Va. GOP Committee Censures Congressman Over Officiating Same-Sex Wedding
By Parker Purifoy A Virginia county Republican committee on Dec. 12 voted unanimously to censure outgoing Congressman Denver Riggleman, saying he betrayed the party’s values after he officiated a same-sex wedding. In their resolution, the [...]
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 [...]
The State Department’s Controversial Human Rights Advisory Commission Releases Draft of Long-Anticipated Report that Largely Omits LGBTQ Issues
The Commission on Unalienable Rights’ 60-page report contains numerous references to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and religious freedom. The report refers to marriage rights for same-sex couples, affirmative action and abortion as [...]
Gov. Whitmer Signs Executive Orders Lifting Restrictions, Reopening Regions in Michigan
On June 5, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed executive orders 2020-114 and 2020-115 under the MI Safe Start Plan that both reopened more regions and economic sectors throughout the State. “We know that our efforts are [...]
Positive Thoughts: I’m a Beautiful Black Queen Living With HIV, Not Stigma
By Porchia Dees I am a Beautiful Black Queen Living with HIV. It has taken a long time for me to come to terms with that statement, because the concepts of beauty and HIV don't [...]
Repairing the Fault Line: Making School Spaces Safe Spaces for Trans and Queer Black Students
Recognizing a Need On Wednesday, Feb. 5, a community conversation focusing on the needs of trans and queer black students will take place at Kofi House in Detroit from 6 to 7:30 p.m. titled Repairing [...]
Remembering Jerry
Across 1 Spread out on the breakfast table 5 What Trump calls "fake news" 10 Meadow sounds 14 Stick it in your bunghole 15 Online exaggeration? 16 Like some twins 17 Jerry Herman musical based [...]
Deep Inside Hollywood
By Romeo San Vicente It’s time for more 'Shrill'! First you need Hulu. Then you need to catch up on "Shrill," the wonderfully hilarious sitcom based on essayist Lindy West’s book of the same [...]
Just Some Gay Guy’s Best Albums of 2019
10. Miranda Lambert, 'Wildcard' After flooding a sublime double-disc album with her post-divorce feelings (hey, divorce is hard!), Miranda Lambert got her groove back and then finally decided that life is “pretty bitchin,’” a sentiment [...]
The Frivolist: 7 Ways to Go Vegan Without Actually Going ‘Vegan’
Want to be more eco-conscious but draw the line at eliminating animal products from your diet? Here are seven ways to live a semi-vegan lifestyle without going whole hog. 1. Skincare There’s no shortage of [...]
She/Her/Hers
"Do I contradict myself? Very well then I contradict myself, (I am large, I contain multitudes.)" - Walt Whitman "Song of Myself." I find myself grappling with an unusual contradiction, and one I find myself [...]
Work of Detroit-Born Gay Artist James C. Harrison Featured in Schmidt’s Antiques Exhibit
At times figural and at others completely abstract, the work of openly gay artist James C. Harrison is hard to classify. So much so that even regular patterns in his pieces take on different feels [...]
Chilean Senate Once Again Begins Equal Marriage Debate
VALPARAÍSO, Chile —The Chilean Senate’s Constitution Committee on Tuesday once again began to debate an equal marriage bill that former President Michelle Bachelet introduced two years ago. The renewed legislative debate was announced last week, [...]
Transgender Pride in the Park to Celebrate 20th Anniversary Aug. 10 in Ferndale
Just like most long-running events, Transgender Pride in the Park got its start as a small gathering, a picnic to be exact, in Lansing. That was 20 years ago, and though the event still features food today, it's evolved into something more: a gathering spot for transgender people across the state, and even outside of it, to congregate safely.
An Apparent Trump Win is Really a Huge Trans Victory
On first reading, the Reuters headline seemed like dismal news for transgender military servicemembers and advocates fighting the Trump trans ban. “U.S. Court Lets Trump Transgender Military Ban Stand, Orders New Review,” the longtime wire [...]
RecomPence
Across 1 Ones stuck under G-strings, e.g. 5 "Downton Abbey" neckwear 10 Mistake for Paul Taylor 14 Chocolate sandwich 15 Joe of "NCIS" 16 Go in only partway, at the beach 17 Start of a [...]
10th Annual Cheers to HELP Friday, May 10
Scheduled for Friday, May 10, Corktown Health Center will host the 10th annual Cheers to HELP benefit to aid in funding the LGBTQ-specific health center. Patrick Yankee is the Center's chief development officer and he said this year is bigger than ever before for a variety of reasons.
R&H Goes Pop
Across 1 Blows away 5 Affleck's "Chasing Amy" crush 10 Potatoes high in sugar 14 Robin Williams title role 15 What a knight sticks in his enemy 16 Morales of "Resurrection Blvd." 17 Cartoonist Peter [...]
Southeast Michigan Community Mourns Loss of Dani Som, 20
Though he had relocated to Portland, Oregon, last summer, when word traveled back to Detroit that 20-year-old Dani Som, aka Dani Sommerville, had taken his own life in February, his friends here were devastated. By all accounts, Som was bold, audacious and outgoing. He was confident in his identity as a trans man who was disabled, and he advocated for all the communities of which he was a part.
Congregation Looks to LGBTQ Community to Help Develop Virtual Museum
When Whosoever Ministry became a part of the United Church of Christ, the congregation shared their desire to develop a virtual museum containing pictures, images and keepsake items that highlight LGBTQ lives. That vision is coming to life, according to Rev. Dr. Selma Massey, pastor at Whosoever Ministry UCC.
Cat and Mouse Game
Across 1 Fashion designer Oldham 5 Erotic artist Tom, et al. 10 Where Galileo dropped his balls 14 Silver attachment 15 Shining example 16 What muscle Marys pump 17 Title character portrayer in 41-Across 20 [...]
Creep of the Week: Pat Robertson
You know those online ads that promise, “One weird trick to lose belly fat” next to an image of, say, a crudely drawn banana? Even if you don’t know what exactly those ads are trying [...]
HHS Lays Out Details for Trump’s Plan to Confront HIV/AIDS
Top officials in the Department of Health & Human Services laid out details on Wednesday of President Trump’s plan to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2030, asserting “significant new resources” would be in the upcoming [...]
Triple Trailblazer: LGBT Detroit Makes History for a Third Time
From the outside, LGBT Detroit might look like many similar nonprofit organizations, but if one digs a little deeper they'll find that its been making history both in the city's LGBTQ and African-American communities since it was founded over 20 years ago.
Transmissions: We Are One for the Ages
It amazes me how so many seem to view the notion of "transgender people" as if it was something that magically winked into existence just five years ago. It feels as if so many think the moment they first heard of transgender people is the moment transgender people came to existence, rather than it merely being the moment they stopped living in ignorance about the existence of transgender identity.
Erin Knott – Interim Executive Director at Equality Michigan
Originally established in 1991 as the Triangle Foundation, Equality Michigan has been dedicated for 25 years to helping Michigan's LGBTQ community achieve basic fairness and equality. Appointed interim executive director earlier this year, Erin [...]
Jerry Peterson – Executive Director at Ruth Ellis Center
Established 18 years ago, the goal of the Ruth Ellis Center is to provide trauma-informed services for homeless, runaway and at-risk LGBTQ youth and young adults of color. Today it serves as the only [...]
Tracy Hall – Kalamazoo County Commissioner
A Kalamazoo resident for more than 20 years, Kalamazoo County Commissioner Tracy Hall represents the 3rd District. Among her other priorities, Hall has said she is dedicated to increasing intergovernmental collaboration and cooperation and [...]