Watermark Issue 26.07: Racial Discrimination by Watermark Publishing Group

Celebrating 25 years of

Your LGBTQ Life.

Orlando to recognize LGBTQ-certified businesses

Tampa Bay

holds 14th annual Dining Out for Life

The Rainbow

Divide discrimination within our own community

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watermark Your LGBTQ life.

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departments 7 // Publisher’s Desk

page

8 // Central Florida News 10 // Tampa Bay News

Because someone is LGBTQ does not mean he, she or they know about oppression, discrimination or understands how not to fall under the structure of the normative. —Odalis Reyes-Prado

12 // State News 13// Nation & World News 21// Talking Points 35// Community Calendar 37// Tampa Bay Out + About 39// Central Fl Out + About 40// Tampa Bay Marketplace 42// Central Fl Marketplace 45// Wedding Bells/ Announcements On the cover

page GOING FOR THE GOLD

page The Rainbow

Divide: To gain full

LGBTQ equality we must first address discrimination within our own community. Photo by Dylan Todd

scan qr code for

WatermarkOnline.com

LGBTQ short films compete for a chance at an Oscar nomination at the 2019 Florida Film Festival.

Watermark Issue 26.07 // April 4 - April 17, 2019

PERMANENT MEMORIAL FOR THE CAUSE

KEEPING IT REAL

page The onePULSE Foundation discusses the Pulse memorial and museum.

page

ONE-MAN WONDER

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

page Dining Out for Life returns to Tampa Bay for the 14th year.

Viewpoint columnist Nathan Bruemmer talks being unafraid to be visible.

page

The Streisand-centric “Buyer & Cellar” delights at Florida Studio Theatre.

Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

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contributors

Publisher’s

Rick Claggett PUblisher

Rick@WatermarkOnline.com

“N

Desk

ever put it in writing,”

my mom always says. “You can’t put middle class values on a lower class society,” my 12th grade English teacher taught me. My former boss and mentor often advised me not to speak in absolutes. Most recently, my sponsor tells me to “do the next right thing.”

This is all fantastic advice from important people to me, and I try to obey these words of wisdom in daily life. Oh, I fail. Sometimes I fail miserably. However, the idea is progress, not perfection. Learning to not put things in writing is a hard lesson to learn, but it leaves a memorable impression. How many people have complained about someone via text message and realized after sending the message that you accidentally sent it to the very person you were complaining

about? Guilty! It makes for an awkward follow up conversation. The most useful application of this sage advice is through social media. Sadly, we live in a time of reactionary, and often manufactured, outrage. Recently a story made its way through Facebook about a young gay man found beaten in a parking lot of a Central Florida Walmart. Facebook lit up with rhetoric about conservative hate leading to the beating of this young man; a manufactured outrage with

watermark staff Founder and Guiding Light: Tom Dyer Tom@WatermarkOnline.com

CFL Bureau Chief: Jeremy Williams • Ext. 106 Jeremy@WatermarkOnline.com

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

Tampa Bay Bureau Chief: Ryan Williams-Jent • Ext. 302 Ryan@WatermarkOnline.com

Business Manager: Kathleen Sadler • Ext. 101 Kathleen@WatermarkOnline.com

Multimedia Assistant: Meghan Sweeney • Ext. 100 Meghan@WatermarkOnline.com

a false narrative. The victim in question was not attacked. Shortly after was the Jussie Smollett case. Then came a headline about the Parliament House being listed for sale, followed by speculation of what would come of the property. In actuality the owner is looking for a leaseback situation and plans to keep Parliament House intact. Reading a headline, reacting in outrage and sharing that anger without research only weakens the case for situations where reaction is merited. Headlines are meant to spark interest in the story, not tell the whole story. When I come across something that strikes a nerve, I often type out an over the top reaction to get it off my chest, then I delete it. When I can look at it objectively I’ll do some research and form my opinion on that. Still, in the end, it’s just my opinion. My senior year of high school we were assigned to read “Maggie: A Girl of the Streets.” I remember the class reacting to certain characters with intense hatred and that’s when my teacher told us that we couldn’t put middle class values on a lower class society. Meaning, we were using our life experiences to dictate how others should live. I think of this often when the argument of acceptance comes up. Is it enough for us, as a community, to say as long as someone does no harm it is okay? Do they have to be an advocate for equality or just not hinder equality? At what point is my opinion of how someone should behave in line with what is acceptable behavior? When trying to answer these questions for myself I am reminded to not speak in absolutes. I try to not use words like “never” and “always,” or describe something as “the most amazing.” When we look at something in absolutes, we eliminate room for error and foster

Art Director: Jake Stevens • Ext. 109 Jake@WatermarkOnline.com Creative Assistant/Photographer: Dylan Todd • Ext. 102 Dylan@WatermarkOnline.com Sales Director: Danny Garcia • Ext. 108 Danny@WatermarkOnline.com Senior Orlando Account Manager: Sam Callahan • Ext. 103 Sam@WatermarkOnline.com

Orlando Account Manager: Brianna Rockmore • Ext. 105 Brianna@WatermarkOnline.com Senior Tampa Bay Account Manager: Russ Martin • Ext. 303 Russ@WatermarkOnline.com Tampa Bay Account Manager: Anja Saine • Ext. 301 Anja@WatermarkOnline.com National Ad Representative: Rivendell Media Inc. • 212-242-6863

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

disappointment and resentment. I like to give things room to breathe, to ask questions and look at the facts before trying to do the next right thing. In this issue of Watermark, we tackle a sensitive subject: racism within the LGBTQ community. It is the first installment in a series of discrimination pieces that focus on how we treat each other in the LGBTQ circle. I am grateful that

Reading a headline, reacting in outrage and sharing that anger without research only weakens the case for situations where reaction is merited.

Watermark has a writer who is willing to take on the sensitive nature of this topic while doing justice to those willing to speak up about their experiences, given the limited amount of space we have. In Tampa Bay news HRC endorses openly LGBTQ Tampa mayoral candidate Jane Castor, while in Central Florida news Orlando becomes the first city in Florida to include LGBTBEs in their diversity spending. Our Arts & Entertainment sections feature the LGBTQ films presented at the Florida Film Festival and the Florida Studio Theatre’s Streisand-centric show “Buyer & Cellar.” We strive to bring you a variety of stories, your stories. I hope you enjoy this latest issue.

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

Tampa Bay Office 2529 Central Ave. St. Petersburg, FL 33713 TEL: 813-655-9890

Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

Michael Wanzie is

an Orlando-based playwright, actor and ordained minister. He is most recognized for his direction of productions in the Orlando area. Page 17

Nathan Bruemmer

is Watermark’s newest columnist. He was recently named one of Tampa Bay’s Most Remarkable People for his advocacy on youth issues as the Executive Director of ALSO Youth in Sarasota.. Page 19

Aaron Drake

is a contributor to Creative Loafing, South Florida Gay News and ManAboutWorld. He loves getting lost in other countries and his German Shepherd. Page 45 Sabrina Ambra, Nathan Bruemmer, Scottie Campbell, Miguel Fuller, Divine Grace, Holly Kapherr Alejos, Jason Leclerc, Melody Maia Monet, Jerick Mediavilla, Greg Stemm, Dr. Steve yacovelli, Michael wanzie

photography Brian Becnel, Nick Cardello, Bruce Hardin, Jamarqus Mosley, Chris Stephenson, Lee Vandergrift

distribution LVNLIF2 Distributing, Ken Carraway, Vanessa Maresca-Cruz CONTENTS of WATERMARK are protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced in whole or part without the permission of the publisher. Unsolicited article submissions will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Although WATERMARK is supported by many fine advertisers, we cannot accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers. Publication of the name or photograph of any person or organization in articles, advertising, or listing in WATERMARK is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual orientation of such persons or members of such organizations. WATERMARK is published every second Thursday. Subscription rate is $55 (1st class) and $26 (standard mail). The official views of WATERMARK are expressed only in editorials. Opinions offered in signed columns, letters and articles are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the newspaper’s owner or management. We reserve the right to edit or reject any material submitted for publication. WATERMARK is not responsible for damages due to typographical errors, except for the cost of replacing ads created by WATERMARK that have such errors.

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central florida news

Orlando becomes first Florida city to recognize LGBTQ-certified businesses Jeremy Williams

RLANDO | Mayor Buddy Dyer, City Commissioner Patty Sheehan and members from both the Metropolitan Business Association (MBA Orlando) and the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) gathered at Se7enBites in Orlando to announce a new LGBTQ business initiative April 2. The LGBTQ+ Business Inclusion Resolution allows the city to develop a database and registry of LGBTQ-certified businesses with the NGLCC that will track city contracts and spending with LGBTQ-owned businesses and ensure the inclusion of LGBTQ-owned businesses in Central Florida. “Having local businesses, unique businesses, is what the fabric of Orlando is all about,” Dyer said. ”The resolution that we are announcing today will help the city continue to be a welcoming place for business.” The resolution will allow LGBTQ-certified businesses to access the same resources and training programs offered by the city to minority-owned, woman-owned and veteran-owned businesses. Similar initiatives have been established in cities across the U.S., however Orlando is the first city in Florida to do so. Sheehan publicly thanked MBA Orlando for standing “on the forefront when no one else would.” She also thanked several members of the city, including Dyer, for supporting this resolution. “At the national level there are so many things happening that are divisive and not inclusive,” Sheehan said. ”I think it is so important that cities lead, so I want to thank Mayor Dyer for his leadership that we can push forward initiatives that respect and include everyone in our community that is so very, very important.” NGLCC representative Sabrina Kent echoed Sheehan’s sentiment and said Orlando is the first Florida city to say to the LGBTQ business community, ”We see you, we value you and we want to work with you.” “As a Central Florida native, I am so proud to be home for this monumental occasion,” Kent said. ”While we have a long way to go for LGBT equality in the region, the south has always had a strong and growing network of NGLCC-certified LGBT business enterprises and LGBT-owned companies. We hope this policy here in Orlando will encourage more mayors to proactively include the LGBT community for the optimum social and economic health of their cities.” The resolution is not only seen as socially responsible, but fiscally responsible as well. According to an NGLCC report, America’s 1.4 million LGBTQ-business owners put $1.7 trillion and tens of thousands of new jobs into the national economy every year. According to the Orlando Sentinel, the NGLCC has offered LGBTQ business certification since 2009 and now has around 1,200 businesses across the country with the designation. MBA Orlando has nearly 300 member businesses, about 10 percent of which are certified through the national chamber as LGBTQ-owned. Orlando City Council will officially vote on the resolution April 8.

#Orlando Strong:

Barbara Poma speaks during the two-year mark of the Pulse tragedy at the interim memorial. Photo by Maia Monet

Permanent Memorial onePULSE Foundation’s Barbara Poma discusses the future of the Pulse memorial and museum Jeremy Williams

RLANDO | The onePULSE foundation announced March 25 that it is launching an international design competition challenging architects from around the world to create a unique and iconic National Pulse Memorial and Museum. While the look of the final project will be left to the winning design team, the competition does layout three key elements that will be a part of the finished product: a memorial, a museum and pedestrian pathway known as “Survivors Walk.” “It’s a huge urban planning project so there’s quite a bit of time and planning going into it,” says Barbara Poma, founder of onePULSE and owner of the Pulse nightclub. “We hope to have it completed and open by 2022 so we have just three years to get it planned and get the funds raised.” Poma says the Pulse building will be integrated into the overall design

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

of the memorial but doesn’t know to what extent just yet. “We feel like it’s right to keep the building standing because it’s part of history but I don’t know if people should be walking through it, I don’t know if they should be walking above it, I don’t know if we should keep it closed for 20 years. I don’t know at this moment what the right thing to do is. I just know that in long-term history we need to have it,” Poma says. Poma says the intention is to keep the main focus of the memorial on the victims, the survivors and the first responders while the museum— which due to space restrictions will be at a separate location from the memorial—will focus on the events from the tragedy and the importance of LGBTQ safe spaces. “This community defined safe spaces generations ago and there’s a reason why Pulse was so impactful around the world. It’s because it was a truly defined safe space for a specific community,” Poma says. “It’s important that people know

Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

what these safe spaces mean to this community.” Poma says the 30,000-square-foot museum will feature a permanent Pulse exhibit as well as host temporary exhibits. The museum will also include outdoor, public gathering and community spaces, and as an auditorium. Survivors Walk, the third stage of the project, is a walking path that traces the three-block journey many victims and survivors took the night of the tragedy to get to the Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC). “Our survivor stories happen between Pulse and ORMC’s trauma center,” Poma says. “Whether they ran there, got carried there, put in the backs of trucks or ambulances; however they got to Orlando Health, that is a part of their stories we want to tell so Survivors Walk will do that.” Survivors Walk will connect Pulse to the Orlando Health Memorial Paver Garden, adjacent to Lake Beauty. Parts of the path will extend further north to the Dr. Phillips Center. The selection process for the competition will be conducted in two stages. First, a jury comprised of onePULSE stakeholders, civic decision makers, global thought leaders and world-renowned architects will review initial submissions and select six firms and their proposed teams to participate in stage two. The shortlisted teams will be invited to develop a concept design for the project and the jury will select a winning team by October. For more information on the design competition, visit onePULSEFoundation.org.

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tampa bay news

Human Rights Campaign endorses Jane Castor for Tampa mayor Ryan Williams-Jent

AMPA | The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) endorsed Tampa mayoral candidate Jane Castor ahead of the city’s runoff election April 23. HRC, the nation’s largest LGBTQ civil rights advocacy organization, gathered with supporters in Ybor Square March 28 to make the announcement. They were joined by the Hillsborough County LGBTA Democratic Caucus—dedicated to electing progressive candidates—as well as Equality Florida Action PAC, the state’s largest political committee dedicated to electing pro-equality candidates. Each of the latter organizations previously endorsed Castor in the race. “Rarely is there a candidate who is so well qualified for the office she is seeking,” Hillsborough County LGBTA Democratic Caucus leadership shared with those gathered. “Jane Castor is that candidate.” “Jane Castor’s race for mayor is our top priority as we continue to march through 2019,” Equality Florida Field Director Wesley Davis shared next. “Tampa is home to one of Florida’s most vibrant and visible LGBTQ communities across the state … Jane Castor’s candidacy represents the diversity and inclusion that Tampa prides itself on.” HRC’s National Field Director Marty Rouse followed. “I am proud to be here today to announce that the Human Rights Campaign endorses Jane Castor for mayor,” he began. “She is a leader, she is a proven fighter and she is someone who puts people before politics. “On April 23, Tampa has the opportunity to not just elect the highest ranking openly LGBTQ elected official in the Southeast United States,” he continued, “but to elect someone who cares for everyone in Tampa. She can be a shining light for this city, for the entire state and in fact, the entire country. On behalf of the 16,000 HRC members in Tampa, we are so proud to support who we hope will be the next mayor of this fine city, Jane Castor.” Castor subsequently thanked each of the organizations for their endorsements and for their dedication to equality. “One of the things that I have found throughout my life is that when you bring people together, regardless of their background, race, culture or sexuality, is that they find that their similarities far outweigh their differences,” she shared. “It is my belief that who I love does not—and I submit should not—matter to our community,” Castor continued. “They will judge you on your integrity, your character and your ability, and that’s the way it should be. I couldn’t be more excited to be standing here and receiving the endorsement of all of these fine individuals.” The city of Tampa’s runoff election will be held April 23, with early voting April 14-20. For more information about the election, visit VoteHillsborough.org. For more information about Jane Castor’s campaign, visit JaneForMayor.com.

EPIC EATS:

Dining Out for Life Tampa Bay will benefit Empath Partners in Care (EPIC) on April 11. PHOTO COURTESY EPIC

For the cause Dining Out for Life returns to Tampa Bay for 14th year Ryan Williams-Jent

AMPA BAY | A record number of restaurants and bars will participate in the 14th annual Dining Out for Life (DOFL) in Tampa Bay on April 11, benefiting Empath Partners in Care (EPIC) in the organization’s fight against HIV/AIDS. Founded in 1991, DOFL is an annual dining event which raises money for community-based organizations serving those impacted by HIV. To raise the funds, establishments donate at least 25 percent of their sales on a specific date to local organizations like EPIC. In 2018, over 50 HIV service organizations across the U.S. and Canada partnered with 3,000 participating restaurants, 3,000 volunteers known as ambassadors and over 300,000 diners to raise $4.1 million. Around $30,000 of that benefited EPIC in Tampa Bay last year, Executive Director Joy Winheim says, raised from generous diners at over 30 area restaurants. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to tell people about what EPIC is doing in the community,” she explains. “We’re paying attention to the services that aren’t in our area and we’re strategically working out ways to make sure we’re bringing those

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

services here. It’s a great way to get the message out to those who we might not ever cross paths with again.” To help spread the word on a national level, DOFL enlists the help of volunteer spokespeople like Ted Allen. The Emmy Award-winning host of Food Network’s “Chopped” and the former food specialist on Bravo’s original “Queer Eye” has worked with organizers for over a decade. “The only thing different about the event year-to-year is that it grows, which is exciting,” Allen says. “Like every HIV/AIDS event, what we’re hoping for is for us someday to not need to exist—but we’re not there yet.” He adds that DOFL thrives because the restaurant industry understands its importance in the community. “Restaurateurs by nature are generous people,” he says. “They want to help.” Over 40 restaurants from Clearwater, Dunedin, Gulfport, St. Petersburg and Tampa will participate this year, like The Honu in Dunedin. The LGBTQ-owned and Hawaiian-themed eatery, described as a “lei’d back cafe,” has participated since 2016. “We’ve been open for three years and this will be our third year doing it,” owner Kimberly Platt says. “We try to up our contribution a little bit every year. Being a small, mom and

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mom shop it can be difficult to be able to give back—but this is a cause we really care for.” DOFL Tampa Bay wouldn’t be possible without the hard work of its ambassadors, EPIC Special Events Coordinator Molly Robison says, adding that they will provide diners with “additional donation” envelopes during the event. The envelopes will give diners the chance to win prizes, whether they’ve made an additional donation or not. Two prize collections will be available to win: “Delightful Dunedin” and “Sensational St. Pete,” each valued at $1,000. The Dunedin collection includes gifts from The Fenway Hotel, Saddlebrook Resort Tampa, PRP Wine International, V’s Collection, Dunedin Lanes, Salon GW, The Tropics Boat Tour, and The Tea & Spice Exchange. The St. Pete collection includes gifts from Key West Express, Vertical Ventures St Pete, 13 Arrows Tattoo, make me Studio, Museum of Fine Arts St. Pete, Amy Dalzell Therapeutic Massage, Serendipity Wellness Spa, The Modern Man, Beach Dirty and PRP Wine International. Robison adds that sponsorship from St Pete Pride, The Milkey Family Foundation and Blount & Curry Funeral Home at Garden of Memories is also essential to making DOFL Tampa Bay a success. “We’re so grateful for everyone’s support,” Robison says. “This will be one of our most successful years yet!” The 14th annual DOFL Tampa Bay is scheduled for April 11, 2019. For a full list of participating restaurants and additional information about the event or EPIC, visit DiningOutForLife.com/ Tampa-Bay/ and MyEpic.org.

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Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

state news

‘Queer Miami’ exhibit looks at LGBTQ community’s past century Wire Report

IAMI | The first thing you notice when walking into the new “Queer Miami” exhibit at the HistoryMiami Museum in downtown Miami are voices. They are voices of transgender performers talking about their craft. They are the voices of gay Mariel refugees who carved a new life in Miami in 1980 after fleeing Fidel Castro’s Cuba. They are voices of protestors of gay discrimination ordinances in the 1970s. Tied to the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall rebellion, the exhibit looks back at 100 years of crimes and discrimination against Miami’s LGBTQ communities and how they made their voices heard through community development, the gay rights movement and same-sex marriage. Housed in a 5,000-square-foot gallery on the second floor of the museum, the exhibit uses a mix of historical documents, news articles, testimonials and memorabilia to document gay history. The exhibit runs until Sept. 1.

Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried Appoints First Ever LGBTQ Liaison Jason Parsley of South Florida Gay News

ALLAHASSEE, Fla. | Nikki Fried, Florida’s commissioner of agriculture, announced in a press release the appointment of Nik Harris as the department’s first LGBTQ consumer advocate. “Historically, the state of Florida has turned a blind eye to discrimination against our LGBTQ community–but today is a new day in our state,” Fried said in a statement. “We’re rebuilding a department that represents all Floridians, and it’s paramount that LGBTQ Floridians have a voice in defending their safety, economic security and well-being.” Fried is Florida’s only statewide elected democrat. She was elected this past November. The new position will raise awareness of opportunities within the agriculture industry, and help

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address discrimination and fraud targeted at the LGBTQ community. “Commissioner Fried has made history and sent a strong message that Florida is open to all—that every consumer, resident and visitor should be treated fairly, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity,” said Nadine Smith, executive director of Equality Florida in a statement. Tony Lima, executive director of SAVE, added, “I am thrilled that we now have an LGBTQ consumer advocate that will look out for our community’s best interests.” Harris has been a licensed Florida attorney since 2004. She has worked at the Florida Department of Transportation for over a decade and most recently served as senior attorney, where she provided legal counsel including negotiation, drafting and review of contracts and intergovernmental agreements. Harris has also served as a member of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee of the Florida Bar

Association, and has been involved with the Human Rights Campaign as a member of the Board of Governors, as chair of the Steering Committee in South Florida, as co-chair of National Community Engagement, and as a fellow for Women & Leadership. Additionally she has been a member of the Dolphin Democrats’ Board of Directors and the LGBTA Democratic Caucus. Fried recently made headlines when she added sexual orientation and gender identity to her department’s list of workplace protections against discrimination. “[Our] department is committed to an inclusive culture of equality, in which every employee is hired, promoted and respected on the basis of their merit. This is a common-sense, long-overdue measure that the majority of Fortune 500 companies have implemented, and the majority of Floridians agree with,” she said at the time in a press release. “I encourage my fellow cabinet officials to enact similar policies within their agencies and throughout our government.”

We regret the pain the United Methodist Church has caused the LGBTQIA+ community. The following churches proclaim God’s love and grace for ALL and welcome ALL to worship, learn, serve, and lead together to ensure love will always find a way! Broadway UMC Citrus UMC Collective Church Deland College Park UMC First UMC Orlando First UMC Sanford First UMC Winter Park Peace UMC St. Luke’s UMC Orlando

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Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

nation+world news

Former Oklahoma senator accused of sexual misconduct Wire Report

KLAHOMA CITY | A former University of Oklahoma student alleges he was touched and kissed inappropriately by former university president David Boren on several occasions almost a decade ago when the man worked as a teaching aide for the onetime governor and senator. The allegations by Jess Eddy, now 29, appear to be at the center of an investigation being conducted for the university by Jones Day, one of the world’s largest law firms, into whether Boren sexually harassed male subordinates. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has also opened an investigation. Boren, now 77, has denied any inappropriate conduct in statements released by his attorneys, who have confirmed the Jones Day investigation. Boren was a Democratic governor in the 1970s

before serving in the U.S. Senate for more than 15 years. He was OU president from 1994 until stepping down last year and has been married to his second wife for more than 40 years. He has denied requests to be interviewed, citing poor health. Boren’s attorney, Clark Brewster, said Eddy’s newest account of his encounter with Boren, which he detailed in an interview March 27 with The Associated Press, contradicts previous statements he gave to Jones Day investigators and to Brewster. In those earlier statements, he said he was not aware of any inappropriate behavior. Eddy’s latest allegations were first reported March 26 by the online news site NonDoc. “Mr. Eddy was carefully examined, asked about anything that he had ever witnessed or had seen or had experienced and not only said that didn’t occur, but he gave specific factual detail as to why it couldn’t have been true,” Brewster said.

Eddy acknowledged the discrepancy with his initial accounts and said he was untruthful in an effort to protect Boren. “My initial instinct was to do what Boren wanted,” Eddy said. “I was under extreme duress.” Eddy also alleges Tripp Hall, OU’s former vice president of university development and a longtime Boren ally, sexually assaulted him. A spokeswoman for the Norman Police Department confirmed that Eddy also spoke with detectives this week to make a report, but they determined none of the alleged incidents happened within their jurisdiction. Eddy’s complaint was forwarded to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. An OSBI spokeswoman confirmed the agency is investigating allegations against both Boren and Hall. Eddy declined to discuss whether he was considering legal action against Boren or OU. He would not comment on whether he had talked to OSBI investigators. In a statement this week, the university acknowledged an ongoing investigation into a report of sexual misconduct school officials received in November 2018, but they have declined to discuss details.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Brunei will now punish gay sex with death by stoning Wire Report

UALA LUMPUR, Malaysia | Amnesty International slammed Brunei on March 27 due to the nation’s plans to implement what the rights group called “vicious” Islamic criminal laws such as stoning to death for gay sex and amputation for theft. Amnesty said in a statement that the new penalties, which also apply to children, are provided for in new sections under Brunei’s Sharia Penal Code and came into effect April 3. The legal changes were announced in a discreet notice on the attorney general’s website, it said. Brunei’s sultan instituted the Sharia Penal Code in 2014 to bolster the influence of Islam in the tiny, oil-rich monarchy, which has long been known for conservative policies such as banning the public sale of liquor. Amnesty labeled the Penal Code as a “deeply flawed piece of legislation” with a range of provisions that violate human rights.

Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®

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

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including: } Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section. } 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 BIKTARVY. } 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 BIKTARVY. } 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 effects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%). These are not all the possible side effects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY. 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. Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including: } Worsening of Hepatitis B (HBV) infection. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without ﬁrst talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months.

ABOUT BIKTARVY BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults. It can either be used in people who 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. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains: } dofetilide } rifampin } any other medicines to treat HIV-1

BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY Tell your healthcare provider if you: } Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis infection. } Have any other health problems. } Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY. } Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk.

HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.

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

GET MORE INFORMATION } This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more. } Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5. } If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.

} BIKTARVY and other medicines may affect each other. Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.

Get HIV support by downloading a free app at

MyDailyCharge.com

BIKTARVY, the BIKTARVY Logo, DAILY CHARGE, the DAILY CHARGE Logo, KEEP PUSHING, LOVE WHAT’S INSIDE, GILEAD, and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. Version date: December 2018 © 2019 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. BVYC0103 02/19

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(bik-TAR-vee)

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

h, r

ut t

KEEP PUSHING.

Because HIV doesn’t change who you are. BIKTARVY® is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in certain adults. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.

Ask your healthcare provider if BIKTARVY is right for you. To learn more, visit BIKTARVY.com.

Please see Important Facts about BIKTARVY, including important warnings, on the previous page and visit BIKTARVY.com.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

3/20/19 11:36 AM

Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

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watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

viewpoint

Michael Wanzie

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF WANZIE Welcome Spring!

e are now living in

a time when we, as citizens and indeed the elected leaders of the United States of America, seem to be constantly at odds with another. Not merely over policies or how best to solve a problem, overcome adversity or deal with a crisis; rather over whether or not the policy was ever really a policy to begin with and whether or not the problem, adversity or crisis actually exists or ever existed.

It is impossible to make any real progress debating solutions when our time is instead spent debating what is fact and what is fiction; what is news and what is fantasy. Never in my lifetime have I witnessed such a crippling of the ability of our government, indeed the ability of our nation as a whole, to achieve consensus on any matter because we the people can’t even agree on the validity or truthfulness of said matter. This my friends will go down in history as the most significant and most harmful blow to our democracy brought about by the election of Donald J. tRump as president. The absolute and total disregard by this man for truth and his methodical, maniacal and purposeful dissemination of misinformation and downright lies have proven to be the most divisive device in his arsenal of devices intended solely to keep us divided as a people. This ongoing national debate over what is real news and what is “fake news” is the greatest accomplishment of this shameful and dangerous president.

It is impossible and indeed futile to argue anymore with people who support a president whose single greatest accomplishment is that he’s convinced an astonishing number of people that truth in no longer truth and facts are not facts, unless he proclaims them to be so. It is not enough to say this turn of events attributable to tRump is upsetting or scary. It should be called what it is—akin to Hitler—and I for one am sick and tired of those in the media who are too polite to say so. We have a modern day Hitler in our White House and his brainwashed followers have fallen into lockstep with his hatred and bigotry, no differently than the goose-stepping idolizers of that evil German menace who eventually and successfully exterminated more than 6 million people of whom he persuaded an entire nation to hate. I will leave my completely defensible and accurate assessment of tRump, the danger he represents and the damage he is doing to our democracy summed up in that one word—Hitler. No self-respecting homosexual, lover of musical theater such as myself can type or even think the word Hitler without the brilliant Mel Brooks parody production number “Springtime for Hitler” coming to mind. Thank God it did come to mind as it provides me a journalistic segue from the demise of our democracy as we once knew it into less weighty matters and indeed a happier and more hopeful realm: spring. Spring, which derives its name from the springing forth of new life that visually and literally punctuates the season, has long been a metaphor for new beginnings and renewed hopefulness. A fresh spark or reawakening of our collective human spirit. So it is with this air of optimism brought about by the start of spring, which by most accounts began in this year of 2019 at precisely 5:58 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20, that I transition from thoughts of the dark and foreboding reality of our president and

turn instead to welcoming spring. However in attempting to do so I discovered that we as a people cannot even agree on when the fuck spring began. Those readers of Watermark who paid more attention in school than did I likely already know what I’m about to reveal, but it came as a surprise to this classroom daydreamer. It seems the followers of

on March 20. That is if you are in the astronomical camp on the matter. Unfortunately, in the other camp we have the followers of meteorology who for consistency of tracking weather patterns have divided up the calendar into equal parts: summer, spring, winter and fall. Therefore they declare the arrival of spring fixed as always

equinox as it occurs in the northern hemisphere? Talk amongst yourselves. Discuss. It will surely be less stressful than debating whether or not we need a wall built on our southern border to deal with a tRump-invented crisis that does NOT exist. However, if you prefer not to debate at all, log onto YouTube, type in

astronomy chart the beginning of spring as arriving at a slightly different time every year based on the occurrence of the vernal equinox—when the sun moves north across the celestial equator—which most often occurs on March 21 but fluctuates between March 19-21. This year, as I stated earlier, spring arrived

occurring on March 1. So the heady questions of the day with which I now leave you are these. Did spring begin on March 1 or March 20? Is the arrival of spring equated to a fixed date within the equally divided calendar or does the arrival of spring fluctuate in accordance with the vernal

“Springtime For Hitler” and enjoy the hilarious spectacle while you still have the right to do so—and to satisfy Watermark’s editorial criteria, might I also recommend you view “Keep It Gay.” Regardless of which camp you are in, Happy Spring!

No self-respecting homosexual, lover of musical theater such as myself can type or even think the word Hitler without the brilliant Mel Brooks parody production number ‘Springtime for Hitler’ coming to mind.

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Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

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watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

viewpoint

Nathan Bruemmer

keeping it real The Queering of a High School Ritual – THE PROM!

s the DJ transitioned

to a new song, it was eerily quiet for a moment. Then, a few clear strong keystrokes from a single piano could be heard as My Chemical Romance’s “Welcome to the Black Parade” captured the full attention of nearly 200 teenagers as they stood almost at attention waiting for the lyrics to begin. Then you heard “When I was a young boy …” in unison with all of their voices. It was a magical. It was one of those anthem moments.

I have nothing but horrific memories of my high school prom. But you see this prom was different. This prom was an alternative prom held to kick off the 2019 prom season. My organization, ALSO Youth, has been lucky enough to host in partnership with The Out-of-Door Academy an alternative prom for the LGBTQ+ youth of west central Florida for six years. This year was our biggest year yet! Through the generosity of an anonymous sponsor over 250 youth from about 30 schools were able to register for FREE tickets to this year’s “OUTer Space” themed affair. This was a 25 percent increase from last year, about 200 registrations, and a 60 percent increase from 2017, which saw about 150

registrations. I believe the youth that traveled the farthest came to Lakewood Ranch from North Fort Myers High School. So, what you really want to know are all of the important details—the food, the decor, the outfits and the superlatives winners, right? So let’s set the scene. Imagine a black box theater with the entire solar system hanging above the dance floor, including a lighted galaxy from far, far away and a larger-than-life video screen bringing amazing outer space visuals to life. The prom even experienced a few “crashers” as a UFO and its occupants were seen headed to the dance floor. This was not the balloon and streamers affair I remembered from my youth. This scene was created through the volunteer efforts of the professional designers who are members of the Interior Design Society Sarasota Chapter. It was truly out of this world! We had food for days. Really amazing food, too, especially the vegan and gluten-free options. We had a photo booth. We had a DJ with killer tunes the youth had pre-recommended, and of course, he took requests. We had a red carpet and a backdrop for selfies. Some youth were dressed to the nines and others came in costume. We had everything I could imagine my teenage self would want for a prom. But this prom had so much more. For the second year in a row, we had a “Salon” before the evening began where professional stylists from Shear Rituals volunteered their time to make our kiddos look AH-mazing. At one point, I walked up to see how things were going, turned the corner and stopped in my tracks. The place was packed and bursting with wonderful energy. I had one of those “proud papa” moments that would happen repeatedly on this night. You see, all of these youth—every single one of the LGBTQ+ kids I fight for—are one of my kids. They are all one of your kids.

And folks, it’s all about the kids. It’s about giving them opportunities to grow into young adults that are prepared to navigate the world they must inherit. It’s about ensuring they have the necessary skills to cope with and celebrate the everyday as well as the special occasions in life. Prom is more than a dance. For many youth, it is their first formal experience

or inclusion at these formal social events, and so they forgo these celebrations. They choose invisibility over attendance … but that can change. That MUST change. For the last 10 years, Transgender Day of Visibility has been held on March 31. As I reflect on this year’s prom and revel in all the “proud papa» moments I had, I can’t help but feel

Unafraid to be visible. It’s a powerful idea. We were all once those “young boys” from My Chemical Romance’s powerful anthem. We must attend the “Black Parade» and choose to “be the savior of the broken, the beaten and the damned.” We must defeat the demons of discrimination and invisibility. As I remember our kids singing the chorus

and that experience can color future galas, weddings, holiday parties and more that they will attend throughout their adult lives. These events can be particularly stressful for many people, but especially for our transgender, enby, nonbinary or gender expansive youth. For many, attendance takes courage. Many never find comfort

hopeful. I hope that this prom has taught these youth that dressing up for special occasions can be fun. I hope that they continue to have the confidence to attend weddings and galas and other fancy-dress parties. I hope they have found the courage to celebrate. I hope they are or can be unafraid to be visible.

with abandon as this song resonated through the theater and through my heart, I remember thinking that I hoped we adults could be the heroes these kids need. But then I realized, they are my heroes. And “we’ll carry on.”

Unafraid to be visible. It’s a powerful idea … We must defeat the demons of discrimination and invisibility.

Live. Really live.

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Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

talking points

Support

among Democrats 2020 presidential

Not that I wanted to kiss her. I wanted to support, raise, elevate her, like she was the freshman star shortstop and I was the captain of the team. I was going to Scottie Pippen her. If I was [Michael] Jordan, I was going to give her the ball and let her shoot. But it was in no way sexualized.

FOR

candidates shows

Pete Buttigieg with

11%,

— Rosie O’Donnell, in her new memoir “Ladies Who Punch: The Explosive Inside Story of ‘The View,’” about former co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck

Netflix releases trailer for

gay comedy series ‘Special’

etflix has released the first trailer for its new comedy series “Special,” which follows Ryan O’Connell as a gay man living with mild cerebral palsy. The eight-episode season is based on O’Connell’s memoir “I’m Special: And Other Lies We Tell Ourselves.” O’Connell stars and produces the show. Jim Parsons of “The Big Bang Theory” also executive produces. O’Connell told Vulture how important it was to him to represent gay men and disabled people. “I want to bring gay sex to the forefront in a very accurate, human way,” O’Connell said. “I hope that ‘Special’ is a success so other stories can be f*cking told. Disabled people need to be empowered.” “Special” starts streaming on April 12. You can see the series trailer at WatermarkOnline.com.

behind

Joe Biden with 25% and

Bernie Sanders with 24%. Support for other

candidates show

Kamala Harris at 10%, Elizabeth Warren at 9%,

Cory Booker at 6% and

Beto O’Rourke at 5% —Iowa poll conducted March 21-24

Deaf, genderqueer actor Chella Man lands role on DC’s ‘Titans’

Patti LuPone joins ‘Pose’ season two

eaf, genderqueer actor and model Chella Man has been cast as Jericho in DC Universe’s series “Titans.” Jericho is the son of villain Deathstroke, played by Esai Morales in the series. After Jericho’s vocal chords are severed during his kidnapping, he now communicates through sign language and can control people’s bodies and voices through eye contact. Man announced the role on Instagram writing; “As a trans, Deaf, Jewish person of color, I have always reminded myself of the power in my differences. It is a dream come true, now, as I will be able to showcase this power on the ‘Titans.’ HUGE thank you to all who have supported me throughout this process!” “Titans” season two does not yet have a release date.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

roadway legend Patti LuPone will appear on the sophomore season of “Pose.” Ryan Murphy revealed the news during the FX series’ Paleyfest panel in Hollywood March 23. “She loves the show and we wrote this part and she said, ‘Yes, I want to do it,’ so she’s coming to play with us in a couple weeks,” Murphy shared. The announcement was a surprise both to the audience and cast members Mj Rodriguez and Billy Porter who Murphy says will both share scenes with LuPone. Murphy did not reveal details about LuPone’s character. The second season of “Pose” will have a time jump from the late ’80s to 1990 when Madonna’s “Vogue” is released. “Pose” season two premieres in June on FX.

Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

‘Call Me By Your Name’ book sequel’s title and release date revealed

uthor André Aciman is officially penning a sequel to “Call Me By Your Name” titled “Find Me.” “In ‘Find Me,’ Aciman shows us Elio’s father Samuel, now divorced, on a trip from Florence to Rome to visit Elio, who has become a gifted classical pianist,” “Find Me” publishers said. “A chance encounter on the train leads to a relationship that changes Sami’s life definitively. Elio soon moves to Paris where he too has a consequential affair, while Oliver, now a professor in northern New England with sons who are nearly grown.” Samuel’s “chance encounter” has some people speculating he experiences his own same-sex romantic relationship. The book will be released in October.

OrlandoFringe_Watermark_Full.pdf

4/2/19

12:43 PM

CMY

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

Photo by Dylan Todd

The Rainbow

Divide

To gain full LGBTQ equality we must first address discrimination within our own community

Jerick Mediavilla

rocery shopping is seen as a

chore for most, so it is crucial to identify the products you want to buy quickly as you walk down the supermarket aisle. Because of this the consistency of the shapes, colors, sizes and textures of products will make your life easier. Ask any marketing aficionado how successful a specific female-shaped bottle of maple syrup is, and how sweet it makes your morning pancakes.

The branding of objects has seen benefits throughout our history, from defining the artistic movements throughout the ages like the Renaissance, the baroque period or Pop art to understanding the difference between a rose and a tulip. This differentiation can be a life or death situation when diagnosing an ailment which requires specific treatment and care. Labels are useful, because when we talk about objects, it is key to discriminate between what speaks to you and what does not. The discriminatory nature of our brains allows us to make sense of our

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

physical worlds, and in that context, deciding when to stop searching for additional information and commit to a choice becomes an organic chore. Now, when we talk about humans and the many languages, colors and idiosyncrasies we bring, the need to label each other becomes much more complex. As history has shown us, our perceived identities and differences have been under fire for thousands of years. Whether we are tall or short, male, female, Muslim, elder, African American or LGBTQ; our fundamental urge to find the tribe

Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

we belong to brings us to assertively defend what makes us different and conform to what the majority defines as acceptable. However, when we nitpick into the notion of individuality, we end up in a rabbit hole of endless connotations that will continuously vary depending on who you ask. Psychologist Scott Barry Kauffman said in 2012 that â&#x20AC;&#x153;when we split people up into such dichotomous categories, the large variation within each category is minimized whereas differences

Continued on pg. 25 | uu |

Wrap. Test. Repeat. IfYouSex.org

a member of

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

When we talk about policy, and representation in media, everything is predominantly white affluent men.

| uu | The Rainbow Divide from pg.23

between these categories are exaggerated.” In social settings, however, identifying a group of individuals with specific traits allows their circumstances, needs and historic background to become visible, sketching a wedge into what we recognize as the norm. Different from the supermarket aisle, we humans do not need to conform to a specific placement on the shelf or wear a brand on our sleeve. Much to our chagrin, the labeling and relegation of individualistic traits determined by our skin color, size, place of origin, sexual orientation, beliefs or gender identity and expression have created more division in the same community that is supposed to be a haven. How can members of a community marked by so many phobias and rejection intrinsically mimic the same patterns they have relentlessly received from non-LGBTQ friendly institutions? The night Romone Bowens went out with his group of mostly male friends, each of whom were dressed in all white, he was hoping for a good time enjoying the bustling nightlife in St. Petersburg. He hopped into his friend’s car and they drove directly to one of the white parties that have become common within the community. As they walked from the parking lot, they approached another group of acquaintances that were waiting for them outside the venue, when one of them jokingly turned to Bowens and asked him: “What are you doing here? This is a White Party!” As the entourage made their way into the party, and moved on determined to have an amazing evening, Bowens was perplexed by what he considered one of the most racially charged and insensitive remarks towards him in his life, which, coming from an LGBTQ person, made it even more wounding. For this 31-year-old physical therapist assistant, growing up as an African American gay man was never an issue, as his family and close friends have been his strongest support system. Yet, when this seemingly unconscious comment was blurted out from another gay man, Bowens says he saw this as an opportunity to educate his closest circle of friends. He saw the chance to help his peers to act as better examples for the attainment of true equality.

—Christopher Cuevas

Photo by Jake Stevens

“I didn’t want to respond aggressively because people respond negatively to that,” Bowens says of the situation, after feeling derogatorily targeted. This action quickly triggered other instances in his past which—being much less poignant, raises the question of whether we, as a community, must begin to represent, rather than preach, the equity we seek

for ourselves in the smaller, everyday acts. Stories like these, of either conscious or unconscious microaggressions against generally marginalized groups, have not exactly dwindled in today’s perceived openness on the subject. In fact, once you scrape the surface, the viscous reality comes forth showing off its fangs. The topic of race in the

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

country and within the community continues to raise many questions (and eyebrows) from those who refuse to accept or simply dismiss these microaggressions. Marinette Beltrán, a Puerto Rican sociologist and social worker in the Orlando area, says the main source of any discrimination comes from the relationships of power.

Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

“Each interaction between two individuals always carry a relationship of power,” explains Beltrán, who also paints a broader picture to the source of prejudice and discrimination, pointing specifically to the constructs created by the social patriarchy, from which a great majority of our biases stem.

Continued on pg. 27 | uu |

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Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

| uu | The Rainbow Divide from pg.25

The decades-long struggle that LGBTQ individuals have fought for recognition and visibility has served as the gate for younger people to live openly and unapologetically today more than ever. However, as part of a minority group, Beltrán says we cannot oust ourselves from the rest of the community at large, surrounded by mainly fundamentalist ideals that threaten our own livelihood. As society is conformed of layers upon layers of particularities, the compartmentalization of societal characteristics doesn’t necessarily disappear when you identify with a minority or specific group. Within the LGBTQ community, there exists a soft discourse that just because you are from one marginalized group that you aren’t capable of marginalizing another community. Acts of rejection within the LGBTQ community are felt most heavily in the dating arena—the popularization of dating applications made swiping the rule for casual or formal romantic encounters. As Kauffman states, however, it is by minimizing the larger variations in dating apps that the differences within the community are exacerbated. “I’m not even into black guys, but you are beautiful” is the sort of failed attempt at flattery Bowens has received. The constant objectification of African Americans and Hispanics pushes a burden on individuals that only wish to be accepted as human beings, with no differentiation aspect attached to their sexuality. “There’s a ton of discrimination in the gay-dating world. We feel invisible. Attraction is based on white male, light-skinned Hispanics,” says Bowens. Odalis Reyes-Prado, Beltrán’s wife who is also a social worker from Orlando, says that identifying these constant acts of microaggression are helping in the process of deconstructing the face of discrimination within the community itself. “Because someone is LGBTQ, does not mean he, she or they know about oppression, discrimination or understands how not to fall under the structure of the normative,” she says. For Beltrán, the fact that they belong to a historically oppressed and constantly discriminated group, with heinous acts usually coming from non-LGBTQ identified individuals, does not mean that, amongst ourselves in the community, we will not replicate the behaviors we learned as being “normal.”

Because someone is LGBTQ, does not mean he, she or they know about oppression, discrimination or understands how not to fall under the structure of the normative. —Odalis Reyes-Prado

Being in a community with a support system is what Christopher Cuevas knows best. Cuevas grew up as the child of undocumented immigrants from Mexico, and lived in South Florida surrounded by other immigrant families. Their mother worked as a housekeeper and their father in the fields, like thousands of undocumented working families in the state. The main goal for a marginalized and targeted community, like undocumented people, is to protect each other regardless of genealogy. “Deportation was always part of the conversation,” Cuevas says. “One person would stay behind to take care of all the children in the community. There was a rotation.” Cuevas mentions that many mothers would stay home and take care of all the children, even from their neighbors, while the rest would go and work, because the threat was the same for everyone. “There was always a need to create community,” they says. Cuevas identifies as queer, nonbinary; meaning that they does not conform to the binary construct of male or female, nor does they respond to the usual pronouns of “he” or “she,” but rather to “they,”

“them” or “their.” This distinction is fundamental for the continuous advancement of human rights and visibility when it comes to gender equality, especially when we deal with the protection of marginalized communities of color. “Conforming to what society wants can be harmful. We have the freedom to flow. We can resist against very rigid structures if we choose to,” Cuevas says. Today, as the executive director of QLatinx, Cuevas works with the community of Central Florida in the fight for LGBTQ equality, especially the Latinx population. QLatinx was formed after the acts of violence that struck Orlando at Pulse on June 12, 2016. With this initiative, QLatinx keeps bringing support to individuals, as well as other organizations, providing education and guidance when enacting equality policies and nondiscriminatory statutes. One of the main goals for Cuevas is to increase the participation and representation of people of color, and queer Latinx trans folks in leadership spaces. “There’s a systemic issue where people of color historically do not have representation, and have many education disadvantages,”

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

they says. Being brought up in a Hispanic family in the United States, and within a heavily immigrant population, there was always a massive lack of resources available for them. Additionally, Cuevas never felt represented in the mass media outlets, nor in the increasing institutions that serve underrepresented communities. Even when great strides have been made to create more inclusive, safe spaces for LGBTQ individuals, for Cuevas, there is still more work to be done. Even belonging to the largest minority in the country, they does not feel represented in the media or in the community’s current leadership scene. “When we talk about policy, and representation in media, everything is predominantly white affluent men,” Cuevas says. This reality makes a striking reference to the conversation on the patriarchal heteronormative and the expression of roles in relationships of power, and for Cuevas it seems like the pattern replicates at every level; that is how deep the patriarchy is imbued within our everyday lives. Along with the objectification of their race, one aspect that both Cuevas and Bowens spoke about was

Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

the fetishization of both the Hispanic and African American communities within the LGBTQ sphere. “I’ve lost count of how many guys want to meet me, just to fulfill their fetish of being with a black man; and I am a relationship type of guy,” expresses Bowens. The mirror of the systemic discrimination of institutions such as the government, education and worship spaces reflects into a community already wilted by decades of invisibilization and intersectional oppression, shaking up our quilt of intrinsic unity and purpose. For us to claim our space in society as the responsible value-driven community that we are, we cannot evade how distinct the type of discrimination we have endured and from which those instances of hate come. Just by simply asking respectfully for preferred pronouns, for example, prompts a soothing sense of acknowledgement the community accepts and needs. The choice of whether someone wants to be referred to as a transgender woman, with preferred pronouns they, them and their, does not break any rule, and in the end, that choice remains entirely theirs, not anyone else’s, much less a social institution. We must grant and recognize that choice for everyone, starting the conversation with those closest to us. Hate-motivated attacks on the LGBTQ+ community continue to happen; five transgender women of color were murdered in the state of Florida in 2018 alone. The number might not be the concern of many, but the target population itself should. As the third-year mark of the Pulse tragedy approaches, the LGBTQ community is compelled to stretch for the longest mile in an effort to attain a more equitable society for all. The exercise of our freedoms and rights require our greatest endurance, if we are to come out of this race victorious. For that to happen, we need to gather our strengths, but also identify within the community what is bringing it down, to fix those crevices where— intended or unintended—division is seeping through. The more engaged we become for the needs of the community, the more we learn, and the more we can empathize in favor of the diversity and equality we all deserve. The future might look murky at times, but if we raise the conversation to the level of the institutions, our voice will not be silenced.

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Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

arts and Entertainment

short cover:

Animated short “Under Covers” is hoping for a jury prize at the FFF. image from youtube

Going for

the Gold

LGBTQ short films among those competing at the 2019 Florida Film Festival for a chance at an Oscar nomination

Jeremy Williams

or most, talk of the Academy

Awards is a once-a-year event where people comment on who is or isn’t hosting, whether the films up for Best Picture are deserving and who wore the best dress; but for filmmakers the road to winning an Oscar is a lifelong quest for recognition from their peers and to be honored as the best at their field for that year. watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Hollywood producers and big-name directors going for Oscar gold can easily get their films in front of voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science, but smaller filmmakers—especially those who make short films and documentaries—would find it near impossible to have their works seen by the right people without Oscar-accredited festivals

like the Florida Film Festival (FFF) in Orlando, which runs April 12-21. “We have been Oscar-accredited for many years now in shorts, live action and animated, and in the last few years became accredited for documentary shorts,” says FFF Programming Director

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Continued on pg. 31 | uu |

“Funny, pointed, E M to the O C and unexpectedly moving”

EDGE

-Sarasota Herald-Tribune

A Stage III Production

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Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

Services & Facilities: Accessible parking, entrances, restrooms & seating

COMMUNITY CELEBRATION NIGHT PARTNER:

LGBTQ at the FFF

| uu | Going for the Gold

from pg.29

Matthew Curtis. “It’s allowed us to showcase some really amazing films.” The FFF is one of about 100 film festivals around the world that is accredited for Oscar categories Best Live Action Short Film and Best Animated Short Film, one of about 60 film festivals that are Oscar-qualifying for Best Documentary Short Subject, and one of only three—Florida Film Festival, Atlanta Film Festival and Nashville Film Festival— in the southeastern U.S. accredited in all three categories. “It’s one hurdle in many steps a filmmaker has to jump in order to get to an Oscar nomination but it’s an important one,” Curtis says. “The film must win a jury prize at the festival, it can’t be an audience award, so a festival like this is a really big deal for filmmakers.” Curtis selects the film festival jury each year based on an array of qualifications with two main rules. “I always make sure we have a diverse mix of people on the jury,” he says, “and I never pick the same jurors each year. I get calls from past jurors asking if they can be on it but I never repeat.” One of the jurors for this year’s festival is Academy Award-winning filmmaker Cynthia Wade. Wade won her Oscar for her 2007 documentary short “Freeheld,” about a dying policewoman fighting to leave her pension to her female life partner. The documentary short led to the 2015 feature-length film of the same name starring Julianne Moore and Ellen Page. Sixteen LGBTQ feature-length and short films will be playing at the FFF this year with six of them vying for a jury prize to get them one step closer to Oscar gold: four live action, one animated and one documentary. Here we highlight those films, so be sure to add them to your watchlist and check out what could be in a year’s time an Oscar-winning film. The full list of all 180+ films playing at this year’s FFF— along with dates, times and ticket information—can be found at FloridaFilmFestival.com.

hile not “going for the gold,” the FFF offers 10 more LGBTQ-themed films—both feature-length and short subject—that are sure to have all the festival goers buzzing.

Take us to your festival: “Dominant Species” uses space aliens to discuss gender identity. Photo from JosephSackett.com

“Departing Gesture” Documentary Short Directed by Brian Bolster and Jonathan Napolitano USA, 2019, 11 minutes Brian Bolster and Jonathan Napolitano, directors of 2017’s “The Carousel” and last year’s “Winter’s Watch,” look at the life of Trey Sebrell. Sebrell runs one of only a few funeral homes in Mississippi for those dying from HIV/ AIDS-related conditions.

“Dominant Species”

Live-action Short Directed by Joseph Sackett USA, 2019, 19 minutes When an alien species comes to our planet they use 10 Earthling men as host bodies to assimilate. But as the team’s “father” teaches them how to be men alien number 10 finds himself not wanting to be a man. “Dominant Species” is making its east coast premiere at the FFF.

“Lockdown”

Live-action Short Directed by Celine Held and Logan George USA, 2019, 12 minutes “Lockdown” looks at a teen in middle school who is struggling with her feelings for her best friend during the

age of active-shooter drills. “Lockdown” premiered in competition at the Sundance Film Festival and is making its east coast premiere at the FFF.

“Sweet Steel”

Live-action Short Directed by Will Goss USA, 2019, 4.5 minutes In “Sweet Steel,” a film making its southeast premiere at the FFF, a man feeling hopeless and alone searches for a tasteful way to end his life.

“Touchscreen”

Live-action Short Directed by Arthur Halpern USA, 2019, 15 minutes Making its world premiere at this year’s festival, “Touchscreen” looks at the culture of online hookups and one man’s challenge to overcome his past and step out from behind his laptop.

“Under Covers”

Animated Short Directed by Michaela Olsen USA, 2019, 7.5 minutes Have you ever wondered what your neighbors do in their bedrooms after dark? In this claymation short, “Under Covers” looks at the sweet, salacious and spooky secrets of a small town on the night of a lunar eclipse.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

“All Is True”

“Simple Wedding”

Live-Action Spotlight Feature

Live-Action Competition Feature

Director-star Kenneth Branagh paints a revelatory portrait of William Shakespeare in the last act of his life and examines the intimate relationship he had with the Earl of Southampton. Also stars Jundi Dench and Ian McKellen.

Nousha wants to marry the perfect Persian man to please her uptight Iranian mother, but things go south when she meets Alex, a white bisexual artist whom she falls madly in love with. “Simple Wedding” makes its Florida debut at FFF.

“Bloeistraat 11” Animated International Short The fog of puberty descends on inseparable best friends as they spend the last summer holiday of their childhood amusing themselves around the house. “Bloeistraat 11” makes its Florida premiere at the FFF.

“Docking” Animated Midnight Short Director Trevor Anderson’s new film “Docking” looks at the filmmaker’s fear of dating using two giant penises meeting in space. A quick Google search of “docking” might not be a bad idea to prepare for this one.

“Kado (A Gift)” Live-Action International Short “Kado (A Gift)” looks at gender identity within a Muslim community with a film centering on androgynous Isfi who joins rambunctious pals as they plot a wild birthday surprise and experiences an overnight sleepover with a close friend named Nita.

“Knife + Heart” Live-Action Midnight Feature Dildo knives. Leatherface masks. Unabashedly queer and affectionately comedic. Do you need more reasons to see this French crime thriller about an aspiring gay porn auteur investigating a string of murders in her own industry in 1979 Paris?

Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

“Spider Mites of Jesus: The Dirtwoman Documentary” Documentary Competition Feature This film has been called “a living, breathing John Waters movie.” This film looks at the life of drag icon Donnie Corker, who earned the nickname Dirtwoman after defecating in the back of a police car. This film is not for those with delicate sensibilities.

“The Garden Left Behind” Live-Action Competition Feature “The Garden Left Behind” examines the life of a Mexican trans woman and her grandmother as they navigate the struggle of being undocumented immigrants in New York City. It’s eBay’s first crowd-sourced film and boasts a cast and crew of over 50 trans actors and filmmakers.

“The Orphan” Live-Action International Short Jonathas’s fantasy is disrupted when his adoptive parents catch him expressing his true self. “The Orphan” was the winner of the Queer Palm for Short Film at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.

“Vita & Virginia” Live-Action Spotlight Feature Based on the real-life correspondence between poet Vita Sackville-West and legendary writer Virginia Woolf, “Vita & Virginia” is a look at two brilliant women and the love that shaped one of Woolf’s most celebrated literary creations.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

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theater

One-Man Wonder

Streisand-centric ‘Buyer & Cellar’ delights at Florida Studio Theatre

CELLAR ROLE: Remy

Germinario stars in the one-man production of “Buyer & Cellar.” PHOTO BY MATTHEW HOLLER

Ryan Williams-Jent

efore she was watching HBO

documentaries to craft controversies of her own, film and stage superstar Barbra Streisand was generating another type of headline: for her interior design.

That’s because Streisand—the only artist to receive Oscar, Tony, Emmy, Grammy, Directors Guild of America, Golden Globe, National Endowment for the Arts and Peabody awards—has a mall in the basement of her Malibu mansion. “Instead of just storing my things in the basement,” the diva detailed to Harper’s Bazaar in 2010, “I can make a street of shops and display them.” The collection of shops— old-fashioned storefronts containing her favorite dolls, dresses and more—is also highlighted in “My Passion for Design,” Streisand’s book. Published in the same year, it celebrates “the architecture and construction of her newest homes … a culmination and reflection of her love of American architecture and design between the eighteenth and twentieth centuries.”

The book and basement were enough to fascinate fans worldwide, including playwright Jonathan Tolins. It led the author to pen “Buyer & Cellar,” an award-winning, one-man show and one of the most-produced plays of the 2015-2016 theatrical season. It’s still captivating audiences nationwide, including at the Florida Studio Theatre (FST) in Sarasota now through April 14. “Buyer & Cellar” is “a quirky comedy about the price of fame, the cost of things and the oddest of jobs,” FST official describes the piece. It tells the story of Alex More, an openly gay and struggling actor recently fired from portraying Disneyland’s Mayor of Toontown. After losing his job, he accepts “an even more unusual gig: working in the Malibu basement mini-mall of a celebrated megastar.”

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

“There is fiction and there is truth in this play,” lead and sole actor Remy Germinario explains. “The truth of it is that Barbra Streisand came out with the book in 2010, and in it she describes how she designs her home in Malibu. It’s absolutely ridiculous in the best way. Jonathan Tolins, an incredible playwright, became obsessed with this basement mall and the idea of someone having to work in it.” The fiction begins there. “Alex More ends up getting that job,” Germinario says. “It’s a hilarious and poignant play that explores and contrasts humans’ connection to material items and other humans.” Germinario knows the show and role well, having portrayed More in two previous productions. It’s among the many reasons “Buyer & Cellar” Director Catherine Randazzo sought the actor. “It takes a lot to get a one man show up on its feet the first time,” Randazzo explains. “Memorization is time consuming and you sometimes don’t get to delve into the fine, intricate details. The timing and comedy are so important in this piece and Remy’s also a standup comedian, so he had two things going for him. He was the right person, he was the right fit and we worked together as a great team.” Germinario says that each of his “Buyer & Cellar” experiences have been amazing, but Randazzo’s involvement adds another layer of depth. “I’ve obviously done a lot of research for this show but I can’t beat Catherine,” he says. “She’s such a big Barbra fan. She’s given me so many great tips about Barbra that have enlightened my impression of her and helped with the story in general. The more and more you do something, the more you connect to the material.” While More is the show’s central character, Germinario is also tasked with bringing others to life. He offers his interpretations of other characters throughout the show, including Streisand. “In the plot I do have conversations with other people,” he says, “like Barbra. While I don’t switch costumes I do switch positions, turn out to different angles and switch back and forth. I think that’s what makes the play so fun, because it’s all from a male point of view.

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“It’s entertaining to see one person do that,” Germinario continues. “Catherine has continued to help me with big personalities. Alex is the neutral one and when you switch to others you come up with a different physicality or voice so that the audience immediately knows this isn’t Alex now. The goal is to make you forget that there’s just one person up there.” Randazzo says Germinario excels at it. “Not only is it a one man show where he’s playing all of the characters,” she says, “but it’s also an hour and 45 minutes with no intermission. If you can hold an audience’s attention with the combination of things happening in this art form—between the writing, casting and production elements— that’s amazing.” The director adds that the audience becomes its own character in the production for that reason. “My joy is watching them laugh,” she says, “and seeing Remy digest it to bring it back to them and let them know he’s listening. He sees them respond to what he’s doing and that whole process is energetic. It gives you chills—it’s comedy, but there are still chilling moments when you look at how everyone experiences this together.” “It’s collaborative,” Germinario confirms. “I absolutely love this show.” The duo brings an unparalleled authenticity to the production, the actor adds. “We’re both gay, we’re out, and I think bringing a queer perspective—especially to a story about Barbra Streisand who is such a gay icon in the ranks of Liza Minelli, Carol Channing, Judy Garland and all of these people—I think that makes it so special,” Germinario says. Randazzo once asked him if the show would work as well if its lead character were straight. He doesn’t believe it would, he says, “because of Barbra Streisand’s gay following and because we don’t need to see a straight man’s perspective on this. I don’t even feel like I’m acting because I feel like Alex More is me; I feel like Jonathan Tolins wrote him the way that I talk and I relate to what he goes through with his boyfriend. I’ve never connected to a show as much as I do ‘Buyer & Cellar.’” Audiences can connect to it as well. “It’s a comical journey and they get to see some poignant and interesting moments,” Randazzo says. “It’s universal in its way and approached in a comical tone—it’s unique and endearing.” “Buyer & Cellar” by Jonathan Tolins runs now through April 14 in FST’s Bowne’s Lab Theatre. Tickets can be purchased at 941-366-9000 or FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

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Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

community calendar

event planner arts+entertainment CENTRAL FLORIDA The Queen of Queens, April 5, The Venue, Orlando. 407-412-6895; TheVenueOrlando.com WigFest- A Celebration of Hair!, April 6, Parliament House, Orlando. 407-425-7571; ParliamentHouse.com

CENTRAL FLORIDA

EVAN SENT

Kennedy Davenport, April 6, Stonewall Bar, Orlando. 407-373-0888; StonewallOrlando.com Steve Martin and Martin Short: “Now You See Them, Soon You Won’t,” April 5, Hard Rock Live, Orlando. 407-351-5483; HardRock.com/Live/Locations/ Orlando

Derek Hough, April 11, Bob Carr Theater, Orlando. 407-440-7000; DrPhillipsCenter.org LGBT+ Monthly Business Mixer, April 12, The LGBT+ Center, Orlando. 407-228-8272; TheCenterOrlando.org LGBT+ Health Fair, April 13, The LGBT+ Center, Orlando. 407-228-8272; TheCenterOrlando.org Foxy’s Den, April 13, The Venue, Orlando. 407-412-6895; TheVenueOrlando.com Dawn Robinson, Formerly of En Vogue, April 13, Parliament House, Orlando. 407-425-7571; ParliamentHouse.com Neema’s Birthday Bash, April 13, Stonewall Bar, Orlando. 407-373-0888; StonewallOrlando.com Self-Love Club, April 15, College Park United Methodist Church, Orlando. 407-843-7197; PeerSupportSpace.org

Thursday, April 11, 5:30-7:45 p.m. Holden Heights Community Center, Orlando Join One Orlando Alliance (OOA) as they openly discuss the impact of homelessness on Central Florida’s LGBTQ+ community with a focus on youth and transgender individuals. This event is one in a series of community discussions featuring OOA member organizations who are working to address the issues. For more information on this and future events in the series, visit OneOrlandoAlliance.org.

Orlando Fringe Local Artist Teaser Show Monday, April 15, 7 and 9 p.m. Shakespeare Theatre, Orlando

When We Love G1., April 10, The Venue, Orlando. 407-412-6895; TheVenueOrlando.com Oh Yes Honey! Comedy Show w/ Rauce Padgett, April 10, Stonewall Bar, Orlando. 407-373-0888; StonewallOrlando.com

Community Discussion: LGBTQ+ Homelessness

Tony Award-Winning musical “Dear Evan Hansen” plays at the Straz Center in Tampa April 9-14 and the Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando April 16-21. Photo by Matthew Murphy

Join a who’s who of local theater talent as they showcase what you can expect to see at this year’s Orlando Fringe Festival. Each performer will be given two minutes to entice you to see their show. The general audience show, hosted by Eric Binder, starts at 7 p.m. with the mature audience show, hosted by Pepe, starting at 9 p.m. Tickets are $15 each, or $25 for both shows. Tickets available at OrlandoFringe.org.

TAMPA BAY Babes in Bonnets, April 15, Footlight Theatre at the Parliament House, Orlando. 407-425-7571; ParliamentHouse.com “Dear Evan Hansen,” April 16-21, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando. 844-513-2014; DrPhillipsCenter.org

NeiBEARhood Takeover Annual Glow Party, April 5, Southern Nights, Tampa. 813-559-8625; Facebook.com/ SouthernNightsTampa

ABBA The Concert, April 5, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater. 727-791-7400; RuthEckerdHall.com

Femmes & Follies: Viva Follies, April 7, Honey Pot, Tampa. 813-247-4663; Facebook.com/ Honey-Pot Pride Skate, April 8, United Skates, Tampa. 813-876-5826; UnitedSkates.com

TAMPA BAY

John Gascot’s Sunday School Opening Reception, April 5, The Bends, St. Petersburg. 727-202-8931; Gascot.com

Late Nite Catechism, April 5-7, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

Derek Hough, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater. 727-791-7400; RuthEckerdHall.com “Dear Evan Hansen,” April 9-14, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org Dine OUT For Life at Punky’s, April 11, Punky’s Bar and Grill, St. Petersburg. 727-201-4712; PunkysBar.com “RENT,” April 11-13, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater. 727-791-7400; RuthEckerdHall.com

Kennedy Davenport, April 13, Hamburger Mary’s, Clearwater. 727-400-6996; HamburgerMarys.com/Clearwater Tampa Bay Lip Sync Battle, April 13, Metro Inclusive Health, St. Petersburg. 727-321-3854; MetroTampaBay.org

SARASOTA Harvey Milk Festival Committee Meeting, April 8, ALSO Youth, Sarasota. 941-228-4872; HarveyMilkFestival.org Nonprofit Night benefiting EQFL, April 9, The Sarasota Modern, Sarasota. 941-906-1290; TheSarasotaModern.com “RENT,” April 9-10, Van Wezel, Sarasota. 941-953-3368; VanWezel.org

Miss Gulf Coast Comedy Queen Pageant 2019 Sunday, April 7, 8-11 p.m. Quench Lounge, Largo Head to Quench Lounge for a fun-filled night of comedic pageantry and see two contestants secure their spots in the National Miss Comedy Queen Pageant to represent the Gulf Coast. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the pageant starts at 8 p.m. No cover. For more information, visit QuenchLounge.com.

Tampa Mayor Debate Night Thursday, April 11, 6-8 p.m. Tampa Theatre, Tampa Spectrum Bay News 9 anchor Holly Gregory moderates a debate between Tampa mayoral candidates Jane Castor and David Straz. All attendees must check-in and present ticket upon entry. Doors open at 6 p.m. with no entry after 6:45 p.m. The production begins promptly at 7 p.m. The program will air live on Spectrum Bay News 9. For more information, visit BayNews9.com.

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

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Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

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Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

overheard

tampa bay out+about

WON’T BE ERASED

egistration for St Pete Pride’s third annual TransPride March is now open, the organization announced March 31. The TransPride March was launched in 2017. Its 2018 march exceeded 750 participants, the organization shared in a press release. “We march to honor how far we’ve come and how much further we need to go,” TransPride March founder, St Pete Pride Vice President and Watermark columnist Nathan Bruemmer shared. “The transgender community and the people who love us know our fight for acceptance and equality is far from over. We are reminded every day that living out loud as a trans, enby, or non-binary human can put our well-being at risk. This is why we must celebrate the resilience of our transgender community. We will not be erased.” Registration for the 2019 march, currently scheduled for June 22 from 6:30-7 p.m., is free and open to all. The first 1,000 registrants will receive a commemorative T-shirt at no cost, provided at check-in ahead of the march. To register or for more information, visit StPetePride.com.

EQUALITY ACQUISITION

etro Inclusive Health and CAN Community Health announced March 28 that the organizations have acquired the German American Club in Ybor to transform the historic building into a state-of-the-art health center. The community partners currently lease space at 1315 E. 7th Ave. in Ybor. The German American Club is located at 2105 N. Nebraska Ave. They unveiled plans to transform the building, which was built in the early 1900s, by adding three floors adjacently attached to its current structure. They noted that the effort will revive a part of Tampa’s history, create jobs and positively impact the local economy. “As a local organization, we have grown alongside Tampa Bay by serving the community’s holistic health needs,” Metro Inclusive Health CEO Lorraine Langlois said. “Being able to restore and modernize this beautiful piece of local history for the community while expanding our impact fits right in line with our organizational mission.” “CAN and Metro started their partnership in 2013, building what has become a model for us in other communities across Florida, the east coast and Puerto Rico,” CAN CEO Rick Carlisle added. “This investment in our community will continue to transform modern healthcare services for all in the Tampa Bay area.” Construction on the project is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2019, with completion expected by mid-2020. To view a rendering of the planned restoration, visit WatermarkOnline.com. For more information, visit MetroTampaBay.org.

2 3

LOVE WINS: Pinellas County Young Democrats (PCYD) Bobbi Lindaman (L) and Blaine Lawson protest peacefully during Drag Queen Story Hour Tampa Bay at Community Cafe to drown out anti-LGBTQ protesters March 23. PHOTO COURTESY PCYD

TAMPA PROUD: Lulu Mariani (L) and Eileen Muth celebrate the Tampa Pride festival March 30. PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT

EQUALITY ENDORSEMENT: (L-R) Human Rights Campaign (HRC) National Field Director Marty Rouse joins Tampa mayoral candidate Jane Castor and partner Ana Cruz to announce HRC’s endorsement in Ybor Square March 28. PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT

PARADE PREP: (L-R) Tampa Pride’s Scott Fulghum, Mark West Bias, John Chambrone and Scott Barry welcome parade participants to a final planning meeting at HCC Ybor March 20. PHOTO BY RYAN

WILLIAMS-JENT

UNDER THE SEA: (L-R) Tampa Pride President Carrie West and grand marshals Amy DeMilo and Ja’Staria Infiniti enjoy the Tampa Pride 2019 VIP Sponsor Party at the Florida Aquarium March 28. PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT

GETTIN’ WIGGY WITH IT: (L-R) Roosevelt Cevallos, Matthew McGee and Sister Agatha Frisky have a wig night out during Wig Out Tampa Bay at Tribeca Color Salon March 24. PHOTO

BY DYLAN TODD

BOOK BROS: (L-R) Rob Akins, Tom Diling and Michael Benjamin attend the launch of David Johnson’s “Buying Gay” at Edge Rooftop Cocktail Lounge March 24. PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD

COUNCIL CARE: St. Petersburg City Councilmembers Darden Rice (L) and Steve Kornell attend the grand opening celebration of the St. Petersburg Police Department’s new headquarters March 22. PHOTO

BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT

7 watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

overheard

central florida out+about

Miss International Queen to be recognized by city

he City of Orlando will recognize Parliament House entertainer Jazell Barbie Royale, who made history as the first black transgender woman to be crowned Miss International Queen in Thailand, with a ceremony at City Hall on April 11. “We always see trans rights in such a hostile way,” says Darcel Stevens, Parliament House’s entertainment director. “There’s so much brutality in the community, so it is wonderful to see trans issues in such a positive light.” Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, City Commissioner Patty Sheehan and Orlando Police Department Capt. Jim Young are scheduled to appear and speak during the event. Royale herself is also scheduled to speak. “Jazell is an outstanding community leader, who has worked to empower the transgender community with education and resources,” Dyer said in a statement. “The City of Orlando is proud to have Jazell working to raise the profile of transgender women all over the world in her role as Miss International Queen.” The Miss International Queen Pageant is a worldwide beauty pageant for transgender women held every year in Pattaya City, Thailand. It is the largest transgender beauty pageant in the world and has been an annual event in Thailand since 2004. Parliament House hosted its own welcome home party for Royale on March 30 to celebrate her historic victory. “I’m very proud,” Stevens says. “As a black gay man, I have seen the evolution with civil rights, gay rights and trans rights. I revel in the fact that this is an accumulation of a lot of people’s hard work. Jazell rests on their shoulders and I get to witness history. She broke barriers.”

OYA’s Babes in Bonnets Easter tradition continues

he Parliament House will again host the Easter holiday auction Babes in Bonnets, which fundraises for the Orlando Youth Alliance (OYA). Each fundraiser over the past several years has continued to surpass the one before it, with last year’s auction bringing in more than $32,000. The fundraiser itself has been around for 21 years and was started by the legendary drag queen Carmella Marcella Garcia. This year’s bonnets will be created by OYA, Parliament House, The Venue, Southern Nights, Savoy Orlando, Jorge Estevez, The Center, Hamburger Mary’s Orlando, The Orlando Dental Group, The Orlando Fringe, MAC Cosmetics, House of Health, The Queen of Versailles, Come Out With Pride Orlando, Ted Live, Commissioner Patty Sheehan, the Hammered Lamb and more. The Babes in Bonnets 2019 auction will be at the Parliament House’s Footlight Theatre on April 15 at 7 p.m. page. For more information on Babes in Bonnets, visit OrlandoYouthAlliance.org.

Community Talk: Congressman Darren Soto (center) meets with members of the community at an LGBTQ roundtable at the Osceola County Commissioners Administration Building in Kissimmee March 21. Photo

courtesy Darren Soto’s office

City Announcement: Michael Deeying (L) and J.D. Casto at the city’s announcement to recognize LGBTQ-certified businesses at Se7enBites in Orlando April 2. Photo by Jeremy Williams

Always room for Jell-O: (L-R) George Wallace, Tim Collins, Joel Morales and Mark Anthony Delgado sell Jell-O shots, raising over $500 for The Center, at Barcode’s 10th anniversary party. Photo by Danny Garcia

Grand Opening: District 47 State Rep. Anna V. Eskamani and Belle Isle Mayor Lydia Pisano at the grand opening of Eskamani’s Orlando office March 30. Photo courtesy Lydia Pisano

Sunday Funday: (L-R) Nicky Monet, Chris Milliron, MRMS Adrian and The Sphinx celebrate Broadway Brunch at Hamburger Mary’s in Orlando March 24. Photo by

Jeremy Williams

Award Winner: Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy (second from L) accepts her 2019 WAVE Award from (L-R) Sam Callahan, Kathleen Harper and Jeremy Williams in her Orlando office March 20. Photo courtesy Jeremy Williams

Red Shirt Days: KindRED Pride Foundation celebrates with Mojoman Swimwear & Clothing at its seventh anniversary in Orlando April 1. Photo courtesy KindRED

Pride Foundation

Howdy Chief: City Commissioner Patty Sheehan attends the “Meet Your Chief” event at the Wadeview Community Center in Orlando April 1. Photo

courtesy Debra Booth

8 watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

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watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

announcements

wedding bells

Congratulations

Aly and Lyndsay Moony

Flamingo Resort celebrates its 10-year anniversary in St. Petersburg April 6.

from Winter Haven, Florida

Engagement date:

Oct. 7, 2015

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Friday, Oct. 13, 2017

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Photographer:

Jason and Johanna Lewis

Photo by Jason and Johanna Lewis

hen you hear of a couple

having a pirate- and mermaidthemed wedding, something just tells you they’re destined for a happy future— even if they’re married on Friday the 13th.

“Yes, we specifically chose a Friday the 13th,” Lyndsay Moony says about her wedding date with wife Aly. “That day has always been lucky for us.” As far as the mermaid and pirate theme, both seem enmeshed in their work. Aly works as a costuming hostess at Walt Disney World Resort and Lyndsay as a character performer at Legoland Florida Resort. They now live together in their Winter Haven home. They have excellent reason to celebrate their love of Disney, as it brought them together and continued to play a role in their

shared history. “We technically met online first, looking for roommates for the Disney College Program (DCP),” Aly says. “We met in person the day we moved into our apartment.” The DCP is a U.S. national internship program operated by The Walt Disney Company, located at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando and the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif. “I stumbled across Aly’s profile on Facebook and thought, ‘She seems cool. I bet we could be friends,’” Lyndsay says. “We started talking online and decided we’d like to try to room together. DCP

approved, so we met on the first day of the program. Although I actually met Aly’s parents and brother before I met her. They came over to help get her unpacked while she was at her first orientation.” It wasn’t long before things turned serious. “We hadn’t been dating very long. We lived together for four months while in DCP then I went back to Colorado,” Lyndsay shares. “I realized I had left my heart in Orlando and came running back. We started dating on Friday, February 13, 2015, and I proposed on October 7th, 2015, just eight months after we started dating. We had only known each other for just over a year, but I knew she was the one.” “Lyndsay proposed to me at Epcot while we were on a staycation with friends,” Aly continues. “I was totally not expecting it. It was just after the fireworks in front of the Fountain of Nations with Spaceship Earth illuminated behind us. We were taking pictures with our friends.We did a regular photo, then a crazy one. Lyndsay was kneeling with their niece and nephew, then they turned to me and held out the ring and asked me to marry them.” Of course, she said yes! On the wedding day the brides walked down the aisle to “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. “Our 13-year-old Norwegian Elkhound, Midnite, walked us down the aisle and he was very dapper in his pirate shirt,” Aly says. “The whole day was very casual, fun and full of family and friends.” The two seem like a match made in heaven. “We just clicked. We are yin and yang, and together we make a whole,” Lyndsay says. “She completes me, and I complete her.”

Local Birthdays

Orlando playwright David Lee, SOLE Orlando leader Kate Murray, burlesque performer Kissa Von Addams, Bowled Over Promotions’ Dawn Kallio, Sarasota actor Matt Craft, Disco Donnie Presents production manager James Dinnan (April 4); Tampa banker Jeff Baker, St. Petersburg nurse Brian Feist, Orlando Front Runner Scott Feneck, St. Petersburg entertainer Michael Jones, Tampa MCC activist Mac McGowan, Sage Sarasota’s Jordan Rose, Miss Florida Bearded Queen Anthony Chiocchi, St. Petersburg director Eric Casaccio, Paychex specialist Jacob Ahrens-Rich, Largo Vice Mayor and City Commissioner Michael Smith (April 5); C2Q›s Donny Hill, Orlando accountant Leah James, Public accountant Joel Schmitz, Former PFLAG Orlando president Pat Padilla (April 6); graphic designer Jason Donnelly, Sarasota real estate e-marketing director Ken Demmons, Intrepid traveler Jon Taylor, Rollins College costume studio manager Seth Schrager, Cristoph’s Tampa owner Jacqueline McRay, All Hallows aficionado Nick Okeson, Appiled Veterinary Solutions owner Jean-David Parlier, Ally and owner of Dictor Financial Wayne Dictor (April 7); St. Petersburg HIV/AIDS activist Joe Dobson, Avidchick Design president Jennifer Carter, Sarasota entertainer Grandma Pearl (April 8); Halcyon co-founder Stephanie Callahan (April 9); Orlando lovebird Bobby McCall, Fort Lauderdale-based singer Sean Ensign, St. Petersburg Metro employee Mike Hollis, Tampa Bay activist Jean Batronie (April 10); Community Cafe owner Mandy Keyes, freeFall Theatre’s Susan Haldeman (April 11); Tampa MCC’s facility manager Mac Williams, Equality Florida’s Joe Saunders, Orlando Log Cabin Republican Patrick Howell, Orlando dentist Elena Puig (April 12); Florida Hospital’s Stacy Pease, Former OGC director Aubrey Connelly, Florida Paradise Weddings owner Steven Russell, St. Petersburg ROTC twirler Scott Heli, Tampa Bay entertainer Esme Russell (April 13); Elizabeth “Sister Koochie Koo” of the Orlando Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Orlando attorney Cory Beetly, St. Pete Dance owner Michael Raisch, Drag chanteuse Chantel Reshae (April 14); Ocala-based horse trainer Randy Eeckhout, Tampa Bay DJ Bill Kody, Southern Nights Orlando DJ Nela Aguirre (April 15); St. Petersburg artist John L. Gascot, Tampa talent DeLaran Withers (April 16); Tampa insurance specialist Mitchell Ryan, Sarasota realtor Joey McDonald, swing dancer Kalyn Rushing, St. Petersburg realtor Eric Wilson (April 17).

—Aaron Drake

Do you have an announcement? See your news in Watermark! Send your announcement to Editor@WatermarkOnline.com

It’s that easy!

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.

Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Apr il 4 - A pr il 17, 2019 // Issue 26 .07