Issue # 955
Michigan & Northern Ohio's LGBTQ+ Nightlife & Entertainment Resource
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Metra Magazine, Issue #955 3
National Advertising: Rivendell Media 212-242-6863 Published by Metra Magazine LLC
Social Media: Bright Torch Media
319 S Washington Ave Royal Oak, MI 48067 O: (248)543-3500 E: Info@Metramagazine.com Published monthly since 1979.
Co-Owner & Story Editor: Charlie Frontera Co-Owner & Chief Editor: Frankie Schreibman
Distributors: Eddie Desormeau Cameron Banks UPS
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Photography: Rogue Detroit Sam V Photography Danielle Eve
Midwest/Local Sales: Charlie Frontera National Advertising: Rivendell Media 212-242-6863 Social Media: Bright Torch Media Distributors:
Regi na Kadett Issue #955
2022 Make sure your like, folJuly low & interact with the talent's social media above (Facebook/Instagram/Twitter/OnlyFans)
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Desormeau Publication of theEddie name of photograph of any person or organization in articles in METRA Magazine is not to be construed as an indication of the sexual orientation of Cameron Banks such person or organization. All copy UPS text, display photos and il ustrations in advertising areDragrectory published with the understanding that the advertisers are fully Hookup Hell authorized, have secured proper consents (written, verbal, e-mail, etc..) for the use of names, pictures or testimonials offrom any living person( s) and METRA Magazine may Whore - O - Scopes 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 Out Flashing 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.
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.
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Real Estate Talk with Realtor Kory Hey Cuties! As you might already know, Real Estate is currently a Sellers’ Market. This generally means that there is a low inventory of houses for sale compared to the high number of buyers looking to buy. With increasing loan interest rates this year, there will be less buyers willing to take on new mortgages as the year progresses. This means the market ultimately will shift back toward a Buyers’ Market gradually. Don’t miss out on selling your home at a record high while buyers are still willing to take on new loans at the current interest rates. Even though interest rates are increasing, the current interest rates are still low in our Nation’s History so buyers will be taking advantage of these rates before they continue to increase as the year comes to an end. Not to mention that the summer is prime time for Real Estate transactions in Michigan. If you have a property and you are debating to take advantage of this Seller’s Market, now is the time to list before you miss out on this record high. Keep in mind, it can take two to four weeks to get a property prepped, photographed, advertised, and listed so there is no time to waste. Contact me today if you want to discuss the listing process so we can be sure to get top dollar for your Real Estate Investments! Also, if you are a first-time home buyer, always remember, homeownership can be the first step to financial freedom and is more accessible than you think. I am more than happy to help get you started on buying your first home! Check out my TikTok for more Real Estate tips, @realtorkory or contact me today for all your real estate needs! Email, text, or call because I do it all!
Thank you!
For a GREAT 43 Years So Far! We love you!
-Kory Lambarth
KORY LAMBARTH 313.283.2781 KoryLambarth.SoldCallJim.com Kory@jsarealtors.com Metra Magazine, Issue #955 7
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REALTOR®- SEAN MCDONALD
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When I was first diagnosed with my House In Virginia, one of the scariest things I remember facing was the state’s “disclosure law.” What this basically said was “if you have HIV, regardless of your overall health or viral load levels, you MUST tell any sexual partner about your status.” In other words, someone with HIV could be criminally prosecuted for something as simple as a handy or a blowy if they didn’t reveal to their partner their status first. While common courtesy would say that someone with any pre-existing condition should tell their partner, this was different. That law specifically targeted gay men and was used as a way to embarrass and prosecute those living with HIV; essentially making having this condition a crime. During a recent doctor visit I was reminded of some important changes in the law. Now, someone with this condition is not legally obligated to disclose their status IF they are on an antiretroviral treatment, their viral load is undetectable, and if there is no willful intention to cause harm to their partner. This is a huge step forward for those living with a House In Virginia. There is no longer that fear hanging over your head about whether or not you can be prosecuted for a simple hand-job. Love = Love and U = U Undetectable = Untransmittable 12 Metra Magazine, Issue #955
Metra Magazine, Issue #955 13
Whore - o - Scopes Aries: It’s hard to be such a rage-fucking emo samurai with the sun shining and everyone smiling. You’d rather have some overcast days with a chance of blow my back out. The only good thing about this summer weather (in your mind) is all the schlongs bouncing along in the basketball shorts you see klik klacking around. Taurus: Good luck to those who encounter the Taurus in their Optimus Prime Mode. They don’t care about what your third favorite reptile is (mine is obviously Reptar from Rugrats). The only thing they have on their mind is lust. Mind altering, toe curling, hair pulling, hit me with a lamp sex that will make your relatives up above blush. Buyer beware, we warned ya! Gemini: Summertime is normally a good time for you. That weird rash goes away. Your winter depression is gone. Your stage 5 clinging neighbor finally moved (yay!). You like doing all kinds of summer activities, such as: camping, frisbee golf, LARPing, being a piss play loving hooker who can’t get enough of the golden juicy goodness (What? You like some nasty stuff). Cancer: Armed with your favorite crop top and hoochie daddy shorts, you’re dressed for anything. Whether it’s brunch, book club, or a surprise bukkake bar fight dressed in puppy play. You’ve always wanted to camp and be one with nature. Just don’t fall asleep in the kayak again and end up 3 miles away (like your cousin, Josh). Leo: You’ve been a planting machine
since the weather has been on your side. You’ve planted tomatoes, cucumbers (tee hee), and a picture of the one that got away. You know you can wear other things to plant in besides the 65 jockstraps you own. Your OnlyFans subscribers just want to see what happens when that cucumber is ready to go in its final resting place (your hole). Virgo: Summertime flowers are the perfect pillow for you to lay on or to muffle your screams as the handsome new boo-bunny takes you to pleasure island and makes you see all the colors of the wind. Stop trying to kill all of the bugs outside though. They’re an important part of our ecosystem. It’s the circle of life, Brenda. Libra: Your summer list of things is being tackled like a superstar. You got all of those things fixed on your car. You met someone and it’s going pretty good. They don’t care about your past or your third nipple. Enjoy milestones with your new boo. Whether it’s your 4th date, walking your dog or figuring out who’s going to be the fire hydrant this go around, enjoy every moment. Scorpio: Scorpios love everything that summer has to offer. Beaches, Campgrounds, Drive-In Movies, Surprise Sleep Overs Outside In A Stranger’s Kids Playhouse. Make sure you wear sun screen and panties. You don’t want that prison tattoo to look even worse (shout out to Lock Jaw) and your neighbors are getting real tired of seeing that kitty out of the house all the time. Sagittarius: You’ve been a little more
selfish lately, which is great. You’ve stopped always calling people or starting the pay it forward drive through thing at Starbucks. You’ve been more of a selfish lover this past month as well. Less giving and more taking. Thinking about yourself first is good, let’s just not forget it takes a minimum of two to tango. Capricorn: Things have been going really good with your new boo thang. They make you feel special, they do nice considerate things for you, only problem is they look like they were the before of almost every facial reconstruction surgery ad from the 90’s. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and as long as they keep ringing your bell and taking you to paradise, that’s really all that matters. Aquarius: You’ve been making a real effort to unplug from work and technology. You signed up for a pottery class, you’re learning how to sew, you’ve made 12 milk chocolate molds of your dick. It’s been refreshing having to go and get dicked down the old fashion way, by hitch-hiking! Stay safe and make sure your location thing is on on your iPhone. Pisces: You’ve tried having some more sexy alone time to help get out some energy. You’ve been fairly adventurous with these private yank-a-roo’s. Like when you read somewhere that putting Vick’s Vapor Rub was supposed to feel great in your nether regions. It felt great until it didn’t. You’ve decided to return to a more traditional masturbation adventure, pretending you’re Lord Zed from the Power Rangers.
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The Woodward Destroyed In the early hours of June 14, tragedy struck Detroit’s oldest LGBTQ bar. The Woodward Bar & Grill, located at the corners of Woodward and Milwaukee in Midtown Detroit, suffered a devastating fire that has gutted and completely destroyed the building. For nearly 75 years, The Woodward has been a safe space for gay men and women to drink, mingle, and have a good time. We at Metra extend our most heartfelt sympathies to the performers, staff, and owner of The Woodward. We are confident that something bigger and better will rise from the ashes of this tragedy. Please continue to keep all of those affected by this event in your thoughts and prayers.
-Metra
Years ago, an old fling hit me up on social media to hang out. I picked him up from his house and we started out on our “date.” I say that word lightly, because this certainly was a date from Hell. When I picked him up and he got in my car, he already reeked of booze. Hey, who am I to judge a day drinker (it was 1pm for the record.) We got some food and headed back to my place for some Netflix and chill. When we got there, I excused myself to use the bathroom. When I came out my date was in my kitchen opening a bottle of wine. I thought that was a little ballsy, since I didn’t offer the wine, but again, we were about to have fun, right? Wrong. I was increasingly uncomfortable with how inebriated he was and didn’t want to pursue anything sexual, even though he was smoking hot,
out of respect for the fact that he could barely stand up. After about an hour of just hanging out, I decided it was time to take him home. We get in my car and start driving down the freeway towards his house. I’m doing about 80 because this guy was so drunk and starting to get loud and belligerent. While on the freeway, midsentence, this guy looks over and says “I’m going to be sick.” Without missing a beat, he vomited EVERYWHERE in the front seat. I tried to pull over, but again, I’m on the freeway in the fast lane, this isn’t a simple task. By the time I got him out of my car, my front seat was covered in puke. Puke on the seat, puke on the dashboard, puke in the cup holders… puke, puke, puke. The lesson learned here: if your date started day drinking without you, it may be best to reschedule to a later time. Metra Magazine, Issue #955 19
Body Image and Gay Men Approximately 84 percent of gay men say they feel under intense pressure to have a good body. They are three times more likely than straight men to have body image issues. Only one percent stated they were “very happy” with their appearance, and they continue to struggle even more as they grow older. Why are gay men hyper-focused on body image and looking and feeling young? It may involve a social philosophy called objectification, which is the act of treating persons as objects or things, dehumanizing them, and making them sexual “objects” instead of real people. Gay men, more so than heterosexual men, tend to self-objectify and place higher importance on physical attractiveness. Profiles on Grindr often use descriptors such as “no fat,” or “no femmes,” or “in shape only.” Another term I like to use that describes the challenges gay men face is called minority stress. It affects the mental health and well-being of gay men as it relates to body image and aging. Minority stress is the stigma, prejudice, harassment and discrimination that LGBT people often face. It produces internalized feelings like shame, which is a contributing factor to overall mental health. The term “mattering” also falls into play when it comes to body image. Mattering refers to the degree to which people feel they are an important part of the world around them. People with a high sense of mattering feel that others look up to them, seek their advice and care what happens to them. You need to be happy with yourself, and not be consumed about how people think of you. As a therapist, I see clients experience this over and over again
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We cannot change the world, but we can change ourselves. Start valuing and validating yourself. Instead of worrying about how you look or how you are aging, focus on looking good for your age. Please yourself. Remind yourself that you are much more than how you look. Stop trying to please other people. Don’t get caught up in the culture of ageism. Unplug from that. Challenge the current culture, challenge the conventional norms. Here are a few signs that you may be experiencing poor body image and poor self-esteem: • You are preoccupied with your weight, shape and appearance. • You have feelings of shame, anxiety and self-consciousness about your body. • You frequently compare your body to others, and feel your body is flawed in comparison to others. • You struggle with feelings of depression, isolation, low selfesteem or eating issues. • You use unhealthy behaviors to change your weight or shape, such as dieting, skipping meals, smoking cigarettes, vomiting or taking laxatives. Here is additional advice to help gay men overcome their issues with poor body image: Identify the root causes of your low self-esteem and poor body image. Oftentimes, there are experiences in a client’s childhood that plant the seeds for many adult mental health disorders. I work with clients to explore and develop new sources of selfesteem outside their physical appearance.
Dr. Joe Kort
Metra Magazine, Issue #955 21
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Downtown Pontiac l 85 N. Saginaw