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Dear Jody: Mother regrets rejecting gay son who died
Q: I'm the mother of a gay son, unfortunately now, a deceased gay son. Last year at this time, my son "Daniel" told me that he was gay. I was so upset by his telling [...]
Parting Glances: Ghost of Christmas past
One week before Christmas 25 years ago an EMS ambulance rushed me - intoxicated, suicidal, addled headed - to the Detroit Psychiatric Hospital. The nightmare of a classic lost weekend stretched into nine harrowing days. [...]
Kwanzaa: An African-American cultural holiday turns 40 years old
Kwanzaa yenu iwe heri! (Happy Kwanzaa!) Kwanzaa, which is derived from the East African language, Swahili, means: first fruits. It is a cultural, not religious or commercial, African-American holiday. Dr. Maulena Karenga, who was then [...]
In a Family Way: A whole new world
By Arlene Istar Lev Those of you with small children will recognize the title of this column from the movie Aladdin, which my older son watched 500 times in the first few years of his [...]
Urban Bush Sista: Detroit couple has recipe for living together in love
By Imani Williams DETROIT - Rose petals lovingly dropped throughout the house leading to a rose filled bath tub; a surprise hot air balloon ride in upper Michigan. These are just two of the memories [...]
Transmissions: What’s in a name?
By Gwendolyn Ann Smith Zoo Atlanta has a new panda cub, a 12-pound baby bear named Mei Lan. As cute as she may be, my reason for bringing up the new arrival are more complex [...]
Creep of the Week: James Dobson
The question of the hour is, to paraphrase a nursery rhyme, "Mary, Mary quite contrary, how does your baby grow?" Or, if you're James Dobson, it's "Mary Mary, godless heathen, how dare your baby grow?" [...]
Random thoughts at the end of the year
Happy holidays, dear readers, and welcome to the final edition of Curtain Calls for 2006. Since next week's column is our annual look back at the previous year, I thought I'd devote part of this [...]
‘Doubt’-ful intentions
Cherry Jones keeps life simple. Except when she's a churchwoman. "They hired a lesbian to play a heterosexual who no longer is a heterosexual (but) who's a celibate nun," Jones says about her role as [...]
Electronic music rings in New Year’s celebration
DETROIT - Following Hal Sparks' performance, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra will present "Detroit Legends of Electronic Music" with Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson and Carl Craig from 10 p.m.-4 a.m. Dec. 31 at The Music Box [...]
Spark-ing scandals
Hal Sparks brought back the dork factor with his sarcastic "Talk Soup" banter. On "Queer As Folk" he showed his softer side. Then he blew through the reality TV circuit, wailing with Wynonna on "Celebrity [...]
‘L Word’ breaks new ground in season four
By Jillian A. Bogater The ladies of "The L Word" are back with their most ambitious season to date. After a prolonged two-year sophomore slump, the fourth season has managed to jumpstart itself. Taking on [...]
Alexander art show
"The Visitation," collage on aluminum by community artist Charles Alexander, is one of 25 art works on exhibit at the Scarab Club, second-floor gallery, Friday, January 5 through the end of the month. Alexander's one-person [...]
‘Planet’ dishes dyke gossip about ‘L Word’
By Jillian A. Bogater Nine months is a long time to go without a favorite television show. But for podcasting duo KC and Elka, that sabbatical also means a lot of down time for their [...]
Booze, Dope and Mistletoe: ‘Dolls’ perfect for holidays
By R.J. Beaumia It's pink, plastic and all about a bunch of bitchy showbiz dames with drug habits and mile-high hair. It's the special edition DVD of "Valley of the Dolls." If you have any [...]
Almodovar returns
To those who say you can't go home again, the latest film from director Pedro Almodovar is here to prove you wrong. "Volver" (which means "to return" in Spanish) stars Penelope Cruz as Raimunda, a [...]
Book Marks: Top 10 Fiction Titles, 2006
by Richard Labonte December 18, 2006 It's a good year for queer readers when books by the likes of Christopher Bram, Edmund White, Norah Vincent, Leslie Feinberg, Cheryl Clarke, Stephen McCauley, and Andrew Holleran are [...]
She’s not going to be ignored
By Christopher Cappiello In a film season that has seen monarchs, African dictators and murderous Boston gangsters, there might be no more ferocious screen presence than Dame Judi Dench's Barbara Covett, the quiet spinster history [...]
Pet of the Week: Jingles
Jingles is ready to jingle all the way home! Jingles is a beautiful five-years-young collie and German shepherd mix. She is already spayed so she is ready to go home with you today! This sweet [...]
Nite Out at the Clubs
THURSDAY Body Zone Health Club: Free tanning Club Flamingo: Happy Hour, 4-8 p.m. Diamond Jim's Saloon: Cadillac Squares Square Dancing and Bit T.W.A.T. Karaoke. Diversions: Karaoke. $3.00 16 oz beer. $1.50 Schnapps. $5.00 Jager Bombs [...]
Q Scopes “Take up yoga, Leo!”
by Jack Fertig December 25, 2006 The Sun in Capricorn draws our attention to our work and accomplishments, making this a fitting time for a New Year's review. With the Sun now aspecting Jupiter in [...]
Q Puzzle: “Ball Handlers”
December 25, 2006 Across 1 Movie about a gay bathhouse, with _The_ 5 Clergyman Bean 9 High places with flat tops 14 ___ bit (slightly) 15 Ready to go in 16 Good-sized 17 Cartoonist that [...]
Curtain Calls ONLINE
Professional Theater News from Around Town: Breathe Art Theatre Project moves to new Detroit stage DETROIT - Continuing its third Detroit/Windsor Cross-Border Season, Breathe Art Theatre Project announces that it is moving Detroit theaters, citing [...]
Clutch Cargos offers lesbian New Year’s bash
PONTIAC - Women will toast in the New Year when Where The Girls R hosts a celebration from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m Dec. 31 at the I-Lounge at Clutch Cargo's. DJ Jenny LaFemme, who [...]
Art & Around for the period Dec. 28-Jan. 6, 2007
ARCHITECTURE/GARDEN TOURS: Edsel & Eleanor Ford House Events include: Estate-wide exhibit, "Josephine Ford; A Celebration of Her Life and Legacy" (through Dec. 31; $8). Open Tue.-Sun. Grosse Pointe Shores: 313-884-4222. http://www.fordhouse.org ART, HISTORICAL & SCIENCE [...]
Theater Events for the period Dec. 28 – Jan. 6, 2007
PROFESSIONAL THEATER/OPERA: Arborophilia An oblique comedy that manages to twist thoughts, maul marriage, poke politics, whack weather, muddy money and loop love around a tree. Detroit Repertory Theatre, Detroit. Thu.-Sun., through Dec. 30. $20. 313-868-1347. [...]
MSU campus welcoming to LGBT-identified students
The article appearing in BTL's 12/7/2006 issue, "MSU Student Group Likely Hate Group" prompts our letter. We represent three LGBT-supportive organizations affiliated with Michigan State University. Unfortunately, support for broad free speech rights can be [...]
She/he Said Dec. 28, 2006
"This time around, ballot initiatives banning same-sex marriage drew markedly less support than in 2004; the draconian one endorsed by Mr. McCain in Arizona was voted down altogether. Two national politicians who had kowtowed egregiously [...]
Holiday Godmothers
The Godmothers recently hosted their eighth annual T-Dance at the newly remodeled upstairs bar at Como's in Ferndale. The Godmothers, a grassroots group of women from Metro Detroit that address the needs of families in [...]
Triangle Foundation to open office in western Michigan
DETROIT - Michigan's largest LGBT anti-violence and advocacy organization is about to get bigger. The Triangle Foundation will expand its organizing, education and coalition building efforts to western Michigan with the opening of a Western [...]
Person of the Year went above, beyond duties
It's challenging to select just one community advocate who makes great strides to enhance life for all of us. After all, there are quite a few who've put forth the effort this year. But Jay [...]
Jay Kaplan named BTL’s Person of the Year for 2006
{SUBHEAD Community's 'gay crusader' celebrated for his accomplishments, personality} {ITAL Author's note: I remember my first encounter with Between The Lines' first-ever Person of the Year as if it happened yesterday. It was on a [...]
What the community says about Jay Kaplan
"Jay is an irreplaceable resource to CARE and to the greater LGBT community. He is someone who truly cares about the community and is genuinely passionate about his work. He has been instrumental and tireless [...]