Spiderbaby: The Twin Cities’ favorite (gay) wrestler
By Dan Woog The OutField The results are in. The "Best Wrestler of 2009" - at least in the Twin Cities - is a gay man. But the bigger news might be that "SpiderBaby"'s selection [...]
The Gay Moralist: Luxury vs. Charity
by John Corvino Some years ago I attended a seminar on charitable giving in the GLBT community. The event was aimed toward affluent donors, and judging by the cars in the parking lot, it hit [...]
Creep of the Week: Mark Sanford
Congratulations South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford on becoming the latest Republican "defender" of marriage to be caught getting some on the side. How's it feel to be a walking cliche? Well, if we're to judge [...]
Parting Glances: While the cat’s away
Hi, Parting Glances readers. It's Fr. Manly Everhope here! And it's I, everybody's favorite DKNY wash-and-wear wimple nun, Sr. Serena Scatterpin, Renegade Sisters of Mary. Pox vobiscum. Et cum spiritus a a-go-go. Have a blessed [...]
Life, death and love: TLC at the PRTC
Theaters risk low ticket sales and iffy reviews any time they produce a brand new play written by a first time or an up-and-coming playwright - especially in a decaying economy that seems to demand [...]
Healing the World
The afternoon before Michael Jackson died, David Blair told BTL how his poetry collection would unite life in Detroit and the Jackson family. One focus, obviously, would be the King of Pop. The Detroit-based poet [...]
Lights, camera, dildo!
By Anthony Paull The Dating Diet It's supposed to be a festive, yet relaxing dinner with friends. No one expected there to be a tragic break up on the menu. Much like life, it just [...]
Salesmen, love and silence take the stage Thursdays at Go Comedy!
FERNDALE - Go Comedy! Improv Theater is set to premier two original comedies on July 9, "Travel Earth Time Shares" and "Silent," which both join the critically acclaimed comedy "Love & Other Urban Legends." "Travel [...]
Hear Me Out
Fritz Helder & the Phantoms, 'Greatest Hits: Platinum Edition' A night with Fritz Helder & the Phantoms might get you in trouble: "Coke and crack and all that shit, taking a hit, making it quick." [...]
Let go, Leo!
By Jack Fertig Q Scopes The Sun and Cancer are in Mercury, making us a bit more affectionate and emotional. They aspect Saturn in Virgo, drawing attention to faults, details and problems. You can balance [...]
Deep Inside Hollywood
By Romeo San Vicente Keeping the faith with 'The L Word' Showtime didn't pick up "The Farm," the "The L Word" spinoff about Alice in prison. That's off the table for now. And those post-finale [...]
Stand-up Straight
Across 1 Foam at South Beach 5 Voting group 9 Nightclub in a Manilow song 13 John Goodman's "Normal, ___ " 14 Car that used to be yours 15 Guinness of "The Lavender Hill Mob" [...]
Don’t be surprised over Obama’s backtracking
Letter to the Editor I find it amusing that BTL, and what appears to be the rest of the LGBT community, are bashing President Obama over the whole Defensive Of Marriage Act situation (BTL June [...]
Affirmations overhauls youth program during turbulent year
by Jessica Carreras When Affirmations shut down their youth program for three weeks in late May and early June to "revamp" the effort, it followed a half year where the program had no leader at [...]
Between Ourselves
by Jessica Carreras Mike McGuinness is only 25 - but if you're involved in LGBT issues or politics in southeast Michigan, you probably already know his name. The West Bloomfield resident is chair of the [...]
Census to count gay marriages in 2010
By Lisa Keen It has been widely reported within recent weeks that "the White House said" it was going to start counting same-sex married couples in the U.S. Census. Although it's hard to pin down [...]
Obama Administration Tries to Soften DADT
by Bob Roehr Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the Pentagon is looking at "a more humane way to apply" the anti-gay military policy known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" until it can be repealed. The [...]
House Democrats block DADT repeal vote
by Bob Roehr "Congress seems intent on delaying any debate" on the antigay military policy known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," according to a report in the June 26 edition of Military Times. It said [...]
D.C. recognizes same-sex marriages
by Bob Roehr Marriage equality took another small step forward on July 7 when Washington, D.C. began to recognize the marriages of same sex couples that are performed elsewhere. The D.C. city council expects to [...]
Everybody Reads to transition to co-op
This past Saturday, supporters of the Everybody Reads in Lansing met to discuss the business' future as a neighborhood bookstore. The bookstore is known for providing reading material that appeals to minority groups and underserved [...]
300 march in Sofia
by Rex Wockner International News Briefs Around 300 people marched in the second gay pride parade in Sofia, Bulgaria, on June 27 - twice as many as last year. Police and private security officers, who [...]
British gay newspaper shuts down
by Rex Wockner International News Briefs The venerable British gay newspaper Pink Paper ceased publication June 24 due to falling ad revenue. However, no one was laid off by the company, which also publishes the [...]
India’s gay sex ban struck down
by Rex Wockner International News Briefs Following an eight-year court battle, India's Delhi High Court legalized gay sex July 2 in a forceful and poetic ruling that had GLBT activists crying in the courtroom. The [...]
Irish gov’t introduces civil partnership law
by Rex Wockner International News Briefs Ireland's government has introduced a civil partnership bill in Parliament, where it should pass easily. The law is expected to be in effect by the end of the year. [...]
Gay pride goes well in Jerusalem, for a change
by Rex Wockner International News Briefs About 2,000 people marched in Jerusalem's gay pride parade June 25 without incident, but for one tossed egg. Previous years' marches have been met with violent protests, stabbings and [...]
Lithuanian president vetoes ‘no promo homo’ bill
by Rex Wockner International News Briefs Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus on June 26 vetoed a bill that banned from schools and public places information that agitates for homosexual, bisexual or polygamous relations. The vote for [...]
Liza does Paris Pride
by Rex Wockner International News Briefs Singer and gay icon Liza Minnelli danced on a float in Paris' gay pride parade June 27. Minnelli is the daughter of gay icon Judy Garland, whose death five [...]
Saudis arrest 67 cross-dressers
by Rex Wockner International News Briefs Police arrested 67 mostly Filipino men for wearing women's clothing June 13 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The roundup took place at a private residence during a Philippines Independence Day [...]
Gays attacked at Slovenian Pride event
by Rex Wockner International News Briefs A cafe in Ljubljana, Slovenia, that was holding a Pride week cultural event was damaged June 25 by rock-throwing, hate-spewing anti-gay protestors. Eight men carrying stones and torches attacked [...]
Kzoo re-approves ordinance – but fight is far from over
by Jessica Carreras The Kalamazoo ordinance set to protect LGBT people from discrimination within the city was once again approved unanimously by the City Commission on June 29 - but that didn't settle the debate [...]
Study looking for LGBT immigrant participants
Do you have a story to tell about your experience as an LGBT immigrant to the United States? Are you interested in sharing it with people learning about LGBT immigration? If so, this is your [...]
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Steve Hildebrand
by Rex Wockner Openly gay Steve Hildebrand was Barack Obama's deputy national campaign director. When Obama started to come under heavy fire from GLBT people in recent weeks for talking the talk but not walking [...]
‘Affirming the LGBT Agenda’
By Lisa Keen WASHINGTON, D.C. - On Monday, June 29, President Barack Obama urged the LGBT community to judge him "not by promises I've made but by the promises that my administration keeps." "I know [...]
Washington moves on parts of the gay agenda
by Bob Roehr ENDA The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 3017) was reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on June 24 by Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), with a bipartisan group of 126 cosponsors. The trans-inclusive [...]
Steppin’ Out to host wine tasting
Steppin' Out, the non-profit organization that hosts the annual AIDS Walk Detroit in Royal Oak each September, is holding a fundraiser. The Wine Tasting Soiree will take place at 5 p.m. July 11 at the [...]
Summer offers no reprieve – but that’s good
Remember the lazy days of summer? Sitting by the pool, sipping pina coladas, wasting the hours away doing little more than listening to a favorite record or reading a good book or trashy magazine. But [...]
Fringing it all the way to…Windsor
By Taras Berezowsky Tommy Nugent is one of a handful of Michiganders who is performing at the 2009 Windsor International Fringe Festival. Photo: The Torii Institute Never has it been easier for a Michigan-based [...]
8th Wonder to open sophomore summer stock
By D. A. Blackburn While high temperatures and humidity mark the end of the year for most theaters, one young local company is embarking on its second season of summer stock programming, with [...]
Talking Shakespeare with John Neville-Andrews
By D. A. Blackburn John Neville-Andrews has served as the artistic producer of the Michigan Shakespeare Festival for 13 of its 15 seasons. Photo: MSF archives John Neville-Andrews serves as artistic producer of the [...]