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Dear Jody: When children mimic, Plus a picky guy
Child wants to mimic mother's lesbian lifestyle Q: My daughter, Loren, is 7 years old and in second grade. Up until now I have never had any negative calls from the teacher or the school. [...]
Creep of the Week: Robert E. Jackson
When Steve Stanton, former city manager of Largo, Florida, announced in February his intention to transition to a woman, the City Commission voted 5-2 to fire him. He was, according to them, no longer capable [...]
Parting Glances: Yo! My name is Spud
". . . and I'm a gay basher . . ." Beloved Friends: I'm sitting in on a meeting of Gay Basher's Anonymous with -- unknown to the bashers -- my pocket-size recording device surreptitiously [...]
She He Said Week of April 25
"Republican nominations are largely determined by fundamentalist Christian conservatives who think the state's responsibility for life begins are conception and ends at birth. They also think adultery or gay sex are far worse sins than [...]
Viewpoint: All hate crimes aren’t created equal
By Chris Crain {ITAL A week after a hate crimes bill was renamed for Matthew Shepard, the killings of other college students at Va. Tech were exploited to oppose it.} Like most national tragedies, the [...]
‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ ensures lopsided debate
by Glenn A. LeCarl While the furor over the anti-gay remarks by Gen. Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has subsided, a fundamental injustice of the military policy known as "Don't Ask, [...]
All Politics is Loco: Father Figure
by Sean Kosofsky Fifty-six years ago this week, the man who would later become my father, was born. My father's parents were observant Russian Jews who lived modestly in Oak Park - in the house [...]
Unity minister says he’s ready to provide civil union services
Capitol Correspondent LANSING - The Rev. Kent Lederer of Unity of Greater Lansing has taken over the reins of what he describes as a "transdenominational" church and is ready to start performing civil unions. The [...]
Getting hitched
by Pam Benneti I'm getting hitched. Yes, I, who have previously bemoaned the institution of marriage, am going to partake in a hand-fasting ceremony with my partner next year. We'd danced a slow dance around [...]
Wedding bloopers marred loving couples’ big day
By Sharon Gittleman FERNDALE - Just imagine the scene. The flowers are perfect. Your wedding gowns are stunning. Your family and your soon-to-be in-laws haven't come to blows. Then disaster strikes. It happened to a [...]
Wedding favors offer a non-traditional tradition
by Sharon Gittleman ROYAL OAK - Choosing the perfect reception locale, selecting your flowers and deciding what to serve aren't the only decisions brides and grooms face when planning their commitment ceremonies. Giving a little [...]
Why do the “I Do”
By Sarah Mieras Ten, five, even three years ago if someone had told me I would be planning a wedding, even considering wearing a wedding dress, I would have laughed. After all, marriage is just [...]
Barbara Walters to speak with transgender kids
ABC's 20/20 will air "Unconditional Love," a special report on the lives of three families and their transgender children, at 10 p.m. April 27. Walters will report on some of the youngest transgender kids - [...]
Having a ball
Clean off those clubs and think up some senseless swear words. The grass is clear of snow - for now, anyhow - and it's time to rev up those drivers for some frustrating, er, fun [...]
Hear Me Out: Lavigne gets loud, McBride masters monster notes
Avril Lavigne {ITAL "The Best Damn Thing" B} Avril Lavigne still wants to be a Toys 'R' Us kid. Forget the step-ahead she took to prove herself as a grown-up on her somber sophomore album. [...]
Erotic world serves as backdrop to Lansing production
INFO BOX "Sex&Violets.com" 8 p.m. May 4, 5, 11 and 12 Metro Internet Exchange (MIX), Lansing www.icarusfalling.com LANSING — "Sex&Violets.com" is making its North American debut. The production centers on Stafford Myers and Thora Ainslie [...]
‘If The Shoe Fits’ returns to the stage
LANSING - You'll see ghosts, faeries, cutpurses and cobblers this spring as BoarsHead Theater remounts its Family Series production "If The Shoe Fits," written by Marlene Shelton, at 2 p.m. April 21 and 28. The [...]
Molly Shannon’s ‘Year’
By Gregg Shapiro Don't be surprised if you start to hear Molly Shannon's name mentioned in the same sentence as Best Actress and Academy Award. In "Year of the Dog," the directorial debut by queer [...]
Sweet vibrations
Imagine this. Duckie, the wannabe hipster in "Pretty In Pink," has a fabulous wedding to a hunky homo. Together, they raise two adopted children. Oh, and his Grace Adler is Andie. Uh, wait. Wasn't Duckie [...]
AJ O’Neil’s Cafe opens in Ferndale
FERNDALE - A new cafe and coffeehouse just opened in the heart of downtown Ferndale. Owned by a gay couple, AJ O'Neil's offers fresh brewed coffee and an eclectic menu. Their Grand Opening party April [...]
Editor’s Pick: Wrestling with Angels
Academy Award-winning director Freida Lee Mock relished Tony Kushner after one minute. It was the 60-second speech at a college graduation that roused the "Wrestling With Angels" mastermind to write, direct and produce a documentary [...]
Having a ball
Clean off those clubs and think up some senseless swear words. The grass is clear of snow - for now, anyhow - and it's time to rev up those drivers for some frustrating, er, fun [...]
Q Scopes: Take brisk action, Gemini
by Jack Fertig April 23, 2007 Mars and Uranus are aligned in Pisces, boosting energy, but making focus and direction difficult. Accidents happen all too easily now. The big challenge is to watch your step [...]
Q Puzzle: Hollywood Icons
April 23, 2007 Across 1 "Big-boned" women, to k. d. lang 5 Pride expression 9 Cathedral of ___ 13 Sexual partners, to the insensitive 14 Suffix with prefer 15 Mail carriers at Hogwarts 16 Canadian [...]
Now Playing at the movies
April 30, 2007 NEW THIS WEEK: Fracture Ted Crawford (Anthony Hopkins) shoots his wife and puts her in a coma. Now it's up to prosecutor Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling) to make sure the attempted-murder charge [...]
Pet of the Week: Benedict
Simply stunning! Meet Benedict, a very handsome one-year-old kitty who has the sweetest face you'll see! It's hard to believe this dashing fellow was found straying about in the spring chill, but he's ready to [...]
Barbara Walters to speak with transgender kids
ABC's 20/20 will air "Unconditional Love," a special report on the lives of three families and their transgender children, at 10 p.m. April 27. Walters will report on some of the youngest transgender kids - [...]
AIDSWatch 2007 lobbying urges united front
by Bob Roehr WASHINGTON, D.C. - Hundreds of AIDS advocates rolled into Washington for the annual lobbying effort known as AIDSWatch. April 23 was dedicated to briefings before they headed to Capitol Hill on the [...]
AJ O’Neil’s Cafe opens in Ferndale
FERNDALE - A new cafe and coffeehouse just opened in the heart of downtown Ferndale. Owned by a gay couple, AJ O'Neil's offers fresh brewed coffee and an eclectic menu. Their Grand Opening party April [...]
Michigan far-right protests Angels in America production
by Tana Michaels SAGINAW - The play, Angels in America Part 1, opened at Saginaw Valley State University last Friday like any other play with one exception; there were police cars in the parking lot. [...]
Hundreds rally to restore arts funding
LANSING - Hundreds of arts advocates from all over the state of Michigan rallied at the capitol Wednesday demanding a restoration of arts grants for the current fiscal year. "This is money that was promised, [...]
WASHINGTON, D.C. –
by Bob Roehr The Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2007 (ENDA) was reintroduced in the House on April 24 after a hiatus of two years. It would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or [...]
Democratic Presidential candidates have sights on gay dollars
By Lisa Keen The race for the Democratic presidential nomination has an unusual feature this time around: A battle of the gay lists. And early campaign finance reports this week suggest another battle is brewing [...]
International News: Latvian pride, Saskatchewan, Aruba
by Rex Wockner Court: Latvian pride ban was illegal Latvia's Riga Regional Administrative Court ruled April 12 that the Riga City Council's ban on last year's gay-pride parade was illegal. The council had cited safety [...]
MAPP offers extended hours for HIV testing
FERNDALE - On Saturday MAPP will extend its office hours and offer free HIV testing from noon to 6 p.m. at 429 Livernois in Ferndale (one block north of Eight Mile Road, in the Community [...]
Hate group’s invited speaker is shouted down
Capitol Correspondent EAST LANSING - The appearance at Michigan State University of Minutemen Civilian Defense Corps leader Chris Simcox was marred with protests and arrests. Simcox spoke at MSU on Thursday, at the invitation of [...]
Love busted
By Sarah Mieras GRAND RAPIDS - A message of love and acceptance yielded handcuffs and bail when the Soulforce Equality Ride rolled into Grand Rapids' bible belt Monday. On Monday, after being told they were [...]
Soulforce Equality Ride visits Spring Arbor University
SPRING ARBOR - The East Coast team of Soulforce Equality Ride met with students, faculty and community members in Spring Arbor Saturday afternoon. Joining the 25 activists were about 20 students and community members. Spring [...]
BTL Editorial: Commitments should be kept
There's no doubt that Michigan's economy is in deep trouble. With the second worst unemployment rate in the nation and state businesses hemorrhaging jobs seemingly on a daily basis - plus a disturbing lack of [...]
It’s wild. It’s wacky. It’s McGettigan
We're all entitled to our own opinions. That's generally the consensus here in America where free speech is cherished above almost everything else. But what if that opinion runs contrary to one espoused by whichever [...]
‘Julius X’: a production not to be missed
By Robert W. Bethune Plowshare's production of Al Letson's play, "Julius X," is a marvelous piece of work that truly deserves to be seen. Go! Do not let this one slip by you! It is [...]
Multi-cultural laughs at The Second City
In these politically correct, post-Don Imus days, some might feel that to attend a sketch comedy show billed as a "multi-cultural look at living in the mid-west" performed by "Chaldean, Indian and African-American actors" would [...]
Formulating a pleasant evening with StarBrite
By Robert W. Bethune There is a standard formula for farcical comedy based on the tried-and-true convention of the well-meant deceit. These are plays in which good people tell lies, not with malicious intent, and [...]
‘An Inspector Calls’ well worth investigating at the JET
By D. A. Blackburn In opening the final production of its 2006-2007 season, "An Inspector Calls," the Jewish Ensemble Theatre has taken on a classic English tale of death and intrigue, and delivered an insightful [...]
Love busted
By Sarah Mieras GRAND RAPIDS - A message of love and acceptance yielded handcuffs and bail when the Soulforce Equality Ride rolled into Grand Rapids' bible belt Monday. On Monday, after being told they were [...]
State Representative calls ‘Angels in America’ a degeneracy
by Tana Michaels SAGINAW - The controversy continues over "Angels in America," a play now showing at Saginaw Valley State University. The play opened last weekend and will continue with three more performances this weekend. [...]
N.H. lawmakers approves civil unions for gay couples
CONCORD, N.H. (AP and wire reports) - New Hampshire lawmakers voted Thursday to authorize civil unions and sent the measure to Gov. John Lynch, who announced last week that he would sign it. "This legislation [...]
Gay leaders converge in Philadelphia for National Memorial ceremony honoring gay rights pioneer Barbara Gittings
PHILADELPHIA - A national memorial ceremony honoring the gay rights pioneer, Barbara Gittings will take place at Independence Hall Saturday at 2 p.m. Speakers at the memorial will include directors of national LGBT organizations including [...]