• Free STI and HIV testing
• A ordable access to PrEP and DoxyPEP services
• Personalized careno shame!
Skip the daily pill. Stay protected for months with PrEP injectables! At CAN Community Health, we make prevention easy and accessible: We're ready when you are!
Rick Todd
PUBLISHER
Rick@WatermarkOutNews.com
assumption that most people reading this column share a similar worldview to mine. It’s an understatement — an extreme understatement — to say we’re living through tough times for those who think like we do.
It’s hard to believe we’re only nine months into this presidential term when so much has unraveled so quickly. The rise in hateful rhetoric has fueled political violence. The government has shut down. There’s even talk of invoking the Insurrection Act to turn the U.S. military on U.S. citizens.
It’s enough to make a person spiral into chaos.
I recently watched a “Karen” meltdown on the streets outside of the Watermark Out News office. Apparently, a sedan had cut off this massive white pick-up truck at a four-way stop. The woman driving the pick-up truck began to drive aggressively, honking her horn incessantly at the driver of the sedan. The sedan pulled into a crowded parking lot and the driver hid in the car while the driver of the pick-up kept yelling.
After what seemed like five minutes of this constant aggressive honking, the driver of the sedan emerged from her vehicle. The situation escalated and the pick-up driver began screaming and cursing and continued honking her horn. She then sped off while looking at the other driver and cursing more, almost causing two accidents of her own since she was not watching the road.
As she drove away her anger intensified into something that wasn’t recognizable as human, it was instinctually animalistic. And as disturbing as it was, it made something click in my head.
This is what we’re living through as a country.
Compassion and empathy have evaporated from our national dialogue. The louder the opposition becomes, the less recognizable their humanity feels — and the more dangerous their aggression toward our community grows. It’s even harder for us here in Florida, where we often lead the charge in anti-LGBTQ+ initiatives.
Goodbye rainbow crosswalks. Goodbye pride flags on city poles. Some days it’s hard not to feel like the world is against you.
But here’s the truth: it isn’t.
Poll after poll shows that the majority of Americans support marriage equality, LGBTQ+ protections and gender-affirming care. Those in power don’t want you to know that. They puff out their chests and create chaos to make you feel outnumbered and hopeless.
Fun history fact: when this country was first founded, we were governed under the Articles of Confederation. It was deeply flawed, so the Constitution was written to replace it. The problem? Not everyone loved that idea. So the Constitution’s supporters exaggerated how much backing it had, making it seem like everyone was on board — and that illusion helped it pass.
Sound familiar?
There are two ways we can combat this kind of manufactured perception.
First, with our money. I’ll contradict myself here because I hate the collateral damage of boycotts, but strategic spending works. When Disney/ABC silenced Jimmy Kimmel, many — including me — canceled our Disney+ accounts. It worked. They reversed course.
Let’s take it further. See who’s advertising on Sinclair and Nexstar stations. Let them
know you won’t support those who support the suppression of free speech — and then follow through. Money matters.
Second, and most importantly, be visible.
In just a few days, Orlando will celebrate Come Out With Pride, fittingly themed We The People. This is our moment — our chance to show that we, the majority, stand together. You can take down our flags, paint over our sidewalks and rewrite policies,
Now is not the time to take a back seat, to regroup in the face of challenges.
but you cannot erase us. We are here. We are queer. Get used to it.
I was on the forming board of Come Out With Pride back in the early 2000s. When the scheduled June pride event ran into trouble and didn’t happen, a handful of us saw a void and wanted to give our community something to celebrate. That first event was a small gathering in a downtown courtyard — but it mattered.
We refused to let visibility fade. We stepped up and made it happen.
Now is not the time to take a back seat or regroup in the face of challenges. Whether it’s a small gathering in a park, a backyard picnic or a massive parade, now is the time to rise up, be seen and remind everyone that we are supported more than we are hated and we will celebrate that.
Stay visible, stay strong and support each other.
GREG STEMM lives in Gulfport and has worked as a freelance writer for several local publications. He is a founding member of St Pete Pride and active politically in Tampa Bay. Page 19
SABRINA AMBRA is a cohost of Real Radio 104.1’s “News Junkie” program and will kick your ass if she needs to. Page 21
HOLLY KAPHERR ALEJOS, SABRINA AMBRA, STEVE BLANCHARD, DEBORAH BOSTOCK-KELLEY, JOHNNY BOYKINS, MARTIN “LEIGH SHANNON” FUGATE, BIANCA GOOLSBY, JAKOB HERO-SHAW, LORA KORPAR, JASON LECLERC, JERICK MEDIAVILLA, MELODY MAIA MONET, TATIANA QUIROGA, TIFFANY RAZZANO, SISTER JUANA REACTION, MOMMA ASHLEY ROSE, TREVOR ROSINE, BRYANA SALDANA, GREG STEMM, SYLVIE TREVENA, MICHAEL WANZIE, MULAN WILLIAMS, DR. STEVE YACOVELLI
BRIAN BECNEL, NICK CARDELLO, J.D. CASTO, BRUCE HARDIN, JAMARCUS MOSLEY, DYLAN TODD, CHRIS STEPHENSON, LEE VANDERGRIFT PHOTOGRAPHY
CMJM ENTERPRISES LLC, KEN CARRAWAY DISTRIBUTION AFFILIATIONS
This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY® and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.
BIKTARVY may cause serious side e ects, including:
Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. Your healthcare provider will test you for HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY.
Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without fi rst talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months, and may give you HBV medicine.
BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements.
BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS.
Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains:
dofetilide
rifampin
any other medicines to treat HIV-1
BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY
Tell your healthcare provider if you:
Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis infection.
Have any other health problems.
Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY.
Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed.
Talk to your healthcare provider about the risks of breastfeeding during treatment with BIKTARVY.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:
Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.
BIKTARVY and other medicines may a ect each other. Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.
BIKTARVY may cause serious side e ects, including:
Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section.
Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that may have been hidden in your body. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY.
Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY.
Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.
Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.
The most common side e ects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%).
These are not all the possible side e ects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY.
You are encouraged to report negative side e ects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.
Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.
This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.
Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5.
If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.
Bellanee Plaza
ORLANDO | The One Orlando Alliance is dismantling its board and coalition to restructure a “new breath” for what the organization wants to accomplish.
In the aftermath of the Pulse shooting in 2016, organizations responding to the tragedy came together to meet the needs of Orlando’s community. This informal partnership grew into the OOA, a coalition of diverse organizations honoring the memory of the lives taken and all those affected at Pulse by serving and strengthening the LGBTQ+ community.
Shea Cutliff, secretary of OOA, says when the organization was formed it was an effort to house everybody under one roof or to have a repository where everybody could serve the community. However, Cutliff shares this wasn’t brought to full fruition.
“With that being said, that led to a lot of disorganization and honestly, introspection. Looking on ourselves as an organization, we decided it was better to get some eyes from the outside to kind of look at the situation and get us to a point where we can refocus,” Cutliff explains.
A consultant was brought in to guide OOA as there are only three original board members, including Watermark Out News Publisher Rick Todd and Leah James in addition to Cutliff. The board secretary says she wants to make the Orlando community feel like they are all working in a concerted effort to handle the issues that plague the community.
The search for new board members began at the end of August and expanded past OOA’s initial Sept. 28 deadline. They hope to announce new members on Oct. 18.
“We’re looking for people who understand that being on a board is more than just coming to a meeting once a month, that there is really work that needs to be done in our community and we can’t waste any more time infighting and arguing or being disorganized,” Cutliff says.
The organization strongly encourages individuals from historically marginalized communities to apply, including but not limited to women, trans and nonbinary individuals, people of color, immigrants, people with disabilities and others who have experienced systemic oppression.
Cutliff says OOA found itself in a position where it had to stop and “look at ourselves in the mirror” to question its value. She noticed the path they were taking was not in alignment with service to the community and the work they do.
“We used to be people of one voice, one message and we were very unified, and I think through COVID and a few other things that the closeness kind of broke down,” Cutliff explains. “And we really, as a whole community have lost focus on what we are actually doing to exact change.”
For more information and to apply for a board position, visit OneOrlandoAlliance.org.
ORLANDO | The Pride Chamber presented its Pride in Business Awards and Gala Sept. 27, celebrating resilience at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando International Airport.
With over a 100 people in attendance, the night included an opening performance from Opera Orlando performer Laura Hodos who sang “I Dreamed a Dream” from “Les Misérables.”
Darcel Stevens hosted the ceremony and Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet, executive director of Hope CommUnity Center, was a keynote speaker. Sousa-Lazaballet thanked the audience for attending the gala and said he was filled with gratitude to see the community support.
“Thank you for being here, thank you for showing up … for the entrepreneurs, leaders, dreamers, survivors and fighters. Because resilience is not just a word, it’s our collective pulse,” Sousa-Lazaballet said.
Gina Duncan, CEO and president of The Pride Chamber, invited Vinnie
Silber, director of membership, Jen Whitman, administrative assistant, Denise Merritt, board chair, and Dawn Kallio, board treasurer, on stage to announce changes in leadership.
Duncan said they will be moving on to new opportunities with other organizations and while she is saddened to see them go, she is deeply grateful for their hard work.
“…We appreciate every one of you, so many of you have been a friend of mine for decades,” Duncan said. “Some of you have been in the trenches with me fighting for social justice in the state of Florida. We will continue to fight.”
Some of the evening’s winners were George Wallace, CEO of The Center Orlando, who won the 2025 Outstanding Diversity and Inclusion Leader Award and Tee Rogers, Red Chair of The Pride Chamber, who won Chamber Volunteer of the Year.
Rogers said she was grateful to be a small part of the vital work the Pride Chamber is doing.
“When we uplift one another that’s how we create that light, and it is really bright in this room,” Rogers said. “I think that focusing on the good that we can do in this world is
really the best thing and only thing we can do right now.”
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office won 2025 Community Partner of the Year for their unwavering support of all communities, the chamber noted. The team gave a special thank you to Captain Brandon Ragan and Lieutenant Eulalia Colon for their leadership.
The 2025 Non-Profit of the Year award was given to The Umbrella Brigade. Gabriela Orozco, executive director and founder of the organization said she was grateful to receive the award and to be recognized.
From the silent auction, over $15,000 was raised on Give Butter from the audience as Stevens’ walked around to each table for donations.
The Orlando Gay Chorus joined the gala to close out the night with “Do You Hear The People Sing?” from “Les Misérables.”
The gala is the Pride Chamber Foundation’s largest fundraiser of the year.
View photos from the evening at WatermarkOutNews.com
Ryan Williams-Jent
ST. PETERSBURG | St Pete Pride and the Tampa Bay LGBT Chamber announced Sept. 30 that the organizations will launch Pride Connect, a new networking opportunity for LGBTQ+ professionals, allies and supporters.
The free, monthly series will be held “at venues across Pinellas County and Tampa Bay to build connections, share ideas and celebrate community,” they shared via social media. The first will be held Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. at Hotel Zamora in St. Pete Beach.
The partnership between Florida’s largest LGBTQ+ Pride celebration and the chamber, which has served the greater Tampa Bay region or over 40 years, builds upon the missions for each.
St Pete Pride announced year-round programming earlier this year and the Tampa Bay LGBT Chamber regularly holds networking events, including with Watermark Out News. Out for Business Tampa Bay is held in conjunction with the chamber every other month, most recently Sept. 17 in St. Petersburg.
“I’m thrilled to launch Pride Connect in partnership with the Tampa Bay LGBT Chamber,” says Bior Guigni, St Pete Pride’s executive director. “This initiative is about building bridges, connecting businesses, leaders and community members who believe in the power of inclusion.
“St Pete Pride has always been more than a celebration; it’s a movement rooted in visibility, empowerment and unity,” she continues. “Pride Connect will give us a new way to strengthen those values year-round, while showcasing the resilience and brilliance of our LGBTQ+ community.”
“We are excited to continue to build on our strategic partnerships in the community,” adds Rene Cantu, president and CEO of the Tampa Bay LGBT Chamber. “At a time when LGBTQ+ visibility is crucial, we wholeheartedly invite all of our community members to celebrate pride year-round and to demonstrate the power of our businesses, our allies and the impact we have on Tampa Bay’s economy.”
The first Pride Connect will include a complimentary glass of house wine for those 21+ and valet parking. Organizers invite interested parties to join them “as we kick off a new era of networking with Pride!”
St Pete Pride also confirmed that their signature 2026 events will proceed as planned next year after Tampa Pride announced a one-year hiatus. LGBTQ+ advocates in Tampa Bay are expected to gather in Tampa Oct. 11 to discuss event alternatives for next March.
St Pete Pride and the Tampa Bay LGBT Chamber’s first Pride Connect will be held Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. at The Hotel Zamora, located at 3701 Gulf Blvd. in St. Pete Beach. For more information, visit StPetePride. org and TampaBayLGBTChamber.org.
ST. PETERSBURG |
TransNetwork has welcomed a new board to steer the nonprofit into its next chapter of support for Tampa Bay’s transgender and gender diverse community.
The organization launched in 2023 for that purpose and its new leadership was finalized last month. Officers include President Callen Jones, Vice President Tristan Byrnes, Treasurer Aarin Sharpe and Secretary Nela Lamb. AJ Cuevas and Toli Gintoli also serve as board members.
Jones, a longtime LGBTQ+ advocate who joined TransNetwork’s board last year, says the expansion came at the right time. “We brought on four new board members because we’re in a place where what we do has gotten bigger and there’s a need for more support,” they explain.
“We also represent a community that is vast,” Jones continues. “We wanted to make sure that we had various identities on the board and that we brought in different people who had already been connected to the work that we do, people who
could take the work in a different direction and really build it out.”
Byrnes, one of three co-founders and the only one to remain on the board, says he’s happy to see TransNetwork continue to grow.
“In the beginning, we didn’t really know what we were doing or where we were going — just that there was a need for this,” he explains. “We were in an emergency mode two years ago, where people might lose medical funding, and we needed to get together.”
That led TransNetwork to launch its conversation series, regular town halls primarily held at Allendale United Methodist Church. They’ve grown into the organization’s most well-attended events.
TransNetwork also recently announced new partnerships. In addition to starting a trans advisory council with St Pete Pride, they’ve launched a Trans Health Fund with Bell Pharmacy.
Trans, nonbinary and gender expansive individuals with a Florida prescription can receive free Hormone Replacement Therapy and mental health medications at its St. Petersburg location, or via mail after their original visit. Byrnes says Bell
“initiated and funded this effort to help the community.”
Individuals can support TransNetwork’s mission as well. The organization has unveiled an ongoing commitment campaign.
Monthly and annual donations can be provided via their website to help “provide education, advocacy and celebration, amplifying the voices of transgender and gender non-conforming people.” One-time donations are also welcome.
Other fundraising efforts center around events, including a show at the Zubrick Magic Theatre on Oct. 11 from 2-4 p.m.
Jones says TransNetwork’s ultimate goal is to open a space of their own to allow them to maximize programming efforts and serve as a central hub for those in need. Until then, they’ll continue supporting the community however they can.
“TransNetwork is open to all trans, nonbinary, gender expansive folks and those adjacent,” Jones says. “We’re open to allies. We’re open to people. We want to provide support and we’re going to keep doing that.”
For more information about TransNetwork, including fundraising efforts and future events, visit MyTransNetwork.org.
Remy Washington, a Black man and widower, has inherited both a drive-in movie theater and the responsibility of raising Pup, his late husband’s straight, white teenage son. The two forge a strong bond around a shared love of classic American monster movies, but when Remy discovers that Pup has been tormenting a gay classmate, their relationship begins to fracture, and the real horrors surface.
Beneath the flickering glow of the drive-in screen, MONSTERS OF THE AMERICAN CINEMA becomes a haunting, funny, and unexpectedly tender tale of fatherhood and loss that the Los Angeles Times hails as “exhilarating.”
Plaza
In response to the removal of rainbow crosswalks and other LGBTQ+ affirming symbols in Jacksonville, a statewide directive from the Florida Department of Transportation, local advocates have launched “Will Not Be Erased,” a community-driven fundraising campaign.
The fundraiser is dedicated to preserving and celebrating LGBTQ+ visibility in public areas. The initiative will fund the creation of vibrant murals, sidewalk art and parking lot installations that will
reflect the pride of Jacksonville’s LGBTQ+ community.
“Our public spaces should reflect the diversity and strength of our community,” said David Vandygriff, organizer of the campaign. “By creating permanent, visible affirmations of pride, we are sending a clear message: our community will not be erased.”
The first murals are planned for Lomax Street in 5 Points, InCahoots in Brooklyn and Hardwicks downtown. The total project cost is expected to reach several thousand dollars, and the campaign will also support smaller-scale works across Jacksonville as funds are raised.
To mark the launch, Will Not Be Erased partnered with the 5 Points Merchant’s Association to install LGBTQ+ Pride banners on lampposts throughout Historic 5 Points, where the Jax River City Pride Parade marched Oct. 5.
The initiative is made possible with support from the Jax LGBT Chamber Foundation, which donated the Pride banners.
Donations will directly fund artists, materials and the installation of the symbols of pride.
For more information or to support the campaign, visit WillNotBeErased.com
Jay
Waagmeester via The Florida Phoenix
ESCAMBIA COUNTY did
not violate students’ First Amendment rights in keeping from them a book about two male penguins raising a chick together, a federal judge has ruled.
In a suit between the authors of the book and the Escambia County School Board, Chief U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor sided with the county. The suit focuses on the removal of “And Tango Makes Three,” a book about two male penguins, Roy and Silo, raising a penguin chick, Tango, in a zoo.
The plaintiffs, authors Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson, as well as an unnamed student, alleged the book was removed “based solely on disagreement with the book’s viewpoint,” which they said “illustrates that same-sex parents exist, that they can adopt and raise offspring, and have healthy and happy families.”
Escambia County argued that curation in a school library does not implicate student or author First Amendment rights.
“I agree, and that is enough to resolve this case,” Winsor wrote.
In a summary judgement, Winsor found that students and the authors were not discriminated against based on content or viewpoint, nor were students’ rights to receive information impaired.
“In sum, the board did not violate the First Amendment when it decided to remove Tango from its school libraries. This does not, of course, keep the book (or any viewpoint in it) from [student] B.G. or any other student,” Winsor wrote. “The Escambia County School Board has simply decided students wanting this particular book will have to get it elsewhere.”
In an 18-page order, Winsor, an appointee of President Donald Trump, spent much of it discussing curation and government speech.
“There are fair arguments that a library’s selecting books is not expressive at all,” Winsor wrote.
“School officials decide what books to have in the library, just as they decide what furniture to have in the classroom and what food to provide for school lunch. At some level, any decision could be considered expressive: one could argue that a school district’s decision to have peas and carrots for lunch constitutes its saying it thinks peas and carrots are worth eating.”
“And of course books themselves are expressive, unlike most school lunches. All of this is to say that it is unclear whether making library books available in school libraries constitutes expression.”
In August, a federal judge in Orlando ruled the state law banning school library books to be “overbroad and unconstitutional.”
The Escambia County case was filed in September 2023.
The case was originally filed in the Middle District with complaints against Lake County officials and state education officials, although it was transferred to the Northern District and defendants including the superintendent of Escambia County were dropped, except for the Escambia County’s school board.
“The Author Plaintiffs have no First Amendment right to speak through the library, and [student] B.G. has no First Amendment right to receive the Author Plaintiffs’ message through the library,” Winsor wrote.
Florida Phoenix is a nonprofit news site, free of advertising and free to readers, covering state government and politics with a staff of five journalists located at the Florida Press Center in downtown Tallahassee. Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
Mitch Perry via The Florida Phoenix
Equality Florida, the state’s largest LGBTQ+ organization, is firing back at Gov. Ron DeSantis for calling out two local governments that have funded Pride events as examples of “wasteful spending.”
DeSantis and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Blaise Ingoglia cited a host of expenditures by local governments throughout the state on Oct. 1 that they allege are examples of them wasting taxpayer dollars.
That list, compiled by the CFO’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team, made two references to local governments’ spending s on Pride events: Pinellas County, $75,000 annually to sponsor the Pride Festival in St. Petersburg held every June; and St. Petersburg itself, $258,000, “including funds from the city’s utility and EMS funds, to support Pride events.”
In a written statement, Equality Florida called the list “a pathetic effort to distract from his corruption, inside dealing, and scandals,” arguing that Pinellas County’s Pride sponsorship “generates millions in economic activity.”
It claims that St Pete Pride brought $67.2 million to the local economy in 2022 and $60.7 million in 2023, “including more than $34 million in direct spending.”
The group cited specific examples of state spending that it contends “tell the story of waste and corruption,” including the state’s $83 million deal for a 4-acre parcel in Destin, an acquisition that was 10 times its original price.
Equality Florida also refers to the scandal involving the Hope Florida Foundation. The Tampa Bay Times reported on Oct. 3 that prosecutors in North Florida are convening a grand jury to delve into the reports that the governor’s administration directed $10 million from a legal settlement with a Medicaid contractor through the foundation for political purposes.
“For $83 million, the state could have funded more than 1,100 years of Pride sponsorships — each one delivering millions in benefits to Florida communities,” said Nadine Smith, the group’s executive director.
“Instead, DeSantis enriches his wealthy donors, launders money through sham charities, and wastes hundreds of millions on failed projects like Alligator Alcatraz, while smearing Pride, which is one of the most reliable engines of local growth.”
Florida Phoenix is a nonprofit news site, free of advertising and free to readers, covering state government and politics with a staff of five journalists located at the Florida Press Center in downtown Tallahassee. Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
Joe Reberkenny via The Washington Blade, Courtesy of The National LGBT Media
Association
While giving a televised speech to U.S. military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia on Sept. 30, Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defense, denounced past military leadership for being too “woke,” citing DEI and LGBTQ groups in the Department of Defense.
The 45-minute speech, delivered to an unprecedented number of U.S. military leaders called in from around the world, emphasized “warrior ethos” and decried what Hegseth described as “decades of decay” within the military.
“This administration has done a great deal from day one to remove the social justice, politically correct, and toxic ideological garbage that had infected our department,” Hegseth told the silent crowd. “No more identity months, DEI Offices, dudes in dresses. No more climate change worship, no more division, distraction, or gender delusions… We are done with that shit.”’
The former “Fox & Friends” weekend co-host continued to make digs at inclusive measures the military — and the federal government — first widely implemented in the 1990s to comply with federal legislation, specifically the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“For too long we have promoted too many leaders for the wrong reasons, based on their race, based on gender quotas, based on historic so-called ‘firsts,’” he said, despite no proof that the military has been more lenient with minority applicants. “They had to put out dizzying DEI and LGBTQ+ statements. We were told females and males were the same thing. Or that males who think they are females are totally normal.
“An entire generation of generals and admirals were told that they must parrot the insane fallacy that ‘our diversity is our strength,’” Hegseth continued. “We know our unity is our strength.”
One theme Hegseth returned to throughout his speech was his mission of “clearing out the debris” within the military—highlighting how he fired a number of high-ranking officials in the department. “We became the Woke Department… The leaders who created the woke department have already driven out too many hard chargers.”
“It is nearly impossible to change a culture with the same people who helped create, or even benefited from that culture,” he said. “Underneath the ‘woke’ garbage is a deeper problem, a more important problem that we are fixing fast.”
Hegseth also repeatedly described himself as the “Secretary of War,” and the Department of Defense as the “Department of War.” Not only is that inaccurate—it would require congressional approval to change the department’s name and roles—but
it also underscored his aggressive stance on international conflict. He went as far as to say, “From this moment forward, the only mission of the newly restored Department of War is this: Warfighting.”
Hegseth also took aim at current standards within the military, saying that if women could not meet them, they would be turned away from service because “it is what it is.”
“Today, at my direction, this is the first of 10 Department of War directives that are arriving at your commands and inbox… will ensure that every requirement for every combat MOS… returns to the highest MALE standard only.
“This is not about preventing women from serving… but when it comes to any job that requires physical power to perform in combat, those physical standards must be high and gender neutral. If women can make it, excellent. If not, it is what it is.”
“Real toxic leadership is promoting destructive ideologies that are anathema to the Constitution, the laws of nature, and nature’s God,” he said.
According to Social Work Today, a trade publication that works toward being “an essential resource for social work professionals” found that “79,000 LGBTQ+ service members are serving in the diverse branches of the US armed forces, and an additional 1 million LGBTQ+ individuals are identified as veterans.”
Michael K. Lavers via The Washington Blade, Courtesy of The National LGBT Media Association
Lawmakers in Slovakia have approved amendments to their country’s constitution that will only recognize two genders — male and female — and prohibit same-sex couples from adopting children.
Rado Sloboda, director of Amnesty
International Slovakia, in a statement described the Sept. 26 vote as “devastating news.”
“Instead of taking concrete steps to protect the rights of LGBTI people, children, and women, the Slovakian Parliament voted to pass these amendments, which put the constitution in direct contradiction with international law,” said Sloboda.
“Today is another dark day for Slovakia, which is already facing a series of cascading attacks on human rights and the rule of law.”
Iniciatíva Inakosť, a Slovak LGBTQ and intersex rights group,
described the vote as “one of the most dangerous decisions the Slovak Parliament has ever made.”
“This amendment directly endangers our EU membership, bringing us even closer to authoritarian Russia,” said the group on its Facebook page. “It gives the government a powerful tool to justify all decisions and policies that would be in violation of human rights and our international obligations.”
Prime Minister Robert Fico, who survived an attempted assassination in May 2024, praised the vote.
How Charlie Kirk is being memorialized by conservatives and white Christians, particularly evangelicals, has sparked debate among leaders in the largest African American Christian denominations. Some have noted that the right-wing activist, who was murdered Sept. 10, used his platform to discuss matters of race in America — including statements that denigrated Black people, immigrants, women, Muslims and LGBTQ+ people — to the history of weaponizing faith to justify colonialism, enslavement and bigotry. “How you die does not redeem how you lived,” the Rev. Howard-John Wesley, of Alexandria, Virginia, said in a sermon that went viral online.
Wisconsin business owner Bill Berrien, a supporter of Donald Trump, ended his Republican campaign for governor Sept. 26 after it was reported that he followed numerous sexually explicit accounts online, including a nonbinary pornography performer. Berrien, a former Navy SEAL, issued a lengthy statement saying “I had no idea that running for political office could be almost as dangerous” as “hunting down war criminals in Bosnia.” Berrien said he concluded he could not win the Republican primary. Berrien has an account on the online platform Medium.com where he followed nonbinary porn performer Jiz Lee and several other authors of sexually explicit essays.
Gunmen shot and killed three transgender women on the outskirts of Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, before fleeing the scene, police said Sept. 22, underscoring the dangers faced by the community across the country. The victims’ bodies were found on a roadside Sept. 21. All three were shot at close range and the victims were later buried in a local graveyard. Sindh Province Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, condemned the killings and ordered a probe. “[Transgender people] are an oppressed section of society,” he said. Trans advocates staged a protest Sept. 21 outside the state-run Jinnah Hospital, where the bodies were taken for autopsy.
Pope Leo XIV said in his first interview as history’s first American pope that he has no intention of getting involved in U.S. politics but will raise his voice on issues of concern to the Catholic Church. The pope said he recognized the influence of the U.S. on world affairs and made clear he is not a Trump supporter, adding that he and his self-described “MAGA-type” brother are in “different places.” He also embraced Pope Francis’ message for LGBTQ+ Catholics that “todos, todos, todos” are welcome in the Catholic Church but said that he found “it highly unlikely” the church’s core doctrine about sexuality would change anytime soon.
SUMMER 2025 WAS NOT at all what I had expected, but the events in recent months have given me much needed hope in the dark morass that passes for reality nowadays.
The story begins with Pride. Each year I am doubly blessed in being able to attend two LGBTQ+ celebrations I had a hand in creating: St Pete Pride, Florida’s largest and its enthusiastic — albeit smaller — version in Gulfport.
This year was no different. While “summer” in Florida can be just about any time of the year, my real summer usually begins with Gulfport Pride followed by Gulfport’s July 4th celebration, then St Pete Pride itself as the grand finale to this season’s finest events.
None of that happened for me this year. Yet somehow the absence of these events in my life turned into one of the best summers ever for me.
First, imagine a colorful and vocal crowd celebrating Pride in a funky, homespun way. That’s Gulfport.
One of the joys of living in a small town is you can walk virtually everywhere. This year my canine soulmate Joy and I walked downtown to the celebration from my apartment right on Beach Blvd.
My dog and I were having the time of our lives and were lively participants in the do-dah stumble that is the “Friends of Dorothy” march. We were marching right behind the fan favorite Amalgamated Gulfport Marching Band and singing along with the rest of the crowd as the
band debuted their new song “Sweet Car-o-line” (bum bum bum).
I had just done my best Julie Andrews imitation and twirled around in the middle of an intersection singing “Good Times Never Felt so Good” when I took two more steps, tripped and fell. I broke my right hip, right there in the middle of the Gulfport Pride parade.
In less than an instant I had at least a dozen bystanders, none of whom I knew or will probably ever see again, all focused on helping me.
One guy called the paramedics; another found a First Aid kit and my neighbor who was at the event managed to convince a street marshal that he had to get his truck to me since I was unable to walk at that point.
That same neighbor got me to the hospital and took care of Joy while I was “enjoying” hip replacement surgery for four days.
As an aside, when I got home I had about a half dozen notes from numerous neighbors telling me they had taken Joy for a walk or just stopped in to give her a treat.
It really touched my heart that my neighbors cared about Joy so much. Yet another amazing thing about Gulfport is that when the chips are down not only do we take care of each other, we take care of our fur babies too.
The love I felt from my community helping me continued full force at Palms of Pasadena Hospital, where I would characterize my level of care as stellar. The level of personalized attention by the nursing staff made my stay as comfortable as possible, all things considered.
Nurses got me saline solution for my contacts (shhh, it snuck up on me), adhesive for my dentures and even put up with my ridiculous level of
being “pee shy” when it comes to going when you can’t get up.
Surgery brought more caring experiences. Coming out of the anesthesia I had a really bad reaction. I woke up in a complete psychotic break, not even knowing my name,
appointments — which aren’t easy to get to when you can’t drive. Since it was my right leg, driving took some time. I wasn’t behind the wheel again for almost eight weeks.
When you need rides for everything you start placing cautious calls to
absolutely terrified and apparently belligerent enough that I ripped the IVs out.
There was an incredibly kind middle-aged guy who calmly talked me out of it. I never knew his name but his ability to bring me back to reality from genuine psychosis was a real gift. One thing they don’t tell you about an injury like this is that you are going to have a lot of follow-up
those who you think can help. Both my AA sponsor and several members of my Quaker family all stepped forward without hesitation.
Fortunately, with each of them we snuck in a lunch where I could at least thank them with a meal.
I know the world sucks right now. You can’t even go to church without running into someone wearing a red hat, and they are literally painting over our values.
It may seem like no one cares any more. I wish it hadn’t taken an injury to prove it to me, but the Summer of 2025 has shown me that despite common misconceptions, love continues to pour forth unabated all around us. I hope you don’t have to reach out for help like I did, but you may be very pleasantly surprised at the outcome if you do!
USED TO
flags were simple. Your date/ new friend/father-in-law is rude to service industry workers, they use 3-in-1 shampoo conditioner bodywash, or their toilet paper orientation preference is “under,” and you knew you were in danger.
Now? If you still say “YOLO”, enjoy astrology memes, or — heaven forbid — buy Funko Pops and consider them investments, congratulations: you’re apparently toxic and one step closer to being featured in a true crime podcast and/or five-part TikTok series (like and subscribe!) It seems modern-day society has reached a point where everything fun is a red flag. And I, unfortunately, am a walking semaphore of them.
Somewhere along the way, “red flags” stopped being about identifying dealbreakers and started being about assigning moral failings to hobbies. Dating apps didn’t help. Profiles went from “looking for someone kind, funny, likes dogs” to “don’t swipe right if you play Wordle every day, have Snapchat, or occasionally clap when the plane lands.” And social media added a full tank of 87 octane to that fire. TikTok gave us “red flag,” “green flag” and my favorite – the “beige flag,” which in layman’s terms means “this person is weird and not in a sexy way.”
Now every harmless preference is dissected, analyzed and publicly shamed. It’s enervating. You can’t even say you like “Grey’s Anatomy” anymore without someone screeching, “Oh, so you have no personality.” Okay, Brance, your TV is about to clock-in 17,264 hours of SportsCenter. Fuck off. So let me get this out of the way: yes, I like things. Yes, some of them are rudimentary. And yes, apparently that makes me hazardous.
For example, I love sending a good GIF and will sprinkle “lol” into my texts like it’s punctuation. People will say that makes me sound like a millennial, but have you ever tried relaying some not-so-great, slightly
awkward news via iMessage?
I like my blows like I like my chairs: cushioned. I’m also an amateur birder. My “fieldwork” does not extend beyond the radius of my house, but I’ve gotten shockingly good at identifying Florida backyard birds by their chirp. And yes, I’ve been unsuccessfully trying to imprint on crows for 3.5 years. (They don’t love me back yet; it’s complicated.)
And if you really want to roll your eyes, I’m a sucker for an interspecies friendship story. Donkey besties with a rescued bison? A golden retriever raising raccoon babies? Inject that into all my veins, please. By these standards, I’m apparently waving the biggest scarlet banner in history. And yet — brace yourselves — I’ve managed to hold down a job, pay my taxes and even maintain relationships without burning the world down with my amber and rose-scented toxicity. The truth is, we’ve turned “red flag calling” into a sport. It’s the newfangled equivalent of a shit-talking roundtable. Only now, instead of whispering, we’re publishing listicles about how “owning more than one cat is a red flag” (which, by the way, is a direct attack on my two-cat household).
We love it because it makes us feel superior. If someone else is a red flag, then by default, we’re a green flag, right? Wrong, dawg. Because the moment you call out someone else’s red flag, someone’s ready to call out yours. It’s a vicious, never-ending pyramid scheme of judgement. Case in point: years ago, I got chewed out for saying the viral “Walmart Yodel Kid” was an asshole. And you know what? I stand by it.
His ego was way bigger than his dumb hat. But the backlash? Woof. Folks acted like I had kicked a puppy in front of a kindergarten class. Turns out that was my red flag: not enjoying a child warbling into viral fame. It’s like we’ve forgotten that we’re allowed to dislike
things without being accused of felony battery against the culture. Somewhere, someone is still peeved for not worshiping a kid whose entire “career” was built on doing the exact thing your dad yelled at you to stop doing in the middle of the Publix
also get labeled a red flag by a Gen Z influencer.
“Oh, you like Orca sounds? So you’re emotionally unavailable and probably a Virgo.” We’ve turned joy into a diagnostic tool. We’ve made quirks into indictments. And for what? So we can feel like
“Dancing with the Stars,” or whatever your cringe passion is, says less about your toxicity and more about your ability to feel delight. And let’s be real: delight is in short supply these days.
So yeah, I love GIFs, backyard bird gossip and
When we reduce people down to their eccentricities and interests, we stop actually getting to know them.
check-out line.
Also, I’d like the record to reflect that I would never kick a puppy, and I may or may not have absolutely envisioned punting a douchey 5-year-old for the game-winning field goal. At some point, we’re all going to run out of acceptable hobbies. You’ll be left with nothing but eating string cheese in the dark and listening to the sounds of whales — which will probably
a licensed psychologist while doomscrolling Instagram Reels? Here’s my hot take: maybe the real red flag isn’t people liking Creed or drinking Fireball on the rocks (full transparency: I’m having a hard time not labeling the aforementioned Creed and cold Fireball as RF’s).
Maybe the real red flag is the obsession with labeling everything. The fact that you love Disney World, or
watching videos of a pigeon becoming BFFs with a Macaque monkey. If that makes me a walking red flag — then stitch me into the flagpole, baby. Because at the end of the day, the only real red flag is pretending you don’t like anything at all.
positive LGBTQ+ news in Central Florida and Tampa Bay, uplifting and inspiring stories highlighting locals in our community. In this issue, we introduce recent newlyweds Tony Pullaro and Josh Reed.
Like so many modern love stories, the Tampa Bay husbands met on Facebook through a “Happy New Year” message sent by Josh. Neither man was looking for a serious relationship at the time.
This was 2020, and Tony opened the message, read it — and in his words, ignored it. Within the next month, Josh liked Tony’s profile on a dating app and Tony remembered him from the message and decided to “shoot his shot.” They texted for two weeks until they made plans to meet in person.
Their first date lasted for three hours, a dinner at Seasons 52. Tony thought they were just two friends hanging out until Josh kissed him.
After four years of dating, both men knew they wanted to get married. Tony and Josh were previously married to other spouses, and divorced, but the time they spent building their relationship told them they were truly ready.
“We decided we were allowed to — and should — celebrate
ourselves,” they share. “It’s not something we get the chance to do as often as most, and selfishly, we felt it was finally our time.”
Years prior, they admitted they would not have said yes to marriage again, but they knew in their hearts that marriage was, for them, being a family.
In classic rom-com style, the proposal was a “comedy of delays.”
Tony had the ring, and was ready to propose, but life kept “life-ing.” They each got sick with COVID, and for four weeks the time was never quite right.
Tony told his soon-to-be fiancée that he wanted Josh to meet him at the beach to take some cute couple’s photos. Tony could not get the pose just right to capture the surprise moment on camera, and struggled with positioning Josh. Mid-adjustment, Tony slipped the ring on Josh’s finger and they captured the moment perfectly.
Besides being committed to building a family together and to each other, Tony and Josh see
marriage equality as something to be protected. The couple is grateful they could solidify their commitment and “hope to continue to be recognized in the eyes of the state and country.”
The were married July 26 at the Ybor City Museum State Park to honor Tony’s Cuban and Sicilian roots as well as Josh’s personal connection to Ybor through living and working in the area. The men spent many Saturdays at the Ybor market and their second official date was in Ybor as well.
Although the couple initially planned on eloping, after attending a charity gala at the museum they decided this was where they needed to be surrounded by loved ones for a ceremony and reception.
Brandi Carlisle’s “The Story” played as the couple walked out together for their emotional and heartfelt ceremony. They chose to avoid formal wedding parties but had Tony’s parents, Joe and Berta there.
Josh lost his parents, Lee Roy and Barbara, in 2023, but Tony’s
parents have embraced Josh as their own son.
Josh even danced with Berta and his sisters traveled from Oklahoma and Texas to attend.
Josh says he feels truly seen by his husband and that one of his favorite things about Tony is his “ability to see the beauty in everything; in people, in places and in possibilities.” It’s a part of what led him to create The Good Gays of Tampa Bay.
The group provides networking opportunities like beach days and brunches.
“I started The Good Gays of Tampa Bay after joining other groups where it never quite felt like a fit,” Tony explains. “The LGBTQ+ community is loved and celebrated here, but something closer to a shared experience was missing — other gay boys with similar stories, looking for friendship and networking.
“The idea was to create a space where people with shared experiences could come together, feel safe, feel welcomed and connect naturally,” he continues, something the newlyweds continue to experience together.
That’s because Josh “has an innate need and drive to do good,” Tony says. The couple agrees that love came along when they both least expected it but at exactly the right time.
Interested in being featured in The Good Page? Email Editor-in-Chief Ryan Williams-Jent at Ryan@ WatermarkOutNews.com in Tampa Bay or Central Florida Bureau Chief Bellanee Plaza at Bellanee@WatermarkOutNews.com in Central Florida.
year with unity and resilience
the Southeast — Come Out With Pride, Orlando’s LGBTQ+ Pride celebration — will return to Lake Eola Park Oct. 18 to celebrate its 21st year and unite the community.
This year’s theme is “We The People,” three words that are not only the foundation of our democracy, but also a declaration that the LGBTQ+ community belongs fully in the fabric of our nation.
To COWP, “We The People” means “every LGBTQIA+ person, every family and every ally.” It is a rallying cry to stand united.
With over 230,000 guests in 2024, COWP is the largest single-day event in Central Florida.
“This year’s festival theme … is more than a statement — it’s a commitment,” says AJ Eagle, COWP board president. “It affirms that all people, regardless of identity, orientation or background, are woven into the fabric of our shared community. It is a declaration that our stories, our voices and our rights matter.
“In a world that often moves too quickly, I encourage us to approach this month with mindfulness — to listen deeply,
to learn from one another and to hold space for both joy and healing,” she continues.
For the celebration to be welcoming and joyful for all, COWP shared that while the event is open to the community, the organization reserves the right to refuse entry or ask any individual to leave at its discretion. Weapons and firearms are not permitted, and all bags and people are subject to search.
COWP encourages attendees to “see something, say something” while attending the festivities. As required, COWP holds an 8A permit, the organization works with law enforcement, hires private security, coordinates with Lake Eola Park Rangers, barricades the entire park and installs metal detectors at every entrance.
“We know these are challenging times for the LGBTQIA+ community, especially here in Florida,” says Tatiana Quiroga, COWP executive director. “We face harmful rhetoric, restrictive policies and the constant attempt to erase us. But let me be clear: we will not be erased. We are resilient. We resist. And above all, we remember the power of our collective voice.”
With only 15 members on the board of directors, COWP is a 501c3 non-profit organization. COWP’s mission is to cultivate visibility, authenticity and acceptance by curating inclusive experiences that celebrate and embody the spirit of queer resilience.
Known for their impactful roles on Netflix’s “The Ultimatum: Queer Love,” AJ Blount and Britney Thompson have become powerful voices for visibility and representation of queer love.
As grand marshals this year, their love story has inspired countless individuals and shown the world that queer love is valid, beautiful and worthy of celebration.
The couple has lived in Orlando for almost 10 years and has no plans on leaving anytime soon. Thompson notes that they have attended COWP for many years and being named grand marshals is a “dream come true.”
For this year, Blount says she is looking forward to meeting and connecting with the Black and Brown community in Orlando. She says it’s a two-way street when she thinks of Pride. She has a feeling of gratefulness but has a heavy heart when she looks at the political climate.
“I think that it comes with a heavy heart but also comes with so much love and gratitude and just a lot of light at the end of the tunnel because there’s people who are like-minded like us,” Blount explains. “Who may or may not look like us but feel the way we feel and are coming together to celebrate one another.”
Thompson says she feels empowered this year and is looking forward to COWP as it is a day of celebration. She acknowledged that it’s hard knowing the government isn’t supporting the LGBTQ+ community.
“I would say that the biggest thing on my mind is making sure that gay marriage doesn’t get eradicated,” Thompson says.
“I think what we need to remember is that no matter what’s going on, we are still the same people that we were before all of this,” Thompson adds. “And just
kind of not allowing that to be discouraging. And just focusing on who you are, who you love.”
Blount says that Pride comes with fighting for those in the community, like the transgender community.
“There’s a part of our community that is hurting the most [from] ... the government ... and by other people. I think they get it honestly, truly the worst,” Blount shares.
“Not saying that we all don’t experience some type of hate by any means, but right now, trans lives matter, trans kids’ lives matter,” she continues. “The trans community is still part of the community, and it’s something that we need to uplift the most at the moment.”
As the director of transgender equality for Equality Florida, Angelique Godwin — another of this year’s grand marshals — has long been an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights across Florida.
Godwin is an Afro-Latina trans woman who works tirelessly to ensure the community is protected, visible and empowered. She says she was shocked when she received the invitation to be recognized at COWP.
“A lot of times I do this work because it needs to be done,”
pride in my journey, pride in myself, pride in my community, pride in the ability to do the work that we do, because it’s not for everybody, but somebody has to do it.”
Godwin says the community should always remember to embrace themselves and love who they are because their life is theirs to live. She encourages anyone who may feel inspired by the grand marshals to reach out and be active in the community.
“Don’t waste time dreaming about a future or worrying about who you are in the past,” Godwin shares. “Just be yourself today, here now, and let that be your guide. And enjoy that and celebrate that because you’re here and that’s what deserves to be celebrated.”
Sister Ann Kendrick, the founder of Hope CommUnity Center, says she feels honored and unworthy to be another of this year’s grand marshals.
For decades Sister Ann has dedicated her life to building community, fighting for justice and uplifting marginalized voices.
“I’m a religiously engaged person and I think that God doesn’t make mistakes and people who are LGBTQ, that’s who they are,” Sister Ann explains. “That’s how they’re made. That’s how God created them.”
Godwin says. “As a trans woman, I am immediately affected by the lack of things or the certain supports that are in place. And I feel that need more than anybody… and so the work I do, I do specifically to make sure that no one goes through the things that I went through or things that I have gone through.”
Godwin lives outside of Orlando and hasn’t been to COWP in some time but calls the recognition a blessing. That’s because it feels full circle for her, having started her transition in Orlando where she was guided by people to become the woman she is today.
“In a wonderful roundabout way, I’m coming home … as somebody who’s fully transitioned medically,” Godwin explains. “And I feel complete as a person to have this moment. It is I think the definition of being proud and having pride,
Sister Ann’s engagement in the LGBTQ+ community has been “nothing but beautiful” as she has supported the community to keep herself informed.
She says she wants to be on the side of healing and learning to be more accepting.
“I look forward to seeing the people that are there. I’m hoping that seeing a Catholic nun could show that it’s all okay,” Sister Ann says. “Who people are is who they are, and my experience is I love them. I see the suffering of the LGBTQ community and the risk they take to represent themselves and to not have to hide.”
For Sister Ann, Pride represents courage and kindness because she thinks of the people she knows who are in the community. She thinks of their courage and commitment to advocacy.
She says the LGBTQ+ community shouldn’t be condemned or forced to hide.
When she first got involved with the advocacy she didn’t know anything about the LGBTQ+ community.
“I don’t know that I know that much now, but what I do know ... has only enriched my life,” Sister Ann shares.
Jen Cousins says it was “absolutely wild” to receive the email from COWP asking her to be a grand marshal.
As a proud mom of four, she has been a fierce champion for LGBTQ+ rights, public education and the fight against censorship. She has been involved in LGBTQ+ rights since she was a teenager as identifies as pansexual.
“I started out my first year with Orlando Pride. I was a volunteer and then I volunteered subsequent years,” Cousins shares. “I have a really good relationship with everybody involved in Orlando Pride but it just it blew my mind.”
Cousins says she is humbled and appreciative of the Orlando community. She became deeply engaged with the Orange County School Board when the book “Gender Queer,” a graphic memoir by Maia Kobabe about sexual identity, was banned in her school district.
“I’m standing in place where people who can’t or are afraid to,” Cosuins shares.
She notes that transgender rights should be advocated more in this year’s pride as there have been so many political polices placed on those in the community.
“Look at what we’ve seen with the new administration coming forward,” Cousins explains. “From my own child being non-binary to my best friends in Orlando who are trans people — I have so many friends in Orlando that are trans — it just it burns me with such rage to watch the way that they are treated, the threats being made on them and just the basic human dignities that they’re being denied.”
Angelica Jones has always tried to give back to her community, and as the recipient of the Sam Singhaus Legends in Pride Award she says she has gained so much from Orlando’s LGBTQ+ community.
As a Black trans woman who performs drag, Jones also calls herself an advocate for the community. She advocates for HIV prevention and awareness and helped create the nonprofit Divas in Dialogue.
Presented annually during the Pride Rally, the Sam Singhaus Award celebrates the life and legacy of Singhaus as the legendary Miss Sammy. It honors individuals in the Central Florida drag and queer entertainment community
who demonstrate long-standing leadership through advocacy, philanthropy and the cultivation of queer joy.
“I got to learn a lot from Miss Sammy just from seeing her over the years and helping me as I was a newcomer,” Jones shares. “So being recognized for the Miss Sammy Award, it means a lot because this is an individual who I learned from example of giving back to her community through the art and her talent.”
Heather Wilkie, executive director of Zebra Youth, is the recipient of the Debbie Simmons Award and says she is honored to be celebrated at COWP.
The Debbie Simmons Community Excellence Award is the highest honor and is presented each year during the Pride Rally. It celebrates local individuals who have gone above and beyond for
non-stop music, giving festival goers the perfect space to celebrate, connect and move together.
Stage one will be open during the Pride Parade, bringing beats to those marching or spectating. From 2-7 p.m. five DJs will perform, each for an hour. The lineup, in order of appearance, will be DJ Nani Soul, DJ Mr. Meow Meow, DJ Scott Robert, DJ BlueStar and DJ Tracy Young, the Grammy Award-winning headliner.
Stage two will be the Diva Stage, an all-day celebration of local and national drag and burlesque talent, sponsored by Show Imaging. This stage is recommended for ages 18+.
With some of Orlando’s fiercest divas, joined by queens from “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” the night will deliver a full production of performances for the community.
Local legend and award recipient Angelica Jones along with “RuPaul’s Drag Race” judge and LGBTQ+ advocate TS Madison will host from 7–9:30 p.m.
Performances will start at 2 p.m. with Darcel Stevens’ House of Drag, and at 2:30 p.m. will feature Axel Andrews’ Popsicle Pop-Up. At 6:30 p.m. there will be a Pride Rally with the Orlando Gay Chorus following at 7 p.m.
the LGBTQIA+ community over their lifetime.
Although she is leaving her position at Zebra Youth, she says recognizing that it is time for new leadership is part of being a good leader. She calls the moment bittersweet as she is concluding nearly a decade of leadership.
“We have a lot of things that we’re facing that we’ve never faced before in terms of political shifts and uncertainty, and so I’m very honored to be a part of that and look forward to the day where we can all lift each other up in Pride through Orlando Pride,” Wilkie says.
COWP is bringing the energy, unity and rhythm to life with two stages on Oct. 18. This year’s live entertainment will feature local and national LGBTQ+ performers, including drag queens and DJs.
Stage one will be the Sonic Bloom Field, an all-day dance and music experience presented by BlueLaLa Events. From the afternoon until the night, Sonic Bloom Field will party with
At 7:20 p.m. there will be a performance from Haus of Cavalli and at 7:40 p.m. Les Vixens will take over. The Renaissance Theater will present the cast of “Off The Record” at 8 p.m. with Mr Ms Adrian presenting The Gaga Ball 2025 at 8:20 p.m. and Haus of San Miguel presenting a tribute to Beyoncé at 8:40 p.m.
The headliner of the Diva Stage is Jorgeous from “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” The fan favorite appeared on season 14 before competing on “All Stars” 10 and 11, where she was runner-up to Orlando icon Ginger Minj.
Following the performances from both stages will be the firework finale at 9:30 p.m., presented by BlueLaLa.
The weekend before COWP will include two events, a drag horror cabaret at The Abbey, located at 100 S. Eola Dr., Unit 100, Orlando, on Oct. 10 and Apopka Pride at Hope CommUnity Center, located at 800 S. Hawthorne Ave., Apopka, on Oct. 11.
Expect a genre-bending drag show bringing together fierce queens, killer kings and twisted tales in this spooky cabaret style revue, organizers promise. Presented by Orlando Guerrilla Gay
Bar-Mixers & Events, those attending must be 18+.
Apopka Pride was created in 2022 out of necessity as a response to the lack of safe, affirming spaces for queer and trans immigrants in Central Florida, they share. For the third year, the celebration is rooted in “Anointed in Resilience, Radiant in Pride,” and will take place from 3-7 p.m.
The theme’s spiritual reference to “anointed” also pays homage to the social and spiritual legacy of Hope’s founding Sisters, whose determination from the very beginning was to build a mission rooted in inclusivity. The free, outdoors, family-friendly event will feature live performances, community resources and inspiring moments of pride.
“Apopka Pride was born out of necessity,” said Fidel Gomez Jr., LGBTQ+ Services Manager at Hope CommUnity Center. “In 2022, there were very few safe, affirming spaces for queer and trans immigrants in Central Florida.”
Donations from Apopka Pride directly support programming focused on safety, connection, wellness and empowerment for the LGBTQ+ immigrant community.
On the weekend of Oct. 17, events will be presented by Anthem Orlando in partnership with COWP, One Magical Weekend
and Orange Party Florida. A portion of proceeds benefit COWP.
Anthem Orlando, located at 100 N. Orange Ave., Orlando, is currently under construction but is hoping to be soft open by Pride, organizers have also shared. If they are unable to open due to city permitting, they will be using Yaz Orlando, located at 114 N Orange Ave, right next door for the events.
The Official COWP Orlando Block Party Kickoff will be on Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. with DJ Scott Robert.
The Pride Parade, block party and club takeovers will be on Oct. 18 with the parade starting at 4 p.m. In partnership with Latina Lesbians in Florida, LGBTQ+ motorcycle riders will once again kick off the parade. There will be over 200 organizations and supportive businesses marching.
Guests can start the party at noon around Lake Eola Park and the trans rally will start at 1 p.m. Attendees will have the opportunity to browse goods and services from over 250 vendors in the Marketplace and SponsorWalk areas.
Following the parade the block party will start at 6 p.m. DJ J Warren and DJ Liza Rodriguez will headline and there will be special performances from London Adour. The night will
close with a firework finale at 9:30 p.m.
On Oct. 19, there will be a drag brunch and a closing party. The brunch is from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and will be hosted by Darcel Stevens. The menu is curated by Executive Chef Pom Moongauklang, featuring elevated comfort food with creative flair. From crispy home fries to fresh fruit and beautifully plated entrées, every dish will be crafted with signature quality.
The closing party will start at 2 p.m. and will go late into the night. The grand finale will feature DJ Chris Sugden and DJ Kyle House. For locals and visitors alike, this is the moment to savor the last magic of Pride weekend.
“The Board of Directors and I deeply recognize the sanctity of our Pride space and how vital it is to come together,” Quiroga says. “Pride is not simply a party — it is a living, breathing act of resistance, joy, and community power. Here, you are seen. Here, you are celebrated. Here, you are free to be your most authentic self and to love boldly.”
Come Out with Pride’s 2025 celebration will primarily be held at Lake Eola Park, located at 512 E. Washington St. in Orlando. For more information, visit ComeOutWithPride. org and view the official COWP Guide at WatermarkOutNews.com.
‘PLAINCLOTHES’ MAKE THE MEN: An interview with stars Tom Blyth and Russell Tovey
Gregg Shapiro
directorial debut by queer filmmaker and screenwriter Carmen Emmi, is not as simple as the title might suggest.
There is also a double-meaning at play as neither of the film’s main characters — Lucas, played by Tom Blyth (“Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes”) and Andrew, played by out actor Russell Tovey (“Looking”) — are dressed in their respective “uniforms” when they first meet.
That’s because Blyth plays a “promising undercover officer assigned to lure and arrest gay men” who “defies orders when he falls in love with a target,” Tovey.
“At his mother’s New Year’s Eve party Lucas ... loses a letter no one was ever meant to read,” its synopsis reads. “Amid the
backdrop of the suffocating family party, the search for the letter unlocks memories of a past he’s tried to forget: months earlier, while working undercover in a mall bathroom, Lucas arrested men by seducing them.
“But when he encounters Andrew, everything changes,” it continues. “What begins as another setup becomes something far more electric and intimate. As their secret connection deepens and police pressure to deliver arrests intensifies, Lucas finds himself torn between duty and desire.”
Already “certified fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes, “Plainclothes”
opened Oct. 3 and features stellar performances from both men.
The film is likely not only to make Blyth and Tovey bigger stars but to earn them well-deserved Oscar nominations.
The duo made time for an interview shortly before the film was released in theaters.
WATERMARK OUT NEWS: WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THE ROLES OF ANDREW AND LUCAS, RESPECTIVELY, IN “PLAINCLOTHES?”
Tom Blyth: Lucas, for me, is someone who’s going through immense difficulty and is facing up to some self-truths. I’m always drawn to characters who are trying to understand themselves in a serious, deep way. Probably because I’m doing that as well. I come at this from a psychological standpoint, so I think I’m drawn to a character who is going through psychological turmoil. And the
script is absolutely beautiful. That was my main draw.
Russell Tovey: I second that the script is beautiful. For me, dialogue connects me straight away to a character. When I started reading Andrew, I was like, “Oh, yeah, I want to say these lines.” I wanted to do a film in Syracuse. I thought Syracuse sounded like a beautiful, wonderful paradise. Parts of it are like paradise, and other parts, not so much. But it was a great experience. It’s new writing and a new director. It always feels so exciting when you get a script like this. These don’t happen all the time. So, it was an easy yes.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF WORKING WITH A FIRST-TIME FILMMAKER FOR AN ACTOR?
RT: I don’t know if it’s an advantage, but you feel the excitement. You feel a responsibility, I guess, to be your best for them. You want them to
have the best experience ever. In the way that Andrew wants Lucas to have the best experience ever in this film, with his first time with someone, with a gay man, with a man. We, as actors, want to make sure that Carmen wants to continue working after we finish his film, for sure. You’ve got someone who is so excited and so full of gratitude. He’s experimental.
That’s what’s so shocking about the way that Carmen made this film. I had no idea what was going on when we first started. When he pulled the camcorder out, when he was doing certain shots. I was like, “I don’t understand this,” but it was so intoxicating working with him on his first film. What he does next and where his trajectory is going is so brilliant.
TB: There’s a bravery in a first-time filmmaker, I’ve noticed,
that is simultaneously bravery and anxiety. They know what they want to do, and they’re working from instinct because they’ve not been told no too many times by producers, or financiers, or whatever it may be.
RT: They’re not jaded yet.
TB: They’ve not gotten the outside critiques which filmmakers throughout their careers get. There’s this bravery of, “I’m just gonna enact my vision.” Then there’s this anxiety because it’s their first big film. That anxiety feels collaborative because they don’t think they know it all, and they lean on everyone else as much as they lean on their own vision. So, it creates this incredible mix of boldness and collaboration, which you don’t always get.
“PLAINCLOTHES” IS SET IN 1997. DO EITHER OF YOU FIND IT SHOCKING TO THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND ADVANCED IN 30 YEARS?
RT: Thirty years is basically Tom’s whole life.
TB: [Laughs]
RT: The world just gets faster and faster, doesn’t it? I mean, what can you do? It is shocking for so many other things, that it’s terrifying at the speed of the way that everything’s going. I miss CDs. I miss them. You can quote me on that. The way that queer people, or anybody, can find connections with people online now is fascinating and brilliant and terrifying and rewarding and depressing, and all of those feelings completely.
But there’s something romantic about the way that these guys meet that feels furtive and dangerous. That’s the situation that so many people were in. There weren’t safe spaces created for people, so they were pushed to the margins, and they ended up in dangerous situations. This is a very dangerous situation, but through this place of adversity and danger, something beautiful grows.
TB: Russell and I have both talked about this recently. I do think we have this feeling, even more so this year than last year when we were making this film, that it is more necessary than ever because it does feel like we’re moving backwards at the
moment, politically and socially. I don’t think we even knew a year ago, when we were making it, how much a year later it would feel like the wheel of time is going backwards. I’m very proud to be able to champion this film, right now especially.
THE FILM ALSO EXHIBITS HOW POLICE DEPARTMENTS HAVE CHANGED IN THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARDS GAY MEN. FROM ENTRAPPING THEM IN RESTROOMS TO, AT LEAST HERE IN THE STATES, ACTIVELY RECRUITING THEM TO JOIN THE FORCE.
TB: I don’t know much about police policies, to be honest with you. I would be lying if I said I did. I did a lot of research on them in the ‘90s, but it’s probably very different to now. Around the conversation of representation and policing, how can you expect people who are supposed to be bastions or representatives of a community, as a whole, without representation from that community? I don’t understand the people who think that you could have a small minority of white, lower-middle-class to working-class men, policing everybody else. They won’t be able to always have the empathy needed to police a community. I think that’s why we run into trouble in policing. I think the idea that there should be representation in policing is integral.
SEX IN A PUBLIC PLACE, WHETHER A MALL MEN’S ROOM OR A GREENHOUSE,
GIVES “PLAINCLOTHES” A DISTINCTIVE EROTICISM. CAN YOU COMMENT ON THAT?
RT: Well, it was hot. And we’re playing that it’s cold outside, so we’re bundled up in layers. Not much sex goes on in the bathrooms because everyone seems to be caught, or it’s very momentarily sexy and fraught, and then it ends. So, for our characters to have that time where we can be free — it’s not a bed, it’s not a house, it’s not domestic — it is still somewhere that’s furtive.
But for us to have that moment where we can close the door and be free with each other is so beautiful. Someone said the other day that when they watched it, that when you go into the greenhouse all the flowers feel like “The Wizard of Oz.” It goes into Technicolor. Before that, everything’s grey and muted, and that door opens and you’ve got all of this sort of Oz. This beautiful world where they exist and they’re amongst flowers and foliage and botanicals, and it’s historical.
That’s so true! I’m sure Carmen’s considered that, because one of his favorite films is “The Wizard of Oz.” That is such a beautiful way to turn the story, and that is the truth of that scene. These guys are finally in their utopia.
THE FILM IS SET IN UPSTATE NEW YORK, WHICH MEANT THAT YOU BOTH HAD TO MASTER NOT ONLY AN AMERICAN ACCENT, BUT ALSO A REGIONAL ONE.
work with someone who has a similar sensibility to you and isn’t too constricted and has to stay in it all the time or never wants to stay in it. It was nice to be able to play off each other like that.
HOW DID YOU PREPARE FOR HIGHLY CHARGED SCENES WITH EACH OF YOUR CHARACTER’S FAMILIES?
RT: You just get in the zone. The crew and the cast were incredibly professional and respectful, and liked actors. Sometimes you work at jobs, and you feel like they don’t like actors [laughs], which isn’t helpful. Across the board, everybody wanted this to be a beautiful experience, and it was. When we needed that time, it was available to us. I think Carmen was very sure of that.
TB: I would never claim to have mastered anything because I’d be shooting myself in the foot. But we had a really great dialect coach called Sam Lilja. It’s a small-budget film, so we didn’t get a ton of time with Sam, but the time we did get was really valuable. I’ve been lucky enough to live in the States for the past nine years, so I often don’t know what my actual voice is anymore, which I think is helpful. It makes me able to pretend to be other people.
RT: I’ve worked and lived in the States for many years. I spend a lot of time, when I go to the States, just speaking in the accent until someone British from home spots me, and they call me a freak. I will go into like diners or restaurants or stores and talk in an American accent so that it just becomes second nature. That felt important.
I think the Syracuse accent… it’s not typically what we know as the Bronx, New York, or Queens accent. It’s more neutral, but there are twangs. A lot of the cast and crew, Carmen especially, were from Syracuse. So that noise you need is around you all the time. If it had been a British crew, it might have been a little harder to stay on in that sound. But I think we both were able to tune into it because everyone around us was talking in it.
TB: I think Russell and I also work in a similar way, which is that we stay in it on set when we need to and then are able to jump out if we need to go back to zero and reset, as well, and have a funny moment. It’s nice when you
Carmen did something amazing, which I’ve tried to take onto every job since, in that he plays music into scenes. We all know what that feels like, when you’re on public transport or in the back of a car and a song comes on and you can sort of imagine this make-believe, Hollywood ending of your life. Music is a kind of fast hack into emotions, and I think that that made a massive difference for me.
TB: That scene, in particular, was really intense. I remember that day being really intense. I remember leaving the scene feeling dissatisfied and feeling like I hadn’t done it right. I think that’s because that’s how Lucas feels. Carmen said that to me. He could sense that I was beating myself up about how the scene had gone. He was like, “Why would you be feeling good about it when Lucas is feeling bad?” Lucas goes there to profess his love for a man for the first time, that he truly does love, and he basically is told to grow up, that he’s being with unrealistic, because Andrew has his own life and he’s shown up there inappropriately to interrupt his life. He’s put Andrew’s life and his family in jeopardy. Andrew’s protecting himself and his family, and so Lucas is incredibly angry at himself, and Andrew, and disappointed and confused. I think I felt confused and disappointed and sad, which is sometimes how it goes. You put yourself fully in the circumstances of the scene, even if that doesn’t make you feel like you’re doing it right.
“Plainclothes” is now playing.
have raised over $20,000 for Renaissance Theatre Company after it was forced to close until further notice due to a failed annual inspection.
The City of Orlando condemned the building Sept. 19 due to fire safety issues, including unpermitted construction and blocked exits found during a routine inspection.
Since the closure, Orlando community members and businesses have rallied to support the actors during one of the Ren’s most important performances of the year. Determined to keep the show alive, local performers worked together to ensure the fifth annual production of “Nosferatu” continued despite the challenges.
“We create the art we make for our community,” Abby Cash, staff member and cast member of “Nosferatu,” said in a press release. “If anything, this situation
has further shown all of us at the Ren that what we are creating is important and needed, and that we are valued and supported by the people and organizations in our community.”
The Plaza Live in the Milk District opened its doors to the Ren to ensure that the show continued for three shows on Sept. 27, Oct. 4 and Oct. 10, showing a version of the “Nosferatu” show, “V Bar Condamned.”
As of press time, these were the only shows until they are able to secure another venue or reopen their original building after construction.
The Ren shared via social media that they have hope they will be
back at the original building for additional dates and have not adjusted anything further until they know more.
“There are a lot of great people in our city government (thank you great people),” Donald Rupe, co-founder of the Ren, stated in a Facebook post. “We’d like to thank them for their diligence and for taking care of our community, and we look forward to working with them toward re-opening.”
Many other businesses and individuals have stepped up to assist. Creative City Project and Memoir Agency are providing temporary equipment for the touring shows, SunRoom hosted the Ren’s staff meeting and a slew of local artists and companies have offered help when the Ren is ready.
The City of Orlando released a statement Sept. 22 providing the reasons the building was condemned.
“The building was condemned … due to life-safety concerns stemming from construction work that had been completed without required permits, including
move as they made their way through the venue during this immersive experience.
the unapproved addition of a second floor. The site has several life-safety hazards, such as electrical issues, lack of sprinklers or fire suppression in some areas, and obstructed exits due to a maze-like layout,” it read.
“These conditions create significant risks for patrons and hinder evacuation routes in the event of an emergency,” the statement continued. “The City is actively working with the business to address and correct these violations, but until all code and safety issues are resolved, the property will remain condemned.”
The city approved a permit Sept. 25 to begin construction to get the building up to code. The best path forward is to completely demolish the set of “Nosferatu” and start from scratch, Rupe said in a press release.
“I know we try to keep things light and cheeky, but please know that I take this all very seriously,” Rupe said. “I’ve temporarily suspended my own salary in an effort to lessen our financial obligation.”
Rupe says the event is by far the theater’s biggest annual money-maker and biggest expense. This year, the Ren spent about $500,000 making the show.
The Ren is known for hosting themed queer events with talented performers throughout the year. Behind the scenes, the team had been working hard for months coming up with concepts for this year’s show run to now have to start over from scratch.
Each year the team works to create and transform the space while rehearsing their numbers. Nothing is ever the same at the Ren, making it a new experience for guests every year. Each year they develop their ideas from the previous, making the show engaging and exciting.
Before the closure, the Ren was transformed into a vampire lair that pulled mortals and served an interactive experience. Guests played the role as prey to the vampires who stalked their every
In the original space, every inch of the 15,468-square-foot warehouse became the hunting grounds for the coven. The show was presented in three “distinct movements,” with The Wandering, The Choosing and V-Bar. The Wandering gave guest time to move from space to space, The Choosing included a 45-minute ceremony with the coven and V-Bar included dancers, music, specialty cocktails and drag performances.
“I love getting to move around the spaces,” Blake Aburn, who plays Nosferatu in this year’s show told Watermark Out News. “It almost feels like you’re in a movie, kind of like you get to watch this movie in front of you.”
Each performer at the Ren spent a lot of time curating their frightening and alluring characters for the event. The actors interact with the audience, making the experience tailored to the crowd and different each night.
“I feel like this year we have a lot of fun in it,” Cora Elyardi, also known as her drag persona Coco Cavalli, says. “In past years, it’s always fun, but I feel like they’re highlighting a lot of individuality this year.”
It is unclear when the Ren will be reopened and when shows will resume at their home theater.
The Ren is reporting that the shutdown and subsequent construction will result in a loss of around $100,000. The community has responded to this by donating money to support the company and actors through this difficult time.
An email sent from Rupe noted that the donations helped pay everyone for the missed performances on Sept. 19-20.
“We’ll know more about codes, permitting, and city and state regulations, and we feel like we will end this with a deeper relationship with the local government,” Rupe has also noted.
Supporters should continue to monitor the Ren’s website for updates and can currently purchase tickets for future shows.
“Thanks for being here for us, and you can trust and believe we’re going to give you a show,” the Ren promises.
For updates on the shows and donations, visit RenTheatre.com.
Shannon Fortner and Grace Korley were married Sept. 27. Pasco Pride returned Sept. 27 in New Port Richey with events in the Richey Suncoast Theater and more. “This year’s celebration was more than an event — it was a movement led by performers whose courage and creativity lit up the stage,” the space shared afterwards. “Each act was a powerful reminder of the resilience and brilliance within our LGBTQ+ community, showing that visibility is not just meaningful — it’s transformative.” Learn more at PascoPrideFestival.com.
ALSO Youth celebrated retiring Board Chair Sheila Weiss Oct. 2, thanking her for six years of service. The organization will open its new location Oct. 11. Read more at Facebook.com/ALSOYouth.
The Fabulous Arts Foundation held the 15th annual Fabulous Independent Film Festival Oct. 3-5 at Burns Court Cinema. Read more at WatermarkOutNews.com.
PFLAG Tampa celebrated its 15th anniversary Oct. 5 at Disco Pony Nightclub. Read more at Facebook.com/PFLAGTampa.
Kurt’s Place co-owner Michael Wilson, OUT Arts & Culture
President Paul Raker, Tampa Bay entertainer Veronica Foxx, Lakeland hero AJ Slater (Oct. 9); Former Miss Come OUT St. Pete Victoria Michaels aka Chrissy Kiss, St. Pete data specialist Stephen Gillin, Pasco Pride President Nina Borders, Plant aficionado John Lopez (Oct. 10); Former Grand Central District Executive Director David Foote, Tampa Bay entertainer Lady Janet, Cosplay queen Lilabelle Quaintrelle, (Oct. 12); Ybor mainstay Mark “Tea Cup” Bias West, WellCare Manager Michael Clouse, Former Tampa Bay bartender Jeff Beadle (Oct. 13); Freelance writer Michael Kilgore, Ybor City Barbering Co. owner Lisa Ann Harmon, First lady of Ybor Joey Brooks, Sarasota PrimeTimer Dan Warren, Optum Vice President Tyler Grisham, Democratic activist Christian Hotchkiss (Oct. 14); St. Pete socialite Art Lawrence, Tampa retiree Howard Hawk, comic guru Eddie Riordan (Oct. 15); Suncoast softballer Michael Monnich, Out & About host Tyler Butler, Tampa Bay entertainer Phaedra E. Rose (Oct. 16); Tampa political guru Mitch Kates, Geico expert Barry Stemle, Ybor City’s King Corona Cigar expert Willy Emerson, Metro Inclusive Health nurse Amanda Graves (Oct. 17); Tampa Bay activist Blaine Lawson, DJ Cubby Pat O’Rourke (Oct. 18); St. Petersburg staple Mike Callahan, Former Tampa Bay Diversity Chamber president Eric Mathis, Former Cider Press Cafe owner Johan Everstijn, Tampa photographer Byron Schaerr, Tampa Bay Pride Band’s Daniel Stevens, Tampa Bay entertainer Chanel P. Cartier, Chago’s Barbershop barber Kevin Rix (Oct. 19); Flamingo Car Club president Robert “Tiny” Nasworthy, Ybor entertainer Blu Yake (Oct. 20); St. Pete DJ Jayson Chancey, Tampa Bay entertainer Sissy/Mr. Gripp (Oct. 21).
1
15 YEARS: Hostess Niomi Onassis Knight performs during PFLAG Tampa’s 15thh anniversary Turnabout at Disco Pony Nightclub Oct. 5. PHOTO VIA PFLAG TAMPA’S FACEBOOK
2
CHOSEN CAUSE: Carmen Aguilar (L) presents a check to Moffitt Cancer Center for over $17K from Bowling for a Cause. PHOTO VIA LIBERTY LANES LARGO’S FACEBOOK
3
SHOWING OUT: The cast and crew of Shade Showcase takes center stage at the Garage on Central Ave. Sept. 20. PHOTO VIA SHADE SHOWCASE’S FACEBOOK
4
DYNAMIC DUO: Dr. Byron Green-Calisch and Elliott Calisch attend the NAACP Hillsborough County chapter’s Freedom Fund Dinner Sept. 27. PHOTO VIA REP. MICHELE RAYNER’S FACEBOOK
5 INCLUSIVE TEAM: Metro Inclusive Health’s PSH team in Tampa Bay strikes a pose Oct. 1. PHOTO VIA METRO INCLUSIVE HEALTH’S FACEBOOK
6
PASCO PROUD: Richey Suncoast Theatre crew and Pasco Pride 2025 entertainers take center stage during Pasco Pride Sept. 27. PHOTO VIA RICHEY SUNCOAST THEATRE’S FACEBOOK
7 TEAM MICHAEL: Michael Ealy (L) and supporter James Watson ahead of Cocktail’s first Miss Cock staff drag pageant Sept. 27. PHOTO BY JAMARCUS MOSLEY
8 WHEELING WONDER: Aquariius entertains the crowd during Pride Skate Oct. 4 at Pride Skate Tampa. PHOTO VIA PRIDE SKATE TAMPA’S FACEBOOK
Renaissance Theatre Company raises over $20K during closure after it was forced to close until further notice due to a failed annual inspection. Read more on p. 37. The Pride Chamber presented its Pride in Business Awards and Gala Sept. 27. Read more on p. 10. Sierra Club Florida endorsesd Rep. Anna V. Eskamani for mayor of Orlando on Sept. 29.
Altesse Aurum won Miss Center Orlando, a pageant created by SAVOY’s entertainment director Chantel Reshae, as a fundraiser for The LGBT+ Center Orlando Sept. 29. Read more and view photos at WatermarkOutNews.com.
The Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously Sept. 30 to approve a funding agreement for the Pulse Memorial. Read more at WatermarkOutNews.com.
David Mink was announced as the new director of membership and events for The Pride Chamber on Oct. 1.
Enzian announced a $150,000 capital campaign for a 35mm & 70mm reel-to-reel projection upgrade on Oct. 1.
Kia Center celebrated its 15th anniversary Oct. 1. Since 2010, the venue has hosted thousands of events and welcomed nearly 20 million total guests for Magic games, concerts and more.
Orlando City presented the City’s LGBTQ+ History Month Proclamation on Oct. 6. Read more at WatermarkOutNews.com.
Orlando Museum of Art unveiled the second installment of its 314-work donation from the Cottrell-Lovett collection on Oct. 6. The collection, “Relationships: A Love for Collecting II,” celebrates the late Joseph Lovett and his husband Dr. James Cottrell.
Former Mad Cow Theatre executive director Mitzi Maxwell, Libby’s Legacy founder Robin Maynard-Harris (Oct. 9); USAA BOLD Leadership’s Michael Paonessa (Oct. 11); Orlando DJ and magician VJ Nick Comis, Mills50 director Joanne Grant, Orlando businessman Tim Leddy (Oct. 12); Watermark freelancer and LGBTQ activist Jerick Mediavilla (Oct. 13); Pink Flamingo Group Trips coordinator Dan Warren (Oct. 14); Orlando realtor Scott Benson, Central Florida Sounds of Freedom musician Melissa Fallcenbury, Art curator Mendi Cowles (Oct. 15); Divas in Dialogue founder Mulan Montrese Williams, Orlando Fringe show director Michael Marinaccio, Orlando ally Joey Williams, Real estate agent Kase Elders, Orlando attorney Mary Meeks (Oct. 16); Gecko accountant Judy L. Hines, singer Sunshine Matthews, Orange County Tax Collector Scott Randolph (Oct. 17); Come Out with Pride Executive Director Tatiana Quiroga, LGBTQ+ advocate David Moran (Oct. 18); Softball star Jennifer Friedman, Orlando make-up artist Scott Juszczak (Oct. 19); Orlando’s own “Divine Miss M” Jennica McCleary, Quality Analyst Chris Hamlett, Orlando photographer Chris Stephenson (Oct. 20); Hope CommUnity Center’s Andrea Montanez, DJ Ants Adam Brenner (Oct. 21).
1 COMMUNITY CHEERS: Orlando City Council and members of the public meet at City Hall Oct. 6 to present the LGBTQ+ History Month proclamation. PHOTO BY AIDAN CARMODY
2
YEAR OF REIGN: Altesse Aurum wins crown and title of the first-ever Miss Center Orlando at SAVOY Orlando Sept. 29. PHOTO BY DANNY GARCIA
3 CHALK PROTEST: Jen Cousins takes a photo of her protest sign during the “Will Not Be Erased” protest outside of City Hall in downtown Orlando Sept. 28. PHOTO BY BELLANEE PLAZA
4
CONDAMNED COVEN: Nikole Parker and Angelica Sanchez attend a showing of “Nosferatu” at the Plaza Live on Oct. 4 after winning tickets from Watermark Out News. PHOTO COURTESY NIKOLE PARKER
5
INCLUSIVITY AND VISIBILITY: Allegro Events host its one-year anniversary ribbon cutting Sept. 23 at the Chapel & Hudson’s Cellar in Hannibal Square, Winter Park. PHOTO BY AIDAN CARMODY
6 COLLECTIVE RESILIENCE: Darcel Stevens and Vinnie Silbe speak at the Pride in Business Awards and Gala Sept. 27 at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando International Airport. PHOTO BY BELLANEE PLAZA
7
FESTIVAL NIGHT: Guests attend the kickoff event for the fifth annual Latin Performing Arts Festival at the Maitland Art Center Sept. 22. PHOTO BY AIDAN CARMODY
8 TASTING EXPERIENCE: Watermark Out News publisher Rick Todd and social media coordinator Kay Yingling attend the Food & Wine Classic preview at the Swan Reserve Oct. 3. WATERMARK OUT NEWS FILE PHOTO
SUNDAY, OCT. 12, 7:30 P.M.
DR. PHILLIPS CENTER, ORLANDO
Join the original “Brad Majors” (Barry Bostwick), “Columbia” (Nell Campbell) and “Magenta” (Patricia Quinn) for a special 50th anniversary celebration of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. There will be a screening of the original, unedited movie and encouraged audience participation. For more information, visit DrPhillipsCenter.org.
SATURDAY, OCT. 18, 4 P.M.
LAKE EOLA, ORLANDO
Come Out With Pride Orlando celebrates its 21st year at Lake Eola. With the help of sponsors and vendors, downtown will turn into a glowing celebration of love, music and community. With over 230,000 guests in 2024, this year is expected to grow. Read more on p. 27 and view the full guide at WatermarkOutNews.com.
SATURDAY, OCT. 11, 2-6 P.M.
GRAND CENTRAL DISTRICT, ST. PETERSBURG
Come OUT St. Pete presents its annual National Coming Out Day celebration. The Tampa Bay Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will bless dogs, where photos will be provided by Black Rose Photography, and Par Bar will also host festivities. Performances from the Royal Court and more will also feature. Learn more at ComeOUTStPete.org.
SATURDAY, OCT. 11, 10 A.M.-12 P.M.
ALSO YOUTH, SARASOTA
After months of rebuilding after Hurricane Milton, ALSO Youth invites supporters to the open house celebration of the organization’s Sarasota Center. The space is located at 2195 Ringling Blvd. and will offer drop-in hours for youth ages 10-24. Read more at WatermarkOutNews.com and learn more at ALSOYouth.org.
GMCTB’s “The Most Magical Concert in Tampa Bay,” Oct. 17-18, Allendale UMC & Seminole Heights UMC, GMCTB.org
Stonewall Democrats Meet & Greet: David Jolly, Oct. 16, Pinellas Ale Works, St. Petersburg. 727-327-2796; StonewallPinellas.com
Joy Ride Fundraiser, Oct. 18, Casa del Merman, St. Petersburg. 727-310-4130; GayStPeteHouse.com
Cirque du Burlesque: Halloween Spectacular, Oct. 18, Red Mesa Cantina, St. Petersburg. 727-896-8226; RedMesaCantina.com
“Hokus Pokus Live!” with Ginger Minj, Oct. 18, Tampa Theatre, Tampa. 813-274-8981; TampaTheatre.org
The Nora Tori-Roast! PFLAG Fundraiser, Oct. 19, The Catacombs, Tampa. 813-857-5125; TampaBaySisters.com
“Phantasmagoria XVI: Hauntingly Whimsical Tales,” Oct. 9-12, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando. 407-358-6603; DrPhillipsCenter.org
Trick or Treat Market
Crawl, Oct. 10, Home State Brewing Co., Orlando. HomeStateBrew.com
Leslie Jones, Oct. 11, The Plaza Live, Orlando. 407-228-1220; PlazaLiveOrlando.org
The Band CAMINO, Oct. 13, House of Blues Orlando, Orlando. 689-329-2583; Locations.HouseOfBlues.com
Billie Eilish, Oct. 14, Kia Center, Orlando. 407-440-7000; KiaCenter.com
Twilight in Concert, Oct. 16, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando. 407-358-6603; DrPhillipsCenter.org
Shaboozey, Oct. 16, House of Blues Orlando, Orlando. 689-329-2583; Locations. HouseOfBlues.com
The Basement Yard Experience, Oct. 17, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando. 407-358-6603; DrPhillipsCenter.org
8th Annual Sanford Jazz in the Park Music Festival, Oct. 18, Centennial Park, Sanford. Ladies327.org
4th Annual Party in the Patch, Oct. 19, First Methodist Church of Apopka, Apopka. 407-886-3421; FMCApopka.com
Phantogram, Oct. 19, House of Blues Orlando, Orlando. 689-329-2583; Locations. HouseOfBlues.com
World Ballet Company: “Cinderella,” Oct. 22, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando. 407-358-6603; DrPhillipsCenter.org
Macy Gray, Hard Rock Live, Orlando. 407-351-5483; HardRockLiveOrlando.com
Kick Up Your Heels 12, Oct. 11, The Wet Spot, St. Petersburg. 727-592-1914; Facebook.com/ TampaBayAreaCyclists
“Hocus Pocus” Drag Brunch, Oct. 12, Funny Bone, Tampa. 813-864-4000; Tampa. FunnyBone.com
Rainbow Roots Festival, Oct. 12, Lake Mirror Auditorium, Lakeland. 863-267-6172; RoseDynastyFoundationInc.org
“The Wiz,” Oct. 14-19, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org
Monthly Relationship Builder Networking, Oct. 22, CellarMasters Wine Bar & Bottle Shop, St. Petersburg. 727-289-9889; Facebook.com/ Groups/LGB2BPlus
“The Rocky Horror Picture Show 50th Anniversary Tour,” Oct. 22, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org
Jonas Brothers, Oct. 22, Benchmark International Arena, Tampa. 813-301-6500; BenchmarkIntlArena.com
Word(ier) Games, Oct. 23, Green Turtle Brewing, St. Petersburg. 516-906-2140; WordierThanThou.com
Alaska Thunderf*ck Live, Oct. 23, The Wet Spot, St. Petersburg. 727-592-1914; CocktailStPete.com
Change is Gonna Come, Oct. 16, The Harvest, Sarasota. 941-953-3559; PPSRQ.org
