25 and Out!
I am 52 years old and incredibly corny. As I write this, my final column, I keep hearing television variety show sign-off songs in my head, whether it’s [...]
Re-Remembering Brent Dorian Carpenter: A Writer Who Pushed Boundaries With His Fearless Essays
Over the past two decades, I’ve had the pleasure of seeing my name among the bylines in this paper of some pretty talented writers. I was blessed to win [...]
Lies, Lies — and the Conservatives Who Tell Them in Order to Assert Their Dominance
I know that this is going to come as a shock to everyone, but I have to say it: The folks who want to ban transgender people from public bathrooms and overturn [...]
Biden Declares the Easter Bunny Transgender, Conservatives Go Wild
I am writing this on March 31, the 15th annual Transgender Day of Visibility. All over the world people are celebrating the lives of transgender people, [...]
The Under-the-Radar Republican Amendment That Kills the Rainbow Flag
Republicans did something recently that went almost unnoticed. Through one simple act in 1970, the United States became the world's leader in making our [...]
George Santos Rises Like a Felonious Phoenix From the Ashes of a Dysfunctional Political Party
Oh, hey, everybody. How are things going? Are they perfect and great? Why, yes. Yes they are.First of all, everybody’s favorite pathologically lying gay [...]
Supreme Birthday Wishes to Mary and Diana
Sixty years ago this year, Motown supergroup and Detroit darlings The Supremes had their first of what would go on to become 12 number-one hits with [...]
Libs of Tiktok Fuels Threats Against Schools Nationwide, Endangering Children
HOLD DO NOT PUBLISHThis morning I got a text from my son’s school district that one of the elementary schools in the district was closed due to a bomb [...]
Mark Robinson Races to Alienate the Entire North Carolina Electorate
North Carolina. Have you heard of it? As far as states go, it’s a pretty big deal. So you’d think if you were one of two major political parties you [...]
Death of Nex Benedict Shines Spotlight on Oklahoma’s Anti-LGBTQ+ Agenda
I wish I did not know the name Nex Benedict. At least, I wish I didn’t know the name for the reason that so many of us now do.On Feb. 7, Benedict was [...]
Saying Goodbye to My First Home and Welcoming Homes Yet to Come
Where’s home for you? Is it an apartment, a soft place to land or somewhere where you feel wholly loved, wrapped in the comfort of knowing that [...]
Right-Wing Conservatives to Each Uterus in the Nation: One Day, You Will Be Ours
Recently the Alabama Supreme Court, with their Christian Nationalist Chief Justice Tom Parker, ruled that frozen embryos are literal children. I was listening [...]
The Dark Side of Advocacy, According to This Leading Michigan Trans Advocate
On July 31, 2021, I woke up feeling so grateful for another day, but this day was an especially important one. That night, I would be acknowledged with a [...]
Tennessee Republicans Attack Marriage Equality, Vie for Title of Most Dangerous Legislature for LGBTQ+ People
Marriage equality is finally a thing in Greece, the first Christian Orthodox-majority country in the world to let love rule. And on Feb. 15, the day after [...]
How Ruth Ellis Inspired My Early Activism Helping Queer At-Risk Youth
My friendship with the late Ruth Ellis predates my time with Between The Lines, Pride Source's print publication. But just barely. I first interviewed her for [...]
National Legal and Policy Center: Kids Who Love Oreos Were Not Born This Way
This is a list of my favorite Oreo cookie flavors, in order:Peanut ButterSm’OreosMintOriginalThis is a list of Oreo flavors I have never tried because they [...]
Celebrating 20 Years Since First Legal Same-Sex Marriage
The year was 1989. I had finally accepted the fact that I was gay and started the long, tedious process of coming out shortly after turning 17. It was a time of [...]
Deep State Taylor Swift Exposed by Extremely Rational, Very Intelligent People
We need to talk about Taylor Swift.It was never going to last forever. And now that the secret’s out and the most popular singer in the United States has [...]
Republicans Admit Anti-Trans Laws Were Never Just About Protecting Children
As I write this, I am in the hospital for a kidney stone. I’ve had better Saturday nights, let me tell you. The pain meds have kicked in, and I’m [...]
DeSantis to Iowans: ‘I’ll Reveal My True Height If I Win the Caucus.’ Height Remains a Mystery
There are people I love who live in Florida and I truly, truly wish that they lived anywhere else. None of them are Republicans — in fact, they are [...]
West Virginia to Transgender People: Your Existence Is a Crime
I am writing this on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a day that those who want to advance civil rights might typically spend doing some kind of community service, [...]
Would Martin Luther King, Jr. Have Become an LGBTQ+ Advocate? His Daughter Yolanda King Thought So.
Preserving and recording Black history has always been important to me. In fact, back in 1999, it was a series I did on Black History Month for Wayne State [...]
Michigan Rep. Travels to Uganda for Anti-LGBTQ+ Cheerleading Camp
I want to start off this year by giving credit where credit is due. And that credit goes to Ohio Gov. Mike Dewine, for vetoing an anti-trans bill aimed at trans [...]
