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June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

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June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

departments 6 // mail 7 // editor’s desk 13 // orlando news 14 // tampa bay news 17 // state, nation & world news 23 // in-deptH 29 // arts & entertainment 35 // community calendar 37 // tampa bay out+about 39 // orlando out+about 41 // transitions/ wedding bells 42 // tampa bay marketplace 44 // orlando marketplace

PAGE

I think we have the opportunity to be the city that does stand up and speak out against hatred, violence and division. —orlando mayor buddy dyer

on tHe cover

PAGE

PAGE tUrNiNg tHE

PAgE: Local leaders look

at how the city, the country and the community can move forward after the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history. Illustration by Jake Stevens

scan Qr code For

watermarkonline.com

sHe’s witH us:

Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton speaks out exclusively in the pages of Watermark.

watermark i ssue 23 .13 //J une 3 0 - J uly 13 , 2016

orlando strong

st. pete proud

vocal gala

street art

PAGE A look at the fundraising efforts for the Pulse victims and how the funds are being distributed.

PAGE St. Petersburg celebrates Pride with huge numbers and a message of “never forget.”

PAGE

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

Una Voce heads to Denver’s GALA Festival, the largest gathering of same-sex choruses.

Orlando’s fourth annual celebration of local art, the Creative City Project, is set to be huge.

check Out the latest lgbt news at watermarkOnline.cOm and sign up Of Our weekly enewsletter. watermark Your LGBT life.

June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

top web comments

“They are NO BETTER than ISIS and the gunman!” —Valerie Champagne Honey

Watermarkonline.com: On the military investigating 2 Marines for anti-gay Facebook post:

“My daddy was always so proud to have been a Marine during the cold war - 1958-1960. This would absolutely disgust him. These men do not deserve that uniform one more minute.”

—Justin in Oaklawn, Dallas, TX

Condolences and solidarity from an American Muslim. After 9/11 there were many LGBT allies that stood with us as innocent immigrants were being rounded up. Now that not so innocent killers are arising, I hope my community will show its compassion and human decency. Unfortunately the potential for disconnect is high.” —brooklynn1

On Bob Poe wanting to put a face on HIV in Congress:

“While I applaud Mr. Poe and many of the comments he has made about stigma, I have to question the journalistic integrity of saying ‘he’d be the first’ and only the ‘second to run.’ Have you actually surveyed all Congressional candidates in all 435 races? I have been openly HIV positive for years, and am running for Congress in Massachusetts’ 1st District. I welcome Mr. Poe’s statements, but he is one of a number of us who

watermark Your LGBT life.

are open about our HIV status (and have been form some time) and are running for Congress.” —Thomas Simmons

Watermark’s Facebook: On the city of Orlando establishing a permanent Pulse memorial:

“I am really happy to hear this. I am sure a lot of thought will go into planning. Pulse should go on, but I wonder if it might be better to find a new location for the club itself. Then the site could be transformed into a memorial.” —Rob McCullough

On lawsuits being files over possible release of Pulse shooting 911 calls:

Great job. Slippery slope, balancing privacy and disclosure/security. Will be watching this. —Margaret Nolan

On Florida assistant state attorney being suspended over Pulse comments:

“I seriously thought his account was hacked. I couldn’t believe a public servant was that... well, stupid.” —Emily Loucks

On the Senate calling for stricter gun laws:

“Agreed. Call or write your House representative and Senator today and repeat

June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

tomorrow; it’s time to be as passionate about gun safety legislation as NRA members are every day all year every year. The majority on this issue has been silent too long.” —Wesley Redden

On 5 ways to counter-protest the Westboro Church:

“They are NO BETTER than ISIS and the gunman! Last I knew God was about LOVE, so you don’t like these people’s sexual preference, so you take it out on their family, just a sick as Isis.”

—Valerie Champagne Honey

On St. Pete Pride going on with heightened security:

“Wouldn’t miss it. Will not be afraid, will not be deterred. I trust the law enforcement to keep us safe!” —Dave Cutler

On Watermark Publishing Group’s statement after the Pulse shooting:

“Beautiful, perfect response: ‘Are you okay? No, we are not okay.’” —Tanya Manthe

On the shooting at Pulse:

“Thoughts and prayers are nice. But, they come off as a timid compulsory performance of piety when substituted for real processing of an event in which terror was inflicted against your community. Don’t be ashamed to be outraged. Use that outrage to organize for change. Remember that Pride month commemorates an incident when queer and trans folk fought back when Stonewall was under attack @Orlando LGBT community.” —Michael James

editor’s

Billy Manes EDITOR

BIlly@WatermarkOnline.com

Desk

s the whole world stares at

Orlando through teary eyes after the terrible incident at Pulse that took the lives of 49 vibrant people, stellar individuals from our community, we are in the process of decompressing.

If you can only imagine the absolute horror that comes with both the truths and items of speculation about a mass murder in your community – and let us not forget the many more wounded – then maybe you can fathom how far our growing need for a surface, or a horizon, really is. This issue is about finding our footing, about finding our way out. When I was 28, I worked the door of that very same venue, although it wasn’t called Pulse then; it was a little Italian restaurant called Dante’s, a sort of ramshackle venue for amazing jangle-popfolk-rock Orlando musical talent. It wasn’t gay; I was, but that didn’t

watermark staff

matter to anyone. I was just there out front taking in cash for events, hair akimbo, mind alight. But everything has changed now. Orlando, as a relatively young “city” in the post-Disney days, wasn’t necessarily prepared for an AR-15 in a suburban local bar on a Latin night. I haven’t slept or eaten correctly in two weeks, although I’m lucky I even have the opportunity. This has been an exercise in plate tectonics of the societal sort; it has made us all potential victims, made us all afraid. Since that terrible evening, I’ve walked several routes. I have been in international media trying to explain that Florida is not a

hotbed of hate, that we deserve our freedoms, that this was a hate crime, even if there might be some hot-potato terrorism rumors still being processed. I have also been locking myself in my dark bedroom as often as possible, because I cannot believe my world has come to this. I have been shaken, scared and knocked down by this. But, just like with Orlando, that kind of defeatism isn’t going to stick. You know what else happened in the two weeks since this unspeakable crime? More than 200,000 people gathered in St. Petersburg for St. Pete Pride. I rode on the Watermark float and I worked our booth. I stared into the eyes of children, kids who still have hope, and I said, “We love you.” Here in OUR Pride month, we have nothing to be ashamed of. If you’ll allow me, these are the words that husband Tony Mauss wrote about this just days after the tragedy, and they are words I hold in my head like palatable truths. They are more than I could have mentioned, and that’s why he’s my legal fucking husband. “During the last four days I have been asked not infrequently if I was afraid. If I was afraid that what happened at Pulse would also happen to me. My immediate emotional response is ... My entire life ... But I’m not putting this here to say that. I’m putting this here to talk about my REAL FEARS in the wake of the slaughter... My real fear is that in a few more days this will be over. That the national news will have wrapped this up in a tidy narrative that will not only cease the dialogue about the deeper more insidious issues that birthed this precise eruption of violence, but will appease the guilt and negate the culpability of those who perpetuate their own particular malfeasant brand of hate. My fear is that we will remove the actual violence from the event...

Sales Director: Danny Garcia Ext. 107 • Danny@WatermarkOnline.com

Founder and Guiding Light: Tom Dyer • Tom@WatermarkOnline.com Owner & Publisher: Rick Claggett • Ext. 110 • Rick@WatermarkOnline.com Office Manager: Kathleen Harper • Ext. 100 • Kathleen@WatermarkOnline.com Editor-in-Chief: Billy Manes • Ext. 101 • Billy@WatermarkOnline.com Online Media Director: Jamie Hyman • Ext. 106 • Jamie@WatermarkOnline.com Tampa Bay Staff Writer: Jeremy Williams • Ext. 102 • Jeremy@WatermarkOnline.com Art Director: Jake Stevens • Ext. 109 • Jake@WatermarkOnline.com Creative Assistant: Deanndra Meno • Ext. 106 • AdProduction@WatermarkOnline.com Proofreading: Ed Blaisdell

Senior Orlando Account Manager: Sam Rennels Ext. 103 • Sam@WatermarkOnline.com Orlando Account Manager: Tammi Jones Ext. 105 • Tammi@WatermarkOnline.com Tampa Bay Account Manager: Bill Jeffries Ext. 301 • Bill@WatermarkOnline.com Nat’l Ad Representative: Rivendell Media Inc. • 212-242-6863

watermark Your LGBT life.

That he will no longer be that man with that gun, but “a shooter”; an ephemeral idea; easily categorized as the general fears of the countless extrapolated dangers of being alive. That those who have died will become mere names; emotional sound talismans we dial up from our collective psyche to reassure ourselves that we indeed engaged, that we did something, that we FELT IT, that this ‘feeling’ was enough. My fear is that the mechanisms that manifested this definitive act

This has been an exercise in plate tectonics of the societal sort; it has made us all potential victims, made us all afraid.

of insanity will be once again be placated by our own unwillingness to actually engage in the very real day to day, long term conversations about the nuances of this soul wrenching tragedy.” This needs to stop. We should not be afraid. We must be vigilant. The gun lobby, the religious lobby, the hate lobby won’t win this time, even if an Esquire reporter tells me in an interview, “The worst part is nothing will change.” Oh, it better. Here at Watermark, we love you all and we try so hard. But this has been one of the most trying moments of our lives. If you need anything from us, ask. There are many resources developing out there. And if you want to know how to process grief, read the cover story of this issue. It may save you some pain. Thanks from the Watermark team. We will get through this.

Orlando Office 414 N. Ferncreek Ave. Orlando, FL 32803 TEL: 407-481-2243 FAX: 407-481-2246

Tampa Bay Office TEL: 813-655-9890 FAX: 813-849-2986

June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

contributors Hillary Clinton

is the former First Lady of the U.S., former Secretary of State and current leading contender in the U.S. Presidential race. Page 19

Krista DiTucci

is a freelance writer and family advocate for Manatee Children’s Services. She lives in Sarasota with her husband and children. Page 29

Samantha Rosenthal

attended University of Central Florida and is a former Watermark editorial assistant. She is currently a freelance writer and regularly covers Wedding Bells. Page 41

Aaron Alper, Scottie Campbell, Susan Clary, Krista DiTucci, Kirk Hartlage, Joseph Kissel, Jason Leclerc, Mary Meeks, Stephen Miller, David Moran, Gregg Shipiro, Greg Stemm, Dr. Steve yacovelli, , Michael wanzie

photography Brian Becnel, Nick Cardello, Angie Folks, Bruce Hardin, Julie Milford, Travis Moore, Chris Stephenson, Lee Vandergrift, Tinkerfluff

distribution LVNLIF2 Distributing, Lisa Jordan, Jill Bates, Ken Carraway 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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June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

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central florida news

in other news City Opens Orlando United Assistance Center

ONE ORLANDO: At the opening of the Orlando United Assistance Center, mayor Buddy Dyer explains the makeup of the board governing the One Orlando fund.

Photo by Jamie Hyman

Pouring in, trickling out Millions raised, making their way toward those affected by Pulse shooting Jamie Hyman

uneral expenses.Lost wages. Hospital bills. The cost of the Pulse massacre, where a gunman entered an Orlando LGBT nightclub and opened fire, killing 49 and injuring 53, is substantial, growing and encompasses areas of need that haven’t been uncovered yet. Since the deadly June 12 shooting, millions in donations have poured in from corporations, fundraisers and donors, both locally and worldwide. For that money to meet the considerable needs of those affected by the Pulse shooting, it must be distributed in an effective and timely manner, with safeguards in place to avoid fraud or duplication, such as donating money for a service or item that can be secured at no cost through another avenue. It is complicated and challenging. Watermark reached out to the people in charge of several major funds to find out how they’ll meet that challenge, and how close they are to distributing funds.

OneOrlandoFund Administered by the city of Orlando, the OneOrlando Fund currently has the largest amount of donations: a little more than $9 million as of June 24, according to Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. The plan is to set up a board to decide where that money goes, and Alex Martins of Orlando Magic was named chairman. Dyer says the other board members will be five representatives from major donors plus six more, “Two that represent the LGBTQ community, two that represent the Latino community, and two that represent the philanthropic community.” Those board members have yet to be named, and meeting time is not yet set, but Dyer says the funds will be distributed, “in days, and not months. Weeks, perhaps.”

Equality Florida Pulse Victims Fund

As of June 28, EQFL’s fund was at $6.4 million. The LGBT rights organization is partnering with the National Center for

Victims of Crime to distribute the money, according to Ida Vishkaee Eskamani, EQFL’s Development Officer. “We have a system in place to disperse immediate emergency funds in the short-term, and have supported victims’ families and survivors in the few cases where in-kind services and the state’s victims compensation fund did not cover immediate costs,” she says, adding that funds targeted to longer-term costs should be distributed as soon as eight weeks. Eskamani adds that people in need must register with the VictimConnect Resource Center either online at VictimConnect.org or by calling 855-4-Victim.

The GLBT Center Pulse Tragedy Community Fund

In partnership with about a half dozen other LGBT organizations, The Center, in addition to providing support services, has raised nearly half a million dollars. According to Board vice president Jeff Buak, they are trying to partner with the city to administer the funds, because they feel that will be the most efficient path, but “nothing’s finalized.” Buak says there’s no current timeline toward releasing funds. “Ideally at some point it’ll come together very quickly and we’ll start releasing money,” he says. Find more information about these and other funds at WatermarkOnline.com.

watermark Your LGBT life.

The City of Orlando, in partnership with other organizations, is now operating the Orlando United Assistance Center, located at 507 E. Michigan Ave. It’s the longer-term place for friends and family of Pulse shooting victims, plus anyone in the community affected by the tragedy, to receive services. It replaces the temporary City of Orlando Family Assistance Center that has been since operating out of Camping World Stadium. The new Center is open 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Florida Assistant State Attorney fired over Facebook Posts Kenneth Lewis posted two offensive Facebook statuses the morning of June 12, following the Pulse shooting. He was temporarily suspended, then fired June 23. Lewis’ posts referred to Downtown Orlando as “… void of a single redeeming quality. It is a melting pot of 3rd world miscreants and ghetto thugs. It is void of culture.”Lewis’ termination is based on his violation of an office-wide Social Media Policy drafted last year. The policy was created because of Lewis, after he shared an offensive post on Facebook in 2014.

History Center begins OneOrlando Memorial Collection The Orange County Regional History Center is slowly removing items from Pulse memorial sites at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, as part of the One Orlando Collection Initiative. The City of Orlando is partnering with the History Center to preserve items from memorial sites. The items will be taken to an offsite storage facility where they will be curated, which involves formal pictures and documentation. The process of preserving the memorials is lengthy and will take an unknown amount of time to be completed.

Permanent Pulse Memorial to be Established Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer announced in a June 24 press release that Orlando will establish a permanent memorial for victims of the Pulse shooting.“We stand committed to creating a permanent space that will preserve the memory of those who lost their lives, provide comfort to those who seek it and honor the spirit and love of our great city,” Dyer says. A location for the memorial has yet to be established. There will be a “community-based committee” to oversee the decision-making process regarding the memorial.

Clermont names June 28 “Stanley Almodovar III Day” Stanley Almodovar III, one of the 49 victims who died in the Pulse shooting, was honored by his hometown of Clermont on June 28. Clermont Mayor Gail Ash issued a proclamation at a city council meeting naming the day “Stanley Almodovar III Day.” Stanley saved seven lives of fellow club-goers by confronting the gunman. He was shot three times. “We want to acknowledge the heroism of this young man,” says Ash.

June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

tampa bay news

Tampa Bay Rays, MLB bring Pride and diversity to Tropicana Field Jeremy Williams

he Tampa Bay Rays raised more than $300,000 for the victims of the Pulse shooting as they celebrated a decade of recognizing the LGBT community with the Rays Pride Night June 17. The team announced June 14 that all remaining tickets for the game would be $5 and that the proceeds raised for and during the game would go to the Pulse Victims Fund. The crowd was only the second sellout of the Rays’ season as the played the San Francisco Giants, and the overall attendance of 40,135 made it the team’s largest regular season crowd in 10 years. The Rays wore shirts that said “We Are Orlando” with rainbow colors, and the Rays’ logo during batting practice. The same shirts were handed out to everyone who attended the game. Billy Bean, Major League Baseball’s VP of Social Responsibility, and retired and openly gay player, threw out the ceremonial first pitch and was also on hand to speak with the team on the importance of what they were doing that night. “My job here was to just let them know what’s going on, what the Rays are doing and why it’s so important,” Bean says. “I also told them how grateful I am as a member of the LGBT community, because 10 years ago this would have just been Orlando’s problem.” Bean admits that change takes time but that the Rays club is doing things he never thought he would ever see in Major League Baseball. “When I was a player you could say ‘cocksucker’ and ‘faggot’ every five seconds in any context and nobody would bat an eyelash,” Bean says. “But I think you can see the message now with the entire team running out with ‘We Are Orlando’ shirts on, we are here with not only the victims and their family members of Orlando, but the LGBT community, the Latino community, the entire community of Orlando itself.” Bean was named the vice president of social responsibility and inclusion about two years ago to bring educational resources about diversity and inclusion and acceptance, with the focus on LGBT issues to players, coaches, managers, minor leaguers and all 30 ball clubs. “I speak to the front offices of each organization. For the first time players are hearing this message from a former major league player, as opposed to someone who just comes in – well actually I’m not even sure it happened before that way at all, but it’s been really embraced by baseball. I’m super proud of not only the support and financial resources to make that happen with all the clubs, but how each club is ready and willing to give their players some resources about life outside of the lines,” Bean says.

Silent walkers:

Come Out With Pride marches in St. Pete Pride parade honoring Pulse shooting victims. Photo by Todd Montgomery

Always Proud St. Pete Pride draws huge crowds to celebrate and remember Jeremy Williams

t. Pete Pride carried a message of “never forget, always celebrate” as the city of St. Petersburg came together for its annual Pride week June 22-26. With the events of Orlando only a few weeks behind us, the entire community seemed intent on remembering the victims of the shooting and honoring them while continuing on the tradition of Pride and carrying on the message. “We’re not gonna let the bastards beat us,” St. Petersburg mayor Rick Kriseman said, speaking to a crowd of more of a hundred people at the Stonewall Reception at the Museum of Fine Art June 22. “We will be taking extraordinary measures to make sure you’re safe [at Pride]. We want you to remember and celebrate. We celebrate our differences. We are a city of opportunity where the sun shines on all.” Kriseman took to the front of City Hall to raise the rainbow flag to officially bring in Pride to downtown June 23. Kriseman was joined by Equality

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Florida’s executive director Nadine Smith, St. Petersburg city council vice chair Darden Rice and other local officials, as well as dozens of onlookers as the flag was hoisted into the sky. Crowds lined up for eleven blocks down Central Avenue June 25 for the main event, the nighttime St. Pete Pride Parade. The block party kicked off at 5 p.m. with the parade starting at sundown. While official numbers will be released in the coming weeks, early estimates have the crowd at more than 200,000 people, according to St. Pete Pride executive director Eric Skains. The increased security was definitely noticeable as multiple police officers and cop cars were seen at every intersection and on every corner. Sheriff helicopters could be seen flying over during the celebration. “Everyone did a fantastic job making sure it was a seamless event and everyone was safe and secure,” Skains says. The parade actually began before the first float pulled onto the street. Come Out With Pride, Orlando’s annual Pride event held

June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

in October, sent representatives who marched in silence 17 minutes in advance of the march. The time was 10 seconds of silence for each of the 49 victims killed at the Pulse shooting and 10 seconds of silence for each of the 53 victims sent to the hospital. As Come Out With Pride marched down Central Avenue, they also carried with them 49 placards, each with a name of a victim who died at the club. “Honestly since the shooting we have just been keeping ourselves busy and focused on Pride, and I think for me personally the gravity of this whole thing didn’t hit home until I saw that,” Skains says. As the sun set and the lights were turned on, the more than 150 floats and 4,500 marchers took down the parade route as the crowd screamed, danced and showed their Pride. Once the parade and after parties had drained all of the energy possible, the crowds gathered it back up in force for the street festival on Central Ave. June 26. Early estimates for the street festival puts the crowd between 50,000 to 60,000 people as they checked out the 350 vendors. Just as with every event, the memory of what happened at Pulse was fresh on everyone’s mind. Many of the vendors sold T-shirts, bracelets and other Pride materials with proceeds all going to either the victims’ families or the employees of Pulse.

In pain, let us find peace. In sorrow, let us find solace. In time, let us find strength. Together, we will move forward.

Our thoughts and sympathies are with the Orlando community and all those affected by this terrible tragedy. We stand with the LGBT community in this time of loss and are proud to witness the love and acts of kindness that prove there is good in the world during the most difficult of times.

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June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

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state, nation+world news

Attitudes toward LGBT community at odds across Florida Wire Report

allahassee | Florida’s Key West is one of the most gay-friendly places in the country. The Florida Panhandle – many locals call it the Redneck Riviera – is a different story. The massacre of 49 people in a gay nightclub happened between these extremes, forcing many Floridians to reconsider their assumptions about the state’s evolving culture. Key West has a gay police chief, a lesbian county mayor and was the nation’s first city to elect an openly gay mayor. It attracts 450,000 gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender tourists a year. Bumper stickers reading “One Human Family” appear on all city vehicles, including police cars, ambulances and fire trucks. “It’s a safe place; they know that they are free from judgment, free from hassle, free from physical violence,” said Guy Ross, who heads LGBT sales at the Monroe County Tourist Development Council. “We do not tolerate gay bashing down here. It just doesn’t happen.” The attack in central Florida on June 12 – Latin Night at the Pulse club in Orlando – has drawn an outpouring of solidarity, but also

fear, particularly among people who saw the tourist mecca as a refuge from hatred. The shooting also created awkward moments for some of Florida’s Republican and conservative Christian leaders, who tried to show compassion even as they defended positions gays and lesbians find hurtful. “There are two Floridas,” and between them there’s a “patchwork,” said Nadine Smith, CEO of the gay and transgender rights group Equality Florida. Only 56 percent of the people in the nation’s third-most populous state live in communities that have enacted non-discrimination protections. The state provides “no protections whatsoever,” she said. Year after year, Florida’s Republican-led Legislature has rejected legislation prohibiting discrimination for reasons of sexual orientation or gender identity. Republican Attorney General Pam Bondi came to Orlando and was put on the spot by CNN’s Anderson Cooper after she vowed to prosecute anyone who attacks the LGBT community. Cooper asked her to respond to the many gays and lesbians who call her a hypocrite because she spent hundreds of thousands of tax dollars trying to uphold the state’s

gay marriage ban. In her defense, Bondi said she had an obligation to represent the will of the voters, and added that her own views are reflected by a photo of clasped, rainbow-colored hands that she posted – after the shooting – on her personal Facebook page. The Florida Family Policy Council, which has campaigned against gay rights, issued a statement asking for prayers for the victim’s families after the attack. That didn’t mean much for Smith. “It’s hard to accept them praying for us in tragedy when they prey on us when it comes to equality,” she said. “It is very clear who needs protecting in Florida.” And just because they’re praying, it doesn’t mean their positions on opposing LGBT rights will change. They won’t, said the council’s president, John Stemberger. Stemberger said it’s “shameless” for the LGBT community to use the attack to “try to leverage a political agenda,” and he doesn’t think changing Florida’s laws would have helped anyway. “It wouldn’t have made a bit of difference. Pulse would still have happened,” he said.

He said some politicized behaviors of the homosexual community can be condemned for being “a bit offensive for others.” But he said: “Someone who has this condition, who has good will and is searching for God, who are we to judge?” “We must accompany them,” Francis said. “I think the church must not only apologize … to a gay person it offended, but we must apologize to the poor, to women who have been exploited, to children forced into labor, apologize for having blessed so many weapons” and for having failed to accompany families who faced divorces or experienced other problems. Francis uttered his “Who am I to judge?” comment during his first airborne press conference in 2013, signaling a new era of acceptance

and welcome for gays in the church. Francis followed up by meeting with gay and transgender faithful, and most significantly, by responding to claims that he met with anti-gay marriage campaigner Kim Davis during his U.S. visit. He said the only personal meeting he held in Washington was with his gay former student and his partner. Despite such overtures, however, many gay Catholics are still waiting for progress after a two-year consultation of the church on family issues failed to chart concrete, new pastoral avenues for them. The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, told reporters after Francis’ press conference that the pope wasn’t referring to a medical “condition” when he spoke of gays, but rather a lifestyle situation.

Pope francis says gay people deserve apology Wire Report

board the Papal Plane | Pope Francis says gays – and all the other people the church has marginalized, such as the poor and the exploited – deserve an apology. Francis was asked June 26 en route home from Armenia if he agreed with one of his top advisers, German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, who told a conference in Dublin in the days after the deadly Orlando gay club attack that the church owes an apology to gays for having marginalized them. Francis responded with a variation of his famous “Who am I to judge?” comment and a repetition of church teaching that gays must not be discriminated against but treated with respect.

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in other news Stonewall Inn announced as first national monument for gay rights President Barack Obama created the first national monument to gay rights on June 24, designating the iconic Stonewall Inn in Manhattan where the modern gay rights movement took root nearly five decades ago. The Stonewall National Monument will cover a 7.7 acre swath of Greenwich Village, including the tavern, the small, adjacent park called Christopher Park and the surrounding streets where people rioted after the gay bar was raided by police in 1969. Obama said the monument would “tell the story of our struggle for LGBT rights” and of a civil rights movement that became a part of America.

Kansas man charged in death of transgender woman A 29-year-old Kansas City man has been charged in the death of transgender woman who a witness said was intentionally run over several times and left to die. Luis Sanchez is accused in the Aug. 15 death of 36-year-old Tamara Dominguez. Court records indicate a video showed Dominguez getting into a truck. Authorities say a witness saw the victim get out of the vehicle and slam the door before walking away. The witness said he saw the vehicle run over Dominguez several times.

Kansas school superintendents disregard advice to deny transgender bathroom access Dozens of central and western Kansas school superintendents say they have no intention of following U.S. Rep. Tim Huelskamp’s advice to disregard a recent transgender bathroom directive from President Barack Obama’s administration. Huelskamp said the directive that students should use the bathroom corresponding to their gender identity “threatens the privacy and safety of our children” and encouraged districts to “stand up to the Obama administration.” But none of the superintendents who responded said they would disobey the directive.

NYC names intersection for police officer who founded LGBT group A New York City intersection is being renamed for a police sergeant who formed the first lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender police fraternal organization. Sergeant Charles H. Cochrane Way was unveiled June 17 in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village neighborhood. Cochrane is believed to have been the first New York City police officer to come out as openly gay in 1981. He founded the Gay Officers Action League a year later with 11 members. The group met for the first time at a church at the intersection of Washington Place and the Avenue of the Americas. Fellow officers needed to guard the meeting after someone threatened to blow up the church. Cochrane died in 2008.

June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

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strOnger tOgether I’m with you

e know their names.

Stanley. Amanda. Oscar. Rodolfo. Antonio. Darryl. Angel. Juan. Luis. Cory. Tevin. Deonka. Simon. Leroy. Mercedez. Peter. Juan. Paul. Frank. Miguel. Javier. Jason. Eddie. Anthony. Drew. Alejandro. Brenda. Gilberto. Kimberly. Akyra. Luis. Geraldo. Eric. Joel. Jean. Enrique. Jean. Xavier. Christopher. Yilmary. Edward. Shane. Martin. Jonathan. Juan. Luis. Franky. Luis. Jerald.

We know where and when and how they died. And we know that every one of their stories represents someone who won’t get the chance to live out the future they deserved. Our hearts are broken, and our thoughts are with the survivors still fighting for their lives. And to the LGBT community – in Orlando and across America – know this: I see you. I hear you. I’m with you. And I will do everything in my power to prevent future tragedies like this act of terror and hate. That means acknowledging who was targeted in this attack. From the raids on the Stonewall Inn in New York, to the arson attack on UpStairs

Lounge in New Orleans, to the detonation of a bomb at the Otherside Lounge in Atlanta – too often, places that should be safe for the LGBT community have instead been targets for violence. For all the progress we’ve made, it’s still far too dangerous to be gay in America. LGBT people are now more likely than any other group to be the target of a hate crime. LGBT people of color face intersectional pressures and dangers. And a full 70 percent of victims of anti-LGBT murders in the United States are people of color – and the statistics are particularly striking for transgender people of color. So there’s a reason so many people seek out safe spaces. In Orlando, that sense of security was shattered. The gunman specifically targeted the Latino LGBT community. In fact, it was “Latin Night” during Pride Month, a time that should have been a joyous celebration. When that feeling of safety comes under attack, all Americans must stand in solidarity with our LGBT brothers and sisters. After the massacre, LGBT people from all over the country came forward to share how much this hit home. That’s because so many communities in America have somewhere like Pulse, where people can find a community and feel free to be themselves. Yes, this is a time for reflection. But more importantly, this is a time for action. We need real plans to prevent future attacks and ensure the safety of the LGBT community and all Americans. Here’s mine. First, we need to take on the epidemic of gun violence in America. Prohibiting suspected terrorists from buying guns – and expanding background checks so that terrorists can’t easily avoid that prohibition – should not be controversial.

We can’t legislate hate away, but we can make it less deadly. That’s why I was so proud to see Democrats staging a sit-in on the floor of the House of Representatives, demanding a vote on commonsense gun reforms that the vast majority of Americans support. Second, since we know

And third, let’s continue to fight for the ideal this attack intended to target: that no matter who you are, or who you love, you are equal in America. Let’s fight to enshrine that ideal in our laws—by passing the Equality Act. And let’s call out hateful rhetoric whenever and wherever we see it in our daily lives.

on the ground in Orlando who have come together to support their LGBT friends, neighbors, colleagues, and loved ones. So know that you have allies who are looking out for you. People like Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, whose leadership and support during this crisis ought to be a model for other local

that the gunman in Orlando was radicalized by terrorist propaganda, we need to disrupt and dismantle the global online network that groups like ISIS use to communicate and to inspire these horrible acts. As president, I’ll set up a task force to track and counter the threat of lone wolf attacks like these.

The attack at Pulse shook so many of us to our core. But in the weeks since, we have seen moving demonstrations of support – from the thousands of people attending vigils across the country, to the Council on American-Islamic Relations calling for donating blood, to the people and groups

leaders. And you have millions of Americans celebrating Pride Month alongside you. I’m one of them. And I’ll never stop fighting for your right to live freely, openly, and without fear.

no matter who you are, or who you love, you are equal in America.

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June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

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June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

talking points We live through times when hate and fear seem stronger/ We rise and fall and light from dying embers/Remembrances that hope and love lasts long/

ALMOST

And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love love/

1.4 MILLION

PEOPLE in the u.s. have DIED frOm

WARFARE since the

REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

Cannot be killed or swept aside. —lin-manuel miranda, reading From a sonnet he wrote as he aCCepted his tony award June 12.

rOXXXy andrews, ginger minj amOng the new cast Of ‘rupaul’s rupaul’s all-stars drag race 2’

UPAUL’S ALL-STARS DRAG RACE will be baCk on logo for its second season August 25, and the cast has been revealed! “The girls dropped whatever they were doing to do this,” RuPaul said in an exclusive cast-revealing interview with Entertainment Weekly.. “We’ve got a hundred girls now, so we could pretty much do All Stars forever.” This season will feature a mini reunion of season 5 favorites, including the Rolaskatox trio – Central Florida-native Roxxxy Andrews, Alaska Thunderfuck and Detox – as well as Alyssa Edwards and Coco Montrese. Ginger Minj, another Central Florida beauty, will grace the stage alongside her season 7 co-contestant Katya. Season 6 runner-up Adore Delano, season 4 standout Phi Phi O’Hara and season 2’s Tatianna will also lip-sync battle the Drag Race stage. Roxxxy Andrews was runner-up in season 5 and Ginger Minj placed third for season 7, will either of these Florida queens be able to snatch the crown this season?

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hbO releases first trailer fOr LOOKING: THE MOVIE

entertainers heal thrOugh OrlandO tragedy with sOng

any took to soCial media to eXpress their ANgEr when HBO cancelled Looking, a dramedy series about a group of gay friends in San Francisco. The series offered an unapologetic look at relationships, family and sex in modern day America, but just as quickly as HBO gave it to us, they took it away after only two seasons. In order to give us closure and to tie up loose ends, HBO ordered a full, featurelength Looking movie and will air it July 23. In the film, Patrick comes back to San Fran after a stay in Colorado for a wedding. Who’s wedding? The trailer doesn’t reveal that but it does give us a sense that a satisfying conclusion will be coming for the guys. If you aren’t caught up with the series the first two seasons are available to watch on HBO NOW.

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Fter the tragedy at pulse, many people are struggling on how to get their emotions inside out. Several members of both the Broadway and music industries have turned to song. Singer/songwriter Melissa Etheridge, who wrote the song “Scarecrow” after the murder of Mathew Shepard, penned the tribute tune “Pulse.” Christina Aguilera released her song “Change” June 17 and dedicated it to the victims of the Orlando shooting, and dozens of Broadway stars including Lin-Manuel, Sean Haynes, Rosie O’Donnell and Nathan Lane came together to record “What the World Needs Now is Love.” The song was made available on iTunes for $1.99 with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting the GLBT Center of Central Florida.

June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

bOstOn restaurant takes On trans bathrOOm argument with the help Of prince

Fter months oF debate on where transgender people should be able to use the restroom in public, a Boston area restaurant thinks they know the best way to handle the situation. The owners of Myers + Chang wanted to change the signage on their public restrooms to something more accepting of the entire human race. The restaurant’s general manager said to the Boston Globe that they went back and forth on “Anyone” or “Everyone” but ultimately decide to use the symbol for the late singer Prince. “It’s a perfect, all-inclusive symbol for everyone, and it gives Prince a little love. We were all really sad [after his death], and this was just a light bulb moment for us,” Alexis Weinrich, restaurant employee and the one who painted the doors, said to the Boston Globe.

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June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

in-depth: mOving fOrward

Moving forward after the terrifying incident at Pulse in Orlando

Dr. David Baker-Hargrove

n sunday morning, June 12

about 7 a.m, I walked downstairs to notice I had an unusual amount of notifications on Facebook and an email from The Center’s Board President, Tim Vargas time stamped at 6:30 a.m.: “Dr. Dave, give me a call as soon as you can.”

I don’t even know what time it was when I got there. I got a great parking place, so it must have been early. The rest of the day was a fluid haze. So many people coming to The Center. They came because they needed to connect

and there didn’t seem a more appropriate place to go than our Center. The back alley was a parade of vehicles over the next several days of trunks opening and stores and food being taken out. Whenever there is tragedy

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or death, the food just comes. It’s our attempt to make sense of the unthinkable. I’ve been trained in disaster response through the American Red Cross, so I knew (for the most part) what to do: Lindsey Kincaide and I established an online data base with volunteer counselors, Logan Donahoo messaged me and asked me if we needed First Unitarian Church (we did), so we set up a mental health counseling center and base of operations there. We mobilized over 500 volunteer

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June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

WE REACHED OUT TO SEVERAL COMMUNITY LEADERS FOR THEIR COMMENTARY ON MOVING FORWARD. HERE ARE SOME EXCERPTS FROM THEIR RESPONSES. U.S. Rep Alan Grayson

ne step Forward, 49 steps baCk. Last year, I faced down the homophobic Florida Family Policy Council, arranged for same-sex marriages to take place at the Osceola County Courthouse at 12:01 am on Jan. 6, 2015 and served happily as the ring-bearer at the first one. That was a good day. June 12, 2016 at 2:02 am in downtown Orlando – that was a bad day. A brutal day. A day of carnage. When I speak about the civil rights movement, I often mention Schwerner, Chaney and Goodman, three young civil rights workers shot dead in Mississippi in 1964. It seems that every great social movement must have its martyrs. The cost of social change is human sacrifice. As MLK Jr. said, the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. In the midst of our grief, we must find patience, as the tectonic plates of society move ever-so-slowly toward equality. And we also can summon a little pride – gay pride – about how much we already have accomplished, and the accomplishments to come. For instance: Ending criminal and mental-illness punishment of homosexuality – done. The right to serve openly in the military – done. Federal protection from hate crimes – done. Same-sex marriage – done. And the victories to come, if we work together, for example: Complete equality in the raising of children. Anti-bullying and anti-discrimination laws. Full health coverage for all LGBTQ health needs. Equality in social, government and employment benefits. And finally, freedom from fear – fear that you will be hurt or punished because of whom you love. It won’t be easy, but we can get it done. We shall overcome. We shall overcome. We shall overcome, some day. I do believe, deep in my heart, That we shall overcome, some day.

U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham

ationally, it’s time for Congress to work together to support commonsense reforms that prevent weapons of war from falling into the hands of criminals and terrorists. In Florida, our elected officials – the

governor, cabinet and legislature – need to examine how we allowed a terrorist to get a weapons license, and what we can do to prevent that from ever happening again. If they aren’t willing to work on this issue after the deadliest mass shooting occurred in our own backyard -- then it’s time to elect new leaders.

Former State Rep. Linda Stewart

ike most oF the Community, I am in mourning for our city. I also acknowledge that we are a great City and we have shown the world how our love and our commitment will move us forward. The Pulse shooting was one of hate, perpetrated by a hateful man who suffered from mental illnesses; he was once on FBI list and still had easy access to military assault weapons. At this point, there is nothing to learn about the continued shootings, they all have the same three elements; mental illness, on an FBI list to watch, and hate. Our elected officials know what to do and how to control these circumstances by now, but we aren’t seeing any action. Elected officials, who have never supported the LGBTQ community, never supported reasonable gun legislation and who will not fund mental illness need to be called out. It is not enough to say “I’m sorry for your loss”. Do not use tragedies for political gain. Where is your commitment, where is your legislation for change? Where is action? The assault rifle ban in the 1990s did not cause the world to end. Guns were not taken from anyone and they will not be collected. We have the right to bear arms, however, we do not have the right to have the same arms that our police and military use, and we certainly do not have the right to not be checked if we are involved in a no fly list or any terrorist list. Any inconvenience gun owners face pales in comparison to the hurt that an AR-15 caused to the victims at Pulse. I am sending my love and prayers to the families of the Pulse tragedy. I also intend to do something about it and encourage others to stand with me and make changes. Over 50,000 people attended a vigil, that’s 50,000 people who want to create change to improve this community and I am proud to stand with them. If I am sent back to Tallahassee, I will do everything I can to fight for the safety and dignity of this community. There will be a push for more mental health funding, I will sponsor a bill to restrict military assault weapons, and I will push for harsh penalties for hate crimes. If you know me, after a decade of service, you know I will stand up and I will never be quiet, I am with you and you are my family.

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Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer

said the First day that we wouldn’t be defined by the act of a hate-filled killer, we’d be defined by how we respond, how we support the victims and the families and each other. And I think that we have responded in a way that has unified our city like never before. I think that a lot of hearts have been opened and that people that might not have been as supportive of all people in all ways of life maybe have a different point of view today. I went to St. Michael’s Episcopal on Sunday and the pastor says – I’ll quote part of his sermon – “The spirit of God has touched the hearts and lives of Orlando and all around the world … and has forever touched by the senseless loss of these 49 lives. And (1:30) to bring good news to the oppressed, the spirit of God is moving on Orlando to find out the broken-hearted, to comfort those who mourn, to bring those shackled and chained. The spirit of God is asking Orlando to stand up and speak out against hatred, violence and division.” And I think we have the opportunity to be the city that does stand up and speak out against hatred, violence and division.

Equality Florida CEO Nadine Smith

riends, I have wanted to write to say thank you on behalf of Equality Florida. The outpouring of love and support have held together our broken hearts. I had hoped to say something profound and important but I find anger has overtaken grief today and eloquence is not a priority. People we knew are gone. People we know are in such pain. It feels as though we have to do something profoundly different right now. A question has been called and people have to choose. Will you uproot this toxic dehumanization of the LGBT community or will you, by action or indifference, nourish hate? If you stand against justice and equal protection under the law, there can be no illusion that it is a reasonable position. No qualifiers can be applied about timing and circumstance. You believe we are your equals or your inferiors. Full stop. I am angry in my grieving but I am not consumed by darkness right now. I’ve seen something remarkable happening in this aftermath. Republican Mayor Teresa Jacobs apologizing publicly for having dragged her feet years ago on Domestic Partnership, tearfully and sincerely acknowledging and accepting that she was wrong. No one who witnessed it doubts that she is making her

cOntinued On pg. 27 | uu |

June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

| uu | What do we do now? frOm pg.23

counselors to provide around the clock services at The Center, the emergency counseling center at First Unitarian, Hope & Help, the Zebra Coalition’s crisis hotline, The Parliament House, Southern Nights and Savoy. Two Spirit Health Services, the non-profit LGBT medical clinic I founded and currently run, has set up aftercare plans for the short- and long-term medical and mental health care of our community. During these last two weeks of June, our entire community has been in survival mode. The holiday gods have blessed us this year with having July 4 fall on a Monday and you may be wondering as you wake up on Tuesday, July 5, “What do we do now?”

yOu

ou must focus on yourself. I’ve talked to LGBT people who didn’t directly know anyone injured or killed. They don’t know why they are struggling and they feel guilty. They shouldn’t. I’ve talked to our allies who have been with us for many years wonder whether or not they have a right to say they are a part of our community and whether or not they have a right to feel pained. They do. I’ve given so much press over the last few weeks and I find myself explaining to reporters over and over again that even though we may not all get along, even though we may not understand each other, our roots run deep into the same tree. We all hurt, because we all have been hurt. Not just hurt, you may be feeling a mixture of emotions: guilt, anger, sadness, fear, confusion, disillusionment, shock, numbness – all of the above. Blanche Devereaux referred to this raw feeling as “Magenta”. If you need help, get it. Aside from Two Spirit Health Services, people are ready to support you. Most of it is free. Take it. For a lot of us, the “magenta” will fade over time. The pressures of modern life will tempt you to go back to your routine. Take July 5 as an opportunity to invest in yourself. If you are living your life for someone else’s expectations of who they want you to be, take a stand for yourself and live

cOntinued On pg. 27 | uu |

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June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

| uu | Community Leaders Respond from pg.24

journey to the right side of history. Look at how megachurch evangelical Joel Hunter responded to this question: “Q: What complicity do American evangelicals have for a culture that relegates LGBT folks to a category of ‘other?’” A: Unfortunately, a lot. And I’m sorry to say that. I have to own up to my own part in that. When you’re in a position of power, as institutional forms of white Christianity have been for the last 200 years, you tend not to wish people ill but to avoid the necessary change, to maintain the status quo, because you have a pretty good position.” A pastor who led the way on the “Pastor Protection” Act reached out to say “I was wrong.” I have read of Truth and Reconciliation Hearings in South Africa, and I can catch a glimmer of the healing and progress potential in these moments. I am not cynical about what I have seen and we will invest in helping accelerate those journeys. But... I believe the country must feel our anger along with our grief. We need to provide the clarity that this choice is before you right now. The Confederate flag came down in South Carolina because no more room was left to

| uu | What do we do now? from pg.24

authentically. Yes, things will have to change, some of them will be uncomfortable, but it will be worth it.

Community

he issue of gay adoption came up in a psych class in my undergrad program. It was about 1993. I was still in the Navy then, so not “officially” out. As I tried to disappear in my

finesse the point. We need our friends to be fired up and we must know that “friendly” is not the same as “friend”. A question has been called here. Will you stand with the bullies and the bigots or stand on the side of justice and equality?

Congressional candidate Susannah Randolph

hat happened in Orlando was an act of hate. It was an act of terror. And we cannot allow it to happen again. We need to put an end to gun violence, right here, right now. Orlando certainly isn’t the first place to bear witness to the horror of a mass shooting, but it should be the last. That’s why I am calling on Congress to reinstate the ban on assault weapons, overturn the federal funding ban on gun violence research at the CDC, and expand background checks. Enough is enough. We need our elected officials to stand up to the gun lobby, to say no to the NRA’s political agenda. We need our elected officials to put the health and safety of our families and our community first. This will not be an easy fight, but it is an important one. I’m not going to back down, and I know Orlando won’t back down from this fight either.

chair, a student across the room passionately and vehemently spoke out against gay people parenting children. Some other people defended the idea. It got quite heated. Sometime in the weeks following, I run into him in the gay bar. He recognizes me from class and starts speaking to me. I asked him why he did that in class. “look around you,” He explained. “I don’t have any problem being gay, but these people are a bunch of sad freaks. Drag Queens and alcoholics have no place raising children.” With a wisdom I did not even know I possessed, I said,

State Sen. Darren Soto (also a 2016 U.S. Congressional candidate)

irst and Foremost my responsibility is to make sure services and funds are provided to the victims and families of this great tragedy. In addition there are potential policy changes that need to be pushed in both the short term and long term. More specifically we have proposed to have a special session immediately to close the terror gap, which would ban those on the no-fly list and the FBI’s watch list from possessing firearms. This is something I believe both parties can support and should be passed without delay. Over the coming months as we get towards regular session, we must pass the “Competitive Workforce Act;” which would provide LGBT protections in the work place, housing, and public accommodations. We must also assure that members of the LGBT community are given protected class status, so that acts of violence against them can be treated as hate crimes. Finally, we must enact reasonable gun reforms including reinstituting the “Assault Weapons Ban,” closing the gun show and internet check loophole, as well as requiring safety training. It is my hope that enacting these reforms will address many of the issues arising out of the Orlando Mass Shooting Tragedy.

“You will never be able to love yourself unless you can love the drag queen or the alcoholic. We’re all a part of the same group.” I’m normally not that preachy to people, but I’m not sorry I said it. I have always remembered that moment and tried to live by it. You can’t love everyone individually. Some people are just mean, or thoughtless, and don’t care about it. But I’ve dedicated myself to loving this Orlando LGBT community for a very long time. I’ve seen a lot of signs posted around about “more love and less hate.” But how does that translate

watermark Your LGBT life.

into daily action? We are not all the same, and we often don’t agree, but we are in this together. So love the drag queen and don’t demean what she does for a living. It may not be art to you, but it’s art to someone. Don’t dismissively call the bear fat. Don’t tell the bisexual to “pick a side.” Don’t deride the lesbian because she’s either too feminine or too masculine. Don’t say “tranny” and don’t ask a trans person if they’ve had the surgery. Those attitudes are all derived of internalized sexism. Give it up and let people be who they are. While we’re at it, when you are wrong

June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

and/or have offended someone in some way, why be defensive or explain yourself? Apologize and move on. Being wrong is not the end of the world. When you are kind to others, it’s easier to be kind to yourself.

Greater meaning

“H

ow are people managing their spiritual beliefs and wondering how God allowed this?” a reporter asked me. “I’m not sure many of us are even thinking that. The two institutions that have created the most difficulty for the LGBTQ community are the government and the church. We have an inherent distrust of them. Rather than change things, I think it will affirm those beliefs. For many of us who have felt rejected by God, God is not who we look to for meaning.” Gay bars have often been our church. We go there to build family, community, be ourselves and find connection. This is why it hurts so much, Pulse is not just a bar. It’s our family. So how do we find meaning in this. I also told the reporter I look to my Buddhist teachings which help me to first reconcile what I want versus what is. I don’t want 49 of my LGBTQ brothers and sisters to have been slaughtered in their safe haven. I can’t change what is. The more I can accept that, then I can heal. Meaning lies in making their lives matter. They were our babies. They will never change the world for the better, but we can change it for them. You just have to decide what change you want to see and want to be. For me, that’s easy. My purpose has always been giving LGBTQ people healthcare they trust will not discriminate or abuse them. It is just more so now. #myheartbeats4them.

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June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

arts and entertainment

Una Voce

RAISE THEIR

VOICES

the chOral grOup brings their harmOnies tO the 2016 gala festival and it cOuldn’t cOme at a better time

Krista DiTucci

Fter a stellar perFormanCe

at the Tampa Bay Rays’ Pride Night game on June 17, Una Voce: The Florida Men’s Chorale is gearing up for two concerts at the 2016 GALA Festival, July 2-6, in Denver. The GALA Festival, the largest gathering of same-sex choruses in the world, convenes every four years. watermark Your LGBT life.

Una Voce will perform “I Am Harvey Milk,” words and music by Andrew Lippa, on the evening of July 3. The chorale debuted the Florida premiere last year in Tampa and St. Pete. “I Am Harvey Milk” combines Harvey Milk’s life story with the richness of San Francisco culture. “Harvey Milk was only 13 years my senior,” Una Voce performer Dennis Garver says. “It took me over a month of singing quietly to

myself to stop crying in rehearsal during ‘San Francisco.’ I went through that period when we were damned and put down and had to hide in dark bars.” Garver says this year will mark his sixth GALA Festival performance. He will be celebrating his 73rd birthday the same day he performs “I Am Harvey Milk” with Una Voce in

June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

cOntinued On pg. 30 | uu |

I HOPE YOU DANCE: Una Voce has added professional dancers to several of their pieces to make them even more compelling and visually stunning. Photo courtesy of Una Voce

| uu | Una Voce from pg.29

front of 5,000 people. “It’s a life changing experience,” Garver says. “You get to hear such amazing music, stuff you’ve never heard coming from groups all over the country that share the same passion for chorale music.” “I Am Harvey Milk” will stream live on July 3 at 11 p.m. EST. Una Voce will perform the piece alongside other commissioned chorales in the country. To view the performance via live streaming, visit galachoruses.org/live. Next, Una Voce will perform “When We No Longer Touch: A Cycle of Songs for Survivors” on July 6 in front of almost 3,000 people. The chorale staged the 25th anniversary performance in May as part of the concert production “Love Hope Passion.” Composer Kristopher Jon Anthony wrote “When We No Longer Touch” along with lyricist Peter McWilliams in response to the AIDS pandemic as a “story of love, life, upheaval, loss,

Harvey Milk was only 13 years my senior. I went through that period when we were damned and put down and had to hide in dark bars. —Una Voce performer Dennis Garver

acceptance, and reconciliation.” “I can’t imagine there will be a dry eye in the house, especially after Orlando,” executive director Tom Barker says. “One of the songs in the song cycles is ‘I Shall Miss Loving You.’ It’s going to be difficult to get through.” However, Barker says, the final song of the cycle, “I Have Love,” is a triumphant celebration of life, loving, and being loved. Barker says Una Voce is bringing traditional chorale music to a new generation of LGBT people by introducing professional dancers in “When We No Longer Touch” for the first time. Joseph Caulkins, artistic

director, says he thought adding professional dance would make the piece even more compelling. “It is a rare thing for the GALA Festival to have a professional dance component,” Caulkins says. “They’re going to see the chorus and remember it. The combination of music and dance in this piece is really nothing short of stunning.” Caulkins says the other component to the GALA Festival is being inspired by performances from some of the best women, transgender, and youth choruses from across the nation. “Hearing others perform inspires us to want to come back

watermark Your LGBT life.

and be even better in the future,” Caulkins says. “And when you get 5,000 gays and lesbians together, it will be a hoot. I imagine there will be a bit of partying [laughing]. The festival will be a nice way to connect in the midst of these shootings. We’re going to celebrate the best life has and not think about the hate that’s out there.” Harold Harkins, president and longstanding Una Voce performer, says he has seen remarkable changes in men’s chorale since he first joined the Tampa Bay Gay Men’s Chorus in 1993. In the early days, many used to step out of group photos and perform under

June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

pseudonyms because they didn’t feel comfortable coming out to the community. Harkins says the men now have more rights and protections. “The reason we go to an event like this (GALA Festival) is to make sure the guys have a great experience,” Caulkins says. “We have guys who have to scrimp and save to get there, so my goal is to make sure it’s a life changing event for them.” Once the men of Una Voce return from Denver, they will be gearing up for the rest of their 15th season. The chorale will be featuring a cabaret performance November 4-5 and the “We Three Queens” Christmas show December 9 and 11. Barker says the group will have a 15th anniversary celebration in the spring. “We used to appeal mostly to the 50+ crowd,” Garver says. “We now appeal more to a younger crowd which brings a new vibe and excitement. Every organization has to keep up with the times. We’ve been going for 15 years, so we must be doing something right.”

watermark Your LGBT life.

June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

watermark Your LGBT life.

June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

art

It’s time to get creative The Creative City Project is launching again, and October can’t come soon enough

(above)

Flying High:

Creating magic above Orange Avenue. Photos by John David Harris

Brendan O’Connor

n 2012, Cole NeSmith decided to rub

Orlando’s face into its own Creative Culture. NeSmith decided to create an event that could not only showcase our homegrown talent, but also take over our public spaces, and transform our community through art, if only for one night. It’s a chance for local artists and organizations to shake off the accrued institutionalized dust that comes from operating behind closed doors, and reveal themselves to their public, en masse ... a flasher flash mob, if you will. And the public loves it. Each year more artists take part, and each year more and more people turn out to see them. Downtown Orlando’s fourth annual celebration of local creative culture is ramping up for one of the biggest years yet. watermark Your LGBT life.

For one night, each October, the downtown core is taken over by busloads of artists, performers, dancers, and creatives. No swoopy tree painting hippy art walks here; the upper crust arts organizations are the big anchor tenants at this fest: Cirque du Soleil will be back with their awe-inspiring, lycrawearing selves. Last year a woman dangled from a construction crane over an Orange Avenue packed with onlookers, cell phones raised high in tribute. This year Cirque will be sharing a new act that just joined their Disney Springs La Nouba show, a duo of acrobats that perform on a steel beam. Said beam will be suspended from the aforementioned crane high above Orange Avenue, just like the ribbon dancer, but this act will also have a live singer, serenading the crowds

June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

from a balcony nearby. We hope she’ll be hanging laundry and wearing a shower cap. So URBAN, so Jane Jacobs! Orlando’s own art mafia for heaven Central Florida Community Arts will have its orchestra performing an immersive concert experience, where the audience will be standing amongst the musicians. The embattled Orlando Ballet is making time in its semi-busy schedule, too. No word on what the group will be performing, but as it’s October, we’re assuming it’ll be Vampire’s Ball. Accidental Music Festival’s adorable mastermind Chris Belt will be presenting a 70-minute music-installation piece inspired by modern classical music, featuring several dozen instrumentalists and singers. The music will shift and take shift over time, as the audience comes and goes. Michael Ring, the liquor daddy of Central Florida, will be hosting the Art of the Cocktail, featuring local cocktail creations. Mama’s Sauce will be demonstrating screen printing and letterpress too. Even with all of the above names and performances attached to this year’s festival, the most exciting parts of the Creative City Project are the surprise performances and art encounters that attendees can stumble upon while walking from stage to stage and venue to venue Downtown. We’re crossing our toes that Nathan Selikoff will be back with his interactive projections. We’re still reeling from the year he had a landscape image projected in front of the History Center. You could walk up to it and your movement would cause the image to change. We loved it. There are usually outdoor stages with live music, too. Last year saw the Mud Flappers and the Cook Trio jamming on the corner of Orange and Pine Street. We know Creative City Project doesn’t happen until October, but mark your calendars now. The event is always on the lookout for promising new talent, sponsors and volunteers, so if you think you have something they would want, be sure to reach out to them and offer your services.

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June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

community calendar

event planner

arts+entertainment

OrlandO

Beneﬁt Concert for Pulse

Justin Bieber: Purpose World Tour, June 30, Amway Center, Orlando. (407) 440-7000; AmwayCenter.com Orlando Rocks, July 1, House of Blues, Orlando. 407- 9342583; HouseofBlues.com Indepedance Weekend w/ Thorgy Thor & Pandora Boxx, July 2, Parliament House, Orlando. 407-425-7571; ParliamentHouse.com Demi Lovato & nick Jonas: future now, July 2, Amway Center, Orlando. (407) 4407000; AmwayCenter.com #GirlTheParty’s Red, White and Boobs, July 2, Southern Nights, Orlando. 407-412-5039; SouthernNightsORL.com Corey Smith, July 2, House of Blues, Orlando. 407- 934-2583; HouseofBlues.com uCf Orlando Strong 5K, July 2, Lake Claire at UCF, Orlando. 407-823-5625; RunSignUp.com/Race/FL/ Orlando/UCFOrlandoStrong5k united forever fundraiser, July 3, Cheyenne Saloon, Orlando. 407-377-0400; OrlandoWeekly.com fireworks at the fountain, July 4, Lake Eola Park, Orlando.407.246.2121; CityofOrlando.net Culture Club, July 5, Hard Rock Live, Orlando. 407-351-5483; HardRock.com Halsey Badlands Tour, July 6, CFE Arena, Orlando. (407) 8233070; CFEArena.com Kian & JC: Don’t Try This At Home, July 8, The Plaza Live, Orlando. 877-435-9849; PlazaLiveOrlando.com 101.9 AMP Radio’s Electric Bounce House, June 9, House of Blues, Orlando. 407- 9342583; HouseofBlues.com

saturday, July 9, 8:00 p.m.- 3:00 a.m. parliament house, orlando

Oh bOy! by geOrge! Culture Club: will be performing at the Hard Rock Live in Orlando July 5 and the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg July 6. PHOTO COuRTESy Of THE OffICIAL CuLTuRE CLuB WEBSITE

Ragtime the Musical: In Concert, July 9 -10, Dr.Phillips Performing Arts Center, Orlando. 844-513-2014; DrPhillipsCenter.org

Tampa Red, White & Blue festival, July 3, Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park, Tampa. 813-447-8538; JazzInJulyTampa.com

Summerland Tour starring Sugar Ray, Everclear, Lit and Sponge, July 11, Hard Rock Live, Orlando. 407-351-5483; HardRock.com

Hawk & Wayne Improv – The Mockumentary, July 3, American Stage Theater, St. Pete. (727) 8237529; AmericanStage.org

TBGLCC and Balance Tampa Bay’s Mentorship Monday, July 11, Hillsborough Community College Ybor Campus, Tampa. 727-755-8390; DiversityTampaBay.org The Wizard of Oz, July 12-17, Straz Center, Tampa. (813) 2297827; StrazCenter.org

tampa bay

Culture Club, July 6, Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg. (727) 8925798; TheMahaffey.com

2016 Vans Warped Tour, July 1, Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg. VansWarpedTour.com

Cult Classics: Monty Python & the Holy Grail, July 7, Salvador Dali Museum, St. Petersburg. 800-422-3254; TheDali.org

nicky Jam, July 1, Amalie Arena, Tampa. (813) 301-6500; AmalieArena.com.

Patel Conservatory presents Les Miserables, July 7-17, Straz Center, Tampa. (813) 229-7827; StrazCenter.org

How I Got Over: A Tribute to Mahalia Jackson, July 13-August 14, West Coast Black Theatre, Sarasota. 941-366-1505; WestCoastBlackTheatre.org

Balance Tampa Bay’s Beach Cleanup, July 9, Sunset Beach, St. Petersburg. 727-512-1304; BalanceTampaBay.org

Kristofer Geddie presents Back to Before, July 14- 15, Venice Theatre, Venice. 941-488-1115; VeniceTheatre.com

Tampa Bay Leather Social, July 9, The Body Shop, Tampa. (813) 9713578; TheBodyShopTampa.com

Sarasota Improv festival, July 1416, Florida Studio Theatre, Sarasota. 941-366-9000; FloridaStudioTheatre

Proud to be an ABEARican, July 1, Southern Nights Tampa. (813) 559-8625; SouthernNightsTPA.com fireworks Display, July 3, Flamingo Resort, St. Petersburg. (727) 321-5000; FlamingoFla.com

sarasOta Gloria Musicae Singers’ Patriotic Spectacular, July 4, First United Methodist Church, Sarasota. 941-387-6046; GloriaMusicae.org

Parliament House is bringing the community together with song with a concert to benefit Pulse. 100 percent of the proceeds raised will go directly to Pulse victims. Recording artists Mya and Frenchie Davis will perform. As well as an appearance from Jonny McGovern. More announcements to come. Visit ParliamentHouse.com for more information.

Movies Out Loud – Showgirls wednesday, July 13, 8:00-10:30 p.m. the abbey, orlando It’s back! Watermark Publishing Group and Orlando Fringe present Movies Out Loud and we are kicking the season off with a timeless classic, Showgirls, hosted by Jeff Jones and Miss Sammy. Watch Saved by the Bell’s Elizabeth Berkley thrash in a swimming pool with a young Kyle MacLachlan as she moves up the ladder to be the best dancer she can be. Doors open at 7 p.m., film starts at 8 p.m. $10 at the door, drink specials and concessions available.

tampa bay

For the love of love sunday, July 10, 12:00- 5:00 p.m. the barn at winthrop, riVerView The Barn at Winthrop will host a fundraising event for the families affected by the Pulse shooting. Come together in love and community. The event will have live music, yoga workshops, karaoke, facepainting, and food & beverage trucks. Artwork from local artists will be available. Every penny raised will be donated to the families. For more information visit WinthropBarnTheatre.com.

Gay Bowling @ Dunedin lanes thursday, July 7, 10:00p.m.- 2:00 a.m. dunedin lanes, dunedin Lace up those fashionable bowling shoes and get your ball polished and come out for some Gay Bowling at Dunedin Lanes. Cosmic bowling starting at 10 p.m. and $10 gets you unlimited games until 2 a.m. If you don’t have your own shoes, no fear. Shoe rentals will be free. $1 drinks until 11:00 p.m. Contests, prizes and a midnight show featuring performances from Natasha Richards, Jocelyn Summers and Monica Moore. Pulse t-shirts will be raffled off with proceeds going to the Pulse employees. For more information visit DunedinLanes.com.

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

event planner and community calendar is brougHt to you by curtis protective services • 1-800-551-8368 • curtissecurity.com watermark Your LGBT life.

June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

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June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

overheard

tampa bay Out+abOut

hOmetOwn rOyalty

iss gay days 2016 was Crowned earlier this month and the winner was none other than Tampa Bay’s own Alexis Mateo. Although Mateo now calls St. Petersburg home, she is a Florida, Puerto Rico native. In 2011, Mateo competed on the third season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, making it all the way to the top three. Since then she has also been a contestant on the first season of RuPaul’s All Stars Drag Race and appeared as a guest professor on RuPaul’s Drag U. This beauty currently serves as a national queen at the All American Goddess Pageantry and a Mary Diva at the Tampa location of Hamburger Mary’s. Congratulations girl! You are a superstar and we can say we knew you when.

hOt sun, cOOl gelatin

hen the heat reaChes unbearable temperatures there are few things more refreshing than a dip in a pool, except maybe a dip in a pool of gelatin? Why not, everyone loves the jiggly dessert, and you know what they say: There’s always room for Jell-O. If you can help out an amazing organization in the process then all the better. This is the fourth year the Children’s Cancer Center has held the Gelatin Plunge, and all in total contributions have risen over $300,000 for the center (and dunked more than 500 people in 2,000 gallons of colored gelatin). This year host of The Miguel Show and 2016 St. Pete Pride grand marshal Miguel Fuller took the plunge. Others who joined him were the guys from the Fresh Kitchen and Ben Landon of Landon Plastic Surgery.

hamburger mary’s

ne oF the best eXperienCes anyone Can haVe while dining out is taking in the merging of great food with drag shows, and that’s what you get from Hamburger Mary’s. Well, the success of the restaurant chain in the Tampa Bay area has led to the announcement that one will be coming to downtown St. Petersburg. A Facebook page popped up June 27 with a meme featuring Mary in a construction hat in her traditional pose, hand on hip holding a hamburger, next to a sign reading UNDER CONSTRUCTION with the phrase, “Greetings From… St. Petersburg, Florida.” Not much information has been released yet, but the location will be on Tyrone Blvd. They expect it to open by August. The new location is being opened by Tampa Bay’s Mr. Mary himself Kurt King who also owns the Hamburger Mary’s in Tampa’s Ybor City and Clearwater. The opening of the St. Pete location gives the state of Florida six Hamburger Mary’s to choose from, more than any other state. Along with the three locations owned by King, Hamburger Mary’s is also in Orlando, Daytona Beach and Jacksonville.

2 3

a real treat: Marc Retzlaff (L) and Don Kiceina get a selfie in as Jennifer Real performs on stage at the SP2 Concert in St. Petersburg June 24. PHOTO COuRTESy Of MARC RETZLAff

Charlie says: Ex-Florida governor Charlie Crist stopped by the Stonewall Reception at the Museum of Fine Art in St. Petersburg June 22. PHOTO By JEREMy WILLIAMS

it must haVe been loVe: nick Janovsky gets a kiss from a furry friend at the street festival for Pride in the Grand Central District in St. Petersburg June 26. PHOTO COuRTESy Of nICK

JAnOVSKy

super(sports)man: The Tampa Bay Rays Kevin Kiermaier wears a WE ARE ORLANDO shirt during batting practice at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg June 17.

PHOTO By JEREMy WILLIAMS

always room For Jell-o: Hot101.5’s Miguel fuller splashes down into a pool of gelatin at the Annual Gelatin Plunge at AAA Westshore Office in Tampa June 18. PHOTO COuRTESy Of MIGuEL fuLLER

dediCated deClaration: The City of Lakeland and City of Winter Haven present Pride declarations to Polk Pride in Lakeland June 18. PHOTO By

JEREMy WILLIAMS

i loVe a parade: Craig Stringfield (L) and Michael norris line up in front of Pom Pom’s for the St. Pete Pride parade in St. Petersburg June 25. PHOTO By nICHOLAS CARDELLO

you raise me up: Mayor Rick Kriseman and City Council Vice Chair Darden Rice at the Pride flag ceremony at City Hall in St. Petersburg June 23. PHOTO By

JEREMy WILLIAMS

7 watermark Your LGBT life.

June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

Boutique. Luxury. Location. Oceanfront Rooms | Private Cabanas | Full Service Spa | Upscale Restaurant | Heated Pool

@theshoresresort 38

watermark Your LGBT life.

June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

overheard

OrlandO Out+abOut

sOme peOple read it fOr the articles

ome may doubt it, but Orlando’s first openly gay politician Commissioner Patty Sheehan has made it into Playboy magazine. No, she’s not June’s centerfold, but the Q&A titled “Fight Hate with Love: A Playboy Conversation with Orlando Commissioner Patty Sheehan,” Patty is asked about her thoughts regarding the mass shooting at Pulse Nightclub on June 12. Patty was questioned whether or not she believed the shootings were an act of terrorism, or a hate crime or both. Patty said that she felt that the victims being Latino and gay made her feel this was certainly a hate crime and also an act of terrorism. Patty goes on to discuss religion, monies raised for the victims and their families as well as the impact this tragedy will have regarding views to the LGBT community.

miss mO was a fOrmer miss ucf

he 23-year-old erin o’Flaherty was recently crowned Miss Missouri. Many of you may be reading this and saying, “Big whoop, what’s another girl with tiara? We see those bachelorette parties at the gay bars all the time, am I right? Well she’s not only a former Miss UCF (crowned back in 2013), but Erin will be moving on to compete in the Miss America pageant as the first openly gay Miss. Erin came out of the closet at 18; her platform has been primarily suicide prevention, which unfortunately happens to have very high statistics with LGBT youth. It’s said she wants to continue to support LGBT rights without making it solely her focus. Erin O’Flaherty will compete for the Miss America crown on September 11.

all abOut that bass

arliament house reCently announCed that former NSYNC boyband singer, actor, all around heartthrob with the deep voice and blue eyes Lance Bass will be performing at its 41st Anniversary party Satrurday, July 23. VIP pre-sale tickets (which include a meet and greet) quickly sold out, but there may be a few more available for purchase as they get closer to the date. Additionally, Parliament House Resort as well as many other bars and nightclubs all around Central Florida have been hosting many fundraisers for the Pulse victims, their families and the displaced employees. Parliament is also hosting a benefit concert with an ever growing list of performers that have signed up since the announcement of the show. The concert is scheduled for Saturday, July 9, and will feature gay icons such as American Idol’s Frenchie Davis, Mya, Johnny McGovern aka The Gay Pimp, Ultra Nate and, as of most recently, “Ice Cream Truck” rapper Cazwell. Tickets are only $15 and will benefit Pulse Nightclub. According to the event page, more artists will also be announced.

goal sQuad: A section of the crowd shows their City Beautiful pride at the Orlando City game against the San Jose Earthquakes on June 18. PHOTO By JEREMy WILLIAMS

aloha: Volunteers from Hawaii present a 49-foot lei honoring Pulse victims in front of the Dr. Phillips Center on June 22. PHOTO By DEAnnDRA MEnO

tag team: Ken Terrell, Seniors Program Director at The GLBT Center, mugs with Mick foley. The WWE Legend stopped by The Center June 21. PHOTO COuRTESy TERRELL

serVer serViCe: Tara Rose collects donations at the Hammered Lamb fundraiser for Pulse employees on June 15. PHOTO By TAMMI JOnES

ribbon makers: Margo Dixon, Steven Puerta and other volunteers make rainbow ribbons at The Center on June 16. PHOTO By ALEX STORER

CareFully Curated: Michael Perkins, Orange County Regional History Center Museum Director, explains to reporters how memorial items left at the Dr. Phillips Center lawn will be stored and archived. PHOTO

By nICOLE DuDEnHOEfER

radioaCtiVe: Joey fatone signs artwork for auction before an Imagine Dragons concert at Hard Rock Live June 22, benefiting the OneOrlando Fund. PHOTO

COuRTESy HARD ROCK

moment oF silenCe: Lisa Brown (left) and Dawn Kallio of Orlando march ahead of the St. Pete Pride Parade, carrying the name of a Pulse shooting victim. Along with other Orlando representatives holding the names of all the victims, the couple walked in silence before the regular parade.

PHOTO By TODD MOnTGOMERy/ HOT GLASS PHOTOS

8 watermark Your LGBT life.

June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

When you visit Orlando, book your stay at the International Palms Resort and Conference Center.  CONVENIENT LOCATION IN THE HEART OF INTERNATIONAL DRIVE  20,000 SQUARE FEET OF DEDICATED EVENT SPACE  652 SPACIOUS GUESTROOMS AND SUITES 

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watermark Your LGBT life.

June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

announcements

wedding bells

Kevin Thomas, 66, and Bob Johnson, 79 from Orlando, Florida

years togetHer:

49 years

wedding date:

June 16, 2016

wedding venue:

The gazebo in their backyard

wedding planners:

Kevin planned a small, intimate wedding.

interesting Fact:

eric Rollings was the officiant at their wedding.

PHOTO COuRTESy Of THOMAS AnD JOHnSOn

“W

hen he says he loVes me,

it’s as if I’m hearing it for the first time,” Kevin says about Bob. “I tingle inside, so I get to tingle for the rest of my life and it’s because of him — it’s because he loves me.”

Kevin Thomas, who is a retired interior designer, and Bob Johnson, who is an accountant for a local company, have been together for 49 years, and they have seen and been through it all. They met on June 16, 1967 in Chicago and both were immediately taken with each other. “He was very attractive,” Bob says. “I liked him immediately. He was very impressive, and it just felt right.” Kevin grew up in Chicago and his family lived there at the time. Bob grew up in Iowa but was working in Chicago at the time for and an insurance company. Within about 10 days of meeting each other, they were living together with Kevin moving in with Bob. They lived for two and half more years in Chicago, and then Bob got a job in Los Angeles, so they moved out there in

December of 1969. “I call Bob ‘my hero,’” Kevin says. “He’s my best friend, he’s my perfect counterpart. “We have been through almost anything imaginable that a couple could go through – we’ve been broke, we’ve been hungry, we’ve had money, we’ve not had money, we’ve been through good times, we’ve been through stressful times. Certainly after 20 years of being together, we just started to embark on parenting, and it was difficult 20 years ago even in Los Angeles.” By the end of 1994, after they both had personal setbacks and custody issues with their daughter and her surrogate mother, Kevin went to Orlando to visit his brother for a week. In that week, he found a job and bought a house, so he called Bob, told him and they decided to

move within the next month. “If there’s anything that would strengthen a relationship, like it did Bob’s and mine, it is to support each other through very, very difficult times,” Kevin says. “That experience alone was to keep us together forever, and we will be together forever – I mean it’s almost forever already.” Being together for as long as they have been, they always wanted to get married but never thought it was an option. They fought for marriage equality and for domestic partnerships in Orange County. After it became legal last year, they decided they would get married, but they only wanted a small, intimate wedding in their backyard in their gazebo with very few special guests. “I enjoyed the intimacy of it all,” Bob says. “It was nice having our friends with us for that intimate meeting of everyone – it was great and I loved it.” They had their wedding on a Thursday morning at 11 a.m., because it was closest to the exact day and time they met 49 years ago. Next year on their 50th anniversary of being together and one-year marriage anniversary, they will have a big party that all of their friends will be invited to. They will have a celebration with a DJ and also repeat their vows in front of all their friends. They had their honeymoon at Sawmill Resort in Pasco County. “We were together two years before the Stonewall Riots,” Kevin says. “That was like the biggest news story of our day in the gay community. It was amazing that people fought back. Eventually when we moved to Los Angeles, I worked for the gay community; we were in the very first early parades in West Hollywood and then in San Francisco. We’ve lived, except for Bob’s employment, a very open life.” They are both happy that they can now hold hands while walking down the streets and kiss each other without repercussions, as opposed to how it used to be back in the day.

local birtHdays

St. Petersburg leather community mover and shaker Matt Wolf, Italian ice queen/ former Watermark sales diva Erica franco, and fab photog Dixie Lee Todd (July 1); Tampa philanthropist and sometime model Matt Bachman, Mons Venus strip club owner and conveniently-gay-for-a-lawsuit Joe Redner, Tampa Bay Metro Charities director Lorraine Langlois, Orlando resident and Sawmill performer Sofonda Cox, St. Pete graphic guru Michael O’Connell, RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Martin Cooper (aka Coco Montrese) and local hero Tim Vargas of the Center and Embellish FX (July 2); Tampa Pro Massage owner Cory Jeffries and owner of PomPom Teahouse Pom Moongauklang (July 3); Sleuth’s Rob Ward (July 4); Tampa Bay performer Kori Stevens, Ed Dobski (aka Trixie Deluxe) from Sawmill and co-owner of Shelbie Press Debbie Simmons (July 5); Orlando commissioner Patty Sheehan, Balance Tampa Bay’s Steve Watson and owner of John Michael Wedding & Events Michael Thomas (July 6); USF IT guru Angel Arcelay, comedian Ronni Radner and Montessori teacher natasha Kay (July 7); DJ Greg Anderson (July 8); Darden ally Carole Conroy, co-owner of Shelbie Press Michelle Murray (July 9); Sarasota actor Kenneth Rapczynski(July 10); operations manager of The Ritz Ybor Carla Vaughan (July 11); Metro Wellness’ James Keane, The Full Moon at Woodstock’s Kristina McLaughlin and Orlando event planner Jorge Cruz (July 12); Tampa Attorney Kim Byrd (July 14); Three Boys Café owner Matthew Downs (July 15)

do you Have an announcement? Having a birtHday or anniversary? did you get a new Job or promotion? See your news in Watermark! Send your announcement to Editor@WatermarkOnline.com or go to WatermarkOnline.com/Submit-a-Transition.

it’s tHat easy!

—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.

June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

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June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

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June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

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watermark Your LGBT life.

June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

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watermark Your LGBT life.

June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

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June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

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June 3 0 - July 13, 2016 // Issue 2 3.13

MACY’S HONORS THE VICTIMS OF THE 2016 ORLANDO NIGHTCLUB SHOOTING, T H E I R L O V E D O N E S , A N D T H E E N T I R E L G B T Q C O M M U N I T Y,

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