A Grammy Award-Winning Voice Now Fights for Equality
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Pentagon To Lift Transgender Military Ban HIV Prevention Project Gets $3.8 Million From CDC 'Drag Race' Winner Violet Chachki Comes To Detroit A Grammy Award-Winning Voice Now Fights For Equality WWW.PRIDESOURCE.COM JULY 16, 2015 | VOL. 2329 | FREE It’d be beautiful if (there’s not) just a white gay pride and a black gay pride – it’ll be beautiful when it’s just pride and it’s not separate. – Mo’Nique, See page 20 COVER 6 Unsung Hero Stephan Bobalik BTL Photo: Andrew Potter Cool Cities NEWS MILESTONE COOL CITIES CALENDAR 6 What LGBT Michiganders Need To Know About Healthcare 7 HIV Prevention Project Gets $3.8M 8 Ypsi’s Mayor Focuses On Economy 9 Ferndale Mayor Coulter To Run Again 10 Hotter Than July Arrives, Will Celebrate 20 Years 12 Pentagon Announces Plan To Lift Transgender Military Ban 16 Affirmations Hires New Senior Staff 16 Great Lakes Pride Preview OPINION 14 Transmissions: Papal Confrontation Hotter Than July is poised to celebrate its 20th anniversary next week. Learn More About This Publicize Your Events Online 14 Editorial Cartoon Preview: A Week Long ScheduleYOUR NEIGHBORHOODWeek’s Cool City: Ann • YOUR Arbor MARKETAnd In Print Today 18 Creep of the Week: Steve King To Celebrate Hotter Than July’s 20th Anniversary PinpointAccess the your online ad Cooldollars City wherepages Head over to Pridesource. See page 10 theyat Pridesource.com will do the most togood learn . com/Calendar.html and tell LIFE Advertiseabout upcoming in the nextevents, Cool featured Cities us about your concerts, social gatherings, rallies and more and 20 The Unbreakable Mo’Nique TO PLACEadvertisers AN ADand CALL community 734.293.7200 news focused on each of our Cool Cities. we’ll promote them online and in 23 It’s Raining ... Disco DIvas print with our calendar! 24 Cool Cities: Ann Arbor 28 Happenings: Culture Club 31 Drag Race Winners Come To Detroit 34 Crossword Puzzle 34 Comic: A Couple Of Guys VOL. 2329 • JULY 16, 2015 • ISSUE 923 EDITORIAL CREATIVE ADVERTISING & SALES ONLINE AT Editor in Chief Graphic Design Director of Sales PRIDE SOURCE MEDIA GROUP Susan Horowitz, 734.293.7200 x 12 Benjamin Jenkins, [email protected] Jan Stevenson, 734.293.7200 x 22 “Between The Lines Newspaper” 20222 Farmington Rd., Livonia, Michigan 48152 [email protected] [email protected] Phone 734.293.7200 Webmaster & MIS Director Entertainment Editor Kevin Bryant, [email protected] Sales Representatives Follow us @YourBTL PUBLISHERS Chris Azzopardi, 734.293.7200 x 24 Ed Bohach, 734.293.7200 x 15 Contributing Writers Susan Horowitz & Jan Stevenson [email protected] [email protected] Charles Alexander, Michelle E. 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Between The Lines is supported by many fine Tony Lowe advertisers, but we cannot accept responsibility for claims made Copyright 2015 Pride Source Media Group, LLC by our advertisers, nor can we accept responsibility for materials provided by advertisers or their agents. www.PrideSource.com July 16, 2015 | BTL 3 www.PrideSource.com July 16, 2015 | BTL 5 NEWS What LGBT Michiganders Need Cover Story: Unsung Hero To Know About Healthcare BY ED ENGLISH nce you’ve won a Grammy Award with your voice, it’s a With the historic ruling by the Supreme Court affirming tough act to follow. marriage equality for everyone regardless of which state O “Well … I was on a Grammy-winning they live in, a new world of opportunities is opening for recording,” explains Stephan Bobalik, Michigan’s LGBT community. Many Michiganders may not coyly. The award was for a ensemble realize that once the wedding bells are done ringing, they recording of composer William Bolcom’s have a special opportunity to enroll in quality, affordable “Songs of Innocence and of Experience” health coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace. that featured nearly the entire University Getting married is considered a “qualifying life event” of Michigan’s school of music. “The under the Affordable Care Act. This means that newly- work required immense musical forces. married couples qualify for a “special enrollment period” So yeah, I’m on a Grammy-winning which allows them to sign up for a new health plan through recording. I don’t know if I can officially the Health Insurance Marketplace or make changes to the say I have a Grammy, sometimes I do,” plan they enrolled in during the last open enrollment period. he laughs, adding, “My name is in the So when LGBT Michiganders tie the knot, they can start liner notes. So there’s that.” their new life together with the protection of health insurance As a vocal performance major at the that fits their needs and budget. University of Michigan, Bobalik knew he wanted a career that would utilize the Six things LGBT Michiganders should know about power of his voice. healthcare now that they can legally get married: “When I started college, I would have All newly-married couples can enroll in a plan through the told you I was going to be an opera singer Health Insurance Marketplace right away before enrollment … I am not an opera singer,” he says reopens in November. If married this summer, there’s an with a laugh. “About half way through opportunity to enroll in Health Insurance Marketplace my first senior year of college, I was coverage. Additionally, if applying for Medicaid, every state having the realization that the direction must recognize a same-sex marriage regardless of where Changing the tune of his career aspirations, Bobalik, 33, now uses his voice for advocacy as a I was going, pursuing a career in voice, it was performed. newly hired fundraiser at the ACLU. BTL photo: Andrew Potter wasn’t really what I wanted.” The special enrollment period will start the moment Changing the tune of his career marriage documents are signed and end 60 days later, so things I most disliked about performing Raised in the small town of Sturgis, aspirations, Bobalik, 33, now uses his there’s time to sign up after the honeymoon. is being the center of attention,” he says Michigan, Bobalik says he has learned voice for advocacy as a newly hired Legally married couples – including same-sex newlyweds with laughter. “So not really super into to have a great sense of pride for the fundraiser at the ACLU (American who are getting married in Michigan – can receive financial being the center of attention.” resilience of Detroit and its LGBT Civil Liberties Union), a vital role in assistance as a married couple. Seventy-eight percent of Not completely retiring his singing community. Michigan’s fight for equality. Michiganders who enrolled in coverage received financial talents, each Sunday Bobalik sings in “I think (pride) means being proud of “I worked at Sphinx (Organization); assistance to lower their monthly premiums, Get Covered the church choir at Jefferson Avenue who you are and accepting who you are, I worked on the Obama campaign of America reports. The average Michigander who enrolls Presbyterian Church in Detroit. A place but not stopping there. Being an advocate 2012. I worked at the Detroit Symphony through the Marketplace sees a reduction of $273 in their for your community,” he says. “It’s one Orchestra. And last year I was working on annual premium. thing to be out and proud and scream it Mark Schauer’s campaign for governor Every plan must cover 10 essential health services, from the rooftops. But it’s another thing, – all terrific places to work, terrific including emergency room visits, prescription drugs and This concept of married and a step that I think more folks should missions,” says Bobalik, explaining, it preventive care. No one can be denied preventive coverage take, to learn to be a real advocate for has always been important for him to today and fired tomorrow is very because of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender the LGBT community and work for work for an organization where he would “ expression. meaningful change.” have a strong connection to the mission. real today in Michigan. Free, one-on-one enrollment assistance from culturally Speaking about the Supreme Court’s His involvement with the ACLU first competent experts is available. ruling on same-sex marriage, Bobalik began five years ago as a volunteer. “And Without health insurance, Michiganders will pay a fine says it’s nice to celebrate, but there is I think it’s an honor to be a part of it. I am –- Stephan Bobalik on their next tax return. The fine for not being covered in ” still work to be done in all communities. here raising the money to make sure we 2015 is $325 per adult or 2 percent of the annual income, “This concept of married today and can keep all this going and to work with whichever is greater. fired tomorrow is very real today in our donors who see what we are doing Other life changing events also qualify Michigan’s he “kind of fell in love with” after Michigan,” he explains.