Equality Illinois celebrates Pride Month at annual Kick-Off Brunch
Equality Illinois held its annual Pride Kick-Off brunch June 7 at Venue West in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood. This year’s Community Pride Honorees included ACLU Illinois Senior Policy Counsel Aisha N. Davis; 15th District Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison; and City of Chicago LGBTQ+ Affairs Director Antonio King.…
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Illinois LGBTQ+ community leaders issue statement on 10th anniversary of Pulse Nightclub shooting
Organizations representing the LGBTQ+ community across Illinois issued a joint statement today in advance of the 10th anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub shooting. The shooting, which took place on June 12, 2016, targeted the LGBTQ+ community in Orlando, Florida, and left 49 mostly Latino and LGBTQ+ people dead, with 58 more wounded. The full text of…
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Queer walking tours shine new spotlight on long-forgotten LGBTQ+ Chicago
Daniel Williams is fascinated by the stories of queer Chicagoans in history, and he’s sharing that fascination with others through his Chicago Queer History walking tours. He isn’t a professional historian—he’s a Ph.D. candidate in political science at the University of Illinois at Chicago and an adjunct professor at Loyola University. His specialty is studying…
Nation & World
IN BRIEF Jason Collins, trans student stabbed, Warsaw’s pro-marriage move, Uganda drops bill, INK, Janet Jackson, Sally Field
NATIONAL Jason Collins—the NBA’s first openly gay player, who went on to become a pioneer for inclusion—died at age 47 after an eight-month battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer, according to media reports.…
Theater / Dance
THEATER Handbag’s Golden Girls return with fun ‘Cheese Pyramid’ scheme
I don’t have the bonafides of a true cheesemonger, but I do fancy myself as sort of a minor cheese expert. I come from a small town in southwest Wisconsin, whose high school sports team was known as the Cheesemakers. I know enough to accurately guess how long a cheddar has been aged for, and…
Music
Chicago singers help Belting for Life reach new heights
On May 11, the 11th annual Belting for Life Concert reached a new milestone. The event, a fundraiser for AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) was the most successful Belting for Life event yet, nearly selling out SPACE at 1245 Chicago Ave. in Evanston. Conceived, produced and curated by Christopher Pazdernik—and taking place on his birthday—Belting for…
Film / TV / Gossip
FILM The Chicago Critics Film Festival winds up with a Wilde week in the Windy City
The Chicago Critics Film Festival is curated by the Chicago Film Critics Association and is the only United States film festival programmed exclusively by critics. Founded in 1990, the Chicago Film Critics Association supports filmmaking and is an all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization. For its 13th edition, the CCFF was held from May 1-7 in 2026, at…
Books / Art
Trans
Trans Ice Cream Social marks a decade of joy
As heavy rainclouds invaded the skies, and sheets of rain pelted the North Side of Chicago on June 8, Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted St., hosted a giddy crowd at its 10th annual Trans Ice Cream Social. Trans individuals and allies scarfed down gluten-free Peppermint Patty, Honey Vanilla Bean, Brambleberry Crisp, Double Dough and Peanut…
Lesbian
Evette Cardona, Mona Noriega reflect on years of activism ahead of Pride Parade Grand Marshals role
Longtime LGBTQ+ advocates/activists Evette Cardona and Mona Noriega are among this year’s Chicago Pride Parade Community Grand Marshals. Cardona and Noriega were chosen alongside author, Press Forward Chicago Executive Director and Windy City Times Co-Founder/Owner Tracy Baim and the Alliance of Illinois Judges (Illinois’ LGBTQ+ judges’ association). The honorees were chosen through a community nomination process and,…