SFGN 06/9/22 V13iss23 by South Florida Gay News

LOCAL NAME GLOBAL COVERAGE JUNE 9, 2022 VOL. 13 // ISSUE 23

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NEWS HIGHLIGHT

SouthFloridaGayNews.com

MAN WHO THREATENED PRIDE ON THE BLOCK ARRESTED John Hayden

threat of violence against South Florida’s LGBT community has been stopped, but people are still on edge. A man has been arrested in Canada for making a very credible threat to Pride On the Block, which was held in West Palm Beach over the weekend. The suspect is a 17-year-old man. Canadian authorities haven’t released his name. He’s accused of posting a video where he threatened to “shoot up” an LGBT event in WPB. Prosecutors in Palm Beach County are preparing charges and police say they will work to have him extradited. There has been no word on if Canada will also file charges. Miami police first spotted the threat and alerted Palm Beach County authorities. The FBI and New York City police were also involved in the investigation. Police learned of the threat just hours before Pride On the Block began June 5 at 1 p.m. They quickly got a SWAT team in place

“WE WANT THE LGBT COMMUNITY TO KNOW WE STAND BEHIND THEM. EVERY EVENT THEY HAVE WE WILL PROTECT THEM FROM HATE AND IGNORANCE.” - Rick Morris WEST PALM BEACH DEPUTY CHIEF

@SFGN

June 9, 2022 • Volume 13 • Issue 23 2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943

Publisher • Norm Kent Norm.Kent@sfgn.com

Associate Publisher / Executive Editor • Jason Parsley Jason.Parsley@sfgn.com

Editorial

Graphic Design Consultant • Brendon Lies Webmaster • Kimberly Swan Webmaster@sfgn.com Social Media Director • Christiana Lilly Graphic Designer • Julie Palmer Graphic Designer • Greg Bistolfi Artwork@sfgn.com Arts/Entertainment Editor • J.W. Arnold JW@prdconline.com Food/Travel Editor • Rick Karlin Gazette News Editor • John McDonald HIV Editor • Sean McShee Community Editor • John Hayden Senior Photographer • J.R. Davis JRDavis12000@hotmail.com

Senior Feature Columnists

Brian McNaught • Jesse Monteagudo

Special to SFGN Steve Rothaus

Correspondents

Deputy Police Chief Rick Morris announces the arrest of the suspect. Photo via West Palm Beach Police Department/Facebook.

and had undercover officers in the crowd to spot suspicious activity or stop anyone trying to disrupt the event. “We want the LGBT community to know we stand behind them. Every event they have we will protect them from hate and ignorance,” West Palm Beach Deputy Chief Rick Morris said at a news conference on Monday.

HE KNOWS THE AREA Police took the threat very seriously because the threat made the person sound as if he were in the area. There were very detailed descriptions including street names. At the time they found out about the video, investigators had no way of knowing the person made the recording in Canada. “These people are not heroes that are doing

the shooting,” Morris said. “They’re criminals. Some of them are terrorists.” The threat comes not just during Pride Month, but also around the sixth anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub massacre in Orlando. Rand Hoch, the founder of Palm Beach County Human Rights Council (PBCHRC), notes this is just the latest attack on the LGBT community. “We’re under constant attack, we still have the specter of Pulse in our minds when we go to big events like this. Heartfelt thanks to the City of West Palm Beach Police Department for a prompt and thorough response to a credible threat against the local LGBTQ+ community.” Pride On the Block went off as planned, and organizers say the event was fun for the entire community, not just LGBT people and their families.

Kendall Little • Everitt Rosen Donald Cavanaugh • Deon Jefferson David-Elijah Nahmod • Aurora Dominguez Gillian Manning • Denise Royal • Corey Rose Kennedy McKinney • Kizzy Azcarate

Contributing Columnists

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South Florida Gay News is published weekly. The opinions expressed in columns, stories, and letters to the editor do not represent the opinions of SFGN, or the Publisher. You should not presume the sexual orientation or gender identity of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations in SFGN. SFGN contracts with independent entities for stock images. Furthermore the word “gay” in SFGN should be interpreted to be inclusive of the entire LGBT community. All of the material/columns that appears in print and online, including articles used in conjunction with the AP, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher, at his law office, at Norm@NormKent.com. SFGN, as a private corporation, reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs.

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6 .9. 20 22 •

LGBTQIA BITES

BY KENNEDY MCKINNEY

IT’S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT THE G BISEXUAL

‘KING RICHARD’ STAR COMES OUT AS BISEXUAL Aunjanue Ellis, the Emmy and Oscar nominated actress and star of “King Richard,” has come out as a proud bisexual woman. In an interview with Variety, Ellis said that she’s been comfortable about being a queer woman for a while but just hasn’t really talked about it in the media. Ellis said she first knew she was queer when she was 8 years old but it wasn’t until she was in her 30s that she fully acknowledged her bisexuality. “The way that I live my life, around the people that I live my life around, I am public about it,” she said. “I’m very clear about being bisexual. I have a sweatshirt that says ‘Girl Bi’ that I wear everywhere.” Although she has never hidden her sexuality, it wasn’t something she brought up unless she was asked. However, to kick

Aunjanue EllisP hoto by Canadian Film Centre from Toronto, via Wikimedia Commons.

off Pride month, she decided it was time to make it known to the world.

... HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING IN THE LGBTQIA COMMUNITY

LESBIAN

‘MARRIED AT FIRST SIGHT’ WILL FEATURE ITS FIRST-EVER LESBIAN COUPLE

“Married at First Sight,” U.K. Edition, is set to feature its first-ever lesbian couple. Last year, the show made history with its firstever gay couple and has decided to continue on its inclusive streak. In an interview with Metro the show said, “‘Married at First Sight’ had a male same-sex couple last year, and now they will have a female same-sex couple. Everyone who works on the show is excited that it’s happening. It’s another small milestone for the series when it comes to diversity and inclusivity. The hope is that including a lesbian couple will break down some stereotypes.” This announcement comes as other reality dating competition style shows face backlash for not featuring LGBT cast members on the show, making fans excited for this upcoming season of Married at First Sight.

Photo via Adobe.

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• 6 .9. 2022

LGBTQIA BITES

QUEER

ISAIAH RASHAD COMES OUT AS SEXUALLY FLUID

Isaiah Rashad has come out as sexually fluid. This announcement comes after sexually explicit videos of Rashad were leaked on social media. During his Coachella set his intro video he said “the purpose of doing that was to embarrass him.” However, that backfired. When the videos leaked, his “dreams and everything went up.” In an interview with Joe Budden, Rashad addressed the situation and officially came out as sexually fluid. “I’m still learning about it myself,” Rashad said. “I’m putting my head in the books to find out the basics of it. But basically, I’m not in full control when I walk into a room of who I’m attracted to … I’m more so attracted to a personality, and I’m attracted to the intellect. And sometimes it’s just being attracted to somebody.” When asked about the leaked videos that prompted his official coming out, Rashad said he is not seeking legal action

Screenshot via Twitter.

against the person who leaked the tapes and while the situation was unfortunate, in the aftermath it brought him and his family closer than they have ever been.

6 .9. 20 22 •

NEWS NATIONAL

BY KIZZY AZCARATE

THE COUNTRY ACROSS

WASHINGTON DC

WASHINGTON

BIDEN OFFERS HOPE DURING PRIDE MONTH COMMENCEMENT SPEECH

UNIVERSITY VOTES AGAINST HIRING LGBT STAFF

During his Pride Month proclamation, President Joe Biden praised previous and current members of the community while also highlighting the attack that the community has endured in 2022. ABC News reports that over 300 antiLGBT bills have been introduced this year. The Human Rights Campaign has reported that eight out of the 28 states that have proposed anti-LGBT bills have been successful in their efforts to marginalize the community. Regardless, the Biden administration is the most inclusive and diverse administration thus far. “I am honored by the service of the first gay cabinet secretary and the first trans person confirmed by the Senate and to have been able to establish the first White House Gender Policy Council,” Biden said

Photo by GPA Photo Archive, via Flickr.

according to the official White House website. Among visibility in the president’s administration, under his term, Biden has been able to reverse former President Donald Trump’s discriminatory laws. The president has made passports more inclusive for trans Americans, as well as adding “non‑discrimination protections for LGBTQI+ Americans in housing, health care, education, employment, credit and lending services, and the criminal justice system.”

UTAH LATINO UTAHANS FIND INCLUSION DESPITE STATE’S RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY

Eleven percent of Latinos currently identify as part of the LGBTQ community according to a study from Gallup earlier this year. In Utah, where Latinos make up for 15% of the state’s population, many Latinos have managed to find acceptance and love from the LGBT community. Olivia Juarez, who did not grow up in the Mormon faith, found herself struggling to find people like them until they went off to study at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. “You don’t really realize how hard it is until you’re exposed to more diversity,” said Juarez, who uses they/she pronouns, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. In the same study, the findings showed that more than 1 in 5 Gen Z Latinos identify as LGBTQ. Former democratic candidate for

COVERING LGBT NEWS SWEEPING THE NATION

• 6 .9. 2022

Olivia Jaramillo. Photo via Equality Utah.

Utah’s District-14 Olivia Jaramillo, a trans woman of color, ran for office so that her community would have visibility. “I am thankful that here in Utah people are much more open-minded to seeing the diversity of others, even though sometimes it doesn’t feel like it,” Jaramillo said.

Seattle Pacific University students had a walk out protest after the Christian university’s Board of Trustees made the decision to not hire LGBT people on their staff based on “lifestyle expectations.” “The decision means SPU’s employee conduct expectations continue to reflect a traditional view on Biblical marriage and sexuality, as an expression of long-held church teaching and biblical interpretation,” said the SPU’s BoT in a statement posted to their school website. In their statement, the university said their deliberation was difficult and complex, yet students say differently. “This is not a new fight — this has been an ongoing fight for 30 years,” SPU’s student body president Laur Lugos told KUOW, according to NPR. This is not the first time the private

Photo via Laur Lugos/Instagram.

Christian university has shown discriminatory bias. Adjunct nursing professor Jéaux Rinedahl sued SPU in 2021 stating that the university would not offer him a full-time position because he was gay. “Seattle Pacific University and Mr. Rinedahl have agreed to settle the lawsuit out of court. SPU has no other statement about the case,” said SPU in a statement.

ARIZONA BIOLOGY PROFESSOR STARTS FOUNDATION FOR MORE INCLUSION IN SCIENCE

During her time as a student at Arizona State University, Katelyn Cooper found it difficult to find professors and classmates to relate to based off her queer identity. Now as an assistant professor at her alma mater, Cooper is conducting nationally funded research into how to create more inclusive learning environments for biology students at the college level, NBC News reported. Cooper’s goals for the research lab are to not only effect change in the classroom but the job market as well. “If people can bring different perspectives to the table, then we’re doing a better job of counteracting biases, and that results in much more robust science,” Cooper said. “That’s really what led me to want to sustain this line of research looking at how to create more inclusive

Assistant professor, Katelyn Cooper. Photo via Instagram.

environments for LGBTQ+ people.” She expects to use funding and grants to discover more about how LGBT professors and students are impacted and influenced in the biology field due to the current lack of studies.

NEWS INTERNATIONAL

BY EVERITT ROSEN

THE WORLD AROUND

EXPLORING LGBT NEWS EVENTS ACROSS THE GLOBE

ASIA

EUROPE

JAPANESE ENTREPRENEUR BRIDGES GAP BETWEEN LGBT JOB SEEKERS

LGBT GROUPS IN SPAIN FEAR MONKEYPOX STIGMA

Since he was a child growing up in Japan, Kento Hoshi had dreamed of transforming society via entrepreneurship, even before he realized he was gay. However, when he came to terms with his identity and saw how the world treated individuals like him, his goal became a mission of need. Hoshi, 28, is the founder of JobRainbow, Japan’s first LGBT-friendly job search portal. The website now has 650,000 monthly active users and is partnered with 400 firms, including multinational corporations such as Salesforce, Microsoft, and Morgan Stanley, six years after its start. “When diverse people cannot reach their full potential, it is a big loss for our society,” Hoshi told NBC. “So I thought that it would be a win-win for both

Kento Hoshi, founder of JobRainbow. Photo via Facebook.

LGBTQ people and for society if I could be a bridge between them.”

With one of Europe’s largest gay Pride celebrations just around the corner, Spain’s LGBT community is concerned that the continent’s monkeypox outbreaks may fuel homophobic sentiment based on ignorance about the disease. According to Spanish health officials, the country currently has 98 confirmed cases, the highest number in Europe. The tally includes one lady, according to the Madrid area. Nearly 200 cases of monkeypox have been recorded by the World Health Organization in more than 20 nations not often associated with outbreaks of the rare illness. According to AP News, health officials are focusing their investigations on similarities between an 80,000-person Gay Pride festival in the Canary Islands earlier this month and instances related

Madrid Pride 2015. Photo by Ted Eytan, via Flickr.

to a Madrid sauna. However, some people, notably homosexual and bisexual men, feel the public’s reaction to the uncommon outbreak outside of Africa, where it has long been endemic, is tinged with homophobic panic.

AFRICA

NORTH AMERICA

ARRESTS MADE IN SENEGAL AFTER HOMOPHOBIC ATTACK ON FOREIGNER

ASYLUM SEEKERS FROM MEXICO FACE DANGER AT BORDER

Three men have been detained in Senegal for allegedly participating in a mob attack on a young foreigner accused of homosexuality. The incident took place on May 17 in Dakar’s so-called HLM area. According to Africa News, in videos shared on YouTube and TikTok, a furious swarm of guys surrounds a young man in broad daylight, barefoot and wearing only trousers, and slaps him on the back and head with homophobic obscenities. The victim is an American musician who “because of his style and clothing” has been “wrongly accused of being a homosexual by ill-intentioned individuals.” According to Africa News, he traveled to Dakar with a buddy and coworkers to

Screenshot from attack video, via Le journal Afrique TV5MONDE/Twitter.

attend the Biennale, and others around him were robbed of their cellphones and personal items.

Human Rights Watch stated that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals and other asylum seekers escaping persecution in their home countries face cruel and hazardous conditions in Mexico if they are not permitted to cross the border to seek refuge. The Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as “Remain in Mexico,” and the Title 42 summary expulsion policy, both implemented by former President Donald Trump’s administration, are still being used by the Biden administration to deny most people trying to cross into the U.S. for safety access to the asylum system. This includes those who are at a higher risk of harm in Mexico because of their specific circumstances or identities,

Migrants at the Kino Border Initiative in Nogales, Sonora in 2020. Photo by United States House of Representatives, office of Ann Kirkpatrick, via Wikimedia Commons.

such as gender identity or expression, disability, or age, and who should be exempt from deportation.

6 .9. 20 22 •

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NEWS LOCAL

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From your life... into our pages! SFGN takes a weekly look at a community that has stood together through countless trials and victories in the past year alone.

WEEK Photos by J.R. Davis

Marlon Henao, volunteer; Terry Dyer, CEO-Executive Director at World AIDS Museum; and Susanna Gow, volunteer at the World AIDS Museum, at the SFGN Anniversary Party held at Grieco Ford.

Part owner at The Manor and Venue Paul Hugo with Ron Spann of Ameri Trust at The Manor White Fort Lauderdale event.

Island City Smiles co-owner Dr. David Warner with husband Chris Shultz, IT and photographer Susan Catalano, practicing manager at Island Smiles, Dr. Stephen Scoglio-Dentist at the SFGN Anniversary party held at Grieco Ford.

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and

• 6 .9.2022

and

threat of violence was made against Pride On the Block, a Pride event in Palm Beach County last weekend. Just hours before the event, police were alerted to a credible, very detailed threat of an attack on the area in West Palm Beach. A man in Canada has been arrested and could be brought to Florida to face charges. Now, people are looking ahead to the Stonewall Pride Parade & Street Festival on June 18 in Wilton Manors. SFGN talked with Wilton Manors Police Chief Gary Blocker, who said there are no current threats against the festival. Planning for the event’s security has been underway since January, but the price will be about 80% more than last year’s event. “Public safety comes at a cost,” Blocker said. “When you have 40,000 people in an event area, you want to have resources immediately available.” This comes at a time when costs for the festival are under scrutiny. The cost of security wasn’t presented until just three

weeks before the festival. While organizers were told to expect an increase, they were blindsided by how much more this year will be. Wilton Manors City Commissioner Chris Caputo opined in the Wilton Manors Gazette that the way the cost is calculated needs to be more transparent, and the timing needs to be better.

PRIDE ON EDGE This all comes as America faces more and more mass shootings. Ten were reported over the weekend, and the elementary shooting in Texas and the supermarket shooting in Buffalo, New York, are especially front of mind. We are also nearing the sixth anniversary of the Pulse massacre in Orlando. People who attend Pride events are well aware of this. When you add in the deadly accident in the parade staging area at last year’s Stonewall, making people feel safe gets harder and more expensive. Insurance costs increased due to increased risk.

6 .9. 20 22 •

NEWS LOCAL

SUNSERVE AT 20 Helping More Than Ever John Hayden

“W

e Help People.” That’s the motto of SunServe. You’ll read that word, help, a lot in this story. It isn’t contrived or forced or a conscious choice by the staff you’re about to meet.

The desire, the innate need to right a wrong, is a part of who they are. They want to help everyone who comes through the doors, be they seniors or youth, hungry or homeless. If people need help, SunServe is there. “The idea is to change lives and really help the most marginalized people in our community to be able to have a safe and sound place to live,” Executive Director Tony Lima said. “To give joy and positive mental health. To help people get off substances to live their lives.” If you walk along Wilton Drive, you’ve likely seen their sign outside the white building across the street from Shoppes of Wilton Manors. But the simple sign doesn’t belie the wide-ranging work happening inside. Inside is filled with specialists in their field, from substance addiction to trans services to educating allies. SunServe takes a holistic approach to healing those in need. They go above and beyond to help. If someone needs housing, they find it and help with food and even bringing in some furniture. It’s not about checking a box and moving on. It’s about checking all the boxes and following up. Here are the dedicated specialists of SunServe who never turn anyone away.

MISTY EYEZ

Of everyone at SunServe, Misty Eyez may be the most recognizable of the SunServe family. A longtime activist in the South Florida community, she now serves as head of SunServe’s Women’s Program, Transgender Services, and LGBTQ+ Competency Training. “I basically wear two hats. As an educator and trainer, I go into corporate America and do LGBTQ sensitivity training, equity inclusion, understanding the transgender community,” she said. Attacks on the trans community make it especially important for SunServe to provide space and counseling for people trying to figure themselves out. Misty said everyone’s journey is different.

• 6 .9.2022

“It can mean getting you on hormones if you want hormones. It can mean finding doctors that aren’t going to treat you like a petri dish. It could help getting a name change, helping you get a resume together and find a job. Anything the client comes to us and says. There is no cookie cutter thing that people need.”

MARIO DEPEDRO

Another vulnerable and attacked group in our community is LGBT youth. Youth and Family Services Director Mario DePedro creates safe spaces and events for young people and their families. “They find someone to help them with their goals, start them in school, help them go back to school, help them get jobs, places

to live, start new hobbies, make new friends.” Opportunities for youth include life coaching, therapy, support groups, and help getting started in life. Mario’s favorite part of working at SunServe is seeing people grow and come into their own despite adverse circumstances. “Seeing youth build connections, build those natural support groups, and seeing them come to a place, smile, and see people they know and recognize and have a good time and be a place where they can be them.”

RIAN MERRICK Rian Merrick is one of the Youth Therapists. “I help kids, teens, youth, and some parents too, and help them deal with mental health and cope with life’s problems and how they affect LGBTQ teens and help parents with LGBTQ teens. There’s no rule book for that.” Navigating adolescence is hard for everyone, but being LGBT adds an extra layer mentally and socially. Merrick said building community is key. “SunServe is one of the best resources I’ve ever experienced. Coming from a Caribbean Island myself and seeing the development and community this has created for kids. Having groups, having events. Simple kid and teen activities and being able to connect them.”

JUSTIN GLADNEY South Florida’s seen substance addiction spiral out of control for years, and isolation during the pandemic only made things worse. Justin Gladney works as a case manager in the Substance Use Disorder Program.

“There’s a lot of different things I help clients with. With substance abuse, a lot of clients are houseless. We help them into sober living homes and broad-based case management.” They help addicts with immediate needs, like housing, jobs, replacing IDs, and other basics of getting on their feet. But Gladney said the most important part is helping people focus on the future. “A lot of times, people are at the lowest point of their lives. The best thing we provide is empathy. We provide the motivation to change. If you have a reason to change, you will change. We’ll take their goals and help them discover paths to get to their goals.”

BRENDA RENTAS Brenda Rentas is a case manager for SunServe’s Housing Program. As we know, finding affordable housing is tougher than it’s been in years. “There is a crisis right now. We are trying to be supportive because it’s exasperating the mental health crisis as well. People are stressed out and that causes medical problems. It’s a big domino effect.” Rentas and the housing team work to find housing for anyone who walks in the door, which often means hours of work searching to find a program the client qualifies for. But their main housing help is for people with HIV. “Our program is HOPLA, Housing for People Living with AIDS. When we have a client who has a crisis, first we attempt to contact the city and see what clients need to qualify. Then if they don’t qualify for assistance there, either their income is too low or the rent is too high, we try to find every resource available. We never turn anyone away.” Many clients are on fixed incomes and have very limited choices. But Rentas and the team work to give dignity in housing. That means quality shelter that can be a

NEWS LOCAL

Photo courtesy of SunServe.

home as people start to put their lives back together. Lima said that while HIV patients are a large part of their clients, anyone, gay or straight, single or with a family, can come for help. “We know there are a lot of people that need housing that aren’t living with HIV but need help. We want to help them en masse.”

LISA PETERS Lisa Peters works with local seniors (SunServe’s Senior and Youth Services are located at SunShine Cathedral). Some seniors are in need of care and help. “Our senior center sees between 25 and 30 that have issues with mobility or are on the dementia spectrum,” Lima said. “They come in and are taken care of. They are fed. We provide activities.” They also engage active seniors at Silver Serve luncheons. People come and find new friends and catch up with old ones.

DR. TODD TEDROW As SunServe Board Chairperson, Dr. Todd Tedrow is taking a moment to celebrate the 20th anniversary, but then it’s back to planning for the future. “We can take the foundation that we’ve built and assess, in a thoughtful way, what the future community needs are. We have a plan to reach out and talk to people to find out where the next need is developing. We know that South Florida has a number of issues that disproportionately impact the LGBTQ+ population.” Tedrow said we’re seeing a convergence of crises. “What’s emerging as a need that we’re observing is housing, substance abuse issues, and mental health.” He believes the people of SunServe will help South Florida’s most vulnerable through tough times. “The quality and characteristics of the staff. The first time I toured SunServe, I left so impressed with their commitment, passion, and the way they go about their jobs is brilliant. It’s unlike any organization I’ve run or observed.

The staff are the strength of this organization.”

DR. JAMES LOPRESTI At the core of it all is Dr. James Lopresti, SunServe’s founder. “It really is a manifestation of something dear to my heart. Providing care to the most marginalized in the LGBTQ community, and the most marginalized in that community. People who don’t get quality care because they’re different.” He sees SunServe as something great. He sees a movement. “We have become something that galvanizes the community. People want to be part of the movement, which we are, to make that care happen. Nobody should be getting less-thanquality care because they’re different, because they don’t have money. SunServe is changing that.” Under his leadership, SunServe’s mission has spread beyond South Florida. Students have interned with the organization as they worked on getting master degrees in social service

professions. Lopresti estimates more than 200 former SunServe interns are working across America. “We’re not just what happens in brick-andmortar buildings. We’re also connected to an energized network of other professionals, who are, in one sense, part of us. We call it the collective.”

TONY LIMA Tony Lima became Executive Director last autumn. “Our slogan is We Help People. We help people at different intersections of their lives in order to make sure they’re living healthy, happy, and fulfilled lives.” Lima praised his team for being able to find solutions when solutions are hard to come by. “We don’t work in just departments. We work across departments. We roll up our sleeves and do whatever needs to get done at the moment. They truly care about the communities they serve and have a passion for the work they do.”

For more about SunServe’s programs, visit SunServe.org.

6 .9. 20 22 •

NEWS LOCAL

SFGN CELEBRATES 12 YEARS WITH EVENT AT GRIECO FORD Staff Report

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• 6 .9.2022

outh Florida Gay News celebrated its 12th anniversary June 2 with a party in Grieco Ford’s showroom in Fort Lauderdale. The event, originally scheduled for January, was postponed due to escalating COVID infections. There were about 300 attendees. There were light bites, drinks, a silent auction, and performances by the Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida. Wilton Manors Commissioner Chris Caputo was given an award for being named SFGN’s Person of the Year for 2021. Fort Lauderdale Commissioner Steve Glassman presented him with the award. “SFGN’s 12th Anniversary Celebration served as a reminder of how far our community has come as well as how important it is we continue to stand united as an LGBTQ community,” Caputo said. “In our current political climate, in a time when we’re facing unparalleled attacks on our rights and in some cases our lives, it was great to be surrounded by people who are passionate about our community.” Norm Kent, publisher of SFGN, showed up despite still recovering from cancer surgery. During a speech, Kent thanked his staff for stepping in to take over the newspaper while he’s been recovering. He also encouraged the community to keep fighting in light of the current political climate for the LGBT community in Florida. “As long as you have a breath in your body and a heart in your soul, you have to stand up,” Kent said. The event was also a fundraiser for Our Fund Foundation and raised $3,500 for the local LGBT foundation. “We love partnering with SFGN on their anniversary party because we share SFGN’s commitment to making LGBTQ life better in South Florida,” said David Jobin, president and CEO of Our Fund. “The funds raised from SFGN’s generous guests will support the wellbeing of LGBTQ youth — a cause that is especially critical at this moment when young queer lives are being leveraged for greater political ambition.” The presenting sponsor of the event was Grieco Ford. “Having the event held at a nationally renowned Ford dealership, Grieco Ford

Photo by J.R. Davis.

— the type of business one might not associated with LGBTQ events — shows how much acceptance we’ve earned since the Stonewall Riot,” Caputo said. “Our community is grateful to SFGN for the 12 plus years spent telling our stories and keeping us informed on the news that matters most to us. The SFGN Stonewall Party was a great opportunity to honor all that SFGN has done — and continues to do — for the LGBTQ Community.” The other sponsors included CAN Community Health; Island City Smiles; Kraft Bistro; Smarty Pants; R3 Accounting; Storks; SunServe; Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida; Argenti Jewelers; KGS Studios; Pride of the America’s; Flockfest; Scandals; Chic Optique; South Florida Symphony Orchestra; Slow Burn Theater; Broward Center for the Performing Arts; Wilton’s Manor; Florida Grand Opera; New Orleans House; New World Symphony; Tropics Grille; The Grand; Symphony of the Americas; Financial Independent Wealth Management; Stage 954; Bona Italian Restaurant; Chi Spa; Butlers in the Manor; Art Frenzie; Native Ceuticals; South Beach Tanning Company; World AIDS Museum; Broward Art Guild; The Casino Dania Beach; Dudes Barber; Swiss Navy; Florida Department of Health; and Sarava. SFGN is published weekly on Thursdays. Additionally the company produces a quarterly high glossy magazine, The Mirror, as well as an annual Guide to The Drive, a directory of local LGBT friendly businesses. The company also produces two newsletters multiple times each week.

6 .9. 20 22 •

Smile...and be proud

PA L M B E A C H

news

DELRAY BEACH CELEBRATES PRIDE WITH FESTIVAL AND REDEDICATION CEREMONY By Jason Parsley DELRAY BEACH WILL CELEBRATE PRIDE MONTH WITH A FESTIVAL SATURDAY, JUNE 11 FROM 4-8 P.M. THE EVENT WILL ALSO FEATURE A REDEDICATION CEREMONY FOR THE PRIDESCAPE THAT WAS INSTALLED LAST YEAR, BUT THEN DEFACED TWO DAYS LATER.

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The festival is free to attend and takes place at NE 2nd Ave between E. Atlantic Ave and NE 2nd Street. Alexander Jerich pleaded guilty in March to the vandalism of the Pride crosswalk. Jerich paid about $2,000 to the City of Delray Beach for the cost of restoring the Pridescape. The work has since been completed. Jerich was sentenced to 100 hours of community service and two years of probation

The vandalized walk. Photo courtesy of the PBCHRC.

and will have to pay $774 in court fees. There will be appearances by Ariel Rimm, Adelaide, Angie Ovahness Pryce, Citris, and the current reigning Miss Palm Beach Pride Crystal Famouz. The evening will conclude with a concert featuring a performance from Almost Abba at 8:30 p.m. at the Old School Square Pavilion, 51 N. Swinton Avenue.

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• 6 .9.2022

1946 Wilton Drive Wilton Manors • FL 33305

ANNIVERSARY PARTY!

www.IslandCitySmiles.com

June 2nd, 2022

FOURTH ANNUAL PRIDE DAY JOIN US FOR FAMILY-FRIENDLY FUN ALL DAY LONG!

JUNE 25, 2022

Our day-long event is filled with colorful fun and educational activities for everyone.

WHAT CAN FAMILIES DO AT THE MUSEUM? • Activities Participate in the rainbow science lab and make-and-take a Pride flag, prisms and tie-dyed t-shirt (purchase a white shirt for $5)! • Exhibits, Shows and Demos

See an explosion of colors with a special Pride KaBOOM! Show and attend a storytime with a drag queen. • Career Connection

See healthcare, legislative affairs and local diversity community partners in action.

SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2022 • 10 A.M. - 5 P.M. FREE for MEMBERS and city of Fort Lauderdale residents with proof of address at the box office. NON-MEMBERS: $5 General Museum admission. For more information and to register, please visit mods.org/2022pride 401 SW 2nd Street • Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312 • 954.467.6637

Sponsored by

6 .9. 20 22 •

YEARS

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• 6 .9.2022

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NEWS LOCAL

JOURNALISM IS THE

FIRST DRAFT OF HISTORY.

PRIDE INTERSECTION VANDAL GETS COMMUNITY SERVICE, PROBATION Christiana Lilly

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SUPPORT A FREE PRESS? SFGN's reporting has been supported by tens of thousands of readers in South Florida. Now we're asking for your support. Please help us continue giving you news every day. Every contribution is valuable – even $1. Your gift will ensure that South Florida Gay News is able to continue to provide an online and print resource for our community. Thanks to your valuable contribution, SFGN is able to provide you with local LGBT news that affects every aspect of your life. South Florida Gay News exists to meet the needs of the South Florida LGBT community. When you give, your donation directly benefits you, as well as everyone else.

lmost a year to the day that he burned out his truck over the Pride intersection in Delray Beach, Alexander Jerich was sentenced to 100 hours of community service and two years of probation. He also owes $774 in court fees. Adjudication was withheld on his two charges, criminal mischief and reckless driving, which he pleaded guilty to back in March. That means that he will not be formally convicted of his crimes. Rand Hoch, the president of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, was disappointed to hear that Jerich received “a slap on the wrist.” “That’s a joke. That’s a slap in the face to every LGBTQ+ person in Palm Beach County. Our justice system has failed us and I put the blame on the State Attorney’s Office, on Dave Aronberg for not handling the case properly.” “The message being sent is ‘Come on down to Palm Beach County where you can vandalize cultural memorials all you want with no consequences,’” Hoch added. Jerich was participating in a birthday rally for former President Donald Trump last June. When the group drove through downtown Delray Beach, he was filmed burning out over the Pride intersection, which had been dedicated only two days prior. He was arrested the next day. Delray Beach public information officer Gina Carter said the dedication was, “So

“I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIT IN, BE ACCEPTED. I REALIZE NOW THAT … THOSE ARE NOT THE PEOPLE I WANT TO BE ACCEPTED BY.”

SFGN.com/donate 22

• 6 .9.2022

- Alexander Jerich PRIDE INTERSECTION VANDAL

Alexander Jerich. Photo via Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.

full of joy. We had such a large turnout of everybody, all ages, and it was such a festive and joyous feeling and then to have that happen so soon after it was really discouraging.” In August 2021, State Attorney Dave Aronberg announced that his office was unable to charge him with a hate crime because the victim is the city of Delray Beach, which does not have a sexual orientation. He also said the office would not be pursuing charges under Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Combating Public Disorder statute. “I was just trying to fit in, be accepted. I realize now that … those are not the people I want to be accepted by,” Jerich told the judge in March. Jerich was originally scheduled to be sentenced in April, but after hearing from him, Judge Scott Suskauer assigned him homework — a report on each of the 49 people who were killed at Pulse in 2016. Suskauer said that Jerich “is not the individual I was expecting” after reading the police report and did not want his life ruined at such a young age. This Saturday, the city of Delray Beach will be rededicating the intersection, which has since been fixed after Jerich paid the city $2,003 for repairs.

6 .9. 20 22 •

NEWS LOCAL

GET YOUR PRIDE ON Pride Events Around South Florida

Rick Karlin

e’ve come a long way since the “love that dare not speak its name” was cited in the trials of Oscar Wilde. Now, neighborhood libraries have drag queen story hour, corporations battle to see which can get the most likes for Pride events and décor, and Oreo cookies manufactures a special Pride version of its delicious snack. Our celebrations have gone mainstream as well. Here is a list of upcoming events and exhibitions in honor of Pride Month.

ONGOING Running throughout June, “I AM WHAT I AM: A TRIBUTE TO SOUTH FLORIDA’S DRAG PIONEERS” is on display at The Galleria at Fort Lauderdale, 2414 E. Sunrise Blvd. History Fort Lauderdale has mounted a display of photos and memorabilia that salutes more than 40 drag artists, including Latrice Royale, Daisy Deadpetals, Electra, Tiffany Arieagus, Nikki Adams and Cathy Craig, from a wall of fame to a display of gowns and jewelry. It will be up throughout Pride month, free and open to the public during mall hours. For more information, call 954-463-4431 or go to HistoryFortLauderdale. org. Bailey Contemporary Arts Center presents an art exhibit with the theme, “BLACK & WHITE AND GRAY ALL OVER”, through Aug. 17. Members of ArtsUnited, an LGBTQ visual and performing arts organization, have created an exhibit of works using only black, white, and gray. Presented at Bailey Contemporary Arts Center (BaCA), 41 NE First St., Pompano Beach. The local artists have used photography, paintings, sculptures, pencil and metal works, and mixed media. The exhibition is free and open to the public. For more information go to PompanoBeachArts. org/baca or ArtsUnitedFlorida.com. In addition to these ongoing events several festivals and celebrations are planned. The OAKLAND PARK PRIDE “SUMMER NIGHTS” celebration June 10 will be held at Jaco Pastorius Park, 4000 N Dixie, from 6-10 p.m. The free and family-friendly dance party features live music from the CK Band as well as games, a children’s activity area, food trucks and cash bars. Check it out by calling 954-630-4507 or visiting OaklandParkFL. gov/573/Summer-Nights. Wilton Manors’ own LGBT theater

• 6 .9.2022

company, Island City Stage, celebrates Pride with a staging of Charles Ludlum’s campy “THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP” through July 10 at its home theater, 2304 N. Dixie Hwy. Vampire attacks, werewolf sightings, and the resurrection of an Egyptian princess all make an appearance in this hilarious sendup of gothic romance and horror films in which two actors and lightning-fast costume changes are the stars of the show. Call 954928-9800 or go to islandcitystage.org. FLOATARAMA on June 11 will feature a flotilla of Pride-decorated boats departing from Esplanade Park, 400 SW 2nd St., in downtown Fort Lauderdale. The group will cruise the New River and Intracoastal Waterway before congregating at Residence Inn Fort Lauderdale Intracoastal/Il Lugano, 3333 NE 32nd Ave., Fort Lauderdale, at 2 p.m. for a Sailor’s Dance and Pool Party with San Francisco DJ Matt Consola. Tickets for the Sailor’s Dance and Pool Party are $15; VIP packages range in price from $100-$125. There will be a charter boat available and those with boats may register at Floatarama.org. DELRAY BEACH PRIDE FESTIVAL & CONCERT on June 11 4-8 p.m. along NE 2nd Ave., between East Atlantic and NE 2. St. is free and open to the public. The event will feature vendors, food trucks, and a pet costume contest, and there will be drag performances and a concert at the Old School Square Pavilion, 51 N. Swinton Avenue. For more information go to DelrayBeachFL.gov/ Home/Components/Calendar/Event/1438 PALM BEACH COUNTY HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL’S PRIDE HAPPY HOUR will be held June 15 from 6-8 p.m. at Meat Market, 191 Bradley Pl. The PBCHRC’s annual happy hour event will feature free hors d’oeuvres. Ten percent of dinner proceeds will benefit the organization.

Photo by J.R. Davis.

Register at PBCHRC.org or call 561-346-1263. STONEWALL PRIDE PARADE AND STREET FESTIVAL on June 18 will find Wilton Dr. blocked off for a festival marketplace from 3-11 p.m. and a parade at 7 p.m. Admission is $7 ($5 before 4 p.m.). There is also three-tiered VIP admission for $100, $200, and $5,000. For more information, visit StonewallPride.lgbt. On June 25, the FOURTH ANNUAL FAMILY PRIDE CELEBRATION will be held at The Museum of Discovery & Science, 401 SW Second St. The daylong event for the entire family will have a rainbow science lab, exhibits, demonstrations, story time with a drag queen, as well as make-and-take-home sessions for Pride flags, prisms, and tie-dyed T-shirts (a white shirt costs $5). There will also be kiosks with healthcare, legislative affairs, and local community organizations. The event is free for museum members and Fort Lauderdale residents (with proof of address at the box office). For nonresidents and nonmembers, the cost is $5. For more information call 954-467-6637 or go to MODS.org/2022pride. Some of South Florida’s most popular female impersonators will perform at THE STONEWALL BALL, an annual fundraiser for the Compass Community Center of the Palm Beaches on June 25 at the Cox Science Center and Aquarium, 4801 Dreher Trail N., West Palm Beach. The event runs from 7 p.m. until midnight, and there will also be an award presentation, disco dance party and a silent auction. Tickets are $45 (disco dance party only), $300 and $500 (award

and cocktail reception with open bar and hors d’oeuvres). For more information, go to CompassGLCC.com. Close out the month with something fun and cultural. On June 26 there will be a DRAG BRUNCH AT TACO BELL CANTINA, 17 S. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd. Yes, you read that correctly. A drag brunch. At Taco Bell. The event is hosted by the company’s “official” drag queen Kay Sedia (get it?), with local performers guesting. This is the last stop on a nationwide tour. There will be cocktails available for both shows, at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. The performance is produced by Live Mas Pride, which is Taco Bell’s LGBTQ+ employee resource group. Proceeds will benefit the It Gets Better Project. Reservations can be made through OpenTable.com. Follow that up with something classy, a lecture at the NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale, 1 E. Las Olas Blvd., “A SENSE OF PRIDE: KEITH HARING AND THE 80’S EAST VILLAGE ART SCENE ART TALK” from 3-4 p.m. This presentation is being held in conjunction with the museum’s current exhibition, “Confrontation: Keith Haring & Pierre Alechinsky.” There will be free tours of the exhibit before and after the event, RSVP at Web.OvationTix.com. The art talk is free with museum admission: $12 for adults; $8 for seniors and military; $5 for students with valid ID; and free for museum members, NSU staff and children 12 and younger. For more information, call 954-525-5500 or go to NSUartmuseum.org.

6 .9. 20 22 •

SPORTS PLAYING WITH PRIDE

NEWS NATIONAL

DODGERS PRIDE NIGHT SHATTERS TICKET SALES RECORD Everitt Rosen

he Los Angeles Dodgers have sold over 15,000 ticket packages for its LGBTQ Pride Night on June 3, breaking the club’s previous record for the most tickets sold for a Pride Night. Given Dodger Stadium’s capacity of around 56,000, this means that more than a quarter of the stadium’s total capacity will have purchased Pride Night ticket packages more than a week before the game. “I am beyond thrilled and humbled to see the overwhelming response and support of the Dodgers Pride Night in 2022,” said Erik Braverman to Outsports. By game time, Braverman anticipates the Pride Night ticket packages to be sold out. The night’s ticket sales total smashes any prior record for LGBTQ Pride Night ticket sales at a sporting event, which the Dodgers previously owned.

SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE

CHECKS OUT LGBT BOOKS IN LIBRARY TO CREATE ‘A SAFE PLACE FOR CHILDREN’ Kim Swan

Image via heatherfletcher4boe.com.

Photo via Los Angeles Dodgers/Twitter.

ccording to a school board candidate in Maryland, libraries are a danger to children now. To “create a safe place for children,” Heather Flecher, a Frederick County Board of Education candidate, checked out at least 20 LGBT books at the Brunswick Public Library so no one could read them, according to Frederick News Post. She also took a cup of pins with pronouns printed on them. Fletcher did this because she was “disturbed” by the display that she said would prompt “age-inappropriate” questions from children. “This has nothing to do with the gay community,” Fletcher told the News- during the public comment portion, saying Post. “It has to do with the preservation taxpayers’ money should not be used to buy of innocence.” pronoun pins, according to Jones. Fletcher added that she didn’t want her “Those were not actually created with three children to see the word “queer” on a any public funds,” Jones told the News-Post. book and removed the items after trying “All of our libraries have ‘Friends of the to convince the staff to move the books from Library’ groups that support them, and items view. She will no longer patronize any county like that always come from those. So, it is libraries. not taxpayer money going toward things On June 3, she had to return the books, but like that.” not before sharing a photo with the titles of Kris Fair, director of the LGBTQ advocacy the books she checked out, including “We Are nonprofit The Frederick Center, said he Everywhere: Protest, Power, sat down with at least one and Pride in the History of conservative school board Queer Liberation,” “When candidate after tense Your Child is Gay: What You Frederick County Board Need to Know,” and more, of Education meetings the News-Post reported. that featured Fletcher, Samantha Jones, a and others, angry over Frederick County Public updated elementary health curriculum guidelines Libraries spokesperson, that include references said that after Fletcher to sexual orientation and checked out the books, the gender identity. employees reconfigured The goal was to reach the display. She also said an understanding that there is no limit to how -Samantha Jones FREDERICK COUNTY everyone was opposed to many books a person can PUBLIC LIBRARIES “sexualizing children,” check out at once. SPOKESPERSON something the candidates “We support the rights had argued would happen of all library customers and program participants to form their own with the curriculum guidelines. However, Fair told the News-Post that opinions of books or collections,” Jones he didn’t understand Fletcher’s argument said. The display was created to “raise that books about gay people endangered awareness of diverse experience and children. “I truly struggle with that statement,” Fair perspectives,” Jones told the News-Post. On June 1, Fletcher attended the FCPL’s said. “I’ll remain perplexed on it, I think, for Board of Trustees meeting and spoke the rest of my life.”

The display was created to “raise awareness of diverse experience and perspectives.”

• 6 .9.2022

MIAMI-DADE

WYNWOOD PRIDE RETURNS THIS WEEKEND The music festival benefiting Equality Florida will include celebrities and local talent Jose Cassola

Miami Gay News WYNWOOD PRIDE IS BACK FOR ITS FOURTH YEAR FRIDAY, JUNE 10, RUNNING THROUGH SUNDAY, JUNE 12. ATTENDEES CAN PURCHASE TICKETS FOR FRIDAY’S AND SATURDAY’S EVENTS AND ENJOY A FREE NEIGHBORHOOD TAKEOVER ON SUNDAY, WHICH WILL INCLUDE A WIDE RANGE OF FREE EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES ALL OVER THE NEIGHBORHOOD AT SOME OF WYNWOOD’S MORE POPULAR VENUES.

A spokesperson for Wynwood Pride said “you can expect a glittering marathon of neighborhood-wide drag shows, dance parties, brunches, surprise appearances, art installations and more all weekend. Catch once-in-a-lifetime headliners, jaw-dropping drag, international DJs, art installations, the return of Miss Toto’s Funhouse, a vendor market, non-profit village and more” — all at the RC Cola Plant, a graffiti-filled venue that used to be an abandoned soda factory. Special guests scheduled to participate or perform at Wynwood Pride this weekend are rapper Azelia Banks, “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alumni Violet Chachki and Gottmik, Welsh pop singer-songwriter Marina, Slayyyter, Cupcakke, Merrie Cherry and DJ Mystic Bill, among many others. Local drag talent slated to do splits and death drops on demand include Miss Toto, Regina Cocoa Lords and the R House Wynwood Drag Brunch crew, including hostess Athena Dion, Morphine Love, Juicy Love, Kat Wilderness and FKA Twink. Wynwood Pride’s mission, per the organization’s website, is to “create unifying opportunities that focus on bringing together Miami’s LGBTQ+ community, our allies, and our diverse communities by serving as an international platform to celebrate, promote, and advance LGBTQ+ artists, rights, visibility,

PAPA DUKE’S DELI Gottmik and Violet Chachki. Photo via Violet Chachki/Instagram

advocacy, and education with an emphasis on music, arts, culture, activism, and community.” The goal is to “establish Wynwood Pride as a sustainable entity and grow the festival over time to better serve the needs of Miami’s LGBTQ+ community and promote Miami’s diversity and richness, locally, nationally and globally by stimulating change and progress in society that will be both intersectional and intergenerational.” Wynwood Pride is a 2-to-3-day music festival experience benefiting Equality Florida in the fight against the “Don’t Say Gay” law recently passed by Florida legislators. In accordance with current local guidelines, there will be no vaccination, testing or masking requirements. Event organizers say the “show will take place rain or shine.” All ages are welcome, though organizers warn that some content will be PG-13. Hours are 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and 12 p.m. to 3 a.m. Saturday.

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Go to wynwoodpride.com for more information.

6 .9. 20 22 •

IN MEMORIAM TRIBUTE

LGBT ACTIVIST, SCHOLAR, AND WRITER JEFFREY ESCOFFIER DIES Photo by Leethorpejr, via Wikimedia Commons.

Sean McShee

n May 20, gay activist, scholar, and writer, Jeffrey Escoffier (1942-2022), died. His career began in the age of New Left inspired gay liberation. It lasted to the age of Pete Buttigieg and PrEP. He always linked LGBT political struggles to larger social issues, like class, gender, and race. All the while, he defended diverse sexual behaviors and expressions. In his last book “Sex, Society, and the Making of Pornography” (2021), he examined the porn industry like any other industry in late capitalist society. In an email, Fred Fejes, a professor at Review.” Unlike many Left Journals, Florida Atlantic University, described “Socialist Review” reflected an open, Escoffier as a “member of that important pluralistic socialism. Its articles discussed first generation of queer scholars and issues from feminist, multi-racial, HIV/ activists who, in the 1970s and ‘80s, AIDS, and queer perspectives. through cultural activism, scholarly work In 1988, Escoffier and others started and community engagement, helped the LGBT quarterly magazine, “OutLook.” shaped our sense of LGBTQ identity and “The Advocate” targeted the emerging community.” consumerist LGBT subculture. In In 1970, he became head of contrast, “OutLook” targeted the multiPhiladelphia’s Gay Activist Alliance. racial, gender radical, sex-positive LGBT That group led that city’s first Stonewall communities. Escoffier took free speech Commemoration in 1972. and the “marketplace No one called it “Pride” of ideas” seriously. back then. Escoffier also Their goal was not to IN 1970, HE had a passion for writing sell products, beliefs, or and publishing. In 1972, candidates. Their goal BECAME HEAD OF he and others published was to promote critical PHILADELPHIA’S “The Gay Alternative.” thinking. “OutLook” The expanded acronym ceased publication in GAY ACTIVIST would come later. That 1992. magazine became a forum As a side project, ALLIANCE. THAT for discussions about “OutLook” organized the GROUP LED THAT radical LGBT politics “OutWrite” conferences and culture. In 1974, it in San Francisco from CITY’S FIRST featured the gender-fuck 1988 to 1992. “OutWrite” icon Divine on its cover. brought together STONEWALL In a tribute to Escoffier in writers to network “Jacobin,” Whitney Strub COMMEMORATION and learn about LGBT said his “most sustained writing. Both “OutLook” IN 1972. theme was always and “OutWrite” saw socialism and sexual themselves a rooted in liberation.” grass-roots movements. In the late ‘70s, Escoffier moved to San The book, “OutWrite: the Speeches that Francisco, hotbed of cultural, political, Shaped LGBTQ Literary Culture” quoted and sexual activism. He edited “Socialist Judy Grahn at one conference, “If there

• 6 .9.2022

is a lesbian or gay writer who has never done organizing, that person is getting a free ride.” These conferences featured and helped to develop, many of the luminaries of LGBT thinking and writing. “OutLook” and “OutWrite” had visions of LGBT politics that extended beyond LGBT rights and same-sex marriage. They involved issues of class, gender, race, and other systems of domination. Like everyone else who has tried to do so, they sometimes failed. Many times, it is better to fail to succeed than to never try. The LGBT right attacked them for being “politically correct,” yesterday’s term for “woke.” In 1993, Escoffier began to work for the

New York City Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene. He held the title of Director of Health Media and Marketing. He retired from that job in 2015. In a time of increasing economic anxiety and attraction to social democracy, Escoffier’s writing may have more relevance than ever. The full tribute in “Jacobin” is available online at jacobin.com. Stonewall National Museum and Archives (1300 E. Sunrise) is currently hosting an exhibit about the “OutWrite” conferences. They also have back issues of “OutLook” available. OutLook’s back issues are also available online at lesbianpoetryarchive.org.

CHECK WEBSITES AND FACEBOOK PAGES FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION REGARDING IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE OF SERVICES, AS WELL AS VIRTUAL VIEWING OPTIONS.

Join us for masked, socially distanced in person worship. 11 AM Sundays. Services also LIVE-streamed on Facebook and posted on website for safe at home viewing.

“Love without judgement” Holy Angels National Catholic Church 1436 NE 26th Street Wilton Manors. 33305 Facebook.com/HolyAngelsFL www.HolyAngelsFL.org

954-633-2987

A home for your spirit. Mass Schedule: Sabado 6:00 PM misa en español • Sunday Mass at 11 AM in English • All are welcome!

Church of Our Savior MCC 2011 South Federal Hwy. Boynton Beach, FL 561-733-4000 www.churchofoursaviormcc.org

In Person Worship Resumes Join us for live services

our beautifully7th updated Joininus November at 10 AM also continue for sanctuary. services inWe ourwill beautifully updated streaming theWe service on Facebook! sanctuary. will also continue streaming the service on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/ ChurchofOurSaviorMCC. Visit our web site for more details & updates.

Shabbat services Friday night at 8pm.

SPIRITUALITY

Find us online at our Facebook page!

Congregation Etz Chaim SOUTHFLORIDAGAYNEWS.COM

LISTINGS

2038 N. Dixie Hwy, Wilton Manors, FL 33305, on the Pride Center campus www.EtzChaimFlorida.org / RSVP HERE: info@etzchaimflorida.org

ARRESTED? DON’T BE A DOPE! CALL 954-763-1900

NORMKENT.COM

THE LAW OFFICES OF NORMAN KENT AND RUSSELL CORMICAN CONGREGATION ETZ CHAIM 2038 N. Dixie Hwy (Pride Center Building B), Wilton Manors 954-564-9232 - etzchaimflorida.org RabbiNoahKitty@etzchaimflorida.org Friday Night Shabbat Service 8p.m. HOLY ANGELS CATHOLIC COMMUNITY 1436 NE 26th St Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-633-2987 - HolyAngelsFL.net Sunday Mass at 11AM

CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOR, MCC Church of Our Savior, MCC 2011 S. Federal Hwy. Boynton Beach. churchofoursaviormcc.org | 561-733-4000 Sunday Service 10AM TEMPLE BAT YAM 5151 NE 14th Ter Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334 954-928-0410 Friday Night & Saturday Morning Streaming Online at templebatyam.org

Russell Cormican

Attorney at Law 12 SE 7th St Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

Norman Elliott Kent

Attorney at Law 2520 N. Dixie Hwy Wilton Manors, FL 33305

THE CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAW CENTER OF SOUTH FLORIDA NORM@NORMKENT.COM 6 .9. 20 22 •

Off The Wall

CONVICTIONS

HAPPY 12TH ANNIVERSARY Pier Angelo

ow did it all start? In the late summer of 2009 I had some legal matters to discuss with my attorney, Norm Kent. That day, in his office, he told me he was considering starting a gay newspaper. I have always been militant, and the idea appealed to me. According to him he needed four partners. I offered to be one of the four. I soon found out I was the only sucker in town who had taken the bait. But I was still intrigued. We agreed to be 50/50 partners and took a huge leap of faith. The first issue came out January 25, 2010, and the rest is history. I have now retired but I still contribute a column once in a while. It is still a thrill seeing this newspaper grow and survive as a credible, respected, voice of the community. This is due to the hard work and dedication of Norm Kent, Jason Parsley, Justin Wyse and the support of loyal advertisers and readers. The same way video killed the radio star, the internet, readers’ apathy and economics are killing newsprint. Americans spend over 250 hours a month watching TV and surfing the web. Newspapers are no longer the predominant go-to news source; the internet overtook newspapers as a news outlet a few years ago. Your browser, or a host of apps, can in fact replace print news. (But thanks for picking up this publication.) The irreplaceable role of newspapers, to dissect, stimulate, expose, organize and analyze the public debate, is threatened

NEWSPAPERS ARE THE WATCHDOGS FOR THE PUBLIC INTEREST. THERE IS A SAYING IN LATIN THAT GOES: “QUIS CUSTODIET IPSOS CUSTODES?” — “WHO WILL GUARD THE GUARDS THEMSELVES?” 30

• 6 .9.2022

by a free-for-all chaos. Some of the largest websites are aggregate news sites, meaning they simply pull news from other sources. Newspapers all over the world are suffering, or closing, and reporters are dwindling through downsizing. Who will dig up corruption, white-collar crimes, exploitation, abuse of minorities, political scandals, and big business cover-ups when there are no more reporters? Who will listen to whistleblowers and question authority? Fact-finding has been replaced by the hearsay of a blogger with a grudge. Editorials can stimulate thinking and generate proposals for progress, change and reforms. The founding fathers recognized that journalism is an essential component of the marketplace of ideas.” Politicians, business leaders, the church, and now even terrorists, resent being exposed and would not mind seeing the newspapers go the way of the Long-Playing records. Napoleon once said, “I fear three newspapers more than a hundred thousand bayonets.” Nowadays terrorists react to lines drawn on paper by pencils. On January 7, 2015, Islamic “Extremists” stormed the Paris offices of a satirical newspaper killing 12 people. Al Qaeda repeatedly threatened “Charlie Hebdo” for publishing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad, among other controversial sketches, calling them blasphemous but at the same time ignoring the real pornography of how their religion treats women and gays. Newspapers are the watchdogs for the public interest. There is a saying in Latin that goes: “Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?” — “Who will guard the guards themselves?” With the cacophony coming out of thousands of bloggers, or flimsy social media outlets, good critics and good reporters are an endangered species. Everybody is a blogger or a tweeter and nobody reads anything of substance anymore. In the UK, The Commission of Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society has branded the majority of online news as little more than “recycled ‘churnalism.’” The preservation of this invaluable freedom of expression tool has been successfully demonstrated in the European

Norm Kent and Pier Angelo at Cafe Vico, where the discussion that led to SFGN’s founding took place. Photo credit: Brendon Lies.

Union where governments have extended media support to all daily publications — regardless of the newspapers’ political affiliations. While we take for granted all of our publications, gay rights activists in Uganda risked, years ago, detention, violence and death threats for launching an LGBT magazine called Bombastic. Their aim is to “share the realities of being gay in Uganda.” You can pick up SFGN, or any other gay newspaper, all around town, without fear. In this country many think that reading and supporting a newspaper is a thing of the past. SFGN continues to prove that it’s still doable. It has featured international, national and local news, entertainment and theater reviews, editorial columns, breaking stories, exposed crooks and injustice, and made you part of all this by allowing your comments to

be read by all as if it were an open forum. So Happy 12th Anniversary. In the age of fake news and alternative facts, SFGN believes in what John Stuart Mill said that If we silence an opinion, we may silence the truth. Otherwise the landscape of America will soon resemble the 2007 movie “Idiocracy”: a sarcastic comedy film where an average guy wakes up 500 years in the future and finds that everything has been dumbed down to the point that he is the smartest guy on the planet. Without doubt an uninformed and ignorant society is easy prey for dictatorship. Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter — Thomas Jefferson, 1787.

Pier Angelo was born in Italy, moved to England at the age of 17 and learned English at the Nelson School of English. He attended college and graduate school in Manhattan. In 2009 he founded SFGN with Norm Kent. Now he’s retired with his husband Tom and his Affenpinscher Cabbage. He still enjoys writing his column Off The Wall for SFGN.

CONVICTIONS

EDITORIAL CARTOON Mike Luckovich

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LIFESTYLE FOOD

THE MATCH GAME Rick Karlin

MATCHBOX – LAS OLAS 221 SW 1st Ave., Fort Lauderdale 954-751-5959 matchboxrestaurants.com/las-olas

atchbox opened its first location in Washington, D.C., and quickly became known for brick oven pizzas, burgers, salads, and chef-inspired entrées, such as miso salmon and chimichurri steak frites. Matchbox is growing rapidly with restaurants in D.C., Virginia, Maryland, and at Sawgrass Mills, which opened in 2017. In April, the company opened its second Florida location just south of Himmarshee and west of Andrews in the trendy new WeLO (West of Las Olas) area. The restaurant dishes up bistro fare in a casual setting. Additionally, there is a wide array of specialty cocktails (and mocktails), wine by the glass and bottle, as well as bottled and draft beers. Menu items are just as diverse, ranging from an impressive choice of appetizers to burgers, as well pizzas and notable entrées. What’s amazing is that given the vast menu, everything arrives well prepared, if not always in a timely fashion. If you’re in the mood to chill out and relax, especially on the large patio facing the river right in the heart of downtown, the timing matters from the kitchen might not matter. We settled in with drinks: a French martini that was perfectly mixed, but would have benefitted from a chilled glass, and a mocktail called the honey nutty, which combined ginger beer and herbs — delish. We were seated just before seven, so we were able to order the potstickers off the happy hour menu. They were crispy outside with a sumptuous vegetable filling (a pork version is also available). We also decided to try the pizza as an appetizer and ordered the Fire & Smoke. It was delicious and as spicy as you’d expect. Maybe even more so. We

THERE’S MORE ONLINE! 32

• 6 .9.2022

doubled down on the spice and sampled the spicy tuna tartar. It was well prepared, but the spice obliterated the taste of the tuna. The entrée portion of the menu includes four salads, double that in seafood and meat, and a half-dozen sandwiches, and the entrées range in price from $20 for a burger to $58 for an enormous 20-oz. porterhouse steak. Most entrées come with a pair of sides, and sandwiches come with fries. My hubby is a sucker for a lobster roll, and he loved Matchbox’s version. While not packed as full as some others around town, it featured plenty of large pieces of claw and tail meat with just a light dressing of mayo. The porterhouse arrived practically hanging off the plate. It was so large that I could only finish about a third of it. It was cooked just a tad past my medium-rare order but was so juicy and flavorful that I didn’t care. It came with wonderfully crispy smashed potatoes and sautéed broccolini. I also asked for a side of chimichurri, and it was the perfect accompaniment, garlicky and herbaceous. Although our leftover cartons were piling up, the desserts were all so tempting we decided to throw caution (and waistbands) to the wind. The raspberry cheesecake had an interesting texture, a little thicker than standard cheesecake and not as sweet. It was delish. The budino brownie was a bit of a disappointment. I love budino (Italian pudding), and the thought of one studded with brownies and salted caramel sounded divine. I don’t know if they forgot the budino, or if they put it on top and it soaked into the hot brownie, but it couldn’t be found. The dish was basically a hot brownie topped with whipped cream. It wasn’t bad, but not what I

Maine Lobster Roll. Photo via Matchbox/Facebook. expected. Service was delightful and friendly, although there were longs gaps between courses, a problem with kitchen expediting, not our server. Matchbox offers a chef’s table brunch buffet, available on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Brunch-goers can indulge in unlimited food and beverage offerings for

$34.95 per person and $10 for kids ages 6 to 12. During social hour, Mondays through Fridays from 4-6 p.m., the restaurant offers appetizers for $6-8 such as guac and chips, spinach artichoke dip, sliders, fried chicken bites, and pot stickers and $10 for select 10-inch pizzas. I’ll be returning for those potstickers and to chill out on the large patio.

SIDE DISH At Bona Italian, “Dine Before Dusk” from 4:30-6 p.m. share an appetizer, and each choose from soup or salad and a choice of four entrées for $24.95 a person. Add a carafe of wine and a pair of mini cannoli for an additional $10. The Palm Beach Human Rights Council’s annual pride happy hour will be held on Wednesday, June 15 at Meat Market, from 6 to 8 p.m. While the event is free, you must register at pbchrc.org/events to attend. Also, save the date, the organization’s “Summer Soirée” will be on July 16.

HUNGRY FOR MORE? 

VISIT SFGN.COM/FOOD!

Rick Karlin is SFGN’s food editor. Visit SFGN.com/Food to read his previous reviews. Have a culinary tip to share? Email Rick at RickKarlinFL@gmail.com. The views Rick expresses are his own and do not represent the opinion of SFGN.

SEXUAL MESSAGES, RULES, AND GUILT Visit SFGN.com to find out more.

A&E THEATER

PRIDE ON STAGE TOP REGIONAL THEATER TICKETS J.W. Arnold

ocal theater companies and arts presenters are celebrating Pride with diverse and imaginative productions that will appeal to LGBT audiences across the rainbow spectrum.

Here are some of the top tickets in South Florida this month: “FEFU & HER FRIENDS,” THINKING CAP THEATRE, DANIA BEACH After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Thinking Cap’s first live production is lesbian playwright María Irene Fornés’ breakout Off-Off-Broadway hit, “Fefu & Her Friends,” currently playing through June 19 at the company’s new home, Mad Arts in Dania Beach. The play, which earned Fornés an Obie when it premiered in 1977, is set in the spring of 1935 at the New England country home of the title character. The play’s premise is simple and considered comic: Fefu has gathered her friends to drink lemonade, play croquet, and plan and rehearse a fundraiser to benefit arts in education. Beneath this surface lies a probing investigation of friendship, gender, sexuality, class and disability. “Fefu” was written over a period of several years, spanning the civil rights and women’s rights movements of the late 1960s and early 1970s and, according to Artistic Director Nicole Stodard, continues to speak to later generations and cultural movements. TICKETS ARE $35 AT THINKINGCAPTHEATRE.ORG

“TRUCK STOP SALLY’S SEX PARTY,” THE FOUNDRY, WILTON MANORS Truck Stop Sally, the seedy alter ego of playwright and producer Ronnie Larsen, is back with another somewhat autobiographical romp, June 9–19 at the Foundry, 2306 N. Dixie Hwy. in Wilton Manors.

In the sequel to Larsen’s popular “Cocksucker: A Love Story,” Sally throws a sex party next to a truck stop. The party that quickly gets out of hand in this outrageous comedy about one man’s obsession with oral sex. While the show features full male nudity — no longer a requirement for Larsen’s later works — he promised audiences a fully developed examination of the title character’s emotional development — in between the simulated sex scenes. TICKETS START AT $35 AT RONNIELARSEN.COM

“THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP,” ISLAND CITY STAGE, WILTON MANORS Vampire attacks, werewolf sightings, and the resurrection of an Egyptian Princess are just a few of the zany plot twists in Charles Ludlam’s “The Mystery of Irma Vep: A Penny Dreadful,” running June 9 to July 10 at Island City Stage, 2304 N. Dixie Hwy. in Wilton Manors. The send-up of gothic romance and horror films features two actors, Bruce Lisner and Larry Buzzeo, who execute 35 lightning-fast costume changes throughout the production. Artistic Director Andy Rogow directs. This play should not be confused with the new HBO series “Irma Vep,” an adaptation of the 1996 film by series creator Olivier Assayas. But, if you’re staying in, you can’t go wrong with that equally campy satirical commentary on the Hollywood film industry. TICKETS ARE $35 AT ISLANDCITYSTAGE.ORG

Debbie Wileman stars as Judy Garland in “Happy 100th Birthday, Judy” at the Parker Playhouse on June 20, one of several Pride-themed theatrical productions this month in South Florida. Credit: Courtesy.

“HEAD OVER HEELS,” SLOW BURN THEATRE CO., BROWARD CENTER Slow Burn Theatre Co. is rocking the Broward Center with “Head Over Heels,” the bold Broadway musical based on a 16th-century pastoral romance but set to the peppy tunes of ‘80s girl band The GoGo’s. The show runs June 9–26 in the Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale. A modern musical fairy tale where onceupon-a-time is right now, “Head Over Heels” follows the escapades of a royal family who set out on a journey to save their beloved kingdom from extinction. The score includes favorites like “We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” “Vacation,” Belinda Carlisle’s “Heaven is a Place on Earth” and “Mad About You.” The original Broadway production featured the first role originated by a transgender actor, “RuPaul’s Drag Race” runner-up Peppermint.

TICKETS START AT $49 AT BROWARDCENTER.ORG

“HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY, JUDY,” BROWARD CENTER What’s Pride Month without Judy Garland? Debbie Wileman is the latest performer (and certainly not the last) to take the stage as the all-time LGBT icon in “Happy 100th Birthday, Judy,” June 20 at the Parker Playhouse, 707 N.E. 8th St. in Fort Lauderdale. Wileman has gained over 1 million online views for her spot-on impersonation. She will not only sing Garland’s biggest hits with a live orchestra; she will also cover contemporary songs — from Lady Gaga and Adele to Amy Winehouse and the Beatles — that Judy might sing if she were still alive. TICKETS START AT $58.75 AT PARKERPLAYHOUSE.COM

6 .9. 20 22 •

A&E APPOINTMENTS

“Queer as Folk” gets an update in a reboot debuting June 9 on Peacock. The series is one of many LGBTthemed programs available during Pride month. Credit: NBC Universal.

ARTSBEAT TUNE IN WITH PRIDE J.W. Arnold

“QUEER AS FOLK” REIMAGINED FOR NEW GENERATION Gay men of a certain age will remember the excitement when Russell Davies’ landmark British series “Queer as Folk” became available across the Atlantic. (Remember, the internet was still in its infancy and YouTube just a concept on a napkin.) Soon, Showtime followed up with an Americanized version set in Pittsburgh. Two decades later, Peacock has resurrected the series, now set in New Orleans and featuring a much more diverse cast of queer characters living in a seemingly more diverse and complicated world. The show premieres on June 9 and stars Devin Way (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Station 19”), Fin Argus (“Clouds,” “The Gifted”), Jesse James Keitel (“Big Sky”), CG (“Acts of Crime”), Johnny Sibilly (“Hacks,” “Pose”), and Ryan O’Connell (“Special,” “Will & Grace”). Davies said, “I’m very proud of what we achieved in 1999, but in queer years, that was a millennium ago! As a community, we’ve radicalized, explored, opened up, and found new worlds — with new enemies and new allies — and there was so much to be said … I thought it was about time the title belonged to a whole new generation. The 2022 show is more diverse, more wild, more free, angrier — everything a queer show should be.”

Watch at PeacockTV.com or download the app.

EVERYBODY LOVES A PARADE Hulu is getting into the spirit and once again livestreaming the Los Angeles and New York City Pride parades. The Los Angeles Pride parade returns in person to Hollywood on Sunday, June 12 and will be livestreamed from 2 to 4 p.m. EDT. In addition to surprise celebrity guests, local news personalities Ellen Leyva, Karl Schmid, Christiane Cordero and Eric Resendiz will host. The NYC Pride March will livestream on Hulu on Sunday, June 26 from 12 to 3 p.m. EDT and will be hosted by WABC’s Ken Rosato, Lauren Glassberg and Sam Champion. The NYC Pride March will also feature surprise celebrity appearances and honorable mentions as the celebration makes its way down 5th Avenue and past the Stonewall National Monument. In addition to the parades, Hulu’s “Pride Never Stops” hub will feature popular LGBT-themed programs all month long, including “Pose,” “Will & Grace,” “Glee,” “Vida,” “Love Victor” (season 3 debuts June 15) and the documentary “Mormon No More,” premiering June 24. The best reason to tune into Hulu is the breakout feature of the summer, “Fire Island,” one of the first films to feature Asian-American LGBT characters. This modern romantic comedy centers around two best friends who travel to the island for an unforgettable — and unapologetically gay — vacation with their cadre of friends and chosen family.

Watch at Hulu.com or download the app.

• 6 .9.2022

FEATURE PETS

SWEET & FUN-LOVING

Looking for a fun-loving puppy with a sweet personality and a lot of love to share? If so, 5-month-old Monza (ID 655999) is waiting to meet you. This cutie is 31 pounds and a mixed breed. She is an island girl and came from the Cayman Islands where not a lot of people go to adopt, so she is hoping her luck will change here. She might be a little shy at first, but once she settles into her new home, we know her personality will blossom. If you have a doggie friend at home, we could do a meet and greet at the shelter to make sure everyone gets along. Can Monza be part of your family?

MONZA

Appointments are not necessary to visit the Humane Society of Broward County. However, please complete the preadoption application on the website www.humanebroward.com prior to stopping by if you would like to meet a pet. The shelter is located at 2070 Griffin Road, a block west of I95, and opens daily at 11 a.m. If you have questions call 954-989-3977 ext. 6. Can’t adopt, but want to help? The Humane Society has wish lists on Amazon and Chewy. ALL STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, AND CUSTOMERS SHOULD WEAR A MASK TO ENTER THE SHELTER.

PRESENTS

SLOW BURN THEATRE CO.’s

PRODUCTION OF

JUNE 10–26 Featuring the hit songs of THE GO-GO’S including

“We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” “Vacation,” “Heaven Is a Place on Earth,” and MANY MORE! Based on

Conceived and Original Book by

THE ARCADIA by SIR PHILLIP SIDNEY

JEFF WHITTY

Adapted by

Directed by

JAMES MAGRUDER

PATRICK FITZWATER

Presented through special arrangement with Broadway Licensing

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Boricua [boh-ree-kwah] is more than a word to identify a person from Puerto Rico. It’s a way of life that’s about embracing your passion and living every moment. And we welcome everyone who visits our Island to do the same. Book your trip today. DiscoverPuertoRico.com/LiveBoricua