Metra Issue 969 - SEPT 2023

National Advertising: Rivendell Media 212-242-6863

Social Media: Bright Torch Media

Distributors: Eddie Desormeau Peter Rene

Wade Mercury UPS

Publication of the name of photograph of any person or organization in articles in METRA Magazine is not to be construed as an indication of the sexual organization of such person or organization. All copy text, display photos and illustrations in advertising are published with the understanding that the advertisers are fully authorized, have secured proper consents (written, verbal, e-mail, etc..) forthe use of names, pictures or testimonials of any living person(s) and METRA Magazine may lawfully publish and cause such publication to be made and advertiser automatically agrees to by submitting said ad and to indemnify and save blameless the publisher from any and all liability loss and expense of any nature of such publication. Nothing appearing in METRA Magazine may be reprinted either wholly or in part without written permission/e-mail from the publishers. Writings in Publication do not necessarily reflect the beliefs and opinions of leadership of the publication.

Around Town

Bars,

Camp Grounds

As a sexually active gay man, it is important to remember to get tested regularly. It really can save your life. The reality is, gay men are at a higher risk for STI’s, including HIV. A routine checkup is how I found out my status.

Being checked every six months if you are sexually active is an important step in not just minimizing your risk for infection, but for spreading as well. Studies suggest that as many as 1 in 4 people with HIV don’t know they have it. With all the time we spend shopping, doing our hair and making our-

selves look pretty, an hour long appointment twice a year isn’t all that bad.

That’s what happened to me. I was not experiencing any symptoms and had no reason to suspect I had anything wrong. If it weren’t for my six month check, I may have never known, or at least not until it was too late.

The person who gave it to me may not have known their status, but now that I know mine, I can help reduce spreading Miss Virigina by staying undetectable with medication and routine check ups.

PROMOTING COMMUNITY AND PHILANTHROPY THROUGH LGBTQ+ SPORTS LEAGUES

FALL VOLLEYBALL: 10/12-12/07

Registration: 9/11-9/25 (or until sold out)

Details about Billiards, Bowling and more sports coming soon!

Real Estate Talk with Realtor Kory

Five years ago, I would have never thought becoming a homeowner would be possible for me. I was making $34K after taxes per year with only $9K in the bank.

A friend of mine told me about the MSHDA down payment assistance program which is a State of Michigan program that pays up to $7,500 toward the down payment of your first home. As scary as homeownership felt, I was tired of paying rent to cover someone else’s mortgage. I reached out to a trusted lender who specialized in MSHDA Loans, and she helped me every step of the way.

I was shocked that I was able to get pre-approved for a mortgage for up to $150K based on my income, debt, and credit score. To put it in perspective, a 30-year mortgage on a home that costs $150K would be about $720 a month, lower than most leases in Metro Detroit.

Today, my home has gained over $100K of equity since being purchased. This equity allows me to have a certain financial freedom that I never had before. Understanding how to use equity in a home can be a valuable tool for bettering your current financial situation. Homeownership can be the first step to financial freedom and is more accessible than you think.

Check out my TikTok for more Real Estate tips, @realtorkory or contact me today for all your real estate needs! Email,

-Kory Lambarth

Affirmations Spotlight

How long have you been with Affirmations? Since April of 2022 (so a little over a year)

What is Affirmations to you? Affirmations is a vital resource and an important piece of the puzzle in the work that we do to ensure members of the LGBTQ+ community have access to basic resources and are able to live happy, healthy, and full lives.

When you’re not working, what do you do for fun? I enjoy going out with friends, hiking, reading, watching movies, exploring new places, being with people, and having meaningful conversations.

What is your go-to hype song? This changes all the time, however, at present it's gotta be 'Dance the Night' by my queen, Dua Lipa.

What’s something you want everyone to know about Affirmations? The work we do is vital but there needs to be so many more of us; More Affirmations Community Centers. There's a church on almost every corner throughout Michigan, providing basic, social, spiritual, and financial resources to their community. These resources are often inaccessible to the queer community. We need more community involvement and support to meet the needs of our LGBTQ+ community.

Brenden Bell, Care Coordination Manager

SATURDAY'S: BOYZ NIGHT OUT

UNDERWEAR CONTEST

Healing from infidelity can strengthen a relationship

Why cheat?

In working with couples dealing with infidelity, I have found numerous reasons for the affairs: affirmation, self-worth, experimentation, exploration of fantasies and fetishes, escape from day-to-day stressors, feelings of inadequacy, childhood trauma, addiction (substance abuse, gambling), fear of growing old, wanting something more than they have … and many more. What’s next?

When one partner finds out the other partner has cheated, gut reactions automatically surface: they want to seek revenge, they want a divorce, they want to know every single detail of the affair …

The biggest step a couple can take is to seek counseling as soon as possible from a skilled, licensed marriage therapist. Infidelity is not something a couple can work through on their own. They have too many negative emotions dragging them down, and they don’t know how to begin sifting through the mess and figure out if they are in or out of the relationship. A third, neutral party can guide the process to a resolution. I call this “affair recovery,” which is a long and extremely challenging journey.

Through our sessions, I assess the damage the infidelity has caused to both individuals. Their relationship has changed; one partner has disinvested in it, has kept secrets, lied, and broke a loving and trusting bond. The other partner feels betrayed. Their world is unraveling, and they don’t know what to do about it. Emotions are overriding objectivity.

Together, and sometimes individually, we work through these emotions that seem unmanageable, and I help couples learn ways to talk about the situation calmly, leaving blame and

Do they want to save it? They may not know that answer yet. That is why we progress slowly, cautiously and positively through affair recovery.

When the couple starts talking about fixing their marriage, the cheating partner needs to acknowledge the pain their partner has been living with, express sincere remorse, be brutally truthful and transparent, and do whatever they can to restore trust. The partner cheated on may feel the pain of infidelity never will go away, and their partner needs to acknowledge these feelings. The pain and the grief will subside over time, but early on in therapy, it seems like an impossibility. The unfaithful partner must understand that, be patient and give their partner the time they need.

In our sessions, we also talk about what cheating says about the cheater. Is your partner insecure, impulsive, selfish or immature? Is cheating a chronic problem? Will the cheating stop? How long will it take for affair recovery?

Healing can take weeks, months or even years. The affair has changed both people in the relationship. The cheating partner made a poor choice and is living with the consequences: their partner’s overwhelming mental, emotional and physical pain. The relationship is going to have to change – no matter what the couple says or thinks. It will never be the same, but it can be better because the problems that caused so much hurt were uncovered and resolved. Infidelity is a two-person crisis and needs to be treated that way.

For more information, visit Joe Kort’s website.

Joe Kort, Ph.D., LMSW

#1 PRESCRIBED HIV TREATMENT*

*Source: IQVIA NPA Weekly, 04/19/2019 through 01/20/2023.

No matter where life takes you, Because HIV doesn’t change who you are.

BIKTARVY® is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in certain adults. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. Ask your healthcare provider if BIKTARVY is right for you.

People featured take BIKTARVY and are compensated by Gilead.

ELIAS SWITCHED TO BIKTARVY

IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®

This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY® and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side e ects, including:

 Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. Your healthcare provider will test you for HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months, and may give you HBV medicine.

ABOUT BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements.

BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS.

Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains:

 dofetilide

 rifampin

 any other medicines to treat HIV-1

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side e ects, including:

 Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section.

 Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that may have been hidden in your body.

(bik-TAR-vee)

Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY.

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 Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.

 Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.

 The most common side e ects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%).

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You are encouraged to report negative side e ects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.

Continued on next page.

Please see Important Facts, including important warnings, continued on the next page and at BIKTARVY.com.

Meet a few of the extraordinary people who take BIKTARVY. Watch their stories at BIKTARVY.com

BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY

Tell your healthcare provider if you:

 Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis infection.

 Have any other health problems.

 Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY.

 Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:

 Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.

 BIKTARVY and other medicines may a ect each other. Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.

HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY

Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.

GET MORE INFORMATION

 This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.

 Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5.

 If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.

IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY® (cont’d)

BIKTARVY, the BIKTARVY Logo, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, and KEEP BEING YOU are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. © 2023 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. US-BVYC-0296 06/23

D’EVA

NIKKI

ELIAS CHAD HUGO

DIMITRI ZACH THERON PHIL

Upcoming Upcoming events: events: the Place For Everyone

Miss Gay Michigan America

There she is, Miss (Gay) America!

After a three-decade hiatus, Miss Gay America has returned to the Mitten State with a bang. This red carpet event brought together all the who’s-who of Michigan’s LGBTQ+ Community. From past state-wide pageant winners, bar owners, members of the media, and of course, the gorgeous contestants, the star-studded crowd was packed with familiar faces eager to get the first glimpse of this revamped and historic event.

Hosted at St. Andrew’s Hall in Detroit, Miss Gay Michigan America 2023 was filled with powerful speakers, delicious hors d’oeuvres and drinks, great performances, and of course the most amazing group of contestants Michigan has to offer! The event was graciously brought to us by husbands Robert and Scott Beaton, who truly deserve our gratitude for reviving Miss Gay Michigan and putting Michigan back in the running for the title of Miss Gay America, with the winner advancing to the national competition in January 2024.

We want to congratulate this year’s Miss Gay Michigan, Gabriella Stratton Galore on her new title. The remaining contestants also deserve the most utmost praise and congratulations as well for their stunning performances throughout the evening. And again, we can’t thank enough Robert and Scott for putting this evening together and for bringing this important cultural event back to Michigan.

We look forward to seeing what next year will bring!

Hook-up from hell Hook-up from hell Hook-up from hell

I got all moved into my dorm and no roommate had arrived and so I decided to get on my phone and pulled up an app. I matched with this guy named Michael on the app, we had a few common interests and chatted online for awhile. He asked if I wanted to hangout, I eagerly obliged as I’ve been hoping he would ask. So I invited him over to my dorm and he showed up about 20 minutes later. I met him downstairs and walked him up to my dorm room. He had a bag with him and when he opened the bag he had some lube and pulled out some handcuffs. Lube is one thing, but the handcuffs?! He walked over to the empty bed in the dorm room and proceeded to lay down and then slowly pulled down his shorts. I walked over to the bed, sat down, and we started kissing. I then pro-

ceeded to undress to join Michael on the bed with my hand on his chest. As I was getting onto the bed the room to the dorm flys open….

I had one leg on the bed and the other on the ground. Such an awkward position to be seen in. I immediately looked back and said “why are you in here right now”, the reply is what I hoped it wouldn’t be : “This is the dorm I was assigned to, I’m Luis by the way”. I looked down at Michael in pure horror and he asked if Luis wanted to join while touching his groin and asked Luis if he liked handcuff play?! I pulled my pants back up and ran out of the dormitory. I requested a new dorm assignment the next morning, I couldn’t bare seeing Luis or Michael again, let alone know if anything did happen with those handcuffs.

Wednesday's:

Trivia | Starts at 7 PM.

(Every week)

Friday's:"Name

Tune" between 8pm and 10pm (Every week)

Saturday's:

karaoke | starts at 10 PM (Every week)

Sunday's:pool tournament starts at 4 pm (Every week)

5534 Secor Rd, Toledo OH (across from Brondes Ford)

LARGE BAR & OUTDOOR PATIO AREA

ARIES: Now that You feel satisified from which ever role you play. The Friends with Benefits Skills are helping you be productive no matter if you are making Gel Babies or looking to be Bred. Jacking off alone is clearly not as much fun as having an extra set of orifices. Now that Fall is cuming it is now time to make room for more fun.

TAURUS: Just remember, if you are having sloppy sex cause you’re lit from partying, now you must pay attention more to details or even take notes and post them up. You might forget an address, a number to a phone number, even a zip code! That popping bussy will run off to some other daddy if you keep bugging for the same info that was given. Shout out to Sheila from Accounting you have more doors opening than closing, keep what one you want open, the end of the month will thank you later.

GEMINI: This month is all about the randomness of life! Adapt to whatever Cock or Cake you are attracting; the pheromones are changing Like the seasons. Don’t get crabs just because you were thirsty. Still have caution and use a nostalgic type of process of elimination to stalk that DILF you been eyeing or that location of sexiest shit you ever encountered. You might hook up again!

my favorite Cancer! It is about keeping the same schedule and only making changes before midmonth.

LEO: Time to kick the dust off that bussy, let out that donkey dick to play and use that manscaped ball toner! Hang that basket high in a jockstrap. Show those goodies and what your best assets are. You need to show yourself what you love about yourself, or life will make you have a Raging Boner. Age is just a number, and you have purpose if you put yourself out there. No time like the present and sharing is caring!

VIRGO: Nobody likes a know it all while nutting. Texting could have a double meaning that you never knew existed. Sex could feel like community service. You could be more than the giver than receiver to keep that hung twink that surprises you with them inches. You require more Personal Orgasmic Energy, and your love meter is about to run high.

want to be stuck with a Queer Bait Rebate or a Coochie Coupon.

SAGITTARIUS: Are you the Condom Queen? Have extra Condoms from Pride or store them now? On Prep and you use less of them? Just cause the Bear Back is enticing to that schlong doesn’t mean to throw them out, donate them if they are not expired. Sexual Conversations could get misunderstood and problematic for that ass later this month. Be the solution not part of the problem. Give out 100%.

CAPRICORN: Someone might Sexually Serve you, like a Dance Off, but it’s a Whore Off! Nothing is worse than being competition to some good crazy dick. You’re being challenged and you need to win. Play dirty or whatever is needed to get that donkey cock and be done first. Be resourceful & wasted skills will slow you down.

Trixie Deluxxe

CANCER: Life seems to make you have patience even when you are trying to get off but you’re having this communication barrier that you must get over first to keep that Trick List going. If you are fucking someone that is close or near your birthday do not share an orgy! Worry more about getting him off than having things perfect. Scat is never perfect timing when you need it. To

LIBRA: There is a difference between being spicey and salty. Know what flavor works with you at the right time with the company you seek. Be salty when you’re not sucking dick will only fuck with the flavor. Be spicey and sassy when it is not needed, and you be the first betch with blue balls. Know your balance and what you are capable of. You do not want to be served with a check that only a body can cash.

SCORPIO: Daddies not all of us youngins like it ruff n tuff. Sometimes you got to Rim for a while before you stick it in. Know your Partner in Crime this month. Having an emotional approach to your sex fetishes will score more than just points to be used later. You do not

AQUARIUS: You are role playing and that means no needs to throw sexual discipline at your man, boy or pup. Even your heart is in the mix, serving you soup. Let your true nature unfold before others, this puts you more in the spotlight. You have all these dicks smacking you in the face, tea bagging you in the blowbang. Where are you? You need to put more of yourself into it. You have done better before.

PISCES: This month is all about Go with the Flow and Blow. Even if he cannot suck dick for his life, then stick it in his ass. Stuck in a 2 top situation, then do a 69. End up with two bottoms, then play with each other with toys or if you are versatile then you get it under control. Do not make things complicated or you are stuck in situations that you will regret.