‘She loved all of us’: Chicago’s LGBTQ+ community remembers Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton’s flamboyance, acceptance and support for LGBTQ+ rights made her an enduring queer icon and inspired Chicago artists, performers and generations of LGBTQ+ fans.
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SAVOR Dolly trivia, Chef BBQ, Soul & Smoke, Taste of Polonia—and a headphone giveaway
Art to art: Trivia Tuesday: Dolly Parton Edition will take place Sept. 1 at 9 p.m. at the Northalsted nightspot Sidetrack. Dolly Parton videos start at 8 p.m. and with Dolly Trivia starts at 9 p.m., after OUTspoken is finished. The grand prize includes Men’s Room & SWAY gift cards. —Out of Hounds: The defending Major League Rugby…
PASSAGES Scott Allred
Scott Allred, 67, of Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood, passed away on Aug. 22, at Illinois Masonic Hospital, just three weeks after being diagnosed with lymphoma. Scott was born on Feb. 14, 1959, in Lynwood, California, and grew up in Norwalk. After graduating from John Glenn High School, he attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where…
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A fall desert adventure: Palm Springs beckons LGBTQ+ travelers with Pride celebrations and more
Palm Springs is one of the gayest cities in the world. An estimated 30-50% of the population of 45,000 people are estimated to be LGBTQ+. Tourism is the city’s biggest industry, and it boasts 11 gay resorts, more than any other place on the planet. Both American and United fly nonstop to Palm Springs from O’Hare from…
Nation & World
IN BRIEF Breast cancer risk, Lavender folds, bathhouse measure, Ghana’s anti-queer bill, Alysa Liu, Meshell Ndegeocello, Ken Jennings
Warning: This column mentions suicide, self-harm and child sexual abuse. NATIONAL A new study concluded that transgender individuals undergoing “top surgery” aren’t being provided adequate counseling about their future risk of breast cancer, U.S. News…
Theater / Dance
BUSINESS ‘Punk, intense and all-encompassing’: Chicagoan Dawn Heilung brings trans artists into focus
Gender Fucked Productions (Gender Fucked) Founder and former Executive Director and Artistic Director Dawn Heilung uses many labels to describe themselves— queer, bisexual, pansexual, polyamorous, trans, non-binary, transfleminine—because “I don’t think one can fully encompass my experience.” “I started [the trans, enby and queer arts and event production focused nonprofit] Gender Fucked Productions in 2022 because…
Music
Chicago’s House scene shaped global culture. But some of its artists face housing instability
For some artists, the community sustaining Chicago’s House culture has also become an informal safety net.
Film / TV / Gossip
FILM ‘Castaway’ seeks to create intergenerational dialogue for Latinx audiences through storytelling
An upcoming short film, “Castaway” by director and writer Nathan Marquez, shines a spotlight on the intersectionality between being queer, growing up Latinx and Catholic and learning to find community. The film is currently in pre-production with Z Marc Productions both producing and supporting funding for the short film by hosting the Queer Creative Lounge…
Books / Art
Trans
Higher grades and belonging: Trans students thrive when their teachers support them
Actions as simple as asking for and affirming a student’s name and pronouns can make trans students feel substantially safer and more likely to succeed in the classroom, a new report shows.
Lesbian
Meet the new chair of Chicago’s LGBTQ+ Advisory Council
Starr De Los Santos is stepping into leadership of Chicago’s LGBTQ+ Advisory Council with the goal of strengthening the body’s connections with the community. De Los Santos was appointed chair after outgoing chair Jin-Soo Huh stepped down in February. Her rise to leadership coincides with six new members joining the council and Antonio King recently taking…