Watermark Issue 24.08: Never Again

An exhibit at the Florida Holocaust Museum takes a look at the persecution of gay men in Nazi Germany

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Apr il 20 - M ay 3, 2017 // Issue 24 .0 9

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Apr il 20 - M Ay 3, 2017 // issue 24 .0 9

deparTmenTs 6 // mail 7 // ediTOrs desk 10 // OrlandO news 12 // Tampa Bay news 18 // sTaTe news 19 // naTiOn+wOrld news 25 // Talking pOinTs 43 // cOmmuniTy calendar 45 // Tampa Bay OuT+aBOuT 47 // OrlandO OuT+aBOuT 48 // Tampa Bay markeTplace 49 // wedding Bells/ annOuncemenTs 50 // OrlandO markeTplace

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it happened in front of me and 300 prisoners.

The death of Jo, my friend. He was condemned to die, eaten by dogs. German dogs. German shepherds. And that, i can never forget.

—pierre seel, a French 175er survivor, in the 2000 documentary PARAGRAPH 175

On THe cOver

PAGE

43

PAGE NEVER AGAIN:

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We look back at how the free-loving “Gay Berlin” of the 1920s could become the site of the worst genocide in human history.

Photo by Jake Stevens

scan Qr cOde fOr

waTermarkOnline.cOm

legend and icOn:

St. Petersburg’s freeFall Theatre takes on the final comeback of Hollywood royalty Judy Garland in the play End of the Rainbow.

waTermark i ssue 24 .09 //april 20 - may 3 , 2017

funding THe 49

Banned aT THe Bay

ladyfingers

HigH fideliTy

PAGE Barry Miller of the Closing Agent does his part to make the drum for equality keep beating after the worst time of our lives.

PAGE Now with a ban in Tampa and a proposed ban in St. Petersburg, the Bay area is saying no to conversion therapy.

PAGE

PAGE

Read It Online!

In addition to a Web site with daily LGBTQ updates, a digital version of each issue of the publication is made available on WatermarkOnline.com

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With all of the destruction, outrage and giraffe news beating us down, Sabrina takes a few deep breaths and lets us all know how to have fun.

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Miguel is back out in the dating scene and, if you happen to be in the same boat, he is showing us just how to swipe right and take names.

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Apr il 20 - M Ay 3, 2017 // issue 24 .0 9

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Apr il 20 - M Ay 3, 2017 // issue 24 .0 9

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Our white house traitor operates on that principle.”

—ANTHONY J BORKA

editor’s

Billy Manes EDITOR

BIlly@WatermarkOnline.com

“A

Desk

n unnatural sex act

committed between persons of male sex or by humans with animals is punishable by imprisonment; the loss of civil rights might also be imposed.”

Imagine that for a second.

This was Paragraph 175, written into law by the German “Second Reich” in 1871; the law was later changed semantically, but the message remained the same: Gay men are not welcome here.

This week, thanks to St. Petersburg’s Florida Holocaust Museum’s breathtaking trip down history’s darkest lanes 25 years after the institution was founded, we look into how the pink triangle even happened, how the gay movement was influenced so deeply by the deaths of many.

Never again? Indeed. There were dogs, German Shepherds, that

ate away the gay in the most unimaginable ways. In no way is this a pretty story to tell, but staff writer Jeremy Williams does a fantastic job of digging in the dirt here, revealing details that even I – a history major – was unaware of.

For some it might be cathartic as a magazine read. For me it was.

My grandfather – allegedly – was enlisted in the German Army during that war. The only way I know this – because nobody ever talks about it, that’s how terrible – is that I found an SS pin in his drawer around the time of his death. It shook me to the

watermark staff

core, even at the age of 12 when I wasn’t out of the closet. Instead, I found a Nazi pin in his. We share a name. I’ll never forget.

But on the larger scale, these historical events, this framing, these constructs, reverberate through our modern times. We’re still being abused – a transgender person was killed just the day before I wrote this – we’re still being pushed into corners as corpses or enterprising people. It’s not fair, and that’s why we fight.

Most, if not all, of the “lust boys” are gone now. But the scars remain.

“We must exterminate these people (homosexuals) root and branch ... We can’t permit such danger to the country; the homosexual must be entirely eliminated,” Nazi Heinrich Himmler notoriously said in the ‘30s.

Paragraph 175 remained on the books until 1969.

“Even after the Nazi defeat in 1945, gay survivors continued to be persecuted,” online writer Peter Tatchell writes. “Men liberated from the concentration camps who had not completed their sentences were re-imprisoned by the victorious Allies. Since they were regarded as criminals, all were denied compensation for their suffering. The German government still refuses to pay reparations. As a further insult, the former SS guards are awarded better pensions. Their work in the concentration camps counts toward their pension entitlement, whereas the time spent in the camps by gay inmates doesn’t.”

They were still arrested. Over and over again.

This is why we need to know our history. It cannot repeat: not under this terrible regime, not under any nation. Our lessons have been learned. We need to continue to act on them.

This is why we need to know our history.

It cannot repeat: not under this terrible regime, not under any nation. Our lessons have been learned.

We need to continue to act on them. area. There is still so much to love. And there is still so much love to give.

Somewhere in here you’ll find radio celebrities talking about dating and weed, and that’s all good. We walked for the Hope & Help AIDS Walk in Orlando, brushed elbows-in-suits with the great people of Equality Florida at its St. Pete Gala. We showed our faces. We made it known. We’re loud and we’re proud.

Nothing’s gonna bring us down. Enjoy the issue and enjoy your life. Know more.

Love more.

Orlando Office

Founder and Guiding Light: Tom Dyer • Tom@WatermarkOnline.com

Sales Director: Danny Garcia

Owner & Publisher: Rick Claggett • Ext. 110 • Rick@WatermarkOnline.com

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Editor-in-Chief: Billy Manes • Ext. 101 • Billy@WatermarkOnline.com

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Account Manager: Dalton Connell

Art Director: Jake Stevens • Ext. 109 • Jake@WatermarkOnline.com Creative Assistant: Adam McCabe • Ext. 102 • AdProduction@WatermarkOnline.com Proofreading: Ed Blaisdell

Wow, that was heavy. But not everything in this glorious issue of Watermark is going to drag you down. From turmoil comes rebirth, and there is a lot that is happening in Florida – speaking of turmoil, suddenly last summer – that should be celebrated. There are people like attorney Barry Miller stepping up the plate to pay it forward with scholarship funds. There are folks like Tim Evanicki at the Parliament House singing their faces off in the face of despair. There are people keeping the dream of Judy Garland alive in the Tampa Bay

Ext. 105 • Dalton@WatermarkOnline.com Nat’l Ad Representative: Rivendell Media Inc. • 212-242-6863

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Apr il 20 - M ay 3, 2017 // Issue 24 .0 9

contributors Sabrina Ambra

is a cohost of Real Radio 104.1’s “News Junkie” program and will kick your ass if she needs to. Page 17

Miguel Fuller is the out and proud co-host of the Miguel & Holly show on HOT 101.5 FM in Tampa Bay. He also hosts everything! Page 21

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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9

central florida news

miller’s blessing:

Babes, bonnets, booty

Local attorney starts scholarship in the name of Pulse.

Staff report

O

rlando | The Parliament House Footlight Theatre was home again to the fabulous bonnet auction known as Babes in Bonnets April 10.

The annual Easter tradition, hosted by Darcel Stevens and Blue Star, is a community-wide fundraiser to benefit the Orlando Youth Alliance and featured more than a dozen beautiful bonnets paired with amazing gifts and prizes donated by local businesses and organizations.

The event raised a record setting $28,000.

“These few words of thanks can’t express the overwhelming gratitude and respect I have for all involved,” Stevens wrote on Facebook April 11.

“A special thanks to each model who beautifully represented, modeling an array of diverse creative bonnets… know that I’m extremely proud to be a part of this Orlando community, we’re strong, determined, and full of heart! Again, THANK YOU!” The event was supported by a GoFundMe account in advance which managed to raise over $3,000.

Not guilty?

Wire report

T

he wife of the gunman in the Orlando nightclub massacre has pleaded not guilty to charges of aiding and abetting her husband and obstruction of justice.

Noor Salman, wife of Pulse nightclub shooter Omar Mateen, made a brief appearance before a judge in the Orlando federal courthouse Wednesday.

The Orlando Sentinel reports Salman’s attorney waived the reading of an indictment and entered a not guilty plea for her.

Salman agreed last week to be transferred to Florida from California, where she’d been held since her January arrest. A tentative June trial date was set.

Prosecutors say Salman knew about Mateen’s plans to attack the nightclub on June 12, killing 49 people.

Her attorneys say she didn’t know the extent of his plans and has no connection to terror groups.

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Photo Courtesy barry miller

Funding the 49 Barry Miller of the Closing Agent does his part to make the drum for equality keep beating Billy Manes

O

rlando | Perhaps we’re feeling a bit of hubris on the LGBTQ end about coverage of the Pulse massacre. Or, in a brighter light, maybe we’re pooling our resources into something larger, something more important to keep LGBTQs in Florida afloat. Realtor and attorney Barry Miller is doing the hard work, starting The 49 Fund as a means of pushing through the tragedy and into something more.

The fund is, in fact, for college education. The fund is for moving past this nightmare. There are other funds in the pipeline from alternate sources, but Miller’s is the first of its kind in the wake of the June 12 tragedy. Watermark spoke with Miller recently, and he showed that his roots in the community are strong, and his aim is true.

“I’ve always been involved in the arts and the LGBTQ community for the last 20 years,” Miller says. “At one point I was the president of The Center and I was president when we spearheaded it, and it was my idea to get those buildings over there. I had

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

an apartment downtown; I’ve always been trying to get the community to move forward and be visible and stand up [for LGBTQ concerns].”

Miller, who makes a point of being present at most LGBTQ fundraisers, and, as such, is a serious funder for LGBTQ causes, comes from a history of paying it forward. It’s in his genes, he says.

“I grew up in a household of an educator, and with parents who were of that mindset where your kids are going to go to college – you’ve got to get to grow to be better. And my mother was a teacher, and taught so that she could afford to put us through school and that there’s always better education.”

Like many in the Orlando area – and worldwide – Miller felt called to action after the Pulse tragedy last year. At first there was trauma and bewilderment, he says.

“I was very affected by what happened here. How did that happen in our own backyard? I went to that vigil and I came back with my candle still lit and sat on my porch steps at my condo looking at the fountain.

And I sat there going, ‘How could this have happened? What are we going

Apr il 20 - M ay 3, 2017 // Issue 24 .0 9

to do to make sure it doesn’t again, and what kind of good could come out of that?’”

So Miller looked into what would be the best avenue for his advocacy.

At the time, there were numerous groups leaning in for funds, he says.

He started his with an advocacy approach, one that would pay it forward.

“Someone else who’s involved in the community, as soon as I said it, stepped right up to the plate,” he says. “Education is great and it’s really great that they’re doing it, but I like to make sure that these students give back to our community and give back to the LGBT community. So part of the scholarship application is — in the essay — first of all they have to be out. That’s the first gray area. And then a 3.0 grade-point average; they need to have a financial need; they have to be from Central Florida.”

If the standards sound strict, they’re intended to. Miller is doing this out of love for the community, he says.

“This is a homegrown fund for our community, and they need to show how they’re going to take a leadership role in our community in the future. It’s, ‘you’re going to be at The Center,’ or ‘you’re going to be at the Zebra Coalition,’ or ‘you’re going to be at Orlando Youth Alliance’ – whatever it is you like to do. There are so many opportunities in our community and we have such a need. You have to be giving back.

That’s what makes our fund the first of its kind; it’s unique and no one else is doing it and I’m passionate about it.”

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Apr il 20 - M ay 3, 2017 // Issue 24 .0 9

11

tampa bay news

passing Of BelOved drag Queen spurs figHT againsT silicOne prOcedures, memOrial fund alexis Vilaboy

voice For the kids:

t

ampa | In the month since Tanisha Cassadine died due to complications from silicone injections, almost $600 has been raised toward the memorial fund in her honor.

“Tanisha wasn’t just an employee at Hamburger Mary’s,” says Kurt King, who owns multiple franchises of the restaurant. “She was loved all over the United States. She is the Cassadine. Her name was everything.”

The fund, called The Divine Cassadine Transition Scholarship, was created by a close friend of the late entertainer, Taliyah Cassadine, in an effort to “help someone transition the right way and healthy way, but it will also aid in getting silicone injections removed,” according to the fund’s online page. The money raised will be given away each year at the Black Trans Advocacy Award Gala.

In 2013, 10,000 augmentations were performed by specialists in the U.S. To save money, many transgender women will get enhancements such as silicone injections on the black market.

Show director and promoter at Hamburger Mary’s Desiree DeMornay told WTSP News in Tampa, “You’re throwing dice. You could make it or you could not. It just depends on how your body reacts.”

DeMornay, who has been on the receiving end of illegal silicone injections, now preaches against the illegal practice to the transgender community.

“When a biological woman goes and gets plastic surgery, they may charge her $50,000, but when we go it’s like $125,000,” DeMornay told WTSP. “So it’s not convenient.”

Although this practice is quite common among the transgender community, a quick internet search reveals just how many of these under-the-table quick fixes go wrong and how the desire for a more womanly figure can lead to botched procedures and even death.

“With all the girls that work for me, we discussed it and everyone has promised to stop doing it,” King says of the 40-plus drag queens who work for him. “They’re not licensed. They’re not doctors. They’re not nurses.”

Along with discouraging all the women he knows from getting sketchy procedures, King contacted the FBI and the Florida Department of Health in the hopes of stopping the person responsible for Cassadine’s fatal procedure.

“They came out and took a report,” King says of the Florida Department of Health. “I gave the health department the name of the person who gave her the silicone. They’re investigating that and trying to stop her from doing that again.”

The FBI has not gotten back to King.

“She was an amazing friend,” King says of the dearly missed drag queen. “We became really close and did a lot of pageants together. We competed against each other and helped each other along the way.”

12

Kate Connolly speaks to the Tampa City Council April 6 on the importance of banning conversion therapy used on minors.

PHOTO COuRTESy Of KATE COnnOlly

Banned at the Bay Now with a ban in Tampa and a proposed ban in St. Petersburg, the Bay area is saying no to conversion therapy Jeremy Williams

t

ampa | The practice of conversion therapy has not only been deemed ineffective, but has been called harmful by every major medical organization, including the American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Even with all this opposition to conversion therapy, there is still no nationwide ban on the practice, so some state, county and city leaders have taken it upon themselves to get it banned at local levels, including right here in the Bay area.

The Tampa City Council voted unanimously April 6 to ban the practice of conversion therapy on minors. The ordinance was originally proposed by Tampa Councilman Guido Maniscalco earlier this year and had its first reading March 16.

Tampa LGBTQ activist Kate Connolly rallied support early on to get the ordinance to pass.

“I had been aware that Guido Maniscalco proposed it. Just from being a part of the political scene, I was hearing a lot of apathy and disbelief that it could ever be banned

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

in the city of Tampa; that it was unlikely and would just open the city up to lawsuits,” Connolly says. “I was very disappointed that people I call “haters” showed up at the proposal of the ordinance, and they were the only ones to make public comment.

There were no supporters of the ban, nobody from the LGBTQ community.

So I rallied around that because I didn’t want those haters to be the only ones to be making comment.”

Connolly rallied the troops, and by the ordinance’s first reading, members of the LGBTQ community came out to not only support the proposed ban but to also give public comment on it.

“I think this was important, if at the very least, as a symbolic gesture to make sure that the LGBTQ community knows that Tampa is a safe and welcoming place for them, especially the youth, because the homeless and substance abuse rates in the Tampa Bay area for LGBTQ youth are rising,” Connolly says. “It was a statement to the small, core group of people in Tampa Bay who were practicing [conversion therapy] and proud of it.”

The city council voted unanimously at both the first and second reading to pass the ban in

Apr il 20 - M Ay 3, 2017 // issue 24 .0 9

Tampa. In fact, the only discussion in adjusting the proposed ban was to strengthen the punishment against those who broke it.

“They are the highest proposed fines in the states of Florida,” Connolly says. “Even more than the bans down in South Florida.”

The unanimously approved measure punishes mental health professionals who offer the therapy to minors with a fine up to $1,000 for the first offense and fines up to $5,000 for repeat offenders. There is an exemption in the ordinance for anyone affiliated with religious organizations who are not licensed therapists. The fines will also not be imposed for therapists working with adults who wish to undergo a form of the therapy.

The same day the Tampa ordinance passed, St. Petersburg city councilmember Steve Kornell proposed a similar ordinance that would ban conversion therapy in his city. Kornell proposed a ban last year but it did not go anywhere.

“I’m not sure if Steve was planning to reintroduce the St. Pete ban again this year before we got it to pass in Tampa, but I definitely think that our ban is going to help gain him support in his efforts,” Connolly says. “He did tell me that he was very pleased that it went through in Tampa because that it made a case to ban it in St. Pete.”

Bans on conversion therapy are recognized in six states —California, Oregon, New Mexico, Illinois, New Jersey and Vermont— the District of Columbia and 15 other cities; including 10 in the state of Florida.

Tampa is the first Florida city outside of South Florida to pass a conversion therapy ban.

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state news

universiTy Of miami mOves fOrward wiTH clinic TO aid Transgender peOple felicia roopchand

m

iami | The University of Miami recently opened a LGBTQ Center for Wellness, Gender and Sexual Health. This will be one of the first in the southeastern region of the United States. This innovated clinic will provide a number of services to the LGBTQ community including comprehensive gender affirmation procedures.

“Gender affirmation surgery is major surgery that needs to be performed in a hospital setting rather than an ambulatory setting,” said Dr. Christopher Salgado, a gender affirming surgeon, professor of surgery, and editor of Gender Affirmation: Medical and Surgical Perspectives, according to a press release from the hospital.

The gender affirmation procedures include breast augmentation, facial feminization (ffs), gluteal and hip augmentation, orchiectomy, vaginoplasty, labiaplasty and clitoroplasty for women. For men, the procedures include chest construction, also known as “top surgery” or mastectomy, hysterectomy, bilateral oophorectomy, metoidioplasty and both stage one and two phalloplasty.

Along with gender affirmation procedures, the clinic will provide medical and mental health services specifically designed to meet the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning patients; including primary medical care with routine health care physicals and individual psychotherapy around all mental health issues as well as

transitioning issues.

The staff includes an array of UM physicians, including renowned UHealth transgender surgeon Christopher Salgado, M.D. “The clinic is a major milestone for the University of Miami and will help improve access to quality medical care for LGBTQ patients,” said Salgado.

HIV/AIDS treatment is also being provided as well as social workers who are on hand to assist in a patient’s emotional and psychological health. So not only is the hospital focused on the physical health of its patients, but the emotional and mental health as well.

“When you have a center devoted to the needs of LGBTQ people we treat you with both respect and compassion in addition to understanding what you are here for, whereas

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general health care providers may not understand,” said Lauren Foster, UMH’s Director of LGBTQ Concierge Services. “The clinic was uniquely designed to consider not only the patient’s physical needs but the emotional as well.”

Foster, who is a transgender woman and an LGBTQ leader, said members of the LGBTQ community often shy away from seeking medical care because of the complexities of their needs.

However, Foster said that the services provided by the center, particularly gender affirmation, are in higher demand because of greater insurance coverage, which didn’t exist until recently.

“In addition to younger patients getting the surgeries, we’re now seeing older trans men and women who were denied for so long,” Foster said.

In 2016, UMH was recognized as a “Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality” by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the educational arm of the country’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization.

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ilton manors | Authorities say they’re on a different kind of egg hunt following a series of egg-tossing incidents in Wilton Manors.

News outlets report that there have been five incidents of egg-tossing at pedestrians since April 2. Officials say people walking down the arts and entertainment district have been targeted by passing vehicles.

Wilton Manors Police Operations Commander Gary Blocker said on Friday that there have been no serious injuries, but the department wants to find the person or people who’ve been throwing eggs.

Blocker says the Wilton Manors is known as an LGBT community and they are committed to determining the intent behind the incidents and whether or not they’re motivated by dislike of the LGBT community.

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in other news Donald Trump Jr. scoffs LGBT college students ‘triggered’ by Chick-fil-A Donald Trump Jr. dismissed LGBT college students’ concerns over a Chik-fil-A coming to their campus in a tweet April 13. Trump Jr. retweeted a Daily Caller article about Duquesne University students who were worried about the addition of a Chik-fil-A location on their campus. “Luckily these students wont [sic] likely have to tackle issues more stressful than a yummy chicken sandwich in their lives… Oh Wait #triggered,” Trump Jr. captioned the tweet. In response to student’s concerns, Chick-fil-A released a statement saying, “Everyone is welcome in our restaurants.”

Utah transgender candidate to run for Congress Democrat Misty Snow announced April 13 she will take aim again at becoming the first openly transgender woman elected in Utah. Snow said she will challenge U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart in the state’s 2nd Congressional District in 2018. Snow earned Utah’s Democratic nomination last year for U.S. Senate but lost to incumbent U.S. Sen. Mike Lee by a 68-15 percent margin. Snow, a 31-year-old grocery store clerk, said she decided to challenge Stewart because she thinks GOP representatives will be vulnerable in 2018 due to President Donald Trump’s actions.

Nevada law requires juvenile courts, foster care to treat trans youth based on their identifying gender Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval signed a law April 11 mandating foster care facilities and juvenile courts treat transgender children as their identifying gender.

It also establishes training for social workers and foster parents on working with foster kids who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or questioning their sexuality.

Many treatment and detention centers currently are segregated by biological sex. The law will take effect on Oct. 1, though regulators can begin drafting corresponding rules immediately.

Transgender death in Saudi Arabia prompts call for inquiry Human Rights Watch is calling on Saudi Arabia to investigate the death of a Pakistani transgender woman who had been detained by police in the capital, Riyadh, following a raid on a private gathering. The rights organization says a family member claims the transgender woman was tortured in custody. Human Rights Watch said April 13 the medical report states the body did not show “any signs of suspicious wounds.”

A police memo says the detainee complained of chest pains and was taken to a hospital. Saudi news website Sabq published pictures of the February raid, showing men dressed in women’s clothing and makeup with their identities concealed.

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Joe Biden condemns gay Chechnya arrests Michael K. Lavers of The Washington Blade courtesy of the National Gay Media Association

F

ormer Vice President Joe Biden condemned the arrests of gay men in Chechnya April 14.

“I am disgusted and appalled by reports from both the Russian media and non-governmental organizations that authorities in the Russian republic of Chechnya have rounded up, tortured and even murdered individuals who are believed to be gay,” said Biden in a statement he posted to the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement’s Facebook page. “When faced with such crimes of hate and inhumanity, it is the responsibility of every person of conscience to speak out — to oppose this campaign of violence before it continues further.”

“Every man or woman on this earth is entitled to be treated with dignity — to live without fear and to love freely,” he added. “Unfortunately, the human rights abuses perpetrated

by Chechen authorities and the culture of impunity that surrounds them means that these hate crimes are unlikely to ever be properly investigated or that the perpetrators will see justice. But that does not mean that we should fail to defend basic human rights, fundamental freedoms and universal values.”

Novaya Gazeta, a Russian newspaper, has reported that authorities in Chechnya, which is a semi-autonomous Russian republic in the Caucasus that is predominantly Muslim, have arrested more than 100 men in “connection with their non-traditional sexual orientation, or suspicion of such.”

Novaya Gazeta said authorities beat and tortured the men with electric shocks. The newspaper also reported at least three of the men who Chechen authorities arrested later died.

Novaya Gazeta reported gay men have been sent to secret prisons that have been described as “concentration camps.” The Russian LGBT Network confirmed these reports to the Washington Blade.

The State Department last week said in a statement that it is

“increasingly concerned about the situation” in Chechnya, but it has not publicly commented on the secret prisons.

Vitit Muntarbhorn and other U.N. human rights experts urged Chechen authorities April 13 to release the gay men who remain in custody. They also called upon the Russian government “to take urgent measures to protect the life, liberty and security of gay and bisexual people in Chechnya and to investigate, prosecute and punish acts of violence motivated by the victim’s sexual orientation.”

British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson and Randy Boissonnault, who advises Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on LGBT and intersex issues, are among the world leaders who have condemned Chechen authorities. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley also condemned the abuses April 18.

President Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson — who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Kremlin officials in Moscow on Wednesday — have not publicly commented on the gay men’s arrests.

which were the subject matter of this lawsuit are hereby dismissed with prejudice,” the notice says.

After North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper signed into law the replacement measure for HB2, whether the Justice Department would continue the lawsuit it filed against the state over the initial law was in question. As of last month, a Justice Department said the U.S. government “reviewing its litigation posture” in the aftermath of the HB2 replacement.

Lynch’s lawsuit alleged HB2, which barred cities from enacting pro-LGBT ordinances and transgender people from using the restroom consistent with their gender identity, contravenes federal law. The Justice Department alleged the law violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013.

The deal Cooper signed, House Bill 142, replaces HB2 with a measure that LGBT advocates say

is a bait-and-switch attempt giving the appearance of repeal while doubling-down on discrimination.

HB 142 prohibits state agencies, municipalities and the University of North Carolina from the “regulation of access” to bathrooms, locker rooms and showers unless they have the legislature’s permission.

It also bans municipalities until 2020 from enacting LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination measures that would apply to private businesses or public accommodations.

The withdraw of DOJ’s lawsuit in the aftermath of the switch is consistent with Sessions’ actions against transgender rights since his confirmation as U.S. attorney general. In fact, the Justice Department last month nixed its request for a preliminary injunction against HB2 in favor of an existing injunction against the law that was significantly more limited and applied only to plaintiffs in a separate lawsuit.

DOJ withdraws lawsuit against N.C. over anti-trans bathroom law Chris Johnson of The Washington Blade courtesy of the National Gay Media Association

A

lthough North Carolina replaced anti-LGBT House Bill 2 with a law that critics say still enables anti-LGBT discrimination, the U.S. Justice Department has withdrawn the lawsuit against the state filed last year under Obama administration.

In a five-page notice, the Justice Department under U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced it has voluntarily withdrawn the lawsuit filed last year by former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

“In light of the passage of North Carolina Session Law 2017-4, House Bill 142, and pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 41, the Parties in the above-captioned action hereby stipulate that all claims or causes of action against Defendants and all counterclaims against Plaintiff

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Apr il 20 - M ay 3, 2017 // Issue 24 .0 9

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viewpoint

Sabrina Ambra

ladyfingers Write high, edit sober

I

’ve gotten into the

habit of watching the news every weekday morning. I sit in a very un-ladylike position on the couch while I sip on shitty coffee and watch the daily disasters across the nation.

“Some doctors claim that a half-packet of Splenda may be rotting your insides at this very moment. How to prevent your impending death… Tonight at 6.”

Death; destruction; Trump; traffic; outrage; pregnant giraffe; The Holocaust Center; the pregnant giraffe. Rinse. Repeat. It would be my Splenda that kills me. Not cardiac arrest or saving someone’s life or death by electrocution via my plug-in “back massager.”

Nope. Splenda.

It’s all so fucked, but you know what? Today is a special day.

Nearly 100 million Americans know exactly why this day is special (I am basing that number off of the folks who actually decided to participate in the survey I referred to for that information – so probably more). Imagine that every single one of you folks (yes, you included) is reading this at the exact same time, and you are all higher than April the Giraffe’s vajayjay. Whoa. Did you hear that? The sound of millions of people doing a simultaneous nose-exhale after reading “vajayjay.” I say “nose-exhale” because you and I both know that’s what we really do when we read something funny on the Internet. NE is the new LOL. If you can’t already tell, I’m in Colorado and I am paying homage to the one thing that has helped me keep my sanity during these trying-ass times. I do

enjoy a jazz cigarette every now and then. There, I said it. But before you slam down the judgment hammer, let me say this: I respect that it may not be your cup of tea. And I don’t see why we can’t all just be cool with each other’s choices in tea.

Unless it’s heroin tea.

That stuff is really not good for you. If you’re still scoffing at me, then I’m a little sad, because I thought we had a bit of a budding friendship thing going on. I’m a smart lady, I work hard, I feed my cat every day, and yes, I’m an advocate for the wackey tobackey. Here are a few reasons why...

One of the greatests gifts life can give you is sharing a deep, insuppressible, cannot-breathe-type laughter session with another human being. You don’t necessarily need the Devil’s Cabbage for that experience, but it certainly makes it more obtainable.

It’s almost like the feeling you get after incredible, non-regrettable sex. It’s good. real good.

Alone time is good for you too, sometimes even necessary. WIth that time alone, remember that it’s important to be able to laugh at yourself once in a while, to find the humor in the fickle beast we call “life.” I would go as far as to say that the universe has purposefully set up the awkward situations I constantly find myself in – it’s part of my “plan,” I’m sure of it. I assume it’s because I’m a weird person. It’s an approachable and often entertaining kind of weird, but weird nonetheless. So, when you put that all together and add in a conversation with Sampson, the results are what many have said is pure brilliance. The following are excerpts from an imaginary book called My D.A.R.E. Officer Never Mentioned How Fun This Was...

“I just spent 20 minutes trying to help what I thought was a lost dog.” (March 2017)

“Everytime someone calls me a teenage witch, I thank the TV gods for not making a show called, Scabby Sabby first.” (November 2014) “I wish I could be a fly on the wall for the parties Jesus and his friends got blacked out at since these seem to be

Every which way you look, it seems like there is another funnel-shaped shitstorm about to touch land. During times like these, where we feel as if there is no grasp on what will happen next, why not spend a day getting high? You don’t even need

time; as a matter of fact I would go as far to say that it is doctor-recommended.

(Please note that I’m the doctor and my medical experience is solely based on a decade of watching Grey’s Anatomy.) Life throws lemons, we’ve

the lean green machine: Get your giggle on with a friend, say “What’s up?” to Mother Nature, go to a karaoke bar and sing a Beatles song.

Whatever which way you decide to get elevated, find your muse and ENJOY IT! I’ll leave you with this, my friends. There’s no harm in having a good

heard the phrase. Just remember when you’ve made enough lemonade, you can learn how to juggle or put them under your shirt and pretend they’re boobs. You see? It’s easy to have fun – and you don’t have to go all the way to Colorado to do so.

One of the greatests gifts life can give you is sharing a deep, insuppressible, cannot-breathe-type laughter session with another human being. You don’t necessarily need the Devil’s Cabbage for that experience, but it certainly makes it more obtainable. missing from the Bible and we all know it happened.”

(April 2013) “How did people who have a hunchback react when they heard ‘My Humps’ by the Black Eyed Peas for the first time?” (September 2015) I think we can all agree the world, as we know it, is pretty cray-cray right now.

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Apr il 20 - M ay 3, 2017 // Issue 24 .0 9

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Apr il 20 - M Ay 3, 2017 // issue 24 .0 9

and Vegeterian Cuisine Greek, Mediterranean,

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Miguel Fuller

HigH fideliTy

h

The dating game ere we are. back to

square one. Back to Tinder.

Back to Grindr. Back to Scruff.

Back to Jack’d (yes, that’s actually a dating app).

Most of my time spent on the radio in Tampa Bay, I have been Miguel, the guy who is in a relationship.

A week or so before Valentine’s Day that all changed.

So here I am – single, kind of ready to mingle and jumping back into the dating world – but how do you do it?

Clearly the physical aspect is easy, but what about the wooing, the flirting, the dates, the texting back and forth? How does it all work? If you find yourself newly single, like me, I have put together a few notes of things I have discovered since I’ve been single and back on the dating scene.

Here is the breakdown of the apps. If you are on Grindr, everyone assumes you are looking for some late night lovin’. Most of the people I’ve encountered on there were not looking to discuss my thoughts on the series finale of Downton Abbey or asking about my weird obsession with all things buffalo chicken.

The guys are usually straight to the people and ready to spend some time wrestling around in the bedroom. Since I’m more of a chatty guy who likes to deeply probe your emotional background and find out why you tick, I had to turn my sights on a different app.

In walks dating app Tinder. At first glance, Tinder

is everything that’s wrong with dating in 2017. A picture of a guy pops up, you make a split second decision on if they are hot or not. You like them, you swipe their face to the right; if you don’t want to chat with them, you swipe their face to the left. Then you wait to see if they swiped right on you. If they do, BAM!, you’ve made a connection. Now, that seems fun, but I’ve gone a couple of days of swiping and not matching with anyone.

There goes my already fragile self-confidence.

Is everyone in Tampa Bay really swiping left on my face?!?! Then you finally get that satisfying notification that you have a new match!

This clearly must be your soul mate, right? You delve further into their profile to find out their favorite food is Mexican. You spend a few minutes creating a witty opening message.

This clearly will get them to message you back.

Two days and you hear nothing from them.

I still don’t understand why people match but then don’t message you back.

Maybe that’s my experience.

I just railed on Tinder but there is some positive to the dating app. I have had some of the most promising, engaging conversations on Tinder. Once you get past the fact that it’s merely based on looks, I have had some meaningful conversations on there. So let’s say you make it past Grindr and Tinder and you actually meet someone of note and interest to you.

Now it’s time for a date.

My M.O. for a long time was to plan a fancy-fun-first-date. Let’s do an expensive dinner somewhere and put on some fancy clothes. Maybe a wine tasting? Or maybe I’ll drop some green backs on a concert and we can have a magical evening getting to know each other as we share the musical stylings of an artist we both love.

DON’T DO IT.

I’ve learned that elaborate first dates create a lot of pressure for both people. If you are the one planning the event, you are stressed the entire time wondering if the other person is having a great time. What if they aren’t having a good time and you

feel like you are breaking the bank. In my experience, those have been a win-win.

You can plan the hot air balloon for the second date.

How do you navigate the world of texting? Your gut is telling you to text the new person you are interested in non-stop. You

find a happy medium. I have found that you have to feel the other person out. If they are taking forever to respond to texts they are either playing you or not that interested. It’s a very delicate balance. What does all this mean for my dating life so far? Take it easy.

just spent all this time and energy putting on romcom worthy first date?

Here’s my advice: Do a meet and greet. Meet someone for coffee or drinks during a happy hour.

Have something planned for afterward so you can make it short and sweet. There’s no pressure and you don’t

just want to hear from the person you are interested in all the time. Your friends are telling you “play the game.” They say to wait a couple of hours between each text message to leave them wanting more. Even though I’m a believer in that rule, when it comes to texting, I think you should

There’s no rush. There’s no need to try and find a soul mate at this moment. Slow down and become friends.

Delve into the relationship.

This of course is easier said than done.

I’ve learned that elaborate first dates create a lot of pressure for both people. if you are the one planning the event, you are stressed the entire time wondering if the other person is having a great time.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Miguel Fuller, Morning Host – Miguel & Holly on HOT 101.5 Mornings @ MiguelFuller

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Apr il 20 - M Ay 3, 2017 // issue 24 .0 9

20

talking points This is my life. We’ve been together for all these years.

Everybody knows that we’re a team. Everybody that I know knows.

%

so, it never really dawned on me to say anything about it. i mean, i’m a very private guy. i don’t even like people knowing the names of my dogs, so for the public to get that close was really very… it was strange that we were even talking about it. But i don’t mind at all.

I’m proud of it, I am. I’m proud of it.

— barry manilow, to ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT about him publicly coming out oF the closet at 73 years old.

SURVIVOR COnTEsTanT OuTs fEllOW

COMPETITOR as TRansGEnDER

s

Of

URVIVOR contestant Zeke smith was outed as transgender by fellow competitor Jeff Varner on the April 12 episode of the CBS reality competition. Varner made accusations of “a deception” before revealing that Smith is transgender on the episode. Varner was immediately criticized by other players. He repeatedly apologized, but was voted out of the competition. In the tense tribal council, which was taped last year, Smith explained that he didn’t mention that he was transgender because he didn’t want to be known as “the trans Survivor player. I wanted to be Zeke the Survivor player.” The move prompted online criticism and condemnation by major LGBTQ rights group GLAAD.

MILLENNIALS (AGES 18-34)

IDENTIFY AS LGBTQ. A NOTABLE

INCREASE FROM 12% Of

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AND 7% OF THE

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— GLAAD’s third annual Accelerating Acceptance report

J

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RaPPER MykkI BlanCO RElEasEs ‘hIDEaWay’ vIDEO On hIv sTIGMa

ude law will play young albus dumbledore in the next Fantastic Beasts installment.

Warner Bros. announced the casting April 11. The iconic wizard was played by two actors in the Harry Potter films, beginning with Richard Harris. After Harris’ death in 2002, Michael Gambon inherited the role. J.K. Rowling, who has said Dumbledore is gay, has previously teased that the five-part Fantastic Beasts prequel franchise will explore a more “troubled” time in Dumbledore’s life. The author said, “We’ll see him at that formative period of his life.

As far as his sexuality is concerned, watch this space.” The next Fantastic Beasts film is scheduled for release November 2018.

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q

ueer rapper mykki blanco released her music video “Hideaway” in honor of National Youth HIV/ AIDS Day April 10. Directed by Daisy Zhou, the video interprets the stigma faced by individuals with HIV. It shows Blanco as she takes her antiviral medication before getting ready for a show. A couple is also in the room where one partner is HIV-positive and faces abuse by the partner who is HIV-negative.

Blanco is particularly passionate about the subject, because she revealed on Facebook in 2011 she was HIV-positive. “When we choose to stigmatize those living with HIV, we do a disservice to our own humanity,” Blanco says in the video’s introduction.

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BRITIsh vOGuE aPPOInTs fIRsT Gay, MalE EDITOR-In-ChIEf

E

dward enninFul has been named editor-in-chief of British Vogue. Enninful, 45, will succeed Alexandra Shulman for the position. The job brings a series of firsts to the publication.

Enninful will be the first male editor, first black editor and the first openly gay editor to helm the magazine. Enninful was appointed fashion director of British fashion magazine i-D at the age of 18. This made him the youngest person to be fashion director for an international publication. His credentials also include contributing editor to Vogue Italia, contributing fashion editor for American Vogue and fashion and style-director of W. Enninful begins his editor-in-chief duties on Aug. 1.

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In-DEPTh: ThE hOlOCausT

An exhibit at the Florida Holocaust Museum takes a look at the persecution of gay men in Nazi Germany

G

Jeremy Williams

ERMANY TO PARDON TENS OF

thousands of homosexual men convicted under anti-gay, World War II era law, Paragraph 175.

This is not a headline that flashed across newspapers worldwide at the end of the worst war in human history 70 years ago.

It didn’t hit the evening news in the ‘60s, ‘70s or ‘80s as countries across the planet decriminalized

homosexuality and began to revoke those laws. This is a headline you will see if you log onto your computers now, scroll through Facebook or Twitter and read the words of German Justice Minister Heiko Maas from this past March.

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“The rehabilitation of men who ended up in court purely because of their homosexuality is long overdue,” Maas said.

The German Cabinet, led

by Chancellor Angela Merkel, announced support March 22 for a bill that would annul the convictions of thousands of gay men under a law criminalizing homosexuality. Much like in the United States, Germany’s LGBTQ

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Becoming a 175er: German police file photo of a man arrested in October 1937 for suspicion of violating Paragraph 175. US Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Landesarchiv, Berlin Paragraph 175 | uu | The Holocaust from pg.29

community has had a long battle within their homeland to gain equality, with no battle more devastating than that during Germany’s Third Reich. The Nazis took Paragraph 175, a long standing anti-gay law in Germany’s criminal code, and strengthened it to justify the arrest, detention and execution of German gay men between 1933 and 1945, making them a targeted group in the worst genocide in human history.

The Florida Holocaust Museum, celebrating its 25th year, brings the hidden truth of LGBTQ life during the Holocaust and WWII to light via the exhibit titled “Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals” April 30- July 2 and the documentary Paragraph 175 (showing June 21 in St. Petersburg). And as we witness allegations of gay men forced to sit on bottles in Chechnyan concentration camps playing out in today’s media, the resonance of those tortured in the Holocaust rings only more clearly and frighteningly.

“They were persecuted, punished and ostracized by the German state just because of their love for men, because of their sexual identity,” Maas said in his online post.

Paragraph 175 was established as a part of the German penal code in 1871, the year Germany became a unified nation, and reads: “An unnatural sex act committed between persons of the male sex or by humans with animals is punishable by imprisonment; the loss of civil rights may also be imposed.”

Paragraph 175 did not apply to women and only pertained to a penetrative sex act between two men.

“It wasn’t enough for two guys to be kissing or for two guys to seem like they were about to engage in sex. There needed to be some type of proof that penetrating sex had occurred,” says Dr. Erik Jensen, associate professor of History at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, who will be in attendance at the Florida Holocaust Museum’s exhibit May 4 to give the opening keynote address.

Along with it being difficult to get a conviction under Paragraph 175, Germany began to alter their censorship laws in the 1890s and into the 20th century.

“There was an exception made to the censorship laws that said that as long as a publication has some scientific purpose, you can publish it and distribute it,” Jensen says.

In the beginning of the 20th

century, an early gay movement started emerging in Germany under the auspices of scientific organizations and particular scientists who sought to study the biological root cause of homosexuality.

“These circles of gay men and women would come together to hear these scientific lectures.

They would subscribe to these magazines that would give the latest results of scientific research. Everything was done in the interest of advancing science,” Jensen says. “But because the topic of the research was specifically homosexuality, it enabled all of these people who would otherwise not be able to find one another, to come together.”

Within these meetings the early gay rights movement began to develop. Gay and lesbian Germans started to develop mailing lists, publishing magazines and opening bars and clubs all geared toward the gay community.

“Germany is kind of legendary as being a ’Gay Paradise’ in the 1920s. There was a flourishing bar scene in Berlin and Hamburg and Cologne and all these big cities. There was an active movement to repeal Paragraph 175. There were films made about homosexuality. There were nationwide organizations of gay

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men and women that were partly social, partly political,” Jensen says. ”If you wanted to be a gay man or woman somewhere in the world in the 1920s, you’d probably want to do it in Germany, specifically in Berlin.”

Gays for Hitler

As the 1920s came to a close, a small political party on the far right in Germany began to make a stir. The National Socialist German Workers’ Party, or Nazi Party, longed to restore Germany to its “rightful position as a world power” that they felt they lost after their defeat in WWI. After the Great Depression decimated the economies of the industrialized world in 1929, the German people started to look for someone to blame for the rising unemployment and widespread misery. The Nazi Party, led by Adolf Hitler, tapped into that fear and anger and gave the German people a target to point their blame to.

“The Nazi Party, as they’re coming to power, their main target was always the Jews and communists,” Jensen says. ”Those were always the two specters in the Nazi mind that threatened to crush Germany and needed to be both booted out from within Germany and from the rest of Europe.”

In the early years of the Nazi movement, gay men were not seen as a target. Some even stood with, and as part of, the Nazi Party. Ernst

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Röhm was a German military officer, co-founder of the Nazi SA (better known as the Storm Troopers or “Brownshirts”) and was openly gay.

“Röhm was the second-most important figure in the Nazi Party and in the new regime after Hitler himself,” Jensen says. “Hitler was on record saying that [being gay] wasn’t a big deal and what a guy does in private is his own business.

It was not a surprise to Hitler that Röhm liked to sleep with men. It certainly didn’t bother him.”

It was reported at the time that Röhm’s chiefs in the SA were almost exclusively gay, and in 1931 a German newspaper published letters Röhm had written to a friend discussing his homosexual affairs.

Over the years, some have even speculated that Hitler carried such a close relationship with Röhm because he himself was bisexual, although these speculations have largely been dismissed by most historians. There is no indication that any of this bothered Hitler until 1933.

In January 1933, the Nazis took power in Germany and began to dismantle anything that they themselves could not keep control of, and anything that did not fall in line with their view of traditional values and racial purity.

“In general, the closing down of gay publications and gay bars and

Continued on pg. 33 | uu |

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| uu | The Holocaust from pg.31

gay associations that happened immediately after the Nazis came to power was all part of this larger Nazi process of establishing complete control over German society. They wanted to eliminate all independent publications that were not issued by Nazis. They wanted to eliminate all associations that were not sanctioned by the Nazis. They wanted to eliminate independent spheres of sociability that they couldn’t keep tabs on,” Jensen says.

Hitler started to grow suspicious of Röhm by mid-1933 which caused a power struggle between Röhm and Heinrich Himmler, the head of Hitler’s paramilitary organization, the SS. “Röhm was more associated with the left wing of the Nazi Party that wanted to take the socialist element of national socialism really seriously and that made business leaders nervous,” Jensen says.

Himmler began a smear campaign to purge the party of Röhm and his Storm Troopers.

Propaganda began to highlight Röhm’s sexuality calling it an “unsavory element” that the German people would not want in charge of their young men. The attacks on Röhm and the SA came to a head June 30, 1934, when the Nazis carried out a series of executions against the leaders of the SA, including Röhm, known as the Night of Long Knives.

“It’s likely that propaganda backlash after the purge of Röhm helped fuel the targeting of homosexuals,” Jensen says. “But even more important is once Röhm is gone, Himmler fills his place at the side of Hitler.”

Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals

Himmler was now one the most powerful men in the Nazi Party and the one most responsible for the Holocaust. Himmler was also extremely homophobic.

“Gay men were still being arrested under Paragraph 175 up to this point, but the increase in arrests and the eventual sending of them to the camps was an agenda item of Himmler,” Jensen says. “He believed this notion that gay men were weak and — especially in a state that was predicated on the assertion of strong male power — this was seen as problematic to him.

The Nazi regime relied a lot on male bonding. It was a male intensive organization where these men were

Equality Germany: A 1907 political

cartoon depicting sex-researcher Magnus Hirschfeld, ‘Hero of the Day,’ drumming up support for the abolition of Paragraph 175 of the German penal code that criminalized homosexuality. The banner reads, ‘Away with Paragraph 175!’ The caption reads, ‘The foremost champion of the third sex!’

US Holocaust Memorial Museum Photo Archives

supposed to develop camaraderie with one another and persecuting homosexuals was a way to draw a clear line between acceptable male bonding and crossing the line into homosexual contact.”

The Nazi’s repression of gay men began almost immediately once Hitler took power, and men were still being arrested under Paragraph 175, but in late 1934, the Gestapo, Hitler’s secret police under the rule of Himmler, started

LGBTQ Press: Cover of the September

1931 issue of Die Insel (The Island), a magazine for homosexuals, edited by Martin Radzuweit. Although illegal, homosexuality was generally tolerated in pre-Nazi Germany, particularly in urban areas.

Some 30 literary, cultural, and political journals for homosexual readers appeared during the Weimar era. US Holocaust Memorial Museum

In the summer of 1935, the Nazis overhauled the German criminal code, rewriting laws they felt needed revising.

“The most famous examples of these new rewritten laws are the Nuremberg laws that are promulgated against the Jews and are predicated on this idea that we need to decide who is a Jew and who is not,” Jensen says. “This is also when the Nazi Party decides that Paragraph 175 needs to be

Worked to Death: Operating room in Barrack R1 of

sick-bay in Sachsenhausen concentration camp. After November 1942, concentration camp commandants were authorized to order the castration of prisoners in unspecified “special cases,” thus permitting the compulsory castration of incarcerated homosexuals.

Gedenkstätte und Museum Sachsenhausen, Oranienburg

of other expressions of same-sex affection that led up to, but might not have included, actual penetration. Even a long embrace could warrant a conviction.

Certainly kissing, rubbing and mutual masturbation was now illegal,” Jensen says.

Along with the strengthening of Paragraph 175, the Nazis added in Paragraph 175A which increased prison sentences for those found guilty of being a homosexual and

They wanted to eliminate all independent publications that were not issued by Nazis. They wanted to eliminate all associations that were not sanctioned by the Nazis. They wanted to eliminate independent spheres of sociability —Erik Jensen that they couldn’t keep tabs on.

to increase surveillance of those suspected of being gay based on police “pink lists.”

These lists consisted of names based on a variety of reasons including previous arrests under Paragraph 175, political affiliation and accusations of being a homosexual by neighbors. The increased investigation into these men’s lives led some who could to flee the country, while others concealed their homosexuality by marrying lesbians or chose to commit suicide.

strengthened.”

The revised law was put into effect September 1, 1935, and opened up the definition of what was “homosexual activity” under Paragraph 175.

The expansion of Paragraph 175 made it illegal for a man to engage in any contact with another man, whether it be physical or in the form of words or gestures that could be construed as sexual.

“The expanded scope of that law made it much easier to get a conviction, to include all sorts

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made it easier for the state to get a conviction.

Under this new revised law, more than 100,000 men were arrested and 50,000 were convicted of homosexual acts in the Nazi era.

The Gestapo’s job made easier by denunciations from bystanders.

Neighbors turned in neighbors as society began labeling gay men as “antisocial parasites” and “enemies of the state” thanks to Nazi propaganda. The majority of those convicted spent time in German prison, some were sent

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to concentration camps, and some served in both.

“They would do a prison sentence and then be released into SS custody in concentration camps,” Jensen says. “Exact numbers are hard to come by because so many of the men did not come forward after the camps were liberated.

It’s estimated that 15,000 men were sent to camps just because they were gay. Of those men, it is estimated that up to 10,000 of them died in those camps.”

Camp Treatment of 175ers

The first of the Nazi’s concentration camps were improvised in local prisons, military barracks and abandoned factories.

They began sending people to them almost immediately after Hitler took power in Germany.

“Dachau, the first concentration camp, was open March 1933. It was open, though, almost entirely for socialists and communists. It was for political prisoners,” Jensen says. ”By 1934, certainly there were gay men who were being sent to concentration camps probably because they were also political dissidents.”

It wasn’t long after that that Himmler started overseeing the camp system which fell under SS control. The main camps

Continued on pg. 35 | uu |

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| uu | The Holocaust from pg.33

for homosexuals were the work camps: Sachsenhausen, Buchenwald and Dachau.

“It’s important to make a distinction here between the two types of camps that the regime had: concentration camps and extermination camps. The extermination camps were for Jews and Romas, so-called ‘gypsies,’” Jensen says. “The other camps were these work camps that they used for the other groups of people such as communists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Masons and gay men.”

The prisoners of these camps were given identification badges.

Red for political prisoners, green for criminals, blue for immigrants, purple for Jehovah’s Witnesses, brown for Romas and pink for homosexual men. Jews wore a yellow triangle with another inverted triangle to make the Star of David.

Gay men also wore a black dot on the back of their uniform with the number 175 inside of it to designate that they were a criminal under Paragraph 175. They came to be known as “175ers” in the camps.

The 175ers were abused physically and sexually by SS camp guards, and assigned grueling work in dangerous conditions, at times being fed barely enough to keep them upright. Himmler referred to this as “extermination through work.”

The 175ers not only suffered at the hands of the guards. Other prisoners saw them either as criminals who rightfully belonged in the camps or shunned them fearing guilt by association. The 175ers were left isolated and alone.

Once the war began, the purpose of the camps shifted from “correcting the behavior” to “exploitation of labor.”

“The original idea was that work was a type of therapy that would make these guys more productive members of society,” Jensen says. ”Once the war starts, they begin to engage these inmates in labor that was somehow productive for the war effort.”

The death rate among 175ers in the camps increased, partly due to the dangerous jobs they were forced to do in the camps, and partly at the hands of the SS guards.

Nazi scientists also began to experiment on 175ers, attempting to isolate the “homosexual gene” and cure it so that these men could be sent out to fight.

“They began experimenting

A Third Reich “cure”: Prisoners at forced labor in the Mauthausen concentration camp. Beginning in 1943, homosexuals were among those in concentration camps who were killed in an SS-sponsored “extermination through work” program. Nederlands Instituut voor Oorlogsdocumentatie, courtesy US Holocaust Memorial Museum on gay men in the early 1940s,” Jensen says. “There was a guy in Sachsenhausen, a camp outside of Berlin, named Carl Værnet. He was fascinated by hormone therapy as a form of treatment for homosexuality.

Other doctors worked with gay men and female prostitutes thinking that they could re-educate these guys through sex. A lot of them experimented with castration as a form of treatment.”

In some cases, the castration was forced upon the men, but in many cases they were offered release from the camps if they cooperated in these experiments.

“More often than not, they would not be released,” Jensen says. ”By the later years of the war as the regime was desperate for manpower, men were oftentimes experimented on and released from the concentration camps into these units that were immediately sent into combat just to occupy Allied firepower.”

The Nazis used 175ers as human shields in the field, and those left in the camps were used as examples to instill fear in other prisoners or as target practice by bored SS guards.

Survivors tell stories of SS guards

who would toss the hats of 175ers near the fence and order them to retrieve it. The ones who went to the fence were shot, then accused of attempting to escape. Those who did not retrieve them were severely beaten.

Pierre Seel, a French 175er survivor, recalls his time in the concentration camps in the 2000 documentary Paragraph 175. Seel was 16 years old when he was arrested, beaten and sodomized with a piece of wood. He was then sent to a camp where he was forced to watch the death of his teenage lover.

“It happened in front of me and 300 prisoners. The death of Jo, my friend. He was condemned to die, eaten by dogs. German dogs.

German shepherds. And that, I can never forget,” Seel says in the documentary.

Liberation For Some

The first of the camps to be reached by Allied forces was Majdanek in Poland, liberated by the Soviets in July 1944. More camps would be reached and liberated by

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Soviet, American and British forces up to the end of the war in Europe in April 1945. Those in the camps went go on to be set free, except for the 175ers.

“It’s not a story of liberation in the same way that it was for other groups when these camps were opened up by the Allies,” Jensen says. “There were many cases of people who had to serve out the rest of their sentence.”

As the Allied Military Government of Germany began to repeal countless laws created or strengthened under Nazi rule, one law they left was the Nazi revision of Paragraph 175. Many gay men imprisoned in the camps under the law were forced to finish their sentences in German prisons, most of whom did not have their time in the camps counted toward their prison sentence.

After the war, Germany was divided: East Germany under control of the communist Soviet Union, and West Germany under the watchful eye of the U.S., the United Kingdom and France. West Germany continued to use the Nazi-strengthened Paragraph

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175 until 1969 when the law was changed to decriminalize homosexuality between men over the age of 21. In 1973, the law was further changed to lower the age of consent to 18. Paragraph 175 was not completely removed from German law until 1994.

In the years after the war, all groups held in concentration camps were designated victims and received compensation from the West German government, all except homosexuals. The 175ers were not acknowledged as victims by the German government until May 8, 1985, and those who were convicted under Paragraph 175 during the Nazi era were officially pardoned in 2002. Those convicted after the fall of the Third Reich are waiting for German parliamentary approval for their convictions to be annulled.

“The strength of a state of law is reflected in having the strength to correct its own mistakes,” Maas wrote in his post. “We have not just the right but the obligation to act.”

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aRTs anD EnTERTaInMEnT

PLAYING

JUDY Melissa Minyard becomes gay icon Judy Garland in End of the Rainbow at freeFall Theatre

t

Jeremy Williams

he expression “gay icon” gets

used a lot these days. It’s attached to entertainers, performers and divas – usually women – who carry the same characteristics labeled on LGBTQ people as they struggle for acceptance: fighter; passionate; survivor.

With every generation, a new group of these icons penetrate pop culture in different ways, affecting everything from fashion choices to drag performances, but one thing they all have in common is they are all living up to the original icon, Miss Judy Garland.

“Judy was well aware that she was a gay icon,” says Matthew McGee, the Outreach

and Marketing Director of freeFall Theatre Company in St. Petersburg. “And that goes all the way back to when she did The Wizard of Oz in 1939.”

The freeFall Theatre Company is bringing the magic of Garland to the stage in the Peter Quilter play End of the Rainbow,

COnTInuED On PG. 39 | uu |

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All Credit Cards Accepted

| uu | Under the Rainbow from pg.37

opening April 29 and running through May 28.

End of the Rainbow takes place as a snapshot of Garland in the last year of her life, attempting to mount a comeback in London.

“The show takes place in the ‘60s around the time of her engagement to Mickey Deans, and she was having another one of her many comebacks,” McGee says. “It takes place on two sets: One in her hotel room and the other is the actual stage of her show at The Talk of the Town.”

End of the Rainbow is a part of freeFall’s season of plays and musicals inspired by true stories.

The show is a two-act play with a four-person cast and a six-piece band all on stage, and while it isn’t necessarily a musical, the play features Garland singing some of her classic hits.

“It’s a play with music,” McGee says. “So you get to see this play about a particular piece of Judy’s life but you also get to see her sing and perform her favorite songs: Everything from ‘The Man Who Got Away’ to ‘The Trolley Song’ to ‘Over the Rainbow,’ just a hit parade of her most beloved tunes.”

Those hits are performed by Tampa Bay award-winning actress Melissa Minyard, who starred in freeFall’s The Light in the Piazza last season. Minyard says that playing Garland is different than most of the other characters she has played before.

“I started rehearsing a week before the rest of the cast and spent time looking at videos of Judy and her performances and her interviews,” Minyard says. “I want to adopt some of those ‘isms’ she’s so well known for because she is an iconic, real person. She had very distinct, certain ways of speaking and singing.”

Minyard wanted to approach the character of Garland with an understanding that she would incorporate those “isms” but that it would not be a caricature.

“I, personally, have never been an impersonator, and that certainly is not what I am setting out to do here,” she says. “My goal is to honor her while still being honest to where she was in her life at that time.”

The time in which End of the Rainbow takes place is Garland preparing for her five-week run at London’s famed cabaret and nightclub The Talk of the

RAINBOW HIGH: The legendary Judy Garland was one of the most beloved entertainers from Hollywood’s Golden Age and one of the earliest “gay icons” in the LGBTQ community. Photo Courtesy Wikipedia creative commons Town. She is engaged to Mickey Deans, the man who would go on to become her fifth and final husband, and Garland is already struggling with addiction, abuse and depression, demons she was dealing with for nearly all of her 47 years.

“Her mother started her off

made tons of movies for them, went to school right on the lot, and they were more concerned about her weight then her well-being,” Minyard says. “The studio had a doctor on their payroll and he would come in and provide her with uppers, barbiturates, during the day so her metabolism would

bed at night.

“That’s the reality of her life from the time she was 16 years old – it was so grueling. It’s easy to see how she would become dependent on the energy the pills would give her,” Minyard says.

This kind of treatment by the movie studios was not reserved

I, personally, have never been an impersonator, and that certainly is not what I am setting out to do here.

My goal is to honor her while still being honest to where — Melissa Minyard she was in her life at that time. on pills when Judy was 15 or 16 years old,” Minyard says. “Her mother was a stage mother extraordinaire.”

Garland came to Hollywood during the time when stars signed lengthy studio contracts that locked them into grueling schedules and long commitments.

“When she signed on with MGM they essentially owned her. She

speed up and it would decrease her appetite. The studio didn’t even allow her to eat all that much when she was on the lot. They wanted to keep her skinny and that’s how they did it.”

Garland would be given so many pills during the day that she developed insomnia and couldn’t sleep, so the studio doctors started giving her pills to help her get to

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for just Garland.

“It was commonplace,” Minyard says. “Watching all the videos on Judy I saw that, at the time, she was there with Deanna Durbin and Lana Turner and Liz Taylor; those pills were available to all those girls. That’s how the studios kept them all thin.”

Garland achieved a level of success few in Hollywood had

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seen before, during or after her career. But if E! True Hollywood Story has taught us anything, it’s that the higher our stars climb the harder we pull them down.

Garland’s years of drug and alcohol abuse, very public marriages and love affairs, and long days of performing left her mind, body and voice beaten and broken.

“There is a section in the play where [Judy’s accompanist during her comeback tour] Anthony, who is played by Michael Ursua, tells her that some of the people who are coming to see her are people who want to see her frailty on stage, that they like to watch her fall apart, and he doesn’t understand why someone would want to come see that and why she would give them what they want,” McGee says.

With all of the ups and downs of Garland’s career while she was alive, her popularity has skyrocketed in the nearly 50 years since her death.

“I really think that she was identifiable to people. She was so honest and raw in her concert work and in her singing. She was just so good,” Minyard says. “First of all, her voice was just extraordinary; she was an amazing natural talent. I think that vulnerability she showed in her singing, as well as the storytelling she used, made people love her.

“Also, I really identified with what she was saying in her music, you just feel like she is singing to you. I think Streisand has it. I think they have that in common, that sort of broad appeal. They connect with what they’re doing and so the audience does, too. It doesn’t hurt that she was beloved from the beginning from the iconic role that everyone knows and loves.”

Look no further for proof of her undying popularity than the interest in End of the Rainbow at freeFall. The month-long run is already nearly sold out and will most likely be extended, and McGee says that is all on Garland’s star power.

“People love to see these stories of tough women in male-driven Hollywood and people can relate to a survivor, and that’s what Judy was,” he says. “She’s stylish, she’s passionate, she’s fragile. She was always glamorous and it all started back with Wizard of Oz. She is pure talent, a diva and really quite amazing. Plus she’s the woman that gave us Liza.”

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cabaret

His turn

Tim Evanicki talks naked people, bathhouses and cabaret as he waltzes back to the stage in Orlando of my life when everything seemed to be changing, and it was scary and exciting. The performance art school where I was writing had just closed and I sort of backed out from just trying to figure out what to do next and the Footlight Theatre happened. I took over the Footlight Theatre and that took a different direction so this is just an update to that story.

Is there sort of a story arc to the whole thing? Obviously a continuation of the previous Cheaper than Therapy cabaret. Is there more of an uptick? Are you telling the story throughout?

Yeah, it’s a story about what got me where I am right now. With Cheaper Than Therapy, it sort of ended like “Well, here I am, I don’t really know what’s coming next but I’m gonna do it” and then this is where I ended up, and this is the direction my life is taking now. I’m in a good place and I’m proud of that.

(above)

All about tim:

Tim Evanicki steps in to the spotlight.

Photos courtesy Evanicki

T

Billy Manes

he last time we sat down with

Tim Evanicki, the sort of everything-producer for Orlando Parliament House’s Footlight Theatre, there were some rather attractive bits of exposure nearby — attached to the recent run of Naked Boys Singing. Towels were everywhere.

But Evanicki, a graduate of Julliard and a classically trained singer, isn’t one to hide behind the scenes or a laugh. Having traveled the world and worked his stagecraft as one does, the multitalented musician, director and manager of Parliament House’s aesthetic leanings is ready to tell his story in song. We caught up with Evanicki in advance of his new season of dramatics, including a one-man cabaret about Tim Evanicki, “My Turn” on April 22. It’s his time to shine now.

He says he has “big shoes” to fill.

We think his feet can handle it.

Tell me about My Turn. Tell me about the new cabaret

and how that came about.

Ever since I took over, everyone’s been asking me when am I going to get on stage. I was sort of reluctant to do it, because I didn’t want me running this theater just to make it become a “Tim” show. So I put it off and it’s been over a year now since I took over. So the show that I’m doing is actually a cabaret show that I did a couple years ago before I took over the Footlight.

I did a cabaret show called Cheaper Than Therapy that I did in a couple venues here in Orlando, but then I also went and did in New York City and traveled around with it. And it was just a cabaret show that I did in a time

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

I know your history from online, with you graduating from Juilliard in 2004, but how did you get engaged with musical theater?

As long as I can remember, I’ve always been in shows, been on stage.

I know it’s a cheesy answer, but it’s my answer. I took voice lessons in 10th grade and I took vocal lessons at school in Rochester, because that’s where I’m from. Once I started taking voice lessons, that teacher was an awesome teacher and she sort of drove me towards opera, and it was my audition for Juilliard and a couple other schools and that got me into their opera programs. It’s something that I did well; opera was something that I did well, but not something that I was passionate about. A couple of my classmates and I had an opportunity to do an opera at the Met. I was just in the chorus but we were singing onstage War & Peace at the Metropolitan Opera. I would just look at them and they were so, in their eyes, they were just so thrilled to be standing on that stage and singing this four-hour Russian opera and I was, like, making my grocery list in my head while I

Apr il 20 - M ay 3, 2017 // Issue 24 .0 9

was standing on stage doing it. And that’s when I was like, alright, this is something that I do well but it’s not something that I want to do with my life. So as soon as I graduated, I got back into musical theater.

How were you approached to take the job at the Parliament House’s Footlight Theatre?

I was doing Bathhouse: the Musical there and David Lee was running the theater, and he wasn’t supposed to be a long-term position there, he was just doing it temporarily. Don and Susan (Granatstein) actually approached me while I was doing Bathhouse and asked me if I could take it over, so I did.

Last time we had some really great successes and we had some really big shows. But of course we heavily regrouped after Pulse and I had to take some of my biggest shows down [because] our numbers just dropped off so drastically. But this year we sort of picked back up, and I actually announced the entire season.

And I feel like it marks the transition of the Footlight Theatre from being strictly sort of bawdy drag or just comedy. You brought an element of the theatrical construct to the organization.

Would you agree with that?

Well, I’d like to think so, and I always knew that I had big shoes to fill. I mean, Michael Wanzie had a huge following.

I couldn’t compete with that style of theater. That’s not me, that’s not what I could do. So I started with Naked Boys Singing and I knew that would be a big draw because of the nudity, and it’s just a great show. But we’re actually doing a couple of dramas this coming season.

I’m just trying to bring new faces in, so I’m bringing new directors, trying to hire actors who have never been there before. Hopefully that will attract new audiences that have never been here before. I’m doing certain shows where people know the titles so they’ll come.

We want to brand ourselves as the only LGBTQ theater in Central Florida.

There’s no other group that strictly focuses on that so I want that to be us.

So every show we do will have an LGBT character or an LGBT playwright with gay themes.

Are you excited to get back on stage and sing your heart out?

I am excited to do that. I try to do something a couple times a year just to get it out of me. And I’m producing a musical down in Ft. Lauderdale, so I’m going in a few different directions right now.

41

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community calendar

EvEnT PlannER

arTs+enTerTainmenT

ORlanDO

ORlanDO

Orlando’s White party Main event

Bernadette Peters, April 21, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando. 407-839-0119; DrPhillipsCenter.org

Friday, april 21- sunday, april 23 parliament house, orlando

Spooky Empire Retro, April 21, Wyndham Orlando, Orlando. 954-258-7852; SpookyEmpire.com Alton Brown live: Eat your Science, April 22, Walt Disney Theatre, Orlando. 407-839-0119; DrPhillipsCenter.org Central florida Earth Day 2017, April 22, Lake Eola Park, Orlando.

321-331-1859; CFEarthDay.org Jake Shimabukuro, April 22, Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater, Orlando. 407-839-0119; DrPhillipsCenter.org frankie negron live in Concert, April 22, The Abbey, Orlando. 407-704-6261; AbbeyOrlando.com Malas, Seven Divas on the Same Stage, April 23, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando. 407-839-0119; DrPhillipsCenter.org Red Hot Chili Peppers, April 26, Amway Center, Orlando. 407-440-7000; AmwayCenter.com fuR Weekend, April 2730, Parliament House, Orlando. 407-425-7571; ParliamentHouse.com let’s Play live, April 28, Hard Rock Live, Orlando. 407-351-5483; HardRock.com/Live Sheryl Crow, April 29, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando. 407-839-0119; DrPhillipsCenter.org Planned Parenthood’s Generations Gala, April 29, Heaven Event Venue, Orlando. 941-567-3800; MyPlannedParenthood.org Preserving History in the Aftermath of the Pulse Tragedy, April 29, Orange County Library, Orlando.

407-835-7323; OCLS.info

COunTInG CROW Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Sheryl Crow is gonna soak up the sun at the Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando April 29 and at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater April 30. PHOTO COuRTESy SHERylCROW.COM

Science of Wine, April 29, Orlando Science Center, Orlando.

407-514-2000; OSC.org Pokemon: Symphonic Evolutions, April 30, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando. 407-839-0119; DrPhillipsCenter.org

TaMPa Mamma Mia! April 2122, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater. 727-791-7400; RuthEckerdHall.com

Sheryl Crow, April 30, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater. 727-791-7400; RuthEckerdHall.com

Joshua James, April 24, Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

Hairspray lGBTQ+ night in the Park, April 30, American Stage, St. Petersburg. 727-823-7529; AmericanStage.org

Drag Queen Bingo w/ Balance Tampa Bay, April 26, Hamburher Mary’s, St. Petersburg. 727-851-9386; BalanceTampaBay.org

Harry Potter yoga, May 2, Cage Brewing, St. Petersburg. 727-201-4278; Facebook.com/CageBrewing

Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man, April 27-30, Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa.

813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

Alton Brown live: Eat your Science Tour, April 21, Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

Tampa Equality Connection, April 28, Stageworks Theatre, Tampa. 813-870-3735; EQFL.org

March for Science St. Pete/ Tampa, April 22, Poynter Park, St. Petersburg. ScientistsMarch OnWashington.com

G2H2 St. Pete Spring networking Social, April 28, Sea Salt St. Pete, St. Pete.

727-873-7964; G2H2Tampa.com

Jamie Wilson Performing live, April 22, Punky’s Bar & Grill, St. Pete. 727-201-4712; PunkysBar.com Mad Hatter’s Tea and Brunch, April 23, Eddie V’s, Tampa.

813-877-7290; FrankiesFriends.org Wet n’ Wild Pool Party, April 23, Flamingo Resort, St. Pete.

727-321-5000; FlamingoFla.com

Dog Day at the Rays, April 23, Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg. 727-825-3137; TapaBay.Rays.MLB.com

27th Annual Beach Goes Pops 2017, April 28-29, St. Pete Beach, St. Pete.

BeachGoesPops.com Best of Tampa Bay, April 29, Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa.

813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

Rodger and Hammerstein’s The King and I, May 2-7, Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

saRasOTa The Full Monty, April 20-May 7, Manatee Performing Arts Center, Sarasota. 941-748-5875; manateeperforming artscenter.com TapfASTic, April 22-23, The Players Centre for Performing Arts, Sarasota.

941-365-2494; theplayers.org Kinky Boots, April 25-30, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Sarasota.

941-953-3368; vanwezel.org

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

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Apr il 20 - M Ay 3, 2017 // issue 24 .0 9

Get those outfits in the bleach so they are bright and shiny for Orlando’s White Party Weekend at Parliament House.

The weekend event will feature RuPaul’s Drag Race’s Trinity Taylor, Alexis Michelle, Peppermint, Valentina and Cynthia Lee Fontaine. Friday night is free before 11 p.m. and $10 after 11 p.m. Tickets for Saturday Night are $10 in advance, $15 at the door. For more information, call 407-425-7571; or visit ParliamentHouse.com.

Brunch with the Boys 2017 sunday, april 30, 11:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. savoy, orlando Buffet Breakfast catered by Dubsdread Catering, mimosas and Bloody Marys hosted by Savoy. Participate in a raffle with “gaytastic” prizes, and an incredible drag show brought to you

by Hunks Orlando. All benefitting your local LGBTQ medical and mental health center, Two Spirit Health Services. For more information call 407-270-4685; or visit SavoyOrlando.com.

TaMPa Bay

pride & passion 2017 saturday, april 29, 8:00 p.m.- midnight tampa museum oF art, tampa Pride & Passion, a signature fundraising event for the Tampa Museum of Art, is coming. The inspiration for Pride & Passion 2017 comes from the circuses, cabarets and vibrant performance halls frequented by19th century artists, intellectuals and writers in Paris. With Cirque de Mascarade, the Pride & Passion mantra of “dress to impress” invites guests to add a 19th century bohemian twist to your attire. For more information call 813-421-8380; or visit TampaMuseum.org.

iGlTA Annual Global Convention thursday, may 4- saturday, may 6 renaissance vinoy resort & golF club, st. petersburg The IGLTA Annual Global Convention, the world’s premier educational and networking event for LGBTQ tourism professionals, will be hosted at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club in St. Petersburg May 4-6 for the 34th edition of the conference. The event will connect LGBTQ and LGBTQfriendly travel and tourism suppliers and buyers through numerous programs, educational workshops and networking receptions. An opening night reception will take place at The Dali Museum and Mahaffey Theater. For more information and to register, visit IGLTA.com.

43

Got Mustard?

Thursday April 27, 2017

We’ve got more weiner than we can handle.

All proceeds benefit the programs and services of:

EPIC

www.DareToRescue.com

Join the Premier Chamber in the Bay Area where our diverse membership puts the Diversity in Tampa Bay. Find participating restaurants at

DineTB.org

Restaurants will be added to the list up to the day prior to the event.

Please check website for updates.

FND-17-0253

Sponsored locally by:

44

A copy of the official registration (#CH3696) and financial information may be obtained from the division of consumer services by calling 1-800-435-7352 toll-free within the state or visiting www.800helpfla.com. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the state.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

www.diversitytampabay.org

Apr il 20 - M Ay 3, 2017 // issue 24 .0 9

overheard

TaMPa Bay OuT+aBOuT

ThE DOCTOR WIll sEE yOu nOW

t

he human rights campaign Foundation has Just named four hospitals in the Tampa Bay Area as Leaders in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality, obtaining perfect scores on an index evaluating their commitment to policies and practices that are inclusive for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer patients, visitors and employees.

St. Petersburg General Hospital, Moffitt Cancer Center, VA Bay Pines Healthcare System and VA James A. Haley Veterans Hospital were the four that were named.

According to the Tampa Bay Business Journal, The HRC Foundation, the educational arm of the civil rights organization, said 590 facilities participated in the 2017 survey. It was the first time the index awarded numerical scores, numbers based on implementation of LGBTQ-inclusive policies and procedures in four areas: patient-centered care, patient services and support, employee benefits and policies, and patient and community engagement.

There were 10 Florida hospitals in total that made perfect scores on the index. The other six were Florida Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, Care Resource, University of Miami Hospital and VA Miami Healthcare System in Miami, VA Orlando Medical Center and Cleveland Clinic Florida in Weston.

anD yOuR 2017 sT. PETE PRIDE GRanD MaRshals aRE...

J

ust as in the last Few years, St. Pete Pride gave the responsibility of choosing the 2017 St. Pete Pride Grand Marshals over to the people, and this year you did not disappoint. After counting up all of the votes, St. Pete Pride announced the winners at a ceremony earlier this month.

The Community Grand Marshals are Equality Florida’s Ed Lally, Tampa Bay entertainer Kori Stevens, Rev. Dr. Candace R. Shultis and Largo Commissioner Michael Smith. The Organizational Grand Marshal is the group Project No Labels.

This year, the Grand Marshal Nominating Committee, along with the entire St. Pete Pride Board of Directors, have posthumously named Gregory Henchar as Honorary Grand Marshal for St. Pete Pride.

Greg, 57, of Largo, passed away on March 9 after a valiant battle with leukemia. Greg and his partner Victor were the creators and owners of Gay Safe Haven GSHRadio and Rainbow411.com.

He was a pillar of the LGBTQ community, not just in Largo, but across the entire Tampa Bay area.

Being named a Grand Marshal of the St Pete Pride Parade is among the highest honors bestowed by the Tampa Bay LGBTQ community.

Individuals and organizations nominated for Grand Marshal have made significant achievements for LGBTQ rights and have made considerable contributions to the LGBTQ community at large. All nominations were made by community members within Tampa Bay.

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1

gala gab: 2010 Democratic nominee for Governor Alex Sink (L) and U.S. Representative Charlie Crist are among the who’s who attending Equality Florida’s St. Pete Gala at The Mahaffey Theater April 15.

PHOTO By JEREMy WIllIAMS

2

babes in boots: Judy Johnson (L) and Pam Geier frederiksen try these boots on for size at a showing of Kinky Boots at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater April 12. PHOTO COuRTESy Of

4

5

PAM GEIER fREDERIKSEn

3

boys in the ‘burg: (L-R) Jeremy fetters, Chris Gudis, Christian Klimas and Arturo Ramírez party in St. Petersburg April 8. PHOTO

COuRTESy Of ARTuRO RAMÍREZ

4

easter service: Chhoy Sutimek (L) and Kurt King at the brand new Hamburger Mary’s Brandon for the Easter Sunday T Dance April 16. PHOTO COuRTESy Of PAul KInCHEn

5

pool party: Jon Jusino celebrates the Flamingo’s 8th Anniversary poolside at the resort in St. Petersburg April 8. PHOTO By JAMARCuS MOSlEy

6

team players: EPIC executive director Joy Winheim (L) and Balance Tampa Bay president Scott Kligmann pose with the trophy at the 7th annual Kickball 4 Kids at Hyde Park in Tampa April 8. PHOTO COuRTESy

6

Of BAlAnCE TAMPA BAy

7

i love a parade: Largo Commissioner Michael Smith (L) with his partner Eric Hutton celebrating Smith being named a 2017 St. Pete Pride Grand Marshal April 5. PHOTO By ERIC HuTTOn

8

glowasaurus: Garrett Elliott (L) and Joel Green hunt dinosaurs at the Jurassic Glow black light party at Honey Pot in Tampa April 14. PHOTO

8

COuRTESy Of GARRETT EllIOTT

7 watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Apr il 20 - M Ay 3, 2017 // issue 24 .0 9

45

STARTS

TOMORROW! Visit floridafilmfestival.com PRIMARY SPONSOR

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watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Apr il 20 - M ay 3, 2017 // Issue 24 .0 9

overheard

ORlanDO OuT+aBOuT

hanD In hanD

o

n april 7, orange county mayor, teresa Jacobs hosted the State of the County address at the Orlando Eye on International Drive.

During her address, Mayor Jacobs paid tribute to the Pulse tragedy by addressing the massacre and sharing a video. In her own words, Mayor Jacobs said, “The world watched as we mourned and rallied with the common goal of supporting our LGBTQ and Latinx communities and all of those affected. Through our response to the greatest attack we’ve ever withstood, the greatest loss we’ve ever suffered, we learned something incredible about ourselves: We know that our culture of collaboration has allowed us to accomplish so much – but we [also] discovered that it is our culture of compassion that makes Orlando such an incredible place to live.”

During the event, over 500 attendees joined hands to form a massive heart as part of the #LetsAllConnect project that has traveled to the world to spread peace, healing and human connectivity.

2

1

3

5

6

a suPER Gay fRInGE PREvIEW

t

he orlando Fringe recently hosted their local preview, consisting of two acts; General Audience Preview and Mature Audience preview. Each act/show only had two minutes to present a preview of their show with either a song, dance or just a description of what to expect.

As the host of the Mature Audience show Michael Wanzie mentioned Orlando’s International Fringe Festival is known in the circuit for being “the most gay Fringe” in North America. With many of the featured acts, this was certainly the case.

With an approximate 34 confirmed LGBTQ theme shows this year, ranging from the comical one-man show, like MJ Layman’s Everything I Need to Know, I Learned from Ethel Merman to the Orlando Gay Chorus’ musically upbeat Bitch Perfect to Wanzie with Z, Michael Wanzie’s life story as told by Michael Wanzie in three a different age groups. And of course, Fringe can’t be Fringe without the dramas including the somber and all too real, O-Town: Voices from Orlando, by David Lee, a play which features a collected stories from the weeks and months following the Pulse attack. Onward and upward. Orlando Fringe is on its way.

4

1

networkers: (L-R) nathan vanags, Richard White and Sean Huskins get down to business at the MBA’s monthly mixer at The Mezz in Orlando April 5. PHOTO

By JEREMy WIllIAMS

2

it’s all greek: Commissioner Patty Sheehan (L) and Angel Colon enjoy lunch at Mediterranean Blue in Orlando April 13. PHOTO COuRTESy Of AnGEl COlOn

3

5

walking with purpose: Eric Rollings joined hundreds at Lake Eola in Orlando for the 2017 AIDS Walk April 15.

PHOTO By JAKE STEvEnS

6

hangin’ tough: Donnie Wahlburg speaks to the crowd at the opening of the new Wahlburgers at Waterford Lakes in Orlando April 6 where they donated $50,000 to the One Orlando Fund.

PHOTO By CHARlES WIllIAMS

art in drag: Iris Cruz (L) and Miss Sammy are all smiles at Art is a Drag 2 at the Wayne Densch Theatre in Sanford April 15.

7

4

PHOTO By JAKE STEvEnS

PHOTO By DAnny GARCIA

rocking it: Two Spirit’s Bobby Hermida (R) runs into comedian Chris Rock while having brunch at Kasa in Orlando April 16. PHOTO

COuRTESy Of BOBBy HERMIDA

7

easter bonnets: Blue Star looks for the highest bid at the annual Babes in Bonnets at the Parliament House Footlight Theatre in Orlando April 10.

8

bippity boppity boo: Barbara England (L) gets close with Cinderella (played

by Madison Hayes-Crook) after a performance of Disenchanted! at The Plaza Live in Orlando April 11.

PHOTO By KATHlEEn HARPER

8 watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Apr il 20 - M Ay 3, 2017 // issue 24 .0 9

47

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announcements

WEDDInG BElls

robin and Tracy Maynard-Harris from Orlando, FL

Sawmill Resort celebrated 19 years of camping fun April 16.

years TOgeTHer:

lOcal BirTHdays

Almost 4 years

engagemenT daTe:

October 22, 2015

wedding daTe:

March 25, 2017

wedding venue:

The Co-Op Ballroom of the Roper Garden Building in Winter Garden, FL

wedding caTerer:

Little Lamb Catering

wedding pHOTOgrapHers:

yvette Waters Photography and kacia Platt Photography

wedding THeme:

Rustic Steampunk

firsT sOng:

“yours” by Russell Dickerson

inTeresTing facT:

Robin’s mom introduced the two women to each other 13 years ago.

cOngraTulaTiOns

Photo by Kacia Platt

“s

he shows immense love

and kindness, whether it’s directed at me or directed at our friends and family or complete strangers,” Robin says. “I always tell her she’s the most beautiful person I’ve ever met, and then I say the outside ain’t so bad either.”

Tracy, who is a senior sales manager of jewelry distribution, and Robin, who is the founder and executive director of Libby’s Legacy Breast Cancer Foundation, started dating almost four years ago but originally met 13 years ago.

Robin’s mother worked for the same organization as Tracy but for a different county. She insisted Tracy meet Robin who happened to be near a press conference they were attending. When she finally introduced the two women, she immediately left them alone. They stood there awkwardly, made some small talk and then Robin left.

Robin’s mom, not long after the first encounter she had with Tracy, was diagnosed with breast cancer, and another year went by before she passed away.

Four years later, Tracy walked into an event for Libby’s Legacy to make a donation of a doll, asked for Robin since she was in charge of

everything and they briefly talked.

When asked what name to put with the donation, Tracy insisted it stay anonymous. Tracy left the event with the two not realizing they had previously met.

Another year or two went by, they kept running into each other under mutual circumstances.

Finally at a Super Bowl party they were both at, they got to talking about their past and realized the Libby they both were referring to in their stories was Robin’s mom.

They then remembered being introduced all those years ago to each other by Robin’s mother.

“We were friends for a couple of years and then fell in love,” Robin says. “I was a little slower getting to the realization there – it took me a little while – but then I realized that she’s the greatest gift my mom left for me.”

A group of Robin and Tracy’s friends were going to the Turks

& Caicos to celebrate their twin friends’ 40th birthday. Robin planned to propose to Tracy during this trip. Robin had signs made up that said “Happy Birthday” on one side to their friends, but on the other side it said in chalk writing “Tracy will you marry me?” The person setting up the camera asked Tracy to come look at the photo to make sure everything was OK, and that’s when everyone flipped their signs to the side with the proposal.

“It was like a fairytale,” Tracy recalls. “I have literally never seen anything like it, and the meal was amazing and the attention was amazing [from the staff].

Everything was super special — everything about that day was perfect.”

Tracy also proposed to Robin the following Easter of 2016, which is her favorite holiday, by having a mimosa delivered to her on an Easter egg-shaped wine platter with a chalk writing on it asking her to marry her, too.

“We laugh every day at some point,” Robin says. “I think what makes us better people is that we made a vow to leave the world, and the small place that we are in, better than we found it.”

Publix at Colonialtown pharmacist Rob young (April 20); director of marketing for David Dorman Inc. Scott Penyak, LGBTQ advocate Randy Stephens, former St. Pete DJ Chad Pitt (April 21); Pulse promoter and local hero Neema Bahrini,Tampa business owner Michael DiCamillo, Rollins College director of dance Bob Sherry, former Watermark intern Steven Jones (April 22); TIGLFF’s Scott Skyberg, Tampa Leather Club member Joseph Mastrapasqua, artist Amanda vickers, former Tampa-based actor Christian Maier (April 23); St. Petersburg actor and theologian Tom Campbell, former Tampa resident and current Fort Lauderdale actor larry Buzzeo, O-Town textbook editor Sara lyna, former St. Pete Pride president Scott Turner, Tampa bear Bill vincent (April 24); Watermark contributor and radio News Junkie Sabrina Ambra, Florida Democratic Progressive Caucus president Susan Smith, gay Florida House Representative David Richardson (April 25); Parliament House owner Don Granatstein, app whiz Randy Shepard (April 28); St. Pete hotel manager Tom Ziri (April 29); Tampa licensed mental health counselor Anthony Quaglieri, UCF’s former GLBSU president and activist Jessica Osborn (April 30); the fabulous Orlando DJ Brianna lee from Parliament House (May 1); vegan and speed demon Jamie Shaffer (May 2); the lovely and talented Jamie lee (aka Sassy Divine), GaYbor District Coalition founder and Tampa Pride president Carrie West (May 3); Tampa Crowbar owner Bonnie Plumbtree (May 4).

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 LGBTQ life.

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uPRIsInGs WalkInG fORWaRD i was obviously trying to make a point about the heinous acts that Assad had made against his own people last week, using chemical weapons and gas. Frankly, I mistakenly made an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust, for which there is no comparison. And for that i apologize. it was a mistake to do that.

—white house press secretary sean spicer

J

POT BlOCkED

ust when we all thought things were going to get a little hazier – and healthier – it was announced this week that Orlando will not become a haven for medical marijuana dispensaries in any large manner. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Orlando will only allow seven dispensaries that cannot be within 200 feet of homes, 1,000 feet of schools or within a mile of each other. Also, they have to limit their hours to daylight, meaning 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oh, and you can’t smoke or consume the marijuana on site. We’re assuming that all other plants with potential health benefits will be under the same restrictions. Actually, we’re not. We’re high. The city council is expected to vote on the measure in June.

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A

GOInG aGRO

somewhat dreamy democrat michael christine – two first names!

Different sexes! – has thrown his hat into the ring to take over the hefty seat of Florida Agriculture Commissioner. Christine is presently a law student at the University of Miami and filed his papers for taking over term-limited (and hair insane) Adam Putnam on April 11. Christine is only 27 years old, but he has some wise words.

“We need to build up the declining agro industry by giving them a new cash crop –one with a proven track record of generating so much excess revenue that it can be used toward other neglected programs throughout the state like educational programs, environmental conservation programs, substance abuse programs and veterans assistance programs,” he said in his announcement.

TRuJIllO TO aMBassaDORshIP?

s

uspicions were raised when Miami Republican Rep. Carlos Trujillo didn’t show up for his own Florida House budget committee hearing on April 18.

Then again, everyone knew what was going on. Trujillo has been riding the wild wind of the Trump campaign since its inception, and nobody else was, really. The “word” according to the Miami Herald is that Trujillo was being actively considered for an ambassadorship in Central America, so he couldn’t really be bothered to make his committee hearing. Related: Trump is considering one of his former Apprentice contestants Republican Rep. Jose Felix Diaz to be a federal prosecutor.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

I

Billy Manes

t was 1991, iF my memory serves correct, that I got the call from my stepbrother Michael. He knew that I had just come out of the closet. He knew, also, that he was dying of AIDS. “Welcome to the club,” he said, very kindly. I shivered a bit at the time, knowing that we were in the thick of a crisis, and even with all of the pats on the head and begrudging support that finally came from the White House – too late – there were still people dying en masse.

This year, in part to honor Michael, I attended the Hope & Help AIDS Walk. What’s most interesting about AIDS walks, at least to me, is that there are people from the entire spectrum of society in attendance. There were children.

There were activists. There were corporations.

There were advocates. It’s not a pride parade by any measure – there was not blaring music but that from the bagpipes behind me – but it’s incredibly sincere.

Which is why what we’re hearing from the White House in the Trump administration is so confusing and terrifying. The absence of sincerity is palpable. Though the strange beltway ether seems to imply that Trump’s daughter – from her office we’re all paying for, inexplicably – is sensitive to the needs of the LGBTQ community, Trump himself has been a more confusing factor in the HIV/AIDS funding argument. At the end of last month, Trump was backing a budget that would cut $314 million from the Centers for Disease Control in its efforts to further research the plague and treat it.

Of course, there was some backpedaling.

While Trump claimed that current funding would be “sufficient” for the current patient load – largely poor groups of people – the budget also spoke of slowing new signees.

Try telling that to one of those walking a few laps around Lake Eola on April 15. Tell that to Michael, my stepbrother. It’s a new breed of callousness, one that hasn’t necessarily been seen from the executive branch since Ron and Nancy refused to acknowledge the new “gay cancer.” It’s a disgrace.

Even George W. Bush has come out against Trump’s attempts at cutting funding for global AIDS initiatives, most notably PEPFAR, which assists the poor in foreign countries.

“Nearly 15 years later, the program has achieved remarkable results in the fight against disease. Today, because of the commitment of many foreign governments, investments by partners, the resilience of the African people and the generosity of the American people, nearly 12 million lives have been saved. And nearly 2 million babies have been born HIV-free to infected mothers,” Bush said earlier this month.

This is not just a walk around the lake. This is living and breathing and caring. Thank you to everyone who still cares. Michael says, “Hi.”

Apr il 20 - M Ay 3, 2017 // issue 24 .0 9

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That’s why I choose Orlando Health.

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