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PHOTOS Sidetrack
Feeling the love of Sidetrack's Valentine's Day party. Joseph Stevens Photography ...
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PHOTOS Jackhammer
No one does it harder than Joe Whitaker's FuKr party. Joseph Stevens Photography ...
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ShOWBIZ 'Drag Race' judges, Dwyane Wade, 'Porgy,' Of Montreal, Cirque du Soleil
RuPaul Drag Race's season-12 guest judges consist of film, music, television, fashion and political figures such as Nicki Minaj, Whoopi Goldberg, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Chaka Khan, Robyn, Leslie Jones, Normani, Jeff Goldblum, Daisy Ridley, Thandie Newton, Olivia ...
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March 7 fundraiser set for Elgin's first Pride Parade and Festival
Organizers of the first Elgin Pride Parade and Festival will be holding a benefit for the summer event on Saturday, March 7. The Big Queer Variety Show and Fundraiser takes place at The Martini Room, 161 ...
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Decades after San Francisco closed gay bathhouses, new law makes way for return
SAN FRANCISCO — District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman introduced legislation Tuesday at the San Francisco Board of Supervisors requiring the San Francisco Department of Public Health to remove current regulations requiring the monitoring of patrons' sexual ...
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'Love Out Loud' ball Feb. 8
In Demand Entertainment and CSU Royal Court are presenting the Love Out Loud Ball on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2-10 p.m., at Chicago State University's Student Union Building, 9501 S. King Dr. The ball-approved event is offering ...
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'A Night with Oscar' viewing party Feb. 9
Center on Halsted will hold its annual "A Night with Oscar" viewing party Sunday, Feb. 9, 6-11 p.m. at the Park West, 322 W. Armitage Ave., with the red-carpet arrivals starting at 5 p.m. There will ...
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Queer Valentine's Day event at MCA
"Odd Pleasures: A Queer Valentine's Day Event" will take place Friday, Feb. 14, 7-8:30 p.m., at the Museum for Contemporary Art ( MCA ), 200 E. Chicago Ave. Chicago drag queen/comedian Aunty Chan will host the ...
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Mr. Chicago Leather 2020
Congratulations to Butch Romero, the newly-chosen Mr. Chicago Leather 2020. Butch gained the title Saturday, January 25, at Leather Archives & Museum, 6418 N. Greenview Ave. The party continued at Touche, 6412 N. Clark St., with ...
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Mayor Lightfoot, Gov. Pritzker to address Equality Illinois 2020 Gala
CHICAGO — Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot will deliver the keynote address at Saturday night's Equality Illinois 2020 Gala. United Airlines is the Presenting Sponsor at the annual event in the Hilton Chicago, where more than 1,500 ...
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NATIONAL Political candidates, Larry Kramer, Virginia laws, drag-queen news
LGBTQ Victory Fund—the only national organization dedicated to electing LGBTQ leaders to public office—endorsed Ross LaJeunesse for the U.S. Senate, a press release noted. LaJeunesse would be the first openly LGBTQ man and just the third ...
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SHOWBIZ Judith Light, RuPaul, queer docufiction film, Lil Nas X, Mika
GLAAD will honor award-winning actress, producer and activist Judith Light with the Excellence in Media Award at the 31st Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York, a press release noted. The organization also announced that Lilly ...
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GoFundMe page launched for DJ Bristol
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help Teri Bristol, who has been a longtime DJ at various LGBTQ venues as well as spots such as Smartbar. After DJing a New Year's show with longtime mixing ...
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Drag Performer of the Week: Laila McQueen
BEHIND THE NAME "I used to work a small store inside a strip club and Laila sounded like a pretty stripper name that none of the other girls had. And as far as McQueen, I was ...
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Jerry Nunn's 50th at Mary's Attic
Seeing red at Jerry Nunn's 50th birthday/fundraiser for Heartland Alliance. Photos by Jerry Nunn ...
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SIDETRACK New Years'
This ... is 2020! Photos by Jed Dulanas ...
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Performer of the Week Alex Jenny
BEHIND THE NAME "Alex is my given name and Jenny is my mom's name. When choosing my stage name, I knew I wanted it to feel less like a character or a persona and more ...
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Lips Chicago New Years' photos
Dropping the ball with ABC-7! Photos courtesy of Lips Chicago ...
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Jackhammer New Years' photos
Have a fetishy 2020! Joseph Stevens Photography ...
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Bowie Ball celebrates with drag and dance Jan. 10
Heaven Malone and A Queer Pride will present "Bowie Ball: David Bowie's Birthday" Friday, Jan. 10, 9 p.m.-2 a.m., at Le Nocturne, 4810 N. Broadway. Lucy Stoole will be mistress of ceremonies. Mick Douch, Ari Gato, ...
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theWit celebrating Warhol with package
theWit Hotel, 201 N. State St., is celebrating the arrival of "Andy Warhol—From A to B and Back Again," the acclaimed traveling Andy Warhol exhibit that has just made its debut in Chicago—with a hotel package ...
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Fifth annual Mr. Leather64Ten March 14
The fifth annual Mr. Leather64Ten contest weekend will be held from March 12, 2020 - March 15, 2020. Leather64Ten and The Jackha.m.mer Complex will host a weekend of events to promote our search for the next ...
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Sidetrack's New Years Eve Party to benefit the Legacy Project
Sidetrack's New Years Eve Party, New Year's 2020: A Vision for Our Future , will benefit The Legacy Project. Presale tickets are $30. $35 at the door, if still available. Party goers must be 21+ with ...
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SIDETRACK holds Holiday Customer Appreciation Party
Feeling appreciative at the Holiday Customer Appreciation Party. Photos by Jed Dulanas ...
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NATIONAL Trans deaths, Stonewall Housing, sex-workers act, RuPaul
On Dec. 7, 18-year-old Nikki Kuhnhausen was found dead after a six-month search that ended in a grassy field in her hometown of Vancouver, Washington—making her the 27th transgender homicide victim in 2019, NewNowNext.com noted. There ...
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PERFORMER OF THE WEEK Edna Mascara
BEHINDTHE NAME "Edna D. Mascará— because I'm a classy housewife from Edina, Minnesota, dontcha know, and Mascara is a monthly drag show in San Francisco that helped me find my voice." MY MUSE "Maria Bamford—her comedic ...
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Pro-LGBTQ groups hail trans question in Democratic debate
Pro-LGBTQ groups responded to a question in the Dec. 19 Democratic presidential primary that focused on violence against the transgender community. Yamiche Alcindor, one of the moderators of the PBS NewsHour-Politico debate, asked U.S. Sen. Bernie ...
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PERFORMER OF THE WEEK Ryan Royale
BEHIND THE NAME "The name Royale comes from my fascination with royalty and the rise and fall of fame. I was a young art student when I saw Prince Poppycock perform on America's Got Talent, and ...
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PHOTOS The Sofo Tap
Happy Holidays from St. Nick and Doaays! Photos by Kirk Williamson ...
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PHOTO Sidetrack
Ninth annual Santa Speedo Run raises some fun funds for Center on Halsted. Joseph Stevens Photography ...
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Community turns out for World of Chocolate
About 1,000 Chicagoans and other visitors showed up at Revel Fulton Market in the West Loop for AIDS Foundation of Chicago's annual World of Chocolate fundraiser, which shows off the finest confections from local-area vendors to ...
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theWit celebrating Warhol with package
theWit Hotel, 201 N. State St., is celebrating the arrival of "Andy Warhol—From A to B and Back Again," the acclaimed traveling Andy Warhol exhibit that has just made its debut in Chicago—with a hotel package ...
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Santa Speedo Run speeds through Boystown
Warm( -ish ) weather greeted the many participants of the Santa Speedo Run, which took place this year Saturday, Dec. 7 at Sidetrack. This annual fundraiser featured Santa-hat-bedecked, Speedo-clad runners, doing a lap around the Boystown ...
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December at Women & Children First to include Drag Queen Story Hour
CHICAGO, IL ( December 3, 2019 ) - As 2019 comes to a close, Women & Children First is proud to announce our 19 Bestselling Books of 2019! Once again, this list brilliantly reflects our feminist ...
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NATIONAL Activists' honor, N.J. attorney general, gay bar closes, Warhol display
Three longstanding LGBT legal activists will be honored by the American Bar Association Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity with its eighth annual Stonewall Award during a ceremony on Feb. 15, 2020, at the ABA ...
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Chicago drag production in Louisville Dec. 21
For the past decade, Snow White and the Seven Drag Queens has played to sold out crowds in Boystown, at the SOHO House Chicago, in historic Provincetown and, most recently, at Louisville's own Play Dance Bar. ...
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Gay-owned Pastoral closes
Greg O'Neill and Ken Miller—the couple who the founded and owned Chicago business Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine—recently closed after 15 years. In a letter to Pastoral's customers and stakeholders, O'Neill and Miller stated, "Unfortunately, ...
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And they're off ... Santa Speedo Run returns to Boystown
The December chill will be no match for the hot participants in the annual Santa Speedo Run Boystown, Saturday, December 7. This ninth annual run, presented by Miller Lite and Sidetrack, will raise money to support ...
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PERFORMER OF THE WEEK Travis Fiero
BEHIND THE NAME: "I was stressing about finding the perfect drag name and I finally just asked my roommate what it should be and she goes 'I don't know, Travis? Yeah, do Travis' and then went ...
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ALMA marking 30 years on Nov. 15
The Association of Latinx Motivating Action ( ALMA ) will mark its 30th anniversary with an event Friday, Nov. 15, at the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance ( PRAA ), 3000 N. Elbridge Ave., 6-9 p.m. In ...
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Andersonville holiday programming includes 100 businesses
CHICAGO ( November 11, 2019 ): More than 100 Andersonville businesses are featured in the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce's ( ACC ) holiday programming lineup this season with a full schedule of shopping, dining, entertainment, traditional ...
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Halloween weirdness at Sidetrack
Photos by Jerry Nunn ...
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Drag star's "All I Want for Christmas is Attention" tour Dec. 10
Seattle sisters and drag superstars BenDeLaCreme and Jinkx Monsoon have joined forces once again to present a new holiday extravaganza, All I Want for Christmas is Attention, to audiences across the US and the UK and ...
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Chicago House holds Day of the Dead event
On Oct. 31, Chicago House, in concert with other community service organizations, held the Second Annual Fiesta! Day of the Dead at the National Museum of Mexican Art. The event not only acknowledged the traditional Latin-American ...
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'Drag Race' alums bring holiday show to Chicago Dec. 10
Drag queens and RuPaul's Drag Race alumni BenDeLaCreme and Jinkx Monsoon have joined forces once again to present a new holiday extravaganza, "All I Want for Christmas is Attention." BenDeLaCreme Presents is the production company behind ...
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DRAG PERFORMER OF THE WEEK Kalli Mauri
BEHIND THE NAME "I chose Kalli Mauri because I wanted to make sure I stayed true to my comedy roots it's a pun. I also wanted people to know that I may look feminine but there ...
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Circuit Mom presents Haunted Hollywood at House of Blues
Hooray for Haunted Hollywood 2, presented by Chicago legend Circuit Mom. Joseph Stevens Photography ...
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Billy Porter drops in at Sidetrack
Musical Monday at Sidetrack blasted through the stratosphere when entertainer extraordinaire Billy Porter dropped in on October 28. ...
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SHOWBIZ RuPaul, 'Grease,' Queen Latifah, LGBT lists
VH1 announced that RuPaul's Celebrity Drag Race, an expansion of the Emmy-winning franchise, has been greenlit for 2020, a press release noted. The four-episode event series will feature 12 celebrities as they sashay into the "werk" ...
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Leather Archives & Museum opens A Wild Pack of Dogs
Chicago, IL, 23 Oct. 2019 — The Leather Archives & Museum is pleased to announce its newest exhibit in the Guest Artist Gallery, "A Wild Pack of Dogs: A Visual Exploration of Pet Play Culture" featuring ...
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Howard Brown Health raises money, conjures Halloween spirit
Characters of all kinds gathered at Park West on Oct. 19 for Howard Brown Health's annual fundraiser Big Orange Ball. The Halloween party that served to raise money for Howard Brown's patient base and programming had ...
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Gay skier/actor at Roscoe's Oct. 24
Openly gay Olympic freestyle skier and actor ( American Horror Story ) Gus Kenworthy is teaming with Coors Light to throw an '80s rock-themed Halloween party in Chicago. "Halloween Rocks" is happening Thursday, Oct. 24, at ...
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Oct. 21 benefit for homeless at Metro
More than 40 Chicago punk, prog, noise, rock and surf musicians—including current and former members of PiL, Naked Raygun and Local H—will perform at a benefit concert to raise money for the Chicago Coalition for the ...
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LGBTQ HRC/CNN town hall watch party held at Sidetrack
The Chicago Reader hosted a discussion in advance of the HRC/CNN town hall Oct. 10. Presidential candidate Marianne Williamson stopped by the event. Joseph Stevens Photography ...
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LGBT HISTORY MONTH The rise of the ballroom scene through the ages
By Laura Smythe laura@epgn.com
What is ballroom? The first time Jacen Bowman attended a house meeting, he had no idea what LGBTQ ballroom culture was. Going into his final year in high school, Bowman was approached to join a "modeling ...
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WORLD Brazilian LGBT figures, 'Kill the Gays' bill, singer Hozier
The European Parliament announced the finalists for the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought—and, for the first time in its 30 years of existence, a person from the LGBTI community is on the list: Marielle Franco, ...
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Boystown's Halloweek of Tricks leads up to Oct. 31 parade, spooky fun
Boystown brings you a full, seven-day Halloweek of tricks and treats. Culminating with the legendary Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade on Oct. 31, Northalsted hosts a spectacularly spooky line-up of events. From alive to zombified, it's a ...
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'Activists and Icons' to end Oct. 27
"Activists and Icons: The Photographs of Steve Schapiro," an exhibit at Skokie's Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center, will close Sunday, Oct. 27. It was originally slated to close June 23. Schapiro, a Chicago-based photographer, has ...
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DRAG
Detox: Making it 'Werq'
Matthew Sanderson performs in drag and makes music as Detox Icunt. After taking over the drag scene in California, Detox appeared in music videos for Kesha and Rihanna while playing in the band Tranzkuntinental and joining ...
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'Andy Warhol's House' exhibit opening Oct. 10
Hilton | Asmus Contemporary, 716 N. Wells St., announced the addition of a new photo exhibit, Andy Warhol's House. The exhibit, opening Thursday, Oct. 10, will feature David Gamble's photos of Warhol's house in New York ...
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EXPO CHICAGO spotlights modern, contemporary art
EXPO CHICAGO: The International Exposition of Contemporary & Modern Art took place at Navy Pier on Sept. 19-22. The eighth annual exposition hosted 135 galleries from 24 countries and 68 cities, and introduced diverse programming. Programming ...
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DRAG Bianca Del Rio vs. the World
From Sydney to Singapore, Bianca Del Rio, the season six winner of RuPaul's Drag Race, has been spreading clown realness all over the globe with her "It's Jester Joke" tour. Now she's bringing her unmatched comedic ...
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SAVOR Sampling drag brunches
DISH Dining Guide
If you like keeping up with culinary trends, one of the most prominent ones in Chicago also incorporates entertainment: drag brunches. Of course, Kit Kat Lounge started this trend eons ago ( and you can see ...
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MUSIC Looking back at this year's Riot Fest
The 14th Annual Riot Fest invaded Douglas Park in west Pilsen Sept. 13-15 and proved that you can please all of the people all of the time. The hard rock/heavy metal/punk festival didn't actually offer anything ...
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DRAG PROFILE Briawna Banana
NAME "My name is an homage to three things: "Hollaback Girl" by Gwen Stefani; the British sitcom, "Keeping Up Appearances" ( It's pronounced, BOUQUET! It's spelled, B-U-C-K-E-T! ); and just some good old-fashioned alliteration!" FIRST DRAG ...
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Ralphi The Razz Rosario street dedicated
Scenes from the dedication of the Ralphi The Razz Rosario street sign at Halsted and Cornelia, Saturday, Sept. 14. Joseph Stevens Photography ...
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PHOTOGRAPHY Jan Dee Gordon, photographer of steel
In July, Los Angeles-based photographer Jan Dee Gordon released the second book in her "of Steel" book series. The book, LGBTQ of Steel, is a compilation of portraits accompanied by personal profiles that tell the stories ...
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Champaign center reveals Pride theme
The UP Center of Champaign County has announced the theme for the 10th annual C-U Pride Parade and Fest: 50/10: "Queer History, Our History." Celebrating the 10th anniversary of our local pride celebration, and the 50th ...
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13th Floor haunted house starts Sept. 13
The haunted-house brand 13th Floor will return to the suburbs of Chicago this fall for a sixth season with two new haunted attractions at 13th Floor Chicago ( 13thfloorchicago.com ), 1940 George St., Melrose Park. Adding ...
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DRAG PROFILE Beverly Rage
"Beverly Rage is the lead singer/guitarist of Bev Rage & the Drinks. Bev Rage was my great-great- grandma's name. She lived in the back woods of Ohio and made her own wine. I relate to her." ...
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DRAG PROFILE Veronica Pop
NAME "I got my name from one of my biggest inspirations: Britney Spears. I love the name Veronica and Britney is a POP star, so that is how I got Pop!" FIRST DRAG PERFORMANCE "I started ...
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Activists and Icons documentary photography exhibit to close Oct. 27
Activists and Icons: The Photographs of Steve Schapiro shows, through powerful documentary photography, that the issues of the civil rights movement are still deeply relevant today. Forty-six large-format photographs tell the stories of seminal moments in ...
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SHOWBIZ Matt Bomer, Todrick Hall, Chely Wright, 'Drag Race,' U.S. Open
Matt Bomer will return for the revived Will & Grace's third and final season in the recurring role of McCoy Whitman, NewNowNext.com noted, citing TheWrap. In the second season finale, he and boyfriend Will ( Eric ...
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Foxx and Flores among Fahrenheit honorees
Equality Illinois kicked off its weekend-long Fahrenheit Chicago celebration the evening of Aug. 23 by honoring Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx and Illinois Deputy Gov. Sol Flores, among others, in a presentation at Connect Gallery ...
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A Queer Pride holds benefit at Le Nocturne
On Aug. 23, A Queer Pride held a benefit for L.A.-based non-profit Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement ( TQLM ). The event not only served as a fundraiser but was also the debut event for A ...
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