Watermark Issue 27.21: VOTE by Watermark Publishing Group

Your LGBTQ Life.

October 15 - 28, 2020 • Issue 27.21

son, r e p n i r o l i Early, by ma e by Nov. 3 c use your voi

Come Out St. Pete reimagines fourth year

One Orlando Alliance announces new ED

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October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

The time is now to mobilize our community, turn out in record

departments

numbers and elect a president who will shepherd the fight for

7 // Editor’s / Tampa Bay Bureau Chief’s Desk

page

8 // Central Florida News 11// Tampa Bay News

full equality instead of wage war on it. The time is now to elect Joe Biden and we are ready to deliver him a win in Florida. —Nadine Smith, Equality Florida Executive Director

14// State News 15// Nation & World News 21// Talking Points 35// Tampa Bay Out + About 37// Central Fl Out + About 40// Tampa Bay Marketplace 42// Central Fl Marketplace 46// Wedding Bells On the cover

page Back to the Stage:

page VOTE: Early, by mail

or in person, use your voice by Nov. 3.

Design by Dylan Todd

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WatermarkOnline.com

Orlando Ballet returns to the Dr. Phillips Center with “The Sleeping Beauty.”

Watermark Issue 27.21 // Oct. 15 - 28, 2020

New Leader

Reaching OUt

Organized Voices

Queerly Beloved

page One Orlando Alliance announces its new executive director.

page Rep. Charlie Crist tours St. Pete’s LGBTQ-owned small businesses.

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

Organize Florida’s Chevalier Lovett talks about getting out the vote.

Rev. Jakob Hero-Shaw discusses privilege in his latest Viewpoint.

October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

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October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

cityfurniture.com

tampa bay

bureau chief’s

Ryan Williams-Jent TB bureau chief Ryan@WatermarkOnline.com

Desk

y husband and I celebrate four years of marriage next month, a testament to my luck and his patience.

Our wedding remains one of the highlights of my life. It was proof for me that love could triumph over hate even in 2016, a year marred by tragedy for both our community and country. Reflecting on that day still brings me incredible joy. We were surrounded by our closest friends and family, loved ones from all walks of life who united in marriage equality’s infancy to proudly proclaim that love is love. Which is exactly what we did. In lieu of any religious texts, our ceremony featured readings from Obergefell v. Hodges, the Supreme Court’s opinion on marriage equality. The 5-4 ruling had done more for the two of us than religion ever had, so highlighting its significance felt right. We broke the text into two pieces, each penned for the majority

by the since-retired Justice Anthony Kennedy. The first discussed the court’s responsibility to interpret our nation’s laws. “The nature of injustice is that we may not always see it in our own times,” Kennedy wrote. “The generations that wrote and ratified the Bill of Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment did not presume to know the extent of freedom. “They entrusted to future generations a charter protecting the right of all persons to enjoy liberty as we learn its meaning,” he continued. “When new insight reveals discord between the Constitution’s central protections and a received legal stricture, a claim to liberty must be addressed.” The second reading was pulled from Kennedy’s closing. He asserted that “no union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies

the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice and family,” something I think even anti-LGBTQ activists could’ve agreed with. Marriage allows two people to become something more than they once were, he continued, in a union that can last longer than a lifetime. I believe that now more than ever, and Kennedy found that same-sex couples petitioning the court for that right didn’t disrespect marriage’s sanctity, they revered it. “They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law,” he concluded. “The Constitution grants them that right.” I’ve thought about those words a lot since 2015, particularly during my wedding. It was held only four days after the election of Donald Trump, when we expected to also be celebrating the historical victory of the nation’s first female president, who was not only more deserving but received almost 3 million more votes. We knew in 2016 that Trump had never been an ally to the LGBTQ community. He frequently made that clear during his campaign, from naming one of the most anti-LGBTQ U.S. politicians in modern history as his running mate to promising to appoint judges “in the mold of” the late Justice Antonin Scalia, the Mike Pence of the Supreme Court. The Obergefell ruling felt as pressing at our wedding as it does on the eve of our next marital milestone, in which Trump has named a third nominee to the now conservative-leaning court. Every election has consequences, and it’s my hope that our community understands that more than ever. We have one chance to send dignity, empathy and leadership back to the White House, and that’s by electing Joe Biden as the next president of the United States. We need an ally in the Oval Office again. “The White House should never be a source of opposition or fear or oppression,” he addressed the LGBTQ community via the Human

watermark staff Owner & Publisher: Rick Claggett • Ext. 110 Rick@WatermarkOnline.com Business Manager: Kathleen Sadler • Ext. 101 Kathleen@WatermarkOnline.com

Editor-in-Chief: Jeremy Williams • Ext. 106 Jeremy@WatermarkOnline.com Tampa Bay Bureau Chief: Ryan Williams-Jent • Ext. 302 Ryan@WatermarkOnline.com Art Director: Dylan Todd • Ext. 107 Dylan@WatermarkOnline.com

Sales Director: Danny Garcia • Ext. 108 Danny@WatermarkOnline.com Senior Orlando Account Manager: Sam Callahan • Ext. 103 Sam@WatermarkOnline.com Tampa Bay Account Manager: Michael Wier • Ext. 105 Michael@WatermarkOnline.com

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Rights Campaign last month. “It should be a source of hope, of moral courage and of unification. You deserve a partner in the White House to fight with conviction and win the battles ahead.” There will without doubt be battles ahead, as an unexpected statement from the Supreme Court showed us less than a month before the 2020 election. Referencing Obergefell, two Supreme Court Justices voluntarily questioned marriage equality’s precedent. “By choosing to privilege a novel constitutional right over the religious liberty interests explicitly protected in the First Amendment, and by doing so undemocratically, the Court has created a problem that only it can fix,” they wrote.

My marriage is not a ruinous consequence for religious liberty.

“Until then, Obergefell will continue to have ‘ruinous consequences for religious liberty.’” My marriage is not a ruinous consequence for religious liberty, and it’s imperative that we prove that with our vote on or before Nov. 3. That’s why in this issue we present our latest equality-focused voters’ guide, surveying more than 100 candidates for political office in Tampa Bay and Central Florida about LGBTQ issues. In Tampa Bay news, Rep. Charlie Crist surveys LGBTQ-owned businesses impacted by COVID-19 and Come OUT St. Pete preps for its reimagined fourth year. In Central Florida, the One Orlando Alliance introduces its new leadership. Watermark strives to bring you a variety of stories, your stories. Please stay safe, stay informed and enjoy this latest issue – before and after you cast your ballot.

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October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

contributors Chevalier Lovett

serves as the Sr. Vice President & Managing Director of Organize Florida and was awarded 2020’s Most Influential by Winter Park Magazine. Page 17

Rev. Jakob Hero-Shaw

is the Senior Pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Tampa. He and his husband are the proud parents of two teenagers. Page 19

Lora Korpar is

a journalism student at the University of Central Florida and a former Watermark intern. She plans to graduate in Spring 2020. Page 46 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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Editor’s

Jeremy Williams Editor-In-chief

Jeremy@WatermarkOnline.com

Desk

wasn’t close friends with Sam

Singhaus. Like many people in Central Florida, I mostly knew Sam as Miss Sammy, the iconic drag queen who was the go-to hostess of many community events including Watermark’s own WAVE Awards and Movies Out Loud. Both Watermark’s current and previous owners — and many current and past employees — were very good friends with Sam. Sam was a major part of Watermark and a legend in the community long before I moved to Orlando and joined this publication. Sam and I were community acquaintances, we would see each other out at events and occasionally at one of the LGBTQ bars where he worked. We didn’t meet up for dinner or drinks, or hang out at each other’s homes. But the magic that is Sam is no matter where we saw each other, in the moments we chatted, he made me feel like I was his oldest and dearest friend. He asked how I was doing, how my

family was doing. In those moments he made me feel like I was a part of his world. And what a world it was. Whether as Miss Sammy or Sam Singhaus, that infectious smile and those kind eyes were unmatched and recognizable from a mile away. In those eyes, you could see his kindness and compassion. You could also see the passion and fight he had for this community. I was recently reminded of one of my favorite Sam memories when a friend sent me a photo of Sam, me and a couple of friends taken last year. It was in June when Donald Trump had come to Orlando to announce his re-election campaign at the Amway Center. A huge crowd was gathered on Church Street in

front of Stonewall Bar for the “Win With Love Rally.” I was there taking pictures for Watermark and I ran into Sam, who was carrying a long sign that read “DUMP TRUMP!” We had one of those moments where he made me feel like I was his closest and dearest friend. He hugged me, asked how I was doing and wanted to know what was going on in my life. Focusing on me and actually listening to what I had to say. Then we started talking about Trump, and Sam told me how important it is to vote and hold our elected leaders accountable. He had some colorful language he used to describe Trump that I won’t publish here but I admired the passion and love he had for this country and how beautifully and intelligently he spoke about politics and what we all needed to be doing. Then his eyes lit up and he got a huge smile on his face as he asked “Did you get a chance to see the big Trump Baby balloon?” The infamous 20-foot, helium-filled bright orange balloon of a baby Trump wearing a diaper and holding a smartphone was the centerpiece of the rally. Sam had gone from talking about the importance of voting to making sure that while I was working I was still out there enjoying myself and having a good time. That is how I will always remember Sam. Bringing fun and joy wherever he went and to everyone he met, but also standing up for what is right and just by being vocal for those who don’t have a loud enough voice. Both strong and compassionate. To know how legendary Sam was and how many lives he touched you only need to look at the many, many tributes to him on social media. The hundreds of photos that show that infectious smile and those kind eyes. Sam was one in a million and his passing leaves a very big hole in the community.

watermark staff Owner & Publisher: Rick Claggett • Ext. 110 Rick@WatermarkOnline.com Business Manager: Kathleen Sadler • Ext. 101 Kathleen@WatermarkOnline.com

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Whether you knew Sam well, only publicly or hardly at all; the best way to honor this legend is to go out, make someone smile and be sure that you vote. In this issue, we look to help you make up your voting mind in this election cycle with our 2020 LGBTQ voters’ guide. We reached out to each of the candidates in Central Florida and Tampa Bay’s

Whether you knew Sam well, only publicly or hardly at all; the best way to honor this legend is to go out, make someone smile and be sure that you vote.

congressional, state House and state Senate races and asked them a series of questions to see how pro- or anti-LGBTQ they are. We also go over the different ways you can vote to make sure your voice is heard safely. In A&E, the Orlando Ballet returns to the stage with “The Sleeping Beauty,” the first show to open at the Dr. Phillips Center since its initial closure due to the pandemic. In news, One Orlando Alliance announces its new executive director, Parliament House addresses the rumors that it is closing next month, we follow Rep. Charlie Crist around St. Pete as he visits LGBTQ businesses impacted by COVID and Come OUT St Pete celebrates National Coming Out Day.

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October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

contributors Chevalier Lovett

serves as the Sr. Vice President & Managing Director of Organize Florida and was awarded 2020’s Most Influential by Winter Park Magazine. Page 17

Rev. Jakob Hero-Shaw

is the Senior Pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Tampa. He and his husband are the proud parents of two teenagers. Page 19

Lora Korpar is

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

Watermark Publishing Group Inc.

central florida news

Parliament House owner responds to upcoming closure rumors Jeremy Williams

RLANDO | Parliament House owner Don Granatstein addressed online rumors Oct. 5 that Orlando’s longest running LGBTQ club and resort would be closing down in November. Social media posts earlier this month pointed to court documents indicating the owners of the Parliament House agreed to surrender the resort property by 11:59 p.m. Nov. 2. The documents state Lion Financial, the Miami-based firm that holds Parliament House’s mortgage, would be free to take ownership of the property after midnight Nov. 3. “That is a date we gave them,” Granatstein says. “They said let’s pick a date for you to go get your financing by and that was Nov. 3. We thought that was a fair date at the time, in the beginning of September.” According to court documents, Parliament Partners — the company name the Parliament House is owned under — filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy July 2 to help reorganize its debt with Lion but asked the court to dismiss the case Sept. 16 stating that the parties had reached an agreement. “As you know, anyone who owns lots of retail properties and mortgages these days [as Lion does], they are having their own problems, so I have a deal with Lion,” Granatstein says. “The deal is I buy it for the mortgages so that is what I am working on.” Court documents list the loan amount owed to Lion as $4.8 million. For his part, Granatstein says he is “smack dab in the middle” of securing the financing he needs. “Do I believe I’ve got it? Yes. Do I have documents that say I have it? Yes. Does that mean it’s going to close? I hope so,” he says. “It’s very damn difficult with this COVID stuff, and people I could always rely on with funds are not exactly flowing these days. It’s crazy times out there. I use to be able to get financing pretty easily, it’s not that way anymore.” Rumors that the popular LGBTQ resort is in danger of closing have popped up on social media several times over the last few years as its owners have worked on restructuring its debt. This current deal to secure Parliament House’s funds is something that has been in the works for nine months, Granatstein says. Along with funds to pay off Lion, the financing would come along with an additional $2 million for renovations and construction. “We are doing everything humanly possible with our money, with our time, with all of the resources and connections to get this thing done,” he says. Watermark has reached out to Lion Financial for comment but has yet to hear back.

New Agenda: New

One Orlando Alliance Executive Director Josh Bell (R) hands out the 2020 Alliance Agenda at Come Out With Pride’s Pride in the Streets event Oct. 10. Photo by

New Leader One Orlando Alliance announces its new executive director Jeremy Williams

RLANDO | One Orlando Alliance (OOA) announced Oct. 12 that Josh Bell will be the new executive director of the LGBTQ nonprofit coalition. Bell comes to OOA with 15 years of experience working in nonprofits and with multi-organizational movements. Bell has worked for The Peace and Justice Institute at Valencia College where he was an interfaith coordinator and facilitator for transformative dialogues related to anti-racism training, gender bias and LGBTQ+ and gender spectrum inclusion. “In the process of accepting and celebrating my own queerness, the courage of Black, Latinx, transgender and gender nonbinary folx has helped me to know my privilege,” Bell said in a press release. “It brings me great joy to work alongside my LGBTQ+ siblings and leverage my privilege to help create truly inclusive spaces and elevate the voices of our diverse community.” Bell most recently served as director of community development

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

for the Community Hope Center in Kissimmee. With a Master’s of Divinity degree, Bell has served on the executive committee of the Interfaith Council of Central Florida, the Central Florida Commission on Homelessness Faith Committee and the Lake Nona YMCA Board. He is also a member of the Orlando mayor’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. commission and the planning team for the Orlando Youth Empowerment Summit. “I believe that the One Orlando Alliance has done and will continue to do phenomenal work to help the LGBTQ+ community BELONG and THRIVE in Orlando and Central Florida, and I am honored to be selected as the new executive director,” Bell said. “I am grateful for the courage of the Central Florida LGBTQ+ community. It is this courage that helped me overcome years of ‘conversion therapy’ and step into my full and authentic self as a gay man,” he added. Bell follows Jennifer Foster, the organizations founding executive director, after she announced in July that she would be stepping down after completing her two-year commitment to the position.

October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

Jeremy Williams

“I stepped in to fill a role that was needed and I think I’ve done what I’ve set out to do. Now I recognize that it’s time for someone new to step in,” Foster said in July. Foster’s last day as OOA’s director was Oct. 8. “Jennifer has led our coalition to do phenomenal work. I am honored to build on the progress that has already been made,” Bell said. The day before Foster stepped down, the organization released its most recent Alliance Agenda Oct. 7. The Agenda is an annual report identifying the top 10 issues impacting the LGBTQ community in Central Florida. This is the third year OOA has released its report. The 10 key LGBTQ areas addressed in the latest report are anti-racism, coming out, hate crimes, health care, homelessness, immigration, transgender and nonbinary individuals, vulnerable populations, workplace equality and queer youth. The report also has an additional section this year addressing COVID-19 and how the pandemic has affected those most marginalized in the LGBTQ community. OOA is a nonprofit coalition of more than 40 LGBTQ organizations unified to transform Central Florida into a more inclusive and safe community for LGBTQ people. OOA was formed in 2016 following the Pulse shooting to help get resources to those impacted by the tragedy. Watermark is an active member of OOA and its publisher, Rick Claggett, serves on the board of directors.

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October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

tampa bay news

Come OUT St. Pete celebrates authenticity, reimagined fourth year Ryan Williams-Jent

COMMUNITY CARE: Love Food

Central owners Valerie Manzoros (R) and Cindy Toda (L) meet with U.S. Rep Charlie Crist Oct. 7. PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD

Reaching Out Rep. Crist tours St. Petersburg’s LGBTQ-owned small businesses Ryan Williams-Jent

T. PETERSBURG | U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist toured LGBTQ-owned small businesses along St. Petersburg’s Central Ave. Oct. 7, discussing COVID-19 concerns and more. Crist represents Florida’s 13th congressional district, which covers Pinellas County from Clearwater through St. Petersburg. The tour was conceptualized with Michael G. Batista, his LGBTQ liaison. “These were informal visits, neighbors checking in on neighbors,” Batista explains. “It was also a way for the congressman to take these experiences back with him to Washington, where the future of small business relief is still being negotiated.” Crist’s tour began at Love Food Central, where owners Valerie Manzoros and Cindy Toda have served vegan comfort food since 2016. After closing for nearly two months and subsequently transitioning to contactless pickup, they began allowing customers that wished to do so to order food inside earlier that day.

“We like to be a part of the community and do our part for the community,” Manzoros says. “I feel lucky that we’re still open and that we’re moving in the right direction.” The congressman subsequently visited ZaZoo’d, which celebrated seven years in business last month. The St. Petersburg staple offers an eclectic variety of retail goods, planning and design services. “It was awesome to have Charlie Crist stop by ZaZoo’d and show compassion for how difficult this pandemic has been on small businesses,” owner David Fischer reflects. “While showing genuine compassion for how much COVID has negatively impacted ZaZoo’d, he solicited ideas for future government assistance ideas.” The Blue Cottage was next, owned by designer Jerry Hobson. The home goods boutique has offered retail and interior design services since 2018 and celebrates the color blue. Hobson called Crist’s visit a pleasure. The two discussed their commitment to the community they serve and more, detailing the representative’s adherence to the Golden Rule, the principle of treating others as you want to be treated.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

The tour concluded at St. Petersburg’s Atlas Body + Home, the men’s lifestyle shop offering apparel, accessories and more owned by Tony Loeffler and Michael Griffin. Meeting with Crist allowed Loeffler to share that he believes “brick and mortar retail stores got lost in the mix” when it came to federally-funded COVID-19 relief. “I wanted to stress that to him,” Loeffler says, “and I definitely appreciate the attention and support. We love our community and have a great clientele. We’ve gotten a little help from the city and the county which has been a lifeline, but it still feels a little scary. We’re cautiously optimistic.” While the federal government continues to debate additional financial assistance related to COVID-19, Batista says Crist remains committed to fighting for all of his constituents. “The congressman truly wants to hear from small business owners on how their businesses are doing at this point in the pandemic and their plans for the future,” he says. “This perspective gave him a more in-depth idea on how to fight for additional funding and how best to work for the people of our district.” View a photo gallery of Crist’s tour at WatermarkOnline.com. For more information about Love Food Central, ZaZoo’d, The Blue Cottage and Atlas Body + Home, visit LoveFoodCentral.com, ZaZood.com, TheBlueCottage.net and AtlasBodyAndHome. com. To learn more about or to contact Crist, visit Crist.House.gov.

T. PETERSBURG | Come OUT St. Pete (COSP) and supporters gathered in Seminole Park for National Coming Out Day Oct. 11, unfurling the organization’s 375-foot Pride flag ahead of this year’s fourth annual celebration. COSP was founded in 2017 to advocate for all sexual orientations and gender identities. It promotes a sense of community through inclusive events like this year’s socially-distanced and virtual gathering Oct. 17. This year’s main events have been reimagined in response to COVID-19, as was the “Catch the Rainbow” flag unfurling. Volunteers gathered outside with access to complimentary hand sanitizer while wearing masks. “The flag unfurling is symbolic, especially on National Coming Out day,” COSP Co-Chair Chris Jones says. “We feel that it’s important to be present during this time. This was an opportunity for us to do a little something in the community and get the community involved.” The unfurling was simultaneously broadcast live on social media, maximizing engagement as a preview to this year’s COSP. Jones notes that the main celebration will be the first major event held within city limits that’s been sanctioned by the mayor, a responsibility the organization takes very seriously. “This year you’ll be able to join us both online with our virtual segments and outside in the sunshine within the Grand Central District,” COSP promises. “We are fully committed to providing visitors as much space as possible to walk around, view the wares of our vendors and still stay safe.” New this year is a photography contest and exhibit, held in conjunction with Woodfield Fine Art and now underway. Local photographers are encouraged to submit a photograph promoting National Coming Out Day for a chance to win $500. While not required, organizers note that photographers should place an emphasis on capturing images from actual COSP events, either from previous years or from throughout this October. This year’s main event will be held Oct. 17 from 12-5 p.m. and will be preceded by the inaugural Come OUT Cruise Around from 11 a.m.-noon, featuring decorated vehicles showcasing their Pride along a predetermined route. There is no entry fee or limit to the number of entries each photographer may submit by Oct. 31. Finalists will be notified by the end of the day Nov. 11 and the winning entry will be announced Nov. 16. “It’s a great opportunity to involve people and show their talent,” Jones says. “We’re excited to see what everyone comes up with and excited about this year.” View a full gallery of COSP’s flag unfurling and read the official COSP guide at WatermarkOnline.com. For even more event details, visit ComeOutStPete.org.

October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

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.

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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

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

BVYC0218_BIKTARVY_B_9-25X10-1_Watermark_Dimitri_r1v1jl.indd All Pages

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October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

DIMITRI LIVING WITH HIV SINCE 2018 REAL BIKTARVY PATIENT

h r

ut t

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.

4/6/20 3:26 PM

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October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

state news

HRT now offered through Tallahassee Planned Parenthood Jeremy Williams

lanned Parenthood’s Tallahassee Health Center is now offering services for transgender individuals in the state’s capitol city and surrounding areas, including hormone replacement therapy (HRT). WTXL 27 reports that Planned Parenthood offers the services both in person and via telehealth so patients who are more high risk for COVID-19 can still get the services needed online. Planned Parenthood of South, East and North Florida (PPSENFL) has 11 health centers in the state including in Tallahassee, Gainesville, Jacksonville and Miami. PPSENFL began offering HRT in two locations in Miami in May 2019 and have been expanding those services into its other health centers. PPSENFL joins 200 Planned Parenthood affiliates already providing hormone therapy including Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida.

EQFL now largest LGBTQ election team, launches ad campaign against anti-gay candidate Jeremy Williams

quality Florida (EQFL) announced Oct. 9 that its staff of 16 makes it the largest state LGBTQ electoral program in the U.S. It is also the largest election team the statewide advocacy group has had in its 23-year history. “We live in the most important political real estate in the country,” said Wes Davis, Equality Florida field director, in a press release. “Pro-equality voters will make the difference on Election Day. We are thrilled to bring together some of the most talented minds in Florida’s LGBTQ movement.” Since launching its election program in June, EQFL has contacted more than 717,000 pro-equality voters in the state, filed more than 700 volunteer shifts and held 30+ virtual events.

EQFL is also making its largest investment ever in a state race to defeat the Republican candidate, a former state representative with an anti-LGBTQ record, running for the state senate seat in Florida’s 9th District. In 2015, former state Rep. Jason Brodeur sponsored a bill that would have allowed adoption agencies that discriminated against gay and lesbian couples to still receive state funds as long as the discrimination was done because of “religious or moral convictions.” Brodeur’s sponsorship of this bill is the subject of a campaign by EQFL’s Action PAC. It announced Oct. 8 that it is spending $125,000 on direct mail and digital ads targeting 130,000 voters in Florida’s Senate District 9 to remind them of Brodeur’s anti-LGBTQ record. “Not only did Jason Brodeur try to bring back Florida’s ban on gay and

lesbian adoptions, now he’s trying to rewrite history,” said Joe Saunders, Senior Political Director for Equality Florida. “Every chance he’s had, he’s sided with radical far-right interests over equality and fairness — even when it meant putting discrimination above the best interests of children in foster care.” The mailer being sent to thousands of voters features an image of Brodeur with the headline “Jason Brodeur tried to bring back Florida’s ban on gay and lesbian adoption.” Two digital ads will also make the rounds online; one featuring a same-sex couple, who are mothers to two boys, and one featuring a state adoption agency professional. Brodeur is running against Democrat Patricia Sigman to replace Republican state Sen. David Simmons who cannot seek re-election due to term limits.

Central Florida Saturday, October 24 & Sunday, October 25 11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

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Orlando Vegans is organizing a food crawl and raf fle throughout the event. For ever y purchase you make from any food vendor, you will receive a raf fle ticket. We encourage you to eat as much as possible—you can win merchandise, gif t cards, and more!

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October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

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nation+world news

Supreme Court questions same-sex marriage Chris Johnson of The Washington Blade, Courtesy of the National LGBT Media Association An unexpected statement from U.S. Associate Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito Oct. 5 signaling their intent to undermine the Obergefell decision is raising questions about whether marriage rights for same-sex couples is in danger. The irregular and completely voluntary statement was made in response to the denial of a petition to review the case of Kim Davis, the former county clerk in Kentucky who gained notoriety in 2015 for refusing to issue marriage licenses based on her religious objections. Thomas, in a statement co-signed by Alito, wrote her request “provides a stark reminder of the consequences of Obergefell.” “By choosing to privilege a novel constitutional right over the religious liberty interests explicitly protected in the First Amendment, and by doing so undemocratically, the Court has created a problem that only it can fix,” Thomas writes.

“Until then, Obergefell will continue to have ‘ruinous consequences for religious liberty.’” Thomas criticizes the Obergefell decision, accusing the majority of impairing religious liberty and belittling the views of objectors who oppose same-sex marriage on religious grounds. “It would be one thing if recognition for same-sex marriage had been debated and adopted through the democratic process, with the people deciding not to provide statutory protections for religious liberty under state law,” Thomas said. “But it is quite another when the Court forces that choice upon society through its creation of atextual constitutional rights and its ungenerous interpretation of the Free Exercise Clause, leaving those with religious objections in the lurch.” The willingness of two justices to signal they would seek to overturn precedent for marriage equality five years after it had been established shocked observers who thought the issue had been resolved. Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David said the statement “proves yet again that a segment of the Court views LGBTQ rights as ‘ruinous’ and

remains dead set against protecting and preserving the rights of LGBTQ peoples.” “From eliminating hospital visitation rights and medical decision-making in religiously affiliated medical centers to granting businesses a license to discriminate against LGBTQ couples, ‘skim-milk marriage’ would have a devastating effect on our community’s ability to live freely and openly,” David added, quoting a now famous quip from the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg in 2013. Although the statement was signed by only two justices and a majority of five is needed to overturn marriage equality on the nine-member court, it raises questions about the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett, picked by Trump to replace Ginsburg. If confirmed, Barrett, who’s known for having a conservative judicial philosophy, would take the place of a justice who was solid in support of same-sex marriage, skewing the balance of the court further to the right. In the aftermath of Ginsburg’s death, legal observers have said the legality of religious-based refusals to LGBTQ people is the most vulnerable aspect of LGBTQ rights on the high court.

annual Creating Change conference that took place in Dallas and TransGriot received the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Blog in 2018. NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists on Sept. 28 announced Roberts had been named to its national board of directors. “The passing of Monica Roberts is a tremendous loss,” said Ina Fried, the organization’s former vice president of print, in a statement. “Monica has been a tireless voice for the trans community, in particular the Black trans community. Countless stories, otherwise untold, were heard because of her strong, unwavering voice.” The Harris County Democratic Party in Texas is among the other groups that have honored Roberts for her activism. “This week, the LGBTQ+ community lost one of our fiercest voices in Monica Roberts,

an activist who not only lifted up the stories of trans people and inspired generations of countless transgender and non-binary people but all those who knew her,” said Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey in a statement. “She was a mother, sister, aunt, friend, protector and voice for the voiceless.” Equality Texas and the Victory Fund of which former Houston Mayor Annise Parker is president and CEO are among the other LGBTQ advocacy groups that mourned Roberts’ death. “Monica Roberts was a dear friend, trailblazer and a tireless advocate for trans rights,” tweeted U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), who represents Houston. “Although she was known nationally, she never failed to lend her platform to support those in need,” added the Houston Democrat. “She was our shero.”

trailblazing activist Monica Roberts dies at 58 Michael K. Lavers of The Washington Blade, Courtesy of the National LGBT Media Association

Monica Roberts, a trailblazing transgender activist and journalist, has died at the age of 58. Roberts’ friend, Dee Dee Waters confirmed Oct. 9 that Roberts passed away Oct. 5. Roberts was the founding editor of TransGriot, a blog that highlighted trans-specific issues. Roberts was also an outspoken activist who, among other things, sharply criticized the Trump administration’s transphobic policies and condemned violence against trans women of color. The National LGBTQ Task Force in January honored Roberts at its

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in other news 1st gay man nominated to Ca. Supreme Court California Gov. Gavin Newsom nominated Martin Jenkins to the state’s Supreme Court Oct. 5, who if confirmed would be the court’s first gay member and the third Black person to serve on it. Jenkins said that “I want these young people to know that living a life of authenticity is the greatest gift you can give yourself. And if you do that, you will find yourself in a position where people see you.” Newsom added that Jenkins “knows that despite what the declaration says, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are not simply inalienable. They must be relentlessly protected.”

Belgium names trans deputy PM A lawmaker in Belgium became Europe’s highest-ranking transgender politician Oct. 1. Prime Minister Alexander De Croo named Petra De Sutter as one of his government’s deputy prime ministers. De Croo and De Sutter are both from Belgium’s Dutch-speaking region. De Sutter is also a former member of the European Parliament. “I am proud that in Belgium and in most of Europe your gender identity does not define you as a person and is a non-issue,” tweeted De Sutter Oct. 4. “I hope that my appointment as minister and deputy prime minister can trigger the debate in countries where this is not yet the case.”

Polish ambassadors appeal for LGBTQ community Polish leaders rejected suggestions Sept. 28 that LGBTQ people are deprived of any of their rights in the country, after an open letter from 50 ambassadors and representatives cited a need to work for non-discrimination. “Human rights are universal and everyone, including LGBTI persons, are entitled to their full enjoyment,” the letter said. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said he agreed that every person deserves respect but that he completely disagreed with the ambassadors’ claim that LGBTQ people were being deprived of that. President Andrzej Duda won a second term this summer after calling LGBTQ rights an “ideology” more dangerous than communism.

Human Rights group condemns Egyptian police The Human Rights Watch (HRW) accused Egyptian police of arbitrarily arresting and torturing members of the LGBTQ community Oct. 1, urging authorities to end prosecutions for adult, consensual sexual relations. The group asserted that police routinely arrest people based on their gender expression and unlawfully search their phones or entrap them through social media. Detainees face torture and sexual violence, including repeated beatings, water-hosing and forced anal and vaginal examinations. “Egyptian authorities seem to be competing for the worst record on rights violations against LGBTQ people in the region, while the international silence is appalling,” said Rasha Younes, HRW LGBT rights researcher.

October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

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October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

viewpoint

Chevalier Lovett

Organized voices VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!!!!

hen I think about

the beginnings of my civic duties, I think back to the first time I filled out a ballot which happened to be in a presidential election. Proudly, humbly and confidently without question, I voted for Barack Obama in 2008. This also was the year I privately came “out” to close family and friends as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

This was one of the most fearful years of my life because I would not only sit in and face my story of true self, but I would also start the beginning of a new chapter of what that particular story would unfold into. A chapter with many crucial themes, particularly around being a marginalized community member and how I use my voice in the civic engagement process. And it just so happens, that under that presidency, same-sex marriage became legal. I understood then the power that my vote carried. Even more now as we prepare for the Nov. 3 election, I want my voice to be heard through that same power — my ballot, my vote, my voice, for me and my community. I grew up in the Winter Park area in a poor, single-parent household. When folks hear and think about Winter Park, poor or low income doesn’t necessarily come to mind; however, it very much existed and still exists. Starting around the age of 11, I lived in a Habitat for Humanity home with my mom and my older sister, where I poured hours of sweat equity into building a home I spent more than a decade in. A home I hammered in maybe half of the nails into building my own room! As a member of many marginalized groups, particularly as a member of the Black community, I know how important my civic engagement is, not just for me, but for everyone looking for a quality way of life. We want to live just simply being who we

are authentically. When our democracy is being threatened this also threatens our personal being. I intentionally entered into this work as an activist due to the Pulse tragedy in 2016, where I lost five friends and 44 other angels. I saw the need for accountability through engagement. I saw the need for standing alongside communities that have a similar story to mine. I also saw a need for truly digging deep and trying to figure out a way to end these types of injustices that have plagued marginalized communities within our country, particularly those within Black and/or LGBTQ+ spaces. I realized this could be done through my right to vote for public officials who work FOR me; not against me. Who acknowledge my existence as valuable and not deplorable. It was a moment for me to set up the world as best as possible for those that follow, really thinking about the future of my young nephew and niece. Trump and his current administration of hate want to strip the LGBTQ+ community of human rights and make it legal to discriminate against who we are and whom we love. The Trump administration has taken several steps to deny folks their rights: Trump issued a ban on those within the transgender community serving in the military. He opposes the Equality Act — approved overwhelmingly by the U.S. House — because he wants to enshrine into law the right for those with extreme bigoted beliefs to discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community in housing, jobs, health care and public accommodations. As president, Trump also had the power to appoint two judges to the U.S. Supreme Court and now is once again plowing through a third appointment. All three with consistent records of not supporting the rights of those that come from marginalized communities. The expectation of this

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administration is for these judges to continue to chip away at rights we have already won, including same-sex marriages. Something I fully intend to one day have the pleasure of sitting in with my significant other of 11 years, as our blended family surrounds us.

a future of equity, decency, respect, love and human rights. Our vote truly is OUR voice. However, we also can do more. Organize, mobilize and bring family and friends. Join the effort to phone bank, text and deliver literature bags with no-knock canvassing

Our collective power is how we maneuver through our voice. Voting is a lot like marching in Pride or marching for Black Lives. It raises the voices of concern and demands change. We are a catalyst to that change. Join this crucial and cultural revolution of how

The 2020 election is a call to action. Truly. As we have all learned in school, every action has a reaction, and are you willing to witness the continued negative consequences of actions we have cycled through since hate became the face of the nation in 2016? We must vote for candidates who support our cause. We must secure

because, let’s be real, we’re all living and attempting to survive in the middle of a pandemic, so safe social distancing practices is a thing. We must support candidates from top to bottom on the ballot. Winning the presidency is vital, however it’s also deeply crucial that we engage and know about local and statewide folks in office.

we can ensure that the communities that have endured so much to give even more, have an equitable seat at the table. VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!!!!

Voting is a lot like marching in Pride or marching for Black Lives. It raises the voices of concern and demands change. We are a catalyst to that change.

October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

Chevalier Lovett serves as the Sr. Vice President & Managing Director of Organize Florida and was awarded 2020’s Most Influential by Winter Park Magazine.

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October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

viewpoint

Rev. Jakob Hero-Shaw

QUEERLY BELOVED What We Are Learning

he biggest lesson of

2020 so far is not about virology. It is not about the efficacy of masks or even about finding the mute button in Zoom. The biggest lesson of these past many months is about privilege.

Many Americans have had the opportunity to learn more about access to health care, distribution of finances and the limitations of justice in these months than they’ve had in the past few years. I realize I will have lost some folks at the word “privilege,” but as we are facing the reality that many of us might have our marriages overturned in the coming year, I think we are acutely aware of where our privilege runs out. These past few months have been a brutal onslaught of new and difficult information. We have experienced an ongoing stream of new expectations and adjustments in an ever-shifting reality. For many of us, this time has been wrought with unimaginable loss and grief. Changes of schedules and shifts in how we do our jobs, go to school and even buy food have been stressful. For the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs, this situation is nothing short of catastrophic. The weight of what we have endured is crushing us. Like many people, I have watched people I love get sick. This highly contagious virus has impacted all forms of health care, even for those who do not have COVID-19. In the worst cases, I had to wait at home for calls about deaths, when I normally would have been at the bedside.

But the cost of COVID-19 is not only measured in sickness and death. Look at what we have given up, what we have sacrificed and what we have lost. Weddings canceled, graduations missed, funerals postponed, social events avoided, many of the things that make us feel whole and normal have been stripped away. My intention in naming this is not to stir up more grief and sadness, but rather to point out what we have been carrying. If you are exhausted, there is a reason for it. Do not dismiss the burden you bear. Being aware of any privileges you carry does not mean that your own suffering is insignificant. For example, my husband and I have deeply grieved that our twins missed the rites of passage of their senior year of high school and this pain is not lessened by the knowledge that others have lost much more. Many of us find ourselves simply carrying too much. As all of us think about the weight we are shouldering, we become even more weary from the reality that it might be a very long time before we can set it down. This is why it is very hard for me to hear the president of this country say that COVID-19 is not a very big deal. It highlights that in this nation, we are not all in the same struggle. A person claims to have mild symptoms and yet was airlifted to one of the top-ranked hospitals in the world, given access to cutting edge medications and monitored by teams of professionals. Meanwhile, people that you and I know and love are being sent home and told to take Advil and try not to die. The problem is not that the president receives excellent health care. The problem is that because his needs are covered, we can act as though ours will be too. But we will not have the

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same access and we cannot afford to be nonchalant or reckless. Over 200,000 people in our nation have died and many more lives are going to be lost in the coming weeks and months. We know that the lives lost are disproportionately the lives of people of color

get defensive and hear the word as a criticism. Privilege in and of itself is not bad. Privilege becomes dangerous when we are unaware of it. We have been given an opportunity to learn in these past few months. The greatest lesson in this time

We are struggling and our struggles are not identical. In this heated and painful time, as politics are challenging our beliefs and dividing our families, we only have one option. We must vote, like our lives depend on it. As different as we all are, as individuals in a

and this reality will be ignored by those who are vehemently shouting “all lives matter.” I hope that in the profound anger and grief that so many of us are feeling, we can analyze and learn something about privilege and access. I know that many people get very uncomfortable when we use the word “privilege.” People who have privileges of various types

– for many of us – is just the fact that we have a lot to learn. As the chaos rages on, we have begun to see that while we are all in the same storm, we really aren’t all in the same boat. The stress of this time could push any of us to the breaking point, but add in an election and for many of us, it is just too much. In our community, we are well aware that politics are personal.

community, our livelihoods, our health, our marriages and our very survival will be determined by the outcomes of November 3rd.

Being aware of any privileges you carry does not mean that your own suffering is insignificant.

Rev. Jakob Hero-Shaw is the Senior Pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Tampa. Learn more at MCCTampa.com. In this column, he is sharing his opinion as a private individual and not speaking as MCC’s pastor.

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October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

talking points

57%

So much for precedent and judicial restraint. Two justices now openly call for an end to marriage equality – knowing reinforcements are on the way. The stakes could not be higher. -Pete Buttigieg tweeting Oct. 5 about U.S. Associate Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito’s statement opposing the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision

LGBTQ voters

polled

have a favorable opinion of

Gay men take over #ProudBoys on Twitter

hashtag used by the far-right fascist group, Proud Boys was hijacked by gay men to the delight of thousands of people on social media. The male-only organization, which is affiliated with white supremacists, gained notoriety Sept. 29 after Donald Trump refused to condemn them in the first presidential debate. Gay men around the world took over the hashtag #ProudBoys to make it trend for different reasons. “What if gay guys took pictures of themselves making out with each other or doing very gay things, then tagged themselves with #ProudBoys. I bet it would mess them up real bad,” wrote actor and LGBTQ activist George Takei on Twitter Oct. 1. Thousands of tweets, photos and videos followed and were shared showing LGBTQ couples and individuals reclaiming the phrase “Proud Boys.” Check out WatermarkOnline.com for a collection of some of the best tweets.

Joe Biden and 16% have a favorable opinion of

Donald Trump.

50% have a

favorable opinion of Kamala Harris and

13% have a

favorable opinion of Mike Pence. -GLAAD’s “State of LGBTQ Voters” Poll

Shepard Smith returns to cable news

early a year after abruptly quitting Fox News with a declaration that “truth will always matter,” Shepard Smith returned to television with a nightly newscast, “The News with Shepard Smith,” Sept. 30 on the financial network CNBC. Smith left Fox two weeks after an incident with Tucker Carlson, who brought on a guest who said Fox’s Andrew Napolitano was a “fool” for analysis offered on Smith’s show. Smith said on the air that Carlson’s attack was repugnant. “The News” debut night drew 373,000 viewers, nowhere near the numbers he had at Fox News but two and a half times higher than CNBC’s numbers during the same time last year. “The News with Shepard Smith” airs nightly at 7 p.m. on CNBC.

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‘Hocus Pocus’ reunion set for gala

‘Matrix’ sequel gets new release date

ette Midler’s annual Hulaween costume gala, benefiting the New York Restoration Project (NYRP), will feature a reunion of the Sanderson Sisters from Disney’s “Hocus Pocus.” Midler will be joined by costars Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy for this year’s virtual event. Titled “In Search of the Sanderson Sisters: A Hocus Pocus Hulaween Takeover,” the event will have the three actresses paying tribute to their iconic characters throughout the night. You can reserve your spot for the one-hour event – streaming Oct. 30 – for just $10 at NYRP.org. In celebration of the Sanderson Sisters’ return, exclusive merchandise can be pre-ordered on the NYRP’s website including T-shirts, candles, wine and more. All proceeds benefit the NYRP.

The pandemic has caused Warner Bros. to shift its schedule yet again but unlike the rest of its films, the studio is moving up its “Matrix” sequel from April 1, 2022 to Dec. 22, 2021. The untitled sequel is being directed by transgender filmmaker, and one of the original directors of the “Matrix” trilogy, Lana Wachowski, and will star series originals Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss along with two new additions to the cast, openly gay actors Jonathan Groff and Neil Patrick Harris. The film will also star Jada Pinkett Smith, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jessica Henwick and Priyanka Chopra. In the same announcement, Warner Bros. moved its “Dune” remake from Christmas 2020 to Oct. 1, 2021 and “The Batman” was pushed back to 2022.

October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

VOTE EARLY OCT 19 - NOV 1 • AVOID THE LINES • VOTE NOW

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The election is already under way. We are not exaggerating when we say this is the most critical election in our nation’s history. At every level of government, we are witnessing the dismantling of our community’s rights alongside the rights of our fellow Americans from voting to discrimination to healthcare. This is our chance to choose a path toward equal justice, opportunity, and safety for all Americans. Your vote is your right and the Orange County Democrats encourage you to use it across the entire ballot. Wes Hodge Chair, Orange County Democratic Party 22

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

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Early, by mail or in person, use your voice by Nov. 3

Ryan Williams-Jent and Jeremy Williams

n May 6, 2012, the nation’s sitting vice president made

history. After advocating for LGBTQ equality in Congress for decades and for nearly four years beside former President Barack Obama in the White House, Joe Biden became the highest-ranking U.S. official to publicly support same-sex marriage. He did so during an unscripted television interview more than three years before marriage equality would become the law of the land, a right determined by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015. It was just six months before the Obama-Biden administration would win its second term, when only six states and Washington, D.C. legally recognized that love is love. “I am absolutely comfortable with the fact that men marrying men, women marrying women and heterosexual men and women marrying one another are entitled to the same exact rights,” Biden asserted. “All the civil rights, all the civil liberties.” Biden for President National Press Secretary Jamal Brown discussed the former vice president’s words with Watermark ahead of Florida’s March 17 presidential primary, which Biden would overwhelmingly win,

reiterating his longtime commitment to equality. “For Joe, this wasn’t playing politics,” he said. “In fact, many said it was bad politics in an election year,” Brown continued. “This was about respect, dignity and standing up for what is right. Joe, throughout his career in public service, has made it his mission to lead with empathy, which is desperately needed to stand up to a bully like Donald Trump and reunify our country.” It’s a country in which marriage equality’s legal precedent was questioned this month by a conservative-leaning Supreme Court, reshaped by Donald Trump’s Electoral College victory in the 2016 presidential election. Biden’s commitment to the LGBTQ community remains steadfast, however, which led the nation’s largest LGBTQ civil rights organization to endorse him for president May 6 – exactly eight years after his endorsement of same-sex marriage.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

“Vice President Joe Biden is the leader our community and our country need at this moment,” Human Rights Campaign (HRC) President Alphonso David said. “His dedication to advancing LGBTQ equality, even when it was unpopular to do so, has pushed our country and our movement forward. “This November, the stakes could not be higher,” he continued. “Far too many LGBTQ people, and particularly those who are most vulnerable, face discrimination, intimidation and violence simply because of who they are and who they love … Joe Biden will be a president who stands up for all of us.” Biden’s plan to advance LGBTQ equality in America and abroad extensively details how he plans to do so. He’s promised to protect the LGBTQ community from discrimination by supporting youth; work to end the epidemic of violence against the transgender community, particularly transgender women of color; expand access to high-quality health care; ensure fair treatment in criminal justice and advance LGBTQ rights across the globe. The campaign has also committed to specifics, calling the Equality Act a top legislative priority in a would-be President Biden’s first 100 days. Once signed into law, it would amend federal protections to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity

October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

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YOUR COWORKING COMMUNITY

LGBTQ+ OWNED AND OPERATED

433 CENTRAL AVE | 4TH FLOOR ST. PETERSBURG, FL INFO@RISINGTIDECOWORK.COM 24

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

| uu | Vote

from pg.23

in employment, housing, public accommodations, public education and more. The measure is similar to the Florida Competitive Workforce Act (FCWA), which has sought to do so statewide since 2009. While it has received widespread bipartisan support, the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature has failed to enact it. The Equality Act passed in the Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives May 20, but has not been advanced by the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate. The Trump administration opposes it. Should he win the presidency, Biden has also confirmed that he will reverse a number of specifically anti-transgender Trump policies on his first day in office. He’s committed to reinstate federal guidance directing the Department of Education to assert transgender students require access to facilities that align with their gender identity. He’s also pledged to direct the Department of Defense to allow transgender service members to openly serve in the military, ending a discriminatory policy Trump enacted via Twitter in 2017. For those reasons and more, the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) Action Fund made its first presidential endorsement this year: for Biden. The fund is affiliated with the NCTE, the nation’s leading transgender advocacy organization. “Joe Biden is the advocate and president we need at this consequential moment,” NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling said May 5. “He has the temperament, the experience and wisdom to lead our country. “Throughout his career in public service, work as a private citizen through the Biden Foundation and now his campaign to lead our nation, Biden has demonstrated his commitment to transgender people and the LGBTQ community,” she continued. “Biden has a strong agenda for addressing the issues that face transgender Americans, a record of getting big ideas done during his time as vice president in the Obama-Biden administration and a history of ensuring that transgender people are protected.” Keisling also pointed to Biden’s frequent remarks that “transgender equality is the civil rights issue of our time,” made as early as

2012 during an exchange with an Obama-Biden supporter in Sarasota. “With Joe Biden, we know we will be engaged, we will be seen and we will not be erased,” she said. A number of high-profile endorsements from other national LGBTQ-focused organizations followed, including the leading association of LGBTQ small business owners. The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce shared Aug. 31 that “we need to elect a president with a commitment to

in 23 years. The organization has traditionally been focused on measures like the FCWA and advocated for equality-focused candidates who support it in local and state government. “Our endorsement of a Biden-Harris ticket is a testament to the grave stakes of this election,” Equality Florida Executive Director Nadine Smith said Sept. 22. “The Trump-Pence Administration has been catastrophic for LGBTQ Americans, an onslaught of the

Congress or Florida Legislature in next month’s general election. If elected or re-elected, the victors will likely vote to enact either the Equality Act or FCWA. We asked Democrats, Republicans and more five questions focused on LGBTQ equality: one open-ended and four yes (Y) or no (N), to help voters make an informed decision. Each candidate’s responses, or lack thereof after multiple attempts indicated with an asterisks (*), can

The country cannot withstand another four years of hate, bigotry and an assault on the rights of all Americans to live authentically without fear of violence. In November, pro-equality voters in Florida will chart the path forward from this nightmare. - Equality Florida Executive Director Nadine Smith LGBTQ equality, ending racism and racial violence, promoting small businesses and entrepreneurship and ensuring a safe and equitable society for every American.” The National LGBT Media Association, which represents 12 of the nation’s oldest LGBTQ publications including Watermark, added their endorsement this month. Calling on readers to remain engaged, they noted that “this election will be decided in a small number of states, [where] LGBTQ activists and our progressive allies are on the ground working to elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.” That’s particularly true in Florida, which awards 29 of the 270 Electoral College votes required to win the presidency. The state has voted Democratic in 25 presidential elections and Republican in 16, aligning with the nationwide victor 31 times. That includes four years ago, when Trump received 48.60% of Florida’s vote to former Sec. of State Hillary Clinton’s 47.41%. Margins like these are a part of what led Equality Florida, the state’s largest political advocacy group dedicated to securing full equality for LGBTQ Floridians, to make its first federal endorsement

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

brand of bigotry that Pence has become synonymous with. “Giving them another four years in the Oval Office would put the most marginalized among us in danger and decimate the progress we’ve earned,” she continued. “The time is now to mobilize our community, turn out in record numbers and elect a president who will shepherd the fight for full equality instead of wage war on it. The time is now to elect Joe Biden and we are ready to deliver him a win in Florida.” The endorsement followed the organization’s largest voter mobilization program to date, which continues to focus on contacting pro-equality voters in races up and down the ballot. Launched in June, it targets 500,000 Floridians in danger of not casting their ballot this year. “In a state whose election outcomes live on a razor’s edge,” the organization explains, “LGBTQ voters in Florida and their allies will determine the results on election night – and the country’s course for generations to come.” That’s why Watermark contacted more than 100 candidates who are vying for positions in the U.S.

be found on pages 29-31. Biden for President directly responded to 10 similar questions from Watermark earlier this year. In addition to reconfirming that as president he would restore federal protections for transgender students, rescind the transgender military ban and fight to pass the Equality Act, the campaign confirmed that Biden supports LGBTQ-inclusive public education and a nationwide ban on conversion therapy. They also noted that he will seek members of the LGBTQ community for key roles within his administration and that he believes blood donation eligibility should not be determined by someone’s sexual orientation. Neither Trump’s re-election campaign nor the Log Cabin Republicans responded to Watermark’s multiple requests for comment. The latter group bills itself as the nation’s largest Republican organization dedicated to representing LGBTQ conservatives and endorsed his 2020 race earlier this year. Whomever equality-focused voters in Central Florida and Tampa Bay cast their ballots for

October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

on or before Nov. 3, they’ll have multiple ways to do so. Early, in-person voting runs daily Oct. 19-Nov. 1, with hours and locations varying per county. A valid photo ID that includes your signature is required to vote, most commonly a Florida-issued driver’s license. Gender discrepancies on these forms of identification are not a valid reason to deny someone from voting, advocates note, as federal law does not require that a voter’s gender identity or gender presentation match the name, photo or gender marker on their ID. Vote-by-mail ballots can also be requested in person, by mail or online from each county’s local Supervisor of Elections until Oct. 24 at 5 p.m. Officials must receive the ballots no later than 7 p.m. on Nov. 3 to be counted, either by mail or in local drop boxes at each county’s local Supervisor of Elections branch and/or early voting locations, as determined by local officials. Voters who requested to vote by mail but ultimately decide to vote in person may also do so by bringing their ballot to the polls where it can be canceled. For those who wish to vote in person Nov. 3, polls will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. and any voter who is in line at 7 p.m. will be able to cast their ballot. It is illegal for anyone to try to stop someone from voting, which should be reported to Election Protection at 866-687-8683. However you vote, equality-focused organizations throughout the nation and state agree that doing so is imperative. “The choice could not be clearer or the election more consequential,” Equality Florida’s Smith summarized. “The country cannot withstand another four years of hate, bigotry and an assault on the rights of all Americans to live authentically without fear of violence,” she added. “In November, pro-equality voters in Florida will chart the path forward from this nightmare.” For details about your polling location or to request your mail-in ballot, contact your local Supervisor of Elections. Find yours at DOS.Elections.MyFlorida.com/Supervisors or by calling 850-245-6200.

For more information about Equality Florida and to view its 2020 voter guide with endorsements for local candidates, information about Florida’s amendments and more, visit EQFL.org/2020ElectionsCenter. Read Joe Biden’s full commitment to LGBTQ equality at JoeBiden.com/LGBTQ.

Continued on pg. 27 | uu |

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watermark Your LGBTQ life.

October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

2020 U.S. Rep. LGBTQ Voters’ Guide

Why should LGBTQ and ally voters support your candidacy?

Do you support the Florida Competitive Do you support statewide legislation Workforce Act, banning discrimination based banning “conversion therapy,” which on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, purports to change a child’s sexual employment and public accommodations? orientation or gender identity?

PARTY

POSITION

CANDIDATE

6th Congressional District

Clinton Curtis

6th Congressional District

Michael Waltz

Do you oppose legislation Do you support requiring school districts restricting access to to include specific protections against restrooms and other sex-segregated bullying and harassment on the basis of sexual facilities for transgender Floridians? orientation and gender identity or expression?

NO RESPONSE

I decided to run for Congress after the Pulse shooting, frustrated by inaction on gun violence and concerned by the hateful rhetoric from Donald Trump in 2016. Four months later, I defeated a 24-year Republican incumbent to become the first woman ever elected to represent Florida's Seventh Congressional District. Since coming to Congress in 2017, I successfully repealed the Dickey Amendment and secured millions for federal gun violence research for the first time in 25 years. I also helped introduce the Equality Act and an assault weapons ban, and I will continue working to pass commonsense gun safety laws and strengthening LGBTQ+ rights.

7th Congressional District

Stephanie Murphy

7th Congressional District

Leo Valentin

NO RESPONSE

I believe the United States stands together for the rights and freedom of all and stands to protect those that are fearful of being themselves. There are no conditions to liberty and justice for all. Freedom is not reserved for a select few. And rights are not subject to who you want to be, who you want to love and how you want to express yourself. As your congressional representative, I will fight to protect the rights of all Americans unconditionally. It is your right to serve our nation in the military, whoever you are. It is your right to be a protected class without judgement. It is your right to live and work wherever you like. It is your right to marry who you love. And it is your right to live as you are and not be therapeutically converted into someone you are not. I believe Congress must stand against any attacks on any American. When I am representing Florida’s 8th Congressional district in the Capitol, the country will know that the Space Coast stands strong for the rights of all our fellow Americans, and that we are always Better Together.

NO RESPONSE

I have been a longtime advocate of equality for all Americans including our LGBTQ community. I have helped lead on various issues including equality in employment, housing, parental rights and marriage on the local, state and now national level.

8th Congressional District

Jim Kennedy

8th Congressional District

Bill Posey

9th Congressional District

Darren Soto

9th Congressional District

Bill Olson

NO RESPONSE

10th Congressional District

Val Demings

NO RESPONSE

10th Congressional District

Vennia Francois

NO RESPONSE

Freedom and equality are the basis of our national government, and I have a personal vested interest in equality for all, especially the LGBTQ+ community. My sister is a member of the community and she has two daughters, my nieces. I am committed to ensuring that they are free from discrimination practices in all forms and that their individuality is protected under the law. I have been endorsed by the Florida LGTBQ+ Democratic Caucus in support of their platform, and I ask that you check the voting record of my opponent, Daniel Webster, on LGBTQ+ rights. Webster has a 0% voting record in support of LGBTQ+ rights, and the Human Rights Campaign ranks him at 0%

I strongly support, and actively fight in Congress, for the rights of the LGBTQ community. As a proud member of the Congressional LGBTQ Equality Caucus, I have cosponsored countless bills to fight discrimination and provide equal rights for all Americans, and I am proud that passing the Equality Act will be an urgent priority should Democrats hold the House of Representatives. When the Trump Administration announced plans to establish a Conscience and Religious Freedom Division at the Department of Health and Human Services, I immediately sent a letter to Secretary Azar urging him to provide specific clarification that the office would not be used to justify medical discrimination against women, members of the LGBT community, and persons living with HIV/AIDS – all of whom have faced well documented discrimination and abuse from medical providers in the past. Two of my can’t-miss community events each year are the St. Pete Pride parade and Equality Florida Gala. If re-elected to Congress, I will continue working with our robust LGBTQ community to keep moving equality forward.

NO RESPONSE

11th Congressional District

Dana Cottrell

11th Congressional District

Daniel Webster

13th Congressional District

Charlie Crist

13th Congressional District

Anna Paulina Luna

NO RESPONSE

Since my service on the Hillsborough County Commission and throughout my service in Congress, I have stood up for equal rights for all and against

14th Congressional District

Kathy Castor

discrimination. I will continue to lead my colleagues towards achieving real and lasting change for Tampa Bay and communities across America. I believe that no one should be discriminated against – period – and especially based upon who they love. I will continue to fight in Congress for equal rights that all Americans deserve and the protections they need to help our nation and community grow.

14th Congressional District

Christine Y. Quinn

I believe in freedom of expression and choice. No one should be judged or discriminated based on their sexual orientation, gender, or race. I am a huge advocate for preserving individual liberties and freedoms, which is why I chose to run for Congress. As your elected Congresswoman, you can count on me to uphold the Constitution to protect your rights.

LGBTQ rights are civil rights and I will do everything in my power as an elected official to help expand them, while aggressively fighting against any attempts to undo current protections. I will use my platform to speak out and my power as a legislator to craft policy that accomplishes these goals. As an investigative journalist, I’ve taken on the bigoted views of prominent individuals who supported abhorrent policies like conversion therapy, transgender bathroom bans. During the 80s and 90s I reported widely on the AIDS epidemic, elevating the stories of those affected by the disease and challenging the homophobia that went along with it. Throughout my career, I’ve used my reporting as a tool to expose LGBTQ+ discrimination and in Congress I’ll fight every day for LGBTQ equality.

15th Congressional District

Alan Cohn

15th Congressional District

Scott Franklin

NO RESPONSE

16th Congressional District

Margaret Good

Everyone should be treated equally under the law. In the Florida legislature, I co-sponsored legislation to end discrimination against LGBTQ people and to ban conversion therapy, and I will support the Equality Act in Congress. I have been endorsed by HRC, Equality Florida, the Florida LGBTQ Democratic Caucus and received the 2019 Icon Award from SarasotaOUT.com.

16th Congressional District

Vern Buchanan

NO RESPONSE

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

2020 Central Florida State Legislature LGBTQ Voters’ Guide

Why should LGBTQ and ally voters support your candidacy?

PARTY

POSITION

CANDIDATE

State Senator District 7

Heather Hunter

State Senator District 7

I am a bisexual woman and when I win my election I will add to the diversity of our state legislature. However, representation without policy is meaningless. Fellow LGBTQ people and allies should support my candidacy because I will fight for them. On top of my answers below, I will fight to make sure all LGBTQ people and all people of Florida have healthcare, homes, a living wage, and a clean environment to live in.

Travis J. Hutson

NO RESPONSE

State Senator District 9

Patricia Sigman

A labor and employment lawyer for over 25 years, I’ve fought to make sure working people are not mistreated or discriminated against for their gender identity or sexual orientation. My commitment to fighting for the LGBTQ+ community has earned me the support of Equality Florida, the largest LGBTQ+ rights organization in Florida.

State Senator District 9

Jason Brodeur

NO RESPONSE

State Senator District 11

Randolph Bracy

NO RESPONSE

State Senator District 11

Joshua Eli Adams

NO RESPONSE

State Senator District 13

Linda Stewart

NO RESPONSE

The LGBTQ+ community needs leaders that are not afraid to stand up for what is right no matter what. I will work with allies across party lines to fight for guaranteed human rights. I will utilize a combination of legislative actions and lobbying business to achieve equal protection for the LGBTQ+ community.

State Senator District 13

Josh Anderson

State Senator District 15

Victor M. Torres Jr

I consider myself an ally of the LGBTQ community and as such, I have either sponsored or co-sponsored legislation for the LGBTQ community e.g. I sponsored the bill to repeal DOMA in Florida and voted for several bills that would expand the rights of the LGBTQ community under Florida law. I believe my legislative record demonstrates consistent support for the LGBTQ community's goals and objectives.

State Senator District 15

Louis T. Minnis Jr

NO RESPONSE

NPA

State Senator District 15

Mike James

I believe you can't be judging someone if you don't even know who they are as a person. Everyone has a right to feel safe. I would just ask the community to tell me how I can help you. (Said Y to Q4 but questions how it would be enforced.)

State Representative District 24

Adam Morley

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 24

Paul Renner

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 25

Sarah Zutter

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 25

Tom Leek

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 25

Joseph "Joe" Hannoush

I believe in equal rights for every individual (the smallest minority) under the law!

State Representative District 26

Patrick Henry

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 26

Elizabeth Fetterhoff

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 27

Dolores Guzman

The LGBTQ community and its allies should support my candidacy because I am a fighter for all people. What you look like or who you love does not stop me for wanting the best for you and your family. I have fought for people in my community to have access to quality affordable healthcare no matter who they are. As a Puerto Rican woman I understand the pain of discrimination and think it should have no place in the future of our state or country.

State Representative District 27

Webster Barnaby

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 28

Pasha Baker

There are two important reasons to support my candidacy: the critical importance of protecting people's lives in Florida-- especially in times of change-- and the fierceness with which I defend people's access to opportunities and happiness. We need more sensible voices in the Capitol, not more dangerous abuse and division. I reject political and societal frameworks that place the blame for abuse on members of the LGBTQ community. I will be a reliable ally in the Florida House.

State Representative District 28

David Smith

NO RESPONSE

NPA

State Representative District 28

Michael A. Riccio

I am not a judgmental person and do not place value on a person’s beliefs or their stance but rather on their abilities. I have 20 years of government service and always have valued a team member for their function rather than their relationships. (Q4 is hard to answer as it is a question of privacy.)

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

PARTY

POSITION

CANDIDATE

State House District 29

Tracey Kagan

State Representative District 29

Scott Plakon

State Representative District 30

I'm fighting for equality for everyone, especially the rights for the LGBTQ+ community. I'm proud to be endorsed by the Rainbow Democrays and the LGBTQ Democratic Caucus because our work and activism, as well as the values of our campaign, speaks volumes. I want people to love and express themselves how they best see fit, and that includes LGBTQ rights in the workplace, housing and healthcare.

NO RESPONSE

Juan Rodriguez

I believe LGBTQ Rights are human rights, hence I'm a supporter of treating everyone equally regardless their gender identification.

State Representative District 30

Joy Goff-Marcil

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 30

Bob Cortes

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 31

Crissy Stile

I am an independent bookstore owner, and two years ago was elected to the City Council, in Mount Dora. I felt compelled to run for this seat because District 31 has been underrepresented in the past. Our elected officials don't make themselves part of the community or reach out to see how they can help. I've made myself completely available to the residents of Mount Dora and I'll do the same as a State Representative, fighting to improve quality of life. I have always been an advocate for our community and will continue to fight for LGBTQ rights and equality in Tallahassee. I am proud to be endorsed by the Rainbow Democrats. My partner and I have been together for 14+ years and we have 3 rescue pups.

State Representative District 31

Keith Truenow

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 32

Stephanie L. Dukes

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 32

Anthony Sabatini

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 33

Mamie "Dee" Melvin

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 33

Brett T. Hage

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 44

Geraldine F. Thompson

Voters should support my candidacy for Florida House District 44 because I have a long history of fighting discrimination in America. I oppose discrimination based on sexual orientation and believe, just as was ruled in Loving vs. Virginia, that it is unconstitutional to bar marrying who you love. I have stood firm with the LGBTQ community and will continue to do so.

State Representative District 44

Bruno Portigliatti

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 47

Anna V. Eskamani

I consider myself to not just be an ally to the LGBTQ community – I am an accomplice to the LGTBQ community. That means that I am by your side through thick and thin, through victories and loss. My commitment to inclusivity is unmatched, and I have been fighting or equality alongside LGBTQ friends and coalition partners for more than 10 years.

State Representative District 47

Jeremy Sisson

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 48

Daisy Morales

I am an advocate for the LGBTQ community, I believe everyone should be treated with dignity and respect no matter their ethnicity, their religious belief or who they choose to love. I am open to listen to the issues and concerns to learn more about the laws and how they affect your community.

State Representative District 48

Jesus Martinez

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 49

Carlos Guillermo Smith

As an openly LGBTQ person, I understand why LGBTQ representation matters. That's why I have been a vocal champion in fighting for fair and equal treatment of all individuals under the law, including LGBTQ Floridians. I also understand that Florida's LGBTQ community cannot enjoy full equality while people are still struggling under hateful forces of systemic racism, white supremacy and HIV stigma and that it is our responsibility to act against those forces. In 2020, I also led an effort with parents, trans youth, medical professionals and advocates to successfully defeat legislation that would have criminalized doctors with up to 15 years in prison for providing life-saving healthcare for transgender youth.

State Representative District 49

Robert Prater

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 50

Nina Yoakum

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 50

Rene "Coach P" Plasencia

I have been a passionate and vocal supporter for LGBTQ equality from the very beginning.

State Representative District 51

Joan Marie Majid

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 51

Tyler Sirois

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 52

Lloyd Dabbs

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 52

Thad Altman

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 53

Phil Moore

I have an uncle who courageously came out as openly gay early in his life. I was around 8 years of age and saw the ridicule, abuse and ostracizing that he had endured growing up in S. Florida in the 1980’s. I recognized early in my childhood how wrong it is to treat someone so evilly because of who they love.

State Representative District 53

Randy Fine

NO RESPONSE

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

2020 Tampa Bay State Legislature LGBTQ Voters’ Guide 1

Why should LGBTQ and ally voters support your candidacy?

PARTY

POSITION

CANDIDATE

State Senator District 19

Darryl Ervin Rouson

NPA

State Senator District 19

State Senator District 20

NO RESPONSE

Christina Paylan

Because there is no other candidate who will 100% back LGBTQ rights. Not because it is politically correct, because I fundamentally believe that all persons no matter how they choose to express themselves must be treated equal under the law. Otherwise, we are all nothing.

Danny Burgess

NO RESPONSE

Kathy Lewis, Democratic Candidate for Florida Senate District 20, believes in equal rights for all citizens, including members of the LGBTQ+ community. She will fight to expand anti-discrimination protections and to guarantee all LGBTQ+ people have fair and equal access to employment, housing, health care and education. Lewis says, “We will not wait. We will not be silent. We will not tolerate hate. We will not tolerate the intolerable. LGBTQ+ rights are human rights and we will fight for them together.”

NO RESPONSE

LGBTQ and ally voters should support the campaign as I myself am one of their allies. I myself have a lesbian sister and bisexual mother. My ties to the LGBTQ community don't just reside in familial bonds, I have friends who are also in the community, as well as even my teaching mentor who was half of the first lesbian couple to be married in Sarasota County. I've marched with LGBTQ members, protected them and accepted them whenever they have entered my classroom and sphere of influence. Editor’s Note: Requested more information regarding Q4.

NO RESPONSE

I ask that LGBTQ and ally voters support my candidacy so that they have another representative in Tallahassee with a proven track record as an ally. I am endorsed by both the state LGBTQ+ Caucus and our local Hillsborough County LGBTA Caucus, of which I am a member. As a middle school teacher, I have been a faculty advisor and started GSA Clubs at two schools, which has given dozens of students a safe, supportive place to socialize and advocate for the LGBTQ community. I have participated with students in Pride marches and events like GLSEN’s Day of Silence. My campaign team is diverse with volunteers from each aspect of the LGBTQ community. As a second-in-command of a naval base, I led the transition out of the discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in the Department of Defense. I believe that we cannot achieve the full potential of “We the People” without destroying discrimination against any community, including the LGBTQ+ community. Thank you for your support!

NO RESPONSE

State Senator District 20

Kathy Lewis

State Senator District 21

Jim Boyd

State Senator District 21

Anthony "Tony" Eldon

State Representative District 57

Mike Beltran REP

State Representative District 57

Scott "Mr. H" Hottenstein

State Representative District 58

Lawrence McClure

State Representative District 58

Cleo L. "CL" Townsend Jr

I am proud of my gay son and have been a longtime supporter of PFLAG.

State Representative District 59

Michael Owen

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 59

Andrew Learned

I believe that people should be treated fairly. It shouldn’t be hard. Our differences and diversity make our communities stronger. As a legislator, I will always fight for equality and inclusion in our state’s laws and policies. I am proud to stand with the LGBTQ+ community now and in the fights that lie ahead.

State Representative District 60

Jackie Toledo

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 60

Julie Jenkins

I've been an ally for over 30 years. I've defended LGBTQ rights, raised money for the caucus and marched along side of the community. I've been doing it all my life, not just during election season. In Tallahassee, I'll keep my word and fight for the community.

State Representative District 62

Angel S. Urbina Capo

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 62

Susan L. Valdés

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 64

Traci Koster

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 64

I have been an ally to the LGBTQ community and am working hard to ensure true equality in the state of Florida. As an endorsed candidate of Equality Florida, I will make sure to support legislation that protects our LGBTQ community. For far too long, Florida has been on the wrong side of history in its efforts to hurt the LGBTQ community by not supporting common sense legislation such as the Competitive Workforce Act and Marriage Equality being added to the Florida Constitution. When I am elected, I will continue to be an ally in Tallahassee.

Jessica Harrington

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

PARTY

POSITION

CANDIDATE

State Representative District 65

Chris Sprowls

State Representative District 65

NO RESPONSE

Kelly Johnson

I am all about equality. I know what it is to feel ostracized. I believe that all people are created equal and are entitled to love and respect regardless of sexual preference, gender, sex, and/or race. My local campaign manager who is also my partner in unemployment advocacy came alongside my campaign and he and I are both avid LGBTQI+ advocates. He has helped me to construct plans to reinforce protections for the LGBTQI+ community and to assure their rights with legislature and litigation.

State Representative District 66

Nick Dicegile

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 66

Patricia M. Plantamura

I have completed surveys for several LGTBQ organizations and I am endorsed by among others, the Stonewall Democrats of Pinellas County. My campaign funds are very low compared to my Republican opponent, and also compared to other Democrats who are funded in increments of 10 more times dollars than my campaign, as I am running in a Republican majority area. I share this because I will likely not be filling out any more questionnaires. My time is being spent to get people to vote for me and for a different president.

State Representative District 67

Chris Latvala

NO RESPONSE

State Representative District 67

Dawn Douglas

NO RESPONSE

State House District 68

Matt Tito

NO RESPONSE

State House District 68

Ben Diamond

Before becoming a member of the Florida House and before marriage equality was the law of the land, I was working on these issues as a lawyer, and very interested in how we could make changes to Florida law to fully protected the rights of same-sex couples. Since becoming a member of the Florida Legislature, I have sponsored and fought for the passage of the Competitive Workforce Act and fought against laws and practices that are harmful to the LGBTQIA+ community including, but not limited to, the ability for state-funded charter schools to discriminate against LGBTQiA+ students. I am proud of the work I did in my first term in carrying the Florida Competitive Workforce Act as the bill’s lead sponsor. I worked the bill every day and in particular sought to build bipartisan support for the bill. in my mind, the support of the bill should not turn on party lines, and I was able to make significant progress in the number of co-sponsors.

State House District 69

Linda Chaney

NO RESPONSE

State House District 69

Jennifer N. Webb

Since becoming a member of the Florida Legislature, I have sponsored and fought for the passage of the Competitive Workforce Act and fought against laws and practices that are harmful to the LGBTQIA+ community including, but not limited to, the ability for state-funded charter schools to

discriminate against LGBTQiA+ students.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

Stage

Back to the Stage

Orlando Ballet returns to Dr. Phillips Center with ‘The Sleeping Beauty’

(above)

Role sharing:

Adam Boreland (L) and Matthew Cunningham return to the stage sharing the role of the wicked fairy, Carabosse. Photos courtesy Orlando Ballet

Jeremy Williams

he last time dancers Adam

Boreland and Matthew Cunningham shared the stage at the Dr. Phillips Center was back in February as the spoiled, and hilarious, Stepsisters in Orlando Ballet’s “Cinderella.”

Not long after “Cinderella” wrapped the U.S. started to feel the effects of COVID-19 and everything shut down, including the Orlando Ballet. Performances, classes and events were cancelled and training had to happen in quarantine. “We were home kicking our furniture for the past five months,” Boreland says. “I think it has been tough for Orlando Ballet because we have this new beautiful facility and we got to come in and dance for the first few months of 2020 and then we got into COVID.” Orlando Ballet provided virtual classes and opportunities

for its dancers, so Boreland and Cunningham made the best of their dance-from-home situation. “I was taking class in the kitchen, in an open space, which was a bit weird and different but also somewhat comforting because I’m alone in my home, so keeping up on my studies but also sometimes you just have to sleep in and enjoy your quarantine snacks,” Cunningham says, laughing. Boreland used his time at home to offer some ballet instruction online. “I started going live on Facebook and teaching,” he says. Boreland’s Facebook page has nearly 20,000 followers.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Now back in the studio, Boreland, Cunningham and the entire company are preparing for their return to the stage with “The Sleeping Beauty,” which began in-person rehearsals Sept. 1. “It’s great to be back in the studio, this company is so magical,” Boreland says. “Even though we can still create magic from far apart when we’re together, we’re stronger.” With the company returning, the safety of the dancers is priority number one, Cunningham says. “We have a big studio so we can socially distance, we all wear masks during rehearsals and for class,” he says. “We sanitize everything.” Because of the company’s adherence to the safety precautions, the Orlando Ballet announced earlier in the year that it would be moving forward with its 2020-21 ballet season, starting with “The Sleeping Beauty” Oct. 22-25 at the Dr. Phillips Center’s Walt Disney Theater. With music by legendary Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (the same composer of “Swan Lake” and “The Nutcracker”), “The Sleeping Beauty” tells the classic tale of a beautiful princess cursed to sleep by an evil fairy. She can only be awakened by true love’s kiss. While being performed in the Walt Disney Theater, this performance of “The Sleeping Beauty” will be a bit different than the animated film most people are familiar with. “Much of the story is fairly similar to the Disney version,” Boreland says. “But there are definitely some differences you’ll notice.” In the ballet, the King and Queen are celebrating the birth of their daughter, Princess Aurora, with a christening ceremony. “Just as in the film, the different fairies bring Aurora different gifts,” Cunningham says, “but there are more fairies so there are more gifts.” As the fairies dole out the gifts to the princess, the wicked fairy Carabosse bursts in and, jealous that she was not invited, places a curse on the baby princess. “Carabosse, whose name was changed to Maleficent in the Disney

October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

version, curses Aurora and says she shall grow up and on her 16th birthday, she’ll prick her finger and she’ll die,” Cunningham says. “The Lilac Fairy, who is the fairy of wisdom, isn’t able to lift the curse from Carabosse but changes it so she will fall asleep for a hundred years and after that she will have a man come over, kiss her and she’ll awake.” Boreland and Cunningham will be sharing the role of Carabosse. During the performances, the one not playing the villainous lead can still be seen on stage as the fairy Sapphire. “It’s nice because one character is big and flamboyant and the other is drawn back, more timid and classical,” Boreland says. “As Sapphire we have a pas de trois, the dance of three, with two other fairies — Silver and Diamond — during a wedding that is attended by all these different fairy tale characters.” Just as in last season’s “Cinderella,” Boreland and Cunningham are performing in a high-profile villainous role, something both of them have enjoyed. “It’s just fun to play bad sometimes,” Boreland says. “We both have so much energy and, in the ballet world, a lot of times you have to hold that back but certain roles, like this one, we’re able to be a little bit more ourselves than usual. It’s really, really fun.” While he enjoys a good villain, Cunningham actually sees Carabosse as more of a misunderstood fairy. “In a way she is this evil fairy, but looking at it from her view, she wasn’t invited to the christening of this baby and everyone else is and she lets her jealousy get the best of her,” he says. “The Sleeping Beauty” will be the first performance to take the stage at the Dr. Phillips Center since its initial shutdown earlier this year, and while Florida’s governor has moved businesses into stage three of the state’s re-opening plan, you can expect all safety measures to still be in place for the show. “We want everyone to feel safe and welcome and the best way to do that is to make sure all the precautions are there,” says Sara Brady, head of Orlando Ballet’s public relations. Along with masks and social distancing guidelines being put in place, the performances will be 90 minutes without an intermission to help prevent crowds gathering in the lobby and outside of the theater. Orlando Ballet’s “The Sleeping Beauty” will be held at the Dr. Phillips Center Oct. 22-25. Tickets start as low as $24 and are available at DrPhillipsCenter. org. For up-to-date health and safety protocols, visit OrlandoBallet.org.

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October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

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I'm always here with local advice you can trust.

announcements

tampa bay out+about

CONGRATULATIONS Francisco Lopez and William Constantinou were married Oct. 3. Luis Balaguer and Dan Casper were married Oct. 5. Bobby Dixon and Adam Miller were married Oct. 8. Abe Gadikian and Miguel Fuller were engaged Oct. 9. City Side Lounge celebrates 30 years of serving the LGBTQ community in Tampa Oct. 23-25.

CONDOLENCES

Ybor staple Erin Kay Mountain died Oct. 1. She will be missed.

VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON celebration Come OUT St. Pete will hold its fourth annual celebration Oct. 17 with socially distanced and virtual events. Read more on p. 11 and in Watermark’s official guide.

LOCAL BIRTHDAYS St. Pete socialite Art Lawrence, Tampa retiree Howard Hawk (Oct. 15); Suncoast softballer Michael Monnich, Out & About host Tyler Butler (Oct. 16); Tampa political campaign guru Mitch Kates, Lakeland-based Geico expert Barry Stemle, Ybor City’s King Corona Cigar expert Willy Emerson, Metro Inclusive Health nurse Amanda Graves (Oct. 17); Pinellas County Young Democrat Blaine Lawson, DJ Cubby Pat O’Rourke (Oct. 18); St. Pete strategic advisor Mike Callahan, Former Tampa Bay Diversity Chamber president Eric Mathis, Cider Press Cafe owner Johan Everstijn, Tampa photographer Byron Schaerr, Tampa Bay Pride Band’s Daniel Stevens, Tampa Bay entertainer Chanel P. Cartier, Chago’s Barbershop barber Kevin Rix, Center for Discovery program director Don Ford (Oct. 19); Flamingo Car Club president Robert “Tiny” Nasworthy, Ybor entertainer Blu Yake (Oct. 20); St. Pete DJ Jayson Chancey, Former St Pete Pride Grand Marshal SueZie Hawkes (Oct. 21); Honey Pot co-owner Steven Donahue (Oct. 23); Hillsborough LGBTA Democratic Caucus Vice President Sally Phillips (Oct. 24); Owner of Lakeland’s The Parrot Rich Dunn, Tampa Bay entertainer Austin Hagge, Tampa Bay bartender Sebastian Hathcock, Cosplayer Charles Parilla, St. Pete staple Barbra Ann, Energy expert Andrew Kennedy (Oct. 26); Tampa vocalist David Valentine, Tampa educator Matthew Healey, Keller Williams Tampa Central admin Danny Gitsas, St. Pete hairstylist Jacob Andrew Harris (Oct. 28).

BIG DAY: (L-R) Lee Pearlman, Nicole Denmon and Christian Denmon sponsor a lane for their firm Denmon Pearlman at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay’s annual St. Pete Pride Bowl Oct. 10 at Ten Pin Lanes. PHOTO

COURTESY BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF TAMPA BAY

ROYAL TEA: (L-R) Come OUT St. Pete’s Royal Court Joanie Werner, Kristina White and Stephanie Stuart help raise funds Sept. 30 during Bingo at Punky’s Bar and Grill. PHOTO

COURTESY COME OUT ST. PETE

HE SAID YES: Miguel Fuller (L) shows off his new engagement ring with fiancee Abe Gadikian after his surprise engagement on Oct. 9. PHOTO COURTESY MIGUEL FULLER

CHECKING IN: U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist (L) and Atlas Body + Home owner Tony Loeffler discuss the state of small business in St. Pete Oct. 7. PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD

TAMPA PROUD: Ana Cruz (L) and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor pick up the Stanley Cup Sept. 29 at the airport following the Tampa Bay Lightning’s big win.

PHOTO COURTESY JANE CASTOR

CATCH THE RAINBOW: Come OUT St. Pete volunteers unfurl the organization’s 375-foot rainbow flag at Seminole Park in Historic Kenwood Oct. 11 for National Coming Out Day. PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD

DOCENT TIME: Bak Lava (L) welcomes St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman to her Drag Queen Docent Tour at the Chihuly Collection Oct. 10. PHOTO COURTESY BAK LAVA

REPRESENTING: Rep. Jennifer Webb (R) and Team Webb canvas District 69 ahead of the general election.

PHOTO COURTESY JENNIFER WEBB

7 watermark Your LGBTQ life.

October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

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watermark Your LGBTQ life.

October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

announcements

central florida out+about

Congratulations Josh Bell was named the new executive director for the One Orlando Alliance. Watermark was named one of the top 24 minority-owned businesses in Central Florida by the Orlando Business Journal. Come Out With Pride’s Jeff Prystajko and Contigo Fund’s Marco Quiroga were named among the Orlando Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 for 2020.

Condolences Michael J. Ames died Sept. 18 at his home in Longwood. He was 58. Mike played important roles in the Orlando Gay Chorus, Metropolitan Business Association and Come Out With Pride. He was Watermark’s business manager during five years just after the turn of the century and was the practice manager for Pinero Preventive Medical Care for many years. Mike will be remembered for his smile, strong spirit and will to live. He will be greatly missed. Former Orlando City Commissioner Daisy Lynum died Oct. 8. She was 74. Lynum served as city commissioner in District 5 from 1998 to 2014. During her tenure, Lynum was a fighter for all people in Orlando and a champion for LGBTQ rights. She will be missed. It is with immense sadness we say goodbye to the amazing Sam Singhaus — best known to many as the iconic Miss Sammy — who passed away Oct. 12. Sam, dear friend, you are as much a part of Watermark as anyone. For our entire existence you have lent your talents to us, without exception. You have touched our lives, our hearts and our souls. We are grateful to have been graced by your presence. Thank you for allowing us to be part of your journey. Watermark will be dedicating the in-depth feature for the next issue to the legendary Miss Sammy.

Local Birthdays Orlando realtor Scott Benson, Central Florida Sounds of Freedom musician Melissa Fallcenbury, Art curator Mendi Cowles (Oct. 15); Orlando Fringe’s Michael Marinaccio, Real estate agent Kase Elders, Orlando attorney Mary Meeks (Oct. 16); Gecko accountant Judy L. Hines, singer Sunshine Matthews, Orange County Tax Collector Scott Randolph (Oct. 17); Family Equality Council’s Tatiana Quiroga, LGBTQ advocate David Moran (Oct. 18); Softball star Jennifer Friedman, Orlando make-up artist Scott Juszczak (Oct. 19); Orlando’s own “Divine Miss M” Jennica McCleary, Quality Analyst Chris Hamlett, Orlando photographer Chris Stephenson (Oct. 20); DJ Ants Adam Brenner (Oct. 21); Karaoke legend Nick Rogers, Orlando maintenance specialist Joe Arlotta, Hamburger Mary’s bartender Juan Torres (Oct. 23); Equality Florida’s Gina Duncan, Stonewall Orlando’s Dan Fraser, (Oct. 24); The Pride Chamber’s Rich Crabtree (Oct. 26); Former Out & About Books owner Robert Bruce Ground, Tako Cheena proprietor Edgardo Guzman, Southern Nights bartender Lance Keller, Orlando occupational therapist Sarah Bapst (Oct. 28).

Photo by Jeremy Williams

Running for Kids: Kayla Parrish (L) and Brandon Ragan participate in Zebra Coalition’s virtual Drag Race 5K in Lake Eola Park Oct. 11. Photo courtesy GOALcfl

In The House: Kerrie Finn (L) and Pom Moongauklang stop into Parliament House Orlando Oct. 10. Photo courtesy Kerrie Finn

Pride at Pulse: Barbara Poma (L) and Sheriff John Mina show their Pride at the Pulse Memorial waiting for the Pride in the Streets processional to come by in Orlando Oct. 10. Photo courtesy Michelle Guido

That’s Your Sign: Margo Dixon shows off her election signs in Orlando Oct. 10. Photo

courtesy Margo Dixon

Rainbow Flag: Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan shows off her rainbow swan flag and Pride suit for the Pride in the Streets processional Oct. 10.

Parade Leaders: Come Out With Pride grand marshals Chantel Martin (L) and John Nemcheck get ready to lead the processional from Parliament House Oct. 10.

Photo by Jeremy Williams

Behind the Bar: Vinny (L) and Wesley get ready to serve up drinks at the Parliament House Oct. 3. Photo courtesy Vinny

Proud Pride: Come Out With Pride’s board is all masked up and ready for a Pride-filled Saturday as they check in vehicles Oct. 10. Photo courtesy Albert Harris-Russell

8 watermark Your LGBTQ life.

October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

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October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

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October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

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Sean and Robert Mundyschein from Orlando, Florida

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fter meeting on OKCupid,

Robert and Sean Mundyschein had their first date at a Chicago breakfast restaurant. They enjoyed the date so much that they made it last 13 hours with a long walk along Lake Michigan and ending with a dinner.

They have been together ever since, getting engaged in 2015. When they moved in together, Sean decided to turn their housewarming party into a proposal event. Unfortunately, their afterparty venue cancelled on them, so they had to quickly find a new one. “Robert, not knowing the big surprise, said ‘let’s just cancel the whole thing,’ and I had to convince him that this was necessary and that a restaurant with a food and a drink package was totally normal

for a housewarming party with about a hundred of our closest friends and family,” Sean says. Sean asked his best friend Luke to introduce Sean’s chorus group before a performance of “Seasons of Love” from “Rent.” “Luke essentially gave a best man’s speech, to which Robert was oblivious,” Sean says. After the song, the chorus parted to reveal Sean on one knee. “Robert meanwhile was still somewhat oblivious until I asked, ‘Will you marry me?’” Sean says.

“Since I had a microphone and Robert didn’t, my uncle Joe shouted from the back, ‘Did he say yes?’ Of course he did and the long engagement commenced.” The couple finally tied the knot four years later at Celebration Gardens in Winter Park. In addition to traditional vows, Sean also asked the Orlando Gay Chorus’ “Spectrum” ensemble to sing “Take Me Home” by Pentatonix during the ceremony. “Sean quietly sang along with the beautiful chorus of ‘Take me there, won’t you take me there, won’t you take me home,’” Robert says. “It was an intimate moment despite having an audience of family and friends there to witness,” Sean says. During the reception, guests enjoyed a photo booth and choreographed dance numbers performed by the Orlando

Gay Chorus members and Footnote dancers. “It’s kind of silly, but Sean hates freestyle dancing, so he asked the DJ to play only songs that had choreographed movements – Electric Slide, YMCA, Cotton Eyed Joe, etc.,” Robert says. Another special moment from the ceremony the couple enjoyed had to do with their wedding rings, which are inlaid with wood from the Koa tree, found on the Hawaiian Islands. Koa means “brave, bold and fearless.” “We enjoyed the line from our ceremony, ‘Let these rings be worn as a symbol of love and unity, as well as an everlasting symbol of bravery, boldness and fearlessness in a world that has so much to offer them,’” Robert says. “We are also extremely lucky to have family and friends that support us.” —Lora Korpar

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.

October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

October 15 - 28 , 2020 // Issue 27. 21 wat e r m a r konline .com

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