As the world continues to learn more about coronavirus and its spread, it's vital to stay up-to-date on the latest developments. However, it's also important to make sure that the information being distributed is from credible sources. To that end, Between The Lines has compiled, [...]
Dear Jody: My hopeless job hunt
Q: It is 3 a.m. and I can't sleep. I am so worried; I am in a constant state of panic. I lost my job last year and haven't been able to find another one. [...]
Queeries: Can I break up with my boyfriend by text?
By Steven Petrow Q: My boyfriend and I have been dating for about three months. He told me that he and his ex-partner broke up before we met, but I just found out that they're [...]
Cocktail Chatter: The Madras
By Ed Sikov Jack Fogg, the CNN reporter, strode into the house with the world-ownership attitude of everyone who went to Harvard. With him was his lithe Indian boyfriend, Samir. They rented a room one [...]
Book Marks
By Richard Labonte "Visible Lives: Three Stories in Tribute to E. Lynn Harris," by Terrance Dean, James Earl Hardy, and Stanley Bennett Clay. Dafina/Kensington Books, 352 pages, $15 paper. Fans of the many steamy novels [...]
How ‘Mo Can Kathy Griffin Go?
Out-gaying Cher takes someone with a strong allegiance to the queer community. Someone who's played lezzy, and maybe undergone some plastic touch-ups. Someone like Kathy Griffin, the funny "fag hag" who's shamelessly self-deprecating about her [...]
‘Model’ Citizen: An interview with John Waters
By Gregg Shapiro For more than 40 years, John Waters has been one of the most original voices in contemporary pop culture. His films, including "Pink Flamingos," "Desperate Living," "Polyester," "Hairspray" and "Pecker," brought the [...]
Killing the Competition
By Thomas Matich This past season of "American Idol" was frustrating to watch. Aside from Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze, the contestants weren't able to muster much originality or "wow factors" in their performances of [...]
Keeping It Fun(damental)
Chris Taylor really wants you to know something: He's in bed, wearing only underwear, next to a large, hairy male with beautiful green eyes. And it's his cat. He's sick on this particular afternoon, just [...]
Macy Gray Chats
Maybe you forgot about Macy Gray. Not that anyone could: She's a loopy, 6-foot-tall standout with a distinctive, soulful rasp. But Gray's success since the monster hit "I Try" has been just that - try [...]
Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough
By Lawrence Ferber With his second solo outing, "Non-Stop" (Mute), Erasure vocalist Andy Bell is behind the wheel of a shiny new electropop model. Characterized by an edgier, nightclub-ready sound with fevered nu-disco flourish - [...]
Deep Inside Hollywood
By Romeo San Vicente Latifah likes 'Single Ladies' She may have just purchased a new home with her personal trainer Jeanette Jenkins, but "Just Wright" star Queen Latifah must still have fond memories of "Living [...]
Q Scopes: Be careful with your money, Pisces!
By Jack Fertig Mars in Leo is triggering crises, mostly in the form of fights and mis-understandings that show where we need to wrap things up and move on. Clear away worries and doubts. Analyze [...]
Pro-family Christian
Across 1 Gals of guys with big shooters 6 "Lesbians ignite!" e.g. 11 " ___ Afraid of Virginia Woolf" 15 Swell place 16 "Harold and Maude" screenwriter Higgins 17 Banjoist Scruggs 18 TV political drama [...]
Ch-ch-changes highlight the 2009-10 theater season
By BTL Staff Despite the challenges of a still-struggling economy and an environment that often seems hostile to the arts, Michigan's professional theaters not only survived their 2009-10 seasons, many seemingly thrived. They lowered ticket [...]
Between All of Us: Quotes of the Community
compiled by Jessica Carreras "My parents and church community instilled in me the value of community service, and the importance of investing time and energy in causes that promote positive change you believe in." - [...]
Featured Goings On for Pride
Affirmations' All Media Show Well-known artist and College for Creative Studies professor Gilda Snowden is one of 15 artists showing a total of 40 pieces at the Affirmations Pittmann-Puckett Art Gallery from June 6-30. "As [...]
New band to perform at state Pride festivals
by Lucy Hough Providing entertainment at Pride festivals around the state is a new instrumental group, the Equality Band of Michigan. The group, an offshoot of the former Great Lakes Pride Band, started practicing and [...]
Back to the ‘roots’
by Lucy Hough The Southeast Michigan Dyke March emerged out of the passion and empowerment a group of friends felt after attending last year's Chicago Dyke March. "We're not doing this for us so much, [...]
Pride Calendar
Friday, June 4 Bear Blast Party, 9 p.m. Food, shot specials, lube wrestling, MCB contest and more. Hosted by the Motor City Bears. Menjos Complex, 928 W. McNichols, Detroit. http://www.motorcitybears.com. Saturday, June 5 Women's Golf [...]
Leatherman starts Pride run for Aff youth
On the day of his 10-mile charity run, Rich Long - aka "Trooper" - will most likely wear standard nylon running shorts. However, the black leather armband he'll wear and the jars full of donations [...]
The Music Maker
It's an interesting year for Dr. Edward Maki-Schramm. In 2010, he celebrates both his 10th year as minister of music for Detroit's Central United Methodist Church and the establishment's 200th birthday. The double-whammy anniversary has [...]
The Collaborative Cook
Cooking is usually an isolated occupation. Save the Rachael Rays and Paula Deens of the TV world, most culinary endeavors involve a chef - possibly with their team - tucked away in a kitchen, dishing [...]
The Savior
When trying to meet with Kevin Howley, the current director of the Quaker-founded Friends School of Detroit, he says his schedule is very open because he cut down his own paid hours. This attitude is [...]
Working it Out
by Jessica Carreras So often in Between The Lines, we honor and showcase people on the frontlines of Michigan's (and the U.S.) battle for LGBT equality. Non-profit employees and volunteers, marchers, activists, PFLAG parents, support [...]
The Master
Over 40 years ago, Jaye Spiro was a victim of violence. As with many survivors, it changed her in ways she couldn't imagine at the time. In fact, it decided her entire career as a [...]
BTL Asks: What Are You Proud Of?
Metropolitan Community Church of Detroit - my church! They are awesome and so very accepting. I am proud to be a part of them. My mom, because she still loves and accepts me and even [...]
Out of Town: Cologne and the 2010 Gay Games
By Andrew Collins A progressive, attractive metropolis that's long been a playground for fans of outdoor cafes, leafy parks and extremely friendly gay bars, Cologne http://www.koeln.de/cologne"tourist"information is Germany's fourth-largest city and a hub of the [...]
Police arrest, beat transgenders in Ankara
by Rex Wockner International News Briefs Five transgender people were arrested and beaten by police in Ankara, Turkey, on May 17, the Pink Life Association and other rights groups reported. Pink Life said the incident [...]
Group: Sweden is Europe’s gay-friendliest country
by Rex Wockner International News Briefs ILGA-Europe - the European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association - has named Sweden as Europe's most pro-gay country. The new edition of the [...]
ILGA: 76 countries ban gay sex, 7 have death penalty
by Rex Wockner International News Briefs ILGA - the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association - has released the fourth edition of its massive "State Sponsored Homophobia" report. The most significant change in [...]
Gays stage public action in Kazakhstan
by Rex Wockner International News Briefs Seven gay men staged a "flashmob" in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on May 17 in conjunction with IDAHO, the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. They gathered near the KazakhTelecom building [...]
Skinheads attack Slovak pride
by Rex Wockner International News Briefs At least 80 skinheads attacked the rally that preceded the first gay pride parade in Bratislava, Slovakia, on May 22. The assaults injured two people and forced the relocation [...]
Two arrested in raid of Zimbabwean LGBT group
by Rex Wockner International News Briefs Employees Ellen Chadehama and Ignatius Mhambi were arrested May 21 during a police raid of the Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe office in Harare. Officers took away computers and [...]
Affirmations begins new plan, capital campaign
by Jessica Carreras FERNDALE - The Affirmations Board of Directors held their annual meeting at the center on May 26, during which they unveiled preparations for the launch of their new strategic plan and second [...]
New Michigan group to offer FtM support
by Lucy Hough FLINT - A meeting on Saturday, May 22, set the stage for a new LGBT group that would focus on female-to-male transgender people. The group, started by Charlie Ford, is hoping to [...]
Arcus head steps down
After five years of leading the Arcus Foundation, it was announced on May 28 that Executive Director Urvashi Vaid is leaving the organization on June 30 to write a book and, Arcus said in a [...]
Affirmations to hold Health and Wellness Fair
Affirmations will host its annual Health and Wellness Fair on Saturday, June 12, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Ferndale LGBT center. This year's fair will include free basic health, vision and glaucoma [...]
Affirmations begins mobile campaign
Want to have an extra-cool pride experience? Affirmations has launched a mobile campaign in conjunction with Motor City Pride, which will give participants a "fun, top-secret, Pride-related" experience, said Special Events Manager Carrie Copeland. People [...]
Motor City Pride to hold annual mass commitment ceremony
FERNDALE - For the past six years, gay and lesbian couples have been affirming their love with a mass wedding ceremony as part of the events leading to the annual Motor City Pride celebration in [...]
Local authors to appear in Grand Rapids
On Wednesday, June 16, Literary Life bookstore in Grand Rapids will team up with home decor boutique Wealthy at Charles to present an evening of progressive entertainment featuring poetry, prose and music. Starting at 7 [...]
U.S. House, Senate committee vote to end DADT
by Rex Wockner The U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee and the full U.S. House of Representatives both voted to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ban on open gays in the military May 27. The [...]
More GetEQUAL protests, arrests over DADT
by Rex Wockner GetEQUAL co-chair Kip Williams was arrested for shouting at President Barack Obama in San Francisco on May 25. Obama was speaking at a fundraiser for U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer at the Fairmont [...]
78 percent support letting military gays come out
Seventy-eight percent of Americans support letting gays serve in the military openly, as opposed to their staying closeted as required by the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. CNN and Opinion Research Corporation polled 1,023 Americans [...]
Celebrating the Grassroots Era
Over the past 17 years, many names and faces have graced the pages of Between The Lines. Some of them were pseudonyms or lacked last names due to a desire to protect themselves from discrimination. [...]
Creep of the Week: Bryan Fischer
You don't have to be a World War II history buff to know how terrible the Holocaust was for homosexuals. Especially since they were behind the whole thing. It's true - Hitler and his Nazi [...]
Parting Glances: Pitwool, Tommy is 7
He lives with his mommy, Jean-Rose. His daddy, Darnell Prince Pitwool. And a dog named Spot. Tommy's home schooled. Living in Topelulu, Ala., famed sin-free domain of Lou "Lulu" Seldom's Fracas in the Family Foundation. [...]
S/he said: Gender terms, DADT and Sarah Silverman
compiled by Howard Israel "If the service chiefs are really serious about spending the next half a year deliberating whether homosexuals pose a threat to military reputations and readiness, their moral compasses are demagnetized. The [...]