Joe.My.God. LGBT News

I stopped by the Floridian Diner on Fort Lauderdale’s Las Olas Boulevard, site of last week’s brutal gay-bashing. Despite the $5000 reward offered by the Floridian’s owner, police still have no suspects.

Yesterday we attended the pool party at the Surfcomber, the Winter Party’s host hotel, where at the welcome center my gift bag was handed to me by a genial Colton Ford. Even the porn stars volunteer for Winter Party. DJ Alyson Calagna (second photo down) did a wonderful job spinning out the happy vocals and Father Tony and I lounged …

Father Tony’s place overlooks Hugh Taylor Birch Park, home to gigantic hawks and a huge colony of raccoons that have been trained by tourists to come up to you to beg for Kibbles and Bits.

When I do these weekend trips, I rarely carry more than a backpack and small carry-on, but this time since I was bringing something for Father Tony, I had to use my big suitcase….which Spirit Airlines charged me $20 to check at the ticket counter.  Grrr.  I vaguely recall hearing about this new practice a few months ago, but since …

Speaking before a mostly black audience yesterday, Barack Obama chastised Christians that disrespect gay people.  Via Ben Smith at Politico.com: Obama’s rally in Beaumont today was the highest-energy of this Texas swing, with a crowd that was about three-quarters black cheering at almost every turn. An interesting moment came when he was asked a question about LGBT rights and delivered …

On today’s show, Ellen Degeneres makes a heartfelt commentary on the Lawrence King murder. An excerpt: “Larry was not a second class citizen. I am not a second class citizen. It is okay if you’re gay. I don’t care what people say. I don’t care what people think. And I know there are entire groups of people who face discrimination …

Ah, Fort Lauderdale. This is the view from Father Tony’s 17th-floor pied-a-terre overlooking the ocean and the Intracoastal. I’m posting from Java Boys in Wilton Manor’s all-gay shopping center, where the neighboring tenants are Gay Mart, Tops-N-Bottoms, and half a dozen gay bars. Blogging will be light today, obviously. Later this afternoon, I’ll head down to South Beach for the …

Via Father Tony, outgoing Task Force executive director Matt Foreman speaks a few words of encouragement from the Fort Lauderdale vigil and remembrance of murdered trans teen Simmie Williams.