LGBT culture in Chicago
Chicago has long had a
Boys Town presently serves as the best-known Chicago
History
The LGBT community in Chicago is among the most prominent ones especially for the Midwest region in the United States among San Francisco and New York City and holds a significant role in the progression of gay rights in the US. Chicago is the third biggest city in the US and has a population of around 3 million. Around 150,000 of those people identify as lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender, questioning, or other.[4]
19th century
In the late 19th century, gay culture was considered illegal, and any suspicion was reported to the authorities and swiftly dealt with. Being open with sexuality at the time would most likely lead to negative consequences.
In 1889, social reformer and activist Jane Addams opened Chicago's first settlement house, the Chicago Hull House. The purpose of it was to offer social reform for the community during the Gilded Age when many immigrants required help. Jane Addams had at least two same sex relationships over a long period of time. One of them was with Mary Rozet Smith, a Chicago born philanthropist.[5][6]
20th century
Pansy Craze:[7]
The early 1900s proved to be explosive for Chicago as a whole and other urban neighborhoods in the United States. This was a time period during the 1920s and 1930s called the Pansy Craze when LBGTQ visibility greatly opened up.[7] A reason that this happened was due to prohibition laws restricting people's ability to consume alcohol. Underground gay culture massively grew in the city and actually became a lot more open for a brief period of time. Gay cabarets were established and nightclubs had a steady demand. By the 1930s there were at least 35 pansy parlors. These clubs got so packed that some of them, like "Diamond Lil's" had to turn people away.[8]
In 1924, the first American gay rights organization called "
As the second half of the 20th century rolled around, gay communities started to be established centering around Clark Street. These neighborhoods would later develop into
In 1970, another pro
In April 1983, Harold Washington was elected Mayor of Chicago, making him the first African American mayor of Chicago.[14] Besides that, however, Washington greatly promoted and pushed for LGBT rights. He addressed gay rallies and pushed forward proactive legislation among other forms of activism. His Human Rights Ordinance passed in 1988, which set a new precedent for equal rights, but he was unable to see it in action as he died on November 25, 1987.[13]
It is important to know that during the 1980s, the
Soon after, in 1993, a community that is present to this day called the
21st century
In 2004 Illinois fully banned discrimination based on sexual orientation through the Illinois Human Rights Act. In 2007, the Center on Halsted opened its doors on Halsted Street and Waveland Avenue, bringing in over one thousand people per day.[16]
Illinois in the 21st century passes a flurry of acts that ensure LGBT rights even further. In 2008, legislators agreed that same-sex couples could now make their own decisions regarding health in most circumstances. In 2010, the Safe School Improvement Act was passed, its purpose being to prohibit any form of bullying or violence on the basis of discrimination of any kind, including sexual and gender identity. Later in 2013, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed off on the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act. In doing this, Illinois becomes the 16th state to fully allow and embrace same-sex marriage. The first couple to do so were Vernita Gray, and her partner, Patricia Ewert, on November 27, 2013.[13]
Recently, in 2019, Lori Lightfoot became at age 56 the first black woman and gay mayor of Chicago. She was inaugurated on May 20, 2019.[14]
Chicago, although not the most affluent LGBT affiliated city, still has key pieces of history that influenced the nation. Currently, Chicago is at its peak in terms of LGBT population and influence.
LGBT neighborhoods of Chicago
Boys Town
Boys Town hosts a pride parade on the last Sunday of June in the heart of the neighborhood every summer to represent everyone in the LGBT community. Families, friends, members, and allies all meet to celebrate their pride. Originally the parade was started in 1970 as a march from Washington Square Park to the water tower, but since then it has taken different routes. The parade now passes through other neighborhoods that are now picking up the tradition of holding the parade.[18]
The nightlife in Boys Town ranges from the Legacy Walk, the world's only outdoor LGBT history museum, all the way to 24/7 nightclubs with karaoke parties, drag shows, dance floors, dive bars, and more. As Boys Town was one of the first known LGBT neighborhoods, it became the first neighborhood to adapt the festive pride ambiance to the city. The streets are lined with pride flags, rainbow crosswalks, and colorful banners as members and allies show support.
Andersonville
Andersonville, Chicago owns the second largest gay and lesbian community in Chicago only behind Boys Town. The neighborhood is gifted with its Swedish background, always busy main street and historic architecture. The beautiful Northside neighborhood is within walking distance from the beach and a short car ride from the loop in the downtown area. Andersonville continues to be an action-packed neighborhood that has events and opportunities for everything.
The neighborhood is recognized as the "shop local capital of Chicago" with small businesses on every corner and straight away. LGBT Pride is everywhere in the neighborhood in the form of
Uptown
The Chicago neighborhood of Uptown is home to the best views in the city along with elite nightlife. The neighborhood is on
Uptown is a part of the neighboring festivals and parades but doesn't have one of its own. The neighborhood is known to be very connected to the adjacent neighborhoods with all the same ideas. Travel guides will recommend putting Uptown at the top of the list whether that is for the views or the LGBT pride.
Edgewater
Edgewater is a diverse mix of cuisine and attractions. As food is not related to the LGBT community, the restaurants very much are in Edgewater. The neighborhood holds the most gay restaurants in the city of Chicago along with a variety of activities to enjoy your stay.[17]
The city is famous for its incredible storefront theater scene that peaks in Edgewater, where you can witness mind-blowing acting and innovative productions in intimate 50-100 seat theaters. Edgewater is a neighborhood that's buzzing with theater companies, making it a hotspot for the kind of theater that has put Chicago on the map.[17] Some of the most popular in Edgewater include The Raven Theater on Clark Street, the Rivendell and Steep Theatre companies, and the NeoFuturists on Ashland Avenue.
Outside Neighborhoods
The city of Chicago is diverse in all ways, and the city shows that in different ways. As the north side of the city is rich with LGBT pride, the other parts of the city have pride as well. Representation is not as common in other parts, so the Chicago government works on the equitability of those neighborhoods so people can feel safe.
Politics
In 1961 Illinois was the first state to repeal its sodomy law. Effective LGBT political involvement began in the 1960s alongside the civil rights movement, with organizations such as the Chicago Gay Liberation Network, Mattachine Midwest, and ACT UP/Chicago. Along with laws that went against the discrimination of the LGBT community and laws that supported the community.
In 1965, Mattachine Midwest was founded as a gay rights organization following the Fun Lounge police raid the previous year. This organization was the first enduring gay rights organization, for it lasted until 1986. The Mattachine Midwest contributed both politically and socially to help the discrimination against LGBT groups. They have brought up the issues of entrapments and bar raids to police officers and superintendents, and its members have voted for political candidates. The organization also created a monthly newsletter that provided LGBT groups in Chicago sources of gay community news, and provided a phone number for the LGBT community to find legal, medical, counseling, employment or religious help if needed. These contributions led Mattachine Midwest to the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame.[21]
The Chicago Gay and Lesbian Democrats was the main LGBT political group of the 1980s. LGBTinterest groups and the Democratic Party have facilitated LGBT political involvement in Chicago.[22]
Throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, Chuck Renslow was one of the main pioneers for Chicago's LGBT community through his advocacy for inclusion, and fought alongside the Democratic party to push for non-discrimination amongst LGBT individuals in Chicago. He had served eight years as a Democratic precinct captain and was a delegate to the 1980 Democratic National Convention.[23] Renslow was also widely known for his long-running leather bar, which was also one of the first opened in Chicago, and his world-renowned provocative male photography that earned him a spot in the Chicago LGBT Hall Of Fame.[24]
In 1983, Mayor of Chicago candidate Jane Byrne promised to support LGBT issues, so the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Democrats endorsed Byrne. However Harold Washington won the Democratic Party primary. At that point the LGBT voters began to support Washington, and they helped him win the general election. Before the election, Washington served in the Illinois State Senate and the Illinois House of Representatives from 1965 to 1976. He also served in the
ACT UP/Chicago was an organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with AIDS. It often criticized the Mayor of Chicago Richard M. Daley.[27] It later became a part of the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame for actively challenging the institutional response to AIDS and the discrimination against LGBT groups.
Originally called the Chicago Anti-Bashing Network in 1988 and later changed to the Gay Liberation Network in 2004, the GLN(Gay Liberation Network) was an organization founded in Chicago, Illinois. The co-founder of the organization is Andy Thayer, an LGBT rights activist. The organization was formed after the murder of Matthew Shepard and the three anti-gay bashing in Chicago.[28] The GLN were active in protestings against discrimination targeting the LGBT communities and fighting for equality and rights for the community. In the beginning of 2000, the group protested against the Chicago Police Department, for discrimination against the LGBT community and colored people during arrests of LGBT citizens.They contributed greatly to the passing of SB 10 in Illinois in November 2013, which legalized the same-sex marriage.[29]
In 2019,
As time progressed, there had been more and more involvement of the LGBT community in politics. In 2023, with nine openly LGBT council members– Timmy Knudsen, Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth, Lamont Robinson, Jessie Fuentes, Bennett Lawson, Maria Hadden, Ray Lopez, Carlos Ramirez-Rosa and Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez –the Chicago City Council became the first city council to have the highest number of LGBT identifying officials in all of the United States. "This is a great thing because it makes the city of Chicago more reflective of the true diversity in our neighborhoods," Lopez, who will now hold the most senior position within the caucus, commented, "Issues that have long gone unresolved or unconsidered simply because they weren't someone else's issues may actually be addressed."[32]
Notable people
Many individuals have lived in or around the City of Chicago as well as affecting or identifying in the queer community have impacted the city.
Jane Addams
Through the early 1900s, LGBT leader Jane Addams brought many citizens together. Jane Addams was born September 6, 1860, in Cedarville Illinois. She was most likely best known as a co-founder of Hull House in Chicago, one of the first social foundations in North America.[33] The settlement included 13 buildings and a playground. Addams spent her time after her father's death in 1881 tending to this settlement and using it best to amplify help for the Chicago community and beyond. The Hull House offered college-level courses and was an outlet for working girls as it held a nursery, gymnasium, and community kitchen. This eventually took to tending to the immigrants as it housed many unfortunate enough to afford housing for the time being, but this wasn't the end to Addams's story.
As suffering and death spread in Chicago due to tight living quarters such as tenement housing and dangerous factory work, Addams jumped at the opportunity. As she was known for helping people. She strove for additional justice including tenement housing regulations, an 8-hour factory working cap, and thorough inspection of their workplaces. She was described as overly active whenever trouble struck. This led her to become the co-winner of the Nobel Peace prize in 1931.[33]
Jane Addams was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in 2008. While she and her life partner Mary Rozet Smith spent 35 years romantically together, According to the Hull House Museum Addams was better described as "queer" rather than under the terms of "gay" or "lesbian", due to the widespread sexuality that the term queer covers.[34] Same-sex marriage in Chicago was just legalized in 2013 according to the Chicago Tribune, So marriage for Addams was never an option. Still, they managed a relationship over three decades.[34]
Howard Brown Health
Howard Brown Health Center is a non-profit LGBT healthcare and social services provider. Howard Brown Health was founded in 1974 by Chicago-based organizers and researchers and named after Doctor Howard Junior Brown as he helped change the image of queer by coming out publicly in 1973.[35] Howard Brown Health in as one of the first gay-focused health centers in the nation according to their 'I am HBHC' annual report.[36]
As the AIDS crisis struck in the early 1980s, a little more than 1000 people in the U.S. died due to the deadly effects of the illness.[37] While suffering spread among major cities, Chicago included, Howard Brown became an outlet as they implemented the City of Chicago's AIDS Hotline in 1975.[35] The hotline was mainly run by the staff and various volunteers as it was operating 24 hours a day.[38]
In 1991 Howard Brown was Inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame as they were recognized for their potential and good doing for the Queer communities health overall. Their Capital Campaign resulted in a $3.5 million state-of-the-art facility which allowed them to build their establishment further.[36]
Howard Brown also continued to open The Brown Elephant in the late 1980s, a prominent retail clothing store connected directly to Howard Brown Health. With its proceed feeling into patient care, Brown Elephant Resale directly funds services for more than 50% of uninsured patients, or patients who are generally under-insured with medical services.[39] The Brown Elephant has also been named best resale shop in the Chicago Reader's "Best of Chicago" since the year 2010.
Dom Orejudos
Dom Orejudos, a ballet dancer, choreographer, and artist, was a role model for many as he fit the minority of his field of expertise. After attending Ellis-DuBulay School of Ballet, Orejudos was part of the Illinois Ballet Company. He later resigned but carried on his passion as he choreographed for around 20 ballet companies.[40] A Tribune critic in 1959 called him "a performer of elasticity and charm" and told him his dancing had an unmistakable personality to it.[41] These shows included Snow White, Thais, and The Persistent Image, but his ballet The Charioteer later got major recognition for inaugurating the first color telecast of WTTW in Chicago. Their station received three Emmys awards for the production and presentation.[40]
Dom Orejudos wasn't just claimed "inventive" for his performance on the stage, but also his performance on paper as his imagination dealt with fantasy subjects. All of these subjects were signed "Etienne", his other widely-known artist name. Orejudos's fantasy art had been displayed on posters and magazines for decades due to the different approaches he took to translate his sexuality on paper. His most famous collection, known for its use of leather clothing, details the male body as it enhances their appearance for a factor of intrigue. When asked about his work he responded; "I just draw erotic fantasies", yet what he didn't know is that these are the types of male fantasies that queer men took as their expressions and inspirations.[41] He and his business partner Chuck Renslow, and his long-lived companion, carried on to operate several businesses including International Mr. Leather and the Gold Coast Bar.[41][24]
After a long battle with
Danny Sotomayor
Daniel Sotomayor, a resident of Chicago of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, was born in 1958. He graduated from the American Academy of Art with a major in graphic design as he dove into his passion for cartooning, but his life stopped short as he was diagnosed with AIDS in 1988, redirecting Sotomayor's journey as an artist.[42]
As his life was foreshortened, Sotomayor became overly involved with Chicago activists and portrayed himself as an essential figure in the ACTUP/Chicago movement.[37] Fueled by his anger, he created graphics and designs to help support the organization. He then became recognized as the first openly gay, openly HIV-positive cartoon artist in the nation, and used his art as an outlet for the anger and emotion he withheld. This included art pieces covering modern medicine, public policy, law enforcement, family dynamics, popular culture, and of course the gay community that he lived in.[43]
Daniel Sotomayor was widely known for his public confrontations with Mayor Richard M. Dailey of Chicago while he made headlines in 1990 for his banner stating "We demand equal healthcare now", and "Daily tell the truth about AIDS".[43] Sotomayor attempted to implement the city's AIDS plan, by bringing attention to inadequate education, prevention, and media plans according to the LGBT Hall of Fame.[43]
On February 2, 1992, Sotomayor received an "Alongi Award" in recognition of his efforts as an activist during the AIDS crisis as an HIV patient himself. Sotomayor died 3 days later on February 5, 1992.
Marie J. Kuda
Marie J. Kuda is a historian, archivist, writer, lecturer, and promoter of LGBTQ+ history. During her lifetime she sought to spread and preserve a positive image of the LGBTQ+ community. She did this through her writing. She organized lesbian writing conferences, and published the first lesbian annotated bibliography. She dedicated her life to preserve the LGBTQ+ history in Chicago. She presented many lectures that brought to light the contributions of LGBTQ+ people to culture and innovation. She was also a member of the Gay and Lesbian Task force. This community strived to eradicate false information from libraries, and to make accurate information more accessible. She died in 2016 at the age of 76 after a long and impactful life.[44]
Charlene Carruthers
Charlene Carruthers is an LGBT activist, community organizer, and author based in Chicago, Illinois. She gained notability through her commitment to racial and social justice issues, such as police brutality. She was involved in grassroots activism movements and organizations that have advocated for the rights of people in marginalized communities. She worked as the national director of the Black Youth Project 100. The Black Youth Project 100 is a youth-led organization that mobilizes and empowers young black activists. The book she wrote, Unapologetic: A Black, Queer, and Feminist Mandate for Radical Movements, shows her personal experiences on the intersectionality of race, sexuality, and gender in broader social justice movements.[45]
Institutions
AD HOC Committee of Proud Black Lesbians and Gays
AD HOC Committee of Proud Black Lesbians and Gays: This organization was formed in 1993 with the purpose of participating in the Bud Billiken parade. The event is hosted by the Chicago Defender Charities, and is considered the largest African-American parade in the nation. The committee was denied participation after completing the necessary steps to enter well before the deadline. The hosts said it was due to lack of manpower. However, another organization was allowed participation two days before the deadline. The only difference in the two organizations was the use of "Lesbian and gay" in there titles. The filed a complaint on the basis of sexual discrimination, and eventually were allowed to participate in the parade. Their participation promoted positive representation for the LGBTQ+ community, and the celebration of diversity in any way shape and form.[46]
More Institutions
- Center on Halsted, LGBT community center
- Howard Brown Health Center, LGBT health care center
- Windy City Black Pride, LGBT-related assistance and events serving African-American communities[47]
- Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame, honors LGBT individuals
- National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame
- Leather Archives and Museum, collects and exhibits artifacts related to LGBT leather subculture
- Gerber/Hart Library, largest circulating library of gay and lesbian titles in the Midwestern United States
Media
Newspapers Chicago Gay Crusader (now defunct) and Windy City Times have served LGBT readers. Windy City Radio is the city's only LGBT radio station.[47] Online guide ChicagoPride.com is a news and events website for the Chicago/Midwest LGBT community.
Recreation
- Pride Arts Center [48]
- The gay pride parade in June; over a million people now participate in the pride festivities [49]
- Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ International Film Festival, founded in 1981
- Chicago Gay Men's Chorus, founded in 1983
- Bijou Theater
See also
- Legacy Walk, an outdoor public display in Chicago which celebrates LGBT contributions
- Boystown, section of Lakeview was the first officially recognized gay village in the United States
- Marty's Martini Bar
- Sidetrack (Chicago)
- Gold Coast (bar), gay leather bar founded in 1958
- Man's Country, longest-running gay bathhouse
- Society for Human Rights, Chicago-based LGBT human rights organization
References
- ISBN 9781118162415– via Internet Archive.
- ^ Rhodes, Adam (November 25, 2020). "'We're not asking for any more than what we are already deserved'". Chicago Reader. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
- ^ "Watch out Boystown, Rogers Park becoming the new gayborhood". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
- ^ "146,000 Chicago adults identify as LGBT: city study". Chicago Sun-Times. March 30, 2018.
- ^ "Jane Addams Hull-House Museum". Hullhouse Museum. June 29, 2022. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ "Hull-House". National Park Service. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ a b Reed, Betsy (September 14, 2017). "Pansy Craze: the wild 1930s drag parties that kickstarted gay nightlife". The Guardian. The Gaurdian. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ Fleeson, Lucina. "The Gay '30s". Chicagomag.
- ^ "LGBTQ Activism: The Henry Gerber House, Chicago, IL". National Park Service. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ "LGBTQ Chicago: Northalsted - Boystown". ChicagoPride.com. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ^ "Getting Rid of Sodomy Laws: History and Strategy that Led to the Lawrence Decision". American Civil Liberties Union. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- )
- ^ a b c Van Treeck, Kasondra (June 11, 2019). "30 key moments in Chicago's LGBTQ history, from Jane Addams to Lori Lightfoot". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ a b Treeck, Kasondra Van (June 11, 2019). "30 key moments in Chicago's LGBTQ history, from Jane Addams to Lori Lightfoot". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ^ "Center on Halsted provides an array o". Center on Halsted. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ "Center on Halsted - Chicago's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Community Center". www.centeronhalsted.org. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ^ a b c agency, envisionit (May 29, 2019). "LGBTQ Chicago Bucket List - Gay Friendly Chicago". Choose Chicago. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ^ a b "2023 Chicago Pride Parade - LGBTQ Pride Month in Chicago". ChicagoPride.com. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ^ "Andersonville Midsommarfest - Chicago's annual north side street festival". ChicagoPride.com. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ^ "LGBTQ Chicago: Andersonville (Rogers Park & Uptown)". ChicagoPride.com. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ^ "MATTACHINE MIDWEST". Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame.
- ^ ISBN 9781576072561.
- ^ Goldsborough, Bob (June 30, 2017). "Chuck Renslow, Chicago gay community icon and International Mr. Leather contest founder, dies at 87". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ a b "Charles "Chuck" Renslow – Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame". Retrieved February 27, 2020.
- ^ "Harold Washington". Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame.
- ^ "The Washington Years". Windy City Times Newsletter. October 16, 2021.
- ISBN 9780226305318– via Google Books.
- ^ "Gay Liberation Network". Gay Liberation Network.
- ^ "Gay Liberation Network".
- ^ "LGBTQ+ Victory Fund Welcomes Lori Lightfoot to Board of Directors". LGBTQ+ Victory Fund.
- ^ "Mayor Lightfoot Introduces Resolution to Acknowledge LGBT Business Enterprises In Chicago". City of Chicago.
- ^ "Chicago Is About To Have The Gayest City Council In The Country". Chicago Block Club. May 3, 2023.
- ^ a b "Jane Addams | Biography, Accomplishments, Significance, Hull House, Books, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ a b "Jane Addams & Mary Rozet Smith: More Than "Gal Pals"". Jane Addams Hull-House Museum. June 29, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ a b "Mission & Overview". Howard Brown Health. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ a b "2021 Annual Report". Howard Brown Health. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ a b "AIDS Activism in Chicago". WTTW Chicago. November 13, 2012. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ "Center on Halsted - Chicago's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Community Center". www.centeronhalsted.org. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ "Brown Elephant". Howard Brown Health. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ a b c Tribune, Chicago (October 2, 1991). "Dom Orejudos, 58, Ballet Dancer and Artist Known As 'Etienne'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Visual AIDS | Dom Orejudos aka "Etienne"". Visual AIDS. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ "DANIEL SOTOMAYOR – Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame". Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Daniel Sotomayor | Legacy Project Chicago". legacyprojectchicago.org. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ "MARIE J. KUDA – Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame". Retrieved April 4, 2024.
- OCLC 1014037040.
- ^ "AD HOC COMMITTEE OF PROUD BLACK LESBIANS AND GAYS – Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame". Retrieved April 4, 2024.
- ^ ISBN 9781101513408– via Google Books.
- ^ "PrideArts". Chicago Plays. December 9, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
- ^ Rodriguez, Meredith (June 29, 2015). "Enhanced police presence helped temper Pride Parade crowd, officials say". chicagotribune.com.
Further reading
- Austin, Jill & Brier, Jennifer (2011). Out in Chicago: LGBT History at the Crossroads. Chicago: ISBN 9780913820353– via Google Books.
- Baim, Tracy, ed. (2008). Out and Proud in Chicago. Chicago: ISBN 9781572846432.
- de la Croix, Sukie (2012). Chicago Whispers: A History of LGBT Chicago before Stonewall. UPCC Book Collections on Project MUSE. Madison: ISBN 9780299286934..
External links
- Daily (and first) online LGBT Guide to Chicago - ChicagoPride.com
- LGBT Guide to Chicago
- "LGBT Community Action Plan" - City of Chicago
- Reeling LGBT Film Festival
- "The 5 Best LGBT Bars" (Archive). Chicago. February 2013.
- Chicago Gay History