Hoadley Announces 2020 Run for Congress Faith-Based Adoption Agency Sues State ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ Star Opens Up Before Detroit Show Photo: Julian Broad PRIDESOURCE.COMPRIDESOURCE.COM APRIL 18, 2019 | VOL. 2716 | FREE VOL. 2716 • APRIL 18, 2019 • ISSUE 1107 PRIDE SOURCE MEDIA GROUP 20222 Farmington Rd., Livonia, Michigan 48152 Phone 734.293.7200 PUBLISHERS Susan Horowitz & Jan Stevenson EDITORIAL Editor in Chief 14 Susan Horowitz, 734.293.7200 x 102 [email protected] Entertainment Editor Chris Azzopardi, 734.293.7200 x 106 [email protected] Feature News Editor Kate Opalewski, 734.293.7200 x 108 [email protected] Editorial Assistant Eve Kucharski, 734.293.7200 x 105 8 22 [email protected] News & Feature Writers Emell Derra Adolphus, Michelle Brown, Ellen Knoppow, Jason Michael, Drew Howard, Jonathan Thurston CREATIVE Webmaster & MIS Director Kevin Bryant, [email protected] Columnists Charles Alexander, Michelle E. 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Between The Lines is 22 LGBTQ People Urged to Be Counted in 2020 supported by many fine advertisers, but we cannot accept US Census COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS responsibility for claims made by our advertisers, nor Sign up online to receive our E–Digest can we accept responsibility for materials provided by 30 Art Show Grand Rapids Is Calling All LGBTQ advertisers or their agents. Artists Copyright 2019 30 Friday Night Socials at the Salus Center www.PrideSource.com April 18, 2019 | BTL 3 NEWS Faith-Based Adoption Agency Sues State BY BTL STAFF filed – that challenged the state’s practice her team of legal experts and determined of allowing state-contracted, taxpayer- that MDHHS could be subject to liability recent Michigan settlement that funded foster care and adoption agencies on the claims of the plaintiffs. As a result, bans state contracts with foster to use religious criteria to exclude same- Nessel strongly recommended resolving and adoption agencies that sex couples. the case on terms consistent with the Arefuse to work with LGBTQ couples has The plaintiffs, Kristy and Dana law and existing agency contracts and sparked backlash. Dumont and Erin and Rebecca Busk- that best serve the health, safety and On Monday, April 15, The Becket Sutton, wanted to become foster parents well-being of children in need of state- Fund for Religious Liberty filed a lawsuit with the intention of adopting children contracted foster care case management in federal court on behalf of St. Vincent who are wards of the state, but they and adoption services. Catholic Charities and two adoptive were turned down by two faith-based The plaintiffs and the attorney general’s families it’s served. agencies Bethany Christian Services office, on behalf of its client MDHHS, Todd Evans, left, and Leo Cusimano, right, the co-chairs of the National The lawsuit, alleging the new rules and St. Vincent Catholic Charities. The entered into negotiations and agreed to LGBTQ Media Association, with Kevin Heard, president of the Detroit violated the group’s First Amendment adoption agencies have contracts with settle the case. Regional LGBT Chamber of Commerce. Heard stopped by to greet rights, was filed against the Michigan the state of Michigan to act on behalf of the publishers’ group at the Detroit Institute of Arts. According to reports, as of February, Department of Health and Human the state but turned the plaintiff’s down Bethany Christian Services, Catholic Services Director Robert Gordon, because of their own religious objections Charities and St. Vincent were Children’s Services Agency Director to accepting same-sex couples. BTL Hosts National LGBT Publishers responsible for more than 1,600, or 12 Herman McCall, Attorney General Dana “Discrimination in the provision DETROIT – Publishers of the 12 largest LGBT newspapers in percent, of the state’s 13,000-plus foster Nessel, the federal Health and Human of foster care case management and America met in Detroit on April 10 and 11 for the annual meeting care and adoption cases. Faith-based Services department and its secretary, adoption services is illegal, no matter of the National LGBTQ Media Association. Jan Stevenson and agencies have said they will shut down Alex Azar. the rationale. Limiting the opportunity Susan Horowitz, co-publishers of member paper Between The their adoption and foster care services Lines, hosted the two-day gathering. “Faith-based agencies like St. Vincent for a child to be adopted or fostered by rather than violate their religious beliefs. consistently do the best work because of a loving home not only goes against “It was wonderful to show off Detroit and the community I love to Kelly Rossman-McKinney, a this group of professional journalists and thought leaders,” said their faith, and we need more agencies the state’s goal of finding a home for Stevenson. like them helping children – not fewer. every child, it is a direct violation of spokesperson for Nessel, told MLive, “We have not had a chance to review The Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau helped The actions by the Attorney General the contract every child placing agency sponsor the meeting space and lunch at the Detroit Institute of of Michigan do nothing but harm the enters into with the state,” said Nessel the complaint. Based on the information Arts. Christopher Pokorski, Manager at the DMCVB, welcomed thousands of at-risk children in desperate at the time. provided during the plaintiffs’ counsel’s the group with some highlights of Detroit and its recent need of loving homes,” Mark Rienzi, According to MDHHS, each press conference, it appears that the resurgence. Becket’s president, said in a statement. agency was providing foster care case plaintiffs’ attorneys do not understand In attendance was Todd Evans of Rivendell Media New York, The lawsuit was brought following management or adoption services for the settlement agreement.” Paul Schindler of Gay City News in New York City, Mark Segal of Nessel’s announcement in March that one or more children referred to them Rossman-McKinney explained, Philadelphia Gay News, Lynn Brown of The Washington Blade taxpayer-funded adoption agencies with by MDHHS. Because the plaintiffs were according to the MLive report, that “the and the Los Angeles Blade, Leo Cusimano of Dallas Voice, Jason religious objections to placing children not seeking direct-placement or private state does not take action against faith- Parsley of South Florida Gay News, Michael Yamashita of Bay in homes of same-sex couples will no adoption services and because they were based adoption agencies that don’t take Area Reporter in San Francisco and Rick Claggett of Watermark a state referral. If the agency accepts a in Orlando. (Not present were the publishers of Windy City Times longer be able to cite their faith as a not referred to the agencies through in Chicago and Bay Windows in Boston.) legitimate reason to opt out of providing MDHHS, the agencies could not reject state referral, however, the agency cannot refuse to provide the child with foster The group enjoyed a comfortable stay at The Inn on Ferry Street that service. them under existing state law. in Midtown Detroit. Nessel settled a lawsuit with the ACLU When Nessel took office in January, care or adoptive services that conflict of Michigan – that the ACLU of Michigan she reviewed the facts of the case with with its religious beliefs.” This week, during Holy Week, one of the most special times Rev. Tijuana Gray, Reconciliation Metropolitan Community of the year for so many people, we are reminded that we are Church, Grand Rapids We Are All Gods’ Children all God’s children, called to build welcoming, inclusive spaces Rev. Joseph Summers; Pastor, Episcopal Church of the that invite our neighbors in. LGBTQ-Affirming Clergy Across the State Show That’s why we stand together this week and call for the Incarnation, Ann Arbor Support for Community in Joint Statement passage of policies that protect our LGBTQ friends, neighbors Pastor Matthew Bode, Zion Lutheran Church, Ferndale and fellow congregants from discrimination. A majority of Pastor Lindsey Anderson, Detroit Cooperative Church, Deroit Americans from nearly every faith support these protections, BY BTL STAFF including Christians, Jews, Hindus, Mormons, Buddhists Pastor Jeffrey Ogonowski, Iroquois Avenue Christ Lutheran and Muslims.