It's been just over a month since the civil unions law went into effect state-wide, and Illinois is seeing a lot of love. more ›

With an estimated crowd of 750,000 watching, the Chicago Pride Parade rolled through Boystown yesterday. Here are a few of scores of stunning photos from the Chicagoist Photos flickr pool. more ›

Don’t try to contain the Tupperware Lady from Alabama—Dixie Longate, the fast-talking, booze addicted, mother of three has plenty to say when she returns to Chicago this March as part of a 20-city national tour. more ›

A college administrator at Benedictine University in Springfield is accusing the university of firing her over a wedding announcement she and her wife filed in the Springfield State Journal-Register. more ›

If filmmaker Andrew Blubaugh ever decides to put down the camera, he might want to consider a career in tightrope-walking or mine-clearing. If his excellent debut feature is any indication, he has a knack for navigating treacherous terrain and emerging triumphant. more ›

Maybe it’s the little yellow note cards affixed to shelves touting staff favorites, or the jaw-dropping selection of high-quality (and cheap!) remainders, or their collection of relevant LGBT literature—we’re not entirely sure how they did it, but incredibly this week, Unabridged Bookstore is celebrating 30 years in business, in the same location. We pause to let that sink in—especially considering this independent bookstore is thriving in an age when the Kindle and other e-readers are becoming de rigueur, and as the mega-chain book stores shutter high profile locations such as the flagship Borders on Michigan Avenue, which is expected to close next year. more ›

Let's check out what's going on in the world of Chicago film and cinema! more ›

Though we're not usually one to turn down a chance to show a little hometown pride, we must admit some of us were left scratching our heads at recent news that Roscoe's Tavern has been selected as a finalist in the Top Five Gay Bars in the World competition by TripOutGayTravel. The news prompted us here at Chicagoist to give a shout to some of our favorite homosexual drinking establishments. more ›

With California's Prop 8 likely en route to the Supreme Court and poll after poll revealing ever-broadening support for same-sex marriage, bordering on majority support in more states than ever, one would expect the country's most visible socially conservative talking heads would be frothing at the news. But, it turns out, they're not. And one suburban Chicago group is really, really not happy about that fact. more ›

Per a recent interview with Gay Chicago Magazine, staunch LGBT ally U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Chicago) is reportedly "hopeful" for progress on a number of pieces of queer-centric legislation in Congress yet this year, but has admitted it's unlikely LGBT issues will see much movement prior to this fall's midterm elections. more ›

Eyes and ears may be fixed squarely on the bigger-than-ever Lollapalooza this weekend, but if you’re taking a pass on the enormous crowds and steep ticket prices, Northalsted Market Days offer a fun (and far more wallet-friendly) alternative for music, food and summer festival people-watching. more ›

Typically, a summer film centered on the family dynamics between a suburban middle-class married couple and their two children hardly feels like the sort of thing that could be described as even remotely "radical," nor a "hit." But through her latest creation, The Kids Are All Right, film writer and director Lisa Cholodenko (High Art, Laurel Canyon) has ventured into some emotionally provoking territory worthy of both aforementioned labels. Recently in town for an advance screening of her film, premiering in Chicago theaters next Friday, July 9, Cholodenko spoke with Chicagoist. more ›

We awoke to rain and thunder yesterday morning and, for just a moment, we thought it might put a damper on yesterday's Pride parade. Luckily, though, by the time the parade stepped off, the rain had moved on and the skies cleared up for a gorgeous - if somewhat hot and humid - afternoon for a fantastic parade that featured country singer Chely Wright as grand marshal and the Stanley Cup as well as dozens of floats, creative costumes, politicians (save for GOP Gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady), and a hell of a lot of fun. more ›

We've mentioned more than a few Pride-related events and even talked about why the parade still matters. So here's hoping you don't forget the big show this weekend, the 41st Annual Pride Parade. The parade starts tomorrow at high noon (12 p.m. to you number-oriented folks) at Halsted & Belmont and then heads north on Halsted until it hits Broadway, then turning and heading south on Broadway until Diversey. From there, it heads east on Diversey until Canon Dr. in Lincoln Park. Country singer Chely Wright has the honor being this year's Grand Marshal and there's lots more to look for, including Mr. Cub himself, Ernie Banks, in the first Pride Parade float ever sponsored by the Cubs. And, oh, a little piece of hardware that the city has been excited about for a few weeks will also make an appearance on the Crew float. more ›

As June approaches its end and the weather becomes increasingly unpredictable, one of the city's biggest and most rainbow-intensive annual parties also looms. This Sunday, the 41st annual Chicago Pride celebration in the city culminates with the raucous parade down Halsted, an event that typically attracts upwards of 500,000 drunk people and politicians to Boystown. But the parade is only part of the grandiose gayness the city has to offer for those looking to show some Pride this week. more ›

Oak Brook-headquartered McDonald's is coming under heat from LGBT activists following a contentious statement made by the company's number-two in a Trib interview. The National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, the country's largest LGBT business association, has announced it's cut all ties with the fast-food giant. more ›

The month of May drawing to an end represents more than just a long weekend filled with barbecues, day drinking and other non-work-related shenanigans. It also means June is right around the corner. And with it comes a lot of gay, culminating in the Boystown Pride Parade the last Sunday of the month. But perhaps more exciting, and immediate, is the 'First Pride' Art Gala, a one-off media/art/music extravaganza set for Tuesday at Creative Lounge Chicago in Wicker Park. more ›

About 500 police officers, firefighters, paramedics, and other public safety members are expected to attend the 14th annual International LGBT Conference for Law Enforcement & Criminal Justice Professionals in Chicago (June 22—27)—which means Chicago’s Gay Pride festivities just got a whole lot more interesting (we’re suckers for a man or woman in uniform). “Only here, during Pride week, will our attendees have the once in a lifetime opportunity to collaborate, network, and learn new skills,” explains Jamie Richardson, president of LGPA/GOAL Chicago, Inc., which is hosting the event. more ›

GayCo, Chicago's home for gay and lesbian sketch comedy, delivers the laughs with its new show, The Audacity of Nope or How I Fell for a Pansy Scheme, which runs through Dec. 5 at Strawdog Theater. Written by the performers themselves, the show has enlivened recent events facing the LGBT community with loads of laughter that leave practically no stone unturned, including Iowans singing about ham balls and equality. more ›

And the funny thing is, the protesters are pro-gay. In reaction to news that President Obama will deliver the keynote address for LGBT org Human Right Campaign's fundraising gala Saturday, the Chicago-based Gay Liberation Network are planning to picket the event. They say "the time for talking is over" and want to see a little less conversation, a little more action on LGBT rights from the President. more ›

Later Tunney acknowledged that there isn’t a consensus in the LGBT community whether to pursue a special category as a qualified minority. He told the Sun-Times: more ›

Morse Theatre, 1328 N Morse, Sunday, February 22, 8 p.m., $20, all ages more ›

Theatre Building Chicago, 1225 W. Belmont, Wednesday, January 28, 7 p.m., $20 - $25, call 73-525-5006 for tickets. more ›

Batterymouth, Apollo Theater, 2540 N. Lincoln, Wednesdays through Feb. 25, 8 p.m., $10, Purchase tickets here. more ›

CIFF is barely a memory and CUFF just wrapped up yesterday. Have we room for another film festival in Chicago? Of course! And this one isn't an acronym for a change. The 27th incarnation of Reeling, the second-oldest LGBT film festival in the world, runs November 6-16 and features approximately 70 movies. Opening the festival is Breakfast with Scot, starring Tom Cavanagh and Ben Shenkman. Documentaries, experimental films, feature-length narratives and shorts are all part of the lineup. New this year is "Rock Reeling," two evenings of music videos giving recognition to the indie queer music frontier. more ›

Would a public school that caters to gay and lesbian teens be a welcome addition to CPS? That was the question at hand during a meeting of about 200 people yesterday at the Center on Halsted who discussed The Social Justice High School – Pride Campus with leaders of the Gay Liberation Network. The idea for this new school, born of a push from Greater Lawndale Little Village High School for Social Justice, is that it would provide a safe learning environment for LGBT teens who are frequently victims of torment. more ›

This year Gay Pride Month in Chicago, a.k.a. June, kicks off with a brand new documentary premiering tonight on WTTW. Out & Proud in Chicago highlights almost 150 years of the city’s LGBT history – from the Civil War era through present day. The documentary serves to illuminate the path to liberation for Chicago’s LBGT community, coupling historical milestones with personal vignettes and individual reflection. From the WTTW pressroom: more ›

We love American Idol, but not because we like hearing offbeat covers of Top 40 classics. If nothing else, when the audition episodes start airing in mid-January, we suddenly see the light at the end of the winter tunnel, knowing that by the time the confetti is falling around the next media-generated pop star, it will be summer! more ›

The Red Sox has permeated nearly every facet of Bostonist's lives. When they're not live-blogging the games, waxing poetic about the games, thanking Curt Schilling for his splendid work, or telling Dane Cook to watch his hair, they're watching certain presidential candidates hop on the Red Sox bandwagon (sorry, Gothamist). The Sox are so branded on the local brain that people are using the Series to spice up their sex lives. Speaking of spice, Bostonist... more ›

Is Barack Obama a hypocrite? Bloggers want to know. Obama's looking for votes in South Carolina--that primary is only 97 days away--by hosting three gospel concerts. (We've seen Obama use gospel music to inspire people before.) Included in the line-up is minister and Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Donnie McClurkin, who says "homosexuality is abominable" and can be "cured" with prayer. (FWIW, he also says prayer cured his leukemia.) Obama released a statement on the LGBT section of... more ›