SPIN #1:The thrust of the Christian Right to amend the U.S. Constitution to prohibit same-sex marriage has a hidden agenda that has nothing to do with same-sex couples. It's a matter of a seldom-talked-about theocratic [...]

By Imani Williams I've never been one for make believe, even as a kid. Instead of made up bedtime stories and fairy tales about gallant princes saving damsels in distress I asked my storyteller to [...]

by Sean Kosofsky Equal numbers of people showed up to support and oppose the anti-gay resolution proposed by Macomb County Commissioner Nicholyn Brandenburg last night. There were religious leaders, fathers, mothers and activists on both [...]

Organizations have a life cycle, not unlike people do, and for both the "teen/adolescent" phase can sometimes be the hardest. The Ruth Ellis Center has apparently reached organizational puberty, and it's not pretty. The founding [...]

By Joe Kort For the past seven years, I've taught a course at Wayne State University for Master's level social workers on how to help their gay clients learn to be comfortable about their orientation. [...]

By Bretton Barber Between The Lines has provided the LGBT community with an important resource for many years now. They are not afraid to cover a story, and the reporting it has is diverse and [...]

By Sharon Gittleman FERNDALE - When Beth Gray turned 40, she knew her life would never be the same. Her "secure" sales job was suddenly downsized at her company. "So I went to carpentry school," [...]

Eccentric and eclectic BIRMINGHAM - If you ever have the chance to visit the home of longtime community activists and socialites B.C. Cabangbang and Gary Murphy, you're in for quite a treat. Actually, you're in [...]

These advertisers want to do business with the GLBT community and would welcome your business. So whether you have some small home projects, or you're interested in doing a complete redesign, we recommend you use [...]

By Sharon Gittleman ROYAL OAK - While most people know the dangers of harsh chemicals and man-made additives in our food and water, many don't think about the harm these substances can cause when they [...]

AA Ganis waterslide: An exhibit of photographer John Ganis' work is now on display at Ferndale's Revolution Gallery. Pictured here is "Waterslide, Mountain, Texas" (1986). Courtesy of Revolution gallery, Ferndale. Two exhibitions open at Revolution [...]

The Alison Brown Quartet will be at The Ark in Ann Arbobr on October 23. Dick Siegel Trio wsg Caroline HErring will be in Ann Arbor on October 24 at The Ark. Gordon Bok will [...]

By John Quinn Review: 'The Gravity of Honey' The season that almost wasn't: Meadow Brook's grave situation turns to honey Meadow Brook Theatre avoided a major reordering this year. The financially strapped Oakland University was [...]

UMS presents exclusive U.S. performances of 'Boris Godunov' ANN ARBOR - The University Musical Society (UMS) presents six performances of "Boris Godunov" at the University of Michigan Sports Coliseum. Declan Donnellan's critically-acclaimed production of Alexander [...]

Professional Theater: Boris Godunov When Ivan the Terrible dies, a climactic struggle for power takes place in tsarist Russia, with money, corruption, sex, blood and betrayal thickening the plot. Presented by the University Musical Society [...]

HAMTRAMCK - Planet Ant Theatre invites the metro Detroit area to experience "LehrstŸcke" by Bertolt Brecht. Emerging in the fertile and revolutionary era of 1920s Berlin, Brecht earned fame and notoriety with his popular "Threepenny [...]

By Brent Dorian Carpenter DETROIT - Men Of Color Motivational Group, Inc., the Detroit-based HIV/AIDS outreach organization is hosting a movie night at the Phoenix Theater to promote its HIV counseling and testing services. The [...]

By Romeo San Vicente Alec Baldwin will star and co-produced the remake of "The Swimmer." © 1996 Castle Rock Entertainment. 'The Swimmer' does another lap In 1968's "The Swimmer," Burt Lancaster played a Connecticut advertising [...]

Photos by Danielle The Hayloft Saloon hosted a fundraiser for the Detroit Together Men's Chorus Sunday, aall day. Hosted by Nickki Stevens, and featureing a sexy chest contest. photos by Danielle.

Thursday Friction with Tom Newman at The Works. Rumors Nightclub hosts College night with DJ Gemini in Grand Rapids. Latino Night comes to the R&R Saloon with $1 cover. Get Thirsty with X-Cel at Thirsty [...]

George Clooney and Catherine Zeta-Jones fall in love in "Intolerable Cruelty." © 2003 Universal Pictures. Just Out Intolerable Cruelty In this screwball romance, divorce attorney Miles Massey (George Clooney) falls in love across the conference [...]

Photos by Danielle This years Mr.contest at Stilettos was as tough as it gets, with great suits, hott talent and perfectly trimed beards, five contestants exhibited the very best in imagination and pure excitement to [...]

Affirmations Lesbian and Gay Community Center 195 West Nine Mile, Ferndale, MI 48220 Phone: (248) 398-7105 Fax: (248)541-1943 Email: info@GoAffirmations.org Web: http://www.GoAffirmations.org NEWS AT THE CENTER Women's Rap at Affirmations Revamped The women's rap group [...]

By Jody Valley Readers sound off on 'one too many' (A 35-year-old gay man wrote recently saying that he was married with children and had a lover who was also happily married with childrenÑboth wives [...]

By Brent Carpenter Ah, the good ol' days! I'm referring to a mere month ago, when I could pick up a phone, call a girlfriend and say, "Bitch, trade tore my guts out!" and it [...]

By Jill Dearman Stir up trouble, Virgo! ARIES (March 21 to April 20): The Sun, moon, and Mercury will all be transiting your house of serious relationships during late October. In love matters, don't hedge [...]

By Jill Dearman Stir up trouble, Virgo! ARIES (March 21 to April 20): The moon in your house of love on Oct. 23 and 24 bodes well for a romantic rendezvous. Work can wait; your [...]

A new book by local psychotherapist Joe Kort is doing well at bookstores across the country. "10 Smart Things Gay Men Can do To Improve Their Lives" is now the number one selling book for [...]

TAYLOR - PFLAG Downriver has announced a youth outreach project that will be hosted by Grace Episcopal Church, in a partnership with Affirmations Lesbian and Gay Community Center. The group will meet starting in November [...]

GRAND HAVEN - The Ottawa County Board of Commissioners voted 7-4 October 14 to table a marriage resolution similar to those passed in Oakland, Jackson, Monroe, and Lapeer counties. The Ottawa marriage resolution was postponed [...]

By Imani Williams FERNDALE - Kalvin Scarber has joined Affirmations Lesbian and Gay Center as the AmeriCore/Volunteer/HIV Educator. A Detroit native, Scarber, 37, said he is returning to his passion - youth work. He had [...]

By Sharon Gittleman MOUNT CLEMENS - The Macomb County Board of Commissioners defeated an attempt to garner their support for a statewide vote to ban same-sex marriage. Many see last Thursday's action as an upset [...]

PONTIAC - The members of PFLAG-Detroit should be proud of themselves. They hosted PFLAG's Great Lakes Regional Conference this past weekend and the program was by all accounts a huge success. "It was incredible," said [...]

FERNDALE - Pride PAC, Michigan's LGBT political action committee, has finalized its Fall slate. Pride PAC gave a strong endorsement to Mayor Robert Porter who is running for re-election in Ferndale. The other two strong [...]

DETROIT - What would Ruth Ellis say? If she were alive today, the feisty and fiercely beloved senior citizen would be 104. And though she's been gone for three years, one cannot help but wonder [...]

DETROIT - Last week Between The Lines reported that a failing economy - an in specific the withdrawal of all university funding - had thrown the future of Wayne State's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender [...]

By Sharon Gittleman FERNDALE - Some less than good-natured sparring between City Council incumbent Craig Covey and candidate Dawn Ptaszynski brought some gasps from the audience at the Friends and Neighbors of Ferndale Candidate Forum [...]

By Eartha Melzer Ann Arbor - Around 1200 people filled the Power Center at the University of Michigan campus to hear Michael Moore speak Sunday as part of the tour for his new book "Dude, [...]

MARQUETTE - If Randi Sherman could change one thing about the city she lives in, she might very well wish for a 24-hour restaurant. That is, after she's created a Gay-Straight Alliance in every Northern [...]

DETROIT - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) is getting ready for what might be the political fight of her life. The GOP has let it be known that they want her senate seat back in [...]

Politics: Contractors must offer DP benefits in California SACRAMENTO - California is the first state to require businesses with large state contracts to offer domestic partners the same benefits that spouses enjoy, though the law [...]

NEWARK, NJ - On Oct. 3, 2002, 17-year-old Gwen Araujo was brutally murdered at a party after young men with whom she had previously had sex discovered she was anatomically male. One confessed killer and [...]

Mark Smith felt like he was reborn in a Wal-Mart store on Thursday night September 25. It may have been the most extraordinary ordinary event of his life. It would be his first taste of [...]

Ed Walsh An ailing gay prisoner was freed last week after winning his 3-year-long battle against California Governor Gray Davis for parole. Mark Smith, 47, walked out of prison on Thursday, September 25, for the [...]

By Bob Roehr Blue and yellow confetti filled the air as the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) raised its flag for the first time over its new headquarters building in Washington, DC, on Coming Out Day, [...]