Watermark Issue 30.07: Invisible Majority

INVISIBLE MAJORITY

TALK ABOUT THEIR

I believe that the bisexual community looks a lot different than most people assume it does. There’s so many forms that it can take and I think we need to put away this stereotype of the experimenting, promiscuous, single individual who is being greedy.

– ORLANDO-BASED FILMMAKER JESS KELLER, SPEAKING ABOUT THE BISEXUAL COMMUNITY

QUEER CINEMA:

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the star of the show, Kiefer Sutherland, that she has to watch her daughter while working because her wife isn’t able to do it. Then the conversation just moved on. There was no fanfare that she was a lesbian, no indication that her sexuality needed any explanation. She had a wife and that was that.

Television has come a long way since my early days. I have vague memories of seeing Billy Crystal play a gay character on “Soap.” My recollection was that gay people were portrayed as the butt of the joke and melodramatic, but I should cut them some slack since it was a comedic parody of daytime sitcoms.

& Grace” hit the airwaves and changed the community forever. In 2009, “Modern Family” picked up the baton. Yes, these shows were full of stereotypical tropes, but they put our community in America’s living rooms and created a space for change.

Today there are queer characters in almost every show I watch, from all corners of our community. From genderfluid characters in the reboots of “Quantum Leap” and Roseanne” to trans, lesbian and gay characters in shows like “911: Lonestar,” there are positive, often heroic role models for everyone who lives regular lives surrounded by families

BIANCA GOOLSBY

MBA is a digital strategist and activist who partners with mission-driven organizations to increase their impact through innovative and effective online communications. She also empowers and equips families to curate safe social spaces for themselves and their children. Page 19

MELODY MAIA MONET

MARCH

IS THE FIRST

MONTH OF the year that I question my decision making, followed by June and October. For one reason or another Watermark tends to be lacking an administrative assistant during these months, which are our busiest months. In addition to the crazy schedule I have worked out for myself, these responsibilities fall on me. It isn’t easy and it leaves me wondering, what choices have I made to be in this position?

I often think about seeking counseling or a life coach, just to have that outlet or outside perspective to help put things in focus. When I attended regular 12-step program meetings, it was helpful. I realized the other day, though, I do have an outlet — albeit somewhat unconventional.

I watch an insane amount of television for a person in my position. Maybe it’s a Generation X thing? As a latchkey kid, I did spend my fair share of time in front of the boob tube. It’s funny now because I’m not sure my husband even turns the TV on

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when I’m not home. I have no shame about it. It’s my therapy, my escape and my inspiration.

I noticed something about TV this past week that I found hopeful in an otherwise dark time for the queer community.

I was watching the new series “Rabbit Hole” on Paramount+.

Side note, if Paramount+ or CBS makes a show, I’ll be watching. Especially if it involves any first responders. I get made fun of, but I don’t mind.

In the first episode of “Rabbit Hole” an FBI agent, played by Enid Graham, is explaining to

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1992 was an instrumental year where my gayness collided with my love of television. First up was a made-for-TV movie called “Doing Time on Maple Drive,” where the adorable William McNamara played a gay teenage who tried to kill himself rather than come out to his parents. Incidentally, a young Jim Carrey played his alcoholic brother in a rather dramatic role.

Next up was Ryan Phillippe as gay teen Billy Douglas in ABC’s soap opera “One Life to Live.” This character was the first gay character in an American soap opera and the storyline carried on from 1992 to 1993. It was a big deal at the time and Ryan Phillippe has stated his role had an impact on many lives. He had received coming out letters from people ranging in age from teenagers to 60-year-old men. They didn’t have anyone they could come out to but saw themselves in this character and felt compelled to share that with him.

It was in 1994 that Ellen DeGeneres came out and for me the portrayal of queer characters began to show the community as an average Joe. In 1998, “Will

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and friends. This is where I find my hope.

In this election cycle we are the pawns once again in a manufactured culture war based on misinformation. It is scary and demoralizing, but I find comfort in our stories being represented in national primetime television. The power of our community so prevalent in the homes of America can not be overstated.

In this issue of Watermark we focus on our bisexual siblings, the silent majority, and show you what’s queer in this year’s Florida Film Festival.

We strive to bring you a variety of stories, your stories. I hope you enjoy this latest issue.

has her own trans lesbian themed YouTube channel at YouTube.com/MelodyMaia and is the vice president of the board for Come Out With Pride Orlando. To find more information on Pride, visit ComeOutWithPride.org. Page 21

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These shows were full of stereotypical tropes, but they put our community in America’s living rooms and created a space for change.

DISNEY TO HOST OUT & EQUAL WORKPLACE SUMMIT ON LGBTQ RIGHTS

ORLANDO | Walt Disney World announced it will be hosting one of the largest LGBTQ workplace conferences at its resort later this year.

Out & Equal’s annual LGBTQ Workplace Summit will take place Sept. 12-14 on Disney property in Orlando. The mass media and entertainment conglomerate has committed to host next year’s conference as well.

Out & Equal debuted its Workplace Summit at Walt Disney World’s Swan & Dolphin in 2016 following the Pulse tragedy. The upcoming 2023 summit will be the nonprofit’s first to return to Disney since that inaugural year.

“Out & Equal is the premier organization working exclusively on LGBTQ workplace equality. Through our worldwide programs, Fortune 500 partnerships and our annual Workplace Summit conference, we help LGBTQ people thrive and support organizations creating a culture of belonging for all,” the groups states on its website.

Last year, 5,300 people attended the Las Vegas summit either virtually or in-person. During that summit, 111 sessions and workshops were hosted — 35 of which were livestreamed and recorded. The summit’s goal is to provide LGBTQ employees and employers with strategies that help ensure inclusive workplaces. Disney is a longstanding partner of Out & Equal.

The return of the LGBTQ conference to Disney comes during a very public discourse between the House of Mouse and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Earlier this year, DeSantis signed into law a bill giving him control over Disney’s previously self-governed district. The new law changes the district’s name from the Reedy Creek Improvement District to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. It’s widely believed that he did so to punish the company for its public opposition of the Parental Rights in Education bill, also known as the “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” bill, passed last year.

DeSantis detailed how “Disney declared war on Florida families” by opposing the “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” bill in his recently released book, “The Courage to Be Free.” DeSantis, who is expected to soon announce a run for the presidency in 2024, has been on a book tour for the past few weeks.

“Today, the corporate kingdom finally comes to an end,” DeSantis said after signing the bill that appointed the new board. “This is what accountability looks like.”

In his book, DeSantis has claimed that his public dispute with Disney was “a political battle that would reverberate across the nation.” Prior to his “political battle” with the company, DeSantis and his wife got married at the Walt Disney World Resort in 2009.

For more information on Out & Equal and to stay up-to-date on information for its LGBTQ Workplace Summit, visit OutAndEqual.org/ Workplace-Summit.

Silencing Art Orlando drag events canceled

Lex Schatten and Shayne Watson

ORLANDO | Central Florida drag performer Tora Himan has regularly hosted drag bingo and trivia nights throughout Central Florida since 2019. Even after the COVID-19 pandemic hit, she still held her events virtually.

Now, due to attacks on drag queens across the country from conservatives and Republican legislation to label drag performances as “adult live entertainment” introduced in the Florida House, Himan is seeing her drag gigs being cancelled.

“I have just one show a week instead of being booked about six nights a week,” she says. One location where Himan hosted a weekly drag event was at Main House Market, a kombucha bar in Winter Garden. Last month, Main House Market posted to its Facebook page that it was forced to cancel its drag and burlesque shows after being advised by police that some of its events were illegal. Main House Market’s owner says they are now looking for a new location outside of Winter

Garden after the city handed them violations claiming they “need a separate business tax license” to conduct free events.

Himan was also hosting a drag bingo at Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company but posted to her Facebook that after her March 27 event, which was a fundraiser to benefit the drag defense fund through the American Civil Liberties Union, she would no longer have that weekly event.

Watermark reached out to Ivanhoe Park Brewing and they stated that attendance for Drag Bingo Mondays has been slowing down and they “wanted to go back to the drawing board to see if there was another type of event or day that would increase traffic.”

“We have enjoyed hosting Drag Bingo with Tora Himan, through MAM Events, so it was a tough decision to make,” Ivanhoe Park Brewing said in a statement. They also stated that they still host various drag events including Bazaar Botanica and include drag entertainers as “guest visitors” for their trivia nights.

Himan says as she has seen her regular gigs being canceled she’s started to feel very alone.

“It’s hard to have your art form and finally feel like the world gets you, just to have it all stripped away and taken and canceled when you’re at the height of your career,” Himan says. “All of a sudden, I have no career now because of current legislations. It just feels horrible.”

Drag fan Lindsey Courtney attends Himan’s drag events often. Courtney moved to Orlando from St. Louis over two years ago and says she has made close friends through going to Himan’s events.

“It provides a safe space for people to get together and interact with the community and to feel involved. They were just highlights of my week,” she says.

Courtney says she felt angry and powerless seeing her favorite drag event getting canceled, especially since the shows were not adult orientated.

“I think burlesque shows and drag shows can definitely be family friendly,” Courtney says. “I feel like it provides exposure to kids like, ‘Hey, it’s okay to feel, and maybe look, a little different.’ It’s okay to be you.”

Himan currently still hosts Divas & Dining, a weekly all-ages drag brunch show at Estefan Kitchen Orlando.

“I’m even shocked that we have a drag show there, but they are full steam ahead. All ages currently,” Himan says. “My drag persona is,

I would say, PG-13. I toe the line, but never cross the line.”

Even with Himan’s shows being family friendly, prior to them being canceled the venue’s started advertising them “21 and up only.”

“Prior to this madness, all of my shows were family friendly. A couple months ago, they started adding 21 up on the posters and putting adult content,” Himan says. “That’s just a new thing.”

Himan isn’t the only drag queen experiencing the conservative backlash. After having to switch venues earlier this month for her Miss Rose Dynasty drag pageant, Momma Ashley Rose had to cancel Drag & Donuts, an afterschool event organized by Boone High School’s LGBTQ student club, after Orange County School board member Alicia Ferrant criticized the event on Facebook.

“I was shocked and dismayed today to learn that the third annual Drag and Donuts event with the Boone High School QAA was abruptly cancelled when the Florida Department of Education threatened to strip the licenses of any teacher, administrator or staff having any involvement with this totally voluntary, student-led, after-school event,”

Rose said in a statement to Watermark. “The Department of Education questioned whether my participation was age and developmentally appropriate for teenagers. It has been proven that our events are positive, educational, and beneficial. We strive to provide a safe space for everyone, and that should be something that we can all agree on.”

Watermark reached out to Ferrant but did not hear back.

The parent of a senior Boone High School student, who has attended this same event in the past, says they received an automated phone call from the school’s principal addressing how the Department of Education

contacted the school and questioned the appropriateness of the event and if it held any educational value.

The parent, who asked not to be identified by name in the story, says the call stated that any faculty, administrator or staff member involved with the event would be investigated and possibly lose their teaching license if the event were to occur.

“I’m pretty heartbroken and disappointed that the state is politicizing this event and taking such an aggressive stance,” the parent said. “These teens—who are really trying to just be their authentic selves—are being hurt, not helped.”

Drag & Donuts is an after-school event for students to meet with a drag queen and ask questions about the art of drag or gender identity. Rose says she planned on talking to students about her personal journey as a queer person, drag culture and all about loving and accepting each other.

“They [usually] ask how to deal with parents or people that are

not accepting. It’s very important for these queer people and allies to know and hear from people that are just like them,” Rose says.

Twila Holiday, a Central Florida drag performer who is helping to organize an upcoming drag queen-led rally in Tallahassee, is disappointed to see bills making their way through the Florida Legislature looking to place age restrictions on drag shows and trying to take away parental rights. Holiday, who has a 3-year-old daughter, worries that his own child will be banned from seeing him perform.

“She’s been attending kid friendly drag shows that I’ve done since she was a newborn and as she gets older, we’re right now in the stage where she’s enjoying life, she’s exploring, she likes the colors, she likes the lights,” Holiday says. “Going to these shows, I think is something that’s very important for her.”

Holiday adds that this legislation is not only impacting drag performers livelihoods but it is also stopping his daughter from getting to share in her father’s life.

“The other day I got ready at the house for a private gig and she sat right there next to me on the stool and wanted to play in the makeup and watch Daddy get ready and it’s just sad that she’ll miss out on that and be censored from my life. It’s like my second life, and she’ll be censored from it,” he says.

“The bigger platform we give them, the more entitled they feel to spew their bullying and hatred,” Himan says. “This is only the beginning and if we don’t get out there and tackle whatever this issue is now, it’s going to get much worse.”

Rose says the community is doing everything possible to continue drag events but it is getting difficult.

“We’re contacting our politicians. We’re contacting the government. We’re speaking, but apparently, most of them are not listening,” Rose says. “So, the next step is for parents and people to continue to use their voice and unite together and hopefully, somebody will eventually listen.”

ST PETE PRIDE DETAILS REBRANDED DRAG PAGEANT

Ryan Williams-Jent

ST. PETERSBURG | St Pete Pride’s annual drag pageant will return April 30 from 5:30-11 p.m. at the University Student Center of USF St. Petersburg, open to all genders as the reimagined Mx St Pete Pride Pageant.

Formerly the Miss St Pete Pride Pageant, the event has entertained audiences for more than a decade. Previous winners include fan favorites like the late Star Montrese Love, Kori Stevens and Delores T. Van-Cartier, whose 2022 reign will be honored this year.

St Pete Pride first announced this pageant’s expansion Feb. 28, citing “the current political climate in Florida.” The state’s 2023 legislative session officially began with a Republican supermajority March 7 with a slate of anti-LGBTQ bills targeting transgender health care, drag performers, LGBTQ inclusion in schools and more.

“In our twenty years of existence, St Pete Pride has worked hard to be inclusive, our umbrella ever more expansive,” the board of directors said. “But we also recognize our shortcomings in that pursuit. Moving forward, we will refocus our efforts to bring more voices to the table, reimagining how we celebrate pride, and truly honoring the rich diversity that makes our community great.”

“In celebration of our city’s rich diversity, St Pete Pride is proud to introduce the Mx St Pete Pride Pageant,” Executive Director Nicole Berman explains. “The 2023 Mx St Pete Pride Pageant will be open to all contestants, regardless of gender.”

This year’s contestants will compete in three divisions: Miss, Mr and Mx. Miss will feature stage personas who identify as female, Mr will feature stage personas who identify as male and Mx will include personas who are gender diverse/nonbinary.

A winner from each division will win a crown and $1,500 cash, with performances during St Pete Pride 2023. A minimum of two contestants in each division will be required to compete and registration is open to the first 12 applicants now. The entry fee is $150. Tickets to attend Mx St Pete Pride begin at $20 with preferred seating at $35. VIP tickets are $75 and include a meet and greet with Van-Cartier and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alum Kennedy Davenport. Tables are available for $1,000 and include 10 tickets with other benefits.

“The art of drag and its performers are an integral and vibrant part of the St. Petersburg LGBTQ2SIA+ and greater community. We look forward to honoring the artistry, beauty, and dedication to the craft of this year’s contestants,” Berman says. “Nothing brings St Pete Pride more joy than creating spaces where people are empowered to be true to themselves.”

The 2023 Mx St Pete Pride Pageant is 18+ and scheduled for April 30 at USF St. Petersburg’s University Student Center, located at 200 6th Ave. S. in St. Petersburg. For more information, visit StPetePride.org.

Still Serving

GaYbor renews focus in 15th year

Ryan Williams-Jent

TAMPA | The GaYbor District Coalition is celebrating its 15th year with a renewed focus for serving the LGBTQ community in Historic Ybor City.

The 501(c)(6) organization formed in July 2007 to support LGBTQ and ally businesses, property owners and residents in the popular “gayborhood.” The coalition had nearly 100 members by the following year.

Walter Giovanni, GaYbor’s current president, was an early supporter. A banker by trade, he opened the coalition’s first bank account.

“I was a banker in Ybor City and the secret to my banking career success was the LGBTQ community,” he says. “Everyone loves banking with their own.”

Giovanni also regularly attended GaYbor events. Within a few years, he succeeded its original treasurer. It was during his original tenure that GaYbor helped form the current iteration of Tampa Pride, which celebrated its ninth year in Ybor March 25. While the board was instrumental in its creation,

however, he notes that the two organizations have always been separate entities.

“Tampa Pride is a one-day event and GaYbor is 365 days,” Giovanni explains, though the two remain supportive of one another. GaYbor participated in Tampa Pride 2023 and in 2019, it was Carrie West — co-founder and current Tampa Pride president — who urged GaYbor’s leadership to save the organization from losing its tax status.

Giovanni wasn’t serving on the board at the time and “GaYbor had gone quiet,” he says. “No filings were being done and people were asking what was happening.

“Carrie called me, [Treasurer] Michael Wilson and [Vice President] Cee Van Os to say GaYbor needed to be vital and in the community,” he continues. “So we got together to revitalize it.”

GaYbor was reinstated in April 2019, financially backed by LGBTQ businesses like Bradley’s on 7th, City Side Lounge and The Honey Pot, now closed. Giovanni was unanimously elected president.

“Then the pandemic happened,” he says. “We held a few events and got a decent team, but there wasn’t

COMMUNITY COALITION:

much we could do and we fell back down again.”

Despite the setbacks, GaYbor has emerged with eight board members.

Rounding out the list are Secretary Cristina Gilson, Frankie Cerna who oversees events and Christopher Knolton, Dax Colton Schlechty and Luke Anthony.

“GaYbor is more than a namesake, it’s an organization promoting the safe space the LGBTQ community in Historic Ybor,” Giovanni says.

It’s one of the reasons the board unveiled its new branding March 1.

The design features a light post and each color found in the traditional Pride flag. It notes that the GaYbor District is “where our brick roads lead to a rainbow.”

GaYbor is currently laying the foundation for its future. The board is focused on building its membership and advocating for the 11 members currently in its coalition, in addition to the community at large.

“GaYbor, we’re here to support everybody,” its president promises. “Especially in the current state that Florida is in. It’s very hard to be LGBTQ in the state of Florida right now, so now more than ever we need to band together.”

For more information about GaYbor, visit Facebook.com/GaYborDistrictCoalition or email GaYborInfo@gmail.com.

LARGO LAWYER STEVEN COZZI WAS ‘BRILLIANT, LOVING AND CARING,’ HUSBAND SAYS

CLEARWATER, FLA. | Michael Steven Montgomery says March 26 was the worst day of his life. That’s when law enforcement confirmed Steven Cozzi, his husband, was truly gone.

The news followed the March 25 arrest of Tomasz Roman Kosowski, a local surgeon charged with first-degree murder in connection to Cozzi’s disappearance. He was reported missing under mysterious circumstances March 21 from Blanchard Law in Largo, where he worked as an associate attorney.

According to the Largo Police Department, officers responded to a call for service after Cozzi’s coworkers determined that he was no longer in the office but that his wallet, phone and car keys still were. They also found blood in the building’s public restroom, along with “a strong chemical odor.”

Forensics later determined that “a large quantity of blood had been cleaned up from the bathroom floor.”

“I rushed straight there and Largo PD was already on the scene,” Montgomery says. “Within a short amount of time they were handling it as if he hadn’t just stepped out. I kept telling them that Steve would call and tell me everything, that’s the way we were. We always knew where the other one was.”

It’s part of what made Cozzi’s disappearance so difficult, before and after the case went public March 24.

“I was just sitting at home with family, waiting for detectives to come and give us an update or call to ask a question,” Montgomery says. “I opened up my life to them right away.”

The Largo Police Department, Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and all of the assisting agencies “were just phenomenal,” Montgomery adds.

Law enforcement obtained probable cause to arrest

Kosowski — who was suing his former employer, represented by Blanchard Law — after reviewing video surveillance linking him to the crime scene. They also searched his Tarpon Springs home and vehicle, concluding that “it is believed that the victim is deceased and the defendant intentionally, by a premeditated design caused his death.”

While March 26 may have become the worst day of Montgomery’s life, he’s also reflecting on some of the best. He tells Watermark that’s because “I want people to know who Steve was. Everybody’s going to talk about what happened to him, and to me that’s not who he was. At all.

“He was so brilliant, loving and caring,” he continues. “He could also be really tough when he needed to be, because he was an attorney, but the side I saw of him was soft and vulnerable.”

He first experienced that July 13, 2018, when the two decided to meet in person after chatting

online for some time. They had dinner and then watched a movie at Cozzi’s home.

“He loved cheap horror flicks and silly, B-rated movies. I don’t remember what we watched, but I remember thinking, ‘this is the most ridiculous crap,’” Montgomery laughs. “His sense of humor captivated me. It was just so witty and lined up so well with mine.

“I just fell in love with him right away,” he continues with tears. “At the end of our date we kissed and he had this goofy, happy smile. I just floated home.”

The two essentially lived together after that. They were engaged the following year and subsequently married Oct. 17, 2020.

“We had our wedding at my parents’ house in Homosassa and the mothers planned it because we didn’t know what we were doing,” he says. “It was a COVID wedding, so there was a lot of that confusion going on. But all we cared about was each other. It was the best day of my life.”

Cozzi was also an animal lover, particularly when it came to their cat and dogs, and was close to his family. He was also dedicated to diversity and inclusion, evident in his work with organizations like Balance Tampa Bay and his service as Diversity Committee Chair for the St. Petersburg Bar Association.

The latter organization launched a GoFundMe in his honor, inviting “those that would like to provide support to Steve’s family to consider a donation.”

“Steve was so brilliant, loving and caring,” Montgomery says. “I used to joke all the time that he was put on this Earth to love me, because that’s how I felt, and I was put here for the same reason. He was such an amazing person. He was so loved and he loved so many people.”

The investigation surrounding Steven Cozzi’s murder is active and ongoing. Anyone with pertinent information is asked to call Detective Bolton at the Largo Police Department at 727-587-6730. To donate to Cozzi’s family, visit GoFund.me/f6625dfc.

DESANTIS TO EXPAND ‘DON’T SAY GAY OR TRANS’ LAW TO ALL GRADES

Wire Report

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. |

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis′ administration is moving to forbid classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in all grades, expanding the controversial law critics call “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” as the Republican governor continues to focus on cultural issues ahead of his expected presidential run.

The proposal, which would not require legislative approval, is scheduled for a vote next month before the state Board of Education and has been put forward by the state Education Department, both of which are led by appointees of the governor.

The rule change would ban lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity from grades 4 to 12, unless required by existing state standards or as part of reproductive health instruction

that students can choose not to take. The initial law that DeSantis championed last spring bans those lessons in kindergarten through the third grade. The change was first reported by the Orlando Sentinel.

DeSantis has leaned heavily into cultural divides on his path to an anticipated White House bid, with the Republican aggressively pursuing a conservative agenda that targets what he calls the insertion of inappropriate subjects in schools.

Spokespeople for the governor’s office and the Education Department did not immediately return an emailed request for comment.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre condemned the proposal saying “It’s wrong, it’s completely, utterly wrong.” She called it “part of a disturbing and dangerous trend that we’re seeing across the nation” of targeting LGBTQ people.

Last year’s Parental Rights in Education Act drew widespread backlash nationally, with critics saying it marginalizes LGBTQ people and their presence in society. President Joe Biden called it “hateful.”

DeSantis and other Republicans have repeatedly said the measure is reasonable and that parents, not teachers, should be broaching subjects of sexual orientation and gender identity with their children.

Critics of the law say its language — “classroom instruction,” “age appropriate” and “developmentally appropriate” — is overly broad and subject to interpretation. Consequently, teachers might opt to avoid the subjects entirely for fear of being sued, they say.

The law also kicked off a feud between the state and Disney, one of the state’s largest employers and political donors, after the entertainment giant publicly

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opposed the law and said it was pausing political donations in the state.

At the governor’s request, the Republican-dominated Legislature voted to dissolve a self-governing district controlled by Walt Disney World over its properties in Florida, and eventually gave DeSantis control of the board. The move was widely seen as a punishment for the company opposing the law. The board oversees municipal services in Disney’s theme park properties and was instrumental in the company’s decision to build near Orlando in the 1960s.

Disney later this year will host a large conference on LGBTQ workplace representation with the group Out & Equal, continuing a longstanding relationship with the organization.

DeSantis has faced calls from at least one Republican presidential contender to go even further than the existing law,

with former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley last month saying the prohibition could be more stringent and extended into later grades.

The proposed rule change this year also signals the governor’s willingness to bypass even the compliant state legislature and instead leverage state boards in order to accomplish his high-profile political goals. Late last year, at DeSantis’ urging, state medical boards voted to ban children from receiving hormones or undergoing surgeries to treat gender dysphoria.

“Everything he does is about what can further his own career ambitions,” said Brandon Wolf, press secretary for the LGBTQ advocacy group Equality Florida. “And it’s clear he sees the anti-LGBTQ movement as his vehicle to get him where he wants to go.”

TENN GOP LEADER CAUSES SOCIAL MEDIA UPROAR

Wire Report

NASHVILLE, TENN. |

Tennessee Lt. Gov. Randy McNally’s Republican colleagues in the Senate have voted 19-7 that he should keep his leadership post in the wake of revelations that he repeatedly commented on posts of nearly nude photos of a young gay model and other LGBTQ personalities.

The Senate GOP caucus cast the vote of confidence March 20 that the 79-year-old Republican should continue in his dual roles as lieutenant governor and Senate speaker.

“I have always been honored, humbled and grateful for the support of my caucus. I remain so today,” McNally said in a statement March 20. “We have a lot of

important work left to do as we complete the legislative session, including the budget. I look forward to getting to it.”

Some conservative media outlets and one House Republican lawmaker had called for McNally to leave the post. However, none of the Republicans in the Senate have publicly said he should step aside.

McNally initially stated earlier this month that he “had no intention of stopping” when pressed about why he repeatedly commented on racy social media posts by the 20-year-old. He later apologized, saying it was not his intention to embarrass his friends, family or members of the legislature.

However, the 79-year-old legislative leader has since received national attention — including being parodied on “Saturday Night

Live” — with critics accusing McNally of being hypocritical. Particularly, McNally supported legislation restricting where certain drag shows can take place.

Last week, McNally said he is “pausing” all social media activity. Some of the posts that sparked the most uproar included commenting on a photo of the man’s backside, where he was wearing only underwear, saying “you can turn a rainy day into rainbow and sunshine.” McNally then posted a comment using only heart and fire emojis. In a separate post, McNally posted a heart emoji on a photo of the man pulling down his underwear.

McNally, who is from Oak Ridge, became lieutenant governor in 2017. He has been a state lawmaker since the late 1970s.

UGANDA GAY BILL THREATENS HOMELESSNESS

Wire Report

KAMPALA, UGANDA |

A prominent leader of Uganda’s LGBTQ community said March 23 he was worried about becoming homeless, describing anguished calls by others like him who are concerned for their safety after the passing of a harsh new anti-gay bill.

“I am worried about being evicted,” said Frank Mugisha, head of the banned LGBTQ support group Sexual Minorities Uganda. “I am worried about being evicted from the place where I live, because I don’t own property. I could become homeless.”

The legislation “would make it impossible for me to live in this country and work here,” he said.

Mugisha spoke to The Associated Press amid growing pressure from the United Nations, the United States and others who are urging President Yoweri Museveni to block the legislation passed by lawmakers March 21.

The bill prescribes the death penalty for the offense of “aggravated homosexuality” and life imprisonment for “homosexuality.” Aggravated homosexuality is defined as cases of sex relations

involving those infected with HIV as well as minors and other categories of vulnerable people. Jail terms of up to 20 years are proposed for those who advocate or promote the rights of LGBTQ people.

A suspect convicted of “attempted aggravated homosexuality” can be jailed for 14 years and the offense of “attempted homosexuality” is punishable by up to 10 years, according to the bill.

It remains unclear when Museveni will notify the legislature about his intentions regarding the bill. He sometimes takes his time before signing bills into law. He has condemned homosexuality over the years and recently accused unnamed Western nations of “trying to impose their practices on other people.”

The bill was introduced last month by an opposition lawmaker who said his goal was to punish the “promotion, recruitment and funding” of LGBTQ activities in this East African country where homosexuals are widely disparaged. Only two of 389 legislators present during the voting session opposed the bill, including one taunted during plenary debate by his colleagues as “a homosexualist” after he presented a dissenting view.

International concern is rising over the legislation.

Washington has “grave concerns” about the bill, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said March 22, adding that it would hamper tourism and economic investment in Uganda.

U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said if the law were enacted Washington would “have to take a look” at imposing economic sanctions on Uganda. He noted that this would be “really unfortunate” since most U.S. aid is in the form of health assistance, especially AIDS-related assistance.

The U.N. AIDS agency also warns that the legislation “threatens public health” because it would hurt efforts to fight HIV.

Anti-gay sentiment in Uganda has grown in recent weeks amid press reports alleging sodomy in boarding schools, including a prestigious one for boys where a parent accused a teacher of abusing her son. The recent decision of the Church of England to bless civil marriages of same-sex couples also has inflamed many, including some who see homosexuality as imported from abroad.

MICH GOV SIGNS LGBTQ RIGHTS LAW

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act March 16, which expands basic protections for the LGBTQ community. The measure, Senate Bill 4, was sponsored by openly gay state Sen. Jeremy Moss who less than a year previously had been shot down by the Republican majority as he attempted to have a non-binding resolution to recognize “Pride Month” adopted by the Senate. In her signing remarks, Whitmer noted: “In the words of Detroit native Lizzo, it’s about damn time! Bigotry is bad for business. Come to Michigan, you will be respected and protected under the law.”

MISSOURI SENATE ENDORSES TRANS HEALTH RESTRICTIONS

The Missouri Senate advanced a pair of bills March 21 to prohibit gender-transitioning health care treatments for minors and restrict them from competing in sports. The Senate votes came after an all-night session of closed-door negotiations and only after Republican lawmakers agreed not to prohibit transitions already in process and to let the measures expire in 2027. The measures reflect a national push led by Republicans to restrict transgender health care, drag shows, bathroom access and how LGBTQ topics are discussed in schools.

NEBRASKA TRANS BILL ADVANCES

The Nebraska Legislature voted March 23 to advance a contentious bill that would ban gender-affirming care for minors, despite threats from some lawmakers that they would filibuster the rest of the session. The vote came on the third day of debate, in which lawmakers angrily accused one another of hypocrisy and a lack of collegiality early on. With the bill’s advancement, Omaha Sens. Megan Hunt and Machaela Cavanaugh promised to filibuster every bill that comes before lawmakers for the rest of the 90-day session. By the end of Thursday’s debate, other lawmakers had vowed to join that effort, including Omaha Sen. Jen Day and Lincoln Sen. Danielle Conrad. The bill will have to survive two more rounds of debate to pass in the unique one-house, officially nonpartisan Legislature.

ITALY’S DEMOCRATIC HEAD BLASTS LIMIT ON LGBTQ PARENT RIGHTS

Elly Schlein, the head of Italy’s opposition Democratic Party who in 2020 revealed she was in a relationship with another woman, blasted a bureaucratic crackdown on LGBTQ families as ideological, cruel and discriminatory and has vowed to push through legislation to better recognize and protect their rights. Schlein joined thousands of people at a demonstration in Milan to protest a move by the far-right-led Italian government to restrict the rights of parents in same-sex relationships. The Interior Ministry has forced Milan to limit parental rights to the biological parent when same-sex couples register their children with the city.

ME

IT’S

The pain is real, raw and can be incredibly isolating. It can feel like you’re carrying a heavy weight on your chest, with no one to help lighten the load. But grief is also universal. Whether we’ve experienced a loss of a loved one, or the end of a relationship, we all have our own unique story of grief that we carry with us.

Grief is complicated and ever-changing. It doesn’t always follow a linear path — it can be messy, unpredictable and at times overwhelming. It can seem like you’ll never be the same and that the pain will last forever. But grief is also necessary. It helps us to heal, to come out of our pain with insight, compassion and a renewed sense of purpose.

It can be hard to open up about our grief, especially if we feel judged or misunderstood. But it’s important to remember that there is no right way to grieve and no timeline for it. Be kind and gentle to yourself as you move through this process.

It’s okay to acknowledge loss and talk about it — even if it hurts. Talking about your grief with people who understand what you’ve gone through can help you process and heal from the pain. Take the time to really feel your grief — don’t rush the healing.

The emotional rollercoaster of recently losing my cherished grandmother has been life’s toughest challenge. But what helped me move forward was allowing myself to grieve openly, with friends and family who understood my pain. They provided a

safe space for me to share my emotions, and their love helped me find healing during this difficult time — they reminded me that I wasn’t in it alone.

We all have moments when grief is too much to bear and that’s okay. Embrace those moments and know that it’s okay to take time for yourself to mourn and heal. Don’t be afraid to lean on the people who love you and offer support. It’s important to remember that grief is hard, but it doesn’t have to be impossible. With love and understanding, you can make it through — unapologetically you.

It wasn’t until I allowed myself to be vulnerable, to open up about my pain with people who understood my loss, that I began to heal. The pain and sadness I felt were overwhelming, but it was also comforting to know that she was surrounded by love in her last moments. I had the honor of asking her what freedom and fulfillment look like to her. It was such a powerful moment and one I will carry with me forever.

My grandmother’s vision of freedom was a blissful utopia, where troubles and pain ceased, and only love reigned supreme. The driving force behind her fulfillment was her unwavering faith and gratitude towards the blessings the Lord showered upon her family. These profound words are forever etched in my heart.

Grief is hard, but it doesn’t have to consume you. You can find strength and freedom from pain through love, understanding and self-expression.

Let your story be a reminder that there is no right way to grieve and that you don’t have to go through it alone. Here are seven steps to help you process and move through your grief.

1. Acknowledge your emotions. It is important to take the time to recognize and acknowledge your feelings of sadness, anger,

guilt or even depression. Name them and accept them for what they are so you can begin to work through them.

2. Reach out for support. By connecting with others who are going through similar experiences, you can gain valuable insight and guidance during difficult times.

3. Take care of yourself Make time for activities that you enjoy and provide some sense of calm and release.

4. Be gentle with yourself. Know that healing from grief takes time and be patient with yourself. Give yourself permission to take a break when you need it and accept help from others.

5. Celebrate special moments and memorialize. While this

may be a trying time, try to focus on the positive memories of your loved one that bring joy or comfort. Spend time doing things that bring you happiness to help create special moments that honor and celebrate your loved one’s life.

6. Seek professional

help. If you are finding it difficult to cope on your own, talking to a therapist about your grief can provide you with a safe and supportive environment to express yourself.

7. Remember there is no right or wrong way to grieve. Everyone experiences grief in their own unique way. Don’t put pressure on yourself to follow a certain timeline for

healing, but instead focus on taking it one day at a time. Grief can be hard but it doesn’t have to define you. Allow yourself to feel whatever emotions come up in a safe and compassionate manner so that eventually you can find peace and healing. Unapologetically, you can get through this, just as I did.

Bianca Goolsby, MBA is a digital strategist and activist who partners with mission-driven organizations to increase their impact through innovative and effective online communications. She also empowers and equips families to curate safe social spaces for themselves and their children.

GRIEF IS HARD.

ONE of the most difficult emotions to process and it can have a profound effect on us.

It’s okay to acknowledge loss and talk about it — even if it hurts.

TRANS OF THOUGHT

Our Fears Have Been Realized

FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS

Watermark has been kind enough to honor my request to write one of my columns in March. A request I have made because the 31st of the month is Transgender Day of Visibility, and if I am anything, I am a very visible trans person who is not afraid to speak her mind.

It is a responsibility I take very seriously as one of the few trans people in Orlando lucky enough to have a modicum of a platform while also holding a position of leadership in a well-known local LGBTQIA nonprofit.

In the past, I have used this column during this month as a call to action to wake up and turn back the rising tide of anti-trans sentiment taking root in the extremist right wing of the country before it is too late. However, for once I won’t do that. Not because the threat has passed, but because it is already too late to stop it. There is no turning back from what is to come for trans people in many states and especially here in Florida.

Earlier this month I traveled to Tallahassee to take part in Equality Florida’s Lobby Days. It was not my first time as I had years ago participated in an effort to speak to legislators about an anti-trans bathroom bill. Back then, myself, and the many trans people who showed up, were able to speak to Republicans directly about the injustices and unintended consequences if such a bill if it were to become law. Ultimately, common sense prevailed and the bill was defeated, but that was before Trump spawned a new age of cruel authoritarianism in the Republican party. Suffice it to say, the political landscape in Tallahassee had changed significantly since my last time there, so I was afraid of what I might find. Turns out, I was right to be afraid.

Things began promisingly enough. Many people showed up with a very significant showing from the trans and nonbinary community. So many that we had to meet in an IMAX theater for our initial briefing. We were given instructions on how to speak to legislators, packets of information were handed out, we were divided into groups and then walked over to the Florida capitol building, chanting our protest slogans all the way. We then gathered on the steps across from the entrance to the capitol for a class picture of sorts, over 200 strong and holding our protest signs. It was an inspiring experience that filled me full of pride and even a little hope that we might be able to make a difference. That hope died an excruciating death by the end of the first day in the committee hearing for Senate Bill 254.

For those of you that don’t know, SB 254 — once it becomes law — would allow the courts to modify custody agreements and take trans children away from parents if they are receiving trans affirming care, ban trans care for minors and also restrict trans care for adults. To our credit, Lobby Days participants filled the room and we rose to speak at the podium one heartbreaking story after another as to why SB 254 would be unjust. I sat there in the room listening and watching the Republican senators look at their phones in cowardice instead of reacting to the speakers.

It is so easy from afar to regard the Republican opposition as evil caricatures, but what is more disconcerting is to realize they are just ordinary people like our neighbors. The senators were no different. A reminder that history teaches us that unspeakable horrors are not carried out by obvious monsters, but by average citizens “just following

orders” due to fear and threats from the powerful. Not surprisingly, the bill passed along party lines. The next day was more of the same when House Bill 1223, an expansion of the Don’t Say LGBTQIA law, was heard in committee.

At this point it looks like

arrested, and I think that is likely in the coming years, it will be a legal requirement that I be housed with male prisoners. However, as Martin Luther King once said, “One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.” I, for one, intend to do just that.

of the civil rights movement and the Mattachine Society along with the less than civil Stonewall riots come to mind. Whatever your motivation, whether to save the lives of women, the freedoms of immigrants or free speech or to make sure your favorite drag queen can

every terrible Republican power grab bill will become the law in Florida. By July, as an adult trans woman I will lose most access to my medical affirming care just as trans kids have already lost all of theirs. I will be legally barred from using telehealth to access medical resources and outlawed from using the ladies room, dressing rooms and locker facilities. Should I be

It is clear the fight is not going to be easy from this point forward. Ron DeSantis himself, in his unhinged pursuit of presidential power, has said that Florida is the place where “woke goes to die,” and certainly the time of “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is long gone, but we have the examples of past movements to guide our way. The civil disobedience

perform, there is a place for you in the fight. We will need accomplices and not just allies. We will need you.

Melody Maia Monet has her own trans lesbian themed YouTube channel at YouTube. com/MelodyMaia and is the vice president of the board for Come Out With Pride Orlando. To find more information on Pride, visit ComeOutWithPride.org.

There is no turning back from what is to come for trans people in many states and especially here in Florida.

Visibili-T

DAISY CHAMBERLIN

27, She/Her/Hers

VISIBILI-T

IS DEDICATED TO

transgender members of our community in Central Florida and Tampa Bay, some you know and many you don’t. It is designed to amplify their voices and detail their experiences in life.

This issue, we check in with Watermark’s newest staff member, Daisy Chamberlin. Chamberlin is the newest Orlando account manager and she’s very eager to begin working for Watermark.

Chamberlin came out as a trans woman in 2019 when she was in her early 20’s. She initially felt coming out would be an intimidating process but has grown much more comfortable in her identity over the last few years. As she has grown into her identity, she says being trans has become a part of her life that she thinks less and less about.

“I think a lot of cis people want to ask a lot of questions about it or want to know a lot about it, but for me, that’s so far removed from the front of my mind,” Chamberlin

says. “I don’t think about being trans on a moment-to-moment basis. I think most of us have way more interesting stuff about us than being trans.”

Chamberlin says her being trans is a much less interesting topic than her passion for music. Outside of work, she spends most of her time with her band, I Met a Yeti. Her bandmates were some of her biggest supporters during her transition.

“It’s definitely my personal passion, as far as my passions go. It’s a priority,” she says.

Chamberlin has written a lot of songs about her experiences as a newly out trans woman.

“The first I Met a Yeti EP is pretty generally about the normal things people write music about, like breakups and relationships,

but it was definitely through the lens of, ‘I’m coming out as trans while doing this,’” she says. “To varying degrees on each song, there’s levels of those themes in there.”

As Chamberlin grows more comfortable with her identity, though, she says she finds herself writing about her experience as a trans woman less.

“I think about that stuff a little less because I’ve been trans for a long time at this point, or it feels like a long time,” she says. “I don’t think about it as actively.”

After growing up in a more conservative city and attending a conservative college, Chamberlin says being in Orlando is a much better place for her. She feels like she fits in and is happy to have a home in a place so welcoming.

“I like [the] Mills[/50] District quite a bit. Orlando is definitely a little bit of a safe haven for me,” she says. “Moving here, I’ve connected with the idea of feeling like I’m in an inclusive and diverse environment.”

The support she feels within the Orlando LGBTQ community has also helped her learn to thrive within her identity.

“I think Orlando’s LGBTQ community is really supportive and diverse outside of just being LGBTQ,” she says. “My favorite aspect of this community is that

I think we’re very welcoming and we’re generally a community that’s very open to learning.”

She says Central Florida is a great place for trans youth to explore their own identities and she hopes they will be able to seek out and take advantage of the many resources Orlando has to offer.

“If you’re in Central Florida, The Center is a great resource for career advisement and other issues, too. I would definitely say seeking a therapist is super beneficial and there’s a surprising number of ways to make that financially feasible for young people,” Chamberlin says. “In Orlando, it’s just a matter of doing online research and spending the time planning and figuring

out where the safest places for you are.”

Chamberlin has high hopes for her future. She wants to continue to work within Orlando’s LGBTQ community. She also wants to further her music career.

Her other band, Resilia, will soon be releasing their album “Well Intentioned: The Name of the Game” and she is excited to expand her musical talent. Both of her bands produce post hardcore music, but Chamberlin says that Resilia has a more “poppy” feel to it.

Interested in being featured in Visibili-T? Email Editor-in-Chief Jeremy Williams in Central Florida or Managing Editor Ryan Williams-Jent in Tampa Bay.

talking points

“DC PRIDE” AND “MARVEL VOICES: PRIDE” WILL RETURN IN TIME FOR PRIDE MONTH 2023, HIGHLIGHTING LGBTQ CHARACTERS AND CREATORS FROM EACH COMIC COMPANY. DC announced “DC Pride 2023” #1 March 13, which will publish May 30 to showcase its “ongoing legacy of LGBTQIA+ characters.” Marvel followed suit March 20, promising “Marvel Voices: Pride” #1 will be back “with more impact than ever” on June 14. “‘DC Pride’ is back again with a brave, bold, and all-new collection of stories starring DC’s stable of fan-favorite LGBTQIA+ characters — many of whom will find themselves in thrilling team-ups the likes of which you’ve never seen before,” DC stated. Stories will feature Green Lantern, Robin, Superman and other fan favorites. Marvel shared its anthology “will continue its tradition of bringing the spirit of Pride Month to your local comic shop with a dazzling and diverse collection of tales, all brought together by an incredible lineup of new and established talent.” Black Cat, Wiccan, Hulkling and more will be highlighted.

‘THE LAST OF US’ WRAPS SEASON ONE

HBO’S “THE LAST OF US” WRAPPED ITS FIRST SEASON MARCH 12, DRAWING A SERIES HIGH OF 8.2 MILLION VIEWERS for the video game adaptation. The show premiered in January with 4.7 million viewers and received acclaim throughout its run, highlighting two LGBTQ love stories against the backdrop of a fungal apocalypse. “No one could have anticipated this, this reaction and how positive it’s been and how broad it’s been in its reach,” said Neil Druckmann, creator and writer of the video game and show. “And to see a whole bunch of new people connecting with these characters … and hearing how they interpret the material and what they like or not like, it’s just been really fascinating to me.”

MMA FIGHTER JEFF MOLINA FORCED OUT AS BI

UFC BANTAMWEIGHT JEFF MOLINA, WHO GOES BY “EL JEFE” IN THE OCTAGON, CAME OUT AS BISEXUAL MARCH 17 via social media, revealing he had been outed by someone who shared a video of him being intimate with another man. “TLDR: im bi,” he shared with a statement.

“Not the way I wanted to do this but the chance to do it when I was ready was taken from me.” In the personal post, Molina explained that “I’ve dated girls my whole life and suppressed feelings I had throughout high school being on the wrestling team, throughout college pursuing MMA, and even after making part of the dream happen and getting into the UFC.”

Molina has been a part of UFC since 2020.

GLAAD MEDIA AWARDS HEAD TO HULU

THE 34TH GLAAD MEDIA AWARDS, “THE LARGEST, MOST LEGENDARY LGBTQ CELEBRATION IN THE WORLD,” will stream on Hulu beginning April 12. Scheduled for March 30 in Los Angeles and May 13 in New York, the ceremonies will once again honor “those in the media who have shown exemplary achievements for fair, accurate and inclusive representation of the LGBTQ community and the issues that affect our lives.” Margaret Cho will host the initial event with performances by FLETCHER and Orville Peck. Christina Aguilera will receive GLAAD’s Advocate for Change Award, Bad Bunny will receive the Vanguard Award and Jeremy Pope will receive the Stephen F. Kolzak Award. Special guests include Angelica Ross, Betty Who, Billy Eichner and others.

39% OF LGBTQ PEOPLE REPORT STRUGGLING WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH IN THE PAST YEAR, NEARLY

5.8 MILLION PEOPLE.

Drag queens are the Marines of the queer movement. Register to vote so we can get these stunt queens out of office and put some smart people with real solutions into government … a social media post has never been as powerful as a registered vote.

— RUPAUL RESPONDING TO ANTI-DRAG LEGISLATION

INVISIBLE MAJORITY

Jeremy Williams

AGALLUP POLL RELEASED FEB. 22

shows that 7.2% of U.S. adults now identify as members of the LGBTQ community. An overwhelming amount of those adults, when asked about their sexual orientation, identify themselves as bisexual, 58.2% to be exact.

That is compared to 20.2% who identify as gay and 13.4% who identify as lesbian, with the percentage of other identities — such as pansexual, asexual and queer — ranging in the low single digits. The number of those who say they are bisexual are even higher among younger generations with two-thirds of Generation Z’s LGBTQ community identifying as such.

With a majority of members of the LGBTQ community identifying as bisexual, which

refers to a person who is attracted romantically and/or sexually to people of their own gender as well as people of another gender, some have wondered why such little attention is paid to them in activism, advocacy and support when it comes to the LGBTQ community as a whole.

Bisexuality has long been stigmatized and misunderstood, with many in the heteronormative world assuming that individuals who identify as bisexual are confused, indecisive or simply

“going through a phase.” But that biphobia isn’t just within the straight community. Bisexuality can sometimes be ignored or dismissed in the LGBTQ community too. This can be due to various factors such as stereotypes, misunderstanding of bisexuality and a history of invisibility of bisexual people within the larger LGBTQ movement.

As many bisexual people experience discrimination and marginalization from both the heterosexual and LGBTQ communities, it can lead to feelings of isolation and impact their mental health. “Bisexual erasure,” a phenomenon in which the experiences, struggles and identities of bisexual individuals are marginalized or ignored altogether, can have an impact on all levels of health.

Speaking with Health.com last November, Dr. Lauren B. Beach, a faculty member at

Northwestern University’s Institute for Sexual and Gender

Minority Health and Wellbeing, stated that some evidence suggests individuals experiencing bi erasure have higher rates of anxiety and depression compared to their straight, lesbian or gay counterparts.

Several studies also find that bisexuals are more likely to be smokers, be overweight and are less likely to have routine health screenings because of fear that they will have to defend their sexual identity to their health care providers.

We chatted with members of the bisexual community in Central Florida and Tampa Bay about their experiences to find out what their journeys within our local LGBTQ community have been like for them. CONTINUED ON PG.

Bisexuals talk about their experiences in the LGBTQ community

JESS KELLER

29, Orlando-based filmmaker

“Ithink a lot of bisexual people probably have this experience, especially me being someone who presents and identifies as a woman, it’s just not really treated as news,” says Jess Keller.

Keller, an Orlando-based filmmaker, says when she told her mom, who she says she has a great relationship with, that she is bisexual she barely batted an eye.

“There’s not much of a reaction from most people,” she says. “I think it’s sometimes perceived as being the soft gay or diet gay. Like ‘OK, you like women? But you also like men, right?’ So it’s not necessarily as shocking, which I don’t really think is fair because it is a coming out, it is a queer identity.”

Keller says that identifying as bisexual for her means referring to a person who is sexually attracted to and/or romantically involved with people of more than one gender. This means that a bisexual individual can be attracted to people of the same gender as well as those of one or several different genders.

“I don’t want to speak for the entire community’s definition on this because I know it varies to some degree, but my understanding has always been that the term bisexual was intended to be all-inclusive,” Keller says. “It doesn’t have to be attraction to just two genders in the gender binary, but I think because of the ‘bi’ in that word, there’s sometimes a little bit of a misunderstanding that when you say ‘I’m bisexual,’ you’re saying ‘I’m attracted to two genders.’ It’s really two or more.”

Keller, who came out as bisexual when she was in her mid-20’s, says when she was in high school she knew very few people who were out and didn’t have any resources or tools that helped her to learn about being bisexual.

“There was a lot of heteronormativity growing up that I think influenced my first couple years, but by the time I came out, part of the reason that I was coming out was because I was already

surrounded by friends who were validating of that experience,” she says.

Keller says that while she has friends and family who are validating of her identity, she still found some difficulty when she was on the dating scene.

“I think that the B is difficult because I do think that it’s often seen, in the dating world, as sometimes a pretty unattractive trait — both to partners that are queer and partners that aren’t,” she says. “I think it’s seen as a phase or a pit stop in someone’s journey. I get frustrated when people question the legitimacy of a relationship that I have with a male partner because it can be painted as ‘Let’s check in with her 10 years from now and see if she’s still saying she’s bi.’”

Even people who approach Keller about her relationships with the best of intentions can end up being unintendedly biphobic.

“I had this guy once who said he felt sorry for me when he found out I was bi and with a male partner,” Keller says. “He assumed that I was pressured into the relationship and that I was trapped and scared to tell him that I really wanted to be with a woman.”

Keller, who is married to a heterosexual man, says it can be frustrating having to justify her queer identity while in a heteronormative relationship, but she realizes the privilege that comes with that kind of relationship in today’s world. That balancing act has caused her to try and find a space where

she can express her queerness but also not take space for more marginalized individuals.

“Personally, I experience most of my queer identity over the internet with people that I talk to online or friends that live far away in spaces like that,” Keller says. “I’ve found that there’s a lot more room for acceptance. I think in real world situations it can be difficult to be taken seriously. One example, I had a guy remark to me once that ‘You know, you are whatever you’re committed to. So if you are committed to a relationship with a man, you’re straight now. That’s just it. You’re straight now, stop lying to yourself.’ It can be extremely disorienting when you know you’re queer but you almost feel like ‘OK, do I have to pretend like I’m not for other people to feel like I’m respecting them?’”

Experiences like those have led Keller to feel less a part of LGBTQ events such as Pride festivals and parades.

“I think it can be more challenging to be your authentic self because obviously when you’re looking for community and you’re looking for support, you want to respect the spaces that you’re in,” Keller says. “It can be easy sometimes to feel like you’re not legitimate enough, you’re not gay enough or experienced enough. When I start to think like that, then I believe that there might be a perception that I’m taking up a seat somebody ‘more legitimate’ could be taking up.”

Coming out as bisexual wasn’t very groundbreaking, Marena says, at least for those who are a part of his inner circle.

“Everyone I am close to already knew I was trans so coming out as another part of the LGBTQ community wasn’t met with shock and surprise,” he laughs.

Something that was surprising, at least for Marena, was how he was able to see the bi erasure within the community pretty quickly.

When it comes to her identity, Keller wants everyone to know that just like every other letter in the queer alphabet, the bisexual community is not a one-size-fits-all experience.

“I believe that the bisexual community looks a lot different than most people assume it does,” she says. “There’s so many forms that it can take and I think we need to put away this stereotype of the experimenting, promiscuous, single individual who is being greedy.”

MAURICIO MARENA

27, Tampa Bay drag performer Apollo Infiniti

Mauricio Marena, who goes by the name of Apollo Infiniti when he is performing as a drag king, says being bisexual is new to him.

“Not in the sense of not knowing about it, but actually recognizing that I was bisexual,” he says.

Marena came out as transgender before realizing that he was bisexual as well.

“Growing up I never had any attraction to women, I only had attraction to men,” he says. “So for me, after I came out as trans, I started to see more of a willingness to let loose on my sexuality. It was as if something had unlocked from my brain that I didn’t even realize I had and I just started finding both genders to be attractive for different reasons.”

“When it comes to going out and being in LGBTQ spaces, especially bigger Pride events, I know a lot of bisexual people who say ‘I don’t really think I should come because my partner that I’m with right now is of the opposite sex, and I feel like people will think that I’m just taking space as an ally, even though I’m part of the community,’” he says. “That’s something I hear consistently throughout my experience with other bisexual people. I think that there’s like a fear, in general, of not being valid enough in the community, and that suppresses the ability for people to share their stories with each other. To be able to just recognize that there’s so many more queer individuals that are in our community, they just feel ostracized.”

Marena says when it comes to sexuality, as well as gender, many people find it difficult to understand it beyond the binary, even some in the LGBTQ community.

“My experience of coming out as trans was in layers,” he says. “I first came out as genderqueer and while that falls under the umbrella of transgender, I definitely didn’t have a lot of people who recognized me as transgender. When I actually came out as a transgender man, in the binary realm, that’s when I started to notice a lot more people congratulating me on coming out. None of that really translated to my bisexual identity when I came out, but it seems that identifying ‘in the middle’ of the binary is complicated for some.”

Being a drag performer, Marena spends a lot of time in bars and clubs and says he has started to see a lot more acceptance for bisexuals in what he called “allied bars.”

“Bisexuals sometimes feel uncomfortable in spaces classified as ‘gay bars’ because they feel like they aren’t spaces designed for them,” he says. “I’m seeing a lot more LGBTQ events held in what were originally ‘straight areas’ where bisexual people can come in and start to mingle with other queer people where they may have been intimidated to do so in gay bars.”

Marena says he does still see a lack of representation for bisexuals at Pride events though, which leads some of them to not even come out to celebrate.

“I see a lot of bisexual people say they don’t feel like they’re supposed to be there, because they feel like they’re taking up space,” he says. “There’s a lot of discourse that happens online about how ‘straight people are guests in LGBTQ spaces and need to behave as such,’ and a lot of these bisexual people get treated the same way, almost as if their guests and not community members. That separation of the bisexual community happens a lot at Pride events.”

Marena thinks one way to help fix that perception is for Pride organizations to provide space for the bisexual community and then reach out to them.

“When I go to Pride, I see gay-straight alliances, the bear community, the leather community and so forth with booths, handing out education pamphlets,” he says. “Why don’t we see booths for bisexuals?”

That representation of bisexuals in traditionally gay spaces should be expanded to the mainstream too, Marena says.

“Probably the biggest mainstream platform is ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race,’” he says. “Recently, we’ve started to see trans queens represented, we even had the amazing Maddy Morphosis on, who is the first straight male drag queen. I would love to see more high-profile queens talking about being bisexual.”

Marena says it’s tiresome hearing the many stereotypes people have about bisexuals, particularly being seen as the “most deviant” of all the sexualities.

“I am married to a woman so I don’t experience those stereotypes because unless I tell you I’m bisexual you wouldn’t know, but I have definitely heard them,” Marena says. “I think the stereotypes worsen for bisexual men because when it comes to the straight community a lot of people think that ‘being gay’ automatically means feminine and we live in a world where feminine is seen as less than compared to being masculine.”

Ultimately, Marena just wants everyone to know that just because someone tells you they are bisexual, that doesn’t mean they are looking to have sex with every person they come across.

“Bisexuality is not promiscuity,” he says. “And our relationships do not breakdown to just genitals. If you are able to respect a gay relationship and a lesbian relationship, then you can respect a bisexual relationship. They are all about two people just falling in love with each other.”

JOHN AND ANGELIQUE LUNA

49 & 47, Central Florida sex educators and podcasters

John and Angelique Luna are both sex educators in Central Florida who have been together for 13 years. They host a podcast and YouTube channel called “Sex Positive Me,” which is dedicated to educating people on sexual freedom and being more accepting of your authentic

self. They also both identify as bisexual, are members of the swingers community and have an open marriage.

“We met at a swingers meet and greet,” Angelique Luna says.

“We were on Park Ave. in Winter Park and I said to her ‘There are two things I will never be if you want to be in a relationship with me: monogamous and straight,’” John Luna says. “I expected to go home alone after that but she threw me against the wall and kissed me. From there on out we have been together and it’s been wonderful. It is nice to be in a relationship where you are not judged for your attractions.”

Being with someone who also identifies as bisexual helps the Lunas when they come up against people who automatically question the legitimacy of their relationship when others find out.

“We hear ‘just pick a side,’” Angelique Luna says. “Other times they will tell John ‘Just divorce her and come out as gay’ and vice versa, and I’m like ‘No, we know who we are and what we want.”

Being a male-female bisexual couple, the Lunas have seen the myths and stereotypes from both sides of the gender spectrum.

“When I talk to women and they find out that I am bi, a lot of times they are like ‘OK, not interested,” John Luna says. “I’m not someone who gets offended by that, if you’re not interested then you’re not interested, but I got to the point where I started

says. “We started talking with a couple and they said ‘Oh, we thought this was bisexual women.’ That was always the assumption, that those spaces were for just bisexual women. It’s not until recently that I’ve noticed a change.”

When it comes to events within the LGBTQ community, John Luna says they always feel accepted but not represented.

“We go there and we have plenty of friends, everyone is hugging and no one is judging us,” he says. “But we don’t see a lot of representation in the parade.”

to ask why and I get ‘you’re less masculine now’ and ‘you’re more likely to have STDs.’ None of that is actually true, but OK.”

Those bisexual myths are nothing new, as the Lunas pointed to an article they recently read that had been pushed in Cosmo back in the ‘80s that read “Bisexual men: the new danger for straight women.”

“I read through that and I was like ‘What fantasy land was this written in?’ It was written in a time when AIDS was worse than it is now, but still it was written like ‘don’t go into the woods, the wolf’s waiting for you,’” John Luna says.

For bisexual women, Angelique Luna says the biggest issue is how they are fetishized by men.

“The first thing a man will say when they hear I’m bisexual,” she says, “is ‘threesome?’ Like, I don’t automatically come with a girlfriend. Bisexual women aren’t a package deal.”

“When it comes to bisexual women, it is seen as being a bonus for people,” John Luna says. “They are thought to be a little more kinkier, a little more open. It’s not until the last few years that I have noticed, when we go to swingers parties that bisexual men are considered.”

John Luna recalled a time several years ago when the couple went to Naughty N’awlins, a swingers party in New Orleans.

“They had various rooms you could go into and one was a bisexual room, so I was like ‘Cool, let’s go in there,’” he

“We walked one year with the Bisexual Alliance,” Angelique Luna says. “That was a lot of fun seeing the kids who identify as bisexual seeing the bi flag and feeling seen. But it would have been great to see more communication and awareness about bisexuals there.”

A hopeful sign, John Luna points out, that is backed by the recent Gallup Poll, is that being bisexual is less of an issue with the younger generations.

“I see people in their 20’s and when they hear you’re bi, they aren’t bothered in the least,” he says. “When it comes to older people, people in my generation, it becomes ‘OK, what does this mean?’ At the end of the day, I don’t need it on a banner or in a parade, we just want acceptance and not the knee jerk reaction of ‘No, you’re lying to yourself.’”

When it comes to a message for the rest of the LGBTQ community, the Lunas want everyone to know that we are all on the same team.

“I have been in conversations where other members of the community try to trump me with their experiences,” John Luna says. “Why are we beating each other up? We need to be all on the same page and fight the bigger battle.”

“Also, we’re not confused and we’re not greedy,” Angelique Luna says. “And as far as the LGBTQ community, we are there with you to fight every battle together. We need to stop marginalizing each group within the community.”

Florida Film FESTIVAL

19 LGBTQ films to play at 2023 festival

THE FLORIDA FILM FESTIVAL

returns to the Enzian Theater in Maitland for its 32nd year April 14-23.

This year’s festival features more than 160 films — 24 of which are world premieres — representing 37 countries with nearly two dozen of them spotlighting the LGBTQ experience. The 10-day festival will include showings at the Enzian Theater, located at 1300 Orlando Ave. in Maitland, and at the Regal Winter Park Village,

located at 510 N. Orlando Ave. in Winter Park.

The Florida Film Festival holds a distinct honor of being one of only a handful that are Academy Award-qualifying in all three Oscar shorts categories: Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film and Documentary Short Subject; meaning any short film that is in competition that falls into any of the three categories and wins a

grand jury prize is automatically eligible to be nominated for an Oscar the following year.

Festival organizers also have several events happening during the week including live music, Sunday brunch, a happy hour, opening and closing night parties, a festival end awards bash and more.

We have highlighted the festival’s LGBTQ offerings with each film’s showtimes on the following page. To see the festival’s full schedule, and for ticket and event information, visit FloridaFilmFestival.com.

CONTINUED ON PG. 37

“Bigger on the Inside”

DIRECTED BY ANGELO MADSEN MINAX

U.S. | 2023 | 12 MIN.

FLORIDA PREMIERE

APRIL 22, 9:15 P.M.

From an isolated wooded cabin, a trans man stargazes, Scruff chats with guys and watches YouTube tutorials.

“CANS: Can’t Stand”

DIRECTED BY MATT NADEL AND MEGAN PLOTKA

U.S. | 2022 | 19 MIN.

FLORIDA PREMIERE

APRIL 18, 4 P.M.; APRIL 21, 4 P.M. Black trans women in New Orleans fight to repeal Louisiana’s Crimes Against Nature by Solicitation (CANS) law which forces those convicted to register as sex offenders.

“Cousins”

DIRECTED BY KARINA DANDASHI

U.S. | 2023 | 13 MIN.

EAST COAST PREMIERE, 2ND U.S. SCREENING

APRIL 15, 2 P.M.; APRIL 18, 6:30 P.M.

Two cousins born in separate countries reunite in Brooklyn when a run-in with an ex turns the night into a mission of revenge.

In English and Arabic with English subtitles

“Day Jobs”

DIRECTED BY STEVIE WAIN AND AURI JACKSON

U.S. | 2022 | 30 MIN.

EAST COAST PREMIERE

APRIL 15, 4:30 P.M.; APRIL 19, 8:15 P.M.

After coming out as gay, a struggling comedian looks for a job as a nanny to pay rent to her overly understanding ex-boyfriend.

“Egghead & Twinkie”

DIRECTED BY SARAH KAMBE

HOLLAND

U.S. | 2023 | 87 MIN.

EAST COAST PREMIERE

APRIL 16, 7 P.M.; APRIL 20, 9:15 P.M.

“Lollygag”

DIRECTED BY TIJ D’OYEN U.S. | 2022 | 10 MIN. SOUTHEAST PREMIERE APRIL 16, 3:45 P.M.; APRIL 20, 9 P.M.

A young woman watches, with a complicated sort of envy, as the sexy bisexual boy next door lounges by his pool, taking lover after lover. In Greek with English subtitles.

“Minnesota Mean”

DIRECTED BY DAWN MIKKELSON U.S. | 2023 | 81 MIN. EAST COAST PREMIERE, 2ND U.S. SCREENING

APRIL 17, 6:15 P.M.; APRIL 20, 8:30 P.M.

The Minnesota Roller Girls defy gender stereotypes and advocate for body positivity.

After coming out to her parents, 17-year-old Twinkie takes off on a road trip to meet her online crush with the help of her best friend, Egghead, who also happens to be in love with her.

“Evan Ever After”

DIRECTED BY: ARIEL MAHLER AND RADHA MEHTA

U.S. | 2023 | 15 MIN.

WORLD PREMIERE

APRIL 17, 6:30 P.M.; APRIL 22, 12:45 P.M.

This documentary short explores the journey of Florida’s first trans homecoming queen, Evan Bialosuknia.

“Greetings From Queertown: Orlando”

DIRECTED BY JESS KELLER

U.S. | 2023 | 49 MIN.

WORLD PREMIERE

APRIL 17, 6:30 P.M.; APRIL 22, 12:45 P.M.

This documentary traces the history of Central Florida’s LGBTQ community from the mid-1970s to today, highlighting the pioneers who fought for equality.

“How to Carry Water”

DIRECTED BY SASHA WORTZEL

U.S. | 2023 | 15 MIN.

EAST COAST PREMIERE

APRIL 22, 2:30 P.M.

This film looks at Shoog McDaniel, a plus size, queer and disabled photographer, who works in and around northern Florida’s vast network of freshwater springs.

“In the Flesh”

DIRECTED BY DAPHNE GARDNER

U.S. | 2023 | 13 MIN. FLORIDA PREMIERE

APRIL 15, 11:59 P.M.; APRIL 22, 11:59 P.M.

Tracey, who is addicted to masturbating with her bathtub faucet, descends into her basement when the pipes start shooting out dirty water and she starts leaking black goo.

“It’s Only Life After All”

DIRECTED BY ALEXANDRIA BOMBACH

U.S. | 2022 | 94 MIN. FLORIDA PREMIERE

APRIL 16, 12 P.M.

This feature documentary blends 40 years of home movies, raw film archive and an intimate present-day reflection from the iconic folk-rock duo the Indigo Girls.

“Jelly Bean”

DIRECTED BY NESSA NORICH

U.S. | 2022 | 14 MIN.

SOUTHEAST PREMIERE

APRIL 16, 1:15 P.M.; APRIL 20, 6:30 P.M.

Rezyl is a queer woman seeking romance on dating apps. Lacking any strategy to vet a perfect match, she decides to date whomever the algorithms choose.

“Joyland”

DIRECTED BY SAIM SADIQ PAKISTAN | 2022 | 126 MIN. APRIL 19, 3:15 P.M.; APRIL 21, 7 P.M.

Haider lands employment in a Bollywood-style burlesque where he secretly starts working as a backup dancer to Biba, the transgender lead dancer, who challenges Haider’s perceptions about himself and his life.

In Punjabi and Urdu with English subtitles.

“Kokomo City”

DIRECTED BY D. SMITH

U.S. | 2023 | 73 MIN. APRIL 17, 9 P.M.

This film presents the stories of Black transgender sex workers in New York, Georgia and South Florida.

“Krush the Wrestler”

DIRECTED BY ALEX MEGARO

U.S. | 2023 | 14 MIN.

FLORIDA PREMIERE

APRIL 17, 6:15 P.M.

Exploring the innate intimacy of submission wrestling, a lifelong wrestler turns his talents into an on-demand fetish video service.

“Our Males and Females”

DIRECTED BY AHMAD ALYASEER JORDAN | 2023 | 11 MIN.

EAST COAST PREMIERE

APRIL 22, 2 P.M.; APRIL 23, 6 P.M.

A father and mother face a painful reality when their community refuses to wash and shroud their deceased transgender daughter.

In Arabic with English subtitles.

“Unicorn Boy”

DIRECTED BY MATT KIEL U.S. | 2023 | 91 MIN. EAST COAST PREMIERE

APRIL 16, 9:15 P.M.; APRIL 20, 3:45 P.M.

This pastel-drenched coming-ofage animated feature explores the complexity of first heartbreak and gender identity.

“Will You Look At Me”

DIRECTED BY SHULI HUANG

CHINA/ITALY | 2022 | 20 MIN. FLORIDA PREMIERE

APRIL 22, 11:30 A.M.; APRIL 23, 3 P.M.

A gay filmmaker returns to his hometown for a long overdue conversation with his unaccepting mother.

In Mandarin with English subtitles.

(ABOVE) NEW HEIGHTS:

Comedian and podcast host Ivy Le recording “FOGO: Fear of Going Outside.”

Branching Out

Bi comedian Ivy Le shares her ‘Fear of Going Outside’

“I’m a comic and I do things to make people laugh,” Le says. “I purposely picked this genre to make a show where my point of view matters, but it’s not about my trauma in America, blah, blah, blah. It’s a show where I can just be a fun person because I am a fun person.”

The reception surprised her.

“It turns out that’s been rather radical,” Le says. “Most people have not had access to seeing an Asian American woman as a full human being and I’ve gotten a really strong response that I just didn’t expect.”

Another element that helped inform the show is Le’s love of nature shows, if not nature itself.

“Have you ever driven by a car accident and found yourself rubbernecking?” she explains. “There’s that thing that draws you to rubber neck even though you know you need to mind your own damn business and keep the traffic moving. That’s what draws me to nature shows.

“I’m also just a really curious person,” she continues. “I draw inspiration from all kinds of different topics and there’s really not anything that I can’t find something interesting in. Nature shows give you the highlight reel of Earth.”

As for a highlight reel of “FOGO,” Le’s key takeaway from its first, 10-episode season is that “camping is wildly overrated.”

Ryan Williams-Jent

DOES IT SMELL BAD WHEN YOU SKIN

an animal? Who do you call if you break a leg in the wild? Why does outdoor clothing have to be so ugly? These are just some of the questions Texas-based comedian Ivy Le — an indoor aficionado and self-described “flaming bisexual” — poses in her Spotify podcast “FOGO: Fear of Going Outside.”

Its celebrated, 10-episode second season launched in February and is streaming now on all major platforms to rave reviews.

“‘FOGO: Fear of Going Outside’ is a nature show — by the most reluctant host ever,” it’s officially described. “Most nature shows are hosted by reckless white men, but avid indoorswoman Ivy Le is an

Asian mom with severe allergies. Last season, Ivy conquered camping. She’s back braving the outdoors to go hunting — or die trying!”

The podcast premiered in 2021 after Le launched a Kickstarter and participated in Spotify’s inaugural Sound Up Bootcamp. The audio platform created the workshop to help aspiring podcasters from

underrepresented communities “get their feet and mics in the door,” focusing on women of color.

Out of 18,000 applicants, Le was among only 10 creatives chosen.

“That was kind of the origin story,” she explains. “I was in the first cohort and they were not expecting that many applications. It was such a rewarding experience to meet other women of color who are passionate about storytelling.”

The bootcamp gave Le a chance to celebrate her unique perspective with others, something that’s on full display in the first and second seasons of “FOGO.”

An openly bisexual mother, a child of Vietnamese refugees and a first-generation American living in Texas, she’s candid about her marginalized experiences while showcasing what also makes her special outside of them.

“In season one, I do everything it takes to figure out how to go camping and I actually do it,” she notes. “It was not that cool. The resilience of being queer in a city absolutely transfers and you realize how much competence you actually have out there.

“Hiking is literally just walking — I can’t believe we let outdoor people rebrand it — so if you want to go, just go,” she adds. “If you don’t, listen to my show instead!”

Le says that season two, which focuses on hunting, has been more of a challenge.

“If you’re an indoor person, you may not understand the nuances of camping and hunting,” she says. “You may think hunting sounds harder than camping, but you have no concept of scale for how different they are.”

The second season details how. In teasing it, the podcast says that Le “fights the ghost of Teddy Roosevelt,” begs and bribes

prospective mentors to take her hunting, tracks animals, butchers a hog and even goes on a second amendment talk radio show.

The host also “runs into just about every obstacle there is to become a first-time hunter.”

“The stakes are much higher going out into the woods with people with guns compared to going out in the woods with people who eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches,” Le muses. “I do consider that a threat, but not in the same way.

“Whatever you think is gonna happen, you’re wrong,” she continues. “Whatever you think is coming up next, you’re wrong. Because no one could have predicted any of these things. I want listeners to be a part of all of it.”

Building that rapport is something Le does indoors as well. It’s a key tenet of her longstanding mission “to queer comedy and decolonize everything.”

“I host the only queer comedy open mic in Austin,” she explains. “The show is called ‘Tongue and Cheek’ and I started it because so many traditional comedy spaces have been damaged by misogyny, transphobia, homophobia, racism and other words that we haven’t invented an ‘ism’ for yet.”

She says creating a space for new comics while cultivating the talent of existing LGBTQ creators has been incredibly rewarding.

“The only barriers to entering comedy should be for unfunny people,” Le laughs. “Most LGBTQ people I know are automatically funnier than 80% of the people doing open mics out there. I do this to increase the pipeline at the top.”

That’s because representation matters.

“I worked at the Texas Civil Rights Project for several years and young activists impressed upon me that one of the ways my generation pursued LGBTQ civil rights was through bi erasure,” she says. “They made bi visibility a key pillar of their strategy now that they are

taking the reins, and because of them I started being explicit.

“I put it in my actors bio. I talk about it on stage as a comic,” she continues. “I live here in Texas and they’re out here trying to kill trans kids, you know what I mean? These kids need us to use our straight-passing privilege. If we have any privilege at all, they need us to use it.”

Le’s outlook is just one reason to tune into “FOGO,” which she bills as “a comedy that’s super fun, wild and interesting.”

“No matter how much of that chaos I am able to convey in the show, know that there were things that we just couldn’t fit in,” she says. “Know that no matter how much chaos you hear, it was worse in real life. We cannot convey how actually chaotic it was in only audio. It was nuts and a total circus.”

Tune into the first and second seasons of “FOGO: Fear of Going Outside” on Spotify and all other major audio platforms. You can learn more about the podcast and Le’s comedy at FOGOPodcast.com and IvyLeWithOneE.com.

WEDDING BELLS Landen and Richard Santos from Riverview, Florida

ENGAGEMENT

DATE:

Sept. 23, 2019

WEDDING DATE:

Feb. 20, 2022

OFFICIANT: Rosie BernalTickermeian

VENUE: The Howey Mansion

COLORS:

Sage green, gold, ivory

FIRST DANCE: “He Loves Me” by Jill Scott

FLORIST: Sweet Williams Floral

CATERER: Arthur’s

BAKERY: Bakers Cottage Cakes

PHOTO/ VIDEO: Uptown Selfies  DJ/ ENTERTAINMENT: Shelby Dressel of the Dairy Daughters

Tiffany Razzano

LANDEN AND RICHARD SANTOS FIRST

connected on Bumble in June of 2018. At the time, Richard was living in the Orlando area, in the Winter Park neighborhood, while Landen called Tampa home. With a bit of a distance between them, they didn’t meet in person immediately.

“We talked a lot on that app for quite a while,” Richard says. But when they finally met face to face, “it just kept going and going.”

The distance also helped their relationship grow, forcing them to communicate with each other.

“During our entire relationship, we’ve had the most trusting, open communication and affectionate relationship ever,” Richard says.

Landen adds, “It’s a relationship like I’ve never experienced before.”

The couple got serious quickly. Within a year, Richard knew that he wanted to spend his life with Landen and began planning a secret proposal.

As they planned a cruise for September 2019, just a short getaway, he knew that would be the ideal time to pop the question. The best part was that Landen had no idea.

Without his future husband realizing it, he managed to pack everything he needed to make their big moment special. He was able to get all the decorative items for his plan in his suitcase without Landen noticing.

While still enjoying the time away together, Richard secretly set up their cabin exactly as he had pictured it for their proposal — twinkle lights decorating the entire ceiling of the room, about 30 pictures of the couple

hanging from the light display and, at the center of it all, folded book art that read, “Marry Me?” Directly in front of the book, the engagement ring sat on the table.

Landen “was very surprised” by the gesture and, of course, said “yes.”

They continued to live apart, long distance, between the two cities for a while longer as they planned their wedding.

During this time, “communication and trust was key to keep our relationship going,” Richard notes.

The couple was excited to book their wedding and start their lives together. Then, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, their big day was delayed.

“I wasn’t too upset about that,” Landen says, noting that it gave them more time to plan.

Over time, their wedding plans “got bigger and bigger,” Richard adds.

For their venue, they booked The Howey Mansion, the nearly 100-year-old Mediterranean Revival-style home-turned-event venue in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida.

“It’s a really beautiful historic mansion,” Landen explains. “We knew it would be perfect.”

The couple was drawn to the Old Florida feel of the venue and tried to incorporate that throughout their wedding. To complete the vibe, they had a handful of vintage MG cars from the 1950s lined up in front of the mansion.

The classic cars were “just different” and added to the whole look of the day, Richard says.

Landen says the wedding itself, surrounded by friends and family, “was beautiful.”

For Richard, one of the most special moments came when his mother-in-law, Lisa, told him that she accepted and loved him and welcomed him into their family as another son.

“That was such a meaningful moment,” he remembers.

Their first dance to Jill Scott’s “He Loves Me” is another moment etched in both of their minds.

“Those were our first moments as a married couple,” Landen says warmly.

announcements

CONGRATULATIONS

Balance Tampa Bay and Empath Partners in Care held “Masquerade: The Sevens” on March 18, their seventh annual fundraiser benefiting EPIC’s fight against HIV/AIDS. Read more and view a full gallery of photos at WatermarkOnline.com.

Tampa Pride held its VIP Sponsors Party at Busch Gardens March 23 and ninth annual celebration March 25, welcoming thousands to Ybor for a full day of activities and entertainment. View our full photo gallery and relive this year’s celebration with the official Tampa Pride Guide at WatermarkOnline.com.

The GaYbor District Coalition is celebrating 15 years of serving the LGBTQ community in and outside of Historic Ybor City. Read more on p. 12.

ARREST

St. Petersburg Police identified William Yacko as the suspect who vandalized Cocktail in St. Petersburg with a homophobic slur in the early hours of March 11. He had previously been booked into the Pinellas County Jail on unrelated charges. Read more at WatermarkOnline.com.

CONDOLENCES

The Largo Police Department confirmed Largo attorney Steven Cozzi was deceased March 26. He is survived by husband Michael Steven Montgomery and many other loved ones. Read more on p. 14.

LOCAL BIRTHDAYS

Tampa Bay political activist Susan McGrath, Sarasota

guitarist Jamie Gee (March 30); Sarasota paralegal

Richard Furlow, Tampa Bay server John Reed Replogle (April 1); Franklynn Visual Marketing’s Frank Clemente (April 2); St. Pete airman Kevin Parker, Tampa Baybased flight attendant Trenton Ferris (April 3); Sarasota

actor Matt Craft, Disco Donnie Presents production manager James Dinnan (April 4); Tampa banker Jeff Baker, St. Petersburg nurse Brian Feist, St. Petersburg entertainer Michael Jones, Tampa MCC activist Mac McGowan, Sage Sarasota’s Jordan Rose, St. Petersburg director Eric Casaccio, Largo City Commissioner Michael Smith, Shear Excellence owner Denny Newton (April 5); C2Q›s Donny Hill, Public accountant Joel Schmitz (April 6); Sarasota real estate e-marketing director Ken Demmons, Cristoph’s Tampa owner Jacqueline McRay, All Hallows aficionado Nick Okeson (April 7); St. Petersburg

HIV/AIDS activist Joe Dobson, Avidchick Design president Jennifer Carter, Project Pride SRQ co-founder Katie McCurry, Sarasota entertainer Grandma Pearl (April 8); Metro employee Mike Hollis; St. Petersburg activist Mandy Keyes, Tampa Bay performer Susan Haldeman, Equality

Florida staple Jennie O’Leary (April 11); PFLAG Riverview president Faith Moeller, Tampa MCC’s facility manager Mac Williams (April 12).

TAMPA BAY OUT+ABOUT

1

PIZZA PARTY: Alicia Duffy (L) and Ms. Tara serve up their WAVE Award wins at New York, New York Pizza in Ybor March 20.

2 NIGHT LIFE: Tampa Pride headliner CupcakKe takes the stage to entertain the masses during Pride at Night March 25.

PHOTO FROM TAMPA PRIDE’S FACEBOOK

3

MASKED UP: Richie Baez (L) and Trevor James dazzle at the 7th Masquerade benefiting EPIC at Coastal Creative March

18.

4

ROYAL ROAD: Miss Tampa Pride 2023 Hazel E. Genevieve waves to the crowd during the Tampa Pride Diversity Parade along 7th Ave. March 25.

5 ST PETE SUPPORT: St Pete Pride crosses the bridge to table at the Tampa Pride festival March 25.

6

TUNED IN: The Gay Men’s Chorus of Tampa Bay perform at the Cuban Club March 25 during Tampa Pride.

7

GREEN GALS: (L-R) Stephanie Stuart, Kori Stevens, Lady Janet and Cleo Patra entertain the St. Patrick’s Day crowd at The Garage on Central Ave. March 17.

8

GIRAFFE GANG: (L-R) Cassandra Hair, Alex Barbosa and Esme Russell get wild at the Tampa Pride VIP Sponsors Party at Busch Gardens March 23.

CONGRATULATIONS

Orlando singer CeCe Teneal was honored with the Diversity Game Changer Award by the Orlando Magic during the basketball organization’s game against the Utah Jazz March 9. The Utah Jazz won over the Orlando Magic 131-124.

Joél Junior Morales and Andres Salcedo Borrero were engaged in Bogota, Colombia March 19.

Hope CommUnity Center’s executive director Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet was honored with the Diversity Game Changer Award by the Orlando Magic during the basketball organization’s Pride Night game against the Washington Wizards March 21. During the same game, the DeVos Family Foundation presented a $30,000 grant to the Zebra Coalition as part of the group’s 30 Grants for 30 Years initiative. The Orlando Magic defeated the Washington Wizards 122-112.

Patty BouRey was crowned Miss Comedy Queen 2023 at the National Miss Comedy Queen Pageant at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts March 23.

Watermark Publishing Group’s documentary film “Greetings from Queertown: Orlando” was accepted into the 2023 Florida Film Festival and will premiere at the Regal Winter Park Village cinema April 17 and will play again at the Enzian Theater April 22.

LOCAL BIRTHDAYS

XL106.7 radio personality Sondra Rae (March 31); DJ Lindsey Leigh, Big Bang BOOM! cabaret boss lady

Gams D’Vyne, Central Florida musician Melissa Crispo, DJ Twisted Dee (April 1); Former cover model Aaron Sanford-Wetherell, Orlando-based flight attendant James Sparkman (April 2); Darren Charles aka Bridgette Galore, Bowled Over Promotions’ Karyn Bell, Orlando’s Didi Panache (April 3); Orlando playwright David Lee, SOLE

Orlando leader Kate Murray, burlesque performer Kissa Von Addams, Bowled Over Promotions’ Dawn Kallio, Orlando-based flight attendant Sean Wiggins (April 4); Orlando Front Runner Scott Feneck, Miss Florida Bearded

Queen Anthony Chiocchi aka Bearonce Bear (April 5); Orlando accountant Leah James, Opera Orlando’s Sarah Purser Bojorquez, Former PFLAG Orlando president

Pat Padilla (April 6); Graphic designer Jason Donnelly, Intrepid traveler Jon Taylor, Rollins College costume studio manager Seth Schrager, Applied Veterinary Solutions owner Jean-David Parlier, ally and owner of Dictor Financial Wayne Dictor (April 7); LGBT+ Center Orlando’s Marshall Turner, Orange County Mayor’s LGBTQ liaison Marc Espeso (April 9); Orlando landscaper

Todd Meyer, Orlando lovebird Bobby McCall (April 10); Orlando Fringe performer John Michael (April 11); Equality Florida’s Joe Saunders, Orlando Log Cabin Republican Patrick Howell, Orlando dentist Elena Puig (April 12).

CENTRAL FLORIDA OUT+ABOUT

1

BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORHOOD: (L-R) Syvonne Carter, Josh Bell and state Rep. Anna V. Eskamani attend Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer’s Neighborhood and Community Summit March 25.

PHOTO FROM JOSH BELL’S FACEBOOK

2

THEATER NIGHT: Watermark editor-in-chief Jeremy Williams (R), with his sister Tabatha Schmidt, attend the opening night of “To Kill A Mockingbird” at the Dr. Phillips Center March

21. PHOTO BY JEREMY WILLIAMS

3

MAKING MOVIES: Watermark owner/ publisher Rick Todd (L) and filmmaker Jess Keller are ready to see the trailer to their upcoming film at the Enzian Theater in Maitland March 22.

4

COMMUNITY CHAMPION: CeCe Teneal shows off her jersey at the Orlando Magic’s game against the Utah Jazz, where she was named a Diversity Game Changer, March

5

TALKING POINTS: Authors Brandon Wolf (L) and Andrew L. Seidel chat about politics during FREEFLO 2023, a Freethought Florida Conference, at the Orlando Airport’s DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel March 13.

6

PROUD QUEENS: Brittani Acuff (R) grabs a photo with contestant — and eventual winner — Patty BouRey during the National Miss Comedy Queen Pageant Meet & Greet at the Dr. Phillips Center March 23.

7

FAIR & BALANCED: Chantel Reshae performs during the Pride Night at the Central Florida Fair drag show March

8

OUT AT THE FAIR: Bros in Convo founder Daniel Downer enjoys himself at the Central Florida Fair’s Pride Night March 8.

community calendar

CENTRAL FLORIDA Resume Writing Workshop

FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 10 A.M.-12 P.M.

LGBT+ CENTER, ORLANDO

Attention job seekers! The LGBT+ Center Orlando is hosting a resume writing workshop March 31. This informative workshop will help you create a standout resume that catches the attention of potential employers. Don’t forget to bring your own writing device such as a laptop, tablet or notepad. This workshop is free to attend. For more information, call 407-228-8272 or visit TheCenterOrlando.com.

The Pride Chamber’s April Business Connect

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 6-8 P.M.

HOPE COMMUNITY CENTER, APOPKA

Join The Pride Chamber for its next monthly networking mixer at the Hope CommUnity Center in Apopka. Hope CommUnity Center is a service-learning community dedicated to the empowerment of Central Florida’s immigrant and working poor communities through education, advocacy and spiritual growth. Admission is free for members and $20 for non-members and guests. For more information, go to ThePrideChamber.org.

TAMPA BAY

Tampa Bay Transgender Film Festival 2023

FRIDAY, MARCH 31-APRIL 2

VIRTUAL AND GREEN LIGHT CINEMA, ST. PETERSBURG

The Tampa Bay International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival’s 3rd Annual Tampa Bay Transgender Film Festival returns with in-person screenings and events with virtual screenings available nationwide.

Seduction Feroce: A Cabaret Variety Show

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 8-10 P.M.

ZOIE’S, ST. PETERSBURG

EVENT PLANNER

LAND OF LOLA

Trans Day of Visibility

Voter Registration Drive, March 31, Bulge Apparel & Gifts, Tampa. 813-202-1000; Facebook.com/TampaSisters

Spring Break Beach Bash, March 31, Quench Lounge, Largo. 727-754-5900; QuenchLounge.com

EPIC Yard Sale for SMART

Ride, April 1, Empath Health Community Service Center, St. Petersburg.

Pride Skate, April 1, Skateworld, Tampa. 813-884-7688; GregAndersonEvents.com

Sinfully Sweet Bonnet

Crawl & Sinfully Sweet After Party, April 2, Bulge Apparel & Gifts, Tampa. 813-202-1000; Facebook.com/ TampaSisters

Tampa Bay Bears

ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT

CENTRAL FLORIDA

“SHOUT! The Mod Musical,” March 17-April 22, Winter Park Playhouse, Winter Park. 407-645-0145; WinterParkPlayhouse.org

“Urinetown The Musical,” March 24-April 8, Daytona Playhouse, Daytona Beach. 386-255-2431; DaytonaPlayhouse.org

MegaCon Orlando, March 30-April 2, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando. 407-685-9800; FanExpoHQ.com/ MegaConOrlando

April Fresh’s Ladies of the 80s, March 31, The 808, Orlando. 407-440-4079; The808Orlando.com

Sheba QOTN Entertainment presents a cabaret variety show you won’t forget. Hosted by Mister Sister, the evening features Sheeba Queen of the Night, Steeler Hart, Bender Nova, Bella Blue Eyes, Lola Lacolombe and Artemis Blackheart. Entry is $10 at the door. Contact Sheba.QueenOfTheNight@Gmail.com with questions. watermark Your LGBTQ

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” Viewing Party, March 31 & April 7, Savoy, Orlando. 407-898-6766; SavoyOrlando.com

“Peter and the Starcatcher,” March 31-April 8, Valencia College Black Box Theater, Orlando. 407-582-2900; ValenciaCollege. edu/Arts

Science Night Live, April 1, Orlando Science Center, Orlando. 407-514-2000; OSC.org

34th Annual Spring Fiesta in the Park, April 1-2, Lake Eola Park, Orlando. 407-855-0606; FiestaInThePark.com

UCF Celebrates the Arts, April 2-15, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando. 407-823-1500; Arts. CAH.UCF.edu

LGBTQ+ Soccer League season kickoff, April 4, Barnett Park Softball Fields, Orlando. OUTSportsLeague.com

“Kinky Boots,” April 5-30, Orlando Shakes, Orlando. 407-447-1700; OrlandoShakes.org

Neon Club, April 7, Harriett’s Orlando Ballet Centre, Orlando. 407-476-9918; HarriettsBalletCentre.com

“La Divina: The Last Interview of Maria Callas,” April 7-9, Fringe ArtSpace, Orlando. 407-648-0077; OrlandoFringe.org

Dragula Titans, April 8, The Plaza Live, Orlando. 407-228-1220; PlazaLiveOrlando.org

“She Sells. Easter.” A Collective of Creatives, April 9, The Abbey, Orlando. 407-704-6103; AbbeyOrlando.com

TAMPA BAY

“Shear Madness,” Through April 8, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

“Fun Home,” Through April 2, Carrollwood Players Theatre, Tampa. 813-265-4000; CarrollwoodPlayers.org

Dine ‘N Drag, March 31; April 7, 14, Zoie’s, St. Petersburg. 727-855-6990; ZoiesFL.com.

Drag Queen Bingo, April 3, The Garage on Central Ave., St. Petersburg. 727-235-9086; Facebook.com/ OFCLGaragePage

Pet Pal Animal Shelter Drag Queen Bingo, April 5, The Pesky Pelican Brew Pub, St. Petersburg. 727-302-9600; PeskyPelicanBrewPub.com

Drag Queen Bingo with Adriana Sparkle, April 6, Speakeasy Central, St. Petersburg. 727-329-9915; SpeakeasyKavaBar.com

SMART Ride Pool Party, April 9, Casa del Merman at GayStPete House, St. Petersburg. 727-310-4130; GayStPeteHouse.com

“Ragtime,” April 12-May 14, Demens Landing Park, St. Petersburg. 727-823-7529; AmericanStage.org

Kaos’ Birthday & Bear Party, April 14, Quench Lounge, Largo. 727-754-5900; QuenchLounge.com

SARASOTA

“Mean Girls,” April 1116, Van Wezel, Sarasota. 941-263-6799; VanWezel.org

To submit your upcoming event, concert, performance, or fundraiser visit watermarkonline.com.

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