Howard Simon has been a tireless defender of Civil Rights as Executive Director of the ACLU in Florida, where his office led the charge to overturn the state’s anti-gay adoption legislation>

Patricia Ireland, former president of the National Organization for Women (NOW), served as chair of  NOW’s lesbian rights task force and went on to become its President, making lesbian rights one of NOW’s top priorities.

For more information and to purchase tickets for the Aqua Foundation for Women Aqua Ally Awards, visit
http://aquafoundation.org.

The cost of the luncheon is $40 for MDGLCC members, $50 for potential members with $10 of that being applied to the new MDGLCC membership.

RSVP is required at 305-673-4440 or by email at mdglcc@bellsouth.net Co-Sponsored by Aqua Foundation and National Center on Lesbian Rights.

MIAMI, FL – The Aqua Foundation for Women awarded twelve women with scholarships, recognizing their academic success and commitment to giving back to the community. Recipients of the scholarships came from Broward, Miami-Dade and, for the first time, Palm Beach County. Scholarships ranged in size from $2,500 to $4,000, with a total of $40,000 dollars granted by the foundation.

The Aqua Foundation for Women is an organization dedicated to increasing the wellness and equality of lesbian, bisexual and transgender women.

Sidelines’ Teams Headed to Gay Softball World Series

WILTON MANORS, FL – Sidelines Sports Bar’s two softball teams, the Sidelines Cyclones (“C” Division) and the Sidelines Eagles (“B” Division), will be heading to Chicago to play in the 2011 Gay Softball World Series.

Over 160 teams from around the country, such as Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, Montreal and Vancouver, will converge on Chicago from August 29 to September 3, 2011, in hopes of coming home with the 1st Place Championship Trophy and year-long bragging rights.

White Party  Finds New Digs

MIAMI, FL – Care Resource has announced that the annual White Party will move this November from its long-time home at the Vizcaya to a new location, the Miami Sequarium. The 2011 White Party begins 7 p.m. Friday, November 25, and ends 6 a.m. on Saturday, November 26.

For over 24 years, the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens was the location of the annual fundraiser. In the fall of 2010, however, due to increasing rental costs, it was decided that the 2010 White Party would be the final one held at that historic location.

Each year, the White Party draws thousands of guests from around the world wanting to attend the “Crown Jewel” of HIV/AIDS fundraisers and is recognized as one of the oldest and largest HIV/AIDS fundraisers in the world.

Get your tickets to the new White Party at Miami Seaquarium and world-renowned Muscle Beach Party at half the price. Florida Resident Passes are now on sale for $75 and includes the all new White Party and Muscle Beach parties. The pass offers a 50% savings off door prices and is only available for a limited time to Florida residents with a valid ID. This pass offers an opportunity to experience the two headline events of the week at a discounted price. This is a limited time offer with limited quantities and at these prices the pass will sell out.

For tickets and more information on this year’s White Party, visit the website at www.WhiteParty.org.

Pride South Florida Elects New Board

FORT  LAUDERDALE, FL – Pride South Florida, the producers of the annual PrideFest held each spring in Oakland Park, have elected a new board of directors. The new board consists of Marc Hansen (President), Roger Handevidt (Vice President), Rocky Bowell (Secretary) and Sonia Mitchell (Treasurer). Board Members-at-Large include John Fugate, Michael Rohrs, Marc J. Scharphorn and Michael Tisdale.

Island House Key West Marks 35th Anniversary

KEY WEST, FL – Island House Key West, touted as the longest continuously operated gay guesthouse in the world, is celebrating its 35th anniversary in business and its 10th anniversary under its current owners, Jon Allen and Martin Kay, who transformed it into a leader among the world’s premier gay guesthouses.

To mark this milestone, Island House is offering all 39 rooms at $13, the price it charged when it opened in 1976, for the night of June 25, 2012. The special offer is available exclusively through a special sweepstakes. 39 winners will be chosen randomly among those who complete the entry form at http://apps.facebook.com/sweepstakeshq/contests/141910. Sweepstakes participants are also encouraged (but not required) to “like” Island House Key West at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Island-House-Key-West-Gay-Hotel-Resort/56402142064 and post a comment with the phrase “35 and fabulous.” The offer is valid through midnight on Labor Day (September 5, 2011).

Island House Key West began operating as a modest, 16-room all-men’s guesthouse in 1976. When Allen and Kay took possession in the late ‘90s, the ramshackle 39-room guesthouse sprawled languidly across several dilapidated buildings, sorely in need of repair.

“We are honored to have served more than 125,000 guests in more than a third of a century,” said Allen, “”We’ve never rested on our laurels. We pride ourselves on our focus on customer satisfaction and professional, attentive service. We’ve invested well over two and a half million dollars since purchasing the property.”

After a massive investment of capital and time, they unveiled the new and much improved Island House Key West in 2001, transforming it into Key West’s most luxurious and pampering oasis for men. Having spent so much on award-winning upgrades over the past decade, Island House is unmatched in its class.

To book, call (800) 890-6284 or visit www.IslandHouseKeyWest.com.

“Angels in America”

FT. LAUDERDALE, FL – The famed play “Angels in America” will be playing at Andrews Living Arts, 23 NW 5th Street in Fort Lauderdale with a preview on August 11 and opening on August 12, playing Thursday, Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday at 7:30 p.m. through September 12.

“Angels in America” is set in New York City during the mid-1980s and follows the interconnected lives of several people affected by the AIDS crisis.

From the tragedy of AIDS to the camp comedy of drag queens, “Angels in America” transports us from NYC to Washington, the Kremlin, the South Bronx and Salt Lake City,  while dealing with Jews, Mormons, WASPs, mixed ethnic cultures and switching between realism and fantasy.  There are intense spiritual experiences and frequent references to the Reagan Administration.

“Angels in America” first appeared on Broadway in 1993 and was included in Harold Bloom’s controversial list of what he considered to be the most important works in literature published in 1994.

Tickets on line at www.andrewslivingarts.com – click on Brown Paper Tickets – or by phone at (800) 838-3006. Limited seating. Tickets in advance: $24.95; at the door $29.95.

Bachmann to Speak at Anti-Gay Group Dinner

ORLANDO, FL – The Florida Family Policy Council has invited Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann to headline its annual policy awards dinner.

According to Think Progress, the FFPC raises hundreds of thousands of dollars every year to oppose abortion rights, “the gay agenda,” and Islam. In 2008, they successfully led the charge to ban same-sex marriage and civil unions in Florida’s state constitution.

Registration starts at 11:30 a.m., with lunch from noon to 1:30 p.m. Cost: MDGLCC members $35, potential members $45 ($10 applied to new MDGLCC membership). RSVP required: (305) 673-444 or via email at mdglcc@bellsouth.net.

The 2011 grant guidelines and application are now available. Applications must be submitted by Thursday, June 30, 2011. For more information, visit www.aquafoundation.org/grants-program.

By Bob Kecskemety

The Aqua Foundation for Women and Safe Schools South Florida is presenting their second Outlet: Plugging Women into the Arts conference this Saturday, June 12, 2010 at GLCC/Pride Center starting at 9 p.m. The conference is by and for young LBTQ women and is the second conference, the first having been held in April 2009. The purpose of Outlet for Young Women is to inspire, empower, support and encourage all women, but

in particular women in the LBTQ community through arts and education.

“We’re really excited about this year’s conference,” said Dee Palazzo, board member and treasurer and “Outlook” coordinator for Safe Schools. “We have 12 workshops and a presentation from key note speaker, Rachel Robinson [from MTV’s “Road Rules”], we’re closing with Dr. Marilyn Volker and have a final performance by Drag it Out.”

Outlet: Plugging Women into the Arts is dedicated to ensuring that women (in particular young women, but all women in general) gain awareness about what violence is and how to take a stand against violence and for inclusivity and peace-filled relationships and communities. The organization defines violence as “any action or structural arrangement that results in physical or non-physical harm to a human or living thing.”

They give examples of “violence” such as verbal and physical abuse in relationships, sexual harassment and homophobic comments, hate crimes, war and violent conflict, and even environmental destruction. They also include policies like Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, prohibitions on gay marriage and adoption and the failure to enact legislation prohibiting discriminatory hiring and firing practices.

Some of the workshops include: “What to Say to Homophobes”, “Dance & Don’t Die, Stay Alive: The Art of Kicking Ass” and “What’s Eating You, Our Bodies, Our Selves, Our Love”.

For more information on Outlet: Plugging Women Into the Arts and to register, visit www.outlet4youngwomen.com