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SHOWBIZ 'Priscilla,' Tony nods, Oscars, Ncuti Gatwa, Jonathan Bailey, GLAAD event
Stephan Elliottwho directed the cult classic The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desertsaid a sequel "is happening" and that the original movie's stars (Terence Stamp, Guy Pearce and Hugo Weaving) are back "on board" 30 ...
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JoJo Siwa and Sapphira Cristal among Chicago Pride Fest headliners in June
--From a press release
Natasha Bedingfield, JoJo Siwa, Sapphira Cristál, Bob the Drag Queen, Amber Riley and Empress Of are headlining this year's Chicago Pride Fest®, taking place June 22nd and 23rd in the city's landmark LGBTQ+ Northalsted community. Other ...
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New leather contest at the Baton Show Lounge could send someone to International Mr. Leather
The Baton Show Lounge, 4713 N. Broadway, is looking for competitors for a new contest for Chicago's leather community — and the winner could be sponsored to compete in International Mr. Leather. The inaugural Mr. Windy ...
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NATIONAL Political candidates, flag controversy, HRC gala, New York Times, Disney
In California, of the historic 30 LGBTQ+ legislative candidates who ran in the March 5 primary, more than half are moving on to the fall ballot, The Bay Area Reporter noted. Based on the still unofficial ...
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'Rumors' performers create alternative drag playground
At first glance, Dorian's Through The Record Shop (1939 W. North Ave.) looks like a brightly-lit shop with a handful of records on the wall, but there's a secret world behind those unassuming shelves. Visitors are ...
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RuPaul finds 'Hidden Meanings' in new memoir
RuPaul Andre Charles made a rare Chicago appearance for a book tour on March 12 at The Vic Theatre, 3145 N. Sheffield Ave. Presented by National Public Radio station WBEZ 91.5 FM, the talk coincided with ...
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Center on Halsted celebrates Dreams of Drag
On March 9, Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted St., in partnership with the Ralla Klepak Foundation, presented the Dreams of Drag Spring Cohort Class of 2024. The event featured performances from a class of new ...
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COBRAH slithers into Chicago and brings Feminine Energy
COBRAH snaked her way into Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St., for two nights March 7 and 8 for her Succubus Tour. This Swedish-born talent has a way with naughty words and ...
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'Drag deity' Luc Ami hosts spring cleaning drag swap
Self-proclaimed alien drag deity Lúc Ami will be hosting a drag swap this Friday, March 8, from 5-9 p.m. at The Understudy in Andersonville, 5531 N. Clark St. The all-ages event will serve as an opportunity ...
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Asians and Friends welcomes the Year of the Dragon
On the evening of Feb. 25, Asians and Friends kicked off the Lunar New Year with their annual dinner and celebration at Pho Viet Vietnamese Restaurant. This year's event was focused on this being the Year ...
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Wic Whitney spills the Afternoon Tea
Born in Arkansas and now based in Chicago, queer performer Wic Whitney is a storyteller with a great deal to say, preaching his Southern soul message through unique vocal stylings as a rapper and singer. This ...
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CGMC presents Lipstick & Lyrics: Forty & Foxy, A Glamorous Feast for the Senses
--From a press release
CHICAGO, February 13, 2024 — The Chicago Gay Men's Chorus proudly presents Lipstick & Lyrics: Forty & Foxy, a dazzling, live-singing drag show that celebrates the sensuality and empowerment of middle age. Get ready to unleash ...
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SAVOR 'The Bear,' new pizza lounge, Chicago Black Restaurant Week
"Bear" necessities: The third season of the Chicago-set series The Bear will debut in June, per Variety. FX chairman John Landgraf made the announcement during the network's presentation at the Television Critics Association's winter 2024 press ...
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Dr. Lady J explains how opera can be a drag
On Feb. 8, Center on Halsted, in partnership with Lyric Opera of Chicago, presented a lecture by historian, drag activist, podcaster and curator Dr. Lady J. The event, titled "Castrated Superstars, Cross Dressed Divas, and Queer ...
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Asians and Friends Chicago to host LGBTQ Lunar New Year Dinner Feb. 24
--From a press release
CHICAGO—Taking a cross-dressing twist for the Year of the Dragon, members of Asians and Friends Chicago (AFC) will host a dinner-and-drag musical revue, celebrating the Year of the "Drag-on" and bringing together members of the lesbian, ...
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Looking back at Chicago LGBTQ+ community's stand against Anheuser-Busch
As conservatives across the country boycotted Anheuser-Busch products for Bud Light's partnership with trans woman Dylan Mulvaney in 2023, LGBTQ+ bars in Chicago removed their products for a different reason. Following the deeply negative response to ...
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Rue-ing the day: Vince Kelley drags out Blanche's charm in Golden Girls spoof
Picture it. Broadway Playhouse. 2024. Four queer men dress in drag to portray iconic women. Murray & Peter present Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue, a parody written by Robert Leleux and directed by Eric Swanson. The ...
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WORLD World leaders, Namibia attack, Taiwan electoral win, Irish LGBTQ+ groups
In the wake of Gabriel Attal being named France's newest prime minister, PinkNews published a list of every out LGBTQ+ world leader to date. They include ex-San Marino head of state Paolo Rondelli, former Iceland Prime ...
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NATIONAL Trans candidates, Philly official, anti-LGBTQ+ laws, bisexual study
An Ohio transgender woman announced her candidacy for the state's legislature, challenging an anti-LGBTQ+ Republican, The Dallas Voice noted. "If you're gonna attack our communities, then you're gonna have to compete against someone from our c ...
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SHOWBIZ Alex Newell, Joe Locke, 'Bad Together,' Raven-Symone, Limelight club
Alex Newellwho made history as one of the first two out nonbinary Tony Award winnerswas named Time's Breakthrough of the Year for 2023, The Advocate reported. Newell won the Tony this year as Best Featured Actor ...
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BOOKS Lucas Hilderbrand reflects on gay history in 'The Bars Are Ours'
In The Bars Are Ours (via Duke University Press), Lucas Hilderbrand, a professor of film and media studies at the University of California-Irvine, takes readers on a historical journey of gay bars, showing how the venues ...
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SHOWBIZ Billy Porter, queer novel, 'Tammy Faye,' queer DJ, Bella Ramsey
Billy Porter released his long-awaited new album, Black Mona Lisa, via Island Records UK/Republic Records, and it's executive-produced by Justin Tranter, a press release noted. Porter said, "So many of the songs on my album have ...
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WORLD Thai marriage law, French bill, Miss Universe, IKEA, activist dies
Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said that the cabinet approved a draft law on marriage equality and that it would be brought to parliament during a session starting in December, Reuters reported. If the draft law ...
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Berlin Nightclub closes after nearly 40 years, following boycott
Decades of Photo Archives below
After nearly forty years, Berlin Nightclub, 954 W. Belmont Ave., officially closed its doors Nov. 19 following a months-long fight between its owners and unionized workers. Owners Jim Schuman and Jo Webster officially announced Berlin Nightclub's ...
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SAVOR REVIEW Brunch at Costera Cocina Tulum
The source of the newest Chicago restaurant trend just might be Tulum, Mexico. Fifteen or so years ago, few people had heard of this town. However, tourism and the spot's population have skyrocketednot to mention the ...
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SCOTUS Hamburger Mary's decision: small victory, big concerns
In a surprise move, a 6-3 majority of the U.S. Supreme Court did something good for LGBTQ+ people: It rejected Florida's request for a stay against a lower court decision—a stay that would have enabled the ...
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Charles Busch dishes on life as a storyteller
Performer/writer Charles Busch, who recently penned his autobiography, Leading Lady: A Memoir of a Most Unusual Boy, said that collecting his most precious and salient memories in a book felt "inevitable." "Storytelling is such an essential ...
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Happy Hail-loween: Rough weather doesn't get the better of Haunted Halsted revelers
The 26th annual Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade returned for the 26th time on Oct. 31. Attendees were challenged by a mix of rain, snow and hail as they marched down Halsted Street from Belmont Avenue towards ...
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Imperial Windy City Court of the Prairie State Empire announces Windy City Gala Coronation 19
--From a press release
Chicago, Illinois— October 30, 2023 — The Imperial Windy City Court of the Prairie State Empire announces Windy City Gala Coronation 19 Weekend, November 16-19, 2023. Please come join Empress Fifi De Praved and Emprex Chocolate ...
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Berlin Nightclub workers urge customers to boycott as they fight for fair contract
Berlin Nightclub workers are calling for people to boycott the LGBTQ+ club while they push for their first contract, which they hope will include increased wages and access to healthcare. Berlin Nightclub workers unionized in April ...
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MIR's Intergalactic Rubber celebration soars to a suburb not too far way
Photos by Joseph Stevens
Mister International Rubber (MIR) 27, this year themed as Intergalactic Rubber, took off Oct. 19-22 from their new location at the DoubleTree Hotel by Hilton in Skokie. MIR26 Pusckatt Pumera Onyx stepped down and passed their ...
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NATIONAL Trans prison reform, DeSantis, Wisconsin items, late OUT100 honorees
The Washington State Department of Corrections (DoC) started steps to refine the treatment of transgender inmates across its facilities, The Advocate noted, citing KIRO. The move followed a complaint and a settlement agreement submitted in federal ...
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GAY HISTORY MONTH In the '60s, drag found a home in San Francisco's Glen Park
Special to Windy City Times. To mark Gay History Month, this article appears courtesy of the Bay Area Reporter. During the '60s most LGBTQ nightlife in San Francisco was centered in the northern neighborhoods of the ...
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SAVOR Jam-packed Chicago Gourmet; Easy Bar's 'Drag Me to Bingo'
Hundreds of people recently took part in one of the city's annual culinary highlights: Chicago Gourmet. Spanning Sept. 21-24 mostly at the Harris Theater rooftop at Millennium Park, Chicago Gourmet featured, as usual, several events, including ...
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Texas anti-drag law declared unconstitutional
On Sept. 26, U.S. District Judge David Hittner struck down a Texas law that pro-LGBTQ+ advocates feared would ban drag shows in the state and jail performers, NBC News reported. Senate Bill 12, which Republican Gov ...
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Nobody's Darling celebrates expansion into adjoining property with soft opening event
In the little over two years since its opening, Nobody's Darling in Andersonville has emerged as one of the premiere inclusive spaces to gather in Chicago. Nobody's Darling has become so successful that co-owners Angela Barnes ...
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Judge halts Texas' ban on drag performances
U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Texas David Hittner has stopped the state's ban on drag performanceswhich was scheduled to go into place on Sept. 1enforcing a temporary injunction, media outlets reported. A coalition ...
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LIPS Chicago presents Second Annual Night of Stars Fundraiser
On Aug. 17, LIPS Chicago presented its second annual Night of Stars featuring a special appearance by Cher impersonator Michael Dean. The nearly sold-out event benefitted Connections of Abused Women and their Children, and featured a ...
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SHOWBIZ Variety event, Saucy Santana, Liberace, 'Kokomo City,' Robin Roberts
Videos below
Variety held its 2023 Power of Young Hollywood event honoring actress Sydney Sweeney (Euphoria; The White Lotus), out actor Noah Schnapp (Stranger Things) and LGBTQ+ musician Steve Lacy, per a press release. A few of the ...
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Man pleads guilty to hate crime at UpRising Bakery
Alsip, Illinois resident Joseph I. Collins, 25, pled guilty on Aug. 16 to committing a hate crime last summer at UpRising Bakery and Cafe, a Lake in the Hills business that was preparing to host a ...
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Lips Chicago to present 'A Night of Stars' with Michael Dean as Cher
--From a press release
CHICAGO (July 27, 2023) — Lips Chicago, the ultimate in drag dining, is proud to present "A Night of Stars," with special guest Michael Dean as Cher. It's the second annual charitable fundraiser in support of ...
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WORLD Sauna raid, HIV items, World Bank, 'Barbie,' JK Rowling
In Venezuela, three men who were arrested when authorities raided a gay sauna on July 23 have been released from jail, per The Washington Blade. Officers in Valencia, the country's third largest city, arrested 33 people ...
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Sami White rules as king on Worst Cooks
Sami White is taking a whisk by competing on season 26 of Food Network's Worst Cooks in America and hopefully, it all pays off. She goes out of the frying pan and into the fire while navigating the new theme of ...
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NATIONAL Drag news, HIV-bias lawsuit, Disney, Brittney Griner, gay dancer
Swastika flag-toting neo-Nazis, some of them armed, were at a Wisconsin LGBTQ+ Pride celebration that included a drag show, The Advocate reported. Members of the neo-Nazi extremist group Blood Tribe joined other right-wing hate groups, like ...
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WORLD Marielle Franco, trans student dies, Iranian official, 'Drag Race'
Brazilian Justice Minister Flavio Dino announced a plea agreement with one of two police officers accused of assassinating Rio de Janeiro councilwoman Marielle Franco, a Black lesbian and human-rights activist who was killed by gunfire from ...
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SHOWBIZ Ariana DeBose, Outfest, 'Gay Days,' 'Drag Race,' Keke Palmer
Queer, Oscar-winning performer/actor Ariana DeBose became one of three people who have joined the American Film Institute's board of trustees, The Hollywood Reporter noted. (The other two are Warner Bros. Pictures Group co-chair/CEO Pamela Abdy an ...
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Winners named for Fetish Weekend contest
The inaugural Chicago Fetish Weekend awarded its two titles on the evening on July 22. Lil Daddy Bear won the title of Chicago Leather Ambassador, while Riley won the title of Midwest Rubber. ...
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Chicago Fetish Weekend gets into gear
Chicago Fetish Weekend kicked off July 21 with the welcome party, which was held at The Baton. Emcee Pup Figaro introduced the judges, tally masters and the nine contestants vying for the two titles of Midwest ...
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Meeting House marks anniversary with drag fundraiser
Meeting House Tavern, 5025 N. Clark St., marked its fifth anniversary with Living Out Loud, an event it billed as "a fundraiser in defense of drag." Proceeds from the evening went to the ACLU's Drag Defense ...
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SHOWBIZ Ryan Murphy, Bob The Drag Queen, Deborah Cox, Katy Perry, Wham!
Video below
Ryan Murphy is set to leave Netflix at the end of his five-year overall deal, which was understood to be worth around $300 million, Deadline noted. The outlet also confirmed that Murphy is in talks with ...
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Bezalel's photography exhibition captures the humanity of Argyle Night Market
Ronit Bezalel's first solo exhibition captures the humanity of Uptown's Argyle Night Market By Jess Savage Ronit Bezalel photographed only faces to capture her subjects' humanity in a single moment. Her first solo show, "Faces of ...
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Viktor Luna moonlights once again on Project Runway
Out and proud fashion designer Viktor Luna returns for more challenges in the upcoming season 20 of Project Runway. The Emmy Award-winning competition series has assembled 14 designers from its past, with Christian Siriano serving as ...
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Billy Masters: Sister Roma goes to Sacramento
"I rise to commemorate the start of Pride Month by honoring the one and only queen of drag, RuPaul. RuPaul Charles has become an American phenomenon and an icon. Nobody has more charisma, uniqueness, nerve and ...
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Federal judge rejects Tennessee's anti-drag law
U.S. District Judge Thomas Parkerwho was appointed by former President Donald Trumpruled that Tennessee's anti-drag show law is unconstitutional, per NPR. Memphis-based LGBTQ+ theater company Friends of George's filed a ...
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NATIONAL DHS violence report, queer Democratic club, trans influencer dies, vigil, GLSEN Awards
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said that threats of violence against the LGBTQ+ community are increasing—and intensifying, according to ABC News. "These issues include actions linked to drag-themed events ...
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Doug Plaut serves up The Sixth Reel
Performer Doug Plaut's career highlights the queer side of life. From the breakout role of gender-fluid Terry in Netflix's Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt to the upcoming third installment playing Rex in Hurricane Bianca: All Roots of Evil, ...
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Gigi Gorgeous Spills The T Guide at Chicago Humanities Festival
Chicago Humanities Festival has created events that bring artists and audiences together for one-of-a-kind experiences in the Windy City for yearsand 2023 will be no different. Programming slated for this year includes LGBTQ+ favorites such such ...
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Chicago Imperial Court celebrates Derby Day
On the afternoon of May 6, the Chicago Imperial Court held Fifi's Annual Derby Day, a fundraiser and celebration of the Kentucky Derby. The event took place at Charlie's, with the Trevor Project and the Chicago ...
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'Snatchy Game' Theme for AAPI Month Fundraiser Asians and Friends Chicago to feature drag
--From a press release
'Snatchy Game' Theme for AAPI Month Fundraiser Asians and Friends Chicago to feature drag celebrities, game show reprise to raise money for Pride Parade entry CHICAGOTo recreate the popular 70's game show, Match Game, in the ...
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Good golly, Miss Cortes honors Little Richard in a big way
The new documentary Little Richard: I Am Everything held a big one-night-only premiere at Gene Siskel Film Center on April 13, the first 2023 film screened for the Doc10 Film Festival, Chicago's only all-documentary festival. Known ...
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Bears, cubs and their admirers return for Illinois Bear Contest
Visitors and Chicagoans gathered at Charlies Chicago, 3726 N. Broadway, on April 7 to kick off the Illinois Bear Contest weekend, the first since 2019. The contest itself took place the following evening at Leather Archives ...
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WORLD Queer soldier, anti-trans interview, Eurovision, couple arrested, soccer match
A queer Ukrainian solider has called for same-sex marriage to be legalized in the country, according to PinkNews. Anna "Kajhan" Zyablikova, who is serving in the 47th Brigade of Ukraine's armed forces, told the i paper ...
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Andy Cohen, drag queens, Hillary Clinton, Stacey Abrams part of Chicago Humanities Festival
The spring schedule for the Chicago Humanities Festival (CHF) is out—and there are several LGBTQ+ guests who will be featured. —Bisexual actress/author Mara Wilson (who played the title character in ...
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Why this Passover drag show is different from all other drag shows?
Drag performer Merriam Levkowitz—billed as "Chicago's premier drag bubbe"—entertained a capacity crowd at Graystone Tavern, 3441 N. Sheffield Ave., for a Passover-themed brunch on April 2. Levkowitz performed Jewish-themed covers ...
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Winners chosen in the International Puppy and Trainer Contest
The International Puppy & Trainer Contest was held in Chicago the weekend of March 31 to April 2 for the first time since 2019. The contest's Meet & Greet was held at Cellblock on March 31. The contest was hosted the ...
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District court judge temporarily halts Tennessee's anti-drag law
On March 31, Judge Thomas Lee Robinson Parker of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee ordered a temporary injunction halting a state law that criminalizes some drag performances, The Washington Blade reported. ...
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Uprising Bakery to remain open for now, plans eventual move
Uprising Bakery & Cafe, which was slated to close March 31, will be staying open for business, according to owner Corrina Sac. The Lake in the Hills establishment had faced reduced business after a number of ...
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Sasha Velour pulls back the curtain for The Big Reveal
Gender-fluid drag queen Sasha Velour is hitting the road with The Big Reveal Live Show! This 90-minute extravaganza will be staged for two nights at Broadway Playhouse on April 29 and 30, and features an evening ...
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Being BeBe documents life of first RuPaul's Drag Race winner
On the evening of March 9, the Block Museum of Art at Northwestern University presented a screening of Emily Branham's documentary Being BeBe, the story of Nea Marshall Kudi Ngwa, a.k.a. Benet, the first winner of ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Joy Ride,' Cynthia Erivo, David Bowie, March Madness, Kevin Bacon
Video below
The first trailer for the upcoming comedy Joy Ride has been released, Out noted. The movie stars Ashley Park, queer Oscar nominee Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All At Once), bisexual comedian Sherry Cola (Good Trouble) and ...
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UpRising Bakery and Cafe could soon close due to revenue losses, ongoing anti-LGBTQ+ harassment
Award-winning UpRising Bakery and Café (UpRising) in Lake in the Hills faces possible closure March 31 after many months of revenue losses and ongoing anti-LGBTQ+ harassment. This stems from the harassment owner Corinna Sac received when ...
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N.Y. attorney general hosts Drag Story Hour
On March 19, New York Attorney General Letitia Jamesalong with a coalition of advocacy organizations and elected leadershosted a first-of-its-kind Drag Story Hour Read-A-Thon for families in New York City, per a press release from her ...
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'Spring Fling' at The Baton on Thursday, April 13 to benefit Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame
--From a press release
The Baton Show Lounge (4713 North Broadway, Chicago) has been entertaining folks for 54 years and will host a special "Spring Fling", an all-new show to benefit the Chicago LGBT of Fame on Thursday, April 13 ...
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PASSAGES: Visual artist, Chicago nightlife scene drag performer legend and hairdresser Jojo Baby
Visual artist, Chicago nightlife scene drag performer legend, doll-maker and hairdresser Jojo Baby died March 14 of liver, lung and stomach cancer. They were 51. Baby was born April 10, 1971, in Chicago and grew up ...
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Editorial: In praise of Drag Story Hour
Drag Story Hours have really come to the fore in our political consciousness in the last few years, as the radical right has strategically targeted events raising the visibility of individuals who are gender-nonconforming, transgender or ...
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