Watermark Issue 21.01: Charlie Crist Apologizes by Watermark Publishing Group

DAYTONA BEACH • ORLANDO • TAMPA • ST. PETERSBURG • SARASOTA • ISSUE 21.01 • JAN. 2 - JAN. 15, 2014 • WATERMARKONLINE.COM

YOUR LGBT LIFE.

FITNESS

RESOLUTIONS? THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT

BRITNEY SPEARS

IS SURPRISED SHE’S A GAY ICON

“I’M SORRY.” In his first interview with LGBT press, gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist makes amends

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watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

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DEPARTMENTS 6 // MAIL 10 // ORLANDO NEWS 12 // TAMPA BAY NEWS 15 // NATION & WORLD NEWS 17 // CHARLIE CRIST 29 // ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 33 // COMMUNITY CALENDAR 35 // TAMPA BAY OVERHEARD 37 // ORLANDO OVERHEARD 38 // TAMPA BAY MARKETPLACE 39 // TRANSITIONS 40 // ORLANDO MARKETPLACE 45 // SPORTS

PAGE

First and foremost I am an American athlete and I am proud to live in a country that encourages diversity, openness and tolerance.

—BRIAN BOITANO

ON THE COVER

frankly about LGBT 17 and issues in Florida, and

Preview

Photo by Jake Stevens

ORLANDO NEWS

PAGE Charlie Crist talks openly

apologizes for supporting the ban on same-sex marriage here when he ran for governor last time.

PAGE

BRITNEY, BITCH:

Britney Spears is back—this time with a new album and a new stage show in Las Vegas. She talks to us about her new music and the inspiration she gets from her gay fans.

WATERMARK ISSUE 21.01 //J AN. 2 - J AN. 15, 2014

TAMPA BAY NEWS

FITNESS

SPORTS Calorie s to bu rn:

500

Read it online!

SCAN QR CODE FOR

WATERMARKONLINE.COM

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

Answ er challe the nge? NO

PAGE Lake County Schools faces

another challenge by the ACLU with a new student wanting a GSA; Orlando’s Randy Ross helps a woman reclaim her home, and it’s just one of many projects he’s working on.

PAGE Mayor Rick Kriseman tapped

Bob Devin Jones to emcee his swearing-in ceremony—a first for St. Pete; Rice, Kornell and Foster are ready to tackle St. Pete’s issues; Metro Tampa Bay eyes fundraising goals.

YES

PAGE It’s a brand new year,

which means there are new resolutions waiting for all of us. We research and recommend the best apps for your mobile devices to keep you organized, motivated and focused in 2014.

PAGE An anti-gay slur from

State’s coach Greg 53 Colorado Lupfer two days before

Christmas has landed him on two weeks off with no pay; Brian Boitano joins Barack Obama’s delegation of out athletes headed to Sochi in February.

GET YOUR ORGANIZATION’S EVENTS INCLUDED IN OUR COMMUNITY CALENDAR BY SUBMITTING THEM AT WATERMARKONLINE.COM. JAN. 2 - JAN. 15, 2014 // ISSUE 21.01

watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR “The alphabetized list had me laughing and thinking back fondly on the year that was 2013.” —CLAUDIA RICHARDS

A REMARKABLE TRIO

ONE WEEK ONLY!

HAT AN EXCITING WAY TO END THE YEAR, and kudos to Watermark for recognizing St. Petersburg’s three, out city council members! The (Tampa Bay) cover of the last Watermark [Issue 20.26] was a musthave for those of us living in Tampa Bay. While Steve Kornell has been a great spokesperson for the LGBT community in St. Petersburg since his election, having two more out public servants in Darden Rice and Amy Foster will make for an exciting 2014 in our city. The fact that all three ran on platforms unrelated to their sexuality also says a lot about each individual, and the voters who selected them for their jobs. It truly is “remarkable” that we have this trio steering the future of St. Petersburg. They— and the progressive straight allies we have on the council and our new mayor, Rick

Kriseman—will truly make St. Petersburg an LGBT oasis. Happy New Year, indeed! TREVOR ARKIN ST. PETERSBURG

A FUN LOOK BACK

HILE WAITING FOR A FRIEND TO JOIN ME FOR A DRINK IN ORLANDO, I picked up the latest issue of Watermark and checked out the “Pop Culture: Gay to Z” piece. I have to admit, the headline grabbed my attention, and the alphabetized list had me laughing and thinking back fondly on the year that was 2013. By the time my friend joined me, I had read the entire article and encouraged her to check it out. We were both laughing. The article was by no means deep, but of course, it was about pop culture. So it did exactly what it was supposed to do over the holidays—entertain. Thanks to your writer Kirk Hartlage for the laughs. Here’s hoping 2014 is just

as entertaining. CLAUDIA RICHARDS ORLANDO

OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM IS STANDING UP

CROSS THE COUNTRY, our judicial system is standing up for the fundamental equality guaranteed to LGBT people by the United States Constitution. In Utah the images of happy couples making lifelong commitments show that marriage equality is about allowing every person to experience the joys of this cherished institution. In Ohio, we see the promise realized that soon no government can stand in the way of the bonds forged in sickness and health. In the midst of this holiday season we share in the joy experienced by those �inally grasping the freedom and equality they deserve. CHAD GRIFFIN HRC PRESIDENT

PEOPLE ARE TALKING AT WATERMARKONLINE.COM

I AM DIVINE SAT 1/4, MON 1/6, & THURS 1/9 AT 9:30PM “An affectionate, even triumphant bio of Waters’ immortal leading ‘lady.’ It’s laugh-out-loud funny, eminently quotable, and genuinely moving.” STEVE SCHNEIDER, ORLANDO WEEKLY

THE PUNK SINGER FRI 1/3, SUN 1/5, & WED 1/8 AT 9:30PM “Where are the Riot-Grrrls of today? Take your daughters to the movie, then ask them. An affectionately spiky documentary.” TY BURR, BOSTON GLOBE

SEE IT ONLY AT

FOR TICKETS & MORE INFO, VISIT ENZIAN.ORG

ON THE LAKE COUNTY SCHOOLS BEING SUED AGAIN FOR REFUSING TO ALLOW A STUDENT TO FORM A GSA: “When will the good people of Lake County get tired of the school board wasting money on suits like this that they can only lose again?” —MERRY HEADMAN

ON THE STATEWIDE DOMESTIC PARTNER REGISTRY BILL: “Baby steps, but we are starting to make some headway.” —THE BROKEN TUSK “That would save months of work for those cities and counties who do not have it yet......just makes sense....” —CINDY BARNES

watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

JAN. 2 - JAN. 15, 2014 // ISSUE 21.01

watermarkonline.com

ON WATERMARK’S PICKS FOR THE MOST REMARKABLE PEOPLE OF 2013: “Watermark, thank you so much for all the coverage and caring!!! Y’all are aces!!!!” —JOSEPH PARRA

editor’s

Steve Blanchard EDITOR

SteveB@WatermarkOnline.com

Desk

HY DOES THE LGBT COMMUNITY

insist on making martyrs out of marginally popular, yet very loud, folks who just happen to show up on the television. But that seems to be our tactic each time a celebrity, and I use that term very loosely, decides to voice an opinion that highlights their ignorance or bigotry. I’m speaking, of course, of the Duck Dynasty controversy that closed out 2013 and interfered with holiday greetings on social network sites. The hoopla surrounding the television show is almost as ridiculous as the phrase “Duck Dynasty controversy.” Yet, here we are, helping the far-right create a martyr of Phil Robertson, whom many of us never heard of before he voiced his confusion over why a gay man would prefer a “man’s anus” over a vagina during

WATERMARK STAFF

an interview with GQ. What should have been a laughable quote supported by a few humorous memes on Facebook blew up on social media and mainstream news networks when the A&E Channel temporarily suspended the patriarch of the “reality” television show family because of our outrage. Suddenly, Bible quotes were �lung by cable news show hosts and politicians, and debates over what the First Amendment truly means by

Publisher: Tom Dyer • Ext. 305 • Tom@WatermarkOnline.com Chief Financial Officer: Rick Claggett • Ext. 108 • Rick@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

“freedom of speech” were the subject of Sunday morning debate shows and Twitter accounts around the country. Many hoping for the failure of the show were gleeful that the reality of the “reality show” appeared to be staged, based on old photos of the family. Others were happy to broadcast that such a conservative, religious family could �ind such success on television and applauded his willingness to voice a not-so-popular opinion about homosexuals. Has anyone stepped back and looked at the ridiculousness of all of this? Think about it. This hype surrounds a Louisiana family that makes duck calls. Duck calls! Really? We’ve also learned that he’s been anti-gay for a while—and we acted shocked! Was Robertson’s statement disrespectful? Absolutely. Is he incorrect? It depends. As a gay man, the “man’s anus” vs. “vagina” argument skews a different way for me. But that doesn’t make me a bigot for not liking what a straight man likes. Or does it? Is this interview worth us shouting charges of bigotry and outrage on a global scale and waging war against the conservative right? Absolutely not! Suddenly, an entertaining, eccentric family—at least that’s what I’ve been told, I’ve never seen

the show—are the poster children for “Christian values” and anti-gay policy and law makers. Signs on front yards sprouted up to declare “I stand with Phil Robertson” next to “Merry Christmas” greetings. Photos of those signs showed up in the pages of newspapers and petitions showing that same support were mailed to the television network that produces the show. There is even a “I stand with Chick-Phil-A day” scheduled, which reaches back to the Chick-Fil-A controversy of 2012 when that fastfood chain’s CEO tweeted about his dislike of marriage equality. We are a nation that is highly in�luenced by television. I’ll give you that. Kids mimic what they see on television, and acceptance and tolerance is something most families would want to teach their children. But networks have a right to broadcast what they want as long as the audience buys the products advertised during its showing. Those who don’t like a show—or a cast member of that show—have every right to change the station or delete the program from the DVR. It’s really not that complicated. Yet, instead of simply identifying an interview with a television star as an offensive piece of journalism, we pick up our torches and pitchforks and begin a witch hunt in the name of equality. There truly are better ways for us to exercise our resources. Let’s stay focused on marching forward for the rights of LGBTs in 2014 rather than single out the stupidity of one marginal television star. After all, our reactions to the recorded beliefs of one person are just as in�luential as the quotes themselves. |  |

The hoopla surrounding the television show is almost as ridiculous as the phrase, ‘Duck Dynasty controversy.’

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CONTRIBUTORS ABBY DEES

is a civil rights attorney-turnedauthor who has been in the LGBT rights trenches for 25-plus years. She lives in Los Angeles and Nashville. Page 21

CHRIS AZZOPARDI

is the editor of Q Syndicate, the international LGBT wire service and has interviewed a wide range of celebrities, including Cher and Lady Gaga. He lives in Canton, Mich., and can be reached via his website at Chris-Azzopardi.com. Page 29

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 MARK BIAS & CARRIE WEST

own MC Film Festival in Ybor City and write “Dishing with Mark and Carrie.” They are constantly roaming Tampa with their cameras in tow. Page 46

Nick Cardello, Angie Folks, Tom Eckert, Julie Milford, Travis Moore, Chris Stephenson, Lee Vandergrift, Tinkerfluff, Lonnie Thompson

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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JAN. 2 - JAN. 15, 2014 // ISSUE 21.01

watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

orlando NEWS

HOME SWEET HOME: Randy Ross sits with Elizabeth Smith in her Carver Shores home Dec. 22 after it was renovated. PHOTO BY SUSAN CLARY

Gay activist gives 96-yearold woman the gift of home Susan Clary

RLANDO | They couldn’t be more different— the 96-year-old African American woman who loves sitting home, chewing tobacco and watching soap operas and the 48-year-old openly gay activist, who dotes on his beagles and loves working in his yard. Yet, Elizabeth Smith and Randy Ross sit together on a brand new couch in her renovated Carver Shores home smiling and laughing just before Christmas. Ross led the project, which he called “24 Hours for Mrs. Smith,” to raise money and donations for Smith, who lives on $500 a month. A friend called Ross when she heard the roof was leaking on Smith’s dilapidated house. The home, where Smith has lived since 1950, was so full of termites, the bathtub had fallen through the �loor. Ross said Smith had been bathing in a sink for more than a year. “It had a blue tarp her church had put over the top,” Ross said. “It had holes in the ceiling, holes in the �loor and all her furniture had been eaten by termites.” Ross began making calls to secure donations. Appliance Direct donated all the appliances, Truly Nolan Pest Control donated fumigation, Rhyne Restorantion donated roo�ing and Trinity Surfaces donated tiles and carpeting. Ross and other volunteers also secured donations of wood, paint and drywall along with a central heat and air and appliances. Two black sororities at the University of Central Florida, Alpha Kappa Alpha and Delta Sigma Theta, donated furniture and decorations for the bedroom. Soon, workers were there tearing it apart. Continued on page 10 |  |

watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

ROUND 2: Carver Middle School is once again the battleground for students fighting to create a Gay Straight Alliance. PHOTO BY JAKE STEVENS

Filing suit, again ACLU �iles lawsuit for GSA at Carver Middle School for second time Jamie Hyman

EESBURG | There is more legal wrangling over a Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) in Lake County Schools. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has �iled a lawsuit on behalf of Hannah Faughnan, 12, a seventh-grader who is attempting to form a GSA at Carver Middle School. Faughnan is representing a group of students who want to create the GSA. This is the second lawsuit the ACLU has �iled against the Lake County School Board in 2013. Last time, the ACLU was representing openly bisexual Bayli Silberstein, who at the time was a 14-year-old 8th grader at Carver Middle School. School of�icials simply ignored her request for a GSA until the ACLU got involved and the media began covering the story. After months of legal wrangling and school board meeting debates, a judge granted Silberstein permission to form the club for the remainder of her 8th

JAN. 2 - JAN. 15, 2014 // ISSUE 21.01

grade year, which ended in the summer of 2013. That settlement has expired, Bayli has moved onto high school and now, the GSA no longer meets at Carver Middle School. While the club was active, the members elected Faughnan vice president. According to the ACLU, Faughnan and her friends have

ideas to help make things better for everyone this school year. It’s frustrating that we haven’t been able to do anything yet, especially because other clubs have already been meeting but we have not been allowed to meet.” The district’s new club rules required all school clubs to reapply, and the GSA did so in October. The ACLU followed up Dec. 5, and report that the district attorney said the superintendent denied the GSA application, stating that it does not represent an extension of school curriculum. However, according to the ACLU, other non-curriculum clubs have been approved across the district. “It seems there’s nothing the school board won’t do to keep the students at Carver Middle School from their legally-protected right to start a GSA and �ight bullying and discrimination at their school,” said Daniel Tilley, staff attorney for the ACLU of Florida, in a media release. “It’s clear that the school

“They’re being subjected to a more sophisticated kind of bullying from the officials who should be protecting them.” —DANIEL TILLEY

tried to reorganize the GSA under the school club rules eventually approved by the school board, but they’ve run into administrative roadblocks similar to last time. “Bullying has been a real problem for a lot of my friends here at Carver,” said Faughnon in a media release. “When the GSA got to meet last year, we talked about

watermarkonline.com

Continued on page 10 |  |

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watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

orlando NEWS

|  | Gift of Home from pg.8

“We knew it was going to take about 3 months to put the house together and we did delay the [24 Hours for Mrs. Smith] event several times,” Ross said. “We knew we needed time to load everything in. The goal was to have �loors, painting, drywall ready for that day.” Smith moved out temporarily, staying with a relative down the street for about three months. “She literally lived half a mile from the house and never saw it until the day we brought her home,” Ross said. Just before Christmas, she returned to a brand new home full of beautiful things and complete with a decorated Christmas tree. “It’s the nicest gift I could have received,” said Smith, who raised four children in the house and worked cleaning downtown of�ice buildings until she retired. “It’s really about not sitting around and waiting

for things to happen. We desperately need to take ownership,” Ross said. “People sit around and say they want to do something. To me, what separates me from other people is that I ask how can we make it happen?” Ross has made it his goal to �ind projects that help people in need. “I know I am not the only LGBT person working hard in this community,” Ross said. “But as long as I am here, I am going to spend my time building bridges.” In the coming months, Ross will have his hands full. In November, he was hired by the Orlando Museum of Art to help create and lead the events for its 90th Anniversary in 2014. Plans are coming together for a January kickoff, “Picture Yourself in Art,” traveling photo event, prominent artist exhibits and a 2015 New Year’s Eve Party, a �irst for the museum. In 2016, Ross said he wants to run for a seat on the Orlando City Council. |  |

|  | ACLU Sues for GSA from pg.8

board’s new club policy was just the latest tool to try to stop these students. What’s most disappointing is that as these kids are facing bullying in the classrooms, they’re being subjected to a more sophisticated kind of bullying from the of�icials who should be protecting them.” Tilley said the school board’s response to what these kids are doing is the perfect example of why a GSA is so important. “I’m proud of what Hannah and her friends are doing to make things better at Carver,” said Janine Faughnan, Hannah’s mother. “This is a group of kids dedicated to working together to make their school a better place. I don’t understand why the school administrators, who are supposed to be supporting things to keep our kids safe, won’t let them do that.” Read the complaint �iled by the ACLU in the United States District Court, Middle District, at WatermarkOnline.com |  |

Qiew set to return Jan.4 with Rev. Schaefer as guest Staff Report

RLANDO | Come Jan 4, Orlando residents will once again get a chance to listen to The Qiew, the popular LGBT-centered show on AM 810. The weekend show will resume broadcasting each Saturday at 1 p.m. with hosts Randy Stephens and Paul Karle. The show’s �irst guest will be Frank Schaefer, a United Methodist pastor who was defrocked after of�iciating his son’s wedding to his male partner. Schaefer made national headlines when he lost his position and was invited by a California Methodist bishop to serve in her region, indicating another sign of a split in the nation’s largest mainline Protestant denomination. According to the Associated Press, Carcano does not have the authority to restore Schaefer’s

Rev. Frank Schaefer

ministerial credentials but she said he would have most of the same rights and responsibilities as an ordained minister. Schaefer said it would not be a tenured appointment, unlike ordained ministers, and he would be paid less. Schaefer has four children, three of whom are gay, and will discuss his future plans in the church during the show on Jan. 4. The Qiew is also broadcast online at 810CBSSportsRadio.com. |  |

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watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

tampa bay

MAYORAL MC: Local theater veteran Bob Devin Jones will

NEWS

serve as emcee to Mayor Rick Kriseman’s swearing in ceremony at City Hall on Jan. 2. PHOTO COURTESY STUDIO@620

Jones tapped to emcee Kriseman ceremony Steve Blanchard

or years, Bob Devin Jones as nurtured and cultivated the arts—�irst in Los Angeles and Oregon before landing at American’ Stage’s Shakespeare in the Park and then founding the Studio@620. But now the out theater veteran can add another title to his resume—that of Emcee of St. Petersburg’s Mayoral Swearing-in Ceremony. Incoming St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman asked Jones to serve as master of ceremonies on the steps of City Hall on Jan. 2. The celebration, which Kriseman said only cost the city about $150, marks the �irst time a challenger has defeated an incumbent mayor of the city in nearly three decades. Kriseman easily won November’s election over Mayor Bill Foster by more than �ive percentage points. The swearing-in was scheduled to begin at 12:45 p.m., rain or shine and will be the �irst swearing in of its kind for the city. Typically new mayors take the oath of of�ice inside council chambers. That’s exactly how new council members Amy Foster and Darden Rice—and re-elected council members Karl Nurse and Steve Kornell—will begin 2014. A quieter, indoor ceremony scheduled for noon. And the council seems eager to get to work. We asked Foster, Rice and Kornell, all of whom are members of the LGBT community, what city business they hope to tackle �irst in 2014. “I don’t think we have the luxury to focus on one issue at a time,” Foster told Watermark. “There are many important issues facing the city, but I will stay focused on the things I talked about in my campaign—safer neighborhoods, creating jobs and preparing our next generation of leaders.” Rice said she’s ready to get St. Petersburg caught up with recycling, which is an issue she’s worked Continued on page 14 |  |

watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

A WELCOME THANKS: Larry Biddle, in red, welcomes guests to the HoHoHo party at Gay St. Pete Guest House, which benefited the new LGBT Youth/Welcome Center project created by Metro Wellness and Community Centers. PHOTO BY STEVE BLANCHARD

On track but battling time Less than a month remains for Metro’s LGBT Youth/Welcome center to reach its �inancial goal Steve Blanchard

T. PETERSBURG | With less than 30 days remaining, Metro Wellness and Community Centers has raised 30% of its monetary goal to help open a new LGBT Youth and Welcome center in St. Petersburg. And while that �igure may sound far from spectacular, director of center development Larry Biddle said that fundraising is on track. “Our goal for the �irst of April is a total of $157,000 to complete the renovations of

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the LGBT Welcome Center in St. Petersburg’s Grand Central District,” Biddle said. “We’re getting there, but we still have a ways to go.” The organization announced plans to open its LGBT Welcome Center, which will also cater to LGBT youth in Tampa Bay, in November, and launched a fundraising campaign on IndieGoGo.com. Through that site, and a holiday party hosted by Gay St. Pete House’s Brian Longstreth, Metro has raised nearly $9,000. The party itself raised more than $6,000, surpassing the goal of $5,000. Nearly 100 people passed

watermarkonline.com

through the fundraising party on Dec. 19, and all were encouraged to not only give that night, but to ask friends and family to donate through the website. All funds raised through the site, up to $30,000, will be matched by an anonymous donor, Biddle said. “We’re only the third welcome center of this kind in the country,” Biddle said when the plans were unveiled. “We’re learning a lot from the facility in Miami, and we’ll provide resources all in one location.” The other cities boasting a welcome center for LGBTs are Miami and Seattle. The St. Petersburg location is within a historic home that was physically moved one block on Central Avenue last August. The building’s new address is next to the Metro Wellness and Community Center Thrift

Continued on page 14 |  |

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watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

tampa bay NEWS 14

|  | Welcome/LGBT Youth |  | Bob Devin Jones from pg.12 on for years and has addressed with previous council members. “I also want to eliminate the fees citizens are charged when making payments on the city website,” Rice said. “I’d also be interested to explore the idea of a municipal ID card that allows kids age 5-17 to get into recreation centers, pools and museums for free. I am also a strong supporter of the Greenlight Pinellas referendum to invest in our transportation future to achieve better bus service and light rail to connect our communities.» Kornell, the veteran of the three, said he is ready to make St. Petersburg even more recognizable as a friendly city to LGBTs—whether they live here or vacation here. “I have set a goal to push St. Petersburg to score a perfect 100 on the Municipal Equality Index done by the Human Rights Campaign,” Kornell said. “My goal is to have an entire package of ordinances and policies that can be voted on at once, and to have these ready to go by June. That would be a great way for us to kick off Pride month. I am also asking for a discussion of Sea Level Rise, which will happen early in the new year.” Both the city council ceremony and the Mayoral swearing in ceremony will be at City Hall on 175 5th St. N. and are free and open to the public. Over�low parking may use the area near the Coliseum if necessary. |  |

watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

Center from pg.12

Store at 2235 Central Ave., in the Grand Central District of St. Petersburg. Biddle said that nearly 40% of homeless youth are LGBT. By creating this new Welcome Center, youth will have a place to gather and �ind resources, rather than going to an of�icetype building, which can be intimidating. “The key is to keep these kids entertained, off the streets and receptive to the programs we have,” explained Adam Jahr, who handles LGBT programming. “This is a welcoming space where these kids can come, feel comfortable and be with others in their similar situation.” Among its services, the new facility will also serve coffee and pastries, thanks to a partnership with Kawha Coffee in downtown St. Petersburg. With the exception of a small of�ice space in the back of the home, all of the 1,135-square-foot building will be used for the cafe and meeting space. “Even if I wasn’t involved with

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Metro,” Jahr said, “I would want my neighborhood to have an LGBT cafe. I think the support will be there.” And Biddle is hopeful that the local community of the Grand Central District and Historic Kenwood will take part in the success of the Welcome Center. The building will also serve as a home for travel resources for visitors. “We’re basing this on what they did in Miami,” Biddle explained. “There, they would

order to support the parts of the community which support LGBT causes. “I’ve had a couple of businesses already say they’re excited about this because they want to make sure they’re gay friendly,” Biddle laughed. “It’s great for advertising.” Longstreth took a moment to address the crowd during the Ho3 party and encouraged those attending to dig deep for a worthy cause. “There’s nothing like this in Tampa Bay,” he said. “It’s another milestone that will make our city an even stronger supporter of the LGBT community. There is a lot of work to be done to the structure before it can open in on its June 2014 target date. New �loors, windows and paint are just a few necessities needed for it to become fully operational. In all, it will need an estimated $160,000 to open its doors and lots of sweat equity from volunteers to make it habitable. Donations can be made at IGG. me/at/LGBTWelcomeCenter through Jan. 20. |  |

“We’re getting there, but we still have a ways to go.” —LARRY BIDDLE issue stickers, or plaques to note what businesses are LGBTfriendly. We could do something similar here. We’ll also provide international visitors—and locals—the opportunity to build their own itineraries based on the resources we’ve gathered.” While the Welcome Center won’t be a travel agency, it will let those interested in experiencing LGBT Tampa Bay customize a visit in

watermarkonline.com

IN OTHER NEWS KATE HUNT RELEASED FROM JAIL

Staff report

the Florida Senate Committee on Children, Families and Elder Affairs by a 5 to 4 vote in April, but died in the Judiciary Committee in May. The bill would grant registered domestic partners a number of rights and protections, including end-of-life decisions, medical care, funeral arrangements and childcare. According to the bill, fees collected from domestic partner registrations will be used to create a domestic violence trust fund. |  |

occasions within weeks of the lower court’s ruling granting marriage equality to same-sex couples. Utah’s last chance to temporarily stop the marriages would be a longshot request before U.S. Supreme Court. That’s what the Utah attorney general’s of�ice is prepared to do, spokesman Ryan Bruckman said. Gov. Gary Herbert’s of�ice declined to comment on the decision. Judge Robert J. Shelby’s Dec. 20 decision to strike down a 2004 voter-approved same-sex marriage ban as unconstitutional sent couples rushing to county clerk of�ices to get marriage licenses. In the week following the decision, the number of weddings in the state skyrocketed,

shattering records and accruing thousands of dollars for Utah’s 29 counties. More than 900 lesbian and gay couples have obtained licenses, with most of the activity in Salt Lake City. Following the appeals court decision, four Utah county clerks who had refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples began offering licenses to all eligible applicants. The Utah attorney general’s of�ice warned counties they could be held in contempt of federal court if they refused to comply. Utah the 18th state where gay couples can wed or will soon be able to marry. |  |

Charlene Webb said Clerk Donna Carpenter and Deputy Clerk Janet Collins announced their resignations Dec. 20. Although Webb declined to say why they quit, county commissioners con�irmed it was in protest of the high court’s Dec. 19 ruling that says it’s unconstitutional to bar same-sex couples from getting marriage licenses.

Commissioner Bill Cathey says the two had made it clear they would quit “rather than be associated with that.’’ Of�icials are planning a media blitz and gay and lesbian wedding expos in hopes of selling New Mexico as a wedding destination for same-sex couples. |  |

it “the worst in the world.’’ The legislationssets life imprisonment as the penalty for gay sex involving an HIV-infected person, acts with minors and the disabled, as well as repeated sex offenses among consenting adults, according to the of�ice of a spokeswoman for Uganda’s parliament.

The bill also prescribes a sevenyear jail term for a person who “conducts a marriage ceremony’’ for same-sex couples. When the bill was �irst introduced in 2009, it was widely condemned for including the death penalty, but that was removed from the revised version passed by parliament. |  |

Another court defeat for Utah on same-sex marriage Wire Report SALT LAKE CITY | A federal appeals court on Dec. 24 refused yet again to stop same-sex marriage in Utah, making it more likely that lesbian and gay weddings in the home of the Mormon church are here to stay for the immediate future. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ rejection of Utah’s request for an emergency order to put samesex marriage on hold marked yet another legal setback for the state. Utah lawyers have repeatedly struck out in their bid to block same-sex marriage, getting rejected on four

New Mexico clerk quits, businesses celebrate marriage equality Wire Report ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. | A rural eastern New Mexico county clerk and her deputy have resigned rather than abide by a state Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage. Roosevelt County manager

Uganda passes tough new bill against homosexuality Wire Report KAMPALA, UGANDA | Ugandan lawmakers on Dec. 20 passed an anti-gay bill that calls for life imprisonment for certain homosexual acts, drawing criticism from rights campaigners who called

The 19-year-old woman at the center of a lesbian, underage sex case was released from jail at 1 a.m. Dec. 20. Hunt was arrested in February on sexual battery charges for having sex with a 14-year-old schoolmate. The remainder of her sentence is 3 years of probation, 2 of which are on house arrest.

BOY SCOUTS OPEN RANKS TO GAY YOUTH The Boy Scouts of America began accepting openly gay youths starting on New Year’s Day, a historic change that has prompted the BSA to ponder a host of potential complications—ranging from policies on tent mates and showers to whether Scouts can march in gay pride parades. Some churches have dropped their sponsorship of Scout units because of the new policy and some families are switching to a new conservative alternative called Trail Life USA.

1,530 SAME-SEX MARRIAGES RECORDED IN MAINE More than 1,500 same-sex couples have married in Maine since it became legal on Dec. 29, 2012, which along with Maryland and Washington became the first states to approve same-sex marriage by popular vote on Nov. 6, 2012. According to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, 9,524 couples have been married in that period, with same-sex couples accounting for about 16% of the total.

U.K. FINALLY PARDONS COMPUTER PIONEER ALAN TURING The British government and Queen Elizabeth II on Dec. 24 granted a posthumous pardon to one of its most famous sons, Alan Turing, for a gay sex conviction which tarnished the brilliant career of the code breaker credited with helping win the war against Nazi Germany and laying the foundation for the computer age. Turing was prosecuted in 1952 for the offense of “gross indecency’’ stemming from his relationship with a man and forced to take estrogen to neutralize his sex drive.

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ALLAHASSEE | State Rep. Linda Stewart (D-Orlando) has �iled HB 439, which approved, would create a domestic partner registry for the state of Florida. The Florida Families Act “authorizes clerk of circuit court to collect �iling fee for domestic partner registrations; establishes

requirements for domestic partnership; provides that act does not preempt authority of county or municipality to enact domestic partnership ordinance unless in con�lict with act,” according to the text of the bill. It was �iled Dec. 18 and is cosponsored by Janet Cruz (D-Tampa) and Joe Saunders (D-Orlando). A similar bill was �iled in January of 2013 by Sen. Eleanor Sobel (D-Hollywood), and cleared

NEWS

Florida domestic partner registry bill filed

ISU RESEARCHER RESIGNS AFTER FALSIFIED EXPERIMENTS Iowa State University says an assistant professor has resigned after admitting he faked research to make it appear an AIDS vaccine under development was working better than expected. An Iowa State spokesman confirmed Dec. 23 that Dong-Pyou Han resigned in October after admitting he had manipulated blood samples to make it appear a vaccine was spurring animals to build defenses against HIV. The falsified results prompted more funding for the vaccine effort.

INDIA GOVERNMENT ASKS COURT TO REVIEW ANTI-GAY LAW India’s government asked the Supreme Court on Dec. 20 to review a decision in which it upheld a colonialera law that bans homosexual acts and makes them punishable by up to a decade in prison. The law, dating back to the 1860s, states that ``whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal’’ can be punished by up to 10 years in prison.

JAN. 2 - JAN. 15, 2014 // ISSUE 21.01

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JAN. 2 - JAN. 15, 2014 // ISSUE 21.01

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CHARLIE CHAT:

Charlie Crist sat down with Watermark publisher Tom Dyer for an exclusive interview after speaking with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades in south Orlando.

COVER STORY

PHOTO BY JAKE STEVENS

CHARLIE UNCHAINED In his first-ever interview with the LGBT press, Charlie Crist explains why he switched parties, supports same-sex marriage, and wants to be governor again.

Tom Dyer

RLANDO | A UNION HALL WAS AN UNLIKELY

venue for Charlie Crist’s �irst interview with the LGBT press. But the former Republican governor, now Democratic candidate for the same of�ice, has a busy schedule these days. After meeting with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades on Saturday, Dec. 14, he made himself available for an exclusive conversation.

To the union members, Crist described his ambitious agenda if elected: creating jobs, boosting education, protecting the environment, expanding health care and voting rights, and even resurrecting high speed rail. And he acknowledged the tough race ahead against Republican incumbent multi-millionaire Rick Scott. “I’m running against a $100 million meat-grinder,” Crist told them. “I need more than your support, I need your commitment.”

Some Democrats see Crist as an unwanted, undeserving interloper. His announcement all but extinguished the candidacy of South Florida’s Nan Rich, an experienced former Senate Minority Leader with liberal bona �ides. But many have cheered his arrival, seeing a real chance to regain the governor’s mansion for the �irst time in �ifteen years. Despite a confounding run for U.S. Senate in 2010, �irst as a Republican and then as an Independent,

recent polls show that Floridians still like Charlie. He currently leads Scott by anywhere from four to 14 points, and even popular U.S. Senator Bill Nelson by 13 points in a matchup of Democrats. It was easy to see why at the union hall. Crist likes people and enjoys campaigning. He connected with many in the audience—remembering not only their names but those of their spouses and mothers—with a Clintonlike charisma that is both powerful and persuasive. He left with a check and a standing ovation. But the LGBT community poses special challenges. Crist recently endorsed same-sex marriage rights and all the other components of full equality. But when the Amendment 2 constitutional ban on same-sex marriage appeared on the 2008 ballot, Crist announced his support just weeks before the election. It passed by less than two percentage points, and many gays and lesbians blame their former governor. As JAN. 2 - JAN. 15, 2014 // ISSUE 21.01

recently as 2010, while running for U.S. Senate, he told CNN he believed marriage should be between a man and a woman. I asked him about that and more during an hour-long interview. A skeptic, I was surprised and even a little disarmed by his candor. I can’t wait to �ind out if you were, too.

WATERMARK: I’VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS DIALOGUE. MANY MEMBERS OF THE LGBT COMMUNITY ARE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT YOUR CANDIDACY, BUT JUST AS MANY ARE SKEPTICAL AND SOME ARE EVEN HOSTILE. I WANT TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS HEAD ON. CHARLIE CRIST: Thank you for the opportunity.

SPEAKING TO UNION MEMBERS JUST NOW, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VOTERS WHO SUPPORT YOU, AND THOSE WHO ARE COMMITTED Continued on page 18 |  |

watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

|  | Charlie Crist from pg.17

TO YOUR CANDIDACY. ALMOST EVERYONE I KNOW IS EXCITED ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF REMOVING RICK SCOTT FROM OFFICE AND ELECTING A DEMOCRAT AS GOVERNOR. YOU’LL GET THEIR VOTE FOR THAT REASON. HOW IMPORTANT IS IT—TO YOU—TO ARTICULATE A VISION THAT WILL ENERGIZE THEM; THAT WILL GET THEM COMMITTED TO YOUR CAMPAIGN.

Extremely important. Florida has �ive or six hundred thousand more registered Democrats than Republicans. That’s wonderful... truly, it is a blessing. But it won’t do us any good if they don’t vote. And that’s been the problem. You can’t just ask people to vote for you. You have to explain why people should want to vote for you. And in my view, they have to understand: that if they’re voting for me, they’re really voting for themselves. This is a campaign for the people of Florida to get somebody back in that of�ice of authority—the governor’s of�ice— that really does care about them. It’s extremely important... that you not only energize the base, but also Independents and moderate Republicans... reasonable people all over the state who care about ethics, who care about the environment, who care deeply and passionately about public education, who care about the economy, which I think is directly linked to education... minority rights, gay rights... all of those things. BUT THERE ARE SOME HURDLES FOR YOU IN TERMS OF GENERATING ENTHUSIASM. YOU WERE THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR, AND IN 2010 YOU CHOSE NOT TO RUN FOR RE-ELECTION EVEN THOUGH YOU WERE THE ODDS-ON FAVORITE TO WIN A SECOND TERM.

Well, I did run in 2010. I ran for the Senate... for Florida. Hear me. I know where you’re going, and you deserve an answer. Why didn’t I run for re-election? Because the thing I’m most proud of in my one term as governor is that we changed the tone in Tallahassee. It truly became bipartisan. Honestly... it was miraculous. And we were able to do so many things for the people. To give you just two quick examples, we reduced their property taxes and we made sure that utility companies would treat them fairly. And we all worked together to do that... Republicans, Democrats and Independents.

I also saw what was happening in Washington, D.C., and how dif�icult it was for our new President to get things done. And I thought, well, we’ve done some good things here. I think it might be a good idea to bring some of that bipartisan spirit to Washington and help my President, my state and my country. So I ran for the Senate. Not from Alabama. I ran for the Senate… for Florida. I never left, and I didn’t not run. I just didn’t win.

THAT LEADS TO ANOTHER HURDLE. WHEN YOU INITIALLY RAN FOR SENATE YOU WERE STILL A REPUBLICAN. THEN DURING THE CAMPAIGN YOU LEFT THE PARTY AND BECAME AN INDEPENDENT. AND NOW, JUST FOUR YEARS LATER, YOU’RE A DEMOCRAT.

Thank god.

I vetoed a bill that would have shortchanged women in their ability to make their own decisions. And I vetoed a bill that would have punished public school teachers. I did those things—as a Republican— to remain true to my core, and to the values and principles that my mother and father instilled in me. I haven’t changed. I’ve stayed the same. The Republican Party, on the other hand, went nuts. I’m not there anymore, and I’ve never felt more comfortable, politically, then I do now as a Democrat. I wrote a book about all this; it comes out in February. The title is The Party’s Over... and I’m not talking about Democrats. YOU TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE ARE MORE DEMOCRATS THAN

THOUGH REPUBLICANS WILL STILL BE IN THE MAJORITY, IT WILL CREATE ROOM FOR MODERATE REPUBLICANS TO ASSERT THEMSELVES. ANY THOUGHTS ON HIS ANALYSIS?

I think he’s right, and it dovetails on what we’ve been talking about. Joe’s a brilliant young man. I love the guy... very impressive. He’s got an incredible future ahead of him that I’ll enjoy watching. And he’s right. In this business you have to have the ability to look over the horizon a little bit... kind of feel and sense what’s coming, and be prepared for it. I think Joe’s spot on. I think we’re going to elect a Democratic governor. We have the opportunity to elect a Democratic Attorney General. And I believe we’ll elect more Democrats in both the Florida House and Senate. I really do.

The examples you cited were examples of me trying to be a good Republican. I couldn’t do it anymore, and I’m sorry I did. I made a mistake. —GOV. CHARLIE CRIST

BUT NOW HERE YOU ARE. IN ADDITION TO CONVINCING A MAJORITY OF VOTERS THAT YOU’RE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THEIR BELIEFS, YOU HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO THEM HOW YOU COULD MAINTAIN THOSE BELIEFS WHILE SWITCHING PARTIES TWICE IN FOUR YEARS. FROM A DISTANCE THOSE CHANGES APPEAR MORE OPPORTUNISTIC THAN IDEOLOGICAL.

It was about being honest, and being truthful to myself and my soul. I’ve always believed that it’s important to treat people decently, to be kind to other people, to have compassion for those who may be suffering. And I found myself in a party that was doing less and less of that, and even discriminating against people. I’m talking about the leadership... there are still many, many good Republicans. Jeb Bush even acknowledged it. The Republican leadership is now perceived as being anti-women, anti-gay, anti-minority, anti-environment, anti-public education. With that many antis, the room empties out. I didn’t want to be in that room anymore, and I’m delighted to be where I am. As a Republican governor,

watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

REPUBLICANS IN FLORIDA, AND ALMOST AS MANY INDEPENDENTS. BUT THE LEGISLATURE REMAINS ALMOST TWO-THIRDS REPUBLICAN, AND DOMINATED MOSTLY BY RIGHT-WING CONSERVATIVES.

Many of them are zealots.

IF ELECTED—AS A DEMOCRAT— HOW WOULD YOU ACCOMPLISH THE AMBITIOUS GOALS YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT IN THE UNION HALL?

I don’t think I’m going to be the only new person elected. I think there’s going to be change in the Florida House and Senate. I think there’s going to be a lot of change in 2014. I’m excited about it. DO YOU KNOW JOE SAUNDERS, THE GAY REPRESENTATIVE FROM ORLANDO?

Of course... wonderful guy. I was with him last night at a holiday party at the Hammered Lamb. AFTER A YEAR IN TALLAHASSEE, HE’S COME TO BELIEVE THAT JUST A HANDFUL MORE DEMOCRATS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE WILL CREATE A SHIFT IN POWER, AND IN WHAT GETS DONE. BECAUSE EVEN

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The �irst conversation I had about this was right after President Obama got re-elected. My dear friend Bob Graham, the former governor and senator, called me and we had a discussion about the fact that this man—this Democrat—had won Florida twice. Most people didn’t see that coming, but I did. Florida’s changing. She’s turning blue. YOU’VE RECENTLY ARTICULATED SUPPORT FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY, ADOPTION RIGHTS, EMPLOYMENT NON-DISCRIMINATION PROTECTIONS... PRETTY MUCH ALL THE ACKNOWLEDGED INGREDIENTS OF FULL LGBT EQUALITY. AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK IT’S LEGITIMATE FOR MEMBERS OF THE LGBT COMMUNITY TO BE SKEPTICAL. WHEN YOU FIRST RAN FOR GOVERNOR IN 2006, YOU SAID THAT A BAN ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE WAS UNNECESSARY, BUT THEN YOU SIGNED A PETITION TO PLACE AMENDMENT 2 [BANNING SAMESEX MARRIAGE] ON THE BALLOT...

...and I’m sorry. I’m sorry I did that. It was a mistake. I was wrong. Please forgive me. I APPRECIATE THAT, BUT I WANT

watermarkonline.com

TO MAKE SURE I SPELL THIS OUT IN FULL. AFTER YOU SIGNED THE PETITION YOU SAID AMENDMENT 2 WASN’T AN ISSUE THAT MOVED YOU, BUT THEN YOU ENDED UP VOTING FOR IT, SAYING YOU BELIEVED IN IT. JUST THREE YEARS AGO, WHEN YOU WERE RUNNING FOR THE SENATE AS A REPUBLICAN, YOU TOLD CNN THAT YOU BELIEVED THAT “MARRIAGE IS A SACRED INSTITUTION BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN.” AND JUST THREE YEARS AGO, WHEN TALKING ABOUT GAY ADOPTION, YOU EXPRESSED A BELIEF THAT TRADITIONAL FAMILIES ARE BEST...

Tom... I’m sorry. I’m sorry.

WELL AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THAT. BUT I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO ADDRESS THIS. WHEN YOU LOOK BACK AT THE CIRCUMSTANCES, ONE COULD COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT YOUR SHIFTS IN OPINION WERE EITHER POLITICALLY EXPEDIENT...

They were. They were. And it was wrong. That’s what I’m telling you. And I’m sorry. ... OR THAT YOU WERE JUST TRYING TO MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY AND HAD NO REAL CONVICTIONS ON THESE MATTERS. I APPRECIATE THE APOLOGY...

I’m not sure you do.

WELL, I’M TRYING. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY I WANT YOU TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THIS IN FULL; TO EXPLAIN WHERE YOU’VE BEEN AND WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW.

I was a Republican. You know why I was a Republican? Because my mom and dad were. I’ve told many people this. It’s the same reason I’m a Methodist. So I grew up as a Republican. I joined the Young Republicans, College Republicans... all that stuff. And as I got older I got interested in politics, and I ran for of�ice as a Republican and I tried to be a good team player. The examples you cited were examples of me trying to be a good Republican. I couldn’t do it anymore, and I’m sorry I did. I made a mistake. I’m not perfect... please don’t hold me to that standard. And I’m sincerely sorry. I understand when it’s necessary to say I was wrong. That‘s the journey I’m on… and I’m still on it. As a Republican, on social issues I always felt I was a round peg in a square hole. I just didn’t �it. But I tried, until I couldn’t do it any more... until I had to say, ‘Enough is enough.’ My mom and dad raised us to love everyone; to be nice to everyone; to be kind to everyone

for as long as you possibly can. So telling women what to do with their bodies, telling people who to love or who to marry... it’s not for me. It’s not for government. It shouldn’t be for anybody. It’s between them and their god. I’ve always really felt that way, and I’m glad I don’t have to pretend anymore. As a Democrat I don’t have to, and that’s why I’m so happy to be home... where I belong. I WANT TO FOLLOW UP, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS WHERE MANY LGBT VOTERS NEED REASSURANCE. YOU’RE A DEMOCRAT NOW. THE POSITIONS YOU NOW HOLD ON LGBT ISSUES ARE THOSE HELD BY MOST DEMOCRATS, AND LIKELY NECESSARY FOR YOU TO HAVE CREDIBILITY WITHIN THE PARTY. CAN YOU CONVINCE US THAT YOUR PRESENT VIEWS AREN’T ONCE AGAIN DRIVEN BY POLITICAL EXPEDIENCY? CAN YOU CONVINCE US THAT THE POSITIONS YOU’VE RECENTLY EXPRESSED ARE HEARTFELT, AND SOMETHING WE CAN COUNT ON IN THE FUTURE?

I just did. There will be doubters, and they have a right to that. But I ask that they have a little faith. YOU’VE SAID THAT YOU WERE INSPIRED BY PRESIDENT OBAMA’S EXPRESSION OF SUPPORT FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE EARLIER THIS YEAR. HOW SO?

The President and I had the same view: we supported civil unions. I saw the interview he did with Robin Roberts last spring [in which he expressed support for same sex marriage]. I’m sure you’ve seen it. It’s powerful, because you can tell he’s speaking from the heart. I can’t speak for the President, but I suspect that to some degree, like me, he felt his support for civil unions was political. And so he’s �inally saying, ‘Enough is enough. I’m over this. I’m not going to play the political angle anymore. I’m tired of it.’ Which is just the way I feel. You get to a point in your life where you say, ‘I’m just going to tell it.’ And here I am... I’m telling it. And I don’t care what anyone thinks. I love everyone. [Laughs.] That probably makes me odd, but I do... until I get a reason not to. I’m one of these people... I think like the President... who wants to give everyone not only a fair shot, but the best shot... the best chance at happiness. Everybody deserves to love who they want to. Everybody deserves to marry who they want to. Even the Pope has said, ‘Who am I to judge.’ I believe, in my heart and in my soul, that we’re entering an age of enlightenment like nothing we’ve

ever seen. It’s happening. And I’m delighted to confront that... it’s wonderful.

WHAT WOULD YOU WOULD DO TO ADVANCE LGBT EQUALITY AS GOVERNOR? REP. LINDA STEWART JUST INTRODUCED A BILL TO CREATE A STATEWIDE DOMESTIC PARTNER REGISTRY. GIVEN THE PROGRESS MADE IN OTHER STATES IT SEEMS LIKE A SMALL THING, BUT EVEN THAT FACES MANY HURDLES IN THE REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED STATE LEGISLATURE. THE COMPETITIVE WORKFORCE ACT—AN EMPLOYMENT NON-DISCRIMINATION BILL—CAN’T GET OUT OF COMMITTEE. MARRIAGE EQUALITY SEEMS A LONG WAY OFF, UNLESS THROUGH SOME SORT OF COURT ACTION. WHAT CAN YOU DO?

I want to do all those things. It’s not complicated. It comes down to one word: fairness. Everybody deserves to be treated fairly. IT MUST BE LIBERATING TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK FROM YOUR HEART, INSTEAD OF THROUGH SOME POLITICAL CALCULUS...

It’s wonderful! I wish I’d done it 20 years ago! Can’t you feel it? CHARLIECRIST.COM MAKES NO MENTION OF LGBT EQUALITY RIGHT NOW. WILL THAT CHANGE?

Absolutely!

...IT WON’T BE SORT OF A SUBTERRANEAN THING THAT YOU TROT OUT FOR APPROPRIATE GROUPS?

Do I look like I’m holding back? We’re not underwater with this... we’re riding the wave! And to your point about Linda’s legislation, she called me a month ago to tell me what she was doing in case I was asked about it. And I said, ‘Can I ask you a favor? Go for marriage. Why go half way?’ She explained that she didn’t think it was politically possible at this time, and I said, ‘You don’t know unless you try. You’ve gotta push it to make it happen. Plus,’ I said, ‘I think it could help us win the governor’s race. It might not pass right now, but if marriage equality is out there as an option we can say that Rick Scott won’t sign it and Charlie will.’ And I will! It’s my heart. It’s what I believe. POLLING SHOWS THAT CLOSE TO 50% OF FLORIDIANS SUPPORT MARRIAGE EQUALITY.

It’s going to go higher... trust me. It’s the age of enlightenment that I believe we’re entering. Look what’s happened on this issue alone! And really, great credit goes

to President Obama. I mean, that interview [with Robin Roberts]... the next weekend there was a gay panelist [Andrew Sullivan] on Meet the Press, and when the moderator asked him what it meant to have the President say what he said, the panelist broke down in tears. And when the moderator apologized for upsetting him, the panelist explained that they were tears of joy, not upset. It’s wonderful. YOU ONCE DESCRIBED YOURSELF AS A RONALD REAGAN REPUBLICAN. WOULD YOU NOW DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS A BARACK OBAMA DEMOCRAT?

No question. I worked my butt off to get him reelected, and was proud to do so. I did it because I knew how important it was... and that was after �ighting for his opponent, John McCain, in 2008. I was almost McCain’s vice-presidential running mate! (Laughs) I mean, this has been a journey, and not a little one. That’s why I wrote a book. But in the last election I saw Romney and Ryan, and I saw the President. And in my last two years as governor I got to know President Obama; they were his �irst two years in of�ice. I saw what he did—for us— with the stimulus, with the Recovery Act. Do you remember what it was like back then? People were really, really scared. They were losing their life savings in the stock market and in real estate. President Bush passed the TARP program that saved our �inancial institutions. That was good. But then President Obama came in and made sure the people didn’t collapse. As my friend John Morgan says, the Stimulus Act was Americans investing in Americans. What’s wrong with that? So I got to know the President… famously hugged him in Fort Myers. And then we had the worst environmental disaster in the history of America... the BP oil spill. And I saw my President again. He and Joe Biden and the whole administration came down to the Gulf Coast and the Panhandle over and over again. There were daily phone calls with all the gulf state governors. I was like, ‘This guy’s for real.’ LET ME TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CLARIFY WHERE YOU STAND WITH SOME LITMUS TEST ITEMS FOR DEMOCRATS. LET’S START WITH ABORTION. THERE’S SOME CONFUSION...

Which I can understand. It’s confusing because I’m ‘pro-life,’ but by my de�inition. I’m for life. But I don’t believe the government should

tell women what they can and can’t do with their bodies. That may sound inconsistent... I don’t care. I think we’re all for life, and I don’t like the fact that one side of this issue has taken that term and made it theirs. Because when they say they’re prolife, what are they saying about those of us who believe in choice... that we’re pro-death?! We’re all pro-life. I’m pro-life, and I’m pro-choice. How do I feel about abortion? It’s not a pleasant topic for anyone... let’s be honest. But sometimes dif�icult circumstances occur, and dif�icult choices need to be made in order for the mother’s life to be healthy, happy and productive. SO YOU SUPPORT A WOMAN’S RIGHT TO CHOOSE?

I do. In fact, I vetoed a bill as governor that would have gotten in the way of that. And let me go back further. As a state senator 20 years ago I took the same stand. I’ve been consistent. It’s important for people who may read this to know that. I was a Republican state senator from Tampa Bay. I was on the health care committee, and a bill came before us requiring a 24-hour waiting period before a woman could get an abortion. I thought, ‘What’s that about? To make them feel guilty? Like they haven’t thought about it enough already?’ So I voted no. And because of my no vote back in 1993—as a Republican—it killed the bill. So this wasn’t about Democrat or Republican for me, Tom. It was because, like now, it wasn’t right for government to impose its will on peoples’ most private decisions. WOULD YOU WORK TO CREATE A HEALTH INSURANCE EXCHANGE IN FLORIDA?

Absolutely! And I would take the Medicaid expansion... who wouldn’t?! It’s $51 billion over a ten year period, and we’re saying no to it?! And here’s the funny part... Governor Rick Scott said he would take it, and now he’s running from it like I don’t know what. But I know why. It’s because he doesn’t want to lose his base. He didn’t lift a �inger to get that money for Florida. How does that touch peoples’ lives? It means a million or so of our fellow Floridians aren’t getting health care. That’s ineffective leadership. Those are poor people, who because of a bad policy decision are not going to get health care. What happens to sick people when they don’t get health care? They get sicker, or they die. That’s what Rick Scott is doing, and that‘s why I’m running. For me, it’s never really been about right versus left. I hope you

JAN. 2 - JAN. 15, 2014 // ISSUE 21.01

can see that. It’s really been more about right versus wrong. Rick Scott is wrong about so many things. We’re gonna get it right. CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR THE BAN ON OFFSHORE DRILLING?

Yes. How could you be governor during the BP oil spill and not get that right. That was a wake-up call. BUT THERE WERE MANY ELECTED OFFICIALS IN FLORIDA...

They wanted to go right back in! Can you imagine the lunacy of that? That’s how powerful money is. EXPANSION OF VOTING RIGHTS?

I’m the guy that did it, by executive order as governor... as a Republican... with John McCain on the ballot against Barack Obama. I signed an executive order to expand voting rights in the state of Florida. And guess what Rick Scott did. He opposed it. We had worse lines at the polls in 2012 than ever. Dan Gelber and I called on him to expand voting hours... he wouldn’t do it. And as a result we were the last state to report results, well after the election had been called. The President called me on Thursday after the Tuesday election... called me in St. Pete... and he said, ‘I want to personally thank you for your help, it made a big difference.’ And he said, ‘There’s something I would like you to work on. Can we get the voting thing �ixed down there?’ It’s a mess. It’s embarrassing. INCREASE FUNDING FOR EDUCATION?

Absolutely. You know what’s wonderful about this election? There’s going to be no dif�iculty differentiating between the candidates. I mean, I’m the opposite of Rick Scott. I really am. As far as education funding goes, even though we went through worst recession in Florida’s history, I wouldn’t let education funding be cut. Rick Scott, on the other hand, whacked $1.3 billion from education in his �irst year, and then another $300 million from higher education in his second year. Unbelievable! The two areas we absolutely have to protect, as much as we humanly can, are education funding and funding for the most vulnerable in our society. In those areas, we are duty bound. |  | To read bonus content from this interview go to watermarkonline.com.

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outloud

THINKING

There’s work to do, but stop for a moment to enjoy the view

Abby Dees ABBY@WATERMARKONLINE.COM

HIS WEEKEND MY PARTNER

and I had the privilege of spending a few days in Big Sur, the jewel of the California coast.

With meandering creeks and ancient redwoods on one side and an impossibly huge expanse of Paci�ic Ocean on the other, we wanted to do nothing but sit and soak it in, �irst staring one way, then the other, and back again. The awesomeness (and I mean that in its original, non-Kardashian sense) de�ied words. There was only silence between Traci and me, broken up by the occasional and feeble, “God, aren’t we lucky to be here?” At an overlook I even said this to a total stranger, who replied, “I was just thinking that! What a blessing.” Sure, you can spend massive amounts of money for a cliff-side room in Big Sur, but you don’t need to. A car, a day off and a willingness to accept what the day offers is pretty much all any Californian needs to be reminded why everyone has heard of our state. A lifelong Californian, this was only my second time in Big Sur. I’m an idiot— but that’s not quite my point. Perhaps my point is, rather, that though there are few places grander on earth, Big Sur reminded me that moments of appreciation for life’s gifts are available all the time, if I’d only summon the comparatively paltry energy to seek them out. It’s not the view itself, but the willingness to see it.

In the midst of our gee-whiz reverie, we got an email from someone we both love very much. He described in detail his regret about the lost opportunities of his life, and his despair about the choices that didn’t pan out as planned. His boyhood dreams mock him now. We wondered how he would have felt if he were sitting there with us, watching the sun go down. Would it be as bad? It’s not that we didn’t take his sadness seriously—we did. Our hearts ached for him and if we could have magically changed the past, we would have. But here we were, with dramatic proof that regardless of every hurt and insult, for most of us it is possible to make the choice to stop, breath and experience beauty. It’s there for the taking. Our friend still possessed the power of choice, and much more too: security, health, freedom, and the love of people in his life. Though much still lies ahead of him, I sensed that he could only see the past, which I do not deny was marked by injustice and pain. I know, though, that he is blessed this very moment. My only wish for him is that he could feel it every once in a while, as Traci and I did this week, in Big Sur, and as we vowed to stop and notice more often, even when we’re not in places that practically hit you over the head with something to be grateful for. Since I’m supposed to be writing an LGBT column, I’ll now try to share what this has to do with our community. We are nowhere near where we know we should be when it comes to civil rights. In some places in the world, we’re even going backwards. Russia, India —I’m talking to you. Many of us are still isolated in unsupportive communities or shunned by the people we love. We should be �ighting any urge to rest on the laurels of our amazing victories of 2013 (DOMA, ordinary people voting for equality). Gratitude for what’s good, however, is something else entirely. To everyone, every day, whoever summoned the courage to stand up for justice even when things appeared hopeless, I’m grateful to you for the freedom I often take for granted. To every parent who chose to embrace your LGBT kid even if you didn’t understand the LGBT part, I thank you for tilting the universal scales a little more towards love. No matter what 2014 brings, good or bad, may we all feel blessed, loved, and awed by the simple beauty of life on a regular basis. |  |

In some places in the world, we’re even going backwards—Russia, India—I’m talking to you.

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TALKING POINTS The only ‘Dynasty’ you are attached to might be the re-runs of that dated show.

Shame on you.You’re the only surviving brain donor I’ve ever known.

—ACTOR CHARLIE SHEEN ON TWITTER TO DUCK DYNASTY’S PHIL ROBERTSON

Americans

oppose Russia’s anti-gay laws —Harris Poll

TSA OFFERS AN

ADVICE PAGE FOR TRANSGENDER TRAVELERS

RAVELERS MIGHT NOT KNOW THAT THE TSA, the agency that conducts invasive body searches at airports, has a new webpage devoted to transgender travelers. The page, aptly titled, “Transgender Travelers: Special Considerations,” includes topics like “Preparing for Travel,” “The Screening Process” and “Reporting Travel Issues or Concerns.” It promises: “TSA recognizes the concerns members of the transgender community may have with undergoing the security screening process and is committed to conducting screening in a digni�ied and respectful manner.” Travelers who think they’ve been discriminated against can �ile a complaint with TSA’s Of�ice of Civil Rights & Liberties. |  |

IN “WHO’S OUT THIS WEEK?” NEWS

OOD MORNING AMERICA’S ROBIN ROBERTS of�icially came out on Facebook in an end-of-the-year message. Roberts has never spoken publicly about her sexuality, but in her post she wrote: “I am grateful for my entire family, my longtime girlfriend Amber, and friends as we prepare to celebrate a glorious new year together.” Roberts’ longtime girlfriend is Amber Laign, a massage therapist from San Francisco. The couple has been together for ten years. Roberts returned to GMA in Feb. 2013 after successful battles with

BILLIONAIRE

BOYCOTTS UGANDA

IRGIN CEO RICHARD BRANSON PENNED A BLOG ITEM on the Virgin website Dec. 23 blasting Uganda for its new anti-gay laws. The bill makes it illegal to “promote” LGBTs and failure to report a gay person is a crime punishable by life in prison. Branson said he has refused to do business in Uganda and encouraged companies to follow his lead. The founder of the Virgin Group, comprising 400 companies including Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Media and Virgin Trains, tweeted: “I wouldn’t do business in Uganda due to their dreadful anti-gay laws. Urge others to follow suit.” Branson’s post, titled, “Let people love who they want,” called the Ugandan law a “witch hunt against the gay community.” You can follow Branson’s blog at Virgin.com/ Richard-Branson. |  |

WE WOULDN’T WANT TO BE “MEAN” TO BIGOTS

breast cancer and MDS, a rare blood disorder. In her post, she thanked fans for their support after her bone marrow transplant and said she looks forward to a glorious new year. |  |

RESIDENT OBAMA is one of a number of world leaders who have said they will boycott the 2014 Sochi Games because of Russia’s stance against the LGBT community. Others include: Vice President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister David Cameron, German President Joachim Gauck and Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite. Swiss President Ueli Maurer is apparently sensitive to the feelings of bigots. He has said boycotting would be “mean.” |  |

GERALDO

RIVERA MAKES NO SENSE—AGAIN

V PERSONALITY GERALDO RIVERA CAME TO THE DEFENSE OF EMBATTLED CELEBRITY ALEC BALDWIN with a bizarre claim that the term “Cocksucking Faggot” is not a gay slur. Baldwin has been in hot water lately for yelling the insult at a paparazzi photographer in November. During an appearance on Sean Hannity’s Fox News show on Dec. 19. Rivera made the statement that he did not believe that the term “Cocksucking Faggot” was as much a gay slur as it was an insult with a general meaning from a forgotten era. Isn’t that where most slurs come from? |  |

JAN. 2 - JAN. 15, 2014 // ISSUE 21.01

BOY SCOUT TROOP SUPPORTS GAY MARRIAGE BY WAY OF…

FREE PIZZA!

N AN IRONIC TWIST, A BOY SCOUT TROOP HANDED OUT PIZZA on Dec. 23 to dozens of Utah county clerks who skipped their lunch breaks to process gay marriage licenses. Couples stood in long lines after a federal judge denied a motion to block gay marriage in Utah while the state appeals a previous ruling that struck down gay marriage. Utah is the 18th state to legalize marriage equality. Many couples spent the night outside the clerk’s of�ice to be among the �irst in line. A photograph on Twitter showed one scoutmaster with a rainbow handkerchief around his neck. The Boy Scouts made a decision in 2013 to ban openly gay scout leaders but allow gay scouts. |  |

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Continued on page 27 |  |

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|  | Fitness Apps from pg.25

MYFITNESSPAL

Since a majority of New Year’s resolutions involve weight loss, it makes sense to start with a healthy diet. But where, exactly, should we start once those holiday candies and half-gallons of eggnog �inally vacate our refrigerators? Thankfully there’s the MyFitnessPal app, which is free for all devices. The application allows users to reach weight loss goals by creating an easy-to-read calorie counter on the screen. Its adjustable numbers let you set daily calorie goals and record daily food intake. Not sure how many calories you need to achieve your goal? No problem. The app gives a recommended amount, but it can be adjusted if you have a speci�ic target in mind. Are you unsure how many calories are hiding in that yogurt parfait you’re eyeing at the local cafe? Find speci�ic items in the list of foods loaded in the app or scan in foods with the barcode scanner. MyFitnessPal tallies your overall caloric intake and breaks down your food consumption by carbohydrates, fats and proteins. It even includes a diary to track exercise habits. Of course, the app won’t do the heavy lifting (or running) for you. But its easy-to-use diary lets you keep a �itness journal and track your progress while letting you hit each small goal one at a time. Do you need additional motivation? The app connects to an online community so you can get support and ideas easily.

It even includes access to maps created by other users, elevation maps and a nutrition log. This is another free lap that works on both Apple and Android devices. When you’re ready to run, click “Record” and then “Start.” The “Record” is a handy feature that gives you a preprogrammed time (usually 10 seconds) to put away your phone before the app starts tracking your run. When you complete your run, press “Pause/Stop” and “Save” your workout, if you want to evaluate it later or program the route. Users can share the success of their run via Facebook or Twitter to compare routes and times with other running enthusiasts. Running not your thing? Check out its sister apps for walkers, MapMy Walk, and cycling enthusiasts, MapMyRide.

GYMGOAL ABC/TOTALGYM FITNESS Nutrition and cardio are de�initely important to staying healthy. But probably the most intimidating New Year’s Resolution for a lot of us is the gym. Once you buy the membership, where do you start? Trainers are great, but what happens after that �irst session when you’re thrown out on the gym �loor to workout on your own? Fortunately, there’s GymGoal ABC, which, as its name suggests, gives you the simple ABCs of weightlifting. The app is only available for Apple devices. So if you’re an Android user, you may want to check out TotalGym Fitness, which has similar functions. Not only do both apps offer nutrition tips, they give you workouts, challenges and a guide to more than 250 exercises and 50-plus workout routines. Besides offering you animations and step-by-step instructions on how to work out properly and effectively, both apps offer challenges to improve your �itness goals weekly by reminding you of your past goals and encouraging you to surpass them. The apps are so popular that Men’s Fitness has highlighted both as must-haves for tech savvy beginners at the gym. Getting into shape takes more than just gym routines and nutrition. It also takes patience and a commitment to monitoring your body mass index (BMI). Both apps have easy ways to calculate your BMI and offers tips on how to best reach your ideal number. |  |

Once you buy the gym membership, where do you start?

MAPMYRUN

Trainers everywhere will tell you that increasing your heart rate is the best way to burn calories. But how far should you run? If you don’t want to stay chained to a treadmill, how do you �igure out the best outdoor route? Well, the tech geniuses thought about all of that. MapMyRun is a �itness tracking application that enables you to use the built-in GPS of your mobile device to track all of your �itness activities, speci�ically your running. Record your workout details, including duration, distance, pace, speed, elevation, calories burned, and route traveled on an interactive map. You can even effortlessly save and upload your workout data to MapMyRun where you can view your route workout data, and comprehensive workout history.

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JACQUES SNYMAN Internationally known Countertenor from South Africa

PERFORMS HIS CONCERT

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BAC JUST AN I K FROM CONTALIAN C TOU ERT R!

JOIN JACQUES for an evening of classical and popular selections. Sunday, January 26th, 5pm, at the STUDIO@620 • 620 First Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL TICKETS $25 | $20 FOR STUDENTS AND SENIORS

The Festival of

Chocolate

A celebration of the senses!

Jan. 18 - 20, 2014

The Ultimate All-Chocolate Shopping, Interactive, Educational Event is back at MOSI! Dive into the fourth annual Festival of Chocolate, Florida’s largest all-chocolate themed event as seen in Southern Living magazine and on ABC’s The Chew. Award-winning pastry chefs and chocolatiers will host interactive demonstrations, live cake decorating competitions and a chocolate-wrapper fashion show for the couture crowd.

Saturday, Feb. 1 7-10 p.m. Whether you enjoy your science with a twist, shaken or stirred, this is an event you don’t want to miss!

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Kids of all ages can climb through a cookie crumb pit, run through Lollipop Lane, dive through dizzy donuts and slide down the Candy Castle. The Great American Candy Run, a race of epically sweet and sticky proportions, will take place on Monday, Jan. 20.

Tickets on sale now.

4801 E. FOWLER AVE., TAMPA, FL 813-987-6000 • MOSI.ORG

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For sponsorship opportunities, call 813-987-6076.

Annus Mirabilis Dinner Jan. 31 • 7 p.m. Meet comedic chef Alex Thomopoulos of HUNGRY’s Bites & Booze.

MOSI is a non-profit, community-based institution and a leader in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) education dedicated to making a difference in people’s lives by making science real.

For more information or to purchase tickets, call 813-987-6000 or visit MOSI.ORG.

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ART RTSS

ENTERTAINMENT

MINUTES WITH

Pop star on (not) being a gay icon, feeling like an outsider and that ‘adorable and hilarious’ comment

BRITNEY SPEARS I

Chris Azzopardi

T’S BRITNEY, BITCH.

No, really, it is. She’s on the phone. And Britney Spears—the meek, reserved, media-shy entertainer—doesn’t get on the phone with press very often these days. She’s speaking to me from L.A. on a busy day full of frenzied promo leading up to her eighth release, Britney Jean, when she drops the word that elicited eye rolls from some in the gay community. The word is “adorable,”

and Spears—who, in a radio interview with San Francisco radio station 99.7 NOW FM, used it to describe her beauty team (they’re also “hilarious,” she said at the time)— mentions it to me when I ask her how wild the gay boys go

when they’re in the proximity of their pop princess. “They’re adorable,” says Spears, 32. “They’re absolutely adorable.” It seems like an appropriate time to tell her how that “adorable and hilarious” comment went viral and rubbed some the wrong way. “Wait, what? Who felt the other way?” she asks, sincerely concerned she’s offended people, and even a little lost. You get the impression Britney Spears doesn’t Google herself. So, I �ill her in. “I would never say anything to be mean to them. I love

my gay fans,” she says. “I completely adore them.” Considering the pop star’s clout in the gay community, it’s obviously mutual. From the then-17-year-old’s sexually suggestive breakout hit “Baby One More Time”—when the once-Mouseketeer dressed in that iconic Catholic schoolgirl getup—to “Toxic,” easily one of the greatest gay club jams of the last decade, Spears has in�luenced the queens and queers of the dance �loor as much as they’ve in�luenced her. “I get inspiration from them on almost all of my songs,” Spears says of her gay fans.

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“They’re somewhat girls, so it’s so inspiring to do stuff that they like to hear, like the cool ‘in’ stuff. Whatever I do for each record is de�initely inspired by them.” If you’ve heard 2007’s de�iantly bold Blackout and its pop-dance follow-up, Circus, and then, obviously, Femme Fatale, you know Britney isn’t just full of it. These are really gay albums. But her gayest? Is it Britney Jean? “I would say so, yes,” Spears says, sounding almost unsure, as if the gayness exists

Continued on page 31 |  |

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There was also the panty-less partying, the British accent, the headshaving and the time she attacked a |  | Britney Spears from pg.29 paparazzo with an umbrella. Life was equitably on all her releases (and, looking bleak for Britney then, and she really, it does). “I just feel like it has knew it. On “Piece of Me,” a track off that feeling. You can’t really put your Blackout, Spears called herself “Miss �inger on it. It just really has that feeling Bad Media Karma.” of ... that.” But when she talks about the time “Work Bitch” has the feeling of she felt alienated, there’s no mention of “that”—of gay—so much so that Spears this more recent regrettable history. It’s herself has said it’s a salute to her queer clear—not just from our chat, but the fans. The title is “a term of endearment” rare times she’s been on the phone with and was inspired by gay patter among a journalist in the last �ive years—that her pals. What other queer street slang she doesn’t care to look back. For the has she picked up from them? most part, anyway. She snickers, letting her Louisiana “Since I was in high school, I’ve drawl fully �lex. “I don’t really know that been kind of a shy person,” Spears much. I mean, I hang out with gays all admits to me. the time. They always surprise me. It Spears, despite her public ups and changes weekly, you know?” downs, has been a mainstay in the “The slang you learn?” I ask, just queer scene for the last 15 years. I ask to be clear. if she considers herself what many call “Yeah.” her: a gay icon. So maybe Britney doesn’t watch “I don’t know about that,” she says, RuPaul’s Drag Race on the regular, and surprisingly frank. “But I know I do maybe she isn’t out getting all crazy have gay fans.” at the gay clubs. But part of her—a I remind her that a large part of the part she’s not really addressed until community sees her as a gay icon. now—can empathize Her response? “That’s with the plight of nice. I don’t know growing up gay. about that.” “Alien,” one of the But surely most self-re�lective she’s thought tracks on Britney about her Jean, alludes to her status in the gay own feelings of being community, right? —BRITNEY SPEARS an outcast, of being “Not really, no.” SAYS OF HER GAY FANS alone, of being Britney What about equal Spears: “Had to get used to the world marriage? Would Britney like to see I was on / While yet still unsure if I her gay friends—she tells me later, knew where I belong / That was then, via email, that she has an “amazing” like an alien.” relationship with them, many of which “The song is basically about when are her dancers—get married? you’re all alone and you feel like you’re “Yeah,” she says. Then silence. (I give alienated from the world,” Spears her the opportunity to elaborate over says. “I think it’s human nature; we all email after our phone chat: “Yeah, it innately keep to ourselves sometimes.” would be a special moment.”) It was during her second release, “So you believe gay people deserve 2000’s Oops! ... I Did It Again, with its equal rights?” self-empowerment mantra “Stronger,” “Yeah,” she assures. (Via email: that she recognized a big gay following. “I think everyone should be “I really started noticing more treated equally.”) coming to the shows,” Spears recalls. I ask about Las Vegas, where “People were emulating my clothes and she’s launching her two-year wearing the same out�its, and it was residency, Britney: Piece of Me, at just really fun.” Planet Hollywood. Through the years, she’s met many Expect half-naked men, she says, of these gay boys after shows, where, but also “look forward to a really good she says, “a couple of them have told time. They’re gonna de�initely feel like me about their heartbreaks and shared they’re a part of a show.” stories about their boyfriends, which That’s it. Our eight minutes together. has been really kind of sweet.” And just like that, Britney Spears I tell her we relate to people who fall gives exactly what she promised: a down and get right back up. Britney, for piece of her. |  | all her success, has been to the top, but not without seeing the bottom. Between 2006 and 2008, Spears divorced Kevin To read bonus content Federline, fought tirelessly for the from this interview go to custody of her two boys and sobered up watermarkonline.com. at a drug rehab facility.

FOURTH AND FINAL SEASON SEASON!! HOSTS PAUL KARLE AND RANDY STEPHENS INTERVIEW CELEBRITIES AND THE MOVERS AND SHAKERS OF THE LGBT COMMUNITY Saturdays starting January 4th, 2014, 1pm est

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LISTEN TO PAST SEASONS:

TheQiew.net

“Brilliant” – Variety Magazine “Phenomenal” – Chicago Sun Times “Sensational” – Denver Post

“I get inspiration from them on almost all of my songs.”

Michael Cavanaugh in Concert: The Songs of

ELTON JOHN & More! SAT, JAN 11 | 2:00 PM & 8:00 PM Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre

Michael Cavanaugh and his band | Andrew Lane, conductor

Grammy Award nominee Michael Cavanaugh returns to the Philharmonic to pay tribute to music legend Sir Elton John, with hits like “Your Song,” “Rocket Man” and more, including hits from other ‘70s singer-songwriters.

The Orlando Philharmonic is supported by United Arts of Central Florida, host of power2give.org/centralflorida and the collaborative Campaign for the Arts. This project is funded in part by Orange County Government through the Arts & Cultural Affairs Program.

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ARTS &

ENTERTAINMENT COMMUNITY CALENDAR

ORLANDO TAMPA BAY

ROCK ON!

MBA Orlando Annual Alliance Mixer

6-8 P.M. Wednesday, Jan. 8, 963 Wymore Road, Winter Park The touring version of the popular Broadway smash, Rock of Ages, will stop at the Lakeland Center for two shows on Jan. 15 and 16.

EVENT PLANNER CENTRAL FLORIDA Superior Thespians, Jan. 3-6 at Breakthrough Theatre of Winter Park, Winter Park, BreakthroughTheatre. com; 407-920-4034

Orlando Poly, monthly, Jan. 5, The Center – Orlando GLBT Community Center, OrlandoPolyamory. com; (407) 228 8272 RED Group Downtown, networking, Jan. 8, The Center, Orlando. MBAOrlando.org

Environmental Pioneers: The Florida Audubon, Jan. 9-May 4 at Maitland Art and History Museum, ArtandHistory. org; 407-539-2181

Steel Magnolias, Jan. 10-19 at Little Theatre of New Smyrna, New Smyrna Beach, NSBPlayers.org; 386-423-1246 The Light at the Piazza, through Sunday, Jan. 5, at Mad Cow Theatre Company, Orlando, MadCowTheatre.com; 407-297-8788

Science Play Festival, Friday, Jan. 10 at the Mad Cow Theater, MadCowTheatre.com; 407-297-8788

Michael Cavanaugh in Concert, Saturday, Jan. 11, at Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, Orlando, OrlandoPhil.org, 407-896-6700 Sandy Sugart, Jan. 11, The Garden Theatre, Winter Garden, GardenTheatre.org, 407-877-4736

Claybourne Park, Jan. 10-Feb. 1 at Theatre Downtown, Orlando, TheatreDowntown.net; 407-841-0083 RED Group Central, networking, Jan. 14, The Center, Orlando. MBAOrlando.org

WTF Wednesday/Hope and Help Fundraiser, Jan. 15, The Brink, Orlando. HopeandHelp. org; 407-645-2577 Leveling Up, Jan. 16-26 at UCF Conservatory Theatre, Orlando, TheatreUCF.edu; 407-823-1500

Nunsense, Jan. 1726 at Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center, Sanford, WayneDensch PerformingArtsCenter. com; 407-321-8111 Don’t Dress for Dinner, Jan. 9-26 at Theatre Winter Haven, Winter Haven, TheatreWinterHaven. com; 863-294-7469

TAMPA BAY

Ron White, Jan. 4 at The Lakeland Center, Lakeland, TheLakelandCenter.com, 863-834-8100 Drew Carey, Jan. 10 at The Lakeland Center, Lakeland, TheLakelandCenter.com, 863-834-8100

Bravo Beethoven, Jan. 10-12 at Florida Orchestra, St. Petersburg/ Tampa, FloridaOrchestra. org; 727-892-3337 The Addams Family, Jan. 11 at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, RuthEckerdHall.com; 727-791-7400

Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles, Jan. 13, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, RuthEckerdHall.com, 727-791-7400

Russian Philharmonic Symphony, Jan. 14, at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, RuthEckerdHall.com; 727-791-7400

Rock of Ages, Jan. 1516 at The Lakeland Center, Lakeland, TheLakelandCenter.com, 863-834-8100 Jerry Lewis, Jan. 16 at The Lakeland Center, Lakeland, TheLakelandCenter.com, 863-834-8100 Musicians in the Spotlight, Jan. 16, at Florida Orchestra, St. Petersburg/Tampa, FloridaOrchestra.org; 727-892-3337 Rock of Ages, Jan. 17 at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, RuthEckerdHall.com; 727-791-7400

Each month, MBA Orlando presents its Monthly Networking Mixers held at a different member business. In January, the MBA celebrates the non-pro�its it partners with year-round. The mixer is free for members and hors d’oeuvres will be provided. There is also a cash bar and a speed networking event.

The Qiew Returns

1 P.M. Every Saturday 810CBSSportsRadio.com or AM 810 The Qiew Radio show returns Jan 4 with guest Rev. Schaefer, the Methodist minister removed from his post for of�iciating his gay son’s wedding. Randy Stephens and Paul Karle host.

The Laramie Project: An Interactive Theater Experience

3 P.M. OR 7:30 P.M. Jan. 17-26, Orlando Shakespeare Theater, 812 E Rollins Ave., Orlando Baggy Pants Theater will tell the story of Matthew Shepard, the gay University of Wyoming student who was murdered in 1998. The play, by Moisés Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater, will be directed locally by Steve Halpin. Audience members will participate. 407-494-1622.

To submit your upcoming event, concert, performance, or fundraiser visit watermarkonline.com. JAN. 2 - JAN. 15, 2014 // ISSUE 21.01

Women’s Trolley Tour

11 A.M.-12:30 P.M. Tuesday, Jan. 7, Metro Center, 3251 3rd Ave. N., St. Petersburg Metro Wellness and Community Centers will hold its �irst women’s outing of 2014 via a trolley tour of downtown St. Petersburg. Those interested should meet at the center to carpool to the trolley station. For details, visit MetroTampaBay.org.

Alex Sink at the Birchwood 6:30 P.M. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 8 The Birchwood

340 Beach Dr. NE, St. Pete Democratic congressional candidate Alex Sink will speak at a fundraiser at the Birchwood in downtown St. Petersburg on Wednesday, Jan. 8, at 6:30 p.m. The fundraiser is hosted by Nadine Smith, of Equality Florida, and those attending are encouraged to donate at the event or online. Visit EQFL.org for details.

TBGLCC’s Social Media Panel

6:30 P.M. TUESDAY, JAN. 14 Wyndham Westshore Hotel, 700 N. Westshore, Tampa Join the Tampa Bay Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce for dinner and demonstration by Sparxoo, Tampa’s Premier Branding Agency, as owner David Capece moderates a panel discussion about social media. Networking begins at 6:30 p.m. with dinner at 7:15 p.m. Reservations are recommended by calling Renee at 813-362-6203.

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4 1

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Tampa Bay

1- 12 MONTHS ALREADY!: Jayme Kosar welcomes guests to the one-year anniversary of her Ybor Wine Bar in December. PHOTO COURTESY CARRIE WEST

2- FEELING FESTIVE: (L-R) David Schauer, Ed Briggs, John Morroni and Thompson Kellett share some holiday cheer during the Ho3 party at Gay St. Pete House on Dec. 19. PHOTO BY STEVE BLANCHARD

3- ICE QUEEN: Alexis Mateo goes ‘Winter White’ during her performance at Steam Friday on Dec. 20. PHOTO COURTESY CARRIE WEST 4- FEELING LUCKY?: Performer Anjila Cavalier invites audience members to spin the wheel for prizes at Quench Lounge Dec. 28 during a benefit helping her raise money for an upcoming pageant. PHOTO BY

STEVE BLANCHARD

5- SEXY CLAUS: Amy DeMilo rocks a Mrs. Claus look like no other during a show at G Bar in Ybor City the weekend before Christmas. PHOTO COURTESY CARRIE WEST

6- MERRY GREETINGS: Brian Longstreth, owner of Gay St. Pete House, welcomes holiday revelers to his Ho3 party benefitting Metro’s new LGBT Welcome/Youth Center on Dec. 19. PHOTO BY

STEVE BLANCHARD

7- WOOFS: (L-R) Dalton Horine and Bill Vincent celebrate Neighbear-hood Takeover at The Social in Ybor City on Dec. 21. PHOTO

COURTESY CARRIE WEST

8- WHAT’LL YA HAVE?: Kevin Johnson serves drinks at Bradley’s on 7th on Dec. 21. PHOTO COURTESY CARRIE WEST

OVERHEARD UPDATED MYSTERY DATE GAME

T ALMOST FEELS LIKE A GAME OF THE LEGENDARY “MYSTERY DATE” as we wonder who will greet us at the door—or in this case, from the stage. It’s still �ive months away, but the St. Petersburg community is already buzzing about the Greater St. Petersburg area Equality Florida gala scheduled for May 3. Watermark has been told—in the strictest con�idence— by organizers who is scheduled to speak at the Mahaffey Theater that night, but we can’t share the person’s name just yet because details are still being �inalized. We were told by Equality Florida’s Todd Richardson, however, that we

can release the name in the Jan. 16 issue of Watermark. Several in the community already know which nationally known guest speaker plans to attend, but it’s not of�icial, as they say, until all the I’s are dotted and the T’s are crossed— which is interesting since this guest uses both letters when penning a signature. (See what we did there—clues, but weak clues.) Take our word—you’ll want a ticket to this one!

GSHRADIO ADDS NEW SHOWS

URING ITS LAST LIVE BROADCAST OF 2013 from inside Hamburger Mary’s in Tampa, the folks at

GSHRadio.com announced the addition of several new shows to its growing lineup. In 2014, expect to see three new shows, each with their own hosts, get scheduled into the already busy Wednesday broadcast day. “Flock Talk” returns with hostess Tiffany McCrae, who will share what’s happening at— and with—The Flamingo Resort in St. Petersburg. On “Soul Talk,” host Jeremy McDonald will talk about issues ranging from addiction to loneliness and Karen Melchionne will guide listeners through “Pit Stop,” a show centered around coffee, talk, and staying on the clean and sober path of recovery, no matter your environment. For details and a full schedule, visit GSHRadio.com.

BINGO GETS QUENCHED

OR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, Kori Stevens and Muffy Van Beaverhausen have made patrons of Quench Lounge crack up as hostesses of Drag Queen Bingo at the popular Largo bar. But the end of 2013 also marked the end of this new tradition, when Stevens hosted the �inal Drag Queen Bingo at the bar. There are few details about why the Bingo craze isn’t sticking at Quench Lounge, but Anjila Cavalier, entertaining during a fundraiser on Dec. 28, shared with the audience that Stevens is moving onto “the next phase” of her career. Unfortunately, the bar reports that Muffy couldn’t be at the �inal bingo because of a

JAN. 2 - JAN. 15, 2014 // ISSUE 21.01

scheduling con�lict, but the prizes and drink specials were �lowing strong all night long.

PASS THE WINE FOR ANOTHER YEAR!

HE YBOR CITY WINE BAR CELEBRATED ITS ONEYEAR ANNIVERSARY in December, and the community of GaYbor came out to help owner Jayme Kossar celebrate. The party was catered and Kossar, who is a board member of the GaYbor Coalition and a nationally recognized wine connoisseur, thanked guests for their support over the inaugural year. The Ybor City Wine Bar is at 1600 E. 8th Avenue in Ybor City. |  |

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ORLANDO

1- COMPANY CHEER: After the annual retreat Dec. 17, the Watermark staff takes a moment to gather around the tree in the lobby of the Crown Plaza Orlando Downtown 2- ONE MAN’S TRASH: Jeff Jones shows off his wares at his 10th Annual Christmas Crap Exchange on Dec. 28. It’s a party held each year at Jones’ home where guest trade the worst stuff they got for Christmas. PHOTO BY RICK CLAGGETT 3- IMPOSTOR SYNDROME: Don’t be fooled, that’s not the real Randy Stephens on the right! His boyfriend, Thomas Berthier, gave Stephens, the ever-so-busy head of the GLBT Center, a cardboard cutout of himself for Christmas, so he could attend multiple events at the same time. PHOTO BY RANDY STEPHENS

4- JINGLE BINGO: Carol Lee (left) and Miss Sammy host the final Bingo at Hamburger Mary’s of 2013 on Dec. 17. PHOTO BY JAMIE HYMAN

5- PRESENTS TO PEDAL: Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan helps Santa hand out bikes Dec. 23 for the 12th Annual Wheels For Kids at Workscapes and Howard Middle School. Sheehan created the program in 2002. PHOTO VIA SHEEHAN’S FACEBOOK PAGE 6- CUTTHROAT COOKING: Chef Ashley Nickel, daughter of Funky Monkey Wine Company owner Eddie Nickell, appeared on Food Network’s Cutthroat Kitchen Dec. 29. She’s pictured with show host Alton Brown. PHOTO COURTESY FMI MEDIA 7- ON THE DOTTED LINE: Glenda Chauncey (left) snags a signature from Jamie Lee in support of legalizing medical marijuana use at a petition drive Dec. 29 at Parliament House. PHOTO BY RANDY ROSS

8- MANY FACES: David McElroy, of Southern Winds Theater, performs 37 characters in his One Man Christmas Carol in its 16th year, at Blue Starr’s The Venue on Dec. 23. PHOTO BY LONNIE THOMPSON

OVERHEARD ORLANDO COUPLE FEATURED ON CNN

N NEW YEAR’S DAY, CNN aired a series of six stories about people whose bene�its under the Affordable Care Act began on the �irst day of the year. Orlando couple Rob Domenico and husband Alan Meeks were featured. You can see a wedding photo of the couple on CNN.com with Meeks’ �irst person account of signing up for Obamacare. Meeks talks about needing an annual MRI after doctors found a benign tumor. Domenico, who was diagnosed with a heart condition, requires 14 medications. The couple found signing up on the healthcare website “a breeze.” After having

a job that required 75% travel in order to afford healthcare, Meeks, a system engineer, said he values the freedom to be able to work anywhere and take his insurance with him.

FUNKY MONKEY CHEF COOKS HER WAY ONTO THE FOOD NETWORK

SING HER STELLAR COOKING SKILLS AND CRAFTINESS to sabotage her opponents, Funky Monkey Wine Company Chef Ashley Nickell, 26, made her way to the �inals of Cutthroat Kitchen on the Food Network. Nickell, the daughter of restaurant owners Eddie Nickell and Nicholas Olivieri,

applied to be on the show last year, but didn’t make the cut. Producers called her back this season. “They told her they had bypassed her because she was too nice,” Olivieri said. “She told them ‘I’m not as nice as you think I am.’” Alton Brown hosts the cooking show, a game that features a briefcase of cash, four competitors, three rounds of cooking and auctions where chefs bid on items to help themselves or hinder their opponents. A chef is eliminated after each of the three rounds, and the last competitor becomes a Cutthroat Kitchen Champion. Nickell’s challenges included creating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in a novel way (she made PBJ bread pudding) and chopping up a block of frozen

shrimp for Asian shrimp pasta. Though she didn’t win, Nickell and Olivieri had a watch party at the Funky Monkey on Dec. 29 and the younger Nickell had fun seeing her name trending on Twitter.

A FEW GOOD VOICES

HE ORLANDO GAY CHORUS (OGC) is looking for a few good voices. Auditions for its spring concert are scheduled for Jan. 4-5, at First United Church of Christ, 4605 Curry Ford Road. OGC members pay annual dues of $50. Singing members pay an additional $35 in performance prep fees for each concert in which they perform. Periodically, singers may need to purchase concert attire.

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Singers are expected to perform choreographed movement (choralography) while singing four to six pieces at each concert. No prior experience required. The concert is scheduled for May 17-18. To sign up, visit OrlandoGayChorus.org.

A FEW GOOD MEN

F YOU HAVE THE BODY AND NOT THE VOICE, the Parliament House is looking for a few good men—dancing men. The Footlight Players are holding open auditions at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15 at the Footlight Theater. Anyone may audition. Only basic dance knowledge is required. For more information, call 407-425-7571. |  |

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Transitions CHANGE-OF-LIFE COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS Congratulations Winter Park couple Jim Crescitelli and Kirk Johnston celebrated 27 years of coupled bliss on New Years Eve. Orlando’s Ron Legler has been named the interim executive director of the Orlando Ballet. He will continue as president of the Florida Theatrical Association and as owner of The Abbey.

Local Birthdays St Pete business analyst Jason Bracewell (Jan. 2); Watermark Tampa Bay sales master Bill Jeffries, Sarasota graphic designer and friend of many non-profits Tim Cameresi, Tampa photographer Charles Allen (Jan. 3); veteran and die-hard Pittsburgh fan Bill Stiller (Jan. 4); Orlando psychologist Guillermo Navarro (Jan. 5); Tampa phlebotomist Bill Polley (Jan. 6); St. Petersburg performer Madisyn Michaels (Jan. 8); Orlando blogger Erik Caban (Jan 9); Watermark Orlando reporter and St. Pete native Susan Clary, founder of women’s web site ProSuzy.com Suzanne Noe, Meagan “Mistress Mayhem” Miles, Orlando Sister of Perpetual Indulgence Logan Donahoo, St. Petersburg florist and local “Cher” Bobby York (Jan. 10); St. Petersburg instructor and massage therapist Jeremy Couture, Lakeland massage therapist David Lesnett, Gay Internet Radio Live (GIRL) promoter Donnie Mullin, Gulfport retired Birkenstock USA specialist Danny Hughes (Jan. 11); Watermark Orlando sales guru Jeremy Williams, Sarasota cowboy Bill Flynn, Sarasota improv genius Christine Alexander (Jan. 12); Watermark CFO and resident society maven Rick Claggett, former St. Pete Pride board member and marketing guru Nick Capezza (Jan 13); Tampa’s former Chelsea Nightclub owner Nikki Turnon, Orlando mom and realtor Trina Gregory (Jan 14); former Watermark ad sales genius Don Williams, derby girl Claire Sullivan, gay veterans advocate Keri Griffin Edenfield, EO Inn and Urban Spa host Jeff Boudreaux (Jan. 15).

CHRISTMAS WEDDING: Congratulations to Phil Kean, left, and Brad Grosberg, of Winter Park, who were married in New York on Christmas Eve, after 30 years together.

BIRTHDAY BOY: Gay St. Pete House innkeeper Brian Longstreth, pictured here accepting his WAVE award in November, celebrates a birthday Jan. 5.

OUR CONDOLENCES: St. Petersburg resident Donald Wallace Vanderboegh, 85, passed away on Christmas Eve, after battling cancer. He worked at Orange Blossom Catering for 35 years and owned apartments in St. Petersburg with his late partner, Ronald Scoins. Donald, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, was a founding member of the GaYbor District Coalition. He is survived by his partner, Bryan Chant. A memorial service was held Dec. 30.

Send news about birthdays, passings, anniversaries, promotions, commitment ceremonies—and whatever you commemorate—to Editor@WatermarkOnline.com.

JAN. 2 - JAN. 15, 2014 // ISSUE 21.01

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delegation, three—Boitano, King and Cahow—are openly gay. Cahow said Boitano’s decision to keep his sexual orientation private until now was his to make, just as it was her choice to acknowledge hers publicly. “I completely respect that,” Cahow told The Associated Press after learning of Boitano’s statement. “I think each individual has a right to de�ine who they are.” Boitano and King will attend the opening ceremony. Cahow, a two-time medalist in women’s hockey, will attend the closing ceremony with Olympic speed skating champions Bonnie Blair and Eric Heiden. “I’ve been fortunate to represent the United States in three different Olympics, and I am honored to be part of the presidential delegation to the Olympics in Sochi,” said Boitano. “It has been my experience that Olympic athletes can come together in friendship, peace and mutual respect regardless of their individual country’s practices.” |  |

Wire Report

ORT COLLINS, COLO. | Colorado State has suspended defensive line coach Greg Lupfer two weeks without pay after directing a slur at Washington State quarterback Connor Halliday during the Dec. 21 New Mexico Bowl, the school announced Dec. 23. According to The Denver Post, Lupfer will also undergo mandatory anger management and diversity training. Lupfer released a prepared statement through the school: “I accept these consequences and I am thankful for this second chance to continue coaching at Colorado State and be a part of the Ram Family,” Lupfer said. “I am deeply sorry for my behavior, which does not represent who I am or my values...I sincerely apologize to the GLBTQ community for causing pain by using a slur without considering its meaning. I take ownership of my words and fully understand why people are very upset.” The incident occurred in the �irst quarter of the New Mexico Bowl, when Halliday appeared to say something in Lupfer’s direction. Lupfer responded by calling the quarterback a “faggot,” and it was caught on television cameras. Colorado State came back from a 22-point de�icit to win, 48-45, on a last-second �ield goal. |  |

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achievement in sport by peoples of all nations.” Russia has come under �ierce criticism for passing national laws banning “gay propaganda,” and some suggested the United States should boycott the Sochi Olympics in protest. Obama rejected that idea in 2013, saying a stronger statement could be made by “gay and lesbian athletes bringing home the gold or silver or bronze.” But his choices for the U.S. delegation left little doubt about Obama’s disapproval of the new Russian law. For the �irst time since 2000, the U.S. will not send a president, former president, �irst lady or vice president to the Olympics. This year’s group is led by former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, and others in the delegation include U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, deputy Secretary of State William Burns and presidential adviser Rob Nabors. Of the �ive athletes in the

Colorado State assistant suspended for using gay slur in bowl game

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Brian Boitano comes out after selection to U.S. delegation for Sochi

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ELEBRATIONS ABOUND IN TAMPA BAY when it comes to the holidays, but few places stay quite as festive as Ybor City. Here is a sampling of photos taken by our friends Mark Bias and Carrie West of MC Film Festival and the GaYbor spanning the month of December. If you missed any of the celebrations, plan to visit in December 2014. Each year gets bigger, better and more festive.

JAN. 2 - JAN. 15, 2014 // ISSUE 21.01

Photography by Mark Bias and Carrie West MCFILMFEST.COM

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