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U.P. Pride holds town hall

Cole Lindberg and Sue Holliday speak at a U.P. Pride town hall meeting on Thursday at the Peter White Public Library. Discussion centered on issues facing the LGBTQIA+ community in the area. (Journal photo by Christie Bleck)

MARQUETTE — Society is changing in the Upper Peninsula, although it might be too slow for some people.

The Marquette City Commission officially declared June Pride Month in the city, specifically, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersexual and Asexual Month.

A nonprofit, Upper Peninsula Rainbow Pride, has been formed.

Pride Fest is scheduled for Sept. 14 at Tourist Park — a repeat event.

However, many people in the LGBTQ+ community probably would say more needs to be accomplished.

Upper Peninsula Rainbow Pride, or U.P. Pride, hosted a town hall meeting on Thursday in the Shiras Room at the Peter White Public Library.

A talk titled “What it’s like to grow up LGBTQ in the U.P.” was held. Cole Lindberg led off the event, followed by discussions on challenges experienced by its members.

His story, he said, is no different than most LGBTQ people raised in the Upper Peninsula.

“My journey to become open and confident enough to say ‘I’m an open and proud gay man’ was not an easy one,” Lindberg said. “It’s a tough road for many LGBT no matter where you live.”

Lindberg acknowledged having been taunted as a kid, but didn’t realize he was gay until he was in seventh grade. However, at age 14 he told his parents he was bisexual.

“It seemed easier to tell them that I was bisexual rather than gay,” Lindberg said. “In some ways, I felt it left the door open to a possibility of a normal life.”

What followed was unsuccessful counseling, facing “adolescent teenage masculinity” in high school and a failed marriage.

What Lindberg did have was his parents’ confirmed love and support.

On March 26, 2013, he protested on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court to show support for the hearing that eventually would result in the legalization of gay marriage in all 50 states.

“We lack that type of support from this community here in the Upper Peninsula,” said Lindberg, who noted that after the Marquette City Commission’s recent proclamation, read many hate-filled comments on websites, including one that said Marquette was turning into a “little San Francisco.”

Lindberg said the community needs to improve.

“Educate yourself,” he said. “Open your heart and your mind. Have those difficult conversations.”

U.P. Pride board member and transgender person Marissa Jayne Wolfe also spoke at the town hall about her struggles.

“I’ve always been female,” she said.

Wolfe gave the audience a lesson in what she called “Gender 101.”

“Gender is what’s between the ears,” Wolfe said. “Sex is what’s between the legs. And gender doesn’t always match sex. Sometimes you have a baby born with a female brain and a male body, and sometimes vice versa, sometimes a combination of both.

“That’s what transgender is.”

Wolfe experienced job struggles, but said her daughter’s love got her through tough times.

“I have moved on and have forgiven everyone who was wrong to me,” she said.

Wolfe started taking hormones in 2009 after finding them on the internet, having not been able to find a doctor in Marquette willing to prescribe them.

She was kicked out of doctor’s offices as well.

“I had a lot of people charge me for appointments and then refuse to treat me,” Wolfe said.

At one time, she was living out of her car because she couldn’t afford medical treatment for transitioning and rent at the same time — and even then, no one in the area would rent to her.

Wolfe eventually had bottom surgery followed by facial feminization surgery. With the latter surgery, she had to sell everything she had.

However, people no longer would follow her into bathrooms and look at her over the stalls.

Wolfe became active in the local Pride Fest to help the cause.

She said her life has changed.

“It is possible to hold a job as a transgender person, but it is very difficult,” Wolfe said.

She had a few words of advice for people facing discrimination.

“The most important thing is you just have to be yourself, and you have to embrace who you are and love yourself,” Wolfe said.

Board member Sue Holliday believes Wolfe is a visionary.

“I want more because I know there’s more in this community,” she said.

However, she said U.P. Pride needs ideas, and some of her ideas include having a fair, speaking in schools and even fun activities.

U.P. Pride meets at 5:30 p.m. the first Monday of the month in the Dandelion Room of the PWPL.

For more information on U.P. Rainbow Pride, visit www.uprainbowpride.org or email uprainbowpride@gmail.com.

Christie Bleck can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250. Her email address is cbleck@miningjournal.net.

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