In the heat of the night
The Ybor Resort & Spa in Tampa has had a rough time lately. The private men’s club and bathhouse was closed down earlier this year after being sold by owner Vincent R. Pawlowski Esq.
Pawlowski wrote in an email that he sold the property due to “tremendous heat from the city” and that they could have “stayed open another four to five years,” but he had an “opportunity to sell the property for a nice profit.” Bathhouses were a popular hotspot back in the day, but today, with everybody online, they just aren’t the hangouts they once were. “Why pay money to hang out at a place when you can dial up a menu on your computer and have sex delivered via social media? In short, Tampa didn’t want the drugs and sex associated with this type of business. Tampa gets what Tampa wants,” Pawlowski wrote.
On top of Ybor Resort & Spa’s financial woes, the hotel was set ablaze in the early morning of March 11. Initially thought to have been started by piles of garbage left in the courtyard, by the afternoon Tampa Fire Rescue ruled it an arson. The perpetrators entered the building illegally and set several fires throughout. No one was injured as the building was empty at the time but the fire is said to have caused $100,000 in damages.
A week later, Tampa Fire Rescue was called back out to Ybor Resort & Spa for yet another fire. Firefighters were able to get that fire under control without any injuries, although adjoining buildings reported that they experienced smoke damage. Both fires are still under investigation.
Psychological torture
A ban on the archaic practice of gay conversion therapy, especially on minors, seems like a no brainer, but for some reason this practice appears to be sound medical advice to the conservative Christian club.
Only six states in the U.S. ban this form of abuse, and, surprise, Florida isn’t one of them. Since they can’t get the state to pass a common-sense law like banning torture against children, groups across the state are pushing for a ban city by city. Outside of the six states, 14 cities also ban the practice, including 10 in Florida. Now Tampa is on the cusp of joining that list.
Tampa Councilman Guido Maniscalco passed the first step of clearance earlier this month when the city council unanimously approved a measure that would punish mental health professionals who offer the therapy to minors with a fine up to $1,000 for the first offense and fines up to $5,000 for repeat offenders. At the first reading, speakers, organizations and allies showed up to the Old Tampa City Hall wearing purple to show their support.
The second reading will be April 6. If passed, Tampa will be the only non-South Florida city to have such a ban.
