Wikipedia defines ‘Fag Hag’ as a slang term for a woman who is best or good friends with a gay man or men. Using this definition when labeling the Mayor of Miami Beach a fag hag is not really a stretch, nor an offense, as the Miami Beach LGBT community has no greater friend and no stronger ally than Her Honor, Mayor Matti Herrera Bower.  

It has been 40 years since the Stonewall Street riots launched the gay liberation movement and during this time span almost every gay destination city in the world has hosted gay pride events to commemorate the local gay community and peacefully demonstrate the need for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality (LGBT).  Yet Miami Beach, long considered a ‘must visit’ destination for international gay travelers, has never held a city sanctioned pride event. 

But thanks to Mayor Bower, the most famous sandbar in the world will join the ranks of world class cities like Sao Paulo, San Francisco, New York City, Atlanta, and Madrid that officially honor the gay community, by hosting its first city supported pride event April 18-19, 2009.  “It is hard to believe a city as diverse and as inclusive of the GLBT community as our city has not had an official Miami Beach Gay Pride in the past,” says Bower. “I am very proud to be a part of such a historical event in our community and will make every effort to ensure that Miami Beach Gay Pride 2009 will be a success.”

Since winning her mayoral bid on November 20, 2007, Matti Bower has become a familiar face at LGBT community events and gay sponsored parties and celebrations. From presenting city proclamations recognizing the efforts of LGBT volunteers, to mugging for photos with ‘her boys’ at local gay venues, the matronly mayor seems to be everywhere.  Viewers of the popular television entertainment news program Deco Drive were surprised recently to see her on the Twist Nightclub dance floor, among the drag queens and go-go boys, celebrating the establishment’s 15^th anniversary. “I have a great time every time I come to Twist,” the Mayor proudly proclaimed to the TV cameras. 

The retired dental assistant may seem an unlikely ally of the gay community. She’s the mother of four daughters and has six grandchildren.  Born in Cuba, she and her husband Richard Bower have lived in Miami Beach for over 30 years.  She even cofounded a house of worship, the Miami Beach Hispanic Community Church. 

Becoming both the first woman and the first Hispanic in the city’s history to be elected mayor, Bower shares an affinity with the struggle of LGBT individuals, a group perpetually striving for acceptance and equality. Her public service resume includes community activist, two-term city commissioner, PTA President, and numerous committee chairperson roles for several civic organizations.  Her years of tireless service in making Miami Beach a better place to live, work and play for the city’s residents and visitors and her willingness to be open to the concerns of all its subcultures and communities, gay and straight, have shaped Bower into a capable and effective leader, sensitive to the needs of her entire constituency.  

While some elected officials like Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle work tirelessly to demonize the LGBT community, Bower has always been a vanguard in fighting for equality for gays. As a city commissioner Bower led the fight against efforts by a handful of right wing conservatives to overturn the Miami-Dade County Human Rights Ordinance, an important statute enacted to protect the rights of everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation.

Mayor Bower’s first initiative of 2008 was the creation of the GLBT Business Development Ad Hoc Committee.  Armed with the mission of bringing recommendations to the Mayor and City Commission on initiatives to be implemented and supported by the city regarding issues relating to the LGBT community, the group purposes to ensure the welfare and future of the Miami Beach LGBT community.

The GLBT Committee is playing an active role in the planning of the city’s first pride celebration. “This may be the first year for the Official Miami Beach Gay Pride, but it has been a long time coming,” says Babak Movahedi, chair of the Mayor’s GLBT Committee and owner of the popular Halo Lounge. “This will be a community driven event created for and developed by Miami Beach GLBT residents. We are just planting the seed of an event that will foster a better sense of community within the City of Miami Beach.”

Miami Beach Gay Pride 2009 will begin at noon on Saturday, April 18^th with a Gay Pride parade and March on Ocean Drive from 5^th Street to 15^th Street. Local businesses, community organizations, and entertainers are expected to ban together to create various floats for the parade. Immediately following the parade, various booths, food kiosks, and exhibits will line the streets of Ocean Drive creating a Gay Pride exhibition area where local businesses and community organizations can showcase their pride and support of GLBT equality. Miami Beach Gay Pride 2009 will end with a large afternoon dance event, complete with shows by various national and international recording artists, music sets by international DJs, and performances by a number of popular entertainers.

When April 28 comes around, the LGBT community may have a lot to be proud of.  Hopefully we’ll be proud to say we have a gay friendly POTUS (Go OBAMA!).  Perhaps we’ll be proud of the fact that our community defeated the Florida Gay Marriage Ban Constitutional amendment.  And just maybe we can be proud that gay marriage in California has survived and LGBT couples everywhere can get hitched legally, as long as their willing to travel to the Golden State.

But for sure we can be proud that Miami Beach has a leader that is sensitive and attentive to the needs of the LGBT community and we can be proud that one of the world’s most popular gay Mecca destinations finally has its own Pride festival…FINALLY! 

Thank you Mayor Matti Herrera Bower, the ultimate fag hag, our fairy godmother, our Schwulenmutti, our Mari Pili, our friend! We’re already proud of you. 

David L. Wylie is the Senior Editor of GaySOFLA Magazine.  Wylie is passionate about creating an online media outlet that will encourage, entertain and educate the south Florida LGBT Community.  Wylie hopes that GaySOFLA serves that purpose.  He can be reached at David@gaysofla.com  (Photo Left to Right:  GaySoFla Editor David L. Wylie, Miami Beach Mayor Matti Bower, GaySoFla Writer & Animal Rights Activist Dahlia Canes and former Miami Beach City Commissioner and Community Activist Michael Gongora).