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].
That Night I Posed with Billy Porter
I like to think I’ve always been ahead of the times. Contemporary. Progressive. In the know. And I certainly was when it comes to the multi-talented star of FX television’s “Pose,” aka Mr. Billy Porter. I was onto him long [...]
Extremist Anti-LGBTQ+ Group Claims Anti-Catholic Sentiment in Ferndale
Church Militant (CM), a conservative organization that operates a news website, is demanding that the Ferndale City Council allow a religious flag to be flown outside Ferndale City Hall during Pride Month. The group is accusing the Council of [...]
LGBTQ+ Advocate Jay Kaplan Set to Perform Onstage in Michigan Premiere of 'The Inheritance' at The Ringwald
By day, he is best known in Michigan’s queer circles as a tireless advocate for the community and the staff attorney for the ACLU of Michigan’s LGBT Project. But by night — or a few weekends at least — Jay Kaplan will be [...]
The Year of Opal
It is with humility, pride and a bit of awe that I celebrate my 24th year with Between The Lines and Pride Source this month. The traditional theme for a 24th anniversary is opal, for those of you who keep up with these things and would like to send [...]
Is the Sunshine State Safe for Queer Travelers? Florida LGBTQ+ Advocacy Org Issues Warning
Equality Florida (EF), the state’s largest LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, has issued a travel advisory declaring the Sunshine State may no longer be a safe spot for the queer community to live or visit. The unprecedented move comes after [...]
8 Things to Know About the New Deputy Executive Director of Affirmations
Affirmations, the LGBTQ+ community center in Ferndale, recently named Cheryl Czach their new deputy executive director. Pride Source caught up with the long-time advocate to learn more about her history with the organization, her family life and how [...]
LGBTQ+ Estate Planning: The Unsexy Taboo You Need to Break Sooner Rather Than Later
It’s an uncomfortable topic many of us would rather avoid, but making a plan for what should happen at the end of your life to protect your loved ones is one of the kindest gifts you can leave behind. You’ll benefit now, too, from the [...]
Desmond Richardson, the First Black Male Principal Dancer in the American Ballet Theatre, Speaks Boldly Through Dance
As the first Black male principal dancer in the American Ballet Theatre, Desmond Richardson has been making waves in the dance world for decades. His own award-winning ballet company, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, which he co-founded with [...]
Photographer Charzette Torrence, Dead at 59, Helped Shape the Visual Image of Black Queerness in Detroit
Whether she was photographing national LGBTQ+ figures like Ellen DeGeneres or people in her local Michigan community, Charzette Torrence used her unique eye to capture the beauty she saw right in front of her. Torrence, a Detroit native, died [...]
Former State Rep Candidate Feuding with Gay State Senator Jeremy Moss
The Michigan House of Representatives dodged a bullet when Wendy Webster-Jackson got trounced — she won a mere 20 percent of the vote — in her November bid to rep the state’s 18th district. Webster-Jackson, a pro-life, anti-queer [...]
Is 'Gender Queer: A Memoir' Illegal Under Michigan Law? Lapeer County Prosecutor Says It Could Be
The team at Stand With Trans was devastated to learn of the shooting at Covenant School in Nashville on March 27. We were horrified for the victims and their families, and we believe that all kids deserve to be protected, especially from gun violence [...]
Michigan LGBTQ+ Activist, ‘Lesbian Grandma’ Cindy Clardy Dies While Snorkeling in the Caribbean
Cindy Clardy was known to many in Michigan’s LGBTQ+ community as a queer activist and a “lesbian grandma,” as she described herself. Tragically, Clardy died while snorkeling in Turks and Caicos on Feb. 28. While exact details are [...]