Illinois human-rights protections strengthened by newly-signed bipartisan legislation
A new law ensuring that state-level employment, lending, health-care, education and other civil-rights protections remain strong and enforceable—even when changes are made in enforcement at the federal level—was signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker on July 31. The bipartisan Civil Rights Safeguard Act (SB…
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SAVOR Queer-owned BBQ joint expands, Oprah’s visit and the new CHM president’s restaurant pick
”Hair” apparent: Nothing Without a Company (NWaC) announced five performances of The Trouble With My Hair: Coloring, Cutting, and Coming Into Who I Am. They will take place Aug. 21-30 in various Chicago venues, including REM Salon and Center on Halsted. This is a solo performance—written and performed by award-winning storyteller Ada Cheng—that intimately explores gender, sexual…
New Chicago History Museum President Michael Anderson on his position, the venue’s direction and ‘Out at CHM’
In late July, Chicago History Museum Board Chair Warren Chapman announced that Michael J. Anderson has been chosen as the venue’s new Edgar D. and Deborah R. Jannotta President and Chief Executive Officer. Anderson—previously the museum’s vice president of external affairs and development—was named interim president after his predecessor, Donald Lassere, resigned in January. Anderson,…
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Market Days 2026 closes out Queer Summer with a flourish
Market Days 2026, the annual Halsted Street happening that officially closes queer summer, rolled through Northalsted on August 7-9 in a blaze of glory and style. As the traditional celebration of LGBTQ+ community, inclusiveness, camaraderie, sauciness and all-around good cheer in Chicago, Market Days could not be called a simple gay street festival but a signal of…
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
THEATER ‘GAY Soul Food’ is a personal love letter to family
Talking with Anthony Green, a Lambda Literary fellow and the writer-director of the play GAY Soul Food, is like chatting with a long-lost family member who immediately welcomes you into the fold. We lost track of time, talked over each other and had to circle back to previous points because we went on several tangents. His…
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
John Early smells like Maddie’s Secret at the Music Box
Director, writer and actor John Early doesn’t hide who he is as a gay man, but his character struggles with private information in the new Magnolia Pictures movie Maddie’s Secret. On July 2, he brought his latest endeavor to the Music Box Theatre for a sold-out screening accompanied by a post-show question-and-answer portion of the program. Maddie proved so popular…
Books / Art
Trans
Second Annual Dignity Dash cuts through heat to finish first
On the morning of July 26, Brave Space Alliance (BSA) kicked off its second Annual Dignity Dash under cloudy skies and temperatures climbing toward 90 degrees. The event launched at the AIDS Garden at 3003 N. Lake Shore Drive and trailed along the Chicago lakefront, welcoming over 150 participants who gathered to run, bike or walk…
Lesbian
Comedian Jessica Kirson delivers her stand-up act out in the open for Market Days
One out and proud comedian Jessica Kirson, whose act has racked up over a billion views online, is coming to Northalsted Market Days on Aug. 9. Born in New Jersey, Kirson graduated from the University of Maryland and earned a master’s in social work from New York University—she initially wanted to be a therapist like her mother, whose…