Watermark Issue 29.09: On the Fringe

Your LGBTQ News Source.

April 28 - May 11, 2022 • Issue 29.09

On The Fringe 31 LGBTQ shows coming to the 31st Orlando Fringe Festival

SPECIAL INSIDE:

Watermark’s 2022 Rainbow Family Guide DAYTONA BEACH • ORLANDO • TAMPA • ST. PETERSBURG • CLEARWATER • SARASOTA

ST. PETE GALA Saturday May 7, 2022 • 6:00 - 11:00 pm

The Mahaffey Theater 400 1st St S St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Please join us for our 2022 Equality Florida St. Pete Gala to celebrate our 25th Anniversary!

This year we are honoring two local heroes, Brian Longstreth and Jennie O’Leary! They will be receiving the Voice for Equality Awards. There will be delicious cuisine by Catering by the Family, open bar, Kahwa Espresso Bar, entertainment, dancing, a fantastic silent auction, and a state of the state address by Equality Florida’s Executive Director, Nadine Smith.

Tickets are $135 NO PRINTED TICKETS ISSUED. Names will be on an admission list at the door. Cocktail attire is suggested.

R.S.V.P. and purchase tickets at eqfl.org/stpetegala or call (727) 822-2122

Sponsorship opportunities begin at $500 and include complimentary Gala tickets along with a number of other benefits. To become a sponsor visit eqfl.org/stpetegala or contact Todd Richardson at Todd@equalityflorida.org or (727) 822-2122 PRESENTED BY

Equality Florida has a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, its top rating, and is the highest rated statewide LGBT civil rights organization in the nation, with four stars for both accountability and transparency. We’re also a Platinum Level GuideStar participant, a top-rated nonprofit by GreatNonprofits, and nationally accredited by the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance (give.org).

#STPETEGALA2022 @EqualityFL

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In Partnership with

Parents should be deciding, in partnership with their child’s doctor, based on science, not politics, what is best for their children. Governor DeSantis … is making the state less safe for LGBTQ families, especially transgender children.

DEPARTMENTS 7 // EDITOR’S DESK

page

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8 // CENTRAL FL NEWS 10// TAMPA BAY NEWS

– EQUALITY FLORIDA RESPONDING TO STATEWIDE ANTI-LGBTQ GUIDANCE APRIL 20

13 // STATE NEWS 15 // NATION & WORLD NEWS 21 // TALKING POINTS 43 // EVENT PLANNER 45 // TAMPA BAY OUT + ABOUT 47 // CENTRAL FL OUT + ABOUT 48 // TAMPA BAY MARKETPLACE 49 // CENTRAL FL MARKETPLACE 54 // WEDDING BELLS ON THE COVER

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page ON THE FRINGE:

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31 LGBTQ shows coming to the 31st Orlando Fringe Festival.

REIMAGINED RETURN:

The Fabulous Arts Foundation celebrates 12 years in Sarasota with a new festival.

WATERMARK ISSUE 29.09 // APRIL 28 - MAY 11, 2022

ILLUSTRATION BY KY VIAN.

SCAN QR CODE FOR

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FOR THE KIDS

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page Orlando’s “Dance, Dream & Inspire” returns.

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Read It Online!

In addition to a Web site with daily LGBTQ updates, a digital version of each issue of the publication is made available on WatermarkOnline.com

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Equality Florida marks 25 years in St. Petersburg.

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Dandelion Hill on Mental Health Awareness Month.

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Celine Sciamma releases “Petite Maman.”

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EDITOR’S

Ryan Williams-Jent MANAGING EDITOR Ryan@WatermarkOnline.com

I

DESK

DON’T PUBLICLY SHARE MANY

personal thoughts about the stories I write at Watermark. We work diligently to keep opinions out of our news coverage and it’s a mission I don’t want to distract from.

It’s a self-imposed rule that can get pretty tricky with social media, which despite its shortcomings I still value. I tend to break it the most during election season, and in columns like this one where I’m going to talk about Ron DeSantis.

I’ve found myself writing a lot about the governor lately, whose attacks on the LGBTQ community have taken on new life as he eyes the White House.

I’m not sure if he’ll run in 2024 or 2028, but he’s already started an infuriatingly brisk jog.

DeSantis is one of the many reasons that, pre- and certainly post-Donald Trump, I’ve come to see the modern Republican Party as a danger to the LGBTQ community and this country. I say

that not as a proud Democrat, but as an American who watched the Jan. 6 insurrection and a gay man who grew up without the resources many people take for granted.

I never lacked in love as a child, and I can say with certainty that I never understood the full weight of the world resting on my mother’s shoulders at the time, but before the age of seven I dealt with food insecurity, homelessness and more. I realized long before I came out that not everyone in this country is treated equally, especially by those in power who are convinced they have something to lose.

As an Ohio native and Florida resident, I’ve watched friends and family vote against their own

interests for years, and certainly mine. Even worse I’ve watched them not vote at all.

I haven’t always understood their choices, and as I’ve gotten older it’s a concept for which I’ve grown increasingly impatient.

Especially after 2016.

Florida’s 2018 race for governor was another difficult election year.

I supported Andrew Gillum early on, and while he’s struggled in the years since I still believe he’d have done a better job.

After a recount, DeSantis walked away with 49.6% of the vote to best his 49.2%. According to the Florida Division of Elections, he won by less than 33,000 votes in a year with a 63% voter turnout.

It’s easy to daydream about what could have been if 33,000 more progressive voters had shown up to the polls. The LGBTQ community and its allies aren’t legion, and there are certainly those of us who didn’t or wouldn’t have supported the Democratic candidate, but it’s very possible we’d be a different state today if more of us had.

If DeSantis weren’t in office, Florida’s governor wouldn’t have supported the so-called Fairness in Women’s Sports Act targeting LGBTQ youth. It certainly wouldn’t have been signed into law on the first day of Pride Month last year, prohibiting transgender youth from playing sports that align with their gender identity.

If DeSantis weren’t in office, Florida’s governor wouldn’t have taken the time to demean Pennsylvania athlete Lia Thomas, the first transgender swimmer to win a national championship for her hard work. Or issued guidance through the Department of Health that life-saving treatments of gender dysphoria are discouraged in Florida.

Our governor certainly wouldn’t have supported this year’s Parental Rights in Education if DeSantis weren’t in office, legislation he

WATERMARK STAFF Owner & Publisher: Rick Todd • Ext. 110 Rick@WatermarkOnline.com Editor-in-Chief: Jeremy Williams • Ext. 106 Jeremy@WatermarkOnline.com

signed targeting every LGBTQ Floridian. Widely known as the “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” bill, it will limit classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, and possibly beyond, starting in July.

That’s to say nothing about DeSantis’ legislative attack on Disney World for their LGBTQ support or more dangerously, Florida’s new congressional map.

DeSantis proposed it himself and has signed it into law, disenfranchising minorities and giving Republicans an advantage in the majority of the state’s districts.

It’s going to take more than 63% of voters to make sure

I realized long before I came out that not everyone in this country is treated equally.

DeSantis doesn’t win a second term this year. Please do everything you can to help make a difference, starting with checking your voter registration at Vote.gov.

Equality Florida will detail their own fight for LGBTQ Floridians at their St. Petersburg Gala May 7, which celebrates their 25th anniversary. We preview their event in Tampa Bay news and examine the Suncoast Softball League, which is having an election of its own after a former leader shared anti-LGBTQ content online.

In arts and entertainment, we highlight 31 LGBTQ shows coming to Central Florida’s 31st Orlando Fringe Festival. We also detail the Fabulous Arts Foundation’s first Pride | Be Fabulous festival in Sarasota.

Watermark strives to bring you a variety of stories, your stories.

Please stay safe, stay informed and enjoy this latest issue.

ORLANDO OFFICE Managing Editor: Ryan Williams-Jent • Ext. 302 Ryan@WatermarkOnline.com

Sales Director: Danny Garcia • Ext. 108 Danny@WatermarkOnline.com

Creative Designer: Dylan Todd • Ext. 107 Dylan@WatermarkOnline.com

Senior Orlando Account Manager: Sam Callahan • Ext. 103 Sam@WatermarkOnline.com

Creative Designer: Kyler Mills • Ext. 301 Kyler@WatermarkOnline.com

Administrative Assistant: Jaimie Jarlson • Ext. 100 Jaimie@WatermarkOnline.com

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Founder and Guiding Light: Tom Dyer National Ad Representative: Rivendell Media Inc. • 212-242-6863

1300 N. Semoran Blvd.

Ste 250 Orlando, FL 32807 TEL: 407-481-2243

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CONTRIBUTORS DANDELION HILL is a

co-founder of Peer Support Space. They are genderqueer, bisexual, neurodivergent. A social worker, advocate, gardener and parent. Page 17

GREG STEMM

lives in Gulfport, Fla., and has worked as a freelance writer for several local publications. He is a founding member of St. Pete Pride and active politically in Tampa Bay. Page 19

LORA KORPAR was a

journalism student who graduated from the University of Central Florida and is a former Watermark intern. Page 54

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, RAYLENE HUNT, ZACHARY WELCH

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.

Watermark Publishing Group Inc.

7

EDITOR’S

Jeremy Williams EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Jeremy@WatermarkOnline.com

I

DESK

LOVE WHAT I DO. I REALIZE THERE

are many people working in this country and around the world who can’t say that and I thank the universe every chance I get for getting to do something that I’m passionate about and that I think is important to society. Not every story I — or any journalist — writes will be earth shattering, groundbreaking news that will topple the status quo, but every story has a reason and purpose, even the ones about local bake sales and a ribbon cutting ceremony at a new grocery store. So it bothers me when people blindly criticize journalism.

A friend of mine recently shared a 2019 story on her social media that had the headline “The headline isn’t the whole story.” I read through the article and moved on with my day, but I started thinking about that story again after attending an event in Orlando a few weeks ago that featured a guest lecturer. During the lecture, the speaker talked

about the importance of getting your message out to people and the best methods in which to do that.

During the speech, he began talking about news articles and said, and I’m paraphrasing, “When I read the news, I only read the headline and then I move on. Everything I need to know from a story is in the headline.”

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Owner & Publisher: Rick Todd • Ext. 110 Rick@WatermarkOnline.com Editor-in-Chief: Jeremy Williams • Ext. 106 Jeremy@WatermarkOnline.com

As someone who writes the news, I was more than a little irritated by the comment and immediately thought back to the story my friend shared. I wish more people would read the news, and I hope the ones who do read more than just the headlines.

A perfect example of this came across my social media feed recently when a local TV station posted a story with the headline “Kentucky man sues employer for throwing him a birthday party, and now they owe him $450K.” While this headline is technically true — and absolute click bait — it is nowhere near the complete story of what happened to this Kentucky man and based on the comments on the post, you can tell which people only read the headline.

The full story is the Kentucky man, who has an anxiety disorder and “being the center of attention” causes him to have panic attacks, asked his office manager, who arranges birthday celebrations for employees, not to throw him a birthday party. The office manager did so anyway, which caused the man to have a panic attack and spend his lunch break in his car, away from the party.

The following day, the man was called into a meeting where he was criticized for not attending his own party, sent home and then fired “because of the events of the previous week.” The man sued for wrongful termination, a jury agreed with him and awarded him $450,000.

Reading the full story adds much-needed detail and context that a headline with its limited space cannot provide. Also, as someone who has been open about my struggles with anxiety and panic attacks, the ignorance and lack of empathy from the company’s office manager in this story infuriates me but that is a discussion for a later column.

The comment section on this story broke into two camps: the ones who attacked and belittled the

man because they didn’t read the story and the ones who did read the story and rightfully criticized the TV station for writing a click bait headline.

Contrary to what some say, you cannot get the full story from a headline, and the journalist who wrote that didn’t intend for the entire story to be captured in the headline. If you don’t read the full story, you diminish that writer’s contribution to the discussion and you do yourself an injustice because you are not educated on what happened yet will act as though you are.

If you won’t read the full story for those around you, then at least do it for yourself. Studies have shown that reading on a regular

Reading the full story adds much needed detail and context that a headline with its limited space cannot provide. basis improves focus, memory, empathy and communication skills.

It can also reduce stress, improve mental health and even help you to live longer. Great things you now know because you read through this full column.

Something else you’ll want to read is our look at the 31st annual Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival. Orlando Fringe is bringing 100 shows to this year’s festival, with 31 of them LGBTQ-themed, and it’s the in-depth focus of our latest issue.

If you are new to the world of Orlando Fringe, we tell you how to Fringe, where to Fringe and give you some recommendations on what to Fringe.

ORLANDO OFFICE Managing Editor: Ryan Williams-Jent • Ext. 302 Ryan@WatermarkOnline.com

Sales Director: Danny Garcia • Ext. 108 Danny@WatermarkOnline.com

Creative Designer: Dylan Todd • Ext. 107 Dylan@WatermarkOnline.com

Senior Orlando Account Manager: Sam Callahan • Ext. 103 Sam@WatermarkOnline.com

Creative Designer: Kyler Mills • Ext. 301 Kyler@WatermarkOnline.com

Administrative Assistant: Jaimie Jarlson • Ext. 100 Jaimie@WatermarkOnline.com

watermark Your LGBTQ News Source.

Founder and Guiding Light: Tom Dyer National Ad Representative: Rivendell Media Inc. • 212-242-6863

1300 N. Semoran Blvd.

Ste 250 Orlando, FL 32807 TEL: 407-481-2243

TAMPA BAY OFFICE 401 33rd Street N. St. Petersburg, FL 33713 TEL: 813-655-9890

APRIL 28 - M AY 11, 202 2 // ISSUE 29.0 9 WAT E R M A R KONLINE .COM

CONTRIBUTORS DANDELION HILL is a

co-founder of Peer Support Space. They are genderqueer, bisexual, neurodivergent. A social worker, advocate, gardener and parent. Page 17

GREG STEMM

lives in Gulfport, Fla., and has worked as a freelance writer for several local publications. He is a founding member of St. Pete Pride and active politically in Tampa Bay. Page 19

LORA KORPAR was a

journalism student who graduated from the University of Central Florida and is a former Watermark intern. Page 54

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, RAYLENE HUNT, ZACHARY WELCH

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.

Watermark Publishing Group Inc.

7

central florida news

ONE ORLANDO ALLIANCE, CITY OF ORLANDO KICK OFF ACTS OF LOVE AND KINDNESS Jeremy Williams

O

RLANDO | Mayor Buddy Dyer, District 4 City Commissioner Patty Sheehan and members of the One Orlando Alliance were all in attendance for the kickoff to the fifth annual Acts of Love and Kindness at Carl T. Langford Park in Orlando April 23.

Acts of Love and Kindness is an annual event that begins 49 days before June 12, the day of the Pulse tragedy in 2016, that encourages everyone to do something that helps others, share stories that spread love and give to organizations that provide support to the local community.

“When Pulse happened and we had such an experience of hatred in our community, the community responded with wanting to show people who we really are. We wanted to show people what Orlando really is a place where we love each other and we extend kindness to each other,” says Josh Bell, executive director for the One Orlando Alliance. “The Acts of Love and Kindness were born out of that spirit, so as we continue that, we are continuing to respond to that tragedy and the loss of those amazing, beautiful lives with making our community safer and stronger and more beautiful.”

The Alliance started their Acts, which officially began April 25, with volunteers cleaning up Carl T. Langford Park April 23.

“This is one of those interesting spaces in Orlando that on one side it is very affluent and on the other side is very income constrained and so by picking this park we knew we were making a difference for a broad spectrum of our population,” Bell says. “So we are picking up trash, we’re cleaning the playground, we’re looking at cleaning up some graffiti so it makes it a better space for everyone to enjoy.”

Dyer and Sheehan also unveiled the city’s “Bring Kindness to the Table” project, a “collaborative art and placemaking project meant to bring eye-catching pieces of locally painted art to spread messages of love, hope and kindness.”

The project features 24 picnic tables — four tables throughout parks and community centers in each of the city’s districts — each painted by a different local artist. Dyer and Sheehan unveiled the table that will be permanently located at Langford Park.

“These public art projects that we do here are accessible to everyone, from the traffic control boxes to the dumpsters and now the picnic tables, these are things everyone gets to enjoy,” Sheehan says. “You don’t have to go to a museum, you don’t have to pay an admissions fee, this is something here for everyone and I love the fact that as much as the LGBTQ community has fought for equality, here we are equalizing and making art accessible to everyone.”

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DANCE REVOLUTION:

David Arce (R) and Marta Lyszkowicz will dedicate their performance at Embrace Families’ “Dance, Dream & Inspire” event to LGBTQ+ youth in the foster care system. PHOTO COURTESY ARCE

For the Kids Embrace Families’ ‘Dance, Dream & Inspire’ event returns Jeremy Williams

O

RLANDO | Embrace Families, a nonprofit organization that supports foster care, adoption and mentoring in Central Florida, returns with its ninth annual “Dance, Dream & Inspire” charity dance competition at the Hard Rock Live in Orlando May 7.

Five local celebrities will be paired with professional ballroom dancers to perform live and compete while attempting to fundraise $100,000 for support programs that help youth in foster care.

This year’s celebrity dancers are Sarah Hohman, executive director of Market Strategy for AdventHealth; Joe Kepner, sports anchor at WFTV; Anna Vasquez, IPRG account manager; Chassity

watermark Your LGBTQ News Source.

Vega, CEO for the Greater Orlando Builders Association; and David Arce, business development manager for Karma Roofing.

Arce joins the competition as a replacement for Karma Roofing’s owner Anoop Nayee, who was unable to continue after the pandemic led to the event having to be moved to a new date.

Arce says he is excited to join the event to help raise funds for Embrace Families, a nonprofit that Karma Roofing has worked with in the past.

“Last year we did a 5K for Embrace Families, we did a toy drive which was a partnership with Crunch Fitness, and now our next opportunity to help is to dance for these amazing kids,” he says.

Karma Roofing’s philanthropic work, which has included partnering with Coalition For

the Homeless and Habitat for Humanity, goes back to the company’s mission “giving back to the community and making sure that everyone has a roof over their head.”

Arce will be partnering with professional dance Marta Lyszkowicz, a Ballroom Dance instructor who has been dancing for about 25 years, and they will be dedicating their performance to the LGBTQ+ youth that are in the foster care system.

“Matra and I looked at what we wanted to say with our performance,” Arce says. “I had read a statistic that 30% of the kids in the foster care system are a part of the LGBTQ community and when I saw that large of a number it broke my heart.”

That decision impacted every aspect of Arce and Lyszkowicz’s performance from the opening sequence to the song choice, all of which Arce wants to keep under wraps until the event.

“When we are out there dancing we want these kids to know that while they may feel a little bit lost, that they will be found. That’s a big hint to the song choice,” Arce says with a laugh. “[The performance] is a bit on the ambitious side, especially since I came into this late and we had a lot less time to practice and rehearse, but when we have that fire inside of us because we are doing it for a community that we believe in it definitely makes it easier.”

While Arce is coming into the event with less preparation time, he does have some experience that is helping him to step his performance up.

“I’ve helped family members choreograph quinceañera dances, I took ballroom classes as an elective in college and I was part of the glee club over at UCF and we use to do choreography for flash mobs at the Student Union, stuff like that so I do have a little bit ... but nowhere near as professional as my dance partner,” Arce says.

“We also went out and got Love is Universal T-shirts because I am also part time as Universal Studios as an entertainer and I wanted to make sure that message hits home that love is a universal concept.”

You can vote for Arce and Lyszkowicz by going to p2p.OneCause.com/ EmbraceFamiliesDancing/David-and-Marta-2 and donating votes. Each vote is $5 and voting ends May 6.

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9

tampa bay news

SUNCOAST SOFTBALL EXEC RESIGNS Ryan Williams-Jent

T

AMPA BAY | A former Suncoast Softball League secretary who shared anti-LGBTQ posts on social media resigned late April 21, two days after leadership voted he could retain the position.

SSL formed in 1993 to foster “a friendly, competitive and emotionally safe environment” for Tampa Bay’s LGBTQ community to play softball. Multiple players advised Watermark that former Secretary Lonnie Ledford was not upholding that mission.

He served in the role from 2019-2022, during which he publicly shared content from his personal social media page disparaging the transgender community, those who oppose anti-LGBTQ legislation and more.

Concerned players included Steve Forchielli, who joined the league in 2017. He resigned April 19 after the league’s meeting between the executive council and team representatives, in which a motion to remove Ledford from his position was introduced and failed.

“The league is supposed to be a safe place for everyone in the LGBTQ community and the ‘T’ is in there for a reason,” Forchielli explains. “Having someone in a position of power with these kinds of views, who was so openly vocal and proud of them, is not appropriate.”

Commissioner Thomas Skiles, who sources note was aware of Ledford’s posts for a full year, did not respond to requests for comment about the vote. He previously said in a statement that “we all have our opinions, thoughts and beliefs.”

Watermark contacted SSL sponsors following the league’s decision not to remove Ledford for comment.

St Pete Pride advised SSL leadership April 21 that it would no longer serve as a sponsor. “St Pete Pride proudly stands with the trans community and believes that trans individuals belong in all spaces, that trans identities are valid and that trans rights are human rights,” they shared.

Ledford resigned in an email to SSL players that evening, noting that two days after the vote “I am being asked to relinquish my post. Perhaps one day, my abrupt departure will stir debate over the fairness of forcing out a highly qualified Executive Council member over his personal views.”

Watermark reached out to SSL leadership again and received no response. The executive council did comment in a Facebook group for players April 21, noting they “remained silent as we worked through the abundance of information presented to us from various sources.”

“We would like to apologize to not only our Trans league members but also to the Trans community and allies who may have been hurt by the appearance of our lack of transparency and expediency,” they added.

Forchielli will not return to the league, playing in Orlando instead. “To the trans community, I’m sorry. I’m sorry it took this much to have this bigot RESIGN when we failed to have him removed,” he says. “As someone who opposes hate and bigotry, this should’ve been a simple issue to address.”

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ST. PETE STRONG: Executive

Director Nadine Smith speaks at the St. Pete Gala in 2019. PHOTO

BY DYLAN TODD

Still Fighting Equality Florida marks 25 years Ryan Williams-Jent

S

T. PETERSBURG | Equality Florida will mark 25 years during this year’s St. Pete Gala, which returns May 7 from 7-11 p.m. at The Mahaffey Theater.

The nonprofit’s galas are designed to raise awareness and funds for Equality Florida’s work throughout the state. An in-person event in St. Petersburg was last held in 2019 due to COVID-19.

Equality Florida supporters raised $425,013 during last year’s virtual gala, an amount they’ve exceeded ahead of this year’s celebration. Organizers set a goal of $500,000 but as of press time have already raised nearly $665,000, a 25-year record.

“Equality Florida was founded as Florida took a hard right turn, electing a governor hostile to our community and a legislature that had passed bills harmful to our families,” Executive Director Nadine Smith reflects. “Today, we can celebrate incredible victories.

“Yet, even as we celebrate the progress of the last two and a half decades, we hear echoes of those early days in the current brutal right-wing attack on our

watermark Your LGBTQ News Source.

community,” she continues.

“The same ugly messages from a hostile Governor and a spineless Republican legislature eager to do his bidding. We didn’t shy away from the fight back then and we won’t today.”

Pinellas Development Director Todd Richardson says that’s exactly what supporters have been doing. “People are really leaning in this year,” he explains. “Donations have been coming in from all over the world ... it’s wonderful to see everyone stepping up to help.”

Organizers hope to raise $700,000 by the time the celebratory evening ends. As in previous years, the gala will feature a silent auction where participants will bid on artwork, dining experiences and other services valued at nearly $30,000.

Festivities will officially begin at 6 p.m. with a VIP Sponsor Reception, with doors opening to general ticketholders at 7 p.m.

Smith will subsequently give a State of the State Address at 7:45 p.m., presenting this year’s Voice for Equality Awards.

The organization will honor two longtime supporters this year. The first is Brian Longstreth, owner of Casa del Merman at GayStPete

House and founding member of both St Pete Pride and Come OUT St. Pete.

“I am humbled and honored to receive this recognition from Equality Florida,” he says.

“Knowing I’ve played a part, along with many others, in helping to create an inviting LGBTQ+ friendly Grand Central District and our beautiful city is very comforting. Thank you.”

Eight-year Equality Florida volunteer Jennie O’Leary will also be honored. She’s serving in her fourth year as chair of the St. Petersburg Steering Committee, leading a team of volunteers to support fundraising activities like the St. Pete Gala.

“I believe that everyone in the community should look out for each other,” she says. “That is why it is important for me as an ally to support Equality Florida.

I’m grateful to be honored for volunteering with them over these past eight years.”

Following Smith’s address, attendees will enjoy the evening’s activities and entertainment.

“For our 25th anniversary, we want this to be a celebration of our friends in our community and our successes,” Richardson says.

“Everything we’ve done is because of very generous donors.”

Equality Florida’s St. Pete Gala will be held May 7 at The Mahaffey Theater, located at 400 1st St. S. in St. Petersburg. Tickets are $135 and are expected to sell out. Learn more and purchase yours at EQFL.org.

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state news

DOH ISSUES GUIDANCE ON TRANS HEALTH CARE Ryan Williams-Jent

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he state’s largest LGBTQ-focused civil rights organization is denouncing the Florida Department of Health’s new stance on treating gender dysphoria for children and adolescents, released April 20 in opposition to federal guidance.

“Once again, the DeSantis Administration seeks to replace science and the safety of young people with political propaganda,” Equality Florida shared.

Florida released its position “to clarify evidence recently cited on a fact sheet released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,” its DOH announced. Officials noted they are prioritizing “the overall health and wellbeing of Florida’s children and adolescents.”

HHS released its guidance last month. It called gender-affirming care “a supportive form of healthcare [that] consists of an array of services that may include medical, surgical, mental health and non-medical services for transgender and nonbinary people.”

It noted that social affirmation such as adopting gender-affirming hairstyles,

clothing, name, gender pronouns and restrooms and other facilities should be used at any age or stage. They also advised that during puberty, care which uses certain types of hormones to pause pubertal development can be used. Both types of care are reversible.

HHS further noted that hormone therapy, in which testosterone and estrogen hormones are administered, can be used beginning in early adolescence. This is partially reversible.

Gender-affirming surgery, which is not reversible, is “typically used in adulthood or case-by-case in adolescence,” the department added.

“The federal government’s medical establishment releasing guidance failing at the most basic level of academic rigor shows that this was never about health care,” Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo said in a statement. “It was about injecting political ideology into the health of our children.”

Under Florida’s guidance, social affirmation should not be used as treatment for transgender youth or adolescents and d those under 18 should not be prescribed puberty blockers or hormone replacement therapy.

Gender reassignment surgery “should not be a treatment option for children or adolescents,” Florida DOH also added.

“This guidance demonizes life-saving, medically-necessary care, and asserts that the government, not parents, knows best when it comes to health care for our children,” Equality Florida responded. “And, once again, DeSantis wants the government to intrude into doctors’ offices to pander to extremists in service to his political ambitions.

“Parents should be deciding, in partnership with their child’s doctor, based on science, not politics, what is best for their children,” the organization continued. “Governor DeSantis’ runaway agenda of banning books, muzzling teachers, censoring history and pushing government control is putting a handful of extremists in charge of every aspect of the lives of Floridians and is making the state less safe for LGBTQ families, especially transgender children.”

According to HHS, “a safe and affirming healthcare environment is critical in fostering better outcomes for transgender, nonbinary, and other gender expansive children and adolescents.”

ACTIVIST’S ROOMMATE CHARGED WITH MURDER Zachary Jarrell of The Los Angeles Blade, Courtesy of the National LGBT Media Association

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Florida grand jury has charged Steven Yinger with the murder of his roommate and prominent LGBTQ activist Jorge Diaz-Johnston, whose death in January shocked and saddened the LGBTQ community.

According to an indictment, Yinger, 37, strangled Diaz-Johnston, 54, who was known for his leading role in the fight for marriage equality, in his Tallahassee home

sometime between Jan. 3 and Jan. 5. His body was found in a Jackson County landfill a few days later.

After discarding Diaz-Johnston’s body, Yinger allegedly stole his car, iPhone and cash, prosecutors said.

Yinger was arrested April 15 on charges of first-degree murder, grand theft, grand theft of a motor vehicle, tampering with evidence and criminal use of a personal ID. He is now being held without bail at the Leon County Detention Facility.

Yinger has an extensive criminal past – including theft, drug and battery charges – dating back to 2004, according to the Leon County Sheriff’s Department. State Attorney Jack Campbell called Diaz-Johnston’s murder “a tragedy,”

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“I do appreciate the hard work of the grand jury,” Campbell said. “And we’re going to work hard to get justice for him and his family.”

Diaz-Johnston, the brother of former Miami mayor and Florida Democratic Party Chair Manny Diaz, and his husband were plaintiffs in a historic 2014 lawsuit that led to the legalization of same-sex marriage in Miami-Dade County.

In a statement to the Democrat, Diaz expressed gratitude to police, prosecutors and city officials.

“I am profoundly appreciative of the outpouring of support shown to my family after the loss of my brother,” he said. “We once again ask for privacy and continued prayers during this difficult time.”

ADULT ENTERTAINER ARRESTED FOR JAN. 6 Brody Levesque of The Los Angeles Blade, Courtesy of the National LGBT Media Association

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he U.S. Department of Justice announced April 13 that Steven Miles, 39, from Zephyrhills was arrested by FBI agents. In a 24-page warrant, the department charged him with multiple criminal counts relating to his role in the January 6 insurrection.

LGBTQ political blogger and editor Joe Jervis published April 14 that the Str8UpGayPorn blog had revealed that Miles was a gay-for-pay porn actor with the New York -based adult film company Lucas Entertainment using the stage name “Sergeant Miles.”

In the FBI’s warrant, agents described the brown-bearded Miles as present inside the U.S. Capitol wearing a red “Make America Great Again” baseball hat, navy gloves, camouflage pants, a backpack, tan boots, and a tan camouflage jacket with a patch bearing his surname on his left sleeve.

The warrant had multiple photographic exhibits.

Miles is seen wearing a black shirt reading “Trump 2020 F** Your Feelings.”

Miles was charged with assaulting police officers, destruction of federal property, vandalism to federal property and other crimes connected to his actions on January 6.

“At approximately 2:12 p.m., U.S. Capitol CCTV footage depicts individuals banging on the Senate Wing Door and the windows on either side of the door with their fists and other blunt items, including planks of wood and a U.S. Capitol Police riot shield,” the FBI’s affidavit states.

“Within one minute, rioters successfully smashed in a window on one side of the Senate Wing Doors and unlawfully entered the U.S. Capitol Building. A handful of people entered the building through the broken window and opened the Senate Wing Door.

They were the first to breach the interior of the Capitol. Meanwhile, other rioters, including Miles, continued to smash the window on the other side of the Senate Wing Door.”

Miles was charged alongside with a Louisiana man Matthew LeBrun, a 33-year-old from New Orleans who faces only misdemeanor charges.

Miles is allegedly a member of both the violent far-right groups ‘Oath Keepers’ and the Proud Boys that as noted by the website ‘Sedition Tracker,’ which has been tracking those who participated in the events during the Capitol Insurrection, was allegedly providing ‘security’ for the Oath Keepers that day. Although the FBI charging affidavit does not specify the group that Miles was with, in one photo exhibit he is seen attacking the line of Capitol Police officers guarding the West Front of the Capitol.

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nation+world news

STATE DEPT RELEASES ‘21 HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT Michael K. Lavers of The Washington Blade, Courtesy of the National LGBT Media Association

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ASHINGTON | The State Department’s annual human rights report that was released April 12 notes anti-LGBTQ persecution and violence remains commonplace in many countries around the world.

The report notes consensual same-sex sexual relations remain criminalized in Jamaica and dozens of other countries. Iran and Afghanistan are two of the handful of nations in which homosexuality is punishable by death.

The report specifically cites the case of Alireza Fazeli Monfared, an Iranian man whose relatives killed in in May 2021 after they discovered he was gay and nonbinary. The report also notes the Taliban regaining control of Afghanistan in August 2021 “increased fears of repression and violence among LGBTQI+ persons,

with many individuals going into hiding to avoid being captured by the Taliban.”

“Many fled the country after the takeover,” reads the report. “After the takeover, LGBTQI+ persons faced increased threats, attacks, sexual assaults, and discrimination from Taliban members, strangers, neighbors and family members.”

The report includes statistics from Associação Nacional de Travestis e Transexuais, a Brazilian transgender rights group, that indicate 80 trans people — most of whom were Brazilians of African descent who were younger than 35 — were reported killed in the first six months of 2021. The report also cites Cattrachas, a lesbian feminist human rights group in Honduras that noted 17 “violent deaths of LGBTQI+ persons” in the country between January and August 2021.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken pointed out to reporters there are more than 1 million political prisoners in 65 countries. These include Yoav de la Cruz, a gay Cuban man who was sentenced to six years in prison last month

after he livestreamed the first anti-government protest that took place on the island on July 11, 2021.

The report notes Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s continued efforts to rollback LGBTQ rights, which include a decree his government issued on Aug. 6, 2021, that restricted the sale of children’s books with LGBTQ-specific themes.

The report also includes incidents of anti-LGBTQ violence, discrimination and hate speech in Poland.

This report focuses on 2021 and does not include details of human rights abuses that Russian forces have carried out against Ukrainian civilians during the ongoing war in their country.

The report also notes LGBTQ rights advances around the world.

The Botswana Court of Appeals in November 2021 upheld a previous ruling that decriminalized homosexuality in the country. The report also notes the European Commission sanctioned Hungary over its efforts to curtail LGBTQ rights and Poland in response to so-called “LGBT-free zones.”

S. KOREA OVERTURNS GAY SOLDIERS CONVICTIONS Wire Report

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EOUL, SOUTH KOREA | South Korea’s Supreme Court on April 21 threw out a military court ruling that convicted two gay soldiers for having sex outside their military facilities, saying it stretched the reading of the country’s widely criticized military sodomy law.

The court’s decision to send the case back to the High Court for Armed Forces was welcomed by human rights advocates, who had long protested the country’s 1962 Military Criminal Act’s Article 92-6, which prohibits same-sex conduct among soldiers in the country’s predominantly male military.

The article prescribes a maximum prison term of two years for “anal intercourse” and “any other indecent acts” between military personnel.

Following the Supreme Court’s full panel deliberation of its 13 justices, Chief Justice Kim Myeong-su said they concluded the provisions should

not be applied to consensual sex between male service members that takes place outside military facilities during off-duty hours.

The court later said in a press release that the decision was meaningful as a “declaration that consensual same-sex sexual activity (among military service members) could no longer been considered as punishable in itself.”

The two defendants — an army lieutenant and sergeant from different units — had been charged by military prosecutors in 2017 for having sex during off-duty hours at a residence outside their bases in 2016. They were among at least nine soldiers who were indicted in what critics described as the army’s aggressive crackdown on gay soldiers in 2017.

The defendants had appealed after the military high court upheld their convictions by a lower court based on Article 92-6 and gave them suspended prison terms.

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South Korea’s Defense Ministry said it will “carefully examine” the Supreme Court’s decision while proceeding with the case sent back to the military court.

The Seoul-based Center for Military Human Rights welcomed the decision, saying it set a new judicial precedent that could help tackle discrimination against sexual minorities in the military and strengthen protection of their privacy.

The group in a statement called for courts to acquit all service members charged with violating Article 92-6 and for the country’s Constitutional Court to rule the provision as unconstitutional.

The Constitutional Court had received numerous complaints regarding Article 92-6 despite upholding the provision three different times, mostly recently in 2016.

South Korea’s military has long been criticized over how it treats sexual minorities among its service members.

IN OTHER NEWS OHIO UNIVERSITY TO PAY PROFESSOR WHO MISGENDERED STUDENT The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit reversed a district court’s decision in March 2021, ruling Shawnee State University professor Nicholas Meriwether’s First Amendment rights to free speech and religion were violated when the school disciplined him for misgendering a transgender student. The three-judge panel sent the case back to the district court. After more than a year, the case was dismissed once the university agreed to pay Meriwether $400,000. As part of the settlement, the school agreed that Meriwether will not be forced to use pronouns that coincide with a student’s gender identity.

LOUISIANA GOV OPPOSES STATE’S TRANS GIRLS SPORTS BILL Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said April 20 that he remains opposed to a bill what would keep transgender athletes in Louisiana from competing on college and K-12 women’s and girls’ sport teams, but he stopped short of saying he would veto a bill that passed the Senate hours earlier. The Democratic governor vetoed similar legislation last year. The Senate approved an override April 19 by the needed two-thirds majority, but the override effort fell two votes short in the House. Both chambers are dominated by Republicans. Edwards states the bill addresses something that hasn’t occurred in the state.

KS GOV VETOES ANTI-LGBTQ BILLS Democratic Kansas Governor Laura Kelly vetoed four bills sent to her desk by the Republican-majority held legislature April 15, including two anti-LGBTQ measures: the Parents’ Bill of Rights and the Fairness in Women’s Sports Acts. Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson, who took aim at the governor calling her vetoes as little more than pandering to her progressive base, told reporters that the legislature was prepared to override Kelly’s vetoes when it returns on April 25.

Override of a governor’s veto requires support from two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate.

DENMARK, HONDURAS JOIN UN LGBTI CORE GROUP Denmark and Honduras have joined a group of United Nations countries that have pledged to support LGBTQ rights. The U.S. and 34 other countries are also members of the U.N. LGBTI Core Group that Argentina and the Netherlands currently co-chair. The European Union, the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Human Rights Watch and OutRight Action International are also members. Denmark, in ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Europe 2021 report, ranked second among 49 European countries in terms of LGBTQ rights. Discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity remains commonplace in Honduras.

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PEER SUPPORT Cultivating Community, Care and Solidarity Amongst Queer Comrades

B

EING A HUMAN IS

inherently messy, chaotic and at times (if I’m being honest) embarrassing. We are all out here doing our best to make sense of the expansiveness.

If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that being alive can get a bit scary, stressful and hard to navigate. It can get pretty lonely, too. It’s difficult to connect with others, let alone allow them to witness our vulnerability; to shine light on the hidden parts of ourselves and expose things too commonly suffered in secret.

The barriers between ourselves and others can be hard to overcome, especially when there is a sense of hierarchy, power imbalance and inauthenticity. I’ve been in the mental health and nonprofit field for over a decade now. I have been on the clinical side of things as a social worker and I have been in the trenches with my fellow queer, neurodivergent comrades as a peer supporter.

What I’ve experienced time and time again is how radically powerful and healing peer support is. Conversely, I’ve seen how traumatizing clinical resources can be — especially when the provider holds power, privilege and acts to marginalize and invalidate those they are meant to provide care for. I know this conversation can feel a bit uncomfy and I don’t want to invalidate anyone’s experiences. I acknowledge that therapy and other traditional mental health services can be wonderful and work very well for some, but like all things in the human experience there isn’t a one-size-fits all approach. Peer support can be supplemental to therapeutic services, but it can also be used as an alternative to, and I simultaneously honor both of these experiences because, ultimately, humans are magically diverse and what works for one will not work for another.

Peer support is unique and effective because it allows us to connect with others with shared aspects of identity on an equal plane and, honestly, it is a beautiful thing. I’ve always believed that it is in community in

which we are given the conditions we need to heal.

We are a social species, we are interdependent. Extreme independence, the idea that we must survive hardship in isolation, is rooted in oppressive structures and systems. It’s a dangerous narrative because it leads people to isolate and suffer alone. It is truly an act of liberation to show up for and tend to those in your life. It is resistance to a system in which queer, racialized, trans, neurodivergent, disabled folks were not meant to thrive. To build and invest in community networks of care and support outside of the current system is necessary for our collective survival and sustainability.

It’s necessary because although the current mental health system can and does work for some, it also can be dehumanizing, dangerous and distressing for others.

Being psychiatrically incarcerated against your will and forcefully medicated can, instead of bolstering your ability to heal, be a new source of trauma from the very services that you’d expect to help you. It’s been far too normalized, the stripping of rights and autonomy from those navigating difficult times emotionally and it can make those needing care (especially those who have experienced it firsthand) feel trepidation about reaching out for help at all. This fosters further isolation in those who deserve community support the most.

And that is one of the primary reasons why Peer Support Space, a relatively new peer-led collective, was founded in 2019. We cultivate spaces where peers with shared aspects of identity can connect with one another and seek support, respite and community. This is especially vital for those who are queer, trans or otherwise fall under the beautifully broad umbrella of being 2SLGBTQIA+.

We often know, all too well, what it is like to be otherized. Just look at the current legislation in our state that is telling our queer

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children that their identity is so taboo that it ought not be uttered in public spaces — it’s isolating, devastating and horrifying to be marginalized, forcefully excluded for being authentic to yourself. That is why Peer Support Space exists. We know that the world can be hostile and

care or left with culturally illiterate and even harmful services. Our intention as an organization is to focus on centering communities that are too often excluded from traditional resources.

We have spent the last few years cultivating spaces for healing and support that

the folks these words connect with to take time to care for themselves and one another, whenever you are able. Not just during May, but every day or any moment you are able to find. It doesn’t have to be anything grand, little things like having tea with a loved one, sending memes,

cruel. Simultaneously, we also know that we all deserve love and care.

All of our resources and offerings are led by and for people with lived experience (otherwise known as peers).

I can’t say that we are the perfect fit for everyone, but I have seen over my time in this field that too many people fall through the cracks, are left without access to

are centered around shared lived experiences, mutuality, consent and compassion.

We are all doing our best at being human and even though I don’t have the answers, and none of us are experts, we can offer an ear, empathy and stand alongside each other in solidarity as we work to figure it out together. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, with that in mind I implore all

expressing care — we can cultivate a softer and more hospitable world, together.

I hope you can remember and internalize that you are beautiful, magical, divine and you deserve community, care and connection.

I hope you can remember and internalize that you are beautiful, magical, divine and you deserve community, care and connection.

Dandelion is a co-founder of Peer Support Space. They are genderqueer, bisexual, neurodivergent. A social worker, advocate, gardener and parent.

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viewpoint

Greg Stemm

POSITIVE LIVING Say Gay and Trans — Please!

M

ANY WHO KNOW ME

understand that my LGBTQ activism comes in part from growing up alone and scared in the cornfields of Central Ohio. I never even met someone I actually knew was gay until I was in college.

It was dreadful. I felt absolutely and completely alone – and scared to death someone would find out why. Even in college in the early 1980s I had to be closeted, although I learned later that many of my frat brothers shared this experience.

My small liberal arts university has since started all sorts of programs to support LGBTQ students, and good for them! Otterbein University now says “gay” proudly and without reservation. Interestingly enough, they have had some issues with the United Methodist Church with which they are affiliated but have steadfastly persevered. Again, good for them.

I have pledged my life in part to make sure no other LGBTQ youth feels the isolation that I did way back then. Bullies on the playground called me a f**got because I liked (and excelled) in theatre instead of the all-encompassing football of the area. My church told me I was going to hell for my feelings and as for my parents, let’s just say they seemed blissfully unaware

of their queer son until I mustered the courage to tell them otherwise when I was 25 years old.

The way they reacted was the way I was afraid that mid-western parents of an only child would react. Just awful. If you want to know why I am a founder of St Pete Pride or an active board member of the LGBTQ Resource Center at the Gulfport Public Library, my childhood is the answer. I wanted to make a difference in my community.

My activism comes from a deep place.

It’s why I feel so strongly about speaking out against that dreadful “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” bill recently passed by our state and signed by that monster in the governor’s mansion. As with “45,” I refuse to use his name in print.

I believe most of us have had the experience of a well-meaning person asking when we knew we were a member of the LGBTQ community. I believe that has much meaning in the current atmosphere that seems to think “shielding” students from LGBTQ issues will make them go away.

It won’t. What it will do is make those young kids feel “less than” or as isolated as I did in those cornfields 50 years ago.

When did I know I was gay? That’s a tough question, as the answer came in segments rather than an all-at-once epiphany. I often share that in Vacation Bible School – when I was the age of LGBTQ youth targeted in this bill – there was a picture of David and Goliath in the Bibles we used.

I was particularly drawn to those images. Someone asked me one time if I liked David or Goliath better, and as my current attractions would seem to indicate I liked them both.

Certainly being gay wasn’t a choice. Exactly when would I have made that decision, was it at my locker between homeroom and Honors English? If

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anything it was probably more in gym when they put me in a locker room. I knew I was “different” before I could put a label on it. Not to be too spiritual for some, but I believe God made us the way we are and that no “choice” was necessary.

Thank God we don’t

haven’t noticed, there are a plethora of LGBTQ characters on the TV these children are watching.

I believe the monsters in Tallahassee want us to go back to a “simpler time,” and I can say from personal experience that such a time was horrible for many lonely

live in 1980 anymore. Gay people get married, we have children and little Johnny in the first grade may very well be sitting next to Susie who has two moms or two dads.

Or maybe Johnny himself has two same-sex parents.

Are we going to pretend they don’t exist?

Youth have eyes and ears and in case some

kids like me.

Those times are over.

The sooner our society moves on and accepts things the way they are and not the way they inaccurately remember them being, the better our children will be in the process.

Our young people are looking to us to lead, so say “gay” and say “trans” like

so many activists are doing.

Say it loud and clear. Make it undeniable that being gay or trans isn’t wrong or a choice and it certainly doesn’t mean being alone or less than.

To our young folks, we love you unconditionally.

Be the voice. Our children are listening.

I believe the monsters in Tallahassee want us to go back to a ‘simpler time,’ and I can say from personal experience that such a time was horrible for many lonely kids like me.

Greg Stemm is a longtime resident of Pinellas County and a founder of St Pete Pride. He currently sits on the board of the award-winning LGBTQ Resource Center of the Gulfport Public Library and is an outspoken activist on many issues, including HIV/AIDS education.

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talking points

If you can’t see us, you can’t help us.

– TRANSGENDER ACTIVIST AND ACTOR ALEXANDRA BILLINGS ON HER NEW MEMOIR AND THE IMPORTANCE OF LGBTQ VISIBILITY TO USA TODAY

‘QUEER AS FOLK’ REBOOT TO PREMIERE FOR PRIDE MONTH

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BCUNIVERSAL’S PEACOCK RELEASED THE STREAMING SERVICE’S FIRST LOOK AT ITS “QUEER AS FOLK” REBOOT APRIL 13. The show will reimagine Russell T. Davies’ iconic series in modern New Orleans and premiere for Pride Month on June 9. “Like most queer ‘90s kids, I had a unique relationship with the original ‘Queer As Folk,’” creator and director Stephen Dunn said. “Growing up, I was desperate for any sort of connection with people like me … the show offered a new paradigm – one where we could accept and celebrate queer love, families, and communities on a global stage.” Davies also addressed the new series. “I’m very proud of what we achieved in 1999, but in queer years, that was a millennium ago,” he said. “The 2022 show is more diverse, more wild, more free, more angry – everything a queer show should be.” View the teaser and photos at WatermarkOnline.com.

ABOUT

4 IN 10 REPUBLICANS

BELIEVE PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS DISCUSS SEXUALITY

TOO MUCH,

WHILE ONLY ABOUT

UK’S OLIVIERS STAGE THEIR RETURN

L

ONDON HELD THE FIRST FULL OLIVIERS SHOW SINCE 2019 ON APRIL 10, Britain’s equivalent to the Tony Awards, Broadway’s celebration. British theaters shut down in March 2020 due to COVID-19, weeks before the scheduled 2020 Oliviers ceremony, and Britain’s stage community came out in full force to celebrate this year. “Cabaret” was the big winner, taking seven prizes including acting trophies for stars Eddie Redmayne and Jessie Buckley. “Cabaret” was named best musical revival at the ceremony and “Life of Pi,” adapted from the best-selling novel about a boy adrift at sea with a tiger, won best new play. Hiran Abeysekera was named best actor while in a first, supporting actor prize went to seven performers who puppet the show’s tiger.

‘POTTER’ PREQUEL LOSES SOME STEAM

T

HE LATEST “FANTASTIC BEASTS” FILM A LESS-THAN-MAGICAL START IN U.S. and Canadian theaters. The third “Harry Potter” spinoff opened to an estimated $43 million in North America.

“The Secrets of Dumbledore” pushes Jude Law’s gay wizard to the fore but author J.K. Rowling‘s anti-transgender views have cast her Wizarding World in a new light for many LGBTQ and ally fans.

“Recapturing the original ‘Harry Potter’ magic that began some 20 years ago in cinemas is a tall order,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore.

Domestic distributor Warner Bros. also weighed in, noting that the films are just one part of their plan.

“There’s still a lot of public interest and a lot of fan interest.”

watermark Your LGBTQ News Source.

‘FIRST LADY’ INCLUDES ALLEGED LOVE

S

HOWTIME’S “THE FIRST LADY” PREMIERED APRIL 17, featuring three influential women played by acclaimed actors.

It stars Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt, Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford and Viola Davis as Michelle Obama. The series examines their personal and political chapters, showrunner Cathy Schulman says, in historical fiction. “We had to imagine what happened in between the events and the things that have been written about,” she explained.

That includes Roosevelt’s alleged affair with journalist and close friend Lorena “Hick” Hickok, played

by Lily Rabe. Some scholars say there’s strong evidence that the two were romantically involved.

The series is envisioned as an anthology series with new political spouses taking the spotlight in later seasons.

1 IN 10

SAY TOO LITTLE.

AMONG

DEMOCRATS, THOSE NUMBERS ARE

REVERSED. — Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research Poll, April 2022

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Global Hospitality Interiors Procurement Supporting the LGBT community, now and always

LGBT Owned and Operated

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On The Fringe 31 LGBTQ shows coming to the 31st Orlando Fringe Festival

T

Jeremy Williams

HE ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL FRINGE

Theatre Festival, a 14-day theatre experience that is 100% uncensored, unjuried, accessible and inclusive, returns to Loch Haven Park and various other locations throughout Orlando with its 31st annual outing May 17-30.

Orlando Fringe “unites local, national, and international artists with the Central Florida community, creating a uniquely diverse arts experience” and is the longest running Fringe Festival in the U.S. Along with hundreds of shows, Fringe also features a free outdoor music festival on the lawn, showcases local artists with Visual Fringe, holds Kids Fringe for all ages and hosts numerous special events during the festival. Also returning this year is DigiFringe, an

online, virtual festival playing June 3-17 that will feature recordings from many of this year’s shows that performed in the festival-managed venues.

HOW TO FRINGE

First, buy your Fringe button. The Fringe button is one of the two items you will need to get into a Fringe show. It will cost you $10 and can be purchased at the box office and at the merch table.

watermark Your LGBTQ News Source.

The money you pay for the button goes back to Orlando Fringe to help keep the festival going. Then buy tickets to the shows you want to see. 100% of ticket sales go directly to the artists performing in the shows you watch. Keep in mind that there’s no late entry to any Fringe show, all ticket sales are final and no outside food/beverages will be allowed inside any venue.

WHERE TO FRINGE

Orlando Fringe will be performed throughout Orlando but the bulk of the shows will be performed at the Fringe managed venues: Orlando Shakes (home to the Blue, Orange, Pink, Brown and Yellow Venues), the Renaissance Theatre (the Purple and Teal Venues), the Orlando Museum of Art (the Gold Venue) and Orlando Rep (the Green and Silver Venues). Fringe will feature three Bring Your Own Venue locations: The Abbey

Orlando, The Starlite Room at Savoy and Stardust Lounge. There are also several site-specific venues throughout Loch Haven including on the lawn and even one that takes place in a van.

WHAT TO FRINGE

There are 100 shows at this year’s Fringe Festival and you should try and see as many of them as you can. To help get you started, we have gathered information on 31 of those shows that are LGBTQ themed. So get out there and support our community, support the artists and experience what makes Fringe one of the most beloved festivals in Central Florida.

To check out the full schedule and get more information on the 31st annual festival, visit OrlandoFringe.org.

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watermark Your LGBTQ News Source.

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ORLANDO FRINGE 2022 SHOWCASE

Orange Venue *This production is being presented under the auspices of the Actors’ Equity Association Fringe Festival Code.

SILVER VENUE 18+ ONLY

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25

“Betteducation (Of A Divine Miss M’poster)”

By: Jennica McCleary Presents Venue: The Starlite Room @ Savoy Length: 55 Minutes| Rated: 18 & Up Tickets: $12 Showtimes: May 19, 10:30 p.m.; May 21, 7:10 p.m.; May 22, 12:40 p.m.; May 25, 9:30 p.m.; May 27, 5 p.m.; May 28, 2:10 p.m.; May 29, 7:20 p.m.

B

ETTE MIDLER TRIBUTE ARTIST, JENNICA MCCLEARY, brings the pre-Hollywood career of The Divine Miss M together with her own wins and woes of doubling as the Diva. A musical HERstory of Bette’s lesser-known stories and performances from the ‘60s and ‘70s.

This show contains adult language and mature themes.

“Blue and Tod Go Home”

By: Blue LaLa Entertainment Venue: The Starlite Room @ Savoy Length: 60 Minutes | Rated: 18 & Up Tickets: $15 Showtimes: May 19, 7 p.m.; May 25, 7 p.m.; May 28, 4:20 p.m.

B

LUESTAR AND TOD KIMBRO are an award-winning cabaret duo that has been playing at the Orlando Fringe for almost a decade. Their humor will have you laughing until they throw in one of their infamous mashups that will bring tears to your eyes.

This show contains audience interaction, adult language and mature themes.

“Boys Will Be Boys”

F

By: Excellent Adventure Productions Venue: The Abbey Orlando Length: 75 Minutes | Rated: 18 & Up Tickets: $15 Showtimes: May 21, 9:50 p.m.; May 22, 2:45 p.m.; May 25, 5:30 p.m.; May 26, 7:30 p.m.; May 27, 10:45 p.m.; May 28, 2:15 p.m.; May 29, 5:45 p.m.

RIENDS RUSH TO THE RESCUE with a charity “fun-raiser” for Gay Attention Deficit Disorder sufferers, a condition that renders some gay men unable to stay focused on any trend for more than a few weeks. During their comically disastrous musical revue, the friends expose themselves and their views on loves won and lost (and borrowed!).

This show contains adult language, mature themes and sexual content.

“Bullock & The Bandits”

By: Kangagirl Productions Venue: The Abbey Orlando Length: 75 Minutes | Rated: 13 & Up Tickets: $15 Showtimes: May 19, 9:30 p.m.; May 20, 9:15 p.m.; May 21, 2:30 p.m.; May 22, 9:20 p.m.; May 27, 5 p.m.; May 28, 4:15 p.m.; May 29, 12 p.m.

S

TEP INSIDE THE HAUNTED SALOON at the world-famous Bullock Hotel for a rhythm and blues, country and rock fueled ghost rider romp across the Wild West.

This show contains mature themes.

“Canceled (or how to unCancel yourself)”

I

By: Cypress Creek High School | Venue: Brown Length: 60 Minutes | Rated: 13 & Up Tickets: $5 Showtimes: May 21, 1:30 p.m.; May 25, 6 p.m.; May 28, 4:30 p.m.

N TODAY’S SOCIETY OF SHAREABLE VIDEOS, it’s easy for a person to be defined by their worst moment.

In this off-beat, ridiculous dark comedy, Emma is seeking to put infamy behind her but she can’t move beyond her worst moment.

This show contains adult language and violence.

26

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“Carmilla: An American Gothic”

By: Lightup Shoebox & Phantom Funhouse Venue: Blue Length: 60 Minutes | Rated: 13 & Up Tickets: $12 Showtimes: May 19, 10 p.m.; May 21, 9 p.m.; May 25, 6:50 p.m.; May 28, 12:30 p.m.; May 29, 3:15 p.m.

S

MALLTOWN U.S.A. IN THE GOTHIC SUMMER OF 1956. A lonely, misfit teenager named Laura forms a unique bond with a mysterious young woman named Carmilla, and their relationship blossoms in secrecy. When Carmilla reveals a supernatural truth, Laura must face her nightmarish reality and fight for what she believes in.

This show contains adult language, mature themes and strobe lights.

“The Complete Works of Stephen Sondheim (Abridged)”

S

By: Man and Puppet Productions Venue: Green Length: 60 Minutes | Rated: 13 & Up Tickets: $15 Showtimes: May 18, 8:55 p.m.; May 21, 10:05 p.m.; May 22, 3:10 p.m.; May 23, 7:15 p.m.; May 26, 9:50 p.m.; May 28, 2:25 p.m.; May 29, 4:40 p.m.

END IN THE CLOWNS? DON’T BOTHER, WE’RE HERE. From the creatives behind “Oh Hi, Johnny!” and “DCOM Abridged” comes the world premiere of a hilarious tribute to the greatest musical theatre composer of all time.

This show contains adult language and mature themes.

“The City Beautiful: An Original Live Music Burlesque Cabaret”

T

By: Blacklist Babes Cabaret Venue: Stardust Lounge Length: 60 Minutes | Rated: 18 & Up Tickets: $15 Showtimes: May 18, 7 p.m.; May 24, 10:30 p.m.; May 25, 9:30 p.m.

HE CITY BEAUTIFUL IS AN ORIGINAL, LIVE MUSIC BURLESQUE CABARET show all about the history and stories of our own City Beautiful. What was Orlando like in the days before we know it to be now?

This show contains adult language, mature themes, nudity and sexual content.

“Enthrallment: The Musical”

By: Total Eclipse Theatre Venue: Orange Length: 60 Minutes | Rated: 18 & Up | Tickets: $15 (opening night is $6) Showtimes: May 18, 7:30 p.m.; May 19, 6:15 p.m.; May 21, 5:45 p.m.; May 22, 1:30 p.m.; May 24, 8:45 p.m.; May 27, 9:45 p.m.; May 29, 8:45 p.m.

S

ET IN 18TH CENTURY ENGLAND, this show tells the darkly comedic tale of four cursed individuals caught in a vampire nightmare, which leads them from their comfortable lives and families straight into a most questionable brothel to do battle with Dracula.

This show contains adult language, mature themes, sexual content and violence.

“Down the Rabbit Hole”

By: Lumu Productions Venue: Silver Length: 75 Minutes | Rated: 18 & Up Tickets: $15 Showtimes: May 19, 6 p.m.; May 20, 8:45 p.m.; May 21, 10:15 p.m.; May 23, 6:30 p.m.; May 25, 10 p.m.; May 28, 10:15 p.m.; May 29, 9:45 p.m.

Y

OUR FAVORITE WELL-KNOWN CARTOON RABBITS are hanging out in a local dive bar celebrating New Year’s Eve when an out of towner crashes the party looking for a casual hookup.

Will they find someone or something to kiss at the stroke of midnight?

This show contains adult language, mature themes, nudity and sexual content.

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BEPrEPARED 28

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LGBTQ+ Premier Medical Care

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“Generic Male: Just What We Need Another Show About Men”

“Food Court by Beverly Coyle”

By: PUSH Physical Theatre Venue: Silver Length: 60 Minutes | Rated: 13 & Up Tickets: $15 Showtimes: May 18, 6:30 p.m.; May 20, 10:45 p.m.; May 21, 4:30 p.m.; May 22, 12:15 p.m.; May 23, 8:30 p.m.; May 27, 8 p.m.; May 29, 2 p.m.

E “The Gay 90’s Musical”

By: Unseen Images Theatre Venue: Gold Length: 75 Minutes | Rated: 13 & Up Tickets: $15 Showtimes: May 18, 7 p.m.; May 21, 9:30 p.m.; May 22, 2 p.m.; May 23, 9 p.m.; May 26, 10 p.m.; May 27, 10:30 p.m.; May 29, 7:45 p.m.

W

ITH A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE, this happy old school musical romp through gay a lesbian life during the 1990s will leave you on your feet and wanting more. A big ole gay vaudeville-like act in a fast-paced musical revue, with 19 original songs and sketches performed by a six-member cast.

By: Skinned Knee Productions Venue: Brown Length: 60 Minutes | Rated: 13 & Up Tickets: $15 (opening night is $6) Showtimes: May 18, 6:45 p.m.; May 19, 8:30 p.m.; May 23, 8:30 p.m.; May 25, 9 p.m.; May 26, 6:45 p.m.; May 28, 3 p.m.; May 29, 8:45 p.m.

XPLOSIVE, ATHLETIC, PHYSICAL THEATRE RUINED by a tragic lack of understanding. Award-winning PUSH Physical Theatre creates a masculinity satire by two well-meaning fools — arguing, dancing and desperately clinging to the status-quo.

This show contains audience interaction and adult language.

J

AMES, NEWLY DIAGNOSED WITH PARKINSON’S, finds himself parked at a mall food court by his husband Gerald when he meets the irrepressible Rachel, with early-onset MS. Their unlikely encounter and kinship might just save the world.

This show contains adult language and mature themes.

This show contains adult language and mature themes.

“Gertrude Stein’s Not Sightly, a play”

By: Dynamite Geography and Plays Venue: The Starlite Room @ Savoy Length: 30 Minutes | Rated: 13 & Up Tickets: $12 Showtimes: May 19, 9:30 p.m.; May 21, 6 p.m.; May 25, 5 p.m.; May 27, 6:40 p.m.; May 28, 9:10 p.m.

M

ODERNIST QUEER ICON GERTRUDE STEIN’S 100-year-old abstract play about unknowable things is now a hyper pop puppet show!

This show contains mature themes.

“God Is A Scottish Drag Queen (Best Of)”

By: Mike Delamont Venue: Gold Length: 60 Minutes | Rated: 13 & Up Tickets: $15 Showtimes: May 20, 8:30 p.m.; May 21, 3:30 p.m.; May 22, 8:15 p.m.; May 25, 6:30 p.m.; May 26, 8:15 p.m.; May 27, 7 p.m.; May 28, 7:45 p.m.

G

OD IS BACK AND BETTER THAN EVER! Dressed in a floral power suit, God returns with a hilarious “Best Of” show featuring the best bits from all eight shows in the series and celebrating 10 years as one of the most popular shows on the fringe.

This show contains adult language and mature themes.

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“I Favor My Daddy: A Tale of Two Sissies”

By: Jamie Brickhouse Venue: Blue Length: 60 Minutes | Rated: 18 & Up Tickets: $15 (opening night is $6) Showtimes: May 19, 8:30 p.m.; May 21, 10:30 p.m.; May 22, 2 p.m.; May 23, 9 p.m.; May 27, 6:40 p.m.; May 28, 10 p.m.; May 29, 8:15 p.m.

“W

HO’S YOUR (GAY) DADDY?” asks eight-time Fringe award winner Jamie Brickhouse in this darkly comic follow up to last year’s “Dangerous When Wet: Booze, Sex & My Mother.”

“Les MiserABBA”

By: Forced Perspective Entertainment Venue: Orange Length: 75 Minutes | Rated: All Ages Tickets: $15 Showtimes: May 18, 9:15 p.m.; May 20, 9:30 pm.; May 22, 9 p.m.; May 25, 6:15 p.m.; May 26, 8:30 p.m.; May 28, 3:45 p.m.; May 29, 6:15 p.m.

B

ASED ON THE ADAPTATION OF VICTOR HUGO’S 1862 NOVEL, “Les MiserABBA” is a story for today’s audiences, set in modern day times with many obstacles to overcome: a growing child, an ex-lover, a complicated love triangle, a jilted family and social unrest, told through the song library of ABBA.

This show contains adult language, mature themes and violence.

“Madame Bombshell”

This show contains adult language and mature themes.

By: The Bombshells Cosplay Venue: Stardust Lounge Length: 60 Minutes | Rated: 18 & Up Tickets: $15 (opening night is $6) Showtimes: May 18, 8:45 p.m.; May 21, 2 p.m.; May 24, 9 p.m.; May 26, 8:30 p.m.

“Miss Gulch Returns”

By: White Elephant Theatre, Inc. Venue: Gold Length: 75 Minutes | Rated: 18 & Up Showtimes: May 20, 10:15 p.m.; May 21, 7:30 p.m.; May 23, 7 p.m.; May 24, 10:15 p.m.; May 26, 6:15 p.m.; May 28, 5:15 p.m.; May 29, 1:30 p.m.

J

OIN THE BOMBSHELLS AS THEY GO UNDERCOVER in WWII Paris to the heart of the villain’s lair to see a cabaret show where our heroes Batwoman and Supergirl plan a secret mission to infiltrate a hidden Nazi base.

B

This show contains mature themes and sexual content.

RETT MCMAHON TRANSFORMS INTO A MODERN-DAY ALMIRA GULCH who, in a desperate attempt to claim the fame and fortune denied her from “The Wizard of Oz,” becomes a cabaret lounge singer.

This show contains adult language, mature themes and sexual content.

“The Murray Method”

By: Beth Marshall Presents Venue: Yellow Length: 60 Minutes | Rated: 13 & Up Tickets: $15 Showtimes: May 21, 12:45 p.m.; May 22, 6:15 p.m.; May 23, 8:25 p.m.; May 25, 6:30 p.m.; May 27, 8:25 p.m.; May 28, 6:55 p.m.; May 29, 1:40 p.m.

“Missing Mercy”

By: Electric Wings Venue: Green Length: 60 Minutes | Rated: 18 & Up Tickets: $7 (opening night is $6) Showtimes: May 19, 9:50 p.m.; May 21, 8:25 p.m.; May 25, 9:35 p.m.; May 27, 6:55 p.m.; May 28, 4:05 p.m.

D

ANTE EDMONDS HAS THE LEAD IN THE OPERA CLUB, OLD MONEY AND THE SWEETEST OF HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEARTS. Little does he expect, his perfect world gets robbed when his enemies conspire against him. Now, at the start of their freshman year at college, Dante is back and disguised as European exchange student, Monte Christopher. Will he use revenge to get the best of his villains? Or will revenge get the best of him?

U

NCLE ORLANDO MURRAY, WHO HAS CEREBRAL PALSY, inadvertently turns into an acting coach and hopes his methods will help his goth niece gain acceptance of self, family and college admission.

A story of forgiveness, bromance, creating your own family dynamic and celebrating authentic humanity.

This show contains adult language, mature themes and sexual content.

This show contains audience interaction, adult language, mature themes, sexual content, strobe lights and violence.

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31

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“Peculiar, Missouri”

By: Willi Carlisle Venue: Yellow Length: 60 Minutes | Rated: 13 & Up | Tickets: $15 (opening night is $6) Showtimes: May 23, 6:45 p.m.; May 24, 8:25 p.m.; May 25, 10:05 p.m.; May 26, 8:10 p.m.; May 27, 10:05 p.m.; May 28, 3:05 p.m.; May 29, 9:05 p.m.

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ILLI CARLISLE RETURNS TO ORLANDO WITH A BRAND-NEW SHOW filled with folksongs and field recordings. “Peculiar, Missouri” spins a modern love saga with a ton of instruments and folk techniques as old as the hills. It’s part travelogue, part sound-poem, part southern cultural reckonin’.

This show contains audience interaction, adult language and mature themes.

“PeeVira’s SCAREavan SingAlong: Musical M.D.”

By: DulceArt Works, Inc. Venue: Van in front of Orlando Shakes Length: 45 Minutes | Rated: 18 & Up | Tickets: $15 Showtimes: May 26, 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9:30 p.m., 10:30 p.m., 11:30 p.m.; May 27, 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9:30 p.m., 10:30 p.m., 11:30 p.m.; May 28, 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9:30 p.m., 10:30 p.m., 11:30 p.m.; May 29, 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9:30 p.m., 10:30 p.m., 11:30 p.m.

P

EEVIRA IS CELEBRATING HER 10-YEAR FRINGE-IVERSARY. In honor of this special occasion, she is bringing back her celebration of musicals with “PeeVira’s SCAREavan SingAlong: Musical M.D.” Patients at this hospital will get musical prescriptions to help cure the “life is a giant mess” blues complete with skits, games, drag numbers, trivia and musical tunes.

This show contains audience interaction, adult language, mature themes, nudity, sexual content and violence.

“Spill the Tea with Jaimz and Johnnie”

“Raquel”

By: JAM3 ENTERPRISES Venue: Stone pillars on The Lawn, across from The Science Center Length: 30 Minutes | Rated: 18 & Up Tickets: $8 Showtimes: May 20, 7:10 p.m., 8:10 p.m., 9:10 p.m., 10:10 p.m.; May 21, 7:10 p.m., 8:10 p.m., 9:10 p.m., 10:10 p.m.; May 22, 6:10 p.m., 7:10 p.m., 8:10 p.m.; May 26, 7:10 p.m., 8:10 p.m., 9:10 p.m.; May 27, 7:10 p.m., 8:10 p.m., 9:10 p.m., 10:10 p.m.; May 28, 7:10 p.m., 8:10 p.m., 9:10 p.m., 10:10 p.m.; May 29, 6:10 p.m., 7:10 p.m., 8:10 p.m.

By: Open Scene Venue: Brown Length: 55 Minutes | Rated: 13 & Up | Tickets: $15 Showtimes: May 20, 6:45 p.m.; May 22, 1:15 p.m.; May 28, 9:30 p.m.; May 29, 7:15 p.m.

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AQUEL IS A CISGENDER, LATINX WOMAN WHO loses her female transgender partner to police brutality and spends her days trying to find her lover’s body scattered across the desert.

Love, transgression and resilience blend in this powerful love story.

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OIN THE CONVERSATION! ITS 2022 AND THERE’S PLENTY TO BITCH ABOUT. So come drop your gripes in the bitch box, gather on the rocks on the lawn and talk it out as Jaimz and Johnnie air their grievances to create world peace. (Not for the easily offended.)

This show contains audience interaction, adult language and mature themes.

“Spooky & Gay Cabaret”

This show contains adult language, mature themes and violence.

By: BC Theatricals Venue: The Starlite Room @ Savoy Length: 60 Minutes | Rated: 18 & Up Tickets: $15 Showtimes: May 20, 9:20 p.m.; May 21, 4 p.m.; May 22, 7:40 p.m.; May 24, 9:20 p.m.; May 26, 8:20 p.m.; May 27, 9:30 p.m.; May 29, 5:40 p.m.

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HO SAYS HALLOWEEN COMES ONLY ONCE A YEAR? “Spooky & Gay” is a queer horror storytelling cabaret from award-winning, playwright-performer Bruce Ryan Costella. It’s a celebration of spooky satire, songs and frights.

This show contains adult language, mature themes, sexual content and violence.

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Disney’s magical musical

live on stage may 12 - june 5 $30 for adults

$15 for 18 and younger

SPONSORED BY K-Country Ocala Gazette Tallen Builders 4337 E. Silver Springs BLVD. Ocala, Fl 34470 (352) 236—2274 Ocalacivictheatre.com

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THE BARBER FUND HELPING THOSE LIVING WITH CANCER

www.thebarberfund.org WE HONOR THEIR COURAGE. WE HONOR THEIR STRENGTH. WE HONOR THEIR FIGHT!

ONE LOVE!

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In Memory of John “Tweeka” Barber 1972 - 2011

“Stag Night”

By: Billie Jane Aubertin Venue: The Abbey Orlando Length: 60 Minutes | Rated: 18 & Up Tickets: $15 Showtimes: My 19, 6 p.m.; May 21, 6:20 p.m.; May 22, 1 p.m.; May 25, 7:30 p.m.; May 27, 6:55 p.m.; May 28, 6:10 p.m.; May 29, 2 p.m.

“Undetectable”

By: The Millennial Theatre Project Venue: Teal Length: 60 Minutes | Rated: 18 & Up| Tickets: $15 Showtimes: May 18, 6 p.m.; May 19, 8:45 p.m.; May 21, 2:30 p.m.; May 22, 6 p.m.; May 28, 12 p.m.; May 29, 4:45 p.m.

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UNKY DREAM BOY LEX AND BRIGHT SPARK BRADLEY are falling for each other big time.

After three months, Lex has decided that tonight’s the night but Bradley’s not so sure he wants to go all the way.

With wisdom, wit and honesty, Tom Wright’s bold new play explores the delicate emotions, moral dilemmas and personal demons we all take to bed with us.

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T’S EVERY GIRL’S DREAM TO FALL IN LOVE on national television, but when roses become currency, what price are you willing to pay for a chance at happily ever after? From the playwright who brought you last year’s “Judas.”

This show contains violence.

This show contains adult themes, mature themes, nudity and sexual content.

“Wanzie with a ‘Z’ Part 2: The Rave Years”

By: Wanzie Presents & D Squared Productions Venue: Silver Length: 60 Minutes | Rated: 18 & Up Tickets: $15 Showtimes: May 18, 10 p.m.; May 21, 8:30 p.m.; May 22, 4 p.m.; May 23, 10:15 p.m.; May 25, 8:15 p.m.; May 28, 6:45 p.m.; May 29, 12:15 p.m.

“VarieTEASE: On The Move”

By: BlueLaLa Entertainment Venue: The Abbey Orlando Length: 60 Minutes | Rated: 18 & Up | Tickets: $15 Showtimes: May 19, 11:30 p.m.; May 21, 4:30 p.m.; May 26, 9:45 p.m.; May 28, 9:45 p.m.; May 29, 11:20 p.m.

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ARIETEASE, CREATED BY BLUESTAR, is back with their dynamic dance, improv skills and singing talents.

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ULTI-AWARD WINNING, FRINGE FAVORITE, MICHAEL WANZIE PERFORMS his first-ever solo show. He draws from his real-life experience of discovering the joys of a popular party drug late in life. No names have been changed to protect anyone. Trip with Wanzie from Midnight Teddy Bear Picnics to Disney/MGM Studios. No twinks were harmed in the making of this show. Come and merrily roll along with Wanzie on Ecstasy.

This show contains adult language, mature themes and strobe lights.

This show contains audience interactions, adult language, fog effects, mature themes and sexual content.

“You-Haul-It”

By: JBD Productions Venue: Pink | Length: 60 Minutes Rated: 18 & Up Tickets: $11 (May 21 show is $6) Showtimes: May 19, 9:35 p.m.; May 20, 9:05 p.m.; May 21, 10:55 p.m.; May 25, 6:15 p.m.; May 26, 8:40 p.m.; May 28, 1:25 p.m.; May 29, 6:10 p.m.

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WO LESBIANS IN A COMMITTED RELATIONSHIP move back in with their parents because of the pandemic.

Watch as their communication, relationship and plans for the future all burn away in snapshots at the storage unit where they keep their stuff.

This show contains adult language and mature themes.

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Watermark4'5x10'1.pdf 1 4/14/2022 11:20:44 AM

FABULOUS ARTS FOUNDATION PRESENTS:

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5/12 "Just Say Gay & Trans" art exhibition

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5/13 "Our Queerness "Performance Art

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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

SUPERKNOVA, PHOTO VIA FABULOUS ARTS FOUNDATION

Celebrating 12 years, FabAF holds 1st Pride, Be Fabulous Festival

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Ryan Williams-Jent

HANNON FORTNER HAS WORKED TO UNITE THE

LGBTQ community in and around Sarasota for more than a decade. It’s why she founded the region’s Harvey Milk Festival in 2009, acquired the long-running Fabulous Independent Film Festival in 2016 and rebranded the organization as the Fabulous Arts Foundation last year.

The arts and advocacy nonprofit exists to support and inspire the LGBTQ community and its allies through music, art, film, theatre

and dance. While HMF focused primarily on the life of its namesake, activist and political pioneer Harvey Milk, the rebranding allowed

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FabAF to emphasize “the legacy of all of the amazing queer+ activists that helped our mission have the opportunity to thrive.”

The organization’s signature event, a multi-day music and arts festival that welcomes thousands, was last held in its traditional format in 2019. The pandemic forced organizers to hold the event virtually in 2020 and reimagine it for 2021, presenting a hybrid arts celebration focusing on a COVID-conscious film festival.

“The rebranding last year was kind of a test run,” Fortner says. “The feedback from the community is that they love it. The logo

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ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS: Performers at this year’s inaugural Pride | Be Fabulous Festival, formerly the Harvey Milk Festival, include (1) Hovercar, (2) Jax Anderson, (3) DON ROC, (4) Tuesday Again, (5) Grace Cespedes, (6) Lalo and (7, 8) MeteorEYES, the Sarasota-based band which includes Fabulous Arts Foundation Founder Shannon Fortner. PHOTOS VIA FABULOUS ARTS FOUNDATION

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and the branding were familiar because we have the Fabulous Independent Film Festival, so we didn’t wander too far. It was something people related to our organization.”

It also allowed Fortner and the FabAF board to focus on their efforts to build a permanent Sarasota home. An LGBTQ-focused performing arts center has long been in the works.

“We have a big vision,” she explains. “Our five-year plan is to have a home base to provide programming all year round and to strengthen our partnerships with the organizations in the community. We want a space to amplify LGBTQ voices and support artists, which stays true to our original vision.”

Around 2,500 people attended FabAF’s two-week hybrid celebration last year, which Fortner says was about supporting LGBTQ performers when they needed it the most.

It helped pave the way for this year’s new signature outing, the organization’s three-day Pride | Be Fabulous Music & Arts Festival coming May 12-14.

“For over a decade we have been known to the community as the Harvey Milk Festival and

recently changed our name to keep growing for our community,” FabAF announced the gathering.

“Now as the Fabulous Arts Foundation we are still having our Music and Arts Fest in May – the same community focused, community driven festival that we have all known and loved for 12 years!”

Now is the right time for FabAF to hold its first major festival, Fortner notes, building upon the last decade plus.

“We wanted to keep some consistency,” she says. “There are a lot of artists who are familiar with our festival and organization, so even though we’re shifting the name it lets us continue our focus on the community.

“Having a platform right now with everything that’s going on in our state is also particularly important,” Fortner adds. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Parental Rights in Education into law March 28, the measure widely known as Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” bill.

“We also have a lot of people come to listen to our speakers,” Fortner says. They include representatives from Equality Florida this year, who will address concerns about the state’s anti-LGBTQ legislation and more.

The festival’s opening night will do the same May 12 from 6-10 p.m. at the DreamLarge

Yard in Sarasota’s Rosemary Art & Design District. Festivities begin with the “Just Say Gay & Trans” art exhibition, an outdoor, interactive installation that will allow attendees to speak out against the bill.

“This exhibition serves as a reminder that we are resilient, we are us and that our LGBTQ+ youth see that we never give up,” it’s officially described. “As we stand together, we continue to have a voice and not feel alone in this world.”

The festival’s second day will focus on dance and performance art at The Players Studio at 1400 Blvd. of the Arts on May 13 from 7-10 p.m. Tickets range from $10-40 to see live performances from duo Jess Pope and Amber McNew as well as Gabriele Keusch.

“We are transformative through movement and cascading through our memories are moments of dance,” the event is billed. “Be it your first spin or feeling so passionate about sound it just takes over your body. These artists will remind you why we feel this way through movement. Come celebrate these Queer Artists as they share their works with us.”

Pope and McNew will perform their piece “Pagan Babies,” adapted from LGBTQ culture of 1960s Kentucky. It

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will “challenge the masculine/ feminine relationship within themselves.” Keusch, “a conduit for the ancestors that walk with her,” will offer her unique brand of spoken word.

“It’s going to be beautiful,” Fortner promises. “We’re so excited to bring these three people to perform.”

The festival’s final day will celebrate music May 14 from 2:30-11 p.m. in Rosemary Park, located at 531 Central Ave. Attendees will have access to 30 community vendors and multiple food trucks while listening to speakers and LGBTQ performers from throughout the country.

Donations are encouraged but there is no cost to attend.

Headlining bands include alt-pop artist Jax Anderson from Detroit, “who has built an international audience by writing great songs and touring with the tireless work ethic that her city is famous for.” Queer pop music sensation Superknova from New York City will also feature, who “writes about identity, queernress and the struggle of being your authentic self.”

Sarasota synth-rock band MeteorEYES, which includes Fortner, will also return to the festival stage. The group is currently working on the release of a record, a digital version of

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which is targeted for release in time for the celebration.

Two acts from St. Petersburg will also perform. Heavily influenced by 90s grunge, Hovercar “has a sound that is equal parts aggression and nuance.” DON ROC will take the stage, the first headlining DJ to do so.

Sarasota will also welcome back the Los Angeles-based Lalo, the singer/songwriter with a “buttery-smooth, danceable brand of R&B pop.” The four-piece fusion band Tuesday Again from Orlando will bring their original sound and Sarasota’s Grace Cespedes will also wow the crowd. Fortner promises “there’s a little something for everyone.”

“This will be the 12th year celebrating our community, and for a lot of folks this is one of their favorite times of the year,” she says. “We’re going to be utilizing a really beautiful area in the Rosemary District and amplifying our artists – the pandemic showed us we need to do that more than ever.”

The Fabulous Arts Foundation will celebrate 12 years in Sarasota with their first Pride | Be Fabulous Festival May 12-14 in Sarasota. For more information about participating artists, venues and more, or to buy tickets or donate, visit FabAF.org.

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EXPO

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FILM

French Connection

Filmmaker Céline Sciamma on unearthing moments of transformation island. It can happen because you’re on a holiday. It can happen because you just moved somewhere. It can happen because you’re traveling in time. It’s a moment, an opportunity to transform.

Now, I see film even more as an opportunity to transform myself, and to transform the people watching.

YOUR FILMS SEEM TO PULL OUT NOT JUST TROPES BUT TRADITIONAL FRAMEWORKS OF CONFLICT. THERE’S STILL THE POSSIBILITY OF WONDER AND CHANGE, BUT IT’S NOT HAPPENING THROUGH A CLASH. IS THAT CONSCIOUS?

MAKING MOVIES:

Céline Sciamma’s “Petite Maman” (pictured) is the director’s fifth film.

PHOTO COURTESY NEON PICTURES

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Jake Coyle of The Associated Press

ÉLINE SCIAMMA’S “PETITE MAMAN”

runs a mere 72 minutes and yet packs in a lifetime of enchantment. It is, she says, “a pocket film you can take home.”

The film, which opened in theaters April 22, is the openly lesbian French writer-director’s follow-up to her 2019 award-winning love story “Portrait of a Lady on Fire.” Whereas that film took a specific 18th period setting, “Petite Maman” is more contemporary yet still out of time.

It’s told largely from the perspective of 8-year-old Nelly (Joséphine Sanz), whose grandmother has just died.

While her mother, Marion (Nina Meurisse), wrestles with grief and her father (Stéphane Varupenne) cleans out her grandmother’s house, Nelly is left to explore her surroundings.

In the woods behind the house, she meets a girl who looks exactly like her (played by Sanz’s twin sister, Gabrielle).

With the gentle spell of a fairy tale, it becomes clear that this is Nelly’s mother as a child. Where did she come from? “From the path behind you,” she answers.

“It’s short to watch but it’s not short to live,” Sciamma said smiling in a recent interview over Zoom from her apartment in Paris.

On a spring afternoon with light pouring through the windows, Sciamma reflected on “Petite Maman,” her fifth and in some ways most personal film, one set in the Paris suburb Sciamma grew up in, Cergy-Pontoise.

AP: THERE ISN’T A LOT THAT “PETITE MAMAN” AND “PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE” HAVE IN COMMON, BUT THEY’RE BOTH CENTERED ON TWO CHARACTERS WHO CONNECT OUTSIDE OF DAILY LIFE, FREE OF THE BAGGAGE OF THEIR ROLES.

SCIAMMA: My films have kind of always had the same structure. It’s always about one character exploring the world. It’s a few days out of society.

It can happen because you’re on an

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Yes, because it’s very counterintuitive to get rid of formal conflict. Especially with a story like that where there’s natural conflict because of this time paradox. “Petite Maman” is a timeless film. We don’t know when it’s set. There’s no time traveling machine. It’s a high concept, meeting your parents as a kid. It’s like a mythology. You can explore it.

It’s not that conflict is unfolding and I’m censoring it. It feels like avoiding it makes me work more, think more, explore more. It comes quite naturally now, I must say. I don’t have to fight a lot. I’m taking that road deliberately.

It’s like when you know a drug will work really well.

WHAT SENT YOU BACK TO CHILDHOOD IN THE FIRST PLACE? WAS THERE SOMETHING BREWING IN YOU THAT REFLECTED BACK ON YOUR BEGINNINGS?

My personal question was: If I met my mother as a kid, would she be my sister? That’s a very particular question. I tried to expand the film around it, including in casting. The two lead performers, the mother and the daughter, are played by sisters.

I decided to shoot in my hometown not because of the vibes. Of course you’re going to get the vibes. But I know this place very well. Those woods are not even really beautiful. We came up with a lot of leaves from elsewhere to get the colors we wanted. The forest is the most democratic nature you can put on screen. Not everybody knows about the sea, the beach or the mountains. But

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the forest. That’s why it’s the setting of most fairy tales.

YOU MADE THIS FILM DURING THE PANDEMIC. HOW DID THAT INFORM IT?

The pandemic made the film more urgent. I started writing the film just before the first lockdown in France just after I got back from the release of “Portrait of a Lady on Fire.” I wrote the first five scenes and then lockdown didn’t happen for two months. When I went back again and the first scene was a kid saying goodbye to several women in a nursing home. The situation that the film is looking at — somebody is emptying the house of someone they couldn’t say goodbye to — felt strongly connected. It meant the film could be needed, could be helpful.

IT’S AN UNCOMMONLY AUTHENTIC DEPICTION OF CHILDHOOD. DID YOU FIND IT EASY TO GET INTO THAT FRAME OF MIND?

It’s just that I take children seriously enough to write them as they’d want to be. I don’t think I write these characters differently if they’re adults or kids. It’s about the level of curiosity.

My films are always about someone gazing obsessively about things. That’s why I love to work with kids, because it’s a given. You don’t have to put in perspective why a kid would gaze so much at things. Everyone knows it’s survival. Nobody’s saying it like that, but it is. It’s a great tension for cinema.

WHY DO YOU THINK GAZING IS SO FOUNDATIONAL TO YOUR FILMS? THEY ARE OFTEN ABOUT WHO’S LOOKING AND HOW THEY’RE SEEING.

So far, that’s what I’ve been looking for. I’m really interested to go in another direction. I could be really interested in having a film with multiple characters’ point of view. I would like to try that. I’m feeling curious.

MAYBE IT’S A MASCULINE WAY OF THINKING BUT MANY FILMMAKERS WHO TRY TO FOLLOW UP AN INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS LIKE “PORTRAIT” WITH SOMETHING GRAND AND EXPENSIVE. YOU MADE A TENDER, SMALL FILM IN THE WOODS OF YOUR HOMETOWN.

My definition of success is that you can do what you want, at least for a moment. And that’s exactly what I wanted to do. I hope everyone does that, what they really want. I actually feel less pressure. I did something I really care about and now it’s living its own life. I could retire! (laughs) But there are so many things to do.

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community calendar

EVENT PLANNER ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT

CENTRAL FLORIDA

CENTRAL FLORIDA

Otters Take Over District Dive

“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” April 22-May 1, Clermont Performing Arts Center, Clermont. 352-394-4800; ClermontPerfromingArts.com

SUNDAY, MAY 1, 5 P.M. DISTRICT DIVE, ORLANDO Orlando’s LGBTQ rugby team, the Orlando Otters RFC, will host a takeover of District Dive May 1 to raise funds for the team to compete at the 2022 Bingham Cup. The event will feature raffle prizes including VIP tickets to this year’s EDC, vacation night getaways, professional sports tickets, gift cards and baskets from local businesses and more. For more information, go to Facebook.com/OrlandoOttersRFC.

“Orlando Ballet presents “The Great Gatsby,” April 28-May 1, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando. 407-426-1733; OrlandoBallet.org Aquaria, April 29, Southern Nights, Orlando.

407-412-5039; Facebook.com/ SouthernNightsOrlando National Theatre Live: “The Book of Dust,” April 30, Enzian Theater, Maitland.

407-629-1088; Enzian.org Adam Lambert, May 1, Hard Rock Live, Orlando. 407-351-5483; HardRock.com

HARD ROCKING Adam Lambert will be rocking you at the Hard Rock Live in Orlando May 1 and at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa May 3. PHOTO COURTESY AEG

Melissa Etheridge, May 1, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando. 844-513-2014; DrPhillipsCenter.org

Wanda Sykes, May 12, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando. 844-513-2014; DrPhillipsCenter.org

Shade Showcase, April 29, City Side Lounge, Tampa. 813-350-0600; CityiSideLoungeTampa.com

Adam Lambert, May 3, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa. 813-627-7625; SeminoleHardRockTampa.com

One Night of Queen, May 3, The Plaza Live, Orlando. 407-228-1220; PlazaLiveOrlando.org

“Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” May 13-15, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando. 844-513-2014; DrPhillipsCenter.org

Balance Tampa Bay Dragtacular, Girls Rock St. Pete, April 30, St. Petersburg.

BalanceTampaBay.org

Fiesta in the Gardens, May 5, Sunken Gardens, St. Petersburg. 727-551-3102; StPete.org

Aquaria, April 30, Southern Nights, Tampa.

813-559-8625; Facebook.com/ SouthernNightsTampa

Star Wars Night: “This Is The Way,” May 6, The Castle, Tampa. 813-247-7547; CastleYbor.com

“Out of the Pages” FamilyFriendly Drag Show, May 1, Punky’s Bar and Grill, St. Petersburg. 727-201-4712; PunkysBar.com

First Friday DoubleMband, May 6, Salty Nun, St. Petersburg. 727-329-9994; Facebook.com/SaltyNun

Madeleine Peyroux & Paula Cole, The Plaza Live, Orlando. 407-228-1220; PlazaLiveOrlando.org 1st Friday Happy Hour, May 6, Southern Nights, Orlando. 407-412-5039; Facebook.com/ SouthernNightsOrlando Dance, Dream & Inspire, May 7, Hard Rock Live, Orlando. 321-441-2060; p2p.OneCause.com/ EmbraceFamiliesDancing Be Kind to Your Mind, May 10, Stafford House, Orlando. 407-532-0070; MiracleOfLoveInc.org The Billy Mick and Friends Variety Show, May 11, The Stardust Lounge, Orlando.

407-839-0080; BillyMick.com

Pride at Hope // Orgullo en La Esperanza, May 14, Hope CommUnity Center, Apopka.

407-880-4673; HCC-OFFM.org.

Throwdown with Miracle of Love, May 14, VFW Post 4287, Orlando. 407-843-1760; MiracleOfLoveInc.org

TAMPA BAY “Little Shop of Horrors,” Through May 1, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org “Footloose: The Musical,” Through May 8, Demens Landing, St. Petersburg. 727-823-7529; AmericanStage.org

PFLAG Riverview Fundraiser, May 1, The Snap House, Tampa. 813-533-0033; PFLAGRiverview.org Free Legal Name Change Clinic, May 1, Metro Inclusive Health, St. Petersburg & Virtual. 727-321-3854; MetroTampaBay.org Camp Out Florida Drag Bingo, May 3, Punky’s Bar and Grill, St. Petersburg.

727-201-4712; PunkysBar.com

“One Night of Queen,” May 8, Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg. 727-300-2000; TheMahaffey.com Miranda Lambert & Little Big Town, May 13, MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa. 813-600-1000; Facebook.com/MidFloridaAmp

SARASOTA Project Pride Casino Night, April 29, Michael’s On East, Sarasota. 941-366-0007; PPSRQ.org

10th Annual Celebrity Bartender Night TUESDAY, MAY 10, 6 P.M. SAVOY, ORLANDO Join The LGBT+ Center for their 10th annual Celebrity Bartender Night. Come in and have local celebrities make your favorite cocktails with 100% of your tips benefitting The Center, as well as 100% of all Jell-O Shots and $1 from each Tito’s drink sold also benefitting the organization. Sponsored by Tito’s and Savoy. Go to Facebook.com/TheCenterOlrando to see which local celebrities will be bartending.

TAMPA BAY Diversity Arts Spring Soiree 2022 SATURDAY, APRIL 30, 5-8 P.M. INCLUSIVITEA, ST. PETERSBURG Enjoy food, drink, a silent auction, music and more as the first Miss Pride @ the Village is crowned ahead of this year’s second annual celebration. Limited tickets are $50 and benefit programming Diversity Arts’ youth-focused programming and Pride @ the Village 2022. Learn more at DiversityArtsInc.com/ Donate.

2022 Equality Florida St. Pete Gala SATURDAY, MAY 7, 7-11 P.M. MAHAFFEY THEATER, ST. PETERSBURG Equality Florida’s signature St. Petersburg event returns, celebrating their 25th anniversary. Brian Longstreth and Jennie O’Leary will each receive the Voice for Equality Award and the evening includes food, an open bar, entertainment, dancing and more, with an address by Executive Director Nadine Smith.

Gala tickets are $135 and benefit Equality Florida in its fight for LGBTQ Floridians. Read more on p. 10 and by visiting EQFL.org/StPeteGala.

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

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How do you speak to the LGBT community?

Through the publications they know and trust.

Representing the “best of the best” in LGBT media, with over a million readers weekly in print and online.

212-242-6863 info@nationallgbtmediaassociation.com www.nationallgbtmediaassociation.com

Atlanta | Boston | Chicago | Dallas/ Ft Worth | Detroit | Los Angeles | Miami/ Ft Lauderdale | New York | Orlando/Tampa Bay | Philadelphia | San Francisco | Seattle | Washington DC

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announcements

TAMPA BAY OUT+ABOUT

CONGRATULATIONS ALSO Youth announced April 11 that Rebecca “Becky” McDonough has been hired as the organization’s new executive director. Read more at ALSOYouth.org.

Project Pride received approval to repaint and permanently install Sarasota’s LGBTQ-focused PrideWalk. Read more about the project at WatermarkOnline.com.

Justin Lore and Ricky Cona were married April 15.

Chuck and Joe Diaz-Henson were married April 16.

Nicholas Cardello and Kurt English celebrated 30 years together April 19.

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City Side Lounge held their first South Tampa Pride event April 23-24.

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Totally Euphoric Events presented the first Jubilation at the St. Petersburg Pier April 24. Learn more at JubilationStPete.com St. Petersburg staple Cocktail celebrates its first anniversary May 7.

Equality Florida will celebrate 25 years of fighting for LGBTQ civil rights throughout the state May 7 with the return of its in-person St. Pete Gala. Read more on p. 10.

The Kind Mouse will celebrate 10 years in St. Petersburg May 11.

CONDOLENCES Longtime LGBTQ advocate and Equality Florida supporter Rose Walton died April 9. She will be missed.

LOCAL BIRTHDAYS SMART Rider Carlos Lozano (April 29); Tampa licensed mental health counselor Anthony Quaglieri, St. Petersburg mainstay Russell Sutherland (April 30); Tampa socialite Channing Floyd (May 1); St. Petersburg communication pro Josh Cruz, St. Petersburg golden girl Corey Malyszka, myXOadventures owner Daniel Milks, St. Petersburg’s Karen Kunz, FedEx ground employee Marcus Brewer (May 2); Tampa Pride president Carrie West (May 3); Vintage Interior’s owner Timothy Huff, Fabulous Arts Foundation activist Grace Korley (May 4); Tampa Crowbar owner Bonnie Plumbtree, St. Petersburg author Richard Randall, Tampa Bay activist Robert Brennan, St. Petersburg Officer Chris Bragg (May 5); Enigma bartender Justin Palmer, Tampa Bay bartender Jon Jusino (May 6); Tampa Bay performer Tim Cain (May 7); 6S Boutique co-owner Sasha Citino, St. Petersburg server Jason Grawey (May 8); Animal lover Sarah Wilson, Travel advisor Terry Thompson (May 9); St. Petersburg gender therapist Tristan Byrnes, former USF executive admin assistant Eric Anderson, Tampa Bay entertainer Dale Wilson aka Power Infiniti (May 10); Tampa Bay massage therapist Alexis Acevedo, Pasco County politician Alison Berke Morano, Tampa nursing home director Scott J. Allen, Tampa insurance executive Jeff Giles, former CitySide Lounge owner James Encke, Ybor City Barbering Co. co-owner Lauren Harmon, Pasco County activist Denise Johnson (May 11).

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DREAM TEAM: James Watson (L) and Jamarcus Mosley enjoy an evening out April 23 at Enigma. PHOTO

BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT

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BREWS & VIEWS: The Pinellas County Young Democrats hold their April social at Dissent Craft Brewing Company April 21.

PHOTO COURTESY PINELLAS COUNTY YOUNG DEMOCRATS

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GOING GREEN: (L-R) St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch, Tom Flaherty and James Keane mark the return of the city’s Green Thumb Festival at Walter Fuller Park April 23.

PHOTO COURTESY MAYOR WELCH

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ART TALK: Brandon Thrift (L) receives leftover art supplies from Project Pride and PrideWalk muralist Joey Salamon April 22. PHOTO

COURTESY PROJECT PRIDE

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MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Metro Inclusive Health receives a donation from the team at Studio @ 620 April 14. PHOTO COURTESY

METRO INCLUSIVE HEALTH

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FEMULINE ENERGY: Todrick Hall is flanked by his dancers during “The Femuline Tour” at Tampa Theatre April 15.

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PHOTO BY NICK CARDELLO

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SOUTHSIDE PRIDE: The City Side Lounge team reflects on the venue’s first South Tampa Pride event April 24. PHOTO COURTESY CITY SIDE LOUNGE

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FOR THE YOUTH: GLSEN Tampa Bay tables at the 8thh annual LGBTQ+ Youth Summit in Tampa April 23. PHOTO

COURTESY GLSEN TAMPA BAY

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announcements

CENTRAL FLORIDA OUT+ABOUT

CONGRATULATIONS Carlos Carbonell came in third place at the AdventHealth Lake Minneola Sunset Triathlon & 5K in Clermont April 23. “I was proud to wear my trans ally shirt at this race in conservative Clermont, Florida when I got my award,” Carbonell wrote on Facebook. “I wanted to show my support of trans people and athletes. I’ve seen a lot of

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hate, vitriol and disrespect lately towards the LGBTQ people, and especially the transgender community.

Sadly, some of that has been shown in some posts in local triathlete and swimmer [Facebook] pages in Central Florida and Clermont so I hope some of those haters saw me … and imma be very petty and say, hope they saw me beat them out there.”

HIRING

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Equality Florida is seeking a Field Organizer in the Greater Orlando area. The Field Organizer will report directly to the Field Director and work to increase Equality Florida’s visibility and presence in the area. Responsibilities will include recruiting and training volunteers, overseeing volunteer leadership programs and running the proequality voter database during elections. This is a full-time position that includes benefits. For more information on the position and to apply, go to bit.ly/35SdgTk.

LOCAL BIRTHDAYS

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Parliament House owner Don Granatstein, app whiz Randy Shepard (April 28); UCF’s former GLBSU president Jessica Osborn (April 30); Orlando’s DJ Brianna Lee, TreeFrog Cinegraphix’s Christian Knightly (May 1); Central Florida entertainer BeeJay Aubertin Clinton (May 2); Savoy bartender Travis Whitt, Central Florida entertainer Jamie Lee (aka Sassy Divine), Southern Nights Orlando bartender Autumn Michelle (May 3); The Pride Chamber’s Katherine Bardelon, Makeup Artist & Photographer Taina Norell (May 4); Sierra Club senior campaign representative Susannah Randolph, ABM Industries’ Shannon Graves Rosser, Orlando esthetician Nathan LeClaire, Fantastic parent and man about town Clay Emerson (May 5); Bill Bohannon-Dobski (aka drag performer Sheila from Accounting), Orange County officer Lance Colford (May 6); Central Florida’s insurance agent Sherri Absher, Wet Nurse drummer Vanessa Brewster (May 7); LGBTQ ally Rob “Twilight” King, Watermark cover model Al Pfeiffer (May 8); DJ extraordinaire Scott Robert (May 9); Southern Nights bartender Gabrielle

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BY JEREMY WILLIAMS

PHOTO BY JEREMY WILLIAMS

PARTY TIME: Kitana Gemini (center) and the Impulse Group Orlando team host the Pride Prom afterparty at Savoy in Orlando April 16. PHOTO

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PAW PATROL: City Commissioner Patty Sheehan (L) and Mayor Buddy Dyer hang out with their K9 friend in Langford Park in Orlando April 23 for the city’s “Bring Kindness to the Table” project unveiling.

PHOTO BY JEREMY WILLIAMS

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PROM PALS: Maia Monet (L) and Ashley Brundage are all smiles at Come Out With Pride’s Pride Prom at the Orlando Museum of Art April 16. PHOTO BY JEREMY WILLIAMS

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TRIATHLON CHAMP: Carlos Carbonell completes in the AdventHealth Lake Minneola Sunset Triathlon & 5K in Clermont April 23. PHOTO FROM

STANDING PROUD: State Rep. Anna V. Eskamani (L) and Brandon Wolf attend the Homecoming Reception for Our FL Legislative Champions at Savoy in Orlando April 23.

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BIRTHDAY PARTY: Vivian Rodriguez celebrates her 60th birthday in Orlando April 24. PHOTO FROM VIVIAN

RODRIGUEZ’S FACEBOOK

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CENTER STAGE: The cast of “Ain’t Done Bad” perform on stage at the Renaissance Theatre Company in Orlando April 23. PHOTO BY DANNY GARCIA

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COMMUNITY LEADER: Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet grabs a selfie during Kermes Community Celebration at Hope CommUnity Center in Apopka April 23. PHOTO FROM FELIPE SOUSA-LAZABALLET’S FACEBOOK

CARLOS CARBONELL’S FACEBOOK

Juliana, Former Orange County Sheriff candidate Darryl B. Sheppard (May 10).

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WEDDING BELLS

Amanda and Megan Markham from Orlando, Florida

ENGAGEMENT DATE:

March 2017 and New Year’s 2020

WEDDING DATE:

March 24, 2022

OFFICIANT:

A friend named Madeleine who flew in from D.C.

VENUE:

Rockledge Gardens

COLORS:

Purple and Green with Silver

WEDDING SONG/ ARTIST:

“Manta Rays” by Ludo

FLORIST:

Self-arranged with Sola Wood Flowers

CATERER:

Pucker Old School Lemonade

PHOTOGRAPHER/ VIDEOGRAPHER:

Crystal Photography LLC

ENTERTAINMENT:

Guitar by Brian Ross during the ceremony

CRYSTAL PHOTOGRAPHY, LLC

A

Lora Korpar

MANDA AND MEGAN MARKHAM

have known each other for most of their lives, meeting in high school and being together through college and adulthood.

The two share a passion for theater, with the two meeting through the Dr. Phillips Theater Magnet.

Nowadays, Megan serves as the artistic director and Amanda is the technical director for Phoenix Tears Productions, a theater company that does fandom-based shows.

“Basically everyone in our college programs, at Orlando Fringe and in our community theater circles know we’ve been a couple forever and a bunch of them were surprised when they got married because they thought we already were,” Megan says.

Even at their wedding, Amanda helped change some settings on their sound systems, prompting Megan to call her “my audio technician for life.”

“We have accidentally started a tradition of her in tech rig out kissing me in costume and they are some of my favorite pictures of us,” Megan says.

The couple had different ideas of when they wanted to be engaged, with Megan wanting to be engaged when she knew the relationship would last forever and Amanda wanting to get engaged when they were ready to plan a wedding. Because of this, they got engaged twice.

The first time was in March 2017, when Megan popped the question while Amanda was having a bad day.

“I just thought ‘even when she’s crying and upset, I still want to be with her,’” Megan says.

Amanda proposed back in 2020 on New Year’s Day with a ring that had Megan’s favorite gemstone and while the couple was “surrounded by the friends we love most in the world,” Amanda says.

They got married just over two years later, on March 24, 2022, the ninth anniversary of when they first started dating.

One of the most special moments of the day for Amanda was when they did a first look, as they had not seen each other’s outfits yet. They said their photographer planned everything perfectly, from the timing to the music that was playing when they first saw each other.

Though in usual Florida fashion the rain had been on and off that day, it had stopped for long enough so that they could do the first look at the spot they had planned rather than at their backup location.

“While I was waiting for her to come tap me on the shoulder, I couldn’t stop bouncing because I was so excited to see her and for her to see me in our full wedding looks,” Amanda says. “She looked absolutely

stunning. I never wanted to stop looking at her.”

One of Megan’s favorite moments was when Amanda ended her vows with the line “I’ll give you the best greens in my garden,” which is from a song by singer-songwriter Be Steadwell that they both enjoy.

“There is a picture of the exact moment where I’m laughing so genuinely in surprise at her saying it and it is my favorite picture from the ceremony,” Megan says.

At the reception, they let their guests choose their drinks for toasts instead of doing a receiving line, which Amanda said was “such a fun way to spend a fun and personalized moment with all of our guests.”

It was an unforgettable night for the both of them. “[During] the second to last song I just started crying because it was almost over,” Megan says. “I didn’t want the night to end, and Amanda told me it wasn’t over yet and danced with me. It was the first time since our first look hours before that where it felt like it was just me and her and I loved it.”

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.

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