Category Archives: FREE
Bridegroom Chicago Movie Premiere
Cocktail reception, 5:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.
*Includes light hors d’oeuvres.
*Cash bar.
Film screening, 6:30 p.m.
There will be a Q & A session with Shane immediately following the screening.
The event is free to attend, but
**RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED**
YOU MUST REGISTER at the following link:
http://chicagohistory.org/
Shane Bitney Crone, Producer and subject of the film
BRIDEGROOM tells the emotional journey of Shane and Tom, two young men
in a loving, committed relationship, with plans toward a bright future
together. Those plans take a tragic turn when Tom is accidentally killed
and Shane is refused from attending the funeral. This film tells the
story of how people without the legal protections of marriage can find
themselves ostracized from their loved ones. The events that transpired
after Tom’s death open a window onto the issue of marriage equality and
basic human rights.
The film was written, directed and produced
by Linda Bloodworth Thomason, creator of Designing Women, and inspired
by the powerful YouTube video, “It Could Happen To You,” by Shane Bitney
Crone
http://www.youtube.com/
Vote for Roscoe’s – Progress Bar HELL ON HEELS Flugtag
our SIGNATURE 5 inch red leather pumps along with one of Chicago’s most
famous drag queens Frida Lay. “We will work that flight deck like a
runway and put on the biggest drag show you have ever seen. This year’s
craft will still glitter, shine and catch your eye… but this year we
aren’t just gonna show you that these boots are made for walking… they
are meant to FLY!”
about taking flight as we are. This will be our second attempt to soar
and we are in it to win it this year. We are super excited to fly in
front of our hometown crowd in Chicago and represent Roscoe’s Tavern,
Progress Bar and all of Boystown!!!”
Burnham Park
3901 S Lake Shore Dr
Chicago, IL 60653
Hangars open at 11:00am First flight at 1:00pm
EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!
Flamin Wednesdays at Dragon Lady Lounge Wednesday August 28th -Chicago’s Legends!
..
ORLANDO DULCE CLUB
MADNESS PRODUCTIONS
FONZY T FLAMIN WEDNESDAY
DON”T MISS THE HOTTEST NIGHT TO REMEMBER AS WE TAKE IT BACK TO
CHICAGO’S OLD SKOOL AT CLUB DULCE/ MAMBOS!!! THE ONLIEST WEDNESDAY SPOT
IS BRINGING TO THE STAGE, CHICAGO’S LEGENDS-
MONICA BEVERLY-HILLZ
LILA STAR
JADE SOTOMAYOR
PRISCILLA BEVERLY
KAYLA POLANCO
SHOW STARTS AT 12 SHARP!
NO COVER!
★ FREE SHOT BEFORE 11:00
★ HOT SHOW!
★ DELICIOUS NEW DRINK SPECIALS!
★ GREAT PEOPLE
★ GREAT MUSIC BY DJ XSTACY
★ GREAT SPOT!
——>21+
——>LGBTQ PARTY!
DRINK SPECIALS YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE!
★DJ XTASY RE-MIXING THE BEST IN
TOP 40 || HOUSE | OLD SCHOOL | BACHATA | SALSA | CUMBIA
| HIP HOP | AND MORE
LIKE THEM on Facebook
Fall Queer Clothing Swap at Center on Halsted August 18th
Fall Queer Clothing Swap
Clothing Exchange
Looking to trade your skirt and heels for some slacks and loafers?
Join
organizer Rebecca Kling and Genderqueer Chicago, No Boys Allowed, Soy
Quien Soy and more for a Queer Clothing Swap at Center on Halsted,
located at 3656 N. Halsted St., Chicago, Ill. on Sunday, Aug. 18 from 3 – 6 p.m. The event is free.
While
the swap is particularly intended for trans- and gender-variant
individuals to have a safe and fun space to exchange clothes, the event
is open to all queer-affirming allies. Each participant is to bring at
least three items of clean, gently worn clothing, shoes and accessories
to be donated to the swap. In exchange, participants will have the
chance to take home three items new-to-them. Donations of undergarments,
swimwear or stained clothing are not permitted. Each participant should
bring their own bag as they will not be supplied.
Options for LGBT Divorce : Center on Halsted August 13th
“Alternate Endings: Collaborative Options for Building Strong LGBTQ Families” will take place on Tuesday, Aug. 13 at 7:00 p.m. at Center on Halsted, located at 3656 N. Halsted St., Chicago, Ill. 60613.
Hosted
by Center on Halsted and the Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, a
panel of experienced attorneys and collaborative law fellows – family
law professionals Eva Matela Kogut and Alan H. Boudreau, and estate
planning attorney, Lindsey Paige Markus – will discuss what civil
unions, marriage and divorce mean to LGBTQ families.
The
discussion will evaluate the Collaborative Divorce Model as a means of
providing options for a peaceful divorce without litigation. The
Collaborate Divorce Model is a team approach for prenuptial agreements,
separations, and divorce that helps a couple plan their family without
going to court and supports families while they make tough financial and
parenting decisions.
This
community event is free and open to the public. For more information,
please contact Jane Merrill, Advocacy and Community Engagement
Coordinator, at legal@centeronahlsted.org or 773-472-6469 ext. 412.
RE.STOCK Shopping and Fashion Show June 6th
..
From 5pm-7pm we’ll be joined at our new storefront (3519 N. Halsted) by our hosts Michael and Derrick of Best Gay Chicago and FIAT of Chicago for an exclusive shopping event full of special discounts, VIP goody bags and more!
And just in case you’re late joining the party, we invite you to join
us for an after hours party back at the shop, where we’ll have special
in-store specials until 11pm!
Farrell’s eXtreme Bodyshaping OPEN HOUSE Sunday March 24th
SUMMER and BEACH season is about 12 weeks away? Are you ready? What if I told you, you can have a better body in 10 weeks?
Have you heard about Farrells and wanted to check it out? Do you have a friend, family member, a co-worker or neighbor who has inquired about FXB and wants to learn more about the program? Do you want to ‘try’ a class? Do you have questions needing answered? Grab a friend and come to open house this weekend!
This Sunday, March 24th from 1PM-2PM we’ll be hosting an OPEN HOUSE here at FXB.
Be prepared to do
‘mini-workouts’. We will conduct a 15 minute warm-up, then a bags
demonstration followed by a few bands exercises. Then, we will
transition into a question/answer period.
You will then have an opportunity to sign up for the Spring Session with a DISCOUNT!
Please RSVP for this event by emailing JASON.
jasonhedden@extremebodyshaping.com
Farrell’s eXtreme Bodyshaping
821 W. Blackhawk Street
Chicago, IL 60642
www.facebook.com/
LGBT Rights Activist Urvashi Vaid in Chicago April 3
Longtime
LGBT rights advocate Urvashi Vaid will be in Chicago Wed., April 3 for a
free event at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted.
and sign copies
of her new book, Irresistible Revolution: Confronting Race, Class, and the Assumptions of LGBT Politics.
This is her only public program in Chicago.
The event will start at 7 p.m. and is co-hosted by Center on Halsted, the Community Media Workshop; Ellen Stone Belic Institute for Women & Gender in Arts & Media, Columbia College Chicago; and Windy City Times newspaper. Women & Children First Bookstore will have books for sale at the event.
From
one of the nation’s best-known social justice leaders and community
activists comes a strategic and informed argument about the pitfalls of
limited political vision, and the benefits of an agenda that
encompasses, yet moves beyond, equality.
The
LGBT movement is on one of the most active, contested, and engaging
social movements in the world. This optimistic book challenges advocates
for LGBT rights in the U.S. to aspire beyond the narrow framework of
equality. It outlines a more substantive politics with race, class, and
gender at its foundation, and suggests that such a politics will produce
greater and more meaningful change for a larger number of people.
Irresistible Revolution
is intended for a broad and general audience. The book turns an
experienced and thoughtful lens onto many common controversies,
rhetoric, and strategic questions that face contemporary social change
movements: pursuit of broad or narrow agendas, integration of economic
and racial justice, integrating sexual orientation and gender identity
in human rights frameworks, the persistence of sexism, the dilemmas of
bipartisanship, and the challenge of seeing beyond the short term to
secure gains made for the long run.
RSVP: To make a reservation, contact Tom Elliott at telliott@centeronhalsted.org or 773-472-6469
BOOKS: To purchase and/or reserve your copies call Women & Children First Bookstore at 773-769-9299 or visit www.womenandchildrenfirst.com. Guests
are encouraged to reserve copies or prepay to ensure an adequate number
of books. Reserved copies and a limited number of additional copies
will be available at the event.
FREE Films March 20th – LGBT History
The 1920s saw a revolution in technology, the advent of the recording
industry, that created the first class of African-American women to sing
their way to fame and fortune. Blues divas such as Bessie Smith, Ma
Rainey, and Alberta Hunter created and promoted a working-class vision
of blues life that provided an alternative to the Victorian gentility of
middle-class manners. In their lives and music, blues women presented
themselves as strong, independent women who lived hard lives and were
unapologetic about their unconventional choices in clothes, recreational
activities, and bed partners. Blues singers disseminated a Black
feminism that celebrated emotional resilience and sexual pleasure, no
matter the source.
American lesbian, recounts her life. As a lesbian academic interviewed
in the documentary puts it, “Ruth is a gift to us” as she is able to
tell what it was like to suffer “triple oppression, being a woman, being
black, and being a lesbian.” Ellis tells about discovering her
sexuality some 80 years ago, and when discussing her romantic
involvements (which included one relationship lasting 35 years), she is
utterly honest.
had sex, and she replies it was when she was 95, adding with a laugh,
“that was a one-night stand.” A businesswoman, Ellis lived openly as a
lesbian and often played host for an active social circle of gays and
lesbians in Detroit at a time when mainstream America scarcely
acknowledged the existence of the community. The film is illustrated
with vintage photographs of Ellis, her family, lovers, and friends, and
footage shot in the present day shows her at dance class, having fun at
her favorite bowling alley, and shooting pool with friends. This is an
engaging look at a special character, a woman who was always true to
herself.
Fashion Show and Dance Party for Men of Color Feb 16
The Q-List: Love, Sex & Fashion Takes Place
Chef Christopher Tong at Gildas Club of Chicago Feb. 12
The popular appearances of Chef Christopher Tong of the upscale private gourmet dining service,
My Private Chef, continue in the New Year with some wonderful menu ideas emphasizing healthy eating
so essential for Gilda’s Club members and their families. People living with cancer know that healthy
eating is important for the body and the spirit. The meals in this cooking series are designed to inspire
people living with cancer to eat well, serve beautiful food and stay healthy.
demonstration: Chicken Marengo with Crusty French Bread. The dish is named after Napoleon’s
battle of Marengo in 1800 and, lucky for us, it is filled with cancer fighting ingredients including
tomatoes, onions and olives.
The club is located at 537 North Wells Street, Chicago. 312-464-9900.
friends, join with others to build social and emotional support in addition to medical care.
Gilda’s Club is named in honor of the late comedian Gilda Radner.
demonstrations and conversations with Chef Tong.
My Private Chef is enjoying popularity as one of Chicago’s favorite private gourmet dining services.
Trained in European-style fine cuisine, Chef Tong established his reputation at fine restaurants and hotels
in Florida, California, and Chicago. Now he has adapted his impressive skills to the world of private
entertaining. My Private Chef offers enticing cuisine for a wide range of events, from intimate dinners to
weddings to corporate parties.
or visit www.gildasclubchicago.org
Francesca’s Forno’s Drag Showcase Returns Monday, December 10th, 7-9PM!
calendars!
Back by popular demand, it’s Drag Mondays in Wicker Park at
Forno this time with “The Drag Queen Who
Stole Christmas” featuring spectacular,
live performances from superstars Mimi Marks, Mercedes Tyler (pictured above in photos not large enough to fit in full-on hair), Sasha Colby and
Tajma Hall (pictured below with reasonably sized back-dos).
and get in the spirit with these FABULOUS ladies performances and perhaps enjoy
the wine flight specials of the evening and the Chef’s selection of Artisanal cheeses
and Charcuterie!
priced, authentically Northern Italian food is ALL freshly made from scratch
with seasonal ingredients. The menu is stacked with amazing dishes that are
perfect for sharing.
From lighter salads and appetizers to comforting Paninis, pasta
dishes and FAB pizzas, truly something for every taste and appetite.
Of course,
stellar entrées featuring top grade fish, meats and poultry are expertly
prepared and available as well.
Weekend brunch at Forno is the place to see and be seen
in Wicker Park while sipping a handcrafted cocktail or special-recipe Mimosa.
Francesca’s restaurants, the staff is engaging, knowledgeable and always
willing to go the extra mile for you.
So what are you
waiting for? Gather up your friends and call (773) 770-0184 and RSVP Today!
Monday, December
10th, 7-9PM See you there!
Vanite Paul Mitchell MITCH Party Dec 8th
what’s better for our hair. Fast pace life’s full of family, work,
relationships and the gym keep us on the go. Our hair might get
neglected time to time. We don’t have time for shampoo and conditioner!
Do we?
Men I’m here to say yes we do! Thanks to Paul Mitchell and the NEW men’s
Mitch line! Specifically the 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner, Double
Hitter. Double Hitter is a sulfate-free shampoo with a healthy lather and rich
sent. This 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner is perfect for us on the go!
Washes and leaves our hair full and healthy ready to take on the world!
Hawaiian Luau benefiting the Team to End AIDS Dec 4th
Join Coach Ross and Paul for a Hawaiian Luau benefiting the Team to End AIDS (T2) and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.
a great organization. A special thank you to T’s Bar and Restaurant for donating the space and a portion of the night’s drink and food tab to Team to End AIDS!
Coach Ross will be running the Honolulu Marathon for the fifth consecutive year and this will be his 18th marathon over the past 5 years. He has been a T2 Coach for two years and an AFC runner for all five years.
The Honolulu Marathon will be Paul Ketz’s third full marathon with T2 and his fourth event with the Team to End AIDS in 2012. In addition to more marathons with T2 in 2013, Paul will complete his first triathlon and Half Iron Man races. TUESDAY DEC 4th 7-10pm
Santa Speedo Run 2 Hits Boystown Dec. 1st
The 2nd Annual GAY Santa Speedo Run of Chicago takes place this Saturday, Dec. 1st at 1pm.
speedo sporting enthusiasts who thought “why not run down Michigan Ave. in speedos in the middle of December?!” While the event itself is a
bunch of ho ho ho’s, the event to raise awareness for
Diabetes.
braved the freezing temperatures and shed their running clothes in favor
of red Speedos to run one mile through Andersonville in the first
annual Santa Speedo GAY Run. The event organized by Karl Sponholtz and his
partner Jeff Colgan was a benefit for Vital Bridges.
This year, the gay run is moving to Boystown.
This year’s sign-ups are already exceeding last year’s numbers, so the duo decided to move the event from Andersonville to Boystown, PLUS, the weather for this weekend could be near 60! As opposed to last years freezing 28 degrees!
There is a $25 fundraising minimum to participate in the event, which
consists of running one mile in the cold, clad in nothing but a santa
hat, running shoes and a speedo, or some other holiday-themed costume. Over 300 people are expected to participate.
There will be a prize for the top fundraiser as well as a Christmas
raffle. DS Tequila has generously offered half-price food for all
participants on the day of the run and a myriad of other local
businesses, like Taverna 750, Burke’s Public House, Windy City Sweets and Sagin, LLC, have donated to the raffle.
Sign-ups start at noon at Sidetrack,
3349 Halsted St., with the run itself scheduled to take place at 2:00
p.m. For more information, or to see pictures from last year’s event,
check out their Facebook page at and RSVP to their Facebook event.
Absolut OUTRAGEOUS Party At Roscoes Dec. 13th
Roscoe’s Presents:
9:00PM
NO COVER!!!
Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame Event Nov. 12
Twelve individuals and three
organizations will be inducted Nov. 12 into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of
Fame, the country’s only known government-sponsored hall of fame that honors
members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities.
The inductees were selected by a
committee composed of former inductees, which reviewed nominations submitted by
members of the public. The names were released by Friends of the Chicago Gay
and Lesbian Hall of Fame, a section 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
The chosen nominees will be
inducted at the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame’s annual ceremony, which
will take place from 5:30 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 12, at the Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark
St., Chicago. The reception begins at 5:30 p.m., and the program is scheduled
for 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
“It makes us proud that, even 21
years after our first ceremony, there are still important figures from the past
and a constantly growing list of current Chicagoans whose accomplishments and
community contributions merit being honored by the Hall of Fame,” said Israel Wright, executive director of Friends of the
Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame.
“We are grateful that individual
Chicagoans have stepped forward to assist us, through Friends of the Chicago
Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame, in maintaining a needed and historically
significant institution,” said Gary Chichester, a co-chairperson of the Friends
organization.
FIND MORE INFORMATION AT
CHICAGO GAY LESBIAN HALL OF FAME
Chicago Chick Fil A Boycott Today
While the local Chick Fil A owner says ““We are a family of deep Chicago roots – my husband and I both came from
city worker families (teachers, police, laborers) and Steve is a city
worker,” she noted. She also said they’ve supported, hospitals, schools,
churches and even LGBT groups.” – really? I would like to see where and how she made a LGBT donation last year. Still, a portion of all food sold goes to the CEO who then pumps a couple million a year into the anti gay movement.
Sure. We all have freedom of speech. And Chick Fil A and many other businesses may be against gays. But yet there is a debate about whether or not people should patronize Chick-fil-A restaurants.
If
a corporation openly supported organizations dedicated to racist or
religious discrimination, would those who support Chick-fil-A support
such a business?
Probably not openly, but their desire to support an openly anti-gay corporation shows their bigotry nonetheless.
Please do the right thing. Join the boycott.
More importantly, help spread the boycott. Join the 4:30 PM boycott re-launch event today (Wednesday, Aug. 8) at 30 E. Chicago Avenue, Chicago (near
the “Chicago” stop on the Red Line el). We will have posters and
stickers available so that you can take a direct role in helping spread
the boycott. Please join the Facebook event here and then invite your Facebook friends to also participate.
