Members of Chicago chapters of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA) and the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association (LGBA) gathered Dec. 8 at Scarlet in Boystown to raise money for Equality Illinois.
“You think about the medical community, you think about the legal community, those are two separate jobs, and there’s never really a chance for them to get together,” said Randy Hannig, director of public policy at Equality Illinois.
LGBA hosts a monthly social networking event at the Boystown nightspot Sidetrack, but usually skips the December event because of low attendance related to the holidays. So members of LGBA approached GLMA to have a holiday mixer for lawyers and doctors, deciding to donate the proceeds of the $10 cover to Equality Illinois.
“We don’t normally mix with other groups, so this was a really good opportunity to meet doctors, network, make some new contacts … and raise awareness of all three of the organizations,” said John Litchfield, an attorney and president of the LGBA.
Equality Illinois also hosts First Fridays, a monthly social networking event open to the entire LGBT community, at Sidetrack from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Cover is $10 and proceeds benefit the Equality Illinois Political Action Committee.
Photo by Jamie Anne Royce