Watermark Issue 28.23: Broadway's Back! by Watermark Publishing Group

Your LGBTQ Life.

Nov. 11 - 23, 2021 Issue 28.23

BROADWAY’S BACK! BROADWA Touring shows return to Orlando’s Dr. Philips Center and Tampa’s Straz Center

Incumbents win in City of Orlando commissioner races St. Petersburg Mayor-elect Ke n We l c h m a ke s h i s t o r y

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What if your child’s healthcare provider had as much imagination as your child? October 2, 2021 - January 9, 2022

We’re on a journey to discover better ways of approaching children’s health. Putting as much focus on prevention as cures and working hand in hand with the community to make every child’s world a place for them to thrive. Beyond the expected. Beyond limits. Leading to the healthiest generations of children who ever lived.

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150 Central Ave, St. Petersburg, FL 727.892.4200 | thejamesmuseum.org Warhol’s West was organized by Booth Western Art Museum, Cartersville, GA, and the Cochran Collection, LaGrange, GA. Andy Warhol, Cowboys and Indians: Annie Oakley, 1986 Screenprint on Lenox museum board Edition 55/250 36 × 36 inches, Collection Booth Western Art Museum © 2021 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. / Licensed by Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

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DEPARTMENTS 7 // PUBLISHER’S DESK 8 // CENTRAL FLORIDA NEWS 10 // TAMPA BAY NEWS 12 // STATE NEWS 15 // NATION & WORLD NEWS 21 // TALKING POINTS 35 // EVENT PLANNER 37 // TAMPA BAY OUT + ABOUT 39 // CENTRAL FL OUT + ABOUT 41 // WEDDING BELLS 42 // TAMPA BAY MARKETPLACE 43 // CENTRAL FL MARKETPLACE 46 // LAST PAGE

page

Everyone was in a great mood, people laughed and the crowd jumped to their feet at the end. It was a really amazing feeling. –SUMMER BOHNENKAMP, STRAZ CENTER’S CHIEF PROGRAMMING AND MARKETING OFFICER, ON THE OPENING NIGHT OF “TOOTSIE,” MARKING THE RETURN OF BROADWAY

ON THE COVER

page COMPLAINTS DEPARTMENT:

page BROADWAY’S

BACK!: Touring shows return to Orlando’s Dr. Philips Center and Tampa’s

Straz Center. PHOTO BY DEEN VAN MEER

SCAN QR CODE FOR

WATERMARKONLINE.COM

Actress Sharon Gless on her new memoir, “Queer As Folk” and who should play her in a movie.

WATERMARK ISSUE 28.23 // NOVEMBER 11 - 23, 2021

CENTRAL FL ELECTIONS HISTORICAL CHOICE

TRANS OF THOUGHT

THE LAST PAGE

page Incumbents win in City of Orlando commissioner races.

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

page St. Petersburg voters elect Ken Welch as the city’s next mayor.

Columnist Maia Monet reflects on the queerest year of her life.

We learn about Rafael E. Piñero, MD, Central Florida primary care doctor.

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PUBLISHER’S

Rick Todd PUBLISHER

Rick@WatermarkOnline.com

DESK

T’S OFFICIALLY THE BEGINNING OF

the end, of the year that is. Hallmark Christmas movies adorn television sets around the world, mega stores are stocked with holiday cheer and secret holiday gift exchanges are being planned. There’s no escaping it, it “tis the season.”

My husband and I, along with my Orlando roommate, make a list of the gifts we would like every year. It’s usually full of little things and a couple of big-ticket, dream items. This year’s list for me is a little more modest. I’m at a point in my life where socks and underwear are the perfect gift. It’s been a good year, so I’m not tempting fate by asking for more. I got married, I got vaccinated and I got to see “Hadestown” on Broadway. As the Gershwins say in “Girl Crazy,” “Who could ask for anything more?” The return of Broadway is the perfect curtain call for 2021. I’ve been a fan of Broadway since I was in high school but wasn’t

all in until I got out of college. When I was younger, all I knew of musicals was “Oklahoma,” “Carousel” and “Hello Dolly.” The scores to these shows didn’t really do it for me. Then came “Miss Saigon.” I happened to be watching the Tony Awards in 1991 as Jeremy Irons introduced the hit show, and I was hooked. As I have written before, it was Lea Salonga and her character Kim that had me glued to the production. I ran out and bought the two-disc soundtrack and it was all I listened to. When I was in college I got a job at the local Subway as a sandwich artist, which was legit what they called us. It wasn’t my

first job, but when the following January rolled around, it was the first time I would receive a tax return. It was $900. In the early ‘90s to a college student, I just won the lottery. So, what does one do with this unexpected treasure? Invest? Save? No, I decided to plan a trip to make my obsession a reality. This all happened in 1995 and I was driving a 1983 two-tone blue Ford Escort. I named her Jello because she shook, a lot. I knew she wasn’t going to make it long distances or through mountains, so I enlisted the help of my theater family. I told my friends I would buy them tickets to see “Miss Saigon” if they got me there. So there was me, the driver, the guy who had family in Jersey to give us a place to stay and the guy who didn’t understand my passion for the show. I wanted to show him the light. We were all pretty excited, so we got into the city fairly early. We hadn’t been there before and we didn’t really know what to do to pass the time. We ended up at the Time Square movie theater and saw “Outbreak.” I’m pretty sure I was exhausted and slept through it, which is great because I got some much-needed rest. When the movie ended it was time for the real show. As we walked down Broadway, past the Ed Sullivan Theater where David Letterman did his show, I saw the lit-up posters of “Miss Saigon.” We had reached the Broadway Theatre and I was walking into my first Broadway show ever. It was unlike anything I could have imagined. It was beautiful and everyone involved was an expert in their field. It’s hard to explain how important that was to me, but it must be like hitting a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth for ball players or rolling a natural 20 for Dungeon and Dragons enthusiasts. It was special and that’s all I can say.

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

Managing Editor: Ryan Williams-Jent • Ext. 302 Ryan@WatermarkOnline.com Creative Designer: Dylan Todd • Ext. 107 Dylan@WatermarkOnline.com

Tampa Bay Account Manager: Michael Wier • Ext. 105 Michael@WatermarkOnline.com

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Remember to unwrap your candy before the show begins, turn off your cell phones and keep your mouth shut during the performance.

the first place, top three at least. Thank you to the local venues that open their doors to Broadway touring companies. Thank you to local theater companies that keep us entertained. Welcome back! Now go enjoy the Broadway series, see as much local theater as you can. Just remember to unwrap your candy before the show begins, turn off your cell phones and keep your mouth shut during the performance. Now enjoy the show! We strive to bring you a variety of stories, your stories. I hope you enjoy this latest issue.

ORLANDO OFFICE

Sales Director: Danny Garcia • Ext. 108 Danny@WatermarkOnline.com Senior Orlando Account Manager: Sam Callahan • Ext. 103 Sam@WatermarkOnline.com

I got to see “Miss Saigon” on a few tours over the years. My obsession switched to “Rent” when it came out. That is the show I have seen more than any other, probably 20-30 times. I do what I can to see as much theater as possible. I remember when I first began working at Watermark how jealous I was of the publisher who received media tickets to see every Broadway show that passed through Orlando. Now I am the lucky recipient of those media tickets, and I couldn’t be more grateful. It’s probably the real reason I purchased the paper in

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CONTRIBUTORS MAIA MONET is a photographer at Southern Nights in Orlando and a singer with the band Mad Transit. Page 17

STEVE BLANCHARD

is a former Watermark editor turned media relations coordinator at Moffitt Cancer Center. He returns with his viewpoint column, Fit to Print. Page 19

TIFFANY RAZZANO

is the founder and president of Wordier Than Thou, a literary arts nonprofit that creates fun, engaging events for writers and readers. Page 41

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

REALTOR DAVID DORMAN, CENTURY 21 TEE UP FOR EASTERSEALS FUNDRAISER Jeremy Williams ORLANDO | Central Florida realtor David Dorman and CENTURY 21 Professional Group are back with their annual fundraising event for Easterseals Florida. Golf Rock: Fore A Cause will happen Nov. 13 from 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. at the West Orange Country Club in Winter Garden. “This is something we do every year as a part of our philanthropy through CENTURY 21,” Dorman says. “We’ve raised over a half a million dollars for Easterseals over the years. Our company has been doing it for over 20 years now and this particular event is something I created about seven or eight years ago.” Golf Rock will begin with a tee time of 1 p.m., doors will open at 11:30 a.m. for the golfers, then starting at 5 p.m. attendees will be treated to a performance from Dorman’s band, Acoustic Joe, as well as food trucks, raffle prizes and both a silent and live auction. This year is the first time the event has included the golf component. “One of my agents wanted to do a golf fundraiser which I was happy to be involved with but I already had this event that I was working on so we decided to combine the two,” he says. Easterseals is a nonprofit founded in 1919 that “provides exceptional services, education, outreach and advocacy so that people living with autism and other disabilities can live, learn, work and play in our communities,” the organization’s site states. “Easterseals Florida assists more than one million children and adults with disabilities and their families annually through a nationwide network of more than 450 service sites. Each center provides top-quality, family-focused and innovative services tailored to meet the specific needs of the particular community it serves.” “It’s been a bit challenging with COVID to get the event going, but we have had amazing community support,” Dorman says. “Blue Star from HÄOS on Church, Hamburger Mary’s, The Hammered Lamb, Pom Pom’s and Se7enBites, they have all given us gifts to raffle off.” Along with donations from local LGBTQ eateries, the event will also feature a raffle for a pair of cruise tickets. “Each raffle ticket for the cruise is $100 and the tickets are limited to 100 being sold so each ticket gives you a one in one hundred chance to win,” Dorman says. “And those can be purchased on our website as well so you don’t have to be at the event to be able to contribute and help out.” For more information on the event and to get signed up, visit C21ProfessionalGroup.com/Golf-Rock.

FOUR MORE YEARS:

Voters re-elected Orlando City Commissioner’s (L-R) Jim Gray, Regina Hill and Robert Stuart. PHOTOS

COURTESY CITY OF ORLANDO

Central Florida Elections Incumbent commissioners win big Skyler Shepard

RLANDO | Orlando City Commissioners Robert Stuart, Regina Hill and Jim Gray retained their seats in each of their races as Central Florida came out to vote Nov. 2. Stuart, in the closest of the three races, continues his tenure as District 3 City Commissioner winning 50.7% of the votes. Challengers Nicolette Springer and Samuel Chambers received 44% and 5% of the votes, respectively. By getting more than 50% of the vote, Stuart avoids a December runoff with Springer. The three city commissioner wins continues the trend of no incumbent commissioner losing a re-election bid in more than a decade, according to Florida Politics. Martin “Leigh Shannon” Fugate, who dropped out of the District 3 commissioner race in September and endorsed Stuart, posted a congratulatory message

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to his Facebook page with a message for Stuart. “You have been a fantastic advocate for our District, however, I hope you truly do make this your last term, as you stated,” Fugate wrote. “After this term, it should be time to pass the torch to new leadership. It is time for our city to usher in new blood throughout local government. I implore all long-term office holders to mentor and encourage new leaders, and to grow into new challenges for yourselves.” After ending his campaign, Fugate promised his supporters he would “continue to remain civically engaged and continue to advocate for positive change in his district” but did not indicate if he would plan to re-run in four years. Chambers took to social media to congratulate Stuart on his win, writing “The voters have decided and I respect their decision. That is why I congratulate @robertfstuart on his victory tonight. I hope to work with him to ensure the issues impacting our neighbors

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are addressed timely. We must put people and the community first.” Springer left a heartfelt message to voters, thanking them for their support during her election campaign. “Five months ago, we launched this campaign with a simple premise: forward thinking leadership that puts the residents first,” Springer wrote. “I am immensely proud of our campaign team and the work we did together.” Hill and Gray had substantially bigger victories for their respective districts. Hill won her race with 73% of the votes, beating competitor Shaniqua Rose, to remain commissioner for District 5. Gray won 62.5% of the votes in District 1 — beating the combined votes of candidates Sunshine Grund (22.7%) and Bill Moore (15%). In other Central Florida elections, Megan Sladek will remain mayor in the city of Oviedo for another two years after beating out candidates Abraham Lopez and Kevin Hipes. In Mount Dora, bookstore owner Crissy Stile unseated incumbent Catherine Hoechst securing 58.5% of the votes. Stile thanked her community on social media for selecting her for the mayoral position and offered her congrats to City Council winners Nate Walker and John Cataldo.

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tampa bay news

TAMPA BAY MARKS TDOR 2021 Ryan Williams-Jent

AMPA BAY | LGBTQ advocates in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota will mark Transgender Day of Remembrance Nov. 20 through in-person and virtual events. The annual commemoration honors the lives lost in acts of anti-transgender violence each year. According to the Human Rights Campaign, at least 44 people have been murdered in 2021. The Tampa Bay International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival and St Pete Pride will begin this year’s TDoR commemoration Nov. 19 with the second annual Transgender Film Festival. It will be available at no cost and stream films nationally through Nov. 21. Four feature-length films and a shorts program will be presented this year, available to watch however audiences choose but with a suggested viewing order. It will open with a centering and meditation video due to narratives which include dysphoria, violence and death. The shorts program features “Dead Model, Life Model,” “Dustin,” “Frankie” and “Pascal.” This year’s features, in suggested order, are “The Labyrinth of the Moons,” “Instructions for Survival,” “See You Then” and “One of the Guys.” The films vary in content and length. The festival will also host an online social Nov. 19 at 7:30 p.m. and a video vigil Nov. 20 premiering at 9 a.m. TDoR vigils will follow in-person beginning at 6 p.m. PFLAG Tampa will host theirs at Joe Chillura Courthouse Square until 8 p.m., located at 600 E. Kennedy Blvd. “This year we will honor the lives lost due to this blatant anti-transgender violence and look to the future as we inspire change in our communities,” the organization shares. “PFLAGs across the nation are working to create safer, more inclusive and equitable environments for all.” ALSO Youth will hold their TDoR vigil from 6-7:30 p.m. with the support of Project Pride and CAN Community Health. The organization will host a candlelight vigil and then provide food and fellowship after the commemoration at its Sarasota Center, located at 1470 Blvd. of the Arts in Sarasota. St. Petersburg’s vigil is organized by Lucas Wehle and will be held from 6:30-8 p.m. It will begin with a candlelight march at The Sunshine Center ending at City Hall, located at 175 5th St. N. The evening’s featured speakers include Mayor Rick Kriseman. “Trans Day of Remembrance is a time to come together as a community to remember those we have lost to senseless violence and speak out against the hate and fear that is still so prominent against the trans community,” Wehle says. “I am hopeful that one day we will hold this event for those we have lost in the past and that the violence is not ongoing.” For more information about the Tampa Bay Transgender Film Festival, streaming nationally, visit TransFilmFest.Eventive.org. Learn about the vigils at Facebook.com/PFLAGTampa, Facebook.com/ALSOYouth and by emailing LWehleConsulting@gmail.com.

PARTNERS IN PROGRESS:

Mayor-elect Ken Welch with Equality Florida Oct. 23. PHOTO COURTESY

EQUALITY FLORIDA

Historical Choice St. Pete elects Ken Welch as mayor Ryan Williams-Jent

T. PETERSBURG | Democrat Ken Welch bested Republican Robert Blackmon in the general election Nov. 2, making history in the process. He will serve as the city’s 54th and first Black mayor. According to official results, 67,088 ballots were cast for mayor. Welch received 40,579 votes or 60.49% while 26,509 were cast for Blackmon; 39.52% of the vote. Welch is a longtime LGBTQ ally who served five terms as a Pinellas County commissioner. He was endorsed by numerous LGBTQ advocates and organizations including the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus, its local chapter the Stonewall Democrats, outgoing Mayor Rick Kriseman and Equality Florida Action PAC, the political arm of the state’s largest LGBTQ-focused organization. Ahead of the election, Welch committed to continue his support of the city’s LGBTQ community, reflecting on his tenure as a county commissioner and more. His efforts in the position included amending the county’s Human

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Rights Ordinance to include sexual orientation and gender identity. “I am an unapologetic ally of the LGBTQ community,” Welch told Watermark. “I will be intentional about continuing the great work of Mayor Kriseman and foster a city where everyone has a seat at the table.” It’s something the mayor-elect echoed in his victory speech. “Tonight’s election victory confirms the desire of the people of St. Petersburg for leadership that will move us forward and not backwards,” he said. “That is the very definition of progress, assuring that today is better than yesterday and tomorrow is better than today. “The people said that progress means affordability for the people who call St. Petersburg home,” Welch continued. “Affordable rent and homeownership, affordable water bills, transportation options and affordable taxes. The people said that progress means safe and healthy neighborhoods, where every child sees opportunity and hope – and health, education and nutrition disparities are addressed as priorities. The people said that progress means smart growth that protects our environment, invests

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in our infrastructure and maintains St. Pete’s character – and the people agree with my firmly held belief, that facts matter.” Welch ended his remarks by thanking his broad coalition of supporters, specifically citing the LGBTQ community. “This election has made history in St. Petersburg,” he said. “It is my distinct honor to be the first African American mayor of my hometown – but let me be clear … making history without making a positive impact is an empty achievement. Our election victory must be followed by a purposeful agenda of opportunity, accountability and intentional equity for our entire community.” LGBTQ organizations and advocates throughout Tampa Bay congratulated Welch on his victory. “The result was a decisive and historic victory that should serve as further proof of St. Pete’s progress and upwards trajectory.” Kriseman said. Equality Florida also reflected on the win. “Ken Welch has been a progressive champion on the issues that matter most to the people of St. Petersburg,” Executive Director Nadine Smith said. “Ken Welch is a strong, seasoned, and tested leader and he will be an effective mayor for one of Florida’s most important pro-equality cities.” For more about Mayor-elect Ken Welch’s vision for the city, visit KenWelch.com.

Love your selfies. Here’s one from us! XO, Grandma Irresistible belly laughs over shared meals with friends. The thrill of visiting faraway lands with virtual reality. Sharing your passions and discovering new interests.

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state news

SOUTH FLORIDA GROUP AIMS TO HELP LGBTQ STUDENTS IN COLLEGE John Hayden via South Florida Gay News

ROWARD COUNTY, FLA. | The saying goes: “Education is the great equalizer.” But access to education is far from equal. A group in South Florida is working to change that. A few years ago, four gay friends came up with the idea for the Broward LEADS Scholarship. LEADS stands for Leadership, Education, Achievement, Diversity, and Scholarship. Today they continue to bring their vision to life, one student at a time. “All four of us [founders] are retired,” Terry Gaw tells SFGN. “One of the things you think about when you’re entering retirement is there’s activity which is learning to play bridge, long road trips, whatever. But then there’s purpose or value. What are you doing with your time?” They saw the need to help young students in the LGBTQ community that are long on determination, but short financially. What helps set this scholarship apart is that they work to help students in community college continue pursuing a four-year degree. While they set the criteria and raise money to fund the scholarships, they teamed up with the Point Foundation to select worthy candidates. “It’s hard enough to be LGBTQ+,” Gaw says. “It’s nice every once in a while to have some extra energy put in your direction. A little helping hand.” That reflects their goal to promote positive change through education, mentoring, leadership development and community service. “I want to see people who are underserved and maybe struggling and might not see a way forward to help impact and hopefully create a road so they can get on it and be successful,” co-founder John Ferrari says. To help raise money and let donors see how their money is put to use, the group likes to hold fundraisers so the students can meet their benefactors. Now that COVID is receding enough to have big gatherings again, they hope to restart those meetings and help more students. “There’s a sense of giving back,” Ferrari says. “There are many ways you can go about that, and one of the ways is by impacting others. We might never know the full impact that small donations and scholarships make on a person’s life. But you have to think that somewhere along the line that that kind of work makes an impact.” The group is about to award its fourth round of scholarships. To learn more about their efforts and the students they’ve helped, visit Broward-LEADS.org.

GAY MAN ATTACKED IN MIAMI BEACH, HOSPITALIZED WITH BROKEN NOSE, FRACTURES Steve Rothaus via South Florida Gay News

IAMI BEACH, FLA. | A gay Miami-Dade man, 26, was attacked and beaten just after 12:30 a.m. Oct. 30 outside a Collins Avenue pizza shop, Miami Beach police say. “I have a cheekbone broken,” Luis Carlos Herrera Quiroz told WSVN Channel 7 news in a translated English-language TV interview. “All this because of a homophobic attack.” Herrera said he and two female friends had just left a birthday party and were walking west on Ninth Street near Collins Avenue when he accidentally brushed up against another man on a crowded street.

Yanira Daniela Bustos Jaure, one of the women walking with Herrera, told police he got a bloody nose after the man he brushed against suddenly punched him in the head. Bustos, 26, said she got between the two men to protect Herrera, but that a woman with the assailant “grabbed her by the hair and knocked her to the ground,” according to a police report. Neighborhood surveillance video captured much of the early morning assault. Paramedics took Herrera to Mount Sinai Medical Center. From the hospital, he told WSVN he was “repeatedly punched until the attacker just walked away.” The assailant and woman who grabbed Bustos left the scene, along with two other men and a second woman.

Two Miami Beach police officers initially responded to the Herrera case, but crime scene detectives did not – they were busy investigating a nearby assault in which one woman shot another, according to a police report. Detectives are currently investigating the Herrera case as a “simple battery” and have not released any new information since the initial report – including a possible motive for such a severe beating. Herrera, however, told WSVN: “They were homophobic and I remember I told them to stop bothering me and teasing me. Then a person came over to me and hit me in the face. After that, I don’t remember anything. My nose is broken and my face is fractured.”

“If someone shows up and they’re anti-Catholic and you’re a Catholic school, they can’t discriminate on the basis of that,” Rubio continued. “Not to mention if they’re transsexual or lives a lifestyle that goes contrary to the teachings of the church. I hope things like that – religious liberties in the United States are an issue that he raises.” Rubio also noted that “what it’s going to say, according to the House bill they’ve already passed on this, is that if you’re a faith-based organization and you want to participate in what will be a Universal Pre-K Child Care federal program. You won’t be able to teach about your faith and you cannot apply the teachings of your faith to your hiring practices.” Rubio’s use of the term “transexual” is largely considered outdated and offensive. While still preferred by some, many trans people identify as “transgender,” not “transexual,” according to the GLAAD Media Reference Guide.

According to White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, a “warm” conversation focusing on “poverty, combating the climate crisis and ending the COVID-19 pandemic” was expected between the president and the Pope. Afterwards, the Associated Press confirmed the topics were discussed. “We just talked about the fact he was happy that I was a good Catholic and I should keep receiving Communion,” the president also shared afterwards. Over the years, Biden’s support for abortion rights and same-sex marriage have put him at odds with U.S. bishops, some of whom have suggested he should not receive Communion. In Florida, Rubio is up for re-election in 2022. He is being challenged for his Senate seat by U.S. Rep. Val Demings of Orlando, a longtime LGBTQ ally.

MARCO RUBIO WANTED POPE FRANCIS TO TELL BIDEN NOT TO HIRE ‘TRANSSEXUAL’ TEACHERS Zachary Jarrell of The Los Angeles Blade, Courtesy of the National LGBT Media Association

ASHINGTON, D.C. | U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio detailed his hopes that Pope Francis would tell President Joe Biden not to hire “transexual” teachers during their scheduled meeting Oct. 29 during a Newsmax interview Oct. 27. Rubio, in an interview on former Trump administration Press Secretary Sean Spicer’s show “Spicer & Co.,” asserted that faith-based schools are being “targeted” as a part of a “federal takeover” of Pre-K and child care. Rubio raised the issue when Spicer asked him a question about abortion. “So if someone shows up and they’re an atheist, you have to hire them,” he said.

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Additional reporting by Watermark staff. For more information about Demings’ challenge to Marco Rubio, visit ValDemings.com.

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SUPREME COURT WON’T HEAR TRANS RIGHTS CASE Wire Report

ASHINGTON | The Supreme Court is declining to wade into a case involving transgender rights and leaving in place a lower court decision against a Catholic hospital that wouldn’t allow a transgender man to have a hysterectomy there. The high court turned away the case on Nov. 1 without comment, as is typical. Three conservative justices – Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch – said they would have heard the case. Mercy San Juan Medical Center near Sacramento declined to allow the procedure to be performed at its facility saying it

was an “elective sterilization” that violated the hospital’s ethical and religious obligations. The patient, Evan Minton, got the surgery three days later at a different hospital. He sued under a California law that bars discrimination. A trial court agreed with the hospital that a three-day delay in the procedure did not involve a denial of “full and equal” access to health care under California law. An appeals court reversed that decision. The high court’s decision not to step in is the latest win recently for transgender rights groups at the court. In June, the justices declined to weigh in on a different case involving transgender rights. In that case, the justices rejected a

Virginia school board’s appeal to reinstate its transgender bathroom ban. Transgender rights groups and a former high school student had fought in court for six years to overturn the ban. In 2020, the high court ruled that a landmark civil rights law protects gay, lesbian and transgender people from discrimination in employment. The 6-3 decision was a resounding victory for LGBTQ rights from a conservative court. The court said a key provision of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 known as Title VII that bars job discrimination because of sex, among other reasons, encompasses bias against people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

the Cosmopolitan Affirming Community in Nairobi, Kenya. It is a rare example of a church in Africa serving a predominantly LGBTQ congregation. “They have always organized a group to maybe silence us or make the church disappear,” Omolo said. “They don’t want it to appear anywhere.” Ghana, generally considered more respectful of human rights than most African countries, now faces scrutiny due to a bill in Parliament that would impose prison sentences ranging from three to 10 years for people identifying as LGBTQ or supporting that community. The bill has been denounced by human rights activists even as Ghanaian religious leaders rally behind it. “The bill’s strongest supporters claim to be doing this in the name of religion,” says Graeme Reid, director of Human Rights Watch’s LGBT Rights Program. He called the measure “a case study in extreme cruelty.” The lawmakers proposing the bill said they consulted influential religious leaders while drafting it. Among those endorsing it are the Christian Council of Ghana, the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and the country’s chief imam. The Christian Council — whose members include Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian and

Anglican churches — considers homosexuality “an act of perversion and abomination,” according to its secretary general, the Rev. Dr. Cyril Fayose of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. “Homosexuality is not a human right and we reject it in all uncertain terms,” he declared earlier this year. In Africa’s most populous country, the Christian Association of Nigeria has threatened to sanction any church that shows tolerance for same-sex relationships. Such acceptance “will never happen,” Methodist Bishop Stephen Adegbite, the association’s director of national issues, told the AP. In all of Africa, only one nation — South Africa — has legalized same-sex marriage. Even there, gay and lesbian couples often struggle to be accepted by churches, let alone have their marriages solemnized by clergy. South Africa’s Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu, world-renowned for his opposition to apartheid, has been an outspoken supporter of LGBTQ rights. “I would not worship a God who is homophobic,” he once said. “I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say ‘Sorry, I would much rather go to the other place.’”

IN AFRICA, CHURCHES OPPOSE LGBTQ RIGHTS Wire Report

n Ghana, home to a diverse array of religions, leaders of major churches have united in denouncing homosexuality as a “perversion” and endorsing legislation that would, if enacted, impose some of the harshest anti-LGBTQ policies in Africa. In Nigeria, the umbrella body for Christian churches depicts same-sex relationships as an evil meriting the lengthy prison sentences prescribed under existing law. And in several African countries, bishops aligned with the worldwide United Methodist Church are preparing to join an in-the-works breakaway denomination so they can continue their practice of refusing to recognize same-sex marriage or ordain LGBTQ clergy. In the United States, Western Europe and various other regions, some prominent Protestant churches have advocated for LGBTQ inclusion. With only a few exceptions, this hasn’t happened in Africa, where Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian and Lutheran leaders are among those opposing such inclusion. “The mainstream churches – all of them – they actually are totally against it,” said Caroline Omolo, associate pastor at

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IN OTHER NEWS TEEN SUES TENNESSEE OVER ANTI-TRANS YOUTH SPORTS BILL Luc Esquivel, a 14-year-old boy from Knoxville, Tennessee, is suing the state over an anti-transgender youth sports law. The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Tennessee and Lambda Legal filed the lawsuit on behalf of Esquivel in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, arguing that the law is discriminatory and unconstitutional. The law, S.B. 228, bans trans children from participating on middle and high school sports teams that match their gender by requiring student athletes to prove the sex they were assigned at birth with an “original” birth certificate or other forms of proof. Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee signed the bill in March.

VIRGINIA STATE DEL. ROEM WINS RE-ELECTION Virginia state Del. Danica Roem (D-Manassas) won re-election Nov. 2. The Democrat defeated Republican Christopher Stone, who is a U.S. Air Force veteran, by a 54.4-45.6% margin with 22 out of 24 precincts in the 13th District reporting. Roem in 2017 became the first openly transgender person elected and seated in a state legislature in the U.S. Roem two years later became the first out trans state legislator to win re-election.

MEXICO BEACH SHOOTING PROMPTS LGBTQ EVENT LOCKDOWN A shootout on a Mexico beach Nov. 4 prompted the lockdown of a hotel that is hosting a weeklong event organized by an LGBTQ travel company. Mexican media reports indicate a group of 15 armed men who are members of rival drug gangs began to shoot at each other on the beach in front of the Hyatt Riva Riviera Cancun in Puerto Morelos, a town on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula that is between the resort cities of Cancún and Playa del Carmen. Vacaya organized the event at the hotel. The shootout left two gang members dead. Officials said neither the hotel nor the Vacaya event were the gang members’ target. Social media posts showed pictures of hotel guests gathered in the lobby, while others indicate they were told to shelter in place.

ITALY BLOCKS ANTI-LGBTQ VIOLENCE HATE CRIME BILL The Italian Senate blocked a bill Oct. 27 that would have classified anti-LGBTQ violence as a hate crime in the country. Senators by a 154-131 vote margin thwarted the measure that would have also classified violence against women and people with disabilities as a hate crime. The Italian Chamber of Deputies previously approved the bill, despite opposition from the Vatican and center-right political parties. Arcigay, an Italian LGBTQ rights group, held a series of protests across the country Oct. 29. “Now is the time for anger,” said Arcigay General Secretary Gabriele Piazzoni.

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TRANS OF THOUGHT My Queer Lessons From the Last Year

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November and Trans Awareness Month! It is the month I can finally turn my attention in full to the holidays without somebody reminding me that Halloween, or “gay Christmas” as some people refer to it, has yet to happen. Now I get why our community loves Halloween so much. It has none of the encumbrances of getting together with family and the anxiety-inducing complications that can present for LGBTQ+ people, parties are plentiful and we get to pretend to be whoever we want to be.

In fact, it wasn’t that long ago that I took the opportunity to shave off my beard and dress up as a “lesbian cheerleader” on Halloween. The beard never came back, but the lesbian part decided three years later she needed more than one day a year. In addition to planting myself in front of the television for hours to watch the cheesy Christmas romance movies this month, November is also a more serious time of reflection for me. Recently I found myself thinking about how, without a doubt, the last year was the queerest one of my life. I saw the return of some of my favorite queer girl events like Pensacola Unleashed and Girls in Wonderland, I joined the board of Come Out With Pride as the Director of Communications, served on the local steering committee that helped bring the National Trans Visibility March to Orlando and helped

to increase the profile of lesbians at both Pride Week and The Most Colorful Parade. Along the way, I learned some valuable lessons. 2021 was the year I turned 50, which thanks to the accompanying 50th anniversary of the Magic Kingdom, Disney won’t allow me to forget for at least the next 18 months. However, with that golden milestone also came a newfound willingness to cut off toxic people. The most significant example came at Thanksgiving last year when I was subjected to a parade of misgendering by my mother that, thanks to the gendered nature of Spanish, seemed to happen every other sentence. I had spent the preceding 10 years trying to get her to accept me as her daughter and it suddenly dawned on me that she never would. I promptly had an anxiety attack at the realization, and after consulting with my therapist, decided to end all contact. I must say my life has changed for the better even with the familial complications that have ensued. For those of you contemplating doing the same thing, I will just say that life is too short to constantly expose ourselves to a source of pain we can avoid. To illustrate my next point, close your eyes and imagine that 22 of the 23 Marvel movies leading up to “Avengers: Endgame” were about female superheroes or if the Avengers themselves were made up of eight women and two guys. If that just “feels wrong” then why do we not feel the same way about the fact that men dominated these movies? Maybe it isn’t news that we live in a patriarchal society but having been involved behind the scenes in major queer women’s events and overall LGBTQ+ events, I can say that the same inequity extends to queer men in regard to queer women. You can see this in how our general events will include programming that will be of great appeal to queer men and have limited

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appeal to queer women, but the reverse is rarely true. Even when programming is meant to appeal primarily to queer women, it is rendered in a form palatable to queer men. It is like asking for cake instead of ice cream and getting cake flavored ice cream. What I have learned is that we need more queer

major foothold since last year. Just in the last month, queer trans exclusionary groups like the LGB Alliance have been platformed on major news outlets like the BBC with poorly vetted and researched articles that present trans women as “forcing” cisgender lesbians to have sex by, ironically enough, accusing

what a boost it is to our morale and mental health. I broke down and wept several times this year during the Trans Visibility March at the cheers and smiles of our queer community. I didn’t expect to feel that way and it brought home to me the lesson of the healing power of love in the midst of so much

women, trans, bi, nonbinary people and every other stripe of the rainbow not just involved but EMPOWERED to make change in all our queer organizations if we truly want “diversity” to mean something. Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t address how transphobia has gained a

them of being transphobic if they didn’t. I know these voices and others actually make up a minority of the LGBTQ+ community, but if I could have one request of all of you it would be, please be vocal with your support of trans people. It can’t always fall to your trans friends to speak out. I cannot overstate

hate. Have a great holiday season and I hope to see you all at Transgender Day of Remembrance on Nov. 20.

[W]e need more queer women, trans, bi, nonbinary people and every other stripe of the rainbow not just involved but EMPOWERED to make change in all our queer organizations if we truly want ‘diversity’ to mean something.

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Melody Maia Monet has her own YouTube channel where she answers lesbian and transgender life questions you are afraid to ask. You can find it at YouTube.com/MelodyMaia.

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FIT FOR PRINT Someone is always watching

Y PARENTS INSTILLED

a core value in me at an early age. They both told me that actions speak louder than words and that we should always live our lives as an example to other people.

As a kid, of course, that meant making friends on the playground, standing up to bullies and showing respect to elders, particularly teachers and the parents of my friends. As an adult, I always try to be kind and warm to whomever I meet and stand up for what I see as right. Do I always succeed? Of course not. But I was reminded recently that someone is always watching – whether from across the room or from a screen somewhere across the country. In this case, it was an extremely positive and humbling experience. First, some context. I came out to my immediate family when I was 22 years old. It was a difficult experience and to this day it remains a subject to be avoided. I rarely visit the Midwestern town where I was born and telephone conversations typically stay high-level and focused on work, family updates and the Florida weather. So, you can imagine my surprise when I received a Facebook message from someone with a familiar name but an unfamiliar face. It was from a relative of mine who I last saw nearly 20 years ago – when they

were still too young to even walk or talk. The message surprised me not only because of who it was from, but because of what they had to say. This relative said that they knew about my coming out story and that they had used my journey to help themselves navigate the coming out process with their own immediate family. Yes, there is another rainbow flag-waving member of my family coming to terms with their sexuality! While celebrating that I finally was not the only rainbow sheep in the family, I realized that this crazy journey I’ve been on for nearly 45 years isn’t simply all about me after all. What my parents told me when I was young holds true – people are watching us and may use us as example in their own lives. As Jack MacFarland says in a now classic episode of “Will & Grace,” I felt like I was able to “gay it forward.” I immediately responded to the message and found myself deep into mentor/ mentee territory with this relative, reading questions, offering advice and asking a few questions of my own. A week or two later, as fate would have it, a shared relative passed away and I was on my way back to the Midwest for the funeral. Lo and behold, this newly out relative was there as well and we had a chance to bond, reconnect as adults and show a very small form of solidarity – me being the elder, “experienced” gay and them being newly out and at the beginning of a very exciting journey. We talked for more than an hour at the viewing and following the burial of our shared relative, I had a surprise message relayed to me from my newly out relative’s mother, who hugged me in the parking lot. She thanked me for talking to her child about the coming out process and apologized for any

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difficulties I had experience in my youth as a young gay man. Sure, she was not a part of my coming out story, but she said she was aware of the difficult parts of my journey and regretted not stepping in and offering advice or assistance. Those words meant a

those out in the world who are navigating the coming out process with their families experiences. We’ve come a long way in the world of acceptance. I see supportive parents at Pride events and on social media pages. But while our world is still gaining some traction

there are people watching us every step of the way. My life has been anything but perfect up to this point and I’ve certainly had my fair share of stumbles. But I feel fortunate that the parts of my life my young relative did notice were the positive ones and that

lot to me and the lingering hug from her felt absolutely amazing, especially since I was standing within just a few feet of the relatives who never fully embraced my gayness. Here was someone who loved and appreciated me – all of me. That’s exactly what I hope my young relative and all of

in this area, there are a lot of young LGBTQ youth who still need support. I have been out of the LGBTQ activism world for a while now, but this whole experience reminded me that whether we are at an event, in the voters’ booth or just simply living our lives, what we do matters and

they could provide some sort of guidance for another person’s journey. It was a very real reminder that we should all continue living our authentic lives and living as positively as we can. Who knows who else may be silently watching?

While celebrating that I finally was not the only rainbow sheep in the family, I realized that this crazy journey I’ve been on for nearly 45 years isn’t simply all about me after all.

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talking points If you’re happier and more comfortable looking in the rearview mirror, that is where we’ll leave you … go watch every other movie that hasn’t really touched on what we are, and we will just continue growing without you. – KRISTEN STEWART RESPONDING TO CRITICS OF LGBTQ SUPERHEROES IN CINEMA

‘DRAG RACE’ LEGENDS SLEIGH FOR VH1

H1 ANNOUNCED ITS FIRST-EVER “NAUGHTY OR NICE” SEASON Oct. 29, five original films themed around the holidays. RuPaul and 20 queens from throughout “Drag Race” herstory will star in “The Bitch Whole Stole Christmas” premiering Dec. 2. “In the draggiest Christmas movie ever made, a workaholic big-city fashion journalist is sent to a Christmas-obsessed small town to dig up a story when she finds herself in the middle of cut-throat housewives, a high-stakes ‘Winter Ball’ competition and a sinister plot that could destroy Christmas fore-evah!,” the film synopsis reads. The cast includes Ginger Minj, Brooke Lynn Hytes, Peppermint, Jan, Latrice Royale, Jaymes Mansfield, Gottmik, Laganja Estranja, Manila Luzon, Mayhem Miller, Pandora Boxx, Raven, Rock M. Sakura, Kylie Sonique Love and more. Series judges Michelle Visage, Carson Kressley and Ross Mathews will also appear. “There are 1000 Christmas movies this year,” producers noted, “but only one with DRAG QUEENS!”

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KAL PEN COMES OUT IN NEW MEMOIR ‘YOU CAN’T BE SERIOUS’

CTOR KAL PENN CAME OUT AS GAY prior to the release of his first book “You Can’t Be Serious” Nov. 2, which details his relationship with fiancé Josh and more. Best known for his work as Kumar Patel in the “Harold & Kumar” film franchise and on the TV series “Designated Survivor,” he shares his experiences as a gay person of color within the entertainment industry and reflects on his career as former White House Associate Director during the Obama Administration. “When you’ve already told your Indian parents and the South Asian community that you intend to be an actor for a living, really any conversations that come after that are super easy,” he mused.

‘TIGER KING 2’ HEADS TO NETFLIX

ETFLIX SHARED THE FIRST TRAILER FOR “TIGER KING 2” Oct. 27, promising drama ahead of the show’s Nov. 17 premiere. “Tiger King 2” will cover Joe Exotic’s time in prison as well as his ongoing feud with Carole Baskin. “With Joe Exotic behind bars and Carole Baskin closing in on ownership of his disreputable zoo, the Emmy-nominated saga continues its twisted course with ‘Tiger King 2’ as newfound revelations emerge on the motivations, backstories, and secrets of America’s most notorious big cat owners,” Netflix teased. “Old enemies and frenemies, including Jeff Lowe, Tim Stark, Allen Glover, and James Garretson return for another season of murder, mayhem, and madness. Thought you knew the whole story? Just you wait.”

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DC COMICS INTRODUCES TRANS AMAZON

C COMICS INTRODUCED READERS TO A BLACK TRANSGENDER WOMAN in “Nubia & The Amazons” #1 Oct. 19, the first such character to join Wonder Woman’s sisterhood of warriors. Written by Stephanie Williams and Vita Ayala, the miniseries follows a new queen of Themyscira who must “unite her tribe before paradise is lost forever!” Williams and Ayala confirmed Bia’s identity on social media, stressing that she “is important to her community. Just as Black trans women are important to us in real life.” Lynda Carter, who played TV’s iconic iteration of “Wonder Woman” in the 70s, voiced her immediate support. “Trans women are Wonder Women,” she tweeted. “End of story.”

PROSECUTE HATE CRIMES. OFFICIALS ANNOUNCED THE MEASURE ON THE 12TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MATTHEW SHEPARD AND JAMES BYRD JR. HATE CRIMES PREVENTION ACT.

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standing ovation to the cast of “Tootsie” at both the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa Oct. 26 and the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando Nov. 2, it marked more than a year and a half since either theater hosted a touring Broadway show.

“The last tour that came through Straz was Feb. 18-23, it was ‘Mean Girls,’” says Summer Bohnenkamp, Straz Center’s Chief Programming and Marketing Officer. “Broadway in New York made their announcement March 12 and we closed Friday the 13th. That was supposed to be the opening night of ‘Jersey Boys.’” “Mean Girls” was the last Broadway tour to come through the Dr. Phillips Center as well. It played Feb. 25-March 1 and the cast and crew of “Miss Saigon” were planning to open at the end of March before the COVID-19 pandemic began to cause closures of all nonessential businesses, including theaters. “At the start of the pandemic, everyone thought this would

just be going on for a week, and then maybe it’s just a month. No one knew what was really coming ahead,” says Jacklyne Ramos, Senior Director of Public Relations at the Dr. Phillips Center. “I think once we realized this was going to go on for the long haul, our leadership got together and the conversation became instead of what now, it became what if, what’s next and what do we do?” The temporary cancellation of shows for a few weeks was the same discussion happening at Straz. “After we learned that Broadway had closed the day before, the management team came in at 8 a.m. that Friday morning and we stopped the load

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in of ‘Jersey Boys,’” Bohnenkamp says. “We closed the doors and said we’ll probably be back in about four weeks. We said anything up to April 19 we would cancel or postpone, we thought we’d be back in about a month.” One month turned into 19 months for Straz and 20 for the Dr. Phillips Center before another Broadway tour came through, but that doesn’t mean entertainment wasn’t happening during that time. “Creative people and artists are a resilient group of folks, but we had to be creative and flexible,” Bohnenkamp says. “We weren’t dark for too long. Our conservatory kept up with classes and some showcases. We resumed our Riverwalk Stage in October 2020 with some outdoor performances, we also resumed shows in our Jaeb Theater with some cabaret theater at about one third capacity. We sold the house by the table so people could socially distance and be masked indoors.” The Dr. Phillips Center also came up with an idea to get CONTINUED ON PG. 27 | uu |

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POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including:  Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. Your healthcare provider will test you for HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months, and may give you HBV medicine.

BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including:  Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section.  Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that may have been hidden in your body. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY.  Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY.  Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.  Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.  The most common side effects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%). These are not all the possible side effects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088. Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.

ABOUT BIKTARVY BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains:  dofetilide  rifampin  any other medicines to treat HIV-1

BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY Tell your healthcare provider if you:  Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis infection.  Have any other health problems.  Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY.  Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:  Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.  BIKTARVY and other medicines may affect each other. Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.

HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.

GET MORE INFORMATION  This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.  Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5  If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.

BIKTARVY, the BIKTARVY Logo, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, KEEP ASPIRING, and LOVE WHAT’S INSIDE are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. Version date: February 2021 © 2021 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. BVYC0369 04/21

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SPRING INTO ACTION: Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins will look to dance all night when the classic “My Fair Lady” graces the stage of the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa in the Spring of 2022. PHOTO BY JOAN MARCUS | uu | Broadway’s Back! FROM PG.23

artists working and shows up and running. “Those conversations where leadership were asking what now, that’s when the idea of the Frontyard Festival started to happen,” Ramos says. In November of 2020, Dr. Phillips Center announced it would be transforming the three-acre Seneff Arts Plaza in front of the arts center into an outdoor, entertainment experience that would allow attendees to watch shows, concerts, films and more safely from individual boxes spaced six feet apart from each other. “I think we were very lucky because not a lot of venues had the same opportunities we did with the Frontyard Festival,” Ramos says. “We didn’t shut down 100% like other venues, we were able to keep people working, keep artists working, give them a place and opportunity to perform in front of live audiences again, and just stay relevant and stay in business.” The Frontyard Festival, which opened in December 2020, was so popular that its initial six-month life was extended out another six months, and while Dr. Phillips Center plans to take it down in mid-December, there are plans to create something that will allow for entertainment to continue in the space. Both theaters had announced their 2020-21 Broadway seasons in February 2020, before the

pandemic had hit the U.S., but realized by May that adjustments would need to be made to the season. They and eventually both cancelled their full 2020-21 seasons, but as COVID-19 vaccines became a reality, things started to look up. On Feb. 10, 2021, the Dr. Phillips Center made the announcement that it would be back with Broadway tours in the fall. “We’re thrilled to be bringing Broadway back to the Dr. Phillips Center this fall for what will be

Ramsberger of the announcement. “It’s terrific to think that fans are just months away from again experiencing the wonder of Broadway.” While some adjustments had to be made based on the availability of tours, several shows from the 2019-20 season would be coming as a part of the new season, including “The Prom,” “Tootsie,” “Disney’s Frozen” and “Hadestown.” In April, the Straz Center made an announcement of its own: that

MAKING MEMORIES: “CATS” will take the stage in both Orlando and Tampa during the 2021-22 Broaday touring season. PHOTO BY MATTHEW MURPHY

would feature shows throughout the season that included “The Prom,” “CATS,” “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical” and “The Band’s Visit.” Noticeably absent from both the Dr. Phillips Center and Straz Center’s seasons were Broadway’s blockbuster shows “Wicked” and “Hamilton,” both of which were originally announced for their 2019-20 seasons. But have no fear, both shows are sure to make their returns to each area. According to its website,

I think we were very lucky because not a lot of venues had the same opportunities we did with the Frontyard Festival. — JACKLYNE RAMOS a spectacular season,” said Susie Krajsa, president of Broadway Across America, in a press release at the time. “We have been working diligently with producers, booking agents and other national tour representatives to reschedule and rebuild the lineup for the FAIRWINDS Broadway in Orlando season. We are so grateful for the support of our subscribers and patrons who have remained steadfast awaiting the return of Broadway to the Dr. Phillips Center.” “We’re eagerly anticipating Broadway’s return to Orlando and are confident we have the health protocols and training in place to do so responsibly,” said Dr. Phillips Center President and CEO Kathy

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Broadway would return to Tampa in the fall as well. “It’s been a long intermission, but we are excited for the return of touring Broadway to Tampa,” Straz Center President and CEO Judy Lisi said in a press release. “We’ve put together a remarkable season that includes a couple of welcome surprises along with a few shows that were postponed from early 2020 due to the pandemic and a number of shows originally announced for the 2020-2021 slate. It’s a season of blockbusters, audience favorites, award winners and classics … this line-up truly is the best of Broadway.” Straz announced it would kick off its season with “Tootsie” and

“Hamilton” will be returning to the Dr. Phillips Center for the 2022-23 season and “Wicked” is scheduled Jan. 23-Feb. 12, 2023. As for Straz, “Hamilton” will return at the end of 2022 during the holiday season. “Wicked” has a return date planned but no announcement is being made just yet. Both theaters opened their seasons with “Tootsie” to an amazing response from both cities. “The opening night of ‘Tootsie,’ there was just a different level of energy in the building,” Ramos says. “People were excited to be back for Broadway.” That excitement was the same over at Straz.

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“Everyone was in a great mood, people laughed and the crowd jumped to their feet at the end. It was a really amazing feeling,” Bohnenkamp says. While Broadway is back, it doesn’t mean COVID is gone and both theaters have safety precautions in place for those planning to attend a Broadway show, or any one of the many other shows, concerts and performances coming to Straz and Dr. Phillips Center. Both theaters will require attendees to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test in order to enter the theater, allowing ticket holders to show proof of full vaccination as an alternative. Also for the time being, masks are required in both theaters for the duration of the show. “We are working with our partners at Advent Health and local officials to constantly monitor the situation and update our policies as we go along,” Ramos says. Straz has partnered with Tampa General in developing the safety protocols for its theater. “We are hopeful that we may be able to relax some of these protocols soon but safety first. The health advice from our consultants and health partners will always come first,” Bohnenkamp says.

For more information on schedules, safety protocols and to purchase tickets, go to DrPhillipsCenter.org for the Dr. Phillips Center and StrazCenter.org for the Straz Center.

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Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts PHOTO COURTESY DR. PHILLIPS CENTER

“The Prom” Dec. 7-12, 2021 Everyone’s invited to the joyous Broadway hit that New York Magazine hails as “smart and big-hearted” while The New York Times declares it “makes you believe in musical comedy again!” “The Prom” is a new musical comedy about big Broadway stars on a mission to change the world and the love they discover that unites them all. Variety raves, “It’s so full of happiness that you think your heart is about to burst.” And The Hollywood Reporter cheers, “It’s comic gold!” “The Prom” features direction and choreography by Tony Award– winner Casey Nicholaw (“Mean Girls,” “The Book of Mormon”), a book by Tony Award–winner Bob Martin (“The Drowsy Chaperone”) and Tony Award–nominee Chad Beguelin (“Aladdin”), music by Tony Award–nominee Matthew Sklar (“Elf”) and lyrics by Tony Award– nominee Chad Beguelin.

“Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”

Heralded by The New Yorker as “thrilling” and “genuinely moving,” “Frozen” features the songs you know and love from the original Oscar-winning film, plus an expanded score with a dozen new numbers by the film’s songwriters, Oscar winner Kristen AndersonLopez and EGOT winner Robert Lopez. Oscar winner Jennifer Lee (book), Tony and Olivier Award winner Michael Grandage (director) and Tony winner Rob Ashford (choreographer) round out the creative team that has won a cumulative 16 Tony Awards. An unforgettable theatrical experience filled with sensational special effects, stunning sets and costumes, and powerhouse performances, “Frozen” is everything you want in a musical: It’s moving. It’s spectacular. And above all, it’s pure Broadway joy.

“CATS” March 29-April 3, 2022 “CATS,” the record-breaking musical spectacular by Andrew Lloyd Webber that has captivated audiences in over 30 countries and 15 languages, is now on tour across North America.

Nominated for 12 Tony Awards, “Ain’t Too Proud” tells the thrilling story of brotherhood, family, loyalty and betrayal, as the group’s personal and political conflicts threatened to tear them apart during a decade of civil unrest in America.

Audiences and critics alike are rediscovering this beloved musical with breathtaking music, including one of the most treasured songs in musical theater: “Memory.” Winner of seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, “CATS” tells the story of one magical night when an extraordinary tribe of cats gathers for its annual ball to rejoice and decide which cat will be reborn. The original score by Andrew Lloyd Webber (“The Phantom of the Opera,” “School of Rock,” “Sunset Boulevard”), original scenic and costume design by John Napier (“Les Misérables”), all-new lighting design by Natasha Katz (“Aladdin”), all-new sound design by Mick Potter, new choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler (“Hamilton”) based on the original choreography by Gillian Lynne (“The Phantom of the Opera”) and direction by Trevor Nunn (“Les Misérables”) make this production a new “CATS” for a new generation.

The unforgettable story of this legendary quintet is set to the beat of the group’s treasured hits, including “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination,” “Get Ready,” “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” and so many more.

“Beautiful: The Carole King Musical”

Written by three-time Obie Award winner Dominique Morisseau, directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff (“Jersey Boys”) and featuring the Tony-winning choreography of Sergio Trujillo (“Jersey Boys,” “On Your Feet!”), “Ain’t Too Proud” launches its first national tour to over 50 cities across America.

May 13-15, 2022

Jan. 25-30, 2022 “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations” is the electrifying, new smash-hit Broadway musical that follows The Temptations’ extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. With their signature dance moves and silky-smooth harmonies, they rose to the top of the charts creating an amazing 42 Top Ten Hits with 14 reaching number one.

“Disney’s Frozen” Feb. 24-March 2022 From the producer of “The Lion King” and “Aladdin,” the Tonynominated Best Musical “Frozen” is now on tour across North America and the critics rave, “It’s simply magical!” (LA Daily News).

“Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” tells the inspiring true story of King’s remarkable rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history. Along the way, she made more than beautiful music, she wrote the soundtrack to a generation. Featuring a stunning array of beloved songs written by Gerry Goffin/Carole King and Barry Mann/ Cynthia Weil, including “I Feel The Earth Move,” “One Fine Day,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “You’ve Got A Friend” and the title song, “Beautiful” has a book by and Tony Award-nominee and Academy Award-nominated writer Douglas McGrath, direction by Marc Bruni, choreography by Josh Prince and took home two 2014 Tony Awards and a 2015 Grammy Award.

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“Jesus Christ Superstar” June 7-12, 2022 An album that inspired a REVOLUTION. A REVELATION that changed the world. A REINVENTION for this millennium. “Jesus Christ Superstar” is an iconic musical phenomenon with a world-wide fan base. In celebration of its 50th Anniversary, a new mesmerizing production comes to North America. Originally staged by London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and helmed by the acclaimed director Timothy Sheader (“Crazy for You,” “Into the Woods”) and award-winning choreographer Drew McOnie (“King Kong,” “Strictly Ballroom”), this production won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival, garnering unprecedented reviews and accolades. Appealing to both theater audiences and concert music fans, this production pays tribute to the historic 1971 Billboard Album of the Year while creating a modern, theatrical world that is uniquely fresh and inspiring. Featuring award-winning music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice, “Jesus Christ Superstar” is set against the backdrop of an extraordinary series of events during the final weeks in the life of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of Judas. Reflecting the rock roots that defined a generation, the legendary score includes “I Don’t Know How to Love Him,” “Gethsemane” and “Superstar.”

“Hadestown” Dec. 13-18, 2022 Come see how the world could be. Welcome to “Hadestown,” where a song can change your fate. Winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, this acclaimed new show from celebrated singersongwriter Anaïs Mitchell and innovative director Rachel Chavkin (“Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”) is a love story for today … and always. “Hadestown” intertwines two mythic tales—that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone — as it invites you on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Mitchell’s beguiling melodies and Chavkin’s poetic imagination pit industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love. Performed by a vibrant ensemble of actors, dancers and singers, “Hadestown” is a haunting and hopeful theatrical experience that grabs hold and never lets go.

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Straz Center for the Performing Arts PHOTO BY ROB/HARRIS

“CATS”

“Disney’s Frozen”

“Pretty Woman: The Musical”

Dec. 7-12

March 23-April 3

May 17-22

“CATS,” the record-breaking musical spectacular by Andrew Lloyd Webber that has captivated audiences in over 30 countries and 15 languages, is now on tour across North America.

From the producer of “The Lion King” and “Aladdin,” the Tonynominated Best Musical “Frozen” is now on tour across North America and the critics rave, “It’s simply magical!” (LA Daily News).

Audiences and critics alike are rediscovering this beloved musical with breathtaking music, including one of the most treasured songs in musical theater: “Memory.”

“Pretty Woman: The Musical,” based on one of Hollywood’s most beloved romantic stories of all time, is now on tour! Starring Tony Award-nominee Adam Pascal as Edward Lewis and rising star Olivia Valli as the charming and charismatic Vivian Ward, “Pretty Woman: The Musical” is brought to life by a powerhouse creative team representing the best of music, Hollywood and Broadway. Featuring direction and choreography by two-time Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell (“Hairspray,” “Kinky Boots,” “Legally Blonde”), an original score by Grammy winner Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance (“Summer of ’69,” “Heaven”) and a book by the movie’s legendary director Garry Marshall and screenwriter J.F. Lawton, “Pretty Woman: The Musical” will lift your spirits and light up your heart. “If you love the movie, you’ll love the musical!” (BuzzFeed News).

Jan. 11-16, 2022 She was a girl from Boston with a voice from heaven, who shot through the stars from gospel choir to dance floor diva. But what the world didn’t know was how Donna Summer risked it all to break through barriers, becoming the icon of an era and the inspiration for every music diva who followed. With a score featuring more than 20 of Summer’s classic hits including “Love to Love You Baby,” “Bad Girls” and “Hot Stuff,” this electric experience is a moving tribute to the voice of a generation.

“Dear Evan Hansen” Feb. 1-6, 2022 Winner of six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and a 2018 Grammy Award, “Dear Evan Hansen” is the deeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical about life and the way we live it. The Washington Post calls “Dear Evan Hansen” “one of the most remarkable shows in musical theater history.”

“The Prom” Feb. 15-20, 2022 Everyone’s invited to the joyous Broadway hit that New York Magazine hails as “smart and big-hearted” while The New York Times declares it “makes you believe in musical comedy again!” “The Prom” is a new musical comedy about big Broadway stars on a mission to change the world and the love they discover that unites them all. Variety raves, “It’s so full of happiness that you think your heart is about to burst.” And The Hollywood Reporter cheers, “It’s comic gold!” “The Prom” features direction and choreography by Tony Award– winner Casey Nicholaw (“Mean Girls,” “The Book of Mormon”), a book by Tony Award–winner Bob Martin (“The Drowsy Chaperone”) and Tony Award–nominee Chad Beguelin (“Aladdin”), music by Tony Award–nominee Matthew Sklar (“Elf”) and lyrics by Tony Award– nominee Chad Beguelin.

An unforgettable theatrical experience filled with sensational special effects, stunning sets and costumes, and powerhouse performances, “Frozen” is everything you want in a musical: It’s moving. It’s spectacular. And above all, it’s pure Broadway joy.

“My Fair Lady” April 26-May 1 From Lincoln Center Theater that brought you “The King & I” and “South Pacific,” comes “a sumptuous new production of the most perfect musical of all time” (Entertainment Weekly), Lerner & Loewe’s My Fair Lady. Director Bartlett Sher’s glowing production is “thrilling, glorious and better than it ever was” (The New York Times). “Every so often a revival comes along that reminds you how indispensable great theater can be” (NY1). Boasting such classic songs as “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “The Rain in Spain,” “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” and “On the Street Where You Live,” My Fair Lady tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a young Cockney flower seller, and Henry Higgins, a linguistics professor who is determined to transform her into his idea of a “proper lady.” But who is really being transformed?

“The Band’s Visit” May 4-8 The critically acclaimed smash-hit Broadway musical “The Band’s Visit” is the winner of 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, making it one of the most Tony-winning musicals in history. In this joyously offbeat story, set in a town that’s way off the beaten path, a band of musicians arrive lost, out of the blue. Under the spell of the desert sky, and with beautiful music perfuming the air, the band brings the town to life in unexpected and tantalizing ways. Even the briefest visit can stay with you forever. With a Tony- and Grammy-winning score that seduces your soul and sweeps you off your feet, and featuring thrillingly talented onstage musicians, “The Band’s Visit” rejoices in the way music makes us laugh, makes us cry and ultimately, brings us together.

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PHOTO BY DEEN VAN MEER

“Summer: The Donna Summer Musical”

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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Complaints Department Actress Sharon Gless on her new memoir, ‘Queer As Folk’ and who should play her in a movie

PHOTO COURTESY SIMON & SCHUSTER

Gregg Shapiro

AVE YOU EVER READ A MEMOIR

that is so intimate, so revealing, so honest, that as you were turning the pages it felt like the writer was sitting next to you, speaking directly to you? Kudos to multiple Emmy Award-winning actress Sharon Gless for making that a part of the experience of reading her new memoir, “Apparently There Were Complaints.”

The Los Angeles native with Hollywood in her veins (her maternal grandfather was a hotshot entertainment lawyer), Gless rose to prominence via her portrayal of New York police detective Christine Cagney in the popular and groundbreaking

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1980s TV series “Cagney & Lacey,” alongside Tyne Daly. As if she hadn’t already established an LGBTQ following through that show, she went on to play Debbie Novotny, the smart and sassy mother of Michael on Showtime’s

equally groundbreaking “Queer As Folk” in the early 2000s. Gless was generous enough to sit down for an interview in advance of the publication of her book.

WATERMARK: YOUR NEW MEMOIR, “APPARENTLY THERE WERE COMPLAINTS,” OPENS ON A SERIOUS NOTE WITH YOUR 2015 PANCREATITIS DIAGNOSIS. SO WE’D LIKE TO BEGIN BY SAYING THAT WE HOPE YOU ARE IN GOOD HEALTH.

Sharon Gless: Thank you, honey, I’m in very good health. Thank you. CONTINUED ON PG. 33 | uu |

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| uu | Complaints

Department. FROM PG.31

WHY WAS NOW THE TIME TO WRITE YOUR MEMOIR?

Well, it’s taken seven years. It’s not like it was yesterday. I never actually intended to write a memoir. I was called in to a meeting by CBS for what I thought was a conversation to offer me a new series. We talked for an hour and, apparently, I was so entertaining that at the end of the hour meeting, the president of CBS said, “You know we own Simon & Schuster.” I said, “I didn’t know that.” She said, “We do, and I think you’ve got a book in you.” I said, “I don’t usually write.” She said, “That doesn’t matter. You’re a storyteller, Sharon.” So I walked out with a book deal [laughs] with Simon & Schuster and not the series I was hoping for. Actually, I didn’t meet [with] Simon & Schuster for another year. I sort of let it go. The next day there was a text from the president of Simon & Schuster. I sort of ignored it because I didn’t want to do that. I wanted to act! A year went by, and I wasn’t so busy, and I was in New York, and I said, “What the hell!” I went to meet him. I read one chapter to him, one chapter that I had written in case he asked for anything. He signed me that day [laughs].

WERE YOU A JOURNAL OR DIARY KEEPER OR DID YOU RELY ON YOUR MEMORY FOR THE DETAILS?

Never. No. My very best friend Dawn [LaFreeda], who’s been my best friend forever … I’m a talker, a storyteller and I would tell her stories about my life throughout our relationship. She kept them! She said, “You have a book in you.” So, there’s another person saying so. She kept the stories. When Simon & Schuster made me the offer, Dawn dragged out all my stories. A couple of times I had gatherings at my house where I had four people over, and I said, “Ask me some questions,” and put a recorder down. I’d just start talking. Then as more of my life was coming out on the page, which is hard to do, I started remembering more and more. It took a form that I had always intended. I came up with the title, “Apparently There Were Complaints,” very early on. I made the book about all the complaints people had about me throughout

my life. It helped that Dawn had kept records of all the stories I’ve told. Some of those I used [in the book]. It’s funny, as you write, as you keep going, you start remembering more and more and more because one emotion leads to the next emotion or the next time someone hurts your feelings or the next complaint. WE’RE GLAD YOU MENTIONED THE EMOTIONAL PART OF IT, BECAUSE WRITING A MEMOIR MEANS REVISITING THE PAST.

IN YOUR CASE, THAT INCLUDES YOUR COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR GRANDMOTHER, WHOM YOU CALLED GRIMMY, AS WELL AS YOUR PARENTS. DID YOU FIND IT TO BE PAINFUL, FREEING OR BOTH?

Sometimes because some of the memories were painful. There were times when I was

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STOOD OUT TO US ABOUT “APPARENTLY THERE WERE COMPLAINTS” IS THAT NOT ONLY DOES IT SOUND LIKE YOU-, WE’VE INTERVIEWED YOU BEFORE, BUT IN READING THE BOOK, IT SOUNDED LIKE YOU.

Thank you! It’s very important to me that you hear my voice in that. IT TOTALLY COMES THROUGH. THE OTHER THING THAT SHINES THROUGH IS YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR AND COMIC TIMING.

Thank you!

HOW IMPORTANT WAS IT FOR YOU TO MAKE THAT ASPECT OF YOUR PERSONALITY A PART OF THE BOOK?

Very important. I do have a sarcastic, not a mean sarcastic, a funny sarcastic side. Some of the complaints and some of my addictions and some of the things I talk about … you’ve got to take

KNOWLEDGE. THE STORY ABOUT YOUR BOARDING SCHOOL CLASSMATE GIBBIE, ALSO KNOWN AS THE LATE ABIGAIL FOLGER, IN CHAPTER SEVEN FEELS LIKE AN EXAMPLE OF THAT. WOULD YOU EVER CONSIDER BEING ON ONE OF THOSE GENEALOGY TRACING SHOWS?

I didn’t know a show like that existed. I would never do something like “This Is Your Life” [laughs], remember that? I didn’t know about a show that traces your genealogy. I’m always fascinated in my background. I’m certainly not opposed to anybody scraping up my genealogy. YOU WRITE ABOUT YOUR INTERACTIONS WITH LGBTQ PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE, PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY, AND CHAPTER 43, TITLED “I’LL BE THERE,” WHICH IS ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE PLAYING DEBBIE

I came up with the title, ‘Apparently There Were Complaints,’ very early on. I made the book about all the complaints people had about me throughout my life ... It’s funny, as you write, as you keep going, you start remembering more and more and more because one emotion leads to the next emotion or the next time someone hurts your feelings or the next complaint. — SHARON GLESS reading some of it that I would go back to that place. I just finished recording [the audio book] a couple of weeks ago. What surprised me is when I’d get to certain places, especially about Grimmy, you can hear on the recording, my voice breaks. I left it in. They asked me if I wanted to [re-record it] and I said, “No. Leave it in.” She was really the best thing that ever happened to me. It’s that she was tough.

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some of it lightly or who’s going to want to read that? Clearly, I survived. It’s not all bad news. When I came up with the title, which was perfect because there were so many complaints about me in my life, sometimes you just have to laugh, even at the sadder stuff. I’m still standing!

YES, YOU ARE! MEMOIRS, LIKE TV SHOWS SUCH AS “FINDING YOUR ROOTS,” ARE A WAY FOR BOTH THE SUBJECT AND THE AUDIENCE TO UNCOVER FASCINATING DETAILS THAT MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE HAVE BEEN PUBLIC

NOVOTNY IN SHOWTIME’S “QUEER AS FOLK” WAS SO BEAUTIFUL. THIS IS LESS A QUESTION THAN IT IS AN EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE FOR, WELL, BEING THERE.

Thank you! The pleasure, for lack of a better word, is all mine. You have all changed my life. I became so much more educated. I thought, “Oh, I know it all. All my best friends are gay.” Right? But I learned so much on “Queer As Folk.” The stories that they wrote and the performances. I didn’t realize the real plight, the behind-the-scenes pain that

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went on in the gay community. Because of “Queer As Folk” I became quite educated and impassioned. I meant it when I said, “I’ll be there.” THE PEACOCK STREAMING SERVICE IS DOING A “QUEER AS FOLK” REBOOT. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?

Yes, I’m aware they’re doing a reboot of it. What I think about it is I’m so sorry they’re not using the original cast. It’s never going to be better. But good luck to them, and I hope they have even close to the hit we were. I think the biggest star of that show right now is going to be the city of New Orleans. We’ll see how the stories go. BECAUSE THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY IS A CENTRAL COMPONENT TO YOUR MEMOIR, IF “APPARENTLY THERE WERE COMPLAINTS” WAS TO BE MADE INTO A THEATRICAL MOVIE OR TV MINISERIES, WHO WOULD YOU WANT TO PLAY YOU?

It would take several actresses because there’s a lot of years. If there was somebody who could span it. I’m a big fan of Jennifer Lawrence. She has a husky voice, too. And there’s also an irreverence and a sensitivity to her. If anybody ever wanted to do that, I think she’d be great. YOU CALL SOUTH FLORIDA YOUR HOME. WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT LIVING HERE?

The happiness on my husband’s [TV producer Barney Rosenzweig] face. When he retired he moved us here. I’m married to a man who if he’s happy, everybody’s happy [laughs]. He adores Florida. Los Angeles was always my home. I was born there, raised there. I’m an Angeleno, through and through. I’ve been to Los Angeles over the last year and I don’t like what’s happened to it. Now I’m grateful to be returning to an island as beautiful as the one I live on. Los Angeles needs a total reboot, rebuild, re-everything. It’s fallen on hard times, L.A. I remember it when I lived there. It was a magical city. Sharon Gless’ “Apparently There Were Complaints,” published by Simon & Schuster, will be available wherever books are sold Dec. 7.

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In Memory of John “Tweeka” Barber 1972 - 2011

community calendar

EVENT PLANNER ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT

CENTRAL FLORIDA

First Time Home Buyers Workshop

Air Supply, Nov. 12, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando. 844-513-2014; DrPhillipsCenter.org Fur Friday w/ Int’l DJ Guy Scheiman, Nov. 12, Stonewall Bar, Orlando. 407-373-0888; Facebook.com/Stonewall. Orlando “Elf the Musical,” Nov. 12-14, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando. 844-513-2014; DrPhillipsCenter.org EDC Orlando: 0Ft Away, Nov. 12-14, Tinker Field, Orlando. Orlando. ElectricDaisyCarnival.com “Art That Makes Me Smile!” The Barefoot Spa Holiday Art Show!, Nov. 13, The Barefoot Spa, Orlando. 407-539-1491; TheBarefootSpa.com Orlando Beer Festival, Nov. 13, Festival Park, Orlando. 407-377-0400; OrlandoWeekly.com Mary Chapin Carpenter, Marc Cohn & Shawn Colvin: Together in Concert, Nov. 13, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando. 844-513-2014; DrPhillipsCenter.org Festival of Trees, Nov. 13-21, Orlando Museum of Art, Orlando. 407-896-4231; OMArt.org The Invasion – Festival After Party, Nov. 14, Stonewall Bar, Orlando. 407-373-0888; Facebook.com/ Stonewall.Orlando Transgender Day of Remembrance 2021, Nov. 19, virtual, online. 407-645-2577; HopeAndHelp.org Eureka O’Hara, Nov. 19, Southern Nights, Orlando. 407-412-5039; Facebook.com/ SouthernNightsOrlando Jingle Eve, Nov. 20, Ivanhoe Village, Orlando. 321-888-1717; IvanhoeVillage.org

THURSDAY, NOV. 18, 6-8 P.M. LGBT+ CENTER, ORLANDO

LOVE IN THE AIR

In partnership with The Center Orlando, Green House Realty is giving you the knowledge and resources to become a homeowner. The workshop is presented by Joshua Cooper. Due to COVID restrictions, space is limited. The event is free but you must RSVP.

Transgender Day of Remembrance SATURDAY, NOV. 20, 1-2:30 P.M. JOY MCC, ORLANDO

The soft rock duo Air Supply will serenade fans at the Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando Nov. 12 and at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater Nov. 14. PHOTO FROM RUTH ECKERD HALL

CFL ACE ARO Peer Network Virtual Meet Up, Nov. 20, virtual, online. 407-228-8272; TheCenterOrlando.org Dapper Day, Nov. 20-21, Walt Disney World, Orlando. DapperDay.com Secreto Sunday, Nov. 21, Stonewall Bar, Orlando. 407-373-0888; Facebook.com/ Stonewall.Orlando “The Last 5 Years,” Nov. 21-22, The Abbey, Orlando. 407-704-6103; AbbeyOrlando.com

TAMPA BAY Movies with Matthew: “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,” Nov. 12, freeFall Theatre, St. Petersburg. 727-498-5205; freeFallTheatre.com NEIGHBORHOOD, Nov. 12, MIZE Gallery, St. Petersburg. 727-251-8529; ChadMize.com Bolay Grand Opening, Nov. 13, Bolay, St. Petersburg. 727-601-0811; Bolay.com

Florida Orchestra’s Pictures at an Exhibition, Nov. 13, Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg & Nov. 14, Straz Center, Tampa. 727-892-3331; FloridaOrchestra.org CallaBoone, Nov. 14, Punky’s Bar and Grill, St. Petersburg. 727-201-4712; PunkysBar.com Air Supply, Nov. 14, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater. 727-791-7400; RuthEckerdHall.com Neil deGrasse Tyson, Nov. 15, Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org “Alter Ego” Viewing Party, Nov. 17, City Side Lounge, Tampa. 813-350-0600; CitySideLoungeTampa.com Sebastian Maniscalco, Nov. 18, Amalie Arena, Tampa. 813-301-6500; AmalieArena.com One Act Play Festival, Nov. 18-21, Tarpon Performing Arts Center, Tarpon Springs. 727-942-5605; TarponArts.org

Gender Identity in Florida, TransAction Florida and Orlando Trans Collective come together to present Transgender Day of Remembrance 2021 at Joy Metropolitan Community Church in Orlando Nov. 20. Join them as they gather to recognize and honor those who have been lost to anti-transgender violence. For more information, visit JoyMCC.com.

TAMPA BAY

Gypsy Kings, Nov. 20, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater. 727-791-7400; RuthEckerdHall.com Steven Wright, Nov. 20, The RP Funding Center, Lakeland. 863-834-8100; RPFundingCenter.com Damien Escobar, Nov. 21, Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org Mannheim Steamroller, Nov. 21, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater. 727-791-7400; RuthEckerdHall.com

Trans Day of Remembrance SATURDAY, NOV. 20, 6:30-8 P.M. THE SUNSHINE CENTER, ST. PETERSBURG The Trans Day of Remembrance vigil will begin at The Sunshine Center, located at 330 5th St. N., as attendees march to St. Petersburg City Hall. This is a candlelight vigil, so organizers encourage you to bring candles if you have them. For more information, email Lucas Wehle at LWehleConsulting@gmail.com.

SARASOTA

SARASOTA DraMature’s Got Talent, Nov. 17-18, Manatee Performing Arts Center, Bradenton. 941-748-5875; ManateePerformingArtsCenter.com “Hair,” Nov. 17-Jan. 1, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Sarasota. 941-351-8000; AsoloRep.org

Equality Florida Suncoast Celebration SUNDAY, NOV. 14, 6-8 P.M. UNIVERSAL FLIGHT TRAINING, SARASOTA Equality Florida hosts its 2021 Suncoast Celebration in the Universal Flight Training area located at the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport. The event’s theme is Giddy Up, a Wild West Evening with Equality Florida. Western cocktail attire is encouraged. Complimentary valet parking will be offered. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to EQFL.org/SuncoastCelebration.

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

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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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announcements

TAMPA BAY OUT+ABOUT

CONGRATULATIONS Equality Florida raised more than $365K during its Tampa gala Oct. 29. Read more at WatermarkOnline.com. Car-Free St. Pete, the City of St. Petersburg, the Grand Central District the EDGE District and more held the inaugural Halloween on Central Oct. 31. The event featured Come OUT St. Pete’s fifth annual festival and activations from St Pete Pride, Cocktail and other LGBTQfocused businesses and organizations. Read more at WatermarkOnline.com.

Longtime LGBTQ ally Ken Welch was elected as the city of St. Petersburg’s 54th and first Black mayor Nov. 2. Read more on p. 12. Largo City Commissioner Michael Smith shared Nov. 3 that his fellow commissioners and the city’s mayor voted for him to serve as Largo’s vice mayor in 2022. Metro Inclusive Health and CAN Community Health held the official grand opening and open house for it’s the partners’ Ybor location Nov. 6. Read more about the space at WatermarkOnline.com.

ALSO Youth was awarded more than $69,000 from the Greenfield Foundation to develop programs and support for LGBTQ youth ages 10-12. Its pilot program “ALSO, Jr.” will allow the organization to create new weekly programs for the younger group, fund one-onone counseling and fund a rebranding. Learn more at ALSOYouth.org. Officials shared Nov. 5 that the City of Tampa has joined the network of Fast-Track Cities, committing to ending urban HIV epidemics by 2030.Learn more about the initiative at Fast-TrackCities.org

LOCAL BIRTHDAYS Former Tampa resident and book author/activist Steven Reigns, Tampa Bay writer Mike Halterman, Tampa leather bear Brooks Davis, Tampa Bay entertainer Daisy Rae Welch (Nov. 11); Sarasota actor Brian Craft, Tampa Bay tangler Justin Geleta, Tampa Bay entertainer Mr. Vyn Suazion (Nov. 12); Dash Creative Group’s Jay Aller, Sarasota opera singer Ron Rispoli, Tampa networking guru Vincent Papaleo (Nov. 13); Ritz Ybor Marketing Director Okie Tilo, Tampa-based but world-renowned flutist Joseph Rose (Nov. 14); Sarasota activist and GAIN member Bart Coyle, Tampa-based Out Q news freelancer Mike Wells, Cocktail bartender Aleksander Helios, Former St Pete Pride grand marshal SueZie Hawkes (Nov. 15); Tampa Bay entertainer Chi Chi Lalique (Nov. 16); Ray Sickles, AKA Sarasota diva Angelique Monet (Nov. 17); Tampa Bay hairstylist Frank Piscopo, Stonewall activist Jay Chetney, Tampa Bay entertainer Lilith Black (Nov. 19); , Equality Florida Pinellas Development Director Todd Richardson, Punky’s co-owner Lynn Deiber, Boys’ Entrance instrumentalist Bill Ramsey (Nov. 20); Tampa concert aficionado Dwayne McFarlane, Punky’s bartender Jennifer Dunham (Nov. 21); Tampa swimwear designer La’Daska Mechelle, charity-driven Ybor resident Mike Hammonds, Tampa Hospice’s admissions manager Peter Shute, St Pete Pride Secretary Molly Robison (Nov. 22); Tampa actor Lauren Clark, Tampa Bay Sisters member John Miller (Nov. 23).

WELCH WINS: Equality Florida Action PAC celebrates St. Petersburg Mayor-elect Ken Welch’s victory at the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum Nov. 2. PHOTO COURTESY NADINE SMITH

FOR THE HUMANITY: Largo City Commissioner Michael Smith participates in Habitat for Humanity’s Community Leaders Build Oct. 29. PHOTO COURTESY SMITH

PAR-TY HARD: (L-R) Michael Ward, Trevor Pettiford and Roger O’Connor check out St. Pete’s new Par Bar Nov. 7. PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT

FRIGHTS & DELIGHTS: Lady Bunny, Adriana Sparkle and Sharon Needles take center stage at Cock-O-Ween for Halloween on Central Oct. 31. PHOTO

COURTESY COCKTAIL

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

NOW OPEN: Metro Inclusive Health, CAN Community Health and city officials ceremoniously cut the ribbon at their new Ybor location Nov. 6. PHOTO COURTESY

CAN COMMUNITY HEALTH

RISING UP: Tombolo Books hosts “Rise,” a panel about underrepresented voices in writing on Nov. 4 with Tenea Johnson, Elizabeth Engelman, Yule Restrepo Garces, Sheree L Greer and Silk Jazmyne Hindus. PHOTO

COURTESY TOMBOLO BOOKS

‘TIS THE SEASON: (L-R) Kathryn Nevets, Chi-Chi Lalique, Kaotica Divine and Daphne Ferraro hold a Sanderson spooktacular at Enigma Oct. 29.

PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT

TAMPA PROUD: Todd Richardson, Jennie O’Leary and Nathan Bruemmer attend Equality Florida’s Tampa gala Oct. 29 at Armature Works. PHOTO BY DYLAN TODD

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announcements

CENTRAL FLORIDA

OUT+ABOUT

CONGRATULATIONS One Orlando Alliance Board Chair Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet was awarded the Brazilian Connection Excellence Award Oct. 27 by the Central Florida Brazilian American Chamber of Commerce for his efforts to increase civic participation and inclusion for the Brazilian community in Orlando. Former Watermark staff writer Samantha Lena Rosenthal was engaged to Jonathan Welch in North Carolina Nov. 7. Winter Park bakery, The Glass Knife, celebrated its fourth anniversary Nov. 10.

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 Central Florida author and Watermark contributor Dr. Steve Yacovelli, Sarasota merman Andrew Cortner, Orlando emergency services expert Alan Harris(Nov. 11); Orlando writer Liz Langley, Florida Department of Health’s Nicole Elinoff, Orlando piano man Kelly DeWayne, LGBT+ Center’s director of Operations Joel Morales, Orlando performer Miss Aiysia Black, DJ Joanie Stanco, Orlando softball expert Anthony Andreala (Nov. 13); Former zoo professional Christopher Torge, paper bag mushroom artist Doug Rhodehamel, Disney application developer Dan Peters (Nov. 14); Unseen Images Theatre’s Jamie DeHay, The Closing Agent’s Barry Miller (Nov. 16); MBA Orlando executive director Kellie Rae Parkin (Nov. 17); Lithia equestrian expert James Meeks, Orlando Gay Chorus tenor and sky hostess Todd Michael Hayes (Nov. 18); Orlando Gay Chorus belter Pattie Noah, Orlando photographer Brian Becnel, HAOS on Church manager Jackie Lewin, real estate agent Neil Payne, former Watermark intern Valentina Sofia(Nov. 19); Orlando Gay Chorus and Walt Disney Company vocalist Brandon Martin (Nov. 20); Orlando chef Chris Bean(Nov. 21); Orlando activist Nicki Drumb, Keller-Williams realtor Steve Glose, Pom Pom’s Orlando server Alexis Astolfi(Nov. 22); State Rep. Linda Stewart, One Orlando Alliance Executive Director Josh Bell, Orlando socialite John Babshaw (Nov. 23).

2 3

GALA GROUP: (L-R) Jeremy Williams, Chris Milliron, Jennifer Kunsch and Rick Todd attend Equality Florida’s Orlando Gala at Harriett’s Orlando Ballet Centre Nov. 5. PHOTO BY JEREMY WILLIAMS

MONSTER MASH: Blue Star gets attendees dancing as DJ for the Thornton Park Halloween Block Party in Orlando Oct. 30. PHOTO BY MATT KELLER LEHMAN

FAVORITE SCARY MOVIE: Jerick Medivilla channels his inner Drew Barrymore for Halloween dressing up Oct. 30 as her character of Casey from the original “Scream” film.

PHOTO COURTESY CARLOS GUILLERMO SMITH

FOR THE KIDS: (L-R) Josh Bell, Heather Wilkie and Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet attend the seventh annual Orlando Youth Empowerment Summit at the UCF Downtown Campus Nov. 6. PHOTO COURTESY JOSH BELL

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Orlando entertainer Robert Crane, aka Erica Roberts (R) celebrates his birthday with husband Greg Griffin at Enzo’s on the Lake in Longwood Nov. 5.

PHOTO COURTESY ERICA ROBERTS

IN THE HÄOS: Joel Swanson (L) and Nic Nightingale head to HÄOS on Church in Orlando dressed as mimes form Halloween Oct. 31.

PHOTO COURTESY JOEL SWANSON

EMPOWERED ACTIVISTS: Debo Ofsowitz (L) and Ashley Brundage network at The Hammered Lamb in Orlando during An Evening of Networking and Empowerment event Nov. 6. PHOTO BY DEBO OFSOWITZ

DYNAMIC DUO: Brandon Ragan (L) and Nikole Parker attend Equality Florida’s Orlando Gala at Harriett’s Orlando Ballet Centre Nov. 5.

PHOTO COURTESY NIKOLE PARKER

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WEDDING BELLS

Vicky and Amanda Salazar from St. Petersburg, Florida

ENGAGEMENT DATE:

March 10, 2019

WEDDING DATE:

Feb. 20, 2021

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ICKY SALAZAR WILL NEVER FORGET

the evening of Nov. 16, 2018 – it’s the day she met her future wife and tried to call security on her.

That night, Amanda Salazar – a performer and event producer in the Tampa Bay area known as Mayven Missbehavin – wandered into G St. Pete, where Vicky was bartending. They’d never met before, but Amanda knew other staff members at the bar and Vicky immediately caught her eye. When she stepped away to use the bathroom, Vicky received a text from the bar’s security guard that clearly wasn’t written by the security guard. It read, “I’m Amanda. I’m the girl downstairs ... You’re cute.” “Oh my gosh. I was so uncomfortable. I didn’t even answer it,” Vicky says. Back at the bar, Amanda had a lot of questions for Vicky’s co-workers: “Is she single? What’s her name? What’s her story?” When Vicky returned from her break, the performer watched her work from across the room. Eventually, Amanda moved closer to – and even behind – the bar. “She was standing against the wall staring at me. I was so uncomfortable. I don’t like being on the spot like that,” Vicky says. “Then, when she came behind the bar it was like, ‘Who is this strange girl? Where’s security?’”

Amanda said, “I was 100% intoxicated, obviously.” She gave it one last shot before leaving G. “She said something like, ‘We’re two souls and we should be souls together,’” Vicky recalls. Amanda corrects her wife, clarifying that the line was actually: “We’re both humans and we should hang out sometime. Here’s my number and you should use it.” Not long after this encounter, Vicky began following Amanda on social media, though she didn’t know it was the same person. They liked each other’s photos, sometimes commenting on posts. One night, Vicky shared an Instagram story and Amanda messaged her, asking her what she was up to that night. They wound up meeting for drinks. “I bought her large French fries and the rest is history,” Vicky muses. “We went on a date, a very good date. It was a long date, as lesbians do. We’re still on that first date, today,” Amanda says. The couple got serious quickly, though neither of them intended to get into a relationship. Vicky was drawn to Amanda’s unique talent and lifestyle, as well as her business savvy.

“She was very much her own way,” Vicky says. “She did her own thing [with] an endless amount of talent. I love it.” Vicky was primarily working as a virtual teller for a credit union when they met in addition to bartending. Amanda inspired her “to never limit myself,” she says, and since then she’s earned her personal training certificate and formed an event production company. Beyond the initial attraction, Amanda says she was immediately comfortable with Vicky. “It was almost like we had met before,” she recalls. “It was very comfortable. Basically, not an awkward first date.” She was also drawn to her kindness, laidback personality, responsible nature and intellect. “I just felt like, and still do, to this day, that she has such a big heart and is so kind,” Amanda says. “She’s always made me feel really safe.” Within months of dating, they talked about marriage and spending their lives together. So, Vicky decided to propose at the Bay Area Renaissance Festival in March 2019. Knowing that one of Amanda’s friends performed as a mermaid at the festival, Vicky conspired with her to plan a big proposal. While visiting the mermaid tank at the event, the friend

handed Amanda a rock that had the words “turn around” on it. When Amanda turned around, she found that many of her friends and family members had snuck up behind them and Vicky proposed in front of them all. “I wanted to pee my pants it made me so nervous, more nervous than any show, anything I’ve ever done,” Amanda says. When the pandemic hit, they briefly paused their wedding planning. Luckily, they had already chosen an outdoor venue – Cypress Creek Event Venue in Land O’Lakes. Still, there were some hiccups, including limiting their guest list. “We never really wanted a super big wedding, but I know that it definitely made it difficult for a lot of our older family and friends that are out of town or that are immunocompromised to make it, which we totally understand,” Amanda says. The venue staff made wedding planning during a pandemic a breeze, however, so they were able to truly enjoy their big day. “For a minute, we weren’t sure we’d be able to do it,” Amanda says. “We had no idea what the restrictions would be at the time and they said, ‘No matter what, we’ll make it happen.’ And they did.”

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.

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Read It Online!

Head to WatermarkOnline.com and click on the Digital Publications link to a read a digital version of the printed newspaper! watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Call 407-481-2243 FOR MORE INFORMATION

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THE LAST PAGE HOMETOWN:

Rafael E. Piñero, MD,

San Juan, Puerto Rico but living in Florida since 1994

IDENTIFIES AS:

PRIMARY CARE MEDICAL DOC TOR AND OWNER OF PIÑERO PREVENTIVE M E D I C A L C A R E , P. A .

Cisgender Male

PRONOUNS: He/His/Him

OUT YEAR:

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE OUR READERS TO KNOW ABOUT YOU?

Born this way!

Board Certified Family Physician/ Medical Director

PROFESSIONAL ROLE MODEL: Anthony Fauci

AUTOBIOGRAPHY TITLE:

“Late, Even To My Own Funeral”

HOBBIES:

Gardening, listening to music, going to theater and movies. I wish I would have more time for biking and camping.

This is me, with all the qualities and imperfections. I do not like to pretend what I am not and do not like that in others either. I consider my close friends part of my family.

PHOTO COURTESY DR. PINERO

PROFESSION:

HE LAST PAGE IS DEDICATED TO

individuals who are making a positive impact on the LGBTQ community in Central Florida and Tampa Bay. This issue, we check in with Orlando’s Dr. Rafael E. Piñero. Keep an eye on this space to learn more about the movers and shakers of your community. HOW DO YOU CHAMPION FOR THE LOCAL LGBTQ COMMUNITY?

Provide a safe, nonjudgmental primary care medical practice for the LGBTQ+ community, educate providers on the importance of HIV prevention by being part of the speaker bureau with Gilead, politically volunteered for liberal candidates, get involved in issues affecting the LGBTQ community and support LGBTQ local businesses. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING TO READ IN WATERMARK?

Recommend People to: Editor-in-Chief Jeremy Williams at: Jeremy@WatermarkOnline.com Managing Editor Ryan Williams-Jent at: Ryan@WatermarkOnline.com

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF?

Editorials. When in high school, I was the Editor-in-Chief of my school’s paper. I think editorials set a tone for the newspaper’s point of view and opens a channel for discussion on important topics affecting the community. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL LGBTQ EVENT?

Come Out with Pride. I love the spirit of festivity and community unity felt during the parade and events of the day.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT THE LOCAL LGBTQ COMMUNITY?

Its diversity and especially its resilience after the tragic event our community went through back in 2016. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IMPROVED IN THE LOCAL LGBTQ COMMUNITY?

More cohesiveness and a sense of responsibility for the future LGBTQ generation. I also want to see more fresh new LGBTQ people as elected officials in Orlando and Central Florida. I want to see a local group of professionals create a local senior citizen and assisted living facility and rehab for the LGBTQ community in mind. This last vision is one that did not come to me as I am getting older, but by the many times I saw friends and patients going thru difficult times that did not have the proper social support to endure their worsening medical conditions and social isolation.

watermark Your LGBTQ life.

Life is short and full of opportunities. Do not doubt yourself and give yourself permission to be happy without the need for other people’s approval. WHAT INSPIRED YOU WANT TO GET INTO THE HEALTH CARE FIELD?

This is a question that I have been answering since before entering into medical school in the late ‘80s and with more years of practice, I keep adding new reasons. Like most of the people that go into the health care field, I have the desire to help everyone so this was certainly my initial first reason. Back then when I was about to complete medical school several things were going on and among them, President Bill Clinton was trying to do his health care reform. Access to primary care was a big topic and it was Hillary Clinton and her crusade for health care reform that inspired me to become a primary care physician. I became convinced that the best way I could help as a physician was in early prevention of disease. While training and working in primary care in my early years, it became evident for me how prevalent was that minorities were underserved and that health services to the LGBTQ community were limited by prejudice and HIV fear. As I kept practicing, my initial desire to help everyone became more a

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personal challenge to find ways of keeping my patients healthy in an imperfect health care system. I soon discovered that trying to be a patient advocate is not always easy. You may end up being criticized no matter how hard you work, no matter your expertise. So now, what inspires me is to know that after 25 years, I still wake up proud of being a primary care provider despite the challenges and that I remain committed to science and prevention (vaccines!!). WHY WOULD IT BE BENEFICIAL FOR AN LGBTQ PERSON TO HAVE AN LGBTQ DOCTOR?

The benefits of having an LGBTQ doctor for a LGBTQ person are enormous. That patient can visit a medical office just being themselves with the medical provider, ask the questions they really want to ask and request medical treatment early for conditions that may be embarrassing for them. They could start their gender transition sooner and under proper medical supervision without risking their health. The patient could talk about sex, relationships, family issues, STD’s, substance abuse, mental health and start PrEP for HIV prevention. As a family physician, I know that many LGBTQ people tend to delay regular health screenings like blood pressure checks, diabetes screening, pap smears, mammograms, colon cancer screenings. An LGBTQ doctor can help fix that. Also, in a good primary care setting, you can update your immunizations, a very hot topic lately brought to light with the COVID pandemic. I believe an LGBTQ doctor is not there to justify risky behaviors but to make you understand the risks of the decisions you take.

You are the star of our show. Compassionate care is at the heart of everything we do. Avita is a national pharmacy services organization with deep expertise in HIV, PrEP, and LGBTQ+ care. We want you to feel deeply understood, cared for, and empowered to reach your full potential for health.

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