Gallery | Aqua Girl's Beach House Pool Party and Tea Dance in South Beach (with video)

Hundreds of women (and a few men) on Sunday packed the pool area at the National Hotel in South Beach for the annual Aqua Girl festival.

DJs Pride, Tracy Young and Tatianna kept the crowd on its feet for Sunday's Beach House Pool Party and Tea Dance.

Aqua Girl benefits Aqua Foundation for Women, a nonprofit that raises money for South Florida grants, scholarships and initiatives.

Click here to view more pictures from the party. Photos by Steve Rothaus / Miami Herald Staff.

Video streaming by Ustream

Gallery | 2013 Aqua Girl reception in South Beach

Aqua Girl is underway in South Beach and hundreds of supporters gathered Friday night for a VIP reception at the Lincoln Road Garage to celebrate this year's event, which runs through Sunday.

Honorees at the VIP party: Community Leader Alison Burgos (pictured top row center with her family), who co-founded Aqua Girl; and Volunteer of the year Mary Joe.

Click here to view more pictures from the party. Photos by STEVE ROTHAUS / Miami Herald Staff.

Peter Rauhofer dies of brain cancer at 48; popular DJ had rocky history in South Florida

From celebrity DJ Peter Rauhofer's Facebook page:

Today the music industry has lost one of it's true heroes.

With a heavy heart I must now report that Peter Rauhofer has lost his battle with brain cancer.

He passed quietly today and is survived by his mother, Helga, who resides in Austria.

She will transport Peter back home to his final resting place there, but to all that knew Peter, his heart will always be in New York City.

It makes me sad, not only that I have lost a friend, but that the world has lost an amazing talent and that future generations will never get to understand the magic that Peter created night after night all over the world.

He is gone too soon but we will always have the vast body of music that Peter left for us.

Through his music, Peter will live forever. The brightest stars always burn out too soon. Peter, you were loved and you will be terribly missed. Goodbye my friend. Please rest in peace knowing that you have brought so much joy to so many of us. I ask that his true fans keep his legacy alive by sharing his music with anyone who may not have had the opportunity to experience it for themselves.

Rauhofer's manager, Angelo Russo, posted April 17 on Facebook that doctors discovered a large undetected brain tumor after the DJ suffered a seizure.

Rauhofer had been scheduled to perform several days before at Urge, a sanctioned Miami Beach Gay Pride event, but illness forced him to withdraw.

The popular DJ had a rocky history in South Beach. Three years ago, local gay activists protested a Rauhofer show held during Winter Party weekend at Mansion.

The protesters, led by Care Resource Executive Director Rick Siclari, told Mansion patrons that for a second consecutive year Rauhofer competed for gay tourist dollars by counterprogramming against a Winter Party event that raises money for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and gay nonprofits throughout South Florida.

Rauhofer also had programmed parties that competed with events run by Siclari’s HIV/AIDS service agency during its annual fundraising White Party Week in November.

Rauhofer declined to comment at the time, except for a short message sent to The Miami Herald via Facebook: ``Sorry, I will be unable to attend this protest due to a prior engagement. Maybe next time.''

Aqua Girl festival returns May 15-19 in South Beach; Aqua Foundation to honor volunteers with VIP parties

The annual Aqua Girl festival benefiting Aqua Foundation for Women runs May 15-19 in South Beach and the organization will thank its volunteers with two parties in Fort Lauderdale and Miami Beach.

Here are the details:

VIP Cocktail Reception hosted in Fort Lauderdale

Saturday, May 11th
7:00PM – 10:00PM
The private home of J. Michael Heider and Thom Carr, 2411 NE 32nd Ave, Fort Lauderdale, Fl, 33305

If you have sophisticated taste and love the fusion of music, food, and interesting people, then our fabulous VIP cocktail is for you. Join us as we kick off the start of the 14th year of Aqua Girl for the first time in Ft. Lauderdale, featuring delicious hors d’oeuvres and luscious libations. We will also be celebrating the Broward honorees for Volunteer and Community Lead of the Year Awards.

Allow your senses to take in the authentic Italian flavor of our hors d’oeuvres catered by da Campo Osteria, known for their fresh, intense, yet delicately prepared, dishes.

This is a sophisticated event and appropriate attire is required. Proper attire is considered cocktail dress, or suit, dress pants and shirt.

$60 in advance/$80 at the door
$50 in advance for members

Miami VIP Cocktail Reception

Friday, May 17th
7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
1111 Lincoln Road, 1111 Lincoln Rd Miami Beach, FL 33139

The breathtaking backdrop of Miami Beach’s skyline sets the mood for our stylish, sexy VIP cocktail. Enjoy an evening in the exclusive 1111 Lincoln Road building; taking in the powerful, award winning architecture of one of the Beach’s most famed buildings. Savor the view from the 7th floor while socializing with Miami’s hottest VIPs and enjoying fantastic hors d’oeuvres and cocktails! And, from 7:30 – 8:30 PM, you’ll have a chance to meet VOICE Finalist and Grammy nominated star Frenchie Davis! DJ Citizen Jane will be spinning all evening.

Our hors d’oeuvres will be catered by Chef Robyn Almodovar, who has appeared on Hell’s Kitchen, and specializes in using locally sourced ingredients in her signature dishes.

We will also be celebrating the Miami-Dade honorees for Volunteer and Community Leader of the Year Awards.

This is a sophisticated event and appropriate attire is required. Proper attire is considered cocktail dress, or suit, dress pants and shirt.

$85 in advance/$100 at the door
$75 in advance for members

AIDS activist protests blood drive in gay mecca Wilton Manors, where half are banned from donating

Posted by Michael Emanuel Rajner on Facebook:

BLOOD DRIVE HOSTED IN HEART OF GAY AND HIV/AIDS COMMUNITY IN WILTON MANORS

My phone has been burning up with incoming calls and text messages about the May 8th blood drive in Wilton Manors. While blood drives are essential to ensure our nation has enough blood for our military and those at home, hosting one in the heart of a gay mecca is poorly planned and not a wise venue. If your a member of the LGBT community, you are probably scratching your head and wondering why have a blood drive in a community where probably well more than 50% of those in and visiting the City of Wilton Manors would be prohibited by federal law from donating blood.

Several weeks ago, Celeste Ellich spoke before the Wilton Manors City Commission discussing how important these blood drives are, and I agreed. But what she was incapable of understanding is why past blood drives in Wilton Manors were failures based on the low level of blood donations. Perhaps she simply didn't know that the FDA explicitly bans the donation of blood by any man having sex with a man, or anyone who had sex with a man who had sex with a man or injected drug user among other exclusions.

As a person living with AIDS, whenever I walk past one of these donation buses, I'm pleased to see people volunteering their time and other donating blood. But if I'm asked to donate blood, I simply reply, sorry I can't, I have AIDS.

A blood drive in a community like Wilton Manors that is so impact by HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis is poorly planned and contributes to the stigma of people living with HIV/AIDS. Our blood supply is safe as screening is so effective now that the FDA ban on homosexuals is out of date and discriminatory.

Unity Coalition petition: 'Lift the FDA ban on donating blood by gay and bisexual men in the U.S.'

Unity Coalition petition at Change.org:

Repeal the FDA's longstanding prohibition on gay and bisexual men from donating blood – in place since 1977.

This regulation is not only antiquated, but based on outdated statistics and unwarranted fears and generalities, no longer accurate, based on scientific evidence we now have available.  It limits our very residents from the ability to donate screened blood, and unnecessarily limits the nation’s blood supply.

We have the highest of respect for the FDA and their process and responsibilities, but believe they have not kept up with current international standards for blood donations.  Argentina, Australia, Hungary, New Zealand, South Africa and Sweden have all developed various levels of acceptance of gay men in regards to donating blood. Other countries such as the UK, Spain, France, Italy and Russia have completely lifted the life-long ban; and the blood donation organizations have also recommended a reversal of this policy

As of Dec 25, 2012, Mexico has become the first North American country to end its ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men.

Not a single piece of scientific evidence supports the ban.  In 2009, the California Assembly Judiciary Committee passed AJR 13, the U.S. Blood Donor Nondiscrimination Resolution (Ammiano-D), calling upon the nation’s Food and Drug Administration to end its more than quarter century ban on gay men donating blood to the nation’s blood banks.

The decades-old federal blood donor ban was introduced as a way to assure the U.S. public that the nation’s blood banks were safe at the genesis of the AIDS epidemic here. But according to much research, medical experts have argued since its inception the ban did little more than discriminate and for more than two decades mandatory blood screening has rendered the ban useless. The current ban is nothing short of discrimination based on antiquated information. It has greatly limited the availability of blood – an issue that is of great importance to a city that is in constant threat of hurricanes, international viruses and other unforeseen occurrences.

Unity Coalition|Coalición Unida joins the Miami Beach Human Rights Committee, Senator John Kerry, and countless other organizations and community leaders in SUPPORTING THE LIFTING OF THE BLOOD DONATION BAN BY THE FDA. 
www.unitycoalition.org

Click here to sign the petition.

Mariela Castro of Cuba gets visa to receive award at Equality Forum in Philadelphia, group reports

* Raúl Castro's sexologist daughter bound to New York during U.S. visit

News release from Equality Forum:

Philadelphia – The U.S. State Department lifted its travel ban on Mariela Castro and has authorized Ms. Castro to visit Philadelphia to participate in Equality Forum 2013, a national and international LGBT civil rights summit with Cuba as the featured nation.
 
Mariela Castro, daughter of Cuban President Raul Castro, accepted being a panelist on the Cuba: Featured Nation Panel and being the recipient of the International Ally for LGBT Equality Award at the International Equality Dinner at Equality Forum 2013.
 
“Equality Forum is delighted that the State Department has affirmed democratic values by authorizing Mariela Castro to speak at Equality Forum 2013,” stated Malcolm Lazin, Executive Director, Equality Forum. “Equality Forum 2013 is an open forum which will include a discussion of the history, progress and challenges of LGBT Cubans.”
 
Ms. Castro, Director of the Cuban National Center for Sex Education (CENESEX), is the leading advocate for LGBT equality in Cuba. Ms. Castro is married and the mother of three children. She serves on international committees involving sexual issues and has published 13 scholarly articles and nine books.
 
Equality Forum 2013 from May 2 to 5 in Philadelphia has more than 30 programs including panels with national and international leaders. For a complete schedule of events, visit www.equalityforum.com.
 
Equality Forum is a national and international LGBT civil rights organization with an educational focus. Equality Forum coordinates LGBT History Month, produces documentary films, undertakes high-impact initiatives and presents the premier annual national and international LGBT civil rights summit.

'Why Don't I Have a Mommy AND a Daddy?' conversation 11 a.m. May 11 in Coconut Grove

From Miami Beach attorney Elizabeth Schwartz:

"Why Don't I Have a Mommy AND a Daddy?," a conversation for parents and prospective parents with six mental health professionals, will be held 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 11, 2013, at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 2750 McFarlane Rd. in Coconut Grove. The event is free and child care is available.

Appeals court to hear challenge to gay therapy ban

BY LISA LEFF, ASSOCIATED PRESS

SAN FRANCISCO -- A federal appeals court is to hear arguments Wednesday on whether a first-of-its-kind law that prohibits licensed mental health professionals in California from offering therapies aimed at making gay and lesbian teenagers straight violates the civil rights of practitioners and parents.

A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is considering two legal challenges to the ban on "sexual orientation change efforts" that was passed by the California Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown last fall.

The ban, which was scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, was put on hold by the 9th Circuit pending resolution of the closely watched cases. It spurred similar legislation still being considered by lawmakers in New Jersey,

The law states that therapists and counselors who treat minors with methods designed to eliminate or reduce their same-sex attractions would be engaging in unprofessional conduct and subject to discipline by state licensing boards. The activities of pastors and lay counselors who are unlicensed but provide such therapy through church programs would not be covered.

Click here to read more.

Pride RX community of LGBT CrossFitters and allies to hold mixer 12:30 p.m. Sunday in Miami

From Dave Valk:

After the success of the inaugural Pride RX social in March, the PRIDE RX is proud to announce the next workout/mixer on Sunday, April 21, 2013, at CrossFit 305. Pride RX is a community of LGBT CrossFitters and allies coming together to promote active and healthy lifestyles. The Pride RX social takes place every month at different CrossFit gymnasiums throughout South Florida, and is the perfect opportunity for local CrossFitters and novices (straight, gay or otherwise) to meet and mingle while working out. Best of all – it’s free!

The Pride RX organizers guarantee a great workout and a fabulous time with fabulous people. After the WOD (workout of the day) the fun will continue at a yet to be determined location for a post-workout happy hour. Sounds like an ideal way to spend a Sunday to me.

See below for all the details:

Location: CrossFit 305, 5940 NE 4th Ave Miami, FL 33137

Date: Sunday, April 21, 2013

Time: 12:30pm

For more information, please visit www.priderx.com. To RSVP, please email jsanchez@priderx.com.