Jason A. Michael
Jason A. Michael is a senior staff writer for Between The Lines and Pride Source Media Group. He has been writing for BTL since 1999. Jason is also an Essence bestselling author. He may be reached at [email protected].
Todrick Hall Says Lil Nas X Has to Be More Shocking Than His White Counterparts
While discussing his new album,"Femuline," Broadway performer and "Nails, Hair, Hips, Hells" singer Todrick Hall was frank about his feelings for Lil Nas X. "This might get me in trouble but I'm just gonna say it," Hall told Pride Source. "I love [...]
Affirmations Telethon and Funding Campaign Raises $115,000, Jay Kaplan Wins Jan Stevenson Award
In just two months, Affirmations, the LGBTQ+ community center based in Ferndale, raised $115,000 during its annual Affirmation Pride Fundraising Campaign. The organization closed out the event with a unique telethon on Saturday, June [...]
The Host Homes Program: A Lifeline for Homeless LGBTQ+ Teens in Southwest Michigan
"LGBTQ youth have a 120 percent higher risk of experiencing homelessness than their heterosexual counterparts," said Hunter Willard, director of Homeless Youth Programs at OutFront Kalamazoo. "The consequences of this disparity are far-reaching and [...]
Lil Nas X Was Thankfully Not Shy Last Night During the BET Awards
Lil Nas X capped off Pride Month with a captivating performance of his hit song "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" on the BET Awards last night. In a nod to Michael Jackson's iconic "Remember the Time" video, Lil Nas X, clad in skimpy [...]
Outed on the Job: Lesbian Prison Officer Sues Michigan Prison System Following 'Horrible' Harassment
A former correctional officer with the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) is suing that agency. Bridget Cadena's lawsuit focuses on harassment she says she endured by coworkers and inmates alike after she was outed as a lesbian. Cadena [...]
Michigan Homegirl Madonna Raises $100K for LGBTQ+ Youth at Surprise Pride Bash in NYC
As cities and states across the country move to reopen in the aftermath of the pandemic, Madonna made it known that New York is back. Madge headlined the Boom X Pride party at The Standard Hotel in New York City Thursday night. She took the stage at [...]
Hamtramck City Council Narrowly Votes To Fly Pride Flag
The Pride Flag is flying high over Zussman Park across from the Hamtramck City Hall in honor of LGBTQ+ Pride Month. But the multi-colored flag barely made it up the pole. There was intense debate on the issue among members of the Hamtramck City [...]
Representation Matters': Carl Nassib Makes History as First Active NFL Player to Come Out as Gay, Donates 100K to Trevor Project
The Pride Month announcements keep coming, and this one's especially powerful and historic: Las Vegas Raiders player Carl Nassib came out today. The Raiders lineman made the announcement via Instagram, positioning him as the first active NFL player [...]
I Feel So Empowered': 'Drag Race' Star LaGanja Estranja Comes Out as Trans
LaGanja Estranja, self-proclaimed cannabis activist and Season 6 contestant on "RuPaul's Drag Race," has come out this Pride Month as trans. The news was first reported by Entertainment Weekly on Tuesday. Shortly after, Estranja took to social [...]
Gov. Whitmer Is Leading By Example': Her Executive Order Could End Conversion Therapy on Minors in Michigan
As the fate of a couple of bills in the Michigan Legislature that would ban the practice of conversion therapy continues to look uncertain, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer took bold action Monday. Whitmer effectively demanded the Republican-controlled [...]
A Queer-Friendly Hotel in Royal Oak Where What's Old Is New Again
Jim Rasor knows Royal Oak. "I was a city commissioner from 2009 to 2013, and during that time, we were confronting two problems," Rasor, the well-known Royal Oak-based attorney, told Pride Source. "The first was we had a bunch of old motor inns that [...]
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Celebrates LGBTQ+ Trailblazers: 'I'm Proud to Fly a Flag at My Home'
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is really feeling Pride this month. Today, the staunch ally tweeted a selfie in support of LGBTQ+ Pride Month. In the photo, Whitmer is posing on her front porch and a Pride flag is seen in the background. "This [...]