Trans Couple to Tie Knot, Hope to Increase Visibility
Rebecca and Myranda Veal met a little more than a year ago at a PFLAG-Genesee County meeting and it was electric. The two quickly hit it off. So much so that in a month the [...]
LGBT Detroit spring fundraiser revisits the Famous Door
DJ Melvin Hill to be honored For their spring fundraiser April 21, LGBT Detroit will pay homage to the Famous Door, a nightclub popular with the African-American LGBT community in the '70s, '80s and '90s. [...]
Town Losing Time to Appeal Trans Rights Ruling Against Funeral Home
It’s been a month since the landmark ruling from the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals was decided. The 6th Circuit, which covers Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee, ruled that Aimee Stephens was inappropriately fired from [...]
Hundreds Reminisce About Historical Detroit Gay Bar Scene
Menjos Entertainment Complex General Manager Tim McKee has reason to be proud of himself. The first in a three-part series of panel discussions, this one on the history in gay bars in Detroit, drew a [...]
First in Panel Discussion Series Examines Detroit’s Historical Gay Bar Scene
Long before there was an Affirmations, they were the community centers of the LGBTQ world. You didn’t just go to the gay bar to dance and drink, you went to socialize and to seek solace and support. The gay community revolved around the bars which, for many, was the only place they could let their hair down and be free; their true authentic selves.
Queer Fashion Course Offered at CMU
In an effort to explore another side of the fashion industry, Central Michigan University is offering a new course for the current term. Its name is Queer Fashion and it was conceptualized by fashion designer and CMU Associate Professor Michael Mamp.
U.S. Rep Debbie Dingell, Vegas Mass Shooting Survivor and Others to Attend March for Our Lives in Ann Arbor
On Saturday, March 24th, the March for our Lives will converge upon Washington, D.C. A student-led movement to end gun violence in our country, the march is an outgrowth of the activism of students from [...]
Joy Geng: LGBTQ Activist
The year was 1991, and long-term plans were being set in motion. The Michigan Organization of Human Rights (MOHR) had created the MOHR Foundation as a separate legal entity to fight discrimination against the LGBTQ [...]
Joe Kort Teams up with Modern Sex Therapy Institutes to Offer LGBTQ-Affirmative Therapy Certification Program
Royal Oak psychotherapist Joe Kort has teamed up with the Modern Sex Therapy Institutes to begin offering an LGBT-affirmative therapy certification program. Designed for those in the mental health and medical fields, the 50-hour online [...]
Black and Pink Picks New Executive Director
National Agency Connects Incarcerated LGBT People with Allies on the Outside Its mission is noble. Black and Pink bills itself as an “open family of LGBT prisoners and ‘free world’ allies who support each other.” [...]
MCC Honors Transgender Youth Activist with ‘Seth Tooley Day’
It was early last month when more than 300 people came out to protest a workshop for girls at Metro Church in Riverview. Many said that the church-offered service was merely conversion therapy in disguise. One of the speakers that night was 17-year-old Seth Tooley of Brownstown.
Therapist Decides Not to Move into Huntington Woods building Over Signage Issue
Royal Oak-based psychotherapist Joe Kort has decided not to move his practice into the Huntington Medical Building in Huntington Woods as a result of a disagreement over signage in the building. Kort said that after he signed his lease that the complete name of his practice - Joe Kort & Associates and the Center for Relationship & Sexual Health - would be included on signage both inside and outside the building.
Ruth Ellis Day Celebrated at Ruth Ellis Center
A small crowd of about 15 passed by the Ruth Ellis Center Drop-In Center in Highland Park Sunday for the annual Ruth Ellis Day celebration. The Ruth Ellis Day tradition actually began a few years before Ellis died in her sleep at age 101 in 2000.
The Colorful World of Simon Black
Take a look at his picture, and there’s no getting around it: Detroit native and dance music sensation Simon Black is a little unusual. “I’ve always danced to the beat of my own drum,” Black said. “I used to think that was something bad. But now I don’t.” Black traces his love of music to his formative years in the 1980s. “I was an ‘80s baby and MTV was new,” he said. “The artists that were hot at the time are the ones who inspired me to be who you see today: Madonna, Prince and Michael Jackson.” Madonna, especially, spoke to young Mr. Black.
Me, The Other, a documentary featuring Washtenaw County college students, returns to Ann Arbor March 7th
Me, The Other, a locally produced documentary that tells the story of 12 students attending college in Washtenaw County, is returning to the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor on March 7. The diverse group featured in the film ranges from an African-American acting student from Flint who tells a personal heartbreaking story of the current water crisis in her community; a student from Mexico on the DACA program living in fear of deportation; a student from the storm-devastated island of Puerto Rico; a #metoo story of an orphaned immigrant from Cameroon; and a 65-year-old transgendered student who was homeless and alcohol and drug dependent but chose education over suicide.
Meet Emcee Motormouth of the Sudden Death Syndrome
As a musician, especially as the frontman of a group, it's important to be bold, and to hold nothing back while performing. For Sudden Death Symdrome's Emcee Motormouth, that's no problem at all. Born Jeff [...]
New PrEP PSA Unveiled at National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day Conference
UNIFIED – HIV Health & Beyond Targets Cisgender, Heterosexual Women in Ad, Receives Mixed Reviews The National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS – Detroit Chapter hosted a National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day conference on Friday [...]
Pewamo to NYC: Michigan Native Releases Photo Book of NYC Drag Queens
Fashion and fine arts photographer Gregory Kramer might be at ease in New York City's fashion scene now, but — as with many artists — he had humble beginnings. Originally from the village of Pewamo, [...]
‘Sexual Health’ in Building Signage Refused, Therapist Joe Kort Vows to Fight Landlord
If you’re a regular reader of Between The Lines or its sister publication the PrideSource directory, you’ve probably seen the ads: Joe Kort and Associates and the Center for Relationship and Sexual Health. It’s [...]
Detroit Artist Launches New Album
It’s been nearly five years since Detroit-based recording artist Logan Mario sat down for an interview with BTL. Since that time, Mario has been busy. When last we spoke Mario had just released “Love is [...]
Meet Transgender Evangelist Selena Little
Selena Little, who might just be Michigan’s first out African American transgender evangelist, is making her presence known at pulpits across the state. As a member of the ministerial team at Whosoever Ministry United Church [...]
Corktown Health Center Holds Donor Reception, Announces Partnership with WSU
While they’ve been seeing patients since July, a private reception to thank donors and announce a collaboration with Wayne State University was held Dec. 7 at the Corktown Heath Center, Michigan’s first health center focused [...]
Whosoever Ministry United Church of Christ Settling in to New Location
It's been about a month now since Whosoever Ministry United Church of Christ moved from their old space at the Detroit Ecumenical Theological Seminary in downtown Detroit to the Grosse Pointe Congregational Church in Grosse [...]
Two MCC Churches Move into New Homes
Group photo taken at the close of MCC Detroit's final service in Ferndale after more than two decades of renting their worship space from The Drayton Avenue Presbyterian Church, who also had their final service [...]
Detroiter Writes First Book, Tackles ‘Things Unsaid’
Detroiter Shyne Nelson has written his first book. "Things Unsaid" is a collection of poetry, essays and short stories. "I wanted to write a book my whole life," Nelson, 32, said. "The concept was pretty [...]
Community Memorializes 487 Transgender Lives Lost to Violence in the Past Year
The 17th annual Transgender Day of Remembrance service in Detroit took place Nov. 17 at Metropolitan Community Church of Detroit. About 90 people came out for the service, which included the reading of the names [...]
Transgender Woman Shot, Robbed in Detroit on the Eve of the TDOR
In the early morning hours of Nov. 17, a transgender woman was robbed and shot near Palmer Park. The victim, a 36-year-old known to most friends only as Chocolate, was walking on Woodward Avenue near [...]
SAGE Metro Detroit Takes Trainings on Improving Care for LGBT Older Adults Outstate
SAGE (Services & Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Elders) Metro Detroit will benefit from a $400,000 grant awarded to the ACLU of Michigan from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund. The grant will fund [...]
Michigan Pride: Smaller but spirited
LANSING - Despite pressing financial woes and an alleged lack of leadership, Michigan Pride in Lansing went off without a noticeable hitch on Saturday, June 30. A high spirited march kicked off at 1 p.m. [...]
NBJC to honor local organizations at NAACP conference
DETROIT - The National Black Justice Coalition is hosting a reception honoring local LGBT organizations that are empowering and enhancing the lives of black LGBT men, women and youth. The July 10 reception will take [...]
Transitioning city manager fired in Largo, Fla.
LARGO, Fla. - Steve Stanton didn't think it would be easy. But he also didn't believe that his decision to transition into Susan and have gender reassignment surgery would manage to overshadow his 14 years [...]
CDC reports shows HIV infections continuing to increase in African Americans
ATLANTA - A new report issued by the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention shows HIV infections rates continue to be on the rise in the African-American community. According to the report, published in the [...]
Avalon open Sundays starting this week
DETROIT - It's become a local institution. But since opening in 1997, Avalon International Breads has always been an institution you can only visit and patronize five days a week. Having studied under Geri Larkin, [...]
Triangle changes board leadership
DETROIT - Members of the Triangle Foundation's board of trustees unanimously elected Roland Smith as their new chairman Feb. 4. Smith replaces Jackie Anderson, who chaired the board for 17 months. "Roland Smith has the [...]
West Michigan activist’s journey leads her to head new Triangle field office
SPRING LAKE - When Colette Beighley's 16-year-old son came out to her in 2005, her first response was to go in search of information. "We love and support our children unconditionally - no matter what [...]
Pet affection leads to love connection
FERNDALE - Bonnie Burke and Kathryn Watterson sometimes spend up to 12-15 hours a day at their veterinary clinic, Little Friends of Ferndale. So they designed it to be not just a space that houses [...]
Ferndale florist elected Chamber chairman
FERNDALE - The Ferndale Chamber of Commerce unanimously elected floral designer Jerome Raska to a one-year term as chairman in January. Raska owns Blumz, located at 853 E. Eight Mile Road, as well as a [...]
Minor Planets to headline benefit for boycotted store
MASON - She was boycotted for being gay friendly. Now, the proprietor of Davey's Basement, an independent music store in Mason, is hoping the support of gay-friendly folks across the state will help her keep [...]
Detroit’s first gay-straight alliance off to strong start
DETROIT - They meet every Monday after classes end, from 3:20 to 4:30 p.m. The Gay Straight Alliance at Cesar Chavez Academy high school - the first GSA in the city of Detroit - is [...]
Race Matters -If you agree, group needs your help
DETROIT - The year was 1999; the place Oakland, Calif. Alice McKeage was attending a Creating Change conference and dropped in a session sponsored by The Color Triangle, a Chicago-based group that examined racism in [...]
Middle Eastern gays in Michigan emerging from ‘out of the shadows’
FERNDALE - The event was called Arabian Nights, and it took place Friday night at Club Q in Ferndale. It was the sixth such event -a gay club night for Arab-Americans and their friends - [...]
MotorBall to take hiatus; new organization forming
DETROIT - After more than a decade of circuit parties and service, MotorBall is on hiatus. The annual event, which always takes place in mid-May, has been cancelled this year while organizers contemplate the future [...]
OBITUARY: Martha Charles
LATHRUP VILLAGE - Martha Charles, a co-founder of Lesbian A-Sisters, died April 6 of heart disease. She was 60. Born in Crawfordsville, Ind., Charles was just a toddler when her family moved to Michigan. She [...]
Tranny Roadshow to roll into Detroit Friday, May 13
DETROIT - The Tranny Roadshow is a multimedia performance art extravaganza currently touring the country. Composed of an eclectic group of self-identified transgender artists including poets, rappers, storytellers, break-dancers, rock bands, comedians, actors, folk singers [...]
NCAVP releases annual report on anti-LGBT violence, announces new training academy
DETROIT - On April 26 the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs released their 11th annual report on bias-related incidents targeting LGBTs in the U.S. The report shows a 4 percent increase in incidents for a [...]
Obituary: Helen King
MIDLAND - Helen King, a cofounder of PFLAG-Tri-cities, died April 15. She was 76. Born Helen Haumesser in New York City, she was living in Angola, Ind. when she married Douglas King in 1951. Together [...]
Detroit gets first GSA
DETROIT - Nearly a year after Detroit Public Schools CEO Kenneth Burnley gave his blessing to the formation of Gay Straight Alliances in Detroit schools, the first GSA in the city has been formed. But [...]
Local youth group puts new spin on national Day of Silence
DETROIT - Some simply took a nap, some played video games, and some searched for loopholes and spoke in sign language or scribbled notes. But for the most part, about 20 young men and women [...]
Dionne does Detroit
Her career has spanned four decades and her amazing catalogue of classics has earned her half a dozen Grammy awards and the admiration of millions across the globe. Dionne Warwick is truly legendary and she [...]
Strongarm set weekly once again
DETROIT - Strongarm Productions has returned to producing a weekly set, this time at the Palladium in Detroit. The group garnered national attention - and even a mention in Vibe magazine - for their Saturday [...]