BTL Staff
Court Asked for 'Immediate Intervention' to Block Trans Military Ban
BY CHRIS JOHNSON, WASHINGTON BLADE A court is being asked to block President Donald Trump's trans military ban. Washington Blade photo by Michael Key LGBT legal groups are seeking "immediate intervention" from a federal court to block President [...]
Addressing Tobacco Usage in the LGBTQ Community
BY IAN UNGER I would like to draw attention to the tobacco usage in the LGBTQ community, particularly by our youth. While the numbers show that youth as a whole are not taking up smoking as much as in the past, the same cannot be said when looking [...]
Deep Inside Hollywood
By Romeo San Vicente Lesbian sci-fi's Octavia Butler heads to TV She died in 2006, but Octavia Butler's work lives on. The late lesbian sci-fi author was critically acclaimed during her lifetime – and posthumously awarded a place in the Science [...]
Defense Sec. Mattis Says Current Trans Policy Remains in Place Until Panel Makes Recommendations
BY KAREN OCAMB, WASHINGTON BLADE Defense Secretary James Mattis at a press conference about readiness against North Korea, Aug. 9. Photo courtesy Department of Defense Despite clear communication from Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Marine [...]
Arts, Beats and Eats Celebrates 20 Years
BY BTL STAFF The 20th annual Ford Arts, Beats & Eats this year presented by Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort in Downtown Royal Oak brings more than 200 local and national musical acts on nine stages. Jon Witz, Ford Arts, Beats & Eats [...]
Harming Our Troops
BY JAY KAPLAN On Monday morning, Aug. 28, the ACLU filed a lawsuit in the federal district court of Maryland challenging the constitutionality of the Trump Administration's transgender service member ban. The 39-page lawsuit states that the ban [...]
In the Nick of Time
Across 1 Haul ass 5 Chocolate factory vessels 9 School of Marcel Duchamp 13 Poet Broumas 14 Bygone pump name 15 Word after "penis" 16 Closet opening 17 Cover for Adam's privates 18 It goes before one's time 19 Nick's brother who just came out on [...]
Rachel Oliver: A Splash of Fire & Sass
BY DAVID RYALS Rachel Oliver describes her work on the History Channel's reality show "Forged in Fire" as "grueling and surreal." She fought long and hard – filming for 10-15 hours a day on set – and won second place during season four of the [...]
Gerrymandering Petition Approved in Michigan
BY BTL STAFF The Michigan Board of Canvassers granted unanimous approval for Voters Not Politicians to circulate petitions on Aug. 17 for a 2018 ballot proposal that would change the state constitution to end political gerrymandering in the [...]
New Book Shop to Open in Royal Oak
BY BTL STAFF Photo by Stephanie McIntyre of SAM Event Management Three years after Barnes & Noble's Royal Oak store closed, the city's downtown is getting a new book shop, according to a Crain's Detroit Business report. Used-book seller Paper [...]
Royal Oak Named One Of America's Safest Cities
BY BTL STAFF Photo courtesy of Victoria Mitchell, C & G News Oakland County is the safest county in Michigan, according to Alarms.com. Six Oakland County communities made the National Council for Home Safety and Security's website top 100 safest [...]