SCOTUS rules against trans athletes
Keen News Service In a stunning smack down, the U.S. Supreme Court today ruled unanimously on June 30 that states may ban transgender females from participating in sports competitions for females at schools which receive federal funding. While there were dissents from the court’s most liberal justices—Sonia Sotomayor, Elena…
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Attorneys and advocates respond to anti-trans Supreme Court ruling in BPJ and Hecox
From a June 30 press release: WASHINGTON—This morning, the Supreme Court of the United States issued its ruling in two cases—West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox—brought to the Supreme Court by states defending categorical bans on transgender women and girls participating on women’s and girls’ sports teams. The Supreme Court upheld Idaho and West Virginia’s…
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Picnic closes out 2026 celebrations with queer hootenanny
While tens of thousands marched down north Halsted Street, a smaller, more concentrated group gathered in Jackson Park at 6300 E. Hayes Dr. by Lake Michigan and threw a wild party stuffed with music, drag, fashion—and an awful lot of butt-shaking. Chicago Urban Pride presented the second Pride Picnic on June 28. The title this year…
Nation & World
IN BRIEF Idaho law blocked, Pulse anniversary, Kréyòl Pride, David Hockney dies, Lil Nas X, GALECA nods
Warning: This column mentions suicide and a mass shooting. NATIONAL A federal judge granted a request for a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of H.B. 752, a new Idaho law threatening transgender people with up to…
Theater / Dance
Chicagoans gather to learn about Black queer dance, expression
As massive crowds, former presidents and other celebrities mingled in Jackson Park for the opening of the Obama Center on June 18, a much smaller group on the North Side came together with an entirely different kind of gathering for the second edition of Welcome Home: A Celebration of Queer Street Dance. The event, which took…
Music
Chicago Pride Parade reclaims the spirit of protest
The 2026 Chicago Pride Parade on June 28 drove home that it is a protest before a celebration, spotlighting numerous organizations and individuals who each day take on challenges affecting the city’s LGBTQ+ community. The theme, Free to be Proud, was on display as the parade wound its way through Lake View. Cheers filled the…
Film / TV / Gossip
THEATER/FILM Chicago celebrates Pride on stage and screen this month
Whether you are in the mood to laugh or cry, Chicago theaters are offering incredible entertainment options to help us celebrate Pride Month. Read below to discover some of Windy City Times’s favorite theater and film options for the month of June. Theater The complexity involved with being a 20th Century homosexual surely played a…
Books / Art
Trans
ELECTIONS Pritzker reflects on LGBTQ+ rights, gay Republicans and ‘character’ in the age of Trump
Since taking office in 2019, Gov. JB Pritzker has overseen efforts expanding affordable healthcare, increasing investments in underserved communities, and creating (then doubling) a state child tax credit. Pritzker’s administration also advanced several initiatives benefiting the state’s LGBTQ+ community. Among them are the launch of Illinois Pride Connect, which provides free legal advice and advocacy tools; legislation…
Lesbian
SPORTS Monique Carroll on transforming CSU athletics while advancing LGBTQ+ visibility
Dr. Monique Carroll has always marched to the beat of her drum—and that has continued into her current role as athletic director of Chicago State University (CSU). Among other feats, Carroll helped secure CSU’s full membership in the Northeast Conference, launched fundraising efforts to expand Division I athletics, approved a new women’s triathlon program, dramatically…