FREE | SEPT. 29, 2011 | VOL. 1939 2011 | VOL. 29, | SEPT. EXCLUSIVE CHAT WITH FIrst OPENLY GAY BISHOP AIDS WALK MICHIGAN RAISES MORE THAN $100K GlorIA EstefAN TALKS TARGET GAFFE, NEW CD PROUD ACTIVIst COME OUT, KIrsteN USSERY IS DETROIT DYNAMO step UP PRIDESOURCE.COM 2 Between The Lines • September 29, 2011 9.29.2011 10 15 19 Cover story Life 6 | From closeted activist to Detroit dynamo 15 | Gloria Reaches Out to the Gays Kirsten Ussery urges people of In this exclusive chat, the Queen of Latin color to come out and step up Pop talks conservative upbringing, gay BTL photo: Andrew Potter marriage and Target controversy News 18 | ‘Ordinary’ gays in ‘extraordinary’ musical Relationships examined in new 5 | Speak Out Kalamazoo musical Progress is possible 19 | Hear Me Out 7 | First openly gay bishop talks death threats, Erasure succeeds with new sound. Plus: 9/11 Tori Amos’ best album in years 9 | Partner benefits for state employees 20 | Happenings Featured: Vienna Teng on Oct. 7 at could cost $600K The Power Center in Ann Arbor 11 | AIDS Walk Michigan raises more than 21 | Curtain Calls $100K Reviews of “Unlocking Desire” and “A Day in Hollywood/A Night in Ukraine” 12 | Police probe bullying after 14-year-old commits suicide 13 | State Equality Dinner award winners Rear View announced 22 | Dear Jody 23 | Horoscopes Opinions 24 | Puzzle 8 | BTL Editorial GOP’s argument against partner benefits is cheap 25 | Classifieds 8 | Thinking Out Loud Who are you calling a hater? 27 | Deep Inside Hollywood 10 | S/he said Politics, discrimination 10 | Heard on Facebook We’re sad to report that a New York teen who made an “It Gets Better” video committed suicide. 11 | Parting Glances Gay youth becomes a god 12 | Creep of the Week Rick Santorum Go to PRIDESOURCE.COM or scan the QR Code with your mobile device Between The Lines • September 29, 2011 3 Online Vol. 1939 • Issue 732 @ September 29, 2011 WEB WINS Publishers Susan Horowitz Jan Stevenson Editorial Editor in Chief Susan Horowitz [email protected] News Editor Tara Cavanaugh [email protected] Entertainment Editor Chris Azzopardi Win a copy of Gloria Estefan’s first album in four [email protected] years, “Miss Little Havana”! Head to our Facebook Arts & Theater Editor page for details. Donald V. Calamia, Tickets to “The Christmas Story” on Nov. 16 at the [email protected] Fisher Theatre in Detroit via PrideSource.com Calendar Editor Benjamin Jenkins [email protected] ONLINE EXCLUSIVES Creative The OutField: Grappling with Donna Rose Art Director National news: Gov’t opposes full severance pay David Ano, [email protected] for military gays: ACLU seeks $2.1M class action Webmaster & MIS Director lawsuit against fed for those discharged under Kevin Bryant, [email protected] “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Contributing Writers Charles Alexander, D.A. Blackburn, Michelle E. Brown, Zach Childree, John Corvino, Jack Fertig, Lisa Keen, Jim Larkin, Anthony Paull, KEEP TABS ON ... Andrea Poteet, Crystal Proxmire, Bob Roehr, Partner benefits may soon be prohibited for Hannah Schwab, Gregg Shapiro, Jody Valley, Michigan public employees: bills passed the D’Anne Witkowski, Rex Wockner, Dan Woog state House, now need to pass the Senate Cartoonists Paul Berg, Dave Brousseau, Joan Hilty plus DAILY BREAKING NEWS Contributing Photographers Andrew Potter CALENDAR CONNECTION Emily Locklear Advertising & SALES Director of Sales Jan Stevenson, [email protected] Sales Representatives Ed Bohach, [email protected] Ann Cox, [email protected] Greg Flood, [email protected] National Advertising Representative Rivendell Media, 212.242.6863 Search hundreds of events and Business Office add your own Diane Smith, [email protected] Nancy Blankenship Circulation & Distribution JOIN THE CONversation Diane Smith Pride Source Media Group Email your op-eds and letters to 11920 Farmington Road [email protected] Livonia, Michigan 48150 Phone 734.293.7200 • Fax 734.293.7201 www.pridesource.com Chat on our FB Fan Page. Search Our rate cards are available online “Between The Lines Newspaper” All material appearing in Between The Lines is protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced in whole or part without the permission of the publishers. Between The Lines is supported Get breaking news updates. by many fine advertisers, but we cannot accept responsibility for Follow us @YourBTL claims made by our advertisers, nor can we accept responsibility for materials provided by advertisers or their agents. Copyright 2011 Pride Source Media Group, LLC Receive our E-Digest – just sign up today online 4 Between The Lines • September 29, 2011 Speak Out BY ERIC RADER Progress is possible he military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” degrade the basic dignity of transgender women and policy finally ended last week, thanks to men. Another unnecessary bill has been introduced the persistent hard work of many brave in the legislature by Sen. Tupac Hunter, D-Detroit, Theroes. Though it was originally intended as and Sen. Mark Jansen, R-Gaines Township. This a compromise aimed at allowing gay men and legislation would prevent colleges and universities lesbians to serve in the military, DADT became in Michigan from assigning lower grades to students a justification for witch hunts into the private in psychology programs if the student cites “moral lives of honorable women and men in the convictions” when refusing to counsel an LGBT nation’s armed services. According to official client as part of their academic studies. While these statistics, more than 13,000 qualified service students have the right to their own personal beliefs, members were discharged from the military institutions of higher learning should have academic under the policy, including many with rare freedom to design their own curricula and enforce foreign language specialties at a time when their own grading policies. The legislature does not the nation faced the dangers of worldwide recognize the right of students in any other area of terrorism. While many Americans initially study to claim a moral exemption to their academic supported DADT, the vast majority of citizens responsibilities, and it would be wrong to allow one now believe in military equality for gays and to accommodate student bigotry. lesbians. DADT was always a bad policy and While state legislators attempt to pass no one should mourn its passing. discriminatory laws against the LGBT community, At the same time that lesbian and gay opinion surveys show that most citizens favor soldiers have gained the equal rights for gays right to serve openly in and lesbians. Michigan the armed forces, some Progress is possible on faces incredibly leaders in Michigan important public policy are trying to expand equality, but only when challenges. Our state’s discrimination against economy continues to LGBT citizens in our we participate in the suffer under the weight state. Last year, former of a slow recovery and Gov. Jennifer Granholm political process. high unemployment, and her administration and people continue agreed to provide to lose their homes at domestic partner benefits to state employees, alarming rates. Amidst all the economic carnage, including those with same-sex partners. In conservative legislators continue to ignore the order to comply with Michigan’s 2004 anti- needs of the public. People in our state want the gay marriage constitutional amendment, the governor and the legislature to do something to Michigan Civil Service Commission approved deal with the stagnant economy. Unfortunately, “plus-one” benefits, allowing state employees many of our state leaders would rather demonize to add a single non-dependent member of their segments of our citizenry for political gain than household to their employee benefit plan without deal with the salient priorities of the public. regard to their marital status or gender, a policy Homophobic and transphobic legislators need that is similar to one that exists for employees to stop their bigoted efforts to divide Michigan’s at the University of Michigan. Though these citizens against each other. In 2004, national agreements were bargained collectively between Republicans pursued a similar right-wing, anti- management and employee unions, Republicans gay agenda in a cynical effort to win that year’s in the legislature now want to impose their elections. Unfortunately, that effort worked with own will on these institutions and ban such too many voters, including here in Michigan. In benefits. The Michigan House recently passed 2011, it appears that the residents of our state are legislation, sponsored by Rep. David Agema, more supportive of equal rights than they were R-Grandville, prohibiting any state of Michigan in the past, as evidenced by the overwhelming governmental entity or school from offering support for repeal of DADT. We must continue domestic partner benefits to unmarried public to fight back against the bigots of our state and do employees. Supporters of these bills make the everything we can to move our state forward. As insulting argument that the state cannot afford the repeal of DADT shows, progress is possible to provide health insurance coverage to the on equality, but only when we participate in the “roommates” of public employees. In reality, political process. legislative Republicans want to cater to their right-wing base by discriminating against lesbian and gay public employees. Contact your State Representative and State There are other anti-LGBT equality bills Senator in Lansing—urge them to oppose moving in the legislature this year. Rep. Tom legislative efforts to discriminate against LGBT citizens: Hooker, R-Byron Center, has proposed a law that would prevent the Michigan Department of Find your Michigan House member: Corrections from covering the costs of gender http://www.house.mi.gov/mhrpublic/ reassignment surgery for transgender state Find your Michigan senator: prisoners, something that is already prohibited http://www.senate.michigan.gov/fysenator/ under prison guidelines.