Friends
Supporters of full civil rights and equality for the community.
FrenemiesFrenemies talk the talk but the walk is wobbly at best.
EnemiesEnemies are people and institutions actively working to deny the LGBT community access to full civil rights.
FriendsSen. Curtis Hertel Jr.
— A champion of the LGBT community since his first election, Hertel, D-East Lansing, has submitted legislation to modernize Michigan’s marriage laws. He supports expanding Michigan’s Elloitt Larsen Civil Rights Act to include the LGBT community and opposes reparative therapy as “harmful” and “hateful” and supports banning the practice in Michigan. He also supports requiring Medicaid and Medicare to cover medical necessary treatments, including gender reassignments, for transgender persons and believes that private businesses do not have the right to discriminate against customers based their sincerely held religious beliefs and supports legislation to ban the practice.
The Rev. P.J. Anderson
— Minister who runs the Space for Grace inclusive LGBT church in Lansing. She supports marriage equality “absolutely, 1000 percent.” She supports amending the Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act to include the LGBT community, and while she opposes banning reparative therapy, she does not support the practice either. Regarding coverage of medically necessary care of transgender persons, Anderson said the issue cannot be relegated to a simple discussion about genitalia. She believes coverage will come as care protocols continue to develop for transgender patients. She opposes legislation to ban religious-based discrimination by business owners, calling it “dangerous business,” but said folks want to know who discriminates so they can spend their money somewhere else.
The Rev. Kit Carlson
— Rector of All Saints Episcopal Church in East Lansing. She supports marriage equality and hosted a wedding reception for couples married in Mason following the June ruling from the Supreme Court. She supports amending Elliott-Larsen and calls reparative therapy “cruel and dangerous.” She felt uninformed in responding to questions about medically necessary care for the transgender community.
She believes businesses in Michigan should not be allowed to discriminate on the basis of “sincerely held religious beliefs."
FrenemiesRiverview Church
— The hip church with locations as varied as MSU, Holt and REO Town doesn’t mention homosexuality, lesbian, but if you search the e v a n g e l ical Christian rhetoric — same sex attraction — the website brings up information on how to get counseling for "those "struggling with samesex attractions.. That’s code for reparative therapy referrals. (Pastor Noel Heikkenin denies that Riverview makes such referrals.) But the church also has a close, effective and important relationship with the Lansing Area AIDS Network. Church volunteers have donated countless hours to volunteering for the agency and its clients — many of whom are gay or bisexual men or trans women — by rebuilding the food pantry, painting the offices, and providing support for foodbank volunteers.
Sen. Rick Jones
—-Grand Ledge Republican and former Eaton County sheriff. He said he does not support discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. However, he opposes a legislative amendment to the state’s civil rights act to include the LGBT community. He said he would rather see the issue taken to the ballot. He said he doesn’t know enough about the harms or benefits of reparative therapy, so at this point he would oppose banning the practice. “I’m reluctant to take away the rights of parents,” he said. As for reparative therapy: “For most people there is no change.” As for expanding Medicaid covered to medically necessary treatment options for transgender patients, He opposes Medicaid coverage for transgender patients because of the fiscal strain on the program already. He said that businesses offering services to the public may have a legitimate reason to discriminate based on sincerely held religious beliefs. He used the example of a baker’s being asked to make a Confederate flag decorated cake, saying that for him it was acceptable to refuse that service because the flag was offensive and racist to the baker. But he also said if a person goes somewhere for service — say to a mechanic — rather than a special-made product, they should receive the same service, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Gov. Rick Snyder
— While Snyder refused to stop defending Michigan’s ban on marriage for LGBT persons and he signed a law outlawing domestic partner benefits by governments; he has also been a vocal advocate of amending the state’s Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act to include the LGBT community.
He also came out and threatened a veto of any Religious Freedom Restoration Act legislation but then turned around and signed into law legislation allowing private, religious adoption agencies to continue to receive state dollars in facilitating adoptions, while refusing to provide such services to people who violate the agencies’ sincerely held religious beliefs.
EnemiesAttorney General Bill Schuette — The Republican attorney, former judge and former lawmaker is a longtime opponent of LGBT equality. He defended the state’s marriage ban, all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. He defended the state’s attempt to deny recognition to the 300 couples married in 2014 during a brief window. He supports religious freedom laws.
State Rep. Todd Courser
— The Republican lawmaker from Lapeer is a tea party favorite and an evangelical Christian. He is an opponent of LGBT equality. Following the Supreme Court decision in June, Courser lamented we were living “in the end times.” To fight LGBT folks getting married, Courser introduced legislation requiring that all marriage licenses had to be signed by a member of the clergy to be valid and would strip away the right of certain civil officeholders to perform such ceremonies. Courser, and his tea party ally Cindy Gamrat. R-Plainwell, are under investigation by the state House Business Office and a special select committee after it was revealed earlier this summer they were having an affair. The investigations are looking into whether or not the duo used state resources to cover up their sexual liaisons. Courser has admitted to sending out an email to GOP leaders and bloggers accusing himself of being bisexual and porn addicted. That email was to divert attention from his affair with Gamrat, he told an aide in a secret recording.
Dave Agema
—-Former GOP state representative from west Michigan who serves on the Republican National Committee.
In the Legislature, Agema was a leading opponent of LGBT equality. He opposed antibullying legislation that would have explicitly protected students from bullying because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
He also authored legislation that hit state universities with a fine for providing domestic partner benefits to same-sex couples. He also introduced legislation that would have taken money from a special health care program used as the sole federal match for HIV funding from the federal government. The former airline pilot wanted to transfer that money into airport upkeep. Since his election to the national committee, he has been a lightening rod for controversy. State and national Republicans have called on him to resign from the RNC over his antigay rhetoric.
State Rep. Gary Glenn
— Republican lawmaker from Midland who made a name for himself as the president of the American Family Association of Michigan, which spearheaded the successful constitutional amendment banning gay marriage in 2004. He supported sending homosexuals to jail, believes in reparative therapy, thinks the LGBT community is diseased and dying, opposed efforts to crack down on bullying based on sexual orientation and gender identity, opposes amending Elliott Larsen to include sexual orientation and gender identity and regularly misgenders transgender leaders while also accusing transgender people of wanting to cause harm to women and children in public bathrooms. Since taking office in January, however, he has maintained distance from anti-LGBT legislation, focusing instead on attacking workers’ rights through repeal of prevailing wage laws.
Michigan Catholic Conference
— Pope Francis has made great strides in reaching across a centuries old divide between the Catholic Church and the LGBT community. But the Michigan Catholic Conference, the church’s political arm in Lansing, has opposed efforts to amend the Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act to provide LBGT rights and has regularly supported legislation allow religious based discrimination in medical care as well as public services, such as adoption.
Mount Hope Church
— Also known as the Church of the Flags. This large evangelical, non-denominational church on Lansing’s west side has a long history with the LGBT community. The church supports reparative therapy efforts and actively opposes nondiscrimination laws.
In 2007, the church was the target of a protest by the radical queer group Bash Back! Lansing. Activists protested inside and outside of the church accusing the church of harming LGBT youth. Their message: “It’s OK to be gay.” Church officials sued the group and its national organization under a federal law passed in the ‘80s to protect abortion clinics and churches from disruptive protests. The church won the case, achieving a permanent injunction against members of the group from protesting churches in the U.S. and small fines paid by each identified and named participant.
2015 Pride Events
Friday, Aug. 28 5 p.m. — White Party Concert with Steve Grand
The White Party will begin with a concert at Adado Riverfront Park and will continue into the night at several Old Town bars. Gates for the concert and beer tent open at 5 p.m. WQHH radio personality Don Black will emcee both the White Party and Saturdays festival.
Admission is $25 at the gates, and $20 presale tickets are available at michiganpride.org.
Spiral Dance Bar, Esquire Bar and Sir Pizza are participating in this year’s White Party. Attendees can purchase a $10 wristband that will serve as a cover charge for all three locations.
White Party Lineup:
5-7 p.m.
Moon Disco (with DJ eKlipx) 7-7:30 p.m.
Asio Aviance (drag performance) 7:30-8:15 p.m.
Treading Bleu 9-10:15 p.m.
Steve Grand
Saturday, Aug. 29 Noon — Parade & RallyThis year’s grand marshal is Barb Byrum,
Ingham Country Clerk. The parade starts at Adado Riverfront Park, 300 N. Grand Ave., Lansing, and will travel west down Shiawassee Street, turn south on Capitol Avenue and end in front of the Capitol Building at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Capitol Avenue.
Parade set-up for participants is at 11 a.m. and the parade steps off at noon. Participants are encouraged to register at michiganpride.org.
The parade will conclude with a rally on the Capitol lawn, including guest speakers Regina Calcagno, Michigan For Marriage public education campaign director, state Rep. Jeremy Moss and Amy Hunter, ACLU of Michigan transgender advocacy coordinator.
Couples will also have a chance to reaffirm their vows in a ceremony led by the Rev. Nicolette Siragusa of First Congregational United Church of Christ in Grand Ledge.
Following the rally, City Pulse invites all married or soon-to-be-married LGBT couples to meet on the Capitol steps for a historic photo that will run in the paper.
Saturday, Aug. 29 Noon-10 p.m. — FestivalThis year’s festival will be at Adado Riverfront Park; gates open at noon. Festivities include live music and entertainment, a beer tent and food vendors. A children’s area will offer crafts and activities for kids from noon to 5 p.m.
There is a suggested admission of $10. College or high school students and seniors over 65 can get in for $5. Children under 12 are free. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. VIP tickets are available at michiganpride.org.
Festival Main Stage Lineup:
2-2:15 p.m.
LanSingOut (gay men’s chorus) 2:30-3 p.m.
Drag show 3-3:30 p.m.
SLYF 3:30-4:15 p.m.
Drag show No. 2 4:30-4:45 p.m.
Dahlia (Britney Spears illusionist) 4:50-5:10 p.m.
Chris (stand-up comedian) 5:15-5:45 p.m.
Volunteer award & announcements 5:45-6:30 p.m.
DJ Rose 7-8:15 p.m.
CeCe Peniston 8:30-10 p.m.
DJ Jay Prix
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