Royal Oak Music Theatre Hosts Dan Savage’s ‘Savage Love Live’ LGBTQ Wedding Expo Attracts Hundreds MCC Honors Transgender Youth Activist with ‘Seth Tooley Day’ 6th Circuit Decision ‘Couldn’t Come at a Better Time’ Anti-LGBT ‘Religious Freedom’ Bill is Back — and Trump has Promised to Sign it Hollywood’s Big Gay Movie Exclusive Interviews with ‘Love, Simon’ Director and Actress Jennifer Garner WWW.PRIDESOURCE.COM MARCH 15, 2018 | VOL. 2611 | FREE AT THE MOVIES 16 COVER ‘Simon’ Says it’s Time for Queer Cinema’s Next Big COOL CITIES: ROYAL OAK/ Thing BIRMINGHAM NEWS: 20 Matt and Kim to Headline at Royal 4 SVSU Pride Center Presents 11th Annual Charity Drag 18 Jennifer Garner: A Oak Music Theatre Show 4 Obituary: Raymond Edward Shepherd Mother’s Love in Life 20 Michigan Five to Perform at Berman 4 MCC Honors Transgender Youth Activist with ‘Seth Stage Tooley Day’ and Film 5 Bill Banning Conversion Therapy in Washington State Enters Final Phase 9 Anti-LGBT ‘Religious Freedom’ Bill is Back — and COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS NEWS HAPPENINGS Trump has Promised to Sign it 11 6th Circuit Decision ‘Couldn’t Come at a Better Time’ 11 - 6th Circuit Ruling plus LGBT WEDDING & ANNIVERSARY 6 - Jay Kaplan EXPO on ruling’s impact 12 LGBTQ Wedding Expo Attracts Hundreds 14 LGBTQ Wedding Expo Vendors 24 Best of LGBT Events OPINION 6 Parting Glances WEDDINGS 6 Viewpoint 7 Creep of the Week LIFE 8 Dan Savage Knows a Lot, But He’s No ‘Sex Moses’ 28 The Science of Grief Explored: Local 16 ‘Simon’ Says it’s Time for Queer Cinema’s Next Big Poet Hosts 14-Hour Community Grief Outlet Thing 18 Jennifer Garner: A Mother’s Love in Life and Film 29 Gloria Steinem Emphasizes that 20 Cool CIties: Royal Oak 26 Classifieds Feminism and LGBT Rights are Linked 12 - 15: Expo Wrap 27 Puzzle and Crossword VOL. 2611 • MARCH 15, 2018 EDITORIAL News & Feature Writers ADVERTISING & SALES ONLINE AT ISSUE 1058 Editor in Chief Emell Derra Adolphus, Michelle Brown, Todd Director of Sales A. 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Andrew Potter, Alexander Godin, Andrew Cohen Copyright 2018 Pride Source Media Group March 15, 2018 www.PrideSource.com | BTL 3 NEWS MCC Honors Transgender Youth Activist with ‘Seth Tooley Day’ SVSU Pride Center Presents 11th BY JASON A. MICHAEL “He’s almost like an accidental activist,” Stringfellow said. “But when he recognized Annual Charity Drag Show t was early last month when more how he was treated, and how other young That Saginaw Valley State University will kick than 300 people came out to protest people were being treated as objects rather off its second decade of drag performances on Ia workshop for girls at Metro Church than people he decided to speak up.” Saturday, April 7 at 7 p.m. with its 11th annual in Riverview. Many said that the church- Best is very pleased with the Seth he sees Charity Drag Show. This year’s theme is Fairy offered service was merely conversion in church these days. Tale Frolics, meaning that drag contestants are therapy in disguise. One of the speakers “Hearing what he shared this time in encouraged to tailor their performances to it. that night was 17-year-old Seth Tooley his voice, not his mom’s, really just spoke All proceeds from the performance are set to of Brownstown. volumes about who he is and who he’s benefit the Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Center Tooley, who is a young trans man, had growing up to be and the power he has which provides, “mental health, substance use attended the church a handful of years within himself,” Best said. “Seeing how disorder” treatment as well as treatment for HIV/ ago with his mother. He enjoyed Fuel, he feels so strong and grounded because of AIDS, according to its website. The show will also a ‘life group’ for middle school students the love and care and support of his mother benefit the the AIDS Run & Walk in the Great lakes that was offered by the church. is great.” Bay Region which is dedicated to fighting the At school, however, Tooley was Today, Seth is excelling at school and autoimmune disease. experiencing some bullying for being he’s had a girlfriend for almost over a year. “The Pride Center is under the direction of trans by other kids in his class. So “My message to be, is just, to know that Lucy Mercier, Assistant Dean of the College of his mother, Kim, took him to the God loves you no matter if you’re, gay, trans Health and Human Services. The Pride Center at pastor of the church, Jeremy Schossau, 17-year-old Seth Tooley of Brownstown with his or a purple unicorn,” said Tooley. “God to counsel her son. But before the mom Kim Tooley. He has been a vocal opponent of loves you no matter what. SVSU is staffed by BSW Interns who are under conversion therapy. the supervision of Kim Johnson, Social Work Field counseling sessions had ended, things “I’m in psychology because I love Director,” said the SVSU Pride Center’s page. “The took a distinctively downward turn. learning about the human brain,” Tooley Pride Center is guided by an Advisory Council “On our last session the pastor asked continued. “I love helping my friends who consisting of Saginaw Valley State University if it was OK if my mom left the room,” a supportive high school – Southgate are LGBTQ or questioning. They come to faculty, staff and students.” Tooley recalled. “I was totally OK with it. Anderson – Tooley became confident. So, me with questions and they know they will He was my pastor and I trusted him. When when he saw on Facebook that a protest have acceptance from me. So I definitely The show will be held at the SVSU Doan center it was just me and him and an elder of the was being organized against what LGBTQ plan to keep helping people.” Thompson Student Activities Room or TSAR, and church and his wife, they started praying real activists were calling conversion therapy For his mother, watching her son bloom tickets are available in the SVSU Pride Center which is loud, laying hands on me. They said I had at his old church, Tooley knew he had to has been a blessing. located in Gilbertson Hall: GN 253. More information the demon of homosexuality in me. I was become involved. He went to the protest “Seth is the strongest and bravest person about tickets can be found by contacting pridecenter@ screaming and crying for my mom because and he spoke out. I know,” said Kim Tooley. “He has been svsu.edu or by calling 989-964-4776. I was terrified.” “I told the people my story about what through a lot and still has the grace to be Despite the trauma of the session, Tooley happened to me, and how damaging it was a good person in spite of people who have OBITUARY and his mom did not immediately leave the and how bad it is for a child to go through shown him hate. Seth is always honest and church. it,” Tooley said. does what he says and says what he means. Raymond Edward Shepherd “Seth lived to go to this youth group,” For his courage, MCC-Detroit named He truly wants the world to be a better place. Aug. 3, 1948 - Feb. 27, 2018 said Kim Tooley. “He had absolutely no Sunday, March 4, Seth Tooley Day. He feels it’s his mission, his calling even by socialization other than this Monday night “Seth is a fine young man who has just God, and I think that’s honorable. He has Raymond Edward Shepherd, a longtime member youth group.” blossomed into an activist, said Rev. Dr. a true desire that people know God’s love of Metropolitan Community Church – Detroit and But soon, Kim Tooley said, she was Roland Stringfellow, MCC-D’s senior in spite of what these other churches say.” an active member of Affirmations, died Feb. 27th. told Seth could no longer attend unless he pastor and teacher.