Watermark Issue 31.04: Florida V. Books by Watermark Publishing Group

Your LGBTQ+ News Source.

February 15 - 28, 2024 • Issue 31.04

Florida v. Books Local authors, bookstores stand with the banned Love is Love Pride Fest returns to DeLand LGBTQ Resource Center becomes OUT Arts & Culture

DAYTONA BEACH • ORLANDO • TAMPA • ST. PETERSBURG • CLEARWATER • SARASOTA

Your LGBTQ+ News Source.

February 15 - 28, 2024 • Issue 31.04

Florida v. Books Local authors, bookstores stand with the banned LGBTQ Resource Center becomes OUT Arts & Culture

Love is Love Pride Fest returns to DeLand

DAYTONA BEACH • ORLANDO • TAMPA • ST. PETERSBURG • CLEARWATER • SARASOTA

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DEPARTMENTS 7 // PUBLISHER’S DESK

page

8 // CENTRAL FL NEWS 11 // TAMPA BAY NEWS

They’re creating culture wars so people will be scared. It’s the agenda to make people frightened to make an ‘us and them’ kind of state and country, rather than a country or state where we appreciate one another. As an educator, I thought we were making progress. Progress means taking steps forward instead of trying to turn the blocks back. – ROB SANDERS, RETIRED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER AND CHILDREN’S AUTHOR

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page TRUTH, BEAUTY, FREEDOM, LOVE:

page FLORIDA V.

BOOKS: Local authors and bookstores stand with the banned.

PHOTOS BY DYLAN TODD AND CONNOR BARRY

SCAN QR CODE FOR

WATERMARKONLINE.COM

Max Heitmann stars as Baby Doll in Broadway tour of “Moulin Rouge! The Musical.”

WATERMARK ISSUE 31.04 // FEBRUARY 15 - 28, 2024

GALA OF GHOULS

NEXT PHASE

DMV DIE-IN

FRESH LOOK

page Ferocity Coffee to host event celebrating trans, queer voices.

page LGBTQ+ Resource Center becomes OUT Arts & Culture.

page

Read It Online! In addition to a website with daily LGBTQ+ updates, a digital version of each issue of the publication is made available on WatermarkOnline.com

Trans Floridians, allies protest at DMV locations statewide.

Che’Li gives “The

Lady” new life at 35 Chinese American Stage.

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CONTRIBUTORS

PUBLISHER’S

Rick Todd PUBLISHER

Rick@WatermarkOnline.com

DESK

USED TO TRY TOO HARD IN

relationships. I mean really over the top try too hard. I don’t blame myself, though. I blame the movies and Air Supply’s music.

I described this in an article before, but I was a total sap. I loved the idea of a perfect love story, so much so that an ex once told me I was impossible to date because actual life wasn’t like it is in the movies. I didn’t believe him and I tried for years to prove otherwise. I assume this is why, on more than one occasion a one-night stand turned into a long-term relationship. This is not a dig towards any of my exes, I just wanted a love story so bad I would try to force something to exist that probably should have never existed. I once thought it was cute to celebrate the monthiversary of every month for the first year of

dating someone. Sure, this sounds cute in a movie or a high school, but it was not appreciated in this relationship. Nor did I appreciate that he was out drinking while I was at home waiting for hours with rose petals on the bed. I tend to reminisce about this around Valentine’s Day. A few years back I had a bit of a breakthrough/breakdown when it came to unreciprocated displays of affection. It was an unusual Valentine’s Day that started by attending a wedding. It was the wedding of Orlando Weekly writer Billy Manes, who would later become the editor of Watermark. I had enlisted the help of my roommate to decorate the house

with too many ballons, too many bears holding hearts and too many cards. This is back when I was a drinker, so I had a few at the wedding. As the drinks began to settle in, I found myself tearing up at the vows shared between Billy and his fiancé Tony. It was beautiful and the love between them was incredible. I started to look at my boyfriend and think about the surprise waiting for him at the house. I listened to their words, stared at my boyfriend and began to question everything. I didn’t feel like the work I was putting into the relationship was reciprocated. So, why was I putting so much work into it? It was becoming clear to me that I was playing a part in a movie that I thought I should play, trying to find someone who would treat me the way I thought I should be treated. It wasn’t adding up. We left the wedding and went to Barcodes with Watermark employee, Danny Garcia. At this point I was drunk, upset and not at my best. I bizarrely bought the three of us assless outfits from the store there so we could change out of our suits and look ridiculous playing pool. And we did. On the way home it came out that I had the house decorated to surprise him and he hadn’t even gotten me a card. This isn’t an attempt to drag him, just to show the contrast. I was not happy nor in the right frame of mind to handle it like an adult. When we got home I popped all the balloons and threw the decorations away. Within a month we were no longer dating, and within seven months I was sober. I took some

WATERMARK STAFF Owner & Publisher: Rick Todd • Ext. 110 Rick@WatermarkOnline.com Editor-in-Chief: Jeremy Williams • Ext. 106 Jeremy@WatermarkOnline.com Managing Editor: Ryan Williams-Jent • Ext. 302 Ryan@WatermarkOnline.com

time to work on myself and didn’t date anyone for three years. I was able to see that my behavior up to this point was designed to show people how I wanted to be treated in the hopes that they would treat me the same way. It was an attempt to control people, something the 12 steps taught me I couldn’t do. Then I met Dylan Todd. I wish I could tell you that I didn’t come on too strong, but that would be a lie. I managed to sustain my sappiness. What I can tell you is that this time I did it because I really liked him, not to force him

When you are lucky enough to find the right person, it just clicks. to like me. Luckily for me it didn’t scare him off. When you are lucky enough to find the right person, it just clicks. Relationships take work, but it shouldn’t feel like work all the time. Dylan is my person. He keeps me calm when I start to spiral and shows me everyday how much I am loved. Now instead of trying to direct my own movie, I can simply relax and star in it. It’s the role of a lifetime. Happy Valentine’s Day, Dylan. And Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you. We strive to bring you a variety of stories, your stories. I hope you enjoy this latest issue.

ORLANDO OFFICE Creative Designer: Dylan Todd • Ext. 107 Dylan@WatermarkOnline.com Creative Designer: Caitlin Sause • Ext. 104 Caitlin@WatermarkOnline.com

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watermark Your LGBTQ+ News Source. FEBRUARY 15 - 28 , 2024 // ISSUE 31.0 4 WAT E R M A R KONLINE .COM

BIANCA GOOLSBY

MBA is a digital strategist and activist who partners with mission-driven organizations to increase their impact through innovative and effective online communications. Page 17

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 HOLLY KAPHERR ALEJOS, 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

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CONTENTS of WATERMARK are protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced in whole or part without the permission of the publisher. Unsolicited article submissions will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Although WATERMARK is supported by many fine advertisers, we cannot accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers. Publication of the name or photograph of any person or organization in articles, advertising or listing in WATERMARK is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual orientation or gender identity of such persons or members of such organizations. WATERMARK is published every second Thursday. Subscription rate is $55 (1st class) and $26 (standard mail). The official views of WATERMARK are expressed only in editorials. Opinions offered in signed columns, letters and articles are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the newspaper’s owner or management. We reserve the right to edit or reject any material submitted for publication. WATERMARK is not responsible for damages due to typographical errors, except for the cost of replacing ads created by WATERMARK that have such errors.

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central florida news

LOVE IS LOVE PRIDE FEST RETURNS TO DELAND Bellanee Plaza

ELAND, FLA. | The annual Love is Love Pride Fest is heading to DeLand on Feb. 17 from 2 p.m.-9 p.m. in the Artisan Alley and Cafe DaVinci. There will be performances by the Athens Theatre Youth Academy, the Orlando Gay Chorus, a family-friendly Fairy Tales Drag Show and several Drag Story Times throughout the day. Over 60 vendors will be present at the Pride Marketplace. Heather McLean, executive director of Deland Pride, says she is proud that Deland Pride started out as just a block party and has grown into the large, celebrated festival it is today. “Our mission is to create a safe place and be a voice for the voiceless within the LGBTQ community,” McLean says. “However, we really put value on the fact that we can’t create that safe space unless we really become an integral part of the community at large.” McLean says this is the first year that food vendors will be at the festival. She says Deland Pride has noticed a steady increase in people attending the festival. Last year, over a thousand people attended. “We are just at capacity in shutting down vendor registration,” McLean says. “We’ve also seen just a bigger variety of vendors and community organizations that are taking part in the event.” Last year, McLean says the Drag Story Times were incredibly popular and that’s why they were invited back. For the Fairy Tales Drag Show, the performers get to pick a fairy tale theme and perform accordingly. Artisan Alley will host the Fairy Tales Drag Show, which will start at 2:30 p.m. with Drag Story Time taking place at Artisan Alley as well at 3:30, 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. The Orlando Gay Chorus will go on at 5 p.m. An after-party, starting at 9 p.m., will be hosted by Cafe DaVinci and feature live music with Sugar Vibe Band. Prior to Sugar Vibe taking the stage, Cafe DaVinci will host the Colors of the Rainbow Show at 4 p.m. and its Feature Show at 6 p.m. Events at Cafe DaVinci are 18 and up while all events at Artisan Alley are for all ages. McLean says that Deland Pride aims to celebrate pride year-round. She says the advocacy committee does certain activities all year for outreach in the local community. “The thing that I love most about our organization is just the fact that we are in tune with what’s happening in our community, our actual geographical community,” McLean says. “I think just the fact that we’ve been growing and consistently doing all these activities throughout the year made our pride festival get on the map more.” For more information on DeLand Pride and all of its events, go to DeLandPride.org.

COFFEE TALK: Violet Maldonado (center) is the founder of Ferocity Coffee and creator of the “Gala of Ghouls” events. PHOTO COURTESY OF MALDONADO

Gala of Ghouls Ferocity Coffee to host event celebrating trans, queer voices Connor Barry

RLANDO | Ferocity Coffee will be hosting its second installment of “Gala of Ghouls,” an LGBTQ+ event at The Veranda in Thornton Park on Feb. 23, starting at 7 p.m. The event is intended to foster a sense of community and help build a safe space for trans people and other LGBTQ+ folks in Orlando, says Ferocity founder Violet Maldonado. There will be a variety of entertainment, featuring a mixer, drag, burlesque and fire performances, along with other surprises. Outside of performances, there will also be plenty of food, drinks and music, says Maldonado, as well as a handful of photo ops and vendors offering merch, including exclusives from local designers. Tickets to the event are available on the Gala of Ghouls website at $14 for a single-entry pass, $24 for entry with one guest and $44 for entry with three guests. Each pass includes access to two shows,

vendors, optional participation in the mixer and a free photo op. A sequel to the last Gala of Ghouls event that took place during the Halloween season, this event is Ferocity’s take on Valentines Day, says Maldonado, who got the idea to start organizing LGBTQ+ parties when she lost her job about a year ago. Like many trans people, Maldonado did not have a traditional support system to help her through this time. As a result, she started sharing her story online with the community of people she met at her former job working for a large coffee company in downtown Orlando. Doing so opened her up to support from a large online community that she was not aware of. “Community morale and sense of empowerment was so low and with everything that has been going on it created a lot of difficulty for everybody,” Maldonado says. “My mission is to address that sense of loneliness, so they have a place to belong.” Putting on these events has helped Maldonado to build her own

growing queer community as well as one for everyone to be a part of. “I saw a very big impact to my visibility when I worked in a very public space as a queer person,” Maldonado says. Building this community is what Maldonado hopes will help others experience that same visibility and courage to be who they are. Ferocity, which was launched last year by Maldonado, offers services such as program development, training and marketing/branding when it comes to creating “your dream coffee shop.” You can also sign up at Ferocity’s website for exclusive coffee recipes, event information, doorstep delivery and more. “Our goal is to build the most diverse community of coffee lovers around the world and use coffee to empower them to create positive change and #befierce!,” the Ferocity website states. Maldonado says that the overarching goal of Ferocity and the events it organizes is to continue growing the community and highlight queer and trans performers. “The energy of Ferocity itself is kind of fighting against all the things that try to push you down and trying to embrace who you are.” Gala of Ghouls will be at The Veranda in Thornton Park Feb. 23. For more information on the event and to learn more about Ferocity Coffee, visit FerocityCoffee.com.

watermark Your LGBTQ+ News Source. FEBRUARY 15 - 28 , 2024 // ISSUE 31.0 4 WAT E R M A R KONLINE .COM

tampa bay news

GAY MAN FATALLY SHOT IN TAMPA, NO ARREST MADE Ryan Williams-Jent

T MOVING FORWARD: Paul

Raker was elected president of OUT Arts & Culture Feb. 7. PHOTO COURTESY PAUL RAKER

Next Phase LGBTQ Resource Center becomes OUT Arts & Culture Ryan Williams-Jent

ULFPORT, FLA. | OUT Arts & Culture, formerly the LGBTQ Resource Center, officially rebranded and elected its new president Feb. 7 during the nonprofit’s annual meeting. The organization launched in 2015 as a project of the Circle of Friends of the Gulfport Public Library. It began operating as an independent nonprofit in 2019, hosting LGBTQ+-focused events in and outside of the library. These initiatives have included ReadOUT, which returns for its seventh annual festival of LGBTQ+ literature Feb. 16-18. It will examine book bans and more. The two organizations formally announced their “collaborative transition” in a joint press release Feb. 9. “The Gulfport Library has been an incredible partner in our journey and we are grateful for the support and collaboration that have defined our time together,” said Susan Gore, who now serves as OUT Arts & Culture’s past

president. “As we ... embrace a new era of growth, we do so with deep appreciation for the foundation built alongside the library.” “We are immensely proud of the Gulfport LGBTQ Resource Center’s achievements and its positive impact on our community and we are glad we are a part of that impact,” added Gulfport Public Library Director David Mather. “This amicable parting allows both organizations to continue their missions with even greater focus and effectiveness.” OUT Arts & Culture will educate, celebrate and inspire all who value a deeper understanding of those who are LGBTQ+. They’ll do so in a new Gulfport facility “through inclusive onsite and online programs that reflect art, literature and dialogue on LGBTQ+ themes.” Its board will be led by newly elected President Paul Raker. He follows the four-year term of Gore, who says the nonprofit “is incredibly fortunate that Paul has chosen to lead the organization into its next phase.” Raker has nearly two decades of nonprofit experience and

also serves as Vice President for Operations and Communications of the health-focused OUT Foundation, a national organization. He previously worked as the executive director of the YMCA of Southwest Florida, serving as chair of the LGBTQ+ National Steering Committee for YMCA employees and more. “Joining OUT Arts & Culture as its board president gives me the opportunity to serve a community that I feel is an integral part of my identity, the LGBTQ+ community, and to do it where I live, work and play — Gulfport, St. Pete and Pinellas County,” Raker says. ReadOUT will mark his first event as president and he says he’s excited to welcome over 50 LGBTQ+ authors to Gulfport for onsite and livestreamed presentations. “At a time when the arts, literature and humanities are a target as part of an all-out assault on the LGBTQ+ community from political corners of our state, it’s important now, more than ever, that we fight to create a more just and equitable world for the LGBTQ+ community,” he notes. “I am honored to lead the only nonprofit in Pinellas County that is focused explicitly on LGBTQ+ arts and culture.”

Learn more about ReadOUT 2024 at ReadOUT. LGBTQGulfport.org. For more information about OUT Arts and Culture, visit Facebook. com/LGBTQResourceCenter.Gulfport.

AMPA | The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Feb. 6 that a death investigation was conducted Feb. 2 after the fatal shooting of John Walter Lay, a 52-year-old gay man murdered in the Egypt Lake-Leto area’s West Dog Park. Deputies investigated the matter just before 8 a.m., identifying both Lay and his shooter, 65-year-old Gerald Declan Radford. No arrest was made and there were no impending charges filed, HCSO’s press release noted, adding that “there is no danger to the public.” According to the Tampa Bay Times, which spoke with some of Lay’s friends and family, Radford “had been harassing him at the park for months, hurling homophobic slurs and threatening him.” The outlet obtained a video in which he chronicled one such incident on Feb. 1. “So this morning while I’m walking — and we’re the only two here — he comes up to me and screams at me, ‘You’re going to die, you’re going to die,’ and I asked him to just leave me alone, and so far he has,” Lay says in the recording. The Times reached out to Radford who advised via text message that the shooting was self-defense. “I was attacked. I defended myself. End of story,” he told them. The outlet obtained Lay’s death certificate and reported he was shot with a semi-automatic handgun. Following his death, Lay’s sister Sabrena Lay Hughes publicly shared that her brother had been murdered via social media. “My brother John Walter Lay was murdered yesterday,” she wrote Feb. 3. “He was shot and killed by someone … that had been harassing him for months and found Johnny alone at the West Dog Park and killed him, claiming self-defense with no witnesses (convenient for the liar).” Hughes was among those interviewed by the Times. She said she wasn’t sure if Lay was targeted because of his sexuality, but Will Meyer — described as his best friend — told reporters he was verbally harassed for it. Meyer said that Lay and Radford were initially friendly toward one another during dog park visits but that changed during COVID-19. That’s when “Radford found out about Lay’s politics and that he was openly gay,” the Times reported, and “Radford began to target Lay, calling him slurs when he was walking in the park.” Watermark reached out to HCSO’s Public Information Office Feb. 9, which noted “at this time no arrests have been made and there are not any criminal charges.” Media Relations Manager Jessica Lang added that the “investigation will be handed over to the State Attorney’s Office” at its conclusion, which will decide if criminal charges should be filed.

watermark Your LGBTQ+ News Source. FEBRUARY 15 - 28 , 2024 // ISSUE 31.0 4 WAT E R M A R KONLINE .COM

state news

DESANTIS-BACKED FLAG BILL STALLS IN SENATE Jeremy Williams

bill that looked to prohibit flying flags at public buildings that represent a “political viewpoint” stalled in a state Senate committee hours after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis expressed support for it. Senate Bill 1120, titled “Display of Flags by Governmental Entities” and introduced by Republican state Sen. Jonathan Martin, would prohibit “certain governmental entities from erecting or displaying certain flags; requiring the governmental entity to remain neutral in certain circumstances; providing applicability; authorizing a current or retired member of the United States Armed Forces or the National Guard to use reasonable force to prevent the desecration, destruction, or removal of the United States flag or to replace such flag to a position of prominence, etc.” Opponents of the bill have stated that the legislation is meant to ban the LGBTQ+ Pride flag from public buildings and schools, with many critics calling it the “Don’t Display Gay” bill. Speaking with reporters Feb. 6, DeSantis seemingly backed the legislation saying “If you take a position that, we’re going to fly the American flag and the state of Florida flag, and that’s it, it’s not targeting anybody. It’s basically saying that we’re not going to get into this business of doing this. So I think that’s totally fine.” Later that day, the Senate Governmental Oversight Committee heard public comment on the bill with most speakers opposing the bill. During the committee meeting, Martin asked discussion on the bill to be postponed, essentially squashing the bill’s chances of passing. Equality Florida, the state’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights group, called the bill’s postponement “a significant victory.” “During the committee hearing, the primary supporter of the bill, John Labriola of the Christian Family Coalition, unabashedly revealed its true intentions by likening LGBTQ Floridians to demons and perpetuating hateful stereotypes,” Equality Florida stated. “This bill was clearly designed to slander an entire community with baseless and malicious lies.” House Bill 901, a related bill in the state House, is currently in the State Affairs Committee and would need approval before going before the full House. HB 901 and SB 1120 are among several anti-LGBTQ+ bills being discussed in the Florida Legislature this session. HB 1639, the “Transgender Erasure Bill”; HB 599 and SB 1382, the “Don’t Say Gay or Trans at Work”; and HB 1425 and SB 1352, the “Juvenile Justice Package” are several bills being watched by LGBTQ+ activists. You can read more about these bills at EQFL.org.

TRANSGENDER FLORIDIANS AND ALLIES PROTEST AT DMV LOCATIONS STATEWIDE Bellanee Plaza

RLANDO | Transgender Floridians and allies staged die-in protests at DMV locations across the state Feb. 9 demanding a reversal of the January memo issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Deputy Executive Director Robert Kynoch. The memo targeted transgender people and their ability to update the gender marker on a replacement driver’s license or state ID card. Those who attempt to indicate a gender that differs from their sex assigned at birth when obtaining a new or replacement document could be subject to criminal and civil penalties. Protests took place in Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, Tallahassee and Gainesville. They

are being led by directly impacted communities and advocates. Joseph Knoll, founder of SPEKTRUM Health, attended the Orlando die-in as an ally to the trans community and as a key leader in making sure the protest went accordingly. “More and more people see their friends and family and find out that they’re transgender and see the harm and consequences that they’re facing, people are waking up,” Knoll says. “They’re not okay with it. We need to take care of each other, that’s the strongest message.” Protestors at the University Blvd. DMV in Orlando were denied access into the building, leading to the die-in to be done outside of the DMV. Protestors held their die-ins for a symbolic 37 minutes, representing the percentage of Floridians who were verbally harassed, denied benefits or

service, asked to leave or assaulted when showing an ID with a name or gender that did not match their gender presentation. Lana Dunn, a transgender activist, says she is frustrated because she just changed her name and went through the legal process of the change. “I had to go through notaries, I had to go through court and I had to jump through absolute hoops to make that happen,” Dunn says. “Only to get to this juncture and be shut down on changing my gender marker to reflect who I really am. That’s deeply insulting and offensive.” The goal of the protest was to urge allies across the state and country to send virtual messages to federal law enforcement and the White House asking them to intervene. The virtual action has generated over 650 emails to the Department of Justice and the White House, as of Feb. 7.

The new law bans the use of taxpayer money to fund programs that promote “differential or preferential treatment of individuals, or classifies such individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation.” It also forbids instruction of theories that “systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political, and economic inequities.” The state Board of Education adopted a similar policy last week for the 28 smaller Florida colleges, and both boards opted to replace sociology as a core requirement in favor of a U.S. history class, another education priority of conservatives. “It is not being cut. If there’s a demand for sociology, that demand will be met,” said Board of Governors member Tim Cerio.

“It’s just being removed as a core requirement.” A state Education Department news release called the sociology change an effort to provide “an accurate and factual account of the nation’s past, rather than exposing them to radical woke ideologies.” The law blocks public universities from diverting state or federal funds toward programs or campus activities that advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion or promote political or social activism. DeSantis, who signed the DEI law before embarking on his suspended run for president, said last May that DEI programs promote a liberal “orthodoxy” on campus. “This has basically been used as a veneer to impose an ideological agenda, and that is wrong,” the governor said.

FL BOARD BANS USE OF STATE, FEDERAL DOLLARS FOR DEI PROGRAMS AT STATE UNIVERSITIES Wire Report

ALLAHASSEE, FLA. | The board that oversees Florida’s 12 public universities voted Jan. 24 to ban using state or federal dollars for diversity programs or activities, aligning with a law signed last spring by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. The state Board of Governors approved the regulation in a voice vote. The DeSantis-backed law is part of a broader Republican push nationwide to target diversity, equity and inclusion programs in higher education. It also prohibits tax money from being used to fund “political or social activism,” although student fees can pay for that. “It was said we were banning student organizations, and that’s not a fair statement,” said board vice chair Alan Levine.

watermark Your LGBTQ+ News Source. FEBRUARY 15 - 28 , 2024 // ISSUE 31.0 4 WAT E R M A R KONLINE .COM

nation+world news

TRANS RIGHTS LEADERS PLAYING ‘DEFENSE’ Wire Report

OR decades, LGBTQ+ activism in the U.S. was one of advances, often slow-paced and hard-fought but inexorably moving forward. Now, faced with unprecedented attacks in state legislatures, transgender rights leaders acknowledge they are playing defense — and two of the biggest groups are joining forces to counter the onslaught. “This is going to be a defense game — and a movement-strengthening game,” said Andy Marra, executive director of the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund. “We have witnessed a sophisticated, well-coordinated and highly resourced effort to dismantle the years of progress that our movement has made.” The essence of the attack: Scores of bills enacted in Republican-governed states targeting transgender people. Many of laws ban gender-affirming medical care for trans minors or bar trans athletes from competing on sports teams. With a new wave of anti-trans measures already introduced this year, the TLDEF and the National Center for Transgender Equality announced in January that they plan to merge this summer. The

new organization will be called Advocates for Trans Equality; Marra will be its CEO, while its executive director will be Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, who now holds that title with the NCTE. Marra said a key moment in deciding to consider the merger came in 2022. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Gov. Greg Abbott, both Republicans, directed state child protection workers to investigate families of trans children for what Abbott termed “abusive gender-transitioning services.” Unlike some mergers, this one is not aimed at cost-cutting or consolidation, according to Heng-Lehtinen. He said current staff from each organization will be retained, and the new organization will likely have a staff of about 50 by the end of the year, working out of offices in New York and Washington as well as remotely. For Marra and Heng-Lehtinen — and their allies in other LGBTQ+ rights organizations — it’s crucial to keep litigating, state by state, against the anti-trans laws. While some of the measures have taken effect, others have been blocked by federal judges, including some appointed by Republican presidents. Another priority is to engage in political campaigns. “We need pro-trans elected officials

winning their races and defeating candidates who are attacking trans people only to score political points,” said Heng-Lehtinen. He depicted the anti-trans vitriol as a backlash to the broader gains made by the LGBTQ+-rights movement in recent decades. “Anti-LGBT groups are shaking in their boots,” he said. “We’ve made a lot of progress, and that’s why they’re fighting so hard.” The cumulative impact of the anti-trans laws has been tangible, according to surveys finding that many trans people have considered moving to another city or state that would be more accepting. Several new organizations have emerged in the past few years offering emergency funding to individuals and families affected by anti-trans legislation, either to relocate or to obtain medical care or services outside their home state. Marra, who has been active in the LGBTQ+ rights movement for 20 years, says she remains optimistic in the face of current setbacks. “This year, we have an opportunity to bring the next generation of voters along in the next chapter of the fight for equality in this country,” she said. “We need to be engaging everyday folks across the country, sharing our stories.”

On Feb. 5 a court in Saratov handed a 1,500-ruble (roughly $16) fine to artist and photographer Inna Mosina over several Instagram posts depicting rainbow flags. The case contained the full text of the Supreme Court ruling, which named a rainbow flag the “international” symbol of the LGBTQ+ “movement.” Mosina and her defense team maintained her innocence and said the posts were published before the ruling, at a time when rainbow flags were not regarded by authorities as extremist, and her lawyer argued that a police report about her alleged wrongdoing was filed before the ruling took force. The court ordered her to pay the fines.

The week prior, a court in Nizhny Novgorod ordered Anastasia Yershova to serve five days in jail for wearing rainbow-colored earrings in public. In Volgograd, a court fined a man 1,000 rubles (about $11) for posting a rainbow flag online. The crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights in President Vladmir Putin’s Russia has persisted for more than a decade. After sending troops into Ukraine in 2022, the Kremlin ramped up a campaign against what it called the West’s “degrading” influence, in what rights advocates saw as an attempt to legitimize the war.

RUSSIANS PENALIZED FOR LGBTQ+ ‘MOVEMENT’ Wire Report

HE first publicly known cases have emerged of Russian authorities penalizing people under a court ruling that outlawed LGBTQ+ activism as extremism, Russian media and rights groups have reported, with at least three people who displayed rainbow-colored items receiving jail time or fines. Russian laws prohibit public displays of symbols of extremist organizations, and LGBTQ+ rights advocates have warned that those displaying rainbow-colored flags or other items might be targeted by the authorities.

IN OTHER NEWS OHIO REVISES PROPOSED ANTI-TRANS RESTRICTIONS Ohio officials on Feb. 7 backed off plans to impose rules that advocates feared would have restricted gender-affirming medical treatment for adults in a way no other state has. The rules proposed would have required psychiatrists, endocrinologists and medical ethicists to have roles in creating gender-affirming care plans. The revised proposals were issued after gathering public comment and will now advance to the next step of review before being implemented. The LGBTQ+ advocacy organization Equality Ohio called the changes “a massive relief to thousands of transgender people receiving care in Ohio.”

TENNESSEE TO PAY $500K OVER ANTI-DRAG ORDINANCE A Tennessee city must pay $500,000 as part of a settlement with the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups over an ordinance designed to ban drag performances on public property, attorneys announced Feb. 7. Last year, the Tennessee Equality Project filed a federal lawsuit after Murfreesboro leaders announced they would no longer be approving any event permit requests submitted by the organization. Officials alleged that the drag performances that took place during TEP’s 2022 Pride event resulted in the “illegal sexualization of kids.” “The government has no right to censor LGBTQ+ people and expression,” said attorneys for the ACLU.

13 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR HOMOSEXUALITY IN YEMEN A court in Yemen has reportedly sentenced 13 people to death who were charged with homosexuality. Local outlets reported the court in Ibb Governorate, which Iran-backed Houthi rebels control, announced the sentences Feb. 4. The State Department’s 2022 human rights report notes Yemeni law criminalizes consensual same-sex sexual relations, “with the death penalty as a sanction under the country’s interpretation of Islamic law.” The report also indicated there were “no known executions of LGBTQI+ persons in recent years.”

KILLERS OF TRANS TEEN SENTENCED IN LONDON Two 16-year-old convicted murderers of a transgender teenager in northwest England nearly a year ago were handed life sentences Feb. 2 with minimum prison terms of 20 and 22 years. Justice Amanda Yip lifted the reporting restrictions on naming the killers of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey. They were identified at Manchester Crown Court as Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe. “You will only be released, if in the future, it is decided you no longer present a danger,” the judge said. “You both took part in a brutal and planned murder, which was sadistic in nature, and a secondary motivation was hostility to Brianna, because of her transgender identity.”

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Bianca Goolsby

UNAPOLOGETICALLY ME From Pain to Purpose

IFE IS A JOURNEY FILLED with peaks and valleys, triumphs and tribulations.

Along this journey, we encounter moments of pain that can shake us to our core. However, it is often through these moments of adversity that we discover our true purpose and learn to embrace ourselves unapologetically. For the past few months, I was clinically depressed. I lacked the motivation and drive to do anything. Simple tasks felt overwhelming, and I found myself withdrawing from friends and family. It was a dark and lonely period but with the guidance of therapy, introspection and the support of my village, I embarked on a journey of gradual healing and rediscovering my sense of purpose. While each person’s journey is unique, there are foundational truths that can illuminate the path to inner peace and fulfillment. One of the fundamental truths towards finding peace in life is accepting the reality of your situation. Whether it’s a setback, a loss or a challenge, accepting what is beyond your control is the first step towards moving forward. It’s important to recognize that acceptance isn’t synonymous with surrender or defeat. Instead, it involves acknowledging the truth of your circumstances and directing your focus towards what you can change. When we resist reality or cling to the past, we create unnecessary suffering for ourselves. Personally, I grappled with releasing relationships that had deeply impacted my life. Embracing the reality of letting go was a challenging but necessary step in my journey toward healing. I am grateful for the peace that accompanies the release of things that no longer serve me. It’s common to become overly critical of ourselves, scrutinizing our actions and blaming ourselves for our predicaments. However, nurturing self-compassion is essential for maintaining peace and fulfillment in the face of adversity. It requires extending to ourselves the same empathy and understanding we readily offer a friend confronting similar challenges. Self-compassion became a cornerstone of my recovery once I actively chose to approach myself with gentleness and empathy. I reminded myself that depression is a medical condition, not a personal failing, and that I deserved love and support just as much as

anyone else. And so do you! You are worthy of love and support, so remember to extend kindness to yourself. During the darkest moments of my depression, mindfulness served as my lifeline. Through committed meditation and mindfulness practices, I cultivated the skill to impartially observe my thoughts and emotions, allowing them to surface and fade away like passing clouds. This newfound presence liberated me from the grasp of negative thought patterns that had plagued me for so long. At times, the inner critic would emerge, seeking to derail my focus. Mindfulness provided a tool to discern the validity of its assertions. More often than not, I discovered that the inner critic’s voice lacked truth and served as a mere distraction. Whether engaging in meditation, deep breathing exercises, or simply pausing to observe one’s surroundings, integrating mindfulness into daily routines can promote greater equilibrium and harmony. Cultivate a mindset of gratitude by acknowledging the blessings in your life, no matter how small. Gratitude has the power to shift your perspective from focusing on what you lack to appreciating what you have. Take time each day to reflect on the things you are thankful for, whether it’s the support of loved ones, the beauty of nature, or simply the gift of being alive. By counting your blessings, you can cultivate a deeper sense of joy and abundance in your life. The support and connection with others also played a pivotal role in my path towards healing. Sharing my struggles with friends and family provided me with a sense of belonging and reassurance that I was not alone in my journey. I am immensely grateful and blessed for my village. Their encouragement, motivation, and prayers continue to uplift me, giving me the strength to persevere through difficult times.

Surround yourself with a supportive village composed of friends, family, and community members who uplift and inspire you. Life’s challenges are not meant to be navigated alone. Seek support from others when you need it and reciprocate that support in kind.

leaving a lasting legacy of positivity and impact. Finally, prioritize your physical, mental, and emotional well-being by practicing self-care regularly. This could include exercise, engaging in hobbies or simply taking time for yourself to rest and recharge. Remember,

myself unapologetically, recognizing my flaws and imperfections as essential elements of my journey towards wholeness. Despite the uncertainty of the path ahead, I walk it with courage, resilience, and a renewed sense of purpose. By embracing acceptance,

You can also reflect on your passions, values and strengths, and consider how you can use them to make a positive impact in the world. Whether it’s through pursuing a meaningful career, volunteering in your community, or simply being there for others in need, discovering your purpose can give your life greater depth and meaning. Let your purpose guide you towards fulfilling your potential and

taking care of yourself is not selfish; it’s essential for maintaining peace and balance in your life. As I reflect on my journey from pain to purpose, I am filled with gratitude for the lessons I have learned and the growth I have experienced. While depression will always be a part of my story, it no longer defines me. I’m thankful that I no longer have to take antidepressants to function in life. I embrace

practicing self-compassion, cultivating mindfulness, counting your blessings, seeking support, discovering your purpose, and prioritizing self-care, you can navigate life’s challenges transforming pain into purpose along the way. I love you!

You are worthy of love and support, so remember to extend kindness to yourself.

Bianca Goolsby, MBA is a digital strategist and activist who partners with mission-driven organizations to increase their impact through innovative and effective online communications.

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viewpoint

Michael Wanzie

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF WANZIE Remembering Chita Rivera

EMEMBERING OUR

beloved Chita Rivera brings back so many wonderful memories.

Not only memories of the inimitable “triple threat” and seemingly ageless performing legend herself, but of my early introduction to Broadway and my resulting theater-inspired life journey, which in later years would culminate in a significant personal interaction between the two of us. I had just turned 17 in 1974 and I knew I was about to drop out of high school to run away to Florida. Since at that time I had never seen a Broadway show, despite my having always lived only 90 miles or so from Manhattan, I convinced two of my favorite teachers and drama club advisors to allow me to organize a field trip to see Glynis Johns and Harmonie Gingold in “A Little Night Music.” The show was absolutely mesmerizing in far too many ways to recount here, but that rather lavish production had wet what would eventually become my insatiable appetite for musical theater, and I couldn’t wait for the next course. So much so that just months after escaping to Orlando, I flew back to NYC — without my father’s knowledge — to see my second Broadway musical which was “Pippin,” staring John Rubenstein, Irene Ryan and Ben Vereen. While those first two brushes with the then rather gritty — and admittedly dangerous — “Great White Way” were certainly sensational, it wasn’t until seeing Chita Rivera and Gwen Verdon the following year in the original production of “Chicago” that made me realize musical theater could be all about the star-quality performances more than any other single element of this highly collaborative art form. The single-set structure on which “Chicago” was staged didn’t really change much during the show and while there is no discounting the wonderful music and lyrics of Kander and Ebb, or the sensational Bob Fosse choreography, it was so clearly obvious that the absolute “wow factor” of this particular production was generated by the jaw-dropping execution of that choreography and

the raspy vocal dexterity of the delivery of those songs by the show’s two female leads. Chita was also a multi-year celebrity narrator of Disney’s Candlelight Possessional which I was also fortunate enough to witness on multiple occasions. While it was typical for most narrators to stand in silence during the musical portions of that presentation, Chita would unabashedly sing out in full force along with the massed choir and Voices of Liberty. This came off as completely acceptable because it was not so much that she was “performing” but rather that she was respectfully caught-up in the stirring emotion of the proceedings and simply couldn’t help but join in. Never in my life would I have ever imagined a time when I would personally engage with Chita Rivera but that did indeed happen. I was both fortunate and honored to work with the team who brought “From Broadway With Love: A Benefit Concert For Orlando” to the stage of the Walt Disney Theater just a few weeks after the tragic 2016 Pulse shooting. Chita was but one of more than 20 Broadway stars who donated their time and talents to this effort, but she was certainly the most pedigreed and most legendary member of the cast. And yet, she could not have been more giving, more gracious or more down to earth. During rehearsal, I was seated dead center in an otherwise empty row situated directly behind the director’s table. Chita had just arrived and while waiting her turn to rehearse she just happened to sit down at the end of my row. Justin Sargent was just taking the stage to rehearse “Don’t Stop Believin’” from “Rock of Ages.” Midway through his number I noticed Chita had gotten up and stepped into the aisle. While literally beaming up at Justin she began to totally rock-out and danced to the remainder of the number. When Justin concluded his first pass at the song there was some discussion between

he and musical director, Seth Rudetsky, as to whether or not the tempo had been to his liking. During that conversation Chita made her way down the row and plopped down next to me. I was “I need-to-be-pinched” astonished as she very politely excused herself for the interruption, but confessed to me that she had no idea who

hurried back down the row and into the aisle where she then proceeded to again dance throughout the entire, faster version of the rock song. She was 83 years old at the time! Immediately after completing that impromptu dance, Chita was called to the stage to rehearse her own number – “All That Jazz” – which she accomplished

Like most everyone else who loves musical theater, I was devastated by the loss of Chita Rivera, who managed to remain relevant, engaged and active right up into her 91st year of a life so exquisitely well lived. But it does not escape me how fortunate I have been to see Chita Rivera perform live — multiple times — and how blessed

she had just seen perform. When I told her it was Justin Sargent she enthusiastically proclaimed her belief that he was destined to become a major Broadway star. About that time, Justin began his second performance of the song. Chita, blurted out, “Oh, he’s doing it again!” and without excusing herself she

in one take, flawlessly, and without need of a breather following her rather animated aisle dance. I was amazed when Chita showed up at the official after party at The Abbey where she graciously met and spoke with those directly affected by the Pulse tragedy, gave out autographs and posed for pictures.

I was to have eventually had a personal interaction with this phenomenal woman who I had so long revered. There is truly a most luminous new star in the heavens, and I am quite sure she is still dancing.

Never in my life would I have ever imagined a time when I would personally engage with Chita Rivera but that did indeed happen.

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

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talking points [I want to thank] everyone that’s standing on this stage right now: Tom, Tyler, Michael and Greg. Our teams, my team, Crush, Columbia, my mommy, my sister, my love, my main gays because look how good I look. —MILEY CYRUS ACCEPTING RECORD OF THE YEAR FOR “FLOWERS” AT THE 66TH GRAMMY AWARDS

PINELLAS

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OMEN WHO ARE MEMBERS OF OR SUPPORT THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY DOMINATED THE 66TH GRAMMY AWARDS FEB. 4, cleaning up in the four top categories of the evening. Taylor Swift, who is a vocal ally for the LGBTQ+ community, won Album of the Year for “Midnights,” her fourth time winning that award, setting a new record. Queer artist Miley Cyrus won her first ever Grammys — two in fact — the big one being for Record of the Year for her hit “Flowers,” bisexual performer Billie Eilish took home Song of the Year for her “Barbie” ballad, “What Was I Made For?” and bisexual singer Victoria Monét took home Best New Artist, which was one of four Grammys she won that night.

DEADLIEST

COUNTY IN

FLORIDA FOR PEDESTRIANS WITH 35% OF ALL

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PEDESTRIANS. ORANGE COUNTY

CAME IN AT 3RD LUKAS GAGE JOINS CAST OF ‘SMILE’ SEQUEL

UKAS GAGE, BEST KNOWN FOR HIS MEMORABLE ROLE IN THE FIRST SEASON OF “THE WHITE LOTUS” and appearing in the upcoming “Roadhouse” remake, will be a part of the cast for “Smile Deluxe,” the sequel to the 2022 hit supernatural horror film “Smile.” Gage joins already announced Kyle Gallner, Naomi Scott and Rosemarie DeWitt. Little is known about the upcoming sequel other than it is schedueld to be released Oct. 18. The original “Smile” was a huge hit for Paramount Pictures earning more than $200 million at the worldwide box office on a $17 million budget.

JUSSIE SMOLLETT ASKS FOR APPEAL TO CONVICTIONS

USSIE SMOLLETT HAS ASKED THE ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT TO INTERVENE IN HIS YEARSLONG LEGAL BATTLE stemming from charges that he staged a racist, homophobic attack against himself in 2019 and lied about it to Chicago police. His petition, filed Feb. 5, asks the state’s highest court to hear the case two months after an appeals court upheld his disorderly conduct convictions and sentence. In 2021, a jury convicted the “Empire” actor on five felony counts of disorderly conduct, a charge that can be filed in Illinois when a person is accused of lying to police. He was sentenced to five months in jail, but was released pending appeal of his conviction and sentence. Smollett has maintained his innocence.

CAROLE BASKIN WANTS RULING REVIEWED

AROLE BASKIN, WHO BECAME A POP CULTURE SENSATION DUE TO NETFLIX’S DOCUSERIES “TIGER KING,” has asked the Florida Supreme Court to review an appellate court’s ruling that said she isn’t protected from a defamation lawsuit brought by Anne McQueen, a former assistant to her missing husband. A provision of the Florida Constitution and the U.S. Constitution conflicts with the appellate court’s ruling, Baskin said in her filing with the Florida Supreme Court. The lawsuit said that Baskin defamed McQueen by posting video diary entries on YouTube and on a website in 2020, claiming McQueen embezzled money from her and her then-husband, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances more than two decades ago.

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Florida v. Books Local authors, bookstores stand with the banned

Tiffany Razzano

EBUT AUTHOR JILLIAN ABBY,

PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD

who published her memoir “Perfectly Queer” in 2023, was excited to share her publishing journey with her son’s classmates at a Hillsborough County middle school during November’s Great American Teach-In last year.

“I wanted to speak about my fifth-grade dream to be an author and how I made that dream come true,” the Tampa-based writer says. Aware of how book bans and challenges have ramped up in Florida schools and across the United States in recent years, as well as the Sunshine State’s so-called “Don’t Say

Gay or Trans” law, which limits how gender and sexuality can be discussed in public school classrooms, Abby decided to include the title of her book on her application to speak to her son’s class. “As a courtesy to the school,” she explains, “only because you know how people are about the ‘gay agenda’ or having

some nefarious plan to sneak LGBTQ+ content into schools. I wanted to be very forthright.” The teacher’s response expressed excitement about having an author in the classroom but she was also very clear: Abby couldn’t share the title of her book during her presentation. She couldn’t even share the book’s topic, which follows her journey of self-discovery as she comes out as a lesbian later in life. “The message back from the teacher was, ‘I’m excited you volunteered. I can’t wait to have you here, but because of state laws, we have to be careful about what is said. We’re kindly requesting you not say the title or what it’s about, and if students do ask what it’s about, you should just say it’s about inclusion,’” she says.

“The book isn’t about inclusion. It’s actually the opposite of that and my fear of coming out for being excluded in so many spaces and I think we’re seeing this still because of these laws,” Abby continues. “The title of my book is not against the law. Saying the word ‘queer’ is not against Florida law … My son has heard ‘gay’ and ‘queer’ used negatively in school and I thought it was important that kids hear it in a neutral light — not even a positive light, a neutral light.” She mulled it over and decided to make the appearance in her son’s classroom despite this, promising to follow the rules laid out by his teacher.

CONTINUED ON PG. 26 | uu |

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QUEER ABBY: Tampa Bay-based author Jillian Abby poses with her debut book “Perfectly Queer: Facing Big Fears, Living Hard Truths and Loving Myself Fully Out of the Closet” at Tombolo Books on Feb. 5. PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD

| uu | Florida v. Books FROM PG.23

“Part of me wanted to say, ‘Fine, go find another volunteer,’ but by doing that, I would have robbed the class of the opportunity to meet, know and love a queer person and to know we exist,” she says. At the end of her session, Abby asked the students if anyone had questions. One girl’s hand quickly went up and she asked the author, “Can we be friends?” “So, I asked the class, ‘Does anybody else want to be friends?’ Every hand in the class went up. I made them all do the chicken dance with me because if we were going to be friends, we had to be weird together,” Abby recalls. “Maybe [LGBTQ+ people] can’t show up as loudly or as openly as we want to, but we can still always show up, which is scary these days.” Times have changed in the schools in just a few years, retired Hillsborough County elementary school teacher and children’s author Rob Sanders says.

When he was still in the classroom, the writer had a tradition: he’d read his latest book to his students on the day of its release. When his book “Pride,” a picture book about Harvey Milk and the origins of the rainbow Pride flag, came out in 2018, he let his school administrators know about his plan to read it to his class. “It was different from any book I’d written before, so I asked some people higher up,” Sanders says. “They said, ‘Why don’t you just inform the parents that you’re going to read it, but not in a big dramatic way?’” The reading was postponed three times after “one parent raised a ruckus,” which resulted in a meeting with district officials — including a deputy superintendent, and his union representative. “That deputy superintendent said, ‘Wait, a second. Not only does she not want her child to read the book, she doesn’t want any child to read the book? Oh no, that can’t be. A parent can make a decision for their child, but they can’t make a decision for all students,’” Sanders

says. “I took great comfort in that. Now, look how things have changed.” “Pride” was tied for the No. 1 most-banned picture book in the U.S. for the 2021-22 school year, alongside “I Am Jazz” and “And Tango Makes Three.” The 2022-23 school year saw an escalation of book bans and censorship in classrooms and school libraries, PEN America reports. There were 1,477 instances of book bans affecting 874 unique titles. These book bans overwhelmingly targeted stories by and about LGBTQ+ people and people of color. During the first half of the school year, over a six-month period, 30% of the titles banned were about race or racism or featured characters of color. Another 26% of those titles featured LGBTQ+ characters and themes. Florida led the charge with more than 1,000 challenges to books, resulting in more than 300 unique titles pulled from shelves across the state’s 67 school districts. This flurry of challenges — most initiated by the self-referred “parental rights”

ST. PETE STAPLE: Co-owner Alsace Walentine outside of Tombolo Books in the LGBTQ+-centric Grand Central District Feb. 5. PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD

group Moms for Liberty — was set into motion by the 2022 passage of House Bill 1467, which requires districts to be transparent about the selection of its instructional materials. Under this law, all school books must be reviewed by a certified media specialist before being allowed in classrooms and school media centers. The state’s systemic book banning has only been bolstered since then by other laws, including Florida’s passage of Florida House Bill 1069, which prohibits sexual content and mentions of gender, pronouns and reproductive health in school library materials. The law, which went into effect last July 1, further built on the environment of fear faced by educators, who could be handed steep fines or jail time if they violate these or other new laws. Meanwhile, book banning continues across the state. In the Florida Panhandle, the Escambia County Public School District removed at least 1,600 books — including dictionaries and “The Guinness Book of World Records” —

from its shelves in January to review whether they comply with state law. On the state’s East Coast, after being pressed by the Moms for Liberty, the School District of Indian River County recently had shorts drawn onto the bare bottom of the main character of “In the Night Kitchen,” a picture book by celebrated author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, best known for his 1963 book “Where the Wild Things Are.” This title has also been historically banned for its depiction of witchcraft and supernatural themes. “In the Night Kitchen,” published in 1970, was named a Caldecott Honor Book. Sanders isn’t shocked by the book-banning movement. “Knowing who runs our state, I’m not surprised because they’re making these culture wars,” he says. “They’re creating culture wars so people will be scared. It’s the agenda to make people frightened to make an ‘us and them’ kind of state and country, rather than a country or state where we appreciate one another. As an educator,

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I thought we were making progress. Progress means taking steps forward instead of trying to turn the blocks back.” Bookstores across Central Florida and Tampa Bay are also responding, a testament to how they’ve always been integral to the communities they serve. These spaces offer so much more than simply selling the written word to shoppers by creating a space to connect people and ideas. “My goal was to be a place of civilized discourse, to be a welcoming space for all kinds of ideas, because it’s about education and being a fun place to work and a great place to come into, a welcoming place with happy people,” Alsace Walentine, co-owner of St. Petersburg’s Tombolo Books says. The storefront opened in 2019 and “is committed to carrying books by emerging and marginalized voices, books in translation, and books from small independent presses; as well as classics and outstanding popular titles,” its website reads. Walentine owns it with her partner Candice Anderson. With so many books pulled from school shelves, Florida booksellers are stepping up and providing access to these challenged titles, taking on an even more vital role in the Sunshine State. While Walentine, who has long been concerned about book banning and censorship, doesn’t automatically equate bookselling with activism, it’s inadvertently happening in the current political climate. “Personally, I see my job and my pursuit in life to do something that matters, not to just make a whole lot of money; that’s not why I have this job,” she explains. “In context, you could compare my work to someone else’s and say it’s more activist than [other jobs] but I’m not here to be an activist. That’s not the main point; but in the context that we’re currently in, how can one not be? I’m not looking for a conflict; I’m looking to sell books and the conflict comes to us.” Joan Hepsworth, owner of The Paperback Exchange in Port Richey, has seen a resurgence of indie bookstores since the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s

LGBTQ+ LAUNCH: Rob Sanders at the 2018 launch of his book “Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag,” which tied for the No. 1 most-banned picture book in the U.S. in the 2021-22 school year. PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT

driven, at least somewhat, by public school book bans. “It’s kind of making my job easy because I sell books and whenever you ban something, some people go above and beyond and seek it out,” she says. “Because so many people are seeking them out, so many bookstores are successful. And I would definitely say there are more diverse types of

Meanwhile, Tallahassee’s LGBTQ+ and feminist Common Ground Books opened in Aug. 2022. Shelf Indulgence, which has a brick-and-mortar location in Sarasota, bought a banned book bus to bring to community events last year. Rohi’s Bakery, with a focus on ensuring historically marginalized communities feel seen and heard, opened in West Palm

had long planned to own a bookstore later in life. “Maybe in my 50s,” she says. “That was my long-term plan. I’m 32 now and I saw everything happening in the schools and decided now was the time. It’s definitely a response to what’s going on. I’m really tired of politicians and Moms for Liberty telling us how to do our jobs and taking

This is my way of pushing back against everything going on and it’s coming at the right time. It’s important to me. I’m giving my finger to the governor without losing my job. And I hope he comes for me. — TAMPA CITY COUNCILWOMAN AND BLACK ENGLISH BOOKSTORE OWNER GWENDOLYN HENDERSON people coming in and looking for books, all kinds of titles, including banned books.” The state has seen a flurry of new bookstores popping up or planning to open their doors in a direct response to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration and censorship in schools. Author Lauren Groff is launching The Lynx, specializing in titles by Florida authors and banned books, later this year in downtown Gainesville. “I love bookstores because I think they, and libraries, are at the forefront of democracy in some very real ways,” she recently told the LA Times.

Beach in 2021. In Kissimmee, queer-owned White Rose Books opened in November as a direct challenge to school book banning in the state and as a nod to a youth resistance group of the same name in 1940s Germany. “With book bans in Florida rising at an unprecedented number, we are honored to borrow this name for our store and carry books that have been banned in school districts throughout the state,” a statement on its website reads. Erin Decker, a librarian for Osceola County Schools until the day the shop launched,

away the rights of students and making libraries not feel safe for everyone.” When she and her business partner Tania Galinanes, also a former school librarian, started talking about potential names for the shop, they briefly considered calling it the Banned Books Bookstore. “But I thought that was a little on the nose; I thought we needed something a little more subtle,” Decker notes. That’s when she recalled the student-led efforts against censorship in Nazi Germany. “I thought, let’s come up with another time in history when

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people were going against what was happening in censorship. I was looking into Nazi book burnings, the whole movement of Nazis going into bookstores and libraries and censoring people,” she says. “That’s when I came across the White Rose movement, which I had read about before. “These students would print fliers about what the Nazis were doing at a time when newspapers were censored and no one was allowed to print the truth,” she continues. “They’d stick them under doors and in mailboxes and deliver them in the dead of night.” The founders were caught and executed by the Nazi party in 1944, but Decker still notes “it’s such an inspiring story, this act of resistance that was happening because of the rights of free speech and press and print being taken away. It’s hard not to think about what’s happening here in Florida today.” While the shop sells a range of titles, there’s a large banned books section that focuses on titles removed from Florida schools, as well as books representing LGBTQ+ and minority voices. In Tampa, Councilwoman Gwendolyn Henderson, who also teaches entrepreneurship for Hillsborough County Public Schools, launched a bookstore dedicated to Black voices at the end of last year. She says that Black English Bookstore, based in Tampa Heights, was needed in the community. “There was a need and an opportunity, especially during this peak period where our state governor and Moms for Liberty have taken it upon themselves to be very organized to ban books that I have decided to liberate,” Henderson notes. “That’s right — liberate.” Though the focus is on elevating Black voices, the shop offers a range of titles, including those by white authors who Henderson calls “white allies.” “They’re invited to the cookout,” she says. “If you’re in this store, you definitely are a supporter of Blackness or Black culture, and you have a level of empathy where you are able to come to the table and share the space with us.” CONTINUED ON PG. 29 | uu |

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MAKING A STATEMENT: Co-owners Tania Galinanes (L) and Erin Decker stand with banned and challenged books at White Rose Books & More in Central Florida Feb. 7. Their storefront opened in October 2023 “to speak out against what is happening in Florida” as they continue “tracking bills that they know will be harmful to students in Florida and to literacy.” PHOTOS L-R BY CONNOR BARRY AND BELLANEE PLAZA

| uu | Florida v. Books FROM PG.27

She’s gotten creative in designing the store and creating various book sections, everything from “I’m Speaking” — a nod to the 2020 vice presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Mike Pence — featuring political viewpoints and opinions of Black women, Bruhs and Books and HBCU. That last one is “the most important section in the store,” Henderson stresses. “It has books all by historically Black college graduates; and I’m one too. I try to curate books to represent our population in a way that another bookstore would not.” “This is my way of pushing back against everything going on and it’s coming at the right time,” the educator notes. “It’s important to me. I’m giving my finger to the governor without losing my job. And I hope he comes for me.” While booksellers are important, there’s more that needs to be done as right-wing groups make concerted efforts to push new book bans in school districts across the state, Matthew Maichuk with the Florida Freedom to Read Project says. He nods to groups like the Moms for Liberty, “who make sure they show up in force” at school board meetings. “They’re always a loud minority,” Maichuk explains. A

favorite tactic of the group is reading sections of books out of context, such as rape scenes, during these meetings in an attempt to press school officials to remove books. “They read this tiny snippet of a book and then that book gets removed and challenged and off the shelves for several weeks or however long it takes to allow it back in after people come to their senses,” Walentine says. “Taking things out of context like that is a

to organize and come out en masse as well. “But these meetings are hard for many parents to attend,” he notes. The Florida Freedom to Read Project galvanizes and educates those who want to protect students’ access to information and books. With chapters in each county, the organization tracks book challenges and bans in every district. By putting banned books front and center, booksellers are an important part of the

Income Constrained, Employed — but above the federal poverty level. Those who fall within this level struggle with the high cost of living and affording basic needs. “If you remove a book from school shelves, they’re not going to Barnes & Noble to buy it,” Maichuk says. “Books need to be accessible to everyone. It’s great that bookstore owners are outraged. There will always be a demographic who will just go out and buy more banned

It’s kind of making my job easy because I sell books and whenever you ban something, some people go above and beyond and seek it out … I would definitely say there are more diverse types of people coming in and looking for books, all kinds of titles, including banned books. — THE PAPERBACK EXCHANGE BOOKSTORE OWNER JOAN HEPSWORTH trick; it’s a nasty trick. If you were to judge a painting, you wouldn’t take a little, tiny square inch and say, ‘I’m gonna make a call here about this piece of work,’ right? It’s ignorant.” Maichuk says the answer is for families and individuals concerned about censorship creeping into Florida schools

anti-censorship movement in the state. “But these bans aren’t meant to impact the people who can afford the books, who can get them in an alternative way,” Maichuk says. In 2021, 32% of Florida households were below the ALICE income level — an acronym for Asset Limited,

books and bookshop owners are rightfully concerned, but not everyone can go to a bookstore.” Public libraries are one answer, but not everyone lives near one. “If you live close to the library and can walk there, great,” the Palm Harbor resident says. “But someone living on the other side of

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Tampa Road might not be able to easily walk to their library or ride a bike.” There’s also the possibility that book bans could move into public libraries. “They aren’t impacted — yet,” Maichuk cautions. “Once they find a way to subject government entities to government speech, they’ll see how far they can go. I know I’m gloom and doom, but post legislative session, there’s a lot coming down the pike. We all need to be aware.” Hepsworth is eager to see how the upcoming election season could affect the direction of book banning and censorship in the state. “What it comes down to is who is in control and who actually gets to decide what books are there in schools and what books are not,” she says. “We are really in a transition here. We need to get good leaders in positions on the school board. With all the people screaming and yelling and threats, it’s difficult. You need to be able and active and on the ball. We need people willing to step up into these roles and we all need to vote.” To learn more about and support these authors and bookstores, visit QueerAbby.com, RobSandersWrites. com, TomboloBooks.com, PaperbackExchangeBookstore.com, WhiteRoseBooksAndMore.com and Facebook.com/BlackEnglishBooks. For more information about the Florida Freedom to Read Project, visit FFTRP.org.

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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love PHOTO BY MATTHEW MURPHY FOR MURPHYMADE

ann stars as B Max Heitm f ‘Moulin R aby Doll ouge! The M way tour o d a usica o r l’ in B

Bellanee Plaza

N A WORLD THAT CELEBRATES

truth, beauty, freedom and above all love, “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” is more than a musical, it is a state of mind filled with glitz and glamor.

Based on the 2001 Baz Luhrman film, “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” opened on Broadway in 2019 with songs heard in the film blended with iconic pop tunes from the past 17 years. The story surrounds a young man who becomes infatuated with a singer at the Moulin Rouge club in Paris 1899.

At the 74th Tony Awards, the musical received a total of 14 nominations and won 10 awards, including Best Musical and Best Choreography. For the North American Tour, Baby Doll is played by openly gay actor Max Heitmann, who just graduated from NYU and makes his Broadway tour debut with this show.

“Moulin Rouge! The Musical” plays to Florida audiences with stops at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, which began Feb. 7 and runs through Feb. 18 before heading to the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando Feb. 20-Mar. 3. Heitmann was kind enough to speak with Watermark by phone ahead of the show’s Central Florida and Tampa Bay stops. WATERMARK: THIS IS YOUR BROADWAY TOUR DEBUT. HOW DOES IT FEEL TO LAND IT WITH “MOULIN ROUGE”?

Max Heitmann: Oh my gosh, it’s literally perfect. I just graduated college last year

and booked this about a month after, so it was a really quick turnaround and I just feel so lucky. I think most of all, there’s such a family among the cast and the show is just so much fun. It’s an honor to be a part of something so big, so beautiful and that celebrates so many people. I’m really honored.

so excited just because we’ve been in the cold now for so long. I can’t wait to step into the Florida sun and get a nice tan. I think at this point you do it so often that it becomes kind of like a routine so I don’t feel as nervous as I do excited to just get there and show off our show. It’s super fun.

You know, I’m excited. I’m super excited to go to Florida. I have a few friends that live in Florida, so that’ll be really exciting to have people to kind of ground you. It can be a little hard out on tour but I’m also

So Baby Doll is a Lady M. We open the show and I think that’s one of the most special

HOW ARE YOU FEELING ABOUT BRINGING THE SHOW TO FLORIDA STAGES?

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YOU PLAY BABY DOLL IN THE SHOW. WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU LOOK FORWARD TO WHEN YOU GET TO PLAY THAT CHARACTER?

CONTINUED ON PG. 33 | uu |

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style. It’s fun to get to sing songs like Beyonce or Rihanna in a show because that’s what I would be doing if I was also at home. I think that’s something that’s special. I personally just love that kind of poppy, jukebox and contemporary style a lot.

| uu | Truth, Beauty, Freedom,

Love

FROM PG.31

moments in the show. Getting to kind of meet the audience right away and get that first perception of what they’re going to be like based on how that first beat drops and how we open with “Lady Marmalade,” which is such an iconic song for the show. We really get to meet them and that’s really exciting; it’s always fun. You can gauge if they’re going to be loud, excited and singing along, or if they’re going to be a little quieter and really tuned into the story. That’s fun to have that initial meeting with them. Baby Doll specifically is really fun because she’s kind of like this youthful naive flower. I like to think that she’s kind of blooming with all the grunge of the Moulin Rouge surrounding her. It’s really interesting to get to play that contrast. I just think I relate to Baby Doll so much. In regard to just taking in and learning everything from these people around me that are so much more experienced. I feel really connected to my role in that way, which is really beautiful. HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU ARE ON STAGE PLAYING HER?

Oh my gosh, it’s just so liberating. I mean to be a gay person and to be able to play a character that makes me feel so sexy and empowered and to stand so fully in my gayness is really liberating and exciting. I think it’s really exciting to be a part of that, and with everybody that I’m in the show with too, everybody’s so empowering and so talented and inspiring. You just feel confident and uplifted by the audience and by your cast. It’s wonderful.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE “MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL” TO THE AVERAGE PERSON?

“Moulin Rouge! The Musical” is a jukebox musical, which essentially means that it uses pop songs, like modern day pop songs that you would hear on the radio. Which is already something that I think really works to get people who maybe aren’t as interested in musical theater specifically involved in the show. It’s fun to hear these songs. The story of “Moulin Rouge” is about the club Moulin Rouge in Paris in the 1890s starting to go under. Our leading

WHAT ARE SOME VALUES THAT YOU WOULD HOPE TO GAIN OUT OF YOUR TIME IN THIS ROLE?

GLAM TO THE MAX: Max Heitmann (R) plays Baby Doll, one of Moulin Rouge’s Lady M dancers, in “Moulin Rouge! The Musical.” PHOTOS BY MATTHEW MURPHY FOR MURPHYMADE

lady, Satine, our sparkling diamond, gets kind of caught up in a love affair whilst trying to get funding for the club and so it’s about the navigation of this love triangle and trying to save this safe space that the dancers of Moulin Rouge have called home. YOU WERE SAYING HOW YOU GRADUATED FROM NYU AND THIS IS YOUR FIRST BIG ROLE. HOW WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOUR BACKGROUND OR EVEN

everybody can do their job and you have to be quick on your feet. You have to be adaptable if things change quickly, because sometimes set pieces won’t come out, or somebody can’t make it to their track because there’s an injury, anything can happen, and you have to be able to adapt. I think that getting the education and the experience that I did really prepared me for that and prepared me to be quick on my feet. It’s something that I’m very grateful that

specific kind of like traditions or our everyday rituals is right before the opening, there’s like a pre-show going on and everybody’s kind of out on stage and the only people backstage are me and my fellow Lady M’s. What’s so beautiful about the Lady M’s is that we’ve created such a sisterhood and it’s such a special group to be a part of. I feel so safe with them and every day before we go on we have a circle up and see where we’re at. We connect with

We open the show and I think that’s one of the most special moments in the show. Getting to kind of meet the audience right away and get that first perception of what they’re going to be like based on how that first beat drops and how we open with ‘Lady Marmalade.’ — MAX HEITMANN YOUR EDUCATION HELPED PREPARE YOU TO LAND IT?

I mean just being in theater for my whole life helped me a lot because jumping right into a show, especially being a replacement, is really hard. There’s already so much going on. Everybody there already knows their tracks and what they’re doing so you have to be able to quickly pick up on where you go backstage, and where everybody goes, because you can’t run into people. You have to keep the tracks clear so that

I was able to go through and to learn from. ARE THERE ACTIVITIES OR MAYBE EVEN TRADITIONS THAT THE CAST LIKES TO DO TO MAKE SURE YOU PUT ON THE BEST SHOW POSSIBLE?

What’s great is that you’re just with these people every day, so you really do become a family. You really protect each other, and I can tell where my friends are at, where my castmates are at and you support them when they need it, and that’s beautiful. I think one of my favorite

each other, support each other and just sit in this feeling of sisterhood. It’s really helpful right before we go and open the show, which can be really intimidating. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE PLAYS, ESPECIALLY SOME THAT YOU WOULD HOPE TO PERFORM IN?

Well I feel really lucky to be in “Moulin Rouge” because I personally am much more inclined to sing contemporary or pop music. I’ve always been really drawn to that kind of

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I’m just learning so much. The biggest thing for me is honestly, how to be an adult working in the adult world, having adult relationships and navigating that. You learn so much from these people because you get so close to them. I think I’m just becoming a better performer by being like this sponge and soaking up everybody else’s experience and knowledge. I feel really lucky and privileged to be in a place with people to do that with.

THE STORY OF “MOULIN ROUGE” IS A CELEBRATION OF TRUTH, BEAUTY, FREEDOM BUT ABOVE ALL IT’S ABOUT LOVE. HOW DO YOU THINK THIS STATEMENT RESONATES WITH YOU, ESPECIALLY THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR CASTMATES ARE PUTTING INTO THIS SHOW?

That’s a great question! I think at the end of the day we all love the show, we love what we’re doing and we love each other. And I mean that so truthfully. I think that’s sometimes hard to find. It’s special that we all just have such a passion and a love for the art that we’re putting out every single night. I think that that’s what fuels us and keeps us going. I mean you can see the love when we’re on stage. That’s something that we get told a lot and that’s my favorite thing to hear is that you can see how much we all love each other and how much we all protect each other. I think that’s really special. “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” plays at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa through Feb. 18 and the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando Feb. 20-Mar. 3. Tickets start at $75 for the Tampa shows and are available at StrazCenter.org and tickets start at $50 for the Orlando shows and are available at DrPhillipsCenter.org.

P hotography in your best light! Fine Art | Portrait | Wedding | Commercial

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THEATER

Fresh Look

Che’Li gives ‘The Chinese Lady’ new life at American Stage

HER STORY:

Che’Li as Afong Moy in American Stage’s “The Chinese Lady.”

PHOTO BY CHAZ D PHOTOGRAPHY.

Ryan Williams-Jent

OR TRANS AND QUEER ARTIST CHE’LI,

leading American Stage’s two-person production of “The Chinese Lady” is a form of drag. The entertainer views acting as “persona work.”

“It really is a matter of putting on masks, faces and personas, of immersing myself in a world while also serving as a refuge and steward for stories and characters,” they explain. “‘The Chinese Lady’ centers the history of Afong Moy, allegedly the first Chinese woman to come to America, and it’s been exhilarating to explore the heightened femininity she was forced to take on as someone who doesn’t identify as a lady.” Moy arrived in New York from China in 1834, a contracted journey with merchants Nathaniel and Frederic Carne. The brothers exploited her to sell goods in a sideshow act dubbed “The Chinese Lady.”

Her story inspired playwright Lloyd Suh’s work of the same name. The play is billed as “a story that reminds us history isn’t always black and white” and was announced last April as a part of American Stage’s 46th season. The company said it was designed to “show the diversity of the human spirit.” That includes through the human rights injustices found in “The Chinese Lady.” “Her feet are bound, her freedom is non-existent; the first Chinese woman to step foot in America was treated as a sideshow act in the darkest parts of the 1800s,” its synopsis reads. “‘The Chinese Lady’ is anything but dark, told with winking

humor and forthrightness. It follows the story of 14-year-old Afong Moy, who was immediately put on display for a paying public once she arrived in New York [in a] beguiling look into this wild journey and the human urge to belong.” The production is led by Director Gregory Keng Strasser, who was drawn to the project as a mixed-race Chinese person who’s experienced “dysphoria with my own identity.” He dedicated the production to the Chinese women in his life who have helped him “see what Chinese is,” something he invites theatergoers to do as well. “She believed she was a cultural ambassador of sorts and sought to build bridges of empathy and kindness between the two nations,” Keng Strasser says of Moy. “In reality, she was trapped and forced to perform Chineseness to help sell her employer’s wares. “‘The Chinese Lady’ provides an opportunity for us to sit in the discomfort of a dark history for the United States,” he continues, “but in the play’s resolution, opens our eyes to the beauty and splendor of hope, audacity and how we live now.” Che’Li leaned on their experience as someone with marginalized identities to play Moy. They note that “being hyper vigilant about surveillance is already very much a part of my everyday experience, unfortunately.” “Coming into a project that very explicitly engages with what it means to be surveilled, to be looked at, to be a spectacle, that was a really big pull for me in the work because the piece is very meta-theatrical,” Che’Li explains. “Afong Moy directly addresses the audience and that creates a really beautiful tension in the play.” The entertainer views Moy as a performer herself, but also a historian and journalist who sought to bring cultures together through exhibition. “Her super objective throughout the whole play is to be that interface and that bridge,” Che’Li says. “I found a lot of solace in how smart she

watermark Your LGBTQ+ News Source. FEBRUARY 15 - 28 , 2024 // ISSUE 31.0 4 WAT E R M A R KONLINE .COM

is and how deeply she wants to apply everything she’s learned in the new world. “She knows that knowledge is not a fixed thing but something to be shared, exchanged and transformed,” they continue. “Approaching it from that lens, especially given the global context and genocide that’s happening all over the world is very much my goal.” Che’Li is joined on stage by actor Jacob Yeh, who plays Moy’s translator Atung. It’s with his assistance that they recount her life throughout the show, from the time she spends in the sideshow to the racially motivated violence Chinese-Americans faced in the 1800s. “It is a really great privilege to embody Afong Moy’s story,” Che’Li says. “Especially as a trans person; I don’t think there has been a trans actor playing Afong Moy before, which does not go over my head.” The entertainer notes that they’ve been able to bring their authentic self to the stage with the full support of the cast and crew. Che’Li specifically cites the solidarity they’ve felt from their “wonderful, wonderful” costar and director. “Getting to work on the regional production of this piece brought me to Florida and I would have never thought I’d be here to do this kind of work,” they say. “I’ve met people who see me, who may not have the same shared identities as me but who understand how important it is for me to be a queer and trans body in this space. That unspoken affinity has meant so much to me.” While “The Chinese Lady” examines Moy’s past, it also urges audiences to consider our future. “Since the pandemic, xenophobia and specifically anti-Asian hate has been increasing,” Che’Li says. “Afong Moy is asking us to be a part of a bigger world, even a world that is not necessarily here yet, which I feel like is representative of a queer futurity and what it means to practice and live into a utopia. “Even in her isolation, she wants to be part of the world,” they add. “I think that desire is an urgent one and a timeless one — it feels like she’s asking us to really look and see what’s going on in the world, to participate in it and to be on the right side of history.” “The Chinese Lady” plays Wednesdays-Sundays through Feb. 25 at American Stage, located at 163 3rd St. N. in St. Petersburg. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit AmericanStage.org.

watermark Your LGBTQ+ News Source. FEBRUARY 15 - 28 , 2024 // ISSUE 31.0 4 WAT E R M A R KONLINE .COM

announcements

TAMPA BAY OUT+ABOUT

CONGRATULATIONS James Cobler has been appointed Director of Group Travel for Friendly Cruises and Tours. Learn more at Linktr.ee/ FriendlyCruisesAndTours. Paul Raker was elected president of OUT Arts & Culture, formerly the LGBTQ Resource Center, on Feb. 7. Read more about the nonprofit’s rebranding and his position on p. 11. PFLAG Safety Harbor celebrated its first year Feb. 10. The organization also partnered with TransNetwork Feb. 11 to host a Trans & Ally picnic, which welcomed an estimated 200 people. For more information about each organization, visit Facebook.com/PFLAGSafetyHarbor and MyTransNetwork.org.

SEEKING SUPPORT The Tampa Bay International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival and supporters met Feb. 6 to discuss the organization’s future. “At this time, TIGLFF’s highest needs are around leadership & support hands for fundraising, outreach & event planning,” TIGLFF Vice President Kayden Rodriguez shared Feb. 12. “If you are interested in assisting and have not already done so, please email Renee at Renee@TIGLFF.com with your interest & capacity to volunteer/help.” Read more at WatermarkOnline.com and TIGLFF.com.

CONDOLENCES Terry H. Bouge died Jan. 28. He will be missed. John Walter Lay was fatally shot Feb. 2 in Tampa.Read more on p. 11.

LOCAL BIRTHDAYS Tampa staple Mark Eary (Feb. 15); Hillsborough County LGBTQ Democratic Caucus Secretary Dave Cutler, Tampa activist Chris Goldsmith, Tampa Bay activist Prin Ocea (Feb. 16); Tampa Bay entertainer Iman, Tampa Bay entertainer Monique Love, Semi Sweet Designs co-owners Mike and Billy Tamplin, Enigma bartender Adam Scott (Feb. 17); Hertz rep Ty Williams; Stonewall Pinellas Democrat Rick Boylan, St. Petersburg artist Jay Hoff (Feb. 19); Watermark husband Wade Williams-Jent, Lighthouse Credit Foundation founder David Crow, Sarasota realtor Michael Grady (Feb. 20); Tampa Bay entertainer Jade Embers, Tampa Bay entertainer LaDiamond Haze (Feb. 21); TIGLFF superstar Renee Cossette, St Pete Pride Treasurer Stanley Solomons, Artist Wilmer E. Vergara Homez, Atlas Body + Home owner Tony Loeffler (Feb. 22); Sunrise Body Revival Chiropractic’s Dr. Travis France, Holiday Visions decorator Sean Reynolds-Steele (Feb. 23); Tampa hairstylist Christopher Nejman, FabStayz Founder Robert Geller, Tampa Bay activist Janice Carney, Cadence Bank Vice President Bob Sanders (Feb. 25); Tampa First Lady Ana Cruz (Feb. 26); Tampa softballer Carlos Lopez, Sarasota marketing manager Mike Marraccini, Tampa massage therapist Eduardo Campos, St. Pete socialite James Brink (Feb. 27); Polk Pride’s Scott Guira, Riceplex Nutritionals President Tomas Carlucci (Feb. 28).

2 3

FEELING THE BEAT: Leann Ellis (L) and Lindsey Burkholder hit the dance floor at Good Night John Boy Feb. 10. PHOTO

BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT

#TEAMSASHA: “RuPaul’s Drag Race” winner Sasha Velour (L) strikes a pose with Jan Flowers Feb. 2 during her tour stop at the Nancy and David Bilheimer Capitol Theatre. PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT

GETTING STARTED: (L-R) No Name, Jake Wyatt, Conundrum and Sky LeMay enjoy Foreplay Friday at Cocktail Feb. 9. PHOTO

FROM COCKTAIL’S FACEBOOK

LIVING LEGEND: Jeremy Skidmore (L) and Jeff Lucas enjoy Willie Nelson’s concert at The Sound Feb. 10. PHOTO

COURTESY JEREMY SKIDMORE

KNIGHT TIME: Tampa City Councilmember Alan Clendenin rides in the Illuminated Knight Parade Feb. 10. PHOTO FROM THE

CITY OF TAMPA’S FACEBOOK

TRANS JOY: PFLAG Safety Harbor, TransNetwork and supporters come together Feb. 11 for the Trans & Ally picnic. PHOTO COURTESY PFLAG SAFETY HARBOR

LOOKING BACK: Ryan Kelly (L) and understudy Topher Larkin settle in for “The Chinese Lady” at American Stage Feb. 9. PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT

SPEAKING UP: (L-R) State Sen. Shevrin Jones, state Rep. Michele Rayner, Don Abram and Kerren Keith Gaynor participate in the 2024 State of the Black Church Symposium Feb. 2. PHOTO FROM

REP. MICHELE RAYNER’S FACEBOOK

watermark Your LGBTQ+ News Source. FEBRUARY 15 - 28 , 2024 // ISSUE 31.0 4 WAT E R M A R KONLINE .COM

announcements

CENTRAL FLORIDA OUT+ABOUT

CONGRATULATIONS Peer Support Space celebrated five years on Feb. 1. Vinnie Silber was hired as The Pride Chamber’s new Director of Membership & Events. The news was announced in a press release Feb. 6. Chris McCullion was selected Feb. 6 as the new Chief Financial Officer of OUC, the 14th largest municipal utility in the nation and the 2nd largest in the state of Florida. Scott Galbraith was named the new interim executive director of the International Orlando Fringe Festival on Feb. 7. Galbraith takes over for Alauna Friskics, who stepped down in January.

BarCodes Orlando celebrates 15 years on March 5.

CLOSURES SPEKTRUM Health announced Feb. 6 that it will be closing its Melbourne office to consolidate health care and advocacy efforts in its Orlando location. SPEKTRUM, one of the largest remaining clinics focused on genderaffirming care, was severely restricted after the anti-trans Senate Bill 254 was signed into law in May 2023.

LOCAL BIRTHDAYS Gary Lambert Salon & Spa co-owner Shawn Hunt (Feb. 15); Central Florida performer Blue Star, Orlando man-about-town Nick Crush, Orlando cover model Diego Larenas (Feb. 16); Downtown Arts District board member Ben Laube, Orlando playwright-actor John Ryan, Disney entertainment guru John Bearse (Feb. 17); Orange County Arts & Cultural Affairs director Terry Olsen, Central Florida performer Evan Fagin (Feb. 18); R.I.S.E. Initiative co-founder and One Orlando Alliance board member Shea Cutliff (Feb. 19); Central Florida culinary artist Steven Galan, Owner of Crabtree Healthy Living Toni Crabtree; Orlando realtor Sam Gallaher, Central Florida funeral director Sam Odom (Feb. 20); Orlando educator John Albritton (Feb. 21); onePULSE Foundation’s Andres Acosta Ardila, Central Florida performer Heather Abood, Roller girl Jessy “Spikey” Wayles, Orlando photographer/videographer Savannah Powell, Orlando-based writer Sarah Kinbar, Entertainment producer and owner of Studio Lot Orlando Beth Wheatley (Feb. 22); Orlando’s singing cowboy cub CiJay Bailey, The Hammered Lamb owner Jason Lambert, Central Florida realtor David Dorman (Feb. 23); Orlando spoken-word activist, artist and photographer Quincy Wilson aka Q Major, Metro City Realty owner Jon Sheehan (Feb. 24); Songbird Megan Monesmith, Geek Easy’s Oral Frier, Orlando graphic designer Lisa Buck, Framing of Central Florida co-owner Mike Van Der Leest (Feb. 25); Central Florida Community Arts founder and executive director Joshua Vickery, Former Come Out With Pride board member Matthew Riha (Feb. 26); A/V technician at The Social/Beacham Peter Smith, Orlando aesthete extraordinaire Jim Cundiff (Feb. 27); Orlando photographer J.D. Casto, Disney Cruise Line’s David Baldree (Feb. 28).

LEADING THE FIGHT: Trans activists outside of the DMV office on University Blvd. in Orlando after staging a die-in protest Feb. 9. PHOTO BY BELLANEE PLAZA

CARNAVAL CHARACTERS: Performers pose for a photo during the Mardi Gras celebration at Universal Studios in Orlando Feb. 3. PHOTO BY BUBBA TRAHAN

BINGO MEAT: Skye Bucket hosts MEAT Bingo at Pom Pom’s Teahouse & Sandwicheria in Orlando Feb. 6. PHOTO BY POM MOONGAUKLANG

MEGA COSPLAY: Neni Freytes goes all out for MegaCon Orlando at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando Feb. 3.

GUNCLE’S DAY OUT: (L-R) Danny, Liam and Kristian celebrate Guncle Day with a trip to Universal Resort in Orlando Jan. 20.

PHOTO FROM DANNY GARCIA

LOVE & HEALTH: The cast and crew from Pineapple Healthcare’s Love Out Loud Brunch at Jack & Honey’s in Orlando Feb. 3. PHOTO

FROM ANDRES ACOSTA ARDILLA

A BOOK FOR US: Dr. Rafael E. Pinero (L) and Keith Davenport read Brandon Wolf’s “A Place For Us” with vacationing in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Feb. 8. PHOTO BY DENNIS DUNHAM,

FROM DAVENPORT’S FACEBOOK

PHOTO BY BUBBA TRAHAN

SING OUT LOUD: Risa Risque hosts karaoke at Ivanhoe 1915 in Orlando Jan. 16. PHOTO BY DANNY GARCIA

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community calendar

EVENT PLANNER The GayMazing Race, Feb. 17, Ferg’s Sports Bar & Grill, St. Petersburg. 727-822-4562; Linktr.ee/RainbowRecreation

CENTRAL FLORIDA Love & HIV Art Show

Shade Showcase, Feb. 17, The Garage on Central Ave., St. Petersburg. 727-258-4850; Facebook.com/ OFCLGaragePage

SUNDAY, FEB. 25, 5-6 P.M. LGBT+ CENTER, ORLANDO Join the HIV Stigma Taskforce as they celebrate the work of photographer Noel Garcia and the debut of images in his “Love & HIV” exhibition. This beautiful exhibition will feature stories of love and how they overcome the barriers of HIV. This is a free event to attend and refreshments will be provided. For more information, go to Facebook.com/ PineappleHealthcare.

Watermark’s WAVE Celebration: Central Florida THURSDAY, FEB. 29, 7-10 P.M. SAVOY, ORLANDO Celebrate the Central Florida winners from our 2024 Watermark Awards for Variety and Excellence. Hosted by Favorite Breakout star nominee Kendall Leamy, join us for a night out with music, entertainment and light bites. For more information visit Facebook.com/WatermarkFL.

TAMPA BAY “I Am My Own Wife” FRIDAYS-SUNDAYS THROUGH FEB. 25, TIMES VARY STAGEWORKS THEATRE, TAMPA “I Am My Own Wife” tells the true story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, a German trans person who survived the Nazis and the repressive East German Communist regime that followed. RP McLaughlin plays each of the show’s 35 characters in a “poignant production that explores gender identity, survival and the human spirit.” Read more about the show at WatermarkOnline.com and StageworksTheatre.org.

Watermark’s WAVE Celebration: Tampa Bay FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 7-10 P.M. COCKTAIL, ST. PETERSBURG Celebrate the Tampa Bay winners from our 2024 Watermark Awards for Variety and Excellence. Hosted by the Tampa Bay Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, join us for a night out with music, entertainment and light bites. For more information visit Facebook.com/WatermarkFL.

TOP TIER

TALENT Drag icon Darcel Stevens heads to the gulf coast to perform at Disco Brunch in Sarasota Feb. 18 before hosting the Black History Month Drag Show at Jack & Honey’s in Orlando Feb. 23. PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD

ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT CENTRAL FLORIDA Disney on Broadway Concert Series, Through Feb. 19, Epcot, Walt Disney World. 407-939-5277; DisneyWorld.Disney.Go.com “Venus in Fur,” Through March 3, Orlando Shakes, Orlando. 407-447-1700; OrlandoShakes.org “Sweet Dreams: The Air Supply Musical,” Through March 10, The Garden Theatre, Winter Garden. 407-877-4736; GardenTheatre.org “The Sleeping Beauty,” Feb. 15-18, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando. 407-426-1733; OrlandoBallet.org All the Queen’s Men, Feb. 16, Abbey Bar, DeLand. 386-232-8551; DeLandPride.org

DeLand Pride’s Love is Love Pride Fest, Feb. 17, Artisan Alley, DeLand. 386-232-8551; DeLandPride.org April Fresh’s Comedy Brunch, Feb. 17, Jack & Honey’s, Orlando. 407-440-4079; JackAndHoneys.com Nate Bargatze, Feb. 17, Kia Center, Orlando. 407-440-7000; KiaCenter.com David Foster & Katharine McPhee, Feb. 18, King Center, Melbourne. 321-242-2219; KingCenter.com Presidents Weekend Sunday Funday, Feb. 18, Southern Nights, Orlando. 407-412-5039; Facebook.com/ SouthernNightsOrlando Bianca Del Rio, Feb. 19, Hard Rock Live, Orlando. 407-351-5483; HardRockLiveOrlando.com “Moulin Rouge! The Musical,” Feb. 20-March 3, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando. 407-358-6603; DrPhillipsCenter.org

Black History Month Drag Show hosted by Darcel Stevens, Feb. 23, Jack & Honey’s, Orlando. 407-440-4079; JackAndHoneys.com

Devil’s Den, Feb. 18, SpookEasy Lounge, Tampa. 813-373-6452; SpookEasyLounge.com Drag Queen Bingo, Feb. 19, Cocktail, St. Petersburg. 727-592-1914; CocktailStPete.com EPIC Generations Lunch & Sunken Gardens, Feb. 20, Sunken Gardens, St. Petersburg. 727-328-3260; MyEPIC.org EPIC Generations Coffee Hour, Feb. 23, Gulfport Senior Center, Gulfport. 727-328-3260; MyEPIC.org Localtopia 2024, Feb. 24, Williams Park, St. Petersburg. 813-500-7708; Facebook.com/ LocalTopiaStPete Pasco Pride 2024, Feb. 24, Heritage Park, Land O’Lakes. PascoPrideFestival.com

NOH8 Photo Shoot, Feb. 24, LGBT+ Center, Orlando. 407-228-8272; NOH8Campaign.com

Cirque du Soleil Bazzar, Feb. 24-March 24, Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg. CirsqueDuSoleil.com

An Evening with Fabulous Friends, Feb. 24, Mennello Museum of American Art, Orlando. 407-246-4278; MennelloMuseum.org

Saturday Night Silent Party, Feb. 24, Salty Nun, St. Petersburg. 727-776-1237; Facebook.com/ MidnightMusicDJs

TAMPA BAY “Moulin Rouge!” Through Feb. 18, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org “The Chinese Lady,” Through Feb. 25, American Stage, St. Petersburg. 727-823-7529; AmericanStage.org Gasparilla Music Festival, Feb. 16-18, Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, Tampa. 813-708-8423; GasparillaMusic.com

Drag Queen Bingo, Feb. 28, Corner Club, Tampa. 813-232-1482; CornerClubTampa.com EPIC Generations Media Club, Feb. 29, Empath Partners in Care, St. Petersburg. 727-328-3260; MyEPIC.org

SARASOTA Disco Brunch ft. Darcel Stevens, Feb. 18, Art Ovation Hotel, Sarasota. 941-316-0808; PPSRQ.org

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

watermark Your LGBTQ+ News Source. FEBRUARY 15 - 28 , 2024 // ISSUE 31.0 4 WAT E R M A R KONLINE .COM

Ending the HIV epidemic

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be seen.

Men have unique healthcare needs, but care is often overlooked or delayed. At Bayfront Health, we make it easy to get the care you need. As an active partner in your healthcare journey, we offer a variety of men’s health services to support your overall well-being, as well as specific health concerns.

choose well.

Our multidisiplinary care includes: • Prevention and wellness

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To learn more about our comprehensive men’s health services or to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists, call (727) 823-1234 option 9, or visit BayfrontHealth.com

What Hope Looks Like.

A cancer diagnosis is overwhelming — we understand. No matter what type of cancer you have, you’ll feel empowered with our fellowship-trained oncologists and surgeons alongside you. You’ll feel hope knowing your care includes the latest innovations and research. And you’ll feel brave with an extensive care team that feels like family supporting you throughout your journey. Giving you more reasons to choose well. OrlandoHealth.com/Cancer