Kate Opalewski
LGBT Middle-Eastern Americans Find Community During Arabian Nights
Hussein Ayoub As a gay, Arab American Muslim, it was scary for Hussein Ayoub to be so religious as a young man and at the same time be something that is damned by God. But how does he choose being gay over his religion? "I didn't. I suppressed my [...]
More Than 100 Businesses Support the Equality Act
Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, speaks during a press conference on Sept. 25. BTL Photo: Andrew Cohen Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin announced that HRC's Buinsess Coalition for the Equality Act has reached a [...]
World-Record-Setting Cats Support Ferndale Rescue Efforts
Farmington Hills couple Will and Lauren Powers recently announced some "awesome news" they had to wait over a year to share with the community. Their family cats Arcturus Aldebaran, a Savannah, and Cygnus Regulus, a Maine Coon, have each broken a [...]
Corporal Dani Woods Honored with Spirit of Detroit Award
When Detroit Police Department's LGBTQ Liaison Officer Dani Woods received the Spirt of Detroit Award at the Detroit City Council meeting on Sept. 7, she said, "It was a total surprise. My wife called me and told me she was receiving an award and [...]
MCRC 'Barred by the Attorney General from Taking Action'
The Michigan Civil Rights Commission tabled a request in Lansing on Monday night by Equality Michigan for interpretive statement on "sex" in ELCRA. Photo courtesy of Nathan Triplett, EQMI At a meeting of the Michigan Civil Rights Commission in [...]
One-Stop Shop' for Trans Healthcare Offered This Weekend
In an effort to raise awareness and connect members of the transgender community with affirming healthcare service providers, Affirmations in Ferndale will host Transgender Michigan's sixth annual transgender health fair from 1-4 p.m. on Sept. [...]
Scott Urbanowski: 'Government Belongs to All of Us'
Scott Urbanowski has noticed the growing disconnect between elected officials at every level of government and the people they serve. "Unfortunately, that disconnect has become even more pronounced here in Kentwood," he said. "A lot of people don't [...]
Grand Rapids Shelter Creates Designated Space for Trans Guests
Early this fall, Mel Trotter Ministries in Grand Rapids is set to open what appears to be the first, and so far only shelter space of its kind in Michigan designated for the transgender community. MTM has always served the transgender population, [...]
The DATC 'Breaks the Mold' in Community Theatre
There's a reason for the apostrophe in the word Actor's in Detroit Actor's Theatre Company. "It's because the actors take ownership of their work and essentially, the company. It does not belong to one single person. All productions are a [...]
LGBT Detroit Unveils New Outdoor Gathering Space
Curtis Lipscomb, executive director of LGBT Detroit with Officer Dani Woods, LGBT Liaison with the Detroit Police Department and Tim Retzloff, who teaches LGBT studies and U.S. history at Michigan State University, during a Talk Tuesday event on [...]
aut BAR, an LGBTQ Safe Space, Vandalized in Ann Arbor
A photo of the vandalism at Aut Bar in Ann Arbor on the morning of Aug. 25. Photo courtesy of the bar's co-owner Keith Orr Keith Orr, co-owner of the aut BAR, posted a message Aug. 25 on Facebook stating that their "safe space has been attacked" at [...]
Gay Bar Vandalized in Ann Arbor
Aut Bar in Ann Arbor's Braun Court was vandalized last night. Photo courtesy of Keith Orr, co-owner of Aut Bar Keith Orr, co-owner of the Aut Bar, posted a message today on Facebook stating that their "safe space has been attacked" at 315 Braun [...]