Watermark Out News 33.03: Racing the Clock

Ryan Williams-Jent EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ryan@WatermarkOutNews.com

EDITOR’S DESK

Unprecedented Times — Again

THE INTERNET LIKES TO SAY

millennials have lived through an unprecedented number of unprecedented times. It sure feels like it sometimes.

Not that this millennial thinks it’s a competition. Generational warfare is lazy and I fully understand that every human being has faced significant hurdles in life, whatever year they were born.

Like so many of us, I’m just tired of how harrowing some of these moments in time have become.

For me, these flashpoints in history began with 9/11. I was in high school and remember the day’s chaos and confusion so vividly. I’ll never forget watching the towers fall with my class. Abject horror.

I’ll also never forget the days after. Many Americans recall the unity that enveloped our country after 9/11, which certainly existed, but that’s not what I remember most from growing up in Ohio.

What sticks with me is learning how xenophobic this country could become, which isn’t a popular talking point. I still remember arguing with my Social Studies teacher, an adult responsible for children, that history had proven domestic terrorists could be white as well as brown.

I moved to Florida after college, a major life change set during the Great Recession. It was an exciting time to try to get a job, to say the least.

Not all unprecedented times are bad, of course. I proudly voted for President Barack Obama twice and remember celebrating each victory with new friends. I’ll also never forget watching SCOTUS rule on marriage equality with my boyfriend, now my husband.

The era has more moments I’d rather forget, however, including the rise of Donald Trump. The launch of his first presidential campaign stands out.

“When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best… they’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems,” he said in his first speech. “They’re bringing drugs.

They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”

It was clear from the beginning that he sought to “other” anyone who didn’t look like him. His xenophobia reminded me of my high school teacher.

Trump’s electoral victory over one of the most qualified presidential candidates in U.S. history still turns my stomach, but his first term was an unprecedented time in and of itself.

Key moments include Aug. 12, 2017. That’s when a neo-Nazi murdered U.S. citizen Heather Heyer in Virginia and the president proclaimed there were “very fine people on both sides.”

Trump completely mismanaged the COVID-19 pandemic after that, the impact of which is still being felt, and failed our country as we reckoned with the murder of George Floyd and other Black Americans in 2020.

He also permanently stained American history on Jan. 6, 2021. Everyone in this country knows what happened that day, no matter how many pardons the president issues. Most of us watched it happen on live TV.

Three major flashpoints follow, beginning with Trump’s victory over Kamala Harris in 2024. The former VP warned Americans he would “use the United States military against American citizens who simply disagree with him” if re-elected, which brings us to the very preventable and very dark days we find ourselves in now.

Renee Good, a 37-year-old wife and mother in Minneapolis, was shot and killed by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer Jan. 7. Her wife said she “lived by an overarching belief: there is kindness in the world and we need to do everything we can to find

it where it resides and nurture it where it needs to grow.”

Just weeks later, a Border Patrol agent shot and killed Alex Pretti on Jan. 24. The 37-year-old ICU nurse worked at the Minneapolis VA and his parents said he “wanted to make a difference in this world.”

Like Good before him, it very much appears that he did. They should both be here to see it.

These U.S. citizens were murdered by the U.S. government, which maintains at this point that

The truth matters.

they’ve done nothing wrong. Video evidence contradicts this.

Unprecedented times indeed, and a reminder to take care of ourselves and each other however we can. Please use whatever privilege you have to speak out against injustice for those who can’t, like Good and Pretti. The truth matters.

In this issue we focus on another concern. The Florida Department of Health has announced changes to the state’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program and advocates sound the alarm, warning thousands could soon be without lifesaving medication.

In news, Winter Pride prepares to light up St. Petersburg with an LGBTQ+ laser installation and the Susan Terry Foundation issues three new grants. We also highlight the opening of Anthem in Orlando and preview the ninth annual ReadOUT.

Watermark Out News is proud to be your LGBTQ+ news source. Please stay safe, stay informed and enjoy this latest issue.

JOHNNY V. BOYKINS is a political organizer, a husband, bow tie aficionado, amateur chef and U.S. Coast Guard veteran. Page 15

ZAIRA CAMPOS is a storyteller and photographer who believes in the power of community. She celebrates the stories that bring people closer to themselves and each other. Page 19

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

BUREAU CHIEF’S DESK

Where Do We Go From Here?

WHEN I LOOK AT THE STATE OF

the world, I worry for what the future will hold and what impact the decisions of those in charge will

have on it.

It’s been a very dark month of news and if you aren’t angry then you aren’t paying attention. Most recently on Jan. 24, a Border Patrol agent shot and killed a man identified as Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old who sources say worked as an ICU nurse.

It is the second fatal shooting in Minneapolis by immigration agents this month. Earlier this month Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old woman was shot and killed by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer Jan. 7. Becca Good, the widow of Renee Nicole Good, said her wife “was made of sunshine” in her first public statement.

Good remembered her wife as a woman defined by kindness. “Renee lived by an overarching belief: there is kindness in the world and we need to do everything we can to find it where it resides and nurture it where it needs to grow,” she wrote.

Like they did with Good, Trump administration officials immediately defended the action as self-defense while blaming the victim — in this case claiming Pretti was a “domestic terrorist” intending to “massacre” officers. There are multiple bystander videos and witness testimony that contradict that.

Pretti can be seen holding only a phone in his hand before at least six officers tackle him, pinning him face down on the ground and shooting him in the back, firing what sounds like 10 shots.

If you haven’t seen the video, please view at your own discretion. But to see officials shoot Pretti that many times, while he was already on the ground was heartbreaking. It’s very dystopian to know that we can witness a murder from our phones.

Pretti was a U.S. citizen with no known criminal record. DHS says he was armed, and the city’s police chief confirmed he had a lawful permit to carry. Minnesota is an open carry state, but it requires a valid permit to carry a handgun in public.

One video appears to show an officer take away his gun just before another shoots him. This cannot be our new normal. Again, if you aren’t angry, you aren’t paying attention.

When I look at the local level, it worries me to know ICE is in Orlando. Rep. Maxwell Frost posted a video onto X saying his office has confirmed that ICE agents are securing “pretty large” hotel reservations as staging areas. According to Frost, agents have been spotted at UCF, Winter Garden and Altamonte Springs. I live in Winter Garden, I have many friends that live in the UCF area, and I worry for what could happen.

Since the year started, I’ve been carrying around my passport ID card with me because it scares me to know that something can happen. Even then I worry that won’t be enough. Will I still be detained if that proof isn’t enough for the agent? Will I or my loved ones be taken away? If I am feeling this way I know there are others out there who may be more scared depending on their personal situation.

On top of all that, the governor recently celebrated the “success” of Operation Tidal Wave, which launched eight months ago. Through it, Florida law enforcement agencies have arrested more than 10,400 immigrants; the initiative is a partnership with ICE, and the governor has been proud of all the efforts Florida law enforcement agencies have put into it.

Numerous county sheriff offices also played a critical role

in supporting ICE operations, including Orange County. It has been reported that from the total number of those detained in the jails, 6,000 came through Orange County.

In this issue, we learn about another crisis: the changes coming to those who rely on Florida’s AIDS Drugs Assistance Program. Thousands of Floridians that rely on the program must find alternative ways to afford their HIV/AIDS medication.

I’ve been carrying around my passport ID card because it scares me to know that something can happen.

In Central Florida news coverage, Anthem Orlando holds its grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The night included a preview of the food menu by Chef Pom Moongauklang.

In Tampa Bay news coverage, Winter Pride details this year’s second annual celebration set for Feb. 15-22. There will be a LGBTQ+-focused laser installation called “Global Rainbow: We Rise in Light.”

We also look at OUT Arts & Culture as it welcomes hundreds of LGBTQ+ bibliophiles, authors and allies to Gulfport for the ninth annual ReadOUT Feb. 6-8. The weekend will be a celebration of queer literature and community.

Make sure to know your rights, be vigilant and stay safe. I hope you will continue to support Watermark Out News and trust us to be your LGBTQ+ news source.

JOHNNY V. BOYKINS is a political organizer, a husband, bow tie aficionado, amateur chef and U.S. Coast Guard veteran. Page 15

ZAIRA CAMPOS is a storyteller and photographer who believes in the power of community. She celebrates the stories that bring people closer to themselves and each other. Page 19

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

FORMER ORANGE COUNTY TEACHER PLEADS GUILTY TO TRYING TO LURE TEEN FOR SEX

Bellanee Plaza

ORLANDO | Eric Patrick, a former Orange County Public School teacher whose husband Richard Kowalczyk previously owned Southern Nights Orlando and Tampa, pleaded guilty Jan. 15 to attempting to lure a 15-year-old for sex, court records show.

The couple was indicted on multiple counts involving child pornography last year. Patrick’s move comes weeks before they were set to go to trial in federal court.

Patrick pleaded guilty to attempting to entice a teenager, whom the prosecution said he and Kowalczyk met on Grindr, according to the plea agreement. The couple was engaging in graphic exchanges on the messenger platform Telegram.

If a federal judge approves the agreement, two of the charges against Patrick would be dropped: conspiracy to entice a minor and distribution of child sexual abuse material.

The agreement doesn’t mention an agreed-to sentence but says Patrick would have to register as a sex offender and agree to cooperate with prosecutors against his husband.

The indictment, handed down by a federal grand jury Dec. 18, 2024, and filed Jan. 2, 2025, charged Kowalczyk with conspiracy to entice a minor, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, two counts of receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography.

In conversations occurring between April 16, 2022, and Aug. 15, 2022, Kowalczyk and the individual discussed past sexual encounters involving minors and exchanged images and videos featuring minors suspected to be as young as seven years old.

The investigation led law enforcement to seize Kowalczyk’s iPhone on Feb. 8, 2023. The same day, a search warrant was executed at Kowalczyk’s Orlando residence where he resided with Patrick.

According to the indictment, investigators found 83 images and two videos saved on Kowalczyk’s iPhone of child exploitation. Some of the images are of minors under 12 years of age.

A further search of Kowalczyk’s electronic devices revealed messages sent from November 2019 to March 2021 between Kowalczyk and Patrick which included images and discussions of child exploitation.

Southern Nights issued a statement on its social media on Jan. 15, 2025, addressing the indictment Kowalczyk. They confirmed he was no longer affiliated with Southern Nights Orlando or Southern Nights Tampa, the latter of which closed and rebranded as Disco Pony Nightclub last year.

Kowalczyk’s trial is expected to begin Feb. 2.

central florida news

NIGHT OF CELEBRATION:

ANTHEM ORLANDO HOST GRAND OPENING WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS

Bellanee Plaza

ORLANDO | Anthem Orlando welcomed community leaders, partners and other supporters to a ribbon cutting ceremony Jan. 24 to mark its grand opening.

With live music by Blue Star and Grammy Award–winning DJ Tracy Young, the venue filled up throughout the evening. The night included offerings curated by Culinary Director and Chef Pom Moongauklang.

Mike Vacirca and his husband Emmanuel Quinones are the owners and founders of Anthem Orlando.

The venue is described as a haven for LGBTQ+ people to connect and express themselves.

“This space is deeply personal to us it, it represents years of dreams, late nights, risk taking and moments where we had to trust our heart even when the path was uncertain,” Vacirca said.

Vacirca has said places like Anthem send a clear message that those in the LGBTQ+ community are welcomed, celebrated and safe.

The grand opening menu included mini truffle Caeser bites, goat cheese bruschetta, kimchi

watermelon, lemongrass pork sliders, yuzu ahi guacamole and Thai peanut chicken.

Orlando Commissioner Shan Rose and former state Sen. Linda Stewart, who is running for Orange County Commissioner, stood with the team members of Anthem Orlando during the ribbon cutting. Trina Gregory, Se7enBites owner, was also in attendance.

Celebrated entertainer Darcel Stevens opened the night with some words for Vacirca and Quinones, advising he is looking forward to the growth of Anthem. He described the space as an oasis.

“We want to thank Anthem for providing a space that we can perform our artistry… where spaces are limited, we try to bring our talent to any space that accepts us but nowhere feels more comfortable than when we are in a space that is LGBTQ owned and gender loving,” Stevens said.

Quinones spoke after and said Anthem is a place for those looking for their found family, that need to be seen or that need a friend. He thanked his family and friends for all their support and belief in Vacirca and himself.

Anthem was born from a powerful belief: everyone deserves a space where they can feel fully

themselves; celebrated, safe and surrounded by love, he’s noted.

Vacirca also said Anthem Orlando would not have happened if it weren’t for investors such as Pineapple Healthcare.

He described the opening as a dream he couldn’t believe was coming true.

Ethan Suarez, CEO of Pineapple Healthcare, thanked guests for showing up and for supporting queer-owned businesses.

“It’s not just our time and money that we have invested into Mike and Manny, it is our love and passion to see a business grow in the city of Orlando,” Suarez said.

“It is time for us to make a change in downtown,” he continued. “As a city built on dreams and doing the impossible, we are doing it here in downtown, we are creating safe spaces for queer people, and we are showing that Orlando is a place to keep dancing.”

Anthem Orlando is located at 100 N. Orange Ave. in downtown Orlando and is open Monday-Sunday. For more information, visit AnthemOrlando.com. You can also view photos from the grand opening at WatermarkOutNews.com.

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SUSAN TERRY FOUNDATION AWARDS $85K IN GRANTS ACROSS TAMPA BAY

Ryan Williams-Jent

TAMPA BAY | The Susan Terry Foundation has awarded $85,000 in community grants to “address the needs of Tampa Bay’s HIV community through mental health, prevention, education and food insecurity support.”

The foundation works to empower people affected by HIV as the charitable arm of CAN Community Health. The grants will benefit three organizations, the first of which is Sarasota’s Fabulous Arts Foundation.

The nonprofit was awarded $35,000 for its Fab Mental Health program, which offers affirming therapy and support for LGBTQ+ individuals living with or affected by HIV in the region.

The second is St. Petersburg’s Mount Zion Human Services, which was awarded $25,000. The grant will benefit its Wellness for All: Health Education, Empowerment and Equity initiative, which integrates HIV education and more into its work.

CAN, headquartered in Tampa, also received $25,000. The funds will benefit its Nourish to Flourish program, a support initiative that addresses food insecurity among patients.

“We’re committed to supporting partners who are creating meaningful, measurable change in the fight against HIV,” Susan Terry Foundation Executive Director Ray Carson said. “These three programs stood out because they reach people with empathy, knowledge and practical support, meeting community members exactly where they are. Their impact can change lives — and in many cases, futures.”

“We are deeply grateful to the Susan Terry Foundation for their generous $35,000 investment in Fabulous Arts Foundation’s mental health programming,” says Shannon Fortner, executive director of FabAF.

“This support allows us to expand critical mental health services and clinician-led support groups for individuals living with HIV, while also strengthening our broader community-based programming rooted in healing, dignity and creative expression,” they continue. “At a time when access to affirming mental health care is more vital than ever, this funding helps ensure that people impacted by HIV are met with compassion, resources and a supportive community where they can truly thrive.”

Each recipient was graded by a grants advisory committee, which will oversee the foundation’s next grant cycle. Applications are open through May 1.

Supporting organizations working to empower people affected by HIV is “even more important now than it was we formed,” Carson says. “We have to use philanthropic dollars as wisely as possible and invest in programs that stand out and fill gaps.”

For more information about the Susan Terry Foundation and to apply for grants, visit SusanTerryFoundation.org. Read more about FabAF, Mount Zion and CAN at FabAF.org, MZHS.org and CANCommunityHealth.org.

tampa bay news

WINTER PRIDE FUNDRAISING TO LIGHT UP ST. PETERSBURG WITH ‘GLOBAL RAINBOW’

Ryan Williams-Jent

ST. PETERSBURG | Winter

Pride has announced this year’s second annual celebration, set for Feb. 15-22, will include an LGBTQ+-focused laser installation called “Global Rainbow: We Rise in Light.”

“At a moment when LGBTQIA+ visibility is being challenged nationwide, Winter Pride is responding with light, visibility and purpose,” the nonprofit shared Jan. 12. The group is fundraising to illuminate the city’s skyline with “a large-scale rainbow laser” from the Mari Jean Hotel Feb. 19-21.

Organizers say the inaugural Winter Pride welcomed 57,000 supporters to St. Petersburg last February. The festivities preceded the removal of the city’s Progressive Pride street mural and more, which inspired this year’s celebration to become even more visible.

Winter Pride Executive Director Rob Hall notes that “Global Rainbow: We Rise in Light” is about more than the removal of local art, however.

“It’s about the growing voices in Tallahassee and Washington that are actively trying to erase LGBTQIA+ people from public life,”

he explains. “This is our response. We are choosing light over fear, visibility over silence and love over erasure.”

The installation will be provided by Global Rainbow, led by celebrated artist Yvette Mattern. Her large-scale laser works have appeared in New York, Miami, London, Provincetown, Las Vegas and Berlin.

“Throughout my work around the world, I’ve learned that light carries meaning far beyond aesthetics,” Mattern says. “In moments when communities are pushed into silence, light becomes a form of presence and protest.

“Bringing Global Rainbow to Winter Pride ... is about refusing to disappear, choosing visibility over fear, and reminding people that even in dark moments, we can still be seen,” she continues.

Fundraising for “Global Rainbow” is underway, efforts which were initially backed by Inclusive Care Group. Winter Pride says they were “the first major contributor, along with donations from individuals across the community who believe in standing up for inclusion, dignity and belonging.”

Winter Pride says they need to raise $40,000 for the project, which is not yet fully funded. ICG

and generous donors have already exceeded half of the goal.

“When you donate, you’re not just funding an installation,” organizers noted. “You’re helping create a moment of collective visibility and hope.”

“For many in our community, these lights are meant to be a reminder that they are not alone,” Hall added. “This is a project we’re building together and we’re inviting others to help us bring it to life.”

David Fischer, a Winter Pride board member who owns the Mari Jean Hotel and LGBTQ+ hotspots Cocktail, The Wet Spot and The Ball, also shared that the installation “reflects the heart of St. Petersburg and the strength of its community.”

A lighting party is currently scheduled for Feb. 19 at 5 p.m. at Cocktail.

“Global Rainbow” is set to illuminate from dusk until 3 a.m. from the building that night through Feb. 21.

Winter Pride is scheduled Feb. 15-22 in St. Petersburg. Donate to “Global Rainbow: We Rise in Light” and learn more at WinterPrideSaintPete.com.

IN OTHER NEWS

US JUDGE UPHOLDS TEXAS DRAG SHOW BAN

A federal judge’s ruling has reset the legal fight over a drag show ban at West Texas A&M. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk ruled Jan. 17 that the university did not violate the First Amendment by blocking a 2023 drag show by the student group Spectrum WT. Kacsmaryk, appointed by Donald Trump, has drawn national attention for rulings favorable to Republican officials and conservative legal groups in abortion and LGBTQ+ rights cases. The now-canceled appeal focused on whether Spectrum WT’s drag show should be allowed to proceed while the lawsuit was pending. Once Kacsmaryk issued a final ruling, the appeals court dismissed the appeal.

EEOC RESCINDS LGBTQ+ GUIDANCE

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has voted 2–1 to repeal its 2024 guidance, rolling back formally expanded protections for LGBTQ workers under former President Joe Biden. The EEOC, which is composed of five commissioners, is tasked with enforcing federal laws that make workplace discrimination illegal. Since Donald Trump appointed two Republican commissioners last year, the commission’s majority has increasingly aligned its work with conservative priorities. The dissenting vote came from the commission’s sole Democratic member. While this now rescinded EEOC guidance is not legally binding, it is often cited by judges deciding novel legal issues.

HRC WARNS OF FALTERING PROGRESS

The Human Rights Campaign hosted its 2026 Election Strategy Kick-Off meeting this month in D.C., where leaders shared polling data detailing how Donald Trump’s first year back in office has affected LGBTQ Americans. “The emergency that we warned about is no longer a warning — it is the reality that we are living inside,” HRC President Kelley Robinson said. “Donald Trump may not have started this fire, but he surely poured gasoline on it.” Among other points, data found that 21.6% of all U.S. adults say acceptance of LGBTQ+ people has declined in the past year.

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM INCLUDES ‘PRIDE ON THE PROMENADE’

A dozen companies participating in the World Economic Forum on Jan. 21 lit up their venues on the Davos promenade in rainbow colors. Amazon, Axios, Bloomberg, Circle, Cisco, Cloudflare, Edelman Trust House, Hub Culture, Salesforce, SAP, Snowflake and Workday participated in the initiative” that GLAAD, Open for Business and the Partnership for Global LGBTIQ+ Equality organized. “World leaders, corporate executives, and global media are discussing new ways to evolve inclusion and social issues, but leaders in those institutions and our community as a whole need to do more to support LGBTQ people globally,” GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis shared.

state, nation+world news

LGBTQ+ ADVOCATES PUSH BACK ON SLATE OF ‘BIGOTED’ LEGISLATION IN TALLAHASSEE

Mitch

Perry via Florida Phoenix

TALLAHASSEE | Members of the LGBTQ+ community and their advocates spoke out in the state Capitol Jan. 21 against the latest assortment of proposed legislation they call “smoke bombs” — culture war measures targeting the LGBTQ+ community.

They contend these measures have been crafted to distract Floridians from the “failure” of Gov. Ron DeSantis and his legislative allies to address the “real crisis” facing the state — lack of affordability, a housing emergency and skyrocketing property insurance costs.

“These distractions are intended to take our attention away from real corruption in the state Florida,” said Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, speaking specifically to a bill (SB 1010) that calls for third-degree felony charges and up to $100,000 in fines for doctors and school counselors if they advise minors to undergo transgender therapies.

“It’s another smoke bomb intended to distract from the current grand jury investigation into the $10 million he laundered for Hope Florida and stole to pay for political advertisements,” Smith added, referring to the investigation into Casey DeSantis’ Hope Florida Foundation that began last fall in Tallahassee.

That investigation is focused on a $10 million donation the DeSantis administration steered to the foundation from a settlement between a Medicaid provider and the state over alleged overpayments. The foundation is reportedly under investigation for in turn steering money to nonprofits that then gave money to Keep Florida Clean, a political committee headed by Attorney General James Uthmeier, who was Ron DeSantis’ chief of staff at the time.

State Rep. Anna Eskamani is a candidate for Orlando mayor next year. She said that despite the “hyper politicization” of anti-LGBTQ+ proposals, the public is more open to that community.

“I had a meeting with Orlando conservatives at the beginning of last year, and later I sat in on a trans support group to hear what their concerns were about policy, about politics, about their communities,” she said. “And despite what you would assume are two very different groups of people, their needs were exactly the same. They want us to focus on affordability. They want us to focus on safety. They want us to focus on good jobs.”

Equality Florida, the state’s leading LGBTQ+ advocacy group, organized the press conference in Tallahassee, and invited parents of transgendered children to speak. Stratton Pollitzer, the group’s executive director, said SB 1010 goes “much further” than legislation passed in 2023 banning doctors from providing gender-affirming care to patients under 18 years of age.

“This would include counselors and therapists,” he said. “We know that these children have special needs. We heard that from a parent today, who talked about the crippling depression his son faced until they got a good therapist. This creates a scenario where you won’t be able to find a therapist willing to talk to your family at all because they’re afraid of a $100,000 lawsuit.”

Among the other bills LGBTQ+ advocates are opposing this session are HB 347/SB 426.

The bill is labeled the “Adoption and Display of Flags by Government Entities” but Equality Florida is calling it the “Pride Flag Ban” measure. It would prohibit governmental entities from displaying, placing, or causing to be placed certain flags on real property.

“This is literally the fourth year in a row that they have tried to do this bill, and every single year, we the people have defeated it,” said Smith.

Other bills on Equality Florida’s radar this session include HB 641/SB 1642, “Gender Identity Employment Practices,” which Equality Florida labels the “Don’t Say Gay or Trans at Work” bill.

It would enact regulations on pronoun use in public and certain private workplaces. It would shield employees from accountability for anti-trans harassment via intentional misgendering, and prohibit inclusion of a transgender or nonbinary gender option on any job application or related employment form. The bill also would prohibit LGBTQ-related cultural competency training requirements for government workers.

HB 1001/SB 1134, “Official Actions of Local Governments,” would stop cities and counties from funding, promoting, or taking official action as it relates to diversity, equity, and inclusion. It would prohibit counties and municipalities from expending funds for diversity, equity and inclusion offices or officers and says that county commissioners, city council member, or any other county or municipal official acting in official capacity who violates certain provisions “commits misfeasance or malfeasance in office.”

Equality Florida contends that the bill would effectively ban local governments from a range of actions like hosting or supporting Pride events, offering LGBTQ+ cultural competency training, or recognizing contributions of Black civil rights leaders during Black History Month.

Most Americans support anti-discrimination protections for transgender people, according to a Pew Research Center survey from a year ago. But that poll also found the public favors GOP-backed policies barring gender transitions for minors and compelling trans athletes to play on teams that match their sex assigned at birth.

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.

ANEW YEAR ARRIVES

each January bearing a familiar invitation: to pause, to reflect and to begin again.

It is a season marked by resolutions and reckoning, by the quiet hope that what lies ahead can be shaped differently than what came before. We take stock not only of our personal lives, but of our shared civic life. Renewal, after all, is not merely private. Nations, like individuals, must periodically examine their values, confront their failures and recommit themselves to the principles they claim to hold sacred.

“My country, ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.” These opening words are both a promise and a challenge. They speak not only of what America claims to be, but of what it demands from those who call it home.

Liberty, in the American tradition, is not inherited like property nor preserved by inertia. It is sustained only through vigilance, participation and moral courage. Five years after January 6, we must confront an uncomfortable truth: liberty, once taken for granted, can be weakened not only by foreign enemies but by domestic neglect, disinformation and silence.

“My Country, ’Tis of Thee” is a hymn rooted in aspiration. Written when freedom was unevenly applied and fiercely contested, it imagined a nation that could rise above its contradictions. Its verses celebrate “freedom’s holy light” while calling the land to “ring with freedom’s song.” The song is not passive. It is not a lullaby. It is a summons, a demand that citizens participate in the work of democracy, even when that work is difficult, messy or personally uncomfortable.

January 6 stands as a stark interruption to that song. On that day, the seat of American democracy was breached not by a foreign army, but by fellow citizens driven by falsehoods, fear and a rejection of democratic outcomes. The violence of that moment was shocking, but perhaps more troubling was the erosion it revealed: a weakening trust in institutions, an indifference to truth and a willingness to trade democratic principles for partisan victory.

Five years later, the question is not whether January 6 was significant; it is whether we have learned from it. Yet January 6 was not an endpoint. It was a warning flare. In the years since, we have seen that democratic erosion

does not always announce itself with mobs and broken windows. Sometimes it arrives through policy choices and enforcement practices that stretch the bounds of accountability.

The recent escalation of federal immigration enforcement, marked by heavily armed operations, aggressive tactics and limited transparency, has raised urgent questions about proportionality, oversight and the balance between security and civil liberty.

The murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota have become painful symbols of those tensions. Their deaths remind us that when power operates without sufficient restraint or public trust, the cost is borne not in abstractions, but in human lives.

Patriotism is often misunderstood as uncritical loyalty. But the truest form of patriotism is rooted in responsibility. To love one’s country is to hold it accountable to its ideals.

“My Country, ’Tis of Thee” does not celebrate power or dominance; it celebrates liberty. Liberty requires structure, laws, norms and peaceful transfers of power. When those are threatened, patriotism demands action, not applause, not slogans, but engagement.

Democracy is not self-executing. It relies on citizens who vote, stay informed and challenge lies — even when those lies are convenient or comforting. It depends on people willing to listen across differences and defend the rule of law even when outcomes disappoint them.

January 6 did not happen in isolation. Neither did the conditions that made tragedies like the Minnesota murders possible. These are products of years of civic erosion, where outrage replaced reason, fear displaced empathy and authority too often went unquestioned. If we treat these moments as isolated incidents rather

than connected warnings, we risk repeating them.

The fifth anniversary offers us the opportunity for a recommitment to truth as a civic value. Recommitment to democratic processes as legitimate even when imperfect. Recommitment to the idea that freedom is

mountainside.” That ringing is not automatic. It is produced by voices; voices that vote, speak, organize and stand up when silence feels safer.

Americans cannot outsource democracy to institutions alone. Courts, legislatures and enforcement agencies are only as strong

Liberty must be practiced, protected and, when necessary, defended.

collective, that one person’s liberty cannot come at the expense of another’s rights.

These are not abstract ideals. They show up in school board meetings, local elections, jury duty, community organizing and daily conversations where misinformation is either challenged or allowed to spread unchecked.

“My Country, ’Tis of Thee” reminds us that freedom is meant to “ring from every

as the public’s insistence on accountability. When citizens disengage, extremes fill the vacuum.

The task before us is clear. We must teach civic literacy with the same urgency as technical skill. We must reward leaders who respect democratic norms rather than those who exploit outrage or fear. We must recognize that freedom is not preserved by nostalgia, but by participation.

As we move into 2026, Americans face a choice: to treat democracy as fragile and therefore worthy of protection, or as inevitable and therefore expendable. History makes clear that only one of those paths leads to lasting freedom.

If the land is to remain “sweet,” if liberty is to remain more than a word, Americans must act — not someday, not abstractly, but now. Democracy does not survive on faith alone. It survives because ordinary people decide, again and again, that it is worth defending.

Zaira Campos

THE GOOD PAGE FEATURES

positive LGBTQ+ news in Central Florida and Tampa Bay, uplifting and inspiring stories highlighting locals in our community. In this issue, we meet Mimi Batista Tattoos.

Most tattoo studios promise great art. Few promise that you’ll leave feeling more at home in your body than when you had arrived.

When Mimi Batista opened her private studio in Orlando, the goal wasn’t just creative freedom, it was autonomy. One year in, Mimi Batista Tattoos has become a space where clients are encouraged to slow down, ask questions and take up space without apology. Tattoos happen there, yes. But so do conversations about history, grief, identity and healing.

Tattooing didn’t begin as a business plan for Batista. Years ago, seeing one of her own paintings become her first tattoo shifted something. What started as art became a way to reclaim control over her body and creative voice.

Reflecting on her first year in the studio, Batista describes

The Good Page

Mimi Batista Tattoos offers inclusive ink and more in Central Florida

the milestone through the lens of freedom.

“The feeling of autonomy and the freedom that I’ve gotten to make my own choices, that’s what made me realize, I did this for myself,” she says.

Running her own private studio allowed her to finally pursue her passions without compromise. That autonomy, she explains, changed not only how she works, but how she lives.

Batista is intentional about what “safe space” means in practice. Her studio prioritizes privacy, patience and consent from the first interaction to the moment clients leave.

“I don’t rush them,” she says. “If we need to change the design, we can. If we need to reschedule because you’re not ready, we can. It’s the whole experience, not just putting art on your body.”

Accessibility is a core part of that experience. Batista chose a larger, medical-grade tattoo

chair to accommodate clients of different body sizes and abilities. Having felt physically excluded in other spaces herself, she was determined to build a studio that was inclusive not just in theory, but in reality.

“I didn’t want anyone to leave feeling bad about their bodies,” she says. “Even if they loved their tattoo.”

While Batista works across styles, black and gray, fine line, botanicals, anime, she’s become especially known for cover-ups.

Clients kept seeking her out to rework tattoos tied to painful memories. Over time, she realized she had developed a specialty grounded in trust. Cover-ups, she explains, are often about emotional transformation as much as visual change.

“There’s a shift from something negative to something positive,” Batista says. “People leave saying, ‘I can love this part of my body again.’ That’s incredibly fulfilling.”

As a queer Puerto Rican artist, Batista sees art as inseparable from politics. “To be an artist is to be political,” she says. “To be human is to be political.”

Her studio is also a place for conversation and education.

Batista values being informed and intentional in the discussions she has with clients, especially during moments of vulnerability. Many leave not only with new ink, but with a new perspective, or a book recommendation to continue learning.

She believes artists carry influence, whether they claim it or not, and with that influence comes responsibility.

Batista often jokes that clients leave her chair with more than a tattoo, many walk out with a new historical thread to pull or a question they hadn’t thought to ask before.

When asked what community support means to her, Batista shares a moment that still lingers. At a gathering the night before her birthday,

community members sang to her, unprompted.

“It sounds like a small detail,” she says, “but it meant the world to me. To be seen is to be loved.”

That feeling, being truly seen, is what Batista hopes every client experiences in her studio.

The easiest way to support Mimi Batista Tattoos is by engaging with her work on Instagram at @mimimaude. Sharing her posts, commenting and recommending her to friends looking for a thoughtful tattoo experience all help her continue building a studio rooted in care.

If you’re considering a tattoo, Batista encourages people to take their time. Research your artist. Don’t rush the decision. And if now isn’t the right moment to book, visibility and word of mouth support still matter.

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.

RACING THE CLOCK

Florida ADAP cuts could leave thousands without HIV medication, advocates warn

Steve Blanchard

BIG CHANGES ARE COMING FOR

those who rely on Florida’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program, or ADAP, which advocates warn could be devastating for thousands of HIV/AIDS patients statewide.

Participants in the program, which provides valuable access to medication for people living with HIV and AIDS in Florida, received letters from the Florida Department of Health this month announcing that benefits of the program will no longer be available to them after March 1. It’s part of a sweeping cut to the program’s funding that officials say is necessary to make up for a $120 million shortfall in the state’s budget.

The result? Thousands of Floridians who rely on the program to remain healthy must find alternative ways to afford their HIV/AIDS medication, alter their medication or choose to go without it.

“This will be devastating for my constituents and for 30,000 Floridians statewide who depend on the ADAP program,” state Sen.

Carlos Guillermo Smith says. “We estimate that 16,000 Floridians can lose coverage completely as a result of this sudden and dramatic policy change and it’s a life and death situation for them.”

New guidelines will reduce the income eligibility for those who can access the program. Previously, those making up to 400% of the federal poverty level ($62,600) per year could rely on ADAP to assist in covering the costs of HIV/AIDS medications. The new cap makes assistance available only to those making up to 130% of the poverty level, or just over $20,300 per year.

It’s a drastic change that can mean life or death for many who rely on HIV medications and have difficulties paying for them, according to Michael Rajner, a former consumer representative with the Florida

Department of Health’s ADAP Advisory workgroup.

Rajner said that the news of cuts to ADAP is not only disturbing, but the way in which those changes are being communicated makes things even more unclear for those who must react quickly.

“The Department of Health’s website is so confusing and it’s unclear where you may fall with so many guidelines floating around,” Rajner explains. “What people are hearing verbally is different than what’s been written down and there are no assurances of what changes are to come.”

A lack of transparency is among the many issues advocates have with the sudden announcement from the Department of Health. For Sheryl Hoolsema, director of case management for Empath Partners for Care in Tampa Bay, frustrations run deep with case managers and clients.

“That frustration really comes from the lack of transparency from the state,” Hoolsema notes. “There have been no public hearings, no town halls and no focus groups. Where is the feedback and where did they come up with the 130%? It just seems random that they came up with this number and there is this wide gap of people who now

have nowhere to go for medication assistance.”

If medication is hard to find or afford, then those who require it may skip doses or fail to take it all together. That would have a drastic impact on Florida’s already high HIV transmission cases, according to George Wallace, executive director of The Center Orlando.

“It’s very scary,” he says. “We’ve come so far with science, technology and medication. Today people take medications to remain undetectable which makes it virtually impossible to transmit HIV. Without access to that medication, not only will the health of those who require the medication decline, but the HIV transmission rates in Florida will climb.”

Studies vary, but Florida consistently ranks among the top three states in the country with the most HIV diagnoses each year. Miami-Dade County and Central Florida are among the most elevated areas in the state reporting new diagnoses. Rajner calls ADAP a lifeline and a gamechanger for the HIV epidemic. Without it, popular and effective medications will be out of reach for so many who have come to rely on them.

Among Florida’s proposed ADAP changes are the medications that will be made available to participants. Most concerning for many is the state’s plan to eliminate access to the medication Biktarvy. Biktarvy is a once-a-day prescription medicine that combines three antiretroviral drugs into one pill. It is the most-prescribed treatment for HIV and is praised for its effectiveness in lowering transmission rates and making an “undetectable” status possible. Without assistance, the medication can cost upwards of $4,000 per month.

Descovy, a popular anti-viral medication used to both treat and prevent HIV, would be limited to only those on the program with renal insufficiency. That means many who rely on the drug as part of their HIV maintenance regimen would have to pay for it directly or find an alternative, regardless of where they fall on the federal poverty metric. Estimated costs for Descovy without insurance hover near $2,000 per month.

Advances in medicine have made the treatment regimen for HIV more manageable in recent years. Decades ago, multiple pills with numerous side effects were required to treat HIV. Today, fewer

pills mean it’s more sustainable to manage HIV in the long term. Forcing a change in that treatment would be detrimental to the health of thousands of Floridians, says Rajner.

Drugs like AZT and DDI that were prescribed in the early days of the AIDS crisis had terrible side effects. More effective medications that were easier to take followed the discovery of protease inhibitors, which paved the way for today’s combination therapy.

“Reducing the pill count to make it easier for someone to take those medications on a regular basis as prescribed to suppress viral load is critical,” Rajner says. “It is so critical that we don’t turn the clock back on HIV treatment, and that’s essentially what the health department is prescribing. That equates to medical malpractice coming from our surgeon general.”

If the changes to ADAP take effect as planned, Floridians from around the state will have to make difficult decisions.

“The reality is that many individuals will stop taking their HIV medications,” Smith says. “That means more health consequences for them and more transmissions as well. In a state that is number one for new HIV transmissions, it’s important to have medications available to keep people healthy and undetectable that lowers the risk of transmitting HIV to another person. Having a robust ADAP program that supports people living with HIV actually helps us all.”

The potential crisis that could befall the state has not gone unnoticed in Tallahassee. According to the Tampa Bay Times, Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo warned lawmakers that cuts to ADAP are “a really, really serious issue.”

Rajner is hopeful that public outcry and advocacy will adjust, delay or even prevent the proposed changes to the state’s ADAP from becoming permanent. Rajner says he has testified in two different committees in Tallahassee to explain how these changes will impact the state’s residents. Senators and representatives from both parties, he notes, seem to be paying attention.

“I have a sense of hope that the awareness we have brought about has elevated the issue and the legislators are alarmed,” Rajner advises. He adds that some legislators even requested private conversations with him regarding his concerns.

Smith also sees steps in the right direction but encourages Floridians to write and call their Florida elected officials to keep the ADAP program top of mind.

“We’ve seen some bipartisan pushback to these sudden changes and Republican [District 2 Senator] Jay Trumbull has directed the state surgeon general to talk to advocates and to hear concerns because the proposed changes will be devastating for Floridians,” he explains. “The state has given people who depend on ADAP virtually no time to make important decisions on how they are going to get medications.”

In mid-January, as letters from the Department of Health landed in mailboxes across the state informing those who rely on ADAP that their access would be limited or revoked, open enrollment

for the Affordable Care Act closed on Jan. 15.

“People are stuck,” he says. “January 15 has come and gone but March 1 is still ahead of us. People who were selecting plans in the ACA were screwed because these changes came out days before the closing of open enrollment. They went with the plan the Department of Health told them to go with.”

Rajner says he and other advocates are calling on Gov. Ron DeSantis to declare a state of emergency and use emergency funds to float the $120 million shortfall. It’s the least the governor could do, Rajner adds.

“This is the dismantling of a safety net program that has proven results, and without it we’re falling off a cliff,” Rajner stresses. “This is not the state legislature doing this. This is coming from

United, a non-profit organization committed to end the HIV epidemic in the United States, condemned the cuts, and the DeSantis administration specifically.

“AIDS United strongly condemns the Florida Department of Health’s decision, under Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration, to decimate Florida’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program,” the organization said in a release. “These actions will rip lifesaving medications away from Floridians living with HIV, increase new HIV transmissions and drive up long-term health care costs across the state.”

The International Association of Providers of AIDS Care estimates that approximately half of all Floridians who rely on ADAP for uninterrupted access to HIV treatment are at immediate risk of

It is so critical that we don’t turn the clock back on HIV treatment, and that’s essentially what the health department is prescribing. That equates to medical malpractice coming from our surgeon general.

—

MICHAEL RAJNER, FORMER CONSUMER REPRESENTATIVE WITH FLORIDA’S ADAP ADVISORY WORKGROUP

to the Affordable Care Act was ending. That meant most who could now be denied the assistance they’ve relied on for years had no notice and no recourse to find an alternative path to continue accessing their medications.

The cuts to the HIV program are cruel, but the timing of the notices is even more cruel, according to Hoolsema.

“This is just cruelty,” she says. “If we had time to do some of these changes, it would make a little more sense. We need time to try to figure out these things without having to make rash decisions. When you have to rush decisions … other things get left in the crosshairs.”

Rajner shares Hoolsema’s frustration, adding that Floridians have little or no recourse with the pending decisions from Tallahassee. Open enrollment

the DeSantis administration and it’s the administration that needs to do the turnaround. We need our legislators to make that message clear.”

Smith says that Floridians should not be punished for a budget shortfall, especially when funding for programs like ADAP should never simply disappear.

“For decades Florida has depended on federal dollars to fund the ADAP program,” Smith says. “Those dollars are intended only for ADAP and cannot be spent on anything other than ADAP. So many of us are very confused about where the funding for this program suddenly disappeared to. The state says there’s a $120 million shortfall ... There are a lot of questions that remain unanswered.”

As news spread of Florida’s decision to limit ADAP funding, HIV/AIDS organizations voiced their concerns nationwide. AIDS

HIV prevention, three to seven dollars are saved.”

Florida resident and co-executive director of The SERO Project Kamaria Laffrey calls the threat to ADAP funding “deeply personal.”

“Not only do I rely on this coverage to stay virally suppressed, but I also need it to manage other health issues as I age with HIV,” Laffrey wrote. “With no warning and no transparency, this feels like a random and unjustified attack on people simply trying to live.”

As March 1 quickly approaches, advocates, case managers and elected officials are raising the alarm in hopes that the funding crisis can be addressed and ADAP can remain untouched. Other states are watching, Rajner says, and what happens in Florida could have an impact on the HIV community across the country.

“Several other states are looking at how Florida does this and will be using it as a model,” Rajner notes. “It’s time to wake up, speak up and take action. We all need to resist and demand to be a part of this.”

Rajner adds that during a meeting with the state surgeon general’s staff, the 1983 Denver Principles were referenced. Those principles launched the self-empowerment movement for people living with HIV and highlight the importance of people living with HIV being directly involved with decisions involving their access to treatment.

having their medications disrupted. The organization condemned the two-month transition window that allows for people to secure coverage from other organizations.

This is “an unrealistic timeline in a fragmented insurance market,” the IAPAC statement reads. “Treatment disruption for a person living with HIV is not an administrative inconvenience; it is a clinical risk.”

Jermiah Johnson, executive director of PrEP4Aall and a co-founder of the Save HIV Funding campaign, urged the public to remain visible in the ADAP crisis to prevent “a catastrophic return to the darkest days of the AIDS crisis.”

“Those working to undermine HIV funding are not only showing inhuman cruelty toward people living with or vulnerable to HIV, but they are also being fiscally reckless,’ Johnson said in a statement.

“For every dollar invested in

But both advocates and allies must make their voices heard as well, Rajner continues. Rallies at the state capitol like the one pictured on p. 20 have brought those directly impacted by the funding decision to the front of the conversation in hopes that legislators will address the choice to sacrifice ADAP for budget shortfalls.

And even after the rallies, the conversation must continue, Smith adds.

“It’s important that everyone reach out to our state senators and state representatives and demand answers from the state of Florida,” he notes. “This is a policy decision that if unchanged, will cost lives. People need access to these medications to live and cutting them off from reimbursement under this program is going to lead to devastation.”

For more information about Florida’s ADAP program, visit FloridaHealth.gov.

NINTH ANNUAL READOUT CELEBRATES LGBTQ+ LITERATURE LITERATURE

Ryan Williams-Jent

OUT ARTS & CULTURE WILL

welcome hundreds of LGBTQ+ bibliophiles, authors and allies to Gulfport for the ninth annual ReadOUT Feb. 6-8, a celebration of queer literature and community.

“At a time when LGBTQ+ people ... are facing increased isolation, censorship and threats to safety, ReadOUT is intentionally doubling down on visibility, joy and community,” organizers advise. They say that ReadOUT, which will also be available virtually, is “a declaration that queer stories belong everywhere.”

This year’s celebration will feature over 50 authors, audiobook narrators and queer storytellers at the Catherine A. Hickman Theater. They’ll participate in over 20 panels and events with hundreds of participants.

“As LGBTQ+ cultural spaces continue to disappear … ReadOUT proudly centers Southern queer voices while welcoming acclaimed authors from across the country, creating a safe, joyful, and affirming space for readers and creators alike,” Out Arts & Culture advises. “This is what community looks like when it’s built with intention.”

Featured authors include Central Florida couple Kristen Arnett and Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya with veterans and newcomers like romance author Melissa Brayden, novelist Jane Pen and rising star Frankie Fyre. Organizers say there’s something for everyone, evident in the extensive list of participants like Georgia Beers, David Berger, Kris Bryant, Anna Burke, Jose Pablo Iriarte, Silk Jazmyne, Ann McMan, Morgan Lee Miller, Sander Santiago, Anne Shade, TQ Sims, Tagan Shepard and more.

This year’s festival is the first under Out Arts & Culture President James Bake, a creative entrepreneur and arts supporter who stepped into the role last year. The organization announced he would succeed former President Paul Raker in November.

“Over the past two years, I’ve witnessed the organization’s growth and the powerful impact of our work,” Raker shared at the

time. “In today’s climate, where LGBTQ+ rights and expression are increasingly under scrutiny, it is more important than ever that we continue to invest in the arts and humanities as vehicles for visibility, empathy and understanding.

“I’m confident that under James’ leadership, OUT Arts & Culture will continue to thrive and reach even greater heights,” he added.

“As a board and community, we are deeply grateful for Paul’s leadership,” Baker noted. “He helped build a strong foundation for what OUT Arts & Culture is today. As we look ahead, we’re excited to expand that vision by creating even more opportunities for everyday artists — the makers, storytellers and dreamers in our own neighborhoods — to be seen, celebrated and supported.”

That begins with ReadOUT Feb. 6. The vendor hall will open at 10 a.m. before this year’s first panel follows at 10:30 a.m. “But Make it Queer…” will highlight how authors have “turned the gayness dial up to 11” on “hetero piece[s] of media.”

“Creating Queer Bookish Content” will follow at 11:45 a.m., examining how queer literature influencers “share their love of our stories to thousands of followers all over the world.” At 1 p.m., “Resistance, Redemption, and

Reclamation: The Art of Writing Queer Joy” will focus on “how queer literature can be a bright spot in these dark times.”

“Building Queer Worlds” will be held at 2:15 p.m., reflecting on “what it means to write queer worlds in a time where queerness in our word feels under attack,” before “Beyond Closets and Caricatures: Reclaiming the Coming Out Narrative” is held at 3:30 p.m.

The day will close with two panels — the genre-focused “Twists and Shouts” at 4:45 p.m. and “Queering Romantasy” at 6 p.m. — before a book signing at 7 p.m.

ReadOUT will subsequently present “Sapphic Quest: Thirsty Sword Cinnamon Roles” at 7:30 p.m., a live-play “Dungeons & Dragons” style game featuring audiobook narrators and authors.

“The fate of Sapphos depends on friendship, flirting and questionable life choices,” it’s billed. “Our crew must join forces (and play Cupid) to help melt the heart of the evil (or possibly just misunderstood) Ice Queen and bring seasons back to the island of Sapphos.”

Day two begins at 9 a.m. with an author signing shortly after.

The day’s panels include “Writing Authentic and Authentically Queer Characters — Own Voices” at 10 a.m., “The Uplift: Poets and Essayists on the Power of Queer Language” at 11:15 a.m. and “Crafting the Cast: Writing Character Centric Series” at 12:30 p.m.

“Writing Home: Southern Writers on Writing the Queer South” kicks off the day’s post-lunch sessions at 3 p.m. “Feminism in Sapphic Romance” follows at 5:30 p.m. before “Do Break My Heart” at 4:15 p.m., highlighting stories “that break our hearts before putting them back together again.”

The second day will conclude with a book signing at 6:30 p.m. and a live podcast recording of “Yappin’” at 7 p.m. before a VIP party. The celebration will move to The Wine House + BBQ from 8:30-11:30 p.m.

“Mix and mingle with festival guests, connect with fellow attendees, and enjoy great food, drinks and community,” it’s described. Access is included with VIP tickets only.

ReadOUT will close with a full day of activities Feb. 8, beginning

with check-in and another author signing. “It Takes a Village (and a Platform)” will lead the day’s panels, examining the relationship between content creators and authors at 10 a.m.

“Let’s Talk About Sex” will be held at 11:15 a.m. and “Have You Heard the One About Bringing Queer Books to Life” will be held at 12:30 p.m. Another author signing will precede lunch.

The day’s final panels will be “Hope at the End of the World: Crafting Queer Speculative and Dystopian Fiction” at 3 p.m., “Wait, Where I Did Put That?: Writing and Reading as a Neurodivergent Human” at 4:15 p.m. and “Hidden Histories: Writing Queer Lives into the Past” at 5:30 p.m. The final panel is designed to understand the present by exploring the past.

Closing statements will follow from 6:30-7 p.m., bringing this year’s festival to its end.

Bake says the entire Out Arts & Culture team — which includes ReadOUT Chairperson Kelsey Dye and team members Jamie Rose and Macon Leigh — is eager to welcome supporters to ReadOUT 2026.

“We need organizations like ours to help amplify these voices. We’re cheerleaders,” he says. “This creates a safe space for people to bring their art, stories and the things that they’re working on — showcasing the best of our community and letting everybody be a part of it.” Tickets to this year’s festival are now available. General admission is $40 and includes access to panels, signings and the vendor room. A limited number of VIP tickets also remain at $150 and include these benefits with access to the VIP party, an event poster, preferred seating and other perks. Virtual tickets are $10 and donations are also accepted.

Aside from supporting Out Arts & Culture, Baker adds, ReadOUT is “also just fun.”

“This is an event where friends get together, talk about what they love to do, learn about other authors and things they haven’t been exposed to in the past,” he says. “It’s a great place to come together.”

ReadOUT 2026 will be held Feb. 6-8 at the Catherine A. Hickman Theater, located at 5501 27th Ave. S. in Gulfport, or streamed virtually. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit OUTArtsCulture.org/ ReadOUT2026.

announcements TAMPA BAY OUT+ABOUT

CONGRATULATIONS

1

STAGE RIGHT: Lance Navarro takes to the stage for a “Hamilton” number Jan. 16 as Bayboro Brewing hosts a Broadway Rave. PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT

2 THE ADDAMS FAN-ILY: Adriana Sparkle (L) hosts Cocktail’s “RuPaul’s Drag Race” watch party Jan. 16 to cheer on local competitor Discord Addams with fiancée Gidget Von Addams PHOTO BY MIKE HALTERMAN

3

MEAT CUTE: The Tampa Bay Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence sell burgers and hot dogs at Mr. D’z Men’s Emporium for Meat Sunday. PHOTO COURTESY SISTER JUANA REACTION

4 SCHOOL TALK: Sarasota County School Board Member Tom Edwards speaks with the Longboat Democratic Club about education Jan. 24. PHOTO VIA SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER EDWARDS’ FACEBOOK

5

DOING THE WORK: The Hillsborough LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus participates in Equality Florida’s Pride at the Capitol Jan. 26. PHOTO VIA THE CAUCUS’ FACEBOOK

6

DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH: freeFall Theatre welcomes the organization’s highest level supporters to their Diamond Donor event Jan. 17 for a sneak peek of what’s to come and more. PHOTO VIA FREEFALL THEATRE’S FACEBOOK

7

SHINING BRIGHT: St Pete Pride President Byron Green-Calisch (L) and Executive Director Bior Guigni present this year’s St Pete Pride theme Jan. 14. PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT

8 OUT FOR BUSINESS: (L-R) Jessica Bond, Kent Meier and Brian Longstreth participate in Watermark Out News and the Tampa Bay LGBT Chamber’s bi-monthly social Jan. 21. PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMS-JENT

The Susan Terry Foundation has awarded $85,000 in community grants. The Fabulous Arts Foundation received $35,000, CAN Community Health received $25,000 and Mount Zion Human Services received another $25,000. Read more on p. 10.

CONDOLENCES

St Pete Pride co-founder Robert Danielson, also the City of St. Petersburg’s first LGBTQ+ liason, passed away this month. He will be missed.

POSTPONEMENT

Gulfport Pride announced their inaugural For the Love of Gulfport event, originally scheduled for Feb. 1, has been rescheduled to March 1 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. For more information, email ForTheLoveOfGulfport@gmail.com or Info@GulfportPrideFlorida.com.

2026 WONDER AWARDS

Voting is now underway for the 2026 Watermark Out News: Diversity, Excellence and Resilience Awards, or WONDER Awards. They recognize the best in Central Florida and Tampa Bay’s LGBTQ+ community in the areas of activism, service, entertainment and more. Choose from your Top 5 nominees in over 60 categories until Feb. 11 at 5 p.m. at WatermarkOutNews.com/WONDER-26, then make your plans to celebrate your winners at Bradley’s on 7th in Tampa on March 13 from 7-9 p.m.

LOCAL BIRTHDAYS

Tampa Bay artist Andrea Pawlisz, SLlama Productions Founder Samantha Luque (Jan. 30); Former Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner, St. Petersburg massage therapist Emily Stone, Tampa Softball player Thomas Hale, Tampa darling Bryan Chant (Feb. 1); Mr. D’z Men’s Emporium owner Michael Rivera (Feb. 2); former Tampa Pride President Carrie West, Enigma Show Director Daphne Ferraro, Gulfport theater addict Rob McCabe, dog lover Megan First, Cocktail bartender Jennifer Rogers (Feb. 3); Tampa Bay artist David Rule, Creative Pinellas CEO Margaret Murray (Feb. 4); Tampa Bay realtor

Derrick Dwyer, Tampa Bay Clamstress Jackie Gill-Foil, Inclusive Care Group Dr. Antonio Luis, R2o Skin Care Specialist Arturo Ramirez, Tampa politico Alan Henderson (Feb. 6); Real estate agent Eric Puzone, Winter Pride

Executive Director Rob Hall (Feb. 7); St. Petersburg dance

instructor Julia Meyerovich (Feb. 8); Creative Tile Design of St. Petersburg owner Tom O’Keefe, Metro Healthy Communities’ Jesse T. Rivera, Macy’s St. Petersburg’s HR manager Luis Fabian, Tampa Bay writer Jennifer Ring (Feb. 10); St. Petersburg attorney Bobby King, Tampa media specialist Bart Birdsall, former Florida Council on Economic Education Executive Director Mike Bell, animal lover Marcus Porter (Feb. 11)

announcements CENTRAL FLORIDA OUT+ABOUT

CONGRATULATIONS

The Pride Chamber has announced the appointment of David Mink as its new executive director.

CnC Productions announced the new CnC Monthly Burlesque Showcase at The Dust in Downtown Orlando which started Jan. 25.

Anthem Orlando welcomed community leaders, partners and other supporters to a ribbon cutting ceremony Jan. 24 to mark its grand opening. Read more on p. 8 and view photos at WatermarkOutNews.com.

Central Florida-born drag performer Angel Amor stars as Aurora in “Terri Joe: Missionary in Miami,” available on TUBI Jan. 30.

Orlando Family Stage will mark its 100th anniversary with a breakfast reception on Feb. 3 honoring a century of performances, partnerships and impact on young people and families in Central Florida.

2026 WONDER AWARDS

Voting is now underway for the 2026 Watermark Out News: Diversity, Excellence and Resilience Awards, or WONDER Awards. They recognize the best in Central Florida and Tampa Bay’s LGBTQ+ community in the areas of activism, service, entertainment and more. Choose from your Top 5 nominees in over 60 categories until Feb. 11 at 5 p.m. at WatermarkOutNews.com/ WONDER-26, then make your plans to celebrate your winners at Anthem Orlando on March 12 from 7-9 p.m

LOCAL BIRTHDAYS

“Shameless” bowler Jason Cook, Central Florida photographer Jenna Michele (Jan. 29); Lightning fast jammer Haley Perry, Orlando performer Apple Teenee (Jan. 30); Central Florida LGBTQ+ rights activist Jen Cousins, Former Watermark Out News intern Lora Korpar, Orlando drag legend Leigh Shannon, marketing pro Ken Kundis, former WFTV News 9 anchor Jorge Estevez, Orlando Gay Chorus singer Holly Cowden-Feld, Orlando juggler Dantei Grace, Central Florida realtor Michelle Zwack (Jan. 31); Orlando softball hunk Jason Hamm, LGBTQ+ rights activist Randy Bertrand (Feb. 1); The Center Orlando board member Lee Kirkpatrick (Feb. 2); Central Florida community activist Brock Cornelus (Feb. 3); Orlando doctor Rafael Pinero, Former Watermark Out News intern Edward Segarra (Feb. 4); Orlando Ballet’s former Artistic Director Robert Bell, former Watermark Out News contributor Holly Kapherr Alejos, Orlando Fringe board member Daniel Blumberg (Feb. 5); Central Florida fine art photographer Josh Garrick, Central Florida photographer James “Cannonball” Bennett, former Watermark Out News Creative Designer Ezra Ruiz (Feb. 6); Orlando attorney Barbara Leach, Orlando fitness guru Tony Edge, Central Florida photographer Albert HarrisRusell, Central Florida bartender Jan Echevarria (Feb. 7); Co-owner of Hamburger Mary’s Orlando Mike Rogier (Feb. 9); Watermark Out News columnist Melody Maia Monet (Feb. 10); Savoy’s Julian Bain, former Watermark Out News creative assistant Patrick O’Connor (Feb. 11).

1

CUTTING IT UP: Emmanuel Quinones and Mike Vacirca (2nd from R) laugh with community members during the ribbon cutting ceremony outside Anthem Orlando Jan. 23.

PHOTO BY BELLANEE PLAZA

2 BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS: Rick Todd smiles with a cake and gifts on his birthday on Jan. 13. PHOTO BY DANNY GARCIA

3

LOOKING FOR HOPE: Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer (C) helps break ground on an expanded pathways Drop-In Center on Jan. 22.

PHOTO VIA ORLANDO MAYOR BUDDY DYER’S FACEBOOK

4 BETTER TOGETHER: Heather Abood (L) and Ginger Minj pose for a photo together at SAVOY on Jan. 23. PHOTO BY DANNY GARCIA

5

SEE YOU SOON: Bowled Over Promotion’s Dawn Kallio (L) and Lisa Brown say goodbye at Celebration Gardens on Jan. 16 for their going away party as they move to Lisbon. PHOTO BY DANNY GARCIA

6

YOU BETTER WERK: Lacey Browning host a “RuPaul’s Drag Race” viewing party at SAVOY on Jan. 23. PHOTO BY DANNY GARCIA

7 DISNEY MAGIC: Kalika Sause (L) and Cailtin Sause (2nd from L) pose with friends at Epcot on Jan. 24. PHOTO COURTESY CAILTIN SAUSE

8 WORK AND RECOGNITION: Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith accepts the Cathy Jordan Statesman Award from the Florida Cannabis Action Network on Jan. 15. PHOTO VIA CARLOS GUILLERMO SMITH’S FACEBOOK

community calendar

CENTRAL FLORIDA

The Event

SATURDAY, JAN. 31, 6 P.M.

Get ready to step into a world of pure festival magic at The Event, a dazzling night where music, art, fashion and community collide for an unforgettable cause! Throw on your boldest festival looks, bring your sparkle and prepare to shine as organizers turn up the energy to raise funds that directly support CREW Health’s patients and programs. For more information, visit CrewHealth.org.

“The

Serpents Tour” starring Nymphia and Plastique

TUESDAY, FEB. 3, 8 P.M. THE PLAZA LIVE

The Serpents Tour unites Nymphia Wind and Plastique Tiara, two of the world’s most celebrated Asian drag artists, for an unforgettable live experience across North America. Audiences can expect couture costumes and dynamic performances that celebrate cultural heritage, pop culture and drag artistry. Each city will feature local AAPI and LGBTQIA+ talent. For more information, visit ObsessedWith.co/The-Serpents-Tour.

TAMPA BAY

Gasparilla Pirate Fest

SATURDAY, JAN. 31, TIMES VARY MULTIPLE LOCATIONS, TAMPA

Set a course for Tampa! This year’s Gasparilla Pirate Fest will officially begin at 10 a.m. with a brunch at the Tampa Convention Center, continue with the Gasparilla Invasion from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and the parade of pirates from 2-6 p.m. while performances take place throughout the day until 8 p.m. Parties are expected throughout the city. For official events visit GasparillaPirateFest.com.

ReadOUT 2026

FRIDAY, FEB. 6-SUNDAY, FEB. 8, TIMES VARY CATHERING A. HICKMAN THEATER, GULFPORT

Join OUT Arts & Culture for the ninth annual ReadOUT, the organization’s celebration of LGBTQ+ literature. This year’s programming features panels with bestselling authors, special events, signings and more amazing opportunities to celebrate LGBTQ+ literature and the community. General admission is $40 or panels can be accessed virtually for $10. Read more on p. 23 and at OutArtsCulture.org/ ReadOUT2026.

EVENT PLANNER

LIFE OF THE PARTY

UNITED Mural Fest, Jan. 31, Studios@5663, Pinellas Park. Studios@5663.com

Winter Pride Drag Bingo, Feb. 2, Cocktail, St. Petersburg. 727-592-1914; WinterPrideSaintPete.com

LGBTQ+ Veterans Coffee Connection, Feb. 2, Empath LIFE, Tampa. EmpathLife.org

Black History Month Flag Raising Ceremony, Feb. 5, City Hall, St. Petersburg. 727-893-7111; StPete.org

Matthew Morrison, Feb. 5, Nancy & David Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater. 727-791-7400; RuthEckerdHall.com

Trip Out Thursdays, Feb. 5, 7th + Grove, Tampa. 813-649-8422; 7thAndGrove.com

Heels and Heartbreakers Galentine Drag Show, Feb. 7, Gemma Floral + Wine, Tampa. FloralAndWine.com

CENTRAL FLORIDA

Orlando 3 Day Record Convention, Jan. 30-Feb. 1, Central Florida Fair, Orlando. (772) 485-0103; OrlandoRecordShow.com

Feel The Heat Romance Book Bash, Jan. 31Feb. 1, Hyatt Place Orlando/ Lake Buena Vista, Orlando. 407-778-5500

Sheng Wang, Feb. 1, Hard Rock Live Orlando, Orlando. 407-351-5483; HardRockLiveOrlando.com

Trivia With George Wallace, Feb 3-4, Ivanhoe 1915, Orlando. 407-270-4685

My Funny ValentineDance the Night Away, Feb. 5-6, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando. 407-358-6603; DrPhillipsCenter.org

Queer Valantine Show, Feb. 6, Stardust Video & Coffee, Orlando. 407-623-3393; StardustVideoAndCoffee. WPcomStaging.com

2026 International Chamber Music Festival, Feb. 6, Timucua Arts Foundation, Orlando. 407-279-0902; Timucua.com

“Men of Motown,” Feb. 6-8, St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, Orlando. 407-876-4991; St.Lukes.org Lake Nona Live Tribute Festival, Feb. 7, Boxi Park Lake Nona, Orlando. 407-536-9666; BoxiParkLakeNona.com

Paws in the Park 2026, Feb. 7, Lake Eola Park, Orlando. 407-351-7722; PetAllianceorlando.org

Virginia Drive Live, Feb. 7, Ivanhoe Village, Orlando. IvanhoeVillage.org

My Funny Valentine, Feb. 7, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando. 407-358-6603; DrPhillipsCenter.org

Addison Taylor - Life of...

The Party!, Feb. 11, Southern Nights Orlando, Orlando. 407-412-5039

“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” Through Feb. 15, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando. 407-358-6603; DrPhillipsCenter.org

TAMPA BAY

“The Comedy of Errors,” Through Feb. 8, Jobsite Theater, Tampa. 813-229-7827; JobsiteTheater.com

“The Scarlet Letter,” Through Feb. 15, American Stage, St. Petersburg. 727-823-7529; AmericanStage.org

Pride Connect, Jan. 29, St. Pete Shuffle, St. Petersburg. StPetePride.org

Girl The Party: Gasparilla, Jan. 30, Disco Pony Nightclub, Tampa. Facebook.com/ GirlTheParty

PFLAG Wesley Chapel/ Pasco Drag Bingo, Jan. 30, Allendale UMC, St. Petersburg. PFLAGWCPasco.org

OUTPLAYED Board Game Meetup, Feb. 8, The Ball, St. Petersburg. 727-258-7626; EQFL.org

“& Juliet,” Feb. 10-15, Straz Center, Tampa. 813-229-7827; StrazCenter.org

Be My Valentine: Ballroom Drag Bingo, Feb. 11, Red Mesa Cantina, St. Petersburg. 727-896-8226; RedMesaCantina.com

SARASOTA

February G2H2, Feb. 5, Tamiami Tap, Sarasota. G2H2Sarasota.com

Ringling Underground, Feb. 5, The Ringling, Sarasota. 941-228-4872; Facebook.com/ MoxieProductionsSRQ

To find more upcoming events or to submit your own, visit:

WatermarkOutNews.com/Events

WE TREAT YOU HOW YOU WOULD TREAT YOU.

When our doctors see you, they see themselves. And not just our doctors. Our entire team leads with empathy to deliver personal care you can feel.

WE TREAT YOU HOW YOU WOULD TREAT YOU.

When our doctors see you, they see themselves. And not just our doctors. Our entire team leads with empathy to deliver personal care you can feel.