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‘It’s Not Who We Are’: Livonia Mayor Condemns Anti-LGBTQ Signs

Royal Oak City Commission Makes Conversion Therapy Criminal Misdemeanor

2020 Democratic and Republican National Convention LGBTQ Wrap-up

BiBillylly PPorter:orter: Black, Gay, anandd Out of F*cks

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VOL. 2836 • SEPTEMBER 3, 2020 NEWS OPINION ISSUE 1160/61 4 2020 Democratic and Republican 16 Parting Glances PRIDE SOURCE MEDIA GROUP

National Convention LGBTQ Wrap-up Phone 734.293.7200 16 Transmissions 5 Register to Vote PUBLISHERS 17 Creep of the Week Susan Horowitz & Jan Stevenson 6 BTL Presidential Endorsements EDITORIAL Editor in Chief 7 Coming: The 2020 Voter Guide Susan Horowitz, 734.293.7200 [email protected] 8 Royal Oak City Commission ENTERTAINMENT 04 Makes Conversion Therapy Criminal 22 Billy Porter: Black, Gay, and Entertainment Editor Misdemeanor Out of F*cks Chris Azzopardi, 734.293.7200 [email protected] 8 Lesbian Grand Rapids Judge Won’t 26 Lesbian Detroit Rapper Miz Korona News & Feature Editor Return to Church After Being Denied Riffs on COVID-19 with Her ‘The Eve Kucharski, 734.293.7200 Communion Virus’ EP [email protected]

10 ‘Discrimination is Wrong, No Matter News & Feature Writers Where It Exists’: Conflict Between LGBTQ Michelle Brown, Ellen Knoppow, Jason A. Michael, Catholics and Church Leadership Drew Howard, Jonathan Thurston CREATIVE 10 ‘It’s Not Who We Are’: Livonia Webmaster & MIS Director Mayor Condemns Anti-LGBTQ Signs in Kevin Bryant, [email protected] 14 Resident’s Yard Columnists 14 Ubuntu! Remembering and Honoring Charles Alexander, Michelle E. Brown, Mikey Rox, D’Anne Witkowski, Those we Have Lost Gwendolyn Ann Smith, Dana Rudolph

18 Major Transgender Bathroom Cartoonists Decisions in Federal Appeals Courts Paul Berg

20 Holland Approves Citywide LGBTQ Contributing Photographers Protections Andrew Potter, Andrew Cohen, Roxanne Frith, Tih Penfil ADVERTISING & SALES Director of Sales COVER Jan Stevenson, 734.293.7200 [email protected] 22 Billy Porter: Black, Gay, and Out of 26 F*cks Sales Representatives Ann Cox, 734.293.7200 [email protected]

National Advertising Representative Rivendell Media, 212.242.6863 MEMBER OF Michigan Press Assoication Online @ Pridesource.com National LGBT Media Association National Gay & Lesbian Chamber Here are some of our latest online-only pieces: Q Syndicate MCC-D to Host Webinar on Radical Inclusion By Jason A. Michael “Between The Lines Newspaper” HHS Sued for Ending Data Collection on Tribal, LGBTQ Youth in Foster Care By Chris Johnson Follow us @YourBTL

Email your op–eds to LGBTQ Activists Participate in March on Washington Commemoration [email protected] By Steph Purifoy Sign up online to receive our E–Digest The Rev. Dr. Yvette Flunder, founder ‘Platonic’ Web Series Explores Queer Dating World and the Friendships that and senior pastor of City of Refuge Last Through it All Our rate cards are available online. All material appearing in Between The United Church of Christ in Oakland, Lines is protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced in By Eve Kucharski whole or part without the permission of the publishers. Between The Lines California. She will be hosting a webi- is supported by many fine advertisers, but we cannot accept responsibility for claims made by our advertisers, nor can we accept responsibility for nar with MCCD on radical inclusion. Also, make sure to check back for continuing COVID-19 coverage. materials provided by advertisers or their agents. Copyright 2020 www.PrideSource.com BTL | September 3, 2020 3 2020 Democratic and Republican National Convention LGBTQ Wrap-up BY BTL STAFF

espite social distancing requirements created by the novel coronavirus pandemic, over the last two weeks, both the Democratic and Republican Parties adapted and Dheld their presidential nominating conventions for the upcoming 2020 election in November. While LGBTQ-specific issues were not the main focus of either event, each of the conventions had speakers from the community and touched upon LGBTQ-specific policies — directly or indirectly. Here’s a summary of the month’s events:

- State Rep. Craig Hickman, the first openly Democratic National gay African American to serve in the Maine Convention House of Representatives, announced that state’s votes. - Wyoming’s vote was announced by the Monday parents of Matthew Shepard, the victim of - Multiple LGBTQ speakers took the stage a 1998 assault that inspired legislation to including Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, soccer prevent crimes motivated by hatred of LGBTQ champion Megan Rapinoe, State Delegate people and other minorities. Dennis and Judy Danica Roem and Kristin Urquiza, who drew Shepard credited Biden with helping to pass national media attention in June when she that legislation and for his “commitment to wrote an obituary for her 65-year-old father equality and compassion for others.” who died of COVID-19. - Before the convention’s evening schedule, - The Democratic Party’s official 80-page the Democratic Party’s official LGBTQ+ Caucus platform denounced the Trump administration’s held its first meeting on Tuesday afternoon. actions that allows discrimination to target It hosted various LGBTQ leaders like Pete LGBTQ people. Additionally, the platform Buttigieg, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, U.S. Reps. commits to helping LGBTQ youth with mental Mark Takano of California, David Cicilline of Seneca Falls, Selma and Stonewall. health needs and suicide prevention goals and Rhode Island, Mark Pocan of Wisconsin and - A video celebrating the accomplishments pledges to “fight to enact the Equality Act and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot. of women included a wide range of women, Thursday at last outlaw discrimination against LGBTQ+ including several lesbians – Chicago Mayor Lori - Buttigieg used his time on Thursday night people in housing, public accommodations, Lightfoot, soccer chamption Megan Rapinoe, to share the story of his time in the military, access to credit, education, jury service and Wednesday Texas Congressional candidate Gina Ortiz too, in Afghanistan. This followed a video federal programs.” - Emma González, a bisexual student Jones, U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas and recounting the life of Biden’s late son Beau, who became one of the leaders of a youth Virginia’s transgender Delegate Danica Roem. who served as a member of the National Guard eganovement against gun violence after a 2018 - Human Rights Campaign President in Iraq. Buttigieg said he grew up at a time Tuesday shooting at her high school in Parkland, Florida, Alphonso David called Harris an “exceptional when “firing me because of who I am wasn’t - Openly gay convention Secretary Jason Rae was one of the first voices heard by people choice” for vice president saying, “Throughout just possible — it was policy.” directed roll call votes. tuning in to Wednesday night’s broadcast of her groundbreaking career, Senator Harris has - Two other openly LGBTQ people were - A video in lieu of a keynote speaker featured the Democratic National Convention. Viewers been an outspoken advocate for the LGBTQ briefly highlighted during the last night of the 17 people who pledge to vote for the party’s then heard from the mother of Jerald Wright, a community,” David said, “standing with us convention. One was Virginia Delegate Danica presidential nominee of Joe Biden. Three of 31-year-old man killed during a gun massacre when many, even sometimes those within her Roem, the first transgender person to win office the featured people were gay men: Long Beach, at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, own party, did not.” in that state. Roem spoke as part of a video of California, Mayor Robert Garcia, Pennsylvania in 2016. The broadcast’s host, actress Kerry - Baldwin, who was said to be have been on various people sharing what they hope the State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, and Georgia State Washington, noted the increasing violence Biden’s list of potential vice presidential running nation will be like “this time next year.” Roem Rep. Sam Park. against transgender people. mates, noted Wednesday that Harris came said she hopes there will be a president who - Former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, - Speaker Nancy Pelosi noted at the start to Wisconsin to help with her last reelection can look a transgender woman in the eyes and whose campaign for the Democratic of her address that the Democrats in the U.S. campaign. Baldwin was speaking to a Zoom “tell her her rights are important.” The other was presidential nomination made history as he House include 60 percent women, people of audience organized Wednesday evening by openly gay Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, emerged as one of the top contenders as an color and LGBTQ people, standing on the the Lesbian Political Action Committee to pay who said he hopes there will be “comprehensive openly gay candidate, announced Indiana’s shoulders of those who fought for them at tribute to the fact that she was the first lesbian See Convention Wrap-up, continued on p. 6 delegation vote. elected to the U.S. Senate. 4 BTL | September 3, 2020 www.PrideSource.com

PRIDE SOURCE | FEATURE ® Convention Wrap-up VOTE FOR EQUALITY NOV. 3 Continued from p. 4 immigration reform.” Between The Lines strongly endorses Want to help? Here’s how you can - The event’s invocation was delivered by Sister Simone these statewide and national candidates: Campbell of “Nuns on the Bus,” a Catholic social justice group get involved: that has supported respect for same-sex marriage. U.S. President & Vice President Become an election worker Republican National Convention Sign up here at Michigan.gov/DemocracyMVP (Participants paid at least minimum wage) Monday - In June of this year, the COVID-19 prompted the Republican party to forego a meeting of its platform committee this year Volunteer for a campaign and adhere, instead, to the platform it adopted in 2016. It Here are six openly LGBTQ candidates endorsed was a platform that had prompted Log Cabin Republicans to by BTL. We encourage you to support them by place a full-page ad in USA Today, calling the platform the volunteering and donating to their campaigns: “most anti-LGBT platform in the Republican Party’s 162-year history.” On July 29, the Log Cabin Republicans issued a press Joe Biden, President Kamala Harris, VP release announcing a public education program, Outspoken — Jon Hoadley (D) is running for featured at getoutspoken.com — to “articulate our conservative the 6th Congressional District voices and amplify them across the nation.” The most recent U.S. Senate in southwest Michigan. Hoadley posting criticizes LGBTQ comedian Randy Rainbow for his seeks to unseat incumbent “anti-Trump” videos. - The 2016 Republican National Convention included one Visit Republican Fred Upton who is openly gay primetime speaker, Paypal founder and Facebook MiVoterGuide.com seeking his 17th term in the U.S. board member Peter Thiel. for all Equality Congress. - On Monday night, no speaker mentioned LGBTQ people outright, but several referred to “values” and “morality” in Candidates in David Coulter (D), Oakland ways that seemed to conflate efforts to achieve equality with Your ZIP Code County Executive seeks election “vengeful mobs” and the closing of churches due COVID-19. to the post he was appointed to last summer after the death of Tuesday Gary Peters, U.S. Senate longtime County Executive L. - There was a thinly veiled criticism of equal rights for Michigan Supreme Court Brooks Patterson. LGBTQ people by Cissie Graham Lynch, the granddaughter of the Rev. Billy Graham and daughter of evangelical minister Franklin Graham. Lynch told viewers that the Obama-Biden And these State Reps.: administration had “tried to force adoption agencies to violate Tim Sneller (D) seeks reelection to his seat in their deeply held beliefs.” That was an apparent reference Michigan’s 50th House District. to the ongoing controversy over whether local and state governments with laws that prohibit discrimination based on Laurie Pohutsky (D) seeks reelection to her seat in sexual orientation and gender identity can withhold funding Michigan’s 19th House District. for religious adoption agencies that violate those laws. Jody LaMacchia (D) seeks election in Michigan’s 46th House District. Chief Justice Elizabeth Welch Wednesday Bridget Mary McCormack Renee Richter (D) seeks election in Michigan’s 108th - There was no mention of LGBTQ people during night three House District. REMEMBER TO FLIP THE BALLOT TO VOTE FOR JUDGES of the 2020 Republican National Convention Wednesday night. However, Richard Grenell, openly gay former acting director of National Intelligence and ambassador to Germany, was given time in the spotlight. He did not discuss equal rights for LGBTQ Go to www.MiVoterGuide.com for your personalized people or even mention his role as the newly appointed leader Progressive Voter Guide. Just enter your ZIP Code and see all the in the Trump campaign’s outreach to LGBTQ voters. races rated for equality that will be on your specifi c ballot. Thursday - The final night of the 2020 Republican National Convention 8 | 2020 - 2021 ended with President Trump highlighting the distinct differences between his intended leadership going forward and the leadership of Democratic nominee Joe Biden. This mirrored both presidential nominees’ inclusion, or lack thereof, of LGBTQ You Can Vote Beginning Sept. 24 people.

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Go to www.mivoterguide.com to learn more. Royal Oak City Commission Lesbian Grand Rapids Judge Won’t Return to Church After Makes Conversion Therapy Criminal Misdemeanor Being Denied Communion BY JASON A. MICHAEL BY ELLEN SHANNA KNOPPOW be the one left in the pew and say you’re not Jesus would really want us to do: get along with good enough to come up.” everybody, treat everybody equally, be kind he Royal Oak City Commission voted at Denied Communion, Part 2 Smolenski offered an analogy to put a finer and considerate and be the kind of person its monthly meeting Monday, Aug. 10, point on her predicament. God wanted us all to be.” to make conversion therapy on minors When Between The Lines last spoke with “It reminds you of being invited somewhere T Chief Judge Sara Smolenski in December, for dinner but you cannot eat,” she said. “Where criminal misdemeanor. This follows its decision Discrimination in June to pass an ordinance prohibiting the the 62-year-old resident of Grand Rapids have you ever been invited to someone’s home practice in the city. had recently been informed she could no for a meal and you cannot partake?” Smolenski expressed frustration at how Royal Oak is the sixth city in the state to longer receive Communion at St. Stephen In no uncertain terms, Smolenski reported arbitrarily she believes she is being treated. enact such a ban. Huntington Woods became Catholic Church, where she was a lifelong she won’t return where she’s not welcome Before and since the original story broke, she the first last June. Since then, Ferndale, Berkley, parishioner. The reason provided by Father to fully participate in the service. She then has received Communion at other parishes Madison Heights and East Lansing have also Scott Nolan, a new priest at the parish, was that compared her reaction to that of Terry Gonda, where her marital status is known. Not only come on board. Across the country, 20 states she was married to her same-sex partner. To who was fired from her part-time job as music that, she’s heard from concerned pastors near and have banned the practice. Michigan is one everyone at the church and in the community, director at a parish in Auburn Hills because the and far, who report never having denied of the remaining 30 that has not taken such the marriage and the long-term relationship Archdiocese of Detroit became aware of her anyone Communion. action, although there are two bills, Senate Bill were never a secret. same-sex marriage. Similarly, the marriage was “Here’s my biggest issue,” Smolenski said. “It’s 284 and House Bill 4515, currently pending in Since that time, Smolenski has had time well-known to the pastors and parishioners. discrimination. How I see it is discrimination. the legislature. to reflect — and grieve. This was particularly “I don’t want to go back when I can’t go up Whether it’s the rule or not. How does one The American Medical Association and acute when, out of respect, she felt it necessary for Communion,” Smolenski stated. “I feel like priest do it so totally different from another?” the National Association of Social Workers to skip a fellow parishioner’s funeral. I’m being told I’m not good enough to be a Just as Gonda’s fellow parishioners were left have both discredited the practice labeling it “There was a longtime parishioner that real member — but you can visit. And that’s with feelings of anger, sadness and confusion as harmful to those who undergo it. died,” Smolenski explained. “And I thought, no way to have a faith-based group to be with. about her firing, so too were many who attend “I have met many individuals later in life ‘My gosh, I want to go to his funeral. But I “I jokingly think [Gonda]’s a better Christian St. Stephen, about Smolenski’s plight. Between who have gone through conversion therapy don’t want to go to St. Stephen’s and have than I am, because she is a spiritual director,” The Lines spoke with one of them. who spent years trying to undo the negative everybody know I’m sitting in the pew when she continued. “So she has a lot of expertise Micki Benz has known Smolenski for 30 effects of what happened to them during the it’s Communion time.’ So I did not go to his in helping people from a spiritual perspective. years. She is also a St. Stephen parishioner. attempted conversion,” said Joe Kort, founder funeral. And I thought, ‘Really? That’s sad.’ But And I appreciate that she doesn’t want people According to Benz, there was “quite an and director of The Center for Relationship and I thought, ‘Really, I don’t want to make an issue to be angry at the hierarchy or angry at the uprising” when news spread that Smolenski Sexual Health, which is located in Royal Oak. of it.’ I didn’t want to take away from what their church or angry at all priests. I’m not exactly “There is no science behind conversion therapy family was going through. But I didn’t want to there, because I think it’s the opposite of what continued on next page that’s satisfactory because it doesn’t work.” Kort said the lingering effects of such alleged treatments include nightmares, anxiety and LGBT Detroit Partners with 2020 Highland Park Census Committee, to Host Sep. 5 Event depression. In addition, many participants BY BTL STAFF LGBT Detroit in our efforts in getting our spend a significantly greater time in the closet communities counted. I welcome LGBTQ+ before coming out. Additionally, many who n the last push of effort to ensure that residents and communal support organizations have undergone this treatment marry a spouse everyone is counted in the 2020 Census, to work with us as we work toward not only of the opposite sex in an attempt to convince LGBT Detroit’s Be Queer Be Counted being counted but being inclusive and fair.” themselves that the treatments have worked I Census Campaign has partnered with the Be Queer Be Counted, a project of LGBT only to later divorce. 2020 Highland Park Census Community Detroit, aims to ensure the successful count The Royal Oak ordinance, if violated, will Count Committee. The two organizations of LGBTQ people in Wayne, Oakland and come with a penalty including up to 90 days will host a commemorative event, the Highland Macomb Counties. As a virtual campaign, Be in jail and a $500 fine, which is the toughest Park Census Car Parade and Movie Rally, on Queer Be Counted highlights the even more penalty the city could enforce according to Thomas went on to say that each person per Saturday, Sept. 5, from noon to 3 p.m. at the household accounts for over $50,000 in federal meaningful Census count during the novel City Attorney David Gillam who drafted the Highland Park Fire Station. coronavirus pandemic while decreasing the ordinance. expenditures for the city over the next decade. “LGBT Detroit recognizes that this time “And we currently have acquired over spread of viral infection. LGBT Detroit uses “Even though there’s a ban and it’s illegal in continues to be unique due to the impact social media strategies, social organizing and many states to provide conversion therapy to $205,000,000 in future federal funding with of COVID-19,” said Chunnika Hodges, those who have completed their Census in direct mail to reach and engage the LGBTQ minors, sadly it’s been done by the unlicensed community advocate for the Be Queer Be community in Southeast Michigan. professionals in religious institutions and Highland Park,” Thomas said. “If we reach Counted Project. “Partnerships with like- each and every Parker — your participation This parade and rally is the first in-person coerced by the parents forcing them into these minded organizations strengthens the and event of “Be Queer Be Counted Census” and programs,” Kort said. “This type of ‘therapy’ is will help us reach our goal to over $600,000,000 challenges unforeseen obstacles in the new in federal funding for Highland Park.” the 2020 Highland Park Census Community very harmful and abusive and causes trauma normal of civic and social engagement.” Count Committee. Organizers emphasize that to the teenagers that are involved.” Thomas said that over the next few weeks, “An undercount in Highland Park will those in Highland Park will receive details all gender presentations and expressions are continue to place our city into further decline, regarding the first Highland Park Census Car welcomed. which would create a misleading picture of Parade and Movie Rally. PLAN TO VOTE our population growth, affect our Medicare, “Census enumerators will be knocking The Sept. 5 event will last from noon to 3 Medicaid and unemployment assistance we on your doors in August. And if you have p.m. and will be held at the Highland Park NOV. 3 or By Absentee receive to serve our residents and cut funding not filled out your Census by then, please Fire Station located at 25 Gerald St. For more programs for our two schools including Barber practice social distancing, welcome them and information about Be Queer Be Counted Census Ballot Starting Sept. 24 Academy and George Washington Carver do so — they will have an Identified ID with 2020 or to get involved, visit lgbtdetroit.org Academy,” said 2020 Highland Park Census a Census enumerator code,” Thomas said. or contact Chunnika L. Hodges at 313-397- Community Count Committee Chair Anista “Lastly, the Highland Park Census Community 2127;106 or [email protected]. Thomas. Count Committee is proud to partner with 8 BTL | September 3, 2020 www.PrideSource.com issue. But sometimes people just find what fits comfortably for them, until they’re forced to face the reality of what’s happening. Smolenski said she’d reconsider returning in the event a new pastor came to St. Stephen. “Now maybe say they get somebody else,” Smolenski suggested. “And I hear he’s very progressive and inclusive. I wouldn’t hesitate. Because the majority of the people that are there, that I’ve known for the 62 years I’ve been part of the church, are wonderful, loving, great people. Chief Judge Sara Smolenski “It’s a great parish,” she continued. “It really helped mold who I am today. When this whole would be denied Communion. Benz and others thing happened … it felt like grieving my held “very civil” conversations with the pastor parents again. It felt like a death to me. When and parish council, but no one’s minds were he said I can’t come up for Communion, to changed, Benz said. Now, she says, she and her a church I’ve belonged to virtually my entire husband “don’t feel comfortable” going back life. A church that I can barely separate from to St. Stephen. my family.” Benz explained how she understands the circumstances. “In the context of the Diocese of Grand Reflection Rapids, there are priests who understand that For now, having “time off” due to novel there are people in our church who are gay who coronavirus precautions has been, in still want to be Catholic and they are welcomed Smolenski’s words, “refreshing.” She echoed a — just not at St. Stephen’s,” Benz said. sentiment the Rev. Roland Stringfellow shared Benz’s friend in the diocesan office explained with BTL shortly after COVID-19 spread to to her that marriage is a very public statement. Michigan and MCC-Detroit started holding And the diocese cannot be seen to support services via videoconference: “God is not something like that that’s clearly against the confined to a building,” he said. principles of the Catholic Church. However, “I don’t think you need a physical structure Benz and many others don’t think same-sex to have a church base,” Smolenski said. “I think marriage or being gay is against the principles that you can have your strong faith in how you of the Catholic Church in the first place. live, what you learned, how you’ve been raised. “I know there are people who are supportive Your faith is a big part of you. But it isn’t just of this rigid direction,” Benz said. “To me, the blossoming just because you go to a church. saddest thing is that it’s divided up our parish. Each one us has to work on our own faith life, It was a very tight-knit, close, active parish. whether you go to church every day or not. And it’s very divided now.” “So let’s say you take your bike and you go ride to a beautiful nature trail,” she continued. Tradition “That can be a faith-filled experience. I say that now because I’m riding my bike 10 miles a When asked what she thought of the Catholic day. And I do this nature trail that’s absolutely Church’s exclusionary approach in her own gorgeous and breathtaking and sometimes I find and Gonda’s experience, Smolenski questioned myself praying or thinking about somebody that why church leadership insisted on “shooting might need my prayer of health. Just because themselves in the foot.” I’m not going to church doesn’t mean I can’t “There’s a lot of people have been saying to pray and have a faith-filled experience.” me, ‘Well, Sara, what took you so long? What Going forward, Smolenski says she doesn’t took you so long to realize. … Why’ve you think her churchgoing days are over. That’s stayed this whole time?’” Smolenski said. always been an important part of her life. “The younger people don’t like to put up with However, it sounds like she’s not “married” any of that [discrimination],” she continued. do the idea of returning to the Catholic Church, “It’s a deal-breaker. And if that change means whether that means short or long term. they won’t be going to the Catholic Church, so “I don’t think I’ll stop going to church,” be it. I don’t know if that means the Catholic Smolenski said. “But sometimes when I go Church would become extinct or nonexistent.” to the Methodist church or another church There are plenty of people who attend the of different religion, they are so — It can be a Catholic Church because they have always gone very powerful experience. The Catholics are no and it fits for them, said Smolenski. different than anybody else — we’re no better, “They’re not worried about you or your we’re no worse. [We’re] people trying to live problem. It doesn’t happen to them. Until our lives. But when the church goes in what their kid is gay. Or their sister. Or their family appears to be a complete opposite direction member. It’s like Black Lives Matter is an of what you really believe Jesus would want to example of — this is a problem for everyone. do, it’s hard to stay with it.” You don’t have to be Black to realize this a huge www.PrideSource.com BTL | September 3, 2020 9 ‘Discrimination is Wrong, No Matter Where It Exists’: Conflict Between LGBTQ Catholics and Church Leadership BY ELLEN SHANNA KNOPPOW or lesbian; now they’re sort of saying that the Duddy-Burke suggested there’s a campaign Core Mission” folks who enter into civil marriage publicly by the AOD to push LGBTQ people back in t’s not news that the Catholic Church has Dignity USA is an LGBTQ-inclusive Roman flaunt Church policy, and that’s the reason. the closet or to “live the kinds of lives that have a long history of discrimination against Catholic organization, which, in some regions, It’s homophobia, and it’s transphobia, and it’s proven over and over to be absolutely damaging ILGBTQ adherents of the faith. What offers Mass by ordained Catholic priests. discrimination, pure and simple. There’s no to our mental, physical and spiritual health.” Between The Lines took notice of in particular, Because Dignity/Detroit — the Detroit affiliate excuse for this.” “There is just this clear message that is however, was a trio of recent events in Michigan. — has “reject[ed] Church teaching on human Duddy-Burke contrasted the firings with coming from the chancery, from Archbishop Back in March, the Archdiocese of Detroit sexuality,” the Archdiocese of Detroit recently being denied Communion. Vigneron, that we are evil and damaged people announced that Dignity/Detroit and Fortunate cut ties. Marianne Duddy-Burke, executive “Cases of LGBTQ people being denied incapable of God’s love unless we comply with Families faced expulsion. Several months later, a director of Dignity USA, had a few things to sacraments are, I think, a less publicized but rules and thoughts about who we are that are music director was fired from her job at a parish say about that, and she commented on the also deeply scarring kind of exclusion that is absolutely cruel and inhumane,” she said. in Auburn Hills because she is married to her firing of church music director Terry Gonda becoming a lit bit more public,” Duddy-Burke same-sex partner. And, refused Communion and the denial of Communion to Judge Sara said. Why Target LGBTQ Catholics? last fall — also for her same-sex marriage — a Smolenski as well. Then, echoing Smolenski’s own words about We questioned why LGBTQ Catholics are lesbian judge in Grand Rapids has decided “Every one of these firings just rips my heart her heartbreak regarding the prospect of being being targeted. And why now. to leave her church. With the above in mind, out, honestly,” Duddy-Burke said, in reference denied Communion at a funeral, she said, One reason, Duddy-Burke said, is that many BTL spoke with two individuals who have to Gonda. “This is an issue that has been going “What a failure of the Church’s core mission bishops are taking their cues directly from the knowledge in the field. on for decades. At least since the 1970s, [there to have somebody told, ‘You cannot come to U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops who gather have been] documented cases, and probably the table and be fed while you are mourning “What a Failure of the Church’s long before that. Then it was about being gay your mother.’” continued on next page ‘It’s Not Who We Are’: Livonia Mayor Condemns Anti-LGBTQ Signs in Resident’s Yard BY EVE KUCHARSKI directly to me,” she said. “City Council meetings are another opportunity. The online survey s the November election gets closer, [created by the Commission to assess equality it’s not uncommon to see lawn signs in the community] is a third opportunity for Aannouncing support for preferred people to participate as well. And there’s always political candidates across the state, but when just office phone calls, emails and that type of a longtime Livonia resident was taking a drive thing. They’re always accepted and appreciated, through his neighborhood earlier this month, really.” he was shocked at what he saw on a neighbor’s She also recognized that while the city has lawn. In addition to a sign supporting President taken positive steps, incidents like these are Trump’s reelection, a house on Levan Road a reminder that there is a lot of work yet to displayed hand-made signs with messages like: be done. “Fags R Sicko” and “Fags R Evil See Gen. 18.20 “It’s going to require a lot of courage, a lot Sodom & Gomorrah! If I catch you, I will kill of patience, a lot of humility. And Livonia, you!” while we remain really committed to the It wasn’t long after that that Jeff, the First Amendment, we do remain steadfast in concerned resident who chose not to disclose our beliefs that there is no place in our city,” his last name, shared pictures of the signs on Brosnan said. “Again, it is not what we represent social media and called the police to complain. Anti-LGBTQ signs on a Livonia resident’s lawn. in Livonia. It’s not who we are.” He said that the response from Livonia Police Jay Kaplan is the American Civil Liberties incredibly difficult work, and signs like those the signs say, but the fact that we do have an bothered him almost as much as the signs Union of Michigan LGBT Project Staff Attorney. that were displayed at this home in our city ordinance that prohibits you from having an themselves. He said that the ACLU has plans to send a don’t help us with that work at all,” Brosnan excess number of signs,” Brosnan said. “So, he “Obviously, I have the most issue with the letter to city government next week, urging the said. “The derogatory language, the outright was found to be in violation of the number signs — but the other issue that I had was when Livonia Police Department to make a statement slurs presented on those yard signs, they are of signs and I believe there are some that are I called the police to report the signs there was denouncing the language, too. an affront to our values, to our public decency. hanging in a tree, and they violate our height no empathy at all from the officer. He didn’t “Though they can’t make this gentleman I know that the ugly, hurtful sentiments that ordinance.” say, ‘Oh, I’m sorry that there’s nothing that can necessarily remove the signs based on their were displayed, they don’t represent the Livonia Brosnan even tried visiting Weber’s home be done.’ He just said, ‘No, it’s on his lawn, it’s message, they could also make it clear that any that I serve.” herself to “engage in a dialogue,” but Weber freedom of speech.’ Even to say that if he catches violence toward an LGBT person would be dealt Brosnan confirmed that the resident who did not answer his door. When asked about someone, he’ll kill them? He’s like, ‘Yeah, if it with by law enforcement,” Kaplan said. “And posted the signs is former Livonia mayoral steps that Livonia is taking to create a more said a specific person then they could stop just to make it clear that violence motivated candidate Leo Weber who earned 2 percent of equitable environment in the city, Brosnan it, but because it’s a general statement there’s by hate is not to be tolerated in the City of the vote in 2015. Brosnan said that while the used the recently reinstated Livonia Human nothing we can do,’” Jeff said. “… My parents Livonia as well.” First Amendment protects Weber’s right to Relations Commission as an example, which have lived in Livonia for 30-some years, and The next step, Kaplan said, would be for display the language on the signs, city officials aims to recommend policy regarding matters of I’ve lived on-and-off, and it’s kind of hurtful.” the city to pass a specific nondiscrimination have both called and sent letters notifying him diversity, inclusion and equity. Brosnan urged Livonia Mayor Maureen Miller Brosnan ordinance that includes sexual orientation and that he is in violation of a city ordinance. engaged community members to participate. learned of Jeff’s complaints and the signs just gender identity. “We’re trying really hard to abide and to “The Human Relations Commission last week. She called their messaging “ugly” “That way they would be demonstrating their uphold the First Amendment, so we can’t is definitely an opportunity for people to and “hurtful.” commitment to being a welcoming community enforce any kind of ordinance relevant to what contribute, and the Commission reports “Just in general, deconstructing prejudice is that supports diversity,” he said. 10 BTL | September 3, 2020 www.PrideSource.com annually to decide on policy agendas. Catholic Church and the Old Catholic Church “Abortion and anti-gay are their top two,” is the Old Catholic Church is much more Duddy-Burke said. “Not immigration, not progressive and open on social issues,” Posner poverty, not climate change, not racial justice explained. “And so we have women priests, — it’s anti-abortion and not allowing the spread married clergy, full inclusion of people in the of ‘deviant lifestyles.’ It’s a campaign against our LGBT community. community. It’s written into their priorities.” “Basically, everybody is welcomed to In addition, there is a group of bishops who full membership to participation to all oppose Pope Francis’s papacy and who see him sacraments and so we don’t determine who as too “permissive” on LGBTQ issues. Duddy- can receive Communion and who can’t receive Burke said Pope Francis’ oft-cited, “Who am I to Communion,” he continued. “We don’t fire judge?” quote was like a panic button for them. people because of their sexual orientation or A third reason is that many bishops “are ban anybody from participation in the church totally incapable of comprehending much less … all are welcome.” leading with the social changes,” Duddy-Burke Posner explained further that the Old said. “The idea of gay marriage as being on the Catholic Church can be thought of as the “old same par as heterosexual marriage is literally faith” or the early church, and it harks back to incomprehensible to them.” a time when individual churches had a certain While Duddy-Burke allows that sometimes level of autonomy and the pope was first among change is gradual and it may take time for top equals with the bishops, not in charge. church leaders to age out, she’s not taking it In terms of whether Old Catholic priests sitting down. could perform a Mass for the Dignity/Detroit, “The damage is being done now,” she said, which can no longer worship on AOD property, adding that it’s neither fair nor ethical to be Posner said at first they held back, but now it’s expected to wait for change to come. different that the expulsion is in effect. He said “It speaks to a huge gap between the people they would be open to working with them and of the church and the church leaders in terms even offered a separate Mass for their members. of their attitudes on LGBTQ people and our Posner then pointed to an interesting place in the church and our place in society,” distinction between how their Church is viewed Duddy-Burke said. “Since just the 1980s, we’ve in the U.S. as opposed to Rome. seen that — it used to be a little crack, but now “Rome looks on us very differently from it’s huge.” the Archdiocese of Detroit,” Posner said. “The Archdiocese of Detroit looks on us kind of like The Small Church with the Big with suspicion, and we have no relationship Heart whatsoever with them. But in Rome, there’s Papal documents that, in the absence of a Like Duddy-Burke, Father Harry Posner Roman Catholic priest, Roman Catholics can is similarly dismayed by what happened to receive sacraments from Old Catholic priests in Smolenski and Gonda at the hands of church good conscience. So there’s a provision in Rome; leadership. Posner is an Old Catholic priest at the Archdiocese of Detroit has just chosen to Christ the Good Shepherd in Berkley, where ignore us for the most part.” one of the other pastors is his husband. “I think it’s a travesty,” Posner said. “And I A Growing Church think it’s a sad day when people are fired for Christ the Good Shepherd opened its doors living authentic lives. [Terry Gonda] is being in 2013 with 13 individuals and now has 85 true to herself as God created her and to be member families, Posner reported. And he fired for that from a religious institution is extended a warm welcome to Catholics who outrageous.” may be looking for an alternative — but no less He likewise called Smolenski’s treatment legitimate — form of Catholicism. by the priest at St. Stephen “a travesty” in that “Our church is growing because we are open religion was being used as a weapon. and loving,” Posner said. “We call ourselves “Jesus never denied anybody his love,” the small church with the big heart, because Posner said. “No matter what the cause was. it really is about the heart. It’s about love. And He encouraged people, he invited people with the faith is about love. And compassion and kindness and with love. He never said, ‘You’re understanding and caring for one another, not not worthy; you can’t come.’ And so I just think building up artificial walls that separate us for it’s so far from a pastoral way or Christ-like way whatever reasons. Discrimination is wrong no of behaving. It breaks my heart to see churches matter where it exists. Whether in a church or use faith as a weapon to gain compliance. The in society, discrimination is wrong.” Eucharist should strengthen us.” We are all equal in God’s eyes, Posner said. How They Differ “I would invite any Catholic — Roman Catholic — that’s feeling ostracized or alienated Christ the Good Shepherd, located in the because they’re a woman that wants to become former Doll Hospital on 12 Mile Road, is not a priest or someone that’s been married or a a Roman Catholic Church and is therefore not former priest that has left because he felt called recognized by the Archdiocese of Detroit. On to marriage they can check out an Old Catholic theological issues, the Old Catholic Church is Church,” Posner said. “It’s a new way of living very similar to the Roman Catholic Church. the faith. You can be yourself.” However, there are key differences. “The main difference between the Roman www.PrideSource.com BTL | September 3, 2020 11 IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY® This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY and does not replace (bik-TAR-vee) talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including: BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including: � Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. If you have � Those in the “Most Important Information About both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if BIKTARVY” section. you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY � Changes in your immune system. Your immune system without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they may get stronger and begin to fight infections. Tell your will need to check your health regularly for several months. healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY. ABOUT BIKTARVY � Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription provider should do blood and urine tests to check your medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY. have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are � Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. provider determines they meet certain requirements. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach that causes AIDS. pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains: feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat. � Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. � dofetilide Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these � rifampin symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, � any other medicines to treat HIV-1 dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain. BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY � The most common side effects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies Tell your healthcare provider if you: were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%). These are not all the possible side effects of BIKTARVY. Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including � Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any hepatitis infection. new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY. � Have any other health problems. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of � Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare or call 1-800-FDA-1088. provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY. Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your � Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY. breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY you take: Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food. � Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter GET MORE INFORMATION medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider � This is only a brief summary of important information about and pharmacist. BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more. � BIKTARVY and other medicines may affect each other. Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about � Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5 medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is � If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines. for program information.

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Please see Important Facts about BIKTARVY, including important warnings, on the previous page and visit BIKTARVY.com. Ubuntu! Remembering and Honoring Those we Have Lost BY RHIANNON CHESTER-BEY move forward,” Seals said. This tradition sets the tone of the ach year, Hotter Than July’s annual Pride week by providing a solid foundation celebration begins with a calling of the for the road walked and the journey Enames of friends, family and community ahead. We have the opportunity to giants who’ve come before us and on whose reenroll ourselves in our history shoulders we stand. The Hotter Than July each year. Candlelight Vigil is an event for Detroit’s “It wakes up everybody’s spirit,” LGBTQ community of all ages, religions and Franklin said. backgrounds to come together to be seen, She said the candlelight vigil helps held and heard. In its beginnings, the Blue us to remember and to reignite Spruce Memorial Tree was planted in Palmer ourselves. Being in the park is Park as a declaration to always remember, “taking the church outside -- outside not erase and to never forget those we lost to the four walls. Everyone who showed acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in our up was a living expression of what community. we were overcoming,” Franklin said. Ubuntu, a philosophy used in communities “We claim that ground because so of African descent, means “I am, because you much has happened at Palmer Park are.” This principle, used as a previous Hotter to gay people. We have loved, we Than July theme, calls for us to remember those have died, we have celebrated and who have come before us — whether they have we have claimed. People have come paved many roads or simply left an impression out there, people have died there, on our lives. people have found themselves there Faith is central to the Detroit LGBTQ and once again people connected.” community. The annual vigil is recognized The Blue Spruce Memorial Tree in as the opening ceremony for all to come in The Blue Spruce Memorial Tree in Palmer Park. Palmer Park is where we return each Photo by INPAQ. remembrance. year. Palmer Park holds so much Rev. Dr. Selma Massey, pastor of Whosoever that we were calling out the names of not just ... that is where they live.” history in its soil. Will United Church of Christ, said regardless those who passed from HIV/AIDS but we In order to continue making strides toward “We are people of the earth,” Franklin said. of your faith or belief, everyone who came began to call out the names of our heroes and full dignity for LGBTQ people of African “We will always connect with earth! That’s how together at the vigil stood united on HIV sheroes that we know can hear us,” Franklin descent we must rely on the lessons in our we live, that’s how we grow.” awareness and creating open spaces. said. “‘Audre Lorde, James Baldwin,’ we began DNA that remind us of our humanity and the The tree is a physical representation of The Rev. Darlene Franklin, former pastor to call out those names that gave us strength right to stand up to injustice. Detroit’s LGBTQ community, a landmark of Full Truth Fellowship of Christ Church, and you could feel the power from within.” Massey shared her thoughts on what she feels that continues to withstand Detroit winters, reflected on her experience and how the When we call names in remembrance, we every year at the candlelight vigil. economic recessions and even a global candlelight vigil started. are honoring the life and story of those we call “It gives us the energy and drive to go back pandemic. “It was really us identifying ourselves, making to. The connection to the life, tribulations and to where we came from, for me it’s my church “It almost measures what we’ve all been a claim to not only our divine selves but that we dignity of our ancestors gives us strength. The community,” Massey said. “We’re here standing doing,” Massey said. are here,” Franklin said. “We also claimed the act itself is an act of faith. on their shoulders and we can go forward to Solidly rooted, the tree is a home for the ground, claimed Palmer Park, claimed our place “In my faith it says, ‘Honor your mother and carry the same message of love, inclusiveness community and a place to go when weary, in the church and we brought about awareness your father.’ To me, it means the people who and respecting one another like our mother, feeling lost or disconnected to speak our to the dilemma of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and have birthed something, the Rev. Jeffrey Seals, Ruth Ellis, did. They say, ‘What would Jesus troubles. the enormous amount of souls we lost.” pastor of One Church Detroit, said. do?’ What would Ruth do?” “The tree is there to remind us. Trees know The event became the connective link “A scripture in the Bible talks about ‘a great The answer: create space for pride to grow everything,” Franklin said. “They’ve heard between the issues, our history and our faith crowd of witnesses.’ To me, that’s who it’s talking — pride in ourselves, pride in our history and everything. They’ve seen everything. We can that brighter days are to come. about.” He continued, “When you honor them, pride for the future. always go back to that tree and tell the story. “It was about making that connection that it gives you the strength to move on, it gives Pride gives us “a sense of belonging and a We can always go back to that tree and claim we are real, we are here, we are united and we you the courage. If we don’t honor them we sense of community,” Seals said. and speak the names and connect.” are making a statement that will continue on won’t learn the lessons.” “Just as she [Ruth Ellis] was a mentor for us, Franklin urged us to “never stop telling the forever,” Franklin said. There are many lessons embedded in the we can be a mentor for other people,” Massey s t or y.” This Pride opening ceremony is about experiences of Detroit’s LGBTQ community said. “Whether that is in the church pews, our “Tell the original story,” Franklin said. something deeper than remembrance. It is that provide markers for living an authentic business or in the community. Love begets love.” “Tell the story of why Detroit Black Pride is about honoring our ancestors. Whether and full life. It is not coincidental that each year Hotter connected to faith.” participants honor them as a regular practice “Today, in a nutshell, as an African person, Than July’s weeklong celebration begins with or only once a year at the Blue Spruce Memorial if we do not honor our ancestors we will not this reminder of faith and pride. Rhiannon Chester-Bey is a cultural visual artist, Tree, this is an important tradition to be upheld. come to know what it means to really walk “Now it’s very important because we’re write and healing arts practitioner born, raised, “Each time that we went there [Palmer Park] free,” Franklin said. “We must embrace it and losing our history. We’re so busy trying to get and educated in and by Detroit. She is a longtime and bordered the tree it became apparent that embrace it beyond a kente cloth. It has to go somewhere, fighting to do something, but if you activist, advocate and contributor in the Detroit we were pouring libations into the earth and deeper than skin deep. It has to go to the cells don’t follow where you come from it’s hard to LGBTQ community. 14 BTL | September 3, 2020 www.PrideSource.com www.PrideSource.com BTL | September 3, 2020 15 Parting Glances BY CHARLES ALEXANDER

From a Book in Progress s a gay teenager I hung out at the Hub Grill in downtown Detroit, a greasy spoon of a place, located Aat Farmer & Bates in convenient walking distance of four quite popular gay bars, city hall and the 1st Precinct Police Station! Just out of high school I was eager to find work, and a gay friend named George Trapmann — nicknamed “Trapezoid Mary” — told me that Harper Hospital, where he worked, was hiring high school grads to be trained as OR Techs, operating room technicians. That sounded like a great lead for many reasons, one of which was that I was born at Harper Hospital. (At the time I hadn’t the slightest idea that my OR training would lead to what might well be the first coincidence of its kind.) My training as an OR Tech lasted about two months. I learned how to wash my hands with antiseptic, gown without breaking sterile scrub, how to identify and pass surgical instruments and chromic sutures, how to keep detailed records, use the autoclave, do sponge counts and, once, deal with a dying patient. OR Techs all wore green scrub uniforms like physican Transmission interns, surgeons and medical students on learning assignments. (If a patient called me doc or doctor, I did little to dissuade them from the vicarious honor so accorded me. Suffice it that OR Techs wore no telltale stethoscopes.) In time, I passed instruments for several caesarian section Cracking Eggs births, witnessed a four-holed drilled craineotomy, circulated during dozens of tonsillectomies and attended while a patient died on the operating table. (I and another OR tech ID tagged his right-hand thumb and toe, and took his body three flights down for temporary freezer storage. Our first experience with death, we sought to dispel the unexpected shock by touches of tension-easing BY GWENDOLYN ANN SMITH humor.) The shortage of operating nurses during World War II — an understandable critical need — let at the time to the training very so often, I like to step back a bit and discuss some of and met others. I started to explore online, which, at the time, of lay persons to fill the need. the bare basics of being trans. It is very easy to go deep meant pioneering online support groups and forums. I read In the late ‘50s there was also an extensive surgical nurse Einto the issues of the day, especially as we face political everything I could get my hands on. need in metropolitan hospitals, and laypersons — high threats, anti-trans forces pushing back on trans identities — In my late 20s, I started my transition. It felt right — and school grads, conscientious objectors to avoiding war serve and so many other horrible things — and forget to spend some it still does. — where trained. time discussing the basics. With that in mind, I want to get I’m not going to tell you that this trek has always been easy. As a Harper Hospital OR Tech I made mental notes about about as basic as one I can, and discuss how a person might On the contrary, it has often been a difficult path. I lost friends who might be gay or lesbian. I suspected the rather butch come to the realization they are transgender in the first place. and family, suffered joblessness and faced ridicule and scorn nurse responsible for keeping surgical tools sharp, honed First, my own story. I had a good sense of things from a very from all over. and sterile was a lesbian. early age. At around three years old, I found myself wanting I’d rather have not faced all the trials I have, but I also would We OR Techs were also warned about the head of the girls’ shoes over boys’ shoes. By the time I was eight, I had heard never give up the person I am, or “go back” to where I once was. anesthesia wing and not to accept rides on his summer that people could transition, and I feared it was something I As if “going back” would be an option in a world that travels, yacht. There were at the time 13 operating rooms at Harper, was a little too curious about. By age 12, I was pretty sure I unceasingly, into the future. numbered 1 through 14. There was no number 13. was transgender. While I can share my story, it is only one such tale. Everyone’s Once I attended my third surgical go-around the sight of It would still be a few years before I’d take any action on this. path is different. I can tell you a few things to consider for blood no longer bothered me. I also found out that surgery Resources were slim, and it took me nearly another decade yourself, but understand: none of these — not even all of these often was subject to participant talk about sports, touches of before I had both resources and support. I had, over that time, together — can definitively tell anyone that they are transgender. humor and banter among the interns, residents and surgical tried my best to fit into society as a man, and it felt like an utter Only you can know that for yourself. falsehood. It wasn’t me. If anything, it was a costume I had to wear and a game that I was forced to play. See next page So, I slowly dipped my toe in. I joined a local social group See Viewpoint, next page 16 BTL | September 3, 2020 www.PrideSource.com ® Transmissions Continued from p. 12 If you do have an inkling that you may be Creep Of The Week transgender, find resources. The internet is While I started to figure things out from a littered with them, some good, some otherwise. Donald Trump BY D’ANNE WITKOWSKI young age, not everyone does. Some do not Read enough of them and you will likely be able have the resources to do so, or they push their to separate the two. Same with books. There’s reetings and F.U. to Trump and feelings deep, deep down. I spent some time more than you could likely ever read. While If you read about Trump’s scandals and his enabling Republicans who bottling up my own feelings, but I have known I would highly recommend “Trans Bodies, pretended COVID-19 was a insanity in places like The New York others who were able to repress that much Trans Selves” and “My Gender Workbook” G Democratic hoax and STILL have no harder. as two great resources, there are so, so many Times, CNN, NPR, the Washington Post national plan to mitigate the virus, because I would suggest, first and foremost, to more than that. my kid started his first day of middle school or Fangoria, then you might have the examine why one may even question this about What’s more, find support. There are plenty alone online in his room today. And it oneself: Where does your curiosity come from, of groups online, there are support groups notion that breaking the law and being a sucked, he reports. and what is making you ponder this question both there and otherwise and there are even If it baffles you that anyone would misogynistic racist con man is, like, bad. in the first place? plenty fo therapists who can help you talk still support Trump after he killed off Most, but not all, transgender people though things. It can be invaluable to discuss 180,000-plus people in the U.S. through experience gender dysphoria. I certainly your feelings, and decide what, if anything, his indifference, inaction and lies about did. Do you feel that you fit in within your you wish to do. coronavirus, you aren’t alone. If it’s hurting for him. And he doesn’t care that he’s expected gender roles, and does doing so cause Also, one key point. No one can tell you if your head, you need to do yourself a favor escalating clashes between anti-racist you discomfort or pain? Does it feel like a lie you are transgender or not. That is a question and shut off your logical brain that uses protesters and white supremacist militia or cause you dread? How would you react only you can answer. things like facts and science to order the groups and people are being killed. if someone accidentally referred to you in a If I could give one big piece of advice, it’s world around you. Trump supporters don’t But Joe Biden sees Trump. different gender? this: do not be afraid to explore, in as safe a use that part of their brain. “Trump and Pence are running on ... For myself, as a child, I often found myself manner as you can. Do not feel you need to Whether that part of your brain is active quote, ‘You won’t be safe in Joe Biden’s praying that I might wake up the next day in be locked into one way of being trans, or that depends, largely, on where you get your America.’ And what’s their proof? The a different gender. I would sometimes dress in you have to do anything specific to be “really news. If you read about Trump’s scandals violence we’re seeing in Donald Trump’s clothing I had filched, while at home alone. I trans.” You have a virtual panoply of options and insanity in places like The New York America,” Biden said recently. “These are would also attempt to fit in with other girls at to explore: countless gender possibilities and Times, CNN, NPR, the Washington Post not images of some imagined ‘Joe Biden school when I could. Maybe you had similar even more ways one might wish to express or Fangoria, then you might have the America’ in the future. These are images experiences — but again, you don’t necessarily them. You can change directions at any time notion that breaking the law and being a of Donald Trump’s America today.’” have had to. and try something else if you wish. misogynistic racist con man is, like, bad. If But, of course, Trump is the president Furthermore, while puberty is a confusing No matter what, understand this: your you get your “news” from Fox News, then who said, “I take no responsibility at all.” and awkward time for nearly everyone, it was feelings are valid. The world is yours. you laugh at the idea of drinking liberal For anything. soul-crushing for me. After years of hoping, snowflake tears. You’ll also be treated to “He keeps telling you if only he was even expecting, my body to finally feminize, it Gwen Smith feels it’s the journey, not the the exact same security briefing Trump president, it wouldn’t happen if he was went in entirely the wrong direction. It was a destination, that matters. You’ll find her at himself gets when you watch Sean Hannity’s president,” Biden continued. “He keeps time full of sadness and anger, as I felt betrayed gwensmith.com. show, which I believe is called “Hannity telling us that if he was president, you’d feel like never before by my own physical form. Insanity,” and if I’m wrong all I can say is safe. Well, he is president whether he knows So, what to do about all this? what a missed opportunity. it or not. And it is happening. It’s getting For so many white people in the U.S. worse and you know why? Because Donald racial justice and equality is far more Trump adds fuel to every fire. Because he the time, I checked the homosexual tendencies terrifying than fascism. Under fascism refuses to even acknowledge that there’s a ® Parting Glances box. Yes! I had more than the requisite they’ll be fine, but if faced with racial justice racial justice problem in America, because Continued from p. 12 tendencies, they might have to, you know, address this he won’t stand up to any form of violence.” The psychiatrist asked me if I could offer country’s horribly violent racist past and Trump’s largely white supporters love proof to back up my honesty. present. Fascism may be what your great a “strong man” and are so desperate and chiefs. “I can talk about my experiences,” I replied. grandpa fought a war about, but it’s what afraid right now they’re willing to pretend Each surgery ended with what was called a And, so I was classified 4F — excused from your uncle fantasizes about to lower his that Donald Trump is one. He’s not. He is “sponge count.” No surgical opening could be military service. However, during the Cuban blood pressure after he sees protesters pathetic, he is cruel, he is ignorant. But sewn shut until the blood-absorbing sponges Missile Crisis of the 1960s under President demanding that Black people not be killed strong? No. were accounted for, to confirm that none were JFK, I was reclassified 1A — eligible to indiscriminately by police on Fox News. Remember in 2016 when everybody was left in the patient. serve if an international conflict took place. Trump is talking to that uncle when he like, “There’s no way in hell Trump can win. Alas, in one surgery, a sponge was missing. Fortunately, it did not, rage Tweets, “LAW AND ORDER!” Funny What a joke.” But he did. And now here we We recounted and recounted. Finally, a So, while I would probably have served as how law and order doesn’t apply to Trump are in 2020 and Trump has exceeded all of resident admitted to standing on the truant a medically trained gay military combattant, and his administration. Law and Order, you our most nightmarish expectations and he sponge. Was it an accident or a OR prank? I was spared service. Who knows? Perhaps see, is what white people use to keep Black absolutely has the chance to win again. And And, shat may well be an item for the in Vietnam. (A gay friend who served there people in line. And by “in line” I mean not if he does, goodbye Democracy. Goodbye Guiness Book of Records, I had the privilege died not long ago from exposure to Agent making pesky demands like, “Don’t kill us.” civil rights. Goodbye marriage equality. of scrubbing with the doctor who brought me Orange exposure.) There is nothing Trump can point to that Goodbye transgender people being treated into the world, Dr. Leonard Heath. hasn’t been a disaster during his presidency. like anything other than pariahs. Whether of not I was his first gay baby Charles Alexander is prolific both as a BTL Sure, the stock market rebounded after You need to vote. And, yes, voting isn’t birth is not known. It was, however, I’m columnist (700-plus columns) and as a a huge drop, but millions are still out of the end-all be-all. There is deep healing sure a memorable experience for me and, well-known LGBT community artist (1000 work and 1,000 people a day are dying work to do in this country. But we can kiss presumably, Dr. Heath. Facebook images). He is a Spirit of Detroit from a virus just about every other country any hope of healing if faced with another When I was also 19 I was required to take Award recipient and an Affirmations LGBT managed to get under control in some way. four years of Trump. my physical examination for military service. CENTER Jan Stevenson awardee. Connect with So Trump has to scare folks into voting I passed the exam, but because I did not want him at [email protected]. to be separated from my first gay partner at www.PrideSource.com BTL | September 3, 2020 17 Major Transgender Bathroom Decisions in Federal Appeals Courts BY LISA KEEN they have transitioned to living as a male. The 11th Circuit panel noted that the wo federal appeals court panels St. John’s school board could not point to have ruled that a landmark any complaints from boys when Adams TU.S. Supreme Court decision was using the boys’ restroom or “any prohibiting discrimination against incidents across the country in which LGBTQ people at work also applies to allowing transgender students to use discrimination in schools. the restroom according to their gender In Bostock v. Clayton, the U.S. Supreme identity compromised other students’ Court ruled in June that Title VII of the privacy.” federal Civil Rights Act, which prohibits with Adams,” noted the majority. “In fact, the [St. John’s] School Board discrimination “on the basis of sex” in “Regardless, school officials gave Mr. conceded at oral argument it was ‘fair’ employment, includes discrimination on Adams two choices: use a single-stall, that some transgender students in the the basis of gender identity and sexual gender-neutral bathroom in the school School District may already be using the orientation. office, or use the girls’ facilities.” bathroom consistent with their gender In August, two federal appeals panels Both Grimm and Adams said they felt identity, without anyone’s knowledge,” citied Bostock in holding that Title IX of stigmatized by being barred from using said the majority. And the court refused the federal Education Amendments Act, the boys’ restrooms and required to use to accept, without any evidence, the school which prohibits discrimination “on the an alternative facility. Interestingly, in district’s claim that the “mere presence” of basis of sex” in federally funded schools, the case of Adams, the school district of a transgender boy in the boys’ restroom also prohibits discrimination based on St. John’s County had adopted a policy violates the privacy of other boys using gender identity. requiring teachers to address LGBTQ the restroom. The two new rulings came from the students by their preferred names and The 11th Circuit case was brought 4th Circuit and 11th Circuit U.S. Courts pronouns and promoted other LGBTQ- by Drew Adams when he was a student of Appeal, involving cases in Virginia sensitive rules around attire, bullying and at Nease High School, with the help of and Florida where public high schools privacy. Lambda Legal. refused to allow transgender boys to use The 4th Circuit issued its decision in The 4th Circuit lawsuit was brought the boys’ restroom. Grimm v. Gloucester on Aug. 26; by Gavin Grimm with the help of the Both cases were decided by three-judge the 11th Circuit issued its opinion in ACLU when Grimm was a junior at panels and could now be appealed to the Adams v. St. John’s on Aug. 7. The votes Gloucester High School. School officials full bench in each circuit and, eventually, in both cases was 2-1, with the majority initially allowed Grimm to use the boys’ to the U.S. Supreme Court. Issues votes coming from judges who had been restroom, but some parents objected, and surrounding accommodating transgender appointed by Democratic presidents and the school board adopted a policy that students have been in litigation for some the dissenting votes coming from judges required transgender students to use an time and were a focus of one speaker at appointed by Republican presidents. “alternative” private restroom. Grimm, the Republican National Convention And both majority decisions relied on now 21, is a student at Berkeley City last week. The speaker, Cissie Graham Bostock. College in San Francisco. The outcome of Lynch, told viewers that Democrats “With Bostock’s guidance, we conclude the case is still important to him, though, have “pressured schools to allow boys to that Title IX, like Title VII, prohibits because Gloucester High School has participate in girls’ sports and use girls’ discrimination against a person because refused to change his records — records locker rooms.” he is transgender, because this constitutes that could be relevant to applications to Both appeals panel decisions found that discrimination based on sex,” said the 11th other schools and jobs. the refusal of schools to allow transgender Circuit in the Adams case. In the decision, Judge Floyd took boys to use the boys’ restroom violated “After the Supreme Court’s recent considerable time to discuss “what it the students’ U.S. Constitutional right decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, means to be transgender” in a way that to equal protection and Title IX of the we have little difficulty holding that a would be helpful to a person who is Education Amendments Act. bathroom policy precluding Grimm from unfamiliar with the term to understand The stories of both transgender students using the boys’ restrooms discriminated its implications. He noted, for instance, — Gavin Grimm in Virginia and Drew against him ‘on the basis of sex’,” said the “there have always been” people who Adams in Florida — are relatively similar. 4th Circuit majority. “express” a gender “we would think of as Both had been identified as female at birth “At the heart of this appeal is whether opposite to their assigned sex.” but experienced a lifelong sense that they equal protection and Title IX can protect “Such people are transgender, and were males. Both sought and received help transgender students from school they represent approximately 0.6% of from their parents and medical experts; bathroom policies that prohibit them the United States adult population, or both transitioned to live as males; both from affirming their gender,” wrote Judge 1.4 million adults,” wrote Floyd. “Just had their driver’s licenses and birth Henry Floyd, in the Grimm case. “We join like being cisgender, being transgender certificates amended to indicate they are a growing consensus of courts in holding is natural and is not a choice.” male. that the answer is resoundingly yes.” While transgender people face “major In both cases, the students began using In the Adams decision, the Eleventh mental health disparities,” wrote Floyd, the boys’ restrooms with no problems at Circuit majority applauded the Florida being transgender is “not a psychiatric first. However, eventually, school officials school district’s goal of protecting “the condition, and ‘implies no impairment.’” began to hear complaints. In Grimm’s bodily privacy of young students.” But, The diagnosis of gender dysphoria case, it was from parents. In Adams’ said the majority, while it makes sense describes the “significant distress case, the complaints came from “two to designate some restrooms as being experienced by some transgender people unidentified girl students” who simply for boys and others for girls, it does not resulting from the incongruence between saw Adams entering the boys’ restroom. protect the bodily privacy of students to the gender with which they identify and “There were no complaints from boy force a student who was designated at their sex as identified at birth.” students who shared bathroom facilities birth as a girl to use a girls’ restroom after 18 BTL | September 3, 2020 www.PrideSource.com www.PrideSource.com BTL | September 3, 2020 19 Holland Approves Citywide LGBTQ Protections BY JIM LARKIN of emotions, we’re thrilled that the City • A man who said by passing the Bible verses, the Rev. Jen Adams, chair of the Council chose to vote in favor or the proposed ordinance the council would be Out On The Lakeshore Board of Directors, he nine-year wait to pass anti- non-discrimination ordinance,” said Jeffrey responsible for a 250-pound male pointed out that 71 faith leaders representing discrimination protections for LGBTQ Sorensen, director of Out On The Lakeshore. injuring a 125-pound “gender choice eight different denominations had sent a letter Tresidents of the city of Holland is over. “This ordinance will protect not only LGBTQ+ female” in football. in support of the ordinance to the council. It took a seven-hour City Council meeting people from discrimination, but has also “It has been horrifying to hear this stoking that stretched from Wednesday night on Aug. expanded to include several other protected One woman in opposition to the ordinance of unfounded fears,” Adams said, who noted 19 through Thursday morning, Aug. 20. It groups as well, including by height, weight, wore a “Make America Great Again” cap while that transgender people are disproportionately took almost evenly divided testimony from and disability.” another argued against having to wear a mask affected by crime and called it “unconscionable more than 60 people, and surviving attempts That roller coaster included listening to at the meeting. to stoke fears” of them. from some council members to remove the comments Wednesday from more than 30 “I think you’re all stupid with your masks,” Councilman Scott Corbin recommended words “sexual orientation, “gender expression” residents who insisted that such an ordinance she said. the ordinance be stripped of the words sexual and “gender identity” from the purpose of was not needed. Those opposing the ordinance Yet more than 30 people also urged the orientation, gender identity and gender the ordinance. But in the end, the council said it would give legal preference to a select council to pass the ordinance and rebuked expression. He said the word “sex” included approved by an 8-1 vote the non-discrimination group of people, elevate them above others, comments made in opposition to the broader those classifications and to specifically list ordinance that broadened the list of people and wasn’t needed because they said state and ordinance, which was modeled after one them would elevate them above other protected protected by it. national protections were already provided. recommended by the Michigan Department classes. But his motion failed by a 5-4 vote, with Councilmember Quincy Byrd, who expressed Other arguments included: of Civil Rights. council members Mike Trethewey, Quincy Byrd concerns about whether religious freedoms “Trans people are not predators,” said Josh and Raul Garcia supporting Corbin’s attempt. were adequately protected, was the lone no vote. • A mother who said the ordinance Webb of Holland Township. “They simply want Several council members noted that some “The question has never been if we should would jeopardize her child’s safety. to live their lives like anyone else.” of the comments made at the meeting, protect the rights of all people of Holland,” • Several people who said the ordinance Psychologist Krista Anderson, who facilitates particularly the fears expressed by many, insisted Mayor Nathan Bocks. “It’s been how. would “open the door” for pedophiles a Holland area support group for transgender made them uncomfortable, with Councilman … It’s time to welcome everyone into the circle.” to use it as a tool to prey on children in people, said there was “no evidence whatsoever” David Hoekstra pointing out that some felt That brought a welcomed sigh of relief from bathrooms and shower rooms. of transgender people using restrooms to prey that “justice is good but make sure someone the Holland LGBTQ leaders who asked the • A man who said he couldn’t see people on children and added that most avoid public doesn’t get more justice than I do. council last December to approve a broader in the “homosexual lifestyle” being in restrooms. Instead, she said, they are the “We need to move from being a good non-discrimination ordinance that included leadership roles and urged the council residents who need legal protections. community to being a great community,” protections for LGBTQ residents – nine years to use “common sense.” “Please,” she said, “do what’s right for our Hoekstra said. “We have the capacity to be after the council rejected a similar request by • A man who warned against the “danger c it y.” great. We just have to muster the will.” a split 5-4 vote. of gender inclusion,” saying it would And while several ministers opposed to the “After a long process and a roller coaster pave the way to “voyeurism.” ordinance spoke at the meeting, several quoting

20 BTL | September 3, 2020 www.PrideSource.com www.PrideSource.com BTL | September 3, 2020 21 BillyBilly Porter:Porter: BlacBlack,k, Gay,Gay, and OOutut of F*cF*cksks

Photo Shavonne Wong

BY CHRIS AZZOPARDI ball emcee Pray Tell on FX’s trans-centric series scheduled as an audio-only Zoom call, but the practice? “Pose,” is an accumulation of dedication to his because not even Porter’s handlers can stop What has drawn me to the practice is that it’s a “Now that I have a massive platform, and craft as a singer and actor that began in his 20s Porter from setting his own rules, he appears revolt against religion. Religion is man-made. now that the people want to listen to the Black in his hometown of Pittsburgh. He released on video in a caftan, casually eating in a rented Spirituality is divine. All of the wars that have sissy, I’m gonna talk,” Billy Porter says, fired solo albums that weren’t widely known. He met beach house. A bag with “Vote Betches” written existed in this world, all of the bullshit that up, leaning into the camera. On Zoom, Porter music industry standards for Black artists (you on it is propped up in back of him. Expecting we go through, is in the name of somebody’s commands a computer screen like he does a had to be R&B). And then, later, he dismantled to see none of this, I’m in the clothes I went man-made God. And I’m over it. I’m just over red carpet. those standards (he could sing show tunes, and to bed in: a tank top and sweat shorts, with a it. In this particular moment, his fiery passion did). In 2013, he originated the role of Lola in hat I threw on. I tell Porter that I thought this I grew up in the Pentecostal Church. They stems from a call he received from screenwriter- “Kinky Boots,” which led to both a Tony and was an audio-only interview. Porter responds systematically taught parishioners how to actress Lena Waithe, who raised an eyebrow Grammy award. incredulously; he can’t understand why anyone hate, disguising it through Bible verses. We’re after Porter made history as Essence’s first In September 2019, Porter made history as in their right mind would not use the video living in a country right now that is being openly gay man to grace the magazine’s cover. the first openly Black gay man to win in any feature. “We have Zoom! Why are we not doing run by people who say they’re Christians and Porter says Waithe got him on the phone to lead acting category at the Emmys for his role Zoom?” believe in Jesus and God, and they’re letting talk about the anonymous letter written by on “Pose.” Though winners won’t be announced I leap out of my computer chair and run to people die in the streets. That is not God. That current and former Essence staffers calling until Sept. 20, Porter recently received another the closet in back of me, throwing on the first is not Jesus. Y’all can take your Bibles and themselves “Black Female Anonymous.” The nomination for his portrayal of Pray Tell. shirt I see. I realize in that moment that Emmy your religion and shove it. I am so done. letter was published on Medium on June 28 Despite the pandemic, Porter is remaining winner Billy Porter is watching me get dressed. I had people actually say to me back in the and called out the magazine for its toxic work prolific. He recorded an updated version of “There is no need for you to put a shirt on for day that they were voting for Trump because environment, just before Porter’s cover story the 1966 protest song “For What It’s Worth,” me,” he says with a playful smirk. of his religious values. That motherfucker has hit newsstands. “I had to stop her,” he says. “I which he performed on the first night of It’s early July when we speak, and our been in the church three times, for his three said, ‘I hear you, I see you, I feel you.’” the Democratic National Convention, to interview knows no bounds: from Buddhism, marriages. That’s it. And yet we still sit here But Porter simply didn’t know about the address our current political landscape; he’s which Porter practices now, to how, even with every single day and talk about morals. I can’t letter, he says. Until she called, he hadn’t even also featured on The Shapeshifters’ disco notoriety, Porter still experiences racism in his do it anymore. seen it. “I don’t give a fuck about social media,” number “Finally Ready,” which reflects, in everyday life, especially from those within the Buddhism says life is suffering. That’s he scoffs, talking about his refusal to be engaged part, his decades-long journey living through LGBTQ community. He laid bare his beliefs useful to me. You’re not going to get out on social platforms. “I don’t adjudicate my life the AIDS crisis. He’s writing two books, his and opinions, and went off on a variety of other of life without suffering. That takes me to or humanity in sound bites on social media. memoir and a children’s picture book. He also topics too because talking about them, he says, radical acceptance, that takes me to radical I don’t fight with nobody, I don’t have Twitter has starring roles in two upcoming films: a with a rip-roaring laugh, “helps me stay sane.” compassion, which allows for me to have fights.” live-action “Cinderella” remake, as the Fairy a foundation where I can feel what I feel The reason, he says, is “I’m 50 years old. Godmother, and in out “Love, Simon” director I read that you’ve gotten into Buddhism. “and” simultaneously be empowered to be a Everybody has to remember that I built a career Greg Berlanti’s big-screen take on “Little Shop Lightly. I’m still learning. part of a movement for something different. before social media.” of Horrors.” Otherwise, I am useless. Porter’s mainstream breakthrough, playing My recent interview with Porter was What have you learned, and what drew you to 22 BTL | September 3, 2020 www.PrideSource.com You’re a success story. And despite your success that week for friends who passed away in and the fact that you are an openly gay leading their 20s, in a world where nobody cared man and you’ve won major awards and shattered about you. The government didn’t care about the glass ceiling for queer Black people, you’re us. (They thought) we deserved to die simply still a gay Black man in America right now. because of who we are. Something about this coronavirus is mirroring it, mirroring that, I’m Black first. Which I have to remind my giving me a lot of anxiety, a lot of PTSD. own people of, by the by. But keep going. Ask me the question. The last time we spoke, you told me you were What experiences of yours as a Black gay man working on a contemporary gospel-musical might surprise people who look at you and about your experience of surviving the AIDS think, “He’s famous, he’s good, he doesn’t have epidemic. anything to worry about”? I am still. We were out on Long Island and we were As you work on that while living through another meeting some friends of ours for a social- pandemic, what is that experience like for you? distance walk at this place called the Hog Farm. I pulled in with my husband (Adam I am just trying to get a handle on the full Smith). It looked like private property to me. landscape. This time it’s different. And first of No signs, no real parking lot. There was a all, the reason why we’re in the position that farm stand. It looked like a farmer’s market, we’re in in terms of this pandemic is due to and there was no one there. And my friends whiteness. It’s due to white supremacy. It’s due weren’t there and they texted and said they to the fact that everybody knew going in that were late. So we sat there for a minute. Then Orangina 45 was not the choice. But whiteness out of nowhere a little white girl comes overrode any consequences – that’s not quite flouncing out, and she looks around and sees the word. It overrode anything, because, “It’s the car, and then she goes back to wherever still Republican, it’s still white, and whatever she came from. I don’t know where it was. I he’s doing, he’s doing what we want to get didn’t see any doors. I didn’t know what was done so it’s not so bad. We’ll just deal with him going on, but I was immediately filled with for four years, get all of this shit we want to anxiety because: Where is she going? Where get done, done: appointing the courts, taking is this little white girl going? And who is she away healthcare from citizens, rolling back all telling that there’s a Black man sitting out of the work that we’ve fought for the last 400 front on our property in a BMW? Never mind years. Let’s just roll all of that back. Because my white husband beside me. There’s a Black we know we can’t stop it, but we can roll it man. That’s where I live. Every day, all day. back enough that it will take another 40 years That’s before the gay. So I deal with that, and to get back to where we’ve already gotten, or then I turn around and my own people are more. So let’s just roll everything back.” He just as violent toward me. represented that to white people. So, I’ve never had anywhere to go. I’ve It was at the expense of anyone who’s not a never really had a place where I have felt white straight man in this country. comfortable and embraced fully by any community. The racism that exists in the Right. So he can look at this administration LGBTQ community is at the top of the list. and have the anemic response that he had and They’re fucking racists just like everybody allow this country to continue to sink because else. Inside that community, there’s racism. in the sinking, whatever it was, whatever this And inside the Black community, there’s bitch does, was never gonna affect him. homophobia. Now we’re 50 million unemployed, motherfuckers are in the street every day, Where are you going now as far as music? What 60,000 cases of the virus that could have been do you listen to get you through the moment contained, and in an economy that’s tanking and help you recharge? but we’re still, in our whiteness, talking about books on the news that are written about him I’m in the middle of trying to figure out what by his niece. that is. Music was and still is very healing to me. As I reenter the mainstream music In 2014, I asked you if you were the kind of artist market, I’m going back to disco, back to you want to be. You said, “I’m not sure that there house, back to ’70s funk. is ever a scenario where I will feel like I have Sylvester? arrived or like I’ve made it.” Can you answer that Sylvester. I’m trying to pick up the torch from more definitively now? where he left off when he passed way too soon. Yeah. I have made it. I’m leaning into that, Because there’s something healing inside of with as much grace and humility as I can. And that energy, inside of that space as a 50-year- I’m trying to use the space that I’ve created old Black man who came out in the ’80s. We for myself to re-enter the music industry in went to the clubs to find fellowship, we went the mainstream on my terms. That’s what I’m to the clubs to heal collectively, we went to working on. And the two singles that I have the clubs to party on the weekends so that we out right now, which may seem diametrically could shake the terror and the anxiety and the pain of just having gone to five memorials See Billy Porter, continued on p. 24 www.PrideSource.com BTL | September 3, 2020 23 ® Billy Porter What advice do you have for Black LGBTQ people who are still Continued from p. 23 pushing against an oppressive society that doesn’t allow them to be exactly who they want to be? opposed, are exactly who I am. Don’t wait for anybody to give you permission to be who you are. Just be it. Just be it and let those motherfuckers catch up. “For What It’s Worth” was written in 1966, but is obviously still I said, “When you catch up, you’ll figure it out.” But that’s not relevant today. What memory do you have of hearing Buffalo my journey. Y’all need to catch up. I’m not te problem. We Springfield’s version for the first time? have to stop thinking that we’re the problem. We’re made to It’s so ubiquitous, I don’t have a memory of the first time. It’s feel like we’re the problem and we need to be fixed. No. Y’all everywhere, it’s always been everywhere. Any war movie you are the problem. If you have a problem with my authenticity, watch, that’s what they play. It’s just been that for the whole that’s your stuff that I will no longer take on or receive, and I’m time. So I don’t have a first time, but I do know when my going to make sure that I sit in the fullness of myself and give manager suggested it I had to look at it and look at the lyrics that 100 percent, no matter where the chips may fall. and figure out, because I hadn’t really listened to the lyrics: And I’m living proof that that actually works out. It’s not What does this mean to me today? How do we take this song fast. It’s not always fast. And I think that’s a lot of the problem: and make sure we’re speaking in the present? And not just as that we have gotten more and more microwavable in the way an observer, because it’s a very observational lyric, but how do we live, in our expectations. We live this microwaved life; we ignite the spirit of engagement and change with this song? everything is instantaneous. It’s like, I’m 50 fucking years old, And so that was the goal for that one. I recorded that the day y’all. I’ve been doing this since 1985. after the Emmys, before all of this mess was happening. So my goal was to always have this ready for this political season. Do people realize that you had to put that time in before you became Emmy winner Billy Porter? The time seems ripe for an entire Billy Porter protest album. Have No, they don’t. Because I’m Black and Black don’t crack. It’s you considered recording one? all good. But like, no, I’m 50. And as a result of that I have no There is no music from Billy Porter without hope and without more time to give any fucks about what other people think protest. It all is that. And I’m working on that new album right about what I’m doing. I don’t have time. I am middle-aged! now. I’m signing a new deal right now. And I have some shit Ha! I have to say exactly what I want to say and do exactly to say. It’ll be protest, it’ll be dance, it’ll be love, it’ll be all of what I want to do. Period. it. Because those are all the things that I am. I no longer have to compartmentalize the wholeness and the fullness of myself Reflecting on “Kinky Boots” and “Pose,” how do you think those anymore. I don’t have to do that anymore. projects changed the conversation when it comes to LGBTQ communities of color? Well, there are Black people in these spaces. When the LGBTQ stories started being told in the mainstream, it was all about white people. Always. I’m still waiting for my guest spot on “Will & Grace.” Still. Have you auditioned? Never a call, never a thought. Never anything. I’m not saying this because I’m angry about it or I’m trying to call them out or anything. We write what we know, and what those white people knew was white people and that’s what they wrote about. So now, I’m in a position of power and I’m gonna write about my people. I’m going to do it about myself. You wrote a TV pilot. I’ve written several things, but yes, most recently I’ve written a pilot. I’m writing my memoir. It’s in my hands. I can’t wait for other people to give me permission, I can’t wait for other people in positions of power to validate me. I can’t wait to be invited to the table. I’m at the table. I crashed the party. I’m at the table. Here I am. That’s how you got to where you are – you kept crashing the table. I crashed the party. I crashed the dinner party. And I’ma keep doing that. I think the deadline for the memoir is in October, right? You really do your research. What can you share about it with me at this point? It’s in transition. What’s really interesting is that, because of COVID, because of the lockdown, because of the work that I’ve been doing in lockdown on myself, it’s not a memoir just about recounting my disappointments and my successes. It’s deeper than that. And I’m trying to figure out what that is. And I’m just trying to allow myself to let it come and not be Find Puzzle p. 29 so Virgo about it, so planned about it. It’s like, yeah, I wrote

24 BTL | September 3, 2020 www.PrideSource.com the proposal; but what I’m feeling in my spirit is connected language is very important. I said “Black people.” I didn’t to that but also much deeper and much different than what say “homophobic” Black people. I didn’t say homophobic, it originally started out to be. So I’m literally in the space of transphobic and xenophobic Black people. So I actually trying to just let it come. recorded an addendum to my message so that I could deal with the semantics of that. Even though y’all know what Is it tough to keep up with what’s happening internally at this I’m talking about, I will deal with the semantics of it in this moment while working to meet your October deadline, as we moment. move through the Black Lives Matter movement? Please understand: I hear you, I will be more specific on (Sarcastically.) Oh, it was easier to deal with it until you have who I’m calling out. I’m calling out homophobic, transphobic brought it up three times today. and xenophobic Black people who are in the streets killing their own. That’s who I’m calling out. And I meant it. I That’s fair. am comparing it to white supremacy. I am because it is. I was actually doin’ all right until the three times you brought Everybody has to look in the mirror at themselves. We all it up today. have to do it. We all have blind spots. The blind spot in the African American community, one of them, is that. It is. I I’ve triggered you is what you’re saying. created a simple do-unto-others metaphor that people had Yes, you have! No, it’s all good. I’m just trying to be problems with. If you have a problem with it, you need to compassionate with myself and give myself the space to be look at yourself and ask yourself why you have a problem wherever I am emotionally – to be wherever I am spiritually, with that. to be wherever I am creatively and move through it, not One of the things my friend told me – because I don’t read compartmentalize it, not put the pain away, not ignore it. comments – was that with all of the pushback, there was None of that. Move right directly through all of it. That’s what pushback to the pushback, (people) saying, “But did he lie?” I’m trying to do. That was a phrase that I heard that kept coming up in these comments when people were trying to drag me. I’m not lying. You recently got some backlash for telling Black people to stop Deal with it however you want to. But this is the truth. And killing Black trans people. How do you respond to those who have I’m a truth-teller. an issue with what you said? As editor of Q Syndicate, the LGBTQ wire service, Chris Azzopardi The African American community’s relationship to the has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Cher, Meryl LGBTQ community is horrible. It always has been. The Black Streep, Mariah Carey and Beyoncé. His work has also appeared community is the most homophobic, in my experience, and in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, GQ and Billboard. Reach so the backlash was not a surprise to me. And I was called him via Twitter @chrisazzopardi. out by some friends – some really lovely friends – who said in this moment of heightened sensitivity the specificity of

Find Puzzle on p.25 www.PrideSource.com BTL | September 3, 2020 25 like God was telling me that this was what I the album cover and how it was shot to create needed to do, and I felt like every step of the it. I sent the graphics designer a few photos, way it was like another being that was inside and I didn’t really care for the direction he of me. I wrote that project in four days. That’s was going in — it didn’t really come across the the fastest that I’ve ever created a project. It way that I wanted it to. I wanted it to represent was something that clicked in my brain, and the album title and also as a return, “This I was on autopilot and then I knew I wanted is her coming out of retirement. She means to do six songs, I knew that I wanted to work business and needs to look serious.” So, when with specific people, and that was that. we shot the photos with our photographer Lamar Landers, we went downtown, and it Now that it’s been a couple of months since you was the same day that the governor did the first put out the tracks, have any of the songs on shelter-in-place announcement, so when we the EP changed meaning for you? went downtown it was this dead man’s zone. I don’t necessarily think that they changed It was the perfect backdrop. We were in the meaning to me, but I believe that they heart of downtown and there was no traffic; changed meaning to people who were a little we literally saw three people in the timeframe skeptical about the project just based off of the of the hour shooting and five cars, which is name in general. I did have some folks who unheard of. Even the situation with the vinyl were offended — some who were familiar pressing, it was a little mishap with that, but with who I am as an artist and some who had I ended up being able to flip it and make it never heard of me and thought that I was just make sense. trolling. But then people actually went back Really? What happened? and listened to the project and they were just like, “Wow.” Especially around the time the When the press plant pressed my record, they Miz Korona. Photo protests started happening and some of the pressed it at the wrong speed. So the speed of by Lamar Landers. subliminal messages that the president was a 12-inch record is supposed to be 33 RPM, a sending over the media airwaves. People went seven-inch record is supposed to be pressed turn a production flub into marketing magic back to listen to that “45” song and [they’d at 45 speed. And so, I get the records back and Lesbian Detroit for “The Virus.” say], “This song is amazing, and it’s really people were calling me, “Hey, something’s touching on everything that’s happening wrong with my record, it’s not playing right. What inspired you to write this album? right now.” And it was already things that You sound like you’re dragging.” There’s a happened in the past, but I never thought it style of music in the South called chopped Rapper Miz Korona I had been seeing news coverage about the would reoccur again. That song has been on and screwed, and people said, “You sound virus taking over overseas but not knowing rotation with “Shade 45” with DJ Premier, chopped and screwed.” So I come up with this where it was. So, once it hit the United States, Riffs on COVID-19 with who is a legendary DJ for a couple of weeks, idea. I have this song called “45,” I can create a a lot of people started contacting me — just so it’s resonated with more and more folks. postcard and drop it inside the vinyl that says, making little jokes, being funny — like, So, when I pressed up the vinyl, it seemed as “Warning: This record has a virus and must Her ‘The Virus’ EP “Hey, you need to come out of retirement though a lot more people who were unaware be played at 45 speed.” So I had my friend, his because a whole virus is named after you.” of the project started taking notice, and now name is Evan, he’s a graphic designer. I called But I was already thinking about it. I was BY EVE KUCHARSKI it’s got a whole new set of legs. him up and had him do me a sketch of like already reaching out to people like, “Hey, the president or something that I can put on eveloping, writing and recording an it’s this thing, it’s this virus that’s called the How did you get the name Miz Korona? this postcard. We created it and dropped it in album is no easy feat, but sometimes, coronavirus,” and not really thinking about Many, many, moons ago, there was a guy there and everybody’s looking like, “Oh my when the environment is just right, one the severity because I never saw that until D who was one of the most popular rappers in God, this is genius.” So, people didn’t even new idea can set off a creative chain reaction later. And a lot of the people that surround my aunt’s neighborhood, and he worked at know that it was done by mistake (laughs). — one strong enough to pull a musician out of me and have been supportive of me, they a liquor store, so I went in there looking for retirement. That’s the case with Detroit emcee really were pushing me to do it and, I don’t What’s something you want people to think the guy. He worked in the back cooler and and rapper Miz Korona who released her latest know, I’m a very spiritual person and it was we were freestyling and he was like, “You’re about as they listen to this EP? EP “The Virus” in April. A clear riff off of the just like, I felt like it was time. I just really want people to know that as an similarities between her own name and that not for real, I don’t believe you’re freestyling,” independent artist, it’s always a struggle of the novel coronavirus pandemic, when it Did you have any doubts when you released it? so we started naming off things in the cooler. And I said a line, and this is one of to have or maintain a successful career, so became apparent that the U.S. might end up I think maybe a week before I posted it online the only freestyles that I remember because stepping back into the arena of hip-hop seeing COVID-19 at home, many of Korona’s digitally I was rethinking it, because that’s it’s how I got my name, but I said, “My after a 4 ½-year time span of not writing, friends and followers urged her to create music when they started talking about it on the rhymes intoxicate minds like Coronas” as I not recording and doing a project of this about it. She wasn’t sure at first, but, once she news and the media the amount of deaths was pointing to the bottle. But then I started magnitude — like I said, there was a lot put pen to paper, Korona said “it seemed like that were happening. And then on social looking up the definition because my mentor of resistance from folks, but to still push it was meant to happen.” In just under two media, my whole social media circle, a few at the time, Big Proof, who was a part of D12, through [is hard]. The title of the album weeks, “The Virus” EP was written, produced entertainer friends, a few friends, family he kept trying to push me to change my old wasn’t to make fun of or downplay the and released. members, both my parents were diagnosed rap name, because he felt like it was going to seriousness of the virus or what’s happening “The Virus” is Korona’s first musical creative with COVID-19 — but not the severe stage hinder me and hold back. And he was right, and the pandemic, but it’s hard as a woman in work in over four years, and she said that she where they needed to be hospitalized, which I but I didn’t want to believe him (laugh). It was the hip-hop industry, and it’s twice as hard as had to push personal boundaries to make that was grateful for. So, I started thinking, “Well, Pimpette. I’m so glad that I changed it, and I a lesbian woman in the hip-hop industry. So happen. Now, months into a global pandemic should I release this? Because now people believe everyone is also. I really just used that as a metaphor of me not and removed from the initial release, Korona are dying and people are being intubated defeating myself, me not allowing the virus caught up with Between The Lines to share how and on ventilators and I don’t want it to be And now, years later, that name change led to of insecurity and self-doubt and people not she used the record to fight personal demons triggering to people.” I even thought about this EP. being supportive of me saying, “I can be this. of self-doubt, why she chose this EP to talk changing my name, and I made this post I can defeat myself.” about politics on one of her songs for the first about it online — not that I didn’t feel proud I don’t know, honestly, Eve, everything about time in her career and how she was able to about the project. But because I honestly felt this EP seems like it was meant to be, from

26 BTL | September 3,, 2020 www.PrideSource.com www.PrideSource.com BTL | September 3,, 2020 27 Deep Inside Hollywood BY ROMEO SAN VICENTE Docuseries ‘Equal’ to explore ‘Monsoon’ season for ‘Crazy queer history from trans and Rich Asians’ star Henry POC perspective You have no excuses when it comes to Golding knowing your queer history. First Whether you know him as the of all, there are these things called very good-looking romantic lead books. Then all the documentaries. in “Crazy Rich Asians” or the very Start somewhere. (Just don’t good-looking Ghost of Christmas bother with that bizarre Roland Heart Transplant Surgery Past Emmerich “Stonewall” movie, in “Last Christmas,” you now because, well, OK, it’s hilariously know Henry Golding and what a bad so go ahead and watch it, movie star he is. And now queer why not.) Or you could wait until audiences will get to swoon over “Equal” finds its way to HBO Max. him in the gay romantic drama Produced by Jim Parsons and Greg “Monsoon,” from filmmaker Berlanti, the four-part docuseries Hong Khaou (director of the Ben will be directed by Stephen Kijak Whishaw-starring indie drama (“Sid & Judy”) and Kimberly Reed “Lilting”). Golding plays a young (“Dark Money”) and focus heavily British Vietnamese man who on the contributions of trans and returns to his birth country after POC activists whose work has the death of his parents. There he often been ignored. It will feature meets his estranged family, as well Henry Golding. Photo: Debby both archival footage – some as a man (Parker Sawyers, who Wong. of which has never been seen played young Barack Obama in before – and a very large cast “Southside With You”) with whom who will reenact key moments he might find love. This one’s been moving its in queer activism. A partial list: Samira Wiley way through the film festival circuit and will as Lorraine Hansberry and Anthony Rapp now be getting a November U.S. theatrical/ as Harry Hay, as well as Cheyenne Jackson, streaming date through indie veteran Strand Heather Matarazzo, Sara Gilbert, Shannon Releasing. In other words, it’ll be a dreamy Purser (“Stranger Things”), Alexandra Grey escape from whatever happens after the (“Empire”), Jamie Clayton (“Sense8”), Theo election. Set your timers. Germaine (“The Politician”), Hailie Sahar (“Pose”) and Gale Harold (“Queer as Folk”). Air dates yet to be announced, so there’s still Dueling Joe Exotics are time to figure out how to get an HBO Max coming soon in case you code from a friend. needed more of… that. Cara Delevingne blasts off to Earlier this year, in the early weeks of the pandemic shutdown, Netflix viewers lost ‘Planet Sex’ themselves in the weird murder-world of Joe Pansexual actor/model Cara Delevingne Exotic and Carole Baskin in “Tiger King.” Then will host a three-part documentary series for we all moved on to even worse real-life content BBC3 and Hulu called “Planet Sex,” and from courtesy of the news and the President and what we’ve heard we don’t quite know what to people who refuse to wear masks in Target. But make of it. The current information includes Hollywood, almost always content to follow in the educational elements of the project up front, the footsteps of the zeitgeist, has decided to keep with references to “issues related to sexual and the vibe going and battle it out, Carole-and-Joe- gender identity.” We approve. It sounds good for style, with a couple of dueling narrative series everyone. But then comes the kicker, the cinema based on the same story. We already reported verité of it all, if you will, in which we learn that on Kate McKinnon taking on the Baskin role Delevingne will participate in “experiments” in the upcoming NBC/Peacock limited series that will be “conducted by world-leading sex about the queerest wild animal keeper rivalry labs.” What sort of experiments? Where are in human history. But never sleep on Nicolas these “sex labs?” Will there be electrodes? Blind Cage’s propensity for the odd, because he’ll be tests? It suddenly sounds like exactly the sort of playing Joe in another as-yet-untitled series refreshingly horny television experience we’ve from “American Vandal” showrunner Dan been waiting for and we salute Delevingne for Lagana and Paul Young. This one is from CBS, whatever it is she’s got going on with this thing. and it’s based on an early “Texas Monthly” article on the whole sordid matter. Now it’s a It can’t come to Hulu fast enough. race! Which one will get to series first? Which one will you ignore? Will there even be a United Romeo San Vicente is also a sex lab scientist and States when it happens? Who knows! welcomes peer review. 28 BTL | September 3,, 2020 www.PrideSource.com Trojans 2 You must remember 38 Desmond of 37 She plays 13-Down this “Sunset Boulevard” 40 Character in 3 Cut and paste, e.g. 39 Rec area 20-Across 4 Work out with 43 1979 Bette Midler 41 Home of T. Richard Simmons film Bankhead 5 Takes part in a bee 46 Some like it hot 42 Dated 6 Cosmetician 48 One side of a ship 44 Showboat’s Norman 51 Edgar Bergen’s “Nobody ___ But Me” 7 First name in Mortimer 45 What Madonna did Pulitzer Prize poetry 52 Walks like being to Evita 8 Part of BART fagged out 47 Rinks org. 9 A gangster shoots 54 “Young 49 Split one in the it off Frankenstein” woman locker room 10 Your gardener’s 55 Trump portrayer 50 Like a sauna tool Baldwin 51 Hibernate with the 11 “Days of Our ___ “ 56 He went down bears 12 Molecule under the sea 53 She plays constituents 57 Cole Porter’s “Let’s 40-Across 13 Character in ___” 58 “Dancing Queen” 20-Across 58 Quick on the band 21 Enjoy orally uptake There are hundreds of 61 Bridge bid, briefly 22 ___ Ababa, 59 Drag queen’s businesses that advertise Q Puzzle 62 Breakfast spread Ethiopia favorite snake? in BTL and welcome When Evil 26 Downs of “20/20” 60 Type of toy 63 Where Louganis everyone. Rains 15 Ricky Martin’s Peter 23 Like Julia Morgan’s worked out 27 Titanic, for example 16 Greek meat models 64 Shrek and others 28 Loads container, perhaps 24 Black Sea port 65 GI Jane portrayer 29 Dispense carefully Invest in equality and Across 17 Adult filly 25 “___ De-Lovely” 66 “The Black Clark 30 Dazzling light work with businesses that Gable” Diggs 31 Chablis title 1 Put out 18 Beach birds 26 Got some beds support Michigan’s LGBTQ 67 Monterrey mom 33 Fairy tale, so to 5 Accuse of 19 Shakespearean ready community! 68 James VI, e.g. speak pedophilia, e.g. stream 28 Word after “fag” 34 Lesbos, e.g. 10 Navratilova, for one 20 With “The,” Netflix 31 Second name in 35 Grp. or org. 14 Glenn, in “Fatal series with the phrase sci-fi Down “When evil rains” 32 Story of Greeks and 36 Like Easter eggs Attraction” 1 Full sweep Clues P. 24

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