Some of my best friends are Republicans. I hang out with people who are Republican. Many are military, currently serving or retired or are LGBTQ+ people raised in military homes. Many are in the banking or finance sector. A few friends are trust fund babies, moneyed people who vote their pocketbooks. We are friends. We […]
Category: News
Posted inFeatured
Anti-Asian American and Pacific Islander hate crimes affect LGBTQ+ people too
Another virus has been spreading throughout our country since former President Donald Trump racialized the coronavirus by repeatedly calling it the “China virus” or “kung flu:” Hate. His thinly veiled racist dog whistles encouraged identification of the virus with Asians and a justification for punishing anyone perceived as Chinese, which is liberally misapplied to almost […]
Posted inBooks
LGBTQ+ content featured heavily in recent book bans
The most recent rise in anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric has been heavily focused on students and what they should and should not be exposed to in the classroom. School libraries have been forced to pull certain books off their shelves, while teachers have been told to remove books from their syllabi. What’s the current state of banned […]
Posted inFeatured
Why is there LGBTQ+ media? One word: information
Take monkeypox, for example, specifically its relationship to our community. LGBTQ+ media reports a depth and breadth of information you won’t get from mainstream media. We immediately understood the impact monkeypox would have on the LGBTQ+ community and began writing about it and taking it seriously much earlier than mainstream media. The reason is that […]
Posted inCommunity
Queer-owned and LGBTQ+ affirming coffee houses across the country
Updated as of 4/14/26. LGBTQ+ people have always found ways to create community. From clandestine speakeasies to club floors crowded with joyful dancers, we have found ways to celebrate love and life. While gay bars have become a beacon for many in the community and tend to dominate conversations regarding gatherings, we hear far less […]
Posted inHistory, Top Stories
Archives for ALL, Y’all!
Queer History South 2022 conference to take place in Dallas from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2. The contributions of LGBTQ+ people toward the betterment of the world cannot be underestimated, and the world is a better place when LGBTQ+ people are allowed to flourish. From government and engineering to science and the arts, LGBTQ+ people […]
Posted inFilm and Television
LGBTQ+ entertainment not to miss in August
August is turning out to be a solid month for LGBTQ+ entertainment. From the ending of a beloved fantasy show to the real-life adventures of a queer parent, here are LGBTQ+-centric options for everyone to enjoy this month. Television https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8qMhtkB18k “A League of Their Own” (Prime Video) Inspired by the 1992 film, the highly anticipated […]
Posted inCommunity
With monkeypox, let’s not stigmatize (again)
More than 40 years ago, a worldwide plague emerged. Men who have sex with men (MSM) made up a large portion of those diagnosed early on. Among its first names were gay cancer and GRID (gay-related immune deficiency); eventually, the disease became known as AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). And talk about a marginalized community. HIV/AIDS-impacted […]
Posted inChangemakers, Politics, Top Stories
LGBTQ+ changemakers: Mayor Remy Drabkin
Welcome to the first in our LGBTQ+ Changemakers series. There are LGBTQ+ people all over the country who are making a difference through visibility and ingenuity. Mayor Remy Drabkin is one of those people. Drabkin, a lesbian, is the owner of Remy Wines in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and one of the founders of Wine Country […]
Posted inNews
Monkeypox: What you need to know
Anyone can get monkeypox, but the virus is currently disproportionately affecting the gay community. Photo: BlurryMe/Shutterstock Monkeypox cases are on the rise. Reported cases of monkeypox have increased to more than 5,100 in the U.S., compared with several hundred in late June, the Centers for Disease Control said. Worldwide, the number of reported cases is […]
Posted inOpinion
The value of your visibility
Having the courage to be out and proud can be a lifeline to others, Eboné Bell shares in her recent commentary. Photo: Tim Samuel/Pexels We all know that representation matters. We’ve seen what happens when there aren’t enough LGBTQ+ individuals in Congress, not enough people of color policing our streets and not enough women making […]
Posted inEntertainment
A guide to summer LGBTQ+ film festivals
When the weather gets hot, there’s nothing like stepping into a frosty movie theater to check out new LGBTQ+ cinematic offerings. The coronavirus pandemic forced LGBTQ+ film festivals to adapt quickly in 2020 and 2021. While some canceled their seasons, other festivals, such as Outfest and Newfest, switched to a virtual format. While still dealing […]
Posted inUncategorized
A lesbian perspective on reproductive freedom
I was once young. And fresh off the turnip truck. So naive I laugh today looking back. I thought every lesbian would be my friend. I worried about the ducks I saw in Rock Creek Park. What would they eat? Who fed them? It was an early girlfriend who moved me off the worry with […]
Posted inNews
GLAAD reports failing grades for major social platforms regarding LGBTQ+ safety
As anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and hate continue to escalate online, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation released its second annual Social Media Safety Index this week. According to GLAAD, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and TikTok received failing grades for not providing “LGBTQ safety, privacy, and expression,” the report said. In May 2021, GLAAD released its […]
Posted inOpinion
It’s a time for protests, not parades
If there was any doubt that a government-led backlash against the LGBTQ+ community was gaining force, it was made plain when the U.S. Supreme Court reversed itself (Dobbs v. Jackson’s Women’s Health Organization) and ruled that Roe v. Wade was unconstitutional after nearly 50 years of being the law of the land. What had been […]
Posted inCommunity
TikTok famous plus size Charlotte store provides a refuge for LGBTQ+ shoppers
When you walk through the doors of Juicy Body Goddess, you know instantly you’ve ended up in an affirming place. “Welcome to Juicy, where you’ve got to be two something to do something,” store owner Summer Lucille and her staff call out as a greeting. The plus size boutique is a hit on TikTok, where […]
Posted inOpinion
Creating a forever family takes looking inside
My heart was racing as we walked to the front door of the foster home. I could hear the roar of children inside. With much anticipation, Tony and I knocked and could feel the rush of excitement in the air. Inside were two children: JJ, 3, and Elijah, 8. JJ rushed toward Tony and jumped […]
Posted inTop Stories
New report shows support for LGBTQ+ inclusion in small business
MetLife and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently teamed up to survey small business owners on their feelings about LGBTQ+ topics and inclusion and the results were encouraging. Business owners were asked a variety of questions from importance of diversity and inclusion to whether they were actively working to recruit LGBTQ+ employees. Seventy-seven percent of […]
Posted inOpinion
Expanding allyship beyond Pride month
Windy City Times usually receives its fair share of emails—hundreds each day. However, starting in late May that number increases exponentially, as June is Pride Month. Believe me, we love the fact that companies and businesses take action to support LGBTQ+ individuals, organizations and events. However, we wonder how much of the support is based […]
Posted inTop Stories
Yes, we still need Black LGBTQ+ Pride events
Most of us know the story of the Stonewall Inn: We’ve heard how Black, Brown, and trans individuals in a small Greenwich Village bar rose up against the police in June 1969. While we often credit that night with sparking the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, the larger queer community ignores the continuation of the story: […]
