Your LGBTQ Life.
April 16 - 29, 2020 • Issue 27.09
Women Empowering Women
Lesbian leaders reflect on their LGBTQ activism and those who inspired them
Tampa Bay entertainers launch virtual shows
Orlando LGBTQ groups form local relief fund
D A Y T O N A B E A C H • O R L A N D O • T A M P A • S T . P E T E R S B U R G • clear w ater • S A R A S O T A
IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®
This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.
MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY
BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including:
BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including: Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section. Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY. Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY. Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat. Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain. The most common side effects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%). These are not all the possible side effects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088. Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.
Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months.
ABOUT BIKTARVY BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains: dofetilide rifampin any other medicines to treat HIV-1
BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY Tell your healthcare provider if you: Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis infection. Have any other health problems. Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY. Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take: Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. BIKTARVY and other medicines may affect each other. Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.
Get HIV support by downloading a free app at
MyDailyCharge.com
BVYC0218_BIKTARVY_B_9-25X10-1_Watermark_Dimitri_r1v1jl.indd All Pages
2
(bik-TAR-vee)
HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.
GET MORE INFORMATION This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more. Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5 If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.
BIKTARVY, the BIKTARVY Logo, DAILY CHARGE, the DAILY CHARGE Logo, KEEP ASPIRING, LOVE WHAT’S INSIDE, GILEAD, and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. Version date: February 2020 © 2020 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. BVYC0218 04/20
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
DIMITRI LIVING WITH HIV SINCE 2018 REAL BIKTARVY PATIENT
es
h r
ut t
m
D,
KEEP ASPIRING.
Because HIV doesn’t change who you are.
BIKTARVY® is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in certain adults. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.
Ask your healthcare provider if BIKTARVY is right for you. See Dimitri’s story at BIKTARVY.com. Featured patient compensated by Gilead.
Please see Important Facts about BIKTARVY, including important warnings, on the previous page and visit BIKTARVY.com.
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
4/6/20 3:26 PM
3
Together we pause.
Tomorrow we move.
Pause doesn’t mean stop. Central Florida Expressway
Fast forward to tomorrow. CFX is ready when you are.
Authority’s 125-mile road network is providing the way
That’s why we’re making it easier. Choose our free
for goods and services to get to you and your family.
E-PASS, and you’re automatically eligible for exclusive
And it doesn’t stop there. CFX expressways support our
volume discounts. See more than 23% back in your
economy and local jobs. So while today many pause,
pocket. Helping you save money while on the go.
count on CFX to go.
That’s moving you forward.
Learn more at CFXway.com
E-PASS is a product of the Central Florida Expressway Authority. Tolls paid here, stay here and are invested here.
4
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
departments 7 // Publisher’s Desk
page
17
8 // Central Florida News 10// Tampa Bay News
Activism is in my family. My grandparents were part of the Southern tenant farmers union that worked to get sharecroppers fair treatment in the South, and they were also part of the first integrated farming cooperative in the Mississippi Delta, in the very hostile, Deep South. – Nadine Smith, CEO and founder of Equality Florida
13// State, Nation & World News 15// Talking Points 21// Tampa Bay Inside + Out 23// Central Fl Inside + Out 24// Tampa Bay Marketplace 26// Central Fl Marketplace 30// Community & COVID-19 On the cover
page Women empowering women: Lesbian leaders reflect on their LGBTQ activism and those who inspired them. On the Cover: (L to R) Audre Lorde (Stock); Jennifer Foster by Jake Stevens; Nadine Smith by Dylan Todd; Lily Tomlin (Stock)
17
scan qr code for
WatermarkOnline.com
page S. Florida Homophobia:
13
Police Chief Dale Engle was placed on paid leave after he claimed Deputy Shannon Bennett died of COVID-19 because he was gay.
Watermark Issue 27.08 // April 15 - April 29, 2020
Domestic Violence
Screen Savers
Civil Rights Pioneer Community Response
page Orlando Police investigate a murder at Parliament House.
page Tampa Bay entertainers are streaming recurring virtual shows.
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
08
10
13
Phyllis Lyon, a face for the same-sex marriage fight, has died at 95.
page
30
26Health looks at how COVID-19 is impacting the trans community.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @WatermarkOnline and Like us on Facebook. watermark Your LGBTQ life.
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
5
Just a Little Prick
Just a Little
OPENING FALL 2020
a member of
St. Petersburg
For more information, call or visit us online today! IfyouSex.org (813) 280-3509 AmericanHouse.com/St-Petersburg
JustaLittlePrick.org
IfyouSex.org
Independent Living | Assisted Living | Memory Care ALF# Pending
6
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
AmericanHouse.com 19-AHMK-4583
Publisher’s
Rick Claggett PUblisher
Rick@WatermarkOnline.com
I
Desk
’ve always felt honesty was the
best policy. I’ve touted it for decades, even when I was a raging drunk and didn’t always follow the philosophy. Since my sobriety date in October of 2015, I have put an emphasis on the truth, even to a fault at times.
“Don’t change who you are,” I was advised by my mentor when I became publisher and started writing columns for Watermark. That’s a rough paraphrase, but the sentiment was don’t try to be someone you think you need to be because you are publisher and now have an audience. I’ve always had a quick wit and sarcastic sense of humor, and the former publisher was concerned that would get lost with my sense of responsibility to the legacy of Watermark. I wish I had some of that humor to pass along today, or some “Rudy”-esque half-time speech to rally everyone’s spirits to a rousing “we will all get through this together” chant. This past month has been a roller coaster, and for
watermark staff
Owner & Publisher: Rick Claggett • Ext. 110 Rick@WatermarkOnline.com Business Manager: Kathleen Sadler • Ext. 101 Kathleen@WatermarkOnline.com
me it’s at a low right now. I know I am not alone and that is what makes it easier to say what’s on my mind. We have to be honest about our feelings, allowing ourselves to process the grief and share that with others so we can lean on each other. A month ago, when Watermark started its work from home initiative, I was in a darker place. We had no relief in sight, no expectation of how long Watermark could sustain its current trajectory. My mood changed when the CARES act passed Congress. Suddenly there was a light at the end of the tunnel. I spent countless hours in as many Zoom meetings learning the ins and outs of each aspect of the
CFL Bureau Chief: Jeremy Williams • Ext. 106 Jeremy@WatermarkOnline.com Tampa Bay Bureau Chief: Ryan Williams-Jent • Ext. 302 Ryan@WatermarkOnline.com Creative/Photographer: Dylan Todd • Ext. 102 Dylan@WatermarkOnline.com
CARES stimulus package and how it could assist Watermark. I filled out the applications in record time and sat back knowing I did everything I could. I ended that week on a high. I felt great that the programs in place would be there for us. At this point it’s been nearly three weeks since I applied for the Florida Disaster Bridge Loan, two weeks since applying for the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan Advancement and more than a week since I submitted the paperwork for the Paycheck Protection Program and my optimism has faded. I have heard nothing back. Anytime I inquire I am thanked for my patience in these difficult times. The truth is I’m not patient. I’m frustrated. I’m frustrated that the system of government isn’t in place to help small businesses through this. I’m frustrated that the banking system seems to be helping clients with current loans rather than every one of their clients. Okay, that last one is speculation on my part but it makes sense that they would want to protect their investments by helping clients who already owe them money. I’m frustrated my best friend doesn’t work at my bank to give us an edge. Mostly though, I’m frustrated for the Watermark staff who are so dedicated to what they do. They are the true light at the end of my tunnel. Rather than simply whine about the current economic situation, it’s time to adapt. It’s time to look to what the future is going to look like. We are looking at plans now. Regardless of what happens in the coming weeks, Watermark will be here to report LGBTQ news to its communities. I will hang on to hope that economic relief is just around the corner. We as a nation have the opportunity to shape what our
country will look like come November. I ask that everyone take a moment to think about what your part is in that future. Between now and the election we need to garner all the support for change that we can. Is it productive to insult Bernie Sanders’ supporters? Is it productive to equivocate Joe Biden to Donald Trump? Let’s figure out how to work together for a common cause. Let’s make “Love Conquers Hate” a reality, not just a slogan. The choice here is really simple. Which candidate do you think harbors most of your political opinions? Do you think trans soldiers should be in the military? Do you believe vacated positions
Let’s make ‘Love Conquers Hate’ a reality, not just a slogan.
on the Supreme Court should be filled with Justices that put the Constitution ahead of the Bible? Do you want an administration that will file a brief to the Supreme Court in favor of LGBTQ rights or against it? Do you want a president that believes in science and fosters the truth? We aren’t voting between two old white guys, we are voting between two very different sets of ideology. I hope we choose the candidate that lifts up and inspires our community. In this issue of Watermark we celebrate the women in our community who are inspiring our future leaders, while paying respects to those who inspired them. We strive to bring you a variety of stories, your stories. I hope you enjoy this latest issue.
Sales Director: Danny Garcia • Ext. 108 Danny@WatermarkOnline.com Senior Orlando Account Manager: Sam Callahan • Ext. 103 Sam@WatermarkOnline.com
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
Founder and Guiding Light: Tom Dyer Tom@WatermarkOnline.com National Ad Representative: Rivendell Media Inc. • 212-242-6863
Dr. David BakerHargrove
is the President and co-CEO of 26Health. Page 30
Tiffany Razzano
is an editor at Tampa Bay Newspapers. She is the founder and president of Wordier Than Thou, a literary arts nonprofit that creates fun, engaging events for writers and readers. Page 17 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
Orlando Office Senior Tampa Bay Account Manager: Russ Martin • Ext. 303 Russ@WatermarkOnline.com
contributors
1300 N. Semoran Blvd. Ste 250 Orlando, FL 32807 TEL: 407-481-2243
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
Tampa Bay Office
owner or management. We reserve the right to edit
401 33 Street N. St. Petersburg, FL 33713 TEL: 813-655-9890
WATERMARK is not responsible for damages due to
rd
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
or reject any material submitted for publication. typographical errors, except for the cost of replacing ads created by WATERMARK that have such errors.
Watermark Publishing Group Inc.
7
central florida news
Orlando Police investigate murder at Parliament House Jeremy Williams
O
RLANDO | Orlando Police (OPD) are investigating a shooting that occurred overnight April 2 which left one man dead at the Parliament House’s hotel. According to OPD, officers responded to a shooting call at the Parliament House’s hotel just after midnight and discovered the body of Ricardo Montez Filmore, 38, laying on the ground inside one of the hotel rooms. Filmore was pronounced dead on the scene. Parliament House owner Don Granatstein says Filmore was a part-time employee and that he and his partner had been staying at the hotel. “[A domestic dispute] escalated and his partner shot him and ran,” Granatstein says. OPD has not released any suspect information at this time. In compliance with Orange County’s COVID-19 Stay-At-Home order, Parliament House’s club and bar have been closed since March 20 but the hotel and restaurant remain open.
Orlando Strong:
The Contigo Fund Director Marco Antonio Quiroga asks people to donate in a video at Lake Eola Park. Screenshot from Facebook video
Standing Together
OMW moves ITS June events to 2021
Local LGBTQ organizations come together to form relief fund, entertain community
Jeremy Williams
Jeremy Williams
O
O
RLANDO | One Magical Weekend (OMW) joins Tidal Wave Party in moving its 2020 events during Orlando’s first weekend of June celebration to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Billy Looper and Tom Christ, owners of OMW, announced in a statement released April 2 that they, along with their partners at Disney, House of Blues at Disney Springs and the Sheraton Lake Buena Vista, are making the decision to postpone OMW until 2021 for the safety of attendees as well as their team of DJs, dancers, entertainers, staff, volunteers and sponsors. One Magical Weekend states that the group’s events will be postponed until June 3-7, 2021. The announcement came days after Tidal Wave officially became the first group to cancel its 2020 events for Orlando’s first weekend of June LGBTQ celebration. Tidal Wave 14 it will return the same weekend as OMW in 2021. For those who already purchased event tickets and booked hotel rooms, OMW states that those tickets and rooms will roll over to the 2021 dates automatically. Those who have tickets and cannot attend in 2021, they are transferable to another guest.
For more information, visit OneMagicalWeekend.com.
8
RLANDO | The Contigo Fund, in conjunction with the One Orlando Alliance, launched a fundraising initiative April 1 to assist Orlando area LGBTQ+ community members who are most in need as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. The Central Florida LGBTQ+ Relief Fund is a grassroots effort led by LGBTQ+ community members, nonprofit leaders and allies to raise funds in order to support LGBTQ+ individuals who are close to or have lost work — in particular transgender, non-binary, gender fluid and gender non-conforming individuals, undocumented immigrants and people of color who are self-employed or working in the service economy. “It’s meant to assist Orlando area LGBTQ community members who are most in need as a result of this pandemic,” said OneOrlando Alliance Executive Director Jennifer Foster in a video posted to Facebook. “We recognize that many of our
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
community members depend heavily on the hospitality and tourism industry for income with unprecedented and widespread closures of theme parks, restaurants, nightclubs and bars due to COVID-19 we have sadly seen an increase in unemployment claims across Florida by nearly 700% … Some were already living paycheck to paycheck and housing unstable before this crisis and this has only amplified their situation.” A GoFundMe page was established to help collect the funds with a goal of raising at least $100,000. Within the first two weeks of the initiative, the Central Florida LGBTQ+ Relief Fund has raised just under $14,000. “We all have a role that we can play in supporting each other and these uncertain times,” Foster said. Come Out With Pride (COWP) joined in to assist by hosting a virtual gathering called Stay In With Pride to support the Orlando LGBTQ community on April 3. The two-and-a-half hour streaming event was hosted by Blue Star and Darcel
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
Stevens and featured many Central Florida entertainers performing from their homes. Stay In With Pride was watched in part by more than 15,000 people and helped raise $8,341 with additional $1,000 pledged for the Central Florida LGBTQ+ Relief Fund. The success of the event has led COWP to announce a follow-up Stay In With Pride event to stream live on April 26. 100% of the Relief Fund’s donations go directly to eligible LGBTQ+ community members and groups in Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia counties. The Contigo Fund will maintain financial oversight of the fund with the OneOrlando Alliance assessing the community’s needs, review applications and collectively fundraise to provide direct assistance to individuals in need. The LGBT+ Center will hold and distribute the funds to the individuals that qualify. “Central Florida is a strong and resilient community,” Foster said. “We know how to come together as a community ... It’s time for us to come together once again,” To donate, visit GoFundMe.com/ CentralFloridaLGBTQReliefFund. All donations are tax deductible. For those seeking support, visit the fund’s GoFundMe page and the application is available at the bottom of the page. Applications are available in the following languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese and Haitian Creole with Vietnamese coming soon.
Read It Online! Head to WatermarkOnline.com and click on the Digital Publications link to a read a digital version of the printed newspaper!
20 Min Results
Greek, Mediterranean, and Vegeterian Cuisine
Walk-Ins Welcome
WE HAVE A LOT TO THANK THE GREEKS FOR... MEDITERRANEAN BLUE IS JUST ONE MORE.
435 E. Michigan St.,Orlando, FL 32806 www.mediterraneanblue.net 407-422-2583
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
9
tampa bay news
ALSO Youth welcomes new executive director Ryan Williams-Jent
S
ARASOTA | ALSO Youth announced April 6 that James Robinson will serve as the organization’s new executive director. The nonprofit was founded in 1992 and serves LGBTQ youth ages 13-21 throughout Sarasota and Manatee counties. It provides safe and affirming environments to foster relationships and create inclusive communities while developing personal and professional skills. Nathan Bruemmer, ALSO Youth’s previous executive director, resigned Aug. 31. Former executive director Donna Hanley has served as interim director since Sept. 3. Robinson, who holds a degree in Urban Affairs, brings more than 20 years of nonprofit and fundraising experience to the organization. ALSO Youth notes he previously served as the executive director of Youth Pride, Inc., Rhode Island’s only LGBTQ youth center, where he increased programming, services, staff and youth outreach. They add that Robinson has worked with multiple organizations in HIV/AIDS activism, health care and community development throughout his career. That includes serving as the development director for De LaSalle Academy in Fort Meyers, a program for children living with learning challenges. “We are thrilled to have someone with James’ experience, passion and lifetime involvement working with nonprofits to lead our organization,” ALSO Youth Board President Mary Tavarozzi says. “We have ambitious plans to continue our growth and outreach into both counties, and we believe James is ideally suited for the role.” Those plans include a merger with the Bradenton-based Prism Youth Initiative, the nonprofit dedicated to providing services for LGBTQ youth throughout Manatee County since 2010. The organizations had planned to officially announce their efforts March 21 at the seventh annual Manatee Pride, a fundraiser for Prism, until it was rescheduled to May 23 in response to COVID-19. The coronavirus has also prompted ALSO Youth to close its drop-in center until further notice, but the organization is working to expand virtual opportunities. They are participating in the Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s Giving Challenge April 28-29 to make their efforts possible. The 24-hour giving event, held from noon until noon the following day, virtually supports more than 700 nonprofit organizations serving Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto counties. It began in 2012 and set a new standard in 2018 when more than $11.7 million was raised for area nonprofits in just 24 hours. “I am so excited to join the dedicated Board and staff of ALSO Youth,” Robinson says. “It is as important now as ever to support and advocate for LGBTQ+ youth in Sarasota and Manatee Counties, and I look forward to getting started.” For more information about ALSO Youth and Prism, visit ALSOYouth.org and PrismYouth.org. For more information about this year’s Giving Challenge or to donate, visit CFSarasota.org.
10
VIRTUAL VIRTUOSOS: (L-R) Pasco Pride’s Stephanie Stuart and Vyn Suazion, Beneva Fruitville and Daphne Ferraro are all streaming recurring shows. Photos via Pasco Pride, by Dylan Todd and via Ferraro
Screen Savers Tampa Bay entertainers stream recurring virtual shows Ryan Williams-Jent
T
AMPA BAY | Performers from throughout Tampa Bay are streaming recurring shows via social media to raise funds and awareness for performers financially impacted by COVID-19. Area venues began announcing cancellations and closures to reduce the spread of the coronavirus last month. Bars and nightclubs were subsequently closed statewide, impacting a number of entertainers financially dependent on performances. Enigma St. Pete Show Director Daphne Ferraro began hosting “Daphne and Friends: The Socially Distant Drag Show” March 20. The weekly showcase welcomes a diverse array of entertainers, encouraging viewers to tip via digital payment systems like Cash App, PayPal and Venmo. “I was looking for things to do to feel normal,” Ferraro reflects. “I wanted to do what I could to help my friends and people that I’ve known for so long that are struggling right now.”
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
Ferraro notes that she’s blessed to have another source of income while many entertainers do not. It’s led her to donate the tips she receives to each week’s rotating cast. “The show has turned into something much greater than I thought it was going to be,” Ferraro explains. “It’s been a really nice way to stay connected, touch base with people and give them some entertainment to take their mind off of things.” Her efforts have also bolstered her creativity. The performer opened the March 27 show with a special parody about social distancing inspired by Bette Midler’s “From a Distance.” The video can be found on her YouTube channel and Facebook page, where performances are also streamed Fridays at 9:30 p.m. “This has forced me to learn new tricks,” Ferraro says. Some entertainers are streaming multiple shows per week, like Sarasota’s Beneva Fruitville. Her virtual “Quarantined with Beneva Piano Bar” serves as her sole source of income after she lost her regular bookings throughout the area. “It’s an interactive hour of music from radio classics to hit songs from
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
Broadway,” Fruitville explains. She welcomes viewers to Facebook from 8-9 p.m. weeknights while accepting tips. “It is also a way for everyone to connect, socialize and sing some of their troubles away for a bit.” In an effort to help local artists and the community, Pasco Pride also launched two streaming shows. The first is “Bedtime Storytime,” a virtual variation on the organization’s successful Drag Queen Story Hour. The show is streamed live every Monday and Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. Entertainers Stephanie Stuart and Mr. Vyn Suazion, the inaugural Miss and Mr. Pasco Pride, read stories and play music. Suazion hosts the second show, “Music with Mr. V,” each Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30 p.m. It’s described as a “nighttime acoustic experience before bedtime.” The performances are streamed via Pasco Pride’s Facebook page, and the organization’s president Nina Borders says to expect more programming. “We want people to know that Pride may be ‘under quarantine’ due to the pandemic at the moment but that we’re very much still active,” she says. “We’re finding new ways to connect with our community on social media.”
Join Fruitville weeknights at 8 p.m. via Facebook. com/BenevaFruitville, Pasco Pride performers Mondays-Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. via Facebook. com/PascoPrideFestival and Ferraro and friends Fridays at 9:30 p.m. via Facebook.com/ Daphne.Ferraro or by searching her name on YouTube. For the latest updates about COVID-19 and its impact on the LGBTQ communities in Tampa Bay, view WatermarkOnline.com.
Bundle. Save. Simple.
Life can be complicated. I'm here to help simplify your insurance. Plus, the more you protect, the more you can save. Call or stop by today for a free quote. Richard Dean Plummer II 941-999-3131
8441 Lorraine Road Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 rdplummer@allstate.com
Based on coverage selected. Savings vary. Subject to terms, conditions and availability. Castle Key Indemnity Co., Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Co., Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Co. © 2019 Allstate Insurance Co.
10981861
I'm always here with local advice you can trust.
Ian Gómez, Esq.
Main office St. Petersburg
727-895-7932
Lindsey Sheppy, Esq.
Robert W. Pope, Esq.
SPECIALIZING IN
PERSONAL INJURY • AUTO ACCIDENTS • MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENTS • RIDE SHARE ACCIDENTS
www.GBYAssociates.com watermark Your LGBTQ life.
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
11
12
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
state, nation+world news
S. Fl police chief placed on leave after claiming deputy died of COVID-19 because he was gay Jeremy Williams
A
South Florida police chief has been placed on administrative leave after claiming that the death of a deputy from COVID-19 occurred because he was gay. Davie Police Chief Dale Engle was placed on paid leave after a complaint was filed from the Florida State Lodge Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council Committee stating Engle yelled at several officers because they expressed concern about the coronavirus after Broward Sheriff’s Office Deputy Shannon Bennett died April 3 from COVID-19. The complaint states that Engle told officers Bennett died from COVID-19 because of his “homosexual lifestyle.” “[Engle] was placed on administrative leave pending further review of allegations brought by the Fraternal Order of Police,” reads a statement from Davie administrator Richard J. Lemack posted to Twitter April 11. “The allegations will be investigated in accordance with
the town’s Equal Employment Opportunity compliance policy by outside counsel. The town will have no further comment until the investigation is complete to protect the integrity of all involved.” The complaint letter states that Engle “allegedly yelled about a ‘backstory’ which proclaimed that Deputy Bennett contracted and died from the virus because he was a ‘homosexual who attended homosexual [sexual] events.’” The letter goes on to say “His rant continued for some time, with the presumable desired effect of intimidating the members and discouraging any other department employees from complaining or expressing concerns in the future.” Bennett, who was a 12-year veteran of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, tested positive for COVID-19 in March. He had contracted the virus while “in the line of duty,” stated Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony in a news conference. Bennett was 39.
Bennett proposed to his partner Jonathan Frey last December at Disney World and the two had planned to marry at the end of this year. Frey called Bennett his “soulmate” in an interview with Local 10 News in South Florida April 6. “This is not the end of who he is,” Frey told Local 10. “He was the love of my life, and I know his legacy is going to live on, one way or another.” The Broward Sheriff’s Office honored Bennett on its Twitter account April 5, writing “Deputy Shannon Bennett was a 12 year veteran of the Broward Sheriff’s Office; an out and proud gay law enforcement deputy; a school resource officer who protected and mentored the young students at Deerfield Beach Elementary; a man in love to be wedded later this year. We love and will miss you, Deputy Bennett. Thank you for your bravery, your kind heart, and your service. Rest In Peace. #wewillneverforget #TeamBSO.”
Civil rights pioneer Phyllis Lyon dies at 95 Wire Report
S
AN FRANCISCO | LGBTQ rights pioneer Phyllis Lyon, who with her longtime partner was among the first same-sex couples to marry in California when it became legal to do so in 2008, has died at her San Francisco home. She was 95. Lyon lived life with “joy and wonder,” said Kate Kendell, a friend and former executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights. She said Lyon and her wife Del Martin were activists and mentors long before there was a movement or community. Lyon died April 9 of natural causes, Kendell said. Lyon was a journalist who met her lifelong love, Martin, while working at a magazine in Seattle. The couple moved to San Francisco in 1953. They co-founded with other lesbian couples the Daughters of Bilitis, a political and social
organization for lesbians. They published a national monthly for lesbians and in 1972, a book called Lesbian/Woman. California Gov. Gavin Newsom referenced her death at his daily briefing on the coronavirus pandemic Thursday, calling her one of his heroes. Newsom was a newly elected mayor of San Francisco in 2004 when he decided to challenge California’s marriage laws by issuing licenses to same-sex couples. His advisers and gay rights advocates had the perfect couple in mind to be the public face of the movement. Lyon and Martin, who had by then been together more than 50 years, were secretly swept into the clerk’s office. They exchanged vows before a tiny group of city staff members and friends, according to a 2008 Associated Press story. Afterward they went to lunch, just the two of them. A wedding portrait of the couple cradling each other in pastel-colored
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
pantsuits with their foreheads touching drew worldwide attention. Later that year, the state Supreme Court voided the unions before overturning the state’s ban on gay marriage in 2008. They wed again, among the first couples to do so in the state. Martin died weeks after their second wedding at age 87. In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage. California’s biggest political leaders expressed their sorrow and thanked Lyon – and her late wife – for their tireless efforts to make the city a better place. Lyon was born Nov. 10, 1924, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She grew up in Sacramento, California, and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley. Lyon was a police reporter in Fresno and a reporter at the Chico Enterprise-Record during the 1940s, according to Kendell. Family and friends are planning a celebration of her life.
Tallahassee bans conversion therapy Tallahassee’s city commission voted unanimously to ban the discredited practice of conversion therapy April 8. The ban is the most inclusive in the U.S., prohibiting the practice on minors and vulnerable adults. “We applaud the Tallahassee city commissioners for unanimously enacting an ordinance to ban conversion therapy for minors, but also going even further to ensure the protection of vulnerable adults,” the Southern Poverty Law Center shared. Tallahassee joins more than 20 cities, counties and municipalities in Florida which have enacted less inclusive bans.
Virginia outlaws LGBTQ discrimination Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signed the Virginia Values Act April 11, adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the state’s nondiscrimination law. The state’s General Assembly approved the act earlier this year after Republicans lost control of the assembly in November. “This legislation sends a strong, clear message,” Northam said in a statement. “Virginia is a place where all people are welcome to live, work, visit and raise a family. We are building an inclusive commonwealth where there is opportunity for everyone and everyone is treated fairly. No longer will LGBTQ Virginians have to fear being fired, evicted, or denied service in public places because of who they are.”
Hungary introduces anti-trans bill A Hungarian bill introduced March 31 would violate constitutional rulings that affirmed transgender Hungarians had the fundamental right to legal gender and name changes. “The bill comes at a time when Hungary, and the whole world, is preoccupied with the coronavirus crisis,” the Hungarian LGBTQ advocacy group Hatter Society said. “Legal gender recognition is the baseline of the safety of transgender persons in Hungary. Without the ability to legally change their gender marker, they face harsh workplace and healthcare discrimination.” The bill has also been criticized by the Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner, the European Parliament’s LGBTI Intergroup, Transgender Europe, ILGA-Europe, Human Rights Watch and the Human Rights Campaign.
Spain tests PrEP against COVID-19 Spain began a clinical trial April 1 to assess whether Truvada, commonly used as PrEP for HIV prevention, can stave off COVID-19 infection among practitioners treating coronavirus patients. The trial is expected to run through the summer and if successful, may have broader implications for the general public. An estimated 4,000 people will participate in the study, medical workers ages 18-65 who are working in areas of Spain heavily afflicted with COVID-19. The NIH posted about the test on its website but has no involvement with the study.
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
13
Introducing Our New
TELEHEALTH PROGRAM Visit your doctor electronically without leaving home. CLEARWATER 2349 SUNSET PT. RD. #405 CLEARWATER, FL 33765 (727) 216-6193
ORLANDO 1301 W. COLONIAL DR. ORLANDO, FL 32804 (407) 246-1946
14
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
ST. PETERSBURG 3251 3RD AVE. N. #125 ST. PETERSBURG, FL 33713 (727) 498-4969
YBOR CITY 1315 EAST 7TH AVE. TAMPA, FLÂ 33605 (813) 769-7207
FOR MORE INFORMATION (844) 922-2777 CANCOMMUNITYHEALTH.ORG FOLLOW US
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
talking points
3 months
is the new required
abstinence period for
men
who have had sex with men donate blood in the U.S., to
changed from 12 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. —the Food & Drug Administration
I am so proud to say that Mitch and Cam have become pop culture touchstones for the fight for marriage equality, and brought a gay couple into so many people’s living rooms. —”Modern Family” star Jesse Tyler Ferguson, on the series’ impact on same-sex marriage
Gaga raises $35M for virus fight, curates all-star TV event
L
ady Gaga and advocacy organization Global Citizen raised $35 million in just seven days for the World Health Organization to fight the coronavirus. The pop star also helped to create “One World: Together At Home,” a televised event aimed at fighting the coronavirus that will air April 18 simultaneously on ABC, NBC, CBS, iHeartMedia and Bell Media networks, as well as stream live on YouTube, Apple, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and more platforms. Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel will host the multi-hour TV special which will also highlight those affected by the virus and celebrate health care workers on the front lines. “One World” will include appearances by Elton John, David Beckham, John Legend, Eddie Vedder, Kerry Washington, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Lizzo, J Balvin, Andrea Bocelli, Maluma and more.
Chalamet, Hammer will return for ‘Call Me By Your Name’ sequel
D
irector Luca Guadagnino confirmed that the planned sequel to his 2017 Oscar-winning film, “Call Me By Your Name,” will reunite stars Timothée Chalamet and Armie Hammer, who played Elio and Oliver, along with others from the cast of the original movie. The sequel is an adaptation of André Aciman’s novel “Find Me,” a sequel novel set ten years later and placing more focus on the character of Elio’s father, Sami — played by Michael Stuhlbarg, who earned an Oscar nomination for the role. Guadagnino has indicated that while the novel will be the basis for the sequel, he hopes to change the story up to focus on the AIDS crisis in 1989 Berlin. No filming or release dates have been set.
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
de Rossi gets culinary on Instagram during quarantine
P
ortia de Rossi has been teaching herself how to cook during the coronavirus lockdown. It’s been an eye-opening experience for the actress — and for her fans. She’s cut herself and been burned, yes. She’s also discovered she doesn’t like some Indian flavors and that her longtime wife, talk show host Ellen Degeneres, isn’t a fan of curry and garbanzo beans. “We’re learning a lot about each other in quarantine!” she admits on Instagram. De Rossi has more than a dozen cooking videos on her Instagram in which she consistently tries to get her dishes to look just like the photos in her cookbook as Degeneres films and checks in on her progress.
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
Funko announces 2020 Pride Pop! collection
F
unko, the American pop culture collectibles company best known for its vinyl figures and bobble-heads, announced March 30 its collection of Funko Pride Pop! figures. “Funko supports the LGBTQ+ community and rejects intolerance and discrimination. At Funko, FUN is for EVERYONE!” the company stated. The 2020 Pride Pop! collection consists of rainbow versions of three of the company’s most popular figures — Spongebob Squarepants, Batman and Hello Kitty. Along with the Pride collection, Funko made a donation to the It Gets Better Project, an organization that uplifts and empowers LGBTQ+ youth. The Funko Pride Pop! collection is now available for pre-order and is expected to ship in June.
15
16
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
Women Empowering Women
Lesbian leaders reflect on their LGBTQ activism and those who inspired them
W
Tiffany Razzano
omen who love women rise to the
forefront every April 26 for Lesbian Visibility Day. The campaign has grown each year since at least 2008, prompting women around the world celebrate themselves and the diverse lesbian community.
(top to bottom) actress Lily Tomlin (Stock); equality florida founder/ceo Nadine Smith by Dylan TOdd; poet Audre Lorde (Stock); one orlando alliance founding executive director Jennifer Foster by Jake Stevens
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
That’s why Watermark spoke with some of Central Florida and Tampa Bay’s most renowned community leaders ahead of this year’s campaign. These women reflected on their pathways to LGBTQ activism as well as the mentors and icons who influenced their work. Nadine Smith’s activist roots run deep, tracing back to her grandparents. “Activism is in my family,” says the CEO and founder of Equality Florida, the state’s largest civil rights organization dedicated to fighting for the rights of the LGBTQ community. “My grandparents were part of the Southern tenant farmers union that worked to get sharecroppers fair treatment in the South,” she says, “and they were also part of the first integrated farming cooperative in the Mississippi Delta, in the very hostile, Deep South.” Growing up in the Florida Panhandle, her parents also taught her and her siblings to stand up for what they believed in from a young age. “My father said, ‘Don’t act like you’re better than anyone and don’t let anyone treat you like they’re better than you,’ Smith recalls. “That’s the kind of philosophy I bring to activism,” she says. “They taught me to stand up to racism and not let it undercut my ambitions and vision for my future. They just did not know they were also teaching that to a young lesbian at the same time.”
Smith didn’t get her first taste of LGBTQ activism until she attended the United States Air Force Academy in the 1980s. In this pre-Don’t Ask Don’t Tell era, she saw the military’s “anti-gay witch hunts firsthand.” “A lot of cadets were getting kicked out with dishonorable discharges,” she explains. “It was a very stressful time and I left before I was subjected to that.” It was during her time on campus, though, that she first spied a flyer for the fledgling International Gay & Lesbian Youth Organization. It was a life-changing experience for Smith, who went on to become one of the organization’s founding board members. She traveled the world with the group, meeting individuals in places she describes as even more repressive than the U.S. was in the early 80s. She also met people from places much more advanced and inclusive than the nation. “It was like a crash course in how internalized homophobia affects people, how it affected me,” she says. “I began to imagine a world where from birth you are accepted as how you are. For me, it was a crash course not just in activism, but in repairing the harm that homophobia had inflicted on me, often by the people who were supposed to be protecting me. It was the process of unlearning internalized messages. It really redirected my path towards activism.” As planning for the 1993 March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation began, she was selected
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
Continued on pg. 18 | uu |
17
| uu | Women Empowering
Women
from pg.17
to represent Florida at the national level. Later, she was chosen as one of the event’s four co-chairs and held a meeting with then-President Bill Clinton, the first meeting between a sitting president and LGBTQ leaders in the Oval Office. She then joined the Tampa Bay area chapter of the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) “at a time when discrimination and ignorance about HIV was stigmatizing and endangering alliances in our community,” she says. Along the way, she enjoyed a career as an award-winning journalist, working for outlets including Watermark, where she covered the Tampa City Council and the Hillsborough County Commission. “I got to hear all of the homophobic jokes while they were there talking about bond issues,” Smith recalls. “My blood began to simmer.” She left journalism to focus on LGBTQ activism. Her early work in the mid-90s fighting local discriminatory laws led her to cofound Florida’s Human Rights Task Force, which became Equality Florida in 1997. Decades later, Smith reflects on her influences. “My first big hero was Audre Lorde,” she says. “I read her book ‘Zami: A New Spelling of My Name’ so many times the spine disintegrated.” The 1982 work spearheaded a new genre that the author called “biomythography,” combining history, biography and myth. Unfortunately, Smith never got to meet the self-described “black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet” and civil rights activist. Another influential figure is Fanny Lou Hamer. Born into a sharecropping family, Hamer went on to become a renowned African American Civil Rights leader and the co-founder of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party that registered and encouraged black voters in the 60s. “In organizing, one of the things that was a big revelation for me was I had this idea of activists being cut from a particular cloth or born into certain circumstances,” Smith says. “I didn’t know you became one simply by acting; by taking action.” These days, Smith serves as an influential figure on others. She’s the reason Selisse Berry, founder of Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, relocated to St. Petersburg last year. She learned about the Tampa Bay
18
tampa bay advocates: Shannon Fortner (L) is the founder and executive director of Sarasota’s Harvey Milk
Festival. Selisse Berry (R) is the founder of Out & Equal Workplace Advocates. Photos by dylan todd and courtesy selisse berry
area from Smith, a friend and longtime peer in the LGBTQ advocacy world, and also joined Equality Florida’s statewide Board of Directors last fall. Born in Oklahoma, Berry spent the early portion of her career in Texas working as a teacher, and guidance and therapeutic counselor for children. She was also drawn to social justice issues and the Presbyterian tradition in which she was raised. After long dreaming of becoming an ordained church leader, she entered the San Francisco Theological Seminary in the late 80s. At the time, the Presbyterian Church wouldn’t ordain LGBTQ clergy, which was a concern for Berry. “I was paranoid when I first came out,” she recalls. “For a while, I thought maybe I’d have to go to a UCC or a Unitarian Church.” Then, she met one of the greatest influences in her life, Rev. Dr. Janie Spahr, a Presbyterian minister who was already ordained when the church voted to exclude LGBTQ people from ministry. She was grandfathered into church leadership and the only gay minister for many years. “She’s now retired, but she single-handedly changed the Presbyterian Church,” Berry says. It has since adopted policies more supportive of LGBTQ people. During her time in seminary, they forged a friendship and Berry eventually came out to her. Ultimately, Berry was never
ordained. Instead, she founded Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, the country’s oldest LGBTQ business organization. “I felt I could have more of an impact focusing on helping people coming out at work and bringing people and businesses together in compliance [with equality laws,]” she says. The organization’s most recent annual conference drew 6,000 attendees from 60 countries, focusing on peer-to-peer education. Out & Equal also partners with Fortune 1000 companies and government agencies to improve work environments for LGBTQ employees and advocate for workplace equality. After 20 years, Berry decided to retire from the organization, though her advocacy continues. In addition to her work with Equality Florida, she sits on two boards that assist LGBTQ refugees around the world, Safe Place International and ORAM Refugee. Shannon Fortner, executive director and founder of Sarasota’s Harvey Milk Festival (HMF), says Smith also influenced her. The HMF honors its namesake’s legacy of political activism by fostering the arts for change. “I’ve definitely appreciated the work she does,” Fortner says. “I was on a panel discussion with her once. It was such a cool experience, especially because I was a little bit younger when that happened.”
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
During her early days of organizing, Fortner found inspiration in other local LGBTQ activists as well. “I think there’s a lot of really amazing people here,” she says. “We on the Suncoast should be really grateful for how many amazing movers and shakers we have, especially in the Tampa Bay area.” When organizing HMF, she relied heavily on the area’s financial advisor Turner Moore, who served as her vice president. He’s worked with other area nonprofits, including ALSO Youth and the Southwest Florida Business Guild. She also counts Ken Shelin, who served on the Sarasota City Commission and led the charge in the passage of an ordinance providing domestic partner healthcare benefits to city employees, as a mentor. Shelin was also heavily involved with Equality Florida. “He’s just a really great, calming voice and very supportive,” she says. “Turner and Ken are my solids. Anytime I need to ask a question and not worry about how I ask it, I turn to them.” Fortner learned as a teenager that she could connect with others through music. She came out as a lesbian as a teenager, though as an adult, she says she “claimed the queer flag.” Though she was inspired by local grassroots LGBTQ advocacy efforts early in life, she was more focused on survival. She moved out of her family home at 15
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
and found herself homeless, living on the streets for several years. “My focus was on graduating from high school and working,” she says. As she got older, her passion for music and the arts continued to grow, and she went on to form the synth-pop band MeteorEYES in 2008. Not long afterwards, she marched with Out4Immigration at the 2009 National Equality March in D.C. There, she heard longtime LGBTQ activist Cleve Jones speak. “He told us to go home and organize,” she says, which is exactly what she did. Later that year, she hosted Sarasota’s Equal Civil Rights Rally, organizing area LGBTQ organizations as well as high school and college Gay Straight Alliances. Attendees marched through downtown Sarasota. “I remember feeling so empowered by the action taken by our community,” Fortner says. “That was the first time I used a bullhorn. That was the first time I had a platform to speak up. It made me realize I could possibly rally people together and become a leader that got people excited.” She used that traction to launch the first HMF in 2010, bringing together her two passions – the arts and activism. She had long connected with the work of political icon Harvey Milk, so it felt natural to name the festival after him. Though it was difficult pulling the community together around the event at first, she’s proud of what her team has accomplished over the past decade. “We created a platform for people to speak out on specific topics that people need to hear about,” she says. “If you have music and art, people pay attention. It’s more accessible combining activism and the arts.” In Central Florida, Jennifer Foster, founding executive director of the One Orlando Alliance, has long donated her time and talent to community organizations, but she never had the desire to work in the nonprofit world professionally. After all, she enjoyed her career as a writer, producer and director. Then, the Pulse shooting in Orlando happened. In the aftermath of the 2016 attack, where 49 victims’ lives were taken and dozens more were injured, she and others sprung to action. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer appointed Foster to serve on the OneOrlando Fund board, which oversaw the handling of funds donated to those affected. In 2017, the One Orlando Alliance, which unifies the region’s LGBTQ community as a vital
support network, officially formed. Its coalition members include Come Out With Pride (COWP), Equality Florida, the LGBT+ Center Orlando, the onePulse Foundation, Watermark and more. Initially, Foster was selected as board chair, but after two international searches for a full-time executive director came up short, she was asked to take on the role in Oct. 2018. “I had no intention or vision of starting an alliance or a nonprofit, but I saw a need and stepped into the role,” she says. “I just fell into the job.” She’s not new to serving the LGBTQ community. Foster co-founded the Human Rights Campaign’s Central Florida chapter 16 years ago, serving as co-chair of the local steering committee and on the national board for years. “Any good leader should know when it’s time to step away,” Foster says. “It allows the organization to evolve to its next level and recognize its capacity for growth.” After that, she focused on other nonprofit work in the region, including a 2004 role on the Florida Red and Blue campaign board formed in opposition of a proposed state amendment banning same-sex marriage. She credits a number of influences throughout her career and community work. “I have mentors in different areas. I don’t have one go-to mentor,” she says. “One person doesn’t have all the answers. I ask myself, ‘Who is leading in this space,’ and I try to build relationships with them.” One of her earliest influences is her Midwestern grandmother, Lorene Haase. “She was not very worldly, but certainly very lively and welcoming,” Foster reflects. Despite spending her entire life on a small-town farm, her grandmother embraced inclusivity, which “was refreshing as a kid growing up in Ohio.” Actress, comedian and writer Lily Tomlin is another icon. “She’s been steadfast her entire career in the entertainment industry,” Foster says. “She’s been authentically herself the entire time.” She also credits Joe Solmonese, president of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, as an influential figure. She knows him personally from her time with the HRC, when he was president of the organization at the national level. “I admire his political astuteness and ability to get things done in very challenging spaces,” Foster says. Foster is also admired by a number of Central Florida leaders, including Roxy Santiago, board
central florida advocates: Roxy Santiago (L) is the board president of the LGBT+ Center Orlando. Debbie Simmons is the former MBA president and a Come Out with Pride founder. Photos by dylan todd and courtesy debbie simmons
president for The LGBT+ Center Orlando. The two met when Santiago joined the HRC Central Florida chapter in 2006. “She’s an amazing leader, somebody I looked up to,” Santiago says. “It was a beautiful time working together.” She adds that Foster’s “leadership made me look at the politics of things I never had the knowledge about. I really learned how to become an activist.” Santiago has a long history of activism herself. Her first work with the Orlando area’s lesbian community came in the early 2000s, when she and two friends organized women-only happy hour events at non-LGBTQ bars and restaurants. “We’d hold them once a month at establishments not known for lesbians,” she says. “At times, 100 to 150 women would come out. It was great.” It wasn’t common at the time for non-LGBTQ spaces to open their doors to such events, she adds. “Now, it’s so different. Gays, straights, everyone parties together at all different bars. We don’t need that kind of happy hour anymore.” From the HRC, she branched out and volunteered with a variety of organizations, including the Democratic Hispanic Caucus of Florida and the American Red Cross, serving on its Disaster Action Team. Along the way, she found The LGBT+ Center, which provides programming and resources for the region’s LGBTQ community. For
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
years, the organization had been known as “a man’s world, but it was changing when I first went there,” she says. Santiago quickly became involved with organizing programs to continue drawing a more diverse crowd. “It was important to me to bring women and Hispanic people to The Center,” she reflects. Today, she serves as president of its Board of Directors, a role she’s held since 2016. Another area advocates is Debbie Simmons, the former president for the Metropolitan Business Association (MBA), now The Pride Chamber, and a COWP founder. After her parents divorced when she was young, Simmons traveled between her mother’s home in Sumter County and her father’s in Orlando. The two places couldn’t be more different, she says, and when she graduated in 1978, she permanently moved to Orlando. It “was complete culture shock,” she says. “The only gay people I knew in high school were my girlfriend and our swing manager at the McDonald’s where we worked. I had absolutely no idea about the gay community.” She discovered Parliament House at 18, where she learned about the local LGBTQ community. It “was the first big impact on me,” she says. “Your first experience at a gay bar, when you haven’t had exposure to the community, that’s huge. I saw the difficulties…I became aware about
a lot of the struggles we were facing in terms of discrimination and not being treated equally, and it was aggravating. I believe in the Constitution and that I should get equal rights.” In 1991, a lesbian couple she befriended invited her and her then-partner to Orlando’s first gay Pride parade. “They were a little bit older than us and more attuned to what was going on politically,” she recalls. “We wanted to go with them, but we were petrified.” That’s because the couple had experienced discrimination firsthand while purchasing a home, Simmons says. “After that, it was worrisome, but we went.” It was a small celebration. Many of the approximately 100 people that attended wore bags over their heads so they couldn’t be identified. “That’s how scary it was at the time,” Simmons recalls. Inspired, this gathering changed her life forever. “It was so amazing that these people were so courageous, that they had put this parade together, and I wanted to know all of them,” she says. “I wanted to be a part of what they were doing.” She credits the organizers, which included Patty Sheehan (who now represents District 4 on Orlando City Council), Lejeune Perrin, Phyllis Murphy, Joel Strack and Keith Morrison, with leading her towards the path of LGBTQ activism. After that, she regularly attended programming at The LGBT+ Center,
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
then-called GLCS, where she came across “a blurb” by editor Mike Sopoliga in the Triangle newspaper. “It said something to the effect of, other large cities around the nation are forming [LGBTQ] business associations. Do you think it’s time for us to do it in Orlando – and if you do, join us at The Center,” she says. She joined a dozen others at the first meeting for what would become the MBA in 1992. She was chosen as their first vice president and within a year, after Morrison stepped down as president, she took the helm. She held the position for 16 years, and the Pride Chamber remains dedicated to business equality today. In the early 1990s, she also worked to bridge the growing divide between Central Florida’s gay male and lesbian communities. With the AIDS epidemic a growing concern, the Parliament House became more male-centric, segregating women, while local lesbian groups became more divisive, she notes. “I became like the red-headed stepchild trying to bring them together.” She adds, “To me it was important unifying men and women, and to unify potential business owners, business owners and professionals. We even had a social membership, a student membership, a membership for retirees, so we could bring every segment of our community together.” Just before stepping down as MBA president in 2005, Orlando’s Pride celebration fell apart. She and others had long been disappointed in the parade, she says. Simmons suggested to the MBA board that they revive the event and they agreed to take it on as long as she organized it. Combining the parade with the group’s annual LGBTQ business expo, COWP was born. Today, more than 175,000 attend the annual parade and other festivities. “My whole reason for getting involved were the people that inspired me at that first parade,” she says. With its success, Simmons says her advocacy work has come “full circle.” All six of these trusted LGBTQ leaders – Selisse Berry, Shannon Fortner, Jennifer Foster, Roxy Santiago, Debbie Simmons and Nadine Smith – credit their mentors and icons with inspiring their work and shaping their activism. Today, after years of organizing and unifying the community, these leaders serve as inspiration for a new slate of activists.
19
BLOOMENVYBOUTIQUE.COM 727.873.3761 3125 5TH AVE N STE A, ST. PETERSBURG, FL 33713
Got Mustard? We’ve got more weiner than we can handle.
www.DareToRescue.com
Framing Watermark readers since 2003
Bevel and Flat Mirrors Cut to your specifications! Specialty Frames Available in Oval, Circle, and Shadowbox.
Bevel and Flat Mirrors Cut To Your Specifications
All custom frame work is professionally crafted on-premises!!
TyroneFrame.com
Specialty Frames Available in Oval, Circle and Shadowbox
All Custom Framework is Professional Crafted on-premises!!!
2060 Tyrone Blvd N • St. Pete
TyroneFrame.com 2060 Tyrone Blvd N • St. Pete • (727) 344-1000
(727) 344-1000
20
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
announcements
tampa bay Inside + out
Congratulations
Christoph’s Tampa celebrated two years April 6. James Robinson assumed the role of ALSO Youth executive director April 13.
Cancellations/ Postponements
North Pinellas Pride, originally scheduled to return to Dunedin April 24-26, has been indefinitely postponed. A new date is forthcoming. The Harvey Milk Festival has indefinitely postponed its 11th annual in-person festivities in Sarasota, originally scheduled May 1 and 7-9. Virtual shows will take place during the original dates featuring a wide array of entertainers to support the community, with an open call for queer artists to participate underway through April 22. New in-person dates are forthcoming.
Local Birthdays
St. Petersburg artist John Gascot, Tampa talent DeLaran Withers (April 16); Tampa insurance specialist Mitchell Ryan, Sarasota realtor Joey McDonald, St. Petersburg realtor Eric Wilson (April 17); St. Petersburg Stonewall Democrat Beth Fountain, St. Petersburg superwoman Tammy Benjamin, Tampa Bay environmentalist Joey Stalker, USAA Insurance claims adjustor Andy Perry (April 18); Tampa Bay entertainer Vivion Rachel Harris Clarke, Sarasota-area actor Peter Ruiz (April 20); Tampa burlesque producer Mayven Missbehavin, H&R Block team lead Tyler lHargrove (April 21); Tampa business owner Michael DiCamillo, Project No Labels founder Claire Elisan, ‘Femmes and Follies’ producer Katie James (April 22); former TIGLFF executive director Scott Skyberg, Tampa Leather Club’s Joseph Mastrapasqua, Metro Inclusive Health Operations Manager Allan Hero-Shaw, Hancock Whitney Bank VP John Balestrieri (April 23); St. Petersburg actor Tom Campbell, former Tampa actor Larry Buzzeo, former St Pete Pride president Scott Turner, Tampa bear Bill Vincent, Tampa Bay campaign manager Valerie McDonald; Florida Orchestra Principal Flutist Clay Ellerbroek-Pettiford, Red Ribbon Cyclist Drew Reed (April 24); Tampa Bay bartender Kyle Hill, Florida Democratic Progressive Caucus president Susan Smith (April 25); Tampa dancer Jackie Huston (April 26); St. Pete hotel manager Tom Ziri, Nielsen integration engineer Carlos Lozano (April 29)
Do you have an announcement? Having a birthday or anniversary? Did you get a new job or promotion? See your news in Watermark! Send your announcement to Editor@WatermarkOnline.com or go to WatermarkOnline.com/Submit-a-Transition.
1
2 3
1
ESSENTIAL CARE: Johnny Boykins oversees security operations for area hospitals from his office April 8. PHOTO
COURTESY JOHNNY BOYKINS
2
LARGO PROUD: Largo City Commissioner Michael Smith stocks and cleans the closed Pinellas Park Library in gay apparel April 9. PHOTO COURTESY MICHAEL SMITH
3
DRUM DAZE: Project No Labels CEO Claire Elisan beats boredom at home with her drum set April 8.
4
5
PHOTO COURTESY CLAIRE ELISAN
4
STORY TIME: Momma Ashley Rose virtually reads children’s books for the Rose Dynasty Foundation’s “Story Time with Momma” April 5. PHOTO COURTESY
ROSE DYNASTY FOUNDATION
5
COMMUNITY CARE: Pasco Pride President and Clearwater Fire & Rescue worker Nina Borders serves on the front lines April 6.
PHOTO COURTESY NINA BORDERS
6
LEGO LOVES: St Pete Pride President Chrys Bundy (R) and husband Robert build upon their bond from the kitchen table April 13.
6
PHOTO COURTESY CHRYS BUNDY
7
DYNAMIC DUO: Woody (L) and his human Jim Nixon, St. Petersburg LGBTQ liaison, strike a pawesome pose April 11. PHOTO COURTESY JIM NIXON
8
MASKED MAN: Eric Roper models his newly-sewn mask from seamstress Victoria Michaels April 9. PHOTO
COURTESY VICTORIA MICHAELS
It’s that easy!
8 7
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
21
Drop in and get your FREE PASS today. Includes a full week of unlimited classes and a one-hour personal training session. NO CONTRACTS • NO HIGH-PRESSURE SALES • EVERYONE WELCOME
DROP IN OR CALL • OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 407-802-4631 • 820 Lake Baldwin Lane ROCKHARDFITNESSORLANDO.com Five-Star Rating on Facebook, Google and Yelp
22
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
announcements
central florida inside + out
Condolences
Entertainer Sierrah Foxx passed away April 2.
Postponements
2
LGBT+ Center Orlando moved Dining Out For Life from April 30 to Aug. 27 and the 8th annual Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast and Awards from May 20 to July 22.
Virtual Shows
Michael Wanzie and Kenny Howard are back to host “Social Distancing Showcase” on April 18 at 5:30 p.m.
1
3
5
6
Rock Hard Fitness hosts a Virtual Community Sweat benefiting Equality Florida on April 19. Come Out With Pride hosts another Stay In With Pride virtual event on April 26 from 8-10 p.m. Orlando Fringe is hosting virtual, filmed shows from some of your favorite Fringe performers at TheLawn.OrlandoFringe.org. Check out the virtual lawn for shows, times and ways you can donate.
Local Birthdays
Orlando arts patron Jerry Baumeister (April 18); Orlando bartender Spencer Dalberth (April 19); YouTuber Zinnia Jones (April 20); Central Florida realtor Scott Penyak, LGBTQ advocate Randy Stephens, Magic 107.7’s Chad Pitt (April 21); “Miss Pee-Vira” AJ Pratt, Central Florida promoter Neema Bahrin (April 22); Artist Amanda Vickers (April 23); Congressman Darren Soto’s aide Vivian Rodriguez, O-Town textbook editor Sara Lyna (April 24); Watermark contributor and “News Junkie” Sabrina Ambra (April 25); Gender Identity in Florida Today president Jennifer Marvin (April 26); Parliament House owner Don Granatstein, app whiz Randy Shepard (April 28).
Do you have an announcement? Having a birthday or anniversary? Did you get a new job or promotion? See your news in Watermark! Send your announcement to Editor@WatermarkOnline.com or go to WatermarkOnline.com/Submit-a-Transition.
It’s that easy!
4
1
Keeping Clean: Singer Heather Abood performs a Bathtub Cabaret Happy Hour at home. Follow her on Instagram at @HeatherAbood to find out more information on her upcoming shows. Photo
courtesy Heather Abood
2
Best Bud: OGC’s Brandon Martin gets kisses from his quarantine buddy. Photo
courtesy Brandon Martin
3
At Home Entertainment: Yasmin Flasterstein builds a fort at home with her quarantine buddies. Photo
courtesy Yasmin Flasterstein
4
getting fresh Air: Juleigh Mayfield still manages to get out of the house occasionally by spending time on her porch. Photo
courtesy Juleigh Mayfield
5
New ‘Do Duo: Felipe Sousa-Rodriguez (L) and Luis Lazaballet show off their “homemade haircuts” while staying at home. Photo courtesy
Felipe Sousa-Rodriguez
6
Piano Man: Come Out With Pride’s Jeff Prystajko passes the time at home playing the piano. Photo
courtesy Jeff Prystajko
7
7
Supply Run: ”The Ribbon Maker” Ben Johansen (L) and his husband Tim Vargas cover up with face masks as they head out on the town to get the essentials.
Photo courtesy Ben Johansen
8
Birthday Boy: BizzyNate’s Nate West celebrates his socially distanced 40th birthday with a Corona of his own March 25.
Photo courtesy Nate West
8 watermark Your LGBTQ life.
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
23
tampa
ba y
Accountant
M ar k etplace
Community
Financial Services
Join your local LGBT Chamber, as we are the premier advocates for the Tampa Bay Area’s LGBT business community.
As a member of the LGBTQ+, I have a deep understanding of the financial challenges we face − and of the solutions that can help meet those challenges. Call me today and let’s discuss how you can meet those THEchallenges, UNIQUEtoo. FINANCIAL NEEDS OF THE
ADDRESSING LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY.
Attorney Immigration Law
ADDRESSING THE UNIQUE FINANCIAL NEEDS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY.
Attorney Alison M. Foley-Rothrock se habla Español!
Joe Patneaude As a member of the LGBTQ+ I have a deep understanding of the financial Fax: community, 813-287-9336 challenges we face — and of the solutions that can help meet those challenges. Financial Advisor, Prudential Advisors Call me today and let’s discuss how you can meet those challenges, too. joe.patneaude@prudential.com The Prudential Insurance Company of America www.prudential.com/advisor/joseph-patneaude Joe Patneaude Phone: 813-520-4169 Financial Advisor, Prudential Advisors Fax: 813-287-9336 The Prudential Insurance Company of America Phone: 813-520-4169 Mobile: 727-482-8891 Fax: 813-287-9336 joe.patneaude@prudential.com Mobile: 727-482-8891 joe.patneaude@prudential.com www.prudential.com/advisor/joseph-patneaude www.prudential.com/advisor/joseph-patneaude
Offering All Types Of Immigration Services
Call today for your FREE CONSULTATION Offices in Lakeland and Ybor City, Tampa 813-424-0652
Joe Patneaude
Advisor, PrudentialofAdvisors As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I have a Financial deep understanding the financial Thehelp Prudential Company of America challenges we face — and of the solutions that can meetInsurance those challenges. Office: 813-520-4169 Call me today and let’s discuss howADDRESSING you can meet those challenges, too.NEEDS OF THE THE UNIQUE FINANCIAL Cell: 727-482-8891 LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY.
www.diversitytampabay.org
Prudential Advisors is a brand name of The Prudential Insurance Company of America and its subsidiaries. Offering investment advisory services through Pruco Securities, LLC (Pruco), doing business as Prudential Financial Planning Services (PFPS), pursuant to separate client agreement. Offering insurance and securities products and services as a registered representative of Pruco, and an agent of issuing
Prudential Advisors is a brand name of The Prudential Insurance Company of America and itsPrudential, subsidiaries. investment services PrucoFinancial, Securities, (Pruco), doing business as worldwide. insurance companies. the PrudentialOffering logo, the Rock symbol and Bringadvisory Your Challenges are servicethrough marks of Prudential Inc., andLLC its related entities, registered in many jurisdictions Prudential Financial Planning Services (PFPS), pursuant to separate client agreement. Offering insurance and securities products and services as a registered representative of Pruco, and an agent of issuing 1015493-00002-00 insurance companies. Prudential, the Prudential logo, the Rock symbol and Bring Your Challenges are service marks of Prudential Financial, Inc., and its related entities, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide.
www.foleyimmigrationlaw.com
1015493-00002-00
Attorney
Coworking
framing
&
Residential • Commercial
PROUD SPONSOR of the St. Pete LGBT Welcome Center SPECIALIZING IN: PERSONAL INJURY • AUTO ACCIDENTS ESTATE PLANNING
Dan Fiorini 2060 Tyrone Blvd N • St. Pete (727)344-1000
Lindsey Sheppy, Esq.
Main office St. Petersburg // 727-895-7932 // www.GBYAssociates.com
Crossroads Center next to Ross
Hotels + Resorts
Community
Read It Online! Head to WatermarkOnline.com and click on the Digital Publications link to a read a digital version of the printed newspaper!
24
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
tampa
photography
ba y
M ar k etplace
Therapist
Vocal Instructor
Philip J Fauerbach, LMHC
SOUTH TAMPA VOICE THERAPY
“Connection in itself is healing ”
Adult-focused speech pathology practice Specializes in transgender voice modification
OVER 25 YEARS in Private practice experience.
Fine Art | Portrait | Wedding | Commercial
Cara Bryan, MA, CCC/SLP Speech Pathologist Voice and Singing Specialist
Specializing in treating anxiety, relationships, and trauma
www.DylanToddPhotography.com info@DylanToddPhotography.com (727) 310-1212
813-651-1221 913 S. Parsons Ave Suite E Brandon, Florida 33511 Pfauerbachtherapy.com
LGBTQ+ friendly 4707 W Gandy Blvd Ste 3, Tampa FL 33611 813-728-6601 // SouthTampaVoiceTherapy.com
Real Estate
Travel
youth services
Live. Really live.
We can show you where.
PREFERRED PROPERTIES of Sarasota, Inc.
Lic. Real Estate Brokerage
Follow us on
Social
media
Bri Hays, Broker Kris Kesling-Hays, Broker (941) 321-7772 www.PrefHomes.net (941) 321-5638 Serving Manatee & Sarasota counties
Recovery Services
Intervention Success SPECIALIZING IN LGBTQ ISSUES A radical approach with proven success in dealing with addiction and co-occuring disorders:
/WatermarkOnline
Drugs (Prescription & Illicit) | Alcohol | Internet/Porn | Gambling Compuslive Sex | Hording | Marijuana and Cigarette Smoking Eating Disorders (Buliamia & Anexoria)
200 104th Ave., Suite 312 St. Petersburg, FL 33706
/WatermarkFL @WatermarkOnline
TA M PA B AY - O R L A N D O - M I A M I
stephen@interventionsuccess.com www.interventionsuccess.org
Veterinarian
Stephen B Timmer JD, CIP, CAI-II Director/Certified Interventionist
312-771-3664
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
/company/WatermarkOnline
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
25
C e nt r a l
$89
Call for an appointment
407.923.4000
Stephen E. Roberts Professional Accounting and Tax Services 2180 N. Park Ave. Suite 220 Winter Park, FL 32789
M a r k e t p l a c e
Aids Organization
Accountant
Personal Returns from
F l o r id a
Individual, Corporation, and Partnership Put 30+ years of experience to work for you. Confidentiality Guaranteed. Tax Preparation Immediate appointments Taxes prepared while you wait!
accountant
Attorney
TESTING AND TREATMENT MADE SIMPLE AND EASY 4122 Metric Drive, #800 Winter Park, Florida 32792 407.645.2577 hopeandhelp.org
MARRIAGE & DOMESTIC PARTNER PLANNING PERSONAL/BUSINESS TAX PREPARATION, e-file QUICKBOOKS ADVANCED PROADVISOR®
Leah eah G. James, CPA, MSTax
Judy L. Hines, CQA, CPB, CPS, CAP
We make people healthier.
407.478.4513 • ContactUs@geckoCPA.com
Accountant
Air Conditioning
Attorney
407-295-9231
www.4seasonsair.net The A/C Company you wish you called first.
FL License#: CAC056308
We have the perfect deal on
PERFECT AIR for your home
Up to $1700
in Rebates plus additional utility company incentives on qualified units.
Practice Areas: Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning Business Law Real Estate
attorney
Probate Pre/Post-nuptial Agreements
Matt Rosenthal
ROSENTHALMEYER, PLLC ATTORNEYS AT LAW Offices in Lake Nona & Avalon Park
mrosenthal@rosenthalmeyer.com
www.rosenthalmeyer.com 407-504-9725
The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Before you decide, ask us to send you information about our qualifications and experience.
Follow Us on Social Media
Cleaning Services
/WatermarkFL @WatermarkOnline /WatermarkOnline
/company/WatermarkOnline 26
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
C e nt r a l
Counselor
F l o r id a
M a r k e t p l a c e
Financial Panner
Health + Fitness
DICTOR FINANCIAL, LLC Wayne S. Dictor, CEP President, CEO
Member Board of Directors - Orlando Gay Chorus
OďŹƒce: 407-562-1900
Mobile: 407-942-3366 Wayne@DictorFinancial.com
801 International Parkway, Suite 500 Lake Mary, Florida 32746 Securities oered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPIC
Conseling + Therapists
Funeral Services
Discount Nutrition Center Serving Orlando for 24 years
.Vitamins .Herbs .Dietary .Sports
We will match or beat local prices!
407-207-0067 M-F 10-7, Sat 10-6 www.NMFbody.com
Crystal Lake Plaza 3074 Curry Ford Rd.
Between Conway Rd. & Bumby Ave.
Come see Dave, Ed & Staff for a Free Consultation! Home Improvement
407-435-9995
Counseling + Therapists
Garden / Nursery
CITY OASIS Your Downtown Garden Shop 407-898-8101 1214 N. Mills Ave. Orlando Mention Watermark and Save!
Exotic Orchids, Bonsai, Ornamentals, Tropical Plants Full Service Interior Design and Maintenance Free Estimates, Prices start as low as $99/mo
Exterior and Interior Shutters Custom Blinds - Shades - Draperies
Julie Rose (407) 949-1969 620 Douglas Ave Suite 1302 Altamonte Springs Fl. 32714 email: web:
jrose@SuperiorCustomShutters.com www.SuperiorCustomShutters.com
If this were your ad, thousands of readers would have just seen it.
Call for rates
407-481-2243 watermark Your LGBTQ life.
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
27
C e nt r a l
F l o r id a
Lawn Care
M a r k e t p l a c e
Optometrist
Veterinarian
Proudly Caring for the Pets and People of the LGBTQ Community since 1955 Open 7 Days a Week!
BOARDING
DOGGIE DAYCARE
NEW WELLNESS CENTER
1601 Lee Rd. Winter Park (407) 644-2676 LGBT Medical
personal training www.rockhardfitnessorlando.com
FREE TRIAL PASS
youth services Changing the lives of LGBTQ teens and young adults for over 25 years
1 WEEK UNLIMITED CLASSES 1 HOUR PERSONAL TRAINING
Social support groups Make friends Scholarships for college Weekly groups in Orange, Seminole & Polk counties
820 Lake Baldwin Lane p. 407.802.4631
info@orlandoyouthalliance.org www.orlandoyouthalliance.org
photography
• Join • Volunteer • Donate
Read It
Online! Mental Health
Inpatient Detox, Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Care
Fine Art | Portrait | Wedding | Commercial
Call to schedule FREE and CONFIDENTIAL assessment
www.DylanToddPhotography.com info@DylanToddPhotography.com (727) 310-1212
WE PROUDLY ACCEPT MEDICAID HMO’S, MEDICARE, TRICARE AND COMMERCIAL INSURANCE
407-281-7000
www.universitybehavioral.com
28
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
Head over to WatermarkOnline. com and click on the Digital Publications link to read a digital version of the printed newspaper!
For 25 years, Watermark has been the leading source of free LGBTQ news in Central Florida and Tampa Bay. Please help keep our reporting alive by making a monetary contribution. Thank you to those who have made contributions: Jeremy Williams, Jason LeClerc, Jennifer Foster, GayStPeteHouse.com, Boyd Lindsley, Dylan Todd Photography, Jeffrey Lucas, Stephen Roberts, Eric Wilson, Steve Yacovelli, Todd Wellman, Russ Martin, Tom Yeagers, Phil Schmidt and Tom Dyer.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DONATE PLEASE VISIT WATERMARKONLINE.COM watermark Your LGBTQ life.
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
29
viewpoint
Dr. David Baker-Hargrove, President and co-CEO of 26Health
Covid-19 and the Community
H
ealthcare and
staying healthy is on everyone’s mind right now. There are questions and uncertainty abound. When will this end? What if I lose my job? What if I run out of money? Am I particularly at risk for infection?
In fact, the LGBTQ+ community is particularly vulnerable to the economic and health impacts of COVID-19. We are more likely to work in industries highly impacted by the pandemic and we tend to have more health risk factors than the general population. Worse, when considering the transgender and nonbinary community by itself, the impact to health and economic hardship is even higher. The transgender community has already been at an economic and health disadvantage. While the virus doesn’t discriminate, one of the biggest problems transgender and nonbinary people face currently is actually a problem which existed all along: access to healthcare that is affordable, gender affirming and trans-health informed. Even though laws were enacted during the last administration to prohibit discrimination
30
in the healthcare setting, there is little to no enforcement or oversight currently. Transgender people are also more likely to be under employed or unemployed, and therefore equally under insured or uninsured. The National Center for Transgender Equality’s (NCTE) most recent survey on the experiences of transgender people reveals “widespread patterns of mistreatment, discrimination and startling disparities between transgender people and the U.S. population when it comes to the most basic elements of life, such as finding a job, having a safe place to live, accessing medical care and enjoying the support of family and community.” This level of discrimination, stigma, lack of acceptance and abuse also creates mental health problems, as the American Psychological Association estimates over half of all transgender and nonbinary people struggle with depression, anxiety and/or other mental health issues. The NCTE also reports on their website, transgender people share the same physical health disparities as LGB people, as they are more likely to use tobacco (COVID-19 could be especially harmful to smokers), they have higher rates of HIV and cancer and it is estimated than 1 in 5 transgender adults have at least one chronic condition such as diabetes, arthritis or asthma. Any of these elements could make transgender people more susceptible to serious or life-threatening symptoms of COVID-19. It is imperative we follow the guidelines and recommendations put forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Dr. Fauci about keeping ourselves healthy and safe during
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
this period. This is a great time to become more mindful of your health and your health habits. Recently, I came across this quote from Dr. Wayne Dyer, “Healthy habits are learned in the same way as unhealthy ones – through practice.” For those of us
to talk to your HRT prescriber about any and all health concerns during your visit, not just the HRT. In Central Florida, we are very fortunate to have many healthcare organizations that specialize in holistic transgender health. Along
health services, even if you don’t have insurance. Stay Healthy and Stay Safe!
in the transgender and nonbinary community, I realize that going to the doctor for regular visits (other than the HRT visit) to check on your health can be intimidating and fearful. It’s also important
with us at 26Health, there is Bliss Cares, Hope & Help, Crew Health, Spektrum and Pinero Preventative Care. Like 26Health, many of these organizations provide comprehensive
and Co-CEO of 26Health, Central Florida’s LGBTQ+ health center, which is Co-led by their husband, Robert. Together, they have a 6-year-old daughter and a toy poodle named Shangela.
Dr. David Baker-Hargrove is a licensed psychotherapist providing LGBTQ+ healthcare for over 25 years. Dr. Baker-Hargrove identifies as nonbinary and gay. They are currently the President
It is imperative we follow the guidelines and recommendations put forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Dr. Fauci about keeping ourselves healthy and safe during this period. This is a great time to become more mindful of your health and your health habits.
watermark
Politics. Entertainment. Stories.
is your LGBTQ Life. Community. Pride. Wedding. Business. Advocacy. Event. Celebration. Fight. Activism. Education. NEWS TIPS OR ADVERTISING, CALL US AT:
CENTRAL FL: 407-481-2243 // TAMPA BAY: 813-655-9890
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
watermark Your LGBTQ life.
april 16 - A pr il 29, 2020 // Issue 27.0 8 wat e r m a r konline .com
31
With your own customized birth plan and concierge services to add those special touches, we’re dedicated to making your birth day experience all you want it to be. And should you or your baby need a little extra support, we offer the most advanced level of maternal and neonatal care. Choose the most trusted hands in town – in a hospital designed just for women and babies – for your memorable miracle.
WinniePalmerHospital.com/Babies