Marriage Win for Michigan!

There's a good chance you've heard the news by now, but shortly after 5:00pm today, Judge Friedman finally announced his decision in the challenge to the Michigan ban on same sex marriage and second parent adoption.

Not only did Judge Friedman overturn the ban, but his ruling involved a very harsh condemnation of Regnerus' study stating:

The Court finds Regnerus’s testimony entirely unbelievable and not worthy of serious consideration. The evidence adduced at trial demonstrated that his 2012 “study” was hastily concocted at the behest of a third-party funder, which found it “essential that the necessary data be gathered to settle the question in the forum of public debate about what kinds of family arrangement are best for society” and which “was confident that the traditional understanding of marriage will be vindicated by this study.”

Further, on the topic of Regnerus' study, the ruling states:

While Regnerus maintained that the funding source did not affect his impartiality as a researcher, the Court finds this testimony unbelievable. The funder clearly wanted a certain result, and Regnerus obliged.

Ouch. Harsh indeed. You can find the full text of the ruling HERE.

There are already some higher officials working to appeal the ruling. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette filed an emergency request for stay and appeal which would reverse the power of the ruling immediately. As of now, a stay has not been granted.

So what does this mean for Michigan couples? Essentially, marriage licenses can begin being issued right away. Most offices are closed until 8am Monday, but Washtenaw County has announced that they will be open to issue marriage licenses from 9a-1p tomorrow which is exciting news! There is also word that they will be waiving both the three day waiting period and the marriage license fee. 

Congratulations to April and Jayne. They have spoken up for countless others and made history.

Michigan does not always evoke a feeling of pride, but tonight I am very proud to know that another step has been made for equality in my state.

The Challenge to the Michigan Gay Marriage Ban and What You Need to Know

So if you’ve been following updates from Huffington Post, Buzzfeed LGBT, or any of my tweets/statuses/etc, you likely heard about the groundbreaking trial happening in Michigan over the last two weeks. Closing statements were given Friday, but the judge has announced that nothing will be decided for at least a week.

Want to get the details on the trial? I’ll introduce the couple fighting for equal rights and highlight some of the statements made by witnesses for both the state and the couple. Hope you’re ready for a crash course in Michigan’s latest fight for equality.

Part I: The Couple

Jayne Rowse and April Deboer have been together for over ten years. Both licensed as foster parents, they have been caring for three children since birth. Because Jayne and April cannot get married, they cannot assume joint custody of all three children. As a result, they realized that should something happen to one of them, the family could be split up.

Jayne and April filed their case two years ago in January 2012. Their case challenged Michigan’s ban on second parent adoption as well as the ban on same sex marriage.

Since the filing of the case, DOMA has been ruled unconstitutional and several states have adopted marriage equality. And now it’s Michigan’s turn. The trial began on Tuesday, February 25th.

Part II: Witnesses for Jayne and April

There were several notable witnesses that stood for Jayne and April's cause. One of the most notable quotes came from Michael Rosenfeld, a professor from Stanford University. The state's argument was that opposite sex parent households were more desirable for child rearing. Professor Rosenfeld stated:

"If we followed this through to its logical end, only Asians with high incomes and advanced degrees who live in the suburbs should be able to have children."

Furthermore, Developmental Psychologist David Brodzinsky said on the topic of raising children:

"It's not the gender of the parent. It's the quality of parenting," he said. "... Moms and dads are important. They're important as parents, though. They're not important as males or females... The idea that they might do worse -- they may not do better -- but to do worse, it doesn't make any sense."

Additionally, demographer Gary Gates explained that marriage in general provides a better environment in which to raise children, regardless of gender, due to more married couples having health insurance and a higher income.

Our final quote comes from Harvard professor Nancy Cott on the subject of gender roles and changing opinions of marriage:

"The trends moving toward gender equality, gender neutrality between the spouses have laid a path toward same-sex marriage, as has been recognized in an increasing number of states, and Michigan’s constitutional amendment obstructs that trend from continuing here."

Are you with me so far? Good. On to the other side.

Part III: Witnesses for the State of Michigan

The state really started off with a bang when their first 'expert' witness, 27 year old law student Sherif Girgis, was dismissed by the judge who stated that he did not have the required credentials to be considered an expert witness and that all he had to offer was his opinion. So his dismissal cleared the way for Mark Regnerus, a sociologist from University of Texas. Yes, that Regnerus. The one with the 2012 study that has been criticized by several experts and organizations, including the journal it was originally published in, Social Science Research.

The problem with Regnerus' widely shared study is that only two couples studied actually had children brought up in a same sex household rather than children that began in an opposite sex household and experienced a family breaking apart into two separate households, one of them with same sex parents. The breakup of a family, by completed research, is a much better predictor of reduced academic performance in children than gender of the parents.

That being said, Regnerus explained in court that there is not enough definitive research that supports same sex parents providing a stable environment for children. But when questioned about whether other couples (such as minorities, unemployed, or otherwise unstable heterosexual couples) should be kept from marrying for the same reason, Regnerus replied with a resounding "No."

Two other witnesses for the state tip-toed around the same lines. Both Joseph Price and Loren Marks argued that there isn't enough evidence to support the plaintiff's claim due to there being several different types of families involved.

Part IV: Closing Statements - Highlights

From the state's attorney:

"The ban is not to denigrate other family structures, but to promote what the majority thinks is the 'ideal' family environment."

The state plans to request a stay which would prevent couples from immediately getting married, in the event that Judge Friedman overturns the ban, until the appeals process is complete and the new ruling is given.

From Jayne and April's attorney:

"No other group in society is required to establish parenting competency in order to get married . . . denial of the right to marry for same sex couples is a form of discrimination that we can no longer tolerate."

The trial ended this past Friday. Judge Friedman is expected to (hopefully) give his verdict by early next week. Keep your eyes peeled for news of his ruling and feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the trial!

Thanks to MLive, Equality Michigan, Michigan Marriage Challenge, and Pride Source for the updates and info!

The Ally Coalition Representative Program!

Hi! I'm back with some awesome news! Anyone who was bummed about not being part of ABT or just wants to be more involved with The Ally Coalition should check out this amazing opportunity! From The Ally Coalition website:

Deadline: 11/29/2013

As The Ally Coalition is growing, and conversations on equality are progressing across the country, we are happy to announce our new representative program. This team of representatives will be instrumental in helping both The Ally Coalition (TAC), and the organizations we partner with.

For the inaugural TAC representative program, we are looking for 2 dedicated people in each of 12 cities. Representatives will be facilitating grassroots projects, organizing local events, and activating your own online social circles.

Representatives are unpaid, but possible internship credit is available.

The spring 2014 program runs from January-May 2014.

Cities:

• Boston, MA
• Charleston, SC
• Detroit, MI
• Houston, TX
• Los Angeles, CA
• Nashville, TN
• New York City, NY
• Orlando, FL
• Portland, OR
• San Francisco, CA
• Seattle, WA
• Washington DC

What representatives will do:

• Organize, promote, and run Ally Coalition events your area
• Provide consistent feedback and communication with TAC offices in Boston & Portland
• Build relationships and foster conversations with local businesses, local organizations, and schools on behalf of TAC to better form a working network of resources
• Write blog posts and share relevant local news on behalf of TAC
• Participate in biweekly conference calls with all representatives

We’re looking for:

• Aged 18+
• 5-10 hours available per week
• Ability to travel to area events
• Experience in activism and volunteer work
• Demonstrated passion for LGBTQ activism
• Interest in pop culture
• Social media savvy
• Proficient in Google docs and Microsoft Office Programs
• Access to a photo-capable smart phone

How awesome does that sound?! Make sure you head over HERE to apply!

A short update on the Holland Election

For anyone local, you likely heard about the election for the open board seats that took place this past Tuesday.

I'm sorry to report that all open seats have now been filled by individuals who do not support protecting LGBTQ individuals from discrimination.

Watching the election coverage when I got to work Tuesday night was very disheartening. My reaction was disappointment and rage.

But the fight will never be over.

No matter where you are, continue to educate your city/state/national representatives on why LGBTQ individuals deserve protection from discrimination.

I'm having a hard time saying much more tonight. I'm just at a loss for words.

Keep fighting the good fight, readers.

Update since I've been home from ABT

So, no surprise to anyone but I'm still greatly missing my ABT friends and the incredible experience I had.

That being said, I've been making slow progress on some of my post-ABT goals! If you've been reading the blog, you'll know that one of my goals revolved around having an LGBTQ resource binder for my work. I work with individuals struggling with mental health issues and we sadly have very few resources for clients who identify as LGBTQ.

I've begun working on the binder and I can't wait to finish it! It's been slow progress since I generally only have time to work on it while I'm already at work and I can't make any phone calls because I work night shift hours. I'm hoping to be on day shift soon so I can begin gathering more resources by calling organizations during the day.

I'll be sure to post a picture of the binder once it's complete.

Another piece of news that is kinda-sorta related is that my Internship Application is due next week! WOW! That came a lot faster than I was expecting. As a masters student, I'm required to complete 3 semesters of internship to get my degree. They have us fill out skill/interest profiles and then place us in area agencies. I'm hoping that I'll have the opportunity to work with some of the local LGBTQ organizations. The disappointing part is that we're not allowed to request placements by name; we simply fill out a form stating what we're interested in and they place us.

I should find out my placement in January so fingers crossed! I would love to get some more experience so that I can hopefully use my degree to work in that sector of social work.

Alright, that's all for now. Updating will probably be sporadic now that ABT is over, but I will continue to do my best to update this blog whenever possible. Thanks for reading!

Reflection

Well, I've been home for two days and I'm already getting back into the swing of 'normal' life. Can't say I like it compared to how I spent last week. I'm listening to fun. right now and my phone has been going off like crazy all day from the group text all the ABTers have been talking on since the trip started. It makes me miss them a ton, and miss all the experiences we had together.

I spent last night having a glass of wine with a friend and talking about how the trip went. It was hard to really put it into words other than 'awesome'. We talked a lot about what I learned from the organizations I went to and how it can be applied to our jobs (she works at the crisis center with me) and how we can continue that type of work even though ABT is over.

One of the other ABTers applied for a job after returning home with an organization that works with individuals with AIDS and I'm so proud and excited for her! I'm also very inspired by her.

Basically what I'm saying is, I'm more than ready to continue service here in Michigan. My first project is going to be pulling together the LGBTQ resource binder at work. I'm on-call this weekend so if something comes up, I may be able to start on it sooner rather than later - otherwise I'm hoping to start on Monday. I've already done a little research from home - especially networking with the LGBT Resource Center at my University as well as checking out a list of internship sites from the Social Work program.

Additionally, I'm still blown away by the commitment and passion demonstrated by each of our service partners. It stirred something in me that is manifesting very emotionally. It also is a stark realization of how much better things could be if everyone just took a second to care. You don't have to spend five days of your life on a tour bus volunteering to make a difference. I can already list five local organizations that could use some volunteer help/donations to keep programming running right now.

If you're in the Michigan region, check these out! The Network, RED Project GR, Holland Is Ready, GVSU LGBT Resource Center, and fun.'s Detroit service partner the Ruth Ellis Center!

It really doesn't take much to get out there and do something. Let others know you are an ally and be a source of information for future allies. Speak up when someone uses derogatory language and amplify the voices of those who are silenced. Contact your local LGBT resource center and find out what they need most. Host a supply drive at your school or work. Put a TAC or HRC sticker on your notebook, car, water bottle, or phone case. Use it as a conversation starter. Most importantly, be a role model for others and show them that anyone can be an ally.

Hoping to continue to update this blog as I work on some of my goals from ABT. Thank you all for supporting me and thank you to the 11 incredible friends I have made - you all mean more than you know.

Atlanta

Today was a really wonderful day that is quite difficult for me to put into words, but for the sake of this blog, I'm going to try.

We began the morning in Atlanta at Georgia State University where we met up with Terrence, the representative for Youth Pride. YP is an organization that provides several types of services to LGBTQ individuals aged 13-24 in the Atlanta area. And when I say several, I mean it. Here are just a few that I can think of now:

Counseling

24/7 Helpline

Health clinic

HIV testing

Groups

Recreation

Movie night

And the best part is that all of those services are free for the youth accessing them. Terrence told us today that in the last year, Youth Pride has directly prevented 22 suicides. There are 22 individuals living well in Atlanta due to the incredible efforts of YP staff. Allow me to mention again the feeling I've been getting when meeting individuals from these organizations. I am completely blown away by their passion, talent, and dedication to what they do. 

We spent the morning with Youth Pride handing out cards and spreading awareness for YP and the services offered. Several of the students were very receptive to our message and it felt great to point them in the direction of great resources. 

After service, we returned to the bus and had a conversation that became really important and really drove home the point of what we were all doing on ABT. The work we've done this week wasn't necessarily directly with clients or individuals utilizing the services at these non-profits and sometimes that can make you feel like you aren't making a difference. But that is definitely not true! Everything we did this week, from painting, to cleaning a community center, to tabling made a HUGE difference for these organizations. Non-profits rely on volunteers to do the work that they may not have the funding or the time for. So take the time to drop off some donations, paint a wall, or clean an office. Help fill the gap that so many non-profits struggle to fill! 

We had some down time this afternoon before heading to the concert venue for our last Equality Village. Those of you following the hashtag may have seen the new ink that some of the ABTers got this afternoon...how cool is that? We've bonded intensely over this trip. I will likely never have another experience like this one.

And Equality Village rocked tonight. Being our second show, we were old pros at running all the moving parts involved in what you see when you visit. We had fun doing it and I think every one of us experienced something special.

Tonight I was selling raffle tickets when I was approached by a woman who wanted to buy 6 of them (!). She told me that her son had come out to her a few years ago and that she was completely accepting of him and only wished that he had told her sooner so he wouldn't have had to struggle alone. She said she wanted so badly to live in a world where anyone can come out and immediately be accepted for who they are and that's why she was so excited about The Ally Coalition. The conversation was incredibly moving. I hardly knew how to reply. Allies: Be loud and proud. Let others know that you support and accept them regardless. And keep your eyes on the prize: a world where LGBTQ individuals can live without fear.

Like always, the ABTers had a wonderful time at the fun. concert. Afterwards, we all met up and went backstage for some ice cream and a chat with the guys (Thanks Ben & Jerry's!). We talked at length about how our service projects went, how Equality Village went, and how to best serve non-profits. Nate, Andrew, and Jack are so so passionate about the cause and miss being able to check in with the Equality Village. They also mentioned wanting to work again with the Ruth Ellis Center in Detroit, MI as they are hoping to expand their available space to serve more youth at once. (Visit their website if you'd like to help! www.ruthelliscenter.org) I can't say enough about how wonderful the guys are and how honored I am to have been chosen for this trip.

 Tonight was when it really hit us that we're going home tomorrow. We chatted with Mike and Paul, thanked them for their help with everything, and reflected a little on the experience. There were some tearful eyes on the bus this evening. I'm completely serious when I say it feels like we've known each other forever. We've become a family. 

So tomorrow we head home. Can't say I'm happy about it. I'm going to miss my friends, the bus, the service, and of course, fun. But I suppose everything must come to an end sometime.