LGBTQ+ Affairs Director King feted at Center reception
On the evening of April 30, a full room of LGBTQ+ activists, allies and supporters, among them Mayor Brandon Johnson, welcomed Antonio King as the first and only Director of LGBTQ+ Affairs in the nation. A number of Chicago queer activists attended the relatively low-key event,…
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Jeff Rodriguez jumps into the lake of Eelpout!
Shattered Globe Theatre reels in a fishy tale titled Eelpout! for its 35th-season finale at Theater Wit. Playwright Paul William Kruse serves up a story about society and queer identity set in the wilderness. Longtime friends Sven Svensen and Ole Olson are ice fishing and celebrating Ole’s upcoming wedding at Lake Mille Lacs. The duo swims into…
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IN BRIEF Trans students, syphilis diagnoses, Egypt’s pro-trans ruling, New Zealand blood donation, Nathan Lane, Madonna
NATIONAL The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association voted on an amendment that would have restricted girls’ sports participation to cis individuals—but the measure failed to achieve the supermajority needed to pass, KXLY noted. The vote was only advisory; it would not have changed existing rules because it would violate state law. In Michigan, Monroe County Athletic…
Nation & World
IN BRIEF Day of Silence, ex-Illinois attorney, Uganda’s Supreme Court, Cyndi Lauper, queer WNBA icons, singer zzzahara
NATIONAL Thousands of students across the United States took part in the 30th annual Day of Silence (a student-led campaign organized by Glisten, formerly GLSEN) on April 10, The Advocate noted. What began in 1996…
Theater / Dance
THEATER: ‘Ruthless!’ brilliantly plants a bad seed in show business
Take one part The Bad Seed. Fold in one part Torch Song and stir until stiff peaks form. Spread on one layer All About Eve, and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Garnish with a dab of 42nd Street, and you’ll have Ruthless! The Musical. Joel Paley and Marvin Laird’s tribute to child stars and Broadway divas—which back in the day gave…
Music
SPORTS Olympian and North Shore native Jason Brown returns with ‘Stars on Ice’
Figure skater Jason Brown, a two-time Olympian who is openly gay, will be performing in May in the Chicago area. It’s a homecoming of sorts for Brown, who took home a bronze medal in 2014. He lived in Highland Park from age three through his high school graduation, and it was there that his love…
Film / TV / Gossip
‘Sinners’ dominates 2026 Dorian Film Awards, Rose Byrne and Amy Madigan take acting prizes
Eva Victor’s ‘Sorry, Baby’ Garners Two Wins; Ryan Coogler Earns Three Honors in a Breakout Year for Bold, Community-Driven CinemaSponsored by Tello Films March 3, 2026, Los Angeles – GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, the second largest entertainment journalists organization in the world, today announced the group’s 2026 Dorian Film Awards, with Sinners emerging as the…
Books / Art
Trans
Community members call for accountability from Uptown Lounge over alleged anti-trans harassment, owners respond
On the evening of March 15, two young trans women friends Val Gibson and Ren were on their way to the women’s restroom at Uptown Lounge, 1136 W. Lawrence Ave., when a barback allegedly told another one of their friends who was at their table that Gibson “wasn’t allowed in the women’s restroom.” Uptown Lounge is a small two-room bar owned…
Lesbian
Owners of beloved lesbian bar ‘Dorothy’ open queer dive bar ‘Fathom’ in Lakeview
The owners of the popular lesbian bar Dorothy opened a new queer bar in Lakeview this week, with a more casual, “classic neighborhood dive bar” feel. Fathom, 1622 W. Belmont Ave., opened April 9 and was quickly at capacity, with a line of people waiting that stretched down the block. The new nautical-themed bar is designed to…