Crystal A. Proxmire
Supreme Court Same-Sex Marriage Cases Explained
At the Ferndale Public Library, attorney Lisa Schmidt donates her time to do community education classes about a variety of legal issues. Most recently she tackled the sometimes complicated issue of same-sex marriage, breaking down its context and [...]
One Billion Rising Events Around Michigan To Stand Up Against Violence
JodiAnn Stevenson Women around the world are taking a stand against violence Feb. 14 as part of One Billion Rising. OBR is part of V-Day, a movement that Eve Ensler began 15 years ago to end violence against women. Ensler is the creator of The [...]
Kristi Faulkner
Photo courtesy of Kristi Faulkner Dance Between Ourselves Kristi Faulkner is a 28-year-old dancer who grew up in Ohio, got her Master's Degree in New York and has brought her love of dancing to Ferndale so she could be with her partner. She is both [...]
Looking Up In Detroit: Man In The City Brings Art To Skyline, Kids
Artist John Sauve. Photo by Doug Clark. DETROIT – If you've looked up in downtown Detroit lately you've probably noticed large, male figures atop a number of buildings, looking out, over and down upon the city. Currently the Man in the City Project [...]
Transgender Equality: Amy Hunter's Full Time Job
The past few years have been a whirlwind for Amy Hunter, a transgender activist from Kalamazoo who has just been named Co-Chair of the Victory Fund Campaign Endorsement Committee. Having a top position on a committee that helps support out [...]
Reflections Of Dis-Repair
Reparative therapy is the idea that one can become straight through counseling and prayer. This practice has been recently banned for minors in California, and a New Jersey lawsuit filed last month is seeking damages against an organization that [...]
Victims of Violence, Equality Michigan's Yvonne Siferd Ready To Help
Yvonne Siferd is no stranger to the Equality Michigan office in Detroit. She used to be an intern back when it was still called the Triangle Foundation, and when Melissa Pope ran the victim services department. But now that the energetic young [...]
Movement Building: Community Center Network Connects Across Michigan
Executive Directors Dave Garcia and Zach Bauer at the beginning of Hunger For Equality Strike this fall. BTL photo: Andrew Potter With an eye towards progress and cooperation, LGBT community centers across the state came together in 2012 to form the [...]
Sting Operation Case Reinforces Right To Be Flirty
WESTLAND – Though the "fag bagging" days of police department sting operations designed to entrap gay men at common gathering places are generally over, court cases are still being litigated. One such case that began in 2007 has finally brought [...]
Lear Corporation To Offer Domestic Partner Benefits
From left, Jason Tylenda with children Lily Tylenda, Langston Howley and partner Kevin Howley. Photo courtesy of Howleys. SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Lear Corporation, an international Tier One supplier of automotive electrical and seating components, will [...]
Rasor Firm Wins Big Workplace Discrimination Suit
Michael Hester's job was hard enough. For over ten years he worked as a mason doing maintenance work in the Ryan Correctional Facility in Detroit. In a complex surrounded by two, 12-foot fences, electronic detection systems, razor-ribbon wire, gun [...]
EEOC Seeks Solid LGBT Discrimination Cases
While sexual orientation is not yet a protected class, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is fighting hard within existing legal parameters to bring justice to those in the community who are discriminated against. By [...]