St. Pete Pride - UFDC Image Array 2

YOUR LGBT LIFE.ISSUE 17.12 | JUNE 10 - JUNE 23, 2010WATERMARKONLINE.COM

D AY T O N A B E A C H • O R L A N D O • TA M P A • S T. P E T E R S B U R G • S A R A S O TA

YOUR LGBT LIFE.

It’s a Family ThemeSt. Pete Pride celebrates family in its 8th year

Focus on

St. Pete Pride: Mayor Bill Foster

juggles politics and Pride

Entertainment schedule

Repeal of adoption ban in reach

Gay Days WeekendThe celebration reinvents itself in 2010

| June 10 - June 23, 2010�

wellsfargo.com/lgbt © 2010 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. Member FDIC.

When you look back at the eff orts and achievements of LGBT men and women over the years, there’s every reason to be proud. Not just once a year, but every day. Wells Fargo takes great pride in the diversity of the communities we serve. That’s why we continue to make fi nancial contributions to LGBT nonprofi ts, provide services specifi c to the needs of our LGBT customers and foster a work environment that doesn’t just accept diff erences, but celebrates them. Happy Pride. All year round.

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6 | Big StoryThere was only minor drama during this year’s annual Gay Days festivities and a slew of new parties has fueled optimism for the 20-year-old celebration.

8 | Orlando News A suspect has been located and is charged in the death of 67-year-old Warren Vorhies; Non-profi ts benefi t from Orlando’s Big Gay Weekend; more.

10 | Tampa Bay News Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio is honored by the GaYbor District Coalition; Buju Banton denied speedy trial; more.

15 | Nation+World NewsA gay Malawi couple is released from prison following a global outcry; DADT repeal one step closer to reality after House vote; more.

29 | Scene+HeardThe beautiful, comic and musically talented Varla Jean Merman headlines St. Pete Pride’s annual Laughter in Paradise and the actor who created her shares his inspiration with us. The new documentary Fish Out of Water is gaining attention for its use of animation and religious fi gureheads to discuss the Bible and homosexuality. And Stephen Miller explains why he is less than thrilled with the newest crop of summertime fi lms.

41 | St. Pete PrideSt. Pete Pride returns for its 8th Annual Pride in Paradise throughout the month of June. This year, Mayor Bill Foster acknowledges the festival, a fi rst for the city. Two stages are full of entertainment during the Street Festival on June 26 and we have the schedule. St. Pete Pride Executive Director Chris Rudisill spends a “Minute with” us to prep us for this year’s festival.

issu

e 17

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Varla Jean Merman, invented by Jeffrey Roberson, will headline this year’s Laughter in Paradise on June 20. The show, according to

Roberson, will be a “Pu Pu Platter of Varla.”

Partners Laura Shelton and Megan Szczepanik enjoy Fort DeSoto beach with daughter Annie Pisanello. The family plans to participate in the 8th Annual St. Pete Pride, which selected “family” as this year’s theme.

Photo by Nick Cardello

ORLANDO NEWS

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10TAMPA BAY NEWS

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June 10 - June 23, 2010 | � watermark | preview

So Bill Foster wrote a letter welcoming St. Pete Pride attendees to his city. On its surface, that sounds like quite an accolade for the new St. Petersburg mayor. In a city that celebrates the state’s largest LGBT Pride

each year, it seems only natural that a mayor would reach out to the community that is pouring money into the community.

Foster placed the letter in the official St. Pete Pride program, published by Watermark and St. Pete Pride. Historically, it is a big deal. Never before has a mayor of the city even acknowledged the massive festival and promenade. Former mayor Rick Baker refused to sign the proclamation declaring June “St. Pete Pride Month” and it has been reported that he would even leave the council chambers when that proclamation was read.

So for the simple acknowledgement, we should feel somewhat grateful to Foster. But after reading the letter, I feel as though it’s a lukewarm welcome that’s missing too many key features.

Consider this:His letter in the program welcomes attendees to

the city but it never names the event or mentions the large numbers of LGBT people who reside there. Instead, the carefully crafted letter talks about the need for individuals to be “afforded the right to be equal partners in building a community.” All of the right words are there, but the order isn’t exactly correct.

Call me pessimistic or maybe even heavy-handed. But Foster’s letter is an extended olive branch that has lost all of its leaves. It’s an empty peace offering.

Many defend Foster, saying he has a conservative base to please. When he campaigned for the mayoral seat in 2009, he adamantly opposed St. Pete Pride and made it clear that he would not sign the proclamation. Despite that, his presence at a mayoral debate the gay-friendly King of Peace Metropolitan Community Church showed he wouldn’t ignore us, and he addressed the concerns of LGBT business leaders at Georgie’s Alibi last fall.

But is that enough? No.This issue of Watermark is focused on the 8th Annual St. Pete Pride. The

ever-growing event is expected to be bigger and better than ever with an expected attendance of nearly 90,000 descending upon the city’s Grand Central

District on June 26. The economic impact alone of such a crowd is mind-boggling.

I wanted to know what Foster thought about St. Pete Pride, its impact on the city and its influence on its LGBT residents. Unfortunately, he wasn’t willing to discuss it.

When I contacted his office—twice—for a story appearing in this issue, his scheduling secretary simply left a returned message on my voice mail saying that he declined the interview.

There was no explanation. There wasn’t even an inquiry into the story’s specifics. I’m guessing he heard the words “St. Pete Pride” and was immediately

turned off. My friends involved with planning the event would disagree, I’m sure. According to them, the mayor has been involved “behind the scenes” and has helped to expedite the planning of the annual celebration.

But to me, that’s like celebrating someone’s wedding from the parking lot. You can say you were there, but if the marriage ends in divorce, you can argue that you weren’t comfortable with the union in the first place.

Foster reminds me of Gov. Charlie Crist. The now-Independent candidate for U.S. Senate has said

he supports the state’s law banning gays and lesbians from adopting children and the constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. But in the same breath, he’ll tell you he’s a “live and let live” kind of guy.

Both men fail to realize you can’t have it both ways.The LGBT community has made some amazing strides in recent years. A

handful of states recognize our marriages, President Obama has declared that hospitals must allow visitation rights to same-sex couples and the repeal of the military’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy seems to be on a fast track.

The time of tip-toeing around the LGBT community has passed. Foster needs to decide where he stands on LGBT issues.

Now is the time for him to follow the example of his counterpart Pam Iorio on the other side of the bay. Maybe then he’ll see that accepting all of the citizens in his city is better for his political career than marginalizing a selected group. | l |

editor’sdesk

Steve BlanchardEDITOR

[email protected]

Foster’s letter is an extended olive

branch that has lost all of its leaves.

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Orlando | What a difference a year makes. For the past decade or so, Gay Days has

been the biggest multi-day LGBT gathering in the nation; a dazzling and diverse array of unique events with broad appeal. But last year, the dramatic last-minute implosion of party promoter Johnny Chisholm cast a dark cloud over the weekend and the future. Due to alleged non-payment of bills, his big nighttime theme-park events were forced out of spectacular local theme parks to less exotic locations, where they tanked.

Many wondered what the impact would be on the 20th anniversary of Gay Days. Turns out they needn’t have. Established promoters powered through with their most successful year ever, and others stepped in to fill the nighttime party void with fresh and exciting new events. In time, GD 2010 will likely be remembered as a pivotal year.

“This is a rebuilding year,” said Girls in Wonderland’s Alison Burgos. “And from that perspective, things are going really well.”

As always, there was some drama leading up to the big weekend. GayDayS.com flexed some muscle in order to protect their trademark, and Watermark ticked off the Parliament House with an awkwardly placed billboard for its Stratosphere Party.

But if 2010 proved nothing else, it was that GayDayS.com is a brand worth protecting. For tens of thousands, the GayDayS.com hotels and surrounding events are Gay Days Weekend. Relocated to the massive 1,000-room Doubletree Resort Orlando, and with additional rooms booked at seven spillover hotels, GayDayS.com offered a menu of packed expos, films, seminars, shows and pool parties appealing to attendees from all 50 states and around the world. Many arrived as early as Tuesday. The package is so appealing that many locals now relocate for the weekend.

“By Sunday I was tired of seeing hot men in small bathing suits,” deadpanned comedian Jeff Jones, who opened for Joan Rivers at Hard Rock Live on Friday night and performed with Alec Mapa at the Doubletree on Sunday.

Parking was challenging at peak times, and

Staying PowerNow 20, Orlando’s Big Gay Weekend continues to reinvent itself

tom dyer

Continued on page 18 | uu | Attendance was down, but there were still plenty of red shirts on Gay Day at the Magic Kingdom. | Photo by Jake Stevens.

| June 10 - June 23, 2010�

The Metropolitan Business Association (MBA) is seeking vintage photos of the organization for a historical archive. MBA member Debbie Simmons was the founding president when the organization began in 1992 and led the organization for 16 years. She said already has some photos, but is certain there are more.

“I know that there are a zillion photos out there and what’s going to happen to them?” she said. “We don’t want them

thrown out.” The plan is to gather photographs for

submission into MBA/Come Out with Pride history project, displayed in an air-conditioned tent during each Pride event.

“We want to capture and maintain our own history,” Simmons said.

Anyone who has old photos of the MBA is welcome to bring them to her Orlando shop. Just call 407-765-6490 to set up a time to meet. | l |

Orlando | Gay causes were good causes during the 2010 Gay Days weekend, as a number of events served as fundraisers for local charities.

The June 1 Gay Days Kickoff party at Saks-Florida Mall raised more than $6,000 for Be Real, a community support system for LGBT youth.

“It’ll go into getting books for The Center for parents to use as resources on how to react to children who are gay,” said Gary Lambert, chair of Be Real.

He said the money will also pay for training on similar issues between parents and gay children.

Other GD2010 weekend fundraising events are still waiting for final totals, but most organizers were able to at least give a

ballpark figure. Julie Noda with Hope and Help said the June 3 Gay Days Lush-A-Licous Wine Tasting raised at least $1,000. Hope and Help assists people affected by HIV/AIDS with support and medication.

The Center is still waiting for fundraising totals on their Miss GayDays pageant, but the winner was Alisa Summers from Tampa. Kennedy Dazenport from Ft. Lauderdale was the runner-up.

“There were remarkable presentations and performances by both contestants and both would have been great representatives of Miss GayDays 2010, but unfortunately only one could win,” said Randy Stephens, interim executive director of the Center. “We are pleased with the selection of Miss Summers.”

The pageant has been a part of Gay Days weekend since 2007. | l |

Orlando | A suspect has been located and is charged in the death of 67-year-old Warren Vorhies. Orange County police had reached out to the Central Florida LGBT community for help in tracking down Francis Ambach, 50, because both men were known to frequent area gay bars.

Ambach was booked into the Marion County jail on five charges: fleeing police, grand theft auto, commercial burglary, driving without a license and resisting arrest. Detective Dorothy Rivera with the Orange County Sheriff’s office said Ambach will be charged with homicide in relation to Vorhies’ death.

A witness called 911 on May 24 to report Vorhies was found in his Manitou, Orlando home, not breathing. When police responded, they found him dead and determined he was the victim of a homicide. Rivera says they know how he died but are not releasing those details.

Police say Vorhies was last seen on the evening of May 22 with Ambach. They

released a photo and composite sketch to local media and canvassed area bars in their effort to track him down.

The men also had a prior relationship. “According to witnesses, the person of

interest was staying with the victim for about two weeks,” Rivera says. | l |

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Tampa | Ever since she took office in 2003, Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio has been a voice of equality for the LGBT community—and the GaYbor Coalition wanted to reward her for that.

On June 2, Streetcar Charlie’s played host to a luncheon honoring the two-term mayor, who has eight months left in her current role. Term limits prevent her from running again and many have speculated as to what her future holds.

Even the mayor herself isn’t sure what’s in store after she leaves office.

“I have so much to do I don’t even think about it,” Iorio told the crowd. “But if I did I would tell you.”

Iorio has undertaken plenty of projects during her tenure. She organized and rebuilt Curtis Hixon Park downtown, added two new city museums and has mapped out a new light rail system for the city. She is also

heavily involved in the planning of a high-speed rail system that would connect Tampa to Orlando.

When she first took office in 2003, Iorio was quick to update city policies to recognize the same-sex domestic partners of employees for insurance purposes and readily attends the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival each year. She also spoke at the now-defunct Winter Pride Tampa Bay.

Last year, she appointed openly lesbian Jane Castor to the Chief of Police position in the Tampa Police Department.

“The gays love Mayor Pam,” said Carrie West, president of the GaYbor Coalition. “And the community loves Mayor Pam.”

Iorio was presented with a crystal plaque thanking her for her 25 years of support of the LGBT community and the UV Rays, a division of Una-Voce, the Florida Men’s Chorale, performed. | l |

Tampa | Jamaican singer and rapper Buju Banton is going to have to wait a bit longer before heading to court. The performer was denied a quicker trial on federal drug trafficking charges on June 3.

Banton was arrested in Sarasota late last year when he attempted to buy drugs from an undercover Sarasota police officer. U.S. District Judge James S. Moody set Banton’s trial for September, denying a motion for a speedy trial filed by David Markus, who is Banton’s attorney. This marks the second time the case has been postponed. The trial was initially set for April, and then changed to June. No reasons for the delay were given.

Banton made headlines locally when he was booked—and then dropped—by several

music venues in Tampa and St. Petersburg. The controversial performer has several songs calling for the murder of gay men. He eventually performed at the Cuban Club in Ybor City. That venue said it was unaware of Banton’s stance on murdering gay men before he was booked and that it could not undo his contract. The club also said he was not permitted to perform his song, “Boom, Bye, Bye,” which details the killing of a gay man, during his stop.

Marcus argued that his client should be tried sooner than September.

“[He] wants his day in court. He’s understandably frustrated,” Markus said. “All we want is to present his case to a jury.”

Banton, who was nominated for a Grammy this year, has been in jail since December. | l |

Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio is flanked by the GaYbor Coalition board during a recent luncheon honoring her support of the LGBT community. | Photo courtesy Carrie West

Iorio honored at GaYbor receptionstaff report

Buju Banton denied quicker trialstaff report

June 10 - June 23, 2010 | 11 watermark | tampa bay news

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St. Petersburg | The St. Pete Pride bard is taking its theme, “Family,” literally. Two scheduled events this month will focus directly on LGBT families.

On Friday, June 18, St. Pete Pride will host its second town hall meeting at the King of Peace Metropolitan Community Church. The panel discussion, which begins at 7 p.m., will focus on Florida’s law prohibiting gay men and lesbians from adopting children. Panelists will include Nadine Smith, executive director of Equality Florida, and Martin Gill, who is in a current dispute with the State concerning the adoption of his two foster children.

Gill is scheduled to share the story of how the State begged him to take in two brothers in 2004 and his attempts to adopt them in 2008. That year, a South Florida judge ruled the state’s ban unconstitutional. Two other judges have since issued the same ruling.

Day, one of Gill’s ACLU attorneys, will discuss the adoption ban and the legal challenge to get it overturned. Smith will discuss past and current legislative efforts to repeal the adoption ban which

came into being over 30 years ago in the wake of Anita Bryant’s anti-gay crusade.

A question and answer session will follow the panel discussion. For more information visit: StPetePride.com/Events or ACLUFL.org/Training.

On Saturday, June 19, the ACLU of Florida, the Family Equality Council, Equality Florida and GLAAD will bring the ACLU’s statewide education campaign on the adoption ban back to the church.

The half-day adult speakers training led by GLAAD will equip attendees with the knowledge and skills needed to talk effectively about Florida’s adoption ban and change the hearts and minds of friends, colleagues, neighbors and legislators. During the adult training, Family Equality Council will provide children’s and youth programming, which promotes confidence and self-esteem and celebrates diverse family structures.

The program begins at noon and should wrap up by 4 p.m. For more information, visit StPetePride.com/Events or ACLU.org/Training. | l |

St. Pete Pride puts family firststeve blanchard

| June 10 - June 23, 201012 watermark | sarasota news

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Sarasota | The first one was so successful that Sarasota Pride has decided to do it again. The All Women’s Out to Dance II is on Saturday, June 12, at the Bobby Jones Country Club.

The original dance party brought in more participation than expected and many of the women who attended requested another all women’s event. Since proceeds benefit Sarasota Pride, the organization was happy to oblige.

The night of music, dancing and drinks begins at 8 p.m. and is expected to last until midnight. Entry is $10 at the door and will help fund the new Sarasota Pride, slated for Oct. 30 on Main Street in Sarasota.

For the past two years, the Pride celebration has been at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, but according to Pride board member Cindy Barnes, the organization has outgrown the facility and had encountered too many expenses and hurdles.

“Last year the biggest complaint we received concerned the beer line,” Barnes said. “The beer was warm and because of contracts we weren’t getting any proceeds from drinks or food.”

So Barnes and the board approached the City of Sarasota, secured permits and changed the date. Barnes said she’s hoping for cooler temperatures during that time of year. Parking is abundant in the area, Barnes said, and she believes the 2010 event could bring out 2,500 to 3,000 people—nearly double last year’s attendance.

For more information on Sarasota Pridefest or on the upcoming Out to Dance II, visit SarasotaPride.org. | l |

Women’s dance returns to Sarasotastaff report

Volunteers greeted women at the first All Women’s Out to Dance party on April 3. | Photo by Suzanne Noe

June 10 - June 23, 2010 | 13

Miami | The Miami Hospital that was once taken to court for not allowing a dying lesbian to see her partner and kids is now ranked number one in the state when it comes to gay issues.

Jackson Memorial Hospital (JMH) received Florida’s top score in the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) 2010 annual Healthcare Equality Index report. The report was dedicated to Janice Langbehn and Lisa Pond. In 2007, Pond died of a brain aneurysm the day before the couple and their children were about to set sail on a Caribbean cruise out of Miami. JMH employees reportedly blocked Langbehn from visiting Pond before Pond died. A lawsuit against the hospital quoted one social worker as saying visitation would not be allowed “because Florida is an anti-gay state.” That lawsuit was later thrown out by a judge who said the hospital behaved badly, but did not break any laws.

Since that time, nurses at JMH issued a formal apology to Langbehn, who was the

grand marshal of the 2008 St. Pete Pride Promenade, and the hospital reviewed and changed its visitation policies for LGBT families.

Although JMH now scored highest in Florida, it didn’t make the national list of top hospitals because the staff has not received any steady gay diversity training.

Only South Florida hospitals submitted data to the voluntary survey, so there are no results for hospitals located in the central or northern parts of the state. In all, 178 hospitals in the nation submitted data. “The healthcare landscape for LGBT patients and their families is about to change dramatically,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese in a press release. “We all know horror stories of loved ones torn apart, already heart-wrenching decisions made even harder, and basic human rights denied. Bold action by President Obama and the Joint Commission mean many of those stories will be a thing of the past—and not a moment too soon, because as of right now huge challenges remain on the books.”| l |

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Key West | Two Key West men and a dozen volunteers prepared for PrideFest by painting a massive rainbow fl ag on the grass-covered “Mount Trashmore,” a dormant landfi ll that is the highest and most visible landmass in the Florida Keys.

The fl ag measures approximately 125 feet by 60 feet. Landscaper John Mumford and artist Rick Worth spearheaded the project.

“I thought this would be a great way to get people into the spirit of PrideFest

and promote the PrideFest events,” said Mumford, who serves on the board of the Key West Business Guild that is organizing the festival.

Mumford estimated the painting project required 87 gallons of paint in red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. The cost of paint and supplies was underwritten by a group of local businesses and individuals.

PrideFest events in Key West, set for June 9-13, include a “Broadway Cares” concert, champagne sunset sailing excursions, dances, parties and a grand parade. | l |

Key West landfill gets some LGBT colorstaff report

Elton John performs at Rush Limbaugh’s weddingElton John cashed in a cool million for performing at Rush Limbaugh’s June 5 wedding in Palm Beach, Fla. Many are reacting to the odd pairing, as John is a gay AIDS activist and Limbaugh is a notoriously conservative right-wing talk show host, but proceeds from John’s concerts benefi t the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Limbaugh, 59, married Kathryn Rogers, 33. It was his fourth wedding.

Stonewall Entertainment announcedOriginal Dreamgirl Jennifer Holliday will

headline this year’s Stonewall Street Festival and Parade in Fort Lauderdale on June 20. Adam Bouska and Jeff Parshley, creators of the NOH8 campaign, were selected as the parade’s the grand marshals.

Jacksonville GSA hosts empowerment summit30 Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) leaders from seven schools gathered in Jacksonville May 22 for the fi rst annual Student Leadership and Empowerment Summit. The participants were trained in core organizing skills such at fundraising, event planning and leadership. Equality Florida’s Gay-Straight Alliance Network and the Jacksonville Sexual Minority Youth Network hosted the summit.

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Washington, D.C. | President Barack Obama last week ordered government agencies to extend additional benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees, including child care services and expanded family leave.

The moves come a year after Obama signed a memorandum giving federal workers’ same-sex partners a first round of benefits including visitation and dependent-care rights. At the same time he asked federal agencies to determine what

other benefits could be given to domestic partners without Congress acting, and those he announced were the results of that review.

They include child-care services and subsidies; more flexibility to use family leave to attend to the needs of domestic partners and their children; relocation benefits; giving domestic partners the same status as “family members” when federal appointments are made; and access to credit union and other memberships when those are provided to federal workers. | l |

Washington, D.C. | The House has passed a defense bill that paves the way for gays to serve openly in the military for the first time, but advocates on both sides are geared up for a fight in the Senate.

House approval of the repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” was a victory for President Barack Obama, who has pledged to change the policy, and for gay rights groups, who have made it their top priority this year. The bill would give the Pentagon the rest of the year to study the issue before the repeal would take effect.

The Senate is expected to take up the defense bill this summer. Supporters likely will need the votes of 60 of the 100 senators to prevent opponents from blocking it.

Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a chief backer of changing the law, said at a news conference that most senators support ending the gay ban.

“I believe a majority of the Senate, just like a majority of the country, favor changing this policy,” he said. “It is a discriminatory policy.”

Levin predicted that it would be hard

for opponents to filibuster the defense bill over the gay rights issue because “there’s so much in here for our troops.”

The House and Senate amendments stipulate that the repeal would not become law until after the study is completed and until the president, the defense secretary and the Joint Chiefs of Staff certify that it will not have negative effects on the military’s fighting ability. The military would also have to first change its rules to comply with the law. | l |

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House vote advances end to ban on gays in militarywire report

Obama extends benefits to same-sex workerswire report

Malawi gay couple freed after presidential pardonA gay couple from Malawi arrested and sentenced to 14 years in prison after they threw a lavish engagement party has been freed from prison after receiving a presidential pardon. Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza were released May 29, hours after President Bingu wa Mutharika pardoned them without condition. Malawi had faced international condemnation for the conviction and harsh sentence given to the two men.

Lesbian couple weds in Portugal’s 1st gay marriageA lesbian couple wed in the first week of June in Portugal’s first same-sex ceremony since the predominantly Catholic country introduced a law allowing gay marriage. The ceremony came less than a month after Portugal’s conservative president ratified a gay marriage law passed by Parliament in January. His approval made Portugal the sixth in Europe to let same-sex couples wed.

Christian conservatives target seated judgesA group of conservative attorneys say they are on a mission from God to unseat four California judges which could turn into a battle for the integrity of U.S. courts. Vowing to be God’s ambassadors on the bench, the four San Diego Superior Court candidates are backed by pastors, gun enthusiasts, and opponents of abortion and same-sex marriages. California is one of 33 states to directly elect judges.

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there were some complaints about venue confusion at the huge complex. But many others enthused about feeling embraced by the Doubletree staff.

According to GayDayS.com co-owner Chris Alexander-Manley, 2010 was the best year to date. He described “excellent crowds” for comedy shows featuring Mapa, Michele Balan and Vicki Shaw, and pool parties so packed that they spilled over onto hotel grounds.

“We had 17,000 people go through our Expo,” Alexander-Manley said. “Most of the vendors already want to sign up for next year, so we’ll expand it to make it even bigger. I just wish we could make the pool area larger.”

Making their way through the Expo, a lesbian couple from South Florida lamented that more Gay Days events are not designed for boys and girls. But there was certainly no lack of women in Orlando. Once again, the Girls in Wonderland franchise proved a popular draw throughout the weekend.

By Friday afternoon, the pool at the sold-out Marriott Courtyard Lake Buena Vista Village was cranking with an excited—and decidedly sexual—energy. A strategically placed riser invited singles and couples to take the spotlight, encouraged by hoots and hollers. It was even more crowded on Saturday.

“This is our first Gay Days and we took a chance and booked a room here,” said one breathless couple from Jacksonville. “It’s unbelievable… I just hope we survive.”

Burgos offered her girls a full lineup of events, including the pool parties and a comedy show with Suzanne Westenhoeffer. But the highlights were two parties at impressive Downtown Disney venues: Climax at Bongo’s on Friday night, and the Wild Wild South party at House of Blues on Saturday. Both lived up to their billing as among the best women’s parties anywhere.

At Bongo’s, go-go girls and a tightly packed house created a sexy atmosphere both inside for dance music, and outside for Latin-Salsa. At House of Blues, an estimated 2,000 crowded the dance floor and marveled at a dazzling Cirque-type show. Burgos also produced Grind, a Thursday night kickoff dance event at House of Blues that drew several hundred.

Back in Orlando proper, the Parliament House once again drew huge crowds throughout the weekend with foam, porn stars, enhanced lighting effects and an impressive lineup of talent. Reminiscent of the old Pleasure Island Days, there were pyrotechnics at midnight on Thursday night. On Friday, Deborah Gibson stayed until 3 a.m. to sign autographs for fans. And on Sunday, Frenchie Davis performed before American Idol’s Blake Lewis, who had to be pulled off the stage after 1 a.m. due to a thunderstorm.

“We wanted to create a party that older and younger crowds could enjoy,” said owner Don Granatstein. “The light show was a real highlight. It was the best Gay Days ever, and definitely the most fun.”

This year much of the focus was on a new menu of ambitious nighttime parties, many created by respected producer Mark Baker, who returned to Orlando’s big gay weekend after a five-year absence. Locals and circuit types both wondered whether they could replace the bad vibe left by Chisholm last year.

With the backdrop of Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon—and thousands of buff guys in bathing suits—Let’s Go Play shook things up on Friday night by bringing live acts to the water park party. Debby Holiday and Francilla both performed for several thousand attendees.

“The party has a reputation and a devoted following,” said organizer Terry DeCarlo. “It was a big success. People loved it.”

Across town, the bears convened at Wet ‘n Wild for the 5th Tidal Wave Party, this year drawing an estimated 1,000 furry men. There were some complaints about slow lines getting in, but organizers were overjoyed with a party that keeps growing each year.

The following night the magic moved to the huge Music Plaza at Universal Studios Orlando for Watermark’s inaugural Stratosphere Party. With screams from the spine-tingling Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster as backdrop, superstar DJ Tony Moran was the focal point for a jaw-dropping light and sound display created by Baker. The thousands in attendance cheered as Moran sang, with pyrotechnics erupting all around him. The spectacular location, shriek-inducing

rides, and state-of-the-art sound and light show garnered glowing praise.

“This was the party by which all future parties will be measured for years

to come,” said What’s Happening Magazine’s Peter and Frank Aguas-Garcia.

Sunday night featured more spectacle at Baker’s Fasscination party at Hard Rock Live. Costumed performers like Circuit Mom and

Kitty Meow interacted with laser, smoke and other lighting effects, all for a crowded dance floor for that cheered each wave of sensation. Baker’s late-night parties at Arabian Nights were also well-attended, and his first-ever host hotel sold out.

While the nighttime parties did not reach attendance levels of peak years in the past, when as many as 7,000 would pack into a single venue, reviews were glowing and promoters are already gearing up for next year.

“We really got past the whole ‘been there, done that’ perception that was starting to creep into the picture,” said Baker, who is touting his lineup of events as ‘Wonderland Weekend’. “Every year we need to step back and think about fresh new parties and new audiences. We need to be creative and innovate. We established that this year and I think it was a huge success.”

Ironically, perhaps the only down side to the 20th anniversary of Gay Days was decreased attendance at the place where the event originated—the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. There were plenty of same-sex couples and bears lined up at the Country Bear Jamboree, but the sea of red shirts in front of Cinderella’s Castle before the 3 p.m. parade never materialized.

At 20, perhaps Orlando’s world-class LGBT event has eclipsed its namesake. | l |

“By Sunday I was tired of seeing hot men in small bathing suits.”

—ComedIan Jeff JoneS

| uu | GD2010 from p.7

START HERE.Head to WatermarkOnline.com to see more GD2010 photographs.

1- The Rip Ride Rockit Roller Coaster made a spectacular backdrop for the Stratosphere Party at Universal Studios Orlando. | Photo by Jake Stevens.

2 - The mood was festive at the jam-packed GayDayS.com pool at the Doubletree Resort. | Photo by Tom Dyer.

3- Orlando realtor David Dorman (left) and Scott Penyak at the GayDayS.com pool at the Doubletree Resort. | Photo courtesy David Dorman.

4- Girls in Wonderland promoter Alison Burgos at Thursday’s Grind party: “This is a rebuilding year.” | Photo by Kirk Hartlage.

1 234

June 10 - June 23, 2010 | 19

“I can’t eat that, I have to look hot for Gay Days.”

“Sorry, can’t come along—St. Pete Pride is coming up and I have to get to the gym.”

Being trim and fit is a year-round obsession for many LGBTs, but it reaches a fever pitch as Gay Days and Pride approaches. Pool parties, shirtless dance floors and hot clubbing outfits ramp up the pressure to stay thin and muscular.

I’m going to put forth a perspective that you might find both humble and revolutionary: the Fat Acceptance Movement.

The gay community has a bit of a head start on this movement. Butch women and bears have not only escaped the pressure to be unnaturally thin, but in many cases, they have found a niche where people with the potential for romance go beyond mere acceptance of their natural body shapes and actively seek out partners who are less size-privileged.

For the rest of the American population—

both gay and straight—acceptance of a body that carries around some extra fat is a tough niche to find. The Fat Acceptance Movement (FA) is one of those communities that most likely would never have found its legs without the unique connections and avenues for unprecedented communication that the internet provides.

The FA premise is simple: Accept your body as it is and stop trying to lose weight.

Now, before you freak out, do not misunderstand. I did not say that FA means ceasing exercise or binging on Twinkies. FA leaders are yoga masters and nutritionists and triathletes and generally healthy people who also just happen to be overweight, too, and they’re tired of being unfairly ostracized for it. They argue that everyone has a natural body weight that we tend to revert back to; the “obesity epidemic” is riddled with shaming, hype and myths; and diets not only don’t work, but they’re a huge, expensive scam.

The natural body weight argument is the easiest to explain. Why else do so many people struggle to lose or gain weight? The problem is that anti-gay bias really isn’t the last acceptable prejudice—LGBTs are joined by the overweight. All you have to do is turn on the TV or open a newspaper to see evidence of the shaming and panic. There are thin people who don’t diet, don’t exercise and can’t gain weight. Many of them are unhealthier than their neighbors who carry around some extra pounds (Cigarette-and-drug-addicted runway models, anyone?), but because they are a size seen as privileged in current society they get a pass.

An obesity researcher at Rockefeller University proved this, finding that the human brain goes to great lengths to make sure the body its attached to maintains a steady, set weight, with about a 30-pound range for variation.

So what about this fat crisis? The headless bodies with big butts smeared across the TV news? The panic over Type 2 diabetes? What about the fat children?

Here’s the problem: so much of this “health information” has been transmitted as indisputable fact for so long it seems like someone forgot to do the actual science necessary to prove the dangers of fat. What science does

show is that fat people live longer than thin people, are more likely to survive cardiac events, and fat can actually protect against a number of infections and conditions. And what common sense shows is that BMI is stupid and arbitrary, because people are very

different shapes and carry weight differently. Muscles matter, too.

So what about the diets? You know, the $50 billion industry that’s making tons of people rich by pressuring you to lose weight you probably don’t even need to lose in the first place? The strategy that fails 95% of the time? Yeah, those diets. Don’t even bother.

Eat when you’re hungry, eat the healthiest foods you can, don’t stuff yourself and indulge in the occasional burger or piece of cheesecake. That’s the best “diet” there is, and yet we spend billions on pills and programs and preservative-filled processed meals, stacked in the freezer like little bland towers of sadness.

While the internet has let FA become a

movement, it has an opposite power as a sounding board for those hopelessly upset over their weight. It also gives power and a voice to jerks who shame them.

So now that the tan, sweaty shirtlessness of Gay Days is behind us, I’m reaching out to the community. Let’s give it a rest. Lower that judgmental eyebrow and instead, focus on eating well, healthy movement and feeling strong. This new mindset is hard. Once you’re paying attention, you’ll notice hundreds of messages, every day, telling us to hate fat.

But I can’t help but hope that should we shift energy from shaming fat people over to fighting for LGBT rights, maybe everyone could enjoy a new level of acceptance. | l |

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On May 30, my friend Claudia Asbury died from lymphoma. Claudia was an accomplished Broadway dancer,

choreographer, and director. She was a star that had shown brightly on the New York City stage and around the world, and who had worked with many acclaimed stars of the stage and screen. I am in awe of Claudia’s impressive accomplishments and take every opportunity to brag about her. But this column is not about her career accomplishments, it is about the love and pride among a special group of friends.

In 2001, Claudia fell madly in love and left the Big Apple for Florida, making a happy home in Orlando with the love of her life, Joyce Ducas. Here in Orlando, Claudia generously (and always modestly) lent her time and considerable talents to the local community. My partner, Vicki, and I first met Claudia at an HRC social event where she was recruiting dancers for a show. We humbly declined the invitation, but during the conversation she modestly explained that she had danced on Broadway and in movies.

We pumped her for more information, learning that she had worked with Liza Minnelli, Bernadette Peters, Francis Ford Coppola and more. We were star struck, but we soon discovered that there was far more to Claudia Asbury than a dazzling resume.

At another event a few weeks later, we ran into Claudia again and we met Joyce. We immediately adored the way the two of them interacted as a couple—so comfortable, affectionate, and respectful. And funny! They were perfectly cast in their love story. We discovered that we had mutual friends, Kathryn and Deena, and not long after that the six of us all got together for dinner at our house. The rest, as they say, is history.

That first night we all got together, Deena kicked back in our lounger, hoisted her drink in the air, and declared “I have been waiting all my life to hang out with a whole pack of cool lesbians!” The “Sixpack” was born. We became an inseparable pack of friends who had the most incredible fun together, and just completely “got” each other, as couples and as individuals. I loved Claudia’s dry yet hilarious sense of humor, her single syllable laugh, her dancer’s walk, her calmness and inner peace, her talent for cutting to the chase of any situation. Claudia taught me to love old classic movies, to always wear black in NYC, to always chill the vodka, and to never let anyone discourage me from doing the things that I wanted to do.

The Sixpack took on another identity after the 2008 election, with the passage of Amendment 2. We were all devastated and we gathered to console each other. I recounted how someone I knew had actively supported Amendment 2 and condemned my relationship with Vicki as “aberrant.” Claudia was incensed, her cheeks flaming as red as her famous hair as she leapt to her feet and swore to avenge me. The rest of the pack zealously concurred. We then made a pact that the six of us would always have each others’ backs and that anybody who dared to mess with one of us would soon find that they had messed with all of us, and they would be sorry. Claudia coined us “The Lesbian Avengers.” And it was no joke. (Well, sometimes it was a joke, when we put on our Avengers masks and bracelets and “struck a pose.”)

Claudia became ill in the fall of 2009. She was in and out of the hospital, many times perilously close to death, from October

through January. She was finally diagnosed with Stage 4 lymphoma and embarked on a course of chemotherapy that would last five months. Claudia’s diagnosis brought the six of us even closer as friends,

and I spent precious time with Claudia that never would have happened otherwise. When Claudia was not in the hospital, she was still in an extremely weakened condition and was homebound. I developed a habit of going to see her at lunchtime, taking her whatever food she requested (usually a turkey and ham sub, with lots of extra Miracle Whip!), walking their sweet dogs, and then sitting and talking to her until she fell asleep in her chair. We talked about everything. It was wonderful. I

was reminded that the absolute best thing that you can do with a good friend is talk. I will always cherish those days spent talking to Claudia.

By May, Claudia finally began to show improvement. She was declared cancer-free and Joyce planned a celebration. However, on the very day we planned to toast her recovery with our favorite French champagne, Claudia was rushed to the hospital and an MRI revealed that the cancer had, in fact, spread to her brain. Just 16 days later, she would be gone.

Through those last days, Kathryn and Deena, and Vicki and I, were privileged to witness a profound devotion between Claudia and Joyce as they neared the end

of their life together. There was intimate, excruciating sorrow and grief. But there was also an amazing display of unwavering love and commitment between two partners who were passionately devoted until the very end. Claudia and Joyce’s 9-year love story was beautiful, inspiring and altogether too brief. It ended on a Sunday morning when Claudia took her last breath enfolded in Joyce’s loving arms.

For the rest of my life, I will be proud to have called Claudia Asbury my friend. She was indeed a shining star. The world will miss her brilliant light. Her friends will miss her beautiful heart. | l |

Mary Meeks is an Orlando-based attorney.


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| June 10 - June 23, 201026

mailGorgeous GD Guide

Just a quick note to say that the GD 2010 Guide is gorgeous! Everything about it—the layout, the fonts, the colors—is fresh, fun and truly beautiful.Huge kudos on a job very well done!Tim CameresiSarasota

Disappointed in barWhile visiting a local bar in the Grand

Central District, it came to my attention that not all establishments support St. Pete Pride. I was shocked to learn that the bar—which will remain nameless—has been a thorn in the side of the amazing celebration taking place right in front of it every year. It has even refused to sign a petition to open up Central Avenue for the street festival.

It’s disappointing, especially since the previous owners were so involved in the state’s largest LGBT celebration. Needless to say, I won’t be returning to that Central Avenue dive.Joey D.St. Petersburg

Oil spill is Obama’s fault

Yes, President Obama is at fault for the slowness of the BP oil spill cleanup.

What did he do wrong? He listened to an oil company. He believed what they said and accepted their assurances. And here come the Republicans ready to set things right. The Republicans would never blindly follow the dictates of an oil company or just swallow their assurances at face value, would they? Of course not. So America can sleep better now, knowing that a political party that’s not afraid to take on Big Oil, is waiting in the wings to save the day.Martin StillerVia e-mail

DADT not over yet

After years of fighting to end this law, recent votes to repeal “DADT” are a thrilling step forward, not just for lesbian and gay service members—but for each and every American who believes in equality.

The most impactful thing to me is how repeal

will affect the men and women who are serving in silence now as well as those who desperately want to rejoin. Having come so far toward the repeal the law, we must not let up the pressure now. Polls show 78% of Americans favor ending DADT, yet the right-wing lobbying machine is still working night and day to hijack repeal before the full Senate votes.

As the fight moves to the full Senate, final victory is no sure thing. And we must continue to be vigilant.Joe SalmoneseHRC President

“The Republicans would never blindly follow the dictates of an oil company

or just swallow their assurances at face value, would they?”

—MaRTin STilleR

Send all correspondence to [email protected]. Letters may be edited for space or clarity. Opinions expressed in reader mail do not reflect those of Watermark’s staff.

A new poll will be posted to the homepage this week. Be sure to visit WatermarkOnline.com and let us know what YOU think!

2010 marks 20 years of Gay Days.

After all this time, the weekend is...

AT WATERmARkONLINE.COm, WE ASkED YOu:

50%

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Still a top draw and an asset to the local community.

Still a solid event, but stagnant, the same year after year.

Lacking some of the energy it used to have, feels like it peaked.

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Don’t be left out of the community conversation! Head over to WatermarkOnline.com, register and start telling us what YOU think!

On Going Straight Ministries in St. Pete:“I am a heterosexual, married (with 7 children), ordained minister with a master of Divinity degree from Emory university. I have studied the Bible in depth… but I disagree as to the trajectory it offers with respect to homosexuality. During the time frame it was written humans didn’t know how the reproduction process worked, how disease spread, how electricity worked… so there is little hope they would have understood sexual orientation.” —Pastor Gaye

On Mr. Sister’s, a new gay-friendly club planned for Orlando: “It’s about time! Someone needs to show Parliament House they’re not the only ones in town.” —jbjohn942

On Sarasota’s first Harvey Milk Festival: “The festival was incredible. The organizers put it together (for the first time in history) in 2 1/2 months. I know that I was proud to be part of it.” —Infamoustodd

21%


June 10 - June 23, 2010 | 27

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JEFFREY ROBERSON BRINGS HIS VARLA

JEAN MERMAN TO LAUGHTER IN

PARADISEsteve blanchard

When Jeffery Roberson answers his phone at his home in New Orleans, he’s

not sure which personality to express with the reporter on the telephone.

“Am I supposed to be talking to you as Varla?” he asks. “I’m still in makeup because I just got done shooting a video, but my voice is tired.”

That’s the life of Roberson, the handsome (and very hunky) professionally trained singer and actor who created the character of Varla Jean Merman in the early 1990s. What began as a fun way to express himself in the bars of New Orleans has turned into a full time gig that led to a show on LOGO, two performances at the Sydney Opera House in Australia and appearances on Project Runway and Ugly Betty.

While he lives in New Orleans most of the year, Roberson spends parts of his summer in Provincetown, where he performs a wildly successful show. Luckily for us, though, we don’t have to travel up the eastern seaboard to check out his take on drag and comedy. Roberson, as Varla, will headline St. Pete Pride’s Laughter in Paradise at the Sirata Beach Resort on Sunday, June 20, at 8 p.m. Also appearing is

ChristineOleary, who appeared at Laughter in Paradise in 2008.

“I’ve done a lot of Prides before and I’ve hosted New York City Pride a couple of times, but this will be my fi rst experience with St. Pete Pride,” he says. “I haven’t done a Pride in awhile because that’s the time of year I’m always getting my P-town show ready. So I’m really looking forward to this trip.”

Roberson wasn’t always an actor and performer. In fact, he had a regular 9-5 job until 1998, when he quit his well-paying job with an advertising fi rm to pursue his passion.

“Varla’s been performing for 10 years times two now,” Roberson says. “This is my career and this is what I’m supposed to do with my life.”

Roberson has seen St. Petersburg before. He performed at Georgie’s Alibi and fell in love with the area when he was put up in a resort overlooking the water. While Laughter in Paradise is a St. Pete Pride event, Roberson won’t be on hand for the St. Pete Pride Street Festival and Promenade on June 26.

“The Provincetown Film Festival is that weekend and I’m working up there for that, so I’ll miss the street festival,” Roberson says.

But anyone attending Laughter in Paradise will walk away with a large understanding of the larger-than-life Varla Jean—whether they have seen her perform before or not.

“I’m going to do some greatest hits and I’m going to do a lot of video stuff,” Roberson says with a hint of Varla reappearing in his voice. “There’s a lot in this performance that people haven’t seen yet and things from my brand new show. It’ll be a Varla Pu Pu sampler—a platter of everything.”

When Jeffery Roberson When Jeffery Roberson Wanswers his phone at his home in New Orleans, he’s Whome in New Orleans, he’s W

not sure which personality to express not sure which personality to express with the reporter on the telephone.with the reporter on the telephone.with the reporter on the telephone.

“Am I supposed to be talking to you “Am I supposed to be talking to you as Varla?” he asks. “I’m still in makeup because I just got done shooting a because I just got done shooting a

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Continued on page 34 | uu |

| June 10 - June 23, 201030

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June 10 - June 23, 2010 | 31 watermark | film

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time(Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Atherton, Ben Kingsley)★★★★★

It’s a mystical combo of Gladiator and Indiana Jones. It’s also a pretty dismissible videogame-based fl ick loaded

with some very impressive stunt work. Gyllenhaal is the adopted son of the king

of Persia. He and his older brothers travel to subdue a rogue city in the empire. In that dessert town, Gyllenhaal uncovers a nefarious plot to acquire a mystical dagger that can turn back time. Who’s responsible for this fantastic subterfuge: one of the two noble but hotheaded brothers or creepy uncle Kingsley?

This mystery completely lacks surprise and uniqueness, so the entertainment has to come from the adrenaline-fueled action. Here’s where Prince of Persia shines. There are still a few overblown effects, but most of the excitement comes from good, old-fashioned fi ght choreography. This movie is fi lled with a fresh take on the kind of intricate, elaborate stunts Hollywood has provided for decades.

You can tell that Gyllenhaal and the other actors went through months of training. They climb walls, do standing back fl ips, and dash across rooftops with a grace and ease that may remind you of West Side Story.

So, yes, the plot is dusty, and the dialogue is extraordinarily dry. Also, the editing jumps around a bit, playing with time like that magical dagger. However, the battles are elaborate and beautiful dances. So—both in its shallow tone and impressive physique—Prince of Persia defi es gravity.

MacGruber(Starring Will Forte, Kristen Wiig, Ryan Phillippe, Val Kilmer)★★★★★

Tick…tick…tick….fphfttt.There are only a couple explosively funny

moments in this scattershot parody.The 1980s TV series MacGyver is a

supremely easy target for a spoof; it had that cheesy style and a dumb do-it-yourself premise. What’s more, Forte has been playing the character for a couple years on Saturday

Night Live. However, almost all of the jokes here completely fail.

After a wedding day tragedy, MacGruber (Forte) goes into hiding. When an evil mastermind (Kilmer) steals a warhead, the hero has to come out of retirement to save the world. In other words, it’s an achingly typical plot.

So, what does work in Forte’s invention? A couple jokes are so funny—so well-delivered—that you may stop breathing from laughing so hard. These bits of brilliance give you hope that there might be a hilarious idea in there somewhere.

Sadly, the rest of the fi lm is Val Kilmer stumbling through a boring villain role. Wiig is mostly wasted as MacGruber’s love interest. And poor Ryan Phillippe is screwed over in one of the dullest roles in movie history.

This leaves the goofy gimmicks up to Forte’s moody character, who only intermittently cobbles together something genuinely worth a laugh. Other times, Forte is shoving vegetables up his bum and stretching

out embarrassing moments beyond audience tolerance. Like his hero,

Forte makes something out of nothing, but his something isn’t really worth a whole lot.

Sex and the City 2(Starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Chris Noth)★★★★★

The Sex and the City girls go to Abu Dhabi. In real

life—even in the modern Middle East—they’d be stoned to death the minute they stepped off the plane. For this offensive fi lm, they deserve a strong verbal stoning.

This time, Sarah Jessica Parker is bored with her second year of matrimony to Mr. Big (Noth). Nixon hates her job, Cattrall has hit menopause, and Davis is a little sick of the kids. These supposed feminists run off to the Arabian sands to explore their angst. Instead of being funny and groundbreaking, they all sound spoiled, vapid, selfi sh and narrow-minded.

It’s perfectly fi ne to make a fi lm based on audience fantasy, and that’s primarily what SatC2 aims to do. The clothes are silly haute couture. Both the City and the Middle East are glittery and mysterious. Financially and socially, everyone here is upper echelon.

However, most of the scenes have an undercurrent of degrading tokenism. SatC2 knows it has a gay following, so it hosts an insultingly campy man-on-man nuptial. For the more materialistic moviegoer, product placement abounds: Apple, BMW, Chanel. For the horny housewife, a half-naked Australian rugby team serves as soft porn. Women are given jewelry, cars and exotic trips based on their looks. Most offensively, to placate American audiences, the misogyny of the Middle East is mined for punch lines. Burqa jokes, anyone?

It almost makes you want to claim a jihad on the writers. | l |

screened outSUMMERTIME BLAHS

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Hollywood hotties Jake Gyllenhaal and Gemma Atherton add some action to Prince of Persia.

Sarah Jessica Parker should have fl ed Sex and the City 2.

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Getting bombarded with Bible verses condemning same-sex relationships is no longer regulated to Pride events.

Religious arguments decrying homosexuality in politics and on cable news channels have become the norm. But who actually checks out these verses?

Like most of the gay community, lesbian filmmaker Ky Dickens has been besieged with Bible references in order to marginalize the sanctity of same-sex relationships. Spanning 20 states, countless conversations with clergy of all denominations and her local LGBT community, Dickens dissected the seven key Bible passages that are used to condemn homosexuality and created the film, Fish Out of Water.

By combining original animation, LGBT narratives and academic interviews, the film attempts to break down the procreation argument, the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, the passages of Leviticus, the writings of Paul in Romans, Corinthians, and Timothy and what “natural” and “sexual immorality” really meant in the first century.

What was your intention when you made this movie?

So many people use the Bible as a way to condemn the gay lifestyle but so few people understand what the Bible actually says on the topic. Almost every anti-gay message in society is rooted in the religious texts. We’ve all heard them.

After learning that the seven Bible verses used to condemn homosexuality have been grossly misinterpreted and/or taken out of context, I thought it was important to expose that information in an entertaining way so that LGBTQ people and our allies can engage in an informed debate around this issue and disarm those who try to harm our community with religion.

What prompted you to include animation in the film?

Animation was integral to my early vision. Talking about religion and homosexuality can be boring and dusty. Not only that but

it can be extremely polarizing and off-putting. Animation was key to bringing these Bible verses to life, making them accessible and removing the built-in fear factor that some people experience when talking about the Bible. About 50% of the film is animated and this helps keep the topic light and entertaining it also helps folks to remember the academic information that is being handed to them in the film. After watching the Sodom and Gomorrah story unfold as a cartoon, it’s almost impossible to forget what that story is really about. And it’s not about us fabulous queers!

Have you received any backlash from the movie?

There have been a few folks who get angry and walk out of screenings but that is to be expected. I think this film really makes people rethink everything that they’ve ever been taught, which can be very uncomfortable and scary for people. Overall, the film has been embraced by not just the LGBTQ community but also by the the religious community. Outside of film festivals, we’ve been screening the movie in more church basements than in gay community centers. I’ve found there are

many Christians who are loving and inclusive and have been looking for opportunities to erase the damage that has been done by the church and [they feel] Fish Out of Water gives them an opportunity to finally stand up and do so.

You mentioned Rev. Phelps in a

previous interview and how his on-camera persona differed from to off-camera. In your firsthand opinion, do you believe his rants are just an act to fuel the “public” fire or his true feelings?

For the life of me, I can’t figure out the Phelps family. We spent a day with them in Chicago when they were protesting President Obama’s former church. They were so hostile and venomous when the camera was on but when the camera was off, they felt like normal people. It was a hot day and they were constantly asking us if we wanted a juice box

watermark | film

reeling ‘em inLesbian fiLmmaker ky Dickens investiGates what the bibLe really says about beinG Gay in Fish Out OF Water. erik caban

Watching the Sodom and Gomorrah story unfold as a cartoon makes it impossible to forget that story

isn’t about us fabulous queers!

June 10 - June 23, 2010 | 33

or string cheese. They were telling us about their kids’ track meets and school projects. It was weird to witness that dichotomy. I don’t know what their intention is by being so public and energized around hate and condemnation.

However, I will tell you this. They have indirectly helped the gay community more than they’ve hurt us. Because they stood out there with “Gods Hates Fags” signs and things, America became aware of religious fueled homophobia and the Phelps family became the poster children for the hatred. This catalyst led people to look deeper at these issues and try

harder to reach out to the gay community with love and understanding.

Besides Rev. Phelps, did you encounter any negative responses or ministers that simply would not participate?

I recently read that 68% of protestant clergy believe that LGBTQ people should be fully included in all aspects of church life. However, only 7% of these clergy have said so publicly. I wasn’t shocked when I read this statistic because in all honesty, most ministers that I met were excited to talk to me about this topic

in order to set the record straight. However, many of the same ministers

might not get up in the pulpit and say so in front of their congregation. We interviewed an all-straight group of clergy and scholars from every denomination. All of them felt that they were in the majority in their thinking on this issue. Right now, the largest problem is that clergy will not believe out loud. They are too concerned with keeping unity and peace in their congregations.

In the fi lm, you state that one of the reasons you attended Vanderbilt University in Tennessee was to meet a woman like that of Mary Stuart Masterson’s character in the movie, Fried Green Tomatoes. So, have you found your “Idgie Threadgoode?”

What a great question. I have found a few along the way. I am currently dating a wonderful woman. She’s an actress and a strong, energetic, loving person. We fell in love while working on Fish out of Water. I asked her to help me produce the fi lm when I saw the work she did on another documentary. She came on board and soon after we became involved.

Are you out to your family? I came out to my family about 10 years

ago. When I came out to my dad, he started weeping. I remember thinking, “Oh, great. This is so textbook. Now he’s going to start asking offensive questions about what made me this way.” I let him cry and stare at me for

a few minutes and then I asked him if he was okay.

He said, “I can’t believe that you doubted my love for you. Do you really think there is anything you could tell me that would make me stop loving you?”

Then he proceeded to ask if I had a girlfriend and when I told him that I was dating someone, he asked me to get her on the phone. I called up my girlfriend at the time and he asked her to take me out for drinks and throw me a coming out party. It was so sweet and loving. My mom was a different story. She wasn’t upset for religious reasons. She was just confused and unearthed because I was her only daughter, had long blonde hair, was in a sorority and on the homecoming court. She couldn’t imagine that I, her “only girl,” would be gay.

I think she was fearful about what people would think of her and our family. She wanted me to change and I think she felt pretty sickened by the whole thing. We defi nitely had a rough few years. However, she’s completely turned around now and she’s always selling t-shirts at my events and asking my gay friends to do water aerobics with her. It is funny how time can change people. | l |

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see+hearWhat: Fish Out of WaterMore Info: FishOutOfWaterFilm.com

Lesbian fi lmmaker Ky Dickens investigates the Bible’s take on homosexuality in her fi lm, Fish Out of Water. | Photo courtesy of Flynnworks

Fish Out of Water incorporates original animation and academic interviews to dissect Bible verses pertaining to same-sex relationships. | Photo courtesy of Flynnworks

Fish Out of Water

| June 10 - June 23, 201034

For the uninitiated, Varla Jean Merman claims to be the product of the unsuccessful, 38-day marriage between songstress Ethel Merman and actor Ernest Borgnine. When she was introduced to the bars of New Orleans, Roberson knew he had a hit on his hands.

“In New Orleans, people dress up in costume for any occasion and drink for no reason,” Roberson says. “That breeds a lot of creativity and some glittery hangovers. Being around so many outrageous characters has influenced me, and now I’m one of ‘em!”

The following he has cultivated has brought about countless music videos (check out Varla Jean’s YouTube channel) and film and television offers from around the world.

“I’m fortunate to go to so many places all of the time,” Robertson says. “I get in on their jokes and I get to meet some incredible people. Australia is amazing and it actually feels far away. It’s this weird America in a different dimension.”

But America is where Varla Jean is the most well known and doing Pride events like the one in St. Pete comes with the territory of being an LGBT icon—although she wouldn’t mind it being somewhat cooler in June.

“In New Orleans it’s too hot to be proud in June,” Roberson says. “It’s hilarious, for a long time we didn’t have Pride here and we had it in October. But I understand the connection between June and the Stonewall Riots. It makes sense and I respect that.”

Despite all of his travels, the actor is happy to call New Orleans home and he

plans to stay there throughout his life. In fact, he owns a home there and says the LGBT community there is thriving.

“After Katrina, the LGBT community never really left,” he says. “The tourists left in a lot of ways but we have stuck it out here and that’s why New Orleans has come back.”

Add personalities like Roberson’s into the mix and you have a thriving, entertaining community that has become and LGBT destination.

“I’m always out of town during Southern Decadence,” Roberson says. “When I come home on the Monday after, it’s all about the hangovers. I went out last year and everyone looked not-so-fresh. Oh, and if you’re out on Ash Wednesday, forget it.

No proper lady goes out then. You can’t be drinking hand over fist with an ash mark on your forehead.”

While Roberson is talkative as himself, his female counterpart was itching to discuss her upcoming appearance at Laugher in Paradise. For that interview, pick up the 2010 St. Pete Pride program wherever Watermark is distributed.

For more information, visit StPetePride.com or VarlaOnline.com. | l |

see+hearWhat: Laughter in ParadiseWho: Varla Jean Merman and ChristineOlearyWhen: 8 p.m., Sunday, June 20Where: Sirata Beach Resort, 5300 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete BeachTickets: StPetePride.com

“It’ll be a Varla Pu Pu sampler—a platter of

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referrIng to hIs uPcomIng Performance as Varla Jean merman

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Actor Jeffery Roberson (left) created his alter ego, Varla Jean Merman (right), in the 1990s.

| uu | Varla Jean Merman from p.29

June 10 - June 23, 2010 | 35

watermarkJun10fl.indd 1 6/7/2010 6:58:23 AM

| June 10 - June 23, 201036 watermark | event planner

Tyra SanchezTyra Sanchez will be on hand for the

first-ever North Pinellas Pride June 18-20 in Dunedin.

art[ST. PETERSBURG]Clay PrideThe Craftsman House gallery is taking on Gay Pride month in its own unique way with Clay Pride, an exhibit of colorful ceramics. The opening reception is Saturday, June 12, at 5 p.m. Artists all embrace the “clay lifestyle” and include Posey Bacopoulos, Natalie Blake, Branan Mercer, Neil Patterson and Joyce Sloanim. For more information visit CraftsmanHouseGallery.com or call 727-323-2787.

film[ST. PETERSBURG]Stonewall UprisingJune is Pride month thanks to some very brave New Yorkers at a bar in 1969. Now, you can get the full story when MyQmunity, FORGE and the L Train Bar and Theater screen the new documentary Stonewall Uprising. The film features footage of the historic Stonewall Riots and interviews with patrons and police offers who were there that historic night. Scheduled to appear at the L Train, 900 Central Ave., Suite 25B, is Raymond Castro of Madeira Beach, who was arrested at Stonewall on June 28, 1969. He will take questions after the film. Proceeds benefit St. Pete Pride. For more information visit ForgeFl.org or StPetePride.com.

[WINTER PARK]King Kong vs. GodzillaEnzian presents a clash of the greyscale titans when they screen King Kong vs. Godzilla as part of their Popcorn Flicks in the Park series. The film rolls at 8 p.m. June 10 at Central Park in Winter Park. Just show up with a blanket—Popcorn Flicks are free to the public.

music[TAMPA]Harmonia MundiUna Voce: The Florida Men’s Chorale presents Harmonia Mundi—A Journey of Voices at several locations throughout Tampa Bay June 12-20. The performance is an evening of choral music from around the world, featuring songs from Schubert’s Hirtenchor to Laurdisen’s Dirait-on. The group performs at 8 p.m., Saturday, June 12 at the First Presbyterian Church in St. Petersburg; 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 13 at the Trinity Presbyterian Church in Clearwater; 8 p.m. on Saturday, June 19 at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Tampa; and 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 20 at the United Methodist Church in Seminole Heights. For more information and tickets, visit Una-Voce.org.

[TAMPA]Mark Vaughan KayLocal performer Mark Vaughan Kay will present songs from his debut album at a special live show at Streetcar Charlie’s in Ybor City at 8 p.m. on Friday, June 18. Kay, who many know as a bartender at Flamingo Resort, will also play some older songs and some new tracks he’s never played before. The album will be available for pre-orders and T-shirts and posters will also be available.

[ORLANDO]Dr. Dave’s Karaoke TherapyDr. David Baker-Hargrove has two appointments for karaoke goodness this month. Dr. Dave’s Karaoke Therapy will run from 5–9 p.m. at The Peacock Room on June 11 and June 18. No cover.

theater[ORLANDO]ChicagoCheck out all that jazz this month, when Chicago comes to the Bob Carr Performing

Arts Centre. Showtime is 8 p.m. June 15–20, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday and a 1 p.m. matinee on Sunday. Ticket prices range from $34-$65 at ticketmaster.com.

[ST. PETERSBURG]Prelude to Pride: The Lady in QuestionTampa Bay-based actor and comedian Matt McGee will play Lady Gertrude Garnet in the funny Charles Busch play The Lady in Question at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, June 21. The Suncoast AIDS Theatre Project’s Prelude to Pride is a spoof of a “damsel in distress vs. the Nazis” scenario and is sure to bring in plenty of laughs—and donations for Metro Wellness and Community Centers. For more information visit StPetePride.com.

[WINTER PARK]Son of a Preacher Man or How Barry Manilow Saved My LifeNumber one “Fanilow” Kevin Kelly presents a must-see cabaret where he’ll talk about growing up different in a stridently religious family, set to the backdrop of a Barry Manilow score. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. June 11 and 12 with a second 9:30 p.m. performance on June 12, at the Winter Park Playhouse. Tickets are $15 and available by calling 407-645-0145.

special events[ALTAMONTE SPRINGS]Vino Java and BrewHope and Help of Central Florida will benefit from an evening of wine, beer and coffee tastings paired with appetizers and desserts. Vino Java and Brew is June 10 from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. at the Robb and Stucky in Altamonte Springs. Tickets are $45. To get yours, contact Julie Noda at Hope and Help by calling 407-645-2577 or emailing [email protected]..

[SARASOTA]All Women’s Out to Dance IIIt’s a dance party for a good cause when the All Women’s Out to Dance II event comes to the Bobby Jones Country Club on June 12. DJ Joseph will spin from 8 p.m.–midnight and tickets are $10 at the door.

[ORLANDO]Tatianna/Toga PartyContestant Tatianna from RuPaul’s Drag Race makes her way to the Parliament House on June 19 where she’ll host a toga party. She’ll be a featured performer in the evening’s stage shows. There is a $10 cover, plus the opportunity to buy a toga at the Creative Toga Making Station in advance of the toga contest at 1 a.m. on the pool stage. Call 407-425-7571 for show reservations. Seating is limited.

Taste of Mills 50Bring some cash and an empty stomach to the Mills 50 neighborhood on June 12 for the Taste of Mills 50 event. It will feature Mills 50 vendors, restaurants and performers from 7 p.m. –11 p.m., with a pub crawl from 10 p.m. – 2 a.m. The main event is at Say It Loud in the Orange Studio 4 Rent.

[DUNEDIN]North Pinellas PrideThe first-ever North Pinellas Pride is June 18-20 and includes everything from an outdoor festival to pool parties and drag shows. Several local bands will perform throughout the weekend and special guests—including Tyra Sanchez of RuPaul’s Drag Race—will be on hand for special appearances. For more information and a full schedule, visit NorthPinellasPride.com.

Got an event you’d like to see listed in Watermark? At least two to four weeks in advance, send all pertinent info—date, time, place, cost, contact information for readers to get more details, and what the event is about—to [email protected], and we will feature it in the paper on a space-available basis.

Kevin KellyActor Kevin Kelly will tall audiences How Barry Manilow Saved his Life on June 12-13 at the Winter Park Playhouse

Matthew McGeeMatthew McGee will perform

Charles’ Busch’s Lady in Question as part of Prelude to Pride at

American Stage on June 21 in St. Petersburg.

June 10 - June 23, 2010 | 37

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Roman Gardens sees management shiftDetails are still sketchy, but it looks as though Roman Gardens in Gulfport is under new management. The Italian eatery and bar, located at the corner of Beach Street and Shore Boulevard in the very LGBT-friendly city, closed suddenly earlier this month. Paige Chafin, owner, originally opened her restaurant in the Grand Central District. About a year ago she relocated to Gulfport and added a rooftop bar overlooking the water. Rumor has it that Chafin is in negotiations to sell at least part of her share in the bar, which caused the temporary closure. In early June, an already-planned ProSuzy event prompted the reopening of the establishment, and employees and several volunteers stepped in to make sure the women were content. Since then the restaurant has reworked its menu, booked new entertainment and may change its theme. Stay tuned.

Artists earn another awardArtists Scott Durfee and George Medeiros are at it again. The owners of Spathose can add more bragging rights to their

trophy case. The couple’s “Scarlet Letter” has been accepted into the online “Break the Silence Project,” which encourages the exploration of issues surrounding sexual violence through creative means. The pair earned a Judge’s Award of Merit in Manatee Art Center’s “Flashback—A 60s Revolution” show with the same submission. For more information or to see the Spathose artwork, visit Spathose.com.

New bar to open in ClearwaterPinellas County is getting another LGBT bar. Tru Lounge is slated to be an upscale LGBT night spot that features tapas, sushi, California pizza and other delectable treats for the palate. No opening date has been announced as of yet, but the venue’s web site, TheTruLounge.com, will share details soon. More information is also available via Facebook and the restaurant already had nearly 200 contacts after just a week of the profile launch. It’s sure to be a new high-end attraction for LGBTs and allies from both sides of the bay. The bar will be at 2325 Ulmerton Road in the Feather Sound area.

tampa bay overheard

Got juicy gossip or amazing event photos? E-mail the dish or your photos (with full names of everyone pictured and event details) to [email protected]

1- Macaviti walks the carpet at the GaYbor White Party during Memorial Day weekend

2- More than 50 women attended the Island Seafood Mingle in St. Petersburg on May 26.

3- Miss Samantha shows off her patriotic side during the Memorial Day T-Dance at the

Flamingo Resort.

4- The newly crowned Miss St. Pete Pride receives her crown at Pepperz in Gulfport on

June 6.

5- Former contestants of RuPaul’s Drag Race perform at Georgie’s Alibi on May 30.

6- Mark Ferguson recently celebrated his birthday at Hamburger Mary’s—and

throughout Ybor City.

12

3shot on site Photos by Steve Blanchard, OxImages, Carrie West

56

4

June 10 - June 23, 2010 | 39

Backstage and onstage with La RiversOrlando comedian Jeff Jones performed with Joan Rivers at Hard Rock Live on Friday night during Gay Days Weekend, and the night before in Jacksonville. They bonded when the notoriously foul-mouthed comedian told Jones she wanted him to do a “cleaner” show. “You can have one ‘fuck’ and one ‘asshole’,” Rivers told him. “That sums up my dating life for the last two years,” Jones responded. At Hard Rock Rivers introduced Jones as, “the best opening act… in his price range.” When she took the stage, the 76-year-old legend was bawdy and brutal. On Tom Cruise: “He’s been in the closet so long I’d give him to Goodwill.” On Chastity Bono: “She was ugly as a girl. She’s ugly as a man. She’d be ugly as a farm animal.”

Magic MomentThe Orlando Youth Alliance hosted groups from Miami and Lakeland during Gay Days Weekend, offering more than 40 LGBT youths their first glimpse at the sea of red t-shirts at the Magic Kingdom on Saturday. Walt Disney World PRIDE offered support. “It’s just amazing to see two men or two women walking around here holding hands,” said one.

Local talent shines at PHThe Parliament House had plenty of star power throughout the weekend: Debbie Gibson, Frenchie Davis, Blake Lewis, close to three dozen porn stars representing five different studios, and a foam party in the back parking lot. But attendees seemed just as dazzled by PH’s very own Footlight Players, who performed numbers from Glee, Lady Gaga and others. At the end of one performance, Armani jumped from the stage right into the swimming pool… in full drag. The huge crowd roared.

Rip Ride RescueThe Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster open during Stratosphere Party is scary to start with—an immediate 10-story vertical incline followed by a big downhill and all kinds of loops and twists through buildings and above Universal Studios Orlando. So imagine what it was like for those stranded on the coaster for close to a half hour at around 10 p.m. during the party. Fortunately, no one was on the vertical incline… or upside down on one of the loops. And the technical glitch didn’t seem to deter anyone— some road the amazing coaster as many as 10 times.

orlando overheard

Got juicy gossip or amazing event photos? E-mail the dish or your photos (with full names of everyone pictured and event details) to [email protected]

watermark | orlando out+about

shot on site Photos by Scottie Campbell, Rick Claggett, Tom Dyer, Dan Higgins, Jake Stevens and RickyJohnsonPhotography.com

1– Comedian Jeff Jones brought his funny to the big time when he opened for Joan Rivers’ June 4 performance at

Hard Rock Live.

2– Parliament House stage show performers raised the heat and brought down the house for GD2010.

3– Realtor David Dorman leads Volcano Joe and the Hot Lava band during their performance at the May 28 slow food

event at Loews Royal Pacific Resort.

4 – John Sullivan and Greg McGuigan (left) were the winners of an unofficial, completely unbiased Best Dressed

Award at the June 5 Stratosphere party. They’re pictured with Sam Singhaus and Scottie Campbell.

5– Bikinis and board shorts were the uniform at the Girls in Wonderland Pool Party June 4 at the Marriott Village.

6– Even the Let’s Go Play party at Typhoon Lagoon isn’t immune to the influence of Jersey Shore, as this group proved by donning their bandanas to party on June 4.

6 5 4

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| June 10 - June 23, 201040

June 10 - June 23, 2010 | 41 June 10 - June 23, 2010 | 41

steve blanchardFostering some recognitionS t . P e t e M a y o r B i l l F o s t e r ’ s r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h P r i d e i s f r i e n d l y , b u t n o t w a r m

St. Petersburg | Despite bringing nearly 100,000 people to the Grand Central District of the city every June, former St. Pete Mayor Rick Baker

never acknowledged St. Pete Pride. He refused to sign the proclamation and was even seen leaving the council chambers when it was read.

Many in the LGBT community hoped things would change when a new mayor was elected last fall. Since Bill Foster took offi ce in January, things have changed—at least in some regard.

“Unlike past years the current mayor has actively stepped into expedite solutions to small problems that naturally arise during events of this size,” said St. Pete Pride co-chair Scott Turner. “We have an active two-way line of communication open with the mayor and look forward to his personal involvement in Pride as his schedule allows.”

In 2009, during a town hall meeting hosted by St. Pete Pride at the King of Peace Metropolitan Community Church, then-mayoral candidate Foster told the audience that he would not support Pride and that when he attended in the past he was “disappointed” in some of the behavior he saw.

Since then, however, Foster campaigned directly to the LGBT community when he spoke with local LGBT business owners at Georgie’s Alibi in September. Earlier this month he placed a welcome letter in the offi cial St. Pete Pride Program. While the letter invites attendees to explore the city, it never uses the words “Gay,” “LGBT” or “Pride.” The letter does mention diversity and it’s the fi rst time the mayor’s offi ce has even acknowledged the massive outdoor event. Continued on page 48 | uu |

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June 10 - June 23, 2010 | 43 watermark | st. pete pride

What brought you to St. Pete? My partner and I visited in May of last year

and we fell in love with the area immediately.

How did you get involved with St. Pete Pride? I actually have a long history of volunteering

in the community, so when my partner and I moved here in October 2009, we jumped right in as volunteers. When the opportunity came open in March to be the Executive Director, I jumped at it.

In previous years, there has been the usual handful of protestors. Are you expecting the same this year?

As with most LGBT Pride festivities, you often have protestors. We always plan for the possibility and we remind attendees to the festival that it’s best to not respond to them—it only makes their voices louder. We strive to present ourselves in a positive light and professional manner, accepting of all people. By doing this, we counter their shouts of hate even greater than shouting back.

Have you noticed a growth in LGBT families at the pride events?

Even though this is my fi rst year with Pride, I have noticed an increase in the questions I get from people about family events. We work hard to make sure that we offer events for everyone in the community. We are a diverse community of singles, couples, families, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender. It is our effort to make sure that all feel welcome and have the ability to enjoy Pride!

St. Pete Pride seems to grow each year. What are the contributing factors to its success?

We have a great team of board members and volunteers who work very hard to make sure that St. Pete Pride is like no other, not to mention the natural beauty that our area provides its guests. Who can beat over 80,000 LGBT people, the Florida sun and wonderful entertainment?

Mayor Foster is rumored to have been acknowledging St. Pete Pride. That would mark the fi rst time a St. Pete mayor has acknowledged St. Pete Pride, correct? What role if any, will Mayor Foster play at St. Pete Pride?

Mayor Foster wrote a welcome letter to participants, which is published in the St. Pete Pride program. In addition, the city council has continued to support our event and the LGBT people of St. Petersburg. You can also fi nd many letters from our representatives along with the city proclamation in the St. Pete Pride program.

What is your favorite St. Pete Pride memory?

Well I haven’t been through one yet, so that’s hard to answer that, but I’m sure that this year’s event will become one of my favorite memories of all time.

Don’t forget to join us on Thursday, June 10 at 3 p.m. at City Hall as the council members read the offi cial proclamation in their chambers. The annual tradition will offi cially launch St. Pete Pride 2010 and those attending are encouraged to wear rainbow regalia. | l |

For the past 40 years, the last weekend of June commemorates an important moments in LGBT history. Thousands of people take to the streets every year to celebrate our right to express sexual orientation and gender identity in a safe and accepting environment.

We honor the bravery of the Stonewall rioters with a parade on the last Saturday of June. What began in a few large cities—New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago—in 1970 has since become an integral key to the solidarity of our community across the nation.

Now in its eighth year, St. Pete Pride has become the largest pride event in Florida. What started as a few thousand native Floridians celebrating on a couple of city blocks along the city’s Grand Central District has become an international attraction, spanning eight blocks and attracting tens of thousands of people.

With more than 80,000 people expected to be in attendance this year, we wanted to know what to expect and how this Pride event is becoming more accepted not only by LGBT families but also community leaders.

North Carolina native Chris Rudisill, the Executive Director of St. Pete Pride, gave us a peek behind the rainbow curtain.

For more information and a full schedule of events, visit StPetePride.com.

St. Pete Pride seems to grow each year. What are the contributing factors to its

over 80,000 LGBT people, the Florida

been acknowledging St. Pete Pride. That would mark the fi rst time a St. Pete mayor has acknowledged St. Pete Pride, correct? What role if any, will Mayor Foster

Mayor Foster wrote a welcome letter to participants, which is published in the St. Pete Pride program. In addition, the city council has continued to support our event and the LGBT people of St. Petersburg. You can also fi nd many letters from our representatives along with the city proclamation in the St. Pete Pride

What is your favorite St. Pete Pride

Well I haven’t been through one yet, so that’s hard to answer that, but I’m sure that this year’s event will become one of my

Don’t forget to join us on Thursday, June 10 at 3 p.m. at City Hall as the council members read the offi cial proclamation in their chambers. The annual tradition will offi cially launch St. Pete Pride 2010 and those attending are encouraged

or the past 40 years, the last weekend of June commemorates an important moments in LGBT history. Thousands of people take to the streets every year to celebrate our right to express sexual orientation and gender identity in a safe and accepting environment.

We honor the bravery of the Stonewall rioters with a parade on the last Saturday of June. What began in a few large cities—New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago—in 1970 has since

Now in its eighth year, St. Pete Pride has become the largest pride event in Florida. What started as a few thousand native Floridians celebrating on a couple of city blocks along the city’s Grand Central District has become an international attraction, spanning eight blocks and

With more than 80,000 people expected to be in attendance this year, we wanted to know what to expect and how this Pride event is becoming more accepted not only by LGBT families

North Carolina native Chris Rudisill, the Executive Director of St. Pete Pride, gave us a peek

a minute with...Chris RudisillEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ST. PETE PRIDE

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| June 10 - June 23, 201044

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26th Street Stage10:45 a.m.: Veronica edenSinger/songwriter Veronica Eden has a playlist of more than 170 songs and the ones she’ll pull out for St. Pete Pride is anyone’s guess. Her guitar skills mix with a soundtrack that will have everyone dancing in the streets.

11:15 a.m.: metro Wellness & community centerHear from the people who provide HIV/AIDS services to clients on both sides of Tampa Bay.

11:25 a.m.: Kelly neffIf you’ve ever been to one of the all-girl bars in St. Petersburg, you’ve run into Neff. The guitarist, songwriter and performer is a constant performer at places like The Hideaway,

12:15 p.m.: one World eclecticOWE is a group of actors and singers from all walks of life, religions and sexual orientations that volunteer to entertain at St. Pete Pride to express their desire for equality. Rumor has it they’re focusing on Broadway tunes this year.

12:45 p.m.: miss st. pete pride 2009Star Montrese will bring her energy and impersonation skills to the stage just a few weeks after turning over the crown to Miss St. Pete Pride 2010!

1 p.m.: silK HeatLeslie Kille, Chic Lisitano, Sweet Pea Jones, Linda Wallis and Rose Stauffer make up Silk Heat, which focuses on folk, rock and country tunes.

1:45 p.m.: rigHteously outrageous tWirling corpsThe men and women of ROTC know how to bring a crowd to its feet. The twirling troupe will no doubt have some amazing music to accompany their routine.

2:15 p.m.: ricKy WilcoxRicky Wilcox is a versatile and popular St. Pete musician with serious alternative rock credentials and power pop roots and has toured the US extensively as well as Japan, Germany, and Canada. His music has been featured on ABC’s All My Children.

2:45 p.m.: cassidy HaleyCassidy Haley’s music is directly connected to his upbringing by a Berkely-bred lesbian midwife and gay electric car maker from San Francisco. His costuming is almost as outrageous as his sound.

3:30 p.m.: immigrant punKHeaded by lesbian, Mexican immigrant Rocio Aranda, Immigrant Punk mixes Mexican folk music with hip hop and spiritual optimism. This is an act you won’t want to miss.

22th Street Stage11 a.m.: opening ceremonyHear from local politicians proclaiming June 26 St. Pete Pride day and get inspired by some impressive local leaders within our own community.

11:30 p.m.: roberts and VanstoneKim Roberts and Loretta Vanstone play acoustic renditions of covers and their own original material. They fuse rock, blues and funk to create an energizing sound perfect for Pride.

noon: sidetracKAcoustic cover band Sidetrack is led by LGBTs and has an impressive songlist. Listen closely and you’ll undoubtedly hear a favorite.

12:30 p.m.: cadenceThe group Cadence puts its own twist on popular tunes and incorporates a few originals into each show as well. It’ll be more than the Florida sun heating up the stage when this LGBT group takes over.

1 p.m.: meagan toWers and mr. and miss st. pete pride 2010St. Petersburg-based entertainer Meagan Towers will emcee as this year’s Mr. and Miss St. Pete Pride winners entertain the masses.

1:20 p.m.: forgeThe Florida Organization Regarding Gender Equality wants equal treatment for our transgender brothers and sisters. Take some time to listen to what this fairly new organization wants to accomplish and how you can pitch in to help it succeed.

1:30 p.m.: someday souVenirSomeday Souvenir became an instant hit when it arrived on Tampa Bay’s music scene almost two years ago. The group’s original songs weave contrasting vocal textures into a coherent pop-rock tapestry that quickly leaves an unforgettable mark on the eardrums

2:15 p.m.: six paK, teddy d, King aramis and dani panicIf you like male impersonation, don’t miss this act. All four performers—three of which were born biologically female—bring stars like Kid Rock and Michael Jackson to life with stunning staging and amazing costumes.

3 p.m. elysian sex driVeThe strong, self-penned material and spirited live shows, led by provocative front woman DeLaran, have earned ESD a dedicated following that’s as diverse as the group’s repertoire. Their sound is simultaneously a blend of rock, funk, alternative and world beat inspired tunes. | l |

St. Petersburg | Lesbian rockers, choirs, male vocalists and drag performers will invade Central Avenue for the 8th Annual St. Pete Pride Street Festival on June 26. The annual gathering is expected to bring a crowd of nearly 90,000 and once

again the festival will have two stages packed with entertainment all day long.The schedule is set and the performers are booked. Here is a look at that schedule and

when you can find your favorite entertainer. Remember, some times are scheduled to change—it is a gay event, after all.

staging areaDiverSe entertainment reflectS lGBt PriDesteve blanchard

| June 10 - June 23, 201046

It’s no coincidence that the theme of this year’s St. Pete Pride celebration is “Family.” While Pride is often linked to a

large-scale street party, a promenade, parties and plenty of shirtless men and bikini-clad women, St. Pete Pride has taken extensive measures to make sure families are welcome at its celebration.

For the past few years, a children’s play area has been available to families, and children nestled comfortably in strollers have become commonplace along Central Avenue.

But beyond that there’s a war raging in Florida against a 1977 law banning gay men and lesbians from adopting children in this state.

The law has been challenged in recent years thanks to rulings by several judges who have deemed the adoption ban unconstitutional. But the battle to repeal it is far from over. A war, of sorts, has been waged on two fronts, one with a much greater potential for success than the other.

Both the courts and the state legislature are involved.

The legal sideFlorida is the only state in the nation which

specifically prohibits gay men and lesbians from adopting children. It is a law which dates back to 1977 when then-beauty queen Anita Bryant crusaded to stop any and all measures to afford gay people mainstream rights.

Florida does allow gay men and lesbians to serve as foster parents, however, and recent rulings against the adoption ban give LGBT activists hope.

“We have a very good shot at ending the ban,” said Nadine Smith, executive director of Equality Florida. “The ACLU has done a great job demonstrating that there is no scientific or rational basis for Florida’s adoption ban.”

Smith is referring to the ACLU’s representation of Martin Gill, a 47-year-old flight attendant who, along with his partner, is seeking to adopt two brothers who were placed in his foster care by the Department of Health and Human Services in 2004. In this case, the state had begged Gill to take the two half brothers, ages 5 and 9, under his foster care on a Christmas Eve. Gill had been a registered foster parent for some time. At the time the children were placed under Gill’s care they were in extreme distress, according to Smith.

Today the boys have many friends in their North Miami neighborhood, are doing well in school, and are close with the couple’s extended family, which includes two doting grandmothers. A psychologist who evaluated

the boys recommended that it would be in the boys’ best interest to be adopted by Gill, testifying that it would be devastating for the boys to remove them from the home.

In November 2008, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Cindy Lederman found the Florida law to be unconstitutional and ordered the state to allow Gill and his partner to legally adopt the half brothers. Gill and his partner were lauded as exemplary foster parents by Department of Children and Families workers who testified at the trial.

“These children are thriving,” said Circuit Judge Cindy S. Lederman. “These words we don’t often hear within these walls. That’s uncontroverted. They’re a good family. They’re a family in every way except in the eyes of the law. These children have a right to permanency. There is no rational basis to preclude homosexuals from adopting.”

Lederman’s 31-page ruling in the Gill case was quickly appealed by the State of Florida to the Third District Court of Appeals. The court heard the case in August 2009 and a ruling is expected this summer. Many close to the case, however, feel that the ruling may be withheld in hopes that the issue is taken up by the legislature.

Florida never challenged Gill’s abilities as a parent or rebutted the idea that removing the boys from his care would be emotionally devastating to them. Instead, it defended the law. Florida Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Bill McCullum has said he will do all he can to defend the law.

Recently, a scandal involving George A. Rekers, a Southern Baptist minister who testified in defense of the law, broke in South Florida. The founding board member of the Family Research Council allegedly toured Europe with a male escort. The man who accompanied Rekers alleges that he paid him to provide sensual body robs in the nude.

Lederman had scathing words for Rekers. His testimony “was far from a neutral and unbiased recitation of the relevant scientific evidence,” she wrote. “Dr. Rekers’ beliefs are motivated by his strong ideological and theological convictions. … The court cannot consider his testimony to be credible nor worthy of forming the basis of public policy.”

The ACLU of Florida remains confident in Gill’s case.

“From the outset, the State was in a weird position,” says Robert F. Rosenwald, Jr. the ACLU attorney. “It only got more complicated when they tried to find experts. They were looking for serious scientists. They were told no serious scientists would testify on their behalf.”

Rosenwald, who is also the director of the ACLU’s LGBT Advocacy Project, said that he and his team put on the best case that science had to offer and refuted every one of the “bizarre rationales” offered by the State to support the ban.

“A positive decision in the intermediate appellate court would mean that we are one step closer to getting rid of this shameful law that treats gay people like second class citizens and denies homes to children who desperately

watermark | st. pete pride

Martin Gill, who wants to adopt his two foster children, reacts to a judge’s 2008 ruling that Florida’s law banning gays and lesbians from adopting is unconstitutional

waging the adoption warThe fIghT To repeal The sTaTe’s gay adopTIon ban Is foughT on Two fronTs

greg stemm


need them,” Rosenwald said.If the appellate court rules in favor of Gill,

an argument on appeal which might overturn the ban completely will then be heard by the Florida Supreme Court.

A second case pending in South Florida involves a lesbian couple seeking to adoptIn addition, a lower court in Key West found the Florida adoptions ban unconstitutional and allowed Wayne Smith, an openly gay man, to adopt. Since that lower court decision has not been appealed, an openly gay person in

Florida has already been allowed to adopt a child by the court in specific defiance of the law.

Lawmakers vs. Public OpinionMany lawmakers who are battling the

adoption ban say that too many fellow lawmakers are reluctant to even hear arguments against it, despite growing public opposition to the law.

“There has been a bill introduced to repeal the ban every year I have been in the state legislature, which means the last four years,” said Rick Kriseman (D-St. Petersburg), “but the bills haven’t even been heard in committee. As long as we have the current very conservative makeup of both the House and the Senate up here in Tallahassee, it is very unlikely that repeal of the ban will even be considered by lawmakers.”

Two recent bills, SB 102 and HB 3, were introduced by Sen. Nan Rich (D-Sunrise) and Rep. Mary Brandenburg (D-West Palm Beach to repeal the adoption ban. Nan said she has introduced a bill into each session for at least the past six or seven years.

Rich agreed with Kriseman, saying repealing the law would be difficult with the current legislature in place.

“The one time that the issue was aired in committee in 2006, there was overwhelming evidence from families, child advocacy groups, mental health professionals, and others that sexual orientation has no bearing whatsoever on whether and individual is

qualified to be a parent or not,” Rich said. Rich herself has a long list of accolades as a child advocate. She was awarded the Outstanding Community Partner Award in 2009 by the Department of Children and Families. In 2007 she received the Legislative Voice for Children Award by the Florida Guardian Ad Litem Association.

“A lot of members of the current legislature are bound up in ideology or their own personal religious beliefs,” said Rich. “The people of Florida are way ahead of them on this issue. The more people get to know families that are non-traditional in nature, including LGBT parents, the more they see that sexual orientation has nothing to do with whether you are a good parent.”

Equality Florida has led the fight to overturn the ban in the legislature. In 2004, Equality Florida was successful in getting the first bill aimed at repealing Florida’s anti-gay adoption ban introduced. Senator Mandy Dawson agreed to sponsor the bill and the Senate President Jim King has spoken publicly opposing the ban.

“In 2006, we introduced two bills, one that would repeal the ban outright and one

that would make it possible for foster parents who are already raising children to become permanent adoptive parents,” Smith said. “The 2006 bill came within one vote of passing its first senate committee before the Senate president ordered the measure ‘tabled,’ essentially killing the measure.”

According to Smith, public opinion polls show that 55% of Floridians are in favor of repealing of the ban.

“Equality Florida has organized to bring families to Tallahassee to put a human face on ending this ugly policy,” said Smith.

Recent studies show that about 22,000 Florida children are in state custody, with more than 4,000 of them eligible for adoption. Only two states have more foster children waiting to be adopted.

Smith encourages members of the LGBT community to get involved with the ongoing fight. For information on how to get involved in the fight to end the adoption ban, visit EQFL.org/AdoptEquality. | l |

Rep. Rick Kriseman (D-St. Petersburg) has pushed for repealing the adoption ban, but says too many members of the legislature are reluctant to hear arguments against it.

“The ACLU has done a great job

demonstrating that there is no scientific or rational basis for

Florida’s adoption ban.”—NAdiNe SmiTh, eqUALiTy

FLoridA exeCUTive direCTor

| June 10 - June 23, 201048

Foster’s relationship with the LGBT community is tricky. Many close to the mayor say he’s open-minded and is a “live and let live kind of guy.” Others say he is too concerned with the opinions of his conservative base and that he is too afraid to appear too accepting.

Foster’s office was contacted for quotes in this story. After several messages were left seeking comment on St. Pete Pride, his scheduling secretary called and said the mayor decided to decline the interview. No specific reason was given.

Even though Foster isn’t waving a rainbow flag in support of the community, those involved with the organizing of the state’s largest Pride event are pleased with the working relationship with the mayor.

“Foster has done more for St. Pete Pride this year than his predecessor ever did,” said David Schauer, a past co-chair of St. Pete Pride. “There’s a dialogue there that we’ve never had before.”

Schauer added that while Foster has not officially said he will attend the June 26 street festival, the mayor has hinted that he’ll make an appearance at the Stonewall Commemorative Reception for sponsors and friends on June 24.

“He said he’d attend that,” Schauer said. “He’s walking a fine line but he has made an effort, and we’re happy about that.”

Growing larger anywayA major dichotomy exists in the mayors’

offices of Tampa Bay’s two largest cities. While St. Petersburg hosts the state’s largest Pride celebration, its mayors have historically remained quiet about supporting LGBT rights. Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, on the other hand, has charged sweeping legislation in that city to include same-sex domestic partnership benefits and

consistently appears at LGBT events—from the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival to Tampa Bay Business Guild dinners and GaYbor receptions.

So what effect, if any, would such a dynamic and supportive mayor have on an event like St. Pete Pride? Some, Turner believes, but not too much.

“Personally I don’t think it would make St. Pete Pride much bigger if we had an accepting mayor,” Turner said. “What our board does makes St. Pete Pride happen. It would be great if we had a supportive mayor like Pam Iorio here, but I don’t see that having a major impact on what we’ve created here.”

When St. Pete Pride started in 2003, about 10,000 people attended. This year, Turner said the organization is expecting nearly 90,000. That exponential growth in eight years is directly linked to the LGBT community of St. Petersburg, the St. Pete Pride board and supportive allies, according to Turner.

Plenty of other political powerhouses support LGBT equality and a record number of politicians submitted welcome letters to the 2010 St. Pete Pride Program,

which was published by Watermark.St. Petersburg as a whole has been

supportive of St. Pete Pride and LGBT rights. Rep. Rick Kriseman, who was at one time a St. Petersburg city councilman, signed the first proclamation for St. Pete Pride in 2003. Since then a member of the council has always signed and read the proclamation at the council meeting in early June. That tradition will be repeated this year on June 10.

And this year, the city’s first-ever openly gay council person, Steve Kornell, will appear as Grand Marshal. Kornell, who describes his working relationship with Foster as “amicable and respectful,” says that by living openly and honestly, LGBTs will influence those who oppose LGBT rights to see the community as real people rather than a “scary entity.” “As Harvey Milk said, ‘Come on out,’” Kornell says. “Every time I’ve said I was gay doors have opened. Some slam shut, true, but being gay doesn’t stop you from living your life and we have to let people know who we are.” | l |

watermark | st. pete pride

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(L-R) St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster, left, stands with former mayors Bob Ulrich, David Fischer, Rick Baker, Don Jones, Corinne Freeman and Randy Wedding.Photo courtesy the City of St. Petersburg

June 10 - June 23, 2010 | 49

Dear Truth,

How can you tell if someone’s cheating on you? My boyfriend swears that he hasn’t fooled

around with anyone else in the five years we’ve been together, but I don’t believe him. It seems like every time we go out, these guys that I’ve never seen before walk up and start talking to him like they’re best buddies. When I ask him how he knows these guys, he says he knows them from before we met or through other people. We do almost everything together, so I can’t imagine how I haven’t met all his friends by now. Am I crazy or do I have cause to be concerned?—Bothered in Brevard

Dear BIB,You might be a

little tipsy on crazy, if I’m being honest. The fact that these people casually walk up to your partner while he’s standing there with you and engage him makes me think nothing much is going on.

Questions: Does he introduce you to them, and does he identify you as his lover? What’s his mood when all this

happens? Is he anxious? Uncomfortable? Does the interaction seem awkward or forced in anyway? If the answer is no—and if it were yes, you would have told me so—I think you’re making far too much out of it, and I must wonder why. Sometimes in relationship, our own insecurities prevent us from truly enjoying the gifts life has given us. I wonder what it is about you that is making you always jump to the worst possible conclusion.

It is important to remember that even though he is your singular love, his life didn’t begin the day you met. If he didn’t have any associations that pre-date five years, I’d wonder what the hell is wrong with him. I can’t say for sure, but it sounds to me like the trouble is between your ears. And remember, this kind of thing can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. If he feels like you already think he’s cheating when he’s not, and seem incapable of letting it go, it will begin to push him away—potentially into the arms of another.

There’s no medal for being right about him leaving you when the reason is that you have become an unbearable twit.

Dear Truth,I am a 30-something woman who

came out late in life. I am divorced and I have two beautiful children, ages 6 and 8. I have been dating my girlfriend, Carol, for about nine months, and I really like her. My problem is that I don’t know how to explain my relationship with Carol to my children.

Their father is still in the picture, but he doesn’t know about my interest in women (if he did, I’m sure he would find a way to use it against me). My children, particularly the youngest, have been asking a lot of questions about Carol and why she spends so much time at our house. I’m afraid to say or do anything in front of them that might get back to their father, which

severely limits my romantic time with Carol. I know it frustrates Carol to no end and I really want our relationship to work, but I have to protect my kids. What should I do?—Nervous Mom

Dear NervousMo—Sticky one for

the Truth. Let me get my gloves…okay, better. I

wish I could tell you that the discovery of his ex-wife’s sexuality would provide your ex-husband with no legal sway over your situation, or the custody of your children. But here comes the Truth, baby: you live in Florida. That said, after nine months, Carol is right to be a bit frustrated. There are a lot

of land mines planted around you and you don’t want to step on any.

The most important thing here is that the children suffer no collateral damage. The fact is that you might not be in a place at the moment where you can be in a healthy committed relationship. Sometimes life requires tough decisions. There is this American affliction of thinking that everyone is entitled to “have it all.” Sometimes that is the selfish answer, not the correct one.

I would recommend explaining to Carol that you cannot give yourself completely to her at the moment because you have young children and too many encumbrances to your relationship. If she still wants to

maintain the relationship, great. But don’t hold it against her if she doesn’t. Then I’d focus on coming out to your family. As for your ex-husband, a declaration to him isn’t necessarily compulsory, but he will find out eventually and telling him yourself will allow you to control the information flow.

In short, you need to start to dismantle the walls in front of you. Your relationship with Carol might be a victim of poor timing. Be mature enough to let her go if you can’t give her what she deserves.

As for how to describe Carol to your children, given their age, I think “Mommy’s very good friend” is perfectly sufficient. | l |

doth

is!

Impulsive predictions could come

true

The [email protected]

ADVICE FROM

There’s no medal for being right about him leaving you when

the reason is that you have become an

unbearable twit.

watermark | advice

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| June 10 - June 23, 201050 watermark | transitions

transitionspassingClaudia Ashbury, 58, died of lymphoma at Hospice of the Comforter in Altamonte Springs. Ashbury was a dancer, choreographer and director who volunteered with the Orlando Gay Chorus and choreographed Orlando’s Come Out with Price celebrations. She is survived by a brother, a sister and Joyce Ducas, her partner of more than eight years.

congratulationsOrlando’s LGBT chamber of commerce and networking organization the Metropolitan Business Association fi led its articles of incorporation on June 22, 1992. Happy 28th birthday!

MBA president Dr. David Baker-Hargrove and his partner, Robert Hargrove, will celebrate their 16th anniversary together on June 23.

Tom Hlinko, 49, and Kevin Clifford, 48, of Seminole, celebrated the 30th anniversary of their Holy Union on June 7.

local birthdaysHillsborough Community College teacher David Usrey, Centro Ybor Wear Me Out! store owner Sharon Rose, Sarasota clothing designer Jeffrey May, and Mavericks line dancer and Flamingo bartender Roger Bell (June 10); Tampa Bay real estate agent and TIGLFF board member Ken Hodges (June 11); former St. Pete Twirling Project member and current Orlando resident Anthony Jenners, former

St. Petersburg city council candidate Darden Rice, and schoolteacher and Orlando activist Wendy Elkes (June 12); Department of Transportation employee and big sweet bear John Stimis (June 13); Tampa-based Les Vixens performer, fashion designer/stylist and all-around goth-fl avored Amazonian goddess Raven Lunatique, former Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival prez Chris Constantinou and former owner of Tomes and Treasures Bill Kanouff (June 14); Tampa Walgreens diva, photographer and LGBT ally Poly Costas (June 15); Bodywork Massage and Day Spa owner Roger Medrano, Softballer and Town ‘n Country banker Travis Hilborne, and Sarasota fi lmmaker and endlessly witty Watermark contributing writer Anthony Paull (June 16); Metropolitan Business Association history chair Ken Kazmerski, former bar owner and GaYbor Coalition board member John Gorman, St. Petersburg karaoke singer and artistic photographer J.J. Respondek, former St. Petersburg resident and current New York actor Michael Silas (June 17); adorable Revolution Nightclub promotional god Danny Garcia (June 19); out and proud O-Town politician Todd Christian (June 20); Tampa bay limo chauffer Marty Theriot and Metropolitan Business Association director at large Buck Thornton (June 21); Tampa’s Sweatshop proprietor and fi tness guru Christine Myers (June 22); Tampa Keller Williams realtor Bill Knecht, Tampa everywhere man and TIGLFF volunteer David Gonzalez, and out and proud Treasure Island commissioner Gail Caldwell (June 23).

Orlando dancer, choreographer and director Claudia Ashbury passed away Memorial Day Weekend after a long battle with lymphoma.

Send news about birthdays, passings, anniversaries, promotions, commitment ceremonies—and whatever you commemorate—to [email protected].

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San Francisco | The third World OutGames are still three years away, but Team San Francisco has already decided that it won’t be sending any representatives to the 2013 games in Antwerp, Belgium.

According to a press release from Team San Francisco, the organization will not support the 2013 games because it remains committed to the Gay Games, which began in the city in 1982. Since then the games

have spanned the globe and brought LGBT athletes together every four years. The Gay Games will be in Cologne, German, July 31-Aug. 7 this year and the 2014 Gay Games will be in Cleveland, Ohio.

“Team San Francisco reaffirms its historical commitment to the long established and internationally recognized Gay Games as the preeminent quadrennial global LGBT multi-sport and cultural event,” the group said in a press release. “We believe unity behind the Gay Games is an effective and visible means of empowerment, and that continuation of the World OutGames would constitute a dilution of finite resources and a detriment to our community.”

There are no bylaws preventing teams from participating in both organized events and, at press time, no other groups had declared a boycott of the 2013 OutGames. Team San Francisco added that staging another World OutGames isn’t in the best interest of LGBT athletes.

“The Gay Games have changed thousands of lives across the globe every year they are held and are the best means we have available to come together in arts and athletics,” said Team SF President Tyler Cole. “The World OutGames gravely diminish that potential.”

The boycott came as a surprise to the World OutGames organizers. Rumors have circulated that the two games would merge in the future, but no details have been released.

“I wish to emphasize that Antwerp chose to organize the World OutGames because we strongly believe in its potential social, cultural and economic benefits,” said Geert Tengrootenhuysen, LGBT communication for the city of Antewerp. “I regret that whatever happened in the past has left the gay sports community divided. However, as the host of the World OutGames 2013, Antwerp will be welcoming everyone without exceptions. That includes Team San Francisco, whom I hope will reconsider [its] position and join us for what will be an amazing event, whatever name it may carry.

Factors cited by Team SF board members leading to their decision included a notable registration decline since the advent of the OutGamess in 2006, resources being stretched too thin to support multiple, competing events resulting in “tournament fatigue,” a desire to keep a mission focus on sports and culture rather than subsidizing conferences and parties, and Team SF’s historic ties to the Gay Games. According to OutSports.com, organizers of last year’s World OutGames in Copenhagen said they were unaware of the resistance to the games or the difficulties they created for LGBT sports organizations. Team SF said it wanted to make Antwerp aware of the situation well in advance.

“In every Gay Games since Vancouver 1990, the absolute Gay Games registration has reflected huge San Francisco Bay Area support,” pointed out Gene Dermody, Team SF Board Member. “Team San Francisco has been one of the first and strongest supporters of the FGG, often supplying crucial leadership, including about a dozen Team SF leaders who moved onto FGG leadership roles. I analyzed all of the registration databases from Vancouver on, and categorically, Bay Area registration has been anywhere from 10 percent to 15 percent of the total registration. This is a sizeable representation, and illustrates the power of Team San Francisco in promoting events.”

On a blog post responding to a story about the boycott on OutSports.com, Dermody added a little more background to his opinion.

“I personally cannot risk my reputation recommending something I feel is too risky,” he said, referring to the 2013 OutGames. “I also have an obligation to the boards I serve on to supply data and policy recommendations. I tried to support Copenhagen, and they lied to me (I did not know there were only 6 wrestlers until 3 weeks out!). Is honesty and data too much to ask?”

For more information on the OutGames, visit GLISA.org. For details on this year’s Gay Games, visit GayGames.com. | l |

Team pulls support of 2013 OutGamesstaff report

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June 10 - June 23, 2010 | 53

Here we are, on the brink of another Gay Pride Month. While various cities around the globe are

preparing to use this as an opportunity to protest the inequities we still experience, it’s important to also celebrate the strides we’ve made. We ain’t where we was, but we ain’t where we ought to be. Where I ought to be is on stage, and I will be—once again hosting the Mainstage at L.A. Pride on June 12 and 13. People like Kelly Rowland, En Vogue, Kelis, Martha Davis and The Motels, Josie Cotton, and lord knows who else will perform. As a special bonus, our Grand Marshals for the parade will be my buddies Sharon and Kelly Osbourne! Sounds like a festive weekend for sure.

Most television networks just announced their fall schedules. This was

good news for people who will keep their jobs, but bad for those who found out they’d be unemployed. It was double bad news for Wanda Sykes—FOX canned her talk show and CBS dropped The New Adventures of Old Christine. But wait—ABC has twice tried to pick up Old Christine. So that show has options, right? Maybe.

Cancellations are not limited to television. The cast and crew of the Broadway revival of A Little Night Music were told that the show would be closing next month. Usually, a show will wait to see how it does at the Tonys (which take place on June 13) and then hope for a bump in the box office. However, with stars Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury departing on June 20, the producers decided to just wrap things up then.

As predicted, The Pee-wee Herman Show is Broadway-bound. Paul Reubens’ return to the beloved character was a huge success in L.A., so the show will hit the Stephen Sondheim Theater on Oct. 26 for a limited run.

It’s been alleged that Mark Wahlberg turned down a role in Brokeback Mountain based on the advice of a priest! Whatever happened to separation of church and cinema? Reverend James Flavin became a close friend when Mark was a 15-year-old troubled youth. Ever since, the elder has been an advisor on spiritual and professional matters. Father Flavin told Mark to take The Departed, to pass on

Ocean’s Eleven, and nixed Brokeback Mountain. But, the padre ain’t always right—he told Mark to do Max Payne. How many Hail Mary’s did

he have to say to pay penance for that one?

Cynthia Nixon recently did an interview where she describes her

finance Christine Marinoni this way: “She’s basically

a short man with boobs.” She might as well be describing Chaz Bono (at least pre-op, and perhaps thereafter). Nixon goes on: “A lot of what I love about her is her butchness.” Maybe she should be dating Chaz! The funny part of the interview

comes

later: “My daughter said one time that if you really had to break this down, she (Christine) would be the butch and I would be femme...but really once you get to know us, it’s really the opposite.” I’m not surprised. Cynthia looks like she’d be quite handy with a hammer.

What do Diana Ross, Sherri Shepherd, and Justin Bieber have in common? They’ve all been nominated for BET Awards. Yes, the Black Entertainment Television award committee has nominated Justin Bieber as “Best New Artist” alongside Nicki Minaj, Melanie Fiona, Young Money, and B.o.B. Huh? At least I recognize one name!

In our “Ask Billy” question this week, Roger in Tulsa asks: “Is Ricky Martin dating anyone or is he single? If he’s got a boyfriend, do you have pictures of him?”

Rumor has it that Ricky is “thisclose” to Italian fashion model Valerio Pino. We did some research and found that Valerio has no problem with nudity—so you can see everything Ricky’s (allegedly) getting at BillyMasters.com.

When Marky Mark and Father Flavin could be starring in a production of Doubt, it’s definitely time to end yet another column. But I’m always updating BillyMasters.com for your viewing pleasure. Feel free to send your questions to [email protected] and I promise to get back to you before Kanye interrupts Bieber’s BET moment! Until next time, remember, one man’s filth is another man’s bible. | l |

watermark | gossip

“I never really addressed those rumors ‘cause I always figured why defend yourself against something that’s not offensive.”—Johnny Galecki explains to the ladies of The View why he’s never addressed the gay rumors. For the record, he’s straight.

billy

mas

ters

Pride and Television

Billy [email protected]

TV cancellations were doubly hurtful for Wanda Sykes, who lost Old Christine and her FOX talk show.

Rumor has it that Italian fashion model Valerio Pino is Ricky Martin’s new significant other.

| June 10 - June 23, 201054 watermark | photography

gallerywGay Day at the Magic KingdomJune 5, Lake Buena Vista

Photography | Jake Stevens

June 10 - June 23, 2010 | 55

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!!Celebrate Gay Pride Week with the sensational Tyra Sanchez at an utterly fabulous fashion show! Macy’s Tyrone Square Men’s Department, Level 1 Friday, June 25 at 6pm

Come out for the stars, fi ercest fashions and fanciful fun! Join us to work it with Tyra Sanchez, the tantalizing performer and memorable winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race® Season 2, and her comedian co-host, Christine O’Leary. Together they will kick off the summer season with an

informal fashion show featuring the most divine looks, just in time for the pride festivities! Our fashion gurus will be on hand to show you how to work the crowd in a sizzling ensemble while Christine tickles your funny bone with good, clean fun!

Discover the hottest new trends worn by our alluring divas and captivating Papi Models, while enjoying style advice, champagne, wine and delectable snacks from Georgie’s Alibi! Following the presentation, be sure to catch a live performance by Tyra, as she sings her heart out for gay pride! Plus, make a purchase of $50 or more during the event and you’ll receive* a Macy’s Pride Survival Kit!

Make a donation and receive a gift card*!Be one of the first 250 customers to make a $10 donation to St. Pete Pride and receive* a $10 Macy’s Gift Card, for use during the event!

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