In Photos: Hotter Than July 2022
Detroiters celebrated Hotter Than July — the world’s longest and continuously operated Black LGBT+ Pride — July 16 at Sound Board at Motor City Casino and Hotel in Detroit. The concert, HTJ's first, was [...]
Financial Literacy Basics for LGBTQ+ Individuals
In Partnership With Jennifer Barrett, Comerica Bank LGBT Business Resource Group Chair No matter how much you earn, financial literacy is an essential life skill. Financial issues impact all people, and members of the LGBTQ+ [...]
Local Legal Name Change Clinics Help Trans Persons Become Their Authentic Selves
What’s in a name? Well, if you’re trans, and you’ve lived your life feeling trapped in the wrong body, referred to by incorrect pronouns and called something that does not align with your gender identity [...]
50 Facts, 50 Years Later: What You Should Know About Christopher Street Detroit ‘72
This summer marks a milestone anniversary, yet most people don’t realize there’s an anniversary to mark. A half century ago, Michiganders who united in a bond of sexuality and gender that diverged from the so-called [...]
Photo Gallery: Motor City Pride 2022
Color and joy were on full display at Motor City Pride 2022 as an estimated 40,000 Pridegoers filled downtown Detroit streets and Hart Plaza to celebrate Michigan's largest Pride parade and festival. Photos by Jason [...]
Save on Gas and Ride to Michigan Prides on Transit: Everything You Need to Know to Ditch the Car This Summer
Have you considered public transit as your ride to Pride this year? Public transit not only offers safety and fun for you and your queer crew, it can also save you money on high-as-ever gas [...]
He Once Fought for Chocolate Milk. Now Dave Wait Leads the Biggest Pride Event in Michigan.
Dave Wait has always been an activist at heart. In eighth grade, Wait organized a sit-in at school when the cafeteria refused to serve chocolate milk. The group of disgruntled students got hauled down to [...]
Abigail’s Pride, and Other New Prides in Michigan: Checking in with Five First-Time Organizers
This summer in Michigan, Prides of all kinds are springing up across the state. From Madison Heights to New Buffalo, Pride Source checked in with the organizers of some of the new (or nearly new) [...]
Orion Story, the First Michigan Contestant to Compete on ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race,’ Opens Up Before Headlining Kalamazoo Pride
We saw her only briefly on Season 14 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” but Orion Story, who will headline Kalamazoo Pride on Saturday, June 4, made quite an impression. Self-described as “what would happen if you [...]
From Drag Queens and Kings to Femme Bands and Female Rappers: The Complete Ferndale Pride Lineup
Back in June where it belongs, this year’s Ferndale Pride, set for June 4, is sure to be a fun and fantastic opportunity to come out loud and proud. With a wide range of entertainment options, [...]
The Dilemmas of Leading a Community LGBTQ+ Organization: The History of Battle Creek Pride
If you tell Deana Spencer that something she believes in is not possible or unattainable, she will power through, make it happen and disprove you. That’s advice she received once related to her role with [...]
The City Without Closets: How Ferndale Became So Queer
Ferndale has been known as one of Michigan’s biggest queer hubs for decades. With many of the hallmarks that distinguish a Greenwich Village, a Castro, an Andersonville — traits like a walkable downtown, a diverse [...]
From Jody Watley to Mac Diesel: 7 Motor City Pride 2022 Acts You Won’t Want to Miss
With so many acts to choose from all weekend across four entertainment stages, there’s something for everyone at Motor City Pride, from June 11-12. Add these seven not-to-be-missed performances to your short list. Jody Watley [...]
Ferndale Pride Headliner Tunde Olaniran Creates From the Soul, For and With Their Community
A Tunde Olaniran performance is everything all at once: Afro-centric rhythms, interpretive movement, gorgeous costumes, pumping bass, with soulful, vulnerable lyrics belted from somewhere deep inside. Then there’s that contagious energy, the kind that wills [...]
This New Grindr Term Was Just Added as an Option Thanks to Michigan Sex Therapist
Gay men get down in a variety of ways, so if you’re not a top, bottom or vers, then maybe you’re a “side.” The term was coined right here in Michigan, by Royal Oak psychotherapist [...]
Lady Gaga in Chicago Plus 6 Other Musically Delicious Reasons to Get Out of Dodge This Summer
The 2022 summer music scene will seem practically normal this year after a long, lonely, pandemic-induced drought. You’ll find plenty of opportunities to enjoy some live tunes close to home this year, but why not [...]
Gay Days Are Back: A Time-Honored Tradition Returns to Amusement Parks Around the Country
Dancing on our own. Listening to "Chromatica" on repeat. Watching "Drag Race." Who doesn't love those gay days? But riding on all the biggest roller coasters under a flurry of colored light with all queers [...]
Visit These 8 Lesser-Known Places Where LGBTQ+ History Was Made
Small acts of resistance and community building are what have made LGBTQ+ history, and while that history may not be as well documented as we would like, you can still get out your map and [...]
Housing Cooperatives Offer Safe Living Spaces for Queer Folks, Foster Unique Community
For Marissa Klee-Peregon, 27, Nimblewill Cooperative in Kalamazoo is a space where she can practice interdependence, instead of independence. A cooperative home, or “co-op,” which centers the experiences of queer and trans people, Nimblewill, Klee-Peregon [...]
Where Cannabis and Community Meet: This Lesbian-Owned Detroit Home Is Also a Bud-and-Breakfast for Femmes and Friends
You’ve heard of a bed-and-breakfast. But have you ever heard of a bud-and-breakfast? Copper House is, holistically speaking, an oasis in the middle of northwest Detroit for the conscious cannabis consumer. And if you need [...]
Openly Gay Racer Dustin Sprouse Answers All of Our Questions About Why He Supports Trump
There’s no beating around the bush with competitive race car driver Dustin Sprouse: He’s out, he’s proud, and he’s an unrepentant Trump supporter. Before you crumple up this page or close the browser window — [...]
6 Iconic Road Trip Movies That Symbolize Queer Self-Discovery
For queer audiences, the rich symbology of cars and road films — along with their enduring outsider associations — has made them tantalizing objects to re-interpret through a queer lens. Evoking ideas of mobility, rebellion [...]
Have You Been to These Surprisingly Queer Michigan Road Trip Destinations?
There’s just something about a road trip. You might be venturing out in the same car you use for your daily commute and boring errands, but on a road trip, your whip transforms into a [...]
How This Proudly Plus-Size Woman Is Leaving a Queer Mark on Male-Dominated Auto Industry
Chaya Milchtein, aka Mechanic Shop Femme, is just as comfortable talking about lubricating cars as she is talking about lubricating sex toys. The automotive educator, journalist and empowerment speaker uses her platform to teach folks [...]
6 Fabulous ‘Homeymoon’ Ideas For Post-Wedding Romance
It’s easy to assume COVID has wrecked your honeymoon plans. With new strains popping up every other week (it seems) and mask mandates coming, going and coming again, the traditional honeymoon to some place exotic [...]
Before You Say ‘I Do’: Tips for Finding the Best Wedding Officiant for Your Special Day
Finding the right officiant for your wedding, one who understands and respects your beliefs and traditions can be difficult — even more so for queer couples. Whether it’s a religious leader, a family member or [...]
About That Time Jim Obergefell Wrote My Gay Son a Note
When my (then) 12-year-old son told me he was gay, I was shocked by my reaction. As someone who has always claimed to be a staunch ally to countless LGBTQ+ friends and a fierce, lifelong [...]
Pet Showstoppers: 5 Times the Real Stars of Your Favorite Queer-Inclusive Show Were the Animals
Human actors are great and all, but as any animal lover will attest, a well-placed puppy or a noble equine can elevate a good show to must-see status. If you watch reruns of old “Frasier” [...]
Pet Power: For These LGBTQ+ Michiganders, Their Companion Animals Changed Their Lives
For 30-year-old Jarell Wilson from Detroit, COVID-19 isolation only intensified their struggles with depression. Self-isolation and working from home would’ve been worse, too, if it weren’t for their two pets, a cat and a dog. [...]
5 AIDS-Related Must-Read Biographies
Peter Staley’s “Never Silent” isn’t the only outstanding memoir or biography by those who endured the worst years of the AIDS crisis (Sarah Schulman’s mammoth 736-page “Let The Record Show,” also released this year, is [...]
Actions Speak Louder Than Words: AIDS Activist Peter Staley on His Memoir ‘Never Silent’ and Friend Dr. Fauci
A key member of AIDS activist group ACT UP and a named plaintiff in the ongoing lawsuit against Gilead and other pharma companies for illegally extending the patent of PrEP and HIV medication tenofovir, Peter [...]
6 Michigan LGBTQ-Owned Businesses You Can Support This Holiday Season
Corporations pulled out all the stops during this year’s Pride Month, elevating and profiting from the rainbow mafia through witty slogans, gleeful commercials and social media campaigns. They outdid themselves, from Lil Nas X’s UGG [...]
The Ultimate Holigay Gift Guide: 14 Ideas To Make the Season Bright
Let’s face it, two things are true: most of us don’t need more stuff, and it’s fun to give and receive presents. So shop smart and support local artists, small businesses, LGBTQ+ non-profits and LGBTQ-supportive [...]
Stellantis’ Controls and Robotics Manager Stephen Richardson on Why Being Authentic Is Key to His Success
You might be surprised to learn that the LGBTQ+ community is advancing the auto industry — yep, queers are engineering, too. And in addition to owning Backstreet at Large Multiplex, the LGBTQ+ bar in Detroit, [...]
How the Design and Function of Nature Is Impacting Auto Manufacturing
"It all started with a Beetle." This could be the beginning of a story about someone who went on to become a "car nut" engineer or somebody who went on to become an entomologist. In [...]
The Pet Project That Soothed COVID Isolation For Queer Animal Lovers
For L.A.-based queer photographer Sorrell Scrutton, their dog Frankie really is their best friend. When COVID struck, Frankie helped them counter the isolation. Given their bond, Scrutton decided to reach out to other queer friends [...]
The Queer Library Is Open: 17 LGBTQ+ Must-Reads to Get You in the Pride Spirit
Finding LGBTQ+ books used to be a challenge. You couldn’t just Google “lesbian romance novels” or “books with trans characters.” But now, luckily, that’s no longer the case. Especially with Pride season in full swing. [...]
2021 Michigan Pride Guide (So Far)
Editor's Note: This list will be updated as more dates are finalized. Last updated June 15, 2021. Looking for 2022's guide? Right here. By now it's understood that COVID-19 has thrown off long-term planning and [...]
Getting Back Out Into the World Safely: Must-Know Advice For LGBTQ+ Travelers
As travel rebounds and some international borders open to US residents — especially, or exclusively, if you’re fully vaccinated — you’ll need to pack more than a suitcase to ensure safe trips during the pandemic’s [...]
Pro-Gay Raccoon Outed By Nosey Dog After Pride Flag Theft in Ohio (Yes, Really)
Raccoons get called many things: nuisance animals, bandits, trash pandas. But one raccoon in University Heights, Ohio made it clear that what they want to be called is “Fabulous.” But without a way to communicate [...]
Watch Your A🍑🍑: The Deadly STI You May Already Have and Can Do Something About
A 35-year-old working in film production, Geoff Moore had a pretty good sex life with his boyfriend. In fact, you could call it vigorous. Sometimes even exhausting. So when they both noticed fleshy bumps around [...]
A Gay Michigan Couple Are Flipping Homes in Detroit on Their Very Own HGTV Show
It’s the newest show on the HGTV network and it’s filmed right here in Detroit. “Bargain Block” stars personal and professional partners Keith Bynum and Evan Thomas, transplants from Colorado, and follows the couple as [...]
Calvin Thompson Was Planning His Funeral. Today, He’s Helping Those ‘Worse Off Than Me.’
After living in Atlanta for 30 years, Calvin Thompson decided to make a change at age 55. He took a new job in New Orleans and began settling into his new routine. “I had moved [...]
Motor City Pride Postponed
Motor City Pride has announced it has for the moment decided to postpone its June Pride festival until September. The new dates for Motor City Pride will be Sept. 18 and 19 in Hart Plaza [...]
EXCLUSIVE: Meet the Trans Hero Building Trans Women Homes Who Gal Gadot Calls a ‘Woman of Wonder’
Home is where the heart is, but sadly too many people are heartless when it comes to those who are homeless. Especially when those people are trans women of color. Ten years ago when Kayla [...]
Horny in a Pandemic: Why Some Still Got It On (and Some Didn’t)
[Editor’s note: Some of the subjects interviewed for this story preferred to use only their first names to maintain anonymity.] While living in pre-pandemic New York City in early 2020, Brandon didn’t even think twice [...]
He Meets Them on Grindr. Then What? Well, It’s Not Quite What You’d Expect.
A couple of blocks east from Manhattan’s Empire State Building in the neighborhood known as Murray Hill, 25-year-old Taiwan-born photographer Hsiang-Hsi Lu fires off a Grindr message. “He’s Taiwanese!” Lu remarks with a tinge of [...]
5 LGBTQ-Friendly Michigan Road Trip Destinations
As the weather gets warmer and summer months draw nearer, it won't be long before road trip season is in full swing. And since it will coincide with all U.S. adults becoming eligible for COVID-19 [...]
5 Safety (and Style) Tips for Tying the Knot During the Pandemic
There's no doubt that keeping safe during the COVID-19 pandemic is a must, and science points to being quarantined at home as the safest way of doing so. However, now that Michiganders have been living [...]
LGBTQ-Owned Douglas Gourmet Shop Expands Catering Operation
When Garnet Lewis and her business partners decided to name their gourmet food shop in Douglas Isabel’s Market & Eatery, they had a clear choice in mind. Their namesake was an area school teacher and [...]