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FDA Approves ‘Functional Cure’ HIV Testing

The United States Food and Drug Administration granted approval for human testing on a functional cure strategy regarding the HIV virus. The novel therapy, scientists claim, involves the harvesting of stem cells from HIV infected patients. Using a gene editing

themirrormag.co

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SEX POSITIVE CULTURE CHALLENGES ETHICS

tool, scientists at Sangamo Biosciences, Inc. are able to generate white blood cells with a mutation that is HIV resistant. This breakthrough discovery came as amFAR held its inaugural fundraising gala in Hong Kong.

Utah Offers LGBT Protections With New Bill The State of Utah legislature passed a bill which guarantees equal protections under the law for all people, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Utah residents. The bill passed by a 65-10 vote in the Utah House of Representatives

after being cleared by the Senate. It was backed by the state’s highly influential Church of Jesus of Christ Latter-day Saints and offers protections for gay people in housing and employment matters.

Youtube Video Shows Gay Stoning in Jamaica

‘FIRST COMES LOVE’ PHOTO FEATURE

A video surfaced last week that allegedly shows the death of a gay boy on the Caribbean island of Jamaica. The video was uploaded to YouTube and Facebook but later removed. It depicted a lifeless body of a young man lying in a

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pool of his own blood while being pelted with rocks and stones from his unseen executioners. Human rights activists have MBER condemned the videoM Eand demanded a response from Jamaican authorities.

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MARCH 18, 2015 • VOLUME 6 • ISSUE 11 2520 N. DIXIE HIGHWAY • WILTON MANORS, FL 33305 PHONE: 954-530-4970 FAX: 954-530-7943

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South Florida Gay News is published weekly. The opinions expressed in columns, stories, and letters to the editor do not represent the opinions of SFGN, or the Publisher. You should not presume the sexual orientation of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations. Furthermore the word “gay” in SFGN should be interpreted to be inclusive of the entire LGBT community. All of the material/columns that appears in print and online, including articles used in conjunction with the AP, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher, at his law ofﬁce, at Norm@NormKent.com. SFGN, as a private corporation, reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs. Copyright © 2014 South Florida Gay News.com, Inc.

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Queens at War

British, Italian Pop Icons Trade Barbs Over Parenting

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John McDonald Italian fashion designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have outraged gays with their comments regarding family structure. In an interview with the Italian magazine Panorama, the partners stated their opposition to same-sex parenting. They are quoted as saying: “We oppose gay adoptions. The only family is the traditional one. No chemical offspring and rented uterus: life has a natural flow. There are things that should not be changed.” Dolce and Gabbana are gay men who were in a relationship but have since separated but still jointly own and operate their fashion line. Their comments produced much outrage over the weekend and a swift response from gay couples with adopted children. British music icon, Sir Elton John, led the pushback against D&G. “How dare you refer to my beautiful children as synthetic,” John wrote on his Instagram account. John and husband David Furnish have two

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adopted boys via a surrogate mother. John called for an immediately boycott of the D&G label. “Shame on you for wagging your judgmental little fingers at IVF – a miracle that has allowed legions of loving people, both straight and gay, to fulfil their dream of having children. Your archaic thinking is out of step with the times, just like your fashions. I shall never wear Dolce and Gabbana ever again.” John concluded his outrage with the hashtag, #BoycottDolceGabbana Dolce states he is a practicing Roman Catholic. In defense of their partnership, Gabbana called John, a “fascist.” Gabbana is also urging his followers to boycott John’s music. MY

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News Briefs

San Francisco Police Investigate Racist and Homophobic Texts

(AP) Four San Francisco police officers are under investigation in connection with racially charged and homophobic text messages, police officials said. The officers were reassigned last month after federal authorities turned over messages sent to and from former Sgt. Ian Furminger, who was recently convicted of corruption charges, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Saturday. San Francisco Bay Area-radio station KQED first aired the texts, which feature slurs against blacks, Mexicans, Filipinos, and gays. They also feature officers and civilians using the phrase "White Power" repeatedly. Police Chief Greg Suhr told the Chronicle he will seek to fire those responsible for the messages. "It makes me sick to my stomach to even have these guys around," he said. The texts came into light in a court document filed Friday by federal prosecutors seeking to keep Furminger in custody as he

Jazz Jennings. Facebook.

to Air Series about Trans Teen Activist Jazz Jennings TLC

(AP) The TLC channel will air a documentary series about transgender teen activist Jazz Jennings and her family. The channel said Thursday that the 11-episode series will follow the lives of 14-year-old Jazz, who was born male, her parents, siblings and grandparents. TLC general manager Nancy Daniels described Jazz as having a "big, brave heart." Transgender themes and characters have become prominent on TV, most notably with the Golden Globe-winning comedy "Transparent" and "Orange Is the New Black" star Laverne Cox, the first openly transgender actor to earn an Emmy nomination. The TLC series, tentatively titled "All That Jazz," is scheduled for a summer debut. Jennings, the name used in the series, is not the family's real surname, a TLC spokesman said. Their south Florida hometown also is kept private.

o Trial Date Yet For Alleged Gay Bashers

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(AP)A trial date has yet to be set for the three people accused of attacking a gay couple in Center City this past fall. At a pre-trial hearing Thursday, Common Pleas Judge Frank Palumbo scheduled Kathryn Knott, Kevin Harrigan and Philip Williams to return for another pre-trial bring back 9 a.m. April 16. Such proceedings are held throughout the discovery phase, as defense attorneys and prosecutors review the evidence they

appeals his conviction and 40-month sentence. Prosecutors said the texts are proof that Furminger, 48, is a "virulent" racist and homophobe. Furminger's attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The officers under investigation have all been on the force for more than a decade. While police have not identified the officers, an attorney for officer Rain Daugherty said her client is "ashamed and mortified by all his banter." An attorney for two other officers - Michael Robison and Michael Celis - said the text messages were intended to be private. "No one is suggesting that bigotry and racism in texts are acceptable," Tony Brass said in an e-mail to the Chronicle. "However, these were texts from one private phone to another, intended for an audience of one person. Not many of us would want all of our texts published and to have our entire career judged by our worst comments."

have collected. The trio faces aggravated and simple assault, conspiracy and reckless endangerment charges in connection with the Sept. 11 attack on Zachary Hesse and Andrew Haught. The couple was walking at 16th and Chancellor when they encountered Knott, Harrigan, WIlliams and a group of their friends. The trio allegedly used antigay language and assaulted both men, leaving Haught with multiple broken bones. Pennsylvania has no LGBT-inclusive hate-crimes law. Philadelphia adopted such a measure shortly after the incident, but the trio cannot be charged under it, since it became law after the incident. The April 16 hearing, in Room 905 of the Criminal Justice Center, 1301 Filbert St., is open to the public. Once the discovery phase has ended, the case will be assigned to a trial room, where a trial date will be set.

Kathryn Knott, Kevin Harrigan, and Philip Williams.

ay Groups March at Last in Boston and D.C. St. Patrick's Day Parades

(AP) - Boston's St. Patrick's Day parade made history Sunday as two gay and lesbian groups marched after decades of opposition that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The gay military veterans service group OutVets and gay rights group Boston Pride joined the annual celebration of military veterans and Irish heritage at the invitation of the sponsoring South Boston Allied War Veterans Council. "We march today for the memories of those thousands and

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thousands of people who went before us, some who went to their graves in the closet," OutVets founder and leader and Air Force veteran Bryan Bishop told his group before the parade. He called it "the beginning of the mission of this organization to honor the service and sacrifice of every single LGBT veteran, their family, their allies and every veteran in this country who fought so selflessly to defend the rights that we hold dear." The Allied War Council's current leaders voted 5-4 in December to welcome OutVets as one of about 100 groups in this year's parade. Boston Pride said it also received an acceptance letter this week. "We honor immigrants and veterans, and they served," council leader Brian Mahoney said this week. Boston's mayors had boycotted the event since 1995, when the council took its fight to exclude gay groups to the U.S. Supreme Court and won on First Amendment grounds. This year Mayor Marty Walsh, Gov. Charlie Baker and other Massachusetts political leaders took part. First-term U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, who served four tours in Iraq as a Marine, marched with OutVets. "I believe gay rights is the civil rights fight of our generation and this is a small, but important, step in the steady march toward freedom and justice," he said. At a St. Patrick's Day breakfast earlier Sunday, Walsh thanked the sponsors for making sure the parade, was "fully inclusive today." He and Baker said in parade-side interviews with New England Cable News they were glad to see the issue put to rest. "Gay people marched in the parade for years, just under different banners," Walsh said.

If you’re on HIV meds, Fulyzaq may help you...

Is diarrhea holding you back? If you are on HIV medications, Fulyzaq is a plant-based, FDA-approved prescription medication that may help manage your diarrhea.

Fulyzaq may help manage your diarrhea over time by making your bowel movements less frequent and loose. Fulyzaq works by normalizing the flow of water in your gut. Fulyzaq did not interfere with commonly used HIV medications, and did not affect CD4 count or viral load in a 4-week study.

It’s time to stop dealing with diarrhea and ‘Start the Conversation’ about Fulyzaq today. Indication FULYZAQ® (crofelemer) is an antidiarrheal indicated for the symptomatic relief of noninfectious diarrhea in adult patients with HIV/AIDS on antiretroviral therapy. Important Safety Information about FULYZAQ FULYZAQ® (crofelemer) delayed-release tablets should not be used for the treatment of infectious diarrhea. It is important that your healthcare provider considers infectious causes of diarrhea before you start taking FULYZAQ. If infectious causes are not considered, and you begin taking FULYZAQ based on a probable diagnosis of noninfectious diarrhea, there is a risk that you will not receive the appropriate treatments, and your disease may worsen. • FULYZAQ tablets should be swallowed whole. FULYZAQ tablets should not be crushed or chewed. You may take FULYZAQ with or without food. You should follow the instructions of your healthcare provider. • If you are pregnant, or planning to become pregnant, talk to your healthcare provider before taking FULYZAQ. The safety and effectiveness of FULYZAQ have not been established in people younger than 18 years of age. • In clinical studies, the most common adverse reactions associated with FULYZAQ – occurring in at least 3% of patients taking FULYZAQ – were upper respiratory tract infection, bronchitis (inflammation of the lining of the tubes which carry air to and from your lungs), cough, flatulence (intestinal gas passed through your rectum), and increased bilirubin (a waste product of the breakdown of red blood cells). • You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch/ or call 1-800-FDA-1088. Please see following page for brief summary of Prescribing Information for FULYZAQ. Snap a picture of our logo and show your doctor to ‘Start the Conversation’

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IMPORTANT PATIENT INFORMATION

Under 18 or Over 65 Years of Age?

The following is a brief summary only. See complete Prescribing Information at Fulyzaq.com or request complete Prescribing Information by calling 1-800-508-0024. This information does not take the place of talking with your doctor about your medical condition or your treatment.

• FULYZAQ has not been studied in children under 18 years of age

WHAT IS FULYZAQ?

Talk to your doctor to find out if FULYZAQ is right for you.

FULYZAQ is a prescription medication used to improve symptoms of noninfectious diarrhea (diarrhea not caused by a bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection) in adult patients with HIV/AIDS who take HIV medication.

• FULYZAQ studies did not contain a large number of patients over the age of 65; therefore, it is unclear if this age group will respond differently

HOW SHOULD I TAKE FULYZAQ? • FULYZAQ should be taken orally, by mouth 2 times per day • FULYZAQ tablets may be taken with or without food

WHO SHOULD NOT TAKE FULYZAQ?

• FULYZAQ tablets should not be crushed or chewed

• FULYZAQ should not be taken if you have diarrhea caused by an infection

• FULYZAQ tablets should be swallowed whole

• Your doctor and you should make sure your diarrhea is not caused by an infection (such as bacteria, virus, or parasite) before you start taking FULYZAQ

WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF FULYZAQ? • Upper respiratory tract infection (nasal or sinus infection) • Bronchitis (inflammation of the lining of the tubes which carry air to and from your lungs) • Cough • Flatulence (intestinal gas passed through your rectum) • Increased bilirubin (a waste product of the breakdown of red blood cells) For a full list of side effects, please talk to your doctor. Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or does not go away. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

SHOULD I TAKE FULYZAQ IF I AM: Pregnant or Planning to Become Pregnant? • Studies in animals show that FULYZAQ could cause harm to an unborn baby or affect the ability to become pregnant • There are no studies in pregnant women taking FULYZAQ

WHAT SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT TAKING FULYZAQ WITH OTHER MEDICATIONS? • If you are taking any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medications, or herbal supplements or vitamins, tell your doctor before starting FULYZAQ

WHAT IF I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT FULYZAQ? • For more information, please see the full Prescribing Information at Fulyzaq.com or speak to your doctor or pharmacist To report side effects, a product complaint, or for additional information, call: 1-800-508-0024. Rx Only Manufactured by Patheon, Inc. for Salix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 8510 Colonnade Center Drive, Raleigh, NC 27615 www.salix.com Copyright © Salix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. US Patent Nos. 7,341,744 and 7,323,195. FUL-RALAB49-062014 Fulyzaq is manufactured for Salix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. by Patheon, Inc. and distributed under license from Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ©2014 Salix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in USA. FUL50-0614

• This drug should only be used during pregnancy if clearly needed

A Nursing Mother? • It is not known whether FULYZAQ is passed through human breast milk • If you are nursing, you should tell your doctor before starting FULYZAQ

The botanical drug substance of FULYZAQ is extracted from Croton lechleri (the botanical raw material) that is harvested from the wild in South America.

• Your doctor will help you to make a decision whether to stop nursing or to stop taking FULYZAQ

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3/13/15 1:19 PM

news briefs

Continued

GBT Activist Woolard: ‘I’m Going to Run Hard’ For Atlanta Mayor

ew Top GOP Ofﬁcials Back Same-Sex Marriage at High Court

(AP) The partisan divide over same-sex marriage among top elected officials remains stark, with Democrats overwhelmingly on record in favor and Republicans mostly silent so far. The list of Republicans who are supporting same-sex marriage, in a case set for arguments March 28 at the Supreme Court, is much longer than it was two years ago, but it remains conspicuously short of sitting members of Congress and governors. President Barack Obama is the top Democrat calling on the Supreme Court to extend samesex marriage nationwide. He is joined by 211 Democrats and independents in Congress and 19 Democratic state attorneys general. On the Republican side are just seven sitting members of Congress and one governor, Charlie Baker of Massachusetts. Massachusetts was the first state in which same-sex couples could marry, starting in 2004, as a result of a state Supreme Court ruling. Baker put his support in personal terms. "My view on this is pretty simple. I have a brother who's gay. He lives in Massachusetts. He's married," Baker said when the Republicans' brief

was filed in early March. "There simply wasn't a moral justification" for denying same-sex couples the right to marry, Baker said. Justice Sonia Sotomayor says the Supreme Court has too many law professors, too many Ivy Leaguers, too many East Coasters and a lack of diverse life experience. "It's a real problem," Sotomayor said last week at North Carolina's Davidson College. Sotomayor said that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is her only colleague with civil rights experience, while Anthony Kennedy is the only member of the court who was in a small, varied legal practice before becoming a judge. Sotomayor is the only justice with a state law background. State criminal law cases are a big part of the Supreme Court's docket, and she said she is struck that her colleagues don't always know the difference between the federal and state systems. "Sometimes they imagine differences and sometimes they don't appreciate the real ones," she said. The college posted video of the event online.

Lesbian former Atlanta City Council president Cathy Woolard’s name has been in the mix of names to succeed Mayor Kasim Reed for quite a while, and now it’s official. Woolard, 57, became the first openly gay elected official in Georgia history when she began her first term on the Atlanta City Council in 1997. She then became the first woman to serve as president of the council in 2002. She also was the first openly gay person in Georgia to run for Congress in 2004, but lost to Cynthia McKinney. She’s stayed busy in political circles since then and is a frequent presence at the Capitol where you’ll find her lobbying for Georgia Equality and Planned Parenthood. She also served as interim executive director of AID Atlanta in 2012. She says there is no timetable on an official announcement to kick off the campaign. “We’ll pace things out and develop a campaign as the timing feels right to do that,” she says. “Certainly I’m happy for anybody who’s

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interested to know that I am going to run and I’m going to run hard.” The catalyst for her entry into the world of LGBT activism was the 1986 Supreme Court decision in Bowers v. Hardwick, which upheld Georgia’s sodomy laws. Mike Bowers, the former Georgia attorney general at the center of that case, wrote a legal analysis for Georgia Equality last month in opposition to the so-called “religious freedom” bill under consideration in the Georgia legislature. “I thought the Supreme Court would have made a better decision than that, and I had a bunch of friends who weren’t politically involved and I kind of bitched about it quite a bit, until one of them finally said, ‘Well why don’t you just do something about it?’ And, it was kind of like one of those buckets of water and I was like, ‘Yeah, maybe I should.’ I got involved and that kind of fed the beast, so I stayed involved,” she told GA Voice last year.

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News Briefs

Continued ACLU Cheers Removal of Unconstitutional Anti-Gay Adoption Ban from Florida Law Today, the Florida House of Representatives passed a bill, HB 7013, which included a provision removing from state law the ban on adoptions by lesbians and gay men that has not been enforced since 2010, when a Florida appeals court declared it unconstitutional in a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). In September 2010, in a case brought by the ACLU on behalf of Martin Gill, a foster parent from Miami seeking to adopt two children the state placed in his care, Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal held that the 1977 Florida law banning adoption by gay people was unconstitutional because it had no relationship to the best interests of children. Former Attorney General Bill McCollum declined to appeal the ruling, ending decades of anti-gay discrimination that denied children the opportunity for permanent adoptive homes. An amendment to HB 7013, a larger bill regarding incentives to adopt children in state care, would remove the unconstitutional language from state law. Today, the Florida

ccused Killer of Trans Woman Seeks Suppression of Police Statement

Charles N. Sargent, who allegedly stabbed to death trans woman Diamond Williams, seeks the suppression of a statement he gave to Philadelphia police. Sargent was arrested in July 2013 and allegedly confessed to killing Williams. Shortly after Sargent’s arrest, he allegedly told police that he stabbed Williams in self-defense after she demanded a pre-arranged payment of $40 for performing oral sex on him. Sargent allegedly told police he declined to pay the money because Williams had a penis. He also allegedly confessed to dismembering Williams’ body, then depositing her body parts in a vacant lot near his Strawberry Mansion residence. Last month, defense attorney J. Michael Farrell filed a motion on Sargent’s behalf, seeking the suppression of Sargent’s statement. According to the motion, Sargent was questioned by police under duress. “The defendant’s statement was the product of physical or psychological coercion,” the motion states.

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House of Representatives passed HB 7013 on a 68-50 vote. Responding to the vote, ACLU of Florida Executive Director Howard Simon stated: “For more than a decade, through multiple lawsuits, the ACLU fought to end Florida’s discriminatory ban on adoptions by lesbians and gay men. The court decision finally striking down the ban in our case on behalf of Martin Gill, a foster parent who sought to provide the permanence and security of a forever home to two young children the state placed in his care, was a historic win for both equality and for children – but it was not the end of the fight. “Although the law is no longer enforceable, the fact that it remained on the books sent a harmful and stigmatizing message to lesbian and gay parents and their children. Today’s historic vote removes the stain that has marked our state for nearly forty years.” More information about the case which struck down the adoption ban is available here: www.aclu.org/gill.

The motion contends that Sargent didn’t speak to police of his own volition. “Any statements made were involuntary [and] are the result of a weak, psychiatrically ill and deficient mentality, peculiarly susceptible to the suggestions, threats, wheedling, cajolery and coercion present in the instant case,” the motion states. The motion also states that police failed to explain to Sargent the specific charges he was being questioned about. Sargent wasn’t warned that “he could not be released from custody no matter what he said, since criminal proceedings had been initiated against him,” the motion adds. The motion also seeks the suppression of all physical evidence collected against Sargent. Additionally, the motion requests the preservation of all investigative notes; the names and addresses of all prosecution witnesses; details about any favorable treatment offered to prosecution witnesses; the prior criminal record of Williams; and all written or recorded statements by Sargent’s alleged accomplices, even if they haven’t been charged. Sargent, 45, remains incarcerated at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility in Northeast Philadelphia. He’s charged with murder, abuse of corpse, possessing an instrument of crime and terroristic threats. The District Attorney’s Office isn’t seeking the death penalty. A pre-trial conference is set for 10 a.m. March 17.

told host Bill Nigut. “I’ve been having that discussion with people on both sides of the issue,” Ralston added. “I believe the constitution is the paramount legal document of this state and this country. And if we need to codify those guarantees in terms of our freedom of worship, do we also need to do so for freedom of the press, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and all these other rights we have?” Ralston said. Ralston, of Blue Ridge in North Georgia, also said he does not feel his religious freedom is being threatened. Ralston said he doesn’t believe there is malice behind the bill and he is taking the word of the bill’s supporters that there is no intent to discriminate against LGBT people. The last day of the 2015 legislative session is right now expected to be April 2. Deal, a Republican, has said in the past he supports such bills and is considered a key ally for the bill. A rally to oppose SB 129 is set for March 17 at Liberty Plaza at the state Capitol. There have already been two rallies sponsored by Southern Baptists in support of the bill at the Capitol.

A House Speaker: Not Completely Sold On ‘Religious Freedom’ Bill

Senate Bill 129, the “religious freedom” bill sponsored by Sen. Josh McKoon (R-Columbus), sailed through the Senate last week and now is headed to the House, where, if passed, it will go to Gov. Nathan Deal’s desk for his signature. But will it find a roadblock in the House by the name of Rep. David Ralston? Ralston, a former state Senator and now Speaker of the House, was interviewed on Wednesday on Georgia Public Broadcasting’s legislative show, “Lawmakers.” He said he is not yet convinced the bill is needed. “My question is, and the questions I’ve asked, is if a constitutional guarantee is not sufficient than what is this bill, this statute, going to do that our constitution doesn’t do?” he

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Sen. Josh McKoon

news briefs

Continued

oes Plan Rally before Hearing on Indiana's Religious Freedom Bill

(AP) Opponents of a proposed state law that critics say could allow discrimination against gays and transgender people are planning an Indiana Statehouse rally ahead of a legislative hearing on the bill. An Indiana House committee is scheduled Monday morning to consider the proposal that supporters say is aimed at protecting religious freedom and preventing the government from compelling people to provide services for activities such as

same-sex weddings that they consider objectionable. The rally against the bill is being organized by Freedom Indiana, which led last year's campaign against adding a gay marriage ban to the state constitution before federal courts legalized such marriages in the state. The Republican-backed bill cleared the Indiana Senate last month and is among similar measures introduced in at least a dozen states.

labama Judge Grants Divorce to Same-Sex Couple

(AP) A judge in Alabama granted a divorce to a same-sex couple a year after denying the same request. Local media report Madison County Circuit Judge Karen Hall on Thursday certified the divorce of Shrie Michelle Richmond and Kirsten Allysse Richmond. The pair married in Iowa in 2012 and filed for a divorce last March. Hall had ruled at the time that she didn't have the power to grant the divorce because Alabama's laws didn't

recognize same-sex marriage. Court records show the couple again filed for divorce Feb. 9, the day a federal judge's ruling striking down the state's ban on gay marriage took effect. The Alabama Supreme Court last week halted same-sex marriages again. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on the legality of same-sex marriages in June.

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news bites

by John McDonald

international

Appoints IGLTA Board Directors

Four

New

The International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association appointed new members to its board of directors who will serve the global organization for the first time in their careers. The appointments are as follows: Jody Cole, founder/owner of the tour company Wild Rainbow African Safaris; Norma Dean, director of national specialty sales at Delta Airlines; Richard Gray, managing director of the LGBT market for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau and Jon Munoz, senior director for diversity and inclusion at Hilton Worldwide. The firsttime appointees join other board members at IGLTA’s 32nd Annual Global Convention, April 8-11 in Los Angeles.

national

oint Foundation Recognizes “Looking” Star

Jonathan Groff, star of HBO’s new series “Looking,” will be honored by the Point Foundation at the educational organization’s annual gala next month in New York. Groff, 29, plays Patrick Murray a gay man living in San Francisco with an eclectic group of friends in “Looking.” Groff will receive the Point Horizon Award at the April 13 gala to be held inside the New York Public Library. The Point Foundation provides scholarships to LGBTQ students, investing 18 million since 2001. Next month's annual gala will also honor actor Jeffrey Tambor from the Amazon series “Transparent.” Tambor is slated to receive the Point Courage Award.

Jonathan Groff. Photo: Greg Hernandez.

state

Schultz Says No Wasserman To Senate Campaign

U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (DFL) announced on CNN Tuesday that she would not being running for U.S. Senate in 2016. Wasserman Schultz, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, made the remarks to CNN anchorman Wolf Blitzer. Wasserman Schultz has been mentioned as a possible Senate candidate along with fellow Democratic colleagues Alan Grayson and Patrick Murphy. Wasserman Schultz is scheduled to speak to members of the Dolphin Democrats, Florida’s oldest LGBT political organization, April 8 at 7 p.m. at the Pride Center in Wilton Manors.

local

Cabin Republicans Support LogRemoving Adoption Barriers

In a joint statement, the heads of Log Cabin Republicans chapters in Miami, Broward, Tampa and Northeast Florida applauded the recent decision by the Florida House of Representatives to remove a legal barrier in adoptions by same-sex couples. Swift action taken by the super majority Republican House on HB 7031 officially takes the gay adoption ban off the books for good, the statement read. “These actions by our fellow Republicans are to be commended as they have kept to their conservative principles of individual liberties and personal freedom and ensures equality for all parents throughout Florida,” Mimi Planas, spokeswoman for LCR Miami, said.

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SouthFloridaGayNews

Debbie Wasserman Schultz

news election 2016 White House Watch:

Hillary Clinton

John McDonald

We feature our first member of the Democratic Party in this week’s edition of SFGN’s White House Watch. Hillary Rodham Clinton has lived in the White House before as First Lady to her husband, Bill Clinton during his two terms from 1993-2001. Hillary Clinton, 67, is considered by a vast majority of polls to be the front-runner of the 2016 Election. This would be her second attempt at the Oval Office as she finished second behind U.S. President Barack Obama in the 2008 Democratic Party primaries. Following a long period of silence, Hillary Clinton spoke publicly last week about her email communication while serving as Secretary of the State Department. In remarks made at the United Nations in New York, Secretary Clinton rebuffed accusations of secrecy and seized the opportunity to speak about women’s rights. “There has never been a better time to be born a female,” Clinton said. “I’m glad to see gender equality front and center at the U.N.” She paused, adding “twenty years ago it was a lonelier struggle.”

A former U.S. Senator representing New York, Clinton, like most public figures, has evolved on gay rights issues. Last year she denounced Russia’s treatment of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people at a festival in Aspen, Colorado and later issued a video explaining “gay rights are human rights and human rights are gay rights.” “I believe America is at its best when we champion the freedom and dignity of every human being,” Clinton said in the video.

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COMPLERA is a prescription medicine for adults who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before and who have no more than 100,000 copies/mL of virus in their blood. COMPLERA can also replace current HIV-1 medicines for some adults who have an undetectable viral load (less than 50 copies/mL) and whose healthcare provider determines that they meet certain other requirements. COMPLERA combines 3 medicines into 1 pill to be taken once a day with food. COMPLERA should not be used with other HIV-1 medicines.

Just the

one

for me

COMPLERA is a complete HIV-1 treatment in only 1 pill a day. Ask your healthcare provider if COMPLERA may be the one for you.

Pill shown is not actual size.

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COMPLERA does not cure HIV-1 infection or AIDS.

It is not known if COMPLERA is safe and effective in children under 18 years old.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION What is the most important information I should know about COMPLERA?

COMPLERA can cause serious side effects: • Build-up of an acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious medical emergency. Symptoms of lactic acidosis include feeling very weak or tired, unusual (not normal) muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain with nausea or vomiting, feeling cold especially in your arms and legs, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, and/or a fast or irregular heartbeat. • Serious liver problems. The liver may become large (hepatomegaly) and fatty (steatosis). Symptoms of liver problems include your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice), dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored bowel movements (stools), loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, and/or stomach pain. • You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or serious liver problems if you are female, very overweight (obese), or have been taking COMPLERA for a long time. In some cases, these serious conditions have led to death. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any symptoms of these conditions. • Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. If you also have HBV and stop taking COMPLERA, your hepatitis may suddenly get worse. Do not stop taking COMPLERA without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to monitor your health. COMPLERA is not approved for the treatment of HBV.

Who should not take COMPLERA?

Do not take COMPLERA if you: • Take a medicine that contains: adefovir (Hepsera), lamivudine (Epivir-HBV), carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Equetro, Tegretol, Tegretol-XR, Teril, Epitol), oxcarbazepine (Trileptal), phenobarbital (Luminal), phenytoin (Dilantin, Dilantin-125, Phenytek), rifampin (Rifater, Rifamate, Rimactane, Rifadin), rifapentine (Priftin), dexlansoprazole (Dexilant), esomeprazole (Nexium, Vimovo), lansoprazole (Prevacid), omeprazole (Prilosec, Zegerid), pantoprazole sodium (Protonix), rabeprazole (Aciphex), more than 1 dose of the steroid medicine dexamethasone or dexamethasone sodium phosphate, or the herbal supplement St. John’s wort. • Take any other medicines to treat HIV-1 infection, unless recommended by your healthcare provider.

What are the other possible side effects of COMPLERA?

Changes in liver enzymes: People who have had hepatitis B or C, or who have had changes in their liver function tests in the past may have an increased risk for liver problems while taking COMPLERA. Some people without prior liver disease may also be at risk. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your liver enzymes before and during treatment with COMPLERA. • Bone problems, including bone pain or bones getting soft or thin, which may lead to fractures. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your bones. • Changes in body fat can happen in people taking HIV-1 medicines. • Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking COMPLERA. •

To control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIV-related illnesses you must keep taking COMPLERA. Ask your healthcare provider if you have questions about how to reduce the risk of passing HIV-1 to others. Always practice safer sex and use condoms to lower the chance of sexual contact with body fluids. Never reuse or share needles or other items that have body fluids on them.

Serious side effects of COMPLERA may also include: • New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood tests to check your kidneys before starting treatment with COMPLERA. If you have had kidney problems, or take other medicines that may cause kidney problems, your healthcare provider may also check your kidneys during treatment with COMPLERA. • Depression or mood changes. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms: feeling sad or hopeless, feeling anxious or restless, have thoughts of hurting yourself (suicide) or have tried to hurt yourself.

The most common side effects of COMPLERA include trouble sleeping (insomnia), abnormal dreams, headache, dizziness, diarrhea, nausea, rash, tiredness, and depression. Other common side effects include vomiting, stomach pain or discomfort, skin discoloration (small spots or freckles), and pain. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or do not go away.

What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking COMPLERA? All your health problems. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you have or had any kidney, mental health, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis virus infection. • All the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. COMPLERA may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how COMPLERA works. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. Do not start any new medicines while taking COMPLERA without first talking with your healthcare provider. • If you take rifabutin (Mycobutin). Talk to your healthcare provider about the right amount of rilpivirine (Edurant) you should take. • If you take antacids. Take antacids at least 2 hours before or at least 4 hours after you take COMPLERA. • If you take stomach acid blockers. Take acid blockers at least 12 hours before or at least 4 hours after you take COMPLERA. Ask your healthcare provider if your acid blocker is okay to take, as some acid blockers should never be taken with COMPLERA. • If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if COMPLERA can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking COMPLERA. • If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk. Also, some medicines in COMPLERA can pass into breast milk, and it is not known if this can harm the baby. •

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088. Please see Brief Summary of full Prescribing Information with important warnings on the following pages.

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Brief Summary of full Prescribing Information COMPLERA® (kom-PLEH-rah) (emtricitabine 200 mg, rilpivirine 25 mg, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg) tablets Brief summary of full Prescribing Information. For more information, please see the full Prescribing Information, including Patient Information. What is COMPLERA? • COMPLERA is a prescription medicine used as a complete HIV-1 treatment in one pill a day. COMPLERA is for adults who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before and who have no more than 100,000 copies/mL of virus in their blood (this is called ‘viral load’). Complera can also replace current HIV-1 medicines for some adults who have an undetectable viral load (less than 50 copies/mL) and whose healthcare provider determines that they meet certain other requirements. • COMPLERA is a complete regimen and should not be used with other HIV-1 medicines. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. When used properly, COMPLERA may reduce the amount of HIV-1 virus in your blood and increase the amount of CD4 T-cells, which may help improve your immune system. This may reduce your risk of death or getting infections that can happen when your immune system is weak. • COMPLERA does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. You must stay on continuous HIV-1 therapy to control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIV-related illnesses. • Ask your healthcare provider about how to prevent passing HIV-1 to others. Do not share or reuse needles, injection equipment, or personal items that can have blood or body fluids on them. Do not have sex without protection. Always practice safer sex by using a latex or polyurethane condom to lower the chance of sexual contact with semen, vaginal secretions, or blood. What is the most important information I should know about COMPLERA? COMPLERA can cause serious side effects, including: • Build-up of an acid in your blood (lactic acidosis). Lactic acidosis can happen in some people who take COMPLERA or similar (nucleoside analogs) medicines. Lactic acidosis is a serious medical emergency that can lead to death. Lactic acidosis can be hard to identify early, because the symptoms could seem like symptoms of other health problems. Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms which could be signs of lactic acidosis: – feel very weak or tired – have unusual (not normal) muscle pain – have trouble breathing – having stomach pain with nausea or vomiting – feel cold, especially in your arms and legs – feel dizzy or lightheaded – have a fast or irregular heartbeat • Severe liver problems. Severe liver problems can happen in people who take COMPLERA. In some cases, these liver problems can lead to death. Your liver may become large (hepatomegaly) and you may develop fat in your liver (steatosis). Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms of liver problems: – your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice) – dark “tea-colored” urine – light-colored bowel movements (stools) – loss of appetite for several days or longer – nausea – stomach pain • You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or severe liver problems if you are female, very overweight (obese), or have been taking COMPLERA for a long time.

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• Worsening of Hepatitis B infection. If you have hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and take COMPLERA, your HBV may get worse (flare-up) if you stop taking COMPLERA. A “flare-up” is when your HBV infection suddenly returns in a worse way than before. COMPLERA is not approved for the treatment of HBV, so you must discuss your HBV with your healthcare provider. – Do not run out of COMPLERA. Refill your prescription or talk to your healthcare provider before your COMPLERA is all gone. – Do not stop taking COMPLERA without first talking to your healthcare provider. – If you stop taking COMPLERA, your healthcare provider will need to check your health often and do blood tests regularly to check your HBV infection. Tell your healthcare provider about any new or unusual symptoms you may have after you stop taking COMPLERA. Who should not take COMPLERA? Do not take COMPLERA if you also take any of the following medicines: • Medicines used for seizures: carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Equetro, Tegretol, Tegretol-XR, Teril, Epitol); oxcarbazepine (Trileptal); phenobarbital (Luminal); phenytoin (Dilantin, Dilantin-125, Phenytek) • Medicines used for tuberculosis: rifampin (Rifater, Rifamate, Rimactane, Rifadin); rifapentine (Priftin) • Certain medicines used to block stomach acid called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs): dexlansoprazole (Dexilant); esomeprazole (Nexium, Vimovo); lansoprazole (Prevacid); omeprazole (Prilosec, Zegerid); pantoprazole sodium (Protonix); rabeprazole (Aciphex) • Certain steroid medicines: More than 1 dose of dexamethasone or dexamethasone sodium phosphate • Certain herbal supplements: St. John’s wort • Certain hepatitis medicines: adefovir (Hepsera), lamivudine (Epivir-HBV) Do not take COMPLERA if you also take any other HIV-1 medicines, including: • Other medicines that contain tenofovir (ATRIPLA, STRIBILD, TRUVADA, VIREAD) • Other medicines that contain emtricitabine or lamivudine (ATRIPLA, Combivir, EMTRIVA, Epivir, Epzicom, STRIBILD, Trizivir, TRUVADA) • rilpivirine (Edurant), unless you are taking rifabutin (Mycobutin) COMPLERA is not for use in people who are less than 18 years old. What are the possible side effects of COMPLERA? COMPLERA may cause the following serious side effects: • See “What is the most important information I should know about COMPLERA?” • New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before you start and while you are taking COMPLERA. If you have had kidney problems in the past or need to take another medicine that can cause kidney problems, your healthcare provider may need to do blood tests to check your kidneys during your treatment with COMPLERA. • Depression or mood changes. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms: – feeling sad or hopeless – feeling anxious or restless – have thoughts of hurting yourself (suicide) or have tried to hurt yourself • Change in liver enzymes. People with a history of hepatitis B or C virus infection or who have certain liver enzyme changes may have an increased risk of developing new or worsening liver problems during treatment with COMPLERA. Liver problems can also happen during treatment with COMPLERA in people without a history of liver disease. Your healthcare provider may need to do tests to check your liver enzymes before and during treatment with COMPLERA.

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PALIO Date: 12.03.14 • Client: Gilead • Product: Complera • File Name: 24057_pgitvd_Master_D_South_Florida_Gay_News_fi.indd

• Bone problems can happen in some people who take COMPLERA. Bone problems include bone pain, softening or thinning (which may lead to fractures). Your healthcare provider may need to do tests to check your bones. • Changes in body fat can happen in people taking HIV-1 medicine. These changes may include increased amount of fat in the upper back and neck (“buffalo hump”), breast, and around the main part of your body (trunk). Loss of fat from the legs, arms and face may also happen. The cause and long term health effect of these conditions are not known. • Changes in your immune system (Immune Reconstitution Syndrome) can happen when you start taking HIV-1 medicines. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that have been hidden in your body for a long time. Tell your healthcare provider if you start having any new symptoms after starting your HIV-1 medicine. The most common side effects of COMPLERA include: • Trouble sleeping (insomnia), abnormal dreams, headache, dizziness, diarrhea, nausea, rash, tiredness, depression Additional common side effects include: • Vomiting, stomach pain or discomfort, skin discoloration (small spots or freckles), pain Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. • These are not all the possible side effects of COMPLERA. For more information, ask your healthcare provider. • Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking COMPLERA? Tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including: • If you have or had any kidney, mental health, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis B or C infection. • If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if COMPLERA can harm your unborn child. – There is a pregnancy registry for women who take antiviral medicines during pregnancy. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the health of you and your baby. Talk to your healthcare provider about how you can take part in this registry. • If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you take COMPLERA. – You should not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby. – Two of the medicines in COMPLERA can pass to your baby in your breast milk. It is not known if this could harm your baby. – Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements: • COMPLERA may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how COMPLERA works. • If you take certain medicines with COMPLERA, the amount of COMPLERA in your body may be too low and it may not work to help control your HIV-1 infection. The HIV-1 virus in your body may become resistant to COMPLERA or other HIV-1 medicines that are like it. • Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you take any of the following medicines: – Rifabutin (Mycobutin), a medicine to treat some bacterial infections. Talk to

your healthcare provider about the right amount of rilpivirine (Edurant) you should take. – Antacid medicines that contain aluminum, magnesium hydroxide, or calcium carbonate. Take antacids at least 2 hours before or at least 4 hours after you take COMPLERA. – Certain medicines to block the acid in your stomach, including cimetidine (Tagamet), famotidine (Pepcid), nizatidine (Axid), or ranitidine hydrochloride (Zantac). Take the acid blocker at least 12 hours before or at least 4 hours after you take COMPLERA. Some acid blocking medicines should never be taken with COMPLERA (see “Who should not take COMPLERA?” for a list of these medicines). – Medicines that can affect how your kidneys work, including acyclovir (Zovirax), cidofovir (Vistide), ganciclovir (Cytovene IV, Vitrasert), valacyclovir (Valtrex), and valganciclovir (Valcyte). – clarithromycin (Biaxin) – erythromycin (E-Mycin, Eryc, Ery-Tab, PCE, Pediazole, Ilosone) – fluconazole (Diflucan) – itraconazole (Sporanox) – ketoconazole (Nizoral) – methadone (Dolophine) – posaconazole (Noxafil) – telithromycin (Ketek) – voriconazole (Vfend) Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. Do not start any new medicines while you are taking COMPLERA without first talking with your healthcare provider. How should I take COMPLERA? • Stay under the care of your healthcare provider during treatment with COMPLERA. • Take COMPLERA exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it. • Always take COMPLERA with food. Taking COMPLERA with food is important to help get the right amount of medicine in your body. A protein drink is not a substitute for food. If your healthcare provider decides to stop COMPLERA and you are switched to new medicines to treat HIV-1 that includes rilpivirine tablets, the rilpivirine tablets should be taken only with a meal. Keep COMPLERA and all medicines out of reach of children. This Brief Summary summarizes the most important information about COMPLERA. If you would like more information, talk with your healthcare provider. You can also ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for information about COMPLERA that is written for health professionals, or call 1-800-445-3235 or go to www.COMPLERA.com. Issued: September 2014

COMPLERA, the COMPLERA Logo, EMTRIVA, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, GSI, HEPSERA, STRIBILD, TRUVADA, VIREAD, and VISTIDE are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. ATRIPLA is a trademark of Bristol-Myers Squibb & Gilead Sciences, LLC. All other marks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners. ©2014 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. CPAC0131 10/14

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PALIO Date: 12.03.14 • Client: Gilead • Product: Complera • File Name: 24057_pgitvd_Master_D_South_Florida_Gay_News_fi.indd

special section sunshine week

Public’s Right to Know Thwarted by Outrageous Fees BSO wants to charge SFGN $399,000 for one public records request

Associated Press The public’s right to see government records is coming at an ever-increasing price, as authorities set fees and hourly charges that often prevent information from flowing. Though some states have taken steps to limit the fees, many have not: —In Kansas, Gov. Sam Brownback’s office told The Wichita Eagle that it would have to pay $1,235 to obtain records of email and phone conversations between his office and a former chief of staff who is now a prominent statehouse lobbyist. —Mississippi law allows the state to charge hourly for research, redaction and labor, including $15 an hour simply to have a state employee watch a reporter or private citizen review documents. —The Associated Press dropped a records request after Oregon State Police demanded $4,000 for 25 hours of staff time to prepare, review and redact materials related to the investigation of the director of a boxing and martial arts regulatory commission. Whether roadblocks are created by authorities to discourage those seeking information, or simply a byproduct of bureaucracy and tighter budgets, greater costs to fulfill freedom of information requests ultimately can interfere with the public’s right to know. Such costs are a growing threat to expanding openness at all levels of government, a cornerstone of Sunshine Week. The weeklong open government initiative is celebrating its 10th anniversary beginning March 15. “It’s incredibly easy for an agency that doesn’t want certain records to be exposed to impose fees in the hopes that the requester is dissuaded,” said Adam Marshall, a fellow with the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, which sponsors Sunshine Week with the American Society of News Editors. “If the people don’t know what’s going on, either because they don’t have direct access to information or because the media isn’t able to provide them with access to information about what their government is doing, it’s impossible for the people to exercise any sense of informed self-governance.” Fees can be charged for searching for records, making copies, paying a lawyer to redact certain parts of the information or hiring technical experts to analyze the data. In most cases, the fees imposed are at the agency’s discretion; those agencies sometimes waive the costs or requesters can appeal them to an administrative board. But in other cases,

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Marshall said news organizations and private citizens are faced with the “ridiculous choice” of weighing the costs and benefits of being a responsible public steward. In Florida, the Broward Sheriff’s Office told Jason Parsley, executive editor of the South Florida Gay News, last year that it would cost $399,000 and take four years to provide every email for a one-year period that contained certain derogatory words for gays. The reason, according to officials: The email system could not perform a keyword search of all accounts at once. Parsley says he has talked to computer experts who disagree and say a modern email system could handle the request easily, but he doesn’t have the money or the time to take the matter to court. “It would be their word against ours,” he said. “Even if we could pay that amount, it would be four years. What good would that do me at that point, anyway?” If the goal was to keep him from learning that deputies used such terms, authorities won, Parsley said. Broward County Sheriff’s Lt. Eric Caldwell said the department was not trying to be evasive. He said each employee’s email is stored on a tape and kept at a remote archive facility. It has to be retrieved physically and then converted into a Microsoft Outlook file, which can then be searched. “If we have it, we have to provide it,” he said. “The reason this cost so much is that this person had a very vague request.” Virginia law allows reasonable charges not to exceed the actual cost of accessing, duplicating, supplying, or searching for the requested records. But to get electronic copies of Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s daily calendar for nearly 10 months, officials told the AP that it would need to pay about $500 upfront. That’s because McAuliffe’s counsel said staff would have had to search, review and possibly redact certain calendar entries. Meanwhile, in California, daily calendar entries for Gov. Jerry Brown are routinely provided at no cost to the AP. Another example: Iowa’s newly created Public Information Board ruled in December that the state Department of Corrections could charge the Marshall Project, a nonprofit that reports on the criminal justice system, $2,020 for access to its federally mandated reports on sexual violence against inmates. Iowa officials said it would take an employee 108 hours at $15 per hour to review, redact and copy 2,672 records, plus a 15-centssoflagaynews //

per-page charge for copies. Some larger states charge nothing or just a nominal fee for access to those reports. “I think there’s a genuine effort to be responsive, but there is a higher cost to fulfill these requests,” said Dan Bevarly, acting executive director of the National Freedom of Information Coalition, a nonprofit based at the University of Missouri-Columbia that works to protect the public’s right to open government. “There are other times where there’s a deliberate effort to circumvent the system.” Lawmakers in several states have proposed or passed laws seeking to address those fees. Michigan lawmakers recently approved a law mandating that agencies cannot charge more than 10 cents a page for documents. Further, people can file a lawsuit if they believe they are being overcharged and can try to get the amount reduced. If a court agrees, it must assess $1,000 in punitive damages. In February, Maryland lawmakers introduced a bill that would establish a compliance board to handle complaints and cap the fees agencies can charge for public documents. Yet other states are considering actions that could restrict access or deter those making requests. Following complaints from Tennessee’s school boards association, a proposal in the state Legislature would allow agencies to charge for anything more than one hour of time fulfilling records requests. Current law allows them to charge for copies, but not for the time they spend collecting and redacting documents. A legislative analysis of a similar proposal that failed in 2011 estimated that local governments would collect about $1.6 million in fees under the change. “If someone can’t afford the fees, they can’t see the records,” said Deborah Fisher, executive director of the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government. “There is nothing yet to safeguard against abuse by government officials who may want to block access by inflating fees.” An Indiana proposal would allow a searching fee for record requests that take longer than two hours to fulfill. After that time, an agency could charge up to $20 an hour and require payment up front. The search time would not include time spent redacting confidential information, but opponents said the fee will discourage more indepth records requests and give officials another tool to fight transparency. Most agencies in Washington state provide electronic records free by email, and state law caps charges for copies at 15 cents a page. But earlier this year, the Legislature considered a bill that would allow agencies to charge for digital

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public records, raising concerns among goodgovernment advocates. The bill passed one committee but failed to get a vote in another, meaning it is likely dead for the year. Agencies can be allowed to levy charges, says Toby Nixon, president of the Washington Coalition for Open Government, “but they should not be making a profit off of it.” Some government officials say they are unable to waive fees because their budgets are tight. Complicating matters further is a larger number of records being generated and the inability of agencies to maintain and process them, leading to more time and resources dedicated to researching requests. In most instances, the price to fulfill requests comes down to what’s being sought and the costs associated with responding to them, said Chuck Thompson, executive director of the International Municipal Lawyers Association, a nonprofit group representing local government attorneys across North America. “There’s probably a fairly low percentage of governments that are attempting to provide barriers to the release of information,” Thompson said. “It’s really important that the public have the ability to find out what their government’s doing, but they can’t bring their government to their knees.” Related: Florida Chips Away at “Right to Know.” Turn to page 18 for the story.

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special section sunshine week

Florida Chips Away at Your Right to Know Florida's famed law is suffering deaths by a thousand cuts

Rosemary O'Hara

Sun Sentinel Editorial Board

When it comes to government transparency, Florida is considered a national role model. But today our state's famous Sunshine Law — actually a series of laws that guarantee your access to government meetings and records — is under attack. With shocking impunity, government officials are blocking your right to know by charging exorbitant fees, creating excessive delays and passing an evergrowing list of exemptions for what you can find out. In 1985, for example, Florida had about 250 exemptions to the Sunshine Law. Today, there are more than 1,100. Last year, 12 percent of the bills passed by the Florida Legislature closed the door on access to public information, according to the First Amendment Foundation. This year, lawmakers are considering another 43 exemptions. Almost daily, you see the headlines about politicians trying to hide what they're doing in the course of public service. Just last week, on a national level, we saw former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton finally acknowledge she did public business on personal emails. And after five years of trying to obtain records from her tenure as secretary, the Associated Press is now having to sue the State Department for their release. And at a local level, we saw Coconut Creek Police Chief Michael Mann finally acknowledge that a man recently died in a Taser confrontation with his officers, a death he initially said was confidential because of the federal health care privacy law known as HIPPA.

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In recent months we've also seen: Gov. Rick Scott's staff dodge the Sunshine Law to orchestrate the ouster of Gerald Bailey, the former head of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which has led to a lawsuit by news organizations, including the Sun Sentinel. The Department of Corrections force employees to sign conﬁdentiality agreements promising not to tell anyone, including lawmakers, about the problems in the state's prisons. The Department of Children and Families stop posting online what caused the deaths of children under its supervision. Republican consultants successfully hide the "trade secret" emails they sent to inﬂuence state leaders drawing new maps for congressional districts, during a lawsuit that questioned whether voters got the "fair districts" demanded by a new state constitutional amendment.

and local agencies, something we do from time to time to let government know we're watching. Truth be told, a lot of agencies expect this springtime Sunshine Week audit, though we no longer do it every year. More than one reporter noted that agencies are generally not so responsive or cheap when routine requests are made. With some exception, the news was good. Most agencies responded promptly to requests for their chief executive's calendar, expenses and emails. But unlike his predecessors, Gov. Scott still refuses to disclose his travel or expense reports because he uses his own jet and credit card. Three days after a records request was made to his office, came a reply that's grown familiar to those who seek to review his work emails: "The search for records has been completed and no records responsive to your request were produced."

Such secrecy matters because in a democracy, the only way citizens can hold government accountable is if they know what's going on. And when they think no one is watching, people can do bad things, especially when they control other people's money. This week, you're going to hear a lot about "government in the sunshine" because over the past month, news organizations across Florida have participated in an audit of select state soflagaynews //

SouthFloridaGayNews

But as with Hillary Clinton, we now know that Scott has used his private email account to conduct public business, despite earlier denials. Only after last November's election did his lawyers finally turn over hundreds of pages of public emails from the governor's personal account. Unfortunately, it's become a common tactic for politicians to delay the release of documents until the timing works for them. Meanwhile, the costs of accessing public information continues to balloon because governments now can make you pay the reviewer's salary and benefits to redact the information they don't want you to see. Government is not required to bill you for information, mind you. But aside from a small number of public servants who are truly servant leaders, most do. Continued on next page. SFGN Executive Editor Jason Parsley

In Hollywood, we were told it would take three hours — at $33 per hour — to review a week's worth of the mayor's emails, no chump change. An earlier request to review three years worth of sexual assault cases was estimated to cost $756, though the fee was later waived when city ofﬁcials decided to compile the information for another purpose. Our request for emails from State Attorney Michael Satz's ofﬁce was promptly acknowledged, but we were told it would cost $22 per hour for clerical help and $61 per hour for an attorney, a sizable fee. Our request to Broward County Public Schools was acknowledged promptly, though the follow through was slow. Our reporter's experience is that it can take two months to get a cost estimate from the school district, and it's rarely cheap. To obtain a personnel list, we were told it would cost $87. To review the completed investigation of a high school principal, $153. And for the case numbers of lawsuits against the district, $281. Similarly, when we requested useof-force reports from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, our reporter was told it was "an extremely lengthy request" and while a cost estimate couldn't be provided, the work would be billed at $22 per hour.

It all adds up. And it's having a chilling effect on getting information. It's not just the media, either. Most of those who seek information from government are everyday citizens and business owners. You'll read more about some of their challenges later this week. But for eight months now, the Sun Sentinel has been trying to get information from a Florida Department of Highway Safety database on cargo heists. You would think that storing information electronically would make it easier to access — and easier

to redact the confidential parts. But though this database is constructed in a standard format, the state wants to charge us a costprohibitive fee of $8,328. Similarly, when our reporters asked to see a sex-offender database two years ago, we were initially asked to pay $172,032, though with persistence, we got the rate waived. And when we were looking into the remarkable racket run by the Sunrise Police Department — where undercover officers lured criminals to town with offers of discount cocaine, then used the forfeiture law to seize their cash, cars and belongings — we were told it would cost $13,000 to review the department's drug-evidence database. Increasingly, news organizations can't afford the fees. Consider what happened to Jason Parsley, executive editor of the South Florida Gay News, who last year asked the Broward Sheriff's Office for every email over five months that contained one of six derogatory terms for gays. The sheriff 's C office said searching staff emails for those keywords would cost $399,000 and take Mfour years. Lt. Eric Caldwell told the Associated Press Y that BSO was not trying to be evasive. He said each employee's email is stored CM on a tape and kept at a remote archive facility. To be searched, they would have to be retrieved MY and converted into an Outlook file. Parsley says he's been told it's easier CY than all that, but he doesn't have the money or time to take the matter to court. So CMYhis readers will never know if BSO staffers have used gay slurs in emails. K And so it goes. On Sunshine Sunday 2015, we are sad to report that high fees, long delays and a never-ending list of exemptions are limiting the ability of citizens and a free press to see what government is doing. And Florida's famed culture of "government in the sunshine" is suffering death by a thousand cuts.

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Elsewhere in the paper today, you'll read more about the Sunshine Week audit, but here's a deeper look at what we found at four local governments tested:

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Editor's note: Sun Sentinel Opinions Editor Rosemary O'Hara serves on the board of the First Amendment Foundation and coordinated this year's effort on behalf of the Florida Society of News Editors. soflagaynews //

www.IDOcustomevents.com (954) 626-0131 Sou thFloridaGayNews // SF GN.com // 3.18.2015 //

special section sunshine week

BSO Stonewalls SFGN Over Public Records Request

SFGN asked for emails containing the word ‘faggot’ Jason Parsley

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// 3.18.2015 // SFGN.com //

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When SFGN made a routine public records request last year to the Broward Sheriff’s Office they had no idea they’d be slapped with a $399,000 bill. Besides the outrageous price tag to fill the request it would also take 4 years to complete. The request: all emails in a 5-month period containing certain keywords such as the word “faggot.” That request has now traveled the world landing up in newspapers from the New York Times to the Daily Mail in the UK. Broward County Sheriff's Lt. Eric Caldwell told the Associated Press that his department was not trying to be evasive. Instead he claimed that each employee's email is stored on a tape and kept at a remote archive facility. In order to access those files they have to be retrieved physically and then converted into a Microsoft Outlook file, which can then be searched. “Using magnetic tapes to archive and store electronic data is a throw back to the 1970s,” said Russell Cummings, an IT expert based in Ohio. “There have been many advancements in archival systems since then. The most commonly used today are CDs, but even that is being superseded by the rise of cloud storage.” At the time SFGN made the request, a representative from the BSO told SFGN that it was impossible to do a keyword search across multiple email accounts. BSO General Counsel Ron Gunzburger made the same claim this week. “Unfortunately the answer you got was a true statement of the email system/ technology in place at BSO. That was what we inherited when we came into office in 2013,” Gunzburger said. “We are making system upgrades going forward, but it takes money to do this in a system with 5,700 plus users (licenses). Even internally, we simply cannot do system wide searches of emails.” But not everyone agrees with that. “That simply isn’t true,” said Joel Chandler, founder of the online magazine, Florida Open Government Watch. “This is an excuse that is frequently made by law enforcement agencies, sheriffs in particular, and it’s simply false. Their email clients are capable

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of performing keyword searches across multiple email accounts simultaneously.” Besides his online magazine Chandler has sued Florida municipalities more than 200 times for public records violations — wining 99.6 percent of them. According to Dani Moschella, BSO’s Public Information Officer, a disk-to-disk (D2D) system is being implemented this year. “D2D will greatly improve the process of storing and retrieving archived data, reducing both staff time and retrieval fees to the requesting parties,” she said. As for those fees Chandler has something to say about that as well. “In addition to the nonsensical excuse mentioned above, the Sheriff has claimed that the costs of producing the records will be substantially increased due to the fact that the Sheriff has made the decisions to store public records off-site,” Chandler said. “The Public Records Act requires records be stored where they are normally created, received and used. Certainly, if the Sheriff has impudently decided to violate the Public Records Act by doing otherwise it would be unconscionable to pass those costs on to the requestor.” Barbara Petersen, President of Florida’s First Amendment Foundation, also has a problem with the BSO’s responses to SFGN’s request. “The request for emails was relatively limited, both in terms of time and scope; the emails requested weren’t from years past, so it wasn’t a question of digging back into the archives from some old email correspondence,” she said. “In fact, it’s been the law in Florida for the past 20 years that government agencies must consider public access when designing or acquiring electronic record keeping systems.” Petersen said she was amazed to learn that the BSO isn’t capable of fulfilling a common public records request in a timely and costeffective manner. “The fee quoted — $399,000 – and the time it would take to produce the records — 4 years — is an effective barrier to the public’s constitutional right of access to government records,” she said.

news local

Trantalis Claims Big Win

John McDonald

Photos: J. R. Davis Fort Lauderdale voters returned Commissioner Dean J. Trantalis to office in District 2 with an overwhelming 80 percent of the vote. Trantalis, an attorney, thanked supporters during a victory celebration, March 10, at the Warsaw Coffee Company. “We’re building community here,” Trantalis said. “This is a victory for the future of Fort Lauderdale. We want all of our residents to be happy and enjoy a high quality of life. What we’re doing is building a consensus here and seeking out the best in our city.” With 23 of 23 precincts reporting, Trantalis received 1,143 votes, easily defeating challenger David Tabb who collected 274 votes. Mayor Jack Seiler was on hand at Tuesday night’s celebration party to congratulate Trantalis. Seiler said the Warsaw Coffee Company and other efforts along 13th Street are helping to revitalize a once depressed area of Fort Lauderdale. “We’re hoping coffee does for this part of the city what craft beer did for downtown,” Seiler said.

Trantalis, first elected to the Commission in 2003, is a native of Connecticut who has practiced law for more than 25 years in Fort Lauderdale. The 61-year-old Trantalis is openly gay and a bachelor. Trantalis’ big victory was in stark contrast to the 2013 election when he defeated Charlotte Rodstrom by a mere 18 votes in a hard fought and costly campaign. Tabb, an unknown in this election, had just $100 in his bank account and made no campaign public appearances. Elsewhere, in Davie, Brian Caletka won re-election to Davie’s Town Council. Caletka, an openly gay man, said he has worked diligently to bring Davie into compliance with the Human Rights Campaign’s standards. Meanwhile, allies to the LGBT community fared well in municipal elections as well. Josh Rydell was elected to the Coconut Creek Commission and West Palm Beach Mayor “Jeri” Muoio and Commissioner Keith James were both re-elected.

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Sou thFloridaGayNews // SF GN.com // 3.18.2015 //

news local

Gay Businessman Convicted of Drug Trafﬁcking Robert Joshua jailed, faces 3 year minimum

Staff Report

ON STANDS NOW! Check out

The Mirror

Winter 2015

WINTER 2015 • Vol. 3

Winter Arts Guide Editio GUIdE bEGINS ON PAGE 21

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‘FIRST COMES LOVE’ PHOTO FEATURE

SEX POSITIVE CULTURE CHALLENGES ETHICS

HUNGARY FACES A HISTORIC STRUGGLE

themirrormag.com

Winter 22

Issue 4

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Robert Joshua Robert Joshua, a prominent gay businessman who once owned The Joshua Tree, an eclectic antique shop on North Andrews Avenue in Fort Lauderdale, has been convicted of drug trafficking in Broward County Court. On Monday night, March 16, after two hours of deliberation, a jury found the former owner of the Joshua Tree, guilty of trafficking in crystal methamphetamine and ecstasy. Immediately taken into custody, Joshua, a Youngstown, Ohio native, is facing a minimum sentence of three years in Florida State Prison, with no right to an appellate bond. Since his arrest in the fall of 2009, Joshua has asserted his innocence, going through a battery of lawyers and filing a host of motions in circuit court, alleging that an illegal undercover police operation unjustly targeted him and wrongfully set him up. The jury concluded otherwise. Joshua had argued that an unknown and unidentified source shipped crystal meth to him unknowingly from a California location. After its delivery to his Coral Ridge

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home, he said, he opened the package and stored it, simply because he was “in a hurry” to go to a scheduled business meeting. He never got there. Armed with a warrant, the police entered the home, found the opened package of meth in a concealed safe, and ecstasy in prescription bottles on Joshua’s bedroom dresser. After his arrest, Joshua held a press conference offering a reward for the person or persons who secretly shipped the drugs to him, protesting that he knew nothing about them and was improperly set up by an unreliable informant out to get him. At the time, he was actively involved in the local LGBT community, supporting HIV causes. In pre-trial motions, Joshua unsuccessfully attempted to have the court name the alleged informant publicly. Judge Andrew Siegel declined to do so, and the Fourth District Court of Appeals upheld his rulings. Ted Daus handled the State Attorney’s office prosecution. Lawyers Alvin Entin and John Howes tried the case for Robert Joshua.

news national

Illinois Congressman Resigns

Exclusive

Credible LOCAL

Rep. Aaron Schock Felled By Lavish Spending Associated Press Embattled U.S. Congressman Aaron Schock (R-IL) announced Tuesday he would resign his seat at the end of the month, in the wake of a congressional ethics investigation into reports that he used taxpayer money to fund lavish trips and events. In a statement, Schock said he was stepping down "with a heavy heart," having given his constituents "my all over the last six years." "But the constant questions over the last six weeks have proven a great distraction that has made it too difficult for me to serve the people of the 18th District with the high standards that they deserve and which I have set for myself," he added. Politico was the first to report Tuesday afternoon Schock would step down. "I have always sought to do what's best for my constituents and I thank them for the opportunity to serve." Entangled in one scandal after another, Schock, ultimately could not shake off mounting evidence of excessive spending habits. He has reimbursed the federal

government tens of thousands of dollars he racked up from billing errors and other expenses such as attending a Chicago Bears football game, Katy Perry concert and decorating his Washington, D.C. office in a “Downton Abbey” theme. Once considered a rising star in the Republican Party, the 33-year-old Schock is a bachelor who first caught the media spotlight by posing bare-chested for Men’s Health Magazine. He has flippantly brushed off ethics complaints by quoting Taylor Swift song lyrics, “Haters are gonna Hate.” But that didn’t stop federal investigators who were able to calculate Schock’s airfare expenses and trips by tracking his Instagram social media account, the vast majority of those posts featured Schock living the high life at far flung exotic destinations.

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Bathroom Bill Advances Jamie Hyman Watermark

do not enter A proposed bill that would bar people from using restrooms that align with their gender identities has cleared another hurdle. After hearing nearly two hours of public comment overwhelmingly in opposition to the bill, the Government Operations Subcommittee on March 17 voted to approve HB 583 which will send the controversial legislation to its third committee hearing. Republican State Rep. Frank Artiles of Miami, who filed the “Single-Sex Public Facilities” Bill Feb. 7, presented the bill to the committee, which immediately approved an amendment that would allow reporters to enter locker rooms designated for either sex. “My bill is not attacking transgenders, bisexuals, homosexuals or any sexual orientation,” said Artiles, when asked how the bill stops criminal acts. He told the committee the bill would be “self-enforcing” and just like before the last committee hearing, emphasized that the bill is an attempt to bring uniformity to the state, correcting what he called “overly broad” language in a Miami Dade Human Rights Ordinance. More than 70 public speakers asked for time. Of those who spoke, just nine were in favor of the bill. Many who spoke in opposition pointed out that by definition the bill creates the problems it purports to protect against, by forcing transitioning people who are biologically women but look like men to use the women’s restroom. “However you feel about transgender people, my gender marker on my license is female,” said Will Ryan, a biological female who is transitioning to male and presents as very traditionally male, facial hair and all. “If you don’t want men in the restroom, this is not a law to enact.” Some speakers expressed concern for the safety of transgender people who present as women being forced to use a men’s restroom, citing the high rates of violence and harassment against that particular population. Other speakers spoke against the bill from an economic point of view, pointing out that it opens up business owners to frivolous lawsuits and makes Florida an unfriendly state to LGBT tourists.

// 3.18.2015 // SFGN.com //

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“I don’t see how you’d ever enforce it without putting a security guard in front of every public restroom in the state of Florida,” said Rep. Ken Roberson, a Republican committee member who voted against the bill “I believe the argument that this bill is going to prevent crimes from occurring in restrooms that are already illegal is weak, and I think passing this bill is not going to stop that type of criminal activity that is illegal.” Roberson pointed out that generally when bills address legitimate concerns for public safety, law enforcement groups come out to speak, but those groups have been silent on HB 583. Rep. John Cortes called the bill “a total waste of time,” and several committee members echoed speakers’ opinions that if this bill corrects a problem with a local ordinance, it should be dealt with on a local level. Despite the bill’s approval, just two committee members spoke in favor of it: Jimmie Smith and Committee Chair Michael Bileca, both Republicans. “If this bill was to fail, would the transgender hear our voice like we’ve heard yours today? Would you go back to your communities and ask them to fix their ordinances?,” asked Smith, stating that politicians “pander” to the transgender community and tell them “what they want to hear” with “overly broad” protection ordinances. Bileca expressed his willingness to push a flawed bill forward, stating that Rep. Artiles has been flexible and open in amending the bill. In closing, Artiles stated that no speaker addressed his initial concern, that the Miami Dade ordinance allows heterosexual men to enter women’s bathrooms by stating that they identify as women. “Gender identity itself is not a protected class under Title 7. There is no such thing,” Artiles said, before asking “When does your privacy outweigh my privacy?” He argued that the enforcement and lawsuit issues are part of the bill being a work in progress. “I need your favorable vote to work it,” Artiles said, and asked “How about if we add hormonal treatments?” before Bileca cut him off to proceed with the favorable committee vote.

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feature

Photos: J. R. Davis

Florida AIDS Walk Strives To Raise Awareness, Funds Event seeking to raise one million this year

John McDonald

Florida walks for AIDS this Sunday in Fort Lauderdale. As organizers of the annual Florida AIDS Walk prepare for a festive occasion along the Atlantic Ocean, the message is clear – testing saves lives. “Testing is the most important factor,” said Mark Martin, regional director of development and community relations for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. Testing stations are a part of this year’s Florida AIDS Walk and Music Festival. Martin guaranteed at last three different mobile units would be present. Registration for the event begins at 8 a.m., March 22. “We honor those we lost, support those who are still fighting and raise awareness because AIDs is still spreading,” Martin said.

Headlining Sunday’s event is American hip-hop act, Salt-N-Pepa. Women of color, Salt-N-Pepa hail from Queens, N.Y. Some of their more popular numbers include “Push It,” “Shoop” and “Let’s Talk About Sex.” Salt-N-Pepa have been nominated four times for a Grammy Award. The ladies captured the Grammy for Best Rap Performance at the 1995 awards show for “None of Your Business.” These days, music fans may discover Salt-N-Pepa through commercial advertising. Their number, “Push It” was recently the central theme of a Geico automobile insurance campaign. However, music is just part of the scene Sunday along A-1-A. Stage presentations begin at 9 a.m. with the walk slated for a 10 a.m. start.

Now in its 10th year, the event, Martin said, is one of the largest AIDS related fundraisers in Florida. Updated reports out of the Florida Department of Health estimate there to be nearly 110,000 Floridians living with HIV/AIDS. Presented by AHF Pharmacy, the cost to attend Florida AIDS Walk and Music Festival is $25. The 2015 event is seeking to raise $1 million. Martin said AIDS in south Florida is at a crisis level and events like the Florida AIDS Walk and Music Festival help to raise awareness and provide education. “It’s not over,” Martin said. “There’s still a battle to be fought.” Testing remains the front line in the battle to eradicate AIDS. Listron Mannix knows this fact well. Mannix works at the Pride Center in an outreach role. He has canvassed neighborhoods in Fort Lauderdale in HIV/ AIDS prevention and testing efforts and said there are still pockets of resistance. “Some of the churches we go to are in denial,” Mannix said. “There are people who believe AIDS does not exist.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates about 50,000

people are infected with HIV every year. If diagnosed early and treated, people with HIV can and do, according the CDC’s annual surveillance report, live long lives. Greg Louganis is an example. First diagnosed in 1988, Louganis is now 55 and enjoying life. “I don’t like to use that word ‘survivor,’” Louganis said. “I’m pretty much just living my life. I don’t want to put any energy into being a victim because that’s when you give your power over to somebody else. I’m living and that is who I am.” Louganis, a U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame diver, is one of the lucky ones. The list of celebrities who have passed away due to complications brought on by AIDS is a long and distinguished one. Some of the names include, Hollywood legend Rock Hudson, Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, “Psycho” actor Anthony Perkins, who was married with two sons, tennis star Arthur Ashe, flamboyant pianist Liberace, American fashion designer Perry Ellis, Australian songwriter Peter Allen, Southern rocker Tom Fogerty and rapper Easy-E.

Registrations for this year’s Florida AIDS Walk and Music Festival are being accepted until midnight Saturday, March 21. To register or for more information, visit FloridaAIDSwalk.org

// 3.18.2015 // SFGN.com //

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SouthFloridaGayNews

Gazette Wilton Manors

Volume 2 • Issue 6 March 18, 2015

Twice-Monthly Neighborhood Outlook

Page 2 2015 Code Enforcement

Page 3 Real Estate Geek

Page 5 Non-Profit Fire Fee

Page 7 Shell Club in Pompano

Page 8 Calendar

Eucalyptus Gardens Faces Possible Closure City refuses to renew permit unless funds are raised Page 4 Photo: Brendon Lies.

Local Student Wins Spelling Bee Page 6

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Opinion

2015: The Year of Gazette Code Enforcement Wilton Manors

MARCH 18, 2015 • VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 6 2520 N. DIXIE HIGHWAY • WILTON MANORS, FL 33305

By Sal Torre

PHONE: 954-530-4970 FAX: 954-530-7943

PUBLISHER • NORM KENT NORM.KENT@SFGN.COM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER • PIER ANGELO GUIDUGLI ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER / EXECUTIVE EDITOR • JASON PARSLEY JASON.PARSLEY@SFGN.COM

Editorial

ART DIRECTOR • BRENDON LIES ARTWORK@SFGN.COM ONLINE PRODUCER • DENNIS JOZEFOWICZ DENNIS.JOZEFOWICZ@SFGN.COM EDITORIAL ASSISTANT • JILLIAN MELERO JILLIANMELERO@GMAIL.COM

Correspondents

The reality that 2015 has moved past the “new year” stage is beginning to hit home. Easter is fast approaching, the June Stonewall Festival is on the front burner, and this year will be sliding fast into the yearbook before we know it. After all the talk about 2015 being the Year of Code Enforcement here in Wilton Manors, our City staff better kick it into high gear if residents and business owners are to see some real results that have been long promised. The past few years have been rough on our Code Enforcement personnel, being moved around from one city department to another like an unwanted step-child. A few years back, the decision was made to move this vital function from the Community Services Department and place it under the command of the Police Department. Code Enforcement came under the supervision of a series of Police Department personnel who also had other duties and prioritiesto juggle. Unfortunately, city residents and our hard-working Code Enforcement officers suffered dealing with a department and everchanging structural and management issues. Residents complained, and the City Commissioners took action last year to put this vital city function under new management and on a firm course towards success. The City Commission appropriated the necessary funds in the FY 2014/15 budget to hire a new department supervisor whose sole responsibility would be managing Code Enforcement and reporting directly to Commanders within the Police Department. Everything was in place to move ahead into the new year and make 2015 the Year of Code Enforcement. Well, the beginning of the year has now passed, and it is time to start seeing some results. The new supervisor of Code Enforcement has had time to settle in, reach out to neighborhood associations and community groups to request a meeting, but has not yet done so. The Police Department has had time to update their website with all this new information, but their site still has an incident dating back to September 2014 on the main page. Residents could have been invited to a Town

Hall Meeting to be introduced to our new head of Code Enforcement and to be informed how best to interact with this vital community service, but have not. There has been virtually no outreach to the community. Now is the time for the Police Department to start implementing the changes that residents would like to see happen with this department. Changes such as enforcing city code provisions in a fair and consistent basis, maintaining and publishing a phone number that actually gets answered during day-time business hours, having a more user-friendly online reporting system, and putting an end to neighborhood nuisances such as unlicensed vehicles parked in driveways, churches using unpaved lots for parking while the city cracks down on struggling business owners for the same practice, overflowing rental properties that have far too many occupants living under the same roof, commercial properties with poor maintenance practices such as litter/ trash removal, decaying parking lots, no landscaping, and poor public safety records. It is time to step up WMPD. Spring is here, summer is around the corner, and 2015 Year for Code Enforcement will be moving by very quickly. The patience of our citizens is wearing thin as we wait for promised results. We are not asking for much. We need a Code Enforcement Department that is professionally and fairly run, and more responsive to community needs and neighborhood interests. Code Enforcement is the front line in promoting the health, safety, and welfare of our community. Properly managed and proactive Code Enforcement officers are community advocates who enhance our property values, educate residents and the business community, and support our quality of life here in Wilton Manors. We welcome the new Code Enforcement Supervisor Vincent Affanato and urge all residents to reach out and voice your neighborhood issues and concerns. You can reach him at 954-390-2186 or vaffanato@wmpd.org . Let us all work together to make our community a safe, clean, and healthy place to live, work and play! WMG

MICHAEL D’OLIVEIRA • CHRISTIANA LILLY • DENISE ROYAL • NATALYA JONES • JOHN MCDONALD • JAMES OAKSUN • DAVID REPLOGLE

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2 •

SouthFloridaGayNews March 18, 2015

Hot on the Inside, Cool on the Outside

Real Estate Geek

By James Oaksun

Well the whistle has blown, and it's time for the James Oaksun Halftime Report, brought to you by Broward's Real Estate Geek himself. No, I have nothing intelligent to write about football, unless you want to discuss Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, about whom I have many and various thoughts. I'm referring to the fact that with the end of February we're pretty much at halftime of the 2014-15 winter sales season in South Florida. I was at an inspection last week with buyer clients, and the inspector asked me how the market in Wilton Manors was doing this season. Great question! Many of you might have the same curiosity. These are the Facts, not the opinion. I went and looked at closed sales of single family homes in all three parts of the Island City, and condo and townhome sales in the center part of town (between Andrews and the railroad tracks). To see how “halftime” this season looks relatively, I also looked at sales for the preceding three seasons. The short answer, before we get to the data, is summarized by the headline. The center of town is this year's story, so far. Generally, the market pricing trough in greater Fort Lauderdale occurred in the second quarter of 2011. Thus the first post-trough “season” was 2011-12. The charts included here show what the underlying trends have been from that point. Last year the east side of the city (east of the train tracks) was the hot neighborhood. The sales count was up 50 percent compared to the 2012-13 season, and prices increased 32 percent. However, the story this year is very different. Sales have dropped 40 percent — falling below their level in the 201213 season — with prices down nine percent. This may be in part a function of the types of properties on the market, but it is more likely that the market recognized it had jumped a little too far ahead of itself in the 2013-14 season. Moving west and crossing over to the west side of Andrews Avenue, pricing has been relatively flat over the last four seasons. Sales are indeed occurring, but the increase in activity has not come with more

aggressive price points. Is the west side the best longer-term opportunity in the Island City, or will the stall continue? Finally we get to where the action is, so to speak – the center part of town. Hard as it may be to believe, the median sales price of a single family home between Andrews and the train tracks now exceeds (by a bit) the median sales price on the east side. A remarkable development! But does it make sense? Perhaps buyers found valuations on the east side to be excessive and went for lower priced alternatives, particularly if the homes could be enhanced through updating and renovation. Perhaps newer and younger buyers wanted to be within walking (or stumbling, as the case may be) distance of the restaurants and nightlife of Wilton Drive. Regardless, it's happening and has been happening consistently the last four seasons. This season, median single family home prices are up 10 percent versus last year. Compared with the 2011-12 season, prices are up 56 percent! And it's not just the single-family homes in the center of town that are skyrocketing. Condo and townhome sales are up similarly in both volume and price. Just this season, prices are up roughly 20 percent compared to last year, and have come close to doubling since the trough! Something else of interests jumps out of the condo data. Up through last season, it had been possible to find a small number of basic 1/1 condos in the center of town for under $100,000. With the rapid appreciation in prices, these are now a rare find indeed. No I don't have a crystal ball. I can't say what the rest of the season portends. But I can say that I find my buyer and investor clients are very sophisticated, and can recognize value (as well as overpricing) when they see it. WMG James Oaksun, Broward's Real Estate GeekSM, is a Realtor with the Wilton Manors office of RE/ MAX Preferred. In addition to having degrees from Dartmouth and Cornell, he is a graduate of the Realtors Institute (GRI).

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Community

Eucalyptus Gardens Raises Money for Parking City alleges history of non-compliance

By Michael d’Oliveira

When Deanna Brizuela founded Eucalyptus Gardens over two years ago, she wanted to create a place where people could escape the outside world and relax. Now, the realities and requirements of the outside world are seeping in. Eucalyptus Gardens, 2430 NE 13 Ave., named after the seven Eucalyptus trees planted throughout the property, is home to a coffee shop, vegan restaurant, bakery, orchid seller, wine bar and grocery store, is a collection of businesses that sell organic and natural products. “This is just somewhere to get away,” said Brizuela, who added that it’s a combination of the Florida Keys, Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. “Everybody’s welcome.” In contrast to the property’s green theme, the city is requiring the dirt parking lot be paved with a minimum of seven spaces. “Rules are rules. But, being a green facility, adding concrete just goes against what we are. It kind of sucks,” said Danielle Perry, owner of the Chateau D'vine wine bar. To pay for the parking spaces, which will be constructed of eco-friendly material, Brizuela, who manages Eucalyptus Gardens and owns The Farm Store, is organizing a campaign to raise the $15,000

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it will take to build the spaces. As of March 16, 41 people have donated $3,022. A total of 11 spaces will be built. The lack of parking, claims Brizuela, has led the city to force her to shut down the Farm Store. “We’re losing money and four or five employees are out of a job. We need to get this [parking lot] built.” Roberta Moore, director of Community Development Services, said the city only wants Eucalyptus Gardens to come into compliance with the parking requirements and has not forced any business there to close. “That’s for Eucalyptus gardens and anywhere else,” Moore said. Brizuela said that after the city declined to issue a business license, because of parking, she viewed it as a de facto shut down. “How am I supposed to operate without a license?” she asked. She said she’s also tried to hire a valet service to help with parking. A lack of license has prevented that in at least one case. In an email from John Daniels, CEO at Omni Valet Services in Deerfield Beach, to Moore, Daniels told the city he would provide valet services as soon as a license was issued. One former city employee, who asked not to be named, said Eucalyptus Gardens has never been in

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compliance with the parking requirements because, after getting approval from the city to open as a nursery, non-nursery businesses started opening up and it became a “party place,” exceeding the parking capacity. Soon after, complaints from the neighbors began. Both business licenses in 2013 and 2014 had “nursery, shrubs, trees” stated as the description of the use. “This actually has been occurring for quite some time before I came to the city,” Moore said. Evan Anthony, owner of the property where Eucalyptus Gardens is located, credits Brizuela with creating such a unique space in Wilton Manors, but added that the city has made a serious effort to work with her. “This city has bent over backwards for her.” Spencer Jenkins, a Wilton Manors attorney recently hired by Brizuela, said his client is working with the city to get the Farm Store license. “There have been some miscommunications between my client, the city and the landlord. All parties are working together now to resolve the issues.” New business license applications were submitted to the city on March 16. To donate to Eucalyptus Gardens, visit GoFundMe.com/EucalyptusGardens. WMG

Continues after insert

Non-Profits May Have To Start Paying Partial Fire Assessment Fee

Business

By Michael d’Oliveira Residents who want churches and non-profit organizations to start paying fire assessment fees may get part of what they want. “It’s not a tax and not something for which they should be exempted,” said resident Kate Donohue, who compared the fire assessment to water, sewage and other services the city provides. “This taxpaying citizen, who exists on a fixed income, wants them to pay their fair share.” In interviews with the Gazette, four city commissioners have said they don’t want to charge churches and non-profits the entire cost of the fire assessment but they do want to charge something. Mayor Gary Resnick declined to talk about the issue. Fire assessment fees are levied on residents and businesses as a way to pay for fire and EMS services. The larger the facility, the more money the organization has to pay. Not levying the fees on non-profits will cost the city about $67,000 in 2015. According to a city budget document, since 2001, exemptions for all nonprofits have cost the city about $500,000. That money is taken out of the city budget to cover the cost of fire and EMS services from Fort Lauderdale. In a column published recently by The Gazette, Sal Torre, president of the Westside Association of Wilton Manors, warned that the cost of exemption would only go higher as costs increased. “I am very, very, very much in favor of having a partial assessment on nonprofits. This is not about revenue collection. We are delivering a service and residents are paying for a service,” said Commissioner Julie Carson.

The majority of commissioners also stated they would most likely vote to initiate a phased increase where non-profits would pay a higher percentage of the costs each year. “I’m not in favor of suddenly hitting them with a big percentage of the fee . . . unexpectedly for the first time. They have to plan their budgets ahead just as we do,” said Commissioner Tom Green. Commissioner Justin Flippen said he asked city staff to look into what other cities charge their non-profits for fire assessment. Lauderdale-By-The-Sea does not but Fort Lauderdale does. Vice Mayor Scott Newton said he would take into account who the non-profits served, whether their clients were from outside or inside the city. “It’s something to think about. Does that make a difference? I don’t know. I’m not saying yes. I’m not saying no. I’ve just got to ponder on it more.” If they were charged the full amount for 2015, the Archdiocese of Miami would have been assessed $15,721 for St. Clement Church. The First Church of Wilton Manors would have been assessed $2,977. Other fire assessment fees not collected include Kids In Distress [$12,255], Goodwill [$4,114], Poverello [$4,063] and Pride Center [$3,110]. Dr. John Stauffer, pastor of First Christian Church of Wilton Manors, said the assessment would be “imposing on the church” and other non-profits. “It’s just a sign of the times. It’s just not honoring a nation with a godly foundation.” So far, no date has been set for commissioners to vote on the future of the exemption but they must make a decision by May 1. That’s when the county requires cities to submit their assessments. WMG

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Community

Wilton Manors Elementary Student Wins Spelling Bee

By Michael d’Oliveira

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One by one, the chairs around Serenity Miller became vacant until only one opponent was left sitting between her and ultimate victory. Then, a misspelling of A-V-A-RI-C-I-O-U-S gave her the chance to spell the winning word: E-G-O-T-IS-T-I-C-A-L. It was the only chance she needed. Miller, a fourth grader at Wilton Manors Elementary School, won the 75th Miami Herald Spelling Bee on March 10 at Signature Grand in Davie after successfully spelling egotistical. “It was awesome. I was nervous but I really didn’t show it a lot.” Miller said she studied for weeks, but when she heard egotistical, derived from the Latin, ego, she

knew she was going to win. “When they said the part of the word that was Latin, I knew.” The win still came as a shock though. “I was pretty surprised. There’s a lot more kids who have a lot more experience.” It was the first time Miller has won the Herald’s spelling bee. It’s also a first for Wilton Manors Elementary. “She’s the first ever to win for our school,” said Principal Melissa Holtz. The Scripps National Spelling Bee will be held in May in Washington, D.C. Miller won’t advance there [elementary students can’t qualify for Scripps] but she hopes to pull off a win at the middle school level someday and make it to the national competition. WMG

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Community

Collecting Shells? There's a club for that By Natalya Jones

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Lovers of the beach and wanna be mermaids take note – there is a Shell Club of Broward County and yes, you should join. The purpose of the club is to interact with others who also enjoy collecting or simply admiring sea shells. Members do a variety of things with these shells, such as collect them, scientifically analyze them, or turn them into art. The Shell Club emerged in the 1962. Although there were Palm Beach and Miami shell clubs, there was nothing for Broward County. Passionate collectors decided to create the club, complete with small shell shows in local malls and eventually the Swimming Hall of Fame. As of now, the Shell Club shows, meetings and events take place in the Emma Lou Olsen Civic Center, formally known as the Pompano Civic Center. The Shell Club recently had its 50th Anniversary Show where both scientific and artist exhibits were displayed and judged. Accolades include trophies from areas such as from DuPont and the American Museum of Natural History located in New York. Attendees of this event had the opportunity to purchase shells for their collection or home decoration. The next event is the annual auction in March. Other fun events

include the Annual Conchologists of America Convention in July at Weston’s Bonaventure Resort, collecting fieldtrips, education outreach programs, and events at the Museum of Science and Discovery. “The Broward Shell Club has quite a cross-section of members from all walks of life,” said Richard Sedlak, one of the executive members. “The common bond is that we are all friendly and helpful and are like one big family. Our membership also includes a great group of gay/lesbian members. Among that lot we have our club photographer, another whose parents were the club founders, a university professor, a fine art painter, and others who volunteer in various capacities, one who has become a close friend; I was privileged to know his grandmother who was the club president when I joined in 1973.” To join the Shell Club, attend a monthly meeting on the second Wednesday at the Civic Center in Pompano. Dues are $18 per year. WMG

EACH ISSUE!

For more information, contact Richard Sedlak at 954-296-5633 or sedlaki1@comcast.net. You can event write to the Broward Shell Club at P.O. Box 10146, Pompano Beach, FL 33061.

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Calendar of Events

Compiled from the Wilton Manors website

Brains and Balance Past 60 March 4, 11, 18 & 25 — 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Hagen Park Brains and Balance Past 60 is designed for the unique needs of active older adults who know the importance of staying mentally sharp and physically stable. Researchers no longer believe that falling or losing your mental capacity are inevitable parts of the aging process and this fascinating class series operates based on the premise that specific exercises will decrease the risk of falling while increasing mental acuity.

Community Yard Sale March 14, All Day at Hagen Park

Wilton Manors Historical Society March 19, 7 p.m. at City Commission Chambers

Tip-a-Cop

Photo: J.R. Davis

Wilton Manors Green Market March 7, 8 & 14, 15 & 21, 22 & 28, 29 — 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Wilton Manors City Hall / Hagen Park

Wilton Manors Green Market every Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m.– 2 p.m. in the Wilton Manors City Hall / Hagen Park parking lot. The Market features Organic Produce, Regular Produce, International Baked Goods, specialty items, spices & herbs, soups, cheeses, coffees & tea, bagels, Nuts & dried fruits, baked goods, and various other international and local vendors. The Market gives residents and visitors to Wilton Manors an exciting shopping alternative and a chance to view, sample and purchase products. For more information on The Market or to become a vendor, visit GreenWilton. com or contact Frank and Ron at 954531-5363.

City Commission Meeting March 10, 7 p.m. at City Hall Commission Chambers 2020 Wilton Drive

Gay Nuptials Workshop

April 3, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

March 22, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Hagen Park Community Center

On Friday, April 3, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., Wilton Manors police officers will temporarily work as waiters and waitresses during Tip-a-Cop at Shawn & Nick’s Courtyard Café, 2211 Wilton Drive. Tips will be donated to Special Olympics Florida. “It’s going to be fun to see our police officers as waiters,” said Mayor Gary Resnick. For more information, call 561-386-1233.

Are you planning to get married? Now that "our" time has come, don't miss this exclusive opportunity to learn how to best plan your special day. Let Bobby Kyser, wedding specialist, guide you down the aisle of bliss. Learn more about the importance of having a planner, how to personalize your wedding and how to choose the right flowers, decor and entertainment. Also enjoy light refreshments, vendor exhibits and more!

Shawn & Nick’s Courtyard Café, 2211 Wilton Drive

Free Tax Assistance March 21 & 28, 10 a.m. to noon at Richard C. Sullivan Public Library Free face-to-face tax help for those of low to moderate income from the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly programs.

City Commission Meeting March 24, 7 p.m. at City Hall Commission Chambers

Spring Eggstravaganza March 28, 10 a.m. to noon at St. Clement Church Join the Wilton Manors Leisure Servicess Department for this years Spring Eggstravaganza! This years event includes an Egg Hunt for children 12 and under, Magic Show, Bounce Houses, and a whole lot of fun!

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column publisher’s editorial

The Right to Know is a No Brainer Norm Kent

norm.kent@sfgn.com

In his first inaugural address, President Obama committed his government to transparency. His exact words were that his administration would “do our business in the light of day, because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.” Six years later, we can say definitively it is an unachieved goal. The president said one thing and did another. Ask Edward Snowden. Stonewall isn’t a term for gay pride anymore. It’s the new mechanism the Obama Administration uses to hide stuff from you. From secret email accounts to frustrating the intent of the Freedom of Information Act, there is a lot not to like here. In fact, in 2009, Attorney General Eric Holder ordered all federal agencies to update the Freedom of Information Act and make it more accessible to citizens. Four years later, 66 of 99 federal agencies had done nothing. And Pro Publica, a citizen’s watchdog group, reported on a Bloomberg News report that as of 2013, 19 out of 20 cabinet level agencies failed to properly fulfill FOIA requests. This week, is Sunshine Week, seven days set aside by the national media to showcase and spotlight a citizen’s right to know. In Florida, we have sunshine laws. The federal government has the Freedom of Information Act that demands openness prevail, not that there be veils. There is a simple theme to all this; that open government is good government. Unfortunately, from the White House to your local town hall, governments play cover up. Nowhere is it worse than in Florida, where Rick Scott has secretized the state house in Tallahassee. Of course, you have a right to know what the governor is doing at any time. But don’t count on him. He never read that Facebook page which says ‘share.’ A great editorial in this week’s Sun-Sentinel exposes Scott for the scandal that he is. Here we are in the age of cyberspace, when information should instantaneously be at your fingertips. Instead, we have the National Security Administrations spying on our cellphones and sending drones over your homes. Meanwhile, government agencies are not facilitating ease of access. They are instead creating walls of obstruction. This is totally unacceptable, whether it comes from a small village in a suburban county or a large house on Pennsylvania Avenue. This past week, the South Florida Gay News has been written about in the New York Times, thanks to a public information request. Last year we asked the Broward Sheriff’s office to share with us any e-mails (in a 5-month period) in their files that contained words such as “faggot.” We got their reply. It came with a note saying it would take four years and $399,000. Do they take Mastercard? You can’t hold freedom of information hostage to a dollar bill.

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Given the technology, which exists today, BSO’s reply was illogical. Other agencies scoffed at their number. However, one thing you can’t laugh at is how difficult it is to pry information from government. Two years ago, when SFGN conducted an investigation into the illegal entrapment stings engineered by the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office, we had to pay thousands of dollars to get hundreds of police reports, which they delayed by months. If it seems like a lot, consider that the researcher, who requested DEA information on the capture of ‘El Chapo,’ was given a bill for $1.46 million to search, review, and process documents for that mission. We are not alone. Can you believe the Labor Department initially asked the Associated Press to pay more than $1 million for its email addresses? Unfortunately, in state after state, governments are cutting back the budgets for the agencies that handle disclosure. Consequently, requests for information are inevitably delayed and illegally discounted. This too is unacceptable. Journalists need access to records in order to publish the truth. This year, Congress has a chance to pass a bipartisan bill, the FOIA Improvement Act of 2015. Even though that

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sounds a little bit like it violates the adage ‘I am here from the government and I am here to help you,’ this bill needs to pass. It would codify the policy President Obama issued in his 2009 memorandum by requiring federal agencies to adopt a “Presumption of Openness” when considering the release of government information under FOIA. Under this approach, agencies may withhold records under FOIA exemptions only if they can identify a specific and foreseeable harm that may result from release of information, or if disclosure is prohibited by law. Freedom of information is an indispensable tool to journalists, educators, historians, students, and anyone who believes in a free press. The people we put in power rent space. We have to hold them accountable while they are there. They can’t be allowed to play ‘hide and seek’ with the truth. Sunshine is a disinfectant. Transparency is healthy for government and other living things. Our government needs to stop talking about how they want to try to be more transparent. They need to listen to Yoda’s advice, “Do or do not... there is no try.”

column transforming gender

Peeing in Peace Rebecca Juro

rjuroshow@gmail.com

I’ve been around a long time as an out and proud trans woman, almost 18 years now. I thought I’d seen it all – misrepresentations, out-and-out lies, double-dealing, betrayed promises - the very worst of American politics in regard to the basic civil rights of trans people. I was wrong. It can get worse, and in fact, it already is. It used to be that we could lobby Congress and other elected officials to advocate for increased trans inclusion and protection in civil rights laws. Sometimes we won and sometimes we lost, but it was always about how much further we could push toward the ideal of full and equal anti-discrimination protections for all Americans. Things are different now. Now the legislatures of Republican-controlled states like Florida, Texas, and Kentucky aren’t just refusing to offer trans people any antidiscrimination protections, they’re currently in the process of trying to pass laws that will actually criminalize us for using a bathroom which corresponds with our gender identities. As if that’s not enough, a Congressman in Texas wants to put a $2,000 bounty on every trans person found to be using the “wrong” restroom. Trans people convicted under this law could face up to a year in jail. In addition, a business or school which allows trans people to use bathrooms in concert with their gender identities could be held liable under this law and sued. A year in jail. For using the bathroom. A bounty placed on any trans person found in a bathroom corresponding to their gender identity. Not only do these Republicans want to criminalize us, they want to encourage cisgender people to hunt us down like animals, complete with cash prizes for those who succeed. If this doesn’t scare the crap out of you, then you’re not paying attention. We’re no longer fighting for increased inclusion and protection in many areas of the country, now we’re fighting just to protect what we already have from being taken away. We’re not working to make things better for trans people in these states anymore, we’re

just trying to prevent things from getting even worse than they already are. It seems that the Republican Party has collectively decided that since they’ve clearly lost the war on the gays, trans people are an easier and more vulnerable target. The problem is that they’re right. Anti-trans discrimination gets little coverage outside of our own community media, and only a tiny percentage of the money donated to LGBT equality causes goes to funding trans equality organizations and initiatives. A report by Funders for LGBTQ Issues indicates that out of a total investment of $129,122,119 donated to LGBT causes in 2013, just 6.4 million went to trans causes and organizations. That’s roughly a 1/20th slice of the pie, about a nickel out of every dollar spent on LGBT equality. Of course there are many more gays than trans people, but you’d think you’d see at least a little more effort and attention paid to where the need is greatest. One of the biggest problems trans people face in advocating for our equality is that we know that when gays and lesbians win full rights including marriage before trans people are protected in a given jurisdiction, donations and participation drop off precipitously, leaving trans people unprotected and generally incapable of continuing to fund and staff the movement ourselves. As the money and media attention dry up, the politicians lose interest and it can sometimes be decades before those legislatures decide trans people are worth protecting too, if ever. Indeed, some states like New Hampshire seem perfectly content with providing full civil rights to gays and lesbians but no rights at all to trans people as the state’s status quo. Where are our so-called “progressive” political leaders on this? Where are those who cast themselves as our allies? We need you now. This is no longer about gaining rights or not. This is now about being criminalized for who we are and placing bounties on our heads. This has now become about our very lives, the right of trans people to simply live and pee in peace. Where are you?

Rebecca Juro is a nationally-published freelance journalist and radio talk show host who is the Media Correspondent for The Advocate website. Her work has appeared in the Huffington Post, the Washington Blade, Gay City News, the Albany Times Union, and The Advocate magazine, among others. Rebecca lives in central New Jersey and shares her life with a somewhat antisocial cat. Email: rjuroshow@gmail.com Twitter: @beckyjuro

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column mcnaught ' s notes

LGBT Seniors in the Workplace Brian McNaught When we think about the issues facing LGB and gender variant (transgender) people in the workplace, we work with the assumption that there is a war for talent in the workplace that somewhat evens the playing field. In theory, companies can’t afford to lose the best and brightest workers because their workplace is unwelcoming. To attract and retain highly-qualified people, and to maintain a competitive edge, most companies seek to create conditions in which the diversity of their workforce is celebrated and fully tapped. That should mean that older lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people are seen as having the potential to be among the company’s best and brightest employees, increasing the odds of profitability. That said, the working conditions for LGBT employees of all ages can vary in the same company, depending upon the mentality of middle management. If the middle manager, is influenced by any number of variables such as religious beliefs, familiarity with gay and transgender people, race, and gender, and does not ascribe to his or her company’s values, the LGBT worker is vulnerable to increased risk of harassment. When considering hostile working conditions, we’re encouraged to allow for the possibility of the worst behavior in the workplace, such as physical and emotional abuse, but to also focus on the problems created by unconscious incompetence. Excluding examples of termination, hiring discrimination, and overt hostility, the majority of LGBT people in the workplace complain about feeling isolated because of their sexual orientation or gender variance. Fear of isolation is what keeps many LGBT people in the closet. The isolation is created by the lack of social interactions with colleagues, especially conversations on personal life. One of the challenges in creating a clear picture of workplace issues for LGB and gender variant seniors is that the culture is changing so quickly that the picture will never be complete or reliable. For instance, marriage equality is not at this moment the law of the land, but it may be in a few months. While progress is being made in state by state passage of nondiscrimination ordinances, there are now efforts to pass statewide legislation that grants religious liberty to employers and employees to discriminate on the basis of their personal beliefs. Eventually, the Federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) will be passed, but probably not for many years. The current fear of gender variance on the part of many members of Congress keeps the legislation locked up. That will change, or the legislation will change, and it will be passed, but it will still not cover housing and public accommodation, which might have an impact on a discussion of LGBT workplace issues. If a gay senior faces discrimination in housing, is it practical for him or her to live near the workplace?

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We are aware of the quickly-changing culture, which in the Western world is becoming more comfortable with the full range of sexual orientation and gender expression, and we are aware of the increase in protective legislation. But, understanding the challenges faced by senior LGBT workers means being aware of the rapidly-paced changes in language and attitudes in those communities. When I first began work as an educator on these issues, it was about gay people. It then became about lesbian and gay people. Bisexuality was soon added to the topic. Then, transgender issues became part of the discussion. Not long ago, the organization that was originally called the National Gay Task Force changed its name to include letters in the acronym to accommodate the issues of people who identify as queer, questioning, intersex, and asexual. Further, the new preferred term for transgender people is gender variant, and the new preferred term for transitioning (the process of physically becoming one’s true self) is realignment. Sex reassignment surgery is now called sex confirmation surgery. I need to constantly update my educational resources on the topic because of these changes. What began as a workplace concern in the U.S., with my introducing the topic as a business issue in 1985, is now being discussed

Creating an office culture that is welcoming to LGBTQQIA people is not just important in New York, but in Mumbai too. throughout the world because of the multinational identity of most major corporations. Creating an office culture that is welcoming to LGBTQQIA people is not just important in New York, but in Mumbai too. Wall Street banks brought me to India, Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore to train their senior managers on gay and transgender issues. That work has rapidly expanded throughout those countries, and many others. Understanding LGBT senior workplace issues requires familiarity with the cultures of those individual countries, especially as they relate to age, sexual orientation, and gender variance. Gay and transgender discrimination has become an issue of importance to the United Nations. The Roman Catholic Church is said to be softening its approach because of the view expressed by Pope Francis, “Who am I to judge?” Gay issues are now part of the soflagaynews //

discussion on where the Olympics will be held. Economic sanctions are being imposed on countries that discriminate against gay people. The words “lesbian,” “gay,” “bisexual,” and “transgender” were all used by President Obama in his State of the Union address in 2015. Another component of the discussion is the very important shift in approaching the transgender topic. The number of people in a society who identify as transsexual or as transgender is very small, but the number of people who are discriminated against because of the variance of their gender expression is huge. Heterosexual men who are considered effeminate, and heterosexual women who are considered masculine, can experience more discrimination on the job than a masculine gay man or a feminine lesbian. And what is considered acceptable behavior or expression for males and females varies from culture to culture. Hand holding by heterosexual men is common in India but not in Great Britain. One more thing to consider when analyzing workplace concerns for LGBT people is the differences between the individuals. Some LGBT people are highly-qualified, and are likely to be accommodated easily. People who bring in money are highly valued despite their age. If the senior gay person in question is black, Latino, female, foreign, Muslim, economically-challenged or has a disability, he or she will generally fare less well than a gay white Christian male, at least in the U.S. If the transgender person in question is transsexual, and passes easily because he or she fits neatly in the male or female box, and are physically attractive, they will fare much better than the person who after realignment does not look attractive and easily identifiable as a man or woman. Cross-dressing men have a much more

SouthFloridaGayNews

difficult time than cross-dressing women, partly because of sexism, and partly because they sometimes don’t pass easily as a female. If the person’s appearance is considered by others as “peculiar,” it is more likely he or she will suffer discrimination in the workplace. Realtors tell us that the primary factor in selling a house is location, location, location. My message to companies is that the only reliable way to create a workplace that feels safe to LGB and gender variant people of all ages is education, education, education. Most people want to be supportive but don’t know how. They don’t start conversations with gay or transgender people because they fear making a mistake, so they keep quiet. The silence is interpreted as hostility or at least disapproval. Education through diversity training creates more competent and confident allies, and lowers the chances of unwelcoming behaviors. In addition to continuing education, a company that wants to diminish the chances of discriminating against LGBT seniors needs to nurture an LGBT employee resource group that will help the company stay current in properly adjusting to the changes in the culture, the rules, and the issues. According to the State of Georgia Department of Labor, 4.7 percent of the workforce is 65-years-of-age or older. Pew Research speculates that by 2022, 31.9 percent of people 65 to 74 will still be working. In the private sector, 6.48 percent of those people will be LGBT seniors, according to the Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy. For the foreseeable future, more people will need to work past the traditional retirement age of 65 in order to make ends meet. A significant percentage of those people are LGB and gender variant.

column mombian

Families and LGBT Equality Past, Present, and Future

Dana Rudolph Mombian

Janson Wu, executive director of GLAD (Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders), is leading one of the several LGBT legal organizations bringing marriage equality before the U.S. Supreme Court this spring. I asked him recently about the interplay among marriage equality, parental rights, and other issues that impact LGBT parents and our children, and about the past, present, and future of our movement. The early victories of LGBT parents in family courts “have helped us to think big,” Wu said. He cites the right to secondparent adoptions, won in the 1990s, which “made it possible for both parents in a same-sex couple to be legally connected to their child—even though they could not be legally connected to each other. It was a very creative legal solution to a devastating problem. Those early victories helped change the mindset of the public around LGBT families and helped pave the way to marriage equality.” As important as legal changes, though, he said, are changes in the court of public opinion, which “cannot be underestimated.” He explained, “For many years, the other side has used children as a weapon against our community. What we have learned is that the best way to deflect those blows is by putting forward an affirmative, positive, and loving picture of our families.” He added, “It always pains me to see children used as a wedge issue. But the reality is that, as Justice Kennedy recognized in his decision overturning the Defense of Marriage Act, tens of thousands of children are being raised by loving, LGBT parents, and the real question is ‘Why should those children be harmed?’ I think that when people recognize that LGBT families are in

our schools, that they are our neighbors, and in our families, then they are much less willing to inflict harms to those children, regardless of their views on marriage equality.” In our present fight for equality, attitudes towards families are key. Wu elaborated, “Families are the building blocks of our society, and for that reason, the promotion of healthy and stable families is at the root of so many of our laws and policies. The challenge has been to expand our understanding of what a family is to include all families— regardless of how those families are formed or what they look like.” One example of doing this, Wu said, is convincing health insurance plans to recognize “functional families, not just families related by marriage or genetics.” Similarly, immigration laws should “protect the integrity of extended and non-genetic family groups that often exist amongst immigrant and refugee communities.” How can we spur these changes? “By putting the stories of those families on the forefront of our public education and advocacy efforts,” Wu said, citing the DREAMER movement led by immigrant youth as an example. “And, of course, that kind of advocacy is the foundation of the marriage equality movement,” he added. Marriage equality is not always a cure-all solution for parental rights, however. Wu asserted, “All parent-child relationships should be legally protected, regardless of marriage. That said, marriage is one powerful way to protect both spouses’ relationships with their children. Yet we still see courts that resist treating same-sex parents the same as different-sex parents, sometimes due to the gendered language that remains in most state’s family laws.”

That problem arose with a New Hampshire family court judge who wrongly refused to read the state’s family laws to apply to a married lesbian couple who had separated. One of the women, GLAD’s client, decided to give up all claims of seeing her son again rather than continue a court battle. GLAD helped to pass legislation clarifying that statutes must be read gender neutral, “but it was too late for this one mother,” Wu said. “What was a terrific legislative victory was also a sad and entirely unnecessary loss.” As we move into the future, we must view marriage equality and parental rights in conjunction with other issues, Wu said. “The intersection of oppressions hits families just as much, if not more, than they impact individuals.” He gave the example of a bisexual single mother in New Hampshire who, with the help of her grandmother, was raising one child from birth and two adopted from foster care. They were a low income family living on disability. One of the children, assigned male at birth, had crossgender identification and was attending school as a girl by the time she was seven. The school principal continued to refer to her by her male name on the PA system, however, which led to bullying and ostracism by other students. GLAD worked out an agreement to arrange a transfer to a new school “for a fresh start”

and to ensure the school would treat her as a girl. “That was not an easy accomplishment even with the help of two attorneys,” Wu said. “Imagine if this family were on their own in this situation, like countless families are across the country.” As important as are the court victories that make the headlines, then, Wu is clear about what the real goal is: “We need to ensure that our legal gains translate from words to making an actual difference in people’s real lives, so that our victories do not become hollow.”

Dana Rudolph is the founder and publisher of Mombian (mombian.com), a GLAAD Media Award-winning blog and resource directory for LGBT parents.

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Sou thFloridaGayNews // SF GN.com // 3.18.2015 //

lifestyle history

HOMO HISTORY 101 Pier Angelo

The family of code breaker Alan Turing (1912 –1954) visited London’s Downing

Street on February 23, 2015 to demand the government pardons of 49,000 other men persecuted like him for their homosexuality under the Gross Indecency Law. Turing, whose work cracking the German military codes was vital to the British war effort against Nazi Germany, was convicted in 1952 of gross indecency with a 19-year-old man, was chemically castrated, and two years later committed suicide. Turing’s great-nephew, Nevil Hunt, his greatniece, Rachel Barnes, and her son, Thomas, handed over the petition, which carried almost 500,000 signatures, to the Prime Minister's Office. Benedict Cumberbatch’s Oscarnominated portrayal of Turing has brought the pioneering scientist’s story to a worldwide audience. The 2014 film “ The Imitation Game” follows him from his days as a second world war code breaker at Bletchley Park to his work at Manchester University, which saw him hailed as the father of modern computing, and to his public disgrace and ultimately tragic death. Private consensual acts between adults, including samesex sodomy, were decriminalized in England in 1967. He was given a posthumous royal pardon in 2013.

Gertrude Stein (1874 –1946)

was an American writer of novels, poetry and plays. Stein moved to Paris in 1903, making France her home for the remainder of her life. A literary innovator and pioneer of Modernist literature, Stein’s work broke with the narrative, linear, and temporal conventions of the 19thcentury. In 1933, Stein published a kind of memoir of her Paris years, The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas, written in the voice of Toklas, her life partner. The book became a literary bestseller and vaulted Stein from the relative obscurity of cult literary figure into the light of mainstream attention. Her essay "Miss Furr and Miss Skeene" is one of the first homosexual revelation stories to be published. The work contains the word "gay" over one hundred times, perhaps the first published use of the word "gay" in reference to same-sex relationships and those who have them and, thus, uninformed readers missed the lesbian content. A similar essay of homosexual men begins more obviously with the line "Sometimes men are kissing" but is less well known.

Truman was –1984),

Capote

(1924

an American author, screenwriter, playwright, actor, many of whose short stories, novels, plays, and nonfiction are recognized literary classics, including the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) and the true crime novel In Cold Blood (1966), which he labeled a "nonfiction novel." At least 20 films and television dramas have been produced of Capote novels, stories, and plays. Capote was openly homosexual. One of his first serious lovers was Smith College literature professor Newton Arvin, who won the National Book Award for his Herman Melville biography in 1951 and to whom Capote dedicated Other Voices, Other Rooms.

// 3.18.2015 // SFGN.com //

soflagaynews //

SouthFloridaGayNews

However, Capote spent the majority of his life until his death partnered to Jack Dunphy, a fellow writer. In his book, "Dear Genius: A Memoir of My Life with Truman Capote,” Dunphy attempts both to explain the Capote he knew and loved within their relationship and the very success-driven and, eventually, drug and alcohol addicted person who existed outside of their relationship. Although Capote and Dunphy's relationship lasted the majority of Capote's life, it seems that they both lived, at times, different lives. Their sometimes separate living quarters allowed autonomy within the relationship and, as Dunphy admitted, "spared [him] the anguish of watching Capote drink and take drugs." Although Capote seemed never really to embrace the gay rights movement, his own openness about homosexuality and his encouragement for openness in others makes him an important player in the realm of gay rights nonetheless.

Allen Ginsberg (1926 –1997)

was an American poet and one of the leading figures of both the “Beat Generation” of the 1950s and the counterculture that soon would follow. He vigorously opposed militarism, economic materialism and sexual repression. Ginsberg is best known for his epic poem "Howl" in which he denounced what he saw as the destructive forces of capitalism and conformity in the U.S. In 1957, "Howl" attracted widespread publicity when it became the subject of an obscenity trial, as it depicted heterosexual and homosexual sex at a time when sodomy laws made homosexual acts a crime in every U.S. state. "Howl" reflected Ginsberg's own homosexuality and his relationships with a number of men, including Peter Orlovsky, his lifelong partner. Judge Clayton W. Horn ruled that "Howl" was not obscene, adding, "Would there be any freedom of press or speech if one must reduce his vocabulary to vapid innocuous euphemisms”? One contribution that is often considered his most significant and most controversial was his openness about homosexuality. Ginsberg was an early proponent of freedom for gay people. In 1943, he discovered within himself "mountains of homosexuality." He expressed this desire openly and graphically in his poetry. He also struck a note for gay marriage by listing Peter Orlovsky, as his spouse in his Who's Who entry. Subsequent gay writers saw his frank talk about homosexuality as an opening to speak more openly and honestly about something before only hinted at or spoken of in metaphors. In writing about sexuality in graphic detail and in his frequent use of language seen as indecent, he challenged—and ultimately changed—obscenity laws. If you want to learn more about your gay heritage and those who paved the way, through activism, sacrifice, courage and civil disobedience to give us a better and freer life you can visit The Stonewall Museum & Archives in Wilton Manors. We should all know who our gay heroes are and be thankful for what they did on our behalf.

lifestyle bata’s beats

Madonna’s Rebel Heart Her best album in years

John Bata

As a gay man, I went through many years of internalized homophobia (and still do to some extent) and was a closeted Madonna fan while listening to her early hits on the radio, while playing on the floor with my Transformers as a boy in my room. Even then, I felt shame for actually finding her music appealing. As I grew she was there to help me cope with who I was and it cannot be understated that her support has helped me at various moments throughout my life. Let's get back to the music. Here we have the Queen of pop in full Karen Carpenter mode on songs like "Ghost Town,” "Devil Pray" and "Hold Tight" — and she does it with grace and captures that innocent quality of Carpenter's vocal stylings with lyrics that are modern — talking about drugs in particular on Devil Pray where she states, "And we can do drugs. And we can smoke weed. And we can drink whiskey. Yeah we can get high. And we can get stoned. And we can sniff glue. And we can do E. And we can drop acid. Forever been lost with no way home,” but in the end she is just pointing out that drugs rarely take you to where you want to be, which is a higher spiritual plain and the song is possibly a cultural response to Miley Cyrus' “We Can't Stop” that also has drug references that glorify using. And yes this is in direct contradiction

to Madonna's last album which was titled MDNA. However, I believe this is the "real" Madonna who has never had a history of excessive drug abuse. This is her best album in years, although I could do without the tracks with bitch in the title, although I do love “Unapologetic Bitch.” What has always impressed me about Madonna's musical abilities is that she tries different ways to use her voice, which is limited, but still has more dexterity than many pop stars out there today. She is not a one trick pony and her voice on those tracks show her ability to morph as a vocalist which I think helped create a variety to her catalogue of hits and kept her interesting to the public. She uses her lower register on “Living For Love” and then goes for the high notes on other tracks. She works with what she has and puts in as much effort as she can to be the best at whatever it is that she is working on, which is inspiring. Of course Madonna is not perfect. She states, "I'm only human" on Joan Of Arc, one of the many brilliant moments of “Rebel Heart.” When Madonna is on lyrically she is a genius. “Rebel Heart” though is not perfect. It should have been edited down and some of the tracks where she tries to fit in with unimpressed millennials left in the vault, but this is her baby and she is in charge.

John Bata is from Denver, Colorado and a local resident of Fort Lauderdale since 2013. He is a published poet and music aficionado. He has been a DJ since 1992 in Washington DC, New York City, and Fort Lauderdale. Currently he DJ’s at Ramrod on Sundays. One of his passions is to spotlight the latest in indie and underground dance music. soflagaynews //

Sou thFloridaGayNews // SF GN.com // 3.18.2015 //

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// 3.18.2015 // SFGN.com //

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SouthFloridaGayNews

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column

This week’s question: What’s one issue that’s facing the LGBT community that isn’t getting enough attention or being ignored right now? SFGN Staff SFGN’s “Speak OUT” is a weekly feature giving a regular voice to South Florida LGBT leaders. Below are some of their answers:

“

“The so-called Religious Freedom legislation that is popping up in state legislatures is religious fascism at its worst. Claiming that LGBT people are "bullies," and that Christians are the new oppressed group, these bills exempt bigots from charges of bias if they wrap their hatred in the Bible. Pay attention to this.” — Brian McNaught, noted columnist, author and LGBT activist

“

I think the issue not being looked at is the LGBT Rights community relationship with Women’s rights.” — Meredith L Ockman, SE Regional Director of NOW; VP Florida NWPC & President of S. Fla Women’s Health Foundation

“

With an anticipated ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court to legalize same-sex Marriage at the Federal level, a number of states are also considering legislation to let people exempt themselves from anti-discrimination and other laws if compliance would offend them religiously. These so-called Religious Liberty laws could erode many of the gains that LGBTQ Americans have made with Marriage Equality" — Lee Rubin, Blogger and Community Organizer

“

“An LGBTQ Community Assessment Study jointly published by Aqua Foundation, Miami Foundation and Our Fund found that the three most important issues not being sufficiently addressed in our community were LGBTQ Civil Rights, Support for LGBTQ Youth and Senior Services and programming. Visit Our-Fund.org/survey2014 for a copy of the study.” — Anthony Timiraos, CEO/President, OUR Fund

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. soflagaynews //

Sou thFloridaGayNews // SF GN.com // 3.18.2015 //

presents historic march births Richard Chamberlain, then…

Bryan Batt

David LaChapelle before one of his artworks.

Allison Beth Adler

…and now

Sheryl Swoopes

Jane Rule

Will Geer

Pat Califia

Gaye Adegbalola Wanda Sykes

Matthew Mitcham

Jane Chambers

1Bloomsbury writer/critic Lytton Strachey (1880-1932) Composer Thomas Adès (1971) Mad Men actor Bryan Batt (1963) Newscaster Don Lemon (1966)

2Poet John Gray (1866-1934)

Regina composer Marc Blitzstein (1905-64) Olympic gold-metal diver Matthew Mitcham (1988)

3Poet James Merrill (1926-95) 4 Author David Plante (1940) 5 Filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini (1922-75)

18 Writer Alice French (1850-1934)

Actor Edward Everett Horton (1886-1970) Poet Wilfred Owen (1893-1918) Museum founder Charlotte von Mahlsdorf (1928-2002) Filmmaker Sergei Parajanov (1924-90) Chicago composer John Kander (1927) Australian High Court Justice Michael Kirby (1939)

Actor/writer/director Edmund Goulding (1891-1959) Historian John Boswell (1947-94) Arizona politician Paula Aboud (1950)

Singer Vadim Kozin (1903-94) Blues singer Gaye Adegbalola (1944) Writer Hubert Fichte (1935-86) Comic Rosie O’Donnell (1962) Activist Zackie Achmat (1962) Co-creator of The New Normal Allison Beth Adler (1967)

Author of Man about Town Mark Merlis (1950)

Basketball player Sheryl Swoopes (1971)

Performing artist Holly Hughes (1955)

Poet A. E. Housman (1859-1936) Playwright Tennessee Williams (1911-83)

Broadway/television actor Jack Cassidy (1927-1976) Politician Sheldon Andelson (1931-87)

Artist Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) Writer and transgender activist Pat Califia (1954)

22Composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim (1930) 7Comics Alan Sues (1926-2011) and Wanda Sykes (1964) Choreographer Christopher Wheeldon (1973) 9Ballet impresario Sergei Diaghilev (1872-1929) 23Illustrator J.C. Leyendecker (1874-1951) Authors Vita Sackville-West (1892-1962) and Robert McAlmon (1896-1956) 24 Activist Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer (1942) The Waltons actor Will Geer (1902-78) Composer Samuel Barber (1910-81) 25 Singer/composer Elton John (1947)

10 City of Night writer John Rechy (1931) 11Composer Henry Cowell (1897-1965)

Alexander McQueen and his fashions

Artist David LaChapelle (1963) Writer Christopher Rice (1978) Actor John Barrowman (1967)

12 Dancer Vaslav Nijinsky (1889-1950) Playwright Edward Albee (1928)

26 27

Photographer/publisher Bob Mizer (1922-92) Author Jane Rule (1931-2007)

Actor Dirk Bogarde (1921-99) Author Jane Chambers (1937-83)

29Photographer Bruce Weber (1946) 30 Singer/songwriter Tracy Chapman (1964)

13 The New Yorker writer Janet Flanner (1892-1978) Dancer/choreographer Arnie Zane (1948-88) 14 Creator of Dawson’s Creek Kevin Williamson (1965) Writer Johnny Diaz (1984) 16 Artist Rosa Bonheur (1822-99) 31Actor Richard Chamberlain (1934) Performer Karl Meier (1897-1974) Composer Del Tredici (1937) Activist Jack Nichols (1938-2005)

17Photographer Alice Austen (1866-1952)

Civil-rights activist Bayard Rustin (1912-87) Businessman Clay Shaw (1913-74) Dancer Rudolf Nureyev (1938-93) Fashion designer Alexander McQueen (1969-2010)

// 3.18.2015 // SFGN.com //

soflagaynews //

SouthFloridaGayNews

U.S. Representative (D-Mass) Barney Frank (1940)

Visit the Stonewall National Museum & Archives Gallery at 2157 Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors to learn more about our gay heritage and those who paved the way —through activism, sacrifice and courage— to give us a better and freer life. ©2015 BY CHARLES L. ROSS + STONEWALL NATIONAL MUSEUM & ARCHIVES

lifestyle books

‘Days of Love’ Celebrating LGBT History One Story at a Time David-Elijah Nahmod

Reading Elisa Rolle’s impressive bio offers a glimpse into how much work she must have done in putting together this exhaustive tome. The multi-lingual career woman, who currently lives in Italy, is a respected book reviewer and archivist: her personal website My Reviews and Ramblings serves as a comprehensive study of the history of LGBT art and literature. At more than 750 pages, Rolle’s “Days of Love” is a stunningly researched volume of gay, lesbian and bisexual love. For 725 pages, she chronicles the two thousand year history of same-sex love — over 700 couples are included. A thirty-page index follows. She begins at the beginning, in ancient Greece, with Alexander the Great. From throughout the centuries, she chronicles some of history’s better known same-sex love stories. Some of these relationships have already been common knowledge, such as the love shared between the great 19th century playwright Oscar Wilde and Lord Alfred Douglas — Wilde famously served time in jail for the crime of homosexuality, which left him a broken man. Rolle, who clearly did her homework, takes her history lessons even further — she informs her readers who Douglas loved in the years following Wilde’s death. Douglas, who was bisexual, married poet Olive Custance, also bisexual. They remained together for 27 years. Some of the better known names in “Days of Love” make for a fun read. Looking back, it’s hard to believe that 1940s cinema lovers actually believed that movie stars Cary Grant and Randolph Scott were “roommates.” Some entries might surprise readers, such as the inclusion of Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan. The beginnings of the 49 year live-in friendship between Sullivan and Keller was chronicled in William Gibson’s play The Miracle Worker — which became an acclaimed, Oscar winning film in 1962. Totally deaf and blind since the age of 18 months, Sullivan became Keller’s teacher, and taught the child how to read and write

braille, and how to communicate. The two became world famous disability and social justice activists, and were inseparable until Sullivan died in 1936. Though Sullivan had a failed marriage to a man during her lifetime, she and Keller never lived apart and functioned as a single unit. Is it really a stretch to suggest that they may have loved each other? From Alexander in ancient Greece all the way to writers/editors/publishers Lorna Hinson and Shawn Squires, who were married in 2014, Rolle beautifully documents one love story after the other, from many different circles of life. Artists, politicians, celebrities, social justice activists — if Rolle was able to document a same sex relationship they’d had, it was included in the book, with photos where available. Some of these loves may or may not have been sexual — lifelong friends Marlon Brando and Wally Cox being such an example. Brando was one of cinema’s most respected actors, Cox a popular TV personality of the 1950s and 60s. When Cox died in 1973 Brando was devastated. Until his own death some thirty years later, he kept Cox’s ashes by his side. Both their ashes were eventually scattered together. Was this a platonic love? In his later years Brando admitted to being bisexual. Other loves are more obvious, such as the 28 year relationship between Radclyffe Hall and Lady Troubridge, (Hall penned the classic lesbian novel “The Well of Loneliness” in 1928), or writer Christopher Isherwood, who lived with the much younger artist Don Bachardy as an openly gay couple for 33 years beginning in 1953 — the couple’s life together was chronicled in the 2008 documentary “Chris and Don: A Love Story.” Some of the more recent couples featured in the book are quoted. It’s heartwarming to see their wedding photos, which serve as a reminder as to how much harder previous generations were forced to live. We’ve come a long way.

“Days of Love: Celebrating LGBT History One Story at a Time” is a wonderful and lovely addition to the annals of LGBT historical literature. The book is now available at Amazon.com. soflagaynews //

Sou thFloridaGayNews // SF GN.com // 3.18.2015 //

lifestyle food

Photos: Facebook.

Going Tapas

Two restaurants that are doing it right

Men’s Night!

Rick Karlin

It seems as if everyone’s going tapas. The small plates concept traditionally served alongside sherry or wine in Spain can be found in restaurants featuring just about any cuisine you can imagine. Check out The Naked Grape, a veteran on the scene in Wilton Manors or the recently opened Max’s Social House from Dennis Max, whose Max Group already has two restaurants (Max's Harvest in Delray Beach and Max’s Grille in Boca Raton) and a special events venue.

*with drink purchase

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cheese (similar to fresh mozzarella) served with white beans, olives, peppers, onion, baby carrots and a kale-lemon pesto. There are a number of side dish options, which you can order separately or in a combination platter. They average $5 a plate, the combination of all five is $21. The garlic-parmesan fries with black truffle aioli and baby carrots with a honey chili glaze are perfectly fine, but not remarkable. Better bets are the crispy Brussels sprouts or cauliflower steak. We were so full we couldn’t contemplate an entrée, but on following visits I want to try the Akaushi short rib served with mac-n-cheese or one of the sandwiches; a killer burger, and a Kobe style hot dog served Vietnamese báhn mì style with Sriracha aioli, crispy onions and jalapeno or classic with house-made stout mustard and Brussels-kraut. Save room for dessert for you will want to savor the banana cream pie served in a mason jar topped with bruleéd bananas, or the ultimate chocoholic brownie topped with caramel ice cream.

Santa Lucia Ristorante 2701 E Oakland Park Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306

(954) 396-0930

SantaLuciaRistorante.com

Siam Cuisine Thai Restaurant

EXOTIC & FINE SIAMESE CUISINE EST. 1980 • THE FIRST THAI RESTAURANT IN BROWARD COUNTY

The Naked Grape Wine Bar & Tapas 2163 Wilton Dr., Wilton Manors 954-563-5631 NakedGrapeWineBar.com

The Naked Grape on Wilton Drive is a cozy little spot with a few outdoor tables. And while the name may seem to indicate that they’re all about the grape, the food is equally tempting. Start with one of the traditional dips and spreads such as hummus, artichoke dip, truffled mousse, liver pate or the yummy peppadew glazed goat cheese gratin; all are served with scoopable edibles and priced around $10. If you’re looking for something a little heartier, check out the mix of artisanal cheeses with classic elbow macaroni served in an individual iron skillet, meatballs or crab cakes. The Swiss cheese fondue is great for a romantic date. It is served with cubed bread, but you can add apples and ham to the mix as well. The flatbreads are offered in both traditional and gluten free versions and run $10-$14.

2 for 1 dinners* and drink specials all night long

Max’s Social House 116 NE 6th Ave, Delray Beach 561-501-4332 SohoDelray.com

Max’s Social House in Delray, housed in a charming 1925 cottage, focuses on small plate dining (with a few entrée size portions thrown in for good measure) and cocktails crafted from small batch artisanal spirits and infusions, organic juices and fresh hand-picked garnishes. The well-thought-out food menu uses local, seasonal and sustainable ingredients whenever possible. At Max’s, the majority of the dishes are fairly priced and most are perfectly prepared (my grilled octopus was a tad overcooked, probably by just a few seconds, but that’s all it takes to turn rubbery). But, that was the only slip-up in a meal that satisfied on all other counts. We began with the warm, creamy Stilton dip, served with house-made potato chips. Chorizo stuffed dates wrapped in house-smoked bacon, could have had crispier bacon and, at $9 for four dates, was the only dish I felt was overpriced. Chilled shrimp arrived with Key lime honey mustard dressing. They were so perfect in their simplicity that all they needed was a squeeze of grilled lemon accompaniment. Vito’s burrata featured a generous portion of the signature

EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT

// 3.18.2015 // SFGN.com //

Among my favorites is the combination of sautéed wild mushrooms served on a thin crust lavash with mozzarella base, then topped with goat cheese and fresh herbs. The shrimp and chorizo is topped with roasted red peppers and shaved manchego. The star offering though features fig jam, prosciutto and mozzarella topped with arugula, thinly sliced red onion & balsamic fig dressing. The Naked Grape offers half off bottles of wine on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and happy hour all night on Thursday. It also offers a monthly wine and cheese tasting. The next tasting is being held on Monday, March 16. Since it occurs on St. Patrick’s Eve, the event will focus on purveyors following “green” practices. The cost of this tasting is $25 per person, and pre-paid reservations are required to guarantee a place at the tasting. soflagaynews //

Lunch Specials Starting at $6.95

SouthFloridaGayNews

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Expiration: April 1st, 2015 with this coupon

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F O R

SFGNITES

T H E

J.W. Arnold

jw@prdconline.com

THU

THEATER

W E E K

3/19

O F

M A R C H

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M A R C H

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

KC and the Sunshine Band return to South Florida this weekend for one performance only, Friday, March 20.

The hottest ticket for the past two weekends has been the sold out “All-Male Peep Show” by Ronnie Larsen currently playing at Empire Stage, 1140 N. Flagler Drive in Fort Lauderdale. The good new is additional performances have been added for the remainder of the show’s run. Catch this entertaining comedy about the various personalities at a Times Square sex show Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 5 and 8 p.m. through April 12. Tickets are $30 at EmpireStage.com.

FRI

CONCERT

3/20

Who would have guessed that a garage band founded by Harry Wayne Casey in Hialeah in 1973 would become one of the iconic groups of the disco era? Well, KC and the Sunshine Band are back at Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Paradise in Hollywood this weekend to perform their signature hits, “That’s the Way,” “Shake Your Booty,” “I’m Your Boogie Man,” “Get Down Tonight” and more. Dig out those bellbottoms and boogie on down to Hollywood. Tickets are $35 – 85 at MyHRL.com.

SAT

THEATER

3/21 SUN

Can you hear the people sing? The Maltz Jupiter Theatre, one of the leading regional companies, tackles the Broadway hit, “Les Miserables,” in a gorgeous and incredibly sung production through April 5. The company always pulls out the stops and this should be the show to beat at next year’s regional Carbonell awards with a cast that also features many Broadway “Les Mis” alums. Don’t miss this opportunity to relive the magic of this touching show. Tickets start at $54. For show times, go to JupiterTheatre.org.

Submitted photo.

// 3.18.2015 // SFGN.com //

NIGHTLIFE

3/22 MON CINEMA

South Florida’s own Electra is a master— or mistress?—of female impersonation. She pulls off an uncanny Lucille Ball (“Vitameatavegamin”), Bette Midler, Liza and Judy and more. Tonight, she teams up with special guest Joanna James for “Living the Legends, Cher and Cher Alike!” at 9:30 p.m. on the stage at Village Pub, 2283 Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. No doubt there will be plenty of surprises, along with Village Pub’s usual weekend drink specials. For more information, go to VillagePubWM.com. soflagaynews //

3/23 TUE

For the last half-century, Fort Lauderdale resident James “The Amazing” Randi has entertained millions of people around the world with his remarkable feats of magic, escape and trickery. He later devoted his career to exposing charlatans and hoaxsters who used magic to deceive others. “An Honest Liar,” a fascinating documentary playing at O Cinema Wynwood, 90 NW 29th St. in Miami, explores his life and his biggest deception, his homosexuality. Check listings for tickets and show times.

SouthFloridaGayNews

CABARET

3/24

Mary Wilson is probably best known as one of the founders of The Supremes, perhaps one of the greatest girl groups of all time (“Stop, in the Name of Love,” “Baby Love,” “Come See About Me”). But, Wilson is also a dynamic cabaret performer in her own right, too. Wilson returns to the Royal Room at The Colony Hotel, 155 Hammond Ave. in Palm Beach, for shows tonight through Saturday, March 28. For reservations and more information, go to TheColonyPalmBeach.com.

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a&e theater

MARk coRtAle PResents

sutton FosteR

Tony Winner Reflects on His Art Prior to SoBe Show

WitH setH Rudetsky

Singer, dancer, actor, Sutton is a triple-threat talent who earned Tony Awards for her roles in Thoroughly Modern Millie and Anything Goes.

Submitted Photo

Tony winner Billy Porter comes to South Beach’s Colony Theater this weekend for a concert of his Broadway favorites.

MARcH 20 tickets at ParkerPlayhouse.com Ticketmaster | 954.462.0222 • Group Sales | 954.660.6307

HOLLYWOOD ARTSPARK A Florida Concert Series

THE WOOD BROTHERS

SATURDAY, MARCH 21 • 7-11PM ArtsPark at Young Circle Downtown Hollywood

Opening set by

Rachel Goodrich Free Admission!

// 3.18.2015 // SFGN.com //

When Billy Porter accepted the role of Lola in “Kinky Boots,” he knew it would be a big step, but didn’t count on the role as a sassy drag queen to propel him to the 2013 Tony Award for best actor in a musical. “In order to survive in this business, you have to release expectations as much as you possibly can and make it about the work that’s in front of you,” Porter explained. “While everybody has dreams of this kind of success, that’s not what the motivation is. It’s not sustainable. Did I hope for it? Yes. Could I have ever imagined it? Yes.” Porter is a performer who is dedicated to his art. In this case, it meant hours of make-up and rehearsal in the fierce high-heeled boots at the center of the story, based on a British movie and adapted for the stage by Harvey Fierstein and Cyndi Lauper. “Well, I’ve always had an appreciation because I’m gay and been out since the ‘80s. My appreciation (for the art of drag) was already in place. I found it to be empowering, in terms of sexuality—the feminine vs. the masculine. Embracing both sides has made me, Billy, a more comfortable and confident human being,” he said of the experience. Even though Porter will reprise his role on Broadway later this spring, the multitalented actor/writer/director has plenty to keep him busy. He is currently directing the critically acclaimed production of George C. Wolfe’s “The Colored Museum” at the Huntington Theater at Boston University. The play “satirically skewers” the African American diaspora in 11 vignettes. “Naturally, I’ve enjoyed the profits of discovery. Figuring out how to make something work has been interesting to me. That side of my

brain really responds to the responsibilities of a director, guiding the ship and making the story,” he said. Porter’s also developing a television series based on the lives of four gay African-American friends living in Harlem who “struggle to close the chasm between sex and intimacy.” He elaborated, “As a mature gay man, I’m also interested in commercial gay narratives that aren’t just about coming out. We’re ready for stories that aren’t just about that initiation point. Now that you’re out, now that you know, what are you going to do about and how are you going to live? We’re looking to make it happen.” As Porter looks back on his career, he admits being black and gay has been a challenge, even in the world of show business. “It’s just hard in general, but it’s hard being black and being gay. Both are difficult, but the only way to move through something like that is to change the narrative in your head…. it’s not fun, it’s not fair, but you understand it exists and you move through it. You can’t accept it and wallow in it,” he said. Now at a pinnacle in his career, Porter offers this advice to aspiring performers: “The only thing I know for sure is the respect of your craft and how that manifests is the most important part. We live in a world where the arts are very often considered extracurricular,” he said. “Fundamentally I feel a respect of the craft is lacking. You have to study and to train. I went to a traditional drama school and studied traditionally, but not everyone has to go to school per se, but they need to be fundamentally true to the basics and grounded.”

Tony Award-winner Billy Porter appears Friday, March 20 and Saturday, March 21 at 8 p.m. at the Colony Theater, 1040 Lincoln Road in Miami Beach, to conclude Matthew Lombardo and Rick Murray’s South Beach Broadway Series. Tickets are $50-125 at ColonyTheaterMiamiBeach.com.

VisitHollywoodFL.org 50

J.W. Arnold

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a&e film

Love Is Strange

Touching story about gay senior couple David-Elijah Nahmod Ira Sach's “Love Is Strange” is a moving family drama about a gay senior couple (John Lithgow, Alfred Molina) together for 39 years, who's decision to get married forces them to live apart during their final months together. The love shared by George and Ben is described as "an example to be followed" by straight relatives. But marriage equality can come at a high price in a world where so many religious institutions continue to practice bigotry. George — a Catholic school music teacher — is fired by the archdiocese. Without his income, he and Ben can no longer afford the Manhattan apartment they've called home for two decades. They must now live apart as they search for affordable housing. Ben moves in with his nephew Elliot and Elliot's family. George is left sleeping on the couch of their former neighbors, a pair of young, partying

police officers who are also a gay couple. The two seniors grab time together when they can, while each experiences the awkwardness of living in homes where they are loved and are getting in the way at the same time. Elliot's wife Kate (Marisa Tomei), the same relative who joyfully toasted them at their wedding, is now clearly annoyed to have Ben underfoot. A successful novelist, she's unable to concentrate on her work due to Ben's constant chatter. George, meanwhile, is a fish out of water — a gay man in his mid-sixties trapped in an apartment with two party boys half his age. Director Ira Sachs paints a moving portrait of what it means to be in love — and to be a gay senior. Elders in the gay community are often forgotten, cast aside, and Sachs' story offers an often painful, bittersweet look at what it might be like to experience these kinds

of indignities during the final chapter of one's life. All Ben and George want is to be together in their own home. Late night, teary-eyed phone calls to each other might induce a few tears from viewers. Ben's relatives, while clearly having difficulties with this unexpected intrusion into their own lives, are no villains. Kate just wants her own privacy back, but when Ben is taken ill, she's genuinely attentive and concerned. The acting is exquisite. The film is simple, understated, and real. “Love Is Strange” is a low key film, it's beauty lies in it's simplicity. The film's most moving moment isn't when Ben and George tearfully express their desire to be together again, but when Sachs points his camera at their backs as they slowly walk down a New York City street with the comfortable familiarity of two souls who long ago became joined as one.

“Love Is Strange” is now available on DVD. The disc includes optional English subtitles for the deaf and an optional audio descriptive track for the blind.

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GIANCARLO GUERRERO

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a&e comedy

'The Penis Talk Show' J.W. Arnold

Sharp-tongued and occasionally pottymouthed playwright Ronnie Larsen is rarely at a loss for words. But, last Wednesday, the creator of “Making Porn” and “All-Male Peep Show” was left blushing and speechless. His latest production, “The Penis Talk Show,” playing Wednesday and Saturday nights at Empire Stage through April 5, relies largely on Larsen’s witty adlibs—that is until both the “penises” on stage and audience left him searching for words. Let’s back up for a second. The entire premise behind “The Penis Talk Show” is a conversation between the audience and three naked men whose faces and identities are hidden by a curtain. “You can ask me anything” is the mantra for the evening. Larsen serves as a “fluffer” of sorts, who interviews and “lubricates” the audience as they arrive, encouraging them to write questions for the penises on index cards. Even though the vast majority of the audience were gay men, he immediately targeted a group of three women in the front row who were celebrating a birthday. In just a few minutes, we learned the birthday girl hadn’t had sex in 10 years and her septuagenarian mother, indeed, did like penises. Then he managed to coax one of the men into dropping his drawers on the stage floor. Everyone was fair game as we awaited the start of the show. Soon the “penises” took their places in their office chairs. We were instructed to yell “swivel” if we needed a better view. Quickly everyone realized these three were not going to be shy, anonymity or not. Penis #1, hailing from one of those flyover Midwestern states, was probably thirtyish with an athletic build and a respectable “grower.” Penis #2 was definitely older and sported a very large, shiny Prince Albert piercing and very large, shaved scrotum. Penis #3, a young Cuban immigrant in his late 20s, had a lean, defined body with exotic tattoos down his flat abdomen and very long, uncircumcised dick that he played with unceasingly. Many of the questions were fairly predictable: Do you manscape (clip and shave)

down there? Do you miss your foreskin? How do you pee and cum with a P.A. (Prince Albert)? Are you a top or a bottom? What’s your favorite position? But soon the discussion took an unexpected turn. Penis #3 admitted he lost his virginity as a teen in Cuba to a chicken, apparently a common act for young boys on the isolated island and collaborated by the only heterosexual man in the audience (accompanied by his wife), also a Cuban immigrant. Larsen, who has hosted the show all over the country, screamed, “Oh my God, you guys are sick! I’ve never heard anything like that before!” as the audience simultaneously gasped and snickered. In response to an inquiry if any of the penises fantasized about cartoon or anime characters, Penis #1 revealed an episode with a trick who dreamed of having sex with Casper the Friendly Ghost. Penis #1 said he donned a white sheet and well, you can imagine what happened next. Again, Larsen exclaimed, “You can’t make this shit up!” No, you can’t. “The Penis Talk Show” is definitely the funniest performance I’ve seen in a long time. Perhaps the most humorous episodes of the evening were the spontaneous appearances by Empire Stage’s metrosexual executive producer, David Gordon. Every time the penises said something just a little more outrageous, Gordon, grinning like a teen caught sneaking his first peek at a “Playboy” centerfold, would poke his head through the door, afraid to miss any of the action. Obviously, he didn’t lose his virginity to a chicken. In response to two sold out Wednesday performances, additional shows have been added on Saturdays at 10:15 p.m. Don’t expect the same show, though, because each performance will feature different combinations of “penises” and the questions will change with the audience. Rest assured, when Penis #3 does return, Larsen definitely plans to ask about the barnyard animals.

Ronnie Larsen’s “The Penis Talk Show” will be presented at Empire Stage, 1140 N. Flagler Drive in Fort Lauderdale, Wednesday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 10:15 p.m. through April 4. Tickets are $30 at EmpireStage.com.

// 3.18.2015 // SFGN.com //

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Datebook

Theater Christiana Lilly

Calendar@SFGN.com

broward county John Mellencamp

March 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. You know all the words to “Jack and Diane,” see the performer in the flesh on his 80-show tour. Tickets $42.50 to $189.50. Call 954-462-0222 or visit BrowardCenter.org.

Elvis Costello

March 18 at 8 p.m. at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. The artist’s 40-year career has spanned all sorts of musical genres. Tickets $49.50 to $129.50. Call 954-462-0222 or visit BrowardCenter.org.

* One Night of Queen

March 20 at 8 p.m. at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts, 2855 Coral Springs Drive in Coral Springs. Gary Mullen & The Works take on the role of Queen and their operatic rock performance. Tickets $37.10 to $58.30. Call 954-344-5990 or visit CoralSpringsCenterfortheArts.com.

* KC & the Sunshine Band

March 20 at 8 p.m. at the Hard Rock Live, One Seminole Way in Hollywood. A mix of funk, RnB and disco, the band performs classics like “That’s the Way I Like It.” Tickets $49 to $69. Visit SeminoleHardRockHollywood. com

* Sutton Foster

March 20 at 7:30 p.m .at the Parker Playhouse, 707 NE Eighth St. in Fort Lauderdale. A winner of two Tony Awards, Foster is joined on stage by Seth Rudetsky. Tickets $51.50 to $126.50. Call 954-462-0222 or visit ParkerPlayhouse.com.

* Passion and Grace

March 20 to 22 at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. The Miami City Ballet performs excerpts from “Carmen,” “Sweet Fields,” and “Allegro Brillante.” Tickets $20 to $175. Call 954-462-0222 or visit BrowardCenter.org.

* Franc D’Ambrosio: “I’ll Be Seein’ Youz...”

March 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts, 2855 Coral Springs Drive in Coral Springs. A tribute to the Greatest Generation through music. Call 954-3445990 or visit CoralSpringsCenterfortheArts. com.

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* Capitol Steps: How to Succeed in Congress Without Really Lying

March 21 at 2 and 8 p.m. at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts, 2855 Coral Springs Drive in Coral Springs. The comedy troupe has been spoofing the madness of Washington, D.C. politics for more than 30 years. Tickets $37.10 to $47.70. Call 954-344-5990 or visit CoralSpringsCenterfortheArts.com.

* Bo Burnham: Make Happy Tour (A Night of Laughing and Smiling and Not Dying Yet)

March 21 at 8 p.m. at Parker Playhouse, 707 NE Eighth St. in Fort Lauderdale. He’s not your typical stand up comedian, throwing in the piano, dance, songs, and more into his act. Tickets $33. Call 954-462-0222 or visit ParkerPlayhouse.com.

* Zlata Chochieva

short plays written by Todd Caster and Lisa Bruna. Tickets $15 in advance, $18 day of. Call 561-272-1281, ext. 4 or visit DelrayBeachPlayhouse.com.

* Les Yeux Noirs

March 22 at 7:30 p.m. at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, 701 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach. Two Parisian violin brothers are joined by a four-piece to play Yiddish and Gypsy tunes. Tickets $30. Call 561-832-7469 or visit Kravis.org.

* Joshua Bell

March 23 at 8 p.m. at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, 701 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach. Playing since the age of 4, the Grammy winner brings the violin to a new generation of music lovers. Tickets $30 to $110. Call 561-832-7469 or visit Kravis.org.

March 22 at 3 p.m. at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. The Russian pianist has won 10 international competitions and joins South Florida for the Miami International Piano Festival. Tickets $15 to $50. Call 954462-0222 or visit BrowardCenter.org.

* Audra McDonald

* Ilya Itin

* A Far Cry Chamber Orchestra

March 22 at 7:45 p.m. at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. Coming to South Florida for the Miami International Piano Festival, Itin will play works by Scriabin and Rachmaninoff. Tickets $15 to $50. Call 954462-0222 or visit BrowardCenter.org.

Game of Scones

Through March 22 at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts, 2855 Coral Springs Drive in Coral Springs. Very, very loosely based on the hit series, Sonny is found murdered in his scones cafe, sending his friends, family and employees on a rampage for control of the store. Tickets $39.22. Call 954-3445990 or visit CoralSpringsCenterfortheArts.com.

palm beach county The Daughter of the Regiment

March 20 to 22 at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, 701 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach. Marie is raised by soldiers and is conflicted when she finds love on the other side. Tickets $25 to $195. Call 561-8327469 or visit Kravis.org.

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

March 20 to 22 at the Delray Beach Center for the Arts, 51 N. Swinton Ave. in Delray Beach. A young woman attempts to marry off her six brothers-in-law, but it backfires when they kidnap six women from a neighboring town to marry in 1850s Oregon. Tickets $45. Call 561-243-7922 or visit DelrayArts.org.

* New BOXer Shorts 5!

March 21 at 7 p.m. and March 22 at 2 and 7 p.m. at the Delray Beach Playhouse, 950 Lake Shore Drive in Delray Beach. Six new soflagaynews //

March 24 at 8 p.m. at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, 701 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach. The award-winning actress and singer performs with Seth Rudetsky. Tickets $25 to $100. Call 561-8327469 or visit Kravis.org. March 25 at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, 701 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach. The orchestra is joined by the Fleisher-Jacobson piano duo. Tickets $25. Call 561-832-7469 or visit Kravis.org.

* Love, Loss, and What I Wore

March 25 to 29 at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, 701 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach. Based on stories by Nora and Delia Ephron, tales of how our outfits shift our mood. Tickets $35. Call 561-8327469 or visit Kravis.org.

* Uncertain Terms

Through March 29 at Arts Garage, 180 NE First St. in Delray Beach. When Dani divorces her husband, Harry, he winds up moving in with her mother. When she passes away, she has an ex sitting on a house she can’t seem to get rid of. Tickets $30 to $45. Call 561-4506357 or visit ArtsGarage.org.

miami-dade county Lea Salonga

March 19 at 8 p.m. at the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center, 3385 NE 188th St. in Aventura. The singer and actress is best known for having perfect pitch and her role in “Miss Saigon.” Tickets $45. Call 800-7453000 or visit AventuraCenter.org.

Jazz Meets Broadway

March 20 at 8 p.m. at the Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami. UM’s Frost School of Music’s Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra is joined by the Christine Ebersole. Tickets $25 to $150. Call 305-949-6722 or visit ArshtCenter.org.

SouthFloridaGayNews

An Evening with Nicole Henry

March 20 at 8:30 p.m. at the South MiamiDade Cultural Arts Center, 10950 SW 211st St. in Cutler Bay. The sultry singer creates a cozy night of jazz. Tickets $40. Call 786-5735300 or visit SMDAC.org.

* Fleetwood Mac

March 21 at 8 p.m. at the AmericanAirlines Arena, 601 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami. The nearly two-and-a-half hour show will bring back memories to the band’s greatest music in their On With the Show tour. Tickets $46.50 to $176.50. Call 786-777-1000 or visit AAArena.com.

The Seven Year Itch

Through March 22 at the Miami Theater Center, 9806 NE Second Ave. in Miami Shores. The inspiration for the film, Richard Sherman is at odds after seven years of marriage to his wife when another woman catches his eye. Tickets $35. Call 305-7519550 or visit MTCMiami.org.

* Joshua Bell

March 23 at 8 p.m. at the Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami. Playing since the age of 4, the Grammy winner brings the violin to a new generation of music lovers. Tickets $51.25 to $133.25. Call 305-949-6722 or visit ArshtCenter.org.

* Winter Music Conference

March 24 to 28 at the Deauville Beach Resort, 6701 Collins Ave. in Miami Beach. The electronic music lover’s dream, four days of parties, seminars, contests, vendors, and exhibits. Visit WinterMusicConference.com.

* The Cleveland Orchestra

March 26 to 28 at the Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami. The orchestra comes to Miami for a special set of shows. Tickets $36 to $170. Call 305-949-6722 or visit ArshtCenter.org.

An Intimate Evening With Dudu Fisher

Through March 26 at the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center, 3385 NE 188th St in Aventura. The Israeli performer is best known for his role as Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables.” Tickets $50 to $100. Call 305466-8002 or visit AventuraCenter.org.

Wicked

Through March 29 at the Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami. Before “Wizard of Oz,” Glinda the Good Witch and the Wicked Witch of the East were high school students. Tickets $49-$150. Call 305-949-6722 or visit ArshtCenter.org.

Trust

Through March 29 at the Arsht Center,Internet millionaire Harry’s life is changed forever when he decides to try out an S&M club. Tickets $45. Call 305-949-6722 or visit ArshtCenter.org. * Denotes New Listing

Join us on March 13, 2015 for a look into Thirteen.Three An art installation about suicide and it’s collateral damage.

“Every Thirteen minutes and Three seconds someone commits suicide in America Thirteen.Three is a journey into the last minutes of a chaotic mind, choosing to remove themselves from the living hell in which they reside. However, the residual effects felt by the survivor(s) who must now contend with their own living hell; so their journey to ﬁnd enlightenment is just beginning, as the chaotic one leaves us.” Christopher Dunham

Vip Opening 3. 13. 2015 8 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. By Invitation Only

Open to the Public March 14 to April 12th 2015

415B NW 26TH ST WYNWOOD 33127 Concept : Christopher Dunham Creative Director: Henrique Souza soflagaynews //

Sou thFloridaGayNews // SF GN.com // 3.18.2015 //

Datebook

Community Christiana Lilly Calendar@SFGN.com

broward county

“Public Speaking” Screening

March 19 at 7 p.m. at the Stonewall Museum and ArtServe Auditorium, 1300 E. Sunrise Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. Directed by Martin Scorsese, “Public Speaking” showcases discussions between Fran Lebowitz with writer Toni Morrison, talking about gender, race, gay rights, and other topics. Light refreshments at 6 p.m. Free. Call 954-7638565 or visit Stonewall-Museum.org.

* AARP Foundation Tax Aide

March 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Pride Center, 2040 N. Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors. Tax experts will help you prepare your 2014 taxes at no cost. Sign up for a meeting, call Bruce Williams at 954-4639005, ext. 109.

* The Art Walk on Wilton Drive

March 21 from 7 to 10 p.m. along Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. Walk the drive for a showcasing of artists, crafters, musicians, and other local talent. Free. Call 855-6237468 or email info@artwalkonwiltondrive. com.

Florida AIDS Walk & Music Festival

March 22 at 8 am. at South Beach Park, 1100 Seabreeze Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. A 5K walk to raise funds for HIV/AIDS research and services. Salt-N-Pepa will be performing live after the walk! Must register by March 21. Visit FloridaAIDSWalk.org.

* Stonewall Author Presentation: “Forbidden Child” by James Aiello

March 26 at 7 p.m. at the Stonewall Museum - Wilton Manors Gallery, 2157 Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. Aiello will read excerpts from his book about the illegitimate daughter of JFK and Marilyn Monroe. Free. Call 954763-8565 or visit Stonewall-Museum.org.

Icon: Women Who Changed the World

Through March 27 at the Pride Center, 2040 N. Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors. An art exhibition of local artists celebrating women, including Kelcie McQuaid, Chris Strait, Wendy WIllis, Caren Ragan and others. Gallery reception is March 27 from 6 to 10 p.m. Free. Call 954-463-9005 or visit PrideCenterFlorida.org.

“As Seen on TV: An Exploration of LGBT Characters: 1954-1979” Exhibit Opening

// 3.18.2015 // SFGN.com //

Through April 26 at Stonewall Museum – Wilton Manors Gallery, 2157 Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. The exhibit explores gay characters in American network drama and comedy programs. Free. Call 954-763-8565 or visit Stonewall-Museum.org.

Gender Bender Youth Group

Mondays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at SunServe Campus, 1480 SW Ninth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. A group for LGBT youth 13 to 21 to discuss gender, gender expression, binary systems, friendship, family and whatever else comes up! Free. Visit SunServeYouth. com

Diego Rivera created a new genre of Mexican artwork that is still influential today. Call 954-525-5500 or visit NSUArtMuseum.org.

group for female recovering alcoholics. Visit LambdaNorth.net.

Survivor Support

Mondays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at MCC of the Palm Beaches, 4857 Northlake Blvd. in Palm Beach Gardens. AA for the LGBT community. Free. Call 561-775-5900 or visit MCCPalmBeach. org.

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

palm beach county

* Erotica 2015

PFLAG

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

GayWrites

March 25 from 6 to 10 p.m. at Rolando Chang Barrero Fine Art Gallery, 711 Lucerne Ave. in Lake Worth. A collection of photography, paintings and sculptures by Joanne Urban, Ali Miranda, Allison Kotzig, and Orlando Chiang.

Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. at the Stonewall Library, 1300 E. Sunrise Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. Come join us and write your memoir, poem, blog, novel or short story. Free. Email garri1@earthlink.net.

* PrideFest of the Palm Beaches

SunServe Youth Group

DocNight at the Willow: “South Florida’s Rising Seas”

Tuesdays and Thursdays in Fort Lauderdale, Southwest Ranches, Coral Springs and Hollywood. A support group and night of fun for LGBT youth 13 to 21. Free. Visit SunServeYouth.com for dates and times.

GLBX Business Advantage Referral Group

First and third Wednesdays from 8 t 9 a.m. at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce, 512 NE Third Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-462-6000, extension 8775

The Art of Pop & Comics

Through May 23 at the Coral Springs Museum of Art, 2855 Coral Springs Drive in Coral Springs. An exhibition of works by more than 30 artists known for their contributions to comics such as “Superman,” “Batman,” “The Transformers,” as well as pop art. Artistrepcetion is March 5 at 8 p.m. Admission $6. Call 954-340-5000 or visit CoralSpringsMuseum.org.

BRAIN: The World Inside Your Head

Through May 3 at the Museum of Discovery and Science, 401 SW Second St. in Fort Lauderdale. Learn more about our mysterious brain, from how it works to disorders, with special effects displays. Entry $19 adults. Call 954-467-6637 or visit MODS. org.

Kahlo, Rivera & Mexican Modern Art Through May 31 at the NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale, One E. Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale. Mexican artists Frida Kahlo and soflagaynews //

March 28 and 29 in downtown Lake Worth. A celebration of pride at this annual, twoday festival. Tickets $8 presale or $10 at the gate. Visit CompassGLCC.com.

March 19 at 7 p.m. at the Sugar Sand park Community Center, 300 S. Military Trail in Boca Raton. A documentary about how South FLorida’s communities must change and adapt to rising sea levels. Tickets $5. Visit SugarSandPark.org.

Out of the Closet, Into the Light

miami-dade county

* Coral Gables Fashion Week

March 19 to 21 throughout Coral Gables. Indulge in the hottest looks that Coral Gables has to offer, with special deals at participating stores as well as runway shows and parties. Call 305-569-0311 or visit FashionWeek.ShopCoralGables.com.

* Japanese Spring Festival Kimono Fashion Show

March 22 at 1 p.m. at Miami Beach Botanical Gardens, 2000 Convention Center Drive in Miami Beach. Beautiful kimonos by Hiromi Asai will be showed off on the runway. Her looks have been featured in Vogue, Verizon Wireless ads, and Nicki Minaj. The rest of the festival includes Taiko drumming, sushi, sake tastings, children’s activities, and more. Visit MBGarden.org.

* Funkshion

March 22 to 26 at the Funkshion Style Village, between 11th and 12 Streets on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach. It’s all about fashion at this annual gathering of designers, as well as pop up lounges and stores with only the trendiest of looks. Visit Funkshion.com

Imaging Eden: Photographers Discover the Everglades

* Miami Music Week

* Tournees French Film Festival

* “Dale Carnegie Training on Breakthrough Leadership” Networking Breakfast

March 19 to July 12 at the Norton Museum of Art, 1451 S. Olive Ave. in West Palm Beach. From appreciation to advocacy, the Everglades have inspired photographers for decades now. Admission $12. Call 561-8325196 or visit Norton.org. Through April 6 at FAU’s Performing Arts building, room 101, 777 Glades Road in Boca Raton. Indulge in a month of French films (with English subtitles) such as “Bastards,” “Berlin 1885: The Division of Africa,” “The Grand Illusion,” and others. FAU faculty will lead discussions after the showing. Contact Roderick Cooke at 561-297-0341 or cooker@ fau.edu.

Afterlife: Tombs and Treasures of Ancient Egypt

Through April 18 at South Florida Science Museum, 4801 Dreher Trail North in West Palm Beach. Explore the world of the afterlife with a screening of “The Mummy,” activities, a mummy wrapping contest, and more. Tickets $20. Call 561-832-1988 or visit SFScienceCenter. org.

March 25 to 29 at Hyde Beach at SLS South Beach, 1701 Collins Ave. in Miami Beach. An awesome line up of music, including Luciano, Alesso, NERVO, R3HAB, Gareth Emery, and more. Tickets $45 and up. Visit HydeBeach.com/MiamiMusicWeek.

March 26 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at Soyka Restaurant, 5556 NE Fourth Court in Miami. Business leaders can learn leadership trends, how values drive behavior, and how to gain cooperation and influence. Tickets $35 members, $45 others. RSVP to GayBizMiami. com or 305-673-4440.

* Miss Miami Beach Gay Pride

April 1 at 10 p.m. at Score Nightclub, 1437 Washington Ave. in Miami Beach. Who will be crowned queen? A pageant with presentation, swimwear, evening gown, and talent. The winner will be ride in this year’s Miami Beach Gay Pride Parade, as well as be showered with other prizes. Tickets $15 to $180. Contact Peter Morales at 786- 368-8374 or moralpt@gmail.com.

Sober Sisters

Mondays at 6:15 p.m. at Lambda North, 18 S. J St. in Lake Worth. A support and discussion

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Datebook

Nightlife Christiana Lilly

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Alibi

broward county

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

Bill’s Filling Station

2209 Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. Check out this huge bar and nightclub with drink specials to boot. Karaoke Tuesdays, GROWL Fridays, DILF Saturdays, and happy hour prices until 9 p.m. every day. Call 954-567-6969 or visit BillsFillingStation.com.

Cubby Hole

823 N. Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale. A unique butch bar for men. Underwear Wednesdays get 2-for-1 drinks from 9 p.m. until close. Call 954-728-9001 or visit TheCubbyHole. com.

Mona’s

502 Sunrise Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. An eclectic bar with décor that will keep you entertained for hours. Thursdays is “In The Biz”. Call 954-5256662 or visit MonasBar.com.

Naked Grape Wine Bar & Tapas

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

Ramrod

1508 NE Fourth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. The region’s leading Levi, leather and uniform bar and club. Every night if bear night and caged hunks on Saturdays. Call 954-763-8219 or visit RamroadBar.com.

Rumors Bar & Grill

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

Scandals

3073 NE Sixth Ave. in Wilton Manors. Gay and lesbian country western bar for a night of dancing to your favorite country tunes. Call 954567-2432 or visit ScandalsFla.com.

Sidelines Sports & Video Bar

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

Village Pub Wilton Manors

2283 Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. Never miss out on a happy hour, as the pub is serving up two-for-one drinks Mondays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. On Saturdays and Sundays, hit the dance floor with world class VJs. Call 754200-5244.

palm beach county

Fort Dix

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

H.G. Roosters

823 Belvedere Road in West Palm Beach. The city’s oldest gay club, with hot male dancer, free BBQ and karaoke. Call 561-832-9119.

The Mad Hatter

1532 N. Dixie Highway in Lake Worth. Cheap drinks, friendly bartenders and free pool from Sunday to Thursday. Call 561-547-8860.

The Palm Lounge

131 E. Palmetto Park Road in Boca Raton. Tuesday country night, Wednesday karaoke, singers or tribute artists on the weekends. Call 561-672-7561 or visit PalmLoungeBoca.com.

Vita Ultra Lounge Saturdays

1225 Belvedere Road in West Palm Beach. LGBT Saturdays with the best drag queens around. Call 561-835-8482 or visit VitaUltraLounge.com.

miami-dade county

Azucar

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

Club Space

34 NE 11th St. in Miami. Come out for a night at the infamous nightclub known for crazy all-

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nighters to the best live electronic dance music. Call 305-350-1956 or visit ClubSpace.com.

Discotekka

950 NE Second Ave. in Miami. Come on Saturday nights for some of the best DJs around. Call 305350-9084 or visit Discotekka.com.

Eros Lounge

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

Mova Lounge

401 SW Third Ave. in Miami. For a night of dancing and cocktails made by the best mixologists around. Call 305-534-8181 or visit MovaLoungeMiami.com.

Score

1437 Washington Ave. in Miami Beach. Located in the heart of South Beach with hot male dancers, Pop Fever Thursdays and Filthy Gorgeous parties Fridays. Call 305-535-1111 or visit ScoreBar.net.

Therapy

60 NE 11th St in Miami. An all-nude male cabaret, party it up with Latin Wednesdays, college night Thursdays, bear nights on Friday, men hitting the dancing poles on Saturday, and sophisticated Sundays with $9 martinis. Call 305-316-7150 or visit TherapyCabaret.com.

Twist South Beach

1057 Washington Ave. in Miami Beach. Multiple rooms to give you the music you want, muscle boy dancers, and never a cover. Call 305- 5389478 or visit TwistSoBe.com.

Sou thFloridaGayNews // SF GN.com // 3.18.2015 //

SFGN Classiﬁed$ To place a Classiﬁed Ad, call Cindy Curtis at 954.530.4970 or visit SFGN.com

assistance

cleaning services

handyman

licensed massage

CLEAN IT RIGHT! The best cleaning for your buck. 1BD $60, 2BD $70, 3BD $80 and up. Excellent rates & references. 10 years in business. Serving Broward, North Miami-Dade & S. Palm Beach. Call Manny 954560-4443

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

MASSAGE BY DENNIS $50/90 MIN (DELRAY BEACH) I give a fantastic Swedish massage for $50/90 min, out calls higher. 20 years experience, all clients are welcome including seniors, as human beings we all need to be touched in a therapeutic, loving, and nurturing way. I do body work without the attitude. Please call me at 561-502-2628.

electrician

HARRY’S ELECTRIC RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL - Additions, renovations, service upgrades, breaker panels,FPL undergrounds, code violations, A/C wiring, ceiling fans, recessed, security & landscaping, lighting, pools, pumps, Jacuzzis, water heaters, FREE PHONE ESTIMATES 954-522-3357 Lic & Ins. www. harryelectrician.com

employment full time

attorneys

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MANAGERCITY OF WILTON MANORS - Under executive direction, the position performs highly responsible administrative and supervisory work involving the overall management of the City's ﬁre services contract, inhouse ﬁre inspections and plan review,and emergency management operations. For a full position description and application information,visit http://www.wiltonmanors.com and follow the CAREERS link.

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home & garden

POOL SERVICE

furniture

MATTRESSES & FURNITURE FOR SALE Mattress Set: King $200, Queen $150, Full $130, Twin $100; 7 Piece Bedroom set: Q/F $549 includes mattress & box. Call Chris at 954-465-6498 www. bedsbestbargain.com

home improvement

PHANTOM SCREENS - Allows full ventilation. Maintains décor and view. Expands your living space. Protects against UV rays and insects. Call Sydney Levit @305-931-5399 slevit@aol.com

licensed massage INCREDIBLY AWESOME BODYWORK IN WPB In-calls at a private studio 15 minutes west of PBIA. Intuitive, experienced licensed massage therapist offers affordable rates 7 days, early to late. ASK ABOUT WEEKLY SPECIALS!Calls only 561-2548065 for the very best massage experience you can get HANDS DOWN! #MA51008

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

moving LOCAL AND LONG DISTANCE Icon Moving, your local licensed and insured moving company!Here to help with your moving needs,www.iconmoving. com for a free estimate! Can also do overseas 561-338-3157 $50 off when you mention ad!

painting GREGG'S PAINTING - Interior/exterior,great rates, friendliness, reliability, neatness. No job too small. Call Gregg at 617-306-5694 or 954-870-5972

Mention this ad and receive your ﬁrst month

FREE! some restrictions apply

business opportunity

WWW.GAYSMLM.COM GAY PEOPLE ARE EARNING BIG MONEY BECOMING MLM PROFESSIONALS!

Serving Broward Since 1999

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

life coach

COACH BILL FOR LIFE Holistic Health, Wellness & Spiritual Coach

PARIS AUTO REPAIR

CERTIFIED HYPNOTIST

Honest, Genuine Auto Maintenance and Repair

Holistic Life and Nutrition Coach Personal Trainer Spiritual Life Coach and Minister

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

// 3.18.2015 // SFGN.com //

Reiki/Energy/Chakra Healer Couples/Relationship Coach

Complete in-house service Foreign & domestic including classic cars Same location since 1985 ONLY 4 BLOCKS from FAU main campus

Addiction Coach

PARIS AUTO REPAIR 954.641.8315 • WWW.COACHBILLFORLIFE.COM soflagaynews //

SouthFloridaGayNews

1801 NW 1st Ct Boca Raton, FL 33432

561-395-7765 Ask for John (“Curly”)

plumber

Having an outdoor event? Want to protect your guests?

AAA BLOUNT PLUMBING Kitchen & Bathroom remodeling, sewers, plugged drains, new construction and underground leaks. Over 30 years of experience. 24 HR Service. Call Dan 954-980-7499 Lic# CFCO22525

pets/supplies

HUGH TURNER established 1988

PEST CONTROL

◊ Pest management ◊ Lawn & Ornamental ◊ Termite

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

840 NW 33 Street Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309

◊ Marine ◊ Whiteﬂy ◊ Mosquito O [954] 564-0037 F [954] 537-6003

HughTurnerPestControl.com

rentals MIKE THE RENTAL GUY NE Lauderdale/Wilton Manors/Oakland/Victoria Park-1/1 from $885 2/1 from $1090. Credit & Income Requirements-Pets okay with restrictions. Call for Details Mike 561703-5533

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rentals fort lauderdale BEAUTIFUL, UPDATED 2/1 NEAR WILTON MANORS Everything new in this 2 bedroom apartment near Wilton Manors. New ﬂooring, new hurricane proof windows & door, new AC,new kitchen & bathroom.New laundry facilities. Assigned parking space. Small dogs under 25 lbs.$1300 a month.Contact Tommy Forcella, Wolfe Real Estate Group 954-632-5100.

tax prep HAROLD J BLOTCHER,EA Tax Preparation and Representation for Individuals and Small Business. Help with Same Sex Marriage Issues. Call 781-363-5519 or 561-429-3592 or visit our website at www.haroldjblotchertaxes.com

Daniel Ross

CPA, CFE

Now Preparing 2014 Form 1040’s IRS Electronic Filing Available Reasonable | Reliable | Dependable Masters of Taxation: GA State University (1987) Masters in Forensic Accounting: FL Atlantic University (2010) CONVENIENTLY LOCATED

In The heart of Wilton Manors

CPA since 1987

954.612.9922 danrosscpa@aol.com

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