Ann Arbor has
long been a haven for Michigan's LGBTQ community, but it still lags significantly behind some other Michigan cities on LGBTQ-friendly municipal policy.
Ann Arbor was one of the first cities in the nation to enact an LGBT-inclusive anti-discrimination ordinance, authored by legendary local LGBTQ rights activist Jim Toy in 1972. The city's latest step forward in LGBTQ policy came last month, when Mayor Christopher Taylor chose
Jim Toy Community Center (JTCC) president Brad O’Furey to fill a new volunteer position as LGBTQ liaison to the mayor's office. Since relocating to Ann Arbor from Houston in 2012 O’Furey, 28, has made a name for himself at JTCC, but also as a campaign manager for many prominent local Democrats. In the past three years he's helped elect Mayor Taylor, state Rep. Adam Zemke, and 22nd Circuit Court Judge Carol Kuhnke, the state's first openly lesbian elected judge.
But Ann Arbor is actually behind the curve in appointing an LGBTQ advisor to local government. The Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) 2015 Municipal Equality Index (MEI), which ranks municipalities on how well they support LGBTQ citizens,
gave Ann Arbor a score of 77 out of 100. Elsewhere in Michigan, Detroit and East Lansing both earned perfect MEI scores. The creation of a liaison position should raise Ann Arbor’s 2016 MEI score to 82.
In a phone interview with Concentrate,
O’Furey explained how he plans to help improve the city’s MEI ranking, as well as the overall quality of life for Ann Arbor’s LGBTQ community.
The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Q: Given your work with the Jim Toy Center and Mayor Taylor’s campaign it’s clear why you were qualified and chosen for this position, but how did this come about in the first place?
A: This came out when we were trying to figure out how to improve the HRC score for Ann Arbor. One of those things that a lot of major cities have is a liaison for the LGBT community. There were discussions with the mayor on how we can increase the score, and this was something we saw as an opportunity to help with that and to help with communication between [the LGBTQ] community and the mayor and the city.
Q: What other action can be taken to earn Ann Arbor a perfect HRC score in the future?
A: There are a few things, like opening up a dialogue, especially with those in the transgender community who are more at risk in our community than any other as far as poverty, homelessness, and profiling by police. So we're hoping that this will open up a dialogue with the city, the police, and our community.
Q: Something else the HRC considers in its scoring is an LGBTQ police liaison or task force. Is the city making any ground regarding that?
A: Behind the scenes we’re working with the police on a separate level on the issue of the transgender community and having a liaison. In the past there have been things like sensitivity training for the gay and lesbian community, but now I think there needs to be more of a push on the issues that affect the trans community the most.
Q: Since you’ve just taken on this role, are you looking to other cities that already have an LGBTQ liaison for guidance?
A: I'm not looking at any other city in particular. This didn't arise from there being an issue with the way the city deals with LGBT issues by any means. We're not looking to be like any particular city. We are pretty lucky to live in a place like Ann Arbor, which is very welcoming. It's a really awesome place to live and it really fosters diversity. But there are always ways to improve that. There are always ways to make people feel even more welcomed, and this is part of that.
Q: How does your work with the Jim Toy Community Center extend to your duties in this new position?
A: They’re both volunteer-based positions. I've been on the Jim Toy board, first as a board member starting in 2012, and now as president. The Jim Toy Center has programs such as
"Know Your Rights," and we have some groups that work with teens, and we're continuing to expand those offerings. We do have some groups that meet at Jim Toy that help with various aspects of the community. We do offer things like a lesbian book club, Narcotics Anonymous, Toastmasters, and support groups for trans individuals.
I think that puts me in a position to work with these different constituencies to bring their concerns to the city. And if the city ever has any questions on how to deal with a certain issue or how to advocate better on behalf of these constituencies, that puts me in a good position to open up that dialogue and have that conversation, and talk about best practices and the best ways to move forward as a city.
Q: Has the mayor approached you about any particular issues yet? And what is your main goal going forward with this position?
A: No, not yet. I’m working with some folks on the board, but it is my goal to advocate for those who are in the transgender community, who face very different experiences than cisgender folks in our community. I think the goal is to focus on improving our Equality Index score … by introducing policies for the city to work on. My main goal is to be a resource to the city as they deal with these issues, so as these issues come up I can provide some guidance to them.
Steven Sonoras is a freelance writer living in Ypsilanti.
All photos by Doug Coombe.