FBI: ISIS plot against Pride Parade was discussed in 2024
FBI records revealed that, in 2024, an ISIS plot to attack the Chicago Pride Parade with a backpack bomb was discussed on a terrorist website, media outlets reported. The bombing plot—which never materialized—was to be carried out as the initial part of a series of…
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Chicago leaders stand united ahead of Transgender Day of Remembrance
Chicago officials and LGBTQ+ community leaders gathered at Center on Cottage Grove, 6323 S. Cottage Grove Ave., to honor Transgender Day of Remembrance and call for continued action to protect the city’s transgender community. The Nov. 17 press conference, held during Transgender Awareness Week, doubled as a moment of mourning for the lives lost to anti-trans violence and a celebration of resilience and leadership of Chicago’s transgender residents. Joli Robinson, CEO of Center on Halsted,…
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MUSIC Chicago Singer Lucy Smith on intersections, identity, artistry—and a personal revelation
‘I can’t remember when I did not love music’: Out Chicago singer Lucy Smith discusses her artistry and passions At the intersection of jazz, blues, gospel, soul and other forms of music, listeners will find local entertainer/producer Lucy Smith. A member of the LGBTQ+ community, Smith is an award-winning singer whose quartet/quintet is a dynamic…
Nation & World
WORLD Arrests in Tunisia, Kazakh anti-queer law, dating apps removed, Italian Assembly
In Tunisia, the LGBTQ+-rights advocacy group Damj (the Tunisian Association for Justice and Equality) recently stated that 71 queer citizens, mostly transgender women, have been arrested, per Erasing 76 Crimes. In addition, the organization said that 32 of those individuals have already been sentenced to prison terms ranging from eight months to three years. Same-sex…
Theater / Dance
‘Angry Fags’ director highlights show’s humor
After helming a successful children’s production for the inventive Ghostlight Ensemble in 2019, hardworking director-performer Jack Bowes recently accepted an offer to lead a show for them that paints a very different color, Topher Payne’s comically politicized Angry Fags. Originally produced in 2015 in Chicago, this production, involving two angry queer men that begin a campaign of…
Music
Young artist Evann McIntosh takes listeners on a “Free Ride”
Non-binary musician Evann McIntosh is on the rise with fresh music and new adventures after moving to Chicago recently. After experiencing phenomenal success in the form of millions of streams for McIntosh’s MOJO EP it was time to shift in a bold direction. Their new single “Free Ride” dropped in October of this year and features Grammy Award winning singer…
Film / TV / Gossip
FILM CIFF showcases queer filmmakers and comes out of (Criterion’s) Closet
North America’s longest-running international competitive film festival turned 61 in 2025 and screened 114 feature films along with 70 short subject films.Presented by the non-profit organization Cinema/Chicago, the Chicago International Film Festival ran from Oct. 15-26 and was held in multiple venues across the city. Ticket holders attended screenings at multiplexes such as AMC NEWCITY…
Books / Art
Trans
GenderCool Gala establishes new template for queer youth
On Nov. 12, GenderCool Project held its inaugural fundraising gala in front of a packed room of transgender individuals, supporters, parents of trans children and other activists. Together We Thrive: An Evening with GenderCool was held at Venue West and featured an open bar and a full buffet before a presentation featuring GenderCool “champions,” film clips…
Lesbian
Inergy Chicago builds LGBTQ+ solidarity and support before opening day
The LGBTQ+ nightspot Inergy Chicago, slated for a spring 2026 opening, has already been making waves in the community, according to owner Chris Araiza. Starting with an idea years ago to bring more queer nightlife to Chicago’s southwest side, Araiza and his team have been in local neighborhoods doing more than just sharing their business’s name…