In light of the recent national election, the stakes for trans rights and LGBTQ+ equality have never been higher. At OutCenter Southwest Michigan, we are unwavering in our commitment to protecting your dignity, rights, and ability to live authentically.

We want to share two resources that are specifically about helping organizations and individuals maintain safe and welcoming environments.

Moody on the Market has announced its prestigious "40 Under 40" list for the 2024 year. Three OutCenter leaders — Gerik Maverick, OutCenter’s program director, and board members Briana Salis and Tim Dawson — were recognized on this list.

It is almost impossible to watch the news or scroll through social media without seeing discussion of people’s pronouns. The conversations range from LGBTQ+ community members explaining their experiences to anti LGBTQ+ political figures like Texas Senator Ted Cruz proclaiming that their pronouns are “kiss my ass”. So what are pronouns and why do they matter?

OutCenter Southwest Michigan is overjoyed by the Michigan Supreme Court’s landmark decision in the Rouch World v. Michigan Department of Civil Rights case. In a 5-2 decision the court held that the existing Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act applies to LGBTQ+ people. This new ruling upholds protection of LGBTQ+ people from discrimination in employment, housing, education, and public accommodations which includes businesses. It cannot be overstated just how impactful this decision is for equity in our state and here in Southwest Michigan.

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, we began our harrowing journey towards getting reproductive rights added to our state constitution in Michigan. The organizers in our State led the most effective campaign to protect these rights in the nation, the results of which were incredible. Our efforts to ensure that reproductive rights make it on the November ballots were successful, thanks to all the hard work that Michiganders put in canvassing and signature collecting. This ballot initiative made history, with 753,759 signatures spanning across every single county in Michigan! We hit the goal necessary to get the issue on the ballot, as well as a generous amount of signatures to act as a buffer in the case of any invalid signatures. This measure will be on your ballot in November, thanks to all of your hard work.