rather, we went to the hotel manager to complain, but he did virtually nothing. Out of respect for the people we were in town working for, we reserved our grievances until the end of the event, when we made a pact to let management know what was going on. Surprisingly, as we were packing up and the event was coming to a close, these same two men walked in front of our booth, erotically charged as it is with sex toys for men. This time I let them know how I felt. I went off on both of them for their ‘hate talk.’ It was so amazingly satisfying to vent what I had internalized. In front of a group of over one hundred people, I stood up to my attacker, who backed down and publicly apologized.

I now know what it feels like to be bullied and will do my best from this point forward assisting anyone who needs my help in standing up for themselves. Before this weekend I had no clue how bad it can feel to be bullied, pushed around and scared for your life. Until this weekend, I had no clue of how proud I can be of myself for standing up to hate-mongrels. I first spent two sleepless nights, almost in fear, because of their threats. But when the moment arose, I seized it. I held them accountable for their words. I think it was one of the most satisfying moments that I can remember. Special thanks to Diesel Washington for standing with me and giving me the strength to do what I needed to do. North Carolina based Mountain Productions, you have not heard the last of me. You are not going to take that act on the road anymore. The lesson I learned: We have to stand up for ourselves, no one else is going to do it for us. Editor’s Note: He was suspended from his job pending sensitivity training as per his boss. Howard Andrews is the owner of Fab Scout Entertainment.

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opinion publisher’s editorial

Stand Up to Your Enemies Norm Kent

norm.kent@sfgn.com

As America closes a month of gay pride celebrations, international LGBT rights are still in the Dark Ages in very bright places. We can start with Uganda. Thanks to a technological communications revolution, the world is a much smaller place. We witness Iraqi executions on cell phones, and the Internet takes us across the globe in seconds. What happens a continent away is on our laptop seconds later. We can’t look the other way and play pretend. There are places where the gay community still needs to be heard. One of those is at East 42nd Street on First Avenue in New York City, by the East River. It is called United Nations Plaza. As a representative of the nation’s gay press, the South Florida Gay News today condemns and censures the United Nations for permitting Uganda’s Sam Kutesa to be selected as the new head of the UN General Assembly. It’s a damn, shocking, shame. Given that 81 countries on this globe still outlaw homosexuality, it’s easy to see why being Ugandan would not automatically disqualify him from such a prestigious post. Still, given that the head of the General Assembly represents all countries, it’s a position that the LGBT community should care enough about to be heard. It has been estimated that there are nearly 500,000 men and women in the Ugandan gay community. They have absolutely no legal protections. Both male and female homosexuality is illegal. Torture and executions have occurred, and authorities have looked the other way. It is not a gay friendly place to be. Many places in Africa are not, and that is precisely why the African delegation had no problem

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choosing Kutesa. A special shout out is warranted for HBO’s new host, John Oliver, for his feature last weekend on just how backward Uganda really is. More importantly, Oliver re-publicized and documented how American religious zealots have generated anti-gay bigotry in Uganda. Yes, evangelicals like Scott Lively have even testified before Uganda’s parliament, calling for a hard line on homosexuality. As Oliver notes, “This means that Africa isn’t just where we send our losing team’s Super Bowl shirts, it’s also now where we send our losing political philosophies.” As we celebrate American independence this weekend, thankfully we are also celebrating marriage equality in dozens of states. In our America, we have seen sodomy laws fall and gay communities rise. America’s LGBT communities are growing exponentially in number and size, in power and strength. We are open, we are out, and we are proud. We are heard, and we have a place at the table. Our name is called in NFL drafts, and can be selected for U.S. District court judicial appointments. We can be proud of who we are. But we should never be comfortable breathing air in a world that is not universally free. Homophobia is a fear which breeds hate. We have gone a long way to ending it here at home. We have seen our share of martyrs, from Harvey Milk to Matthew Shepherd. In other countries, darker places, martyrs are still being made. Let’s do what we can while we are here to bring them the independence and freedom we now cherish everyday. Let the United Nations General Assembly know that we say ‘NO’ to an anti gay leader as their spokesperson. Let’s start an international petition right here in South Florida.

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SouthFloridaGayNews

John Oliver is an English comedian, political satirist and actor. He is widely known in the U.S. for his work on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and the satirical comedy podcast The Bugle. From Wikipedia

Why not? Today, July 2, 2014, is the fiftieth anniversary of the Civil Rights Act. It was a law that came about one hundred years after Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation freed American slaves. The Civil War brought an end to slavery, but not discrimination. It took years. It does still. Let’s issue our own proclamation against hate, starting here, starting now. Our brutal world still needs taming. Terrorists abduct children in Nigeria, slaughter innocents in Syria, and execute gays in Uganda. In Eastern Europe, LGBT brothers and sisters are still persecuted by churches and governments like Russia foster hate rather than hope. Let’s not forget that Stonewall was a riot, not a street party for boy dancers on floats. It was an assertion that gays and lesbians would not settle into second-class citizenry. It was a statement that we would stand up and be counted. It was our Rosa Parks moment, but we are not done yet. We still have work to do at home. Here in America, teenagers are still bullied. ENDA has not got through Congress. LGBT employees do not have equal rights in hundreds of communities, and Neanderthal city commissioners, like the Mayor of Fort Lauderdale, still oppose marriage equality. Stonewall is not over, and July 4 is not for everyone, just yet. But we have the world at our fingertips, and we can let everyone from Fort Lauderdale city commissioners to global leaders in world assemblies know that our voices can and will be heard.

letters to the editor An Open Letter to Attorney General Bondi: Thank you for caring enough to get involved in Florida’s marriage equality issue. As a resident of Oakland Park, Florida, I think you should be as wellinformed as possible as you engage in something that has such a direct and profound effect on the lives of so many of your fellow citizens and their families, friends, and communities. To that end, I and my husband of nearly seven years, Brian Steele, will travel from Oakland Park to the Keys on July 6, in time to witness the court case on July 7 (Huntsman & Jones vs. Heavilin.) I’m sure you will be very busy and on a tight schedule; however as an elected State official, I’m equally certain you wouldn’t want to enter a courtroom without a full understanding of the case at hand. Brian and I are happy to make ourselves available to you for a brief, respectful, reasoned discussion to offer you the opportunity to meet and get to know a real live “average” gay married couple. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have, and/or let us clarify any of the rumors you may have heard. I can’t stress enough the importance of this case, especially as it relates to the fundamental issues of equality and fairness in the State of Florida and across the United States. We are smart, well-spoken, serious men in our early 40’s — homeowners, small-business owners, Christians, active in our community. Brian comes from a family of local [Republican] politicians, all of whom wholeheartedly support our marriage. When I first told my mother of my engagement to Brian, she sincerely asked why. I explained it to her, and she instantly “got it.” The reasons just hadn’t occurred to her before our discussion. I believe you deserve the same opportunity to “get it” before doing measurable damage to so many couples and families across our beautiful state. Please contact us at your earliest convenience to schedule a meeting. We will clear our schedule for you.

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Sincerely, Anthony R. Cicalese and Brian J. Steele, Oakland Park

Should Gays Have to Serve Jury Duty? I have been called to jury duty in Broward County Florida on Monday, June 30, 2014. It occurs to me that my serving on any jury in this state may actually constitute a violation of the defendant’s federal secured rights to a trial by a jury of their peers. The definition of the word peer is as follows: 1. a person of the same legal status: a jury of one’s peers. Yet I, as a gay man, am defined by the state of Florida as inherently not being of equal legal status to heterosexuals by being denied the right to marry. If Florida wishes me to serve on a jury of peers, then must they not provide me with the same legal status as the rest of the jury in order to meet that qualification? Could not a defense attorney contest a verdict against his client based on the fact that, as all of the members of the jury were not peers, it was a mistrial? I would gladly serve jury duty in one of the nineteen states, which recognize same sex unions. Unfortunately, Florida is not one of them. I fiercely admire the journey endured by so many people, prior to 1967, when interracial marriage was legalized in the U.S. by the Supreme Court, and long for the day when the same thing may occur for same sex marriages. It should be noted that as Florida was one of the hold out states when it came to interracial marriage, that it’s likely that only another Supreme Court ruling will change this state’s laws on same sex marriage. Until then I approach my impending jury duty with not a sense of pride, but a sense of disillusionment in the state in which I live. Sincerely, John Lariviere soflagaynews //

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column

“What Story or Issue Would You Like to Highlight This Week?”

“Speak OUT” is a weekly feature in SFGN, which is giving a voice to South Florida’s LGBT leaders. This week we asked them to speak out about any news story or issue that they feel is important. Below are some of their answers: “I am getting angrier and angrier that Florida Attorney General Pam Bindi’s advocacy opposing marriage equality continues to prevent Florida’s gay and lesbian seniors, veterans and people with disabilities from utilizing benefits available to similar Americans living in states which recognize same-sex marriages. Bondi’s discriminatory policies can be ended by retiring her from public service in November. This must become a top priority for LGBT Floridians and our allies this year.” — Rand Hoch, President and Founder, Palm Beach County Human Rights Council “The Fourth of July is a great time to salute the LGBT service members through history who have helped America remain the Land of the Free. They served in silence. Let’s celebrate their heroism with a bang!” — Lori Lynch, Executive Director, LGBT Visitor Center of Miami Beach “Bridges need to be built between younger and older LGBT people. Many veterans of the movement feel unappreciated, dismissed, and ignored. If senior LGBT people who fought the culture wars pull back, as many have from the fight against AIDS, younger people and their organizations will struggle.” — Brian McNaught, noted columnist, author and LGBT activist “Last week the Surgeon General and CDC’s Office of Smoking and Health launched a video about smoking disparities in LGBT communities. Results from the 2012-2013 National Adult Tobacco Survey, also released last week, found the prevalence of smoking among LGBT people is 30.8 percent, in comparison to 20.5 percent among non-LGBT people. An estimated 1 million LGBT people will die early from tobaccorelated causes – we need to raise awareness and save lives!” — Denise Spivak, Director of Member Relations and External Affairs for CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers Visit SFGN.com/SpeakOut to see more of this week’s responses. Send an Email to Jason.Parsley@sfgn.com if you know of a LGBT community leader that should be or wants to be a part of this list.

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lifestyle history This Week in Gay History July 2 – July 8 Quistapp.com

ykes on Bikes attended the Seattle Gay Pride parade in 1995

July 2, 2009 — India Decriminalized Homosexuality

The Delhi High Court rules that the existing laws violate fundamental rights to personal liberty (Article 21 of the Indian Constitution) and equality (Article 14) and prohibition of discrimination (Article 15). Before the overturning of this 148-yearold law, so-called homosexual acts were punished with a ten-year prison sentence.

July 6, 1750 — Last Execution in France for Consensual Sodomy

Bruno Lenoir and Jean Diot, 18 and 20 years old, had been caught “committing crimes [. . .] which propriety does not permit us to explain in writing” in January 1750. They are strangled and burned in the Place de Grève by “seven wagons of brushwood, two hundred faggots and straw.”

July 7, 2010 — First Bisexual Member of Swedish July 3, 1981 — HIV/AIDS Government Elected First Mentioned in Press Tobias Billström, an openly bisexual man,

The New York Times prints “Rare Cancer is elected to be the Minister of Migration Seen in 41 Homosexuals” article. affairs.

July 4, 1976 — Dykes on Bikes Founded

July 8, 1950 — Harry Hay and Rudi Gernreich Met

A group of lesbians on motorcycles comes The two later become founders of the together to lead the 1976 San Francisco Pride Mattachine Society, one of the earliest Parade, and chapters of the club have been homophile organizations in the United leading Pride Parades around the world ever States. since.

July 5, 2011 — Serbian Parliament Approves Youth Law

The law prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

All of the information above has been reprinted with permission from Quist, an LGBT mobile history app that can be found on iOS and Android devices. Visit QuistApp. com for more information. The app was created by Sarah Prager and launched in July of 2013. soflagaynews //

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lifestyle books

‘Artiﬁcial Cherry’ By Billeh Nickerson

Terri Schlichenmeyer A little of this and a little of that. It’s the way conversation flows when you’re with a friend. You mosey from subject to subject, you touch upon a funny story which leads to another topic you can both gnaw on before you move to something totally different. That’s a glue that holds you together. It’s the stuff of friendship. And in the new book “Artificial Cherry” by Billeh Nickerson, it’s several points to ponder. In his travels, poet and spoken word artist Nickerson has seen it all. More or less. He’s seen interesting things done with a glass eye, an object you almost never hear about unless it has to do with a certain actress. He’s seen buildings that have been gentrified, and remembered the particular reason why they resonated so well in his memories, struggling not to blurt the truth to his unsuspecting host. He’s been asked peculiar questions by a doctor in Montreal just before he “fell in love with the possibility

of what a misplaced medical chart could offer my anatomy…” And he’s pondered the usefulness of thumbs (imagine hitchhiking without them). His experiences haven’t all been odd: while apartment hunting, he noted the dirt and other objects left behind by previous tenants. He couldn’t ignore something so poignantly personal, though; something that “shadowed everything in its wake.” And then there was the Pacific Northwest Elvis Festival, held on the “shores of Okanagan Lake” in Canada and filled with fun and food. More than twenty Elvis impersonators gathered to entertain fans of the King. The most impressive thing about those fans, says Nickerson, was that they actually cleaned up after themselves. In this book, Nickerson pens poems and short essays about these and other things. He writes about poetry that he couldn’t bear to read publicly in the days after 9/11 and that was uncomfortable, even years later. He

wonders what would have happened if Mary had named Jesus something else (knowing, surely, that the name of a Montreal credit union would have to change, too). And he writes movingly of his grandfather’s dream of running with dogs, his grandmother’s dreams of dancing, and he hears the music to accompany both. Though it’s brief – a little too brief, I thought – “Artificial Cherry” contains plenty: sass, silliness, a bit of the scandalous, wry observations, “irony,” laughs, absurdity, sadness, and observations that will make you stop and think. Author Billeh Nickerson has a great eye for what most people don’t notice, in fact, and his poems bring those things to light. There’s really no theme to this book – just poems and very short musings on whatever Nickerson deems fit, which gives it a good browse-ability. No matter where you jump in,

though, the rest of his work will beg to be read and you’ll happily oblige. At well under 100 pages, this book won’t take you long to read… the first time. Past that, it’s something you’ll want to read again and (maybe) read aloud because “Artificial Cherry” is the real deal.

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lifestyle people

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outeats Special Advertising Section Scarfone’s Coal Fired Pizza Classic flavor, but new to The Drive Dave Griffiths

Last week, my dear friend Rebekah was in town, so Ken and I decided to take her out for dinner, but where should we go? Well, we had heard mixed reviews about Scarfone’s Coal Fired Pizza on Wilton Drive. Being daring, we decided to try it out. It was our first time there, so we walked in and first noticed the atmosphere. Being in the Gables, there is this industrial look and feel, but it also had the warmth and energy of a popular hangout. Our waiter, Darrin, sat us promptly inside and told us about the specials and took our drink order. I really enjoyed watching the kitchen staff through the opening and seeing them place pizzas in that hot coal-fired oven. It seemed like business is really doing well at Scarfone’s. The place got really busy on a Sunday evening with large tables with 5 to 8 customers being seated. So we worried that our food would take a long time to get to us, however it came out quite fast. To start off, Ken and I tried “The Show,” a soup that consists of diced chicken, mini meatballs, sausage, roasted peppers and pasta noodles in a delicious tomato broth. This could have been a meal all unto itself. It was delicious! Ken decided to order one of their coalfired pizzas. He ordered the traditional, even though Scarfone’s offers a wheat bread and a flatbread style pizza. It arrived at the table piping hot and the crust was charred and blistered, just like a pizza should be. It was larger than we expected, so he ended up taking some home for later.

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Rebekah chose one of their specials — the Chicken Scarfone — which we all agreed, looked amazing! It is a boneless breast of chicken, sautéed with mushrooms and artichoke hearts with a pink cream sauce, served over spaghetti. She said it was delicious and very filling, so she took the leftovers home as well. I chose the pasta. According to their menu, the Penne Ala Vodka is a favorite, and I have had it elsewhere, so I decided to try it and compare it to other restaurants I have enjoyed it at. While I wouldn’t say it is the best I have ever had, it was still really good! There was enough kick in the sauce to give it flavor, and the pasta was cooked to perfection. My only complaint was their large portions. I mean, this is Wilton Manors after all. Who isn’t watching their inseams? Overall, the pizza, the pasta, the specials, the service and the atmosphere did not disappoint. So if you have not yet tried Scarfone’s Coal Fired Pizza on Wilton Drive, you should get over there and try it out soon! It is definitely a good place to bring friends and enjoy a good meal… and then the leftovers again afterwards! Unless Ken eats yours before you get to them too. Scarfone’s Coal Fired Pizza is located at 2150 Wilton Drive in The Gables on Wilton Drive. Their phone is 954-533-0577 for calling ahead or take-out orders and their menu is available online at Scarfones.com

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F O R

SFGNITES

T H E

J.W. Arnold

jw@prdconline.com

THUR NIGHTLIFE

W E E K

O F

J U L Y

8 ,

2 0 1 4

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

7/3

Miami Beach promoter Edison Farrow, founder of the ever popular SoBe Social Club, launches a new Thursday night party tonight, Eye Candy Thursdays. Enjoy craft beers at music by DJ A.J. Reddy at ArtCADE, 235 12th St. in Miami Beach, part art gallery, part bar and most importantly, part arcade. We’ll be playing the vintage video games all night long. Remember Pac Man, Donkey Kong, Centipede, Frogger, Qbert and Galaga? You’ll find them all at Eye Candy Thursdays. Best part is there’s never a cover. For information, go to SoBeSocialClub.com.

FRI

HOLIDAY

7/4

It’s Independence Day, so enjoy a traditional fireworks show. In Miami-Dade County, enjoy a concert by the Greater Miami Symphonic Band on the grounds of the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables or “Fire on the Fourth” at Lummus Park in Miami Beach. In Palm Beach County, Lake Worth celebrates the Great American Raft Race before fireworks over the Intracoastal Waterway while Zambelli Fireworks will light up the skies over Boca Raton at Sunset Cove Amphitheater. In Broward County, enjoy the fireworks shows on Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood Beaches and Lauderdale-by-theSea.

SAT

FUNDRAISER

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outh Florida will celebrate Independence Day on Friday, July 4 with spectacular ﬁreworks displays, parades and festivals. Check local listings for activities in your community.

Submitted Photo

7/5 SUN

Our crystal ball is a bit foggy, but hey, who could have ever predicted the United States would make it out of the Group of Death in the first place? So, assuming out boys in red, white and blue knocked out Belgium on Tuesday, they’ll be playing either Argentina or Switzerland this afternoon. In any case, butch it up a bit and take in the game at one of the local bars: Sidelines Sports Bar, 2031 Wilton Dr.; The Alibi in the Shoppes of Wilton Manors; or Village Pub, 2283 Wilton Dr.

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ATTRACTION

7/6 MON

Lions, tigers and bears, oh my! Outside of a few scary gay bars, you’ll find furry beasts at Zoo Miami and, July 2 – 6, the zoo is offering $5 adult admission, a sweet summer deal. In addition to the exotic animal exhibits, guests will be treated to giveaways, refreshments and special activities. Don’t be a monkey and miss out on this special opportunity to see the animals. Zoo Miami is conveniently located near Exit 16 on the Florida Turnpike at 12400 SW 152nd St. For tickets and more information, go to ZooMiami.org.

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THEATER

7/7 TUE

Mondays are no longer dark in professional theaters across South Florida. Every Monday through Aug. 25,the South Florida Theatre League presents Summer Theatre Fest, free readings of new plays by local playwrights at member companies. Tonight, experience “Endless Song” by Andie Arthur at Lost Girls Theatre at the Deering Estate, 16701 SW 72nd Ave. in Miami, at 8 p.m. Arthur’s play is a comedic drama about chosen family, mental illness and Christmas Eve services that are all too “Jesus-y.” Fun! For more information and a complete list of Theatre Fest play readings, go to SouthFloridaTheatre.com.

SouthFloridaGayNews

ART

7/8

Halloween is still a few months away, but for fans of the macabre, Miami’s Frost Museum of Art, 10975 SW 17th St. on the campus of Florida International University, offers a chilling exhibition, “The School of Night,” from Cuban-American artist Arturo Rodriguez. The exhibit includes drawings and poetry from Rodriguez’s late night wanderings, including ghastly masks and shadows of the artist and his wife traveling through his vaguely discernable dreams. The exhibit is free and open to the public through Sunday. For more information, go to TheFrost.FIU.edu.

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a&e television

‘To Be Takei’

It’s OK to be George David-Elijah Nahmod The most touching moment in Jennifer M. Kroot’s “To Be Takei” is the wedding of the beloved Star Trek icon to his longtime partner Brad Altman. Enterprise shipmates Nichelle Nichols (Uhuru) and Walter Koenig (Checkov) served as ring bearers, while Altman’s lesbian mom and her partner smiled proudly. Kroot’s film is a valentine to the life and career of the actor, social justice humanitarian, and the best face the LGBT community could have asked for. “To Be Takei” will premiere on July 3 on DirecTV on Demand for an exclusive one month run. A theatrical release will follow. There are so many unforgettable moments in the film. A few years ago, the State of Tennessee, a conservative stronghold, introduced legislation to ban use of the word ‘gay’ in the state’s school system. Takei’s solution: Say Takei instead of gay. “It’s OK to be Takei,” he said with a smile. The film also reveals the depth of the animosity between Takei and William Shatner, Star Trek’s top billed star. Whether this is rooted in Takei’s homosexuality remains unclear, but one thing is obvious: the two stars don’t like each other! Kroot and Takei take viewers back to his

WWII childhood, part of which was spent in a Japanese internment camp after the Japanese government bombed Pear Harbor in 1941. Archival photographs from actual camps reveal the depth of the degradation that Japanese Americans were forced to endure. The experience has haunted Takei throughout his life and inspired him to use his celebrity as a tool to fight for social justice for all peoples. Recently shot footage shows Takei onstage in San Diego, co-starring in Allegiance, a new musical drama about the camps — plans are now underway to move the show to Broadway. There are still moments which sting. When Takei and Altman travel to Japan so Takei could receive an award from the Emperor, Altman is denied access to the ceremony because they’re not considered a couple — both men speak eloquently of how painful this incident was. There’s no narration offered in the film. Kroot chooses instead to focus the camera on her extraordinary subject and allows him — and those in his life — to speak for themselves. It’s a mesmerizing portrait of one our finest role models.

“To Be Takei” will air from July 3 to August 5 on DirecTV on Demand

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a&e film

‘The Nance’

Nathan Lane stars in 1930s gay drama David-Elijah Nahmod

Tell about your background and your coming out story.

I came out in 1977 to take a stand against Anita Bryant — now doesn’t she seem quaint! I spent a lot of time in the gay discos of Philly. What moved you to become a writer?

Ever since I read Huck Finn as a kid, I knew I wanted to make people laugh and to tell them the truth. When I see something unspoken and are afraid to admit it, I am inspired to pick up the pen and begin. The inspiration for “The Nance” was the fascinating dichotomy between campy humor and an inability to have a meaningful relationship. Two things that seem to have self-loathing at their core. One bright, one dark. Also, when society tells someone they are wrong and worthless, how does that manifest into that person’s behavior.

artserve presents

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Are these characters based on real people?

A “nance” is a stock comedy character. There is no record of an out man being a nance, but how would that be recorded at that time? Just seven years earlier there was the “pansy crazys” which were gay MCs in nightclubs. They were all out and there is a record of that.

What message are you trying to convey to the audience?

Don’t trust society’s view. Don’t trust political movements. Trust yourself. Trust love. Love yourself.

What would you like audiences to take from The Nance?

That we have come so far, but that this fear and hatred, and self-hatred, still exist in our reasoning and thinking. And we must be on guard.

Can you say something about the changes we’ve seen in society from Chauncey’s time to Nathan Lane’s?

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I never thought as a gay boy dancing to McFadden and Whitehead and Patti LaBelle that I would one day have a legal husband and two children. What Ned is yearning for and has no names for in The Nance is a given in today’s world. Pretty cool.

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1350 East Sunrise Blvd. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304 954.462.8190 | artserve.org SouthFloridaGayNews // SFGN.com //

No refunds or exchanges. All dates, times and artists are subject to change.

A Nance, according to theatrical terminology of the 1930s, is a stock character meant to represent the stereotype of the “effeminate homosexual.” In Douglas Carter Beane’s acclaimed new play “The Nance,” out gay actor Nathan Lane plays Chauncey Miles, who plays a variety of nance characters in a low rent burlesque house in late 1930s New York City. Chauncey is tired — he yearns for a more serious acting career. He’s alone, lonely and embittered. Along comes Ned (Jonny Orsini), a younger, and quite handsome guy from upstate who just left his wife after coming to terms with his gay identity. They enter into a tenuous relationship, which Ned wants to pursue wholeheartedly. Chauncey is obviously attracted to his new beau, but years of dealing with society’s prejudices have damaged his psyche. He’s unable to give of himself fully. Chauncey has other issues to deal with. The Mayor, who views burlesque as “degenerate filth” is targeting nance performers (“perverts”) as an excuse to shut these theaters down. The play alternates between starkly dramatic scenes in Chauncey’s life and the comic bits he appears in at the theater — the latter are a metaphor for the anti-gay persecution he lives with. “The Nance” played to great acclaim on Broadway. The “film” of “The Nance” is actually a videotaped record of an actual stage performance at New York’s Lyceum Theater. As the film makes it’s way to SoFla cinemas, the playwright chatted with SFGN.

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a&e convention Convention to Draw 40,000 Fans ‘Game of Thrones’ star to headline J.W. Arnold More than 40,000 comic, anime, video game and science fiction fans are expected to converge on the Miami Beach Convention Center this weekend for Florida Supercon. The convention, one of the largest in the region, will feature 250 guest appearances, including stars from the HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” the CW’s “Arrow” and “Star Trek,” and is expected to appeal particularly to LGBT fans. Jason Momoa, Khal Drago from “Game of Thrones,” whose role as a muscle-bound tribal chieftain inspired a new generation of fetish play in both straight and gay communities, is headlining the convention. The Hawaiian actor made headlines recently when he was cast as Aquaman in the upcoming Superman/Batman movie sequel. Momoa will also reunite with castmates from the Showtime hit series, “Spartacus,” including Liam McIntyre (Spartacus), Manu Bennett (Crixus), Stephen Dunlevy (The Egyptian), Daniel Feuerriegal (Agron) and Ellen Hollman (Saxa). Also appearing will be Nichelle Nichols, Lt.

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Uhura from the original “Star Trek” series. Nichols has been an icon for diversity since being cast as the first African American woman in a lead role on network television in the mid-1960s and sharing the first broadcast interracial kiss with costar William Shatner. Ironically, Nichols planned to leave the series after the first series, until she received encouraging words from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a story she shares often on the convention circuit. David Yost, the openly gay actor who starred as Billy Cranston, the Blue Ranger, in “Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers” will be joined by 11 colleagues who have donned colorful helmeted costumes in the campy Japanese martial arts children’s show that dominated the airwaves in the ‘90s. In addition to celebrity appearances, organizers also emphasize the wide range of video game and comic-themed activities at Supercon. An interactive gaming department will host displays from dozens of video game companies

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including Gazillion Entertainment (“Marvel Heroes 2015”), Dead Man Walking Studios, Dennaton Games, Nuclei3D, Galaxy Trail, Pixel Jam, Yacht Club Games, Disco Pixel, Ustwo, and Tale of Game’s Studio. Attendees will be able to test their skills on hundreds of video game set ups including PC and console gaming, as well as classic arcade and pinball machines. Other Florida Supercon events include a costume competition with over $5,000 in cash and prizes; Florida Super Championship wresting tournament; Super Geek Film Festival, featuring 40 brand new films; a “Dr.

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Who” themed masquerade ball, “An Evening at the End of Time and Space;” dance parties; and writer workshops. For comic book fans, the program will include a “who’s who” of writers and artists from the legendary titles of DC Comics, Marvel and Valiant Comics. Florida Supercon will be held Thursday, July 3 through Sunday, July 7 at the Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Pl. in Miami Beach. Tickets start at $25 in advance and $30 at the door. For tickets and a complete schedule of events, go online to FloridaSupercon.com.

a&e television

Long Live These Queens J.W. Arnold

I have a confession to make: I never understood what made the British comedy, “Absolutely Fabulous” so funny. I didn’t get it when episodes were first broadcast at the local bar and, nearly 20 years later and endless reruns on Logo, I still don’t get the English humor. Now, I wasn’t about to surrender my gay card, but I did wonder which gay gene could be missing. This Sunday, I was redeemed with the premiere of the latest Brit-com import, “Vicious,” starring Sir Ian McKellan and Sir Bruce Jacobi. Both master actors boast noble theatrical pedigrees and would more likely be cast on “Masterpiece” or “Great Performances.” Heck, McKellan is, quite frankly, slumming it when he takes a roll in the latest “X-Men” or “Harry Potter” global box office smash. “Vicious,” playing locally on PBS affiliate WPBT, features McKellan and Jacobi as an aging gay couple living out their golden years sniping at each other as only longtime lovers can. McKellan’s Freddie is a thespian with a penchant for household drama, while Jacobi’s Stuart is a former pub manager who still struggles to come out to his mother. After 50 years, their relationship is not particularly attractive at times, but the bitchiness is better than anything a local might hear down at Tropics on any given night.

They pass their time entertaining a cast of characters that bring much needed depth to the familiar sitcom plots. In the premiere episode, while mourning the death of a close friend, they fawn all over Ash, a goodnatured young neighbor played by Iwan Rheon (“Game of Thrones”). They are joined at the wake by devoted friend Violet Crosby (Frances De La Tour) and Stuart’s mother, Penelope (Marcia Warren). The remaining five episodes will see the men interfering with Ash’s latest budding romance, celebrating their anniversary (with a special celebrity guest) and causing all sorts of generational mayhem at a local nightclub. The plots aren’t especially original, but anything delivered in a British accent is instantly cultured, anyway. I suspect that some viewers of the heterosexual persuasion might have a time deciphering all the gay speak — British accents or not — just as I found myself struggling with “Ab Fab,” all those years ago. But, what makes “Vicious” so refreshing is that Freddie and Stuart, despite the campy quips, just happen to be gay. They could have easily been a British Ralph and Alice or Archie and Edith. Behind all the dysfunction, they really do love each other and it shows. Check local listings for stations and show times.

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Datebook

Theater Christiana Lilly

Calendar@SFGN.com BROWARD COUNTY broward county

Katy Perry

July 2 at 7 p.m. at the BB&T Center (formerly BankAtlantic Center), 1 Panther Parkway in Sunrise. The colorful pop star brings her “Prismatic Tour” to Fort Lauderdale, featuring Capital Cities as her opening act. She will be performing her hits “Roar” and “Dark Horse,” as well as many crowd favorites like “Firework” and “Teenage Dream.” Tickets $40.80 to $144.65. Call 954-835-7000 or visit thebbtcenter.com.

* SunTrust Sunday Jazz Brunch

July 6 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Broward Center, 201 SW Fifth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. Join the Sunday picnic with music from the Glyn Dryhurst Dixieland Band, Christina Sichta, and Billy Bones and Justin Trapani. Call 954-468-2683.

* RedEYE REBoot

July 19 from 6 to 10 p.m. at ArtServe, 1350 E. Sunrise Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. The hottest ticket of the summer, RedEYE REboot is a spontaneous explosion of live art and entertainment, reignited with raw energy and authenticity, recharged with new events, installations, art happenings, and rebooted back to the streets with a twist. Tickets $8 online, $12 at the door, $60 VIP. Call 954-462-8190 or visit ArtServe.org.

Re-Designing Women

Through August 3 at Empire Stage, 1140 N. Flagler Drive in Fort Lauderdale. A parody of the ‘80s sitcom, when a design firm is about to go under, an exbeauty queen has the brilliant idea of turning their workplace into a reality show. Tickets $30. Call 954-678-1496 or visit EmpireStage.com.

palm beach county PALM BEACH

* Lindsey Stirling

July 5 at 8 p.m. at Sunset Cove in Boca Raton, 20405 Amphitheater Circle in Boca Raton. Violinist Stirling has made a name for herself melding classical strings with dance and electronica. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 day of, and $10 parking. Visit http://tinyurl.com/kwzhyl7.

Ring of Fire: The Johnny Cash Musical

Through July 6 at Arts Garage, 180 NE First St. in Delray Beach. The life of Jonny Cash is told through his extensive collection of music that has people singing along to this day. Tickets $30 to $45. Call 561-450-6357 or visit ArtsGarage.org.

* Legally Blonde: The Musical

July 10 to 27 at the Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave. in Lake Worth in Lake Worth. When ditzy Elle Woods is dumped, she uses her charm to get into Harvard Law School to impress her ex, but instead finds out about herself and her potential. Tickets $35 to $55. Call 561-586-6410 or visit LakeWorthPlayhouse.org.

aty Perry brings her “Prismatic Tour” to Fort Lauderdale on July 2 and Miami on July 3

The Life

Through July 27 at Delray Square Performing Arts, 4809 W. Atlantic Ave. in Delray Beach. Times Square in the 1980s comes to life with a hooker, Queen, her cocaine-addicted boyfriend, fellow streetwalkers, and other characters who have seen better days. Tickets $37.50. Call 561-880-0319 or visit DelraySquareArts.com.

Free Friday Concerts

Fridays at 7:30 p.m. at the Delray Beach Center for the Arts, 51 N. Swinton Ave. in Delray Beach. Enjoy live music from the comfort of your picnic blanket or lawn chair every week, for free! Call 561-243-7922 or visit DelrayArts.org. MIAMI DADE county miami-dade

Katy Perry

July 3 at 7 p.m. at the AmericanAirlines Arena, 601 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami. The colorful pop star brings her “Prismatic Tour” to Miami, promoting her album with hits “Roar” and “Dark Horse.” Tickets $40.80 to $144.65. Call 786-777-1000 or visit AAArena.com.

Summer Shorts

June 12 to July 6 at the Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami. A summer tradition at the theatre, a festival of theatrical shorts. Tickets $40. Call 305-949-6722 or visit ArshtCenter.org.

* Caligula

July 10 to 13 at the Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami. The people of Rome must fight against the murderous oppression of Emperor Caligula. All performances in Spanish. Tickets $34. Call 305-9496722 or visit ArshtCenter.org.

* Ray LaMontagne

July 12 at 8 p.m. at The Fillmore Miami Beach, 1700 Washington Ave. in Miami Beach. Jenny Lewis opens for the sultry soul and folk singer. Tickets $50 to $190. Call 305-673-7300 or visit FillmoreMC.com.

PAMM Outdoor Music Series

Third Thursdays at the Perez Art Museum Miami, 101 W. Flagler St. in Miami. Come out for live music from DJs and musicians by the bay. Drink specials available. Free with museum admission. Call 305-375-3000 or visit PAMM.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.

“L

* Denotes New Listing

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egally Blonde: The Musical” comes to the Lake Worth Playhouse from July 10 - 27

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SouthFloridaGayNews

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SFGN Classiﬁed$ To place a Classiﬁed Ad, call Jason Gonzales at 954.530.4970 or visit SFGN.com

attorneys

EL SHADDAI CONSULTING, INC IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES by Licensed Attorneys representation before immigration services & immigration court. Assist with applications, waivers, motions, appeal and prosecutorial discretion cases. Call 305-407-9397 for free consultation/appointment

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TRAVEL AGENT PART TIME Full service travel agency located on Wilton Drive seeks experienced part time travel professional. Must have good internet and communication skills. Ability to assist clients with airline, hotel, cruise, and tour package reservations. Call 954-5652345 for an initial phone interview. SWINGING RICHARDS NOW HIRING Quality Male Dancers & Waiters. Full nudity/upscale club environment with great income potential. Please text (865)385-9568 or email photos/info to jthoppy@gmail.com COMPREHENSIVE AIDS PROGRAM The Comprehensive AIDS (CAP) Program of PBC is recruiting county wide (Belle Glade, Delray Beach, and WPB) 10-15 people who are HIV positive to become Peer Advocate Leaders (PALs) by completing the PAL training. For additional information and how to apply please visit: http://www.foundcare.org/ HIVServicesJobOpenings EOE/M,F/DFWP

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ELECTRICAL CONTRACTING BY MARSON Replacing breakers and panels, service upgrades, repairing code violations, installing fans and ﬁxtures, repairs, rewiring, remodeling, surge protection and lightning damage repairs. No job too big or small. Serving Palm Beach & Broward. Licensed & insured. 561-367-1556 or 954-784-7992 - marson23@aol.com

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FAST A/C REPAIRS! Lic and insured, CAC057837. A&H A/C. 954-392-1301. We focus on repairs, not selling you new equipment. 24 Hour Service. Evening Appointments Available.

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cleaning services

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 www.CCrepairservices.com

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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: tile, dry wall, paint, plumbing, roof leaks, broken furniture, irrigation, fences, and more!It doesn’t cost to hassle us to see the work - so why wait? Neat, clean work for a reasonable price. Call Haim at 954-398-3676, sidnalll@yahoo.com

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CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING WORKS!

To place an ad in SFGN’s Classiﬁeds call Jason Gonzales at

954.530.4970

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pets/supplies

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real estate business opportunities GAY APARTMENT RESORT HOTEL PERFECT FOR WORKING RETIREMENT Rare opportunity to enter the booming Fort Lauderdale Gay Accommodations Market. Owners retiring and offering the award winning Liberty Apartment Suites in Dania Beach, with 11 beautifully furnished apartments with full kitchens. Established 17 successful seasons with high repeat and referral guests. Currently operated as self-catering, limited service, vacation & extended stay resort hotel-potential for growth and expansion. Immaculate Condition, Turn-key business, All Inclusive. Offered at $950,000. Qualiﬁed Buyers Only - For info, contact: Joe Van Eron 954-383-5548 or Joe@LibertySuites.com NIGHTCLUB IN FORT LAUDERDALE 4-COP license, one block from new Bokamper’s and Galt Ocean Mile, full DJ booth and sound system, 2500+ sqft, double entry/exit, piano, light food possible, long lease available, asking $335,000. A must-see! Call now - Pat Burnside Realty, 305-389-5800.

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7.2.2014 //43

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