BTL Staff
Flaming, But Not In a Good Way
STEPHANIE WILLIAMS, PH.D. You have probably heard this term thrown around a lot lately – Gaslighting. Gaslighting is a psychological term we, as a nation, know all too well – "Alternative Facts" taking the place of perceived reality. Gaslighting, [...]
Holland Community Center to Increase LGBTQ Visibility
BY JIM LARKIN The irony wasn't lost on leaders of the newly formed Out On The Lakeshore. As the organization, which combines Holland is Ready and Holland PRIDE, began looking for a space for its LGBTQ community center it experienced the same type of [...]
Jim Toy Celebrates 87-Young
1234567891011ÔÑÑÔÑÖThe community came out to celebrate Jim Toy's 87th birthday and raise money for the Jim Toy Community Center April 28. The event took place at Bona Sera restaurant in Ypsilanti. [...]
LGBT Rights Leaders Flunk Trump on First 100 Days
by Chris Johnson, Washington Blade With the 100-day mark of President Trump's time in the White House fast approaching, LGBT rights supporters are giving him failing grades as the nation evaluates him at the benchmark. Since he took the oath of [...]
Lito's Way: Actor Miguel Angel Silvestre on 'Sense8' Season Two
BY LAWRENCE FERBER Netflix's soapy sci-fi series from Lana and Lilly Wachowski, "Sense8," revolves around a telepathically connected group of strangers called Sensates. Located all over the world, these diverse individuals can see and even teleport [...]
NOM's Anti-LGBT 'March for Marriage' Set for June 17
by Chris Johnson, Washington Blade The annual anti-gay "March for Marriage" in Washington D.C. will take place on June 17, the anti-LGBT organization behind the event announced in an email blast April 27. Brian Brown, president of the National [...]
OBITUARY: Peter Cooper
OAK PARK – Peter Cooper, a longtime activist in the LGBT and Jewish communities, died of an apparent heart attack April 27. He was 64 years old. Cooper was born and raised in Detroit. He attended Frank Cody High School. Shortly after high school [...]
It's Time for Chianti and Fava Beans
The Ringwald Theatre in Ferndale is proud to conclude its 10th Anniversary Season with the Michigan premiere of Silence! The Musical with book by Hunter Bell and music and lyrics by Jon and Al Kaplan. Based on the Oscar-winning 1991 film, Silence! [...]
Palmer Park Art Fair Kicks off Summer, Art Fair Season
Members of the community look forward to the eclectic, diverse group of artists invited to Detroit each year for the Palmer Park Art Fair. The neighborhood event May 6-7 is produced by Detroit-based Integrity Shows in partnership with the non-profit [...]
Log Cabin President, U.N. Officials Discuss Chechnya
by Michael K. Lavers, Washington Blade The president of Log Cabin Republicans on April 27 met with representatives of the U.S. Mission to the United Nations to discuss the arrest of more than 100 gay men in Chechnya. Gregory T. Angelo told the [...]
New Recess Cafe to Open at Affirmations
Come celebrate the opening of the new Recess Cafe from 6-8 p.m. on May 10 at Affirmations, 290 W. Nine Mile Road in Ferndale. The community center's newest lounge, cafe and store is designed and operated by the XTL Youth Workforce. Snacks, games, [...]
Palmer Woods Music in Homes Features Latin Jazz
Members of the community are invited to Detroit's historic Palmer Woods neighborhood at 8 p.m. on May 20 for the Latin Jazz Garden Concert featuring Orquestra La Inspiracion. The concert will be held in an spacious tent in the gardens of a unique [...]