Embrace Magazine — The Arts Issue by embracemedia

INDRAGENIUS

SHOWSTOPPER

HAUTE COUTURE

Filmmaker and Princeton University lecturer Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri

Broadway producer and entrepreneur Marc Levine

Fashion stylist and activist Max Brava

B O L D LY | U N I T I N G

LIFESTYLES

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Magnus Hastings Launches a Rainbow Revolution

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the ARTS

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BOX

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FEB 2021

EMBRACE Magazine receives 15 awards from the Florida Press Club 2020 Excellence in Journalism competition for writing, design, photography, & illustration! ISSUE

THINKING OUTSIDE

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Now More Than Ever, Live the Life You Want… IRONWOOD FARM “This is simply one of the finest estates I’ve seen in my career. The backyard overlooking the pond is so beautiful that it looks like it is straight out of the movies.” — ROB DESINO

Offered at $7,900,000 This magnificent 119 acre estate is located in Central NW Ocala’s acclaimed horse country. Wind up the paved drive to the spectacular home site sitting high on a hill overlooking the beautiful grounds. This property is recognized as one of the most prominent estates in horse country.

WHISPERING OAKS FARM “From the road you would think this is just a cute little farm cottage, but as soon as you walk in you realize how large and stunning this home and setting is.” — CHRIS DESINO

Offered at $799,000 This beautifully kept 6+ acre farm is just what you’ve dreamed of! Located in Central NW Ocala’s beautiful horse country, where you’ll find yourself surrounded by like-minded equestrians! It’s a great location, and just minutes to equestrian venues, including HITS, Live Oak, OBS, and less than 10 miles to the new WEC!

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Where You Want! “Such a pleasure to experience, as it is nestled back into the quietest part of a lovely equestrian subdivision. It is simply one of the best values on the market today.” — LISA ROGERS, OHP BUSINESS MANAGER

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“This property has the perfect layout and is most certainly why the 13 acres feel more like 25! Not one inch of space is wasted. And I absolutely love the master bedroom — it’s stunning!” — MATT VARNEY

BRIDAL OAKS FARM 2021

CHATHAM GLEN FARM

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Offered at $1,775,000 This 13 acre farm is conveniently located in Central NW Ocala’s horse country; it’s one mile to HITS, and 15 minutes to the new World Equestrian Center! There are 2 large pastures with mature shade trees, and an additional 3 paddocks with 10-foot aisles between. woodwork; it features feed and tack rooms, wash racks, bath and efficiency apt.

Offered at $1,195,000 This farm is located in the beautiful equestrian community of Ocala Downs in NW Ocala’s prestigious horse country. This location can’t be beat for easy access to main roads, parks and riding opportunities, and horse venues, including the new World Equestrian Center.

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VISIT US OR CALL 352.414.4848

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G O L DSGY M .CO M /O CA L A- F L

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L2R STEPH LANDOROVA, BRYAN WILLIAMS, TYLER SCHRAGE, CHRIS WILLIAMS

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CONGRATS TO THE POPWRAPPED TEAM, ON HAVING OVER 100-MILLION VIEWS ON THEIR PLAYLIST LIVE 2020 COVERAGE! FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT SOTOMAYOR MEDIA.

C ON T E N TS THE ARTS ISSUE

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26 Thinking Outside the Box Photo-essay from Photographer Magnus Hastings new book “Rainbow Revolution” BY SHANE GALLAGHER

Indragenius Multi-talented artist, filmmaker, and Princeton University lecturer Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri BY MARY ANN THOMPSON-FRENK

Haute Couture Fashion stylist, journalist, and activist Max Brava BY SARA GIZA

50 Stroke of Genius Photo-essay of Brazilian visionary portrait painter Paulo Cesar Barros Pimenta BY MAX B. MARCUS

60 Showstopper Acclaimed Broadway producer and entrepreneur Marc Levine BY SARA GIZA

66 The Write Stuff Revered biographer and film historian Stephen Michael Shearer BY FRED W. WRIGHT JR.

à la mode Photo-essay of Artist Khalil Douisse reveals his passion for fashion with spectacular style BY MAX B. MARCUS

(r)Evolutionary A conversation with multi-medium Brazilian artist Rubem Robierb BY MAX B. MARCUS

P R O M O T I O N A L F E AT U R E S

24 At Your Service Premier Lifestyle Management BY FRED W. WRIGHT JR.

108 The Ideal Arrangement Art Consultant Gent BY FRED W. WRIGHT JR.

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128 104

D E PA R T M E N T S

104 The Influence of Dame David

SEEN

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132 Lake County Pride 2020 134 Mama’s House

Contributors Publisher’s Note

110 Top Party Playas

A Supreme Injustice

I N T E R N AT I O N A L N E W S

94 Polarized Poland

114 The Art of Creating a Great First Impression 118 Refresh Your Space to Recharge Your Life in 2021 120 Beauty Hisness 122 All About that Base ACTIVISM + CHARITY

124 Gays with Kids Announces Its Fatherhood Partner Program

A R T + C U LT U R E

H E A LT H + F I T N E S S

128 Getting Inked 130 Sculpting Your Physique

A Man and His Piano: The Musical Diaries of Brian Kinler

136 AJ and Magnus

INDRAGENIUS

SHOWSTOPPER

HAUTE COUTURE

Filmmaker and Princeton University lecturer Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri

Broadway producer and entrepreneur Marc Levine

Fashion stylist and activist Max Brava

EmbraceMagazine.us

B O L D LY | U N I T I N G

LIFESTYLES

BOX

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Magnus Hastings Launches a Rainbow Revolution

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the ARTS

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FEB 2021

EMBRACE Magazine receives 15 awards from the Florida Press Club 2020 Excellence in Journalism competition for writing, design, photography, & illustration! ISSUE

ISSUES + POLITICS

STYLE + TRENDS

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Mind Body Soul Finance: Money Matters

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THINKING OUTSIDE

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ON THE COVER Drag Queen Abhora Photographer: Magnus Hastings From photography book, “Rainbow Revolution”

READER FEEDBACK We want to hear what you think of each issue and welcome your comments and suggestions at john@sotomayormedia.com FOLLOW US ON facebook.com/embracemagazine.us

CONTRIBUTORS The mission of Embrace Magazine is to unite LGBTQ+ and straight communities to live, work, play, and pray together. We also wish to provide a platform for LGBTQ+ people to have a voice and share their unique artistry. Therefore, our staff consists of two-thirds LGBTQ+ persons, and one-third straight persons within our 18-member staff.

➺ Meet our contributors …

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Joe De Leon Creative Director

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Joe De Leon is a devout husband, father, and vegan, with a wealth of more than 20 years of experience as a designer. For nine years, he served as Art Director of Charisma, the flagship magazine of Charisma Media in Lake Mary, Fla, and supervised the art direction of three additional publications in digital and traditional print formats. He then worked for Bonnier Corporation in Winter Park, Fla, providing creative vision and artistic leadership for the Parenting, Cruising World, Sailing World and Flying brands.

Sara Giza Feature and Political Writer Sara Giza is a queer activist, who has divided her time over the past decade between freelance writing and advocacy work. She’s in her final year of graduate school for Social Work and was a 2020 cohort member of the University of Pennsylvania’s Executive Leadership Program on Violence & Abuse Prevention. She has been a stringer for LEO Weekly and The Voice-Tribune in Louisville, Kentucky, as well as for Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers and Vero Beach Magazine in Florida. She can be found on Instagram @searingsara

Conan Segrest Chief Photographer Conan Segrest and his wife Yaisa have been the owners of Full Line Photography Studio for the last 10 years. They have been in the Ocala area since graduating in 1998 and married since 2001. His wife got him his first camera that same year and he hasn’t put it down since, now providing timeless wedding photography and family portraits to his clients to cherish a lifetime.

Mary Ann Thompson-Frenk Feature Writer Mary Ann is the recipient of the 2018 Civic Pioneer Award, considered one of the highest recognitions given by Congress to a USA female citizen. She is a co-founder of The Memnosyne Institute with her husband, Joshua Raymond Frenk, which includes programs, Food-

SourceDFW one of the leading initiatives fighting food waste in the nation (feeding 5,000 families a week in Dallas alone), GreenSourceDFW, three international chapters including Japan, Israel/ Palestine and Mexico where it supports two cultural centers serving the Maya and Tolteca people. She is also a published writer, internationally award-winning sculptor, human rights/ environmental activist, social-responsible investor/conscious-capitalist and international speaker. She led her team in negotiating the first treaty/ alliance in 300 years between Hopi and Navajo nations.

range from everyday working women, super models, celebrities, to royalty including Queen Noor of Jordan, Princess Isabella de Ligne de la Trémoïll (Belgium), and Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece. Max has also dedicated the last two decades of his life, to working towards advancement of marriage and immigration equality and helping disadvantaged youth.

Fred W. Wright Jr. Feature Writer

Max B. Marcus Style + Trends Writer Max B. Marcus is the founder and president of Glow4Good, Inc. (a non-profit organization-offering aid to marginalized communities). Max studied and taught at the prestigious Parsons School of Design / The New School in New York City. He has travelled the world representing the haute couture houses of iconic fashion designers Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Dior. Educated in the Americas, Europe, and Japan, Max is renowned for his award-winning work as a world class stylist and beauty expert. His clients

Fred. W. Wright Jr. Is a full-time freelance writer based in Seminole, Fla. A generalist, Fred writes about a wide range of subjects, from business to film, health to stress, history to senior citizens. Travel makes up about 75 percent of what he writes. His work has been published in numerous newspapers and magazines, including Tampa Bay Times (formerly St. Petersburg Times), National Geographic Traveler, Variety, Florida Trend, Bed & Breakfast Quarterly, and AAA Southern Traveler. He is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW).

Dalton Hobbs Photographer A creative person with an eye and interest in capturing human events through the lens, Dalton Hobbs began honing his photography talent back in 2013 in the small town of Dunnellon. He has since turned his shutterbug hobby into a full-time business in Ocala, specializing in all life events, such as weddings, graduation portraits, maternity, equine eventing, and artistic photography.

Mike Fallon Travel Writer Michael “Mike” Fallon is a business professor at Beacon College in Leesburg, Fla., and an avid traveler. He spends about three months per year traveling the world, and has visited all Seven Wonders of the World. He’s been to nearly 80 countries, and around 60 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Melissa-Marie Marks is a freelance writer based in North-Central Florida. She specializes in writing about green business and green technology, renewable energy, conservation and sustainability, and holistic health. Melissa graduated from The Florida School of Traditional Midwifery in 2012 and practiced as a Florida licensed midwife until 2018, when she retired from private practice to focus on her writing career. She spends her leisure time camping with her kids and manifesting a life she loves by utilizing the law of attraction.

Asher is your average guy walking through life that happens to be living a life of Trans experience. He began transitioning in June 2015. His journey had led him down paths he’d never realized. Paths that have helped him help others.

Gary Tanner Finance Writer Gary Tanner has a strong background in information technology and property and casualty insurance. He lives in Mount Dora, Fla., with his partner of more than 30 years and is an active member of the community. Tanner owns a successful insurance agency, and he writes technology and lifestyle articles related to the insurance industry.

Katie McCullough Mental Health Writer Katie McCullough, graduate of Flagler College, is currently teaching English Language Arts in Saint Augustine, Fla, specializing in gifted and exceptional education. Prior to attending graduate school, Katie plans to pursue her passion for writing while finding time to travel the world.

Kristina “Krisie” Bell Health + Fitness Writer Krisie Bell has been a Registered Nurse in the Ocala area for nearly two decades. She is currently obtaining her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree through the University of Central Florida, and hopes to eventually specialize as a Primary Care practitioner for LGBT adults. She is married to her best friend, Andrew, and they share a blended (and chaotic) family of eight.

Donna Davis Spiritual Health Writer

A transgender woman, Porsha was born and raised in Panama City, Fla. She has lived in Ocala for the past eight years. She has been the Show Director at the Copa, a local gay nightclub, for the past three years. A fashionista and trendsetter, Porsha’s makeup expertise is second nature, having played with makeup ever since she was a little boy. There is no one better suited than Porsha to represent fashion and style within our pages at Embrace.

An interfaith minister and life coach, Donna Davis utilizes her life experiences to empower other people to overcome their struggles. Together with her wife, Norma, they manage Your Phoenix is Rising, a transformation coaching service focused on helping others rise from the darkness of despair and embrace their true Light Nature. Donna and Norma raised three biological children and served as legal guardians to several teenaged friends of their children during their time of need. Donna is a Registered Nurse at Parralion HCA Shared Services and Performance Director at Centers for Spiritual Living Ocala. She studied RN at Rasmussen College and psychology at Florida Atlantic University.

Cory Freeman Health + Fitness Columnist Cory Freeman is a twotime first-place national bodybuilding champion, having won both of his first-place titles, The Men’s Classic Physique Master’s Over 35 at the 2019 NPC Viking Championship and at the 2019 NPC Masters USA in his rookie year. Cory works as a physical therapist in the home health industry.

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Steve Pafford is an English journalist, actor and author of the acclaimed book BowieStyle. Having trained from the floor up in UK music titles Q, MOJO and Record Collector, he’s had his work featured in a wide variety of British, American and Australian media including the BBC, CNN, The Independent and the New York Times. Steve divides his time between Australia and the south of France.

Porsha Ross Style + Trends Columnist

ARTS

Asher Bomse Transgender Issues Writer

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Melissa-Marie Marks Physical Health and Arts Writer

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Steve Pafford International News and Arts + Culture Writer

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CONTRIBUTORS

B O L D LY | U N I T I N G | L I F E S T Y L E S

PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF John Sotomayor E D I TO R I A L

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

ART

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Joe De Leon

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2021

Gary Tanner Melissa-Marie Marks Katie McCullough Donna Davis Asher Bomse Porsha Ross Cory Freeman

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Sara Giza Fred W. Wright Jr. Mike Fallon Steve Pafford Krisie Bell Mary Ann Thompson-Frenk Max B. Marcus Shane Gallagher

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CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER Conan Segrest PHOTOGRAPHERS

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Dalton Hobbs Magnus Hastings Paulo Cesar Barros Pimenta Khalil Douisse

Annie Sackmann Zack Wittman John Gileza Jake Stevens

O P E R AT I O N S

DIRECTOR OF LOCAL SALES AND ADVERTISING John Sotomayor NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Rivendell Media (212) 242-6863 sales@rivendellmedia.com OUR MISSION

To unite LGBTQ+ and straight communities to live, work, play, and pray together.

SPONSOR

C H A M B E R PA R T N E R

MEDIA MEMBERS

Third Edition 2021 Published February 2021 | Sotomayor Media Creations LLC | 352.571.0129

© All contents copyrighted 2021 by Sotomayor Media Creations LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or advertising content in any manner without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Unsolicited material will not be returned. Publisher reserves the right to approve or refuse any advertiser or contribution for any reason. Photographs are submitted by writers of each article who assume responsibility for usage approval. Publisher is not responsible for advertisers’ claims or content of advertisements. “Paid Promotional Feature” or “Special Promotional Feature” denotes paid advertising features. The ideas and opinions contained in this publication do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of the publisher

SHOWSTOPPER

HAUTE COUTURE

Filmmaker and Princeton University lecturer Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri

Broadway producer and entrepreneur Marc Levine

Fashion stylist and activist Max Brava

B O L D LY | U N I T I N G

LIFESTYLES

2021 ISSUE THE

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JIMMIE SPRINKLES Business Owner BEAN Event Producer

TIKKA MASALA DJ

DANIEL SUG Handyman

BRIAN EYTH Floral Designer

“The essays elevate the book for me and give it a purpose beyond the social media recognition the images have gained,” says Hastings.

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Accompanying Hastings’ gorgeous photos are powerful essays from some of the subjects, detailing their own personal battles in stories that are marked with sincerity and oftentimes, humor.

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2021

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JUNO DAWSON Writer

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the ARTS

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EMBRACE Magazine receives 15 awards from the Florida Press Club 2020 Excellence in Journalism competition for writing, design, photography, & illustration!

2021

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

BOX

Magnus Hastings Launches a Rainbow Revolution

FEB 2021

ISSUE

THINKING OUTSIDE

EmbraceMagazine.us

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For access to digital magazines (also available on issuu.com) Announcements on radio broadcast of Embrace Magazine Radio Show on WOCA 96.3 FM/1370 AM Weekly updates and coverage on related LGBTQ+ topics

www.facebook.com/embracemagazine.us www.embracemagazine.us

PUBLISHER'S LETTER

Embracing

LGBTQ Artists

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THE MOMENT my aunt taught me ➺howFROM to sketch flowers using her linear tech-

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nique at age 5, I developed a love and appreciation for the arts. Soon after, I was sketching images seen on comic book covers so well, friends and family assumed they were traced. If I could do things over again, I would have selected a career in the arts or creativity sooner. In work study while in college, I had a coveted job as a caretaker of the Hartnett Galley located within the Wilson Commons Student Center at the University of Rochester, where I studied economics and political science. It was there I was exposed to a wide range of artists, yet I was not exposed to any LGBTQ artists. If I was, I did not know it. I went to college in the mid-to-late 1980’s during the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis – a time when we felt safer hiding our identities rather than outwardly exploring them. In 1990, I moved to Washington DC to study law and came across a wonderful LGBTQ bookstore in Dupont Circle called Kramerbooks & Afterwords. Founded in 1976, the same year as Wilson Commons, Kramers is a true DC landmark. Among the many authors and book titles I discovered there were Robert Mapplethorpe’s homoerotic photography coffee table books, and the iconic homoerotic art of Tom of Finland. A whole new world of art opened up for me. I began to notice LGBTQ artists in every medium. Of course, I knew of famous gay musicians such as Elton John, Boy George, and David Bowie. But I did not know Steven Morrissey of The Smiths and Freddie Mercury of Queen were gay. I just didn’t know, OK? As time went on, I began learning more of our LGBTQ contributors to the arts. Artists like David Wojnarowicz, an American multimedia artist who

contributed to movements and styles such as Queer Art, Identity Politics, and East Village Art. Like Catalan architect and designer, Antoni Gaudi, who specialized in Art Nouveau and Modern Architecture. Like Serbian-American artist Marina Abramovic, famous for her contributions to Performance Art, Feminist Art, and Body Art. Today, the conceptual art of Andy Warhol and the photography of Annie Leibovitz are deemed iconic by the mainstream. Yet there are many more LGBTQ artists contributing to every medium such as theater, film, biographies, fine arts, modern arts, and fashion that are not well known, by either the LGBTQ community or mainstream. It is the mission of this magazine to build bridges between the LGBTQ community and the mainstream, and to bring awareness of our LGBTQ cultural and social identity. We profile the work of Broadway producer Marc Levine, the filmmaking of Indrani Pai-Chaudhuri, the fashion styling of Max Brava, and the photography of Magnus Hastings, among others, so that our LGBTQ and mainstream audiences gain exposure to LGBTQ artists, even if they already knew who they were but did not know they identify as LGBTQ. By providing this platform, perhaps a child learning to draw flowers through a linear technique, or a university student working his or her way through college in an art gallery would have LGBTQ artists as role models to identify with, rather than be mystified by.

Portrait painted by Brazilian artist, Paulo Cesar Barros Pimenta

John Sotomayor Publisher and Editor-in-Chief john@sotomayormedia.com

OcalaPride.org

f a c e b o o k .c o m /O c a l a P r i d e I n c

T H E 4 P I L L A R S O F LG BTQ + H E A LT H

HEALTH

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Connecting through Art BY KATIE McCULLOUGH

middle school, my grandmother and I walked into an art gallery featuring local artists who used art as a means of recovery from various mental illnesses and trauma. The striking colors, textures, and images on the stark white walls of the gallery helped create an intense atmosphere with strangers all gathering to gasp at the grotesque, emotional depictions of feelings they could relate to, but never talked about. As a young teen wrestling with confusing ideas about my own sexuality, I was drawn to a painting depicting an LGBTQ+ child, clad in rainbows, cowering in the fetal position of a dark room. Not only was it a haunting portrayal of all-too-familiar feelings for many of us growing up in places with a conservative majority, but the plaque dedicated to the artist elaborated on the cathartic experience it was for the painter to construct this piece. This artist felt like an outsider amidst the close-minded community members, but found freedom and acceptance in the art community.

Art is an outlet we can use to find like-minded peers and process our feelings, thus improving our overall mental health. In a study conducted by Heather L. Stuckey and Jeremy Nobel, they find that by having a creative outlet, “either as an observer...or as an initiator of one’s own creative efforts,” this practice “can enhance one’s mood, emotions, and other psychological states.” The most relatable example of this phenomenon would be through music. Think about the music you play on your way home from work when you’re trying to relax and relieve stress, or the music from your infamous emo phase as a young teen who cannot cope with the pressures of young adult life. Music can drive our mood and help guide our mental health. Music also works as a connector to people around us. Our tribe. So, what now? What if you don’t consider yourself to be a creative person? Engaging in creative outlets does not necessarily mean visiting an art gallery or picking up an instrument. Perhaps you like working with your hands and crafting a product out of raw materials, or cooking something new that you enjoy rather than out of obligation. Maybe you like to move your body and dance around the living room, or get out of the house and take photographs of scenes that bring you joy. Use your mind for things other than your obligations. The key is to make mistakes and simply try.

KATIE McCULLOUGH, graduate of Flagler College, is currently teaching English Language Arts in Saint Augustine, FL, specializing in gifted and exceptional education. Prior to attending graduate school, Katie plans to pursue her passion for writing while finding time to travel the world.

ILLUSTRATION BY: FREEDA MICHAUX

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MIND B O DY SOUL FINANCE

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HEALTH

TRANSGENDER

Writers of Trans Experience

rans writers have a unique ability. The ability to share their journey through their writing. They are able to speak about their experiences as a Trans person. They let the insight of their journey, of their life, in their writing. They have the ability to share who they are prior to their transition as well as after their transition are two different people in various ways both obvious and not so obvious. It’s been sharing their stories that benefited more than they sometimes realize or understand. For Trans writers, it is sometimes sharing their stories that give them therapy that traditional therapy doesn’t provide. Childhood experiences are experiences everyone has. Trans writers are able to write about their childhood experiences. They’re able to share things they went through from their perspective. A unique perspective at that. Many come from religious backgrounds and were told to be a gender they never identified with. To be a gender they don’t want to be. It is hard enough going through life as a child, teen and adult. It’s often harder for someone who is Trans people. There is often a higher suicide rate as a result. Trans people with no resources often feel isolated to the point they’d rather die than stay alive. It is the feeling of being alone with nobody to turn to that leads to them

thinking they’re better off dead. To their parents, they lack the understanding, often due to religious beliefs, that don’t help the case. In time, they see there are people that love them for who they are. It is something writers are able to write about. To help others through a pain they know all too well. Their journey since coming out can sometimes be harder than staying in the closet. It is the ability to write it out and help others that helps them as well. They’re able to help someone else while also helping themselves. It isn’t easy being a Trans person in today’s world. To know they aren’t alone though helps more than people will ever know, understand or even realize. Writers have a unique ability to share their stories if they choose to do so. For Trans writers, it is something they may do to help anyone that comes across their writing that is struggling with their Gender Identity or knows someone who is. To help someone else through their pain.

ASHER BOMSE is your average guy walking through life that happens to be living a life of Trans experience. He began transitioning in June 2015. His journey had led him down paths he’d never realized. Paths that have helped him help others.

ILLUSTRATION BY: DMITRIIP

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BY ASHER BOMSE

HEALTH

BODY

Choosing Alternative Healthcare Going to the Doctor’s Got You Feeling Down? Why Today’s LGBTQ+ Are Choosing Alternative Healthcare for Wellness, Prevention, and Chronic Conditions

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any LGBTQ+ folks report regularly feeling pressured to explain how and why a person’s outside appearance and/or gender expression may not always coincide with what society believes their sexual anatomy and sexual orientation should be. Unfortunately, a number of these discussions occur between LGBTQ+ patients and their healthcare providers, those we trust to keep up-to-date not only on the ever-changing world of medicine, but also on the topic of cultural competency—defined as healthcare tailored to meet the specific needs of groups of people with diverse beliefs, values, languages, and cultural and social behaviors. It is the year 2021, in the United States of America. It goes without saying that healthcare should be for Every Body. Sadly, we’re not there yet. On June 12, 2020, the 4-year anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shootings, the Trump administration removed gender identity from the Section 1557 rule that protects patients from sex discrimination in healthcare settings, defining sex as “male or female and as determined by biology.” And although, on August 17, 2020, a federal judge temporarily blocked this rule change from going through, many LGBTQ+ people are understandably apprehensive about seeking healthcare. Yet, members of the LGBTQ+ community are often those who need medical care the most, facing an increased risk for medical issues such as cancer, intimate partner vi-

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Modalities to Explore To treat musculoskeletal pain, headaches, and injuries, look into acupuncture, chiropractic care, and massage therapy. For mind/body/spirit health, wellness, stress-relief, and trauma, try reiki, talk therapy, or hypnosis. For hormonal regulation, nutritional deficiencies, and chronic illness, check out Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Western herbalism, and Ayurveda. And midwifery, with either independent (licensed or non) midwives or Nurse Midwives, offers reproductive and fertility care.

olence, substance abuse, STIs, eating disorders, and certain cancers. There is hope. More and more LGBTQ+ are walking away from mainstream medicine and exploring alternative healthcare. Already used to life (and work) on the fringe, many alternative healthcare providers offer a welcoming space, as well as culturally sensitive care, to minority groups like LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and people with disabilities. Additionally, alternative healthcare providers are often trained to provide wellness education, therapy and counseling, and preventative screening, crucial pieces often missing from the mainstream medicine puzzle. Of course, not all alternative healthcare providers are experienced in caring for LGBTQ+ folks, and, thankfully, a number of mainstream medical doctors are. The Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA) is one of many online resources dedicated to helping LGBTQ+ folks find their dream healthcare provider. But perhaps the most straightforward way to find out if your healthcare provider is going to respect you is to ask them directly how they feel about caring for people like you. The world is rapidly changing. As more LGBTQ+ patients demand equal access to appropriate and sensitive healthcare, the future of healthcare is shaped to meet those demands.

MELISSA-MARIE MARKS is a freelance writer based in North-Central Florida. She specializes in writing about green business and green technology, renewable energy, conservation and sustainability, and holistic health. Melissa graduated from The Florida School of Traditional Midwifery in 2012 and practiced as a Florida licensed midwife until 2018, when she retired from private practice to focus on her writing career. She spends her leisure time camping with her kids and manifesting a life she loves by utilizing the law of attraction.

ILLUSTRATION BY: ARTYWAY

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BY MELISSA-MARIE MARKS

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Staying Spiritually Serene During Covid-19 BY R E V. D O N N A DAV I S ( Y P i R )

eople and stress caused by finance/lack of work can affect one’s spirituality. Families are asked to stay home. This raises electricity and food bills. The financial stress of not being able to work puts the family in what can be seen as a financial crisis. It is hard to rely on faith and hope. There are some who lean on their faith at these times and find comfort and solace there. However, for the LGBTQ, they may have felt an abandonment from the God of their families. All of this stress can lead to depression and anxiety. This is when LGBTQ people can stay as connected as possible via the online community. There are countless people posting positive memes on social media that can be helpful to gently pull you away from the worry. Connecting to positive people can help to lift your spirits, however, be careful not to start thinking that “all those people are well except for me”. People show you their best lives on social media. Reach out to your mentors and people who are more spiritually grounded. Speak to them from the heart. Lay bare your problems to friends who will listen. Sometimes, just voicing the issues can help you to feel better. Watch movies that inspire you with the family or by yourself. Most of all, try to stay as centered in the knowl-

edge that nothing lasts forever. All things pass. The stress of Covid feels as if it is never going to be over, however, we can always rebuild. Time is a wonderful healer. Meditation is also helpful for stress control. Find ways to be able to sit and take some deep breaths. This is known as Centering. The best way of centering right now during the stress of finances and family is to start with gratitude. Start with something small. Like gratitude for my next heartbeat. Gratitude for my next breath. Gratitude for my hands and feet etc. Whenever you are grateful, stress lifts and the way becomes clear. Maybe you find a program online for financial help or the stimulus check shows up in the mail. When we are grateful, we find more things to be grateful for. We start the chain in motion to receive more to be grateful for. It is no one thing that helps to relieve stress. It is different things mixed together for each person’s preference.

An interfaith minister and life coach, DONNA DAVIS utilizes her life experiences to empower other people overcome their struggles. Together with her wife, Norma, they manage Your Phoenix is Rising, a transformation coaching service focused on helping others rise from the darkness of despair and embrace their true Light Nature. Donna and Norma raised three biological children and served as legal guardians to several teenaged friends of their children during their time of need. Donna is a Registered Nurse at Parralion HCA Shared Services and Performance Director at Centers for Spiritual Living Ocala. She studied RN at Rasmussen College and psychology at Florida Atlantic University.

PHOTO BY: DANIEL RODRIGUEZ GARRIGA

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MONEY MATTERS

Filing Taxes as a Same-Sex Married Couple BY GARY TANNER

iling taxes can be a daunting task for anyone. There are so many things to consider: What deductions should I take, how should I file, etc.? The list goes on and on, and without the proper guidance, you could be cheating yourself. This is especially true for same-sex couples. The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service ruled that same-sex couples, legally married in jurisdictions that recognize their marriages, will be treated as married for federal tax purposes. Legalizing same-sex marriage had some major practical implications for same-sex couples. Domestic partnerships and civil unions, although counted as legal relationships that are recognized on the state level, are not marriages and don’t qualify you to file federal taxes as a married couple. You can only file using the marriage designation if you are legally married. For most married same-sex couples, they are likely to see a lower tax bill as a result for being able to file as married. However, those on the extreme ends of the income spectrum should know that this may not be true for them. Their tax liability may go up. It is important to consult an experienced tax preparer who understands the laws and can guide you through the process. For example, for couples who both have high-income earnings, they may see their tax bill increase if they file jointly. If so, they should

consider filing separately. Married couples can file federal taxes in two ways – married filing jointly or married filing separately. Couples who plan on raising a child together have extra incentive to file a joint return. For example, it’s the only way they can claim a credit or an exclusion on expenses incurred when adopting a child together. Depending on the couple’s income, they may be able to claim a credit up to 35 percent of their qualifying expenditures. Married same-sex couples now face the dilemma other spouses face: Do they file taxes jointly or separately? While a combined return offers a lower tax bill in most cases, it doesn’t hurt to run the numbers both ways before submitting your form to the IRS. Be sure to ask your tax preparer to show you the difference in filing jointly versus filing separately. Then, you can choose the best option for your family. We now have that choice and can choose the path that benefits our families the most.

GARY TANNER has a strong background in Information Technology and Property & Casualty Insurance. He resides in beautiful Mount Dora, Florida, with his partner of 30+ years and is an active member of the community and surrounding areas. Gary owns a successful insurance agency in Lake County and contributes each year to the local school system. He has written technology and lifestyle articles for online publications and writes blogs related to the insurance industry and local food scene. PHOTO BY:MIND AND I

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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

At Your Service For personal lifestyle and concierge services look no further than Premier Lifestyle Management. Their skilled team offers a wealth of knowledge, experience and solutions to make “city lifestyle living” easy and affordable for anyone, no matter where they live. By Fred W Wright Jr

“OUR SCOPE IS NATIONAL. WE HAVE VENDORS AND REPRESENTATIVES THROUGHOUT THE U.S. IF SOMEONE NEEDS A BARTENDER FOR A PARTY IN ALASKA, WE’VE GOT ONE.”

you think of it, Marc Levine and his dream team will make it happen for you. If you don’t like standing in line, or decorating your Christmas tree, Premier Lifestyle Management will do it for you. If that is the case, one of Levine’s team will step up to help. That’s what his business is. He hires people to do jobs, that his clients are unable, can’t, or simply do not want to do. Levine, owner and founder of Premier Lifestyle Management, started this service several years ago as a boutique personal assistant/home concierge service. It is similar to a hotel concierge service, but without the hotel. When the pandemic arrived, most people found they had to quarantine at home. They found themselves requiring services that before the lockdown they would do themselves. People were looking for ways to avoid leaving their residences to do their routine errands as well as looking for things to do while stuck at home. Premier Lifestyle Management provided in-home activities such as virtual wine-tasting events, such as virtual singing lessons, music lessons, Levine’s requests also included providing athome yoga classes, conducted virtually by his staff of out of work actors, dancers, and musicians. There does not seem to be a limit to the services that this company can provide. During celebrations such as weddings or birthdays, PLM will come to your home, pick up your purchased gifts, do shopping for you, gift wrap them and return it within a few days, or even deliver it if so desired to the recipient. Levine who also has a background in event planning and staffing, and owns a nation-wide staffing agency called Modelbartenders Inc, has been able to cater parties, in client’s homes, and their property, while obeying the social- distancing protocols.

Although based in New York City, PLM services clients in all other cities, such as Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Dallas, and Chicago. Levine is able to provide services to both corporate and private clients in any city in America. He says, “Our scope is national. We have vendors and representatives throughout the U.S. If someone needs a bartender for a party in Alaska, we’ve got one.” PLM is a company that embraces all communities. Levine is a certified LGBT small business owner and has served on the board and supports many LGBT organizations, such as AMFAR, the Ali Forney Center, Bailey House, and Broadway Cares Equity Fights Aids. Trying to compensate for the pandemic shutdowns, the staff of PLM very often goes to extremes. Clients visiting from out of town unfortunately miss out on seeing a Broadway show. No problem for Levine and his staff. To compensate for this, he has arranged a Zoom session with actors from the closed show and his clients, thus giving the out of towner a taste of the Broadway they are missing. Do you want your favorite Broadway actor or actress to sing Happy Birthday to you? No problem, it can be done. Levine says, “Each service is unique and individual. There is no price list. Our fees start at $45 per hour, and of course are based on the services provided. We recently arranged a private concert given by Broadway actors and actresses performed on our client’s property. Cost $25,000 plus.”

TO LEARN MORE about the various services that Marc and his staff can provide please visit premierlifestylemanagement.com or call 212.499.0886.

THiNKiNG

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PHOTOS BY MAGNUS HASTINGS

GIGI GOODE Drag Queen

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agnus Hastings’ new coffee-table book, Rainbow Revolution is a collection of vibrant portraits that celebrate the expanding spectrum of queer identity and visibility. A sample of Hastings artistic work is presented in this photo-essay, provided exclusively to Embrace Magazine by Chronicle Books, based in San Francisco. Inspired by the photographer’s social media campaign #GayFace — a project that quickly became a viral sensation for featuring an array of people representing all of the different colors of the LGBTQ community — Rainbow Revolution is packed with more than 300 photographs of everyday individuals and celebrities like Kathy Griffin, Boy George, Luke Evans, and fan favorites from RuPaul’s Drag Race.

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What happens when one photographer takes an empty white box and asks his subjects to present themselves the way they want to be seen? It may start a revolution…

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BRIAN EYTH Floral Designer

Accompanying Hastingsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; gorgeous photos are powerful essays from some of the subjects, detailing their own personal battles in stories that are marked with sincerity and oftentimes, humor.

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JIMMIE SPRINKLES Business Owner BEAN Event Producer

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JUNO DAWSON Writer

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TIKKA MASALA DJ

DANIEL SUG Handyman

“The essays elevate the book for me and give it a purpose beyond the social media recognition the images have gained,” says Hastings.

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ERIC PLINER Chief Executive Officer JONATHAN BLOOM Freelance Copywiter & Creative Director EZRA, JACOB, and JEREMIAH Their children

Magnus Hastings’ passion to depict the queer community in all its technicolor gloriousness runs deep, and it shows in earnest from cover to cover. “The inspiration for Rainbow Revolution came from watching the world moving to a dark and right winged place,” says Hastings.

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LIL MIS HOT MESS Adjunct Professor in Media, Culture, and Communications

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RYAN ERICKSON Multifaceted Atrist

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CODY SILVER Artist

JAMES CHARLES Makeup Artist and YouTuber

“I wanted to create a project that was highly visible and unapologetically queer, and one that shouted with pride, defiance, humor, and joy because, after all, if the LGBTQ community is good at anything, it is laughing in the face of adversity.”

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West Hollywood Dodgeball Players

The project began in the winter of 2018 when Hastings built a box in his parking garage, a 3-D blank canvas, and enlisted RuPaulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Drag Race star Alaska Thunderfuck as his test subject.

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NICO TORTORELLA Actor BETHANY C. MEYERS Fitness Entrepreneur

The idea was to allow Alaska to transform the space in any way she chose, so that the image represented how she wanted to be seen. Alaska nailed up some blue fabric, threw together some shapes, struck a pose and in that instant, magic was born.

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COREY EVANS Tattoo Artist

Over the next two years, with his camera in tow, Hastings traveled between Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and London, building more white boxes and snapping hundreds of mini theatrical pieces that provided hundreds more subjects of varying gender and sexual identities a platform from which to tell their unique stories.

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TIM WHITMORE Visual Director PAUL ANTONIO Calligrapher

Upon shooting close to 1000 boxes, Magnus felt ready to compile some of the best for his second book: Rainbow Revolution.

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LUKE EVANS Actor

The end result is funny, personal, political, racy and magical; a beautifully diverse celebration of queer identity and community. Inside the pages are fashion designers, medical doctors, nightlife personalities, sports teams, finance executives, sex workers and more.

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How do you describe someone who excels in everything artistically, while impacting the world through activism? A one-of-a-kind

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like Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri deserves a oneof-a-kind word unique to herself, and like her, truly innovative.

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BY MARY ANN THOMPSON-FRENK

P H OTO G RA P H Y BY GK REID

PHOTOS BY: DIMA ASLANIAN, TINNAKORN JORRUANG

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flash goes off.

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Diamonds trickle in a web of sparkling light across Beyonce’s skin, reflections highlighting the singer’s curves, at once sexy, defiant with an arm raised across her brow, exuding a sense of motion caught for a second in time, the intensity pulling the viewer in, leaving you wanting to know more… And that’s just how Master Photographer Indrani wants it. After all, the artist is the one living legends seek when desiring to create attention grabbing images destined to become iconic despite the plethora of ongoing content thrown at the public today. Standing naturally statuesque with a figure any movie star would envy, the successful model with golden skin, brilliant smile and long hair is as comfortable wearing all black t-shirts, leather jacket and jeans with thick soled black boots when on the job as she is strutting in stilettos across red carpets from Cannes to Hollywood, or donning on a sari from her native India. The artist has never lost the influences of her childhood homeland. This becomes even more evident as she explains the symbolism behind the photo,“(Indra’s net represents how) the universe is all connected and when one jewel shines it reflects onto all the other jewels making them brighter…to be more precise, Indra's Net is both a Hindu (Atharva Veda) metaphor, and beloved in Mahayana Buddhism…(it represents) appreciating others who are doing well because their light will reflect back on you.” While, the mixture of metaphysical/sociological meaning conveyed via a pop icon image designed to express strength in sexuality/ sensuality is a rare contrast on the world stage today, it is perfectly natural for master photographer, Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri who explains, “Growing up in a ruined palace near Calcutta, I was drawn to its fantastical art: larger than life statues of multi-armed goddesses vanquishing demons, carried through the streets and welcomed into our homes; fundraising glam-

“It took me many years to realize how big a challenge it's been, to be a woman of color, one of a less than three percent of film directors and photographers.”

orous galas, Tagore plays, and avant-garde cabarets, for Mother Teresa by the temple of Kali. Then ripped away, an immigrant child in London and Toronto, whose parents worked two jobs each and whose only connection to the world I loved was through photos and videos captured before we left, I realized the power of art, and set out to learn its secrets.” Indrani has attracted famous artists across the world starting with David Bowie who “discovered” her talent and commissioned both portraits and music videos. Indrani prioritizes not just capturing jaw dropping iconic images, (Beyonce’s portrait resulted in Indrani being among the first female artists of color to have a piece in the DC Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery’s permanent collection.), but understands, first hand, what it means to use sexual appeal to attract a viewer towards profound ideas they might not otherwise explore, “Historically, India has celebrated women's freedom to choose husbands, professions, and sexual orientations. On my teenage pilgrimage across the country, I was inspired by many ancient temples covered with erotic religious art, celebrating all sexual orientations

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“As a photographer and as a director, I seek to inspire transformation, to encourage people to become their best selves. So, my goals are intrinsically both activist and spiritual at once.”

the country at age 18, I realized how much people lacked: shelter, food, education, and most of all, hope. Realizing how fortunate I had been, even at my darkest moments, all I had taken for granted, I decided I would not seek my own happiness, until I had done all I could for others, and I co-created a school for 300 children and women, with my modeling earnings, and with my father, who agreed to come out of retirement to be the headmaster.” She has expanded on her support for women/girls, drawing on her talents to direct the award-winning film, “Girl Epidemic” wherein girls are treated like they're an infectious disease. The metaphor is intended to highlight issues of female infanticide, neglect and sex slavery. It won the Tribeca Film Festival 2019 Disruptive Innovation Award and the CNN Expose 2018 Best Picture Award. She also used her directorial talents to address other issues as well, such as “Till Human Voices Wake Us” wherein Celtic mythical creatures that are seals in water and enchantresses on land, storm Manhattan for love and to protect the oceans. Similarly, she used her photography as a tool for activism, such as in her “Buy A Life Campaign” wherein she captured images of iconic artists such as Janelle Monae, Usher, and Katie Holmes, laying in a coffin. The participating celebrities agreed to withdraw from all forms of social media until their fans “bought back” their “virtual lives” via donations towards helping to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa and India. She won two Gold Lions at Cannes Festival of Creativity for the corresponding film, “Digital Death”. Indrani’s manner is direct, her voice relaxed, yet always with an undercurrent of excitement due to a new creative endeavor consistently on the horizon. It’s that persistent passion, carefully conveyed in gentle tones, that resonates with her subjects by drawing out their brilliance beneath the surface, which keeps her in high demand. Her confidence as a storyteller, from directing award winning films, informs her portraits and her means of creating fluid, fantastical images in still photography influences her films. She finds a commonality among the mediums, explaining, “As a photographer and as a director, I seek to inspire transformation, to encourage

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and complexities. The British colonialists and others imposed their religious extremism, forcing women to hide the beauty of their traditional sheer saris, loading them with shame and blame, resulting in the sexism and homophobia prevalent in India today.” The photographer/director expounds, “As a child, I loved poetry, painting, sculpture, classical dance, singing, piano and violin. But my parents were feminists and insisted girls must excel at math and science. I was a nerd, whom they restricted from films, TV, and popular music. As a perpetual outsider, I saw things differently from others. As a teen, I rebelled by returning to the arts.” While proficient in multiple mediums, it was photography that stole her heart. But finding opportunities to learn from professionals didn’t come easy as the majority of photographers she sought to intern under took one look and insisted she be a model in front of the lens. Frustrated, Indrani agreed to model/act in exchange for learning about what goes on behind the camera. It's hard to blame the photographers for wanting to make Indrani the subject as her beauty is undeniable, but that asset meant she had to work even harder to prove herself, as she explains, “It took me many years to realize how big a challenge it's been, to be a woman of color, one of a less than three percent of film directors and photographers. I advise my students, (She teaches classes online for Princeton University on “Moving Millions to Action with Art and Film for Human Rights and Social Change”), that the secret is to work twice as hard, complain half as much, and be twice as good. Multiply that by two if you're a woman of color, by three if you're biracial, and by four if you're bisexual.” As a result, Indrani has sought ways to make it easier for the next generations by establishing a school, Ramakrishna Vedanta Vidyapith, providing free quality female empowerment focused education, literacy and vocational training for children/women annually in West Bengal, India. She uses her modeling earnings to support the Shakti Empowerment Education Foundation (SEEschool. org) she established to fund its programs. The artist explains, “I never felt it was right to be happy while others were suffering. Returning to India for a solo pilgrimage across

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people to become their best selves. So, my goals are intrinsically both activist and spiritual at once.” Indrani’s coffee colored feline eyes light up when she places her life’s work into perspective, “I have been working at the intersection of social justice, human rights, art and film for my whole life, yet until this year, most clients found my passion for meaning-making, transformative projects for social good to be a distraction from corporate objectives. Now every company wants to paint itself as authentic promoters of social good, and tries to attach advocates and activists as they’re the latest fad. It’s important to me to only bring my art and advocacy work to those opportunities for creating real positive change, not just window-dressing.” Today, the master of multiple fine art mediums and human rights activist/philanthropist, counts numerous mentors who are encouraging her ingenuity, including Nobel Prize winners Kailash Satyarthi and Beatrice Fihn – advocates against human trafficking and nuclear proliferation; Tom DeSanto, producer of “X-men” and “Transformers”; and Rick Schwartz the producer of “The Departed”, “Gangs of New York”, “The Aviator” and “Black Swan” and still draws upon her own Princeton education as a source of inspiration, especially citing her study of the Sanskrit language at the university where her work as a student helped to redesign the program to how it exists today. A true renaissance woman who has made exploring all her many talents, and harnessing them for maximum impact across the world through memetics, entrepreneurism and tangible humanitarian outreach initiatives, Indrani reflects on how much of modern society likes to put people into narrowly defined boxes and what that means for LGBT communities, “In childhood, I had crushes equally on boys and girls, and I asked my kindergarten girlfriend to marry me. I'm attracted to people for their personalities, not for their gender. As a teen, uncomfortable in girly attire, I traveled India dressed as a boy with a dagger on my belt and felt so free. I'm often annoyed by how society encourages women to appear helpless and vulnerable, tiptoeing on stiletto heels, with makeup that risks running and nails extended to break with any exertion. But I also enjoy fashion.”. One merely has to google her name to dis-

“In childhood, I had crushes equally on boys and girls, and I asked my kindergarten girlfriend to marry me. I'm attracted to people for their personalities, not for their gender.”

cover how she expresses her many sides, when traveling from New York to London to Egypt to India and more. It’s little wonder that she was inspired to cast NY eccentric fashion icon, Daphne Guinness, in a script Indrani comprised of writers from Edgar Allen Poe to Neil Gaiman as an avant-garde interpretation of the ancient Chinese story, “Legend of Lady White Snake” featuring a white snake spirit becoming mortal to love a human……and then in the next moment Indrani is seen joining Bodi CEO Eric Donsky on the development of the N-100 mask to help New York fight off the Coronavirus-19 despite its dense population, and in the next she is requesting Hello Kitty stuffed animals be sewn onto Lady Gaga’s skirt for a photoshoot, then sprinkled throughout her hectic schedule she can be heard educating Princeton students online, and in the next she is receiving recognition as a United Nations Women's Entrepreneurship Distinguished Fellow – the only consistency being her bulldozing over sociological definitions. In fact, the Princeton Cultural Anthropology graduate is turning her many art forms into invitations for engaging others into self-reflection/dialogue in an age where art is often only skin deep. When asked what her advice is for LGBT people aspiring for success in the current socio-politico environment, she doesn’t hesitate, “While there is political and economic power in groups, I find defining oneself by one's sexuality is just as limiting and reductive as defining by race, nationality or religion. I believe that sexuality is constantly changing, and I find being an outsider to be creatively inspiring and liberating, so I prefer not to find comfort in being part of a group. I suggest embracing your differences, rather than wasting time and energy trying to make people accept or love you. Be yourself and let others be themselves too.” The artist pauses, then adds, “I wish for the world peace and sustainability. I wish for India (for it) to revive its historical ability to assimilate every kind of diversity, resulting in still unparalleled innovativeness and creative artistry.” She lifts her camera to her face, unconsciously tossing back her brown-blonde hair as she peers out at the world through the lens, her eyes drinking it all in, “I want to remind people that they are each infinitely powerful, if only they find their inner strength to prioritize the wellbeing of others over their own.”

PLACE PLACE PLACE PLACE PLACE PLACE PLACE PLACE PLACE

SECOND SECOND SECOND SECOND SECOND SECOND

Writing, Headline Writing – John Sotomayor Writing, Light Features – John Sotomayor Writing, Minority News – John Sotomayor, Sara Giza Writing, Public Safety – Sara Giza Illustration, Editorial Cartooning – Ryan Sohmer, Lar DeSouza Layout, Feature Page Design – Joe DeLeon Photography, Feature Photo Essay – Kayla Campbell Photography, Features – Conan Segrest, Kayla Campbell Photography, Portrait/Personality – Conan Segrest

PLACE PLACE PLACE PLACE PLACE PLACE

Writing, Community News – John Sotomayor Writing, Religion News – John Sotomayor Writing, Commentary – Donna Davis, Melissa-Marie Marks, Gary Tanner Writing, Government News – Sara Giza Writing, Serious Features – Steve Pafford, Sara Giza Layout, Front Page Design (cover) – Joe DeLeon

15 awards makes EMBRACE magazine the highest awarded magazine of the year by the Florida Press Club, an accomplishment achieved with the premiere issue in the magazine’s rookie year. EMBRACE Magazine is honored by these accomplishments. Thank you to my staff! Thank you to the Florida Press Club! Publisher/Editor-In-Chief John Sotomayor

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Nine FIRST PLACE AWARDS out of 15! Six were SECOND PLACE! All either FIRST PLACE or SECOND PLACE.

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The Florida Press Club honored EMBRACE Magazine with 15 awards in the 2020 Florida Press Club Excellence in Journalism Competition!

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FROM JOURNALISM TO STYLING TO ACTIVISM, FASHION STYLIST MAX BRAVA CREATES EXPERIENCES FOR EVERYONE THAT ARE AS VISIONARY AND OF HIGH-QUALITY AS HIS STYLINGS ON THE RUNWAY. BY SARA GIZA

P H O T O S P R O V I D E D B Y M A X B R AVA

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W WITH THE UNIQUE ABILITY TO SEE BEYOND the obvious and draw inspiration from everyday life, fashion and beauty powerhouse Max Brava is making our world brighter—and not just for the A-list celebrities and royalty clients he’s worked with, but also for the countless youth he has mentored and the LGBTQ+ couples he’s fighting to help keep together. As the son of an aviation industry executive, his family lived in many different places throughout his childhood both here in the United States and abroad. His father’s many travels fascinated him as a young boy and exposed him to the knowledge that there is so much out in the world to explore. “My father travelled all over the world and would return home with tales of the amazing people he had met and befriended. Tales of their cultures, cuisines, music, art and design. He would also bring home the latest fashion magazines from France, Italy and the United Kingdom,” Brava said, all of which was the perfect motivation for someone just waiting to spread their wings and fly. He was born in a small town in northeast Pennsylvania, that serendipitously was also the birthplace of actress Sharon Stone who would later become a client of his. Yet, he didn’t know immediately what his future held. After attending university for Communications in Tennessee, he furthered his education at Parsons School of Design/The New School in New York City. During those school years, he fell

in love with theatre and wanted to get involved in every facet of that world, including stage and costume design, makeup and wig styling. “Somehow, I always knew that I would pursue a career in an industry that enabled me to do two things,” Brava explained, “a career that was creative and offered me the opportunity to express my creativity and a career that enabled me the opportunity to help influence and change people’s lives for the better.” He ended up finding that in the world of “image styling and enhancement.” He began his career in Washington, D.C., working for ABC television. Brava moved to Brussels, Belgium, where he spent a year working with local agencies, photographers and models. He soon began working as an independent consultant for major fashion and beauty brands based in Paris, France, including Dior. Some of his clients have included members of royalty, such as Queen Noor of Jordan, Princess Isabella of Belgium and Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece. “I feel that I have been so fortunate in my career. I have worked with A-list celebrities, super models, the greatest photographers, designers and more,” Brava reflected. Yet, what he considers to be his greatest professional achievement are the lives he’s touched along the way, the real connections made with others and having the ability to help reignite the light for those who have temporarily lost it. “There are so many stories along the way, that have touched me on a very deep and profound level. I have worked with women and men from all walks of life, from working class to royalty,” he said, but “the common denominator is the humanity, vulnerability and fragile nature of each and every one of us. From the battered and abused women that have found comfort and solace in my ‘chair’ gaining the knowledge that there is always a ‘better tomorrow,’ to the queens and princesses that are under constant scrutiny, all are just as vulnerable and fragile.” Brava went on to live in Paris, France, for five years where he worked in product development, as well as the international representative for Yves Saint Laurent beauty brand. He traveled the world doing live events, working with private clients and doing seminars for the brand. As with everything in his life, the move to Europe was motivated by love. “During a European vacation, I fell madly in love with a Frenchman who was from Normandy and he was the impetus for me relocating to Europe. I packed a suitcase with the thought that I would just go and spend a two-week vacation with him, but soon realized I could not possibly leave,” he recalled. As a young adult, when he began working with models and photographers from fashion meccas around the world, he learned about the

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“hoops they had to jump through” to get proper visas and clearance to travel from country to country. Yet, he never anticipated that immigration struggles would be a fight he would have to face himself. Brava was able to stay “under the radar,” in Europe for years, but was also under constant stress and worry about being deported. “The only saving grace,” he said, “was the fact that those of us in the fashion and beauty world are known to travel abroad frequently and most authorities are keen to that.” Ultimately, he was forced to return to the States and relocated to southeast Florida where he currently resides, after spending many years in New York City. “At that point in my life, I had zero intentions of meeting and falling in love with anyone. The heartache of having to leave my first great love behind, was almost too much to bear,” Brava said. It was the early 2000’s and he could “never accept the fact that the laws back then were so archaic and would not allow for two people of the same gender to be legally wed and allowed to sponsor their partner for immigration status.” He was living in south Florida, not looking for love but it found him anyway. “I met a brilliant man from the Philippines who worked in the cruise ship industry. We just hit it off right away and would have wonderful conversations, him being a graduate of economics from the prestigious De La Salle University in Manila, with a shared love of world cultures.” Suddenly, he was right back where he had been all those years ago. Wondering how they could be together legally, he scrambled “to find out everything within our power to find a way to make it happen.” His quest to make it happen for them, would end up helping so many other couples too. It was 2002 and at the time he didn’t realize how steep that mountain would be. “I soon learned that there were thousands of couples just like us, who were going through the same stress and anxiety. So, being the perpetual activist and advocate that I am, I began compiling a database of resources, that included organiza-

TOP: Backstage at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in SoBe. LEFT: Max with models. RIGHT: Max styled the covers for American Photo and Tatler Magazines.

tions, like minded individuals, international advocacy groups, attorneys and politicians, to help formulate a path towards equality,” Brava said. He began holding “meet and greets,” so couples dealing with same dilemma could find solidarity, but many were reluctant to come out of hiding. A Pride event in Wilton Manors was a turning point for getting the local LGBTQ+ community involved. Brava boldly took to the stage to speak and showed posters of couples that had been “torn apart,” do to laws such as D.O.M.A. and the absence of marriage equality. According to Brava, a few key organizations have been instrumental over the years,

TOP: Max Brava with Queen Noor.

including but not limited to UNHCR, UC/CU, Immigration Equality and a few compassionate United States congressmen and women. “One of the major issues I have found myself consumed by,” Brava said, “it that of the safety of our LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters around the world. Particularly, in countries where simply being gay can lead one to be beaten, abused, tortured, imprisoned and even executed. It’s still illegal to be LGBTQ+ in 70 countries and you could get the death penalty in 12.” To date, they have rescued and helped hundreds of the most vulnerable couples escape dangerous locations and find safe havens in places like the USA, Canada and the Netherlands. “Things are not easy for any of those we try to help under normal

LEFT: Max Brava with Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL 23 rd District) at an LGBTQ Rights event. RIGHT: Princess Marie Chantal of Greece.

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circumstances, but have become more difficult under the current administration and the global pandemic. However, we are steadfast in our mission to help as many as we can, no matter where they are,” he said. Having had such a fabulous career filled with exciting adventures, one might expect Brava to be most proud of things such as spending time enhancing the beauty of royalty. While he undoubtedly is proud of his career achievements, what he is most proud of is the countless lives he’s taught and mentored along the way. “My students at the Parsons School of Design, many of whom have gone on to achieve great success in their own right in the industry,” he said, but “the most precious of all, are the youth I have mentored over the years at SOS Children’s Village that are orphans and foster children. These children have given me the greatest source of love, light and pride.” Brava has been surrounded by a lot of different kinds of beauty throughout his life. One has to wonder what inspires him. When asked, he replied that finding the beauty that is hiding “among the rubble,” that many people miss and being able to draw out that which is special, has been “fuel” to his fire. “I continue to marvel at all the beauty the world has to offer. I find inspiration in nature, in the rich hand dyed textiles of the far east, the exotic treasures of middle eastern cultures, the sultry and fresh vibes of Caribbean and South American culture, and the vibrant and exhilarating hues of the oceans and blue skies.” He loves to see bright colors and metallic “pop”, contrasts and complimentary colors, shapes and textures. “The high and low of design is always an exciting tango to dance to, in my world,” he said. Growing up the way he did, he learned early on how to adapt to new things and it birthed in him an open heart and an open mind. It has served him well on his journey to soak up as much as he can. “The world is so bountiful and has so much to offer, from indigenous and tribal music, dance, culinary delights to artisanal craftsmanship, the list goes on,” he said. “I have a hunger and thirst for all of it. The saddest thing to me, are those who only see the world in bland shades of beige. The ones who just accept that empty, beige box and lack the imagination to see what it could become. I want to laugh, dance, sing, design and love until my final breath.” “Most of all, I want to know that we all have the same rights and opportunities to live life to the fullest.”

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didn’t sway him from his passion for the arts. Surrounded by artists and designer friends in Rio de Janeiro, Paulo found inspiration and the drive to let his creative juices flow and was fortunate enough to get a job as assistant to a rising star in the fashion design world. He had a front row seat at the photoshoots, runways, and exhibitions of the fashion world. Dabbling in some modeling himself and meeting a bevy of beautiful models during his tenure, Paulo started to imagine these beautiful creatures (models) as something other worldly – something fantastical. He started his foray into art by trying his hand at using different mediums (oils, acrylics, etc.), but then by chance discovered a way to use technology paired with classical fundamentals, to create collections of breathtaking portraits of some of the most sought-after beauties in the biz. Paulo has also found success and pleasure in the hospitality industry. This enabled him to showcase many of his creations among the “movers and shakers” of many of the most luxurious and sublime establishments in Brazil, and beyond.

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Canada. Paulo’s early career was in the financial sector (banking), but that

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Paulo Cesar Barros Pimenta was born in Brazil in the beautiful city of Barra

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Visionary portrait artist Paulo Cesar Barros Pimenta utilizes various brushstroke techniques to reproduce iconic photographic images into imaginative paintings.

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Acclaimed Broadway Producer Marc Levineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s accomplishments are a hard act to follow. Whether he is producing a show or managing one of various business ventures, Levine always brings down the house.

P H OTOS P ROV I D E D MARC LEVINE

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Marc Levine and Star of Tina-The Tina Turner Muscial Adrienne Warren

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Some things in life are never planned for, yet somehow all of the pieces serendipitously fall into place so perfectly that one can’t help but to believe in fate. This was the case for Broadway Producer and entrepreneur Marc Levine. Born in Queens, New York, Levine grew up in Long Island. As a young child, he was exposed to both theatre and business—not necessarily two industries that people think of being paired together or that many have equal access to. “My mom did community theatre. I used to go with her and serve as an usher,” he recalled. He fondly recalls his parents taking him to see “Pippin” and loved being a part of that world. “But, at the same time, I loved business,” he said. Simultaneously, he would regularly go to work with his father, where he learned firsthand every aspect of running a successful business, including the art of negotiation. Instead of playing Little League like most kids his age, he saw it as a business opportunity, walking up and down the aisles selling items. When he was seventeen, his parents invested in a show. Getting to see the behind-the-scenes action, along with the added perks, gave him a glimpse into a world that most could only dream of. Marc Levine would later graduate with a marketing degree from Boston University. Prior to college, he worked in catering. Due to his impeccable work ethic and people skills, various caterers continued to contact him post college, in their search for additional staff. Recognizing the need and realizing that he could do it himself, Levine started his first business Premier Party Servers in 1989, but it certainly wouldn’t be his last. In 2001, Levine started Modelbartenders and it is still going strong today. It was the first company that gave clients the chance to hand-pick their event and promotion staff, by viewing pictures online of both good looking and talented people. “Today, I mainly handle sales, but if clients want me to be at their event to oversee it, I will,” he said. It gives people the chance to really personalize the experience, down to every detail. Take for example, a wedding. Everyone expects that there will be food and flowers. “But, when they look

TOP LEFT: Marc at the Opening Night of his first credited Broadway Show, Side Show, November 2018 TOP RIGHT: Tom Kirdahy and Marc Levine with Best Musical 2019 Tony for Hadestown. LOWER LEFT: Marc Levine with friends LOWER RIGHT: Emilio and Gloria Estefan with Marc Levine at On Your Feet LA Opening.

around the room and see that every server and member of staff is six foot tall, that’s something they’re going to remember,” he said. It makes every special occasion, even more remarkable and memorable. Yet, over the years, Marc Levine’s love of theatre has never wavered. Even the number of playbills that he’s kept from shows, is in the hundreds. His transition into producer came from an unexpected invite, but one that he jumped at. “About seven to eight years ago, someone contacted me to ask if I’d invest in a show,” he said, adding “you don’t go in looking to make bank. You go in because of the passion, seeing it on stage, knowing you’re a part of the process of making it happen and supporting the arts.” This is particularly important, he noted, as generally speaking $25,000 is the minimum investment on Broadway and you have to reach 85% capacity

TOP LEFT: Lifespan of a Fact Opening Night with Daniel Radcliffe. TOP RIGHT: Marc Levine holding the Olivier Award received for Best Musical Revival Company April 2019 MIDDLE RIGHT: With actress Doreen Montalvo on the Red Carpet LOWER RIGHT: Noshing and Toasting with Patti LuPone at Company West End Opening Night.

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just to break even. Since then, Levine has produced several shows, including “On Your Feet,” “Be More Chill” and “Hadestown.” His most recent production, pre COVID-19, “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical,” premiered in November 2019, to critical acclaim and garnering great reviews. Marc Levine was among the 2020 Broadway Global Producer of the Year nominees and “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical” was nominated for Outstanding New Broadway Musical 2019-2020 by the Outer Critics Circle. “It’s still like a dream come true, even though it wasn’t planned,” Levine said. When many producers were flocking to the west coast in search of the next great thing, he followed his gut and took a flight to Utah. “I flew to Utah to see a show called “Fly More Than You Fall,” after reading some interesting articles about it,” he said. The musical centers on a 14-year-old girl, who utilizes her creativity to cope with her mother’s diagnosis, via a story that parallels her real life, reminding viewers that “even though your heart is grieving keep believing.” It will surely touch the hearts of many and Marc Levine selected it as the piece he wants to be Lead Producer on, using the time of the pandemic to shape his team. “I’ve been working on bringing a predominantly female and POC team together, the voices meant to be telling the story,” he said. He chooses the pieces he wants to be involved in based on a combination of the people and the story itself. Explaining, Levine said “I need to be passionate about it and believe in it, if I’m going to ask you to put money on it. I need to have some skin in it.” With “Fly More Than You Fall” he has plans not only for Broadway itself, but for it to be shown in regional theatres everywhere. Levine finds inspiration in both people and art. “I like being around creative people, that’s my passion. It’s not about monetizing art but sharing the art,” he said, adding “I love making parties. It’s about sharing and being a part of other people’s

experience. I love the personal story and seeing the other things people have gone on to do.” He takes great joy in knowing that a young actor or actress got their start with him, and have since gone on to flourishing careers with their own billboards. Marc Levine seems to have endless energy and perhaps that’s because he sees that the possibilities are endless. As if theatre production and his company Modelbartenders weren’t enough, he has recently expanded with two other businesses. He is the President of Premier Lifestyle Management, which offers personal lifestyle and concierge services to help people with a wide variety of needs including running errands, personal shopping, decorating, travel and event planning and obtaining entertainment tickets. He is also the founder of and recently expanded, Art Consultant Gent. Levine has always been an avid art collector. Not only does he personally love art, he has supported numerous charities and nonprofits by participating in their art auctions. “I would say that about 90 percent of the art in my office is from different charities,” he said. Art Consultant Gent was formed as a consulting and cataloguing art collections business. “I love cultivating relationships with and promoting new artists, especially younger and POC artists, to hopefully give them a voice to a wider range and platform,” he said, “as a way to partner together.” Levine has paired that love with the needs of his clients. While he has certainly had people contact him with interest in purchasing pieces, during the challenging times of the pandemic and the “zoom meeting era” there were suddenly many requests about borrowing art, staging and creating an aesthetically pleasing background. It would be easy for someone as successful as Marc Levine to have a large ego. Yet, if one is given a chance to speak with him for only an hour, they would quickly see how genuine, kind, humble and down-to-earth he is. Therefore, it came as no surprise that he noted his relationships with others as being the one thing he is most proud of. “My personal relationships, whether we met in person or on social media, people have really given me the confidence to raise money for shows,” he said, adding “the fact that I’ve been able to maintain those relationships. They say that money changes people, but even if a show loses money the investors are still friends with me.” “Now, in the world we’re living in, people need something to look forward to. Theatre should be fun. Art should be fun. There’s enough stress out there! So, I’m using this time to see how I can expand the reach,” he said.

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Â©STEPHEN MICHAEL SHEARER ARCHIVES

Patricia Neal

Shifting gears, Shearer began writing film history and biography. In his younger years, he wrote reviews on films which were published in national publications. He also contributed research to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Library. His close friend, actress Patricia Neal, was his muse, Shearer says. They met after one of his performances in The Appointment. Something connected right off. “After 9/11, she kept asking me if I was going to write her biography,” Shearer said. More profoundly, “Patricia Neal was a major

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force in my becoming a writer,” Shearer recalls. “We had become very good friends.” His first biography was Patricia Neal -- An Unquiet Life (University Press of Kentucky, 2006). It won Shearer positive reviews, critical acclaim and contracts for more film biographies: Beautiful -- The Life of Hedy Lamarr (Thomas Dunne/St. Martin’s Press-Macmillan, 2010) and Gloria Swanson -- The Ultimate Star (Thomas Dunne/St. Martin’s Press-Macmillan, 2013). He also has written an unpublished novel, September -- A Passion. Neal is the ideal film celebrity whose career spans the peak years of Hollywood. Virtually every film she performed in, people know, and her co-stars are among the elite of film’s best. For example, one of her first pictures was in 1949 – The Fountainhead, opposite Gary Cooper. Two years later, in 1951, she appeared in the sci-fi classic, The Day the Earth Stood Still directed by Robert Wise. For the next 10 years or so, Patricia Neal’s film work varied. She returned to New York City and Broadway, rejuvenating her stage career by appearing in a revival of Lillian Hellman’s The Children’s Hour (1952). There, she met and married Roald Dahl in 1953, and they would have five children in 30 years of marriage. In the 1950s, Patricia also teamed with stage and screen director Elia Kazan for two major achievements. First came A Face in the Crowd (1957), by today’s standards, a prophetic story of demagoguery created by mass media and home-grown fascism, and, replacing Barbara Bel Geddes for two weeks, in the Broadway stage production of Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) in the commanding role of Maggie. More acclaim came with subsequent productions of Tennessee Williams’ Suddenly Last Summer (1958) in London, and later again on Broadway in The Miracle Worker (1960), co-starring with Anne Bancroft. Ever the versatile performer, Patricia also appeared in Blake Edwards’ film Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961). She co-starred with Paul Newman two years later in the role as the housekeeper, the role that won her an Academy Award Oscar for Best Actress, in Hud (1963). In 1965, while pregnant filming John Ford’s 7 Women, Patricia suffered a se-

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ON AN AVERAGE Minneapolis morning, before the snows arrive, Stephen Michael Shearer will commute from his kitchen to his home office where stacks of notes and his computer await. Past his monitor, out the window, the scene reminds him of Manhattan’s East Forties, a place he remembers fondly. As a film historian, Shearer has written about celebrities of all types over the years – headliners in Las Vegas, stars of the silver screen, celebrities who have trod the stage on and off Broadway. The culmination of his dive into the lives of celebrities has been names that live as the goddesses of film – Patricia Neal, Gloria Swanson, Hedy Lamarr. And there are more to come. Perhaps Shearer’s life work was, as they say, written in the stars. At age 10, he began reading film biographies; his favorite author was Gerold Frank (The Boston Strangler). At 11, he wrote his first stage play (Hellen and Ellen in the Wilderness) and dreamed of becoming a film actor. “I was a typical Midwestern kid,” Shearer recalls. “I have two older sisters, but I was pretty much on my own. I really wanted to be an actor. I also did well in school.” After high school, he went to university on scholarship and graduated “with a B.S.E. in both vocal and instrumental music, with a minor in psychology. I later did post-grad work in theatre arts. Throughout every summer of college, I took courses in theater and English.” The stage provided Shearer a way to pursue his dreams and to overcome a tendency to be introverted. “I had an innate shyness,” he said. “So, I forced myself to be in front of

people and to act on stage to overcome this. I found it to be a great outlet for creativity. I could become whoever I needed to be while acting. I fell in love with that. When I graduated, I had full intention to act as a career.” Like thousands before him, Shearer headed in the early 1980s to the mecca of stage dreams, saying jokingly “thinking I’d take New York City by storm. Instead, I waited tables.” Shearer also did some TV gigs, getting small roles on such shows as the soap General Hospital. Eventually, in the mid-‘80s, he returned to Dallas and changed careers. Shearer joined the corporate world and worked for American Airlines in Texas. A little while later, he returned to New York City and took positions with the cruise lines, moving quickly up the corporate ranks. While at American Express, his last corporate position, he lost 11 colleagues in 9/11 when the World Trade Center North Tower fell. “I spent the next year making life changes,” Shearer said succinctly. While in New York, Shearer’s corporate career allowed him to work in off-Broadway theater. After university, he did live and print modeling extensively in Minneapolis, Tulsa, Dallas, and then in New York City. He has done extra and under-five work in numerous films such as Split Image (1982), Handgun (1982), The Cotton Club (1984) and appeared in various TV episodes of Dallas (1981-82) and in Central Park West (1995). Over the years, Shearer starred in numerous community theatre productions and off-Broadway plays such as Luigi Jannuzzi’s The Appointment, which won the Samuel French Award in 1994.

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ries of near-fatal strokes. She survived, thanks to life-saving brain surgery. Following a difficult rehabilitation, Patricia was able to return to the screen and received an Oscar nomination for her role in The Subject Was Roses (1968). Strong screen roles were fewer after that. She did receive three Emmy nominations, the first for originating the role of Olivia Walton in the 1971 movie The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971), a made-forTV film that gave birth to the TV series The Waltons (1972). “I appeared in Patricia’s last film, Flying By,” Shearer recalls. “Shortly before she died, she asked me to keep her memory alive. The film, An Unquiet Life, is based in part on my biography... Roald Dahl and their marriage. I’ve seen a rough cut of it, and it is very emotional and an excellent picture. A small film. Very tight, very quiet, very tragic. They don’t want it to get lost in the flood of after-pandemic blockbusters. It might be a year or two years before it comes out.” For Shearer, his relationship with Patricia is never-ending. “Patricia is very, very much still part of my life. Perhaps that’s another chapter.”

Hedy Lamarr & Gloria Swanson

After the celebrity of Shearer’s inaugural biography of Patricia Neal, two more definitive biographies followed. Beautiful -- The Life of Hedy Lamarr in 2010 and Gloria Swanson -- The Ultimate Star in 2013. Unlike Patricia Neal, Shearer admits, “I never knew Hedy Lamarr. I never knew Gloria Swanson. But I did know I had to go to the main sources and people who knew them when they were still alive. “Because I wrote Patricia Neal: An Unquiet Life while she was still alive, I got some of my interviews through her. For Hedy Lamarr, there was a lot of darkness in her life with many colleagues and costars already gone, and it was not always that easy.” As a writer and a biographer, Shearer seeks to capture empathy towards his subject, “Yet I eventually heard Hedy’s voice...as I knew I would, and thus I became more empathetic with her. “I fell in love with the process of discovering who she was. I also eventually heard the voice of Gloria Swanson, too. I think that is why I love what I do. There was much to discover about Lamarr – not just her celebrated looks but also her brains; she is credited with a U.S. patent that became the nucleus of every cell phone, wi-fi, satellite weaponry, GPS, and even BlueTooth today. “I am now working on a coffee table book on Hedy Lamarr. It’s a fascinating experience.” This is Shearer’s fourth book, The Beauty of Hedy Lamarr for Lyons Press, his second on Lamarr. As a larger formatted book, it will focus on images of the actress and on her celebrated, unique beauty. Gloria Swanson’s career was equally unique, starting out in the 1910s as a feature performer, then starring in dozens of silent films during the 1920s. She

later did stage work as well as sound films. Her film credits are lengthy and as varied as any Hollywood celebrity, her two most memorable sound films being Sunset Boulevard (1950) and Airport 1975 (1974). She was nominated three times for an Academy Award as Best Actress, and she performed in scores of TV dramas and sit-coms in the 1960s.

The Shearer Bio

When the official Stephen Michael Shearer biography is written, the reader will discover just how peripatetic this film historian has been, both in terms of geography and in terms of subject matter and media. As a young performer, Shearer appeared, sometimes more or less anonymously, in films as an extra or an “under five” – someone who spoke less than five lines of dialogue. As an historian, he has appeared in numerous TV and feature film documentaries, such as Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story. His first book An Unquiet Life, has now been made into a major motion picture starring Hugh Bonneville, Keeley Hawes and

OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP: Book signing Barnes & Noble downtown Minneapolis, October 2013. OPPOSITE PAGE, LEFT: On stage as “Philip II,” with actor Clay Reynolds (left) in “The Lion in Winter,” 1977 OPPOSITE PAGE, MIDDLE AND LOWER RIGHT: Stephen Michael Shearer during his modeling days

Sam Heughan, as Paul Newman. Also upcoming, Shearer will be seen in the feature documentary, Boulevard: A Hollywood Story, based in part on his third book on Gloria Swanson. Prior to his life as an author, Shearer did live and print modeling extensively in Minneapolis, Tulsa, Dallas and New York City. Meanwhile, his TV and film credits continued to grow: Split Image (1982), Handgun (1982), The Cotton Club (1984) and various episodes of Dallas (1981-82) and Central Park West (1995). Over the years, Shearer starred in numerous community and off-Broadway theatrical productions such as Luigi Jannuzzi’s The Appointment, which won the Samuel French Award in 1994.

The Writing Life

“A biography is a story in itself,” Shearer observes. “You learn as you go. You collect all the pieces in the puzzle and put it together; the story

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LEFT: With actress Heather Massie in New York after a performance of her acclaimed onewoman play “Hedy! The Life and Inventions of Hedy Lamarr,” 2017.

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TOP: On the set of FLYING BY (Arte Films, 2009) with Patricia Neal, Bill Ray Cyrus, and director Jim Amatulli. (Courtesy of Arte Films, LLC.)

unfolds before your eyes. I started reading adult biographies when I was 10. I was fascinated with film and entertainment history. I have come to realize that the life of my chosen subject will be inevitably much more complicated than I had originally imagined. With each book, it is a different approach. With each book, there are complicated personalities.” Fortunately, Patricia Neal was a most willing collaborator and subject. “Patricia was very gracious. She opened up her archives and her letters from such people in her life as Gary Cooper, Lillian Hellman, and Roald Dahl.” Therein lies the dilemma for the biographer when the subject is a close friend too. “She was a very dear, close personal friend. The worst thing a biographer can do is be an overt fan,” Shearer notes. “Fan book writers tend to make their subjects walk on water.” Patricia Neal knew this. “I’m first and foremost an actress,” she told Shearer when he began her biography. “Don’t make me out to be a saint. Write the truth, warts and all.” And so he did. “There were times, believe me, when I had to step away from it on an emotional level. “Facts are real; facts are true. One must try and level your work out and I am proud of the fact that I had to search sometimes for unflattering comments of her work because her personal reviews were always good even in bad projects. Anybody can write a biography. It can read like a dictionary or it can have a compelling narrative. Being a writer, you have to make your work interesting.” To do that, Shearer, like many writers, has a ritual each day before he begins work. “I have a process I try and maintain when I write. As a writer, one spends a lot of time alone with one’s subject. When I sit down at my desk, I do meditation to clear my mind so my work will be unbiased.” Yet, there are some days when nothing works as planned. “There are some days I cannot sit at my computer. I have to recharge. There are times I start my work when it is still dark in the morning and oftentimes, I don’t end until late at night. There are days I find every excuse I can not to approach that computer.” Shearer moved to Minneapolis in 2008. It’s a vibrant city with one major challenge to those who live there – eight months of snow. Weather permitting, Shearer stays in shape with a 3-to-5-mile power walk every morning. “I’m not terribly young,” Shearer confesses, “but I’m not decrepit yet, either.” And Shearer’s fifth book? Well, contractually, he can’t tell you who the person is yet. No names yet, please. But like every really good Hollywood historian and writer, Shearer promises the biography will be based on a legendary Hollywood name and it will have “murder and mayhem, Hollywood and Broadway, even a leap off the Empire State Building,” he teases. “It is a tragedy…dark, stark and bleak.” We can’t wait.

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Khalil Douisse was born in Morocco and relocated to Paris, France with his family shortly after his birth. He grew up in a supportive, creative, and encouraging atmosphere. This combined with all the sights and sounds that delighted his senses as a child, are where his passion for the arts began to blossom. His world travels continued to inspire him on his journey towards modern art, sculpture, and fashion. In 1998 Khalil graduated from the École Supérieure des Arts et Techniques de la Mode Paris (ESMOD) which greatly transformed his love for art. In the early 2000’s he moved to South Florida where he cultivated his artwork and collections. He’s held numerous art exhibitions to great review, and subsequently caught the eye of collectors, galleries, and the press. His love of fashion is ever present in his creations.

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IMAGINATIVE FRENCH ARTIST WITH MOROCCAN ROOTS, KHALIL DOUISSE, REVEALS HIS PASSION FOR FASHION WITH SPECTACULAR STYLE.

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ART DIRECTION | T YP OGRAPHY | BRAN DI N G | WEB DEV ELOPM EN T

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CONGRATS TO TYLER SCHRAGE ON 1-MILLION FOLLOWERS! FROM YOUR TEAM AT POPWRAPPED & TIKTOK

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A conversation with multimedium Brazilian artist Rubem Robierb

hen one passes by a mural on the side of a building, or wanders into a gallery or venue, and catches a glimpse of a work of art, does it stop them in their tracks? Does it “rattle” them, “speak” to them, “move” them? These are all common questions one asks about the POWER OF ART, and how it can influence the human experience. The power of art is inexplicable at times, but it can and so often will...grab you by the throat, cause emotions to well up inside, take your breath away, and pierce deep into your soul. That is not only the power of art, but the beauty of artistic expression. When we look at the work of the gentle giant (Brazilian born) Rubem Robierb, we see work that speaks volumes. Rubem is an artist, an activist, and an empath of great depths, and he channels his emotions and messages through each work of art. At every stage of his artistic journey, he continually seeks to evolve and express the powerful struggle between human nature, our environment, and the deeply spiritual realm of our existence. It’s always a thrill to probe inside the mind of the artist if we’re lucky enough to have that opportunity, so let’s see what this “boy wonder” has to say…

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MB Where were you born and raised, and how long were you there before you travelled abroad?

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RR I am proudly born in Brazil in the lush northeastern region of Maranhao. I grew up playing on the riverbanks, and spent part of my youth in beautiful São Luis. At 24 years old my work was discovered by a French Art Association. They invited me to show my artwork in Europe and sponsored my trip to France. It was my first international trip, just me and crates of my art! MB At what point in your life did you know (feel) that you would become the artist that you are today? RR As a child, I always felt different. Even then, there was a confidence that I had a mission in this life. I knew there was something I was meant to do, or create, or say. But when I was young, I had no idea I could grow up to be an artist. MB As a child, were you surrounded by other creative people (family, friends, community) that sparked your interest in the arts…or did you have “push back” from those around you? RR I am the only person in my family to be in the “arts”. There was no art education or programs in my town. There was no place to encourage the creativity I felt inside. So, all the odds were against me to nurture an artist’s mind or even to get in touch with this energy. In Brazil, boys often dream of becoming football players. I was not into sports, so I spent most of the time on my drawings and studying the illustrations in old encyclopedias about dinosaurs and ancient civilizations. Because of this, I actually wanted to be an archeologist when I was child. This is something I hope to change in the world. I want children to be able to explore creativity and art. MB Did you ever have doubts, setbacks, and/or hurdles to overcome in your artistic endeavors? RR There are always hurdles to achieve your dreams, but I never had self-doubt. To this day

I don’t pause to think something is impossible. When I have any idea, I strategize how to get this done. I really work on a message and project without thinking much about the scale or impact of it. There are ideas I have “placed on pause” until I can find the right technology/ medium to bring them to life, but they are very much alive and with me. MB What would you say is (are) your “source(s) of inspiration”, and do you feel that you have been inspired (driven) by different inﬂuences throughout your life? RR Humanity and its behavior are the main focus of my work. I am fascinated by contemporary society and its issues. Many people don’t realize how much an artist must study and research in order to make a consistent body of work from raw ideas. I am influenced by everything and every emotion around me. I am inspired by new materials, techniques, and technology as well as the nature around me and I am passionate about building visual bridges and conversations. MB As an openly “gay” man living in the USA with your husband, do you feel a sense of relief and comfort, and does that help you in the creative process. RR I think we have all learned that progress is not permanent. There is always a struggle to protect rights. There are always people who seek to undermine equality and justice. I am indeed fortunate to be a part of this community, but this ‘relief’ comes with a huge sense of responsibility. We must all fight for others who cannot live safe, happy, and productive lives, and that’s when art and activism come together. MB When you were a boy growing up, did you struggle with “coming out” (if you did)? Was there anyone that you could conﬁde in about your personal feelings? RR One day I hope our children will feel loved as they are, for who they are, perfect as they were created. But, in my small town I quickly learned

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Top left: METAMORPHOSIS by Rubem Robierb at the Taglialatella Galleries in Chelsea, Manhattan in October 2018 Top right and lower left: BULLET AND BUTTERFLIES

Lower right: In his series, POWER FLOWERS, Robierb connects his bullet and war narrative with Andy Warhol inï¬&#x201A;uence.

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Top left: Robierb with indigenous children in Brazil. [Top right] HEART By Rubem Robierb, an acrylic and handmade screen with neon /diamond dust and Swarovski covered chrome darts on canvas.

[Lower left] The visual prowess of Rubem Robierbâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s BULLET FLY EFFECT [Lower right] TRUTH by Rubem Robierb, 2017.

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MB Who was (are) your “rocks” (those that you know will be there for you through “thick and thin”? RR My husband. MB Does your husband (I know he does) support your creative work, and your passion for what you do? RR Not only does he support my work and creative process; I often seek his thoughts. There are times when explaining a creation to him helps me clarify my vision. MB Do you reciprocate that “empowerment”? RR I do. We are a team in both our worlds. It’s remarkably interesting to me to also understand the challenges of his industry. MB Can you remember back when you were a boy / young man when you saw something / someone that inspired you to create? If so, what was it? RR I can’t remember something that inspired me, but I do vividly remember a situation that showed me my intense desire to create. I was 5 years old and one day, for some reason, I missed school. When I was back in class the next day, I realized the day I missed was totally dedicated

MB I have seen quite a bit of your work, and so many pieces resonate with me on many levels. Be it joy, introspection, excitement, etc. When you’re working on a piece (collection) are you ever thinking about the reactions you’ll get from those who have the pleasure of seeing them, or do you “get lost” in the work, and let it ﬂow through you...realizing when it’s completed, that is reveals something you hadn’t even considered beforehand? RR I have always felt that artwork has its own life. I know my vision, my dream, my intent of creation but, you never know exactly how it will come out and even less how people will react to it. Everyone may have a different emotional reaction. That’s why, to me, it is important not to try to guess the viewer’s reaction. I only think about the quality of expression, the reason or message and let the piece have its own life and relationship with the viewer. MB I’m sure that each work of art you’ve done has been like “your baby”, are there any pieces that are your “favorite” or most precious. If so, which one(s) are they and why? RR Always the most recent. But occasionally I will get the chance to view a past work and fall in love again.

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RR I’m an eternal apprentice with a desire to learn about every technique. Painting, photography, silk screen, spray paint, fiberglass, bronze, Neon light, diamond dust, steel, chrome... I use them all, but the medium is not the final goal... the message is. Feeling comfortable is not good for creativity. As soon as I learn a medium, I jump to the next one.

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RR When I moved from my small town to São Paulo, I had this feeling you describe. Sao Paulo is like New York; A big cultural melting pot full of opportunities, liberal ideals, and risks. But freedom has its price, and one must be willing to work for it. I was willing to pay the price. Also, there wasn’t really an internal struggle of me accepting myself. Being gay for me is a blessing, it makes me see the world and life in a unique way. As I like to joke “I didn’t choose to be gay, I got lucky”.

MB As an artist, do you ﬁnd that you enjoy exploring (working with) new mediums, or are you more comfortable in one medium?

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MB Do you remember when you ﬁrst felt “free” in your ability to be your true self?

to sculpting classes. This day was an art show, and all my classmates were showing the sculptures they made from clay on the previous day... and I had none. They gave me a few completed clay sculptures in an attempt to make me stop crying, but I didn’t want them. My heart wanted to create my own. I REALLY wanted to make them. This day, I felt deep inside, I had just missed something that would be important in my life. I was devastated and no one could understand why...I remember yearning for the next sculpting classes...that never happened.

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to be independent is to be strong. My head told me I would need to be financially independent in order to come out to my family. But once I was independent, I didn’t feel the need to explain myself in any way to anyone. My life was an ‘’open book” for whoever wanted to see. There are always “spiritual gifts” along your path... people who “see” you and support your growth. always be grateful for these people! I should also mention my family has been incredibly supportive of my marriage and my husband.

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MB How have you seen your evolution from a novice artist to a full-blown professional over the years? Do you feel that there are phases that were rougher than others? RR I see all as a part of a beautiful and long journey, that is far from complete, and impossible to predict. The only thing I can ensure is how rich and fun THIS moment and learning process will be.

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MB Do you ever feel “stuck” in your attempts to create a new piece, project, or collection?

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RR My inspiration and ideas come from all that is moving and changing around me every day. We always want things to proceed faster, that’s true, but “creativity” never was a problem. Considering that an artist’s career has no script and no formula of success, you must work most of the time in what seems like complete ‘’darkness’’. You need to be comfortable in your idea, with no feedback of how well received a work will be. MB Are there things (i.e. environment, music, solitude) that make creating easier (more pleasant), and on the contrary more frustrating and laborious?

RR The art is my tool for advocacy because art and activism walk hand in hand. We both feel a duty to use our platform for social justice.

RR All these things can help create a pleasant working atmosphere, but inspiration has never asked permission to happen, or waited for perfect conditions. When you receive inspiration, she just comes and presents herself.

MB Beyond community activism and from a purely artist’s point of view, are your “creative juices” ﬂowing? Are you currently working on new works of art? Surely the covid pandemic has brought us so much “life reﬂection”.

MB What are the things that you are the proudest of when it comes to your work? RR To prioritize my integrity of the statement over trends and demands. Also, I strive for a superior quality of finish in every work. MB What are the things that you are proudest of, and that bring you joy in your personal life? RR When I open my eyes to a new day, I am doing what I love, for reasons I strongly believe... living with freedom, accountability, and integrity with the man I chose by my side. MB You and your husband have been doing wonderful things for the LGBT+ community and other civil rights causes, so can tell us how your work (art) played a part in that advocacy?

RR At the moment, among other projects, I’m working on two large scale sculptures: a 12ft tall sculpture tribute to the “Heroic” health care workers and another large-scale sculpture about racial justice called ‘’PeaceMakers’’. MB As the world is in the midst of this horrific pandemic, global warming, rampant racism, etc. how is it all affecting your ability to create? Some artists find comfort (solace) in creating through the adversity, do you find that to be the case for yourself? RR Throughout history, the most difficult times were also the times that art and science flourished. The art renaissance came right after the plague. The more difficult the times, the more we MUST bring light and peace to the world. The conversations art brings to the world are the first step manifesting a new and better reality.

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Opposite page and this page: In 2015, Robierb was commissioned by the city of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to create an expansive work of public art to grace the walls of the Shade Post in Downtown Ft. Lauderdale. He chose his well-known and transformational figures of the butterďŹ&#x201A;y and the bullet to create large-scale murals on the building located in an area undergoing a rapid metamorphosis from challenged neighborhood to a hub of arts and culture as well as a valuable addition to the downtown transit zone.

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A Supreme Injustice The impact of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death and her replacement Amy Coney Barrett’s role as a trump card, may have long lasting repercussions now that the Supreme Court has become two-thirds conservative, 6 to 3, without any chance of a swing vote.

CHUCK HIGGINS President, Citrus Pride (Crystal River, Fla.) Justice Ginsburg was an irreplaceable LGBTQ ally on the Supreme Court. She was a tireless ally of the historical arc toward equality for all marginalized people and nothing demonstrates how solid this support was than the act of becoming the first Supreme Court Justice to officiate at a same sex wedding! The confirmation of Amy Coney Barret will not be a slight shift, it is likely to be a 180. But I must admit it is difficult to predict her potential to rule on LGBTQ issues because of the lack of prior cases or rulings on the subject. Still, based on her background I do have an opinion. Judge Barrett’s strong religious foundations, especially rooted in a very conservative version of her Christian faith, combined with her early shaping by association with

Justice Scalia, would seem to easily predict how she might side on almost any LGBTQ issue. Would she be willing to go so far as to vote to overturn marriage equality though? The worrisome opinion would be from a 2013 Law Review article she co-authored, in which she said that the judicial doctrine of stare decisis, standing by previous decisions, is “not a hard and fast rule.” The good news I find in that same article is that she also indicated that she feels that whether or not to revisit a past decision hinges partially on the measure of broad judicial, political and public opinion about the subject at hand. This strikes me as an interesting view, one we often speculate might influence the court. Let us hope the polls are ever in our favor! In my view, the more likely downside, and it’s severe, is that Judge Barrett is likely to err on the side of reli-

gious liberty as a trump card of other rights rather than balanced against other rights. For this view I use her conservative religious background, past statements, and her on again off again membership in the Federalist Society. She was a member from 2005-06 and 2014-2017, quitting when she joined the appeals court. Keep in mind that the four dissenting justices in the marriage equality were all Federalist Society heroes. I believe what will happen with this change is a parallel to what we have seen over the past few years with abortion. People will purposefully bring cases designed to chip away at the edges of marriage equality, for example, allowing organizations to deny adoption, or allowing companies to deny certain benefits to same sex couples because it offends their religious views. This new court in a series of divided opinions, will erode the rights of same sex couples until we’re back in our place as second-class citizens.

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he fought to the very end. Adamant that President Trump not select her successor, iconic liberal feminist Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg whispered to her granddaughter, Clara Spera, on her death bed, “My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.” Alas, that did not come to pass. On September 13, 2020, Ginsburg died from complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer. On October 27, 2020, President Trump’s nominee Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed and appointed to the United States Supreme Court, just over a month after Ginsburg’s death thanks to a hurried effort by Republicans to assure her appointment before the presidential election. While one can certainly speculate that Justice Ginsburg would have been jubilant over Trump’s loss in the election, and thus, his eventual removal from office, one could argue that with a conservative bench of 6 to 3, a non-correctable new course has already been set. Questions arise. What will the impact of Justice Ginburg’s death and Justice Barrett’s appointment be on the US Supreme Court, specifically to issues of Gay Equal Rights and Religious Freedom? Justice Clarence Thomas and Justice Samuel Alito wish to repeal Gay Marriage. Specifically, they wish to repeal the court’s 2015 decision Obergefell v. Hodges, which declared that same-sex couples have the constitutional right to marry under the 14th Amendment guarantee to equal protection of the law. Will the landmark case be reversed? Embrace Magazine interviewed four local political leaders for answers.

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BRANDON WOLF Central Florida Development Oﬃcer and Media Relations Manager, Equality Florida (Orlando, Fla.) Justice Ginsburg was a champion on the court and a moral compass for the nation. Her legacy is one of staunch support for women’s reproductive rights, LGBTQ civil rights, and more. She helped usher in an era of advancement for LGBTQ people, helping decriminalize homosexuality in 2003, joining the majority to enshrine marriage equality for LGBTQ people in 2013 and 2015, and, in one of her final cases, helping secure workplace protections for LGBTQ people earlier this year. The nomination of Judge Barrett marks a frightening turn for the rights of LGBTQ people across the country. She has expressed doubts in the Obergefell decision that granted our community the right to marry who we love and has questioned the granting of Title IX legal protections to transgender Americans. In short, Ruth Bader Ginsburg leaves behind an incredible legacy of support for the rights of LGBTQ Americans – a legacy now in danger of erasure. As noted, Justice Barrett poses an extreme threat to the rights of the American people that have been secured through Supreme Court decisions. We know that she has served on the Board of Trustees for a private school with anti-LGBTQ policies. We know that her religious congregation has come under scrutiny. But more concerning than her personal views are her perspectives on law – and precedent. She has on numerous occasions likened Supreme Court precedent to “guidelines” rather than firm rules. That means that a Justice Barrett, alongside a Conservative majority on the nation’s highest court, may well be open to relitigating (and removing) rights our communities have fought hard to secure. The comments by Justices Thomas and Alito regarding marriage equality should send chills down the spines of all Americans. Remember that in

2015, the Supreme Court enshrined the rights of LGBTQ Americans to marry who they love into law. Since then, millions of couples have taken that next step in their relationships. Millions of ceremonies were held. Millions of vows taken. Millions of marriages that now hang in the balance as the Justices call the decision a “problem only the Court can fix”. The Supreme Court as an institution has been a lifeline for LGBTQ Americans. In the absence of legislative will, the Court has understood that LGBTQ people deserve to be treated with the same dignity and respect as others. That Justices Thomas and Alito are willing to call those hardwon rights into question, threatening to plunge the country into discriminatory days of old, should be a dire warning to all of us about the impact of a potential conservative super majority on the Court. DONN LOPEZ-SMITH Human Rights Activist and Equality Florida Board Member for Greater Gainesville (Gainesville, Fla.) Justice Ginsburg was an outspoken champion of full and equal rights for women during her tenure on the court. Just as important, she joined the majority in every Supreme Court case in which the decision furthered LGBTQ equality and non-discrimination. These seminal cases included the 1996 ruling against the anti-gay Amendment 2 in Colorado (Romer v. Evans) and the overturning state criminalization of sodomy (Lawrence v. Texas) in 2003. She joined decisions in 2013 which struck down the Defense of Marriage act (Windsor v. United States) and reinstated marriages which had been barred in California by Prop 8 (Hollingsworth v. Perry) but most critically Justice Ginsburg was in the majority for the 2015 decision which overturned the remaining same-sex marriage bans

throughout the country (Obergefell v. Hodges). These 5-4 decisions would have turned out very differently, and not on side of the LGBTQ community, if Justice Ginsburg were not on the bench. Just this year, she agreed with the Supreme Court’s Bostock v. Clayton County 6-3 decision which added protections for LGBTQ workers under Title VII. Justice Ginsburg was an American hero for women’s and LGBTQ rights in this country. She earned her “Notorious RBG” moniker through her distinguished career fighting for equality, freedom and progress in marginalized communities, including our LGBTQ citizens. Justice Amy Coney Barrett was very careful during her Senate confirmation testimony to remain noncommittal regarding litigation that may come before the Supreme Court. She had no issue backing the landmark 1954 Brown v. Board of Education court decision on desegregation or the 1967 case that prohibited states from banning interracial marriages (Loving v. Virginia). However, Justice Barrett would not defend or endorse the Lawrence or Obergefell decisions. Her background before joining the Supreme Court is littered with questionable associations with anti-LGBT organizations such as acting on the Board of Trustees for three religious schools that are connected with the People of Praise church which her family attends. Each of these schools had policies that did not allow children of same-sex parents to attend and did not allow LGBTQ teachers in the classrooms. Particularly of concern is her association with Alliance Defending Freedom which is a legal group with conservative beliefs on the expansion of religious freedoms to the detriment of LGBTQ rights. Justice Barrett lectured at events funded and supported by this group. In fact, Alliance Defending Freedom aided in the legal defense for the Masterpiece Cakeshop owner plaintiffs which denied a service to a

NATHAN BRUEMMER Legislative Director at Florida LGBTQ Democratic Caucus (St Petersburg, Fla.) The impact of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death on the US Supreme Court will likely be felt for generations to come as the scales of justice will be

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ny during her confirmation hearing. Additionally, Barrett holds herself out as a constitutional originalist. She addressed this during the confirmation hearings, “I interpret its text as text and I understand it to have the meaning that it had at the time people ratified it … [the] meaning doesn’t change over time. And it’s not up to me to update it or infuse my own policy views into it.” While her statement seems to demonstrate an attempt to feign respect for her duty as a jurist to be neutral and to separate the politics swirling around her specific appointment and its timing, it is anything but. Originalism has been politicized by the Republican Party who often heralds its support of conservative appointments to the bench under this alleged “neutral” banner. One needs to look no further than to consider the rhetoric of a fellow originalist. The late Justice Antonin Scalia often asserted the 14th Amendment only barred discrimination on the basis of race. While fears of a repeal of the Obergefell decision abound after Justices Thomas and Alito issued a statement that the decision needs to be “fixed,” the more immediate concern is the decision pending in Fulton v. Philadelphia currently before the court right now. This case stands to set a precedent that could allow discrimination against LGBTQ+ families. The Supreme Court is the final arbiter and guardian of the law in the United States. Our history as a nation is steeped in the fight for equal justice under the law – racial justice, reproductive justice, LGBTQ+ justice, and more. Despite the conversative majority that now sits on the highest court of the land that many assume will quell the tide of equality, if recent history is any guide – there is no stopping the rising tides of equality. Americans will continue to fight for equality under the law and when we have it one day – we will all win.

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unbalanced by not only the loss of a brilliant jurist, but also the addition of justice with a judicial record that may demolish decades of progress for LGBTQ+ civil rights, reproductive freedom, and affordable health care. Justice Ginsburg was a champion of equality. Through her work as a civil rights attorney at the ACLU Women’s Rights Project, Ginsburg litigated a series of legal victories between 1971 and 1976 that strengthened constitutional protection for women by extending the Equal Protection Clause. Ginsburg argued in unique ways, often framing gender discrimination in a manner that even critics couldn’t disagree. In Craig V. Boren (1976) she argued not that women had equal freedom to men, but rather equal obligations. Additionally, this critical decision also established a new standard of review for states in gender discrimination cases – intermediate scrutiny. On the bench, Justice Ginsburg joined rulings that indicated the fight for equality was shifting to include the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. In Romer v. Evans (1996) the court struck down Colorado’s anti-gay Amendment 2 and in Lawrence v. Texas (2003) the court struck down state laws criminalizing sodomy. Ginsburg also joined rulings through a series of cases that advanced marriage equality, including Windsor v. United States (2013), Hollingsworth v. Perry (2013) and Obergefell v. Hodges (2016). The last significant LGBTQ+ decision with Justice Ginsburg’s name on it was perhaps serendipitous. Her career was bookended by significant cases involving sex discrimination. In Bostock v. Clayton County (2020) the court found anti-LGBTQ discrimination to be a form of sex discrimination. While we will need to wait to see the decisions made, the impact of the appointment of Amy Coney Barrett has certainly been foreshadowed by her own words and actions, including her judicial record and her testimo-

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same-sex couple based on their purported religious beliefs. Justice Barrett has already heard arguments in the first LGBTQ-related case heard this session, Fulton County v. City of Philadelphia, which also addresses a religious organizations anti-LGBTQ discrimination in placing foster children in same-sex couple homes. One needs to look no further than the dissent of Justices Thomas and Alito just last month in the case in which the court ruled against hearing the appeal of the former Kentucky county clerk who would not issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Both Justices agreed with the decision for the Court to not take on the litigation however they went further by writing a dissent which called the landmark Obergefell decision “a novel constitutional right over the religious liberty interests explicitly protected in the First Amendment, and by doing so undemocratically, the court has created a problem that only it can fix.” These two conservative extremists went further in the dissent by stating of the county clerk, “Davis may have been on the first victims of this court’s cavalier treatment of religion in its Obergefell decision” and, therefore, the decision “enables courts and governments to brand religious adherents who believe that marriage is between one man and one woman as bigots, making their religious liberty concerns that much easier to dismiss.” And most appalling Alito and Thomas stated “Obergefell will continue to have ruinous consequences for religious liberty.” With these hardline conservative and religious exception viewpoints on the prevailing side of future litigation, an entrenched 6-3 right-wing Supreme Court majority will undoubtedly chip away at all of the hard-fought liberties that are at the core of LGBTQ civil rights.

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ISSUES &POLITICS

BREAKING RULES PUBLISHING EMBRACE MAGAZINE PUBLISHER’S PICKS

Embrace Magazine publisher, John Sotomayor has been asked by Breaking Rules Publishing to oversee management of several of their LGBTQ+ authors around the world. Sotomayor hand selected several page-turners for your consideration as you seek your next must-read LGBTQ+ reading. Following the mission of Embrace Magazine, some of the books were selected because they were either collaborations between LGBTQ+ and straight authors, such as the Watervliet Short Story Collection, or were straight authors who wrote about LGBTQ+ themes or characters, such as J.P. Doolittle.

The Given Hand – a Messenger’s Journey

J.D. Norton Chronicles: Destiny

By Otto Throw and Sunny Fader

By KC Brinson CATEGORY:

Science Fiction, Fantasy Set in the year 2040, protagonist J.D. Norton is joined by Lucille Calhoun and Lady Renee Grey in rebellion against a corrupt one world order that has brought humanity to the brink of destruction. A riveting political thriller that has an ominous foretelling of what could happen if power becomes absolute.

The Two Sides of the Same Face By Arthur Padilla CATEGORY:

Mystery, Fiction Set in Santa Fe, New Mexico, protagonist Kris Medford faces more than she bargained for after accepting a job to run a small family foundation. Medford unwittingly enters a secret worldwide underground organization whereby she must confront powers larger than herself, as well as her own internal struggles.

CATEGORY:

Fiction, Drama, Suspense A spell-binding story of Otto Throw and how his special, spiritual and sometimes problematic Gift has shaped his life. It chronicles the challenges he faced as he learned how to live with, and finally harness his rare Gift, and what the knowledge he gained in the process can mean to us all.

Available on Amazon.com and BreakingRulesPublishing.com

Falling in Love with a Dying Man

Watervliet Short Story Book Project

By Rick Harmon

By: Maria Munson, Katelynn Sutherland, Bailey Williams, Kaylee Chapin, Saarah Schaefer, and D.V. Simon

CATEGORY:

Bits N Pieces

Memoir, Romance

Edge of Change

By Spencer Munson

Harmon began this touching memoir after the loss of his soulmate, first to let out some frustration and feelings pent up inside a good way to express himself, which then turned into a moving love story. He was then encouraged to put his thoughts in book form. It took 13 years to finish. Garnet Hirst, an award-winning playwright, turned Harmon’s memoir into a play.

By P.J. Doolittle

CATEGORY:

Short Stories A collection of fantasy short stories, Munson’s work contains elements of romance, magic, and healing through the love of others. About the author: Spencer Munson is from the small town of Watervliet, Michigan. Going by the pronouns: he/ she/they, Munson grew up surrounded by LGBTQ people, but never saw much in fiction that represented the people she knew and loved, including themselves.

CATEGORY:

Romance, Fiction

Short Stories

Barry Douglas was a homeless drifter, a petty thief who would busk for a few pounds when he could and steal a few when he couldn’t. On his own since age 14, Douglas had grown skilled at avoiding emotional entanglements of any kind. Seeking a bed at a homeless shelter north of England, Douglas meets a man who turns his world upside down.

The students of Watervliet High School, current and former, would like to thank all of those within their lives and that has let the creator endeavor that this short story collection become a possibility. Without the support of their families, their staff at Watervliet High School, the publisher of Breaking Rules Publishing Christopher Clawson Rule, and each other, none of them would have found this opportunity.

Available on Amazon.com and BreakingRulesPublishing.com

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PEOPLE GATHERING AROUND A GIANT RAINBOW FLAG DURING KRAKOW EQUALITY MARCH (PRIDE PARADE) AT MAIN MARKET SQUARE.

y virtue of its Central European geographical location, Poland has been prone to invasion from its neighbors on an alarming level throughout history, often leading to the elimination of the Polish state completely. Despite this litany of annexations and occupations, Poland managed to adopt a written constitution in 1791, only the second valid legal document of its kind in the world. Sadly, it was only in effect for 14 months before it was partitioned for over 100 years. So, let no one tell you this ninth largest country in Europe hasn’t been progressive. Unusually for a European nation, Poland had no specific laws against gays either. This was formally codified in 1932, when Poland introduced an equal age of consent for homosexuals and heterosexuals set at 15; a younger age and a long time earlier than most European nations. At the other end of the continent, equalization only occurred, amazingly, in the whole of the United Kingdom just twelve short years ago, in 2008. However, times change. Since this God-fearing Catholic country was admitted to the EU in 2004 it feels like Poland has willfully delighted in marching to a different drum than the rest of Europe, taking the lead, ironically, from Putin’s autocratic, homophobic Russia than the leftish liberal minded community that has directly and indirectly pumped billions of euros into the Polish economy. Nothing symbolizes that more than the country’s current president Andrzej Duda. Anti-gay rhetoric has been at the center of Duda’s 2020 presidential campaign, including strong verbal attacks on Poland’s LGBT community, fueling prejudice and hate

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Culture war in Warsaw pits the religious right against liberal LGBTQ.

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crimes throughout the country. In an attempt to appeal to his conservative base, the incumbent referred disparagingly to an alleged Western “LGBT ideology,” even going as far as calling it more destructive than communism. Consequently, in the past year, more than a third of Polish towns have informally declared themselves “LGBT-free zones.” The conservative-leaning newspaper, Gazeta Polska, even boasted it was distributing “LGBTfree zone” stickers — showing a black cross superimposed on a rainbow flag — with an issue of its Law and Justice party (PiS)-supporting weekly in 2019. The ruling party — ironically named PiS for short — have pledged to fight this so-called “LGBT ideology” and protect the traditional Polish family unit. PiS party leader and former Prime Minister, Jarosław Aleksander Kaczyński responded to the declaration, calling LGBT rights “an import” that threatens Poland. If anything, it reminds me of the Thatcher government’s hated Clause 28 in the Conservative-dominated Britain of over thirty years ago, that was brought into law because they claimed local authorities were guilty of “promoting homosexuality.” So this is progress, eh? The move was criticized by the US ambassador to Poland, Georgette Mosbacher, expressing concern that the stickers were ostensibly a hate crime. “I am disappointed and concerned that some

STEVE PAFFORD is an English journalist, actor and author of the acclaimed book BowieStyle. Having trained from the floor up in UK music titles Q, MOJO and Record Collector, he’s had his work featured in a wide variety of British, American and Australian media including the BBC, CNN, The Independent and the New York Times. Steve divides his time between Australia and the south of France.

Young man with rainbow ﬂag during Krakow Equality March (Pride parade) at Main Market Square.

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groups use stickers to promote hatred and intolerance. We respect freedom of speech, but we must stand together on the side of values such as diversity and tolerance,” Mosbacher tweeted. In response, the rag’s editor, Tomasz Sakiewicz, said his own views and those of the ambassador should both be respected, tweeting that “being an activist in the gay movement does not make anyone more tolerant”. “Poles love freedom and have known the word tolerance for centuries. That’s why they supported the rise of the USA,” he added. Paweł Rabiej, the deputy mayor of Warsaw, said he intended to file a complaint about the stickers to the Polish prosecutor’s office. “German fascists created Jewfree zones,” he tweeted. “As you can see this tradition finds worthy followers, this time in Poland,” he said, adding that it was happening “under the umbrella” of the governing party and bishops. A day earlier, several citizens had been arrested at a protest against the pre-trial detention of an LGBT rights campaigner known as Margot. Human Rights Watch described the government’s Soviet-style crackdown on activists as an attempt to crush democracy and dissent against state-sanctioned homophobia. To hammer home the point, gay marriage and same sex civil unions are still outlawed in Poland, unlike in most of Western European countries and even former Eastern Bloc territories such as Slovenia and the Czech Republic. When Nazi horrors such as Auschwitz happening within its borders, the shadow of the Holocaust hovering over everything makes the discussion difficult – but it’s impossible to ignore. Nevertheless, Polish attitudes to homosexuality are evolving, and many commentators view gay or gay-friendly politicians like the current Mayor of Warsaw Rafał Trzaskowski, and the current leader of the left-leaning party Spring Robert Biedroń as future presidential material. Hopefully they can drag Poland into the 21st century without too much kicking or screaming. —

“As you can see this tradition finds worthy followers, this time in Poland,” he said, adding that it was happening “under the umbrella” of the governing party and bishops.”

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A Man and His Piano: The Musical Diaries of Brian Kinler

BY MELISSA-MARIE MARKS

PHOTO BY: BRUCE YEUNG

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“I didn’t tell them I was gay. And the reason why—remember this was 1998—I thought that if they found out I was gay they wouldn’t sign me.”

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“It was just Tori Amos and her piano. It was the first time I had seen a signed artist perform like that, just the singer and their piano. She would talk to the audience about each song before she played it, and that was the moment that I thought, “Yes! This is totally what I need to do! This is it.” Brian doesn’t save concert tickets, but he saved that one. Not long after, Brian started busking at coffee shops. “Back then, Starbucks wasn’t a thing, and all the good coffee shops in the French Quarter had musicians playing. So there I was, lugging my heavy keyboard all over the French Quarter, performing at coffee shops. It was super fun.” In 1996, fresh out of college with stars in his eyes, Brian decided to move to Los Angeles and turn his busking into a career. Back then, his goal was the same as every other musicians: to get signed with a record label. “I tried hard to get signed off and on for about 5 years. I was literally pretending to be a courier—going to offices, pretending to deliver packages, totally making it all up. And then one day in 2001, I actually got a bite! It was a pretty big classical label, and I was jazz and they were branching out to jazz. So they flew me all the way out to Cleveland, I auditioned, and I totally tanked.” Brian remembers feeling extremely nervous at the audition, and not just because he was going to be playing in front of folks who had won Grammys. He was worried that they would find out he was gay. “So I just didn’t tell them. I didn’t tell them I was gay. I didn’t say I wasn’t gay, but I didn’t say I was. And the reason why—remember this was 1998—I thought that if they found out I was gay they wouldn’t sign me.” When Brian auditioned, he played his set and he played it well. But he didn’t speak. At all. He didn’t share the story of each of his songs, and the performance reflected the lack of authenticity. “After the audition, I knew I messed up. I knew I should have told them. Not just to say, ‘Hey, I’m gay!’ but because when I perform, it’s instru-

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sk any successful person the secret to their success, and you’ll likely be in that conversation for the long haul. Answers often vary widely from person to person, usually taking the form of some kind of lengthy, redundant “How To” list. But for Brian Kinler, a Los Angeles-based jazz pianist originally from New Orleans, success takes the form of a much simpler formula. For Brian, Success = Authenticity + Perseverance + Love. This formula has worked for Brian time and time again, and he’s written the jazz songs to prove it. It all started with a guy who loved jazz and a girl who could play it. Brian’s mother, Margaret, was a Southern Belle from a tiny Cajun town in Louisiana, and happened to be really good at playing piano. Brian’s father, Robert, was a self-proclaimed sports guy from New Orleans and didn’t have a musical bone in his body, but he did boast an impressive jazz record collection. It was a match made in heaven, and sometime later, Brian Kinler was born. Naturally, Brian loved music from day one, and because “drummers were cool,” he dreamed of being a drummer. His mom, a respectable piano teacher by day, had zero desire to teach her own kids piano, so she was, initially, very supportive of his drumming aspirations. Unfortunately for Brian, his dreams of becoming a drummer just weren’t meant to be. “I sucked at drums. And my mom was super encouraging; she was great. One day she just laughed and said, ‘Okay, look, maybe I’ll teach you a few basics on piano, ‘cause you’re a terrible drummer.”So began Brian’s love affair with piano. He hammered out notes all through grade school, refusing to learn how to read music and playing mostly by ear. And at the ripe, old age of 15, Brian began writing his own music. Then, on September 11, 1992 when Brian was a freshman at LSU in Baton Rouge, his musical destiny changed forever. He went to see Tori Amos performing live in the French Quarter in New Orleans, at a little venue that seated only 200 people.

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mental, and each song has its own story, and you need to tell that story for the performance to ring true. A lot of my music is about my experience as a gay man—it’s about relationships, it’s about exes. And I didn’t do that—I didn’t tell the stories, and that’s what messed up my performance.” That moment was pivotal in his music career. When the record label called him a week later to tell him they were going to pass, Brian turned to his husband and told him that he would never do that again. From that point on, he would always be true to his authentic self. Soon after that, CD Baby came out, Apple iTunes came out, and Brian decided to forgo getting signed and start putting out his own albums. “My first big CD came out in 2010—I was already 35. I knew I couldn’t keep wasting my time trying to get signed. If somebody wants to sign me, sure, they can sign me. But I’m not waiting around to get signed anymore. I do it myself now. I’ve done six full albums to date.” Brian is a self-proclaimed CD guy and expresses dismay at the thought that artists these days are focusing more on making singles and aren’t really putting out complete albums anymore. “I still buy CDs. I like the whole package—I want to see the liner notes and listen to the songs and understand what the artist wants us to get from their project. I guess I’m kind of old school.” Brian himself still dedicates his time and energy to making his own complete albums. Each album is like a diary of his life. Brian loves to travel, and travel inspires his music. He enjoys mixing genres, and it’s not unusual for him to showcase a Latin number and a gospel number on the same album. It may not be traditional, he says, but it’s how he expresses himself musically. “There was this guy, he was pretty reputable in the jazz industry, and he heard my second CD, and he told me I was mixing too many genres on one album. But that’s what I really like. And that’s the beauty of not having a label—I can do whatever the hell I want. And hopefully other people will like it, too.” In general, though, Brian doesn’t make music for an audience—he makes music because it’s just something he has to do. Something he does for himself. “If I die tomorrow, all anyone would have to do is listen to my albums. Right there is the story of my life.”

In 2015, 2016, and 2017, both of Brian’s parents became severely ill. Margaret was diagnosed with dementia, and Robert, though he was also sick, was Margaret’s main care-giver. Brian would regularly fly home to help his dad take care of his mom. “My mom was everything to me. I’m a total mama’s boy. When she got dementia, it was terrible. I would go to New Orleans for months out of the year, but she didn’t know who I was anymore.” And then, in late 2017, Brian’s dad had a stroke and passed away two months later, an experience that shook him to his soul and challenged his spiritual beliefs. “My dad was this big macho sports-loving dude. He probably didn’t know one gay person in his life. When I was 14 or 15, he picked me up from school one day, and we’re driving home. Obviously, he knew I was gay, but I hadn’t come out yet. So, he picked me up from school, and we’re driving, and we hear Elton John on the radio. My dad loved all kinds of music. And so we hear Elton John, and my dad says to me, “What do you think about Elton John? You know, he’s gay, but he’s awesome.” Brian says his dad was a quiet guy who didn’t really have a lot of profound moments, but he will always be grateful that his dad said that. “I didn’t officially come out until four years later, in 1992, but I knew that when I did come out, it would be okay with him because of what he said… and it was.” Brian’s dad died during the height of his mom’s dementia, and he had to tell his mom day after day that her husband had passed away. Each evening, around dusk, Margaret would sit by Brian on the piano bench, and he would play the piano to calm her. And he felt that his dad was somehow watching and getting ready for his mom to join him. This thought shone light on some of Brian’s darkest hours.

“And so we’re driving home from school and we hear Elton John on the radio, and my dad says to me, ‘What do you think about Elton John? You know, he’s gay, but he’s awesome.’”

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“In 2001, my mom picked Steven up at the airport and she’s like, ‘God, Brian, you hit the jackpot!’”

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“In 2001, my mom picked Steven up at the airport and she’s like, ‘God, Brian, you hit the jackpot!’” In 2015, after gay marriage became federally protected in all 50 states, Brian’s friends and family began encouraging the couple to tie the knot. Initially, the thought of marriage seemed foreign to Brian and Steven. After all, they were already living together, sharing everything. “Obviously, I was pro-gay marriage. But I came out in ’92, and it just never dawned on me that I could actually be married one day. And then when our families began encouraging us to get married, we gave in and said we could maybe have a small ceremony, and they said no way, that we needed to do it for real. And so we did it.” Brian and Steven set the date of their wedding to take place on a Saturday, on their 17th anniversary. The date happened to fall a mere five weeks after Brian’s mother had passed away. “It was an intimate backyard ceremony. We wrote our own vows. Everyone was crying. My parents had just passed away—it was all so personal. It way exceeded our expectations. It was really kind of amazing.” Brian and Steven have been together for almost 20 years now, and they’re still going strong. “My proudest accomplishment by far is my relationship with my husband. Never in a billion years could I have imagined being in a serious, monogamous, loving relationship, and I’m shocked and surprised still. It’s like we just got married yesterday. And I get angry when people say that gay guys can’t be monogamous. That’s total bull. It absolutely can be done.” Brian recognizes how fortunate he is and is adamant that he does not take his life for granted. “I have three awesome siblings, and we’re still super close. I have an amazing husband. My parents were loving and supportive. Even when I first moved to LA and I was hounding record labels and I was totally broke…my parents, and especially my dad, wouldn’t let me give up. They told me to just keep doing it, just keep doing it.” And so that’s just what Brian Kinler does. He keeps making music, through the good times and bad, because it’s something he feels driven to do. Because it’s in his DNA. He doesn’t care about being rich. He doesn’t care about being famous. He writes and plays for the pure enjoyment of writing and playing. He writes and plays because he simply can’t not do it. And where does he see himself in 10 years? “Well, I’m 46 right now, but I feel like I’m 18. I love what I do. In 10 years, I’ll be doing exactly the same thing I’m doing now. Only with a lot more gray hair.”

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Margaret passed away seven months later. “My mom was absolutely hilarious. She was this crazy old Southern lady, and she’d sing with me during some of my shows. She wasn’t a fantastic singer--she was a piano player, you know? But she’d ham it up on stage. She’d tell dirty jokes and everything. The people just loved her. When she was singing with me, we’d sell out.” After Margaret died, Brian didn’t play piano or write music for almost a full year. “I was just numb. It was clearly depression, though I didn’t know it at the time. I did absolutely nothing with music. I literally couldn’t touch the piano. Because for me, the piano represents my childhood. The piano represents my mother.” And then, one day, the piano called and Brian answered. He started playing for enjoyment. He started writing again. He called his producer in Nashville and said, “I’m ready. Let’s do this.” Brian wrote and recorded his sixth album “Bragging Rights” to document his journey as he witnessed both of his beloved parents passing away, an experience he describes as the worst years so far in his life, and to show the world that he made it to the other side. “Everyone has their struggles. It took me a full year to get through mine, but you know what? I got through it. I’m back.” In 2001, not long after ending a messy, long-distance, 5-year relationship, Brian met Steven Parker, the man who would stand strong by his side throughout those tumultuous years when Brian would lose both his parents. The two of them were at a restaurant right off the outskirts of West Hollywood, both attending two different birthday parties for two different friends. Neither of them was looking for love. “I felt like crap. I looked like crap. But we just started talking, and that was it.” They talked for close to two hours before Steven had to go. Brian didn’t have a business card, and nobody had cell phones back then, so he wrote his name and number on a napkin and gave it to Steven before he left. The couple fell in love and began living together in 2002. “Ten years later, we’re having a garage sale because we were getting money together so we could take a trip to Europe. And so we’re clearing out stuff and there’s this box under Steven’s nightstand. Now, I’m not a snooper. It’s just not my thing. The box had been there for ten years, but I’d never looked inside. So I find the box and ask Steven what’s in it, and he told me to open it, so I did, and the only thing in the box was that napkin.” Brian says it’s a rare thing when someone makes your heart melt like that. But he wasn’t the only one falling for Steven.

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The Influence of Dame David

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David Bowie was the bisexual alien rocker who sold gender exploration to the world. In embracing “otherness” Bowie changed music, art, media and the very nature of fame completely. Steve Paﬀord, author of “BowieStyle,” explains why, even as we approach the 5th anniversary of his passing, “Dame David” remains the most relevant, reinvented and revolutionary pop artist of our times. BY STEVE PAFFORD

“I’m gay and I always have been. Even when I was David Jones.” Who said that? Less than five years after homosexuality had been decriminalised in the UK, it was David Bowie. Dusty Springfield had outed herself a couple of years before, but the man born David Robert Jones in London on January 8, 1947 was the first white male pop star to declare their queerness to the world, over a decade after his hero Little Richard led the way. Yes, that’s the same Goblin King in “80s kids” classic Labyrinth, sporting tights so tight they revealed the Thin White Duke’s appendage, which was almost as impressive as his entire body of work. Dame David, as he was affectionately known, was encouraged to make the declaration in 1972 by then-wife Angela, herself a voracious swinger, and the mother of David’s son, movie director Duncan Jones. Confused? So was he. Bowie’s formative years were spent chasing trends. When the ‘Swinging Sixties’ made London the fashion capital of the world, it proved seductive to metrobolist peacocks like David, who was already on intimate

terms with his bedroom mirror. He was obsessed by stardom, coolness and style, which, for him, was inextricable from art. First, though, was carving a niche for himself on the music scene, changing his name to avoid confusion with The Monkees’ Davy Jones by delving back to his Wild West fascination, and a hunting knife used by Alamo hero Jim Bowie. Alas, there was little demand for his self-titled debut in 1967, when hippie psychedelia dominated. Wrong-footed, David returned in the summer of ’69 as a Dylan style folkie, his Bee Geesian rocket man tale Space Oddity giving him his first chart success. In 1971, the Daily Mirror covered his Man Who Sold The World album. Parodying a Pre-Raphaelite painting, Bowie was on a chaise longue draped in blue velvet, wearing a “man’s dress”. Countering the paper’s prurience, he insisted he was “not queer. My sexual life is normal.” When Ziggy Stardust made his Moonage landing in 1972, his alter-ego worshipped at “the church of Man-Love”, appearing as an alien androgyne decades before Marilyn Manson. While shows became multi-media extravaganzas incorporating mime, theatre, and film. Under 40s

"David Bowie" exhibition in the Martin Gropius-Bau, Berlin-Tiergarten. Illustration by Sooyaart

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Film actress Patricia Neal and Chloe Carter in Hollywood, 1964. Patricia was filming at Paramount for Otto Preminger’s In Harm’s Way.

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assume theatrical concerts started with MJ or Madonna; in fact, you need to wind the clock back another 15 years or so. “The creation of Ziggy was,” wrote Angie Bowie “the first emphatic act in a great liberation”. The focal point was the “cockade orange” feather-cut that adorned the iconic cover of Aladdin Sane, which she described as “the most reverberant fashion statement of the ‘70s. He looked wilder; just as fuckable, but more sluttish.” Bowie’s self-outing was the master-stroke that secured that career. “Best thing I ever said, I suppose,” he conceded. In a world where homosexuality was barely acknowledged, he broke one of the last taboos. “As soon as your article came out,” he told the journalist, “people rang up and said, ‘You know what you’ve gone and done? You’ve just ruined yourself. You told him you were bisexual.’ I said, I know, he asked me! Nobody’s going to be offended by that; everybody knows that most people are bisexual.” His arrival broadened the palette for a generation of role-models, paving the way for scores of artists and models to pick up an instrument or a can of hairspray, inspiring everyone from Kate Bush to Kate Moss, Boy George to Lady Gaga, Ma-

donna to Moschino. Marc Almond and Neil Tennant remember the liberating effect he had in unlocking their sexuality, while Gay News welcomed that the issue was on the agenda: “Bowie is probably the best rock musician in Britain. One day, he’ll become as popular as he deserves to be. And that’ll give gay rock a potent spokesman.” His orientation was open to interpretation, though in 1976 he revealed he’d been swinging from an early age: “It didn’t matter who it was with, as long as it was a sexual experience. So, it was some pretty boy in class I took home and neatly fucked on my bed upstairs.” When Bowie returned in 1983 with a lucrative new record contract, he played it straight to appeal to a wider audience. His blond hetero-conformity was a disappointment to many, but the plan worked. Let’s Dance remains his biggest selling record, while that year’s Serious Moonlight tour broke attendance records the world over. Come the ‘90s, the now “closet heterosexual” recalled his earlier self: “I’d been bisexual for years but that statement was perceived as a gimmick. I found I wasn’t truly bisexual but in the ’60s anyone with a sense of style seemed to be gay. I wanted to identify with that.” Bowie could still cosy up to commerciality when he wanted, too, turning to the Pet Shop Boys, for a 1996 hit. With lines like, “Do you like girls or boys?/It’s confusing these days/Bye bye love,” Hallo Spaceboy revisited themes of sexual confusion and topped the charts in Europe. 2013’s The Next Day saw Bowie back at pole position in Britain; a feat repeated in the US with 2016’s Blackstar, a stunning monument to mortality released days before his death. George Michael told me he considered David to be “the most important rock star after Elvis”. Weighing up his influence on music, style, sound, vision, fashion and popular culture who are we to disagree? Madonna certainly doesn’t, acknowledging “Bowie really played with ideas, and iconography and imagery. He’s a brilliant man.” The queen has spoken. Long live the king. — STEVE PAFFORD is an English journalist, actor and author of the acclaimed book BowieStyle. Having trained from the floor up in UK music titles Q, MOJO and Record Collector, he’s had his work featured in a wide variety of British, American and Australian media including the BBC, CNN, The Independent and the New York Times. Steve divides his time between Australia and the south of France.

David Bowie at Vanity Fair Party for the 6th Annual Tribeca Film Festival, New York State Supreme Courthouse, New York, NY, April 24, 2007 Photo by Everett Collection

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Levine also has clients who want art commissioned to their tastes, be it political or familial. “Commissioning pieces is becoming a very big part of what we’re asked to do. Many people want art of their families or pets. We have had clients request images to be painted on clothing or on canvas,” said Levine adding, “there is no limit to what the artists we work with can create or the materials they are willing and able to work with. Contrary to first impressions, art isn’t static. It requires interaction with the viewer. Art Consultant Gent meets that need by arranging virtual experiences for clients with museums and art galleries. As New York City’s art venues begin to reopen to the public, real tours as well as virtual tours are more and more in demand. This art experience might include a museum curator to conduct a private, virtually guided tour of a museum – ideal for people who planned a trip to New York City but now have to wait because of the pandemic. Levine has channeled his extensive years of experience as an art collector, which began in 1984, into the business. “I started collecting by buying art at charities. I built up a collection of over 350 pieces,” Levine recalled. Friends and family members started asking for advice on where to buy art, who are the hot new up and coming artists, where should they hang that art, and helping them to arrange art and gallery tours out of the United States. Soon, Levine was working with interior designers and helping them with their clients in art purchases. Among other services that he offers his other options, Levine has been consulting with various charities across the United States on art benefits and how to do them virtually and will soon post art works on his website to be sold at charity auctions.

FOR MORE INFORMATION about Levine and the many services he and his company offer visit them at artconsultantgent.com, Facebook: artconsultantgent, and Instagram @artconsultantgent. Email: marc@artconsultantgent.com

PHOTO BY KIEV.VICTOR

ue to the pandemic, people are spending countless hours at home more than ever before. If the walls are bare, then staring at the blank emptiness months at end could become dull, depressing or even maddening. Surely, an alluring artwork would brighten the space up, and lift your spirits. Wouldn’t it? Fear not. You don’t need to go back to school to be smart with art. You need to turn to the Art Consultant Gent. Owned by Marc Levine, he and his versatile team of artists, interior designers and art experts are ready to step in and put more color and class into your world. If you already have paintings, watercolors and framed photographs sitting unappreciated in a closet or basement, Levine and company will expertly catalog, appraise and hang your choices with an interior designer’s eye. “Art Consultant Gent offers a variety of services to our clients, whether they are seasoned collectors or first-time buyers,” said Levine. “We help our clients build a curated collection based on their tastes and budgets.” Even within the limitations of the pandemic, Levine and company will pair client and artist virtually. “We take them to art galleries and show them art through a virtual art gallery tour,” said Levine. “We’ll bring an art gallery to their home. If there is an artist they like, we can arrange a personal, private tour of an artist’s space.” The Art Consultant Gent has an extensive catalog of numerous up-and-coming artists. “On our website: www.artconsultantgent. com, we will give artists a new platform to show their art,” said Levine. “For new upcoming artists who don’t have agent or gallery representation, this presents a new way for us to give them a voice in the art world.”

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Top Party Playas Whether you prefer speedos, boardshorts, or nothing at all, these top three beaches in North America, South America and Europe have something for every LGBTQ traveler to enjoy. STORY AND PHOTOS BY MIKE FALLON

the Coronavirus Pandemic continues to disturb travel plans for many, including yours truly, I’ve spent hours reminiscing about past experiences with family and friends over outdoor dinners and socially distanced drinks. Those conversations led laughs, tears, and chills of excitement about some of my favorite destinations in the world and this edition’s travel write-up. Now, there are few things you need to understand about my personality and preferences to fully understand the list of destinations you are about to peruse. First, as a native Floridian, beaches are in my blood. I need a beach day at least once a month. Secondly, I love a big city with a unique personality and lots of history, art, culture, and architecture. A few years back I spent a weekend thoroughly enjoying over 18 hours of audio walking tours of Rome. Lastly,

I need to socialize with the locals, experience the nightlife, taste the local cuisine flavors, and dance the night away. Simple enough, right? Now that’s out of the way, let us explore my favorite party + city + beach destinations! Number three on my list is Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Yes, it’s cliché, but Rio offers an experience like no other. A massive, diverse city by the sea, Rio has a stunning landscape, fabulous beaches, and is one of the best natural harbors in the world: Botafogo Bay. World-renowned Copacabana and Ipanema beaches are filled with locals and tourists from around the world, and some of the best people watching anywhere. Bikinis, check! Speedos, check! Mankinis, check! A trip to Rio is not complete without enjoying a few Caipirinhas, the national cocktail of Brazil made from sugarcane, lime, and hard liquor, while lounging in the sun at one of Rio’s famous

Beach scene with clouds and mountain: The expansive white sand and tan bodies of Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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Number two on my list is Ibiza Town, Ibiza, Spain. For me, just hearing “Ibiza’’ conjures an energy like no other. Ibiza is a well-known destination for Europeans, but also attracts a fair share of intrepid travelers hailing from the Americas and beyond. An island in the Mediterranean off the coast of mainland Spain, Ibiza offers centuries of history, countless beaches, and a nightlife that is known around the world. The fortified city of Ibiza Town, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the perfect place for a base camp to explore remnants of the island’s Phoenician roots, a medieval castle, and countless cobbled passageways that lead to art galleries, restaurants, and architectural styles that span 800 years. The best way to see the island is to rent a car from one of the numerous

Last but certainly not least on my list of favorites is Miami Beach, Florida. And no, this is not a shameless plug for my birthplace; Miami Beach has everything one could want: from beautiful beaches to sweaty nightlife and iconic architecture to an international art and fashion scene.

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agencies in Ibiza Town. As you explore the island, be sure to stop at the picturesque coves with small beaches and quaint restaurants along the way. Ibiza’s beaches are some of the best places to “drop your drawers’’ if you require a full-body tan or a freeing frolic in the Mediterranean. My favorite spot is Platja des Cavallet located in a preservation area not far from the airport. Here you can sun, hike wilderness areas and sand dunes, or take a dip in the soothing waters of the sea sin ropa. It is a great place to recharge your batteries before a night out on the town. Speaking of going out, Ibiza is known for its expansive nightclubs (Pacha, Amnesia, and Ushuaia to name a few) and electronic and deep house dance music. World renowned deejays such as David Guetta and Paul Oakenfold call Ibiza home for the season and host parties that last until sunrise. Once you leave the club and are ready for a “final final” stop at JJ’s, a friendly LGBTQ+ bar in the heart of Ibiza Town.

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beaches. After your fun in the sun is over, check out the art deco “wonder of the world” Christ the Redeemer statue at Corcovado Mountain, the cable car views from Sugar Loaf Mountain, and if you’re brave, tour the local ghettos (called favelas in Portuguese) to see how innovative, creative, and artistic the working-class locals live. Time to party? Head over to The Week – the largest nightclub in Rio that hosts LGBTQ+ parties and events weekly, and if you are lucky, you may spot a celebrity or two at the bar. If you are too pooped to party like a rock star, head over to La Cueva, a more intimate experience that’s been welcoming a gay staple since 1964.

Pacha beach scene: The lively beach area of Platja des Cavallet, Ibiza, Spain with impromptu dancers advertising the island's world famous nightlife.

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Middle: Beach scene with rocky cliffs: One of the more intimate beach areas, Ibiza, Spain. Nightclub scene: Electronic music and stage dancers at Pacha Nightclub, Ibiza, Spain where infamous DJ parties continue until daybreak.

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Miami’s South Beach Art Deco District is home to the largest collection of Art Deco Architecture in the world, and nestled amongst these historic gems, you will find some of the finest international cuisine this side of New York City. There are several expansive beach-front parks, and since Miami Beach is extremely walkable, you can explore the area on foot or on a rentable scooter. As you explore, you will find unique corner pubs and wine shops, pop-up art displays, and all sorts of shopping to keep you busy. By the way, if you happen to see Ricky Martin, please tell him that I said hello. If you’ve had your fill of South Beach, take a short ride over to the mainland and you can explore Miami’s famous Wynwood art district, grab a café con leche at Versailles Restaurant on Calle Ocho, or head north to the popular Haulover Beach, one of the world’s top nude beaches. Lastly, a trip to Miami Beach must include a visit (or multiple) to the very sexy Twist Nightclub (think dancers and drinks) followed by a fabulous drag brunch at The Palace to sober you up for another day of fun at Miami Beach. — MICHAEL FALLON is a business professor at Beacon College in Leesburg, Fla., and an avid traveler. He spends about three months per year traveling the world, and has visited all Seven Wonders of the World. He’s been to nearly 80 countries, and around 60 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Top: Mansion: The former Versace Mansion at South Beach, Miami Beach, Florida. Middle: Versailles Bakery: Making time for a cup of Cuban Coffee from “The World's Best Cuban Restaurant” at The Versailles Restaurant & Bakery at Calle Ocho, Miami, Florida. Bottom: Art Deco Buildings: Miami Beach is home to the world's largest collection of Art Deco Architecture.

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FIRST IMPRESSIONS

The Art of Creating a Great First Impression

STORY BY MAX B. MARCUS

this series “First Impressions” we will take a deeper dive into those things that not only help us be well received and impress, but the things that will help us build; confidence, strength, pride, and healthy connections along the way. We will learn what it takes to not only capture the positive attention of others but draw them in and have them wanting more. To grab them by the heart and hold them with our wit, charm, and intellect. There is a recipe for success…one must only have the desire to learn what that is. GENERAL APPEARANCE AND COMPORTMENT (walk, talk, attitude, and energy) How we walk into a room, our posture, our energy, our attitude, and what we say, is the first “introduction” to who we are and what we are there to present. When entering a venue, one must feel like they are a “winner” (in their mind), and the physical manifestation of that will shine through, as confidence, assuredness, and power. As the award winning, American author Patrick Rothfuss once said…” Appearance is a type of POWER”.

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FACE Let’s face it…no really let’s face the fact that our faces are like a “calling card”. It tells so many things about, who we are, what we’ve been through (experience), how much we care, our desires, and more. We’ve all seen those in the media that look so “fresh” and “pulled together”, and then after a season of struggle, stress, and dismay, they come back looking ten years older. This is more common, than one may want to believe, or accept. So, the question is “what can I do

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HAIR There’s a reason why Samson found his power in his beautiful flowing mane, but it was actually his faith that gave him the strength. and precisely why Delilah decided to steal that power away from him. “Oh my, my, my Delilah” …she could’ve just let him be…but I digress. The fact is we all find power in what’s on top of our head. Whether it be lush curls, silky straight hair, tightly cropped cut, or a polished dome, all can be hip, stylish, and powerful, if we just take good care of it and groom it properly. The key is to know the right products to use, use them daily, and always check the results in your mirror. As the world-renowned hair styling icon Vida Sassoon once said “The only place where SUCCESS comes before WORK, is in the dictionary” …now those are some incredibly wise words. The point here is, you must put in the effort, in order to achieve your goal.

about it?”. Well the fact is, maintaining one’s skin (complexion, texture, firmness, and “bounce”), are just as important as going to the gym, or taking a daily walk, swim, or jog. We will delve into more details on the: steps, practices, products, and procedures, in our upcoming features. In the meantime, you can contact our very own Max B. Marcus (beauty and styling guru) for more personalized regimes and advice. In the words of the renowned naturalist (the study of natural history) John Ray…” Beauty is a power: a smile is it’s sword”

HANDS & NAILS A good handshake speaks volumes about one’s confidence, strength, and assuredness, however we’re living in trying times (CoronaVirus) and handshakes are “verboten” right now…so what to do? Well we’re now doing the “elbow bump” and the Asian style clasped hand, bow greeting, and occasionally the “fist bump”, either way OUR HANDS are still seen and “judged”. There is nothing more pleasant to see than, clean and well moisturized hands, and the “icing on the cake” is a well-manicured set of fingernails. To quote the late, great Edith Piaf…” If a man has beautiful hands, he cannot be ugly inside. The hands never lie.” Just remember the basics: wash frequently, moisturize always, have a manicure (or do one yourself) on a weekly basis, and protect your hands from the elements (free radicals, dirt, bacteria, etc.)

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You can have anything you want. If you dress for it!”

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—Edith Head

ATTIRE & ACCESSORIES We’ve all heard the expression “a time and a place for everything” well when it comes to our attire and accessories, nothing could be more on-point. This is especially true in the professional arena. Taking into consideration the; environment you’re working in, the milieu of your profession, the overall “vibe” of the workplace / industry, your attire must reflect that to a “T” the best that you can bring. Let’s take a law firm for example. It would be completely inappropriate to show up at the firm, wearing something that looked like you’re heading out to “the club” for a night of partying, at the same time it would look very odd if you dressed in a three piece suit, while working at a tech start up, or an “artist’s loft” design firm. Now let’s “get real”, not everyone can afford the luxury of a bespoke ensemble, an Armani suit, Hermes bag, Gucci belt, etc. however one can realize a fantastic look (wardrobe) on a budget. It’s all about under-

standing the fundamentals of style; size, shape, color, texture, and above all else QUALITY! In the words of the award-winning icon of Hollywood fashion and costume design Edith Head…” You can have anything you want. If you dress for it!” — MAX B. MARCUS is the founder and president of Glow4Good, Inc. (a non-profit organization-offering aid to marginalized communities). Max studied and taught at the prestigious Parsons School of Design / The New School in New York City. He has travelled the world representing the haute couture houses of iconic fashion designers Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Dior. Educated in the Americas, Europe, and Japan, Max is renowned for his award-winning work as a world class stylist and beauty expert. His clients range from everyday working women, super models, celebrities, to royalty including Queen Noor of Jordan, Princess Isabella de Ligne de la Trémoïll (Belgium), and Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece. Max has also dedicated the last two decades of his life, to working towards advancement of marriage and immigration equality and helping disadvantaged youth.

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Refresh Your Space to Recharge Your Life in 2021

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s we settle into a new year full of new hopes and opportunities, 2020â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lingering shadow may be difficult for some of us to get away from. Many of us are still spending most of our time in our houses, either because we are working from home or homeschooling our kiddos, and it is easy to simply continue the same routines 2020 mapped out for us. But it does not have to be that way. If we want something different in this new year, something brighter and more optimistic, we must first choose to make a change, and then take action to make that change a reality. According to Melanie and Denisha Walker, LGBTQ+ power couple and owners of Studio MD, Gainesville-based interior design company, that change must start at home.

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Rearrange Your Furniture Updating your home does not always have to break the bank. “Shop your house,” Melanie says. “You may not need to buy anything at all, you may just need to redirect something to a different area.” Melanie suggests that a console from one room might be a desk in another. The not-quite-rightfor-the-living-room chair might be perfect for reading in your master bedroom. “We’ve helped a lot of people spruce up what they already have.” And the best part of rearranging your furniture? “It’s free!” Melanie states. Set The Mood With Lighting Melanie and Denisha encourage their clients to test out a variety of lightbulbs in each room, and to be intentional in their choice of specific lights to create specific moods and feelings. “If a client says, ‘I want to feel cozy,’ I don’t install stark white light bulbs. That’s not cozy—that makes me feel like I’m in a hospital.” Melanie explains. “Get in touch with how you want to feel in that room and then choose your light bulb to reflect that feeling.”

Bring Nature Indoors Both Melanie and Denisha agree that detoxing your home is an important element of detoxing your life. “Keeping your air purified is extremely important, and plants are my number one recommendation,” says Melanie. “We have a lot of plants in our home.” Regularly opening the windows and doors, as well as utilizing ceiling fans, will also help to clear out air pollutants and even old, stagnant energy. “Sage your space, bless your home, cleanse it.” Melanie and Denisha recommend. “It’s the little things that you may not think about that can often affect you in a big way.” — MELISSA-MARIE MARKS is a freelance writer based in North-Central Florida. She specializes in writing about green business and green technology, renewable energy, conservation and sustainability, and holistic health. Melissa graduated from The Florida School of Traditional Midwifery in 2012 and practiced as a Florida licensed midwife until 2018, when she retired from private practice to focus on her writing career. She spends her leisure time camping with her kids and manifesting a life she loves by utilizing the law of attraction.

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Give Those Walls a Fresh Coat of Paint Melanie believes that a fresh coat of white or another light color paint is the clean slate by which all other design components are implemented. “And when you see that clean slate in your home,” says Melanie, “it reminds you to apply that clean slate to your life.” Denisha says that spending so much time at home due to the coronavirus allowed her to notice elements in her home that she was not happy with. “For us personally, it was the color of our walls-they were Real Estate Beige! Now they are Sherwin Williams Silky White.”

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Get Rid of Stuff Denisha believes an important component of refreshing your space is getting rid of things that no longer serve you. Clothes you do not wear, books you will never read again, old dishes; if you have not used it in six months or more, chances are you do not need it. “When in doubt, throw it out!” Or better yet, she says, donate it all to your local thrift store. Melanie agrees. “2021 is a great opportunity to declutter, start from scratch, and choose to be surrounded only by things that give you good vibes.”

For her bedroom, Melanie personally chooses soft white lighting with a little bit of a yellow glow and a lower wattage. “I don’t want to wake everyone if I need to turn on the light in the middle of the night,” she says. When you are ready to change out your bulbs, remember to choose eco-friendly options and consider smart light bulbs, which allow you to use color therapy to enhance your desired mood. If there is room in the budget, Melanie recommends installing dimmers for specific rooms such as the bedroom, hallway, and dining room. “If dimmers aren’t an option, though, you can replicate them by using a combination of overhead lights, lamps, and candles.”

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Make Your Home Your Safe Haven I asked Melanie and Denisha to share their top DIY hacks for updating our home spaces in 2021 so we can manifest a new year filled with abundance, success, happiness, and peace. Melanie compares updating one’s home to updating one’s wardrobe. “It reminds me of fashion, of clothes,” Melanie says. “To prepare for winter, you might need to get out those sweaters and thicker socks. You have to adjust to the new season.” Melanie explains that if we want 2021 to be a refreshing new year, our physical home space needs to reflect that refreshing feeling. “With all the chaos outside, your home must be your safe space.”

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COSMETICS

Beauty Hisness: why more men are wearing makeup

BY ROB ANDERSON

PHOTO BY JONO PHOTOGRAPHY

oundation, concealer, a little eyeliner… More and more men are applying makeup on a daily basis. The first time Anttoni Lopez tried painting his face was five years ago, as a way to cover up marks and bruises he had from an abusive relationship. He turned to over-the-counter products that were readily available in his pharmacy: brands like Revlon, Covergirl, and Fenty. What he found were they were heavy, cakey, and worst of all, noticeable. “Like most guys at the time, I didn’t want people to know I was wearing makeup,” he says. Another byproduct of the coverup: his face became irritated and broke out. “I started to pay more attention to the contents listed on the labels and discovered that certain ingredients commonly used in all were suitable for women, but likely to cause blotches in men.” He looked for a line of cosmetics that were made specifically for men, but at the time, none existed, so he set out to make one himself. His brand, Alpha Male Cosmetics, is more subtle and much lighter than make-up made for women. It is water-based so simple soap and water will work perfectly to wipe it away. It also addresses conditions that are unique to men’s tougher skin; often damaged from harsh soaps, shaving and the sun. “Applying a blade to our face, one or sometimes even two times a day, leaves many of us with razor bumps, ingrown hairs and dark spots,” Lopez explains.

His answer to that is Alpha Male’s Anti-aging BB Cream. Available in five shades and made with aloe and SPF, it is part make-up, part skincare, working to calm the skin and protect it from the sun to avoid premature skin aging and darkening while providing sheer, radiant coverage. Since launching Alpha Male Cosmetics five years ago, the men’s beauty market has changed dramatically. Lopez points to social media as the driving force. “Everyone is looking to pull off that flawless look, and many guys are no longer trying to hide the make-up. They’re making a statement in make-up!” As the demand from men has grown, so has the line. The Alpha Male Cosmetics collection now includes foundations, primer, liquid concealers and setting spray. The liquid foundations and liquid concealers come in 24 shades, more than any other male brand in the market. “When I first launched Alpha Male five years ago, the morning grooming routine for most men was shampoo, shave and maybe a bit of hair gel. Guys are taking much better care of themselves these days. They want to feel and look good.” For men who want to give make-up a try but maintain a natural look, Lopez advises concealers should be no more than one shade lighter than true skin color. To find the shade that works best for you, he recommends trying the sample packs first. — Alpha Male Cosmetics are available at alphamalecosmetics. com/. Follow on Instagram and Facebook @ alphamalecosmetics.

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All About That Base Find your right color

BY PORSHA ROSS

rying to find the right shade of foundation as a woman sometimes can be hard. Especially if you never had any experience in doing makeup. So here are some few tips and tricks on looking for the right shade that fits you. The ultimate goal is to find a foundation that looks like your own skin only better. There’s a lot of space for swatching foundations on your forearm. Swatching is a method used with your fingertip to apply the foundation to your forearm. This way it is quick and pretty much gets the job done. Remember your arms have two different shades: the top shade, and bottom shade. The top is always darker than the bottom. Now with that being said, first you will stop and pick the foundation that is the closest to your skin tone. Secondly, you want to apply foundation with your fingertip on both sides of your forearms. Then look at your arms in the mirror where foundation was applied to see which is closest to the color of your face. When you find the perfect shade of foundation it will seamlessly blend into your skin. When trying to choose a foundation it’s best to determine a few things about your skin. Knowing if you have oily skin or dry skin. My skin is periodically very oily, So I use a foundation that is thicker and of a powder combination.

So, ladies before you go into a store always do your research or find a friend who is more experienced in doing make-up. It’s always a good idea to buy a foundation that has an SPF, because this will provide protection against damaging UVA and UVB rays. Ladies, the sun can be harmful to your skin. When buying your foundation, look for a store that offers good deals and support from beauty experts who can help you choose the right shade and foundation. If that’s not available, then look for a shop that has in-store testers so that you can determine the right shade for yourself before you buy. Also choose a store that has a return policy on cosmetics in case you buy the wrong product. Remember to return the product quickly as possible cause most returns have a 7-day return policy. Ladies, we’re in this together Beauty and Smiles. Ladies, makeup is used to enhance your beauty and not to take away. — A transgender woman, PORSHA was born and raised in Panama City, Fla. She has lived in Ocala for the past eight years. She has been the Show Director at the Copa, a local gay nightclub, for the past three years. A fashionista and trendsetter, Porsha’s makeup expertise is second nature, having played with makeup ever since she was a little boy. There is no one better suited than Porsha to represent fashion and style within our pages at Embrace.

The ultimate goal is to ﬁnd a foundation that looks like your own skin only better. -Porsha Ross

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Gays with Kids Announces Its Fatherhood Partner Program A First-of-Its-Kind Initiative for Gay, Bi, and Trans Dads-to-b BY JOHN STEIN

PHOTOS BY JOHN STEIN

ays With Kids (GWK), the world’s largest community of gay, bi, and trans parents and prospective parents, is announcing the launch of its Fatherhood Partner program, a new initiative on its relaunched website for men seeking to embark on their journeys to fatherhood. As part of the program, GWK is aligning with some of the world’s top IVF clinics and surroga-

cy agencies, as well as with key adoption/foster agencies at the forefront of LGBTQ+ family building; creating comprehensive instructional courses that outline each available option for creating a family; and connecting prospective dads with the best LGBTQ+ affirming professionals who can help them fulfill their dreams based on their individual interests and budgets. “Since our launch in 2014, GWK has shared the family creation stories of hundreds of queer dads,” says GWK founder Brian Rosenberg. “Af-

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“In adoption and foster care, there are so many professionals to choose from, but for queer men, they are not all created equal,” said Molly Rampe Thomas, founder of Choice Network. “We are thrilled to be working with GWK to help educate prospective adoptive dads on how best to navigate the often-confusing adoption process, and connect them with LGBTQ affirming professionals.” FATHERHOOD PARTNERS REPRESENTING SURROGACY INCLUDE: • Dr. Guy Ringler of California Fertility Partners • Dr. Mark Leondires of RMA of Connecticut • Dr. Jerald S. Goldstein of Fertility Specialists of Texas • Sam Hyde of Circle Surrogacy & Egg Donation • Kristen Hanson, and Stephanie Scott of Simple Surrogacy • Victoria T. Ferrara of Worldwide Surrogacy Specialists, LLC.

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ter inspiring gay, bi and trans men through these stories for years, launching our new Fatherhood Partner program was the next logical step — now, we’ll be able to guide dads-to-be through their journeys to fatherhood alongside industry leaders, regardless of their chosen path.” In vetting its Fatherhood Partners, GWK considered each organization’s reputation among consumers and industry peers; as well as their longevity, track record and LGBTQ+ expertise as demonstrated through participation in Family Equality Open Door and/or HRC All Children-All Families. Each partner associated with the new educational platform is delivering their expertise as part of GWK’s easy-to-follow curriculum of videos and blog posts that first educate prospective dads on all the paths to fatherhood available to our community, and then provides guidance along every step of the journey, all completely free of charge. “Our unique history as the largest online community of queer dads and dads to be has allowed us to work closely with a handful of the most proven and experienced LGBTQ+ family builders,” says David Dodge, GWK’s Executive Editor. “Our new Fatherhood Partners Program will provide members of our community with free access to these experts to get everything they’ll need — resources, guides, educational courses, and more — to achieve their dream of fatherhood, regardless of their path.” “We couldn’t be more excited to partner with GWK on this new educational series for gay, bi and trans men interested in fatherhood,” said Sam Hyde, President and CEO of Circle Surrogacy. “All of GWK’s Fatherhood Partners program members have an extensive history working with the LGBTQ community, but this new platform is providing us with an unparalleled opportunity to connect queer men with the resources and education they need to build their families through IVF and surrogacy.”

FATHERHOOD PARTNERS REPRESENTING ADOPTION AND FOSTER CARE INCLUDE: • Amara • Choice Network • Extraordinary Families • Friends in Adoption • Spence-Chapin • The Dave Thomas Foundation GWK’s Fatherhood Partners program is just one of several exciting new features in their relaunch. The updated website continues to share inspiring family spotlight stories; but now also include tailored sections for men who are becoming, expecting, or are already parents; information on the latest laws and policy reforms and ways for dads to get involved in the fight for equality; and a new online retail shop that includes unique gift items for LGBTQ dads and their children.

FOR MORE INFORMATION on GWK, visit gayswithkids.com, and @gayswithkids on all social platforms.

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“I am a canvas of my experiences, my story is etched in lines and shading, and you can read it on my arms, my legs, my shoulders, and my stomach.”

– Kat Von D

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Getting Inked Our bodies are an artistic medium readily available for self-expression, however tattoos may come with considerable health risks. While getting “ink” may be alluring, it is important to assert that individualism safely and thoughtfully BY KRISIE BELL, BSN, RN

lthough not unique to the LGBT community, body modification has long been a marker of personal distinction and symbolism – especially within marginalized groups. Historically, tattoos were associated prior to the mid-20th century with the expression of masculinity and social defiance, specifically among bikers, felons, and the military. Those subgroups pushed the boundaries, however, and have (thankfully) challenged society to be accepting beyond prior era’s

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KRISIE BELL has been a Registered Nurse in the Ocala area for nearly two decades. She is currently obtaining her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree through the University of Central Florida, and hopes to eventually specialize as a Primary Care practitioner for LGBT adults. She is married to her best friend, Andrew, and they share a blended (and chaotic) family of eight.

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occurring inflammatory response caused by the ink, or from the adaptive stress response that comes from the tattooing process itself. This has been most notable, however, among healthy people with several tattoos. The most beneficial feature of tattooing, by far, is improvement in mental health. Individuals may get a tattoo that commemorates a time in their life that they have overcome, a person they wish to memorialize, or simply a special interest that they have. Additionally, for people with existing mental health issues, a tattoo may provide a reminder of what they need to do to take care of their own well-being. For example, there are tattoos that signify mental health movements, such as an eternity sign or a semi-colon. Seeing the symbol on someone else can remind them that they are not alone; others have experienced similar life struggles, and they may find strength in solidarity. Just as with equality for the LGBT community, attitudes towards tattoos have shifted considerably over the years. Tattoos can be a valuable way to display pride and individualism. Whatever your reason for getting some ink, be sure to use caution and, most importantly – do your research. —

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KEY CONSIDERATIONS BEFORE GETTING INKED Inquire about the artist’s credentials and their business’ reputation. The tattoo establishment should be capable of producing their business license without hesitation, as should the artist. Avoid spontaneous decisions. Make an appointment in advance, and only after you have a well-thought out and detailed plan of your design, placement, and size. Try to envision your future. While no one should feel judged on their body art choices, if you desire a career working in the public, a tattoo of a curse word on your neck may not be the best decision. Just saying. Avoid drinking alcohol prior to getting your tattoo. Being under the influence lowers inhibitions (aka, you could end up with the infamous “NO REGERTS” on your forearm!). Alcohol also increases the potential for bleeding during the procedure, and can lead to poor healing. If you desire to remove a tattoo later on, there are also risks of laser removal. Additionally, the process is usually painful, time consuming, and expensive.

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norms. Accordingly, tattoos have become more mainstream within the last few decades, and have gained popularity among all genders, ages, and races. Regardless of their prevalence, it is important to note that tattoos do come with some risk – including later regret, infection, and allergic reactions to the various inks used. Infections associated with unclean or contaminated equipment used in tattooing has been well-documented within medical publications, and include Hepatitis C, human-immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and methicillin-resistant Staph aureus (MRSA) skin infections. Luckily, advances in the sterility process, tighter governmental regulation, and evidence-based medical care have been substantial throughout the past few decades - and reputable body art shops have adhered to proven efforts to reduce those risks. Dave Draper, a tattoo artist since 1995, currently works for the local and longstanding body art shop, Fat Kats Artistry Tattoo and Piercing Studio of Ocala. Dave emphasizes that these risks are negligible if a shop adheres to Department of Health regulations whereby tattoo/piercing artists are licensed by the State of Florida, and monitored by their county’s Health Department. He adds the assurance that reputable establishments, such as Fat Kats Artistry, use “single-use, medical grade tattoo and piercing needles.” Additionally, he personally includes the step of opening those packages in front of the customer at the time of the encounter. All other equipment that is not single-use is sterilized in an autoclave after each use. Anything injected into your body may be hazardous, and everything must be weighed by potential risk and benefit. Likewise, dyes used for tattooing may result in negative health outcomes, including skin irritation, systemic allergic reactions, and possible MRI interference due to metals used. Symptoms of hypersensitivity to ink may be as evident as localized skin itching or redness, or as vague as recurrent chills and sweats. A reaction to red ink is most common, followed by any ink composed of heavy metals such as cadmium, mercury, or iron oxide. Just as with anything in life, you get what you pay for – and tattoo ink is no exception; Feel free to ask the tattoo artist about the ink quality and composition. Surprisingly, there have been some unexpected health benefits of tattooing. Some studies have suggested that tattoos may offer some future immune protection after the naturally

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HEALTH&FITNESS

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Sculpting YOUR Physique BY CORY FREEMAN

y now many of us are a month in on our fitness New Year’s resolution. How’s it going? Have you become discouraged at all? If so, you are not alone. Early February is when the gyms become a little less busy each year, because “Resolutioners” are starting to drop like flies. As the temptation to skip the gym begins to hit, this is a good time to look at what we are using for gymspiration (inspiration for the gym). Addressing this was pivotal in my fitness journey. I, like most people, had an idea for my perfect physique. I would seek out men who had achieved this particular physique, and used their pictures as my inspiration for going to the gym to look like them. I really wanted that thick dense muscular look everywhere. I would work so hard to build as much muscle to replicate that physique. I would go as far as to overeat in order to give myself that fuller in the abdomen look that I wanted so badly. Each time looking in the mirror I was so disappointed that I still looked somewhat lanky. It was about three years ago when I made the conscious realization that I was never going to achieve that particular physique, and most of that was because my genes had me built differently. I’m taller with longer limbs and a narrow waist. The physiques I was so inspired by were all shorter men with shorter limbs and thicker waists. What I was re-

alizing is that no one really has the same build or physique as anyone else. There is a degree of variation within our species for anatomical attachments and tendon to muscle length differences. This variation amongst us, as we in the LGBTQ+ community understand, is what makes us uniquely beautiful. What makes us different is what we should embrace in ourselves. I decided to apply this to sculpting my physique. I have a physique that the world has yet to see fully sculpted. What inspires me the most to get all my training days in is knowing that each day I’m sculpting MY physique. I’m building the best physique that my body can become, which is unlike any other in certain ways. I would also like to encourage you as you seek out inspiration for your health and fitness goals to also be inspired by that which is uniquely you. Find those parts of your body that are unique, and find ways to showcase them. I firmly believe we can be both a masterpiece and a work in progress simultaneously. Find joy in this journey and recognize that there is not a set endpoint. Physique is a consequence of what we eat and do every day. Diet and training are just how we sculpt it. — CORY FREEMAN is a two-time first-place national bodybuilding champion, having won both of his first-place titles, The Men’s Classic Physique Master’s Over 35 at the 2019 NPC Viking Championship and at the 2019 NPC Masters USA in his rookie year. Cory works as a physical therapist in the home health industry.

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Lake County Pride 2020 STO RY BY J O H N SOTO M AYO R PHOTOS PROVIDED BY LAKE COUNTY PRIDE

While the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 forced other Pride events across the nation to cancel, the debut of the Lake County Pride forged on. Having postponed the event from June 20, 2020 to Sept 19, 2020, the event was intended to be held at Wooton Park in Taveres, Fla. Instead, in order to comply with social distancing, Lake County Pride President and event organizer, Danielle M. Olivani opted to hold the celebration dubbed Pride with a Purpose as a virtual program. The cyber event showcased over a dozen musical acts ranging from headliner campy drag performances including Ginger Minj of RuPaul’s Drag Show and local favorite Bearonce to the Orlando Gay Chorus. Hundreds of comments were shared on the Facebook page, which live streamed the show. It was also live streamed on YouTube. Comments included “giving me that day club vibes yasss,” “You are giving me life! Big hugs,” and “Shout out to Triangle Connection”

the local LGBTQ organization in Lake County’s Golden Triangle communities of Mount Dora, Eustis, and Taveres, Fla. Many posted “Happy Pride 2020 everyone!” The event was not only a celebration, but an opportunity to bring awareness to various LGBTQ advocacy organizations and charities. Among them were Equality Florida, Lake-Sumter College Gay-Straight Alliance, the Zebra Coalition, and Momma Ashley Rose and Rose Dynasty Foundation, Inc. Guest speaker, Nathan Bruemmer, legislative director at Florida LGBTQ Democratic Caucus and vice-president of St Pete Pride said, “Pride events are part of our collective history … and now our virtual Prides will be a part of that collective history when we look back decades from now.” He added, “We unite, we celebrate one another … we fight for equality; we take action. It is in taking those actions together that we secure that equality.” He specifically wanted to recognize Black

Adam Joseph DJ Bearonce Bear Cherilyn Matthews Darcel Stevens Parliament House

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Lives Matter and Trans Lives Matter as two movements that currently require the most support. He mentioned the work of Equality Florida and TransAction Florida that have garnered their resources toward those two movements, which were the recipients of all proceeds raised by Lake County Pride 2020.

TOP ROW: Kelly Jarrard Orlando Gay Chorus MIDDLE ROW: Matty Rants Ginger Minj (RuPaul's Drag Race) BOTTOM: Momma Ashley Rose

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Mama’s House STO RY & P H OTOS BY J O H N SOTO M AYO R

Mama Savannah Georgia and her talented performers brought the house down at Bank Street Patio Bar on Dec 3, 2020. Her show, “Holiday Carols Gone Bad Comedy Drag Show” presented drag kings and queens, a gorgeous stilt walker, and more to a mixed crowd of gay and straight couples and groups who came out to see the first drag show in a popular straight venue in downtown Ocala. Performers included Derek Trent aka Mari Juwana, Marie Julian aka Mario Georgia, Nicholas Cotter aka Lady Fiona Georgia, Miss Persona Georgia, Samantha Bender and DJ Ron Coin Boy Hernandez-Kovalski. It has been announced that the drag show will be held on the first Thursday of every month. That is huge. A special thank you to Brittany Harrod, David Reyes, and all the bar and wait staff at Bank Street Patio Bar. Other drag queen hosts have had gay bingo nights and other similar performances in the general downtown Ocala area but never to this scale and visibility. In its first year, Bank Street Patio Bar is wildly popular, and Mama Savannah Georgia, who has toured all over the USA and Europe for over 26 years, has been breaking new ground in North Central Florida by performing her comedy drag shows in mainstream venues, like 1888 in Eustis, and Serendipity in Mount Dora, both in Lake County. The reaction of the crowds show small town USA is ready and accepting of the LGBTQ community. Her encore performance at Bank Street Patio Bar took place on January 7, 2021 to a similar response. Hopefully, this is a sign of more LGBTQ events taking place in mainstream venues for all to enjoy.

Lizzie Downs

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Mama Savannah Georgia and Ron Coin Boy Hernandez-Kovalski

Lady Fiona Bunny and Stevie

Kyle and Joseph DJ Ron Coin Boy Hernandez-Kovalski and Mama Savannah Georgia

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Embrace Magazine — The Arts Issue

Articles inside

Sculpting YOUR Physique

Show Stopper

Stroke of Genius

COUTURE HAUTE

Mama’s House

Lake County Pride 2020

Getting Inked

ACTIVISM&CHARITY

All About That Base

Beauty Hisness: why more men are wearing makeup

Refresh Your Space to Recharge Your Life in 2021

STYLE&TRENDS

TRAVEL

The Ideal Arrangement

The Influence of Dame David

ART&CULTURE

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

ISSUES&POLITICS

Filing Taxes as a Same-Sex Married Couple

Staying Spiritually Serene During Covid-19

Choosing Alternative Healthcare

Writers of Trans Experience

Connecting Through Art

(r)Evolutionary

A la mode

Thinking Outside the Box

Write Stuff

Embrace Magazine — The Arts Issue

Embracing LGBTQ Artists

At Your Service