If you’re anything like me, when you pick up that local Detroit weekly, you breeze past the ads for all the weird theme nights at bars in Pontiac and Dearborn, you ignore the myriad of personal ads for “private, discreet massages” and turn right to the “Savage Love” column at the back – the reason being that the man behind the column, Dan Savage, is one of the most reliably insightful, funny and salacious working sex writers out there. He has done for sex what Julia Child did for cooking – he has opened new avenues of dialogue and soldiers tirelessly to demystify and educate every week. Not only that, but his additions to the lexicon like like “DTMFA” and “Santorum” (ahem…Google it if you don’t know) are a continual delight. Lucky for us here in Ypsi/Arbor, he’s bringing his brand of no holds barred, rapid-fire question and answer to Ann Arbor’s Michigan Theatre on December 2.
His articles are always good for a chuckle or a gasp, but Savage has become so much more than just a sex columnist in recent years. His tireless political advocacy on behalf of LGBT programs has changed legislation and raised awareness. Along with his husband, Terry, Dan founded the It Gets Better Project, an initiative to prevent suicide among LGBT youth. Since its creation, the project has spawned thousands of videos and testimonials from both gay and straight people assuring young people struggling because they feel different that things will indeed get better.
Tickets to his upcoming lecture are only $15 dollars for students, which is super fab because I am of the opinion that students and young people have the most to glean from what Savage has to say. During his last trip to The Mitten, Savage packed the ballroom at the EMU student center and rapped with the all of us squished in there about all of the taboo things you would expect/hope. But he also discussed relationships – not just romantic relationships but relationships with friends, family, roommates and colleagues. Savage preaches ethics for our generation, often eschewing traditional social conventions and politeness for politeness sake. He will make you laugh, and you may come away from the afternoon with a new perspective on sex, love and interaction. Pearl clutchers need not apply. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster and range between $30 and $40 for non-students.
