WEDDING EXPO CUTS THROUGH CAKE POLITICS MARCH 8, 2018 | VOL. 2610 | FREE LGBT EXPO THIS WEEKEND Equality-Minded Vendors Will Never Refuse You Service Illustrator: Kenni Adams LGBT WEDDING & 26 Vendors COVER 28 MiLGBTWedding.Com ANNIVERSARY EXPO 30 Bakery Provides Stress-Free 18 Wedding Expo Cuts Through Cake Politics 18 Expo Cuts Through Cake Politics Cake Decision Making 20 The Honeymoon or Vacation 32 Florist ‘Absolutely’ Open to NEWS Recipe Same-Sex Marriage 6 The Choices We Make 22 10 Legal Tips for LGBTQ Couples 34 DJs to the Rescue 8 Therapist Decides Not to Move into Huntington 24 B. Ella Bridal Shares 2018 Trends Woods Building Over Signage Issue 8 Mother Seeks Justice Following Daughter’s Assault at School 10 White Nationalist Leader Posts Photo of Himself with Vice President Mike Pence COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS ARTS HAPPENINGS 14 House Dems Step Up Efforts Against New Anti-LGBT Division Within HHS 14 11 Michigan Politicians Sign #NoNRAMoney Petition to Reject NRA Donations 16 Victory Fund Endorses Attorney General Candidate Dana Nessel OPINION 42 Best of LGBT Events 12 Parting Glances 12 Viewpoint 13 Creep of the Week THE FRIVOLIST 46 SEMHAC Gala Honors Community LIFE Partners, Council Members 38 Hear Me Out 46 From Broadway to Birmingham - ‘Act One’ 40 7 Acts of Self-Care You Should Already Be Doing Makes its Michigan Premiere 42 Happenings 48 Classifieds 49 Puzzle and Crossword 44 The Ringwald Theatre VOL. 2610 • MARCH 8, 2018 EDITORIAL News & Feature Writers ADVERTISING & SALES ONLINE AT ISSUE 1057 Editor in Chief Emell Derra Adolphus, Michelle Brown, Todd Director of Sales A. Heywood, Ellen Knoppow, Jason Michael, Susan Horowitz, 734.293.7200 x 102 Jan Stevenson, 734.293.7200 x 101 “Between The Lines Newspaper” Drew Howard, Jonathan Thurston PRIDE SOURCE MEDIA GROUP [email protected] [email protected] 20222 Farmington Rd., Livonia, Michigan 48152 Entertainment Editor CREATIVE Sales Representatives Phone 734.293.7200 Follow us @YourBTL Chris Azzopardi, 734.293.7200 x 106 Webmaster & MIS Director Ann Cox, 734.293.7200 x 103 Kevin Bryant, [email protected] PUBLISHERS [email protected] [email protected] Email your op–eds to Susan Horowitz & Jan Stevenson Feature News Editor Columnists Donelle Kremke, 734.293.7200 x 104 [email protected] MEMBER OF Kate Opalewski, 734.293.7200 x 108 Charles Alexander, Michelle E. 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Andrew Potter, Alexander Godin, Andrew Cohen Copyright 2018 Pride Source Media Group March 8, 2018 4 BTL | www.PrideSource.com MESSAGE FROM THE PUBLISHERS The Choices We Make BY SUSAN HOROWITZ AND JAN STEVENSON n this issue of BTL we mark the Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m., where nearly the respect and dignity we most certainly It has never been more 25th anniversary of the paper. With it 100 vendors will be on hand to welcome you all deserve. Iwe begin a journey looking back to and help you with all your event planning And, whether you are already wed important to make informed remember our history, with an eye to how needs – all in one place. and need other services, please consider we might move ahead to finally achieve It has never been more important to make choosing among the vendors at this year's choices when spending your full equality. informed choices when spending your Expo. In addition to party planning we have dollars. This year we face a During the next year, the paper will hold a dollars. This year we face a debate in the services that range from adoption to home number of events that look at the progress we highest court in the land – the U.S. Supreme buying with LGBT-friendly businesses. In debate in the highest court in have made, make note of the challenges that Court. It's a case that will decide whether fact, all the businesses and services that remain, and continue to commit resources that bakers and others have the right to refuse us advertise in BTL all year long are deserving the land – the U.S. Supreme tell our stories and report on the inequality we services because of their religious beliefs. of consideration when you plan a purchase. still face. We will once again be fully engaged The current climate around the country Without their support this publication would Court. It’s a case that will in helping you make informed decisions at the voting booth this November with our extensive – indeed the world – has been challenging, not be possible. decide whether bakers and voter guide. and at times alarming. It is difficult to find So please come down, enjoy the energy One of the other projects we love doing a ray of hope some days. For those of you that is always high at this event and share others have the right to here at BTL is the annual LGBT Wedding who are planning to wed or celebrate an in some 25th anniversary cake with all of us refuse us services because & Anniversary Expo. Now in it's 8th year anniversary, each of our vendors on hand are here at BTL – and be sure to say thanks to – we return once again to our Expo Grand what we have come to call equality-minded. the vendors who want nothing more than to of their religious beliefs. Sponsor – MotorCity Casino & Hotel this They most definitely provide that ray of make our special occasions the best possible hope for all the attendees – treating us with experience. 6 BTL | March 8, 2018 www.PrideSource.com NEWS Therapist Decides Not to Move into Huntington Building Over Signage Issue BY JASON A. MICHAEL Kort said. “Those of you who know me know There’s no way I wasn’t going to have it on that I’m very much an advocate of LGBT the directory. The directory is very important.” Royal Oak-based psychotherapist Joe Kort issues and sexual health issues. And a neighbor has decided not to move his practice into the I’m not about of ours telling us that we can’t usage the What’s in a name? Huntington Medical Building in Huntington to whisper the word verbiage ‘sexual health’ was too much for me. Woods as a result of a disagreement over “ I couldn’t do it.” Kort created the Center for Relationship signage in the building. Kort said that after LGBT and I’m not Just days before the anticipated move-in and Sexual Health more than a decade ago in he signed his lease that the complete name date, Kort told the building’s owners he wanted an effort to distinguish itself from his main of his practice – Joe Kort & Associates and about to whisper out of his lease. He chose to stay put in the practice. the Center for Relationship & Sexual Health the words ‘sexual Woodward Building in Royal Oak, where his “I wanted my name off of it,” he said. “My – would be included on signage both inside practice has been based for the last 19 years. name is synonymous with LGBT, so when and outside the building. health.’ “They never had a problem with our people hear my name they don’t think I work But when another tenant in the building signage,” Kort said. “The only reason we with straight people. I do work with straight complained about the words “sexual health” weren’t staying originally was there wasn’t people. I always have. So, I created the Center on the directory, the building’s owners Ara – Joe Kort space available to take over, but it looks now for Relationship and Sexual Health to help and Darren Atesian of Atesian Realty/Atesian ” like there might be. So, I’m really looking people understand that we do much more Properties, Inc., decided to take them down. forward to that possibility.” this way. Forget our tenants. We asked other than that.” “If you were a patient for the tenant upstairs Kort said the dispute has taken a lot out people if this could be misconstrued and they Kort said that today more than ever, sexual you are now uncomfortable, because you think of him. said yes.” health is an important topic to be discussed. there are sexual predators in the building. “This has been very stressful for me,” he Kort was initially confused as to what to do. “We need to be talking to our children about Because (the space) is now a sexual therapy said. “I’m trying to really take it easy and “It wasn’t an easy thing,” said Kort in an it,” he said. “We need to be talking to teenagers clinic,” Darren Atesian told Between The get my bearings. But those of you who know online video posted to his YouTube page. “I about it, and we need to be talking about it Lines when the paper first broke the story me know that I’m not about to whisper the really fretted about this.” as adults.