Drew Howard
Tecumseh High School Teacher Recognized for LGBTQ-Inclusive Efforts
Coming out as LGBTQ as a high school student or earlier is rarely a simple affair with an almost built-in expectation of a period of exclusion after doing so. However, what's not expected is for that exclusion to be present in one's school [...]
LGBT Choir Honors the Musical Legacy of John Bradford Bohl
Flint natives Dorie and Brian Barkey are honoring the legacy of their late son John Bradford Bohl with the creation of a new LGBT choir at their local church. Bohl, who would've turned 38 on May 24, made a name for himself in the church music scene [...]
Oakland County Swears in its First Openly-Gay Circuit Court Judge
Oakland County saw its first ever openly gay circuit court judge join the bench this week at the swearing-in ceremony of Jake Cunningham last month. Cunningham, a graduate of Western Michigan University Law School, was joined by friends, family and [...]
LezRead Book Club Fosters Friendship through Queer Literature
The Jim Toy Community Center's Lesbian Book Club LezRead provides more than just an opportunity to read and discuss queer literature. Over the past 16 years, the club has offered queer women of all life stages an alternative gathering space to the [...]
National Organization Highlights Experiences of Women With HIV
Women living with HIV account for roughly 20 percent all individuals who have contracted the disease in the United States. As a minority group within an already marginalized community, women with HIV navigate a unique set of challenges that are [...]
Detroit Barbershop Helps Patrons Express The Bearded Lady Within
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 [...]
Gretchen Whitmer, Democratic Candidates Thank Volunteers at Last-Minute Pit Stop
With just hours to go before the polls closed, gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer and several other Democratic candidates made a last-minute pit stop in Detroit to express gratitude for the hard work of their campaign volunteers. "We didn't [...]
21 Years Advocating and Out
Rachel Crandall-Crocker has two birthdays: the day she was born and the day she began living her truth. Friday, Nov. 2, commemorates her second. That was the day she committed to living fully as Rachel. Dozens of friends and community members [...]
What Could Be Ahead for First Openly Lesbian County Commissioner
Katie Scott is just one of the hundreds of openly-LGBTQ candidates across the nation who ran for public office for the first time this year, but not all of them can say they won every single precinct up against a 14-year incumbent opponent in the [...]
UM University Health Center Introduces New Trans Care Team
After 15 years of serving transgender and non-binary patients, staff at the University Health Center in the University of Michigan understood there was still a big gap in the community's healthcare: hormone initiation. This new UHS service is just [...]
Ferndale Pride Gives Back $21,000 to Local LGBTQ Charities
Ferndale Pride organizers are giving back in a big way to local LGBTQ charities following the festival's biggest year yet. On Monday, Oct. 22, Ferndale Pride chair Julia Music attended a Ferndale City Council meeting to present $21,000 in checks to [...]
Queer-Friendly Halloween Celebrations
There's no Halloween like a Halloween with drag queens, burlesque shows and friendly LGBTQ company. With the season kicking into high gear this weekend, our team at BTL has organized a list of queer-friendly Halloween celebrations that are sure to [...]