Wayne State University
'Black Summers' Turns Detroit Summers Into Stories of Black Queer Joy
Summer is more than a season in “Black Summers: Growing Up in the Urban Outdoors," published recently by Wayne State University Press. Among the [...]Read more about 'Black Summers' Turns Detroit Summers Into Stories of Black Queer Joy
Heaven Is a Place on Earth: How Chris ‘Inpaq’ Sutton Honors a Lost LGBTQ+ Legacy — And His Mother
When filmmaker Chris “Inpaq” Sutton walked into LGBT Detroit in 2011, he found what many young queer creatives search for — a space that saw him beyond surface [...]Read more about Heaven Is a Place on Earth: How Chris ‘Inpaq’ Sutton Honors a Lost LGBTQ+ Legacy — And His Mother
Boys Don’t Dance? Watch Michael Novak Do It Anyway
Just before Michael Novak, the artistic director of the Paul Taylor Dance Company, spoke at a late-March talk and screening of “Dancemaker,” the 1998 [...]Read more about Boys Don’t Dance? Watch Michael Novak Do It Anyway
Michigan's LGBTQ+ Pioneers Take Center Stage In PBS Detroit Special — Watch the Video Here!
LGBTQ+ History Month has been observed each October since 1994, when Missouri high school history teacher Rodney Wilson proposed the idea. Wilson chose October [...]Read more about Michigan's LGBTQ+ Pioneers Take Center Stage In PBS Detroit Special — Watch the Video Here!
LGBTQ+ Advocate John Corvino Faces a Rare Disease That’s Taking His Voice — But Not His Message
John Corvino has always known how to use his words.For 25 years, the Wayne State University philosophy professor traveled to more than 250 college campuses, [...]Read more about LGBTQ+ Advocate John Corvino Faces a Rare Disease That’s Taking His Voice — But Not His Message
Spring Theater in Michigan Celebrates Queer Stories and Bold Premieres
In a world that feels increasingly uncertain, one thing remains in high demand: joy. This spring, Michigan’s theater scene is offering just that — especially [...]Read more about Spring Theater in Michigan Celebrates Queer Stories and Bold Premieres
Attend a Taylor Swift Dance Party, Go to the Dirty Show, See a Queer-Coded Art Exhibit, Join in a ‘Rocky Horror’ Night
Oh, beloved queerios, it’s only February, but this year already feels endless — I’m starting to understand why bears hibernate. (Forest bears, not gay bears — [...]Read more about Attend a Taylor Swift Dance Party, Go to the Dirty Show, See a Queer-Coded Art Exhibit, Join in a ‘Rocky Horror’ Night
Finding Joy in the Fight: Jay Kaplan's Decades of LGBTQ+ Advocacy in Michigan
In the darkest days of Michigan's LGBTQ+ history, when marriage equality seemed impossible and discrimination protections were a distant dream, Jay Kaplan [...]Read more about Finding Joy in the Fight: Jay Kaplan's Decades of LGBTQ+ Advocacy in Michigan
Noah Arbit, Running for Michigan State House of Representatives, District 20
The 2024 Pride Source Media Voters Guide Candidate Survey sought the responses from Michigan candidates running for office in the Nov. 5 election. We asked [...]Read more about Noah Arbit, Running for Michigan State House of Representatives, District 20
Where Are They Now? Catching Up with Rev. Darlene Franklin, Former Senior Pastor at Full Truth Fellowship of Christ Church
Our "Where Are They Now?" series will get you up-to-date on the lives of LGBTQ+ community advocates who have contributed to Michigan with years of [...]Read more about Where Are They Now? Catching Up with Rev. Darlene Franklin, Former Senior Pastor at Full Truth Fellowship of Christ Church
Remembering Gary 'Murph' Lynn Murphy: Dedicated Public Teacher, Philanthropist and Beloved MCC-D Church Member
Gary (Murph”) Lynn Murphy of Birmingham, 89, died Aug. 3, 2024 at a rehabilitation facility in Bloomfield Hills after a brief hospitalization. He was born in [...]Read more about Remembering Gary 'Murph' Lynn Murphy: Dedicated Public Teacher, Philanthropist and Beloved MCC-D Church Member
Don’t Sleep on These 2024 Mighty Real / Queer Detroit Events
In 2022, patrick burton embarked on a journey to highlight queer artists, and Mighty Real / Queer Detroit was born: an organization committed to honoring, [...]Read more about Don’t Sleep on These 2024 Mighty Real / Queer Detroit Events
25 and Out!
I am 52 years old and incredibly corny. As I write this, my final column, I keep hearing television variety show sign-off songs in my head, whether it’s Carol [...]Read more about 25 and Out!
How Ruth Ellis Inspired My Early Activism Helping Queer At-Risk Youth
My friendship with the late Ruth Ellis predates my time with Between The Lines, Pride Source's print publication. But just barely. I first interviewed her [...]Read more about How Ruth Ellis Inspired My Early Activism Helping Queer At-Risk Youth
The Criminalization of Sex Work Disproportionately Affects Queer People. These Michigan Sex Workers Are Speaking Out.
Metro Detroit individuals and organizations are spearheading efforts to decriminalize sex work, recognizing that it is not simply a matter of legality, but a [...]Read more about The Criminalization of Sex Work Disproportionately Affects Queer People. These Michigan Sex Workers Are Speaking Out.
Community Tributes Pour in for Mary Sappington, Longtime Publisher of Queer Nightlife Magazine Metra
For over 40 years she told us where to find the best in queer nightlife in metro Detroit, Northern Ohio and Windsor. Mary Sappington, who died Jan. 14 at age [...]Read more about Community Tributes Pour in for Mary Sappington, Longtime Publisher of Queer Nightlife Magazine Metra
Would Martin Luther King, Jr. Have Become an LGBTQ+ Advocate? His Daughter Yolanda King Thought So.
Preserving and recording Black history has always been important to me. In fact, back in 1999, it was a series I did on Black History Month for Wayne State [...]Read more about Would Martin Luther King, Jr. Have Become an LGBTQ+ Advocate? His Daughter Yolanda King Thought So.
Meet the Appointees to the First-Ever Statewide LGBTQ+ Commission
Gov. Whitmer announces diverse group of 13 Michigan community members to lead the advisory board.
Watch Halloween-Themed Drag, Plus Other Queer Spooky Season Michigan Events
If you’ve been meticulously planning your Ken-who-strictly-does-beach costume, planning to join up with the Weird Barbie cult or plotting something horrifying [...]Read more about Watch Halloween-Themed Drag, Plus Other Queer Spooky Season Michigan Events
Queer Things to Do: See ‘Company,' Let Loose at Dance Church, Spend Time with David Sedaris
It’s time to whip out that planner and pencil in some unique, queer-charged local events for the coming weeks. From a Broadway show (“Company” at the Fisher) to [...]Read more about Queer Things to Do: See ‘Company,' Let Loose at Dance Church, Spend Time with David Sedaris
Wayne State University Is Getting a Center That Will Bring LGBTQ+ Services Closer to Students
Queer students weigh in on what the project means to them.
Queer Michigan College Students Consider Safety On and Off Campus As New Year Kicks Off
At a time when state legislatures across the country have been presenting hundreds of bills attacking LGBTQ+ rights, Michigan has gone in the opposite direction [...]Read more about Queer Michigan College Students Consider Safety On and Off Campus As New Year Kicks Off
Openly Gay Mayoral Candidate Mike Klinefelt Wants to Bring Decorum Back to Eastpointe City Council
Mike Klinefelt, candidate for mayor of Eastpointe, stepped off the campaign trail recently to advocate for his community: the LGBTQ+ community. He was [...]Read more about Openly Gay Mayoral Candidate Mike Klinefelt Wants to Bring Decorum Back to Eastpointe City Council
How I Became a Full Time Homo
The year was 1999 and the month was June. Some 24 years ago. I was just days into my new job as a staff writer with Between The Lines when I ended up on the [...]Read more about How I Became a Full Time Homo
Meet MiGen’s Newest Community Navigators
MiGen, Michigan’s LGBTQ+ elders’ network, is looking to expand upon the work they previously did as SAGE Metro Detroit. MiGen provides services, advocacy, fun [...]Read more about Meet MiGen’s Newest Community Navigators
Final Show For Late Artist, Pride Source/Between The Lines Columnist to Open This Week
He left us in December but his memory will always linger on in metro Detroit’s queer community.The work of artist and longtime Between The Lines columnist [...]Read more about Final Show For Late Artist, Pride Source/Between The Lines Columnist to Open This Week
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 [...]Read more about The Year of Opal
Queer Things To Do: Attend a David Sedaris Show, Go to a Different Kind of 'Church,' Meet the Creator of 'A Strange Loop'
Now that your "Barbie" movie meme stash is fully organized and primed for posting, it’s time to turn your attention to all the joyful queer fun [...]Read more about Queer Things To Do: Attend a David Sedaris Show, Go to a Different Kind of 'Church,' Meet the Creator of 'A Strange Loop'
The Complete Timeline of LGBTQ+ Civil Rights Expansion in Michigan, 50 Years in the Making
Pop open the Champagne and sparkling juice. The day so many in the LGBTQ+ community tirelessly battled for has arrived. Gov. Whitmer has made good on her [...]Read more about The Complete Timeline of LGBTQ+ Civil Rights Expansion in Michigan, 50 Years in the Making
Brother Thomas Zerafa, Activist for LGBTQ+ and Numerous Progressive Causes, Dies at Age 71
This year, Brother Thomas R. Zerafa, activist and prolific volunteer for LGBTQ+ and numerous progressive causes, would have celebrated his 50thanniversary of [...]Read more about Brother Thomas Zerafa, Activist for LGBTQ+ and Numerous Progressive Causes, Dies at Age 71
A Friend to Everyone': Violet ‘Vy’ Reed, Dead at 84, Served LGBTQ+ Community as Longtime Affirmations Volunteer, MCCD Member
It's a special person who manages to leave behind a legacy of kindness and warmness when they pass on. Longtime Affirmations volunteer and Metropolitan [...]Read more about A Friend to Everyone': Violet ‘Vy’ Reed, Dead at 84, Served LGBTQ+ Community as Longtime Affirmations Volunteer, MCCD Member
FDA Proposes New Individual Risk Assessments to Make It Easier For Gay, Bisexual Men To Donate Blood
A new FDA policy will pave the way for more gay and bisexual men to donate blood. Current policy requires MSM (men who have sex with men) to undergo a [...]Read more about FDA Proposes New Individual Risk Assessments to Make It Easier For Gay, Bisexual Men To Donate Blood
This Gay Michigan Transplant Is Helping the Hallowed Halls of History Become More Hospitable
Tommy Karr, the newly installed director of communications and engagement for the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House, walks through the halls of history every [...]Read more about This Gay Michigan Transplant Is Helping the Hallowed Halls of History Become More Hospitable
Charles Alexander, Beloved Michigan Writer and Artist, Leaves Behind Enormous Impact on Local LGBTQ+ Community
Longtime Pride Source and Between The Lines columnist Charles Robert Alexander, also a beloved artist and community activist, died Dec. 10 following a brief [...]Read more about Charles Alexander, Beloved Michigan Writer and Artist, Leaves Behind Enormous Impact on Local LGBTQ+ Community
State House Candidate Joey Andrews Is Changing the Narrative About Southwest Michigan
38th State House District candidate Joey Andrews is on a mission to get the word out about Southwest Michigan. Despite a general sentiment he sees coming out of [...]Read more about State House Candidate Joey Andrews Is Changing the Narrative About Southwest Michigan
Here's What Michigan Colleges Are Doing About Monkeypox
College is a time for exploration and sharing, but one thing no college student wants to share is monkeypox. Michigan universities are educating incoming [...]Read more about Here's What Michigan Colleges Are Doing About Monkeypox
A Particular Type of Courage': Glen Johnson, Dead at 61, Was Openly Gay During Precarious Era For LGBTQ+ Corporate Workers
In a 1997 profile in the Affirmations newsletter, Glen Johnson pledged to contribute “time, money, and enthusiasm” to the Ferndale community center. Over three [...]Read more about A Particular Type of Courage': Glen Johnson, Dead at 61, Was Openly Gay During Precarious Era For LGBTQ+ Corporate Workers
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 [...]Read more about 50 Facts, 50 Years Later: What You Should Know About Christopher Street Detroit ‘72
This Candidate For Oakland County Judge Believes Inclusive Justice Matters
Twenty-two years ago, Amanda and Kay Shelton faced discrimination when they were shopping for a venue for their commitment ceremony. Then they traveled over 700 [...]Read more about This Candidate For Oakland County Judge Believes Inclusive Justice Matters
How One Michigan Organization Is Working to End Sex Stigma in the Black Queer Community
One of this year’s virtual displays during LGBT Detroit’s Cold as Hell event, which was titled “Dungeons in Detroit,” featured a self-guided pleasure [...]Read more about How One Michigan Organization Is Working to End Sex Stigma in the Black Queer Community
Singing for the Unsung: 9 Black LGBTQ+ Michigan Trailblazers You Should Know
February is, of course, Black History Month. It’s a good opportunity to celebrate and learn more about Black history, but it can be challenging to piece [...]Read more about Singing for the Unsung: 9 Black LGBTQ+ Michigan Trailblazers You Should Know
Michigan Teacher Who Claims He Was Fired for Being Gay Files Complaint with EEOC
When Mohamed Abdou was on the airplane taking a one-way flight from Egypt to the United States, he had a vision of what his future here might look like: “In six [...]Read more about Michigan Teacher Who Claims He Was Fired for Being Gay Files Complaint with EEOC
Creativity: One Day At A Time
I started writing my Parting Glances columns in 1990 or thereabouts. The premise was simple enough. Choose an important LGB — and occasionally T — historical [...]Read more about Creativity: One Day At A Time
This Artist and Historian Are Preserving Michigan LGBTQ+ History With a Comic Book About the State's First Pride March
When Merrilee Melvin, then 24, came out as lesbian to some coworkers in 1972, she didn't expect to lose her job. "I was working at a little print shop in [...]Read more about This Artist and Historian Are Preserving Michigan LGBTQ+ History With a Comic Book About the State's First Pride March
Meet Reginald Hawkins: Wayne State Student By Day, Pop Artist By Night
Ferndale Pride performer and Detroit-based Reginald Hawkins is living a double life. By day, they're a college student worrying about a looming lab deadline. [...]Read more about Meet Reginald Hawkins: Wayne State Student By Day, Pop Artist By Night
Prof's Advice Ignored!
When I was about 22 or 23 years old, I had what one might call a confidential confrontation. A professor of English said to me bluntly, "I've been told you are [...]Read more about Prof's Advice Ignored!
Corktown Health: A Merging of Two LGBTQ-Inclusive Health Orgs
Health Emergency Lifeline Programs (HELP) and its Corktown Health Center announced Wednesday that the two agencies were merging for marketing purposes and that [...]Read more about Corktown Health: A Merging of Two LGBTQ-Inclusive Health Orgs
