House: The Musical Ka-Ween on a Hot Stage
Music is universal. It is the one language that has the power to excite young and old alike, unite during celebration and hard times, and soothe the savage beast as it lulls baby to sleep. [...]
LGBT Detroit Puts Out the Call for Much-Needed Holiday Donations
Despite statewide lockdowns due to the novel coronavirus pandemic and the trend of nonprofit organizations closing their doors during this time, the staff at LGBT Detroit has remained busy in 2020. “COVID-19 has changed the [...]
Ruth Ellis Center Breaks Ground on Brand-New Permanent Supportive Housing Project
The Ruth Ellis Center and the Detroit Housing & Revitalization Department celebrated a groundbreaking on a brand-new $15 million permanent supportive housing development on Friday. Located along Detroit’s Woodward Corridor and targeted toward LGBTQ youth, [...]
Michigan HIV/AIDS Agencies Struggle to Reimagine Service Delivery, Support During COVID-19
As Michigan's capital city was flooded with thousands of cars, causing backups and snarling traffic for hours in late April to protest to governor's stay-at-home order, Jake Distel was caught off guard when he recognized [...]
First-Annual LGBTQ Pop-Up Shop to Debut Dec. 19 in Detroit
While the holiday season brings with it an air of wintertime cheer for most, many in the LGBTQ community know that the holidays can sometimes be associated with strained familial relationships. However, on Saturday, Dec. [...]
Obituary: Jennifer Holiday Chanel
June 9, 1969 – Nov. 15, 2020 She was known as a straight shooter with a heart of gold. Jennifer Holiday Chanel, a former Miss Gigi’s and an employee of the bar for many years, [...]
SAGE Hosts Coming Out Culture Virtual Event Nov. 21
On Saturday, Nov. 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. SAGE Metro Detroit — a nonprofit focusing on LGBTQ elder care and issues — will be hosting its Coming Out Culture Then and Now event. [...]
Post-Election Town Hall Lunch-N-Learn: Next Steps for the LGBTQ Community
What Comes Next? This Friday, Nov. 20, from noon to 1 p.m. the Human Rights Campaign, along with numerous LGBTQ groups across Michigan, will host a webinar via Facebook Live to unpack the results of [...]
Michigan Data Shows 22 Percent Increase in Gonorrhea Cases, Limited Testing Capacity
LANSING — Recent analyses of new reports of sexually transmitted diseases by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services STD Epidemiology program has detected a significant increase in the number of reported gonorrhea infections [...]
Trans Vet, Obama Alum Named Member of Biden Transition Team
The Biden transition team has named transgender veteran Shawn Skelly as a member of its agency review team as LGBTQ advocates are pushing the new administration to undo President Trump’s transgender military ban expeditiously. Skelly, [...]
Corktown Offers Free Webinar to Address Cervical Cancer Health Disparities in LBT Women
The Corktown Health Center is presenting a free webinar to address breast and cervical cancer health disparities in lesbian, bisexual and transgender women. The webinar, which is open to medical professionals, health care providers, LGBTQ [...]
The Strains of COVID-19: REC Staff on Dealing With a Pandemic
At the best of times, LGBTQ youth often find themselves in precarious housing situations, making up roughly 40 percent of the homeless population of those aged 12 to 17 in the U.S. According to youth.gov [...]
Pushing Through the Pandemic: Ruth Ellis Center Expands Services While Other Nonprofits Shutter
As the novel coronavirus pandemic's second wave continues its resurgence in full force, sending much of Europe back into lockdown and last week recording more than 100,000 new U.S. cases in a single day, people [...]
Democrat Karen McDonald Elected Oakland County Prosecutor
Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Karen McDonald came out on top in the race for Oakland County Prosecutor. McDonald won 57 percent of the vote against Republican challenger Lin Goetz. McDonald beat out incumbent Jessica [...]
The Legal Landmines Surrounding Surrogacy for Michigan’s LGBTQ Parents
For LGBTQ couples across the U.S., the landscape surrounding family planning has changed drastically for the better in recent years. Most notably, the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court decision not only secured marriage equality [...]
Henry Ford Village Receives SAGECare Platinum Credential
Henry Ford Village, a highly rated senior living community in Dearborn, has earned platinum certification in SAGECare cultural competency. HFV is one of only two senior living communities in Michigan to have earned the SAGECare [...]
Oakland County Launches At-Home Flu Shots for Older Adults
Oakland County Health Division is launching a new program to vaccinate homebound residents 65 years and older for influenza in their homes beginning Tuesday, Oct. 27. Appointments are required. The Health Division’s Nurse on Call [...]
LGBTQ-Inclusive Adoption Agency to Host Halloween Road Rally Oct. 24
Hands Across The Water is planning its first Halloween Road Rally for Saturday, Oct. 24. The rally, say organizers, will be a family friendly, socially distanced “amazing race” with games along the way. The rally, [...]
Motor City Pride Participates in Virtual Pride Stride 5K
Motor City Pride has announced its participation in the first-ever National Pride Stride, a virtual 5K created by LA Pride to help Pride organizations across the country offset this year’s novel coronavirus pandemic-related losses and [...]
Affirmations to Host Big MASKerade Bash Oct. 31
A Bash Like No Other Celebrating Halloween this year promises to be a fraught endeavor as the country continues to grapple with the novel coronavirus pandemic. However, the Affirmations LGBTQ community center has a fix [...]
Ferndale DDA Hosts Hallowindow Decorating Contest Oct. 19-Nov. 1
Just in time for the spookiest day of the year, the Ferndale Downtown Development Authority has announced a Hallowindow Decorating Contest, a Halloween-themed event that allows visitors to vote on which Ferndale business feature the [...]
Detroit Drag, Entertainment Staple Gigi’s Gay Bar Gets New Ownership, New Look
Like many LGBTQ Detroiters, husbands Luis and Joshua Mandujano met at Gigi's Gay Bar, the combo bar and cabaret that has been a hotspot for gay nightlife in the city for nearly 50 years. In [...]
Fair and Equal Michigan Collects Signatures, Submits Petitions to Move LGBTQ Equality Law Forward
LANSING – Fair and Equal Michigan announced today that it has submitted nearly 500,000 petition signatures for its initiative to amend the state Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to include anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ individuals. The [...]
Obituary: Phillip Marshall Griffin
June 9, 1948 – Oct. 1, 2020 Phillip Marshall Griffin, known to friends as Phil, was a longtime member of Metropolitan Community Church – Detroit. He was remembered by friends and his husband of 25 [...]
ACLU Partners With 1xRun to Create Pro-Voting Murals
The ACLU has partnered with local artists to create public murals across Michigan to increase voter participation in the upcoming general election on Nov. 3. Eight murals have been commissioned and they will appear in [...]
Fair Michigan Launches LGBTQ Voter Participation Initiative
Fair Michigan is a nonprofit LGBTQ advocacy organization that works to secure equal rights protections under the law based on sexual orientation, sex, gender identity and gender. Now, the group is focusing its efforts on [...]
After Thwarted Kidnapping Plans, Whitmer Calls for Unity
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer addressed the State of Michigan after a plan to kidnap her and other Michigan government officials was thwarted by state and federal law enforcement agencies. She started by saying thank you to [...]
FBI Reports Michigan Militia had Plot to Kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, AG Nessel Hosts Press Conference on Charges
Six people have been charged by the federal government with conspiring to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and other government and law enforcement officials. Seven others have been charged by the state of Michigan for [...]
Michigan Secretary of State Announces 16- and 17-Year-Olds Can Be Poll Workers
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and The Michigan Voting Coalition, as part of its 40 Days of Early Voting campaign focused on historically disenfranchised communities, is trying to sign up poll workers for the [...]
Election Q&A: Oakland County Treasurer Candidate Robert Wittenberg
As the November election draws nearer, Americans won’t be voting just for a presidential candidate, both state and national candidates will be voted upon, too. In Michigan, there will be dozens of candidates running for [...]
Election Q&A: District 6 Ingham County Board of Commissioners Candidate Brandon Currin
As the November election draws nearer, Americans won’t be voting just for a presidential candidate, both state and local candidates will be voted upon, too. In Michigan, there will be dozens of candidates running for [...]
Election Q&A: Kalamazoo Public Schools Board of Education Candidate Marshall Kilgore
As the November election draws nearer, Americans won’t be voting just for a presidential candidate, both state and local candidates will be voted upon, too. In Michigan, there will be dozens of candidates running for [...]
Election Q&A: Oakland County Prosecutor Candidate Karen McDonald
As the November election draws nearer, Americans won’t be voting just for a presidential candidate, both state and national candidates will be voted upon, too. In Michigan, there will be dozens of candidates running for [...]
Reiki can Provide Stress Relief and Relaxation for Dogs
As animal owners already know, pets can provide companionship and often times a much-needed mood boost. And beside them being cuddly companions, the National Institutes of Health report that pets may also "decrease stress, improve [...]
From COVID-19 to Black Lives Matter, how Bingo Pet Salon is Navigating 2020
Following the Rules The third time it happened Brian Lane notified the police. An angry client, likely drunk, was calling Lane in the middle of the night to curse him out for refusing to schedule [...]
Michigan Secretary of State, ACLU, MichiganVoting.Org Coalition Host 40-Day Early Voting Campaign Kickoff
On Thursday, Sept. 24, outside of a "Vote" mural by artist Ndubisi Okoye on the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan headquarters in Detroit, the organization's Executive Director Dave Noble addressed the crowd at a [...]
Transgender Michigan Hosts its Health Fair Virtually
In light of the novel coronavirus pandemic, many nonprofits and community organizations have been forced to cancel regularly scheduled programming and events to adhere to social distancing guidelines. In the case of organizers at Transgender [...]
This Weekend Ruth Ellis Center Hosts Stride Legacy Walk Fundraiser
The Ruth Ellis Center is a nonprofit that has been a fixture in the Detroit community for years for its support services for homeless and at-risk LGBTQ youth. Not only renowned locally, REC has earned [...]
MCC-D Ordains 3 Local Pastors
Hattie Alexander-Key, Karen Dillaman and Roland Smith, all longtime deacons at Metropolitan Community Church – Detroit, were ordained as local pastors by MCC-D senior pastor and teacher the Rev. Dr. Roland Stringfellow. The ordination took [...]
Oakland County Clerk Lisa Brown to Register Voters to Celebrate National Voter Registration Day
On Sept. 22, 2020, Americans will celebrate National Voter Registration Day with a massive cross-country effort to register voters well in advance of Election Day this November. With a historic presidential election approaching, every eligible [...]
Walk to End Alzheimer’s Slated for this Month and Next, Team Rita Hayyyworth is Ready to Go
More than 5 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s Disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Foundation. Further, the Foundation estimates that one in three seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, taking the [...]
Equality at the Polls Needed: 2 LGBTQ Poll Workers Talk Volunteering
During the 2016 presidential race, roughly 1 million election inspectors, or poll workers as they are often called, were needed across the U.S. to aid in the voting process. Despite that great need, the Election [...]
Affirmations LGBTQ Center Offers New Support Group for Disabled People
Affirmations is offering a new support group for people with disabilities. Called Disability and Discussion, the group was co-founded by Affirmations volunteer Rachel Zaback. Zaback has been a volunteer with the center since 2018 but [...]
Affirmations LGBTQ Center Expands COVID-19 Food Help Program
Affirmations has announced the expansion of its ‘Lettuce Help’ Food Program and will be offering a second pickup date in light of the novel coronavirus pandemic. On Wednesdays, from 4 to 7 p.m., those in [...]
Be You: Stand With Trans to Host October Trans Empowerment Month
While the novel coronavirus pandemic has had a hand in postponing or canceling most scheduled programming throughout 2020, Stand With Trans has turned that trend around by changing its annual Empowerment Workshop into the upcoming [...]
Pop-Up for a Cause: 2 Environmentally Minded Michigan Companies to Host Sept. 12 Product Showcase
As the effects of climate change and human impacts on the environment become ever clearer, a pro-sustainability movement around the world has been catching on. And in the U.S. alone, Pew Research Center has found [...]
2020 Detroit Slutwalk to Kick Off at Palmer Park Sept. 12
Much like the word "queer" in LGBTQ spaces, activists aiming to stop sexual violence and victim-blaming are reclaiming the word "slut" by raising awareness about these issues through the organization of Slutwalks across the world. [...]
LGBTQ Activists Condemn U.S. Rep. Fred Upton for Homophobic Attacks on Jon Hoadley
U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-Michigan), one of the longest-serving members of the U.S. House of Representatives, has burnished a reputation for decency and civility. That’s why it is especially alarming that his reelection campaign would [...]
LGBTQ Progress Update on Michigan’s Racial Disparities Task Force
Having met regularly since spring, now that summer is almost at its end, the Michigan Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities has been working in an advisory manner with both Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Lt. [...]
LGBTQ Women-Focused Kofi House Debuts Annual Friendship Event Sept. 19
As fun as it can be to catch up with friends from time to time, it's often a healthy thing. In fact, the Mayo Clinic reports that friendships can be a critical element for good [...]