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, [...]
DVD Lowdown: Bette, Bridesmaids, Jem and the Holograms
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 [...]
Senate confirms gay woman as federal judge
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 [...]
Cyndi shines
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 [...]
Michigan: Help stop The Public Employee Domestic Partner Benefits Restriction Act today!
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 [...]
Cocktail Chatter: The TinaTini
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" [...]
Book Marks: Speaking Out, Folsom Street Blues
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 [...]
Don’t overdo it, Aquarius!
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 [...]
Atta boy, Zimmy: Comedy is bittersweet at Andiamo Novi
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 [...]
Wacky ‘Stage Fright’ is fresh, silly
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 [...]
Totally groovy spoof at The Box
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. [...]
Breathe Art’s ‘A Behanding in Spokane’ could use, well, a hand
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? [...]
A Halloween goody bag at the Abreact
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 [...]
Young lovers add unique dimension to age-old story
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 [...]
Students to advocate for anti-bullying law at Capitol on Wednesday
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 [...]
State Lawmakers Target LGBT Citizens: Bill would void all local protections for LGBT people.
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 to be honored by Equality Michigan
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 [...]
‘Gay? You’re Fired!’ campaign targets employment discrimination
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 [...]
Former state Assistant Attorney General, Andrew Shrivell, slammed by judge
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 [...]
Faith inclusion breakfast with with Jacob Reitan
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 [...]
Motif presents ‘It Gets Better’ benefit concert
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 [...]
Sexy Slam 2011 arrives at WSU
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 [...]
Cultural competency class offered
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 closes after 11 years
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 [...]
Leslie Thompson continues to be a leader – in comedy
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 [...]
John Boehner
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 [...]
Another gay teen committed suicide last Friday. When will it stop?
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 [...]
Faded rabbits, empty hats
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 [...]
Frank Kameny: A Personal Remembrance
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." [...]
Political action, religion and bullying
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 [...]
If lesbians are more at risk for cancer, do something
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 [...]
The high cost of inequality
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 [...]
Listen to your heart, Virginia
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 [...]
Bill could permit counselors to discriminate at colleges
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 [...]