Sunday 2pm to 5pm

See our ongoing fundraiser at Shields Of Troy below

Click to see our Speaker Line Up

August 10th

Dr Julie Nemecek & wife, Joanne

Former Baptist minister John Nemecek was surfing the Web one weekend in 2003, when his wife was at a baby shower. Desperate for clues to his long-suppressed feelings of femininity, he stumbled across an article about gender-identity disorder on WebMD. John shared this diagnosis when his wife came home from the baby shower. Many families can be ripped apart by such drastic discoveries, but Nemecek's wife, Joanne, of 33 years stuck by her.

The next years would prove difficult in Julie’s journey. From her blog “Celebrating Diversity”, Julie wrote:

It was in 2006, when I sat in a rocking chair in our living room with a handgun in my lap. I had composed an email to be sent that began with the words, “By the time you read this, I will be dead.” Then God broke through. I had a lot of friends praying for me during those very dark and difficult days. I believe their prayers saved my life. As I sat wrestling in my mind, I realized I loved my wife and kids (and grandson) too much to end my life. And in that moment I decided to not let hate and discrimination claim another victim. I chose to live and I chose to do all that I can to keep hate and discrimination ruining or ending as many other lives as I could. So I began to tell my story and Joanne often was able to share her story as well. In God’s providence the story was told and people listened.

When she began following the medical protocols for her diagnosis, Spring Arbor University, a faith-based liberal-arts college says Professor Nemecek’s actions “have been in direct conflict with the ideals we uphold.” It says the university requires faculty members “to be Christians and to follow Biblical principles.” Nemeck’s employer of 15 years, told her that transgenderism violated its Christian principles, and when it renewed Nemecek's contract the contract contained extraordinary restrictions. Her workload and pay were cut, too. The situation soon led to an Equal Opportunity Employment complaint which, after a very public battle, was eventually settled through mediation.

Professor Nemecek says that she is a Christian and that nothing she did violated Biblical principles. She is still married. Her spouse is in the midst of changing careers from surgical nursing to counseling in order to work with transgender people and their families.

Julie and Joanne have three boys; all married. Dr. Nemecek serves on the boards of Michigan Equality, Soulforce, Michigan Fairness Forum, Equality Now Michigan, and PFLAG Jackson as well as the advisory board of Trans Youth Family Allies (TYFA).

As always, we welcome everyone, whether member or non-member,

and all GLBTI folks, families and friends.

Our meeting will begin promptly

at 2:00 pm

with Support Groups meeting after the introductions.

Due to the importance of the stories being told by persons in our group discussion, interruptions can be very distracting. We ask that you arrive on time to be able to enter into these groups. Any persons arriving late may be asked to form their own group with a PFLAG greeter.

We appreciate your understanding in this matter.

Social Half Hours with refreshments will begin at 3:30pm

Our speaker will present at 4:00pm after brief announcements

After the meeting, or anytime on our meeting day,

enjoy a Pizza & a beer or any other fine menu items at Shield's Of Troy and help support PFLAG Detroit at the same time.