Watermark Issue 24.26: Year in Review

watermark Your LGBTQ Life.

iSSue 24.26 • decembeR 28 - JanuaRy 10, 2018

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2 0 1 6 WA S T H E W O R S T Y E A R E V E R , A N D

2017 WAS THE YEAR WE FOUND OUR FOOTING daytOna beach • ORlandO • tampa • St. peteRSbuRg • cleaRwateR • SaRaSOta

WHAT IS GENVOYA®?

GENVOYA is a 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in people 12 years and older who weigh at least 77 pounds. It can either be used in people who are starting HIV-1 treatment and have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements. These include having an undetectable viral load (less than 50 copies/mL) for 6 months or more on their current HIV-1 treatment. GENVOYA combines 4 medicines into 1 pill taken once a day with food. GENVOYA is a complete HIV-1 treatment and should not be used with other HIV-1 medicines.

GENVOYA does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. To control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIV-related illnesses, you must keep taking GENVOYA. Ask your healthcare provider if you have questions about how to reduce the risk of passing HIV-1 to others. Always practice safer sex and use condoms to lower the chance of sexual contact with body fluids. Never reuse or share needles or other items that have body fluids on them.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

What is the most important information I should know about GENVOYA?

GENVOYA may cause serious side effects: • Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. GENVOYA is not approved to treat HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV and stop taking GENVOYA, your HBV may suddenly get worse.

Do not stop taking GENVOYA without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to monitor your health.

Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys.

If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking GENVOYA. • Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.

• Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.

The most common side effect of GENVOYA is nausea. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or don’t go away.

•

What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking GENVOYA? •

•

Who should not take GENVOYA?

Do not take GENVOYA if you take: • Certain prescription medicines for other conditions. It is important to ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about medicines that should not be taken with GENVOYA. Do not start a new medicine without telling your healthcare provider.

• The herbal supplement St. John’s wort.

• Any other medicines to treat HIV-1 infection.

What are the other possible side effects of GENVOYA?

Serious side effects of GENVOYA may also include: • Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking GENVOYA.

•

•

•

All your health problems. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis virus infection.

All the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Other medicines may affect how GENVOYA works. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. Ask your healthcare provider if it is safe to take GENVOYA with all of your other medicines.

If you take antacids. Take antacids at least 2 hours before or after you take GENVOYA. If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if GENVOYA can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking GENVOYA. If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see Important Facts about GENVOYA, including important warnings, on the following page.

Ask your healthcare provider if GENVOYA is right for you.

GENVOYA.com

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IMPORTANT FACTS This is only a brief summary of important information about GENVOYA® and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.

(jen-VOY-uh) MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT GENVOYA

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF GENVOYA

GENVOYA may cause serious side effects, including: • Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. GENVOYA is not approved to treat HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking GENVOYA. Do not stop taking GENVOYA without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months.

GENVOYA can cause serious side effects, including: • Those in the “Most Important Information About GENVOYA” section.

• Changes in your immune system.

• New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure.

• Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.

• Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.

The most common side effect of GENVOYA is nausea.

These are not all the possible side effects of GENVOYA. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking GENVOYA. Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with GENVOYA.

ABOUT GENVOYA GENVOYA is a prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in people 12 years of age and older who weigh at least 77 pounds and have never taken HIV-1 medicines before. GENVOYA can also be used to replace current HIV-1 medicines for some people who have an undetectable viral load (less than 50 copies/mL of virus in their blood), and have been on the same HIV-1 medicines for at least 6 months and have never failed HIV-1 treatment, and whose healthcare provider determines that they meet certain other requirements.

• GENVOYA does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. Ask your healthcare provider about how to prevent passing HIV-1 to others.

Do NOT take GENVOYA if you: • Take a medicine that contains: alfuzosin (Uroxatral®), carbamazepine (Carbatrol®, Carnexiv®, Epitol®, Equetro®, Tegretol®, Tegretol-XR®, Teril®), cisapride (Propulsid®, Propulsid Quicksolv®), dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45®, Migranal®), ergotamine (Cafergot®, Migergot®, Ergostat®, Medihaler Ergotamine®, Wigraine®, Wigrettes®), lovastatin (Altoprev®, Mevacor®), lurasidone (Latuda®), methylergonovine (Methergine®), midazolam (when taken by mouth), phenobarbital (Luminal®), phenytoin (Dilantin®, Dilantin-125®, Phenytek®), pimozide (Orap®), rifampin (Rifadin®, Rifamate®, Rifater®, Rimactane®), sildenafil when used for lung problems (Revatio®), simvastatin (Vytorin®, Zocor®), or triazolam (Halcion®).

• Take the herbal supplement St. John’s wort.

• Take any other HIV-1 medicines at the same time.

•

GET MORE INFORMATION • • •

This is only a brief summary of important information about GENVOYA. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.

Go to GENVOYA.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5 If you need help paying for your medicine, visit GENVOYA.com for program information.

BEFORE TAKING GENVOYA Tell your healthcare provider if you: • Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis infection.

• Have any other medical condition.

• Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

• Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take: • Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.

• Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about medicines that should not be taken with GENVOYA.

HOW TO TAKE GENVOYA • •

GENVOYA is a complete one pill, once a day HIV-1 medicine.

Take GENVOYA with food.

GENVOYA, the GENVOYA Logo, LOVE WHAT’S INSIDE, SHOW YOUR POWER, GILEAD, and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. All other marks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners. Version date: September 2017 © 2017 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. GENC0177 11/17

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watermark Your LGBTQ life.

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12/14/17 9:48 AM

departments 6 // mail 7 // publisHer’s desk 8 // orlando news 10 // tampa bay news 12 // state news 14 // nation & world news 19 // talking points 35 // community calendar 37 // tampa bay out + about 39 // orlando out + about 40 // tampa bay marketplace 41 // wedding bells/ announcements 42 // orlando marketplace 46 // last page

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I’ve been very lucky over the years, meeting great songwriters and musicians who have performed music that I fell in love with, and I have recorded... I’ve learned my lessons not to go too far out, but you do want to experiment a little bit because we do a lot of the same stuff over and over and over again. The —JoHnny MaTHis fans don’t hear it that way, but we (the performers) do.

on tHe cover

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PAGE UNITED WE

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sTaND: While 2017 was a year we had our backs against the wall, it was also the year we took a deep breath and began to resist.

Photos by Brian Becnel, Nick Cardello, Danny Garcia, Jamarqus Mosley, Jake Stevens

scan Qr code For

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alpHabet soup: It was a crazy

year in pop culture, so in order to sort it all out we head back to the classroom and remember our ABCs.

watermark i ssue 24 .26 //december 28 - J anuary 10, 2018

ligHt FigHt

Funding tHe arts

lady Fingers

Frozen Fringe

PAGE A Longwood couple got in on the holiday battle of the best decorated yard in an episode of ABC’s The Great Christmas Light Fight.

PAGE The Starz Center for the Performing Arts received a $20,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay.

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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Sabrina says farewell to 2017 with her own personal take on Twas the Night Before Christmas in the last Viewpoint of the year.

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As the second annual Orlando Fringe Winter Mini-Fest approaches, we look at some of shows we are most excited to see.

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top web comments “Congratulations to Officer Storozuk.

Thank you for your unselfish service in serving a very selfish world.”

—Melissa Hyberger

WatermarkOnline.com On Rebecca Storozuk, Orange County’s first transgender deputy, being named a Most Remarkable Person in 2017:

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“Congratulations to Officer Storozuk. Thank you for your unselfish service in serving a very selfish world. Great words of wisdom from my Cousin Grace Peek. Please always guard her 6 because I know she will always have yours.

Stay safe, stay strong!”

—Melissa Hyberger

On Robin Daily, Zebra Coalition Community Engagement Coordinator being named a Most Remarkable Person in 2017:

“Congratulations Robin, that is awesome! Have a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!”

—Karen Hudson

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On Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs honoring Orange County Regional History Center’s Chief Curator Pamela Schwartz:

“Thank you so much Mayor Jacobs for giving the staff at the history center a nod for all of their hard work!”

—Sue Schwartz

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On Philippines president saying he is “for” same-sex marriage:

“So uhh, all that murder and stuff he does ... we’re cool about that now,

because same sex marriage is all that matters?”

—Jeffrey Claggett

On Trump’s administration continuing to fight trans military enlistments:

“Give up lunatics!”

—Milly Bou Miranda

On Sandi Hulon, Tampa Bay filmmaker, being named a Most Remarkable Person in 2017:

“So honored to know you Sandi and thank you Julie Moret for introducing us together.”

—Topher Morrison

On Marco Antonio Quiroga, Program Director at Our Fund Foundation, being named a Most Remarkable Person in 2017:

“What a great champion for the community!”

—Donna Wyche

On Jennifer Foster, owner of Foster Productions Inc., being named a Most Remarkable Person in 2017:

“She is totally amazing.

Love our Jennifer!”

—Donna Dowless

On James Keane, Metro’s Director of LGBTQ Programs and Development, being named a Most Remarkable Person in 2017:

“Congrats! Well done.”

—Chris Rudisill

“Thanks Watermark for the recognition. I’m honored

Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

to be included in a list of such amazing individuals that work so hard for the LGBT community and all of Tampa Bay!” —James Keane

On an anti-gay group filing suit against Tampa’s conversion therapy ban:

“Even though it doesn’t work because you can’t change gay, the hatemongers are still spreading their hate.”

—Don Shetterly

“Well F them and the Horse they rode in on.”

—Mike Jackson

“It would be better if these cult leaders were deprogrammed.”

—David Edward

On Puerto Rico’s Senate approving a “religious freedom” bill:

“Really? After the RepubliCONS screwed them during the hurricane they side with their hateful agenda?”

—Hen Ry Mays

On social conservatives thanking Trump at White House for anti-LGBTQ policy:

“Last time I checked, God promoted love. The love of all people. Loving thy neighbor. So for people to use Christianity to discriminate, hate, alienate and the like against any group of people for any reason isn’t Christian like at all. It is disgusting that they use the name of Christianity to discriminate.”

—Sue Jones

contributors Sabrina Ambra

Publisher’s

Rick Claggett PUblisher

Rick@WatermarkOnline.com

N

Desk

ew Year’s Eve is upon us. This

day has changed for me over the past few years. Usually I’d spend the evening getting drunk and complaining about how awful the year was. At midnight my friends and I would hug each other in the hopes for a better new year.

December 31, 2014, would be much of the same. In the early morning hours of that day my father passed away, pretty much sealing the deal on making 2014 an awful year. Later that evening my family joined me at my favorite watering hole before we all retreated back to my place where I drank the year away.

That was the last New Year’s Eve I would spend drunk.

Since then, New Year’s Eve has become more reflective for me. Rather than simply complain about what went wrong I look back on the year’s

events as lessons. What did go wrong? What role did I play in its inception and how did I react to the adversity? It’s a practice I pursue every day, but at the end of the year I look back at the big picture. What I hope to find is that the year is met with progress.

We knew 2017 was going to be a tough year. It began with our community in pain over the recent Pulse tragedy, coupled with fear and anger over what a Trump White House would bring for us. We knew we had a battle ahead of us and we were ready

watermark staff

Founder and Guiding Light: Tom Dyer • Tom@WatermarkOnline.com Owner & Publisher: Rick Claggett • Ext. 110 • Rick@WatermarkOnline.com Business Manager: Kathleen Harper • Ext. 101 • Kathleen@WatermarkOnline.com CFL Bureau Chief: Jeremy Williams • Ext. 106 • Jeremy@WatermarkOnline.com Tampa Bay Bureau Chief: Ryan Williams-Jent • Ext. 302 • Ryan@WatermarkOnline.com Multimedia Assistant: Melody Maia Monet • Ext. 100 • Maia@WatermarkOnline.com Art Director: Jake Stevens • Ext. 109 • Jake@WatermarkOnline.com Creative Assistant: Jason Donnelly • Ext. 102 • AdProduction@WatermarkOnline.com Proofreading: Ed Blaisdell

to fight. We didn’t know that we would lose the singular voice and fighting spirit of Billy Manes, who passed away unexpectedly in mid-July. Billy is a hero to this community and his inspiring spirit lives on, moving our community forward.

And our community is moving forward. We have fought for what matters to us and the progress is palpable.

Our country saw champions of LGBTQ causes winning elections along with history-making wins for transgender candidates. We are seeing real progress and that leads to a hopeful new year.

Hopefully you will see great progress in Watermark this New Year as well. As we bring our new, full staff up to speed you will see an increased and varied online presence. As our team of freelancers grows we will be bringing you more compelling stories of issues that affect your community and how they relate to your life, or at the very least inspire you.

It is important for me that our readers know how dedicated our staff is to the community and how hard they work to bring your stories to print. In 2017 we introduced a series called The Last Page to do just that. We have a few more staff members to cover before we start filtering in our freelancers and their passionate stories of commitment. New in 2018, I will open up this page to give a voice to the two bureau chiefs that work to the heart of what’s going on in Tampa Bay and Central Florida. In every other issue, beginning with the next one, our Central Florida readers will hear

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watermark Your LGBTQ life.

from Jeremy Williams and our Tampa Bay readers will get more insight from Ryan Williams-Jent.

In this issue we check in on a Longwood couple featured in ABC’s The Great Christmas Light Fight. In Tampa Bay news, we look into the Straz Center for the Performing Arts’ new grant and who will benefit from it. Our Arts and Entertainment section gives you a preview of Winter Fringe in Orlando and an interview with the

We have fought for what matters to us and the progress is palpable.

Our country saw champions of LGBTQ causes winning elections along with history-making wins for transgender candidates.

legendary Johnny Mathis, who is performing at Ruth Eckerd Hall in January. In each of our news sections, as well as the entirety of our In Depth section, we give space to the stories that shaped 2017 and our community. You will also find a pop culture look at the past year.

We strive to bring you a variety of stories, your stories. I hope you enjoy this latest issue.

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Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

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

Holly V. Kapherr

is a food, travel and lifestyle writer and editor born and bred in Orlando, Florida. Her work has appeared in local, regional and national publications. Page 41

Gregg Shapiro

is a Chicagobased freelance journalist and entertainment reporter whose work appears frequently in Watermark. Page 29

Sabrina Ambra, Scottie Campbell, Krista DiTucci, Miguel Fuller, Divine Grace Kirk Hartlage, Samuel Johnson, Jason Leclerc, Stephen Miller, Maia Monet, David Moran, Greg Stemm, Dr. Steve yacovelli, Michael wanzie, Ryan Williams-Jent

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central florida news

Top 5 headlines of 2017 Orange County gets its first transgender deputy Rebecca Storozuk became the first sworn deputy at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office who is openly transgender in 2017.

Storozuk joined the sheriff’s office in 2012 after serving in the United States Army. In an interview with Watermark, Storozuk said that most have been open and accepting at the sheriff’s office, and those you were having trouble with it are working on it. “They are coming up and asking me how to act appropriately. They are asking me questions about me and what makes me feel comfortable and uncomfortable, and they are carrying that over into the public,” Storozuk said.

Competitive Decor: Longwood’s Jim Cheslin and Alex Laneaux’s holiday decorations include 100,000 lights, a 16-foot Christmas tree of bulbs and a light show set to RuPaul’s “You’re the Star (On My Christmas Tree).”

MBA Orlando celebrates 25 years, named Chamber of the Year The Metropolitan Business Association celebrated 25 years, as well as the recognition of being named the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce’s Chamber of the Year, in 2017. MBA Orlando was formed more than two decades ago to pursue equality through economics, according to their website. “MBA’s strategic focus is to serve as a resource to bridge the gap between small business and large corporations,” the website states.

The Pulse tragedy, one year later The one-year mark of the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history loomed over Orlando as vigils, memorials and remembrances were being planned for June 12. The One Orlando alliance, the City of Orlando, Pulse and may other groups and organizations declared June 12, 2017, as a Day of Love and Kindness. Hundreds turned out to vigils at Pulse and Lake Eola. The Orange County Regional History Center displayed hundreds of Pulse memorial items in an exhibit for the One Orlando Collection. Sadly, less than four months later, the title of “worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history” was handed off to Las Vegas when a lone gunman fired from a Vegas hotel into a crowd of concert goers, killing 58 and wounding 489.

Billy Manes dies at 45 Billy Manes, legendary Orlando LGBTQ activist and former editor-in-chief of Watermark, died July 21 from a sudden onset of pneumonia. He was 45. Manes, who grew up in Boca Raton, moved to Orlando in 1997 where he began his career working at Orlando Weekly, first in the sales department, then as an influential political writer. Manes joined Watermark in 2015 and was the editor-in-chief during the Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage, the 2016 presidential election and the tragic mass shooting at Pulse. He is survived by his husband, Anthony Mauss.

Parliament House sold to Miami-based company Miami-based Kenergy Scientific, Inc., announced it was acquiring Parliament Holdings Inc., the company that owns the Parliament House Resort, in a press release Nov. 13. While initial reports stated the announcement was “premature,” Parliament House posted on social media that “although the news broke prematurely, it’s true, there are incredible things happening at Parliament House Orlando.”

Parliament House owner Don Granastein would not comment further but has said a joint press release from the world famous resort and Kenergy would be coming soon.

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Photo courtesy of the heslin-Laneaux family

Bright Light Fight ABC’s Great Christmas Light Fight visits an Orlando couple’s home Kirk Hartlage

L

ONGWOOD, Fla. | For more than a decade, long-time partners Jim Cheslin and Alex Laneaux have used the Osbourne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights from Disney Hollywood Studios as inspiration for their own yard-and-lawn holiday display at their Longwood home.

The Cheslin-Laneaux’s impressive display of 100,000 lights caught the attention of the folks behind ABC’s The Great Christmas Light Fight, which featured the couple’s home earlier this month on its fifth-season finale.

True to its name, the show pits families from across the country in a battle for the best holiday-themed yard and lawn display; each episode’s winner receives a trophy and a $50,000 prize.

Cheslin and Laneaux took a fateful trip to see the various Christmastime displays throughout the WDW Resort in 2005, and Cheslin told his partner during

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

the drive home that he wanted to recreate the light show at their home.

“I thought he had lost his mind,” Laneaux says. Nonetheless the DIY project created a new spark for the couple’s relationship.

Fast-forward to December 2015, when, having seen the couple’s displays posted on YouTube, Light Fight producers contacted Cheslin and Laneaux about appearing on the show.

Though not chosen for the series’ fourth season, the showrunners encouraged the couple to apply again.

Before the next holiday season came around, the Pulse shooting occurred.

“It hit us really hard,” Laneaux says. “I said to Jim that we needed to do something in honor of those victims.”

Within the week Laneaux had decided to build 49 stars which would be placed on the outermost edges of their roof.

“The feedback from neighbors has been amazing,” Cheslin says. “People love the tribute and are really touched and

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impressed by it.”

The show’s producers were no doubt impressed as well as they selected the couple to appear on the show this year.

Most years Cheslin starts assembly outdoors around Labor Day in order to have the display up and running by Thanksgiving.

This year came with a unique set of challenges. Producers needed the display completed by early October, ready for four days worth of filming. Hurricanes Irma and Maria also impacted the display, resulting in a last-minute 18-day stretch of frenzied construction to meet the show’s deadlines.

The display featured approximately 100,000 LEDs covering the couple’s home and yard, including a 16-foot Christmas tree of bulbs, all synced to a medley of classic and modern songs. Though it took three weeks to get it just right, Cheslin is particularly proud of one new addition: a full-on light extravaganza set to RuPaul’s “You’re the Star (On My Christmas Tree).”

Sadly, the couple did not win their episode of the Light Fight.

Still, Cheslin had high praise for the show and his fellow competitors.

“I think the show is really well done. I pretty much agreed with each of the winners, on who the judges chose.” Cheslin singled out one family’s unique all-blue monochromatic display, a favorite among fans and judges alike.

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tampa bay news

Top 5 headlines of 2017 Anti-LGBTQ group files suit against Tampa’s conversion therapy ban In April, Tampa’s city council voted unanimously to ban the harmful and ineffective practice of conversion therapy on minors. The Tampa ban became law in April, signed by Mayor Bob Buckhorn, and carries fines of up to $5,000 for violations. Eight months later, anti-LGBTQ group Liberty Counsel filed a suit against the city for the ban, citing a violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments. The city of Tampa is currently reviewing the contents of the lawsuit.

kids chorus:

“The value of this program is reflected in the increasing number of schools and agencies that apply for partnership services each year, and in the faces of every child we reach,” Straz Center president and CEO Judy Lisi says.

Metro Wellness & Community Centers celebrates 25 years Metro Wellness & Community Centers ushered in its 25th year of operation in November with the organization’s Celebrate 25 Gala. Over 500 members of the community dined, drank, took photographs and participated in auctions. Metro subsequently announced that just over $65,000 was raised, after expenses, for programs and services for LGBTQ youth and seniors. It’s Metro’s commitment to the community it serves, and the community’s reciprocal support, that contributed to the organization’s successful 25 years.

St. Pete Pride to move parade downtown, keep street festival in Grand Central For the first time in 15 years, the St. Pete Pride parade was held in downtown St. Petersburg rather than the Grand Central District. When the organization initially announced the controversial move, the Street Festival was also scheduled to be held downtown. This prompted backlash from Grand Central businesses and Mayor Rick Kriseman.

After Kriseman threatened to pull city funding for the event, the organization announced that the St. Petersburg City Council had voted unanimously to approve a five-year agreement with St. Pete Pride. “The shopper friendly Street Festival will remain in Grand Central while the Pride Parade will run through Downtown St. Pete,” they announced.

St. Petersburg Moves Forward: Mayor Rick Kriseman wins re-election campaign On Nov. 7, with a turnout of 27.02 percent of the city’s registered voters, St. Petersburg re-elected incumbent Mayor Rick Kriseman. “I’m so proud to be your mayor,” Kriseman said during his victory speech. “We call ourselves the Sunshine City for a reason. We embrace light and love here. That is evident to me every single day, but especially tonight.”

Passing of beloved Tampa Bay drag queen spurs fight against silicone procedures, memorial fund After beloved Tampa Bay drag queen Tanisha Cassadine passed away due to complications from silicone injections, the Divine Cassadine Transition Scholarship was created in her honor. The goal of the fund is to “help someone transition the right and healthy way,” a close friend of the late entertainer said, and to aid in the removal of silicone injections. The money raised each year will be awarded at the Black Trans Advocacy Award Gala.

10

PHOTO COURTESY OF STRAZ CENTER

Straz Center Gets Grant Over 3,500 students to benefit from $20K grant Ryan Williams-Jent

T

ampa | The Straz Center for the Performing Arts has announced its acquisition of a $20,000 grant from The Community Foundation of Tampa Bay to help bring the arts to the area’s disadvantaged students.

The Community Foundation of Tampa Bay is a partnership between donors, nonprofits, community leaders, businesses, volunteers and businesses. During their fiscal year of 2017, they awarded $10.3 million in grants to qualifying organizations in Tampa Bay. Their grant to the Straz Center will be utilized to support partnerships in the area’s underserved schools and communities. The performing art center advises that, due to the generosity of the organization, more than 3,500 disadvantaged Tampa Bay area K-12 students will benefit through their 2017-2018 Arts Education Partnerships Program.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

“The goal of this program is to provide access to creative learning experiences for youth in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Manatee counties who face economic, geographic and other challenges to accessing the performing arts in their schools and neighborhoods,” the organization’s press release reads.

“In all, youth at 45 partnering Tampa Bay area schools and agencies will receive engaging arts education classes and programs during and/ or after school,” it continues. “This is an increase of more than 28 percent over the 35 partnering schools and agencies served in 2016-2017.”

The increase is something that Straz Center president and CEO Judy Lisi says shows the Arts Education Partnerships Program’s value. First launched in 2009 as response to “a growing community need,” it has engaged nearly 40,000 disadvantaged students since its inception.

“The value of this program is reflected in the increasing number of schools and agencies that apply

Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

for partnership services each year,” Lisi says. “And in the faces of every child we reach.”

The 2017-2018 program will partner with the Metropolitan Ministries/Sullivan Elementary School, Academy Prep of Tampa Bay, MacDill Air Force Base’s Youth Programs, Pepin Academy, Firehouse Cultural Center, Boys and Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay, RCMA Leadership Academy, Centre for Girls, Moffitt Cancer Center’s Healthy KIDZ program and 36 others.

“Throughout the school year, Straz Center teaching artists will deliver tailored sequential curricula and projects that help meet classroom objectives,” Straz’s press release says. “Students and teachers will also receive opportunities to attend study-related master classes and main stage performances at the Straz Center, and scholarship opportunities to pursue further training at our accredited Patel Conservatory.”

The Patel Conservatory was built in 2004 and opened without debt. It seeks “to advance in the pursuit of performing arts education excellence” and to “deepen the fulfillment of the mission for all students.”

Education in the arts, the Straz Center advises, remains in a marginalized state in a growing number of schools. “Local school districts and after-care agencies are increasing looking to the Straz Center to provide what they cannot,” they advise.

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Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

11

5/31/17 5:32 PM

state news

top 5 Headlines oF 2017

Jacksonville religious group continues to raise Funds to FigHt city’s lgbtQ-inclusive Hro

HealTH deparTMenT To offer prep for free by end of 2018 The Florida Department of Health announced they are currently working to make Truvada available at no cost at all of the 67 county health departments by the end of 2018.

florida sTripper arresTed for Killing Cannibal boyfriend A Tampa stripper was arrested in Key West after killing a 67-year-old man, believed to be the stripper’s boyfriend, whom he suspected may have been a cannibal.

world ouTgaMes CanCelled World OutGames organizers cancelled most events the day before the games began due to financial issues.

eQualiTy florida CelebraTes 20 years

Jacksonville City Council voted to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the city’s Human Rights Ordinance.

J

aCKsonville, fla. | The anti-LGBTQ group Empower Jacksonville is continuing to raise funds in an effort to overturn LGBTQ protections added into Jacksonville’s Human Rights Ordinance this past Valentine’s Day. According to FloridaPolitics. com, the political action committee

brought in just over $10,000 in November. This pushes the total the conservative organization has raised to nearly $32,000.

Empower Jacksonville formed in August of this year, introducing themselves in a news conference at Jacksonville’s First Baptist Church. The members of the committee are almost exclusively Evangelical Christians.

Empower Jacksonville is hoping

palm beacH county is First in Florida to ban conversion tHerapy staff Report

Equality Florida celebrated two decades as the largest civil rights organization for Florida’s LGBTQ community.

JaCKsonville approves Hro

staff Report

to get two initiatives on the ballot in August 2018. The first initiative would be a non-binding straw poll on whether Jacksonville voters agree with the city council’s vote that added sexual orientation and gender identity to the HRO. The second would amend the city charter and allow citizens to vote to repeal any law passed by the city council.

Jacksonville’s city council voted 12-6 on Feb. 14 to expand the city’s HRO to include people based on their sexual orientation and gender identity in the areas of employment, public accommodations and housing.

W

esT palM beaCH, fla. | While many councils in the state have passed conversion therapy bans in their own cities, no Florida county had passed a ban until now.

The seven county commissioners voted 5-2 to

prohibit conversion therapy for minors in Palm Beach County Dec. 19. Commissioners Steven Abrams and Hal Valeche were the two to vote against the ban.

The ban covers Palm Beach County’s 39 municipalities as well as the county’s unincorporated areas. The ban will apply to doctors, osteopaths, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers,

marriage or family therapists and counselors licensed by the State of Florida as well as people who perform counseling as part of the person’s professional training.

The ban does not apply to members of the clergy unless they are also licensed—or in training to become licensed—mental health professionals.

St. Pete’s Largest LGBT-Owned and Operated Realty Group Named Tampa Bay Business of the Year 2016 by Tampa Bay Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce Sonny Hotchkiss: Named Tampa Bay Community Champion of the Year 2017

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Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

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Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

13

nation+world news

Top 5 headlines of 2017 Equality March draws thousands Tens of thousands of LGBTQ people and their supporters marched from the White House to the National Mall near the U.S. Capitol in the Equality March for Unity and Pride.

Edith Windsor dies

Chris Johnson of The Washington Blade courtesy of the National

Edith Windsor, a lesbian activist who brought down the anti-gay Defense of Marriage Act, died at age 88.

Trump tweets trans military ban President Donald Trump announced via Twitter that transgender people will not be allowed to serve in the United States military.

Trans woman defeats man who penned anti-trans bathroom bill Danica Roem became the first openly transgender person seated in any state legislature in the country when she soundly defeated Virginia state Del. Bob Marshall by a 54-45 percent margin.

Chechnya police arrest 100 alleged gays, 3 killed Police in the southern Russian republic of Chechnya rounded up more than 100 men suspected of homosexuality and sent them to ‘concentration camps.’ At least three were killed.

14

Trump admin not done fighting transgender military enlistments LGBT Media Association

N

o fewer than three courts have ruled against President Trump’s transgender military ban, but the Trump administration isn’t done fighting potential transgender enlistments, which are set to take place Jan. 1 as the result of the rulings.

The U.S. Justice Department filed a request Dec. 14 before the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals seeking a stay on a ruling issued by U.S. District Judge Marvin Garbis against the transgender ban. The request is limited to the order requiring the U.S. military to allow qualified transgender people to enlist starting Jan. 1.

“Absent further relief from this court…the military will be forced

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to implement a significant change to its accession standards before it decides how to resolve this issue,” the request says. “As military leadership has explained, this timetable will place extraordinary burdens on our armed forces and may harm military readiness.”

The Garbis ruling, as well as the two other court decisions against the transgender ban, made Jan. 1 the target date for transgender accessions. That was the date Defense Secretary James Mattis selected in a June 30 memo before Trump announced in July via Twitter he would ban transgender people from the military and followed that up with a directive in August.

The Justice Department proposes several ways the Fourth Circuit could stay Garbis’ ruling. The first option is staying the ruling as it pertains to constraining Mattis’ own ability to extend the delay on transgender military service. Also proposed is scaling back the nationwide scope of the injunction, which could mean

Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

staying transgender accessions except the one transgender plaintiff who was a potential enlistee and found to have standing in the case.

Finally, the Justice Department suggests staying accessions in their entirety on the basis the Garbis order “rests on legal errors concerning jurisdiction, the equities, and the merits.”

“Without a stay, the military will, at the risk of harming its readiness posture, have to rush to provide the requisite training to the tens of thousands of service members across the country responsible for implementing accession standards,” the brief says.

Notably, the request doesn’t seek a stay on parts of the Garbis order that barred the U.S. military from kicking out openly transgender people currently in service or refusing payments for gender reassignment surgeries. The request, however, adds the U.S. government “may seek a stay of these aspects of the injunction at a later date after a final policy determination.”

Regardless of the decision of the appellate courts on a stay, the losing party can appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

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Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

viewpoint

Sabrina Ambra

ladyfingers Bye 2017!

W

elp, we’re almost

there, folks. Soon enough we’ll all be able to put this bizarre and “tryin’-ass” year behind us. It has been a doozie for just about everyone I know, but we survived. I have been tested, I’ve met new limits, I’ve stopped myself from drop-kicking many morons and I have a new cat.

Alongside the shitty, I have had the honor to not only witness but also be a part of incredible movements.

I walked with thousands as history was made and stuck a big middle finger up to everyone who tried to make me feel anything less than my worth.

I have never felt more inspired than I do now, surrounded by extraordinary, exceptionally badass women. I am extremely grateful to have honorable and intelligent men in my life as well. The kind of men who do not treat me differently because I’m a woman, but who stand by my side when I speak up. I have never been more proud to be a woman. I have never been met with so many challenges, especially with those who are devoid of logic. They live under their rock with confidence and Wi-Fi apparently.

I don’t want to spend our time here nitpicking at 2017. We know what it was and what it did. Harping on “why” is just going to take away the energy, the energy that is fueling an unstoppable train. I’m going full steam ahead and hauling ass in 2018. I feel a fire burning inside, but what’s even more thrilling is seeing the same fire burn in the exceptional humans around me. I was on board, but now I’m waiting for my turn to shovel the coal into the furnace.

I don’t know why I chose trains for this particular euphemism, but I’m going to roll with it. Ok, I’ll stop.

Did I mention I’ve already checked out of this year?

Like, I care about what’s important but I don’t care about the other bullshit nearly as much. Well, I’m

trying. It is only Day 3, but it feels good to take a fat chill pill down the gullet. I’m exhausted and I need the beast inside to hibernate a bit. So, I’m trying to sing in the car more. I don’t know. I just know I’m taking a breather.

That’s the true meaning of the holiday season, isn’t it? Giving as little fucks as possible until the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve? But I will make sure I take the time (during which I am not giving a fuck) to mentally prepare to give the f’s when they need to be given, and not waste said fucks on morons who I once imagined drop-kicking.

I would to bid you a farewell in 2017 with my version of one of the oldest and most popular Christmas poems ever, “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” And by “my version,” I mean I shortened it and changed the words, but do the rhyme-y thing in your head when reading it please.

‘Twas the night before New Year’s, and all through the town The drunk folks were slurrin’, “the prez is a clown” The pot brownies were done, and eaten with care In hopes that the giggles would soon be there My cell phone is nestled, all snug in my breasts Blasting old Taylor because we all know she’s dead This year was a shit show, put as simply as that It was nearly as painful as my annual PAP But with the chaos, we fought for what mattered And 2018, that ceiling will shatter I yacked out the window, that made quite a splash I must find new ways to spend all my cash The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow No wait. Nope. That’s still my vomit below When, what to my lesbian eyes should appear Bad bitches who slay, and eight giant rein-bears (I’m not sure what those are just

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

I have never felt more inspired than I do now, surrounded by extraordinary, exceptionally badass women. I am extremely grateful to have honorable and intelligent men in my life as well. yet; animators welcome to take that one on) With a little old driver, so frail yet quick Statistically speaking, he’ll whip out his dick

More arid than deserts, my hoo-ha became The thought of him naked brought my eyes some pain “Now listen, I probably should call an Uber!

“But first, I will, tell you that you, are SUPER!” And I knew right away, my brownies took flight Here is to next year, and to 2017 - BOI, BYE.

THE BARBER FUND HELPING THOSE LIVING WITH CANCER

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Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

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talking points

19 LGBTQ CHARACTERS Out Of a tOtal Of

698 appeaRed in

I don’t want to be called gay, because I am simply a man full stop. The word ‘gay’ was invented by those who need to label people, and I don’t want to be identified by my sexual choices.

—designer sTefano gabbana, one-Half of iTalian fasHion House dolCe & gabbana

netflix ShOwS Off new QUEER EYE FOR THE STRAIGHT GUY caSt

N

eTfliX Has revealed THe new fab five for its Queer Eye for the Straight Guy revival. The revamped cast will include designer Bobby Berk; former Real World: Philadelphia star Karamo Brown, who will focus on culture; Antoni Porowski, who will focus on food and wine; Jonathan Van Ness, who specializes in grooming; and Tan France, who will give fashion advice. The show will move from its New York City location to Atlanta to help improve the lives of men and women. Original cast members Carson Kressley, Ted Allen, Jai Rodriguez, Kyan Douglas and Thom Felicia were rumored to join the show in some capacity but no word on if, or how, the old crew will rejoin the Netflix version. Queer Eye for the Straight Guy streams on Netflix in February.

SPANISH-LANGUAGE

TV SHOWS in 2017

13 GAY MEN,

5 LESBIAN/

BISEXUAL WOMEN and 1 TRANS WOMAN. 6 Of the lgbt chaRacteRS weRe killed Off duRing the televiSiOn SeaSOn. —glaad reporT

Sally Ride iS getting heR Own pOStage Stamp

s

ally ride will be feaTured on a forever sTaMp neXT year, USPS announced. The first American woman in space and the first known LGBT astronaut will be honored on the postage. John Lennon and Mr. Rogers will also get their own stamps. USPS will also release a stamp for the Lunar New Year with a “Year of the Dog” stamp and an “O Beautiful” stamp for the song “America the Beautiful,” and will mark the 200th anniversary of Illinois’ statehood with its own stamp. Ride, who died in 2012 from pancreatic cancer, was honored in the “Women of NASA” special-edition Lego set with her own Lego figure.

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patti labelle OpenS up abOut lutheR vandROSS’ Sexuality

p

aTTi labelle goT Candid abouT Her good friend Luther Vandross’ sexuality during an interview on Watch What Happens Live. “Did he struggle with the idea of coming out publicly?

Was that something that you talked about at all?” host Andy Cohen asked. “We talked about it,” LaBelle replies. “Basically, he did not want his mother to be… although she might have known, but he wasn’t going to come out and say this to the world.

And he had a lot of lady fans and he told me he just didn’t want to upset the world.” Vandross’ sexuality is said to have been an “open secret” in the industry.

Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

well-StRung membeRS tO cOmpete On AMAZING RACE

T

revor wadleigH and CHris MarCHanT, two members of the all-gay string quartet Well-Strung, will be competing on season 30 of The Amazing Race.

Well-Strung is known for their pop/ classical music crossovers which have caught the attention of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Wadleigh and Marchant, known as #TeamWellStrung, explain in their introduction video that their “strong stark differences are going to play well together during the race.”

Other cast members include Big Brother stars Cody Nickson and Jessica Graff.

Nickson sparked backlash for making transphobic remarks during season 19 of the reality series. The Amazing Race premieres Jan. 3 on CBS.

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Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

XXXX XXXX: Revelers during the Tampa Pride Parade.

PHOTO By JAMARQuS MOSLEy

in-depth: yeaR in Review

2 0 1 6 WA S T H E W O R S T Y E A R E V E R , A N D

2017 WAS THE YEAR WE FOUND OUR FOOTING

I

Jeremy Williams

n THese very pages one year ago

we proclaimed 2016 to be the worst year ever. It started off with so much promise and optimism, with the official passing of the torch as the former owner of Watermark turned the reins over to new owner Rick Claggett and Watermark Media became Watermark Publishing Group.

President Barack Obama was heading into the final year of his second term and everything seemed in place for another torch to be passed, that of the first black president passing the country off to the first female president.

Of course that did not happen.

The shooting at Pulse Orlando in

June and the election of Donald Trump in November were a one-two punch to the gut in 2016 we didn’t see coming. That blind optimism is what made 2016 the worst year ever. But if 2016 was the year that knocked us down, then 2017 was the year where we got back up and tried to find our footing.

In our next issue we will take a deep dive into the first year of Trump and his effect on the LGBTQ community, but in these pages we will look back on just some of the events that occured in a year where we learned to breathe again.

JanuaRy

T

he year begins with the final weeks of the Obama administration, as the country and the world prepare themselves for the incoming Trump train which will try and “Make America Great Again.”

In Central Florida, the community is still dealing with the tragic events at Pulse. State Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith and State Sen. Linda Stewart take to the steps of the Orange County Courthouse

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and introduce their companion bills which look to limit the availability of assault weapons in Florida.

The Orlando City Soccer Club releases a video of their rainbow section in the new stadium, dedicated to those taken at the Pulse shooting.

In Tampa Bay, after many months of rumors, St. Pete Pride’s board votes to move the pride parade and festival from the Grand Central District to downtown St. Petersburg. The decision causes Mayor Rick Kriseman to threaten to pull city funds. The board compromises and agrees to keep the festival in Grand Central and only move the parade downtown.

The Tampa Bay Diversity Chamber of Commerce celebrates a year of LGBTQ business with

Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

the annual Diamonds in Diversity Awards dinner.

On the national stage, one of Obama’s final decisions before leaving office is to shorten the sentence of Chelsea Manning, the transgender solider who leaked classified material and was arrested in 2010. Manning is seven years into her 35 year sentence and is told she will now be released in May 2017.

febRuaRy

o

rlando’s LGBTQ Alliance, an organizing of more than 20 LGBTQ groups in Central Florida that came together after the Pulse shooting, hold their first public town hall, “Your Voice, Our Future.” The group will go on

cOntinued On pg. 23 | uu |

21

It’s Official ASAP and Francis House Become EPIC

ASAP (AIDS Service Association of Pinellas) and Francis House have officially merged and are now EPIC (Empath Partners in Care).

This merger brings together two like-minded, community-based organizations with nearly 60 years of combined experience serving those impacted by HIV and AIDS in the Tampa Bay area. We can now serve more people with more services throughout our community.

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• • • • •

Medical Case Management Counseling Services & Support Groups Food & Personal Needs Pantries Housing Assistance Day Center with Meals & Activities

For more information about the exciting new organization, visit MyEPIC.org

EPIC 22

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Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

events. A fraud investigation is opened and it’s found that no criminal charges will be brought against the organizers.

Connecticut is the latest state to ban conversion therapy on minors statewide, making them the seventh to do so. Nevada will follow suit a week later, although their ban will not take effect until Jan. 2018, and Rhode Island will join the list in July. This brings the total number of states to ban the practice to nine.

| uu | Year in Review from pg.21

to rename themselves the One Orlando Alliance and by year’s end will be home to more than 30 LGBTQ organizations.

St. Petersburg Council Chair Darden Rice announces in a press release that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. She takes a few weeks off in February to consult with her doctors but comes back stronger than ever for her re-election campaign. By the end of the year her cancer will be in remission and she will have easily been re-elected to her seat.

The Boy Scouts of America in New Jersey welcome the first group of transgender kids into the boys-only programs for the first time. While not a competition, the national Girl Scouts organization take a moment to remind everyone that they have been accepting transgender members for years.

June

Orlando proud: Come Out With Pride had the streets of downtown filled with colorful floats and amazing costumes. Photo by Brian Becnel

for the kids: Miss Sammy at

the OYA fundraiser Babes in Bonnets.

Photo by Jake Stevens

March

T

he Orlando Magic hold their first ever Pride Night as they face off against the New York Knicks. The crowd is a sea of Magic Pride Night t-shirts and the Orlando Gay Chorus performs the National Anthem. The evening isn’t even soured by the fact that the Magic lost to the Knicks 113-105.

The One Orlando Alliance, the City of Orlando and many government officials announce that June 12, the Pulse tragedy’s one-year mark, will be designated “A Day of Love and Kindness.”

The GaYbor District is home to the year’s first major Pride parade and festival as Tampa Pride rides through Ybor City. The event is the most attended since its reemergence three years ago.

Crowds gather not only to watch the parade but to also watch singing sensation Steve Grand perform.

A week before the parade in Tampa, Manatee Pride kicks off their wildly popular Pride festival at Bradenton’s Riverwalk.

Watermark honors the best in LGBTQ businesses, organizations and individuals with the annual WAVE Awards. The winners are announced after tallying the largest number of votes we have ever had and we celebrate with huge parties—one for the Central Florida winners at the Parliament House and another for the Tampa Bay winners at Flamingo Resort.

family flag: Many people came out to Orange County’s Sea-to-Sea Flag raising ceremony. Photo by Rick Claggett

April

T

he Orlando chapter of Gays Against Guns is launched. They plan to step up pressure on gun retailers, lobbyists and elected officials to stop enabling gun violence.

The Orlando Youth Alliance fundraiser Babes in Bonnets sets a fundraising record bringing in $28,000.

The Closing Agent’s Barry Miller announces the launch of The 49 Fund, an organization that looks to raise money for LGBTQ youth scholarships.

After St. Pete Pride’s announcement to move the parade downtown, the Grand Central District announces a new event to take place the week of National Coming Out Day in October. Come Out St. Pete will feature a march, street festival and a week full of events, many tied into the Tampa Bay International

seasonal color: Red shirts were everywhere

for Gay Day at the Magic Kingdom. Photo by Brian Becnel

Gay and Lesbian Film Festival which is the same week.

As Tampa is celebrating banning conversion therapy, openly gay State Rep. David Richardson declares victory against conversion therapy in South Florida. His entire district bans conversion therapy against minors.

The creator of the rainbow flag, a symbol of LGBTQ rights, Gilbert Baker passes away at the age of 65.

A report comes out from a respected Russian newspaper that police in Chechnya have rounded up 100 gay men, killed three of them and put the remaining men into concentration camps.

Chechnya denies these claims.

More and more reports will come out, leading many to condemn these acts. President Trump does not address the reports.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

May

C

entral Florida blood bank OneBlood starts to use the images of five Pulse survivors in an advertising campaign. This upsets many in the community since gay men who are sexually active are still banned from donating blood in the U.S. Members of the LGBTQ community gather on the steps of St. Petersburg City Hall to say “No” to ex-mayor Rick Baker who announces that he is seeking to once again become the mayor of St. Pete.

Senator Marco Rubio denounces the gay Chechnya arrests from the Senate floor, surprising many.

Rubio has been opposed to many pro-LGBTQ policy changes. Trump still has not mentioned Chechnya.

The World OutGames, scheduled to take place in Miami the last weekend of May, are abruptly cancelled the day before the first

Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

T

ens of thousands of LGBTQ people flock to Orlando for Gay Days, one of the world’s largest LGBTQ events. Millions of dollars are pumped into the local community as they visit theme parks, pool parties and bars.

The Orlando Gay Chorus holds their first youth camp. Voices United! brings more than 20 kids together for a week to learn about music, take voice lessons and put on a big concert at the end of the week.

For the first time ever, a TransPride march takes place right before the St. Pete Pride parade.

Hundreds of people march in the name of transgender rights.

The week before St. Pete Pride, the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African-American Museum re-launches Gay Black Pride after a six-year hiatus. The centerpiece of the celebration is the exhibit “As Black as They Were Gay: The Harlem Renaissance” on display at the museum.

Polk Pride kicks off their third year celebration of Pride in the Park at Munn Park in Lakeland.

State Rep. David Richardson announces he will pursue the congressional seat vacated by Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. The Miami-based seat which she vacated is an important one to Richardson as his current district is virtually enclosed within the congressional district.

The Equality March for Unity and Pride in Washington, D.C., draws thousands from across the country. The Equality March is one of many rallies, protests and marches that take place in 2017 to send a message to the current administration that we are here and we are not going away. The march makes celebrities out of Tampa Bay photographer Nick Cardello and his husband, Kurt English, as a side-by-side photo of the two of them kissing at the Equality March in 1993 and at the Equality March in 2017 goes viral.

Continued on pg. 25 | uu |

23

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watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

sponsored by COSP. A report in the New Yorker says Trump joked that Pence “wants to hang” all the gay people, reminding everyone of Pence’s anti-LGBTQ history.

| uu | Year in Review from pg.23

July

T

he GLBT Community Center of Central Florida releases a statement that Executive Director Terry DeCarlo would be stepping down from his current role and would become The Center’s new chief communications officer, a position created specifically for him.

DeCarlo says in the statement that he is changing roles for his health and relationship. The statement also says the position of executive director will not be filled; however, by the end of the year a new E.D. will be named.

Orlando journalist and former Watermark editor Billy Manes passes away suddenly at the age of 45. Manes spent decades covering Central Florida news and had become a voice for a grieving community after the tragedy at Pulse.

Tampa Police chief and LGBTQ ally, Eric Ward, announces he is retiring in September 2018.

The same time he announces his retirement he also establishes Safe Places for victims of hate crimes and bullying around Tampa.

Locations that serve as Safe Places are identified by a rainbow-colored police badge sticker in the front windows of local businesses.

TransAction Florida’s Nathan Bruemmer is named the new executive director of ALSO Youth in Sarasota.

The mother of a transgender student in St. Augustine sues the county school board when her son is told he cannot use the bathroom of his identified gender.

August

H

ope & Help opens up in their brand new location and launches a new website, all less than two months before the Headdress Ball, the HIV organization’s biggest annual fundraiser.

After Trump’s trans military ban tweet storm, Central Florida elected officials gather at JOY MCC church to stand with the transgender community.

St. Petersburg mayor Rick Kriseman wins the primary election by 70 votes forcing a run-off with Rick Baker in November for the general election. Kriseman will go on to win that race by a larger margin.

St. Pete Pride Executive Director Eric Skains announces

November

M pride in the park:

Polk County celebrated their third year of Pride in Munn Park. Photo

by Danny Garcia

diamonds are forever: Tampa Bay Diversity Chamber awarded the best in Bay Area business and gave out scholarships. Photo by Danny Garcia

BA Orlando holds their annual Pride in Business Awards Gala. The gala recognizes many local LGBTQ business owners and honors Stuart Milk with the Debbie Simmons Community Service Award.

Tim Evanicki announces he will be stepping down Jan. 6 after two years as the manager of the Parliament House’s Footlight Theatre.

Metro Health, Wellness and Community Centers celebrate 25 years of serving the community with a huge silver anniversary gala at Gatsby’s. The event raises $65,000 for LGBTQ youth, senior and trans services.

Three Florida legislators again file the Competitive Workforce Act to update the state’s Civil Rights Act of 1992. A form of this bill has been filed since 2007, however this bill is being done with bipartisan support.

December

s going downtown: St. Pete Pride had its first parade downtown, as well as its first Trans Pride March. Photo by Nick Cardello that he is resigning and moving to Texas. Skains’ departure follows a successful but controversial pride event as many in the community place the decision to move the parade out of the Grand Central District on Skains.

September

T

he onePulse Foundation launches the Pulse Memorial Survey asking for opinions on how the memorial should be constructed. The survey is kept up until Oct. 31 to allow for all suggestions to be heard.

Orlando Police Chief John Mina appoints Sgt. Grace Peek as the department’s new LGBT police/ community liaison. Sgt. Peek takes over for Lt. Jim Young who steps into a new position with the OPD. Hurricane Irma puts all of Florida on edge as the storm looks more and more likely to hit central and west Florida. The Category 4

The big 2-0: EQFL celebrated 20 years with a big celebration. Photo by Laurie Ross

storm leaves more than a million Floridians without power. The 14th annual SMART Ride and the Southern Comfort Transgender Conference in Fort Lauderdale are cancelled.

Gay adult film star Matthew Rush is arrested on drug-related charges in Milton Manors. His mug shot goes viral as the once muscular actor looks thin and sickly.

The return of NBC’s Will & Grace has the community buzzing as watch parties are organized in bars and homes across the country.

October

T

he onePulse Foundation holds the first of what will be four town hall meetings, most likely with one town hall being held every quarter. The town hall is held at the Orlando Rep Theater and features a panel of experts from the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial and the 9/11 Memorial in New York.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

The Orlando City Council approves a temporary memorial around Pulse while details for the permanent memorial are figured out.

Eric Rollings announces that he is running for the Orange County commissioner seat in District 3. If he wins he will become the first openly gay county commissioner in Orange County history.

Come Out With Pride celebrates Orlando with a parade and festival in Lake Eola and honors the memory of those lost at Pulse with the theme #KeepDancingOrlando.

Following some controversy, Sarasota Pride’s board members and community leaders renew focus and celebrate Pride Fest as a community at J.D. Hammel Park.

Come Out St. Pete celebrates their first year with a full schedule of more than 20 events that are either official COSP events or affiliated events. TIGLFF screens several films that are

Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

tate Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith is recognized by the Victory Institute with the first ever Tammy Baldwin Breakthrough Award during the 2017 International LGBTQ Leaders Conference in D.C. George Wallace is named the new executive Director to the GLBT Community Center in Central Florida.

The hate group Liberty Counsel files a suit against the city of Tampa stating the conversion therapy ban put in place earlier this year violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments.

David Ermond, a Kentucky gay man who was denied a marriage license by county clerk Kim Davis, files the appropriate paperwork to run against Davis in her bid for re-election next year. Ermold files his paperwork directly to Davis who replied, “may the best candidate win.”

After the Australian Bureau of Statistics announced a majority of voters believe same-sex marriage should be legal in the country, the Australian Senate and House of Representatives both approve bills to give the country marriage equality. Within days, many Australian same-sex couples begin to apply for marriage licenses.

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watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

ROBERT W. POPE

A

ABC: It was the network to watch as they ran the seven-part miniseries on the history of the gay rights movement, When We Rise. The series was written by Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black.

Pop Culture Alphabet

B

Bryan Singer: The famed director was fired from the Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody after repeatedly failing to show up to the set. It is also rumored he had several confrontations with the film’s stars. Days after he was fired, he was sued for allegedly raping a 17-year-old boy in 2003.

I

C

D

E

Emmy Awards: It was a big night for lesbians at the 2017 Primetime Emmy Awards. Lena Waithe became the first black woman to win for Writing in a Comedy Series for an episode of Master of None which chronicled her coming out to her family. An episode of Black Mirror that focused on a romance between two women won for Best Writing for a Television Movie, and openly gay Kate McKinnon won her second Emmy in a row for her performance on Saturday Night Live.

F

Fierstein, Harvey: He found himself having to clear his name after he became confused with Hollywood producer and alleged sexual assailant Harvey Weinstein. Fierstein went on a social media campaign to let the world know that he is NOT a Weinstein, and for good measure he let them know that he is also NOT the hurricane that battered Houston this year.

G

George Takei: OH MY! The Star Trek legend was among the list of men accused of sexual misconduct in 2017. Takei took to Twitter to adamantly deny the accusations,

t was the year of

#MeToo, as this one story seemed to dominate the pop culture landscape of 2017. Victims came out saying “enough is enough” and called out their attackers and predators by name.

Chris Colfer: The Golden Globe-winning actor turned children’s author released the final book in his Young Adult fantasy series The Land of Stories. He also announced that he is directing, writing and producing the film adaptation of the series’ first novel, The Wishing Spell.

Discovery, Star Trek: After more than 50 years’ worth of films and television shows, Star Trek finally featured its first gay male kiss in the CBS All Access series Discovery. This isn’t the first lip-lock that caused a stir in the Star Trek world: the original series featured television’s first interracial kiss.

Jeremy Williams

even accusing Russian bots of spreading the rumors, although he later deleted those tweets.

H

House of Cards: Netflix’s first major hit saw a delay in its new season as series star Kevin Spacey was accused by multiple men of sexual harassment and assault. The first to accuse Spacey was actor Anthony Rapp. Spacey issued a statement apologizing and came out as a gay man.

I

“I’m Gay”: The phrase that changed the world for Ellen DeGeneres, both in her show Ellen and in real life, celebrates its 20th anniversary. “The Puppy Episode” would go on to win DeGeneres an Emmy, but it would eventually get her sitcom cancelled.

J

JAY-Z: He drops his album 4:44 and spills the tea on everything from cheating to Kanye. In one of his most intimate tracks, “Smile,” JAY-Z raps openly for the first time about his mother’s sexuality, identifying her as a lesbian.

K

Kathy Griffin: The comedian had one hell of a year after she was photographed holding a fake, blood-covered head of Trump. The controversy led to CNN firing Griffin from her New Year’s Eve gig with Anderson Cooper and Cooper taking to Twitter to condemn Griffin.

Griffin later called out Andy Cohen (who replaced her on CNN for NYE) for drug use and harassment.

It was also a year of important stories being told on television and in films. We honored the voices of women, people of color and the LGBTQ community in movies like Moonlight and The Life and Death of Marsha P. Johnson, and on shows like When We Rise and Master of None.

Plus we got Will & Grace back!

It was a big, confusing year in pop culture. To make sense of it all we start as simply as we can… with our ABCs.

L

Life and Death of Marsha P. Johnson, The: After making the rounds at film festivals in 2017, The Life and Death of Marsha P. Johnson, a documentary which examines one of the key players in the 1969 Stonewall Riots and her transgender activism, was acquired by the streaming service Netflix.

M

Moonlight: It may have been Oscar night’s biggest blunder, but after clearing up the mess of reading the wrong winner, Moonlight became the first LGBTQ-themed film and the first all-black cast movie to win the Best Picture Academy Award.

N

Nixon, Cynthia: It was rumored in 2017 that the Sex and the City star may be considering a run for New York governor. She’s been unhappy with the way Andrew Cuomo has been running things so she might take control herself. She’s such a Miranda.

O

O’Neals, The Real: After two seasons, ABC axed The Real O’Neals due to low ratings. The sitcom, loosely based on the life of Dan Savage, followed the aftermath of a seemingly perfect Catholic family who all confessed life-altering secrets, including the middle child coming out as gay.

P

Peep, Lil: The 21-year-old rapper came out as bisexual this past summer shortly after releasing his debut album Come Over When You’re Sober. Three months later, he was rushed to the

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

hospital due to a drug overdose where he was pronounced dead.

Q

Queer Eye: The show that launched a thousand metrosexuals is back. Netflix announced they are reviving the hit show Queer Eye for the Straight Guy for the millennial audience. The original Fab Five are being swapped out for younger models and the location is being moved from the Big Apple to the Big Peach.

R

RuPaul: The world’s most famous drag queen had a huge year as RuPaul’s Drag Race moved from Logo to VH1 and had its highest ratings ever. On top of that, Ru was named one of TIME’s 100 most influential people, was featured on the cover of Entertainment Weekly and it was announced he would get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Work it, girl!

S

Subway art: Commuters using the New York City station at 72nd Street have something to look at other than Sharpie art and messages to future riders that KYLE WAS HERE. The station debuted a series of mosaic murals, one of which features two men in love holding hands.

T

Transparent: The Amazon series started the year off on a high note, winning multiple awards; however, not long after the release of the show’s fourth season, allegations of sexual misconduct against star Jeffrey Tambor started to come

Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

out. The show’s writers are now considering writing him out of the show.

U

Unfortunate Events, A Series of: Neil Patrick Harris made yet another successful return to television, this time in his first streaming series. He portrayed the devious Count Olaf in Netflix’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. Being bad has never been this delightful.

V

Vogue: The chic magazine was all about the LGBTQ headlines in 2017.

They appointed their first gay, male editor-in-chief at British Vogue; Teen Vogue had the conservatives freaking out by releasing an anal sex guide; and Vogue had them freaking out even more when Chelsea Manning was featured in a swimsuit spread. The more traditional Vogue Italia got in on the risqué features by featuring a same-sex kiss on a cover.

W

Will & Grace: Honey what’s this, what’s happening, what’s going on? After 11 years of wondering whether Will and Grace were able to maintain their repaired friendship, we all found out that the last season never really happened. It was a pill-induced hallucination all in the head of Karen Walker. Got it?

X

XBOX Live: Microsoft announced that the avatars for their XBOX Live service will now feature gender-neutral clothing options. In related news, Mother has removed the XBOX from Mike Pence’s office and replaced it with an Atari that only plays Pong.

Y

Yiannopoulos, Milo: The right-wing provocateur all but disappeared in 2017 after comments in which he appeared to support pedophilia went viral. The backlash was swift as he was let go from Breitbart News and saw his book deal canceled all within a matter of weeks.

Z

Zombie ex-husband: The Walking Dead is no stranger to killing off characters, but Aaron watching his undead husband, Eric, walk away from their happy marriage for a life of eating brains killed us. Oh, Spoiler Alert.

27

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watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

aRtS and enteRtainment

STILL WONDERFUL,

WONDERFUL an interview with Johnny mathis

T

Gregg shapiro

Here is only one JoHnny MaTHis.

With a career that is now in its seventh decade, Mathis has touched many generations with his distinctive vocals. Known for his hits, including “When Sunny Gets Blue,” “It’s Not For Me To Say,” “Chances Are,” “The Twelfth of Never,” “Misty,” “Wonderful! Wonderful!” and “Too Much, Too Little, Too Late”; his breathtaking interpretations of standards; and his glorious way with Christmas music; Mathis is a performer for all seasons.

WATERMARK: in yOuR 2006 tv

Special, JOHNNY MATHIS LIVE— WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL, which Recently aiRed again On pbS, yOu talked abOut having “a lOt Of gOOd memORieS” in Spite Of timeS in yOuR caReeR when yOu had tO dO 101 One-night cOnceRtS. hOw dO yOu think that the expeRience affected yOu aS an aRtiSt and peRSOn.y?

JOhnny mathiS: Television is very demanding. You not only have to sing, but you have to look like you’ve got it all together [laughs]. That often times gives you a little leg up on your physical

activities, like trying to stay in shape, so that you look as good as you sing. You do get absolutely affected by what you do, for instance “101 one-nighters in a row” and things of that nature.

You realize that your capabilities are quite extensive if you continue your routine, which is remembering that you’re going to have to perform, so that all your extracurricular activities have to be minimized. Not so much that you’re restricted in too many ways, but you do have to get a lot of rest, concentrate,

cOntinued On pg. 31 | uu |

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

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Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

| uu | Johnny Mathis fROm pg.29

and remember it’s a job, a wonderful job. But it does require a lot of attention and concentration, and you’re dealing with your vocal chords, which are very, very sensitive, and also require a lot of rest. So, many things of that nature go into affecting performance.

Speaking Of exhauStiOn, i waS wORn Out JuSt watching that vintage clip in which yOu and andy williamS weRe dOing gymnaSticS. hOw dO yOu Stay fit theSe dayS?

My exercise routine started years ago when I met a man by the name of Mike

with whOm yOu had a chaRt-tOpping hit Single, tO Jane OlivOR and diOnne waRwick, amOng OtheRS. iS theRe a cuRRent aRtiSt with whOm yOu’d like tO Sing a duet?

Jennifer Warnes. I just love the quality of her voice— you can’t buy that, you can’t learn it. I heard her for the first time singing “Up Where We Belong,” and would be honored to sing with her if she is ever available. As far as my other duet partners are concerned, of course, I love my ladies very much. They are dear, wonderful and truly great artists!

yOu aRe Once again gOing Out On a cOnceRt tOuR. when yOu lOOk Out in the audience

lessons not to go too far out, but you do want to experiment a little bit because we do a lot of the same stuff over and over and over again. The fans don’t hear it that way, but we (the performers) do.

PTSD HAS MANY FACES...

if theRe waS One SOng that yOu cOuld RetiRe and neveR have tO Sing again, what wOuld it be?

I’ve been very lucky over the years. Most of the music that I’ve sung has been good music. There are songs that are more difficult than others to sing.

For instance, the high note in “Misty”: we did lower the key, which helps a great deal, but I still have to sing kind of a note in the middle of the song that is a bit [laughs] “iffy” and way out

Took me a long time to get accustomed to being concerned and talk about my being gay over the years, but you know it is what it is [laughs]. my mom and my dad still loved me.

Abrahams at the Mountain Gate Golf Course. We just happened to get in the same foursome, and along the way he told me about what he did, that he exercised a lot of the people in motion pictures, and asked me what I did to keep in shape [laughs]. Unfortunately, I had a negative answer like, “I don’t really do anything.” He kind of gave me a disapproving look. So, I called him later on, and we got together and spent the better part of 20 years working out together. He got me into the routine of remembering that I was not always going to be young and fit, and I was going to have to work at it. It was Mike who told me that it would not only enhance my performance to look fit onstage, but it would probably give me a great boost as far as my energy level was concerned when singing and doing my day-to-day activities.

yOu have a lOng hiStORy Of peRfORming duetS, with paRtneRS Ranging fROm deniece williamS,

and See the faceS Of yOuR fanS, eSpecially thOSe Of a ceRtain age, dO yOu feel aS if yOu’ve gROwn up tOgetheR?

Yes, many of us have grown up together. And it’s a wonderful thing! It helps me in that I don’t feel obligated just to sing the same songs over and over again. They’re familiar enough with them that if I sing a little bit of one or two, then I can actually do what I think is more interesting for the audience by singing some of the songs that perhaps they aren’t familiar with, but that I feel deserve to be performed.

I’ve been very lucky over the years, meeting great songwriters and musicians who have performed music that I fell in love with, and I have recorded. But there are wonderful moments when I feel like really getting involved with some music that perhaps I’ve sung in the past, or that I’ve always wanted to sing.

Fortunately, the audience is attentive enough to let me do it. I’ve learned my

there. But I’ve just learned to do it vocally night after night. I love that song. I love the fact that it was written by the great artist Errol Garner, and the wonderful lyrics by Johnny Burke. As far as retiring any of the songs—mostly I have a hard time with songs that are vocally difficult, but over the years I’ve learned that its better in the long run that I sing songs that I can vocally manage without too much trouble. an entiRe geneRatiOn Of lgbtQ muSic lOveRS weRe thRilled thiS yeaR becauSe baRRy manilOw came Out publicly. yOu, On the OtheR hand, came Out in the eaRly 1980S.

I, like most people when you are a public figure, everybody wants to know about your private life.

Took me a long time to get accustomed to being concerned and talk about my being gay over the years, but you know it is what it is [laughs].

My mom and my dad still loved me.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

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watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

theater

Winter Mini-Fest is Coming

Orlando Fringe expands their winter festival after a successful first year Marinaccio says. “The shows are a lot less risky, the content is all proven commodities.”

Individual ticket prices are $15 per show, and the button price is only $3 each. It won’t carry that same big outdoor festival vibe you are used to seeing but the mini-fest will feature a food vendor and a small beer tent in the courtyard.

Below we look at a few shows we are excited to see. For a full list of The Orlando Fringe Winter Mini-Fest schedule and to purchase a button and tickets, visit OrlandoFringe.org.

Wanzie with a Z

Presented by Wanzie Presents & D Squared Productions

(above)

AWARD WINNERS:

Michael Marinaccio announces the Best in Venue award winners at Orlando Fringe in May 2017, several of which will have showings at the Winter Mini-Fest.

Photo by Danny Garcia

A

Jeremy Williams

fter a successful inaugural year,

the Orlando International Fringe Festival is returning with an even bigger Winter Mini-Fest Jan. 3-7, expanding on the number of venues they had in 2017.

“Instead of three venues we have four total and instead of four days we are going five. So it’s a little bit bigger than it was last year to keep up with the audience that was there, and we hope they will come out even more this year,” says Michael Marinaccio, the Orlando International Fringe Festival Producer.

This year’s winter festival will feature 25 different shows, and unlike the first mini-fest that ran only award-winning shows from the previous year, the 2018 Winter Fest is expanding on that list.

“We do have some fan favorites and some new content that has never played in Orlando before,” Marinaccio says. “The new content is from some of our favorite companies who have been some of the most successful companies at Orlando Fringe every year.”

A couple of the new shows making their Orlando Fringe debut include festival-favorite Mike Delamont, whose

God is a Scottish Drag Queen spawned three sequels and the companion show Devil, with his stand-up show Husky Panda; and the team who won Best of Fest with Edgar Allen and had incredible critical-acclaim with The Unrepentant Necrophile last year, are bringing a show called The Legend of White Woman Creek.

“The Legend of White Woman Creek is one of the most gorgeous and haunting shows I’ve ever seen,” Marinaccio says. “I got to see it while I was at Winnipeg Fringe a few years back, so I’m excited about that coming to the festival.”

The Winter Mini-Fest will not be the huge spectacle you’re used to seeing every May for Orlando Fringe, but that has some perks, and it doesn’t mean you won’t get the full Fringe experience as well.

“This is a much easier festival to navigate for our new audiences,”

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

The top-selling show from Orlando’s 2017 Fringe Festival, Wanzie with a Z is the real-life journey of actor/playwright Michael Wanzie from age 6 to 60.

Josh Lefkowitz stars as young Mikey Wanzie age 6 to 17; Mike Wanzie, age 17-30, is played by Joshua Roth, who gives us the coming-of-age story; and the cast is completed by Wanzie, playing himself from age 30- 60. His role helps the audience, as much as Wanzie, make sense of the first 30 years.

Make sure to get your tickets early as this one is sure to sell out fast, and this will be your last chance to see this show.

“Wanzie had said he would never do this show again, and now he is doubling down that after this he is never doing it again,” Marinaccio says. “I was able to talk him into doing it for our Winter Fringe for three shows only.”

Wanzie with a Z plays at the Orange Venue on Jan. 3,6 and 7.

Commencement

Presented by Beth Marshall Presents

Another returning favorite from Orlando Fringe 2017, Beth Marshall’s presentation of Clay McLeod Chapman’s Commencement is a hauntingly deep exploration of the lives of three women drawn together in the aftermath of a high school shooting.

“At its center, Commencement is about stages of grief as experienced by all parties involved,” Watermark’s editor at the time Billy Manes wrote.

Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

Marshall, in what Manes called her most moving role yet, plays the mother of a suicidal assassin at a school. She’s joined by Rose Helsinger (a young graduate) and Jamie Middleton (the mother of one victim killed).

Commencement plays at the Pink Venue on Jan. 3 and 6.

Baker’s Dozen: 12 Angry Puppets

Presented by The PuckingFuppet Co.

Adam Francis Proulx returns with his case of Mr. Potato Head-style props in this one-man/12-puppets whodunit murder mystery.

After a rub-a-dub in a tub, the Baker is dead and his husband, the Butcher, is on trial for his murder. Is he guilty, or was it the Candlestick Maker? That’s the question before 12 puppet jurors as Proulx goes Sesame Street all over stereotypes and prejudices.

Baker’s Dozen: 12 Angry Puppets plays at the Blue Venue Jan. 3, 5 and 6.

Alignment

Presented by Navarro Performs

Violinist and cellist Jose Navarro takes you on a deep journey through the chakras in Alignment, a colorful adventure highlighting the meanings and challenges of each energy center.

“Life’s simplest problems may have imbalanced or blocked us at our root,” Navarro writes in a brief synopsis. “It is up to us to encounter ourselves to reach full alignment. Remember, the universe is perfect. Where there is light, there must be darkness. Try not to get lost in the rainbow.”

Alignment plays at the Black Venue Jan. 4 and 6.

VarieTEASE: Room 100 &The Ladies and Lady Boys of the Peek-a-Boo Lounge Presented by BlueLALA Entertainment

Two sexy shows playing at The Venue that will get you hot and flustered, VarieTEASE: Room 100 and The Ladies and Lady Boys of the Peek-aBoo Lounge bring you the best dancers in Orlando moving sensually and elegantly across the stage.

VarieTEASE: Room 100 tells the stories of the Chelsea Hotel in New York during the 1970s punk rock era, and The Ladies and Lady Boys of the Peek-aBoo Lounge make their Fringe debut as they get down and dirty dancing out some sexual frustrations. Both shows feature mature content.

VarieTEASE: Room 100 plays Jan. 4, 6 and 7 & The Ladies and Lady Boys of the Peek-a-Boo Lounge plays Jan. 5, both at the Black Venue.

33

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Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

921-7026-008 Rev. 3

community calendar

event planneR

arts+entertainment

centRal flORida

centRal flORida

mba Orlando January mixer & Nonprofit Showcase

School of Rock Rock, Dec. 26-31, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando. 844-513-2014; DrPhillipsCaenter.org

wednesday, Jan. 3, 6:00-8:00 p.M. fields bMw, winTer parK Join Orlando’s Metropolitan Business Association for their first networking mixer of 2018 at Fields BMW Winter Park. The mixer will also be a celebration of the MBA’s fellow LGBT Alliance members. Free for all members, and free to guests who register by Dec. 29. The event will also feature hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar and speed networking. More information at MBAOrlando.org.

Throwback Thursday, Dec. 28, Southern Craft, Orlando.

407-412-5039; Facebook.com/ SouthernCraftBar Michael Carbonaro Live,, Dec. 28, Hard Rock Live, Orlando.

407-351-5483; HardRock.com/Live/ Locations/Orlando 2017 florida Citrus Parade,, Dec. 30, Downtown, Orlando.

407-423-2476; FloridaCitrus Parade.com Girl the Party,, Dec. 30, Southern Nights, Orlando. 407-412-5039; Facebook.com/ SouthernNightsOrlando national Theatre Live: Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead, Dec. 30, Enzian Theater, Maitland.

407-629-1088; Enzian.org new year’s Eve 80s Prom, Dec. 31, Joysticks Arcade Lounge, Orlando. 407-613-5007; JoysticksOrlando.com new year’s Eve at Parliament House, Dec. 31, Parliament House, Orlando. 407-425-7571; ParliamentHouse.com new year’s Eve All you Can Drink, Dec. 31, Southern Nights, Orlando.

407-412-5039; Facebook.com/ SouthernNightsOrlando Salvador Dali/Biblia Sacra: Dali & his Bible, Jan. 2, Baterbys Art Gallery, Winter Park. 888-682-9995 Orlando fringe Winter Mini-fest, Jan. 3-7, Lowndes Shakespeare Center, Orlando. 407-648-0077; OrlandoFringe.org

magic mike

Campaign Kickoff to re-elect carlos smith to the FL House friday, Jan. 5, 6:30-8:30 p.M. THe abbey, orlando

Michael Carbonaro, of the hit series The Carbonaro Effect, brings his special brand of comedy and magic to Hard Rock Live in Orlando Dec. 28. PHOTO COuRTESy MICHAELCARBOnARO.COM

You are invited to the official re-election campaign kickoff for Florida Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith at The Abbey. Rep. Smith made history by becoming Florida’s first openly-LGBT Latinx lawmaker, representing House District 49, and he is looking for a second term. Come out to mingle with, meet and support Rep. Smith. Visit Rep. Smith’s Facebook page to RSVP and donate.

tampa bay Twisted Bear, Jan. 5, Stonewall Bar, Orlando. 407-373-0888; StonewallOrlando.com HRC Social, Jan. 9, Tasting Room, Orlando. 407-271-8957; Orlando.HRC.org Comedy Showcase at the Starlite Room, Jan. 9, Savoy, Orlando. 407-270-4685; SavoyOrlando.com

tampa bay

new year’s Eve All you Can Drink, Dec. 31, Southern Nights, Tampa. 813-559-8625; SouthernNightsTPA.com

2018 Men of Quench Calendar Signing, Jan. 6, Quench Lounge, Largo. 727-754-5900; QuenchLounge.com

new year’s Eve Masquerade Ball 2018, Dec. 31, Honey Pot, Tampa. 813-247-4663; Facebook.com/Honey-Pot

City Mix St. Pete, Jan. 9, LGBT Welcome Center, St. Petersburg. 727-201-4925; LGBTWelcomeCenter.com

new year’s Eve Las vegas Casino, Dec. 31, Flamingo Resort, St. Petersburg. 727-321-5000; FlamingoFla.com

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in Concert, Dec. 28-30, Straz Center for the Perfoming Arts, Tampa.

813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

School of Rock, Jan. 2-7, Straz Center for the Perfoming Arts, Tampa.

813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

first Date friday, Dec. 29, Punky’s Bar and Grill. St. Petersburg. 727-201-4712; PunkysBar.com

Pride College night, Jan. 4, LGBT Welcome Center, St. Petersburg. 727-201-4925; LGBTWelcomeCenter.com

Cirque Du Solei, Dec. 29, Flamingo Resort, St. Petersburg. 727-321-5000; FlamingoFla.com

Jennifer Real, Jan. 6, The Queens Head, St. Petersburg.

727-498-8584; TheQueensHeadBar.com

SaRaSOta Davinci & Michelangelo: The Titans Experience Theatre Production, Dec. 28, Manatee Performing Arts Center, Brandenton. 941-748-5875; ManateePerforming ArtsCenter.com Jami Gee, Dec. 29, Tsunami Sushi, Sarasota.

941-365-3287; JamiGee.com new year’s Eve Pineapple Drop, Dec. 31, Downtown, Sarasota. 941-365-2200; VisitDowntownSarasota.com

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

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

city of st. Pete swearingin ceremony Tuesday, Jan. 2, 11:00 a.M. - 1:00 p.M. CiTy Hall, sT. peTersburg Be a part of history as St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman is sworn in for another term after a hard fought campaign for re-election. The St. Petersburg City Council will also be sworn in, including recent Watermark Most Remarkable People honoree Council Chair Darden Rice. The City Council will be sworn in at the Council Chamber at 11:00 a.m.

Mayor Kriseman’s swearing-in program will begin at noon.

SaRaSOta

year end youth Dance Party friday, deC. 29, 6:00-10:00 p.M. also youTH, sarasoTa With a new year looming on the horizon, ALSO Youth is closing 2017 out with a huge party. Come out to hang with friends, share highlights from 2017 and what you’re looking forward to in the new year. Food provided by Chef Greg. Bring glow sticks, bracelets and anything that lights up as they plan to dance the night away. For more information visit ALSOYouth.org.

Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

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36

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

overheard

T

lOckS Of lOve

He TaMpa bay lgbTQ CoMMuniTy CaMe TogeTHer mid-December for a local woman undergoing chemotherapy.

6S Boutique owner Andrew Citino approached the community via Facebook with a simple request: if they were able to donate spare blonde wigs for a woman who’d lost her hair to cancer treatment. “A woman going through chemotherapy has lost her hair,” he shared, “and we just want to help make her feel beautiful.”

“She is in her 60s,” he continued, advising “the wigs don’t need to be new. We can clean and condition them.”

Citino says that so many in the community reached out to offer their assistance that he had to stop accepting donations. Within three minutes, a performer in Sarasota contacted him to advise she was ordering wigs at that very moment. “And the phone kept ringing,” the boutique owner says, “and private messages filled my inbox.”

One concern he had was that his request would suggest he was soliciting others to buy wigs from 6S Boutique, something he adamantly didn’t want to happen. “Some did try, but we turned that down,” he says. “We just need some gently used wigs.”

For his part, Citino says that all he did was make the post. “The community did the rest. We are so grateful,” he says. “We really are so lucky to live where the community is so large and so supportive.”

C

tampa bay Out+abOut

gOne tOO SOOn

iTy side lounge and THe TaMpa bay lgbTQ CoMMuniTy gaTHered on Saturday, Dec. 16 to celebrate the life of one of their own. The venue announced last week that Will Long, who in his eight years at City Side served as a bartender, manager and entertainment director, passed away on Dec. 10.

“Will had a way of making everyone feel welcome and above all, loved,” City Side says, noting that his passing has left deep wounds in the hearts of his co-workers and of all those that he touched. That includes the Suncoast Softball League, in which Long participated as both a player and a coach.

“Will was a person who was competitive and wanted his team to do its best all the time,” the league’s commissioner Bobby Schmahl recalls.

“When he first joined our team, he bonded with everyone and quickly became an important part of the team’s success.”

“Our community will be forever changed by not having his energy around,” Schmahl says.

Following the venue’s celebration of life, City Side thanked those who attended. “Words cannot express our deepest feelings of loss,” they shared via Facebook.

“Our love, respect and sympathies will forever go to Will’s family, Paul, Bonnie, Devynn, Jordan, and all his grandchildren. Our hearts are broken.”

1

2 3

1

looK wiTH your HearT: Ed Hallerhan (L) and Steve Sika prepare for the Phantom’s return in Love Never Dies at the Straz Center on Dec. 12. PHOTO COuRTESy ED HALLERHAn

2

winner TaKes all: Miah van-Cartier snatches the crown, a check for $2,500 and the title of first Tampa Bay Drag Race winner at Flamingo Resort on Dec. 15. PHOTO

4

5

By J. MARC PHOTO

3

all wrapped up: Billy Hawkins (L) and Aaron Bailey don their gay apparel for the Atomic Holiday Party at The Bricks on Dec. 18. PHOTO COuRTESy AAROn BAILEy

4

CHained To THe rHyTM: Joshua Carreiro (L) and Jerry Watson swish, swish for Katy Perry’s Witness Tour at Amalie Arena on Dec. 15. PHOTO COuRTESy

JOSHuA CARREIRO

5

piTCH in: Juan fontanez (L) and Christina Clemmerson ready themselves for karaoke at Cornerstone Pub on Dec. 16. PHOTO

COuRTESy JuAn fOnTAnEZ

6

TurnT: Todd Doty, Darcie Schaefer and Lindsey Burkholder (L-R) attend Punky’s 2nd Anniversary and Turnabout Party on Dec. 15. PHOTO By TODD DOTy

6

7

red HoT: Trashie Tina kicks back ahead of talent night at Enigma on Dec. 20. PHOTO

By RyAn WILLIAMS-JEnT

8

sippin’ side To side: Tammy Benjamin sips and soaks up the sun at Ka’Tiki Beach Bar on Dec. 16. PHOTO

8

By RyAn WILLIAMS-JEnT

7 watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

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38

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

overheard

ORlandO Out+abOut

tykeS On bikeS

s

anTa’s elves were Hard aT worK getting bicycles ready for all the kids at the annual Santa’s Bike Force giveaway at The Center.

The Center partnered up with One Magical Weekend to spread the holiday cheer to kids in need.

Thanks to all the generous donations throughout the year, The Center was able to give away 75 bikes to the good little boys and girls.

Santa’s Bike Force got its start in South Florida where they have been helping families for the last 14 years, and have given away approximately 1,500 bikes since its inception.

2

giRlS On the mOve

J

usT beCause iT is THe Holiday season doesn’t mean we can’t be thinking about Orlando’s big LGBTQ party that first weekend in June.

As thousands descend upon the theme park capital of the world, host hotels will be preparing for their biggest weekend of the year. GayDays, Inc., has the Doubletree by Hilton at SeaWorld; One Magical Weekend has the B Resort & Spa; Tidal Wave will be at the Holiday Inn Disney Springs and that leaves Girls in Wonderland.

Girls in Wonderland traditionally held their party weekend at the Sheraton at Lake Buena Vista but it looks like they are moving for 2018.

Girls in Wonderland announced Dec. 8 that they will be moving to the Radisson at Celebration.

The new digs will increase the number of rooms available from 486 to 718. Girls in Wonderland is currently accepting reservations for their big weekend and that sounds like a pretty sweet holiday present to us.

ciRQue-le back

W

Hen iT was publiCiZed THaT CirQue du soleil’s LA NOUBA, which opened in 1998 at Downtown Disney, would be closing and no new show was immediately announced, many began to speculate what Disney would open in its place.

The House of Mouse renovated and redesigned Downtown Disney and re-opened it as Disney Springs in 2016. Did they have plans of their own for that theater?

As La Nouba approaches its final run on Dec. 31, with more than 9,000 performances already under its belt, we got an answer as Cirque de Soleil released a statement on a new show.

The press release states Cirque de Soleil “will draw its inspiration from Disney’s heritage of animation. It will celebrate Disney’s legacy of storytelling in Cirque du Soleil’s signature way, with a tribute to the one-of-a-kind craftsmanship that makes Disney so extraordinary.”

There has been no official opening announced for Cirque de Soleil’s new show.

4

1

as Told by npH: neil Patrick Harris narrates the Candlelight Processional at the American Gardens Theater in EPCOT Dec. 18. PHOTO By SOTT KERILL

2

Holiday gaMes: (L-R) Lisa Bates, George Wallace and Ben Johansen as the MissPlaced Elf bring BINGO back to The Center in Orlando Dec. 19. PHOTO By DAnny GARCIA

3

beauTy Queens: While in NYC for the third annual “Christmas Queens” performance, Central Florida’s Josh Eads, aka Ginger Minj, rubs elbows with Broadway diva Kristin Chenoweth Dec. 17. PHOTO COuRTESy JOSH EADS

4

House parTy: Janine Klein (L) and Sam Singhaus wish you a Happy Holiday from Brian Becnel and Kevin Kriegel’s annual Christmas party Dec. 16. PHOTO By DAnny GARCIA

1

3

5

6

5

never forgeT: Patty Sheehan, with Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer (L) and minister Kathy Schmitz, speaks at the opening of the Pulse Memorial Labyrinth in Colonialtown Dec. 20. PHOTO

COuRTESy PATTy SHEEHAn

6

deM parTy aniMals: Alexis Hart (L) and Sarah Wissing show off their holiday sweaters at the Orange County Democrats holiday party in Orlando Dec. 18.

7

PHOTO COuRTESy ALExIS HART

7

fasHionisTas: (L-R) Pride Radio’s Rae, Ricky, Blue and Brittany Elyse show off their fashion for Pose for Pride at the Aloft Hotel in Orlando Dec. 14.

PHOTO By DAnny GARCIA

8

b-day roadTrip: (L-R) Rizwan Zaman, Ken Brown and Bob Poe headed to L.A. to see Lady Gaga in concert for Ken’s birthday celebration Dec. 18.

PHOTO COuRTESy KEn BROWn

8 watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

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Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

announcements

wedding bellS

passings

maria and andrea Ruiz-Hays

Orlando Youth Alliance board member Ginger Malcom passed away Dec. 14. She was 51.

from Orlando, FL

engagement date:

June 3, 2016

wedding date:

october 27, 2017

venue:

cypress Grove estate House

Flowers:

lee James Floral design

colors:

Marsala, Wine, Blush, rose, Gold, Black

dJ or band name:

ceremony and cocktail Hour: classern Quartet reception: our dJ rocks!

caterer:

Big city catering

oFFiciant:

Judge robert leBlanc

cake bakery:

Sprinkles of Winter park

wedding planner:

allison Watkins, Blush

by Brandee Garr

pHotograpHer/ videograpHer:

photographer: Jordan Wieland photography Videographer: love and luster

PHOTO By JORDAn WIELAnD PHOTOGRAPHy

T

He universe brougHT TogeTHer these two women who share a passion for social justice, travel and their dogs.

When Maria saw Andrea, a tall, striking blonde, from across the ballroom at the MBA Gala, she says, “it felt like I had been hit by lightning.” The two women ended up sitting together at the gala dinner and chatted throughout the night. After the gala, they exchanged business cards.

A few weeks later, Andrea asked Maria if she would be interested in participating in an executive panel hosted by Out and Equal.

Maria agreed and the pair met for dinner at the Greek Corner to discuss the details. “It was as if the universe was conspiring to bring us into each other’s orbit,” says Maria. After dinner, they walked across the street to the Lucky Lure and continued connecting. “I was

mesmerized by her and found myself wanting to know everything about her,” says Andrea. “We talked all night long and shared stories, just laughing and flirting.”

The two women found they had much in common, from shared friends to having similar names for their two dogs: Hope and Grace.

Maria says, “I instantly loved how authentically joyful Andrea is.” At first, she wondered if it was just a “Disney thing,” since that’s where Andrea works. “But it truly is her default mode. She is unfailingly thoughtful and kind to everyone,” says Maria.

When it came time to talk about getting engaged and married, the couple was truly simpatico. Both women worked with advocacy

groups to help win the right to marry. Andrea helped organize the mass wedding at City Hall after the ruling. After their third year, and once it was their right to proclaim their vows, they started talking about it. Andrea recalls, “We both had been talking about getting married, we agreed that we knew each other was the one and that we wanted to propose to each other.”

When the women started planning the wedding, they knew they needed to find LGBTQ-friendly vendors, and they wanted the venue to be surrounded by natural beauty. Cypress Grove Estate House was their pick. Maria says, “we really wanted the wedding to be flower-focused, so who better than Lee James to do our floral arrangements?” They had Trina Gregory-Propst, owner and head baker of Se7en Bites and a good friend, prepare the dessert table.

Andrea says, “We stayed pretty calm throughout the planning process and when things would seem to get crazy we just centered ourselves. We tried to remember that this was our wedding and we were doing this to share our love and wedding night with family and friends.”

“Our wedding day was perfect,” says Maria. “No. Really. It was.” The weather was just right on October 27, 2017, and they had promised themselves that they were going to just let go and enjoy the day. That’s what they did.

“I didn’t think being married would feel different,” says Maria.

“We’d been together for four and a half years and were already living together. But it definitely does feel different. I feel like our union has been blessed, acknowledged, recognized and celebrated.” Andrea feels similarly. “Each day I wake up and look at Maria knowing that we have a special love,” she says.

“We cherish each other. We are so blessed to have the kind of love we have found with each other.”

congratulations

George Wallace was named the executive director of the GLBT Community Center of Central Florida in Orlando. He stepped into the position Dec. 18.

Watermark creative assistant Jason Donnelly and his husband Chad Lewis celebrate their fifth year of being legally married Dec. 29.

local birtHdays

Watermark account manager Dillan Ramirez, 6S Boutique owner Andrew Citino, Tampa Bay bartender Eric Welch, Owner of Stonewall Orlando Steven Watkins (Dec. 28); Watermark contributor and Gulfport activist Greg Stemm, Phish Phest phenom and realtor Sue-Bee Laginess, Portrait of beauty and former Miss America Ericka Dunlap (Dec. 29); Tampa ROTC member Steve Deal (Dec. 30);Mr. Ybor Eagle 2010 Carlos “Wolfy” Diaz, Tampa massage therapist Russell fox, St. Pete Pride volunteer and Tarpon Springs native Paul LeCouris, The Center’s executive director George Wallace, Orlando bear Justin Homer, Teacher and activist Clinton McCracken, Florida House of Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith (Dec. 31); HOT 101.5’s Miguel & Holly Show’s Holly O’Connor, Chanel’s Jeremy Skidmore, RN-extraordinaire Christopher Johnson, St. Pete-aficionado Corey Malyszka, YouTuber Joe Dodd (Jan. 1); St Pete business analyst Jason Bracewell, University of Central Florida lecturer Boyd Lindsley, Gator’s gal Deidre favero, Orlando attorney Joe Seagle (Jan. 2); Sarasota graphic designer Tim Cameresi, Tampa photographer Charles Allen, Former Watermark Tampa Bay account manager Bill Jeffries, Lady Boys performer Jose navarro, Promoter Chris Pittman, Ginger Minj’s husband CJ Russell (Jan. 3); veteran and die-hard Pittsburgh fan Bill Stiller, Punky’s owner Brian Longstreth (Jan. 4); Orlando psychologist and athlete Guillermo navarro, WAVE award winner Timi Hedrick (Jan. 5); Tampa activist, mortgage broker and phlebotomist Bill Polley, former owner of Partners Emmi Grainger (Jan. 6); Mr. Bear Bust 2017 Shaun Boyd, St. Pete bartender Michael Joseph (Jan. 8); Orlando Fringe performer Logan Donahoo, St. Petersburg florist Bobby york (Jan. 10).

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!

—Holly V. Kapherr

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.

Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

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Refrigeration

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Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

If this were your ad, thousands of readers

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Call for rates

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Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

43

o r l a n d o

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Your Family Doctor’s Office

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Social support groups Make friends Scholarships for college Weekly groups in Orange, Seminole & Polk counties

820 Lake Baldwin Lane p. 407.802.4631

info@orlandoyouthalliance.org www.orlandoyouthalliance.org

Head to WatermarkOnline.com and click on the Digital Publications link to a read a digital version of the printed newspaper!

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Changing the lives of LGBTQ teens and young adults for over 25 years

1 WEEK UNLIMITED CLASSES 1 HOUR PERSONAL TRAINING

Read It Online! call 407-481-2243

yOuth SeRviceS

Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

• Join • Volunteer • Donate

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watermark Your LGBTQ life.

www.NationsLandscaping.com

Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

45

the laSt page

PHOTO By JAKE STEvEnS

age: 40

Hometown: easton, Ma

identiFies as: Gay

out year:

1993

Hire date: 4/21/2017

46

Jason r. Donnelly

proFessional role model: Mike rowe

autobiograpHy title:

“Wear red to hide the wine spills.”

—ramblings by Jason

Hobbies:

Home renovation, glamping, farmer’s markets, cooking, orlando Fringe

c r e at I V e a S S I S ta n t

J

ason donnelly Has deep rooTs

in Orlando. He graduated from Dr. Phillips High School during the creation of ‘NSYNC and, as most of us have done, worked for the Mouse.

Jason met his husband, Chad Lewis, at the Parliament House during a run of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. The couple moved to California to be closer to Chad’s family some years later. When it was time for their wedding ceremony, they returned to Orlando for a ceremony at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater Festival officiated by good friends Beth Marshall and Michael Wanzie.

Eventually, the couple would return to Orlando and make it home again. “My husband and I moved away from Orlando for several years,” Jason explains.

“Northern California was the right

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

path to be on. We had rewarding jobs working with people with disabilities, teaching theatre, art, music, dance and technology.

Though I loved the scenery and friends in NorCal, Orlando has always been home. When tragedy struck our Pulse family, the world voiced their support. Through the tears we saw the movers and shakers of Orlando stand up and act selflessly in support. So many helpers.We sold our home to return to the city that has shaped me.”

Upon his return, Jason contacted Watermark to see if there were any job openings since he had worked here in the past. When the opportunity presented itself, he was given the job. “I’ve been part of team Watermark previously in 2006,” he says. “[I] enjoy it when people are referenced on a first name basis. ‘I’ve worked with that person, we did a show together or we had cocktails the other night, etc.’ The goal of being involved in the our LGBTQ family has been achieved.

Thank you for having me back to the new and improved Watermark

Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

Publishing Group.”

As with his previous term at Watermark, Jason is responsible for ad design and creation. He works closely with the art department and sales team to deliver the physical product of the marketing plan. “I have a lot of respect for our clients,” Jason states. “Especially the allies who see the importance of Watermark’s mission as the voice of Central Florida and Tampa Bay.” Jason’s favorite thing about working at Watermark is the atmosphere. “I enjoy zoning out in Photoshop while listening to iHeartRadio,” he explains. “When I come back up for air there is so much positive energy in the building. [You can] join in on a conversation about a local theatrical performance, news of the day or the hot new bakery that has opened.”

A few of Jason’s favorite things are bear events, throwing beads in parades and supporting his friends in Orlando Fringe. He would like to see more support for local artists and business that support the LGBTQ community.

Jason’s advice to his younger self: when you venture out more, use sun block.

Watermark is the collective product of a team of incredibly hardworking individuals. Over the next series of issues, we’re using this space to introduce each member of our staff and contributors to you. When you see us out and about in the community, stop and say, “Hello.”

We’d love to meet you.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Decemb er 28 - J a nua ry 10, 2018 // Issue 24 . 26

47

I choose to make 2018 my Year of Health.

You’ve set the goals, you’ve got the determination, now you need the right healthcare partner to help you succeed. With Orlando Health, you’ll find a wide range of services —including coordinated care, health screenings, online resources and education — to help you reach your goals for a healthy new year.

For award-winning healthcare at a location near you, Orlando Health has you covered. Let’s make it a Healthy 2018 together!

ChooseOrlandoHealth.com 321.8HEALTH (321.843.2584)

Not actual patients.