LGBTQ-Friendly Businesses Protest the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce There is growing backlash against the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce over their endorsement of Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette on Monday, Sept. 17 [...]
It is known as a celebration of self and understanding, the Transgender Day of Empowerment is a day dedicated to encouraging members of the transgender community to both feel confident in who they are, and [...]
After two decades serving as the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, Kary L. Moss has headed many notable campaigns for the organization. Like her work against warrantless wiretapping by the [...]
The Black Bear Brotherhood of Detroit, a local social group dedicated to black gay men of size, and the Onyx Great Lakes Chapter, a fraternal order for men of color, are co-hosting a panel discussion called Black Gay Men: Cultural, Social, Sexual & Political Power in the Age of #45.
At its 46th anniversary service on Sunday, Sept. 16, Metropolitan Community Church – Detroit debuted its new publication called "Ignite." The 24-page glossy magazine features information on all the events and new programing happening at the church through the end of the year, as well as some spiritually enlightening information and lessons. The publication was a dream 10 years in the making for assistant pastor Rev. Deb Cox.
Trangender Michigan will host their 8th annual Transgender Health Fair on Saturday, Sept. 29. The fair will take place at Affirmations from 1 to 4 p.m. and Dr. Patricia Schmidt of the Center for Transforming Health will be the featured speaker.
LANSING — Homes in Flint with either children, or seniors ages 60 and older may be eligible for water heater replacement through a grant program for low-income households. The Michigan Department of Health and Human [...]
EAST LANSING — Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author Ron Suskind will speak at Wharton Center as part of Michigan State University's World View Lecture Series on Monday, Oct. 15 at 7:30 p.m. in the Cobb Great hall.
Last week, a federal district court ruled that a challenge by the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan against the state of Michigan could go forward. The challenge addressed the state's allowance of governmentally-contracted faith-based [...]
In 2013, a small group of dedicated Michiganders gathered at a restaurant in the Upper Peninsula with a singular vision: The UP's first Pride festival. Today, U.P. Rainbow Pride is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and [...]
TNT Health Club, Detroit’s longest-running gay bathhouse, has recently shuttered its doors. Located at 13333 Eight Mile Road, TNT first opened in 1979 in the spot of a former Jewish schvitz bath. At that time, [...]
Trans Sistas of Color Project Detroit (TSCOPD) Founder and Executive Director Bre’ Campbell shocked many at the beginning of the summer when she announced in a post on Facebook that she had actually left Detroit and relocated to New Mexico more than six months ago. She made this announcement while expressing resentment toward a funder, who she did not name, that Campbell said had threatened to take back their money upon learning that Campbell was no longer living in Michigan.
View in this week's downloadable issue January - Let It Be Resolved: A proposed resolution intended to help stop anti-gay attacks in Ferndale was both presented and unanimously adopted by the Ferndale City Council. This [...]
The fourth annual Stand with Trans Youth Empowerment Workshop is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 6. The workshop is open to gender expansive young children, trans youth ages 12 to 24 and parents and caregivers of trans youth. It will once again take place at the Orchard United Methodist Church in Farmington Hills. This year’s theme is "I Am."
They call themselves showboys. They are boys, men actually, who sing and dance. And, just as often, one can find them lip-syncing at gay bars or competing in male beauty pageants across the state and [...]
The opioid epidemic has devastated families across the nation, prompting Wayne State University to host an informative day on Tuesday, Sept. 18 from noon to 5:30 p.m. to educate others about the misuse, abuse and consequences of opioids.
Fans of Flint's Sloan Museum likely know it best for its regional exhibits. Visitors can see everything from classic cars, to hundreds of unique-to-Michigan artifacts, and now they are invited to participate in a 'Night at the Musuem'-style party. In the theme of "All That Glitters," guests will get to enjoy a themed celebration while raising funds for the organization.
The contours of the race to replace Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette are starting to clarify. On the Democratic side, openly lesbian attorney Dana Nessel is the nominee, and on the GOP side it's Michigan Speaker of the House Tom Leonard. However, one blurred line remains: independent Chris Graveline.
For nearly a quarter of a century, ArtWorks Detroit has served as one of the city's most prominent art auction fundraisers. And this year is proving no different. Hosted by Matrix Human services, the auction [...]
1998 January - Let It Be Resolved: A proposed resolution intended to help stop anti-gay attacks in Ferndale was both presented and unanimously adopted by the Ferndale City Council. This is the first time that [...]
From an early age, Washtenaw County Board Commissioner Jason Morgan was instilled with the idea that openly gay candidates could never successfully run for public office, let alone for a second term as he’s now doing unopposed.
Lynelle Osborne (left) and Monica Givens of Linden. BTL Photo: Andrew Cohen. Well, Facebook may be considered a bit passe by today’s social media standards, but as Monica Givens and Lynelle Osborne [...]
As BTL continues the Mayors Against LGBT Discrimination series, we hear from Southfield Mayor Kenson Siver who pledged his oath as the first openly-gay mayor in the city of Southfield on Nov. 16, 2015. Despite running a campaign distracted and disrupted by people writing "fag," "rapist," "sodomite," and "racist" on his campaign signs, Siver said at the time, "it is a testament to the people of this city that they saw through the hatred, bigotry, homophobia and dirty tricks and elected their first gay mayor."
Christ Church Cranbook, Michigan’s largest Episcopal church, will be getting a new associate rector – and he happens to be gay. From San Diego, his name is Rev. Chris Harris and he stepped into the post Sept. 1. Harris said he is relocating to Michigan to give his twin daughters a familial connection.
Local activist Ahya Simone has received a Kresge Artist Fellowship. While she is most known in the LGBT community for her work with the Trans Sistas of Color Project, Simone is a Detroit-based harpist, singer [...]
In an instant, a snap judgment can change everything; a negative one, even more so. In the case of Kiri Stewart, an openly transgender woman, an angry reaction could mean bodily harm. So, for her, hypervigilance is often a necessity. That's why when she went to Flagstar bank to apply for a mortgage, she steeled herself for the worst.
Deonton Rogers was arraigned in 3rd Circuit Court in Detroit on August 15. The 29-year-old was accused of pulling a gun on a trans woman in a gas station on the city’s west side and shooting her while in a scuffle, Rogers is charged with discharging a firearm causing serious injury, felonious assault, being a felon in possession of a firearm, fourth-degree child abuse and ethnic intimidation based on gender and a felony firearms violation.
As BTL continues the Mayors Against LGBT Discrimination series, we hear from Highland Park Mayor Hubert Yopp who was sworn in on Jan. 1, 2016 for a second non-consecutive four-year term. Yopp has a varied background of experience with over 40 years in the operation and administration of local government, serving in various positions in Highland Park, including Highland Park Police and Fire Manager for 31 years and Highland Park City Council for four years.
Organizers of AIDS Walk Detroit recently announced their decision to cancel this year’s walk. Organizers say the large amount of construction that has overtaken downtown Royal Oak would make the walk difficult if not impossible.
LANSING – A group of community members, formerly incarcerated people and anti-prison activists, marched through downtown Lansing to raise awareness about the beginning of a nationwide prisoner strike.
They’re a marginalized minority within a marginalized minority and often overlooked when we scan the periphery underneath the rainbow umbrella. Now Rimonte’ Parker, a youth peer leader at the Ruth Ellis Center, has started a group for young trans men and he’s calling it NuiiWaav.
It’s the fastest growing group at Affirmations, and without a doubt one of the center’s most successful, the Senior Koffee Klatch continues to grow by leaps and bounds.
The most prominent gay politician in the U.S., Barney Frank, will be the special guest at an LGBTQ fundraiser for Dana Nessel, Democratic candidate for attorney general, at 7 p.m. on Sept. 6 at the [...]
AJ Sims said he is passionate about two things: LGBTQ laws and transgender rights. He has been able to pursue his passion by way of a youth advocacy project at the Ruth Ellis Center in [...]
link to PDF page 1997 February - Addressing Anti-Gay Violence in Schools: The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Teachers Network of Detroit released their report assessing the climate for gay and lesbian youth in Southeastern Michigan [...]
On Saturday, Aug. 25 aficionados of local artists can come together for the second official Detroit Repertory Theatre Arts & Culture Festival and Dream of Detroit Street Fair. From 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., attendees can look forward to a variety of local artists, vendors, food, drinks, live music, theatre and much more. The free event is made possible because of a grant from ART Ops — a group that focuses on encouraging local arts organizations — and Community HeART — an organization that works to help children cope with sterile environments like hospitals or some school settings.
Around 160 people attended the third annual Stand with Trans Family Picnic on Sunday, August 12 at Royal Oak Memorial Park. This is a significant increase in attendance by families, youth, young children and adults. [...]
Ferndale’s Geary Park was packed with members of Metro Detroit’s transgender community on Saturday, August 11. Six hours of intense sun, vendors, and food welcomed trans folks and allies at the annual Trans Pride in [...]
Hosted by the National LGBTQ Task Force, the annual Creating Change Conference has been visiting cities across the U.S. for over 30 years now. It's an event with a focus on leadership and skills-building for [...]
Political Beginnings At 22 years old, Ron Owens is a force to be reckoned with. Last September, the openly gay, politically active, then-student decided to take time off from his senior year at Michigan State University’s [...]
Considered by some to be the most important race for the people, the campaign for justice of the Michigan Supreme Court can often be overlooked when the public is particularly focused on the gubernatorial and congressional races. This year, two of the court's seven seats are up for consideration and following the November election, 25-year strong civil rights attorney Sam Bagenstos is hoping to fill one of them.
1996 Successful Merger April Wellness Networks, Inc. in Ferndale and AIDS Care Connection in Detroit merged on April 1 to become AIDS Partnership Michigan (now UNIFIED - HIV Healthy & Beyond), the largest AIDS service [...]
Roles of Gladys, Patti, Dionne Revived It’s been 32 years since HBO first aired the iconic Sisters in the Name of Love concert. The television special starred Gladys Knight, Patti LaBelle and Dionne Warwick and [...]
A little recognition can go a long way and open a lot of doors. And getting properly certified as an LGBT-owned business enterprise can have many benefits for business owners.
When writer Beth Brant died on Aug. 6, 2015, she left behind a loving family and a vibrant literary legacy documenting her life as a Native American lesbian. A mother, grandmother and longtime Melvindale resident, Brant is remembered as a pathbreaking lesbian author, poet, essayist, editor, lecturer and literary activist.
The Southeastern Michigan HIV/AIDS Council is an organization dedicated to bringing community awareness to fighting HIV and AIDS, and this year they plan to go a step further and teach people how to advocate for people living with HIV through Project L.E.A.P.
Since the 1970s, modern nonprofit organizations have become a regularity in the national landscape. In fact, in 2016 they numbered at over 1.5 million, according to the National Center for Charitable Statistics. In Michigan alone, over 40,000 such organizations were reported to exist in that same year by the Independent Sector nonprofit organization. And with such a vast variety of organizations working for all kinds of causes it can be difficult for leaders with differing levels of departmental experience to work together cohesively.
As the summer rolls to a close, so does pride season, but not before Transgender Michigan hosts its annual, Transgender Pride in the Park. On Saturday, Aug. 11 at Ferndale's Donald Red Geary Park from [...]
Ann Arbor Pride (formerly OUTFest), an annual pride celebration hosted by Jim Toy Community Center, returned to Ann Arbor's Kerrytown District Aug. 3-5 with an array of activities for the LGBTQ and allied communities of [...]
Cara Mitrano Organizes LGBTQ Outreach, Student Activism […]
