Watermark Issue 22.11: 25 Years of Magical Weekends by Watermark Publishing Group

MIRACLE OF LOVE

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May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

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May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

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departments 6 // mail

PAGE

8 // orlando news 12 // tampa bay news 16 // state

I’m running out of time, but if I could meet with you, at least I would know I’d done everything I could for my son. —dr. MarIe brIstol, a terMInally Ill Mother askIng to speak on behalf of her gay son WIth gov. rICk sCott about the CoMpetItIve WorkforCe aCt

18 // nation & world news 49 // community calendar 51 // tampa bay overheard 53 // orlando overheard 55 // transitions 56 // tampa bay marketplace 58 // orlando marketplace 62 // gallery w

on the cover

PAGE

What started off as a handful of people getting together at the Magic Kingdom to have fun has become one of the largest LGBT events in the world. Learn of the humble beginnings and how it went from one gay day to a full magical week.

so good together: Reba McEntire and her LGBT fans go together like big hair and leather boots. Now, with

the release of her 27th studio album, she talks about gay marriage, women in country music and “Reba” drag queens.

watermark i ssue 22.11 //may 21 - J une 4 , 2015

orlando news

tampa bay

leslÉa newman

gallery w

PAGE Miracle of Love is coming

PAGE Equality Florida has

PAGE

Cover illustration by Jake Stevens

scan Qr code for

watermarkonline.com

Read It online! 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

to you with a big art event to announce the grand opening of the Stafford House; St. Luke Cathedral moves forward with the baptism of a baby with gay dads which they originally cancelled; more.

almost reached its quarter of a million dollars goal they set for the St. Pete Gala with a little over a week left to go; The Gulfport Library is preparing to reopen and will be showcasing a new LGBTQ Resource Center.

First published in 1989, Heather Has Two Mommies has become one of the most banned books in America. Now after 25 years, author Lesléa Newman is focusing on her poetry and has re-released the controversial children’s book.

From Beach Ball to Rip Tide, from Girls in Wonderland to Tidal Wave, Gallery W takes a retrospective walk through the last 25 years of Gay Days complete with all the red shirts, outrageous costumes and exposed skin you remember.

the orlando international fringe festival is going on now through may 25. visit watermarkonline.com for the one-stop shop on all your fringe show reviews. watermark Your lgbt life.

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

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FORD MUSTANG THE ORIGINAL MUSCLE CAR

lIve In CoCoa so I do not have the opportunIty to pICk up every Issue of Watermark. But I see it often enough to have come to appreciate your significant contributions to both the newspaper and to our greater community. Your columns are always thoughtful and thought provoking. You articulate your points well and engage your readers both intellectually and emotionally. Your willingness to share some of your personal life with us makes you real, one of us, and easy for us to empathize with your experiences. And we feel your empathy for ours, as well. Thanks for your dedication to Watermark and to the LGBTQ community. Your observations will be missed. I hope you will consider an occasional guest column in Watermark. Moffitt Cancer Center is lucky to have you and your talents on their team. I wish you much success there and all good fortune in your personal life, as well. —Gayle Rathbun Cocoa Beach

atermark’s loss Is MoffIt CanCer Center’s gaIn... and what a huge gain!

top web comments Thanks for your dedication to Watermark and to the LGBTQ community. —gayle rathbun

If you bring even just a percentage of what you gave as Editor-in-Chief, you will be over the top. Congratulations on your move...a new beginning... on a continuing journey in your professional and personal lives. Big hugs...until we meet again, RobeRt landRy

Sarasota

on dell Inc. uRGInG texas lawmakeRs to stop antIGay maRRIaGe bIll:

“I have a Dell laptop and desktop so I am happy to see that Dell is supporting us and putting pressure on the Texas GOPs to stop their lunacy.” —GayeGo

on st. luke cathedRal aGReeInG to baptIze a Gay couple’s son:

“Hopefully this will be the beginning of the Diocese becoming more inclusive, and a little child shall lead them.” —dI anne baRRett

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watermark Your lgbt life.

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

“There never should have been a question about it. I grew up in that church, my family still attends. I left years ago because of those in power. They are now gone but evidently have been replaced by the same type. I was disgusted then and now.” —RobeRt mumby

on laRamIe passInG lGbt pRotectIons, neaRly 20 yeaRs afteR matthew shepaRd muRdeR

“Unfortunately he was sacrificed to pave the way for so much change. Thank you Matthew.” —tatIana QuIRoGa

on the texas senate appRovInG a bIll allowInG membeRs of cleRGy to Refuse maRRyInG Gay couples:

“I think the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution covered this though. But thanks for wasting the legislature’s time.” —dean GIlvIn

editor’s

rick Claggett

eDitor | PubliSHer

Rick@WatermarkOnline.com

desk

t’s hard to belIeve thIs year

marks a quarter century of Gay Day at the Magic Kingdom. You may know it by a different name. What was once simply known as Gay Day, you may now call “Gay Days,” ”One Magical Weekend,” “Girls in Wonderland,” or a variety of names given by various promoters throughout the years. This year, however, we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the first Saturday in June where it all began. I didn’t make it to the first Gay Day at the Magic Kingdom. In June 1991, I ended my sophomore year of high school at Winter Park and had recently come out to myself. I didn’t know anything about the gay world. In fact, by the time I made it to Gay Day in 1992, I didn’t realize what I had stumbled into. My mother would send all of us Claggett boys to Disney

in celebration of each siblings graduation. Since my brother’s graduation was at the end of May, we just happened to go that first Saturday of June. It took a while for us to catch on. We found it odd how many people were wearing red shirts, but we had no idea why. Finally I heard my brother exclaim, “Are those chicks holding hands?” The cat was out of the bag. We

watermark staff

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Nat’l Ad Representative: Rivendell Media Inc. • 212-242-6863

watermark Your lgbt life.

although it was a great party, being a part of stratosphere was like giving birth to triplets who all wanted to enter the world holding hands.

what is most exciting is to go back to that first year and compare the idea to what the week has become. Gay Day accomplished what it set out to do. Its goal was to provide something fun for the LGBT community while making LGBTs visible to the world. Congratulations Gay Day! And Happy 25th Birthday! Watermark is full of pictures celebrating the past 25 years. Take a moment to flip through our scrapbook and enjoy the memories as much as we enjoyed putting them together. Also, check out our GD 2015 Guide: Celebrating 25 Years of Magical Weekends for a full listing of the week long events.

orlando office

Tampa Bay Sales: Bill Jeffries Ext. 301 • 813-454-9064 • Bill@WatermarkOnline.com

Publisher: Rick Claggett • Ext. 108 • Rick@WatermarkOnline.com

Proofreading: Ed Blaisdell

laughed for a second, not because we were making fun of them, but because it wasn’t something we were used to seeing. My brothers and I had a great time, and the fact that it was Gay Day did not have a negative effect on us. We knew we’d be back the next year for my graduation. My brothers made it a point to tell me thousands of gay people would be out to help me celebrate. I managed to make it down to Gay Day every year after my graduation. Gay Day inspired me. The camaraderie shared with such a huge group of strangers that identified with me was uplifting. I remember one year standing in line for Splash Mountain for what must have been over an hour and a half. The queue was full of red shirts singing, “If You’re Happy and You Know It Clap Your Hands.” Singing along with the Country Bear Jamboree and watching the 3 o’clock parade outside the castle also top the list of favorite Gay Day pastimes. As Gay Day evolved, so did I. In 2002, I started working at Watermark and had the opportunity to learn about and attend a variety of events. During this time, Watermark still owned Beach Ball, the Friday night party at Typhoon Lagoon. I may be biased as an employee, but this was one of my favorite parties I had been to. Now in the hands of One Magical Weekend and called Riptide, Typhoon Lagoon remains one of the top events. Something else I look forward to every year is the Gays Days Expo at the Gay Days Host Hotel. Parliament House also provides a fabulous super-sized weekend full of concerts.

With so much going on through the years, there were bound to be a few hiccups along the way. There was the year One Mighty Weekend fell apart. Also the year of Watermark’s Stratosphere party at Universal Studios. Although it was a great party, being a part of Stratosphere was like giving birth to triplets who all wanted to enter the world holding hands. It is fun to go back and reminisce about the ups and downs of Gay Day. Perhaps

P. O. Box 533655 Orlando, FL 32853-3655 TEL: 407-481-2243 FAX: 407-481-2246

tampa bay office TEL: 813-655-9890 FAX: 813-849-2986

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

contributors greg steMM

lives in Gulfport, Fla., and has worked as a freelance writer for several local publications. He is a founding member of St. Pete Pride and active politically in Tampa Bay. Page 12

MIChael WanZIe is an

Orlando-based playwright, actor and ordained minister. He is most recognized for his direction of productions at the Footlight Theatre at the Parliament House. Page 21

kIrk hartlage

is an Orlandobased journalist a DJ and a former full time employee of Watermark. He specializes in celebrity interviews. Page 27 greg burton, scottie campbell, Zach caruso, susan clary, kirk hartlage, Joseph kissel, ken kundis, mary meeks, stephen miller, david moran, gregg shipiro, greg stemm, dr. steve yacovelli, Jim walker, michael wanZie

photography nick cardello, angie folks, tom eckert, Julie milford, travis moore, chris stephenson, lee vandergrift, tinkerfluff, lonnie thompson

distribution rJ publishing, lisa Jordan, ken caraway, david krauss 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

cathedral agrees to baptiZe gay couple’s son Jeremy Williams

rlando | A local couple is moving forward with their son’s baptism after being told the church was postponing it due to the couple being gay. Rich McCaffrey and his husband, Eric, met with Bishop Greg Brewer, the Diocese of Central Florida, after a Facebook post stated the church had prevented the McCaffrey’s son, Jack, from being baptized because “the congregation opposed” it. “We received a message from Dean [Tony] Clark asking us to contact him regarding ‘a development’ concerning the [April 19] baptism,” McCaffrey wrote in a Facebook post on May 2. “The Dean shared there were members of the congregation who opposed Jack’s baptism and although he hoped to resolve the conflict, he was not yet able to.” Brewer scheduled a meeting with the McCaffreys on May 7 after a firestorm erupted on social media with people asking for an immediate explanation from the church. McCaffrey released a statement May 8 letting everyone know that the baptism was back on and to take place this summer. It also said that Brewer would be taking an active role in the baptism. “We spoke frankly and openly about the chain of events,” McCaffrey said. “The Bishop acknowledged he learned the Cathedral set a firm date of April 19 for the baptism, but did not support postponing the baptism. He genuinely wanted to learn about us and expressed his apologies for how it had been handled. Most importantly, he was clear he is supportive of Eric and I, two dads, baptizing our son at the Cathedral and offered to be a part of it.” McCaffrey also addressed in the statement why they are choosing to return to the Cathedral. “We know on many fronts there is healing to be done which will take time,” he said. “We are returning because we still have faith in the goodness of people, and we trust people have good intent and ultimately will do the right thing. This is not to say faith or trust should be given blindly, but there are moments when you must choose to rise above the fray and acknowledge you are part of something bigger.” The office of the Diocese has not yet commented about the meeting that took place, simply reposting McCaffrey’s statement. Brewer released a statement shortly after McCaffrey May 8. “We talked about my being a part of the baptism and I told them I would be happy to do so. We look forward to celebrating Jack’s baptism at the Cathedral in the near future,” Brewer said. McCaffrey concluded with a lesson to Jack. “Aspire to live your life with grace and forgiveness. You will be better for it,” he said. “Change is seldom easy.”

CoMMunIty outreaCh:

Lester Burgos Rosario, Mpowerment Coordinator, will be helping to launch the Stafford House with Project Red: An Art Experience. PHOTO BY PATRICK O’CONNOR

safe house: The Stafford House is located on Seminole Ave. and opens May 28 PHOTO BY PATRICK O’CONNOR

art of love Miracle of Love announces Stafford House opening with Project Red: An Art Experience Jeremy Williams

iracle of Love is raising awareness and its profile in the community with the launch of The Stafford House and Project Red: An Art Experience; both meant to draw attention to HIV/AIDS in the Orlando area. Miracle of Love purchased a

watermark Your lgbt life.

new space in Orlando and are renovating it to create the Stafford House. Named after the founder of Miracle of Love, Lowell Stafford, the house is intended to offer a change of scenery from the typical doctor’s office environment and clinics when dealing with the news of a positive HIV status. “It will be a place for those living with HIV to come and hang out,”

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

said Michael Aponte, Stafford House Manager. “They can come here and use the kitchen or computers and while they’re here they can get information, tested for other STDs and pick up protection without any cost, it is free of charge.” The Stafford House, just as Miracle of Love, was established to help with those living with HIV. However, it is not just programs for those who are positive. “This is a space for the entire community,” said Aponte. “We want to be able to develop programs that focus on each individual here at the House. We do HIV testing, peer mentoring, developmental courses in resume writing and interviews. We are looking to help out in the community in many ways.” Along with testing, both Miracle of Love and the Stafford House offer support groups for those living with HIV. Here they can meet and talk with individuals going through the same thing. One group, the Orlando Mpowerment Group, is meant to help build relationships after getting diagnosed. “ A lot of people when they first get diagnosed and join the group think it has to do with just romantic relationships but it is more about learning to have a relationship with yourself after getting this kind of news,” said Enil Rodriguez, prevention program manager for contInued on pG. 10 | uu |

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May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

orlando news | uu | Miracle of Love from pg.8 Miracle of Love. “Getting to know you, getting to know what’s going on and how to empower yourself by living positive.” The Orlando Mpowerment Group is looking to get the word out about Miracle of Love, the new Stafford House and all the programs they offer at an event on May 28, Project Red: An Art Experience. “It’s a collaboration of artists working together to be able to express what red, the color for HIV awareness, means to them. But at the same time it’s a way to feel the passion you get from art,” Aponte said. Project Red is more than just an art gallery, it’s a coming out event of sorts for Miracle of Love. They will have live performances, music, raffles and a fashion runway. It’s a big showing for an organization that has been around for many years but has not had a visual presence in the community before. “This is a way to introduce the Stafford House to the community,” said Aponte. “To be able to get all the organizations together and understand what Miracle of Love is about and trying to do.” For more information, visit ProjectRedAnArtExperience.com.

Stuart Milk preSentS patty Sheehan with lifetiMe achieveMent award Jeremy Williams

rlandO | City Commissioner Patty Sheehan was presented with a lifetime achievement award by Stuart Milk at the third annual Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast presented by the GLBT Center of Central Florida at the Orlando Museum of Art on May 11.. Sheehan, who was the first openly-gay elected official in Central Florida, was visibly surprised when she took to the stage to accept her award from Milk for her political work in Orlando for the last 15 years. “We have the privilege to honor someone who did not set out to win any award,” Milk said. “She has been out their being visible, being who she is and has been willing

to take the slings and arrows of being the first.” Milk, nephew to slain gay politician and LGBT rights activist Harvey Milk, spoke to the crowd about his uncle before calling Sheehan to the stage. “My uncle wrote in a letter to the family, ‘my death, my assassination will be the beginning, not the end. Do not shed tears for the loss, see the vision for the future.’ That’s how much courage he had,” said Milk. Sheehan spoke to the attendees from the stage remarking on the inclusiveness of the event. “To see that it’s not all gay people coming here for a breakfast to honor Harvey Milk and honor heroes in our community that means so much to me,” Sheehan said. “I love what I do.” Gina Duncan of Equality Florida

A smile isn’t the only thing that can be infectious. Use a condom. Every time.

www.wemakethechange.com · 1-800-FLA-AIDS

watermark Your lgbt life.

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

was also honored at the breakfast with the LGBT Trailblazer Award. “Together I hope that we will all continue to believe one day being transgender will have no more significance than being left-handed or blue-eyed because that’s the way we were born,” Duncan said as she accepted her award. Mayor Buddy Dyer spoke at the event about the importance of diversity in Orlando before Honorable Bob LeBlanc, Wes Featherston and Honorable Tiffany Moore Russell were all awarded with an LGBT Ally Award. “I believe that diversity is the greatest strength that we have in the city of Orlando,” said Dyer. “It’s not only the morally right thing to do but it is also the economically right thing to do in terms of being a successful city of the future. Because the smart young people that can live anywhere want to live in an inclusive city, a tolerant city and a city that values equality.”

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May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

tampa bay news

gulfport library prepares for renovated lgbtQ resource center Greg Stemm

golden gIrl: Rose

n Thursday May 14 the Gulfport Library hosted a program entitled “Sunshine and Rainbows” focusing on issues of LGBTQ law with a special emphasis on legal issues surrounding marriage. The program is part of a series of events hosted by the library as it prepares to reopen after weeks of renovation. A main reason for the work was to make room for over a thousand new pieces of fiction and nonfiction work in the facility’s new LGBTQ Resource Center. “It is the only center of its kind at a public library in the state of Florida and we’re pretty proud of that” said Dave Mather, director of the library. “We’ve had great support putting this collection together. Given the makeup of our community with such a strong LGBTQ presence it only seemed appropriate that we should house such a great collection.” About a third of Gulfport’s 13,000 residents identify as being LGBTQ. Mather pointed out that the library tries to be responsive to the other needs of the Gulfport community as well. He notes the facility has a larger than usual collection of art literature serving the strong artisan presence in Gulfport. Jerry Notaro is a professor emeritus at the University of South Florida library and learned that Gulfport was assembling the collection through an article in Watermark. He reached out to the city committee in charge of putting the collection together and, while he is not a Gulfport resident, when the city committee learned of his experience they asked him to be part of the efforts. Notaro was an early board member of St. Pete Pride and single handily gathered memorabilia, documents and other important historical artifacts from Pride’s inception in 2003 and throughout the early days in the beginning of the 2000s. The materials are now part of an official historical collection housed at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg Campus library. “For the Gulfport library we are using a list that is put out by the American Library Association on what literature should be included in an LGBTQ Resource Center,” said Notaro. “As we continue to grow this collection we will be using this as a resource and guide as to what materials we already have and what we still need to add.” The program on May 14 was conducted by Elizabeth Barnes, a family law attorney who specializes in LGBT issues. Her presentation covered a wide range of issues surrounding marriage, which is a relatively new field brought with the coming of marriage equality in Florida this past January. “One important thing for people to remember is that there is no such thing as ‘gay marriage’ or ‘straight marriage’, said Barnes. “Marriage is marriage and most importantly it is a legally binding contract between two people. In our excitement to finally get marriage equality I’m seeing people who haven’t really thought that through. That contact can have implications from insurance issues to raising children. It’s really important for two people to fully consider what they are getting into when they get

contInued on pG. 14 | uu |

Walton, seated, and Marge Sherwin pose with a cutout of their friend, Edith Windsor, as part of last year’s “Stand with Edie” campaign in Tampa Bay. Walton is being honored by Equality Florida at the St. Pete Gala. PHOTO BY JAKE STEVENS

st. Pete Gala nears goal Equality Florida eyeing $250,000 mark Steve Blanchard

t. petersburg | With just over a week to go before the Greater St. Petersburg Gala, Equality Florida is nearing its goal of $250,000. Organizer Todd Richardson is confident he can reach that goal, if not surpass it. “We’re over $245,000 so far and that surpasses last year’s $237,000,” Richardson explained. “Our stretch goal is $275,000, which I’d like to hit.” The gala—one of 14 Equality Florida holds in communities across the state each year—is one of the organization’s biggest fundraisers of the year. In 2014, the gala welcomed Edie Windsor, who sued the federal government and helped overturn the Defense of Marriage Act. Windsor accepted an invitation to appear again this year, but is unfortunately not well enough to travel, Richardson said. “She was so excited to come back and honor Dr. Rose Walton, one of her longest and dearest friends,” Richardson said. “Last year Edie loved the community and she fell in love with St. Pete. She loved the people and

watermark Your lgbt life.

she had such a great time.” Walton, 78, lives with her partner Marge Sherwin, on Treasure Island most of the year. But Walton is originally from the New York City area, where she worked in the HIV/AIDS arena. “We’re presenting her with a lifetime achievement award,” Richardson said. “Rose played a major role in Long Island, getting HIV care established. She is a pioneer in HIV education and advocacy. The work she did stretched far and wide. She did some amazing work and volunteers and helps out Equality Florida even today.” Equality Florida will also honor Larry Biddle and Syvlia Rusche with Voice of Equality awards. both are active in Equality Florida as well as other organizations, Richardson said. “Larry jumped in from the minute he arrived in Florida and started helping everybody,” Richardson said. “I can’t say enough about him. I respect and admire him a great deal. He’s always the first to open up his home for a fundraiser—for anyone, not just Equality Florida.” Biddle has worked with the

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, Metro Wellness and Community Centers and the Warehouse Arts District Association. Equality Florida will also honor Tech Data with an Equality Means business Award during the gala. “Our steering committee chose these people and they vetted some great candidates,” Richardson said. “It’s their decision and they pick out who they feel should be honored. They did a great job this year.” Now that marriage equality is in Florida—and possibly set for the entire nation come June—why does Equality Florida need the money? Richardson doesn’t hesitate to answer. “I truly believe our work is far from over,” Richardson said. “Just like gay adoption, marriage equality in Florida was just one more issue in our fight for full equality. The Florida Competitive Workforce Act is very important. Now that we do have marriage equality, we have to make sure we have equality in housing and in the workplace.” Richardson also said that antibullying causes and transgender equality are also on Equality Florida’s to-do list. “When I stop seeing pictures of 15 year old boys and girls on Facebook who have been bullied because of who they are, or transgender teens who have killed themselves, then I’ll know our work is over,” Richardson said. “I think about all of the LGBT youth that contInued on pG. 14 | uu |

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May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

tampa bay news | uu | LGbTQ center fRom pG.12

married. It’s something the gay community in Florida has never had to consider before.” Barnes continued by saying that marriage can have all sorts of unexpected good implications for gay couples too. “For instance after my wife and I got married we called our insurance agent and were pleasantly surprised to find that our car insurance rates went down. It was a savings we hadn’t expected and I urge every newly married gay couple in Florida to check out those kinds of things. You may be happy to discover there are all sorts of benefits that you may not have even considered.” She mentions that unfortunately along with gay marriage can come gay divorce, an issue which has had some unexpected hurdles in some rural parts of Florida which has not been as accepting of marriage

equality even though it is the law of the land now. “We’ve seen some judges say that the court ruling only applied to marriage and not to divorce,” said Barnes “Honestly, all they are trying to do is make things difficult for gay people because of their personal biases. If you are going through a divorce I’d highly recommend using courts in more urban areas like Pinellas, Hillsborough or Orlando where we haven’t seen these kinds of problems.” Barnes also covered issues surrounding the changing legal perspectives on gay adoption in Florida. These issues can be complicated and lead to interesting outcomes. For instance she mentioned a case in south Florida where two lesbians had a child using a male surrogate friend who they wanted to be part of the child’s life. The biological mother is legally married to her wife and they wanted all of them to be a family in the eyes of the law. Eventually the baby had three parents listed on her birth certificate, the mother, her wife

and the biological father. Resources from Barnes office will be included in the LGBTQ Resource materials. The Resource Center began with a large donation of lesbian fiction by Phyllis Plotnik. Many may remember Plotnick from the women’s festival she founded in Gulfport which helped to raise money for the health needs of gay women. From there a city committee which supports the library became interested in building a true resource center for the gay community at the library. That group started soliciting donations from the community and were pleasantly surprised at the overwhelming support they got. The library’s “Circle of Friends”, who helps with fund raising, donations and support for the library became involved and according to Mather have been very enthusiastic about the project. He says support, including financial resources for purchasing new material, has been strong from the City itself. Not surprising in a gay friendly city like Gulfport Mather says there

has been no backlash or concerns expressed by the community. The expanding group of supporters discovered that the Stonewall Museum in Ft. Lauderdale was receiving more donations of gay literature than they could handle. Members like Daniel Hodge and Roger Turner made several treks to south Florida and brought back literally hundreds of volumes from that archive. Mather says the relationship with the Museum is an ongoing one and they expect continued donations from that facility will swell the Resource Center even more. He says donations from the community are still welcome as well. In addition to the print versions, much of the material in the LGBTQ Resource Center will also be available online. Mather says they are even beginning to collect gay themed DVDs and hope that as the Resource Center expands these will become an important part of the collection as well. The ribbon cutting took place at 3 pm on Tuesday, May 18.

| uu | St. pete Gala fRom pG.12

can be helped out there and one of the many things Equality Florida does well is work with of all of our LGBT organizations. There is still a lot of advocacy work to do.” Tickets to the Greater St. Petersburg Gala are $125, and 81% of that money goes directly to Equality Florida’s mission of education, outreach, advocacy and mobilization, Richardson said. About 14% of the funds go toward paying for the gala and just 5% goes toward administrative costs, he said. “We have an outstanding rating for transparency,” Richardson said, referring to a recent study by Guidestar, a non-profit organization that rates other non profits. “Our books are open. People can be very comfortable that their money is going toward a good cause. “Marriage equality is here and we defeated an anti-transgender bill in Tallahassee,” Richardson said. “We have a lot to celebrate.” The festivities begin at 7:30 p.m., Friday, May 29. Tickets are still available at EQFL.org.

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nation+world news

in other news MIssourI ex-student found guIlty of exposIng partner to hIv Jurors in Missouri have found Michael L. Johnson, 23, guilty of infecting another man with HIV and endangering four others with the disease while attending college in suburban St. Louis. Jurors deliberated for two hours and 20 minutes before returning the verdict. Johnson faces a maximum punishment of life in prison. Gay rights activists say laws in Missouri and dozens of other states criminalize a medical condition and deter those at risk of infection from seeking medical treatment.

neW Jersey CatholIC College fIres teaCher for beIng pro-lgbt Seton Hall University Rev. Warren Hall announced May 15 that he was fired for publicly supporting the “NOH8” campaign. Hall tweeted, “I’ve been fired from SHU for posting a picture on Facebook supporting LGBT ‘NO H8.’ I’m sorry it was met with this response. I’ll miss my work here.” Hall, who was the director of the school’s campus ministry, received almost 4,000 signatures on a change. org petition created by a Seton Hall student to reinstate his job. Hall’s tweet has since been deleted.

neW york senator proposes bIll to prevent dIsCrIMInatIon agaInst lgbt adoptIons U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is announcing legislation to remove legal barriers to adoption by LGBT parents. Gillibrand, a New York Democrat, said May 17 she will introduce legislation this week that would prohibit discrimination against LGBT adoptive parents. Gillibrand says the absence of a consistent national policy prevents thousands of children from growing up with devoted parents.

Castro’s daughter sponsors blessIng of Cuban gay Couple The daughter of Cuban President Raul Castro sponsored a blessing ceremony May 9 for gay couples on an island where gay marriage remains illegal. Nearly two dozen gay couples held hands or embraced, some crying, as Mariela Castro and protestant clergymen from the U.S. and Canada blessed them as part of official ceremonies leading up to the Global Day against Homophobia on May 17.

russIan polICe arrest aCtIvIsts at MosCoW gay flashMob Russian police detained 17 protesters on May 17 as they gathered in central Moscow to release colorful balloons into the air to mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. Some 50 people assembled on a square outside a Moscow theatre but crowd control police drove up a bus and started shoving the protesters inside before they managed to unfurl any banners or chant any slogans. A similar event took place undisturbed in Russia’s second largest city of St. Petersburg.

wyoming town passes lgbt protections nearly 20 years after matthew shepard murder Wire Report

araMIe, Wyo. | When Matthew Shepard was beaten, tied to a fence and left for dead nearly 20 years ago, his murder became a rallying cry in the gay rights movement. Other states adopted stricter laws against violence and discrimination, and Congress passed hate crimes legislation bearing Shepard’s name. Yet in Wyoming, advocates have tried unsuccessfully for years statewide to pass protections for gays in housing and the workplace. They finally scored a victory after trying a different approach: a local ordinance in the college town where Shepard was killed. On May 13, the Laramie city council approved a local antidiscrimination ordinance. It voted 7-2 in favor of the measure that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, employment and access to public facilities such as restaurants. “What a day for Wyoming, and what a day for the city that became synonymous with Matthew Shepard’s

murder to now step up and do this right thing,” said Jeran Artery, head of the group Wyoming Equality, which has lobbied for anti-discrimination measures at the state legislature. Laramie mayor Dave Paulekas spoke in favor of the amendment before the council vote. “To me, this is about treating people fairly; it’s about treating people the way I would want to be treated, the way we all expect to be treated,” Paulekas said. “And it’s nothing more than that, in my mind.” Council members Joe Vitale and Bryan Shuster cast the only no votes against the ordinance. Both said they were concerned that the ordinance would trample on city residents’ religious freedoms. Judy Shepard, Matt Shepard’s mother, is active in a Denver-based foundation that bears her son’s name and focuses on equality issues. “I’m thrilled that Laramie’s doing it, at the same time sort of saddened that the state of Wyoming can’t see fit to do that as well,” Shepard told the Associated Press before the council vote. “Maybe the rest of Wyoming will understand this is about fellow human beings and not something that’s other than what they are.”

Shepard said some people are still under the misconception that what happened to her son is typical of what happens in Wyoming. “But I feel like if Wyoming had done more to open the door to acceptance, that kind of reputation would have disappeared very quickly,” said Shepard, herself a Wyoming resident. “Instead of taking advantage of the moment, they just sort of turned around and ran.” Rep. Kendell Kroeker, a Republican from Evansville, voted against a statewide anti-discrimination bill this year and was one of a handful of Wyoming lawmakers who filed a brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to reject same-sex marriage. “I suppose it’s their right as a city,” Kroeker said of Laramie’s proposal. But he noted such measures grant special privileges to one group over another—an idea he doesn’t support. Asked about his thoughts on such an ordinance passing in the city where Shepard was killed, Kroeker said: “The Matt Shepard case was a tragedy, but I don’t see how an antidiscrimination ordinance would have stopped somebody from committing that heinous crime.”

decision and the Argentine Federation of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Trans has demanded the judges be removed from the bench for a ruling it said placed a 6-year-old victim “in the position of a suspect.” One of the two judges, Horacio Piombo, defended the ruling May 18 in interviews with Radio La Red and the television station Todo Noticias, saying that before Tolosa molested him, the child already had suffered “the initiation by his father into the worst of worlds, leading him to depravation.” He said that “as a result of that experience with the father, the child had showed ‘signs of a transvestite conduct, of conduct we had to take into account.’” Piombo said the nearly year-old ruling had been leaked in an attempt to discredit him and his colleague

Benjamin Ramon Sal Llargues. He said the boy’s father had been jailed by another court but had not been sentenced, and the child’s mother abandoned him. The family of the child said it will appeal the ruling before the Supreme Court. “He raped a child and they say he’s innocent because the child is gay,” a woman who identified herself as the aunt told reporters. Local media have not disclosed the father’s or the family’s identity to protect the child. Interior Minister Florencio Randazzo, who is running for the presidency, said via Twitter that the ruling was “an embarrassment.” “It’s repugnant to say that the presumed sexual orientation of an abused 6-year-old boy is a reason to reduce the sentence of the abuser.”

argentinean man who abused 6-year-old has sentence reduced because child is gay Wire Report buenos aIres, argentIna | Two Argentine judges are under fire for reducing the sentence of a convicted child abuser on the grounds that his 6-year-old victim had suffered earlier abuse and therefore had already been traumatized. In the newly publicized 2014 ruling, the judges cut the sentence of Mario Tolosa, a sports club vice president, from six years to 38 months. They ruled that his acts should not be considered “gravely outrageous” in legal terms because the boy already “was making a precocious choice” of his sexuality, apparently a reference to homosexuality. Other attorneys criticized the

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May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

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May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

state news

a florida mother’s dying wish: protect my gay son

pam bondi to make “special announcement”

Staff Report

am Bondi, Florida’s Attorney General who adamantly fought against same-sex marriage in Florida, will make a “special announcement” at a conservative women group’s fundraiser on May 19. Maggie’s List will be hosting the fundraising event in Tampa on May 19 where Bondi will make her announcement, most likely involving her political future. Bondi is considered a leading state Republican for a potential run either for the Florida governor’s chair or Bill Nelson’s seat in the state Senate in 2018. Bondi recently bowed out of consideration for Senate to replace Marco Rubio as he runs for the White House in 2016. Maggie’s List is a Federal Political Action Committee created to raise awareness and funds to increase the number of conservative women elected to federal public office, according to its website. Maggie’s List was founded in 2010 and is led by Sandra B. Mortham, a former Florida Secretary of State.

woman with a terminal illness has one request before she passes: She wants to meet with Florida Gov. Rick Scott to discuss LGBT protections on behalf of her gay son. Dr. Marie Bristol was in a car accident several years ago that left her with an illness called scleroderma, a chronic connective tissue disease. Currently, there is no cure for it. Bristol wrote a letter to Scott, asking him to meet with her to discuss showing his support and helping pass the Competitive Workforce Act. “I am a dying woman,” she wrote. “With a mother’s wish, I wish that you would meet with me, very soon please, because I do not know how long I have to live.”

The Competitive Workforce Act would protect LGBT persons against discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations. “While I would like nothing more than to have my child by my side in these last months God grants to me, I cannot because my son, Douglas, lives and works in another state,” she wrote. “You see, in Florida, depending on where he lives, Douglas could be fired just for being gay. I don’t understand, Governor Scott, why there are protections in some of the counties and not all?” Bristol, with the help of Equality Florida, started a Thunderclap page to raise awareness of her cause. Thunderclap is a crowdspeaking platform that helps people be heard by having the same message blasted through social media. Equality Florida pushed for

state Representatives to take this bill up during the 2015 legislative session but it never moved out of committee. The campaign, which ended on May 10, had an original goal of 100 supporters. By its end they had 106 supporters and a social reach of 113,901 people. Bristol is hoping that this blast of attention will be enough to get the governor to meet with her so she can talk him into getting on board with the Workforce Act, which he has yet to come out in support of. “Would you meet with me and hear what I have to say about why this matters, why it is time to act and support the Competitive Workforce Act,” she wrote. “I’m running out of time, but if I could meet with you, at least I would know I’d done everything I could for my son.”

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May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

viewpoint

Michael Wanzie

the wonderful world of wanZie Hated for the Joy of It

he orlando InternatIonal

Fringe Theater Festival is underway through Memorial Day, mostly in and around Loch Haven Park at the confluence of Mills, Princeton, and Rollins Avenue. If you live anywhere in Central Florida and have never attended, that’s a damned shame!

First, in the interest of full disclosure, and certainly not because I would ever dream of stooping to utilizing this coveted ink to self-promote, I feel I owe it to the readers of this column to point out that I am involved with three productions at the Festival this year: The Lion Queen And The Naked Go-Go Cub, Dragness of God And The Naked Holy Ghost and 1969 Stonewall. Since that necessary bit of journalistic integrity has been realized, I will go on to say that “Fringing” is my all time favorite Central Florida pursuit. I love attending the Fringe Festival more than anything and everything else I am privileged to be able to do living in the Greater Orlando area. Aside from the more than 700 performances of 130 individual shows of every type and description, there’s the Lawn of Green Fabulousness which sports a huge beer tent, a full liquor bar operated by Stonewall, an outdoor stage with ongoing free entertainment, a psychic, a poetry vending machine, and free bicycle valet parking; all surrounded by food trucks and refreshment vendors serving up grub to suit every palate and dietary discipline. A longtime personal favorite is the fried peanut butter and jelly at Peg & Pete’s Roadside Grille—in the big white truck.

The crowd—and we’re talking tens of thousand of attendees—is the most eclectic gathering of people you’re likely to ever to encounter at any one event. Fringe is a people watcher’s paradise. It’s a place where you are bound to see familiar faces as well as meet, chat with, and actually become friends with a few new acquaintances. If you trust me on anything, you must trust me when I tell you Orlando Fringe is a Central Florida treasure and a true missed opportunity if you don’t attend. There are so many LGBTQ people there; it’s like attending a minipride event. Plan ahead: OrlandoFringe.org This is one of those rare years where there’s an entire week between Fringe and the beginning of the Gay Days in The Magic Kingdom/One Magical Weekend/Riptide/Gay Days at Parliament House madness. Everyone insists on telling me I’m getting too old (58) to indulge in Gay Days–related partying the way I did in earlier years, but those admonishments do not resonate with me. I’ll be at it again this year. Out of fear of incriminating myself to the extent of possible arrest, I daren’t relate in any great detail my typical Gay Days exploits except to say (and at this point in time Charlton Heston comes to mind) they’ll have to pry that “bean” from my cold dead hands. Nobody throws better parties than gay people! Nobody knows how to party better, longer, or more professionally than do we gays. I know it’s a stereotype but it’s one that is well deserved. We are the absolute pros of the party going set. I am convinced that much of the hatred aimed at gays from the straight community is rooted in pure and simple jealously over the fact that we queer folk know how to have such a good time and are so often seen to be doing

so. It doesn’t help matters any that these unfortunate heterosexuals see us doing so with relative ease and sensational style while they have to really work at it. Even then they only achieve a small measure of success, comparatively speaking, and joy is rarely in evidence. Our community knows how to create and revel

in sheer joy. We do so unabashedly at our parties, in our discos, when visiting theme parks or attending festivals, during our rallies and parades, at Sunday brunch, and especially at our pool parties. Straight people hate us for it. Fuck em! Fringe. Memorial Day. Gay Days!

Party on my friends. If in the days to come you don’t see me on stage in a nun’s habit, perhaps you’ll see me on the dance floor. If you do, kindly help me up!

Michael Wanzie is a playwright and theatrical producer residing in Orlando. You may subscribe to his weekly WANZeGRAM performing arts & cultural e-newsletter by logging onto WANZIE.com

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viewpoint

ken kundis

preaching to the conveRted Say Goodnight and Go

ast Week, I had the

occasion of being in Orlando for a big technology conference. The timing was fortuitous. I am also in the process of putting my Audubon Park house on the market. This gave me the excuse to combine business with…well, personal business. I went by the old girl on Virginia Drive to clean out what I had left and turn it into the hands of my very capable broker.

I bought the house in 2003 and expanded shortly after. If I had sold the resulting three bedroom, two bath house when I moved to NYC in 2007, I would have made an almost 100% return on my investment. Nineteen months

part of town with just enough gay spray, would eventually be able to make me some money. I had put so much of my heart and soul in it, not to mention blood, sweat and most definitely tears. After a string of bad contractors, I essentially did much of the expansion work myself, with the help of some friends and family, most notably my remarkably crafty and hard-working brother-inlaw, Jim Finch. It’s the worst possible thing you can do: get emotionally attached to an investment. Now I must put it on the market, as Phil and I have experienced the dream of every Manhattan apartment owner. The apartment next door went up for sale and we’ve purchased it and are creating one big apartment. Exciting. Scary. Expensive. As I put it on the market, I’ll “roughly” break even. I know the audience for this publication has little sympathy for me, and I know I’m among the lucky ones. I got only a glancing blow from the real estate crash of 2009. While it’s not quite out of my hands (and off my books) just yet, it is in my head. With it, my final physical connection to Orlando—where I was born and spent most of my adult life—seems broken. When I think about my life in Orlando from birth to 42—particularly those years I spent in that house—Watermark is such a defining part of it. I’ve written recently, upon the occasion of the paper’s 20th anniversary,

at this point in my life, and increasingly demanding career, it’s time for me to cede the ﬂoor to another voice and another generation.

later, I was upside down on my mortgage. I shouldn’t have kept it of course, but I did. And the reasons I did were emotional, not financial. I was making the biggest leap of my life at 42 years old. Would I last in New York? I had originally put a five-year fence around my time here. I honestly didn’t project any further than that. I was pretty sure that the move was more experimental than plate shifting. So the yellow art deco a block from Baldwin Park become one giant safety net. I held onto it, also believing in the original proposition that such an interesting house, in such a good and central

about what it has meant to me. I won’t repeat myself other than to say: a lot. At this crossroads for both Watermark and me, perhaps it’s time for me to step away from my work with Watermark. After covering the Central Florida gay community for 10-plus years before I left, I can’t rightfully

lay claim to knowing it now. A publication like Watermark needs informed local content. The other part of this decision is much more personal. I’ve been writing a first person editorial column for more than 15 years now. I’ve been given free rein by a series of generous editors (and a publisher) to write what was in my heart. And my head. And my craw. As a result,

I’m not sure what much else I have to say. I might change my mind tomorrow, but I’ve been allowed to grind an axe and support a cause and put myself out there time and time again. It’s a valuable and perishable space. It’s time someone with a fresh point of view takes it on. I’ve gotten the chance to live out at least a moonlighting life as a journalist without

having to take the requisite leap that the bravest journalists do. I’m not going to stop writing, of course, but at this point in my life, with an increasingly demanding career, it’s time for me to cede the floor to another voice and another generation. Thanks for reading!

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5/7/2015 4:45:44 PM

watermark Your lgbt life.

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

talking points

as a kid growing up in the suburbs who venerated everything about Jeopardy!,

the u.k.’s paRlIament now has

openly Gay, lesbIan oR bIsexual membeRs.

I would’ve loved seeing an contestant expressive gay contestant own his homosexuality as well as the buzzer. —louIs vIrtel, Jeopardy Contestant and hItfIx WrIter

‘Gay saIloR’ submeRGed to counteR RussIan subs

neon sIgn depICtIng a pInk, “sIngIng” gay saIlor has been submerged off the coast of Stockholm, Sweden, to make sure passersby know the country is LGBT friendly. The kitchy sign wasn’t deployed by the actual government, but by a group called The Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society, which argues against beefed-up military presence in the peaceful nation. The sign sends out a message that translates to English as “Welcome to Sweeden, Gay since 1944.” That’s the year the country decriminalized homosexuality. The sign is in response to a suspected Russian sub spotted last October. Russia, of course, can’t stand anything gay.

THeRe ARe CURReNTLY

tRansGendeR lawmakeRs

IN ALL OF eUROpe, BeLGIUM’S

PETRA DE SUTTER AND pOLAND’S ANNA GRODZKA. —University of NC LGBT Representation and Rights Research Initiative.

allIson janney wants a Gay husband

Ctress allIson Janney doesn’t really Want to get MarrIed—but she would consider it if her spouseto-be was gay. The six-time Emmy winner and star of the CBS sitcom Mom told The Advocate that she has fallen in love with gay men before and sees them as more sensitive and understanding than their hetero counterparts. The 55-year-old, who stands more than 6 feet, says she’s always had trouble connecting with straight men and that if she married a gay guy, “I’d have a partner to share my life with, but I’d go have affairs. Maybe I’d get on Tinder.”

watermark Your lgbt life.

‘lookInG’ seRved as Gay sex ed

CCordIng to Jonathan groff, the star of the now cancelled show Looking, which followed the lives of gay friends in San Francisco, many of his straight friends used the series to learn about gay sex. Groff, who is gay, told Gay Star news that his straight friends “didn’t know gay people could have sex facing each other until they saw our show.” Looking aired for two seasons and was canceled earlier this year. HBO said it will tie up loose ends with a two hour movie that is currently in production.

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

smItheRs could be out, eR, off ‘the sImpsons’

t’s possIble that the Most reCognIZable gay CharaCter In the SImPSONS unIverse Could be MakIng an exIt. It was revealed March 14 that contract negotiations with voice actor Harry Shearer broke down and that Smithers and other characters he portrays could suffer the consequences. Shearer voices both Smithers and the character’s boss, Mr. Burns, and has been a part of the show for all 26 seasons. It’s unclear if the show would replace the actor or faze out Shearer’s characters, which also include newsman Kent Brockman, Ned Flanders and Dr. Hibbert.

200

watermark Your lgbt life.

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

200

In-depth: 25 yeaRs of Gay day

2008

20 08

MAGICAL WEEKENDS

200

2 8 9 19

2002

gay days has spanned more than two decades and brought countless memories to locals and visitors alike

Kirk Hartlage

e’re not even halfWay

through 2015 and we have already seen several milestones for Florida’s LGBT community. The most dramatic shift came in January when Floridians gained the right to marry our samesex partners, potentially foreshadowing nationwide marriage equality with a U.S. Supreme Court decision expected within the next few weeks.

Equally significant: the 25th anniversary of Gay Day at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. One day each year the happiest place on earth also becomes the gayest, thanks to a mass migration

of gays and lesbians to the Central Florida theme park. What started as a single-day outing has grown to a multi-day destination event, complete with parties, concerts, vendor fairs and host hotels—

several of which are dedicated to specific populations within the LGBT community. The past two-and-a-half decades of Orlando’s largest gay gathering hasn’t been without controversy. Though the occasional chartered plane carrying banners of anti-gay rhetoric still has been known to make its way through the Disney resort sky, the once-active voices of protest have, for the most part, died down. (They’ve apparently moved on to a variety of national and state government offices, where, sadly, it seems their message is being heard.) Despite being accused of having political motivations at the core of its inception, the birth of Gay Day is

watermark Your lgbt life.

far more humble. “This whole thing started as just a way to collectively go to the theme parks and have fun,” said Doug Swallow, the man most often credited with originating the idea for the very first Gay Day in 1991. “And in the end, that’s what keeps people coming back.” Swallow, a computer software designer and member of CompuWho?, an Orlando computer bulletin board service, suggested a group outing to Disney’s Magic Kingdom. By utilizing this early form of online social media, Gay Day became, in essence, one of the first flash mobs ever. Swallow has said the event was created as a fun alternative to

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

what he saw was an overwhelming majority of Pride month activities solely linked to activism and fundraising. Nonetheless, that first Gay Day was created with financial matters in mind: an event on the first Saturday of June would coincide with the then-traditional off-season discounting of tickets for local residents. With some assistance from the area’s Gay and Lesbian Community Center, members of the online group got the word out—primarily through word of mouth, but also by distributing fliers to local bars. Red was chosen as the color of the contInued on pG. 30 | uu |

watermark Your lgbt life.

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

watermark Your lgbt life.

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

| uu | 25 Years

of Gay Day fRom pG.27

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day so attendees would not only stand out in the crowd but also to each other. The “First Annual Official Unofficial Gay & Lesbian Day at the Magic Kingdom” drew several hundred people. Four years later, gay and lesbian attendance had swelled to an estimated 30,000-plus. In 1995, Disney announced it would offer domestic partner benefits starting the following year. Anti-gay groups protested. They called on the company to not only reverse its decision on extending benefits, but to put an end to Gay Day, claiming Disney’s lack of action in discouraging the mass gathering of homosexuals from happening was akin to the company condoning it. Leading the fight, the American Family Association called Gay Day “a mission to pervert America’s children,” claiming the event deprived thousands of children of a normal, fun-filled day at the Magic Kingdom. An AFA newsletter described the day, in part: “Many homosexuals were kissing, embracing, holding hands and playing weird games in the walkways.”

Remember when?

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Back then, Cast Member Thursdays at Downtown Disney’s Pleasure Island were the nightclub collective’s unofficial gay night, a natural cause-and-effect progression considering Thursday is Disney employees’ pay day and an above average percentage of them are gay. Mannequins—the Island’s high-energy contemporary dance club that came complete with a rotating dance floor (think The Mad Hatter’s Teacup Ride without the teacups)—drew the strongest concentration of gays each week. As Gay Day expanded into a multi-day event, the Thursday before the first

watermark Your lgbt life.

Saturday of June quickly became Mannequin’s busiest night of the year. Extended queue lines to enter became commonplace as the club hit capacity earlier and earlier each year. Also hitting capacity earlier and earlier each year were the motors that made the dance floor spin—an unfortunate occurrence that halted the “wheel of meat” from turning but never diminished the energy level throughout the club. Showing some unofficial support for the weekend in 2000, Pleasure Island hosted “Disco Weekend” the first weekend of June, featuring concerts by Evelyn “Champagne” King, Shannon and Taylor Dayne. The tradition ended when Pleasure Island shut down in September 2008 to make way for a redesigned Downtown Disney, effectively eliminating the area’s nightclubs for restaurants and shopping. That project continues to this day.

evenInG paRtIes

As Beach Ball (now known as Riptide) morphed into a men’s circuit event, one group of guys attempted an evening water park party at Wet ‘N’ Wild for the bear crowd. Another year a women’s group attempted a Saturday evening buyout of Typhoon Lagoon for a ladies’ event. Each were met with poor weather and poor attendance and lasted only one year. One of the earliest addons was a Saturday evening buyout party at the thenDisney/MGM Studios, now Disney Hollywood Studios. The park’s Tower of Terror and Rock-n-Roller Coaster attractions were open while a massive lighting truss turned the park’s main street into an outdoor dance floor, complete with club music played by a big-name DJ. Occasionally a well-known singer would perform a miniconcert of their hits; Chaka Khan and Donna Summer were among the performers who appeared over the years. In 2007, Kathy Griffin kicked off the party with a show of her scathing standup comedy in the park’s

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

Extreme Stunt Show theater. The evening typically ended with an impressive fireworks display choreographed to a hit dance club remix; one year the show even included a crane-hoisted drag queen, channeling super divas as perfectly timed pyrotechnics exploded behind her in the sky.

the pRotests

The earliest years of Gay Day saw only mild opposition. When picketers were repeatedly chased away from the entrance to the Magic Kingdom by park security, they quickly relocated to various highprofile locations, each just a few steps off Disney property. Among them: the tiny traffic island between the North/ South lanes of Apopka Vineland Road at Hotel Plaza Blvd., and a grassy area just past the welcoming signs on Epcot Center Drive at the exit ramp from Westbound I-4. However, protestors turned up the heat in 1995 when Disney announced it would soon extend healthcare benefits to the same-sex partners of its gay and lesbian employees. Calling Gay Day “a mission to pervert America’s children,” members of the American Family Association also said Gay Day ruins a child’s trip to the Magic Kingdom “because gays and lesbians take most of the best positions on Main Street for the 3 p.m. parade.” When the AFA called on Disney to stop allowing Gay Day from happening, a company spokesman told the media, “People come to the park, they buy tickets, they go in. If the AFA wants to designate a day when all of their members visit Disney World, that’d be fabulous too.” But it wasn’t just religious groups complaining. A letter to Disney from 15 Florida State lawmakers marked their concerns, saying, “We strongly disapprove of your inclusion and endorsement of a lifestyle that is unhealthy, unnatural and unworthy of special treatment.” Southern Baptists

contInued on pG. 34 | uu |

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watermark Your lgbt life.

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

watermark Your lgbt life.

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

watermark Your lgbt life.

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

| uu | 25 Years of Gay Day

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watermark Your lgbt life.

called for a Disney boycott in 1997, targeting the company’s so-called “Christian-bashing, family-bashing, pro-homosexual agenda.” Disney’s response: “We find it curious that a group that claims to espouse family values would vote to boycott the world’s largest producer of wholesome family entertainment” Televangelist Pat Robertson joined the anti-Disney crusade in 1998, saying God would strike Orlando with hurricanes and other maladies thanks, in part, to Disney “allowing” gays to take over the Magic Kingdom for Gay Day. (The other party at fault: City of Orlando officials who permitted rainbow pride flags to fly from streetlamps during Pride weekend.) Apparently unconcerned that Robertson’s predictions would come true on Gay Day specifically, one religious group hired a plane to circle the Magic Kingdom towing a banner stating, “Jesus Can Save You From Your Lifestyle.” Meanwhile, Operation Rescue, a militant anti-gay group that had threatened to disrupt Gay Day, went unnoticed. Tellingly, one of the group’s members told a local reporter that park infiltrators were under strict orders not to be arrested, because the organization didn’t have the funds to cover bail. That year also saw Gay Day get the most prominent national press it had ever received, thanks to a 60 Minutes interview with then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner. Of Gay Day he said: “The homosexual organizations arrange that day themselves. We do not put up signs that say, ‘No Blacks Allowed,’ ‘No Jews Allowed,’ ‘No Homosexuals Allowed.’ As long as they are discreet and handle themselves properly, are dressed properly, they’re welcome in our doors, and I think it would be a travesty in this country to exclude anybody.” Conservative groups found success in the air once again in 1999; that year’s message read “Freedom from Homosexuality— Jesus Christ.” Those same groups found less success in the airwaves when they attempted to buy air time on local television stations to promote their ex-gay ministries. But by year’s end, a Christian group released a video of two male Disney entertainers dancing sexually onstage at Mannequins, saying it could be damaging to children, failing to note that the club had a strict 21-and-over policy that excluded minors. And while it’s hard to imagine something good coming out of 9/11, May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

thanks to a federally imposed nofly zone implemented as a safety concern, the “planes of hate” tradition has been all but grounded. The zone extends to 3,000 feet in a 3-nauticalmile radius centered from the Main Spire of Cinderella’s Castle. It, too, hasn’t been without controversy. In 2003, the conservative Christian Family Policy Network sued Disney over the no-fly zone, claiming the ruling infringed on their First Amendment right to fly banners during Gay Days Weekend. The judge denied their request.

the sIGns

One of the earliest traditions of Gay Day came from Walt Disney World itself. Though the company has adopted a “we don’t sponsor Gay Day, but anyone and everyone is welcomed in our parks” mantra, Disney stumbled during the earliest years of Gay Day in deciding how they would recognize the overwhelming number of gays and lesbians in their signature theme park. Starting with the third Gay Day in 1993, Disney marked the occasion by placing sandwich board signs outside the entrance gates of the Magic Kingdom. Though the signs’ verbiage changed over time, the message remained consistent; that a large number of gays and lesbians were inside. While some saw the signs as a welcoming acknowledgement of the annual gathering, others viewed them as a warning. By 1994, the signs stated that “members of the gay community have chosen to visit the Magic Kingdom today in their recognition of Gay and Lesbian Pride Month” and that Disney “does not discriminate against anyone’s right to visit the Magic Kingdom.” The signs were again displayed the following year, but removed by mid-morning, never to be seen again.

outsIde acceptance

The Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Thomas frequently wrote about Gay Day during his tenure at the paper. He’d take his young children to the Magic Kingdom each first Saturday of June to see how that day differed from any other day at the park. He noted how in early years of the gathering the Guest Relations department would offer tickets—and sometimes transportation—to one of their other theme parks in response to complaints about the quantities of gays and lesbians in the Magic Kingdom. Sometimes, an unknowing family all decked out in red, upset

1997

2002

8 9 19

7 9 9

1998

2000

2002

7 9 19

that their shirts would signify some type of support, would be given replacement t-shirts when they complained. But those courtesies were only extended during the earliest years of the event. In following years, Thomas noted how complaints were often met with the same response the company’s PR department had been giving for years: the gathering was not sponsored by Disney and anyone willing to pay the price of

2001

1998 admission was welcomed in their parks. Families upset that they had chosen red as their color du jour were merely given directions to the closest gift shop where they could purchase replacements at their own cost. Thomas also took on several of Gay Day’s biggest opponents. When, in 2001, American Family Association President Donald Wildmon puts his spin on Gay Day by saying, “Disney rakes

9 9 19

6 199

2006

in hundreds of thousands of dollars through this celebration of homosexuality. That’s as reprehensible as if Disney had hosted Prostitute Day or Pedophilia Days at the Magic Kingdom,” Thomas corrected him. “First of all, Disney rakes in millions of dollars from Gay Days, not hundreds of thousands,” Thomas wrote. “But for the most part, folks, we’re talking about a very tame thing. There were a lot

watermark Your lgbt life.

of Gay Days T-shirts, the occasional couple holding hands, some hugging and that’s about it.” In 2005, when Universal officials made a pitch to relocate Gay Day from the Magic Kingdom to Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Thomas made note. “I called up Disney and pretending to be just an average Joe asked, ‘Hey, are you guys having some kind of gay event over there this weekend?’ And

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

the representative hemmed and hawed and avoided answering. Then I called up Universal with the same question, and the very eager receptionist said something along the lines of, ‘Yes, it’s Gay Days weekend!’.” However, Gay Day has remained at Disney’s Magic Kingdom since its inception and continues to entertain LGBT participants from all around the world.

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watermark Your lgbt life.

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

THEATRE FESTIVAL

aRts and enteRtaInment

country icon on attending her first gay wedding, the ‘practicality’ of lgbt rights and being a proud redhead

The

Chris Azzopardi

ven by phone, reba

Word of

McEntire makes you feel right at home. “Thanks for the visit; I’ve enjoyed visitin’ with you!” the singer drawls, wrapping up our conversation as if a reporter had just stopped by for buttered grits and a cup of hot coffee.

Reba watermark Your lgbt life.

A music, television, film and theater superstar with a trove of prestigious awards, Reba is enormously famous. But you wouldn’t know it by talking to her; she comes across more like a friend. Fancy? Not so much. And she certainly won’t let her rabid gay following down—she has delighted in a friendship with the LGBT community since the beginning of her 40-year career. Now, as she releases her 27th studio album, Love Somebody, the country icon is ready to take some serious stands. Reba stresses the importance of gay marriage, how “sad” it is to know that some country artists feel they can’t come out, and her message to parents who can’t accept a child who’s not straight. WATERMARK: you GRew up In a town wIth, lIke, 16 people and lots of cows. I ImaGIne theRe weRen’t a lot of Gay people In chockIe, okla.

Reba mcentIRe: Nope, nope. Not at all that I know of, or in high school. I guess in college was the first time I was around any gay people and they became my friends first and then I found out they were gay, so there ya go!

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

contInued on pG. 46 | uu |

musIc

Gay sax

Saxophonist Alan Darcy brings his talents to the Flamingo Resort

Bennett right after World War II in the early ‘50s. My family is Italian and Irish, so my house was always a party and there was always music. My sisters and mom were musical too. As for me, I walked around singing as a kid and wasn’t good at sports. I was always an entertainer and class clown.

do you play any otheR InstRuments?

I play every type of sax, but I also play the flute and sing. I play guitar and piano but don’t really perform on them, I just use them to write at home by myself. I also play a little bit of the harmonica. what do you love most about the sax?

I used to say I’m a saxophonist first, but really, I’m an entertainer who plays the sax and sings. I feel like I’m singing through the sax. I hear amazing singers like Whitney Houston hit those high notes and all the emotions come out. Sax is the one instrument that sounds the most like a human voice. And it allows me to hit the high notes I can’t hit with my voice. When I hit those high notes, I feel like I’m soaring through it. do you have a favoRIte style you lIke to play the most?

(above)

MoMentuM:

Saxophonist and Tampa Bay resident Alan Darcy’s newest album showcases his musical journey.

Krista DiTucci

aMpa | saxophonIst alan darCy has

showcased his musical talents to Florida and the rest of the U.S. for more than 20 years. Because his recent performance at the Flamingo Resort in St. Petersburg was so successful, locals can now find him there for poolside performances the second Saturday of each month.

The Staten Island native has resided in Florida intermittently since his youth. Darcy’s family experienced a great loss when his sister passed away suddenly after struggling with cancer. Darcy has used his music to help heal his own heart, as well as the hearts of his loved ones.

In an interview with Watermark, the openly gay Darcy discusses his eclectic musical style, difficult times and feeling his way to a better place. WATERMARK: how lonG have you been playInG the saxophone?

alan daRcy: Since the last century

watermark Your lgbt life.

(laughing). I’ve probably been playing since before you were born. I started playing as a freshman in high school in the ‘70s, but I knew I wanted to play long before that. I have a very vivid memory—I was in the fourth grade and we had this thing called assembly once a week where all the students would go to the auditorium for a presentation. One time they had a band with a saxophone, and it was like a laser beam went off. I remember thinking, “I like that. I really like that! I want to do that!”

dId you always have a love foR musIc?

My family was pretty musical. My Uncle Joe was a music teacher and entertainer. He opened for Tony

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

I really don’t have a favorite. The alto is my favorite type of sax because the size of it fits my body perfectly. But as far as style, I’m very eclectic and it really depends on my mood. One of my biggest heroes is Billy Joel. I love how he performs and entertains. And he is from New York. I came from that school of pop music like James Taylor and Sting. But I also came from the school of instrumental music and having the music tell a story instead of the words. I’ve always had my feet in two different places; hopefully they come together and mix. I listen to jazz, RuPaul, dance music—all different styles. I compare it to food: sometimes you’re in the mood for Chinese, sometimes you want Italian. It’s like a big buffet to me. tell us about youR pRofessIonal jouRney. when and how dId you Get youR bIG bReak?

I decided to become a full-time musician in my 20s. I moved to Florida from New York in high school. After high school, I didn’t think I could make a living as a musician, so I pursued other options. I moved back to New York and became a theater major because there

contInued on pG. 40 | uu |

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May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

shoW tIMe: For more than 20

years, Alan Darcy has played his music from Tampa Bay to New York. Now he has a regular gig at the Flamingo Resort and a new album.

| uu | Alan Darcy fRom pG.38 was more job security, but that didn’t work out either. I came back to Florida and got a degree in art from Florida State. After college, I picked the sax back up again. I was always wrestling with who I was—I hadn’t come out of the closet, and being raised Catholic, I had my own issues. In my 20s I came out and said, “This is who I am. I’m going to own it.” I had to learn to love myself and

accept who I was, and that’s when the music happened. My partner was HIV positive in the ‘80s, back when it was a death sentence. He committed suicide, which was a turning point for me. It was a shock to my system. He was so afraid to be around people and be ostracized. I woke up a couple days later and thought, “What am I afraid of?” Life is so short and fragile. That’s when I committed myself to music. Ever since then, things have always fallen into place for me. The universe went, “Yeah, you’re ready.” I got a scholarship and went back to school at about 26 or 27. I was starting all over again and was in class with all these kids just out of high school who were so much better than me musically. And here I was, the old man at 26 having to learn how to play a C major scale again. It was a wonderful time because all this growth came out of something so sad. It evolved from there and got better and better. People started paying me to play at birthday parties and weddings. I started playing professionally with an independent label in the mid-90s. I don’t know if I’d say I really got my “big break.” It sounds corny, but

I had to learn to love myself and accept who I was, and that’s when the music happened.

—alan darCy

it feels like I already have my big break because I get to make music for a living. I’m my own boss, set my own hours, and get paid to make music and have fun. But I feel like there’s always room to grow and another place to expand to musically. It’s more about growing where you want to go. My goal is to have more fun, play for more people and get better at the craft. I’ll probably be 80 years old saying, “I want to learn that song; I want to learn that scale.” What can We expect from your latest album, MoMentuM?

It’s my sixth CD that I released on my own independent label. I’m really excited about it! I got to work with some of the best national musicians, such as Ron and Dave Reinhardt, Tim George, Frank “Third” Richardson, Paul Buzine, Dominic Pages, Leah Clark, Andre

Lewis, Mauricio Rodriguez, Gil “El Nino” Garcia, Mike MacArthur and Scott Simon. I pulled the music from different times in my life. They all have a common thread to me, which goes back to the title Momentum. When my sister passed away, it was a hard time for everyone. I kind of had to start over emotionally because no one expected her to pass so suddenly. I started meditating and doing appreciation work—every day I would wake up and write down what I appreciate, like a gratitude list with a twist. ‘I Appreciate’ is my affirmations put to music. I made my private affirmations public, which is very personal. They click with people and uplift them. ‘Requiem’ is the most personal to me because it’s about my sister and what I was going through. It’s the only ballad on the CD. The lyrics are

all about her and what happened to her. I suppose writing and recording this song was a way to help me work through my grief. At the time of the CD release, my uncle and aunt passed away as well, so I wanted to include them in the dedication too. Another very personal song on the album is ‘Feel Your Way to Better.’ It’s about having the choice to focus on what’s going right and what feels good—taking baby steps to get from a sad place to a happier one to “feel your way to better.”

more information Who: Alan Darcy What: Momentum Where: CDBaby.com,, AlanDarcy.com and iTunes

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books

Mommies and mourning Heather has Two Mommies author Lesléa Newman talks about poetry and the updated version of her classic book for I Carry My Mother. I have done some readings for I Carry My Mother—one for my synagogue and one for our local hospice facility. as a poet, what does It mean to you to have a month desIGnated foR poetRy?

(above)

aMong the banned:

Lesléa Newman’s classic book Heather Has Two Mommies is among the most banned books in America. Today the author focuses on poetry and recently re-released her classic children’s book with an updated look.

It’s wonderful! I think it really helps spotlight the art of poetry in a way that other arts don’t receive. I don’t really remember when it started, but it’s been going on long enough that people who aren’t poets are aware of it, expect it and look for events. When I was the Poet Laureate of Northampton (Massachusetts), I really focused on April. I blew up poems in the public domain on big posters and put them in storefronts up and down Main Street of Northampton and they were up for the entire month. One April, I ran a poetry contest—the subject was joy. That year I blew up the poems by local writers and put them in the windows. People had all sorts of great experiences such as neighbors coming up to them and saying, “I didn’t know you wrote poetry!” I’ve also written 30 poems in 30 days during National Poetry Month. It just depends on the year and what else is going on for me.

Gregg Shapiro

esbIan WrIter lesléa neWMan WrItes

in many different literary genres. She is perhaps best known for her children’s book Heather Has Two Mommies, first published in 1989, which has the distinction of being a consistently challenged and banned title. Over time, the subject matter— lesbian moms raising a child—has become less shocking than it was more than 25 years ago, but there will always be someone there to make a fuss. A new edition of Newman’s Heather Has Two Mommies (Candlewick, 2015) was recently published and features updated artwork. Newman’s other new title releases this year is I Carry My Mother (Headmistress Press, 2015), a book-

length poem.

WATERMARK: lesléa, thIs InteRvIew Is takInG place In apRIl, whIch Is natIonal poetRy month. dId you take paRt In any natIonal poetRy month festIvItIes? lesléa newman: I have been traveling so much that the month of April is a blur (laughs). I’ve been promoting Heather… and doing events

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as a wRIteR who woRks In multIple lIteRaRy GenRes, If you had to choose a favoRIte, whIch would It be?

If you told me that I was going to ascend to nirvana tomorrow and I could only write one more thing, it would definitely be a poem. Poetry is my first love. I started writing it as a very young child. I’m not sure why. Nobody read poetry to me. It’s just been a part of me in an organic way for a very long time. I studied in high school as much as I could and as soon as I got the chance, I ran off to Naropa Institute to study with Allen Ginsberg. Even when I’m writing prose, poetry is my base. It’s the form I return to; it’s the form of my heart. what was the fIRst poem that you

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

wRote about matthew shepaRd?

I was the keynote speaker for Gay Awareness Week in 1998 at the University of Wyoming. I arrived on the day that Matthew Shepard died. I had always wanted to write about the experience. The first thing I wrote is now the afterword of the book (October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard), the essay “Imagine.” I wrote that on the plane ride going home. I published it in about 20 regional gay newspapers in 1998. After that, I could never write about it. Then I saw The Laramie Project. In 2009, I saw The Laramie Project Part Two: The Epilogue. That night, I couldn’t sleep. The play brought back everything about my time out there. I think about mothers all the time, even though I’m not a mother. I always thought about what it would be like for the mother of a murdered child to have a conversation with the mother of the murderer, but I never could pull it off. I tried writing about it but I couldn’t do it. When I saw The Laramie Project Part Two, it reminded me that Russell Henderson’s mother was raped and murdered in January 1999. I stayed up that night and wrote the poem “Wounded,” so that was the first poem in the collection. when dId you know that you had moRe to say about matthew In teRms of a full-lenGth book manuscRIpt such as OcTObER MOuRninG: A SOnG fOR MATThEW ShEpARD?

I saw the play in October of 2009. At the time I was the Poet Laureate of Northampton and I was spearheading a 30 poems in 30 days project in November. I organized 70 poets to write a poem a day and to collect money, like a marathon, a nickel or a dollar a poem, to give to a local literacy group. When November first came around I realized I had to write 30 poems. I started writing the poems that later appeared in October Mourning at that point. After 30 days it was very clear that it was a book-length project. I kept going. I actually wrote about 70 poems

neW look: The cover for the new edition of Heather Has Two Mommies featuring new illustrations by Laura Cornell.

in 70 days. I took a long time to edit them. I read all of the articles that appeared in The New York Times. I read Judy Shepard’s memoir. I read Romaine Patterson’s memoir. I watched the movie. I went out to Wyoming twice. I went twice to the fence to meditate and say kaddish. Then it all came together.

In OcTObER MOuRninG, eveRythInG has a voIce, IncludInG the tRuck, the Road, the fence and the state of wyomInG, to mentIon a few.

When I started writing, I started with a question, which was “What happened at that fence?” In my research, I found out that the incident took place in about 15 minutes. That stunned me. There’s been so much written about it and I wondered what I could bring to it, as a poet, that would shed some light on this or what could I personally learn. I can tap into the poetic voices of these various objects that were there. I kept thinking, I wish there were witnesses. Then I had my a-ha moment. There was a witness—the fence. There were others—the stars and the truck. But the fence has become such an iconic image. Then I thought, the fence was an innocent bystander, which is why I start the book with [the poem] “The Fence (before).” I realized that I had to end with “The Fence (after).” The fence became very important to me as I was writing the book.

lIke OcTObER MOuRninG, i cARRY MY MOThER, youR most Recent book, Is a book-lenGth cycle of poems.

It actually wasn’t the first time I’d done this. My book Still Life With Buddy, which came out in 1997, is a book-length series of poems that tells the story of a passionate relationship between a lesbian and a gay man living with and then dying of AIDS. That’s my favorite way to tackle a subject. Poetry, fiction, non-fiction, voice, research. It gives me the opportunity and the challenge to bring all my training and experience into play. That’s why I love to do that. I use that form when I’m tackling

subjects of massive grief. The form/forms allow me to look at the experience from a myriad of ways. It allows me to rein in the unmanageable feelings of grief and pour them into a container that can hold them. It allows me to both draw closer to and distance myself from the experience. When I’m crafting a formal poem, I have to go over the material repeatedly which brings me closer to the material. I have to think about line breaks and metaphor and enjambment and rhyme and syllable count. That tension of closeness and distance comes forth in the poems.

contInuInG wIth subject of GRIef, youR antholoGy, A LOvinG TESTiMOnY: REMEMbERinG LOvED OnES LOST TO AiDS was publIshed 20 yeaRs aGo thIs yeaR. wIth that book, STiLL LifE WiTh buDDY, OcTObER MOuRninG and i cARRY MY MOThER In mInd, please say somethInG about the InteRsectIon of tRaGedy and aRt.

It’s definitely what gets me through. I don’t know how people who don’t create something out of that kind of experience manage. Grief is such a primal feeling. Children just dive into their emotions in such a complete way. For me, writing a picture book is a way to deal with such a strong emotion for which there is sometimes no comfort.

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2015 has been a bIG yeaR foR you In teRms of publIshInG. In addItIon to i cARRY MY MOThER, a bRand new edItIon of youR classIc chIldRen’s book hEAThER hAS TWO MOMMiES, fEAtuRInG IllustRatIons by lauRa coRnell, was publIshed. why was thIs the RIGht tIme foR a new edItIon of the book?

The book had been out of print for a little while. People had been clamoring for it. I was having lunch with my editor at Candlewick Press and she asked what was going on with Heather…I told her it was out of print. We both had the same idea (to reissue it). It was their idea to newly illustrate the book, to make it look more contemporary. With everything going on with marriage equality, it seemed like the right time. It’s also served as a benchmark for people to look back on the last 25 years and see what’s happened regarding LGBT rights. It’s been an amazing journey. have you staRted woRkInG on oR thInkInG about youR next book pRoject?

I’m always working on something new. I recently completed and am still tinkering with a new picture book called Sparkle Boy, about a little boy who loves sparkly things just like his sister. It’s about him, but it’s equally about his sister’s journey because at first, she’s not very happy about this.

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May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

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May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

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May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

| uu | Reba McEntire fRom pG.37

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as a lonGtIme ally, how ImpoRtant aRe lGbt eQualIty and same-sex maRRIaGe RIGhts to you?

Very important. I just went to my first gay wedding a couple of months ago in California for Michael and Steven, my two great friends. They’ve been together for 20 years! I thought that it was not fair and I didn’t understand why they couldn’t get married. It wasn’t because they just wanted to get married. If one of them had gotten injured and gone to the hospital, the other one couldn’t make decisions for them. It’s very upsetting. It’s not only for convenience or for romantic reasons—it’s for practicality. For practical reasons! I get a kick out of what Dolly [Pardon] said: “Why shouldn’t they get married and be as miserable as the rest of us?” (Laughs) you don’t seem so mIseRable In youR maRRIaGe, thouGh.

No, not at all. But I don’t understand why people have a problem with it. I’m a very spiritual person, but I don’t judge. I try not to; I’m only human. To each his own, and everybody is different. God did not make us all the same. So, I just pray for an open mind and a loving heart, and I think that’s all I can do.

In youR fouR decades as a countRy musIcIan, how much pRoGRess do you thInk the GenRe has made when It comes to embRacInG lGbt fans wIth open aRms?

Well, I’ve always embraced gay and lesbian fans with both arms. I have a huge gay following!

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Didn’t change my opinion of ’em; I still liked ’em a lot. One was a very dear friend of mine who helped me a lot with my singing and my music, and he was just a super sweet, gentle man who loved music with all his heart. I’m pretty sure that was my first introduction, the first time I met anyone who was gay.

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absolutely. but countRy musIc as a whole—do you see pRoGRess when It comes to lGbt eQualIty?

Yeah, I do. There are more (artists) speaking out about May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

it but I can’t really speak for anyone else other than myself.

If Reba, wynonna and dolly dRaG Queens weRe to compete, how would you mentoR the Reba Queen to ensuRe heR vIctoRy?

Good lands—that’s a hard question! Because Wynonna is such a character! I love her with all my heart. Dolly is bigger than life and I love her with all my heart. So I’d say, get out there and work your tail off! thRouGhout the yeaRs, theRe’s been some pRetty daRn Good Rebas. I’m suRe you’ve encounteRed some youRself.

Totally, absolutely! I’ve had a Reba impersonator in my (touring) show before, and David [Lowman a.k.a. Coti Collins] came off the stage one night and he said he’d done such a good job of impersonating me in the song “Fancy” that the limo driver opened the door for him. have you eveR been mIstaken foR a fake Reba?

Not that I know of!

female countRy aRtIsts aRen’t GettInG the same RadIo aIRplay as theIR male counteRpaRts these days. why aRen’t the ladIes GettInG a faIR shake?

It goes cyclical. It’s always in phases and it’ll come back around. In my 40-year career I’ve seen it go from very contemporary country music to very traditional and then it goes back to contemporary and then you can’t get a male song recorded or a male on the radio—and then you can’t get a female song recorded or a female on the radio. It’s gonna come back. It’s been the good ol’ boy season right now but it’ll change. It’ll go back to more romantic, more females. But we’ve gotta promote these younger females coming on. I’m with ya. There’s a bunch that have been lost in the shuffle— female singers—that I don’t know they’ll get a second chance, but they’re out there. We just need to get them on the radio and get them out to the public to listen to. who comes to mInd?

Brandy Clark. My gosh, that girl! I’ve got three or four songs of hers on my new

before saying, “You have no idea how so-and-so song changed my life. It helped me through a bad situation.” God knows what he’s doing. He gives me the gut feeling to say yes to this song, yes to that song. And it might not have anything to do with my career, my lifestyle, but he’s got somebody down the road who needs to hear it.

no. 27: Love Somebody is Reba

McEntire’s 27th studio album

album. She’s got great material. I mean, Miranda’s [Lambert] recorded them. All the girls have recorded her songs. I have to know: when’s the bIG haIR comInG back?

(Laughs) I can’t get (my stylist) Brett Freedman to get it that high anymore! My good friend Shane Tarleton is always saying, “Get that big hair out. Jack it up to Jesus!” Is that youR Real haIR?

Yeah, it’s my real hair now. I did wear wigs when I did Annie Get Your Gun, and then on one tour where we went from Reba in 1974 to present Reba, I did wear the big wigs and had my short hair at the end. And I’ve done it on vacation, ya know. You go from the swimming pool to getting ready for dinner in 30 minutes when you’re wearing wigs! They’re great!

Redheads sometImes Get a lot of flak when they’Re younG. as a Redhead In a small town, what was It lIke foR you? dId you eveR feel lIke an outsIdeR?

No, absolutely not. I loved my red hair. My mom was a redhead, so I felt she gave me her red hair. I’ve always been very, very proud of it.

and people dIdn’t tReat you any dIffeRently because of It?

Oh, I didn’t care!

what has made you GRavItate towaRd themes of empoweRment, then?

Because I think they’re important. To be encouraging. These songs are encouraging; they’re encouraging to folks. Every song I sing has a message, and it might not be for me and I might not have experienced what’s going on in the song, but I think it’s for somebody who needs to hear it. I’ve had people come up to me

would you consIdeR RecoRdInG a countRy sonG InspIRed by a Gay peRson’s stoRy?

It just depends on the song. If it touches my heart, absolutely.

as a GRandpaRent, and a paRent youRself, what kInd of messaGe do you hope to send by affIRmInG youR openmIndedness when It comes to lovInG and caRInG foR a chIld, ReGaRdless of sexual oRIentatIon?

What a child needs when they’re growing up is support and love, mainly love. Love can go a long, long way whether they’re gay or not. All the troubles and the problems and the obstacles that they are going to face in their lives are going to be astronomical, especially in their very young, inexperienced minds. And if they do happen to be gay, that’s going to be a harder hurdle to get over. What a parent needs to do more than anything is jump in there with love and support. You made ’em. They’re a gift from God. Love ’em as they are.

wIth bIlly GIlman, ty heRndon and bRandy claRk, theRe’s been a Recent wave of countRy musIcIans comInG out. what aRe youR thouGhts on these aRtIsts takInG that step and comInG out publIcly?

It’s really, really sad what they’re living with before they decide to come out. And then why they decide to come out, and how they deal with it after they’ve come out—the pressure society puts upon them, their families and what they put upon them, whether they accept it or they don’t. You know, my new album is called Love Somebody… I wish it’d been called ‘Love Everybody.’ You gotta love people for who they are. Accept them, and then go on with life.

I’ve always embraced gay and lesbian fans with both arms. I have a huge gay following!

—reba MCentIre

love eveRybody—the tItle of the next album.

I’m gonna work on that!

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May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

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watermark Your lgbt life.

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

event planneR

community calendar st. peteRsbuRG

equality Florida Gala frIday, May 29, 7:30 p.M. Mahaffey theater

postmodeRn

JukeBox Have you ever wondered what popular songs would sound like in a different era or genre? That’s exactly what Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox will answer May 24 at The Plaza Live in Orlando.

There are still tickets remaining for the Greater St. Petersburg area Equality Florida Gala, which will honor locals Dr. Rose Walton, Larry Biddle and Silvia Rusche on May 29. Enjoy delicious food and drinks while browsing a silent auction and hearing a state of the state address delivered by CEO Nadine Smith. Tickets are $125 at EQFL.org/GreaterStPeteGala.

tampa

Balance Tampa Bay scavenger Hunt May 30, 10 a.M. the sprIng, 209 n. WIlloW ave. The giving spirit is alive and well at Balance Tampa Bay as the organization prepares to donate to The Spring, a shelter for men and women. Volunteers are asked to search their closets for donations and then attend a scavenger hunt the day of the giveaway. For details check out Balance Tampa Bay’s Facebook page.

oRlando oRlando Andres Cepeda, May 22, House of Blues, Orlando. 407-934-2583; Houseofblues.com/Orlando Kamelot & Dragonforce, May 23, House of Blues, Orlando. 407-934-2583; Houseofblues.com/Orlando Swan Lake, May 23, Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando. 407-839-0119; Drphillipscenter.org Steve Earle & the Dukes, May 23, The Plaza Live, Orlando. 407-228-1220; PlazaLiveOrlando.com. Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox, May 24, The Plaza Live, Orlando. 407-228-1220; PlazaLiveOrlando.com.

The Soul Kamotion Reunion, May 24, Abbey Theater, Orlando. 407-704-6261; AbbeyOrlando.com Anything Goes, May 2631, Walt Disney Theater, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando. 407-839-0119; DrPhillipsCenter.org. Grease Sing-a-Long, May 29, Abbey Theater, Orlando. 407-704-6261; AbbeyOrlando.com. Get Your Jazz, May 29, The Alfond Inn, Winter Park. 407-998-8090; TheAlfondInn.com. The Story So Far, May 30, The Plaza Live, Orlando. 407-228-1220; PlazaLiveOrlando.com.

tampa TFO Coffee Concerts: Kick Up Your Heels, May 21, The Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg. 727-892-5767; TheMahaffey.com.

Beethoven & Sibelius—The Florida Orchestra, May 29, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org; May 30, The Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg. 727-892-5767; TheMahaffey.com.

Yiannis Parios, May 22, The Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg. 727-892-5767; TheMahaffey.com.

Greg West, May 30, Straz Riverwalk, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org.

The Florida Orchestra, May 22, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org; May 23, The Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg. 727-892-5767; TheMahaffey.com.

Menopause The Musical, June 3-7, Ferguson Hall, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

The Tempest, May 23-June 14, freeFall Theater, St. Petersburg. 727-498-5205; FreefallTheatre.com. The Illusionists—Witness the Impossible, May 26, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org. Red, May 27-June 21, American Stage Theater, St. Petersburg. 727-823-7529; AmericanStage.org.

saRasota Luck be a Lady: The Iconic Music of Frank Loesser, through-May 24, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Sarasota. 941-351-9010; AsoloRep.org. Woody Sez: The Life and Music of Woody Guthrie, May 30-June 21, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Sarasota. 941-351-9010; AsoloRep.org.

MBa Monthly mixer Wednesday, June 3, 6 p.M. segafredo orlando, 1618 n MIlls ave. It’s the first Wednesday of the month, which means the Metropolitan Business Association will hold its monthly networking mixer. This time it’s at SegaFredo in Orlando. Expect some lite bites, a cash bar and networking opportunities. The first 10 members to sign up can participate in speed networking. For details visit MBAOrlando.org.

Golf and swing for the Girls saturday, May 23, 7 a.M.-3 p.M. MetroWest golf Club 2100 south hIaWassee road Join in this “Scramble” golf format open to men and women to raise money for Libby’s Legacy. This tournament features several chances to win, including a putting competition and a 50/50 raffle. Registration begins at 7 a.m. with tee off at 8:30 a.m. Entry fees include the hole in one contest, free range balls, goodie bag, lite bites for breakfast and an awards luncheon. Get more details and register online at MenopauseTheTournament.com under the “events” link.

To submit your upcoming event, concert, performance, or fundraiser visit watermarkonline.com.

watermark Your lgbt life.

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

• Bevel and Flat Mirrors Cut To Your Speciications • Specialty Frames Available in Oval, Circle and Shadowbox

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watermark Your lgbt life.

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

overheard

tampa bay out+about

Ross matthews to emcee pRIde fashIon show

t. pete prIde’s annual fashIon shoW featuring Macy’s clothing will get a big boost this June with celebrity host Ross Matthews. The out television personality and talk show host, who rose to fame as “Ross the Intern” on Jay Leno’s Tonight Show, has been confirmed as the evening’s host, according to Eric Skains, St. Pete Pride executive director. Skains revealed the information during the May Tampa Bay Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce dinner meeting, where he talked about Pride’s outreach and this year’s lineup. Details on the annual fashion show are still incomplete, but it will no doubt be held the weekend of St. Pete Pride, which is June 26-28. Get updates at StPetePride.com.

what the funG?

eally, that’s the naMe of shoW that will feature WAVE winning Tampa chef Darlene Herrick, the executive chef of La Septima Cafe in Brandon. The episode airs on May 23 and follows the exploits of brothers Andrew and David Fung, who travel the country looking for the best local eateries. What the Fung? airs on the FYI Network, a division of A&E. Since the cafe and Herrick are promoting the show heavily on Facebook, we’re confident that the Fung brothers were happy with the food they were served. For more info, check out LaSeptimaCafe.com.

Goodbye G. baR, hello southeRn nIGhts

t appears that ruMors surroundIng the sale of g. bar really Were true, even though they were debunked when Watermark inquired. Now, however, it’s official. Southern Nights, the popular Orlando bar, has purchased G. Bar in Ybor City. G. Bar’s last night is Saturday, May 30, and in true G. Bar style, it’s going out with a bang. DJs Bruce Devery and Charles Machado are on tap to spin that night as are entertainers Amy DeMilo and Alisa Summers. Come say goodbye at 9 p.m. and avoid the cover that starts at 10 p.m. After a couple of months of renovations, the location will reopen as Southern Nights Tampa.

asap lookInG foR a new face

he aIds servICe assoCIatIon of pInellas Is undergoIng soMe Changes to Its staff. According to the organization, it is looking for a new resource development manager following the resignation of Jay Aller, who had held the position for several years. Aller was the face of the organization, especially at its fundraising events like AIDS Walk Tampa Bay and the Santa Speedo Run, which began in Gulfport but was relocated to Ybor City under Aller’s tenure. Aller’s most recent fundraising event with ASAP was Dining Out For Life, which was held in late April. No word yet as to what is next for Aller or who will fill his shoes at ASAP. We wish both Aller and ASAP the best.

2 3

froM a dIstanCe: Watermark’s former editor-in-chief Steve Blanchard, with partner Steve Smith (L), prepare to see the Divine Miss M herself, Bette Midler, at Tampa’s Amalie Arena on May 11.

MadaM presIdent: Tampa Bay Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce President, Ashley Brundage, stands tall and proud at the dinner meeting in St. Petersburg on May 12.

I’M WIth the band: Amythyst Kiah is rocking it out on stage at the Harvey Milk Film Festival in Sarasota’s Five Points Park on May 16. PHOTO COURTESY OF ANTHONY PAULL

he WhIps hIs haIr baCk and forth:The first production meeting for the Venice Theater’s rendition of Hair, directed by stage and screen legend Ben Vereen (R), is underway. The show runs Nov. 10 to Dec. 12.

Where’s all My soul sIstahs: Tampa Bay and Jacksonville Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence untie for the 10th Annual Wig Drive at Sawmill Campground.

PHOTO BY RYAN MORRIS

a feW of our favorIte thIngs: Pride & Passion was alive with the sound of music when Una Voce performed at the Tampa Museum of Art event on May 16.

gIve Me a p-r-I-d-e!: Eric Skains, Executive Director of St. Pete Pride, gives a presentation to the Tampa Bay Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce at the dinner meeting in St. Petersburg on May 12.

passIon players: “It” couple, Don Kiceina (L) and Marc Retzlaff strike a pose at Pride & Passion at the Tampa Museum of Art on May 16.

8 7

watermark Your lgbt life.

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

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watermark Your lgbt life.

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

overheard

oRlando out+about

hIttInG the G spot

ell the other heel In the oversIZed stIletto has dropped and things are now official. As we previously reported from multiple reliable sources, Southern Nights Orlando had shown an interest in purchasing Ybor’s G. Bar. As of Memorial Day weekend, G. Bar will be nothing more than a blurry alcohol-induced memory of years past and will be under new ownership and management as Southern Nights Tampa. Its proposed Grand Re-Opening is Thursday, June 18th. Orlando’s own, Chris “Tadpole” Hannay, will be leaving the city beautiful and taking that dashing smile out to the Bay where he will now work as the new GM of SNT. On Wednesday, June 3, a combination birthday and going away party is scheduled for Chris. Now, only if there was a highspeed train connecting the two cities to make it easier to bar hop.

spoof In the cIty

henever there’s a standout perforManCe at the orlando InternatIonal frInge festIval, there are always rumors of shows being picked up at local theaters or at least a short run at the Parliament House. This year, rumors are already circulating that the blockbuster Lion Queen & the Naked Go-Go Cub was brought back and re-tooled for a possible attempt to take it to New York as an offBroadway show. There was another Fringe favorite (spoofing Disney characters as well) that recently opened in New York, Disenchanted, so this could mean Michael Wanzie may have to trade in his trade mark Hawaiian shirts for a thick winter coat.

knock on wood

atermark has been Made aWare that the full Moon at WoodstoCk may finally open its doors after nearly a year since its initial announcement. The goal of the owners is to be fully operational by Gay Days Weekend. There’s a big surprise currently in the works as well, although we’re not allowed to disclose any details. Rumor has it there’s a potential return of a very well-known former Orlando bartender that poured one hell of a stiff drink! Woodstock is currently ironing out those details, so we must remain mum until then.

arnIng spoIler alert.. ah screw it, if you’re really a fan you should know by now! Our very own chain smoking, asthmatic, cross-dresser for Christ, Ginger Minj is now in the top three for RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 7, along with Pearl and Violet Chachki. From the getgo, Team Watermark has been in full rah-rah mode as part of Team Ginger. The finale is scheduled to air on June 1—Gay Days Week! We wish our hometown girl the best of luck, you’ve made us proud! As always, Hamburger Mary’s and several other venues will be hosting viewing parties to cheer Ginger on.

heeeeeeeere’s breakfast: The Orlando Sentinel’s Scott Maxwell makes a few announcements at the Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast presented by The Center at the Orlando Museum of Art on May 11.

mInj Is the meat of the 3-some!

It’s good to be kIng: Fringe royalty Michael Wanzie (center) takes a break from writing, directing and starring in multiple shows to spend time with friends (L-R) Robin Chastain, Drew Sizemore and Rich Kuntz at the Fringe Green Lawn on May 16. PHOTO BY DANNY GARCIA

ohMygaWd (ChoColate) shoes: The Zebra Coalition’s Dexter Foxworth can’t believe his decadent luck as he prepares to indulge in dessert at the Runway to Hope on May 16. PHOTO COURTESY OF DEXTER FOXWORTH

PHOTO BY JEREMY WILLIAMS

look MoM, I’M on tv: American Horror Story: Freak Show’s Erika Ervin takes a break from signing autographs to read her interview she gave to Watermark at Spooky Empire’s May-Hem on May 16. PHOTO BY JEREMY WILLIAMS

you are the WInd beneath My WIngs: (L-R) Commercial real estate agent’s Jennifer Quigley, Sarah Kelly and Wendy Connor hold up Commissioner Patty Sheehan at the Crew Golf tournament on May 8.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNIFER QUIGLEY

thIs. Is. frInge!!!: (L-R) President Joyce Arbucias, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Executive Director George Wallace officially open the International Fringe Festival in the Orange Venue of Orlando Shakespeare Theatre on May 14.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGE WALLACE

tICkets, get your tICkets: (L-R) Matthew Riha, Brian Smith, Bob Azzarito and Michael Thomas get their raffle tickets ready for some prize giveaways at the MBA networking mixer at The Venue on May 6. PHOTO BY JEREMY WILLIAMS

to the aIrport My good Man: (L-R, Front) Watermark giveaway winners Joseph Sivoli and Jeff Early escort Kathy Najimy, star of Hocus Pocus and Sister Act, and her daughter, Samia Finnerty, to OIA from Spooky Empire’s May-Hem on May 16. PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFF EARLY

watermark Your lgbt life.

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

855-896-7676

888-416-2855

watermark Your lgbt life.

888-416-3466

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

888-416-3438

announcements

weddInG bells

nicole Jerys, 29, and Lisa thomas, 33 from Heathrow, Fla.

years together:

an ally gone: Roberta Turoff, a long time fixture

in Sarasota’s theater community, passed away on May 12 after a long battle with cancer. Together with her husband, Robert, Turoff founded the Golden Apple, a popular dinner theater space in downtown Sarasota. The actress and business woman, pictured above center in June 2014, also supported LGBT equality and HIV/AIDS charities. She is survived by her husband and their son, Ben.

5 years

engagement date:

September 30, 2013

passings

wedding date:

Erik Frankwich of Orlando passed away May 12 at the age of 48. Erik is survived by his husband, Kenneth Hardy; his sons, Guthrie Chen and James Frankwich; his mother, Joanne Frankwich; and his sister, Wendy Dhillon. A memorial service was held at Mead Garden in Winter Park on May 17.

February 7, 2016

wedding venue:

Paradise Cove in Lake Buena Vista

wedding caterer:

Bjoely Event Services

wedding theme/ colors:

Eggplant and lilac

interesting fact:

Nicole is on the Board of Directors for the Orlando Gay Chorus, and Lisa has played softball for the Central Florida Softball League over the past several years.

congratulations

Photos by Jessica Leigh Photography

Orlando couple Scott Penyak and David Dorman celebrated two years of marital bliss on May 15.

ICole lIved In MInnesota at

the time and Lisa lived in Orlando. Both of the women belonged to an all-girls gaming clan on Xbox. When Nicole came to Orlando for a competition and to meet up with friends, that’s where she met Lisa—and they both say the rest is history. “When we met each other, we didn’t call each other by our first names,” says Nicole. “We called each other by our gamertag. So it was actually kind of weird when we got more serious because I was like ‘OK, well you can call me Nicole now.’” Nicole, a commercial insurance agent, and Lisa, a lead property manager, started to build their friendship and relationship after meeting at that competition. Two years later, they began dating and Nicole moved down to Orlando. “One of my favorite things about Nicole is her sense of humor and the way she does these weird impersonations of people or things or spontaneous enactments,” Lisa says. “She’s just so fun to be around; she can always make you laugh.” After dating for about five years, Lisa made the decision to propose to Nicole at Downtown

Winter Garden, one of the couple’s favorite places in Central Florida. “We walked down the pathway, she got down on her knee and asked me to marry her,” Nicole says. “Of course the very first thing I did was pull out my phone and say, ‘Don’t move!’ I took a picture of her and then a car drove by and said ‘Congratulations!’ I was so sucked up in the moment that I didn’t even answer Lisa. So she finally said, ‘Is that a yes or no?’ And I said, ‘Oh yes, of course!’” Unbeknowst to the couple, the pathway they were on was lined with fire ants. Nicole joked about how they didn’t notice the ant bites on their ankles until they were on their way home. A few bites didn’t take away from their special moment and what it means to them. “Lisa is the kind of person that everybody wishes they could be,” Nicole says. “She’s very caring.

I mean, we all want to help out people, but Lisa is really genuinely the person who would give the shirt off of her back for someone.” When Florida legalized samesex marriage, it was one of the greatest moments in their life. “We’ve been together for a little over five years, and we’ve been waiting patiently,” Lisa says. “About a year ago, we were like ‘This is taking too long. We’re just going to go marry out of state—we’ll go to New York or something.’ The only downside to that is when we come back home, it would mean absolutely nothing. For Nicole and me, we know this is going to be a lifetime commitment for us. “When we were actually able to get the same rights as everybody else, here in our hometown, it was just a sense of relief and a sense of security. No matter what, we’ll be able to take care of one another with our health and our financials.” The couple is busy planning their wedding and preparing for the big day next year, but they still find the time to do what they call “Super Craft Sundays”—they go to the craft store and pick out an activity or something artsy that they do together.

Watermark columnist and Orlando resident Steve Yacovelli has taken on the role of Director of Inclusion and Change for SweetRush Inc.

local birthdays

Former Metropolitan Business Association prez Dr. David Baker-Hargrove, Orlando freelance writer and real estate agent Wes Miller, St. Petersburg personal trainer Jamarcus Mosley, Human Rights Campaign Orlando co-chair and attorney John Ruffier, proud mommy Tanya Blasingame (May 21); Orlando Weekly’s droll irony spewer Billy Manes, University of Tampa professor and Equality Florida Meetup volunteer Jack Crepeau, Iowa same-sex wedding planner and former Watermark subject Beau Fodor, Sarasota University Club’s Peter McClain Jr., Harvey Milk Festival president Shannon Fortner (May 22); Miss Sammy’s sisterin-law, elegant party hostess and glamorous costumer to Orlando’s theatrical stars Marcy Singhaus, St. Petersburg karaoke star Javier Dones, Superman-loving Seminole personal trainer Chip Wright, graduate Sabrina Napolitano (May 25); Tampa Drag Queen Bingo maven Amy DeMilo, Sarasota country line dancer David Russell (May 27); neuromarketing guru Alex Wall (May 28); St. Pete theater supporter Jon Hughes, Dunedin stylist Corey Judge (May 29); Fairvilla peddler DC Bulla, world traveler, pilot and Orlando-based photographer Jim Barrett (May 30); Orlando restaurant magnate Nicholas Olivieri, St. Petersburg Target specialist and social butterfly Joe White (May 31); Ranger’s Pet Outpost founder Rick Merrifield, Lakeland tri-athlete Andy Orrell, City of Gulfport employee and furniture specialist Jon K. Ziegler (June 1); physical therapist Rob Ryan, St. Pete Twirling Project hottie Harry Correa (June 2); Equality Florida public policy director Mallory Wells, Ronda Storms nemesis and Brandon Pride founder Mark Ferguson, marketing director Timothy Evans (June 3).

—Samantha Rosenthal

Do you have an interesting wedding or engagement story you’d like to share with Watermark readers? If so, email the details to Editor@WatermarkOnline.com for consideration as a future feature on this page.

watermark Your lgbt life.

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

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watermark Your lgbt life.

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

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sports

out soccer star calls for change of attitude in professional sports Staff Report

obbie Rogers has called for a change in attitudes after the world’s first international study on homophobia in sport revealed widespread fear of discrimination. Rogers, who plays for MLS club L.A. Galaxy, is one of only a small number of openly gay professional athletes in world sport. He told CNN that the findings of the ‘Out in the Fields’ study showed a need for “change at all levels” after it revealed that 84% of those questioned—including heterosexual men and women— had witnessed or directly experienced homophobia. They showed gay American men were the most likely to fear discrimination from coaches and officials in the six English-

speaking countries—United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand and Australia—researched. “I was disappointed the study found so many people continue to experience and also fear discrimination,” said Rogers, who came out as gay after leaving English club Leeds United in 2013. “I hope this will start to motivate change at all levels. This change can start with every athlete or fan who decides not to use homophobic language, even if it’s meant as humor. “This kind of language is no longer acceptable—everyone should be able to enjoy sport without fear of discrimination.” The 27-year-old urged governing bodies throughout world sport to “make committed and determined efforts” to ensure gay people feel welcome. Out on the Fields questioned

9,494 people, including 2,064 Americans, on behalf of a coalition of groups including the Bingham Cup (the world cup of gay rugby) and the Federation of Gay Games. It was released to mark the one-year anniversary of Michael Sam becoming the first openly gay player to be drafted to the NFL. Sam, 25, is currently without a team. But although it showed that 83% of gay men and 63% of gay women under 22 had not come out to either all or some of their teammates, it concluded that young people playing sport in America were nevertheless more likely to come out than in previous years. Mitch Eby, the first openly gay college football player in America, said: “I think the study has shown we are moving in the right direction with more people coming out in sport—but there

is still a long way to go and many changes left to be made.” He said he believed Sam “is not on an NFL team because he is gay. He is a good enough football player to be playing in the league,” adding that “coaches or owners are reluctant, worried all the attention he might bring would be a distraction.” Brad Thorson, 27, a former Arizona Cardinals player, said: “I never allowed myself to entertain the thought of coming out as gay while playing football. “In a large part, I think it’s because homophobic language demeans gay men as weak and incapable, which I didn’t relate to and didn’t think it was possible to be a football player and be gay. “The study has found there are a lot of gay men like me who are playing football and other sports and keeping their sexuality secret. I think sports will only change when more gay men decide to

become more visible and get the support they need from coaches, teachers, officials and fans.” Pat Griffin of the University of Massachusetts, a pioneer of research into homophobia in sport, warned: “Although things are changing for the better and there is more acceptance overall, these athletes still fear discrimination. Unfortunately, Michael Sam’s experience may reinforce these fears. “However, I think we have a generation gap which reinforces the fears. “Most straight team members are fine with having an LGB teammate—but high school and college coaches, professional sport team owners and officials still have a way to go, and this may affect how athletes feel about coming out.”

LET’S E S WALK watermark Your lgbt life.

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

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watermark Your lgbt life.

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

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May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

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May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

O R L A N D O

M A R k e T p L A C e

web sIte

watermarkmedia is

web sIte

youth seRvIces Changing the lives of LGBTQ teens and young adults for over 25 years Social support groups Make friends Scholarships for college Weekly groups in Orange, Seminole & Polk counties

• Join • Volunteer • Donate

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HIRING! EdItoR-IN-cHIEf This rare job opportunity is ideally suited for candidates with:

Now in its 20th year, Watermark Media is • A journalism degree and/or background Central and West • Previous newspaper/magazine experience Florida’s premier • Proficiency in news, feature writing LGBT news source, • Strong editing skills with up to 80,000+ • Familiarity with websites, podcasting and readers throughout other forms of social media Tampa Bay, Sarasota • Knowledge of LGBT issues, and Orlando. local LGBT communities Candidates from Join an ambitious, motivated, throughout our tight-knit team. We offer an excellent compensation package that includes distribution area are encouraged to apply. competitive salary and full benefits.

Email your resume, cover letter, and writing samples to Publisher Rick Claggett at Rick@WatermarkOnline.com watermark Your lgbt life.

May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

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photoGRaphy

2013 2014

2008

2001

2012

2005 12

1998 1 00

2011

2010

1998 2014

galleryw gallery Go see more photos at

watermarkonline.com

watermark Your lgbt life.

roM beaCh ball to rIptIde, froM gIrls In Wonderland to tIdal Wave, we opened up the Watermark archives to take a walk through the last 25 years of Gay Days, complete with all the red shirts, outrageous costumes and exposed skin you remember. May 21 - June 4 , 2015 // Issue 22.11

25 Magical Weekends 1991-2015

watermark YOUR LGBT LIFE.

MAY 21 - JUNE 4 , 2015 // ISSUE 22.11