For a chubby, gay kid who loved comic books growing up like me, middle school was a very long three years.
I hated almost all of it, including in eighth grade when I was supposedly king of the castle. I found instead that I wasn’t even king of my school bus, where sixth graders would regularly poke my stomach like I was the Pillsbury Doughboy as I exited. Kids can be cruel.
Thankfully they can also be kind. Two of my core memories from the era remind me of that.
The first is attending my eighth-grade dance with a small but mighty group of friends. I distinctly remember experiencing the rush of unreasonably loud music in our gym, normally a trauma hotspot, and what it was like to hear an up-and-coming artist named Britney Spears that loud for the first time.
Obsessing over “…Baby One More Time” was one of the earliest punches in my gay card, and probably should’ve been a clue for both me and my date that it wouldn’t work out. But how was I supposed to know?
The other is an after-school activity, something I rarely participated in. Normally I couldn’t get home fast enough to dial into America Online, where I could chat with kids who only judged me by my cool screenname, but this fateful day was different.
I can’t remember what exactly prompted me to go through with it, but I stayed behind to learn about high school electives when another student invited me. Freshman year was quickly approaching, which would undoubtedly bring new terrors but also leave room for reinvention, and I attended a presentation about journalism.
To say it changed the trajectory of my life isn’t hyperbole. That one session led to four years of working on a newspaper in high school, one I helped found as a freshman and oversaw as a junior and senior, and all of that ignited a passion that grew throughout college and well beyond.
That eventually led me to Watermark, which I’ve gushed about at length for nearly six years, and just recently to Texas. Our editorial team visited Dallas for the 2023 Association of Alternative Newsmedia Conference July 19-21 and the experience was absolutely incredible.
AAN represents nearly 100 alternative news organizations throughout North America, an impressive roster of publications covering local news, arts and more in communities of every size. As of the conference — where we’re proud to say its board voted unanimously in Watermark’s favor — that includes your LGBTQ+ news source here in Tampa Bay and Central Florida.
This year’s conference was hosted by the Dallas Voice, a fantastic newspaper and fellow member of the National LGBT Media Association, and featured two full days of programming split into separate tracks. The first was for revenue and marketing and the second was geared toward editorial and design.
Watermark Publisher Rick Todd attended the former, while Editor-in-Chief Jeremy Williams and I participated in the latter. It was my first journalism conference and I’m very happy to report that I loved it.
I’ve spent most of my life nerding out about the things I’m passionate about, like Marvel, but getting to do so about journalism with fellow journalists was an unforgettable experience. We shared tips and tricks of the trade, compared favorite covers, heard from subject matter experts in our field and more. It was invigorating.
The conference strengthened my resolve and reaffirmed what I’m always thankful for, that I get to play a part in showcasing our community through the craft I love. Thank you to each of our advertisers and readers for making that possible.
In this issue we focus on Florida’s anti-LGBTQ+ “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” law, originally passed in 2022 and strengthened by Republicans earlier this year. We speak with LGBTQ+ students and parents before they head back to school about what it means to them, as well as provide resources for those in need.
In Tampa Bay news, we introduce you to Bell Pharmacy in St. Petersburg, which focuses on access to LGBTQ+ care. EPIC also cycles toward the 20th annual SMART Ride. In Central Florida, we detail developments with the onePULSE Foundation and the interim Pulse memorial.
Author Christian Cooper also flies into arts and entertainment. He reflects on his new book “Better Living Through Birding,” his National Geographic series “Extraordinary Birder” and more.
Watermark strives to bring you a variety of stories, your stories. Please stay safe, stay informed and enjoy this latest issue.
