FLORIDA DIGEST - February 12, 2009

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~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~

-ArtsUnited - ArtExplosion-Tonight!
Matthew Glass in The Slap & Tickle ShowSometimes funny, sometimes profound, but always irreverent, The Slap & Tickle Show by Matthew Glass, is a new one-man play that chronicles the trials and tribulations of an ex-twink managing his crazy life in the gay ghetto. This semi- autobiographical work introduces us to " Digby", showing us his over the top, smutty and always irreverent world. Subjects such as crystal meth, bug chasing, Manhunt and his personal quest to destroy the Abercrombie & Fitch Empire are all fair game. He questions what the world would be like if George W. Bush and Osama Bin Laden were lovers, the never ending fight against gay body hair, Taco Bell, Anne Coulter and why Catholics should love bareback sex. No stereotype is spared and in the most colorful and always-funny way we are forced to examine the gay lifestyle through Digby's very personal and shockingly honest point of view. Seating is limited for this world premiere presentation. MATTHEW GLASS Matthew is an actor/writer who will be seen in Camposition's upcoming revival production of Michael Yawney's sold out 1000 Homosexuals at the Colony Theatre during the 2009 Winter Party. He was previously seen in in the world premier of The BugChasers, as a writer and performer with Camposition Locally Matthew appeared as Bernard in Gablestage's Romance. (Best Supporting Actor, Best Of Miami 2007; Miami New Times & Best Comic Performance 2007; Miami's Sun Post) and Carl in The Alliance Theatre Lab's production of Lonely Planet He has worked at The American Living Room Theatre Festival, Coffee Clutch Playwrighting Workshop, NYC, The New World Repertory, Miami Children's Theatre, The Rude Mechanicals, City Theatre, Area Stage Company, Acme Acting Company, and the Florida Shakespeare Festival. He is a member of The American Dramatists Guild, Inc. and The Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers. He is currently teaching Acting and Voice at The New World School of the Arts and teaches speech presentation skills for Florida International University's International MBA program.Thursday, February 12, 2009, 7:00 PMStonewall Library & Archives - 1300 East Sunrise Blvd.Fort Lauderdale - Free Admission
www.stonewall-library.org

-ArtExplosion Continues ...
Q-uba Art Exhibit Opens with Reception Q-uba Art Exhibit,New Works by Artist Hildana Ciserand Photographer Alex Heria
Friday, February 13, 6:30-8:30 PM
Stonewall Library & Archives - 1300 East Sunrise Blvd.
Fort Lauderdale
**Hildana Ciser was born in Havana Cuba, and raised in the beautiful garden state of New Jersey. A self-taught artist since the young age of 5, Ciser was educated at William Patterson University, New Jersey. Ciser moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida 5 years ago and found inspiration in the tropical breezes and greenery that she was surrounded by. Soon after, she found the love of her life. That love has filled her life with new meaning to challenge her everyday and to continue her art. Hildana includes her love in most of her art if you just look for it. She feels blessed by her 3 children and two Bichon Frises. Her art work is very unique; every piece has a hidden meaning, which makes you stop and take a second look. Hildana has been inspired by the world renown artist Thomas Mcknight. She loved his art and his whimsical views of subject matter and bright colors.

**Alexander Heria was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey in 1961. He moved to Miami, Florida at the age of ten. Heria received a BFA in photography from Florida International University, Miami in 1992, and a MFA from Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Boston in 19994. He has taught photography and graphic design for seven years at FIU, Miami Dade College, and the Art Institute Miami. His photography has been exhibited locally and is in numerous private collections. Heria received a 2007 South Florida Consortium Fellowship. Heria is currently an artist-in-residence at the ArtCenter/ South Florida.
Free Admission
www.stonewall-library.org


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SunServe - Ft. Lauderdale
SunServe Valentines Dance
February 14, 7:00 PM
L'Hermitage Ballroom - A1A & Oakland Park Blvd.
Seating is limited - get your tickets now.
Purchase your tickets online atwww.sunserve.org.


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GLCCSF - Ft. Lauderdale
Community Meetings/Events

**MICHAEL BERNARD BECKWITH - AS SEEN OF "THE SECRET" - February 12, 7:00 PM, Center for Spiritual Living, 1550 NE 26th Street. For info and to reserve seats call 954-566-2868 or:Click Here.

**PRIDELINES YOUTH SERVICES - THE LAVENDER SALON - February 14, 7:00 PM. Coffee, dessert and entertainment for LGBT youth. Unitarian Univerasist Congregation of Miami, 7701 SW 76th Ave, Miami, FL 33143. For more information, www.uumia.org.

**PRIDELINES YOUTH SERVICES - MARDI GRAS SKATE NIGHT - Febauary 24, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM. Gold Coast Roller Rink, 2604 S. Federal Hwy. For mor information call 305-571-9601, or pridelines.org

**HEATHER CRAIG & MARY-JANE CUNNINHAM - ROCK N' COUNTRY - Februayr 28, 2:00 PM & 8:00 PM, Broward County Main Library, 100 S. Andrews, Ft. Lauderdale. For more information call, 954-772-4947.

**LEADING GAY AUTHOR/GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST, JEFF DUNGEON, TO SPEAK- March 12, Nova Southeast University, Knight Auditorium, De Santis Building from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM. "Decriminalising Homosexuality in Northern Ireland - the First Successful Gay Case at the European Court of Human Rights or Saving Ulster for Sodomy?"

-SUPPORT TEAM GLCC
Florida AIDS Walk 2009
On Sunday, March 15, we will participate in a 10-kilometer fundraising walkathon through Fort Lauderdale to address the AIDS crisis in our community. We'll be joined by thousands of others who understand that we need to take action now to halt the escalating spread of HIV/AIDS in south Florida. We hope we can count on your support. We need caring people like you to sponsor our team's participation in the walk. You can make a donation to our campaign right here. If you wish to make a donation by check, please send an email to our Team Captain, Rober Boo at rboo@glccsf.org so we can add you to our list of offline contributors. Your gift to this worthy cause is fully tax-deductible. We encourage you to browse the rest of this website so you can learn more about Florida AIDS Walk.
http://ahf.convio.net/site/TR/Events/General?team_id=2880&pg=team&fr_id=1060


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From Leon VanDyke

-WON'T YOU JOIN ME IN SENDING A LETTER ABOUT THE RECENT ELECTION'S RESULTS TO THE SOUTH FLORIDA BLADE. FEEL FREE TO EDIT...BUT REMEMBER ANYTHING TOO LONG WILL NOT RUN IN PRINT. HOPE THAT YOU FEEL THE SAME AS I DO HERE. IF YOU DO, FORWARD THE LETTER BACK TO ME WITH YOUR SIGNATURES AND I WILL COLLECT ALL AND SEND IT ON TO THE BLADE. - THANX, LEON - leonmax@aol.com

-The apathy of the LGBT community in Broward County on Primary Election Day February 10, 2009 was a genuine disgrace and now proven fiasco. It strikes us as evidence of the gross arrogance and lack of intelligent foresight on the parts of the majority of lesbians, gays, bi-sexuals and the transgendered residents of the area. Out of over 133,000 registered voters in Fort Lauderdale a bit more than half of those voting chose to vote for a gay candidate for mayor. Surely there are more than 8,000 LGBTs of voting age in Fort Lauderdale. What a huge loss of opportunity occurred on that day. There were three gay men running for the office of mayor. While that number may have diluted the possibility of any one of those gay men eventually outdistancing the Irish Catholic heterosexual man who won the election, those voting for the straight guy outnumbered the total votes cast for all three gay men. The total of all casting a vote on February 10th here in Fort Lauderdale proved to be between three and four thousand more than had voted in the last mayoral election. This most likely represented some heightened interest in the LGBT community upping the percentage of local votes cast higher than usual. Still, the numbers hardly were evidence of any overall sensibility in our community that taking a half hour out of our lives to cast a vote might make a major difference in the respect that electing a gay man mayor might engender. Instead, the whole process turned out to be a complete waste of monies, time and energies. Until the day that the voting age LGBT community here becomes genuinely involved in the politics governing its destiny, there is virtually no hope for attaining marriage rights for gays and lesbians on a national basis. Frankly my dears, unless and until we care enough to represent our own interests, why should anybody else give a damn..
Leon Van Dyke - leonmax@aol.com


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Equality Florida

-Sign Up for the Rally in Tally Today
!March 16, 2009
We had a breakthrough year in Tallahassee during 2008 and we want you to help keep that momentum going.We passed the Florida Safe Schools law and as a result students across Florida are protected right now by anti-bullying polices that specifically include LGBT students. Now we turn to 2009, a year of enormous possibility. With your help, we'll work to secure equality for LGBT Floridians and our families. Gather some friends or come alone. In either case, get to Tallahassee on March 16th. The Rally in Tally will be the largest gathering for LGBT Equality in Florida's history drawing equality supporters to the capital from all across our state. Be a part of it by registering today. The Rally in Tally is a coalition effort of local, state and national LGBT and allied groups including: Equality Florida, the GLBT Democratic Caucus, Impact Florida, the Dolphin Democrats, SAVE Dade, Unity Coalition/Coalicion Unida, PFLAG, Community Centers, Pride Groups, Local Democratic Clubs, Metropolitan Community Churches and more. The Rally also marks the start of Equality Florida's Lobby Week, when we sit down and talk to our lawmakers about issues of importance to LGBT Floridians. Lobby training will be provided, as well as all the materials and information necessary for you to have a successful experience. Even if you've never lobbied before, this year is the time to start. Register today! Join us in making 2009 a tremendous year of change and progress. If you are a member of an organization that would like get involved in the Rally in Tally, contact rally@eqfl.org and we'll send you an endorsement form and other information to get your group involved. Register at: http://ga4.org/Equalityflorida/events/rallytally/register.tcl?&_cm_=1

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Equality Florida
Florida Supreme Court Action Alert
Florida Supreme Court Justice Charles Wells is retiring next month, and Governor Charlie Crist is in the process of selecting Wells' replacement. This is an extremely important moment for us as the balance of the court is at stake! Gov. Crist has already appointed several extremely conservative judges after being aggressively lobbied by the far right. And they're at it again. The ultra right-wing American Family Association has begun to rally around Judge Alan Lawson, telling their members to contact Governor Crist on Lawson's behalf. They are flooding the Governor's office with calls, faxes, and emails in support, urging him to appoint Judge Lawson immediately. WE CANNOT LET THE AMERICAN FAMILY ASSOCIATION DECIDE THE MAKE-UP OF THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT! If Wells is replaced with an ultra-conservative Justice, then lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Floridians will have a difficult time being heard in court. Plus, many of the issues that we care about, such as overturning the anti-gay adoption ban, currently heading to the court, will be jeopardized. Two Things you Can Do1 - Click here to email the Governor. Demand that he appoint a Justice that reflects the great diversity of our state.
http://ga4.org/campaign/Crist2 - Call Gov. Crist Today! (850) 488-7146


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