DETROIT – The list below provides links and information to support, healthcare, legal resources, and more for LGBTQ+ people and allies.
Where to find LGBTQ+ support in Metro Detroit
Below is a list of organizations in the Metro Detroit area that provide support for LGBTQ+ community members. Included is a link to their website and how each organization describes itself.
- Ruth Ellis Center: The Ruth Ellis Center was founded in 1999. The REC provides trauma-informed services for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults, with an emphasis on young people of color, experiencing homelessness, involved in the child welfare system, and experiencing barriers to health and wellbeing.
- LGBT Detroit: LGBT Detroit is a nonprofit with a mission to increase awareness of and support to Detroit’s LGBT culture.
- Affirmations: Affirmations is a hub for southeast Michigan LGBTQ+ community and allies. Affirmations offers a welcoming space where people of all sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and cultures, can learn, grow, socialize, and access support.
- Macomb County Pride: Macomb County Pride has a mission to create a supportive environment for the LGBTQ+ community and to be a resource in Macomb County.
- University of Michigan Spectrum Center: The Spectrum Center at the University of Michigan is a collaborative space in which all members of the university and local community are welcome. Through collaboration and partnership efforts, the Center supports students to thrive in a diverse society and globally.
- TG Detroit: TGDetroit is a non-profit transgender support group founded in Detroit, Michigan, for the express purposes of offering support to transgender individuals both within the local Detroit community and beyond, as well as bringing knowledge and understanding of the transgender reality to cisgendered people throughout mainstream society.
- Jim Toy Community Center: The Jim Toy Community Center is a resource center that exists to provide information, education, social events, and advocacy by and for the Queer and Ally community in the Washtenaw County area. JTCC welcomes all who support its mission to participate in its activities.
- Transgender Michigan: Transgender Michigan’s primary mission is to provide advocacy, support, and education while serving to create coalitions in the state of Michigan to unify and empower transgender and gender non-conformist communities.
LGBTQ+ health and wellness resources
There are several organizations in the Metro Detroit area that provide health and wellness support for the LGBTQ+ community.
- UNIFIED: As the only comprehensive AIDS service organization in its Michigan ten-county area, UNIFIED’s mission is to provide HIV-related services to the community through compassionate direct care, prevention, and outreach activities.
- Ozone House: Located in Washtenaw County, Ozone House has a continuum of services for homeless teens, runaways, and at-risk youth. They have a crisis line, an emergency shelter, a drop-in center, and PrideZone.
- Homelessness LGBTQ+ friendly resources: Affirmations has a list of LGBTQ+ friendly resources for people experiencing homelessness.
- Corktown Health: Corktown Health is Michigan’s first clinic dedicated to not only affirming LGBT patient experience and providing high-level care, but to training a new generation of Southeastern Michigan providers who can do the same.
The following resources are places where you can find free or low-cost care for sexual health.
- Planned Parenthood of Michigan: Planned Parenthood believes you deserve high-quality, compassionate health care that’s appropriate for your needs -- no matter your gender identity.
- Your local health department: Local health departments offer tests for HIV infection and other STIs. In some cases, a primary care clinic may be able to help you find free or low-cost testing and treatment.
- GetTested CDC: Find free, fast, confidential testing near you by entering your ZIP code.
The fear of discrimination and harassment can be a barrier to healthcare for many LGBTQ+ community members. There are some resources available to help LGBTQ+ find safe places to seek care.
- LGBTQ+ Healthcare Directory: A free, searchable database of doctors, medical professionals, and healthcare providers who are knowledgeable and sensitive to the unique health needs of LGBTQ+ people.
- The OutList: The OutList is an international directory that recognizes LGBTQ+ affirming providers who identify as affirming in the provision of care, treatment, and services of LGBTQ+ communities.
- Tips for coming out to your doctor: The Human Rights Campaign has a list of tips for finding and being open with healthcare providers.
There are rights that LGBTQ+ people should know they have when they are admitted to a hospital for a medical emergency. The Human Rights Campaign offers the following resources:
- Healthcare Bill of Rights: A short document for LGBTQ patients that summarizes LGBTQ+ rights in healthcare.
- Know your healthcare rights: Learn more about your healthcare rights, including hospital visitation and patient non-discrimination.
- Protecting your visitation, and decision-making rights: It is especially important for the LGBTQ community to take steps to ensure that the people they choose may visit them and make medical decisions on their behalf in times of emergency.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has this list of LGBTQ+ resources for caseworkers, youth and families.
Legal resources for LGBTQ+ people in Michigan
- Name/Gender marker change clinics: Affirmations in Ferndale provides monthly live presentations for understanding how to change one’s legal name and/or gender marker on identification documents in Michigan. The events are held virtually on Zoom.
- Equality Michigan: EQMI partners with pro-LGBTQ+ individuals and organizations to ensure lawmakers and the public are educated on the laws, policies, and regulations needed to achieve and protect LGBTQ+ equality in Michigan.
- Name change resources: Find out how to update your name and gender on state and federal IDs and records.
- Name changes for minors in Michigan: Find out how minors can legally update their name and gender.
- ACLU of Michigan: Someone seeking legal assistance from the ACLU is asked to submit a complaint online.
- State Bar of Michigan: The State Bar of Michigan website can help you find a lawyer. The online search is free, or you can call the referral program for $25.
Resources for LGBTQ+ parents, children
- How to talk to your children about gender: Some resources, and advice for how parents can speak to their children about gender and gender identity.
- COLAGE: A national organization for folks who have one or more LGBTQIA+ parent or caregiver.
- Family Equality: Family Equality’s mission is to ensure that everyone has the freedom to find, form, and sustain their families by advancing equality for the LGBTQ+ community.
- Stand With Trans: Stand with Trans has a goal to help trans youth build resilience, gain confidence and find hope for a future filled with joy.
- Stop Bullying: This government website has tips for creating a safe environment for LGBTQ+ youth.
- Advocates for Youth (AFY): They provide information and resources to help professionals who serve youth create a safe place for all young people.
- Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN): This was founded by a group of teachers in 1990. They advise on and advocate for policies designed to protect LBTQ + students.
Other national resources
- Genders and Sexualities Alliance Network: GSA clubs are student-run organizations that unite LGBTQ+ and allied youth. Metro Detroit’s GSA Network is Affirmations in Ferndale.
- The Trevor Project: This national organization provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ+ youth 24 years old and younger.
- National Center for Transgender Equality: The NCTE advocates to change policies and society to increase understanding and acceptance of transgender people.
- PFLAG: An organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for LGBTQ+ people and those who love them.
- Stand With Trans: For families and youth who are transitioning, it is critical to have access to a wealth of resources that will educate, inform and support.
- Centerlink: CenterLink is an international nonprofit organization and member-based association of LGBTQ centers and other LGBTQ organizations serving their local and regional communities.
- National Center for Lesbian Rights: NCLR is a national legal organization committed to advancing the civil and human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their families through litigation, legislation, policy, and public education.
- Campus Pride: Campus Pride ranks campuses for colleges and universities.
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: The hotline offers support to people experiencing domestic violence and abuse.
- ACLU: The American Civil Liberties Union is a nonprofit founded in 1920 to defend people’s rights guaranteed by the Constitution and laws.
Resources for LGBTQ+ allies
- The Human Rights Campaign: The Human Rights Campaign has some information for people who want to support the LGBTQ+ community.
- The Trevor Project: The Trevor Project has an article to educate allies on how to support transgender and nonbinary people.
- PFLAG: PFLAG has information to help people learn about and understand their LGBTQ+ loved ones.