Constant threats of breakup causing health problems
Q: Every time my girlfriend gets mad at me for something, she threatens to leave me, or threatens one thing or another. "Elly" and I have been together three years. She has always done this [...]
Parting Glances: Book pages (Pt. 17)
Long, long before The Village People made "YMCA" the unofficial, persistent national anthem of gay men, ice skaters (and retirees), Ys played an important role, second only to bars, as places to meet available others [...]
Touched by an atheist
By R.J. Beaumia As a Catholic school boy in the 1960s, the mere mention of a name that could induce the fire of fear and panic in my little chest - even more than Sister [...]
The Gay Moralist: Same-sex marriage and the deprivation argument
By John Corvino I don't have children, don't plan to have children, and don't particularly want children. If I were to adopt children, my main criterion would be that they be old enough to operate [...]
General Gayety: Gay husbands, scribbling wives
By Leslie Robinson It's her turn. Dina Matos McGreevey, estranged wife of James "I am a gay American" McGreevey, is committing her guts to print. Her memoir, called "Silent Partner," is due out in May. [...]
Ferndale Blues Festival venues
Buffalo Wild Wings 280 W. Nine Mile Road Ferndale (248) 744-4470 New Way Bar 23130 Woodward Ave. Ferndale (248) 541-9870 Club Bart 22726 Woodward Ave. Ferndale (248) 548-8746 Post Bar 22828 Woodward Ave. Ferndale (248) [...]
Logo announces season two of wedding reality series
"First Comes Love," a comic and touching look at LGBT couples as they plan their dream weddings, has been renewed for a second season, Logo announced about the reality series. In response to overwhelmingly positive [...]
‘Grey’s’ star under attack for repeated slur
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation demanded Isaiah Washington apologize for using the word "faggot" in relation to his "Grey's Anatomy" co-star. "When Isaiah Washington uses this kind of anti-gay slur - whether on [...]
Raw sensations
Ouch. That's what Melissa Ferrick, at 4 years old, would think when her violin instructor would smack her hand with his bow and tell her to play through her mistakes. "That was really drilled into [...]
Griffin makes ‘heavenly’ return
The bare bass and brushed drums tiptoe in. Patty Griffin boldly lets out a blues-infused repetitive line: "You'll remember." And she's right. We will. On Griffin's fifth accomplished piece "Children Running Through," she parts the [...]
‘Bad Girls’ suffers from bad plotline
By Jillian A. Bogater At the very least, the new Logo series "Bad Girls" offers truth in advertising. The British show is based in a prison full of girls (err, women) and the writing is [...]
Powerful drama looks at Iraq War through the eyes of Iraqi women
Midwest premiere of '9 Parts of Desire' begins Jan. 31 in Dearborn DEARBORN - If there's one voice that's been missing throughout the coverage of the Iraqi war, it's been that of the Iraqi women [...]
Docu-drama examines turning point in Detroit’s race relations
UDM Theatre Company revives 'The Sweet Trials' DETROIT - A pivotal moment in Detroit's history will be re-examined beginning Feb. 2 when the University of Detroit Mercy Theatre Company presents its 20th anniversary production of [...]
The OutField: Slamming the door on negative recruiting
By Dan Woog It's hard being a lesbian athlete or coach. You're never sure what's being said behind your back - or when. In the college ranks, verbal gay-bashing takes many forms. One of the [...]
Nite Out: Sing a song
A wild Friday night of Karaoke brought out many vocal friends at the Adams Apple. BTL photo: Danielle
Pet of the Week: Zachary
What a handsome gent! Meet Zachary, a one-year-old Terrier mix, who is full of puppy love and affection! Simply adorable! Zachary is a quite a friendly fellow, making friends with all he meets. He really [...]
Book Marks: Behind the Moon, Uselands and more
by Richard Labonte January 29, 2007 "Userlands: New Fiction Writers from the Blogging Underground," edited by Dennis Cooper. Little House on the Bowery, 376 pages, $16.95 paper. Two years ago, Dennis Cooper set up a [...]
Q Scopes: “Stay tasteful, Libra!”
by Jack Fertig January 22, 2007 Venus in Aquarius opens us up to new adventures in art and flirtation. Sextile to Pluto, she can lead us quickly into challenge and passion. Don't start something you're [...]
Now Playing: The Dead Girl
January 29, 2007 NEW THIS WEEK: The Dead Girl The murder of prostitute Krista (Brittany Murphy) sends ripples through the lives of various women, from the browbeaten caretaker (Toni Collette) who finds the body, to [...]
Q Puzzle: “Oral Sect”
January 22, 2007 Across 1 Cathedral of Hope collection 5 Strip a fruit 9 Singer k.d. 13 "Do Not Enter," with "out" 14 Baldwin's "The ___ Corner" 15 "The Gay Caballero" star Romero 16 Letters [...]
Distance between races explored at DRT
Although I might not necessarily agree with playwright Richard Kalinoski's conclusion that "Here in America we're all the ghosts of slaves" - it assumes blacks and whites can't and never WILL be able to look [...]
Ability, agility, tight abs at the Fisher
I'd be in traction for months - or years - if I tried that. That was my initial thought while watching remarkable human bodies gracefully and skillfully fly, roll, juggle, tumble and contort their way [...]
Curtain Calls ONLINE
Professional Theater News from Around Town: Shakespeare, via The Theatre Ensemble, receives MCACA grant ROCHESTER - The Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs awarded the Theatre Ensemble at Meadow Brook Theatre a $14,200 grant [...]
Art & Around for the period Jan. 25-Feb. 3
ARCHITECTURE/GARDEN TOURS: Edsel & Eleanor Ford House Discover the Ford House with all-new tours that go behind the scenes, examine special subjects and provide a new perspective on the family that left an indelible mark [...]
Theater Events for the period Jan. 25-Feb. 3
PROFESSIONAL THEATER/OPERA: Amadeus The story of two brilliant composers, Mozart and Salieri: one humbly gifted and the other viciously envious. Hilberry Theatre, Detroit. Plays in repertory through March 3. $15-$28. 313-577-2972. http://www.hilberry.com Between Men and [...]
Affirmations’ choice for new development director troubling
I find it disconcerting that Affirmations could not find a better choice for their development director than someone whose recent past included serious allegations of embezzlement and compromising their position of trust to special interest [...]
BTL music reviewer biased against Diana Ross
I just have one question: Why did the "columnist" bother to write a review of a product from an artist he obviously dislikes? ("'Lost Love': Diana Ross records generic comeback album," by Chris Azzopardi, Jan. [...]
Gay marriage does not mock traditional values
I have difficulty trying to understand why allowing gays to use the term marriage rather than unions to be such a sticking point. I have heard it often said by people that are opposed to [...]
Housing discrimination stories sought
Have you ever been turned away from housing because you are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender? If so, the Fair Housing Center of Southeastern Michigan and Triangle Foundation want to hear from you. FHC-Southeast is [...]
Retreat center invites white people to confront racism
LYONS - White people seeking to confront and challenge white racism in themselves and their communities are invited to deepen their knowledge of this urgent social issue at an upcoming three-weekend seminar beginning in mid-February [...]
Floats needed for Michigan Pride parade
The Michigan Pride Committee 2007 seeks float entries for the Michigan Pride Parade June 30 in Lansing. "We are encouraging civic, social, youth, and veteran's organizations to show their national pride, and join in the [...]
Workshop addresses racism, homophobia in faith communities
LYONS - As issues such as affirmative action and gay marriage remain in the national spotlight, the Leaven Center offers a three-day workshop teaching participants how to challenge racism and homophobia in their local faith [...]
She/He Said: Week of Jan. 25, 2007
"I have come to realize, having played the part, the inequality is striking. It is actually shocking to me. I had no idea about the rights that are not afforded to gays and lesbians. I [...]
Affirmations announces $150,000 endowment
FERNDALE - On Jan. 23, Affirmations announced that Allan Gilmour and Eric Jirgens made a new $150,000 gift to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community center's endowment fund. Since the gift qualifies for a [...]
Former Detroit cop details courage and harassment in book
DETROIT - "By the time I was 16, I had formulated four goals for myself. Those goals were to become a police officer, to have a baby by natural childbirth like my Cherokee ancestors, to [...]
Creep of the Week: Virginia Del. Frank Hargrove
Virginia House Delegate Frank Hargrove has taken quite a beating in the press for racist and anti-Semitic comments he made last week. Personally, I want to thank him. By speaking his racist little mind he [...]
Gumbleton supporters hope to sway church’s actions
BY Sharon Gittleman DETROIT- When Reverend Mark Bidwell learned activist priest Bishop Thomas Gumbleton was asked to leave as pastor of St. Leo's Church, he felt he couldn't stand by without voicing his protest. Bidwell [...]
International briefs
Mexican state passes civil-union law The Mexican state of Coahuila, which borders Texas, passed a civil-union law for same-sex couples Jan. 11. The state Congress approved the measure 20-13. It was introduced by the centrist [...]
Pfizer sued over Viagra ads
By Bob Roehr The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has charged the pharmaceutical company Pfizer with "promoting Viagra as a party drug...leading to more infections with sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV," according to its president [...]
Ferndale Blues Festival brings gay, straight communities together
Musically, the blues tell a story at its most raw emotions. It's in the common denominator that all people can relate. Love. Lust. Loss. Lyrically, the blues brings a diverse community together, all tapping their [...]
The beat goes on
Brian McNamara takes AIDS seriously. That's why, as a manager of Como's, his restaurant will participate in the Blues Festival from Jan. 26 to Feb. 3 in Ferndale. "I'm doing everything I can to make [...]
Affirmations announces $150,000 endowment
FERNDALE - On Jan. 23, Affirmations announced that Allan Gilmour and Eric Jirgens made a new $150,000 gift to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community center's endowment fund. Since the gift qualifies for a [...]