4 MSU Professor Accused of Sexual Misconduct Study: Religious Exemption Especially Harsh on LGBTQ Seniors DAN LEVY IS DOING US ALL A Out ‘Schitt’s Creek’ Creator Gets Candid WWW.PRIDESOURCE.COM FEBRUARY 1, 2018 | VOL. 2605 | FREE February 1, 2018 2 BTL | www.PrideSource.com HUMAN RIGHTS ARTS COVER Dan Levy NEWS 4 Dignity Denied: Study Finds LGBTQ Seniors Especially Vulnerable to Religious Exemptions 9 MSU Investigating Allegations of Sexual Harrassment Against Prof. Sue Carter 10 Log Cabin Assails Dems for Blocking Ric Grenell Local Survivor Sheds Light p. 19 Nomination 11 Pence Breaks Tie to Confirm Anti-LGBT Brownback on Human Trafficking p. 14 Nomination 14 Local Survivor Sheds Light on Human Trafficking 15 Biden Foundation Sets Up Advisory Councils for COMMUNITY CONNECTION MARRIAGE HAPPENINGS Women, LGBT Rights OPINION 12 Parting Glances 12 Viewpoint 13 Creep of the Week LIFE 16 Dan Levy is Doing Us All a Big Favor 26 Moss Earns LGBTQ Support in 24 Best of LGBT Events 19 Michigan Native Releases Photo Book of NYC Bid for State Senate Drag Queens ANN ARBOR 23 Mary Lambert Thinks You’re a Babe 24 Happenings 26 A Safe Space for Comedy Mary Lambert 28 Classifieds Thinks You’re 29 Puzzle & Crossword 27 From Outlaw to Conformist Biden Foundation Sets A Babe COOL CITIES: ANN ARBOR Up Advisory Councils for 27 Inclusive Justice Urges p. 23 22 Ypsi Pride Hosts Turnabout Fundraiser Educators to Support LGBTQ Women, LGBT Rights p. 15 22 Necto Pride Night Features BenDeLaCreme 23 Mary Lambert Thinks You’re a Babe VOL. 2605 • FEBRUARY 1, 2018 EDITORIAL News & Feature Writers ADVERTISING & SALES ONLINE AT ISSUE 1052 Editor in Chief Emell Derra Adolphus, Michelle Brown, Director of Sales Todd A. 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Andrew Potter, Alexander Godin Copyright 2018 Pride Source Media Group February 1, 2018 www.PrideSource.com | BTL 3 If religious exemption laws expand, services at risk of disappearing in many health organizations include same-sex visitation rights, Dignity Denied admitting LGBTQ adults to emergency medical care or providing Study Finds LGBTQ Seniors Especially care, giving loans or housing vouchers and Medicare and Medicaid- Vulnerable to Religious Exemptions funded hospitals could refuse service to LGBTQ seniors. NEWS BY EVE KUCHARSKI icture someone in the LGBTQ community, and the image is often of Pa young and affluent person. However, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of the nation’s people aged 65 years and older is set to double by 2050, to almost 84 million. And, public perception aside, it is estimated that there are nearly 3 million LGBTQ adults who are 50 years or older living in the U.S. today. These statistics are part of a December 2017 report conducted by the Movement Advancement Project, Public Rights/Private Conscience Project and SAGE: “Dignity Denied: Religious Exemptions and LGBT Elder Services.” These three groups worked together to create a study highlighting that LGBTQ seniors are an especially high-risk group in the battle for and against religious exemptions. MAP is an independent think tank that provides research to aid LGBTQ people in attaining equality, The Public Rights/Private Conscience Project examines how religious liberty rights conflict with fundamental rights to equality and liberty and SAGE is Worried gay couple standing outside White House. Photo by David Advertures IStock. the country’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQ based on a resident’s involved verbal or groups, are those who stand to lose the most. older adults. physical harassment from other residents. There are four main avenues to increasing this Executive Orders and Agency What follows is a summary of the study’s - 20 percent involved refusal to admit discriminatory behavior: Guidance findings, and how they relate to Michigan: or re-admit a resident. - Executive orders and agency - 14 percent of incidents were guidance that permits discrimination by In October 2017, both the U.S. Departments committed by staff. federal contractors and grantees, as well as of Jusice and Health and Human Services Harassment is Alive and Well government employees. released “sweeping” religious exemption in Senior Care Facilities These seniors frequently find themselves at - State religious exemption laws guidance and regulation. (Though not included the mercy of organizations that are religiously- that in some states already permit medical in the report, an example of regulations like The study found that the majority of involved. According to the American Civil professionals to decline service to LGBTQ these happened at the start of 2018. The healthcare services for the aging are offered Liberties Union, 14 percent of hospitals in the people. HHS announced a new department called by religiously-affiliated organizations — about U.S. have a religious affiliation and make up - Increasing permissions to deny Conscience and Religious Freedom.) Based 85 percent. This affiliation could be part of the almost a fifth of all hospital beds in the country. service, and potentially serious implications off these rulings, any employer or insurance reason that LGBTQ older adults have reported from the Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. company is now able to refuse to provide discrimination when accessing a variety of Colorado Civil Rights Commission, in which coverage for contraceptives due to religious or services like “at work, at the doctor’s office, Religious Exemption Laws Only a baker refused to bake a wedding cake for an “moral” reasons, regardless of being publicly within residential communities and when Stand to Expand LGBTQ couple. The case is currently under funded. seeking housing and when accessing social consideration by the U.S. Supreme Court and The report found that in 2014 alone, the supports like community centers.” According to the study’s findings, federal a ruling is expected by the end of June. federal government gave $1.88 billion to Of the group of nearly 800 LGBTQ seniors and state policymakers and activists are - Court Cases that permit providers in the aging networks through grants, who were surveyed, almost half of those who working to allow religious organizations discrimination in employee benefit plans, that contracts or reimbursements, serving almost had entered long-term care had experienced across the U.S. the ability to discriminate “could result in discrimination in pension and 11 million older Americans. some type of discrimination or mistreatment. against LGBTQ people. LGBTQ seniors, insurance benefits.” If religious exemption laws expand, services - 23 percent of these incidents were who frequently rely on the services of these at risk of disappearing in many health 4 BTL | February 1, 2018 www.PrideSource.com organizations include same-sex visitation Though a decision is not expected by rights, admitting LGBTQ adults to emergency SCOTUS until June, if the court rules in the medical care or providing care, giving loans favor of the baker, the study reports that the or housing vouchers and Medicare and implications could be far-reaching. Medicaid-funded hospitals could refuse “An older LGBT person could be denied service to LGBTQ seniors. any service that might remotely be seen to include a ‘creative’ element, including long- term care, programming at senior centers, State Religious Exemption congregant meal sites and even health care,” Laws in Michigan the report stated. The study also reported that businesses Currently, 21 states in the U.S. have laws could also potentially even refuse to provide in place that allow people, churches and basic services like meals, or as in a recent nonprofit organizations to seek religious case where an LGBTQ widower was refused exemptions. For now, Michigan has no broad service by a funeral home. religious exemption law. According to the report, the “broad” language of these rules allows for those seeking exemptions to test Discrimination in Employee the boundaries of their state’s discrimination rules. Benefits Plans Currently, Michigan is one of seven states Currently, organizations that are based upon to permit child welfare agencies to “refuse religion, like houses of worship or religious to place and provide services to children and schools, are legally allowed to hire people families, including LGBT people and same- who follow the same religion as long they sex couples, if doing so conflicts with their do not discriminate around race or disability.