If one word could describe the mood of Florida’s LGBT activists over this past year it would be simple: Rebuilding. While the majority of eyes focused on California’s Proposition 8 last fall, Florida faced its own anti-marriage bill that strictly defined marriage as between one man and one woman and effectively banned any legally-recognized same-sex union with similar rights as marriage. The measure passed in Nov. 2008 with 62 percent of the popular vote and derailed any momentum Floridians had gained on the marriage issue.
Instead of taking their loss lying down, however, LGBT activists in the Sunshine State saw an opportunity to consider a new strategy toward legislative progress in their state, which ranks as one of the least equal in the nation because of its gay adoption ban, a lack of a statewide employment non-discrimination bill and other contentious issues. They have focused on local victories -- and these include the expansion of domestic partnership recognition in Miami and Tallahassee, the defeat of an anti-gay measure in Gainesville and expanded protections for Tampa’s transgender residents.
Here is Kent's news release about his upcoming South Florida Gay News.com:
Norm Kent Announces Debut of New GLBT Weekly, 'South Florida Gay News.com'
Gay News, Straight Facts
Fort Lauderdale attorney Norm Kent announced today the inauguration of a new GLBT newsweekly, published under the banner of "South Florida Gay News.com"
Nicknamed 'SFGN,' Kent said he purposely chose a hard copy newspaper name with a "dot com" in the masthead "in order to accommodate and acknowledge; promote and link the diverse media platforms a 21st century newspaper has to deliver. Our website will be up and running before the paper is actually published and distributed."
A South Florida attorney for 30 years, in 1999 Kent founded and published the very first credible GLBT weekly newspaper in Broward County, The Express Gay News. Mr. Kent sold The Express to Unite Media in December of 2003, which then published the paper under the banner of first The Express and then the South Florida Blade, until last month, when the corporation filed for bankruptcy protection in federal district court in Atlanta. Kent explained the name of his former paper, The Express, is tied up in the bankruptcy courts, and may be unavailable for months, as trustees sort out creditor issues.
Kent indicated that SFGN will be published and distributed on Mondays, tabloid size, commencing in January of 2010, and over 12,000 copies will be distributed to 300 plus locations in Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties. The paper will be published on high quality, heavy weight stock by Miami Offset. "We are going to deliver a handsome, local, hometown product, and our service providers will benefit our neighborhood businesses," Kent stated, faulting the publishers of Unite Media for "losing touch with the community I intended the paper to serve."
Kent stated that he had signed a long term lease for the primary newspaper office in the heart of Wilton Manors, at 2520 North Dixie Highway, adjacent to the CVS pharmacy at Five Points. The Manors is one of the fastest growing gay communities in the United States. Kent also indicated that "later in the year" there would be a satellite office in Dade County as well. "We have contracted for digital phones, modern computers, upgraded printers, and independent distributors. It's a project, but we are getting there."
Kent said the first issue of The Expresswas published January 24, 2000, and that he expects the first issue of SFGN is expected to be on the streets January 25, 2010, if not sooner. "It's a kharma thing."
Kent indicated that he will bring back some of his best feature columnists, who formerly wrote with the Express, along with the popular cartoonists and writers. Correspondents, such as Jesse Monteagudo, formerly with The Weekly News, are already working on features for the debut issue. The paper will include local writers such as Pier Guidugli, established columnists such as Jennifer Vanasco, and nationally known authors such as Wayne Besen. "We are a work still in progress. There are openings for creative talent."
The web design for www.southfloridagaynews.com will be handled by Tom Forcella and the newspaper graphics by George Dauphin. News on the website will be updated daily with videos and interactive commentary.
Kent promised that "The bottom line is that we are going to publish a fiercely independent publication, a credible and legitimate weekly newspaper, which will feature topical news, cutting-edge issues, outspoken columnists, and articles capturing the breadth and diversity of gay life." Kent added that "as The Express once was a hard-hitting meaningful paper people sought to read, so too will the SFGN soonbe."
Although an editor has not been hired yet, Kent said he is conducting exhaustive interviews after receiving over 150 replies from a Craigslist advertisement he posted last Friday. "Interested writers and salespersons, full time or part time, should send their resumes and credentials to my email, Publishernormkent@gmail.com for now. I do not have six figure salaries to pay out, but like The Expresswas once before, this is an opportunity for young people to come forward and create career opportunities for themselves."
Kent noted that former staffers at his old paper have reached significant stature: "Ian Drew is an editor at US Weekly, Andy Zeffer has published a book, Kevin Hopper went on to become a publisher, and Jeff Palmer and Drew Middleton have started their own design and IT companies. Mike James, though he sadly passed away just a few weeks ago, became a film producer. Mary Damiano is an established critic. In fact, one of our very first issues at SFGN will feature the achievements of those past contributors."
A constitutional rights and criminal defense attorney in Broward County, Kent has been a legal advocate of gay rights in South Florida for three decades. Recently, his law firm, Kent & Cormican, P.A., won a $45,000 judgment against the State of Florida for domestic partners who were falsely arrested in a state park. In 2007, he won an acquittal for numerous gay men who were unlawfully entrapped by law enforcement agencies by illegal undercover activities. In 1991, when 200 gay men were improperly detained by the Broward Sheriff's Office in a bar raid at the Copa, he successfully brought a class action on behalf of those patrons, securing a consent judgment which led to BSO donating money to an AIDS agency.
The law offices of Norm Kent and Russell Cormican (Kent & Cormican, P.A.) are located in the 110 Tower in Fort Lauderdale, directly opposite the courthouse at 110 S.E. 6th Street, Suite 1970. Their telephone number is 954 763 1900, and they provide legal services in the field of criminal defense and constitutional rights.
Kent stated that "The Express was the culmination of my life as a gay rights advocate. I let it go in order to preserve it for posterity, and the big-shot corporation with its fancy budgets blew it and went broke. I learned a life lesson again- that if you love something, keep it close to your heart, invest in it with sweat and tears, and don't let it go."
Acknowledging the downturn of the economy and the decreasing market for newspapers, Kent added that the newspaper, which will be free, needs the support of the GLBT business community. "The gay community is more than bars and bathhouses. We are businesspersons and professionals. If I deliver a quality product, the community will make it work."
Kent is also well known for his long time experience as the highly rated morning drive talk show host for WFTL-850 AM. He later hosted a weekly radio show titled 'Weekend Legal' on WWNN-1470 AM. Today, he publishes his comments about South Florida justice on The Broward Law Blog at www.browardlawblog.com and writes weekly commentaries for the popular online liberal newsletter, Counterpunch, at www.counterpunch.org
Headquartered in Wilton Manors, at 2520 North Dixie Highway, the phone number for SFGN is 954-530-4970.
Washington Blade, reports that Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has committed to preventing the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill from becoming law on at least two separate occasions. According to U.S. State Department spokesman Jon Tollefson:
Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson received this assurance from Museveni on Oct. 24 during an in-person meeting with the president in Uganda and again during a phone conversation with Museveni on Dec. 4, Tollefson said.
…Asked whether it’s the understanding of U.S. officials that Museveni would veto the legislation should it come to his desk, Tollefson replied, “Right, that’s a commitment that he’s made. He made that personally to the assistant secretary on that first meeting that he had on Oct. 24 and again on a call on Dec. 4, and so we’re going to continue to expect that.”
Tollefson also said that the State Department wants Museveni to make a public statement against the legislation, but so far the Ugandan president has not done so. While Museveni has not made his position known publicly, he has allowed Ugandan government controlled or owned media to publish twoop-eds calling on Parliament to drop the Anti-Homosexuality Bill in recent weeks. The second op-ed was written by John Nagenda, a senior advisor to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, and appeared in the government-owned New Vision which is Uganda’s largest newspaper.
DCAgenda’s report greatly expands on the hint that was dropped in yesterday’s AFP article which I discussed earlier today. When I wrote that post, I settled on the headline “Will Musevini Sign the Anti-Homosexuality Bill?” I vacillated between that headline and its alternate, “Will Museveni Veto the Anti-Homosexuality Bill?” It appears now that perhaps I should have gone with the more optimistic question. But until Museveni makes his views known publicly, it is still an open question.
LGBT Households Remain More Optimistic about Finances
LGBT adults likely to spend more on average this holiday season than heterosexuals
New York, N.Y. and Washington, DC – December 7, 2009 – With Black Friday unofficially launching the holiday spending season and constant news coverage of the nation's economic health, a recent survey showed one-third (34%) of lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender (LGBT) adults sampled, when thinking about their household's financial condition, continue to say that they expect it to get better in the next 6 months, compared with just 17% of heterosexual adults. This is a significant increase from March 2009 when 25% of LGBT adults expected their household's financial condition to get better. In March a slightly higher 19% of heterosexual adults said that their situation would get better.
The new nationwide survey of 2,516 U.S. adults, (ages 18 and over), of whom 338 self identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender, was conducted online between November 2 and 11, 2009, by Harris Interactive, a global market research and consulting firm, in conjunction with Witeck-Combs Communications, Inc., a strategic public relations and marketing communications firm with special expertise in the LGBT market.
The survey also revealed that compared to what they spent last year on holiday gifts, 29% of LGBT adults plan to spend more. In comparison, only 9% of heterosexual adults plan to spend more.
Compared to what they spent last year on holiday gifts, 45% of LGBT adults plan to spend more on immediate family members, compared to 18% of heterosexual adults. When it comes to close friends, 31% of LGBT adults say they plan to spend more, compared to 8% of non-LGBT adults. Also, 31% of LGBT adults plan to spend more on extended family, compared to only 5% of heterosexual adults.
When it comes to bargain shopping, LGBT adults list it as less of a priority than non-LGBT adults. Only one-third (35%) of LGBT adults said finding the best sales and discounts is important when they are shopping for gifts this holiday season, compared to 65% of heterosexual adults.
"Virtually all American households have been impacted by the current recession in some ways, and we recognize that LGBT households are no more affluent than others, and are coping as best they can," said Wesley Combs, President of Witeck-Combs Communications. "This holiday season, retailers will have to work extra hard to win consumers, all of whom are trying to make their dollars go further. Smart marketers who welcome LGBT purchasing power, as well as their families' needs and their sustained optimism about the economy will be ahead of their competitors at the end of this holiday season."
Looking at where LGBT and non-LGBT adults plan to do their holiday shopping this year, we can also see a few gaps. When asked to think about where they purchased gifts last holiday season:
·Nearly half (47%) of LGBT adults plan to spend more at discount stores (e.g. Wal-Mart, Target), compared to 25% of heterosexual adults.
·30% of LGBT adults plan to spend more at warehouse stores (e.g. Costco, B.J.'s), compared to 12% of non-LGBT adults.
·A third (34%) of LGBT adults plan to spend more at electronic stores (e.g. Best Buy, Radio Shack), compared to just 8% of heterosexual adults.
·30% of LGBT adults plan to spend more at off price stores (e.g. Maxx, Nordstrom Rack), compared to 8% of non-LGBT adults.
·One in four (26%) of LGBT adults plan to spend more at mid-tier department stores (e.g. JCPenney, Kohl's), compared to 8% of heterosexual adults.
·28% of LGBT adults plan to spend more at specialty stores (e.g. jewelry stores, pet stores), compared to 5% of non-LGBT adults.
·26% of LGBT adults plan to spend more at top-tier department stores (e.g. Saks, Macy's, Nordstrom), compared to just 3% of heterosexual adults.
Harris Interactive conducted the study online within the United States between November 2 and 11 2009, among 2,516 adults (ages 18 and over), of whom 338 self-identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender. We over-sampled gay men and lesbians in order to allow for detailed analysis of these groups. Among all adults 1,961 (including 249 LGBT adults) indicate that they are shopping during the holidays.
Figures for age, sex, race, education, region and income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. In addition, the results for the gay and lesbian sample were weighted separately based on profiles of the gay and lesbian population that Harris Interactive has compiled through many different online surveys. Propensity score weighting also was used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.
All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words "margin of error" as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.
Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Interactive surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the adult population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in the Harris Interactive panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.
About Harris Interactive
Harris Interactive is one of the world's leading custom market research firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform relevant insight into actionable foresight. Known widely for the Harris Poll and for pioneering innovative research methodologies, Harris offers expertise in a wide range of industries including healthcare, technology, public affairs, energy, telecommunications, financial services, insurance, media, retail, restaurant, and consumer package goods. Serving clients in over 215 countries and territories through our North American, European, and Asian offices and a network of independent market research firms, Harris specializes in delivering research solutions that help us – and our clients – stay ahead of what's next. For more information, please visit www.harrisinteractive.com.
About Witeck-Combs Communications, Inc.
Witeck-Combs Communications, Inc. is the nation's premier marketing communications and consulting firm, specializing in developing and implementing effective strategies reaching the gay and lesbian consumer market. With over 16 years experience in this unique market, Witeck-Combs Communications not only serves as a bridge between corporate America and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender consumers (LGBT), but also provides counsel to countless non-profit organizations that aim to educate the public on gay and lesbian issues or to better reach their LGBT membership.
In April 2003, American Demographics magazine identified Bob Witeck and Wes Combs as two of 25 experts over the last 25 years who have made significant contributions to the fields of demographics, market research, media and trendspotting for their path breaking work on the gay and lesbian market, and in 2006 Bob Witeck and Wes Combs co-authored Business Inside Out: Capturing Millions of Brand Loyal Gay Consumers (Kaplan Publishing), considered the first-ever book on marketing insights, practical tips and strategies targeting the LGBT market. They have appeared in worldwide media outlets including Fortune, CNBC, CNN, Reuters, Associated Press, Ad Age, New York Times and Washington Post. For more information visit www.witeckcombs.com.
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