Hillsborough County Repeals Ban on LGBT Events

Posted on by
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 the Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners voted to repeal the 2005 ban the County Commissioners had put in place on Gay Pride Events. The motion to remove this law was sponsored by openly Gay County Commissioner Kevin Beckner. Timing was right because of the  unanimous signing by all the BOCC members for this years 2013 GaYBOR Days Proclamation in historic Ybor City over the Memorial Day Weekend. For 5 previous years the majority of commissioners stayed away from any type of GLBT acknowledgement!
This historical vote came after some very heated discussions from GLBTA proponents wanting the bigoted law rescinded and other county residents wanting to have the laws continuance on the GLBT ban. The 2005 law that had been on the books stated,  ‘the county will not recognize, acknowledge, promote or finance any  GLBT event.’  The then commissioner Ronda Storms also put in place a requirement of a super majority to change any of the GLBT laws language, unheard of for any issue such as this.
The crowded chambers were packed with community leaders, residents and media reporting coverage during the extended 3 hour long debate.
The commissioners closed the open audience hearings and  openly debated the pressing issue.  The discussion contained both anger & tears on both sides of the aisle. There were 2 different motions to amend the repeal. Both were voted down.
It was simply put to his fellow commissioners by Beckner. “Vote yes to continue and support bigotry in this county or vote no to create a very tolerant and equal county!”
The surprising unanimous vote 7-0 to repeal the law by the conservative commissioners had cheers heard all over Tampa!
Carrie West, President of GaYBOR District Coalition smiled and stated simply, ” All residents in Hillsborough County are now on equal ground. Let’s all move forward!”
Attached  “The Faces of Our LGBT HEROES”

Hillsborough Pride After the Storm

Posted on by
A packed house came out to Rally and Celebrate the Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners (7-0) decision to “Repeal” the ban on GLBT acknowledgement, recognition, promotion and financing of any GLBT event in the county was held at Hamburger Mary’s last Sunday. What difference a day makes.
With a complete lists of area non profits jumping on board to help get the message out to the residents.
GaYBOR District Coalition, GLBTA Democratic Caucus, Equality Florida, MCC Tampa and Dishing with Mark & Carrie all shared in this historical moment for GLBT rights in our county. County Commissioner Kevin Beckner spoke to the packed crowd about the now and future of a new beginning.
Nadine Smith of Equality Florida and Carrie West President of GaYBOR both spoke about the new direction and the fairness in our county after 8 years of GLBT bigotry. Everyone was in agreement that there is more positive things to occur in the very near future.

People Are Talking

Posted on by
BREAKING NEWS given to us by Chief Executive Officer Lorraine Langlois at Metro Wellness & Community Centers. Tampa will now have a medical doctor on premises every Friday starting June 21st at the Ybor City Metro Wellness Center on 7th Ave for medical examinations and consultations. A major break through for the growth of the HIV/AIDS Tampa Bay area non profits commitment to ending the HIV epidemic. Call Metro Wellness at 813-232-3808 for appt scheduling.
Wow this Sunday is Fathers Day and Hamburger Mary’s is offering a GREAT $12.95 flat Fee for Father’s Day Sunday Brunch that includes HM Bloody Mary’s and Mimosas. Happy Fathers Day Daddys!  Congratulations to Barb from Hampton Inn & Suites Sales Office on becoming a Grandmother of twins to be delivered this Friday. Darlene Herrick, chef at Gaspar’s Grotto is recovering from surgery from a torn rotator cuff. Get well girl!
 A Birthday Greeting to Tessa Shiver. The Don Vicente Historical Inn had brother & staff throwing a wild surprise party for the *** year young athletic Ybor beauty. Happy Smiles and Greetings Tessa.
The construction renovations at CZAR Night Club on 7th Ave. are ridding the old stucco and returning to the natural under core red brick. A new office tenant is said to have taken over the old recognized historic Havana Hotel and reconfiguring the prestigious building into office space. We do remember it as a variety of names and a very large notorious gay dance night club; El Goya, Tracks, & Pleasuredome.
On the move is local co-owner of Florida Entertainments, D. Stephen Moss helping partner and singing sensation GLBT icon Erasure’s Andy Bell on a summer Pride Tour to a dozen North American cities.
We still can’t believe over two weeks of headlining news in a multitude of local, state and national newspapers regarding this years 2013 GaYBOR Days Proclamation by all BOCC and then unanimous (7-0) member recall vote of the 2005 GLBT hate policy by the County Commissioners in Hillsborough County last Wednesday. What a wonderful day a day makes. It will be historically remembered as Tampa’s own Stonewall event!

You Can Not make this Up.

Posted on by

After (r)onda (s)torms & the former Hillsborough County banned PRIDE in 2005 in Hillsborough County a group came up with an idea. Pride in EXILE!!! Jay Allar, Mark & Carrie, Brian Longstreth and several others organized a Tampa Pride in Key West. Jay & friends came together and chartered  buses for the trip to Key West. Mark aka Tea Cup was the bartender onboard. The Hostess onboard one of the buses was Miss Melanie Minyon. The beer was donated by MC Film. The buses were loaded in Channelside packed and followed a group that had driven up from Key West. Tea Cup was pouring the beer and Melanie was keeping everybody in high spirits. The line started to form and Melaine became the bathroom monitor too.
As we started to go down the Fl Keys a RED Light came on the dashboard! The toilet was too full and started to overflow! LOL OMG LOL The bus made an un scheduled stop at a park to drain the tank. Just out side of Key West we were met by the Monroe Sherrif Dept squad cars and Key West Police. They pulled over the buses.
 OMG!!! Out of the police cars popped the Mayors of Monroe County and  Key West. They wanted to ride the bus into town with us. All by police escort. The Mayors had also made a special exception and allowed our bus to drive down Duval Street. We stopped in front of La Tee Da and our weekend of fun started. There even was a huge Gay Pride Parade down Duval Street too. Our honorary Tampa Pride Grand Marshall was resident Key Wester Margaux Hemingway. PRIDE in EXILE  in 2005.