OutSFL Vol. 2, Issue 15

APRIL 11, 2024 VOL. 2 • ISSUE 15 OUR PAGES YOUR VOICE VISIT US ONLINE AT OUTSFL.COM OUTSFL @OUTSFL BEGINS IN CENTER TURN UP THE HEAT MIAMI BEACH PRIDE BILLY PORTER, JOJO SIWA, AND LISA RINNA STORIES BY JOHN MCDONALD & JOHN HAYDEN | PAGES 12 & 36

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4 • 4.11.2024 COVER: Miami Beach Pride 2023. Photo by JR Davis. April 11, 2024 • Volume 2• Issue 15 2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 OutSFL newspaper is published on a weekly schedule. You should not presume the sexual orientation or gender identity of any featured individuals solely based on their names, appearance, or inclusion within this publication. Any opinions shared within stories, columns, graphics, or letters to the editor should not be assumed to represent the opinions of OutSFL, its Publisher, or its co-founder. Any stories or content, either in print or online, and also including any articles that are featured in conjunction with any media partners, are protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and this ownership is carefully and jealously guarded by this media group. Nothing that is published may be reprinted, either in whole or in part, without first receiving written consent from the Publisher, Jason Parsley. OutSFL is owned by Jason Parsley and Justin Wyse, and is represented legally by Russell Cormican. As a private corporation, OutSFL reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations, and photographs. Copyright © 2024 J&J Media Group. PUBLISHER Jason Parsley [email protected] CEO Justin Wyse [email protected] EDITORIAL ASSISTANT TO THE EDITOR Kimberly Swan ART DIRECTOR Julie Palmer GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Kyle Willis • Craig Tuggle GRAPHIC DESIGN CONSULTANT Brendon Lies ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Rick Karlin [email protected] COMMUNITY EDITOR John Hayden [email protected] PHOTOGRAPHERS J.R. Davis • Carina Mask COLUMNISTS Brian McNaught • Jesse Monteagudo Sabrina Haake • Fred Fejes John Porter • Kelly Ghweinem SPECIAL TO OUTSFL Steve Rothaus • J.W. Arnold CORRESPONDENTS John McDonald • Sean Conklin Deon Jefferson • Aurora Dominguez Denise Brown • Mary Rasura Terri Schlichenmeyer • Gregg Shapiro Kennedy McKinney • Michael Anguille Robert DeDominic • Aaron Kinchen Tessa Becker • Christopher Flores PUBLISHING CONSULTANT Pier Angelo SALES & MARKETING For ad placement, call 954-514-7095 SALES MANAGERS Edwin Neimann [email protected] Silvio Carvana [email protected] Andrew LaRochelle [email protected] DISTRIBUTION SERVICES Richie Wilson • Johnathan Rey • Tyler Brayton NATIONAL ADVERTISING Rivendell Media 212-242-6863 Spot an error? Let us know at [email protected] “WE ALWAYS KNEW THERE WOULD BE A RIDE. WE HAD TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT’S GONNA LOOK LIKE.” - EDWARD SUMMERS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT PRIDELINES CAN’T WAIT FOR PRINT? FOLLOW US ONLINE. OUTSFL.COM MORPHINE LOVE DION WANTS YOU TO COME TO FLORIDA TO ‘CELEBRATE BEING QUEER!’ to help. Compass, Broward House, Miracle of Love, and EPIC Health, all former SMART Ride beneficiaries, are collaborating on the project. “We always knew there would be a ride,” Edward Summers, Executive Director at Pridelines, said. “We had to figure out what it’s gonna look like.” AH Monroe, another SMART Ride beneficiary, will “play a logistics role” and support the ride. In February, AH Monroe announced they would go their own way, and discussed having their own, one day ride, the same weekend as SMART Ride. Summers says any rumors of “bad blood” are unfounded. “There was no bad blood between us at all. We have been totally united. AH Monroe has their own things happening, but are very supportive of this ride and endorsing it.” While the SMART Ride is officially over, Summers says Weinzimer is being very supportive of the new collaboration. An email from SMART Ride was sent out heralding the announcement. While Weinzimer didn’t comment for this story, Summers says the former SMART Ride officials on board. “Glen is very supportive of what we do. This is exactly what he wanted us to do.” Jana Jaffe of Broward House summed up the mood best, saying, “Let’s ride and let the joy continue.” THE JOY RIDE When The SMART Ride announced that 2023 would be the last ride, no one was ready to hang up their helmets or put the tire pumps away. Directors at the six main benefitting agencies vowed to find a way to ride on. They announced the creation of the Joy Ride, with the inaugural theme of “the joy continues!” Much of it will resemble its progenitor. It will still be a 165-mile, two-day bike ride from Miami to Key West. It will still be the weekend before Thanksgiving. Most importantly, it will continue giving back 100% of every dollar raised by riders and crew. Indeed, Glen Weinzimer founded The SMART Ride out of frustration that many events returned very little to the organizations it purported NEWS HIGHLIGHT John Hayden REGISTRATION FOR THE JOY RIDE OPENS APRIL 15 AT THEJOYRIDEFL.ORG. Photo via The Joy Ride FL, Facebook. NEW RIDE LAUNCHES TO REPLACE THE SMART RIDE

4.11.2024 • 5 Welcome to accessibility for everyone In Greater Fort Lauderdale, we’re excited about welcoming everyone under the sun and providing access for all, from beach wheelchairs and accessible pathways to the Hidden Disabilities Sunfl ower Program at FLL airport. Learn more about local resources and plan your trip at VisitLauderdale.com/Accessibility.

6 • 4.11.2024 LAST WEEK'S COVER FROM THE NEWSROOM - TAYLOR SWIFT DURING HER RECENT CONCERT IN CHICAGO SCAN HERE TO VIEW THE ISSUE ONLINE OUT AND ABOUT PHOTO OF THE WEEK Celebrating the opening of The West End Lounge in Wilton Manors is the lounge owner Chris O’Neill and his husband, Juan Gabriel Usma, relationship banker with Truist, attending Equality Florida Broward Gala held at The Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort. Photo by JR Davis Wilton Manors Location Now Open! Uninsured Cash visits starting $120 WALK-INS WELCOMED! Physicals Lab Tests Immediate Care 1442 NE 26th St • 954-391-7160 • medixucc.com

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10 • 4.11.2024 FREE SWAG SAC TO THE 1ST 42 PEOPLE VALUE OF $75+ ONLY ON 4/20 REDEEM YOUR BUD BUCKS! *NOW UNTIL 4/19 EARN $10 OF BUD BUCKS FOR EVERY $50 SPENT TheeHempCo.com 754-701-8865 1539 E. Commercial Blvd. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334 By Kennedy McKinney OUT ABROAD DESPITE PETITION, UGANDA COURT UPHOLDS ANTI-GAY LAW AFRICA Uganda’s Constitutional Court rejected a petition seeking to annul an anti-gay law. “We decline to nullify the AntiHomosexuality Act 2023 in its entirety, neither will we grant a permanent injunction against its enforcement,” said Justice Richard Buteera, Uganda’s deputy chief justice and head of the court, according to Al Jazeera. The court acknowledged that some sections of the law violated the right to health and were “inconsistent with right to health, privacy and freedom of religion.” However, in a unanimous decision, they did not block or suspend the law. “The court’s decision opens a ‘Pandora’s box’ that will push the lives of gay Ugandans further more into darkness,” said Steven Kabuye, the executive director of Colored Voice Truth to LGBTQ. Photo by riekhavoc, via Wikimedia Commons. JAILED MAN ‘PRESSURED TO NAME SEXUAL PARTNERS’ MIDDLE EAST Manuel Guerrero Aviña was arrested in Qatar for using Grindr, in February. Although he has been released from prison, he still faces prosecution and is banned from leaving the country. Manuel’s brother, Enrique Guerrero Aviña, told Pink News that Manuel is now being pressured to reveal the names of his sexual partners as a condition of his release. “They made an intervention to know the names of Manuel’s sexual partners, that was before the release. That act of torture was documented by the UK embassy,” said Enrique. Enrique continues to worry about Manuel’s health considering that he is HIV positive, and claims that Manuel’s medication was withheld to “create psychological pressure” on him in prison. Photo via QatarMustFreeManuel, X (formerly Twitter). THE RAINBOW REVOLUTION AROUND THE WORLD WELSH ATHLETE APOLOGIZES FOR ANTI-TRANS POST EUROPE S amatha Wallace-Joseph, a netballer for the South Wales Swifts, publicly apologized for her social media post that offended the transgender community. Wallace-Joseph says her comment was “taken out of context.” According to The Guardian, WallaceJoseph commented on an Instagram post about Joe Biden declaring Easter Sunday as Transgender Day of Visibility, saying: “the disrespect is crazy. Don’t play with God.” Now, in a joint statement from Wallace-Joseph and club officials, Wallace-Joseph said, “It was not my intention to upset and disrespect anybody and whilst I feel my post was taken out of context, I didn’t say what I meant clearly.” She continued, “I did not wish to cause any offense to members of the transgender community, and it is clear that I have and for that, I am sorry.” Kath Tetley, the executive general manager of the South Wales Swifts, said the club wants to “be a safe and inclusive space for all” and said they have a continued commitment to “education required to ensure there is a common understanding among all of the cultures and communities that make up the Swifts.” Photo via Samatha Wallace-Joseph, Instagram.

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12 • 4.11.2024 GENDERQUEER. JEWISH. ANTI-ZIONIST. FAU PROFESSOR RESIGNS OVER SCHOOL’S PRO-ISRAEL STANCE Nicole Morse is Jewish, and genderqueer. They’re also anti-Zionist. Earlier this semester they resigned their position as the director of the Center for Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) at Florida Atlantic University. They announced it publicly in an editorial for TruthOut. More recently, they also submitted their letter of resignation as an associate professor, where they taught sexuality and gender studies at the graduate level and sexual identities at the undergraduate level. Ever since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, and the subsequent retaliation and incursion by Israel into the Gaza Strip – their outspokenness against the State of Israel has caused tensions to flare. Their resignation letter reads in part: “...the institution’s response to what the International Court of Justice determined is a plausible genocide in Gaza makes it impossible for me to continue as a faculty member. As a deeply faithful and observant Jew, I cannot in good conscience work at an institution that so decisively prioritizes Zionist ideology over the well-being of its diverse students, staff, and faculty while privileging ethnonationalist propaganda over freedom of expression, freedom of inquiry, and the pursuit of truth,” they wrote in the letter. “It has been devastating that my attempts to advocate for Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim students have been met by ridicule, stonewalling, and threats that I myself might be investigated for ‘policy violations.’ I have been treated as a problem and even as a terrorist sympathizer, rather than as an accomplished scholar, teacher, and committed member of the campus community.” Two protests took place following the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, one on Oct. 9 where students FEATURE Jason Parsley came out to show their support for Israel, and a second one on Oct. 11 where students came out to show their support for Palestine. OutSFL interviewed Morse in February, after they announced their resignation as the director WGSS, but before their resignation as a professor was announced. Below is my conversation with Morse. It’s been edited for brevity and clarity. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT IT WAS LIKE THE DAY BEFORE THE WAR BROKE OUT, AND HOW QUICKLY DID YOU FEEL SINGLED OUT? I started at FAU in 2018. From the moment that I came to FAU, I was concerned that this would eventually become an issue for my employment because I have been in the anti-Zionist Jewish community, including my synagogue, for over 10 years. It was very clear from messaging at the university level, and also from state law such as a 2019 law that criminalized criticism of the State of Israel, that there was going to be a level of repression around Zionism and Israel in the context of FAU. But up until I would say Oct. 9, I was able to balance these things, although it was sometimes challenging, especially when my research intersected with questions of Palestine, research and teaching. What was so deeply disturbing to me — the week of Oct. 9 — was seeing the way that the university immediately abandoned the community of students, staff and faculty who are Palestinian, or who are connected to Palestine, whether by being Arab or Muslim, or being in solidarity with the Palestinian struggle, and particularly the way that the two marches were handled. It really became starkly evident that the university’s priorities were not just at odds with my own personal commitments, but that the university was distorting the facts on the ground in order to prop up a narrative that favored one side. Particularly public statements that the President [of FAU] made that misrepresented the Oct. 9 march as fully peaceful and stigmatized the Oct. 11 march by framing it as wild and violent in ways that are not the responsibility of the Palestinian student organizers. CAN YOU JUST BRIEFLY EXPLAIN THE OCT. 9 AND OCT. 11 MARCHES? It’s just such a complicated question. Because you know, what, what was happening before Oct. 7, there was, you know, a 16-year siege — following 50 some years of occupation — following 75 years of ethnic cleansing. On a personal level, it was manageable. So on Oct. 9, Owls for Israel held a march on campus, and during that march, I was surrounded, threatened. My sign was punched out of my hand. I was called an “it” and a “zonah” — which is Hebrew for prostitute, because I was holding a sign that was critical of Israel. And that advocated for no U.S. funding for war crimes. At that point the State of Israel had announced it planned to engage in things like collective punishment that are war crimes. So that was Oct. 9. THAT WAS A PLANNED PRO-ISRAEL MARCH, SO YOU WERE THERE AS A COUNTER PROTESTER? Yes. My understanding was that most Palestinian students and staff had chosen not even to come to campus that day because they were concerned for their safety. I consulted with my rabbi, and he encouraged me to quietly accompany the march to communicate that there are multiple Jewish perspectives. That’s what I did. I said nothing to the marchers. I merely had this sign, and I was attacked quite viciously. Specifically, they said, things that were highly gendered, rape threats, calling me a “zonah,” a prostitute and calling me an “it,” which I believe is a reference to the fact that I’m visibly genderqueer. ISRAEL IS MADE OUT TO BE A VERY [LGBTQFRIENDLY PLACE]. SO FOR THEM TO ENGAGE IN THOSE SORTS OF ATTACKS ON YOU. WERE YOU SHOCKED OR SURPRISED? I was not. My experience being a public anti-Zionist Jew for about a decade is that there is a very strong trend of conservatism in any movement that is ethnonationalist, and that believes in the supremacy of one group over others. That tends to produce a range of prejudices, including misogyny, including homophobia, transphobia. You mentioned pinkwashing. So you’re aware of that, and the ways that queer people are used, and queer rights are used to make Israel look gay friendly when in fact, Israel is known for outing Palestinians in order to compel them to be collaborators in using LGBTQ issues, and LGBTQ identities in really dark and dangerous ways. All of this is kind of the troubling underside of it and my own experience has been that when I am at a march, or if I am handing out information as part of Jewish Voice for Peace, if I’m participating in anything that is critical of Israel, those are the times when I get attacked, misgendered, or I guess perhaps you could even call it being quote unquote, gendered correctly if people are recognizing that TWO PROTESTS TOOK PLACE FOLLOWING THE OCT. 7 ATTACK ON ISRAEL, ONE ON OCT. 9 WHERE STUDENTS CAME OUT TO SHOW THEIR SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL, AND A SECOND ONE ON OCT. 11 WHERE STUDENTS CAME OUT TO SHOW THEIR SUPPORT FOR PALESTINE. Nicole Morse speaks on behalf of Jewish Voice for Peace South Florida at a march organized by the South Florida Coalition for Palestine on November 11, 2023, in South Beach, Miami. Photo by JVP South Florida.

4.11.2024 • 13 I’m genderqueer, but it is of course very dehumanizing to be referred to as an “it.” So yeah, that did not surprise me, but I did find it disturbing — it always is. SO THE OCT. 11 MARCH, THAT WAS THE MARCH FOR PALESTINE? So that was organized by some young student activists, and they were so cautious and careful to make sure that the march was safe. Unfortunately, there were 15 to 20 counter protesters, and unlike me on the ninth these people were shouting aggressively at the marchers, they were in particular saying a lot of gendered and misogynist comments. They were shouting whore and prostitute in English, Arabic and Hebrew. They were shouting rape threats. In both of these situations, police were present. But on the ninth, the police observed what was happening — they did make sure that I wasn’t physically harmed. Although they also did not document it, and I have not been able to get the police to investigate what happened. On the 11th state troopers were called in and FAU police escalated very quickly following the heckling of the counter protesters to hassle and escalate the atmosphere and myself and many other people, you know, witnessed what from what we saw was unprovoked police brutality, and then that was represented as evidence that the Palestinian students were violent and in another situation, a counter protester. So, someone who was protesting the Palestine march hit someone and was temporarily arrested and that arrest was also attributed to the Palestine march, even though of course, his behavior cannot be the responsibility of people he was coming out to heckle and harass. SO YOU’RE SAYING THE WAY IT WAS FRAMED IS THAT THERE WAS THIS VIOLENCE THAT BROKE OUT, BUT IT WASN’T EXPLAINED OR CLEARLY [COMMUNICATED] THAT THE VIOLENCE ACTUALLY CAME FROM THE COUNTER PROTESTERS. Right, and so, that second public statement from the university was incredibly disturbing. It created an atmosphere of anxiety, alienation and danger, honestly, for Palestinian moments. I because I am publicly known to be someone who is willing to criticize Israel. Even at this institution I heard from students anonymously, and occasionally, students I knew about their experiences and about the struggle they had trying to get support from the institution. I also had the dean of students and others reaching out to me regularly asking me how the students were doing and every time I would convey that the students really just needed a public statement that said that the university supported them and was concerned for their well-being to go along with the statements of support for Israeli and Jewish students. That has still not happened. THE UNIVERSITY DID NOT EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THE SUFFERING OF THE PALESTINIAN STUDENTS AND WHAT THEY WERE EXPERIENCING. THAT WAS KIND OF SHOCKING [THAT THE UNIVERSITY DID NOT EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE STUDENTS]. That’s horrifying, but it’s also shockingly common at this university. I’ve had administrators say to me, “What do you mean Palestinian students are suffering,” and when I said, “Well, you know that for some of our students like their family is being killed. They have lost family members, sometimes multiple family members. Their families have been evicted from their homes in the West Bank, even if other family isn’t in Gaza.” I had administrators who were shocked who were unaware, and didn’t realize that that is what Palestinians are experiencing. So the level of ignorance was also really disturbing. But then instead of responding, by wanting to know more, by wanting to learn more from myself, from scholars at the University, who specialized in this from students whose real experience it is, you know, what ended up happening was that I was targeted for a series of investigations. Constantly being asked to produce more documentation about my work and pressure to resign. That is especially disturbing given that we’re in a moment where LGBTQ studies is being targeted, and I have been a very strong defender of LGBTQ studies, gender studies and of queer trans students at FAU and have been effective in that role. WHY DID YOU RESIGN AS THE DIRECTOR? The reason I resigned from the directorship was because I was no longer able to be an effective leader. Especially in this time when leadership is needed so badly for Women Gender and Sexuality Studies for LGBTQ students. I was no longer able to be an effective leader because so much of my time and energy was being taken up. Responding to accusations to requests for further information, meetings to question me about my political and religious beliefs etc. That was interfering with my ability to do the work that the center needs. IF YOU WERE JUST A PROFESSOR, WOULD THEY HAVE TREATED YOU THE SAME WAY? What we’ve seen nationwide is incredible repression of academics and students at every level, in my situation, the message that I was given repeatedly is that leaders at FAU are expected to support the State of Israel. And while I don’t believe that that should be the case. I found that I was in a position where I could no longer effectively lead without making a change. And I was certainly unwilling to change my religious beliefs and specifically what I was asked is, you know why I couldn’t or whether I would be. I was asked whether I would be disaffiliated from anti-Zionist Jewish groups, and since my synagogue is an antiZionist Jewish organization, I chose to resign. Yeah, they are allowed, but they are under attack and at FAU, just like there was no appetite to defend my right to pursue my religious beliefs separately from my position. There has been minimal appetite to defend our right to study and teach LGBTQ studies, and that has been very disturbing to me. So I am still teaching these classes. But I have had to repeatedly fight to defend the courses and the program of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. And the administration has not been as active in defending these programs, as I believe they should be because the laws that have been passed are designed to scare people, but the actual text of the law does not forbid studying these disciplines. So there’s no reason to over comply and further harm LGBTQ communities and scholars and teachers in Florida by pretty actively doing things that the laws don’t actually even require because that would be unconstitutional. I KNOW YOU SAID YOU DIDN’T WANT TO MENTION NAMES, AND I RESPECT THAT. I want to be really clear, because I have had outreach from the university and I believe that, you know, there would be a preference to portray this as, you know, a bad apple or someone who made a mistake. The fact is that this was pervasive. It was something I encountered in every aspect of my job. So it’s simply wasn’t one individual. It also was pervasive because this is the culture that has been cultivated at FAU through years of stronger and stronger ties to the State of Israel. Stronger and stronger donor relations with people who make support for Israel, a precondition of their support of the University, and this means that FAU is not able to support all of its community members, all of its students. And also limits the research and teaching that can be done. That’s not appropriate for a state institution. Of course, we also know that, Gov. Ron DeSantis is similarly trying to repress voices that disagree with him on Israel. So, you know, it’s a broad problem in Florida, but at FAU, it is particularly strong. DID YOU FEEL LIKE THERE WAS ANYBODY AT THE UNIVERSITY THAT HAD YOUR BACK OR SUPPORTED YOU? Students and colleagues have been incredibly supportive, which I deeply appreciate. YOU SAID THAT YOU DID FEEL YOUR SAFETY WAS THREATENED? The one time I felt my safety was threatened was on Oct. 9 when I was surrounded by numbers of Owls for Israel. In that moment, the police did protect my right to free speech. But because subsequently the police did not — I was stonewalled as I tried to record it and try to follow up about that. I certainly don’t feel supported by the institution. I don’t feel that my safety is a concern of theirs. But the biggest concern I have is for the students because students, especially students who are visibly Muslim, have really been suffering this year, and they have tried and tried to report this, and they have not been heard, and they have not received the support that they need. And in many cases, all they have been asking for is a public statement that says that Palestinian, Muslim and Arab students are members of our community. That would send a message to the people who are harassing them, who are subjecting them to death threats. This institution doesn’t stand behind that kind of behavior, but instead what we’re seeing is this atmosphere that, you know, implicitly condones what’s going on. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WANTED TO SAY? I would just want to emphasize is that whatever I have experienced it is, you know, the students who are suffering the most; whether it’s Palestinian students who feel unsupported and unheard as their people are experiencing a genocide; or whether it’s queer and trans students who want to find support on campus and are not able to find that because someone like me gets targeted for something that should be protected and that actually is a core value of the discipline. The National Women’s Studies Association has affirmed support for Palestine Liberation, multiple times. So this is part of the discipline. Just as affirming, queer and trans people is part of our discipline and in all these ways, we’re being attacked by the government in Florida. It just It breaks my heart that it reached a point where I was unable to effectively advocate for my students because of the way I was being targeted by the institution. Photo by JVP South Florida.

14 • 4.11.2024 REPUBLICAN REP. BOOTED FROM MIAMI BEACH PRIDE PARADE F earing the potential for a riotous confrontation, organizers have asked Florida Representative Fabian Basabe to refrain from participating in this weekend’s Miami Beach Pride parade. Basabe’s actions during last year’s parade — blowing kisses to protesters while perched atop a vintage red Chevy convertible — prompted the decision, said Miami Beach Pride Board Chairman Bruce Horwich. “It was the antagonistic approach he had to the people that were protesting him,” Horwich told OutSFL. “The police decided that he had to be surrounded with plainclothes police officers with weapons and uniformed police officers.” Florida Rep. Fabian Basabe was harangued by protesters during last year’s Miami Beach Pride parade. Photo by J.R. Davis. NEWS MIAMI “WE HAVE TO BE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF NOT ONLY HIM, BUT OTHER PEOPLE IN THE PARADE THAT ARE NEAR HIM AND ALSO [THE] SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SPECTATING.” - BRUCE HORWICH MIAMI BEACH PRIDE BOARD CHAIRMAN Basabe, a Republican and former reality television actor, stunned the political world in 2022 by winning House District 106, which includes Miami Beach, a longtime liberal stronghold. His subsequent support of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ culture wars outraged the district’s sizable LGBTQ community, causing activists to harangue him during the parade with chants of “Shame!” “It became a spectacle and there was an arrest or two made of the protesters,” Horwich said. “That’s not what we’re looking for. That’s not what our pride parade is about. It’s not a protest march, it’s a celebration.” Basabe told The Advocate that excluding him from the parade violates his First Amendment right to free speech and to peaceably assemble on a public street. The event receives funding and resources from the county and city, Basabe noted. Horwich said safety comes first and while Basabe is welcome to attend all Pride events, his presence in the parade puts too many people at risk. “We have to be very concerned about the safety of not only him, but other people in the parade that are near him and also [the] safety of the people that are spectating,” Horwich said. “Safety is my No. 1 concern as chairman. I would never be able to live with myself if something happened at our parade or festival.” The pride parade is scheduled to step off at noon on Sunday, April 14 along Ocean Drive and admission is free. For more information, visit miamibeachpride.com. John McDonald PRIDE PERSEVERES IN MIAMI BEACH THIS WEEKEND T here are many storylines involving Miami Beach Pride from the worldrenowned entertainment to the festival’s accessibility to the celebration of commitment. Whatever your interest, you have a good chance of finding it amid the swaying palm trees and sandy beaches this weekend. “It’s a celebration of being yourself,” said Miami Beach Pride Board Chairman Bruce Horwich, now in his sixth year of leading what is unarguably one of the most successful Pride organizations in the Southeast. “We try to run a tight ship,” said Horwich, an accountant by trade. “We pay attention to the numbers and the budget, and we have a formula of what we should be spending on certain things. We also have a very, very good person who works well with our sponsors and tries to get us new sponsors.” Now in its 16th year, Miami Beach Pride offers a two-day festival at Lummus Park, headlined by entertainer extraordinaire Billy Porter, that is expected to draw more than 150,000 people. Admission is free and that’s something Horwich is proud of. “There are some Prides that charge to get into their festivals, we don’t,” he said. “I want to keep it that way forever. Whether you have money or don’t, you should always be able to come to Pride.” To illustrate this point, Horwich references the many community-based groups that set up shop during the festival to offer services to those in need. “Someone might be homeless because they got kicked out because they are gay,” Horwich explained. “We want them to come to Pride and see life is worth living and maybe meet someone who can help them find housing or a job. If we start charging, we shut out a certain element of our community, and I’m not willing to do that.” On the other end of the spectrum is a community that demonstrates the progress and perseverance highlighted in this year’s theme. Miami Beach Pride’s Legacy Couples program recognizes same-sex couples who have been in committed relationships of 10 years or longer. Currently, there are 103 couples in the program. Gregg Shapiro and Rick Karlin are members of the Pearl group — together for 32 years. “In the LGBTQ+ sphere, we often talk about how much representation matters,” said Shapiro, a freelance journalist. “We think that the visibility of long-term, committed relationships also deserves recognition. We’re honored and grateful to be a part of the Legacy Couples through Miami Beach Pride and the representation and visibility they provide.” The Legacy Couples breakfast takes place on Sunday before the annual parade on Ocean Drive. Porter, who won an Emmy for his role as drag ball emcee Pray Tell in Pose, is this year’s parade grand marshal. Other talented performers on Sunday include JoJo Siwa, Madison Rose and Mila Jam. For a complete lineup of events or more information, visit www.miamibeachpride. com. A backstage view of Miami Beach Pride 2023. Photo by J.R. Davis. NEWS MIAMI John McDonald

4.11.2024 • 15 A dream come true. That’s Chris O’Neill’s reaction to the opening of his new bar, The West End Lounge. The bar had its grand opening April 6 with a ribbon cutting overseen by city officials. “Wow. The dream came alive,” O’Neill said. “When it really hit me was when the first few chords of the jazz trio hit. I’ve always dreamt of that type of atmosphere with jazz on the stage.” The spot, just steps across the patio from Tulio’s, is giving off old school cool vibes. Located in the old Matty’s footprint, O’Neill and his crew basically kept the same layout, but the look is much more than a facelift. Fresh furniture and design are worked into the decor. The spot still had a “new car smell” on opening afternoon as the jazz ensemble took the stage while people sampled the craft cocktails and relaxed at the bar and on the couches. O’Neill grew up in Manhattan and, though he helped his brother open a bar, doesn’t have a background in hospitality. He worked in PR and marketing, traits that served him well as he looked for a spot to open. “I did a lot of research to make sure this was right for Wilton Manors.” People told him they wanted a “first date” spot or a place where you could catch up with friends without screaming over loud music but still have good energy. It can be a tough needle to thread. But O’Neill loves old school Manhattan, and wanted a place that gives off Rat Pack vibes. “I live in Wilton Manors in a midcentury home. It made me think of midcentury lounges in Palm Springs where Sinatra would go.” Local designer Aaron Tabor took his ideas and ran with it. “I remember seeing the first renderings he created, and he brought it to life beautifully.” As for the drinks, they have a creative feel about them. The Strawberry Social will likely be popular on hot summer afternoons, while Will & Grace fans will enjoy the Anastasia Beaverhausen (IYKYK). The name is inspired by London’s tony West End theater district. The crow logo is a nod to our feathered friend. O’Neill says the crow is a reciprocal bird which brings back tokens, like rocks or trinkets, to the people who give it food. He is grateful for the community support and hopes to give back to his community. As for entertainment, the West End crew is keeping it loose. “A few nights a week we’ll have live performances. It depends on the night and the artist’s schedule.” For updates on performances, O’Neill says their Instagram and Facebook feeds will be updated regularly. THE WEST END LOUNGE OPENS FOR BUSINESS Photo by JR Davis. NEWS LOCAL John Hayden “WOW. THE DREAM CAME ALIVE. WHEN IT REALLY HIT ME WAS WHEN THE FIRST FEW CHORDS OF THE JAZZ TRIO HIT. I’VE ALWAYS DREAMT OF THAT TYPE OF ATMOSPHERE WITH JAZZ ON THE STAGE.” - CHRIS O’NEILL OWNER OF THE WEST END LOUNGE Our Services: • Roof Repair • Roof Replacement • Preventative Maintenance • Inspections FREE Quote 954-737-3520 Tile Shingle Metal In need of a repair or replacement? Contact our team Since 2002 Locally Owned Woman-Owned Owens Corning Platinum Preferred We are proudly

16 • 4.11.2024 MACKENZIE SCOTT GIFTS MILLIONS TO 11 FLORIDA NONPROFITS S o much good has come from the end of one marriage. For MacKenzie Scott, divorcing Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in 2019 made her the third-wealthiest woman in America with a net worth estimated today around $36 billion. Scott has pledged to give away most of her wealth to charity, and LGBTQ equality is a major focus of that philanthropy. On March 19, Scott announced she was giving $640 million to 361 community based nonprofit organizations, dozens of which advocate for LGBTQ causes. Eleven Florida based organizations received gifts, including the Florida Immigrant Coalition, which counts LGBTQ rights groups among its broad network of more than 80 members. “We have no doubts that by helping eligible Photo via mackenziescott, X (formerly Twitter). NEWS STATE John McDonald immigrants to apply for U.S. citizenship, Yield Giving is building a better future for all who call Florida a home, including our neighbors who are LGBTQ immigrants,” said Renata R. Bozzetto, the coalition’s deputy director. The $2 million will be allocated to FLIC’s naturalization program, which supports eligible legal permanent residents become U.S. citizens. It is estimated one million Floridians are currently eligible to apply for naturalization, said Bozzetto. Locally, Take Stock in Children Palm Beach, a youth development organization in West Palm Beach that provides college scholarships to low-income students, received $1 million. In Broward County, Bridge to Hope, which offers food security, nutrition and youth development programs, received $2 million. In Miami-Dade County, four organizations: Overton Youth Center, Catalyst Miami, MUJER and Branches received gifts from Yield Giving. Elsewhere, LGBTQ organizations gifted by Scott include the LGBTQ Community Center of Greater Cleveland, the LGBTQ Center Long Beach, Sacramento LGBT Community Center, OutFront Minnesota, EDGE New Jersey, Carolinas Care Partnership and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders. More than 6,000 nonprofits applied for a gift from Yield Giving. Scott called this year’s recipients, “vital agents of change.” ON MARCH 19, SCOTT ANNOUNCED SHE WAS GIVING $640 MILLION TO 361 COMMUNITY BASED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, DOZENS OF WHICH ADVOCATE FOR LGBTQ CAUSES. POLITICAL NEWCOMER SEEKS SEAT ON FORT LAUDERDALE COMMISSION F ort Lauderdale is a big-small town, and Norby Belz wants to keep it that way. “It has this big-small town feel and that’s what we fell in love with when we moved here,” said Belz, who lives with his husband Ken in the Galt Mile neighborhood. “It has the diversity that we love — arts, culture, and the waterways are spectacular.” Six years into his South Florida experience, Belz is entering the political arena to run for city commission. This is the 46-year-old’s first political campaign, but the desire was always there. “I really should and could be doing more,” Belz said. “Some of the things that have happened in our community compelled me to step up and run.” Belz is a leadership coach with a doctoral degree in philosophy. Prior to moving to Florida, he was Department Chair and Director of Health Information Management at his alma mater, the University of Kansas Medical Center. Belz has been married for 12 years and the couple are raising his niece. “I became a politician and parent in the same month,” Belz said. “Having a family gives you a whole different perspective on education and community resources for kids. You look at things a whole lot differently. Parenting makes politics look like a walk in the park.” “I BECAME A POLITICIAN AND PARENT IN THE SAME MONTH. HAVING A FAMILY GIVES YOU A WHOLE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES FOR KIDS.” - NORBY BELZ Norby Belz. Photo via Facebook. Belz is challenging incumbent commissioner John Herbst in District 1, which covers the coastal areas and northernmost reaches of the city. “I’m not running against John, I’m running for what I believe in and why I love Fort Lauderdale so much,” he said. Belz loves water. He has served on the parks and recreation board and closely followed the debate over whether to build a tunnel or bridge across downtown’s New River. “Everyone wants a tunnel that I’ve talked to — Everyone,” he said. “Our marine industry is what supports Fort Lauderdale. I’m really big in the blue economy, meaning leveraging our waterways and oceanways for new businesses. It’s an important topic for our marine industry.” Other topics that involve personalities, Belz would rather steer clear of. Herbst won the District 1 seat after a bitter legal battle with Mayor Dean Trantalis that saw him get fired from his longtime position as city auditor. Herbst has also tangled with District 2 Commissioner Steve Glassman, a close ally of the mayor. “I stay out of their drama,” Belz said. “People ask me about this and say, ‘John did this and Steve did that, Dean did this, and he was fired.’ … I’m staying out of all that. I have to stay focused on why I’m running, and that’s to be the voice for our local businesses and local residents.” Thus far, only Belz and Herbst have declared for the District 1 seat, which will be decided in November’s general election. NEWS LOCAL John McDonald

4.11.2024 • 17 P ride Fort Lauderdale has announced its event for 2025, which is set to take place Feb. 9. But it’s unclear if they will have to cash to do so. Just weeks ago, they told a volunteer who had donated $1,000 to the 2024 event that the organization is strapped for cash. “You’re asking us to bleed money from a stone.” Those are the extremely candid words of Robyn Ludy, the volunteer director for Pride Fort Lauderdale (PFL). OutSFL has exclusively obtained texts in which she bluntly discusses PFL’s dire situation. The 2024 event was canceled, and the donor asked for his money back but was refused. Beyond a date, no other details have been announced for the 2025 event and the leaders of the organization have repeatedly stonewalled OutSFL, refusing interview requests and other information. For more than a year, the organization has declined to disclose their minutes, when or where they meet, any meaningful financial information and more. But Ludy’s reluctant embrace of the bottom line doesn’t come from a sudden conversion to openness. It comes as part of a refusal to return the $1,000 donation mentioned above. “They just canceled and took the money,” John Michael Gordon told OutSFL. He made the donation in March 2023, and many people heard him say it was for the 2024 weekend. Despite that, Gordon acknowledges the money was given without being specifically earmarked. Ludy, in a statement to OutSFL, remembers the moment differently. “I was in attendance the day John Michael donated to Pride Fort Lauderdale, however there was no mention of where or how the donation needed to be spent.” Instead of a festival and parade this year, PFL is committed to holding regular fundraisers through their Pride365 initiative. Those events and others, like a monthly Bingo night, will raise money for next year’s party. But those don’t appear to be doing the trick. “Unfortunately, we haven’t made enough money to produce a festival,” Ludy texted Gordon. “But those events are our Pride this year.” Gordon says even when they do manage to pull off a smaller event, it’s by the skin of their teeth. “They are very unorganized every single event, every time.” PRIDE FORT LAUDERDALE ANNOUNCES 2025 PRIDE Pride Fort Lauderdale 2021. Photo by JR Davis. NEWS LOCAL John Hayden BUT DOES THE ORGANIZATION HAVE THE CASH TO SURVIVE? BEYOND A DATE, NO OTHER DETAILS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2025 EVENT AND THE LEADERS OF THE ORGANIZATION HAVE REPEATEDLY STONEWALLED OUTSFL, REFUSING INTERVIEW REQUESTS AND OTHER INFORMATION. ARTSUNITED THROWS A ROCKIN’ PARTY TO CELEBRATE 25 YEARS T he show must go on. Thanks to ArtsUnited, the shows have been going on for 25 years. The South Florida group threw a rockin’ party at Lips on March 20, celebrating success and generating enthusiasm for the next 25 years. “We had a great crowd, and they were responsive, and the performances were great,” ArtsUnited Board President Chuck Williams said. Four honorary hosts, Natalie Tyler, FayWhat?!, Michael Albetta, and Tony Lima welcomed the crowd, sold raffle tickets, and overall spent the night looking fabulous and energizing the crowd. ArtsUnited was formed in 1999 as a way to promote LGBTQ art at a time when many “mainstream” patrons were steering clear. They strive to create safe and welcoming spaces for artists and art lovers. Williams says when people leave an event, you can’t tell who’s straight and who is LGBTQ, a point of pride for his organization. That said, Williams and ArtsUnited understand this is a dangerous time for LGBTQ artists and protecting their platforms is an imperative. “We’re not political, but we are in a political climate. Transgender are under attack, we’re burning books in schools. We just want everybody to feel welcome and safe.” After an amazing show, which featured amazing performances from Lips’ house queens, it was time for the auction. Original art and a stay at the Seminole Hard Rock Guitar Hotel were snapped up. The crown jewel of the night was something you can’t just go and buy. A ride for two on the Goodyear Blimp stationed in South Florida is, literally, priceless. The money raised will go towards ArtsUnited’s upcoming projects. As for what’s next, Williams says they hope to hire an executive director to take some work off the board and focus the group’s future. Photo by JR Davis. NEWS LOCAL John Hayden “WE HAD A GREAT CROWD, AND THEY WERE RESPONSIVE, AND THE PERFORMANCES WERE GREAT.” - CHUCK WILLIAMS ARTSUNITED BOARD PRESIDENT

18 • 4.11.2024

APRIL 2024 VOL. 1 • ISSUE 4 VISIT US ONLINE AT: OUTFAU.COM INSTAGRAM: @OUTFAU PAGE 4

2 OUTFAU | APRIL 2024 OutFAU newspaper is a part of J&J Media Group. You should not presume the sexual orientation or gender identity of any featured individuals solely based on their names, appearance, or inclusion within this publication. Any opinions shared within stories, columns, graphics, or letters to the editor should not be assumed to represent the opinions of OutFAU or its publisher. Any stories or content, either in print or online, and also including any articles that are featured in conjunction with any media partners, are protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and this ownership is carefully and jealously guarded by this media group. Nothing that is published may be reprinted, either in whole or in part, without first receiving written consent from Publisher, Jason Parsley. OutFAU is owned by Jason Parsley and Justin Wyse, and is represented legally by Russell Cormican. As a private corporation, J&J Media Group reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations, and photographs. Copyright © 2024 J&J Media Group. I am a Queer Millennial Here’s My Journey Through Gender Fluidity Subscribe to our newsletter! Executive Editor MARY RASURA Assistant Editor KENNY RUFF Designer CRAIG TUGGLE Contributors KAYLA BARNES • LEWIS DE BERRY XIMENA DIPIETRO Advisors MICHAEL KORETZKY • JASON PARSLEY BRENDON LIES • AURORA DOMINGUEZ Sales & Marketing FOR AD PLACEMENT, CALL 954-514-7095 OR EMAIL [email protected] FIRST COPY IS FREE, EACH ADDITIONAL IS 50 CENTS OUT FAU APRIL 2024 VOL. 1 • ISSUE 4 This publication is solely the expression of the author and/or publisher and it is not an official publication of Florida Atlantic University, nor is it in any way intended to express any policies or opinions of Florida Atlantic University, or its personnel. Last month, in our cover story “Fred Fejes: a Trailblazing FAU Professor”, Derek Vaughn’s name was CORRECTION: misspelled in the print version, but was corrected for the online version. We regret the error. Spot an error? Let us know at [email protected] T he language in LGBTQIA+ community has grown so rapidly over the last couple of years that I often feel ignorant. I graduated high school back in 2011 and the closest thing I experienced to any queer or gender expression was the emo and scene kids. I found that a high percentage of the alternative scene was bi – including myself. Wearing eyeliner, nail polish, dye in our hair, and wearing skin-tight clothes (all things I did at home behind closed doors) was normal and expected. Although ridiculed and bullied by most outside groups I found comfort and friends who didn’t care about being my awkward, femme queer self even if I didn’t have the words for it. After graduation I went to college and went to work, trying hard to keep up with social media. I was never popular, so I usually just went on for memes and vines. When I turned 25 I started to hear more about the argument between sex and gender. For a while, I was adamant about there being only four genders: male, female, intersex and transsexual. When people challenged this it brought up a lot of personal issues, since I experienced my cousin’s transition, which solidified my belief. Unable to see myself as a woman, I knew that there was no way I was “transsexual,” yet I always felt soft, pretty, effeminate and womanly. Raised in a Colombian household where “machismo” was the norm I worked so hard to hide my softer, more emotional side. Trying to maintain this idea that I was a normal straight guy pushed me to be physically fit and forced me to be emotionally repressed since “boys don’t cry” was exhausting. Even now I struggle with this idea of what it is to be a man and whether or not I am fulfilling my role as an emotionless provider. It wasn’t until about three years ago at age 27 that I started to look into the ideas/theories of gender fluidity and expression, finding a lot of myself in these experiences. The more I researched – the more I began to question my entire existence, relating more and more to this idea of being fluid in my gender expression. Realizing that my emo/scene days were the closest I was to feeling pretty and womanly was interesting, putting on makeup and doing my nails. Although this does not define womanhood, I remember sitting with my mom and sisters while they did their nails and makeup, I would be brushing their hair just having a kiki and bonding. Going out with eyeliner and a little ChapStick boosted my confidence like nothing else. I recall my mother telling me that a little lipstick and a strong walk will take you far. Knowing that I was this macho bro walking around like no one could touch me – yet I felt pretty – was wild. I hated how much joy girly things brought me but loved how confident and strong I felt. I now identify as a gender-fluid cis male, which sounds a bit confusing, so I’ll explain. I was born a biological male who looks and expresses mostly male, but also confident and comfortable with my femininity and ability to express it. The more I look into gender and sex the more I realize that it’s nice to have titles and categories for yourself, but it also limits what it means to be a “man” or a “woman.” As I explore who I am, and how others present I’ve come to a simple realization, we as humans are all multifaceted beings with masculine and feminine energies. I implore anyone who reads this to strengthen your connection and understanding of these energies within yourself and explore your identity; you can always go back to who you were told to be. Andrew Zerrato is a 30-year-old FAU student. Andrew Zerrato. PERSONAL ESSAY BY ANDREW ZERRATO

Queer History and its Radical Origins N eoliberalism. According to Logan McGraw, that’s what is wrong with the current LGBTQ+ rights movements. McGraw, a history major, included this in her presentation on “Queer History and its Radical Origins.” “Neoliberalism is very surface level. It doesn’t actually identify the root of the problems of the issues that people face,” McGraw said. “It serves only the people who benefit from capitalism and not the people who are actually affected by the issues.” One main sentiment from McGraw permeated through this first section: in U.S. history, queer activism often broke laws and pushed boundaries, and was therefore rooted in radical and revolutionary thinking. Activist Sylvia Rivera, who co-founded Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries with Marsha P. Johnson in 1970, had similar critiques. Rivera renamed the organization Street Transgender Action Revolutionaries in 2001. During pride of that year, she stated in an interview that the LGBTQ+ movement has “become so capitalist” and like a “big smoke screen.” “We do not owe the straight community a damn thing, so why should we be giving them our money?” She went on to say straight people “still really don’t accept the community for what they are, but they want that almighty dollar of ours.” McGraw, who is a lead organizer at Solidarity, told the audience at the start of the presentation it’s impossible to cover all queer history in one meeting. McGraw, who is also pursuing a minor in museums, archives and public history, is well aware that history “is not static, but an everevolving process that requires nuance and critical thinking.” Her two-hour presentation took attendees through some key 20th-century LGBTQ+ movements in the U.S. — including the Homophile Movement, the Stonewall Riots and Rebellion, Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries, and activism during the AIDS Epidemic. (Note: terms like homophile and transvestite are not commonly used in activism today and are often considered offensive.) McGraw’s anti-neoliberalism critiques also bubbled up during the last section, titled “The Smokescreen.” Presentation by Solidarity at FAU Logan McGraw after her two-hour queer history presentation. Photo courtesy of Kayla Barnes. BY KAYLA BARNES She listed issues with the mainstream show “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” arguing it’s too expensive, toxic towards POC artists, and waited too long to allow trans artists onto the show. After prefacing that RuPaul has done good for the queer community and worked hard to achieve what she has, McGraw asked, “Is [‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’] even the counterculture bombshell it once was?” She then denounced the involvement of police and corporations in Pride month; the complacency of allies and activists following the legalization of gay marriage; and the queer people who uphold sexist, transphobic, and/or racist ideals. Some audience members expressed their agreement with her ideas by calling out things like “literally” and “thank you.” The room, however, got quiet when a photo of Nex Benedict appeared on the screen. Benedict, who reportedly used he/they pronouns, was beaten by classmates in the school bathroom on Feb. 7, and died by suicide the day after. McGraw used Benedict’s story to bolster the claim that bullying and anti-queer legislation are having severe impacts on queer children. The room maintained its somber tone as McGraw presented a project entitled “Queering the Map.” According to their Instagram account, the project is a “community-generated counter-mapping platform for digitally archiving LGBTQ2IA+ experience in relation to physical space.” The infographic showed several anonymous stories about queer love and identity pinned on a map of Gaza Strip. “My biggest regret is not kissing this one guy. He died two days back,” one entry read. “He died in the bombing. I think a big part of me died too. And soon I will be dead. To younus, I will kiss you in heaven.” McGraw claimed Zionist people – who believe in the development and protection of a Jewish nation – are weaponizing the violence queer people face around the world to justify the violence inflicted on Palestinian people. The presentation concluded with a list of ways she believes people can “combat the neoliberal idea of pride and queer liberation.” Her proposals are as follows: Do mutual aid; be unapologetically queer; read and educate yourself; stand up for queer people; and remember that activism must be cemented in revolutionary thought. WE DO NOT OWE THE STRAIGHT COMMUNITY A DAMN THING, SO WHY SHOULD WE BE GIVING THEM OUR MONEY? SYLVIA RIVERA ACTIVIST

4 OUTFAU | APRIL 2024 Dismantling DEI Photos inside the Center for IDEAs as the university has slowly dismantled its existence. When the DEI programs of the University of Florida, and University of North Florida were shut down this semester, they were met with student resistance and protests. When FAU’s Center for Inclusion, Diversity Education, and Advocacy (IDEAs) and its DEI programs were quietly dismantled, it was met with a whimper. It just closed up shop and its employees moved elsewhere in the university, as OutFAU reported back in January. Now the university has announced it will begin reviewing all of its diversity, equity and inclusion related expenditures as well as to make sure all general courses comply with the new state regulations. Meanwhile, a community of students and faculty are now coming together to discuss the state’s attacks on education. An event is planned for April 15. Maxx Fenning noted the timing of FAU’s anti-DEI crusade and its limited resources as two factors that perhaps kept students from organizing as they did on other campuses. Fenning is a former FAU student, current UF student, and also the executive director of PRISM, an organization focused on LGBTQ+ youth in South Florida. At UF, for instance, Fenning said there was “an organized movement bubbling up.” But at FAU, while he called the students’ groups “amazing,” he doesn’t believe they have the “same scale and scope to feel empowered.” He also noted that the Youth Action Fund played a significant role in those protests on other campuses. According to its website, the Youth Action Fund “is a collective of Gen-Z activists fighting against the far-right culture war raging throughout Florida.” The organization doles out money to young activists to assist in turning their ideas into action. “So I think that’s also a major component is that there were resources in place to really make a moment like that happen,” he said. FAU appeared to be one of the first, if not the first, to begin dismantling its DEI initiatives. “So I think that folks weren’t really paying as much attention,” Fenning said about the timing. “It wasn’t as much as in the public eye, especially for students.” As far as OutFAU can tell, there were no announcements, either, when the Center for IDEAs was closed down last summer. The Center was housed on the second floor of the Student Union on the Boca Raton campus. Fenning is disheartened over the closing. “We know that marginalized people, especially multiple marginalized people, already have greater barriers — to first of all getting into college in the first place — but then continuing and maintaining that education. There [are] so many obstacles throughout that process. Socioeconomic obstacles. Discrimination on campus. It’s so many different things,” Fenning said. “That’s kind of why these offices are so important. It’s because they sort of mitigate that harm, and they provide the support for when those issues do arise for folks who are facing discrimination, or any sort of marginalization or oppression throughout their academic career. So, yeah, tearing that down and eliminating those resources is really damaging for those folks, who are already struggling.” Ironically, FAU also has a long history of diversity, being the first university in the state to welcome all students, regardless of race, according to a university produced video on the FAU YouTube channel titled “The History of FAU in Two Minutes.” “FAU opened its doors to all students at a time when many southern schools were closed to Black students,” the video states. One year ago this month, a coalition of student groups who support DEI came together to form the FAU Action Coalition, where they protested against the state’s proposed Draconian measures. OutFAU asked one of the student organizers of that protest why no follow-ups, or other initiatives were ever planned, and was told other issues took priority. Kim Blandon participated in the planning of several of the protests on university campuses last year, including FAU. “We burnt out, kind of in May. So what we’re doing is that we were talking to the Board of Governors; we were talking to everyone behind the scenes; we were able to talk to all the presidents privately,” they said. “The issue that we faced is that nobody wanted to act in July [...] we were waiting to see what happened for the legislative session.” Blandon, who identifies as two-spirit, recently left SAVE, a prominent LGBTQ+ rights organization in Miami-Dade, and is now a digital organizer. Even though no major actions have taken place at FAU yet, as mentioned above, an event will take place on April 15 under the Social Science (SO) building from 12-2 p.m. The Florida Atlantic Solidarity Network will celebrate the diversity of the FAU community and demand that FAU retain its commitments to diversity, equity inclusion, democratic governance and academic freedom. The Erasure of LGBTQ+ Programs in Florida Universities BY MARY RASURA

Q ueer activism at FAU has a long and storied history dating back to at least 1971. Fred Fejes, 73, the former queer studies professor at FAU and now an emeritus, detailed the early efforts of gay activists in a column for OutFAU in our February issue. The first recorded gay activist was Joel Starkey. He launched a newsletter, Southern Gay Liberator; placed ads in the student newspaper; ran for the student senate; and attempted to become an official student club but was denied by FAU. As a student senator, he helped pass a resolution saying that no portion of student activity fees could be used by any FAU organization that discriminates on the basis of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation. A few years later, after Starkey left, another gay activist Mark Silber, filled the void. He wrote a personal essay in the student newspaper at the time, the Atlantic Sun, declaring “I am a gay person. A ‘queer,’ a ‘faggot,’ a ‘pervert.’ But I am not ashamed of what I am.” That was 1975. Silber succeeded in launching FAU’s first official gay club, FAU Gay Academic Union. Their club was, in fact, more inclusive than most similar ones around the country by actively recruiting feminists to join their cause. The group also published two newsletters, Liberation! and Florida Gay Liberation News. They launched the first ever gay pride celebration in Palm Beach County. When the club got word that the Boca Raton police were entrapping gay men at the beach they went before the city’s Community Relations Board where they complained. The board opened an investigation and the controversy generated favorable news coverage in local media outlets. While the investigation closed without taking any action, it still had an impact. Queer Activism at FAU Goes Back Decades APRIL2024 | OUTFAU 5 The closing of the Center for IDEAs though was just one example of how the state has targeted DEI programs. The Women and Gender Equity Resource Center was quietly changed to the Women’s Resource and Community Connection (WRCC). The queer books inside the Center were moved to another student government office and tucked away. FAU Media Relations is still working on a request from OutFAU to provide additional insight on the name change and if anything else about the WRCC has changed. So it’s unclear why IDEAs had to go while WRCC got to remain. Gov. Ron DeSantis, with his allies in the legislature, have waged a culture war against higher education over the last few years, specifically targeting any and all initiatives, focused on DEI. Another example that exemplifies the absurdity of the current state of affairs in Florida and at FAU, is the school’s web page on “diversity” which now says “page not found.” At the end of 2022 the DeSantis administration demanded each public university compile and report back to the state every DEI-related expenditure by Jan. 13, 2023, according to a memo from the state. Twelve institutions reported spending about $34.5 million in total, according to a 35-page document released by the Florida Department of Education. According to the report, FAU spent $904,025.84 on DEI-related programs with $642,775.84 coming from the state. Those expenses include the costs of the professors who teach DEI-related courses like HUM 2471 Racism and Anti-Racism. For example, one expense listed is a director for the Center for Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at a cost of $15,600. The bulk of the funds though was spent on the Center with a budget of $422,453 with $300,953 coming from the state. According to students who used the facility, there were faculty members focused on the LGBTQ+ community and race. But the loss of the Center stings the most. “The lack of human interaction is the biggest loss I suffer from the Center being gone,” Paige Allen, who graduated from FAU last December, previously told OutFAU. “I found people who were like me and had experiences I related to at the Center, and now they are scattered. There are fewer places for marginalized students to gather that are not student-led.” Now over the course of the spring semester the university has slowly stripped away the identity of the former Center for IDEAs. One room within the Center is now dedicated to meditation. When OutFAU reported on this back in January, Joshua Glanzer had this to say about the Center’s future: “The physical space formerly housing the Center for IDEAs is used as a general gathering space for students, many of whom previously attended programs and services offered by the Center and the student organizations who were advised by Center staff,” he explained. “We have installed student workstations with free printing and student staff facilitate divisional Transfer Student Success Initiatives, including the Transfer Action Program and the Johnson Scholarship Program for First Generation Transfer Students. Finally, we have hosted the Let’s Talk program facilitated by Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS).” Unlike other universities, though, FAU got a head start on dismantling its DEI programs. The sweeping anti-DEI changes weren’t announced at UF, UNF, Florida State University and Florida A&M University until February and March. According to the Independent Florida Alligator, 13 full-time DEI positions at UF were eliminated, including the chief diversity officer and another 15 administrative appointments for faculty were ended. Recently the university sent an email to all students addressing DEI, specifically the Florida Board of Governors Regulation 9.016 which bans any funds being used to advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion or promote or engage in political or social activism. The regulation defines DEI as such: “‘Diversity, Equity or Inclusion’ or ‘DEI’ is any program, campus activity, or policy that classifies individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation and promotes differential or preferential treatment of individuals on the basis of such classification.” Fred Fejes, 73, the former queer studies professor at FAU and now an emeritus, finds the email to be very vague. “What is left out is any discussion of the criteria used in the review. Thus can I teach a course on LGBTQ history? I would assume the response would be, ‘But of course. The LGBT experience is an important part of the American story,’’ Fejes said. “But do I have to teach it only as a story of bright and shiny America progress, focusing on ‘great persons/ great moments’ in LGBT history?” Fejes isn’t even sure he’d be able to teach homophobia under these new rules being implemented. “Can I teach how homophobia was used throughout history to cruelly suppress expressions of LGBTQ identity,” he said. “Can I also talk about great homophobes in history and great homophobic campaigns? Can I talk about homophobic institutions? Can I talk about how homophobia was and still is a part of the many understandings of sexuality, and is alive and well in many spaces in American society?” The email left a lot to the imagination. Additionally, the university is currently conducting a thorough review of all general education courses for compliance and is developing a process through which programs that may involve expenditures subject to review under the new Board of Governors’ Regulation are appropriately vetted by the institution. Any required re-allocation of resources under the new regulation will be accomplished thoughtfully and effectively. As such, any funds previously reported as DEl-related expenses will be utilized for over-arching student and faculty initiatives. OutFAU reached out to FAU media relations for additional information, such as why student groups are not affected, but did not receive a response in time for publication. Diverse student groups appear to be protected — for now. But that could always change. But even if student organizations aren’t targeted, they have many other obligations — like classes. Geanny Joseph Ruiz, a former director at the Center for IDEAs who left in 2021, explains Photo submitted by Fred Fejes. CONTINUE READING ON THE NEXT PAGE “THESE ARE STUDENTS WHO ARE ALREADY HAVING TO DEAL WITH HURDLES AND ISSUES THAT LGBT YOUNG PEOPLE TRADITIONALLY FACE. NOW THEY HAVE TO ALSO BE SADDLED WITH THE CHORE OF PUTTING ON PROGRAMS AND CREATING SAFE SPACES FOR OTHER QUEER STUDENTS TO GATHER.” GEANNY JOSEPH RUIZ FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER

Mourning the Loss of the Center for IDEAs “It’s really awful to actively see what Ron DeSantis is doing to diversity and inclusion efforts all across Florida. The LGBTQ+ resource center is where I met some amazing people and made great memories. It feels like we’re moving backwards. All of the initiatives that were put in place to help the LGBTQ+ community feel safer and more at ease are disappearing right before our eyes. Something has to be done to put us back on the right track.” Guylandsky Jean-Gilles, 2018 - 2020, Communication Studies “The lavender coffee hours were some of my favorite activities to do on campus. I felt more connected to my peers in that little space than I did anywhere else on campus. These spaces allowed students to share important details and experiences with each other that they’re not able to share with most other people. It lessened the isolating feeling that often comes with queer identities.” Ashby Santoro, 2019 - 2022, Biology and Health Science “It was just like a really nice space. [Director Geanny Joseph Ruiz] was like just making sure everybody feels comfortable. And to think the whole Center of IDEAs is gone. I don’t even know how to explain this. It’s so heartbreaking. That this department is no longer going to be available. It’s so sad that everything kind of crumbled apart because I know how hard the former director worked to get that place going, especially the LGBTQ corner.” Mariana Ribeiro, 2019 - 2022, Elementary education “I used it as well when I attended FAU. This is what complacency looks like. The gay community is not nearly as riled up as they should be about DeSantis, as too many are just way too ‘busy’ partying it up on cruises and [on Wilton Drive]. Sad that the younger population will have to go through all of this nonsense my generation went through all over again.” Michael Mittanck, 2016 - 2018, Bachelor of Science and Masters in Exercise Science and Health Promotion. While the Center for IDEAs may have ended as a big operation with a big budget. It started more humbling. One of those founding members was Emily Cohen and its first name was the LGBTQ Resource Center. Cohen, at the time, was an undergrad student majoring in psychology and seeking a certificate in women’s and gender studies. She now owns Hornet Designs, a full service graphic design and digital marketing company, with her wife. Cohen, along with a handful of other students, felt there was a need for a dedicated space on campus for the LGBTQ+ population. It opened in late 2010. Once the Center was up and running she applied to be the director once she graduated and got the position where she was for three and a half years. “We worked really hard to build that Center. I wanted to be a part of something growing and getting bigger,” she said. “But also to bring more queer and trans involvement on campus and programming. We had a great group of students that were really involved.” A big part of her job was providing mentorship to students. “It was also a safe place for young queer folks to come and talk to somebody who wasn’t going to treat it like a therapy session,” she recalls. “Who was going to just sit down and have a conversation with them like an old friend. And that is really, really what they needed.” At that time, the original space was a small office located near the student health offices and the Office for Multicultural Affairs. “It was super small,” she said. “The Center was always full.” But as time went on the university continued to block programs that could have been impactful but were deemed too controversial. Cohen remembers when she tried to bring a well known trans man, who was also a sex worker, to campus to speak to the students. “At the time, he was somebody that a lot of the students felt like they could connect with about being trans and learning more about who you are, and being able to express your sexuality once you’ve had an opportunity to be authentic,” Cohen said. Beyond that there were just constant logistical challenges. The students who knew about the Center, like those who were connected to the LGBTQ+ club at the time, would visit often, but reaching new students was harder than Cohen anticipated. “It was so many steps to get a flyer made for something. By the time I could get through the steps, it would be three days away from an event,” she said. “But there was no real support or trying to really create those spaces.” Founding Member Reflects on Center’s Beginning 6 OUTFAU | APRIL 2024 why it’s so important to have university backed DEI initiatives versus just relying on student groups. “These are students who are already having to deal with hurdles and issues that LGBT young people traditionally face. Now they have to also be saddled with the chore of putting on programs and creating safe spaces for other queer students to gather,” said Ruiz, who is now the Senior Manager for Safe and Healthy Schools for Equality Florida. “That can be burdensome and difficult, especially if you’re a younger student who may not know how to navigate and may not know what resources you have, as well. Students may not have as much resources. So just more responsibility for students who are already dealing with a whole lot of responsibility.” FAU has two main LGBTQ+ focused clubs, Lavender Alliance and BLISSS (BIPOC LGBTQIA+ Individuals Seeking Safe Spaces). Both have been very active this semester, hosting multiple social events each month. Additionally, Ruiz noted that having a program, or office, or center, backed by the university sends a strong message of inclusivity. “I think as professionals, there are a variety of things that we have to consider to make sure the program is inclusive — to make sure that we are promoting these events on a platform so that all types of students can attend,” Ruiz said. “So when the program is run by the University — one, it sends a message to students that this is something that the university values. FAU has historically touted itself as the most diverse school in the state of Florida, but in practice, what does that look like? So trained professionals actually providing spaces, fostering safe spaces for students. That’s a prime example of them walking the walk, and so it’s a great way to send a message to students.” Rudy Molinet, an adjunct professor in the College of Business, explained how the antiDEI efforts have impacted his classes. Molinet, a gay man, has been teaching at the school for over five years and recently became the chair of the board at Holy Cross Health. Recently, though, his job at FAU has “changed a lot.” “One of the things I teach my students is about emotional intelligence, about their EQ, emotional intelligence quotient, because that soft skill is very much in demand,” he said. “That [module] had a DEI component that I can’t use anymore.” Another example: “I held a seminar last year — a panel discussion on serving underserved communities — and I had to be very mindful of how I presented the material.” Molinet noted the forward-thinking approach of his department. “Most people think [of the] College of Business as stodgy and not progressive,” he said. But that’s not the case for his department. “Our leadership is very in tune with what the students need in the real world.” Molinet won’t be deterred from telling the truth. “I’m not going to stop talking about health disparities in health care based on people’s race. It is what it is,” he said. “It’s a fact — there are documented studies that we have to talk about. So how do I train healthcare leaders in providing care to, and making sure their health system provides the right care, and not have these kinds of conversations about LGBTQ, about African American women? I’m going to always speak the truth.” Molinet believes as long as he sticks to the facts and does not offer up his opinion, he won’t run afoul of the new anti-DEI laws. “For me, that kind of is counterintuitive to what education is supposed to be about, right?,” he said. “We should be having these courageous conversations with our students about what are the issues of the day. This law is really limiting the ability to do that without getting in trouble.” CONTINUED FROM THE PREVIOUS PAGE “I’M NOT GOING TO STOP TALKING ABOUT HEALTH DISPARITIES IN HEALTH CARE BASED ON PEOPLE’S RACE. IT’S A FACT — THERE ARE DOCUMENTED STUDIES THAT WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT. I’M GOING TO ALWAYS SPEAK THE TRUTH.” RUDY MOLINET ADJUNCT PROFESSOR

APRIL2024 | OUTFAU 7 Q ueer theater made its way to FAU in March through Theater Lab’s annual New Play Festival, where new works are premiered before they are produced. At this year’s festival, “La Paloma’’ by Andie Arthur and “Harold & Babs” by D. A. Mindell offered two different conceptualizations on queer resistance in a time of increasing bigotry — particularly here in Florida. A thanks must be given here to the Fair Play Initiative and the Our Fund Foundation, a South Florida LGBTQ philanthropic organization, for providing the funding that made these plays possible. “La Paloma” is a historical drama focusing on the actual La Paloma queer club that existed in Dade County which was raided by the KKK in 1937, described by the playwright as a sort of “Stonewall before Stonewall.” In a story about a close knit community, its oppression, and its resistance and resilience, there are a number of striking parallels to our present-day situation and thus should serve as a source for inspiration for our struggle for our liberation. It must be remembered that the first pride was a riot, and this history cannot be forgotten. “Harold & Babs” is a comedy about a couple in 1950’s Maryland, who switch their identities once they realize they are both transgender. While firmly a comedy, the play speaks seriously about the trans experience, parenthood, and Communism. At a time when trans and queer people are being persecuted, it was comforting to experience a performance that affirmed our experiences as trans people with all the comfort of a sitcom while still imagining a future where we can choose to live free from the confines of imposed ideas about family and gender. These stories of queer resistance, both deeply political and personal, are necessary in times like these. Theater has always been part of our history, from Aristophanes to “Rent,” and it allows us to portray ourselves in ways that are often denied to us. Ultimately, the lesson from these stories for us, the queer community, is that we have to stand by each other as friends, as spouses, and as family. New Queer Plays Showcased at FAU BY XIMENA DIPIETRO AND LEWIS DE BERRY D.A. Mindell. Courtesy of Theatre Lab. WE’RE LOOKING FOR WRITERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, AND DESIGNERS! EMAIL [email protected] VISIT US ONLINE OUTFAU.COM FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @OUTFAU

4.11.2024 • 27 MOMS FOR LIBERTY FLOPS ON ‘60 MINUTES’ ORGANIZATION COULDN’T ANSWER BASIC QUESTIONS S ome of the largest right-wing political movements since the beginning of the pandemic have cloaked themselves in the mantra of “protecting children” and “parent’s rights,” with one of the largest organizations taking advantage of that being Moms for Liberty. Two of the founders went on CBS’ “60 Minutes” for an in-depth interview in early March. Their appearance was panned from many people. Chasten Buttigieg, husband of Secretary of Transportation Pete, slammed their interview posting on X (formerly Twitter): “They literally have to look at printed talking points.” The Advocate pointed it out, too: “often resorted to talking points rather than directly addressing [the] questions.” Meanwhile, Mother Jones, a liberal news outlet, explained: “When confronted with basic questions on ‘60 Minutes,’ the group appeared ill-prepared and stumped and alleged their critics were trying to ‘marginalize us.’” “What ideology are they being indoctrinated into?” “60 Minutes” host Scott Pelley asked. Descovich responded: “Let’s just say, children in America cannot read.” Pelley accused her of being evasive. Later, the founders claimed they have members of all stripes. “We have gay members,” founder Tiffany Moms for Liberty co-founders Tiffany Justice and Tina Descovich. Screenshot via "60 Minutes." Justice said. “I think it’s an effort to really try to marginalize us as an organization because parents are coming together—across racial lines, across religious lines, across all of these different ways that we see Americans being divided so often.” The organization, founded in 2021 by Justice, Tina Descovich and Bridget Ziegler (who has since left), started by focusing on mask mandates and other COVID-19 restrictions in schools. In the three years since Moms for Liberty has expanded into 48 states with over 120,000 listed members, and according to their website, they’re “dedicated to fighting for the survival of America by unifying, educating, and empowering parents to defend their parental rights at all levels of government.” In the same period, Moms for Liberty was labeled an “extremist” organization by the Southern Poverty Law Center. In response, former President Trump declared that Moms for Liberty “is no hate group … You’re the best thing that ever happened to America.” While the organization has establishments around much of the country, its largest concentration is here in the state where it was founded: Florida. Finding consistent platforming from Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration has emboldened Moms for Liberty in the state, pushing for book bans, anti-CRT and helping push legislation like the “Don’t Say Gay” law. But the grassroots spectacle that has propelled Moms for Liberty into the spotlight has come under scrutiny. While the organization plays as if most of its money comes from individual donors, the reality is that they likely receive large parts of their funding from political interests outside the organization. In an interview with the Washington Post, co-founder Descovich claimed the organization is funded by individual memberships and proceeds from t-shirt sales. She then continued this claim in an interview with education publication The 74. While there aren’t hard numbers to refute this, evidence suggests that they receive funding from Conservatives for Good Government, a right-wing Florida political action committee. They also host large dollar fundraisers, like a June 15 event that saw some top donors there donating over $50,000 each. They also have deep GOP connections like Christian Ziegler, vice chairman of the Florida Republican Party, who said, “I have been trying for a dozen years to get 20- and 30-year-old females involved with the Republican Party, and it was a heavy lift to get that demographic. But now Moms for Liberty has done it for me.” Also, one of Moms for Liberty’s largest supporters, DeSantis has been backing away from issues he once championed alongside the organization, most notably book banning statutes in Florida. Florida has banned the highest number of books in the country from schools and public libraries, and much of that is due to right-wing activists with no children in the public school system making mass complaints about books in certain libraries and schools. All this without even highlighting the group’s racist and homophobic undertones, going so far as quoting Hitler, in a newsletter from an Indiana chapter, or their close ties to the known hate groups, like the Proud Boys. They’ve also been criticized for targeting teachers and officials they take issue with like Jennifer Jenkins a Brevard County School Board member who unseated Moms for Liberty co-founder Descovich, who traced harassment she faced back to Moms for Liberty. Jenkins said she received messages saying, “We’re coming at you like a freight train! We are going to make you beg for mercy. If you thought Jan. 6 was bad, wait until you see what we have for you!” The organization appears to be stumbling as these issues within the organization come to light, and other parents retaliate for their attempted chokehold on American schools. The most poignant moment was a January 2023 meeting where a single Moms for Liberty member sat in opposition to a chorus of concerned parents. ALSO, ONE OF MOMS FOR LIBERTY’S LARGEST SUPPORTERS, DESANTIS HAS BEEN BACKING AWAY FROM ISSUES HE ONCE CHAMPIONED ALONGSIDE THE ORGANIZATION, MOST NOTABLY BOOK BANNING STATUTES IN FLORIDA. NEWS NATIONAL Tessa Becker

28 • 4.11.2024 ADDRESSING PAINFUL INTIMACY WITH COMPASSION AND CARE I’M REACHING OUT BECAUSE I’VE BEEN EXPERIENCING PAIN DURING SEX FOR SOME TIME NOW, AND IT’S STARTING TO TAKE A TOLL ON MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY PARTNER. WE’RE BOTH WOMEN, AND AT FIRST, I THOUGHT IT MIGHT JUST BE A TEMPORARY ISSUE, BUT IT’S PERSISTED, AND I’M NOT SURE WHAT TO DO. I FEEL GUILTY AND ANXIOUS EVERY TIME WE GET INTIMATE, WORRYING THAT THE PAIN WILL RUIN THE MOMENT. MY PARTNER IS INCREDIBLY UNDERSTANDING AND PATIENT, BUT I CAN TELL IT’S AFFECTING OUR CONNECTION. DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE ON HOW TO ADDRESS THIS PAIN AND COMMUNICATE WITH MY PARTNER ABOUT IT? First and foremost, I want to commend you for taking the brave step to reach out and share what you’re going through. Experiencing pain during sex is a deeply personal and often distressing situation, and it’s completely understandable that it’s causing you feelings of guilt and anxiety. It’s clear that this issue is not just a physical discomfort but also an emotional burden, affecting the intimate connection between you and your partner. Your partner’s understanding and patience in this situation are invaluable. It speaks volumes about the strength and depth of your relationship. Communication, as you’ve identified, is key. It’s wonderful that you’re looking for ways to address this pain and talk about it openly with your partner. In moments like these, the comfort and safety found in a supportive relationship can make a significant difference. When it comes to discussing your experiences of pain during sex, finding a quiet, private time to talk is crucial. It’s important that both you and your partner feel safe and unhurried, allowing for an open and honest exchange of feelings and concerns. During sexual intimacy, or after, is not the time to have this discussion. Pick a time that is neutral and allows space from any other vulnerable emotions. Expressing your emotions, needs, and fears clearly, while also listening to your partner’s perspective, can foster a deeper understanding and empathy between you both. It’s natural to worry about the impact of this issue on your relationship and intimacy. However, by facing this challenge together, you can explore alternative ways to maintain your connection and intimacy without causing you discomfort or pain. This might involve discovering new forms of physical closeness or other expressions of affection that are comfortable and enjoyable for both of you. The emotional and psychological aspects of experiencing pain during sex cannot be underestimated. Practicing self-compassion is crucial; remember to be kind and patient with yourself. Anxiety and stress can often exacerbate the situation, so incorporating mindfulness and relaxation techniques into your routine may help reduce tension and improve your overall well-being. Finding a healthcare provider that specializes in sexual dysfunction is a crucial step in your process to healing. Finding someone who is LGBTQ affirming will also be beneficial in your process. In addition to healthcare, I encourage Photo via Pixabay. Kelly Ghweinem, LCSW CST VIEWPOINTS OPINION Kelly Ghweinem, LCSW CST is a queer-affirming therapist & business owner who champions the LGBTQ+ community through activism & advocacy utilizing a queer, feminist, anti-racist lens. A University at Buffalo graduate, Kelly came to Fort Lauderdale in 2022. Visit velvetcollective.org. Contact Kelly at [email protected]. QUEERLY BELOVED The advice offered in this column is intended for informational purposes only. Use of this column is not intended to replace or substitute any financial, medical, legal, or other professional advice. you to consider the benefits of professional support. A psychotherapist, especially one familiar with sexual health and LGBTQ issues, can offer valuable strategies for managing anxiety, improving communication, and exploring the emotional dimensions of your experience in a supportive and understanding environment. Navigating this challenge may not be easy, but it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. With the support of your partner, open communication, and perhaps professional guidance, you can find a way forward that honors both your need for physical comfort and your desire for a fulfilling intimate connection.

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30 • 4.11.2024 UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA’S ATTACK ON DEI IS DEGRADING EDUCATION AND DEVALUING OUR DEGREES I t was morning and I sipped my coffee at a downtown café in a northern state. A customer noticed my University of Florida t-shirt and asked if I had attended the state’s flagship college. When I nodded, I waited for the usual praise that often accompanied. Instead, I was peppered with questions about censorship, book bans and efforts to control what was taught about minorities in Florida’s schools. Similar interactions have occurred on multiple occasions since that coffee house experience. As a proud University of Florida graduate, I am deeply concerned that Gov. Ron DeSantis’ unrelenting, self-serving culture wars have tarnished the reputation of our once-renowned universities and diminished the value of my degree, which I received in 1993. My concerns were deeply exacerbated this month when UF, following the dictates of a new law passed last year, eliminated its diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, program, firing its chief diversity position and 13 staff diversity officers. University of Florida officials released a statement hoping to contain the fallout: “As we educate students by thoughtfully engaging in a wide range of ideas and views, we will continue to foster a community of trust and respect for every member of the Gator Nation,” the memo says. Such performative puffery spins the depressing reality that University of Florida no longer fully values differing opinions equally. The dismantling of DEI will stifle debate and elevate pre-approved, state-sanctioned ideas above other viewpoints. My cherished alma mater now behaves, in some ways, like political dystopias we have seen in authoritarian countries, where cynical government officials exploit universities to propagandize preferred narratives. Isn’t Florida still part of America? How many professors, who want to advance their careers, are going to risk undermining their future by teaching subjects or ideas at odds with the state? I look back at the opportunities afforded me and my classmates at UF, and wonder if today’s students will be robbed of enriching experiences that widened our lenses and broadened our horizons? For example, in 1991 I was part of UF’s Gay & Lesbian Student Union (GLSU). We participated on speaking panels at various sociology classes where we discussed our sexual orientation or gender identity. As our speaking panels commenced, we would introduce ourselves and then open the floor to questions, which included anything the audience had on their minds. Nothing was off the table. Some of the students were respectful, others objected to our existence based on religion, and a few were outright hostile. But most were simply curious and sat with rapt attention. We could see the candlelight of learning flickering in their inquisitive eyes. We patiently answered every question— even the annoying ones--until the school bell rang. Something magical would almost inevitably occur as these classes ended. Many of the same students who snickered when we arrived, approached us to say that we had changed their views. We humanized LGBTQ people, and in the process opened hearts and expanded minds. We were no longer an abstract social issue, but actual human beings with hopes and dreams for the future. It seems that such eye-opening moments, that reduce barriers and foster empathy, is what DeSantis and Republicans most fear. They would likely deride our panels as propaganda, when instead they represent the crux of why we attend universities. Meeting and learning from people with different ideas and backgrounds is key to the pursuit of knowledge. Without such diverse interactions, the university experience is impoverished and incomplete. We might as well stay siloed in our bedrooms taking university classes online, lest we encounter ideas that contradict the state’s official ideology. After University of Florida dismantled its DEI program, DeSantis wrote on the social media site X, “DEI is toxic and has no place in our public universities. I’m glad that Florida was the first state to eliminate DEI and I hope more states follow suit.” What many of us find toxic are the governor’s counterproductive attacks on education and his Big Government approach to dictating what is “acceptable” to think in the Sunshine State. Florida Republicans claim they want to eliminate political correctness, but it seems they are overreaching and determined to replace the prior system with conservative correctness. What we are witnessing at University of Florida is not the enhancement of education, but a strange, new variety of indoctrination. The future of my beloved University of Florida is imperiled when strangers are now more likely to ask about DeSantis’ oppressive policies than the institution’s academic excellence. I speak for many when I say: I want my university back and Republicans should stop gratuitously toying with the state’s once celebrated schools. In trying to fix what wasn’t broken, they could end up destroying the entire university system. Wayne Besen VIEWPOINTS OPINION Photo via Governor Ron DeSantis, Facebook. Wayne Besen is the executive director of Delray Beach-based LGBTQ nonprofit organization Truth Wins Out. He is the former spokesperson of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ rights organization. OUR COLUMNISTS ONLINE! JESSE'S JOURNAL by Jesse Monteagudo ASK JOHN PORTER by John Porter HOT DISH by Rick Karlin READ MORE AT OUTSFL.COM SCREEN QUEEN by Gregg Shapiro BETWEEN THE COVERS by Terri Schlichenmeyer

4.11.2024 • 31 AFTER CLASHING WITH FOOD NOT BOMBS, I WILL DEFEND THEIR FREEDOM OF SPEECH THIS WEEK THEY CALLED US ‘LIBERAL SCUM’ OutSFL and Food Not Bombs Fort Lauderdale recently got into an online spat. In an editorial last week, I blasted them for calling us “disgusting” and all police “pigs.” This week I will defend them. While I still abhor their rhetoric, I will vigorously defend their right to say it. What separates this country from so many places around the world is our strong protections for Freedom of Speech. I would be a hypocrite if I believed it should not apply to those who disagree with me. In many places around the world, this publication would be banned. The same goes for Food Not Bombs. FNB responded online to my editorial. They reiterated their disdain for police, then called OutSFL “tone-deaf” and “liberal scum.” They have a right to say it. And I have a right to respond and push back. Some on their side thought my editorial was too harsh and went too far. But nothing I said went as far as anything they said. Let me also add — facts matter. And some of the details in the response they posted were false. For instance, in 2021 a car in the Stonewall Street Festival Parade killed one person and injured two others. Initial reports made it seem like the car targeted Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Later this turned out to be false. The first few moments after the accident were filled with panic and fear — most of those close to the scene had no idea what was happening. Some folks even jumped to quick VIEWPOINTS PUBLISHER’S CORNER Jason Parsley Photo via unsplash. Jason Parsley is publisher of OutSFL. He worked for South Florida Gay News from 2011-23. He’s a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and NLGJA - the Association of LGBTQ Journalists. In his spare time he’s an avid baker, and runner. Follow @parsleypastries on Instagram or email [email protected]. conclusions, calling it a terrorist attack. It was not. This was a tragic accident. The vast majority of people that were there, were thankful of the police’s quick response and actions that day — me included. Food Not Bombs also claimed the driver was drunk. Also, false. Instead, the driver was an elderly person and hit the accelerator instead of the brakes. I would implore FNB to do a better job at fact checking their posts. FNB also made a point that it does more than just feed the poor. That’s true. I was being snarky. I agree with many of the causes they’ve taken up and applaud their efforts to bring attention to left-wing causes — including their advocacy for those experiencing homelessness. Our unhoused population are some of the most stigmatized and marginalized people in this country. Right now, they are under attack. Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed a law, basically criminalizing them. We should all care more about those who are experiencing homelessness. FNB stood up to the City of Fort Lauderdale when it implemented a ban on feeding the homeless many years ago. They won the case. Good for them. So few organizations actually fight for the unhoused. FNB is one of those few. We need more. I will end with this: no organization or entity or company, including our own, is above critique. I will always welcome feedback and criticism. But that doesn’t mean we will allow anyone to demean and degrade others on our social media accounts, or encourage violence. While they’re free to do that on their own accounts — that rhetoric and behavior will not be tolerated on ours. FNB RESPONDED ONLINE TO MY EDITORIAL. THEY REITERATED THEIR DISDAIN FOR POLICE, THEN CALLED OUTSFL “TONE-DEAF” AND “LIBERAL SCUM.” THE NEED TO FIGHT AGAINST HOMOPHOBES I was very disturbed by the opinion piece by Wayne Besen about a “dog park shooting,” which, he inferred, was the consequence of “political polarisation.” Are you kidding me? First of all, it, was a murder, not “a shooting.” The article describes how one Tampa area dogwalker discovered that Walter Lay, who also walked their dog in the park, was left-of-centre and gay, so began bullying and threatening him with homophobic slurs, culminating with the cold-blooded murder of Lay. This wasn’t a political disagreement. This was a homophobic murder, plain and simple. The fact is that MAGA rhetoric deliberately demonise minorities to create hate and division for political gain and that is what is increasing homophobia in Florida. As a community, we need to redouble our fight against the dehumanising of fellow human beings, and that shouldn’t be a cause for left or right, it should be the cause of every decent person living in the USA. The answer is to fight against homophobes, Photo via Unsplash. and to challenge hate and division, not keep quiet so as not to upset anyone! SINCERELY ROSS WRIGHT, Wilton Manors VIEWPOINTS LETTER TO THE EDITOR THE ISLANDER A WILTON MANORS NEWSLETTER WILTON MANORS NEWS... RIGHT TO YOUR INBOX. THE NEWSLETTER YOU NEED. visit sfgn.com/islanderwm to sign up! From events to local announcements, fun facts and so much more, the Islander is everything you need to wake up ready for a beautiful day in the Island City.

32 • 4.11.2024 BRUTE FORCE IS WEAKENING ISRAEL I n an airstrike April 1 in Syria, Israel’s military displayed the kind of pinpoint accuracy for which the Israeli Defense Force is both known and feared. The IDF’s precision strike hit the Iranian embassy complex on a busy Damascus Street, where it was surrounded on all sides by occupied buildings. The strike targeted and killed senior Iranian military commanders and Palestinian militants expressly identified in advance, yet despite the congested area, no civilians were killed. A mere few hours later, that same “precision” military accidentally killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers who had just delivered and unloaded tons of food meant for desperate Palestinians. Killed along an open road in a deconflicted zone under IDF control in Gaza, the workers had done everything right: They coordinated with IDF to make sure the workers’ planned route and schedule were known, and they drove together in a highly visible, white caravan of vehicles clearly identified by a large World Kitchen logo on the rooftop. The strike in Syria reflected highly coordinated intelligence efforts and targeted a well-known, stationary building in broad daylight. The kitchen workers, in contrast, were misidentified in a triple drone strike and killed at night, as they drove along a dark road. Although mitigating, those distinctions aren’t enough to quell the growing international outcry over the number of Palestinians killed by Israel in response to Hamas’ October attack, a death toll Aljazeera now puts at 33,494. The World Kitchen disaster cranked the dial under a slow-boiling and pre-existing suspicion that Prime Minister Netanyahu and his right-wing cabinet are indifferent to the lives of Palestinians. It also increased fire under President Joe Biden to put his money where his concerned mouth is, leading him to warn Netanyahu that U.S. aid may stop absent stronger protections for Palestinian civilians. Photo by Chris Hearn on Unsplash. INTERNATIONAL LAW REQUIRES PROPORTIONAL RESPONSE Military analysts say the World Kitchen debacle was the predictable outcome of Israel’s shoot-first style of engagement, a tactic Israel has employed since the Hamas attacks. The U.S., Israel, and all signatories to the Geneva Convention adhere to the principle of proportionality. Proportionality requires that the means and methods of warfare must not be disproportionate to the military advantage sought. International Humanitarian Law seeks to spare those who have not participated in hostilities, and to restrict violence to the amount necessary to achieve the aim of the conflict, which can only be to weaken the military potential of the enemy. Israel’s right to defend itself against the Neanderthalic brutality of Hamas, which exists to destroy Israel, is not in question. The problem is that determinations of proportionality will always be subjective, depending on perceived strengths and strategies of the enemy. To illustrate, if someone intentionally stomps on your foot, you don’t pull a gun and shoot. But if you have reason to believe they will come back at night to murder your family, you aim to kill. Although some Zionists assail a double standard, the number of casualties is hard to defend. Even under the vengeful justice of an eye for an eye, killing 34,000 Palestinians to redress the slaughter of 1,200 Israelis appears excessive. Forget Christian beliefs about turning the other cheek; Netanyahu has taken 28 eyes for one eye, and the ratio keeps worsening. NETANYAHU IS TO ISRAEL WHAT TRUMP IS TO THE U.S. As the world increasingly turns against Israel for violating international law, Netanyahu and his cabinet present an existential threat to Israel’s existence. Nothing will put a more visible target on innocent Jewish people than continuing to commit heinous crimes in their name. The American parallels are obvious. VIEWPOINTS OPINION Sabrina Haake THE HAAKE TAKE Sabrina Haake is a columnist and 25 year litigator specializing in 1st and 14th Amendment defense. Follow her on Substack. Netanyahu, like Donald Trump, is facing fraud charges. Netanyahu’s aggressive “othering” of Palestinians, like Trump’s attacks on immigrants, suggests he is using the war in Gaza to stay out of jail and remain in power and is willing to sacrifice his country for his own benefit. Like Trump with NATO, Netanyahu has alienated his best allies, diminished his country’s reputation, and created more enemies for his people. Netanyahu makes it difficult to separate innocent Israelis from their cruel government; the resulting rise in antisemitism is both heartbreaking and unfair. Blaming Israel for Netanyahu is like blaming all Americans for Trump, even though over half the country detests him and wants him imprisoned. Every time the IDF kills innocent civilians, global support for Israel weakens. The situation is untenable for both innocent Palestinians and innocent Israelis. Hamas would not win a bullets-for-bullets war against Israel, but they are winning the propaganda war with Netanyahu’s help, and destabilizing Israel’s strongest ally in the process. Given recent polls, mounting deaths in Gaza may alienate enough Democrat voters to put Trump back in office. If that happens, Netanyahu will celebrate by extending Jewish settlements to the Mediterranean Sea, and Palestinian cries of sorrow will fade by attrition. LAST WEEK’S TOP 5 ONLINE STORIES TONY LIMA’S REDEMPTION: LEADING SUNSERVE TO NEW HEIGHTS AFTER ADVERSITY by Steve Rothaus RENTS GO UP; WILTON MANORS BUSINESSES MOVE ON by John Hayden 3 WILTON MANORS POLICE SEARCH FOR MORE VICTIMS IN ALLEGED ACCOUNTING SCAM by John Hayden 4 DINING OUT FOR LIFE RETURNS APRIL 11 by John Hayden 5 ADOPT AN LGBTQ PARENT OR GRANDPARENT AT THE PRIDE CENTER’S AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPLEX by Christiana Lilly READ MORE AT OUTSFL.COM ISRAEL’S RIGHT TO DEFEND ITSELF AGAINST THE NEANDERTHALIC BRUTALITY OF HAMAS, WHICH EXISTS TO DESTROY ISRAEL, IS NOT IN QUESTION. Follow Sabrina Haake on substack

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34 • 4.11.2024 LOW VOICE OF CONCERN “Are you depressed?” Ray asked. “No, why?” “Your voice is low,” he said. “It’s true that my voice is getting weaker. But I don’t think I’m depressed.” There are a lot of good reasons to feel off center, but depression doesn’t require a reason. Some people like me feel down on cloudy, cold days. I feel down about the planned downward direction of United States democracy, but I’m not depressed. Most people my age, who have had the privilege of working at something they loved over many years, can feel lost and sad upon retirement. We can feel a loss of identity and of purpose, but we’re not depressed. Another possible source of feeling a little down is remembering all the physical things we once were able to do, but now we just watch others enjoy doing them. Maybe we can get back up on waterskis, but we don’t feel the same exhilaration we once did jumping the wake. We feel nostalgic, but not depressed. As we age, we hear more frequently that someone we love has died. We feel sad and lonely, but not depressed. Figuring out that we are heading toward the end of this life’s ride can cause us to think about what, if anything, is next. We might start putting our affairs in order, and we may feel anxious about the disposal of items that have given us great pleasure over the years, but we’re not depressed. Depression is described as severe despondency and dejection. It typically includes feelings of inadequacy. People who are depressed often lose their appetite and have trouble sleeping. Other signs of depression include extreme anger and continually feeling negative. If I had to pick a word that described my prevailing mood, it would be “frustration.” This results from the conflict between my soul and my head. I try hard to embrace the teachings of non-judgment. My angel CULTURE OPINION Brian McNaught THE WISE SNOWY OWL OutSFL file photo. whispers that the concepts of “right or wrong,” “good or bad,” depend upon perspective and judgment. Yet, during the day my judgments are triggered by threatening political antics and bravado. I recall the admonition from Jesus, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” Similar warnings are present in all spiritual texts. The Tao Te Ching asks, “What is more dangerous, success or failure?” The daily battles I experience between my ego and my soul can have the effect of lowering my voice and appearing depressed. It’s not depression I feel about the fracture of American idealism, it’s deep sadness. It’s also frustration, because I feel there is little I can do about it except prevent the forfeiture of my soul by committing myself to loving kindness. Anyone who knows the values I hold dear needn’t be told how I feel about current events. What they might not see are the internal struggles felt daily over the challenges of being a channel of peace. Read more from Brian McNaught has been an author and educator this author here on LGBTQ issues since 1974. Former Congressman Barney Frank said of Brian, “No one has done a better job of chronicling what it’s like to grow up gay.” www.brian-mcnaught.com. BREAKING BARRIERS On April 3, we had the pleasure of welcoming our friends and supporters to the Liberty City SAFE CENTER for an evening of celebration as we announced the launch of our new pharmacy program, providing vital medications to our community. We are partnering with a team of dedicated medical providers, and pharmacies Avita, PharmcoRx and Walgreens, to make our two Photo by Kri8edMedia. COMMUNITY CELEBRATING ACCESSIBLE HEALTHCARE AND PREP AT PRIDELINES Nicolle Nyariri Pridelines IF YOU LIKE THE WORK WE DO, PLEASE DONATE TO US. YOUR SUPPORT IS VITAL TO OUR ORGANIZATION. Photo by Kri8edMedia. centers access points for crucial medications in HIV / STI prevention and treatment — including PrEP, PEP, and DoxyPEP. We are extremely proud of this initiative as HIV & STI prevention and education have always been at the core of our mission and now, we’re expanding our impact within our community. It was beautiful to share the news in our Liberty City SAFE CENTER, as Liberty City is the epicenter of new HIV infections in Miami, and the United States. The night was completed with delicious cocktails by Mykaella, soulful live music by Alana and Ted, and extraordinary catering by Lecca Experience, Italian and Ecuadorian chefs, Marco Stella and Ketty Mendoza, who treated us to Italian caviar, black truffle, and authentic dishes from southern Italy. Each dish was a testament to the artistry and dedication of their team. This month’s Executive Circle Cocktail Reception was a powerful affirmation to the support of our community and the dedication of our team. We are immensely grateful to everyone who joined us in celebrating our achievements and look forward to the continued success of our initiatives.

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36 • 4.11.2024 CULTURE FOOD THE WELL The Big Weiner. Photo via The Well - Wilton Manors, Facebook. THE WELL 2426 WILTON DR. 954-999-0647 DRINKATTHEWELL.COM/WILTON-MANORS Wilton Manors seems to be rife with locations that are cursed for businesses. Think of how many places occupied the space that is now home to The Eagle before it successfully perched there. What was it, like a dozen places in between Bill’s and the Eagle? And how many between Chardee’s and Bill’s? The current home of The Well is another one of those spots. It was home to a half-dozen or so bars before the ill-conceived and illfated Hamburger Mary’s. Then just as 2024 rolled in, John Ribson, a partner in a string of successful Ontario, Canada bars called The Well, announced that he was opening an outpost of his chain in that spot. Will he be able to break the curse, as The Eagle has? One thing he has going for him is that he has hired an experienced Wilton Manors bar person, Jason Basilico as manager. One improvement is the menu. The Well’s menu is nothing, if not expansive. There are a variety of appetizers. I, of course, had to try the signature Canadian dish, poutine. The Well Poutine is $12 and is enough for a meal or for a table of four hungry bears to share. Although the fries could have been crispier there were plenty of squeaky cheese curds and savory gravy. Of interest and something we’re sure to order on our next visit are the sweet yellow corn “ribs.” Corn on the cob is quartered and deep-fried, then topped with cilantro crema, a dusting of Tajín, cotija cheese, and a squeeze of fresh lime. Other appetizer options include the usual bar fare, and some unexpected treats such as fried pickle chips, guacamole bites, BBQ meatballs, and macaroni and cheese balls. The Well also offers three versions of flatbread: The Works comes topped with marinara, mozzarella, crispy bacon, grilled chicken, sautéed mushrooms, sweet peppers, onions, and black olives. Buffalo Chicken Ranch has ranch sauce, melted mozzarella, grilled Buffalo chicken, and crumbled bleu cheese, and the Classic Margherita teams up vibrant marinara sauce, sweet tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fragrant basil, and a tangy balsamic glaze. When we first sat down and looked at the menu, we were about to leave as there wasn’t an entrée option for my vegetarian hubby. Then the waiter informed us that they did have a vegetarian burger, it just wasn’t listed on the menu. Duh! My husband ordered it and said that it was quite satisfactory. I opted for The Wellburger and upgraded to bacon (which I didn’t get). My juicy Angus beef patty was grilled just a bit shy of my medium order. Other handheld menu options include a fried chicken breast sandwich, Buffalo chicken wrap, Philly cheese steak, chicken strips, and a grilled foot-long all-beef hot dog. Dinner options include mussels sautéed in your choice of a white wine or marinara sauce, beer-battered cod, or Cajun jambalaya pasta. For those seeking something lighter, there is a trio of salads. The signature YumYum Salad features ahi tuna or grilled chicken atop mixed greens with an Asian dressing. There are also classic Caesar and Caprese salads, to which you may add grilled chicken or shrimp. The one thing that could be improved is the service. It was 6:30 on a weeknight, the staff was milling about, and nobody acknowledged us for at least five minutes as we stood in the doorway. Finally, I asked, “Are you open?” and someone apologized and came over and seated us on the patio, as we requested. We waited another 15 minutes until a server came by. He practically yawned as he handed us the menu. Service was lacking, as you might expect from the greeting we received. I did, however, get a great Negroni from the bar, and was only charged $6 for it! Rick Karlin HOT DISH Read more from Rick Karlin is OutSFL’s arts & culture editor, but the this author here views and opinions he expresses in his columns are solely his own and do not represent the official viewpoint of OutSFL. Have a culinary tip to share? Email Rick at [email protected]. Classic Canadian poutine. Photo via The Well - Wilton Manors, Facebook. TO-DO LIST [email protected] Compiled by Rick Karlin LESBIAN NOIR Island City’s production of “Pulp!” opens this week and runs through May 5. This comedic tribute to lesbian pulp fiction and tough-talking gals was a huge hit when first staged in Chicago. FRIDAY, APRIL 12 GOLDEN GIRLS, EGGS BENEDICT, BEARS AND JENNIFER MCCLAIN That’s just about Wilton Manors in a nutshell, isn’t it? Tin Roof at Las Olas and Andrews hosts a Golden Girls Drag Brunch, while The Eagle has DJ Jesus Montanez spinning for its “Sublime” party, and Jennifer McClain returns after taking the day off for her birthday to celebrate at Alibi with Diva on Demand. SATURDAY, APRIL 13 EN POINTE Broward Center hosts the Ballet Theatre of Florida’s Spring Gala. SUNDAY, APRIL 14 IT’S A SCHOOL NIGHT So that means there are drink specials at Infinity Lounge. $10 Stoli martinis. Yes, please! That’s my kind of homework! MONDAY, APRIL 15 DEAL ME IN The Pub on the Drive has Poker on the Hub every Tuesday. Remind me, is a hand with three ladies and two of the guys with swords a good hand? TUESDAY, APRIL 16 DINING OUT & DOING GOOD As if we needed an excuse to dine out, tonight you can do so guilt-free because area restaurants are donating a percentage of their profits to Broward House. Go to browardhouse.org/dofl to find which of your favorite restaurants is participating. THURSDAY, APRIL 11 [email protected] HOT BALLS AND CHEAP DRINKS Scandals’ happy hour starts at 4 p.m. with complimentary meatballs, and meat and cheese platters. I just paid my taxes, so I’m gonna need those cheap drinks and free food. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17 FOOD PORN TO MAKE YOUR MOUTH WATER

4.11.2024 • 37 “Love without judgement” A home for your spirit. Holy Angels National Catholic Church 1436 NE 26th Street Wilton Manors. 33305 Facebook.com/HolyAngelsFL www.HolyAngelsFL.org 954-633-2987 Mass Schedule: Sabado 6:00 PM misa en español • Sunday Mass at 11 AM in English • All are welcome! Join us for masked, socially distanced in person worship. 11 AM Sundays. Services also LIVE-streamed on Facebook and posted on website for safe at home viewing. Donate Your Car Imagine the Di erence You Can Make • Every donated vehicle will be properly recycled, reducing waste and harmful emissions. • Vehicle donations are fully tax-deductible and the proceeds help provide services to help the blind and visually impaired. Help Prevent Blindness Get A Vision Screening Annually FREE TOWING & TAX DEDUCTIBLE When you donate your car, you’ll receive: Donate Your Car • Every donated vehicle will be properly recycled, reducing waste and harmful emissions. FREE • Vehicle donations are fully tax-deductible and Call 1-855-758-0975 ✔ a $200 restaurant voucher ✔ a 2-night, 3-day hotel stay at one of 50 locations CONGREGATION ETZ CHAIM 2038 N. Dixie Hwy, Wilton Manors (Pride Center Building B) 954-564-9232 | etzchaimflorida.org [email protected] Friday Night Shabbat Service 8p.m. HOLY ANGELS CATHOLIC COMMUNITY 1436 NE 26th St, Wilton Manors 954-633-2987 - HolyAngelsFL.net Sunday Mass at 11AM ST. MARY MAGDALENE & ST. MARTIN EPISCOPAL CHURCH 1400 Riverside Dr, Coral Springs 954-753-1400 | www.stmmcs.net Sunday Worship 8:30am, 10:30am, 12:30pm (Spanish) ST. NICHOLAS EPISCOPAL CHURCH 1111 E. Sample Road, Pompano Beach 954-942-5887 | StNicholasFL.org Sunday Service 9:30AM SPIRITUALITY LISTINGS PLEASE CHECK EACH LOCATION'S SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION REGARDING DATES, IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE FOR SERVICES, OR OPTIONS FOR VIRTUAL ATTENDANCE. STS FRANCIS AND CLARE CHURCH 2300 NW 9th Ave. (Powerline Rd.) WIlton Manors 954-731-8173 | stsfrancisandclare.org Sunday: 10:30 AM. Watch LIVE @ facebook.com/stsfrancisandclare UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP OF BOCA RATON 2601 St Andrews Blvd. in Boca Raton (just off Glades Rd., next to University Woodlands Park) (561) 482-2001 | www.uufbr.org Sunday service at 10:30 AM Eastern. Zoom Meeting ID: 914 8201 7108 Passcode: 952914 OUR PAGES YOUR VOICE Send us your letters [email protected] CAN’T WAIT FOR PRINT? FOLLOW US ONLINE. OUTSFL.COM

38 • 4.11.2024 ENTERTAINMENT MUSIC SUNFEST NOW IN FOURTH DECADE SHOWS NO SIGN OF SLOWING DOWN Rick Karlin F ounded in 1982, SunFest is one of Florida’s largest waterfront music festivals. Held annually in downtown West Palm Beach, along the Intracoastal Waterway along Flagler Dr. in the first week in May, SunFest attracts more than 85,000+ visitors. The festival and the patrons have a positive impact on the local economy. It is produced by SunFest of Palm Beach County, Inc., a private 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, consisting of a board of directors, more than 2,300 volunteers, a full-time, yearround staff of five, and approximately 80 corporate sponsors. In addition to live music across three stages along the Intracoastal waterway, SunFest also includes a Creative Arts Village featuring an immersive arts experience to interact and shop from regional artisans, regional and local vendors including vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options, a floating cocktail barge featuring DJs for guests over 21 bars, concessions, official band merch, festival merch, free water stations, and sponsor activations. A one-day pass is $70 ($60 for seniors), and a three-day pass is $135 (no senior discount - I guess they think we couldn’t last three days), VIP passes are $175- $200 for a single day and $400 for the weekend. The VIP ticket allows access to The Cove’s waterfront VIP lounge areas, prime viewing areas close to the stages, private VIP restrooms, two complementary drinks including SunFest specialty cocktails, drink discounts, and unlimited Coke products. For more information on how to buy tickets, parking, and hotel accommodations, go to sunfest.com. SCHEDULED PERFORMERS THIS YEAR INCLUDE Friday, May 3: Kritikal, Fox Maple Band, The Fixx, SloFunkPump Shaggy, Nelly, and Billy Idol. Saturday, May 4: Killbilies, The Aces, The Revivalists, Open for an Icon Winner, Cole Swindell, The Lubben Brothers, Hailey Withers, Elle King, Matt Corman, Paul Russell, Bryce Vine, and Yung Gravy. Sunday, May 5: Brothers Within, Sernation, Little Stranger, The Elovaters, Rebelution, Steven James Casadee Pope, Valley, Dashboard Confessional, and Third Eye Blind. The Chainsmokers performing at SunFest 2023. Photo by JR Davis. BILLY PORTER HEADLINING MIAMI BEACH PRIDE T he beach, an icon, and a whole lotta pride. Miami Beach Pride is set for this weekend in Lummus Park. The two-day festival starts Friday night and hits its zenith Sunday afternoon with the parade. The party gets started at 7 p.m. Friday with the VIP Beach Affair, hosted by Jessica Wild. The $95 ticket gets you into the park for an open bar and food plus special, yet-to-be announced entertainment. The big action starts Saturday at noon with three stages to provide whatever type of entertainment you’re looking for. DJ Alex Tucci, DJ Gunn and DJ Ice will be spinning on the dance stage. The entertainment stage will feature Osmani Garcia, who’s collaborated with Miami legend Pitbull, will headline. Farina, Ultra Naté, Jessica Wild and more will also perform. The community stage will feature Bonnie Builder, Gabriel Smith, Shy and others. Sunday is the big day. The parade steps off at noon at Fifth and Ocean and moves down towards 14th. Grand Marshals Lisa Rinna and June Diane Raphael will lead the procession along with Billy Porter who will headline later in the day. Miss Miami Beach Pride 2024, Tiara Love Dupree, will wear her hard-earned crown as she sits on her throne while riding down Ocean Drive. After the parade, top tier talent will take the stages. Billy Porter, who loves hanging out in South Florida, is headlining the day. Influencer JoJo Siwa will give her world Photo by John Ganun. ENTERTAINMENT NEWS John Hayden FOR MORE DETAILS ON SPECIFIC EVENTS, CHECK OUT THE MIAMI BEACH PRIDE GUIDE premiere performance of her new hit, Karma. Parade viewing and entrance to the party, both days, is free. VIP tickets are available. Single day tickets are $250, with a three-day pass costing $500. But Miami Beach is already showing its Pride on the streets. A Pride-decorated trolley is cruising the city and smaller events started a week ago. Organizers are thrilled with community excitement. “Growing from a 15,000-person event in 2009 to now being one of the most celebrated Prides in the country with more than 170,000 attendees from all over the world, our goal is to honor our community all while having the message of unwavering resilience and uniqueness on full display along Miami Beach,” said Bruce Horwich, Chairman of Miami Beach Pride. Miami Beach has dozens of parking lots, but with tens of thousands expected on Saturday and Sunday, rideshare and public transportation is encouraged. “With over 12 days of exciting events, there is truly something for everyone, and we have maintained our commitment to keep much of our programming free for the community to be as inclusive as possible,” Horwich said. SUNDAY IS THE BIG DAY. THE PARADE STEPS OFF AT NOON AT FIFTH AND OCEAN AND MOVES DOWN TOWARDS 14TH. GRAND MARSHALS LISA RINNA AND JUNE DIANE RAPHAEL WILL LEAD THE PROCESSION ALONG WITH BILLY PORTER WHO WILL HEADLINE LATER IN THE DAY.

4.11.2024 • 39 713 Lake Avenue, Lake Worth Beach www.lakeworthplayhouse.org | 561.586.6410 Full or Part time, Opening or Closing. You establish your work/life balance from day one! Come join the fastest Day Spa concept in the US! WE OFFER: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, 401k, PTO and more!* < Scan here for details and to apply WE ARE LOOKING FOR TALENTED: Spa Directors Assistant Spa Directors Customer Services Managers Spa Sales Associates Estheticians Massage Therapists Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spas offer Professional Massage, Facials and Hair Removal in a spa culture that promotes delivering passionate, healing services to our clients. NOW HIRING Ft Lauderdale, Davie, Coral Springs and Pembroke Pines SUPPORT OUR JOURNALISM donations to OutSFL can be made here: outsfl.com/donate Sign up for our newsletters at outsfl.com/newsletter outsfl knows DAILY - OUR DAILY EBLAST ISLANDER - TWICE WEEKLY WILTON MANORS EBLAST • SCOOP - OUR WEEKLY EBLAST

40 • 4.11.2024 1950S LESBIANS, FLAMINGOS, AND A NEW SEASON Photo via Island City Stage, Facebook. Rick Karlin LESBIAN DRAMA Women’s Night at Island City Stage is always interesting, but it should be even more so on April 12, given the subject matter of its current production, “Pulp.” Set in 1950s Chicago, in the middle of a sultry summer, a tough-talking, seductive dame arrives at The Well, a club run by women who love women. When she enters these women’s lives there are lots of meaningful looks, faces in shadows, dramatic pauses, and double and triple entendre. It’s a comedic love letter to lesbian pulp fiction and the Barbara Stanwycks of the world. There won’t be a dry eye, or seat, in the house. Tonight’s event is sponsored by U-Haul. Tickets are available at islandcitystage.org. FLOCKIN’ FABULOUS! FlockFest’s website says, “Their mission is to have fun while raising money for charitable causes, making a significant difference in the lives of others.” They’ve given back $45,424 in cash to charities, so they must be doing something right. All I know is they do seem to have a lot of fun, and here are two more of their upcoming events. “SPLASH” Pool Party T-Dance will be held on May 26 from noon to 5 p.m. at The Easton Courtyard rooftop pool, overlooking downtown Fort Lauderdale. The VIP area is sponsored by Hunters Nightclub Wilton Manors. It is a 21+ event. The 9th Annual FlockFest beach party, sponsored by Provincetown’s The Crown & Anchor will be held on July 6 at Fort Lauderdale Beach. Music will be provided by DJ Deanne. A VIP package will be available and will include; beverages, a $5 food voucher, a FlockFest Flamingo Float, and a gift bag with exclusive FlockFest swag. Tickets for both events are available at FlockFest’s website flockfestevents.org. DELRAY BEACH ANNOUNCES NEW SEASON The Delray Beach Playhouse announced its lineup for the 2024-2025 season and once again, the venue will offer a wide variety of programming designed to please its patrons. The Mainstage Play Series will begin in Nov. with Mel Brooks’ “The Producers,” followed by “Jimmy Buffet’s Escape to Margaritaville.” “Murder on the Orient Express,” “The Bridges of Madison County.” In addition to these four diverse theatrical presentations in the Off Broadway Series; the popular Playhouse Presents lineup of 35 plus concerts, comedy shows, and special engagements will be announced later this summer. The nostalgic concert series Feelin’ Groovy will also return to the Playhouse next season. Starring Joan Friedenberg and Bill Bowen, who perform as The PinkSlip Duo, the series will pay tribute to folk icons Peter Paul & Mary, perform pop hits by Jewish artists, and celebrate women singer-songwriters of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Subscriptions for all series are on sale now. The individual ticket sales date is still to be announced. Ticket prices will vary, and group rates will be available. More information about all these productions, including show descriptions and logos, is available on the theatre’s website at delraybeachplayhouse. com. ENTERTAINMENT CULTURE CORNER “THE DEAD BOY” BY JOE PINTAURO EMPIRE STAGE 1140 N. FLAGLER DR., FORT LAUDERDALE 954-678-1496 EMPIRESTAGE.COM Joe Pintauro’s “The Dead Boy” has a troubled script and the fact that it succeeds to the level it does is only because of the strong acting of some of its cast members, most notably, Rick Prada as Francis Cardinal, and Kelly DiLorenzo as reporter Katherine McGuire. David Simson directs the show with a sure hand, making things run smoothly for the most part. The problem here is with the script, which is why this show is so seldom produced. Based on the true story of Father Bruce Ritter who founded Covenant House in New York City to deal with homeless and thrownaway youth who turned to sex work for survival. Ritter was accused of multiple sexual interactions with his charges, but never charged. In early drafts of the script the reporter was an exSeminarian, now it is a former parishioner who had a crush on Father Davis (i.e., Ritter). Prada is by far the strongest actor, showing the conflict between doing what’s best for the church and protecting his friend. DiLorenzo makes the most out of an underwritten role, bringing in her anguish of betrayal, by the church, Father Davis, and ultimately, the Cardinal. Daniel Distasio is strong as Will Draper but doesn’t appear either young, streetwise, or thuggy enough in that role. His character makes a big deal about being straight, and then in his nude scene, he strips down to a gay boy’s shaved hairless body. His role as a young priest is not differentiated enough that we can easily tell them apart. I heard many people asking if they were supposed to be the same person. Something as simple as an accent or a toupee might help. Bob Sharkey is fine as the wise and weary parish priest, although he could raise the volume a bit. Unfortunately, the lead actor Michael Schenker, as Father Davis, is the weak link in this production. Too often he seemed to simply be reciting his lines with no meaning behind them. We never really feel his anguish for all his speechifying. Some actors need time to settle into a role, perhaps that will happen with Schenker. Pintauro, a former priest, approaches the story in an even-handed way. Perhaps it is Pintauro’s unwillingness to judge the priest that saps the story of its drive, but it never really goes anywhere. As a character study, the characters keep their cards too close to their chests. The other weak part is the ending. In real life, Father Bruce simply moved to upstate New York where he died peacefully. Not very dramatic. In the play, there is a convoluted scene where the young priest and Father Davis confront each other (why?), which then morphs into Davis and Will having sex (further blurring the lines between the characters) before an overly dramatic ending. I don’t know if anyone could produce a satisfactory conclusion to this play, which is why I opened this review by saying it has a troubled script. Empire Stage’s production is valiant and thought-provoking. FINE ACTING BRINGS ‘THE DEAD BOY’ TO LIFE Photo courtesy of Empire Stage. ENTERTAINMENT REVIEW Rick Karlin PINTAURO, A FORMER PRIEST, APPROACHES THE STORY IN AN EVEN-HANDED WAY. FLockfest 2023. Photo by JR Davis.

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