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Illinois Restaurant Assoc. asks Pritzker to allow indoor dining
On Jan. 14, the Illinois Restaurant Association (IRA) and restaurant operators around the state issued a press release asking Gov. JB Pritzker to immediately allow for safe and limited indoor dining operations. The IRA's Open Indoor ...
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Howard Brown developing new center in Northalsted area
Howard Brown Health has chosen Inland National Development Company, LLC to develop its newest healthcare center in Chicago's Northalsted neighborhood (formerly known as Boystown), according to REJournals. There are plans ...
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Choucair part of Biden/Harris COVID-19 response team
Dr. Bechara Choucair—the senior vice president and chief health officer at Kaiser Permanente, and onetime commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health—is part of new President Joe Biden and ...
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Vulnerable communities slow to adopt key strategy to stop HIV's spread
--From a UCLA press release
LOS ANGELES — Taking a daily pill to prevent HIV transmission is one of the most effective biomedical strategies available to combat the virus' spread, yet use of this health regimen remains low among vulnerable communities ...
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COVID-19 Chicago's stay-at-home advisory extended
Chicago's stay-at-home advisory has been extended for another 12 days (from Jan. 10), ABC7Chicago.com reported. Residents are advised to only leave their home to go to work or school, or for essential needs; examples include requiring ...
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NATIONAL Anti-bias rule nixed, trans deaths, lesbian archivist dies
Under the cover of chaos the day after Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, the Trump administration officially nixed regulations barring federal grantees in the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) from discriminating against LGBTQ ...
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Indiana pols propose anti-conversion therapy bill
Indiana Stonewall Democrats issued a press release lauding state Sen. JD Ford (District 39) and state Rep. Sue Errington (District 26) for introducing a new bill to effectively end so-called "conversion therapy" practices across the state ...
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National LGBTQ organizations call for Trump's removal from office
--From a press release
New York, NY - Thursday, Jan. 7, 2020 - GLAAD, the world's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, along with leading LGBTQ legal, health, youth, justice and equality organizations, is callin ...
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NATIONAL Marriage proposal, Creating Change, mural erased, 'Queer Santa'
A COVID-19 vaccine appointment at a Canton, South Dakota, hospital turned into a marriage proposal for one healthcare couple, CNN.com noted. Robbie Vargas-Cortes, 31, a paramedic and EMS supervisor, was scheduled to get his vaccination on ...
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Gay influencers called out for partying in Mexico during pandemic
A social-media account called GaysOverCovid has been exposing the gay men of the world for continuing their hard-partying, jet-setting lifestyles in the midst of a pandemic, according to media outlets such as DListed.com. For instance, Chicago-based ...
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City officials send letter to Lightfoot regarding schools reopening
On Jan. 3, more than 30 members of the 50-member Chicago City Council sent a letter to Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago Public Schools CEO Janice Jackson regarding concerns about Chicago Public Schools' reopening plans amidst ...
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State Rep. Yoni Pizer leaves post early, citing early insurance termination
Illinois state Rep. Yoni Pizer (D-12th District) issued a letter stating that he would retire Dec. 31 "because of the State's policy to effectively terminate health insurance for me and my family on 12/31/20, even though ...
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11th Circuit urged to reverse decision allowing LGBTQ youth conversion therapy
--From a Born Perfect press release
ATLANTA, GA — The Born Perfect campaign submitted a friend-of-the-court brief on Friday urging reversal of a recent decision by a three-judge federal panel validating the dangerous unethical practice known ...
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Top 10 stories of 2020
In 2020, the nation faced two existential threats: an out-of-control coronavirus pandemic that killed more than 300,000 people in the United States in less than a year and an erratic, self-obsessed Republican president whose administration withheld ...
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FDA funding blood-donation study about gay, bisexual men
On the heels of news that England has mostly relaxed regulations regarding blood donations from gay and bisexual men, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is funding a study around blood donations by men in those ...
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England allows gay and bisexual men to donate blood
England has relaxed blood-donation rules for gay and bisexual men. Gay and bisexual men will be able to donate blood more easily from next summer following a landmark policy change, The Guardian reported. Men in a ...
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Report: Take Off Your Mask So I Know How Much to Tip You
--From a press release
Today, One Fair Wage, a national nonprofit organization representing subminimum wage and other tipped workers, in partnership with #TimesUp, the UC Berkeley Food Labor Research Center, Professor Catharine MacKinnon, Professor Louise Fitzgerald and ...
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COVID-19 Ellen DeGeneres tests positive; talk-show production halted
Ellen DeGeneres has tested positive for COVID-19, and has stopped production on her talk show until January, according to media outlets such as Deadline and EW.com. "Hi Everyone, I want to let you all know that ...
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COVID-19 Lightfoot, CDPH announce vaccine distribution plans
On Dec. 9, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced distribution plans for the COVID-19 vaccines when they become available. There is a commitment to allocate initial doses to all 34 ...
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Report: HIV & Aging, Integrating Services to Improve Care for Overlooked Population
--From a press release
(December 8, 2020) — HIV has become an aging issue now that more than half of people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. are 50 or older. Thanks to advancements in treatment, people with HIV can ...
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Largest survey of undocumented immigrants finds acute economic distress
LOS ANGELES — The members of the California Immigrant Relief Assistance Coalition announce the release of one of the largest surveys of undocumented immigrant needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 91,000 Californians participated in the ...
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COVID-19 City investigators look into Ann Sather violation
City inspectors stopped by Lake View Ald. Tom Tunney's Ann Sather restaurant, 909 W. Belmont Ave., because the official has been allowing people to eat inside the establishment in violation of city and state coronavirus restrictions, ...
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Cancer dangers from alcohol surrounded by misinformation
Reporting by TheCounter.org highlights the efforts of the alcohol industry to obscure awareness of the known cancer dangers of alcohol by spreading misinformation and undermining research. An article focuses on a 2017 Canadian study of health ...
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Howard Brown, Open Door announce collaboration
Howard Brown Health and Open Door Health Center of Illinois—a suburban counterpart with clinics in Elgin, Aurora and Joliet—have agreed to collaborate for the mutual benefit of their respective patients. The entities entered into the agreement ...
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Chicago parking ban begins Dec. 1
The Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS) is reminding motorists that the Chicago winter overnight parking ban begins on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020, and runs through April 1, 2021, according to the city's website. The parking ...
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New drive-thru COVID-19 testing site open in Crestwood
--From a press release
Crestwood, IL - The Village of Crestwood announces the opening of a drive-through COVID-19 Testing Center at the Crestwood Civic Center, located at 14025 S Kostner Avenue in Crestwood Illinois. The new Alzein COVID Testing Center ...
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NATIONAL Guv tests positive, lawsuits
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis tweeted that he and First Gentleman Marlon Reis have tested positive for COVID-19, The Denver Post reported. Polis said he will work remotely and "continue to fulfill his duties and responsibilities." Polis ...
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WORLD German soldiers, UK HIV rates, OutRight, Chopin
Chancellor Angela Merkel's government agreed on a draft bill that would compensate gay soldiers who faced discrimination in the armed forces between 1955 and 2000, TheLocal.de reported. Under the proposed law, which needs to be approved ...
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AIDS Foundation Chicago, Cook County Health mark World AIDS Day
--From a press release
AIDS Foundation Chicago (AFC) and Cook County Health are collaborating for a special virtual event in honor of World AIDS Day, a global movement to increase public awareness and dialogue about HIV and AIDS, on Dec. ...
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VIEWS Taking care of your mental health during a COVID holiday season
By Adam Ouanes
This holiday season is unlike any before, and it leaves many people feeling unsure about how to get into the holiday spirit. It's not unusual for many people to find this time of year overwhelming, but ...
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WINDY CITY TIMES 2020 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
Even as crazy as this year has been, there have been some constants—such as the observations of holidays (although they have been a lot more virtual). Among said observations is holiday shopping, and Windy City Times ...
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Chicago's pandemic budget passes
On Nov. 24, The Chicago City Council passed the city's 2021 pandemic budget. According to a media release, "The $12.8 billion budget was built in close collaboration with City Council members, labor partners and other key ...
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Lawsuit filed regarding trans exclusion for health benefits
Lambda Legal and Sirianni Youtz Spoonemore Hamburger PLLC filed a federal lawsuit challenging Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois' (BCBSIL's) administration of a blanket exclusion of gender-affirming care in an ...
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State Senator Feigenholtz encourages all to sign up for ACA benefits
--From a press release
CHICAGO — State Senator Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) is encouraging everyone to sign up for health coverage during the Affordable Care Act's Open Enrollment period, which lasts until Dec. 15. "The Affordable Care Act expanded health care ...
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Diabetes and HIV
Experts suggest that prolonged antiretroviral therapy (ART) of HIV-infected people is associated with increased risk of insulin resistance leading to type 2 diabetes. I suggest that this is not an accurate scientific explanation. Here's why. T ...
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COVID-19 Queer-led FamilyQ helps distribute masks
FamilyQ is an LGBTQ-led volunteer effort to support nonprofit organizations and social-justice groups by donating more than 100,000 disposable face masks. Proceeds help provide resources to overlooked and underresourced communities. ...
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11th Circuit Court rules on conversion therapy protections, groups respond
--From a press release
ATLANTA, GA — Today, in a split decision, a three-judge panel of the Eleventh Circuit issued a decision today striking down local laws in Boca Raton and Palm Beach County, Florida protecting minors from undergoing conversion ...
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PPIL extends Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy program statewide
During this year's Transgender Awareness Week (which culminates with the Transgender Day of Remembrance on Nov. 20), Planned Parenthood of Illinois (PPIL) is highlighting its Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy (GAHT) ...
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New guide out for educators, parents advocating for LGBTQ students with disabilities
--From a press release
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation released a new resource to help both parents and educators advocate on behalf of LGBTQ students with disabilities. NCLR partnered with HRC Foundation, the National ...
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COVID-19 Pritzker institutes Tier Three mitigations starting Nov. 20
With a new wave of COVID-19 surging across Illinois, the Midwest and the nation, Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced, on Nov. 17, additional COVID-19 resurgence mitigations will take effect ...
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City of Chicago issues Stay at Home Advisory
In response to rising COVID-19 cases, Chicago residents have been advised to remain at home beginning Monday, Nov.16, 2020 and to cancel plans to entertain on Thanksgiving. Exceptions to the new Stay at Home Advisory are ...
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CVS Health offering free, rapid COVID-19 testing on South Side
--From a press release
CHICAGO, Ill., November 10, 2020 — Together with the New Spiritual Light Missionary Baptist Church and Peer Plus Education and Training Advocates, CVS Health is launching rapid COVID-19 testing at the Chicago Baptist Institute. CVS pharmacists ...
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Healthcare for tens of millions, including LGBT elders, at stake in Supreme Court hearing
--From a SAGE press release
Today, the Supreme Court hears yet another case challenging the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This challenge takes up whether eliminating the penalty for not having health insurance makes the individual ...
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Number of COVID-19 cases among Cook County Circuit Court employees updated
The Office of the Chief Judge has announced that four employees and two judges have tested positive for COVID-19. One judge works at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse, while the other judge works in the Cook County ...
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Gov. Pritzker and staff test negative for COVID-19
--From a press release
Chicago — Governor Pritzker and staff who attended the meeting Monday where they were exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 have tested negative. The PCR tests were conducted Friday afternoon. This is the second ...
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Flu shots, mental health, well-being, COVID resources part of Andersonville Cares
--From a press release
CHICAGO — The Andersonville Chamber of Commerce (ACC) is expanding its ongoing "Andersonville Cares" initiative to help keep businesses and residents safe throughout the fall and winter months. Neighborhood resources ...
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COVID-19 More Cook County Court chief judge's office employees test positive
The Office of the Chief Judge announced that four employees have tested positive for COVID-19. Two employees work for the Adult Probation Department at the Criminal Court Administration Building. The third employee works for the Social ...
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COVID-19 UChicago Medical Center recruiting for vaccine clinical trial
The University of Chicago (UChicago) Medical Center will be a testing site for the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson's Phase 3 clinical research study, ENSEMBLE trial, to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the ...
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NATIONAL Texas board, intersex portfolio, hate crimes, beauty queen dies
A Texas regulatory board reinstated protections that bar social workers from refusing services to LGBTQ people and people with disabilities, NBC News reported. The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council, or BHEC, on Tuesday unanimously reversed an ...
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Mayor Lightfoot announces election day safety plan
--From a press release
CHICAGO— Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot today joined the Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC), Chicago Police Department (CPD), Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Department of Business ...
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LGBT HISTORY: The Intersection Of LGBTQ History And Disability
Disabled people have long been hidden from history, and unsurprisingly, disabled LGBTQ historical figures too have been hidden. The LGBTQ community itself has been slow to address disability as an issue, yet some of the most ...
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Pritzker administration grants $94M to Illinois businesses, communities
--From a press release
CHICAGO—Governor JB Pritzker today joined the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) to announce the release of $94 million in emergency relief funds for communities and small businesses ...
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COVID-19 Big Chicks/Tweet closing temporarily
Uptown venues Big Chicks (5024 N. Sheridan Rd.) and Tweet (5020 N. Sheridan Rd.) have temporarily closed after owner Michelle Fire said a customer who was feeling unwell came to the bar to celebrate his birthday ...
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Jane Fonda, Hillary Clinton attend Personal PAC's virtual luncheon
Actor/Activist Jane Fonda, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Governor JB Pritzker were among those who took place in Personal PAC's Oct. 21 virtual luncheon. The reproductive-rights organization's principal ...
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COVID-19 restriction measures for Chicago start Oct. 30
Gov. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced COVID-19 resurgence mitigations will be implemented in Region 11—the City of Chicago—beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 30. ...
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GAO Report: Veteran health system falling short for LGBTQs
A recent report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) finds that Veterans Administration (VA) healthcare service to LGBTQs is hampered by a failure in reporting and analysis. VA hospitals ...
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Same-sex parents are 7X more likely to raise adopted, foster children
--From a Williams Institute press release
A summary of data on same-sex parenting to inform reporting on Fulton v. City of Philadelphia On Nov. 5, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia. The case will ...
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LETTER: Message to Illinois Patients, B.E. W.E.L.L.
Dear Editor: As we approach the holiday season and we continue to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, now is the time to double our efforts to minimize our exposure to the virus and to do everything ...
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Lightfoot imposes curfew on city, cracks down on bars
In light of a spike of coronavirus infections in the city, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot followed through Oct. 22 by imposing a 10 p.m. curfew on all nonessential city businesses, The Chicago Tribune reported. In addition, ...
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Lightfoot releases 2021 budget proposal
On Oct. 21, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot presented to City Council the 2021 budget recommendations—described in a press release as "a fiscally responsible spending plan that leads the City along the road to recovery from the ...
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NATIONAL Autistic trans guide, trans death, AIDS Quilt, intersex study
The National LGBTQ Task Force and the AWNNetwork released a collaborative guide, "Before You Go: Know Your Rights & What to Expect at the Doctor and in the Hospital"—a groundbreaking first-of-its-kind publication filled with tips and ...
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Study shows young queer adults face high rates of discrimination
A new study from the progressive think tank the Center for American Progress (CAP) and the research group NORC at the University of Chicago reported that young queer adults face high rates of discrimination. The survey ...
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Equality Illinois distributes $115,000+ in COVID relief grants to LGBTQs
--From a press release
Equality Illinois, the state's civil rights organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer people; through a grant the Illinois COVID Response Fund (ICRF) and community organizations, has awarded over $115,000 in COVID relief grants ...
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Hillary Clinton supports Personal PAC's virtual annual awards luncheon
--From a press release
Chicago, IL — Personal PAC, the leading non-partisan political action committee (PAC) dedicated to electing pro-choice state and local officials in Illinois is excited to announce that Secretary Hillary Clinton ...
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Jessica Halem to open Transforming Care Conference
--From a press release
The Equitas Health Institute's virtual 2020 Transforming Care Conference on LGBTQ+ HIV & Health Equity opens Wednesday, October 14 with Jessica Halem's presentation of "Mourn the Dead & Fight Like Hell for the Living." As a ...
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19% of transgender adults in the U.S. are parents
--From a Williams Institute press release
The first nationally representative sample of transgender people in the U.S. finds no difference in mental and physical health between transgender and cisgender parents An estimated 19% of transgender adults in the U.S. are parents, according ...
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Study: LGBTs nearly four times more likely than non to face violent crime
--From a press release
LGBT people are nearly four times more likely than non-LGBT people to experience violent victimization, including rape, sexual assault, and aggravated or simple assault, according to a new study by the Williams Institute at UCLA School ...
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COVID-19 President and Melania Trump test positive
President Donald Trump revealed late during the evening of Oct. 1 that he and First Lady Melania Trump had tested positive for COVID-19. "Tonight @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine ...
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PASSAGES Timothy Ray Brown, who was cured of HIV, dies of cancer at 54
After a five-month battle with leukemia, Timothy Ray Brown—publicized as the first known person to be cured of HIV, and also known by many as "The Berlin Patient"—has died of cancer, according to the International AIDS ...
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VIEWPOINT As a gay bipolar man, I've learned to live with suicidal thoughts
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 20. LGBTQ+ youth seriously contemplate suicide at almost three times the rate of heterosexual youth. In addition, LGBTQ+ youth are almost five ...
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30 Under 30 Awards 2000-2019
Honoring local LGBTQ people 30 and younger who excelled in entertainment, politics, health, activism, academics, sports and other areas, Windy City Times' 30 Under 30 Awards ceremonies, which started in 2000, were held during Pride Month. ...
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NATIONAL Trans incidents, governors, It Gets Better, Keith Haring, Gloria Trevi
The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) mourned the loss of Aerrion Burnett, a 37-year-old Black trans woman from Independence, Missouri who was found dead of a gunshot wound Sept. 19, a press release noted ...
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COVID-19 Chicago relaxing restrictions on gyms, bars, restaurants
Citing a downward turn in the number of the city's COVID-19 cases, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has relaxed restrictions for gyms, bars, restaurants and other venues, The Chicago Tribune noted. Starting Thursday, Oct. 1, the city ...
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COVID-19 Indiana moving to Stage 5 of reopening
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb announced that the state will move to stage 5 of reopening as coronavirus trends continue to improve, WSBT.com reported. Stores, malls, restaurants, bars, nightclubs and gyms will all be able to open ...
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Jane Fonda part of Personal PAC virtual luncheon Oct. 21
Personal PAC—the leading non-partisan political action committee (PAC) dedicated to electing pro-choice state and local officials in Illinois—announced that its 27th Annual Awards Luncheon will be held virtually Wed., Oct. ...
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