09/06/2007
Gay In South Florida: a Tale of Two City Commissions
I received an interesting email this morning from Anthony Niedwiecki, whose organization Fight OUT Loud, has been spearheading the campaign to flush anti-gay Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle. Niedwiecki and his partner, Waymon Hudson, attended two city commission meetings last night — one in Fort Lauderdale, and the other in Oakland Park, to the north.
His experiences at the meetings of the adjacent communities was, as he calls it, "a tale of two cities."
Oakland Park: "Last night, the city first voted to add gender identity and gender expression to its non-discrimination policy with an unanimous vote. The commissioners all have said that it is a no brainer because discrimination should not be tolerated in any form. It became one of the first cities in Florida to add these protections. Later, a few of us spoke to the commission about Naugle and the need to lead the region in sending a strong statement of support for diversity. After Waymon and I spoke about how Naugle's statements have made us feel less safe and that we have received some threats on the phone and through email and mail, the chief of police for our city came up to me and said that he had not heard about any of this and that he would make sure that we are protected. They have previously offered to check our house several times a day to make sure that nobody is bothering us. After a discussion on passing a potential resolution, the commissioners came to me and said that they want to pass an even more inclusive one to show to all people that they are welcome in our city. Among the commissioners, there was a clear disdain for what Naugle was doing, and that they wanted to strongly show that Oakland Park is different. It makes a difference when we have a mayor that is openly gay and commissioners that truly care about the city and the region. Waymon and I walked away with a sense of pride for our city because of the feeling of community and inclusiveness that is so clearly lacking in Fort Lauderdale now. That became even more apparent when we drove to Fort Lauderdale's commission meeting."
Fort Lauderdale: "All of the news cameras were in the meeting room waiting for Naugle to say something stupid again. One of the commissioners had 'walked on' a resolution earlier in the day celebrating the diversity of the city without saying anything about Naugle. The statement was not a pure censure, but it was something. When the final vote came, the mayor made a speech and focused on the word 'dignity' to launch into another one of his offensive and anti-gay tirades. He said that he could vote for the resolution because it included this word, and that we need to stand for the dignity of our families and how they need to be saved from all of the sex, blah, blah, blah (you know the drill by now). The meeting then quickly ended and Rev. Dozier and the mayor quickly jumped to the cameras. Rev. Dozier, who is now the mayor's best friend and biggest supporter, told me and Waymon that our family is not a family in his eyes. He said that he felt sorry for our foster son because he is surrounded by sin and that he is missing what it is like to be in a real family. This 'reverend', mayor, and their crazy supporters started lecturing all of the gay men in the hall, telling us that we are going to hell, that we make god throw up, and that we hate Christians because we disagree with the mayor. Waymon and I just put our arms around each other and I gave him a kiss on the cheek. The day before, as you already know, the mayor held a press conference with militant religious figures that want to turn Fort Lauderdale into the new bible belt of the south."
Finally, Niedwiecki has some advice for people who may have decided not to visit the region because of Naugle's anti-gay comments: "I know that many of your readers are deciding not to come to Fort Lauderdale because of the statements of the mayor and the weakness of the city commission to take stronger action. I just want them to know that Fort Lauderdale is just one small part of the region. Instead of not visiting at all, stay in Oakland Park or Wilton Manors where the gay community is strong and the cities not only welcome LGBT individuals, but they celebrate the diversity and openness of our community. These are also the cities where many (if not most) of the gay and gay-friendly accommodations, restaurants, and bars are located. We also need to remember that some of the strongest statements have come from boards and commissions that have gay or lesbian members, such as Oakland Park and the Broward County Commission. I take away two lessons from last night: 1) we do have some great open and inclusive cities here, such as Oakland Park; and 2) to prevent crusades like we have seen in Fort Lauderdale, it is essential that we elect gay officials at all levels of government."
Background
Mayor Jim Naugle Flushed from Broward County Tourism Board [tr]
Defiant Ft. Lauderdale Mayor Will Risk Tourism for Anti-gay Views [tr]
Christian Hate Groups Join With Anti-Gay Ft. Lauderdale Mayor [tr]
Fort Lauderdale Gay Businesses Concerned About Naugle Effect [tr]
Hundreds Rally Against Anti-Gay Fort Lauderdale Mayor Naugle [tr]
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Angers Gay Community Hours Before Rally [tr]
Flush Naugle: Gays in Fort Lauderdale Call on Mayor to Resign [tr]
Posted 5:10 PM EST by Andy in Florida, Fort Lauderdale, News | Permalink
Like it?
Subscribe to FREE Towleroad daily headlines with our RSS feed!
RECENT STORIES:
Is this 2007 or 1967?? This Mayor is out of touch with the REAL world.
Posted by: dc-20008 | Sep 6, 2007 5:16:59 PM
Is Wilton Manors an independent, incorporated town or is it a part of Ft. Lauderdale?
Posted by: Zeke | Sep 6, 2007 5:24:08 PM
Does anyone know how to e-mail the Fort Lauderdale city commission? I'd like to let them know that I've cancelled my two-week winter break to their hateful city.
Posted by: gblandon | Sep 6, 2007 5:33:31 PM
I'll keep on saying it, my darlings: Go to Palm Springs. It's lovely, very gay, and people there treat you like a queen.
Posted by: the queen | Sep 6, 2007 5:39:07 PM
GBLandon:
http://ci.ftlaud.fl.us/commission/index.htm
You can also call them at (954) 828-5003 or (954) 828-5004
Posted by: Tread | Sep 6, 2007 5:53:37 PM
Wilton Manors is an incorporated city, independent of Ft Lauderdale. And why not email our dear Mayor
directly, mayorjames@aol.com load up his in box with your thoughts :)
SAM
Posted by: sam | Sep 6, 2007 6:13:17 PM
Where is the Chamber of Commerce with all of this? I spent spring break in Ft. Lauderdale last year. Are the business owners speaking up? My dollars can be spent elsewhere. A boycott similar to the one in Colorado in the '90s should be organized.
Posted by: George | Sep 6, 2007 8:05:55 PM
Instead of visiting areas right outside Fort Lauderdale, it seems to me to be the time that we visit Ft. Lauderdale itself. Maybe some of us should move there. We should be defiant to this mayor and not let his hate keep us from visiting his city. We are not going to get anywhere by "ghettoizing" ourselves in Oakland Park. Instead, we'll send this message: We're not going away and we'll go wherever the fuck we please, thank you.
Posted by: Brandon | Sep 6, 2007 8:39:06 PM
isn't a boycott of ft lauderdale by gay guys exactly what the mayor wants? wouldn't that newly created void simply then be filled with the like-minded ppl that the mayor is pandering to?
the gay community needs to use our collective brains, brawn, & benjamins to fight this bullshit. rise the fuck up.
Posted by: b mac | Sep 6, 2007 8:43:05 PM
Hey guys. As someone who lived in Fort Lauderdale, and then Oakland Park for almost five years before returning to New York - I can tell you I met the greatest, most genuine people down there. We are talking a community with gay churches, gay synagogue, gay sports leagues, countless gay establishments from guesthouses to restuarants and bars.
The sad thing is that these terrific people are going to be the ones to suffer from this ignorant dumbfuck's rhetoric.
I have seen first hand how gays have revitalized cracked out neighborhoods like Lake Ridge and parts of Wilton Manors. The gay community is virtually responsible for turning that town around.
Meanwhile - delinquent punks from so-called "normal" straight households were caught on videotape last year beating homeless people to death for kicks. And trust me, that town has it's share of trashy straight people.
My point being - PLEASE DO NOT BOYCOTT Fort Lauderdale! You are just giving this douchebag what he wants - the wonderful gay community to suffer.
Take B Mac's advice, and go down there and show this prick you are not going anywhere. Help them get rid of this bigot, they need all the support they can get.
Posted by: Andy | Sep 6, 2007 9:41:41 PM
hmm, he may be on to something there... Come in DROVES. Big cruise ships full of gay people should be decending on Ft. Liquordale right about now.
It is sooo way fucked up that this asshole sheds a bad light on such a fabulous communuity.
Posted by: allan | Sep 6, 2007 11:15:36 PM
and yes, where is the chamber of commerce?
Posted by: allan | Sep 6, 2007 11:17:55 PM
key west could certainly use some of the gay tourists who are deciding NOT to support a city, governed by an ignoramus...we're about to re-elect the most gay-friendly mayor of all times...jimmy weekley...and our city is literally governed by the motto of 'one human family'...not that we don't have our share of issues...but, anyone wanting to still come to florida...c'mon down to paradise...the end of the road...and for some...the end of the rainbow...just a thought...not a political tirade...
Posted by: jimmyfromkeywest | Sep 7, 2007 8:18:11 AM
Does Ft. Lauderdale have a Gay Yellow Pages? In the Tampa Bay area we have what we call the Alternative Yellow Pages that lists gay owned and/or gay friendly businesses.
If anyone chooses to make Ft. Lauderdale their vacation destination, I suggest that they pick up a copy, if one exists, and ONLY spend you money at businesses listed therein and TELL THEM why you are patronizing their business. If no gas stations are listed, buy your gas outside the city limits. I wouldn't spend one pink dime at ANY business that is not expressly and openly gay supportive. Otherwise we're just feeding the beast. It would also encourage more businesses to take a stand in this Naugle invented culture war.
Posted by: Zeke | Sep 7, 2007 8:25:44 AM