Chicago’s first trans alderperson could come from Northwest Side race
Chicago could elect its first openly trans nonbinary alderperson in 2027, as Far Northwest Side organizer S Gronkiewicz-Doran launches a bid for the 45th Ward seat. Gronkiewicz-Doran, a Jefferson Park resident and longtime neighborhood advocate, is challenging incumbent Ald. Jim Gardiner with a campaign rooted in organizing,…
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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…
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Federal ruling lifts threat to gender-affirming care, but Illinois youth access remains stalled
A federal judge overturned the Trump administration’s policy that threatened to cut Medicare and Medicaid funding to hospitals providing gender-affirming care to minors—but advocates say health centers in Illinois have not resumed services for transgender youth. The ruling, issued April 18 by U.S. District Judge Mustafa Kasubhai, removes the threat of losing federal funding that added pressure…
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 Tyler Hanes checks into the Heartbreak Hotel
Broadway star Tyler Hanes has checked into the Heartbreak Hotel for an extended stay until the end of May. Hanes is one of three actors portraying “The King” in various stages of his life at the Marriott Theatre for a musical biography packed with over 40 hit songs. Haynes is an out and proud performer who has…
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
Chicago scientist starting a ‘transquake’ to counter anti-trans misinformation
A Chicago geneticist launches a satirical “transquake” experiment and new Beyond X&Y campaign to challenge anti-trans misinformation cloaked in science.
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…