Let’s dance [Caricature by DonkeyHotey from photos by Anne C. Savage for Eclectablog] Michigan Governor Rick Snyder is clearly practicing for his court appearance in Detroit on Monday where he’ll testify in the court hearing to determine if the city is eligible to go into bankruptcy. Yesterday, Snyder was asked about his opinion about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Michiganders […]

Meet Tom As much as things are changing for the LGBT community, the fact remains that, in Michigan, you can literally be fired for being gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. This fact keeps many people in the closet, ruining lives, even forcing some people to take their lives. The Unity Michigan Coalition which includes the ACLU of Michigan, Affirmations, Equality […]

The waiting continues… U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman heard final arguments today in the case of DeBoer v Snyder and Schuette which is a challenge to Michigan’s same-sex marriage ban. The case started as a lawsuit by Jayne Rowse and April DeBoer, a lesbian couple who wanted equal custody rights of their adopted children, something not permitted under Michigan law. […]

Vasectomies: Harming society since … wait. WHAT?!? I have written in the past about Jayne Rowse and April DeBoer, a Michigan couple who is suing the state to allow them, as a lesbian couple, to adopt each other’s children. When they brought their case before U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman, he encourage them to challenge Michigan’s ban on same-sex marriages […]

[Please see the update below] Last week, I questioned whether or not Michigan Senator Joe Hune is actually intelligent enough to be a senator. Today, that question is just as pertinent as we learn that Senator Hune is adamantly opposed to marriage equality in Michigan, despite the sea change happening in the opinions of Michiganders. In a recent article in […]

The people are leading their “leaders” This afternoon, a coalition of LGBT leaders and Michigan House Democrats announced package of legislation that will repeal the ban same-sex marriage in Michigan, a position supported by a majority of Michiganders. According to a statement by House Dems, the package of legislation involves two bills and a resolution: The first piece in the […]

What does ‘not on my agenda’ actually mean? I can never remember… Rick Snyder’s self-described “relentless positive action” to make Michigan a better place to live and a more prosperous state does not apply to the LGBT community, despite the damage our anti-gay laws are doing to our economy. He was recently asked about extending civil rights protections to members […]

A well-planned, strategic vision for Michigan’s only statewide LGBT advocacy group Over the past month, there has been a plethora of great news for the LGBT community both nationally and here in Michigan. Recent polling by PPP shows that a full 70% of Michiganders believe that gay couples should either be allowed to marry or form civil unions. This echoes […]

It’s hard to swallow you shoving your religion down my throat

The Michigan Republicans are trotting out a “new” bill to further their War on Women and those who don’t share their narrow worldview. I say it’s “new” because it was a bill that died in the last legislative session. They call their bill the “Religious Liberty and Conscience Protection Act” but it’s nothing more than a backdoor way to limit Michigan women’s access to safe and legal abortion services across the state. What makes this legislation so insidious is that it may also restrict all Michigander’s access to things like birth control, vaccines, counseling and even HIV/AIDS treatment.

Details and actions you can take after the jump.

Legally fired for who she loves

Last week, Lauren Jasenak from Brighton, Michigan was fired by the Boy Scouts of America from her job at a Michigan BSA ranch for being a lesbian. Because of Michigan’s bigoted laws, the firing was legal and Jasenak has little to no recourse in what should, by all accounts, be a violation of her civil rights.

Details after the jump.

If it’s a union-negotiated contract, it’s GOT to go

The Michigan Court of Appeals smacked down a lawsuit by Michigan Tea Party Attorney General Bill Schuette that attacked a union-negotiated contract that allowed for healthcare benefits for the domestic partners unionized state employees.

The contract does not specifically reference same-sex couples but they ARE covered by it so, of course, our AG felt the need to attack it. After all, anything that benefits both teh gayz and union members is not to be tolerated.

More after the jump.