Watermark Issue 30.20: Together In Pride

Come Out With Pride prepares for what it hopes will be its biggest celebration yet

We’re so excited to be able to move forward in the way that we are because we really truly feel that, out of all the years, this year’s probably one of the most important to make sure that Pride happens.

— TATIANA QUIROGA, COME OUT WITH PRIDE’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

DESK EDITOR’S

WHILE IT DOES NOT FEEL LIKE

it in The Sunshine State, we had the first day of fall last week, bringing an end to the season Florida is probably most celebrated for and the season I care the least for.

I am not someone who enjoys the hot weather or beaches

— I completely stand with Anakin Skywalker when he says “I don’t like sand. It’s coarse and rough and irritating, and it gets everywhere.” — and I am not someone who loves the theme parks that are our lighthouses in the fog guiding vacationers from all around the world to Orlando.

“Why do you stay then, Jeremy?” you may be asking yourself. That’s a good question, loyal reader or bored student reading this while your clothes dry at College Laundry on University. While there are things I find irritating, there are many things that I love and enjoy about living in Central Florida. The

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top of that list being the people. Orlando is home to some of the nicest, most caring and loving people that I have ever met, especially within the LGBTQ+ community. But sometimes it is nice to getaway and see people, places and things that are different than your usual surroundings, and for me there is no better time to do it than in the summer.

I recently had the opportunity to visit Philadelphia to attend the Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists’ national convention thanks to Visit Philly, the city’s tourism bureau. They offered to pick up the tab for a handful of editors from various LGBTQ+ publications to come to The City

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of Brotherly Love to attend the conference and experience some of Philly’s queer life.

I had only ever been to Philly once before and it was just within the confines of the Philadelphia International Airport where I was catching a connecting flight home back in 2002. Needless to say I got to see more of Philly this go-around and was very grateful for the opportunity.

When I arrived and stepped out of the airport, ready to explore a new city, the first thing I noticed was… how hot it was! The entire week I was there the temperature was in the 90’s. There is no escaping the heat.

Our first full day was a whirlwind of a tour as they showed us Philly’s Gayborhood, we ate at several LGBTQ+owned restaurants and we saw some amazing art. There is a place called The Magic Gardens, which is a massive mosaic art environment. Artist Isaiah Zagar spent years creating mosaics on the walls, floors and ceilings all throughout this building. It even spills into the lots next door where he has created a mosaic labyrinth that stretches into the sky.

I got a chance over the next few days to walk around Philly on my own and discover the city.

I visited the usual tourist areas: The Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and Betsy Ross’ House. Even in the historical areas, signs of queer Philly can be found.

I visited the Arch Street Meeting House, a place of worship for Quakers since 1804 that is still in use today. Outside of the Meeting House is a memorial stand that reads on Feb. 23-25, 1979, 300 activists met at this Meeting House to plan the seminal National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights that took place on Oct. 14, 1979.

I also visited the Christ Church Burial Ground where Benjamin Franklin is buried. His marble

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slab was covered in pennies from visitors who toss them on his gravesite for good luck because he is quoted as saying “A penny saved is a penny earned,” which allegedly he didn’t really say but everyone attributes to him. Apparently he did write “A penny saved is two pence clear” at some point but I don’t really even know what that means, so I didn’t throw any pennies. I was also told that they prefer people don’t throw pennies because it chips the marble, so best not to do it if you visit.

Something that intrigued me a few plots over were the graves of Katharine Inglis and Margaret McCall. There were two headstones with what looked like

MICHAEL WANZIE is an Orlando-based playwright, actor and ordained minister. He is most recognized for his direction of productions in the Orlando area. Page 19

SYLVIE TREVENA is a proud, minivan-driving mother of four with a degree in behavioral health and Master’s in Business Administration with a nonprofit concentration. She loves art and horror movies. Page 21

HOLLY KAPHERR ALEJOS, SABRINA AMBRA, ABBY BAKER, STEVE BLANCHARD, DEBORAH BOSTOCK-KELLEY, JOHNNY BOYKINS, NATHAN BRUEMMER, BIANCA GOOLSBY, JAKOB HERO-SHAW, LORA KORPAR, JASON LECLERC, JERICK MEDIAVILLA, MELODY MAIA MONET, TIFFANY RAZZANO, GREG STEMM, SYLVIE TREVENA, DR. STEVE YACOVELLI, ANGELIQUE YOUNG, MICHAEL WANZIE

one large, round cement tomb and a placard that reads “Sacred to Friendship” at the top and “United through life. United in the grave.” at the bottom. They both died in their 70’s and within a few years of each other. The workers could not confirm if they were lovers or just really good friends, but I think the grave speaks for itself and I hope, if there is an afterlife, that they are living their best afterlife authentically and free of judgment.

I had a wonderful time in Philly and will be visiting again but I am very happy to be home in Orlando to enjoy our wonderful fall weather and I am ready to celebrate Pride.

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Sometimes it is nice to getaway and see people, places and things that are different than your usual surroundings.

I

Like my more modern playlist, it has music I’ve loved for most of my life. Its 29 hours just doesn’t include anything that couldn’t have aired on “Total Request Live.”

For readers who don’t have to take a daily antacid, “TRL” premiered 25 years ago on MTV, when the network used to play music videos. Its original run dominated after-school airwaves for folks my age from 1998 until 2008, ranking the Top 10 most requested videos on live television as determined by viewer vote. Democracy at work.

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So given my musical tastes, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that I was excited for the recent 90s Con at the Tampa Convention Center. It was the third time “the raddest celebration this side of the millennium” had ever been held and its first time coming to Florida.

Its impressive array of over 50 guests included Backstreet Boys Nick Carter and AJ McLean, *NSYNC member Joey Fatone and T-Boz and Chilli from TLC. All artists regularly featured on my throwback playlist.

90s Con was an easy sell from the get-go for someone with my pop culture tastes, particularly with its promise to “bring stars from your favorite 90s shows such as ‘90210,’ ‘Full House,’

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‘Saved by the Bell’ and many more to the city of Tampa.” Then I saw its full guest list.

Nestled between the casts of “Boy Meets World” and “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch” were three names that cemented my attendance, Disney Legends all. Jodi Benson, the original speaking and singing voice of Ariel in “The Little Mermaid,” Paige O’Hara, who did the same for Belle in “Beauty and the Beast” and Linda Larkin, who voiced Jasmine in “Aladdin.”

If there’s something I love more than pop music from my youth, it’s the Disney films that helped shape it. That’s clear from another playlist my husband tends to avoid, “Disney Daze,” which was created for our drives to Orlando as annual Disney passholders.

T’S PRETTY COMMON FOR MY husband to skip songs on my playlists while I drive. Our musical tastes have plenty of overlap, but mine can be a bit more eclectic.Our passes were a casualty of the pandemic, so the playlist now serves as an intermittent pick-me-up or a nice change of pace when I’m feeling more princess than pop. I also found out that it can help calm my nerves before meeting three iconic voice actresses in person for the first time.

O’Hara and Larkin were absolutely darling, and thankfully I’d already met Benson virtually. Some of the pressure was alleviated because I had the opportunity to interview her when she released her book last year.

At the time, we discussed “The Little Mermaid” and its LGBTQ+ legacy at length — from the original fairytale’s writer having same-sex romances to the film’s openly gay lyricist Howard Ashman and Divine, Ursula’s drag queen inspiration. I was forever changed.

“Like so many people in and outside of the LGBTQ+ community, ‘The Little Mermaid’ helped shape who I am today,”

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I wrote in my column afterwards. “As a little gay boy growing up in poverty, the movie gave me the courage to find my voice, showing me that I could reach for more in life and get it. Just like Ariel.

“I was given the opportunity to tell Benson that directly, something I’ll never forget or take for granted,” I continued. “She was everything I wanted her to be; Ariel herself proved that sometimes you really should meet your idols.”

MICHAEL WANZIE is an Orlando-based playwright, actor and ordained minister. He is most recognized for his direction of productions in the Orlando area. Page 19

I can now happily confirm that includes in person. Benson couldn’t have been sweeter, and in addition to a hug I was able to give her a copy of the Watermark that our interview ran in. I had her sign a second copy for me to take home.

I was forever changed.

Meeting Benson, O’Hara and Larkin was the definition of Disney magic for me, and proof of the lasting impact a film can have on someone. It’s one of the reasons cinematic celebrations like the Tampa Bay International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival are so important, particularly for LGBTQ+ audiences.

We detail the first part of their upcoming 34th celebration in this issue. We also preview the return of other events like Come OUT St. Pete and Girls in Wonderland Beach in Tampa Bay, as well as Come Out with Pride in Orlando. In arts and entertainment, we speak with advocate and author Mercury Stardust, better known as the “Trans Handy Ma’am.”

Watermark strives to bring you a variety of stories, your stories. Please stay safe, stay informed and enjoy this latest issue.

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HOLLY KAPHERR ALEJOS, SABRINA AMBRA, ABBY BAKER, STEVE BLANCHARD, DEBORAH BOSTOCK-KELLEY, JOHNNY BOYKINS, NATHAN BRUEMMER, BIANCA GOOLSBY, JAKOB HERO-SHAW, LORA KORPAR, JASON LECLERC, JERICK MEDIAVILLA, MELODY MAIA MONET, TIFFANY RAZZANO, GREG STEMM, SYLVIE TREVENA, DR. STEVE YACOVELLI, ANGELIQUE YOUNG, MICHAEL WANZIE

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BRIAN BECNEL, NICK CARDELLO, J.D. CASTO, BRUCE HARDIN, JAMARQUS MOSLEY, CHRIS STEPHENSON, LEE VANDERGRIFT

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CONTENTS

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Or dated, depending on who you ask. I have a handful of playlists I’ve carefully cultivated over the years and one that he regularly tries to avoid is named “Throwback Ry’s-day.”

watermark Your LGBTQ+ News Source. SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 11, 2023 // ISSUE 30.20 WATERMARKONLINE.COM 7

ARREST MADE IN VANDALISM OF ORLANDO LGBTQ+ MURALS

Jeremy Williams

ORLANDO | The Orlando Police Department have arrested a suspect in the August vandalization of several LGBTQ+ murals on the exterior walls of the LGBT+ Center Orlando and Zebra Youth Drop-in Center.

Matthew Michael Robinson, 34, was arrested and charged with three counts of criminal mischief Sept. 13, according to a posting on OPD’s Facebook page.

“We will be seeking enhancements for evidence of prejudice during the commission of these crimes,” the post states.

Members of The Center Orlando discovered messages of hate spraypainted across LGBTQ+ murals Aug. 26. The messages were painted on the outside walls of The Center Orlando and Zebra Youth’s Drop-in Center across the street.

Along with messages of hate, the vandals painted white nationalist symbols including swastikas and crosses. A sign was hung on one of the walls with “Knights of the Black Sun,” a known white nationalist group, written on it.

Florida Rep. Anna V. Eskamani shared the information on her social media, adding that “more arrests are forthcoming.”

“Thank you again to our incredible community for sharing information and working together to keep one another safe,” Eskamani wrote.

OPD stated in its post that the investigation is ongoing and is still encouraging anyone with information related to the incident to reach out to the Orlando Police Criminal Investigations Division or contact anonymously the Central Florida Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS (8477).

Finding Help

Victim Service Center offers resources during Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Jeremy Williams

ORLANDO | October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and all month long local advocates and leaders will be working to raise awareness and provide support to those who are victims of intimate partner abuse.

First observed in October 1981 as a national “Day of Unity,” Domestic Violence Awareness Month is held each October as a way to unite advocates across the nation in their efforts to end domestic violence. Communities and advocacy organizations across the country connect with the public and one another throughout the month to raise awareness about the signs of abuse and ways to stop it, to uplift survivor stories and provide resources to those in need.

Locally, the Victim Service Center of Central Florida has been providing individualized services and resources to victims of sexual assault, violent crime and

traumatic circumstances through crisis response, advocacy, therapy and community awareness for nearly 25 years.

Much of the conversation around domestic violence is centered on cisgender women within heteronormative relationships but abuse can happen to anyone — and when the view of domestic violence is solely focused on heteronormative relationships, there’s a lot of queer victims who are being missed.

“Anyone can be a victim and anyone can be a perpetrator,” says Roxane Perret, Victim Service Center’s LGBTQIA+ Sexual Violence Awareness Specialist. “That’s a really important message to get out there because abuse thrives in isolation.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, 43.8% of lesbians and 61.1% of bisexual women have experienced sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate

partner compared to 35% of heterosexual women.

Men are not immune from abusive relationships with 26% of gay men, 29% of heterosexual men and 37% of bisexual men experiencing sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner.

Within the transgender community, more than half — 54% — have reported experiencing some form of intimate partner violence.

“Abuse is already stigmatized and it’s already a topic not often discussed in society until it’s too late. For people that are in non-heterosexual relationships, this is even less talked about,” Perret says. “[Intimate Partner Violence] is often portrayed as a type of violence that’s committed by a man to a woman. This idea of what IPV is isn’t only wrong but it could become a barrier for victims that are experiencing abuse in same-sex relationships to come forward.”

Recognizing that domestic abuse is not an issue exclusive to straight relationships is important to know but it is also vital to know that IPV doesn’t just come as physical abuse.

“Just because someone isn’t hitting you, doesn’t mean that they’re not harming you,” Perret says. “Unfortunately many people are not taught how to be in healthy relationships so some

STANDING WITH SURVIVORS: Domestic Violence Awareness Month is held every October to show support to victims and share resources.

PHOTO BY PHOTO PHIEND, FROM FLICKR

Matthew Michael Robinson’s mugshot. PHOTO FROM OPD

ONEPULSE TO HOST 2ND CULTURE OF REMEMBRANCE SYMPOSIUM

Jeremy Williams

ORLANDO | onePULSE Foundation, in partnership with Cultural Vistas, is bringing the second annual International Culture of Remembrance Symposium to the Crowne Plaza Hotel Downtown Orlando Oct. 5-6.

The Symposium, sponsored by Pineapple Healthcare, brings together leading international scholars and experts in memorial culture to provide a multidisciplinary platform to enrich and showcase progress, innovations, trends and achievements in remembrance and memorial culture, and turn thought into action.

The event is hosted by onePULSE Academy, the education arm of onePULSE Foundation, and its theme is Collective Healing. It will feature community leaders, advocates and more discussing memorial culture in three breakout tracts: Exploring Gaps in Remembrance; Remembrance, Memorials and Impacted Communities; and Healing and Remembrance.

Registration for the two-day forum is free but space is limited. Go to https://bit.ly/ICoRS to get registered.

people may think that it is normal and that this is how a partner is supposed to behave.”

Physical abuse can include punching, slapping and/or kicking but it can also be endangering the life of their partner.

“That could be physically preventing their partner from leaving the room or house during an argument or threatening their life,” Perret says. “It can also be driving recklessly on purpose because they want to scare their partner into believing their life is in danger.”

A type of abuse that can sometimes be seen as “normal behavior” within relationships is sexual abuse.

“Just because someone is in an intimate relationship with someone does not mean that they owe sex whenever their partner wants it,” Perret says. “There needs to be consent every single time anything is initiated.”

Sexual abuse can also include sharing someone’s intimate pictures without their consent or videotaping sexual encounters without the knowledge of everyone involved.

Psychological abuse includes using verbal, emotional and mental abuse to manipulate, belittle or harm someone.

“Specifically within the LGBTQ+ community, this can be threatening to out the victim at work or to family members who don’t know the person is LGBTQ,” Perret says. “This can also be consistently misgendering or using the wrong name and pronouns, or denying the victim’s identity as transgender.”

Many times, the abuser will isolate their partner from friends, family and support systems leading the victim of abuse to think they only have their partner to rely on.

Other types of domestic abuse can include financial, cultural or spiritual abuse.

If someone in your life confides in you that they are in an abusive relationship, Perret says the best

thing to do is take the time to listen and believe them.

“Unfortunately, this kind of thing is very much ‘behind closed doors’ and so the abuser may act normal in group settings so it is important to believe the victim when they tell you what is happening, even if you may not have personally seen it,” Perret says. “On average it takes eight to nine times for survivors to leave their abuser for good, so you may get frustrated with your friend who is going through this or you see these behaviors and ask them why aren’t they leaving. You can offer your support but it is when they’re ready.”

There are resources available in Central Florida including the Harbor House of Central Florida (407-886-2856), Stand Up Survivor (321-430-5307), Safehouse of Seminole (407-330-3933) and Help Now Osceola (407-847-8562 and 321-306-0677). You can also reach the Victim Service Center of Central Florida at 407-500-HEAL (4325).

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GIRLS

IN WONDERLAND BEACH RETURNS TO ST. PETE

Jessica Meder

ST. PETE BEACH, FLA. | Pandora Events will present the second annual Girls in Wonderland Beach at Post Card Inn on the Beach Oct. 5-9, the lesbian event production company’s signature St. Petersburg outing.

The organization has produced LGBTQ+ events for more than 23 years, including Girls in Wonderland in Orlando. With events spanning four days, there are options to purchase daily or weekend passes to enjoy as much of GIW Beach as possible.

While events hosted and organized by Pandora Events started as a way for lesbian and bisexual women to gather and party, the event is open to all. It is described as “a big queer party for everyone who wants to attend.”

“Think of GIW Beach as a home away from home,” says Yesenia “Yesi” Leon, co-founder of Pandora Events. “It’s a place where you can be yourself and hopefully find your tribe.”

Each day is filled with events that cater to varying interests. GIW Beach will open with a welcome happy hour and live DJ performances. After this, attendees have options to enjoy daily pool parties, a lively comedy show, a competitive volleyball tournament, a delicious brunch and a celebratory closing beach party.

Attendees will hear music from DJ Zehno, DJ Aileen Castro, DJ DLUX from Girl the Party in Orlando and local Tampa Bay DJ Ace Vedo. The comedy show features Ali Kolbert, Lee Choen and Karen Brown.

There will also be a second annual Wonderland Beach Volleyball tournament, hosted by SheLife Events, which requires an additional sign-up for all team members through the GIW Beach website. Winning team members will receive prizes like medals and event swag.

All events will be held at host hotel Postcard Inn apart from the Oct. 7 Wonderlust Queer Dance Party. It will take place in downtown St. Petersburg.

Pandora Events advises it will draw on its experience hosting LGBTQ+ events in Orlando, Las Vegas, Miami Beach, Atlanta and Charlotte. All events provide a fun, protected and safe space for all who attend while bringing “thousands of LGBTQ patrons together at the hippest venues and resorts” to celebrate and embrace everyone in an inclusive setting.

“No matter what event you attend, the energy is always ‘come as you are.’ Feel free and proud,” Leon says.

GIW Beach is supported by many community sponsors like St Pete Pride, Project No Labels, The Lady’s Room and Come OUT St. Pete. Tickets are now on sale.

Most GIW Beach events will be held Oct. 5-8 at Postcard Inn on the Beach, located at 6300 Gulf Blvd. on St. Pete Beach. Event entry is 21+ and prices vary. For more information, to purchase tickets or to reserve a room at the host hotel, visit GIWBeach.com.

Family Fun

COSP preps for 7th celebration

Ryan Williams-Jent

ST. PETERSBURG | Come OUT

St. Pete will hold a Family Day celebration and chili cook-off Oct. 14 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at Seminole Park, marking seven years of honoring National Coming Out Day.

“As Come OUT St Pete enters its seventh year it is with a vision of hope and promise of continuing to create a world unified around a culture of hearts and minds that values freedom of expression, acceptance, love and equality for all LGBTQIA+ people,” COSP Chair Pat Fearns says. “This is possible because of a dedicated Board of Directors that voluntarily work tirelessly to promote our mission throughout the greater Tampa Bay area.”

Additional support comes from COSP’s Royal Court, she notes, entertainers who represent the organization during a year-long reign. Miss COSP Rockell Blu, Mr. COSP Adam Cole and COSP Ambassador Ceazia Giovanni Kreshé concluded theirs on Sept. 24.

Around 50 supporters attended COSP’s fourth annual Come OUT

As You Are Royal Pageant at the VFW Post No. 39, raising nearly $500 for the organization’s work. Tampa Bay drag king Silver Foxx was crowned Mr. COSP 2024 and drag queen Veronica Vixen was crowned Miss COSP 2024.

Vixen also won the People’s Choice Award for raising the most amount of money for COSP ahead of the pageant. The entertainer raised $1,200 for COSP and donated the $250 she earned that evening for a total of $1,450.

“It was an honor to be crowned,” Vixen says. “Although my crown is full of rhinestones, my reign will be full of dedication, fundraising and kindness. I’m just a boy changing the world one rhinestone at a time.”

“I am honored and humbled to be crowned,” Foxx adds. “As a 65-year-old male impersonator, my success proves that no matter your age, you can accomplish anything you put your mind to!”

“This past year’s court was exceptionally productive and did a lot in the community,” Fearns says. “I’m really looking forward to working with Veronica Vixen and Silver Foxx and seeing the freshness that they can bring to COSP Royal Court experience.”

COMING OUT: The 2023 Come OUT St. Pete Royal Court flanks Miss and Mr. COSP 2024 (3rd and 4th from L) at this year’s Sept. 24 pageant.

Each performer will feature prominently during COSP’s main event on Oct. 14, as will other local fan favorite drag entertainers. The Family Day celebration will also include live music from Divine AF, Foncy and more, as well as a DJ, beer garden and local vendors. COSP expects up to 5,000 attendees.

Restaurant and individual entries for the chili cookoff are still being accepted. Participants must provide a minimum of four gallons and voting ends at 3:30 p.m. First place winners will receive $200, second place $100 and 3rd place will receive $50.

“We are exceptionally excited about our upcoming 2023 Family Day and Chili Cook-Off,” Fearns says. “In celebration of National Coming Out Day, this event will also include nonprofit and retail vendors, performances by some of the best talent Tampa Bay has to offer and our annual unfurling of our 375-foot unity Pride flag.

“As our communities continue to be under attack from the far right … we must continue to speak up and say this isn’t acceptable,” she continues. “We will not go back and we will not go back into the closet! We encourage the entire greater Tampa Bay LGBTQIA+ community to come out and support.”

COSP 2023 will be held Oct. 14. For more information about the cook-off and event, visit ComeOutStPete.org.

PHOTO COURTESY COME OUT ST PETE

SMART RIDE 20 PARTICIPANTS AND SUPPORTERS HOPE TO RAISE $2 MILLION IN FUNDRAISER’S FINAL YEAR

Ryan Williams-Jent

TAMPA BAY | Organizers of the Southern Most HIV/ AIDS Ride announced Sept. 16 that this year’s 20th annual fundraiser, culminating with a 165-mile trek from Miami to Key West Nov. 17-18, will be its last.

SMART Ride formed in 2003 “with a vision of giving back 100% of every dollar its participants raise to AIDS service organizations throughout Florida,” formerly Metro Inclusive Health and more recently Empath Partners in Care in Tampa Bay. It is now the second largest AIDS bicycle ride in the U.S.

Nearly $15 million has been raised since its inception. Organizers hope to raise $2 million during SMART Ride 20 for EPIC, Miracle of Love in Central Florida, Broward House in Wilton Manors, Pridelines in Miami-Dade County, Compass Community

Center in Palm Beach County and A.H. of Monroe in Monroe County.

SMART Ride Founder Glen Weinzimer, who had previously announced this year would be his final ride, confirmed the fundraiser’s end via social media. He was joined by Executive Director Todd Delmay.

The ride was initially described as a “transition year” by Weinzimer and Delmay, who became executive director in January. According to Out South Florida, “the situation changed when Delmay accepted the job as Executive Director at SAVE LGBTQ,” the LGBTQ+-focused advocacy group in Miami.

Watermark reached out to Weinzimer for comment and was referred to his joint interview with Delmay on the LGBTQ+streaming series “Queer News Tonight.” He advised during the segment that the decision was made around “three weeks ago when there was a conversation

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about” SMART Ride ending and that benefiting agencies were aware before the news went public.

“There were two weeks of conversations and this was one of the options,” Weinzimer said. “And this is the one that everyone felt was the right thing to do.”

“The board made the right decision,” Delmay added. “It has been a family, people will continue to be inspired by The SMART Ride … these agencies and the teams will have opportunities to create their own fundraisers.”

Fundraising is well underway for SMART Ride 20. As of press time, The Tampa Bay Area Cyclists, Active Hearts and We are EPIC, all based in Tampa Bay, have respectively raised $46,608, $26,410 and $10,525.

EPIC Executive Director Joy Winheim tells Watermark that the news makes SMART Ride 20 “that much more important.”

“I had no idea what being part of the SMART Ride would mean for EPIC, and for me, when we were invited to participate in 2021,” she says. “We were welcomed with open arms and immediately felt a part of this crazy family.

“I am deeply saddened that it will end as quickly as it started,” she continues. “The SMART Ride has created such an opportunity for EPIC to change the lives of our clients in different ways than our grants do by removing the paperwork, the income guidelines and sometimes the zip code restrictions. It let us focus on the person, their needs and how we can help them.”

Winheim also notes that “with 100% of the funds coming back to the agencies, it will ensure that the money we get from the 2023 ride will get us through until we figure out what’s next. We have such a great momentum building in Tampa and EPIC is

committed to exploring creating something locally … Let’s hit that $2 million goal!”

To help do that, longtime supporters like Tampa Bay’s Christian Klimas are also planning fundraisers. He’s organizing a drag show and final sendoff scheduled for Nov. 11 at Enigma in St. Petersburg.

“I’ve participated in The SMART Ride for the last 15 years and every step of the way has built a family that will outlast this final ride,” he says. “I’m heartbroken of course, but the strength of chosen families is that they stick together.

“It will certainly look different in the years to follow, but the love and dedication that has built SMART Ride to what it is will never fade,” he continues. “This is our last local farewell to an event that has impacted so many within this community.”

For more information about supporting SMART Ride 20, visit TheSMARTRide.org.

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Also sponsored by:

Sustainer Sponsor: David A. Straz, Jr. Foundation

Frontiers of Impressionism: Paintings from the Worcester Art Museum is organized by the Worcester Art Museum.

Presenting Sponsor:

Collection Sponsor: Friend of the Museum: TMS of South Tampa

John Singer Sargent (American, 1856–1925), Oranges at Corfu, 1909. Oil on canvas. 22 x 28 inches, Worcester Art Museum, Theodore T. and Mary G. Ellis Collection, 1940.99. Image courtesy of Worcester Art Museum.

JUDGE SAYS RESTRICTING TRANS ADULT CARE CAN STILL BE ENFORCED

Wire Report

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. | A new Florida law restricting health care for transgender people can still be applied to adults while it is being challenged in court, a federal judge ruled Sept. 11.

Judge Robert Hinkle, who previously blocked the law’s enforcement on behalf of minors, ruled that adults seeking to expand his injunction haven’t proven they would be irreparably harmed until the case is resolved.

The law signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis in May bans any transgender treatment for minors and requires transgender adults give consent to treatment in person and with a physician present. Advocates say that is a problem because much of the care is prescribed by nurse practitioners and/or through telehealth — and that it’s too hard for many patients to get to in-person appointments with physicians.

DESANTIS BLAMES MEDIA FOR BACKLASH AGAINST FLORIDA’S ANTI-LGBTQ+ POLICIES

Christopher Kane of the Washington Blade, courtesy of the National LGBT Media Association

During an interview Sept. 13 with CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell, Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis doubled down on his anti-LGBTQ+ policies by attributing backlash to controversy ginned up by the media.

The governor’s comments began with O’Donnell’s question about a travel advisory issued in May over legislation the letter characterized as “openly hostile for African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ individuals.”

“They obviously have (a) very left wing agenda,” DeSantis said.

When she countered that some minorities including LGBTQ+ people feel unsafe visiting the state, DeSantis said, “part of the reason they think that is ’cause of narratives that are put out by media.”

He said the press was responsible for dubbing last year’s Parental Rights in Education Act the “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” bill.

Regardless, as the Human Rights Campaign pointed out when the law was expanded to cover public schools from pre-K through 8th grade, it “silences educators by prohibiting any instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity.”

The group, America’s largest LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, also highlighted other anti-LGBTQ+ legislation that was signed concurrently by the governor in May: “an extreme gender affirming

care ban” and “an anti-trans bathroom bill.”

While he declined to say whether he would support a U.S. Supreme Court justice who sought to overturn the 2015 marriage equality precedent, DeSantis said such an outcome would be unlikely in consideration of the ruling’s “significant reliance interest.”

Asked whether everyone would feel welcome in America if he is elected president, DeSantis responded “100%.”

Even some of his fellow Republicans, however, spoke up to denounce a homophobic ad run by DeSantis’s campaign this summer that targeted former President and current GOP frontrunner Donald Trump — who, according to FiveThirtyEight’s polling average, is ahead of the governor by more than 40 points.

PENTAGON WORKING TO RESTORE BENEFITS TO LGBTQ+ VETERANS FORCED OUT UNDER ‘DON’T ASK, DON’T TELL’

Wire Report

WASHINGTON | The Pentagon began a new effort Sept. 20 to contact former service members who may have been forced out of the military and deprived of years of benefits due to policies targeting their sexual orientation, starting with those who served under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

Under DADT, which was enacted in 1994 by President Bill Clinton and in effect until 2011, service members who had other than heterosexual orientation could

serve-- as long as they kept it quiet. That led to years of discrimination, undue pressure, discharges and lost benefits.

Under DADT and previous military policies forbidding gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer personnel from serving, at least 32,837 service members since 1980 were forced out of the military for their sexual orientation, according to Department of Defense data.

More than 2,000 of those service members received general, other than honorable, or unknown discharge characterizations

“that may have denied them

access to veterans benefits, like home loans, health care, GI Bill tuition assistance and even some government jobs,” Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks said.

“We know correcting these records cannot fully restore the dignity taken from LGBTQ+ service members when they were expelled from the military,” Hicks said. “It doesn’t completely heal the unseen wounds that were left, it doesn’t make people whole again, even for those many who received honorable discharges. But this is yet another step we’re taking to make sure we do right by those who served honorably.”

CATHOLIC PRIESTS BLESS SAME-SEX COUPLES IN DEFIANCE OF A GERMAN ARCHBISHOP

Wire Report

BERLIN | Several Catholic priests held a ceremony blessing same-sex couples outside Cologne Cathedral Sept. 20 in a protest against the city’s conservative archbishop, Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki.

Their protest was triggered by Cologne church officials’ criticism of a priest from Mettmann, a town near Duesseldorf, who in March had held a “blessing ceremony for lovers” -- including same-sex couples.

Officials from the Cologne archdiocese, which Mettmann belongs to, had reprimanded the priest afterward and stressed that the Vatican doesn’t allow blessings of same-sex couples, German news agency dpa reported.

The blessing of same-sex couples was the latest sign of rebellion of progressive believers in Germany’s most populous diocese with about 1.8 million members.

Several hundred people showed up for the outdoor blessing service for same-sex and also heterosexual couples. Waving rainbow flags, they

sang the Beatles hit “All You Need Is Love,” dpa reported. A total of about 30 couples were blessed.

The German government’s LGBTQ+ commissioner called the service an important symbol for the demand to recognize and accept same-sex couples in the Roman Catholic Church.

“It is mainly thanks to the church’s grassroots that the church is opening up more and more,” Sven Lehmann said, according to dpa. “Archbishop Woelki and the Vatican, on the other hand, are light years behind social reality.”

Catholic believers in the Cologne archdiocese have long protested their deeply divisive archbishop and have been leaving in droves over allegations that he may have covered up clergy sexual abuse reports.

The report absolved Woelki of any neglect of his legal duty with respect to abuse victims. He subsequently said he made mistakes in past cases involving sexual abuse allegations, but insisted he had no intention of resigning.

Two papal envoys were dispatched to Cologne a few

months later to investigate possible mistakes by senior officials in handling cases. Their report led Pope Francis to give Woelki a “spiritual timeout” of several months for making major communication errors.

In March 2022, after his return from the timeout, the cardinal submitted an offer to resign, but so far Francis hasn’t acted on it.

Germany’s many progressive Catholics have also been at odds with the Vatican for a long time.

Several years ago, Germany’s Catholic Church launched a reform process with the country’s influential lay group to respond to the clergy sexual abuse scandals, after a report in 2018 found at least 3,677 people were abused by clergy between 1946 and 2014. The report found that the crimes were systematically covered up by church leaders.

The Vatican, however, has tried to put the brakes on the German church’s controversial reform process, fearing proposals concerning gay people, women and sexual morals will split the church.

SENATE CONFIRMS JUDGE WHO FOUGHT FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY

The U.S. Senate on Sept. 19 voted 52-45 to confirm Rita Lin’s nomination by President Joe Biden to serve as a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The first Chinese American woman to serve in the role, Lin previously fought for marriage equality as an attorney in private practice with the multinational firm Morrison and Foerster. As co-counsel in a 2012 case challenging the Defense of Marriage Act in federal court, she secured the first ruling striking down the law, which proscribed marriage as exclusively heterosexual unions. The Senate’s vote to confirm Lin was supported by all present Democratic members and three Republicans: U.S. Sens. Susan Collins, Lindsey Graham and Lisa Murkowski.

KANSAS WILL NOT CHANGE TRANS PEOPLE’S BIRTH CERTIFICATES

Kansas will no longer change transgender people’s birth certificates to reflect their gender identities, the state health department said Sept. 15, citing a new law that prevents the state from legally recognizing those identities. The decision from the state Department of Health and Environment makes Kansas one of a handful of states that won’t change trans people’s birth certificates. It already was among the few states that don’t change the gender marker on trans people’s driver’s licenses. Those decisions reverse policies that Gov. Laura Kelly’s administration set when she took office in 2019. They came in response to court filings by state Attorney General Kris Kobach to enforce the new state law. Enacted by the GOP-controlled Legislature over Kelly’s veto, it took effect July 1 and defines male and female based on sex assigned to a person at birth.

TENNESSEE ELECTS 1ST OPENLY TRANS OFFICIAL

Voters in Nashville and surrounding Davidson County made history Sept. 14 as Olivia Hill won an at-large seat on the Metro Council, making her the first openly transgender official elected to public office in the Volunteer State. The Tennessean reported that Hill secured one of the council’s five at-large seats in the runoff election with 12.9% of the vote that night. She joins a historic number of women elected to the council. All five at-large members will be women, as well as 17 district councilmembers. That adds up to 22 women — a majority of the 40-member council.

ANDORRAN PM COMES OUT AS GAY

Andorran Prime Minister Xavier Espot Zamora has come out as gay. “I’m gay. I’ve never hid it,” he said during an interview with Radio and Television of Andorra, the country’s public broadcaster. Andorra is a small country known for its ski areas that is nestled between Spain and France in the Pyrenees. Espot has been prime minister since 2019. The country’s lawmakers in 2022 extended marriage rights to same-sex couples.

Michael Wanzie

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF WANZIE

privileged to patronize back in the day, might be of some interest to my readers.

As is the case with most people my age, my first foray into gay Orlando nightlife was the Parliament House. But to the best of my recollection the first gay bar in Orlando was a second-floor, hole-in-the-wall drag bar in downtown Orlando known as the Diamond Head.

Diamond Head ceased to operate once Bill Miller and Michael Hodge converted a failed mainstream Motor Inn complex known as The Parliament House into “The world’s largest all gay entertainment complex” round about 1975.

MINIVER WAS HER actual first name but she went by her middle name, Sue. All the way back in 1983 the woman known to most as Sue Hanna opened Orlando’s first lesbian bar called Faces.

Faces was situated in the Lee Rd.-Edgewater Dr. area just a stone’s throw from the currently operating Hank’s. Sue would later open a much larger, multi-level, multi-bar entertainment complex known as Key Largo which was situated way up the Orange Blossom Trail just south of Apopka. Both of Sue’s bars operated primarily as gathering spots for queer women. For years men were routinely barred from entering Faces while Key Largo provided a more welcoming space for all members of Orlando’s burgeoning gay community.

I have many fond memories connected with both of Sue’s spaces — neither of which are operational today — and it strikes me how few people who currently enjoy mingling with a healthy mix of persons represented by every letter of the LGBTQ+ moniker — at one of the very few remaining specifically gay bars remaining in town — have no knowledge of so many of our once many gay and lesbian establishments which were simultaneously operating throughout the greater Orlando area.

For persons of a certain age this column may serve as a walk down memory lane while younger readers may find it to be more of a tutorial on Orlando gay bar history. In either case, with our annual Come Out With Pride celebration fast approaching, I was struck with a wisp of nostalgia for a time when venturing out in O-Town for an evening of queer nightlife was filled with options and those options were scattered all over the greater Orlando landscape.

While not making any attempt to present a historically or chronologically accurate timeline with regards to when these places operated it is my hope that these random recollections of the many gay watering holes which I was

tracks just south of Fairvilla Megastore but on the opposite side of the street.

Further up the trail, in the space now occupied by Griller’s, was a very popular gay bar that catered to the raver crowd. Empire Club offered lots of comfy sofa seating adjacent to the dance floor, with state-of-the-art lighting and a steady stream of techno, trance and house music of the gay anthem sort. There was another bar called Connection (Not associated with the aforementioned Connections) which operated not far from what would eventually become Pulse nightclub.

Most unique and daring for the time was Peter Scott’s. This was a very nice upscale fine dining establishment situated in the Longwood Village on SR 434 at I-4. In addition to a gay owner-operator who played table-hoping host who happily explained the “specials” on the al a carte menu of steaks, chops and seafood, there was often an added entertainment charge as the establishment routinely operated as a super club featuring nationally renowned gay entertainers.

conversation bar called “P’s Parlor” where patrons were welcome to simply sit and visit with “Miss P” of PH fame.

I first came upon PH in the late ‘70s and it was not uncommon in subsequent years to follow up an evening at PH with a short drive south down the trail to the “After Hours Bottle Club” known as the Palace. Here one could bring in your own bottle of liquor and as such you were not making an illegal after-hours purchase of alcohol but rather paying for mixers.

In that same complex was a men’s leather bar called the Loading Dock and in time it would also host the first location of Wylde’s.

In the Winter Park/ Aloma area there was the Phoenix Club and later Flamingo Lounge.

In a strip plaza in the Rosemont area of town was a small neighborhood gay bar called Little Orphan Andy’s which became popular for its underwear nights and the occasional foot fetish party.

In the Fern Park area was a spacious dance club created from several freight train boxcars known as Plantation Station.

Down the street and around the corner from the Parliament House on Colonial Dr. there was a large gay dance club known as Port Au Prince.

North of PH on OBT was a tiny dive bar, Connections, situated along the railroad

For quite some time The Full Moon Saloon, a bar with a dedicated country western flair, operated next door to PH. The independently-owned Saloon was connected to PH

Long before my decade-plus long stint as theatrical manager of the Footlight Theater at the Parliament House I served as the entertainment director and emcee of the weekly weekend variety shows offered at Uncle Walt’s.

Uncle Walt’s was the first ever gay bar to operate in

Yes, for a short time, the grand damme of the Parliament House (predecessor to Darcel Stevens) had been lured away by the competition. That is until the thriving new venue fell victim to an arson’s match and burned down to the ground under mysterious circumstances and amid widespread speculation that the fire had been arranged by the owners of PH. Those allegations were never proved, but the post-fire result was the return of Miss P to the Parliament House along with all her fans – including me.

I have no idea who set that fire – or at least that is my official stance. But I remain grateful that the Parliament House thrived for as long as it did as its Footlight Theater played host to my theatrical productions through three sets of owners spanning nearly 40 years.

via an off-the-trail walkway, maintained for years as a courtesy to the patrons of both establishments. This facilitated easy and safe passage between the two places. A few blocks to the east on Orange Ave. was Club Firestone. It was significant if for no other reason than this was where Orlando’s LGBTQ+ community was first introduced to Miss Sammy. Sam and Mary Singhaus created Miss Sammy with just a few hours’ notice when Sam was asked at the 11th hour to sub in for Frito Lay who couldn’t make it to host her weekly Drag Race competition. Sam showed up as Miss Sammy for that one night and was so loved by the audience, they demanded her return, and thus an enduring drag legend was born.

the tourist corridor situated at the north factory outlets end of International Dr. “The Kitchen Queen,” as the cook was affectionally called, was one of my first connections to the trans community. The club featured a dance floor, food available at all times, a daily piano bar happy hour and the very popular weekend variety shows, which in addition to a featured singer with live accompaniment also included a novelty act or two

Finally, the historic San Juan Hotel, located on Orange Ave. in downtown Orlando, was converted into to gay hotel in the late ‘70s I believe. This presented the first real head-to-head competition to PH at that time. In addition to overnight accommodations the hotel featured a disco, a restaurant and a lower-level

Of course, Studz on Edgewater has survived, along with my beloved Savoy Orlando and serval incarnations of Southern Nights. And I remember when Saint Matthews on Mills originated as the Silver Hammer complete with a bar top decoupaged with photos of men fucking and sucking one another, which would often come as a rather unpleasant surprise to unsuspecting truckers — who stopped in to avoid rush hour traffic — once their eyes adjusted to the dim lighting after walking in from the mid-afternoon sun.

Fun times.

This Viewpoint was cut down due to space. The full version can be read at WatermarkOnline.com.

Michael Wanzie is an Orlando-based playwright, actor and ordained minister. He is most recognized for his direction of productions in the Central Florida area.

With our annual Come Out With Pride celebration fast approaching, I was struck with a wisp of nostalgia for a time when venturing out in O-Town for an evening of queer nightlife was filled with options and those options were scattered all over the greater Orlando landscape.

A brief history of Orlando’s queer nightlife

MAMA BEARINGS

Cruel Summer

THIS YEAR HAS FLOWN by. As much as I am ready to say farewell to this summer, I do enjoy each time of year for various reasons. I love holidays, weather changes and the people, places and things related to different times of year.

I am a planner and try to be organized, which has made for some die-hard family traditions I am desperately trying to pass down to my kids. That includes completing vision boards to talk about future goals at the beginning of the year.

I love it because it focuses on the idea that something great is coming up. It’s rewarding to experience the anticipation and excitement that it brings; the sheer joy of waiting for that good thing.

I also decorate and we attend a spooky Valentines’ Day event every year, and everyone gets gifts because it is a candy holiday. Candy holidays are sacred and include Valentines’ Day, Halloween, Easter and anytime Reese’s makes themed peanut butter cups.

When school ends and summer begins, we stay up later and go to the beach and try to do more things outside, and once October Eve hits — yes, I am referring to September, I am in full pumpkin spice horror movie watching manic glee. You get the picture. Although we don’t truly have fall or autumn in Florida we sure try. Anyone notice the short shorts with knee high boots already starting up? I cannot do all that with these heat advisories, but I appreciate the efforts.

I was ready for fall this year because summer was one of the hardest times I have had with my depression. I have both anxiety and depression as diagnoses, but I was dealing with so much that every day was a bad day. I can only explain this time as the opposite of my usual demeanor: instead of looking forward to things, I was unhappy with so many things

in my life that my brain shifted into a negative mindset that permeated everything I did.

I can only speak to my experience, and each person who struggles to be mentally well has their own story, but I know so many people in the LGBTQ+ community who are struggling this year. Gender affirming healthcare was outlawed in some ways and people are having issues getting to their health care providers and receiving their prescribed medications.

Bathroom laws have some people afraid to go out in public or use a restroom that aligns with their gender identity. Teachers have dealt with book bans, the “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” rhetoric and having to hide their own authentic identities at work — and our beautiful drag performers have even been targeted and lost income due to legislative changes.

More and more I see posts on social media about losing people to suicide or mental health-related issues like drugs and alcohol misuse. People are unwell. But when I was deeply unwell, I did not write a column about it because I simply could not share or even describe how badly I was doing.

I am better now, and I can see the brighter side of things, which I see value in sharing because I know so many of us are going through hard times. So much of my anxiety this summer was related to these new laws and how my transgender son would be affected. During those darker times, I was constantly fearful, ashamed of being fearful and just exhausted from the effort of all my worrying. This is a cycle I have known most of my adult life.

I did not get a magical cure for my depression this summer. I have three kids living with me still and when I was recently asked in a job interview what gets me out of bed in the morning, I immediately replied, “my kids, my family.”

I had been interviewing nonstop for six months and had not been asked that question once. That moment stayed with me after the interview concluded because I had been dwelling on what made me unhappy so intensely that I was not

my kids, getting to know members in more depth and getting legitimate answers to all the scary questions regarding the new laws gave me the feelings of support in dealing with my fears that I needed and deserved.

There is something

yet this year. Amidst all this, he is the happiest he has ever been. Just like the changing seasons and passing days, things will most certainly change, but today, I am going to believe they will continue to change for the better.

asking myself what makes me happy. What gives me purpose. What I wanted to be doing as opposed to what I was not doing. Not a shift to toxic positivity but a focus on my needs and wants related to who I am authentically. Another thing that helped this summer is I became more active in my local PFLAG chapter. Attending in-person meetings with

so special about understanding a situation or a problem because you have experienced it personally, and being around individuals who have shared experiences helped greatly. By the time school started I felt more informed and less vulnerable which reduced my anxiety.

To this date, my son has had his best back-to-school

I am going to choose to be hopeful, and on the days that I cannot find that hope I am going to ask myself what got me out of the bed that morning.

is a proud

Sylvie Trevena

mom of four with eclectic interests who holds a BS in Behavioral Healthcare and an MBA.

So much of my anxiety this summer was related to these new laws and how my transgender son would be affected.

Sylvie Griffiths

Visibili-T

SPENCER ROBERTSON

Jeremy Williams

Robertson planned his first routine and performed “Greedy” by Ariana Grande.

“There was only about 10 people there,” he says. “I lost my shoe, the music wasn’t working. It was kind of a disaster, to be honest.”

VISIBILI-T IS

DEDICATED

TO transgender members of our community in Central Florida and Tampa Bay, some you know and many you don’t. It is designed to amplify their voices and detail their experiences in life.

This issue, we check in with Central Florida drag performer and entertainer Draggedy Anne, better known to his friends as Spencer Robertson.

Robertson has been performing drag throughout Central Florida, including in Orlando, DeLand, Sanford and Daytona, for eight years. In that time he has built a solid support system anchored by his drag family, drag mother Dollya Black and partner and fellow drag performer, Tobi Layton aka Sue Cyde. His start in drag came at the Hamburger Mary’s in Daytona.

“My mom took me to the drag shows there,” he recalls. “I remember watching the show, now obviously I’m a trans man,

and for the longest time I was like ‘Oh, I’m not allowed to do that because I wasn’t born a man’ and that was the only people that I saw doing it.”

After observing several drag performers, Robertson came to the conclusion that not only was he able to perform drag but that there was no good reason he shouldn’t be allowed to.

“It made me a little mad because I’m gay, I’m a man, I should be able to engage in the same things that other gay men engage in and it shouldn’t matter that I’m trans. So I said I’m just gonna do it. I talked to the people at Hamburger Mary’s and that’s where I started performing,” he says.

While his first time on a drag stage wasn’t perfect, Robertson didn’t let that slow him down, and soon Draggedy Anne was getting the crowds on their feet. His drag name came about because he wanted a persona that was unique within drag that had a part cute/ part spooky vibe and spoke to the alternative side of his personality.

“I’ve always been super into dolls, dressing up, cosplay, makeup; those creative things have always piqued my interest,” Robertson says. “I feel like dolls are a fun, creative outlet for someone who’s into makeup and hair and fashion. I also wanted to embrace the girly side of me because I still have a feminine side being a queer man and I like to embrace that side of myself. I think that more men should no matter whether you’re trans or not.”

Robertson, who also identifies as bisexual, says that coming out as trans shouldn’t result in repressing his femininity just to “fit in with other boys.”

“I think that when you’re a trans person, and obviously

not every trans person because we’re not a monolith, but I feel like there’s a large amount of trans people that once they start transitioning, there is this need to try and fit like a ‘straight person,’” he says. “I am more like a gay boy, so there’s no reason why I can’t fit myself into that and why I can’t have community with them and share space with them.”

He adds that he began to feel more comfortable embracing his feminine qualities when he became more comfortable viewing himself as a man.

“I think that everybody has feminine and masculine qualities and that you should be allowed to express those sides of yourself as much or as little as you feel like it. You shouldn’t have anybody argue with that or feel any type of way about that,” he says. “There are so many cis men that are super feminine naturally and nobody questions their manhood. But people question mine just because I was born different.”

That embrace of both his masculine and feminine sides is what initially drew Layton to him. In a previous Visibili-T, Layton confessed that seeing Draggedy, a trans drag performer, on stage inspired in him to start performing. The pair have been together for three years now.

“This is always what I wanted out of a relationship,” Robertson

says. “Ever since I got solidified and doing drag and had a supportive drag house, my life has revolved around my creative endeavors. I realized after doing drag for so long that if I was going to date anyone they would have to be on that same like wavelength with me, because those are all the things that I wanted to do with my life. I needed someone who was going to match that.”

Robertson adds that having someone that enjoys the same things and gets his passions is one of the most rewarding things he has ever experienced in his life.

“It makes it feel like our lives just fit together so perfectly and I am genuinely so grateful that he was wanting to do drag and ready to support me and my drag and in my art — and now I get to support him doing his,” he says.

Draggedy Anne can be seen performing in Kandi Krave at the Conduit in Winter Park Oct. 17. He will also be hosting a show with Davi Oddity called ShowGhouls on Oct. 24 at The Dust, formerly known as the Stardust Café. To keep up with all of Draggedy Anne’s appearances, follow him on Instagram at @draggedyanne.

Interested in being featured in Visibili-T? Email Editor-in-Chief Jeremy Williams in Central Florida or Managing Editor Ryan Williams-Jent in Tampa Bay.

He/Him/His

talking points

THE PREMIERE OF THE DOCUMENTARY “LIL NAS X: LONG LIVE MONTERO” was delayed after a bomb threat was called in at the Toronto International Film Festival. The Sept. 9 premiere of the film at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall was delayed by about 20 minutes while authorities verified that the threat wasn’t credible. Lil Nas X was kept off the red carpet during that time. In a statement, TIFF said that Toronto police investigated the vicinity of the red carpet ahead of the screening and to their knowledge “this was a general threat and not directed at the film or the artist.” “Long Live Montero,” directed by Carlos López Estrada and Zac Manuel, documents the pop superstar’s eight-month tour beginning in September 2022 for his full-length debut album “Montero.”

‘STAR TREK’ STARS, FANS JOIN FORCES ON PICKET LINES

HUNDREDS OF TREKKIES JOINED “STAR TREK” STARS, PRODUCERS AND WRITERS IN PICKETING PARAMOUNT headquarters in Times Square and its studios in Los Angeles Sept. 8. The “United We Trek” demonstrations, held on the 57th anniversary of the premiere of “Star Trek,” showed support for SAG/AFTRA and WGA members who have been on strike for months.

Queer actors Wilson Cruz and Melissa Navia and out trans actor Jesse James Keitel joined the picket line in New York City, while out gay actors George Takei and Jonathan Del Arco joined others in Los Angeles. They marched and chanted alongside fans, many wearing Star Trek costumes, who showed up in support of the strike.

COLLECTION OF FREDDIE MERCURY ITEMS SELL AUCTION

FREDDIE MERCURY’S PRIZED PIANO THAT HE USED TO COMPOSE “BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY” AND OTHER HITS BY QUEEN SOLD FOR MORE THAN $2 MILLION as some of the late singer’s massive collection of stage costumes, fine art and original lyrics were auctioned in a sale that broke records. The eclectic collection of objects were amassed by Mercury after Queen’s glam-rock produced an avalanche of hits that allowed the singer to achieve his dream of living a Victorian life “surrounded by exquisite clutter.” The “clutter” included hand-written lyrics, a gold Cartier brooch saying “Queen number 1” and a Victorian-style silver snake bangle. Mercury’s close friend, Mary Austin, sold more than 1,400 items.

US NEWSPAPER CHAIN

HIRING TAYLOR SWIFT, BEYONCÉ REPORTERS

THE UNITED STATES’ BIGGEST NEWSPAPER CHAIN HAS POSTED TO ITS SITE TWO UNUSUAL JOB LISTINGS: A TAYLOR SWIFT REPORTER AND A BEYONCÉ REPORTER. Gannett, which owns more than 200 daily papers, will employ these new hires through USA Today and The Tennessean, the company’s Nashville-based newspaper. The chain is looking for “modern storytellers” adept in print, audio and visual journalism. Critics of the new roles cited layoffs at Gannett, where the workforce has shrunk 47% in the last three years. At some newspapers, the union said the headcount has fallen by as much as 90%. Last year alone, Gannett cut about 6% of its roughly 3,440-person U.S. media division.

45.8% OF LG BTQ+ CANDIDATES SAID A DESIRE TO INCREASE LGBTQ+ REPRESENTATION IN ELECTED OFFICE WAS A TOP MOTIVATOR TO THEM RUNNING.

84% OF THEM SAID BEING LGBTQ+ MADE THEM A BETTER CANDIDATE. --An LGBTQ+ Victory Institute and Loyola Marymount University survey of LGBTQ+ candidates running for public office in the U.S.

To hear somebody tell me that it’s not OK for young children to make decisions about their gender identity and to ask their school officials for support, protection and help, is appalling.

—MELISSA MCCOLLISTER, A SOCIAL WORK PROFESSOR AT GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY, SPEAKING TO FORMER VP AND 2024 GOP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MIKE PENCE THROUGH TEARS DURING A TOWN HALL IN DES MOINES, IOWA, ON SEPT. 14

LIL NAS X DOC’S TIFF PREMIERE DELAYED BY BOMB THREAT

We all know what it is like to need to get away for a bit.

Peer Support Space is a local LGBTQ+ led nonprofit that is building the ONLY Peer Respite in the state of Florida right here in the SoDo district of Orlando. We are a collective of individuals with lived experience navigating mental health struggles, born out of the Pulse tragedy, that say no more about us without us.

Eva’s Casita will be a soft and affirming landing space where you can come stay for up to a week when you are going through a hard time, at no-cost to you It'll be a space where you can get cozy, play in the garden, engage with others that have similar lived experience (or hang out solo - that's okay, too!). We all deserve a safe space to get away.

Being able to open Eva’s Casita would mean creating a blueprint for what alternatives for hospitalization could look like across our state and what making LGBTQ+ centered peer respites could look like across our nation. We are $40,000 short of being able to open and are asking you to help us make history!

Together in Pride

Come Out With Pride prepares for what it hopes will be its biggest celebration yet

Jeremy Williams

ARECORD NUMBER OF attendees filled Lake Eola Park and Orlando’s surrounding downtown area in October last year for the annual Come Out With Pride parade and festival.

The theme for last year’s Pride, “A Place for Us,” came from the Stephen Sondheim-penned musical “West Side Story” and were the words uttered by openly queer actress Ariana DeBose as she accepted her Academy Award for her role in the recent film adaptation. Last year’s theme spoke to the social and political climate

at the time as the LGBTQ+ community was under attack and looking for a place that was indeed for us all.

Tatiana Quiroga, Come Out With Pride’s executive director, spoke earlier this year with Watermark about the event’s commitment reflecting the current realities of the LGBTQ+ community.

“Pride this year … has to look different. We’re in a different place as a movement and in the community than we were even last year,” Quiroga stated emphatically.

As we grow closer to this year’s Come Out With Pride celebration, the social and political climate has seemingly gotten bleaker, thanks to one of the most hateful legislative sessions towards marginalized communities this state has ever seen.

“We’ve seen the impacts of the new legislation in all the different aspects when it comes to producing Pride this year,” says Quiroga, speaking with Watermark Sept. 20.

“There’s concern seeing these headlines and hearing the national news, especially for corporations that don’t have headquarters here in Orlando, they’re seeing these headlines and really fearing for the safety of their employees and team members. Add to that the travel advisories and we’re seeing our sponsorship level numbers lower.”

Quiroga adds that while the path to this year’s celebration was a more difficult one to maneuver, there was never any doubt that Pride was going to happen.

“One of the things that we saw as a team when we started going to events this year is that people went

ahead and assumed that Come Out With Pride was going to be canceled despite the fact that we never ever said that,” Quiroga says. “The board and I were very committed from the very, very beginning of this year that we were not going to cancel or reschedule. We didn’t always know what we were going to look like, but we knew that it was never an option to cancel or reschedule. We are marching on. Pride is happening here in Orlando.”

Marching forward as a community is what in part helped solidify this year’s theme — “Stronger Together.”

PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD

* services vary by location WALK-INS

As we prepare for this year’s celebration, Watermark sat down with Quiroga to talk about what Come Out With Pride will look like this year and what impacts the state’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws will have on the event.

WATERMARK: WHEN WE SPOKE BEFORE, YOU MENTIONED THAT COME OUT WITH PRIDE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITY AND COUNTY LEADERS, AS WELL AS WITH THE ORLANDO POLICE DEPARTMENT, TO SEE WHAT THEIR RELATIONSHIP AND PARTNERSHIP WITH PRIDE WOULD LOOK LIKE MOVING FORWARD. HOW DID THOSE CONVERSATIONS TURN OUT?

QUIROGA: Mayor [Buddy] Dyer, the city of Orlando, the Orlando Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff, Mayor Jerry Demings, they have always been huge allies and partners of ours, but we really needed to make sure that we had these reaffirming conversations with them. And they were so productive and incredibly wonderful, which is why we felt so confident moving forward with Pride the way that we are.

These were all conversations that we never anticipated having last year, not knowing that the legislation was going to come the way that it did.

There are risks involved for everyone. There’s a risk involved for us as the 501(c)3 who’s hosting this event. My name is the one which goes on all the permits, so everyone from us as an organization, making sure that we really try to do the best that we can to protect our 501(c)3 status, to our entertainment and our performers, and having them understand that unfortunately this is a year that risks are involved and making sure that they’re willing to take those risks.

It really has affected almost every single aspect of planning for Pride this year.

We’re so excited to be able to move forward in the way that we are because we really truly feel that, out of all the years, this year’s probably one of the most important to make sure that Pride happens.

As a whole, Florida is not entirely safe for the LGBTQ+

community, especially our trans siblings, but we know that Orlando and Orange County are different, so we are trying to get that message to potential guests and also our partners.

ONE OF THE NEW LAWS, “FACILITY REQUIREMENTS BASED ON SEX,” WHICH MAKES IT ILLEGAL FOR TRANS

our venue and we rent out the entire park, so that being said, it does make it a private but public event.

Based on these conversations that were having, we feel very confident and fully trust our local government and our law enforcement. This is a relationship that they very much value and they

they feel, anything that would be appropriate at the beach is good for Pride. I mean, the whole point of our celebration is to come celebrate as your authentic self and that’s really what this space is intended to be. So, our guests are welcome to come as their authentic selves.

Pride will be a family friendly event. While at the same time we are always committed to standing in solidarity with the drag community, realizing and acknowledging that drag is a cornerstone of who we are and our history and the movement and you can’t have the LGBTQ+ movement without drag. So, very early on in these conversations we knew we were going to have both.

We didn’t always know how it was going to happen but we knew we were going to have both, and so we’re very thankful that the injunction is in place. Now it doesn’t fully protect anybody from any nonsense, but it definitely is a barrier and holds things off, so we are very much moving forward with drag as part of our celebration.

SAFETY IS ALWAYS A CONCERN WHEN HAVING ANY KIND OF EVENT IN DOWNTOWN ORLANDO, BUT ESPECIALLY WITH THIS COUNTRY’S HISTORY OF VIOLENCE AGAINST THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY, TALK A LITTLE ABOUT THE MEASURES BEING TAKEN TO ENSURE EVERYONE’S SAFETY WHILE PARTICIPATING AT PRIDE.

Yes, violence towards the LGBTQ+ community is unfortunately not necessarily a new part of this conversation. Safety has always been a number one top priority for us as an organization and as producers of a Pride celebration that is this large. Also we cannot deny the fact that we are the home of Pulse, and so the worst-case scenario has already happened for us and that is part of our history and part of our story.

PEOPLE TO USE CERTAIN RESTROOMS ALIGNED WITH THEIR GENDER IDENTITIES, WAS ONE OF THE CONCERNS PRIDE HAD FOR THIS YEAR’S FESTIVAL. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE CITY, WILL TRANS PEOPLE BE SAFE USING PUBLIC RESTROOMS AT LAKE EOLA? That was a question that was brought by one of my trans board members who flat out asked our government officials “Will I be arrested for using a public bathroom at Lake Eola?” and the solid 100% answer was “You are perfectly safe. There is no risk involved for you to do that.” It was also made clear that part of our renting out Lake Eola for Pride, that park is

respect our community so they want our guests to know they are safe and free to use whichever facilities they feel comfortable using.

ANOTHER LAW THAT GOT A LOT OF ATTENTION WAS WHAT WAS BEING CALLED THE “ANTI-DRAG” LAW. CAN ATTENDEES FEEL SAFE AND COMFORTABLE TO COME TO PRIDE DRESSED HOWEVER THEY WANT TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES, EVEN IN DRAG?

Most definitely. One of the things that is very particular to the legislation and specifically talking about the anti-drag bill is that the bill is very specific on performances.

So any of our guests are welcome to dress anyway

TAKING THAT INTO MIND, WILL DRAG QUEENS BE PERFORMING AT PRIDE?

We will be having a lot of drag queens. One of the things that the board and I said, and we felt very confident even back in January when we started seeing all these bills roll out, two things that we fully stood by was that Come Out With Pride is so proud of the fact that we are a family friendly event. That is something that not all Prides can say. As an LGBTQ+ parent who has brought my children to Pride since they were literally weeks old, I mean Pride is part of my family tradition and is so part of the fabric of my family, so Come Out With

So again, we had these really genuine, constructive conversations with OPD and we took our concerns to them, we spoke with the chief and we felt very heard. They completely understand and are 100% our allies and want to make sure that this is not just a successful event but a safe event.

There are precautions being taken on their end as part of our permit, we are always required to hire off-duty police officers, so we’ll have plenty of those. In addition to that, we are hiring our own private security company, we’re hiring a crowd control company also,

TAKING THE LEAD: Come Out With Pride’s executive director Tatiana Quirogax. PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD

This year we want to create a space for people to be able to come and celebrate as their authentic selves, and celebrate their queer joy.

— TATIANA QUIROGA

and then we’re doing the metal detectors this year again.

The difference this year with the metal detectors is that we are allowing for bags but we really ask folks, just like we see with any large scale events, if you can please bring a see-through bag or bring a smaller bag. I know it may not always be the most convenient thing in the world but if we can all come together and realize that these tiny little changes are truly to help the overall security and safety of the entire community.

Also this is a community event, where we’re doing this as a passion project for the community, so we all have to have our eyes and ears open. We are asking our community if you see something, say something.

AS YOU MENTIONED, THE THEME THIS YEAR IS “STRONGER TOGETHER.” TALK TO ME ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS AND WHY THE TEAM WANTED THAT TO BE THE THEME THIS YEAR?

One of the good things about being in October is that we get to see part of the year go by and really see what the tone of the community is. So we see that the tone for Pride is a little bit different than in past years. We know obviously the roots of Pride, they started as a protest by Black and Brown trans women, and through the years it’s obviously morphed to celebrate our progress as a community.

This year we want to create a space for people to be able to come and celebrate as their authentic selves, and celebrate their queer joy, but at the same time what is so huge and critical this year is making sure that we actually have people show up to represent who

they are, show up in numbers and show the world that this is what the Central Florida community looks like. This is what the LGBTQ+ community, with our allies, looks like. Having over 200,000 people stand together, that’s a huge statement to send to our state government, to our elected officials.

With that, there is a different tone because of the legislation that has come down this year which has been very intentional in its attacks on the LGBTQ+ community, especially our trans siblings, and so we realize that we need to be able to show our resilience, show our resistance and show our rebellion.

There’s all different kinds of groups within the LGBTQ+ community and we really have to band together and also realize the legislation has not just been a targeted attack to the LGBTQ+ community, but it’s been a targeted attack to women, to immigrants, to communities of color, to reproductive rights.

This year we really have seen all communities coming together like we hadn’t seen before, and we must be able to acknowledge that there are intersections. There are those of us who are part of the LGBTQ+ community and are also immigrants, and our also of color, and also women, so being able to really bring that voice together, we know that we are so much stronger together. This is an incredible time to come out to, be seen and be heard. Take this opportunity to represent the community. The more that we show up in numbers the more powerful it’s going to be.

Come Out With Pride’s parade and festival will take place at Lake Eola Park and in Orlando’s downtown area Oct. 21. Stay up-to-date on all things Pride on Come Out With Pride’s social media and look for the Official Come Out With Pride guide, created by Watermark, publishing Oct. 12.

| uu | Come Out with Pride FROM PG.31

PRIDEFUL CITY: Come Out With Pride in downtown Orlando last year. PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD

CINEMATIC SPLIT

Ryan Williams-Jent

THE TAMPA BAY INTERNATIONAL

Gay and Lesbian Film Festival has entertained and empowered audiences since 1989, making it the state’s longest-running celebration of LGBTQ+ cinema. Its longevity is a testament to TIGLFF’s willingness to adapt and evolve.

In recent years that’s meant the creation of smaller festivals designed to elevate trans and BIPOC voices within the LGBTQ+ community, as well as the advent of TIGLFF Online, the festival’s streaming platform. This year’s 34th annual celebration will proceed

without it for the first time since 2020, a response to increased in-person attendance and another major change — instead of a nine-day festival held throughout Tampa Bay, TIGLFF will hold two weekend-long events.

The first will be a Tampa edition on Oct. 5-8, opening at the

Tampa Theatre before moving to AMC Westshore. TIGLFF’s St. Pete edition will follow Jan. 25-28, 2024.

“What we’ve found over the last few years, particularly since and leading up to the pandemic, was that late films don’t work well because people have to work the next day or they’re just tired,” TIGLFF President Rob Akins says. “And as the nine days went on, it was getting harder and harder for people to keep attending.

“This also alleviates having to run back and forth across the bay during the week,” he continues. “We can focus on Tampa for four days and then in January, the focus will be on St. Pete. It should make it easier

for people to attend, because instead of nine days to think about there are three to four, and they aren’t necessarily running back and forth.”

TIGLFF 34 will also proceed without an executive director. Akins says that the role — which was last filled in 2021 by Victor Gimenez, who oversaw TIGLFF 33 — is now vacant. The board opted to go in another direction and will reassess whether to fill the vacancy after this festival.

Making a TIGLFF return, however, is Program Director KJ Mohr. Her celebrated nine-year tenure ended in 2020.

“As soon as I left TIGLFF, I missed it,” Mohr says. “I developed such affection for so many people in our community over the nine years that I was programming for TIGLFF. So as soon as I got the call from Rob, I jumped at the chance to work with the organization again.”

Mohr says she “hit the ground running” in July, thankful TIGLFF “is very familiar territory for me and I’m already aware of what the best films are and where to find them.” She had remained active within the industry since departing.

“Since the TIGLFF Tampa portion is the most immediate and is significantly shorter than usual, it was pretty clear what we should include, what should wait for St. Pete or the spring Trans Fest, and what we had to pass on,” she explains. “It was definitely a challenge to choose fewer films for October, when there is so much that I want our audiences to see, but in the end we’re able to show even more, just spread out.”

TIGLFF’s Tampa edition will feature 12 full-length features and two collections of short films. Opening night has two films, “The Mattachine Family” and “Big Easy Queens,” on Oct. 5.

“‘Mattachine Family’ was the clear opener. It’s a romantic film at its core and a film for everyone, with a nod to gay history as well as a relatable story of contemporary LGBTQ+ concerns,” Mohr says. “It’s a celebratory film and it will be so much fun to see it at the Tampa Theatre with an audience on opening night.”

As for “Big Easy Queens,” she says, the film “is one that folks in the TIGLFF community had been asking us about and when I finally

got to see it, I was blown away by the performances and the artistry of the film.” Mohr notes that “it’s extra special because it’s a Florida production and some of the cast members will join us for a pre-screening mini-cabaret show.”

It focuses on the impact of Kevin Smith’s film “Chasing Amy.”

“This is one that I had been hearing about and it took me by surprise and really hooked and delighted me,” Mohr explains. “It’s wonderfully layered and

Lagos as they get to know each other, a solid indie standout.”

The second is “Black Barbie,” which she calls “brilliant” and “everything that I was missing from the ‘Barbie’ movie.” The must-see screens Oct. 7 as well.

Akins says he’s excited for this year’s format, which could change depending on audience response. He sees TIGLFF as a powerful way to build community amidst Florida’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws.

“This is our 34th year and obviously, a lot has happened and changed in the last 34 years,” he notes. “A couple of years ago I thought the whole reason for these sorts of festivals no longer existed because of the increased equality we have, streaming where you can find LGBTQ+ content and LGBTQ+ movies getting releases at mainstream theaters, things like that. And then [Governor Ron] DeSantis happened. It just shows that the reason is still there.”

TIGLFF hopes others see that as well, both by supporting this year’s split festival and helping to organize future endeavors.

The festival’s narrative spotlight will be “Our Son” on Oct. 6, starring “Pose” alum Billy Porter and Luke Evans, known for “Beauty and the Beast.” It’s billed as “an absorbing exploration of parenthood and family” that Mohr notes is “the sort of slick, bigger budget film that really appeals to our audience.”

“Chasing Chasing Amy” will also screen Oct. 6, TIGLFF Tampa’s documentary spotlight.

unexpectedly engrossing! It will have wider appeal, from our queer communities to very straight Kevin Smith fans.”

Flanked by full length features, the two shorts programs will be held Oct. 7. The first includes nine films in the afternoon and an evening shorts program will follow with eight others before closing night Oct. 8.

“Our closing night film ‘Glitter and Doom’ is a classic celebration of queerness from LGBTQ+

festival favorite Tom Gustafson, who brought us ‘Were the World Mine’ and ‘Hello Again’ in past festivals,” Mohr says. “It’s a star-studded, gorgeous, sweet love story extravaganza set to Indigo Girls music. It’s a feel-good,

“The organization is looking for people to get involved and take up the cause as it were,” Akins says. “TIGLFF is at a critical juncture and the board has decided to make a public plea for new board members to ensure the continuation of TIGLFF as a necessary LGBTQ+ arts organization in the Tampa Bay area. The organization needs people from all communities of the greater LGBTQ+ community.”

“It’s a wonderful thing to be among community and that’s what a festival is all about, a celebration of queerness and our stories and experiencing them together,” Mohr adds. “The need for that will never go away. Especially when our rights and wellbeing are being threatened more than they have been in decades, strangely. We have to band together and this celebration is a wonderful place for that.”

celebratory closer.”

TIGLFF Tampa will also feature a Queer in Color sidebar in lieu of an independent festival focusing on BIPOC voices this year. The first film is “All the Colours of the World are Between Black and White” on Oct. 7.

“It is unlike any film I’ve seen out of Nigeria,” Mohr says. “It’s not Nollywood and it’s not typical New Nigerian Cinema, but an unassuming modern tale of two men who meet and move around

TIGLFF’s Tampa edition will be held Oct. 5-8. Opening night will be at the Tampa Theatre at 711 N. Franklin St. before moving to AMC Westshore, located at 210 Westshore Plaza. Single tickets are $15, four for $45 or $125 for highest access. Read more this year’s about the festival’s films on p. 39 and at TIGLFF.com, where you can also purchase tickets.

PART ONE: TIGLFF’s 34th year will kick off in Tampa with films like 1) “Big Easy Queens,” 2) “Chasing Chasing Amy,” 3) “Lie with Me” and 4) “All the Colours of the World are Between Black and White.” PHOTOS COURTESY OF TIGLFF

It’s a wonderful thing to be among community and that’s what a festival is all about, a celebration of queerness and our stories and experiencing them together.

— TIGLFF PROGRAM DIRECTOR KJ MOHR

OPENING: THURSDAY, OCT. 5

“THE MATTACHINE FAMILY”

Tampa Theatre | 7 p.m. | 98 Mins. Oscar (Juan Pablo di Pace, “Mamma Mia”) and Thomas (Nico Tortorella, “Scream 4”) meet, get married, have charming friends and burgeoning careers. Fate steps in and the two agree to be foster parents to a little boy, Arthur. When Arthur is reunited with his birth mother, Thomas realizes he loves being a dad.

FRIDAY, OCT. 6

“OUR SON”

AMC West Shore | 7 p.m. | 104 Mins. Featuring great lead performances by two talented gay actors, “Our Son” is an absorbing exploration of parenthood and family. Gabriel (“Pose’s” Billy Porter) and Nicky (“Beauty and the Beast’s” Luke Evans) share a life in a spacious city apartment with their sweet sevenyear-old son, Owen (Christopher Woodly). Nicky works long hours while Gabriel stays home to care for Owen.

SATURDAY, OCT. 7

AFTERNOON DELIGHTS SHORTS

AMC West Shore | 4:15 p.m. | 84 Mins. This series of short films includes the 10-minute “FLAG ACT,” 11-minute “MIKEY’S ARMY,” 15-minute “THE ART OF MAKING SIMPLE COMPLICATED,” 5-minute “DADDY ISSUES,” 3-minute “STILL THE ONE,” 10-minute “GIRL ON GIRL,” 3-minute “GAY QUIZ,” 14-minute “HEATHER” AND 13-minute “F^¢K ‘€M R!GHT B@¢K.”

“BIG

EASY QUEENS”

Tampa Theatre | 10:30 p.m. | 71 Mins. Seems like a perfect time in Florida for campy gangland humor. Fort Lauderdale Director Erynn Dalton (“The Gravedigger”) delivers this raucous delight. Miss Minnie Bouvèé (Eric Swanson) is a full-bodied queen of the Big Easy underworld who finds herself under threat by a mysterious masked predator and the fragrance of gardenias, a “sore spot of torment” from Miss Minnie’s past.

“

CHASING CHASING AMY”

AMC West Shore | 9 p.m. | 85 Mins. Can a lesbian have a romantic friendship with a straight, cis man? Especially when that man is portrayed by Ben Affleck?! Let’s get real. Many lesbians of a certain age hated “Chasing Amy,” Kevin Smith’s 1990’s romcom about a straight white guy who falls in love with a lesbian. Filmmaker Sav Rodgers, a young filmmaker from Kansas, did a Ted Talk about how “Chasing Amy” literally saved his life.

“BLACK BARBIE”

AMC West Shore | 2 p.m. | 100 Mins. “It took 21 years for one black fashion doll to be worthy of the Barbie name.” So says award winning queer director Lagueria Davis (“Maid of Dishonor”) who decided to make “Black Barbie” after spending time with her Aunt Beulah Mae Mitchell, a 45-year employee at Mattel. Those conversations sparked a curiosity about the evolution of Black Barbie leading to complex conversations.

“BIG BOYS”

AMC West Shore | 2:15 p.m. | 90 Mins. “Big Boys” is a sweet and humorous story about the awkwardness of growing up and feeling different from your peers. Jamie is an anxious and chubby 14-year old. While he’s not the least bit interested in sports, he might just be a culinary master.

CLOSING: SUNDAY, OCT. 8

“LIE WITH ME (ARRETE AVEC TES MENSONGES)”

AMC West Shore | 4:30 p.m. | 100 Mins. Based on the bestselling French novel, “Lie With Me” is a story about lost love and the importance of being true to yourself. Established author Stéphane Belacourt (Guillaume de Tonquédec) returns to his beautiful hometown to promote a renowned local cognac distillery and deliver a keynote speech.

“JESS PLUS NONE”

AMC West Shore | 6:30 p.m. | 101 Mins. Let’s just say it: Jess is a hot mess. She is impulsive, whiney and completely self-absorbed. That she is the maid of honor for her best friend is like an afterthought to Jess’ preoccupation with her recent breakup. The wedding is literally in the woods and a reunion of sorts for college friends and partners.

“JESS PLUS NONE”

“IT’S ONLY LIFE AFTER ALL”

AMC West Shore | 3 p.m. | 118 Mins. “Fans want to know what is personal,” says Emily Saliers. And, in spite of her admitted discomfort with the personal, Saliers and Amy Ray, the iconic Indigo Girls, go there in this acclaimed documentary by filmmaker Alexandria Bombach (“On Her Shoulders”).

“ALL THE COLOURS OF THE WORLD ARE BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE”

AMC West Shore | 7 p.m. | 93 Mins. As the title of this debut film suggests, those who are willing to see beyond their own rigid black and white points of view are able to see a full spectrum of vibrant colors, nuances and complexity. When Bambino, a salt of the earth delivery driver in Lagos, meets aspiring photographer, Bawa, the two men form an instant intimacy.

“THE LOST BOYS (LE PARADIS)”

AMC West Shore | 8:45 p.m. | 83 Mins. Featuring an invigorating original score by Bachar Mar-Khalife and engaging performances, “Lost Boys” boldly explores ideas of freedom, the human need for love, and the ever-lingering effects that experiences in the juvenile detention system have on young people.

LATE NIGHT SHORTS

AMC West Shore | 9 p.m. | 98 Mins. This series of short films includes the 11-minute

“THE DALLES,” 19-minute “KEEP/DELETE,” 18-minute “DOGFRIEND,” 15-minute “POLLYWOOD,” 11-minute “FIRST(ISH DATE),” 4-minute “PIPES,” 9-minute “HONEY TO THE MOON” and 10-minute “LOLLYGAG.”

“DOGFRIEND”

“GLITTER AND DOOM”

AMC West Shore | 6:30 p.m. | 113 Mins. “You look like someone with a lot of songs inside,” says Glitter to Doom. And the songs are those of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers — the Indigo Girls. New arrangements and mashups of their classics are a delight in Tom Gustafson’s (“Were the World Mine”) homage to the soundtrack of love and the burning desire for “the dream.”

“THE MATTACHINE FAMILY”

“OUR SON”

“BLACK BARBIE”

“BIG BOYS”

“GLITTER AND DOOM”

Mercury RISING

‘Trans Handy Ma’am’ Mercury Stardust talks compassion, fame and Florida

Ryan Williams-Jent

IF YOU’RE NOT ONE OF THE ALMOST

650,000 people who follow Mercury Stardust across Meta’s social media platforms, you may be one of her nearly 110,000 YouTube subscribers. Or maybe you’re one of the 2.4 million people (and counting) who follow the LGBTQ+ content creator on TikTok.

That’s where she went viral in 2021 for her unique brand of compassionate DIY, where she kindly explains how to complete certain tasks. It led fans to deem her the “Trans Handy Ma’am,” a moniker Stardust wears with pride.

The professional home maintenance tech has put her newfound fame to good use, focusing not just on rental repairs but on building her community. For Transgender Day of Visibility 2022, Stardust raised $120,000 for Plume, “the largest virtual clinic for transgender, nonbinary and gender nonconforming people in the world.”

She did so during a “TikTok-a-Thon,” now an annual staple of Stardust’s philanthropy. It returned for a 30-hour livestream in March to raise more than $2.2 million for Point of Pride, which “provides financial aid and direct support to trans folks in need of health and wellness care.”

Stardust’s notoriety also led to the Aug. 22 publication of “Safe and Sound: A Renter-Friendly Guide to Home Repair,” her No. 1 New York Times Bestseller. It features over 50 home maintenance projects.

“Remember — a little bit of knowledge can go a long way toward making you feel safer and in control of your own life,” it promises. It’s a sentiment Stardust has shared directly with fans across the country for the

book’s 52-city tour, coming to Tampa’s Mojo Books on Oct. 14.

Ahead of the stop, Watermark spoke with Stardust about compassionate DIY, why she wanted to bring her book tour to Florida and more.

WATERMARK: YOUR PERFORMANCE ROOTS ARE IN BURLESQUE. DID THAT HELP PREPARE YOU FOR TIKTOK FAME?

Mercury Stardust: My favorite compliment that I ever get is when people think that I handle this well, because the response I want to have is, “well, I’ve got you fooled!” (Laughs.) But yeah, I went to college for theatrical production and performance and I also got on stage and performed. So my whole background, other than the fact that I grew up on a farm and knew how to fix stuff, was the fact that I was a Jan of all trades and I really liked to be in front of people. I was good at entertaining people and bringing joy to people — so when I started blowing up on TikTok, my response was, “well, this is a show now!”

CONTINUED ON PG. 43 | uu |

PHOTO COURTESY MERCURY STARDUST

WHERE DID “TRANS HANDY MA’AM” COME FROM?

If you go back to the very first video I did that went viral, which was my ratchet strap video, you will see that I said, “Hey there, hi there, my name is Mercury Stardust and I’m the intersexual trans maintenance lady.” It took 19 seconds of a 59-second video to explain who I was. (Laughs.) I did that in a bunch of my first videos and in the comment section, there would be a lot of people who were like “Boy, that’s a mouthful. You know, ‘Trans Handy Ma’am’ would be pretty simple.”

So I always tell people I didn’t name myself, my audience did. I named myself and my audience told me I was wrong. (Laughs.) It’s another example of me listening to and caring about my audience — and I wear the name very proudly because that’s what the audience gave me. It’s a constant reminder that I’m not in this alone.

HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN COMPASSIONATE DIY TO PEOPLE?

I label it compassionate DIY because innately when you hear it, you’re like, “oh, that’s kind, that’s loving.” There’s a central component of love behind the education. When you think of the status quo of education within a DIY system, or within the repair world that I inhabit, compassion isn’t the first thing that comes to mind ... compassionate DIY tells you right away what it is. You don’t even have to really have a framework for it. It demystifies the barriers that have kept a lot of people, especially in the queer community, away from it.

WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU THINK THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY FACES IN DIY?

Some of us lost our support system when we came out or lacked it to begin with ... We also might have trauma around people and the way they taught us.

Those kinds of things stay with you. You stop asking questions. You stop learning. You stop seeking that information and you start telling yourself you’re not good at that. Compassionate DIY is addressing that problem head on.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO SHOWCASE YOUR SKILLS AS SOMEONE WHO’S TRANS?

We have a very strong sense of what a maintenance technician will look, sound and behave like. It’s an archetype within our media and within our reality, we see it all the time. So if that is the case, there should be an alternative and we should also see representation within these fields. There are plenty of trans people who are in this field. I know that because I’m on the internet and talk to these people all the time ... but most of them are stealth, not wanting to share their trans identity with people, or they are open but they are terrified of people around them. So I think it’s important to bring attention to that and give out more support and love.

WHAT CAN YOU SHARE ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF YOUR TIKTOK-A-THONS?

We started doing them because I feel very strongly that it’s a privilege to have this large of a platform and to maintain that trust with the audience. We’re building something quite large and quite beautiful, and one of the cornerstones of that is the fundraisers, because we help each other. Next year we’re going for four million and doing it over a course of three days, 10 hours each day.

HOW DID YOUR BOOK COME TO BE?

My current agency reached out to publishers and we pitched the idea of a renter-friendly book.

It was an uphill battle. It was a fight. Every single publisher had doubts about a renter-friendly book; 90% of them thought that we were limiting the market — but what they didn’t understand is that while almost every single homeowner has been a renter, most renters will never be a homeowner.

So that was a process but it was the coolest thing ever, coming to the table with why and having them listen to me. [Publisher] DK strongly had my back with everything after that, and everyone did such a beautiful job with the layout of the book. It just feels so different than any other DIY book I’ve ever held before.

HOW DID YOU DECIDE WHAT TO INCLUDE?

That was a group effort. We have around 65 DIYs in the book and had a list of probably 220. We kept trying to think of universal stuff that would be in most renter’s homes — and if they’re in renters’ homes, they’re probably in homeowner’s homes, too. So we had discussions and also used my online audience as a resource. We knew if a certain video went viral and what questions we’ve gotten a lot.

WHAT’S RECEPTION BEEN LIKE?

In the first week we sold something like 38,000 copies of the book, and we sold the most books in the entire country. Period. There are no buts behind that. We sold the most books of the first week it came out, which is the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard in my entire life. I cannot

to live in Florida,” and it’s so disrespectful.

A lot of people can’t leave Florida. They don’t have the means, they don’t have the community, they don’t have the connection. It’s their whole life. People build a whole world down in Florida or down in Tennessee or Mississippi or Texas. Am I a little nervous? Yeah, I mean, I’m a loud and proud trans woman traveling the country via vehicle and going to the bathroom in places. But at the same point in time, I’m willing to roll the dice and I’m willing to say, “look how safe it can be existing openly.”

WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT?

believe we did that, but we did that ... and we hit the number one New York Times bestselling list the week that we came out. It’s just wild to me.

WHAT’S IT BEEN LIKE TOURING?

It is the largest book tour in the country and we’re paying for 85% of it. It’s an absurd thing to do, 52, it’s a wild, ridiculous number. (Laughs.) But I knew it would get people watching, and we also get to help independent bookstores in the process, because the average turnout has been about 250 people at every event. People have been waiting for two and a half hours sometimes in line and it’s just an absolute wild experience.

I don’t think many content creators get to have this experience, but I highly recommend content creators getting out of their garage, getting out of their bedrooms and getting to meet people directly. This is more of a signing but I get to talk to everyone for 15-20 seconds ... it really contextualizes why we’re doing this. It refuels you.

YOU’VE GOTTEN SOME PUSHBACK FOR VISITING PLACES LIKE FLORIDA.

It’s weird how much pushback we’ve gotten from people about the places we’re going. Anywhere in the south, anything below D.C., has this response. It’s like a large group of people have forgotten that a lot of people who are queer and trans actually live in those places. There’s a cognitive dissonance there, where people say, “oh, no, isn’t that terrible

The trans community needs loud representation. We need everybody to feel encouraged enough to live as themselves openly, because if we do that, then more people will come out and more people will be on our side and support us ... I think showing the world that you can live openly in these places and you can thrive and be a best-selling author, I think it pushes things forward in the right direction.

WHAT OTHER MESSAGE DO YOU HAVE FOR LGBTQ+ FLORIDIANS?

Every trans person I know feels like we’re walking around with a target on our back right now, and that’s heavy and that’s hard. But I also think that we need to remind ourselves that this is a moment in history where if we build community, and we build strong connections to support and uplift each other, the glass ceiling will be struck down and we’ll be able to move past it.

Getting there is difficult and we shouldn’t have to live through history in order to be in that place, but if we support each other and love each other, it’s going to be okay. We’ve been here before, we’ve been here many times, the queer community is no stranger to being underground and silenced and pushed away — but the difference is, now we have the internet and it’s much, much harder to completely erase us. I don’t think we live in a timeline anymore where our history could be erased effectively. So hang in there. We’re gonna be okay.

Mercury Stardust’s “Safe and Sound” is available wherever books are sold. Entry for her Mojo Books & Records stop is currently standby only. Learn more at MojoTampa.com and MercuryStardust. com, and read our extended interview at WatermarkOnline.com.

TEAM PLAYER: Mercury Stardust credits her supporters for her success as the “Trans Handy Ma’am,” from her followers on social media to the team she’s assembled to create new content in support of the brand. PHOTO COURTESY MERCURY STARDUST

(ABOVE) MUSIC OF THE HEART:

London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will perform for the inaugeral Residency Festival at Dr. Phillips Center.

PHOTO BY CHRIS CHRISTODOULOU

Royal Engagement

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra comes to Orlando’s Dr. Phillips Center for The Residency Festival

acoustic spaces” and is “one of the very few theaters in the world that can transform in shape, seating and sound to accommodate a variety of art forms and events.”

“Since January 2022, the biggest names in music and dance have graced its stage from Jennifer Hudson to the National Ballet of Ukraine, and more,” raved the performance center in a release. “Steinmetz Hall also ranked on Architecture Digest’s list of ‘The 11 Most Beautiful Theaters in the World’ alongside storied venues such as Australia’s Sydney Opera House and the Opéra Garnier in Paris.”

THE DR. PHILLIPS CENTER FOR THE

Performing Arts in Orlando is hosting a newly imagined, six-night crossover event in its Steinmetz Hall Oct. 3-8.

The series of shows, collectively called The Residency Festival, will bring legendary artists and critically acclaimed arts groups together with London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to create never-before-seen concerts that blend music in new and exciting arrangements.

“Creating and producing this festival is another way to globally expand our vision of Arts for Every Life,” said Kathy Ramsberger, President and CEO of the Dr. Phillips Center, in a press release. “Pairing one of the world’s greatest orchestras with popular artists, this festival gives Orlando’s visitors and our hometown guests a chance to hear their music in unexpected ways in Steinmetz Hall.”

The festival will see the likes of Diana Ross, Harry Connick Jr., Beck and more take center stage accompanied by the world-renowned orchestra in what is expected to become an annual pairing of one of

the world’s greatest orchestras with popular artists.

“The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is proud to be returning this October to the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts for a unique Residency that truly reflects the diverse spectrum of orchestral music,” said James Williams, managing director of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, in a statement. “From the legendary musical worlds of Diana Ross, Beck and Harry Connick Jr, through to the exquisite beauty of Birmingham Royal Ballet’s dancers, the RPO’s 85 musicians will be bringing alive the world-class acoustics of the Steinmetz Hall to create exclusive musical experiences. We look forward with great anticipation to our forthcoming Residency and to reconnecting with Orlando’s audiences.”

Steinmetz Hall, the newest theater at the Dr. Phillips Center, is “one of the world’s most remarkably

To celebrate the inaugural festival, Dr. Phillips Center will host a gala dinner on Oct. 5, prior to Connick’s concert, as well as offer pre-show dinners for the other performances. For tickets and more information, visit DrPhillipsCenter.org. The Residency Festival’s full 2023 schedule is below.

BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET & ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA, CONDUCTED BY PAUL MURPHY, PRESENT “AN EVENING OF MUSIC & DANCE”

OCT. 3 AT 7:30 P.M.

Birmingham Royal Ballet is one of the world’s greatest dance companies. This performance brings together both the Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Royal Philharmonic in the North American premiere of their Royal Albert Hall performance in London.

BECK

OCT. 4 AT 7:30 P.M.

Beck’s singular career has seen him explore all genres and eras of music, blurring boundaries and blazing a path into the future while foraging through the past. Having amassed a kaleidoscopic catalog of gold and platinum albums that consistently straddle the mainstream and avant-garde, the eight-time Grammy winner will make his debut performance with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at this festival.

HARRY CONNICK JR.

OCT. 5 AT 8 P.M.

Harry Connick, Jr. is the definition of a multi-talented star. He has had notable triumphs as an actor and television personality, but the foundation of his art remains his music and his legendary live performances. Now, fall in love with his musical virtuoso as he joins the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for one special evening of big symphonic sounds and classics from his remarkable career.

DIANA ROSS

OCT. 6 AT 8 P.M.

Diana Ross defines an icon. A national treasure who has changed the course of music history. Ross’ unprecedented career has made her one of the most successful recording artists and entertainers of all time. She has received The Kennedy Center Honors, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences

Highest Honor, The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award, the list goes on and on. If music moves you, this is an evening you will never forget.

BROADWAY ROYALTY:

SUTTON FOSTER AND BRIAN STOKES MITCHELL

OCT. 7 AT 8 P.M.

An evening bringing together Broadway royalty, Sutton Foster and Brian Stokes Mitchell, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra performing their greatest hits from Broadway and other standards. Their careers would be a dream come true for any aspiring Broadway performer. Each of these artists with the Royal Philharmonic would be a memorable evening but together it is a not-to-be-missed concert for Broadway lovers and anyone who loves great singing.

BACH FESTIVAL CHOIR & ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA, A PART OF THE GREAT ORCHESTRA SERIES

OCT. 8 AT 7:30 P.M.

Returning by popular demand, Bach Festival Society of Winter Park joins the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in an evening of the most beautiful and passionate music composed for orchestra and chorus. A portion of the program is dedicated to works performed by members of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the coronation of HM King Charles III, including the world premiere of the orchestration of Tarik O’Regan’s Coronation Agnus Dei.

Jeremy Williams

announcements

CONGRATULATIONS

Jobsite Theater kicked off its 25th season Sept. 15 with “Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead,” playing now through Oct. 8. Learn more at JobsiteTheater.org.

Charlotte Caballero and Phaedra E. Rose were each crowned Miss Tampa Pride 2024 on Sept. 19. They will reign beside Mr. Tampa Pride 2024 Dante Medina and represent the organization in its 10th year. “This is a huge milestone for the Tampa Pride organization and we’re excited to have three amazing ambassadors for our LGBTQIA community,” they shared.

Victoria Vixen and Silver Foxx were crowned Miss and Mr. Come OUT St. Pete 2024 on Sept. 24. Read more on p. 12. Funky Flamingo celebrates three years in Gulfport Sept. 30.

The Garage on Central Ave. celebrates 12 years in the Grand Central District Sept. 30.

CHANGES/CLOSURES

The Wet Spot Pool Bar and Day Club announced this month that all day passes are now $10, with $10 off your bill when beverages are purchased at the bar. Towel rental is available for $5 or guests may bring their own.

The venue also held its first “Movies & Martinis” screening Sept. 25, their new “dive-in movie experience” featuring classic films scheduled for every Monday evening. The popular “Sickoning Sundays” featuring local drag entertainment at Showbar Ybor has come to an end. The venue will reopen on Sundays with a new direction Oct. 15.

Quench Lounge announced Sept. 22 that the venue’s annual Miss Quench and new Mr. Quench events have been postponed. “We will certainly keep you all in the loop as we find new dates for these events,” they shared. Visit Facebook.com/QuenchLounge for the latest details.

LOCAL BIRTHDAYS

Tampa realtor Cody Limberger (Sept. 28); Tampa decorator

extraordinaire Matthieu Stanoch, Ybor City event planner

Tony LaColla (Sept. 29); Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus President Nathan Bruemmer, Suncoast softballer

Ismal Melgar (Oct. 1); TriggerMouth Tee’s Luis Balaguer,

Tampa Bay entertainer Darnell Bradley aka Crystal Reigns, Nurses Choice Inc. president Steve Sika (Oct. 2); St.

Petersburg staple Chuck Henson, Sarasota photographer

Samantha Ponzillo (Oct. 4); St. Pete weather goddess

Edith Lewis-Allen, St. Pete sprinter Gabe Michael (Oct. 5); Tampa realtor Mike Reedy, Gomez Law Firm of St.

Petersburg’s Ian Gomez (Oct. 7); Tampa Bay photographer

Robert Castelli, Allendale United Methodist Church pastor

Rev. Andy Oliver (Oct. 8); Southern Nights Tampa manager

Michael Wilson (Oct. 9); former Miss Come OUT St. Pete

Krissy Kiss, St. Pete data specialist Stephen Gillin, Pasco

Pride President Nina Borders, Plant aficionado John Lopez (Oct. 10).

TAMPA BAY OUT+ABOUT

1

PLAY BALL: Cocktail’s softball team the Swinging Cocks model their new uniforms Sept. 17. PHOTO FROM COCKTAIL’S FACEBOOK

2 HAVING A BALL: Andrew Citino (L) and Sister Agatha Frisky strike a pose Sept. 18 at the Tampa Bay Sisters’ Fairy Ball at The Garage. PHOTO FROM MY TRANS NETWORK’S FACEBOOK

3

PASSING THE TORCH: Miss Come OUT St. Pete 2024 Veronica Vixen (L) and Miss COSP 2023 Rockell Blu share a moment at this year’s pageant Sept. 24 at the VFW Post No. 39. PHOTO COURTESY COME OUT ST PETE

4

SUPER FUN: CAN Community Health’s Tampa staff enjoy the organization’s CANtastic Superhero Week in Ybor Sept. 19. PHOTO FROM CAN’S FACEBOOK

5

PICTURE IT, 2023: The Golden Gays Drag Troupe thanks Watermark for being a friend at 90s Con Tampa Sept. 15.

PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT

6

TAMPA PROUD: Former and new Tampa Pride pageant winners, promoters and supporters take the stage at Southern Nights Tampa Sept. 19. PHOTO FROM TAMPA PRIDE’S FACEBOOK

7

STAYING IN ST. PETE: St. Pete Chamber President Chris Steinocher (L) and Tampa Bay LGBT Chamber President Justice Gennari celebrate the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field Sept. 19.

PHOTO FROM THE ST. PETERSBURG CHAMBER’S FACEBOOK

8 COMING TOGETHER: U.S. Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost (C) celebrates the Hillsborough County Democratic Party’s Kennedy King Dinner Sept. 24 with the Hillsborough County LGBTQ Dem Caucus PHOTO FROM THE CAUCUS’ FACEBOOK

announcements CENTRAL FLORIDA OUT+ABOUT

CONGRATULATIONS

Central Florida Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost spoke alongside President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at The White House Sept. 21 about the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention.

“The first bill I introduced was the Office of Gun Violence Prevention Act of 2023,” Frost wrote on social media. “Today, I stood alongside President Biden as he announced executive action to create the first National Office of Gun Violence Prevention. We are Organizing & winning.” Frost, who is a staunch ally and supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, served as the national organizing director for March for Our Lives before being elected as the first Gen Z lawmaker to Congress. “The president understands that this issue especially for young people, especially for marginalized communities, is a matter of survival,” the congressman said with Biden and Harris at his side. And the formation of this office, “comes from Pulse to Parkland,” he said, adding, “we fight because we love.”

Contigo Fund held its Forged in Flames Ball in Central Florida Sept. 23 during which they recognized several LGBTQ+ community leaders for their work and advocacy.

The Excellence in Philanthropy Award was given to MacKenzie Scott, the Trailblazer in Philanthropy Award was given to Val Solomon, the Emerging Movement Leader in Central Florida Award was given to Jeremy Rodriguez, the Marsha P. Johnson & Sylvia Rivera Trans Justice Pioneer Award was given to Nikole Parker, the Coretta Scott King Solidarity Award was given to Ida V. Eskamani, the Angie & Hector Xtravaganza Community Builder Award was given to Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet and the Contigo Fund Legacy Award was given to Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost

LOCAL BIRTHDAYS

Central Florida State of Gratitude grant recipient Kevin Voeltz, Darden Restaurants’ social media strategist Jeff Alexander Giordano, Dapper Duck owner Chuck Zell (Sept. 28); City of Orlando Chief Financial Officer

Chris McCullion, Orlando advocate David Olsen (Sept. 29); HIV/AIDS activist Rob Domenico, Orlando LGBTQ advocate Eric Ercole (Sept. 30); Central Florida drag queen Tora Himan (Oct. 2); Local musician Taylor Bulloch, “The Money Coach” Tammy Lally (Oct. 3); Orlando talk show host Ted Bogert (Oct. 4); The Milk District executive director Zac Alfson, Orlando bartender Tracy Thomas (Oct. 5); Lighthouse Realty broker/ owner Mike Trexler (Oct. 6); Orlando Youth Alliance CEO Michael Slaymaker, graphic designer Jocelynn White, drag performer April Fresh Loc Robertson, Former Watermark designer Katie DiBenedetto (Oct. 7); Watermark freelancer and UCF student Jheff Mathis, Orlando Meltdown coordinator Kyle Gaither, onePulse Foundation board member Aly Benitez, D’Squared Productions’ Douglas White (Oct. 8); Former Mad Cow Theatre executive director Mitzi Maxwell, Libby’s Legacy founder Robin Maynard-Harris (Oct. 9); USAA BOLD Leadership’s Michael Paonessa (Oct. 11).

1

PICNIC IN THE PARK: (L-R) Sean Mundyschein, Rep. Anna V. Eskamani, Robert Mundyschein and Ida V. Eskamani enjoy the Central Florida AFL-CIO annual Labor Day Picnic at Lake Eola Park in Orlando Sept. 4. PHOTO FROM SEAN MUNDYSCHEIN’S FACEBOOK

2

PROUD QUEENS: A group of drag queens celebrate Space Coast Pride’s Pridefest in Melbourne Sept. 23.

PHOTO BY JEREMY WILLIAMS

3

ALL WHO SERVE: Orlando VA’s Keri Griffin (L) and Chris Topher Davis meet with LGBTQ+ veterans from all branches at Space Coast Pride in Melbourne Sept. 23.

PHOTO BY JEREMY WILLIAMS

4

SEASON OF DANCE: Two dancers greet guests at Orlando Ballet’s 5oth season kickoff reception at the Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando Sept.

21. PHOTO BY JEREMY WILLIAMS

5

TALKIN’ SCIENCE: Kristy Weick (R) meets everyone’s favorite science guy Bill Nye at NASA in Washington, D.C. Sept. 18. Weick was there advocating for space science with The Planetary Society. PHOTO COURTESY OF KRISTY WEICK

6

COMMUNITY LEADERS: Daniel Fernandez de Castro (R) meets Congressman Maxwell Frost at Hope CommUnity Center in Apopka Sept. 18. PHOTO FROM DANIEL FERNANDEZ DE CASTRO’S FACEBOOK

7

BEAUTIFUL GARDENS: Reiner Wolf (L) and Steffen Brandt visit Epcot Sept. 3 to preview the Disney Park’s new Journey of Water Experience featuring Moana. PHOTO FROM REINER WOLF’S FACEBOOK

8

STAND WITH WORKERS: Carlos Guillermo Smith joins the UAW Orlando workers on strike in Central Florida Sept. 24. PHOTO FROM CARLOS GUILLERMO SMITHS’ X PAGE

community calendar

CENTRAL FLORIDA

Spooky & Gay

FRI., SEPT. 29, 8-9 P.M. SAVOY, ORLANDO

407-898-6766 SAVOYORLANDO.COM

Direct from an off-Broadway run, “Spooky & Gay” is a queer horror variety fantasia featuring original scary stories, songs and standup performed in total darkness, written and performed by award-winning Florida performing artist, Bruce Ryan Costella. Doors open at 7:45 p.m. and show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets and more information at Facebook.com/BCTheatricals.

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra w/ Guests

WEDS., OCT. 4, 7:30 P.M.-FRI., OCT. 6, 8 P.M.

DR. PHILLIPS CENTER, ORLANDO

Join the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as they play with some of music’s most iconic performers. Starting Wednesday the orchestra takes the stage with Grammy winner Beck. The following night, they share the stage with Grammy and Emmy Awardwinner Harry Connick Jr. and then on Friday the legendary Diana Ross. The shows are part of The Residency Festival running Oct. 3-8. For tickets and more information, go to DrPhillipsCenter.org.

TAMPA BAY

“Global Sounds””

FRI., OCT. 6-SAT., OCT. 7

MULTIPLE VENUES, TAMPA BAY

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Tampa Bay presents their Fall 2023 concert, featuring a variety “of multilingual songs and songs popular in other countries, from traditional folk songs to modern pop hits.” St. Petersburg’s performance will be held Oct. 6 at Allendale UMC; Tampa’s will be held at MCC Tampa on Oct. 7. For more information, visit GMCTB.org.

SARASOTA Fabulous IFF 13

SEPT. 29-OCT. 1, TIMES VARY

BURNS COURT CINEMA, SARASOTA

The Fabulous Arts Foundation’s celebration of LGBTQ+ cinema returns for the 13th year, exploring cult classics and independent films. This year’s Fab IFF features include “Glitter & Doom,” “Studio One Forever,” “MUTT,” “ Cannibal Comedian,” “Queer Gardening,” “Butterfly Queen” and “INTRANSITIVE.” Purchase tickets and learn more at FabAF.com

EVENT PLANNER BEAST MODE

ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT

CENTRAL FLORIDA

“Ruthless,” Sept. 22-Oct. 15, Winter Park Playhouse, Winter Park.

Celebrating Hispanic Voices: An Evening of Spoken Word, Sept. 29, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando. 407-358-6603; DrPhillipsCenter.org

Roxxxy Andrews’ Birthday Weekend Celebration, Sept. 29-30, Southern Nights, Orlando. 407-412-5039; Facebook.com/ SouthernNightsOrlando

Drag Brunch – Diva Witches, Oct. 1, Island Time, Orlando. 407-930-2640; IslandTimeOrlando.com

Milk Mart Spooky Soiree, Oct. 1, The Milk District, Orlando. MilkMartOrlando.com

Kim Petras, Oct. 1, Addition Financial Arena, Orlando. 407-823-3070; AdditionFiArena.com

Tegan & Sara, Oct. 3, Hard Rock Live, Orlando. 407-877-4736; GardenTheatre.org

Matt Rife, Oct. 4, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando. 407-358-6603; DrPhillipsCenter.org

The Pride Chamber Business Connect, Oct. 4, Celebration Gardens, Orlando. 407-420-4895; ThePrideChamber.org

Sutton Foster and Brian Stokes Mitchell, Oct. 7, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando. 407-358-6603; DrPhillipsCenter.org

Killer Queen – A Tribute, Oct. 7, King Center, Melbourne. 321-242-2219; KingCenter.com

Drag Brunch – Villains and Vigilantes, Oct. 8, Island Time, Orlando. 407-930-2640; IslandTimeOrlando.com

Todrick Hall, Oct. 10, House of Blus, Orlando. 407-934-2583; HouseOfBlues.com/Orlando

Candlelight: A Tribute to Queen, Oct. 11, The Abbey, Orlando. 407-704-6261; AbbeyOrlando.com

“The Prom,” Oct. 1222, Theatre UCF, Orlando. 407-823-1500; Theatre.UCF.edu

TAMPA BAY

“Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead,” Through Oct. 8, Jobsite Theater, Tampa. 813-229-7827; JobsiteTheater.org

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show: 48th Anniversary Spectacular,” Sept. 29, Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg. 727-892-5767; TheMahaffey.com

Michelle Wolf, Sept. 30, Tampa Theatre, Tampa. 813-274-8981; TampaTheatre.org

Nerdier Than Thou: A Literary Con, Sept. 30Oct. 1, Emerald City Comics, Clearwater. 516-906-2140; WordierThanThou.com

“Killer Queen: Tribute to Queen,” Oct. 3, Capitol Theatre, Clearwater. 727-791-7400; RuthEckerdHall.com

“The Choir of Man,” Oct. 3-31, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

Karaoke Night, Oct. 4; 11, The Garage on Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Facebook.com/ OFCLGaragePage

Girls in Wonderland: Beach, Oct. 5-9, Postcard Inn On The Beach, St. Pete Beach. 727- 367-2711; GIWBeach.com Orange Party Weekend, Oct. 6-8, Multiple venues, Tampa. OrangePartyFlorida.com

“SPOOKALA,” Oct. 6-8, Florida State Fairgrounds, Tampa. 813-621-7821; Spookala.com

TIGLFF: Tampa Edition, Oct. 6-8, Multiple venues, Tampa. 813-879-4220; TIGLFF.com

Miss Quench Pageant 2023, Oct. 8, Quench Lounge, Largo. 727-754-5900; QuenchLounge.com

Haus of Reigns Birthday Show, Oct. 7, Quench Lounge, Largo. 727-754-5900; QuenchLounge.com

Halloween Pride Skate Tampa, Oct. 7, Skateworld, Tampa. 813-884-7688; Facebook.com/ PrideSkateTampa

EPIC Generations Coffee Hour, Oct. 13, Sunshine Center, St. Petersburg. 727-328-3260; MyEPIC.org

SARASOTA

“Unite for Good: A NonProfit Showcase,” Oct. 14, The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime, Sarasota. 941-445-1938; BazaarOnApricotAndLime.com

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

Kim Petras brings her “Feed the Beast” World Tour to the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando Oct. 1. PHOTO COURTESY ADDITION FINANCIAL ARENA

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