local name global coverage February 28, 2018 vol. 9 // issue 9 CONTINUING COVERAGE OF THE PARKLAND SHOOTING, GUN DEBATE ● PAGES 10, 11, 16, 18, 19 Pushing Pain INTO ACTION onePULSE and Matthew Shepard foundations team up PAGE 14 for month-long project in Orlando this year SOUTHFLORIDAGAYNEWS @SOFLAGAYNEWS SFGN.COM NEWS highlight southFloridaGaynews.com February 28, 2018 • Volume 9 • issue 9 2520 n. dixie highway • wilton Manors, Fl 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943 Publisher • norm Kent [email protected] chief executive offi cer • Pier Angelo Guidugli associate Publisher / executive editor • Jason Parsley [email protected] editorial art director • Brendon Lies [email protected] the dolphin democrats’ Annual membership meeting. digital content director • Brittany Ferrendi Photo: Dolphin Democrats, Facebook. [email protected] designer • Char Pratt copyeditor • Kerri Covington arts/entertainment editor • JW Arnold [email protected] DOLPHIN DEMS ACCUSEd oF ‘riGGinG’ theIR ENDORSEMENT social Media Manager • Tucker Berardi District 2 candidate Tim Smith left off ballot giving members only one option [email protected] Food/travel editor • Rick Karlin Michael d’Oliveira Gazette news editor • Michael d'Oliveira hiV editor • Sean McShee senior Photographer • J.R. Davis [email protected] t the Feb. 21 meeting of the Dolphin get involved in the matter. of Smith’s campaign, wrote in an email to senior Features correspondents Democrats, “the fi x was in.” In an email to Smith from Dolphin SFGN that he was at the meeting and is Jesse Monteagudo • Tony Adams A That’s according to Tim Smith, Democrats President Scott Herman, critical of what happened. He said a request correspondents the former city commissioner who is provided by Smith, Herman wrote that “. by Democratic U.S. Congressman Alcee Dori Zinn • Donald Cavanaugh • Christiana Lilly running to be Fort Lauderdale’s next Dist. 2 I’m consulting with others to make sure the L. Hastings for the Dolphin Democrats to • Denise Royal • Sean McShee • David-Elijah commissioner. In an email to SFGN, Smith process is followed in order to be fair.” support human rights, not just gay rights, was Nahmod said it was unfair that his opponent, Steve Asked about the endorsement process by ignored. contributing columnists Glassman, a gay man, was the only person SFGN, Herman said Smith’s name was not “His message was entirely lost on the Brian McNaught • Dana Rudolph • Ric Reily • on the Dist. 2 endorsement voting ballot the on the ballot because of his organization’s Dolphin Democrats. They immediately Terri Schlichenmeyer Dolphin Democrats gave to its members. bylaws. “He missed the deadline,” Herman proceeded to shut out Tim Smith as a associate Photographers The Dolphin Democrats is the LGBT said. candidate for their endorsement leaving Carina Mask • Pompano Bill • Steven Shires democratic club of Broward County. According to the bylaws, “All requests a single gay man as the ONLY option for sales & Marketing “They assured me that my questionnaire for endorsements must be submitted to a endorsement by the organization’s voters. For ad placement in sFGn, had been logged in and if I made it to the member of the current Executive Board at The Smith supporters, a mostly gay turnout, contact 954-530-4970 general election, I could compete for their least thirty (30) days prior to the next General were incredulous,” Hartman wrote. sales Manager • Justin Wyse endorsement then. Imagine my surprise Membership Meeting.” Barry Curtis, a gay man who has criticized [email protected] advertising sales associate • Edwin Neimann when the ballot came out last night with The Primary election was held on Jan. 16 Glassman, but whose voting intentions [email protected] only Steve Glassman’s name on it. The fi x and the Dolphin Dems membership meeting SFGN was unable to ascertain before press distribution services • Rocky Bowell was in, process completely rigged, and I am was held on Feb. 21, which means the time, wrote on Facebook that the Dolphin Dilan Hebert truly disappointed that an organization with candidates had about 5 days to submit their Democrats treated Smith very unfairly. a mission to stop discrimination, would so request for endorsement. “The Dolphin Democrats should be national advertising blatantly discriminate,” Smith wrote. “They On its Facebook page on Feb. 22, the Dolphin ashamed of themselves. We as gay people Rivendell Media 212-242-6863 said it was just a technical ‘by-laws issue,’ but Democrats stated, “Candidate Tim Smith have been screaming for the world to judge [email protected] everyone saw through it, even Commissioner made a point of order regarding him being me for who I am not what I am. This group accounting services by CG Bookkeeping [Dean] Trantalis said out loud – ‘that’s not left off the ballot considering he submitted proved tonight what hypocrites they are Printing by sun coast Press right.’ I have been a strong LGBT activist for a questionnaire in DecemberMEMBER or January when it comes the race for commissioner decades, well known in my public positions of 2017/18, but The Parliamentarian and for district 2. There are 2 people running for for the LGBT community, and don’t know other Directors ruled that Smith submitted commissioner of this district not just 1.” quite how to feel.” an endorsement request/questionnaire for of Asked by SFGN about his alleged the primary election and that endorsement SFGNWINNER statement, Trantalis declined to confi rm or requests must be made for each election & 5 FLORIDA PRESS CLUB Awards The General election will take And runner-up for deny that he made it and said that he wasn’t separately, and thus CandidateMEMBER Tim Smith qualifi ed to speak about the inner workings was not eligible.” place March 13. NLGJA Journalist of the Year of the Dolphin Democrats and didn’t want to Mark Hartman, a gay man who is a part South Florida Gay News is published weekly. The opinions expressed in columns, stories, and letters to the editor do not see our neWs in Video represent the opinions of SFGN, or the Publisher. You should not Cover: photo courtesy of Sara Grossman. presume the sexual orientation of individuals based on their names Online now! or pictorial representations. Furthermore the word “gay” in SFGN should be interpreted to be inclusive of the entire LGBT community. MEMBER All of the material/columns that appears in print and online, including articles used in conjunction with the AP, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher, at his law offi ce, at [email protected]. SFGN, as a private corporation, reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the Associated Press suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs. Copyright © 2018 South Florida Gay News.com, Inc. 2 • 2.28.2018 MEMBER NEWS national Annise Parker, president of the Victory Fund and the former mayor of Houston. Photo courtesy of Annise Parker. VICTORY FUND GEARING UP FOR ELECTIONS John McDonald n Texas politics, lesbians are a winning makes one viable,” Parker said. “The issues are bet. different, the personalities are different and I “It’s been a good state for strong the political team has to drill down. It doesn’t women,” said Victory Fund President Annise mean they have to be universally popular, it Parker. “Lesbians in Texas have done really means they have to be able to put together a well.” winning combination of issues and campaign Parker, the former mayor of Houston, team and have some understanding of the arrived in Fort Lauderdale Thursday afternoon dynamics at play. We can lay out a path to for a few days of campaigning for candidates victory.” in South Florida. In her home state of Texas, Parker served six years as Mayor of Parker has seen lesbians win campaigns for Houston. She was a Houston Commissioner sheriff and district attorney. and the city’s controller before being elected “In terms of really moving up the ladder Mayor. She was named one of the 100 most women have done well,” Parker said. “We influential people in the world in 2010 by don’t care where you are from. You don’t have Time Magazine. to be born there. It’s not like the South where At Victory Fund, Parker said, the everybody wants to know ‘who your people organization very much believes in promoting are?’ and ‘Where ya from?’…. We don’t really quality candidates and growing careers. care, it’s what you can do and that attitude has Parker cited Fort Lauderdale Commissioner allowed us to flourish there.” Dean Trantalis and Florida Representative Parker took over as President of the Victory David Richardson as examples of candidates Fund last year. The organization was founded taking their talents to another level. in 1991 as the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund. Trantalis came in first in Fort Lauderdale’s “Our mission is to elect LGBTQ candidates Mayoral election primary with 46 percent of wherever they are and whatever political the vote. Richardson, a Miami Democrat, is party they are in,” said Parker in an interview seeking an open Congressional seat in district with SFGN at Warsaw Coffee Company on 27. Northeast 13th Street in Fort Lauderdale. “Our “I just learned that race may be a little bread and butter is actually local races.” disruptive,” Parker said. “Donna Shalala To be endorsed by the Victory Fund a (former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human candidate must fulfill three basic requirements: Services) is thinking about it and that would Live an open LGBT life, fight anti-LGBT be a game changer in that race, but David has legislation and believe in a right to privacy.