Celebrating 25 years of
Your LGBTQ Life.
July 25 - August 7, 2019 Issue 26.15
LGBTQ cops talk about being out and proud in Central Florida and Tampa Bay Orlando LGBTQ pioneer Joel Strack passes away at 59 D AY T O N A B E A C H
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July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
departments 7 // Publisher’s Desk 8 // Central florida News 10 // Tampa Bay News 12 // State news 13 // Nation & World News 19 // Talking Points 33 // Community Calendar 35 // Tampa Bay Out + About 27 // Central FL Out + About 38 // Tampa Bay Marketplace 40 // Orlando Marketplace 45 // Wedding Bells/ Announcements 46 // Year in Review: 2016
page
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I think LGBTQ liaisons are needed now, even in areas that are progressive … if we continue with open communication between police and the community, I forsee that, years down the road, there won’t be a need for this position anymore. –Tampa Police Detective and LGBTQ liaison Robin Polk
On the cover
page
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LGBTQ BLUE Out and proud LGBTQ officers serve Central Florida and Tampa Bay.
Photos by Dylan Todd. Cover and Landing Page designs by DiBenedetto/Wiedemann.
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Comedian Matteo Lane brings his singing stand-up to Tampa.
Watermark Issue 26.15 // July 25 - August 7, 2019
Life of Service
End of an Era
Mama Bearings
Drawing Dreams
page Central Florida LGBTQ pioneer Joel Strack passes away.
page Flamingo Resort St. Pete announces July 31 closure.
page
page
Read It Online! In addition to a Web site with daily LGBTQ updates, a digital version of each issue of the publication is made available on WatermarkOnline.com
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Viewpoint columnist Sylvie Griffiths highlights her son’s transition.
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Central Florida artist Omar Ramo presents “A Whimsical Night Dream.”
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July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
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July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
contributors
Publisher’s
Rick Claggett PUblisher
Rick@WatermarkOnline.com
W
Desk
atermark is in the midst
of celebrating 25 years in publication. It’s a huge milestone for many reasons that I will get into in my next column, so stay tuned. However, I bring that up now because—in preparation for the celebration—I am going back through the years and highlighting some of the stories we’ve covered.
You may have noticed these pages popping up toward the end of the past two issues, covering 2014 and 2015. Tom Dyer had done a similar retrospective for the 20th anniversary, so I wanted to carry on the tradition leading up to our 25th anniversary issue slated for late August. In this issue we reflect on 2016, a devastating year in so many respects. However, 2016 was the year Watermark Publishing Group was started and it was the year, beginning Jan. 1, that I took over as owner of the newspaper. I was so excited to see what the
future would bring to me, the community and the paper; with no idea, of course, what would happen just six months in. It’s interesting to go back and look at a past year, to see what was popular at the time and what made headlines. It’s funny, and it’s sad. I feel like Dottie Hinson packing up to go to the All American Girls Professional Baseball reunion in “A League of Their Own.” I swear I can hear Madonna singing, “This Used to be My Playground” in my head. Although I have only owned Watermark since 2016,
watermark staff Owner & Publisher: Rick Claggett • Ext. 110 Rick@WatermarkOnline.com Business Manager: Kathleen Sadler • Ext. 101 Kathleen@WatermarkOnline.com
I have been a member of the family since 2002. Perhaps I am feeling especially nostalgic this issue because it’s our first issue away from home. Watermark moved our Orlando office July 12 from the cozy confines of Colonialtown to a nice office building in Baldwin East. The move was a mutual agreement between building owner and Watermark founder Tom Dyer. He has been very generous to Watermark Publishing Group, but with the opening of our Tampa Bay office and change in staffing dynamics, the duplex-turned-office is just too big for our needs. Tom is taking the opportunity to renovate and I’m excited about the change for him, as much as I am excited to enter a new realm for team Watermark. Still, it tugs at my heart strings to leave the space I worked at for nearly two decades. It’s the space where I started this journey. It’s the space where my parents had their will done before my father passed away. It’s where they came to plan our trip to Houston to lay my sister to rest. It’s the building where I consoled others who just lost a loved one, or found out their positive HIV status. It’s the office where I accidentally dropped a bottle of rubber cement on my desk, got high off the fumes and giggled to myself for over an hour. It’s the office I painted after a few hours of happy hour drinking which needed a redo when I sobered up. It’s the space where we lost close staff members, our editors Dave Weithop and Billy Manes. It’s the home where we all sat around the TV to hear the president of the United States congratulate the LGBTQ community on winning the right to marry. Most
importantly though, it’s the place where my spirit animal Tom Dyer was never more than 50 steps away. The last time I stepped foot in the Ferncreek location, the building was painted and the carpet ripped off the floor. Soon it will be ready for new tenants to make their own memories, as I am sure Watermark will do at its new location. The good thing about looking back is knowing how to move forward. In this issue we talk to Central Florida and Tampa Bay’s finest in LGBTQ officers past and present.
It’s interesting to go back and look at a past year, to see what was popular at the time and what made headlines. It’s funny, and it’s sad.
In Central Florida news we pay our respect to local hero Joel Strack who recently passed away, for Tampa Bay news we learn that the Flamingo Resort will close after serving St. Petersburg’s LGBTQ community for more than 10 years. Our entertainment sections check in with comedian Matteo Lane and artist Omar Ramo. We strive to bring you a variety of stories, your stories. I hope you enjoy this latest issue.
Orlando Office
CFL Bureau Chief: Jeremy Williams • Ext. 106 Jeremy@WatermarkOnline.com
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Orlando Account Manager: Brianna Rockmore • Ext. 105 Brianna@WatermarkOnline.com
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July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
SYLVIE GRIFFITHS
is a proud, minivan-driving mother of four with a degree in behavioral health and Master’s in Business Administration with a nonprofit concentration. She loves art and horror movies. Page 15
Sabrina Ambra
is a cohost of Real Radio 104.1’s “News Junkie” program and will kick your ass if she needs to. Page 17
Marianella Falbo
is a former journalist and layout editor turned event coordinator. She loves to cook, read and travel. She also volunteers at several Central Florida Charities. Page 53 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
New group focused on the bisexual community launches in Orlando Jeremy Williams
O
RLANDO | Central Florida activist Sarah Wissig came out of the closet as bisexual 10 years ago and in that time she has become concerned over the lack of bisexual representation within the community. “There’s very little in the way of community for bisexuals in Orlando,” Wissig says. “I got involved in the LGBTQ community right away when I came out and, no matter where I went or what I did, I seemed to be the only bisexual most of the time and I didn’t know why that was.” The lack of bisexual representation concerned Wissig but it became all the more surprising to her when she started to look into the statistics of bisexuality as it relates to the rest of the LGBTQ community. According to studies from both the Williams Institute and the Human Rights Campaign, 50% of the LGBTQ community identify as bisexual. “We make up half of the community. We’re the majority so I don’t understand why we are so marginalized and invisible,” Wissig says. That lack of visibility led Wissig to start up a new organization in Central Florida, The Orlando Bisexual Alliance (OBA). Wissig hopes that the new organization can help dispel some of the enduring stereotypes about bisexuals that she has seen perpetrated within the community itself. “It’s one thing to see it from straight people, but it’s another to see it from your own community,” she says. “I’ve always felt very rooted in the LGBTQ community, but I haven’t always felt included within it.” One stereotype Wissig would like to discredit right away is that bisexuality isn’t an actual sexual identity. “Usually the perception with bisexual men is that they’re really gay and usually the perception with bisexual women is that they’re really straight and they’re just experimenting,” Wissig says. “I’ve been an out and proud bisexual woman for a decade and that’s not changing. I’m not just confused.” According to Wissig, of the $480 million that went to programs and organizations that serve the LGBTQ community in the U.S. between 1970-2010, only $84,000 was given to groups that specifically serve the bisexual community. Wissig says that isn’t near enough for a portion of the community that is facing an array of serious issues including poverty, mental illness, suicidal ideation, substance abuse and domestic violence. “I want for the bisexual community to be seen, to be validated, to be served and to be celebrated,” she says. Wissig first hopes to increase the visibility of OBA, and the community as a whole. She has taken steps to have OBA march in the Come Out With Pride parade and will have a booth at the festival. The OBA holds monthly meetings on the fourth Thursday of each month at The LGBT+ Center in Orlando. The next meeting will be on Aug. 22 at 7 p.m. For more information, search “The Orlando Bisexual Alliance” on Facebook.
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Local legend: Joel
Strack during an interview for Greetings from Queertown: Orlando. Photo by dylan todd
Life of Service Central Florida LGBTQ pioneer Joel Strack passes away at age 59 Jeremy Williams
O
RLANDO | Joel Strack—an LGBTQ leader, activist and pioneer in Central Florida’s fight for equality— passed away in the early morning hours of July 15. He was 59. Strack was instrumental in launching what would become known as Gay Day at the Magic Kingdom, helped create Orlando’s first Pride parade and assisted in founding both the Orlando Gay Chorus and the Gay and Lesbian History Museum. Due to his many years of service to Central Florida’s LGBTQ community, Strack was presented with a city proclamation by Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan during a celebration of life event at Leu Gardens on June 23. “Joel Strack champions a lasting legacy of love, devotion, friendship and smiling in the face of adversity and never giving up,” the proclamation read.
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
Many community leaders and activists honored Strack on social media. “I have many fond memories of him,” LGBT+ Center Executive Director George Wallace wrote on Facebook. “He was one of the very first people who reached out to me when I took the ED role at The Center. A few months later he stopped in and we were in the middle of construction. We got talking about the museum and both our passions for preserving our rich history, both good and bad. I gave him the hard-hat tour and he went on his way. About three months later I invited him out for a drink so I could chat with him. I asked him if the LGBTQ History Museum would be interested in having a permanent installation at The Center. He gave me a hug and began crying (tears of joy).” In honor of Strack’s impact on the LGBTQ community, The Center in Orlando flew its flags at half-staff on July 15. “Joel passed peacefully into the light at 3:45 this morning,” Sheehan wrote on Facebook.
“To say he will be missed is an understatement. Treat yourself right.” Strack was known throughout the community for his positive message of “Treat yourself right.” Community member Rick Grayson, who called Strack a “chosen brother,” said on Facebook that he learned “endless compassion, deep felt humor and that all we are in this life is Love” from Strack. “Today and every day please do your best to ‘treat yourself right.’ In his simple catch phrase we have the keys to creating the world he always saw through his eyes,” Grayson wrote. “I love you all and I wish peace and light to all affected by his passing and the loss of such a unicorn on this Earth.” Local playwright, director and actor Michael Wanzie recalled in his Facebook post how Strack played his love interest in Wanzie’s first original play, “David’s Time,” and how he and Strack were roommates for a brief time in the mid-80s. “Joel was VERY active in, and supportive of, The Center in its formative months and years and witnessing my grief after the loss of my love, Ron Kimber,” Wanzie wrote. “It was Joel who first made me aware of the inaugural Washington D.C. display of The Names Quilt and suggested it might be cathartic for me if I made a panel to memorialize Ron. At HIS suggestion friends and I made the panel and I took it to D.C. which turned out to be a life-altering, life-affirming and very positive experience for me which resulted in my resolve to become an activist for change once back in Orlando.” Dozens of community members shared stories, memories and condolences of Strack on Facebook; however, as Wallace noted, Strack’s greatest legacy may be the impact to LGBTQ individuals who didn’t even know him personally. “He literally put his whole life into making Orlando better,” Wallace ended his post. “Whether you knew him or not, he has impacted your life. Trust us old folks! May you rest in peace, sir. I am sure you are singing with the angels today.”
July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
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July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
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tampa bay news
Equality Florida announces inaugural TransAction Leadership Academy Ryan Williams-Jent
S
T. PETERSBURG | Equality Florida’s transgender inclusion initiative TransAction Florida has announced the inaugural class of its TransAction Leadership Academy. The academy is designed to train and develop the next generation of transgender or gender nonbinary (enby) leaders in the areas of advocacy, policy and management. Participants range from ages 18-30 and were required to live in St. Petersburg, commit to attending all classes and present a final dissertation to be included. Equality Florida announced July 10 that nine leaders were chosen for its inaugural class, which began June 20 by outlining TransAction Florida’s history, structure and mission. Future sessions will focus on topics like safe and healthy schools, HIV/AIDS, equality in the world of business, message and media advocacy training, facilitation skills and more. Courses will culminate Dec. 19 with a graduation ceremony featuring Equality Florida Executive Director Nadine Smith and Director of Transgender Equality Gina Duncan. “In my opinion, nothing is more important than growing future leaders and providing a platform for their voices to be heard,” Duncan says. “Now, more than ever, we must support the future leaders of the trans/enby movement and ensure that the progress we have fought so hard to achieve continues until all Floridians are treated fairly and equally under the law.” Duncan says that the program stems from a statewide leadership conference held in St. Petersburg two years ago. A diverse array of leaders came together to formulate a plan to strengthen the transgender and enby communities, discovering a generational division between activists of varying ages in the process. “We knew there was a need for bridging this divide,” Duncan recalls. “We wanted to start growing young leaders and providing them with the tools to find and elevate their voices to be effective advocates for our community. This seemed like a natural way to accomplish that.” Duncan says that the inaugural class’ authenticity and their commitment to supporting the LGBTQ community at large has been an inspiration. “They have no hidden agendas,” she says, “just a pure desire to support the community and to promote equality.” While the inaugural class is developing leaders in St. Petersburg, a second will be held in Orlando next January. A third will follow in Jacksonville and a fourth will take place in Fort Lauderdale, dates forthcoming. “We know our fight for social equality is a marathon, not a sprint, and we need leaders to whom we can pass the torch,” Duncan stresses. “Let the next generation progress further than the generation preceding it because it stands on the shoulders of that generation.”
For more information about Equality Florida, visit EQFL.org. For more information about TransAction Florida and its leadership academy, visit EQFL. org/TransActionFL.
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FLAMINGO FINALE: The Flamingo Resort, pictured July 21, will close on July 31. PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT
End of an Era Flamingo Resort St. Pete announces imminent closure Ryan Williams-Jent
S
T. PETERSBURG | The Flamingo Resort will close its current location July 31 after serving Tampa Bay’s LGBTQ community for more than 10 years. Speculation about Flamingo’s closure began July 20, when auction company Bay Area Auction Services Inc. posted a sign on resort property. It advertised an “everything goes” sale for Aug. 6 and was removed after attracting attention on social media. Flamingo General Manager Jon Jusino subsequently addressed the news that evening during Showtime Saturdays, the resort’s weekly drag production. “I wanted to clarify and let everyone know what’s going on,” he shared. “The Flamingo has the opportunity to redevelop. With that being said, this property will be turned into an apartment complex and then they would move Flamingo to another location. “That location hasn’t been disclosed and no one really knows where it’s going to be,” Jusino continued, “so whether it’s three months from now that we open
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
up a new location [or] a year from now, I have no clue … Flamingo will be closing as of this July; July 31st will be the last day that we will be open.” According to public documentation filed with the city of St. Petersburg, development permits for the Flamingo’s location at 4601 34th St. S. were submitted in Oct. 2018. A site permit covering utilities, retention, parking and landscaping was approved in June 2019. Another permit for the foundation of an eight-story, 245-unit apartment building was approved at the beginning of July. Permits for the foundation of a parking garage and the apartment building itself have been submitted but not yet approved. The city has no permit on file for the resort’s demolition. Broadcasting from Flamingo via Gay Safe Haven Radio July 22, Jusino once again confirmed the July 31 closure and Aug. 6 auction. He further noted that the Flamingo’s current owners will own the incoming apartments and that they “will be looking for a property that’s very similar to this so that we can reestablish the
Flamingo and the entertainment and everything that we do enjoy here.” Jusino subsequently thanked Flamingo’s patrons and partners, praising the many employees who have maintained the resort’s 128 rooms, six themed bars, weekly events and productions. “I’m heartbroken,” he shared through tears. “I’m displaced … from the bottom of my heart, my employees have been the most respectful, most honorable people I’ve ever worked with. We have some amazing talent here and it’s not just about me losing my place of living and job myself, but it’s about them. They have been really supportive and worked through the hardest of times; I wish nothing but the best for them.” He noted that July 28 will be the final Sunday Tea Dance, the resort’s popular poolside party, calling on the community to attend and say goodbye. “It’s going to be everything that you all imagined,” he shared. “As general manager, as entertainment director, I will make this place bigger and better on that one day than you all have ever had. I look forward to seeing every single one of you here.” Flamingo Resort’s final Showtime Saturdays will be held July 27 at 11:30 p.m. with host Iman and performances by Kenya Black, Robyn Demornay, Johnny Sparks and Alexis De La Mer. Its final tea dance will be held July 28 featuring Iman, Sparks, Demornay, De La Mer and special guest Bobby York at 5 p.m. For more information, visit FlamingoFla.com.
July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
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11
state news
SAVE appoints interim ED Jason Parsley of South Florida Gay Ne
M
IAMI | SAVE announced July 11 that the organization has named Damian Pardo as its interim executive director. Tony Lima, the former executive director, was removed from his position after remarks he made at the organization’s annual Champions of Equality gala June 14. While on stage Lima introduced four suspects in an anti-gay hate crime case, saying they were “wrongfully accused.” “As the founding chair of SAVE and one of the LGBTQ community’s most respected and accomplished advocates and leaders, we are thrilled about having Damian take the helm of the organization during this transition period,” SAVE Chair Elizabeth Regalado said. “Damian not only understands the South Florida LGBTQ population intrinsically, his deep involvement with the organization and understanding of its work over the years will serve as the driving force for SAVE’s continued success as we move forward.” Pardo’s accomplishments include being the founding chair of SAVE in 1993. In 2016, he received Equality Florida’s Voice for Equality Award.
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Campaign raises awareness of LGBTQ sexual assault and domestic violence Kristen Grau of South Florida Gay News
P
alm Beach County, Fla. | Compass Community Center and Palm Beach County Victim Services have teamed up to raise awareness of LGBTQ-related sexual assault and domestic violence. The two organizations officially partnered earlier this year to promote one another. Their most recent project is a billboard and bus stop campaign stamped with a simple message: “Sexual assault can happen to anyone.” Although Palm Beach County Victim Services treats people of all genders and orientations, Compass is helping them incorporate more LGBTQ-inclusive messaging. “LGBT [sexual assault/ domestic violence claims] can
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
often be disregarded because of their status, because they’re not heterosexual,” said Lucas O’Ryan, Compass’ transgender youth coordinator. “People are already intimidated to report those things—and when you’re part of a marginalized community, it makes it even harder,” he continued. Along with the new digital billboard and posters across Lake Worth, Compass has also trained the Palm Beach County Victim Services staff on cultural competency and LGBTQ terminology. According to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), LGBTQ people face higher rates of sexual violence than heterosexual people do. In the U.S., 47% of transgender people are sexually assaulted at some point—and the percentage
increases if they’re a person of color, the HRC found in a survey. Another survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found other instances of how LGBTQ sexual assault rates differ: 22% of bisexual women have been raped by an intimate partner, compared to 9% of heterosexual women. 4% of gay men and 47% of bisexual men have experienced sexual violence other than rape, compared to 21% of heterosexual men. 44% of lesbians and 61% of bisexual women experience rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner, compared to 35% of heterosexual women. “With this LGBT-friendly messaging, they would hopefully know that they’re included,” O’Ryan said.
July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
nation+world news
Oregon adds gender identity to hate crime protections Wire Report
S
ALEM, Ore. | Gender identity will be added as a protected class as Oregon’s hate crime laws see the most significant update since the 1980s under a new measure signed by the governor that also closed a loophole that gave lesser sentences to perpetrators who committed hate crimes alone. Previously, the law dictated that a hate crime would only be considered a felony if two or more people harm or threaten to harm another person because of “that person’s race, color, religion, sexual orientation, disability or national origin.” If the perpetrator acts alone, it’s only considered a misdemeanor. The high-profile case of Jeremy Christian is part of the reason
lawmakers refocused efforts to update Oregon’s hate crime laws, which were written in 1981 and meant to respond to a rise in organized attacks by self-described neo-Nazis that involved multiple perpetrators. Christian, who authorities say stabbed three people—killing two of them—that intervened when he began to spew anti-Muslim threats at two teenage girls aboard a light-rail train in Portland in May 2017, faces felony murder charges but was only charged with a misdemeanor hate crime because he acted alone. Christian has pleaded not guilty. The new law makes it a felony to threaten or assault an individual based on their “membership in a protected class.” It also follows the lead of other states by clarifying that gender identity is considered a protected class, a move meant to
Read It Online! Head to WatermarkOnline.com and click on the Digital Publications link to a read a digital version of the printed newspaper!
acknowledge the increase in crimes against transgender individuals. The new law, signed by Gov. Kate Brown on July 15, also strengthens definitions around bias crimes, providing more guidance to local jurisdictions and encouraging more accurate data collection. Now, law enforcement must record and respond to all hateful incidents, even if they don’t technically rise to the level of a crime. Although the measure sailed through the House and Senate unanimously, some lawmakers bristled at the idea of investing $360,000 a year for Oregon’s hate crime reporting system and establish a hate crime hotline. Activists acknowledge the criticism, but note that collecting data isn’t about proving hate crimes exist. Rather, it helps map out where hateful incidents occur and against which individuals.
Ecuador Passes Marriage Equality Michael K. Lavers of The Washington Blade, Courtesy of the National LGBT Media Association
E
cuador became the latest country in which same-sex couples can legally marry. Media reports indicate Alexandra Chávez and Mishelle Avilés on July 18 became the first same-sex couple to legally marry in the country when they exchanged vows in the city of Guayaquil. Ecuador’s Constitutional Court on June 12 ruled in favor of marriage rights for same-sex couples after it heard the cases of two men who sought the right to marry in the country. Chávez and Avilés married after the rulings were published in Ecuador’s Official Register. Colombia, which borders Ecuador, is among the other South American countries in which same-sex couples can legally marry. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights in 2018 issued a landmark ruling that recognizes same-sex marriage and other rights in the Western Hemisphere. Ecuador is among the countries in the Americas that recognize the tribunal.
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watermark Your LGBTQ life.
July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
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viewpoint
Sylvie Griffiths
mama bearings Happy Birthday, Jake!
S
ummer is upon us
and my children have four weeks left until they go back to school. I am happy to say they are as eager to get back into the grind of public education as I am.
My oldest son will be a senior in high school and is excited to be in the home stretch. My daughters are super social and love the access to friends, gossip and picking out outfits daily. Jake, my youngest, is having a wonderful summer—what I would guess is the best summer of all four of them. Regardless of the fact that his dad moved out and that his parents are divorcing, my little guy is happier than ever. That’s in part because three summers ago he became himself. My Jake was born in St. Petersburg, was held by all his siblings the day after he was born, loved his first bath and was named after a flower. He will be 10 years old in August and he was born biologically female. He announced he was transgender—yes, he actually used the word—and told his sister and me that he was like transgender activist Jazz Jennings who he’d seen on YouTube. He said he would like his name to be Jake in honor of a dear family friend who had recently died. Just. Like. That. He certainly did the heavy lifting for us. When Jake holds the door for me I tell him what good manners he has and what a gentleman he is becoming. I constantly refer to him as my “little dude,” verbally or in writing, because that is
what he is to me. My son understands who he is gender-wise in precisely the same way I know deep in my heart and soul that I am a woman. This is not a phase, as a friend once suggested, and we will soon legally change his name. I am reworking a tattoo with his birth name in time for his birthday. Jake reminds me every day that I should always try to be myself. It sounds simple, but as I go through my second divorce at 41 and literally rediscover myself, I need my little dude. He is happy, social, funny and so kind. People always remember his name because he’s a charmer and they are drawn to him. His siblings are fiercely protective of him. My younger daughter, upon moving up to middle school, was not savoring this time because she “didn’t want to leave Jake behind.” My oldest always tries to include him and is showing him how to be a great big dude, even with a seven-year age gap between them. Jake’s oldest sister plays volleyball with him even though she is a full blown, selfie-loving teenage girl. The world is changing in bad and good ways, but I would be a liar if I said I had not dealt with anything negative. There have been outrageous questions from so-called medical professionals; teachers publicly blocking restroom access; an educator and family friend making it clear she did not agree with our “interesting choice to let our daughter dress like a boy.” Just typing that last line makes me as nauseous as it does angry. My son has not always been treated fairly because he is transgender, and this mama bear becomes a rabid grizzly over any of my kids. Before I started writing a blog, which led to this column, I spoke with Jake about writing about
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
him. He was excited. We talk about it every few months; I understand that anonymity might be something he seeks, and I am willing to do whatever is best for his life always. He writes about being transgender at home and is less vocal at school.
I will own up to, I am inspired by my youngest son’s ability to be himself despite discrimination he faces. Like so many other children, he just learned to ride a bike. He plays online basketball games. He likes to sleep in tents. His smile lights up any room
get stuff right the first (or second, or third) time as parents, but it is effort based. My kids know I am a dumpster fire sometimes, but they know I really try. Happy Birthday to my nearly 10-year-old baby boy. I am glad you have brown eyes and glasses
He always put on a big smile when discrimination occurs and acts like he doesn’t understand, but he’s aware of it and has decided not to be open in all circles. I have spoken to Jake many more times and in greater detail about how some people will not like or understand us. As I navigate being single for the first time in many more years than
and people are naturally drawn to him. Jake is the heart that holds us together and I think a lot of that has to do with his authenticity. I thought I had three girls and a boy before three summers ago. He grew inside my body, and I missed huge signs of his desire to transition until he explained to me who he was. We don’t always
like your Mom. I am so grateful for you and am inspired by you every day. Thank you, Jake.
My son has not always been treated fairly because he is transgender, and this mama bear becomes a rabid grizzly over any of my kids.
July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
Sylvie Griffiths is a proud mom of four whose eclectic interests include hairdressing, horror movies, mental health, advocacy and writing. She holds a BS in Behavioral Healthcare and an MBA.
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watermark Your LGBTQ life.
July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
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viewpoint
Sabrina Ambra
ladyfingers
I
Stupid makes me sweat walked into the bar;
that’s nothing new, but it’s not a drinking problem until I’m 30, right? Don’t answer that. I sat down with full intention of writing and absolutely no idea what to write about. I feel like, more often than not, I use my crutch of “Here’s how the world sucks and here’s how to not get sucked into the suckiness.” I also feel like way more often than not, I can barely practice what I’ve preached. For example, I left work P-I-S-S-E-D the day of this writing. It happens from time to time, as I’m sure it does for anyone else that, I don’t know, lives on this earth. I had been triggered, my mind wandering to a state of mild paranoia and self-consciousness. I become consumed by the thought of failure and I end up kicking my own ass for not knowing how to stick up for myself properly. All this, yet I’m 99% sure that I’ve told readers, in some form or another, to not sweat the small stuff. But riddle me this: Who the fuck can stop themselves from perspiring on command? Not even Beyonce can stop the sweat from collecting on her perfect brow. What I’m trying to say is that some of the stuff that I sweat over gets me sweating before I realize it and then I’m sweating and I can’t stop it. Does that make sense? Because I am now sweating. Then there are instances/moments/ conversations/stories/people who have no small stuff to sweat because there is something much
bigger and significantly more terrible they’re dealing with; “stuff” that makes my moist upper lip look not as bad. The polite way of putting the result of experiencing the aforementioned is that it has given me perspective. But if I’m being completely honest, I feel a bit fucked up when someone shares that their fan is made of actual shit and I get a sense of relief that at least my fan just had shit hit it. There are other occasions that completely take my attention away from my own shit-sweating and instead I am overwhelmed with a range of emotions. They are coursing through my body and all stemming from someone else’s stupidity. Stupidity is the simplest way of putting it right now because I don’t want to use vile or malicious, poisonous or wicked, and I definitely don’t want to use evil—evil feels like a significant lack of hope. However, when it seems like there are only a few little drops left in the “hope bucket,” you can either believe stupidity leaves room for positive change or you allow evil to suck it dry. So, stupidity it is, for now. I feel very privileged to have been born in the United States of America. I am very proud of the accomplishments I have witnessed. I proudly fight for equality next to my sisters and brothers who are doing the same and I appreciate the opportunities I have been given to bask in the glory of others who are kind enough to share it with me. It fucking kills me that there are many out there that would rather see us break and fall in these moments of joy. I watched the U.S. Women’s National Soccer team kick so much World Cup ass and, for the fourth time, brought the championship trophy home
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
to the good ol’ U.S. of A. I high-fived the strangers around me because for that moment we were all part of the same team. It was beautiful. But then the fun-sucking brigade came in, took this incredible moment of victory for
read about these amazing women, all under the guise of “how un-American of you!” No one seems to give a fuck that the American flag on the moon has been on the ground for 50-FUCKING-YEARS though, right?!
this goddamn heat that has folks wandering away from the land-o-compassion and common decency. Whatever it is, I do not know, nor do I think I will figure out. I’ll just try not to sweat the small stuff, but I won’t give myself or anyone else
women and our country and did everything they could to ruin it. Why? Because the flag was dropped by accident. But that was just the catalyst, wasn’t it? It was just what those STUPID people saw as an open door to say some of the most horrendous things I’ve ever heard and
I’m sweating again. We’re all sweating— especially if you’re reading this in Central Florida. Maybe it’s global warming that’s making people lose their minds. Perhaps climate change is the reason there are quite a few people who have misplaced their moral compass. It just has to be
a hard time about being a little clammy every once in a while. Remember, winter is coming and, at the very least, we all should be too (coming, that is.)
I feel like, more often than not, I use my crutch of ‘Here’s how the world sucks and here’s how to not get sucked into the suckiness.’ I also feel like way more often than not, I can barely practice what I’ve preached.
Sabrina Ambra is a cohost of Real Radio 104.1’s “News Junkie” program and will kick your ass if she needs to.
JOE ANGLEY is your local expert for Central Florida!
Call Joe today for your help with buying, selling, or finding a home! Phone: 407-270-5180 // JoeAngleyTeam.com
July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
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watermark Your LGBTQ life.
THEPRIDECHAMBER.ORG
July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
698 of
America’s
519,682
elected officials are
openly LGBTQ,
0.13.%
22,688
more are needed to equitably represent the estimated 4.5% of
LGBTQ U.S. citizens. –2019 Out for America Report, The Victory Institute
talking points Your message is excluding people. You’re excluding me, you’re excluding people that look like me, you’re excluding people of color, you’re excluding Americans that maybe support you. I think that we need to have a reckoning with the message that you have and what you’re saying about ‘Make America Great Again’ … you need to do better for everyone. –Co-Captain Megan Rapinoe addressing Donald Trump after the U.S. Women’s National Team World Cup win
Scarlett Johansson clarifies latest casting controversy
A
ctress Scarlett Johansson has clarified her commentary on politically correct casting after receiving backlash for saying she should be able to play any person, tree or animal. The “Avengers” star, who played an Asian character in 2017’s “Ghost in the Shell” and who withdrew from playing a transgender man in 2018’s “Rub & Tug,” told As If magazine that actors should be able to play any person because that is “the requirement of my job.” On June 14, Johansson said the content was misconstrued. “I personally feel that, in an ideal world, any actor should be able to play anybody,” she clarified in a statement. “I recognize that in reality, there is a wide spread discrepancy amongst my industry that favors Caucasian, cisgender actors and that not every actor has been given the same opportunities that I have been privileged to.”
PETA criticizes Men.com’s alligator appearance
P
ETA criticized gay adult film studio Men.com after an alligator appeared in a scene of one of its films. “The Everglades,” which filmed in the Florida Everglades May 17, stars Diego Sans and Kaleb Stryker who share a scene together. In the background, an alligator can be spotted. “No matter what humans are getting up to on set, wild animals should be left to their own private lives, never used as props or decorations,” PETA Director Elisa Allen shared. “No animals were corralled, moved or used as props,” director Marc MacNamara responded. “Respect, love and protect all animals. These alligators were absolutely majestic beauties and our priority was respect and non-interference with nature.”
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
‘Pose’ star makes history on ‘American Horror Story’
“P
ose” star Angelica Ross has joined “American Horror Story: 1984,” becoming the first transgender actress to land two series regular roles. Ross, who portrayed Candy on “Pose,” made the announcement following her character’s departure from the show. ”I am ELATED to make history as the first trans actor to secure 2 series regular roles, leaping from #PoseFX to #AHS1984,” she shared via Instagram. “Though she will always be our Candy, and our show suffers this incredible loss, I am elated that the world will get much more Angelica,” creator of both shows Ryan Murphy confirmed. The horror series returns to FX on Sept. 18.
Lady Gaga launches makeup line
L
ady Gaga is launching Haus Laboratories in September, her own makeup line which will be sold exclusively on Amazon. The makeup will be available in nine countries and feature “multi-use color items for cheeks, eyes and lips in six shade families and kits containing all three products priced at a relatively affordable $49.” The singer said it is inspired by the early days of her career when she would use colorful drugstore makeup. “Color is completely transformative—it’s powerful, it’s beautiful and it’s how I found my voice with makeup,” she told Business of Fashion. “I’m sure as hell not going to put out a beauty brand that is going to drive insecurity and fear into people. This is about liberation.”
July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
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TA
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AN
R WE T
U
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THE IN
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DA RI
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N W. MIN OH TE OF F A
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Presented by Comedian, TEDx Speaker, and Suicide Survivor, Collin Williams
Stand-Up for
Suicide Prevention Because some people heal through humor...
Learn more about how PSS is supporting our local LGBTQ+ community at peersupportspace.org Everyone heals differently, if dark humor (includes topics of sexual assault and suicide) may be triggering for you, or just isn't your thing, we encourage you to consider supporting us during other events and fundraisers.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is seeking qualified Florida certified candidates interested in a career as a Deputy. Positions are open in Uniform Patrol, Court Security (full-time and part-time), and Reserve Deputy Volunteer. Academy sponsorships, as well as civilian positions, are also available. Please visit our website for more information.
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watermark Your LGBTQ life.
July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
LGBTQ cops talk about being out and proud in Central Florida and Tampa Bay
T
Jeremy Williams
om Woodard had law enforcement
in his blood. His parents were both officers; his mother was a detective for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and his stepfather was a major in the Winter Haven Police Department. Woodard wanted nothing more than to go into the family business, and in Oct. 1988, he got his wish. Woodard became a deputy with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) on Halloween.
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
Less than a year later, Woodard’s world would be turned upside down when a fellow officer outed him as a gay man. “They said they had received information that I may be gay and they wanted to know all the details. They made me take a polygraph test,” Woodard said in a 2014 interview with Watermark. “They tried to equate gay people with child molesters. Internal Affairs wanted to know if I had ever had sex on duty or with children.” The LGBTQ community has had a complicated relationship with the police since the birth of the modern-day LGBTQ rights movement, which kicked off with members of the community
fighting back against police brutality at The Stonewall Inn in New York City 50 years ago. From having officers write down the license plate numbers of cars parked at gay bars in the 80s and 90s to police departments not taking violence against the community seriously and misgendering trans murder victims, to this day some members of the LGBTQ community have found it difficult to trust their local law enforcement while living their authentic lives. For Woodard, and most LGBTQ officers in the late 20th century, living in the closet was the only way they could
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Continued on pg. 23 | uu |
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watermark Your LGBTQ life.
July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
| uu | LGBTQ Blue from pg.21
fulfil their dreams of serving as a cop in their community. Many feared what happened to Woodard would happen to them as well. Then-Sheriff of Orange County Walt Gallagher forced Woodard to resign in 1989 for being bisexual. Woodard at the time identified himself as bisexual but now admits that he is a proud, openly-gay man. The report from Gallagher stated that Woodard’s “chosen sexual preference could compromise his position as a deputy sheriff and public servant.” The report also called Woodard “an embarrassment to the agency,” stated that he could “bring dishonor” to the sheriff and that Gallagher “holds that homosexuality is unnatural, immoral and inexcusable.” Woodard fought back; rescinding his resignation and suing the OCSO. Three years later, Woodard won and was reinstated as a deputy sheriff. Gallagher would end up losing his next bid for Orange County Sheriff and Woodard would go on to be a cop in Orange County until his retirement in 2014. Woodard now owns and operates the Pom Pom’s Teahouse and Sandwicheria in St. Petersburg. The world of law enforcement has changed for LGBTQ officers since those days that Woodard had to fight for his right to serve openly and proud as a gay cop. Police Departments and Sheriff’s Offices throughout Central Florida and Tampa Bay have begun reaching out to LGBTQ cops as well as to the community at large through LGBTQ liaisons in their departments. These liaisons serve as the spokesperson between their respective departments, the LGBTQ officers in those departments and the LGBTQ communities they serve. Lieutenant Markus Hughes—who has been with the St. Petersburg Police Department (SPPD), the same city Woodard now calls home, for nearly two decades—became the LGBTQ liaison for the SPPD in 2014 when Mayor Rick Kriseman took office. “It was Mayor Kriseman who originally pushed for an LGBTQ liaison in the department,” says Hughes. “When he got into
Team effort: An OPD officer and OCSO deputy, both members of GOALcfl, provide security at the Zebra Coalition’s LGBTQ prom. Photo courtesy Goalcfl asked “What now?” The first office he said that there should thing, Hughes needed to get the not only be an LGBTQ liaison word out about the new position. in the mayor’s office, but there “They told me to contact all the should be one in the SPPD as gay-owned businesses and put well because of the long history yourself on the website so the of issues with the LGBTQ community and law enforcement.” community knows who to reach out to in case they have questions The SPPD approached Hughes or concerns,” Hughes says. for the position because of his “Basically stuff that, because I was work for LGBTQ rights in the already out in the community, department and because he was was already happening. It just an out and proud gay officer. now had an official title.” “In 1999, I was deciding As Hughes was settling in between joining the Army and as the LGBTQ community in becoming a police officer. I chose St. Petersburg, across the bay the officer over the military in part Tampa Police Department (TPD) because of the military’s ‘Don’t was also establishing its own Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy,” Hughes LGBTQ liaison. recalls. “I didn’t want to do the “There was one LGBTQ liaison military because of that policy, prior to me for about a year so I didn’t want to live like that I believe,” says Detective Robin here. If people asked me, or Polk, TPD’s LGBTQ liaison they hinted about it, I was just since 2015. “The position was honest with them.” established because the city was In the years prior to officially trying to be more inclusive to being named the LGBTQ liaison, the community.” Hughes got the SPPD to hold its Polk started her career in law annual Christmas party at the enforcement after a short-lived popular gay bar Georgie’s Alibi career in finance. three years in a row. He also “I decided I wanted to do more helped to get domestic partner with my life. I wanted to help benefits for LGBTQ officers people and I wanted to make a from then-Mayor Bill Foster, difference,” Polk says. “I know a Republican. that sounds really cliché, but that When Hughes was was my defining moment. After approached about being the being in finance for about three department’s first LGBTQ liaison or four years, I thought, ‘What am he immediately said yes, then
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
fighting back: Tom Woodard was fired for being gay but was reinstated as an Orange County Sheriff’s deputy. Photo Courtesy of Tom Woodard I doing with my life?’ I wanted to impact people more.” Polk traded in her high heels for combat boots, as she puts it, and spent a few years at the Lakeland Police Department before she transferred to TPD where she is became a detective with the department’s sex crime unit. “I personally haven’t experienced any kind of discrimination with regards to my sexual orientation, or my sex for that matter,” Polk says. “I have been very lucky, to be honest with you, to work for the city of Tampa. It’s a very inclusive city and we have a tradition of treating everyone with dignity and respect. Tampa is really a phenomenal city.” As the TPD liaison, Polk monitors the city’s LGBTQ hate crimes as well as develops and maintains relationships with Tampa’s LGBTQ community and business owners. “I think the LGBTQ community just wants to be heard and
July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
understood,” Polk says. “So the role of the liaison is about opening dialogue with them and being a point of contact that they know will be accepting, treat them fairly and who they can call if they have a concern.” In Central Florida, the role of the LGBTQ liaison was first established with the Orlando Police Department (OPD) in 2014 with Capt. Jim Young. “I think we were the only one in Central Florida that had an LGBTQ liaison at the time,” says OPD’s current LGBTQ liaison Sgt. Grace Peek-Harris, “and how that came about is just because Jim pushed. Even though we didn’t have any problems within the department, he felt like there still needed to be some sort of representation. He went out and made himself known in the community and did a great job.” While Peek-Harris had always been out of the closet as an officer with OPD, she wanted
Continued on pg. 25 | uu |
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| uu | LGBTQ Blue from pg.23
to become more active in the community and approached Young in 2015 to be a part of the liaison team. “I became his assistant for about two years,” she says. “After Pulse, we had a lot of things to do with the community and I started to take on more responsibilities.” With a promotion coming up, Young realized he wouldn’t be able to continue on as OPD’s LGBTQ liaison and, in Oct. 2017, Peek-Harris was named to the position. Peek-Harris has now been the liaison for nearly two years and just passed 20 years as an officer with OPD in May. “After retiring from the military as a Navy Commander I was already here in Orlando and I knew a couple of officers who were in the reserves and said I would make a good officer. So I applied to both OPD and OCSO, and honestly OPD called first,” Peek-Harris says, laughing. Peek-Harris says that just as with her military career, she has always been out as an officer. “I know that my experience in both the military and on the force have been very different than a lot of people’s but I have never hidden who I am since I came out in the 10th grade and had my first girlfriend,” she says. “I’ve lived my life the way I want to live my life. I live my life open and honest. If somebody asked me I would be like ‘Yes, I’m a lesbian.’ I don’t hide that and I’ve always been that way at OPD and it’s never been a problem. I think I’m fortunate because not every agency is like that.” Peek-Harris now oversees four other LGBTQ liaisons at OPD. “I think it’s really important that we have a presence everywhere we can in the community,” she says. “Whether it is just going to events, speaking at them or sitting on a panel; I think it’s important just to be there and having multiple liaisons, it lets us cover more ground.” Something Peek-Harris introduced to Central Florida this year that has become an extension of the LGBTQ liaisons program in many ways is a chapter of the Gay Officer Action League, or GOALcfl. GOAL was formed in 1982 in New York City to address the needs, issues and concerns of LGBTQ law enforcement personnel. GOALcfl,
high flyers: GOALcfl are taken to NYPD airfield for demonstrations in June as part of the 2019 World Pride GOALny conference. Photo courtesy Goalcfl
which is now a nonprofit organization, has nearly 100 members already in Central Florida. Peek-Harris serves as the president. “It’s kind of like a symbiotic relationship, because we are LGBTQ liaisons but we’re also part of GOAL, and a lot of our initiatives in GOAL are the same as we would have as LGBTQ liaisons,” Peek-Harris says. Sgt. Brandon Ragan is the vice president of GOALcfl and is the LGBTQ liaison for the OCSO. Ragan has been with the Sheriff’s Office for over 16 years and worked at the same time Woodard was on the force. “I met Tom Woodard when I started working here and he was still here after my incident happened,” Ragan says. The incident Ragan is speaking about is how he was publicly outed as a gay officer because he was the victim of a domestic violence incident in the mid-2000s. “So I’ve known since I was little that I am gay but I was still in the closet when I started and I was forced out into the open through the media,” Ragan says. “So I’m trying to beat feet to tell my family, who probably assumed but it was never talked about, before it comes out on the news. I knew that the media had it and this is all going to come out.” Ragan came out to his family and feared that after being outed in the media that his career would be in jeopardy. “The complete opposite happened,” he says. “Hundreds and hundreds of supportive emails and phone calls came my way. ‘You don’t have anything
to worry about. We don’t care that you’re gay.’ So I’ve been through three different sheriffs now and you know it turned out to be the best thing that could have happened. The agency was extremely supportive.” Ragan says that after it came out he is gay, Woodard pulled him to the side. “He says to me ‘We need other people to stand up who are LGBTQ to help out and keep advocating for individuals like us.’ So that’s what I have tried to do.” The position of LGBTQ liaison at the OCSO was initiated after Pulse, Ragan says. “At that time Sheriff [Jerry] Demings was here and he started asking who the LGBTQ liaison was and we didn’t have one,” Ragan recalls. “So they approached me and I told them it would be such an honor to do it.” Ragan met with Young, and then with Peek-Harris, and set the position up. It has continued to grow over the last few years and now the OCSO has four LGBTQ liaisons. “We do a lot of community engagement,” says Ragan. “It’s allowed us to bridge the gaps within the community. We’re out there at these events and people are talking with us and we have these one-on-one conversations with them. They get that feeling of this is a human being as well. Yeah, you are a cop and you wear all this gear and you do a different kind of job than most people do. But through our liaisons, all working together, we are able to bridge that understanding. We’re all human, we’re here to help and just build those relationships.”
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
keeping the peace: Members of the OPD and OCSO during the Pulse Remembrance Ceremony on June 12. Photo courtesy Goalcfl
Since the OPD and OCSO LGBTQ liaisons are all members of GOALcfl, it allows both departments to work closely with each other on many initiatives. “One of the best things that has happened here at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office is we have kicked off our own Safe Place initiative,” Ragan says. “We are so proud of that program and Grace was instrumental in helping us get that set up.” “I run that program for the City of Orlando and OPD,” Peek-Harris says. “Brandon and I work closely together with that program because when people ask for [a Safe Place decal], they don’t realize whether they’re city or county, so it’s great that we do work closely together on that because now if someone outside of the city limits wants one I can get them over to Brandon.” Another initiative both OPD and OCSO liaisons are working on closely together is LGBTQ training through Equality Florida for Student Resource Officers (SROs). “Spearheaded by Brandon, [OCSO] has done training with its SROs and we are getting ready to do that with OPD,” Peek-Harris says. “I’ve met with Equality Florida and Orange County Public Schools, and we’re developing a program that we’re going to be giving to our SROs in August, and then eventually, I think that same program will be rolled out to some of the other departments in Central Florida that haven’t already had it.” Having LGBTQ liaisons within the SPPD, TPD, OPD and OCSO have made police departments in Central Florida and Tampa Bay
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models for other departments across the country, showcasing how to be more inclusive of their LGBTQ communities. The Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index includes a city’s LGBTQ liaison in the city’s total score. Orlando, Tampa and St. Petersburg all scored 100 this year. In the years since each of the departments have adopted an LGBTQ liaison, they have seen the bond between the LGBTQ community and the city’s police force and the county’s sheriff’s office strengthen. This year, Tampa elected a lesbian and former TPD police chief as the city’s new mayor; St. Petersburg’s mayor has raised the rainbow flag at City Hall each LGBTQ Pride month; and, in the face of the Pulse tragedy, the OPD and the OCSO have mourned with the LGBTQ community while also serving and protecting them. “I think LGBTQ liaisons are needed now, even in areas that are progressive like Tampa, to repair the damage from past generations,” Polk says. “I also think that opening that dialogue for people that have come from other areas that may have not had that welcoming environment; I think it really bridges the gap. If we continue with open communication between police and the community, I foresee that, years down the road, there won’t be a need for this position anymore because everyone will already be accepting.”
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Arts and Entertainment
Comedian Matteo Lane brings his singing stand-up to Tampa
C
Ryan Williams-Jent
omedian Matteo Lane wants you
to know that he’s gay. It’s something that he shares almost immediately with his audiences, whether they’re laughing with him on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”or logging onto Netflix for “The Comedy Lineup.” “I walk up and say, ‘Hi, thanks so much, I’m obviously gay,’” he explains, “and then I move on. It’s a real power move, because I know they’re thinking it and I’m proud of it.” It’s a choice that’s served the classically trained opera singer and painter well,
leading to captivated crowds for Comedy Central, Logo, HBO and across the world for his live tour. Watermark caught up with Lane ahead of his stop at the Tampa Improv Comedy Club & Restaurant Aug. 1-4 to talk inclusion in comedy, living “Inside the Closet” for his podcast and laughing out loud.
WATERMARK: YOUR BACKGROUND IS IN SINGING AND PAINTING. HOW DID THAT PREPARE YOU FOR COMEDY?
MATTEO LANE: In a lot of ways, discipline. In order to be an opera singer or an oil painter, you have to have discipline, sacrifice and good work ethic. Once I could see myself achieving the things I wanted singing, and with drawing, I just applied that to comedy.
Continued on pg. 29
Photo courtesy of Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment
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gotten messages from people saying I’m the first gay comic they’ve ever seen, so hopefully there’s some good happening from me doing this.
| uu | Laughing Out Loud from pg.27
You also utilize your voice in a lot of your sets.
You and fellow openly LGBTQ comedian EMMA WILLMANN are also open about your experiences on your podcast “Inside the Closet.”
You kind of use whatever you’ve got when you’re on stage, and if you get rewarded for it, you continue to use it so. Sometimes I don’t even notice—but I’ll do impressions or my voice will go high or really low—and audience members will be like, “I love all the voices that you do.” In my head I’m like, “Voices? I wasn’t doing voices.” I think it’s like a theatrical thing, or being Italian and gay. I’m just going to be over the top.
Emma and I wanted it to be focused on us, our lives and our conversations. We have guests on but we never do a sit down interview like, “tell us about your life.” Of course we ask questions but we’d like to chat with us like we’re all at a diner talking. I don’t like things that feel too produced. So we literally sit down and say, “okay, record and just go.” It keeps it fresh. We want to keep it fun. That’s why we started doing it— if we turn this into a chore, then you’re going to feel that when you’re listening. So a lot of time when Emma’s telling these, you know, ridiculous stories she’s gotten herself involved in, I’m hearing them for the first time and it’s exciting for me too.
What led you to pursue comedy full time?
I was drawing for my full time job in New York and then I started doing TV shows. It just hit me one day, I looked at my schedule and I realized that I wasn’t able to take off any more work, so I just turned to my boss and I said, “I think this is it.” They saw it coming. They were like, “okay, yeah, we get it,” and I just took a real leap of faith. I was like, “Well, the next two months look good. Let’s just hope that I keep getting work.” So far it’s worked out.
You’ve credited Kathy Griffin, Margaret Cho and Joan Rivers for leading you to comedy. What spoke to you about their work?
Gay men weren’t seen doing stand up for so long, they weren’t as visible as Bill Burr, George Carlin, Robin Williams, etc. I think gay men sort of found themselves drawn to certain women, these women who were sort of climbing uphill and out of the mold—they were angry at life but could laugh at it. They were sort of bigger than life and it was almost like drag in a way. I think I think a lot of gay men related to that; I related to that. I don’t know why, but Joan Rivers spoke to me more than any other comedian I’d ever seen. For some reason, an 80-year-old Jewish woman was speaking right to me. What’s your writing process like?
I’m not one of these comedians who sit at the coffee shop for five hours and writes until something hits me. I think because my humor is built off of bouncing back and forth with other people. Something will
MATTEO’S WORLD: Comedian Matteo Lane has audiences laughing across the globe with his authentic approach to comedy, from his podcast to Netflix’s “The Comedy Lineup.” Photo by alex schaefer, courtesy odenkirk provissiero entertainment hit me in conversation naturally and I’ll write a note in my phone, then when I get on stage that night, I just throw it in and see how it goes. I record myself, go back to listen and then I edit from there. I’m someone who needs the energy of the audience to sort of guide me through my joke. I can’t just sit by myself and write. I don’t know, for me doesn’t work that way—it feels too stiff. I feel like I’m just memorizing words rather than experiencing it. Have you had any particular audience interactions that stand out to you?
Some shows are great, some aren’t. Sometimes you get a heckler. It just depends on the night. Overall, I would say things are really good, but yeah, you have those nights where someone gets too drunk and they think that they’re the show and they try and run the show for everybody. You just have to handle it the best you can and hopefully they get kicked out. How do you Handle hecklers?
I’m mean.
I’m not mean in the sense that I’m calling them names, but I belittle them and embarrass them as much as I possibly can. You want to get the audience on your side—and here’s why I don’t feel bad for hecklers: you have 250 people in a room. Some of those people traveled 40 miles, some of those people got babysitters. Some of those people got into a fight getting there, they paid a lot for dinner, this is their night out. I’m on stage doing my job and one person has a specific type of narcissism where they think, “You know what, all these people sitting quietly—not me. I’m going to be the one to talk.” I can’t even comprehend the type of narcissism it takes to ruin a show for everybody else, so when people start heckling and inserting themselves in ways that they shouldn’t, I will 1,000% lay them into the ground. Also, with the audience, you’re on stage so you’re in charge. If you lose control of the room, you lose the respect of the room. I can’t stand up there and let someone just
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
walk over me; I have to assert my power onstage. Why does LGBTQ representation matter in comedy?
There have been a lot of lesbian comics: Ellen DeGeneres, Wanda Sykes, Judy Gold, Margaret Cho, the list kind of goes on, and I think it’s helped open a door for the rest of us in the LGBTQIA family. I think people are just at a point now where we’re really interested in different perspectives. I think comedy is obviously best when you’re a great joke writer and you love what you’re doing, but it’s also best way you’re able to sit for 15 minutes or an hour to experience perspectives from someone that maybe you wouldn’t be normally talking to. I think it’s fun to see this traditional method of stand-up and have different people from all different backgrounds come at it with their own point of view to sort of change it up. I think it’s important; it’s important to see yourself represented on TV. I’ve
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Do you have any advice for LGBTQ comics looking to perform professionally?
My advice to anybody is just be yourself. That’s literally the only advice that I could ever possibly give anybody—everything else, you sort of figure out on your own. The main thing is people really respect you when you’re just yourself, so be yourself. No one likes anyone who’s trying to fit in.
What can fans expect from your tour stop in Tampa?
They can expect me to recreate Judy Garland, Live at Carnegie Hall in 1955. I’m 1,000% joking. No, they can expect me to come and tell jokes, a proper hour of stand-up that I’ve been working on for about a year and a half now.
You’re going to disappoint someone if we mention the Judy Garland recreation and it doesn’t happen.
Oh, just put it in. The gays will show up and we’ll have a good time anyway.
Matteo Lane will perform at the Tampa Improv Comedy Club & Restaurant Aug. 1-4. Times vary and all but one performance is 21+. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit ImprovTampa.com. For more information about Lane, visit MatteoLaneComedy.com.
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Arts
What Dreams May Come
Central Florida artist Omar Ramo explores his mythical side with ‘A Whimsical Night Dream’
(above)
Omar’s dream:
Artist Omar Ramo prepares his mythical side in “A Whimsical Night Dream.” Photo by Tyla Harrington
O
Jeremy Williams
mar Ramo didn’t just decide to
become an artist, it was destined since birth. Born to creative parents, Ramo and his siblings were surrounded by a variety of artistic mediums.
“Both my parents were dancers when they met,” Ramo says. “They got married and started to make a family, and my dad became a hair cosmetologist. He worked in the theater, he played the saxophone. So there was a lot of artistic expression going on in my house and it inspired me.” Ramo recalls being fascinated by the human form at an early age when he took art classes in school. “I remember one of the first things they were teaching us was those stick figure shapes like you see on a bathroom sign, a straight line for a boy and the triangle for a girl, and I thought ‘this isn’t at all what boys
and girls look like,’” Ramo says. “So I started exploring different ways to draw the human form. I had an uncle who did portraits and I watched what he did and was very curious about color, sketching and shadowing.” Drawing and painting portraits also let Ramo explore something else that fascinated him, the duality in gender and how he saw himself. “I am a big believer in the ying and the yang,” Ramo says. “I want my work to be representative of my feminine side and masculine side, and the balance of both of those aspects of me in my life.” Ramo, who identifies as bisexual and gender fluid, says the exploration
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
of gender in his artwork really took off when he was 23 years old. “I had been in a relationship and then I was on my own. It was a hard transition in my life, plus at that time I was starting to really experience gay culture,” Ramo says. “I painted this image of two men holding each other tightly and it had cool colors and warm colors, that masculine and feminine again, even though it is two men. It’s those emotions and feelings that were pretty suppressed. I try to let it out little by little and it’s showing in my art pieces.” As Ramo started to display his pieces at small art exhibits throughout Central Florida, he felt that his full vision wasn’t being recognized by just displaying his work, he wanted to tell them a story. That story became Ramo’s first art expo called “Exposed.” “When I was deciding on how to tell the story with my work I knew I wanted it to be more than just displaying a piece, I wanted it to have movement and dance and performance art and digital art, all of these things that were a part of my art,” Ramo says. “I don’t want to take full credit, I appreciate Giovanni Rodriguez and Geologic Events who helped to bring that first show to life.” “Exposed” premiered at 310 Lakeside in Orlando on March 21 to much success. It did just as the name suggests. “The show was me exposing myself and exposing my work. Just being completely vulnerable and open,” he says. “I’m at that stage in my life where I can’t be hiding anymore. I have to show where I am and who I am, and ‘Exposed’ really gave me the chance to do that.” “Exposed” gave Ramo a chance to bring his audience on his metaphorical birth as an artist. “It told the story of my birth and growth. It was very symbolic, spiritual and astral; it was pretty trippy,” Ramo says, laughing. If “Exposed” is Ramo’s journey through his birth, his new art show “A Whimsical Night Dream” is his journey through childhood.
“When you’re a kid it is all about dreaming and imagination and that is the story I wanted to take people through in this show,” Ramo says. “I want people to just get away from reality for a while. You walk into this dream realm where there’s so much creation, creativity, beauty and imagination.” “A Whimsical Night Dream” incorporates art pieces surrounded by film, digital pieces and performance artists portraying different mythical creatures in Ramo’s world. “I’m letting my inner child out for this one and my inner child loves mermaids,” he says. “There will be a mermaid in a tub, a ballerina creature, a fawn. It’s going to have this water theme throughout it as well. When I was younger, water was everything for me. I would go to the beach or submerge myself in the pool. It was so quiet and calm under the water.” Another theme in “A Whimsical Night Dream” is duality. “The audience sees me going in the water and into this dream state where I am being crowned as a king from this realm where mythical creatures live,” Ramo says. “But also in this realm, I do have this alter ego which is the dark side. This is the duality of good and bad.” Ramo’s dark side is played by local drag performer Waka Shame Black. “She is an amazing performer and will be my nemesis throughout the audience’s journey.” Ramo not only uses his exhibits as a way to tell a story, but he also wants to use them as events to help raise funds and awareness for causes he cares about. He started with “Exposed” by donating a part of the proceeds from the night to the Central Florida Sounds of Freedom. For “A Whimsical Night Dream,” he is giving 20% to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. “I suffered with depression and I know how alone you can feel, especially if you are young,” Ramo says. “I know what helped me was being able to express myself with my creativity. It showed me I could be my own unique person who has a purpose in life. I want to help people suffering know that they are not alone, there are people out there that will listen and be there to help.” “A Whimsical Night Dream” is Aug. 15 from 7-11 p.m. at Bar B in Orlando. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door, $45 in advance and $55 at the door for VIP. Tickets available at Eventbrite.com. Costumes are encouraged.
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July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
community calendar
event planner arts+entertainment
Central Florida
CENTRAL FLORIDA
Pride in Business Awards Gala
Prince Royce, July 27, Wall St. Plaza, Orlando. 407-849-0471; WallStreetPlaza.net Global DJ Joe Gauthreaux, July 27, Parliament House, Orlando. 407-425-7571; ParliamentHouse.com “Pippin,” July 27-28, The Venue, Orlando. 407-412-6895; TheVenueOrlando.com Shawn Mendes: The Tour, July 30, Amway Center, Orlando. 407-440-7900; AmwayCenter.com Werk It Wednesdays, July 31, Stonewall Bar, Orlando. 407-373-0888; StonewallOrlando.com Fantasia: The Art of Elizabeth E. Davis, Aug. 1, LGBT+ Center, Orlando. 407-228-8272; TheCenterOrlando.org Gilda Wabbit’s Big Gay Opera, Aug. 1-3, Parliament House, Orlando. 407-425-7571; ParliamentHouse.com Stand-Up for Suicide Prevention, Aug. 2, Repertory Theatre, Orlando. 407-896-7365; OrlandoRep.com Stasha Sanchez Live, Aug. 3, Stonewall Bar, Orlando. 407-373-0888; StonewallOrlando.com “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Big Gal Invasion, Aug. 3, Parliament House, Orlando. 407-425-7517; ParliamentHouse.com Brandon’s Birthday Bash, Aug. 3, Savoy, Orlando. 407-898-6766; SavoyOrlando.com Miss Glamorous Newcomer 2019, Aug. 5, Southern Nights, Orlando. 407-412-5039; Facebook.com/ SouthernNightsOrlando
Saturday, Aug. 3, 8-11 p.m. Hard Rock Live, Orlando
The katya show THE KATYA SHOW: “Drag Race” favorite Katya Zamolodchikova brings her one-woman stand-up and storytelling show to The Plaza Live in Orlando Aug. 5. PHOTO VIA FIVESENSESEREELING.COM
“Kill Bill Vol. 1” Watch Party, Aug. 6, Southern Craft, Orlando. 407-412-5039; Facebook.com/ SouthernCraftBar Financial Literacy Open House, Aug. 7, LGBT+ Center, Kissimmee. 407-201-2544; TheCenterOrlando.org/ Kissimmee Lotus, Aug. 9, LGBT+ Center, Orlando. 407-228-8272; TheCenterOrlando.org
TAMPA BAY Legends: A Night of Illusion, July 27, Frescos, Lakeland. 863-683-5267; Facebook.com/ LegendsOfIllusions Fearless: An Unmasquerade, July 27, Tampa River Center, Tampa. 813-237-3066; MyEpic.org Shawn Mendes: The Tour, July 27, Amalie Arena, Tampa. 813-301-6500; AmalieArena.com
Drag Queen Bingo, July 28, The Cuban Club, Tampa. 813-485-4198; TheSanctuaryCenter.com
SAGE Health Series, Aug. 6, Metro Inclusive Health, St. Petersburg. 727-321-3854; MetroTampaBay.org
Showtune Sing-Along, July 28, Punky’s Bar and Grill, St. Petersburg. 727-201-4712; PunkysBar.com
Youth Advisory Council, Aug. 9, Metro LGBTQ Welcome Center, St. Petersburg. 727-201-4925; LGBTQWelcomeCenter.org
LGBT Youth and Family Group, July 31, Sanctuary Center, Tampa. 813-485-4198; TheSanctuaryCenter.com Project ID, July 31, Metro Inclusive Health, St. Petersburg. 727-321-3854; MetroTampaBay.org
Summer Silent Party at Flying Boat, Aug. 9, Flying Boat Brewing Co., St. Petersburg. 727-800-2999; FlyingBoatBrewing.com
SARASOTA
Tampa Bay Comic Convention, Aug. 2-4, Convention Center, Tampa. 813-274-8511; TampaBay ComicConvention.com
Hashtag Lunchbag July Meet-Up, Sarasota Edition, July 27, The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime, Sarasota. 941-313-2712; HashtagLunchbag.com
Divine AF Live, Aug. 4, Salty’s Gulfport Bar, Gulfport. 727-592-4983; DivineAF.com
“Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” 1961 Film Aug. 9, Sarasota Opera, Sarasota. 941-328-1300; SarasotaOpera.org
Pasco Pride Presents Drag Queen Story Hour, Aug. 4, The Paperback Exchange Bookstore, Port Richey. 727-845-3494; PascoPrideFestival.org
To submit your upcoming event, concert, performance, or fundraiser visit watermarkonline.com.
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
Join The Pride Chamber for an evening honoring LGBTQ business leaders. The 2019 Pride in Business Awards, presented by Two Spirit Health, will welcome distinguished community leaders and professionals as they present awards to this year’s recipients during an incredible full course dinner and silent auction. A VIP reception will be held at 6:30 p.m. with doors at 7:30 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit ThePrideChamber.org.
Nina West’s Birthday Friday, Aug. 9, 9 p.m.-2:30 a.m. Southern Nights, Orlando “RuPaul’s Drag Race” contestant Nina West is celebrating her birthday and you’re invited! The Miss Congeniality winner will perform during #FlexFriday. Entertainers Roxxxy Andrews, Maya Andrews and more will help celebrate with performances at 11 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. Visit Facebook.com/ SouthernNightsOrlando for more information.
Central Florida LGBTQ+ Youth Summer Camp Monday, July 29-Saturday, Aug. 3, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Metro Inclusive Health, St. Petersburg Metro’s third annual summer camp returns for a second week-long session this year! LGBTQ+ youth and their allies ages 13-17 will connect with peers, enjoy trips and engage in workshops led by local activists, artists and educators. Youth of all gender identities, expressions and orientations are celebrated and welcomed, registration is limited to 25 participants. Visit MetroTampaBay.org for details.
Gay Men’s Chorus Tampa Bay Auditions Saturday, Aug. 3, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; Monday, Aug. 5, 7-9 p.m. The Portico, Tampa The Gay Men’s Chorus of Tampa Bay wants you for their 2019-2020 season. Singers do not have to identify as gay or male but must be willing to sing tenor, baritone or bass. They will perform “My Country Tis of Thee” for the artistic director during their audition, which requires an appointment. Visit GMCTB.org/Join-Us to schedule yours.
July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
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overheard
tampa bay out+about
GOOD ‘BURGERS
T
he St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce has announced the finalists for the seventh annual Good ‘Burger Awards, including Watermark Publishing Group which has been nominated as a cool small company. A “Good ‘Burger” refers to a business, organization or individual in the greater St. Petersburg area that makes a positive impact in the community, the chamber explains. Voting began July 22 and goes through Aug. 16. Voters are tasked with selecting one nominee from 10 categories: Arts & Culture; Community Conscious— Grassroots and Large; Cool Companies—Small and Large; Eats & Treats; Hot Spots & Hangouts; Makers & Creators; New Biz on the Block and Most Valuable ‘Burger. Voters can also participate in an eleventh category, People’s Choice, to nominate a Good ‘Burger who didn’t make the list. Finalists include a number of LGBTQ and LGBTQ-friendly businesses and organizations. American Stage and freeFall Theatre company can be found in Arts & Culture, the Metro LGBTQ Welcome Center and Project No Labels are found in “Community Conscious: Grassroots” and “Cool Companies: Small” lists Watermark. The winner of each category will be announced at the seventh annual Good ‘Burger Awards Aug. 29 at 737 Event Venue. To vote and for more information, visit StPete.com/Good-Burger.
FUN CLOSER
A
merican Stage is closing out its 2018-2019 season with the hit musical “Fun Home,” playing now through Aug. 18. The celebrated production is based on Alison Bechdel’s best-selling graphic memoir of the same name and was the first Broadway musical to feature a lesbian protagonist. It introduces audiences to Bechdel at three different ages, following her as she unravels the mysteries of her childhood while seeing her parents through grown-up eyes. The winner of five Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Original Score, “Fun Home” is also the first musical to be performed in the Raymond James Theatre in four years. All nine cast members are making their American Stage debut. “Every once in a while a Broadway musical comes along that surprises, moves and excites audiences in ways only a truly landmark piece of theatre can,” American Stage shared ahead of opening night July 17. “This groundbreaking and life-affirming new musical was the event of the Broadway season, receiving raves from critics and audiences alike.” “I love when a piece of theatre stops you in your tracks and draws you in surprising and rewarding ways,” Producing Artistic Director Stephanie Gularte adds. “‘Fun Home’ is that kind of theatre. As one of the biggest Broadway musical hits of the last decade, this groundbreaking musical has mostly been presented in large, sold-out venues since originally captivating critics and audiences five years ago. I am very happy to have the opportunity to share this moving, powerhouse musical with our audiences in American Stage’s intimate setting.”
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LIAISON LOVE: St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman (center) presents LGBTQ liaisons Jim Nixon (L) and Lt. Markus Hughes with a gift July 10. PHOTO
COURTESY CITY OF ST. PETE
2
‘BURGER BUDS: Jenn Roberts (L) and Valerie McDonald celebrate Project No Labels’ Good ‘Burger nomination at Studios@620 July 11. PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT
3
GIRLS NIGHT: (L-R) Layla Guerry, Carmen Aguilar and Aireal Young enjoy Enigma July 12. PHOTO
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5
BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT
4
EQUALITY ENGAGEMENT: Equality Florida’s Jon Harris Maurer, Brandon Wolf and Florida LGBTA Democratic Caucus VP Nik Harris attend the caucus’ summer conference at the Grand Hyatt Tampa July 20. PHOTO BY RUSS MARTIN
5
HAPPY HOUR: (L-R) Jordan Rose, owner Sharon Carole and Chris Covelli celebrate G2H2 Sarasota at Sage SRQ July 11. PHOTO BY RUSS MARTIN
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RIDE WITH PRIDE: Pasco Pride meets at ZenfiniTea for the Adopt a Road safety meeting July 10. PHOTO COURTESY PASCO PRIDE
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ART IN MOTION: (L-R) Pheyonce Montrese, Cole Foust, Hannah Powell, Mallory Moyer and Dixie Lynn Michaels bring art to life for Hope in Motion’s Arts Alive party at Metro Inclusive Health July 20. PHOTO
6
BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT
8
BIG WINNERS: (L-R) The Straz Center’s Max Bolton and Zachary Hines accept the Ad Pop! Award honoring excellence in advertising from Watermark senior account manager Russ Martin and owner Rick Claggett during Watermark Wednesday July 17 at City Side Lounge. PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
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July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
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Reach local LGBT communities across the nation. Start connecting with over a million loyal readers in print and online across the country. 212-242-6863 info@nationallgbtmediaassociation.com www.nationallgbtmediaassociation.com
Atlanta | Boston | Chicago | Dallas/ Ft Worth | Detroit | Los Angeles | Miami/ Ft Lauderdale | New York | Orlando/Tampa Bay | Philadelphia | San Francisco | Washington DC
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July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
overheard
central florida out+about
Sweet Dreams raises $71K
B
liss CARES had a successful night at the DoubleTree by Hilton in downtown Orlando on July 13 with its inaugural “Sweet Dreams: Dancing for TRANSitional Housing” fundraiser. The event—which partnered 11 amateur dancers, all LGBTQ community leaders in Central Florida, with professional dancers for a night of fast-paced, fancy footwork—raised $71,344, which will go towards creating semi-permanent housing for the transgender and gender nonconforming communities where they can have access to health services, life skills and career counseling to prepare them to live on their own in their own safe space. While the evening was filled with top-notch dance moves, the celebrity panel of judges— District 4 Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan, Parliament House Entertainment Director Darcel Stevens and local theatre legend Michael Wanzie—awarded the night’s trophy to the pairing of Luis Martinez, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer’s director of multicultural affairs, and his professional dance partner Daniel Martinez. The popular vote trophy went to dance soloist Shelby Norwich, a realtor with Olde Town Brokers and member of the Downtown Arts District Board.
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5
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‘After Orlando’ comes to OrlandO
D
ays after the Pulse shooting, Missing Bolts Productions’ Blair Baker and Zac Kline along with NoPassport Theatre Alliance’s Caridad Svich came together to create an international, playwright-driven theatre action in the wake to the tragedy. “After Orlando,” a collection of short plays that were specifically written in response to Pulse, has been read at more than 75 venues across the U.S. and the U.K. Now, That Uppity Theatre Company and Mad Cow Theatre, in association with the Association for Theatre In Higher Education, Missing Bolts Productions and NoPassport Theatre Alliance will present a selection of scenes from the full play in a production called “After Orlando: Staged Reading” at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando on Aug. 9. Each play reading is between three and eight minutes in length and will feature a professional cast of 10 with each of the readings being directed by Monica Tamborello, Tara Kromer, Kenny Howard and Joan Lipkin. “To perform and to watch is to enter the experience of the other. It is a crucial gateway to empathy and one more way to encourage appreciation of diversity. And its format makes it ideal for academic settings,” said Lipkin in a press release. “After Orlando: Staged Reading” is free to the public and will be followed by a post show discussion after the readings.
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Dance Champs: Judge Patty Sheehan (L) with the winning duo Luis Martinez (center) and Daniel Martinez at Bliss CARES’ “Sweet Dreams” dance competition at the DoubleTree in downtown Orlando July 13.
Photo courtesy Patty Sheehan
2
Pride Mixer: (L-R) Tom Yaegers, Michael Deeying and Sherri Absher at The Pride Chamber’s July Business Connect at Fields Motorcars in Orlando July 10. Photo by Dana Ng
3
Pop Award: Juan Rodriguez (R) accepts the Ad Pop Award on behalf of Bliss CARES from Watermark’s Sam Callahan (L) and Danny Garcia. Photo by Jeremy Williams
4
Ribbon Makers: Florida Sen. Linda Stewart (L) and Eddie Diaz show up at The LGBT+ Center in Orlando July 20 for #Ribbonpalooza to help make rainbow ribbons.
Photo courtesy Eddie Diaz
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
5
Anniversary Party: (L-R) Sean Wiggins, Melony VonKruz and Chip Murdock celebrate Parliament House’s 44th Anniversary in the world-famous resort’s Bear Den July 21. Photo courtesy Chip Murdock
6
Spook Queens: Sharron Needles (L) from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” gets a photo with artist Nick Smith at Southern Nights in Orlando July 19. Photo by Brittani Acuff
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Hosting Gig: “Sweet Dreams” hosts Scott Maxwell (L) and Lynn “Moira” Dictor (R) get a photo with performer Miss Sammy before event at the DoubleTree in downtown Orlando July 13.
Photo courtesy Scott Maxwell
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Licensed Up: State Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith (L) and Jerick Mediavilla (R) show off their marriage license with Orange County Clerks of Court Tiffany Moore Russell at the Clerk of the Court Admin Office in Orlando July 15.
Photo courtesy Carlos Guillermo Smith
8 July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
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watermark Your LGBTQ life.
July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
announcements
wedding bells
Lael Arango and Joy Winheim from Tampa, Florida
engagement date:
Local Birthdays
Oct. 2017
Wedding date:
June 1, 2019
Officiants:
Sarah and Jeremy Castleman
Wedding venue:
The Clubhouse at Patriot Hills in Stony Point, New York
Colors:
White as a base with “pops of color everywhere”
Wedding Song/ Artist:
“The Greatest Sum” by The Evett Brothers
Caterer:
Inn Credible Caterers
Cake Bakery: Homestyle Bakery in Peekskill, New York
Photographer: The Natura Collective
DJ/ Entertainment:
Elegant Music Group
Condolences
Central Florida LGBTQ pioneer Joel Strack passed away July 15. He was 59.
Photo by The Natura Collective
A
love story 20 years in the
making, Lael Arango and Joy Winheim tied the knot in June with a little help from their parents and son.
During the unity ceremony, both Arango and Winheim’s parents poured different colored glass beads into a vase before Arango, Winheim and son Jude poured in individual colors. “Even though a wedding is designed to look to the future, we wanted to honor our pasts and how they shaped the people we are today, making this huge commitment to each other,” Winheim says. “The glass beads were sent to an artist in Texas,” she continues, “to create blown glass pieces of art that will be given to each family to commemorate the day that our pasts and presents came together to make something that will last into the future.” Arango and Winheim originally met through a coworker but eventually drifted apart. It wasn’t until they crossed paths again during a grant writing workshop that they began dating. Arango noticed “Joy’s easy smile and her ability to make
people feel at ease immediately,” while Winheim fell for “Lael’s self-assurance and her ability to express what she wanted clearly and confidently.” Gradually, they started to see a future together. As their son gets ready for his senior year in high school, Arango and Winheim are looking ahead to their lives in Seminole Heights and their new adventure, “the first chapter in our empty nest book!” One important lesson Arango and Winheim have learned and would like to pass along is the importance of surrounding themselves with good people and understanding that everyone brings something different to the table. “Surround yourself with people who will laugh and cry with you and will do all they can to support your vision for the day,” Winheim advises. “Decide who is better at what—Lael was in charge of all things creative and
I was in charge of all logistics. It worked beautifully and we really learned to trust and respect each other’s unique strengths.” Arango and Winheim created their perfect day using that same logic. The officiants were family friends, Sarah and Jeremy Castleman, which created a loving atmosphere throughout the ceremony. Even though they both agreed the wedding day was perfect, there was an unexpected moment at the reception that they both say was their favorite—when the DJ unexpectedly played “Hey Jude.” It prompted their son Jude to dance independently with Arango and then with Winheim before the three of them danced together. “It’s a really long song,” they recall, “and out of the blue our entire wedding party surrounded the three of us in a huge group hug. That moment was such a gift and really showed us how surrounded by love our family is.” The brides celebrated their union with a cannoli cake and danced their first dance to “The Greatest Sum” by The Avett Brothers.
Bliss CARES’ Juan Rodriguez, Sarasota bartender Noah Guminski (July 25 ); Auto Advisors St. Pete’s Jerry Dreckman, Prime Timers Sarasota’s Al Doty, Tampa Bay dancer Dustin Goracio Wethington (July 26); Tampa Pride’s Nancy Desmond, St. Pete sun-lovin’ Christopher Ruch, Jewelry designer Eric Roper (July 27); Watermark’s business manager Kathleen Sadler, Regional manager for Grey Goose vodka David Chase Harding III (July 28); House of Adonis’ Josh Walker, Dance instructor William Merchante, St. Pete Bears’ Buddy Chapman, Former MBA president Nayte Carrick, Community advocate Kayden Rodriguez (July 29); PomPom’s manager Kerrie Finn, American Stage actor Joseph Parra, Tampa realtor Jeffrey Niptuck, Watermark’s founder and guiding light Tom Dyer (July 30); Actress Elizabeth Murff, Orlando Realtor Danny Veal, Violinist Michelle Jones, Amazon.com’s Michael Vacirca, Savoy owner Brandon Bracale-Llewellyn, performer Donal Noonan, Real Entertainment 4 U CEO Kirk DaVinci, Metro Inclusive Health’s Cole Foust (July 31); Stonewall Orlando bartender James Costello, Tampa Bay superstar Scott Daniel (Aug. 1); St. Petersburg mayor Rick Kriseman, Sarasota visual artists and AIDS activist George Box, Central Florida performer Josh Roth (Aug. 2); dynamite derby girl Kiersten Taylor, former Tampa Eagle wrestler and Iowa’s Access Online editor Arthur Bruer (Aug. 3); Sky 60-Niners slugger Donnie McCammon (Aug. 4); former Watermark contributor Aaron Drake, Orlando Penthouse Acupuncture owner Mike Eghbal, St. Petersburg Starbucks supervisor Mark Mercado, Tampa scuba diver Nick Walters, Central Florida environmental activist Eric Rollings, Parliament House bartender Drew Bracker, straight ally bartender Colleen Lindsay, JenSpa owner Jen Warden, Iberian Rooster Director of Catering Ana Corsi-Travali (Aug.5); Hillsborough County ally Russell Patterson, Orlando designer and “Project Runway” alum Jesse LeNoir, GaYbor District Coalition board member emeritus Rich Kerin; Tampa showgirl and laser professional Jamie Cole, Got Split Ends? stylist Mick Ferrari, Love The Golden Rule physicain Dr. Bob Wallace, Orlando-based traveler of the friendly skies Drew Sizemore (Aug. 7).
—Marianella Falbo
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.
July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
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1 Orlando City Commission Patty Sheehan took the oath of office for her fifth term Jan. 11. 2 Scott Schweickert was sentenced to life in prison for the 2003 murders of Tampa residents Jason Galehouse and Michael Wachholtz. 3 North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory signs the controversial HB2 bill into law, requiring people use the bathroom aligning to their birth certificates gender.
2016
4 RuPaul won his first hosting Emmy at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards Sept. 10.
6
5 Mercedes Successful was found shot to death in the back parking lot of a Big Lots and Tractor Supply Co. in Haines City May 15. She was 32.
1
2
6 Tampa Bay Rays Kevin Kiermaier wears a “WE ARE ORLANDO” shirt during batting practice at the Rays’ 10th Pride Night, which raised $300,000 for the victims of Pulse.
7
7 Within 48 hours of the Pulse tragedy, 7,500 Orlandoans gathered at a vigil on the lawn between the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center and City Hall. 8 Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner ends his reign as the first openly gay elected commissioner. 9 Jacksonville‘s Monica DePaul became the first openly transgender delegate elected to the Democratic National Convention from Florida. 10 Rock icon and LGBTQ supporter David Bowie passed away from cancer on Jan.10.
3 YEARS AGO Most popular song
“Love Yourself” by Justin Bieber
Best Selling Album
“Lemonade” by Beyonce
Watermark turns 25 this coming Labor Day. In the issues between now and then, owner and publisher Rick Claggett carries on the tradition of Founder and Guiding Light, Tom Dyer, by reviewing the past remarkable years. On this page, he returns to 2016.
Highest Rated TV Show
“NCIS”
Highest Grossing Film
“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”
Best Picture Oscar Released 2015
“Moonlight”
Out Celebrities
Nur Warsame (Australian imam), Elizabeth Gilbert (author), Shane Dawson (YouTuber), Charlie Carver (actor), Sara Ramirez (actor)
States that ban conversion therapy
New Jersey, California, Oregon, Illinois, Vermont
46
4
3
On The Cover
On June 12, 2016 the LGBTQ community was shaken when a heavily armed gunman entered the nightclub Pulse in Orlando, began shooting and took the lives of 49 innocent victims while dozens more were injured.
8
5
Looking Back
Rick Claggett, Publisher
T
HE WORST YEAR EVER
headlined Watermark’s annual year in review issue for 2016. The year started off with the excitement of a new direction as the paper’s ownership changed from founder Tom Dyer to long-time employee Rick Claggett. The sale of the paper from Watermark Media to Watermark Publishing Group took place Jan. 1. The celebration was short lived as Jan. 10 marked the death of rock icon David Bowie. It was the first celebrity death in a year that seemed to have more than its fair share. Adding to the list throughout the year would be Prince, George Michael, Carrie Fisher, Debbie Reynolds and Nancy Reagan. Of course the year wasn’t all bad. The Metropolitan Business Association was honored by the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce for its efforts with Referral and Exchange Networking and Development
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
program (RED). The Tampa Bay Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce announced it would be changing its name to the Tampa Bay Diversity Chamber of Commerce as Ashley Brundage stepped down, making way for Eric Mathis to take over. Justin Trudeau became the first head of state to march in a pride parade and President Obama issued an order for schools to allow students the right to use the bathroom for the gender which they identified. LGBTQ rights icon Harvey Milk became the first gay man to have a naval
9
10
ship named after him, the USNS Harvey Milk. Two events occurred that would test the LGBTQ community and change us forever. On June 12, a lone gunman indiscriminately fired shots into the crowd at Pulse nightclub. Hundreds of victims were held hostage during the rampage where dozens were injured and 49 fatally wounded. Orlando reacted quickly with love. The LGBT+ Center became a hub for volunteers and donations, as did The Venue. Jennifer Foster and Carlos Carbonelle convened a group of leaders to help meet the needs of a grieving community, giving birth to what would become the One Orlando Alliance. The world worked together to show that Orlando was strong and that love would win over hate. The second blow came in November when the anti-LGBTQ ticket of Donald Trump and Mike Pence upset Hillary Clinton’s bid for the White House, bringing an end to a heated election. The LGBTQ community and their supporters knew it was time to rally in the face of adversity and prepare for the aftermath of 2016.
July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
July 25 - Augus t 7, 2019 // Issue 26 .15 wat e r m a r konline .com
47
THE INTERNET SAYS
I HAVE A STOMACH BUG OR
IT’S MAD COW DISEASE. You might want to get a second opinion. Rest assured — a real doctor can tell you what’s really going on.
OrlandoHealth.com/RealDr
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