by Richard Labonte "Moffie," by Andre Carl van der Merwe. Europa Editions, 368 pages, $15 paper. Young Nicholas Van der Swart, already scorned by his strict Afrikaans father as a moffie - a gay sissy [...]
By Jack Fertig Q Scopes October 17, 2011 Just before leaving Libra the Sun trines Neptune, prompting sweet romantic dreams, ideals and - oh, dear - promises. When Sol moves into Scorpio those promises may [...]
Every year, countless young people flock to The Big Apple armed with their freshly minted theater degrees and a stack of headshots eagerly searching for that first big break. But as actor/comedian Brad Zimmerman testifies [...]
By John Quinn As I mentioned in the recent critics' podcast (and you DID listen to the podcast on http://www.EncoreMichigan.com, didn't you, my adoring fans?) there are an impressive number of original shows hitting stages [...]
My days of watching Saturday morning cartoons occurred in the early days of television - from the late '50s to the mid '60s, when live action shows and puppets of all types ruled the airwaves. [...]
By Jenn McKee If nothing else, Breathe Art Theatre Project's timing is impeccable. For what better time of year to stage a show that features a suitcase full of bloody, severed human hands than Halloween? [...]
By Martin F. Kohn "The Hot Mess Chronicles," that seasonal goody bag of tricky treats, is back at the Abreact Performance Space, with eight new locally generated short comedy-horror plays. This year's installment, "The Hot [...]
By John Quinn "Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean." The story was already old [...]
LANSING - Safe schools advocates continue to push for comprehensive anti-bullying in Lansing this week after years of inaction on the issue. A weak and ineffective anti-bullying bill was introduced earlier this year, which many [...]
LANSING - On Oct. 5, anti-gay MI State House Rep. Thomas McMillin (R-Rochester) introduced a bill that would in effect negate all local ordinances protecting LGBT people from discrimination. It also would negate any protections [...]
Cleve Jones got to experience something that every generation of gay men that came after him envies: He lived in San Francisco in the '70s, in a world without AIDS. "What I remember most fondly [...]
by Zach Childree A coalition of Michigan pro-gay groups announced the start of a new campaign on Oct. 11, National Coming Out Day, to bring attention to the inequality in Michigan anti-discrimination laws. "We want [...]
By BTL staff DETROIT - Former Michigan Assistant Attorney General Andrew Shirvell was reprimanded by a federal judge last week for attempting to find a shortcut to end a lawsuit against him for allegedly harassing [...]
TROY - Jacob Reitan is the founder of the Soulforce Equality Ride and a well-known participant in the documentary "For the Bible Tells me So." On Friday, Oct. 21 the young activist will be the [...]
BIRMINGHAM - Bullying is a problem that affects countless people of all ages, religious beliefs, sexual orientations and races. A local group of talented musicians has banded together in an effort to celebrate diversity and [...]
DETROIT - In the ongoing battle to prevent HIV, Status Sexy is going to war with some very hot words. The community mobilizaton project is sponsoring the first ever Sexy Slam 2011, an open poetry [...]
Lapeer County Coalition to Prevent Hate Crimes is sponsoring a class in cultural competency presented by the Michigan Department of Civil Rights on Oct. 26, from 5 - 8 p.m. at the Lapeer County Center [...]
Praise Fellowship Christian Church held its last service on Oct. 9 after 11 years of ministry to the Detroit LGBT community. In an email sent by Rev. Rick Green he wrote, "Only God knows how [...]
By BTL Staff Former Affirmations CEO Leslie Ann Thompson is following her long-time passion of stand-up comedy on a full-time basis - and it's paying off. "I was invited by Mark Ridley, from the Comedy [...]
Creep of the Week The Defense of Marriage Act makes John Boehner weep. Not because of how sadistically cruel it is to gays and lesbians, nor how unconstitutional. No, DOMA makes him weep because he [...]
Heard on Facebook So sad. -Johnny Rheaume Keep sharing. -Donald Campbell Sad. -Frank Vaca Two more of God's children have left this world due to kids who have nothing better to do than make life [...]
Parting Glances Shortly before retiring from the digitally enhanced adventure called teaching 14 years ago I chanced across a bound volume of back issues of news about students, teachers, education, circa early-50s. Flipping through the [...]
by John Corvino I was in San Francisco when I received the news, about to go on stage to deliver a National Coming Out Day lecture. A friend texted me: "Frank Kameny passed away today." [...]
Compiled by Howard Israel S/he Said "LGBTs have a stake in this growing protest movement since our unemployment numbers and job searches are often made more complicated by having no job protections such as would [...]
By Liz Margolies Viewpoint Paula Ettlebrick died of ovarian cancer Oct. 6 and a whole movement grieves her loss. Her beauty, passion, and intelligence do not come around very often. My close friend Adria died [...]
by Roland Leggett Eye on Equality There is no question that we are in challenging economic times. Around the country, families are struggling to make ends meet, workers can't afford to retire and recent college [...]
By Rob Keeling Viewpoint There are times in your life when it's important to listen to your heart. Several years ago, I realized that there was enough room in my life and love in my [...]
LANSING - On Oct. 5, a group of 34 conservative State House Republicans introduced a bill that would penalize colleges and universities if counseling students are required to provide services to all students. The bill [...]
Bette Midler: The Showgirl Must Go On "I'm alive!" Bette Midler joyfully proclaims at the onset of her appropriately glitzy, gay and all together fab Vegas show. Unless you were aware that the Divine Miss [...]
WASHINGTON (AP and wire reports) - Without Republican support, the Senate on Thursday narrowly confirmed an openly gay woman to become a federal judge in New York. The 48-44 party-line vote made Alison Nathan, who [...]
Twenty-five years ago, Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors" shined through - on the radio, and in the hearts of so many. It was in the midst of the horrifying AIDS epidemic when she lost her dearest [...]
Recently, the Michigan House of Representatives passed HB 4770, the Public Employee Domestic Partner Benefits Restriction Act, and HB 4771, an amendment to 1947 PA 336. Together, these bills seek not only to prevent our [...]
By Ed Sikov The housemates season just got to me, along with a few of my last, cocktail du weekend du season, which I invented minutes before Unhappy Hour began. The words "beware of dog" [...]
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