SPECIAL MARRIAGE EQUALITY COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE
DOMA ‘‘undermines
both the public and private significance of state-sanctioned
same-sex marriage; for it tells those couples, and all of the world, that their otherwise valid marriages are unworthy of federal recognition.” —JUSTICE ANTHONY KENNEDY WRITING FOR THE U.S. SUPREME COURT IN UNITED STATES V. WINDSOR
PETE PRIDE GETS DRENCHED, ORLANDO RALLIES FOR ALSO INSIDE: ST. MARRIAGE EQUALITY AND KATHY GRIFFIN RETURNS TO FLORIDA.
DAYTONA BEACH • ORLANDO • TAMPA • ST. PETERSBURG • SARASOTA • ISSUE 20.14 • JULY 4 - JULY 17, 2013 • WATERMARKONLINE.COM
Copyright Benson 2013. All Rights Reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced.
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PAGE
—KATHY GRIFFIN
ON THE COVER
PAGE In a historical decision by
U.S. Supreme Court, 28 the the Defense of Marriage
Act prohibiting federal recognition to same-sex couples was ruled unconstitutional June 26. Illustration by Jake Stevens
Preview
PAGE
12 WET AND PROUD: The 11th Annual St. Pete Pride street festival and promenade experienced downpours on June 29, but the weather didn’t cancel the celebration, which brought an estimated 125,000 to Central Avenue.
WATERMARK ISSUE 20.14 //J ULY 4 - J ULY 17, 2013
ORLANDO NEWS
TAMPA BAY NEWS
PAGE Nearly 4,000 turned out for
PAGE Three activists with
IN-DEPTH: DOMA
GALLERY W
Read it online!
SCAN QR CODE FOR
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In addition to a Web site with daily LGBT updates, a digital version of each issue of the publication is made available on WatermarkOnline.com
08
a rally near Lake Eola to celebrate recent Supreme Court decisions on marriage equality; Exodus International, based in Orlando, shutters its doors and issues an apology; more.
12
GetEQUAL were arrested while protesting at Sen. Marco Rubio’s Tampa office; St. Pete Pride’s 2013 celebration brought in an estimated 125,000 revelers to the city’s Grand Central district; more.
PAGE Two historic decisions from
28
the Supreme Court of the United States have knocked down barriers to marriage equality. We take a look at those decisions and decipher what it means for the LGBT community and couples legally married in other states.
PAGE St. Pete Pride brought out a
number of attendees 54 record on one of the wettest
days of the year, but that didn’t stop revelers from showing their rainbow colors and outfits throughout the day. Our photographers share some of their favorite shots.
WE HAVE WAY MORE ST. PETE PRIDE PICTURES THAN WE CAN PUBLISH HERE. SEE THE REST AT WATERMARKONLINE.COM. JULY 4 - JULY 17, 2013 // ISSUE 20.14
watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ONE MIGHTY SUCCESS
W
ILL YOU BE DOING ANY FOLLOW-UP TO THE QUITESUCCESSFUL RETURN OF JOHNNY CHISHOLM AND ONE MIGHTY WEEKEND? I think the attendance and fantastic events proved you guys were on the wrong side of the fence again this year. Hopefully no more negative, yellow journalism meant to harm from Watermark. It was simply wrong. SHANE ROGERS VIA E-MAIL
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Editor’s Note: Mr. Chisholm asked Watermark not to cover One Mighty Weekend, so no, there will be no more coverage of the 2013 event.
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HOSE OF US LIVING IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHOULD VOICE OUR SUPPORT to Commissioner Kevin Beckner for leading the charge to remove the outdated ordinance preventing the county from recognizing gay pride events. The embarrassing ordinance, from the years of Ronda Storms, has remained a constant black eye on our community for eight years. I’ve never met Mr. Beckner, but I want to thank him for his incredible leadership and for his ongoing �ight for equality. MARTIN LINKER BRANDON
“I’ve never met Mr. Beckner, but I want to thank him for his incredible leadership and for his ongoing fight for equality.” —MARTIN LINKER
TEARS OF JOY ON DOMA
T
HOMAS JEFFERSON WROTE IN OUR NATION’S DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, ‘We hold these truths to be selfevident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.’ As I learned that our nation’s highest court has overturned the Defense of Marriage Act, I was crying. I feel liberated that I can pursue happiness. My lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender friends are a step closer to the level of privilege that my parents enjoy with their marriage— their marriage that is recognized in all states and by our federal government. I am so overjoyed in the ruling by the high court but I pray for God’s strength and encouragement. As LGBT and straight evangelical Christians. we will continue
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to �ight to reduce prejudice against our community. TODD FERRELL PRESIDENT OF THE EVANGELICAL NETWORK
MORE WORK TO BE DONE
T
HE HISTORIC VICTORIES AT THE SUPREME COURT IMPACT SAME-SEX COUPLES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, but there’s much work ahead of us to ensure that every couple can fully enjoy the recognition Justice Kennedy so eloquently wrote about in the majority opinion in Windsor. The Respect for Marriage Act will �inally expunge DOMA’s discrimination from our nation’s laws and provide certainty to every married same-sex couple that their federal recognition will follow them wherever they may live or travel. CHAD GRIFFIN HRC PRESIDENT
editor’s
Steve Blanchard EDITOR
SteveB@WatermarkOnline.com
E
Desk
VERYONE WILL REMEMBER WHERE
they were on June 26, 2013. This day will go down as one of the greatest Civil Rights victories of our collective history, and it’s a day that not-so-coincidentally lands within a day of the anniversary of the June 27, 1969 Stonewall Riots.
I was glued to my computer that day, watching the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) blog while CNN ran live coverage on my television. My sweaty palms hovered over my keyboard, waiting to share on WatermarkOnline. com the Supreme Court’s decision on the constitutionality of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act and the fate of Proposition 8 in California, which halted marriage equality in that state �ive years ago. Both rulings came down in favor of marriage equality and, while same-sex couples can’t wed
WATERMARK STAFF
across the United States just yet, a large roadblock has been removed from our country’s path to full acceptance of diverse families. I wish this was the end of the story. I wish we could celebrate the end of our journey to equality. But that’s not the case. We have a lot more work to do. Already a Republican representative from Kansas has introduced an amendment to the federal constitution outlawing same-sex marriage. Even though the legislation already has the support of almost 30 Republican
Publisher: Tom Dyer • Ext. 305 • Tom@WatermarkOnline.com Chief Financial Officer: Rick Claggett • Ext. 108 • Rick@WatermarkOnline.com Admin. Assistant: Stephanie Saylor • Ext. 100 • Stephanie@WatermarkOnline.com Editor-in-Chief: Steve Blanchard • 813-470-0899 • SteveB@WatermarkOnline.com Reporter: Susan Clary • 104 • Susan@WatermarkOnline.com Online Media Director: Jamie Hyman • Ext. 106 • Jamie@WatermarkOnline.com Proofreading: Ed Blaisdell Art Director: Jake Stevens • Ext. 109 • Jake@WatermarkOnline.com Production Assistant: Andrés Duputel • Ext. 107 • AdProduction@WatermarkOnline.com
representatives, it’s highly unlikely that his amendment will make it out of the house. But knowing someone is so vehemently against our community within a week of a major victory is cause for concern. Right here at home, Florida continues to lag behind public opinion, and its governor shows no signs of helping the Sunshine State right itself on the marriage equality debate. As LGBT people continue to enter the mainstream consciousness of the country and our allies celebrate our victories along with us, our detractors and enemies are more motivated than ever to derail our progress. The battle for our equality isn’t over, and whether or not you want to get married, knowing there are those who want to deny you the rights your neighbors enjoy should be enough to motivate you for the ongoing �ight. That’s not to say we shouldn’t laud each milestone. In fact, this Commemorative Issue of Watermark is just that—a celebration of a ruling that changes the face of our �ight toward equality that would have been unimaginable only �ive years ago. We have to celebrate the victories in order to remain steadfast in our continuing �ight. This year’s St. Pete Pride was a perfect example of the new energy mobilizing the LGBT community and its allies. Throughout its previous 10 years, St. Pete Pride has never experienced downpours
or heavy rains during its parade. In fact, a tropical storm in 2012 lifted to the northeast just days before the street festival to make way for a scorcher of a celebration last year. But 2013 was different, if not symbolic. Heavy downpours made soggy appearances throughout the street festival and promenade, soaking everyone lining the streets and participating in each of the 100-plus parade units. But the rains couldn’t stop the celebration. As soon as the downpour turned into a drizzle, Central Avenue came alive with the hustle and bustle of reunited friends, smiling couples walking hand-in-hand and diverse families strolling from vendor to vendor. Our community is a resilient one, and just as we continued to �ight after we were told we could not marry the one we love, we continued to celebrate while rainclouds dumped inches upon inches of cold water on our festival. The Supreme Court has given us reason feel optimistic. But remember that Florida is one of 30-plus states that still refuses to recognize our relationships despite a national shift of opinion in our favor. In this issue we take look at what these recent decisions mean for us and our relationships, how it affects those legally married in one state but who are unrecognized in another like Florida, and what our local and state representatives say about our families. A lot can happen in a few short years, especially when we work together as a community. Hopefully soon, the ultimate milestone will be reached and history will have a brand new date that’s cause for celebration. | |
We have to celebrate the victories in order to remain steadfast in our continuing fight.
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CONTRIBUTORS MARY MEEKS
is an Orlandobased attorney who is also an LGBT activist. She is a long-time contributor to Watermark. Page 21
ZACH CARUSO
is a musician and journalist from New Jersey who now lives in St. Petersburg. He has a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and an MA in writing. Page 35
Greg Burton, Scottie Campbell, Zach Caruso, Amy Dees, Kirk Hartlage, Rev. Phyllis Hunt, Joseph Kissel, Ken Kundis, Mary Meeks, Stephen Miller, David Moran, Gregg Shipiro, Greg Stemm, Brett Stout, Jim Walker
PHOTOGRAPHY NICK CARDELLO
is the owner of Cardello Photography and he lives and works in Tampa Bay. He is the official photographer for several area events and organizations. Page 12, 54
Nick Cardello, Angie Folks, Tom Eckert, Julie Milford, Travis Moore, Chris Stephenson, Lee Vandergrift, Tinkerfluff
DISTRIBUTION Debbie Oliver, Phil Garris, Ken Caraway CONTENTS of WATERMARK are protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced in whole or part without the permission of the publisher. Unsolicited article submissions will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Although WATERMARK is supported by many fine advertisers, we cannot accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers. Publication of the name or photograph of any person or organization in articles, advertising, or listing in WATERMARK is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual orientation of such persons or members of such organizations. WATERMARK is published every second Thursday. Subscription rate is $55 (1st class) and $26 (standard mail). The official views of WATERMARK are expressed only in editorials. Opinions offered in signed columns, letters and articles are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the newspaper’s owner or management. We reserve the right to edit or reject any material submitted for publication. WATERMARK is not responsible for damages due to typographical errors, except for the cost of replacing ads created by WATERMARK that have such errors.
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orlando NEWS
SUPPORT IN RED: Thousands gathered at the Lake Eola Bandshell to listen to speakers, performances and simply celebrate the defeat of DOMA while discussing the next steps toward marriage equality. PHOTO BY JAKE STEVENS
Exodus shuts down, apologizes Jamie Hyman JAMIE@WATERMARKONLINE.COM
O
RLANDO | Exodus International is sorry for
nearly four decades of insisting gays and lesbians can simply “pray the gay away.” The Orlando-based ministry shut down June 19 and Exodus president Alan Chambers issued an apology to the gay community: “Please know that I am deeply sorry,” his statement read. “I am sorry for the pain and hurt many of you have experienced. I am sorry that some of you spent years working through the shame and guilt you felt when your attractions didn’t change. I am sorry we promoted sexual orientation change efforts and reparative theories about sexual orientation that stigmatized parents. I am sorry that there were times I didn’t stand up to people publicly ‘on my side’ who called you names like sodomite—or worse. I am sorry that I, knowing some of you so well, failed to share publicly that the gay and lesbian people I know were every bit as capable of being amazing parents as the straight people that I know.” Exodus practiced what is commonly known as conversion therapy—or ex-gay therapy—for 37 years. It’s a program to turn gay people straight, many times via prayer but sometimes through more aggressive behavior modi�ication. The therapy has also attracted controversy for its focus on teenagers. Andrea Sheldon is the facilitator of Exiting Exodus, a Central Florida-based support group for men who have been through Exodus’ ex-gay program. “In all of my years as a psychotherapist, the people that come to me from Exodus are severely traumatized and feel as though God looks down on them, that there’s something inherently wrong with who they are,” Sheldon said. “It’s horrifying that people believe that there’s something wrong with them, that what is normal is sinful in their eyes and in the eyes of their Continued on page 10 | |
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watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.
Thousands rally at Lake Eola Event serves double duty as both a rally and a celebration of DOMA’s defeat Susan Clary
SUSAN@WATERMARKONLINE.COM
O
RLANDO | Rene Cotto and
Frederick Lewis smiled at each other and held hands as they exchanged vows in a commitment ceremony under a decorated canopy on Lake Eola. They wore matching white tuxedo jackets and red shorts. Across the lake, thousands of people dressed in red gathered June 27 at the Lake Eola Bandshell in another celebration. A day earlier the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and dismissed Proposition 8, the ban on gay marriage in California. “Can you feel it?” State Rep. Joe Saunders (D-Orlando) asked the crowd. “We are winning and it feels so good.” Saunders, the �irst openly gay Central Floridian to be elected to the State Legislature, was one of a dozen LGBT leaders who took to the stage to express their jubilation. The 90-minute “Paint Orlando Red” marriage equality rally drew approximately 4,000 people. A party followed. Musician Blue Starr entertained as the Mistress of Ceremonies for
JULY 4 - JULY 17, 2013 // ISSUE 20.14
the program. Julie Ohrberg with the Central Florida Sounds of Freedom and the Proud Veterans of America kicked off the event with the National Anthem. Terri Steed, of Joy MCC, said a prayer. Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan, sporting a bedazzled red hat, stepped to the stage and took the opportunity to tout past LGBT accomplishments including
“We are winning and it feels so good.” —STATE REP. JOE SAUNDERS everything from a Domestic Partnership Registry in Orlando to the passage of a Hate Crimes Prevention Act at the federal level. “But oh, what happened yesterday,” Sheehan said. “History has been made in our nation. Eightythree-year old Edith Windsor did what many activists have tried to do for decades…a senior citizen armed only with her love of another woman and the life they created in 42 years together toppled DOMA.” Sheehan was referring to Windsor, who was the plaintiff in the DOMA case. In 2009 Windsor’s partner Thea Spyer, died after a battle of multiple sclerosis. Spyer left
watermarkonline.com
her estate to Windsor, but because their marriage was not legally recognized, Windsor was charged $363,053 in estate taxes. Windsor’s legal battled ended in success with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in her case. She will be eligible for a tax refund, plus interest. The crowd stood and cheered when the Orlando Gay Chorus sang a resounding version of “Do You Hear the People Sing” from Les Miserables as members waved red equality �lags and banners down the aisles, stirring emotion in the crowd. A woman stood on stage to translate into American Sign Language. Orange County Tax Collector Scott Randolph, who stood with wife Susannah and daughter Hillary, said his move from the state legislature to county government allowed him to update the of�ice anti-discrimination policy and provide a tax equity program for LGBT employees. “Yesterday’s decisions strengthened everyone’s marriage,” Randolph said. “We are here as straight allies.” Florida Congressman Alan Grayson, who was in Washington D.C. and did not attend the rally, sent constituent �ield representative Vivian Rodriguez to read a statement. State Rep. Linda Stewart (D-Orlando) and retired Orlando Police Chief Val Demings gave
Continued on page 10 | |
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orlando NEWS
| | Exodus founder apologizes from pg.8 parents. And for what? It’s mind-boggling to me.” She said Exiting Exodus members frequently turn to self-medication, such as drug abuse or overeating, to try to feel better about themselves. “There’s a whole range of symptomology,” Sheldon said. “It’s very clear that there’s a core level issue that has to do with shame and confusion and self-loathing that is put upon these people.” Sheldon says Exodus tells people that if they truly believe in Jesus, they’ll be saved from these “horrible, aberrant, misguided” feelings. “[Exodus tells them] they will be healed and cured of their homosexuality,” she said. Sheldon said she’s “thrilled” by the news that Exodus is shutting down. “I honestly think that this [Exodus president Alan] Chambers person should come to my group,” she said. Sheldon recommends people who have gone through the Exodus program who are struggling with trauma go to therapy and join “a religious organization that is accepting and truly preaches the Word as it was meant to be preached.” The Exodus board of directors initially announced they’ll kick of a new ministry called Reduce Fear, with the goal of ensuring churches are “safe, welcoming and mutually transforming communities.” In the weeks since the apology was released, however, Chambers has indicated in media interviews that the ministry will shut down completely after all. | |
| | DOMA rally from pg.8 rousing speeches. As the sun set, the Lake Eola fountain lit up in a rainbow of colors while red luminaries placed around the lake set off a glow. Rob Domenico stepped up to talk about his unexpected hospitalization in January due to a terminal heart condition. The Domestic
Partner Registry protected him and his partner of 11 years from discrimination as a same-sex couple in the hospital system. Domenico encouraged the crowd to register. “Further legitimize your relationship to each other, your friends and family,” Domenico said. “Ensure your hand is the one your partner holds as he or she leaves this earth.” Nadine Smith, Executive Director of Equality Florida, who wiped tears
from her eyes backstage as each speaker passionately spoke, took the stage as the �inal speaker. She encouraged the crowd not to move to a state where gay marriage is legal, but to stay and �ight for equal rights in Florida. “When the Supreme Court ruled, the country shifted,” Smith said. “Marriage equality is coming to Florida and we are not going to wait for it to trickle down.” | |
delayed the discussion until July 8., seven days after changes to state laws take effect. Two board members successfully pushed the Legislature this past session to make some changes in state law that appear to help the board prevent GSAs from forming in Lake County middle schools. Federal law prohibits discrimination against secondary school clubs based on the topics that members discuss, but it allows states to determine what is considered a “secondary school.” Effective July 1, Florida Legislators removed the de�inition of “secondary” schools as sixth through 12th grade and the
law does not rede�ine it. The American Civil Liberties Union says Lake County schools must allow GSAs because the middle school has other non-academic clubs. In mid-May, the board voted to limit middle school clubs to organizations that can “strengthen and promote critical thinking, business skills, athletic skills and performing arts.” Superintendent Susan Moxley, who approves club applications, has expressed her desire to keep GSAs out of middle schools. The policies are expected to be approved. | |
Future of Gay-Straight Alliance in Lake County remains undecided Susan Clary SUSAN@WATERMARKONLINE.COM
T
AVERES | The Lake County
School Board still has to hash out the future of clubs for the 2013-2014 school year. The board scheduled a second reading of three policies it approved for elementary, middle and high school students. Generally, the second reading follows a 28-day requirement that the board’s decisions be advertised to the public—which would have placed it on the agenda for a �inal vote on Monday, June 24. But the Lake County School Board attorney
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tampa bay NEWS
ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT: (L-R) Kimmy Denny,
Jarrod Scarborough and Barb Lawrence were arrested outside Sen. Marco Rubio’s Tampa office June 25 after protesting his recent anti-LGBT immigration remarks. PHOTO COURTESY VINCENT PHILIP
Three arrested following sit-in at Rubio’s office Staff Report
T
AMPA | Three of the activists who staged a sit-in at Senator Marco Rubio’s Tampa of�ice June 25 were arrested and led away in handcuffs. The sit-in was in protest of Rubio’s anti-gay stances on immigration reform and employment discrimination. The three activists are part of GetEQUAL, an organization �ighting for LGBT equality in the state of Florida, and called for an end to his “dangerous moves to radically increase border security in the Senate immigration bill and for an end to his obstruction of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.” Staffers also threatened to deport GetEQUAL CoDirector Felipe Sousa-Rodriguez, who is Latino. “It’s no wonder Senator Rubio embraced the ‘Border Surge’ amendment in the Senate, which will destroy border towns and immigrant families—his staff are doing exactly the same thing in their own of�ice,” said Sousa-Rodriguez. “The idea that Senator Rubio is taking immigration reform seriously is a joke—even his staff is engaged in pro�iling immigrants and deporting as many people as possible. Rubio is not just anti-LGBT, but he’s also anti-immigrant.” Activists went to Sen. Rubio’s of�ice June 25 to bring light to his recent comments about the inclusion of same-sex bi-national couples in immigration reform and inclusion of LGBT Americans in workplace nondiscrimination law, and to ask for an apology for Rubio’s stances on these issues. “If this bill…gives gay couples immigration rights and so forth…it kills the bill. I’m done. I’m off it,” Rubio said earlier in the month, referring to the immigration reform bill. When asked about ending LGBT employment discrimination, Rubio recently said that he opposes, “any special protections based on orientation.” “I took action today because we need equality for all,” said Rev. Barb Lawrence, one of the three LGBT activists involved with the sit-in. “We need to stand up and take Continued on page 14 | |
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watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.
MARCHING ON: Sheets of rain dampened Central Avenue, but not spirits, as parade units like the PFLAG group continued with the St. Pete Pride promenade June 29. PHOTO BY NICK CARDELLO
You can’t drown Pride Despite heavy downpours, St. Pete Pride lures approximately 125,000 to Central Avenue Steve Blanchard and Susan Clary
EDITOR@WATERMARKONLINE.COM
S
T. PETERSBURG | Heavy rains and rumbles of thunder couldn’t dampen spirits at St. Pete Pride June 29. The 11th annual promenade and street festival brought in an estimated 125,000 people to the city’s Grand Central District, marking it as the largest festival in the city’s history and securing its status as the largest LGBT Pride event in the state. “It’s just a little rain,” said Bennett King, who attended the festival with his boyfriend and a group of friends. “As long as the lightning stays away, I plan on being here all day long. At least it’s not hot like it has been in the past. With temperatures staying comfortably in the mid-80s—and the 70s during the worst part of the rain—festival-goers got a reprieve from the often scorching temperatures that often accompany St. Pete Pride.
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that and are out in force.” The rains began lightly early in the morning before skies cleared enough for the promenade to launch from the Metro Wellness and Community Center parking lot. Within a half hour, however, “I think I prefer this,” said the �irst round of heavy storms Jackolynn Maurice, who drove struck, soaking parade units and from Fort Myers to take part in the forcing many along the parade festival. “Sure, everything is wet, but route to seek shelter under awnings it’s the most comfortable St. Pete and in businesses. But once that Pride I’ve ever attended!” round of storms passed, people The surge of participants immediately �looded Central exceeded 2012’s estimated 100,000 Avenue, almost creating a gridlock of friends, families and happy reunions. “I only see her once a year, and it’s always at St. Pete Pride,” said Sarasota resident Lindsay North, who —JACKOLYNN MAURICE OF FORT MYERS had an arm wrapped attendees, and St. Pete Pride around Charlotte Dexter of Tampa. Executive Director Eric Skains “Life gets so busy throughout the credits the festival’s popularity and, year that you sometimes forget how especially, recent decisions from important people are to you. I knew the U.S. Supreme Court eliminating I’d see her here and we’ve promised part of the Defense of Marriage Act to do better at staying in touch.” and allowing Californians to resume As with every year, there were a same-sex marriages. handful of protestors attending St. “We should change the motto Pete Pride, but the numbers have to: ‘For liberty, justice and equality seemingly dwindled from year to for all’ after those decisions,” Skains year. The few protestors carried said. “We always have reason to signs with Bible verses condemning celebrate who we are, but this homosexuality but mostly year is extremely special for our community, and people recognized
“Sure, everything is wet, but it’s the most comfortable St. Pete Pride I’ve ever attended!”
Continued on page 14 | |
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| | 3 Arrested Protesting Marco Rubio from pg.12 action against the bigotry of our political leaders.” Rev. Kimmy Denny agrees. “We should all have equality. We are expected to obey the laws of this land and pay taxes, yet we are not treated equally under the law,” said Denny. “We’re treated like second-class citizens, and we need political leaders like Marco Rubio to stop playing political games with our lives.” | |
POOL PARTY: After the St. Pete Pride street festival, revelers continued the party at the Flamingo Resort, where crowds cooled off in the large pool and enjoyed drinks in the courtyard.
PHOTO BY STEVE BLANCHARD
Hundreds attend Tampa Bay rallies celebrating DOMA defeat Steve Blanchard
NEWS
EDITOR@WATERMARKONLINE.COM
14
T
AMPA BAY | Hours after the U.S. Supreme Court handed down decisions on two LGBT equality cases, more than a hundred people gathered to celebrate at a rally in N. Straub Park in downtown St. Petersburg June 26. The rally, organized by Equality Florida, encouraged participants to bring signs in support of the decisions and all of the local major television news stations were invited to attend. “What a great day for us, what a great day for equality,” said Katee Tulley, a member of Equality Florida’s board of directors. “We are here to celebrate the decision from Washington D.C. today, but we also realize we have work to get done here at home in Florida.” LGBT people and straight allies alike attended the rally, and held up signs of support. One such sign said “Straight but not Narrow” while a lesbian couple held a sign indicating that they felt a little bit “more human today,” thanks to the rulings. Also speaking at the rally, which was shortened due to threatening rain clouds, was St. Petersburg City Councilman Jeff Danner, who recapped the city’s progressive stances on equality issues. “We were one of the �irst cities to give same-sex employees bene�its, and we were one of the �irst in the county to offer a domestic partner registry,” Danner said. He also added that St. Petersburg is home to the state’s largest LGBT Pride celebration, St. Pete Pride, which, coincidentally, will take over Central Avenue on Saturday, June 29. A similar rally was held outside the Sam Gibbons Federal Courthouse in Tampa later in the evening, where supporters listened to a handful of speakers and celebrated the Supreme Court’s decision. Brian Win�ield with Equality Florida also addressed the crowd in St. Pete, sharing that the organization plans to start a movement to repeal Amendment 2 in the state’s constitution. That amendment, passed by voters in 2008, de�ines marriage in Florida as a relationship as only between a man and a woman. It also prevents the state from recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other states, such as in Massachusetts or California. “Polls already show a majority, 54%, of Floridians support marriage equality,” Win�ield said. “We believe we can build on that and move Florida forward.” In the State of Florida, amendments must be approved by 61% of voters in order to become law. | |
watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.
BAY AREA MAYOR: Tampa mayor Bob Buckhorn crossed the water to participate in St. Pete Pride 2013, June 29. PHOTO JAKE STEVENS
| | St. Pete Pride from pg.12 remained quietly on the sidelines of Central Avenue. St. Petersburg police did not report any altercations or arrests during St. Pete Pride 2013.
EVERYBODY’S MAYOR
Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn stepped out of the car at the Metro Wellness and Community Center, staging area for the St. Pete Pride Promenade, ahead of the downpour that would drench him as he later walked the parade route. Nearly 25 miles from the hub of his constituency, people approached him for a handshake, a hug or a photograph. He kindly obliged every request. “For me, this is an opportunity to celebrate the Tampa Bay area and it’s diversity,” Buckhorn told Watermark. “We are stronger together than we are apart.” It was clear the gay community embraced Buckhorn’s participation. They may have even preferred his presence to that of St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster, who has declined an invitation to lead the St. Pete Pride parade four years running. “I’m very respectful of jurisdictional lines when I need to be, but at the same time we are the Tampa Bay area and this is
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PRIDEFUL SONG: Daphne Willis performs to a packed house at the 27/82 Concert at the State Theatre the night before the St. Pete Pride street festival. PHOTO BY STEVE BLANCHARD
the Tampa Bay parade,” Buckhorn said, careful not to disparage his counterpart in St. Petersburg. For his part, Mayor Foster said he was driving his son to the University of Florida and would be out of town during Saturday’s gay pride festivities. Curious then, that at 1:31 p.m. a post appeared on his campaign Twitter account accompanied by a photograph of Foster standing in a wet parking lot with two-dozen volunteers. “THANK YOU! To all of our terri�ic volunteers who joined us to walk neighborhoods on a rain Saturday morning!” the Tweet read. It gave the appearance Foster, a Republican in his �irst term, was in town all along. Had he used his son as an excuse to skip the Pride parade? Foster provided a photograph of himself with his son, arm-in-arm and smiling broadly, in front of the UF sign on campus and a receipt from a Gainesville restaurant. The campaign photograph, he said, was old though it remained on his Twitter account two days later. Foster’s challengers, Democrats Rick Kriseman and Kathleen Ford, walked in Saturday’s parade. Both said they were disappointed at Foster’s absence and the confusing tweet. “It’s stunning because we had
watermarkonline.com
such happy news about DOMA,” said Ford, who walked with fellow congregants from St. Peter’s Church. “It was a happy parade, so I don’t think people cared about the rain.” Kriseman, who talked to voters all day at his festival booth, said he didn’t understand how Foster could become the �irst St. Petersburg mayor to sign the proclamation but not attend. “From my perspective, it’s disappointing because, with 125,000 people, this is the largest event in the state,” Kriseman said. “I have always walked in the parade and I will continue to do so when I am mayor.” All eight members of the St. Petersburg City Council signed an LGBT Pride Proclamation, the �irst time in the city’s history. Mayor Foster refused to sign the document, but a week later wrote his own proclamation. Earlier this year, St. Pete Pride organizers invited Tampa Bay area elected leaders to ride in the parade. Tampa’s mayor is the highestranking of�icial to accept in the event’s 11-year history. Buckhorn, who implemented a Domestic Partnership registry in Tampa, was the �irst to sign a Pride Proclamation this year. Tampa has tried Pride events in the past, but does not currently have a
Pride parade. In early June, the Hillsborough County Commission unanimously repealed a 2005 ban on gay pride recognition. “I don’t see the geographical boundaries that other people do,” Buckhorn said. “It is only �itting to take this opportunity to showcase our community. I support equal rights, I have a large pulpit and I use it.”
PRIDE IN ART
While the street festival and promenade are the largest portion of St. Pete Pride, there were plenty of events leading up to the state’s largest LGBT Pride celebration on June 29. A week of events helped launch the 2013 celebration, which coincided with most proLGBT US Supreme Court decision in history coming down on June 26. On Saturday, June 22, The Blue Lucy Art Gallery played host to the opening of the VISION art show, showcasing local LGBT artists. The reception brought attendees from throughout Tampa Bay and on June 26, many returned for the of�icial St. Pete Pride night at the gallery.
FOSTER AT STONEWALL RECEPTION Mayor Foster surprised attendees of the annual Stonewall Reception for sponsors on June 25 when he spoke to the crowd of 200 or so at the St. Petersburg museum of Fine Arts. Foster read his own proclamation recognizing June as LGBT Pride month. Foster said he wanted to write his own proclamation because of the respect he and the City of St. Petersburg has for diversity. Skains thanked Foster for attending and applauded him for becoming the �irst mayor of the city to of�icially recognize St. Pete Pride.
HEDDA LETTUCE SKEWERS ‘DOLLS’
The Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival got in on the Pride action this year by inviting New York entertainer Hedda Lettuce—
complete with her green hair and gorgeous, form-�itting green gown—to entertain a large crowd at the Palladium theater in downtown St. Pete. Lettuce did about 30 minutes of comedy on June 27, complete with a lipsynched performance to her own recording, before turning on the �ilm, Valley of the Doll. The 1967 �ilm starring Patty Duke, Sharon Tate, Barbara Parkins and Susan Hayward, was under Lettuce’s scrutiny throughout its entirety, as she sat in the front row with a microphone and green laser pointer to comment on nearly every scene. Some of the funniest comments came when Lettuce played the voice of different characters’ mothers when they answered ringing telephones and when she would comment on different 1960s fashions, like a hat resembling a loaf of bread. The party continued after the show at Quench Lounge in Largo, where the of�icial St. Pete Pride launch party, hosted by Melanie Minyon, brought out performers Jaeda Fuentes and an energetic dance troupe. Also on hand were Largo commissioners Michael Smith and Jamie Robinson. Minyon also helped celebrate St. Pete Pride board president Aaron Horcha’s birthday with a cake and bar sing-a-long.
27/82 BRINGS OUT THE GIRLS
For the �irst time, the women of Tampa Bay—and the state—had an event catering speci�ically to them by St. Pete Pride. Pride, along with Girl2Girl Productions and TwirlGirl. The 27/82 concert featured headliner Uh Huh Her and special guests Geri-X and Daphne Willis and an extended cast of Butchlesque. The packed theater had swarms of women singing along to and dancing with the music by all three acts. Each time a new act took the stage PaMela Palumbo of TwirlGirl would introduce and thank the performers for helping St. Petersburg’s women celebrate Pride month. Between acts,
Butchlesque put on a fashion show, offering different interpretations of what it means to be butch. When each model would walk out to her own music, the crowd would swell with applause, whistles and screams. Kim Herbel, creator of Butchlesque, took the stage during each performance and introduced each performer individually.
KEEPING THE PARTY GOING
A large thunderstorm forced the St. Pete Pride Street Festival to shut down an hour earlier than planned —3 p.m. instead of 4 p.m.— but that didn’t stop the party atmosphere in St. Petersburg. Georgie’s Alibi was slammed with patrons both inside and, once the skies cleared, outside in its parking lot, which was turned into a beer garden for the day. Strict security kept things safe and within the law by asking for IDs from everybody who entered, no matter how young—or old— they appeared. Several hours after the festival was wrapped, the crowd moved to the Flamingo Resort, where men and women both cooled down in the resort’s large pool and drank cocktails at several temporary bars set up around the courtyard. Many celebrating at Flamingo had to park at the neighboring Ace Hardware and its strip mall next door. Some said that it was the most crowded they had seen the resort since its grand opening in 2009. The celebratory atmosphere continued into Sunday, where the of�icial St. Pete Pride closing pool party returned to The Flamingo Resort. Several female impersonators took the outdoor stage around 4 p.m. and kept things going well into the night. Fortunately only scattered showers appeared on Sunday, meaning the rest of Pride weekend remained dry—except for those taking advantage of the swimming pool. For more pictures from all of the St. Pete Pride festivities, visit WatermarkOnline.com. | |
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Gov. Scott: Supreme Court ruling doesn’t change things in FL
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NO MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN FLORIDA: Governor Rick Scott. about marriage equality and he responded, “Look, I’ve been married since I was 19. I believe in traditional marriage.” | |
IAMI | Sixto Cancel says his ultra-religious foster family frequently talked about their disdain for his homosexuality at the dinner table, trashed his room and called him homophobic slurs. While he was still a teenager, he says, they kicked him out of their Connecticut home after he had lived there for nearly a decade. “I’ve had foster homes who completely said you can’t live here if you’re gay,’’ said Cancel, a 21-year-old student at Virginia Commonwealth University who bounced between half a dozen foster homes while in care. ``For a long time I had that self-hatred and uncomfortable feeling with who I am.’’ Discrimination against gay
and lesbian youths in foster care is prevalent enough that federal health of�icials sent a letter in 2011 encouraging states to develop training for caseworkers and foster parents on the issue. Of�icials don’t want to force youths to disclose their sexuality, but must try to create environments where they feel safe to come out when ready. Without such support, the federal government memo says, gay and lesbian youths who leave the foster care system can wind up homeless. “I’ve had conversations with many youth in the system who will not come out because they saw how staff treated their friends in the system after they came out,’’ said Kamora Herrington, mentoring program director of True Colors, an organization that helps gay foster youths in Connecticut.
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Last year, a lesbian girl who Herrington worked with was kicked out of a Connecticut foster home after the family’s grandmother, who was very opposed to homosexuality, moved in. Herrington said the last time she heard from the girl, she was hitch-hiking across the country. Finding adoptive homes for gay youths in foster care is part of a national push for all children in the system, but advocates say many are still left out. Efforts in Florida include a regional task force on gay foster youths started by the Village Counseling Center in the northern part of the state and increased training for Department of Children and Families caseworkers in a 20-county region that includes Jacksonville and Daytona Beach. | |
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Wire report
Staff report ALLAHASSEE | Florida governor Rick Scott is sounding off on the United States Supreme Court rulings striking down DOMA and dismissing Prop 8, saying that Amendment 2, Florida’s ban on same-sex marriage, still holds strong. “In 2008, Florida voters amended our constitution and said that we are a traditional marriage state, that marriage is between a man and a woman,” Scott told reporters after the decision was announced. “As the governor of this state, I’ll uphold the law of the land, and that’s the law of our state.” He talked about how the ruling “impacted federal law, not state law.” Reporters also asked Scott about his personal opinion
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get help with college tuition and can be buried in a national cemetery. They also can get a monthly indemnity payment that compensates them for the death of the veteran. Meanwhile, veterans receive enhanced disability compensation for their injuries if they’re married, generally amounting to several thousands of dollars over the course of a lifetime. But under the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and the law covering Veterans Administration bene�its, such extra assistance was unavailable to veterans who were part of a same-sex marriage. In the days leading up to the Supreme Court’s decision, Bornhoft said he felt the nation he had served for 26 years was discriminating against him. After the ruling, Bornhoft said he wanted to read the ruling’s �ine print before celebrating. ``I’m obviously in no hurry to get planted at Arlington Cemetery, but it’s very comforting to know
that eventually Stephen could be there by my side, as he has been in life,’’ Bornhoft said. Darrah, a resident of Alexandria, Va., said it’s been stunning to watch the country move from the ``Don’t ask, don’t tell’’ policy on gays and lesbians serving in the military to having her marriage recognized, all in less than two years. She, too, hopes one day to be buried at Arlington with her spouse. ``Change is never fast enough, but I’m dumbfounded with how quickly the country has moved,’’ Darrah said. ``I wanted it to happen. I never thought it could happen.’’ For Dowling and Davis, the ruling means they won’t have to worry when they take their three children to visit family in Ireland. They can dip into savings to spruce up their Boulder, Colo., home, knowing they’ll be staying there and they can enroll the kids in soccer this fall. Hours after the ruling found the Defense of Marriage
Act unconstitutional, the U.S. government announced it would start extending immigration bene�its to gay married couples. Homeland Security of�icials declined to provide additional details. Heterosexual Americans have long been able to sponsor husbands or wives for green cards to live in the United States. Same-sex couples were not able to obtain these immigration bene�its because DOMA prohibited the U.S. government from recognizing their marriages. The ruling could also bring some U.S. citizens home. Martha McDevitt-Pugh, 54, said she hopes she’ll soon be able to return to California to be closer to her ailing 84-year-old mother. McDevitt-Pugh married her wife, Lin, 12 years ago in the Netherlands, knowing they couldn’t live together in the United States at the time. ``The point is, we now have a choice,’’ said McDevitt-Pugh. | |
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ASHINGTON, D.C. | For Stewart Bornhoft, who completed two tours of duty in Vietnam, the Supreme Court’s decision granting federal bene�its to married, same-sex couples means that he and his spouse, Stephen McNabb, can one day be buried together at Arlington National Cemetery. For Joan Darrah, who served nearly 30 years in the Navy and lived through the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon, the decision means her spouse, Lynne Kennedy, can join her more generous, less expensive health plan. For Catriona Dowling—who was told by a federal immigration of�icer earlier this year that her Irish spouse, Cathy Davis, would have been given a green card if she were a man—it means equal federal standing with all other married Americans for approval of the Davis’s application to obtain
a green card. Just two years ago, gays and lesbians were prevented from serving openly in the military. Binational same-sex couples have moved abroad to stay together, faced the prospect of deportation or hopped from visa to visa to remain in the country legally. Now, with the Supreme Court ruling on June 24, foreign spouses will share in the immigration bene�its previously reserved for heterosexuals and same-sex spouses of gay veterans and service members will be able to access their bene�its. The Williams Institute, a think tank at the UCLA School of Law, reports that 650,000 same-sex couples live in the United States and about 13% of those relationships include a veteran. The institute said it’s unknown how many of those estimated 85,000 relationships involve marriages. Same-sex spouses of military veterans now will be able to
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Gay marriage ruling a boon to veterans, foreign spouses
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The SCOTUS rulings: A quantum leap forward, still work to do in Florida
Mary Meeks MEEKS@WATERMARKONLINE.COM
O
N JUNE 26, 2013, OUR
world changed forever. The highest legal authority in the nation declared that anti-gay bigotry is “obnoxious” to the Constitution, and cannot be tolerated. The President of the United States cheered, and declared a “victory for democracy.”
I previously wrote a preview of the two huge gay rights cases being decided by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) this summer, United States v. Windsor and Hollingsworth v. Perry. In Windsor, SCOTUS addressed the constitutionality of Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which provides that the word “marriage,” as used in any federal law or regulation, means only a union of a man and a woman. In Perry, SCOTUS addressed Proposition 8, California’s ban on same-sex marriage. I wrote that the decisions in these cases could have a tremendous impact in advancing marriage equality, yet might not necessarily
improve our situation here in Florida. That is precisely what happened. SCOTUS, in a broad and scathing opinion written by conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy, struck down Section 3 of DOMA as a violation of the constitutional guarantee of equal protection under the law. Kennedy’s opinion noted that DOMA re�lects an “unusual deviation” from the usual tradition of recognizing and accepting state de�initions of marriage. Discriminations of such an “unusual character,” he said, require careful consideration to determine whether they are “obnoxious to the constitutional provision.” The Court’s answer? Yes, DOMA is obnoxious. The Court found that Section 3 of DOMA serves “no legitimate purpose”—only to disparage and to injure those whom the State, by its marriage laws, sought to protect in personhood and dignity. By “seeking to displace this protection and treating those persons as living in marriages less respected than others, the federal statute is in violation of the Fifth Amendment.” The federal government will now— for the �irst time ever—recognize the legality and full equality of same-sex marriages and grant access to the 1,100-plus federal rights based on marital status, at least in the 13 states that recognize same-sex marriage. It is an open question as to whether these rights will be conferred on married same-sex couples who live in states that don’t recognize those marriages. The good news is that the Court’s opinion was written broadly, relying on core concepts of the Constitution, and will be used to fend off other attempts to legislatively discriminate against our community. The bad news is that the Windsor decision only addressed Section 3 of DOMA. Section 2, which allows states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages validly entered in other states, is still alive and well in Florida and 36 other states where same-sex marriage is banned. The Windsor decision thus has no immediate impact on gay Floridians’ ability to marry or have their marriages recognized in Florida. The decision in the Perry case also has no immediate impact on Florida. In Perry, SCOTUS rejected the Prop 8 appeal, saying the private party who brought the appeal (after the State of California refused to) had no standing to do so. Therefore, the California District Court decision
that found Prop 8 unconstitutional stands af�irmed. SCOTUS, in dismissing the appeal for lack of standing, did not rule on the merits of the constitutional question of whether states can legally ban same-sex marriages. That fundamental question remains unanswered. The good news is that same-sex couples in California can marry, and the District Court decision will be used as precedent in similar challenges in other states. We need to keep �ighting until all of us can marry in every state, but think of the amazing progress we have made. Two and one-half of our three branches of government support our cause.
A solid majority of Americans now support marriage equality. It currently exists in 13 states and the District of Columbia, covering approximately 100 million people, representing nearly one-third of the U.S. population. In Justice Kennedy’s words, these individuals—our fellow citizens—will now “live with pride in themselves and their union and in a status of equality with all other married persons.” June 26, 2013: a very good day indeed. | | Mary Meeks is an attorney in Orlando who has practiced law in Central Florida for over 20 years. Her practice includes employment law & commercial litigation.
The Windsor decision thus has no immediate impact on gay Floridians’ ability to marry or have their marriages recognized in Florida.
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NOTABLE NOTABLE SEPTEMBER AUGUST EVENTS EVENTS
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JULy 22ND Starting at 7PM
Town Hall Meeting at 10 T H – 7 P M S AT, SEP TEMBER James R Smith Community Center QUACK 1723 Bruton Art Blvd,Reception Orlando Tribute to September 11 and W Americana ED, AUG U S T 17 at Gallery QT H - 7 P M
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Movies and Dinner presented by U N , Sof E PPerpetual T E M B E RIndulgence. 11 T H – 7 P M TheS Sisters Priscilla, Queen the Desert. Showing ofofSaint of 9/11 Spaghetti with $5 Donation. The TrueDinner Story of Father Mychal Judge at Gallery Q S AT, A U G U S T 2 0 T H - 9 A M
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Start your
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Friday, August 16 at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, August 17 at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, August 18 at 4:00 p.m.
Tickets are $10.00 each and are available at st.lukes.org/ragtime. This dynamic musical intertwines the stories of three extraordinary families, as they confront history’s timeless contradictions of wealth and poverty, freedom and prejudice, hope and despair, and what it means to live in America. *Caution: This show contains difficult subject matter regarding race, gender and violence. Please be aware when bringing children under the age of 13.
“Ragtime” is presented through special arrangement with Musical Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI, 421 W 54th Street, New York, NY 10019 Tel.: (212) 541-4684 Fax: (212) 397-4684 www.MTIShows.com.
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HUNTER AND PATRICK MARRIED SEPTEMBER 24, 2012 CELEBRATING LOVE WITH OUR COMMUNITY
Patrick James, Realtor (407) 466-2779
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TALKING POINTS
Today’s DOMA ruling is a historic step forward for marriage equality. #LoveisLove.
70%
of transgender individuals experience verbal harassment, assault and being denied access to public restrooms.
58%
of those polled said they avoid using public restrooms altogether because of discrimination. —According to a June 24 poll released by the Williams Institute
—PRESIDENT OBAMA’S TWEET FOLLOWING U.S. SUPREME COURT DECISION STRIKING DOWN THE FEDERAL DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT.
COAT OF MANY HAIRS
I
F YOU PREFER YOUR MEN UNSHAVEN, perhaps you’ve dreamt of running your �ingers through your fantasy man’s chest hair. Well, now you can do it all winter long. English designers have created a coat made of (gag) one million chest hairs. The coat, which took 200 hours to weave together, was commissioned “by (chocolate) milk drink for men, Wing-Co, as a protest against the widespread ‘manningdown’ of British men, typi�ied by clean-shaven chests and emasculating fashion,” according to the Daily Mail. The monstrosity can be yours for $3,900. No word on where the hundreds of shivering men who contributed to the project are hiding. | |
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should recognize the progress he has made over the years.” —BOBBY POTH
ON THE SIT-IN LGBT EQUALITY PROTEST AT SEN. RUBIO’S OFFICE:
“It’s election year and he’s in danger of not being re-elected. He’s just attempting, after years of insults to the gay community by not signing a proclamation, to win our votes. Sorry Bill, it’s not going to fly with this gay St. Petersburg resident. I don’t forget and I refuse to forgive.”
“Three activists are arrested all because they are Gay???? Rubio, if you seriously considering winning the seat for President in 2016 I have one word for you ..... EQUALITY!”
—MARK EDWARD TALBOOM
—MARK FERGUSON
“Mayor Foster has given domestic partnership benefits to city employees, supported a local DPR, and sent a letter to the state legislature supporting a statewide DPR. I disagree with him on many things, but we
ON ORLANDO’S “PAINT THE TOWN RED” EVENT: “It was very disappointing that the organizers of the Marriage Equality Rally found it necessary to include a
C
NN’S SILVER FOX, ANDERSON COOPER, IS A STAPLE ON THE NETWORK and just last year came out as a gay man. While little has changed for the handsome anchor—other than losing his daytime talk show to low ratings—his animated alter-ego is about to make his debut. Yes, a comic book biography of Cooper will soon be available from Bluewater Productions. Political Power: Anderson Cooper will retail for $3.99 and follows Cooper’s journey from a decorated reporter to an out and proud gay man. The book can be ordered exclusively through ComicFleaMarket.com. | |
LESBIAN PARENTS FEATURED ON DISNEY SHOW
PEOPLE ARE TALKING AT WATERMARKONLINE.COM ON ST. PETE MAYOR BILL FOSTER (FINALLY) SIGNING A PRIDE PROCLAMATION:
ANDERSON COOPER, COMIC BOOK HERO?
prayer, a blatantly Christian prayer, in the celebration of a significant advancement towards the inclusion of the GLBT Community in mainstream American culture. Not only did this exclude atheists like me, but it also excluded gay Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and others. It also, by thanking an imaginary deity for allowing or contributing to the victory of yesterday’s Supreme Court decisions, minimized the hard work and dedication of those actually responsible for the achievement. Shame on you.” —JOHN C. KILLAM
W
E’RE PRETTY SURE ONE MILLION MOMS WILL HAVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN THEY HEAR THIS ONE. The Disney Channel has announced that is currently casting lesbian moms for an episode of Good Luck Charlie, one of its most popular shows. The episode deals with
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Charlie’s parents setting up a play date with, unbeknownst to them, a friend’s lesbian parents and how everyone gets along in the end. It’s great that Disney wants to be progressive and inclusive, but it turns out the show will not be renewed after the 2014 season. What else can we �ind to give the Moms the sweats? | |
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Supreme
Victory THE DOM A AND PROP 8 D E CI S I O N S E RAS E D B ARRIE RS TO S A ME - S E X MA R R I A G E , BU T N O T I N F L O R I D A .
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Tom Dyer TOM@WATERMARKONLINE.COM
UNE 26, 2013, WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY
day—a watershed in the history of the LGBT rights movement. In two court cases, and one fell swoop, the U.S. Supreme Court advanced the struggle for LGBT equality immeasurably. Minutes after the cases were announced, President Barack Obama tweeted: “Today’s DOMA ruling is a historic step forward for #MarriageEquality. #LoveisLove.” Hundreds of thousands joined him in celebrating the decisions—
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on the steps of the Supreme Court building, at joyous rallies in Orlando and Tampa, and during the weekend at buoyant Pride parades in St. Petersburg, New York, San Francisco and throughout the nation.
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“History has been made in our nation,” Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan told a crowd of 4,000 in Orlando. “Edie Windsor, a senior citizen armed only with her love of another woman and the life they created together for 42 years, did what activists have tried to do for decades… she toppled DOMA!”
AN EXTRAORDINARY WEEK
Windsor was forced to pay $363,000 in estate taxes when her wife, Thea Spyer, died in 2009 and the Internal Revenue Service refused to recognize their legal marriage. In United States v. Windsor, a narrow 5-4 majority of the Supreme Court found Section 3 of the Defense
of Marriage Act unconstitutional, thus giving legally married samesex couples access to all the federal bene�its of marriage. Among them— an unlimited estate tax exemption
for legal same-sex marriage in the nation’s most populous state. By the weekend, both couples who sued to overturn Prop 8 were married: Kristin Perry and Sandra
“A majority of the Supreme Court found Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional.” for Windsor. And in Hollingsworth v. Perry, an equally divided Court refused to consider the constitutionality of California’s Prop 8 ban on same-sex marriage, thus legitimizing a lower court ruling that paved the way
Stier by California Attorney General Kamala Harris in San Francisco’s City Hall, and Pual Katami and Jeff Zarillo by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on his last day in of�ice. And on Sunday, Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, who
wrote the stirring majority opinion in Windsor, denied a last-ditch request by the sponsors of Prop 8 to halt marriages in the state. “When the Supreme Court ruled, the country shifted,” said Nadine Smith, executive director of Equality Florida. “Today more than 86 million Americans, more than one-third of the country, live in states where full access to marriage is provided.” Those families will now be supported by the full range of more than 1,000 federal bene�its accorded to married couples, and previously denied them by Section 3 of DOMA. They impact income and estate taxes, social security bene�its, health care and other employee
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IN DEPTH DOMA/PROP. 8 bene�its, military bene�its and immigration rights. (See sidebar.) In Massachusetts, the �irst state to offer full marriage equality, some same-sex couples have been legally married for almost 10 years. “For the �irst time ever, the federal government will now recognize the validity of marriage between same
Continued on page 32 | |
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THE LOW PAYMENT KINGS CELEBRATE MARRIAGE EQUALITY!
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The State of Gay Marriage in the U.S. STATE OF MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN THE U.S.
The DOMA decision:
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
WHAT THEY SAID THE JUSTICES
“DOMA undermines both the public and private significance of statesanctioned same-sex marriages; for it tells those couples, and all the world, that their otherwise valid marriages are unworthy of federal recognition.” —JUSTICE ANTHONY KENNEDY, FOR THE MAJORITY
—EDITH WINDSOR, PLAINTIFF IN THE DOMA CASE
“Marriage was created by the hand of God. The Supreme Court, though they may think so, have not yet arisen to the level of God.” —REP. MICHELE BACHMANN (R-MINN.)
“[The Supreme Court’s] refusal to redefine marriage for all states is a major setback for those seeking to redefine natural marriage.”
—JUSTICE SAMUEL ALITO, IN DISSENT
—TONY PERKINS, FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL PRESIDENT
“I look forward to the work that now can and must be done to adjust rules and regulations that affect the many married Americans who were hurt by this law.” —SECRETARY OF STATE JOHN KERRY
“The court’s ruling gives real meaning to the Constitution’s promise of equal protection to all members of our society, regardless of sexual orientation.” —ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER
“The days of ‘skim milk’ or second-class marriages for gay people are now over.” —ROBERTA KAPLAN, EDITH WINDSOR’S ATTORNEY
“Today’s rulings are a major step forward for the country...but today, our rights as Americans are not based on our shared citizenship, but upon our geographic location.” —NADINE SMITH, EQUALITY FLORIDA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
“Fundamentally, it comes down to economics. If you are making retirement plans or financial decisions and you want those [federal] rights and benefits, why would you stay in Florida?” —STATE REP. JOE SAUNDERS (D-ORLANDO)
“The State of Florida remains a ‘traditional marriage state.’” —FLORIDA GOV. RICK SCOTT
— JOHN BOEHNER, HOUSE SPEAKER (R-OHIO)
—SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FLA.)
“[The Supreme Court] made a serious mistake today when it overstepped its important but limited role.”
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Massa Conne Vermo Iowa New H New Y Maine Maryla Washi Rhode Delwa Minne Califor Distric
Civ Do
The State of Gay Marriage in the U.S. BROUGHT TO YOU BY
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* Goes into effect August 1, 2013.
Full Same-Sex Marriage Massachusetts Connecticut Vermont Iowa New Hampshire New York Maine Maryland Washington Rhode Island Delware Minnesota (As of 8/1/2013) California District of Columbia Civil Unions/ Domestic Partnerships
LOCAL OPINION LEADERS
“A robust national debate over marriage will continue in the public square, and it is my hope that states will define marriage as the union between one man and one woman.”
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* Goes into effect August 1, 2013.
“I wanna go to Stonewall… right now!”
“The silence of the Constitution on [the question of same-sex marriage] should be enough to end the matter as far as the judiciary is concerned.”
ELECTED OFFICIALS AND ACTIVISTS
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Fu
| | DOMA and Prop. 8
Decision from pg.29
sex couples,” said Orlando activist and attorney Mary Meeks.
FLORIDA AND THE FUTURE
But for Floridians, it may be necessary to tap the brakes a little. Section 2 of DOMA was not addressed in Windsor and remains intact. It states that, “No State… shall be required to give effect to any public act… or proceeding of any other State respecting a relationship between persons of the same sex that is treated as marriage.” And because the court sidestepped the constitutionality of state bans on same-sex marriage, they also remain legal. Florida has two such bans: a statute and a constitutional amendment. The sobering result: same-sex couples still can’t get married in Florida. And if they get married in a state where it’s legal, it still won’t be recognized here—at least within state boundaries. “For Floridians, the Supreme Court’s rulings fall short of justice, and are more than anything a call to action,” said Equality Florida’s Smith. But for all Americans, Justice Kennedy’s DOMA decision remains a dazzling thing to behold and a likely precursor to the eventual demise of marriage inequality. (Read the
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full opinion at SupremeCourt.gov.) A bitter bookend was provided by Justice Antonin Scalia, whose scowling 25-page dissent predicted that the Court would eventually make same-sex marriage legal throughout the land. Justice Kennedy, the author of two prior landmark decisions on gay rights, minced no words in describing DOMA’s impermissible intent. “DOMA undermines both the public and private signi�icance of state-sanctioned same-sex marriages; for it tells those couples, and all the world, that their otherwise valid marriages are unworthy of federal recognition. This places same-sex couples in an unstable position of being in a second-tier marriage. And it humiliates tens of thousands of children now being raised by samesex couples.” Justice Kennedy swatted away the professed justi�ication for DOMA— to facilitate procreation within the traditional family unit. “The principal purpose and necessary effect of [DOMA] are to demean those persons who are in a lawful same-sex marriage. This requires the Court to hold, as it now does, that DOMA is unconstitutional as a deprivation of the liberty of the person protected by the Fifth
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New Jersey Oregon Nevada Illinois Hawaii Colorado Wisconsin No laws concerning same-sex marriage New Mexico
Same-Sex Marriage is Prohibited Alaska Nebraska Louisiana Arkansas Georgia Kentucky Michigan Mississippi Missouri Montana North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Utah Kansas Texas Alabama Idaho South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Virginia Arizona Florida North Carolina Wyoming Pennsylvania West Virginia Indiana
Amendment of the Constitution.” As Justice Scalia pointed out in his petulant dissent, the same argument can be applied to bans on samesex marriage. “[The majority has concluded that] DOMA is motivated by bare… desire to harm couples in same-sex marriages. How easy it is, indeed how inevitable, to reach the same conclusion with regard to state laws denying same-sex couples marital status.” Indeed, Scalia whined that the Court’s DOMA decision makes that result virtually inevitable. “That is jaw-dropping. It is an assertion of judicial supremacy over the people’s Representatives in Congress and the Executive.”
QUESTIONS REMAIN
In the meantime, the Court’s DOMA decision raises a number of questions—mostly for couples like Meeks and her partner, Vicki Nantz, who were legally married in Massachusetts but reside in Florida, a state that does not
New Je Orego Nevad Illinois Hawai Colora Wisco
No co sa
New M
DIFFERENT WITHOUT DOMA MILITARY BENEFITS:
Benefits granted to opposite-sex military spouses— e.g. health care, housing allowances—will now apply to same-sex spouses. Spouses of deceased veterans will be eligible to receive benefits.
SOCIAL SECURITY:
A surviving samesex spouse can now collect the deceased spouse’s Social Security
checks if that amount is higher than what he or she was receiving.
INCOME TAX: Same-sex married couples can now file jointly, although for some this will result in higher taxes.
ESTATE TAX: Same-sex couples may now leave unlimited assets to their spouse without incurring federal estate taxes.
recognize their marriage. Will they have access to federal bene�its anyway? And if so, which ones? For his part, President Obama announced that his administration has already begun a sweeping assessment of pertinent rules and regulations throughout all departments of the federal government. And it wasted no time taking immediately permissible steps. “Today, my Administration announced that, for the �irst time in history, we will be making important federal employee bene�its, including healthcare and retirement bene�its, available to eligible married gay and lesbian couples and their families,” Obama said in a June 28 statement. “This is a critical �irst step toward implementing this week’s landmark Supreme Court decision declaring that all married couples—gay and straight—should be treated equally under federal law.” But the federal government typically defers to the states on matters of marriage. And for marriages that involve more than one state, there is no sweeping
RETIREMENT PLANS: A deceased spouse’s IRA can now roll over into the survivor’s account without being taxed first.
HEALTH CARE:
Same-sex married couples and their families will now have access to continued COBRA coverage after leaving employment. Medicare spousal benefits apply.
federal rule. “It’s an open question that may require additional litigation,” said Meeks. According to a fact sheet put out by the Respect for Marriage Coalition, “Some agencies look to the law of the state where a couple married regardless of the law of the state where the couple now lives, while others look to the law of the state where the couple is living now.” Bottom line: a legally married same-sex couple living in a state, like Florida, that does not respect their marriage may have almost immediate access to some federal rights and bene�its, but not many others. And that may change, for better or worse, as the administration adjusts and its policies are challenged. “The validity of a couple’s marriage should not be determined by where their airplane lands or their U-Haul parks,” said Orlando attorney Larry D. Smith, recipient of the American Bar Association’s 2013 Diversity Leadership Award. Bobby Jo Cameron, who attended the June 27 Marriage Equality Rally at
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES:
Same-sex married couples and their families will enjoy the full range of benefits, including access to health care, medical leave, etc.
• Board Certified Optometrist • Eye Exams and Contact Lenses • Most Vision Plans Accepted • Serving our community for over 16 years
IMMIGRATION: Married persons can now sponsor a visa for a gay spouse who is not a citizen, and that spouse will also receive preference for citizenship.
Orlando’s Lake Eola Bandshell with her partner, Casey Barnhardt, and their twoyear-old daughter, agrees. “I cried when I heard about the decisions,” Cameron said. “I celebrate for my friends who live in states where it’s meaningful, and I hope this will inspire and motivate people to get this done in Florida.” The Court’s DOMA and Prop 8 decisions re�lect rapidly changing public opinion on LGBT equality. According to recent public opinion polls, more than half of Americans—and Floridians—now approve of full marriage equality. Meaning much work was done to get us to this watershed moment, and that work was celebrated last Saturday in soggy St. Pete. “As we celebrate the enormity of this moment, let’s remember what it took to reach this point,” said St. Pete Pride executive director Eric Skains. “We are here thanks to the courage and leadership of pioneers who toiled through decades and carried us to this moment.” | | Susan Clary contributed to this article.
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STAYING
ARTS &
ENTERTAINMENT
F RESH KATHY GRIFFIN’S STAND-UP IS UPDATED SO OFTEN THAT FANS RARELY SEE THE SAME SHOW TWICE Zach Caruso ZACH@WATERMARKONLINE.COM
K
ATHY GRIFFIN IS LOOKING
forward to coming to Florida. Not only does her current tour bring her newest stand-up to Orlando’s Bob Carr Performing Arts Center on Friday, July 12, and Clearwater’s Ruth Eckerd Hall on Saturday, July 13, but she is preparing for a healthy dose of spiritual re�lection. “I’m so excited to come to Clearwater and join Scientology!” she says. “The �irst few times I played Ruth Eckerd Hall, I had people waiting for me in the parking lot, fearfully warning me saying ‘Ms. Grif�in, do you realize you’ve just been making fun of Scientology in their hub?’ I said, ‘Yeah, that’s why I do it!’” Her upbeat personality and
sharp wit bubble over when she speaks, and it is that infectious positivity and enthusiasm that has helped her build a career that spans more than three decades. “Growing up, I was told ‘You’re going to one day lose it all and have to live in your car,’” she says. “So I just stay on that hamster wheel, but I love it. I’ve been nominated for a Grammy for
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Best Comedy Album and lost �ive times, my talk show [Kathy, on the Bravo network] was cancelled, but it’s always ‘Ok, what’s the next thing?’” And her hamster wheel has yet to slow down. She was a cast member of NBC sitcom Suddenly Susan from 1996-2000 and she had her own hit reality show on Bravo called Kathy Grif�in: My Life on the D-List that ran for six seasons (all six of which were nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality Program ,winning in 2007 and 2008). She released her book Of�icial Book Club Selection: A Memoir According to Kathy Grif�in in 2009 which became a New York Times bestseller, and when last month’s stand-up special, Calm Down Gurrl [“It makes it gender
Continued on page 38 | |
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LIVE IN CONCERT!
Sat, July 13 • 8pm Pre-show dinner available
Tickets: 727.791.7400 www.RuthEckerdHall.com
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Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock in The Heat.
The Heat
Stuck in Love
Starring Sandra Bullock, Melissa, McCarthy
Starring Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Connelly, Lily Collins, Nat Wolff, Kristen Bell
A
NOT SO LONE RANGER: Handsome Armie Hammer and odd Johnny Depp.
Screened Out MOVIE REVIEWS
The Script isn’t The Hero
T
HE POSTER SHOULD PROBABLY SAY—
The Lone Ranger Starring Armie Hammer, Johnny Depp, Tom Wilkinson, William Fitchner
in all caps—“Prepare to have your every expectation met,” and then follow it by four or six exclamation points, maybe. This is exactly what you’d get when Disney and the Pirates of the Caribbean crew team up to bring you The Lone Ranger, Tonto, Silver, and the like.
Stephen Miller
STEPHEN@WATERMARKONLINE.COM
Hammer is a district attorney left for dead out in the Wild, Wild West after a terrible injustice is meted upon his family. This Lone Ranger is brought back to life with the help of the supremely weird Tonto (Depp—he’s brilliant but also quite a bit stereotypically insulting to the entire Native American population). The Lone Ranger and Tonto team up to hunt down an evil desperado (super-creepy Fitchner) and �ind out his nefarious plan, which has to do with
silver mining, the railroad, and Comanche land. I’m really not spoiling anything. If you didn’t know what to expect, the myriad trailers we’ve seen over the last six months would’ve told you. It’s funny and action-packed in that shticky, shallow, loud and stupid way we’ve come to expect from Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski. It also tries for moments of seriousness: a �limsy apology to Native Americans, a sly comment on rash capitalism. There are also a couple scenes of uncomfortable violence. Altogether, this makes for some moments of uneven tone and a few gaps in the plot. But again, did you expect anything else? | |
Greg Kinnear in Stuck in Love.
T
UDIENCES OFTEN FORGIVE A HIS ROMANCE HAS MOVIE IF THERE ARE TWO ELEMENTS THAT ARE EASY OR THREE GOOD BELLY TO EITHER LOVE OR HATE. LAUGHS WITHIN TWO HOURS. We The actors do phenomenal work shouldn’t. The Heat is hackneyed, halfindividually, and they gel even better written, depending too much on actor together. The �ilm itself is quirky and improv to add the missing humor. cute, and things rectify themselves in Bullock is an uptight FBI agent with ways that are both satisfying and a lousy interpersonal skills. McCarthy little unbelievable. is a bad-girl Boston cop, known for Kinnear is the father in a family her unorthodox, unprofessional of writers (and one artist) going approach to investigation. This odd through a prolonged crisis. He and couple—which of course we’ve seen painter wife Connelly divorced a billion times before—have two years ago, because she to team up together and learn to appreciate each RATINGS GUIDE found another man. Kinnear has been unable to move on, other to bring down an evil to even begin writing again. Boston drug czar. Their young novelist kids If you can’t guess the See it now! Buy (Collins and Wolff) are in plot twists in this �ilm, then the DVD! Quote different stages of forgiveness you’ve never seen a cop lines at parties! toward Mommy, and everyone buddy �lick. You may have also tries to help Dad move never seen a �ilm. Some Definitely worth on from the pain. In between, tiny credit might be given the price of Collins and Wolff have their for casting two women. Too admission own struggles with romance. bad the �ilm isn’t insightful It’s nice to see relationships or clever, or it’d actually It’s useful as a from the three perspectives, be worth it. distraction but their journeys don’t So, the heavy lifting is always add up to plausible, left to Bullock and McCarthy cumulative ends. and their skills at making Maybe if someone else pays and you The night of the screening, something out of nothing. need a nap audience got the treat of Their jokes land about one asking �irst-time writer/ out of every three times. director Josh Boone questions. Whole sections literally �lop. Slightly worse Something in Boone’s answers I can’t even describe how than eternal might point to what’s not bad the two cliché dance damnation sticking. He said, “Writing sequences are, but trust me, sucks. You’re just trying to get out the audience was silent. Of course, the door and start shooting your we should expect all the plot holes movie.” He also admitted that some of and stupid anachronisms with such these scenes were culled from small underdeveloped crud. notes written years before. So, the I’d give this one and a half stars—if movie feels choppy and a little sloppy, I gave half stars. I’m rounding up shooting for the easy conclusion because I did laugh a couple times. instead of the good one. Bullock and McCarthy are funny There are still some wonderful actors; they’re just not writers. And heartfelt moments, but the overall they shouldn’t have to be. | | project is missing some glue. | |
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| | Kathy Griffin from pg.35
non-speci�ic,” she says] aired on Bravo, she broke the record for most stand-up comedy specials of all time. “Nobody gave a shit,” she says with a laugh. “But I love stand-up so much that I’m going to break my own record and do another in November.” And for all that she has done, her stand-up is one area of her career that she is especially fond of. “The constant that has been there for me, that’s been invaluable, has really been the live shows,” she says. “I love whatever I can do that makes people laugh, regardless of the medium, but it feels great to know I can do these live shows and people will come out and they know that they’re going to get different material than the last time they came to see me.” She prides herself on rapidly changing and updating her material, avoiding the trap of allowing a routine to become stale—especially when fans come to see her multiple times. “I once had the honor of playing one market in Minneapolis twice in three months, and I thought to
There’s going to be cursing, I’m going to be calling the Kardashians whores, I’ll be making fun of Oprah, I’m sure my drunken mother will have said something very inappropriate —KATHY GRIFFIN earlier that day on the phone. myself ‘You know what, even if there are �ive people who came to the show three months ago, I’d better just change the entire act,’” she says. “I’m so �lattered when people say things like ‘This is my seventh time coming to see you,’ because they know they are going to get something different every time they come out.” Her up-to-the-minute approach, however, is not just to keep things fresh for fans, but also because Hollywood is giving her new material to work with on a secondto-second basis. “You never know if Lindsay Lohan has decided to stay in rehab or if she’s at the kind of rehab where she can go out on the balcony and do three wardrobe changes for photographers,” she says. Case in point: Amanda Bynes. “I’m keeping up with what direction her wig is on,” Grif�in says, “I’m keeping up with her nose—
sometimes her nose looks more webbed than other days.” Bynes claimed to have needed recent plastic surgery to �ix a patch of “webbed skin” between her nose and eye. Grif�in has a different explanation. “There was a show in the ‘70’s called The Man From Atlantis with Patrick Duffy, and this was an entire show that was based on a man who had webbed feet and therefore could swim faster than a normal person,” she says. “I’m wondering if Amanda Bynes wasn’t up late one night doing some salvia and saw a rerun of this show and decided that she had a webbed nose.” What makes Grif�in’s comedy so entertaining is that she calls it like she sees it, giving her fans an insider’s view of the outlandish goings-on of Tinsletown. “My comedy is really based on my personal run-ins with celebrities
and pop-culture �igures, and the ever-changing news of all these crazies,” she says. “The more I work in Hollywood and television and all, the more astonished I am at how openly crazy these nut-bags are.” Florida fans are in for the most current and up-to-date material Grif�in can throw at them. “I have to give a disclaimer—don’t bring your kids or your Bible,” she says. “There’s going to be cursing, I’m going to be calling the Kardashians whores, I’ll be making fun of Oprah, I’m sure my drunken mother will have said something very inappropriate earlier that day on the phone. I’m like Brian Williams, I keep it up to the minute. “Last week in New York I did the Don Rickles Friars Roast and there were people there like Bette Midler, Billy Crystal, Joan Rivers, so I’ll be giving all the backstage dirt on that. And I’m also throwing in politicians
and heads of state, everyone is fair game and everyone is on the table.” And speaking of politics, Grif�in—a longtime advocate for and supporter of the LGBT community—says she was ecstatic to hear the recent Supreme Court decisions overturning DOMA and Prop 8. “What I �ind as one of the most encouraging things about the Proposition 8 �ight are the two attorneys who are involved, David Boies and Ted Olson,” she says. “Olson fought on behalf of George W. Bush in the Bush v. Gore case in 2000, so I had written this guy off as a conservative ‘enemy’ of the LGBT community, and then next thing you know Ted Olson and David Boies are working together. If that isn’t a sign of progress, I don’t know what is.” For ticket information and more on Grif�in’s upcoming album, visit KathyGrif�in.net. | |
MORE INFORMATION
WHO: Kathy Griffin WHERE: July 12 at Bob Carr, Orlando; July 13 at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater TICKETS: KathyGriffin.net or RuthEckerdHall.com
Greek, Mediterranean, and Vegeterian Cuisine
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Got Mustard? We’ve got more weiner than we can handle.
www.DareToRescue.com
Believe_Watermark_4.78x5.125 2/15/13 4:28 PM Page 1
Orlando Colonial MarketPlaza (407) 894-1718 ● East Orlando Waterford Lakes Town Center (407) 249-9475 Southwest Orlando The Marketplace at Dr. Phillips (407) 249-9475 ● Ocoee Shoppes of Ocoee (407) 798-2000 Altamonte Springs Palm Springs Shopping Center (407) 830-1770 ● Lake Mary Lake Mary Centre (407) 833-0848 Locations also in Sarasota and Tampa
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ARTS &
ENTERTAINMENT EVENT PLANNER
QUICK PICKS St. Petersburg My Name is Asher Lev JULY 19-AUG. 25 American Stage AmericanStage.org 727-823-7529
Dreamgirls
Tampa
The Lonesome West JULY 10-AUG. 4 Jobsite Theater JobsiteTheater.org 813-229-7827
Clermont
T
Moonlight & Magnolias
Clearwater The Swashbuckling Adventures of Alex Jones JULY 12-21 Eight O’Clock Theatre EightOClockTheatre.com 727-587-6751
St. Petersburg JULY 19-AUG. 18 Freefall Theatre FreefallTheatre.com 727-498-5205
For more events or to submit your upcoming show, concert or performance, visit
watermarkonline.com.
HE TONY AWARD WINNING
musical Dreamgirls, based on Motown groups like The Supremes, The Shirelles and the incomparable James Brown has been held over an extra weekend—playing through July 7 at Mad Cow Theatre in Orlando.
THOUGH AUG. 4 Moonlight Players MoonlightPlayers.com 352-319-1116
Spring Awakening
ORLANDO
A
The story follows a girl group from Chicago to New York as they get their big break in show business. Dreamgirls features more than two and a half hours of R&B and soul along with tons of dance numbers. For tickets, call 407-297-8788 or visit MadCowTheatre.com.
WINTER HAVEN
SARASOTA
Jesus Christ Superstar
ALSO Cabaret Show
NDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S FAMOUS 1971 ROCK OPERA, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, will play for three weeks at Theatre Winter Haven from July 20 to August 5. The passion play follows Jesus’ last week of life, including his struggles with Judas Iscariot. British lyricist Tim Rice wrote the lyrics. The musical was �irst made into an
album that featured songs like “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” and “Superstar.” If you haven’t seen the show, you’ve no doubt heard the songs at a recent trip to your favorite karaoke club. Expect better performances from this theater group. For tickets, call 863-294-7469 or visit TheatreWinterHaven.com. | |
I
T’S NOT THE KIT KAT CLUB BUT LIFE WILL STILL BE A CABARET, OLD CHUM, when the non-pro�it ALSO plays hosts to a night of music, entertainment, drinks and great fun. The Cabaret will be from 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday, July 13, at ALSO Out Youth in Sarasota. All proceeds will bene�it ALSO’s mission to help LGBT kids and teens by enhancing self-
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esteem, promoting healthy dialogue and increasing awareness of sexual minority issues. The organization assists youth who are bullied or harassed. In 2012, ALSO won Watermark’s Wave Award for Sarasota’s most effective local LGBT organization. For more information, call 941-951-2576 or visit ALSOYouth.org. | |
watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.
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Filmmakers James Franco and Travis Mathews re-imagine the lost 40 minutes from “Cruising” as a starting point to a broader exploration of sexual and creative freedom.
July 18th, 7:30 p.m., Muvico Centro Ybor Tickets $10 at tiglff.com, or call Renee at 813-879-4220 or at the door
Arie Groen’s property maintenance Commercial and Residential Licensed
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ShotonSite
Tampa Bay
4 1
1- MORE WORK TO DO: Equality Florida board member Katee Tulley address a crowd at Straub Park in St. Petersburg on June 26, to celebrate the Supreme Court’s ruling on DOMA’s unconstitutionality. PHOTO BY STEVE BLANCHARD 2- ROLL IT!: The hilarious Hedda Lettuce dramatically introduces the film Valley of the Dolls at the Palladium Theater during Noite de Cinema presented by the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. PHOTO BY NICK CARDELLO
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3- HEADDRESS HOTTIE: A performer helps celebrate “Pride in Fashion” at the Macy’s store in St. Petersburg’s Tyrone Square Mall on Friday, June 28. PHOTO BY STEVE BLANCHARD
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4- PROUD PAIR: (L-R) Greg Tyillian and Scott Thompson, of Clearwater, celebrate along St. Pete Pride’s promenade route with their Yorkshire Terrier, Peca. PHOTO BY SUSAN CLARY 5- SERVING IT UP: Flamingo Resort director David Baker, right, stands with Hemingway’s executive Chef Robert Prisinzano after introducing him at the restaurants grand opening inside the Flamingo Resort June 20. PHOTO BY STEVE BLANCHARD 6- CELEBRATING A FALL: Pastor Joe Parramore, far right, was one of many who rallied in celebration of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling of DOMA’s unconstitutionality at Sam Gibbons Courthouse in downtown Tampa June 26. PHOTO BY VINCENT PHILIP 7- TEAMWORK: St. Pete Pride board members and representatives of the organization pose for a photo during the annual Stonewall Reception for sponsors at the St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts June 25. PHOTO BY STEVE BLANCHARD
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8- ORDER OF PRIDE: The Tampa Bay Order of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence celebrate some Pride during their annual Red Dress Ball at Bradley’s on 7th on June 20. PHOTO COURTESY CARRIE WEST
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OVERHEARD L TRAIN CLOSES
A
CHAPTER OF ST. PETERSBURG LGBT HISTORY CLOSED ON SUNDAY, JUNE 30, when the L-Train Bar located downtown held a �inal, farewell celebration. Owner Laura Cipriani decided to close the doors to the bar after struggling for several years in its location at 900 Central Avenue. Cipriani said her heart was heavy with the decision, but that she was ready to move on to the next chapter of her life. Cipriani �irst opened the bar as a movie theater, called Pink Pelicans, back in 2009. When her partners bowed out of the business, she renamed the facility and opened
the doors to fundraisers, drag shows, movies, live theater and singing competitions. The L-Train also offered specialty beers from throughout the world. We wish Cipriani the best of luck in her next endeavor. The L-Train will be missed.
HEMINGWAY’S GRILL OPENS AT FLAMINGO
O
N JUNE 20, THE FLAMINGO RESORT OFFICIALLY INTRODUCED THE COMMUNITY TO ITS NEWEST ADDITION, Hemingway’s Key West Grill restaurant, with a special VIP introductory gala. The new restaurant resides in the space
that was once called the “Blu Room” and the varied menu offers a sample of Key West cuisine. Staffers shelled out offerings of Paella Valencia, Snapper Catalana, Steak Salteado and Pork Milanesa while the bar offered complimentary Spanish wines and sangria to those invited. Many attending the grand opening were heard complimenting the food and offering congratulations to Resort Director David Baker on the new digs. Baker took a few minutes to welcome the crowd before introducing entertainer Iman, who sang live as people sampled the array of menu items. Hemingway’s is open throughout the week but
is closed during Country Line Dancing night on Fridays.
FONDUE FINDS PRIDE IN SARASOTA
O
N THURSDAY, JUNE 27, OUTINGS & ADVENTURES HOSTED THE FIRST-EVER PRIDE FONDUE FUNDRAISER at the Melting Pot in Sarasota. The event, created by Robert Geller of O&A, helped raise money for the Smart Ride, which helps a variety of HIV/ AIDS organizations throughout the state. The success of the Sarasota event has inspired a similar celebration at The Melting Pot in St. Petersburg scheduled for Wednesday, July
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17. The evening of friends and fondue begins at 6:30 p.m. with free raf�les and then a four-course sit-down dining experience at the restaurant. A full menu is available online. Geller hopes to continue growing the Pride Fondue parties. “It’s a very exciting and unique fundraiser supported by an international restaurant chain,” Geller said. The Melting Pot is fully on board, Geller said, and recently approved a logo so the restaurant chain can begin marketing it throughout Florida. Tickets are $38.50 and available at OutingsAndAdventures.com. | |
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CLUB ORLANDO COME OUT TO PLAY! Gyms come and go…… Club Orlando’s Gym has been here for 14 years and is still going strong! We Offer Monthly and Annual Memberships. Stop in for a tour and a complimentary work out.
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4 HOUR LOCKERS M – F • 10AM – 2PM
450 E. COMPTON STREET ORL ANDO, FL (407) 425-5005 W W W.THECLUBS.COM
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GOOD. CLEAN. FUN.
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ShotonSite 1
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ORLANDO
1- TAKE 5: (L-R) Darden Pride Alliance Leadership members Boyd Geary, Peggy Tucker, Tom Boyko, Cindy Layner, Adam Richard-Dolak and Nicholas Leon takes a quick break from all the sweets at their Dessert Extravaganza LGBLT organizations networking event. PHOTO BY JAMIE HYMAN 2- PARK IT OUTSIDE: Orlando city commissioner Patty Sheehan, With Will of Will’s Pub, installs the new bike racks June 20. PHOTO FROM SHEEHAN’S FACEBOOK PAGE
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3- THIRSTY THURSDAY: (L to R) Cleve Acree, Kenny Cantrell, and Gary Tracy enjoy some delicious food and great company at Watermark’s Third Thursday social, June 20 at Ceviche. PHOTO BY SCOTT MCCAULEY 4- DREAM BIG: Watermark’s Dreamgirls giveaway winner Brian Thompson (right) gets ready to enjoy the show with his +1, Daniel Bauer, on June 28 at Mad Cow Theatre. PHOTO COURTESY OF BRIAN THOMPSON 5- HARD AT WORK: The GLBT Center volunteers work hard preparing the 2500+ luminaries for the Marriage Equality Rally at Lake Eola June 27. PHOTO BY RANDY STEPHENS 6- HAPPY FAMILY: (L to R) Partners Bobby Jo Cameron and Casey Barnhardt of Volusia County celebrate at the Marriage Equality Rally in Orlando with their 2-1/2 year old daughter, Bernie. PHOTO BY JAKE STEVENS 7- DESERVED SALUTE: Prime Timers of Central Florida saluted its 28 members who had served in the U.S. military in a special program at its general meeting on May 25. PHOTO BY RON BUSH 8- WINE TALK: (L to R) Paul David Queen, John Tanzella and Mikael Frank Audebert talk a little vino at Rosen Plaza for the MBA’s quarterly luncheon, June 27 at Rosen Plaza. PHOTO BY CHRIS STEPHENSON
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OVERHEARD A PLACE FOR LGBT STUDENTS TO HANG OUT AT UCF
L
GBT STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA HAVE A NEW PLACE TO HANG OUT, study or �ind contacts and resources. UCF’s Pride Coalition has moved its Pride Commons to Ferrell Commons 171 on campus, across from the Marketplace. To celebrate, an Open House is planned from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, July 8 with free food, music and “swag.” The mission of the Pride Coalition is to foster an inclusive campus for all students through programming related to gender and sexuality, focusing on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,
queer/questioning. For more information, call 407-823-1027 or email lgbtq@ucf.edu.
DREAMGIRLS TO CLOSE AFTER SUCCESSFUL RUN
A
LL GOOD THINGS, AS THE SAYING GOES, MUST COME TO AN END. So must the incredibly successful run of Mad Cow Theatre’s Dreamgirls, which opened last month and closes July 7. The local production, featuring local actors, has won critical acclaim and the audience seems to agree. Representatives of the theater say that sell-out shows have become common-place and that some fans even come back for a second showing. Watermark is
the sponsor of the show and we introduced our readers to the cast and director in issue 20.13 last month. We feel like proud parents! Congratulations to the theater and its cast.
PLAINTIFF AND SIMPLE
E
QUALITY FLORIDA (EQFL) IS LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD… PLAINTIFFS. Looks like the organization is taking the �irst steps toward organizing a marriage equality lawsuit against the state of Florida. “When we launched Get Engaged, our campaign to change hearts and minds toward supporting the freedom to marry, we asked you to tell your story,” the request reads. “As we explore the very
real potential of going to court to protect our families, we want to know if you are willing to tell your story not only to the public but also to the court.” The form for potential plaintiffs is pretty simple – name, partner’s name, contact info, location, whether you’re willing to talk about your story in court and a description of your family situation. Interested? You can �ind it at ImEngaged.org.
CAPED CRUSADERS
T
HIS JULY 28, IF YOU SEE A GROUP OF PEOPLE IN CAPES AND MASKS biking frantically around downtown Orlando... do not be alarmed. They are here to help. The Super Joy Riders is an Urban
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ReThink Signature Series event where participants “dress as superheroes and ride en masse around the city as they check off their scavenger hunt-like list of Do Gooder Duties; collecting litter, helping senior citizens cross the road, returning shopping carts, basically performing small acts of kindness for an hour and a half of hilarity and love,” according to SuperJoyRiders.com. It all goes down the last Sunday of each month from 10 a.m. - noon, with July 28 as the inaugural event. Wanna be a hero? Register at SuperJoyRiders.com then meet at the eastern entrance of the Lake Eola Farmers’ Market in costume, ready to do some good. | |
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HEADING WEST: Jason Fox Holstein of Orlando accepted a position with the GGBA in San Francisco, where he will be the managing director. PHOTO COURTESY JASON FOX HOLSTEIN
Transitions
CHANGE-OF-LIFE COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS Congratulations Former Metropolitan Business Association of Orlando Director of Corporate Development Jason Fox Holstein accepted a job as the managing director of Golden Gate Business Association in San Francisco. He starts July 1. “It is an honor to accept this position with the GGBA,” Holstein said. “This chamber has a storied history of making important economic and civic advances for the LGBT community in the Bay Area and around the nation. I look forward to collaborating with the Board of Directors and our members to continue that great work.”
Local Birthdays Orlando printress extraordinaire and MBA mainstay Debbie Simmons,St. Petersburg entertainer Kori Stevens (July 5); MBA man and co-owner of John Michael Weddings & Events Michael Thomas, Sarasota and Provincetown diva David “Scarbie” Mitchell, Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan, St. Petersburg leather man Randall Isgrigg (July 6); former Watermark editor, stand-up comedian and singing fool Ronni Radner,
former Watermark Orlando Staff Writer and Montessori teacher Natasha Kay, Orlando resident and USF IT guru Angel Arcelay, former Tampa Bay Business Guild officer Chris Hennessey, New Port Richey model and singer Chris Stein, former Tampa Bay Gazette music columnist John Chambrone (July 7); Tampa chiropractor Scott Barry, Shelbie Press co-owner Michelle Murray (July 9); Former St. Petersburg Westcare professional Ricki Liff, arthritis advocate and meditation master Tony Ward (July 10); Ritz Ybor operations director Carla Vaughan, Tampa airline pilot Brian Russell, sexy Tampa tri-athlete Jon Pello (July 11); Hope and Help’s Patrick Brown, bartender Bruce Duckworth, former Full Moon bartender Jeff Patrick, Tampa attorney Kim Byrd, Karmic Tattoo percussionist Amy Black (July 14); Three Boys Café owner Matthew Downs (July 15); Production Manager for Walt Disney World Entertainment Robert Hargrove, Tampa Humane Humana representative Mike Snyder (July 16); Tampa author and performer Staci Backauskas, Guantanamo Slay-er Katie MacDonald, St. Petersburg candle maker Frank Meekins (July 17).
Are you making a Transition? Having a birthday or anniversary? Did you get a new job or promotion? See your news in Watermark! Send your Transition to Editor@WatermarkOnline.com or go to WatermarkOnline.com/Submit-a-Transition - it’s that easy!
JULY 4 - JULY 17, 2013 // ISSUE 20.14
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Let Us Help Secure Your Future CRAIG GOODMAN (407) 362-1600 or (888) 683-1159 WEB: www.metrosurance.org EMAIL: craig@metrosurance.org
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Mariners fly rainbow flag to celebrate marriage equality
S
EATTLE, WASH. | In a show of support for marriage equality in the wake of the Supreme Court’s Decision to rule portions of the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional, the Seattle Mariners hoisted a rainbow �lag June 30, the same day as Seattle’s Pride parade. The act makes the Mariners the �irst Major League team to �ly a gay pride �lag at a game this weekend. According to Seattle Out and Proud, the team pledged to publicly display the �lag during the game because the owners “thought this was an appropriate gesture on a day that is very meaningful to the LGBT community,” said Rebecca Hale, spokesperson for the group. “We’re a part of this community,” Hale said. “Our fans are a re�lection of our community.”
Flying the rainbow Pride �lag in Seattle’s public and private spaces has been a point of contention in years past. City Hall made the decision to �ly the �lag for the �irst time this year, raising it on June 1, while the Space Needle has drawn some criticism for its decision not to raise the �lag during Pride weekend. Seattle Out & Proud spokesperson Adam McRoberts said that the organization is “thrilled to have so much community support in Seattle,” and that they “greatly appreciate the leadership from the Mariners in promoting equality and acceptance in professional sports.” The Mariners’ decision was announced just one day before the Supreme Court made public its historic repudiation of DOMA and Prop 8, the California ban on same-sex marriage. Washington voters approved same-sex marriage last fall. | |
Staff Report
P
HOENIX, ARIZ. | During an interview with Fox Sports on June 26, Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians told FoxSports.com that he’s unsure how football fans would react to an openly gay player. He did say, however, that he thinks NFL players and coaches would be accepting. “I don’t think the locker room would have any problem with it,” Arians said in a telephone interview with the website. “The problem would be with the fans. I think especially opposing fans. Some of the things that are said are over the top and out of control that I can imagine what some fans would say to an openly gay player.” The NFL has taken strides in the past few years to curb
homophobia in the sport, and many players have even stepped forward in support of marriage equality. In April of this year, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the NFL would monitor inappropriate fan reaction to any openly gay player in the league. “Our league and team security people would be ready to monitor any kind of public reaction that might not be appropriate, including scrubbing social media,” Aiello told USA Today. “We would assist the player in dealing with any adverse public reaction of any type, if there is any. Hopefully there wouldn’t be and it would be a non-issue, which it should be.” Arians has a supporter in former NBA star Charles Barkley, who appeared on the The Mike Missanelli Show on 97.5 The Fanatic Philadelphia.
“I 100 percent agree with Bruce Arians. I’m glad he had the courage to say that because a lot of coaches kiss up to the people but I respect it, I gotta thank him for when I get back to [Arizona],” Barkley said. For the �irst time, the NFL Rookie Symposium will include speakers on the issue of sexual orientation, the league’s chief human resources of�icer, Robert Gulliver, told ESPNNewYork. com on June 25. Gulliver said the league doesn’t believe one of its players is on the verge of coming out, but in the wake of NBA player Jason Collins’ decision to come out to Sports Illustrated in April, sports leagues are preparing players with the goal of having a harassment-free workplace. “I would not be surprised if there are more players coming out,” Gulliver said. | |
sports
Wire Report
Cardinals coach unsure how fans would react to out player
CElEbratEs
Equality
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Photo by Nick Cardello
Photo by Nick Cardello
Photo by Nick Cardello
PHOTOGRAPHY: ST. PETE PRIDE 2013
Galleryw
D
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watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.
JULY 4 - JULY 17, 2013 // ISSUE 20.14
ESPITE SOME HEAVY DOWNPOURS, police estimate St. Pete Pride broke records this year with more than 125,000 in attendance, securing the festival’s place as the largest Pride event in the state. The rain cooled temperatures, but not the passion for equality, as rainbow regalia adorned �loats, marchers and attendees throughout the day.
Photography by Nick Cardello C ARDELLOPHOTO.COM
and Jake Stevens JAKE@WATERMARKONLINE.COM
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Š2013 Ashton Woods USA L.L.C. Plans, specifications, prices, and other items are subject to changes without notice and/or may vary by elevation. Images are only the artist’s conception. Square footage is approximate. See Sales Agents for details. CRC # 1517613. Printed 06/2013