Dana Nessel Becomes Michigan's First Openly Lesbian Attorney General
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Shop the All Things Detroit this Holiday Season Jeremy Moss Makes History as First Openly Gay Michigan Senator Making History Dana Nessel Becomes Michigan’s First Openly Lesbian Attorney General PRIDESOURCE.COM NOVEMBER 15, 2018 | VOL. 2646 | FREE 2 BTL | November 15, 2018 www.PrideSource.com Join The Conversation @ Pridesource.com 2018 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE THE INTERVIEW 22 Shop the All Things Detroit Online Marketplace this Holiday Season 26 Happy Holi-Gays: Gifts By and For LGBTQ Friends and Family 30 Holiday Markets & Craft 17 Jared Polis Becomes COVER Shows First Gay to Win Election 4 Making LGBTQ History. as Governor BTL Photo: Kate Gowman NEWS OPINION No Doubting 12 Parting Glances 4 Dana Nessel Wins Attorney General 12 Take a Breather: Viola Davis’s Power Avoiding Post- 5 Moss Makes History 6 Midterm Despair and See Page 18 See Page 18 Midterm LGBTQ Analysis: Complacency Executive Officers, State Senate, State House 13 Creep of the Week 8 Midterm LGBTQ MICHIGAN NEWS COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS NATIONAL NEWS Analysis: Ballot LIFE Initiatives 18 No Doubting Viola Davis’s Power 8 3 of 4 Williamston School Board Members Overcome Recalls 30 Detroit Fringe 9 LGBTQ Analysis: State Festival Marks Fifth Supreme Court Year of Experimental Elected: Performances 9 Gretchen Whitmer Jared Polis Elected Governor See Page 17 9 Jocelyn Benson 30 ‘The Cake’ Runs at Elected Secretary of Ringwald State 10 Common Language 30 Detroit Opera Bookstore to Close House’s ‘Too Hot to 11 San Francisco Opera Handel’ Performance Cancels Performance Reyes Leaves Amid Sexual Assault 36 5 Steps to Coming to 38 ‘OutCasting’ LGBTQ Youth Radio Program Elected: Allegations Terms With Your Balding Affirmations Founder Receives AARP Purpose Prize 16 With Democrats Head Sinema Wins Winning the House, LGBT 34 Transgender Day of Remembrance 2018 Senate Seat See Page 14 Advocates Have Great 32 Happenings See Page 10 Expectations 37 Puzzle & Crossword VOL. 2646 • NOVEMBER 15, 2018 EDITORIAL News & Feature Writers ADVERTISING & SALES ONLINE AT ISSUE 1086 Editor in Chief Emell Derra Adolphus, Michelle Brown, Todd A. 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Andrew Potter, Alexander Godin, Andrew Cohen Copyright 2018 Pride Source Media Group www.PrideSource.com November 15, 2018 | BTL 3 Making History Dana Nessel (left) addresses the crowd before her win as attorney general. April DeBoer (center) looks on with wife Jane Rowse. Nessel originally represented the couple in DeBoer v. Snyder which eventually made its way up to the Supreme Court of the United States and was instrumental in securing marriage equality for the LGBTQ community. BTL Photo: Kate Gowman Nessel Becomes Michigan’s First Openly Lesbian Attorney General BY KATE OPALEWSKI her term. I will always have a passion for serving be my lawyer? Who’s going to represent me?’ general’s office. To have not just an ally, but a alongside law enforcement and making our Well, if this works out, I will tell you this: I will fighter who truly gets it, who lives it, means ichigan voters made history election state safer and stronger for Michigan families, represent you. I will be your lawyer and I will so much.” night by choosing Dana Nessel to and I wish Dana the best as she assumes that work relentlessly towards justice for everybody Nessel has nearly 25 years of legal experience become the state’s first openly gay mantle on our behalf.” in this state.” covering a vast array of disciplines as both a Mattorney general. She tweeted early Nov. 7 Nessel, 49, broke the 16-year Republican The position of attorney general is meant that her opponent, Republican state Rep. Tom streak for Michigan’s attorney general held by to uphold the state’s top lawyer and law defense and prosecuting attorney. Her work Leonard called to concede. Republicans Mike Cox and Bill Schuette. enforcement official. According to Michigan. has centered around elevating and protecting “At 9:00 this morning, my opponent Tom Although Nessel could not give an acceptance gov, “the attorney general’s responsibilities the rights of marginalized and unrepresented Leonard called to concede. Tom, you ran a great speech on Tuesday night at which point the include safeguarding the public from violent communities. She spearheaded the DeBoer v. race. It has been an honor to run against you results were too close to call, she did take the criminals, helping victims of crime, leading Snyder case, which joined Obergefell v. Hodges these last 4 months. To all of my supporters, stage at MotorCity Casino Hotel to thank her the fight against human trafficking and opioid and legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. thank you. We made our dream a reality. I’m campaign staff and family. abuse, preserving Michigan’s spectacular She is also the founder and president of the ready to do the work.” “It has been such a long time since we’ve natural resources, protecting consumers and two-year-old Fair Michigan Justice Project that Nessel will succeed Republican Attorney had an office of attorney general that really addressing illegal business practices.” General Bill Schuette, who is term-limited from protected everyone in this state,” Nessel said. Nessel told BTL her priorities will be to investigates and prosecutes hate crimes and seeking the office again and lost the battle for “And if things work out tonight and I become protect the environment, senior citizens and currently has a 100 percent conviction rate. This governor to Gretchen Whitmer. She defeated the new Michigan attorney general, I vow to consumers while addressing marijuana laws first-of-its-kind task force has charged over two Leonard, who reportedly conceded following follow in the legacy of the great Frank Kelly and fighting for civil rights. dozen offenses, most of them capital offenses. the results of Tuesday’s night election, stating: who I hope is watching television right now “This is incredible for the LGBT community, Nessel lives in southeast Michigan with her “Last night’s results may be personally and say this: Whenever you feel like you need and for our allies and activists,” said Trevor wife, Alanna Maguire, their twin sons, Alex disappointing, but it is time to move forward someone there for you — you know, when Thomas, Equality Michigan Action Network and Zach, along with her pet cats. She publicly and allow Michigan’s next attorney general you’ve had someone rip you off or scam you, board chair. “It’s momentous to have elected kissed her wife when delivering her MotorCity to begin transitioning into this important or you have a company that has polluted your our first-ever, out, statewide official in Dana role,” Leonard said. “Dana Nessel ran a smart environment or you live in a nursing home and Nessel; the fact that she’s been at the vanguard Casino Hotel speech as an act of LGBTQ campaign and earned the voters’ trust. I have you feel like you’ve been abused or neglected of our fight for civil rights for years is even more solidarity. For the next four years, Nessel will offered her any help she may need getting or if your civil rights have been infringed upon so. It’s been decades since Michigan’s LGBT serve as Michigan’s Attorney General, and she acclimated to the department and beginning — and you say to yourself, ‘Who’s going to community had an advocate in the attorney will be up for re-election in 2022. 4 BTL | November 15, 2018 www.PrideSource.com Election 2018 Jeremy Moss Makes History as First Openly Gay Michigan Senator BY EVE KUCHARSKI records in the legislature or in the governor’s could pass it,” but expects it to be an issue in “We need to attract young talent to Michigan, office and I don’t think a lot of people knew the Senate. and if we don’t have laws that protect LGBT ith results announced just after 2 a.m. about that until we really highlighted this issue “Now, with this kind of sensitivity on the workers who want to contribute to our via a tweet from the Democratic in a bipartisan fashion.” Republican side to get it done, it’s going to be economy, they ain’t gonna come here,” Moss Legislative Campaign Committee, Moss stated also that expanding the Elliott- an issue in the Senate,” he said.