I know many people have genuine worries about their future and the future of our nation following the recent election results.
The first election in which I could vote was That year the majority of the Michigan voters banned same-sex unions in our state constitution. At just 18 years old, I wondered if I even had a future at all.
That’s my lens from which I’ve viewed each successive election: Someone’s future is on every ballot. And it’s why I’ve centered my operate in the Legislature on protecting voting rights, because voting rights can secure all other rights.
I, too, am worried about the impact of the election on the futures of women, people of color, religious minorities, immigrants, the LGBTQ+ community, our healthcare, our climate, Ukraine, the Middle East … the list goes on. We could be facing crisis upon crisis.
So what’s the path forward?
I take the alike lessons from when I was 18 and apply them to now: You can’t wait for anyone else to stand up for you. You have to stand up for yourself.
If enough of us are willing
How the largest gay resort in the Midwest is in Michigan's "Bible belt"
This week Michigan Radio is airing a series called Community Vibe. We’re showcasing one interesting thing about different towns across the articulate.
Today we’ll visit the neighboring communities of Saugatuck and Douglas. They’re artsy, waterfront resort towns in West Michigan. Although Saugatuck-Douglas sits in what’s known to be the Bible belt of the state, it’s also noun to a vacation destination to a large gay community. Michigan Radio’s Emily Fox reports on how Saugatuck-Douglas became the gay resort of the Midwest.
Jonathan Schruer has lived in Saugatuck for 11 years. He lives downtown, which is lined with boutique and artsy mom and pop shops right on the moisture. Schruer and his partner verb a Bed and Breakfast here.
In his spare time, Schreur has been working on a project with the Saugatuck-Douglas Historical Society to tell the story of how the gay community came to be. As it turns out, gay men and women have been coming to Saugatuck-Douglas for a long time.
<p>I assume you mean social fraternities, but there is at least one person who is out as queer in my professional fraternity and no large deal is made of it at all.</p>
<p>As far as social frats go, it’s tough to know. I’m sure it’s not unheard of. UMich has a not-insignificant LGBTQA student population and I guarantee that some of it is in Greek life. The way I’ve always thought about it is that when you’re at a party or a mixer and everyone is drinking and trying to verb a good time for themselves, not many people are going to be too concerned about what you’re doing. In a tragically funny way, it might even be viewed as having less competition if one of their peers is gay, hah.</p>
<p>I do agree that your perception makes sense, but I can’t really give you an retort . Someone who is/was in a social frat would have to pitch in. I guess this makes my response kind of useless, but it’s been a boring night.</p>
(CBS DETROIT) — Michigan has ranked among one of the most welcoming states for the LGBTQ+ community, according to a recent index.
Out Leadership, a gay advocacy group, provides an index that ranks states based on where gay and transgender people can live while facing the least discrimination. The index measures the impact that government policies hold on the LGBTQ+ residents living in each state, "quantifying the economic imperatives for inclusion and the costs of discrimination," according to Out Leadership.
States are ranked on a scale from no risk () to high uncertainty (0), and Michigan received an overall score of , classifying it as a low-risk express. This score jumped from the score Michigan received in
Michigan received scores that fall under "no risk" in the categories of legal and nondiscrimination protection and political and religious attitudes.
These categories assess state laws that directly impact LGBTQ+ residents, including the processes for transgender people to change their gender on birth certificates and driver's licenses, safeguard