5 OctOber 31 - NOvember 6, 2024 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | Contents | Letters | news | night+Day | CuLture | Cafe | MusiC | MONTH XX–MONTH XX, 2008 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | ▼ LOCATION SNIFF ME EXPERIENCE THE ODELL BECKHAM JR. JOCKSTRAP CANDLE. BY ZULEKHA PITTS M iami Dolphins fans can now experience the...unique scent of Odell Beckham Jr.’s jock- strap. BetUS has released a can- dle that claims to capture the essence of Beckham’s game-day gear, delivering the very essence of Hard Rock Stadium to your home with every, er, flicker. That’s right, Miami fans: For $50, you can take home a whiff of Beckham’s wood, as it were. The candle, molded to resemble OBJ’s jockstrapped but otherwise bare-assed torso (yes, they went there), mixes signature notes of amber, green lavender, and neroli with a dash of the musk the great Odell brings to the field. Indeed, this game-day special promises an experience only the true Dolphins devotee can fully appreciate. It’s an intimate collect- ible that goes beyond standard swag — call it aromatherapy for the hardcore Phins fan. In a press release provided to New Times, BetUS head of content Andres Vargas de- scribes the candle as emitting a scent that brings “sweat, worn leather, and adrenaline” to life, one that pulls you into the intensity of the stadium — as if you’re standing inches away from the field (or Odell himself). It’s said to be “scented after Miami’s star wide receiver’s signature fragrances mixed with a sweaty musk that comes with hustling on the gridiron. The Jockstrap Candle offers a unique aroma that captures the essence of athleticism and determination. With its bold design and unforgettable scent, this candle is like bringing a piece of the locker room right into your living room.” Or wherever, we presume. Not for the casual fan, clearly, but those who hanker to lean into the Hard Rock quin- tessence should take note. Available in pale blue and brown, the can- dle brings an unconventional and — dare we say it? we do! — cheeky spin to Miami fandom. Per the website, the candle comes in only one size: six inches, er, ounces. Think of it as the home furnishing you never knew you needed. [email protected] | RIPTIDE | GET MORE NEWS & COMMENTARY AT MIAMINEWTIMES.COM/NEWS Full frontal: Breathe in the scent of Odell’s jockstrap and visualize yourself on the playing field. Visualize this, then pan down, down, down. Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images BetUS photo ▼ BROWARD “THEY’RE TRANSITIONING KIDS!” MOMS FOR LIBERTY CHAIR MAKES WILD CLAIM AT SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. BY NAOMI FEINSTEIN I n the August 20 primary election, Broward County voters roundly rejected a slate of school board candidates backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and the local chapter of the far-right “parental rights” group Moms for Liberty. Broward voters sent a clear message that anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, book banning, and the cul- tural-war agenda are not welcome on the dais of a board that manages one of the largest school systems in the nation. Despite Moms for Liberty’s resounding defeat, the group, which is known for spreading QAnon-linked conspiracy theories and which the Southern Poverty Law Center has deemed an extremist antigovernment organization, continues to spread baseless claims and cause chaos at Broward school board meetings. At the October 15 meeting, Corie Pinero, chair of the Broward chapter of Moms for Liberty, claimed that an LGBTQ resolution passed in Sep- tember was encouraging “sexual immorality” and gender confusion, that schools are providing books with pornographic material, and that schools are “transitioning kids behind their par- ents’ backs.” “We know that there have been kids and it’s not a conspiracy theory,” Pinero added. The assertion triggered a recess, during which a shouting match ensued between Pinero and Broward Teachers Union president Anna Fusco. “Someone’s gotta stick up,” Fusco protested. “I’m not going to sit here and allow her to say this about us teachers. Am I the only person that stands up for teach- ers?” Another person can be heard inter- jecting, “This doesn’t happen at schools,” as Fusco admonishes the board to refute Pinero’s claim about schools “transitioning children.” Later, on social media, Moms for Liberty Broward doubled down on the “transitioning” claim, citing a flyer an- nouncing the district’s recognition of LGBTQ His- tory Month in October and offering an after-school course called LGBT Diversity & In- clusion. “So no it’s not happening, right?” the group posted the following day on X, the platform for- merly known as Twitter. Sun Sentinel education reporter Scott Travis responded, pointing to a legal settlement that was reached in March after advocacy groups, students, civil rights attorneys, and parents chal- lenged the infamous “Don’t Say Gay” law. The agreement allowed students and teachers to dis- cuss sexual orientation and gender identity as long it is not part of instruction. “4:30 p.m. is after school hours. Is there any rule about not doing LGBTQ programming after school?” Travis wrote. “I think the “Don’t Say Gay” settlement allows that.” [email protected] DESPITE MOMS FOR LIBERTY’S RESOUNDING DEFEAT, THE GROUP CONTINUES TO SPREAD BASELESS CLAIMS.
