Watermark Issue 31.12: Rainbow Revolution

St Pete Pride fights for Florida in 22nd year

Rose Dynasty Center makes Polk County history

Hamburger Mary’s moves out of downtown Orlando

DESK PUBLISHER’S

I’VE HAD THIS SONG PLAYING IN MY

head for the past two days, “Everything Must Change” by Terri White. Some might say her version is bit on the dramatic side, but when you have a powerhouse voice filled with soul it is pure gold to my ears.

I’ve lost count on how many times I have been to what we at Watermark refer to as gay days. This can get confusing so I will try to use as few words as possible to deliver a brief history. In 1991 a group of LGBTQ+ people got together to wear red shirts at the Magic Kingdom. The goal was simple: be visible and show everyone that queer people are a part of daily life, even in the most magical, family-friendly place on earth. It came to be known as Gay Day at Disney or Gay Day at the Magic Kingdom.

The event quickly grew. People from all over the world started flocking to Orlando to experience this incredible day. Event groups began to form, like GayDayS,

who offered convention-like experiences. They would rent out a hotel and put on shows, an expo and pool parties. Watermark jumped in the mix by creating the Friday night party at Typhoon Lagoon called Beach Ball. Many organizations have come and gone, leaving their footprint on the biggest gay weekend in Orlando. There were One Mighty Weekend and Mark Baker events. Girls in Wonderland has been a longtime staple of the weekend, as has One Magical Weekend, and both are still thriving with their hotels, pool parties and signature events. Kindred Pride has brought the newest set of events with The Pride Cup, adding LGBTQ+ sports to the celebration.

To the general public, this has become known as gay days because they take place during the days around Gay Day. This is often confused with GayDayS which is one element of what is commonly called gay days. As I say gay days I am referring to all the events by all the promoters: One Magical Weekend, GayDayS, Girls in Wonderland and The Pride Cup. When you see GayDayS, I am just referring to that promoter and their events at their hotel.

I can’t say for sure, but I am pretty positive I went to the first or second Gay Day at Disney. It was a tradition for my bothers and I to go to Disney after someone graduated from high school and it just so happened that day fell on the first Saturday of June. I wasn’t out to my siblings at the time, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing all of the red shirts.

Initially it wasn’t a sea of red, but its message was being seen. By the time I started working at Watermark in 2002, the weekend was booming. Gay Day would close the park down before 11a.m. There were so many people in red shirts that it was all you saw in many of the line queues. I have this wonderful memory of being in line for Splash Mountain and it seemed the entire line was red shirts. The hour-long wait was a ride itself as the crowd sang Disney songs in unison.

I have always loved the Typhoon Lagoon event, now called Riptide and put on by One Magical Weekend. They do a great job with it and nighttime events at waterparks are hard to beat. Another favorite of mine has always been the GayDayS host hotel expo and events. At one point, the expo spanned three ballrooms. They were packed. People would walk shoulder to shoulder, five deep in the

walkways. Three pools were filled day and night and events like Taste of GayDayS and Miss GayDayS Pageant were must see events. However, everything must change. There was a year where GayDayS moved its celebration out of June shortly after COVID hit. GayDayS seems to not be the same since.

If you click through the photos of gay days at WatermarkOnline. com, you will see droves of people at One Magical Weekend events and Girls in Wonderland, but crowds at GayDayS and Gay Day at Disney are noticeably smaller.

I am sure there are multiple reasons for this, but I truly hope there is a solution. GayDayS and Gay Day at Disney are deeply

All of gay days needs to thrive so this community can thrive.

rooted in Central Florida’s LGBTQ+ history. This community needs to be active in keeping this tradition alive.

I encourage everyone next year to return to Gay Day at Disney. The joy of talking to people from all over the world wearing red shirts on the first Saturday of June is an incredible experience that we cannot lose. I encourage you to see the talented shows at the GayDayS host hotel.

The thing about gay days, even though it has national and worldly appeal, is that it supports local LGBTQ+ businesses. It supports local LGBTQ+ entertainers. All of gay days needs to thrive so this community can thrive. We are stronger together.

We strive to bring you a variety of stories, your stories. I hope you enjoy this latest issue.

MELODY MAIA MONET has her own trans lesbian themed YouTube channel at YouTube.com/MelodyMaia and is the vice president of the board for Come Out With Pride Orlando. To find more information on Pride, visit ComeOutWithPride.org. Page 15

SYLVIE TREVENA is a proud, minivan-driving mother of four with a degree in behavioral health and Master’s in Business Administration with a nonprofit concentration. She loves art and horror movies. Page 17

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

NICK CARDELLO, J.D. CASTO, BRUCE HARDIN, JAMARCUS MOSLEY, SAMANTHA PONZILLO, CHRIS STEPHENSON, LEE VANDERGRIFT PHOTOGRAPHY CMJM ENTERPRISES LLC, KEN CARRAWAY DISTRIBUTION

HAMBURGER

MARY’S ORLANDO ANNOUNCES MOVE

Victoria Pera

ORLANDO | A staple in downtown Orlando for 16 years, Hamburger Mary’s announced via social media May 22 that it will be moving from its location at 110 W. Church St.

“We have spent a lot of time assessing these changes and have decided that it’s time to move,” wrote John Paonessa, who has owned Hamburger Mary’s Orlando with husband Mike Rogier since it opened, on social media.

Paonessa wrote that the restaurant has served nearly 2 million people since its opening, saying they have “celebrated more birthdays, engagements, bachelorette parties, weddings, and girls or guys night out than we could ever count.”

Paonessa thanked those who helped make Mary’s the popular place it was in the community, writing that “Downtown Orlando has been great to us.”

“However, times have changed,” Paonessa wrote. “The hustle and bustle of Downtown Orlando has given way to a sleepy city with few people working downtown and opting for remote, and less traffic in the evenings.”

Hamburger Mary’s Orlando’s last day at the downtown location was June 2.

The popular eatery posted to its social media June 3 that it would be reopening in Kissimmee, writing “The cat is out of the bag! Kissimmee, are you ready for Hamburger Mary’s?”

ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOLS WILL NOT RECOGNIZE JUNE AS PRIDE MONTH

Victoria Pera

ORLANDO | In a decision made by the Orange County Commission in a 4-3 vote on May 22, an LGBTQ+ Pride Month proclamation was eliminated for June 2024. Orange County Public Schools first proclaimed June as LGBTQ+ Pride and Pulse Remembrance Month in 2021.

The county will still recognize June as Pulse Remembrance Month.

In response to questions about this decision, an OCPS spokesperson replied, “a review of the proclamations for Pulse Remembrance and LGBTQ+ Awareness and History Month found repetitive language, so they were separated.”

The district announced that a proclamation naming October LGBTQ+ Awareness and History Month will be on the board’s agenda this fall.

central florida news

Artistic Protest

Queers for Palestine protesters clash with Orlando Fringe worker

Luis Xavier De Peña

ORLANDO | Central Florida members of Queers for Palestine uploaded several photos and videos to their Instagram featuring a protest installation the group organized at Orlando Fringe May 27 and a subsequent altercation with a member of the Orlando Fringe staff.

The installation depicted white tents with Rafah written in red spray paint, white body bags covered in “blood” and protest signs boarding the tents.

The first video in the collection shows the installation being trampled by a Fringe worker in a yellow tank top and camouflage cargo shorts. The second video in the collection is a closeup of the worker’s face as he says, “…for inclusivity.”

A member of Queers for Palestine can be heard in the second clip, saying, “You’re more mad about the festival then genocide. Did you include this?”

The Instagram post claims that the worker verbally assaulted

the organizers that set up the installation, referring to one with an expletive.

Orlando Fringe addressed the situation in an initial Facebook post that says they have reached out to Central Florida Queers for Palestine for more information regarding the post.

“While we commend and support free speech, the pop-up art was not part of the formal selection process that other artists in the festival participated in,” Orlando Fringe wrote in the post. “Regardless, we take the entire situation very seriously and will consider appropriate next steps as more facts become available to us, and will communicate further at that time.”

Orlando Fringe followed up with a lengthy statement released on its social media May 31 further addressing the incident, writing that the organization’s mission is to “provide an accessible, affordable outlet that draws diverse elements of the community together and inspires creative experiences” and that they “failed that mission” in the way this situation was handled.

ON THE LAWN:

An

“On the final day of the 33rd annual Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival, a Fringe staff member had a verbal altercation with members of Central Florida Queers for Palestine, and subsequently damaged a pop-up piece of protest art they had displayed on the Lawn in Loch Haven Park, the Festival’s hub,” the arts organization wrote. “Orlando Fringe unequivocally apologizes to Central Florida Queers for Palestine and the Central Florida community for our staff member’s actions. They do not in any way reflect the values or expectations of Orlando Fringe. That staff member’s contract ended on May 28th and will not be renewed. We have reached out to Central Florida Queers for Palestine in hopes of speaking with them directly and offering a sincere apology for our mishandling of the situation.”

Orlando Fringe addressed the reason for the protest, writing that “the protest at the root of this incident was drawing attention to recent atrocities in Rafah. To be clear, Orlando Fringe stands with all who are being victimized in this conflict. What’s more, we condemn in the strongest possible terms the infliction of human suffering in all its forms, including genocide, both historical and contemporary.”

Orlando Fringe’s full statement can be read online. Watermark has been in touch with Central Florida Queers for Palestine for further comment.

Orlando Fringe worker tramples a pop-up art protest from Queers For Palestine. PHOTOS FROM CFL QUEERS FOR PALESTINE’S INSTAGRAM

CLICHÉ RESTAURANT IS EVERYTHING YOU’D

EXPECT AND MORE

Ryan Williams-Jent

DUNEDIN, FLA. | Cliché Restaurant, Bar & Grill isn’t just one of Tampa Bay’s newest LGBTQ+ safe spaces, it’s also owner Delores T. Van-Cartier’s dream.

The drag entertainer and entrepreneur has a Master’s in Business and decades of experience in the hospitality industry. She says she’s dreamed of opening her own restaurant since she was eight years old.

She began scouting for a location in 2020, a process that accelerated in March 2023. That’s when Hamburger Mary’s Clearwater announced its permanent closure, having outlasted regional franchises in Ybor, Brandon and St. Petersburg.

Van-Cartier worked in all but St. Petersburg and ended her time at Clearwater on its cast. Cliché became a spiritual successor of sorts just over a year later when she invited her fellow entertainers from the venue to become her cast of divas, holding a grand opening April 20.

“When people think of drag at a restaurant, they have certain expectations,” she says. “That’s where ‘Cliché’ came from — it’s what you expect from a drag queen show bar — but we don’t only do drag queen shows.”

Cliché features regular entertainment and recurring events like Bingo throughout the week. Its divas headline dinner shows Friday and Saturday evenings and lead a brunch on Sundays. In addition to Van-Cartier, the cast includes Amanda D’Rhod, Antwanette Chanel-Roberts, Dena Cass, Juno Vibranz, Kamden T. Rage, Melanie Minyon and Yvonne Divina.

The menu was conceptualized by Van-Cartier and has been well received thus far. It consists of widely celebrated and reimagined favorites.

“Someone gave me some advice: don’t put anything on the menu that I wouldn’t eat — and knowing how to cook, it became a mix of what I like, what others like and what they might want to see on the menu,” Van-Cartier explains. Outside of taking pride in the restaurant’s many offerings, she also recognizes the significance of Cliché’s ownership: Van-Cartier is a Black, trans woman, among the most marginalized members of the LGBTQ+ community.

“I like to consider myself a role model, if I can boast a little bit,” she says. “I believe in doing things the correct way. Work has always been my number one focus and being a trans woman, coming into myself, has been secondary. I’ve always wanted to have a legacy to leave behind. So if I could say anything to my trans siblings it’s that it’s possible. You just have to work at it.

“We’ll be here,” she adds. “I’ll be here. We have great food, great entertainment and great energy. Come see us.”

Cliché Restaurant, Bar & Grill is located at 1056 Main St. in Dunedin. Hours vary. For more information, call 727-734-0005 and visit ClicheRestaurants.com.

tampa bay news

Safe Space

Rose Dynasty Center makes history

Ryan Williams-Jent

LAKELAND, FLA. | The Rose Dynasty Foundation will hold the official grand opening for the Rose Dynasty Center June 9 from 2-5 p.m., making Polk County history in the process.

The LGBTQ+-focused space is the first of its kind in the region, created in partnership with Central Florida primary care and HIV/AIDS specialists Pineapple Healthcare. In addition to their health services, the 2,300-square-foot facility will host support groups, offer family-friendly programming and more.

Rose Dynasty Foundation Founder Jason DeShazo — known for his activism and all-ages entertainment in drag as Momma Ashley Rose — says the center is a logical extension of the nonprofit’s work. It has led family-friendly events and raised thousands for local charities since 2017.

“This has been a vision of mine since I was a kid,” DeShazo says.

“I didn’t have any inkling that it would be in Polk County, or any inkling that it would look like it does, but it evolved into this vision.

“Working in HIV testing, counseling and therapy over the

last 20 years of my life, it also worked out that we’ve partnered with Pineapple Healthcare,” he continues. “We knew post-pandemic that it was time to start looking for a building to provide services to the community ... I think it’s going to change the game for us.”

Pineapple Healthcare President and CEO Ethan Suarez agrees and says the organization was happy to support the center’s creation.

“There’s such a need for health services in the area,” he explains. “That’s what we do at Pineapple, offer all of your health care services as an all-encompassing, one-stop shop.”

The collaboration also marks a new chapter for the Orlando-based organization, which was founded in 2020. The center is the organization’s farthest expansion yet.

“The community said that they need services here,” Suarez explains. “We wanted to bring our brand of customer service and award-winning care to Polk County to show them that they’re valued.”

Among other services, Pineapple Healthcare will offer primary care, HIV care, PrEP/nPEP, STI testing and treatment and even Botox/Dysport. The nurse

practitioner-led facility is currently unable to offer gender-affirming care, however, due to Florida law.

Mental health services are also provided on site through Black Swan Counseling and Heather Stambaugh, a licensed mental health counselor and the center’s resource director.

“It’s time for our queer community and our allies to come together in Polk County and celebrate,” DeShazo says. “This is not about Rose Dynasty, this isn’t about Momma Ashley Rose. This is about a city in Central Florida that needs a safe space — and that safe space is opening to give us an opportunity for people to come together and celebrate love, joy, health and community.”

The grand opening will feature drinks and light finger foods, community and mental health resources, local performers, raffles and giveaways, allowing attendees to view the facility and learn more about its occupants. DeShazo also teases there’s more to come.

“We’re going to outgrow this place, I really believe that,” he says. “This is not going to be the only Rose Dynasty Center — we’re working hard to set up spaces in small towns and communities that need them. This is really just the beginning.”

The Rose Dynasty Center will hold its grand opening June 9 from 2-5 p.m. at 1253 W. Memorial Blvd. in Lakeland. For more information, visit RoseDynastyFoundationInc. org. Learn more about Pineapple Healthcare at PineappleHealthcare.com.

HOME BASE: Rose Dynasty Foundation Founder Momma Ashley Rose (L) and Pineapple Healthcare CEO Ethan Suarez at the Rose Dynasty Center May 28. PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD

THE BARBER FUND

BOARD OF EDUCATION CHANGES ATHLETIC BYLAWS, REPLACING ‘GENDER’ WITH ‘SEX’

Victoria Pera

The Florida Board of Education approved changes May 29 in the Florida High School Athletic Association’s bylaws that include replacing mentions of the word “gender” with “sex.”

The idea for changes came about when Florida and other majority Republican states started to challenge a Biden administration rule that would help carry out Title IX, a decades-old law that bars discrimination in education programs based on sex.

This federal rule would require that discrimination based on gender identity be included under broader definition of sex discrimination.

State Education Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr. said that he has “directed the institutions under my purview not to take any steps toward implementing these harmful (federal) regulations.”

The updated bylaw says that each school is responsible for independently determining its own policies regarding nondiscrimination.

During the education board meeting in Miami, Crystal Etienne, a Miami-Dade County teacher, criticized the FHSAA bylaw changes that were approved.

“Do you think a child is living through this scrutiny to be their true, authentic selves to win at sports? Do you think that’s what is happening in these schools? This is just another way to push the culture wars,” Etienne said.

Etienne continued and warned that if Florida does not comply with Title IX, schools will be at risk of losing federal funding that they so desperately need.

Florida, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina filed a federal lawsuit last month challenging the new Title IX rule. The states allege that the Biden administration overstepped its legal authority in extending the regulations to apply to discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Diaz added throughout the meeting, “By broadening the definition of sex to include sexual orientation and gender identity, the Biden administration is taking sports and educational opportunities away from girls.”

However, the U.S. Department of Education posted documents on its website saying that the rule does not apply to issues about players on sports teams.

The department continued by noting that they intend to issue a separate final rule to address Title IX’s application to sex-separate athletic teams.

A bylaw adopted by the FHSAA Board of Directors does not fully take effect until it is ratified by the State Board of Education.

ACTIVISTS LIGHT UP JACKSONVILLE BRIDGE IN RAINBOW COLORS OVER DESANTIS’ SUMMER BRIDGE MANDATE

Victoria Pera

After Gov. Ron DeSantis and the conservative Florida legislature declared it “Freedom Summer” in the state, essentially banning cities from lighting up bridges in Pride colors, members of an LGBTQ+ community in Jacksonville took matters into their own hands. Seventy people lined up along the sidewalk of Jacksonville’s Main Street Bridge May 31, the day before LGBTQ+ Pride Month, and

demonstrators turned on their high-powered flashlights in the various colors of the Pride flag and lit up the bridge in an arch of rainbow colors.

The public display was in direct response to DeSantis’ “Freedom Summer,” which mandated that all bridges in Florida would be lit in the colors of the U.S. flag — red, white and blue — from Memorial Day to Labor Day. In previous years, many cities have lit their bridges in the Pride flag rainbow colors to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month in June.

“I thought it came off great,” said Jacksonville resident Matt McAllister in an interview with FirstCoastNews.com. McAllister helped organize the lighting event that came together in 48 hours.

The community members holding the flashlights were cheered on by a big crowd watching from a distance.

McAllister added in the interview, “If this is about freedom, let’s go exercise our freedom, and that’s what is so special about what we did tonight.”

NEW REPORT PLACES FLORIDA NEAR

THE

BOTTOM

OF THE LIST

FOR STATES THAT ARE SAFEST FOR LGBTQ+ INDIVIDUALS

Victoria Pera

SafeHome.org has released its 2024 LGBTQ+ State Safety Report Cards and Florida has received an F, with a score of 47.5%, ranking it the second to last for LGBTQ+ safety out of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. This year, SafeHome researchers added a new factor to their safety “report card” where they have determined the frequency of hate crimes committed against LGBTQ+ people in each state according to latest FBI data.

SafeHome’s state ranking is unique from others. The researchers based their grading system on the opinions of 1,000 American LGBTQ+ individuals. Based on said insights, the researchers have calculated how heavily different laws would weigh upon each state’s safety score: parenting freedoms, criminal justice rights, nondiscrimination rights, youth protection and health laws. Then, SafeHome used information from the Human Rights Campaign, where they tallied how many laws each state

had in the above categories and weighted them based on their perceived impact on LGBTQ+ Americans.

According to the SafeHome website, Florida has one of the worst legal environments and the state ranked last in participation rates for law enforcement agency crime reporting.

Last year, Florida was the 15th worse state in the SafeHome ranking, however newer and harsher legislation contributed to its plummeting safety score. In recent years, Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” law has received strong media attention, with much dissatisfaction surrounding its attempts to prevent students and teachers from discussing sexual orientation and gender identity in classrooms.

The only state to fair worse than Florida was South Dakota. With its F rating, the state finished with a score of 46.8%. SafeHome wrote that its legal landscape is more prone to anti-equality than pro-equality and has a relatively high rate of reported hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people.

Joining Florida and South Dakota in the bottom five, all with an F rating, were Wyoming, with a score of 53.5%, Ohio, with a score of 53.7%, and Alabama, with a score of 55.8%.

On the contrary, what were some of the safest states for LGBTQ+ individuals?

SafeHome ranked Rhode Island as number one, giving it a safety grade of an A+ and a score of 100%. The researchers stated that Rhode Island had the highest ranking out of all because of the state’s numerous amounts of laws protecting LGBTQ+ rights and its low incidence of hate crimes. Rhode Island was notably one out of six states where every law enforcement agency reported crime data.

Rounding out the top five were New Hampshire with an A+ and a score of 98.3%, Delaware with an A+ and a score of 98.1%, Alaska with an A and a score of 93.5% and Hawaii with an A and a score of 92.5%.

More information on SameHome’s scoring criteria can be found at SafeHome.org/ Data-LGBTQ-State-Safety-Rankings.

LGBTQ+ PRIDE MONTH LAUNCHES WORLDWIDE

Wire Report

Pride Month, the worldwide celebration of LGBTQ+ culture and rights, kicked off June 1 with events around the globe.

But this year’s festivities in the U.S. will unfold against a backdrop of dozens of new state laws targeting LGBTQ+ rights, particularly transgender young people. Here are things to know about the celebrations and the politics around them.

WHY IS JUNE PRIDE MONTH?

The monthlong global celebration began with Gay Pride Week in late June 1970, a public celebration that marked the first anniversary of the violent police raid at New York’s Stonewall Inn, a gay bar. At a time when LGBTQ+ people largely kept their identity or orientation quiet, the June 28, 1969, raid sparked a series of protests and catalyzed the movement for rights.

The first pride week featured marches in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco, and it has grown ever since. Some events fall outside of June: Tokyo’s Rainbow Pride was in April and Rio de Janeiro has a major event in November. In 1999, President Bill Clinton proclaimed June as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month.

WHAT’S BEING CELEBRATED?

Pride’s hallmark rainbow-laden parades and festivals celebrate the progress the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement has made.

In the U.S. in April, a federal appeals court ruled North Carolina and West Virginia’s refusal to cover certain health care for transgender people with government-sponsored insurance is discriminatory.

In one compromise in March, a settlement of legal challenges to a Florida law critics called “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” clarifies that teachers can have pictures on their desks of their same-sex partners and books with LGBTQ+ themes. It also says books with LGBTQ+ characters and themes can remain in campus libraries and gay-straight alliance chapters at schools need not be forced underground.

Greece this year legalized same-sex marriage, one of three dozen nations around the world to do so, and a similar law approved in Estonia in June 2023 took effect this year.

WHAT’S BEING PROTESTED?

Rights have been lost around the world, including heavy prison sentences for gay and transgender people in Iraq and the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality” in Uganda. More than 60 countries have anti-LGBTQ+ laws, advocates say.

Tightening of those laws has contributed to the flow of people from Africa and the Middle East seeking asylum in Europe.

Republican-controlled U.S. states have also been adopting policies that target LGBTQ+ people, and particularly transgender people, in various ways.

Twenty-five states now have laws banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors. Some states have taken other actions, with laws or policies primarily keeping transgender girls and women out of bathrooms and sports competitions that align with their gender.

GOP state attorneys general have challenged a federal regulation, set to take effect in August, that would ban the bathroom bans at schools. There also have been efforts to ban or regulate drag performances.

Most of the policies are facing legal challenges.

Since Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, leading to restrictive abortion laws in most GOP-controlled states, LGBTQ+ advocates are worried about losing ground too, said Kevin Jennings, CEO of nonprofit civil rights organization Lambda Legal. On the eve of Pride, the organization announced a $180 million fundraising goal for more lawyers to challenge anti-LGBTQ+ laws.

Progress such as the 2015 Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide could be lost without political and legal vigilance, Jennings said.

“Our community looks at what happened to reproductive rights thanks to the Dobbs decision two years ago and has enormous anxiety over whether we’re about to have a massive rollback of what

we’ve gained in the 55 years since Stonewall,” Jennings said.

WHAT ABOUT BUSINESSES?

While big businesses from Apple to Wells Fargo sponsor events across the U.S., a pushback made ripples last year at one major discount retailer. Target was selling Pride-themed items last June but removed some from stores and moved displays to the back of some locations after customers tipped them over and confronted workers. The company then faced additional backlash from customers who were upset the retailer gave in to people prejudiced against LGBTQ+ people.

This year, the store has said it would not carry the items at all its stores. But the company remains a major sponsor of NYC Pride.

ARE EVENTS SAFE?

Keeping the events safe is the top priority, but there could be challenges. The FBI and U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued an advisory in May that foreign terrorist organizations could target events associated with Pride. The same month, the State Department renewed a security warning for Americans overseas.

Law enforcement officials noted ISIS sympathizers were arrested last year for attempting to attack a June 2023 Pride parade in Vienna and that ISIS messaging last year called for followers to attack “soft targets.”

The agencies say people should always watch out for threats made online, in person or by mail. People should take note if someone tries to enter a restricted area, bypass security or impersonate law enforcement and call 911 for emergencies and report threats to the FBI.

NYC Pride has a heavy security presence and works with city agencies outside the perimeter, said Sandra Perez, the event’s executive director. The group expects 50,000 people marching in its June 30 parade and more than 1.5 million people watching.

“The fight for liberation isn’t over,” Perez said. “The need to be visible and the need to be mindful of what we need to do to ensure that the future generations don’t have these struggles is really top of mind.”

IN OTHER NEWS

DRAG PERFORMER AWARDED $1.1 MILLION IN DEFAMATION CASE

Idaho drag performer, Eric Posey — whose stage name is Mona Liza Million — was awarded $1.1 million in a defamation case against right-wing blogger, Summer Bushnell. Bushnell uploaded a doctored video showcasing a blurred spot that she claimed was Posey’s exposed genitals during a Pride performance in June 2022. Posey did not remove any of his clothing during his three performances. Jurors awarded Posey with $926,000 in compensatory damages for defamation. He was awarded an additional $250,000 because he had proved Bushnell had known the allegations were false when she made them or made the allegations with reckless disregard for the truth.

CALIFORNIA SEMINARY DEBATING LGBTQ+ INCLUSION POLICY

Fuller Theological Seminary has proposed revisions to its sexual standards that would allow openly LGBTQ+ students to attend the California seminary. David Goatley, Fuller’s president ordered a task force of school administration and faculty to look into the sexual standards after a senior administrator was fired for refusing to sign the seminary’s sexual standards. The draft containing the revisions states, “there are thoughtful Christians and churches that have different interpretations ... we expect all members of this global, evangelical, and ecumenical seminary student and learner community to live with integrity consistent to the Christian communities to which they belong.”

THAILAND’S LGBTQ+ PRIDE PARADE SEEN AS A SUCCESS

Thailand held its annual Bangkok Pride Parade June 1. The parade lasted hours, filling one side of a major thoroughfare in the nation’s capital. Pride celebrations have been endorsed by politicians, government agencies and some of the country’s largest business conglomerates. Prime Minister Strettha Thavisin was in attendance and hope to make Thailand the first country in Southeast Asia to legalize marriage equality. Ann Chumaporn, a Bangkok Pride organizer, hopes the parade can be “a platform that allows everyone to ... express who they really are.”

POPE APOLOGIZES FOR USING SLUR ABOUT GAY MEN

Pope Francis apologized - May 28 after being quoted using a slur about gay men in relation to the Catholic Church’s ban on gay priests. Italian media quoted unnamed Italian bishops in reporting that Francis jokingly used the term “faggotness” while speaking in Italian during the encounter. “The pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he extends his apologies to those who were offended by the use of a term that was reported by others,” said Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni.

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FOR

THOSE OF YOU WHO may not have noticed, this past Memorial Day weekend Karla Sofía Gascón made history when she became the first trans woman to be honored with the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival.

In truth, all the women from her star-turning film, “Emilia Pérez,” were given the award including superstars Zoe Saldana and Selena Gomez, but it was Karla who accepted on their behalf. Why? Who can say, but I suspect they knew that she would deliver a memorable acceptance speech about a film that centered her as a trans woman. That instinct was a good one as she delivered a hopeful, heartrending and defiant speech for the ages that cut to my soul as a trans person. I haven’t been so moved since I witnessed Tom Hanks’ speech live upon accepting the Academy Award for “Philadelphia” 30 years ago. Of course, back then I was still a long way away from accepting I was a gay trans woman, so Gascón’s speech carried extra resonance in my here-and-now. And never was I so happy to be able to receive and understand it in Gascóns’ native Spanish. She reached me not just in my queer identity, but in a deep and elemental part of who I am as a person. Mis raíces. Now whereas Hank’s speech was an emotional and erudite symphony, Gascón’s was an at-times profane corrido describing the everyday suffering of trans people everywhere at the hands of “terrible” people. As the words tumbled out of her, it was easy to see her own pain in her tears and hear it in her slightly shaky, yet somehow simultaneously strong and forceful

voice. It was obvious that she was under immense pressure, struggling to not break apart completely into a sobbing rage.

Still, though she held it together, a hint of that anger managed to sneak out in her parting shot as she asked the trans bigots to turn away from their hate and denigration. “Let’s see if you bastards can change,” she spit into the mic with a wry smile and a slightly nervous chuckle before forcefully shouting “Long live France! Long live Cannes!”

If you haven’t yet seen her speech, or for that matter Tom Hanks’, it is worth your time to look it up. I myself sent it around my socials and was surprised at how many people reacted with clear empathy, and how it caught the attention of a few of the coveted “blue check” accounts. All too often when I post about the plight of trans people, I am met with silence. And I get it even if I find it terribly frustrating. What is there possibly to say that can help? I would suggest however that nothing is not the way to go. Anything that can dispel the fear that we are in this fight alone is helpful and personally does my mental health a world of good. Perhaps the secret is that Gascón’s speech was a trojan horse by being a plea for tolerance inside of a joyful moment. Note to self: If I ever win an Emmy, Oscar, Grammy or Tony, that would be the time to make my appeal for equality. It can be so hard to break through the noise and apathy otherwise. Clearly Gascón hit a nerve, but as with many things on social media, for most people it disappeared into the ether. For me though, it was a much more personal moment that I can’t shake days later. I didn’t just empathize with her, I FELT that rage along with her. It bubbled in my blood and threatened to take my composure apart. The mask that myself and other trans people wear with a wan

viewpoint

smile and “things are fine” on our lips almost fell away as she described our pain. I wish I had better words to describe what it felt like in that moment teetering on the edge of deep fury and profound sorrow as she described the ridicule and surveillance trans people are

possibly take away our right to go to the bathroom, or our needed medication, or our children. I suddenly find my voice trembling and hot tears welling up in my eyes. It is in those moments I realize how deeply I have been suppressing my emotions so I can remain

the very people she was talking about. By doing so she gave a literal voice to the pain they are causing. I hope her message changed a few hearts and at the very least forced everyone to bear witness to her humanity and the humanity of all trans people.

For Pride month, hug a trans person. I promise you we need it.

forced to endure in a society that gets more toxic to our existence day by day.

I wish I could also say that was the first time I had felt that way, but sadly no. Usually it sneaks up on me when I least expect it. I can be yapping away dispassionately describing something that is in actuality truly awful. Another trans or nonbinary person has been murdered. A new law has been passed that could

functional and not reduced to a blubbering mess. It is startling and revealing.

In many ways I am grateful to Gascón besides the pride I feel as a fellow trans woman at her accomplishment. It took great bravery to stand on the world stage and lay her emotions bare like that for all to see. To be so naked knowing, and directly addressing, the attacks that would inevitably come from

need it.

So for Pride month, hug a trans person. I promise you we

Melody Maia Monet has her own trans lesbian themed YouTube channel at YouTube. com/MelodyMaia.

Melody Maia Monet

MAMA BEARINGS

Walking away to hold on

SUMMER IS HERE! MY kids are out of school for the next two and a half months, our air conditioners are working overtime and we’re at the beginning of Pride month.

This summer I will be transitioning job wise again, a decision that came after a lot of soul searching. I had been laid off during the pandemic, experiencing the financial insecurity so many of us still are, and searched for something for months upon months.

Interviewing for jobs is a skillset some of us struggle with — sharing your charisma, confidence and professional history in sometimes as little as 15 minutes is stressful, to say the least. Job searching is like trying to date on apps without the swipe option on your end; ghosting, poor communication and limited benefits are present in both. So, after months and months of interviewing, doing projects (do not do these, friends), and generally promoting myself nonstop, it seemed like a huge win when I found a full-time job.

My kids are older now and all but one work. I have assisted them with resumes, interviewing and all the things that come with looking for employment. Whether it is a job or a career, I have always told them to be themselves and work to live, not live to work.

I find this advice that I have not taken to heart myself. As eccentric and open-minded as I consider myself to be, I rarely look at my own personal happiness and satisfaction when speaking to work. But I encourage my friends and loved ones to find

something where they can be their authentic selves, that they enjoy, and that they feel is aligned with their own beliefs.

I went back to school as an adult to not only further my education, but to achieve personal goals that had been put on the back burner as I focused on my family’s needs. I spent decades living my life within a sort of old school mentality that said working hard would lead to better and bigger things, and I still believe in working hard, but this is more aligned with who I want to be as a person verses the chance your work will be noticed and valued.

Sometimes, or most times in my experience, life gives us lemons and we make lemonade, or so we are taught to. I had become so used to making the best of a bad situation, that looking back on so many years, I was not making choices for myself in any way. I was raising my kids to be independent free thinkers who would find their own happiness, but was sacrificing my own in many instances.

We have all left jobs at this point. But this was the first time I stood up for myself and my beliefs and decided to leave employment over something I was protesting. I am 46 years old and I am starting to realize that my version of self-care involves speaking my mind, advocacy, and being in the environment that supports this for me not only professionally but personally.

For me, authenticity is therapeutic, attractive and mandatory. I am a fiercely supportive friend and parent, and yet I was holding on to the idea that making a choice for my values and my sanity was wrong. In this economy, we all have to pay bills and then some, so I did not take leaving a stable position lightly.

When my son came out as transgender at roughly seven, he taught my entire family and circle about

authenticity and bravery. He knew who he was when most of the world was telling him he was something else. His experiences gave me a voice and a way of expressing myself while supporting others within the LGBTQ+ family.

in at times because sadly not all attention can be positive. I do not need the spotlight, but I need to be valued. I cannot support people, places and things that do not support me — and yes, I am late in these realizations but I am sharing

or feelings might not feel empowered to do so. Stand out because no one is you and you are amazing. Leave the job. End the toxic relationship. Say no to things that drain your energy. Find your own joy. Life is too short to waste

I have always told my kids to be themselves and not to change for people, places or anything else, but I cannot say that I took my own advice to heart. Whether I thought I was being strategic with my finances, or not changing things in the effort to appear stable, I made a lot of choices that did not serve me.

I think in our younger years, society tells us to fit in and we strive to blend

this because I would hate for anyone to waste their time. I recently lost a person who I considered to be my last parent, and to lose that unconditional love makes you look at your life and your time living it so far. Time is precious. Speak out even if you are the only one, because it is important. Speak up because someone else who shares your opinions

time being unhappy and not being yourself. If my baby boy could do this, I owe it to him and the people I love to walk away from situations that do not serve me. We all do.

Sylvie Trevena is passionate about inclusivity, diversity, mental health and acts of service.. Outside of “mom,” she is most proud of being called a writer.

Sylvie Trevena

talking points

We were seen as different from other Americans. This was unfair. We were Americans, who had nothing to do with Pearl Harbor. Yet we were imprisoned behind barbed wires.

—ACTOR AND AUTHOR GEORGE TAKEI IN “MY LOST FREEDOM,” HIS NEW CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOK THAT SHARES HIS STORY OF BEING IN AN AMERICAN INCARCERATION CAMP DURING WORLD WAR II

WHEN “RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE” DEBUTED LAST SUMMER, IT DID SO WITHOUT FANFARE OR SPECTACLE, LANDING SQUARELY AMID HISTORIC HOLLYWOOD STRIKES that precluded its stars from lending their press-friendly faces to promote the movie. But the lack of publicity surrounding the Amazon Studios rom-com’s premiere didn’t deter it from becoming a hit with audiences. The streaming service said it was the top watched film on its platform for weeks, and that it brought in a surge of subscribers. As a further testament to the movie’s success, the studio recently announced — amid a determined Emmy campaign — that a sequel was in the works. No official release date has been announced; however, the studio has stated that Matthew López, director of the first film, and “RWRB” author Casey McQuiston are working on a script. Stars Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez are set to reprise their roles from the first film.

VICTORIA MONÉT TO RECEIVE AWARD FROM ASCAP

SINGER VICTORIA MONÉT WILL BE HONORED BY THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF COMPOSERS, AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS, the organization announced May 30. Monét will receive the Vanguard Award, which recognizes members who are helping to shape the future of music. Monét won three Grammys earlier this year, including best new artist and R&B album for “Jaguar II.” Usher will also be honored that night with the Voice of the Culture Award, an award that is presented to ASCAP members who have had a major influence on music and culture. The artists will be awarded at ASCAP’s Rhythm & Soul Music Songwriters and Publishers event on June 27.

BEN PLATT RELEASES NEW ALBUM

TONY, GRAMMY AND EMMY AWARD-WINNING PERFORMER BEN PLATT RELEASED HIS LATEST ALBUM TITLED “HONEYMIND” on May 31. Ahead of the album’s release, Platt released three singles including most recently a duet with Tony and Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Brandy Clark titled “Treehouse.”

The song followed the release of the folky “Andrew” and upbeat ballad “Cherry on Top.” Fans can see Platt, accompanied by Clark, live during the upcoming “The Honeymind Tour” starting June 18. The tour will begin following a three-week residency at Broadway’s Palace Theatre running through June 15. “Honeymind” is available now wherever albums are sold and streamed.

RICHARD DREYFUSS’ MAKES ANTI-LGBTQ+, SEXIST COMMENTS

ACTOR RICHARD DREYFUSS SHOWED UP IN A DRESS AT A “JAWS”-THEMED EVENT IN MASSACHUSETTS, where the blockbuster 1975 movie he starred in was shot, and then proceeded to make demeaning remarks about women, LGBTQ+ people and diversity. The venue, The Cabot in the community of Beverly, issued an apology after the May 25 event. During what was supposed to be a lighthearted question-and-answer session, some people in the audience walked out over his remarks about women in film and the #MeToo movement, transgender youths and LGBTQ+ rights, and the Academy Awards’ efforts to foster inclusivity. Dreyfuss has previously said the academy’s diversity efforts “make me want to vomit.”

St Pete Pride fights for Florida in 22nd year

Ryan Williams-Jent

FLORIDA’S LARGEST

LGBTQ+ celebration welcomed over 500,000 people to St. Petersburg last June, launching just weeks after the most anti-LGBTQ+ legislative session in state history came to a close.

Nearly 350,000 supporters flanked 8,000 marchers in Downtown St. Petersburg for the Pride parade, led by the Trans March, and over 175,000 filled the Grand Central District for last year’s Street Festival. Organizers said the support sent a clear message that St Pete Pride — and by extension the community it’s served since 2003 — wasn’t going anywhere.

It hasn’t. The organization announced their 2024 lineup in January, a series of 13 LGBTQ+focused events planned by one of the most diverse boards in St Pete

Pride history. That body is led by Dr. Byron Green-Calisch, an LGBTQ+ business owner and an advocate for equity in all spaces. He is also Black, which means his election marked a first for St Pete Pride.

“Being the first Black president is indeed a big deal,” he told Watermark in January. “Representation in and of itself is important. We want to make sure that people are able to see what the future might look like — and we know that if you see something, you’re more likely to engage in it.”

Green-Calisch served as vice president in 2023 with Stephanie Morge, who remains in the role, and said before last year’s event he was “genuinely concerned about our safety.” As festivities came to a close, however, he was reminded of the community’s resilience.

“By the time we got to the end of the month for our big parade weekend, I had goosebumps the entire day because I had not allowed myself to experience the joy that was going to be there,” he explained. “It just rushed over me very quickly, seeing so many young people, seeing so many trans folk come out and participate in the Trans March … Seeing the city come out in full force and witnessing their joy and excitement made all of it worth it.”

It’s a feeling St Pete Pride hopes to replicate this year, efforts which began May 26 at the 2024 Mx. St Pete Pride pageant. Nearly 500 supporters attended the

competition, which rebranded from the Miss St Pete Pride pageant last year to let contestants enter regardless of gender.

A total of 15 people competed to become Miss, Mr. or Mx. St Pete Pride 2024. Six vied for the title of Miss, three for Mr. and six others for Mx. The pageant was hosted by Central Florida entertainer Angelica Sanchez with Miss St Pete Pride 2022 Delores T. Van-Cartier serving as head judge.

Joining the panel were Miss St Pete Pride 2010 Kori Stevens, 2024 grand marshal Dena Cass and Isaiah Sanchez Hilton, Mister St Pete Pride 2014. Alyssa Edwards from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” served as special guest judge.

Edwards was among the evening’s entertainment, which also included former winners and highlighted St Pete Pride’s 2023 Royal Court. Miss St Pete Pride Ceazia Giovanni Kreshé, Mr. St

Pete Pride Vyn Suazion and Mx. St Pete Pride KaMarion Lavish brought their reigns to a close as only they could.

Contestants participated in five categories, beginning with a personal interview held May 25. The pageant included presentation, in which contestants adorned the Pride flag representative of their LGBTQ+ identity, as well as Evening Gown for Miss, Evening Wear for Mr. and Evening Fashion for Mx. with a Q&A.

Organizers subsequently presented Stevens with a special Rainbow Revolutionary award. “This system would not be here today if not for one person,” St Pete Pride board member and Mx St Pete Pride Pageant Director Clifford Hobbs shared. Among other accolades, Stevens led the pageant for over a decade. He called

PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD

myself, I want people to know that I’m giving of my heart.”

the entertainer “a staple in this community and the reason why all of us are here tonight.”

Stevens thanked St Pete Pride for the honor, noting her activism isn’t for recognition.

“The things that I do are because they make me feel good,” she explained. “They’re not because I want someone to see what I’m doing … it feels right, and that’s why I dive in as much as possible to make sure that everybody’s treated well and treated fairly.”

The pageant closed with talent, culminating in the crowning of Miss St Pete Pride Kiala Santi, Mr. St Pete Pride Amari Lavish and Mx. St Pete Pride Justine B. Knights. Vivion Rachel Clarke, another Miss St Pete Pride contender that evening, was also crowned Miss St Pete Pride Elite.

The division was created after former pageant winners who conducted her personal interview decided to honor the entertainer’s commitment to the system; Clarke has competed in seven St Pete Pride pageants over the years.

“I had no idea they were going to do this,” Clarke says. “They told me I personified what the pageant was about and it was so touching to me. I just turned 60 and I feel very blessed that I’m still here in this community.

“I felt old,” she muses, “but very proud to be here. It means the world to me to represent St Pete Pride. I feel like everything I’ve done wasn’t in vain — and as I give of

Santi — a case manager for Positively U, which provides support for persons living with HIV and more — is also eager to serve. She says she’s thankful for the title, in part, because it creates a platform to help her reach the community in a new way.

“I want to make sure that we are letting people know that it is okay to get the health care that you need,” she explains. “You don’t have to come to my organization, but I want people to keep their health as a priority.”

The Tampa-based entertainer, who regularly performs at Southern Nights in Ybor, also notes she wanted to compete because she admires St Pete Pride’s authenticity.

“Everything is done times ten in St. Pete,” she explains. “St Pete Pride feels more inclusive, it feels like progress … they’re open to new ideas and to making way for and allowing all voices to be heard. Being a person who identifies as a Black trans woman, we don’t always have that voice and we don’t always have a seat at the table to make decisions.”

Making space for the entire community is what drew Knights to this year’s competition as well. The nonbinary, genderfluid entertainer says they’re particularly proud of being crowned the second-ever Mx. St Pete Pride.

“St Pete Pride’s mission is something I truly believe in,” Knights says. “They inspired me to want to compete and represent the system wholeheartedly; most pageants don’t have a Mx. division.

“It’s something fairly new in pageantry, so when I finally saw a division that was local to the city that I live in do something so diverse, it really pushed me to want to represent this system,” they continue. “It feels good to start up a new path. I truly believe the Mx. division is going to open up more doors for our community.”

It has so far, something Mr. St Pete Pride 2024 understands well. Lavish is married to the inaugural Mx. St Pete Pride and watched the system grow through his spouse’s eyes in 2023.

“I love the support the community provides to one another,” he says. “The events, the supporters, the LGBTQ+based organizations all pour overwhelming amounts of love and energy into this community and series of events … St Pete Pride to me means inclusivity and equality, leaving no one out. All are welcomed, accepted and loved equally.”

“I’m thrilled about the new 2024 court,” Hobbs says. “Not only are they all seasoned entertainers, but they are also dedicated community servants … They truly embody our theme of Rainbow Revolutionaries, and I’m excited to see the great work they do both on and off the stage.”

Lavish is as well. “Look out for the Mx. St Pete Pride Royal Court,” he teases. “We have a lot in store for you already and I can’t wait for the community to see it all together.”

This Pride season hasn’t been all rainbows, of course. News broke May 8 that none of the bridges in Florida — including Tampa Bay’s Sunshine Skyway Bridge — would

display rainbow lights for Pride this June. Instead, they’ve been lit in red, white and blue since Memorial Day as a part of the governor’s “Freedom Summer.”

Mayor Ken Welch also announced May 24 that the city’s Progressive Pride street mural would have to be refreshed after it was vandalized. The community-funded mural was completed in 2020 and has been repainted by LGBTQ+ advocates ahead of each celebration ever since, most recently on May 6.

The St. Petersburg Police Department was notified May 17 that it had been defaced by at least two vehicles, which left tire marks across the design. At least one subject has been identified and an investigation into the matter is ongoing.

“I want to emphasize that there is no place for hate in St. Petersburg,” Welch shared. “We stand united in valuing and appreciating every resident, regardless of their orientation, gender identity, or expression. Our differences make St. Pete the vibrant and diverse community we cherish.”

The repainting took place May 30, emphasizing Welch’s message that “together, we can show that love always wins,” but the vandalism wasn’t the community’s only cause for concern. The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority confirmed the day prior that the agency would not wrap buses for Pride this year, something they’ve done ahead of every St Pete Pride since 2016.

The news followed this year’s passage of HB 1301, a measure supported by the state’s Republican supermajority and signed into law

by Gov. Ron DeSantis that takes effect July 1. It limits what public transit vehicles can display and according to the law, the Florida Department of Transportation will soon release guidelines for marketing and advertising initiatives.

Officials initially planned to wrap buses ahead of St Pete Pride for two months but opted not to move forward with the plans before FDOT’s release.

“In our last legislative committee meeting we presented a revised plan for bus wraps based on the discussions the Florida Legislature had this spring and newly passed House Bill 1301,” PSTA Communications and Public Relations Manager Stephanie Weaver told Watermark.

“Since that committee meeting, we’ve learned that FDOT is in the process of developing regulations related to the implementation of that law that they have told us they will get to us later this summer,” she continued. “As a result of that information, we’ve decided not to install a Pride wrap, or any other holiday/parade wrap and hold off until FDOT provides this clarity on the law.”

The decision impacts wraps supporting veterans and other events like Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Weaver noted that the decision was not made lightly and PSTA will continue to support St Pete Pride in other ways, offering park and ride shuttle service on the day of this year’s parade and more.

Green-Calisch says the organization is thankful for PSTA’s

| uu | St Pete Pride FROM PG.21

PAINTING WITH PRIDE: LGBTQ+ advocates repaint St. Petersburg’s Progressive Pride street mural in May. PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT

RAINBOW REPRESENTATIVES: (L-R) Miss St Pete Pride Elite Vivion Rachel Clarke, Mx. St Pete Pride Justine B. Knights, Mr. St Pete Pride Amari Lavish and Miss St Pete Pride Kiala Santi after their crownings. PHOTO BY SAMANTHA PONZILLO

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ST PETE PRIDE EVENTS

Stonewall Reception

JUNE 6, 6-9 P.M., $75 | THE JAMES MUSEUM

The annual Stonewall Reception is an opportunity to show your support for St Pete Pride and the LGBTQ+ community throughout Tampa Bay.

St Pete Pride Youth & Family Day

JUNE 8, 10 A.M.-2 P.M., FREE | N. STRAUB PARK

This joy-filled event will bring thousands of LGBTQ+ youth, families and allies to North Straub Park for this one-of-a-kind Pride event.

Rhythms of Pride

JUNE 13, 7-10 P.M., FREE | THE WET SPOT

Vibrant music, dazzling drag performances and captivating arts feature at this sizzling celebration of Latin Pride.

Shades of Pride: Juneteenth LGBTQ+ Art & Music Fest

JUNE 14-15, TIMES VARY, FREE | THE FACTORY

continued support. He notes that whenever “there is an opportunity for increased social movement, that usually the next step after that is a backlash and an attempt to retract power or re-oppress the oppressed group.”

Efforts like targeting Pride-themed light displays, bus wraps and street murals, he says, are examples of that backlash.

“St. Pete has been a beacon for the queer community and an amazing example of how a city should support its residents in a state has been riddled with pieces of legislation that are designed to attack the LGBTQIA community,” he explains. “While these showings don’t change the support of the people who installed them, it is a really great example of how the work that we do is incredibly important because of these moments.”

St Pete Pride supporters echoed that sentiment May 31, gathering at St. Petersburg City Hall to raise the Pride flag above the local landmark for the 11th year. The ceremony began with an introduction from St. Petersburg City Council Chair Deborah Figgs-Sanders, who said “the impact of the LGBTQ community on our history, nationally, internationally and right here at home is undeniable.

“So while some may choose not to illuminate the Skyway Bridge, and tried not to have the wrap on our buses, there will still be enough light, laughter and love …

to light up the sky,” she continued. “Please join me in encouraging the greater acceptance and support for all, as refreshing and as beautiful as a rainbow.”

State Rep. Lindsay Cross spoke next, reflecting on the city’s “commitment to inclusivity” that stands “in stark contrast to the attempts at the state level to stifle our celebrations and to dim the light of beautiful members of our community.”

She subsequently highlighted anti-LGBTQ+ legislation supported by the state’s Republican supermajority — including attempts to ban Pride flag raisings at government facilities — measures she opposed in Tallahassee.

“Bills like the flag ban, the Don’t Say LGBTQ+ expansion bill, the anti-trans bathroom bill, the gender-affirming care ban are meant to divide us and put us against each other,” Cross noted. “But that is not who we are in St. Pete … I look forward to walking with you all in the Pride parade, joining everyone at St Pete Pride events and most importantly continuing to celebrate Pride each and every day of the year.”

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor followed Cross, highlighting her fight for LGBTQ+ civil rights in D.C. She promised to pass the Equality Act and more should Democrats regain control of the U.S. House in November and praised Welch for his commitment to equality.

The mayor began his remarks by noting “it’s been a challenging year since we last raised the flag for Pride month, but we have persevered.” He noted he was proud to “stand together today to celebrate

our progress, our principles and who we are as a community” before reading a proclamation declaring June as Pride month in St. Petersburg.

“As Martin Luther King Jr. said so profoundly, ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,’” Welch said. “His words remind us that the fight for true equality and equity is far from over, but we are committed to standing with you on this journey.”

St Pete Pride Executive Director Nicole Berman closed the ceremony, thanking supporters and calling this year’s St Pete Pride “not just a celebration, but a beacon of hope and resilience.”

“When you attend St Pete Pride you are not only remembering our history and celebrating our community, you are making a statement that we are in this together,” she said. “That we stand in solidarity with our Black, brown, Indigenous and trans siblings. That pride — especially in St. Pete — is a visible reminder that we are all welcome here.

“We need you to show up and show the world that being queer in Florida is celebrated,” she stressed. “That no matter what legislators or public figures are telling us, that we are welcome here. We are calling on you, our LGBTQIA+ family and allies, to join us in showing up and standing up for liberation, celebration, representation and resistance.”

St Pete Pride will hold events throughout June, detailed in the sidebar and official St Pete Pride Guide. Read it in current editions of Watermark and at WatermarkOnline.com. Learn more there and at StPetePride.org.

A two-day Art and Music Festival that showcases the Black and Brown experience of the LGBTQ+ community in Tampa Bay.

St Pete Pride Friday Night Concert

JUNE 21, 6-10 P.M., $25 | JANNUS LIVE

Dance, mingle and get excited to see some of your favorite local LGBTQ+ performers on the Jannus Live stage, headlined by Sasha Colby.

St Pete Pride Parade Festival

JUNE 22, 2-10 P.M., FREE | N. AND S. STRAUB PARKS

Featuring main stage headliner Saucy Santana, a variety of local vendors and more downtown near the parade route.

St Pete Pride Parade + Trans March

JUNE 22, 5:15 + 6 P.M., FREE | DOWNTOWN ST. PETE

The Trans March will step off from Vinoy Park between 5:15-5:30 p.m. and march along Bayshore Dr. to lead the parade. It will step off from Albert Whitted Park at 6 p.m. and travel along Bayshore Dr.

Get Nude 3

JUNE 22, 9 P.M.-1 A.M., $15+ | NOVA 535

After the Pride Parade, come enjoy the 3rd annual Tampa Bay Black Lesbian’s “GET NUDE” party. This year’s theme pays homage to Caribbean Carnival.

Grand Central Street Fair

JUNE 23, 12-5 P.M., FREE | GRAND CENTRAL DISTRICT

St Pete Pride’s Sunday Street Fair will return to its birthplace in the 2000-3100 blocks, bringing tens of thousands to the Grand Central District to enjoy something for everyone.

Transtastic

JUNE 28, 6-9 P.M., $10 | MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS

Celebrate the transgender, non-binary, gender non-conforming and gender diverse community that calls Tampa Bay home.

Generations of Pride

JUNE 30, 1-5 P.M., FREE | EMPATH PARTNERS IN CARE

Join St Pete Pride and EPIC for this inaugural event celebrating those who are 50+ who paved the way for future generations.

| uu | St Pete Pride FROM PG.23

ST. PETERSBURG STRONG: St Pete Pride’s 2024 board, staff and Royal Court attend the City of St. Petersburg’s flag raising ceremony May 31, marking the 11th time the Pride flag has flown above City Hall. PHOTO BY CHLOE WAGNER

St. Pete Meet & Greet

Sasha Colby on ‘Drag Race,’ pageantry & St Pete Pride

Ryan Williams-Jent

THERE’S A REASON SASHA COLBY

is billed as your favorite drag queen’s favorite drag queen. She probably is.

The entertainer has captivated audiences for over two decades, discovering the art form at 17 and never looking back. She met her drag mother Cassandra Colby soon after, who helped cultivate her craft and introduced her to the drag pageantry circuit.

It was never the same. Colby won Miss Continental in 2012 and amassed a significant following long before competing on the 15th season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” last year, becoming the first

native Hawaiian trans person to ever win the reality competition.

Her reign as America’s next drag superstar ended in April but gave Colby her largest audience yet. Last year she emceed a Pride reception at Vice President Kamala Harris’ residence with GLAAD, launched a new ponytail line inspired by her iconic looks and this February embarked on a 22-city, solo North American tour.

Next up, the entertainer headlines St Pete Pride’s Friday Night Concert at Jannus Live,

bringing her meet-and-greet to St. Petersburg for the first time. Watermark spoke with the one-time Orlando resident beforehand about what fans can expect.

WATERMARK: WHAT DREW YOU TO PERFORMANCE AND DRAG?

Sasha Colby: I don’t know if I was drawn to it or it just kind of happened. I guess it’s been a product of my Y2K generation, watching [MTV’s Video Music Awards] and “Total Request Live” and seeing pop stars; there was a lot of heavy dancing required to be an artist back then. That was something that I aspired

to be and then I actually joined dance, which really incubated and nurtured my love for performing, dancing and drag.

WHO WERE SOME OF YOUR INFLUENCES?

My drag influences were pop stars like Janet Jackson, Madonna and Whitney Houston. They gave goddess energy and that’s something that I was drawn to naturally. But also, a lot of the women on my island that I grew up with — these beautiful Hawaiian women, beautiful trans women. I just love a strong, powerful woman and those are the women I grew up with in my family. So those traits have always stuck with me and that’s what I like to exemplify when I’m on stage. Maybe she has a crack or has been through things, but at the end of the day she’s always strong and powerful.

WHAT LED YOU TO PAGEANTRY?

I think what led me to pageantry was that before “Drag Race,” the only way you could make a living doing drag was to get into the pageantry system. I remember watching Miss Florida pageantry as a kid — back in the 80s and 90s, it was the biggest national pageant held in South Florida in South Beach that a lot of trans women would be in — and watching Continental, watching all these pageants. That’s what really sparked it.

IT GAVE YOU A SIZEABLE FANBASE BEFORE “DRAG RACE.” WHY WAS SEASON 15 THE RIGHT TIME FOR YOU TO COMPETE?

With the trans experience being put into question these past couple of years and the overall climate being very trans exclusionary, I felt there needed to be a moment of queer and trans joy and couldn’t think of a better platform than “Drag Race.”

Historically drag has been a fringe art form that allowed everyone and anyone to express themselves — which is not how it’s always been shown — so I wanted to present my drag on a national platform and raise awareness for this important message. I’ve been involved in the drag community for a long time, so going on the show when I did was really spurred by the need to help shed a light on the trans experience.

WHY IS THAT REPRESENTATION SO IMPORTANT?

It’s really important to see strong, powerful, queer stories … and just having trans stories being told is really important. Unfortunately, it’s kind of a fad, it’s a cool thing to be doing, and a lot of people can read the book or turn on the show, and then they get to turn it off and go back to their pretty privileged lives ... I want to see even more stories about happy trans people that have lived their lives and are full and complex and have great relationships.

WHAT DO YOU THINK COMES MORE NATURALLY FOR YOU, PERFORMING ON STAGE OR ON SCREEN?

I think I like performing on stage a lot more than screen. Screen is like a magnifying glass, it’s really up close and personal. It’s a different way to capture art in that medium and for me, I feel like I’m most effective live in a space where I can create a whole world.

WHAT HAS INTERNATIONAL FAME TAUGHT YOU ABOUT YOURSELF AS AN ARTIST?

It’s really cool, because drag is a passion of mine. It’s really personal for me to go on a show like “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and bear the love that I have for this art form and then to get recognized. It’s beautiful but it’s wild, because it’s something that I didn’t intend to be the spokesperson for. This is all just a really amazing cherry on top; a huge cherry on top.

(Laughs.) I don’t know how to do anything else — all I know how to do is drag and tell stories, and hopefully connect people through performing.

HOW DO YOU THINK “DRAG RACE” HAS CHANGED THE STATE OF DRAG?

Drag is definitely a machine now, and before it was a fringe art form, created for people who were not accepted in society to be able to have a place to play, live and have a safe space. Now it’s all over the country, all over the world. But that grittiness and rawness of drag — that punk idea of drag — has to be found when you go out there, it can’t be really seen on TV. It still goes back to finding those drag spaces where girls are working really, really hard despite the mainstream recognition that drag has. There are so many hardworking, local drag queens that are unrecognized, underpaid and really are practicing what drag is in its purest form. I think that’s what we have to remember as drag queens: what is your intention of doing drag? To get on “Drag Race” or to do art? A lot of times that decision will help with your longevity, how well you do on “Drag Race” and how successful you are after.

WHAT WAS YOUR TOUR LIKE?

Doing “Stripped” was a very fierce experiment. I’ve never had the opportunity to create my own show, curating the people I wanted around me and really pouring my heart out into a project that I didn’t have

themselves. It was really cool to mingle with the people that are really striving for hope and equality in Washington.

WHY ARE YOU EXCITED FOR ST PETE PRIDE?

I have actually never been to St. Pete. I’ve been to Tampa, I lived in Orlando and worked in Jacksonville. I literally have worked everywhere, so to be able to have my first performance in St. Pete be at St Pete Pride is pretty exciting ... it’s going to be a great time.

DO YOU HAVE ANY FLORIDA MEMORIES YOU WANT TO SHARE?

to compromise for anyone ... This was purely just for me and there was so much love from all these cities that I got to go to. I felt exhausted each night but exhilarated at the same time. I can’t wait to do another show like this again in 2025, hopefully.

YOU ALSO LAUNCHED A PONYTAIL COLLECTION. HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT?

Well, you know, I’m known for my ponytails from Continental and “Drag Race” — and I know the power that a ponytail can have. (Laughs.) I wanted to bring that in an affordable, accessible, easy-to-use ponytail for your every day use. I love seeing it being worn at my shows, I love getting tagged when girls wear it. I love it when drag queens get creative with it. It’s really, really fun. We’re now looking at two lengths, there’s a 28 and a 36 inch, and the 36 inch is very nice and lush and gives a little layered effect. We have four colors and we’re also going to expand … so just keep a lookout for the future.

LAST PRIDE YOU WERE INVITED TO THE VICE PRESIDENT’S RESIDENCE TO CELEBRATE. WHAT WAS THAT EXPERIENCE LIKE?

It was really nice to be invited. I love GLAAD and they approached me and said that they were looking for an emcee and that I was the first person they thought of. It was really gratifying, sweet and humbling to be put in a place next to so many powerful people; movers and shakers in our government, all of them who are queer advocates or are queer

None that I can legally share. (Laughs.) Just that Orlando has been such a great city, I was there for about two years and worked everywhere. I got to work at Pulse and Southern Nights when it was Revolution, that era, and Parliament House and Hamburger Mary’s and The Brink — and I went all over Florida, being able to road trip it north, south and west to do drag all up and down the state. I still have best friends there that I love to this day.

WHAT CAN FANS EXPECT FROM YOUR PERFORMANCE HERE?

They can expect a lot of goddess energy. A lot of sexy and powerful moments, a neck crack or two. A little ponytail flip. All the things that you come to love at a Sasha Colby event — throw me a dollar, it might get stuck in my booty and we’ll have a great time.

FLORIDA HAS PASSED A NUMBER OF ANTI-LGBTQ+ LAWS IN RECENT YEARS. WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HAVE FOR YOUR FANS?

For Florida, it’s just been such a rough one and being a resident of Orlando for a few years, I still have a lot of friends there that I keep in contact with. It’s a rough time to be queer and to feel all this legislation happening in the state. It’s a hard time, but we just have to band together even stronger as queer people and express our queer joy and find our happiness. Our happiness is with our community, so sticking together and understanding that there is power in numbers, we’ll get through this.

Sasha Colby headlines St Pete Pride’s Friday Night Concert June 21 from 6-10 p.m. at Jannus Live, located at 200 1st Ave. N. The event is recommended for those 18+. Tickets are $25 and available at StPetePride.org. Read more about St Pete Pride 2024 on p. 21.

G-O-D-D-E-S-S: Sasha Colby will bring her unique brand of drag to St. Petersburg as she headlines St Pete Pride’s Friday Night concert, which will also feature fan favorite entertainers from throughout Tampa Bay. PHOTO BY PRESTON MENESES

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Inclusive Art

CFCArts offers safe and accepting summer youth theatre camps in Central Florida

Grace Lowell and Victoria Pera

CENTRAL FLORIDA COMMUNITY

Arts is creating a safe space in the performing arts for LGBTQ+ families through their summer camp programs.

The programs offered are open to all children, 4 to 18 years old, and aim for all who attend to feel accepted.

“The most important thing to us at CFCArts is that kids walk away from the experience understanding that the arts

are a place for everyone and developing a deeper love for the performing arts,” says Leah Porrata, CFCArts’ youth theatre artistic director.

The programs aim to not only help children grow in the

performing arts but also to find an accepting place in theater.

“We have absolutely no discrimination about who joins our camps or our programs. Whether that’s in terms of what the family looks like or what the child looks like, we have students of all gender expressions, of all identities, using all the pronouns, so that’s very important to us at any age,” says Porrata.

In order to provide a safe space for the children CFCArts gives all their staff training while ensuring they have aligned values.

CFCArts offers 18 different summer camp programs, each with different focuses student performers can choose from.

Students are able to choose a program geared toward singing, acting, improv comedy and more.

A majority of the camp programs are full day, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with aftercare available. Pre-K through second grade camps are only half day programs.

“We don’t turn anyone away on the basis of financial need or

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anything like that, we have a lot of scholarship opportunities. As long as the student wants to be there and the desire is there, we will find a way for them to be there,” says Porrata.

The camps are separated by age group and are curated by CFCArts to be developmentally appropriate while teaching them new skills.

The CFCArts Youth Theatre program thrives at giving each young performer the tools needed to become a successful and confident lover of the arts.

This youth theater program at the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center offers a variety of different levels and troupes to help find the right place for your child.

Junior Companies group starting at Pre-K to second grade is targeted to the youngest performers. The Companies group — third grade to senior year — is designed for actors that want to experience a big part of a production but may not be comfortable just yet for a speaking or singing role.

For the young actors that are ready to take that next step, the program also offers Junior Troupe starting from third grade all the way until senior year. For the children seeking to pursue

the performing arts in higher education or as a career, Troupe is offered too, third grade to 12th is accepted, sometimes sixth grade to 12th depending on the show’s content.

As you can see, CFCArts has made these different troupes simply to provide inclusivity to all young Central Florida actors seeking to learn more. Not only do many children feel welcome here, but many families as well.

Married couple Richard May and Walter Allen were introduced to CFCArts last March where they signed up their daughter,

Anya May-Allen, for the show “Aladdin,” with the performance of the show in May. The two dads first volunteered with CFCArts in “Aladdin” and they quickly felt welcomed and embraced as a same-sex couple and family.

The couple met in college 29 years ago.

Allen says the couple has been in the theater their whole lives. Before moving to Florida three years ago, Allen was the executive and artistic director of a Youth Theatre in northeast Louisiana. Working with his husband, May was also an artistic director for a year and enjoyed designing costumes and directing the youth theater shows.

At the time of Watermark’s interview, CFCArts was working on its performance of Stephen Sondheim’s story of classic fairy tales, “Into the Woods.”

The musical was created in 1987 with music and lyrics written by Sondheim and book written by James Lapine. May is the costume designer for the show and Allen is the assistant costume designer. Allen says the way their partnership in the theater works is his husband pulls all costume pieces and ideas together and Allen is there for any pieces that need to be stitched, altered or sewn.

“We’ve learned to work with each other, we balance each other out,” May says.

The couple said what they love the most about CFCArts is that the program is very accepting of their family.

“Being a same-sex couple also while raising a little girl is very different. You don’t see a lot of those. And we quickly loved the accepting nature,” May says.

May even explained that as the couple began collaborating with CFCArts, they were given a list of preferred pronouns for each of the kids in the program so that they could be addressed properly. This is just one example, May says, where this young theater program supports individuality.

Looking at how far the two have come, Allen says they were never allowed to talk about their relationship or really felt comfortable in the theater at the start of their professional careers.

Before finding CFCArts, attendance at shows from other

theaters went down as parents of the children or spectators found out about their marriage. Allen says even the number of kids wanting to audition fell.

It dawned on Allen recently how supportive and welcoming this young art program is. Allen added that ever since the family was introduced to the theater kids and staff, he was immediately taken back by the sense of normalcy and acceptance they finally felt.

With their little one only being five, the two say that CFCArts has helped continue to develop her speech and communication skills. Their daughter has no fear of socializing with the other kids, and the couple has observed this since joining the group.

Allen says that even filling the application out for CFCArts, they had a good feeling about the troupes. Allen highlighted a section from the paperwork that made them feel it would be a safe space for their little one.

“[The application] had a big section about inclusivity and that they do not tolerate bullying or exclusion, and they live up to that,” Allen says.

The two dads said they are grateful that they have found a place where, as a family, they can do what they love together. One of the problems Allen realized after long days in the theater, is that they did not want to miss out on their little one’s childhood. They

say CFCArts has been the perfect way to still be in theater but also watch their child develop as well.

“We quickly realized that we were going to miss her childhood if we stayed in those roles because we were there all the time. I mean that was our role, to be there all the time for the sake of the kids,” Allen says.

CFCArts has given this family the luxury of growing together while also doing what they love most.

CFCArts summer programs run from early June to the last week of August, with two full productions being audition-only opportunities. Students in grades three-six can audition for the Elementary Musical Performance Camp, which is producing “Seussical” this summer. Older students can audition for their Advanced Performance Camp to star in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

Both shows will debut at the end of the month after two or three weeks of preparation. “Suessical” will run June 28-29 and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” will run July 26-27, both shows will have three available showtimes.

If your child has a love for the theater, CFCArts provides a welcoming environment that could be a perfect fit for your little one. For information on applications and signing up, please visit CFCArts.com/Perform/ Youth-Theatre.

| uu | Inclusive Art

FROM PG.33

MAKING COSTUMES: Richard May makes costume adjustments. PHOTO BY LUIS XAVIER DE PEÑA

FAMILY FUN: Married couple Richard May and Walter Allen with daughter Anya. PHOTO BY LUIS XAVIER DE PEÑA

announcements TAMPA BAY OUT+ABOUT

CONGRATULATIONS

OUT Arts and Culture held the organization’s inaugural OUTies Awards Gayla May 31 at the Gulfport Casino, celebrating their rebrand from the LGBTQ Resource Center with local organizations that have supported their mission. Honorees included the Gulfport Public Library, Pinellas Community Foundation, Raymond James Pride Inclusion Network, Florida Humanities, Stetson College of Law, Gulfperk Coffee Bar and Watermark. Read more and view our photos at WatermarkOnline.com.

Project Pride held its annual Grand Carnival June 1 and will continue celebrating LGBTQ+ Sarasota all month. Read more at WatermarkOnline.com.

Gulfport Pride held its fourth annual celebration June 1.

WFLA anchor Chris Martinez married his husband Jeff June 1.

The Rose Dynasty Center will make Polk County history with its grand opening in Lakeland June 9. Read more on p. 10.

LOCAL BIRTHDAYS

VHA Nurse Steven Frost, Massage practitioner Ed Halleran (June 6); Florida Cane Distillery owner Pat O’Brien, St. Pete activist Theresa Jones (June 7); St Pete Pride Executive Director Nicole Berman, Tampa Bay photographer Nick Cardello, Sarasota performer Lindsay Carlton-Cline, Big Gay Radio Show host Christopher Lawrence (June 8); St Pete Pride cofounder Gerry Broughman, Tampa Bay chiropractor Joshua Carreiro, Empath Partners in Care Executive Director Joy Winheim (June 9); Tampa Bay Sister of Perpetual Indulgence Daniel Lancaster, AAA Director Julio Soto, Hillsborough Community College teacher David Usrey, Tampa Bay lawyer Scott Bird, Ybor store owner Sharon Rose, Tampa Bay cowboy Roger Bell, St. Pete life-saver Richard Recupero (June 10); Tampa Bay real estate agent Ken Hodges, Tampa marketing whiz La’Trice “Lady LaLa” Sharpe, Tampa Bay leading loaner Keith Louderback, St. Pete SoyBright Candle Company co-owner Tim Huff, Tsunami Sushi & Hibachi owner Samuel Dean Ray (June 11); Tampa native bear Ryan Morris, former St. Petersburg city councilmember Darden Rice, Tampa Bay activist Lucas Aiden Wehle, Tampa Bay ally Julia Sharp, CAN Community Health’s Justice Gennari (June 12); Empowering Differences entrepreneur Ashley T. Brundage, Sarasota activist Joshua Beadle, Tampa Bay marketing guru Tony Pullaro, Oxford Exchange server Curtis Lynch, former St. Pete Deputy Mayor Dr. Kanika Tomalin (June 13); Tampa-based performer Lunatique, former TIGLFF president Chris Constantinou, Gay Men’s Chorus of Tampa Bay staple Bill Kanouff, Sarasota socialite Trent Henderson (June 14); Tampa photographer Poly Costas, St Pete Q&A founder Jimmy Biascan (June 15); Bodywork Massage and Day Spa owner Roger Medrano, Town ‘n Country banker Travis Hilborne, Sarasota filmmaker Anthony Paull, St. Pete bartender Taylor Pruett (June 16); St. Teresa of Calcuta priest Fr. Victor Ray, former GaYbor Coalition board member John Gorman, St. Petersburg photographer J.J. Respondek, Tampa Bay entertainer Arabella McQueen, St Pete Pride Boardmember Tiffany Freisberg (June 17).

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SPECIAL GUEST: Alyssa Edwards serves as special guest judge for the Mx. St Pete Pride pageant May 26. PHOTO BY SAMANTHA PONZILLO

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TAMPA TRIO: Tampa City Councilmembers Alan Clendenin (L) and Charlie Miranda flank Mayor Jane Castor after raising the Pride flag above City Hall June 3. PHOTO FROM CITY OF TAMPA’S FACEBOOK

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KICKING OFF: (L-R) Clifford Hobbs, Stanley Solomons, Byron Green-Calisch, Jane Haskell, Nicole Berman and Darius Lightsey strike a pose at St Pete Pride’s Kickoff Block Party June 1. PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT

4

REIGNING PROUD: The Mx. St Pete Pride Court’s Justine B. Knights, Kiala Santi, Vivion Rachel Clarke and Amarish Lavish represent at the flag raising May 31. PHOTO BY CHLOE WAGNER

5 ON PARADE: The Gulfport Gecko Amalgamated Marching Band plays at Gulfport Pride June 1. PHOTO BY DEIDRE FAVERO

6

GOING GREEN: (L-R) Moderator Carl Lavendar and panelists Rene Cantu, Rachel Covello, Jane Haskell, Byron Green-Calisch, Watermark Sales Director Danny Garcia and Tracey Smith conclude their panel on reaching LGBTQ+ businesses at the St. Pete Greenhouse May 29. PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT

7 A SAFE HARBOR: PFLAG Safety Harbor and Equality Florida receive Safety Harbor’s Pride Month proclamation at City Hall June 3. PHOTO BY SAMANTHA PONZILLO

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MEDIA ALLY: Managing Editor Ryan Williams-Jent (C) accepts Watermark’s 2024 Media Ally award at the inaugural OUTies with emcee Brianna Summers (L) and Out Arts & Culture President Paul Raker PHOTO BY SAMANTHA PONZILLO

announcements CENTRAL FLORIDA OUT+ABOUT

CONGRATULATIONS

Come Out With Pride announced May 23 its new executive committee for 2024. AJ Eagle was named new board president, Solimar Miranda was named vice president, Matthew O’Connor was named board treasurer and Julie Tindell was named board secretary. Corey Bryant will assume the role of immediate past president. “Your dedication and passion for creating an unforgettable experience are what will help make this year’s Pride truly legendary,” COWP wrote on its social media. “Together, let’s work our magic and make this the most dazzling year ever!”

Gina Duncan was named the new President/CEO of The Pride Chamber in an announcement May 30. “We’re honored to welcome Gina Duncan as our new CEO and President,” says Denise Merritt, chairperson of the board for The Pride Chamber. “Her vision, leadership and unwavering commitment to the LGBTQ+ community make her the perfect fit to lead The Pride Chamber into a new era of growth and advocacy. We cannot think of a better choice than Gina and are thrilled to have her.” Duncan replaces former President/CEO Daniel Sohn, who stepped down from the position in April.

CONDOLENCES

Kellie Rae Parkin, The Pride Chamber’s past president and most recently served as the executive director of NGLCC New York, passed away May 26 after a brief but courageous battle with cancer. She was 44. “Diagnosed only three months ago, Kellie fought bravely until the end. She leaves behind her beloved children, a cherished 4-month-old grandson, and countless friends who were touched by her kindness and compassion,” The Pride Chamber shared in a message on its Facebook page. She will be dearly missed.

LOCAL BIRTHDAYS

Orlando realtor Brian Carboy, Orlando banker Luis Alberto Sousa-Lazaballet, Savoy bartender Shane Williams (June 6); Artist and actor Nick Smith (June 7); Orlando drag performer Addison Taylor (June 8); Watermark subscriber Tayden Haile, Founder and Chief Strategist at Heart Forward Consulting Hannah Willard, KangaGirl Productions diva Margaret Nolan (June 9); Central Florida teacher Jochy Cora-Santiago, Flag World Orlando’s GM Rocky Ruvola (June 11); Watermark Editorin-Chief Jeremy Williams, Orlando activist Wendy Elkes (June 12); Orlando performer Kitt Riffel, Department of Transportation employee John Stimis, Former Watermark account manager Dalton Connell (June 13); Orlando DJ and model Marisa Maddox, Opera Orlando’s Grant Preisser, The Glass Knife’s Steve Brown (June 14); Central Florida pianist Tim Turner (June 15); Central Florida queen Evelyn Adonis, Central Florida Sounds of Freedom president Joe Kennedy (June 16); CTS Agency’s Carolyn Capern, Central Florida LGBTQ+ history buff Ken Kazmerski (June 17); Intersex activist Juleigh Mayfield, CBP Martial Arts Academy Orlando’s Milena Ofsowitz, Orlando artist Lu’e Diaz (June 18); Watermark sales manager Danny Garcia, LGBTQ+ activist Stacy Gayle, former Watermark intern Natalie Caballero (June 19).

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REUNITED POOLSIDE: The guys from Tidal Wave Party return to celebrate Bear Jamboree! at the host hotel June 1. PHOTO BY BUBBA TRAHAN

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SHARING SERVICES: (L-R) George Wallace, Marshall Turner and Corey Mahon represent the LGBT+ Center Orlando at the GayDayS Expo May 30. PHOTO BY GRACE LOWELL

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WELCOME HOME: (L-R) Orusha San Miguel, DeDe Santos, Darcel Stevens, Lacie Browning, Daisy Dior and Mr Ms Adrien are all smiles after performing at One Magical Weekend’s #TBT Welcome Party May 30. PHOTO BY BUBBA TRAHAN

4 SING OUT LOUD: Randy Roberts and Varla Jean Merman perform at GayDayS with their Gay Dazed & Confused show May 30. PHOTO BY RICK TODD

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TEE TIME: (L-R) Denise Merrit, Gina Duncan, Dawn Kallio and Lisa Brown are ready to play at The Pride Cup’s golf tournament at Dubsdread Golf Course May 31. PHOTO BY GRACE LOWELL

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DREAM TEAM: One Magical Weekend’s dancers show off their moves during the Therapy Pool Party at the host hotel June 1. PHOTO BY JEREMY WILLIAMS

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GAY DAY: Attendees in their red shirts get their photo taken in front of Cinderella’s Castle during Gay Day at the Magic Kingdom June 1. PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD

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ROARING 20S: Attendees took it back to the 1920s in dress and theme for the Girls in Wonderland Signature Event at the New York Beer Project in Orlando June 1. PHOTO BY VICTORIA PERA

www.tampabaylgbtchamber.org

community calendar

CENTRAL FLORIDA

Proud in the Cloud

SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 12-6 P.M.

LAKEFRONT PARK, ST. CLOUD

“Proud in the Cloud,” presented by the St. Cloud Pride Alliance, is set to have over 50 vendors, a fully sponsored inflatable kids’ zone, family-friendly live entertainment and food trucks for all guests to enjoy. This is a free event and is open for everyone. Get more information at ProudInTheCloud.com.

Pulse Remembrance Ceremony

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 7 P.M.

DR. PHILLIPS CENTER, ORLANDO

The City of Orlando is hosting the Pulse Remembrance Ceremony inside Steinmetz Hall at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. The event is free for residents to attend, but seats must be reserved through the Dr. Phillips Center’s website. More information for this event is available at PulseOrlando.org.

TAMPA BAY

Tampa Bay Rays Pride Night

SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 4:10 P.M.

TROPICANA FIELD, ST. PETERSBURG

Celebrate the Tampa Bay Rays’ annual Pride Night with an afternoon at Tropicana Field. The first 12,000 fans will receive a specialty Pride Night Rays jersey featuring Pride colors. Fans can also purchase a Pride ticket package in which they will receive a ticket to the Pride night game and a Pride flag themed Tampa Bay Rays bucket hat for $53. Regular tickets begin at $10. Learn more and purchase tickets at MLB.com/Rays.

Silver Pride

SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 12-5 P.M.

SENIOR FRIENDSHIP CENTER, SARASOTA

Honor the legacy of senior members of the LGBTQ+ community with Silver Pride. The event will have live music, vendors, food trucks and more from community partners. Silver Pride celebrates LGBTQ+ folks aged 50 and older, but all ages are welcome to attend. The event is free for everyone. For more information, visit Pride Project SRQ’s Facebook page.

EVENT PLANNER

POLK PROUD

Polk Pride will return with its signature event at Munn Park on June 15. Learn more at PolkPrideFL.org.

ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT

CENTRAL FLORIDA

“Clue,” June 4-9, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando. 844-513-2014; DrPhillipsCenter.org

April Fresh’s Ladies of the 80s!, June 7, Jack & Honey’s, Orlando. 407-440-4079; JackAndHoneys.com

“The Rocky Horror Show,” June 7-20, Theater West End, Sanford. 407-548-6285; TheaterWestEnd.com

CommUNITY Rainbow Run, June 8, City Hall Plaza, Orlando. PulseOrlando.org

Eric Andre, June 8, The Plaza Live, Orlando. 407-228-1220; plazaliveorlando.org

The Dru Project’s Annual Memorial & Fundraiser, June 8, Jack and Honey’s, Orlando. 407-440-4079; JackandHoneys.com

49 Bells, June 12, First United Methodist Church, Orlando. PulseOrlando.org

“The Play That Goes Wrong,” June 14-30, Osceola Arts, Kissimmee. 407-846-4643; OsceolaArts.org

4th Annual Juneteenth, June 15, City of Sanford, Sanford. 407-688-5000; SanfordFL.gov

Kissimmee Juneteenth Festival, June 15, Kissimmee Lakefront Park, Kissimmee. 407-518-2501; kissimmee.gov

Juneteenth Celebration at Pride Night, June 18, Café DaVinci, DeLand. 386-736-0008; CafeDaVinciDeLand.com

Watermark’s Third Thursday, June 20, LGBT+ Center, Orlando. 407-228-8272; TheCenterOrlando.org

The Born This Way Ball: Gaga Ball & Pride Party, June 20, Cocktails & Scream, Orlando. 407-904-0124; barnonecreationsfl.com/ cocktails-screams Blink-182, June 20, Kia Center, Orlando. 407-440-7900; kiacenter.com

Florida Festival of New Musicals, June 20-23, Winter Park Playhouse, Winter Park. 407-645-0145; winterparkplayhouse.org

TAMPA BAY

“Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” Through June 16, American Stage and Jannus Live, St. Petersburg. 727-823-7529; AmericanStage.org

“Fire Island 1970s: The Photography of Meryl Meisler,” Through June 30, The Werk, St. Petersburg.

“What Pride Means to Me,” Saturday, June 8, St. Pete ArtWorks, St. Peterburg. 727-485-8655; GCAA-fl.org

Rose Dynasty Center

Grand Opening, June 9, Rose Dynasty Center, Lakeland. RoseDyanstyFoundationInc.org

BurlyNathan – Out on the Range, Tuesday, June 11, The James Museum of Western Wildlife & Art, St. Petersburg. 727-892-4200; TheJamesMuseum.org

Paws with Pride, Friday, June 14, Dog Bar St. Pete, St. Petersburg. 727-317-4968; DogBarStPete.com

Endless Night: Tampa Vampire Ball, Saturday, June 15, The Castle, Tampa. 813-247-7547; CastleYbor.com

Disney Trivia Night, Wednesday, June 12, World of Beer, Brandon. 813-324-8908; WorldofBeer.com/Locations/ Brandon

“My Big Gay Italian Wedding,” Thursday, June 13, Seminole Hark Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa. 886-388-4263; Casino.HardRock.com

LGBTQ+ Veterans Coffee Connection at EPIC, Thursday, June 13, EPIC St. Petersburg Campus, St. Petersburg. 727-643-4939; MyEPIC.org

Megan Thee Stallion, Saturday, June 8, Amalie Arena, Tampa. 813-301-6500; AmalieArena.com

Alanis Morisette, Wednesday, June 19, MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa. 813-740-2446; LiveNation.com

Queer Comic Book Club Reads KING CHEER, Saturday, June 8, The Speakeasy, St. Petersburg. 727-755-9456; TomboloBooks.com

Pridentity Shorts, Saturday, June 15, ArtsXchange Outdoor Stage, St. Petersburg. 727-256-0821; WarehouseArtsDistrict.org Polk Pride 2024, June 15, Munn Park, Lakeland. PolkPrideFL.org

SARASOTA

Pride Edition of Not Your Typical Trivia with Jason Champion, Wednesday, June 12, The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime, Sarasota. 941-445-1938; BazaarOnApricotAndLime.com To submit your upcoming event, concert, performance, or fundraiser visit watermarkonline.com.

PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD

Healthcare That Supports You.

We know that every woman is unique, and so are your healthcare needs. That’s why at Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital, we offer a wide range of women’s health services, including gynecological care, preventative and diagnostic screenings, breast imaging, maternity care, and pelvic health treatments. From routine well-woman exams to leading-edge minimally invasive procedures, you can trust our health specialists to meet your unique needs.

Our scope of care includes:

• Annual gynecological exams

• Mammograms

• Immunizations and screenings

• Reproductive treatments

• Breast reconstruction

To

• Pelvic floor rehabilitation

• Minimally invasive gynecologic surgery

• Expert labor and delivery care

• High-risk pregnancy support

• Prenatal and postpartum support classes

• DEXA bone density scans

• Thyroid screenings

• Diagnostic ultrasounds