Celebrate LOUD: Your ultimate guide to Pride Month events in Chicago
Looking for Pride Month events in Chicago? Windy City Times and our Chicago Social Butterflies calendar have your backs! From Pride Month staples like the Chicago Pride Parade to neighborhood festivals, dance parties, art shows and more, there are dozens—if not hundreds—of things to do…
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WNBA: Claims of racism directed at Reese ‘not substantiated’
A WNBA investigation determined that reports of racist fan behavior directed at Chicago Sky All-Star Angel Reese during a recent Sky game at the Indiana Fever were “not substantiated,” according to Yahoo! Sports. The statement read, “We have investigated the report of racist fan behavior in the vicinity of the court during the May 17, 2025,…
Here are 27 suburban Pride Month events happening near Chicago
The spirit of Pride is alive and well in the suburbs this June. Across Chicagoland, LGBTQ+ communities are organizing parades, parties and powerful moments of visibility. From parades and festivals to family picnics, film screenings and drag brunches, LGBTQ+ communities across the suburbs are turning out in full force to celebrate Pride. Whether you’re in…
Out the Archives: Affinity aims to open South Side community center
Out the Archives is a recurring feature diving into the Windy City Times collection, offering a look back at the rich history of LGBTQ+ Chicago. In this edition, we look back at the April 1996 issue of BLACKlines, which included writer Jano’s coverage of Affinity as it looked to open a South Side community center…
Smollett to pay $50K to Chicago organization in settlement
Embattled LGBTQ+ actor Jussie Smollett will pay $50,000 to an organization in Chicago to settle a lawsuit the city had filed against him over accusations of lying about a hate crime, media outlets noted. Chicago police had wanted Smollett to pay $130,000 to cover the investigation costs; however, the donation will be made instead, per the…
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Leather Market bustles as IML continues
Tens of thousands of people turned out to shop, socialize and meet the dozens of vendors from around the world at the 47th Annual International Mr. Leather Market. The Market opened on May 23 and runs through May 26.
Nation & World
WORLD Pope Leo, IDAHO, Eurovision win, UK Pride marches
International development expert Zikora Ibeh wondered if Pope Leo XIV’s approach to LGBTQ+ issues will be similar to Pope Francis’ approach, because there is one group for whom the answer to this question can have serious consequences: queer Africans, according to New Ways Ministry. Writing in the journal International Politics and Society, Ibeh explained that Francis’ historic…
Theater / Dance
THEATER Pride Month theater in Chicago has something for everyone
Pride Month in Chicago means parties, parades and performances. The Dark Lord in D.C. may have decreed that Charlie’s Aunt and As You Like It and Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro and other shows with drag roles cannot be presented at the Kennedy Center, but drag, diversity and all things LGBTQ+ continue to thrive here in sanctuary city Chicago. For Pride…
Music
Annual Belting for Life concert shoots for the rafters
Producer Christopher Pazdernik celebrated his birthday in partnership with A Season of Concern and presented the 10th annual Belting for Life concert to the packed nightspot SPACE, 1245 Chicago Ave. in Evanston, on May 19. The show, which has become a yearly anticipated event gathered theater fans and music lovers to raise funds for AIDS…
Film / TV / Gossip
A ‘Fruitful’ conversation with bear Guy Branum at The Den
Gay comedy writer Guy Branum has had a long and fruitful career that continues to grow, He has taken home trophies from the Emmy and Golden Globe awards over the years, and his television credits include Hacks, The Mindy Project, The Other Two and A League of Their Own. Guy created and hosted truTV’s Talk Show the Game Show and is often a…
Books / Art
Trans
NATIONAL Tenn. bill, Va. letter, PEN America, Stonewall Awards, Harvey Milk
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed a bill into law to protect educators who misgender transgender students, staff or any other person in their school districts, WBIR reported. The new statute—HB 1270, introduced by state Rep. Mark Cochran (R-Englewood)—could also make schools vulnerable to lawsuits if they use students’ preferred names or pronouns, effectively requiring educators to misgender…
Lesbian
SAVOR Artis: A safe space for dining fabulously
The first thing you notice when you walk into the River North spot Artis Chicago is just how sumptuous it is. But look beyond the cool-looking upholstery and warm walls, and there’s so much more: It’s a place where everybody can be who he/she/they wants to be—and where intolerance is not tolerated. A press release stated about…