When Texas freezes over
Texas Governor Rick Perry is on an anti-gay roll. First he ceremoniously signs an anti-gay marriage amendment at a conservative evangelical church, to the delight of gathered fundamentalists. Next he tells gay veterans they aren't [...]
Parting Glances: Young hearts (and Mary) Pt. 2
I went to my first gay bar at 19 -- a lesbian bar -- the Silver Slipper, near downtown Detroit. I had fake ID and was escorted by two regulars. Lesbians sat in the balcony. [...]
All Politics is Loco: Mixed joy in Jackson case
By Sean Kosofsky As I began writing this column, news was pouring in about the "not guilty" verdict in the Michael Jackson criminal trial. I was glued to my computer and television watching one talking [...]
Trans studies have merit
Dear BTL, While I have great respect for Gwen Smith's work, I would like to take issue with her belief that the numbers of the two scientific studies she's quoted make their value less significant [...]
Joy Geng is a role model
Dear BTL, Regarding the Joy Geng Pride Profile in the June 2 issue of BTL: Great story! Joy Geng was one of my role models when she was at Ford, and still is. An inspiration [...]
Praise for Pride Profiles
Dear BTL, I loved the Pride Profiles of so many GLBTA activists who work so hard to move our community forward, but don't always get the attention or praise they deserve. Please continue to highlight [...]
Democratic betrayal
Dear BTL, Democrats use one feeble excuse after another to explain their 2004 defeat, blaming the superstitious vote, electoral rigging, apathy, etc. There may be some truth in all of these justifications, but each misses [...]
Art & Around
Summer Auto Fair to mark 33rd year as Flint's largest auto show FLINT Ð The 33rd annual Sloan Museum Summer Auto Fair takes place June 24-26 on the grounds of the Flint Cultural Center campus. [...]
Curtain Calls
Review: 'The Tribute to Frank, Sammy, Joey & Dean' Musical proves they sure don't make 'em like the Rat Pack anymore Son-of-a-gun! It works! Having been a long time fan of the original Rat Pack [...]
Curtain Calls XTRA
Review: 'The World Over' Buckle your swashes, mate, for a fantasy-filled voyage at Blackbird Theatre Pretty much all young boys and girls go through a period in which they dream of themselves as dragon slayers [...]
Sunsets with Shakespeare opens second season
LANSING - Sunsets with Shakespeare will open their summer season this month with an innovative production of "Macbeth," co-directed by Sunsets Managing Director Nathan Loding and Ron Stratton. SWS has rounded out its cast with [...]
‘Brother to Brother’ to Air on PBS’s Independent Lens June 14
SAN FRANCISCO - Rodney Evans' award-winning drama "Brother to Brother" will air nationally on the Emmy-Award winning PBS series Independent Lens, hosted by Susan Sarandon, on Tuesday, June 14. The DVD of the film will [...]
Pittmann-Puckett gallery call for artists
FERNDALE - The Pittmann-Puckett Art Gallery, located within Affirmations Lesbian and Gay Community Center, is currently accepting artists for two shows. The first is an open slot for a solo or group show. The exhibition [...]
Concert Connections
This Week: Bobby Conn Thurs. 6/16/05 Mac's Bar, Lansing Better Than Ezra Thurs. 6/16/05 Royal Oak Music Theatre Stars Fri. 6/17/05 7 p.m. St. Andrew's Hall, Detroit Stevie Nicks and Don Henley Sat. 6/18/05 DTE [...]
Theater Events for the period June 16 – 25
Professional Theater: And The Winner Is An Oscar-nominated Hollywood actor wakes up in a strange bar where time has no meaning and where nothing is as it seems. Purple Rose Theatre Company, Chelsea. Wed.-Sun. June [...]
‘The Hours’ author Michael Cunningham to read in Ann Arbor June 24
ANN ARBOR - Acclaimed novelist Michael Cunningham will read from his newest book "Specimen Days" June 24 at UofM in Ann Arbor. Cunningham is the author of the Pulitzer Prize and PEN/Faulkner award-winning "The Hours," [...]
‘Hippest volunteer group in town’ to raise funds for Detroit Opera House
DETROIT - A much anticipated event is expected to attract more than a thousand young professionals to downtown Detroit June 25, but it won't have anything to do with business, politics or sports. Instead, what's [...]
Find your inner calm at Namaste
By Sharon Gittleman ROYAL OAK - Namaste Yoga owner Linda Makowski didn't always teach people about the ancient spiritual and physical art of yoga. For 12 years, she inspired women to speed down the courts [...]
Who Wants Cake: Live theater comes to Ferndale
FERNDALE - When actor/director Joe Bailey returned home to Metro Detroit after a long stretch on the road, his plans included more than just introducing his new Wyoming-born partner to life in the Motor City. [...]
Deep Inside Hollywood
By Romeo San Vicente Twiggy fits 'Top Model' In case you haven't been following every single bit of news surrounding the gayest show in the country, "America's Next Top Model" (and really, Romeo doesn't want [...]
Now Playing
Just Out Cinderella Man At the height of the Great Depression, journeyman boxer Jim Braddock (Russell Crowe) re-enters the ring to put food on the table for his wife (Renee Zellweger) and kids. His unexpected [...]
Q Puzzle Clues
My Sweet Lorde Across 1 Gooey stuff left on your lips 5 Columnist Murillo 10 Hit boxers 14 Voyeur's confession? 15 John of "Aida" fame 16 Fey of "SNL"'s Weekend Update 17 "Femme's Guide to [...]
Community Connections
Get connected! Non-profit organizations are encouraged to send listings of ongoing events to Community Connections via email at dawnwolfe@pridesource.com , fax at 248-615-7018 or postal mail: 20793 Farmington Rd., Ste. 25, Farmington, MI 48336. FORTY [...]
Ask The Debt Free Diva
By Dee Dee Sung Combining finances Q: My partner and I have always kept our finances completely separate. I have no idea how much money he has or where he has it invested. He doesn't [...]
Reach OUT: Public TV and radio need you!
By Dawn Wolfe Gutterman WASHINGTON - Free Press reports that a U.S. congressional subcommittee has slashed the Corporation for Public Broadcasting's budget by $100 million and voted to "zero out" all federal money for CPB [...]
Creep of the Week: Rev. Bill Banuchi
Rev. Bill Banuchi Competition for Creep this week was steep. Word must be getting around about this column. First there was Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who earned the title of Creep last week for signing [...]
The new face of gay-allied activism
By Dawn Wolfe Gutterman HOLLAND - He's straight. He's a conservative Christian. And he supports full civil rights, including marriage, for gays and lesbians. In an era when Christians are generally linked with oppression of [...]
Suspended Howell students graduate in special ceremony
HOWELL - Draped in green satin robes and mortarboard hats, a group of 35 Howell High School seniors walked proudly down the track at the athletic field in a local park June 11. The sound [...]
Michigan AIDS Fund to focus on prevention
By Dawn Wolfe Gutterman SOUTHFIELD - An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. That's the new philosophy of Michigan AIDS Fund, which will concentrate its funding on prevention programs alone during the [...]
Author David Myers makes Christian case for marriage equality with new book
By Dawn Wolfe Gutterman HOLLAND - The latest thrust on behalf of equal marriage rights hasn't come from the liberal left. It has come from the conservative right - the Christian conservative right. No, James [...]
Daddy and Papa
SUPERIOR TOWNSHIP - They could well be the poster family for domestic partnership benefits in Michigan; and, indeed, they are co-plaintiffs with 20 other families in the ACLU lawsuit that seeks to ensure that state-funded [...]
Michigan couple files federal anti-Prop 2 lawsuit
By Dawn Wolfe Gutterman BANGOR, Mich. - A lesbian couple have filed a federal lawsuit seeking to strike down Proposal 2, the anti-marriage amendment passed in November 2004. However, the couple is also in talks [...]
Senate names ‘ideological tyrant’ to U.S. Court of Appeals
By Dawn Wolfe Gutterman WASHINGTON - He thinks gays and lesbians should be sent to jail for having sex in the privacy of their own homes. As Alabama's Attorney General, he filed briefs trying to [...]
Washtenaw Pride shines despite rain, heat
by R.J. Beaumia YPSILANTI - Cristy Cardinal had a long day at Washtenaw Pride. She was drenched from the last of three rainstorms happening within four hours. It seemed that every time she'd attempt to [...]
National News Briefs
Compiled by Dawn Wolfe Gutterman Politics Texas Gov. slams gay veterans FORT WORTH Ð Texas Republican Governor Rick Perry on June 5 insinuated the state's lesbian, gay and bisexual war veterans should leave the state [...]
Marriage News from Around the Country
Compiled by Dawn Wolfe Gutterman Maine: A proposed constitutional amendment seeking to ban equal marriage rights in the state is dead for the current legislative session following a Senate vote June 8. The amendment needed [...]
New Jersey Appeals Court rules against marriage equality
By BTL Staff TRENTON - A New Jersey appeals court issued a 2-1 ruling on June 14 in favor of that state's law against equal marriage rights for same-sex couples. The case will now move [...]