Florida Agenda

In the midst of all the current political rhetoric, it can be difficult to identify the best candidates in terms of the issues relevant to the LGBT community, along with identifying the true supporters of same.  I personally think it is important to make a voting decision based upon a broader spectrum of issues than a candidate’s position on gay issues, but the trend today is to ask “what will you do for me?” before asking “what will you do for us/everyone?”

Since Hillary Rodham Clinton’s eloquent speech about gay rights last year before the U.N. High Commission on Human Rights, a leading issue at every level of elections, federal and state through county and local, is LGBT rights. Our own Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida’s 20th Congressional District, who also chairs the Democratic National Committee, has taken an aggressive stand against any politician seeking to suppress  gay rights.

That aside, who is the right person for whom you should cast your vote? Should you vote solely based on that candidate’s positions on gay marriage, or domestic partnerships, or gay adoption?  What if the Democratic candidate supports everything in the “gay agenda,” but wants to increase taxes?  What if the candidate marches in Pride parades in full-blown drag, but has no interest in healthcare reform?

While acknowledging the importance of the continuing fight for equality, intelligent adults need to understand our candidates’ positions, and research not only what they say they will do, but also what they have done in the past, and how they conduct themselves as people.  I don’t believe that it is possible for a person to truly separate who they are in their personal life from who they will be in their political life.  Knowing about a person’s life can help identify certain attributes that they will likely bring to bear in elected office.

In Fort Lauderdale, the non-partisan mayoral race includes Jack Seiler and Earl Rynerson.  Members of the LGBT community may recognize the fact that Rynerson is a gay man, but does that guarantee he will be the gay person’s politician?  First as mayor of Wilton Manors, and now as Fort Lauderdale’s incumbent mayor, Seiler twice advocated and passed domestic partnership ordinances. I remember the day he looked me in the eye and said, “A.J., I am fully committed to making this happen, and I will.”  He was true to his word.  Does this make him the gay person’s politician?

My feeling is that politicians are destined to act “politically.” Considerations of political survival and decisions that seem illogical or simply wrong are par for the course. The question we have to ask is how genuine are a candidate’s aspirations and political promises? Will he or she be brave enough to stand behind their convictions when it matters? There will never be a perfect president, governor, or mayor, but there will be those who bring integrity, good intentions, and a true understanding of our needs to their offices.

There never has been and never will be a “gay person’s politician.” There are simply politicians. It was Seiler who said that “good public policy always makes for good politics, but good politics seldom makes for good public policy.”

AJ Cross

AJ Cross is a social writer and regular contributor to Florida Agenda. He can be reached at CrossEyed@jumponmarkslist.com.

NEW YORK, NY – Dan Kloeffler, co- anchor of ABC News “World News” show, came out on national TV whilst reporting the story of Zach Quinto’s recent public announcement that he is gay. The “star Trek” actor came out saying he had been inspired to do so by the suicide of Jamey Rodemeyer.

After reporting the story, Kloeffler told his co-host, Yunji de Nies, that as Quinto was 34 and he is 35, he would consider changing his rules on dating actors. She laughed it off, seemingly not getting the landmark moment.

After the broadcast Dan Kloeffler, a former NBC News staffer and MSNBC host, said that he hadn’t come out publically, “even though I’ve been out to my family, friends and co-workers for years.”

“In fact, an old boyfriend – now best friend – has always given me a hard time about not doing so,” Kloeffler wrote. “But for the same reason that Zach decided to come out, I too, no longer wanted to hide this part of my life.

“There have been too many tragic endings and too many cases of bullying because of intolerance,” he continued. “As a kid I wanted someone to look up to, someone that could relate to the feelings I was having. Most of all, I wanted to know that it would get better.”

Kloeffler added: “As a journalist, I don’t want to be the story, but as a gay man I don’t want to stand silent if I can offer some inspiration or encouragement to kids that might be struggling with who they are.”

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President Barack Obama has issued a proclamation in time for June, which is traditionally considered LGBT Pride Month. In his proclamation, the President mentions the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act, legislation toward repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and his executive order implementing non-discrimination policies. He made no mention of the Defense of Marriage Act or marriage equality in the proclamation.

His proclamation read:

LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER PRIDE MONTH, 2011 BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION

The story of America’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community is the story of our fathers and sons, our mothers and daughters, and our friends and neighbors who continue the task of making our country a more perfect Union. It is a story about the struggle to realize the great American promise that all people can live with dignity and fairness under the law. Each June, we commemorate the courageous individuals who have fought to achieve this promise for LGBT Americans, and we rededicate ourselves to the pursuit of equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Since taking office, my Administration has made significant progress towards achieving equality for LGBT Americans. Last December, I was proud to sign the repeal of the discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. With this repeal, gay and lesbian Americans will be able to serve openly in our Armed Forces for the first time in our Nation’s history. Our national security will be strengthened and the heroic contributions these Americans make to our military, and have made throughout our history, will be fully recognized.

My Administration has also taken steps to eliminate discrimination against LGBT Americans in Federal housing programs and to give LGBT Americans the right to visit their loved ones in the hospital. We have made clear through executive branch nondiscrimination policies that discrimination on the basis of gender identity in the Federal workplace will not be tolerated. I have continued to nominate and appoint highly qualified, openly LGBT individuals to executive branch and judicial positions. Because we recognize that LGBT rights are human rights, my Administration stands with advocates of equality around the world in leading the fight against pernicious laws targeting LGBT persons and malicious attempts to exclude LGBT organizations from full participation in the international system. We led a global campaign to ensure “sexual orientation” was included in the United Nations resolution on extrajudicial execution – the only United Nations resolution that specifically mentions LGBT people – to send the unequivocal message that no matter where it occurs, state-sanctioned killing of gays and lesbians is indefensible. No one should be harmed because of who they are or who they love, and my Administration has mobilized unprecedented public commitments from countries around the world to join in the fight against hate and homophobia.

At home, we are working to address and eliminate violence against LGBT individuals through our enforcement and implementation of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

We are also working to reduce the threat of bullying against young people, including LGBT youth. My Administration is actively engaged with educators and community leaders across America to reduce violence and discrimination in schools. To help dispel the myth that bullying is a harmless or inevitable part of growing up, the First Lady and I hosted the first White House Conference on Bullying Prevention in March. Many senior Administration officials have also joined me in reaching out to LGBT youth who have been bullied by recording “It Gets Better” video messages to assure them they are not alone.

This month also marks the 30th anniversary of the emergence of the HIV/ AIDS epidemic, which has had a profound impact on the LGBT community. Though we have made strides in combating this devastating disease, more work remains to be done, and I am committed to expanding access to HIV/ AIDS prevention and care. Last year, I announced the first comprehensive National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States. This strategy focuses on combinations of evidence-based approaches to decrease new HIV infections in high risk communities, improve care for people living with HIV/AIDS, and reduce health disparities. My Administration also increased domestic HIV/AIDS funding to support the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program and HIV prevention, and to invest in HIV/AIDS-related research. However, government cannot take on this disease alone. This landmark anniversary is an opportunity for the LGBT community and allies to recommit to raising awareness about HIV/AIDS and continuing the fight against this deadly pandemic.

Every generation of Americans has brought our Nation closer to fulfilling its promise of equality. While progress has taken time, our achievements in advancing the rights of LGBT Americans remind us that history is on our side, and that the American people will never stop striving toward liberty and justice for all.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2011 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to eliminate prejudice everywhere it exists, and to celebrate the great diversity of the American people.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.

BARACK OBAMA

ALEX VAUGHN

As the 13th Annual Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival kicks off this weekend, I got to thinking about gays in film.

There have been gay characters in movies for over one hundred years – the big question is, however, how fair a depiction has been offered to date?

Well, in short, not very – but that is changing. Gays have been shown either as stereotypical sissy queens, with fag hags, or bull dykes! Organizations such as GLAAD go as far to say that often in movies like Basic Instinct and Silence of the Lambs, gays and lesbians have been demonized and shown to be psychopaths. (Anyone with an ex might agree that’s fair enough!)

Much has been written, discussed and complained about regarding how gays and lesbians are portrayed in the movies. In his book The Celluloid Closet, Vito Russo analyzes the representation of gays and lesbians in Hollywood films from the 1890s to the 1980s, and demonstrates a history of homophobia. He argues that Hollywood’s portrayal of lesbians and gay men has often been cruel and homo-phobic. Gay and lesbian characters have been defined by their sexual orientation, and lacked any complex character development.

When you look back over gays in movies the slow progress of acceptance tracks closely to social evolution, not just in Hollywood, but globally. From 1890s to the 1930s, homosexuality was often presented as an object of ridicule and laughter; it is fair to say this continues today. The character of the sissy was popular at this time – a character who was a source of amusement and reassurance for the audience. The sissy was not a threatening representation of homosexuality because he occupied a middle ground between masculinity and femininity. From the 1930s to the 1950s, religious and women’s groups criticized Hollywood films for contributing to immorality. As a result, the industry introduced a self-censorship code that affected the portrayal of homosexuality. During these years, films could not feature overtly homosexual characters—so homosexuality was suggested through a character’s mannerisms and behavior, leading, of course, to reinforce the idea that all gay people were limp wristed mincers! This strict code was loosened in the 1960s and 1970s, which also saw the dawn of the women’s movement and the gay rights movement. While gays and lesbians were becoming more visible and vocal in public life, their representation in films was becoming even more homophobic. At this time, gay characters were often represented as dangerous, violent, or murderous.

Since the 1990s, Hollywood has improved its portrayal of gay and lesbian characters. The popularity of films such as The Birdcage, Philadelphia, To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Flawless and In & Out demonstrates that audiences can and do enjoy films with gay and lesbian characters. But despite these advances, critics say the industry is still too cautious in its portrayals of gay themes, characters, and experiences. Hollywood films are designed to appeal to as large an audience as possible; and producers fear that focusing on gay and lesbian themes risks offending a large portion of the audience, as well as potential investors.

This means that good gay films, or more importantly films with good and well-rounded gay characters, are somewhat renegaded to the ‘underground’. Movies like the British, Beautiful Thing and It’s My Party, starring Eric Roberts, were both touching movies that had a plethora of supporting characters to create ‘real life’ gay characters. They weren’t camp, overly emotional or even fashionable – they were just people getting on with their lives.

Brokeback Mountain proved there was appeal in a mainstream gay love story. The film, though visually stunning didn’t do much for politics, but made huge steps for showing it is possible for a movie with two gay characters involved in a relationship to be an international, award winning blockbuster.

Today, there is undoubtedly more acceptance of gay lifestyles in film. In television, shows like Will and Grace opened doors to show that characters  didn’t always have to be camp or in the closet. They could be just like Will, looking for love in all the wrong places,  successful in business and socially, and not finding that special someone.

Just last week, a gay-themed film has proved an unexpected success in conservative Malaysia although Malaysian films are not allowed to depict support for gay life and homosexual intercourse remains illegal in the country, punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

When you actually think about it, the movement, like many others for the  community, is on the right trajectory and we need to really think about what we would want to see in film – the chances are straight people would want to see it too!

There is no question that with the a much enlightened and open-minded youth coming to the fore, we will soon be seeing more gay movies and more importantly more gay characters who are not defined by their sexuality. This will show that a gay movie isn’t what people imagine to be an ‘arty flimsy attempt’ to disguise gay-porn, but real well-rounded characters who aren’t just like straight people, but are just like normal real gay people. Everyone has a story to tell after all.

“In a hundred years of movies, homosexuality has only rarely been depicted on the screen. When it did appear, it was there as something to laugh at—or something to pity—or even something to fear. These were fleeting images,  but they were unforgettable, and they left a lasting legacy. Hollywood, that great maker of myths, taught straight people what to think about gay people … and gay people what to think about themselves.” – Vito Russo

Alex Vaugn is the Editor-in-Chief of the Florida Agenda. He can be reached at editor@FloridaAgenda.com

NATIONAL –  The internet governing bodies are likely to approve a new generic top-level domain, .GAY, adding it to the more common .COM, . ORG and others.

The new domain level is likely to be approved in the next few months.

A new organization, Dotgay LLC, spearheaded by a LGBT marketing firm, will own the .GAY top level domain and donate two-thirds of the profits to a new foundation to benefit LGBT causes.

This weekend is the 34^th annual PrideFest produced by Pride South Florida. Again this year, the festival will held at Jaco Pastrorius Park on North Dixie Highway and NE. 40 Court in Oakland Park. Pridefest will be held on Saturday and Sunday, March 12 and 13 from noon to 6 p.m.

Entertainment this year includes Chely Wright, Georgie Porgie, Linda Clifford, Chantal Carrere, Debby Holiday, Shelina, Teri Catlin, Heather Craig, Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus, Marc Hansen, Fort Lauderdale Woman’s Chorus, South Florida Pride Jazz Ensemble, KP Productions, Church of the Holy Spirit Song, Mark Angelo Cummings, Rising Action Theatre and Bishop SF Makalani-MaHee.

Spinning in the dance tent this year will be D.J. MIIK, D.J. Bugie, D.J. Sol and D.J. Gina.

Masters of Ceremonies this year will be Craig Stevens, Donna & Denise and Derek Hartley.

Florida’s oldest gay pride celebration is a must-see once again this year.

If you go, what you need to know:

- Pridefest 2011 is on Saturday and Sunday, March 12 & 13, 2011 from noon to 6 p.m. both days.
- Pridefest is at Jaco Pastorius Park, Dixie Highway and NE 40th Ct in Oakland Park.
- Pridefest fees are $5 parking and $5 entry.  No bills larger than $20 will be accepted.

- Please park in the on-site lots or in off-site locations.  Pride South Florida is offering a free shuttle to get you from your vehicle to the gate.  Please park legally, towing and ticketing will be enforced.
- Pride South Florida reserves the right to inspect all handbags, knapsacks or any other large containers.
- You may not pass out materials at Pridefest unless you are a paid vendor.  Materials will be confiscated and you will be ejected.
- You may exit, but re-entry will be required through the entry gate to be inspected once again.
- No pets, coolers, outside food or drink are allowed.
- Please feel free to bring blankets and sun chairs to enjoy the entertainment. No sun umbrellas please.

Enjoy the Party!

Make sure to stop by the Florida Agenda, Mark’s List and Mark Magazine booth a Pridefest 2011 and say hello.

Karate Kick the Sissy Out of Your Son

by WAYMON HUDSON

(Photos: Zubi’s ad campaign for Key Biscayne’s Academy of Martial Arts, courtesy of Miami New Times Blog)

In what has to be the most offensive ad campaign I’ve seen in a long time, Key Biscayne’s Academy Of Martial Arts RDCA in Florida has decided the best way to sell their karate classes is to use gay panic.

The print ads, created by ad agency Zubi, feature young boys doing “feminine things” like wearing their mother’s high heels or playing with make-up. The cure for this “shocking” behavior and the best way to “man up” your obviously burgeoning queer kid? Super butch Karate classes.

These ads are more than just offensive, however. They are actually dangerous.

The blog at Miami New Times points out some glaring hypocrisy with the ad agency, Zubi:

“You know what’s funny? When you go to Zubi’s website they encourage you to “Erase stereotypes.” Turns out they only means Hispanic stereotypes though. Apparently, you’re still free to capitalize on gay stereotypes for advertising. How hypocritical.”

Even more disturbing that the use of the gay-baiting of children or the rank hypocrisy of claiming to “break down stereotypes” while using them in the basest fashion is the very real danger of playing into gay panic and encouraging the bullying or harassment of what they see as “effeminate” boys (although to be clearalmost all boys play dress up. It has nothing to do with being gay). As Andy Towle at Towleroad points out, parents hurting or even killing their sons because they see them as too feminine are not unheard of.

Pedro Jones, 20, of South Hampton fatally beat a 17-month-old infant he was babysitting because the child was “acting like a girl, and not like a boy”. Those ads don’t seem quite so clever or harmless now, do they? Stay tuned to the update next week with contact and conversations with the Ad Agency.

Waymon Hudson is a contributing writer to the Bilerico Project and has been a project contributor since September 2007. Waymon Hudson is also President and Co-Founder of Fight OUT Loud. If you have any question or comments for Waymon, you can contact him at waymon@bilerico.com.

As summer approaches its calendar end, we wanted to share some of your feedback on issues and opinions raised in this column over the summer, to give more of you a chance to disagree or add to what Dr.Yakerty or others said.

When Your Lover Gets Too Kinky

“In spite of our area having a rep for being liberated and oh so open minded, I find it impossible to meet anyone who isn’t vanilla from top to bottom. If your lover is too kinky, I sure wish you would send him over to me.”

“The trouble with getting your kicks with kink is that you have to keep outdoing yourself, and sooner or later you’re at a place that’s too creepy even for
the most non-conformist of us. At least that’s what happen with my ex and I.”

When Your Love is Bi-Sexual

“I know you say there really are bisexuals, and maybe that’s true, but most of the time I just think it’s a stopping place on your way out of the closet, or a pathetic justification for keeping your pants permanently unzipped.”

“Thanks for saying that bisexuality really does exist. I wish more people knew that ’cause there’s as much prejudice in the gay community against us bisexuals as there’s against homosexuals at a Southern Baptist revival.”

When Your Lover Hates Being Gay

“I also had a boyfriend who went into ex-gay therapy and refused all communications with me, so I moved on. Two years later he comes knocking on my door saying he wants to get back together, that it isn’t working with his wife and child. I introduced him to my new partner and told him to f#*k off. God, did that feel good.”

“I have no trouble accepting I’m gay, but that doesn’t mean I have to accept everything in the gay community. There’s some real unhealthy attitudes and behavior around here, some obsession with the superficial, and being against those things doesn’t mean I’m anti-gay.”

When you fear you’re settling for too little in a relationship

(this column got more email than any other, with readers expressing strong opinion on all sides)

“What a weak sister is that jerk. Someone should wake up that Cinderfella and tell him Prince Charming doesn’t exist!” (a lot of email made fun of the person who sent in this predicament, calling him “naive” and “cotton-candy headed.”) “Here’s where I think people who think porn is bad have a point. Somewhere in puberty guys start watching porn on the Internet and they think that’s what sex is suppose to be like, so when (their) boyfriend doesn’t live up to the intense gymnastics or the measuring stick of paid porn stars, they think they are “settling” for less than they should.”

“I hate being alone so I was determined to have a partner, but discovered that settling for a poor relationship is worst than being alone.”

(Please remember I said both low expectations and high expectations can be wrong-headed and can lead to frustrating and dead-end relationships.

You don’t want to switch one extreme for the other. The goal is to have balance, to be in touch with what is both fair and good to expect.)

Is there such a thing as emotional adultery?

“What you said is a bunch of hooey! Jeez, I hope (her partner) doesn’t read what you said. She already gets jealous up the kazoo if my eyes should even spot another
gal. She insists we hang totally around men since she thinks no female can be trusted. She not only wants to control my (genitalia) but my brain waves! We need a more limited definition of cheating, not a damn bigger one.”

We really do want to hear from the readers of this column.

Your feedback is important to Dr. Yakerty and he promises to respond to every email. In September he will be tackling the issue of domestic abuse and violence in the GLBT community and he particularly invites anyone to write who’s experienced this first hand or had a friend who has. Send all email to dryakerty@aol.com.

(Photo: South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble marching in last year’s Stonewall Festival Parade. Photo by Dennis Dean)

By James Michaels

This Sunday, June 20, 2010 is the eleventh annual Stonewall Street Festival and Parade produced by Pride of Greater Fort Lauderdale. This is the second of the two annual gay pride celebrations held in Fort Lauderdale each year. After two-years of holding the parade on a Saturday night and the festival during the daytime on the following Sunday, PGFL has returned to a one-day format with the parade stepping off at 11 a.m. followed by the festival beginning at noon.

Grand Marshals for this year’s parade are photographer Adam Bouska and his partner, Jeff Parshley. Bouska and Parshley inadvertently started a national phenomenon when, after California passed the anti-gay marriage Proposition 8, took photographs of themselves of themselves wearing white t-shirts, standing in front of white background, had silver duct tape across their face and on the cheeks had written “NO H8”. Having seen the photos, their friends wanted their photos taken also. Soon the couple formed a non-profit organization to inform the public on gay marriage equality and charge for their official photos. Bouska and Parshley have now shot the photos over 5,000 photos, mostly in California. Having only shot in New York and Washington, D.C. in the eastern United States, they arrive in Wilton Manors to shoot at CopyThis on Wilton Drive on Monday.

The parade will be announced from the main stage located at the intersection of Wilton Drive and N.E. 6 Avenue by Eugene Ramirez and Kristin Anderson, hosts of “The Morning Show” on WSFL, channel 39.

The festival will include a main stage located on the corner of Wilton Drive and N.E. 6 Avenue and two dance venues, one in front of Sidelines Sports Bar and they are working in cooperation with the dance tent at Rosie’s Bar and Grille. There will also be additional entertainment at The Manor.

Jennifer Holliday leads the entertainment located on the main stage. Holliday is a well-known respected Broadway star and recording artist who appeared in the original version “Dream Girls”.

Also headlining are JuJuBe and Jessica Wild from “RuPaul’s Drag Race”, Kevin Aviance and Kitty Meow. Local favorites include Tiffany Arieagus, Electra , Nikki Adams and Debra Hampton. Other entertainers include Gio, Eryn Woods, Philip Alexander, Ray Boltz, Barry Brandon and Leah Driscoll. There are also other local entertainers and bands scheduled to perform. Misty Eyez, Shane Phoenix and “The Rickster” are emceeing the main stage.

Deejays spinning at the Sidelines Pride Dance Arena are headlined by deejays Wendy Hunt and deejays Miik and Marc Scott. Other deejays that day are deejays Sayho, Stu, DaddyO and Maximus 3000.

Additional events are being held at the “Pride Triangle” of Rosie’s New Moon and Matty’s on the Drive. This includes the traditional dance tent at Rosie’s. Throughout the festival will be additional amusements including dunk tanks and water slides and a “Family Friendly” is also on schedule with performances by the Rainbow Circus.

A VIP Party is being held during the festival at CopyThis starting at 6 pm which includes a meet-and-greet with the entertainers including Jennifer Holliday and Grand Marshals Adam Bouska and Jeff Parshley.

The entire parade and the entertainment on the main stage will be streamed live world-wide over the internet by the Fabb Vision Network.