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Augus t 14 - Augus t 27, 2014 // Issue 21.17
departments 6 // mail 8 // orlando news 12 // tampa Bay news 16 // state 19 // nation & world news 25 // in depth 31 // arts & entertainment 39 // community calendar 41 // tampa Bay overheard 43 // orlando overheard 45 // transitions 46 // tampa Bay marketplace 47 // sports 48 // orlando marketplace 53 // looking Back
PAGE
We consider [robin williams]
25 to be part of this hotel. — damIan BesIl, the manaGer oF the carlyle hotel on south Beach, where THe birDCaGe was FIlmed
on the cover
PAGE
Orlando entertainer
Wegman left a lasting 25 Paul impression during his reign
as Miss P and everyone’s favorite actor. This month marks the 10th anniversary of the legend’s death, and we ask those who knew him best to reflect on his legacy.
PAGE
preview
31 searching within:
Sinead O’Connor is back with a new wigged look and a 10th studio album. This time her collection of love songs is more revealing of her true self, she tells us.
watermark issue 21.17 //august 14 - august 27, 2014
orlando news
tampa Bay news
faBulous film fest
PAGE Orlando City
PAGE Libertarian Congressional
PAGE The Fabulous Independent
looking Back
Read it online!
scan qr code for
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In addition to a Web site with daily LGBT updates, a digital version of each issue of the publication is made available on WatermarkOnline.com
08
Commissioners unanimously approved an ordinance to add protections for transgender residents on Aug. 11; RBARR has shuttered its doors, but owners promise a re-opening of Southern Nights in the iconic location; more.
12
District 13 candidate Lucas Overby reacts to Rep. David Jolly’s newfound support of marriage equality in the state; A Hillsborough County lesbian divorce case could help Florida’s marriage equality battle; Tampa church cancels gay man’s funeral; more.
34
Film Festival returns to Sarasota’s Burns Court for its fourth year Aug. 22-24. The LGBT-specific collection of films range from star-studded feature length films to smaller independent shorts.
PAGE In 2011, New York finally
marriage 53 embraced equality, making it the
largest state to give same-sex couples the right to wed. A year later in 2012, Barack Obama became the first sitting president to support marriage equality.
we want to hear your thoughts! comment at watermarkonline.com and you may see your opinion on our ‘mail’ page. watermark Your lgbt life.
Augus t 14 - Augus t 27, 2014 // Issue 21.17
5
top web comments
letters to the editor
via WatermarkOnline.com and Facebook:
On Tampa church cancelling funeral services for deceased gay man: “The Bible? In this case, I think you mean the Old Testament. And, yes, I do lump all people who have fetish with the Old Testament into the same group. The Old Testament supports slavery. And selling your daughter. And stoning people to death. And not eating shrimp, among other things. To rely upon the Old Testament to deny tax-paying Americans the right to a marriage license from city hall is insane.” —MileHighJoe
“How exactly do the actions of this so called pastor help anyone involved? It is obvious to all that his actions were cruel and heartless. There is no doubt that this church has lost the presence of the Holy Spirit. He needs to reflect on what he is doing because on this one he screwed up big time.” —Spiritubrianus
On Mayor Teresa Jacobs’ statement sparking debate within the LGBT community: “Mayor Teresa Jacobs spoke at Orlando Pride last year and stated that the passing of her aide Chase Smith changed her and she regretted it was the first time she had come to Pride and that it was too late to be there beside him. You don’t change hearts and minds by attacking—you change minds by inspiring and educating.” —Michaelvacirca
On Steve Blanchard’s Editor’s Desk comparing Rep. David Jolly to Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs: “Steve, bravo my friend! Well said! There is such a thing as integrity, regardless of an individual’s position on a particular subject. Mayor Jacobs is on the wrong side of this, and she lacks integrity. I don’t understand how anyone can defend her statement.” —Mary Meeks
On the Parliament House’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing: “They have been in foreclosure for years and delaying with requests for continuances and rescheduled hearings, so it’s not at all “unexpected.” It’s a last ditch stall tactic.” —RyanJohn
“The PHouse is $15 million in debt? That money could have gone to completely upgrade all of the hotel rooms to standard quality. That money went in someone’s pockets for other stuff.” —Chaka1
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Serving the whole community
I
am concerned that we think there is so much news about homosexuality and the LGBT community that we aren’t getting all the information needed to be good citizens. We get constant updates on the legal issue of marriage, but I am not sure we get balanced information—even on the people and groups actually doing the work. But more important, are we getting information on all work being done to gain us equal/ civil rights? I was surprised recently when I mentioned “Primetimers” and someone active in our movement had never heard of the organization. It seems to me that that person, or our media, has not been listening to what all of us are doing. While we concentrate on one or two aspects we personally are interested in, social, legal, religious, medical, etc, we are not being good citizens if we do not even know the work others are doing in other areas or know what resources are available. I am told that anyone can find out such information, if you use Facebook, etc. It seems we only “find” what we are already looking for. But if we read our community papers and magazines over a year, it seems to me we should learn of work/projects and people and organizations doing the work that we will all benefit from and that we might want to support. Is it possible that LGBT newspapers over a year of news have not mentioned events or news from Primetimers, or COLAGE, or PFLAG? But if they see the local paper, they should find not only entertainment and what celebrity has just come out—something they get from general media now anyway— they should get information on what is being done, how they can support the work, what businesses are gay-friendly and
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“We are not being good citizens if we do not even know the work others are doing in other areas.” —Billy Glover which ones are not, etc. Is there not an obligation to serve the community, whether the newspaper or magazine is free or not?
Billy Glover Via email
More than just HIV
I was a little surprised that the cover story [Issue 21.15] on Truvada’s HIV-risk reduction failed to mention that it does nothing to prevent gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, hepatitis, HPV (human papillomavirus) or chlamydia. So unless you want to risk those, keep wearing condoms. Liam Miller Orlando
Congress is targeting LGBTs
While critical bills are at a standstill, leaders in Congress are not just trying to sue the President—but also attacking
LGBT families. In an attempt to harm potential LGBT parents, anti-LGBT leaders of Congress have introduced the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act, a bill that could block adoptions and foster care under the guise of religious freedom. Last week, Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY) and Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA) introduced a new bill that would allow adoption or foster care providers to refuse service on the basis personal religious objections—the consequences of which would be immediate, random, broad and disastrous. Although this bill was obviously created to prevent LGBT individuals or couples from adopting or fostering a child, the repercussions extend far beyond the LGBT community. Taxpayer funds should not be used to discriminatefaith, and it must be condemned. David Stacy HRC Government Affairs Director
Editorial cartoon
Augus t 14 - Augus t 27, 2014 // Issue 21.17
editor’s
Steve Blanchard EDITOR
SteveB@WatermarkOnline.com
W
Desk
hen I was a child, enjoying
one of many sleepovers with my cousin, we’d often get a bedtime story from his mother, my aunt. Her husband, my uncle, was the pastor of our church, so it wasn’t surprising that most of these stories had a spiritual or fable-like lesson attached to them.
Her storytelling abilities were mesmerizing to my 8-year-old self and my 9-year-old cousin. While I have no idea if these tales were of her own creation or if she found them in books, I was always fascinated. One story in particular remains with me. It goes something like this: A group of children decide to go to a nearby park to play ball after Sunday services. On their way, they encounter a dirty, possibly homeless woman who is reading the “wrong” version of the Bible.
watermark staff
When the woman sees the group of children, she smiles, and asks them if they know where she could learn more about the faith related to the book she has in her hands. One of the boys, who always exceeded expectations in Sunday school class, points out that the “New English Bible” isn’t a “real” Bible, ignores the woman’s inquiry and encourages his friends to continue on to the ball field. The woman patiently asks again, only to be rebuffed a second time by the leader of the group.
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This is when the stranger unveils her true identity as an angel, and warns that purposefully missing an opportunity to minister to a stranger is just as bad as any other sin. In other words, treat people with dignity and respect, whether or not your views of the world are different. I hadn’t thought about that story in years. In fact, I’ve drifted a long way from my religious upbringing. But when word of a Tampa Missionary Baptist Church canceling a gay man’s funeral simply because of his sexuality appeared on my newsfeed, I was outraged, disappointed, and ultimately reminded of this story shared by my aunt so long ago. The story originally reported by WTSP-TV in Tampa shares that a pastor canceled the scheduled funeral after parishioners “discovered” the deceased was gay. Mourners of the 42-yearold man were scheduled to arrive just 24 hours later. This man’s “sin” was discovered in his obituary, which listed his surviving husband. That was enough to convince the pastor to forego common sense and teach a modified version of Christianity, which is all about intolerance rather than love, acceptance and communication. The story was picked up across the country and the church received so much backlash it pulled down its Facebook page and removed contact information from its website. So much for sticking by your principles. Despite the feedback, the pastor has no regrets, news outlets have reported. The war on Christianity is a catch phrase used by talking heads and pundits—typically of the FOX News ilk. It’s a scare tactic to shake older, conservative voters out of their comfortable, suburban homes and get them to the voting booth.
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The “war” is a myth, of course, perpetuated by churches to fight the horrors of equality. Those of us who no longer believe in the strict religious teachings of the church—regardless of the denomination—simply yearn for freedom from religious ideology in our everyday lives. The decisions of this church and its pastor are an example of religious freedom rather than a violation of civil rights. Churches have Constitutional permission to discriminate. We may not like
It convinced the pastor to teach a modified version of Christianity, which is all about intolerance rather than love and acceptance.
the decision this pastor made, but the church has the right to make the call—much like churches can refuse to marry couples of different religions or same-sex couples. It’s the hypocrisy of this decision that bothers me most. The funeral was scheduled, the family were long-term members and the pastor went back on his word. We all know the long list of “other sins” in the Old Testament and doubt this pastor picks on members of his flock who may work at Red Lobster (no shellfish!) or behind the counter of The Gap (no mixed fibers!) Maybe, as this story continues to spread, someone will get past the noise and hear the same lesson so dutifully shared with me three decades ago.
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Augus t 14 - Augus t 27, 2014 // Issue 21.17
contributors Scottie Campbell is an Orlandobased freelance writer, artist and performer with a passion for philanthropy. He is also the executive director of Ivanhoe Village. Page 25
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 31
Aaron Alper is a photographer and writer in St. Petersburg. He holds a Masters in English Education from the University of South Florida. Page 34
Greg Burton, Scottie Campbell, Zach Caruso, Susan Clary, Amy Dees, Kirk Hartlage, Rev. Phyllis Hunt, Joseph Kissel, Ken Kundis, Mary Meeks, Stephen Miller, David Moran, Gregg Shipiro, Greg Stemm, Brett Stout, Jim Walker
photography Nick Cardello, 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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orlando news
rBarr closes, to reopen as southern nights Staff Report
o
rlando | RBARR Discotek & Cocktail Boutique, formerly known as Revolution Nightclub, has shut its doors and will reopen soon as the iconic Southern Nights. The new nightclub opens its doors Aug. 15, and management is excited to bring back the 35-year-old glamour and nights that once drew in crowds. “The iconic LGBT night club in Orlando is known for its amazing drag shows and legendary guests,” said Rick Kowalczyk, owner of Southern Nights, in a media release. “Our guests have asked us over and over again for its return and we’ve listened. We’re bringing back the intimate nightlife experience everyone knows and loves, along with its legendary drag shows.” One of the longest running lesbian nights in the nation will make a return Aug. 16, the opening weekend, featuring Ivy, the Les Vixens and Baby Blue. Southern Nights will also bring back some old staff members and original formatted nights. There is no word whether staff members will be rehired when the nightclub reopens. Southern Nights management did not returns calls or emails by press time seeking more details.
lgBts figure in orange county primaries Staff Report
orlando | At least three primary races in Orange County have an LGBT bent to them this year, with candidates either being openly gay, LGBT affirming or on the other side of the spectrum. In the Florida District 49 race, two Republicans will face off Aug. 26 in a bid to unseat Democrat Joe Saunders, who is one of only two openly gay elected officials in Tallahassee. Saunders won his seat in the newly redrawn district two years ago. The district, which runs from Semoran Boulevard to Lake Pickett, between the Seminole County line and Colonial line, also stretches south to Curry Ford Road. Rene Plasencia, 41, and Edward Rodriguez have both touted conservative values as a reason for their campaign. Rodriguez is a police detective who wants to expand Florida’s controversial “Stand Your Ground” law to allow someone to shoot “to prevent and or terminate” commission of crimes, including shooting someone who has just committed robbery and is running away. Plasencia is high school teacher and track coach
continueD on pG. 10 | uu |
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lonG tIme comInG: (L-R) W. Robert Sherry, Kathryn norsworthy, Pat Padilla, lisa Tillman, Gina Duncan, Jay Yellen, Elizabeth Maupin and Michael Slaymaker were among those who celebrated after the City Council’s Aug. 11 unanimous decision to add transgender protections to the Chapter 57 ordinance. PHOTO By SAMAnTHA ROSEnTHAl
Finally protected
Orlando unanimously adds gender identity and expression to its anti-discrimination ordinance Samantha Rosenthal
o
rlando | Changes to Chapter 57 the City of Orlando’s ordinance for protections against discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations—were unanimously adopted by the Orlando City Commissioners Aug. 11 to now include protections for the transgender community. “Society in general has changed, in that people are much more inclusive and much more accepting of the LGBT community,” said Gina Duncan, transgender inclusion director of Equality Florida.”But secondly, which is what has
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really driven us, is that the transgender community has also stepped up and is visible, so that people see and are more aware of transgender people.” The fight for the protections began 12 years ago, in 2002 when the Orlando Anti-Discrimination Ordinance (OADO) Committee, first brought attention to the issue. At the Aug. 11 meeting, eight people attended to show support for the revisions, including members of the faculty from Rollins College, OADO, and also the Orlando chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). Several spoke and showed their support, along with Duncan, who also
Augus t 14 - Augus t 27, 2014 // Issue 21.17
presented the City Council with a Transgender Pride flag. “It’s a public message about the values of the city and what the city considers to be important and the importance of valuing and welcoming the transgender community,” said Kathryn Norsworthy, a faculty member at Rollins College and also a member of OADA. “When we started this work back in 2002, the level of opposition was staggering. We had to have three very long meetings with the Human Relations Board and then with the City Council. Basically we had people outside picketing and the halls were filled with people from the outside to testify against the ordinance. We heard a lot of homophobic and transphobic rhetoric.” Though the changes were introduced years back, it has been leaders of the transgender community coming forward, like Duncan, who have helped push to finalize the revisions and make sure they were included into the ordinance. “This is huge for the City of Orlando,” said Pat Padilla, a member of PFLAG Orlando/Central Florida and also OADA member since Chapter 57. “We were here continueD on pG. 10 | uu |
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orlando news | uu | Transgender Protections from pG.8
| uu | Orange County Primaries from pG.8 with a platform focused on education. While neither have attacked Saunders for his sexuality, Rodriguez has already aired ads attacking the first-term incumbent. “Today Joe Saunders means indifference,” Rodriguez said. “Today I’m on a mission to rescue District 49.” In the State Representative District 47 primary, two Republicans are campaigning for an opportunity to unseat LGBT-friendly Linda Stewart. Mike Miller, a conservative endorsed by the National Rifle Association and Sen. Mark Rubio, is a University of Florida graduate and the director of Athletics Marketing. Maurice “Mo” Pearson is president and principal-in-charge of ecological services for 3E Consultants, a company he founded in 2005. Pearson’s platform includes strategies for growing Central Florida’s economy and improving the state’s educational system. Although not a primary contest, the third LGBT-centric race may be the most LGBT specific of all. Brian Fenn and Eric Rollings, both of whom are gay, are running for the Soil and Water District 4 seat. The race is non-partisan, which means no primary is required. The decision for Soil and Water will be made during the general election in November.
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for probably 10 hours or more back when Chapter 57 took place, and today you can see the difference— it’s amazing. The city has come a long, long way.” Duncan said now transgender individuals or those who don’t identify with either gender can be protected from discrimination in the workplace. But education will be the next step, letting these individuals know they have protections and if they are discriminated against in the workplace that there will be consequences and they can go to someone. “We can stand in solidarity from the LGB part of the community and the transgender part to move forward, as we have today, with little to no opposition with this addition to Chapter 57,” said Norsworthy. “Something that should have happened 12 years ago.”
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tampa bay news
hillsBorough divorce case could tip marriage equality argument Jamie Hyman
t
ampa | A Florida attorney is predicting that Florida will see marriage equality within a year, and he points to a Tampa lawsuit as the case that may represent the tipping point. Eddie Stephens, a partner with Ward Damon law firm based out of West Palm Beach, says a divorce case filed by two lesbians in Hillsborough County could result in progress for marriage equality in Florida. The case, involves Keiba Lynn Shaw and Mariama Changamire-Shaw, a couple who married in 2010, moved to Florida a year later and have now decided to split. On March 27, Judge Laurel M. Lee heard the divorce case of the two women and asked, “How would this court have the authority to dissolve a marriage that the laws of our state do not recognize?” The laws preventing the divorce are unfair, argued attorney Ellen Ware, who represents Changamire-Shaw. “We should not be as a state discouraging people from moving to Florida because once here they are forever married,” Ware argued in March. “Essentially by refusing to divorce people, we are telling them if they move here they are stuck.” Two elements in Shaw vs. Shaw will help push marriage equality, acccording to Stephens. First, the case was filed earlier and is four to five months ahead of other, similar Florida cases. Second, the circumstances of Shaw vs. Shaw deny the plaintiffs access to a court. “There’s a constitutional argument there that if you’re denied the right to a court, that has to be addressed,” Stephens said. “So likely it will be addressed in Hillsborough before the Supreme Court deals with these other counties.” Stephens is referring to circuit judges in Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties who have declared the Florida ban on same-sex marriages unconstitutional over the past few weeks. The Hillsborough case “is a weird situation,” he said, because the couple can’t get divorced in Massachusetts because of residency requirements, and they can’t get divorced in Florida because Florida law will not allow recognition of their same-sex union. This creates the urgent access to court situation, which Stephens said the “other cases don’t really possess that element.” As far as his prediction that same-sex marriage will be legal in Florida in a year, Stephens is basing that on the process and length of time for adoption by gay people to become legal in Florida. “When we dealt with same-sex couples adopting it was a challenge from Miami, and it was just an
continueD on pG. 14 | uu |
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FamIlIar Foes:
Libertarian candidate lucas Overby says that he welcomes Rep. David Jolly’s recent comments on marriage equality, but he’s leery of the newly elected Republican’s wording.
PHOTO COuRTESy THE lIBERTARIAn PARTy.
Cautiously welcoming
Lucas Overby responds to Jolly’s support of marriage rulings Steve Blanchard
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learwater | When Rep. David Jolly shared with the Washington Post that he supports rulings out of South Florida declaring the state’s marriage ban unconstitutional, Libertarian Lucas Overby expressed support, and confusion. In an exclusive interview July 30 with Watermark and GSHRadio. com, the Congressional District 13 candidate said he welcomes Jolly to the conversation on equal rights for all people. “I applaud him for that and if he is indeed the eighth elected Republican to be in favor of equal treatment, that’s great,” said Overby, who has been a supporter
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for marriage equality since he was in high school. “We need every ally we can get and I’m not going to turn anyone down, even if he is my opponent.” In July, Jolly told the Washington Post that while he personally believes marriage is between one man and one woman, he things governments should allow samesex couples to wed. “As a matter of my Christian faith, I believe in traditional marriage,” Jolly said. “But as a matter of Constitutional principle I believe in a form of limited government that protects personal liberty. To me, that means that the sanctity of one’s marriage should be defined by their faith and by their church, not by their state. “Accordingly, I believe it is fully appropriate for a state
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to recognize both traditional marriage as well as same-sex marriage, and therefore I support the recent decision by a Monroe County Circuit Judge.” That judge ruled the ban unconstitutional after hearing a lawsuit filed by a Key West couple who were denied a marriage license. There is a stay on that ruling, as well as on three other similar rulings from other south Florida states. The fact that Jolly made marriage it a state’s right issue baffles Overby, however. “This is being found unconstitutional by the 14th amendment, which says the states can’t make laws that take rights away from its people,” the 28-yearold said. “To say this is a states’ rights issue is wrong. I personally am confused by his statement. Jolly was praised by those who support marriage equality, and criticized by a conservative base, which wrote him an open letter declaring he had “betrayed” those who voted for him and demanded an apology for switching his views. It’s Jolly’s response to that letter—which focuses again on his personal vs. constitutional views—that makes Overby uncomfortable. continueD on pG. 14 | uu |
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tampa bay news | uu | Lucas Overby from pg.12 “Either you do or you don’t support protecting people under the law,” Overy said. “I’ve never seen anyone take that many words to say they think that people should be treated equally. Just make a real statement. Do you support equal protection across the board, yes or no?” Overby is relieved that he and Jolly can now focus on more pressing issues for Pinellas County—like insurance issues, medical rights and blood donations. “Since marriage is so close, I have strong faith that in the next two years the federal government will make a statement on that,” Overby said. “If I’m not in Washington and my opponent is, I hope to God he fights for federal protections to support all people regardless of who they are.” Jolly defeated Democrat Alex Sink in a special election held in March following the death of C.W. Bill Young, who held the congressional post for 42 years. Overby was also part of that election, and earned 5% of the vote. He will face Jolly in the Nov. 6 election. To hear the full interview with Overby, visit WatermarkOnline.com. For more information on Overby and his campaign, visit LucasOverby.com.
| uu | Hillsborough Divorce from pg.12 opinion from the Third District Court of Appeals. No one challenged it any further so that became the law of the land,” Stephens said. “Now it looks like there is so much momentum with other circuit judges striking down the statute, it seems like [a similar decision] will be a given in Tampa.” After the adoption decision, he said it took about a year to finalize things, and that’s why he thinks Florida is about a year away from recognizing same-sex marriage. According to Brett Rahall, who represents one of the women seeking a divorce, the judge dismissed the case May 9, and they filed an appeal May 10. Now, they’re working on a brief he expects will be filed later this month. “[The brief] tells the appellate court why we’re complaining about the order [to dismiss] from the trial judge,” Rahall said. “It says the judge made a mistake refusing to grant the divorce because the statute and constitutional amendment relied upon to make that decision are unconstitutional.” In the meantime, the Family Law Section of the Florida Bar, the Florida Chapter of American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the City of Miami are all requesting permission to file friend of the court briefs in the case, arguing the marriage (and divorce) should be recognized in Florida.
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Tampa church stands by its decision to cancel gay man’s funeral Staff Report
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ampa | A Tampa mother received a phone call a day before her son’s funeral saying the service was cancelled after the pastor found out the deceased was gay. Julie Atwood, Julion Evans’ mother, was told she could not have the funeral services at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church because it be “blasphemous.” Pastor T.W. Jenkins for New Hope said he did not know Evans,42, was gay until he saw his obituary which listed his surviving husband. After members of the congregation saw and called to complain, Jenkins said he did not think it was acceptable to hold the funeral services at New Hope. “Based on our preaching of the Scripture, we would have been in error to allow the service in our church,” Jenkins said in an interview, according to WFLATV. “I’m not trying to condemn
anyone’s lifestyle, but at the same time I am a man of God, and I have to stand up for my principles.” Kendall Capers, Evans’ husband and partner of 17 years, said their relationship was not a secret. The two were legally married a year ago in Maryland. “This is 2014, this is not the 60s or the 70s,” Capers told the NBC affiliate. “So at the end of the day I just want his wrong-doing to be exposed.” Evans, 42, died July 26 after a four-year battle with amyloidosis, an illness that claimed the lives of his father and brother. The disease is incurable and attacks the body’s organs. The funeral services were scheduled Aug. 2. Due to the lastminute cancellation, Atwood and Capers tried to change the funeral location and to notify everyone who would attend of the new venue. Still, some mourners showed up at New Hope still and missed the funeral. Capers said he wanted the
funeral services at a church and would have understood the church’s position if they had just refused to hold the funeral when first approached and not cancel it the day before. Capers called it a “disrespectful” and “wrong” decision. Jenkins, according to an article by the New Civil Rights Movement website, has no regrets. “Our trials come to make us strong,” Jenkins told his flock during Aug. 10 services, according to WTSP-TV. “My family is doing fine,” Jenkins can be heard telling his parishioners. And he asked his “church family” to “please remain focused and prayerful ... and we will continue to stand on the word of God.” The church members applauded Jenkins has been the subject of countless news reports. The church’s Facebook page received well over 1,000 negative reviews and comments until it was taken down and contact information was removed from its website.
in 2013. Earlier this summer, however, he voted for language amending the county’s human rights ordinance to protect gay and transgender people. Another race of note to LGBTs in Hillsborough concerns Terry Kemple, the notoriously anti-gay and anti-Muslim activist who is a constant spokesperson against equality advancements in the county. Kemple is seeking the District 4 seat on the Hillsborough County School Board. That seat is currently held by Stacy White, who is stepping down. Also seeking the position are insurance agent Melissa Snively and certified teacher Dee Prether, an Army vet and newcomer to politics. In Pinellas County, former firefighter Ed Hooper, who opposes a new tax for light rail in the county, and current commissioner Norm Roche face off for the District 2 County Commission seat. Roche was
the only dissenting vote when Pinellas County created its domestic partnership registry. Whoever wins this race will face Democrat Pat Gerard in November. Gerard is the former mayor of Largo and was a supporter of one-time manager Steve Stanton, who was fired when he announced plans to transition to become Susan Stanton. And District 6 Republican Commissioner John Morroni is seeking re-election and is challenged by Tom Rask. Since there is no Democratic challenger, this race will decide the election. Morroni, a long time supporter of the LGBT community, including the county’s domestic partnership registry, is also a supporter of Greenlight Pinellas, a light-rail program. Rask does not support the system and touts “traditional” beliefs on his campaign web site.
Some Tampa Bay primaries involve LGBTs and our issues Staff Report
Aug. 26 is Primary Election day, and while there is historically low voter turnout for primaries, especially in no-presidential election years, a number of local races have an LGBT element to them. In Hillsborough County, Democrats Mark Nash and Patricia Kemp are vying for the countywide District 7 seat. Whoever wins the primary will no-doubt face Republican Al Higginbotham. Higginbotham, who currently represents District 4, will be forced out due to term limits and is seeking a new post. Nash, who is gay, and Kemp, who is gay friendly, have similar ideas on issues concerning transportation, urban sprawl and economics. Higginbotham has a history of voting against LGBT issues, like denying a domestic partnership registry in the county
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state news
Man charged in murder of transgender woman Wire report
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ort Myers | Police reports in Southwest Florida indicate a man accused in the slaying of a transgender woman may have been angry she outed him on Facebook. The News-Press of Fort Myers reports police arrested 45-year-old Terry Lynn Brady on July 29. Officers say Brady shot 31-year-old Yaz’min Shancez, then lit her on fire and left her to die behind a store on June 19. Officials say they spoke to a witness who said Shancez had posted on Facebook that Brady liked to “be with” men. Officers say surveillance footage of Brady near the crime scene at the time of the killing and bullets matching a gun he owned tie him to the death. Brady is being held in the Lee County jail without bond. It’s unclear whether he’s retained an attorney.
Atlantic Beach unanimously passes HRO
Jamie Hyman
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allahassee | Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has asked state courts to stop considering cases fighting for marriage equality until the U.S. Supreme Court decides whether states have the right to ban same-sex marriage. Four Florida judges have ruled the state’s ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional in the past few weeks. Bondi has filed appeals in two of those cases, triggering an automatic stay. No same-sex couples have been issued Florida marriage licenses. Bondi’s request for the state courts to freeze appeals in all marriage equality cases is contained in motions she filed Aug. 7 in the two cases currently
under appeal. “If the United States Supreme Court holds that States must sanction same-sex marriage, then Florida’s contrary laws must fall. And if the United States Supreme Court holds that States may choose, then Plaintiffs’ contrary legal claims must fall, and it would be up to Florida’s voters to effect any change,” one motion reads. The chances of another delay doesn’t sit well with those fighting for marriage equality here. “Our families shouldn’t be suffering because our attorney general has chosen a legal strategy that has plagued her with awkward and embarrassing media coverage as she runs for reelection,” said Sue Hoffman, communications manager for Equality Florida. Nadine Smith, CEO of Equality Florida, sees the decision as a delay tactic.
“Apparently Florida’s attorney general has run out of arguments in her attempt to defend the indefensible,” said Smith via a statement. “This is a clear attempt to delay resolution on an issue the majority of Floridians support. There is no certainty when or even if the Supreme Court will take a marriage case. While Bondi delays, thousands of Florida families are denied the security and protections that come with the freedom to marry.” Utah and Oklahoma this week asked the U.S. Supreme Court to decide the issue. Hoffman said it’s not certain whether the Supreme Court will actually hear the cases, and she believes Bondi wants the Supreme Court to determine the constitutionality of Florida’s ban on gay marriage.
On Aug. 4, a Broward County judge ruled the ban unconstitutional in favor of a lesbian couple seeking a divorce. The next day, a Palm Beach County judge issued a ruling striking down the ban. That lawsuit was filed by a man who wished to act as personal representative of his late
husband’s estate in Florida. Two other judges—in Monroe County and Miami-Dade— also have ruled the 2008 ban unconstitutional. Those rulings have been stayed pending appeal. For more detail on all four rulings, visit WatermarkOnline.com.
where they filmed The Birdcage?’ and of course it is,” Damian Besil, the hotel’s manager, told WSVN-TV news. Williams’ name is spoken several times a day at the Carlyle, located on Ocean Drive and 13th Street, where fans reminisced about the film. The hotel was home to Williams’ character and his partner’s drag bar in the comedy, which was directed by Mike Nichols. Williams played the role of the less flamboyant half of the gay couple. Nathan Lane played his longtime partner. The Birdcage is said to be of inspiration for the Palace Bar, a local drag bar. “That was something that inspired me to be who I am today,”
said Missy Meyakie Lepaige, a Palace Bar performer. In 2009, Williams spent some time in South Florida. While in Florida, Williams suffered from shortness of breath and was treated at a local hospital before undergoing heart surgery. Williams’ death touched millions of people and was met with condolences from fans and celebrities on social media. “We consider him to be part of this hotel,” said Besil, who believes that Williams’ spirit will always be alive on South Beach at the Carlyle.
Samantha Rosenthal contributed to this story.
Two more Florida judges rule same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional
Staff Report
Staff Report
Atlantic Beach | The Atlantic Beach City Commission unanimously voted 4-0 to enact a Human Rights Ordinance, which would ban discrimination against LGBT individuals. At the Aug. 11 meeting, the commissioners voted to pass the measure that expands the county HRO to assure equal treatment and protections for LGBTs when they apply for jobs, homes, loans or other public accommodations. Commissioner Jimmy Hill was absent the day of the vote. Nearly 100 people spoke at the meeting about the agenda item, which resulted in almost two hours of public comment. More spoke in favor than in opposition. Commissioner Hill sent a note asking to postpone the vote until he could attend the City Commission meeting, but the Commission decided to move forward with final voting on the HRO. Opponents argued the HRO would allow for lawsuits against local businesses. The ordinance’s exemptions include religious organizations, businesses with 15 or fewer employees and landlords with four or fewer rooms or homes for rent.
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Florida Attorney General asks state courts to stop considering marriage equality cases
Palm Beach County | Two more Florida judges have ruled that Florida’s ban on same-sex marriage, which voters approved as a constitutional amendment in 2008, is unconstitutional.
Fans of Robin Williams mourn his death at ‘Birdcage’ backdrop Staff Report Miami | Fans are mourning the tragic death of Robin Williams at a South Florida hotel that served as the backdrop for one of Williams’ most famous movies. The Carlyle Hotel on South Beach was surrounded by fans of Williams, who starred in The Birdcage, which was filmed at the famous hotel. Williams, 63, died Aug. 11 due to asphyxia in an apparent suicide. Fans were left in shock, and many shared stories about Williams at the Carlyle upon learning of his death. “Many times, I mean every night, we get the question, ‘Is this
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nation+world news
Judges weigh 4 states’ same-sex marriage cases Wire Report
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incinnati | Three federal judges weighing arguments in a landmark same-sex marriage hearing on Aug. 6 peppered attorneys on both sides with tough questions, with one judge expressing deep skepticism about whether courts are the ideal setting for major social change and another saying the democratic process can be too slow. The judges in the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals considered arguments in six cases from Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee, setting the stage for historic rulings in each state that would put more pressure on the U.S. Supreme Court to decide
the issue once and for all. The cases pit states’ rights and traditional, conservative values against what plaintiffs say is a fundamental right to marry under the U.S. Constitution. While questions and comments from two of the judges all but gave away how they will rule— Judge Martha Craig Daughtrey in favor of marriage equality and Judge Deborah L. Cook opposed— Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton vigorously challenged each side’s assertions. Sutton repeatedly questioned plaintiffs’ attorneys whether the courts are the best place to legalize same-sex marriage, saying that the way to win Americans’ hearts and minds is to wait until they’re ready to vote for it. ``I would have thought the best
Ugandans hold LGBT pride parade Wire Report Entebbe, Uganda | Scores of Ugandan LGBTs marched through sprawling botanical gardens in the lakeside town of Entebbe on Aug. 9, their first pride parade since a Ugandan court invalidated a controversial anti-gay law. Many marchers wore masks, signaling they did not want to be publicly identified in a country where LGBTs and their supporters face severe discrimination. Although organizers had expected more than 500 people to
way to get respect and dignity is through the democratic process,’’ said Sutton, a George W. Bush nominee. ``Nothing happens as quickly as we’d like it.’’ Constitutional law professors and court observers say that the 6th Circuit could be the first to uphold statewide bans on same-sex marriage following an unbroken string of more than 20 rulings in the past eight months that have gone the other way. The 6th Circuit is the first of three federal appeals courts to hear arguments from multiple states in coming weeks. The 7th Circuit in Chicago has similar arguments set for Aug. 26 for bans in Wisconsin and Indiana. The 9th Circuit in San Francisco is to take up Idaho’s and Nevada’s bans Sept. 8.
attend the event, fewer than 200 turned up, said gay activist Moses Kimbugwe, who noted that many were afraid of possible violence following a court’s decision earlier this month to jettison an antigay law that had wide support among Ugandans. ``We are here to walk for those who can’t walk, who are afraid to walk,’’ said Kimbugwe. ``We are here to celebrate our rights.’’ Uganda’s Constitutional Court ruled last week that the anti-gay law enacted only five months ago was illegal because it was passed during a parliamentary session
that lacked a quorum. Some lawmakers have pledged to try to reintroduce the same legislation when parliament reconvenes this month. This was the third annual gay pride event, organizers said. The first one, in 2012, turned violent after local police tried to break it up, said Ugandan lesbian activist Jacqueline Kasha. ``We are a group of people who have suffered enough,’’ she said. ``We are Ugandans who have the right to gather in a public place ... and we are going to have fun.’’
The center’s executive director, Xin Ying, said some professional hospitals in China, as well as smaller private clinics, still provide conversion therapy and that the group hopes the case at the Haidian District People’s Court in Beijing will lead to a ban on the therapy. Yang Teng, 30, said the therapy given to him by Chongqing Xinyu Piaoxiang clinic included hypnosis and electric shock that injured him physically and mentally. He said he voluntarily underwent the therapy in February following pressure
from his parents to get married and have a child. ``My hometown is a small city, people there still care about carrying on the family line,’’ Yang said, adding that now he can finally accept his homosexuality. Chinese society is increasingly accepting of gays and lesbians, although same-sex partnerships are not recognized and no laws outlaw discrimination against sexual minorities. China declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder in 2001.
Chinese man brings gay conversion therapy lawsuit Wire Report Beijing | A gay Chinese man announced July 31 he was suing a psychological clinic for carrying out electric shocks intended to turn him straight, as well as the search engine giant Baidu for advertising the center. The Beijing LGBT Center, which campaigns for gay rights, said it was the first court case involving so-called conversion therapy in China.
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in other news Virginia asks for review of same-sex marriage ruling Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring on Aug. 8 petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to review a decision that struck down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage, although he supports the lower court’s decision. The Democrat has chosen not to defend the state’s law, and said he believes the district and appeals courts ruled correctly in striking down the ban.
Opponents of Houston’s anti-bias law sue city Opponents of Houston’s new protections for gay and transgender residents have sued the city after failing to collect enough votes for a repeal referendum. The lawsuit filed Aug. 5 contests how signatures were verified for the referendum petition. Backers needed 17,269 signatures to place the repeal on the November ballot and claim they collected more than 50,000. City Attorney David Feldman says only 15,249 valid signatures were collected.
Colorado: Bar discriminated against man in drag Colorado regulators say a Denver gay bar discriminated against a man when a bouncer denied him entry last year because he was dressed in drag. The Department of Regulatory Agencies determined that the Denver Wrangler wrongly favors those with a masculine appearance because its dress code bars high heels, wigs and perfume, and on Aug. 4 ordered the bar to resolve the dispute with Vito Marzano, a gay man who was wearing a dress and wig when he went to the bar in 2013.
Seattle nightclub arsonist gets 10 years in prison A man who set fire to a crowded Seattle nightclub on New Year’s Eve has been sentenced to 10 years in prison—twice what prosecutors asked. No one was injured when 31-year-old Musab Mohammed Masmari ignited gasoline in a stairwell at Neighbors, a gay nightclub. U.S. District Court Judge Ricardo Martinez said July 31 that while Masmari’s intentions could not be proven as a hate crime, “common sense tells us exactly what was on Mr. Masmari’s mind when he set that fire.’’
Vietnam hosts largest pride parade Around 300 activists led a colorful parade through Hanoi on Aug.3 in the nation’s third and largest-ever gay pride event, as communist Vietnam shows signs of increasing tolerance of its LGBT population. An enthusiastic crowd cycled and danced through the rainbow-draped capital, urging an end to discrimination against the LGBT community. Homosexuality remains taboo in Vietnam, but a series of gradual advances, including the removal of fines for same-sex wedding parties, have been welcomed by the LGBT community.
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viewpoint
mediA Jamie Hyman online director
ally agenda An imagineered indoctrination
W
as The Tampa Tribune’s
entire editorial board locked in a sweat lodge trying to identify their spirit animals when Douglas MacKinnon’s column on Disney’s “pro-gay agenda” crossed their desks?
That is the only explanation for the paranoid, bizarre, flimsy-as-tissue paper opinion piece ever making it to print. Titled “Disney’s Pro-Gay Agenda is Disturbing,” the piece was published Aug. 11. First, MacKinnon waxes poetic about the magic of Disney. He mentions the joy Disney films brought him as he grew up in poverty, and a few minutes of Googling lets me know this is MacKinnon’s schtick—poor beginnings, conservative values, scrappy bootstrap pulling-up. Got it. Then, he launches into what I call—using some poetic license here—“arguments.” That’s because his sauce, as they say, is weak. Let’s break them down together. Disney has made no secret that it pushes a pro-gay agenda. That is most certainly its right. But where does the company draw the line? They must not stop until everyone is gay! Just kidding. I can tell you precisely where Disney draws the line. Far from openly pro-gay, Disney has walked a rainbow-striped tightrope. They are very pro-LGBT-equality behind the scenes, on the corporate side. The company has offered domestic partner benefits since the 1990s. PRIDE, their Diversity Resource Group, is active and vibrant. Employees march in Orlando’s Pride Parade every year. However, Disney stops just short of taking their support outside of internal affairs. They’ve never publicly acknowledged Gay Days, arguably one of the largest LGBT gatherings in the world, and an event from which Disney profits handsomely. Just like most other major corporations, they are progressing, but they are not just yet bastions of LGBT equality.
Next, MacKinnon talks to an unnamed “former Disney executive.” That sounds like a totally real and reliable source. The former executive said one of the more subtle techniques is to incorporate the colors of the gay-pride flag in as many shots as possible. The colors are woven in as a wink and nod to the gay community and show up on shirts, hats, posters, stacked cups and rings. The practice has been picked up by other children’s networks and national advertisers. Is it not possible that children’s programming is colorful because kids have always been drawn to bright, primary colors? Disney also pushes the gay agenda by introducing openly gay characters and couples on its children’s programing. Again, that is their right, but should they be in the business of entertaining children or indoctrinating them? Portraying gay characters is accurately representing the world in which we live. Many of those children who watch Disney programming have gay parents or family members. That’s not indoctrination. That’s life. Beyond its pro-gay agenda, which now includes halting funding to the Boy Scouts of America, Disney also leans left in its politics. Once again, that is their right. Whoa, whoa, whoa there, fella. Disney’s decision to stop funding the Boy Scouts wasn’t pro-gay. It was antidiscrimination. For those who don’t know, last year the Boy Scouts decided gay Scouts are okay, but gay Scout leaders are not. But going back to their children’s programming, Michelle Obama has become a fixture on seemingly every Disney Channel show or Disney commercial, with President Barack Obama also incorporated in as many ways as possible. I have not taken anything out of context, here. The above sentence directly follow’s MacKinnon’s one
about a pro-gay agenda. Perhaps the Obamas aren’t featured because they’re… somehow… gay. Perhaps they’re featured because they are the First Lady and the President of the United freaking States. Next, MacKinnon makes the argument that Disney is
This would maybe be concerning if MacKinnon had managed to present a shred of evidence that any sort of agenda or indoctrination exists. That’s a key step in this whole convincing-people-tobelieve-you thing. Next, he trots out the
literally everyone else on the planet Earth because Disney’s gay agenda doesn’t exist. Seriously, rainbow clothing on children’s programming, a choice not to directly fund discrimination and the television presence of the
wealthier than God, which is possibly the first true thing he’s said in the entire column, and therefore, management is too rich to care that “half the nation” doesn’t like Disney’s children’s programming “shilling” for the gays and the liberals. They have made the corporate decision to push their adult ideology upon children ages 2 to 12, and who’s to stop them?
old “liberals run the media” cliché, and says that allows companies like Disney to “re-educate our youth.” The Disney Co. does much good and brightens the lives of millions around the world, especially children. Because of that, I wish they had stayed in the business of entertaining those children and left the indoctrination to someone else. They have. They have left the indoctrination to
First Lady are all this clown has presented in support of what he claims is Disney’s pro-gay agenda. I don’t know for whom I’m most embarrassed— MacKinnon or the Tampa Tribune editorial team that allowed this column constructed of chiffon to be published. Oh wait, I know. I’m embarrassed for all of them.
I don’t know for whom I’m most embarrassed— MacKinnon or the Tampa Tribune editorial team.
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talking points
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I don’t know who did that wig for you, but you need to get your money back. —trans actress laverne cox, as ‘sophIa’, to conan o’BrIen durInG a cold open oF COnan on tBs.
live Gay KiSS DurinG cOmmOnweaLth GameS
TEXAS STATE REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS
o
Believe that same-sex marriage is comparaBle w to incest, pedophilia, and polygamy.
penly Gay scottIsh-amerIcan actor john scot Barrowman surprised a live TV audience by kissing one of his dancers on stage during the opening ceremonies of the Commonwealth Games. The hunky Barrowman plays Captain Jack Harkness in Torchwood, the sci-fi series about a team of alien hunters. (He was in Orlando in March for Megacon2014.) The kiss was the biggest “live-TV” gay kiss since football player Michael Sam kissed his boyfriend when he found out he was drafted by the Saint Louis Rams last spring. Barrowman’s scripted kiss was meant to emphasize the value that Scotland, where Barrowman was born, places on equality, Games CEO David Grevemberg told The Boston Globe. The Commonwealth Games are the fourth largest multi-sport event in the world. Homosexuality is illegal in 42 of the 53 member countries and punishable by death in Nigeria and Brunei.
VARIETY’s tOp ceLebrity endOrser is…
—According to a brief filed by the Texas Conservative Coalition supporting the state’s same-sex marriage ban.
hen VarieTY asked who Gay men admIre most as a celebrity endorser, Ellen DeGeneres took the honor by a landslide! The magazine polled 3,000 gay men, and a whopping 97 percent favored DeGeneres. The survey uncovered that the talk show host had the attributes—being female, openly gay, smart and mature—that most gay men 18-54 favored in product endorsements. Beyonce, Jane Lynch and Elton John were also popular, as were Angelina Jolie, Oprah and Johnny Depp.
watermark Your lgbt life.
tyinG tHe lGBt StruGGle to tHe civil riGHtS movement
a
new cIvIl rIGhts museum has opened In atlanta. The National Center for Civil and Human Rights houses Martin Luther King Jr.’s personal papers and a timeline of the movement. It also ties the 1950s and ‘60s to the modern day LGBT struggle through interactive exhibits and stories of real people. “I think it’s important that we continue to connect the dots for the next generation,” said King’s daughter Bernice King. Get more info at CivilandHumanRights.org.
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seXuaLity QuestiOns are “antiQuated”
r
epresentatIves For Former ameriCan iDOL and current X-Factor Britain judge Simon Cowell were quick to deny claims that the TV star is gay. “In 2014, the question of whether someone is or is not gay is antiquated. (As it happens he isn’t.)” The claims about Cowell’s alleged homosexuality came from the singer Tulisa Contostavlos, who made the claim on a recording presented in a drug case. Contostavlos has apologized for the statement, saying he was drunk at the time of the recording.
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watermark
in depth 10 years later
RE M E M BE RI NG
PAUL
10 YEARS AFTER AIDS COMPLICATIONS TOOK PAUL WEGMAN, CENTRAL FLORIDA REFLECTS ON HIS LOSS, HIS INFLUENCE AND THE INVINCIBILITY OF HIS CHARACTER
STORY BY
Scottie Campbell
t
PHOTOS COURTESY OF
David Wegman
he knowledGe that we wIll
one day die is what truly separates us from the animals, and we are never more keenly aware of that fact than when we realize the mortality of our heroes.
During the filming of the posthumous documentary Paul Wegman: A Tribute, I was asked to describe Paul in one word and I replied: “invincible.” In the months leading up to his death 10 years ago, I retreated to the uncomfortable land of denial, clumsily clinging to that one-word perception.
the teacher
I was 24 when I actually met Paul Wegman, though I had seen him onstage, making magic as
‘Prospero’ on the shore of Lake Eola, one unseasonably cold April, in the inaugural season of Orlando Shakespeare Festival (now Orlando Shakespeare Theater). I also saw his lauded return to the title role in The Elephant Man at Seminole Community College (now Seminole State College), having been urged by theatre friends not to miss it. He was one of the few actors I’ve known to make you believe the word splurge continueD on pG. 28 | uu |
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Photos courtesy of David Wegman
| uu | Paul Wegman from pG.25
of playwright Len Jenkins, which I saw him tackle in Dark Ride, performed in the 1990s nightclub Big Bang in Downtown Orlando. So when I walked into the vast auditorium at Valencia Community College (now Valencia College) to audition for a Sherlock Holmes play called The Crucifer of Blood, to my mind, I was auditioning for theater royalty: director Paul Wegman. At one point in the process, Paul had me reading a scene with the impossibly gorgeous blond guy who would eventually be cast as Sherlock, when he interrupted us to repeat the scene. “I saw something there,” Paul said. I saw something—and he was referring to me! “I felt like he really believed in me and my talent,” recalls Tiffany Coffman, another actor Paul saw something in and cast as the female lead in Crucifer. “It meant the world to me because I didn’t have a ton of self-
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confidence back then.” Coffman considers Paul the best director she’s ever worked with in large part due to his collaborative approach. She came into a rehearsal with her hair dyed reddish brown because she felt it fit her character. Paul agreed, so he brought in a wig from Miss P’s collection. Paul put the wig on Coffman personally. “He encouraged us to figure out our own truths and motivations within our characters,” she says. “If he thought we were going way off track, he would maybe steer us in the direction he envisioned, but mostly I remember him letting us figure out things on our own.”
HanDS toGetHer
That brings us to the sequined elephant-in-the-room: Miss P. Though he seemed to approach P as character, Paul’s notorious drag persona overshadowed his acting career. Miss P ruled the roost in Parliament House’s Footlight Theatre for 25 years, beginning in the mid-1970s. “There was always Paul, and
It’s very fitting that it took something like that—
a fierce act of nature— to take Paul away. then there was P at the Parliament House,” local actor Mark Edward Smith told Orlando Sentinel at the time of Wegman’s passing. “To me, they were never the same people.” Smith’s comment echoes the feelings of many who saw Miss P as her own personality. P was caustic and abrasive, emceeing the drag shows with an obligatory tour of the audience with house lights up. Straight women were routinely “converted” to lesbians with an Ernest Angley-style slap to the forehead. Straight men were brought on stage for a closer inspection. Political correctness was left outside and nobody inside was safe from P’s sharp tongue and, for the most part, everyone loved it.
watermark Your lgbt life.
— davId lee, dIrector, actor
“The shows are not nearly as vulgar or offensive,” says Chris Guy, stage manager at Parliament House. “People could take a joke back then and if they couldn’t... well, you know what Paul would say to that! No one makes me laugh like he did—on and off the stage.” P would open the show with a lipsynched number that was almost always a song from a musical. I often got the impression that she didn’t give two shits if you were paying attention or not during these moments; this was as much for her as anything else. Her performance was laced with bits that became audience favorites. Audiences would shout “roll” until P would finally do a somersault or two across the stage
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with little regard for what was showing when her dress went up. There was also “Hereeeeeee’s Pussy” when P would stuff a mic up her dress, so that her crotch could entertain the crowd with its rendition of “Be Our Guest” or some other song. The crowd would dutifully clap their hands once in unison to welcome the next performer, when Miss P would bark the order: “Hands together!” Today, a framed photo of Miss P with a plaque proclaiming “The House That P Built” is at the entrance of the Footlight Theatre. There is a rumor that a portion of Paul’s ashes are tucked away under the stage, but the show must go on. Those shows continue to pack in audience, under the mic
Performing as P or not, Paul Wegman showed many moods and personalities—all compelling
and guidance of the formidable Darcel Stevens. “I think Paul would be having a field day with a cast full of “trannies”—yes, “trannies”, because he was never PC when it came to drag,” laughed Guy.
sQueaky
“Unfortunately Paul was teased a great deal in his teenage years,” remembers his sister, Jean Totten. “Partly because he was heavy, partly because it was obvious he was ‘different,’ and partly because his voice was changing. His nickname was ‘Squeaky.’” Paul came into his own in his later high school years, according to Totten. He was in drama club, throwing himself into each production: acting, creating sets and even helping to direct. One of Paul’s earlier roles in the 1960s, as Kreton in Gore Vidal’s A Visit to a Small Planet, was a family favorite. “Mom, Dad and Jean all recollected over the years of never being able to forget Paul’s entrance as he popped up from behind a couch on stage,” says younger
brother Dave Wegman, himself too young to recall the performance. Paul’s homosexuality combined with a decision to pursue a career in performance created a strained relationship with their immediate and extended family, particularly on his mother’s side. It led to Paul’s departure from their Rochester home for New York City, then later Florida. Dave, 15 years Paul’s junior, was told little about his brother in the years following, until he also came out in 1976. Dave is in disbelief that an entire decade has passed since he lost his big brother. The iconic level Paul has reached would feel intrusive to some families, but Dave expresses “amazement over the reach and depth that he had on so many lives no matter how brief or deeply each knew or experienced him.”
hurricane p
Recently appointed as theatre director for Boone High School, his alma mater, David Lee has been a fixture in the Orlando theatre community for nearly
three decades, having started as a youngster. In that time, he worked with Paul several times as an actor and the two directed each other. The two shared something of a father/son relationship, “and of course sometimes Miss P was part of the equation so I had a surrogate Mom as well,” says Lee. On one particular occasion, Paul gave a 19-year-old Lee life saving advice. One of Lee’s best friends was brutally murdered by a date and it sent Lee on a destructive spiral. “Paul knew that I had been offered a scholarship to the University of Miami in the theatre program. Paul found me one night at the Parliament House after one of his shows and asked me to come outside,” remembers Lee. “We sat in front of the friar statue on the ground and he told me that if I didn’t get my act together and go to college that he would never forgive me. He told me stop feeling guilty for being alive and to get out there and live!” Central Floridians will remember 2004 as the year we were hit by a trio of hurricanes:
watermark Your lgbt life.
Charley, Frances, and Jeanne. By this time, the complications of AIDS had taken a toll on Paul and he was in the care of an assisted living facility. Lee remembers feeling fearful for Paul, visiting him for the last time just prior to the hurricanes. His fear was not unfounded, as the storms caused power outages that contributed to Paul’s death, as well as several others in the facility. “It’s very fitting that it took something like that—a fierce act of nature—to take Paul away,” states Lee. He quips that he calls that particular storm “Hurricane P.” On Tuesday, Aug, 24, 2004, Paul Wegman shuffled off this mortal coil. In that last visit, the mentor to so many had one last lesson for Lee, one that no doubt rings familiar to all who experienced Paul. “I still remember him every day, in the care center, blind, holding my arm tightly and telling me and Chad Lewis to ‘Go out there and make magic! Please, listen...you must make magic!’” Lee says. “That keeps me going most days”
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My own last encounter with Paul was a phone conversation trying to make final arrangements for him to participate in a reading of Love! Valour! Compassion! at The Center. Fellow producer Margaret Nolan and I had already made arrangements to pick him up for rehearsals and provide an enlarged script for his failing eyesight. But in this conversation, with the weight of regret at disappointing an audience, Paul said, “I’m sorry, Scottie, I just can’t do it.” After saying an awkward good-bye, I immediately dialed Michael McLane to ask him read the twins John and James Jeckyll in Paul’s place. Michael, a mutual friend who has since been lost to cancer, could tell the shake in my voice was not the urgency of replacing another actor. It was caused by my own last lesson from Paul Wegman: invincibility—at least of our physical form—is a foolish notion, even for a legend.
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To purchase tickets, please visit www.TIGLFF.com
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watermark Your lgbt life.
PNC: Proud to be the Presenting Sponsor of TIGLFF 2014
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THE SEARCH FOR SINÉAD how sinÉad o’connor found herself— and how the gay community helped watermark Your lgbt life.
arts+entertainment lauGhs and love: When posing for her
newest album, Sinead O’Connor put on latex and a wig for laughs—then found she liked the look for this particular set of what she calls “love songs.”
I
Chris Azzopardi
n 1992, sInÉad o’connor was
at the height of her career following the success of “Nothing Compares 2 U” when, during a one-woman protest against sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, she tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live. Causing an uproar and eventually thwarting her pop-culture presence (not that she cared), that defiance would come to define the Irish singer’s life and career.
Does Sinéad have balls? Of course she does. Big ones. She talked about that region during our recent conversation, insisting that sex—whether it’s with a man or a woman—isn’t necessary to make her “dick hard.” Still, she lets it all hang out on her 10th studio album, I’m Not Bossy, I’m the Boss, which was released Aug. 12. On it, she candidly reveals that “Everybody wants something from me / They rarely ever wanna just know me.” The exception: this chat, during which Sinéad recalled her introduction to the gay community and how that community gave her the courage to be herself, speak out and “take shit.” WATERMARK: the aLbum’s
leaD SinGle, “taKe me to cHurcH,” SeemS partly inSpireD By reDemption. what mistake in yOur Life waS tHe turninG point for you?
sinÉad: In terms of the song, I suppose the whole album really is a set of love songs. They’re all romantic songs, and there are a number of characters on the record— three or four different female characters, one of whom
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turns up a lot more than the others—and there’s a certain journey that that character is taking throughout the record. In a way, that’s the answer to the question. The character is someone who believed all her life that somehow a relationship would make everything wonderful, and that glorious man or woman would come along and carry her into the sunset, that everything would be wonderful. The song is more about the idea of romance, and on the whole album that character in particular takes a journey through being a romantic—a pedestal-putting-upon type of a character—who matures when she sees the reality of the situation as opposed to the illusion. suicide cOmes up On anotHer SonG from tHiS alBum, “8 GooD reaSonS,” eXcept it sOunds Like it’s cominG from a more perSonal place.
Yeah, “8 Good Reasons” and “How About I Be Me” would be the most autobiographical songs on this record.
continueD on pG. 36 | uu |
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a BIG openInG nIGht: Julian Walker plays a saintly young student who finds himself in an untraditional production of Romeo and Juliet. Walker stars alongside Monique in the opening night film, Blackbird, screening at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 22. PHOTO COuRTESy BlACK BOy PRODuCTIOnS
endInG on a hIGh note: The musical comedy Cupcakes closes the Fabulous Independent Film Festival on Aug. 24, and tells the story of an unlikely cast of friends who find themselves competing in a world-wide singing competition. It stars Jewish actor Efrat Dor. PHOTO COuRTESy STRAnD RElEASInG
Fabulous at four film+cinema burns Court once again hosts the Fabulous independent Film Festival aug. 22-24
s
Aaron Alper
arasota | sarasota’s 4th annual
Fabulous Independent Film Festival kicks off later this month The festival, which runs Friday through Sunday, Aug. 22-24, sports an impressive collection of LGBT films which run the gamut of genres, including documentary, drama, foreign and romantic comedy.
The films will be shown at Burns Court Cinemas again this year, and the festival opens with a screening of Blackbird, presented by Watermark, on Friday, Aug. 22 at 7:30 p.m. In addition, there will be a cocktail party at M.A.D.E. and an opening night dance party at Throb (tickets include drinks for both these events), as well as a closing night party at Caragiulo’s on Aug. 24. Magida Diori, who is the mastermind behind Broken
34
Rules LC, the production company behind FIFF, stresses that the festival sports a casual atmosphere and a come-asyou-are attitude. “It is one the most laid back festivals you could ever deal with,” Diori says. “Don’t come entirely naked, as you might get into trouble, but otherwise we are not the fashion police.” As for the films themselves— nine full-length features and seven shorts—Diori has a personal
stake in all of them. Since she is responsible for getting them to the FIFF, she has seen them all and developed a special relationship with each. The films do run the gamut. There’s Cupcakes, directed by Eytan Fox, which is a lighthearted Israeli romantic comedy that, according to Diori, makes “a perfect closing film for the festival.” The Circle is a Swiss film which is a part documentary, part drama, part thriller narrative that tells the story of the gay organization Der Kreis, which was the only one its kind to survive the Nazi regime. There’s also To Be Takei, a documentary of actor-turnedactivist George Takei, who survived a stint in a Japanese internment camp, became famous as an actor best known for his role as “Sulu” in the original Star Trek franchise, and garnered international accolades as a social
watermark Your lgbt life.
networking phenomena who continues to fight for equal rights. “He’s an interesting character,” Diori says of Takei. “I didn’t know what I was going to see when I screened the film. He is a very nice person and that is what transpires in the film. You always hear those stories about how Hollywood people are evil; he does not have that aspect.” The opening night’s Blackbird, directed by Patrik Ian Polk (of TV Noah’s Arc fame) is getting its Florida premiere. Blackbird has been shown “everywhere else but here” according to Diori, so its presence in the festival is a cultural boon for the cinematic community. “I wanted the film but it was not possible when I started talking to them a few months ago,” Diori recalls. “Then I received an email asking me if I was still interested. I am very grateful.” Although Diori is a fan of every film involved (“I could talk to you forever about them”), it’s Queerituality that is the centerpiece of the festival. It’s the last film by local director Tom Murray, who passed away four years ago. Murray’s creation almost didn’t make it onto the screen, which would have been a major loss to the community as a whole. “Four years ago when I did my first festival, I called [Tom] up and asked him ‘How are you feeling? What are you up to?’ He said ‘I’m doing the first draft screening
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[of Queerituality],’which he was going to show to friends and then tweak it. I wanted to it be in the festival and he said he’d let me know. Two weeks later he died of a heart attack.” It was an arduous journey getting Queerituality out from there. Diori made personal connections with Murray’s partner of 37 years and the editing team who transferred the film from its now-obsolete editing system. “They’re actually editing the film as we speak,” Diori says. “So it’s a world premiere, not just a Florida premiere.” Through it all though, Diori is adamant about the value of all the films at FIFF. “I was talking with a friend of mine and he asked me ‘If you had to choose three of them, which ones would you chose?’ Diori says. “Now, originally I was going to downsize the program to only five or six films. I looked at him and said, ‘I haven’t been able to reduce the number of films. How am I going to tell you three of them? They all have something to tell.” For more information, visit FIFF at FabulousIFF.com.
more information
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“i Became tHe StranGer nO One sees”—that Lyric SeemS eSpecially tellinG. witH tHat line, wHat are you reflectinG on? wHen in your life Have you felt inviSiBle, liKe an Outsider?
Yeah, there would be times that you are invisible—for the most part you are invisible, except when you’re making music. It’s really a song about being in the music business and the effects the music business— the business part of it—can have on you. It’s not about the things that life does to you. There was nothing in my life apart from my job that ever made me want to run for the window. (laughs) I can actually laugh about it now, thank god. dO yOu feeL Like yOurseLf more now tHan ever?
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| uu | Sinéad O’Connor
watermark Your lgbt life.
Yeah, I do—certainly musically. I wasn’t comfortable when I was younger for a myriad of reasons, but now I am very comfortable with who I am as a musician.
when was the first time yOu feLt a cOnnectiOn tO Gay people in your life?
I grew up in Ireland and there was no such thing as “gay” in the ’70s. I had never even heard of “gay” except for there was a female impersonator who had a big TV show in the ’70s, a guy called Danny La Rue. I moved to London and I had a totally straight but cross-dressing cousin who brought me to all these clubs in London. Hippodrome Nightclub & Disco was the first I went to, and it was full of guys dressed up as the most beautiful looking women—way more beautiful than any other woman was ever gonna hope to look! In the country that I came from, you couldn’t be you in any way at all. No one
wIGGIn’ out: For the album cover of her 10th studio album,
I’m Not Bossy, I’m the Boss, Sinéad O’Connor ventured into latex and wig territory. But don’t worry, she’s still shaving that famous head.
could’ve walked down the street dressed like those guys were. You’d have the shit kicked out of you, and not just for that, but a girl like me would have the shit kicked out of her if she walked around with a short skirt, if you expressed anything different at all. So it was real inspiring to me to see those guys able
artiStS, wHo inSpireS yOu?
I’m old fashioned in that I’m not necessarily terribly inspired by anything that I hear on the radio that’s getting made nowadays, and that’s partly because I don’t bother my arse, which is terrible and inexcusable. I’m so addicted to the kind of music that I like, which is
“I actually find the whole gay community an enormous inspiration to me because, Jesus, I’ve never taken the kind of shit gay people take.” — sInÉad o’connor to walk around and be who they were. I actually find the whole gay community an enormous inspiration to me because, Jesus, I’ve never taken the kind of shit gay people take. But you’ve taKen a fair amount of SHit.
No, I know, but I suppose in a way what I’m trying to say is that it’s easier to take shit when you are inspired by people such as those in the gay community. when yOu LOOk Out at tHe neXt Generation of
to read bonus content from this interview go to watermarkonline.com.
Augus t 14 - Augus t 27, 2014 // Issue 21.17
pretty much Chicago blues. I don’t hear anything on the radio that gets me as excited as that. Well, Adele, obviously, she’s very inspiring. Amy Winehouse to me was extraordinary, as is Adele. I miss Amy Winehouse enormously because the bar was raised terribly high when she stepped in. I don’t know, though... I’m inexcusably uneducated as to what’s going on now.
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Proceeds benefit Ivanhoe Village Main Street and the Paul Wegman Scholarship Fund.
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Tappin’ and Yappin’!, Aug. 15, The Abbey, Orlando. 407-704-6103; AbbeyOrlando.com.
Big Bang Burlesque show 8 p.m., FrIday, auG. 15 st. petersBurG nIGhts, 6800 sunset way
lauryn Hill, Aug. 15, House of Blues, Orlando. 407-934-2583; HouseOfBlues.com/Orlando. K92.3 All Star Jam with Big & Rich with Chase Rice and Jamie lynn Spears, Aug. 15, Hard Rock Live, Orlando. 407-351-5483; Hardrock.com/ Live/Locations/Orlando.com. Singing Sondheim, Aug. 15, 16 (8 p.m.) and Aug. 17 (6 p.m.), Central Christian Church, Orlando. 407-937-1800; CFCArts.com/singing-sondheim. The Wayans Brothers, Aug. 16, Hard Rock Live, Orlando. 407-351-5483; Hardrock.com/ Live/Locations/Orlando.com. Rock Hard Revue, Aug. 16, The Abbey, Orlando. 407-704-6103; AbbeyOrlando.com. Second Annual Community unity Festival. Aug. 16, Daisy Stocking Park, Daytona Beach. 386-671-8000; codb. us/CivicAlerts.aspx. O-Town, Aug. 17, Hard Rock Live, Orlando. 407-351-5483; Hardrock.com/Live/ Locations/Orlando. A Special Screening of Paul Wegman: A Tribute, Aug. 18, The Venue, Orlando. 407-412-6895; TheVenueOrlando.com.
tori amos J. Alvarez, Aug. 23, House of Blues, Orlando. 407-934-2583; HouseOfBlues.com/ Orlando.com.
Cassadee Pope & Aaron Parker, Aug. 22, House of Blues, Orlando. 407-934-2583; HouseOfBlues.com/ Orlando.com.
tampa bay
Mika Singh World Tour, Aug. 23, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando. 407-685-9800; Occ.net.
OrLandO
Fashionista & Vegas Night 6 p.m. saturday, auG. 16 parlIament house resort 410 n. oranGe Blossom traIl, orlando Enjoy two huge events in one night at the Parliament House Resort benefiting the Hope and Help Center of Central Florida on Aug. 16. Fashionista, a highenergy fashion show featuring local designers, begins at 7 p.m. and features entertainment by the Footlight Players. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $25 for VIPs. After the fashion show, stick around for Vegas Night from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. and try your luck at poker, roulette and blackjack. Get details at ParliamentHouse.com.
track shack Celebration of Running 5k
Songwriter, performer and LGBT advocate Tori Amos brings her “Unrepentant Geraldines” tour to Clearwater’s Ruth Eckerd Hall on Aug. 22 and to the Bob Carr Performing Arts Center in Orlando on Aug. 23. Ticket information for both shows is below. PHOTO COuRTESy AMARPAul KAlIRAI
The Letters, Aug. 22- Sept. 21, Mad Cow Theatre, Orlando. 407-297-8788; MadCowTheatre.com.
Tori Amos, Aug. 23, Bob Carr Performing Arts Center, Orlando. 407-246-4262; Orlando-Theatre.com.
Step into a 1940s dance hall for a saucy and sophisticated evening of classic cabaret with musical and dance performances complete with twirling tassels. The Big Bang Burlesque show features local entertainers Meagan Towers, Franki Markstone, Lady Lana and Tsunami Blu, to just name a few, at St. Petersburg Nights on St. Pete Beach on Aug. 15. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 through BigBangBurlesque. EventBee.com. Reservations recommended by calling 727-363-3832.
Brad Paisley, Aug.15, MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre at the Florida State Fairgrounds, Tampa. 813-740-2446; MidFlorida.com/Amphitheatre. One Republic and The Script, Aug. 16, MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre at the Florida State Fairgrounds, Tampa. 813-740-2446; MidFlorida.com/Amphitheatre.
2014 Summer of Rum Festival, Aug. 16, Cuban Club, Ybor City. 813-248-2954; SummerofRumFest.com. Dine Tampa Bay Restaurant Week, Aug. 16-30, throughout Tampa. 813-223-1111; DineTampaBay.com. The Whispers and The Manhattans, Aug.17, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org. Motley Crue with Alice Cooper, Aug.17, MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre at the Florida State Fairgrounds, Tampa. 813-740-2446; MidFlorida.com/Amphitheatre.
Tori Amos, Aug. 22, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater. 727-791-7400; RuthEckerdHall.com.
sarasOta Friday Fest at the van Wezel with SoulRcoaster, Aug. 22, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Sarasota. 941-953-3368; VanWezel.org
Celebrate with a medal, gender specific tech t-shirt and ice cold Sam Adams at Track Shack’s 22nd Annual Celebration of Running 5k. It kicks off the Florida running season, and the anniversary of Track Shack Running Series and the store, which have been around for 37 years! For more information and to register, visit TrackShack.com/events.
tampa
Stand up Paddle Board Race Series, Aug. 23,Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota. 941-704-4878; SarasotaSupSeries.com. Wordier than Thou Storytellers Open Mic, Aug. 28, Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center, Sarasota. 941-894-6469; WSLR.org/Station-Events.
To submit your upcoming event, concert, performance, or fundraiser visit watermarkonline.com.
watermark Your lgbt life.
7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m., saturday, auG. 16 orlando cultural park 530 e. prInceton st., orlando
MeteoreYes 9 p.m., thursday, auG. 21 the huB Bar, tampa Sarasota band MeteorEYES is touring again to promote their newest EP, “Neon Waters,” which is now available. The group will kick off their eight-city tour in Tampa at The Hub Bar before heading across the state to Jacksonville. For tickets, visit the band’s website at MeteorEyes.us.
Augus t 14 - Augus t 27, 2014 // Issue 21.17
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Benefits the programs of AIDS Service Association of Pinellas
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Augus t 14 - Augus t 27, 2014 // Issue 21.17
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Tampa Bay 1- Award-worthy: (L-R) Kerry Kriseman, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman and model Alissa Schneider portraying LocalShops1 Girl welcome business owners to the LocalShops1 Best in Biz awards at the St. Petersburg Museum of History Aug. 7.
Photo courtesy Rob Moorman, Moorman Photographics
2- Gay Games Bound: The St. Pete Pride Ducks pose in front of the Cleveland skyline before tackling the fields of the Gay Games Aug. 10. Photo courtesy The Ducks 3- Party started: Amy DeMilo performs among confetti at G. Bar in Ybor City on Aug. 2.
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Photo courtesy Carrie West
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4- A new reign: Lakeland-based performer Kathryn Nevets is crowned Miss Comedy Queen 2014 at the Parliament Resort the first week of August.Photo
courtesy mark Melnick
5- Business first: Drag promoter Melody Lynn takes a phone call outside Bradley’s on 7th in Ybor City Aug. 2. Photo courtesy Carrie West
6- High honors: Melane Nelson of Growing Up, left, and Kris Radish and Madonna Metcalf of Wine Madonna accept their Best New Business awards given by judges at the LocalShops1 Best in Biz Awards Aug. 7.
Photo courtesy Rob Moorman, Moorman Photographics
7- Cast of characters: Poison Ivy makes an appearance at Femmes & Follies’ Comic Characters Burlesque event at the Ybor Social on Aug. 3. Photo courtesy Carrie West
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8- Coming home: Rep. Joe Saunders speaks at the Equality Florida Council mixer held at the St. Petersburg home of Larry Biddle and David Warner on Aug. 2. Photo by Steve Blanchard
Overheard Ducks spotted in Cleveland
I
t’s always hot at St. Pete Pride, and Hot in Cleveland is a big hit. So it makes sense that St. Pete Pride sent it’s Ducks softball team to Cleveland this month to participate in the Gay Games. The team, which participates in the Suncoast Softball League and will also travel to the World Series in Dallas this September. As of press time, the Ducks were doing well, having won their first two games in the week-long tournament. Before the seriousness of the Gay Games began, the team had a chance to tour the city, take some amazing photos of the skyline and then participate in the opening
ceremonies, which included a special recorded welcome video by President Barack Obama.
Chefs and bears
S
peaking of softball and the Gay World Series, the Suncoast Softball League’s Metrochefs team will raise money at this month’s Neighbear-hood takeover at The Social on Saturday, Aug. 16. The secondplace D-division team earned the right to attend the September tournament in Dallas and hopes to raise the money to foot the bill for travel and hotels. Plans to raise money include selling special shots and drinks and rumor has it one or more of the Chefs will do a strip tease! The more money
that’s raised, the more articles of clothing that will hit the floor. The fundraising starts at 9 p.m. on Aug. 16 and continues through the night at the popular Ybor party. Entry to the party is free before 11 p.m.
Finally crowned!
A
ll we can say is, “It’s about time!” Lakelandbased drag performer Kathryn Nevets is hilarious—we’ve been saying that for years. But finally, it’s official since she was crowned Miss National Comedy Queen 2014 at the pageant held at the Parliament House Resort in Orlando. Nevets’ Kathy Griffin lip-synch impersonation has always been an audience favorite. But what sent her over the top
watermark Your lgbt life.
this year was her version of Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball,” complete with a wrecking-ball shaped outfit with fake legs dangling around a chain...just like in the music video! Nevets has given praise to all of the volunteers who helped pull together her performance and to her partner of eight years, Joe Diddy. Nevets is a regular at Club Main Street in Lakeland and recently performed in Miami, with her brand new national crown in tow! Congratulations to a very funny performer.
Sing for your supper!
O
kay, so they weren’t really singing for food, but that didn’t stop two of Tampa Bay’s biggest LGBT
Augus t 14 - Augus t 27, 2014 // Issue 21.17
choruses from holding open auditions this month. Una Voce: The Florida Men’s Chorale, invited members of the community to show their vocal talents on Aug. 11 and Diversity: The Voices of Sarasota invited members of the community to its auditions on Aug. 12. Both groups have grown in numbers in recent years and perform a smattering of concerts over the calendar year. Both have holiday shows planned for this December, and getting new members in place this early ensures the newbies are up to speed and ready to don the gay apparel by then. Check out news on both groups at Una-Voce.org and DiversitySarasota.org.
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Augus t 14 - Augus t 27, 2014 // Issue 21.17
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orlando
1- PRIDESKETEERS: Disney World president George Kalogridis (in the tan blazer) stands with the Disney Pride Leadership Team at the MBA’s August Networking Mixer Aug. 6. Photo by Danny Garcia
2- HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH: (L-R) Joe Kennedy, Juan Canasi and Karl Haglund chat and enjoy the chance to meet other local business professionals at MBA’s August Networking Mixer at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort Convention Center. Photo by Rick Claggett
3- STILL FABULOUS: (L-R) Drag queen legend Carmella Marcella Garcia and Hope & Help’s event manager Chris Hessler snap a photo at RBARR as the queen took the stage for a special performance in Orlando. Photo by Danny Garcia
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4- NO MA’AM PAM: Hamburger Mary’s hosts (L-R) Christine Conde, Ashley Sparrow and Ivy Allabastro say “No ma’am, Pam,” with their creative revision of Watermark’s Issue 21.16 cover. Photo by Kirk Hartlage 5- CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES: Equality Florida Director of Development Michael Farmer (far right) travels to Atlantic Beach for the City Commission meeting where it passed an HRO. Among those celebrating are Commissioner Maria Mark (third from right), who sponsored the ordinance. Photo via Farmer’s Facebook page
6- REACHING OUT TO THE PEOPLE: (L-R) Charlie Crist, Rep. Joe Saunders, Vivian Rodriguez and Lt. Gov. Candidate Annette Taddeo speak and mingle with voters at the grand opening of Crist’s new Orlando field office. Photo by Lonnie
Thompson
7- WORKING THE CROWD: (L-R) Jeremiah Catherwood and Scottie Cambell rub elbows at the Orlando Museum of Art’s Art in Equality event. Photo by Rick Claggett
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8- SINGING LOUD AND PROUD: The Orlando Gay Chorus sings at the Art in Equality event at Orlando Museum of Art Aug. 8 for an audience in the SunTrust Auditorium. Photo by Jake Stevens
Overheard Is Ginger Minj MIA for RDR?
S
omething suspicious is happening on Facebook these days, and it could mean big news for fans of Orlando drag performer Ginger Minj. Website Dragaholic.com recently posted speculation on contestants for Season 7 of RuPaul’s Drag Race. The website sites sudden social media disappearances of drag performers around the nation as reason to believe they are filming the popular LOGO series in California. Ginger Minj is among the social media absentees! Ginger posted last month that she was to be quarantined for MRSA and in doing so she will have limited access to the internet. This sent the rumor mill sashaying,
since Ginger was recently campaigning to be one of the fabulous ladies for Season 7. As an accomplished performer, Ginger/ Josh has performed in theatrical productions and appeared in television across the nation as well as been nationally recognized in various female impersonator pageants. Watermark couldn’t get in touch with Ginger, but her husband, William, confirmed the MRSA quarantine.
No Queens for King’s!
T
he HRC Disco Bowl IV split from calling King’s Bowling it’s home. The I-Drive bowling ally was an unwelcoming place, according to the HRC, when an
employee of the establishment told organizers exactly that. Management has since apologized for the employee’s comments and tried to rectify the situation, but by then, the Disco Bowl had already been rescheduled at Colonial Lanes. It’s unclear if the change of venue will remain in 2015.
Duped by Doug?
L
ocal actor and all around funny guy, Doug Ba’aser has been hacked, much to the entertainment of every email contact he’s ever made. Multiple messages were sent to his friends asking for financial assistance while he was stuck in Istanbul with no cash, cell phone or passport. Oh, and the email said
watermark Your lgbt life.
his bags were stolen! While the scam is familiar among inboxes, some were alarmed since Doug had shared plans recently about an upcoming European vacation. Once it was confirmed as a hoax, however, a fake GoFundMe meme was created asking donors to “Bring Doug Home.” Ba’aser is safe, last we heard, and enjoying the sites of Italy.
Pam Bondi: Snow Queen?
T
he Broadway Brunch performers at Hamburger Mary’s slapped Florida Attorney Pam Bondi’s face on a snowman recently, and for good reason. The cast wanted to tell Bondi to “Let it Go,” when it comes to appealing
Augus t 14 - Augus t 27, 2014 // Issue 21.17
every time a Florida judge ruled the state’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. So far there have been four rulings against the ban, which voters passed in 2008.
Man of hour
L
ocal Emmy award winning newscaster for Channel 9, Jorge Estevez is an incredibly busy man. Ever since his co-hosting duties at the MBA Pride and Business Gala, more organizations have reached out to the handsome reporter for appearances. During the recent Art in Equality event, Jorge agreed to also co-host the 25th Anniversary for the Headdress Ball. That event is Sept. 20 at the I-Drive Hilton Orlando.
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Augus t 14 - Augus t 27, 2014 // Issue 21.17
transitions
Community announcements
true humanItarIan:
years oF dedIcatIon: The Board of Directors of
Trinity Charities, Inc. (TCI) recently recognized 25 years of volunteer service by Eve Prang Plews, Dr. Fred Harvey, and Tom Washburn. This team of professionals has donated their time, talent, and resources to ensure the continued health of People With AIDS (PWA) in our community. The monthly Healthy PWA program at TCI provides education, nutritional supplements, and acupuncture to ensure the continued health and independence of our clients. Pictured, left to right in back, Jim lachapelle, Hank Hueber, Eve Prang Plews, Richard Henry, Dr. Fred Harvey, Tom Washburn. And in front, Richard Trifari and valerie Wojciechowicz
TCI is proud to join Performance Health, the Florida State Massage Therapy Association (FSMTA), Biofreeze, Bon Vital, Theraband, and Prossage in recognizing Edwin “Eddie” Hooper II as the 2014 PH – FSMTA Humanitarian Award winner. Hooper is a Licensed Massage Therapist and instructor at the Sarasota School of Massage Therapy. As part of the Humanitarian Award, Eddie has selected TCI to be the recipient of a $1,000 donation from Performance Health.
It’s oFFIcIal!: While she has
been serving in the capacity for a few months now, Gina Duncan on Aug. 7 was officially named Equality Florida’s Transgender Inclusion Director. Duncan, who lives in Orlando, leads the organization’s “Transgender Dynamics in the Workplace and Classroom” initiative and travels the state to speak on behalf of transgender equality.
congratulations
local Birthdays
Sammy Goldstein and Bill yahner of Altamonte Springs celebrate 22 years together on Aug. 26.
Regalia owner and beauty pageant emcee David lang, Tampa performer Robyn Demornay (Aug. 14); Tony-winner and Abbey Artistic Director Kenny Howard, The Dali Museum’s Jim nixon, St. Petersburg interior designer Scott velez (Aug. 17); Tampa Bay performer Macaviti, Sarasota orthodontist Michael Radall, Orlando lawyer Paul SanGiovanni (Aug. 18); Lakeland American Idol The villa Bed and Hollywood week singer Danny Pate, Tampa pastor Scott Manning, Breakfast in Daytona St. Pete ASAP Executive Director William Harper, former Georgie’s Beach celebrates its 21st Alibi bar maiden Duffy Iorio, Tampa economics specialist lJ Sosa anniversary this summer! (Aug. 19); Clearwater bear Keith Schorr, Brandon restaurant executive Rob Roberts (Aug. 21); Largo mom Megan Szczepanik, father and LGBT activist lynn Mulder (Aug. 22); Tampa Bay retailer Charles Germaine, Orlando graphic artist Marcus vale (Aug. 23); Sunnyland Slammer Shana Moshen, founder of Tampa’s The Taylor Company Scott Taylor, St. Petersburg actor/director Steven Flaa (Aug. 24); former Come Out With Pride board member and Universal corporate partnership manager Brad Partridge, Spring Hill psychologist David Chandler, St. Pete Twirling Project veteran Steven Caruso, Tampa bear and softballer Andrew Cohen (Aug. 25); Orlando’s Eddie Mora, Central Florida singer and actress Jill Wilson, Watermark writer and film critic Stephen Miller (Aug. 26); Suncoast Softball League’s Scott lenker, former St. Pete Pride board member Carl lovgren (Aug. 27). Are you making a Transition? Having a birthday or anniversary? Did you get a new job or promotion? See your news in Watermark! Send your Transition to Editor@WatermarkOnline.com or go to WatermarkOnline.com/Submit-a-Transition - it’s that easy!
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HIRING! Start 2014 with a new career as an
Advertising Account Manager with Watermark Media in Orlando. Watermark Media is celebrating 20 years and we are expanding our team in Orlando. Now you can be a part of the team that brings the news to the LGBT Community. If you are motivated, outgoing, a self starter, good time manager, work well by yourself and with others, and are well organized, this may be the right career for you.
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os Angeles | Violet Palmer made her biggest call yet: The NBA referee married her partner of 20 years on Aug. 1. In an interview with The Associated Press, Palmer says she came out to her fellow NBA referees in 2007. She has not tried to keep her sexuality a secret from the league since that time. “This is actually the big formal coming out,” Palmer said. “We are saying to the world, to everyone, here’s my wife of 20 years. This is the big coming out.” Palmer married celebrity hair stylist Tanya Stine in Los Angeles. The ceremony was officiated by Basketball Wives LA star Tanya Young Williams, the ex-wife of former NBA All-Star Jayson Williams. Palmer broke barriers in 1997 when she became the first female to referee an NBA game. Under
Holding her own: NBA referee Violet Palmer dismisses LeBron James’ pleas for a foul to be called during the Miami Heat’s game against the Orlando Magic in 2012. scrutiny from her first tipoff, Palmer instantly proved she could withstand the grumbling and ref baiting that comes with forging a career in a men’s game. She was no publicity gimmick and
has since officiated postseason games and the 2014 All-Star Game over a lengthy and varied career that included stints at the NCAA level and WNBA. Palmer said she had been open
about her sexual orientation in the NBA for years. There was never a formal public coming out because she didn’t want it to overshadow her work blowing the whistle on every star from Shaq to Kobe to LeBron. “I always wanted people to just look at my work,” she said in a phone interview. “Not look at my personal life, not look at my sexual preference. That doesn’t matter. I just wanted people to say, ‘Wow, she is a pretty damn good referee.’” Palmer said she didn’t initially reveal her sexuality to the NBA while working her way through the ranks, but eventually came out to her fellow referees about dating Stine. “The guys that I was really close to knew who she was,” Palmer said. “But there was half the staff that didn’t know. But I can honestly say, as far as the NBA knew, she was my domestic partner. For me to verbally come out to the 60 guys I work with, I didn’t do that until 10 years (into my career).” Despite the additional scrutiny likely heaped on a gay referee, Palmer said she believed she still
would have been hired by the NBA in 1997 had she said she was gay. She said she didn’t make a conscious effort to keep quiet, she just didn’t feel adding the information was necessary. Palmer, who turned 50 in July, said she knew around her middle school years she was a lesbian. She didn’t come out to parents until she was an adult. “If someone asked me, I would tell them,” she said. “But am I going around with the gay flag posted on my forehead? I didn’t feel like it was necessary. But I never hid it. “I think you just get to a certain point in your life where you go, you know what, it doesn’t matter anymore. I think that’s where I am at that point in my life.” Palmer and Stine always joked they would marry if they celebrated 20 years together. marriage equality was legalized in California—and with that Labor Day weekend anniversary date on the horizon—the couple realized it was time to get hitched. They married in front of about 130 guests, including several of Palmer’s fellow NBA referees.
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Augus t 14 - Augus t 27, 2014 // Issue 21.17
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photo captions
2011
1- Hyperkinetic performer and philanthropist John “Tweeka” Barber died on Oct. 17 of a rare cancer. He was mourned by hundreds, including Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, at a funeral in Winter Garden. 2- With backing from Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orlando enacted a domestic partner registry at the end of the year. Mary Meeks (right), who helped draft the ordinance, and wife vicki nantz were among the first to register.
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3- New York wasn’t the first state to legalize same-sex marriage, but it was by far the most populous. With strong backing from Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the measure narrowly passed the state legislature. 4- Tampa elected an equally LGBT-supportive mayor to succeed Pam Iorio. Bob Buckhorn made high profile appearances at numerous LGBT events, including the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. 5- After violent thunderstorms forced the cancellation of Come Out With Pride in October, organizers rescheduled it for November and drew 50,000 to Lake Eola Park for a first-time-ever fireworks display.
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6- Mt. Dora High School Teacher of the Year Jerry Buell used Facebook to share that same-sex marriage is a “cesspool” that made him want to “vomit.” It ignited a controversy, and Buell was suspended. 7- Largo elected its first openly gay city commissioner. Michael Smith won 54% of the vote, defeating an incumbent who made his sexuality an issue.
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8- Penned by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, The Book of Mormon was the biggest hit on Broadway. Andrew Rannells starred as the plucky Elder Price.
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ON THE COVER Watermark turns 20 this coming Labor day. in the issues between now and then, founder and publisher tom dyer looks back at a remarkable two decades. On this page, he returns to 2011.
VOLUME 18, ISSUE 9
FOCUS ON
Travel Gay Cruises Keep Growing
Kylie Minogue
brings her gay appeal to Florida
Houston’s Solution for LGBT Travel Destination Prides
Mission: Transition Gina Duncan’s biggest and best project was herself
By 2011, Gina Duncan was a prominent force in Orlando’s LGBT community. The former bank executive brought an unprecedented professionalism to civic involvement. As president of the Metropolitan Business Association, she expanded the organization’s mission and nurtured the growth of Come Out With Pride. But she had never told the touching, inspiring story of her transition from man to woman until she talked with Liz Langley for this cover feature for Issue 18.09. The photo is by MKPhotographyStudios.
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10- Equality Florida executive director Nadine Smith was appointed to President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign committee.
looking Back 011 was the year
same-sex marriage went big-time when New York Tom Dyer became the sixth state to embrace PUBLISHER full equality.
The nation celebrated, and scores of locals traveled to the Big Apple to tie the knot. President Obama instructed the justice department to cease enforcement of the Defense of Marriage Act. But rightwing Republican presidential candidates like Rick Santorum, Michelle Bachman and Newt Gingrich pledged to fight marriage equality if elected. Tampa elected Bob Buckhorn to succeed Mayor Pam Iorio, ensuring that the area’s biggest city would remain LGBTfriendly. Largo elected Michael Smith as its first openly gay city commissioner. In St. Petersburg, out commissioner Steve Kornell retained his seat without opposition. And Equality Florida
raised record funds, with events in Tampa Bay and Orlando each bringing in more than $100,000. Hillsborough activists were outraged when homophobic Terry Kemple was appointed to the County Human Rights Board. The Metro Center opened impressive new headquarters in St. Pete and Ybor City. Streetcar Charlie’s, a groundbreaking GaYbor restaurant and bar, closed amidst allegations of financial improprieties. St. Pete Pride attracted 85,000, but mourned the death of cofounder Carl Kuttler. AIDS Walk St. Pete raised a whopping $155,000. And Sarasota Pride drew 4,000. Orlando enacted a groundbreaking Domestic
watermark Your lgbt life.
9- It was a big year for Jane lynch. The out actress played hysterically evil Sue Sylvester on Glee and hosted the Emmy Awards. And along with wife Lara Embry from Sarasota, she raised $15,000 for Palmetto High School.
Partner Registry that would serve as the model for dozens more around the state. Orange County declined, setting the stage for drama in 2012. Use of social media by teachers became a hot topic nationwide when Mt. Dora High School teacher Jerry Buell used Facebook to share that same-sex marriage made him want to “vomit.” Locals organized Out & Proud Veterans of America and marched in the city’s Veteran’s Day Parade. And when a violent thunderstorm forced cancelation of COWP, organizers got everybody to return to Lake Eola Park a month later. With fireworks and cooler weather, many called it the best COWP ever. Lady Gaga released “Born This Way,” a timeless LGBT anthem. And with more than three million views on YouTube, uber-gay narrator Randall taught us that “the honey badger doesn’t give a shit.”
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11- Chaz Bono used his appearance on Dancing With the Stars as a platform for transgender awareness. Paired with lacey Schwimmer, Bono survived well into the competition—often with mom Cher watching.
3 YEARS AGO moSt popular SonG
Rolling in the Deep by adele BeSt SellinG alBum
21 by adele
HiGHeSt rateD tv SHow
American Idol
HiGHeSt GroSSinG film
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 best picture Oscar
The Artist
Out ceLebrities
Zachary Quinto (Star Trek), Guillermo diaz (Scandal), don lemon (cnn anchor) states with marriaGe eQuality
massachusetts, connecticut, iowa, vermont, new Hampshire, new york, district of columbia
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photo captions 1- After a decisive primary and strong campaign, Joe Saunders became one two first openly gay members of Florida’s Legislature. 2- In its 21st year, Gay Days Weekend remained a draw for tens of thousands. These two hit the Magic Kingdom.
2012
3- Former state Democratic Party chair Bob Poe returned to Orlando—but this time as an out activist. Pictured (L-R) with President Obama, daughter Ginni Poe and partner Ken Brown, Poe was our Most Remarkable Person of 2012 for Orlando. 4- When Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy endorsed a “biblical definition” of family, LGBT activists nationwide protested franchise locations. 5- In its 3rd year, ASAP’s Santa Speedo Run in Ybor City drew big crowds.
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6- Board member Scott Bowman (left) and executive director Dexter Foxworth joined City Commissioner Patty Sheehan to celebrate the opening of Zebra House.
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7- Joined by Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, Mark Bias (left) and Carrie West were among the first couples to take advantage of the city’s Domestic Partner Registry. 8- Florida Entertainment Group’s Stephen Moss (pictured with Erasure’s Andy Bell) locked horns with El Gancho Circuit Party in a turf war that was mediated by the GaYbor Coalition.
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9- In its 10th year, St. Pete Pride easily cracked 100,000 in attendance.
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10- The Center executive director Randy Stephens and activist Mary Meeks helped couples utilize Orange County’s Domestic Partner Registry, enacted in May. 11- After losing his leg in a motorcycle accident, Bill Kanouff learned to walk again. The activist, entrepreneur, volunteer and Pride organizer was our Most Remarkable Person of 2012 for Tampa Bay.
2 YEARS AGO moSt popular SonG
Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye featuring kimbra
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ON THE COVER Watermark turns 20 this coming labor day. in the issues between now and then, founder and publisher tom dyer looks back at a remarkable two decades. On this page, he returns to 2012.
BeSt SellinG alBum
VOLUME 19, ISSUE 16
NBC Sunday Night Football
HiGHeSt GroSSinG film
The Avengers
best picture Oscar
Argo
Out ceLebrities
Jim parsons (The Big Bang Theory), matt bomer (White Collar), Sam champion (Good Morning America), anderson cooper, Frank Ocean states with marriaGe eQuality
massachusetts, connecticut, iowa, vermont, new Hampshire, new york, Washington, maine, maryland, district of columbia
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DAYTONA BEACH • ORLANDO • TAMPA • ST. PETERSBURG • SARASOTA • ISSUE 19.16 • AUG. 2 - AUG. 15, 2012 • WATERMARKONLINE.COM
21 by adele
HiGHeSt rateD tv SHow
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Our Aug. 14
Primary voter’s guide Plus:
That
Defining our lesbian
lesbian Area women show off their sense of style
look
This cover of beautiful—and out— Orlando public relations executive Aleesha Kerri was an in-your-face rebuke of Florida’s Lt. Governor. After rumors about her sexuality surfaced, Jennifer Carroll made the ridiculous claim that “women who engage in those relationships don’t look like me.” Carroll later apologized, then resigned, then faded into obscurity. Our fashion spread inside Issue 19.16 featured nine local lesbians - all knockouts.
I
7
looking Back
n 2012, presIdent
Barack Obama endorsed marriage equality. A couple months later he was elected to a second term, ensuring Tom Dyer an LGBT-friendly administration for PUBLISHER another four years.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also came out for marriage equality. And for the first time, marriage equality was enacted by ballot in three states—Maine, Maryland and Washington. Wisconsin made Tammy Baldwin the first openly gay U.S. Senator in the nation’s history. After Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy announced his support of the “biblical definition” of family, protests erupted throughout the nation, including at franchises in Tampa Bay and Orlando. The Boy Scouts affirmed their ban on “open or avowed homosexuals.” The Supreme
watermark Your lgbt life.
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Court quietly announced that it would consider two groundbreaking gay marriage cases from California and New York. And 23 out athletes won 10 medals at the Summer Olympics in London. After mounting an impressive campaign in newly created House District 49 near UCF, Joe Saunders joined David Richardson (D-Miami Beach) as the first openly gay members of Florida’s Legislature. Elsewhere throughout the state, domestic partner registries were enacted in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Gulfport and Sarasota. After delays and drama, a
Augus t 14 - Augus t 27, 2014 // Issue 21.17
DPR was enacted in Orange County. The process thrust Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs into an uncomfortable political position. Zebra House opened in the Mills/50 District, giving local LGBT youth a safe haven. The Orange County School Board voted to include gender expression in its nondiscrimination policy. Gay Days Weekend continued to attract huge numbers to Orlando, and to sold out GayDayS.com hotels. And Come Out With Pride continued to grow, both in numbers and events. Politicians descended on Tampa for the Republican National Convention. Security was sobering but businesses prospered, including gay venues in Ybor City. In its 10th year, St. Pete Pride brought in Deborah Cox and cracked 100,000 in attendance. It marked the last year for popular executive director Chris Rudisill, who went to work for Metro Wellness and Community Centers.
The special commemorative 20th anniversary edition of Watermark arrives on newsstands September 11, 2014.
DON’T BE LEFT OUT OF THE CELEBRATION!
Call and reserve your ad space today! ORLANDO AREA 407-481-2243
watermark Your lgbt life.
TAMPA BAY AREA 813-655-9890
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