By Gwendolyn Ann Smith In an effort to protect against terrorists, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed the REAL ID act of 2005, also known as H.R. 418. A similar bill will soon go [...]

By Kathleen DeBold The phone was ringing when I walked into my house. I had barely said hello when the voice started screaming. "Oh my God! Oh my God! Are you watching this?" "Watching what?" [...]

By Winnie Stachelberg, vice president for the HRC Foundation Those of us who witnessed the emergence of the AIDS epidemic during the 1980s remember the stigma associated with infection and the tragic neglect of those [...]

Women's History Month 2005 {HEADER To help us commemorate Women's History Month, Between The Lines has asked a few of our community's favorite women to tell us about the legendary ladies that inspired them. } [...]

On Jan. 27, 2005 Between The Lines became a member of the Michigan Press Association, the professional organization for Michigan newspapers and the journalists who write for them. BTL joins three hundred daily and weekly [...]

FERNDALE - Affirmations Lesbian and Gay Community Center is hosting a reception on Friday, March 18 from 6-9 p.m. for artist Melanie Cherie Vallimont at the Pittmann-Puckett Gallery. The exhibit of Vallimont's work will run [...]

The Chenille Sisters, "Ann Arbor's girl-group gift to the world," will celebrate 20 years of three-part harmony at The Ark in Ann Arbor March 17. Likened to the Andrews Sisters with a touch of the [...]

By Dawn Wolfe Crossroads Chapter was founded in Flint by Grace Bacon, according to current President Kenni Joanne Janiszewski, and through the years has served roughly 1,700 members. The organization currently has an active membership [...]

By Dawn Wolfe Senate Bill #S368 is the U.S. Senate's version of the Responsible Education about Life Act which was introduced in the House by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-NJ). The U.S. House version of the [...]

ROCHESTER - There is no shortage of mysteries in Michigan. How can folks calling themselves Christian campaign to write discrimination into the state's constitution and lie all the way to Lansing? Why does a little [...]

On Sunday, April 3, Friends North will present its fundraiser at the Traverse City Opera House. The event, which will run from 3-6 p.m., will consist of a catered meal, music by the Neptune Quartet, [...]

DETROIT - Paula Ettelbrick, a nationally known lesbian and gay civil rights lawyer who is credited with shaping much of the litigation and legislative strategy for the LGBT community, will deliver the 21st annual I. [...]

On Saturday, April 2, TransGender Michigan will hold a training for its speaker's bureau courtesy of funding provided through an Arcus Foundation grant. Participants will be trained to educate others about transgender identity issues and [...]

By Dawn Wolfe If you're in Ypsilanti's Depot Town and you're looking for food good enough to feed a U.S. President, Cady's Bar & Grill on Cross St. is the place for you. At least, [...]

ANN ARBOR - Ann Arbor Civic Theatre has announced auditions for its production of "Cabaret," directed by Chris O'Brien. Auditions for adults are Sunday, March 20 and Monday, March 21 at 6:30 p.m. Youth auditions [...]

By Brent Dorian Carpenter Dr. David Halperin arrived at University of MichiganÑAnn Arbor in 1999 as a professor in the department of English Language and Literature. An outspoken gay activist, his class, "How to be [...]

You may have never heard of Gordon Chambers, but odds are you've grooved off of him. Well, his lyrics at least. Chambers has written for some of the best. He won a Grammy for co-writing [...]

They were called the Warhol Superstars. An exotic clique, their job was to star in the films of Andy Warhol, to accompany him and adorn his arm in the avant-garde social circles he traveled in [...]

TROY - Dr. Rhonda Kobold, 37, an out lesbian doctor of gynecology and obstetrics in private practice, has been helping women "from stork to finish" for years. When she started medical school she originally wanted [...]

By Dawn Wolfe LANSING - On March 1, approximately 50 people from 40 legislative offices, including several legislators, attended the OUT of the Box Lunch legislative briefing sponsored by Triangle Foundation. During the two hour [...]

By Dawn Wolfe JACKSONVILLE, FL. - When most college students head to Florida for spring break, they go to party. During the week of Feb. 28 - March 5, however, a team of Project YES [...]

By Sharon Gittleman Kit Webster has a secret - a hidden truth that propels him into the struggle of his life. Does he have the courage to come to terms with being a gay teen [...]

By BTL Staff In October, the Team Detroit Aquatics swim club traveled to Fort Lauderdale for the International Gay and Lesbian Aquatic Championships. Over 800 male and female swimmers from nine different countries competed. At [...]

By John Quinn Review: 'Boomtown 1925' Southwest Detroit in the 1920s returns to life at Matrix Theatre It was a decade unlike any other in Detroit's history: The War to End All Wars was over, [...]

By Jody Valley Living a lie Q: I am a middle aged woman that has a big problem. I don't know what to do or how to get out of it. My problem is that [...]

By Romeo San Vicente Toni Collette, is set to star in Armistead Maupin's "The Night Listener." 'Night' comes for Williams and Collette The big screen adaptation of Armistead Maupin's "The Night Listener," the first Maupin [...]

By Dr. Kevin Wang Hepatitis 101 {ITAL Dr. Wang, Congratulations on your recent graduation and current residency in Family Medicine. I have a topic for your column that you could perhaps address in a future [...]

March is Women's History Month. Much like Black History Month, the very existence of a designated month implies that the history of women and blacks somehow exists outside of "real" history, which is, of course, [...]

Imagine that you have to convince thousands of total strangers to like you in a matter of months. Not just any strangers, but frequently voting strangers. And they have to do more than like you. [...]

Compiled by Dawn Wolfe Connecticut: The state's governor revealed March 1 that she supports the concept of allowing gay and lesbian couples to enter into civil unions, putting an end to questions about where she [...]

Compiled by Dawn Wolfe Politics Phelps fails to repeal pro-gay ordinance TOPEKA, Kan. - An effort to repeal a city ordinance that protects gays and lesbians from discrimination failed on March 1, and lesbian city [...]

Just Out Dear Frankie For years, Lizzie Morrison (Emily Mortimer) has maintained the fiction to her deaf young son, Frankie (Jack McElhone), that his father is a sailor at sea. But she used the name [...]

Hamlet is a handsome 18-month-old black and white medium hair cat. He is at the shelter looking for a new home because his previous owner could no longer care for him. Hamlet is a tuxedo [...]

"Two things puzzle me: your drawings and your column, though I feel a strange compulsion to peek at both. Am I going off the deep end, or are you? A fan, of sorts." Dear Sorts: [...]

High-class architect Across1 Terence of "Priscilla"6 The Indigo Girls' "___ Mia"10 Legal org. that argued the Massachusetts marriage case14 Very, in opera15 Barbra's "Funny Girl" guy16 Suction head17 Johnson and van der Rohe designed one [...]

The Michigan Women's Commission is co-sponsoring the Michigan Women's Summit 2005: Challenges to Equity. The Summit is part of an effort by leading women's organizations across Michigan to kick off a statewide women's public education [...]

By Jack Fertig Talk things out, Libra! Sun in Pisces helps us to see through the emotional constraints Saturn in Cancer has wrought, but it still insists on psychic integrity. If that sounds dull, Mars [...]

"We are still in a world where brutal, undeclared war is considered noble and the human female nipple is considered traumatizing to children, and the pope, mustering one of his last wheezing, homophobic breaths, declares [...]

Professional Theater: And Then They Came For Me: Remembering the World of Anne Frank An extraordinary multimedia play that weaves live performances and videotaped interviews with holocaust survivors. Presented Wednesday through Sunday at Meadow Brook [...]

Get connected! Non-profit organizations are encouraged to send listings of ongoing events to Community Connections via email at [email protected], fax at 248-615-7018 or postal mail: 20793 Farmington Rd., Ste. 25, Farmington, MI 48336. FORTY WORD [...]

Wellspring's Alternative Dance Project presents Margie Gillis KALAMAZOO - This year, Wellspring decided to celebrate its remarkable 25th anniversary by presenting just one truly incredible guest artist: internationally acclaimed solo dance artist Margie Gillis from [...]

ANN ARBOR - The University of Michigan Medical School's LGBT student group, Bisexuals, Gays, Lesbians and Allies in Medicine is coordinating UofM medical school's first weeklong LGBT Health Awareness Week for March 14-18. The week's [...]

Thu/Mar 10 Fred Hersch Ensemble: Leaves of Grass, 8 - 10 p.m. Leaves of Grass features a stellar international ensemble of today's finest improvising musicians, including some of New York's most versatile and distinctive jazz [...]

This Week:Citizen Cope Tues. 3/15/05 Magic Bag, FerndaleChenille Sisters Thus. 3/17/05 8 p.m. The Ark, Ann ArborBrian Vanderark Thus. 3/17/05 8 p.m. Memphis Smoke, Royal OakUpcoming:Jill Scott Fri. 3/18/05 7:30 p.m. Fox Theatre DetroitRusted Root [...]

Sen. Alan Cropsey When the Office of the Children's Ombudsman recommended greater access to second parent adoptions in Michigan last month proponents of fairness saw it as a step in the right direction. But Sen. [...]