Watermark Issue 28.17: The LGBTQ Generational Wage Gap by Watermark Publishing Group

Your LGBTQ Life.

Aug. 19 - Sept. 1, 2021 • Issue 28.17

The_LGBTQ_Generational Queer personal finance content creators are Wealth_Gap helping address financial challenges Metro Inclusive Health doubles Tampa services

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Come Out With Pride announces cops can march in parade

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DEPARTMENTS 7 // PUBLISHER’S DESK

PAGE

8 // CENTRAL FLORIDA NEWS 10 // TAMPA BAY NEWS

For the longest time, the loudest voices in the personal finance community were cis[gender], straight white males and, as a queer woman, I wanted to share information and tips that were often overlooked by those creators. – LEXA VANDAMME, SOCIAL MEDIA FINANCIAL INFLUENCER AND CREATOR OF THE AVOCADO TOAST BUDGET

12 // STATE NEWS 15 // NATION & WORLD NEWS 21 // TALKING POINTS 37 // EVENT PLANNER 39 // TAMPA BAY OUT + ABOUT 41 // CENTRAL FL OUT + ABOUT 42 // TAMPA BAY MARKETPLACE 43 // CENTRAL FL MARKETPLACE 46 // WEDDING BELLS ON THE COVER

PAGE FLORIDA WOMAN:

PAGE THE LGBTQ

GENERATIONAL WEALTH GAP:

Queer personal finance content creators are helping address financial challenges.

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Orlando-based book “With Teeth” brings author Kristen Arnett to St. Petersburg.

WATERMARK ISSUE 28.17 // AUG. 19 - SEPT. 1, 2021

OFFICERS MARCH

PRIMARY CHOICE

LADYFINGERS

CHECK MATE

PAGE Come Out With Pride announces cops can march in parade.

PAGE Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus endorses Welch for St. Pete mayor.

PAGE

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

Sabrina Ambra talks about her bout of COVID in her latest Viewpoint.

Florida Theatrical Association brings “Chess the Concert” to The Mezz.

AUGUST 19 - SEP T EMB ER 1, 2021 // ISSUE 28 .17 WAT E R M A R KONLINE .COM

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AUGUST 19 - SEP T EMB ER 1, 2021 // ISSUE 28 .17 WAT E R M A R KONLINE .COM

PUBLISHER’S

Rick Todd PUBLISHER

Rick@WatermarkOnline.com

DESK

’VE TOLD THE STORY BEFORE, AND

probably will again in six months when I hit my 20-year anniversary, about how I only took the administrative assistant position at Watermark to hold me over while I looked for something that paid more money. I’m still here. It’s not because I couldn’t find a job that paid more, trust me. It’s because I found something at Watermark that I didn’t expect, that couldn’t be found anywhere else.

I can talk about finding purpose, family and home, but it was bigger than that. I can talk about finding a lifelong mentor and friend in the founder, Tom Dyer. Again, it was bigger than that. I have always felt that Watermark was an entity greater than any one person. It’s a collective of staff and community, of business and community service and of our past, present and future. That may sound like a delusion of grandeur, and maybe it is a little, but within the pages of Watermark you can find the history of our community. We cover our community from hyper-local business openings to major national breakthroughs like marriage equality. We do it with

passion and integrity because of our love of this community and this entity we work for. The reputation of Watermark and protecting this paper’s history has always been at the forefront of my mind, probably instilled in me out of respect for the founder and his mission. I’m not always successful and sometimes I can go a little overboard, like being a helicopter parent with the staff’s social media engagement. My motto for years has been that we report the news, not create it. Lately though, I feel that has morphed into too much concern about getting canceled and that is something I need to work on.

We need to ask hard questions if we are going to get to the truth. We need to have open communication if we are going to better ourselves. We need to provide the space for each other to have a dialogue and grow together. I recently attended a virtual town hall hosted by Come Out With Pride. They were approached by a group asking that police be banned from Pride, including marching in the parade. It was a difficult, heated conversation. I want to applaud Come Out With Pride and, specifically, Executive Director Tatiana Quiroga for not only providing the space but for doing so with respect and professionalism. I heard from others on the call who were angry at Come Out With Pride for entertaining the conversation that directed so much anger and hatred to the police, and they may be upset that I am dedicating space to that conversation. I saw it as a learning moment. It was clear that some on the call were victims of police brutality. They were angry and afraid and they spoke their truth. It’s difficult to give commentary because I don’t feel like it’s my place. I haven’t had their experiences. All I can say is I hear what they were saying and I have a greater understanding than I did before that town hall. Giving space to these stories, however, does not align me with their cause. I can have an appreciation for their conversation while disagreeing with their choice of words at times, and their desired outcome. I personally know many of the officers who also sat on that call. They are members of the Gay Officers Action League (GOALcfl). These officers understand the LGBTQ community because they are members of it. They work with organizations like The Matthew Sheppard Foundation to educate the police about hate crimes and police brutality. They are working

WATERMARK STAFF

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

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watermark Your LGBTQ life.

to fix systemic problems from the inside. I am in awe of their poise as they listened to anger for bad policing being directed at them and I am grateful for the community that stood up for the work of these officers. I understand there is work to be done in policing, but the answer is not to ban those working to strengthen our community from a Pride parade that is designed to elevate all LGBTQ people. We do not have to tear down people to elevate ourselves. Let’s work together with everyone fighting the good fight to stop those who wish to do us harm. You can read more about this story in our Central Florida news section. In this issue of Watermark we talk LGBTQ money. We take a deep

Let’s work together with everyone fighting the good fight to stop those who wish to do us harm.

look into generation wealth within the LGBTQ community and we talk to some local financial planners about how to best focus your money for the future. In local news, the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus endorses Ken Welch for St. Pete Mayor while Leigh Shannon launches his campaign for Orlando City Commissioner – District 3. Our arts and entertainment section features “Chess in Concert” at The Abbey in downtown Orlando. In Tampa Bay we check in with author Kristen Arnett about her latest work, “With Teeth.” We strive to bring you a variety of stories, your stories. I hope you enjoy this latest issue.

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CONTRIBUTORS SABRINA AMBRA

is a cohost of Real Radio 104.1’s “News Junkie” program and will kick your ass if she needs to. Page 17

BRIAN BAILEY is the

Chief Marketing & Experience Officer for Metro Inclusive

Health. Page 19

LORA KORPAR was

a journalism student who graduated from the University of Central Florida and is a former Watermark intern. Page 46

SABRINA AMBRA, NATHAN BRUEMMER, SCOTTIE CAMPBELL, MIGUEL FULLER, DIVINE GRACE, HOLLY KAPHERR ALEJOS, JASON LECLERC, MELODY MAIA MONET, JERICK MEDIAVILLA, GREG STEMM, DR. STEVE YACOVELLI, MICHAEL WANZIE

PHOTOGRAPHY BRIAN BECNEL, NICK CARDELLO, BRUCE HARDIN, JAMARQUS MOSLEY, CHRIS STEPHENSON, LEE VANDERGRIFT

DISTRIBUTION LVNLIF2 DISTRIBUTING, KEN CARRAWAY, VANESSA MARESCA-CRUZ

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

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central florida news

ROBERT HILL STEPS DOWN AS ORL BALLET DIRECTOR Jeremy Williams

RLANDO | Robert Hill, Orlando Ballet’s artistic director for the last 13 years, announced that he is stepping down from the position. In a press release Aug. 13, Orlando Ballet commended Hill for leading the company in 13 years of “unprecedented growth and artistic excellence.” In a farewell statement to Orlando Ballet’s staff, donors and board, Hill said “Gratitude – a word I use so often is what I express to everyone in the Orlando Ballet family and community. I am incredibly grateful for the 13 wonderful years leading the organization. Creativity and leadership can be exhausting, especially when combined with recovering from a full knee replacement. After 13 years, with the company in such great shape, with incredible artists, faculty, staff and Board, now is the time to take some time off. I look forward to having time to focus on my recovery and to moving forward. Thank you all for your endless love and support.” Orlando Ballet’s current choreographer-in-residence, Jorden Morris will step in as guest artistic director for the company’s 2021-22 season. The board has appointed a search committee who will conduct a worldwide search for a new permanent artistic director.

LEIGH SHANNON KICKSOFF CAMPAIGN Jeremy Williams

RLANDO | Owner of Ritzy Rags Wigs & More, Martin Fugate — better known to most as drag entertainer Leigh Shannon — launched his run for Orlando City Commissioner – District 3 with a kickoff social at The Original Anthony’s Pizzeria in College Park. “I wanted to have a launch that is a little different,” Shannon said in front of supporters Aug. 4. “I’m a show person, an actor, a comic and a business man, and these are the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever performed in.” Shannon spoke to the crowd about what he thinks are key issues within the district including pedestrian safety, property incentives and empowering women in leadership roles. He also spoke about the Rosemont Development deal, something Shannon has spoken about in detail over the last couple of months. Shannon told supporters he will bring transparency and open communication to the office if elected. After speaking to the crowd, Shannon introduced Elvis and Tina Turner impersonators who entertained the crowd.

For more information on Shannon’s campaign and to read about his key issues, go to ElectLeighShannon.com.

MARCHING PROUD: OPD’s

Mounted Patrol march in the 2018 Come Out With Pride parade in downtown Orlando. PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD

Officers March Come Out With Pride announces cops can march in parade Jeremy Williams

RLANDO | After holding a virtual town hall Aug. 4, which at times became heated, and speaking with many leaders and organizations in Orlando’s LGBTQ community, Come Out With Pride’s board of directors announced in a statement Aug. 14 that law enforcement officers would be allowed to march in the Pride parade in downtown Orlando Oct. 9. “We had been in talks with community partners and members for several months leading up to the town hall,” says Tatiana Quiroga, COWP’s executive director. “It was like a tidal wave coming from New York Pride and then we saw the ripples starting to come towards us and that’s when we realized okay, this is going to be a bigger issue. Let’s start reaching out to community members. Let’s start reaching out to community partners to try to figure out how do we go ahead and move forward.” Through the One Orlando Alliance, COWP held talks with Orange County, the Orlando Police Department and the Central Florida

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

branch of the Gay Officers Action League, as well as reached out to get input from Divas in Dialogue, the Gender Advancement Project and R.I.S.E. “Those three organizations were very valuable to us because those three organizations are by and for trans women of color, and that is a group in the LGBTQ+ community that is our most vulnerable, our most marginalized, our most disenfranchised and most effected by systematic oppression, systematic racism and violence,” Quiroga says. Prior to the virtual town hall, COWP also reached out to other Pride organizations as well as UCF students and groups who are in support of banning police from Pride celebrations. “We had separate conversations with all these folks to really be able to hear them, hear their concerns, hear the lived experiences from everyone,” Quiroga says. GOALcfl released a statement Aug. 16 commending COWP for deciding to include law enforcement in this year’s parade and festival. “[I]n light of the decision made in other areas to exclude or limit

law enforcement participation, this decision shows the unique strength of the Central Florida LGBTQ+ community, both in its ability to overcome challenges and the power of its bonds with its community partners,” Grace Peek-Harris, president of GOALcfl, said. In their statement, COWP drew attention to their theme for this year’s Pride celebration, Unified by Pride. “In a city that witnessed the importance of unity in the wake of overwhelming tragedy, we believe collaboration bonds us. We are committed to the tremendous work ahead, while we acknowledge the progress that has been achieved in the relationship between law enforcement and the Central Florida LGBTQ+ community,” the statement reads. COWP also committed to build a Community Advisory Committee that will “collaborate with community members to adopt changes to better serve all who attend our parade and festival.” “We commit to creating more spaces and opportunities for marginalized voices. The fight against social injustice, systemic racism and transphobia must continue. Together, we can work toward equality, happiness, prosperity and security for everyone in our LGBTQ+ community,” COWP stated. For more information on Come out With Pride events, go to ComeOutWithPride.org.

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tampa bay news

METRO’S NEW FACILITY DOUBLES TAMPA SERVICES Ryan Williams-Jent

AMPA | Metro Inclusive Health opened its 30,000-square-foot facility in Ybor Aug. 2, an expansion that will allow the nonprofit to double its services throughout the area. The organization first pledged to do so in 2019, when along with longtime health partner CAN Community Health they acquired Ybor’s German American Club with Alliant Partners. They broke ground on the project that year. To restore the historic structure and construct a 15,000-square-foot addition, Metro launched a Raise the Roof fundraising campaign. Of its $1 million goal, $400,000 has been raised. That total includes $100,000 from the Vinik Family Foundation, managed by Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik and his wife Penny. The organization has donated more than $75 million to nonprofits since 1997. “Healthy communities make successful communities,” Jeff Vinik said in a statement. “With Tampa Bay’s fast growth as a highly desirable place to live, work and play, the health equity services provided by Metro Inclusive Health are paramount to our communities long-term sustainability. We are so thankful for the work they do and are pleased to support their growth and impact on our Tampa Bay region.” The renovated space includes nine intake rooms, 10 exam rooms, two HIV and STI testing rooms, on-site labs, an on-site pharmacy, five counseling rooms, three conference and meeting rooms and a Grand Hall. The event space’s balcony will be named after the Viniks to honor their donation. “We are so grateful for this incredible gift,” Metro Inclusive Health CEO Lorraine Langlois shared. “Their generosity and vision have changed Tampa Bay in countless ways. Their support of Metro Inclusive Health will improve the health and wellbeing of many of our friends and neighbors and will have a major impact on our community for years to come.” Metro will offer more than 100 services and programs focused on the health and wellbeing of Tampa Bay’s diverse community. They include primary care, behavioral health, HIV medical care, STI prevention and more. As the facility is located within Tampa’s 33605 zip code, with a makeup of 62% of residents who are Black and 22% who are Hispanic, Metro notes that it will help increase access to care for communities of color. They also hope it will serve as the home of social programming for LGBTQ youth, young adults, seniors and the transgender community. Metro purchased a 1,500-square-foot home beside the facility for that purpose. The structure will mirror Metro’s LGBTQ Welcome Center in St. Petersburg, which serves as a resource and hub for the LGBTQ residents and visitors. Renovations began after its sale finalized July 15 and you can view photos of the sites at WatermarkOnline.com.

Fundraising continues for Metro’s Tampa expansion, located at 2105 N. Nebraska Ave. To learn more, visit MetroTampaBay.org/Tampa.

TOP CONTENDER:

Longtime LGBTQ ally and St. Petersburg mayoral candidate Ken Welch. PHOTO COURTESY THE WELCH CAMPAIGN

Primary Choice Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus endorses Welch for St. Pete mayor Ryan Williams-Jent

T. PETERSBURG | The Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus released its list of endorsements Aug. 12 for the city’s upcoming primary, among them Ken Welch for mayor. The caucus represents the interests of LGBTQ Floridians as an arm of the state’s Democratic Party. The Stonewall Democrats of Pinellas County, which endorsed Welch last month, is among its 21 chapters. Welch served on the Pinellas County Commission for five terms, during which he led a number of high-profile, LGBTQ-focused initiatives. LGBTQ advocates have publicly been divided between the mayoral candidate and current St. Petersburg City Councilmember Darden Rice, a fellow Democrat who would become the city’s first openly LGBTQ mayor if elected. “Both of the top Democratic contenders in the mayoral race have excellent records on LGBTQ+ issues,” openly LGBTQ Stonewall Democrats President Paul Ray shared July 28, “but the Stonewall Democrats believe that Ken Welch is the best candidate to unify St. Petersburg,

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

break down barriers across our city’s diverse neighborhoods and continue to move the city forward.” The chapter endorsed city council candidates Copley Gerdes for District 1, openly LGBTQ Clifford Hobbs III for District 4 and Richie Floyd for District 8 as well. Openly LGBTQ Mhariel Summers was also endorsed for the Nov. 2 general election and each of the endorsements were seconded by the statewide caucus. “Our chapters have rigorous endorsement processes to identify the best candidates to represent the LGBTQ+ community,” LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus President Stephen Gaskill said. “We are thrilled to echo Stonewall Democrats of Pinellas County and endorse these candidates for St. Petersburg municipal elections because of their vision and support for LGBTQ+ residents. We believe they will unify St. Petersburg and move the city forward.” “We are proud to endorse this diverse slate of pro-equality Democrats, which includes leaders who would become the first openly LGBTQ Black man and first openly LGBTQ Black woman on the St. Petersburg City Council,”

Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus Campaign Director Susan McGrath added. She also serves as a member and former president of the Stonewall Democrats and noted that “we look forward to working with them to bring our city together and ensure every resident has the opportunity to thrive.” “It is an honor to receive the endorsement of the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus,” Welch says. “As the next mayor of the Sunshine City, I look forward to expanding upon opportunities and experiences for residents and visitors alike that celebrate and embrace our pride and diversity. I can’t wait to hit the ground running and continue paving the way by creating the blueprint for inclusive cities across the country.” The endorsement follows the resurgence of an apparent anti-LGBTQ social media post made by a third mayoral contender gaining traction, Robert Blackmon. The first-term city councilmember was elected in Nov. 2019 and submitted his resignation in May effective Jan. 6, 2022. Both the Welch campaign and Rice condemned the Republican’s alleged rhetoric. Blackmon did not respond to Watermark’s requests for comment. If no mayoral candidate receives more than 50% of the vote on Aug. 24, the top two candidates will advance to the general election on Nov. 2. Read more about the Florida LGBTQ Democratic Caucus, its local chapters, the St. Petersburg primary election and its three top-tier mayoral candidates at WatermarkOnline.com.

AUGUST 19 - SEP T EMB ER 1, 2021 // ISSUE 28 .17 WAT E R M A R KONLINE .COM

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state news

SAFE SCHOOLS SOUTH FLORIDA MARKS 30 YEARS Everitt Rosen, South Florida Gay News

iami-Dade County, Fla. | Safe Schools South Florida is celebrating its 30th year of service to the safety, support and education of LGBTQ students and their educators and staff. Established in 1991 by two Miami-Dade County Public School teachers and activists, Rolly Funk and Robert Loupo, it offers district-wide training for teachers, counselors, administrators and staff to help create safer classrooms and schools for LGBTQ students. Its mission is to help these students grow, thrive, and succeed in their academic careers, personal lives and career endeavors. “When we first started 30 years ago, information on LGBTQ issues was not readily available, it wasn’t something that you could just google and find a wealth of information,” said the Executive Director of Safe Schools South Florida Scott Galvin.

Learn more about the organization at SafeSchoolsSouthFlorida.org.

HATE CRIME CHARGES AGAINST VANDAL DROPPED Christiana Lilly, South Florida Gay News

ALM BEACH CO., FLA. | The Palm Beach County state attorney’s office filed charges of criminal mischief and reckless driving against the man who allegedly defaced the Pride intersection in Delray Beach in June. The felony and misdemeanor charges were announced in court Aug. 5. The Delray Beach Police Department had originally charged Alexander Jerich with a hate crime. A plea hearing is scheduled for Sept. 13. “Everyone who was part of this case was disturbed by the defendant’s conduct and as prosecutors we have to file charges based on the law and the law has some gaps in it,” State Attorney Dave Aronberg said. “We don’t want to violate our oaths as prosecutors and we don’t want to jeopardize the case by charging inappropriately.”

Jerich, 21, was arrested June 17 after a video surfaced online of him burning out over the intersection, leaving behind large skidmarks. The intersection had only been dedicated two days prior. Aronberg explained that his office had looked into charging Jerich with a hate crime, but that it did not meet one of the requirements of the law. He said that the victim in this case was the city of Delray Beach, which does not have a sexual orientation or gender identity. The police report states that the cost of street space was $16,720 and the city is working with the vendor to have the intersection repainted. Richard Clausi, Jr., assistant state attorney, said that the cost to fix it has been estimated around $8,000. The Palm Beach County Human Rights Council (PBCHRC) denounced the office’s charges. “Although I was not surprised that State Attorney Dave Aronberg shied away from charging Alexander Jerich under the new Combating Public Disorder

Act, I was shocked that he refused to seek enhanced penalties under Florida’s hate crimes law,” wrote Rand Hoch, president of PBCHRC. “If surveillance cameras caught someone carving anti-Semitic slurs in the sidewalk in front of a store owned by a Jewish person in Delray Beach, don’t you think State Attorney Aronberg would charge the person with a hate crime?” he also asked. During his press conference, Aronberg said he imagines that moving forward, how memorials are completed and honored will be changed in order to protect them from vandals. “Make no mistake, we are appalled by the defendant’s actions. Hate has no place in our community and we intend to hold the defendant accountable for his crimes,” Aronberg said. “Any punishment must also include restitution that will pay for the Pride streetscape to be fully restored to its original form.”

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nation+world news

HRC PRESIDENT UNDER REVIEW, TIME’S UP LEADER RESIGNS AFTER CRITICISM ABOUT CUOMO TIES Wire Report

EW YORK | Roberta Kaplan, the leader of Time’s Up, resigned Aug. 9, the same day the Human Rights Campaign opened an internal review into its president Alphonso David for advising New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration behind the scenes in its effort to discredit one of Cuomo’s accusers. Time’s Up, the #MeToo-era organization founded by Hollywood women to fight sexual harassment, said in a tweet that it agreed with Kaplan that stepping down as chair of the group’s board of directors was “the right and appropriate thing to do.” A report issued by New York’s attorney general concluded that Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women. The allegations have thrown the Democrat’s career into extreme peril, threatening him with the

possibility of both impeachment and criminal charges. Kaplan, a women’s rights advocate who has a law practice of her own, counseled the administration last winter when Cuomo was hit with the first of the harassment allegations, leveled by a former economic development adviser, Lindsey Boylan. Both Kaplan and David were consulted over a letter the Cuomo administration had drafted attacking Boylan’s credibility. Kaplan and David agreed to review the letter. According to the attorney general’s report, Kaplan told the administration that with some adjustments, the letter would be fine to send out. David, a former counsel to Cuomo, declined to sign the letter but agreed to contact other people to see if they would. Other advisers, though, said it was a bad idea, and the letter was never widely disseminated. In addition to advising the Cuomo administration, Kaplan had more recently done legal work

representing Melissa DeRosa, a top aide to Cuomo who resigned after the attorney general’s report portrayed her as playing a central role in the effort to retaliate against Boylan. Meanwhile, the Human Rights Campaign said it is launching an investigation of the “appropriateness” of David’s actions. David, in a statement Aug. 9, said he welcomed that review amid what he called “multiple inaccuracies (that) have been circulating.” He said he only learned of the governor’s alleged misconduct from the Attorney General’s report, and said he neither signed nor circulated the letter. He did acknowledge turning over ’an electric copy of a counseling memo regarding a state employee” after he left government, but said he was legally obligated to do so. “I have called for his resignation and reiterate that call today,” he said of Cuomo. Cuomo resigned from the office of governor Aug. 10.

‘TEAM LGBTQ’ RANK 11TH IN MEDAL TALLY AT OLYMPICS Brody Levesque of The Los Angeles Blade, Courtesy of the National LGBT Media Association

elayed by the coronavirus pandemic by one year and then held under tight restrictions including no cheering fans in the stands, the Tokyo Olympics drew to a close Aug. 8 with one group of athletes, LGBTQ Olympian competitors, having made historic gains. Affectionately labeled “Team LGBTQ” by OutSports magazine, at least 182 publicly out LGBTQ athletes competed in the games, more than triple the number who participated in 2016, the magazine reported. “In fact, if the LGBTQ Olympians competed as their own country — affectionately labeled ‘Team LGBTQ’ by Outsports — they would rank 11thin the total medal count (right behind France and before Canada), with 32 team and individual medals:

11 gold, 12 silver and nine bronze,” reflected NBC Out. 30 different countries were represented by at least one publicly out LGBTQ athlete covering 34 sports, including the first trans Olympians. The most notable Olympic medal win was that of Canadian Women’s Soccer midfielder Quinn, who became the first openly transgender, nonbinary athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in another trailblazing moment at the Tokyo Games for the marginalized LGBTQ community. In another Olympic triumph, 27-year-old British diver Tom Daley secured his first Olympic Gold medal alongside teammate Matty Lee winning the gold with a score of 471.81 in the men’s synchronized diving narrowly besting the defending champions, China’s Cao Yuan and Chen Aisen by just 1.23 points. For Daley it was his fourth career Olympic medal including a Bronze Medal won in the Men’s 10m platform completion at Tokyo as well.

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Outsports and NBC Out published the following list of medalists: The gold medalists were Brazilian swimmer Ana Marcela Cunha for the 10-kilometer event; French martial artist Amandine Buchard for mixed team judo; Venezuelan track and field athlete Yulimar Rojas for the triple jump; Irish boxer Kellie Harrington; New Zealand rower Emma Twigg; U.S. women’s basketball team members Sue Bird, Chelsea Gray, Brittney Griner, Breanna Stewart and Diana Taurasi; American 3-on-3 basketball player Stefanie Dolson; Canadian women’s soccer team members Quinn, Kadeisha Buchanan, Erin McLeod, Kailen Sheridan and Stephanie Labbe; French handball players Amandine Leynaud and Alexandra Lacrabère; New Zealand rugby players Gayle Broughton, Ruby Tui, Kelly Brazier and Portia Woodman; and, of course, British diver Tom Daley, who finally took home the gold for synchronized diving at his fourth Games.

IN OTHER NEWS VIRGINIA SCHOOL BOARD OKS TRANS STUDENT GUIDELINES Loudoun County School Board in northern Virginia voted 7-2 on Aug. 11 to expand access for transgender students to school facilities and groups, a decision coming the day after hundreds of people for and against the changes converged for a public hearing. The guidelines also require teachers to address transgender children by names and pronouns that they use. The school system in Loudoun, one of the wealthiest counties in the nation, is following Virginia law, which has directed districts to consider revised anti-harassment guidelines.

3 TEXAS MEN SENTENCED IN BEATING OF GAY COUPLE Three men won’t serve any additional jail time after reaching plea deals in an assault on a gay couple in downtown Austin, Texas. The 2019 attack on Spencer Deehring and Tristan Perry inspired a rally at the Capitol and the creation of a citizens’ foot patrol. Four men were charged in the beating, and three of them — Quinn O’Connor, Frank Macias and Kolby Monell — were sentenced after reaching plea deals for misdemeanor assault with a hate crime finding. Charges were dropped against the fourth man, Miguel Macias. O’Connor and Monell were sentenced to probation while Frank Macias was sentenced to one year in jail but was already credited for time served in the Travis County jail.

HARSH ANTI-LGBTQ BILL INTRODUCED IN GHANA

The “Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill”, a bill criminalizing LGBTQ identity and allyship in Ghana, was officially introduced in the country’s Parliament Aug. 2. Eight conservative lawmakers who are from the opposition and ruling parties sponsored the bill. The bill, if passed, would outlaw LGBTQ identity and subject anyone who identifies as part of the LGBTQ community or as an ally with up to 10 years in prison. A draft of the bill that was leaked online listed some of the punishable offenses that include “gross indecency,” which is defined as “the public show of amorous relations between or among persons of the same sex.”

HUNGARY RESTRICTS SALE OF LGBTQ CHILDREN’S BOOKS Hungary on Aug. 6 issued a decree that restricts the sale of children’s books with LGBTQ-specific themes. The decree mandates bookstores to sell children’s books that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government has concluded promote homosexuality in “closed wrapping.” The decree requires bookstores to sell children’s books that Orbán’s government says promote sex-reassignment surgery and contain “explicit” descriptions of sexuality separately. Reuters also reported the decree prohibits the sale of these books within 200 meters of a school or a church. The decree is the latest in a series of steps Orbán’s government has taken to rollback LGBTQ rights in Hungary.

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viewpoint you’re the only spoon in the drawer. I’ve also spent this time coming up with idioms that don’t make sense, like “being the only spoon in the drawer.”

Sabrina Ambra

LADYFINGERS

Course in COVID

DON’T MEAN TO BOAST OFF

the bat but you’re about to read a piece written by someone who was recently “hailed” as a “breakthrough.” The reviews are in and they are all positive. Of course, by “reviews” I mean a PCR test. For those of you who may be confused by the above facetiousness, let me explain in lay-they’s terms: your girl tested positive for COVID-19. As of this writing, it’s been eight days since I have been physically touched by another human. I understand and I respect that it’s the price I have to pay; I’m just saying it gets to be a bit lonely when

It’s been an emotional rollercoaster, mostly because I did not realize I was in line for said emotional ride and partly because I’m naturally neurotic. Now, it would be very remiss of me not to acknowledge how fortunate I am that my bout of COVID was not worse and that’s on Moderna, y’all. Not throwing shade at the J&J and Pfizzy folks; I’m here for the Vaccination Persuasion, all day. I am, however, going to throw praise at the queen of country and funding, Dolly Parton. You see, while two old, rich white dudes spent millions of dollars on a galactic dick-swinging competition, The Iron Butterfly funded Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine and subsequently saved millions upon millions of people. “Whatever you need to do, you gotta get it done, however many hours it takes,” Parton said about funding the vaccine, as well as what it’s like being a boss ass bitch, I assume. 2021 is 66.6% complete and I can’t help but ask myself every day, if not multiple times in one day, “What the fuck is actually going on?” There is nuance with each internal inquiry but the general theme is

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consistent — I’m over this shit and this shit won’t be over anytime soon. My time in

school board about masks. Just last week, a school board meeting in a suburban Tennessee county went from zero to fucking bonkers as grown adults had child-like meltdowns both inside and outside of the proceedings. At one point, a group of men

We will, however, zip these flapping lips when a creepy school administrator looks at a 15-year-old’s cleavage and decides to sexualize her, shame her and probably cause a lil’ bit-o-trauma. Rules are rules!” We all remember the

surrounded the vehicle of a doctor who had spoken in favor of the mask mandate and proceeded to scream, “We know who you are. You can leave freely, but we will find you.” This bears repeating: What the fuck is actually going on? There’s a strange irony in situations like the one in Tennessee. Crazy ma’s and pa’s protesting masks in the name of their children’s “rights/mental health/ whatever helps them sleep at night,” but all that seems to go out the window when a young woman is shamed, reprimanded and/ or suspended for wearing spaghetti straps or yoga pants. “WE WILL NEVER COVER OUR CHILDREN’S FACES IN ORDER TO PROTECT THEM AND THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM FROM A DEADLY VIRUS!

phrase about choosing your battles wisely, right? The past couple years, though, I’m getting the impression that a good chunk of folks have forgotten about the “wisely” part and replaced it with “thoughtlessly and in an unnecessarily combative manner.” Ain’t that America? Perhaps the silver lining of all this shit is the opportunity to pick and choose the people you give your energy to wisely, as well as the chance to ride this year out in a “shrug pose” (yes, like the emoji) and give ‘er another go in 2022. I eagerly await the day I can spit in your mouths again, like the good ol’ days. Until then, stay safe and sane, my friends.

As of this writing, it’s been eight days since I have been physically touched by another human. I understand and I respect that it’s the price I have to pay; I’m just saying it gets to be a bit lonely when you’re the only spoon in the drawer. isolation has been reflective and has certainly put some things into perspective, but I am overwhelmed by the uncertainty. The only thing that I’m fairly certain about is that in a week, I will be the closest thing to a superhuman whose power is the low-probability of getting COVID-19 in the next five to seven months. It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s “Smokes A lot of Weed Girl!” (Working title.) So what’s on deck for the remaining 33.4% of this year? No idea. I feel an odd sense of comfort knowing whatever may come my way, it won’t involve me in school or me as a parent with a child in school. It is a truly baffling sight to see and lately, the “sight” has been abundant: impassioned parents across the country (but mostly Florida) screaming at their

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Sabrina Ambra is a co-host of Real Radio 104.1’s “News Junkie” program and stand-up comedian.

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viewpoint

Brian Bailey, Chief Marketing & Experience Officer for Metro Inclusive Health

IT TAKES A

VILLAGE S

O, YOU’VE HEARD THE

news by now: COVID-19 infections are surging. Upon vaccine distribution, many of us hoped the end was near as we eagerly rolled up our sleeves for a dose. Then, just as we returned to gathering with friends and loved ones without fear, along came the Delta variant to perform a proverbial rug pull.

Surprised? Maybe we shouldn’t be. You know that saying, “it takes a village?” But before we go there, let’s take a detour to the heart of the issue. Could you imagine a world where hundreds of thousands of children each year are robbed of their mobility by polio? How about a mass outbreak of smallpox with an economy in shambles because socializing would be deadly? Or how about a flu outbreak where our daily lives and productivity grind to a halt because, well, everyone is sick? Thanks to vaccines, you don’t have to imagine any of this at all. Vaccines have saved millions of lives for over a hundred years including as far back as what’s commonly known as the Spanish Flu, the last major pandemic to infect our nation in 1918. Emergency Use Authorization of vaccines and medical treatments is also nothing new. In fact, the most recent examples of emergency use authorization were used to combat Ebola, Anthrax and even Zika, the mosquito borne virus that had Florida all but terrified just a few years ago. Mind blown yet? Or maybe you’re either asking yourself, “what the heck makes this guy an expert?” I’m no medical expert, but occasionally I get to play one on television. Not only do I work in public health, but my years of experience disseminating

talking points has given me a keen understanding of public sentiment and its consequences. According to a recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 53% of those who are unvaccinated think the vaccine is more dangerous than COVID itself. Yet, the CDC indicates that 99.5% of recent deaths from coronavirus could have been prevented with a vaccine. Vaccines save lives and disinformation is deadly. There is no greater threat to our health, daily lifestyles or economy than vaccine hesitancy. So, let’s go back to “it takes a village.” I was recently heartened by Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik’s comment as to why he and his wife supported construction of Metro’s new Tampa facility. “Healthy communities make successful communities,” he said. “With Tampa Bay’s fast growth as a highly desirable place to live, work and play, the health equity services provided by Metro Inclusive Health are paramount to our community’s long-term sustainability.” Metro has already administered nearly 4,400 COVID-19 vaccine doses. As of this month, we are expanding vaccine clinic hours at our four Tampa Bay locations and have scheduled 11 mobile vaccine clinics to various neighborhoods, with more in the works. In an effort to boost vaccine adoption, each dose will now come with a $25 gift certificate, available to any and all unvaccinated individuals age 12 and up. Working in public health the last three years has given me a crash course on the importance of access to care and public health education. Take HIV as a case in point. Without access to the tools of prevention and treatment, we cannot begin to truly end that epidemic. Equally, without the commitment of large communities willing to

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get vaccinated, we may find COVID to be a vicious long-term cycle. Viruses are made to survive and thrive through mutation. That combined with the fact that COVID-19 is so contagious should make us all very, very concerned. And the long-term impact goes far

– just because a large portion of the population is doused in vaccine disinformation and fear. As of now, this pandemic is by no means “over.” With each variant, the situation could become more deadly, more contagious and, horrifyingly, more resistant

beyond physical. I have watched the last year and a half rob my 80-year-old mother of the time she worked so hard to save up for and enjoy. Imagine the mental health impact on hundreds of seniors having finally emerged from living a year in fear only to be sent back behind the mask due to the spread of variants

to current vaccines. With millions of people already vaccinated and FDA approval likely around the corner, there should be no hesitancy. COVID-19 vaccines are our best path forward for physical health, mental health and the chance to return to normal while protecting our economy. After all, if we can’t

effectively navigate COVID now, how will future generations cope with the next worldwide pandemic? It is likely not a matter of “if,” but “when.” Brian Bailey is the Chief Marketing & Experience Officer for Metro Inclusive Health.

Vaccines save lives and disinformation is deadly. There is no greater threat to our health, daily lifestyles or economy than vaccine hesitancy. The nonprofit provides more than 100 programs and services focused on the health and wellness of Tampa Bay’s community. He develops and manages communications and campaigns for all departments and services, where his efforts have coincided with the organization’s largest expansion of key services. Learn more at MetroTampaBay.org.

Join your local LGBT Chamber, as we are the premier advocates for the Tampa Bay Area’s LGBT business community.

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talking points I do think we are in a moment of change and I have so much to learn. I am always sensitive, I always call my [openly gay] brother because I want to make sure I say the right things … I know I am uneducated, but I am full of love. —COUNTRY MUSIC SUPERSTAR MIRANDA LAMBERT

986 OPENLY LGBTQ

JAMIE LEE CURTIS REVEALS HER 25-YEAR-OLD CHILD IS TRANSGENDER

ELECTED OFFICIALS

N AN INTERVIEW WITH THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED PERSONS’ MAGAZINE, Golden Globe- and BAFTA-winning actress Jamie Lee Curtis disclosed that her youngest child is transgender. In the AARP interview, Curtis reflected that she has “watched in wonder and pride as our son became our daughter Ruby.” Curtis and her husband Christopher Guest — British screenwriter, composer, musician, director and actor — have two daughters. Ruby, 25, works as a computer gaming editor while Curtis and Guest’s 34-year-old daughter, Annie, is married and works as a dance instructor. Curtis also noted that Ruby and her fiancé are getting married next year in a wedding that Curtis will officiate. The longtime Hollywood couple have been married for more than 36 years but have no grandchildren, “but I do hope to,” she told the magazine.

SERVE IN THE U.S., INCLUDING 2 U.S.

SENATORS,

9 U.S.

REPRESENTATIVES,

GAGA, BENNETT RELEASE 1ST VIDEO FROM NEW ALBUM

ONY BENNETT AND LADY GAGA ARE WORKING ON THEIR UPCOMING ALBUM, Bennett’s final studio recording, that will feature classics from the Cole Porter songbook. “Love For Sale” consists of 12 tracks and is set to release Oct. 1. At the time of the sessions, Bennett had already been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Their first single from the album is the classic song “I Get A Kick Out Of You.” Gaga and Bennett premiered their music video Aug. 6, which you can see at WatermarkOnline. com. This is the second album that Gaga and Bennett collaborated on. In 2014, the duo released “Cheek to Cheek,” an album of jazz standards.

PORTER PLAYS FABULOUS GODMOTHER IN AMAZON’S ‘CINDERELLA’

MAZON RELEASED THE TRAILER TO ITS UPCOMING ADAPTATION OF “CINDERELLA” Aug. 3, which stars Camila Cabello and Billy Porter in a new musical edition of the classic fairy tale. Set to release Sept. 3, the film is written and directed by Kay Cannon. It is a modern take that follows Cabello’s Ella and her dream of owning her own dress business. Cabello lives with her stepmother (Idina Menzel) and stepsisters in the film. She gets help from a Fabulous Godmother (Billy Porter) and meets Prince Robert (Nicholas Galitzine) in the process. Go to WatermarkOnline. com to see the full trailer.

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DABABY APOLOGIES AFTER HOMOPHOBIC COMMENTS

APPER DABABY OFFERED ANOTHER APOLOGY Aug. 2 while facing heavy backlash after he made crude and homophobic remarks at a recent Miami-area music festival. The Grammy-nominated performer said he was misinformed for his comments about HIV/AIDS in the post, which came a day after the rapper was cut from Lollapalooza’s lineup in Chicago. New York City’s Governors Ball and Day N Vegas in Las Vegas each announced the rapper had also been dropped from their lineups. DaBaby, whose real name is Jonathan Kirk, apologized to the LGBTQ community for his “hurtful and triggering” comments. It’s the second time DaBaby has apologized following his remarks at Miami’s Rolling Loud Festival.

2 GOVERNORS,

189 STATE

LEGISLATORS,

56 MAYORS AND

6 STATEWIDE

EXECUTIVES. — Victory Institute’s Out for America 2021 report

AUGUST 19 - SEP T EMB ER 1, 2021 // ISSUE 28 .17 WAT E R M A R KONLINE .COM

Now Accepting

N E W PAT I E N T S

Health care that makes you smile. • • • • • • •

Primary Care HIV/STI Education, Testing, and Treatment PrEP and PEP Mental Health Counseling Transgender Health Care and HRT Case Management Medication Assistance

We provide HIV/STI testing, treatment, and preventative health services. PrEP We help you reduce your chances of getting HIV with a once-a-day pill called Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis.

Appointments

407.645.2577 22

PrE P We help

HIV/STI Testing

Medical Treatment

We offer a full panel of HIV/STI testing in our clinic or you can use our At-Home HIV/STI Test Kits.

We treat all STIs, including HIV, Hepatitis C, HPV, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, and Herpes.

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FINANCE

The_LGBTQ Generational Wealth_Gap Queer personal finance content creators are helping address financial challenges

Finbarr Toesland

T’S NO SECRET THAT LGBTQ PEOPLE FACE A

range of financial challenges that heterosexual people simply don’t need to contend with. Less discussed are the effects of financial discrimination on building LGBTQ generational wealth. The stereotypical view of a wealthy gay couple with no children and a sizable disposable income is just that — a stereotype. In reality, the “American Dream” — buying a home, getting married, having kids, finding a good job and investing in a 401(k) — is out of reach for many LGBTQ people, according to a survey by TD Ameritrade. Almost two thirds of LGBTQ millennials say they are unlikely to achieve these goals by the age of 40, compared to fewer than half of straight millennials. The same survey found that while the average annual income

for a straight household is $79,400, the average LGBTQ household earns just $66,200 a year. LGBTQ people are being left out of generational wealth for many reasons including family rejection, systematic barriers and a lack of financial education. According to a Pew Research Center study, almost half of LGBTQ adults say they have been excluded by a family member or close friend as a result

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of their sexual orientation or gender identity. A lack of familial financial support is a common problem for many in the community. This combination of unique financial barriers that LGBTQ people face has led to the generational wealth gap.

LEGACY EXCLUSION

At every stage of life, it’s not uncommon for LGBTQ people to encounter financial challenges that their heterosexual counterparts won’t face. Being kicked out of their homes as teens due to unaccepting parents, not receiving financial support from family for college and being removed from an inheritance can cause substantial financial costs for some LGBTQ individuals. According to an HSBC survey, American retirees are expected to leave

CONTINUED ON PG. 25 | uu |

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Transfer on Death (TOD) is available only to U.S. citizens and non-U.S. citizens who are legal permanent residents of the U.S. TOD is not offered in Louisiana. Probate laws vary by state. TOD may not be appropriate for individuals with federal estate tax concerns or complex estates. TOD does not replace a will and only applies to certain securities held in an Edward Jones account. TOD has no impact on an estate’s tax liability. Edward Jones, its employees and financial advisors are not estate planners and do not provide tax or legal advice. Consult a qualified tax or legal advisor for professional advice on your specific situation and your state’s existing laws. MKD-8752D-A-FL EXP 31 OCT 2022 © 2020 EDWARD D. JONES & CO., L.P. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

| uu | The LGBTQ

Generational Wealth Gap FROM PG.23

an average inheritance of $177,000 to their heirs, and Cerulli Associates forecasts up to $68 trillion will trickle down to younger generations from their baby boomer parents within 25 years, meaning LGBTQ heirs could collectively lose trillions through inheritance exclusion. “Even much smaller amounts could help folks pay off debt, pay off a home, send their own kids to college and help them with their own retirement. Many LGBTQ kids aren’t getting these benefits,” says John Auten-Schneider. Auten-Schneider is the co-owner of The Debt Free Guys blog and host of the Queer Money podcast, a leading gay money blog and podcast for the LGBTQ community run by him and his husband, David. When David’s parents pass away, David’s sister will likely be inheriting upwards of one million dollars. Yet, David says, he won’t receive any of this money, solely because he’s gay. “His parents have every right to do with their money what they want, but it’s a particular disappointment that they’ll do this only because he’s gay. This, of course, means we need to plan differently for our retirement than his sister does,” says John. Just because David and John are LGBTQ financial experts doesn’t mean they don’t deal with many of the same systematic challenges that impact other members of the community. Younger LGBTQ people also face challenges directly related to their sexuality or gender identity. A disproportionately high number of young people experiencing homelessness identify as members of the LGBTQ community. According to research from the Williams Institute, between 20% and 45% of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ. Lacking access to basic housing or financial support from family can set up a young person for economic disadvantages before they even graduate from high school. LGBTQ students also shoulder a larger student debt burden than their straight peers to the tune of an extra $16,000. “This has been attributed, in part, to LGBTQ college students assuming more debt simply to leave hostile home lives. In some cases, parents may forgo helping their queer children in favor of helping their straight children,” says John.

At the start of 2020, Michigan-based Lexa VanDamme was at her financial rock bottom. Stuck at work after a 70+ hour work week with no money in her bank account, bills due the next day and a broken down car, she decided to make a change. “I realized that I needed to face my financial situation,” says VanDamme. “I dove deep into the online world of personal finance to learn about budgeting, debt payoff methods, saving and investing.” After her crash course in finance, VanDamme refinanced her credit card debt into a lower-rate personal loan, created a workable budget and started a side hustle to make extra income. There were a few bumps on her journey. “I actually cycled back into credit card debt three different times.

brought up similar feelings of anxiety and concern I felt when first coming out. How would people react? What would they think?” says VanDamme. There is already a heavy stigma around talking about personal finances, especially when you may be struggling financially. “Since queer people often spend our lives fighting for the world to accept us and our queerness, we may be less apt to talk about our financial insecurities and struggles,” says VanDamme. Genuine representation goes beyond just diversifying the financial content creators who receive media platforms, with the advice given by these experts also needing to be fully inclusive. “Advice tended to ignore how systems of oppression affect people of color, women, the LGBTQ community and more. We know statistically that it’s easier for some to build wealth than

In addition to the financial barriers faced by LGBTQ people, queer people of color also face a racial wealth gap. Employment discrimination, systematic inequalities and disparities in financial education all contribute to this unequal financial playing field. According to research from the Federal Reserve, the average white family’s wealth is eight times higher than the wealth of an average Black family. The gender pay gap also contributes to excluding women from building generational wealth, according to the latest statistics compiled by the Pew Research Center, which show that women earned 84% of what men earned in 2020. Carmen Perez, creator of Make Real Cents, a personal finance blog dedicated to helping people achieve financial independence, believes it’s important to have experts who are more representative of the people

Millennials are starting to change the money game because we’re delivering advice in a way that isn’t super technical. — CARMEN PEREZ, CREATOR OF MAKE REAL CENTS I would pay it off, then eventually max it out a few months later,” says VanDamme. Still, she managed to pay off her debt by following the financial rules she had set for herself. While trying to learn about personal finance on her own, VanDamme realized there was a need for accessible and relatable content that appealed to a wide range of people. She decided to create The Avocado Toast Budget. Starting out as a blog just over a year ago, The ATB now counts more than 400,000 followers on TikTok. “For the longest time, the loudest voices in the personal finance community were cis[gender], straight white males and, as a queer woman, I wanted to share information and tips that were often overlooked by those creators,” says VanDamme. For many LGBTQ people like VanDamme, after spending so long hiding who she really was, she wanted to live as true to herself and be as free as possible. “This led to me ignoring my spending habits and being stuck in the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle. Airing my financial dirty laundry

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others,” she adds. VanDamme has an ongoing series on Instagram focused on the intersectional nature of many financial issues. The series helps shed some light on the economic realities that often contribute to minority community challenges. From financial inequality that disproportionately impacts disabled people to wealth inequity and racism and the cycle of poverty, VanDamme works to educate her audience on pressing topics that matter to them. “It’s especially important to talk about the financial challenges that trans people in our community face. This includes increased reports of lower wages, limited and more expensive housing options, and twice the rate of unemployment. This heavily impacts their ability to build wealth,” she says.

INTERSECTIONAL CHALLENGES

While being LGBTQ can underpin unique money issues, queer people of color and queer women often experience additional difficulties around financial matters.

they’re speaking to. “I heard a quote a while ago: ‘You can’t be what you can’t see.’ I think that’s really important because eventually if you don’t have a model to follow, either you have to be the first, or it’s never going to happen,” she says. As a woman of color and a lesbian, Perez knows firsthand how important it is to address the absence of representation in financial education. “It’s definitely one of the things we have to step back and look at in the LGBTQ community,” says Perez. “There’s a compounding effect because not only am I part of the LGBTQ community as a lesbian, but I’m also a minority, and I’m also a woman, and there’s a lot of hurdles up against a lot of folks in this space.” With more than 60,000 people following her Make Real Cents account, Perez is playing a part in democratizing access to finance. There, she does everything from breaking down the cost of credit to explain 401(k) company matches with easy-to-read graphics and Instagram stories. Her methods are a world away from the complexity

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of some traditional financial advisors and tools. “Millennials are starting to change the money game because we’re delivering advice in a way that isn’t super technical. It can be so overwhelming to watch CNBC with all these screens and tickers that don’t mean anything to you personally,” says Perez. Increased representation in the finance space means light can be shined on vital issues, resulting in deeper conversations that make money less taboo. “We’re finding instances where historically people who have been locked out of the finance industry, by design, are speaking up. Unlike some traditional financial advisors that give out all this jargon and talk in all these terms that many may not understand,” says Perez.

FUTURE GENERATIONS

Despite the long-standing barriers facing LGBTQ people in gaining access to financial education and financial services, LGBTQ personal finance content creators now offer a way for many to improve their financial literacy in more convenient ways than ever before. While investing early and regularly is one of the most effective ways to secure a financially comfortable retirement, it’s never too late to build wealth and support for the next generation of LGBTQ people. “[You can] create legacy wealth within the LGBTQ community by setting up your estate plan to donate to LGBTQ causes that will help homeless youth and [by] giving to local, younger LGBTQ folks you know personally,” John adds. Negotiating the LGBTQ generational wealth gap is no small feat. But continuing the discussion around both financial literacy and taking steps to combat systematic financial issues can go a long way to address the financial challenges impacting the LGBTQ community. “The stronger we are as LGBTQ individuals and allies, including our financial strength, the stronger we are as a community,” says John.

Finbarr Toesland is an award-winning journalist. His journalism has been published by NBC News, BBC, Reuters, VICE, HuffPost and The Telegraph.

Reach local LGBT communities across the nation. Start connecting with over a million loyal readers in print and online across the country. 212-242-6863 info@nationallgbtmediaassociation.com www.nationallgbtmediaassociation.com

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FINANCE

Wayne’s World

Financial advisor Wayne Dictor offers a few tips on investing if you’re just getting started Jeremy Williams

AYNE DICTOR, PRESIDENT OF DICTOR FINANCIAL,

LLC, has been helping people invest their money for the future and plan for their retirement for nearly 40 years. He is also one of the most well-known LGBTQ allies in Central Florida, having been very involved with the Orlando Gay Chorus, Orlando Fringe and even managing the investments of many of Watermark’s employees.

We chatted with Dictor and asked for a few tips on how to get started investing if you are new to the game, but first how do you know when you’re ready to begin investing? “If you’ve got the money and you have the desire, you’re ready,” Dictor says. “A lot of people have the money but don’t have the desire. They say they want to live in the moment. You can live for now and still prepare for the future. When are you ready? Simply put, you’re ready when you realize the benefit to putting money away for some time in the future.”

STARTING OFF

“In the very beginning, before you make your first dollar investment, I give my clients an extensive budget page that they use to list every single thing that they buy in the course of a month,” Dictor says. And Dictor means everything. The budget sheet he gives to his clients includes everything from rent, electricity, water and gas to car insurance, food, grooming, even those weekly Starbucks stops. Dictor gave this example: You get two Frappuccinos at $6 a piece at Starbucks every week. That’s roughly $50 a month for Frappuccinos. Over the course of 25 years, you’ve spent more than $14,000 on Frappuccinos at Starbucks, but if you put that $50 a month for 25 years into a

retirement plan you’re looking at a nice little nest egg. “This is truly part of investing. You don’t know what you can invest until you know what you have,” Dictor says. “I think one of the most important things a novice can do is know what they have on a monthly basis as far as income is concerned and to know what they are spending, then they can determine whether or not they can save, or save even more when trimming back on some things.”

RESERVE INCOME

If you are just starting to get into the investing field, Dictor says you need to make sure you have enough income set aside for a rainy day. “I tell people before you make the plunge into the investment field, you should be sure that you put reserves away in the bank. People have probably gotten great experience with this over the last year because of COVID,” he says. “At least six months worth of income at minimum should you be laid off, lose your job for any reason or any kind of crisis occurs, so when you do start investing you don’t necessarily have to go into your portfolio when emergencies come up.”

RETIREMENT PLAN

“If you have an employer that provides you with a retirement plan, whether they are matching

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or not, always take advantage of putting money away for retirement,” Dictor advises. “As little as 5% to 10% of your income if you can afford to. Often times companies will match up to 5% of what you put away, but even if they don’t, make sure you are taking advantages of your company’s retirement plan.” If your job doesn’t offer any kind of retirement plan, look at investing in a Roth IRA. IRA stands for Individual Retirement Account, and the big difference between a Roth IRA and a traditional IRA is how they are taxed. Roth IRAs are funded with after-tax dollars; the contributions are not tax-deductible. But once you start withdrawing funds, the money is tax-free. Traditional IRAs are generally made with pretax dollars; you usually get a tax deduction on your contribution and pay income tax when you withdraw the money from the account during retirement. Dictor recommends going the Roth IRA route. “The Roth IRA is the best thing since sliced bread,” he says. “Especially for young investors.”

INVEST IN WHAT YOU KNOW

When you are starting to consider where to invest your money, Dictor says first look at what products and services you use every day.

“Do you have an iPad or an iPhone? Do you have a Surface Pro? When you buy these things, do you shop for them at Best Buy or do you go online to Amazon? If you use a product and you’re satisfied with the product then invest in the company,” he says. “Reap the rewards from the success of that company. If you invested money in Apple back when all they had were those old Macintosh computers and you hung on to the stock, you’d have a fortune by now.” But what if you can’t afford to buy a share of stock in a company you use and support? A share of Apple or Microsoft will cost you a couple of hundred dollars. A single share of Amazon or Google will set you back several thousand dollars. Dictor says that starting off with mutual funds will get you into the investment field without taking on as much risk as owning a single security. According to Investopedia, a mutual fund is a type of investment vehicle consisting of a portfolio of stocks, bonds or other securities. Mutual funds give small or individual investors access to diversified, professionally managed portfolios at a lower price. “You may not be able to afford a share of Amazon stock but you can take that money and invest in a mutual funds which will give you diversification of different stocks. You’ll get Amazon and Apple and Microsoft, but in a mutual fund you’ll get portions of a share and diversify your portfolio,” Dictor says. “It also reduces your risk,” he continues. “If one stock goes down dramatically not all the stocks are going to necessarily go down so buying shares of a good large cap growth mutual fund will give you exposure to many of the companies that you buy the products from.” If you do get into buying individual shares of stock, Dictor

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says don’t fall in love with one particular investment. “If it’s not working, especially in a single stock category, if it’s not giving you the reward, get out of it,” he says. “Make a change. There are tens of thousands of stocks out there and you can buy as many of them as you want. Don’t put all your money into one.”

INVESTING APPS

Stock purchasing apps have given the average person the ability to play the market, this carries with it some benefits as well as some risks. “I think the apps are interesting because they make accessibility to research and information of investing more available. Some people don’t have the time to get on the phone and call someone like me,” Dictor says. “People can get knowledge from these apps and knowledge is power, and now they have the power to invest right there in their hands on their phone but beware of the risks. I could learn about performing an appendectomy on the internet, but I wouldn’t lay across my desk and try to perform one on myself.” But if you are going to go that route, Dictor says to be very careful. “I think because there is so much information out there, I think the apps overall are a plus, however if someone is going to use them you need to realize that there are certain risks involved in investing and you should never ever invest more than you can afford to lose,” he cautions. “You don’t bet the house on one stock and you don’t over extend yourself and develop debt. Not only does it take the fun out of it but it can be a burden for the rest of your life, so I think getting guidance from people like myself is a benefit.” Having that expert in your corner can help if something goes wrong or an error occurs and you need help digging into what happened. “You can’t know everything by yourself,” Dictor says. Wayne Dictor is the president of Dictor Financial, LLC — located at 2727 N. Atlantic Ave., Unit 900, Daytona Beach 32118. Learn more about his services by contacting him at 407-942-3366 or at Wayne@DictorFinancial. com. (Investment advisory services are offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. Dictor Financial LLC is not a registered broker dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services Member SIPC.)

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FINANCE

Man with your Plan

Matthieu Chin works to make the LGBTQ community financially secure and practices are. “I’ve made financial security my focus and my practice is all about educating my clients on becoming financially sustainable,” Chin says. “Teaching them basic financial knowledge and helping them achieve their goals through planning.” Watermark spoke to Chin about exactly that.

PHOTO COURTESY MATTHIEU CHIN

WATERMARK: WHY IS BRINGING FINANCIAL AWARENESS TO THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY IMPORTANT?

Ryan Williams-Jent

S A MULTI-RACIAL, OPENLY LGBTQ

business owner who grew up in Jamaica, Matthieu Chin says he understands challenges, financial and otherwise. He’s navigated them his entire life.

“I worked in my family’s liquor and grocery business from a very young age, which taught me a lot about business, bookkeeping and overall street-smarts,” he explains. “I migrated here at the age of 15, graduated high school and was out of the house at age 17.” Chin subsequently worked full time to put himself through college. After graduating in 2006, he navigated the next year’s economic downturn while serving as a caretaker for loved ones. “My family and I persevered,” he recalls. “I took care of my elder grandparents and because they had no long-term care planning in place, I had to fund all of their care myself. “Where I came from, the challenges that I’ve endured over the years, and becoming self-made

all contribute to my motivations and deep passion for economic equality and educating my clients on becoming more financially sustainable,” he continues. “I think we, as a country, do a really poor job at ensuring financial literacy.” Chin, who now lives in St. Petersburg, works to change that as a financial representative for Northwestern Mutual. The organization serves more than 4.6 million Americans by providing life, disability income and long-term care insurance, annuities, and brokerage and advisory services. It has also received a perfect score for seven consecutive years in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual Corporate Equality Index, which measures how inclusive an organization’s corporate policies

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Matthieu Chin: I think a lot of our community doesn’t know what’s available to them. Every conversation I have, whether it be with an LGBTQ client or not, my goal is to ensure that everyone leaves the conversation with more knowledge or that they wish that they had that conversation sooner. When it comes to the LGBTQ community, there are unique challenges that we face. A frequent topic is starting a family, anything from looking into adoption or exploring surrogacy options. One of the biggest things ... is that soon we’re going to have to figure out what’s going to happen to our elder members that don’t have kids or family close by. What if they need long-term care? Are they financially secure enough to pay for it? We also see questions around affording HIV medications. Because basic Medicare will not cover them, people need to have Medicaid plus supplements, which come at a cost. There are a lot of unique financial challenges we see among the LGBTQ community, which requires tailored planning and a unique understanding of the options available to them. WHAT’S YOUR APPROACH TO ADDRESSING THESE MATTERS?

Every situation is different. At the end of the day, we’re a relationship business. It’s important to sit down with the families, individuals or businesses we’re working with and get to know them. As a trusted adviser, it’s important to know who they

are, what’s important to them, what they’re passionate about and what their goals are. From there, I need to understand, or help them understand, any variable that could affect them from achieving their financial goals. Our client-advisor relationships are constant – it’s a lifelong relationship. There’s no plan that’s set in stone; we constantly evolve the plan as life goes on. We meet with our clients, at a minimum, every six months to make sure their plan is working. And if not, we adjust as needed ... that’s a relationship that we built. A relationship of trust. WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HAVE FOR THOSE WHO FEEL THEY DON’T HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS TO NEED ASSISTANCE?

It’s one of the hardest topics to talk about. Everybody is either afraid, there’s anxiety around it, or they’re ashamed. I like to start our conversations by telling them this is a no judgement zone, there’s no need to justify or to explain why they are where they are. I’m a firm believer that someone has to be there while you’re crawling before you start to get up and walk. Somebody has to be there to hold your hand, educate and help you. I find that a lot of people that hear about financial planning think they have to have a lot of money to invest when that’s not the case. We first figure out how to protect what you currently have and what you’ve worked so hard to accomplish. Once everyone has that conversation, they feel more comfortable and they can have that aha moment of “why did I not speak about this before?” WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE LGBTQ DOLLAR?

Almost two years ago, I sat with a colleague in the firm and I said “I want the Tampa Bay LGBTQ community to be the most financially secure in the nation.” The first thing he said to me was “well, how do we show that?

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What report? What metrics? How are we going to prove that?” He asked that because there is a lack of census data collected, but truly a goal of mine is to make our LGBTQ community here locally the most financially secure one in the nation. HOW DO YOU PLAN ON MAKING THAT HAPPEN?

My partnership with Northwestern Mutual runs deep and I’m always working to put clients first. Diversity and inclusion is not just something that we preach, but something we practice. The way our business grows is really through introductions and having a presence in the community. Not everyone is actively searching for a financial representative to do business with … Retirement planning and goal planning is on everyone’s list, but it’s one of those things that can be forgotten about until it’s too late. For me, those are the hardest conversations to have is when it’s too late. My plan is really just building our presence in the Tampa Bay area and in our community, and to show that we’re here to really help them grow. Giving back is big on our list. WHAT ELSE CAN YOU SHARE?

I think a lot of people think that they’re confident with their finances. When we go through or have a conversation, we usually find a couple of stones that are left unturned. I would ask our community to be a little bit more open minded about how we can help with their financial plan. It’s just like mental health and a lot of other topics. We’re trying to break down the stigma and we’re trying to be more open about it. Finance is something that you really shouldn’t be ashamed of. If you want to change, and you want to grow, have that discussion with a financial advisor or representative. Look for an advisor that fits with you – speak to a few of them, interview them, ask them why they do what they do, who they do it for, what their specialty is, who their company supports. Our community wants to really know that they’re doing business with an institution that supports them and that has had their back. For more information about Matthieu Chin and available services, call 305-282-8868 or visit MatthieuChin.NM.com and NorthwesternMutual.com.

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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Ryan Williams-Jent

RISTEN ARNETT ISN’T

used to being a New York Timesbestselling author just yet. It’s an honor that came with the publication of her debut novel “Mostly Dead Things” in 2019, one the Orlando native is incredibly proud of but “still doesn’t feel like a real thing.”

That’s not to say it shouldn’t. Arnett holds a Masters in Library and Information Science from Florida State University and also served as a fellow for Lambda Literary, the world’s premiere LGBTQ literary organization. “It feels very surreal to me. So much of my life is me sitting around in my sweatpants in front of a Word document, or maybe making a stupid tweet,” she laughs. “It’s wonderful, but it feels prestigious in a way that isn’t necessarily how I feel about myself. I don’t think I’ll ever get over the awe of it, which I think is good.” Arnett is much more comfortable reflecting on the meaning behind her growing literary catalogue. She’s affectionately deemed it “the lesbian domestic.” “I’m more interested in the daily lived experiences of queer people,” she explains. “Not the major moments, like coming out or any kind of big thing like that, but the little moments that sit in between. The daily movement of

moving through life as a queer person.” It’s something Arnett first discussed with Watermark in 2017 after the publication of “Felt in the Jaw,” her premiere short story collection. Its 10 stories explored “the lives of queer women and their families in the light of the bleak Florida sun.” “So many times I’ve read books or watched movies or television shows and wished to see myself represented that way – not as a token or as a cliche, but as a fully fleshed, fully realized queer person,” Arnett said. “Writing like that for queer readers lets us know that we aren’t alone out there.” She’s done that in every major work since, sharing her perspective as not only a member of the LGBTQ community but as a lifelong Floridian, one who now lives with her girlfriend in Miami. Arnett sees herself not only as a queer writer but a regional one. “Setting feels so important to me,” she explains. “As a person who

Florida Woman Orlando-based ‘With Teeth’ brings Kristen Arnett to St. Pete

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| uu | Florida Woman FROM PG.31

has lived my whole life in Florida, it just migrates itself. How I write queer is also how Florida feels to me in my work, it’s an integral part of it – because Florida’s its own character anyway, right? “It’s so interesting and refuses to let you forget it’s there,” she says. “You’re continually reminded you’re here because it’s a tactile kind of place to live. The air feels like it’s touching you; the weather is so volatile; things can kill you here. Living in Florida is a very sensory experience.” That experience was a key part of “Mostly Dead Things,” which Arnett pitched as “a lesbian in Central Florida takes over her family’s taxidermy business after her father commits suicide.” Its LGBTQ focus is something that made its success even more rewarding to the writer, however foreign its accolades still feel. “As a lesbian author, to see the response to what I think is a very gay work, very queer work, was deeply meaningful to me,” Arnett says. “As a queer person going through life, you’re just really hungry to see yourself in things, especially in art – so I very much have written the things I want to read, which are ultimately queer because that’s who I am. “You hope that people will connect with what you’re writing but you can’t be sure,” she continues. “The fact that so many people saw ‘Mostly Dead Things’ and were like, ‘this deeply resonates with me’ made me feel really tender and vulnerable, in a good way. People connecting with your art feels good.” Arnett carried that sentiment with her into “With Teeth,” her second novel exploring LGBTQ life in Florida. After its June release, The New York Times called it “sublimely weird, fluently paced, brazenly funny and gayer still.” A character study described as a hilarious but harrowing tale of two lesbian mothers, the novel examines life after marriage, parenthood and more. Readers primarily see the world through the eyes of Sammie Lucas, who struggles to understand her son, the world around her and her place in it. “Working from home in the close quarters of their Florida house, she lives with one wary eye peeled on Samson, a sullen, unknowable boy who resists

her every attempt to bond with him,” the novel’s synopsis reads. “Uncertain in her own feelings about motherhood, she tries her best – driving, cleaning, cooking, prodding him to finish projects for school – while growing increasingly resentful of Monika, her confident but absent wife. “As Samson grows from feral toddler to surly teenager, Sammie’s life begins to deteriorate into a mess of unruly behavior, and her struggle to create a picture-perfect queer family unravels,” it continues. “When her son’s hostility finally spills over into physical aggression, Sammie must confront her role in the mess – and the possibility that it will never be clean again.” Whereas Arnett’s first novel was intentionally ambiguous in its Florida setting, she deliberately centered “With Teeth” in Orlando. She says highlighting her hometown felt important. “When I was writing ‘Mostly Dead Things,’ I went out of my way not to say where that book was located,” she says. “I feel like there’s an impulse for people – especially if they’re not from Florida – that when you say Orlando, they think Disney World or theme parks. I didn’t want people to have that idea coming into the book. “Going into ‘With Teeth,’ I had this other book underneath me and I wanted to be more specific about what this was, where we were and what it looked like,” Arnett continues. “To be more particular about spaces, like driving down I-4 and moving through Orlando proper.” Writing “With Teeth” was also a very different creative experience for the author. “My background in library work really helped in terms of thinking about ‘Mostly Dead Things’ because it was so research heavy,” she explains. “This book didn’t allow me to do that,” she continues. “I just had to be in my own space all the time thinking about Orlando. I had to stay with the discomfort of the characters and the book started to feel like a snow globe type of portrayal. This idea of what a beautiful little family would look like if they were trapped inside, but the globe is getting older, it’s cracked, the water’s come out and it’s a little mildewy.” The process was significantly more intense. “It required a lot more of me sitting with my own

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thoughts about growing up and being in Orlando, internalizing that and then putting it on the page, which is a different kind of research,” she says. Arnett’s perseverance paid off. “With Teeth” has resonated with readers across the world, among them the staff at St. Petersburg’s LGBTQ-owned Tombolo Books. The independent bookstore’s brick and mortar opened in 2019 and has championed inclusive literature ever since. “We want to be a place where LGBTQ folks can find representation,” co-owners Alsace Walentine and Candice Anderson told Watermark in April. “We view bookstores as cultural intersections, so we make an effort to carry books telling intersectional LGBTQ stories from varied eras and geographies.” Tombolo’s in-person programming also resumed in April, gatherings designed to connect authors with audiences. Events Coordinator Kelsey Jagneaux notes that “we are starting to see a real desire for in person activities and spaces for folks to come together” as they cautiously continue with safety measures in place amidst the ongoing pandemic. A conversation with Arnett was the perfect fit for Tombolo. Jagneaux says the author is “masterful in her storytelling and how she weaves together these deeply flawed characters within humorously uncomfortable narratives,” something on which the bookstore’s entire staff agrees. “Our booksellers all read so differently, but Kristen’s books have made it onto all of our ‘staff favorite’ shelves,” Jagneaux says. “We all love that she is a Florida author and that her books really capture a feeling of place in Florida. ‘With Teeth’ is set in the suburbs of Orlando, and you can feel that in her writing; the heat, humidity, the weight of the air. The dreaded palmetto bug even makes an appearance. And our readers love Kristen just as much as we do!” “‘With Teeth’ – A Conversation with Kristen Arnett” will be held Aug. 25 in Tombolo’s courtyard. The guest of honor will be joined by openly gay author Tyler Gillespie, who wrote this year’s “The Thing About Florida: Exploring a Misunderstood State.” “I think he and Kristen are going to have a lot of fun chatting about being Florida authors

TAKE A BITE: Kristen Arnett’s “With Teeth” is available at Tombolo Books and wherever books are sold, including TomboloBooks.com. PHOTO VIA TOMBOLO BOOKS

and writing about Florida from their various perspectives,” Jagneaux says. The evening will also feature local vendors and a by-donation book sale with proceeds benefiting Metro Inclusive Health. “We are really striving to make this a community event where folks can celebrate great literature, local businesses and support a wonderful organization!” That commitment to community is exactly why Arnett is excited about the gathering. It will mark her first official bookstore event for “With Teeth,” and she says Tombolo is the ideal home for it. “I’m so lucky to have them championing my work,” she says. “It feels very special to me because are such proponents of queer work, of Florida work, and I just love them. I am always so thrilled when I can be a

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part of literary communities in my home state. “Independent bookstores are there to support their community and it’s a very special thing,” she stresses. “Booksellers genuinely care about the art and the time that goes behind the books. Independent bookstores are what keeps our art alive.” Arnett is currently working on another short fiction collection, scheduled for a Spring 2023 publication, as well as another novel. The author promises it “is also very queer and very Florida … definitely in my wheelhouse.” Until then, you can catch Arnett and purchase her work in St. Petersburg. “‘A Conversation with Kristen Arnett” will be held Aug. 25 from 7:30-8:30 p.m. at Tombolo Books, located at 2153 1st Ave. S. and stream live on social media. To learn more about Arnett, visit KristenArnettWriter.com.

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THEATER

Check Mate

Florida Theatrial Association brings ‘Chess the Concert’ to The Mezz

(ABOVE)

KING TAKES QUEEN:

Janine Klein (L) and Trevor Southworth star as Florence and Anatoly in Kenny Howard’s “Chess in Concert.” PHOTOS COURTESY OF TRUE MARKETING

Jeremy Williams

HILE THE GAME OF CHESS IS

hundreds of years old, it has seen a resurgence in popularity this past year thanks to the Netflix miniseries “The Queen’s Gambit,” the story of an orphaned chess prodigy as she rises through the ranks to become one of the world’s best players while dealing with drug and alcohol dependency. The show became Netflix’s most watched series ever and led to many stores selling out of chessboards.

The novel the show is based on was released in 1983, a year before another chess-centric piece of entertainment took the world by storm — the musical “Chess.” “Chess” is a musical by ABBA’s Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, and the legendary Tim Rice. “Chess” the musical has a long and infamous history, having been reworked and rewritten several times throughout its staged runs. Some versions have been more well received than others, the 1986 West End production in

London ran three years and won several accolades while the 1988 Broadway show in New York closed after two months to abysmal reviews. But throughout its many runs and tinkerings, one thing has always been praised in “Chess.” “The music is what is most memorable from the production,” says Kenny Howard, Florida Theatrical Association’s education director and the director of “Chess in Concert,” a show coming to The Mezz in Orlando Aug. 22-24. “I have seen successful

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concert versions of ‘Chess’ before and it’s been a musical that I’ve always loved with music that is so iconic, so I wanted to do it utilizing some of our amazing local talent.” Before taking any stages, “Chess” was released in 1984 as a double LP concept album, a strategy that worked for Rice’s “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Evita” in the ‘70s, and became a hit. The story of “Chess” has been changed with each iteration of the show but the basic plot remains mostly the same. Set in the 1980s, two world chess champions — one American and one Russian — compete in a chess tournament during The Cold War. Adding to the tension between the two is a fight over a woman named Florence, who manages Freddie, the American, and falls in love with Anatoly, the Russian. “This kind of love triangle with Florence, she has been with Freddie for many years but then she meets Anatoly and there is this instant kind of magnetism that draws them together,” Howard says. “At the same time, he wants to defect, then his defection and their love adds more complications to both.” Also adding to the complications, Anatoly has a wife named Svetlana. “The game of chess lends itself to all the layers of this story,” Howard says. “There are so many different ways to move the pieces, so many different ways you can win and I think that’s why it works so well as an analogy of The Cold War. There are certain rules in the game but after that it becomes a game of wit as you try and outmaneuver your opponent. That analogy also applies to the relationships between each of these characters.” Howard says that while this is a concert version of “Chess,” some of the spoken dialogue from the musical will be incorporated into the production to help tell the story but that much of the “extra stuff from the full show has fallen by the wayside.” “Chess in Concert” stars Trevor Southworth as Anatoly, Brett McMahon as Freddie, Janine Klein as Florence and Marissa Volpe as Svetlana. Additional cast members include

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John Gracey, Joe Swanberg, Ron Miles and an ensemble that brings the total cast up to 17. “I love that we are able to do this show in The Mezz,” Howard says. “First, because the black and white decor just goes perfectly with a show about chess. It is a great space and you can really create a mood that will lend itself to this show. Also, with a large cast of people who will be on stage at the same time, we will have a lot more room to spread out.” Giving the cast room to spread out is something that has become a necessity for all shows given the ongoing pandemic. Howard says that he initially planned to bring “Chess in Concert” to the stage earlier this year when he thought we might be coming out of the pandemic but felt it was best to push back. And while the show will be going on, Howard says the current rising numbers have led to more safety precautions being put in place. “Making sure everyone, on and off stage, is safe is number one,” he says. “The staff and the crew at The Abbey and The Mezz have been vaccinated. Everyone here will be wearing masks and we highly encourage anyone coming to see the show to wear masks during the show. I think policies will probably change as we get more information. Just like during Fringe, it was changing day to day based on what capacity was allowed to be at, what case numbers were looking like.” The pandemic hasn’t only impacted how the show will be seen, but it was also factored into the casting process. “I think auditions were a fascinating element to the entire process,” Howard says. “We did auditions strictly through video, including callbacks.” Howard had performers submit a video of them singing, then he contacted back people by email giving them songs from the show to sing which had to be resubmitted by video. “It was definitely an audition process that I needed to get used to,” Howard recalls. “For Florence and Svetlana, because they sing ‘I Know Him So Well’ as a duet, I had the Florences record their part on video, email it to me and then I would email the videos to the Svetlanas and then they sang on video with the video recordings from the Florences playing and then sent it back to me. That way I could check for blend and chemistry, well as much chemistry as you can have with video. I have to say when I got Janine and Marissa’s video back my jaw dropped.” “Chess in Concert” plays at The Mezz in Orlando Aug. 22-24. Tickets are available at AbbeyOrlando.com.

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community calendar

EVENT PLANNER ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT

CENTRAL FLORIDA

Let’s Stop HIV Together

Lasting Impressions 3D, Aug. 13-Sept. 26, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando. 844-513-2014; DrPhillipsCenter.org “Newsies,” Aug. 20-Sept. 5, The Henegar Center, Melbourne. 321-723-8698; Henegar.org Jocks and Sock w/ DJ Jace M, Aug. 20, Stonewall Bar, Orlando. 407-373-0888; Facebook.com/Stonewall. Orlando CFL ACE ARO Peer Network, Aug. 21, online. 407-228-8272; TheCenterOrlando.org Mosaico Awearness Ball, Aug. 22, Vixen, Orlando. 407-654-7399; VixenFitnessOnline.com CHESS in Concert, Aug. 22-24, The MEZZ, Orlando. 407-704-6268; MEZZOrlando.com Women’s Equality Day Virtual Panel Hosted by State Rep. Anna V. Eskamani, Aug. 25, Online. Facebook.com/AnnaForFlorida Kesha w/ Betty Who, Aug. 25, Hard Rock Live, Orlando. 407-351-5483; HardRock.com/ Live/Locations/Orlando Off The Record: Kesha Afterparty, Aug. 25, Stonewall Bar, Orlando. 407-373-0888; Facebook.com/Stonewall. Orlando “Trains, Planes, and Automobiles: Moving Maitland” exhibit opening, Aug. 27, Art & History Museum, Maitland. 407-539-2181; ArtAndHistory.org “Man of La Mancha,” Aug. 27-Sept. 19, The Garden Theatre, Winter Garden. 407-877-4736; GardenTheatre.org Art in the Park, Aug. 28, Colonialtown Neighborhood Park, Orlando. 407-246-2283; ColonialtownNorth.com

SATURDAY, AUG. 28, 6-8 P.M. GOLDBORO MUSEUM, SANFORD

RAINBOW ROCK Kesha, with special guest Betty Who, will rock the stage of Hard Rock Live in Orlando Aug. 25. PHOTO FROM KESHA LIVE’S OFFICIAL WEBSITE

The Return of DJ J Warren, Aug. 28, Stonewall Bar, Orlando. 407-373-0888; Facebook.com/Stonewall. Orlando Bryce Vine, Aug. 29, The Plaza Live, Orlando. 407-228-1220; PlazaLiveOrlando.org Peek-a-boo in the LaLaLounge, Sept. 1, HÄOS on Church, Orlando. 407-203-4099; HaosOnChurch.com

TAMPA BAY Tampa Bay Rays’ Pride Night, Aug. 20, Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg. 727-342-5719; MLB.com/Rays/ Tickets/Specials/Themes/Pride

Return of the Laughs, Aug. 21, American Stage, St. Petersburg. 727-823-7529; AmericanStage.org Meat Loaf presents BAT: The Music of Meat Loaf, Aug. 21, Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater. 727-791-7400; RuthEckerdHall.com/BilheimerCapitol-Theatre Fresh Start: A Drag Showcase, Aug. 25, Cocktail, St. Petersburg. 727-592-1914; CocktailStPete.com Drag Queen Wine Tasting Social, Aug. 26, District Tavern, Tampa. 813-252-3444; BalanceTampaBay.org

EDGE District Cleanup, Aug. 21, Central Flats, St. Petersburg. EDGEDistrict.org CHIC, Aug. 21, Punky’s Bar and Grill, St. Petersburg. 727-201-4712; PunkysBar.com

Jennifer Real, Aug. 26, Punky’s Bar and Grill, St. Petersburg. 727-201-4712; PunkysBar.com March on for Voting Rights Tampa Bay, Aug. 28, City Hall, St. Petersburg. PinellasDemocrats.com

Pride & Passion: Neon Jungle, Aug. 28, Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa. 813-274-8130; TampaMuseum.org American Idol’s Ada Vox, Aug. 28, Hamburger Mary’s, Clearwater. 727-400-6996; HamburgerMarys.com/ Clearwater Sandi Grecco, Sept. 2, Punky’s Bar and Grill, St. Petersburg. 727-201-4712; PunkysBar.com

SARASOTA “Words and Music” featuring Ni’Ja Whitson and Thea Lobo, Aug. 27, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Sarasota. 941-475-2098; HermitageArtistRetreat.org Docent-guided Tour, Sept. 1, Arts Advocate Gallery, Sarasota. 941-351-5361; ArtsAdvocates.org

Maks & Val: The Stripped Down Tour, Aug. 21, Tampa Theatre, Tampa. 813-274-8981; TampaTheatre.org

The Bros in Convo Initiative is partnering with Goldboro Museum in Sanford to provide confidential, free Rapid HIV screenings provided by Miracle of Love’s mobile testing unit. Individuals who are tested will receive and $10 gift card as a thank you. Light refreshments will also be provided. Guests are asked to wear masks. For more information, visit BrosInConvo.org.

“Ragtime”: A Summer Broadway Benefit Concert THURSDAY, SEPT. 2 AND FRIDAY, SEPT. 3, 7:30 P.M. NORTHLAND CHURCH, LONGWOOD Central Florida Community Arts presents “Ragtime,” an epic musical tracking three diverse families in pursuit of the American dream in the volatile “melting pot” at the turn of the 20th Century in New York. Admission starts at $10 with all proceeds benefiting CFCArts education programs. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to CFCArts.com.

TAMPA BAY PFLAG Tampa 10-Year Anniversary Celebration FRIDAY, AUG. 20, 6-8 P.M. YURA VINE BROTHERS, TAMPA Join PFLAG Tampa as they celebrate 10 years of support, education and advocacy in the Tampa Bay area. This ticketed wine and cheese event will take place at Yura Vine Brothers and will feature drag queen performances by local talent and PFLAG-er Galaxy, and custom cookies provided by BayBay Bakes. Tickets are $25. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to PFLAGTampa.org.

LGBTQ+ Veteran Health Resources WEDNESDAY, AUG. 25, 12-1 P.M. VIRTUAL EVENT, ONLINE There are an estimated one million LGBTQ veterans in the U.S. These vets can face increased health risks and unique challenges in accessing quality healthcare but many may be unaware of what services are available or have concerns about discrimination. Join EPIC to learn about resources and support available for LGBTQ veterans. The event is free to attend and will be held via Zoom. To register, visit EmpathHealth.org/Briefing.

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

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FAB AF PRESENTS:

EMCEE +SPECIAL PERFORMANCE:

Learn more: www.harveymilkfestival.org

SELMA NILLA (NYC)

MOONKISSED(NYC) SUPERKNOVA(CHI) METEOREYES(TPA) DADDY(JAX)

TATE LEIGH JOHN GLASCOT TYLIA JANEI MICAHEL MURPHY

ROXX REVOLT &

THE VELVETS (NAPLES)

DIVINE AF(TPA) SEPTEMBER 24TH Q+DANCE + PERFORMANCE ART DOORS 7P

EMMANUELLE SASSON (S.FL) ME UMBRA (SRQ)

THE PLAYERS STUDIO 1400 BOULEVARD OF THE ARTS #200

#WeSupport learn more: www.harveymilkfestival.org

VIRTUAL FILM FEST SEPTEMBER 23- OCTOBER 2 FILM GUIDE ONLINE!

DRIVE-IN FESTIVAL 9/30-10/2 5 FEATURES + 5 SHORTS 800 COCOANUT AVE SARASOTA, FL

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announcements

TAMPA BAY OUT+ABOUT

CONGRATULATIONS John and Richard Owen-Chambrone were married Aug. 8. Roo Roo’s Diner celebrated one year in operation Aug. 15. The Cider Press Café will relocate from 601 Central Ave. to the former Georgie’s Alibi at 3118 3rd Ave. N. in St. Petersburg by the end of the year. Read more at Facebook.com/CiderPressCafeStPete.

POSTPONEMENTS Empath Partners in Care has postponed the 14th annual Strike Out for AIDS, its popular bowling fundraiser originally scheduled for Aug. 21 at Pin Chasers in Tampa and Aug. 28 at Dunedin Lanes in Dunedin. The events will now be held Oct. 9 in Dunedin and Oct. 16 in Tampa from 6-9 p.m. For more information, visit StrikeOutForAIDS.org.

VACCINATIONS For a limited time, Metro Inclusive Health is providing a $25 gift card per COVID-19 vaccine dose to all unvaccinated individuals 12 and up. For more information, visit MetroTampaBay.org/Vaccine. COVID-19 vaccines are also available from the Florida Dept. of Health, Publix, Winn-Dixie, Costco, Sam’s Club, CVS, Walgreens and more throughout Tampa Bay. Visit Vaccines.gov for details.

LOCAL BIRTHDAYS Lakeland singer Danny Pate, Tampa pastor Scott Manning, Former St. Pete ASAP Executive Director William Harper, Tampa economics specialist LJ Sosa (Aug. 19); MHK Director of Strategy and Pharmacy Jimmy Singkhapophet (Aug. 20); Clearwater bear Keith Schorr, Brandon restaurant exec. Rob Roberts (Aug. 21); HOT101.5 host and Watermark contributor Miguel Fuller (Aug. 22); Tampa Bay retailer Charles Germaine, The Hotchkiss Group’s Sonny Hotchkiss (Aug. 23); Writer Karen Brown, Straz Center marketing manager Zachary Hines, The Taylor Company founder Scott Taylor, Bartender Corey Peterson, Entertainer Kamden T. Rage, St. Petersburg actor/director Steven Flaa, Channel 125 owner Dick Woelfle (Aug. 24); Realtor Tom Malanowicz, Spring Hill psychologist David Chandler, St. Pete Twirling Project veteran Steven Caruso, Tampa softballer Andrew Cohen, Optician Sharon Greene (Aug. 25); St. Petersburg staple Joshua Wallace, Buffy sidekick Del Fugler, Hillsborough Co. educator Laurie Walls (Aug. 26); former St. Pete Pride board member Carl Lovgren, Keller Williams’ Dallas Coffield (Aug. 27); Gypsy Productions’ Darryl Epperly, St. Pete songstress Lorna Bracewell, Clearwater bear Chris Miller, Tampa Verizon guy Jim Green, DoMA Home Furnishing’s Cody Williams, entertainer Luke Miller, activist Aramis Baynard (Aug. 28); Seminole painting expert Karen Santos, Studio@620 founder s Bob Devin Jones, Oasis Sarasota’s owner Hunter Vance, PrimeTimers Sarasota’s Stephen Horowitz (Aug. 29); ); Tampa Bay stylist Tyler Cochran (Aug. 30); Sarasota ally Maggie Wood, Pockets of Sunlight’s Ricky CelayaRenaud, St. Pete diva Ed Adams (Aug. 31); Sarasota drag queen Trixie Liemont, Tampa Bay stylist Nicholas Grawey, Habitat for Humanity handyman Rick Vail, Florida Studio Theatre marketing drector Becca Jennings, Hard Rock Casino Tampa’s Dave Reynolds-Steele (Sept. 1).

2 3

ANIMAL PARTY: Studios at 5563 and John Gascot host the monthly LGBTQ Social@5663 Aug. 7, leading participants in making animal collages. PHOTO COURTESY STUDIOS@5663

GETTING LOUD: U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist (L) and Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus President Stephen Gaskill attend the organization’s summer conference Aug. 8 in Miami. PHOTO COURTESY FLORIDA LGBTQ+ DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS

J-E-LL-O: The Tampa Bay Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence sell Jello shots at Crisoph’s Aug. 12. PHOTO COURTESY TAMPA BAY SISTERS

WARM WELCOME: Metro Inclusive Health’s Allan Hero-Shaw (L) and Brian Bailey give Watermark the grand tour of the organization’s new Tampa facility and neighboring property Aug. 13. PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD

FEELING THE FAN-TASY: Grandma Pearl strikes a pose on the patio of Bradley’s on 7th Aug. 6. PHOTO COURTESY

BRADLEY’S ON 7TH

FOR THE CHILDREN: Beneva Fruitville (3rd from L) joins ALSO Youth participants for the organization’s talent night Aug. 13. PHOTO COURTESY ALSO YOUTH

TEAM WELCH: Dan Parri (L) and Susan McGrath show their support by canvassing for St. Petersburg mayoral candidate Ken Welch Aug. 12. PHOTO COURTESY THE WELCH CAMPAIGN

COCKTAIL HOUR: (L-R) Nate Taylor, Chris Hannay and Kenneth Lawson enjoy Cocktail’s happy hour Aug. 14.

PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT

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C:\Data\Editorial\Master Ad Folder\Customer Files\R\Romeo's Sensation\Artwork Elements I took the liberty of organizing the text-blurbs he sent over as best I could. You have full creative-license on this to help his business shine, and you're free to pick and choose from the information and images provided. Thanks Dylan! Company Name: Romeo's Sensation LLC Owner Information/Title: Romel Santiago, LCSW

Specializing in trauma, identity, and sex, Romeo’s Sensation, LLC aims to provide culturally competent, diverse, and afﬁrming services to all.

Our tag line is: Romeo's Sensation LLC- Explore life's new possibilities. We specialize in: Sex Therapy, Trauma Therapy, Identity and Addictions.

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We have offices in: Clearwater, Brandon and Maitland 2430 Estancia Blvd. STE 106 Clearwater, FL. 33761

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1210 Millennium Parkway STE 1030 Brandon , FL 33511

813-461-3098

531 Versailles Dr STE 100 Maitland , FL 33685

We take insurance and offer sliding scales for folks who are unable to pay full cost out of pocket. We work with individuals, couples and consensually non-monogamous folks of all genders, races and backgrounds.

Sex Therapy | Trauma Therapy | Identity | Addictions

Additional descriptions from the owner: Specializing in trauma, identity, and sex, Romeo’s Sensation LLC aims to provide culturally competent, diverse, and affirming services to all. We focus on addressing the entire you – physical, emotional, spiritual, and sexual. We offer English and Spanish services. We take insurance and offer sliding scales for folks who are unable to pay full cost out of pocket. We work with individuals, couples and consensually non-monogamous folks of all genders, races and backgrounds.

2430 Estancia Blvd., STE 106 Clearwater, FL. 33761

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Romel Santiago, LCSW

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www.thebarberfund.org

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Call 1-800-818-1211 or visit thegrandresortandspa.com for information.

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E X C E E D I N G E X P E C TAT I O N S S I N C E 1 9 9 9

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In Memory of John “Tweeka” Barber 1972 - 2011

announcements

CENTRAL FLORIDA OUT+ABOUT

CONGRATULATIONS Andy Fontaine and Josh Roth were engaged in Orlando Aug. 6. Jochy Cora-Santiago and Jesseth Duran were engaged Aug. 8. Luis Alberto Sousa-Lazaballet became a U.S. citizen Aug. 13. Will’s Pub celebrates its 25th anniversary on Sept. 1. 26Health celebrates six years as a fully functional comprehensive health center this month.

DONATIONS Urban Quarters real estate team Kate Maini and Nicolas Smith will be accepting clothing donations Aug. 21 from 2-4 p.m. in the parking lot of Southern Nights Orlando. In return, donors will receive a packet of free drink cards to the clothing drive sponsors including District Dive, The 808 Orlando, The Hammered Lamb, Stonewall Bar Orlando, SAVOY Orlando, Thrive Cocktail Lounge & Eatery and Situation Sundays/Sunday Surrender at Ember. All donations will be delivered to Out of the Closet Thrift Store in Orlando which benefits AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

RESEARCH STUDY Three of the nation’s largest blood centers — Vitalant, OneBlood, and the American Red Cross — in partnership with the LGBT+ Center Orlando are seeking participants to join a new groundbreaking FDA-funded study in Orlando to consider new approaches for determining blood donation eligibility for men who have sex with men. If you are a gay or bisexual male between 18-39 years old and interested in becoming a blood donor, you may be eligible to participate. To gather the necessary data the blood centers are partnering with LGBTQ Centers in eight cities across the nation. The study looks to enroll 250–300 gay and bi men in Central Florida who meet the study eligibility criteria.

LOCAL BIRTHDAYS Orlando-based actress Daniella Sagona, Central Florida performer Danielle Hunter, Orlando artist Steven McCune, Winter Park Playhouse’s Todd Long (Aug. 19); Orlando LGBTQ activist Sam Graper (Aug. 20); 26Health’s Debo Ofsowitz, school teacher and ally Tabatha Schmidt (Aug. 22); Orlando International Airport’s Pedro Aponte, Orlando graphic artist Marcus Vale (Aug. 23); Sunnyland Slammer Shana Moshen, Ally and activist Karen Brown (Aug. 24); Manager of Corporate Partnerships at Universal Brad Partridge (Aug. 25); Orlando’s Eddie Mora, Central Florida singer and actress Jill Wilson, Former Watermark film critic Stephen Miller (Aug. 26); Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse coordinator Benjamin Cox (Aug. 27); Orlando artist Keith Theriot (Aug. 28); Orlando Miller’s Ale House kitchen coach Nicole Phillips, IT guru Jeff Kern, Orlando artist and photographer Lee Vandergrift (Aug. 29); Human Rights Campaign’s Xavier Persad (Aug. 31); Central Florida performer Philip Ancheta (Sept. 1); Orlando LGBTQ advocate Heather Lea Soersdal (Sept. 2).

MEGA VOLUNTEERS: The LGBT+ Center Orlando’s Garden Cafe volunteers show their love for all things LGBTQ pop culture at MegCon in Orlando Aug. 12. PHOTO BY JEREMY WILLIAMS

COMMISSIONER CAMPAIGN: Martin Fugate — aka Leigh Shannon — speaks to supporters during his city commissioner campaign kickoff event at Anthony’s Pizzeria in College Park Aug. 4. PHOTO BY JEREMY WILLIAMS

LOCAL IMPRESSION: Chris Milliron checks out Lasting Impressions at the Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando Aug. 11. PHOTO BY JEREMY WILLIAMS

MASKED UP: Ben Johansen reminds everyone to smile and wear a mask at Embellish FX in College Park Aug. 13. PHOTO FROM BEN JOHANSEN

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IN THE HÄOS: (L-R) Blue Star, Jamie Bridges, Ashley Wendorff and Suebee Laginess grab a selfie together at HÄOS on Church July 29.

PHOTO FROM SUEBEE LAGINESS

FIRST CAKE: Proud moms, Lisa Sanchez (L) and Lia Rew-Sanchez, celebrate their son Aiden’s first birthday Aug. 14. PHOTO FROM SANCHEZ & REW-SANCHEZ

FAN FAVORITES: Fans of “The Umbrella Academy” cosplay during MegaCon at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando Aug. 14.

PHOTO BY JEREMY WILLIAMS

RUNNING GOALS: GOAL cfl President Grace Peek-Harris (R) shares a selfie with wife Elie Peek-Harris, who just completed the Urban Wildland half marathon in Richfield, Minnesota July 31.

PHOTO FROM GRACE PEEK-HARRIS

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T A M P A

ACCOUNTING

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Join your local LGBT Chamber, as we are the premier advocates for the Tampa Bay Area’s LGBT business community.

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Original

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YOUTH SERVICES Changing the lives of LGBTQ teens and young adults for over 30 years Social support groups Make friends Scholarships for college Weekly groups in Orange, Seminole & Polk Counties

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WEDDING BELLS

Buddy and Susie Dyer from Orlando, Florida

ENGAGEMENT DATE:

Oct. 10, 2020

WEDDING DATE:

Feb. 12, 2021

OFFICIANT:

Mayanne Downs

VENUE:

3rd Floor Balcony at City Hall

WEDDING MUSICIAN:

Michelle Jones from Violectric

FLORIST:

Lee Forrest

CATERER:

Cuisiniers

BAKERY:

Se7en Bites

PHOTOGRAPHER/ VIDEOGRAPHER: Norma Molina

MAKEUP:

Marjorie Robinson

HAIR:

Brooke Kehoe of Lambs Eat Ivy

RINGS:

Adams Jewelry and Almut Belote Jewelry

RLANDO MAYOR BUDDY DYER

and Susie Dyer went from an unexpected meeting to a strong friendship to love, marrying in an intimate ceremony at City Hall. The couple met in 2012 in Susie’s hometown of Austin, Texas. Buddy was on a best practices trip with the Economic Development Council and Susie was invited to attend some of the delegation’s events. The two initially bonded over football — Susie’s alma mater being Texas A&M and Buddy being a University of Florida alumnus. “The Aggies were scheduled to play the Florida Gators in our first home game of the season,” Susie said. “Buddy and I made a bet on the game, which unfortunately I lost.”

Their paths crossed again a few years later when Buddy came back to Austin to present at a mayors’ panel at SXSW. He and his staff remembered Susie and invited her to dinner. “We struck up a lasting friendship that obviously blossomed into love,” Susie said. “And here we are today!” Their love of college football continued to bring them together as they began dating. Buddy even proposed to Susie at a Texas A&M vs UF football game on the A&M campus in October 2020.

“This time, the Aggies and I both won!” Susie said. They didn’t tell anyone about the engagement — not even their families. They wanted to wait until they had a timeline and plan for the wedding. They waited until January to tell their families and close friends. They didn’t tell the rest of the world until they sent out an announcement after the ceremony. Buddy and Susie were married by Maryanne Downs in February 2021 on the balcony of City Hall. It was a small ceremony, with Buddy’s sons, Buddy’s mother, the couple’s dog Sammie, and a few close friends in attendance. Susie’s family was there over Zoom. The two of them loved being able to get married in the same place where a historic wedding ceremony happened just a few years prior. When same-sex marriage was legalized in Florida on January 6, 2015, Buddy officiated the Vowed and Proud ceremony on steps of City Hall. Over 40 couples were married on that day. “Having the wedding ceremony outside on the balcony at City Hall, overlooking the spot where wedding history was made was pretty special for both of us,” Susie said. After the ceremony, the wedding party made its way over to Maryanne’s house, where she hosted a dinner in her backyard for them. They were thrilled to be able to share their special day with their closest loved ones. “The day and the evening were just perfect,” Susie said. “But our favorite memory will always be that we were fortunate enough to be among the people (and dog) we love.”

— Lora Kopar

Do you have an interesting wedding or engagement story you’d like to share with Watermark readers? If so, email the details to Editor@WatermarkOnline.com for consideration as a future feature on this page.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

AUGUST 19 - SEP T EMB ER 1, 2021 // ISSUE 28 .17 WAT E R M A R KONLINE .COM

Care you can trust. “ Over the years I’ve

learned a lot about myself and grown more comfortable in my skin. But there are still many days where I feel like I don’t belong. Sometimes it’s hard to be kind to yourself, and I’m constantly working to be better at that. For those who trust us in their vulnerable moments, it is an honor and privilege to serve you.

“

Andy Doan

PharmD, AAHIVP

Pharmacist-in-Charge, Avita 1036 (Austin, TX)

Pride month may be over, but Avita celebrates Pride all year long. See how Avita’s expert, affirming care can mean better health for you. Visit avitapharmacy.com to learn more.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

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A NATIONAL LEADER FOR

THEIR BEST START. At Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies, we deliver the most-advanced level of neonatal care. Ranked a “Best Children’s Hospital” by U.S. News & World Report for newborn care and neonatology, our award-winning team is dedicated to giving your baby their best start in life. Plus, our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) offers the highest level of neonatal care, so you can be conﬁdent your baby has access to all of the specialized, expert support they might need. U.S. News & World Report, 2021-22 Best Hospitals

WinniePalmerHospital.com

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Watermark Issue 28.17: The LGBTQ Generational Wage Gap

Articles inside

STATE NEWS

CENTRAL FL OUT + ABOUT

PUBLISHER’S DESK