The Lines • February 24, 2011 3 4 Between the Lines • February 24, 2011 Vol
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MENJO’S OWNEROWNER OPENING OPENING A A SPORTS SPORTS BAR? BAR? BULLYING SUMMIT SPARKS GRASSROOTS EFFORTS PERSPECTIVES VARY ON PRIDE MOVE TO DETROIT SCISSOR FRONTMAN ON SEX, LADY GAGA AND SECOND PUBERTY SISTERS ONLINE AT PRIDESOURCE.COM FEB. 24, 2011 | VOL. 1908 | FREE Between The Lines • February 24, 2011 3 4 Between The Lines • February 24, 2011 Vol. 1908 • Issue 701 Publishers 2.24.2011 Susan Horowitz Jan Stevenson EDITORIAL Editor in Chief Susan Horowitz Associate News Editor Tara Cavanaugh Entertainment Editor 10 18 19 28 Chris Azzopardi Arts & Theater Editor Donald V. Calamia Calendar Editor News 16 | FY 2012 budget and LGBT Pets Benjamin Jenkins community: ‘Could have been 34 | Shear Sex CREATIVE worse ... and might be still.’ Scissor Sisters’ frontman on 7 | Between Ourselves 19 | My Queer Critter second puberty, performing Art Director Bob Higgins is a safe schools Pets can be gay too, ya know naked and the band’s Lady David Ano consultant 17 | Hawaii civil-union bill sent Gaga love affair Webmaster & MIS Director to supportive governor 22 | Waggs and Wishes seeks Kevin Bryant 9 | Perspectives vary on Pride donations 36 | Book Marks The makeshift rescue in Contributing Writers move to Detroit 18 | Court overturns Budapest Charles Alexander, D.A. Blackburn, Some Ferndale residents plan pride ban Ferndale may soon lose its Michelle E. Brown, John Corvino, Jack Fertig, to boycott the event home 37 | Curtain Calls Lisa Keen, Jim Larkin, Anthony Paull, Reviews of “The Broadway Andrea Poteet, Crystal Proxmire, Bob Roehr, Onstage Murders” and Hannah Schwab, Gregg Shapiro, Jody Valley, D’Anne Witkowski, Rex Wockner, Dan Woog 8 | ‘Bullying is not OK!’ Opinions 23 | Keeping people and pets “Menllenium” Legislators and leaders spark together Cartoonists grassroots efforts to stop 10 | S/he said Helping struggling owners Paul Berg, Dave Brousseau, Joan Hilty, bullying feed their pets 38 | Happenings Discrimination, Sheer stupidity Featured: ComedyFest on Contributing Photographers Andrew Potter March 5 in Dearborn Emily Locklear 10 | Affirmations progresses on 10 | Heard on Facebook 24 | Working like a dog A dog on the job makes work ED search EMU dismissed a counseling 39 | Ally women’s art on ADVERTISING & SALES Community center still seeks student who wouldn’t counsel feel less like work display at Affirmations Director of Sales donations to survive gays. What do you think of the Jan Stevenson decision? Life Sales Representatives 10 | KICK receives $180,000 Rear View Ann Cox grant 13 | Parting Glances Greg Flood When (it) hits the fan 27 | The ‘New’ Menjo’s Owner has more in store for 40 | Dear Jody National Advertising Representative 10 | ‘Fools Welcome’ welcomes expansion... like a sports bar? 14 | BTL Editorial Rivendell Media, 212.242.6863 all to second annual BTL party 41 | Horoscopes We love our circus Business Office 28 | Touched by an Ailey Diane Smith 11 | Hope College’s updated Dance company celebrates 42 | Queeries Nancy Blankenship 14 | The Gay Moralist history, education human sexuality policy still Repaying a debt Circulation & Distribution discriminatory 43 | Classifieds Diane Smith Alumni group wants the new 29 | Curtain Calls Pride Source Media Group policy removed 15 | Letter: Black history month “Fatal Attraction: A Greek 44 | Puzzle 11920 Farmington Road Livonia, Michigan 48150 Tragedy” Phone 734.293.7200 15 | Prop 8 federal case delayed 16 | Creep of the Week Donald Trump 46 | Deep Inside Hollywood Fax 734.293.7201 for several more months 30 | Cool Cities: Ann Arbor www.pridesource.com Po’ Girl promotes new album Our rate cards are available online at The Ark All material appearing in Between The Lines is protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced in whole or part without the permission of the publishers. Between The Lines is supported by many fine advertisers, but we cannot accept responsibility for claims made by our Visit our website! advertisers, nor can we accept responsibility for materials Cover provided by advertisers or their agents. http://www.pridesource.com Scissor Sisters Copyright 2011 Pride Source Media Group, LLC Photo: David Sherry Add our fan page! Search: “Between The Lines Newspaper” Follow us! 34 @YourBTL Roving Cajun Dinner Live Music Fun Silent Auction Dancing Door Prizes Prizes for Best Masks The Mardi Gras Event of the Season Friday • April 1 • The Roostertail • Detroit • 7 p.m. With Performances by Detroit Fly House To purchase tickets visit PrideSource.com or 734.293.7200 x 10 $ 75 per person in advance $ 90 at door News BETWEEN OURSELVES by Tara Cavanaugh Bob Higgins is a “safe schools consultant” for the Michigan Department of Education. He surveys the safety level of K-12 schools, uses federal grant money to create safe school programs and trainings and also helped establish the Sexual Minority Youth Project. One of the many What’s hard about your projects you work on job? at your job is the Sexual The hardest part of my job 1Minority Youth Project. 3is parents see that “safe schools What’s that? consultant title” and call because It started at the Calhoun they’re concerned about their Intermediate School District child and they think, ‘there’s maybe 12 years ago. It was the hammer.’ But because an effort to address issues we’re a home rule state, the for LGBT youth, so we came decision remains at the local up with the training and we level. I don’t have any authority came up with an attempt to intervene. These parents at a resource guide. are angry, frustrated, Both have improved worried. That’s the hard greatly since then. It If it’s not safe for all part. was meant to be a start and it expanded to the students, you never What are you state level and we’ve working on that been doing it ever since. know when it’s not you’re excited We’ve trained more 4about? than a thousand school going to be safe The safe and supportive personnel over the schools grant. We got years, and we do four for any of them. it in October. It will or five regional trainings spread out over the next a year around the state 4 to 5 years. It gives so that everyone has a us a real possibility of chance to attend at some getting into schools and point. We have an expert working on the school work group that includes representatives from climate piece, making schools more welcoming, the Michigan ACLU, universities, nonprofits and turning them into places where students want advisory groups from local districts. We have to be. It’s a tremendous amount of work, but all of these people who are our experts and we it’s worth it. can run ideas by them. It’s been a really great experience over time to have all of these partners. Why is it important to make schools safe for all students? Tell us about your background. If it’s not safe for all of them, you never I’ve been a teacher, a coach, a principal 5know when it’s not going to be safe for any of and an administrator at public and private them. This can’t be a selective thing just for one 2schools. I was a student assistant program group, like the jocks or the druggies. We’ve got manager for 35 districts in 5 counties in to provide opportunities for all kids to reach southwest Michigan. When I made the training their potential, not just the ones we like, that are in Calhoun county, we did a lot of crisis response nice to look at or fall within our socioeconomic work too. income bracket. It has to be everybody. Between Ourselves is a bi-weekly feature that highlights members of Michigan’s LGBT and allied community. To recommend someone for Between Ourselves, e-mail our news editor Tara Cavanaugh at [email protected]. Between The Lines • February 24, 2011 7 News Feature ‘Bullying is NOT OK!’ Debbie Dingell, wife of U.S. Rep. John Dingell, spoke about being bullied in school at the LGBT Democratic Caucus Feb. 19. BTL photos: Tara Cavanaugh Legislators and leaders spark grassroots efforts to stop bullying BY TARA CAVANAUGH speakers was how to get Matt’s Law passed – didn’t believe (our problem) was that bad,” she tentatively scheduled for April 9 in Howell. specifically the enumerated version of the bill, said, expressing frustration that even at a high Chris Armstrong, co-chair of the event YPSILANTI – The petite Debbie Dingell, one with “teeth,” said Caucus Chair Phil Volker. school in a generally liberal community like and openly gay University of Michigan student wife of U.S. Rep John Dingell, may have been “Some people see us as enemies on this. I Ann Arbor, no one wanted to help her. “We need body president, spoke about the importance of one of the smaller-sized speakers at the LGBT see them as people that just don’t understand. a lot of support from our communities. Every establishing a supportive community for LGBT Democratic Caucus last weekend – but she We’ve got to work with everybody, even community needs to come together and support students. certainly was one of the loudest. Republicans – though that’s hard for me to say,” their students,” she said. He recalled being on Anderson Cooper’s TV “As community members, each and every Volker said, causing the room to erupt in laughter. Many of the caucus speakers said if show last October. Cooper asked Armstrong if one of us has to say, we want a community where Matt’s Law is an anti-bullying law that legislators don’t understand that LGBT students it seemed difficult to move on and plan for life everybody belongs.