One look at The Bearded Lady's waiting room - a bright, cheery space complete with a beer fridge, coffee maker, bookshelf, standing lamp and a backdrop of family photos - and visitors might think they missed the barbershop and stumbled across someone’s living room. Ash Hipps is the shop's owner. She said that's exactly how customers are supposed to feel because comfort for all is the shop's priority.

Rev. Dr. Justin Tanis is known by many in the LGBTQ community for his book that explores the relationship of the transgender community to religion: "Transgender: Theology, Ministry and Communities of Faith." The 2003 work has helped give Tanis, who is not only transgender himself but also the managing director for the Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies at the Pacific School of Religion, a unique outlook on the topic.

DETROIT – Five Southeast Michigan organizations that serve boys and men of color received support to evaluate their impact thanks to funding made available through the Community Foundation and the national capacity-building program called Research, [...]

The ballots are counted and the final votes will soon be certified. The outcomes up and down the state ballot will have an impact on LGBTQ Michiganders and allies in the coming two years and [...]

For the LGBTQ community, Jennifer V. Kurland's race for governor is one to watch not only because of its progressive platform but especially because of her running mate: Charin H. Davenport. Beyond being a vocal [...]

The rally was called We Will Not Be Erased and the message was clear: no matter what he tries to do, Donald Trump cannot redefine the transgender community out of existence. The rally, which drew a crowd of about 120 to the Ruth Ellis Center parking lot Friday, was organized after The New York Times reported on a leaked memo from the Trump administration that revealed its desire to define gender as a “biological, immutable condition determined by genitalia at birth.”

Although her legal battle began in 2013, Aimee Stephens is still fighting for the right not to be fired simply for being transgender. A former employee of R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Home, she announced to her team members that she would be transitioning from male to female and lost her job as a result. Now, even though the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the funeral home's actions are a form of sex discrimination, Stephens stands at the brink of a review by the Supreme Court of the United States — potentially reversing the ruling in her favor. Despite this reality, the ACLU has chosen to recognize Stephens for her landmark case at their Nov. 9 Annual Dinner, among four other honorees.

Last month the Human Rights Campaign recognized Michigan as high above the national average in its annual Municipal Equality Index. The state earned 73 out of 100 possible points — 15 points higher than the national average of 58. HRC is a national LGBTQ activism organization and releases its Index in an effort to provide a comprehensive breakdown of the LGBTQ-inclusiveness of laws, policies, benefits and services across 506 U.S. cities. These cities are chosen in an effort to fairly represent some of the largest communities of LGBTQ people across the nation.

With the midterm elections coming up on Tuesday, Nov. 6, millions of LGBTQ people are preparing to cast their ballots for politicians who are prepared to fight for their rights. However, for some who identify as transgender and gender non-conforming, it's not as easy as showing up to the polls. For instance, members of those populations might be at risk of special scrutiny, harassment and discrimination at the polls in the form of misgendering and being called by their dead names. This reality can create a fear of voting beyond the already many barriers that trans and gender non-conforming voters currently face.

For many in the LGBTQ community who desire to be parents, caring for foster children is a popular way to both become a guardian and help children in need. However, familiarizing onesself with the process [...]

Ferndale, Mich. — Otus Supply, a Ferndale-based restaurant and music venue known as The Parliament Room, has announced that it will launch brunch at their Ferndale restaurant in early November. “The eatery intends to introduce [...]

The Michigan LGBT Peer Support Network is a new group aimed at helping people in the LGBT community start support groups and build alliances. “I didn’t create the Network to compete with other organizations, but [...]

Its aim is to promote intergenerational conversation over a nice meal. For the second year in a row, SAGE Table, sponsored by SAGE — an organization that provides advocacy and services for LGBTQ older adults — will bring together the old, the young and those inbetween as part of a nationwide initiative. Last year, there were 232 SAGE Tables across 40 states involving more than 3,000 participants.

Update on Thursday, Oct. 25: A new poll, commissioned by the Free Press and its media partners from Oct. 18 through Oct. 23, shows both attorney general candidates having name recognition problems, with about 73 [...]

On Friday, Oct. 19, Freedom House Detroit hosted its annual Voices of Freedom event at the MotorCity Casino Hotel with hundreds in attendance, including some Freedom House residents. To help celebrate 35 years of welcoming those "yearning to breathe free" were notable speakers like the night's keynote, John Prendergast of The Enough Project, Mistress of Ceremonies and Fox2 News reporter and anchor Amy Lange, and Deborah Drennan, executive director of the Freedom House.

At a press conference Friday, Oct. 19 that capped off the daylong Faith, LGBTQ Inclusion and Human Rights conference at Metropolitan Community Church – Detroit in Clawson, faith leaders from across Michigan came together to [...]

According to Dr. Truman Hudson everyone starts life with a "blank canvas." “Which oftentimes is shaped by the decisions that others have made for us," he said. He is a lecturer of multiculturalism at the [...]

Longtime Between The Lines columnist and contributor Charles Alexander was recently recognized by the Hannan Center as one of their 70 over Seventy: The Next Chapter Awards honorees. Alexander was presented with the award at [...]

Anyone 21 years old and over is welcome to Canton's Village Theater's presentation of "Monster Mash" - An Adult Halloween on Saturday, Oct. 20. At 7:30 guests can expect Top 40 Billboard hits and Halloween [...]

WASHINGTON — Last week the Human Rights Campaign, a national LGBTQ advocacy organization, responded to the defeat of the Aderholt Amendment, which the House Appropriations Committee added to the FY 2019 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill in July.

Dinner, music, hand-crafted cocktails and an art auction will come together on Friday, Oct. 12, in honor of Julie Reyes Taubman at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit. Taubman, who died earlier this year, was the co-founder of MOCAD and organized various art projects, fundraisers and the museum's first board.

In midst of her campaign to represent Oakland County's 39th House District, Michigan House of Representatives candidate Jennifer Suidan was told drop out of her race by state party officials after being accused of embezzling over $100,000.

On Saturday, Oct. 6, at 6 p.m. Bill Mathis, author of "Face Your Fears," a novel that deals with disability, the LGBTQ community and family, will be at the Common Language Bookstore. "'Face Your Fears' uniquely challenges traditional perceptions of normalcy when it comes to disabled persons' interests, desires and sexual orientations," say event organizers. "He will be introduced by Michigan Educator Roberta (Ronni) Moore O’Toole, a licensed professional counselor, certified social worker and retired school guidance counselor."

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 [...]