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MOVIES 'Cicada' flies into virtual film festivals this fall
Set in New York City, a queer-centered movie called Cicada is now hitting virtual film festivals and explores complicated relationships with a backdrop of childhood trauma. Ben and Sam meet at a bookstore and a journey ...
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ELECTIONS 2020 Guide to the LGBTQs
This year's general elections will feature a record number of openly LGBT candidates throughout Illinois. They include: —Karla Bailey-Smith Race: Illinois state representative ( 88th District ) Website: Unite88.org . The skinny: Bailey-Smith was born ...
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League of Chicago Theatres highlights creative approaches to Fall 2020 Theatre
--From a press release
Chicago, IL — Theatre venues in Chicago and across the world remain closed due to the COVID 19 pandemic while the industry in Chicago has developed creative ways to connect with audiences. Chicago theatre artists and ...
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The Alley moves to Avondale
The Alley, located in Lake View since 1976, announced that it is moving to its Avondale warehouse, 2620 W. Fletcher Ave, according to a press release. The warehouse, referred to as "The Mothership" by owner Mark ...
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Alicia Keys joins After School Matters event
Grammy winner Alicia Keys joined teenagers and their families across Chicago Sept. 24 for a live virtual conversation about current racial and social justice events, as well as her life and music career, including her recently ...
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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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Red Stars' season tickets now available
The Chicago Red Stars have announced that 2021 season ticket memberships are now available. After a breakout 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup that saw the Red Stars reach their second consecutive championship match, Chicago looks to continue ...
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National LGBTQ Task Force to stream "The Power of US" gala Oct. 3
--From a press release
NATIONAL LGBTQ TASK FORCE ANNUAL GALA OCTOBER 3, 2020 AT 8PM ET/5PM PT Washington, DC. September 24, 2020……. The National LGBTQ Task Force has announced it will stream the 2020 National LGBTQ Task Force Gala, presented ...
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Chicago Teachers Union on Breonna Taylor and the fight for racial justice
--From a press release
CHICAGO, September 23, 2020—Chicago Teachers Union President Jesse Sharkey issued the following statement today in response to news that the Kentucky Attorney General will not charge the officer for the shots that killed Breonna Taylor. "For ...
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AIDS Run & Walk Chicago returns with reformatted 2020 event
AIDS Foundation of Chicago's annual AIDS Run & Walk Chicago has been reformatted and expanded so community members can participate in the fundraiser while still social-distancing and adhering to public-safety guidelines. While an event at Soldier ...
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Chicago focus of 'City So Real' TV event running Oct. 29
National Geographic Documentary Films announced that the critically acclaimed five-part documentary series from Participant and Kartemquin Films, City So Real, will air in an unprecedented one-night, five-hour, commercial-free event on Thursday, Oct. 29, beginning at 7 ...
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Early voting and vote-by-mail information for Chicago residents
Due to COVID-19, voters are encouraged to use vote by mail or early voting before Election Day on Nov. 3, according to the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners website. Chicago voters who apply online before Sept. ...
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State rep Grant apologizes for racist, anti-gay remarks
Illinois state Rep. Amy Grant, R-Wheaton, apologized after making disparaging comments in a recorded telephone call about her opponent, Ken Mejia-Beal, which referenced his race and sexual orientation, Quad City Times noted. Organizations and elected officials ...
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Trans Puerto Rico icon dies at 73
Soraya Santiago—the first person from Puerto Rico known to have undergone gender reassignment surgery and a longtime icon for the U.S. territory's LGBTQ community—has died of cancer, ABC News reported. She was 73. Santiago had frequented ...
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Ruth Bader Ginsburg films out Sept. 25
As a tribute of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's life and legacy, Focus Features and Magnolia Pictures will be re-releasing On the Basis of Sex and RBG—both films about Ginsburg—Friday, Sept. 25 in theaters, ...
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Carey stepping down as Task Force executive director in 2021
On Sept. 23, the National LGBTQ Task Force announced that longtime Executive Director Rea Carey will be stepping down in early 2021. Carey has been with the organization since 2003 as a senior strategist, then deputy ...
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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. 21, at 12 p.m., ...
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Lambda officials weigh LGBTQ legal challenges ahead
Officials from the national LGBTQ-rights advocacy Lambda Legal held an online discussion Sept. 23 to discuss the implications for both the judiciary and the LGBTQ community following the death of United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth ...
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Chicago Bar Association releases 'Judge Smart Guide'
--From a press release
The Chicago Bar Association has released its evaluations for judicial candidates who are seeking election or retention to the Illinois Supreme Court, the Illinois Appellate Court or the Circuit Court of Cook County in the upcoming ...
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Chicago releases outdoor dining guidelines for fall, winter
Keeping the COVID-19 pandemic in mind, the City of Chicago released guidelines for safe outdoor dining this fall and winter. All outdoor spaces must have a sidewalk cafe permit, outdoor patio license or an expanded outdoor ...
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Five Worth Finding: Tom of Finland, help for renters, 'Batwoman'
—Rentervention ( https://lcbh.org/get-legal-help/rentervention ): This webpage begins with a daunting statistic: Each year, more than 20,000 people are evicted from their homes in Chicago. Rentervention—a part of the Lawyers' Committee for Better Housing—helps with such issues ...
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Local musician/comic Becky Raisman aims to show passion in performing
Becky Raisman—a 38-year-old singer and comedian who is part of the LGBTQ+ community—has been singing ever since she was in elementary school. She now both covers and writes her own songs, performing them in local venues. ...
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GALECA announces inaugural Dorian TV award winners
Hugh Jackman, Janelle Monae, Billy Porter, John Oliver and Schitt's Creek creator-star Dan Levy, plus stars and producers of Killing Eve and Watchmen, offered heartfelt thanks as they virtually accepted awards—and were treated to a symbolic ...
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Red Stars rout Sky Blue 4-1
In a National Women's Soccer League match, the Chicago Red Stars had three different players score as they defeated Sky Blue FC 4-1 in the home team's first game at SeatGeek Stadium ( in Bridgeview, Illinois ...
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LETTER Culture and diversity
Dear editor: I want to respond to the Windy City Times article of Aug. 19 titled "Organization leaders discuss board diversity strategies," which was itself a reaction to the survey in the July 22 issue concerning ...
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'Schitt's Creek' dominates Emmys
The Canadian LGBTQ-centered comedy series Schitt's Creek cleaned up for its final season when the Television Academy showcased the Emmy Awards the evening of Sept. 20. This was the 72nd Emmy ceremony, and was largely virtual ...
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OP-ED: Ruth Bader Ginsburg bent the moral arc toward justice
Like so many Americans across the country, I, too, am mourning the news that U.S. Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has died due to complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer. She was 87. As a soft-spoken firebrand ...
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WORLD Barbados items, EU's criticism, Billie Jean King, Equality Act
Barbados is ready to grant legal status to same-sex couples, in a major breakthrough for gay rights lobbying in the Caribbean Community ( CARICOM ) region, The Jamaica Gleaner reported. Gov. General Dame Sandra Mason made ...
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SHOWBIZ Julia Child movie, Janelle Monae, 'Ammonite,' Harry Styles
David Hyde Pierce will star opposite Sarah Lancashire in Julia, HBO Max's drama pilot about the famous chef, trailblazing cookbook author and TV personality, Deadline reported. He replaces Tom Hollander, who originally had been tapped for ...
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NATIONAL Lambda Litfest, #BiWeek, whistleblower, Equality Awards, Blade
The 4th annual Lambda Litfest ( Oct. 5-9 ) has been transformed into a specially curated, virtual event celebrating Black LGBTQIA+ excellence and abundance, a press release noted. The opening night will set the stage by ...
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Champaign County holding virtual Pride event Sept. 25-27
Champaign County-Uniting Pride of Champaign County announced the theme for the 2020 Champaign County Pride Celebration, taking place virtually Sept. 25-27: "Staying Apart—Rising United." Some of the events include the Pride Fest Online Auction, an LGBTQIA+ ...
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Cerqua Rivera revises 2020 schedule
Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre has unveiled a restructured performance schedule for 2020. A livestreamed benefit performance honoring longtime friend of the company Sandra McNaughton will take place Sunday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m. The show will ...
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Groups, officials condemn state rep's anti-gay remarks
Organizations and elected officials condemned comments Republican Illinois state Rep. Amy Grant made during a fundraising call about her Democratic challenger, Ken Mejia-Beal. According to a statement Equality Illinois released, Grant said of Mejia-Beal, "He's afraid ...
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SAVOR Froth: A coffee lover's delight
DISH Dining Guide
It might take something special to lure people to Froth ( 1515 W. Monroe St.; Froth.cafe ). Fortunately, Froth has more than one attraction—especially for those who indulge in coffee ( which seems to be most ...
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HRC Pres. Alphonso David reacts to U.S. approaching 200,000 COVID deaths
--From a press release
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, as the United States approaches the grim milestone of surpassing 200,000 deaths caused by COVID-19, Human Rights Campaign Foundation ( HRC ) President Alphonso David released the following statement: "When this pandemic ...
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Creating Change Conference to hold Oct. 10 day-long event, "Queering Racial Justice"
--From a press release
Sept. 21, 2020….Washington, DC…. The National LGBTQ Task Force and Creating Change will hold a day-long event ( 12:30 ET to 6:30 ET ) exploring how Queer/Trans People of Color ( QTPOC ) activism is leading ...
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PASSAGES Gay business owner/nightlife figure Bob Yeaworth dies
Gay business owner and promoter Robert "Bob" Yeaworth died Sept. 14 from complications due to his ALS ( also known as Lou Gehrig's disease ) diagnosis. He was 64. Yeaworth was born Sept. 17, 1955 in ...
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Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an important voice for LGBT people
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the justice with the most pro-LGBT voting record in the history of the court, died Friday following a long struggle with cancer. As hundreds of people gathered on the ...
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NCLR mourns LGBTQ equality champion Justice Ginsburg
--From a press release
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — The National Center for Lesbian Rights ( NCLR ) mourns the tragic loss of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg — a true champion for LGBTQ rights in her 27 years on the U.S. ...
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THEATER REVIEW We're Gonna Die
Playwright: Young Jean Lee At: Theatre Y, streaming online at Theatre-Y.com . Ticketsfree. Runs through: Oct. 4 "To be, or not to be" may have once been a dilemma to beguile wealthy Danish princes, but the ...
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PASSAGES Wayland D. Rogers
Wayland D. Rogers—a singer, conductor, teacher and celebrated composer based in Chicago—passed away Sept. 9 after a long illness. He was 78. Rogers was born to Othal and Dova ( Barrier ) Rogers on Dec. 26, ...
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'Cheer' star Harris faces child-pornography charges
FBI agents arrested Jerry Harris—a Naperville native who became famous as the breakout star of the Netflix docuseries Cheer—on child-pornography charges, The Chicago Tribune reported. Allegedly, Harris, 21, repeatedly coerced minor victims to send him obscene ...
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'SNL' adds lesbian cast member
Saturday Night Live, or SNL, will start its 46th season Oct. 3 with at least one major change: The show is adding a member of the LGBTQ+ community to its cast. Punkie Johnson is an out ...
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COVID-19 Report: Latinx LGBTQ people suffer more from economic fallout
The Human Rights Campaign ( HRC ) Foundation released new data outlining the economic impact of COVID-19 on Latinx LGBTQ people. The new research shows that Latinx LGBTQ people are more likely to have had their ...
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MCA Chicago receives $2.5M grant from Mellon
The Museum of Contemporary Art ( MCA ) Chicago received a $2.5-million award from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation—the largest in the venue's history. In a statement, the MCA said the grant "will enable the museum ...
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Equality Illinois announces general election endorsements
--From a press release
CHICAGO - Equality Illinois, the state's civil rights organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Illinoisans, today announced endorsements for the November 3, 2020 general election. "Equality Illinois is excited to announce our endorsements today ...
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Supreme Ct. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies at age 87
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died Sept. 18, multiple media outlets reported. She was 87. President Bill Clinton appointed Ginsburg to the nation's highest court in 1993, making her the second woman to be ...
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Equality Illinois endorses thirteen LGBTQ candidates for general election
--From a press release
CHICAGO - Equality Illinois, the state's civil rights organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer Illinoisans, today announced endorsements of a record number of LGBTQ candidates running for the Illinois General Assembly in a general ...
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Link pleads guilty to tax-related charges
On Sept. 16, now-former Illinois state Sen. Terry Link pled guilty to a federal count of filing a false tax return, The Chicago Tribune reported. Link's plea agreement with prosecutors stated he listed his 2016 income ...
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Big 10 decides to start football season Oct. 24
On Sept. 16, The Big Ten conference ( which includes schools such as Northwestern University, the Ohio State University and the University of Michigan ) announced it will kick off its football season the weekend of ...
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Quigley, Demings introduce blood-donation bias measure
U.S. Reps. Mike Quigley (IL-05), who serves as Vice Chair of the LGBT Equality Caucus, and Val Demings (FL-10) introduced the Science in Blood Donation Act of 2020, which would require the Food and Drug Administration ...
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Gerber/Hart reveals future plans
Gerber/Hart Library and Archives, 6500 N. Clark St., hosted several relatively informal, socially distanced gatherings the weekend of Sept. 12-13 to let community supporters know about its plans for the next few years. The various sessions—which ...
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THEATER REVIEW Pride and Prejudice: A Virtual Play
Playwright: Adapted by Christina Calvit from the novel by Jane Austen At: Streaming online at LifelineTheatre.com . Tickets: Free with donation. Runs through: Oct. 4 For starters, what we've got are two wealthy young bachelors, two ...
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'Under the Stars with Handbag' drive-in fest through Sept. 19
Hell in a Handbag Productions is hosting "Under the Stars with Handbag: A Drive-In Festival," which is running Fridays and Saturdays through Sept. 19 at The Red Box Workshop, 4242 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., at 7:30 ...
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TELEVISION Actors talk about tackling 'Ratched' roles, working with Ryan Murphy
It takes the winning combination of gay producer Ryan Murphy and lesbian actress Sarah Paulson to bring the fictional story of Ratched to life in unexpected ways. The new drama series on Netflix already has a ...
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MOVIES David Pevsner brings performance to home screens
Although Los Angeles-based performer David Pevsner's solo performance piece Musical Comedy Whore! is technically a one-man show, Pevsner takes care to differentiate it from others. "I think people are kind of surprised by it, [thinking] that ...
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MOVIES Reeling goes online for 2020 edition
The pandemic did not stop officials from Chicago Filmmakers, the organization behind Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival, from planning a diverse program of feature-length and short-subject narrative and documentary films for the festival's 2020 ...
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Billy Masters
"The fact is, I'm a cheerleader for this country. I love our country. And I don't want people to be frightened. I don't want to create panic."—Donald Trump. No offense to any leaders of cheers out ...
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MOMBIAN True stories, trans tales and more in new picture books
New books can be a delightful relief in these days of quarantine. Here are some of the many new LGBTQ-inclusive picture books that just came out last month. ( See Mombian.com for even more. ) The ...
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HRC Foundation, HIT release study on voters of color, voting by mail
The Human Rights Campaign ( HRC ) Foundation and HIT Strategies released the first results of a national survey of voters of color, including LGBTQ voters of color, to determine sentiment regarding voting by mail. Conducted ...
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SciLine hosts intersectional briefing regarding LGBTQ+, Black communities
Recently, SciLine held a media briefing discussing mental health in LGBTQ+ and Black communities. Yale School of Medicine's Dr. John Pachankis and Tufts University's Dr. Madina Agenor were panelists who contributed to the conversation of racial ...
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Out Illinois State coach dives into new position
Logan Pearsall, an accomplished college diver who has since transitioned into master's level diving, was competing at the 2017 FINA World Masters Championships in Budapest, Hungary. He was doing a challenging inward dive from a one-meter ...
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PASSAGES Computer programmer/Chi-Town Squares member Bill Klein passes away
Longtime Chi-Town Squares member and COBOL computer programmer William "Bill" Michael Klein died Sept. 5 due to health complications after he fell down in his home a few days prior. He was 70. Klein was born ...
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Ruth Bader Ginsburg exhibit extended
The Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center has extended the run of its exhibit "Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg" through Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021. Based on the New York Times best-selling ...
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Midwest LGBTQ Health Symposium going virtual Sept. 16-17
The Midwest LGBTQ Health Symposium 2020—with its theme, "Being Healthy is a Radical Act"—will be going virtual Sept. 16-17. The symposium ( presented by Howard Brown Health's Center for Education, Research and Advocacy ) brings together ...
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PASSAGES Gay philanthropist Henry van Ameringen dies
Henry van Ameringen, a major donor to LGBTQ+ and HIV organizations, died Sept. 9. He was 90, according to a Plus magazine item. Lambda Legal CEO Kevin Jennings said in a statement that Windy City Times ...
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Former PFLAG board member Rev. Gil Caldwell dies
Former PFLAG National board member Rev. Dr. Gilbert H. Caldwell passed away, the organization announced in a press release. A retired United Methodist Church minister, Caldwell participated in the 1963 March on Washington, the 1964 Mississippi ...
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Trans candidate McBride makes history again
Sarah McBride—who, in 2016, was the first openly transgender person to address the Democratic National Convention—made history again with a primary victory, setting her up for her likely win as the highest-ranking openly transgender legislator in ...
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Sky's season ends with loss to Connecticut
The Chicago Sky's season came to an end Sept. 15 with a 94-81 loss to the Connecticut Sun in the single-elimination first round of the 2020 WNBA Playoffs at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. When asked ...
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NATIONAL Lambda Legal, Catholic school, gay-bar raid, Buttigieg
Lambda Legal said that President Trump's shortlist of potential U.S. Supreme Court nominees "is teeming with anti-LGBT extremists and dangerous ideologues," a press release noted. The list includes Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals judges Kyle Duncan ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Pose,' Matt Bomer, 'Mr. Soul,' Lil Nas X, Halsey, Dave Koz
SHOWBIZ 'Pose,' Matt Bomer, 'Mr. Soul,' Lil Nas X, Halsey, Dave Koz COMPILED BY ANDREW DAVIS FX's award-winning series Pose is planning to return to production in October, Variety noted. Production on season three was halted ...
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WORLD Argentina pro-trans move, Canada survey, Uganda groups, sports items
Argentina President Alberto Fernandez is now requiring 1% of public sector jobs be set aside for transgender people, LGBTQ Nation noted, citing Pagina 12. Fernandez signed a decree that reads, "Every [trans] person has a right ...
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Sarah Brightman in Chicago in Dec. 2021
Soprano Sarah Brightman will bring "HYMN: Sarah Brightman In Concert" to the historic Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Dr., on Friday, Dec. 10, 2021 at 8 p.m. CDT. Tickets will go on sale to ...
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EXPO Chicago hosting EXHIBITION Weekend Sept. 24-27
EXPO Chicago has announced EXHIBITION Weekend ( Sept. 24—27 )—a digital initiative showcasing Chicago-based exhibitions, curatorial projects and artist programs through virtual studio visits, exhibition and gallery tours; discussion; and a new online viewing experience developed ...
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SOCIAL MEDIA Sam Cushing talks COVID-19, creating meaningful content
Sam Cushing is a multihyphenate talent—musician, fitness consultant, digital content creator and mental-health advocate—with a focus on building his social media presence to pursue his interests and generate a positive impact on society. Cushing, 28, is ...
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