BTL Staff
First Openly Gay Army Secretary Has Michigan Roots
WASHINGTON D.C. – Eric Fanning, the first openly gay Army secretary as confirmed by the U.S. Senate on May 17, has strong Michigan ties. Fanning, 47, was born in Kalamazoo and later attended Cranbrook School in Bloomfield Hills. Fanning left [...]
LGBT Staffers Presented with Presidential Award
WASHINGTON D.C. – Lead members of LGBT Detroit were honored May 20 during the BMe (Black Male Engagement) Leaders Award Ceremony held at the White House. Curtis Lipscomb, David Nelson, Jr. and Nathan Strickland, Jr., were presented with the [...]
Section 1557 Significantly Advances Trans Access To Healthcare
BY AJ TRAGER FERNDALE – The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Civil Rights released a final rule May 13 codifying existing formal guidances in Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) – signaling a big shift in [...]
Northern Michigan School System Seeks Guidance for Trans Students
KINGSLEY – A bi-gender student attending school in a district close to Traverse City approached her school's board in April to request if she could use the restroom of her choice. According to 9and10news.com, Kingsley Superintendent Keith Smith, [...]
State Senator Introduces Anti-Trans Bathroom Legislation
BY AJ TRAGER Michigan Capitol Building LANSING – State Sen. Tom Casperson, R-Escanaba, introduced much-anticipated legislation that will limit access for trans youth in Michigan schools. The bill, SB 993, was introduced May 25 and seeks to amend [...]
Redford Schools will Comply with Federal Guidelines for LGBT Students
REDFORD – South Redford and Redford Union school district officials say the district will comply with new federal guidelines that call for transgender students to be treated in a way consistent with their gender identity. The U.S. Department of [...]
Summer Pride Calendar
Compiled By Shelby Clark Petkus "RuPaul's Drag Race" Top 3 contestant for the latest season of the show, Kim Chi, will perform at Motor City Pride. June 2 Ferndale Pride's All Media Arts Exhibition 7 p.m. Affirmations, 290 W. Nine Mile Road, [...]
Three Days in June
Across 1 Ballet follower 6 Loesser's most happy one on Broadway 11 Like family 15 "What does she see ___?" 16 Lover of Henry and June 17 John of "M. Butterfly" 18 Neighborhood where 39-Across is located 21 They hit Stephen Hough's piano strings 22 [...]
Trans Activists Speak About Their Experiences on WDET
DETROIT – On May 2, Stephen Henderson of "Detroit Today," a program of WDET radio, spoke with Amy Hunter, transgender advocacy coordinator at the ACLU of Michigan Trans Advocacy Project; Logan Casey, University of Michigan Ph.D. candidate; and Bre [...]
Transmissions: Potty Emergency
By Gwendolyn Ann Smith "No matter how isolated or scared you may feel today, the Department of Justice and the entire Obama administration wants you to know that we see you; we stand with you; and we will do everything we can to protect you going [...]
Two Michigan Judges on Trump's Supreme Court Nominee List
By Lisa Keen Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump has said for a long time that when it comes to U.S. Supreme Court justices, he likes people like Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia. Last week, as the Republican Party's presumptive nominee [...]
Why He Styx With It
By Gregg Shapiro Styx July 1 Freedom Hill 14900 Metro Pkwy, Sterling Heights July 2 Silver Creek Event Center 11111 Wilson Road, New Buffalo styxworld.com Legendary prog-rock band Styx recently got a taste of what it's like to be trending when, on [...]