Ten years ago this month I gave a TEDx Talk titled "The Myth of the Gay Agenda." It was shortly after President Barack Obama announced his public support for same-sex marriage, becoming the first commander in chief to do so while still in office. During the talk, I shared some graphics highlighting the number of states where it was still legal to deny someone employment and/or housing for being queer.
I remember being approached afterward by numerous left-leaning audience members who were genuinely shocked to learn Michigan, where the event took place, was among those states. I was shocked they were shocked.
At the time, Michigan was being sued by the ACLU over its 2011 law prohibiting same-sex partners of public employees from receiving health benefits. This was in addition to a ban on same-sex marriage and civil unions that nearly 60% of voters embedded into the state's constitution back in 2004. I wasn't sure where those audience members thought Michigan was in terms of LGBTQ equality, but they needed someone to set the record straight.
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