The Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus congratulates its endorsed candidates who won their primaries on August 23rd. The Caucus endorsed in specific races, and echoed several endorsements that came from our chapters. Caucus President Stephen Gaskill issued the following statement:
“Florida Democrats are on the offensive this cycle. We’re taking on the Republicans for their poor management of state government, neglect of key economic issues like the property insurance crisis, support for anti-LGBTQ+ policies, and fealty to authoritarians like Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump. 2022 will be a Democratic success.”
Caucus Campaign Director Dave Cutler congratulated the candidates:
“Congratulations to our endorsed candidates who won their primaries yesterday. These candidates have demonstrated their commitment to LGBTQ+ equality and have earned voters’ trust. We look forward to helping ensure their victories in November.”
Among our victorious endorsed candidates with primaries are:
Statewide Candidates
Val Demings, US Senate Aramis Ayala, Attorney General
CD-3 Danielle Hawk CD-10 Maxwell Frost CD-23 Jared Moskowitz CD-27 Annette Taddeo CD-28 Robert Asencio
Florida Senate Candidates
SD-5 Tracie Davis SD-34 Shevrin Jones SD-35 Lauren Book
Florida House Candidates
HD-13 Angie Nixon HD-22 Brandon Peters HD-36 Deborah Poulalion HD-38 Sarah Henry HD-40 LaVon Bracy Davi HD-58 Bernard Fensterwald HD-62 Michele Rayner HD-92 Kelly Skidmore HD-98 Paula Hawkins-Williams HD-105 Marie Woodson HD-106 Jordan Leonard HD-109 Ashley Gantt HD-113 AJ D’Amico HD-119 Gabriel Gonzalez
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The Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus represents lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Floridians to the Florida Democratic Party. The Caucus is a statewide organization with chapters in 25 counties across Florida from Pensacola to Orlando to Miami – including most major metropolitan areas and many rural counties in between.
The actor on ‘Uncoupled’ and his ‘digital dong’ in ‘Gone Girl’ By Chris Azzopardi
It wasn’t that it was hard, but when Neil Patrick Harris shot a scene for the new Netflix series “Uncoupled,” in which his character tries to snap just the right Grindr shots, it was a little… hairy.
It was “taking angles” and “making sure that you didn’t show your stuff in certain positions” that Harris says was “interesting.”
“We had to find what my ‘d actually looks like,’” said the actor, throwing up air quotes while on Zoom to promote the series.
In “Uncoupled,” Harris’s Michael, a married Manhattanite, has the rug pulled out from under him when his husband of 17 years, portrayed by Tuc Watkins (“Desperate Housewives,” “Boys in the Band”), suddenly decides to end things. Michael quickly learns that, for a single gay man in his mid-40s living in New York City, he’s a little behind the ball when it comes to contemporary queer culture. Openly gay TV rom-com mogul Darren Star, who created “Sex and the City” and “Younger,” helmed “Uncoupled” with Jeffrey Richman, so naturally there’s a fair amount of gay sex.
But, as Michael learns, in order to get some taps, you’ve gotta show the goods on social media. Harris’s bare bottom is prominently featured during the episode, though it was the front of his body that resulted in heated discussions and debates.
“My modesty’s fine; I wasn’t that nervous about that,” he admitted. “You have this weird contraption around your actual genitals so no one can see it, but I didn’t want Netflix execs or the editors to see this, like, weird pouch thing, and the camera couldn’t see that either.” In other words, situating a penis just right is a complicated affair on set. So complicated that, when he went to his trailer the day of the shoot and found “two flaccid rubber phalluses on my desk,” it was time to get the producers involved.
“They were like small and weird, and I think something people used to pack themselves, like drag kings, but it didn’t look very flattering and I sort of said, ‘I don’t want this! I don’t want you to take a picture of this!’”
Specifically — because who wouldn’t want every single last detail? — Harris described the phalluses as “latex, pale, single-colored thing[s].”
And if you ever wondered what it’s like to work on a set of a show in which the penis of your character is up for debate, wonder no more: “We had a nice text thread with the producers,” he recalled. “‘What about this photo if we crop it? And what about this? It was the filthiest thing of all. ‘Too big, too thick, too long.’ I was like, ‘Come on!’ But we kind of met in the middle.”
As for the new-and-improved, NPH-approved penis pics? Still on his phone, he says. Though not for long because his two kids with Michigan-born husband David Burtka, Harper and Gideon, could possibly see them when they go through his phone. “I really do need to erase those pictures off my phone,” he said.
In other Neil Patrick Harris penis news: He had you fooled in “Gone Girl,” and contrary to popular belief, what you saw down there wasn’t the real thing.
“We’re at the New York Film Fest, and we’re about to do the red carpet, and [director] David Fincher, when we’re all saying hello, turns to me and goes ‘Oh, by the way: We added a digital dick to your thing so just so you know, it’s not yours. It’s digital.’ I was like, ‘Is it nice?’”
Harris knows that, perhaps, you were misled: “I think people think they might have actually seen my dong on ‘Gone Girl,’ but that was a digital dong.’” On behalf of NPH, sorry for the confusion.
Here is a quick guide to some of the most common flags used in the LGBT community (and beyond) to describe gender and/or sexuality related identities. While definitions are provided for reference, please know definitions of many of these terms are evolving and changing all the time. I encourage you to explore these identities further to learn more.
Agender Pride Flag
Agender Pride Flag
Agender refers to a person A person who does not identify themselves as. having a particular gender. The Agender Pride Flag was designed by Salem X in 2014.
The flag features a mirrored design of seven horizontal stripes. The black and white stripes represent an absence of gender, the gray stripe represents semi-genderlessness and the central green stripe represents nonbinary genders.
Asexual Pride Flag
Asexual Pride Flag
An aromantic is a person who experiences little or no romantic attraction to others. Where romantic people have an emotional need to be with another person in a romantic relationship, aromantics are often satisfied with friendships and other non-romantic relationships. An asexual person may or may not experience romantic attraction (see aromantic) but will feel no need to act out that attraction sexually.
In the Summer of 2010, a number of asexuality sites, led by users on AVEN, came up with a number of designs for an asexuality flag, then held a multi-stage vote to determine the winner. The selected design was created by AVEN user standup
Aromantic Pride Flag
Aromantic Pride Flag
An aromantic is a person who experiences little or no romantic attraction to others. Where romantic people have an emotional need to be with another person in a romantic relationship, aromantics are often satisfied with friendships and other non-romantic relationships.
There are two different versions of the Aromantic Pride Flag. This is the one currently most commonly used.
Bisexual Pride Flag
Bisexual Pride Flag
Bisexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction or sexual behavior toward more than one sex or gender identity, or romantic or sexual attraction to people of any sex or gender identity; this latter aspect is sometimes termed pansexuality.
The bisexual pride flag was designed by Michael Page in 1998. The first bisexual pride flag was inspired by his work with BiNet USA.
Bear Pride Flag
Bear Pride Flag
In male gay culture, a bear is often a larger, hairier man who projects an image of rugged masculinity. Bears are one of many LGBT communities with events, codes, and a culture-specific identity. In many communities bear clubs” have been created to provide social and sexual opportunities. Many clubs are loosely organized social groups; others are modeled on leather biker-patch clubs, with a strict set of bylaws, membership requirements, and charities. Craig Byrnes created the Bear pride flag in 1995.
Genderqueer Pride Flag
Genderqueer Flag
Genderqueer describes a person who does not subscribe to conventional gender distinctions but identifies with neither, both, or a combination of male and female genders. The Genderqueer Pride Flag was created by Marilyn Roxie in 2011. This flag has also been adopted by many in the Gender Non-Binary community. While some currently use these two terms interchangeably, others maintain genderqueer and gender non-binary have overlapping, but separate definitions.
Intersex Flag
Intersex Flag
Intersex is a general term used for a variety of conditions in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t seem to fit the typical definitions of female or male. There are two distinct flags commonly associated with intersex identities. The first one (not pictured here) is derivative of the Trans Pride flag and is not used as commonly these days. The flag shown here was created by Intersex Australia in 2013.
Lesbian Pride Flag
Lesbian Visibility Flag
While there have been different versions of the Lesbian Pride Flag over the years, this is the one most commonly used today. Emily Gwen created this flag in 2018 based on the lickstick lesbian flag . This flag retained the seven stripes from the lipstick flag, but changed the top set to orange shades. The stripes, from top to bottom, represent ‘gender non-conformity’ (dark orange), ‘independence’ (orange), ‘community’ (light orange), ‘unique relationships to womanhood’ (white) , ‘serenity and peace’ (pink), ‘love and sex’ (dusty pink), and ‘femininity’ (dark rose).
Leather Pride Flag
Leather Pride Flag
Leather culture is most visible in gay communities and most often associated with gay men (“leathermen”), but it is also reflected in various ways in the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and straight worlds. Many people associate leather culture with the consensual exchange of power in romantic and/or sexual relationships. The leather flag was created by Tony DeBlase in 1989. He first presented the design at the International Mister Leather event in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. on May 28, 1989.
Nonbinary Pride Flag
Nonbinary Flag
Kye Rowan created the nonbinary pride flag in 2014. It was meant to be flown alongside the genderqueer flag. 17-year-old Kyle Rowan created the binary flag for existing outside binary which is symbolized by the yellow. The white represents all genders, black is no gender, and purple is a mix of genders.
Pansexual Pride Flag
Pansexual Pride Flag
Pansexuals have the capability of attraction to others regardless of their gender identity or biological sex.
A pansexual could be open to someone who is male, female, transgender, intersex, or agendered/genderqueer.
Poly Pride Flag
Poly Pride Flag
Polyamory is the philosophy or state of being in love or romantically involved with more than one person at the same time. Polyamory is the practice, desire, or acceptance of having more than one intimate relationship at a time with the knowledge and consent of everyone involved.
The flag was created by Jim Evans.
The Rainbow Flag
Rainbow Pride Flag
This is the inclusive flag most frequently associated with the entire lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, & questioning communities. The original gay pride flag flew in the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade on June 25, 1978 and was designed by Gilbert Baker. The original Rainbow Flag had an additional hot pink stripe that is no longer used today.
Progress Pride Flag
Progress Pride Flag
Graphic designer Daniel Quasar has added a five-colored chevron to the LGBT Rainbow Flag to place a greater emphasis on “inclusion and progression”.
The flag includes black and brown stripes to represent marginalized LGBT communities of color, along with the colors pink, light blue and white, which are used on the Transgender Pride Flag. Quasar’s design builds on a design adopted by the city of Philadelphia in June 2017. Philadelphia’s version added black and brown stripes to the top of the Rainbow Flag, to represent LGBT communities of color.
Transgender Pride Flag
Transgender Pride Flag
Transgender is a term used to describe people whose gender identity differs from the sex the doctor marked on their birth certificate. Gender identity is a person’s internal, personal sense of being a man or a woman (or someone outside of that gender binary). For transgender people, the sex they were assigned at birth and their own internal gender identity do not match. The Trans Pride flag was designed by Monica Helms in 1999
Straight Ally Flag
Straight Ally Flag
A straight ally or heterosexual ally is a heterosexual and/or cisgender person who supports equal civil rights, gender equality, LGBT social movements, and challenges homophobia, biphobia and transphobia.
GLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, and Equality Florida are releasing video of LGBTQ families and educators in Florida speaking out about returning to school today with new laws in effect targeting them.
New laws are banning LGBTQ-related conversation in class, books are removed from shelves and state leaders are targeting evidence-based healthcare, despite the fact that every major medical association supports it as safe and lifesaving for transgender youth.
GLAAD’s poll of LGBTQ and ally voters in Florida finds 71% believe the laws’ intent is to attack LGBTQ people; 70% say the laws are emotionally damaging to children.
The poll shows 77% strongly agree it’s more important than ever to vote as human rights for women and LGBTQ Floridians are being taken away by elected state officials, and that 67% are “extremely motivated” to vote in the midterm elections.
77% of LGBTQ and ally voters have an unfavorable opinion of Gov. Ron DeSantis. The 2018 gubernatorial race was decided by 32,463 votes out of 8+ million. LGBTQ and ally voters are positioned to make a decisive difference in Florida’s election this fall. (Read the pollster memo.)
“Florida’s LGBTQ and ally voters must send an unmistakable message that they are not going back in the closet or back in time,” said GLAAD President and CEO, Sarah Kate Ellis. “Discriminatory, defamatory and dangerous rhetoric and behavior must stop now.”
“It is imperative that Floridians use the power of their votes to hold Governor DeSantis and his allies accountable for the hate they unleashed on our state,” said Equality Florida Press Secretary, Brandon Wolf.
4.6% of Floridians are LGBTQ; 24% of LGBTQ Floridians are raising children.
About Equality Florida: Equality Florida is the largest civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for Florida’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community. Visit eqfl.org or follow Equality Florida on Facebook and Twitter.
About GLAAD: GLAAD rewrites the script for LGBTQ acceptance. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change. Visit www.glaad.org, connect on Facebook and Twitter, contact: press@glaad.org
The LGBT Center of Raleigh is announced the appointment of Patricia R. Corbett (she/her) following an extensive national search. Corbett has over 20 years professional nonprofit leadership experience and most recently served as Deputy Director of District and School Partnerships with Citizen Schools. She has led teams, organizations, projects in and around LGBTQ+ and BIPOC movements, including at Metro DC PFLAG and Richmond Organization of Sexual Minority Youth (now known as Side by Side).
Corbett is uniquely qualified to lead the Center into its next decade. Corbett, who is a natural collaborator with experience strengthening and growing community based nonprofit organizations, has a strong connection and commitment to the LGBTQ+ communities we serve. Additionally, she also brings the managerial and professional expertise the Center sought in its next chief executive.
“As I think about this position, I am eager to amplify my work for the LGBTQ community. I believe that the sum of who we are as a community is not strictly defined by our sexuality or how we identify. We must consider the entire being of our constituents and strengthen the Center’s core by providing services that reflect the needs of the most vulnerable of our community while celebrating the strength we have collectively,” notes Patricia R. Corbett, “I am honored to serve as the Executive Director and to support, affirm, empower, and provide positive experiences that are reinforced by internal and external communities.”
Board Chair Kaye Vassey noted, “The Center board unanimously appointed Patricia R. Corbett as our next chief executive because she has the experience and vision necessary to expand our programs and services in new and more inclusive directions.”
Patricia R. Corbett, who currently lives in North Carolina and will relocate to Raleigh for this position, will start on July 25. When asked about Corbett’s appointment, Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin shared that “ The LGBT Center of Raleigh has been a critical partner in supporting our LGBTQ+ community, providing programs and services to our diverse residents. We welcome Patricia Corbett as the new executive director and look forward to working with her to ensure that Raleigh is a welcoming and thriving community for all.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm issued the following statement on President Biden’s intent to nominate Jeff Marootian for Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy:
“Jeff Marootian has spent the last year and a half helping to build our team at the Department of Energy, and I am pleased that President Biden has now nominated him to serve as our new Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Throughout his impressive career in public service, Jeff has directed big teams executing challenging missions, making him a natural fit to lead the Department’s largest applied energy office. His experience developing and implementing sustainable transportation policy at the federal and local level will be particularly invaluable in our ongoing effort to decarbonize America’s transportation sector and meet our bold clean energy goals.”
About Jeff Marootian
Jeff Marootian currently serves as a Special Assistant to the President in the White House Office of Presidential Personnel. Prior to his service in the Biden-Harris Administration, he was a member of the Biden-Harris Transition Team. Marootian previously served in Washington D.C. government as the Director of the District Department of Transportation, where he piloted sustainable transportation technologies, oversaw the effort to electrify the city’s Circulator bus fleet, and led the city’s early adoption of the Transportation and Climate Initiative. Marootian oversaw the modernization of hundreds of miles of roads and sidewalks and advanced critical infrastructure projects, such as the reconstruction of the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge and expansion of dedicated bus and bike lanes.
Marootian previously served in the Obama-Biden Administration as the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Chief Sustainability Officer at the U.S. Department of Transportation. He is an alumnus of The George Washington University where he has also taught as an adjunct faculty member in the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Administration.
