When it comes to country music, tradition says you should be a narrow-minded churchgoer who condemns drugs, lesbian love and casual sex. And you should definitely never, ever release an album about any of those [...]
Lower the blinds and throw on some heels: Kiki time is upon us as Ana Matronic - the Scissor Sisters' lone lady - glitters the stage at 5 p.m. Sunday, June 9 during Motor City [...]
By Dan Merica and Daniel Burke (CNN) - For more than two decades, the Rev. R. Guy Erwin couldn't officially be a priest in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. On Friday, he was elected [...]
By Rob Stephenson Special to CNN (CNN) - When I was 8, I joined the Boy Scouts. I lasted three weeks--couldn't get the hang of all that knot tying, and no one was interested in [...]
By Bill Mears CNN Supreme Court Producer (CNN) - There are no hints and trying to predict an outcome is a slippery slope. But for those anxiously awaiting a Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage [...]
By Daniel Burke CNN (CNN) - For Southern Baptist pastor Tim Reed, it was Scripture versus the Scouts. "God's word explicitly says homosexuality is a choice, a sin," said Reed, pastor of First Baptist Church [...]
By Blake Ellis (CNN) - For the 14th year in a row, shareholders at oil giant ExxonMobil overwhelmingly shot down a proposal that would specifically prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The [...]
KICK Executive Director Curtis Lipscomb was among the 35 signers of a pledge that kicks off with LGBT Pride Month, urging broader engagement by the LGBT community to help end AIDS/HIV. Readers can see the [...]
BY BTL Staff On June 3 the National LGBT Bar Association applauded the American Bar Association's Criminal Justice Section for taking up a resolution to protect victims of so called gay and trans "panic" legal [...]
By the President of the United States A PROCLAMATION For more than two centuries, our Nation has struggled to transform the ideals of liberty and equality from founding promise into lasting reality. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, [...]
BTL Staff http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyO45T59aCE On May 19, thirteen year old Isabella "Bella" Angelique Bruinekool of Kalamazoo took her own life. Just weeks before she had uploaded a video to You Tube where she talked about herself, [...]
BTL Staff On May 19 thirteen year old Isabella Angelique Bruinekool took her own life. Her mother has come forward about her daughter's death to build awareness about bullying. On May 19, thirteen year-old [...]
LANSING — Democrats Rebekah Warren of Ann Arbor, Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer of East Lansing, Bert Johnson of Highland Park and Virgil Smith of Detroit have introduced legislation May 29 into the State House that [...]
By Sam White Chris Anthem performs at 1:55 p.m. June 1 in Ferndale. Last summer, it was considered groundbreaking when soul crooner Frank Ocean revealed in an open letter on his Tumblr page that [...]
By Christopher J Treacy Lucas Silveira of The Cliks. They made a hilarious joke about it on "The Brady Bunch." But when your voice is your true moneymaker, sudden shifts in range are nowhere [...]
By Jerome Stuart Nichols Flint-based band AllDay MonDay performs at 2:55 p.m. June 1 during Ferndale Pride. Every Pride season, LGBT musicians pull out all the stops. And though it won't be easy competing [...]
Across 1 Foam at the mouth 5 Business degs. 9 Philip Johnson contemporary 14 Linen fiber 15 Wine region of Michelangelo's land 16 Burn with water 17 With 23-Across, soap with Lee 19 In a [...]
By Dan Woog The OutField When Jason Collins came out last month, Helen Carroll was furious. The longtime sports project director at the National Center for Lesbian Rights had nothing against the 7-foot basketball center, [...]
By Martin F. Kohn Night after night a woman camps out in a hospital waiting room, easing her mind with coffee and television, stretching high to reach the volume control or change the channel. Night [...]
FERNDALE - The Ringwald Theatre is pleased to announce the fourth installment of its wildly popular Gay Play Series. Last year's outing was attended by hundreds of people over a two weekend period. This year [...]
June 22 Washtenaw Pride Picnic Presenting Organization: Jim Toy Community Center Time: 12 p.m. Location: Allmendinger Park, Ann Arbor Contact: http://www.jimtoycenter.org
June 1 Shangela Presenting Organization: Club Liquid Detroit Location: 3537 E. Seven Mile Road, Detroit Contact: 313-826-1192 or http://www.facebook.com/ClubLiquidDetroit Shangela of RuPaul's Drag Race (seasons two and three) comes to Detroit for the Ferndale Pride [...]
May 31 Annual Motor City Bears Dinner Presenting Organization: Motor City Bears Time: 5:30 p.m. Location: Zion Lutheran Church, Ferndale Contact: http://www.meetup.com/Motor-City-Bears/ Access / Connect Me Barbecue Presenting Organization: Al Gamea Time: 7 p.m. Location: [...]
June 29 Flint Gay Pride In The Park Presenting Organization: Flint Gay Pride Society Time: 1 p.m. Location: Riverbank Park and University of Michigan Pavilion Rink Contact: http://www.facebook.com/Flintgaypride Features vendors, information booths, food trucks, live [...]
June 9 Totally Gay 5K Presenting Organization: West Michigan Pride Time: 3:30 p.m. Location: Richmond Park, Grand Rapids Contact: http://www.totallygay5k.blogspot.com Running and walking to celebrate oneness in the gay and straight community while kicking off [...]
June 29 Holland Area Pride Presenting Organization: Holland Area PRIDE Time: 1-10 p.m. Locations: Centennial Park and Park Theatre Contact: http://www.hollandareapride.com Booths, vendors, musical acts at Centennial Park and comedy show, drag performance and dancing [...]
June 2 Second Annual Bowling Extravaganza Presenting Organization: Kalamazoo Gay and Lesbian Resource Center Time: 4 p.m. Location: 5570 Gull Road, Kalamazoo. Contact: 269-349-4234, http://www.kglrc.org/pride. Raffles, music, and more. All ages. June 8 Fourth Annual [...]
June 7 Michigan Pride - White Party Presenting Organization: Michigan Pride Time: 6 p.m. Location: Marquee Lounge - 319 E. Grand River, Spiral Dance Bar - 1247 Center St., Esquire - 1250 Turner St., Grand [...]
June 1 Love & Marriage Presenting Organization: Sing Out Detroit Chorus Time: 7 p.m. Location: 14450 W. 10 Mile Road, Oak Park Contact: 248-943-2411, http://www.singoutdetroit.org
June 1 Annual Women's Golf OUTing Presenting Organization: Equality Michigan Time: 10:30 a.m. Location: St. John's Golf and Conference Center, 44045 Five Mile Road, Plymouth Contact: http://www.equalitymi.org Join more than one hundred golfers challenge each [...]
June 21 Lavendar Dance Metro-Post Pride Party Presenting Organization: GOAL Time: 7 p.m. Location: Emagine Royal Oak Cinema, 200 N. Main St., Royal Oak Contact: http://www.meetup.com/GOAL-Get DJ. Cash bar. Drink specials. All funds after coverage [...]
June 21 Candlelight Vigil Presenting Organization: Tri-City Pride Time: 8 p.m. Location: Borchard Park, Saginaw Contact: http://www.tricitylgbtpride.com Remembering those lost to suicide. June 22 Tri-City Pride Presenting Organization: Tri-City Pride Time: 1-8 p.m. Location: Ojibway [...]
June 2 Shower Of Stoles Project Presenting Organization: Northminster Presbyterian Church Time: 1 p.m. Location: 3633 W. Big Beaver Road, Troy Contact: 248-644-5920 and http://www.troynorthminster.org A collection of stoles and other sacred items from LGBT [...]
;June 15 Women's Potluck Presenting Organization: Windsor-Essex Pride Fest Time: 5:30 p.m. Location: Windsor Family Credit Union, 2800 Tecumseh Road E., Windsor, ON, Canada. Contact: http://www.windsorpride.com Bring a dish to pass. Coffee, tea, pop and [...]
2012 Ferndale Dyke March Organizers May 31 Annual Motor City Bears Dinner Presenting Organization: Motor City Bears Time: 5:30 p.m. Location: Zion Lutheran Church, Ferndale Contact: http://www.meetup.com/Motor-City-Bears/ Access / Connect Me Barbecue Presenting Organization: [...]
by Andrew Collins Out of Town Beach vacations come in many forms, especially in the context of gay and lesbian travel. Years ago, LGBT travelers seeking summer fun at the shore tended to focus on [...]
Jennifer Stark and Maureen McNamara bought the pizzeria eight years ago from Stark's brother, and all told the establishment is celebrating its 20th year. BERKLEY - "Girl Power" is the theme behind an upcoming [...]
The statewide collaboration continues as the Community Center Network announces Shore 2 Shore - a cross-state bike ride benefitting LGBT centers throughout Michigan. The ride goes from Ferndale to Saugatuck, and takes place Sept 4-7. [...]
Between Ourselves Monica Mills and her husband Larry are instrumental to the success of events like Ferndale Blues Festival, Ferndale Pub Crawl and others. Monica is a strong ally who has been with what is [...]
Ferndale Pride is kicking off with a strong political statement, "I am not a second class citizen." As part of fundraising for the documentary "Second Class Citizens," filmmaker Ryan Yezak will be at Affirmations on [...]
Mike LaSage and Rick Harris found true love late in life. LaSage had been married, but his wife passed away. Harris is divorced. They began dating four years ago and for the past two years [...]
FERNDALE - Affirmations has shortened its name and changed the bylaws of the organization to create a board directorship model of governance. At the May 22 annual meeting, members voted unanimously to make the changes, [...]
Beginning June 3, same sex couples can apply to serve together in the Peace Corps. A recent press release from the Federal agency welcomed couples to apply for positions that would take them to other [...]
By Lisa Keen Mike McConnell (dark suit on left) and Jack Baker (dark suit on right) attesting to information in marriage license application at Hennepin County clerk's office May 18, 1970. Photo by R. Bertrand [...]
Creep of the Week Did you hear the news? It's now okay to be a gay Boy Scout. But you still can't be a gay Man Scout. Because as we all know, the second a [...]
Parting Glances I've been rereading Irish author Colm Toibin's book "Love in A Dark Time," as Motor City and Ferndale's Pride 2013 events take place one week apart from each other. For those unfamiliar with [...]
Viewpoint Even though some cities hold their PRIDE celebrations as early as April, Philadelphia's Black Pride was held in April; June will always be the official kick-off month for PRIDE celebrations in the Lesbian, Gay, [...]
by Richard Hutchison Viewpoint Those of us who have gone down the river of life for quite some time can reflect on a variety of experiences we've had. Those teenage years are somewhat like the [...]
