By Bob Roehr WASHINGTON - The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network kicked off their lobby days with an upbeat report of progress made over the last six months. Former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Carol Moseley [...]

s. Dear BTL, We are pleased that Between The Lines has called attention to the policy flip-flop of the Secretary of State's office regarding gender marker changes on drivers' licenses and state identification cards. We [...]

By Dawn Wolfe Gutterman Detroit- No mirrors were broken, no one walked under a ladder, and no one crossed a black cat's path. In fact, there was no bad luck at all for two local [...]

By Dawn Wolfe Gutterman DETROIT - The Michigan Federation of Teachers and School-Related Personnel took a stand for transgender employees at their recent convention. By an "overwhelming vote," according to President David Hecker, the union [...]

LANSING - The room on the 7th floor of the building in downtown Lansing which houses the Michigan Department of Civil Rights was filled with buzzing staff from the department last week as they completed [...]

By Dawn Wolfe Gutterman Growing Up Artfully: a fundraiser to bring the arts, history and sciences to Genesee county youth On June 2, The Flint Cultural Center Corporation with host a fundraiser called "Growing Up [...]

By Dawn Wolfe Gutterman Media Matters for America - correcting right-wing lies for all of us Founded in May 2004, Media Matters for America "is a Web-based, not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) progressive research and information center dedicated [...]

By Bob Roehr Boston- Marriage bells had rung before for gay and lesbian Americans - in San Francisco, Portland, even tiny New Paltz, New York - but those that began to peal in Massachusetts on [...]

By Bob Roehr Lincoln- A federal judge struck down the Nebraska constitutional amendment that banned marriage for same-sex couples and recognition of any other type of relationship between such couples. The May 12 decision called [...]

By John Polly "To each his own. F--k it! Who cares!" Apologies, dear readers for that initial burst of coarse language; it seemed best to get that out of the way right up front. Not [...]

AUBURN HILLS - The Detroit Shock have started the 2005 WNBA season off strong. An exhibition win and some new blood from draft picks are good signs for a team trying to reclaim its 2003 [...]

By BTL Staff LANSING - Three up and coming local folk acts will play a benefit concert for TransGender Michigan on Sunday, May 22. Kate Peterson, Sarah Cleaver, and Lazy Sunday will perform at Magdalena's [...]

Meet Carrot, an adorable 10-month old American rabbit with a gorgeous cinnamon coat. He is looking for a new home because his previous family could no longer afford to care for him. Carrot is a [...]

For weeks a "miracle" face has been the phat star at a popular -- discretely unnamed here -- dance venue. (Hint: three picture IDs -- one nude -- 29" waist, $10 cover charge, and proof [...]

By Sean Kosofsky In 1776 our Founding Fathers committed an act of treason by declaring the colonies independent of monarchical rule. This was an act of bravery and heroism that we can draw parallels to [...]

INSTRUCTIONS: Everyone knows how some artists are a little weird and go over the edge. In this puzzle, 10 of the answers will not fit the grid and go over the edge of the puzzle [...]

ANSWER TO ANAGRAM: The letters beyond the edge can be anagrammed into MOSES and PIETA.

By Jack Fertig Keep flirting, Aries! Venus in Gemini is squaring Mars in Pisces, generating creative, erotic stress in desperate need of focus. Mercury in Taurus provides the key - slow down and think pragmatically! [...]

"Here's what makes West and people like him rife with potential for, well, some of the nastiest and most dishonest and dangerous abuses humans are capable of. It's the ability to ignore the incredible hypocrisy [...]

Professional Theater: Brighton Beach Memoirs Part one of Neil Simon's semi-autobiographical trilogy is a portrait of the writer as a Brooklyn teenager in 1937. Staged Wednesday through Sunday (excluding Friday) by the Jewish Ensemble Theatre [...]

In our story last week, "Over 200 families at risk of losing benefits, says CMU Life" in the May 12 edition of BTL, we incorrectly named the publication Central Michigan Life as CMU Life. Central [...]

Thursday May 19 has been designated World ASIAN Testing Day by a coalition of Asian and Pacific Islander organizations across the globe. In the Detroit area, the day will be observed through Asians and Friends, [...]

On May 26, Blue Water Pride will sponsor a presentation by Justin Cannon, author of an extensive study of the misuse of the Bible to condemn homosexuality and founder of truthsetsfree.net. Cannon will address the [...]

FERNDALE - After close to five years of service to Affirmations Lesbian and Gay Community Center, Program Director Michael Larson recently announced that it's time to pass the torch. Initially hired to run the Youth [...]

. Sistrum, a women's chorus based in East Lansing, will hold their 19th annual Spring Concert on May 20 & 21. The concert will be held at Edgewood United Church of Christ at 469 N. [...]

BY BTL STAFF LANSING - In recent years as attacks on LGBT rights have taken center stage politically the number of hateful protesters present at the annual statewide Pride March and Rally have increased. Following [...]

By Sharon Gittleman ROYAL OAK - When conducting a human/canine taste test there's one possibility to keep foremost in your mind - doggy ice cream cone theft. That was the one flaw that marred BTL's [...]

Affirmations Lesbian and Gay Community is beginning the Stitch In project, a chance for adults to meet and enjoy needlecrafts together. The group will meet the third Monday from 6-9 p.m at Affirmations in Ferndale [...]

Motown Drivers, an LGBT golf league, began its season in April and is welcoming new members. The league plays at Rackham Golf Course at 10100 W. 10 Mile Rd. in Huntington Woods. For more information [...]

LANSING - With a state house bill introduced to allow second parent adoption in Michigan, LGBT families and allies were out in force last week at the state Capitol to send a message: LGBT families [...]

Compiled by Dawn Wolfe Gutterman Business Kraft Foods under fire by anti-human rights group NORTHFIELD, IL - Focus on the Family has targeted Kraft Foods, which makes products ranging from macaroni and cheese to Ritz [...]

By Dawn Wolfe Gutterman LANSING - Imagine this: you get to the pharmacy just before they close to fill your prescription for gender dysphoria-related hormones or birth control pills. But the pharmacist refuses to give [...]

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 [...]

Compiled by Dawn Wolfe Gutterman Arizona: Marriage equality opponents filed a petition May 16 for a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would outlaw marriage for same-sex couples. Voters will decide the issue if [...]

Contemporary art by Arab American artists on exhibit at Arab American National Museum DEARBORN - "In/Visible," the first exhibition of contemporary art by first and second generation Americans of Arab heritage opens May 19 to [...]

This Week: Mary Chapin Carpenter & Mindy Smith Thurs. 5/19/05 Michigan Theatre, Ann Arbor Jesse McCartney Thurs. 5/19/05 Royal Oak Music Theatre Ruthie Foster Sat. 5/21/05 8 p.m. The Ark, Ann Arbor TransGender Michigan Benefit [...]

Dr. W. David Hager Bananarama isn't the only group of women to hear a rumor lately. An email has long been circulating warning women that Bush has appointed Dr. W. David Hager, an anti-abortion activist, [...]

Review: 'Bright Beach Memoirs' JET closes season with 'memorable' Neil Simon comedy There's a risk directors take whenever they hire adults to play teenagers in shows such as "Brighton Beach Memoirs." More often than not, [...]

Review: 'Deceptions to the Rule' Detective thrillers get dead-on comedic treatment at Planet Ant Never trust a woman you're blackmailing, the audience is told at the beginning of "Deceptions to the Rule," the sixteenth original [...]

By Jody Valley Grandmother or mother wanna be? Q: I will bet you that you haven't had this one, yet. My mom wants me to have kids! I don't mean that it's not pretty universal [...]

By Dee Dee Sung Q: I am currently $35,000 in credit card debt. I do not want to file bankruptcy, have always managed to pay my bills, but these credit cards just slipped up and [...]

By Romeo San Vicente Felicity Huffman has a sex change Felicity Huffman, whose character Lynette is the most harried of all the desperate housewives on the series of the same name, is about to switch [...]

We at BTL are used to the unexpected, and we love when the unexpected is actually good news. So when we heard that a huge gain in the marriage equality movement happened this week in [...]

Just Out Crash While a detective (Don Cheadle) investigates an African-American policeman's murder at the hands of a white fellow officer, a racist beat patrolman (Matt Dillon) disgusts his liberal partner (Ryan Phillippe) when he [...]