E n d i n g t h e
Hurricanes Helene, Milton impact LGBTQ+ Floridians.
Michael Wanzie looks back at Winnie the Pooh’s
Cyndi Lauper discusses her final tour and future ahead of her Tampa Bay concert.
DESK PUBLISHER’S
EARLY VOTING IS HAPPENING NOW in
Florida. Go vote!
We are now less than two weeks from the election and it is still a tight race when it comes to the Electoral College. Every vote matters. You can’t sit this one out.
I understand that I am speaking to the choir here, but just in case there are undecided voters reading this or voters who have decided not to vote, let’s try and remember what a Donald Trump presidency looked like. If you think you don’t know how you feel about Kamala Harris, at the very least you can acknowledge how you feel about Trump and stop him from being re-elected.
I will not interject my opinion from here forward. This is a reminder of who Trump is from his own words. Some are quotes. Some are tweets. All represent the man who wants to be president again.
“[Mexico is] sending people that have lots of problems, and they are
bringing those problems to us. They are bringing drugs, and bringing crime, and their rapists.”
“If they feel there will be separation, they don’t come … But, you know, it’s a little bit different with us. But we did family separation. A lot of people didn’t come. It stopped people from coming by the hundreds of thousands because when they hear family separation, they say well, we better not go. And they didn’t go.”
“Excuse me, excuse me. They didn’t put themselves — and you had some very bad people in that group, but you also had people that were very fine people, on both sides.”
“Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?”
“[The press] can’t stand the fact that this Administration has done more than virtually any
other Administration in its first 2yrs. They are truly the ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!”
“Despite the negative press covfefe”
“After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow...... ....Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming..... ....victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Thank you”
“So interesting to see ‘Progressive’ Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world now loudly and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run. Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how it is done.”
“Now the Democrats are politicizing the coronavirus. You know that, right? Coronavirus. They’re politicizing it. They tried the impeachment hoax. ... And this is their new hoax.”
“A question that probably some of you are thinking of if you’re totally into that world. So, supposing we hit the body with a tremendous — whether it’s ultraviolet or just very powerful light — and I think you said that that hasn’t been checked, but you’re going to test it. And then I said, supposing you brought the light inside the body, which you can do either through the skin or in some other way, and I think you said you’re going to test that, too. It sounds interesting. And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it
out in a minute. One minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning. Because you see it gets in the lungs, and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. So it would be interesting to check that.”
“Can you imagine you’re a parent and your son leaves the house and you say, ‘Jimmy, I love you so much, go have a good day in school,’ and your son comes back with a brutal operation? Can you even imagine this? What the hell is wrong with our country?”
“Don’t ask that guy — he wants to hang them all!”
“After 50 years of failure, with nobody coming even close, I was able to kill Roe v. Wade, much to
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 17
GREGG SHAPIRO is a Chicago-based freelance journalist and entertainment reporter whose work appears frequently in Watermark Page 29
It’s a nice reminder of where we have been and where we could end up.
the ‘shock’ of everyone.”
“Do you throw the Presidential Election Results of 2020 OUT and declare the RIGHTFUL WINNER, or do you have a NEW ELECTION? A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution,”
His words, not mine. It’s a nice reminder of where we have been and where we could end up. Let’s not go back.
We strive to bring you a variety of stories, your stories. I hope you enjoy this latest issue.
SABRINA AMBRA, ABBY BAKER, STEVE BLANCHARD, DEBORAH BOSTOCKKELLEY, JOHNNY BOYKINS, BIANCA GOOLSBY, JAKOB HERO-SHAW, LORA KORPAR, JASON LECLERC, JERICK MEDIAVILLA, MELODY MAIA MONET, NICHOLAS MACHUCA, TIFFANY RAZZANO, SISTER JUANA REACTION, MOMMA ASHLEY ROSE, GREG STEMM, SYLVIE TREVENA, MICHAEL WANZIE, DR. STEVE YACOVELLI
BRIAN BECNEL, NICK CARDELLO, J.D. CASTO, BRUCE HARDIN, JAMARCUS MOSLEY, CHRIS STEPHENSON, LEE VANDERGRIFT PHOTOGRAPHY
central florida news
QLATINX INTRODUCES NEW SYMBOL FOR IMMIGRANTS, CLIMATE JUSTICE AND VOTING POWER
Andres Acosta Ardila
ORLANDO | QLatinx has introduced a powerful new figure: Puchito the Jaguar. This mascot is more than just a friendly face — he represents the immigrant experience, the urgent need for climate justice and the importance of civic engagement.
Puchito’s story mirrors the struggles faced by many in the community, and through his journey, he’s inspiring the next generation to stand up, take action and vote.
Puchito’s backstory is he is a jaguar from the Amazon, where deforestation and climate change destroyed his habitat. Puchito’s narrative is a direct call for climate justice. As his homeland was devastated by environmental degradation, he reminds us of the urgent need to protect the environment and address the global climate crisis. Central Florida, like many places, is also feeling the effects of climate change, particularly in marginalized communities, which are often the hardest hit by environmental disasters.
“Puchito is a reflection of our community’s fight for both immigrant and climate justice,” says Gabriella Rodriguez, executive director of QLatinx. “He shows that our struggles are interconnected, and if we want to protect our communities and our planet, we have to fight for policies that work for everyone.”
In addition to advocating for climate justice, Puchito is leading a movement to encourage civic participation. Starting at Come Out With Pride, Puchito’s “Vote with Puchito” campaign calls on the community, especially young people, to vote for leaders who will protect immigrant rights and tackle climate change. Through this campaign, Puchito is mobilizing the LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities to make their voices heard in elections.
“Voting is a powerful tool for change,” says Rodriguez. “With Puchito, we want to show the community that they have the power to shape their future. We want people to understand that their vote can drive the change we need—whether that’s fighting for climate justice, immigrant rights, or equality.”
For more information about QLatinx’s mission and latest initiatives, visit QLatinx.org.
Spiritual Celebration
Unity of Central Florida on 85 years
Camila Escobar
ORLANDO | Unity of Central Florida, formerly known as Christ Church Unity, is more than just a spiritual organization — it’s a community where people come together to feel seen, heard and valued.
Board of Trustees member Pam Johnson says she resonates deeply with the mission of Unity Church: affirming, welcoming and knowing that you love the way God made you no matter race, gender or sexual orientation.
“I identify it as a soul journey and learning and growing and doing that with other likeminded people.” says Johnson.
Coming from a Catholic background in Puerto Rico, it was music that inspired Board of Trustees member Loana Perez to begin her spiritual journey at Unity.
“Almost six years ago, what touched me first, the first time I went to Unity of Central Florida, was actually the music team,” Perez says. “The people that were up there singing were so uplifting for me. I wanted to stay in this
church and I wanted to be up there singing too.”
As the church evolves, Unity of Central Florida remains committed to its core mission: to offer practical, uplifting spiritual teachings and to support individuals on their unique journeys of self-discovery and personal transformation.
“Our always message is that we are an inclusive community, that we accept you as you are, who you are and we are going to love you no matter what,” says Perez.
The church is set to celebrate its 85 years of service to the spiritual needs of the Central Florida community. The milestone event will be on Oct. 27.
The event is open to the community, and everyone is welcome to attend both the special service and the picnic celebration.
With its rich history of service, an unwavering commitment to inclusivity and a clear vision for the future, Unity of Central Florida stands as a beacon of hope and community in the Orlando area.
“Unity is a building but it is the people that make us who we are. I feel honored to be part of that community,” says Perez.
TEACHING LOVE: Unity of Central Florida (pictured) celebrates its 85th anniversary. PHOTO FROM UNITYCFL.COM
The celebration will commence with a special service at 10:30 a.m., featuring a keynote speech by Rev. Roxanne Graves, the Chief Operating Officer of Unity Worldwide Ministries and former Senior Minister of Unity on the Space Coast.
Adding to the celebration will be video messages from Jim Blake, CEO of Unity World Headquarters, and Rev. Cynthia Alice Anderson, who led the church for 12 years under its former name, Christ Church Unity. The service will also feature a brief historical video showcasing pivotal moments in the church’s history.
In recognition of the event, Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan will present a special proclamation, officially declaring Oct. 27 as Unity of Central Florida Day.
Weather permitting, the congregation and guests will enjoy a community picnic on the front lawn after the service, with church volunteers serving a roast turkey dinner, complete with a variety of side dishes and desserts. Entertainment will be provided by DJ Will Rodriguez, who also leads the church’s music team.
“There’s a special energy at our place and people feel it when they come and it’s because there’s been key people ... who’ve kept that energy going,” says Johnson.
For more information about the 85th anniversary celebration or Unity of Central Florida, visit UnityCFL.com.
QUEER MASCOT: Puchito (pictured on a T-shirt and buttons) is QLatinx’s newest creation.
PHOTO COURTESY QLATINX
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tampa bay news
ANTI-LGBTQ+
ATTACKS: One of several transphobic mailer sent to voters in Tampa. PHOTO COURTESY THE BRUNDAGE CAMPAIGN
‘Culture Wars ’
Florida GOP targets Ashley Brundage with transphobic mailers
Ryan Williams-Jent
TAMPA | Florida Republicans have sent out a series of transphobic campaign mailers in recent weeks targeting state House District 65 candidate Ashley Brundage, who could become the state’s first transgender lawmaker.
The mailers call Brundage — who won August’s Democratic primary by 81% — “extreme,” “radical” and “out-of-touch with Tampa.” Several also advise she “is a biological man” who “is more than meets the eye.”
The attacks were financed by the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee and approved by state Rep. Karen Gonzalez Pittman, Brundage’s incumbent opponent.
She is among the lawmakers who supported SB 254, which bans gender-affirming care for transgender minors and restricts it for adults, and other anti-LGBTQ+ legislation like the expansion of “Don’t Say Gay or Trans.”
“Gonzalez Pittman voted to give parents the final say about what
medical procedures their children receive and what they learn at school,” one mailer reads. It also notes that she is a mother — as is Brundage — who will “always fight for Parental Rights.”
Another attack sent via text likened Brundage to a “Category 5 Financial Hurricane” that would “create a financial disaster for Florida’s families.” Brundage’s campaign condemned it after Hurricane Helene’s unprecedented storm surge in Tampa Bay, releasing a statement Oct. 3 ahead of Hurricane Milton which also impacted the area Oct. 9.
“At a time when so many families across Tampa Bay are still in shock and grieving from the loss of their homes and belongings, it is beyond offensive … to mock financial hardship,” she said.
“I know the pain these families are going through because, just like too many Floridians, I have faced financial struggles — bankruptcy, foreclosure and the constant worry about keeping a roof over my head.
“For the Republicans to compare me to a Category 5 hurricane when our community is still reeling from a real disaster is
appalling,” she added. “Floridians deserve solutions, not attacks.”
The Democrat says the same is true of the anti-LGBTQ+ mailers. Brundage calls the attacks “a perfect example of focusing on culture war issues” instead of addressing matters voters care about.
If elected, Brundage promises to address Florida’s “affordability crisis that is robbing the futures of far too many working families and seniors.” She also says she will stand up to attacks on reproductive rights and advocate for small businesses.
Becoming the state’s first transgender lawmaker, something Tampa Bay’s Nathan Bruemmer could also do if elected in District 61, would also send a strong message to the travel and tourism industry that Florida “is safe and open for business,” she notes.
“While LGBTQ+ rights won’t be a centerpiece of my political aspirations … I just have to show up to send that message,” Brundage says. “Being visible in Tallahassee will change the whole scope of how we’re treated and legislated for or against.”
Watermark reached out to Karen Gonzelez Pittman and the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee but received no response as of press time.
The general election is Nov. 5. Learn more about Ashley Brundage at AshleyBrundage. com and make your voting plan at Vote.org.
HALLOWEEN ON CENTRAL’S LGBTQ+ EVENTS MOVING FORWARD
Ryan Williams-Jent
ST. PETERSBURG | The LGBTQ+-inclusive
Halloween on Central will return Oct. 27 from 12-5 p.m., once again featuring 22 blocks of activities, entertainment and vendors along a car-free Central Ave.
The Grand Central District Association confirmed the annual event would move forward Oct. 16. “As we recover and heal from unprecedented back-to-back hurricanes, we hope to offer a day of reprieve and fun in support of our local businesses and residents,”
Executive Director Chris Arnold shared. “We are excited to … celebrate our community’s resilience and everything that makes our city so special.”
This year’s event will once again close Central Ave. from MLK to 31st St. Along the route, the Edge District will present Kooky Spooky, a stretch of Central Ave. with DJs, dance and costume contests, sidewalk chalk activities, pop-up shopping and more.
“It’s been tough with back-to-back hurricanes, and we know some of our neighbors have lost everything,” the district shared Oct. 17. “[W]e could all use a FREE, FUN, COMMUNITY EVENT to lift our spirits!”
LocalShops1 will also return with this year’s Voodoo Vendor Village between 16th and 20th streets. It will include a Halloween market with over 100 vendors supported by food trucks. Dog Bar’s Howl-o-Ween at 2300 Central Ave. will feature the return of their wiener dog races from 1-3 p.m. and a dog costume parade at 4 p.m.
Cocktail’s signature Cock-o-Ween will return across the street with free entertainment well into the night, both in and outside of the LGBTQ+ hotspot. Along with local fan favorites, “Dragula” entertainers Koko Caine and Jarvis Hammer will perform on the Cock’d ‘N Loaded stage in support of headliner Kristine W.
St Pete Pride’s FrankenPride will also return along the 28-31st blocks of Central Ave. The nonprofit will feature a costume contest from 12-2 p.m., drag from 2-3 p.m., a runway experience starting at 4 p.m. and more while raising funds for those impacted by the recent hurricanes.
St Pete Pride will be offering a clothing swap with free items and selling 2024 T-shirts with proceeds benefiting relief efforts. “As we recover and heal from the aftermath of the recent hurricanes, we hope to offer a safe, fun opportunity for folks in our community to come together,” they shared Oct. 17.
Halloween festivities will then continue Nov. 1. Cocktail announced Oct. 14 that it will present Cock-oWeen Resurrection at The Wet Spot, another free experience with VIP opportunities welcoming headliner Detox from “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Festivities begin at 8 p.m. and will also feature local talent.
Halloween on Central will be held Oct. 27 from 12-5 p.m. For more information about Halloween on Central or Cocktail’s events, visit HalloweenOnCentral.com and CocktailStPete.com.
HURRICANES HELENE, MILTON IMPACT LGBTQ+ FLORIDIANS ACROSS THE STATE
Ryan Williams-Jent
Hurricane Helene made its way through the Gulf Sept. 26 before making landfall as a Category 4 storm in Florida’s Big Bend that evening, causing unprecedented storm surge in Tampa Bay. It left more than 16,000 properties uninhabitable in Pinellas County alone.
It went on to become the deadliest mainland hurricane since Katrina in 2005, killing over 200 people across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The storm led to the cancelation of major events throughout Tampa Bay as LGBTQ+ advocates and organizations began efforts to assist those in need. State Rep. Michele Rayner, who represents Pinellas and Hillsborough County’s District 62, partnered with the social justice center Justice Over Everything — which
she co-founded with Dr. Byron Green-Calisch, also St Pete Pride’s president — as well as Democratic organizations and leaders to launch a relief drive.
As coastal communities worked to rebuild, however, Hurricane Milton made its way toward Florida. The storm made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in Siesta Key near Sarasota Oct. 9, further devastating many Florida communities as it made its way through Central Florida.
In Sarasota, the storm prompted the cancelation of Project Pride’s inaugural Gulfcoast Pride. Originally scheduled for Oct. 19 in Downtown Sarasota, the nonprofit’s board met after the storm and decided to focus on recovery efforts.
“We look forward to bringing Gulfcoast Pride back — bigger, better and even more fun — at a later date, to be determined,” Project Pride President Jason
Champion said. “We want the community to know that if there is anything we can do to help support them through this difficult experience, not to hesitate to reach out and let us know.”
The region’s new LGBTQ+ center, secured by the Fabulous Arts Foundation earlier this year, also sustained significant damage. The Sarasota space was originally set to hold a soft opening Sept. 27, an event that was rescheduled for November ahead of Hurricane Helene, but was then “devastated” in Milton.
“With heavy hearts we are informing you that we lost everything in the Hurricane,” FabAF shared via social media Oct. 11. “The rain came in and destroyed as much as it could. We will need HELP to get this cleared, cleaned & replaced.”
FabAF has also launched a Give Butter, a free online fundraising
campaign, and is seeking community support to rebuild.
“This center is a crucial space where we provide mental health services and use the arts to help transform trauma, offering a safe and inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ individuals,” it reads. “Every donation will bring us closer to reopening and continuing to hold space for healing, community, and creativity.” As of Oct. 22, over 30 supporters have raised over $6,600 of the nonprofit’s $10,000 goal. FabAF thanked the community for their support Oct. 16.
“Thanks to our incredible community, we’ve raised almost half of the funds needed to rebuild and reopen our LGBTQ+ Center after the devastation of Hurricane Milton!” they shared.
“We’re deeply grateful for the love and support from those who believe in our mission of holding space for healing,
especially during times when our community needs it the most.”
Central Florida events were also postponed. The LGBT+ Center Orlando announced Oct. 16 that it would reschedule its inaugural OutCon, originally set for Nov. 2-3.
“Due to the recent hurricanes, several of the entertainment, panelists and vendors were affected,” The Center shared via social media. The LGBTQ+ pop culture event will now be held in June 2025.
As of Oct. 18, the Biden-Harris administration has approved over $1.8 billion in federal assistance for those impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The federal response also included more than 4,800 personnel who were deployed to impacted areas like Florida.
For more information and to apply for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, visit FEMA.gov.
IN OTHER NEWS
HUNDREDS OF TROOPS KICKED OUT UNDER ‘DON’T
ASK, DON’T TELL’
Wire Report
WASHINGTON | The Pentagon announced Oct. 15 that more than 800 military personnel have seen their service records upgraded to honorable discharges after previously being kicked out of the military under its former “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.
It is the latest development over the decades to undo past discrimination against LGBTQ service members.
The 1951 Uniform Code of Military Justice’s Article 125 had criminalized consensual gay sex. In 1993, former President Bill Clinton modified the military’s policy to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” which allowed LGBTQ troops to serve in the armed forces if they didn’t disclose their sexual orientation.
That policy was repealed in 2011, when Congress allowed
GET DISCHARGE UPGRADES
for their open service in the military. The 1951 UCMJ code was modified in 2013 to be limited to nonconsensual gay sex.
President Joe Biden in June announced he was issuing pardons to service members convicted under repealed military policies.
Under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” thousands of service members still saw their military service ended without an honorable discharge, meaning they did not receive the military benefits they would have otherwise, such as education benefits, and it also could have affected their ability to apply for jobs or loans.
Last year, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered a review of cases of former service members who might have been affected by the policy.
The Pentagon estimates about 13,500 service members in total were released from military service under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” With
the review and upgrades of the more than 800 troops announced Tuesday, the Pentagon said that about 96% of the 13,500 personnel affected by the policy now have received an honorable discharge.
Not every case of the 13,500 needed review — some of those personnel either did not serve long enough to qualify for benefits, they were released with an honorable discharge at the time, they already had their discharges upgraded through other means, or they did not qualify for an upgrade due to other violations.
“We will continue to honor the service and the sacrifice of all our troops — including the brave Americans who raised their hands to serve but were turned away because of whom they love. We will continue to strive to do right by every American patriot who has honorably served their country,” Austin said in a statement.
POPE MEETS WITH TRANS, INTERSEX CATHOLICS
Erkki Forster of The Washington Blade, Courtesy of The National LGBT
Media Association
Pope Francis met with a group of transgender and intersex Catholics and LGBTQ+ allies at the Vatican Oct. 13.
During the meeting, participants shared their personal stories, urging the pope to support greater acceptance within the church and address its stance on gender-affirming care.
Sister Jeannine Gramick, one of the co-founders of New Ways Ministry, a U.S.-based Catholic organization advocating for LGBTQ+ people, arranged the meeting that took place at Casa Santa Marta, Francis’s residence in Vatican City.
The delegation that met with the pope included Nicole Santamaría, an intersex woman, Michael
Sennett, a trans man, and Cynthia Herrick, a doctor who works in a gender medicine clinic. Over the course of more than an hour, they recounted to Francis their struggles with depression and suicide on their transition journey and emphasized the positive impact of gender-affirming care.
New Ways Ministry Executive Director Francis DeBernardo, who was present at the meeting, said Francis didn’t respond vocally so much, but, clutching his cross, looked “sincerely pained” as he listened to people describe their hardships and “nodded vigorously when they talked about how positive medical transition was for them.”
The impetus for bringing the pope in direct conversation with trans and intersex people was the Vatican’s release of the “Dignitas Infinata” declaration in April. While the document emphasized the need for respect and dignity for all, it also condemned gender-affirming medical care, framing it as incompatible with human dignity.
Gramick, who had been corresponding with the pope and had met him with members of the New Ways Ministry last year, was disappointed by the declaration and proposed that he hear directly from trans and intersex Catholics about their experiences, to which he agreed.
The participants in the meeting had previously shared their personal testimonies with a group of two dozen Catholic bishops in the U.S. earlier this year as part of New Ways Ministry’s efforts to educate church leaders about the experiences of LGBTQ+ people and to advocate for their full acceptance.
The National LGBT Media Association represents 13 legacy publications in major markets across the country with a collective readership of more than 400K in print and more than 1 million + online. Learn more here: NationalLGBTMediaAssociation.com.
COLORADO’S SUPREME COURT DISMISSES SUIT AGAINST BAKER
Colorado’s Supreme Court dismissed on procedural grounds Oct. 8 a lawsuit against Christian baker Jack Phillips who refused to bake a pink cake with blue frosting for transgender attorney Autumn Scardina in 2017. Justices said in the 6-3 majority opinion that Scardina had not exhausted her options to seek redress through another court before filing her lawsuit. Phillips’ attorney argued that the baker’s actions were protected free speech.
VIRGINIA TEACHER FIRED FOR NOT USING STUDENT’S PRONOUNS REACHES SETTLEMENT
A Virginia teacher who was fired for refusing to use a transgender student’s preferred pronouns has reached a settlement with the West Point School Board, securing $575,000 in damages and legal fees. The school board agreed to settle Peter Vlaming’s wrongful termination lawsuit after the Virginia Supreme Court ruled last December it had violated Vlaming’s rights. In 2018, the school board fired the former French teacher for violating school board policies that prohibit discrimination and harassment based on gender identity. Vlaming had refused to use male pronouns when referring to a trans student in his class.
ITALY EXPANDS ITS BAN ON SURROGACY
Italy criminalized citizens Oct. 16 who go abroad to have children through surrogacy, a measure slammed by opponents as “medieval” and discriminatory to same-sex couples. The measure extending a surrogacy ban in place since 2004 was promoted by Premier Giorgia Meloni’s far-right Brothers of Italy party and its conservative coalition partner, the League, asserting that it protects women’s dignity. The Senate after a seven-hour debate passed the bill 84-58, the final step in the process after the Lower House’s approval last year. Italians seeking surrogacy in countries such as the United States or Canada, where the practice is legal, can face up to two years in jail and up to 1 million euros ($1.1 million) in fines. The surrogacy ban applies equally to all couples but same-sex parent advocates say it hits gay families particularly hard.
UGANDA’S ANTI-HOMOSEXUALITY ACT HAS COST COUNTRY
$1.6B
Some Ugandan queer rights organizations have asked the government to repeal the country’s Anti-Homosexuality Act that is currently under appeal at the Supreme Court to save the country from huge economic losses. The organizations, while reacting to a new report that reveals the Anti-Homosexuality Act has cost Uganda up to $1.6 billion since President Yoweri Museveni signed it in May 2023, note the draconian law is not just “regressive” to LGBTQ+ rights but also the economy.
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF WANZIE
APRESIDENTIAL
election of monumental importance is upon us. And it is no way hyperbole to say that it is likely the most consequential election since that of 1860 when Abraham Lincoln’s win provided the impetus for the start of the Civil War, the victory over which brought about the end of slavery and preserved the United States of America by warding off the secession of the southern states.
There is a similar crisis facing us in this current election cycle and the choices could not be more stark. You may choose to vote for the Harris/Walz ticket, which is a vote to uphold the Constitution, our freedom of speech, the rule of law and our right to cast a vote, all of which are the very ideals upon which this country was founded. While not perfect, they have long served to keep us whole, united and on course as we have continually moved forward toward achieving that more perfect union which we as people have always aspired to attain. Or you may vote for the Trump/Vance ticket, which is essentially a vote to end our democracy as we know it, and a vote to pave the way for one narcissistic maniac to become a dictator who has vowed to upend the Constitution, and who has told us quite plainly that he intends to weaponize the government to punish his advisories and silence his detractors, including silencing the free press. Trump has actually proclaimed that if you vote for him in November he’ll fix it so you never have to vote again. That is astonishing! It’s unfathomable. But it is none-the-less true. And yet, apparently, 50% of the voting populace seems poised to vote for him, to vote to end our democracy.
It truly disgusts me to no end to think that any queer person would even consider voting for this terribly dangerous and outrageously inept, convicted criminal of a candidate who has made it perfectly clear that he has zero respect or concern for the LGBTQ+ community.
Allow me to rephrase that sentiment; It truly disgusts me to no end to think that any person, regardless of what flavor, stripe, color or make they may come in, could even consider voting for this terribly dangerous and outrageously inept, convicted criminal of a candidate who has made its clear he has zero respect or concern for anyone other than himself and those who support him with undeserved praise or throw money at him in exchange for future favors.
Our country and our liberties are truly on the line here, and if you do not get to the polls and vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz then you will be complicit in ending our democracy. It truly is that consequential. If Trump wins we lose our country! We lose our democracy, and that can not be overstated. And if you think otherwise you are a fool! And if you don’t vote, or you vote for anyone other than the Democrats, you will have no one but yourself to blame when your life and liberties as you know them come to an absolute and final end, and you wake up to discover that due to your lack of engagement there is absolutely nothing you are able to do about it because an autocrat will be running the country. A country in which you will no longer have a say or a vote in its governance. You will be told what you are allowed to read, think, say and do. This is not an exaggeration. This is what is at stake in this election and you can not sit idly by and allow it to happen.
Oh, how I long for the good ole days, like back in 1976 when our choices were Jimmy Carter, the incumbent Gerald Ford and Winnie the Pooh.
I kid you not. In 1976 Winnie the Pooh ran for president! There was an actual campaign, promoted mostly by Sears. The very prominent retailer had at that time secured the licensing rights to the Disney version of Winne the Pooh, the likeness of which was emblazoned upon everything from sheets to curtains to jammies. Sears ran TV commercials announcing Pooh’s candidacy in which children were invited to go into Sears stores nationwide where they could fill out an actual ballot and cast a vote for the lovable, honey-loving bear and drop it in a ballot box next to displays of Pooh plush toys.
In conjunction with this effort, Disneyland in California and the Magic Kingdom here at Walt Disney World had Main Street USA festooned with red, white and blue bunting, and “Pooh for President” insignias where seen throughout the parks
along with the campaign slogan, “Winnie’s a Honey of a Candidate.” The Disney wardrobe department outfitted Winnie in a huge red, white and blue Uncle Sam-style top hat, and the pantless little guy even had his own daily parade with a specially crafted soundtrack/ campaign song.
In the Parade and in “Fun Raising Rally” stage shows, which took place in the parks, Pooh was joined by Campaign Manager Eeyore and Press Secretary Tigger.
When the real 1976 Presidential election rolled around it was reported that a number of voters in virtually every state went to their polling places and actually voted for Winnie The Pooh as a write-in candidate.
While I may yearn for a return to a time when a bit of electoral silliness, and a smart, sophisticated marketing campaign for the sake of achieving brand
awareness on the parts of America’s largest retailer and America’s theme park giant were accepted as just that, a bit of silliness, I am struck back into the reality that there is not and cannot be any room for such silliness in November. The salvation of our country, the preservation of free speech, of the constitution and of the rule of law are all at stake here, and as such, no votes for Disney characters can be entertained, just as you staying home is completely and totally unacceptable.
I am begging you to vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, because if the other guys win it will be the beginning of a never-ending blustery day that will leave us all feeling like Eeyore.
PLEASE VOTE!
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.
A Tale of Harris, Trump and Winnie the Pooh
Michael Wanzie
Journalism matters. Journalism provides information. Information is knowledge and knowledge is power.
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Visit WatermarkOnline.com/30th or scan the QR code to show your support.
Unlike other news outlets, Watermark covers the LGBTQ+ community from a local perspective, year-round, providing depth and context for our readers they can’t get elsewhere.
Your gift will help go towards investigative journalism, expanding our freelance team and creating opportunities for more LGBTQ+ journalists, hopefully providing us with the resources to hire more staff to provide a better experience for you, our readers.
Watermark’s Anniversary
Freelance Writer
IScottie Campbell
Zach Caruso Staff Writer / Freelance Writer
’VE GOT TO SAY, MY TIME WITH
Watermark was one of my favorite writing jobs I’ve ever had, and that was certainly thanks in large part to my editor at the time — Steve Blanchard, who continues to write for Watermark as a viewpoint columnist. I remember breakfast meetings with Steve to discuss upcoming stories and deadlines, and his enthusiastic leadership always made me eager to get out there and get the best story I could.
During my time with Watermark, one thing that always stood out to me was the variety in the stories I got to write; everything from tackling heavy topics like speaking with survivors of human trafficking, to lighthearted and fun projects like interviewing Hedda Lettuce and Kathy Griffin, to talking to the cast of a production of “The Wiz” at the Mahaffey in downtown St. Pete.
I never knew what was coming across my desk from one week to the next, but I was always eager and excited to see what assignment was on deck.
I remember covering the 2014 Santa Speedo Run when they debuted Mrs. Claus In Bras. If you read that story it has one of my favorite quotes I ever got from someone, when Jay Aller — who was explaining the process of developing and implementing the Mrs. Claus In Bras event into the run — told me that “It took a while for [the city of Tampa] to give us the ok to have girls run around in their bras. As long as the areolas are covered, we’re good.”
Looking back at 2014 with Watermark also gave me a laugh. Members of the team shared why we were thankful for Thanksgiving that year.
“I’m really thankful that I get to write for a great publication like Watermark,” I shared, a sentiment I still relate to. Then I noted “I’m thankful for coffee,
otherwise I don’t know how I’d make deadlines.”
Maybe one of my favorite and most memorable stories, however, was interviewing a man named Bill Kanouff in 2012.
Bill had lost his right leg in a motorcycle accident in 2011 and learned to walk and live again with the help of a prosthetic limb. His resilience and positivity in the aftermath of the accident and during his recovery was truly remarkable.
His exact quote about the incident was, “The first responding officer to arrive on the scene of my accident called the coroner first, and the ambulance second. The facts are, in my mind, if I were meant to go, I would have been gone. Since I wasn’t gone, I was still meant to be here, so I had to get my act together and go forward.”
In the end, I think the most memorable part for me was always the people. Having the opportunity to sit down and speak with someone about their story, their experience, their life, and just make space to listen always showed me how much we all truly have in common, and how we all want to feel connected and heard.
I thank Watermark for giving me the opportunity to remember that with every story I wrote. Cheers to 30 years, Watermark. Thanks for the memories!
IFEEL LIKE I’M BETRAYING MY MEMORIES
by picking a favorite Watermark memory. Watermark has been part of my life since picking up the first issue on Rollins College campus.
I’m 57 and three-quarters years old, which means Watermark has been part of my world for more than half my life. I get to say I was part of its history, which is pride I can’t describe (which is a humbling thing for a writer). Betrayal aside though, there is one memory that stands out.
“You’re making me nervous,” my editor Scott Smith said, passing through my Watermark office which was as open as an open floor plan could be as it had zero walls. The interview that day was different for me.
When I’ve interviewed celebrities there is always a bit of anxiousness and, thanks to Watermark, it’s quite a handful of them. Rufus Wainwright broke my heart when I asked him if he’d date a person with HIV and he said it was something he’d have to think about. (He didn’t know but my diagnosis was fairly fresh.) Harvey Fierstein snapped at me for asking about his voice but apologized later in person saying he wouldn’t have if he had known I was so cute. (A piece of that interview wound up in a textbook.)
Porn star Ryan Idol told me about a near-death, out-of-body experience, and I still wonder if the title of my article was insensitive: “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Ryan.”
This interview was different for me.
Eartha Kitt was my mom’s hero. She would often recount seeing Eartha on “The Mike Douglas Show” openly talking about race and what an impact that made on her. I still have the cassette tape with Eartha purring her answers. We chatted about the environment because of fires in Central Florida, our horoscope signs and she recounted famously making Mamie Eisenhower
cry at the White House. The latter was a story she no doubt told a million times but patiently told Scottie about it — how about that, Harvey? Eartha was blacklisted in the U.S. for standing up for what was right and banned from the White House until President Jimmy Carter invited her back.
My interview came about because Eartha was on tour in “Cinderella” in 2001 as, you guessed it, the Fairy Godmother. That tour afforded me the opportunity to meet face-to-face with Eartha, twice. When it passed through Tampa, my friend Josh Levine and I attended that opening night party. Eartha seemed trapped at a table by guests, and not wanting to be sycophants — a word I learned from her during the interview — we didn’t try to approach but as she was making her way to her room, she saw us and made a beeline over to us. I don’t remember any of that conversation.
When the tour came through Orlando, I took mom. I asked the marketing guy who had arranged our comps if we could get backstage; he gently told me I was out of my damn mind. Leaving after the show, we were walking past the stage door of the Bob Carr Theater and there was Eartha on the stoop, a glow around her as she took in the night air. Eartha and I share a birthday, so at this point I was convinced we are cosmically connected. Mom tearfully told Eartha how much she meant to her, then she bragged about the Watermark interview.
Clicking slightly into business mode, she asked me, “How’d we do?”
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talking points
Listen, this is for the girls and the gays with the ADHD. This is who I am, everybody, and this is how I exist. I go on really weird digressions. I’ll get up on a soapbox at the drop of a hat. I really can’t go … Have you been watching — again, digression — ‘Agatha All Along’?
— TRANS ACTRESS NICOLE MAINES IN AN INTERVIEW WITH THEM ABOUT HER NEW MEMOIR, “IT GETS BETTER… EXCEPT WHEN IT GETS WORSE”
DONALD TRUMP ‘S TOWN HALL IN THE PHILADELPHIA SUBURBS TURNED INTO AN IMPROMPTU CONCERT OCT. 14 after the former president was twice interrupted by medical emergencies in the room. The Republican presidential nominee paused during a question-and-answer session as a doctor in the room attended to the first person to have a medical issue. After a second emergency halted the discussion moderated by South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Trump stopped taking questions. He suggested they could wrap up the evening with the audience in their seats, enjoying some musical selections rather than hearing him answer more questions. He called for the Village People’s “YMCA” and it blasted through the loudspeakers. More music played and for roughly 40 minutes, it didn’t stop. Trump bopped and shimmied onstage to an eclectic playlist of songs that included queer singer Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” and Rufus Wainwright’s cover of “Hallelujah.” Trump eventually left the stage as “Memory” from the musical “Cats” played.
DUA SALEH’S ALBUM IS EXPERIMENTAL POP
THE SUDANESE-AMERICAN ACTOR/ARTIST DUA
SALEH, best known for their work as Cal Bowman on Netflix’s “Sex Education,” has released their experimental debut album, “I Should Call Them.” Even though they are best known as an actor, Saleh has been releasing music since 2017, garnering attention in certain sections of the internet for their inventive rap and pop tracks. Even then, they weren’t afraid to take risks. And on this genre-fluid album, they’ve managed to sharpen their craft. At a time when some outsider pop lacks luster, Saleh’s inventive project makes the case that they may very well be at forefront of the next wave of genre. In that way, they are not dissimilar to other unconventional artists like FKA Twigs in the early days of their career.
LILLY WACHOWSKI TO ADAPT TRANS NOVEL ‘MANHUNT’ FOR TV
LILLY WACHOWSKI, ONE HALF OF THE DIRECTING DUO behind the groundbreaking “Matrix” films, is adapting Gretchen Felker-Martin’s 2022 horror novel “Manhunt” for TV. The story follows Beth and Fran, two trans women in post-apocalyptic New England, who spend their days hunting feral, zombie-like men who are fueled on testosterone while trying to survive murderous TERFs and sociopathic billionaires. Felker-Martin made the announcement on her X account Oct. 11. Wachowski confirmed it in an interview Autostraddle, saying “Manhunt” is one of several projects she is in the middle of adapting along with Jordy Rosenberg’s “Confessions of a Fox” and the lesbians-in-space comic series “Cosmoknights.”
NEW HAWKEYE IS NONBINARY, TWO-SPIRIT
MARVELS’ “THE ULTIMATES,” a new comic series written by Deniz Camp and introduced this past summer, is bringing in variants to your favorite Marvel superheroes. In the series’ fifth issue, we have been introduced to Charli Ramsey, a member of the Lakota Nation’s Oglala tribe, who is taking up the mantle of Hawkeye. In a series of tweets on X, Camp has confirmed that Ramsey is in fact nonbinary and two-spirit. “When I did my research into the water protectors/ Standing Rock, something that was emphasized again and again was the importance of queer and ‘two spirit’ organizers to the movement. I wanted to put that into the book,” Camp wrote. “So, yes, Charli’s pronouns are they/them.”
BECAUSE OF THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY, COMPARED TO 27% OF WHITE LGBTQ+ EMPLOYEES.
— Williams Institute’s “Workplace Experiences of Latinx LGBTQ Employees” report
For every $100 donated to Hope & Help through the “A Walk for Change” event, a qualified individual who is in need will get an eye exam and two pairs (yes, two pairs) of eyeglasses free of charge through our vision program. Hope & Help has committed to raising $25,000.
a total of 2,500 free eye exams & 5,000 pairs of eyeglasses!
TWO PAIRS
Ryan Williams-Jent
HURRICANE HELENE MADE
landfall as a Category 4 storm in Perry, Florida Sept. 26. It became the deadliest mainland hurricane since 2005, killing over 200 people across the Southeast.
The day prior, Congress approved a temporary measure to replenish the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s disaster relief fund. Republicans, including 11 Florida representatives, supplied the only no votes in both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate.
In response to the storm, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris — also the 2024 Democratic nominee for president — led a coordinated response to help Americans in need. Major disaster declarations were approved, federal workers were deployed and FEMA began to offer financial assistance.
Former President Donald Trump, by contrast, used his platform as the 2024 Republican presidential nominee to spread disinformation. He charged
that FEMA funds were used for “illegal migrants” and that the Biden-Harris administration was “going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas.”
These claims have been refuted by the agency as well as elected officials of both major parties — and as the discourse unfolded, Floridians braced for Hurricane Milton. The storm made landfall in Siesta Key Oct. 9 as a Category 3 storm, devastating many Florida communities already impacted by Helene.
Both the president and Harris have condemned Trump’s rhetoric as Americans work to rebuild.
Playing “politics with people’s heart break … is unconscionable,” the vice president shared Oct. 13. “Now is not a time to incite fear. It is not right to make people feel
alone. That is not what leaders, as we know, do in crisis.”
The Republican and Democratic response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton is emblematic of the larger divide between the nation’s two major political parties.
It’s also why Watermark is proud to endorse Kamala Harris for President of the United States, for these reasons and more:
PROJECT 2025
Organized by The Heritage Foundation — an anti-LGBTQ+, right-wing “think tank” — Project 2025 is a presidential transition project. Harris and Gov. Tim Walz, the vice president’s running mate and another longtime LGBTQ+ ally, both oppose it.
Its “Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise” was drafted by individuals who worked in or alongside Trump’s first administration. While the former president has said he hasn’t read it, many of its policy proposals align with the positions of his campaign.
Trump’s running mate U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, who like him has a history of supporting anti-LGBTQ+ policies and laws, also has close
ties to the foundation’s founder. Their nearly 1,000-page playbook outlines how a conservative administration can “bring quick relief to Americans suffering from the Left’s devastating policies.”
“The threat that Project 2025 poses to America is especially sinister for LGBTQ+ people and our rights,” warns the Human Rights Campaign, which endorsed Harris in July. The group says it “would take a wrecking ball to our rights, freedoms, democracy and future.”
“It is the blueprint for a second Trump presidency, and if enacted, it would be a takeover of our government by the most conservative and radical wings of the country, threatening our rights, our freedoms and our democracy,” HRC explains. “For LGBTQ+ people, the agenda would roll back the gains we’ve made toward full equality in nearly every area of our lives — from marriage to health care, to education and the workplace.”
On page 284 of the document, Project 2025 calls on a reversal of the Biden-Harris administration’s focus on “LGBTQ+ equity.”
On page 481, it advocates for enacting “a biblically based, social
science-reinforced definition of marriage and family.”
The plan would also remove nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ Americans from every federal regulation. Page 584 calls on the next president to “direct agencies to rescind regulations interpreting sex discrimination provisions as prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, sex characteristics, etc.”
Project 2025 would restrict implementation of LGBTQ+ civil rights protections in the workplace as well, detailed on page 584, and would impact adoption and foster care services for potential LGBTQ+ parents. On LGBTQ+ inclusion in schools, it calls on adopting federal laws or policies mirroring Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” law.
HRC also notes that Project 2025 “would withdraw financial support for medically necessary health care for transgender Americans through multiple funding streams, impacting HIV/AIDS programs, public health research, health benefits
PHOTO BY KIT KARZEN/HARRIS FOR PRESIDENT
for servicemembers and their families, and more.”
“As harmful as the first Trump presidency was for LGBTQ+ Americans, the Trump-Vance Project 2025 agenda makes it seem quaint,” HRC Senior Director of Legal Policy Cathryn Oakley has said. “It would give Trump unprecedented powers to dismantle our rights and undo many of the protections the LGBTQ+ community have spent decades fighting to gain.”
The Harris-Walz campaign envisions another path forward.
“Vice President Harris has spent her career fighting for the rights and freedoms of the American people, including LGBTQ+ Americans,” says Michael Womack, the campaign’s statewide press secretary for Florida.
“As Vice President, she helped pass the Respect for Marriage Act and, as President, she’ll fight to pass the Equality Act to enshrine anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ Americans into law,” he continues. “While Donald Trump and J.D. Vance’s extreme Project 2025 agenda would strip back our rights and drag us back into the past, Vice President Harris and Governor Walz are fighting for a new way forward and will protect our families, our communities and our future.”
REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
Project 2025 would also build upon the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade, which guaranteed the constitutional right to abortion. In a 5-4 vote, the body’s conservative majority — including three justices appointed by Trump — overturned nearly 50 years of American precedent in 2022.
It’s something the former president has boasted about since. “After 50 years of failure, with nobody coming even close, I was able to kill Roe v. Wade, much to the ‘shock’ of everyone,” Trump said in 2023.
Abortion policies and reproductive rights reverted to each state after the ruling, a number of which have expanded access in the years since. Voters defeated anti-abortion ballot measures in Kansas, Kentucky and Montana and have approved constitutional amendments in Ohio, Michigan, California and Vermont
to expand access. This November, similar measures will appear on ballots in 10 states — including Florida, which currently bans abortion after about six weeks.
According to the reproductive rights group Floridians Protecting Freedom, voting yes on the state’s Amendment 4 “is the only way to stop Florida’s dangerous abortion ban and limit government interference in important medical decisions.”
The matter directly impacts many LGBTQ+ Floridians. The Williams Institute found in 2022 that unplanned pregnancies are more common among cisgender, bisexual women than their heterosexual peers and noted that transgender people assigned female at birth can become pregnant and face difficulties obtaining contraception and other reproductive health services.
Trump has indicated he will vote against Florida’s Amendment 4 while Harris has spoken out against abortion bans across the nation. The vice president has vowed to restore Roe v. Wade should she win the presidency with a Democratic Congress.
“Vice President Harris has traveled America and heard the stories of women hurt by Trump abortion bans … all because doctors are afraid they may go to jail for caring for their patients,” the campaign notes. “As President, she will never allow a national abortion ban to become law. And when Congress passes a bill to restore reproductive freedom nationwide, she will sign it.”
DOWN BALLOT SUPPORT
Harris has raised a record amount of money since joining the presidential race in July, including $81 million in her first 24 hours as a candidate. That momentum hasn’t slowed.
According to Federal Election Commission filings released Oct. 15, the Harris Victory Fund and Harris Action Fund — joint fundraising efforts between the Harris-Walz campaign, the Democratic National Committee and state Democratic Party committees — raised $652 million between July 1 and Sept. 30.
That almost doubles the funds raised by the Trump 47 Committee and Trump National Committee in the same period, and Harris and her affiliated committees have raised over $1 billion in total since entering the race.
The vice president has utilized these gains to help Democrats down the ballot. Last month, the campaign and DNC announced they were sending nearly $25 million to support Democrats nationwide.
The unprecedented investment includes races in Florida, where the DNC made a $400,000 contribution to the state party. Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said Sept. 30 that the “investment shows the party’s commitment of fighting for Florida,” noting that “Democrats all across the country will now have the resources to compete.”
“The vice president believes that this race is about mobilizing the entire country, in races at every level, to fight for our freedoms
Democrat Whitney Fox’s race has also made headlines. The LGBTQ+ ally hopes to unseat Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, who was among the Florida Republicans to vote against funding FEMA, to represent Tampa Bay’s District 13.
“Throughout my career in Pinellas County, I have stood up as a strong ally to the LGBTQ+ community and will continue to do so in D.C.,” she’s told Watermark. “I will advocate for the Equality Act and expansion of federal civil rights laws to include protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity.”
and our economic opportunity,” Harris-Walz Campaign Chair Jen O’Malley Dillon also shared. “That’s why the vice president has made the decision to invest a historic sum into electing Democrats up and down the ballot.”
The funds could help shift Florida’s political landscape. Critical congressional races include a U.S. Senate seat currently occupied by Republican Rick Scott, who has long supported anti-LGBTQ+ measures. He faces Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who was endorsed by HRC in February.
“Florida has been ground zero for attacks on democracy and equal rights, but instead of doing what’s right for our communities, Rick Scott proudly stands with the radical state legislators launching these vile attacks and terrorizing our LGBTQ+ residents,” she said at the time. “I will never stop fighting for our LGBTQ+ community and for Floridians’ fundamental freedoms.”
In the U.S. House, ally Maxwell Alejandro Frost hopes to retain his District 10 Central Florida seat as he faces off against Republican Willie J. Montague. He spoke out against Project 2025 and more with Watermark in August, vowing to fight for LGBTQ+ Floridians in another term.
“I’ve learned how our LGBTQ+ family is disproportionately impacted by every issue under the sun,” he said. “I am committed to fighting for equality, justice, and the protection of all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, full stop.”
Florida Democrats also hope to end the state legislature’s Republican supermajority, which has passed a record amount of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation supported by Governor Ron DeSantis. Laws include SB 254, which bans gender-affirming care for transgender minors and restricts it for adults.
Equality Florida believes the party has a chance. The group’s political action committee has supported LGBTQ+ candidates like state Sen.-elect Carlos Guillermo Smith, who will represent Central Florida’s District 17 after winning his election in June and is working to send the state’s first transgender legislator to the Florida House this November.
Democrat Ashley Brundage is running to represent District 65 and Democrat Nathan Bruemmer is running to represent the region’s District 61. Equality Florida has endorsed each of them.
“We believe Florida is in play,” EQFL Deputy Director Stratton Pollitzer said when the group endorsed Harris for president last month. “Floridians are turning against the failed, extremist policies of DeSantis and Trump.
“Millions of Floridians successfully placed abortion access on the November ballot, which will drive turnout among new and younger voters eager for change,” he continued. “A rainbow wave of fired up, pro-equality voters for Kamala Harris is building, and it’s set to crash down on Trump in November.”
The general election is Nov. 5 and early voting is underway through Nov. 3. Dates, times and locations vary, visit MyFloridaElections.com/ Contact-Your-SOE for more information and WatermarkOnline.com for more 2024 election coverage. Learn more about Kamala Harris and her commitment to LGBTQ+ Americans at KamalaHarris.com/Issues.
DOING THE WORK: Vice President Kamala Harris joins local leaders in Georgia Oct. 3 to survey the impact of Hurricane Helene first-hand in Augusta. PHOTO BY ERIC ELOFSON/HARRIS FOR PRESIDENT
‘Fun’ Farewell
Cyndi Lauper on her final tour and
future
SGregg Shapiro
INGER, songwriter and activist Cyndi Lauper is one of the best friends the LGBTQ+ community has ever had.
Her multi-artist “True Colors” tours, which ran from 2007-2010 and raised funds for the Matthew Shepard Foundation, PFLAG and Human Rights Campaign — and the founding of True Colors United in 2008, which continues to help homeless LGBTQ+ youth — are just a few examples of how.
Lauper is also a lifetime musical trendsetter. She recorded a duet with the late Tony Benett more than 10 years before Lady
Gaga did and released dance-oriented and country music albums well before Beyoncé. When it comes to her legendary personal style, social media fashion critic Nicky Campbell recently declared Lauper an icon in his review of the 2024 VMA fashions.
Now, as we prepare to say farewell to Lauper on the concert tour circuit — her “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” farewell tour comes to Amalie Arena in Tampa Nov. 6 — she was generous enough to make time for an interview.
WATERMARK: LOOKING BACK, DO YOU
PHOTO BY RUVEN AFANADOR
REMEMBER WHAT YOUR FIRST, HEADLINING TOUR AS A SOLO ARTIST FELT LIKE FOR YOU?
Cyndi Lauper: I just wanted to make sure I had places to go. I wanted the sound to be really great. I don’t know if I accomplished that, but I did have those big speakers that I used to run up on. That’s me! I loved that. Because I saw all those wonderful English groups, the ska bands…
LIKE MADNESS AND THE ENGLISH BEAT AND THE SPECIALS?
The Specials! I thought they were extraordinary. The singer [Neville Staple] … was so fierce, singing so great, and he climbed up on top of the speaker and put up his fist and he’s singing his guts out. I’m thinking, “It’s Mighty Mouse!” When I was a kid that was kind of my favorite show, I don’t know why. (Laughs.) But it always influenced me and I remember in ’84, ‘85 I was still free. When ‘86 came, then I became a prisoner of the system.
BEING ON A MAJOR RECORD LABEL?
I wasn’t allowed to touch anybody. I wasn’t allowed to go out to them [in the audience] or have them come to me. It was totally different and I totally hated it.
DID YOU IMAGINE THAT 40 YEARS LATER YOU WOULD BE EMBARKING ON A FAREWELL TOUR?
Well, at some point, sure. I think that for me this is the perfect time. Because it’s a kind of bucket list of what I always wanted to do. In the beginning, it was roughneck style. Whatever I could jimmy-rig, I did. When I got to a certain point, like when we were doing the [live] “Money Changes Everything” video, I had fantasies of a cherry-picker. Because of our budget, everyone said “Well, you can’t get a cherry-picker but we’ll give you a garbage pail and a pulley system.”
I thought to myself, “Oh no, like Oscar the Grouch?” I had a friend who was a great interviewer, and she used to interview everybody from a garbage pail. So, of course,
that’s what my people gave me to go up in the crowd. I thought it was a pulley system. The pulley system was actually 10 men with rope holding it. When I started to shake [while singing], I started to slip out of their hands. They brought me right in. That could have been the reason that the lawyer made me sign my will before I left.
ARE YOU PLANNING TO SING SONGS FROM EACH OF YOUR ALBUMS?
I’m really trying. I didn’t get anything from [2010’s “Memphis Blues”] in there because there’s too many songs. I usually get to the point where I say, “Hey, guys, if the visuals look good for this, can we switch the songs?” What I did was I wanted to do visuals [on the tour.] I wanted to do performance art. That means you have to be on a click. Like when I went out on the [Rod] Stewart tour and we used the lyric video of “Sally’s Pigeons.” You can’t do that and not be on a click, because the guy running visual has to be on the click. If nobody’s together, it’s like, “Hey, what the hell? Now the words are there… no they’re not.”
IT’S LIKE A BADLY DUBBED MOVIE.
Yeah. But this time I got this wonderful visual director, Brian Burke, who worked for years with the creative director of Cirque Du Soleil, and not having people flying through the air. In the beginning of all that, that was my fantasy! I wanted to fly through the air, and I got …
a garbage pail. It wasn’t going to happen for me. Now, I’m 71! I’m not gonna go flying through the air.
It’s a mixture of collabs with artists and art. Art and music. The whole thing is an artist collective, any time you go out on tour. It’s not just you. You’re with other dance artists if you’re a dancer, or you’re with musicians. Or you’re with lighting designers; that’s art, too.
We did these collabs and I’m excited to present a show like this because it’s something I always wanted to do. Fingers crossed that it all works out. I’m even going to do costume changes this time, which you know I never do because it’s so bothersome.
But I can do it in a way now that I’m comfortable with. I just want to be able to do this as a gift to all the people that followed me through all my crazy twists and turns. I did all those twists and turns because I kept hitting brick walls. You keep hitting the gatekeeper, you gotta find your way around that gatekeeper.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, “LET THE CANARY SING,” ALISON ELLWOOD’S DOCUMENTARY ABOUT YOU RECEIVED A THEATRICAL RELEASE. AFTER HAVING YOUR MEMOIR PUBLISHED IN 2012, DID IT FEEL TO YOU LIKE THE DOCUMENTARY WAS THE NEXT LOGICAL STEP?
Well, not for me. I didn’t want to have a documentary. It was
director and then you have to understand what their vision is. That’s interesting, because each director is a different personality and a different kind of artist. You have to listen and see what story they’re trying to tell and then have a couple of different suggestions.
THE UPCOMING ELECTION IS SO IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY FOR WOMEN AND LGBTQ+ FOLKS. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO SAY TO YOUR FANS?
Absolutely! There is an organization called Vote411. org. You go online and you find out all the questions and all the people that are running … so that you can make an intelligent decision on who is going to represent you, not them.
the pandemic, and everyone was saying, “Everybody’s doing documentaries now, Cyn! Come on, what are you doing?” I was like, “I’m not dead!” Then I started watching documentaries on the streaming services and I saw “Laurel Canyon.” I felt it was an extraordinarily captivating documentary for me because it was the history of music. All of the people and players in that story were very much influential for me as a growing artist, especially in the ‘70s. I looked and saw who directed it…
ALISON ELLWOOD!
When they came at me again, I said, “I want a film, not a TV special. So, how about Alison Ellwood? She makes films.” She wanted to do it! I think she did a good job. It’s not your typical story. I don’t think anybody’s story is typical, right? We think we know people but I guess we don’t. You think, “It’s typical! You start a band.” Which is always my theory! If something’s wrong, start a band, start playing out, you’ll feel a lot better!” (Laughs.) It doesn’t always go that way.
WITH THE END OF TOURING IN SIGHT, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY THAT YOU MIGHT DO MORE FILM WORK FOR A POTENTIAL OSCAR TO COMPLETE YOUR EGOT STATUS?
Listen, I happen to love independent films. For that I would write … I like an independent movie because then you get to talk to the
This war against women has been going on since the ‘60s, it’s just been going and going, and we need to stop it because we are half the population. As far as the LGBTQ people, you have to vote. You have to be informed. Every time you have to vote, you vote! Don’t say, “Oh, it doesn’t matter for this one.”
It matters! Because they put laws in there. There are community people that represent you and you need to start on a community level, a grassroots level to ensure that there are people that are going to speak for you as a human being. We are all human beings here. As I said, women are half the population and LGBTQ, I venture to bet are pretty large part, too.
This country was founded on the separation of church and state. Separation! I don’t want anybody to have ownership over my body. They say they want local communities in charge but yet they have SCOTUS making federal laws about what you do in your bedroom and what you do with your body and who you are and nullifying families.
Oh, I have a lot to say about that. You need to vote! You vote on every voting occasion. You can’t just lie down and get rolled over. This is our country, too.
Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” tour plays at Amalie Arena in Tampa Nov. 6 at 8 p.m. Learn more about her LGBTQ+-inclusive legacy and buy tickets at CyndiLauper.com.
Lauper
STILL GOT IT: Music icon and longtime LGBTQ+ ally Cyndi Lauper visits Tampa Nov. 6. PHOTO BY TIMOTHY GREENFIELD-SANDERS
announcements TAMPA BAY OUT+ABOUT
CONGRATULATIONS
Love the Golden Rule celebrates 10 years this month. Learn more at LoveTheGoldenRule.com.
POSTPONEMENTS
Gulfcoast Pride, originally scheduled for Oct. 19, was postponed. Read more on p. 14 and at WatermarkOnline.com.
The 46th All Hallows’ Masquerade Ball, originally scheduled for Oct. 19, was canceled in response to the hurricanes but will return next year. Read more at WatermarkOnline.com.
Come OUT St. Pete is “actively rescheduling our Family Day event,” organizers shared Oct. 18. Learn more at ComeOUTStPete.org.
REMARKABLE PEOPLE 2024
Watermark highlights local, often unsung heroes who have gone above and beyond to show how remarkable they are each year. We want our readers to help decide who deserves recognition in 2024 and are looking for the 10 Most Remarkable People of 2024 — 5 from Central Florida and 5 from the Tampa Bay area. Submit your nominations and a brief explanation as to why you chose them by emailing Editor-in-Chief Jeremy Williams at Jeremy@WatermarkOnline.com or Managing Editor Ryan Williams-Jent at Ryan@WatermarkOnline.com by Nov. 1.
LOCAL BIRTHDAYS
Hillsborough County Democratic activist Sally Phillips (Oct. 24); Owner of Lakeland’s The Parrot Rich Dunn, Tampa Bay entertainer Austin Hagge, Cocktail bartender Sebastian Hathcock, Cosplayer Charles Parilla, St. Pete staple Barbra Ann (Oct. 26); Tampa Bay activist Pat Fearns (Oct. 27); Tampa vocalist David Valentine, Tampa educator Matthew Healey, Keller Williams Tampa Central admin Danny Gitsas, St. Pete hairstylist Jacob Andrew Harris, Johnsons Tampa owner Matt Colunga, Photographer Terry Scopelliti (Oct. 28); Tattooist Juan Fontanez Jr. (Oct. 29); Lakeland leather man Jerry Miller, Salon GW owner Gregory Brady (Oct. 30); Sarasota HIV/AIDS activist Michael Kehoe, Tampa Bay Sister of Perpetual Indulgence Shelita Cra-k, State Farm agent John Psomas, Tampa boating enthusiast Jamie Paul, Tampa Bay entertainer Apollo Infiniti (Oct. 31); St. Pete bear Wendell Wilson, Tampa Bay entertainer Reggie Gatewood, Comic connoisseur Julian Jabbar Hills, Tampa Bay superdad Daniel Johnson (Nov. 1); Tampa organizing coach Tracy Miller, St. Pete salesman Toby Browning (Nov. 2); Ceridian’s Kevin Gordon (Nov. 3); Gulfport everyman Daniel Hodge, St. Pete Pride volunteer Rich Runyan, St. Petersburg cowboy Winston Haws (Nov. 4); Tampa Bay DJ Duane Cook, Gulfport staple Susan Gore, Life Plan Law attorney Catherine Blackburn (Nov. 5); Project manager Sean Kelly, Tampa signing interpreter Steve Hammond, St. Pete Bears founder Grahame Harte, Former TIGLFF programming director Kelly Fry, TIGLFF supporter Timothy Thomas, Metro Inclusive Health founder Bob Pope, Pinellas Park massage therapist John Waldorf, E.W. Scripps production manager Lindsey Wight (Nov. 6).
1
ORLANDO LOVE: Polk Pride tables at Come Out with Pride in Orlando to support the neighboring celebration Oct. 19. PHOTO FROM POLK PRIDE’S FACEBOOK
2 NUNDAY FUNDAY: Lady Liemont works the brunch crowd at Salty Nun Oct. 20 as the restaurant raised funds for Neptune Grill. PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT
3 BACK IN BUSINESS: Metro Inclusive Health staff members celebrate their St. Pete reopening after Hurricane Milton Oct. 14. PHOTO FROM METRO INCLUSIVE HEALTH’S FACEBOOK
4
CHECKING IN: President Joe Biden (L) visits Tampa Bay Oct. 13 to survey hurricane damage, meeting with local leaders like Tampa City Councilmember Alan Clendenin PHOTO FROM CITY OF TAMPA’S FACEBOOK
5
SAYING THANKS: Funky Flamingo Owner Anita McLaughlin (4th from L) thanks the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue team for canvassing Gulfport Oct. 13 to offer support after the hurricanes. PHOTO FROM FUNKY FLAMINGO’S FACEBOOK
6 YES ON 4: League of Women Voters of the St. Petersburg Area supporters canvass the region to encourage voters to vote Yes on Amendment 4. PHOTO FROM THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS’ FACEBOOK
7 GETTING READY: The team at Tombolo Books prepares for Hurricane Milton Oct. 8 before reopening Oct. 12. PHOTO FROM TOMBOLO BOOKS’ FACEBOOK
8 SHINING BRIGHT: SHINE muralists paint strike a pose Oct. 18after painting Bell Pharmacy’s St. Petersburg location for this year’s mural festival. PHOTO FROM BELL PHARMACY’S FACEBOOK
announcements CENTRAL FLORIDA OUT+ABOUT
1 FILM TALK: Sam Ewing, Rick Todd, Jess Keller, Patty Sheehan, Debbie Simmons, Darcel Stevens, Nikole Parker and Michael Wanzie on stage after their “Greeting From Queertown: Orlando” panel at The Plaza Live in Orlando Oct. 20. Photo by Jeremy Williams
2 HEALTHY FILM: Pineapple Healthcare’s Willian Cesar (L) and Eric Field meet with folks at Savoy in Orlando Oct. 17. Photo by Jeremy Williams
3 GET OUT THE VOTE: (L-R) U.S. Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost, Florida House candidature Nate Douglas, Florida Sen.-elect Carlos Guillermo Smith and Florida Rep. Anna V. Eskamani hold a Know Your Ballot event at the University of Central Florida in Orlando Oct. 16. Photo by Jeremy Williams
4 SING LOUD & PROUD: Ginger Minj sings her theme song for the film “Greetings From Queertown: Orlando” live during a screening of the film at The Plaza Live in Orlando Oct. 20. Photo by Jeremy Williams
5 GRAND PARADE: Grand Marshal Ashley Figueroa waves to the crowds during Come Out With Pride’s Most Colorful Parade in downtown Orlando Oct. 19. Photo by Jeremy Williams
6
RADIO STARS: Magic 107.7 morning hosts’ Leslye Gale (L) and Chad Pitt ride a float in Come Out With Pride’s Most Colorful Parade in downtown Orlando Oct. 19. Photo by Jeremy Williams
7
DRAG PROUD: (L-R) Lacie Browning, Addison Taylor and Darcel Stevens show off their colorful outfits in Come Out With Pride’s Most Colorful Parade in downtown Orlando Oct. 19. Photo by Jeremy Williams
8
HELPING HANDS: Lowe’s Red Vest volunteers, pictured with members of The Center Orlando, assist Oct. 21 in fixing up the LGBT+ Center Orlando, including repairing Hurricane Milton damage. Photo courtesy of Lowe’s Red Vest Team
EXPO / JOB FAIR
The Pride Chamber, Central Florida’s LGBTQ+ chamber of commerce, has announced its annual expo and job fair. It will take place at the National Entrepreneur Center in Orlando Nov. 14 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. The expo is a networking event opened for any and all people who wish to attend. This event is being hosted for job seekers and providers. Learn more about the event and The Pride Chamber, go to ThePridechamber.org.
POSTPONEMENTS
The LGBT+ Center Orlando announced on its social media Oct. 16 that due to uncontrollable circumstances, it would be postponing its inaugural OutCon. OutCon, which was to take place Nov. 2-3, will be The Center Orlando’s take on pop culture conventions with a focus on inclusion and celebration of all things LGBTQ+ in the worlds of comics, movies, TV shows, gaming and more. The Center Orlando will now hold its inaugural OutCon on June 27-28, 2025. The event will still be held at the Central Florida Fairgrounds
GIVEAWAYS
Kacey Musgraves is currently out of tour for her sixth studio album, “Deeper Well,” and she is bringing that tour to Florida with a show at the Amalie Arena in Tampa Nov. 29 and a show at the Kia Center in Orlando Dec. 2, and Watermark has your chance to win two tickets to one of the performances. To enter our giveaway, all you need to do is fill out the entry at WatermarkOnline.com under keyword GIVEAWAY. We will draw a winner Nov. 15 at noon. Good luck!
LOCAL BIRTHDAYS
Equality Florida’s former Director of Transgender Equality Gina Duncan (Oct. 24); Bricks Galore & MORE Toys owner Ryan Malin (Oct. 25); Watermark wife Kalika Perry; The Pride Chamber’s Rich Crabtree, Orlando chef Matt Wolfe (Oct. 26); Former Out & About Books owner Robert Bruce Ground, Tako Cheena proprietor Edgardo Guzman, Southern Nights bartender Lance Keller, Orlando occupational therapist Sarah Bapst (Oct. 28); Hope & Help case manager Norm Gentry, Orlando attorney Michael Morris (Oct. 29); Bungalower’s Brendan O’Connor, Florida Academy of Physician Assistants executive director Lolita Jerido, Clear Channel Outdoor’s Brian Fenn, Former Watermark editorial assistant Samantha Rosenthal (Oct. 31); Central Florida Softball League commissioner Bobby Agagnina, Miracle of Love’s Angus Bradshaw Jr., Fitness guru Jennifer Mae, Orlando bartender Juan Miller, Orlando Gay Chorus’ Chip Reif (Nov. 2); Contigo Fund’s foundation manager Joel Morales (Nov. 3); Massage therapist and framer at Framing of Central Florida Kirk Johnston (Nov. 4); Orlando drag entertainer Robert Crane aka Erica Roberts, Orlando realtor Cindy Gregory, Orlando Verizon Wireless employee Ryan Lopez (Nov. 5); Compassion & Choices philanthropy officer Michael Thomas Farmer, Women In Film & Television Florida President Robin Wright (Nov. 6).
REALTOR
YOGA
community calendar
CENTRAL FLORIDA
Cassadaga Fall Festival
SATURDAY, OCT. 26-SUNDAY, OCT. 27 CASSADAGA SPIRITUALIST CAMP, CASSADAGA
The Fall Festival is a great time to bring out the family to see Cassadaga in its glory, all local businesses will be celebrating in style with a wide assortment of holiday features including spirit walk photo tours, messages from spirits via mediumship and psychic readers, artists, vendors and you’ll be sure to find a haunt or two! For more information, visit Cassadaga.org.
Pride in Philanthropy
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 6, 6-9 P.M.
NATIONAL ENTREPRENEUR CENTER, ORLANDO
You’re invited to join The Pride Chamber for a special Pride in Philanthropy Business Connect, presented by Crew Health, celebrating and honoring Orlando Youth Alliance, The Pride Chamber Foundation and Harmony Healthcare’s dedication, hard work and the impact they have on the lives they serve. Food catered by The Hammered Lamb. This event is free to members and $20 for non-members. To register, go to ThePrideChamber.org.
TAMPA BAY
Cock-o-Ween
Resurrection: Detox
FRIDAY, NOV. 1, 8 P.M.
THE WET SPOT, ST. PETERSBURG
Following Cock-o-Ween Oct. 27, a signature part of Halloween on Central, Cocktail resurrects this year’s festivities with “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alum Detox! The free show will welcome the international superstar and feature local fan favorites, with swim passes, cabanas and VIP tables available at CocktailStPete.com.
Life Amplified SPECTACULAR
SATURDAY, NOV. 2, 8 P.M.
CARROLLWOOD CULTURAL CENTER, TAMPA
Life Amplified will hold its 16th major fundraiser after rescheduling due to the hurricanes, welcoming supporters to its first adult, LGBTQ+-affirming prom benefiting PFLAG Safety Harbor. Every ticket sold directly supports the organization and its mission to empower and uplift the LGBTQ+ community. Learn more at LifeAmplifiedShowcase.com.
EVENT PLANNER
WILD & OUT
CENTRAL FLORIDA
“Nosferatu,” select dates thru Nov. 10, Renaissance Theatre Company, Orlando. RenTheatre.com
Halloween Pub Crawl, Oct. 25-26, Wall Street, Orlando. OrlandoPubCrawl.com
Trunk or Treat at Aloma Bowl, Oct. 26, Aloma Bowling Center, Winter Park. 407-671-8675; AlomaBowlingCenters.com
Eden Bar’s Halloween Party, Oct. 26, Enzian Theater, Maitland. 407-629-0054; Enzian.org
Absolute Queen, Oct. 26, Athens Theatre, DeLand. 386-736-1500; AthensDeLand.com
The Night Market w/ Zombietoberfest 2024, Oct. 26, Audubon Park Garden District, Orlando. 407-212-7321; HelloAPGD.com
Boos, Brews and Booze Halloween Party, Oct. 26, RockPit Brewing, Orlando. 407-826-1773; RockPitBrewing.com
Halloween Comic Bash, Oct. 27, American Legion Old Glory Post 183, Fern Park. Corsets and Cuties Spooktacular, Oct. 27, The Dust, Orlando. 407-839-0080; StardustOrlando.com
“Dear Evan Hanson,” Oct. 29-30, King Center, Melbourne. 321-242-2219; KingCenter.com
“The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” Oct. 31, The Plaza Live, Orlando. 407-228-1220; PlazaLiveOrlando.org
“Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical,” Oct. 31-Nov. 3 & 8-9, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando. 407-358-6603; DrPhillipsCenter.org
“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” w/ Shadow Cast, Nov. 1, Ritz Theater, Sanford. 407-321-8111; RitzTheaterSanford.com
Spooky Empire, Nov. 1-3, Hyatt Regency, Orlando. SpookyEmpire.com
Nurse John, Nov. 2, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando. 407-358-6603; DrPhillipsCenter.org
Bob The Drag Queen, Nov. 3, The Plaza Live, Orlando. 407-228-1220; PlazaLiveOrlando.org
TAMPA BAY
Nightmare on Franklin Street 2024, Through Oct. 31, Tampa Theater, Tampa. 813-274-8981; TampaTheatre.org
Busch Gardens’ Howlo-Scream, Select nights through Nov. 2, Busch Gardens, Tampa. 813-884-4386; BuschGardens.com/Tampa
UnDead in the Water
VII: At Close Quarters, Select nights through Nov. 2, Channelside Drive, Tampa. 813-228-8766; UndeadInTheWater.com
Scream-A-Geddon, Through Nov. 2, 27839 Saint Joe Rd., Dade City. ScreamAGeddon.com
“The Boy Who Loved Batman,” Through Nov. 10, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org
“Gorey Stories,” Through Nov. 17, Jobsite Theater, Tampa. 813-476-7378; JobsiteTheater.org
LGBTQ+ Halloween Health-O-Thon, Oct. 26, City Side Lounge, Tampa. Facebook.com/ FoundFamilyCollective
9th annual Dharmaween Party, Oct. 26, Dharma Kava Lounge, Largo. 727-223-9954; DharmaKavaLounge.com
“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” Extravaganza, Oct. 26, Green Light Cinema, St. Petersburg. Facebook.com/ HellOnHeelsRHPS
Halloween on Central ft. FrankenPride, Cock-oWeen and more, Oct. 27, Central Ave., St. Petersburg. HalloweenOnCentral.com
“A Little Hocus Pocus: Drag Queen Tribute Show,” Oct. 30, Central Park Performing Arts Center, Largo. 727-587-6793; LargoArts.com
Hide Night, Nov. 1, Cocktail, St. Petersburg. 727-592-1914; CocktailStPete.com
Bob the Drag Queen, Nov. 2, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org
Cyndi Lauper: “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour,” Nov. 6, Amalie Arena, Tampa. 813-301-6500; AmalieArena.com
SARASOTA
Ringling Underground with HuDost, Divine AF & Gabe Hernandez, Nov. 7, The Ringling, Sarasota. 941-228-4872; Facebook.com/ MoxieProductionsSRQ
Bob the Drag Queen brings her “This is Wild!” world tour to the Straz Center for the Performing Arts on Nov. 2 and The Plaza Live in Orlando Nov. 3. PHOTO COURTESY STARZ CENTER
Best for Kids in Orlando.
There’s only one hospital in Florida ranked as a “Best Children’s Hospital” for the 15th consecutive year by U.S. News & World Report, a global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice. Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. With designations in pediatric diabetes and endocrinology, neonatology, pediatric neurology and neurosurgery, pediatric pulmonology and pediatric behavioral health, Arnold Palmer Hospital provides kids, teens and young adults with compassionate care that’s consistent year in and year out. Learn more at ArnoldPalmerHospital.com
