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, [...]
Pro-LGBT billboards going up in West Michigan
Photo 1: This billboard sponsored by Until Love Is Equal will be posted in and around the Grand Rapids area. Photos 2-8: Holland-based activist group Until [...]
The Teachings of Tori
Tori Amos doesn't do anything straight. Regarded as one of the premier singer-songwriters of our time, the gay icon's veered off every which way - into babe-pounding-piano rock and baroque-influenced orchestrations; not to mention seasonal [...]
Hear Me Out: Kelly Clarkson keeps the diss songs coming
Kelly Clarkson, 'Stronger' If Kelly Clarkson wasn't making music, you have to wonder: Where would she take out her wronged-woman rage? It's a scary thought, considering how much the reigning "American Idol" - it's been [...]
State one step closer to denying benefits to unmarried partners
BTL staff UPDATED: 2 p.m. Oct. 20, 2011 LANSING- The Michigan Senate Committee on Reforms, Restructuring and Reinventing approved House Bills 4770 and 4771 Wednesday. The bills would eliminate health care benefits for unmarried partners [...]
Equality Michigan Pride PAC announces additional endorsements
DETROIT- On Monday Equality Michigan Pride PAC "Nominate a Pro-Equality Candidate" campaign announced the endorsement of three additional candidates for office this November. Earlier in the month, Equality Michigan Pride PAC endorsed 16 pro-equality candidates [...]
Dear Jody: Pay your own way
Q: My partner and I have a problem with another couple that we frequently dine with. This other couple has more money than we do and they like to eat at fairly pricy restaurants. When [...]
Bad boys, bad boys – whatcha gonna do?
Bad Boys of Dance perform Oct. 29-30 at the Detroit Opera House. Photo courtesy of Detroit Opera House International dance superstar Rasta Thomas brings his Bad Boys of Dance to the Detroit Opera House for [...]
Deep Inside Hollywood
By Romeo San Vicente Alan Cumming visits a less groovy 1970s in 'Any Day Now' The struggle for LGBT marriage equality and adoption rights makes the news pretty regularly now and each step forward feels [...]
Q Scopes: Give a little, Gemini!
By Jack Fertig Mars is in Leo, trine Eris and sextile Saturn, helping to focus the recent surge of strong competitive energies. Knowing that you are being watched should help you to apply yourself better [...]
The Kiss of Life
Across 1 Move the ball between your legs 5 Frat hazing sounds 9 Gaze at gays, e.g. 13 Actress Skye 14 Designed for all grades 15 Poetic adverb 16 A little behind 17 Like sharp [...]
Bernie Madoff, not in his own words
By Martin F. Kohn "I never cared about the money," the fictionalized Bernie Madoff says in "Imagining Madoff." "...It was the movement." It's the same thing problem gamblers say: It was never about the money, [...]
Door opens on laughs at Planet Ant
'Tis the season of spooks and goblins, and Planet Ant's Improv Colony has gotten into the spirit of the holiday with the Late Night original comedy "Seance 4." Directed by Lauren Bickers, the hour-long laugh-filled [...]
Whodunit is a fun ride in Eastpointe
Now in its 18th season, Eastpointe's Broadway Onstage Live Theatre, the home of Dennis Wickline Productions, has carved a comfortable niche for itself in southern Macomb County. With little competition nearby, the professional non-Equity theater [...]
Trans and triumphant
by Desiree Cooper DETROIT LGBT LEADER: RYAN OLIVER from Model D TV on Vimeo. Ryan Oliver, 28, can tell you a thing or two about what it really means to be an African American man. [...]
Equality Michigan State Dinner offers galvanizing message
Captions: 2: EM Executive Director, Denise Brogan-Kator with U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, 3: Hank Winchester,openly gay WDIV Local 4 anchor with U.S. [...]
Sen. Levin signs on as co-sponsor to Respect for Marriage Act
WASHINGTON, DC - Michigan Senator Carl Levin on Thursday became the 31st co-sponsor of a bill that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. The 1996 law bars federal agencies and the military from recognizing [...]
Summit planned to strengthen bonds between GSA leaders across the state
BEVERLY HILLS- The GSA Alliance of Southeastern Michigan and GLSEN of Southeastern Michigan are jointly presenting an LGBT Summit on Saturday, Oct. 29, aimed at uniting student leaders across the state and helping them strengthen [...]
Author asserts God and Gay go together
By Beth Greenapple West Bloomfield- Jay Michaelson, an author whose new book will be featured at the Jewish Community Center's Jewish Book Fair Nov. 6, is a Biblical scholar and a gay activist. Michaelson's appearance [...]
Equality Ride founder shares call to action
By Crystal Proxmire TROY- It was a chance conversation at a gay bar on a Friday night while in college, that prompted Jacob Reitan to start the Soulforce Bus Tour, which brings gay students and [...]
Funding slashed at CHAG
DETROIT - The Community Health Awareness Group recently announced an $800,000 loss of funding which will necessitate substantial staff reductions and cuts in services to people with HIV/AIDS. CHAG had an operating budget of almost [...]
Annual Bowlathon for youth assistance
FERNDALE- The annual Ferndale Youth Assistance Bowl-A-Thon will be held Oct. 30, from 1 - 4 p.m. at Luxury Lanes, 600 E Nine Mile. The event is described by organizers as "one of the two [...]
PFLAG Family Reunion resumes meetings
DETROIT- Promising friendship, fun and information, PFLAG Family Reunion Detroit Chapter for People of Color announced it will be reactivating the group. The first meeting will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 15 from 7 - [...]
Affirmations looking for new logo design
FERNDALE- Affirmations is looking for a new logo and is inviting input from the public to submit their version of what a new logo might look like. The deadline to submit logo ideas is Friday, [...]
Anti-bullying measures left out of education bill
by Dana Rudolph WASHINGTON, DC-In a blow to activists seeking to stop anti-gay bullying, two proposals to address the issue in schools were left out of an education reform bill approved by a U.S. Senate [...]
GOP at right-wing forum: Gingrich one-ups Santorum
By Lisa Keen It was one of only four questions posed to each Republican presidential hopeful Oct. 22 at Knapp Animal Learning Center in Des Moines, during a conservative forum: "What, specifically, would you do [...]
Supreme worries: drawing the line on religion
By Lisa Keen Keen News Service WASHINGTON, DC - The ACLU called it "one of the most important religious liberty cases in years" and said the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in the matter would determine [...]
Creep of the Week: Linda Harvey
Your son just fell off the monkey bars, shattering a kneecap and busting out some teeth. Your kid is screaming in pain, blood all over his face, and you're trying to calm them down on [...]
Readers’ response: State Lawmakers Target LGBT Citizens: Bill would void all local protections for LGBT people. Your rights are on the line again.
They hate us for our freedoms to redecorate and restyle! -Todd Te Adoro Erickson This is insane and a violation of civil rights. -Jayne Van Kirk "We'll help you, but only if it fits our [...]
Parting Glances: Bases loaded for Prophet Jones
By Charles Alexander On several sporty occasions I've dined at Angelina's Restaurant in Downtown Detroit with BTL co-publishers Jan and Susan, loyal Tiger baseball fans. From our window side table, the Comerica Park pre-game fireworks [...]
SheHe Said: Visibility, Politics, Halloween, Coming Out
compiled by Howard Israel "WHERE ARE WE? Where are we in the media, in TV shows, in the news in LGTB projects, at Gay Prides, on the work floor? Why are lesbians so invisible? How [...]
Speak Out: Occupy movement’s great lesson for all
By Eric Rader For nearly three years, members of the tea party movement have engaged in vocal protests of much of the Obama Administration's agenda. At times, it seemed as if progressives were silently waiting [...]
Thinking Outloud: Why My Marriage Matters
By Abby Dees It's my wedding anniversary today and I'm 6000 miles away from my partner, sitting in an English cafe. Being all alone and so far away is making me especially wistful about these [...]
EXCLUSIVE: LeAnn Rimes Talks Equality, Motherhood and ‘Gay’ Ex Rumors
Photo: Adam Bouska LeAnn Rimes was a free-spirited 13-year-old when, on one of her biggest songs, she threw caution to the wind and bought a one-way ticket on a westbound train. You know, "to [...]
Chick-Fil-A Donated Nearly $2 Million To Anti-Gay Groups In 2009
Original article here. Earlier this year, Chick-fil-A became embroiled in a controversy surrounding its donations to anti-gay groups. Though Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy denied having an "agenda against anyone," an Equality Matters investigation discovered that [...]
Shirvell sues Armstrong’s attorney over his firing
Former Assistant Attorney General Andrew Shirvell seen here in spring of 2010 protesting Chris Armstrong on the UofM campus. BTL photo: Jessica Carerras ANN ARBOR- In a bizarre twist, the former Michigan assistant attorney [...]
‘Kids in the Hall’ Comic to Bullied Youth: ‘Grow a Pair’
Scott Thompson is still a kid in the hall, but his outlook on life - it doesn't always get better, "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" ruined our community and "the world isn't kind to [...]
Lady Gaga launches Born This Way Foundation
Grammy-award winning artist and cultural icon Lady Gaga (who we recently interviewed) proudly announced today the launch of the Born This Way Foundation (BTWF), which will support programs and initiatives that deal with all aspects [...]