Category Archives: Transgender
Transgender Day of Remembrance November 20th
On Wednesday, November 20th
2013, members of the LGBTQ community and its allies are invited to
participate in Transgender Day of Remembrance at Center on Halsted, 3656
N. Halsted. St., Chicago, Illinois 60613. The event will take place
from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
and will include a reception and welcome address with light food and
refreshments, a reading of names, videos and performances by several
prominent members of the trans* community. This event is free, and open
to the public.
A
week before the event, Center on Halsted will tie purple ribbons in the
trees outside its building to commemorate the lives of trans* community
members who have lost their lives as a result of anti-transgender
hatred or prejudice. The ribbons will serve as a public memorial to
those who lost their lives, as well as to the resilience of the
community. During the ceremony, participants will be able to add ribbons
to the trees with the names of someone they personally memorialize.
The
2013 Transgender Day of Remembrance is hosted in partnership with
Howard Brown Health Center, Broadway Youth Center, Chicago Women’s AIDS
Project, Chicago House Trans Life Center and Center on Halsted.
About Transgender Day of Remembrance:
Transgender
Day of Remembrance serves to raise public awareness of hate crimes
against transgender people, to publicly mourn and honor the lives of
those who might otherwise be forgotten and to express love and respect
for trans* people in the face of national indifference and hatred. For
more information, visit www.transgenderdor.org.
Candi Cayne Midnight Cabaret at Taverna 750 November 9th
Join Taverna 750 and Nolet’s Gin on November 9th for a Midnight Cabaret Show with Candis Cayne benefiting the Gibbs Family Foundation.
Candis Cayne is one of the United States’ most popular and sought-after
transgender actresses being seen in shows like Dirty Sexy Money,
Nip/tuck, and Million Dollar Listing.. Candis first made a name for
herself at the famed NYC gay hot-spot “Boy Bar”, where her performances
drew rave reviews. A classically trained dancer, Candis has thrilled
audiences from coast-to-coast with her amazing gift for dance, choreography and glamour.
With Specials Guest Traver Rains, famed fashion designer, co-creator of the haute couture line Heatherette, and current owner of the T-Rains fashion line.
The Gibbs Family Foundation promotes healthy living and prevention
strategies for complex illnesses and rare diseases. The Gibbs Family
Foundation provides funding opportunities to organizations committed to
promoting health awareness, lifestyle modifications, and prevention
programs to improve health.
$10 Cover at the Door or reserve a private bottle service table with Timothy Rocklewitz at tim@taverna750.com for details.
Billionaire Philanthropist James Pritzker Comes Out as Transgender
Col. James Pritzker, a member of a prominent and wealthy Chicago
family and funder of a study on transgender people in the military, has
come out as transgender, Crain’s Chicago Business reports.
Crain’s quotes an email sent to employees of the Pritzker
Military Library and Pritzker’s company Tawani Enterprises, saying, “As
of Aug. 16, 2013, J.N. Pritzker will undergo an official legal name
change, will now be known as Jennifer Natalya Pritzker. This change will
reflect the beliefs of her true identity that she has held privately
and will now share publicly. Pritzker now identifies herself as a woman
for all business and personal undertakings.” The business journal adds
that “a spokeswoman declined to answer questions about Col. Pritzker’s
sexuality or possible hormone therapy.”
Pritzker has a net worth of $1.5 billion, according to Forbes,
and has donated to many philanthropic efforts, including preservation
and restoration of historic buildings. Her family has a long history in
business. Pritzker’s father, the late Robert Pritzker, founded the
Marmon Group, a holding company for a variety of businesses, and her
uncles, the late Jay Pritzker and Donald Pritzker, founded Hyatt Hotels.
Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker is her cousin.
We are truly everywhere!
The Boys from the Book of Mormon present Trans Musical ONE NIGHT ONLY for Charity
The Boys from the Book of Mormon Present Trans Musical ONE NIGHT ONLY for Charity
PAGEANT: The Musical
Book and Lyrics by Bill Russell & Frank Kelly
Music by Albert Evans & Conceived by Robert Longbottom
7:30PM, SEPT 9th
The Laugh Factory
3175 N Broadway St, Chicago
General Admission$40.00
with 2 drink minimum
V.I.P $100 -7:00PM VIP reception, PRIORITY SEATING, 2 drink minimum
This special evening in the Chicago arts benefits The Abzyme Research Foundation: raising money for the most promising HIV vaccine trial in decades.
It’s a once in a lifetime event: Off-Broadway’s most hilarious trans-musical performed ONE NIGHT ONLY by the boys from Chicago’s The Book of Mormon.
Featuring Pierce Cassedy, Donell James Foreman, Eric Giancola, Eric Jackson, Nick Laughlin, Will Lee-Williams, Richard Traub and Jessica Hudson as our MC for the evening.
These girls have it all, plus a little something extra. Cheer them on as they sing, dance and claw their way to the Glamouresse Beauty Products Company’s Miss Glamouresse 2014 tiara. You won’t be able to contain yourself and you won’t have to, audience members get to decide who gets crowned and watch the mascara run!
“Pageant” is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. eTickets Available online More information on the HIV vaccine at http://www.endhiv.com
Chicago House Opens Nations First Transgender Housing
Monday July 15th, Chicago House Opens Nation’s First Transgender Housing
Local Gov’t Officials to Cut Ribbon; Openly Transgender Hollywood Producer
and Chicago native
Lana Wachowski to attend
July 15th is the Opening of Chicago House’s NEW TransLife Center (TLC), a first in the nation facility to offer full, wrap-around services to members of the transgender community and address the unique housing and employment needs of Chicago’s transgender populations.
In
addition to funding by Alphawood Foundation Chicago and multiple
corporate and private donors, TLC has been wholly designed with time,
materials and furnishing donations by Designs for Dignity (www.designsfordignity.org),
a Chicago non-profit organization that transforms non-profit spaces of
marginalized populations into more functional, nurturing environments.
About Face Theatres WHATS THE T
About Face Theatre is pleased to present a remount of its wildly popular Youth Ensemble world premiere WHAT’S THE T? by Sara Kerastas and The About Face Youth Theatre Ensemble, directed by Artistic Associate Eric Hoff, playing May 19 – June 2, 2013 at the Prince Charitable Trusts Upstairs Loft at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., in Chicago. The production features members of the About Face Youth Theatre Ensemble. Tickets are available at www.aboutfacetheatre.com or at the door.
Internet
personality/trans activist/fierce community leader Ms. Ma uses her
YouTube page to create community, serve glamour and spread the good word
about queer safe spaces in Chicago. WHAT’S THE T? tells the
story of Ms. Ma’s tangled web of connections, her struggle to stay
positive and what happens to her community when she disappears. Inspired
by issues of race, gender, age and class in Chicago’s “Boystown,” WHAT’S THE T? is based on true stories and interviews from LGBTQA youth and adults in and around Chicago.
WHAT’S THE T? began
with the theme of trans identity, but after year-one, the youth
ensemble chose to take it a step further by using this theme to address
the significant tensions arising in the queer community. As such, the
play examines issues of race, gender, class and age in the queer
community, with trans characters at the heart of the story. For 13
years, the Youth Theatre has sought changes within the larger community
through innovative thought, dialogue, and performance. AFYT hopes to
move their ensemble from positions of marginalization into positions of
inclusion and power.
“There’s
a whole storyline in the play that takes place on the Internet – with
two people documenting their lives through YouTube videos, and
ultimately building a relationship in that digital elusive space,”
comments playwright Sara Kerastas. “This play is so right now. The story speaks to how we communicate right now. How we build, how we own, and how we use space right now.”
The production team for WHAT’S THE T? includes: John Holt (set design/technical director), Mieka van der Ploeg (costume design), Jeff Glass (lighting design/production manager), Erik Roldan (sound design), Liviu Pasare (projections design), Nic K (choreography), Rupert Priniski (production coordinator) and John Rooney (stage manager).
Title:
Playwright: Sar
Director: A
Featuring: Ab
Location: Pr
Dates:
Curtain Times: Fridays at Saturdays at 7 pm; Sundays at 3 pm. Note: there will an added 3 pm performance on Saturday, June 1.
Tickets: $15. $5 youth tickets; $25 AFYT Support Ticket.
Tickets for WHAT’S THE T? are available at www.aboutfacetheatre.com or at the door.
Chicago House TransLife Program
In 1986, the first Christmas tree went up in the halls of Chicago House’s hospice.
CHICAGO HOUSE Selected for National Grant to Support Care and Treatment of Transgender Community
It was announced that local
non-profit leader in AIDS services, Chicago House, was selected as one of eight
national grant sites to study the link between HIV and retention in care of
transgender women of color. The study, which will be housed in Chicago
House’s all new TransLife Center (TLC), will allow $300,000 per year for
the next five years from the Health Resources and Services Administration
(HRSA) as a Special Program of National Significance.
The TLC programming will serve as a
collaborative comprehensive and multi-strategy approach to identifying HIV-positive
transgender women of color who are out of care, while engaging them
successfully in accessible, quality HIV primary care.
In leveraging
the resources and expertise of five project partners – AIDS Foundation of
Chicago, Center On Halsted, Lurie Children’s Hospital, Heartland Health
Outreach, and South Side Help Center – Chicago House will identify
transgender women of color living with HIV, create a broad network of
culturally competent healthcare providers, and deliver an array of services that
help marginalized transgender women overcome barriers to care.
“The TransLife Center Programming will incorporate
three tiers of support to the habitually overlooked “T” in the LGBT
community,” commented Chicago House CEO, Stan
Sloan. “TransHousing
will provide a safe and understanding home to transgender men and women,
through the rebirth of our original 24-hour-care building in Edgewater and
multiple scattered site units throughout the city. TransWorks, an offshoot of our highly
successful employment program, will work with trans men and women to identify
their unique employment placement needs and prepare them for the workplace
through resume writing, interview skills, and connections to culturally
competent job opportunities.” Sloan continued, “The final
element, TransHealth, will
connect trans men and women to non judgmental health care addressing their
unique needs through Dr. Rob Garafolo of Lurie Children’s Hospital.”
HRSA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, is the primary Federal agency for improving access to health care
services for people who are uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable.
“Chicago House remains committed to providing the best
in services to the homeless and HIV affected, and the integral TransHealth funding from HRSA further validates
the needs that we have identified within the transgender community,”
Sloan said. “The growth in reaching out to this population
represents the same trailblazing growth our founders had in mind 27 years ago,
and it is a wonderful next incarnation for our former hospice site. The
transgender community has been so strategic and receptive in helping us develop
the programs, and we are excited to begin this next step of Chicago
House’s history.”
About Chicago
House
The first organization of it’s kind in the Midwest, since 1985 Chicago
House has provided permanent housing and supportive services to men,
women and children living with HIV and AIDS. Their programs have since
expanded to include community case management, substance abuse counseling, HIV
prevention, medical adherence and the Midwest’s
first employment training and placement program specific to people with
HIV. Chicago House also
offers free, anonymous rapid HIV testing. For more information, visit www.chicagohouse.org.
Center on Halsted offers many Transgender focused and HIV Programs
July at the Center on Halsted….
July 2nd, 2012 – Charm School
– 7:15 to 8:30 PM
– Charm School is hosted by Mamma Gloria and topics include transgender image, etiquette, and charm. This event is open to all young, transgender persons.
July 3rd, 2012 – Intersex Chicago
– 6:30 to 9 PM
– Are you intersex? Have you ever felt you fall between the male and female check boxes? Intersex people physically differ from the “standard” male and female. These differences might be genetic, hormonal, or genital. We have features typical of both male and female at once or may have no clearly defined sexual features at all. There are many different kinds of intersex people.
– Intersex Chicago is a peer-led casual conversation group for those who identify as intersex or think they might be. It is also open to significant others, family, friends, allies, or anyone with questions.
– Meet other intersex people at Intersex Chicago. Make new friends. Find out more about intersex. Explore and celebrate your difference.
July 3rd, 20102 – Bisexuality Discussion Group
– 7 to 9:30 PM
– An evening for bisexuals, bi-curious and bi-allies to form community, share ideas and connect with peers
July 4th, 2012 – HIV+ Support Group (22-34)
– 6 to 7:30 PM
– For anyone living with HIV regardless of length of diagnosis, we offer HIV+ Support Groups. Our support groups run on 10-week cycles and are age-specific. The groups are facilitated by a mental health professional with extensive training in HIV and STDs and are a safe, confidential space for people who are living with HIV to share their experiences, to learn from each other, and to find support from others who may be going or may have gone through similar circumstances. Pre-registration required.
July 4th, 2012 – GenderQueer Chicago
– 6:30 PM
– GenderQueer Chicago is a grassroots, peer-led group that works to create safe spaces for all of us to talk about, think about, explore, and express gender. Meetings are intended to be a safe, encouraging and supportive environment. They are open to those who wish to talk and think about gender!
July 6th, 2012 – Trans Amor
– 6:30 to 9 PM
– A peer-led, casual conversation group open to current partners of gender non-conforming/transgender identified individuals, as well as those considering entering a relationship with someone who is gender non-conforming/transgender. T-Amor is always open to individuals of any gender identity/sexual orientation.
July 6th, 2012 – Man Cave
– A peer lead, casual conversation group, for those 18 and older, who identify as female to male, transgender individuals, or are female bodied and are questioning their gender. First and third Fridays of each month.
July 7th, 2012- HIV+ Support Group (22+)
– 12 to 1:30 PM
– For anyone living with HIV regardless of length of diagnosis, we offer HIV+ Support Groups. Our support groups run on 10-week cycles and are age-specific. The groups are facilitated by a mental health professional with extensive training in HIV and STDs and are a safe, confidential space for people who are living with HIV to share their experiences, to learn from each other, and to find support from others who may be going or may have gone through similar circumstances. Pre-registration required.
July 9th, 2012 – Charm School
– 7:15 to 8:30 PM
– Charm School is hosted by Mamma Gloria and topics include transgender image, etiquette, and charm. This event is open to all young, transgender persons.
July 10th, 2012 – The Confident Modern Family
– 5:30 to 7:45 PM
– Join us for wine and hors d’oeuvres to learn how to create the modern family. There will be a panel discussion on the emotional, legal and financial complexities that LGBTQ families face. In addition, we will also give an overview of adoption and surrogacy options.
July 12th, 2012 – Parents of Transgender Individuals
– 7 PM
– A peer lead, conversation and support group for those who are the parents of individuals, who identify as Transgender, or are questioning their gender.
July 12th, 2012 – HIV+ Support Group (35+)
– 6 to 7:30 PM
– For anyone living with HIV regardless of length of diagnosis, we offer HIV+ Support Groups. Our support groups run on 10-week cycles and are age-specific. The groups are facilitated by a mental health professional with extensive training in HIV and STDs and are a safe, confidential space for people who are living with HIV to share their experiences, to learn from each other, and to find support from others who may be going or may have gone through similar circumstances. Pre-registration required.
July 14th, 2012 – 3656 Trans Ave
– 6:30 PM
A series of seminars and workshops of interest to members the broad Trans community, including, those who identify as female to male, male to female, as well as, gender queer as well as, their significant others, family members, friends, and allies.
2 Events at Center on Halsted August 8th & 10th
H.E.A.L. Ourselves
Monday, August 8, 7:00pm Center on Halsted
Two great performances on one great night. ‘The Faggot Who Could Fly’ stars KOKUMO, a 22 year old intersex/trans woman of color who uses her life of sexual and mental abuse as catalysts for personal and communal change. KOKUMO’s story is about realizing her gender identity in relation to domestic violence and societal oppression.
And ‘No Gender Left Behind’ stars Rebecca King who was fired from a teaching position for being a transgender woman. The experience left her wondering what America is teaching its children – and its adults – about gender, conformity and being just a little bit different.
Free community event. To reserve seats, RSVP by email : tflohr@centeronhalsted.org.
Wednesdays
starting August 10, 6:00pm
Center on Halsted
Gain the skills you need to recognize and avoid danger in this new self-defense class taught by internationally certified Taekwondo instructor Matt Cowell! Learn how to protect yourself with basic hand and foot strikes, “See, Stand, or Breathe” techniques, and improvised weaponry. Above all, empower yourself with skills that will improve your self-confidence, self-discipline, and self-respect.
$10 community discount price. For more info, email : mross@centeronhalsted.org.
BestGayChicago.com
Be All.org 6 days of Transgender Events in Chicago
This year, the Be-All will be celebrating it’s 29th year, and thgis is the 10th year in CHICAGO.
You’ll meet with great friends from your community.
You’ll be empowered, educated, and enlightened. The Be-All Conference will provide you with confidence to seek out your dreams. We have some of the finest professionals to provide you with all the information you need to make decisions and feel comfortable on your gender journey. You are in control and you will find comfort in meeting so many others with your same objectives.
May 31-June 5th.
On Saturday June 4th CHAZ BONO will do a book signing and be a keynote speaker!
Everyone’s welcome at Be-All!
Crossdressers, Transexuals, M2F and F2M, Wives, Partners & Friends
Complete schedule and more info online at BE ALL.BestGayChicago.com
Cinema Q – Free LGBT Films On Wednesdays
presents Cinema Q,
a new film series celebrating outstanding LGBT movies made in Chicago.
The free screenings will take place on four Wednesdays: March 16, 23, 30, and April 6, 2011 in the Chicago Cultural Center’s Claudia Cassidy Theater. All screenings will feature a discussion and Q&A following the film. Films contain mature subject matter. Viewer discretion advised.
Wednesday, March 16
Quearborn & Perversion (2007): Join filmmaker Ron Pajak for a screening and discussion of his documentary about the history of gay and lesbian culture in Chicago.
Wednesday, March 23
Go Fish (1994): Rose Troche’s shot-in-Chicago lesbian romance has become an indie classic! Also showing, never before seen outtakes from Fish Out of Water, the acclaimed 2009 documentary that explores the relationship between homosexuality and the Bible, with filmmaker Ky Dickens in person!
Wednesday, March 30
JoJo Baby (2010): The Clive Barker executive produced documentary portrait of artist and Chicago nightclub legend JoJo Baby, with JoJo in person! Also showing, Peter Neville’s music videos of local gender bending rock-n-roll group The Joans with Peter Neville in person!
Wednesday, April 6
Were the World Mine (2008): The award winning gay musical reimagining of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer’s Night Dream,” with local cast and crewmembers in person! Followed by a complimentary dessert reception in the G.A.R. Rotunda (courtesy of J & L Catering)
ALL SHOWS at 6:30 ALL SHOWS ARE FREE
Chicago Cultural Center’s Claudia Cassidy Theater 78 E. Washington
BestGayChicago.com
Just For Laughs with Ellen in Chicago Plus LUCHA VA VOOM
With over 25 years of experience running the world’s largest and most prestigious comedy festival and a reputation for fresh and innovative thinking, Just For Laughs and TBS will collaborate as TBS presents a “Very Funny” Festival: Just For Laughs. The ground-breaking U.S. comedy festival will hit Chicago June 15-19, 2010. 5 nights, 12 venues, 100+ comedians.
The festival will include more than 70 shows throughout various venues across the Chicago area and will feature performances from the usual suspects such as top-name comedians as Ellen DeGeneres, Cedric the Entertainer, Russell Peters, Denis Leary and Aziz Ansari. From concert events to TV tapings, “Nasty Shows” to cutting-edge talent and homegrown performances featuring the best local Chicago comedians, sketch and improv performers and troupes – the second edition of Just For Laughs Chicago is about to blow you away!
For something far out and REALLY different, there is LUCHA VA VOOM ! at Park West Theatre on June 16th. YOU MUST SEE IT – TO BELIEVE IT! Mexican Masked Wrestling + Burlesque + Comedy = Lucha VaVOOM: a non-stop, action-packed scream-a-thon, where Mexican masked wrestlers flip and fly, performing breathtaking acrobatic feats. WHAT?!
It’s good vs. evil incarnate. It is CRAZY! In between matches, the finest handpicked burlesque acts from around the world delight crowds because Lucha VaVOOM likes a little sexo with their violencia. Plus, for color commentary, they’ve even got comedians thrown into the mix!
The phenomenon began in August 2003 as a one-off event… and el resto es historia. They’ve played venues across the continent, from Vegas to LA to Toronto.
In 2005, they performed at the infamous Sony E3 party at Dodger Stadium and stole the spotlight from the Pussycat Dolls. In 2009, Lucha VaVOOM made its triumphant New York debut at Webster Hall, where the packed house spontaneously chanted “”Ho-ly sh*t!” Heck, even Jack Black commented that “Lucha VaVOOM is the sh*t!”
Rolling Stone magazine said the show is “enough to make even the most jaded Hollywood insider jump up and yell ‘Smackdown!’… so now it’s up to you to see it for yourself and come up with cheeky interjections of your own. ¡Fuacata!
Lucha Va Voom will offer 2 shows on the 16th.
See more Lucha Va Voom online with videos
The festival itself runs June 15th-19th.
Tickets online !
(Photo – His/her name is Karis, and he’s one of the variety act performers who will be part of the Lucha VaVOOM shows on June 16 at the Park West. Karis does an act with hula hoops, often in drag or some sort of boy-drag…hard to categorize, but always gender-bending and fierce!)
Aurora Sexton and TrannyPalooza is Coming to SPIN December 14th
This is a new party for * TS/TG/TV girls
and the men that love them!
Happening Monday, Dec 14th
@Spin Nightclub 800 W Belmont Ave
Chicago, IL 773.327.7711
Doors Open 9pm-2am
Cover get a FREE DRINK!
$10 Gentlemen / $ 5 Ladies
Fabulous Entertainment Includes:
Shows by Your Hostess AURORA SEXTON!
Additional ENTERTAINMENT by Mercedes, Reina Valentino and Kinley Preston.
Special guest from NYC Legendary Party Hostess Sunny Dee-Lite
And FEATURED Guest Dancer from Los Angeles -XXX Film Star Yasmin Lee!!!!!
This will surely be a night to remember!
*TS – transexual – a person who has undergone a sex change operation.
*TG- transgender – involving a partial or full reversal of gender.
*TV- transvestite – relates more to the desire to cross dress.
TRANNY PALLOOZA on MySpace
The Best of Gay Chicago
Boycott of Hunters is Called For by Some Transgender and Gays in Chicago
The Elk Grove Village bar’s owners have implemented a new policy that requires patrons to show a valid photo ID that matches their gender presentation. Therefore, if a person wants to enter Hunters in drag, his or her ID must match their current appearance. But Hunters says the rule isn’t exactly new, and they are just making sure they comply with local laws in order to keep their liquor license.
According to Hunters, the new policy was put in place to keep out transgender and cross-dressing prostitutes. Hunters manager Peter Landorf told the Chicago Tribune that the decision was made reluctantly after seeing Craigslist prostitution ads that mentioned Hunters. Management decided it was best to be strict about photo IDs in order to avoid potentially losing its liquor license.
Chicago Gender Society’s Katie Thomas told CFP that the organization hasn’t taken much of a stand on the Hunters issue beyond telling people that “the law is the law.” Thomas said that she believes that Hunters is cracking down on IDs in order to maintain their liquor license and not for any other reason. In the meantime, she said, trans people can easily obtain a new ID. “Do what you’re supposed to do and get an ID,” Thomas advised.
MJ from One Voice Whispering in the Wind blog said in a recent post, “As many of you already know, this past Friday night I went to support a protest of Hunters Nightclub. A lot of people were asking me what brought on this protest. I very quickly explain to them about the discrimination of my fellow Transgender brothers and sisters.”
About 40 some people showed up this past weekend for a protest at the bar…”Well the night turned out like this: There were over forty people out on Friday night standing in the freezing cold parking lot waiting to challenge the new policy at Hunters. As we all made our way into the bar, two of us were turned away. The remaining people who were able to make it into the bar, were asked to leave the bar about an hour later. To clarify on this part a little; we were asking the manager about the policy and why they allowed some of us in and not others and next thing I know we were being asked to leave.
I can not comment on what was being said between our organizers and the management at Hunters for I was not there for the whole conversation. I just know that after we were asked to leave, most of us braved the cold temperatures outside because Patrick Volkert, a manager at Hunters, agreed to talk to us. We all waited for him to come out and talk to us. When he finally did come out, he would only talk to the group organizer. So the rest of us waited in the parking lot, talking and sharing stories until the meeting was done.
When the meeting was over we were told that our demand that Hunters repeal the policy was denied and so we decided to boycott Hunters.”
Chicago Gender Society’s Katie Thomas added that there are a lot of trans women who have gotten into Hunters without a problem because staff recognize them.
“It’s not that they don’t want trans girls here,” Thomas said.
On a Friday or Saturday night, patrons said there are typically a dozen or more men at the bar dressed as women. Most are just trying to be themselves. They go out “in costume” and live most of their daily lives as men.
But now a whole can of worms has been opened. The bar, could now have an additional problem on its hands. As of 2006, state law prohibits any establishment open to the public from discriminating against people based on gender identity.
Equality Illinois political director Rick Garcia told CFP that the organization has known about the situation at Hunters for “a while.”
Garcia said that Equality Illinois already spoke with the Illinois Department of Human Rights and hopes to talk to Hunters owner Mike Hunter shortly. The statewide GLBT organization hopes that they can sit down with Hunters management and come up with a solution that protects both transgender patrons and the bar.
“We respect his desire to keep his business safe and legal,” Garcia said. “But in protecting the business, you can’t also harm innocent people.”
Hunters declined to comment in the Chicago Tribune recently.
